It’s the midst of the holiday season. Travel plans are ramping up and the awards season is starting to heat up! The American Film Institute has revealed its honorees as the top (ten) films of 2021 and a consensus has begun to form through critics Top Ten lists about the best movies of the year as well. Dean and Phil discuss it all. They analyze (and “contextualize”) three new award-hopeful releases from major directors: Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley, Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth and Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog. They also celebrate foreign films, the Oscars, country rock, The Monkees, the Bronski Beat, New Orleans, The Beasts of the Southern Wild, Interview with the Vampire, telenovelas and more in “Celebrity Deaths”.

You might not know the name Don Phillips, but you will definitely know the names of many the performers whose careers he launched as a casting director, and the films with which he was involved. He is one of four cultural titans that Dean and Phil remember in “Celebrity Deaths” on this week’s show, including a poet and founder of the mythopoetic men’s movement, an iconic Broadway composer, and a trombonist who received the highest honor ever bestowed on jazz musicians. Dean will update us on the latest in his bout with Covid-19, his travel plans, his live ghost hunts and his “Hellacious Renovations”. Phil will regale us with his birthday adventures, his deep dive into historic movie locations, and his exploration of the Manzanar “War Relocation Center”. Several movies will get analyzed as well, including a Kurosawa classic ripe for a modern-day remake, a film noir with a claim to the best dialogue of any movie ever, and a current box office hit that begs the question, “Does bustin’ make Dean & Phil feel good?”

We’re only two episodes away from the end of year 8 and only five episodes away from Dean Haglund’s move to Australia, yet your friends in podcasting have more to discuss than ever before! From a full report on the preview screening of their new dark comedy, to the latest news regarding Sci-Fest, from the latest rumblings about the return of The X-Files to Phil’s heartfelt thank you and farewell to a film critic who played a major role in his development as an artist, this week’s installment is quite personal to Dean and Phil.

There is a ton of talk about current television (like Mad MenDaredevil, and the countdown to David Letterman’s final show) and future television (an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spin-off, the Twin Peaks reboot, and perhaps the most exciting new show to be announced in AGES!). There is also much attention paid to forthcoming movies, including ill-advised remakes and reboots, and maybe a film or two worthy of optimism!

Dean and Phil follow up on their (enormously popular) discussion of female-driven films (episode #413), with a discussion of two emerging female musical artists. All that, plus the latest dirt Phil has learned about Scientology AND not one, not two, not three, but FOUR emails from listeners like you! Want to learn about IMDb? Want to learn about Dean and Phil’s favorite cookies? Then, stop reading and start enjoying this thrilling installment of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!