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.

Home Release Review: "Nosferatu: The Real Story" from member EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.There is a ton of history be...
12/13/2025

Home Release Review: "Nosferatu: The Real Story" from member EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

There is a ton of history behind "Nosferatu" and "Dracula," from the 100-year-old classic and Bram Stoker to Robert Eggers, Robin Bextor’s new documentary focuses on everything from the legacy "Nosferatu" has created to the challenges the movie faced at the time of release to the ever lasting impact it had on the story and character to how it’s still being honored, replicated, and adapted today, leading all the way up to Robert Egger’s 2024 terrifying vision. While some of the information presented in the documentary isn’t new and is considered widely known, some more interesting facts and information about Stoker and his estate are profoundly interesting and create a new dynamic and level of intrigue.

Available on Blu-ray now.

Nosferatu: The Real Story, Robin Bextor, Bram Stoker, F. W. Murnau, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, documentary, history, Rising Sun Media, Allied Vaughn Entertainment, home release,

The Criterion Collection Home Review: “Salaam Bombay!” from EoM Contributor Blak Cinephile.Mira Nair’s first narrative f...
12/12/2025

The Criterion Collection Home Review: “Salaam Bombay!” from EoM Contributor Blak Cinephile.

Mira Nair’s first narrative feature, the Indian Hindi-language drama “Salaam Bombay!,” is as much a documentary as it is a narrative of Bombay’s (now Mumbai’s) loud and chaotic street life. Even though its story and characters are crafted by Nair and screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala (“Mississippi Masala”), its atmosphere feels natural and real. The 1988 Cannes Camera d’Or winner follows young Krishna (a terrific Shafiq Syed whose natural camera presence grips the viewer and never lets go) who, after being cast out by his family (and the circus), finds himself on the streets of Bombay. While this may sound like the plot to a dark coming-of-age fairytale, Mira keeps the authenticity of Bombay intact without sacrificing any of the story’s emotional power. As Krishna serves at the center of the story, time is also spent with a variety of characters including a malicious two-bit, pathetic pimp, a young woman forced into prostitution, a drug addict who comes undone and a woman who juggles prostitution and motherhood. “Salaam Bombay!” offers a vision of street life that is both intimate and kaleidoscopic.

Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray now.

Salaam Bombay!, Mira Nair, Sooni Taraporevala, Shafiq Syed, Hansa Vithal, Chanda Sharma, drama, Criterion Collection, home release, home video, restoration,

TIFF Review: "Obsession" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.Sometimes going into a movie without any sense of what to e...
12/12/2025

TIFF Review: "Obsession" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

Sometimes going into a movie without any sense of what to expect is the best way to experience a it, and knowing literally *nothing* about Curry Barker’s "Obsession" prior to seeing it other than knowing it was going to be something utterly f-ked up, was the right way to experience this trip. If you know nothing about what you’re going to get into watching this movie, you’re doing yourself a favor, but you may have an idea if you’ve seen Curry Barker’s content on YouTube. However, the new upward trend of YouTubers becoming filmmakers continues to successfully bring forth new terrors for audiences to discover. With "Obsession," having had its world premiere at TIFF 2025, Baker adds his name among the Philippou brothers ("Bring Her Back;" "Talk to Me") or Chris Stuckmann ("Shelby Oaks") — (their respective three projects ones I adore and love), all YouTube-content-makers-turned-filmmakers, demanding your attention and certainly horrifying you to your core while redefining gross-out horror. This is not for the squeamish, but it delivers tenfold.

Screened during TIFF 2025.

Obsession, Curry Barker, Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, horror, Tea Shop Productions, Under the Shell, Capstone Pictures, Toronto International Film Festival,

Review: "Dust Bunny."Storyteller Bryan Fuller has made a career out of “making it weird.” This is by no means a complian...
12/12/2025

Review: "Dust Bunny."

Storyteller Bryan Fuller has made a career out of “making it weird.” This is by no means a compliant, it’s an apt descriptor when one considers his calling-card projects are titles such as TV series "Dead Like Me" (2003-2004; 2009), "Pushing Daisies" (2007-2009), and "Hannibal" (2013-2015), as well as "Star Trek: Voyager" (1991-2001), "Wonderfalls" (2004), and "American Gods" (2017-2021). It’s never “weird for the sake of weird” either as each one uses the unique premise to poke, prod, or otherwise pester an idea that audiences may have on esoteric concepts of life, death, and all that exists in between. It should surprise no one that his theatrical feature debut, "Dust Bunny," falls within similar descriptors as it uses the absurd and the murderous to explore notions of belonging and regret through the violent consequences of one’s choices — all from an 10-year old’s viewpoint.

In theaters now.

Dust Bunny, Bryan Fuller, Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sigourney Weaver, David Dastmalchian, Rebecca Henderson, Sheila Atim, action, thriller, horror, fantasy, Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate,

88 Films Restoration Review: "Rosa."By the time 1986 arrived, Yuen Biao, one Hong Kong’s “Three Dragons,” had appeared ...
12/12/2025

88 Films Restoration Review: "Rosa."

By the time 1986 arrived, Yuen Biao, one Hong Kong’s “Three Dragons,” had appeared in the Sammo Hung-co-directed "Warrior’s Two" (1978), lead Brandy Yuen Jan-Yeung’s "The Champions" (1983), and co-starred in Jackie Chan’s "Project A" (1983) and Sammo Hung’s "My Lucky Stars" (1985). These projects are just a select few in a career spanning 59 years and still going. Now, the Joe Cheung Tung-Cho-directed action rom-com "Rosa (神勇雙響炮續集)," starring Biao, Lowell Lo Koon-Ting ("Magnificent Warriors"), Kara Wai Ying-Hung ("Dragon;" "The Lady is the Boss"), and Lu Hsiao-Fen ("Song of the Exile"), is set to be re-released by 88 Films with a brand-new 2K restoration, deluxe packaging, and supplemental materials for collectors the world over to enjoy.

Available on Blu-ray now.

Rosa, Joe Cheung Tung-Cho, Wong Kar-Wai, Barry Wong Ping-Yiu, Yuen Biao, Lowell Lo Koon-Ting, Kara Wai Ying-Hung, Lu Hsiao-Fen, Paul Chun Pui, Dick Wei, action, comedy, romance, Hong Kong, 88 Films, home release, restoration,

Review: "Fackham Hall."There’s a strange love-hate relationship with the rich, especially when it comes to the past. Per...
12/12/2025

Review: "Fackham Hall."

There’s a strange love-hate relationship with the rich, especially when it comes to the past. Perhaps it’s escapism, perhaps it’s a desire to live in presumably more affluent times, but the notion that one could live and live well — magnificent multi-room homes, well-dressed servants, well-stocked bank accounts, and the luxury of having one’s minor inconveniences feel like massive difficulties to overcome — does make one fantasize. In this year, 2025, as audiences say goodbye to Julian Fellowes’s British historical drama "Downton Abbey" and the Crawley family with its concluding film "The Grand Finale," filmmaker Jim O’Hanlon ("Your Christmas or Mine?") invites audiences to meet the Davenport family in his comedic parody "Fackham Hall." Inspired by the likes of "Monty Python" and infused with a modern sensibility, O’Hanlon’s "Fackham Hall" offers continuous laughter regardless of whether you can see the jokes coming or predict the narrative, resulting in a delightful time from start to finish. In other words, "Fackham Hall" is rich in laughter, devoid of sense.

In theaters now.

Fackham Hall, Jim O'Hanlon, Damian Lewis, Tom Felton, Katherine Waterston, Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Radcliffe, Emma Laird, comedy, Bleecker Street

4K UHD Home Release Review: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."‘Tis the season where, no matter the denomination, one is e...
12/12/2025

4K UHD Home Release Review: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

‘Tis the season where, no matter the denomination, one is either characterized as “full of spirit” or a “grinch.” The description of such a person who rains of holiday cheer (or cheer of any kind) is directly tied both in our imaginations and, it seems, etymologically speaking, to the 1957 Dr. Seuss book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," a children’s tale that’s become a staple of the Christmas season and even for some secular families, as well, during the winter. Since its release, there have been several adaptations in live-action and animation, one of which being the Ron Howard-directed ("Willow"), Jim Carrey-starring ("The Mask") adaptation which now celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. In celebration, not only is the film re-releasing in theaters in December, Universal Pictures Home entertainment is re-releasing the home edition with a few updates. Compared to the previously released 2017 4K UHD “Grinchmas” edition, the 25th anniversary 4K UHD edition includes a brand-new 34-minute featurette and all the legacy features, as well as remastered audio/video elements with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. All this in either a standard edition or collector’s edition steelbook.

Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and digital now.
Re-released in theaters now.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Ron Howard, Dr. Seuss, Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, comedy, Universal Pictures, home video, remaster, 4K UHD, streaming,

Review: "One More Shot."Whatever their general conceit, time loop films are about confronting a truth being run from. It...
12/12/2025

Review: "One More Shot."

Whatever their general conceit, time loop films are about confronting a truth being run from. It could be about the life being lived by the protagonist, that they must turn toward civility and humility ("Groundhog Day"); it could be about facing a terrible grief ("The Map of Tiny Perfect Things"); about overcoming a horrifying beast ("All You Need Is Kill"); or learning that sometimes what we think is the truth matters as much as what the truth is in constructing our reality ("Rewrite"). Time loop tales come in all genres, too, — horror, fantasy, action, adventure, thriller, coming of age — as their structure allows for ample exploration of cruelty and kindness, the superficial and the profound, in equal measure. What sets one time loop story apart from the rest is the way in which the looping is executed and all that happens from the start of the loop to its inevitable end. Director Nicholas Clifford ("We’ve All Been Here") manages to make a strong impression with "One More Shot," his feature film debut, not just because of its method of looping or the fact that looping is an active choice by the protagonist, but because of the way in which the arc of the narrative manages to eke out surprises that keep one engaged amid the expected.

