Movie Madness
Episode 672: I Want Your Sects
A bit of a super-sized week of physical media (box sets will do that to you) but one worthy of appreciation and curiosity. Thankfully there are a number of very economical (in length) classics from the film noir era to appreciate. If you don’t already know one of the big plot twists of the ’70s sci-fi era you get your chance. You get one of the best films from the respective careers of Mario Bava and Elvis Presley. There is some early Wes Craven and late Tobe Hooper. Rock Hudson and Doris Day’s classic rom-com gets an upgrade. A brat packer become a serial killer (no, not Andrew McCarthy). WE GOT ONE of our Why-Is-This-Not-On-Blu-Ray titles, a classic farce from the 1980s. Plus, Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill is edited into one singular complete vision.
Episode 671: Payback, Protest, Pretension and Pickleball
In a week where Hollywood studios have cleared the deck in the wake of The Odyssey, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy still have a bunch of reviews for you. They revisit one of the year’s best protest documentaries from Sundance (Everybody to Kenmure Street). Steve talks about seeing the musical on stage that was filmed for cinema (Hadestown: The Musical). Yorgos Lanthimos’ co-writer crafts another quirky, unpleasant family (Rosebush Pruning) and Nicolas Winding Refn delivers a tale of fathers, daughters and a serial killer (Her Private Hell). Kevin Hart joins a Gen-Z bachelor party weekend (72 Hours) while Jake Johnson plays pickleball to save his family club (The Dink). Reacher’s Alan Ritchson seeks revenge of both the deadly and silent type (Motor City). Finally, Sundance isn’t the only revisitation this week. As part of “Review Catch-Up” Erik took a second look at Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Did another viewing change his opinion at all?
Episode 670: Oh, So I’m The Bad Guy?
Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski take you through another week of physical media. Criterion has you covered from Mike Mills to Nagisa Ôshima. Butch and Sundance make na early appearance alongside Barbara Stanwyck. Giancarlo Giannini tries to solve some giallo murders, Ray Harryhausen takes you to an island of monsters or you can travel to one with Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney. Ray Liotta is a bad cop after Kurt Russell’s wife and Michael Douglas is an ordinary guy looking to bring some sense to society. Or is he? We certainly know where he would end up in Gary Ross’ wondrous debut fantasy. It’s all part of a show with films that may be even more relevant today than when they premiered.
Episode 669: Remaking The Odyssey & Sherman’s March
Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy only have three movie reviews for you this week. But in their own rights they are all massive accomplishments. They begin with a new 4K Restoration of Ross McElwee’s landmark “Meditation on the Possibility of Romantic Love In the South During an Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation” (Sherman’s March). Fast-forward 40 years and they also discuss McElwee’s new documentary exploring the loss of his son (Remake). Finally, Christopher Nolan’s returns after winning his Oscar by adapting the basis for modern storytelling and maybe even a bit of his own (The Odyssey). You may be surprised by how the discussion plays out.
Episode 668: Is That A Duck In Your Pocket?
Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski take you through another week of physical media that includes three bangers from Criterion including Paul Newman at his baddest, early Scorsese and the Neil Jordan twist that rocked the world. There are gunslingers and hit men, William Wyler and Marlene Dietrich and one of the great modern sitcoms in a new set. Plus it is the 40th anniversary of one of the most infamous flops of the 1980s. Time for a reappraisal or is it still as baffling as ever?
Episode 667: No One Knows How Far Disney Will Go
Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have six movie reviews for you this week. They include documentaries about a Pulitizer-winning poet (Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World) an an eager filmmaker hired to create shlock (Mockbuster). There’s a family on the run from an alien presence (The Outer Threat) while a teenage girl goes searching for info about her parents (Romeria). A retirement community deals with scam calls and an odd patient (Night Nurse). Zoey Deutsch looks to get even with her cheating fiancé (Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass). The Deadites are back and nastier than ever (Evil Dead Burn). Finally, another live-action Disney remake arrives just ten years after the original. Did we need it? (Moana).
Episode 666: Surprise! No Sony Discs This Week
Despite the news that Sony is no longer producing physical discs for its Playstation consoles, Blu-rays are not going anywhere. That despite this being one of the smallest tallies of titles that Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski have ever covered. (Cause we don’t like to repeat ourselves.) That being said you have David Lynch’s Oscar-nominated biopic and Tim Burton adapting a wacky soap opera. Besides the Criterion sale is on at Barnes & Noble so it’s a good week for your budget.
Episode 665: RSVP For One Wilde Dinner Party
Eight movies are on tap for the weekend that America celebrates its 250th birthday. Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy check out Angel Studios’ attempt at part of that history (Young Washington). There are also documentaries about a legendary music producer (Peter Asher: Everywhere Man) and a public access legend in her own right (Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story). Carla Gugino tries to protect a family member from a demon (Lockbox) and Millie Bobbie Brown is back solving a mystery in Malta (Enola Holmes 3). John Early attempts to satirize message movies in earnest by playing a woman (Maddie’s Secret). Those gibberish-speaking assistants to evildoers take a trip through Hollywood history (Minions & Monsters). Finally, Olivia Wilde directs and stars with Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz in a comedy worth your RSVP (The Invite).
Episode 664: Then You Punch ‘Em In The Head Emotionally
Given the big collection announced this week for October, Erik Childress & Peter Sobczynski got you covered with a bunch of collections this week as well on physical media. They include the Hammer works of Jimmy Sangster and French filmmaker Lucie Hadzihaliovic. Last year’s Jafar Panahi gets the Criterion treatment. A pre-code Joan Crawford film held up by the courts is finally available in a new restoration. The teens are not alright in films by Frank Perry and Roger Vadim, nor are the kids of Robin Hardy. You can lighten things up by watching Tom Hanks’ house demolish around him. Then you can go back for Arrow’s releases of the original Mortal Kombat films and six of Jackie Chan’s joyful action films.
Episode 663: Up, Up And Go Away
Erik Childress & Steve Prokopy have nine movies to review, though Steve ups that in this week’s review round-up with a look at a music legend (Gregg Allman: The Music Of My Soul). From there Erik looks at a faux true crime documentary about murders on a movie set (Chapter 51) and a new WWII film from Rod Lurie (Lucky Strike). Steve checks out Angelina Jolie as a filmmaker during fashion week in Paris (Couture). There is also an Elmore Leonard-ish crime tale with Russell Crowe (The Get Out) and a historical tale of writers and mobsters from Julian Schnabel (In the Hand of Dante). Smalltown fishermen find themselves on a time traveling boat (Rose of Nevada).John Cena goes through a What About Bob scenario with Eric Andre (Little Brother). The crazy stunts and pranks of Johnny Knoxville and crew take one last bow (Jackass: Best and Last). Finally, the DC Universe presents their sophomore effort (Supergirl) and is it better or worse than Superman? Depends on who you ask.