Filmspotting

Why does STAND BY ME still resonate 40 years later? Adam and Josh revisit Rob Reiner’s classic, reflecting on its friendships, its wistfulness, and River Phoenix’s unforgettable performance. Plus: a review of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s THE BRIDE and a look at the Round 1 matchups of Filmspotting '40s Madness.
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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 (00:00:00-00:02:53)
Stand by Me (00:02:54-00:49:35)
Filmspotting Family (00:49:36-00:57:12)
The Bride (00:57:13-01:02:59)
Notes / Save the Date (01:03:00-01:08:22)
'40s Madness Rd. 1 (01:08:23-01:24:03)
Credits / New Releases (01:24:04-01:25:53)
Correction:
-Yes, Adam realizes that he said "Jesus, does anybody" – twice! – not "anyone." He regrets the error.
Notes/Links:
-Filmspotting Madness
https://www.filmspotting.net/madness
-Stephen King: Why I Hugged Rob Reiner After Watching ‘Stand by Me’
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/opinion/culture/stephen-king-rob-reiner-stand-by-me.html
Feedback:
-Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠
-⁠⁠⁠⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content.
Support:
-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and archive access.
https://filmspottingfamily.com
-T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.
https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠
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Inspired by the upcoming release of PROJECT HAIL MARY, Adam and Josh beam back to October 2015 when they suited up for THE MARTIAN — Ridley Scott’s brainy, big‑hearted sci‑fi rescue mission starring Matt Damon.

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Adam, Josh, and Michael Phillips size up the Oscars with their annual rundown of who will win, who should win, and who was unfairly overlooked — plus the Filmspotting Madness: Best of the 1940s Play‑Ins.
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 (00:00:00-00:02:16)
Supp. Actress (00:02:17-00:22:03)
Supp. Actor (00:22:04-00:40:56)
Lead Actor (00:40:57-00:56:52)
Lead Actress (00:56:53-01:05:37)
Director (01:05:38-01:15:57)
Picture (01:15:58-01:37:53)
Family / Next Week / Notes (01:37:54-01:47:21)
Filmspotting Madness: Play-Ins (01:47:22-2:07:41)
Credits / New Releases (2:07:42-02:09:531)
Notes/Links:
-Filmspotting Madness
https://www.filmspotting.net/madness/
-Michael Phillips on WFMT
https://radionetwork.wfmt.com/people/hosts/michael-phillips/
Feedback:
-Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠
-⁠⁠⁠⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content.
Support:
-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and archive access.
https://filmspottingfamily.com
-T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.
https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠
Follow:
https://youtube.com/filmspotting
https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠
https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠
https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm
⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s Best Picture-winning archive pick takes us back to May 2018, when Adam and Josh returned to The Shire for a LORD OF THE RINGS reckoning. The original episode (#681) also includes a Top 5 Lord of the Rings Scenes.
For full access to the show archive, Filmspotting Discord, ad-free + bonus episodes, and more, ⁠join the Filmspotting Family⁠⁠.
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This week’s Top 5 explores cinema’s most unreliable narrators, characters who bend, twist, or completely invent the truth. Adam and Josh pair the list with a fresh look at Kurosawa’s RASHOMON, the film that set the template for them all – and a potential 2026 Pantheon inductee.
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 (00:00:00-00:03:18)
Top 5 Unreliable Narrators (00:03:19-01:05:17)
Filmspotting Family (01:05:18-01:11:08)
Next Week, Notes, Poll (01:11:09-01:18:16)
Pantheon Project: Rashomon (01:18:17-01:56:39)
Credits / New Releases (01:56:40-01:59:51)
Feedback:
-Email us at [email protected]⁠⁠
-⁠⁠⁠⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content.
Support:
-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and archive access.
https://filmspottingfamily.com
-T-shirts and more available at the Filmspotting Shop.
https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠
Follow:
https://youtube.com/filmspotting
https://instagram.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠https://letterboxd.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/filmspotting⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/larsenonfilm⁠
https://letterboxd.com/larsenonfilm⁠⁠⁠
https://facebook.com/larsenonfilm
⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/larsenonfilm.bsky.social⁠⁠
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.