Filmspotting

15 years after its release, Adam and Josh return to the 1950s Waco of Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. They discuss Malick’s bold attempt to voice the divine, mapping the books of Job and Genesis onto his narrative, and his attempt to reconcile the beauty of creation with the reality of suffering. Plus, details about Filmspotting Fest II: 68 Weeks Later, and a new poll that attempts to gauge listeners' enthusiasm for the upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu.
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/chapters may not be precise with ads.)
Intro (00:00:00-00:03:32)
The Tree of Life at 15 (00:03:33-00:55:50)
Filmspotting Family (00:55:51-01:00:07)
Next Week / Cannes Film Festival (01:00:08-01:04:44)
Polls (01:38:17-01:13:15)
Credits / New Releases (01:13:16-01:17:20)
Correction:
-Adam actually saw The Thin Red Line upon its release in 1998, making it his first Malick. The New World, then, was the first Malick he got.
Links:
-Filmspotting Fest II: June 26-27, 2026
https://www.filmspotting.net/filmspotting-fest
-Jake Cole on The Tree of Life
https://letterboxd.com/jakepcole/film/the-tree-of-life-2011/
-Cannes Film Festival
https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/
Feedback:
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Adam and Josh review Sophy Romvari’s debut feature Blue Heron, a semi-autobiographical "memory piece" that follows a Hungarian immigrant family on Vancouver Island in the late 1990s. They discuss Romvari’s distinct "observational elegance," the film’s striking meta-elements, and how it stacks up against other recent memory-focused masterworks like Aftersun. Plus, a look at why this is already a frontrunner for the 2026 Golden Brick.
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From the outlaw poetry of Badlands to the cosmic spirituality of The Tree of Life, this week's Archive episode has Adam and Josh counting down the five most indelible moments from one of cinema's most elusive auteurs. Expect plenty of hushed voiceovers and magic-hour cinematography.
Unlock the full archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad‑free + bonus episodes, and more when you ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠.
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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.
(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/⁠⁠
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Adam and Josh continue Filmspotting’s Dissident Cinema Marathon with its second entry, Roberto Rossellini’s Rome, Open City. Made in the immediate aftermath of Nazi occupation and against the backdrop of a country still in crisis, the film merges neorealist observation with the tension and structure of a spy thriller. The conversation explores how the movie captures resistance not as myth but as lived experience, examining its radical immediacy and why the film stands as a blueprint for what revolutionary cinema could become.
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