CHILLPAK HOLLYWOOD HOUR

It's a special Top Ten show! Your friends in podcasting count down their all time favorite War Films! It's amazing how many different sub-genres of war films, Dean and Phil discover and more than thirty films actually get discussed. Trust us - It's totally awesome.

This week's show is an interesting one that your friends in podcasting recorded together in Los Angeles. It starts with Dean describing two "Live Events of the Week" - a production of Something Rotten! and the debut Maurice and Paul Marciano Art Foundation exhibit at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center on Wilshire - and Phil describing the truly horrible Office Christmas Party and the terrific The Trip to Spain. The show continues with Dean's interview of one of the creative souls behind The X-Files: Deep State game. Then, Dean and Phil roll up their sleeves to figure out what's right with "Star Trek: Discovery", what's wrong with it, and why viewers seem to hate it so much! All that plus a legendary broadcaster and a peerless singer are remembered in "Celebrity Deaths". Monday. 9 am Pacific. The first episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour in 2018, wherever good podcasts can be found!

A lit bit of a Holiday pastiche, the bulk of this week's episode was recorded on the meant streets of L.A. as Phil Leirness drove Dean Haglund from LAX to a certain "historic building in downtown Los Angeles." How sick IS Phil? How did Dean spend his 19 hours in transit? What are their holiday plans? Find out ... Plus a lot of TV and movie talk from your friends in podcasting. Happy Holidays, everybody!

Your friends in podcasting discuss one of the most sad Christmas celebrations in history, before discussing the deaths of a pop music star, a Native American character actor, a documentary filmmaker and the mayor of SF. Then, Phil turns his attention to one of the most surprising facts to come out of the Disney purchase of 21st Century Fox and Dean tries to calm him down. Then, they delve into the trouble engulfing Matt Damon, before weighing in on three brand new Oscar hopefuls: Downsizing (starring Mr. Damon), Phantom Thread (starring Daniel Day Lewis in his final role), and the rather miraculous All The Money In The World. All that, plus Kyle Machlachlan weighs in on whether "Twin Peaks: The Return" was a terrific season of a television series or whether it was one of the best feature films of the year, and a fantastic note from a loyal listener like you (yes, YOU!) is shared.

This week's episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour is a lot of fun, full of fascinating discussion and tons of laughs ... It starts with Dean and Phil discussing ballet and ice skating! When has THAT happened on this show?! Phil weighs in on two live events AND the David Lynch-ian qualities of Glendale, California (where much of "Twin Peaks: The Return" was filmed). Then, thank heavens, there's only one "celebrity death" to discuss and it's an interesting one you probably don't know about! That leads into a discussion of whether there really have been more "celebrity deaths" this year and last than ever before and whether the music industry has been especially hard hit. There's actually a study being conducted to find those answers! In show business news, it is likely that the legendary studio 20th Century Fox will no longer exist as of Wednesday, becoming subsumed by the ever growing Disney powerhouse. What does that mean for the future of the industry? Dean and Phil will wrestle with that question. Of course, there is also the latest in "Toxic Masculinity". This week's headliners include Louis CK, Dustin Hoffman, John Oliver and Bryan Singer. From show biz figures behaving badly to movies receiving accolades, Dean and Phil will dig into the movies making lots of Top Ten Lists, before reviewing a couple films that may or may not be making those lists. All that, PLUS ... In May of 2018, your friends in podcasting celebrate 11 years of bringing you free weekly entertainment. In 2018, they also want to bring you the sequel to their documentary The Truth Is Out There, but they really need your help! Until Tuesday night (Pacific time), you can donate on Indiegogo to help Dean and Phil finish the movie!

This week's show will be both quite heartfelt and a whole lot of fun, even if Dean is under the weather! It starts with a discussion of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Then, in "Celebrity Deaths", Dean and Phil remember a veteran character actor who became the patriarch of a show business dynasty, the man who played one of the most beloved characters in television history, one of the band members who brought us a truly iconic song, a popular soul singer who gave it all up in order to help people and an all too unsung power-pop guitarist. In what has become their weekly update on toxic masculinity in the news, Dean and Phil will weigh in on the two scandals rocking the Disney Corporation, the allegations agains the legendary Garrison Keillor and an email from a listener like you (yes, YOU) about "killing" misogyny. After that, it's time for the "season of self-congratulation" in Hollywood. The latest movie awards news gets analyzed and at least six new films get discussed. Finally, the show ends with some very special shout-outs to some truly terrific folks. If you haven't already visited the Indiegogo campaign for the sequel to The Truth Is Out There (the epic 2011 documentary made by your friends in podcasting), please do so at http://igg.me/at/truthmovie2 and give what you can. Every dollar donated makes a difference! Or, so that Dean and Phil can access the funds right away, donate on their PayPal form (all comparable "perks" on Indiegogo will be honored)! Your help will be greatly appreciated!

