Movie Madness

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have a half-dozen movie reviews this week that actually touch upon two franchises, an important documentary and even a couple of unexpected surprises. If you want to know more about the pre-Ghostbusters era of Ray Parker Jr. there is now a film about that (Who You Gonna Call?). Henry Czerny is a former priest is visited by a stranger with a connection to his past (The Righteous). A shy teen desperately seeks out his first kiss to finally get that dang electronic collar off his neck (Wyrm). There were two films at Sundance about the underground Chicago abortion group, but you only need to see one of them (The Janes). Adam Sandler is a basketball scout with a hot new prospect he mentors (Hustle). And finally the dinosaurs are part of our world now and Erik and Steve have a lot to say about the so-called final entry in this series (Jurassic World: Dominion). 0:00 - Intro 1:03 – Who You Gonna Call? 10:47 – The Righteous 18:36 – Wyrm 27:23 - The Janes 38:52 - Hustle 51:28 - Jurassi

The latest and greatest in Blu-rays returns to the podcast with Sergio Mims and a lot to catch up on. There is late era Sam Peckinpah and Steve McQueen not to mention some early-era Kevin Costner and perhaps inspiration for a young Alfonso Cuaron. Criterion 4Ks one of the greatest of all noirs and space documentaries. Kino gives the same treatment to Clint Eastwood and Sidney Poitier. And finally – yes, FINALLY! – one of the great Walter Hill films Sergio and Erik have been begging to get an upgrade from its shoddy DVD transfer is finally here and they are thrilled.   0:00 - Intro 2:06 – Flicker Alley (The Whistle at Eaton Falls) 8:58 – Criterion (Double Indemnity, The Flight of the Phoenix, For All Mankind) 30:21 – Lions Gate (Extreme Prejudice) 38:10 – Imprint (The Osterman Weekend, The Hunter, Marooned) 54:28 – Warner Archive (American Flyers, Fandango, The Window) 1:09:17 – Kino (Son of Samson, Flower Drum Song, In the Heat of the Night 4K, A Fistful of Dollars 4K, For a Few Dollars More 4K) 1:46:35 - Out

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy saw a lot of different movies this week. But that means you get 11 reviews from them even if its not a great lineup. Erik finds one big positive at the center of Sean Patrick Flanery’s directorial debut (Frank & Penelope) and Steve has a few non-negative things to say about the latest with Bruce Willis (White Elephant). There are fantastical narratives about the missing minutes of the Nixon tapes (18 ½) and the creation of a famous tower (Eiffel). Erik gets completely annoyed with the latest Blumhouse horror (Unhuman) and surprisingly unannoyed with the central character of the new horror film from Rob “Host” Savage (Dashcam). Gay relationships take center stage in comedy (Fire Island) and the true story of war poet Siegfried Sassoon in the latest from director Terence Davies (Benediction). Straight-to-video called and want the new Elsa Pataky action film from Netflix back (Interceptor) and “It Follows”’ Maika Monroe contends with another dangerous stalker (Watcher). Final

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy return after a week off to catch-up on reviewing 12 new movies for you. They include a baseball documentary that premiered at SXSW this year (Facing Nolan), a new film written by Paul Schrader (There Are No Saints) and the great Haley Lu Richardson stars in a film about revisiting family trauma (Montana Story). They also revisit a Sundance comedy about two black friends trying not to get blamed when a white girl passes out in their house (Emergency) and one of the choices from the Chicago Critics Film Festival is a documentary about the longest hostage standoff in New York history (Hold Your Fire). Someone who never held their fire is given the four-hour documentary treatment by Judd Apatow (George Carlin’s American Dream). Four is also the number of television shows getting the feature length treatment including a pair of sequels (Downton Abbey: A New Era, Jackass 4.5) and two animated ones (Chip ‘N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, The Bob’s Burgers Movie). Erik and Steve have divergen

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy will be at the Chicago Critics Film Festival this week, but they still managed to find time for ten new movie reviews. Well, one old one as they reviewed Ninja Thyberg’s powerful film about the porn industry at last year’s Sundance (Pleasure). This week did have a lot of other ickiness to it though including an erotic thriller no-show with Ashley Benson (Private Property) and the documentary about Dr. Religious Wacko who personally inseminated his patients (Our Father). Then maybe icky in a good way is at least one kids-who-can’t-control-their-own-powers film (The Innocents) and another about a virus running violently amok influencing the worst parts of our brains (The Sadness). But Steve also talks a positive pandemic story about music (Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story) while Erik looks at Christina Ricci trying to protect her son from an entity in a lake (Monstrous) and Rebel Wilson wakes up after 20 years in a coma and still wants to be prom queen (Senior Year). Then for thos

While Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy prepare for the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival, they got in a little time for a short show of reviews. This week the discussion steers to just four titles including a horror film involving an island and supernatural elements (Shepherd) and a documentary takes a shot at redemption for the man who clubbed Nancy Kerrigan’s knee (My Hero the Hitman). To go along with the discussion with Erik Laws on episode 305, Steve gets his chance to weigh in on Sam Raimi’s new Marvel film (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness). But the timeliness of a new film dealing with the illegality of abortion in 1960s France really strikes home this week and the duo want you to know about it…so you can know (Happening). 0:00 - Intro 0:59 - Shepherd 6:44 – My Hero the Hitman 13:47 – Happening 27:24 – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 52:46 – Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikth

Sam Raimi returns to the world of Marvel for his first directorial effort since 2013 and comic book expert Erik Laws returns to join Erik Childress to breakdown this sequel to Doctor Strange. Or sequel to Wandavision? Whatever it is it is a lot and the Eriks may recognize the very specific Raimi touches he brings to the Cinematic Universe, but is it enough to overcome what Childress believes is a big problem for Marvel going forward. Does their own multiverse interfere with the storytelling especially if they were unwilling to truly dive into the new one they have opened up? Is the film a manic ride that fulfills the horror quota of their expanding genres or is its screenplay the equivalent of notes on a whiteboard with no lines drawn between them? Childress and Laws address it all and more (including spoilers) so are they on to something or just gone a little mad themselves? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikthemoviem

It is that time of year again. Actually the first time since 2019 that the Chicago Critics Film Festival has hosted an entire week at the Music Box Theatre. Their return for a weekend in 2021 was a success but the festival co-produced by Erik Childress returns to full glory May 13-19 and along with Sergio Mims they breakdown, day by day, every film selected for the event. Two very special film festival events are discussed during this episode. Along with the CCFF which remains in its 9th year the only film festival entirely curated by working film critics, the duo talk about Sergio’s experience as a presenter at this year’s Turner Classic Movies Festival. Visit www.musicboxtheatre.com for tickets & passes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikthemovieman.substack.com

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy look at eight movies this week including a couple festival titles, some streaming and some new titles in theaters. Steve looks at people trying to put a cult behind them (The Aviary) and a gay romance during Communist Russia (Firebird). Erik looks at a documentary about an additional horror of the Michigan water crisis (Flint: Who Can You Trust?) and Barry Levinson’s film about Holocaust-era boxer Harry Haft (The Survivor). Then both of them see if there’s anything new about an age-old mystery (The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes). A young Finnish girl see what manifests out of the giant egg she found (Hatching). Jim Broadbent stars in the true story of an art theft (The Duke) and Liam Neeson continues his decline below action movie mediocrity – and then some (Memory).   0:00 – Intro 0:37 – The Aviary 8:10 - Flint: Who Can You Trust? 19:56 – Firebird 26:04 – The Survivor 33:05 – The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes 45:02 – Hatching 54:24 – The Duke 1:0

One of the best movies of the year…2021…may just come around to one of the best movies of 2022 on this episode. At least according to one of the Movie Madness critics during the round of seven reviews on this episode. Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy do indeed agree on Celine Sciamma’s tale of childhood grief (Petite Maman). The kids in that movie certainly have it better than the documentary of a ‘90s clothing giant (White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch) and even they may have it better than the one at the center of a Lena Headey thriller (9 Bullets). Erik looks at the latest from DisneyNature (Polar Bear) while Steve handles the animated animals looking to pull off a heist (The Bad Guys). The pair have a lot to say about the wannabe-meta look at Nicolas Cage’s career (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) and then they get to the latest from Robert Eggers, the director of The Witch and The Lighthouse (The Northman.)   0:00 - Intro 0:28 - Petite Maman 8:25 - White Hot: The Rise &

