For Valentine's Week, we book a trip to CASABLANCA – circa 2017 – with Adam graciously welcoming critics-on-the-run Michael Phillips and Katherine Fusco to Café Filmspotting. This is the first drop in a four-week series of archive reviews featuring romantic Best Picture winners leading up to the 2026 Oscars.

For full access to the show archive, Filmspotting Discord, monthly bonus episodes, and more, ⁠consider joining the Filmspotting Family⁠⁠.

For Valentine's Week, we book a trip to CASABLANCA &ndash; circa 2017 &ndash; with Adam graciously welcoming critics-on-the-run Michael Phillips and Katherine Fusco to Caf&eacute; Filmspotting. This is the first drop in a four-week series of archive reviews featuring romantic Best Picture winners leading up to the 2026 Oscars.
For full access to the show archive, Filmspotting Discord, monthly bonus episodes, and more,&nbsp;<a href="https://filmspotting.supportingcast.fm/join?sc_promo=FS20" data-encore-id="textLink" data-slate-node="element" data-slate-inline="true">⁠consider joining the Filmspotting Family⁠⁠</a>.

Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen review new and classic movies, offering "affable, insightful film analysis since 2005" (NY Times).

New and classic movie reviews and top 5 lists.

Filmspotting

Since 2005, Filmspotting has featured Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen's in-depth movie reviews and Top 5 lists, delivering "weekly installments of affable, insightful film analysis" (The New York Times). Today, the Filmspotting feed also offers an expanded lineup of original movie and pop culture shows.

Since 2005, Filmspotting has featured Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen's in-depth movie reviews and Top 5 lists, delivering "weekly installments of affable, insightful film analysis" (The New York Times). Today, the Filmspotting feed also offers an expanded lineup of original movie and pop culture shows.

Casablanca Review | Archive

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6753889c-6dfd-4393-81f6-b3ee004aa95d/transcript

Adam and Travis welcome Samantha N. Sheppard, PhD, Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Cornell University, to discuss Steve James's landmark 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams.

Drawing on research from her new book, The Basketball Film: A Cultural and Transmedia History, Sheppard explains why Hoop Dreams stands as the defining work of the basketball film genre. The conversation explores the film's complicated relationship to competition, bell hooks' famous critique, and why the stories of Arthur Agee and William Gates continue to resonate more than three decades later.

Along the way, Sheppard reflects on her own path to becoming one of the leading scholars of sports cinema and shares some personal favorites from the basketball movie canon.

Next Episode:

–The Hurricane with Grant Wiedenfeld, Ph.D., MFA (University of Toronto)

Links:

–Email the show at fos@filmspotting.net.

-Sporting Blackness: Race, Embodiment, and Critical Muscle Memory on Screen

Theme Music:

–King of the Corpse Flowers by Oxykitten | Spotify

Adam and Travis welcome <a href="https://pma.cornell.edu/samantha-noelle-sheppard">Samantha N. Sheppard, PhD</a>, Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Cornell University, to discuss Steve James's landmark 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams.
Drawing on research from her new book, <a href="https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/the-basketball-film/9781978806269">The Basketball Film: A Cultural and Transmedia History</a>, Sheppard explains why Hoop Dreams stands as the defining work of the basketball film genre. The conversation explores the film's complicated relationship to competition, bell hooks' famous critique, and why the stories of Arthur Agee and William Gates continue to resonate more than three decades later.
Along the way, Sheppard reflects on her own path to becoming one of the leading scholars of sports cinema and shares some personal favorites from the basketball movie canon.
Next Episode:
&ndash;The Hurricane with Grant Wiedenfeld, Ph.D., MFA (University of Toronto)
Links:
&ndash;Email the show at <a href="mailto:fos@filmspotting.net">fos@filmspotting.net</a>.
-<a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/books/sporting-blackness/paper">Sporting Blackness: Race, Embodiment, and Critical Muscle Memory on Screen</a>
Theme Music:
&ndash;King of the Corpse Flowers by Oxykitten | <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6tSTBObVBSHlIBxULaiYJe?si=h7H6dGQdQpSVpjjFaBbxSw">Spotify</a>

The basketball film that changed the game.

Hoop Dreams (1994) with Samantha N. Sheppard | Field of Scenes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4fb3f44f-511a-4f37-a1bb-b4f300d1224d/transcript

For Halloween week, Adam and Josh revisit the movie that reanimated the slasher, Wes Craven’s 1996 meta-horror classic Scream. Plus, highlights from the 5th annual Refocus Film Festival 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 (00:00:00-00:01:55)

Scream at 30 (00:01:56-00:30:43)

Filmspotting Family (00:30:44-00:34:56)

Scream cont. (00:34:57-00:1:03:28)

Refocus Film Festival(00:1:03:29-01:15:07)

Massacre Theatre (01:15:08-01:22:23)

Credits / New Releases (01:22:24-01:26:47)