With how much ground your friends in podcasting cover on this week's show, you'll forgive them going almost eight minutes overtime, won't you? The show starts with a "Live Event of the Week" as Phil regales Dean with tales of his 49th birthday celebrations on a day that involved marionettes, Norse mythology and the oldest restaurant in Hollywood. Then, for the first time in ages, Dean and Phil discuss what they're reading. After that, it's onto "Celebrity Deaths" which contains a correction of a correction from last week, as well as remembrances of a former teen idol, a jazz great, a country music great, a gospel great and two award-winning actors. Then, a few more thoughts about the latest news involving toxic masculinity, the United States Senate and "Whataboutism" before Dean and Phil roll up their sleeves to discuss almost a dozen movies, including both the 1974 and 2017 versions of Murder on the Orient Express, Orson Welles' 1952 Othello, Kelly Reichardt's Certain Women, and this year's award hopefuls Last Flag Flying, Call Me By Your Name, Lady Bird, Mudbound, Hostiles and The Disaster Artist. And speaking of movies, your friends in podcasting need help finishing the long-awaited sequel to their epic documentary The Truth Is Out There ... Please visit http://igg.me/at/truthmovie2 and give what you can. Every dollar donated makes a difference! Or, so they can access the funds right away, donate on their PayPal form (all comparable "perks" on Indiegogo will be honored)!

On this week's show and just in time for Thanksgiving in the USA, there is a true abundance of nourishing topics Dean and Phil can truly devour. They will begin by providing updates on a couple of their creative endeavors (including a certain graphic novel) before moving into this week's "Celebrity Deaths" where they will remember a legendary rock star, a budding rap star, a hugely popular gossip columnist and where they will offer a mea culpa for a mispronunciation of a celebrity's name in episode 548. From there it's back into the just-starting cultural conversation about toxic masculinity, with their latest perspectives on Kevin Spacey, Louis CK, Al Franken, Jeffrey Tambor, their historic perspectives on Bill Clinton and Clarence Thomas and their correction over a story about Shirley Temple that Phil told on episode 548. Then, they will shift gears with their latest takes on season 1 of "Star Trek: Discovery" and season 3 of "Mr. Robot" before Phil passionately defends the (in his opinion) underrated The Man Who Invented Christmas. All that, plus your friends in podcasting would like you to take a few moments to learn about The Truth Is Still Out There the long-awaited follow up to their epic 2011 documentary Monday. 9 am Pacific. Wherever good podcasts can be found!

When Dean and Phil set out to make The Lady Killers, they believed it to be an exaggerated depiction of toxic masculinity at play. It turns out they were making a feature film that critic Matt Giles says "could not be more culturally relevant." He calls it "exactly the kind of movie we need right now." After a robust round of "Celebrity Deaths" (this week celebrating several actors, singers and musicians), your friends in podcasting wade into the waters of toxic masculinity to discuss Louis CK, Irving Thalberg, Woody Allen, Kevin Spacey, Bryan Singer, Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, recent gun violence, terror attacks, lions, tigers and bears. Oh, my! Watch out patriarchy, Dean and Phil have you in their sights! Oh, and they talk movies, too. 1971's THX 1138 and 2017's The Man Who Invented Christmas and A Ghost Story get discussed.

It's been several weeks where Dean and Phil did a "normal" show, so naturally, it's time for "Celebrity Deaths". In this week's edition, an astonishing number of great musicians are remembered, as well as a handful of actors. Your friends in podcasting also discuss current episodic television, with Dean weighing in on "Star Trek: Discovery" and Phil assessing the current season of "Mr. Robot". Then, it's time for the big-screen (or, in Dean's case, the super-small screen as he usually watches films on airplanes). A Vietnamese romantic comedy about an absent-minded reptile professor, a romantic comedy about a girl in a coma, the brilliantly artistic sequel to a sci-fi landmark, and a truly funny sequel to a Marvel franchise all get discussed.

