Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit (SVU)

Alison gets to take a break this time around as Matt makes his triumphant return by stepping up to the (live) mic for a very special episode recorded on stage at the inaugural Brooklyn Podcast Festival on November 18. Matt is joined by Dan McCoy and Stuart Wellington of The Flop House to create a hideous one-night-only mutant movie-talking creation — Flopspotting: SVU! And, for this momentus occasion, they’ve settled on a feature worthy of the talents of two podcasts — TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT, from one Michael Benjamin Bay.This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Tribeca Shortlist and Showstopper.Live! One! Night! Only! Review:Transformers: The Last Knight

Eric Kohn of IndieWire and the Screen Talk podcast joins Alison while on the road in the Florida Keys to discuss Dee Rees’ Netflix original MUDBOUND. Matt is still off on paternity leave, so this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit has turned the responsibility for picking the main review to our guest host. In addition to talking Rees’ ensemble period drama (an Oscar contender with an outside chance of making history) Eric and Alison recommend other films directed by black women available to rent or stream, some of whom Rees has cited as influences.This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Tribeca Shortlist and Showstopper.Guest Host’s Choice Review: MudboundQueue Shots: Films Directed By Black Women:A Dry White SeasonDaughters of the DustThe Watermelon WomanWhose Streets?Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New ReleasesAlison: Allied / Search Party / Their FinestEric: The Persian Connection / Landline / The Dinner2 Listener RecommendationsAlison: Patton Oswalt: Annihilation / Neal Brennan: 3 MicsEric: Life / Parents1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"Alison: Boys in the TreesEric: Narcos

While Matt is off on paternity leave, this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit turns the responsibility for picking the main review to our guest host, who opts for the Netflix original movie THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (NEW AND SELECTED). Then, in honor of the complicated relationship between the half-siblings played by Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller in the film, they offer up some streaming recs about what happens when brothers grow up.Guest Critic's Choice Review: "The Meyerowitz Stories"Queue Shots: Movies About Grown-up BrothersIn Theaters: "Thor: Ragnarok"Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Tribeca Shortlist and Hello Fresh.

Freshmeeeeen! On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison haze each other with drunken parties and rabbit kidneys in preparation for talking Julia Ducournau’s body horror/coming of age movie RAW. Then they reminisce about their long-ago undergrad years with some recs of other college movies and TV series, (mostly) available to stream or rent.Listener's Choice Review: "Raw"Queue Shots: College MoviesIn Theaters: "The Snowman"Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison run off to the desert to start their own Keanu Reeves-centric rave cult in preparation for their discussion of Ana Lily Amirpour’s dystopian drama THE BAD BATCH. Then, in honor of THE BAD BATCH’s truly disturbing scenes of human flesh-consumption (set to Ace of Base!), they recommend some other movies in which cannibalism is featured — as an allegory, a total gross-out, or both. And, of course, they’re all available to stream or rent.Listener's Choice Review: "The Bad Batch"Queue Shots: Cannibalism MoviesIn Theaters: "Blade Runner 2049"Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison talk moral compromises and modern Romania in their review of Cristian Mungiu’s GRADUATION. Then, having entirely failed to find the time to watch more streaming Romanian New Wave films, as was the original plan, they instead delve into the Toronto International Film Festival. Yes, Matt and Alison both recently returned from the event that typically kicks off awards season, and each are ready to offer their top five highlights (and one lowlight) from the fest.Listener's Choice Review: "Graduation"Queue Shots: TIFF 2017Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Anthology television series mean you can have a brand new cast and story in each new installment. Alas, when it comes to listening to Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, you’ll have to settle for Matt and Alison every time. On this episode of Filmspotting: SVU, they discuss the British series INSIDE NO. 9, a collection of standalone episodes ranging from comedy to horror, but all set at a location numbered “9.” Then they talk about how episodic anthology series are a kind of intersection between TV and short films, and offer some new and classic recs, all available to stream right now.Listener's Choice Review: "Inside No. 9"Queue Shots: Anthology ShowsBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Shall we begin? On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison dissect Adam Wingard’s Netflix original movie DEATH NOTE, based on the popular manga and anime series. After despairing at there ever being a great American anime adaptation, they offer up four anime features available to rent or stream at home right now — a kind of anime movie starter pack.Listener's Choice Review: "Death Note"Queue Shots: Anime Starter KitBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Would you like to swing on a star? How about listen to Bruce Willis sing pop standards while stealing artifacts? On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison consider 1991’s notorious HUDSON HAWK and whether it deserves its reputation as an epic disaster. Then they talk vanity projects and what makes a film deserve that designation, recommending some fascinating failures available to rent or stream at home right now.Opening Break: "Alien" Covenant" "Chuck" "Unleashed"Listener's Choice Review: "Hudson Hawk"Queue Shots: Vanity ProjectsBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

