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.
Episodes
The Ben Affleck Hall of Fame and ‘Animals.’ Plus: ‘Other Mommy’ Is Jump-Scary and Silly
Gather ‘round folks, a long-awaited episode has arrived. Sean and Amanda open the show by covering a lengthy amount of movie news, including ‘The Social Reckoning’ bombing at the box office, reacting to the new trailers released for ‘River’ and ‘Exorcist: Martyrs,’ and of course, some updates on ‘The Beatles.' Then, they discuss the new Blumhouse horror movie, ‘Other Mommy,’ starring Jessica Chast
‘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
‘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
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 movi
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 categor
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,
‘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
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.
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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 Toron
‘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 B
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
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 gam
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 stu
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 b
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. F
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
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 re
‘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”
‘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. T
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
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
'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 in
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 Ca
‘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 a
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 interestin
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 (es
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
‘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 d
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”
‘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
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 ‘Min
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 an
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
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 techni
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, Ma
‘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
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
‘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 import
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 throug
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), a
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
‘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
‘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
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
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
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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’
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
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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
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
‘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
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 Fe
‘Michael’ Wants to Start Something It Can’t Finish. Plus: ‘Mother Mary’ With David Lowery!
Sean and Amanda are joined by our music biopic correspondent, Yasi Salek, to unpack their complicated feelings on the highly anticipated musical biopic ‘Michael.’ Before diving into the movie, they quickly cover some movie news: most importantly, the ‘Miami Vice’ reboot getting a new title and a release date (1:51). Then, they break down all of the good, the bad, and the ugly with ‘Michael’ and hi
The 900th-Episode Mega-Voicemailbag!
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve done it. On our 900th episode, we answer all of your questions about movies, the show itself, aioli, and everything in between (2:11). Then, Sean and Amanda briefly cover a handful of recent releases, including ‘You, Me & Tuscany,’ ‘The Christophers,’ and ‘Blue Heron’ (1:53:46). Finally, Sophy Romvari joins the show to discuss her debut feature film, ‘Blue Heron,’ and e
The 15 Most Anticipated Movies Out of CinemaCon and Our Trip to the Sphere!
Sean and Amanda are joined by Puck’s Matt Belloni to recap their trip to the annual Hollywood Studio and theatrical exhibitor trade show CinemaCon! First, they break down their trip to Las Vegas and review their experience seeing ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at the Sphere (1:12). Then, they discuss the general state of movies in 2026 and share all of their main takeaways from CinemaCon (18:14). To close out
The 2026 Summer Movie Preview "Boom or Bust" Game
On today’s show, Sean and Amanda bring back the Summer Movie Preview game—with some additional clarity around scoring—where they preview every major release slated across the summer and predict its box office and Metacritic score (4:47). Then, Sean is joined by Daniel Goldhaber to discuss his new film, ‘Faces of Death,’ starring Barbie Ferreira. He cites how the attention economy has drastically i
The Meryl Streep Hall of Fame
In anticipation of ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ Sean and Amanda embark on a staggering journey to build the Meryl Streep Hall of Fame. Before making their list, they react to the official lineup of films announced to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and go through some other smaller movie news headlines (0:48). Then, they talk through what makes Streep one of the greatest actors of all time and
The 2026 Movie Star Rankings: 35 Under 35
Sean and Amanda reconvene the movie star committee to rank the 35 most important movie stars under the age of 35. Before diving in, they declare that we’re officially back following the domestic box office hitting a post-pandemic high (0:48). Then, they make the case for why movie stars still matter (7:56); share their main takeaways from their new list, including the biggest winners and losers (2
The Top 10 Movie Plot Twists and ‘The Drama.’ Plus: ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Certainly Exists.
Sean and Amanda open the show by tackling some movie news headlines, including the green-lighting of a ‘Weapons’ prequel at Warner Bros., speculation that ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth’ could premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and the first trailer for 20-year-old Kane Parsons’s highly anticipated horror film, ‘Backrooms’ (1:07). Then, they cover ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,’ which they foun
The Best Movies of the Year … So Far. Plus: 15 We Missed!
Sean and Amanda open the show with a few movie news topics including Ryan Gosling being cast in the highly anticipated next film for the Daniels, and the Oscars' decision to leave the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for the 2029 Academy Awards (1:19). Then, they cover 15 2026 movies they have yet to discuss on the show this year, and share their top five favorite films of the year so far (19:04). Final
The 1988 Movie Draft
We’re drafting again! Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan and Bill Simmons to draft their favorite movies from the year 1988.
Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins
Guests: Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan
Producer: Jack Sanders
Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh and Jacob Cornett
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The Steven Spielberg Conversation
Sean is joined by legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg for an extensive conversation about his illustrious career; what excited him about making his upcoming science fiction film, ‘Disclosure Day’; and how he feels about the current state of the industry (6:20).
Host: Sean Fennessey
Guest: Steven Spielberg
Producer: Jack Sanders
Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh
Talk to a State Farm agent to
‘Project Hail Mary’ Will Amaze! Amaze! Amaze! With Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Sean and Amanda open the show by reacting to a ton of movie news, including the Oscar ratings being down 9 percent from last year, the new trailer for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day,’ and Kirsten Dunst joining the cast of the upcoming ‘Minecraft Movie’ sequel (1:22). Then, they cover the biggest movie event of 2026 so far: Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s science fiction film ‘Project Hail Mary,’ starring
The Oscar Hangover Mailbag. Plus: ‘Dune: Part Three’ Is Coming!
Sean and Amanda kick off the show by reacting to a laundry list of movie news, including the new trailer for Denis Villeneuve's ‘Dune: Part Three,’ starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya; the reports that Bradley Cooper will direct a new 'Ocean's 11' prequel for Warner Bros.; and Universal’s decision to extend theatrical windows for new releases (1:15). Then, they open up the mailbag for a post-Os
The 2026 Academy Awards: ‘One Battle After Another’ Earns More Than a Few Small Oscars
Sean and Amanda instantly react to the 98th Academy Awards and share their main takeaways from Hollywood’s biggest night. They make the case for why these Oscars and the Best Picture win for ‘One Battle After Another’ were for “the movie nerds,” break down Michael B. Jordan’s incredible speech for his Best Actor win, and talk through their mixed feelings about the telecast itself.
Hosts: Sean Fen
Our Final 2026 Oscar Predictions: Who Will Win, and Who Should Win
We’re getting close to the finish line! On today’s show, Sean and Amanda give their official picks for the 98th Academy Awards. Before diving in, they react to the new trailer for Steven Spielberg’s upcoming blockbuster, ‘Disclosure Day,’ starring Josh O’Connor and Emily Blunt (2:11). Then, they discuss what their expectations are for the Oscars broadcast (9:36) and break down who they think will
The "Anything But Oscars" Mailbag! Plus: ‘Hoppers’
Sean and Amanda open up the mailbag and answer your "Anything But Oscars” questions! Before diving in, they cover a handful of movie news headlines, including a big opening weekend box office for ‘Hoppers,' two of the final Oscars precursors with the WGA and the ASC awards, and the news that Christopher McQuarrie is directing a new ‘Conan the Barbarian’ movie for 20th Century Studios (1:37). Next,
The 10 Wildest Reboots in Movie History and ‘The Bride!’ Plus: A ‘Secret Agent’ Second Look and the Best Doc Contenders.
On today’s show, Sean and Amanda break down Maggie Gyllenhaal's fascinating new movie, ‘The Bride!,’ starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. They commend the film for its ambition and vision, highlight some of its utterly confounding fatal flaws, and debate the value of projects that reimagine old source material with modern ideas and context (4:17). Next, they make a list of their favorite re
The 2026 Alternative Oscars, a.k.a. the 6th Annual Big Picks! Plus: The Craziest Awards Season in Years.
Sean and Amanda are joined by friend of the pod Wesley Morris for a very special episode! First, they react to the news that Paramount has won the bidding war for Warner Bros. and have an extensive conversation on the long-term ramifications for the industry (4:46). Next, they recap three recent awards shows with the ACE Awards, the PGAs, and the Actor Awards, and dissect what it means for the two
Paramount Wins Warner Bros. Now What? Plus: ‘Scream 7,’ Heat 2,’ and ‘Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie’ With Matt Johnson!
On today’s action-packed episode, Sean first reacts to Netflix backing out of the bidding for Warner Brothers—clearing the path for a merger with Paramount (2:01). Next, he is joined by Chris Ryan to react to Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio’s casting in Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2’ and give a general temperature check on the movie (6:36). Then, they cover ‘Scream 7’ and preface the conversation by
The Final Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Sinners’ Second Look With Autumn Durald Arkapaw!
