CHILLPAK HOLLYWOOD HOUR

Longtime listeners know this about their friends in podcasting: They are often at their best making sense of a world seemingly gone wild, and boy, does that seem to be needed this week! No sooner had they finished recording this show than news came in about the death of musical great Leon Russell, so Phil opens the show with a tribute to him and some thoughts about the election before joining with Dean for remembrances of another legendary musician (and poet and artist) as well as an actor who once embodied the epitome of suave cool. A few different and worthwhile films get celebrated, including Loving, the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the modern western gets discussed. The Presidential election results and how those results might serve by leading to positive change get analyzed in depth. Often YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour proves to be irreverent, informative and insightful. This week it is downright nourishing.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out about how much you enjoyed last week's episode 494. In this week's follow-up. Phil wants to know if "Barb" from "Stranger Things" is the most popular character on television. He also wants anyone in the Los Angeles area to come see him host An LABC Home Companion on November 13! He and Dean discuss what has been a rough 50th Anniversary year for the "Star Trek" franchise, David Letterman's return to television, what's new for the forthcoming season 3 of "Fargo", the final two-part episode of "Documentary Now", and a failed 2007 television pilot from Christopher Guest. It won't all be TV, however, as Dean and Phil will discuss a top candidate for worst film of 2016, a great food documentary that serves as a love letter to Los Angeles AND the importance of critics, as well as a classic screen comedy from 1949. All that, plus some final thoughts before the USA 2016 election takes place. YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween, everybody! Although your friends in podcasting already treated you to their Top Ten All-Time Favorite Horror Films, this week's show IS scary good in honor of the occasion! Stories of Halloween festivities are shared, Terri Lynn Rote is nominated as "Worst Person in the World", public transportation is championed, "Documentary Now!" is celebrated, "Luke Cage" is praised, Season 3 of "The Fall" is criticized and three recent cinematic releases (Woody Allen's Cafe Society, Whit Stillman's Love & Friendship and Christopher Guest's Mascots) are discussed. All that, plus a "Celebrity Death" and that's BEFORE a 20 minute discussion surrounding the psychology at play in deriving comfort from seeing the same stories told over and over again. Trust us. It's an outstanding conversation and an incredibly enjoyable episode - irreverent, insightful, inspiring. You know - YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!

After last week's special "Top Ten" show, your friends in podcasting have a lot to discusss! From Dean's appearances in Melbourne to Phil's attendance at a historic, Halloween-themed Victorian event, from revisiting their show counting down the all-time great horror films to following up on last week's outstanding show that focused on westerns, from previewing future "top ten" shows to trying to make sense of the USA election season, Dean and Phil will roll up their sleeves and get it all done! Plus, they will discuss at least three television series AND more than a dozen films currently in development. It's YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour. Enjoy!

The great film theorist André Bazin described the genre of the movie western as "the American film par excellence." Your friends in podcasting could not agree more! That's why on this week's show (their 2nd of 10 "Top Ten" shows commemorating this, the 10th year of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour), Dean and Phil count down their Top Ten All Time Westerns. What films will make the list? What films won't? Will Dean have difficulty numbering 10 to 1? These questions and many more will be answered during the next 75 minutes. Enjoy!

A magazine came out this week with an article in it on the special episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour where Dean and Phil counted down their Top Ten Horror Films of All Time (Chillpak Hollywood Hour #486). Because of that, and because of the positive response we received from listeners like YOU, your friends in podcasting are preparing a similar theme show where they count down their Top Ten Westerns of All Time, and on this week's show, they share some of the research they've been doing, celebrating a couple great character actors and getting into a discussion of HBO's "Westworld" along the way. For the most part, the show focuses on new movies, like Clint Eastwood's Sully, Mira Nair's Queen of Katwe, Mick Jackson's Denial, Christopher Guest's Mascots, though the gents also preview upcoming films starring Johnny Depp and Benedict Cumberbatch. They also finally tackle the merits of Child 44, a period drama starring Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman that a listener wrote about a few weeks back. All that, plus the latest developments in the Star Trek fan film lawsuit in the return of "Lawsuit of the Week." Wherever good podcasts can be found!

