The First Run

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt embed themselves in Alex Garland’s latest (and final?) directorial effort, ‘Civil War’. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen in the United States if society finally broke down over which way the toilet paper should be hung. Or maybe it was if Chicago pizza is real pizza? Something bad, I’m sure. There’s the crack-shot rundown of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD and Streaming Picks of the Week. Then Matt and Chris close out the show with a round of What Are The Odds, featuring Tarantino, Frank Drebin, Phantom Menaces, and more! 00:00-21:44: Intro/Civil War 21:45-32:47: Physical Media Picks 32:48-54:44: What Are The Odds?!? 54:45-56:40: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

How do you feel about nuns in peril? Well, if you're for it, then the guys have a treat for you. This week, Chris and Matt do a deep dive into the Nunsploitation renaissance of 2024 with ‘The First Omen’ and ‘Immaculate’. They give you the rundown of the big releases on Physical media, featuring the Straight to DVD and Streaming Picks of the Week. Then Matt and Chris wrap up the show with their Top 5 Horror Prequels. How has there not been a Howling prequel? 00:00-15:09: The First Omen 15:10-22:14: Physical Media Picks 22:15-29:45: Immaculate 29:46-48:40: Top 5 Horror Prequels 48:41-51:19: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt book a round trip back to Hollow Earth to check in on our good buddy, King Kong. Nope, sorry. Just Kong. It’s ‘Godzilla X Kong: New Empire’. Not only do we get a big box full of Kong, we get a bunch more giant apes, a baby Kong, and an ancient ice breathing titan. And if we’re lucky, maybe Godzilla will show up too. From there it’s on to the big releases in Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight To DVD Picks of the Week! There’s a quick discussion of the Aliens 4k disc too! Then Matt and Chris wrap up show with the harrowing atomic breath worthy fill-in-the-blank game, TFR Libs. Featuring the latest news about Scream, the MCU, and Chris and Matt go down a rabbit hole over what qualifies as sci-fi or not. It’s a doozy, folks! 00:00-17:20: Intro/Godzilla x Kong: New Empire 17:21-25:54: Physical Media Picks 25:55-51:31: TFR Libs 51:32-54:09: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt sign out their weird, grumpy uncles from the assisted living home for yet another trip to the paranormal well with ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’. Does the gang still pack an unlicensed nuclear accelerator punch? Then Matt and Chris ask the age-old question “Can you improve upon B-Movie perfection?” with the latest product from the strip mining of the 80’s, ‘Road House’. There’s the gnarly takedown of the big releases in Physical Media, featuring the Straight-To-DVD and Streaming Picks of the Week. Then Chris and Matt make their own version of what all the cool kids are doing in March with the annual First Run Summer Movie Bracket. Though Chris screws up and confuses ‘Sting’ with ‘Longlegs’. Idiot. 00:00-18:15: Intro/Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire 18:16-24:40: Physical Media/Straight to DVD/Streaming Pick of the Week 24:41-38:14: Road House ’24 38:15-56:58 Summer Movie Bracket 56:59-58:51: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey TFR Summer Bracket [Blank] TFR Summer Bracket [Scalzo] TFR Summer Bracket [Matt]

