It’s a tale as old as time. Actor gets work with not one, but multiple top-tier directors, and then finds themselves struggling to get work. Most times, those actors fade into obscurity if they can’t pivot. One such actor, Ke… Read More ›
comedy
Buddy comedy “One of Them Days” is sparse on bonus materials for the home release, but not on laughs.
During the featurette “Dream Team,” first-time feature director Lawrence Lamont (Rap Sh!t) describes to producer Issa Rae (Insecure; The Lovebirds) the homages within One of Them Days, referring to both Friday (1995) and Superbad (2007). Each of these comes from… Read More ›
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s “Freaky Tales” mythologizes the Oakland Bay area through a punk rock & hip-hop infused anthology.
Anthologies have a long history in storytelling as they gather seemingly disparate narratives into a singular collection. In cinema, the connection between the parts can remain thematic, leaving the stories individual (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)); may be through… Read More ›
GKIDS Films re-releases Mamoru Hosoda’s “Summer Wars” on home video as they kick off their Hosoda Collection coverage.
“This is the nature of war: By protecting others, you save yourselves. If you only think of yourself, you’ll only destroy yourself.” – Seven Samurai (1954) One never knows what their introduction to a filmmaker’s filmography will be. Someone could… Read More ›
“She’s the He” turns the bathroom panic in today’s political landscape into a hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age sex comedy. [SXSW]
Coming-of-age tales are fairly commonplace in cinema with explorations of self and sex in semi-recent films like Porky’s (1981), A Goofy Movie (1995), and The People’s Joker (2024). These stories feature young adults getting into a variety of hijinks either… Read More ›
Documentary “Thank You Very Much” revisits the enigma that was Andy Kaufman.
If you don’t know who Andy Kaufman is, then you’ve probably been living under a rock, or never were a fan of comedies. While Kaufman may have been a polarizing figure, for better or worse, he is arguably on the… Read More ›
“Bob Trevino Likes It” and audiences will love it.
Tracie Laymon may have arguably the year’s best feature debut. Her adapted from real life story, Bob Trevino Likes It, is masterfully crafted by its entire cast, bringing the film to emotional heights and devastating realizations, resulting in a movie… Read More ›
“Tommy Boy” retains its quality comedy 30 years later in 4K UHD and you can take the butcher’s word for it.
“If at first you don’t succeed, lower your standards.” – Tommy Boy tagline For Generation Xers and Millennials, Saturday Night Live had a pretty strong grip on our popular culture experience in the ‘90s. Through various cast members (original and… Read More ›
88 Films offers Lau Kar-Leung’s action comedy “The Lady is the Boss” for a first-time U.S. release.
Actor, writer, director Lau Kar-Leung is a staple of the Shaw Brothers Studio as evidenced by projects like The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), The Shadow Boxing (1979), The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984), and Disciples of the 36th Chamber… Read More ›
Dark comedy creature feature “Mermaid” is an ode to Florida Man. [SXSW]
Perfect people make for boring stories. The outcomes are expected because there’s no drama, no challenge, no antagonist. Imperfect people, however, are not only more interesting, they’re more accessible. So much so that it doesn’t matter how shitty their behavior,… Read More ›
Capsule Review: Emilie Blichfeldt’s horror adaptation “The Ugly Stepsister.” [BUFF]
Trigger Warning: Be advised that The Ugly Stepsister includes significant elements of body torture and body-related horror. Emilie Blichfeldt’s The Ugly Stepsister, having its east coast premiere during the Boston Underground Film Festival 2025, is the most graphically disturbing version… Read More ›
Meet cutes in the age of the apps: “Step Back, Doors Closing” adapts the 24-hour romance concept for a Gen Z audience. [OFF]
In the era of dating apps, many singles still fantasize about finding their forever partner in a Hollywood-worthy meet cute that they can recount to their grandchildren someday. While it’s a lot easier to secure a date for the evening… Read More ›
Nothing dulls the pain of “Novocaine” and you’ll thank them for it.
Trigger Warning: The film features excessively violent action sequences that may be troubling for sensitive viewers. This review will touch on a few of such moments. Sometimes you see a trailer for a movie and your immediate reaction is not… Read More ›
New Eli Craig horror comedy “Clown in a Cornfield” builds a foundation of generational turnover on one statement: “Don’t f*@k with Frendo.” [SXSW]
“In every generation, there is a Chosen One …” – Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 – 2003) Writer/director Eli Craig is no stranger to comedic horror between 2010’s Tucker and Dale vs. Evil and 2017’s Little Evil. While the latter… Read More ›
Narrative hybrid “Brother Verses Brother” is a life-affirming, soul-crushing, musical journey that reminds us how art can save our lives. [SXSW]
“Art can save your life … Entertainment will never be your salvation … .” – Comedian Josh Jackson. In 2020, as COVID-19 resulted in lockdowns around the world, twin siblings Ari and Ethan Gold began corresponding with their father, Herbert,… Read More ›
Lanfia Wal’s feature-length directorial debut “New Jack Fury” is a mouthpiece with plenty to say. [SXSW]
“Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” – Author Stephen King There’s a cyclical nature to things in entertainment. For instance, the things that are popular to you as a child tend to come back around as an adult,… Read More ›
“Moana 2” is a satisfactory sequel with solid bonus features worth exploring in the home release edition.
Trigger Warning: There are several sequences involving flashing lights (especially in the climax) which may be difficult for photosensitive viewers. One cannot deny the infectious nature of co-director John Musker and Ron Clements’s 2016 animated adventure Moana. Between the culturally-specific-yet-universal… Read More ›
Blockbuster Bets: “Sendero” debuts an independent voice.
We were standing in the lobby of the King’s Mountain Theater in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, talking when Michael Flores (Date Night; Garrow) walked in. I was with Elements of Madness Senior Interviewer Thomas Manning III, director of the 2024… Read More ›
“Night of the Zoopocalypse” is a scary-good midnight movie gateway for families looking to start their children on their horror journey.
One of the weird things about today’s entertainment landscape is the move away from event-programming of the cable era to the always-available aspect that streaming provides. This means that one is less likely to be channel surfing late at night,… Read More ›
Co-directors Yōko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita’s compelling fantasy dramedy “Ghost Cat Anzu” arrives on home video with a barebones edition.
Published from 2006 – 2007, manga creator Imashiro Takashi’s series Bakeneko Anzu-chan followed a ghost cat, a bakeneko type of kaibyō (a cat with supernatural properties), and its relationship with the people who lived in the town surrounding the temple… Read More ›