Filmspotting

4.6 (4K)
Film Reviews
Updated Weekly

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

18h ago

HBO’s Miss You Love You Belongs On Stage | SVU

Matt and Jordan review HBO’s Sundance acquisition Miss You Love You. And while Jordan finds it to be a handsome, moving, and well-acted "filmed play", Matt finds too modest and predictable. For Rec Seg, Matt revisits the grueling, ice-cold dread of corporate culture with a 2019 workplace thriller, while Jordan counters with a classic 1982 Sidney Lumet thriller packed with more twists, turns -- and smooches! Finally, Jordan takes the reins as Dungeon Master for a game called On a Wing and a Prayer. Chapters / Timecodes (Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.) Intro (00:00:00–00:7:27) Miss You Love You (00:7:28–00:26:54) Rec Seg!: (00:26:55–00:43:49) Personalized Recs (00:43:50–01:04:34) Game: On a Wing and a Prayer (01:04:35–01:23:04) Wrap-Up & Credits (01:23:05–01:35:02) Show Notes Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/ Matt's appearances on our sister podcast, The Next Picture Show, discussing Shogun Assassin and The Mandalorian and Grogu. https://www.filmspotting.net/nextpictureshow 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 35m
1d ago

Z: Costa-Gavras’s Jolting Anti-Fascist Thriller | Dissident Cinema

Adam and Josh reach a definitive milestone in Filmspotting’s Dissident Cinema Marathon with Costa-Gavras’s Oscar-winning 1969 masterpiece, Z. A thinly veiled account of a political assassination and subsequent government cover-up in Greece, the film stands as a foundational text for the modern paranoid thriller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43 min
4d ago

Obsession and Power Ballad: Be Careful What You Wish For | #1068

Adam and Josh catch up with the summer's surprise hit Obsession, the “monkey’s paw” update from YouTube creator turned first-time feature-director Curry Barker. Then, it’s John Carney’s Power Ballad, with Paul Rudd as a down-on-his-luck wedding singer who has a chance encounter with a former boy band star played by Nick Jonas. Plus, poll results and listener feedback on Rudd's best supporting roles. Intro (00:00:00-00:01:57) Obsession (00:01:58-00:41:33) Filmspotting Family (00:41:34-00:47:17) Notes / New Poll (00:47:18-00:55:42) Poll Results: Paul Rudd (00:55:43-01:01:34) Power Ballad (01:01:35-01:22:38) Credits / Releases (01:22:39-01:25:15) Links: -Filmspotting Fest II: June 27-28, 2026⁠ ⁠ ⁠https://www.filmspottingfest.com⁠ -Movie Death Match Podcast: Close Encounters vs. E.T.⁠ ⁠ ⁠https://www.filmspotting.net/episodes⁠ Feedback: -Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content. Support: -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.

1h 28m
6d ago

Top 5 Movie Bands | Archive

From amps cranked up to eleven, to the sweet, soulful harmonies of a dynamic rhythm and blues revival, Adam and Josh count down their Top 5 (Fictional) Movie Bands. 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.

