Filmspotting

The Inflection Network
The Inflection Network
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Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen review new and classic movies, offering "affable, insightful film analysis since 2005" (NY Times).

  1. 18 hr ago

    Stop Making Sense vs. The Last Waltz | Movie Death Match

    Chris Klimek convenes a battle of the bands between two of the most acclaimed concert films ever made: Jonathan Demme's Stop Making Sense and Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz. One is a lean, propulsive document of Talking Heads at the height of their powers, transforming a live performance into something theatrical and strangely transcendent. The other is a star-studded farewell to The Band that expands beyond a single concert into a sweeping elegy for an era of rock and roll itself. Arguing for The Last Waltz is Steven Hyden (Is This It: The Never-Ending Rise and Fall of The Strokes and Rock and Roll), who contends that Scorsese's film is more than a concert movie: it's the definitive cinematic statement on rock music and its mythology. Representing Stop Making Sense is Elizabeth Cantwell (Bright Wall/Dark Room), who makes the case that Demme's film remains the more immersive, inventive, and enduring work of cinema. Is the greatest concert film about a band, or about rock and roll itself? Which movie best captures the power of live music on screen? Choose your winner at moviedeathmatch.com. CHAPTERS Intro / Meet the Advocates (00:00:00-00:09:55) Rd. 1 The Movies in Their Time (00:09:56-00:45:03) Rd. 2 The Movies in Our Time (00:45:04-01:14:53) Rd. 3 The Movies for All Time (01:14:54-01:29:55) The Verdict / Credits (01:29:56-01:35:42) More From Elizabeth: -One Must Imagine Talking Heads Happy https://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/2025/07/11/stop-making-sense-one-must-imagine-talking-heads-happy/ -Bright Wall/Dark Room Podcast https://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/podcast/ -Assault on Precinct 13 and Schrödinger's Cat https://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/2026/06/15/assault-on-precinct-13-john-carpenter-schrodingers-cat/ More From Steven: -Indiecast https://art19.com/shows/indiecast -Evil Speakers | Substack https://stevenhyden.substack.com/ -There Was Nothing You Could Do https://www.dacapopress.com/titles/steven-hyden/there-was-nothing-you-could-do/9780306832062/ -Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/steven-hyden/your-favorite-band-is-killing-me/9780316259156/ More From Chris: Reviewing the opening of David Byrne’s 2008-9 Everything That Happens Will Happen Today tour for the Washington Post Pop Culture Happy Hour: David Byrne’s American Utopia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Stop Making Sense vs. The Last Waltz | Movie Death Match

  2. 3 days ago

    Ridley Scott Draft with Roxana Hadadi and Filipiñana | #1079

    With The Dog Stars in theaters, Adam and Josh invited Vulture’s Roxana Hadadi to the show for a Ridley Scott Draft. Picks one and two are easy: Alien or Blade Runner. But what about the third pick? And will divisive Scott films like Prometheus and Kingdom of Heaven get any love? Plus, a Golden Brick nomination for the new Filipiñana, thoughts on the passing of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, and Massacre Theatre. This episode is presented by⁠ Regal Unlimited⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code FILMSPOT26 to take 15% off. (Timecodes will not be precise with ads.) Intro (00:00:00-00:02:08) Ridley Scott Draft, Pt. 1 (00:02:09-01:05:14) Filmspotting Family (01:05:15-01:11:14) Ridley Scott Draft, Pt. 2 (01:11:15-01:42:50) Brickspotting: Filipiñana (01:42:51-01:46:50) RIP Dolly Parton, Tim Curry (01:46:51-01:53:04) Massacre Theatre (01:53:05-01:59:42) Credits / Releases (01:59:43-1:48:48) Notes:  -Who won the Ridley Scott Draft? https://www.filmspotting.net/top-5-lists-archive/1079-ridley-scott-draft -"Eva Green rules the much longer, much better director’s cut of Kingdom of Heaven" https://www.avclub.com/eva-green-rules-the-much-longer-much-better-director-s-1846466625 -"Alexander Siddig Answers Every Question We Have About Kingdom of Heaven" https://www.vulture.com/article/alexander-siddig-tells-us-everything-about-kingdom-of-heaven.html Feedback: -Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content. Support: -Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus shows, archive access, and more. http://filmspottingfamily.com -Filmspotting Shop for T-shirts and more.⁠  ⁠https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow: -Watch Filmspotting on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/filmspotting⁠ -Adam/Filmspotting: ⁠Letterboxd⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky⁠ -Josh/LarsenOnFilm: ⁠Letterboxd⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Ridley Scott Draft with Roxana Hadadi and Filipiñana | #1079

  3. 5 days ago

    Blade Runner with Michael Phillips | Archive

    With Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars in theaters and our own Ridley Scott Draft (with Vulture's Roxana  Hadadi) coming Friday, we're sharing this 2017 Sacred Cow review of Scott's sci-fi classic. Michael Phillips joined Adam and Josh. Unlock the full archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad‑free + bonus episodes, and more when you ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Blade Runner with Michael Phillips | Archive

