Movie Madness

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have nine new reviews on this episode. They include documentaries about the tragedy of a Harry Potter stunt double (David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived) and another about a forgotten woman’s sexuality activist (The Disappearance of Shere Hite). There’s a feature about the unsung architect of the March on Washington (Rustin) and another from Taika Waititi about the World Cup team that lost 31-0 (Next Goal Wins). The comedy trio from Saturday Night Live craft their first feature (Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain), Eli Roth crafts a feature out of his Grindhouse trailer (Thanksgiving) and The fuzzy-haired musical creatures are back for their third film (Trolls Band Together). Todd Haynes, Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore team up for a squirmy tale ripped from the tabloids (May December) and may the odds be ever in your favor for a new franchise prequel (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes).

0:00 - Intro

David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived

11:42 – The Disappearance of Shere Hite

23:42 - Rustin

36:46 - Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain

47:18 - Next Goal Wins

55:27 - May December

1:10:22 - Trolls Band Together

1:18:27 - Thanksgiving

1:34:29 – The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

1:51:32 – Preview of Next Week / Outro

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This week in physical media, Peter Sobczynski joins Erik Childress to talk up a pair of Larry McMurtry tales. Shirley MacLaine and Nicolas Cage are in two of this week’s selections and one of them together. Erik gets one of his titles from the Why-Is-This-Not-On-Blu-Ray series and Peter looks back at the time Nicolas Roeg went to Showtime with Mimi Rogers and Bryan Brown. A crowd-pleasing underdog tale gets a director’s cut in 4K as does a Billy Wilder film with Peter Graves in prison (not a Turkish one.) There is stop-motion Christmas for the kids and a stage adaptation of Miyazaki. And sometimes you are being followed whether it be by a giant truck or Ron Silver.

0:00 - Intro

0:59 - Criterion (The Last Picture Show (4K))

8:23 - Paramount (Terms of Endearment (4K))

20:40 - RLJE Films (Color Out of Space 4K)

23:27 - Sony (Guarding Tess, The Fog of War, Short Circuit 2, Rudy: Director's Cut (4K))          

44:24 - Unearthed (Full Body massage)

48:23 - Shout! Factory (Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, SPIRITED AWAY: Live on Stage?, The Sonny Chiba Collection: Volume 2)

59:44 - Kino (2 Days in the Valley, (Stalag 17 (4K))

1:12:48 - Universal (Duel 4K)

1:19:05 - Lions Gate (Blue Steel (Vestron Collector's Series))

1:25:27 – New Theatrical & TV Titles on Blu-ray

1:29:30 – New Blu-ray Announcements

1:30:18 - Outro

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Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy check in with six new movies this week. They include another slasher twist on a holiday classic (It’s a Wonderful Knife) and Jesse Eisenbeg either doing a riff on Fight Club or one of his own movies about toxic masculinity (Manodrome). A comedy legend gets a well-deserved tribute (Albert Brooks: Defending My Life) and Nicolas Cage haunts everyone in their sleep (Dream Scenario). Then see how the new David Fincher film stands up to the rest of his work (The Killer) and Steve gets his shot to weigh in on the latest from the MCU (The Marvels).

0:00 - Intro

1:24 - It's a Wonderful Knife

12:04 - Manodrome

25:25 - Albert Brooks: Defending My Life

38:17 - Dream Scenario

51:58 - The Killer

1:05:29 - The Marvels

1:23:25 – Preview of Next Week

1:24:39 - Outro

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been under fire lately, led by a string of mediocrity that has been well documented here with our regular guest and comic book expert, Erik Laws. Does The Marvels earn the sharpened knives that have apparently been out for it for months? They discuss the current direction of Marvel and where their trio of superheroines succeeds and fails. Has Brie Larson been given the opportunity to distinguish her character amongst the cadre of heroes? Does The Marvels miss the opportunity to expand into an untapped genre of its Universe? Has the rush to visual effects magic again result in some less than (inter)stellar moments? Childress and Laws also breakdown the ongoing commentary by Martin Scorsese that less than stellar journalists can’t help but needle away on.

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Peter Sobczynski joins Erik Childress again to provide a rundown of what you can add to your physical media collection this week. You have brand new collections of films from Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton. The late William Friedkin does his first Tracy Letts adaptation and while it missed Halloween there is a great new edition of an overlooked horror film from J.A. Bayona. In time for Veteran’s Day, Sony has two new 4K editions of war films and there is also a new Blu-ray of a guilty favorite from our longtime friend, Sergio Mims. Erik and Peter recall the first time they saw Fargo which gets an upgrade as does George Lucas’ coming-of-age classic in time for its 50th Anniversary. Finally, Paramount celebrates the anniversary of two modern Christmas favorites with their own upgrade. Lookin’ good, Billy Ray. Feeling good, Louis!

0:00 - Intro

1:40 - Criterion (Jackie Chan: Emergence of a Superstar)

9:59 - Cohen Media (The Buster Keaton Collection: Volume 5)

14:00 - MVD (A Bullet for Sandoval)

17:21 - Fun City (T.R. Baskin)

23:35 - Imprint (Bug, The Orphanage)

33:05 - Shout! Factory (Surviving the Game, Fargo (4K))

46:14 - Sony (The Guns of Navarone (4K Steelbook), Black Hawk Down (4K Steelbook))

1:00:21 - Universal (American Graffiti 4K, Violent Night 4K,)

1:09:22 - Paramount (Trading Places (40th Anniversary) (4K), Scrooged (35th Anniversary) (4K))

1:28:47 – Recent Theatrical Titles Now On Blu-ray (& TV)

1:29:47 – New Blu-ray Announcements

1:34:14 - Outro

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Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy begin November with 10 new reviews this week. They include a wannabe comic murder mystery (Helen’s Dead), Awkwafina testing her skills on a game show (Quiz Show) and Sylvester Stallone getting a documentary about the key period of his career (Sly). The Adams Family have a new horror film (Where the Devil Roams) and Daisy Ridley tries to run away from her Room-like origins (The Marsh King’s Daughter). Jodie Foster tries to help Annette Bening swim the Atlantic in a true story (Nyad). Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed see if there is a test for love (Fingernails) while Meg Ryan and David Duchovny revisit their relationship while stranded in an airport (What Happens Later). Finally, Alexander Payne reunites with Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) and Sofia Coppola tells the story that is so often overlooked in the Elvis mythos (Priscilla) in two of the best films of the year.

0:00 - Intro

1:05 - Helen's Dead

8:47 - Quiz Lady

17:21 - Sly

30:43 - Where the Devil Roams

39:45 – The Marsh King's Daughter

51:15 - Fingernails

1:03:40 - Nyad

1:14:44 - What Happens Later

1:25:55 - The Holdovers

1:38:36 – Priscilla

1:54:28 – Preview of Next Week / Outro

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 October ends on more of a suspenseful note than a horrific one but that may be enough to not want a phone to ring during viewing. On the latest in physical media, Peter Sobczynski joins Erik Childress to talk about the cultural horror elements of the latest Criterion release. There’s also a snarky self-referential horror film that pre-dates Scream. Kino has a cornucopia of 1980s ninja goodness and Peter even has something positive to say about a comic book movie. On top of all that there is one of the best action films of the year, one of the best performances of Harrison Ford’s career and another round of the master of suspense in 4K.

0:00 - Intro

1:18 - Criterion (Nanny)

9:14 - Ronin Flix (There’s Nothing Out There)

15:41 - Kino (Enter the Ninja, American Ninja, American Ninja 2: The Confrontation, The Challenge)

31:25 - Universal (The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection Vol. 3) (4K)

59:16 - Arrow Films (Witness (4K))

1:06:19 – Warner Bros. (Blue Beetle 4K)

1:10:38 – Paramount (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (4K))

1:15:16 – More Recent Theatrical & Streaming Titles

1:18:03 – New Blu-ray Announcements

1:21:24 - Outro

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Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy close out October with seven reviews for you. Steve catches up on a film from Sundance (The Persian Version) while both look at the true story of a Bible thumper on the search for a lost civilization (The Mission). Emily Blunt and Chris Evans are on the selling side of the opioid crisis (Pain Hustlers) and Heather Graham is given the H.P. Lovecraft treatment (Suitable Flesh). The duo look at this year’s Palme d’Or winner (Anatomy of a Fall) as well as how this John Cena/Alison Brie action/comedy made it into theaters (Freelance). Finally, while it plays in both theaters and on the Peacock, a horror video game becomes a movie (Five Nights At Freddy’s) though that’s debatable.

0:00 – Intro

1:25 – The Persian Version

8:27 – The Mission

20:47 - Pain Hustlers

30:05 - Suitable Flesh

39:47 - Anatomy of a Fall

56:00 - Freelance

1:11:42 - Five Nights At Freddy's

1:23:45 – Preview of Next Week / Outro

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The month of Halloween is almost over but studios are still putting out the spooky stuff on this week’s edition of physical media talk with Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski. Criterion has one of the great modern haunted house tales with one of Nicole Kidman’s best performances. Brett Ratner tries to remake Michael Mann, Lewis Teague does his first Stephen King and Roland Emmerich completely botches Godzilla. Paramount has a whole box set of frights with some 4K debuts including a surprise title that really gets under Peter’s skin. Indicator has some Jean Rollin and a box set of film noir. There is more Shaw Brothers, Sammo Hung, Mario Bava and, naturally, Bill Haley and the Comets. Plus the one thing that every show, big and small, needs – Muppets!

0:00 - Intro

0:59 - Criterion (The Others (4K))

7:43 - Arrow Films (The Iron-Fisted Monk)

9:51 - Shout! Factory (Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume Three)

12:30 - Indicator (Universal Noir #2 (1945-1949), Fascination (4K), Lips of Blood (4K))

27:46 - Kino (Red Dragon (4K), Black Sabbath (60th Anniversary), Cujo (4K), It! The Terror from Beyond Space)

49:33 - Sony (Rock Around the Clock, Godzilla 1998 (4K), The Muppets Take Manhattan (4K))

1:07:53 - Paramount (Paramount Scares Vol. 1 (4K))

1:19:34 – Theatrical Titles and Television New on Blu-ray

1:21:00 – New Blu-ray Announcements

1:23:21 - Outro

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Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy return to review six new films this week. They include the film that was supposed to be Nicolas Cage’s first western, but wasn’t (Butcher’s Crossing). Documentarian Errol Morris gets inside the head of spy novelist John Le Carre (The Pigeon Tunnel) and comedian Bill Burr tries to not let the new woke generation get inside his (Old Dads). The director of Borat adapts a two-man show (Dicks: The Musical) and a new documentary on Amazon is a warm-up for this week’s theme of property theft (Silver Dollar Road). That leaves us with the latest from Martin Scorsese on the true story of the 1920s murders amongst the Osage community in Oklahoma (Killers of the Flower Moon).

0:00 - Intro

2:02 - Butcher's Crossing

10:55 – The Pigeon Tunnel

15:49 - Old Dads

22:59 - Silver Dollar Road

32:18 - Dicks: The Musical

41:28 - Killers of the Flower Moon

1:00:54 – Preview of Next Week’s Movies

1:02:09 - Outro

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