Well, well, well. It’s our big 700th episode extravaganza, that we’ll be treating like every other episode. This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt check back into the Rose Glass hotel for more raw and earnest filmmaking. This time out, it’s Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian in the lesbian crime thriller, ‘Love Lies Bleeding’. Then it’s a blast from the past. One of the more influential horror films in Chris’ development, it’s Peter Jackson romance slpatter-fest mashup, ‘Braindead’ or how it’s known here in the states, ‘Dead Alive’. There’s the bicep flexing rundown of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week. Then Matt and Chris wrap the big anniversary show with their 5 Favorite Films Since Episode 600, as a minor announcement. So let’s go kick some ass for the lord. 00:00-14:12: Intro/Love Lies Bleeding 14:13-35:38: Physical Media Picks, Crow & Alien Romulus Trailers, & More 35:39-45:40: Braindead (Dead Alive) 45:41-1:05:59: 5 Favorite Films Since Episode 600 1:06:00-1:10:39: Wrap Up & Announcement Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt check out one of two 2024 films about imaginary friends. First up, it’s the latest Blumhouse horror joint, ‘Imaginary’. What happens if your imaginary friend turns out to be a jerk? Two films about imaginary friends in a single year doesn’t sound like a lot but it’s weird that it happened. Then they check out the latest product of Millie Bobbie Browns indentured servant contract with Netflix, ‘Damsel’. As always there’s the big release on physical media, the straight to dvd and streaming picks of the week. Then Matt and Chris are joined by a special guest to wrap this all up with a discussion of all the happenings at the 2024 Oscars and a ScreenRun announcement! I’m not going to give anything away about that thing that happened. You know the one. 00:00-11:34: Intro/Imaginary 11:35-20:50: Physical Media Picks 20:51-29:24: Damsel 29:25-51:57: 2024 Oscar Wrap-Up 52:58-54:26: Wrap-Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt saddle up a grand poppa Sandworm and ride into Dune-iverse with Dune Part 2. While it’s Christmas morning for Matt, after Part 1, Chris felt like he needed to see Part 2 in order to get the whole experience. Whelp, swing and a miss on that one. As we’re clearly in the middle of a larger story, how does Dune Part 2 measure up against the great second films in sci-fi cinematic history? Or should Chris cut the spice intake and chill a bit. Then it’s on to the comedy/horror mash up, ‘Lisa Frankenstein’. Does Zelda Williams’ directorial debut spark to life? There’s spice-y rundown of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week. Then Matt and Chris help you fill out your Oscars bracket with their picks that will win and which picks deserve to win. So fire up your 5 layer bean dip as you prep your Oscars Party. It’s The First Run! 00:00-21:23: Intro/Dune Part 2 21:24-30:30: Physical Media Picks 30:31-37:59: Lisa Frankenstein 38:00-52:44: 2024 Oscars Picks 52:45-53:58: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Matt’s been bitten by a Sumatran Rat Monkey and is feeling a bit under the weather, but we shall soldier on! First up, it’s Ethan Coen’s solo debut, ‘Drive Away Dolls’, featuring Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan as two lesbian friends on a road trip that take a turn south, literally and figuratively. Then the Nic Cage-essiance continues with ‘Dream Scenario’. Or does it? There’s the briefcase full of Physical Media Picks, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week! Then Matt and Chris share their 5 Favorite Coen Brothers Characters. So settle in, grab a pack of Huggies, and listen to another rowdy episode of The First Run. At least until Matt goes full zombie mode. 00:00-12:32: Intro/Drive Away Dolls 12:33-22:06: Physical Media Picks 22:07-31:56: Dream Scenario 31:57-48:26: 5 Favorite Coen Brothers Characters 48:27-51:04: Wrap-Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey.

This week on The First Run, ‘Madame Web’ breaks a Sony/MCU record. But not one of the good ones. Could the critics be wrong and just simply unable to appreciate a fun action film? Or is it just another example of ‘go woke, go broke’?!? Can Dakota Johnson finally cross the Tatum Line for Chris? Then, as a potential welcome respite, Matt and Chris partake in some fine, elegant filmmaking with ‘Riki-Oh: The Story Of Ricki’. After a decade of Chris trying to catch up with the Chinese Martial Arts Splatter-fest. Was it worth the wait? There’s head-crushing review of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week. Chris and Matt then close out the show with a dreamy round of everyone’s favorite role-playing game, ‘Who Dat’. So buckle up, become one with the web of life, and settle in for another spine-tingling episode of The First Run. 00:00-21:19: Intro/Madame Web 21:20-30:14: Physical Media Picks 30:15-38:11: Riki-Oh: The Story Of Ricky 38:12-55:22: Who Dat?!? 55:23-56:12: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on the First Run, Chris and Matt head back to the Stone Age and huddle closer to the flames to ward against the terrors of the night with ‘Out of Darkness’. Then they watch Jason Statham be the Stathamest Statham he can be as he bucks against type as a man who’s the best at what he does but what he does isn’t very nice in ‘The Beekeeper’. As always they give you the big releases on physical media, the Straight to DVD and Streaming Picks of the Week. Then they wrap all this up with their Five Favorite Performances of 2023. 00:00-13:39: Out of Darkness 13:40-25:49: Physical Media Picks 25:50-35:42: The Beekeeper 35:43-48:46: Top 5 Performances Of 2023 48:47-50:40: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

