Filmspotting

Starring Russell Crowe and an all-grown-up Jacob Tremblay (“Room” “”Wonder”), Netflix’s Unabomber was a promising title on the fall streaming slate. Unfortunately, director Janus Metz’s exploitative biopic about the notorious domestic terrorist (and manifesto author) comes up well short of expectations. But Matt and Jordan use the film as an excuse to recommend a couple of films as alternatives—one, an underseen, decade-old indie about a controversial mid-20th century social scientist; the other a stone-cold classic from the ‘90s. Plus, a listener request for contemporary films that look like the period in which they take place. And a ‘90s crime thriller game hosted by Jordan.
Intro / Blumhouse Cheetos (00:00:00–00:07:44)
Unabomber (00:07:45–00:32:46)
Rec Seg! (00:32:47–00:51:27)
Listener Req Seg! (00:51:28–01:06:25)
Game: LLLE (01:06:26–01:23:58)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:23:59–01:39:02)
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/⁠
Matt’s book tour!
matt-singer.net
For what film should Alison Willmore make her triumphant return to SVU?
https://poll.fm/17448084
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/FilmspottingSvu⁠
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Film critic and author Marya E. Gates joins Michael to explore perhaps the simplest, most influential direction ever given to an actor: "Be natural."

The phrase is associated with pioneering filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché, who posted the reminder in her New Jersey studio more than a century ago. As one of cinema's earliest storytellers, Guy-Blaché helped establish film as a distinct art form, separate from the theatrical traditions that shaped many of its first performers.

From Guy-Blaché's silent shorts to the work of Greta Garbo, Janet Gaynor, John Garfield, Nicolas Cage, and Lupita Nyong'o, Michael and Marya examine what "natural" acting really means, and why some of the most truthful screen performances can also be the most stylized.
Links:
-"Cinema Her Way" | Marya E. Gates
https://maryaegates.com/cinemaherway/

-Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché | VOD
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/be-natural-the-untold-story-of-alice-guy-blache
-There is one Murnau, Borzage, and Fox Box available on Amazon… for $1,336.

Join the conversation by emailing [email protected].
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam and Josh welcome Filmspotting SVU co-host Matt Singer for the Top 5 Comedy Boom Movies. Singer’s new book, “Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever” documents the Frat Pack era of studio comedies that dominated the box office from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s—and gave a generation a lifetime’s worth of movie quotes. Plus, reviews of Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil and the new Scottish indie The Incomer.
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 (00:00:00-00:02:17)
Top 5 Comedy Boom Movies (00:02:18-1:01:58)
Filmspotting Family (1:01:59-01:05:34)
Top 5, cont. (01:05:35-01:38:31)
Polls (01:38:32-01:52:09)
Resident Evil (01:52:10-02:23:50)
The Incomer (02:23:51-02:27:36)
Credits / New Releases (02:27:37-02:32:25)
Notes:
Matt Singer’s “Funny Business"
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/
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 shows, archive access, and more.
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 | ⁠Bluesky
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Ethan Hawke back in theaters in the period adventure The Weight, we're sharing Adam's 2018 interview with the always thoughtful and insightful actor.
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.

The new Netflix comedy Best of the Best introduced Matt and Jordan to the world of collegiate competitive Bollywood dance, and they left converts: to the dancing, to stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Priyanka Kedia, and to director Lena Khan’s winning movie (which has a joke-filled script written by comedian Hassan Minhaj and writing partner Prashanth Venkataramanujam). In the Best of the Best-inspired Rec Seg, they recommend an entry-level Bollywood classic and an obscure NYC-set dance movie. Then it’s a pair of single-setting (“bottle”) movies for listener Steven, and Producer Sam hosts a “Let’s Dance!” round of trivia.
Intro (00:00:00–00:02:28)
Best of the Best (00:02:29–00:20:55)
Rec Seg! (00:20:56–00:36:45)
Listener Req Seg! “Bottle Movies” (00:36:46–00:52:14)
Game: Let’s Dance! (00:52:15–01:08:55)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:08:56–01:26:39)
Show Notes
For what film should Alison Willmore make her triumphant return to SVU?
https://poll.fm/17448084
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/FilmspottingSvu⁠
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.