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The Big Picture

The Big Picture

Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins review the movies you need to see. Plus: Top 5s, Movie Drafts, Oscars analysis, and more. Subscribe to Sean's newsletter, Projections, here.

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Episodes

‘The Social Reckoning’ Is No ‘The Social Network,’ and the Top Five Most Unnecessary Legasequels. Plus: The Best Movies at NYFF!

Drop the “the.” Just “Big Picture.” It’s cleaner. Today on Big Picture, Sean and Amanda discuss the much anticipated (and also dreaded) legacy sequel ‘The Social Reckoning,’ written and directed by one of our main characters: Aaron Sorkin. Before diving in, they briefly react to the official merging of Warner Bros. and Paramount and hypothesize what the future of David Ellison’s Skydance will look like. Then, Sean shares his New York Film Festival recap and highlights the best movies he saw, many of which Amanda has also seen. Next, in theme with corporate power trillionaires, they cover Alex Gibney’s new documentary, ‘Musk,’ and break down what did and didn’t work for them. Finally, they unpack all of their feelings on ‘The Social Reckoning,’ explore why many of the performances didn’t jive with Sorkin’s style, and share their most unnecessary legasequels of all time. (0:00) Intro (1:22) Skydance movie news (13:02) New York Film Festival recap (44:33) ‘Musk’ (53:58) ‘The Social Reckoning’ (1:35:48) The most unnecessary legasequels Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-10-09
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‘Verity’ Is Trash. But Is It Good Trash? Plus: ‘Digger’ Flopped and Warner Bros. Is No More.

Another year, another Colleen Hoover adaptation. How lucky are we? Before diving into the biggest box office success from the weekend, Sean and Amanda react to the news that Mike DeLuca and Pam Abdy will not continue their roles at David Ellison’s Skydance. They look back at their biggest successes and failures, and wonder what the future of Skydance looks like. Then, they briefly discuss ‘Sicario 3’ being greenlit with all of the returning stars, but notably neither Denis Villeneuve or Stefano Sollima. Finally, they cover ‘Verity,’ an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s erotic thriller, starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. They break down why the original source material sets the movie up for failure, what they want from the erotic thriller genre going forward, and debate whether we have a “Dakota Johnson problem.” (0:00) Intro (0:50) ‘Digger’ bombs at the box office (7:32) Mike DeLuca and Pam Abdy out at Warner Bros.-Paramount, and the future of Skydance (38:04) ‘Sicario 3’ a go with Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin to return (41:09) ‘Verity’ (1:02:07) SPOILER WARNING (1:23:31) Dakota Johnson temperature check (1:29:24) The state of erotic thrillers vs. what we want (1:32:46) Looking forward to the October slate Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh and Remy Hernandez This episode is sponsored by State Farm®️. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-10-06
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Is ‘Digger’ the Tom Cruise Movie We’ve Been Waiting For? Plus: Our Top 10 Tom Cruise Performances.

BANG! BANG! BANG! On today’s show, Sean and Amanda discuss one of their most anticipated movies of the year in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ‘Digger,’ starring Tom Cruise. They unpack their very complicated feelings and make the case for why you need to see this incredibly divisive movie on the big screen. Later, they look at Iñárritu’s career at large and wonder: Why did Tom Cruise make this movie? Finally, they take an extensive look at where Cruise fits into the Best Actor race at this year’s Academy Awards, and share their 10 favorite performances from his fascinating career. (0:00) Intro (1:07) ‘Digger’ (13:05) SPOILER WARNING (54:18) Iñárritu’s career at large (59:21) Why did Tom Cruise make this movie? (1:08:07) The Best Actor race (1:23:05) The top 10 Tom Cruise performances Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-10-02
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The Baseball Movie Draft

Batter up! Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan and Mallory Rubin to draft some of their favorite movies focused on one of their biggest shared interests: baseball. They break down what makes baseball movies so special, explain the new (and somewhat controversial) categories, and, most importantly, draft. (0:00) Intro (1:19) Why baseball movies are the best sports movies (17:27) The categories and draft order (25:11) The Baseball Movie Draft (1:29:47) Honorable mentions and draft recap Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan and Mallory Rubin Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-30
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Old Movies vs. New Movies: How ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ Beat Brad Pitt, Robert Pattinson, and an Awesome Weekend Movie Lineup

What does it mean when old movie rereleases make more money than ever at the box office? Sean and Amanda try to answer that question on today’s show by discussing ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ outperforming a slew of new releases this weekend, including ‘Heart of the Beast,’ ‘Forgotten Island,’ and ‘Primetime.’ Then, they cover a handful of other recent releases in ‘The Weight,’ ‘The Love Hypothesis,’ and ‘The History of Concrete.’ Finally, Sean is joined by acclaimed documentarian John Wilson to discuss his new film, ‘The History of Concrete,’ and why he finds the current state of the genre to be strange. (0:00) Intro (1:57) Jon Watts to direct new ‘Star Wars’ film (7:13) Sabrina Carpenter, Margaret Qualley join Tom Holland's Fred Astaire biopic (10:15) The weekend box office and the old vs. new wave (18:28) ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ (34:51) ‘Heart of the Beast’ (50:38) ‘Forgotten Island’ (58:28) ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’ (1:05:10) ‘The Weight’ (1:13:07) ‘The Love Hypothesis’ (1:25:32) ‘The History of Concrete’ (1:30:45) John Wilson joins the show! Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: John Wilson Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-28
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‘Primetime’ Is a Robert Pattinson Transformation and the Nightmare Media Movie of Our Time, With Lance Oppenheim!

