On the penultimate review episode of 2022, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy look at nine new movies. They include documentaries about the theater after Covid (Broadway Rising) and the life of Al Sharpton (Loudmouth). Someone made a bloody horror film about The Grinch (The Mean One) and another Oscar-winning director again tries to turn a wooden boy into a good boy (Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio). Lea Seydoux has to juggle an affair and her ailing father (One Fine Morning) while Jim Parsons must tend to his dying partner (Spoiler Alert). Sam Mendes takes us into the life of a movie theater employee (Empire of Light), a donkey sees the good and bad in people (EO) as does Brendan Fraser in Darren Aronofsky’s divisive new film (The Whale).

Things get weird on the show this week with a vast array of new Blu-rays to talk about. Peter Sobczynski joins Erik Childress again to talk perfect films for the holiday by Bob Clark and Michael Haneke? Things get meta with both Kevin Smith and Nicolas Cage. New Tarantino in 4K and Walter Hill as well gives Peter an opportunity to talk about how he first encountered Roger Ebert. Erik gets to discuss his connection to Dawson’s Creek and you also get a pair of cult comedy classics and a pair of box office bombs in 4K; one of which Peter goes to bat for. Nick Nolte pops up a couple of times, Jack Lemmon wins an Oscar, a family tries to survive a nuclear holocaust and we go from a 50 foot woman to a 12 year old Brooke Shields living in a brothel.

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy have eight reviews for you to kick off the final month of 2022. They begin with an author recalling his activist patriarch (Memories Of My Father) and Robert Downey Jr. paying tribute to the indie cinema legend that he grew up with as well (Sr.) The director of Jakob’s Wife is back with a twisted serial killer trip (A Wounded Fawn) and there is a new adaptation of the infamous D.H. Lawrence novel (Lady Chatterley’s Lover). Can Will Smith find an audience on Apple+ with an Antoine Fuqua slave drama (Emancipation) and will Tilda Swinton find answers from the past as mother and daughter in a ghost story from Joanna Hogg (The Eternal Daughter). Noah Baumbach attempts to film the unfilmable Don DeLillo novel (White Noise) and the director of the Dead Snow movies tries to thrust Santa Claus into the Die Hard universe (Violent Night)

Peter Sobczynski returns to look at this week’s editions to the physical media calendar with Erik Childress. There’s a film that played at their Chicago Critics Film Festival this year and the one that beat out Reservoir Dogs at Sundance. Kirk Douglas as a detective and Esther Williams out of water. A pair of gory horror entries from Vinegar Syndrome about a guy killing Santa Clauses and a new 4K edition of an infamous horror sequel. Not even a Train To Busan is more horrific than the Charles Bronson film they take a look at. But there are also brand new editions of an often overlooked Jeff Bridges film and one starring Isabelle Huppert. Finally, Peter weighs in on Don’t Worry Darling and has an offer for a new idea for Paramount Plus that they really should not refuse.

On this holiday week edition, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy look at the films in theaters (if briefly) for Thanksgiving. One that you can catch on Shudder is Noan Segan’s Paper Moon-like vampire tale (Blood Relatives), then you can go to theaters if you choose to see Luca Guadagino’s tale of young love and cannibalism (Bones and All). If you don’t want to wait for Amazon Prime, check out this year’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner (Nanny) and if you can’t wait a month for Netflix, get out to see the exclusive one-week release of Rian Johnson’s sequel to Knives Out (Glass Onion). Elegance Bratton tells an autobiographical tale of a gay black man joining the Marines (The Inspection) and J.D. Dillard has the story of the first black pilot during the Korean War (Devotion). Steve takes a look at Disney’s animated sci-fi offering for families (Strange World) and the pair conclude with a dive into Steven Spielberg’s long-awaited origin story (The Fabelmans).

It’s the Blu-ray time of the week and Peter Sobczynski joins Erik Childress again to talk a whole bunch of 4Ks for your Black Friday shopping. Take advantage of the Barnes and Noble Criterion sale to grab one of the best films from Pixar and one of the best from Spike Lee. Shout Factory has new editions of genre cult classics from Neil Jordan and Norman Jewison while Vinegar syndrome delivers a 4K of maybe the ultimate cult film. Kino has another Eastwood in 4K and a comic book parody before the Marvel onslaught. Erik goes to bat for James Gunn’s spinoff from The Suicide Squad and talks of the curse that prevented his dad from seeing Pearl Harbor prevented in a movie. They talk more Bob Clark, an immense set from Sony Classics and the origins of Martin & Lewis. Finally they discuss one of the best comedies of the year and a new 4K of one of the best comedies of the 1980s.

Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy are back on the movie review beat with nine new titles this week. On the Disney Plus front Steve looks at a new doc on an animated icon (Mickey: The Story of a Mouse) and Erik checks out a sequel 15 years in the making (Disenchanted). Russell Crowe directs a film not about poker (Poker Face) and Frank Grillo stars in a film that is barely about a car (Lamborghini: The Man Behind The Legend). Steve looks at the new pandemic-era film from Andrew Bujalski (There There) and the pair have a lot to say about Jonah Hill’s documentary about his therapist (Stutz). Florence Pugh tries to solve the mystery of a girl who doesn’t want to eat (The Wonder) and Ralph Fiennes serves a full course of terror to a group of foodies (The Menu). Finally, Erik and Steve conclude with a vehement disagreement over the merits of a film detailing the uncovering of Harvey Weinstein’s crimes (She Said).

Sergio Mims and Erik Childress discussed DVDs and Blu-rays for two decades on the radio and on this podcast. To honor his recent untimely passing, we wanted to continue this tradition and shine a light on the world of physical media that he was so passionate in preserving. For that, Erik is joined by Peter Sobczynski of RogerEbert.com to once again bring you all the latest and greatest for your home collection and holiday shopping needs. They talk a number of new 4K releases including an early film from Robert Zemeckis with possibly the greatest commentary track ever, Quentin Tarantino’s debut, late Don Siegel, Elvis’ return from the Army, one of the greatest films ever made and a foursome from Warner Bros. modern Christmas archive. There is also a colorful alien musical, new films from George Miller, Ti West and Claire Denis and the inspiration for a film that teamed Keanu Reeves and Ana De Armas.

Erik Childress & Steve Prokopy have five movie reviews for you this week. A little calm before the end-of-the-year storm. They include one with a pair of acting legends, Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek, paired with their acting children (Sam & Kate) and a documentary from Elvis Mitchell on the history of black film (Is That Black Enough For You?) Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds team up for a new musical take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Spirited) and a feature debut from filmmaker Charlotte Wells has been blowing away critics left and right. That continues with Erik & Steve (Aftersun). Finally, Erik chimed in on a lot of thoughts with Erik Laws on the previous episode but Steve gets his chance to weigh in on Marvel’s attempt to carry on without their fallen star (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever).

Comic book expert Erik Laws is back with Erik Childress to discuss the bittersweet return to the land of Wakanda. Unfortunately, that return is more bitter than sweet as they talk about the numerous missed opportunities in trying to eulogize its fallen star, Chadwick Boseman, and the scurry of Shuri to ultimately replace him. Marvel may have finally found themselves with the opportunity to elevate its female heroes to the forefront only to see them pulling their gut-punches and losing ground to its new male villain and a real questionable decision in the T’Challa line of succession. All this after setting audiences on just the right path and then getting lost in one anti-climactic narrative after another. Hear more about the origins of Namor and thoughts on what genre Marvel could have used to honor this sequel and end this Phase on a high note rather than a sour one.