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PODCAST

Movie Madness

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

tv & film visual arts

All Episodes

01:39:51

Episode 313: Go Infinity Or Go Home

Movie Madness ·

2022/06/17

The two big sellers at this year’s Sundance film festival come home for everyone this week. Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy revisit both Good Luck To You, Leo Grande and Cha Cha Real Smooth along with six other fresh reviews this week. They include another Sundance film about a man and his robot (Brian and Charles) as well as Phil Tippett’s thirty-year journey to bring his stop-motion feature to life (Mad God). Jennifer Lopez has a film about her and some Super Bowl thing she did while chasing an

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02:05:06

Episode 312: When Legends Become Fact

Movie Madness ·

2022/06/14

Never say die when it comes to physical media! Erik Childress and Sergio Mims have the latest and greatest here from jackasses to ordinary people. Jekylls, Hydes, Frankensteins, Werewolves and W.C. Fields. In particular there are a lot of great titles coming out in 4K including a John Landis classic and even an argument for an underrated Kenneth Branagh film. One of the greatest musicals of all time gets the treatment as does one of the greatest westerns of all time. If that’s not fact, its legend

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01:19:11

Episode 311: First Loves, Basketball and Dino Droppings

Movie Madness ·

2022/06/11

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have a half-dozen movie reviews this week that actually touch upon two franchises, an important documentary and even a couple of unexpected surprises. If you want to know more about the pre-Ghostbusters era of Ray Parker Jr. there is now a film about that (Who You Gonna Call?). Henry Czerny is a former priest is visited by a stranger with a connection to his past (The Righteous). A shy teen desperately seeks out his first kiss to finally get that dang electronic

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01:48:57

Episode 310: Terminate With Extreme Prejudice

Movie Madness ·

2022/06/07

The latest and greatest in Blu-rays returns to the podcast with Sergio Mims and a lot to catch up on. There is late era Sam Peckinpah and Steve McQueen not to mention some early-era Kevin Costner and perhaps inspiration for a young Alfonso Cuaron. Criterion 4Ks one of the greatest of all noirs and space documentaries. Kino gives the same treatment to Clint Eastwood and Sidney Poitier. And finally – yes, FINALLY! – one of the great Walter Hill films Sergio and Erik have been begging to get an upgrade

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01:38:09

Episode 309: Long Live The Old Flesh

Movie Madness ·

2022/06/04

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy saw a lot of different movies this week. But that means you get 11 reviews from them even if its not a great lineup. Erik finds one big positive at the center of Sean Patrick Flanery’s directorial debut (Frank & Penelope) and Steve has a few non-negative things to say about the latest with Bruce Willis (White Elephant). There are fantastical narratives about the missing minutes of the Nixon tapes (18 ½) and the creation of a famous tower (Eiffel). Erik gets

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02:10:46

Episode 308: Hold Your Fire, Top Gun

Movie Madness ·

2022/05/29

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy return after a week off to catch-up on reviewing 12 new movies for you. They include a baseball documentary that premiered at SXSW this year (Facing Nolan), a new film written by Paul Schrader (There Are No Saints) and the great Haley Lu Richardson stars in a film about revisiting family trauma (Montana Story). They also revisit a Sundance comedy about two black friends trying not to get blamed when a white girl passes out in their house (Emergency) and one of the

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01:45:04

Episode 307: Burn It All Down, Firestarter!

Movie Madness ·

2022/05/15

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy will be at the Chicago Critics Film Festival this week, but they still managed to find time for ten new movie reviews. Well, one old one as they reviewed Ninja Thyberg’s powerful film about the porn industry at last year’s Sundance (Pleasure). This week did have a lot of other ickiness to it though including an erotic thriller no-show with Ashley Benson (Private Property) and the documentary about Dr. Religious Wacko who personally inseminated his patients (Our

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55:51

Episode 306: It’s All Happening

Movie Madness ·

2022/05/08

While Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy prepare for the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival, they got in a little time for a short show of reviews. This week the discussion steers to just four titles including a horror film involving an island and supernatural elements (Shepherd) and a documentary takes a shot at redemption for the man who clubbed Nancy Kerrigan’s knee (My Hero the Hitman). To go along with the discussion with Erik Laws on episode 305, Steve gets his chance to weigh in on Sam

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01:57:39

Episode 305: Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

Movie Madness ·

2022/05/06

Sam Raimi returns to the world of Marvel for his first directorial effort since 2013 and comic book expert Erik Laws returns to join Erik Childress to breakdown this sequel to Doctor Strange. Or sequel to Wandavision? Whatever it is it is a lot and the Eriks may recognize the very specific Raimi touches he brings to the Cinematic Universe, but is it enough to overcome what Childress believes is a big problem for Marvel going forward. Does their own multiverse interfere with the storytelling

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01:57:55

Episode 304: The 2022 Chicago Critics Film Festival

Movie Madness ·

2022/05/02

It is that time of year again. Actually the first time since 2019 that the Chicago Critics Film Festival has hosted an entire week at the Music Box Theatre. Their return for a weekend in 2021 was a success but the festival co-produced by Erik Childress returns to full glory May 13-19 and along with Sergio Mims they breakdown, day by day, every film selected for the event. Two very special film festival events are discussed during this episode. Along with the CCFF which remains in its 9th year the