Why don’t you take a seat and sit back, because on today’s show, Sean and Amanda discuss one of their most anticipated films of the year: ‘Primetime,’ starring Robert Pattinson. Before diving in, they briefly share their overall feelings with the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger looking likely to go through, and preview an exciting weekend at the movies. Then, they break down the new film from Lance Oppenheim and sing its praises by identifying it as one of the most exciting movies of the year. Finally, Oppenheim joins Sean to explore the difficulties of transitioning from documentary to narrative film, how he first discovered Chris Hansen as a kid and found him endlessly fascinating, and shares a handful of films that ultimately inspired Pattinson’s performance. (0:00) Intro (1:37) Paramount merger feelings and looking forward to an exciting weekend at the movies (10:00) ‘Primetime’ (31:56) SPOILER WARNING (53:11) Opening weekend cultural, critical, and box office expectations (1:00:33) Amanda’s (very brief) ‘La Bola Negra’ thoughts (1:03:00) Lance Oppenheim joins the show! Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Lance Oppenheim Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-25
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The Best Movies About Filmmakers, and ‘Boorman and the Devil’

On today’s show, Sean is joined by Tracy Letts to cover a new documentary, ‘Boorman and the Devil,' which tells the fascinating tale of director John Boorman and his misbegotten ‘Exorcist’ sequel. They discuss the film at length as well as use it as a springboard to discuss what a director actually does on set, as well as share their favorite documentaries and scripted movies about filmmakers. (0:00) ‘Halloween’ double feature in San Francisco! (1:05) Intro (2:10) ‘Boorman and the Devil’, why ‘The Exorcist II’ doesn’t work, and John Boorman’s legacy (43:30) Demythologizing the director myth and the best documentaries about directors (1:28:37) Scripted films about real directors Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Tracy Letts Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-23
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2026 Best Picture Power Rankings, and the Best Movies at TIFF. Plus: Zach Cregger on ‘Resident Evil’!

In today’s action-packed episode, Sean and Amanda react to ‘Resident Evil’ smashing its opening weekend box office expectations, Paramount settling lawsuits paving the way for the Warner Bros. merger to go through, and the new trailer released for ‘The Further Misadventures of Cliff Booth.’ Then, they bring in mean pod guy Adam Nayman to break down the good, the bad, and the strange from the Toronto International Film Festival. Next, Sean and Amanda construct their first Best Picture power rankings of the year and go over 31 possible contenders for the Oscars' biggest prize. Finally, Zach Cregger joins the show to have an in-depth (spoilers included) conversation about his new film, ‘Resident Evil,’ and explains why it was the hardest thing he’s ever made. (0:00) Intro (1:56) ‘Resident Evil’'s big box office success (3:02) Paramount to settle lawsuits, paving the way for Warner Bros. deal to go through (8:39) ‘The Further Misadventures of Cliff Booth’ trailer reaction (10:57) Teaser for Jeremy Saulnier’s new film, ‘Slayground!’ (14:15) ‘NARNIA’ NEWS (19:06) Best of TIFF with Adam Nayman! (54:04) The first Best Picture power rankings (1:23:42) Amanda’s thoughts on ‘Resident Evil’ (1:29:55) Zach Cregger joins the show! Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Zach Cregger and Adam Nayman Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-22
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‘Resident Evil’ Absolutely Rips!

Get in, gang. We’re going to Raccoon City. Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to discuss Zach Cregger’s thrilling follow-up to his mega-successful ‘Weapons’ with his video game adaptation ‘Resident Evil,’ starring Austin Abrams. Before diving in, they react to a handful of movie news headlines, including Noah Baumbach leaving Netflix for Warner Bros. Clockwork, Quentin Tarantino publishing a new Cliff Booth novel, and John Leguizamo joining ‘Miami Vice ‘85’. Then, they giddily break down ‘Resident Evil’ and gush over the countless reasons why the movie is absolutely incredible. Finally, they look into what the future holds for movie video game adaptations, and take a look at the history of horror-comedy genre mashups and talk through why it’s so hard to pull off successfully. (0:00) We’re coming to San Francisco! (0:36) Intro (2:02) Noah Baumbach leaves Netflix for Warner Bros. Clockwork (9:15) Quentin Tarantino is publishing a new Cliff Booth novel (11:04) What do strange rollouts for big movies mean for their box office potential? (14:27) ‘River’ is the big acquisition out of TIFF (15:59) John Leguizamo joins 'Miami Vice ‘85' (18:49) ‘Resident Evil’ (35:36) SPOILER WARNING (1:08:51) Box office expectations and what’s next for Zach Cregger (1:17:57) The future of video game movie adaptations (1:30:49) A brief history of horror-comedy Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-17
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The Sandra Bullock Movie Star Playbook and ‘Practical Magic 2.’ Plus: ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger.’

Don’t look back in anger if you spent over two hours watching a pretty rough legacy sequel. On today’s show, Sean and Amanda are joined by Yasi Salek to cover two new releases in ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger,’ a film they loved, and ‘Practical Magic 2,’ a film they found to be quite poor. Later, they bring back the movie star playbook for Sandra Bullock and explore what they’d like to see from her career going forward. (0:00) We’re coming to San Francisco! (0:45) Intro (2:02) TIFF premieres and Venice film festival prize winners (10:21) ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger’ (33:17) Our relationship to the original ‘Practical Magic’ (41:59) ‘Practical Magic 2’ is a brutal watch (59:11) ‘Practical Magic 2’ significantly underperforms at the box office (1:05:29) The Movie Star Playbook: Sandra Bullock Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Yasi Salek Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-15
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The Winners and Losers of the Summer Movies Came Roaring Back. Plus: ‘Hope,’ ‘The Uprising,’ and 10 More We Missed.