  4. 6 days ago

    The Family That’s Prey Together, Pt. 2 — The End of Oak Street

    The Platt family is barely surviving, and that’s before their neighborhood is inexplicably dropped millions of years into the past and overrun by hungry dinosaurs. The End of Oak Street isn’t nearly as concerned with explaining that premise or exploring its characters as it is with facilitating dino mayhem and nostalgia for the films of writer-director David Robert Mitchell’s youth. That can be to the film’s benefit and detriment, both of which we cover in this week’s discussion, before bringing Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds back in to see how these two family survival narratives compare in their respective ideas about flawed parents, imperiled children, and the universal human desire to not get eaten. Then in Your Next Picture Show we consider a couple of possible alternate pairing for Oak Street, one featuring aliens, one featuring dinosaurs, and both underrated. Please share your thoughts about War of the Worlds, The End of Oak Street, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Next Pairing: Alexander Ullom’s It Ends and Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The Family That’s Prey Together, Pt. 2 — The End of Oak Street

  5. 31 Aug

    "Pictures are for entertainment, messages should be delivered by Western Union" with Robert Daniels | The Movie Racket

    Film critic Robert Daniels (⁠RogerEbert.com⁠, The New York Times) joins Michael Phillips to test one of Hollywood's most enduring bits of studio wisdom, attributed to producer Samuel Goldwyn: "Pictures are for entertainment, messages should be delivered by Western Union." From I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, High Noon, and The Best Years of Our Lives to Origin, Don't Look Up, and Triangle of Sadness, Michael and Robert discuss why some films are elevated by their ideas while others collapse under them, and whether the most effective message movies are the ones that never look like message movies at all. Join the conversation by emailing ⁠movieracket@filmspotting.net⁠. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    "Pictures are for entertainment, messages should be delivered by Western Union" with Robert Daniels | The Movie Racket

  6. 30 Aug

    Top 5 Needle Drops (Pt. 2)

    Adam and Josh return with guest Rico Gagliano (MUBI Podcast) for Part 2 of their Top 5 Needle Drops. This episode brought to you by Anderson, Linklater, Fincher, and Scorsese.  Notes: -The Sigur Rós song “Starálfur” means "staring elf," not "little elf." Josh harmar mistökin. Feedback: -Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content. Support: -Use code “summer” for 20% off a Filmspotting Family membership (thru 8.31) http://filmspottingfamily.com -Filmspotting Shop for T-shirts and more.⁠  ⁠https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow: -Watch Filmspotting on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/filmspotting⁠ -Adam/Filmspotting: ⁠Letterboxd⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky⁠ -Josh/LarsenOnFilm: ⁠Letterboxd⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Top 5 Needle Drops (Pt. 2)

  7. 28 Aug

    Top 5 Needle Drops (Pt. 1) and It Ends | #1078

    Rico Gagliano (MUBI Podcast) joins Adam and Josh for the Top 5 Needle Drops, a conversation so robust we split it in half. Plus, the new It Ends earns a Golden Brick nomination, and listeners tell us the best third feature since 2020. This episode is presented by⁠ Regal Unlimited⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code FILMSPOT26 to take 15% off. (Timecodes will not be precise with ads.) Intro (00:00:00-00:02:37) Rico Gagliano Welcome / Top 5 Intro (00:02:38-00:24:52) Top 5 Needle Drops (#5-4) (00:24:53-01:02:51) Filmspotting Family (01:02:52-01:07:33) Golden Brickspotting: It Ends (01:07:34-01:18:20) Polls (01:18:21-01:33:27) Credits / Releases (01:33:28-1:37:57) Feedback: -Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content. Support: -Use code "summer" for 20% off a Filmspotting Family membership (thru 8.31) http://filmspottingfamily.com -Filmspotting Shop for T-shirts and more.⁠  ⁠https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow: -Watch Filmspotting on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/filmspotting⁠ -Adam/Filmspotting: ⁠Letterboxd⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky⁠ -Josh/LarsenOnFilm: ⁠Letterboxd⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Top 5 Needle Drops (Pt. 1) and It Ends | #1078

  8. 27 Aug

    The Family That's Prey Together, Pt. 1 — War of the Worlds (2005)

    David Robert Mitchell’s The End of Oak Street drops an ordinary family into extraordinary circumstances, forcing them to focus all their energy on surviving— and maybe, just maybe, learning to understand each other along the way. That structure, combined with Oak Street’s Spielbergian spectacle, pointed us toward 2005’s War of the Worlds, which fuses H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel to images and emotions that draw on the attacks of 9/11. How that approach holds up a quarter-century removed from the events that inspired it is up for discussion this week, along with where War of the Worlds falls on the Steven Spielberg Alien-Encounter Continuum, and just how close that sentimental ending comes to ruining the movie entirely. Then in Feedback, a listener, with an assist from Orson Welles, invites us to get galaxy-brained on the nature of homage as it relates to cinema generally and this podcast specifically.  Please share your thoughts about War of the Worlds, The End of Oak Street, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The Family That's Prey Together, Pt. 1 — War of the Worlds (2005)
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Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen review new and classic movies, offering "affable, insightful film analysis since 2005" (NY Times).

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