The First Run

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss Matt Reeves’ entry in the Batman movie franchise, ‘The Batman’. Robert Pattinson dons the cowl and begins a new era for the caped crusader.  But is it a good era?  Then it’s on to Sean Baker’s latest slice of underbelly Americana with ‘Red Rocket’.  Simon Rex won the Best Male Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards for...

This week on The First Run, the countdown to episode 600 begins! Chris and Matt discuss the horror-comedy ‘Studio 666’, featuring, and inspired by, the Foo Fighters. Yep.  Is it this generation’s ‘Spinal Tap’/Exorcist’ mash up somebody was looking for?  A complete disaster?  A cult classic in the making?  So much much.  Chris shares his thoughts on...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt venture out to parts unknown on their search for that ever-elusive cinematic treasure, the good video game adaptation with ‘Uncharted’.  Tom Holland steps into the role of Nathan Drake, the lead character from the acclaimed video game series.  Have we found the gold?  Then it’s on to scenic Texas by way of Bulgaria for the la...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss Liam Neeson doing Liam Neeson things in ‘Blacklight’.  Has the shine on the King of January & February Cinema’s crown started to dull?  Then it’s on to the latest from Mr. Steven Soderbergh, it’s ‘Kimi’, featuring Zoë Kravitz in a Rear Window-esque thriller for the electronic assistant age. There’s the rejuvenating rundown...

This week on The First Run, Chris Scalzo and Matt ‘Razzlekhan’ Howell discuss the latest disaster epic from Roland Emmerich, ‘Moonfall’.  This time it’s up to Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, Samwell himself, John Bradley to save the world from the moon crashing into the Earth.  Oh, and there are some aliens and an AI gone mad. And a bunch of other stuff.  Then it’s on to Ridley Scott’s...

Lots of subtitles this time. This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss the latest Pedro Almodóvar and Penelope Cruz team up, ‘Parallel Mothers’. Cruz plays a single mother trying to balance her career, life, and a terrible secret. Speaking of secrets, I was certain Matt “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” Howell was going to watch the Lawrence Fishburne, Stephen Baldwin classic ‘Fled’ instead, but t...

This week on The First Run, does Matt finally quite the show after I make him watch a Japanese drama about a guy getting chauffeured around for 3 hours?  That’s right, it’s the highly regarding Best International Feature front runner from Japan, ‘Drive My Car’.  Heartache, grief, plays, and road trips!  Sounds like a blast.  Then Matt and Chris dip their toe...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss the potential revitalization of one of the most popular horror franchises of the 90’s and aughts.  It’s Scream!  What’s with the re-using of original titles lately? TCM, Halloween, now Scream?  Weird.  So How have Sidney, Gale, and Dewey been?  What’s up in murder town, or as we also know it, Green...

It’s a week of Black & White films.  In fact, in honor of the films, we recorded this in black and white.  And mono. This may be the episode that breaks Matt. Because first up, It’s Joel Coen’s adaptation of the classic ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’.  Denzel Washington plays the titular Macbeth.  Can it’s streamlined production save it from Matt’s wrath?&nbsp...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss the latest from the director of Chris’ favorite film of the 21st Century, PTA returns with ‘Licorice Pizza’.  A coming-of-age story in early 70’s LA. A little slice of life film that’s received some heat in the online discourse regarding the purposeful age gap of our stars.  What’s up with that?  Then its on to the latest film...

This week on the last episode of 2021 of The First Run, Chris and Matt share their thoughts on The Matrix: Resurrections.  Lana Wachowski returns to the franchise that changed cinema with a new story to tell.  But a story perhaps somewhat influenced by a studio with perhaps a concern for a payday and not a new artistic endeavor.  Keanu Reeves and Carrie Anne Moss retu...

This week on a special non-holiday version of The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss Matt’s most anticipated film of the year. It’s finally here, Tom Holland stars in Jon Watts’ ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’.  Marvel’s flagship character completes his trilogy with laughs, loves, shocks and thrills.  But can it actually meet Matt’s lofty expectations?  Then, on any other we...

