I always used to have trouble (with spillage) removing the Volvo-branded filter (which had always been full of oil) from all the Volvos I've owned (since 1973). Then, about 15 years ago, I accidentally discovered that if I loosened the filter just a bit (presumeably loosening the seal with a crack under the gasket open to let in air) and left it a bit (while I continued to let the last oil in the sump drip out the drain hole underneath) a lot of the oil would drain out of the filter and back into the engine. Then I could quickly spin off the filter and flip it straight up without spilling out any oil.

Any chance that you've been doing this, too, without realizing it?