adaptation

Black-and-white film still of a woman kissing a fedora-wearing man’s cheek in front of a crowded newsstand.

Richard Linklater’s delightfully delirious ode to Godard and French New Wave cinema, “Nouvelle Vague,” is now available on Blu-ray from Via Vision Entertainment.

By Michelle Swope on September 7, 2026 • ( 0 )

I’m a lifelong cinephile, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I had never gotten around to watching a film by Jean-Luc Godard. The French-Swiss filmmaker, well-known as one of the pioneers of the French New Wave film movement of… Read More ›

A man points to an information sign in a subway-like corridor, with tiles lining the walls and a bright yellow directional indicator nearby.

Genki Kawamura’s “Exit 8” now brings its rewarding and challenging exploration of the human psyche into your home.

By Blak Cinephile on August 31, 2026 • ( 0 )

Liminal spaces are making a comeback … or rather, an arrival. With the success of Kane Parsons’s high-grossing 2026 hit Backrooms and the word-of-mouth reputation of Alexander Ullom’s 2025 It Ends (a film initially released on Letterboxd Video Store then… Read More ›

Three sheep with different wool colors and textures are looking down from a low angle against a blue sky with clouds.

“The Sheep Detectives” Blu-ray Giveaway

By Douglas Davidson on August 27, 2026 • ( 0 )

Before you say baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa for having missed director Kyle Balda’s The Sheep Detectives in theaters, it’s now out on home video to stream on Prime Video or own on physical formats. Courtesy of Alliance Entertainment, EoM is offering one lucky individual… Read More ›

Close-up of the 4K UHD poster for "PRACTICAL MAGIC," featuring two women with dark and red hair, respectively, and the tagline "There's a little witch in every woman" at the bottom right.

Spellbinding cult classic “Practical Magic” still enchants 30 years later on 4K UHD.

By Michelle Swope on August 25, 2026 • ( 0 )

“Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Add pepper to your mashed potatoes. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can.” ― Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic The fantasy/romance/comedy Practical… Read More ›

Behind-the-scenes image from "The Sheep Detectives," showing two men discussing a scene, with a small group of people in the background.

No, sir, no, sir, family-friendly murder mystery “The Sheep Detectives” comes available on physical formats with no bags of special features.

By Douglas Davidson on August 23, 2026 • ( 1 )

Everyone always remembers their first murder. Presuming we remove The Terminator (1984) from the equation to account for the specific murder mystery genre, mine’s Mr. Body (Lee Ving). With its ridiculous characters, whimsical approach to solving the crime, and endless… Read More ›

Close-up of the film cover for "THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT," featuring a man in a gray suit flanked by two women, set against a stylized background with a halo effect.

Join the fight for free speech in “The People vs. Larry Flynt” in a 4K restoration by Arrow Video.

By justin waldman on August 16, 2026 • ( 0 )

There’s nothing like a good underdog story with a terrific director and phenomenal cast to get one excited about a new 4K restoration, especially for a movie without calls for a restoration. This release of The People vs. Larry Flynt… Read More ›

Group of six young adults in a café, wearing matching dark green jackets, engaged in conversation, surrounded by colorful decor and plants.

Kentaro Hagiwara’s manga adaptation “Wind Breaker” transforms shōnen entertainment into a theatrical Blue Sky experience. [Fantasia]

By Douglas Davidson on August 14, 2026 • ( 1 )

What does it mean to be strong? What does it mean to hold power? Is it the means to defeat a thousand foes and to draw fear from opposition *or* is it to be able to protect all who matter… Read More ›

A group of animated characters from "ALL WISHES COME TRUE," with a central figure pointing forward and six others in various traditional attire, set in a dimly lit interior.

Chinese legend is adapted into a modern bombastic action adventure with heart in Mu Zhengyang’s directorial debut “All Wishes Come True!”

By Douglas Davidson on August 14, 2026 • ( 0 )

Over the last seven years, Chinese studios have tapped the 16th century Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture of the Gods) to craft stories in live-action (Creation of the Gods trilogy) and animated (Legend of the White Snake; New Gods: Yang Jian; Ne Zha)…. Read More ›

Close-up of the film poster for "COYOTE VS. ACME," featuring a cartoon coyote running from a large black boulder with the title in bold white and red letters.

In the case of “Coyote vs. ACME,” we find them toony, looney, and hilariously on-point with their social satire. Case Dismissed.

By Douglas Davidson on August 13, 2026 • ( 1 )

In 1949, history was made with the debut of Wile E. Coyote and his enteral pursuant Road Runner in the Chuck Jones-directed (Hair-Raising Hare), Michael Maltese-written (Duck Amuck) Fast and Furry-ous. For seven minutes, audiences came to know the hilarity… Read More ›

Two male characters at a fence in a prison setting, one gazing thoughtfully and the other with a slight smile, illuminated by soft sunlight.

Filmmaker Vincent Grashaw’s true crime prison dramedy “Bruton” is a lesson in what we should leave behind to reach what matters. [Locarno Film Festival]

By Douglas Davidson on August 12, 2026 • ( 0 )

There’s a saying that “truth is stranger than fiction” and that’s because reality has no editor or studio rep calling something too unbelievable to remain in the script. Right now, what’s happening in the world, specifically within the United States,… Read More ›

Behind the scenes on the set of "PROJECT HAIL MARY," three individuals interact in a high-tech cockpit filled with illuminated control panels.