In the era of Peak TV, it’s become increasingly common to see filmmakers crossing over to work on the small screen. But what about when it’s the other way around? This week, Matt and Alison look at the film debuts of some famous television creators and talk about how well their approach ends up translating. It’s all inspired by their main review, of Netflix’s original movie TO THE BONE, the directorial debut of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Unreal"'s Marti Noxon.Opening Break: "Colossal" "The Circle" "Fun Mom Dinner"Listener's Choice Review: "To the Bone"Queue Shots: When TV Creators Make MoviesBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Movies On Demand On Cable.

To think what people could accomplish, were it not for the pesky families they love! On this episode of the Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit podcast, Matt and Alison talk ambition, sacrifice, and James Gray’s THE LOST CITY OF Z. Then, in honor of Charlie Hunnam’s career-best turn as the dashing Percy Fawcett, they recommend some other movies about explorers (of various sorts), all available to rent or stream right now.Opening Break: "A Cure For Wellness" "Kong: Skull Island" "The Last Face"Listener's Choice Review: "The Lost City of Z"Queue Shots: Movies About ExplorersBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

What do you call a fictional animal that’s adorable, intelligent, and looks like a giant pig crossed with a hippo? In the world of Bong Joon-ho’s OKJA: lunch. On this episode, Matt and Alison discuss the South Korean director’s continent-crossing, genre-defying Netflix original, and what it signals for the streaming giant’s future in movie-making. Then they recommend some other multilingual movies available to rent or stream right now.Opening Break: "Song to Song" "Certain Women" "A Quiet Passion"Listener's Choice Review: "Okja"Queue Shots: Multilingual MoviesBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Wo, oh, what we want to know, are you willing to watch a nearly four-hour documentary about the Grateful Dead? Matt and Alison did, and talk all about it on this episode of SVU, which takes on both Amir Bar-lev’s Amazon original doc LONG STRANGE TRIP and the larger question of what makes a music doc worthwhile for audiences beyond the hardcore fans. Then they recommend some other music docs worth checking out, all available to rent or stream right now.Opening Break: "T2 Trainspotting" "Life" "John Wick: Chapter 2"Listener's Choice Review: "Long Strange Trip"Queue Shots: Music DocsBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

With TWIN PEAKS back on the air after 26 years, Matt and Alison start this episode of SVU by taking a look at the film with which TWIN PEAKS last left off — prequel FIRE WALK WITH ME, which was booed at Cannes back in 1992, but has since been reevaluated as a David Lynch classic. Then, in honor of the way FIRE WALK WITH ME gives the spotlight to Laura Palmer, TWIN PEAKS’ murder victim, they discuss the not-always-grand tradition of the beautiful dead girl on screen, offering examples that established or subverted this trend, all available to rent or stream right now.Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Movies On Demand On Cable, Lexus, and Showtime’s I'm Dying Up Here.Opening Break: "A Cure For Wellness" "I, Daniel Blake" "Band Aid"Listener's Choice Review: "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me"Queue Shots: The Beautiful Dead GirlBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Does Hulu’s THE HANDMAID’S TALE deserve the hype it’s been getting as the most frighteningly timely series on streaming? In this episode of SVU, Matt and Alison discuss the new Margaret Atwood adaptation and how it attempts, via its visuals, to depict its horrors as experience rather than spectacle. Then, in honor of the show’s main director, cinematographer-turned-filmmaker Reed Morano, they recommend work featuring other female cinematographers, all of it available to rent or stream right now.Opening Break: "Get Out" "Logan" "Berlin Syndrome"Listener's Choice Review: "The Handmaid's Tale"Queue Shots: Films With Female CinematographersBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"