Marvel is hoping for both a critical and financial reboot with their latest summer opener and Erik Childress is joined once again by comic book expert, Erik Laws, to discuss. Laws delves into the history of the Thunderbolts and various incarnations in the comics. They talk about what they enjoyed about the film as well as elements that fell flat. A lot of credit goes to a pair of key performances in the film as Marvel banks on audiences responding to themes of alienation and depression in place of just the usual comic book action. Is that enough to make the film a cut above the post-Endgame era?
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1:34:28
Episode 558: It’s Rider’s Name Was Death
After weeks of light lineups in the physical media world, the end of April explores with a variety of titles that Erik Childress and Peter Sobczynski are here to guide you through. They include Sean Baker bookends from Criterion, blaxploitation and films from Russ Meyer. You got journeys to the Bermuda triangle and the gates of hell not to mention bullets and betrayal. Bill Murray enters the army and Michael Keaton goes to rehab. Plus Clint Eastwood has a trio of his films get the 4K upgrade. 1:52 - Criterion (Basquiat 4K, Prince of Broadway, Anora 4K) 18:09 – Warner Archive (Lili, Three the Hard Way, Clean and Sober) 33:23 - Arrow (V-Cinema Essentials) 36:53 - Grindhouse (The Beyond 4K) 45:10 - Severin (Night Train Murders 4K, Motorpsycho 4K, Up! 4K) 1:07:32 - Kino (The Bermuda Triangle, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead) 1:21:47 - Shout (Timecop 4K) 1:27:44 - Sony (Stripes 4K, Gandhi 4K) 1:39:44 - Warner (Dirty Harry 4K, The Outlaw Josey Wales 4K, Pale Rider 4K) 2:02:36 – New TV on Blu-ray (The Wacky Races: The Complete Series, Star Trek: Section 31, Rick and Morty: The Anime) 2:04:07 – New Theatrical Titles On Blu-ray (Birth/Rebirth, Last Breath, Paddington in Peru, The Visitor) 2:06:09 – New Blu-Ray Announcements CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST
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2:09:53
Episode 557: More Than One Foot In The Grave
Before taking off for the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival (May 2-8) which they program, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy review nine movies this week. They include the latest from Francois Ozon (When Fall Is Coming) and a Jim Henson-like fantasy from A24 (The Legend of Ochi). Jack Quaid and Jeffrey Dean Morgan make for unique investigators of a kidnapping (Neighborhood Watch) and a new video game adaptation is decidedly less unique (Until Dawn). Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jacob Elordi have secrets in the 1950s (On Swift Horses) and we take a trip through the careers of one of the most famous comedy teams of all-time (Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie). David Cronenberg takes us on a conspiratorial meditation on grief and death (The Shrouds) while Gareth Evans has Tom Hardy deliver so much death (Havoc) and, nine years later, Ben Affleck’s lethal autistic numbers cruncher returns with bro Jon Bernthal (The Accountant 2). 2:56 - When Fall Is Coming 9:44 - Neighborhood Watch 15:08 – The Legend of Ochi 19:42 - Havoc 33:46 - Until Dawn 41:19 - On Swift Horses 52:58 - Cheech & Chong's Last Movie 1:06:30 - The Shrouds 1:19:35 - The Accountant 2
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1:31:50
Episode 556: Sneaking Around Target And The Old West
Another light week for physical media but a fun one – especially for those nostalgic for the early ‘90s. Peter Sobczynski joins Erik Childress to talk about Criterion’s upgrade of a multi-part French masterpiece from the ‘80s. They share thoughts on The Most Dangerous Game riff that got snakebit by real-world tragedies and Covid. Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase try to prevent the assassination of the pope. No, not that one. One of the late Val Kilmer’s most iconic performances gets the 4K upgrade. The duo also share their fondness for one of the most entertaining comic thriller team-ups of the era and discuss the history of the movie John Hughes tried to take his name off while Erik lent his name to the commentary track on the Blu-ray. 1:55 - Criterion (Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring 4K) 8:41 - Shout (The Hunt 4K) 13:54 - Kino (Foul Play 4K, Sneakers 4K, Career Opportunities 4K) 53:08 - Disney (Tombstone 4K) 1:06:03 - New TV On Blu-ray (Cheyenne: The Complete Series, Captain Planet and the Planeteers: The Complete Franchise, Hysteria: Season One) 1:09:15 - New Blu-ray Announcements CLICK ON THE FILMS TO RENT OR PURCHASE AND HELP OUT THE MOVIE MADNESS PODCAST
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1:11:16
Episode 555: I Want Your Blood And I Want Your Souls
Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have eight movie reviews this week including revisiting one of their favorites from Sundance, a twisted alternate version of Cinderella (The Ugly Stepsister). Steve looks at another cabin-in-the-woods-horror (Call of the Void), a documentary about drummers (Count Me In) and Catherine Deneuve as Beradette Chirac (The President’s Wife). Erik looks at Severance’s Britt Lower as a lonely librarian (Darkest Miriam) and Steve checks out the four-year art project of a group of squatters (Secret Mall Apartment). Ang Lee’s landmark LBGTQ film gets a 21st century remake (The Wedding Banquet) and Ryan Coogler blends the Jim Crow south with vampires (Sinners). 0:00 - Intro 2:22 - The Ugly Stepsister 12:11 - Call of the Void 18:16 - Count Me In 24:07 - Darkest Miriam 30:22 - The President's Wife 36:11 - The Wedding Banquet 47:05 - Secret Mall Apartment 57:24 - Sinners 1:20:36 - Outro
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!
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