Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit (SVU)

This week, Matt and Jordan flip for the conch to discuss the BBC’s new four-part adaptation of The Lord of the Flies, now streaming on Netflix. The duo dives deep into Jack Thorne’s "cinematic" take on the classic novel, debating the effectiveness of its character-focused structure and its haunting visual palette.
For Rec Seg!, they've got Flies-inspired recommendations that range from the whimsical to the harrowing, and in response to listener emails, a deep-cut horror recommendation and an experimental short (that may just scratch that jam-band itch). Plus, Matt faces his fears as Producer Sam takes over as "Dungeon Master" for this week's game, The Streaming Limited, testing the hosts’ knowledge of literary-inspired miniseries. (Ep. #172)
(Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.)
Intro (00:00:00-00:02:50)
Lord of the Flies (00:02:51-00:35:19)
Rec Seg! (00:35:20-00:55:40)
Personalized Recs: Deep Cut Horror, Jam Band Scores (00:55:41-01:13:13)
Game: The Streaming Limited (01:13:14-01:35:42)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:35:43-01:49:17)
Notes:
Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive
⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/⁠⁠
Matt's book "Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever" comes to bookstores everywhere in October. Pre-Order now!
⁠⁠https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/⁠⁠
Feedback:
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⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/mattsinger.bsky.social⁠⁠
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt and Jordan see if Netflix’s massive rom-com hit People We Meet on Vacation (starring "generational talent" Emily Bader) lives up to its 50-million-stream hype. Does the film successfully invert the When Harry Met Sally formula, or is it just a beautiful travelogue hampered by a "charisma vacuum"?
Later, Jordan recommends an under-seen 2023 indie mafia drama, and Matt invites us to fall in love with a 1963 French New Wave short. Plus, a pair of listener-requested recommendations inspired by 1975's The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.
Finally, Producer Sam challenges Jordan’s 3-0 winning streak in a high-stakes game of "Full Service." (Ep. #171)
(Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.)
Intro (00:00:00-00:03:45)
People We Meet On Vacation (00:03:46-00:27:02)
Rec Seg! (00:27:03-00:47:50)
Personalized Recommendations Inspired By 1974's The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (00:47:51-01:03:14)
Game: Full Service (01:03:15-01:20:51)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:20:52-01:33:48)
Notes:
Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive
⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/⁠⁠
Matt's book "Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever" comes to bookstores everywhere in October. Pre-Order now!
⁠⁠https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/⁠⁠
Feedback:
-Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠
Follow:
⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/superpulse/⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/FilmspottingSvu⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/superpulse/⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/jhoffman6/⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/mattsinger.bsky.social⁠⁠
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Filmspotting: SVU, Matt and Jordan tackle the new Netflix action-thriller Apex, starring Charlize Theron and Taryn Egerton. Inspired by Matt Damon’s recent comments on "the Netflix note," the duo investigates whether this Australia-set survival story is better than the average streaming title or another victim of Netflix's "house style" that caters to people doing the dishes.
Plus, Jordan uncovers a bizarre cinematic trend involving beef jerky, Matt pays homage to the "undisputed queen of Netflix action," and the guys launch their first-ever Personalized Recommendation segment to help a listener find some deep-cut noirs. The episode wraps with a high-stakes, all-Charlize edition of "Letterboxd-ing," where producer Sam attempts to break his losing streak. (Ep. #170)
(Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.)
Intro (00:00:00-00:02:00)
Apex (00:02:01-00:27:10)
Rec Seg! (00:27:11-00:39:35)
Radical Streaming Honesty (00:39:36-00:53:33)
Personalize Recommendations: Deep Cut Noir (00:53:34-01:03:58)
Game: Letterboxd-ing (01:03:59-01:22:40)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:22:41-01:31:03)
Notes:
Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive
https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/
Matt's book "Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever" comes to bookstores everywhere in October
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/
Feedback:
-Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠
Follow:
https://www.instagram.com/superpulse/
https://www.facebook.com/FilmspottingSvu
https://letterboxd.com/superpulse/
https://letterboxd.com/jhoffman6/
https://bsky.app/profile/mattsinger.bsky.social
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt and Jordan return with a review of Balls Up, debating if the Peter Farrelly formula still works on the small screen and whether they can actually recommend a movie involving cocaine-addicted crocodiles. Later, Matt revisits Empire Records, Jordan goes back to 1935 with The 39 Steps, and the team plays the first-ever round of "Key Chain." (Ep. #169)
(Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.)
Intro (00:00:00-00:02:58)
Balls Up (00:02:59-00:34:13)
Rec Seg + Radical Streaming Honesty (00:34:14-01:11:40)
Game: Key Chain (01:11:41-01:29:18)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:29:19-01:37:28)
Notes:
Now Streaming on Bazooga - A Filmspotting: SVU Archive
https://letterboxd.com/samvanhallgren/list/now-streaming-on-bazooga-a-filmspotting-svu/
Matt's book "Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever" comes to bookstores everywhere in October
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/
The Reddit thread that explains how the poster for Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie ripped off Marty Supreme (and how this all related to the Balls Out poster):
https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/comments/1qk7av1/marketing_for_nirvanna_the_band_the_show_the/
Feedback:
-Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠
Follow:
https://www.instagram.com/superpulse/
https://www.facebook.com/FilmspottingSvu
https://letterboxd.com/superpulse/
https://letterboxd.com/jhoffman6/
https://bsky.app/profile/mattsinger.bsky.social
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not a dream, not a hoax — SVU is back. After an eight-year hiatus and a “miracle leap forward in technology,” Matt Singer returns with new co-host Jordan Hoffman. To christen the new era, they tackle Jonah Hill’s Apple TV original Outcome, starring Keanu Reeves as the neurotically obsessed movie star (and former heroin addict) Reef Hawk. The duo debates whether the film is a fascinating failure — or just a “transcendentally bad” piece of garbage. Plus, Jordan takes us on the grossest space-related tangent in podcast history, Matt provides some radical streaming honesty, including a recommendation for Netflix’s new Pizza Movie, and producer Sam Van Hallgren joins the fray for the inaugural edition of Letterboxding. (Ep. #168)
(Timecodes/chapters may not be precise with ads.)
Intro (00:00:00-00:03:57)
"Outcome" (00:03:58-00:44:02)
Radical Streaming Honesty (00:44:03-01:14:01)
Game: Letterboxding (01:14:02-01:28:56)
New to Streaming / Credits (01:28:57-01:36:31)
Feedback:
-Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠
Follow:
https://www.instagram.com/superpulse/
https://www.facebook.com/FilmspottingSvu
https://letterboxd.com/superpulse/
https://letterboxd.com/jhoffman6/
https://bsky.app/profile/mattsinger.bsky.social
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.