On today’s action-packed show, Sean and Amanda briefly react to the first trailer released for M. Night Shyamalan's new film, ‘Remain,’ and the news that Paul Feig is attached to remake ‘The Italian Job.’ Then, they look back at the historic summer at the box office and share some of their biggest winners and losers, as well as recap the final results of their very serious summer movie preview game. Later, they cover a handful of recent releases they haven’t discussed on the show yet, including ‘The Uprising,’ ‘Hope,’ and more. Finally, in collaboration with his curation for the Criterion Channel, Sean is joined by friend of the show BenDavid Grabinski to celebrate legendary filmmaker Abel Ferrera. They explore his complicated legacy, dive deep into his filmography by highlighting their personal favorites, and identify what makes Ferrera such a special director. (0:00) Intro (2:01) ‘Remain’ trailer reaction (3:46) Paul Feig attached to remake ‘The Italian Job’ (7:33) An incredible summer for the box office (and us) (10:02) The biggest winners of the summer (41:18) The biggest losers of the summer (55:13) The Summer Movie Preview Game results (1:00:38) Movies we missed (1:40:28) BenDavid Grabinski joins the show to discuss Abel Ferrera Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: BenDavid Grabinski Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-11
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The 10 Best Movies at the Telluride and Venice Film Festivals. Plus: Nathan Fielder’s Stunning Elizabeth Holmes Doc.

It’s time for one of our favorite episodes of the year: the fall film festival report! Sean and Amanda break down all of the best things they saw this year at the Telluride and Venice film festivals, the general vibes, and what it all means for the Oscar races going forward. (0:00) Intro (3:22) ‘Artificial’ trailer (6:22) The secret screening of Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary stuns at Telluride (23:30) The festival vibes report (40:50) The best movies from Telluride and Venice Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. It's on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-08
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The Black-and-Chrome Action Movie Pack and ‘Onslaught’ With Michael Biehn and Adam Wingard!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to take some MDMA, get kinky, and grab some guns because on today’s show, Chris Ryan joins us (duh) to discuss Adam Wingard’s new metal action flick, ‘Onslaught.’ They briefly cover two additional recent releases in ‘Mutiny’ and ‘The Whisper Man’ before diving into ‘Onslaught’ and building out their “Black-and-Chrome Action Movie Pack.” Later, Sean is joined by iconic actor Michael Biehn and Wingard to discuss ‘Onslaught’ as well as the wild personal story that inspired the film and plenty of anecdotes about making movies in Hollywood. (0:00) Intro (1:47) The ‘Mutiny’ leak, and does piracy affect the box office? (7:19) ‘The Whisper Man’ (17:22) ‘Onslaught’ (34:08) The Black-and-Chrome Action Movie Pack (52:05) Michael Biehn and Adam Wingard join the show! Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Chris Ryan, Michael Biehn, and Adam Wingard Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh and Jacob Cornett Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-04
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10 Movies We Can’t Wait to See This Fall

Sean and Amanda open today’s show by breaking down the weekend box office and highlighting the solid performance of ‘Coyote vs. Acme,’ the continued bulldozing by ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey,’ and the big bomb by ‘The Dog Stars.’ Then, they kick off their fall movie preview by each highlighting five movies they can’t wait to see and three movies they’ve seen and would recommend. Finally, they create the "September Oscars” and select five “guaranteed” Oscar nominations from films that have already been released. (0:00) Intro (0:38) ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ (6:08) ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey’ box office (9:32) ‘Buddy’ (10:38) ‘The Dog Stars’ bombs at the box office (12:20) Anne Hathaway joins the ‘Days of Thunder’ sequel (15:44) Five movies we can’t wait to see this fall (59:11) Three movies we’ve seen and would recommend (1:13:12) The September Oscars (five Oscar nomination guarantees from films that have already come out) Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-09-01
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The Ridley Scott Movie Rankings and ‘The Dog Stars’

Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss the newest release from his guy Ridley Scott in ‘The Dog Stars’ starring Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley. They share their takeaways from the movie, debate Elordi’s performance and evolution as an actor, and assess where the film fits within Scott’s career. Before diving into ‘The Dog Stars’, they reflect on the passing of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, celebrating their remarkable careers and discussing what each of them meant personally. Then, they check in on the latest James Bond casting race and debate the strongest candidates among the six remaining contenders, before touching on Ryan Gosling’s developing ‘Flintstones’ project and whether it means Chris’s king is officially dead. Finally, Sean, Amanda, and Chris take on the daunting task of ranking all 30 films in Ridley Scott’s vast filmography. (0:00) Intro (1:16) Dolly Parton and Tim Curry (5:51) The next James Bond (15:46) Ryan Gosling ‘Flintstones’ spin-off (19:23) ‘The Dog Stars’ (50:33) Talking Ridley Scott (1:02:53) The Ridley Scott Movie Rankings Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Editor: Jamie Yukich Production Support: Sarah Reddy and Lucas Cavanagh It's on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-28
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The Flops Movie Draft

We’re drafting again! Sean and Amanda are joined by Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan for their first ever “Flops Movie Draft” where they highlight some of their favorite movies that were commercial failures at the box office.  (0:00) Intro (1:43) Earliest flop memories (12:34) The Flops Movie Draft rules breakdown (17:17) The Flops Movie Draft (1:38:25) Honorable mentions (1:48:06) Draft recap Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Editor: Jamie Yukich Production Support: Sarah Reddy and Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-25
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‘Tony’ and the Top 5 Coming-of-Age Movies, With Matt Johnson!

