Elements of Madness

Elements of Madness Our mission is to provide reasonable examination of past, current, and future cinematic releases wit

Curated by Douglas Davidson and edited by Crystal Davidson, the purpose of Elements of Madness is to provide insight into past, present, and future cinematic releases each week. Whether it's through theatrical, streaming or home release reviews and recommendations or new release trailers, EoM's team seeks to expand horizons by discussing films of both wide and narrow release. No film is too big, t

oo small, too mainstream, or too niche. Douglas Davidson is a member of three critic groups (NC Film Critics Association, Southeastern Film Critic Association, and Critics Choice Association) and Rotten Tomatoes individual-approved.

Review: "Good to See You" from EoM Contributor Andrew Eisenman.Easier as it may be, it’s still very hard. On a technical...
08/16/2025

Review: "Good to See You" from EoM Contributor Andrew Eisenman.

Easier as it may be, it’s still very hard. On a technical level, the film is nearly impeccable for a self-shot film in a public park, with just one moment where audio is muffled, the rest manages to come out clean and audible. Filming with one camera, a tripod, and lavalier mics, Feingold uses the hard concrete sidewalks or the facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as bounce cards for fill light. The grade is light, vibrant, and warm, bearing the same look as Feingold’s one-off Instagram reels where he plays a proto-form of this hopeless romantic, pontificating about love and dating to a faceless and voiceless friend on the other side of his wired earbuds on the streets of New York. The liveliness of the New York street is essential to his oeuvre, and it shines in "Good to See You" with pedestrians crossing in front of camera, strangers getting pulled into playing roles, and the irreplaceable production quality of hundreds of “background performers” in Central Park going about their real lives. There’s a great moment in the live-stream commentary where Jonah realizes a passerby who’s in the film is watching the stream, and it speaks to the power for communal art that internet cinema can have. Central Park can be anywhere, and this film gets that.

Available on YouTube now.

Good To See You, Jonah Feingold, Tess Tregellas, Taylor Rosen, Tiffany Baira, Molly Fritz, Sue Frequent, romance, comedy, streaming, Romantical,

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "Buffet Infinity" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.If you’ve seen some o...
08/15/2025

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "Buffet Infinity" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

If you’ve seen some of the more recent V/H/S anthology movies, then you know their stories focus around a central VHS tape that starts the story going, veer off into sub-stories, then come back to the central tape to finish the anthology off. What does this have to do with Simon Glassman’s "Buffet Infinity"? It feels like that central tape — something that is interesting in a segment, but at a 99-minute, feature-length run time, it runs its course. The gimmick and style become a little *much* at times, quickly wearing thin the novelty of what is presented, leaving a little bit of dullness in the second act before the truth behind the smorgasbord of offerings gives the film the final kick it needs to be memorable, even though it took a little while to get there.

Screened during Fantasia 2025.

Buffet Infinity, Simon Glassman, Kevin Singh, Claire Theobald, Donovan Workun, thriller, foreign film, Canada, English, Peterson Polaris Corp, Fantasia International Film Festival,

Home Release Review: “The Ballad of Wallis Island.”In 2007, director James Griffiths (“Cuban Fury”) and co-writers/co-st...
08/15/2025

Home Release Review: “The Ballad of Wallis Island.”

In 2007, director James Griffiths (“Cuban Fury”) and co-writers/co-stars Tom Basden (“Plebs: Soldiers of Rome”) and Tim Key (“Wonderdate”) released their short “The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island.” The trio has been working since to adapting it into a feature. The completed project, now titled “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” premiered at Sundance 2025 before a brief theatrical run in March via Focus Features, and is now available on Peacock, physical formats, and digital formats. So, if you’re in the mood for something beautifully melancholic, travel no further than Wallis Island. It’s a charming, slightly-musical dramedy exploring love, loss, regret, and the lengths one will go to recapture a forgotten spark.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD, digital, and Peacock now.

The Ballad of Wallis Island, James Griffiths, Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Sian Clifford, home release, Focus Features, Universal Pictures, drama

Review: “Superman.”They say to never meet your heroes, that one’s heroes can’t ever measure up to the version we build u...
08/15/2025

Review: “Superman.”

They say to never meet your heroes, that one’s heroes can’t ever measure up to the version we build up in our minds. Where some people look up to actors, musicians, painters, or poets, artisans whose works move and/or inspire them, my hero was Superman; a.k.a. Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton; a.k.a. Clark Kent); the comic book character first created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and whose custodians (the writers and artists of DC Comics) have continued to manage the hero’s adventures ever since. Here was an individual from another planet; the lone survivor of its destruction; raised by generous, loving strangers; who chooses day after day to help those in distress. As written, the radiation of our solar system’s yellow sun gives him near-godlike powers in strength, speed, sight, hearing, among others, and, yet, he decides, actively, daily, to use them not for self-profit but for the betterment of all. This character has leapt from page to screen in live-action and animation many times, each actor and showrunner/director becoming the latest steward of Superman. Taking up the mantle now is David Corenswet (“Twisters;” “The Greatest Hits”) with James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy;” “The Su***de Squad”) in the director’s chair, using their opportunity to tell a story in which the usual fisticuffs of superhero fare isn’t the point, the point is the battle within.

