Movie Madness

Peter Sobczynski returns to talk new Blu-rays with Erik Childress. This week includes the debut feature from Karyn Kusama and one of last year’s Oscar winners from Criterion. Arrow has some Guillermo Del Toro in 4K and Severin has a whole slew of Italian horror being upgraded. They talk about one of the films to get the rare “F” from Cinemascore and the film that Kevin Smith turned into a punchline. There are a pair of titles from Abel Ferrara and one of John Waters’ more mainstream efforts. Finally, it is time to rank some Star Trek and discuss the one celebrating its 40^th Anniversary this summer.

0:00 - Intro

0:39 - Criterion (Girlfight, Anatomy of a Fall)

7:00 - Arrow (Pandemonium, Crimson Peak 4K)

15:52 - Severin (The Great Alligator 4K, The Devil’s Honey 4K, Cemetery Man 4K)

27:44 - Shout Factory (Darkness/Fear City)

37:09 - Vinegar Syndrome (Dangerous Game 4K, Navy Seals 4K)

45:19 – MPI (Into the Blue)

49:29 - Kino (Revenge of the Ninja, Cry Baby 4K, Sci Fi Chillers)

1:03:30 - Paramount (Star Trek III 4K)

1:13:00 - New Theatrical Titles on Blu-ray

1:15:30 - New Blu-ray Announcements

Six movies in theaters and on streaming are reviewed by Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy this week. They include a pair of documentaries about one of the greatest bands of all-time (The Beach Boys) and the death-defying pilots of the Air Force (The Blue Angels). The Monday-hating cat who loves lasagna gets the animated treatment (The Garfield Movie) and Jennifer Lopez tries to navigate both sides of the A.I. debate (Atlas). Then, quite simply, two of the best most enjoyable films begin their runs this week. In some theaters before it hits Netflix, Glen Powell stars in one of Richard Linklater’s best films (Hit Man) and George Miller returns to the apocalyptic wasteland to provide backstory to one of the greatest heroines of cinema (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga). Tune in to hear why they are so worthy of your attention.

0:00 - Intro

1:55 - The Blue Angels

7:02 - The Beach Boys

26:04 - The Garfield Movie

35:33 - Atlas

48:22 - Hit Man

59:55 - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

1:22:11 - Outro

The latest and greatest of Blu-rays this week have Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski disagreeing on the films of Joe Carnahan. There are two Val Kilmer projects; one certainly better than the other (though it did produce a great John Frankenheimer story) as well as some early horror from Bob Clark and a more recent one from Osgood Perkins getting an upgrade. One of David O. Russell’s best films gets the same 4K upgrade plus Peter talks all about Philo Vance, Bettie Page and Peter Bogdanovich reteaming with Cybill Shepherd.

0:00 - Intro

0:56 - Arrow (Narc)

10:09 – Blue Underground (Deathdream)

18:09 – Shout Factory (Gretel & Hansel, The Island of Dr Moreau)

28:32 - Sony (Thunderheart, American Hustle)

35:12 - Kino: (Philo Vance Collection, Republic Horror Collection, Teaserama, Daisy Miller)

58:31 – MPI (Coup de Chance)

1:05:12 – New Blu-ray Announcements

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy look at seven films this week. They include the latest directorial effort from Ethan Hawke (Wildcat) and the hilarious feature debut from Pamela Adlon (Babes). Horror gets a Danish sequel 30 years later (Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever) and Renny Harlin starts a new trilogy in the home invasion series (The Strangers: Chapter 1). Amy Winehouse gets the biopic treatment from the director of Fifty Shades of Grey (Back to Black). The duo catch up on the latest in the Apes franchise (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) and finally have a lot to say about John Krasinski’s baffling family film (IF).

0:00 - Intro

1:19 - Wildcat

9:58 - Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever

21:21 – The Strangers: Chapter 1

31:44 - Babes

42:42 - Back to Black

58:50 - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

1:16:01 - IF

1:35:25 - Outro

This week certainly has the latest and the greatest in Blu-rays. Depending on who you ask of course. If you inquire with Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski you will certainly here about one of the greatest westerns of all-time (Erik’s favorite) as well as a film that deserves to be among the very best of Sidney Lumet’s career. Michael Powell directs a creepy film about voyeurism and murder and the pair look again at the film where Brandon Lee lost his life. Shout Factory has a trio of horror oddities and there is also lament for the goofy sex comedies of the ‘80s. Clint Eastwood’s most successful film gets a 4K release and a number of Francis Ford Coppola efforts get the upgrade including one that Peter believes to be his finest work.

