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

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

SVU #166: It (1990) / Clown Movies

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review
It (1990)

Queue Shots: Clowning Around
La Strada
The Last Circus
Spawn
The Clowns

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases
Alison: The Young Karl Marx / A Star Is Born / Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
Matt: Lady Bird / Yellow Submarine / Paramount

2 Listener Recommendations
Alison: Raw / Cobra Kai
Matt: My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea / Stunt Rock

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Alison: Arrested Development
Matt: Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

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

Get your skates straight and put out that cigarette, because on this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, 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.

Listeners’ Choice Review
I, Tonya

Queue Shots: Ice Skating on Screen
Blades of Glory
Yuri!!! on Ice
Miracle
In the Cut

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases
Alison: The Chinese Exclusion Act / Bad Genius / Boarding Gate
Matt: The Disaster Artist / The Quick and the Dead / The Debt Collector

2 Listener Recommendations
Alison: Creep & Creep 2 / Sweetie
Matt: Dave Made a Maze / Arrow Video

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Alison: Bobbi Jene
Matt: Inconceivable

SVU #164: Manhunt / Hong Kong Action Movies

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review
Manhunt

Queue Shots: Hong Kong Action
Come Drink With Me
Police Story
Riki-Oh
Kill Zone 2

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases
Alison: Beatriz at Dinner / The Student / Shanghai Joe
Matt: Evil Genius / Ace in the Hole / The Toys That Made Us

2 Listener Recommendations
Alison: Breathe / Images
Matt: The Future / 3rd Rock From The Sun

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Alison: Catching Feelings
Matt: Rogue One

SVU #163: Thelma / Supernatural Coming of Age 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.

Listeners’ Choice Review
Thelma

Queue Shots: Supernatural Coming of Age Movies
It Follows
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
It
Jennifer's Body

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases
Alison: BPM (Beats per Minute) / Psychokinesis / Murder on the Orient Express
Matt: Last Flag Flying / Planet of the Apes / Manhunt

2 Listener Recommendations
Alison: The Baader Meinhof Complex / Prospero’s Books
Matt: That Man: Peter Berlin / The FP

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"
Alison: The Chalet
Matt: The Twilight Zone

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

"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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

The Iron Giant

Queue Shots: More Movies From Ready Player One's Reference Barrage

Smokey and the Bandit
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
King Kong
Last Action Hero

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New 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

Alison: Spring / They Look Like People
Matt: Kelly Reichardt / Night on Earth

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: Veronica
Matt: Our Souls at Night

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

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

Wild Wild Country

Queue Shots: Movies Made By Brothers

Ruthless People
Brighton Rock
Gimme Shelter
45365

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New 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

Alison: Free In Deed / The Magicians
Matt: Blue Velvet / The Tribe

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: First Match
Matt: The Outsider

SVU #160: The Thin Man / Movies About Drinking

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

The Thin Man

Queue Shots: Drinking Movies

After the Thin Man
Withnail and I
Sideways
Right Now, Wrong Then

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: Il Mare / Blade of the Immortal / Jane
Matt: Adam's Rib / Life Itself / Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: Wild Wild Country / The Bureau
Matt: Bridget & Eamon / Belladonna of Sadness

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: Inconceivable
Matt: Ash vs Evil Dead

SVU #159: Babylon Berlin / Berlin Movies

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

Babylon Berlin

Queue Shots: Movies Set In Berlin

Atomic Blonde
Christiane F.
Victoria
Possession

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: Gook / I Am Another You / Barracuda
Matt: The Square / Dirty Dancing / Aftermath

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: Babes in Toyland / The Cube
Matt: SPF-18 / Revanche

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: Derren Brown: The Push
Matt: Ugly Delicious

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

It's no sleep until 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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

Good Time

Queue Shots: Up All Night Movies

Mikey and Nicky
American Graffiti
Dogfight
Escape from L.A.

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: The Villainess / Most Beautiful Island / The Breadwinner
Matt: The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale / Casino / Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: Possession / Dark
Matt: Man on the Train / Mon Oncle d'Amerique

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: Hap and Leonard S2
Matt: Mindhunter

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

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

On Body and Soul

Queue Shots: A Special Occasion Second Longer Review

The Cloverfield Paradox

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: The Foul King / Good Time / Princess Cyd
Matt: Logan Lucky / Force Majeure / The Skeleton Twins

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: To Be Or Not To Be / Living in Oblivion
Matt: Nobody Else But You / Columbus

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: The Ritual
Matt: Sandy Wexler

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

Sometimes you've got to talk your pain and frustration out--and somtimes you've got to punch a car. In this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison consider a firlm that rie to do both --S. Craig Zaher's brawny, wry, brutal Vince Vaughn-goes-to-prison drama BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99. Then they offer some recommendation 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 9

Queue Shots: Neo-Exploitation Films

Manborg
Nurse 3D
Accident Man
Viva

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: Canadian Bacon / Menashe / Don't Look Up
Matt: Ingrid Goes West / The Warriors / Walk Hard

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: Inherent Vice / Dark
Matt: Images / 99% Invisible

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: Before I Wake
Matt: Berlin Syndrome

SVU #155: A Ghost Story / Ghostly Movies

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

A Ghost Story

Queue Shots: Movies About Ghosts

House on Haunted Hill
Pulse
Ugetsu
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: Brawl in Cell Block 99 / The Age of Shadows / Super Dark Times
Matt: The Polka King / Capricorn One / Frank

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: Boy / Shot Caller
Matt: Kill Ratio / Do You Want To See a Dead Body?

1 Random Entry From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: She's Gotta Have It
Matt: Oh, Hello on Broadway

SVU #154: Bright / Will Smith

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.

Listeners’ Choice Review

Bright

Queue Shots: Will Smithography

Where The Day Takes You
Men in Black
Hancock
Wild Wild West

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: Black Mirror S4 / World of Tomorrow Chapter 2 / A Gray State
Matt: The Godfather Trilogy / All Is Lost / Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: Better Things / They Live
Matt: Landline / The Noah (again)

1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: God of War
Matt: Curse of Chucky

SVU #153: The 2017 SVUvie Awards

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.

This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Dropbox and Showstopper.

This Year's SVUvies

Wonderstruck

Call Me By Your Name

Alien: Covenant

The House

The Post

Beatriz at Dinner

The Book of Henry

Detroit

Baby Driver

The Mummy

Good Time

The Florida Project

Logan Lucky

Killing Gunther

Your Name

The Lego Batman Movie

The Villainess

The Disaster Artist

Lady Bird

Okja

Annihilation

Incredibles 2

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: Free In Deed / Dawson City: Frozen Time / Better Watch Out

Matt: 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

SVU #152: A Very Special Flopspotting Live

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

SVU #151: Mudbound / Black Female Filmmakers

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, some of whom Rees has cited as influences, and all work available to rent or stream.

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

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

David Sims of the Atlantic and the Blank Check podcast joins Alison to talk Noah Baumbach’s latest. 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.

This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Tribeca Shortlist and Hello Fresh.

Guest Host’s Choice Review

The Meyerowitz Stories

Queue Shots: When Brothers Grow Up

Brother’s Keeper
Basket Case
A History of Violence
Warrior

Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases

Alison: Alias Grace / 11/8/2016 / Reprise
David: Speed Racer / The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford / 42

2 Listener Recommendations

Alison: Father Brown / Krzysztof Kieslowski: I'm So-So
David: Hinterland / Mother

1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"

Alison: The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
David: The Wave