With the fall film festival season (mostly) in the rearview and release dates set through the end of the year, Adam and Josh hold a Fall Movie Preview Draft that sees them largely ignoring obvious picks like Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three in favor of battling over some of the most intriguing indies still to come. Plus, a review of Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning and Massacre Theatre.

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 (00:00:00-00:02:25)

‘26 Fall Preview Draft (00:02:26-0:25:19)

Filmspotting Family (0:25:20-00:31:25)

Preview Draft, cont. (00:31:26-1:02:41)

The Social Reckoning (1:02:42-01:30:58)

Massacre Theatre (01:30:59-01:36:46)

Credits / New Releases (01:36:47-01:44:01)

Notes:

-Refocus Film Festival

https://refocusfilmfestival.org/

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Primetime is a far-from-straightforward take on a true story, using the mid-aughts TV phenomenon To Catch a Predator and especially its host, Chris Hansen, for a darkly comic exploration of the morally murky place where ambition and justice overlap. It’s a tonal high wire act that gets a lot of mileage out of Lance Oppenheim’s expressively stylized direction and strong performances from Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, and Skyler Gisondo, but whether that all adds up to a satisfying film is up for debate this week. Then we bring 1957’s Sweet Smell of Success back in for Connections to discuss how it and Primetime both navigate protagonists who punch down from their moral high ground, and the bygone media environments that enable them, all while maintaining a sense of humor. Then, for anyone looking for a fuller picture of To Catch a Predator’s rise and fall, we offer a Your Next Picture Show for David Osit’s 2025 documentary Predators.

Please share your thoughts about Sweet Smell of Success, Primetime, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Next pairing: Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning and David Fincher's The Social Network.

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.

Stephen King’s Carrie has been adapted for film twice, has endured a sequel and even a Broadway musical, and now Mike Flanagan has brought the writer’s debut novel to the small screen in a limited series for Prime Video. Flanagan is a peerless adapter of King’s work, but does any version of Carrie need to be eight hours? Matt and Jordan discuss. In the Rec Seg, recommendations for a classic of ‘70s German cinema and an underseen King adaptation from the ‘90s. Plus, a listener writes in for some under-the-radar horror comedies, and Producer Sam hosts a King-themed movie game.

Intro (00:00:00–00:02:26)

Carrie (Prime Video) (00:02:27–00:31:45)

Rec Seg! (00:31:46–00:50:55)

Listener Req Seg! (00:50:56–01:06:42)

Game: If You Come at the King, You Better Not Miss (01:06:43–01:26:40)

New to Streaming / Credits (01:26:41–01:38:55)

Show Notes

Stephen King Wants You To Watch Maximum Overdrive (Trailer)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IniwjSfs4fs

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" (available now):⁠ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/⁠

Matt’s book tour!

matt-singer.net

Feedback: Email us at feedback@filmspottingSVU.com

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.

Hollywood has been dying for more than a century. At least, that's what people keep saying.

This week, Michael Phillips explores one of the industry's favorite prophecies of doom: producer David O. Selznick's famous comparison of Hollywood to ancient Egypt, "full of crumbled pyramids" destined to disappear into the sands.

Joining Michael are Rep. Laura Friedman, whose congressional district includes many of the major studios and who helped author the bipartisan Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act, and film historian Ron Falzone. Together, they examine Hollywood's latest existential crisis: runaway production, empty soundstages, corporate consolidation, and the fight to keep movie-making in the United States.

Is Hollywood facing a uniquely perilous moment, or just its latest near-death experience? Join the conversation by emailing themovieracket@filmspotting.net.

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Not everyone hates Digger. The big swing from star Tom Cruise and director Alejandro González Iñárritu was met with chilly box office and hostility from critics, but Adam and Josh (yes, even Iñárritu skeptic Adam!) found lots to like — especially after the film’s bold transition from politically-charged farce into something completely different. Plus, Josh on Primetime, previews of two regional fests, and listeners pick their favorite “Comedy Boom” movies.

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)

Digger (00:02:24-0:33:35)

Filmspotting Family (0:33:36-00:37:20)

Spoiler Talk: Digger (00:37:21-1:11:00)

Primetime (1:11:01-01:16:21)

Chicago / Refocus Film Fest Previews (01:16:22-01:31:21)

Polls (01:31:22-01:42:54)

Credits / New Releases (01:42:55-01:46:33)

Chicago Film Festival Picks – Josh:

-Citizen Osama

⁠https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/film/citizen-osama/⁠

-Eight Bridges

⁠https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/film/eight-bridges/⁠

Chicago Film Festival Picks – Adam:

-The Debut

⁠https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/film/the-debut/⁠

-The Girl with the Leica

⁠https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/film/the-girl-with-the-leica/⁠

Notes:

-Refocus Film Festival

⁠https://refocusfilmfestival.org/

Feedback:

-Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠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

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime paints problematic TV phenomenon To Catch a Predator — and especially its host, Chris Hansen — as an enterprise fueled by ambition, amorality, and a tenuous grasp of journalistic ethics. Those qualities put us in mind of the cursed collaboration between desperate press agent Sidney Falco and influential columnist J.J. Hunsecker in 1957’s Sweet Smell of Success, so this week we’re digging into the twisted loyalties and razor-sharp dialogue of Alexander Mackendrick’s blisteringly cynical portrayal of a very different era in tabloid journalism. Then in Feedback, a listener helps flesh out a bit of William Friedkin trivia that came up during our recent Sorcerer discussion.

Please share your thoughts about Sweet Smell of Success, Primetime, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

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.

With Cruise back in ac-tor mode in Alejandro González Iñárritu's Digger, we're sharing our 2017 consideration of the long and storied career of "the last movie star."

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