Movie Madness Erik Childress

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have no anxiety reviewing eight movies this week. Especially when one is a replay of a movie they raved about at Sundance and won the Audience Award at their Chicago Critics Film Festival this year (Ghostlight). But Steve also talks about Jude Law and Alicia Vikander in a story about Henry VIII (Firebrand) as well as Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham as a father and daughter revisiting Poland (Treasure). Erik checks out David Duchovny adapting his own novel (Reverse the Curse) and an animated version of a decades-old Japanese superhero (Ultraman Rising). They look at Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a fantastical story about confronting death (Tuesday) while Andrew McCarthy confronts the reality of the group labeled the “Brat Pack” (Brats). Finally the old emotions meet some new ones in Disney-Pixar’s sequel to one of their very best (Inside Out 2).
0:00 - Intro
1:27 - Firebrand
8:49 - Reverse the Curse
15:27 - Treasure
23:20 - Ultraman Rising
30:10 - Tuesday
44:17 - Brats
1:00:23 - Ghostlight
1:09:50 - Inside Out 2
1:25:02 - Outro

It is a bit on the lackluster side of physical media releases this week but there are a few gems to get your wallets involved. Peter Sobczynski and Erik Childress talk about the final film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder and the final appearance of Alec Guinness. As series with four entries goes there is more love for Shrek than Species. The T&A teen comedy of the ‘80s gets a double feature and there are also stellar early efforts from Luc Besson and Denzel Washington.
0:00 - Intro
2:00 - Criterion (Querelle)
9:26 - Arrow (Mute Witness 4K)
15:17 – Shout Factory (Species II 4K)
22:30 - Universal (Shrek 4K collection)
25:34 - Unearthed (Homework)
32:15 - MGM (Class, Betrayed, The Mighty Quinn)
56:04 - Sony (La Femme Nikita 4K)
1:05:18 – New Theatrical Titles on Blu-ray
1:09:21 -  New Blu-ray Announcements

On this six-movie week, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy go back two years to revisit a Dakota Johnson comedy that debuted at Sundance in 2022 (Am I OK?). Erik goes back a couple of weeks to look at the true story of a Chinese immigrant turned eye surgeon (Sight). There are sharks in the Siene (Under Paris) and young women are getting whacked around a weed farm (Trim Season). The daughter of M. Night Shayamalan makes her feature directorial debut (The Watchers) and Martin Lawrence reteams with Will Smith for a fourth time (Bad Boys: Ride or Die).
 
0:00 - Intro
1:23 - Am I OK?
13:04 - Sight
22:47 - Under Paris
35:21 - Trim Season
42:33 – The Watchers
54:28 - Bad Boys: Ride or Die
1:08:53 - Outro

It may be a light week on the physical media front but that’s also less money to spend and there is some choice stuff discussed by Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski. They include Terry Gilliam’s seemingly impossible adaptation of a Hunter S. Thompson novel, more Johnny Depp in animated form, the tale of the first black regiment in the Civil War and Harvey Keitel in his most disturbing role. All available in 4K. There’s also a great Robert Mitchum western and an opportunity to remember Chicago’s attempt at a new martial arts hero.
0:00 - Intro
1:45 - Criterion (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K)
11:55 - Paramount (Rango 4K)
17:54 - Sony (Glory 4K)
29:01 - Kino: (Pursued, Saigon, The Chase, The Perfect Weapon, Bad Lieutenant 4K)
1:00:07 – New Theatrical Titles On Blu-ray & Announcements

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy get back into their reviewing ways with 10 new films this week. They include documentaries about an infamous movie app (Moviepass, Moviecrash), a filmmaker and his unfinished projects (Flipside) and the career of a bonafide genius (Jim Henson: Idea Man). Steve looks at a story of a 19th century Jewish boy raised as a Catholic (Kidnapped) and Daisy Ridley as the first woman to swim the English Channel (Young Woman and the Sea). Apart from Flipside, there are three more films chosen as part of this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival. They include a new western by Viggo Mortensen (The Dead Don’t Hurt), Nick Stahl as a chef on the run (What You Wish For) and you may have heard of (or at least part of) the “what if Gus Van Sant or Terrence Malick made a Friday the 13th film” (In a Violent Nature). Then its all downhill from there with looks at Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard revisiting their childhood (Summer Camp) and Tony Goldwyn trying to do Rain Man (Ezra).
0:00 - Intro
1:32 - Kidnapped
7:56 - Moviepass, Moviecrash
22:42 - Flipside
36:25 - Jim Henson Idea Man
51:03 - Young Woman and the Sea
59:30 - What You Wish For
1:08:02 – The Dead Don't Hurt
1:17:53 - In a Violent Nature
1:28:54 - Summer Camp
1:41:32 - Ezra
1:58:53 - Outro

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 40th 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