As a social climber turned selfless mother in the heartbreaking 1937 melodrama STELLA DALLAS, Barbara Stanwyck earned the first of her four Oscar nominations. And two films into their Stanwyck Marathon, Adam and Josh remain in awe of both the actress's power and her subtlety. The film itself offers a still-potent critique of class as its heroine is forced to choose between her own identity and her beloved daughter. It also gives us an opportunity to revisit 2013's Top 5 Movie Mother-Daughters, with Adam and Josh considering the memorable mothers and daughters that have come to screens in the intervening decade (lookin' at you, Greta Gerwig). Plus, Josh reviews the new stop-motion animated charmer MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON.
0:00 - Billboard
1:04 - Stanwyck #2: "Stella Dallas"
33:28 - Review (JL): "Marcel The Shell With Shoes On"
38:20 - Next Week / Notes
43:07 - Massacre Theatre
49:44 - Top 5: Movie Mother-Daughters
1:20:17 - Outro
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#881: Stanwyck #2 - Stella Dallas / Marcel the Shell With Shoes On / Top 5 Movie Mother-Daughters

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

TV & Film

Film Reviews

Film History

Is Alex Garland’s new film a warning or mere provocation? Adam and Josh discuss. Plus, the William Wyler Marathon continues with the 1959 biblical epic “Ben-Hur” and we crown a ‘50s Madness Champ. 
(Timecodes will not be precise with ads; chapters may start early.)
Open (00:00:00-00:02:19)
Review: “Civil War” (00:01:58-00:34:16)
Next Week / Notes (00:34:17-00:42:28)
‘50s Madness Champ (00:42:29-01:01:51)
Wyler #4: “Ben-Hur” (01:01:52-01:27:06)
Close, New Releases (01:27:07-01:31:40)
Notes/Links:
Filmspotting Madness
https://www.filmspotting.net/madness
William Wyler Marathon
https://www.filmspotting.net/marathons
Filmspotting Presents Mother’s Day with “Roman Holiday” at The Music Box
https://musicboxtheatre.com/films-and-events/roman-holiday
Chicago Critics Film Fest
https://www.chicagocriticsfilmfestival.com/
Feedback:
Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net.
Ask Us Anything and we might answer your question in bonus content.
Support us:
-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and complete archive access.
http://filmspottingfamily.com
-T-shirts (and more) on sale at the Filmspotting Shop.
https://filmspotting.net/shop
Contact us:
https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting
@filmspotting on Threads
https://twitter.com/filmspotting
https://facebook.com/filmspotting
https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm
@larsenonfilm on Threads
https://twitter.com/larsenonfilm
https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm
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#963: Civil War, Ben-Hur (Wyler #4), ‘50s Madness Champ

Director and legendary cinematographer Kirsten Johnson is known for nonfiction work that is inventive, artful, expressive, and maximal. The same can be said of the film that blew her mind -- Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz. The semi-autobiographical film brings us Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider), a peripatetic creative force working simultaneously to mount a major Broadway production and complete post-production on a feature film, all while maintaining a lifestyle fueled by cigarettes, pills, one-night stands, and Visine, and still finding time for his adoring 12-year old daughter, Michelle. We learn why the iconic film first transfixed Kirsten, and how she continues to be inspired by Fosse’s ingenious use of dance, documentary, theater, music, and more. Host John Cooper shares his personal ties to the film, calling on his days in New York’s theater scene of the 1970s. And co-host Tabitha Jackson (a.k.a. Wife of Kirsten) does her level best to maintain her professional distance as the conversation unfolds.

Listen and subscribe to The Film that Blew My Mind on Apple Podcasts.
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Filmspotting Presents: The Film That Blew My Mind - Kristen Johnson on All That Jazz

With Alex Garland’s “Civil War” on the horizon, Adam and Josh take another look at the writer/director’s prescient AI thriller “Ex Machina.” Plus, a spirited debate over 1942’s “Mrs. Miniver” and a finals matchup in Filmspotting Madness—Best of the ‘50s. 
(Timecodes will not be precise with ads; chapters may start early.)
Open (00:00:00-00:02:19)
Review: “Ex Machina” (00:02:20-00:51:47)
R.I.P. Louis Gossett Jr, M. Emmett Walsh / Dune 2 Feedback (00:51:48-01:03:36)
‘50s Madness Finals (01:03:37-01:13:30)
Wyler #3: “Mrs. Miniver” (01:13:31-01:54:55)
Close, New Releases (01:54:55-01:57:48)
Notes/Links:
Filmspotting Madness
https://www.filmspotting.net/madness
William Wyler Marathon
https://www.filmspotting.net/marathons
Josh at Ebert Interruptus 2024
https://www.colorado.edu/cwa/
Boulder Meetup w/Josh
https://www.filmspotting.net/events
Feedback:
Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net.
Ask Us Anything and we might answer your question in bonus content.
Support us:
-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and complete archive access.
http://filmspottingfamily.com
-T-shirts (and more) on sale at the Filmspotting Shop.
https://filmspotting.net/shop
Contact us:
https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting
@filmspotting on Threads
https://twitter.com/filmspotting
https://facebook.com/filmspotting
https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm
@larsenonfilm on Threads
https://twitter.com/larsenonfilm
https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm
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#962: Ex Machina in the Age of AI, Mrs. Miniver (Wyler #3), ‘50s Madness Finals

With the release of a new “Road House” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Adam and Josh debate the merits of the ‘89 original (there are many merits!), along with recommendations of “Godzilla x Kong” and the doc “Ennio” about composer Ennio Morricone. Plus, the Final 4 round of Filmspotting Madness—Best of the '50s.    
(Timecodes will not be precise with ads; chapters may start early.)
Open (00:00:00-00:03:40)
Review: “Road House” at 35 (00:03:41-00:45:54)
Review: “Road House” (‘24) (00:45:55-01:01:12)
Review (JL): “Godzilla x Kong” (01:01:13-01:05:04)
Review (AK): “Ennio” (01:05:05-01:09:04)
Next Week / Notes (01:09:05-01:19:36)
‘50s Madness - Final 4 (01:19:37-01:33:20)
Close, New Releases, Outtake (01:33:21-01:36:06)
Notes/Links:
Josh at Ebert Interruptus 2024
4.12 Boulder Meetup
Filmspotting Madness
-https://www.filmspotting.net/madness
-William Wyler Marathon
https://www.filmspotting.net/marathons
Feedback:
Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net.
Ask Us Anything and we might answer your question in bonus content.
Support us:
-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and complete archive access.
http://filmspottingfamily.com
-T-shirts (and more) on sale at the Filmspotting Shop.
https://filmspotting.net/shop
Contact us:
https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting
@filmspotting on Threads
https://twitter.com/filmspotting
https://facebook.com/filmspotting
https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm
@larsenonfilm on Threads
https://twitter.com/larsenonfilm
https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm
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#961: Road House at 35, Road House ‘24, Godzilla x Kong, ‘50s Madness Final Four

With "Godzilla x Kong" coming to theaters this weekend, we go to the archives for this 2021 conversation (inspired by "Godzilla v Kong") which has Adam and Josh pitting the two classic monster movies against each other.
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#881: Stanwyck #2 - Stella Dallas / Marcel the Shell With Shoes On / Top 5 Movie Mother-Daughters

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