Filmspotting

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

  1. 4 hr ago

    Featuring: Table Read Podcast | SuburbaKnight - Act 2

    SUBURBAKNIGHT: Act Two Walter Knope has finally discovered the one thing worse than suspecting your new neighbor is a sex demon. Being right. Inside Richard's immaculate house, Walter gets the confirmation he was looking for. The Maitlands are dead. Richard isn't human. And he isn't just interested in Samantha. He wants everything Walter has. Walter tries to warn Sam. It goes badly. What starts as an argument about Richard quickly becomes an argument about money, sex, failure, jealousy and every other thing a married couple has been politely not saying out loud. Sam packs a bag. Walter, terrified Richard will get to her, practically helps her leave. Written by Nick Bannister, SUBURBAKNIGHT is a wicked suburban horror-comedy about marriage, masculinity and what happens when your midlife crisis actually grows horns. Walter needs someone who understands monsters. Enter Bobby Joe Williams. Local horror host. Full-time drunk. Part-time monster expert. Possibly the least reassuring person you could want standing between your family and eternal damnation. Bobby Joe confirms the bad news. Richard is an incubus. He feeds on souls, controls his victims through desire and, unfortunately, appears to be immortal. Meanwhile, Richard has already started remaking the neighborhood. Walter goes looking for Andy and instead finds him dead in the bathtub, his wife Alli transformed into something considerably less neighborly. Walter barely escapes with his life. Then Samantha comes home. Richard is waiting. This time, Sam sees him too. When Richard finally drops the charm and shows them what he really is, he offers Walter everything he ever wanted. Money. Freedom. A fresh start. All he wants in return is Samantha. Walter says no. Then Mia introduces Richard's face to a medieval mace. For a moment, it feels like the Knopes may actually have this thing under control. Then Richard takes their daughter. Now Walter and Sam are done running. They need Mia back. They need help. Unfortunately, the closest thing they have to a professional is Bobby Joe Williams in boxer shorts drinking margarita straight from a blender pitcher. So they do what any responsible parents would do. They raid the failed antique business. Crossbow. Mace. Axe. Sword. Armor. Walter's junk has finally found a purpose. And across the street, Richard is waiting. Starring Darin Toonder, Jim O'Heir, Jade Tailor, Jack Daniel, Rob Fitzgerald, Logan Laurel, Emily Brolin, Ashley Platz, and Zeke Alton. Produced by Table Read Podcast and Manifest Media Productions, LLC. Executive Produced by Jack Levy, Shaan Sharma, and Mark Knell. Find The Show: Table Read Podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Featuring: Table Read Podcast | SuburbaKnight - Act 2
  2. 2 days ago

    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)
  3. 4 days ago

    Don’t Say Good Luck and the Evolution of Happy Madison Productions | SVU

    Happy Madison Productions is now cranking out movies starring two generations of Sandlers: paterfamilias Adam and daughters Sadie and Sunny. Earlier this year, Sadie starred in Netflix’s college-set Roommates, and now it’s Sunny’s turn in Don’t Say Good Luck, a tear-jerker that pairs family drama with high school musical drama. And it’s a pairing that Matt and Jordan agree works pretty well, thanks to the director Julia Hart (Fast Color, I’m Your Woman), solid work from Sandler, and a great performance by Melanie Lynskey as Sunny’s mom. Plus, a “Nepo Baby” streaming rec from Matt, and one from Jordan for a forgotten Oscar-winning Canadian film from the early 2000s. And Matt hosts another round of Portmanteau-to-Toe.   Intro (00:00:00–00:03:16) Don’t Say Good Luck (00:03:17–00:24:27) Rec Seg! Nepo Babies and Canadian Oscar-winners (00:24:28–00:39:07) Game: Portmanteau-to-Toe (00:39:08–00:58:57) Mailbag / New to Streaming / Credits (00:58:58–01:11:25) Show Notes Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive⁠ https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/⁠ Pre-Order Matt's book "Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever" (Coming October 6th):⁠ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/⁠ Feedback: Email us at feedback@filmspottingSVU.com Follow Matt on Blue Sky: @mattsinger.bsky.social Follow Jordan on Blue Sky: @jhoffman.bsky.social Follow the Show:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/superpulse/⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/FilmspottingSvu⁠ Follow the Show:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/superpulse/⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/FilmspottingSvu⁠ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Don’t Say Good Luck and the Evolution of Happy Madison Productions | SVU
  4. 21 Aug

    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

About

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

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