Filmspotting: SVU is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Alison Willmore and Matt Singer focusing on the world of online movies. Part of the Filmspotting family of podcasts and the Panoply Network.
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 Movies
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 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 Docs
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 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 Girl
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 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 Cinematographers
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
It’s M. Night Shyamalan’s shared universe and we’re all just living in it in this episode of SVU, in which Matt and Alison debate whether SPLIT is the comeback vehicle it’s been heralded to be for the director, as well as how the movie’s late-revealed connection to another Shyamalan title changes its context. Then they offer up recommendations for some other convention-defying superhero stories on both film and television, all available to stream right now.
On this episode of SVU, Matt and Alison consider the enchantments of Anna Biller’s retro-styled THE LOVE WITCH, in which Samantha Robinson plays a troubled witch whose romantic escapades have a tendency to turn deadly. Then, inspired by the film’s throwback color saturation, they recommend some Technicolor classics available to rent or stream at home, and discuss whether the full glory of Technicolor translates when it’s not being shown on a big screen.
Opening Break: "The Salesman" "La La Land" "The Red Turtle"
Listener's Choice Review: "The Love Witch"
Queue Shots: Technicolor Classics
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Ken Russell’s famous/infamous 1971 horror drama THE DEVILS is available to stream for the first time ever, and so on this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison take a look at the film (available in its US cut) and discuss how its provocations hold up. Then, with minimal rending of garments and speaking in demonic voices, they offer up some other religious horror recommendations available to rent or stream right now.
Opening Break: "Lion" "Queen of the Desert" "Split"
Listener's Choice Review: "The Devils"
Queue Shots: Religious Horror
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
In honor of the recent passing of Bill Paxton, on this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison look at the career of the actor and filmmaker. In addition to offering up some favorite roles in movies available to rent or stream right now, they do a deeper dive into his 2001 directorial debut FRAILTY, in which Paxton also stars as a single dad convinced that God has chosen him to kill demons.
Opening Break: "Aftermath" "Hidden Figures" "Assassin's Creed"
Listener's Choice Review: "Frailty"
Queue Shots: Bill Paxton Movies
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Grab your magnifying glasses and your fake badges — in this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison do some sleuthing into the surprisingly sprawling genre of amateur detective movies. It’s all inspired by their main review of Macon Blair’s I DON'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE, in which a lonely, decidedly non-law-enforcement-professional Melanie Lynskey teams up with Elijah Wood to figure out who robbed her house.
Opening Break: "Fences" "Allied" "Mean Dreams"
Listener's Choice Review: "I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore"
Queue Shots: Amateur Detective Movies
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
In this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison decide, once and for all, which of them is the true hootie tootie disco cutie, as they talk THE GREASY STRANGLER. Then they discuss what makes a midnight movie and offer some midnight movie recs, all available to rent or stream right now.
Opening Break: "Manchester By The Sea" / "Jackie" / "Catfight"
Listener's Choice Review: "The Greasy Strangler"
Queue Shots: Paul Dano
Behind the 8-Ball:
3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
