Dean and Phil share seasonal decoration news, holiday plans, and Christmas travel tales. Then, Phil tells a hilarious story about an awards screening he attended. Wake Up Dead Man (“A Knives Out Mystery”) gets a deep dive analysis which leads into a new way of discussing the issues surrounding Netflix’s pending purchase of Warner Bros. Media. After that, the Netflix films Jay Kelly and Carry-On get reviewed before a soon-to-be-theatrically-released awards hopeful gets reviewed. Finally, a classic 1949 film noir and an underrated 1961 comedic gem from Billy Wilder get celebrated.

After a cold open wherein Phil sets the stage, the show gets started in mid-conversation as frequent contributor Jon Lawlor shares some of his thoughts about Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune. The topic then turns to Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2002 film Punch-Drunk Love with particular emphasis paid to the way Anderson used music while shooting the film. This leads to Dean explaining the ways on-set music would be used in the silent film era, and how something called “click tracks” would be used in animation. In 2022 the great actor Stellan Skarsgard suffered a stroke and yet has been able to continue acting. The ways this has been achieved get discussed. The current heist picture The Mastermind from master filmmaker Kelly Reichardt is foremost in Phil’s thoughts, specifically why, despite universal critical praise, the film is being mostly hated by moviegoers, most of whom have seen it in multiplexes. Phil also shares with Dean and Jon the new set of questions he asks himself, and answers in writing, each night before bed.

This week’s episode picks up where last week’s show left off with a deep dive into Charles Laughton’s 1955 masterpiece The Night of the Hunter the ending to which Dean greatly misunderstood. In fact, a special guest stops by to help explain the ending and to discuss the film through the prisms of expressionism, surrealism and absurdism. Then, Dean, Phil, and (frequent collaborator) Jon Lawlor discuss several filmmaking and film distribution and film marketing topics pertaining to Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. In 1964, the United Nations produced four movies for television. One of them featured an all-star cast and a script by Rod Serling. Carol for Another Christmas gets discussed. Finally, the recent conversation the gents had about Carl Theodore Dreyer’s The Passion of Joan of Arc inspired a thoughtful email from a loyal listener.

In another episode featuring now regular contributor Jon Lawlor (longtime purveyor of excellent Chillpak Hollywood Hour theme songs), Dean tells stories of his ongoing trip back to his hometown of Winnipeg and the workshopping of a theatrical play that was the reason for his trip. He also reveals details of what may, or may not, be a Winnipeg-themed art collection he will be (or might not be) showing at a forthcoming Hamilton, Ontario, art show! Jon and Phil compare notes on the live stage show (“Viva Los Feliz”) in which they both performed last week. Then, the focus turns to Spike Lee’s latest “joint”, a remake of an Akira Kurosawa classic itself based on a novel by Ed McBain (aka Evan Hunter). Particular attention is paid to the cinematography and the music. Finally, it’s time for more Superman discussion, as a longtime, brilliant listener takes Dean and Jon to task for what they “missed” in their scathing reviews of one of this year’s most beloved, and most talked about movies. Oh, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes quite a few strays in the process!

What do the movies The Brutalist, The Substance, Red Rooms and Anora have in common? They all made BOTH Dean AND Phil’s lists of the Top Ten Films of 2024! The Critics have all had their say, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have announced their nominations for the Best in Cinema 2024, and on this week’s show, your friends in podcasting finally have their say. Learn what other films made their lists as they count down their Top Ten from the cinematic year just past!

On Halloween in the USA (November 1 in Japan), Phil and Dean recorded this week’s show via zoom for a far out and far east installment of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour. In it, you will hear accounts of Dean’s adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun. You will also hear the sad tale of Phil’s sister, and Phil’s full report on the big live show he hosted, and the show he was performing in that night. There will be deep dive discussions of several films, including two by director Brian G. Hutton and two somewhat overlooked horror films. The importance of Halloween as a time to discover, or re-discover unfairly maligned or outright ignored genre films gets celebrated as well. Finally, great stars Kris Kristofferson and Teri Garr, and legendary “Star Trek” writer, producer and show-runner Jeri Taylor get remembered in “Celebrity Deaths”.

Dean is in the process of re-examining the cinematic legacy of Roman Polanski, separate from his personal legacy. The timing is fortuitous as Phil re-watched Polanski’s 1976 cult favorite The Tenant, which also inspired thoughts about The Shining. Phil also re-watched two masterpieces by John Cassavetes in the wake of the great Gena Rowlands’ death: A Woman Under the Influence and Love Streams. Finally, Dean and Phil celebrate Paris, Texas at 40, discussing the role of the American Southwest in indie cinema of the early to mid 80s, and the way Paris, Texas points the way towards Wim Wenders’ next masterpiece, Wings of Desire. Dean had to leave for London, so he drops out a few minutes early, but not before the return of “Lawsuit in the Week”, and how Netflix might be in financial hot water over its “Baby Reindeer”. At that point, Phil welcomes Marc Hershon back to the show to discuss last month’s Emmy Awards and the possible forms the venerable awards show might take in the future. Such acclaimed current TV as “Shogun”, “Slow Horses”, “The Bear”, “Hacks”, “Reservation Dogs”, “Only Murders in the Building”, and the aforementioned “Baby Reindeer” get deep dive discussions.

When does an hour turn into 80 minutes? When it’s this week’s installment of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour! Dean is back in Michigan and has travel horror stories. Dean and Phil tackle the latest bizarre turn in the ongoing saga of Paramount changing ownership. An “all icons” edition of “Celebrity Deaths” involves the fascinating story behind the creator of Famous Amos, the hilarious reason Peter Marshall became the long-running host of “Hollywood Squares”, and appreciations of an 80’s music hitmaker, a groundbreaking and format-creating talk show host, and one of the greatest, most important leading men in movie history. Speaking of movies, Dean reviews the new Strange Darling, Phil tries to understand the failure of the recent Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, and Dean and Phil close with an appreciation of the great Michael Powell. Then, before the show ends, Marc Hershon joins the festivities to celebrate what just might be the best show on television.

After a brief cold open where Phil and Dean discuss Dean’s trip to Los Angeles this week, your friends in podcasting get into a spirited and frequently hilarious discussion about the Olympics. Then Phil has notes for the brilliant Jon Batiste about his hot mess of a live show. A legendary agent and a trailblazing actress get remembered in “Celebrity Deaths”. Dean plays “armchair executive” in analyzing the news surrounding the forthcoming George Clooney-Brad Pitt vehicle Wolfs. Phil re-watched Barry Lyndon and he and Dean take a deep dive into that film and analyze the way the film has been so dramatically reappraised in recent years.

We are one week away from our 17th Anniversary and on this week’s show, your friends in broadcasting & podcasting ask for your help in celebrating this milestone! They also discuss a whole lot of movie news and reviews, including the death of a Cannes Palme d’Or winner, the latest on Francis Coppola’s Megalopolis, the return of George Lucas to Star Wars, Steven Spielberg directing a television series based on a script by Stanley Kubrick, the controversy surrounding Taylor Swift’s new album, the meaning of “anti-war” and “anti-violence”, the latest in the Rust on-set shooting prosecutions, the latest terrible twist of fate in the Harvey Weinstein prosecutions, the latest (last?) in Michael Apted’s “Up” documentary series, the cinematic greatness of Jean Cocteau, and a new Japanese classic hitting theaters soon.