Well, there’s only one man to bring in to discuss Matt Johnson’s new biopic, ‘Tony,’ and that’s Anthony Bourdain aficionado Chris Ryan. Before diving into the movie, CR briefly gives a temperature check on the highly anticipated ‘Miami Vice’ sequel. Then, they unpack ‘Tony’ and highlight all of the reasons they found it to be deeply affecting. Later, they both share their top five “coming of age” movies of all time. Finally, Matt Johnson joins the show to tell Sean all of his secrets, because he likes him (his exact words). Johnson explains how Dominic Sessa convinced him to make the film despite his distaste for biopics in general, why he didn’t use any of his traditional filmmaking moves in the movie, and much more. (0:00) Intro (0:54) Chris Ryan joins the show! (2:07) ‘Miami Vice’ reboot temperature check (6:33) ‘Tony’ (33:00) The top five “coming of age” movies (1:00:47) Matt Johnson joins the show! Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Matt Johnson and Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-21
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‘The End of Oak Street’ and the Top Five 'Twilight Zone' Movies. Plus: Will Poulter!

A very special occasion (a potentially good dinosaur movie) requires very special company, which is why on today’s show, Sean is joined by Chris Ryan and Mallory Rubin to discuss David Robert Mitchell’s ‘The End of Oak Street.’ Before transporting back to the Mesozoic era, they cover Mallory’s trip to D23 and react to myriad announcements, most crucially the casting for the upcoming X-Men movie. Then, they briefly discuss ‘The Last House’ (a film they found utterly dreadful) before diving into ‘The End of Oak Street’ (a film they found wildly entertaining and incredibly fascinating). Later, they each provide their top five favorite ‘Twilight Zone’ movies. Finally, Sean is joined by actor Will Poulter to discuss his new film, ‘Union County,’ and why he’s pushing himself out of his comfort zone with roles that scare him. (0:00) Intro (1:07) CR and Mal join the show! (4:28) X-Men casting announcements (21:12) ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ trailer reaction (27:42) Mal’s ‘Starfighter’ trailer reaction (31:47) Other D23 announcements (38:14) ‘The Last House’ (48:05) ‘The End of Oak Street’ (1:17:16) The top five 'Twilight Zone' movies (1:45:27) Will Poulter joins the show! (2:26:45) End-of-show outro Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Will Poulter, Chris Ryan, and Mallory Rubin Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-18
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The Final Girl Film Canon and ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ With Gillian Anderson, Hannah Einbinder, and Jane Schoenbrun!

Sean is joined by “mean pod guy” Adam Nayman to cover Jane Schoenbrun’s new sexy slasher flick ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson. They celebrate what makes the movie so exciting and singular, and make the case for why it cements Schoenbrun as a crucially important and definitional millennial filmmaker. Then, they discuss what makes a great “final girl” and build the “final girl” film canon. Finally, Sean has a very special conversation with Schoenbrun, Einbinder, and Anderson where they dive deep into their film, shed light on the actual process behind making the movie, and explain why the project felt so special for each of them. (0:00) Intro (0:51) Adam Nayman joins the show! (1:38) ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ (44:07) The Final Girl Film Canon (1:04:11) Gillian Anderson, Hannah Einbinder, and Jane Schoenbrun join the show! Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Jane Schoenbrun, Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, and Adam Nayman Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It's on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-14
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The "Ask Sean Anything" Mailbag. Plus: The Amazing Life of a Character Actor, with Patrick Fischler.

Sean is back from vacation, and to celebrate, we opened up the mailbag with an incredibly fun “ask Sean anything” prompt. Before diving in, he reacts to the massive commercial success of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day,’ wish-casts some potential ‘X-Men’ roles following more casting updates, and shares his thoughts on the trailer for ‘Primetime,’ starring Robert Pattinson. Then, he answers all of your questions on how he prepares for filmmaker interviews, which actors are the most reliable chemistry alchemists, and whether he is “too horny.” Finally, Sean is joined by Patrick Fischler to break down what it’s really like to be a character actor in the industry. He tells the incredible story of how David Lynch taught him how to act in ‘Mulholland Drive,' and much more! (0:00) Intro (1:25) ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ box office (7:41) ‘X-Men’ casting updates wish-casting (12:24) ‘Primetime’ trailer reaction (14:05) ‘Paper Tiger’ teaser (15:18) Movies delayed to 2027 (16:58) The "ask Sean anything" mailbag (1:17:24) The Amazing Life of a Character Actor, with Patrick Fischler Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Patrick Fischler Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-11
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'One Night Only' and the 21st Century Rom-Com Canon

On today’s show, Amanda is joined by her Jam Session co-host and romantic comedy expert Juliet Litman to discuss a movie referenced as "The Purge, but for sex,” otherwise known as ‘One Night Only,’ starring Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro. They break down why it’s an incredibly charming movie that almost works, mainly because it has all of the essential “rom-com” tropes nailed down, but has an insurmountable premise. Later, they theorize why romantic comedies have been dying as a genre and form their legally binding 21st century romantic comedy canon. (0:00) Intro (0:49) Juliet Litman joins the show! (2:45) Movie news (12:38) ‘One Night Only’ (55:45) Why are romantic comedies dying? (1:07:02) Our definition of a romantic comedy (1:15:36) The 21st Century Rom-Com Canon Host: Amanda Dobbins Guest: Juliet Litman Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Sarah Reddy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-07
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The Canadian Movie Draft Live from Toronto!

