This week on The First Run, Matt and Chris check out ‘Mortal Kombat II’. The franchise reboot continues with nary a Christopher Lambert Raiden insight. After the lackluster relaunch back in 2021, can the ill-fated franchise fight back? We know there are going to be fatalities but are there going to be Animalities? Babalities?! FRIENDSHIPS?!? One can dream.

00:00-16:11: Intro/Mortal Kombat II

16:12-22:38: Physical Media Picks

22:39-23:53: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss Damian McCarthy’s ‘Hokum’. It’s McCarthy’s Hollywood debut after finding indie success with ‘Caveat’ and ‘Oddity’. Adam Scott stars in this ghost/witch//mystery/thriller that begs the question, what even is reality, man?!? Then Chris closes out the show by sharing the big releases on Physical Media with a major announcement!

00:00-09:11: Intro/Hokum

09:12-19:20: Physical Media Picks +

19:21-22:11: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on the First Run, Matt and Chris check out the latest from Jorma Taccone with ‘Over Your Dead Body’, where two long time partners go to a cabin in the woods, each with plans to kill the other. They swear this isn't art imitating the lives of long running podcast hosts. Trust them. Then there’s the rundown of big releases on Physical Media.

00:00-19:00: Intro/Over Your Dead Body

19:01-24:41: Physical Media

24:42-26:03: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week in The First Run, Chris and Matt discuss Evil Dead Rises 2: ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’. After a solid effort with ‘The Hole In The Ground’, followed up with ‘Evil Dead Rise’, Cronin takes on the beloved horror monster and gives it a twist. Then there’s the big releases on Physical Media. All this and likely more on this week’s program.

00:00-13:19: Intro/Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

13:20-19:36: Physical Media Picks

19:37-21:59: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt check out the new ‘Faces Of Death’! The film that dares to ask, does watching violence beget violence? The answer: yeah, dude. Can the refresh compete with the first viral video, banned in 46 countries no less! Plus Chris runs down the big releases on Physical Media.

00:00-20:56: Intro/Faces of Death (2026)

20:57-27:26: Physical Media Picks

27:27-30:14: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, as the Super Mario Galaxy film rakes in over $372 million, Chris and Matt discuss the latest film from Julia Ducournau, ‘Alpha’! The director of ‘Raw’ and ‘Titane’ returns with a different kind of horror. Leaning more into metaphor and drama. But is there any hot lady on car action or cannibalism? Chris reveals the big releases on Physical Media, and more!

00:00-12:25: Intro/Alpha

12:26-18:11: Physical Media Picks

18:12-20:58: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Matt and Chris count to 10 and go on the hunt for the devil...for some reason...in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’. Then, back by popular demand for one show only(?), Chris will give you the rundown of the big releases on physical media.

00:00-18:21: Intro/Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come

18:22-23:29: Physical Media Picks

23:30-25:18: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey

This week on The First Run, Chris and Matt are joined by Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast and Back To Bluey to discuss Milana Vayntrub’s latest film, ‘Project Hail Mary’, featuring Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller, and directed by Phil Lord & Chris Miller, the team behind the Spider-Verse series. Does Ms. Vayntrub finally get the recognition she deserves as one of the planet’s pre-eminent actors, comedians, and greatest all-round human beings? Is this gag barely amusing given the disturbing amount of online sexual harassment she’s received. Possibly? I think so. So let’s move on dear listener and discuss what some are describing as an heart-warming sc-fi insta-classic.

00:00-32:23: Intro/Project Hail Mary

32:24-35:17: Wrap Up

Theme music by Jamal Malachi Ford-Bey