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have seen six movies for the show this week. All six of them and they are here to share their thoughts on films from Sundance, SXSW and in theaters. Elisha Cuthbert tries to save her family from the wrong house (The Cellar). A pair of evil online games take center stage on Netflix (Choose or Die) and from the perspective of internet isolation (We’re All Going To The World’s Fair). Karen Gillan takes on a dual role in a black comic sci-fi tale with a double meaning (Dual). Mark Wahlberg brings us the true story of a boxer and wannabe actor who turned to the priesthood instead (Father Stu) and the third chapter of the Harry Potter prequel series may be the last one, but is it any better than the others? (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.)   1:28 – The Cellar 10:33 – Choose or Die 22:14 – We’re All Going To The World’s Fair 32:06 – Dual 43:58 – Father Stu 1:00:40 – Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore 1:18:28 - Outro This is a public episode. If you would like t

For the Movie Madness’ 300th episode, Erik Childress and Sergio Mims decided to undertake something they have talked about for some time. Matthew Robbins’ 1981 film, Dragonslayer, is a film they have preached and pleaded for years to finally get a Blu-ray release (hell, let’s go 4K at this point!) Sergio has turned into quite the commentary machine in recent years and Erik even still has one out there climbing the charts. And for this episode all you will need is your own copy of Dragonslayer and you can sync up the duo doing a full commentary track for the film. You can listen to the opening for instructions on when and where to press play after they discuss Sergio’s great honor in being selected as a presenter at this year’s Turner Classic Movies’ Film Festival.   0:00 - Intro 12:17 – Dragonslayer Commentary Instructions 13:02 – Dragonslayer Commentary This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikthemovieman.substack.com

No rest for Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy who take on nine new films this week. They include a trio of documentaries ranging from skateboarding (Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off) to SpaceX (Return to Space) to a bovine with her own movie (Cow). Steve looks at a comedy about wannabe high school metalheads (Metal Lords) and Erik looks at an unintentional comedy based on the life of Celine Dion (Aline). Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton are former CIA partners on a mole hunt (All the Old Knives) and a video game adaptation gets a sequel (Sonic the Hedgehog 2). Michael Bay is up to his old tricks with the mayhem of a heist gone wrong (Ambulance) and, finally, the creators of Swiss Army Man have a few new tricks in a fantastical multiverse action comedy (Everything Everywhere All At Once). 0:00 – Intro 1:02 – Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off 8:18 – Return to Space 24:15 – Metal Lords 32:36 – Aline 41:59 – Cow 51:44 – All The Old Knives 1:03:12 – Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1:12:35 – Ambulance 1:32:40 – Everything

After a short week, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy double-up on the movie reviews this week with eight titles. They include a documentary about a “ballhawk” (Zack Hample vs. the World) and one about a type of restaurant that does not exist anymore (The Automat). Justin Kurzel’s new film gets to the root of mental illness in a real-life Australian tragedy (Nitram) and a witch learns about life wearing the skins of different people (You Won’t Be Alone). Richard Linklater explores life (notably his) around the space program in 1969 (Apollo 10 ½: A Spade Age Childhood) and Judd Apatow takes a satiric stab at making an action franchise at the height of the pandemic (The Bubble). Finally then there is a Chris Pine thriller that was completed back in 2019 (The Contractor) and the five-time delayed Sony Marvel tale that added at least one more critic to the lambast pile (Morbius).   0:00 - Outro 4:54 – Zack Hample vs. the World 14:56 – The Automat 27:01 – Nitram 34:37 – You Won’t Be Alone 43:54 – Apollo 10 ½: A Spa

Sergio Mims is back with the latest and greatest in Blu-rays and he focuses on three different studios with Erik Childress. Kino has a pair of great thrillers newly available in 4K as well as one from the ‘80s that may be more memorable for a promise of a single shot. Warner Archive puts James Cagney in an early version of Top Gun, one of the original versions of A Star Is Born and a stunning upgrade of a Cinerama cult classic. Finally, is the new 4K set of The Godfather Trilogy live up to the hype on the 50th Anniversary of the original? Listen in and get your wallets ready for some physical media.   0:00 - Intro 0:51 - Kino (Man’s Favorite Sport, The Final Option, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Touch of Evil) 27:46 – Warner Archive (Captain of the Clouds, A Star is Born (1937), The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm) 50:05 – Paramount (The Godfather Trilogy 4K) 59:56 - Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikthemoviem

The weekly movie review edition of the show went light to close out the month and it led to two agreements, one split decision and a whole other kind of split. Unintentional double entendres were on the docket for Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy as one of them reviewed a “family Butt!@#*ing comedy” (Win a Trip to Browntown). Naomi Watts is getting in her exercise with her projects again as a hiker who turns into a rescuer (Infinite Storm). A couple on a first date get stuck together when the pandemic begins (7 Days) and Sandra Bullock goes on a Romancing the Stone-like adventure with Channing Tatum and a bit of Pitt (The Lost City). 0:00 - Intro 1:36 - Win a Trip To Browntown 11:18 – 7 Days 22:34 – Infinite Storm 37:04 – The Lost City 57:00 - Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikthemovieman.substack.com

South by Southwest returned to live festivities for the first time since 2019. Erik Childress has been covering since 2003 and hopes to return soon. Along with Steve Prokopy they discuss the pleasures of attending in person even as they covered virtually at least one more time. 18 titles they bring up from this year including music documentaries about Sheryl Crow, Tanya Tucker and Nick Cave, non-music docs about Nolan Ryan, Gabby Giffords and The Kids in the Hall. They discuss the latest from Richard Linklater as well as stellar work from Patton Oswalt and Andrea Risborough in a wide array of titles from the good to even some of the disappointments. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erikthemovieman.substack.com

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy tackle seven new films this week. They include a couple from Sundance they have not talked about yet from the 2-part documentary on HBO MAX from Amy Berg about Evan Rachel Wood’s traumatic relationship with Marilyn Manson (Phoenix Rising) and Regina Hall in a ghost story about racial dynamics on a college campus (Master). Steve reviews about a Buddy Guy apprenticeship (The Torch) and Erik handles an odd hostage comic thriller with Jason Segel, Lily Collins and Jesse Plemons (Windfall). There is a better example of the singular setting chess game in a thriller with Mark Rylance and Zoey Deutsch (The Outfit), but also a peculiar misfire from Adrian Lyne garnering an early reputation of “so bad it’s good” (Deep Water). Finally, they dig into what makes Ti West’s new film stand apart from so many other slaughterhouse tales (X).   0:00 - Intro 1:45 - Phoenix Rising 10:01 – The Torch 17:19 – Windfall 25:54 – Master 38:02 – Deep Water 59:32 – The Outfit 1:09:51 – X 1:31:50 - Outro Th

Six movie reviews this week from Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy, mostly available on the streaming services. Three women on a photoshoot weekend for their instas encounter a stinky alien (The Seed). The Herzogs document the theory of leaving our dying planet for another (Last Exit: Space). A car breakdown turns into oddball terror (Ultrasound) and Zac Efron is left alone in an apocalyptic landscape guarding a precious metal (Gold). Finally, Pixar head exclusively again to Disney Plus in a young girl’s magical encounter with puberty (Turning Red) and Ryan Reynolds travels back in time and meets his younger self and a bunch of other relatives while disintegrating bad guys in his second, but not final, collaboration with his Free Guy director, Shawn Levy (The Adam Project). 0:00 – Intro 1:18 - The Seed 8:41 – Last Exit: Space 14:15 – Gold 27:22 - Ultrasound 34:00 - Turning Red 53:34 - The Adam Project 1:06:12 – Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get acce

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy reviewed two of this week’s big movies during Sundance, so in case you missed them talk enthusiastically about Kogonada’s sci-fi meditation on life and connection (After Yang) or less so about Sebastian Stan as a human butcher in Fresh, you get another chance. But then they have five new films to talk about as well including two available on Netflix – an explorer survival tale (Against the Ice) and vacationing Leighton Meester trying to see if her missing girlfriend survived (The Weekend Away). Then there are three documentaries to discuss including a bizarre tale of hippie inheritance and misguided philanthropy (Dear Mr. Brody), the story of tennis player and activist Arthur Ashe (Citizen Ashe) and Amy Poehler’s film about the relationship between two of the biggest television stars ever (Lucy and Desi). 0:00 - Intro 1:09 - Fresh 8:29 – After Yang 17:25 – Citizen Ashe 24:12 – Dear Mr. Brody 32:42 – Against the Ice 45:41 - The Weekend Away 52:00 – Lucy and Desi 1:06:29 - Outro