How do your friends in podcasting follow up on one of their best episodes ever? Well, they start by playing a hilarious voicemail message left by listener Jon Lawlor in the wake of the "Harry Potter" discussion he prompted. Then, they celebrate 67 years of broadcasting excellence by Vin Scully. Then, they engage in perhaps the funniest "celebrity death" they've ever covered, remembering the "worst boss in the world". Dean's latest comedy shows, Phil's hosting of An LABC Home Companion, and a Cindy Sherman exhibit are all discussed in "Live Events of the Week" as is the pilgrimage Phil made to Walt Disney's grave to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the opening of Walt Disney World. Dean answers a question from a listener like you (yes, YOU) about how to prevent air travel from wrecking you physically. Finally, Dean and Phil compare notes on several films, including one of the most overlooked comedies of the 1930's, a Japanese horror film from the 1960's that was the most expensive Japanese film ever made at the time, and a charming independent comedy from Ireland that boasted Gene Wilder's first lead role in a movie. Enjoy brand new episode 490 of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!

Recorded a few days early, this week's show truly has something for everyone, and if anyone claims it doesn't, we hope they feel better soon! True gentleman and outstanding filmmaker Curtis Hanson is remembered in "Celebrity Deaths". The Emmy Awards, and especially Jimmy Kimmel's performance hosting them, are discussed. The Colin Kaepernick National Anthem protest saga is re-visited in the wake of more African-American deaths at the hands of police and in the wake of Kaepernick's Time Magazine cover being released. And this week, the conversation inspired by Kaepernick's protest goes in many unexpected, inspired and even hilarious directions - from sensitivity training, to Swedish massages, to the lyrics of "America the Beautiful." That patriotic tune and the national anthem are far from the only songs discussed this week as Dean and Phil get downright musical while following up on Phil's tirade from last week about "nostalgia" with a "Live Event of the Week" that features musical acts Hall & Oates, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews & Orleans Avenue, and the powerful Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. In fact, they even preview the new album from Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam! Then, Dean and Phil comfort each other in the wake of Brad Pitt's divorce from Angelina Jolie, and they wonder why the hell anyone cares about it in the first place ... Finally, "What We're Reading" becomes the "Explanation of the Week" as Phil goes all "patronus charm" on an email from a listener like you (yes, YOU) criticizing his critique of the first two "Harry Potter" movies. EXPELLIARUMS! All in all in, it may be one of the best installments of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour ever and after almost ten years, how many podcasts could claim that? Your friends in podcasting, STILL changing the way people listen to the internet ...

Dean and Phil recorded this week's extra-long episode right BEFORE the Emmy Awards, so if you're hoping for analysis of the Television Academy's big night, you'll have to wait another seven days. Television does get discussed, however, as your friends in podcasting speak (again) about "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" as well as the Netflix phenomenon "Stranger Things" and two future "nostalgia" series based on Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It" and the Winona Ryder vehicle "Heathers". Meanwhile, the great(est?) playwright Edward Albee is remembered in "Celebrity Deaths". Dean's comedy show, a 100th birthday celebration, a John Patrick Shanley play and Phil appearing live on-stage (in An LABC Home Companion, are all discussed in "Live Events of the Week". And if you love movies, you will really love this week's show as Dean and Phil cover wide cinematic ground, from this weekend's disastrous box office results (the worst of an already horrible 2016) to films that might be among the most overlooked ever, from a great "Fortean" horror film of the 1970's to Oliver Stone's laughable "Snowden", from a boatload of unnecessary remakes, sequels and revivals, to a promising Agatha Christie adaptation ... All that and no doubt much more on YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour with ten percent more "hour"!

How did Dean decide to follow-up on last week's outstanding episode where he and Phil counted down their Top Ten Horror Films of All Time? By showing up in Los Angeles and dropping in on Phil! They had much to discuss face to face, like what is Zombocom, what did Dean think of "The Jungle Book", what was the improv show Dean performed in Winnipeg with Gary Jones and how come Phil never knew that K-tel also hails from Winnipeg? Hearst Castle is discussed and the towns of Harmony (population 17) and San Juan Batista (site of Hitchcock's "Vertigo") are celebrated. Phil follows up on one of Dean's Top Ten Horror Films and shares news about a TV series based on a film they BOTH had on their lists. More about "Citizen Kane" and "The Maltese Falcon" are remembered in the shadow of those films' 75th Anniversaries, and a letter from a listener like you (yes, YOU!) is shared. All that plus a little bit more!