Let’s try and break into the algorithm and go viral. At the Grammy’s this past Sunday, Tay-tay herself, MISS Taylor Swift announced her new album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, dropping April 19th. Throughout the show, Matt and I will be dropping tidbits about the new album with a full discussion its production and an early listen to the first single, her cover of Tracy Chapman’s Turn Right Back Around. There also by some brief talk about the latest film from the twisted mind of Matthew Vaughn, ‘Argyle’, a different kind of possession film with the Shudder original ‘Suitable Flesh’. We keep cruising, because we can’t stop, won’t stop movin’ as we reveal the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week. Then Matt and Chris close out 2023 with their 5 Favorite Films of the year, 2023. So Just think, while you've been gettin' down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world, You could've been gettin' down to this sick beat. It’s another episode of The First Run. 00:00-13:14: Intro/Argylle 13:15-26:07: Physical Media Picks/MegaCon 26:08-32:28: Suitable Flesh 32:29-47:29: 10 Favorite Films Of 2023: 5-1 47:30-49:44: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on the First Run, Chris and Matt take a leisurely trip to the bucolic Polish countryside where everything is totally normal and nothing is out of place with The Zone of Interest. Then they shift gears to take in some mom-tainment for a change with the swimming biopic Nyad. They run down the big releases on physical media, give you their straight-to-DVD and streaming picks of the week then wrap it all up with the bottom half of their favorite films of 2023. 00:00-15:07: The Zone Of Interest 15:08-23:14: Physical Media Picks 23:15-34:38: Nyad 34:39-50:13: 10-6 Favorites of 2023 50:14-53:04 :Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford Bey

This week on The First Run, it’s primary night! Can Nikki Haley topple Donald Trump and steal a primary win? Can Joe Biden win the state without even being on the ballot? Will Ron DeSantis now feel comfortable removing the lifts from his cowboy rasslin’ boots? And after that Chris and Matt are going to discuss Cord Jefferson’s ‘American Fiction’, nominated for 5 Oscars, including Best Picture! Then it’s on to the rallying cry film that’s got all the Q’Anon folks all foamed up in the jammies, It’s crazy Jim Caviezel and ‘Sound Of Freedom’! There’s the Granite State rundown of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week. Then Matt and Chris discuss this year’s Oscar Noms. It’s all the surprises, snubs, and rubs! Matt already furiously texted me half a dozen times about ‘Saltburn’. 00:00-14:54: Intro/American Fiction 14:55-22:39: Physical Media 22:40-36:50: Sound Of Freedom 36:51-53:12: 2024 Oscar Noms 53:13-55:24: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, it’s all A24 all the time. First up is the tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling family in Sean Durkin’s ‘The Iron Claw’. Then the Matt and Chris delve into the relationship between two friends as their lives diverge across the decades with Celine Song’s ‘Past Lives’. As always, they bring you the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Straight to DVD and Streaming Picks of the Week. Then Chris and Matt wrap it all up with another round of Call It! What horrible choices are presented this time and how many involve Arnold Schwarzenegger? 00:00-18:39: Intro/The Iron Claw 18:40-25:21: Physical Media Picks 25:22-44:12: Past Lives 44:13-1:01:30: Call It! 1:01:31-1:03:41: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, it’s a Matt Howell special! It’s biopic week! We’re only missing horror comedies or plays to push Matt over the top. First up, Michael Mann’s ‘Ferrari’, featuring Adam Driver as the titular spaghetti loving talking car, Ferrari. Then Bradley Cooper’s passion project, ‘Maestro’, featuring the life and times of potentially America’s greatest composer, Leonard Bernstein. Cooper co-writes, directs, and stars as the titular Maestro, Lenny Bing-bongs! There’s the mouthwatering rundown of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week! Then Matt and Chris close out the show discussing 5 other things we enjoyed from 2023 that didn’t make the show. 00:00-13:55: Intro/Ferrari 13:56-20:40: Physical Media Picks 20:41-29:25: Maestro 29:26-50:19: 5 Other Things We Watched In 2023 50:20-53:18: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Matt and Chris review three films for you! Lord help us. First up is the difficult to describe critical darling ‘Poor Things’, starring Emma Stone. Is it delightfully weird, a little too self-satisfied with its indulgences, or maybe it’s both? Then we check out ‘Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom’, the death rattle of the often disappointing DCEU. Finally, we’ll visit our ol pal Zack Snyder in his Star Wars-40k-Dune mish-mash ‘Rebel Moon: Child of Fire’. As always, there's the big releases on physical media, the streaming and straight-to-dvd picks of the week and then the guys close out the show with their 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2024. 00:00-17:40: Intro/Poor Things 17:41-36:51: Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom 36:52-44:46: Physical Media Picks 44:47-56:14: Rebel Moon: Child of Fire 56:15-1:19:49: Most Anticipated Films of 2024 1:19:50-1:23:33: Wrap-Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

