Filmspotting

Film music historian and journalist ⁠Tim Greiving⁠, author of John Williams: A Composer's Life, joins Michael Phillips to explore one of the foundational dilemmas of movie music, courtesy of legendary composer Max Steiner: "The hardest thing in scoring is to know when to start and when to stop." From King Kong and The Adventures of Robin Hood to Jaws and Star Wars, Michael and Tim trace the history of film scoring through competing philosophies: wall-to-wall music versus strategic restraint, foreground versus background, spectacle versus psychology. And yes, even The Odyssey enters the conversation They discuss Williams's lasting influence, memorable director-composer partnerships, and whether the best movie music tells us what we're seeing or reveals what the characters themselves cannot say. Join the conversation by emailing ⁠[email protected]⁠.
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Is The End of Oak Street the best Spielberg movie of 2026? Or is one of your hosts committing movie heresy? Adam and Josh review David Robert Mitchell's dinosaur-filled family adventure and consider whether there's more on its mind than blockbuster thrills. Plus: thoughts on the Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony, Willem Dafoe in Late Fame, and Adam's conversation with the creators of the Table Read podcast.
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 (00:00:00-00:02:23)
The End of Oak Street (00:02:24-00:49:09)
Spoiler Talk: The End of Oak Street (00:49:09-01:10:34)
Filmspotting Family (01:10:35-01:17:04)
Tony (01:17:05-01:22:22)
Late Fame (01:22:23-01:41:26)
MLB at Field of Dreams on Netflix (01:41:27-01:45:52)
Introducing: Table Read Podcast (01:45:53-01:59:42)
Massacre Theatre (01:59:43-02:08:57)
Credits / Releases (02:08:58-2:11:44)
Notes:
-Myth of the American Sleepover Review | Ann Arbor Observer
⁠https://annarborobserver.com/myth-of-the-american-sleepover/⁠
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Kristen Stewart is back in theaters with The Wrong Girls, which is an excuse to share our Top 5 KStew Scenes from 2017.
Unlock the full archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad‑free + bonus episodes, and more when you ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠. Promo code: summer for 20% off through Aug. 31.
"Personal Shopper and the Movies That Haunt Us"
Scott, Morris - Great Performances of 2016
Stewart: Hiding In Plain Sight
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It’s all fine and good to be sealed up in a house with Wagner Moura and Greta Lee, but the longer Netflix’s new The Last House keeps us there, the more time Matt and Jordan have for questions about the why and the how and… is that broccoli you’re growing in the floorboards, Greta? Matt and Jordan also discuss Netflix’s curious fascination with apocalyptic tales. Then, some Last House-inspired streaming recommendations (Universal Monsters! H.P. Lovecraft!) and a listener streaming request inspires recommendations for a forgotten Emma Thompson movie from the early 90s and a literary adaptation from Roger Corman. And Jordan hosts this week’s game: The Gaul of These People!
Welcome/Intro (00:00:00–00:2:54)
The Last House (00:2:55–00:27:17)
H.P. Lovecraft and Universal Monsters (Rec Seg!) (00:27:18–00:44:30)
Emma Thompson, Roger Corman, and Vincent Price (Listener Request Seg!) (00:44:31–01:03:16)
MLB's Field of Dreams Game on Netflix (01:03:17–01:09:26)
Game: The Gaul of these People! (01:09:27–01:26:10)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:26:11–01:31:04)
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/⁠
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
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Matt Johnson’s new biopic Tony sidesteps the infamous Walk Hard trap by narrowing its scope to a single summer that would end up shaping the rest of Anthony Bourdain’s life, but not necessarily defining it. Whether that approach is ultimately satisfying to fans of the late celebrity chef and author is up for debate this week, as we’re once again joined by Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi to discuss how Tony plays into and against our expectations of a Bourdain narrative. Then we bring Ratatouille back in for Connections, to compare how these two films introduce us to kitchen culture through the eyes of a newbie. Then for Your Next Picture Show, we recommend two more recent films to fill out a Matt Johnson triple feature.
Please share your thoughts about Ratatouille, Tony, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.
Next Pairing: David Robert Mitchell’s The End of Oak Street and Steven Spielberg’s The War of the Worlds
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 NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.