The phrase “peaceful warrior” will always sound like an oxymoron to those who don’t understand it. The confusion lies in perceiving these terms as in opposition to one another — one can’t be peaceful if one is trained in the… Read More ›
comedy
Unexpectedly, “Spontaneous” offers much needed catharsis during a time of pandemic.
It’s in the strangest of places that we often find that which affirms life. It could be a sunrise, a child’s laugh, a taste of pumpkin spice pick-a-thing, a song you’ve heard a million times, or a film you’re experiencing… Read More ›
Sometimes it requires a little “Misbehaviour” to change the status quo.
November 1970. Several women in support of the Women’s Liberation Movement took part in a demonstration that interrupted the live broadcast of the Miss World competition at Albert Hall in London, England. The protestors threw flour bombs, used noise crackers,… Read More ›
Enjoy the delightful “Roman Holiday” for the first time on blu-ray thanks to the Paramount Presents label.
Three-time Oscar winning film Roman Holiday is the latest Paramount catalogue title to join the Paramount Presents label and fans of the 1953 comedic romance have a lot to be excited about. It’s not just that Paramount has gathered previous… Read More ›
A Conversation with director Bao Tran. [Fantasia Film Festival]
In this interview, Thomas Manning speaks with Bao Tran, the writer and director of the new kung fu comedy and Fantasia Film Festival selection, The Paper Tigers. Three Kung Fu prodigies have grown into washed-up, middle-aged men, now one kick… Read More ›
WB Home Entertainment releases four adventurous catalogue titles in 4K UHD for the first time.
It’s showtime! Warner Brothers Home Entertainment is dropping not one, not two, but four new 4K UHD editions from their vast catalogue: Richard Donner’s The Goonies (1985), Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988), and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes:… Read More ›
Darkly humorous “The Columnist” takes on social media trolls. [Fantasia Film Festival]
Internet trolls have long been the bane of social media journalists and content creators, but rarely do the victims of such attacks get a chance to face their opponents eye-to-eye. In Ivo Van Art’s Dutch language film The Columnist, this… Read More ›
Constructed upon utter chaos, “#ShakespearesShitstorm” loses itself in its visual style as it tries to dissolve the more pretentious side of The Bard. [Fantasia Film Festival]
Over twenty years after his first experimental Shakespeare film adaptation, Tromeo and Juliet (1996), Lloyd Kaufman and the team at Troma Entertainment have released yet another irreverent and outlandish adaptation with #ShakespearesShitstorm, a wacky musical-comedy and gross-out fest based on… Read More ›
Following the fish-out-of-water rom-com formula, “A Mermaid in Paris (Une sirène à Paris)” is a dazzling visual treat. [Fantasia Film Fest]
Multi-talented writer and director Mathias Malzieu, who is known for his success as a novelist and musician as well as filmmaker, returns to this year’s virtual Fantasia Film Festival with a delightful grown-up fairytale. Malzieu’s previous animated film, Jack and… Read More ›
Dark comedy “Marygoround (Maryjki)” takes viewers on the wild ride of menopause. [Fantasia Film Fest]
Among the types of people underrepresented in film, surely women over 50 would rate in the top 10. When they do emerge, such characters tend to serve as guides, champions, or foes to the main character. Whether spouting sage wisdom,… Read More ›
Dark comedic thriller “Patrick” is so beautifully filmed, you’ll forget all the characters are nude. [Fantasia Film Festival]
One of film’s unique narrative strengths is the camera’s ability to manipulate perspective. A movie can put us behind the mask of a serial killer on Halloween or on the tip of a shark’s nose just before it attacks. Point-of-view… Read More ›
Aaron Fisher’s “Inside the Rain” uses his personal experience to craft a compelling meta-drama.
As writer, director, and lead actor of the Act 13 distribution Inside the Rain, Aaron Fisher constructs a therapeutic reflection of the struggles he has faced over the course of his life, dealing with bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, and borderline… Read More ›
Overlords and dungeon masters can’t handle “Max Reload and the Nether Blasters.”
Sometimes a movie drops that you know is intended for the widest audience possible. These often take the form of a drama like 2019’s Astronaut, a romance like 2019’s Ode to Joy, or a comedy like 2020’s Palm Springs. There’s… Read More ›
Comedy classic “Airplane!” celebrates its 40th anniversary by joining the Paramount Presents label.
July 2nd, 1980, a comedy from the minds behind The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) opened wide and forever took hold within the zeitgeist: Airplane!. Now you’re likely thinking, “Surely, you can’t be serious that it’s been 40 years since Airplane!… Read More ›
Bold, loud, and making no apologies, “We Are Little Zombies” is a striking feature debut for Makoto Nagahisa.
In spite of its colorful style and quirky video game motif, We Are Little Zombies is a surprisingly somber and thoughtful experience as it explores loneliness, death, and grief amid several ear worms. Written and directed by Makoto Nagahisa, We… Read More ›
Come for the story, stay for the music of “Fisherman’s Friends.”
Before the written word, one of the main ways of passing down stories from one generation to another was through song. Considering that music is currently showing no signs of slowing down, it should surprise no one that telling the… Read More ›
Keep on rollin’ with your homies in this stylish 25th Anniversary Steelbook release of ‘90s classic “Clueless.”
There are a few films which define a generation. The Wizard of Oz speaks to those born 1922 -1945, a group which survived not just the Great Depression, but also World War II. For the Boomers, those born post-World War… Read More ›
Take a step back to the days of Brucesploitation with modern remake “Enter the Fat Dragon.”
Before digging into the ridiculousness that is Enter the Fat Dragon, a remake of a 1978 martial arts comedy, let us take a moment to marvel at the majesty that is Donnie Yen. This actor and highly trained marital artist… Read More ›
Wake up in “Palm Springs,” you may not leave.
There comes a time in just about everyone’s life where suddenly every day feels the same. Wake up, get dressed, eat, work, eat, work, eat, rest, and start it all over again. Maybe you’re lucky and you get to mix… Read More ›
Special features in the home release enhance the already uplifting experience of “The High Note.”
Depending on who you talk to, there have either been not enough movies out to see this year or too few. Even without standard theaters being active, there’re still drive-ins, broadcast, and streaming options, many of which the studios have… Read More ›