Aside from "Wicked," Red One" is probably the most advertised film of this season, but does it deserve to be? Film critic Leo Brady joins Kerry and Collin to talk about this much-hyped action fantasy film and why its star, Dwayne Johnson, needs to commit to different types of projects. They also talk about seeing the film in 4DX and why that format might not be suitable for all films. Why does the audience need to feel as pummeled as the characters on screen? Who is this movie for? Does the great J.K. Simmons make for a convincing Santa Claus? All this, plus Kerry gives us three films from the "1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" book.

Web site with knitted caps used in "Red One": https://leedoesstuff.com/

Book movies covered:

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)

Romper Stomper (1992)

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Kerry and Collin are joined by Cinema Femme's founder Rebecca Martin Fagerholm to talk about Jodie Foster's ensemble comedy "Home For The Holidays," starring Holly Hunter, Robert Downey, Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Cynthia Stevenson, Dylan McDermott, Geraldine Chaplin and Steve Guttenberg (wow!). Of all the holiday movies in the Family-Gathers-Together-For-The-Holidays sub-genre, this one gets it so, so right above many others. Why does Collin hold it in such high regard? How did Downey's behavior and antics effect the overall outcome of the film? How much food was cooked for the Thanksgiving scene and what happened to all of it. All this, plus Collin talks about the latest and greatest in physical media for the Blu-ray Gift Exchange.

Blu-ray movies covered:

Sony:

"American Movie" 4K (1999)

Warner Bros:

"The Hitcher" 4K (1986)

Criterion:

"Pandora's Box" (1929)

"Demon Pond" (1979)

Val Lewton Double Feature: "I Walked With A Zombie" and "The Seventh Victim" (1943)

Warner Archive:

"The Prairie Home Companion" (2006)

"Bathing Beauty" (1944)

"Journey Into Fear" (1943)

Universal:

"Touch" (2024)

Starring Mickey Rooney. Yes, that Mickey Rooney. Five years ago, Kerry, Collin and guest Patrick Ripoll made a pact to talk about the "Silent Night, Deadly Night" films every year in October. The pact has been fulfilled with "Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker," as of now, the final film in the series. It did not disappoint. Rooney stars as the titular Toy Maker named Joe Petto. He has a teenage son who might be an android named Pino. You see where this is going? Why are the toys Petto makes turning deadly? What about Ricky, the Santa-Claus-killer franchise mainstay? How should you watch all five films? Which ones are the best? You'll have to hear Kerry, Collin and Patrick's rankings to find out. What a journey it's been! From a crazed Santa Claus killer, to "Garbage day!" to Oedipal themes of longing, the SNDN films each delivered something truly unique. Also, Kerry talks about three films from "1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die."

Book films covered:

"Odd Man Out" (1947)

"Le Trou" (1960)

"Crumb" (1995)

First, a quick explanation over what went wrong with the "Go" episode. Then, Kerry and Collin are joined by returning guest, Christine Sellin, to talk about Laika Animation Studios' amazing 2012 movie, "ParaNorman," a movie that accomplishes so much in just under 90 minutes and does so with style, wit, astonishment and braaaiiiinnnnssss!! What is tourism like in Salem, Massachusetts? Can a rioter ever find inner peace? Just how many horror movie references are hidden throughout this movie? All this, plus a stacked Blu-ray Gift Exchange, where they talk about Richard Pryor, Martin Scorsese, Kevin Costner's doomed epic and the greatest British gangster movie of all time.

Blu-rays covered:

Sony:

"Richard Pryor - Live On The Sunset Strip" 4K (1982)

"The China Syndrome" (1979)

Paramount:

"Bringing Out the Dead" 4K (1999)

Warner Bros.

"Horizon: An American Saga, Part 1"

Warner Archive:

"Black Belt Jones" (1974)

"Three Little Words" (1950)

"Words and Music" (1948)

Shout:

"Big Fan" (2009)

Criterion:

"Happiness" (1998)

"The Long Good Friday" (1980)

Kerry and Collin celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Go" by talking to one of its biggest fans, film programmer Mike Schindler. The film has the late-'90s influences all over it: the "Pulp Fiction"-like structure, a hyper-active techno soundtrack and a cast of young actors who made their marks in TV shows like "Party Of Five" and "Dawson's Creek." Which of the film's three main stories is the best one? What is a rave like at Christmas time? Would the film's director, Doug Liman, been a choice to helm "Good Will Hunting"? All this, plus Kerry talks about three more films from "1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die."

Book films discussed:

"North By Northwest" (1959)

"The Man In Grey" (1943)

"M*A*S*H" (1970)

Kerry and Collin are joined be frequest guest Patrick Ripoll (co-host of 96 Greers) to talk about one of the essential Judy Garland movies, the technicolor marvel "Meet Me In St. Louis," in which the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" made its debut and would eventually become a standard. Vincente Minnelli's timeless classic would also make for a great Halloween movie. What were the original lyrics to the famous Christmas song before Garland suggested a rewrite? What is the proper way to build a snowman that is not the usual three boulders on top of one another? And what is the proper way to wreck them? All this, plus a Blu-ray Gift Exchange that covers Albert Brooks, Mad Max, Elvis and a 90s teen comedy.

Blu-ray Gift Exchange movies covered:

Warner Bros:

"Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" (2024)

Criterion:

"Real Life" 4K (1979)

"Mother" 4K (1996)

Sony:

"Can't Hardly Wait" 4K (1998)

Warner Archive:

"Harum Scarum" (1965)

"Marie: A True Story" (1986)

First-time guest Alejandro Riera joins Kerry and Collin to talk about the Chicago-based family comedy "Nothing Like The Holidays," which came out in 2008 and features a predominantly Puerto Rican cast. This follows the "Family Stone" and "This Christmas" formula of having all the grown-up kids coming home for the Christmas season, all of whom are facing major crossroads in heir lives. Most of it works, some of it doesn't, but it does make a for a truly unique Chicago-based film. Why aren't there more films like it? Did the filmmakers miss an opportunity with John Leguizamo and Debra Messing's characters? What is the proper way to take a tree down in your front yard? All this, plus three more films from the "1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" book, in which two films from Music Box Theater's recent 70mm film festival come into the discussion.

Book films covered:

"Great Expectations" (1946)

"Playtime" (1967)

"The Searchers" (1956)

The tearjerker "Six Weeks" starred Mary Tyler Moore, Dudley Moore and a talented ballerina named Katherine Healy. It came out in 1982 during awards season and managed to score two Golden Globe noms and a Razzie nomination. Frequent guest Peter Sobczynski has been waiting for over a year to talk about it with Kerry and Collin and even went so far as to buy them a copy of the book upon which the film is based. Collin does a dramatic reading of a few pages of this piece of literature. How do the film and book compare? How did such a talented cast get roped into this project? Should Peter really apologize for bringing us this film? All this, plus a few titles from the month of July for the Blu-ray Gift Exchange.

Blu-ray titles covered:

Warner Bros:

"Twister" (1996) (4K)

"Challengers" (2024)

Paramount:

"Swingers" (1996)

"When Worlds Collide" (1951)

MGM:

"The Mighty Quinn" (1989)

Sony:

"The Lady From Shanghai" (1948) (4K)

Criterion:

"Perfect Days" (2023) (4K)