Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit (SVU)

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.Listener's Choice Review: "On Body and Soul"A Special Occasion Second Longer Review: "The Cloverfield Paradox"Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes you've got to talk your pain and frustration out — and sometimes you've got to punch a car. In this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison consider a film that tries to do both — S. Craig Zahler's brawny, wry, brutal Vince Vaughn-goes-to-prison drama BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99. Then they offer some recommendations 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 99"Queue Shots: Neo-Exploitation MoviesBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Listener's Choice Review: "A Ghost Story"Queue Shots: Ghostly MoviesBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Listener's Choice Review: "Bright"Queue Shots: Will Smith MoviesBehind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New ReleasesAlison: Free In Deed / Dawson City: Frozen Time / Better Watch OutMatt: Ash vs Evil Dead / Step / Total Recall2 Listener RecommendationsAlison: Bad Lucky Goat / Rat FilmMatt: Star Treks Deep Space Nine and Voyager / Taxi1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"Alison: LagaanMatt: The Twilight ZoneThis episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Dropbox and Showstopper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 available to rent or stream, some of whom Rees has cited as influences.This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Tribeca Shortlist and Showstopper.Guest Host’s Choice Review: MudboundQueue Shots: Films Directed By Black Women:A Dry White SeasonDaughters of the DustThe Watermelon WomanWhose Streets?Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New ReleasesAlison: Allied / Search Party / Their FinestEric: The Persian Connection / Landline / The Dinner2 Listener RecommendationsAlison: Patton Oswalt: Annihilation / Neal Brennan: 3 MicsEric: Life / Parents1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"Alison: Boys in the TreesEric: Narcos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Guest Critic's Choice Review: "The Meyerowitz Stories"Queue Shots: Movies About Grown-up BrothersIn Theaters: "Thor: Ragnarok"Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"This episode of Filmspotting: SVU is brought to you by Tribeca Shortlist and Hello Fresh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Freshmeeeeen! On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison haze each other with drunken parties and rabbit kidneys in preparation for talking Julia Ducournau’s body horror/coming of age movie RAW. Then they reminisce about their long-ago undergrad years with some recs of other college movies and TV series, (mostly) available to stream or rent.Listener's Choice Review: "Raw"Queue Shots: College MoviesIn Theaters: "The Snowman"Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison run off to the desert to start their own Keanu Reeves-centric rave cult in preparation for their discussion of Ana Lily Amirpour’s dystopian drama THE BAD BATCH. Then, in honor of THE BAD BATCH’s truly disturbing scenes of human flesh-consumption (set to Ace of Base!), they recommend some other movies in which cannibalism is featured — as an allegory, a total gross-out, or both. And, of course, they’re all available to stream or rent.Listener's Choice Review: "The Bad Batch"Queue Shots: Cannibalism MoviesIn Theaters: "Blade Runner 2049"Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Streaming Releases2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices