Episode 139: Not-So-King of the Monsters (Box Office Mini-Episode)

In the first mini-episode of the podcast, Erik Childress serves up a number of unique stats correlating to the recent releases at the box office. Along with Sergio Mims they breakdown the potential failure of Warner Bros.’ Godzilla: King of the Monsters, how Rocketman is faring compared to other rock biopics and while Ma may be part of a success story beyond Blumhouse, Tate Taylor’s ignorance in his oeuvre remains astounding.

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Episode 138: Dragged Across Marwen

For the latest batch of new Blu-rays, Erik Childress and Sergio Mims offer a pair of documentaries about wildly different filmmakers, discuss the latest from Criterion highlighting an action legend and a 60 year-old film that is more relevant today than ever. They also tie-in the cinema moments that traumatized them as kids, how audiences reacted to Alien in the summer of 1979 and the ongoing debate of great art vs. artists with baggage. Then to wrap things up, there is even a defense of Robert Zemeckis’ Welcome to Marwen, particularly in the light of some atrocious sequels being offered from the same studio.

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Episode 137: Shouting Love For The Factory

Shout! Factory is one of our favorite companies here on the podcast. Their mixture of genre classics and modern ones is a constant pleasure, no matter the quality of the film themselves. So as their release output piled up over the past few weeks, Erik Childress and Sergio Mims decided to dedicate an entire show to 18 of their recent titles. Vampires, werewolves, witches, serial killers, viruses, giant insects, rats, poison ivy, kung fu and a Manitou. What more do you need? Cause there is more.

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Episode 136: Goodbye Oscar, Hello Emmanuelle!

Catching up once again on Blu-rays, Erik Childress & Sergio Mims talk up some titles you may have missed in theaters during awards season. Mixed in with new titles from Twilight Time and Indicator, plus some Warner Archive titles that make Sergio giddy, they get into what happened with Steve McQueen’s Widows and proclaim their love again for Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk. But Creed II is not the only sequel they will discuss as it is time to turn off the lights, lock the door and get into a lot of…discussion about the one, but not only, Emmanuelle.

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Episode 135: We’re In The Endgame

The Marvel Cinematic Universe began in earnest in 2008 with Iron Man and it is now concluding with Avengers: Endgame. Comic book expert Erik Laws joins Erik Childress to discuss this epic journey through every beat of its epic conclusion. Spoilers are abound here so you are warned because the only way to talk about it is to read between the lines of what Endgame pays off in nearly every scene. References to both the series and the comics, Alan Silvestri’s winks to past scores, and relationships that come full circle with all the excitement and emotion it can dish out. Even the Eriks’ favorite movies are shouted out and one of them may have been close to a heart attack. Learn about all this and more through a jam-packed show.

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Episode 134: Summer Box Office Predictions (2019 Edition)

Erik Childress’ annual box office predictions are here. He runs down his choices for the 20 films on a path to make the most money this summer while Sergio Mims throws in his two cents as well. Can anything possibly challenge Avengers: Endgame to lead the way? Can three movies alone from Disney top two billion in domestic sales? Will Aladdin be more Beauty and the Beast or Dumbo? How much do the Men In Black and X-Men series have in the tank? Is Pikachu really a thing? Can any comedy crack $100 million not counting Tarantino, Hobbs or Shaw? All these questions and more will be answered as they go through the entire summer down to nearly every last title.

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Episode 133: Shield The Cobra

Sergio Mims joins Erik Childress to play a little catch-up with Blu-ray titles released from Shout Factory, Kino, Mill Creek and Universal. They delve into that literally ancient John Wayne controversy, explain why Cobra is one of the greatest movies ever, disagree over a Belushi/Aykroyd film but agree wholeheartedly on one of the great TV shows and how the Oscars blew it this year.

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Episode 132: The 2019 SXSW Film Festival

Erik Childress returns from his 17th year covering the festival in Austin and has in store some long lead previews including the latest from Seth Rogen; one opposite Charlize Theron and another producing for the great Jacob Tremblay. But there are also reviews for Kevin Costner, Tatiana Maslany and Nick Kroll, a reminder of one of the year’s best performances from Elisabeth Moss and everything leading up to the film that was not only the best of SXSW but the best film Erik has seen to date this year. On top of it all is a preview of the Chicago Critics Film Festival taking place this May once again at the Music Box Theatre.

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Episode 131: DY-NO-MITE! Willie…Dynamite!

Getting caught up on the latest in Blu-rays is what Erik Childress and Sergio Mims do for you. They go through some recently praised horror along with the taboo remnants of yesteryear involving The Group and a certain Boss. Though the past comes back with the terrific remake of A Star is Born they also have time to talk Hitchcock, Charles Burnett and the long-awaited third commentary track of Mr. Mims.

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Episode 130: The Marvel Us

Marvel’s first female superhero headliner arrives in theaters with a lot of excitement and its share of unnecessary toxic controversy. Erik Childress is joined by Erik Laws who went in with excitement and come out addressing not just the controversy swirling around ungrateful manbabies but also a real sense of disappointment. The Eriks attempt to navigate the middle ground and articulating where Captain Marvel comes up short in its storytelling and characterizations without being called out by one quotient and embraced by the other.

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