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

-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

For Halloween week, Adam and Josh revisit the movie that reanimated the slasher, Wes Craven&rsquo;s 1996 meta-horror classic Scream. Plus, highlights from the 5th annual Refocus Film Festival and Massacre Theatre.&nbsp;
This episode is presented by⁠ Regal Unlimited⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits.<a href="https://experience.regmovies.com/join-unlimited?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=filmspotting"> Use code FILMSPOT26 to take 15% off.</a>
(Timecodes will not be precise with ads.)
Intro (00:00:00-00:01:55)
Scream at 30 (00:01:56-00:30:43)
Filmspotting Family (00:30:44-00:34:56)
Scream cont. (00:34:57-00:1:03:28)
Refocus Film Festival (00:1:03:29-01:15:07)
Massacre Theatre (01:15:08-01:22:23)
Credits / New Releases (01:22:24-01:26:47)
Notes:
-Refocus Film Festival
<a href="https://refocusfilmfestival.org/">https://refocusfilmfestival.org/</a>
Feedback:
-Email us at <a href="mailto:feedback@filmspotting.net">feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠</a>
⁠⁠⁠⁠-<a href="https://forms.gle/PGVFAm4GvbmPJWqG8">⁠Ask Us Anything⁠</a>⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content.
Support:
-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus shows, archive access, and more.
<a href="https://filmspotting.supportingcast.fm/join?sc_promo=summer&amp;utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=1077&amp;utm_campaign=summer">http://filmspottingfamily.com</a>
-Filmspotting Shop for T-shirts and more.
<a href="https://www.filmspotting.net/shop">⁠https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠</a>⁠⁠⁠
Follow:
-Watch Filmspotting on YouTube:
<a href="https://youtube.com/filmspotting">⁠https://youtube.com/filmspotting⁠</a>
-Adam/Filmspotting
<a href="https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting/">⁠Letterboxd⁠</a> |<a href="https://instagram.com/filmspotting%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0">⁠ Instagram⁠</a> |<a href="https://facebook.com/filmspotting%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0">⁠ Facebook⁠</a> |<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/filmspotting.bsky.social"> ⁠Bluesky⁠</a>
-Josh/LarsenOnFilm
<a href="https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0">⁠Letterboxd⁠</a> |<a href="https://www.instagram.com/larsenonfilm/"> ⁠Instagram⁠</a> |<a href="https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm">⁠ Facebook⁠</a> |<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social"> ⁠Bluesky</a>

The 1996 meta-horror movie understands the rules.

Wes Craven’s Scream at 30 | #1087

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5189f00c-dcbf-47cd-a957-b4f2012e5da1/transcript

A few weeks out from The Social Reckoning’’s tepid theatrical debut, it’s safe to say Aaron Sorkin’s “spiritual sequel” to 2010’s The Social Network won’t match its successor’s box-office success, nor is it likely to be as fondly remembered in 16 years’ time. There are many ways in which the newer film goes astray, which we cover in our opening discussion of Reckoning, before bringing Network back in for Connections to consider how much of each film’s vision of Mark Zuckerberg’s social-media empire can be attributed to/blamed on Sorkin specifically. Then in a Zuck-inspired Your Next Picture Show, we briefly review a very long documentary about another tech billionaire whose name has become something of a four-letter word over the years: Alex Gibney’s Musk.

Please share your thoughts about The Social Network, The Social Reckoning, 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: Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s You Can See Everything and Albert Brooks’ Real Life.

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.

A few weeks out from The Social Reckoning&rsquo;&rsquo;s tepid theatrical debut, it&rsquo;s safe to say Aaron Sorkin&rsquo;s &ldquo;spiritual sequel&rdquo; to 2010&rsquo;s The Social Network won&rsquo;t match its successor&rsquo;s box-office success, nor is it likely to be as fondly remembered in 16 years&rsquo; time. There are many ways in which the newer film goes astray, which we cover in our opening discussion of Reckoning, before bringing Network back in for Connections to consider how much of each film&rsquo;s vision of Mark Zuckerberg&rsquo;s social-media empire can be attributed to/blamed on Sorkin specifically. Then in a Zuck-inspired Your Next Picture Show, we briefly review a very long documentary about another tech billionaire whose name has become something of a four-letter word over the years: Alex Gibney&rsquo;s Musk.
Please share your thoughts about The Social Network, The Social Reckoning, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:comments@nextpictureshow.net">comments@nextpictureshow.net</a>, or leaving a short voicemail at&nbsp;<a href="tel:(773)%20234-9730">(773) 234-9730</a>.
Next Pairing: Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim&rsquo;s&nbsp;You Can See Everything and Albert Brooks&rsquo; Real Life.
This episode is presented by⁠ <a href="https://www.regmovies.com/join-unlimited" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.regmovies.com/join-unlimited&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793149230031000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ifU5sdo7NQab5PK1NLXTg">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.

Sorkin's follow-up to "The Social Network" goes astray.

Zuck Dynasty, Pt. 2 — The Social Reckoning

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d1bcf9cf-01ac-438e-a87f-b4f00011172c/transcript

Casablanca Review | Archive

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