Movie Madness

Erik Childress
  • 4.1 (29)
  • TV & Film
  • Updated Semiweekly

Movie Madness is a weekly podcast hosted by Chicago film critic Erik Childress presenting movie reviews, interviews, film festival coverage, DVDs, awards, box office and much more! erikthemovieman.substack.com

  1. 3d ago

    10 To See At The 2026 Toronto Film Festival (Episode 685)

    The fall festival season is in full bloom and Erik Childress will be covering the Toronto International Film Festival for his 23rd year. Before he arrives though, there are ten films he wants to put on your radar if you are attending and can fit into your schedule. Otherwise, remember them in the future for when they hopefully find distribution. They include music documentaries of well-known singers and a pair hoping to find greater success. There are stories about masculinity and women fighting back against oppression and much worse. A harrowing new horror film from the director of Train to Busan but also a delightful summer hang comedy and another hysterical one with Christopher Walken as a mortician. And that’s just the beginning. 4:41 - Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been 9:57 - Pretenders 12:50 - Bleeding Hearts 14:56 - Sunburn 17:06 - Head to Head 19:24 - Paradise Lost 21:49 - Strong Son 24:23 - I Am Mario 26:09 - Phoolan 28:45 - Back in Black CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST OR BUY FROM MOVIEZYNG Be sure to check out Erik’s Weekly Box Office Column – At Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Classics Series – At Elk Grove Cinema in Elk Grove Village, IL Chicago Screening Schedule - All the films coming to theaters and streaming Physical Media Schedule - Click & Buy upcoming titles for your library. (Direct purchases help the Movie Madness podcast with a few pennies.) Erik’s Linktree - Where you can follow Erik and his work anywhere and everywhere. The Movie Madness Podcast has been recognized by Million Podcasts as one of the Top 100 Best Movie Review Podcasts as well as in the Top 60 Film Festival Podcasts and Top 100 Cinephile Podcasts. MillionPodcasts is an intelligently curated, all-in-one podcast database for discovering and contacting podcast hosts and producers in your niche perfect for PR pitches and collaborations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  2. 5d ago

    Build My Gallows High (Episode 684)

    Just because Erik Childress is headed to the Toronto Film Festival doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have you covered in the physical media department while he’s gone. Peter Sobczynski and him go over two weeks worth of releases including Sidney Lumet’s incredible debut and Jon Favreau’s as well. There is also Mike Nichols’ final film as well as one of the great (if not greatest) film noirs of all-time. There are incredible documentaries ranging from the horrors of the Holocaust to the horrors of the highway. Warner Bros is doing Looney Tunes right for a change while Arrow does right by their star-studded Robert Towne noir. Finally, the newly formed Toy Robot Video does right by all the He-Man fans of the ‘80s who still carry a torch for the Cannon Films production of their beloved action figures. 3:19 - Criterion (12 Angry Men (1957) (4K), Shoah (4K)) 22:46 - Kino (Hell's Highway: The True Story of Highway Safety Films) 37:00 - Warner Archive (Looney Tunes Collector's Vault: Volume 3, Out of the Past 4K) 54:32 - Ad Break 56:32 - Severin (Danza Macabra Vol. 5) 1:06:47 - Lionsgate (Made 4K, Sorority Row 4K) 1:23:16 - Shout Factory (Charlie Wilson's War (4K)) 1:36:29 - Ad Break 1:38:29 - Toy Robot Video (Masters of the Universe (1987) (4K)) 1:58:55 - Arrow (Tequila Sunrise (4K)) 2:14:58 – New TV on Blu-ray (Star Trek—The Original Series 60th Anniversary, Shaun the Sheep (Season Seven), Tulsa King (Season Three), Scooby-Doo and Mystery Incorporated: The Complete Series, Dark Shadows (Volume One)) 2:15:58 – New Theatrical Titles On Blu-ray (Supergirl (2026) (4K), Minions & Monsters (4K), Passenger, Stop! That! Train!, Maddie's Secret, Leviticus) CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST OR BUY FROM MOVIEZYNG Be sure to check out Erik’s Weekly Box Office Column – At Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Classics Series – At Elk Grove Cinema in Elk Grove Village, IL Chicago Screening Schedule - All the films coming to theaters and streaming Physical Media Schedule - Click & Buy upcoming titles for your library. (Direct purchases help the Movie Madness podcast with a few pennies.) Erik’s Linktree - Where you can follow Erik and his work anywhere and everywhere. The Movie Madness Podcast has been recognized by Million Podcasts as one of the Top 100 Best Movie Review Podcasts as well as in the Top 60 Film Festival Podcasts and Top 100 Cinephile Podcasts. MillionPodcasts is an intelligently curated, all-in-one podcast database for discovering and contacting podcast hosts and producers in your niche perfect for PR pitches and collaborations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Build My Gallows High (Episode 684)