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01:19:38

Episode 303: I Don’t Recall…Memory

Movie Madness ·

2022/04/30

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy look at eight movies this week including a couple festival titles, some streaming and some new titles in theaters. Steve looks at people trying to put a cult behind them (The Aviary) and a gay romance during Communist Russia (Firebird). Erik looks at a documentary about an additional horror of the Michigan water crisis (Flint: Who Can You Trust?) and Barry Levinson’s film about Holocaust-era boxer Harry Haft (The Survivor). Then both of them see if there’s anything

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01:18:59

Episode 302: The Unbearable Weight of The Northman

Movie Madness ·

2022/04/24

One of the best movies of the year…2021…may just come around to one of the best movies of 2022 on this episode. At least according to one of the Movie Madness critics during the round of seven reviews on this episode. Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy do indeed agree on Celine Sciamma’s tale of childhood grief (Petite Maman). The kids in that movie certainly have it better than the documentary of a ‘90s clothing giant (White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch) and even they may have it

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01:23:00

Episode 301: Choose Or Fantastic Beasts Will Die

Movie Madness ·

2022/04/19

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have seen six movies for the show this week. All six of them and they are here to share their thoughts on films from Sundance, SXSW and in theaters. Elisha Cuthbert tries to save her family from the wrong house (The Cellar). A pair of evil online games take center stage on Netflix (Choose or Die) and from the perspective of internet isolation (We’re All Going To The World’s Fair). Karen Gillan takes on a dual role in a black comic sci-fi tale with a double meaning

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01:57:34

Episode 300: The Dragonslayer Commentary

Movie Madness ·

2022/04/19

For the Movie Madness’ 300th episode, Erik Childress and Sergio Mims decided to undertake something they have talked about for some time. Matthew Robbins’ 1981 film, Dragonslayer, is a film they have preached and pleaded for years to finally get a Blu-ray release (hell, let’s go 4K at this point!) Sergio has turned into quite the commentary machine in recent years and Erik even still has one out there climbing the charts. And for this episode all you will need is your own copy of Dragonslayer and

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01:54:35

Episode 299: Everything Everywhere By The Bay

Movie Madness ·

2022/04/10

No rest for Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy who take on nine new films this week. They include a trio of documentaries ranging from skateboarding (Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off) to SpaceX (Return to Space) to a bovine with her own movie (Cow). Steve looks at a comedy about wannabe high school metalheads (Metal Lords) and Erik looks at an unintentional comedy based on the life of Celine Dion (Aline). Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton are former CIA partners on a mole hunt (All the Old Knives)

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01:31:02

Episode 298: Sink Your Teeth Into The Automat

Movie Madness ·

2022/04/03

After a short week, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy double-up on the movie reviews this week with eight titles. They include a documentary about a “ballhawk” (Zack Hample vs. the World) and one about a type of restaurant that does not exist anymore (The Automat). Justin Kurzel’s new film gets to the root of mental illness in a real-life Australian tragedy (Nitram) and a witch learns about life wearing the skins of different people (You Won’t Be Alone). Richard Linklater explores life (notably his)

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01:02:58

Episode 297: Blu-ray Upgrades You Can’t Refuse

Movie Madness ·

2022/03/30

Sergio Mims is back with the latest and greatest in Blu-rays and he focuses on three different studios with Erik Childress. Kino has a pair of great thrillers newly available in 4K as well as one from the ‘80s that may be more memorable for a promise of a single shot. Warner Archive puts James Cagney in an early version of Top Gun, one of the original versions of A Star Is Born and a stunning upgrade of a Cinerama cult classic. Finally, is the new 4K set of The Godfather Trilogy live up to the hype

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01:00:01

Episode 296: The Lost City of Browntown

Movie Madness ·

2022/03/26

The weekly movie review edition of the show went light to close out the month and it led to two agreements, one split decision and a whole other kind of split. Unintentional double entendres were on the docket for Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy as one of them reviewed a “family Butt!@#*ing comedy” (Win a Trip to Browntown). Naomi Watts is getting in her exercise with her projects again as a hiker who turns into a rescuer (Infinite Storm). A couple on a first date get stuck together when the

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01:53:08

Episode 295: The 2022 South By Southwest Film Festival

Movie Madness ·

2022/03/23

South by Southwest returned to live festivities for the first time since 2019. Erik Childress has been covering since 2003 and hopes to return soon. Along with Steve Prokopy they discuss the pleasures of attending in person even as they covered virtually at least one more time. 18 titles they bring up from this year including music documentaries about Sheryl Crow, Tanya Tucker and Nick Cave, non-music docs about Nolan Ryan, Gabby Giffords and The Kids in the Hall. They discuss the latest from

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01:36:53

Episode 294: X Marks The Spot In Deep Water

Movie Madness ·

2022/03/20

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy tackle seven new films this week. They include a couple from Sundance they have not talked about yet from the 2-part documentary on HBO MAX from Amy Berg about Evan Rachel Wood’s traumatic relationship with Marilyn Manson (Phoenix Rising) and Regina Hall in a ghost story about racial dynamics on a college campus (Master). Steve reviews about a Buddy Guy apprenticeship (The Torch) and Erik handles an odd hostage comic thriller with Jason Segel, Lily Collins and Jesse

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