Filmspotting

The Inflection Network
The Inflection Network
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Film Reviews
  • Updated weekly

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

  1. 11 hr ago

    The Family That's Prey Together, Pt. 2 — 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. 2 — War of the Worlds (2005)

  2. 1 day ago

    Midnight Run | Archive

    In 2023, Adam and Josh took another look at 1988's Midnight Run for its 35th anniversary. The Robert De Niro/Charles Grodin action comedy was an early and somewhat controversial inductee in the Filmspotting Pantheon, a decision they use their conversation to defend.   Unlock the full archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad‑free + bonus episodes, and more when you ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠. Promo code: summer for 20% off through Aug. 31. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Midnight Run | Archive

  3. 3 days ago

    "The hardest thing in film scoring is to know when to start and when to stop" with author Tim Greiving | The Movie Racket

    Film music historian and journalist ⁠Tim Greiving⁠, author of John Williams: A Composer's Life, joins Michael Phillips to explore one of the foundational dilemmas of movie music, courtesy of legendary composer Max Steiner: "The hardest thing in scoring is to know when to start and when to stop." From King Kong and The Adventures of Robin Hood to Jaws and Star Wars, Michael and Tim trace the history of film scoring through competing philosophies: wall-to-wall music versus strategic restraint, foreground versus background, spectacle versus psychology. And yes, even The Odyssey enters the conversation They discuss Williams's lasting influence, memorable director-composer partnerships, and whether the best movie music tells us what we're seeing or reveals what the characters themselves cannot say. Join the conversation by emailing ⁠movieracket@filmspotting.net⁠. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    "The hardest thing in film scoring is to know when to start and when to stop" with author Tim Greiving | The Movie Racket

  4. 6 days ago

    The End of Oak Street, plus Tony and Late Fame | #1077

    Is The End of Oak Street the best Spielberg movie of 2026? Or is one of your hosts committing movie heresy? Adam and Josh review David Robert Mitchell's dinosaur-filled family adventure and consider whether there's more on its mind than blockbuster thrills. Plus: thoughts on the Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony, Willem Dafoe in Late Fame, and Adam's conversation with the creators of the Table Read podcast. 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 (00:00:00-00:02:23) The End of Oak Street (00:02:24-00:49:09) Spoiler Talk: The End of Oak Street (00:49:09-01:10:34) Filmspotting Family (01:10:35-01:17:04) Tony (01:17:05-01:22:22) Late Fame (01:22:23-01:41:26) MLB at Field of Dreams on Netflix (01:41:27-01:45:52) Introducing: Table Read Podcast (01:45:53-01:59:42) Massacre Theatre (01:59:43-02:08:57) Credits / Releases (02:08:58-2:11:44) Notes: -Myth of the American Sleepover Review | Ann Arbor Observer ⁠https://annarborobserver.com/myth-of-the-american-sleepover/⁠ 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 ⁠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.

    The End of Oak Street, plus Tony and Late Fame | #1077

  5. 19 Aug

    Top 5 Kristen Stewart Scenes | Archive

    Kristen Stewart is back in theaters with The Wrong Girls, which is an excuse to share our Top 5 KStew Scenes from 2017.  Unlock the full archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad‑free + bonus episodes, and more when you ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠. Promo code: summer for 20% off through Aug. 31. "Personal Shopper and the Movies That Haunt Us" Scott, Morris - Great Performances of 2016 Stewart: Hiding In Plain Sight See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Top 5 Kristen Stewart Scenes | Archive

  6. 17 Aug

    "You owe everything to the movie and nothing to the original" with David Kajganich | The Movie Racket

    Screenwriter and producer David Kajganich (Suspiria, Bones and All) joins Michael Phillips to test a provocative rule of adaptation from filmmaker Whit Stillman: "You owe everything to the movie and nothing to the original [source]."But what about the opposite approach? As the Coen brothers once joked about adapting Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men: "One of us types into the computer while the other holds the spine of the book flat." Between those two extremes lies the art of adaptation.Drawing on more than two decades of adapting novels, memoirs, plays, and films, Kajganich explores when fidelity serves a movie, when it becomes a trap, and why great adaptations sometimes have to break the bones of the original work. As you'd expect, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey enters the conversation, along with Howards End, The Shining, The Zone of Interest, and Where the Wild Things Are.Is the best adaptation the one that faithfully recreates its source? Or the one that expresses something new? Join the conversation: email movieracket@filmspotting.net See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    "You owe everything to the movie and nothing to the original" with David Kajganich | The Movie Racket

  7. 16 Aug

    Marathon Awards | Dissident Cinema

    Adam and Josh share their favorite discoveries, performances, and scenes from the recently completed Dissident Cinema Marathon, which included Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, Kurosawa's No Regrets for Our Youth, and Rossellini’s Rome, Open City. Links:-The Circle Ending Revealed | BFI⁠old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/1960⁠ -Filmspotting Marathonshttps://www.filmspotting.net/marathons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Marathon Awards | Dissident Cinema

  8. 14 Aug

    Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and The Brink of War | #1076

    Jane Schoenbrun’s uncategorizable third feature, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, marks the director as among the most assured and provocative filmmakers of their generation. Adam and Josh agree that it’s the film of the year so far. Plus, other notable third features this decade, listeners pick their favorite Spider-Man movie, and Adam reviews The Brink of War. 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 (00:00:00-00:02:38) Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (00:02:39-00:45:20) Filmspotting Family (00:45:21-00:51:21) The Brink of War (00:51:22-01:01:11) Polls (01:01:12-01:11:25) Credits / Releases (01:11:26-01:15:26) 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 episodes and complete archive access. 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.

    Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and The Brink of War | #1076
See All (185)

Hosts & Guests

About

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

Information

More From The Inflection Network

You Might Also Like