  3. Sep 4

    A Nose By Any Other Name Or Means (Episode 683)

    A week before Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy take some festival trips, they have nine reviews for you over Labor Day weekend. Ten, in fact, is they catch up on one of the 193 shark movies to come out this year (The Devil’s Mouth). Then they get to this week with a music concert (Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour - Live From Paris) and another songwriter creating a new album in the face of tremendous sadness (Sara Bareilles: Good Grief). You may have that Charlie Brown reaction for a murder mystery that has clearly seen other serial killer movies but not learned much from them (The Girl in the River). There’s a story about high school journalism from one of the best documentarians working today (Teenage Wasteland). People are climbing to new heights and putting themselves in danger once again (Fall 2: Deadpoint) while Gal Gadot is forced to jog to save her kid (The Runner). Adria Arjona has to fend off super soldiers in Adam Wingard’s latest (Onslaught). Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh are unlikely Cold War allies in an action comedy from the makers of Game Night (Mayday). Finally, Mark Wahlberg beats the hell out of racism for the FBI (By Any Means). 9:56 - Review Catch Up (The Devil’s Mouth) 22:06 - Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour - Live From Paris 31:05 - The Girl in the River 37:51 - Sara Bareilles: Good Grief 45:23 - Ad Break (00:43:53.31) 47:23 - Teenage Wasteland 59:08 - Fall 2: Deadpoint 1:08:38 - The Runner 1:18:25 - Ad Break (01:14:55.17) 1:20:25 - Onslaught 1:33:35 - Mayday 1:44:27 - By Any Means CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST OR BUY FROM MOVIEZYNG Be sure to check out Erik’s Weekly Box Office Column – At Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Classics Series – At Elk Grove Cinema in Elk Grove Village, IL Chicago Screening Schedule - All the films coming to theaters and streaming Physical Media Schedule - Click & Buy upcoming titles for your library. (Direct purchases help the Movie Madness podcast with a few pennies.) Erik’s Linktree - Where you can follow Erik and his work anywhere and everywhere. The Movie Madness Podcast has been recognized by Million Podcasts as one of the Top 100 Best Movie Review Podcasts as well as in the Top 60 Film Festival Podcasts and Top 100 Cinephile Podcasts. MillionPodcasts is an intelligently curated, all-in-one podcast database for discovering and contacting podcast hosts and producers in your niche perfect for PR pitches and collaborations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    A Nose By Any Other Name Or Means (Episode 683)

  4. Aug 31

    Ladies In White And Black (Episode 682)

    Some new titles in physical media this week and a few to catch up with from last week, Erik Childress & Peter Sobczynski have you covered. They include a couple of monumental documentaries from Barbara Kopple and the history of Ozploitation is lovingly told in its own doc. Val Kilmer dons the mask(s) of a classic character while Jude Law and Ed Harris snipe at one another. Danny Boyle’s original rage-infested tale gets an upgrade as does a film once torn apart by the Weinsteins. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are sister witches, there’s an early appearance by Rachel Ward and poor Don Johnson has to choose between Virginia Madsen and Jennifer Connelly. Poor guy. 2:49 - Criterion (Harlan County USA (4K), American Dream) 16:07 - Sony (28 Days Later (4K Steelbook)) 26:57 - Ad Break 28:57 - Vinegar Syndrome (Night School 4K, Lady in White 4K, Not Quite Hollywood) 52:29 - Cinematographe (54 4K) 1:06:37 - Ad Break 1:08:37 - Paramount (The Saint (4K), Enemy at the Gates (4K Steelbook)) 1:22:49 - WB (Practical Magic (4K)) 1:30:45 - Radiance (The Hot Spot 4K) 1:51:54 - New Blu-ray Announcements CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST OR BUY FROM MOVIEZYNG Be sure to check out Erik’s Weekly Box Office Column – At Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Classics Series – At Elk Grove Cinema in Elk Grove Village, IL Chicago Screening Schedule - All the films coming to theaters and streaming Physical Media Schedule - Click & Buy upcoming titles for your library. (Direct purchases help the Movie Madness podcast with a few pennies.) Erik’s Linktree - Where you can follow Erik and his work anywhere and everywhere. The Movie Madness Podcast has been recognized by Million Podcasts as one of the Top 100 Best Movie Review Podcasts as well as in the Top 60 Film Festival Podcasts and Top 100 Cinephile Podcasts. MillionPodcasts is an intelligently curated, all-in-one podcast database for discovering and contacting podcast hosts and producers in your niche perfect for PR pitches and collaborations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Ladies In White And Black (Episode 682)

  5. Aug 28

    Coyote vs. Dog Stars. No Contest. (Episode 681)

    August concludes with a slew of reviews from Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy. Once again they urge you all to go see the movie that Warner Bros. tried to destroy forever (Coyote vs. Acme) and remind you about a couple they saw from Sundance this year (Idiots, Buddy). They also have the tale of a boy trying to find out what those bruises are on his mom (If I Tell You). Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut whose behind-the-scenes may be more interesting (The Deb). Three doctors stationed in Gaza want to get the truth out about the conflict with Israel (American Doctor). The Train to Busan director gives us more goopy fast zombies (Colony). Robert DeNiro tries to find his kidnapped grandson (The Whisper Man) and a group of college graduates find themselves in an existential crisis on a very long road (It Ends). The latest from Joe Swanberg has Dakota Fanning choosing between two men and herself and a young guy tries to find the woman who got away (Finding Emily). Finally, Ridley Scott takes us into the apocalypse for some reason (The Dog Stars). 3:44 - Coyote vs. Acme 22:58 - Idiots 30:44 – Buddy 35:35 - Ad Break 37:35 - If I Tell You 44:21 - The Deb 53:16 - American Doctor 1:07:51 – Ad Break 1:09:51 - Colony 1:21:55 - The Whisper Man 1:34:54 - It Ends 1:45:00 – Ad Break 1:47:00 - The Sun Never Sets 2:00:21 - Finding Emily 2:19:12 - The Dog Stars 2:38:50 – Preview of Next Week CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST OR BUY FROM MOVIEZYNG Be sure to check out Erik’s Weekly Box Office Column – At Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Classics Series – At Elk Grove Cinema in Elk Grove Village, IL Chicago Screening Schedule - All the films coming to theaters and streaming Physical Media Schedule - Click & Buy upcoming titles for your library. (Direct purchases help the Movie Madness podcast with a few pennies.) Erik’s Linktree - Where you can follow Erik and his work anywhere and everywhere. The Movie Madness Podcast has been recognized by Million Podcasts as one of the Top 100 Best Movie Review Podcasts as well as in the Top 60 Film Festival Podcasts and Top 100 Cinephile Podcasts. MillionPodcasts is an intelligently curated, all-in-one podcast database for discovering and contacting podcast hosts and producers in your niche perfect for PR pitches and collaborations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  6. Aug 24

    Are You There God? It’s Us The Body Snatchers (Episode 680)

    There is so much physical media this week that Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski moved some of it to next week’s show. (You can still get them now.) Regardless there is still plenty to talk about this week including a French adaptation of a Jim Thompson novel and the debut feature from James Gray. Another of the Broadway Melody films has been released along with more film noir from Kino and the bizarre films of Duke Mitchell. One of the great Peter O’Toole performances gets an upgrade as does Abel Ferrara’s underappreciated take on the Body Snatcher invasion. Erik & Peter mince no words on their feelings of one of the dumbest screenplays ever but turn it all around with one of the best coming-of-age films of recent years and, frankly, maybe ever. 2:30 - Criterion (Coup de Torchon (4K), Little Odessa (4K)) 12:29 - Warner Archive (Broadway Melody of 1938) 18:14 - Kino (Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XXVII) 28:01 - Grindhouse Releasing (The Duke Mitchell Collection) 39:02 - Shout Factory (The Stunt Man (4K)) 52:52 - Alliance (Fresh Horses (Retro VHS Packaging)) 58:58 - Vinegar Syndrome (Body Snatchers (4K)) 1:11:30 - Arrow (Identity (4K)) 1:23:29 - Lionsgate (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (4K)) 1:36:54 - New TV on Blu-ray (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Complete Original Series, Speed Racer (The Complete Series), Perfect Strangers (The Complete Series), Reacher (Season Three)) 1:38:19 - New Theatrical Titles On Blu-ray (Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (4K), Disclosure Day (4K), The Sheep Detectives, Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story (4K), The Voice of Hind Rajab, Mirrors No 3, Carolina Caroline, She Rides Shotgun (4K), Power Ballad, The Breadwinner, Whistle) CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST OR BUY FROM MOVIEZYNG Be sure to check out Erik’s Weekly Box Office Column – At Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Classics Series – At Elk Grove Cinema in Elk Grove Village, IL Chicago Screening Schedule - All the films coming to theaters and streaming Physical Media Schedule - Click & Buy upcoming titles for your library. (Direct purchases help the Movie Madness podcast with a few pennies.) Erik’s Linktree - Where you can follow Erik and his work anywhere and everywhere. The Movie Madness Podcast has been recognized by Million Podcasts as one of the Top 100 Best Movie Review Podcasts as well as in the Top 60 Film Festival Podcasts and Top 100 Cinephile Podcasts. MillionPodcasts is an intelligently curated, all-in-one podcast database for discovering and contacting podcast hosts and producers in your niche perfect for PR pitches and collaborations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Are You There God? It’s Us The Body Snatchers (Episode 680)

