From a secret location somewhere in America (actually a rooftop high atop the historic village neighborhood where Phil resides): Dean and Phil got together IN PERSON, and Phil’s better half, Lily Holleman, joined them, first to see an experimental film from 1990 (All the Vermeers in New York) at the American Cinematheque, and then to discuss it (over cocktails). You have probably NOT seen the movie, but the discussion is both interesting AND sets up many later conversation strands that prove hilarious! In fact, if this is not the funniest episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour, it will do until the funniest episode gets here! Partway through, Steve the Turk (who last joined the festivities at a bar in Helsingør, Denmark, when Year 18 Episode 45 was recorded during Dean’s bachelor party) joins the trio. Steve regales with information about Turkey, Denmark and Hamburg, Germany. Personalized license plates, the “No Kings” protests and who Steve the Turk’s “best friend” might be are just some of the hard-hitting topics the team delve into before opening the Chillpak morgue and getting down to the brass tacks of a VERY competitive round of “Celebrity Deaths”!

This week’s episode finds Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness in fine form, discussing this year’s Oscar-winning animated feature Flow, how it was made, and why actual cats might be enjoying it! The “Lawsuit of the Week” returns, and it is a rather astounding one involving a once Oscar-nominated filmmaker. Phil and Dean both relate to a recent Substack post by one of Phil’s favorite journalists entitled, “We Are Schrödinger’s Cat”. You will find out why. Dean learns some very cool things about the Helsingør locale where he was married, including about a (rather legendary, though rarely-seen) version of Hamlet entirely shot there and about the World War II “underground railroad” operation run through there! The Scandinavian countries are very much on Phil’s mind. Dean and Phil discuss how high those countries rank on the list of “happiest” countries and how low the USA ranks. Two recent Scandinavian horror films (this past year’s Oscar-nominated The Girl with the Needle and the 2021 supernatural thriller The Innocents) both get reviewed, and the world’s first open-air museum, the Norsk Folkemusuem, gets described. Finally, Phil tips his hat to the success of the just-completed season 3 of “The White Lotus”, while Dean grabs his popcorn and pours his wine and sits down to start season 1!

One month from their 18th Anniversary (of changing the way you listen to the internet!), your friends in podcasting are still recovering from their European Adventures and during this week’s installment they start by discussing the Marx Brothers, and end by revealing architecture and fine art discoveries they made while overseas. In between, they discuss the Netflix CEO declaring war on movie theaters, a movie soon leaving Netflix, and a quite lovely, moving film just released to theaters. And in “Celebrity Deaths” character actor Bruce Glover, king of the miniseries Richard Chamberlin, and movie star Val Kilmer all get remembered.

Today is not only St. Patrick’s Day, it’s also Dean Haglund’s wedding day! Therefore, this week’s installment of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour is an absolute travel adventure. First, Lily Holleman joins Phil at the Hotel Kong Arthur in Copenhagen to share her thoughts about their trip to Venice. Then, we switch locations to a pub in Helsingør near the Kronborg Slot aka Hamlet’s Castle and the spot where Dean will be entering into the bonds of matrimony. At the pub, while Dean’s bachelor party is getting started, Dean reveals his most recent travel nightmares regales with tales of Turkish Airlines, in-flight movies from Turkey, and robots at the Istanbul Airport. There is a special cameo appearance from a surprise guest, and quite a bit of drinking, plus a lot of fascinating talk about the Copenhagen City Hall, ancient Constantinople and mermaids.

Your friends in podcasting, Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness, participate in a “side project” called The Art Life with good pal (and creator of many Chillpak Hollywood Hour theme songs) Jon Lawlor. Each week they hold each other’s feet to the fire as they try to free up their creativity, make it manifest in the world AND encourage each other to live more artful, authentic lives. In the first Chillpak episode of 2024 (Season 3, Episode 100), they discussed their intentions for 2024 and how they intended to set their compasses to their true North(s). In this week’s final episode of the year, Dean, Phil and Jon look back at what was said, share how they feel about their artistic year and discuss how their focus is evolving as we journey into 2025. Happy New Year, one and all!

This weekend, your friends in podcasting got together on the pool deck of a certain “historic building in downtown Los Angeles” and boy did they have a lot to discuss! The status of downtown, Dean’s travels AND his official “wedding engagement” get covered. The Olympics closing ceremony and Tom Cruise’s role in it get revisited. The “Live Event of the Week” is “Duo it Again” a brilliant and psychedelic game of telephone that is the hottest party you can find on a Tuesday night in Los Angeles. There is movie news involving Joaquin Phoenix doing one of our greatest filmmakers and a maverick indie producer “dirty” and Phil and Dean both have more thoughts about Wolfs losing its wide theatrical release. Casablanca on 4K and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix both get reviewed. A whole lot of reference to the great documentary Los Angeles Plays Itself gets made throughout the show. Finally, a groundbreaking comedy radio producer-turned television writer and the peerless Gena Rowlands both get remembered in “Celebrity Deaths”.