Amaze, amaze! “Project Hail Mary” arrives on home video with a few supplemental materials to begin your galactic mission.

By Douglas Davidson on August 11, 2026 • ( 1 )

Photosensitivity Warning: There are several sequences involving flashing lights, including the immediate opening of the film, which may cause issues for photosensitive viewers. Please take precautions before watching the film. Hope is a powerful thing. In the darkest of nights,… Read More ›

Cover of the Criterion Collection edition of "Coup de Torchón," featuring an illustrated woman with blonde hair and a shadowy figure behind her, with bold orange text of the title.

Filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier’s darkly comic crime drama “Coup de torchon” joins The Criterion Collection with a brand-new 4K HD restoration.

By Douglas Davidson on August 11, 2026 • ( 0 )

“All Crimes Are Collective.” – Title of the included essay by Professor Lynn A. Higgins. A society is nothing more than a collection of individuals who agree on rules. This is obvious, of course, and, quite frequently, presumed, which is… Read More ›

Three women on the film set of "IS GOD IS," discussing while a crew member uses a boom microphone; an industrial backdrop is visible.

Aleshea Harris’s confident, vibrant directorial debut, “Is God Is,” arrives home.

By Blak Cinephile on August 6, 2026 • ( 0 )

It’s almost a testament to independent cinema that a film like Is God Is exists. Based on her critically-acclaimed play, Aleshea Harris’s film follows sisters Racine and Anaia (Kara Young and Mallori Johnson), two women badly burned by their father… Read More ›

A muscular warrior in dark armor stands on a beach, gazing intently, with a fleet of ships and a camp visible in the background.

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” recontextualizes the heroic epic poem into a melancholic exploration of regret and consequence.

By Douglas Davidson on August 1, 2026 • ( 0 )

Review Warning: The following review will do its best to refrain from specific details as it relates to the filmmaker’s intention, but the source material is so woven into modern storytelling in a variety of ways that not discussing the… Read More ›

Director Simon McQuoid discusses a scene with actor Martyn Ford, dressed as Shao Khan, on the set of MORTAL KOMBAT II.

Explore the various realms free from kombat with “Mortal Kombat II” on home video.

By Douglas Davidson on July 28, 2026 • ( 0 )

The Mortal Kombat series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias managed to survive parental outrage over the violence, the destruction of arcades during the rise of at-home gaming, and even, remarkably, Annihilation (1997). Yet, even with its expansion of… Read More ›

Close-up of the Criterion Collection cover for "HUD," featuring Paul Newman in a cowboy hat and denim shirt, with other figures in the background, and bold text presenting the title and year.

Paul Newman’s 1963 film “Hud” arrives on 4K from The Criterion Collection with new special features in tow.

By Gabe Lapalombella on July 28, 2026 • ( 0 )

Paul Newman is considered by many to be one of the best actors of his generation. His charm, humor, and dramatic heft in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973), and The Verdict (1982) are… Read More ›

A sculptor works on a clay model of Slimer from "GHOSTBUSTERS" in a dim workshop filled with tools and materials.

Nick Taylor’s doc “RUBBERHEAD: The Life & Monsters of Steve Johnson” successfully unveils the magic of making movies but not of the subject himself. [Fantasia]

By Douglas Davidson on July 24, 2026 • ( 1 )

Movies are a place for escape, but also for self-discovery. They take us to unseen lands, places of pure imagination, situations in which the amazing and the horrible occur in equal measure, containing the ability to excite us in ways… Read More ›

A young woman piloting a spacecraft with a small dog on her lap, surrounded by glowing control panel lights.

Craig Gillespie’s intergalactic western “Supergirl” posits the valor of goodness in a familiar coming-of-age actioner.

By Douglas Davidson on July 3, 2026 • ( 0 )

One: Never Underestimate Your Opponent. Expect the unexpected. Two: Take it outside. Three: Be nice. – Dalton’s three rules from Road House (1989) When it comes to DC Comics, there is an incredible pantheon of characters to pull from, each… Read More ›

Two figures dance amid a field of red roses under a starlit sky, with one figure in a blue outfit and the other in a white dress.

Anime “Adolescence of Utena” gets a 2-day only theatrical rerelease from GKIDS Films.

By Dalin Rowell on June 20, 2026 • ( 0 )

Back in the early 2000s, a treasure trove of Japanese animation titles took over North American video stores. Featuring stories involving various fantastical adventures, one subgenre (thanks to the international popularity of Sailor Moon) began to slowly make a bigger… Read More ›

Pink bar of soap with "FIGHT CLUB" embossed, surrounded by pink bubbles.

“Fight Club” on 4K UHD embodies the IKEAfication of consumerism.

By Douglas Davidson on May 31, 2026 • ( 0 )

Photosensitivity Warning: The opening title sequences includes repeated flashing for the duration. This may be triggering for photosensitive individuals. “This is your life, good to the last drop Doesn’t get any better than this This is your life and it’s… Read More ›

Elements of Madness

Cinematic Reviews, Recommendations, and More