Filmspotting

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 [email protected] 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/FilmspottingSvu⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 ⁠[email protected]⁠.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 ⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠⁠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 |⁠ ⁠Bluesky⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 SightSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s all fine and good to be sealed up in a house with Wagner Moura and Greta Lee, but the longer Netflix’s new The Last House keeps us there, the more time Matt and Jordan have for questions about the why and the how and… is that broccoli you’re growing in the floorboards, Greta? Matt and Jordan also discuss Netflix’s curious fascination with apocalyptic tales. Then, some Last House-inspired streaming recommendations (Universal Monsters! H.P. Lovecraft!) and a listener streaming request inspires recommendations for a forgotten Emma Thompson movie from the early 90s and a literary adaptation from Roger Corman. And Jordan hosts this week’s game: The Gaul of These People! Welcome/Intro (00:00:00–00:2:54) The Last House (00:2:55–00:27:17) H.P. Lovecraft and Universal Monsters (Rec Seg!) (00:27:18–00:44:30) Emma Thompson, Roger Corman, and Vincent Price (Listener Request Seg!) (00:44:31–01:03:16) MLB's Field of Dreams Game on Netflix (01:03:17–01:09:26) Game: The Gaul of these People! (01:09:27–01:26:10) New to Streaming / Credits (01:26:11–01:31:04) 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 [email protected] 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/FilmspottingSvu⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Johnson’s new biopic Tony sidesteps the infamous Walk Hard trap by narrowing its scope to a single summer that would end up shaping the rest of Anthony Bourdain’s life, but not necessarily defining it. Whether that approach is ultimately satisfying to fans of the late celebrity chef and author is up for debate this week, as we’re once again joined by Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi to discuss how Tony plays into and against our expectations of a Bourdain narrative. Then we bring Ratatouille back in for Connections, to compare how these two films introduce us to kitchen culture through the eyes of a newbie. Then for Your Next Picture Show, we recommend two more recent films to fill out a Matt Johnson triple feature. Please share your thoughts about Ratatouille, Tony, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Next Pairing: David Robert Mitchell’s The End of Oak Street and Steven Spielberg’s The War of the Worlds 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.

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 [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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/marathonsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SUBURBAKNIGHT: Act One Walter Knope is having a bad week. His antique store is bankrupt. The bank has locked him out. His house is now filled with everything he couldn't sell. His teenage daughter thinks he's embarrassing, his marriage has seen better days, and Walter is beginning to suspect middle age may just be a long series of humiliations ending in death. Then Richard Sarandon moves in across the street. Richard is rich, handsome, charming and spectacularly confident. The neighborhood women can't stop looking at him. The husbands barely notice. Walter notices everything. Especially the two body bags carried out of Richard's house in the middle of the night. Then Walter sees Richard do something no human being should be able to do. Written by Nick Bannister, SUBURBAKNIGHT is a wicked suburban horror-comedy about marriage, jealousy, masculinity and the nightmare of discovering that the impossibly perfect man next door may actually be a monster. Walter calls the police. They find nothing. Richard smiles. Walter looks insane. Then comes the neighborhood party. Pool. Booze. Barbecue. Husbands watching football. Wives watching Richard. With help from Andy, his beer-bellied neighbor and resident horror-movie expert, Walter finally puts a name to what moved in across the street. An incubus. A demon that seduces women and feeds on their life force. Now Richard knows Walter is onto him. Walter knows Richard wants Samantha. And the fight Walter thought was about his pride, his marriage and his rapidly collapsing life is about to become something much worse. Luckily, Walter's house is currently filled with swords, crossbows, armor and medieval weapons nobody wanted to buy. Maybe the antique business wasn't such a bad idea after all. 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 [email protected]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠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 | ⁠BlueskySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Bourdain, whose early experience working in a restaurant kitchen is chronicled in the new biopic Tony, once singled out Ratatouille as Hollywood’s best depiction of working in a restaurant kitchen, which is all the invitation we need to revisit Brad Bird’s 2007 Pixar classic. So this week, with the help of Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi, we consider how Ratatouille trusts its viewers to accept an audacious premise, and rewards them in emotional payoff; parse the nuances and contradictions of its “anyone can cook” mantra; and lament that its lone female character of consequence falls victim to Trinity Syndrome. And yes, of course this group of critics has some thoughts on Anton Ego and the film’s take on criticism. Then in Feedback, we discuss a short excerpt from a much longer, in-depth analysis we received in response to our O Brother Where Art Thou? episode. Please share your thoughts about Ratatouille, Tony, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], 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.

In 2015, Adam and Josh welcomed poster designer Sam's Myth on the show to talk shop and share their Top 5 Movie Posters. 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.