  7. Aug 21

    Coyote vs. Acme: Better Late Than Never (Episode 679)

    Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have seven new reviews for this week, including an early one that is a call to arms. Steve goes solo this week on a documentary about tornado chasers (Never Stop Chasing), a bizarre sci-fi film featuring Noomi Rapace (Hot Spot) and the sixth film in a still very profitable horror franchise (Insidious: Out of the Further). The duo also look at Willem Dafoe as a former poet whose work is rediscovered (Late Fame). Enid Plyton’s WWII-era children’s book gets a modern telling (The Magic Faraway Tree). Jason Statham is back to avenge his boss and bust up some human traffickers (Mutiny). Finally, they are getting the word out on next week’s release of the rescued film that Warner Bros. and David Zaslav had no intention of releasing and why you should see it (Coyote vs. Acme). 3:27 - Review Catch Up 7:07 - Never Stop Chasing 20:12 - Late Fame 30:13 - Ad Break (00:28:43.70) 32:13 - Hot Spot 41:49 - The Magic Faraway Tree 57:50 - Insidious: Out of the Further 1:08:03 - Ad Break (01:04:33.02) 1:10:03 - Mutiny 1:22:54 - Coyote vs. Acme CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST OR BUY FROM MOVIEZYNG Be sure to check out Erik’s Weekly Box Office Column – At Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Classics Series – At Elk Grove Cinema in Elk Grove Village, IL Chicago Screening Schedule - All the films coming to theaters and streaming Physical Media Schedule - Click & Buy upcoming titles for your library. (Direct purchases help the Movie Madness podcast with a few pennies.) Erik’s Linktree - Where you can follow Erik and his work anywhere and everywhere. The Movie Madness Podcast has been recognized by Million Podcasts as one of the Top 100 Best Movie Review Podcasts as well as in the Top 60 Film Festival Podcasts and Top 100 Cinephile Podcasts. MillionPodcasts is an intelligently curated, all-in-one podcast database for discovering and contacting podcast hosts and producers in your niche perfect for PR pitches and collaborations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Coyote vs. Acme: Better Late Than Never (Episode 679)

  8. Aug 17

    Eat The Spinach, Don’t Drink That And Wag The Dog (Episode 678)

    Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski have the latest and greatest in physical media this week which includes a few personal favorites as well as not one, but two of the films they lobbied for on their “Why Is This Not On Blu-Ray?” shows. (TWIST: There are actually three – even without the songs.) The show includes a cameo from Odysseus from over a decade ago, one of John Ford’s lesser efforts and a wartime film with Gregory Peck. Peter was happy to see a strange Bogart film get the upgrade as was Erik with one of the best political satires ever and James L. Brooks’ infamous non-musical. All that plus a look at the insanity of a Michael Caine pirate film, Robert Zemeckis’ terrific return to live-action filmmaking and the glory of a movie (with songs) that was not nearly the bomb its reputation has suggested. 2:57 - Arrow (Troy (4K)) 14:14 - Warner Archive (All Through the Night, Sergeant Rutledge, Wag the Dog) 47:15 - Ad Break 49:15 - Paramount (Popeye (4K)) 1:16:11 - Sony (I'll Do Anything) 1:33:36 - Ad Break 1:35:36 - Kino (MacArthur (4K), The Island (4K), Daylight (4K), Repo Men (4K), Flight (4K)) 2:25:14 – New Blu-ray Announcements CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Eat The Spinach, Don’t Drink That And Wag The Dog (Episode 678)
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4.1
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About

Movie Madness is a weekly podcast hosted by Chicago film critic Erik Childress presenting movie reviews, interviews, film festival coverage, DVDs, awards, box office and much more! erikthemovieman.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Erik Childress
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    560
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Erik Childress
  • Show Website
    Movie Madness