It's been six (mostly) wonderful years of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, but on this episode, Matt and Alison say goodbye. First, in honor of JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER, which they talked about in their first episode (yup) back in 2012, they take a look at a movie that owes a lot to that documentary — Lonely Island's POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING. Then they devote the rest of the podcast to answering listener questions about everything from the future of the film industry to THE ADVENTURES OF FORD FAIRLANE. Thanks for listening, everyone!
Hosts' Choice Review: "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping"
Useful Links: 
Older Filmspotting: SVU Episodes
Remnants of the IFC News Podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #167: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping / Ultimate Listener's Choice

Remember how when we were kids we battled a nightmare clown terrorizing our small town and devouring children? No? Maybe it was just us then. On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison take a look at the 1990 TV miniseries version of Stephen King's IT, now available on Hulu, and then recommend some other clown movies, scary and otherwise, available to rent or stream right now. They also share some important (and sad) news about the future of the podcast. 
Listener's Choice Review: "It" (1990)
Queue Shots: Clown Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: The Young Karl Marx / A Star Is Born / Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
Matt: Lady Bird / Yellow Submarine / Paramount2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #166: It (1990) / Clown Movies

Get your skates straight and put out that cigarette, because on this week's show, Matt and Alison are talking 2017's Tonya Harding biopic I, TONYA, which was recently added to Hulu. Then, inspired by the sport that made Harding famous (before The Incident made her infamous), they recommend some other movies (and one television series) that feature ice skating, all available to rent or stream.
Listener's Choice Review: "I, Tonya"
Queue Shots: Movies (And One TV Show) Involving Ice Skating
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: The Chinese Exclusion Act / Bad Genius / Boarding Gate
Matt: The Disaster Artist / The Quick and the Dead / The Debt Collector
2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #165: I, Tonya / Movies (And One TV Show) Involving Ice Skating

Is John Woo's latest movie a return to form for the director, or something closer to self-parody? On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison debate the merits of MANHUNT, Woo's 2017 thriller, which was recently released as a Netflix original. Then, despite MANHUNT taking place in Japan, they use Woo's place as an influential force in Hong Kong film to recommend some other Hong Kong action movies, all available to rent or stream.
Listener's Choice Review: "Manunt"
Queue Shots: Hong Kong Action Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: Beatriz at Dinner / The Student / Shanghai JoeMatt: Evil Genius / Ace in the Hole / The Toys That Made Us2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #164: Manhunt / Hong Kong Action Movies

There comes a time when a young girl blossoms into a woman, and sometimes that woman turns out to possess terrifying powers that are some kind of allegory for the female sexuality. On this episode, Matt and Alison take a wander through the genre of the supernatural coming of age story, recommending some titles to rent or stream right now. It's all the better to accompany their main review of Joachim Trier's 2017 THELMA, about a teenager from a strict, repressed background who discovers a lot about herself — a lot more than fits into the expected definition of reality — when she goes off to college.
Listener's Choice Review: "Thelma"
Queue Shots: Supernatural Coming of Age Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: BPM (Beats per Minute) / Psychokinesis / Murder on the Orient Express
Matt: Last Flag Flying / Planet of the Apes / Manhunt
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #163: Thelma / Supernatural Coming of Age Movies

"People come to the Oasis for all the things they can do, but they stay for all the things they can be." Presuming, that is, those things are licensable bits of IP. On this episode, Matt and Alison use Steven Spielberg's latest, READY PLAYER ONE, as an excuse to talk about all sorts of movies that turn up in the reference-heavy dystopian adventure, including their main review of Brad Bird's beloved 1999 THE IRON GIANT. And as always, the titles they talk about are all available for rental or streaming right now.
Listener's Choice Review: "The Iron Giant"
Queue Shots: Movies Referenced in Ready Player One
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison:  24 Hour Party People / Saturday Church / Lost in Space
Matt: Kodachrome / Lust for Life / The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #162: The Iron Giant / And More Movies Referenced in Ready Player One

On this episode, Matt and Alison talk cults versus communes, xenophobia, sexual liberation, immigration fraud, religious freedom, and also putting beavers into blenders in order to use the resulting goo to taint the water supply. Yes, they're going deep into WILD WILD COUNTRY, Netflix's stranger-than-fiction docuseries about the 1980s clash between the followers of the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and the locals in Oregon area where they attempted to build a utopian community. Then, as a nod to the series' sibling filmmaking team, Chapman and MacLain Way, they recommend some other brother-director titles available to rent or stream.
Listener's Choice Review: "Wild Wild Country"
Queue Shots: Movies Made By Brothers
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: AMO / The Killing of a Sacred Deer / The Florida Project
Matt: Reservoir Dogs / You Don't Mess With the Zohan / Nailed It
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #161: Wild Wild Country / Movies Made By Brothers