Sean and Amanda open today’s jam-packed show by covering the results of the BAFTA Awards and highlighting some key takeaways, including Sean Penn's and Wunmi Mosaku’s wins (2:30). Then, they discuss a new release, ‘How to Make a Killing,’ starring Glen Powell, and work through why the movie was dumped (and then bombed) and why they found it to be pretty solid (14:47). Next, they take a second look
Garbage Crime Returns! The Post-‘Heat’ Movie Awards and ‘Crime 101’ With Bart Layton!
Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to talk garbage crime and the litany of films that have been influenced by the likes of 'Heat'. They also discuss the life and career of Robert Duvall and his major influence in post-1960s Hollywood. They also talk about the bidding war for Warner Bros. Later, Sean is joined by filmmaker Bart Layton, director of 'Crime 101,' to discuss his influences and inspirations f
The Oscars Snubs Draft. Plus: ‘Sirāt’!
We’re drafting again! Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan, Joanna Robisnon, and The Ankler’s Katey Rich to right the Academy’s wrongs by drafting the biggest Oscars snubs of all time. Before diving in though, they briefly cover this year’s Best Picture race (2:00). Then, they introduce the new categories and rules for this format and draft (12:33). Next, Sean and Amanda briefly cover Óliver L
The Heaving ‘Wuthering Heights’ and the Throbbing ‘Pillion’: A Very Horny Valentine's Day Double Feature
Sean and Amanda are joined by Sam Sanders from the Sam Sanders Show to break down two new horny and thorny releases. They begin the show with an extensive and fascinating conversation about Emerald Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights,’ starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi (2:22). They explain why they found her provocation unsuccessful, why Robbie and Elordi were miscast in their roles, and how the fi
What It’s Really Like at an Awards Show. Plus: Cliff Booth Returns and the Best Super Bowl Trailers!
Sean and Amanda open the show by reacting to every movie trailer from the Super Bowl, including those for David Fincher’s ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth’ and Steven Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ (1:25). Then, they talk through their experience at the DGA Awards this past weekend and explain what it’s actually like at an awards show (33:15). Finally, Sean is joined by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans
‘Mamma Mia!’ Meets ‘The Strangers'! It’s a Movie Swap!
For the first time in show history we’re doing a “listener’s choice” episode! We gave you four options and you ultimately decided to go with a 2008 Movie Swap featuring ‘The Strangers’ and ‘Mamma Mia!’ Before diving in, Sean and Amanda preview the Super Bowl this Sunday and talk through the potential trailers for some of the year’s biggest movies (2:27). Then, they explain what a Movie Swap is exa
Dumpuary Is Dead. These Movies Killed It. Plus: The Best Movies at Sundance and the Catherine O’Hara Hall of Fame.
Sean and Amanda open today’s action-packed show by discussing the incredible box office success of Markiplier’s self-financed ‘Iron Lung,’ and they talk through how it could possibly impact the future of moviegoing and studio strategy (2:32). Then, they react to breaking news in real time, with Nancy Meyers’s new film starring Penélope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, and Jude Law being dated for December 202
The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’
Sean and Amanda open the show by covering A24's win in the 72-hour bidding war for Olivia Wilde’s ‘The Invite’ at the Sundance Film Festival (1:16), react to the leaked photographs from the upcoming biopics about the Beatles (5:33), and share their brief takeaways from the BAFTA nominations (8:38). Then, they cover ‘Mercy,’ starring Chris Pratt, which they found to be an evil and disastrous misfir
The Oscar Noms Mailbag: Is ‘Sinners’ vs. ‘One Battle After Another’ a Race? Plus: Best Picture Power Rankings.
We’re opening up the mailbag! Before diving in, Sean and Amanda break down the poor box office performance over the weekend and highlight some new releases coming this week (2:13). Then, they answer all of your questions relating to last week’s Oscars nominations, talk through topics like whether or not late release dates negatively affected certain films' award chances, and debate whether ‘Sinner
The 2026 Oscar Nominations: Snubs, Surprises, and WTFs
Sean and Amanda break down all of the Oscar nominations and share their major takeaways, including 'F1' (sillily) sneaking into Best Picture and ‘Sinners’ shattering the all-time nominations record, and highlight their biggest snubs.
Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins
Producer: Jack Sanders
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Movie Draft. Plus: ‘The Rip.’
We’re drafting again! Before diving in, Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to debate whether or not this is the best January at the movies ever (0:37). Then, they cover the new Netflix action movie ‘The Rip’—starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck—during which they make the case for it being an A-plus January Netflix release (17:02). Next, they talk through what Damon and Affleck mean to film (3
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