FS #239: Top 10 Films of 2008 / Frost/Nixon / Gran Torino / Seven Pounds

Dec. 19: We interrupt your regular podcasting program to bring you Filmspotting's 'End of the Year Holiday and Winter Extravaganza' sponsored by Braniff Airlines and featuring special guests Ruth Buzzi, Paul Lynde, and reviews of the latest Holiday offerings -- including a breakdown of Ron Howard's "Frost/Nixon" with Frank Langella, Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino," and "Seven Pounds" starring Will Smith and Rosario Dawson.

Plus, Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune and the AV Club's Scott Tobias stop by to offer up a soulful duet version of The Christmas Song and find time to help Adam and Matty name their Top 10 Films of 2008. So warm your chestnuts by our open fire and enjoy a very special Rankin/Bass edition of Massacre Theatre, and watch as Señor Wences and Topo Gigo drop in to help little Matty discover the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of daily showering.


Music by David Ford from the album "Songs for the Road."

** Filmspotting is presented by Spout.com. The best movies not coming to theaters and the top 5 music videos of the year have been decided. Check them out on blog.spout.com. **



Filmspotting #239
:25-8:06 - Review: "Frost/Nixon"
8:07-14:07 - Review: "Gran Torino"
14:08-18:26 - Review: "Seven Pounds"
Music: David Ford, "Decimate"
19:55-23:34 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: J. Walters)
23:35-41:11 - Top #10-6 Films of 2008
Music: David Ford, "Go To Hell"
43:47-58:21 - Top #5-4 Films of 2008
58:22-1:06:28 - Poll, New DVDs, Donations
Music: David Ford, "Song For the Road"
1:06:54-1:27:50 - Top #3-1 Films of 2008
1:27:51-1:30:28 - Close/Next Show/Outtake

NOTES/CORRECTIONS
- Continuing my (Adam's) "Few Good Men"-"Frost/Nixon" comparison... yes, Kevin Bacon basically plays the same role in both.
- Steve Prokopy aka Capone will be back on the show in a few weeks to countdown the Top 5 Performances of 2008.
- No, I 'didn't get' "Alexandra" -- but we also weren't reviewing it and weren't going to take the time during our #10-6 to discuss it in any detail.
- Was "American Teen" left off my honorable mentions? Definitely should have been said.
- Check back for Matty's Top 25 Films of 2008 as promised.

FS #220: The Dark Knight (Spoiler Edition!) / Top 5 Movies of the Year So Far

July 25: Prepare to be spoiled. In an unprecedented venture, the esteemed Michael Phillips of the World's Greatest Newspaper joins the boys for a spoiler edition review of "The Dark Knight." Yes, if you are one of the six people who have not seen Christopher Nolan's film and do not wish to have any of its surprises revealed... DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS REVIEW. We're serious. Everything in the film is fair game for discussion. Just forward to roughly the 23 minute mark to continue with the rest of the spoiler free show that includes Massacre theater, music by Spoon, and Listener Feedback.

Plus, Filmspotting welcomes back male model, media mogul, new dad and A.V. Club critic Scott Tobias to help us sort out our Top 5 Movies of the Year So Far. Along with the best, we also find time to list a few of the year's worst. Spoiler alert! Uwe Boll makes his way onto one of them.

Also on the show: Listener Feedback, Massacre Theatre, music by Spoon and Matty's Movie Minute returns for a review of "Step Brothers."

** Filmspotting is presented by SpoutBlog and the FilmCouch podcast. Find out why The New York Times says, "SpoutBlog's got it all," at blog.spout.com. **

CONTEST
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Filmspotting #220
:24-23:39 - Spoiler Review: "The Dark Knight"
Music: Spoon, "Don't Let It Get You Down"
23:24-27:01 - Voicemail, Polls
27:02-28:35 - Matty's Movie Minute: "Step Brothers"
28:36-35:39 - Feedback (Performances So Far, Creatures)
Music: Spoon, "Back to the Life"
36:20-40:06 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Steven Aparicio)
40:07-47:36 - Top 5 Movies So Far (#5-#4)
47:37-53:33 - Top 3 Worst Movies So Far
Music: Spoon, "Jonathon Fisk"
53:57-56:56 - New DVDs, Donations, Contest
56:57-1:10:59 - Top 5 Movies So Far (#3-#1)
1:11:00-1:13:26 - Close/Next Show/Outtakes

NOTES/CORRECTIONS
- Michael Phillips' "Dark Knight" review

- Moviebuff28 is right, of course... Jason Segel wrote "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." But hey, Apatow produced it and it has his fingerprints all over it.

FS #170: Talk To Me / Hairspray / Top 5 Movies of the Year (So Far)

July 27 (Chicago Public Radio Edition): Once you've seen Kasi Lemmons's new film "Talk To Me," you'll understand why it's nearly impossible to sound articulate talking about it. As played by Don Cheadle, the film's subject, the late, great Washington, D.C.-based DJ Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene makes everyone on the radio sound bad. Cheadle and co-star Chiwetel Ejiofor turn in inspired performances as Greene and producer/mentor Dewey Hughes, but is the movie worthy of their efforts?

Adam couldn't have been less interested in seeing the new adaptation of the Broadway musical adaptation of John Waters's 1988 film "Hairspray" ... that is, until the film opened to enthusiastic reviews and it was too late for Sam to get to a screening. Adam spends a couple of minutes sharing his thoughts.

Also on the show: Afraid of arriving at some dull consensus on their Top 5 Movies of 2007 (So Far), Adam and Sam invite two of their favorite movie critics to join them: Scott Tobias from The Onion A/V Club and Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune. As it turns out, only one film appeared on all four lists.

Music by Nora O'Connor courtesy of Bloodshot Records.

Filmspotting is presented by Spout, a gathering place for people who love movies. Sign up for free and discuss this episode!

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Filmspotting #170
:31-8:17 - Review: "Talk To Me"
8:18-12:18 - Review: "Hairspray"
Music: Nora O'Connor, "Two Way Action"
12:39-16:04 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: Ken Stachnik)
16:05-18:50 - Poll Questions
18:51-26:35 - Listener Feedback (Best Performances So Far)
Music: Nora O'Connor, "My Backyard"
27:06-32:28 - New DVDs, Podcast Awards, Donations
32:29-45:39 - Top 5: Movies of the Year (So Far)
Music: Nora O'Connor, "That's Alright"
46:17-1:04:50 - Top 5: Movies of the Year cont.
1:04:51-1:07:04 - Close/Next Show/Outtake

CORRECTIONS/NOTES
- Vote daily for Filmspotting in Movies/Films and Best Produced between July 28 and August 11 at podcastawards.com.

- Congrats to all three Filmspotting Photography Competition winners. 1st Prize was an engraved iPod Nano; 2nd and 3rd place winners received a $25 Amazon gift certificate.

Have a comment or Top 5 list you'd like to share? Send an e-mail or short mp3 clip to feedback@filmspotting.net. Or give us a call at 206-203-CINE and leave a voice message.