O Canada! For the first time in The Big Picture’s history, we visited Toronto for a very special live show at the TIFF Lightbox. They open the show with some movie trivia about Canadian film, Christopher Nolan, and much more, before being joined by a wandering man named Chris searching for his girlfriend “Brie”. Then, they are joined by filmmaker Matt Johnson to discuss the current state of the Canadian film industry and answer what makes a movie Canadian. Finally, they are joined by mean pod guy Adam Nayman to draft some of their favorite “Canadian movies” across some very loose categories. (0:00) Intro (1:29) Movie trivia (17:28) What makes a movie Canadian with Matt Johnson (36:18) Adam Nayman joins the show! (44:26) The Canadian Movie Draft (1:43:35) Honorable mentions and draft recap Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Matt Johnson, Adam Nayman, and Chris Ryan Producers: Jack Sanders, Elizabeth Fierman, and Helen Eichner Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-08-04
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‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and the Spider-Man Movie Rankings

With great power comes great responsibility. That’s why we brought in Van Lathan to discuss the fourth installment in the Tom Holland–era Spidey series: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day.’ They break down what worked for them and what didn’t work and sort through what it could all mean for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Later, they debate how it stacks up against the rest of the franchise and rank all 11 Spider-Man movies. (0:00) Intro (1:08) We are returning to American Cinematheque's Friend of the Fest! (2:16) ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ trailer reaction (8:14) ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ (SPOILER WARNING) (1:03:56) The future of the MCU and box office predictions (1:30:07) How our taste informs our relationship to different genres (1:41:28) The Spider-Man Movie Rankings Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Van Lathan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-31
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Sex, Hell, and 10 Movies We Missed This Summer. Plus: Gregg Araki!

It’s Sean’s (observed) birthday, and what better way to celebrate than by reacting to the news that Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a Shawn Levy–directed MCU film? Then, they cover some additional movie news before giving a brief update on their Summer Movie Preview game. Next, they cover a handful of recent releases they haven’t discussed on the show yet, ranging anywhere from interesting to awful. Finally, Sean is joined by Gregg Araki to discuss his new film, ‘I Want Your Sex,’ starring Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman. He breaks down what he learned over the last decade making television, discusses why he put so much of his personal self into the main characters of this movie, and tells the story of how he cast Wilde and Hoffman in the lead parts. (0:00) Intro (1:21) Sean’s birthday episode (it’s over; he’s hit the age cliff) (2:34) Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a Shawn Levy–directed MCU film (8:54) David Jonsson announced as the next Black Panther (11:18) The box office success of ‘The Odyssey’ (15:48) Director Chuck Russell passed away at 74 (17:45) Summer Movie Preview game check-in (24:08) Some movies we still haven't seen (27:49) Ten movies we missed (27:58) ‘Moana’ (33:48) ‘Minions & Monsters’ (40:33) ‘The Dink’ (47:56) ‘Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass’ (54:55) ‘Evil Dead Burn’ (58:04) ‘I Want Your Sex’ (1:01:08) ‘Her Private Hell’ (1:06:37) ‘Young Washington’ (1:14:21) ‘Motor City’ (1:19:28) ‘Voicemails for Isabelle’ (1:32:40) ‘The Samurai and the Prisoner’ (1:33:59) ‘Sheep in the Box’ (1:34:41) ‘Late Fame’ (1:38:42) Previewing August movies (1:40:10) Gregg Araki joins the show! Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Gregg Araki Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-28
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The Summer Movie Mailbag

Sean and Amanda open the show by reacting to the quite disappointing official lineup for this year’s Venice Film Festival, the news that Sony and Alamo Drafthouse are reviving the iconic Cinerama Dome, and some exciting new movies that have officially been green-lit. Then, they open up the mailbag to answer all of your summer movie questions. They explore what the future of IMAX will look like (especially with an impending sale on the table), wonder where Christopher Nolan could possibly go from here, debate what the best movie of the summer will be, and much more. (0:00) Intro (0:59) The Venice Film Festival lineup (15:56) The Cinerama Dome is reopening (23:52) Lou Gehrig biopic in the works with Richard Linklater and Glen Powell (27:50) ‘Days of Thunder 2’ with Tom Cruise green-lit at Paramount (31:42) The summer movie mailbag Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-23
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The Triumph of ‘The Odyssey,’ and the Christopher Nolan Movie Rankings

Movies are back! On today’s show, Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to bask in the glorious commercial and cultural success of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey.’ Before diving in, they react to myriad movie news headlines, including the first trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ the Paramount and Warner Bros. merger being paused, some fall film festival updates, and much more. Then, they sort through the dominant opening weekend box office performance of ‘The Odyssey’ and break down the film at length by discussing some of CR’s main takeaways. Finally, they embark on the overwhelming challenge of ranking every movie from Nolan’s filmography. (0:00) Intro (0:54) Summer movie mailbag (1:52)  ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ trailer reaction (10:50) Paramount-Warner Bros. merger has been paused (12:40) Fall film festival updates (17:55) Ryan Coogler’s ‘X-Files’ reboot pilot shot on 65mm film (19:15) Edward Berger making the next ‘Bourne’ movie with Matt Damon (22:20) Rachel Cusk is writing a novel about Natalie Portman (24:30) ‘The Odyssey’ smashes its opening weekend, and CR’s takeaways (1:13:14) Our relationship to Christopher Nolan in 2026 (1:22:32) The Christopher Nolan movie rankings Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-21
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‘The Odyssey’ Is Massive and Magnificent

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time. On today’s show, Sean and Amanda cover the biggest movie event of the year, Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated ‘The Odyssey.’ Before entering their wooden horse to ambush the gates of Troy, they react to some movie news, including ‘The Batman Part II’ being delayed (again), some fall film festival lineup announcements, and more. Then, they kick off their deep dive into this legitimately levitating epic. They make the case for why it’s the perfect Christopher Nolan movie, highlight the pivotal decision to cast Matt Damon as Odysseus, and predict its box office and Academy Awards chances. (0:00) Intro (1:11) Movie news (22:37) ‘The Odyssey’ deep dive (1:51:32) Box office and Oscar predictions Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-16
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The Epic Movie Draft

Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan for their first ever (and potentially last) Epic Movie Draft, in anticipation of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’. Before kicking things off, they react to legendary actor Sam Neil’s passing, Moana’s opening weekend box office bomb, and the trailers released for ‘Digger’ and ‘Dune: Part Three’. Then, they debate what it is exactly that makes a movie “epic” and draft some incredible films from a myriad of different categories.  (0:00) Intro (1:47) We went to Canada (3:27) Sam Neill’s passing (7:12) ‘Moana’ bombs at the box office (and Disney's live-action future) (17:04) ‘Digger’ trailer reaction (22:11) ‘Dune: Part Three’ trailer reaction (24:58) ‘Odyssey’-inspired epics series on the Criterion Channel (27:00) What makes a movie epic? (33:20) The Epic Movie Draft (1:39:15) Honorable mentions and draft recap Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-14
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‘The Invite’ Is a Hilarious Social Nightmare, With Olivia Wilde!

On today’s show, Sean and Amanda invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbor Chris Ryan for an episode that spirals into unexpected places, because they’re discussing Olivia Wilde’s ‘The Invite.’ They praise Wilde for her incredible sense of direction, celebrate the connective tissue between the wonderful writing and the distinct performances, and explore whether they read the ending as optimistic or pessimistic. Then, they share their personal top five “nightmare couple movies” of all time. Finally, Sean is joined by Wilde to dive deep into her new film. She explains why she feels we're very isolated in our culture now, how you know whether you’re giving the right performance in a movie you’re directing, and why this film had no chance being made within the studio system. (0:00) Intro (1:13) ‘The Invite’ (20:40) Spoiler alert (45:37) The top five nightmare couple movies (55:28) Olivia Wilde joins the show! Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-10
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The Diane Keaton Hall of Fame

Sean and Amanda open the show by briefly discussing the disappointing opening weekend box office performance of ‘Minions & Monsters.’ Then, they honor legendary actor Diane Keaton by celebrating what made her such a special star, and they build her Hall of Fame, selecting their favorite performances from her illustrious career. (0:00) Intro (0:58) The disappointing box office performance of ‘Minions & Monsters’ (8:38) What made Diane Keaton so special? (36:28) The Diane Keaton Hall of Fame Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-07
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The 2026 Movie Auction Returns!

We’re back with the second part of our 2026 Movie Auction! Chris Ryan returns to look back at the results from the first auction (thus far), and then Chris, Sean, and Amanda bid against one another for some of their most anticipated movies coming out during the second half of the year. (0:00) Intro (1:17) ‘Werwulf’ trailer reaction (5:20) The 2026 Movie Auction returns Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-07-02
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The 10 Best Movies of 2026 … So Far

Sean and Amanda are joined by some Ringer all-stars to share their favorite movies of the year so far, including big blockbusters, small indies, and everything in between. Later, Sean is joined by John Early to discuss his new film, ‘Maddie’s Secret,’ and break down the crazy journey of making this movie, shed light on his cinematic influences, and explain why he wants to prioritize filmmaking in his career going forward. (0:00) Intro (1:00) Chris Ryan’s favorite movie of 2026 (7:01) Joanna Robinson’s favorite movie of 2026 (17:20) Charles Holmes’s favorite movie of 2026 (27:22) Mallory Rubin’s favorite movie of 2026 (44:36) Van Lathan’s favorite movie of 2026 (58:21) Adam Nayman’s favorite movie of 2026 (1:12:12) Yasi Salek’s favorite movie of 2026 (1:26:19) Rob Mahoney’s favorite movie of 2026 (1:37:17) Jack Sanders’s favorite movie of 2026 (1:45:04) Amanda Dobbins’s favorite movie of 2026 (1:52:44) Sean Fennessey’s favorite movie of 2026 (1:58:23) John Early joins the show! Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan, Joanna Robinson, Charles Holmes, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan, Adam Nayman, Yasi Salek, Rob Mahoney, and John Early Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-29
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The Comic Book Movie Death Rattle and ‘Supergirl.’ Plus: ‘Jackass: Best and Last’ Goes Out With a Bang.

Sean and Amanda open the show by covering myriad movie news headlines, including the status of Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Artificial’, new footage released of Tom Cruise in his highly anticipated film, ‘Digger,’ and the Academy inviting 529 members, including Jacob Elordi, Teyana Taylor, Josh O’Connor, and more. Then, Sean and Amanda use the new DC film, ‘Supergirl,' which they found creatively and technically empty, as a springboard to have a wide-ranging conversation about the decline in importance of  superhero movie culture. Finally, Chris Ryan joins the show to discuss the (potentially) final film of the ‘Jackass’ franchise: ‘Jackass: Best and Last’, a movie they all thoroughly enjoyed. (0:00) Intro (0:49) Movie news (23:42) ‘Supergirl’ (45:12) What was the superhero movie era? (1:03:23) ‘Jackass: Best and Last’ with Chris Ryan Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the Personal Price Plan®️. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there®️. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-26
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The 2010 Mega-Movie Re-Draft

We’re drafting again! Sean and Amanda are joined by Ringer all-stars Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan, Joanna Robinson, and Rob Mahoney to draft their favorite movies from the year 2010. (0:00) Intro (0:17) The state of movies (and us) in 2010 (24:03) The 2010 Mega-Movie Re-Draft (2:40:50) Honorable mentions and draft recap Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan, Joanna Robinson, and Rob Mahoney Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh, Jacob Cornett, and Jamie Yukich Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-23
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‘Toy Story 5’ and the ‘Toy Story’ Movie Rankings. Plus: ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ and the Top Five Robin Hoods.

