Six new movies are covered on the weekly movie review edition of the show with Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy looking at a new documentary about a film legend (The Real Charlie Chaplin) and the week from hell of a TV legend (Being the Ricardos). A film dramatizes the debate over compensating student athletes (National Champions) but who will compensate us for the latest from Sandra Bullock (The Unforgivable) and Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up). Then if you missed the full show with Sergio Mims, Steve gets his chance to talk about Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.

The title of the episode almost says it all but it turns out both Erik Childress and Sergio Mims have a lot to say about Steven Spielberg’s remake of the Oscar-winning 1961 musical. Sergio, who also hosts a classical music show on WHPK Radio in Chicago, takes us through the choreographers, Leonard Bernstein and his thoughts both positive and negative on the original. Erik also shares his thoughts on how the 1961 film shaped his perspective on musicals at an early age and how the new film has managed to surpass it at every level. Both marvel at one particular performance in the remake which also manages to honor another with some key changes made to the original text. While they may have some quibbles and disagree here and there one thing they agree on is this is one of the best films of 2021.

Movie theaters tend to slow down the week after Thanksgiving but Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy still have seven movies you can see there or at home. They catch up on the latest from Mike Mills with Joaquin Phoenix (C’mon C’mon). Sci-fi takes some questionable turns in an apocalyptic “comedy” (Silent Night) and a kidnapping drama that is questionably referred to as “science fiction” (Encounter). Surprisingly there is no such label on the story of people who believe they are animals (Wolf). Erik reminds you of a Toronto fest documentary that is now available on HBO (Listening to Kenny G) which may be just the come down you need after another HBO premiere about the life and loss of Adrienne Shelly (Adrienne). Then finally when Paul Verhoeven has lesbian nuns challenge the status quo of 17th century Catholism, you say “YES!” (Benedetta).

The weekly movie review edition of the podcast adds seven titles from the Thanksgiving holiday. Erik Childress checks out the 1980s hi-jinks of trying to obtain a Nintendo (8-Bit Christmas) while Steve Prokopy delves into the new Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) and the stylings of classic songwriters of old (The Beatles: Get Back) and new (Encanto). The pair debate whether the directorial debut of Halle Berry is worth your time (Bruised) and try to decipher just what anybody sees in Stephen Karam’s adaptation of his own play (The Humans). Finally, they look into the second Ridley Scott film in as many months and, whether or not, that’s a good thing (House of Gucci).

Black Friday and Christmas are coming up, so what better time to talk up some Blu-rays you may want to add to your wish lists. Erik Childress and Sergio Mims discuss a great documentary that should be on everyone’s shelves about one of the greatest television shows ever produced. For the kids Shout Factory has a whole lineup of new Laika packages and the pair also get into who is a Labyrinth guy and who is a Dark Crystal guy. Paramount has some great 4K titles including two-thirds of the original Star Trek movies and one of the most successful horror films to be released during the holidays. Sergio also pushes back on the criticism of the new 4K of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds and runs down a bunch of new stuff from Warner Archive including the long-awaited debut of one of the great comic debuts ever.

Post-Thanksgiving shopping is never quite as bad in this week’s horror film (Black Friday) and the same might be said for Abel Ferrara’s new work (Zeros and Ones). Why is Alanis Morrissette complaining about her documentary (Jagged) when a teacher has a more serious beef when her sex tape goes public (Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn). Andrew Garfield is a wannabe composer facing 30 (tick…tick…Boom!) while Robert B. Weide was in his early 20s trying to start a documentary on one of his famous writers (Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck In Time). Everyone deserves to be hating on Benedict Cumberbatch in Jane Campion’s latest (The Power of the Dog) while a group of survivors channel their anger against the Catholic Church into artistic healing (Procession). Will Smith portrays the father of two of the biggest sports stars ever (King Richard) and finally, Erik and Steve, offer balance to the force of criticism that has been crafted over Jason Reitman’s latest (Ghostbusters: Afterlife).

Erik Laws normally joins the show to talk comic book adaptations, but a certain 1984 film is a favorite to many of us so he joins Erik Childress for a discussion of Jason Reitman’s modern follow-up to his father’s classic. Ghostbusters: Afterlife has drawn quite the division between those nostalgic for the original and critics who believe the fan service has reached a fever pitch. Has Reitman filled the film with so many easter eggs that it is nothing but a soulless trip down memory lane or is that a preemptive narrative that many could not get out of the way of when viewing the film. Both Eriks have their own thoughts on the film and delve into the criticism and whether or not it is unfounded.

The weekly movie review edition of the show arrives with nine new films. In documentaries, Steve Prokopy looks at one about the current Secretary of Transportation (Mayor Pete) while Erik Childress looks at how Juggalo culture became synonymous with gangs by the government (The United States of Insanity) and both dig in to the life of The French Chef (Julia). Steve covers a film about human trafficking (7 Prisoners) while Erik suffers a franchise re-imagined by SNL’s Mikey Day (Home Sweet Home Alone). The pair look at one of the most-praised films out of Sundance this year (Passing) as well as a sequel to an admired film from Sundance past (The Souvenir: Part II). Speaking of the past, Sylvester Stallone has gone back to re-edit the fourth Rocky film and Erik has all the details (Rocky v Drago) and finally Steve weighs in on Kenneth Branagh’s new semi-autobiographical tale of growing up (Belfast).

Movies never stop and neither do the Blu-rays which is why Erik Childress and Sergio Mims continue to talk about them so you can build your physical media collection. It may only be on DVD but any cornucopia of Richard Pryor material is a gift and they discuss a new one from Time-Life. Sergio digs into the Arrow release of Ridley Scott’s Legend and Criterion’s The Damned. They go through a variety of titles from Kino and a pair of major 4K releases from Warner Bros. that bring both praise and reservations for their classic status. Finally they dig into the Warner Archive to discuss a problematic Errol Flynn film, a great James Stewart western, an overlooked Dustin Hoffman performances and one of the funniest comedies of all-time that is a must-have.

Eight new movies are after your attention on the weekly review episode with Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy and it’s a pretty solid lineup with at least one big exception. Erik reminds you of Stanley Nelson’s terrific documentary on the infamous prison standoff (Attica) and Steve looks at a new breed of vampire film (Dead & Beautiful). There’s a voice inside Olivia Munn’s head and its not pleasant (Violet) and Jim Cummings faces the consequences of an anonymous Hollywood sexual encounter (The Beta Test). Which do you think is the better threesome of the week? Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds (Red Notice) or Tom Hanks, a dog and a robot in the apocalypse (Finch)? Steve gets a chance to weigh in on the latest film from Marvel (Eternals) and each have a lot to say about Pablo Larrain’s new film with Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana (Spencer).