In theaters, on VOD, and digital now.

One More Shot, Nicholas Clifford, Emily Browning, Aisha Dee, Sean Keenan, Hamish Michael, Anna McGahan, Contessa Treffone, Pallavi Sharda, Ashley Zukerman, comedy, Samuel Goldwyn Films,

4K UHD Home Review: “The Curse of Frankenstein” from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.How many Frankensteins are too many ...
12/12/2025

4K UHD Home Review: “The Curse of Frankenstein” from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

How many Frankensteins are too many Frankensteins, you may ask. The answer is there is never too much Frankenstein. Instead of having Oprah give everyone in the audience a car, everyone gets a Frankenstein movie. This release from Warner Brothers (specifically Warner Archive) and Hammer Films sees Terence Fisher’s “The Curse of Frankenstein” (1957) bless shelves for the first time on 4K UHD in a masterful transfer on a three-disk set which is overloaded with special features, ways to watch, and all 83 minutes of screenwriter Jimmy Sangster’s adapted version of Shelley’s masterpiece.

Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo now.

The Curse of Frankenstein, Terence Fisher, Jimmy Sangster, Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart, Christopher Lee, Valerie Gaunt, science fiction, horror, Warner Archive, Allied Vaughn Entertainment, Hammer Film Productions, home video, 4K UHD, restoration,

TIFF Review: "The Furious" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.If you didn’t know who director Kenji Tanigaki ("Enter th...
12/12/2025

TIFF Review: "The Furious" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

If you didn’t know who director Kenji Tanigaki ("Enter the Fat Dragon") was before, then after you see his explosive newest feature, "The Furious," you’ll know he is one to look out for if you’re a fan of movies like "The Raid" (2011) and "John Wick" (2014). So, prepare yourself for one of the most beautifully choreographed and directed action movies of the year. What "The Furious" manages to do with the genre is not only give audiences a pulsating, adrenaline-fueled action flick, but one where the violence and chaos has a purpose in an enriched story that carefully balances out the action and heart.

Screened during TIFF 2025.

The Furious, Kenji Tanigaki, Xie Miao, Joe Taslim, Yang Enyou, Yayan Ruhian, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga, thriller, action, XYZ Productions, Toronto International Film Festival,

Radiance Films Home Review: "Splendid Outing."When people say that art should be political, what they really mean is tha...
12/12/2025

Radiance Films Home Review: "Splendid Outing."

When people say that art should be political, what they really mean is that they don’t want to ingest films that might challenge their political views. They want to be entertained, not preached to. This is a childish perspective because it boils down to a viewing populace that doesn’t want to think, doesn’t want to get uncomfortable, and doesn’t want to be exposed to any ideas it hasn’t pre-approved. All art is political, whether you like it or not, dreamt up by individuals whose lived experience cultivated the thing they create for others to navigate. Sorry to report that the "X-Men" comics are about minorities circa the U.S. Civil Rights movement with white supremacists as the bad guys, Captain American canonically hates fascists (same with Superman who famously targeted slumlords in his earliest stories), Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A." speaks to the alienation Vietnam soldiers felt by their country upon returning home, and "Star Wars" is an allegory for the Vietnam War with the Empire representing the U.S.. Borrowing from his own lived experience, filmmaker Kim Soo-yong’s ("Mist") "Splendid Outing (화려한 외출)," from a script by Cho Moon-jin ("Always a Stranger") adapted from Kim Yong-sung’s short story “The Site of Traces,” tells a nightmarish story in which reality and dreams collide as one woman discovers the terrible cruelty and sharp pain of authoritarian ideology.

Available on Blu-ray now.

Splendid Outing, Kim Soo-yong, Cho Moon-jin, Kim Yong-sung, mystery, thriller, drama, foreign film, Korea, Korean, Radiance Films, MVD Entertainment Group, Tae Chang Enterprises, home release

TIFF Review: "Dead Man's Wire" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.If you were to say there was a new movie from Gus Van...
12/12/2025

TIFF Review: "Dead Man's Wire" from EoM Contributor Justin Waldman.

If you were to say there was a new movie from Gus Van Sant ("Good Will Hunting") about a real-life story of an armed kidnapping that is arguably justified with Colman Domingo ("Sing Sing"), an insane Al Pacino (Heat), and Bill Skarsgård ("Nosferatu") in the lead, then I would immediately be seated and intrigued. That is exactly what "Dead Man’s Wire" is and it is a tense drama that focuses on a completely unrecognizable Bill Skarsgård (in human form, at least) in arguably one of his best roles to date. "Dead Man’s Wire" is a captivating story of pushing the wrong man too far and, essentially, unfairly screwing him to the point where he just wants the truth and answers; in a world of corporate greed and tactics, someone finally stood up to being pushed around.

Screened during TIFF 2025.
In select theaters January 9 2026.
Wide release January 16 2026.

Dead Man’s Wire, Gus Van Sant, Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha'la, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, thriller, drama, Row K, Elevated Films, Toronto International Film Festival,

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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.