Blowing me away (as well as many audience members) at Fantasia International Film Festival in 2024, Steppenwolf is a Kazakh language thriller which follows two characters — a psychopathic, murderous former police investigator (Berik Aytzhanov) and a woman consumed by… Read More ›
I first saw Presence at TIFF back in September 2024 and have already provided my spoiler-free thoughts. With that being said, this home review of Steven Soderbergh’s film is going to be incredibly spoiler heavy, talking about the film in… Read More ›
The latest action thriller Stand Your Ground, starring Justice League‘s Daniel Stisen and Constantine‘s Peter Stormare, released both into theaters and on VOD May 27th. Thanks to the generous folks at Epic Pictures Group, EoM is giving away three (3) digital codes so… Read More ›
Trigger Warning: The Final Reckoning contains two sequences involving flashing lights and light patterns that may be difficult for photosensitive viewers. In 1996, director Brian de Palma’s spy thriller Mission: Impossible released into theaters, bringing the beloved television series created… Read More ›
In the visual essay “Rule Breaker: An Introduction to Sado Najajima” (2025), film critic Tom Mes calls director Sadao Nakajima (The Great Okinawa Yakuza War; Jeans Blues: No Future) one of “the Three Aces of Toei,” and laments that this… Read More ›
If you’re a completist then you most likely have seen Jason Goes to Hell, the ninth movie in the Friday the 13th franchise. It’s arguably not a *good* movie but is absolutely delightful, taking the series of films in a… Read More ›
Survival thrillers are not an untapped genre in storytelling. They place the audience right alongside someone as they strive to live through whatever tragedy has befallen them. We’re talking about films like The Book of Eli (2010), The Hunger Games… Read More ›
Of the many things that filmmaker Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven trilogy; Logan Lucky; Presence) can be described as, an actor’s director is among them. He knows what he wants regarding a shot, he knows how he wants the production design… Read More ›
Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh didn’t just set out to unsettle audiences with his horror thriller Presence in January 2025, he decided to dive into intrigue with Black Bag, starring Michael Fassbender (The Killer) and Cate Blanchett (Ocean’s Eight). Since its theatrical release in… Read More ›
A good plan gone wrong — it’s the staple of plenty of heist, confidence, and rescue tales as the protagonists have to figure out what to do when the plan goes sideways. Will they make it out alive? Will their… Read More ›
“But, there were other effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside. So, good becomes great. Bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man, who… Read More ›
The hot titles seared into my memory from 2016 include 10 Cloverfield Lane, Keanu, Everybody Wants Some!!, Kubo and the Two Strings, and The Accountant. At the time, I praised director Gavin O’Connor and writer Bill Dubuque’s film, saying it… Read More ›
Choices and consequences. Most of the time, when we think of choices and consequences, it’s within the framework of ourselves. We view it from the perspective of the decisions we make and the repercussions that follow. In reality, our choices… Read More ›
When one sits down to watch a Nicolas Cage, movie there is a certain expectation and mood that is set. You know you’re in for a ride of potentially ridiculous proportions that is simply insane or you’re getting a performance… Read More ›
There are some who will tell you that horror is having a resurgence right now, and they’d be misinformed at best, misunderstood at worst. Horror films have been a steady part of storytelling since before the advent of moving pictures… Read More ›
When a studio releases a film versus when a boutique releases a film, there can be, on occasion, a little worry that the former won’t be the *best* version of the release. There are always exceptions to the rule, of… Read More ›
In this episode of Meet Me at the Movies, Noel and Thomas Manning welcome acclaimed underwater cinematographer Ian Seabrook to discuss his breathtaking work on the survival thriller Last Breath, starring Woody Harrelson. Seabrook shares insights into the challenges of… Read More ›
Trigger Warning: Meta Take One contains several instances of flashing light and visual distortion that may disturb photosensitive viewers. How far would you go to make your dreams a reality? What would you give up or sacrifice? In a society… Read More ›
“Cry ‘Havoc!’, and let slip the dogs of war.” – Mark Antony in William Shakespeare’s Julius Cesar. Though his debut short released in 2003, filmmaker Gareth Evans wouldn’t make his international mark until 2011’s The Raid, also known as The… Read More ›
Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia is one of those rare thriller movies that defies convention by substituting the disquiet of night with the unrelenting brightness of an Alaskan summer — a choice that paradoxically amplifies the film’s sense of terror. The movie… Read More ›