Before heading to the theater or couch to watch LeBron James assemble the Looney Tunes to save his son from a rogue A.I. within the Warner Bros. server in Space Jam: A New Legacy, take a trip to 1996 when… Read More ›
comedy
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 ›
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 ›
Kino Lorber offers a home video restoration on Jennifer Connelly/Frank Whaley comedy “Career Opportunities.”
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 discussing the creative bankruptcy of John Hughes ‘90s output that… Read More ›
“The Paper Tigers” reenter the ring thanks to Well Go USA’s home release edition.
Martial arts films hold a special place in cinema. Whether it’s the swirling wonder of wuxia or a straight-forward bare-knuckle brawler, the Asian import captured the imagination in the 1970s – 1980s and has yet to loosen its hold on… Read More ›
More ≠ better for “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.”
When I left the Patrick Hughes-directed The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), the first thought I had was “Looney Tunes.” The way in which the narrative exploits the chemistry between its leads, Ryan Reynolds (Waiting…) and Samuel L. Jackson (Formula 51), the… Read More ›
Surprise! Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani’s “The Lovebirds” is coming to home video.
One of the many adjustments from the COVID-19 shutdowns is that several theatrical releases from major studios were sold/moved to streamers. NEON’s Palm Springs went to Hulu, Paramount’s Coming 2 America went to Amazon, Sony’s An American Pickle went to… 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 ›
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 ›
Let the spectral agents in: Bring home independent gem “A Ghost Waits” on Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
With limited resources at hand, the incredible cast and crew of A Ghost Waits truly came through with teamwork and creativity. Making the most of what they had and pooling resources from family and friends, the team shot the movie… 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 ›
“Cruella” is brilliant and mad in all the right places, but is mostly frustrating.
In the spirit of past Walt Disney live action remakes or reimaginations such as Maleficent or Dumbo, comes Cruella, directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and starring the talented Emma Stone (The Favourite), Emma Thompson (Love Actually), Mark Strong (Sherlock… Read More ›
Q-Bits with the “Ted Lasso” casting director Theo Park and music composer Tom Howe.
Multi-award-winning series Ted Lasso spoke to the hearts and minds of audiences young and old in Season One, available now for Apple TV+ subscribers. With Season Two launching July 23rd, 2021, expect more thought-provoking Lassoisms to join our collective lexicon. EoM contributor… Read More ›
Coming of age comedy “The Get Together” pulls through with an endearing charm.
Storytelling is essential. It’s one of the easiest ways to communicate our values, express our beliefs, and process our experiences. Even our 280-character tweets are a form of storytelling, and many of us couldn’t make it a single day without… Read More ›
Director Dorothy Arzner’s second Criterion release “Merrily We Go To Hell” is a prime example of the impact of politics on art.
In her 21-year career, director Dorothy Arzner directed 16 films, with three others uncredited, and one in which she served as a sequence director. In the history of filmmaking, a career like Arzner’s is largely forgotten between the capitalist and… Read More ›
Anders Thomas Jensen’s dark comedy “Riders of Justice” offers shocking profundity amid violence.
A young girl and her mother are riding a subway train when an accident occurs, killing the mother and leaving the daughter injured but alive. Her father, a military man, comes home from active duty to care for his daughter… Read More ›
Open Dialogue with “Ted Lasso” actor Jeremy Swift and producer/co-creator Bill Lawrence.
Multi-award-winning series Ted Lasso spoke to the hearts and minds of audiences young and old in Season One, available now for Apple TV+ subscribers. With Season Two launching July 23rd, 2021, expect more thought-provoking Lassoisms to join our collective lexicon…. Read More ›
Fistful of Features: Week of April 27th
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. This edition will focus on three films: two from the great Mel Brooks… Read More ›
The Criterion Collection edition of writer/director Olivier Assayas’s Irma Vep is two-discs packed with enticing materials.
Writer/director Olivier Assayas’s Irma Vep is many things at once. It’s a comedic look at the making of a film, capturing the swirling chaos as various departments and personalities come together to create art. It’s a dramatic piece exploring how… Read More ›