Ava DuVernay may be hard at work on Disney's $100 million "A Wrinkle in Time now, but the first thing she did after directing the Oscar-nominated 2014 Selma was to quietly make 13TH, a documentary about mass incarceration and racial injustice in the U.S. that is painfully timely. This week, Matt and Alison talk about the Netflix original and about form versus content, and recommend some other nonfiction work from directors best known for their fiction films, available right now on rental and streaming.
Opening Break: "In a Valley of Violence" "Our Kind of Traitor" "USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage"
Listeners Choice Review: "13th"
Queue Shots: Nonfiction Films From Directors Known For Fiction
Behind the 8-Ball: 3 New Releases
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Netflix "My Lists"
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SVU #123: 13th / Documentaries By Fiction Filmmakers

Filmspotting: SVU is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Alison Willmore and Matt Singer focusing on the world of online movies. Part of the Filmspotting family of podcasts.

TV & Film

Film Reviews

Film History

It's been six (mostly) wonderful years of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, but on this episode, Matt and Alison say goodbye. First, in honor of JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER, which they talked about in their first episode (yup) back in 2012, they take a look at a movie that owes a lot to that documentary — Lonely Island's POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING. Then they devote the rest of the podcast to answering listener questions about everything from the future of the film industry to THE ADVENTURES OF FORD FAIRLANE. Thanks for listening, everyone!
Hosts' Choice Review: "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping"
Useful Links: 
Older Filmspotting: SVU Episodes
Remnants of the IFC News Podcast
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SVU #167: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping / Ultimate Listener's Choice

Remember how when we were kids we battled a nightmare clown terrorizing our small town and devouring children? No? Maybe it was just us then. On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison take a look at the 1990 TV miniseries version of Stephen King's IT, now available on Hulu, and then recommend some other clown movies, scary and otherwise, available to rent or stream right now. They also share some important (and sad) news about the future of the podcast. 
Listener's Choice Review: "It" (1990)
Queue Shots: Clown Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: The Young Karl Marx / A Star Is Born / Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
Matt: Lady Bird / Yellow Submarine / Paramount2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
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SVU #166: It (1990) / Clown Movies

Get your skates straight and put out that cigarette, because on this week's show, Matt and Alison are talking 2017's Tonya Harding biopic I, TONYA, which was recently added to Hulu. Then, inspired by the sport that made Harding famous (before The Incident made her infamous), they recommend some other movies (and one television series) that feature ice skating, all available to rent or stream.
Listener's Choice Review: "I, Tonya"
Queue Shots: Movies (And One TV Show) Involving Ice Skating
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: The Chinese Exclusion Act / Bad Genius / Boarding Gate
Matt: The Disaster Artist / The Quick and the Dead / The Debt Collector
2 Listener Recommendations1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
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SVU #165: I, Tonya / Movies (And One TV Show) Involving Ice Skating

Is John Woo's latest movie a return to form for the director, or something closer to self-parody? On this episode of Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit, Matt and Alison debate the merits of MANHUNT, Woo's 2017 thriller, which was recently released as a Netflix original. Then, despite MANHUNT taking place in Japan, they use Woo's place as an influential force in Hong Kong film to recommend some other Hong Kong action movies, all available to rent or stream.
Listener's Choice Review: "Manunt"
Queue Shots: Hong Kong Action Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: Beatriz at Dinner / The Student / Shanghai JoeMatt: Evil Genius / Ace in the Hole / The Toys That Made Us2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
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SVU #164: Manhunt / Hong Kong Action Movies

There comes a time when a young girl blossoms into a woman, and sometimes that woman turns out to possess terrifying powers that are some kind of allegory for the female sexuality. On this episode, Matt and Alison take a wander through the genre of the supernatural coming of age story, recommending some titles to rent or stream right now. It's all the better to accompany their main review of Joachim Trier's 2017 THELMA, about a teenager from a strict, repressed background who discovers a lot about herself — a lot more than fits into the expected definition of reality — when she goes off to college.
Listener's Choice Review: "Thelma"
Queue Shots: Supernatural Coming of Age Movies
Behind the 8-Ball: 
3 New Streaming Releases
Alison: BPM (Beats per Minute) / Psychokinesis / Murder on the Orient Express
Matt: Last Flag Flying / Planet of the Apes / Manhunt
2 Listener Recommendations
1 Random Film From Our Netflix "My Lists"
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SVU #123: 13th / Documentaries By Fiction Filmmakers

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