0:00 - Intro

1:50 - Criterion (Peeping Tom 4K)

10:54 - Arrow (Night Falls on Manhattan)

19:16 - Paramount (Once Upon a Time in the West 4K, The Crow 4K)

36:18 - Shout Factory (Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Dracula 2000, Orphan)

52:03 - MVD (Joysticks)

1:01:14 - WB (American Sniper 4K)

1:08:18 - Warner Archive (You’re a Big Boy Now, The Rain People)

1:15:47 - Lionsgate (One from the Heart 4K)

1:31:57 – New Theatrical Titles On Blu-ray

1:35:17 – New Blu-ray Announcements

1:38:36 – Outro

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy stick to just four films this week including the acclaimed comedy from Joanna Arnow (The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed) and an adaptation into Anne Hathaway scandalously falling for a Boy Band member. The scandal! (The Idea of You). Jerry Seinfeld and a giant cast of comedians tell their version of the Pop-Tarts origin (Unfrosted) while Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt try to bring life to another ‘80s television show (The Fall Guy). But there are still a lot more movies to talk about as they discuss this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival which they produce and program. May 3-9 at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago and the lineup is stellar.

0:00 - Intro

1:09 - The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed

10:42 – The Idea of You

24:03 - Unfrosted

38:52 – The Fall Guy

56:20 – Chicago Critics Film Festival

This week’s physical media show has a little of everything and a lot of heartbreak. Nancy Savoca provides the latter as the “Savocaissance” continues on Blu-ray this year but there is also early James L. Brooks with Burt Reynolds missing out in a stacked year of Oscar nominees. We have an Anthony Mann western and a Roman Polanski thriller; a double-up of Mean Girls and a remake of a Peckinpah film. Plus a breakdown of Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s films now all available on 4K.

0:00 - Intro

1:41 – Criterion (Dogfight)

8:45 - Kino (True Love, Bluebeard, Starting Over)

22:57 - Music Box (Signature Move)

25:38 – Arrow (The Tin Star, Basket Case)

37:48 – Shout Factory (Death and the Maiden, The Getaway)

47:09 – Warner Bros. (Oceans Trilogy 4K)

56:25 - Paramount (Mean Girls 2004 4K, Mean Girls 2024)

1:05:05 – New TV & Theatrical Titles on Blu-ray

1:12:05 – New Blu-ray Announcements

1:15:05 - Outro

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy look at a half-dozen movies this week. If fashion design is your thing then Steve has a documentary for you (John Singer Sargent: Fashion and Swagger). He has also been telling Erik about this great big spider movie since last year. Does he share the sentiment? (Infested). Steve catches up a pandemic-era comedy from Sundance (Stress Positions) and the first film from the daughter of David Cronenberg (Humane). Erik reveals what was different about the latest kick-ass extravaganza when he saw it at Toronto (Boy Kills World) and both have a lot to say about Luca Guadagnino’s tennis film (Challengers).

0:00 - Intro

2:00 - John Singer Sargent: Fashion and Swagger

8:43 - Infested

19:17 - Stress Positions

25:39 - Boy Kills World

38:03 - Humane

48:58 - Challengers

1:09:00 - Outro

This week’s physical media show features Peter Sobczynski and Erik Childress talking about a seminal propaganda film from the ‘60s that inspired a ‘70s scene in Boogie Nights plus some science-fiction from the 1980s from Imprint. The ‘80s also across an all-star cast that helped launch Julia Roberts and a Nancy Savoca film from the ‘90s due for a rediscovery. They discuss the film that inspired The Untouchables, plus Paul Schrader writes a religious comedy and then gets the 4K treatment to a project he disavowed. Then his frequent partner in crime, Martin Scorsese, also gets his Oscar-winning effort upgraded. Is it now considered underrated? Come for the discussion. Stay for Peter’s tale of presenting with William Devane at an awards show.

0:00 - Intro

2:14 – Criterion (I Am Cuba)

7:02 – Imprint (Batteries Not Included, Strange Invaders)

21:30 – Sony (Steel Magnolias 4K)

25:20 – Kino (Household Saints)

30:33 – Vinegar Syndrome (Touch)

35:38 – Shout Factory (Rolling Thunder 4K)

51:06 – Arrow (The Scarface Mob)

55:32 – Warner Bros. (The Departed 4K)

1:06:47 – New Theatrical Titles on Blu-ray

1:10:06 – New Blu-ray Announcements

1:12:37 - Outro

Eight movie reviews this week from Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy include both surprises and disappointments. Steve checks out a new crime film with Scoot McNairy and Kit Harington (Blood for Dust) and Erik goes to space briefly with the new IMAX short (Deep Sky). There are some lovely films to find including the latest and possibly last from Ken Loach (The Old Oak) and a tale of childhood set amidst the former Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago (We Grown Now). A pair of part twos are out there but who made out better, Steve (The Three Musketeers – Part 2: Milady) or Erik (Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver). Finally, Guy Ritchie releases his third film in 13 months (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) and the Radio Silence duo goes back to mayhem in gothic houses with the vampire tale (Abigail).

0:00 - Intro

1:46 - Blood for Dust

8:51 - Deep Sky

15:09 – The Three Musketeers - Part 2: Milady

20:23 - We Grown Now

28:40 – The Old Oak

36:02 - Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver

48:08 – The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

58:49 - Abigail

1:12:02 - Outro