Halloween is only eight weeks away, so your friends in podcasting thought it was the perfect time to reveal their Top Ten All-Time Horror Films! Such classics as the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers, its 1978 remake, John Carpenter's The Thing, The Devil's Backbone from director Guillermo Del Toro, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and Cabin in the Woods all get discussed as "honorable mentions". What films actually made Dean an Phil's respective lists? Listen to find out! And keep those Netflix queues handy!

One of the reasons YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour can manage to be informational, insightful, irreverent and inspiring all within the same episode is because of the stories your friends in podcasting choose to tell. Here are just some of the stories told and topics explored on this week's show ... The crazy travel itinerary Dean will endure in order to wish his father a Happy Birthday is revealed. The way language evolves to fit cultural needs and the ways changing grammar rules AND the International Olympic Chairman are making Phil feel like a "dinosaur" are detailed. A great jazz musician and a peerless recording engineer are remembered in "Celebrity Deaths." Two of the summer movies previewed months ago - Southside with You and Weiner - are analyzed at length. The issues of trustworthiness, being a credible messenger and the importance of avoiding the appearance of impropriety get discussed. A nervous actor making his film acting debut and the director who turned that nervousness into an important part of a cinema classic is remembered in the shadow of that film's 75th anniversary. All that PLUS "What We're Reading" (featuring a musical suprise), an update on Dean's graphic novel and even more. Enjoy!

A great character actor and a fascinating political pundit are remembered in "Celebrity Deaths". Race relations and corporate purpose are discussed in "What We're Reading". The list of the most livable cities if the world and the criteria used for determining those rankings are analyzed. Jared Leto was "tricked" into appearing in Suicide Squad and Tom Hardy wasn't. How did both of these come to pass? And what long-awaited sequel will Jared Leto be starring in next? Speaking of long-awaited sequels, there's casting news and there are continued reports of unnecessary remake after remake in the Hollywood development pipeline. As for the films currently available, Dean and Phil chat about two current releases (including the best film of the year thus far), a documentary about a recent "celebrity death" and two silent classics starring Valentino. And finally, as promised, the initial importance, the legacy and the ultimate irrelevance of "method acting" is explained. All that PLUS Opus Dei and vengeful masseuses, this week on YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour.

What a smorgasbord of tasty audio topics your chefs in podcasting have cooked up for this week's show! They remember Kenny Baker. They weigh in on Thomas Gibson's firing from "Criminal Minds". They discuss Malcolm Gladwell's new podcast "Revisionist History" and such themes as "moral licensing" and how people with "low thresholds" can be expected to enact the most smart AND the most dumb behavior. Phil shares with Dean a news story pertaining to last week's discussion about mobile phone usage in movie theaters (and other public places), a news story that actually featured Dean, himself! There's scientific news from Dean's adopted homeland Down Under, where some researchers believe they can prove stand-up comedians die younger than actors and other researchers think they have good news for Alzheimer's patients. "Suicide Squad" is free-falling at the box office, but it still provides for this week's long awaited return of the "Lawsuit of the Week". All that, plus (at least) three 2016 cinematic releases get reviewed, including two that might have escaped your notice but are well worth your time and the new release "Florence Foster Jenkins" starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant. It sure sounds like a nourishing helping of podcasty goodness to us! So, sit back and enjoy YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!

This week, your friends in podcasting are so eager to discuss the Olympics, the Zika Virus and the celebrity improv comedy competition (for charity) in which Dean participated, that they don't even take the time to play the opening theme song! That's right, Dean and Phil hit the ground running and don't stop until they've updated you on the progress of Dean's graphic novel, answered a listener email about Oliver Stone, Edward Snowden and YOUR cell phones, discussed how all of art and the humanities have gone from "ephemeral" to "disposable" in just 100 years, continue their post-mortem on what might go down as the worst Summer Movie Season in history, review Jason Bourne and Suicide Squad and celebrate two live events of the week that combined classical music, puppetry, dance, and fireworks! Phew! That's a lot to cover! Of course, it's par for the course when it's YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour (with almost ten percent more hour)!