Christmas Movies Actually

144: Halloween Movies Actually: Monster House (feat. Christine Sellin)

Collin and Kerry correct a mistake from last year by focusing on a movie that actually does take place during Halloween. Christine Sellin returns to talk about "Monster House," a subversive and hilarious animated from from 2006 that sneaks up on the viewer with a poignant story of love that durns dark and foreboding when you look back on it. Is this the best of the motion-capture animated films of this era? How does the animation hold up today? What was trick-or-treating like when you were a kid? Has it changed over the years?  All this, plus a Blu-ray Gift Exchange segment for both dog and cat lovers (and lion lovers, too). Blu-rays covered: Warner:  "Superman" 4K (2025) Criterion:  "Flow" 4K - (2024) Lionsgate: "Little House On the Prairie" - The Complete Series Warner Archive: "Get Carter" 4K (1971) The Judy Garland Collection Hollywood Legends of Horror Collection "Black Samson" (1974) "Huckleberry Hound Show" The Complete Series "Touche Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series

143: Remember The Night (1940) (feat. John Zukowski)

Unfortunately, our episode on "The Apartment" has to be postponed until next year. Our apologioes for that. Fortunately, author John Zukowski was able to step in at the last minute and introduce a new Christmas gem to us, "Remember The Night," a film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray that pretty much set the template for many Christmas romances to come. The first (but certainly not the last) of its kind, "Remember The Night" fits in perfectly with our last two episodes that touched on Christmas romance movies that have real wit and class, with a touch of melancholia to ground them. This is a film well worth discovering if you get the chance; hilarious and heartfelt, with a truly memorable ending. Buy John's books Christmas On the Screen: Reviewing The Evolution Of American Spirituality and The Only Music That Mattered: A Guide To Punk, Post-Punk and Second Wave Ska (1976 - 1983).  Book movies discussed: The Snake Pit (1948) A Passage To India (1984) The White Balloon (1995)

142: The Baltimorons (feat. Jay Duplass, Michael Strassner and Liz Larsen)

The director and stars of the wonderful comedy "The Baltimorons" (currently/soon in theaters) join the show briefly to discuss the film's evolution and its purpose as a Christmas movie. Before that, though, Kerry and Collin discuss the film after seeing it a second time. What other movies come to mind with this kind of premise? Can anyone do improv? What are the favorite Christmas movies of the guests featured? Tune in to find out. Also, new blu-rays, a couple of which tie into some very recent episodes. "The Baltimorons" opens in New York on 9/5 and expands to other cities on 9/12.  Blu-rays covered: "Sense and Sensibility" 4K (Sony) "The Conjuring" 4K (Warner) "You Can Count On Me" (Criterion) "Fire On The Plain" (Criterion) "The Burmese Harp" (Criterion)   "The Greta Garbo Collection" (Warner Archive) "The Errol Flynn Collection" (Warner Archive) "The '50s Sci-Fi Collection" (Warner Archive) "Invasion U.S.A." / "Rocket Attach U.S.A." (FilmMasters) 

141: The Sure Thing / Better Off Dead (1985)

Kerry and Collin didn't plan on 2025 being a John Cusack-a-thon, but that's what ended up happening. After talking about "Serendipity" back in February and with "The Ice Harvest" coming up in December, the hosts decided to do a Cusack double-header of Christmas-adjacent films that came out 40 years ago. "The Sure Thing" was Cusack's first starring role in the teenage take on "It Happened One Night" while "Better Off Dead" took on a much weirder tone and ended up being a cult favorite, much to Cusack's chagrin. How does our sense of humor change as we get older? Which of the two films do the hosts respond to more? What is the third film co-starring John Cusack from this same year? Tune in to find out (or just IMDb him for that third question. Or look at the show notes below?). Plus, Kerry gives three more films from "1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die," one of which might tie into one of these Cusack films.  Book films covered: "It Happened One Night" (1936) "Ran" (1985) "The Sting" (1973)

140: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (feat. Pat McDonald)

It's so hot out there! What better way to defeat the August heat than to watch Santa Claus stuck in his sleigh on a sizzling Florida beach?  Who will help him get back to the North Pole? A rag-tag group of homeless minors who have no experience working with animals. Also, the Ice Cream Bunny, whatever that is. FIlm critic Pat McDonald join Collin and Kerry to break down "Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny," one of the absolute weirdest holiday concoctions of all time with a just-barely-stitched-together film from 1972. There are two versions of the film, one containing a detour into the story of Thumbelina, another with Jack and the Beanstalk. None of it makes a lick of sense and it's all just padding to throw out there on the kiddie matinee circuit of the early '70s. Everything ties together, though, in the Blu-ray Gift Exhcange.   Read Pat McDonald's work at HollywoodChicago.com   Blu-rays covered: Warner Bros: "Sinners" (2025) "Final Destination: Bloodlines" (2025) "Lord of the Rings" (1978) Universal: "Knight Rider: The Complete Series" - 4K Sony: "Stop, Look and Laugh!" (1960) Warner Archive: "Melinda" (1974) "Two Weeks With Love" (1950) "Knights Of the Round Table" (1953) Criterion: "You Can Count On Me", "Carnal Knowledge" and "Barry Lyndon"