When the author of “Marvel’s Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular” is the co-host of your show, you don’t avoid talking about the new Spidey movie Brand New Day just because it’s not streaming. So Matt and Jordan use the release of the movie to theorize about its massive box office, and to share some related steaming recommendations. Plus, listener requests for an unsentimental Italian film and a film that offers the same unique pleasures as Leos Carax’s uncategorizable 2012 film Holy Motors. And Producer Sam tests Matt and Jordan’s knowledge of Spider-Man villains with a game called “A Vile Menagerie.” Matt’s Spider-Man Bona Fides + Brand New Day (00:00:00–00:25:27) Rec Seg! Brand New Day-inspired recommendations (00:25:28–00:38:45) Listener Requests: Italian Films, Movies like Holy Motors (00:38:46–00:50:16) Game: A Vile Menagerie (00:50:17–01:08:45) New to Streaming / Credits (01:08:46–01:15:33) Outtake: Jordan In Hawaii with the cast of Battleship (01:15:34–01:24:24) Show Notes Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive⁠ https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/⁠ “Marvel’s Spider-Man: from Amazing to Spectacular” https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Marvels-Spider-Man-From-Amazing-to-Spectacular/Matt-Singer/9781683837442 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 [email protected] 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/FilmspottingSvu⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can your body tell you about a movie? According to legendary Columbia Pictures chief Harry Cohn, everything.This week's Movie Racket explores Cohn's infamous rule for separating hits from flops. Joining Michael Phillips is Slate film critic Dana Stevens (Camera Man: Buster Keaton), who helps unpack what that deceptively simple dictum reveals about audiences, critics, attention spans, and streaming culture. Along the way, they cover The Odyssey, Jeanne Dielman, Citizen Kane, and whether laughter, tears, gasps, or simple restlessness can ever be trusted as measures of a film's success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final film in the Dissident Cinema Marathon, Adam and Josh discuss Jafar Panahi’s formally ingenious 2000 film THE CIRCLE, an unflinching chronicle of Iran’s oppressive treatment of women.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a five-year hiatus, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is back on the big screen with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, this time battling anonymity, a host of nemeses, and some arachnid-related changes. Adam and Josh have a review. Plus thoughts on the new doc Everybody to Kenmure Street and the latest from Pulse and Cloud director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, The Samurai and the Prisoner. 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 (00:00:00-00:02:22) Spider-Man: Brand New Day (00:02:23-00:44:22) Filmspotting Family (00:44:23-00:48:35) Everybody to Kenmure Street (00:48:36-01:08:32) The Samurai and the Prisoner (01:08:33-01:12:39) Massacre Theatre (01:12:40-01:20:03) Credits / Releases (01:20:04-01:24:02) Feedback: -Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠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 | ⁠BlueskySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been eight years since Adam and Josh did the Top 5 Superhero-Director Combos (We'd Like To See) and still somehow none of their pitches have been given the green light. Maybe that will change with this Archive edition. 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 August 31st https://filmspotting.supportingcast.fm/join?sc_promo=summerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Klimek presides over a multiversal showdown between two of the most beloved Spider-Man films: Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. One is a live-action, early-2000s studio blockbuster that crystallized the modern superhero movie — grounded in practical effects, emotional melodrama, and a deeply human Peter Parker torn between responsibility and desire. The other is a radically stylized animated film that reimagines what superhero storytelling can look like, embracing comic book form itself as its visual language. Arguing for Spider-Man 2 is Matt Singer (Marvel's Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular), who makes the case that Raimi’s film remains the definitive Peter Parker story. Arguing for Spider-Verse is Daisy Rosario, who contends that the film not only updates but expands the Spider-Man mythos. Which one better captures the essence of Spider-Man — and why does that question remain so difficult to answer? Choose your winner at moviedeathmatch.com. More From Matt Official Site | ScreenCrush | “Funny Business” More From Daisy Death, Sex & Money | ICYMISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the world’s Spidey sense activated by Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Adam and Josh look back at the webslinger’s first 25 years on screen with their Top 5 Spider-Man Scenes. Yes, even Andrew Garfield gets a little love. 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 (00:00:00-00:02:35) Top 5 Spider-Man Scenes – Pt. 1 (00:02:36-00:43:30) Family Madness — Round 2 (00:43:31-00:51:22) Notes / Poll: Best Spidey Movie (00:51:23-01:05:38) Top 5 Spider-Man Scenes – Pt. 2 (01:05:38-01:36:46) Credits / Releases (01:36:47-01:40:12) Links: “When Mary Jane Kissed Spider-Man” | The Ringer https://www.theringer.com/2022/05/03/movies/spider-man-kiss-tobey-maguire-kirsten-dunst "Goodbye to the Lake Street Screening Room" | RogerEbert.com⁠https://www.rogerebert.com/features/a-home-away-from-home-goodbye-to-the-lake-street-screening-room Feedback: -Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠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 | ⁠BlueskySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 2022, Adam and Josh gave Sam Raimi's Spider-Man the 20th anniversary Sacred Cow treatment. 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.