38 min
Jun 9

Netflix’s The Crash is an Ethical Sinkhole | SVU

Matt and Jordan review Netflix's massive true crime tabloid horror hit, The Crash, a direct-to-streaming look at the tragic Mackenzie Sherilla case. Jordan walks away feeling like he needs a shower for his soul, while Matt thanks his lucky stars that social media didn't exist when he was a youngster. For Rec Seg, Matt challenges the "drek" of the true crime genre by recommending an Oscar-nominated Netflix doc and Jordan counters with a 2018 indie drama that offers a nuanced take on the endless scroll. Listener requests yield recommendations for a 1945 "hardcore British" romance and 2012 Sundance indie featuring an ex-con who hangs out with a robot. Finally, Producer Sam steps in to host a true crime-inspired game called If You Can't Do the Time, Don't Watch the True Crime (on Amazon Prime). Plus, dabbing, dad jokes, and brief thoughts on box office phenomenons Backrooms and Obsession, and Masters of the Universe. (Ep. #175)Chapters / Timecodes (Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.) Backrooms, Obsession, Masters of the Universe (00:00:00–00:7:45) The Crash (00:7:46–00:24:14) Rec Seg!: Good True Crime, Online Teens (00:24:15–00:40:11) Personalized Recs: British Romance, Sundance Dramedy (00:40:11–01:05:31) Game: If You Can’t Do The Time… (01:05:32–01:20:34) New to Streaming / Credits (01:20:35–01:29:18) Show Notes Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/ Matt's appearances on our sister podcast, The Next Picture Show, discussing Shogun Assassin and The Mandalorian and Grogu. https://www.filmspotting.net/nextpictureshow 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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 30m
Jun 8

No Regrets for Our Youth: Kurosawa’s Bold Post-War Melodrama | Dissident Cinema

Adam and Josh continue Filmspotting’s Dissident Cinema Marathon with Akira Kurosawa’s 1946 drama No Regrets for Our Youth. Released in the immediate aftermath of WWII, the film stands out as a blatantly political entry in Kurosawa's catalog — and notably, his only film featuring a sole female protagonist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

38 min
Jun 5

Backrooms and Exit 8: Liminality vs. Narrativity | #1067

Adam and Josh step into the uncanny world of eerie, empty spaces to ask whether 2026 is the year of liminal horror. First up: YouTube curiosity turned box office phenom Backrooms. Then, Exit 8, an inspired video game adaptation from Japan that’s equal parts Groundhog Day and The Shining. Plus, 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 reflect the raw transcript audio tracks and may vary slightly with ads.) Intro (00:00:00-00:01:55) Backrooms: (00:01:56-00:30:36) Backrooms: Spoiler Talk (00:30:37-00:40:11) Filmspotting Family (00:40:12-00:47:22) Exit 8 (00:47:23-01:00:26) Filmspotting Fest II / Poll (01:00:27-01:05:22) Massacre Theatre (01:05:23-01:11:55) Credits/Releases (01:11:56-01:15:44) Links: -Filmspotting Fest II: June 27-28, 2026 https://www.filmspottingfest.com -Movie Deathmatch Podcast: Close Encounters vs. E.T. https://www.filmspotting.net/episodes 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 archive access. https://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.

1h 18m
Jun 3

Top 5 Films of 1987 | Archive

From the manic, diaper-stealing chaos of the American Southwest, to the timeless charm of a classic fairy tale, Adam and Josh count down their Top 5 Films of 1987. 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.

34 min

See All (137)

Adam Kempenaar

Host
Josh Larsen

Host
Roxana Hadadi

Guest
Tony Chiu Wai Leung

Guest

4.6

out of 5

3,952 Ratings

Long time listener— remains essential

Apr 19

G-2101

No other cultural criticism podcast does as good a job and provoking my interest and uncovering insights. The two hosts deal with the pluses and minuses of all stripes of movies with frankness and clarity. They consistently move the topics to keep things fresh and snappy. I’ve missed v few episodes since the beginning times and consider this show essential listening.
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May 7

Celros

The show is interesting but the ads are just intolerable..
SVU is just like Filmspotting…

Apr 23

eanderso

…if Adam and Josh were suddenly 15 again and there was an undetected gas leak in the house.
Outstanding movie podcast

Apr 18

JBCMIA

Every week hosts Josh and Adam bring more than an hour of insightful and Amusing film commentary. A current movie is reviewed, a top five list is given of movies which are outstanding on a related team director or actor, And there are other recurring themes such as massacre theater in which the host act out a scene (which I can never remember). There are two fantastic reasons to watch the show. One, it tells you which of the current movies are worth seeing, without ever spoiling the movie. To it gives you many old movies which are worth seeing on streaming outlets allowing you to fill in gaps in your film history. It’s a great podcast and I highly recommend it