Sean and Amanda open today’s show with a long list of movie news headlines, including Luca Guadagnino’s Sam Altman movie ‘Artificial’ being dropped by Amazon following their OpenAI partnership, and Curry Barker inking a 10-figure deal with Universal and Blumhouse Atomic Monster for his next original project. Then, they cover a new release with Michael Sarnoski’s ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ starring Hugh Jackman. They highlight its impressively gnarly filmmaking, explain why its big flaw is in the concept of the film itself, and take a look at the history of ‘Robin Hood’ movies and discuss what makes them successful. Next, they discuss ‘Toy Story 5’, a film which Sean and Amanda had vastly different reactions to. After debating what did and didn’t work for them, they rank every film from the ‘Toy Story’ franchise. (0:00) Intro (0:36) Movie news (19:03) ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ (27:04) What makes a good ‘Robin Hood’ movie? (42:18) ‘Toy Story 5’ (1:15:19) What is Pixar now? (1:21:07) The ‘Toy Story’ movie rankings Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-19
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The 21st-Century Steven Spielberg Rankings. Plus: ‘Office Romance’ and ‘The Furious.’

On today’s show, Sean and Amanda dive deep into legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s filmography throughout the 21st century. Before discussing those movies, they celebrate the New York Knicks becoming NBA champions, a feat so magnificent that Sean swears he’s become a changed man. Next, they briefly touch on the overperformance of ‘Disclosure Day’ at the box office on opening weekend and cover two wildly different recent releases: ‘Office Romance’ and ‘The Furious.’ Then, they share some secondary thoughts about ‘Disclosure Day’ and react to the divisive response to the film thus far. Finally, they explore Spielberg’s 21st-century filmography and identify some key touchpoints and ideas before ranking every film he’s made this century. (0:00) Intro (0:36) The New York Knicks are NBA champions (9:10) ‘Disclosure Day’ box office performance (12:08) ‘Office Romance’ (24:05) ‘The Furious’ (26:53) Secondary ‘Disclosure Day’ thoughts and the divisive audience response (43:17) Steven Spielberg’s 21st-century filmography (1:15:34) The 21st-Century Steven Spielberg Rankings Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-16
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‘Disclosure Day’ Is Steven Spielberg’s True Believer Manifesto. Kneel!

On today’s show, Sean and Amanda cover one of their most anticipated movies of the year: Steven Spielberg’s alien thriller ‘Disclosure Day,’ starring Josh O’Connor and Emily Blunt. Before diving in, Sean revels in the glory of an all-time New York Knicks victory that extended their NBA Finals lead over the San Antonio Spurs to 3-1 (0:43). Then, they hit myriad movie news headlines and, most importantly, react to the first trailer for Aaron Sorkin’s ‘The Social Reckoning’ (12:47). Next, they have a wide-ranging conversation about ‘Disclosure Day,’ which they found to be an incredibly fascinating movie, not without flaws, and an amazing platform for Emily Blunt, who delivers the best performance of her career (38:05). Finally, they go into full spoilers and break down specific plot points, character motivations, and the final shot of the film (1:05:29). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-12
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Mel at 100: The Mel Brooks Movie Rankings. Plus: ‘Scary Movie’ Is Terrifyingly Awful

Sean and Amanda kick off the show with some movie news, including the remarkable box office surge that shows no signs of slowing down (0:45). Next, they discuss why the new Scary Movie doesn't work and why audiences are showing up for it anyway (8:48). Then, they are joined by Yasi Salek and Adam Nayman to celebrate Mel Brooks as he approaches his 100th birthday (16:57). Together, they comb through his legendary filmography, rank his films (55:24), discuss his lasting influence on comedy, and explore how his work helped shape generations of filmmakers. Never underestimate the power of the Schwartz! Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Yasi Salek and Adam Nayman Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh, Sarah Reddy, and Jamie Yukich Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-09
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The Top 10 Fantasy Films, The Toy Movie Hall of Fame, and ‘Masters of the Universe,’ with Griffin Newman!

Sean joins forces with Griffin Newman of the Blank Check podcast. Together, they discuss the recent run of box-office successes and what it says about the current state of movies (2:16), before answering the call of Grayskull and journeying to Eternia to unpack the latest adaptation of 'Masters of the Universe' (21:25). While there, they discuss the best high-fantasy films of all time (1:15:40), and Griffin unveils his Toy Movie Hall of Fame (1:25:58). Later, Sean sits down with Samara Weaving and Adam Rehmeier, the star and director of the new crime romance 'Carolina Caroline,' to discuss making the film and the winding paths that led them there (1:45:20). Hosts: Sean Fennessey Guests: Griffin Newman, Samara Weaving, and Adam Rehmeier Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh, Sarah Reddy, and Jamie Yukich Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-05
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We’re So Back for Good: ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ Mania and 10 Movies We Missed!

Movies are so back! Sean and Amanda break down the remarkable success of 'Obsession' and 'Backrooms' and discuss the larger phenomenon currently unfolding in Hollywood (3:00). Then, they revisit their predictions in the Summer Movie Preview Game, examining where they were surprisingly spot-on and where they missed the mark entirely (33:00). Next, they catch up on 10 new releases they missed while traveling last month (39:45). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh, Sarah Reddy and Jamie Yukich Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-06-02
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‘Backrooms’ Is the Future of Movies, With Kane Parsons!

Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to explore some liminal spaces and figure out what really scares them. They open the show by reacting to some brief movie news (3:20) before diving deep into one of the most highly anticipated directorial debuts this decade: Kane Parsons’s ‘Backrooms,’ starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve (11:14). They break down how the movie pushes the filmmaking medium, discuss why it works on its own without any prior knowledge of the original material, and debate whether this type of success is a blip or whether it represents what the future of film will look like. Finally, Parsons joins Sean to discuss his new film and explain what the process was like shifting from making stuff for YouTube to making something for the big screen (1:02:02). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Kane Parsons and Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-29
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‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Is the End of 'Star Wars' As We Know It. Plus: The Winners and Losers at Cannes.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away … we used to have good ‘Star Wars’ movies. Before diving into ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’, Sean and Amanda give a final recap of their trip to the Cannes Film Festival, and cover a handful of movie news headlines they missed while they were overseas (2:28). Then, they are joined by ‘Star Wars’ superfan Van Lathan to discuss who the movie was actually made for, why it doesn’t feel special for one of cinema’s biggest movie franchises, and how this film marks an end of an era for ‘Star Wars’ at large (32:02). Finally, Sean is joined by Daniel Roher to discuss why he felt his new film ‘Tuner’ was an exercise to prove to himself that he could broaden his horizons outside of the documentary genre (1:28:33). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Daniel Roher and Van Lathan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-27
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We Went to Cannes! These Are the 10 Best (and Worst) Things We Saw.

Bonjour! Sean and Amanda recap their first trip to the legendary Cannes Film Festival, which has become an incredible bellwether for the Best Picture race over the last five to 10 years. First, they talk through what the actual experience at the festival is like, including how it logistically works, what the vibes are like, and how to survive (0:39). Then, they dive into the slate of films they’ve seen and categorize them into the good, the bad, and the WTF (24:29). Finally, they share their final predictions for all of the main prizes at the festival and briefly cover some potential Oscar implications (1:40:54). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh and Sarah Reddy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-21
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The 1976 Movie Draft

We’re drafting again! Sean and Amanda are joined by potential third chairs Chris Ryan and Tracy Letts to draft their favorite movies from 1976.  Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan and Tracy Letts Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh and Sarah Reddy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-18
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The 10 Best Horror Movies of the Year … So Far. Plus: The New Scary Movie Royalty, and ‘Obsession,’ With Curry Barker!

On today’s show, Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to discuss the current state of one of their favorite shared loves: horror movies. They talk through the current paths for directors to break into the genre (0:52), highlight which filmmakers they think are at the top of the game right now (13:52), and break down a myriad of recent releases, including ‘Obsession’, ‘Hokum’, and ‘Lee Cronin's The Mummy’ (32:45). Later, Curry Barker joins the show to discuss his new horror film, ‘Obsession’. He explains how he got his start as a filmmaker in Alabama, shares his personal perspective as a person who went through the YouTube pipeline, and breaks down what’s next for him as both a director and an actor (1:19:23). Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Curry Barker and Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh This episode is sponsored by State Farm®️. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-15
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The Robert Duvall Hall of Fame

Sean is joined by Tracy Letts to honor the monumental work of legendary actor Robert Duvall. They celebrate the star’s illustrious career, share their personal relationships with his work, and build his Hall of Fame. Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Tracy Letts Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh and Sarah Reddy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-11
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The Physical Media High Council Reconvenes!

Hear ye, hear ye! Gather 'round for the (somewhat) annual reconvening of the illustrious Physical Media High Council! Grand Maester Fennessey is joined by his three lords, Chris Ryan, first knight Timothy “Hitmaker” Simons, and the king of physical media Tracy Letts, to discuss the state of collecting and share some of their personal favorites from their respective collections (00:06). Then, they open up the mailbag to answer all of your questions regarding how to organize a collection, detailed breakdowns of their personal at-home setups, and share their individual 4K “grails” (1:35:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Executive Producer: Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan, Tracy Letts, and Tim Simons Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-07
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The ‘Star Wars’ Rankings and the 'Andor' Miracle

May the Fourth be with you! Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to revisit the hit second season of ‘Andor’ and break down the countless things that make it a truly special television show (0:48). Then, they conduct their ‘Star Wars’ rankings and sort through every movie, as well as ‘Andor’ and ‘The Mandalorian’ (59:29). Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Sarah Reddy and Lucas Cavanagh This episode is sponsored by State Farm®️. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-04
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‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ and the Movies That Feel Like Our Lives

Fresh off Fashion Week, Sean and Amanda react to one of their most anticipated movies of 2026: ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’. They share their feelings on the sequel, discuss how it differs from the original, and examine how the media and fashion industries have evolved over the past 20 years (1:01). Next, they cover ‘Mile End Kicks,’ a portrait of a young music writer in Canada circa 2011, with Sean reflecting on his own trials and tribulations working as a music journalist (57:50). Finally, Sean sits down with writer-director Chandler Levack to discuss both of her films being released this year—‘Mile End Kicks’ and the Netflix comedy ‘Roommates,’ produced by Happy Madison Productions (1:06:45). That’s all. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chandler Levack Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh, Sarah Reddy, and Jamie Yukich Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-05-01
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The 'Star Wars' Movie Draft

In a galaxy far, far away … Sean and Amanda use the Force to bring in their fellow Jedis Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin, and Van Lathan for a 'Star Wars' movie draft. They share their anticipation (or lack thereof) for ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu,' break down their relationships to the movies themselves, and draft some of their favorite and least favorite things about the iconic franchise. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin, and Van Lathan Producer: Jack Sanders Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh and Sarah Reddy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2026-04-27
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