Filmspotting

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. The Tree of Life at 15: Malick’s Cosmic Masterpiece Revisited | #1064

    3 HR AGO

    The Tree of Life at 15: Malick’s Cosmic Masterpiece Revisited | #1064

    15 years after its release, Adam and Josh return to the 1950s Waco of Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. They discuss Malick’s bold attempt to voice the divine, mapping the books of Job and Genesis onto his narrative, and his attempt to reconcile the beauty of creation with the reality of suffering. Plus, details about Filmspotting Fest II: 68 Weeks Later, and a new poll that attempts to gauge listeners' enthusiasm for the upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu. 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/chapters may not be precise with ads.) Intro (00:00:00-00:03:32) The Tree of Life at 15 (00:03:33-00:55:50) Filmspotting Family (00:55:51-01:00:07) Next Week / Cannes Film Festival (01:00:08-01:04:44) Polls (01:38:17-01:13:15) Credits / New Releases (01:13:16-01:17:20) Correction: -Adam actually saw The Thin Red Line upon its release in 1998, making it his first Malick. The New World, then, was the first Malick he got. Links: -Filmspotting Fest II: June 26-27, 2026 https://www.filmspotting.net/filmspotting-fest -Jake Cole on The Tree of Life https://letterboxd.com/jakepcole/film/the-tree-of-life-2011/ -Cannes Film Festival https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/ 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.

    1hr 20min
  2. Blue Heron: A Lyrical Debut — and an Early Golden Brick Contender

    1 DAY AGO

    Blue Heron: A Lyrical Debut — and an Early Golden Brick Contender

    Adam and Josh review Sophy Romvari’s debut feature Blue Heron, a semi-autobiographical "memory piece" that follows a Hungarian immigrant family on Vancouver Island in the late 1990s. They discuss Romvari’s distinct "observational elegance," the film’s striking meta-elements, and how it stacks up against other recent memory-focused masterworks like Aftersun. Plus, a look at why this is already a frontrunner for the 2026 Golden Brick. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    37 min
  3. Top 5 Terrence Malick Scenes | Archive

    2 DAYS AGO

    Top 5 Terrence Malick Scenes | Archive

    From the outlaw poetry of Badlands to the cosmic spirituality of The Tree of Life, this week's Archive episode has Adam and Josh counting down the five most indelible moments from one of cinema's most elusive auteurs. Expect plenty of hushed voiceovers and magic-hour cinematography. 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.

    31 min
  4. Lord of the Flies: The BBC Brings Art to Netflix | SVU

    3 DAYS AGO

    Lord of the Flies: The BBC Brings Art to Netflix | SVU

    This week, Matt and Jordan flip for the conch to discuss the BBC’s new four-part adaptation of The Lord of the Flies, now streaming on Netflix. The duo dives deep into Jack Thorne’s "cinematic" take on the classic novel, debating the effectiveness of its character-focused structure and its haunting visual palette. For Rec Seg!, they've got Flies-inspired recommendations that range from the whimsical to the harrowing, and in response to listener emails, a deep-cut horror recommendation and an experimental short (that may just scratch that jam-band itch). Plus, Matt faces his fears as Producer Sam takes over as "Dungeon Master" for this week's game, The Streaming Limited, testing the hosts’ knowledge of literary-inspired miniseries. (Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.) Intro (00:00:00-00:02:50) Lord of the Flies (00:02:51-00:35:19) Rec Seg! (00:35:20-00:55:40) Personalized Recs: Deep Cut Horror, Jam Band Scores (00:55:41-01:13:13) Game: The Streaming Limited (01:13:14-01:35:42) New to Streaming / Credits (01:35:43-01:49:17) Notes: Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/⁠⁠ Matt's book "Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever" comes to bookstores everywhere in October. Pre-Order now! ⁠⁠https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/⁠⁠ Feedback: -Email us at feedback@filmspottingSVU.com⁠⁠ Follow: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/superpulse/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/FilmspottingSvu⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/superpulse/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/jhoffman6/⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/mattsinger.bsky.social⁠⁠ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1hr 50min
  5. Rome, Open City: The Blueprint for Revolutionary Cinema

    4 DAYS AGO

    Rome, Open City: The Blueprint for Revolutionary Cinema

    Adam and Josh continue Filmspotting’s Dissident Cinema Marathon with its second entry, Roberto Rossellini’s Rome, Open City. Made in the immediate aftermath of Nazi occupation and against the backdrop of a country still in crisis, the film merges neorealist observation with the tension and structure of a spy thriller. The conversation explores how the movie captures resistance not as myth but as lived experience, examining its radical immediacy and why the film stands as a blueprint for what revolutionary cinema could become. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    43 min
  6. Top 5 Meryl Streep Scenes | #1063

    8 MAY

    Top 5 Meryl Streep Scenes | #1063

    Meryl Streep is back as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada 2, and what better way to pay tribute to the best to ever do it than with a Top 5 devoted exclusively to her? Adam and Josh attempt to narrow down five decades of legendary work into a handful of essential scenes, ranging from Streep’s emotional precision in Sophie's Choice and Kramer vs. Kramer to her charming looseness in Adaptation. Plus, the long-awaited return of 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/chapters may not be precise with ads.) Intro (00:00:00-00:03:16) Top 5 Streep Scenes – Pt. 1 (00:03:17-00:32:19) Filmspotting Family (00:32:20-00:37:48) Top 5 Streep Scenes – Pt. 2 (00:37:49-01:25:21) Next Week / Notes (01:25:22-01:38:17) Massacre Theatre (01:38:17-01:41:20) Credits / New Releases (01:41:21-01:44:05) Links: -Chicago Critics Film Festival https://www.chicagocriticsfilmfestival.com/ -Filmspotting Fest https://www.filmspotting.net/filmspotting-fest -Filmspotting Madness https://www.filmspotting.net/madness/ 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.

    1hr 46min
  7. The Devil Wears Prada 2: With a Defanged Miranda, What's Left?

    7 MAY

    The Devil Wears Prada 2: With a Defanged Miranda, What's Left?

    Adam and Josh discuss how The Devil Wears Prada 2 softens Miranda Priestly’s edges and why, despite mealy‑mouthed social commentary, the legacy sequel mostly works as comfort viewing. Along the way, they make the case that Meryl Streep is still the movie’s true luxury item. Plus: is it time for a Fitspotting spinoff?  Links -Andy’s Best Dress  -Chanel's Haute Couture Spring 2020 Collection See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    41 min
  8. Top 5 Overlooked Movies of the 2000s | Archive

    6 MAY

    Top 5 Overlooked Movies of the 2000s | Archive

    As the 2019 edition of Madness – Best of the 2000s wrapped up, Adam and Josh took a break from the heavy hitters to highlight the gems that didn't make the 64-film bracket, including underseen comedies from Jack Black and Seann William Scott, an ambitious "docu-fantasia" from Guy Maddin, and even some deeper cuts from A-list directors like Ridley Scott and Robert Zemeckis. 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.

    50 min
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Hosts & Guests

About

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

Information

  • Channel
    The Inflection Network
  • Creator
    Filmspotting
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2026
  • Episodes
    121
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Telegraph Road Productions, Inc.
  • Show Website
    Filmspotting

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