Sadly, Chris is on the injured list with a bad head cold and no voice. So enjoy this brand new opening from Matt and a re-broadcast of our 2023 Preview featuring the 10 films Chris and Matt were most excited about. How did that end up shaking out…? Don’t worry, the guys will be back next week with an extra super-sized gorgeous episode featuring ‘Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom’, ‘Poor Things’, ‘Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child Of Fire’, and the 2024 Preview! Holy cats that’ll be fun! See you next week!

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt fire up the ol’ Netflix engine to discuss a pair of…interesting films. First up, the Obama’s produced ‘Leave The World Behind’. Sam Esmail’s adaptation of the book brings together a great cast as they deal with something kind of potentially cataclysmic event. Or not? Maybe? Then it’s on to Todd Haynes’ latest, ‘May December’, featuring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. Portman is an actress spending time with Moore as she’s set to portray her in a tv movie and hijinks ensue. There’s the holly AND jolly rundown of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week. Then Matt and Chris share their perfect Christmas playlists, just for you! 00:00-11:20: Leave the World Behind 11:21-16:13: Eileen 16:14-24:30: Physical Media Picks 24:31-35:22: May December 35:23-50:00: Holiday Playlist 50:01-54:55: Wrap-Up Scalzo’s Holiday Playlist Matt’s Holiday Playlist Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on the First Run, Chris and Matt check out the latest and supposedly last film by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, ‘The Boy And The Heron’. Then it’s time to check in on winter break with Alexander Payne’s reunion with Paul Giamatti in, ‘The Holdovers’. There’s the non-denominational review of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Straight to DVD and Streaming Picks of the Week. Matt and Chris then wrap up the show with…something to do with Rolling Stones Top 50 Action Movies of All Time list. Righteous indignation probably. 00:00-16:26: Intro/The Boy And The Heron 16:27-26:37: Physical Media Picks 26:38-39:30: The Holdovers 39:31-59:47: Rolling Stones’ 50 Greatest Action Movies 59:48-1:00:53: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt rejoice in the return of the OG Kaiju, it’s ‘Godzilla: Minus One’! We’re back in post-war Japan, and Big G’s ready to tear stuff up. But instead of being an allegory for post atom bomb destruction, now we’re focusing on the people at ground level. Expanding the human side of the story is a gamble. Is there enough Godzilla smash though…? Then the guys turn to Shudder for a horror spin on one of Chris’ favorites, ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ with, ‘It’s A Wonderful Knife’! We’ll have to see if this is as good an idea as Ted Turner colorizing the original. There’s the holly decked rundown of the big releases on Physical Media, featuring the Streaming and Straight to DVD Picks of the Week! Then Matt and Chris close out the show and unwrap another round of ‘What Are The Odds’! 00:00-16:59: Intro/Godzilla Minus One 17:00-20:34: Silent Night (2023) 20:35-32:50: Physical Media Picks 32:51-40:31: It’s A Wonderful Knife 40:32-1:04:13: What Are The Odds?!? 1:04:14-1:07:25: Wrap Up Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey