Saint Maud is one of my favorite films I’ve seen this year, and I think it’s a damn shame how A24 treated it by hocking it to EPIX, of all streamers, for its tiny release. It represents the best that… Read More ›
streaming
Anachronistic historical revisionist animated action comedy “America: The Motion Picture” delights on first viewing with plenty to appreciate upon repeated indulgences.
Ordinarily, listing out who produced a film is never a promise of quality. It lets you know who helped create and shape the project, sure, but it’s not a guarantee that the new thing is as good as the previous…. Read More ›
Before she saved every one of us, “Black Widow” addresses Natasha’s unfinished business.
Introduced in Iron Man 2 (2010), Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, has been a key component in nearly every Avengers story since. If not for her, Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) and Rhodey (Don Cheadle) would’ve been toast well… Read More ›
#18 of the Paramount Presents line is the Blu-ray debut for adult western “Last Train from Gun Hill.”
For just over a year, the Paramount Presents premiere home video label from Paramount Pictures continues to restore and release films from within their deep well of material. It began with Fatal Attraction (1987), King Creole (1958), and To Catch… Read More ›
Tragically haunting, “My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To” forces the audience to consider difficult questions.
Quiet horror is not a particularly marketable asset to a major studio, and it’s because of that that we just don’t see much of it in the immediate landscape of the genre today. Audiences demand bigger thrills, louder jump-scares, and… Read More ›
Everyone’s a little suss when there are “Werewolves Within.”
When it comes to adapting games, especially video games, for cinema, the track record is low for success. While there’s some fun to be had in Doom (2005) or Mortal Kombat (1995), it’s best not to mention any appreciation for… Read More ›
Without stooping to sensationalism, Dawn Porter’s “Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer” offers hope amid horror.
In 2020, documentarian Dawn Porter explored two very different political figures via her films John Lewis: Good Trouble and The Way I See It. The first followed Congressman and activist John Lewis, who passed away in 2020, while the second… Read More ›
By-the-numbers action thriller “Assault on VA-33” surprises in its examination on veteran treatment.
Around Elements of Madness, story is everything. We’re not looking for giant budgets, major studios, or the biggest names; we’re looking for an interesting idea or an engaging twist on something old. Enter the Scott Thomas Reynolds-written (2nd Chance for… Read More ›
In thrilling documentary “The Penny Black,” trust half of what you see and less of what you hear.
It all begins with a story. A young man (Will Cassayd-Smith) is sharing a smoke with his Russian neighbor, Roman, who unexpectedly asks if Will could watch a package for him for about two weeks while he leaves town. The… Read More ›
Enjoy the summer blockbuster feeling at home with director Antoine Fuqua’s “Infinite” on Paramount+.
In 2009, author D. Eric Maikranz self-published his book, The Reincarnationist Papers, with a message inside, a “request for help,” offering an agent’s commission (roughly $10K) if someone in his readerships could help get the book noticed by a Hollywood… Read More ›
Looking for a spark of fun? Enter “The Vault.”
The “cinematic baggage,” as it is known, that we bring with us into each film-viewing experience always has an effect on our perception of movies, even if this sensation is unconscious. We may love a film with a greater zeal,… Read More ›
Martial arts crime comedy “Undercover Punch & Gun” is largely undercooked despite good ideas.
Over the last few years in America there’s been a surge of “gun fu” films: The Matrix (1999), Equilibrium (2002), all the way up to the recent John Wick series. It’s not that the combination of martial arts and weaponry… Read More ›
Deeply unpleasant and horrifying, one visit to George A. Romero’s “The Amusement Park” is all you need.
When you have done great work in life, your work will speak for your legacy long after you are gone. If you’re George A. Romero, you know how to do that while also staying on-brand and releasing a new film… Read More ›
If you go into writer/director BenDavid Grabinski’s film clinging to expectations, your cinematic experience won’t end “Happily.”
Shot over 20 days with the intent to premiere at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, writer/director BenDavid Grabinski’s genre-hybrid Happily eventually hit select theaters on March 19th, 2021, along with a simultaneous VOD and digital release. The film is difficult… Read More ›
In honor of the 20th anniversary of Angelina Jolie’s “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” snag both adventures in a new 4K UHD 2-pack.
Its 1996 and British gaming company Core Design has released action-adventure game Tomb Raider for PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn consoles. Centered around archeologist/adventurer Lara Croft, the title challenged gamers to solve puzzles and confront strange enemies in pursuit of… Read More ›
Fistful of Features explores writer/director BenDavid Grabinski’s dark comedy “Happily.”
Welcome to Fistful of Features, a celebration of film preservation through physical media and the discussion of cinematic treasures to maintain their relevance in the cultural lexicon. Today we’ll be focusing on the directorial debut of BenDavid Grabinski, a morality… Read More ›
Relive your angsty teen years with “Shoplifters of the World,” a cinematic tribute to The Smiths from director Stephen Kijak.
When you’re a teenager, every little upset feels like the end of the world. Failing a test, losing the big game, watching your crush take someone else to prom, or even finding out that your favorite band broke up can… Read More ›
Director James Kicklighter’s “The Sound of Identity” is the rare documentary which delicately shifts the audience away from the expected.
First performed in October 1787, Wolfgang Mozart’s Il dissoluto punito; ossia, il Don Giovanni (The Libertine Punished; or, Don Giovanni) has since been performed countless times around the globe. Like other pieces of art, it’s been recreated and recontextualized to… Read More ›
“Minari” is a no-frills tale of a family pursuing the American dream.
Of the many decisions made for the 93rd Academy Awards, the shift away from running clips of films seemed like the most bizarre according to vocal viewers online. Whether it was for technical awards or the top six, not running… Read More ›
When it comes to Natalie Morales’s “Plan B,” there really is no alternative if you want humor and heart.
Usually, it takes several entries into a director’s catalogue before they push things or delve into hard to process topics. In Natalie Morales’s first film, Language Lessons (2021), she explored platonic love amid COVID-19 in a film she both wrote… Read More ›