After several weeks of "pre-recorded" episodes, Dean and Phil hooked up via Skype to catch up on each other's travels and to discuss the recent change in attitudes towards their unsettling dark comedy The Lady Killers. Prepare to be amazed by Dean's adventures in Cambodia, where he painted, explored, and came down with a nifty bout of intestinal distress! Phil recounts his first ever trip to Las Vegas, his exploration of Utah, his challenges adjusting to the altitude of Aspen, Colorado, and the breathtaking, life-changing majesty of Monument Valley. He also regales with tales of "Portlandia" and "Twin Peaks" filming locations and describes the reception afforded their aforementioned movie at the Tri-Cities International Film Festival. In the wake of what seems to be a never-ending avalanche of news involving the appalling behavior of men, with their depiction of toxic masculinity, Dean and Phil have made a film one recent reviewer called, "exactly the kind of film we need right now." All that, plus the cryptic advice Phil received on the road: "Life begins at Moab". YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour. Buckle up and prepare for takeoff!

This week's show is quite unusual, even by our standards. Your friends in podcasting are both immersed in travel adventures. Dean is painting in Southeast Asia, Phil is showing The Lady Killers in the Pacific Northwest. So, this week's episode is culled together from three different sources: Studio 10, the morning television show Dean frequently co-hosts in Sydney, Australia; The Hilarium Sydney, Dean's pop-up comedy club that ran for the length of the The Sydney Fringe; an outdoor fire pit in Martinez, California, where Phil interviewed great friend to the show, esoteric researcher and author, magazine editor and publisher (and so much more) Olav Phillips. From comedy about being an American or Canadian transplant down under (as well as a routine about ... recycling?) to spooky discussions about the mythological underpinnings of the SS and conspiracy theories being "encoded" into popular modern movies, this week's installment of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour is a fun, funny globe-trotting adventure.

Full disclosure: This week's episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour is an absolute epic, recorded LAST weekend. So, you won't hear Dean and Phil weighing in on the Las Vegas tragedy, on the death of Tom Petty, nor on any other events of the week. Instead, your friends in podcasting fill the show's 80 minute running time by discussing the conclusion of Dean's month-long pop-up comedy venue in Sydney, a terrific close-up magic show in Downtown Los Angeles, the recent spate of protests by NFL players, the cancer diagnosis of Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, the sexual assault allegations against film critic Harry Knowles, several new and recent movie releases (including "It", "Victoria & Abdul" and "The Florida Project"). That would be, and was, enough for one whole hour ... AND THEN, Dean and Phil celebrate the lives of a record number of persons in "Celebrity Deaths", including a soul singer who didn't start recording until age 62, a publishing magnate responsible for Donald Trump's "The Art of the Deal", a former UCLA Film School Dean who was responsible for Americans scaling Everest, the boxing champ whose life inspired an Oscar-winning movie, an actor-athlete-poet-painter who played James Bond's CIA pal Felix Leiter, a Winnipeg-born giant of TV game shows, and a half dozen more!

Everyone loves a good sequel, right? This week is part 2 of a theme show where Dean and Phil examine the British Film Institute list of "The 50 Films you should see by the age of 14." The list was created in 2005 to inspire parents and educators to take movies as seriously as other forms of art and included the opinions of more than 70 experts including film producers, teachers, authors and critics. Of course, YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour was not around back then, so the BFI had to make do without input from your friends in podcasting. Until now. There are times Dean and Phil strongly agree with the list, other times they realize they have holes in their own cinematic educations, and times when they disagree with the list and/or note its particular European and British slant on the subject. All in all, a fascinating discussion of the art form, of education, of parenting and more. Part 2 picks up where Part 1 left off - 1971 (and Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout) - and goes through the final entry, 2003's Finding Nemo.

The next two weeks will feature a 2-part theme show where Dean and Phil examine the British Film Institute list of "The 50 Films films you should see by the age of 14." It was created in 2005 to inspire parents and educators to take movies as seriously as other art forms of art and included the opinions of more than 70 experts including film producers, teachers, authors and critics. Of course, YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour was not around back then, so the BFI had to make do without input from your friends in podcasting. Until now. There are times Dean and Phil strongly agree with the list, other times they realize they have holes in their own cinematic educations, and times when they disagree with the list and/or note its particular European and British slant on the subject. All in all, a fascinating discussion of the art form, of education, of parenting and more. Part 1 examines all selections through 1971.