This week on The First Run, Matt’s movie advent calendar lights its second to last candle as we are 1 week away from Spider-Man No Way Home.  To hold Matt over, we’re discussing a film from his favorite genre, musicals.  It’s ‘West Side Story’ from the man who does not miss, Steven Spielberg.  Is now just the right time to unleash upon the world a romantic dramatic tragedy about pot...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss Jane Campion’s latest film with a stellar ensemble of Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict’s Cumberbatch, America’s sweetheart Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst, and Kodi Smith-McPhee in the Netflix original, ‘The Power of The Dog’. A western about masculinity, love, and violence.  Then Paul Verhoeven has entered the twilight years of his career.&n...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss the obvious Oscar bait film that is ‘King Richard’.  Does the story of Richard Williams, the drive behind Venus and Serena Williams’ career, give Will Smith the ability to finally net that elusive Best Actor statue?  Then Resident Evil goes the reboot route with ‘Welcome To Raccoon City’.  The film sticks closer to th...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt see if you really can go home again.  The latest attempt to revive a beloved franchise, or at least that first film, is helmed by the son of the original director, features appearances of the original cast, and is overstuffed with homages. That’s right, it’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife.  Does it capture the magic of the 1984 original...

On this special episode of TFR Focus, Chris and Matt are joined by Gomez of Playlist Wars to discuss one of his favorite actors and franchises, Nic Cage and National Treasure!  It’s guest’s choice this time as Gomez wants to breakdown Nic Cage and Disney’s National Treasure films.  Not only that, but then the guys tick off their 5 Favorite Nic Cage Performances! All this and mo...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss the Netflix blockbuster, per Netflix, ‘Red Notice’.  Featuring 3 of today’s biggest stars!  Has a new action franchise been born?  And is that a good thing?  Then AppleTV+ has their own premiere, featuring America’s Dad, Tom Hanks in a heart-warming tale about the apocalypse.  It’s ‘Finch’! &n...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss ‘Eternals’, the latest film from the MCU, directed by your most recent Best Picture and Director winner, one Ms. Chloé Zhao.  Initially concerned it was going to be a gorgeous looking bore, with it also being the lowest rated MCU film on Rotten Tomatoes, can it actually be…good..?  Then Wes Anderson returns with his latest proj...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt have another triple feature in store for all you!  First Up, TFR favorite Edgar Wright deliver’s his version of the giallo with a possible dusting of time travel thrown in with, ‘Last Night In Soho’, featuring Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy. Wright has yet to make a bad film, could this be the first one?  Then it’s on to the hor...

On this special Halloween episode of The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss two Shudder exclusives.  First up it’s the possibly soon-to-be cult classic, the ‘WNUF Halloween Special’.  A film designed to look like a bootleg VHS copy of a local news Halloween Special that goes horribly wrong.  Then the V/H/S anthology series returns with 4 new stories with ‘V/H/S/94’.&nb...

Guys. Holy crap guys. This week, the show is simply bursting with content. First, Chris and Matt discuss the much-anticipated Dune: Part 1, the passion project of First Run favorite Denis Villeneuve. Is it gorgeous? Is it exciting? Is it as weird as its source material? Only one way to find out. Well, two if you count watching yourselves. The guys then give you not one, but two, bonus discussions...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt don their bleached Bill Shatner masks and settle for the highest kill count for any Michael Myers film with, ‘Halloween Kills’.  And brother does it ever.  But does a high body count translate to a good film?  Then the Body Horror Marathon continues with Japanese cult classic, ‘Tetsuo: The Iron Man’.  What would you...

This week on The First Run, Chris’ long wait for the Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond is over as after multiple delays, ‘No Time To Die’ is finally here.  Matt saw it too.  After all this time and all the self-imposed hype by Chris, can it possible stand up to his lofty expectations and be the perfect send off for Craig?  Then the Body Horror Marathon continu...

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt check back in with their old buddy Eddie Brock and his symbiotic pal, Venom in ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’! With the original being as flawed as it was, does director Andy Serkis right the ship and deliver a superior sequel?  Or should we just head to the closest bell tower and be done with it?  Chris shares his thoughts on that Fren...