In theaters now.

Superman, James Gunn, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, adventure, fantasy,

Review: "Red Sonja."Author Robert E. Howard is responsible for the stories of the fictional Hyborian Age, a period of ti...
08/15/2025

Review: "Red Sonja."

Author Robert E. Howard is responsible for the stories of the fictional Hyborian Age, a period of time in which anything modern was stripped away due to a geological event, leaving the world rife with opportunity for fantastical adventure. A world of witches and wizards, of barbarians and marauders, a world in which cruelty and death might be more common as kindness is subjugated. Two of Howard’s most well-known figures to transcend from page-to-screen would be Conan (brought to life twice by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1982 and 1984) and Red Sonja (by Brigitte Nielsen in 1985). Now, filmmaker MJ Bassett ("Solomon Kane;" "Deathwatch") offers a new interpretation of the character that opts to step backward to the beginning of Sonja’s journey, before she was known as the “She-Devil with a Sword,” to a time when she’s yet to know who she is or of what she is capable. Hampered by technological limitations and a frequently too-familiar narrative arc, Bassett’s "Red Sonja" is nonetheless an entertaining endeavor that whets ones appetite for what could come next.

Available on VOD August 29 2025.

Red Sonja, M.J. Bassett, Tasha Huo, Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, Matilda Lutz, Martyn Ford, Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day, action, adventure, fantasy, Samuel Goldwyn Films,

Eureka Entertainment Home Review: "Finis Terrae."Stories of hubris are as old as time. Whether it’s literary figures lik...
08/15/2025

Eureka Entertainment Home Review: "Finis Terrae."

Stories of hubris are as old as time. Whether it’s literary figures like Lex Luthor (recently depicted by Nicholas Hoult in "Superman") or mythical ones like Icarus, tales of humanity’s hubris are intended to teach lessons about knowing our limitations as a warning to not exceed our proverbial grasp. Yet, time and again, humanity still tries to defeat or tame that which it cannot. One such exploration is filmmaker Jean Epstein’s ("The Fall of the House of Usher") "Finis Terrae," coming available via Eureka Entertainment in their The Masters of Cinema series, a dramatic tale in which two men realize the awesome might of nature and the smallness of humanity. Limited in number and including both new featurettes and a new essay exploring Epstein and their work, Eureka Entertainment offers the 2019 4K HD restoration on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK and North America.

Available on Blu-ray now.

Finis Terrae, Jean Epstein, drama, Eureka Entertainment, MVD Entertainment Group, Société générale des films, home video, restoration,

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn" from EoM Contributor J...
08/15/2025

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

There is something special about movies that are love letters to filmmaking, genres, and low-budget movies — it is just such a niche topic to touch upon but, when done right, it can be a cinephile’s perfect movie. Thankfully, Kenichi Ugana’s newest feature, "I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn" is exactly that and then some. Ugana truly created a fun, adventurous, and, at times, hilarious romantic comedy encased in blood, guts, and glory, the only way meta movies can truly pull it off.

Screened during Fantasia 2025.

I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn, Ken’ichi Ugana, Estevan Muñoz, Ui MIhara, Katsunari Nakagawa, Larry Fessenden, Lloyd Kaufman, romance, comedy, Vandalism, Bad Taste Video,Fantasia International Film Festival,

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: “Hellcat” from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.While there is something inhe...
08/15/2025

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: “Hellcat” from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

While there is something inherently engaging about a fast-paced action piece that is enshrouded in mystery, it gets even more interesting when it’s a directors first time at the plate. Brock Bodell’s first feature “Hellcat” excels at not pretending the audience is dumb, fully letting them know all the options but never letting them know how he wants it to play out until he wants to reveal it.

Screened during Fantasia 2025.

Hellcat, Brock Bodell, Liz Atwater, Dakota Gorman, James Austin “JAJ” Johnson, Jordan Mullins, Todd Terry, thriller, Blue Finch Film Releasing, Fantasia International Film Festival,

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "The School Duel" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.Politics is never an ...
08/15/2025

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "The School Duel" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

Politics is never an easy conversation to have, and it’s even a more difficult topic to bring up in film as people try to attend fictionalized narrative stories to escape the reality of every day. That is not to say that movies cannot have a message. In fact, the good ones do. It’s just that sometimes we don’t want it to be so in our faces. However, director Todd Wiseman Jr. ("The Exit Room") decides to take on the current political landscape alongside school shootings and school violence (something that has been a problem across multiple administrations and parties in office) and make something poignant and terrifying with his slightly off-kilter futuristic tale "The School Duel." He uses the state of Florida (because of course) and how they combat school shootings. While the film may be a difficult watch, the terrifying reality is that this may not be something we see as fictional in coming years but something that may actually come to fruition in a purge-like society.

Screened during Fantasia 2025.

The School Duel, Todd Wiseman Jr., Kue Lawrence, Christina Brucato, Oscar Nuñez, Michael Sean Tighe, drama, thriller, science fiction, Early Lunch, Fantasia International Film Festival,

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "Every Heavy Thing" from EoM Contributor AJ Friar."Every Heavy Thing" is th...
08/15/2025

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "Every Heavy Thing" from EoM Contributor AJ Friar.

"Every Heavy Thing" is the gonzo movie of the year — a chaotic, brain-bending descent into madness that feels like a dream you half-remember after waking up, unsure if it was brilliant or just bizarre. Director Mickey Reece ("Agnes"), known for his fiercely independent spirit and genre-defying style, goes full bonkers here, delivering a film that swings wildly between horror, dark comedy, surreal drama, and conspiracy thriller. It’s a bold, unpredictable ride, and it’s likely to be one of the most talked about titles from this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival.

Screened during Fantasia 2025.

Every Heavy Thing, Mickey Reece, Barbara Crampton, Vera Drew, John Ennis, Josh Fadem, Tipper Newton, James Urbaniak, drama, crime, thriller, Firebook Entertainment, Fantasia International Film Festival,

Review: “Descendent” from EoM Contributor Mallory Moore.The best alien movies are rarely just about aliens. While Ridley...
08/15/2025

Review: “Descendent” from EoM Contributor Mallory Moore.

The best alien movies are rarely just about aliens. While Ridley Scott’s genre-defining classic explores themes like corporate corruption, class, and gender, other alien movies like “E.T.” (1982) and “Arrival“ (2016) utilize extra-terrestrial characters and elements to explore deep and complex questions about humanity. Why are we here? What is our greater purpose? What does it mean to love? Somehow, filmmakers pose answers to these profoundly human questions by telling stories about things that are very much not human. This is the case for writer/director Peter Cilella’s sci-fi/psychological thriller, “Descendent.” Cilella uses aliens to explore deeply human themes in a way that feels comfortably familiar, making those themes accessible and easy to understand despite the movie’s unconventional and at times confusing plot. Yet, the themes of “Descendent” are also unique to this particular story, raising questions that are more specific and individualistic than the broader questions about humanity posed by its predecessors.

In wide release and VOD now.

Descendent, Peter Cilella, Ross Marquand, Sarah Bolger, thriller, horror, mystery, science fiction, RLJE Films, Independent Film Company, Rustic Films, VOD,

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "All You Need Is Kill."Live. Die. Repeat. Live. Die. Repeat. Live. Die. Rep...
08/15/2025

Fantasia International Film Festival Review: "All You Need Is Kill."

Live. Die. Repeat. Live. Die. Repeat. Live. Die. Repeat. Live. Die. Repeat. Before these words were linked to the Doug Liman-directed "Edge of Tomorrow" (2014), they belonged to Hiroshi Sakurazaka and his light novel "All You Need Is Kill." Initially released in 2004 and published by Shueisha ("Weekly Shōnen Jump" magazine), "All You Need Is Kill" was only recently adapted as a manga between January – May 2014 ahead of the theatrical release of "Edge of Tomorrow." Now, thanks to STUDIO4℃ ("Mind Game;" "Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox") and Warner Bros. Japan ("Batman Ninja" series), first-time feature director Kenichiro Akimoto ("Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko") and writer Yuichiro Kido ("April, Come She Will") bring their own interpretation forth in a fully-animated adaptation that bridges together kaleidoscopic animation and sci-fi action with the philosophical weight of existential dread inherent in the story. Having its North American premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival 2025 in the Animation Plus section, "All You Need Is Kill" brings the full destructive weight of a time loop-based adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat, bracing for sweet release.

Screened during Fantasia 2025.

All You Need Is Kill, Kenichiro Akimoto, Yuichiro Kido, Hiroshi Sakurazaka, Ai Mikami, Natsuki Hanae, GKIDS Films, STUDIO4℃, Warner Bros. Japan, Fantasia International Film Festival, action, science fiction, animation

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Curated by Douglas Davidson and edited by Crystal Davidson, the purpose of Elements of Madness is to provide insight into past, present, and future cinematic releases. Whether it's through DVD or streaming recommendations, new release reviews, or trailers, EoM seeks to expand horizons by discussing films of both wide and narrow release. No film is too big, too small, too mainstream, or too niche. In addition to running EoM, Douglas Davidson is a senior contributor to CLTure's film department and a freelance film critic for the Mountain Xpress, as well as a former film critic for Pretty Vacant One and contributor to online movie community FilmFed. Douglas is an active member in critic organizations NC Film Critics Association, Southeastern Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and is individual-approved by Rotten Tomatoes. Crystal Davidson is a scientist by day, superhero by night. Utilizing her attention to detail along with her copy editing experience, Crystal edits everything Douglas publishes – from EoM originals to contributions to other sites – to ensure that the writing is sound and the arguments are clearly articulated.