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).

11h ago

Zuck Dynasty, Pt. 1 — The Social Network

Aaron Sorkin has said his new The Social Reckoning is not a sequel so much as a companion piece to David Fincher’s The Social Network, which Sorkin also scripted. Whatever you call it, though, these two films are undeniably linked, not just by Sorkin’s involvement, but especially by their interest in the tech-bro enigma that is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. So this week we’re returning to 2010 and The Social Network to consider how the film’s depiction of Facebook’s then-recent origin story plays from our social-media-saturated present; how Sorkin’s script and Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Zuckerberg find humanity, and maybe even sympathy, in a pointedly unlikable protagonist; and how Fincher made it all work on screen, from the instant-classic Facemash montage to a final shot we’ll be forever refreshing in our minds. Then in Feedback, a longtime friend of the show shares some thoughts prompted by our recent episode on William Friedkin’s Sorcerer. Please share your thoughts about The Social Network, The Social Reckoning, 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.
1d ago

Top 5 Sofia Coppola Scenes | Archive

Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette is back in theaters this week for its 20th anniversary. In 2017, along with a review of Coppola's The Beguiled, Josh and guest host Angelica Jade Bastien shared their Top 5 Sofia Coppola Scenes. 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.
2d ago

Apple TV’s Matchbox The Movie Is a Movie For No One, plus Slow-Burn Horror Movies | SVU

From none of the people who brought you Barbie comes a new film inspired by (or mandated by?) the Mattel corporation. It’s Matchbox: The Movie! And it stinks. But in what ways exactly does it stink? The answers may surprise you. Matt and Jordan discuss. Plus, Jordan’s thoughts on the conclusion of Prime Video’s Carrie limited series, which was reviewed on last week’s show; a Rec Seg featuring titles — one adapted from a video game, the other from a toy — that fare better than Matchbox; a listener request for slow-burn horror movies; and the return of Portmanteau-to-Toe: a Movie Trivia Game. Intro / Carrie recap (00:00:00–00:08:41) Matchbox: The Movie (Apple TV) (00:08:42–00:33:42) Rec Seg! (00:33:43–00:47:41) Listener Request Seg: Slow-Burn Horror Movies (00:47:42–01:05:33) Game: Portmanteau-To-Toe (01:05:34–01:24:55) New to Streaming / Credits (01:24:56–01:34:08) Show Notes Jordan: “What 6 Different Versions of This Sex Comedy Say About the Countries That Made Them” https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/04/review-the-invite-film-international-versions/ Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive⁠ https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/⁠ Order Matt's book "Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever" (available now!):⁠ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/⁠ Matt’s book tour! matt-singer.net 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.
3d ago

"I wonder what percent of people ever actually encounter a work of art that changes them" with Manohla Dargis | The Movie Racket

Can a movie change your life? In a 1960s interview, Stanley Kubrick posed a deceptively simple provocation: "I wonder what percent of people ever actually encounter a work of art that changes them."This week, New York Times Chief Film Critic Manohla Dargis joins Michael Phillips to test this proposition against a lifetime of moviegoing. Together, they reflect on films that expanded their sense of what cinema could do — from Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless and Every Man for Himself to Kubrick's own 2001: A Space Odyssey — and discuss the difference between a movie that alters your life and one that offers you a profound experience.Join the conversation by emailing themovieracket@filmspotting.net. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6d ago

Fall Movie Preview and The Social Reckoning | #1085

With the fall film festival season (mostly) in the rearview and release dates set through the end of the year, Adam and Josh hold a Fall Movie Preview Draft that sees them largely ignoring obvious picks like Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three in favor of battling over some of the most intriguing indies still to come. Plus, a review of Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning 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 (00:00:00-00:02:25) ‘26 Fall Preview Draft (00:02:26-0:25:19) Filmspotting Family (0:25:20-00:31:25) Preview Draft, cont. (00:31:26-1:02:41) The Social Reckoning (1:02:42-01:30:58) Massacre Theatre (01:30:59-01:36:46) Credits / New Releases (01:36:47-01:44:01) Notes: -Yes, for some reason James Caan appeared on a Fall Preview cast list for “Cliff Booth” along with his son. No, it didn’t occur to Adam that he was dead. (He is.) -”The Family Guy” has the famous “It insists upon itself” joke – not “The Simpsons.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYAi5aI_NPc -Refocus Film Festival https://refocusfilmfestival.org/ 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.
Oct 15

