The latest from Netflix, Disney Plus and more are focused on this week’s movie review episode with Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy. They look at the latest film from the director of First Girl I Loved (The Violent Heart), a new version of a Noel Coward play (Blithe Spirit), the adventures of a superhuman squirrel or at least the humans around it (Flora & Ulysses) and what happens when a woman falls in love with a carnival ride (Jumbo). Steve checks out films delving into the profitability of treatment centers (Body Brokers) and the rabbit hole of the dark web (Silk Road) while both of them try to figure out who is worth rooting for in the ironically-titled, I Care a Lot.

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy are back with reviews of the movies you don’t need a festival to see even if that’s where many of this week’s titles originated. They talk about one of the best from last year’s Sundance (Minari) and a trio from this year’s (Judas and the Black Messiah, Land, The World To Come). A remnant of the 2019 Toronto Film Festival is a horrific take on being a true believer (Saint Maud). There is another edition to the Groundhog Day Cinematic Universe (The Map of Tiny Perfect Things) and one to the Guantanamo Bay C.U. (The Mauritanian). Erik reviews a unique sci-fi film that was scheduled to play at last year’s canceled SXSW Festival (Lapsis) as well as the self-owning documentary, There Is No “I” In Threesome while Steve reviews Steve Zahn in the family drama, Cowboys. Finally, they take a trip with Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo and Jamie Dornan in the wild comedy, Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar.

The rundown from this year’s Sundance festival continues with Steve Prokopy who shares his praise of Edgar Wright’s documentary. But he also shares his thoughts on the starring vehicle for Clifton Collins, Jr., the new film from Zoe Lister-Jones and Daryl Wein as well as Jarrod Carmichael’s directorial debut. It doesn’t end there as they discuss whether the Nicolas Cage/Sian Sono effort lived up to expectations, a new film about the porn industry and have a profound disagreement over Fran Kranz’s film about a reconciliation over a school shooting that wowed many but not one of them. It’s all part of the Sundance experience and the pair bring it home for the year.

An annual tradition on WHPK Radio’s Bad Mutha Film Show with Sergio Mims is checking in with Erik Childress on the films he saw at the Sundance Film Festival. This year the fest was held virtually giving Sergio the opportunity to see some films himself. So they look in on some of the best films that Erik saw (along with some of the worst) including new documentaries about Sesame Street, Rita Moreno, Alvin Ailey and the band Sparks by Edgar Wright. They debate Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of the novel, Passing, and share praise for the Fred Hampton story, Judas and the Black Messiah. Erik is asked to convince Sergio that the big opening night award winner, CODA, is deserving of the response it received. There are also films about werewolves, video nasties, and a family in a literal hole. But they save the best for last, a film about the greatest concert you may not know ever existed.

Erik Childress is joined again by Steve Prokopy for a rundown of new movie reviews. Sam Neill tries to protect his flock from the government in Rams. The duo are forced to remember the Sundance movie with writer/director Viggo Mortensen having to deal with his bigoted father in Falling. Two films wonder if we are all living inside a simulation (Bliss & A Glitch In The Matrix.) While a new short film provides an epilogue to an acclaimed documentary (Apollo 11: Quarantine), another places Olivia Cooke and Jack O’Connell to try to remember they love each other during a different kind of global pandemic (Little Fish). Finally, John David Washington and Zendaya talk out their relationship while waiting for the movie reviews to drop in Malcolm & Marie.

On the latest episode of “The Bad Mutha Film Show” from WHPK Radio (88.5 FM Chicago at the University of Chicago), Sergio Mims and Erik Childress continue to talk about the evolving state of the pandemic and how soon vaccinations will ease people into returning to theaters. When will they be back at full strength? They also talk about some of the actors likely not to be seen on the big screen anytime soon and whether or not they are being directly canceled because of their MAGA ties to Donald Trump. Finally, inspired by a conversation Sergio had online about his thoughts on the film, Hannibal, they discuss films they each consider vile or offensive and whether those are personal feelings or aggressively defined by the films themselves.

For the 200th episode we check in with comic book expert, Erik Laws, who along with Erik Childress take a look back upon a bad year for comic book movies. Pandemic delays did 2020 no favors and the pair did not get a chance to discuss Birds of Prey, Bloodshot, The Old Guard, The New Mutants or Wonder Woman 1984. But they do here and it does not go well for any of them. It even sent Mr. Laws into the archive (and another country) to find something that would hopefully provide some enjoyment. Alas, they do look forward to the releases of 2021 including thoughts on WandaVision, the upcoming She-Hulk series and all the big casting news on the forthcoming Spider-Man film.

The latest film from Warner Bros. may be streaming on HBO MAX, but its not streaming for everyone as we find out from Steve Prokopy who had to leave sole reviewing duties for The Little Things over to Erik Childress. All is not lost though on this week’s movie review show as the duo check out Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes looking for what is buried underneath her property pre-WWII in The Dig. Naomi Watts plays a paralyzed mother who befriends a bird in Penguin Bloom. Justin Timberlake is a man fresh out of prison tasked to take care of a troubled boy in Palmer. Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci are a couple taking maybe the last road trip of their lives in the dementia drama, Supernova.

It may be a limited week of reviews but there are still some choice titles to check out as well as a few to stay away from. Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy look at the latest films from Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger) and Agnieszka Holland (Spoor). Matthias Schoenaerts & Joel Kinnaman are cousins working within the Philadelphia mob (Brothers by Blood) and the bonds of fathers and sons are tested along the border in No Man’s Land. Frank Oz directs Derek DelGaudio’s one-man show (in & of Itself). Casey Affleck and Dakota Johnson struggle through a cancer battle but are happy to call Jason Segel “Our Friend.” And, finally, the documentary you have been waiting for has arrived about Stallone: Frank, That Is.

The first official movie review show of 2021 arrives with ten films, including a few holdovers from the end of 2020, discussed by Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy. They catch-up with Robert Rodriguez’s latest family film (We Can Be Heroes) and the bonkers WWII action horror film (Shadow in the Cloud) with Chloe Grace Moretz. Anthony Mackie is a more modern warrior with more sci-fi action (Outside the Wire), Liam Neeson tries to save an immigrant child from the drug cartels (The Marksman) and everyone tries to get saved from an active volcano (Skyfire). The government’s surveillance of a civil rights hero is examined in a new documentary (MLK/FBI) and they breakdown the harrowing experience of Vanessa Kirby’s childbirth (Pieces of a Woman). Steve reviews the working class drama, Herself, from last year’s Sundance and Erik talks up a gonzo kidnapping thriller (Bloody Hell) that premiered at the Nightstream Film Festival. Finally, there is Anne Hathaway & Chiwetel Elijofor as a nearly estranged couple coming together for a diamond heist during the pandemic in the latest from director Doug Liman (Locked Down).