Movie Madness

We’re clearing out the year-end releases and telling you about a lot of our favorites if you’re still stuck for Christmas ideas for the movie lovers in your family. There’s a little Capra and a lot of critters, creepy roommates and creepier moms, a racist congressman, Spike Lee’s KKK and a Coen Bros. 4K. Plus we have a title we can scratch off our Not-On-Blu-Ray show, an underrated remake and a re...

Did we really need another version of the Spider-Man story? The skepticism was high with host Erik Childress but he is joined by comic book expert Erik Laws to discuss what turns out to be one of the biggest surprises of the year. They discuss the various incarnations of the Spider-Man mythos on display in the film, the array of animation styles employed and are generally giddy about its place the...

Sergio Mims returns to help guide us through a swath of new Blu-rays. Along with Erik Childress they take sides in the Blindspotting vs. Sorry to Bother You debate. The evolution of the Rambo Trilogy is discussed as well as appreciation for Terry Gilliam and the new 4K edition of Superman. From their appreciation of the awfulness of Maximum Overdrive to the respect of The Day of the Jackal, the du...

The Holiday Movie Season is upon us so that means one thing – MONEY! Erik Childress and Sergio Mims examine the potential of the final months of 2018 and which films will come out on top? There are sequels, franchises and reimaginings, but will there be a surprise or two – at the top AND at the bottom? They take you through a sometimes impossible season to predict as we get warmed up for the all-e...

Horror dominates the latest Blu-ray round-up with Erik Childress and Sergio Mims. They dig into a number of William Castle productions from Mill Creek and Indicator, a pair of great releases from the ‘80s, a beautiful new edition of one of the classic science fiction films ever and you can find out what really freaks out both of them out from Creepshow and beyond.   Mill Creek (Strait Jacket, Bers...

John Boorman’s Exorcist II has been considered for decades to be one of the worst sequels ever made and by some views one of the worst FILMS ever made. Not so says RogerEbert.com ’s Peter Sobczynski who for years has been an ardent defender. He joins Erik Childress on the show to discuss Shout Factory’s new Collector’s Edition as well as its rocky history and The Exorcist series in general. You wi...

On what could be considered a bit of a pre-Halloween episode, Erik Childress and Sergio Mims run down a number of new Blu-ray releases ranging from the horror of 9/11 to a less-talked about film with Bill Paxton from 1984. They also get into whether what some consider a new horror classic should be labeled horror at all as well as reevaluate American Psycho in that the more routines change the mor...

No fancy names. Just a straight recap of this year’s Toronto Film Festival which Erik Childress has been attending since 2004. A better-than-average fest this year with some genuine surprises and, as always, a few big disappointments. Get the scoop on recent releases like A Star is Born and First Man, David Gordon Green’s Halloween update, the latest from Alfonso Cuaron, Barry Jenkins, Steve McQue...

The Movie Madness Podcast returns to its regularly scheduled broadcast getting caught up on the latest in Blu-rays and physical media with Sergio Mims. On this episode they cover an array of Criterion as well as the latest from Indicator and Arrow. They delve into the great new Universal Monsters blu-ray set, why Solo: A Star Wars Story failed at the box office and the bizarre circumstances that l...

Erik Childress is joined by David Fowlie for a special episode involving movies about the summertime. We probably all remember where we were during our most memorable seasons but how about the films that best represent that warmest of them? Each of them count down five films that feel like the kind of summers that can be universal to all of us from the past and maybe even the future as well. This...

Erik Childress and Sergio Mims go over their excitement for this year’s crop of films at the annual 70mm Film Festival at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. But first it’s Blu-ray time as they examine the history of Jack Ryan, go through a number of choice indies you will want to see, bring an 80s political thriller into the present and finally express some love for a Robert Redford heist film and...

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Sergio Mims again joins Erik Childress to discuss new Blu-rays and it turns into an argument about baseball. But they regroup after Criterion’s great new contribution to America’s pastime to talk about flying piranha, blind monsters and human ones before bringing the entire episode full circle with some Hamm.   Criterion (Bull Durham, Dragon Inn) Shout Factory (Piranha II: The Spawning) Paramount...

The ongoing saga over James Gunn’s abrupt firing from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a disturbing one that has far-reaching implications beyond our thoughts on the films themselves. Erik Childress and Sergio Mims breakdown the story and why it matters how this all started. They discuss his conduct, Disney’s ultimate reaction to it and how they may have painted themselves into a corner. Who migh...

The title once again says it all as Erik Childress and Sergio Mims do a 2018 mid-year check-in on what needs to still be released on Blu-ray. This episode is a continuation of their discussion from Episode 108. 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

Back on Episode 80, Erik Childress and Sergio Mims ran down an extensive list of titles big and small that have yet to make their Blu-ray debut. At least in the U.S. Well it is time for the mid-year check-in and they are back with a list of 20 titles each that you may be stunned have yet to be upgraded into the HD format. This three-and-a-half-hour episode is split over two parts because they have...

It’s Blu-ray time again as Erik Childress and Sergio Mims delve into a great new release from Criterion with one of the greatest comeuppances ever. They also look at some children fantasies from Kino and Shout Factory as well as maybe an adult one as well. Plus they find a way to connect tragedy and comedy with Ted Kennedy and Mel Brooks.   Criterion (The Virgin Spring) Twilight Time (My Sister Ei...

July 2018 is a particularly sequel-heavy month with a new one each week, but thanks to Mark Dujsik the show is going back to look at which sequels actually bested their predecessors. But with a twist. Erik Childress and Mark set one particular rule as to which to choose their personal top 10 lists and then each justified a further set of rules that may also have you thinking beyond the obvious cho...

15 titles in store for you on the new Blu-ray episode including some classics from the Warner Archive, a couple long overdue titles freshly released by Indicator as well as some new 4K releases from Paramount. Sergio Mims and Erik Childress discuss the greatness of one of Albert Brooks’ early films, their differing takes on one of the most acclaimed comedies of 2018 and the Mission: Impossible ser...

The title says it all, right? But Erik Childress and comic book expert Erik Laws have plenty more to say about the history of the Ant-Man comic including the troubling past of Hank Pym and how the film incorporates different versions of its characters. They also talk about the leaps of a particular VFX technology, how they hope the current version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ends with the con...

Sergio Mims returns to catch everyone up on the latest in Blu-rays in an episode that highlights a special release which reminds us how far we’ve come as a country. Unless we are doomed to repeat it. From Geronimo to D.W. Griffith to Peter Pan and Black Panther, Erik Childress also talks about the little-discussed bombing of A Wrinkle In Time while leaving plenty of time to discuss deadly rabbits...

The 2 nd  Cinepocalypse Film Festival takes place from June 21-28, 2018 at the glorious Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Sergio Mims interviews director and cinematographer, Ernest Dickerson, who is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the fest. Then Erik Childress talks with fest programmer, Steve Prokopy, about some of the noteworthy films playing, special guests and retro screenings including...

Over the hump on the podcast we return to the odds to update you on the latest in Blu-rays and DVDs. Returning champion Sergio Mims is back to discuss a 4K set 65 million years in the making, the latest from Olive Films and Clint Eastwood and his personal recollection of how he forced himself to see ‘70s disco cult classic, Thank God It’s Friday . It’s all wrapped in a tidy bowl that brings us bac...

On this very special 100 th episode of the Movie Madness Podcast, Erik Childress invites Mark Dujsik, Jim Laczkowski and Sergio Mims on to talk about one of the most important people in their lives. Their dads. It is a Father’s Day conversation for everyone full of memories of who their dads were and the love of movies that formed an everlasting bond that will not be broken even after their passin...

With all the controversies these days, it’s nice to have some old-fashioned debate about movies we like – that you might not. Erik Childress is joined by Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast to each run down ten films that are likely to get your eyes rolling, your blood boiling or, just maybe, your head nodding in agreement. They range from simple pleasures to passionate counterpoints. You...