Trial By Media, Pt. 2 — Primetime | Next Picture Show

Primetime is a far-from-straightforward take on a true story, using the mid-aughts TV phenomenon To Catch a Predator and especially its host, Chris Hansen, for a darkly comic exploration of the morally murky place where ambition and justice overlap. It’s a tonal high wire act that gets a lot of mileage out of Lance Oppenheim’s expressively stylized direction and strong performances from Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, and Skyler Gisondo, but whether that all adds up to a satisfying film is up for debate this week. Then we bring 1957’s Sweet Smell of Success back in for Connections to discuss how it and Primetime both navigate protagonists who punch down from their moral high ground, and the bygone media environments that enable them, all while maintaining a sense of humor. Then, for anyone looking for a fuller picture of To Catch a Predator’s rise and fall, we offer a Your Next Picture Show for David Osit’s 2025 documentary Predators. Please share your thoughts about Sweet Smell of Success, Primetime, 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: Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning and David Fincher's The Social Network. 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.
Oct 14

Top 5 of 1991 | Archive

The 1991 movie year turns 35 this year. T2, Barton Fink, Boys in the Hood. In 2014, Adam and Josh looked back a mere 23 years for their Top 5 of '91. 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.
Oct 13

Is Prime’s Carrie Remake Too Much of a Good Thing? | SVU

Stephen King’s Carrie has been adapted for film twice, has endured a sequel and even a Broadway musical, and now Mike Flanagan has brought the writer’s debut novel to the small screen in a limited series for Prime Video. Flanagan is a peerless adapter of King’s work, but does any version of Carrie need to be eight hours? Matt and Jordan discuss. In the Rec Seg, recommendations for a classic of ‘70s German cinema and an underseen King adaptation from the ‘90s. Plus, a listener writes in for some under-the-radar horror comedies, and Producer Sam hosts a King-themed movie game. Intro (00:00:00–00:02:26) Carrie (Prime Video) (00:02:27–00:31:45) Rec Seg! (00:31:46–00:50:55) Listener Req Seg! (00:50:56–01:06:42) Game: If You Come at the King, You Better Not Miss (01:06:43–01:26:40) New to Streaming / Credits (01:26:41–01:38:55) Show Notes Stephen King Wants You To Watch Maximum Overdrive (Trailer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IniwjSfs4fs 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" (available now):⁠ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/⁠ Matt’s book tour! matt-singer.net 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.

See All (220)

Adam Kempenaar

Host
Josh Larsen

Host
Angelica Jade Bastién

Guest
Manohla Dargis

Guest
Laura Friedman

Guest
Ron Falzone

Guest
Jason Zinoman

Guest
Deirdre Barrett

Guest
Roxana Hadadi

Guest
Marya E. Gates

Guest

4.6

out of 5

3,968 Ratings

Best Movie Podcast

Oct 6

MDF2001

They call the Filmspotting listenership a “family” for a reason — it stems from the hosts, Adam and Josh, setting a tone of warmth, humor, intelligence and respect that ought to make any listener feel welcome, engaged, and comfortable. There’s no high-brow snark or clickbait outrage here — just really good film analysis in the manner of a lively and respectful conversation among friends. The hosts’ cinephile credentials are legit, and their critical insights are incisive and clear. I frequently disagree with both critics, but I find I always learn more about a film or a genre even as I formulate my disagreement in my mind. Filmspotting is really the standard-bearer for conversational film criticism in the podcasting world; I’ve sampled but ultimately drifted away from all the other competitors.
Take SVU off this feed

Sep 29

Dcdcdc83

I’m sympathetic that people need to make money, but the inclusion of SVU (and my subsequent accidental listening of it) onto the Filmspotting feed has not only made me dumber (because of the lack of insight that one of the hosts had) but also angry in how dismissive and actively not funny one of the hosts was (while clearly being so self satisfied in the most annoying way). It was just so bad it’s forced me to leave this review. Please take them off the feed.
Remove the non film spotting podcasts from feed

Aug 15

Mark from Calif

The recent decision to expand the feed to include non Film Spotting podcasts is frustrating. The other podcasts are third rate or of no interest and are now attempting to be nepo-babied by film spotting - the entire purpose of following a podcast is to avoid sifting through others. So dumb.
SVU Disaster

Aug 11

Erictheblonde

Love Filmspotting. (Even though I disagree with Josh about 50% of the time). 5 Stars. But today I got served up an episode of SVU. Wow. Just terrible. Completely rudderless and devoid of any real point of view. The 1st 1/2 of the episode was ostensibly about Spider-Man, but no one ever really made a point or insightful observation of any kind, except that one of the hosts doesn’t like animated movies. The second half just turned into even more meandering with no real theme of any kind at which point I turned it off. It’s a one-star experience. Skipping all future episodes of that dumpster fire. -2 stars for allowing this on the air.