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."

Unlock the full archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad‑free + bonus episodes, and more when you ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠. 

With Cruise back in ac-tor mode in Alejandro Gonz&aacute;lez I&ntilde;&aacute;rritu's Digger, we're sharing our 2017 consideration of the long and storied career of "the last movie star."
Unlock the full archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad‑free + bonus episodes, and more when you ⁠join&nbsp;<a href="https://filmspotting.supportingcast.fm/join?sc_promo=summer">the Filmspotting Family⁠</a>.&nbsp;

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.

Top 5 Tom Cruise Performances | Archive

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1e6b99f5-00bb-4532-8a96-b4db010b9037/transcript

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:

-Yes, for some reason James Caan appeared on a Fall Preview cast list for “Cliff Booth” along with his son. No, it didn’t occur to Adam that he was dead. (He is.)

-”The Family Guy” has the famous “It insists upon itself” joke – not “The Simpsons.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYAi5aI_NPc

-Refocus Film Festival

https://refocusfilmfestival.org/

Feedback:

-Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠

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-Josh/LarsenOnFilm

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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. &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 (00:00:00-00:02:25)
&lsquo;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:
-Yes, for some reason James Caan appeared on a Fall Preview cast list for &ldquo;Cliff Booth&rdquo; along with his son. No, it didn&rsquo;t occur to Adam that he was dead. (He is.)
-&rdquo;The Family Guy&rdquo; has the famous &ldquo;It insists upon itself&rdquo; joke &ndash; not &ldquo;The Simpsons.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYAi5aI_NPc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYAi5aI_NPc</a>
-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>

Fall Movie Preview and The Social Reckoning | #1085

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/61287717-1b88-4ca4-a1c8-b4e40123d302/transcript

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.

Primetime is a far-from-straightforward take on a true story, using the mid-aughts TV phenomenon&nbsp;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&rsquo;s a tonal high wire act that gets a lot of mileage out of Lance Oppenheim&rsquo;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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s rise and fall, we offer a Your Next Picture Show for David Osit&rsquo;s 2025 documentary Predators.
Please share your thoughts about&nbsp;Sweet Smell of Success, Primetime, 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: Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning and David Fincher's The Social Network.
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=1791940186829000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Y_YyF0ZbN2CLfNHR8CsiN">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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.

Trial By Media, Pt. 2 — Primetime | Next Picture Show

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0a6c4ad0-ea6f-467d-aa4b-b4e2002aa38e/transcript

The 1991 movie year turns 35 this year. T2, Barton Fink, Boys in the Hood. In 2014, Adam and Josh looked back a mere 23 years for their Top 5 of '91.

 

 

The 1991 movie year turns 35 this year. T2, Barton Fink, Boys in the Hood. In 2014, Adam and Josh looked back a mere 23 years for their Top 5 of '91.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Top 5 of 1991 | Archive

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/de5a0c73-3a89-4388-beb2-b4e20145b8ef/transcript

Top 5 Tom Cruise Performances | Archive

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