Pour a row of martinis and ready your finest 1930s repartee, because on this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison sample THE THIN MAN, available via TCM's new partnership with FilmStruck. And, in honor of Nick and Nora Charles making constant alcohol consumption look so good, they spend the second half of the episode recommending some other movies about drinking that are available to rent or stream right now.
Listener's Choice Review: "The Thin Man"
Queue Shots: Movies About Drinking
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #160: The Thin Man / Movies About Drinking

Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome — in this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison pay a visit to Weimar-era Berlin by way of the German period drama BABYLON BERLIN, co-created by Tom Tykwer and streaming on Netflix. Then they talk about how the city tends to be portrayed on screen, recommending some other Berlin-set titles that are available to rent or stream.
Listener's Choice Review: "Babylon Berlin"
Queue Shots: Berlin Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #159: Babylon Berlin / Berlin Movies

It's no sleep 'til Rego Park, Queens, in this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, in which Matt and Alison consider the uneasy charms of the Safdie brothers' New York set-thriller GOOD TIME, starring Robert Pattinson and currently streaming on Amazon. Then they recommend some other staying-up-all-night movies that are available to rent or stream, from the romantic to the nostalgic to the dystopian. 
Listener's Choice Review: "Good Time"
Queue Shots: Movies That Take Place In One Night
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #158: Good Time / Movies That Take Place In One Night

What is the future for original movies on the world's largest streaming service? In this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison wonder where Netflix is headed as they take longer looks at two recent acquisitions — the Hungarian Best Foreign Language Film nominee ON BODY AND SOUL and the studio-discard-turned-Super-Bowl-stunt movie THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX.
Listener's Choice Review: "On Body and Soul"
A Special Occasion Second Longer Review: "The Cloverfield Paradox"
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists" 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #157: On Body and Soul / The Cloverfield Paradox

Sometimes you've got to talk your pain and frustration out — and sometimes you've got to punch a car. In this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison consider a film that tries to do both — S. Craig Zahler's brawny, wry, brutal Vince Vaughn-goes-to-prison drama BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99. Then they offer some recommendations of other movies that could also be considered neo-exploitation, all available to rent or stream right now.
Listener's Choice Review: "Brawl in Cell Block 99"
Queue Shots: Neo-Exploitation Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #156: Brawl in Cell Block 99 / Neo-Exploitation Films

Ghosts — not just good for scares! In this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison take a look at A GHOST STORY, David Lowery's exploration of grief, time, and the afterlife as represented by a sheet with two eye holes cut in it. Then they run with the theme to recommend some other good ghost stories, spooky and otherwise, that are currently available to rent or stream right now.
Listener's Choice Review: "A Ghost Story"
Queue Shots: Ghostly Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #155: A Ghost Story / Ghostly Movies

Orcs, elves, fairies, and racial allegories — on this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison delve into the deceptively muddled waters of BRIGHT, Netflix's first homegrown attempt at a blockbuster. Then, in honor of the film's (human) lead, they look at the hit-laden career of BRIGHT star Will Smith, highlighting titles you can rent or stream right now, from early obscurities to the big successes that may or may not hold up.
Listener's Choice Review: "Bright"
Queue Shots: Will Smith Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #154: Bright / Will Smith

2017. It was... quite a year. But at least there were some good films? On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison look back at the past 12 months of movies by way of their annual, unconventional, and highly personal year-end awards. Yes, it's the SVUvies, in which the cinematic year gets broken down by way of categories like "We Didn't Get It," "Best Music Moment," and, of course, "Best Film of 2017." Then Matt and Alison offer up some recommendations of titles that are new to streaming, and a few from SVU listeners.
Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New ReleasesAlison: Free In Deed / Dawson City: Frozen Time / Better Watch OutMatt: Ash vs Evil Dead / Step / Total Recall
2 Listener Recommendations
Alison: Bad Lucky Goat / Rat Film
Matt: Star Treks Deep Space Nine and Voyager / Taxi
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Alison: Lagaan
Matt: The Twilight Zone
This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Dropbox and Showstopper.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #153: The 2017 SVUvie Awards

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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #152: A Very Special Flopspotting Live

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: Mudbound
Queue Shots: Films Directed By Black Women:
A Dry White Season
Daughters of the Dust
The Watermelon Woman
Whose Streets?
Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases
Alison: Allied / Search Party / Their Finest
Eric: The Persian Connection / Landline / The Dinner
2 Listener Recommendations
Alison: Patton Oswalt: Annihilation / Neal Brennan: 3 Mics
Eric: Life / Parents
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Alison: Boys in the Trees
Eric: Narcos
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #151: Mudbound/Black Female Filmmakers

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 Brothers
In Theaters: "Thor: Ragnarok"
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Tribeca Shortlist and Hello Fresh.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #150: The Meyerowitz Stories / Movies About Grown-up Brothers

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 Movies
In Theaters: "The Snowman"
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SVU #149: Raw / College Movies

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 Movies
In Theaters: "Blade Runner 2049"
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get Started

Download the App