Filmspotting

After two rounds entirely dominated by top seeds, could the first upset of ’40s Madness be brewing between Bicycle Thieves and Brief Encounter? Plus — thanks to the Filmspotting Bump™ — does The Best Years of Our Lives have what it takes to go toe‑to‑toe with It’s a Wonderful Life? Adam and Josh dig into the Sweet 16. 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 (00:00:00-00:03:30) Round 2 Results (00:03:31-00:33:55) Sweet 16 Matchups (00:33:56-00:40:43) Bracket Challenge (00:40:44-00:45:15) Credits / New Releases (01:13:01-01:18:01) Links:-Filmspotting Madness https://www.filmspotting.net/madness/ 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 archive access.https://filmspottingfamily.com -T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠ Follow: https://youtube.com/filmspotting https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠ https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠ https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With THE DRAMA unfolding this weekend, we’re revisiting 2019’s Top 5 Movies About Marriage — a tour through the cracks and complexities of on‑screen commitments. 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.

Adam and Josh review PROJECT HAIL MARY, exploring Ryan Gosling’s blend of humor, melancholy, and middle‑school‑teacher energy. They also discuss the practical effects approach that makes it all work before turning to Round 2 of '40s Madness. 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 (00:00:00-00:03:30) Project Hail Mary (00:03:31-00:33:55) Filmspotting Family (00:33:56-00:40:43) Notes / Save the Date (00:40:44-00:45:15) ‘40s Madness Rd. 2 (00:45:16-01:13:00) Credits / New Releases (01:13:01-01:18:01) Links: -Filmspotting Madness https://www.filmspotting.net/madness/ 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 archive access.https://filmspottingfamily.com -T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠ Follow: https://youtube.com/filmspotting https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠ https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠ https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam and Josh consider the Pantheon credentials of Kelly Reichardt’s MEEK’S CUTOFF, reflecting on its spare frontier world, questions of free will, and place in Reichardt’s larger American project. 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 archive access.https://filmspottingfamily.com -T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠ Follow: https://youtube.com/filmspotting https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠ https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠ https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With our PROJECT HAIL MARY review coming Friday, we’re revisiting a Filmspotting blast from beyond: 2014’s Top 5 Things From Space (That Came to Destroy Us). B-movies, classic sci-fi, and Arnold Schwarzenegger all make the cut. 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.

Why does STAND BY ME still resonate 40 years later? Adam and Josh revisit Rob Reiner’s classic, reflecting on its friendships, its wistfulness, and River Phoenix’s unforgettable performance. Plus: a review of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s THE BRIDE and a look at the Round 1 matchups of Filmspotting '40s Madness. Join the Filmspotting Family for the full archive, bonus episodes, ad‑free listening, and more: filmspottingfamily.com 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 (00:00:00-00:02:53)Stand by Me (00:02:54-00:49:35)Filmspotting Family (00:49:36-00:57:12)The Bride (00:57:13-01:02:59)Notes / Save the Date (01:03:00-01:08:22)'40s Madness Rd. 1 (01:08:23-01:24:03)Credits / New Releases (01:24:04-01:25:53) Correction: -Yes, Adam realizes that he said "Jesus, does anybody" – twice! – not "anyone." He regrets the error. Notes/Links: -Filmspotting Madnesshttps://www.filmspotting.net/madness -Stephen King: Why I Hugged Rob Reiner After Watching ‘Stand by Me’https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/opinion/culture/stephen-king-rob-reiner-stand-by-me.html 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 archive access.https://filmspottingfamily.com -T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠ Follow: https://youtube.com/filmspotting https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠ https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠ https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inspired by the upcoming release of PROJECT HAIL MARY, Adam and Josh beam back to October 2015 when they suited up for THE MARTIAN — Ridley Scott’s brainy, big‑hearted sci‑fi rescue mission starring Matt Damon.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.

Adam, Josh, and Michael Phillips size up the Oscars with their annual rundown of who will win, who should win, and who was unfairly overlooked — plus the Filmspotting Madness: Best of the 1940s Play‑Ins. 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 (00:00:00-00:02:16) Supp. Actress (00:02:17-00:22:03) Supp. Actor (00:22:04-00:40:56) Lead Actor (00:40:57-00:56:52) Lead Actress (00:56:53-01:05:37) Director (01:05:38-01:15:57) Picture (01:15:58-01:37:53) Family / Next Week / Notes (01:37:54-01:47:21) Filmspotting Madness: Play-Ins (01:47:22-2:07:41) Credits / New Releases (2:07:42-02:09:531) Notes/Links: -Filmspotting Madness https://www.filmspotting.net/madness/ -Michael Phillips on WFMT https://radionetwork.wfmt.com/people/hosts/michael-phillips/  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 archive access.https://filmspottingfamily.com -T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠ Follow: https://youtube.com/filmspotting https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠ https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠ https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s Best Picture-winning archive pick takes us back to May 2018, when Adam and Josh returned to The Shire for a LORD OF THE RINGS reckoning. The original episode (#681) also includes a Top 5 Lord of the Rings Scenes. For full access to the show archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad-free + bonus episodes, and more, ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠⁠.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s Top 5 explores cinema’s most unreliable narrators, characters who bend, twist, or completely invent the truth. Adam and Josh pair the list with a fresh look at Kurosawa’s RASHOMON, the film that set the template for them all – and a potential 2026 Pantheon inductee.  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 (00:00:00-00:03:18) Top 5 Unreliable Narrators (00:03:19-01:05:17) Filmspotting Family (01:05:18-01:11:08) Next Week, Notes, Poll (01:11:09-01:18:16) Pantheon Project: Rashomon (01:18:17-01:56:39) Credits / New Releases (01:56:40-01:59:51) 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 archive access.https://filmspottingfamily.com -T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠ Follow: https://youtube.com/filmspotting https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠ https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠ https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.