The Big Picture

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey is joined by colleagues Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins, Lindsay Zoladz, and Andrew Gruttadaro to discuss their immediate reactions to the ‘A Star Is Born’ phenomenon—weighing in on Bradley Cooper’s emergence as an auteur, what the film is saying about pop music, the press tour, Lady Gaga, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer Editor-in-Chief Sean Fennessey is rejoined by filmmaker David Lowery to discuss his new movie 'The Old Man and the Gun,' directing Robert Redford in his final performance, and his knack for crafting modern-day fables. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Editor-in-Chief Sean Fennessey chats with actor and occasional director Ethan Hawke about his new film 'Blaze,'a biopic about the creative life and tragic death of the musician Blaze Foley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with filmmaker Nicole Holofcener about her consistent career in film and how she's able to draw on inspiration from her life to create the characters and stories in her movies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with with Michel Gondry to discuss his long career in film and reteaming up with Jim Carrey 14 years after ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ to create the upcoming Showtime series ‘Kidding.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with first-time filmmaker Aneesh Chaganty to discuss leaving his job at Google to make ‘Searching,' a thriller starring John Cho shot entirely through the POV of screens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan highlight this summer’s movies by awarding the biggest surprises, best independent films, best scenes, the best and worst movie of the summer, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ director Jon M. Chu to talk about his development as a director and how his personal experience as a Chinese American inspired him to make this movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, and Amanda Dobbins discuss the recent announcement about upcoming changes to the Academy Awards and debate how to usher the ceremony into the new era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with ‘Mission: Impossible — Fallout’ director Christopher McQuarrie to talk about his creative collaboration with Tom Cruise, the challenges and rewards of coming back for a second ‘Mission: Impossible’ film, and his personal reckoning with his role as a filmmaker post-‘The Usual Suspects.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with comedian and first-time filmmaker Bo Burnham and actress Elsie Fisher to discuss ‘Eighth Grade,’ their perceptive film about the cringeworthy experience of middle school. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with acclaimed filmmaker Gus Van Sant about his lasting legacy in film, reteaming with Joaquin Phoenix on 'Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot,' the role his late friend Robin Williams played in the film, and where to go when you’ve accomplished so much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with first-time filmmaker and longtime musician Boots Riley about the challenging transition from making music with his group The Coup to making his first feature-length film, the experimental social comedy ‘Sorry to Bother You,’ on his own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey speaks with filmmaker Peyton Reed about returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to make an Ant-Man sequel and the challenges of merging his story with the aftermath of 'Avengers: Infinity War.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan discuss the unlikely 'Sicario' franchise and its approach to violence and morality along the U.S.-Mexico border with ‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado’ director Stefano Sollima. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with filmmaker J.A. Bayona about his new film, 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,' and what it’s like creating a terrifying new dinosaur and diving into a major franchise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with Pixar original Brad Bird about returning to his animation roots with ‘Incredibles 2’ after making live-action movies like ‘Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol’ and ‘Tomorrowland.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with the Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville about his new film, ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor,’ about one of the world’s foremost champions of kindness and decency, Mister Rogers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with filmmaker Ari Aster to discuss his first full-length feature, ‘Hereditary,’ and the process of crafting a deeply disturbing experience for moviegoers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with writer-director Bart Layton about his path from unconventional documentaries to his ambitious new docufiction heist movie, ‘American Animals.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and David Shoemaker convene for an instant-reaction breakdown of the latest 'Star Wars' spin-off movie, ‘Solo,’ to discuss whether Alden Ehrenreich lives up to Harrison Ford’s legacy, how the story’s timelines fit together, and whether the movie actually works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with legendary filmmaker Paul Schrader to discuss his powerful new film, ‘First Reformed,’ starring Ethan Hawke; his patient style of filmmaking, and his major career achievements, such as cocreating ‘Taxi Driver,’ ‘Raging Bull,’ and ‘The Last Temptation of Christ.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Andrew Gruttadaro digest the latest blockbuster superhero movie, ‘Deadpool 2,’ by unpacking what worked and what didn’t among the numerous meta jokes and pop culture references. They discuss the long-anticipated arrival of Josh Brolin’s "Cable," why Deadpool is so popular, and where the character and the franchise goes from here.SPOILER ALERT: This episode contains serious spoilers for the movie. Be warned! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with comedic filmmaker Ben Falcone about ‘Life of the Party’—his new movie starring his wife, Melissa McCarthy—and what it’s like to creatively collaborate with his life partner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with filmmaker Jason Reitman about his early box office success with movies like ‘Juno’ and ‘Up in the Air,’ the complicated nature of making movies that are not meant to be blockbusters in 2018, and his new and terrifying film about parenting, ‘Tully,’ starring Charlize Theron. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and David Shoemaker take an exhaustive trip through the galaxy to break down the plot twists, character deaths, and paths forward for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the action-packed, plot-heavy ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ SPOILER ALERT: The second half of this episode contains serious spoilers for the movie. Be warned! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with legendary filmmaker Willam Friedkin, who’s responsible for films such as 'The French Connection,' 'The Exorcist,' 'Sorcerer,' and 'To Live and Die in L.A.' Friedkin discusses his distinguished career in film and why, at 82, he decided to create a new documentary about a real-life exorcism called 'The Devil and Father Amorth.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with comedic actor, director, and writer Jay Chandrasekhar about returning to make a ‘Super Troopers’ sequel 17 years after the original. Chandrasekhar also discusses what it’s like being an Indian American in Hollywood, returning to his roots, and bridging the divided audiences in comedy.More from Sean Fennessey on Movies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with filmmaker Andrew Haigh about his emotionally devastating ‘Lean on Pete,’ about an orphaned boy (Charlie Plummer) and his horse, the titular Pete, and their journey from Oregon to Wyoming in search of a long-lost family member. Haigh also discusses his long career as a director and the difference between making TV shows and making movies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with Kay Cannon, the veteran screenwriter on ‘30 Rock,' New Girl,’ and all three ‘Pitch Perfect’ movies to discuss her new R-rated studio comedy and directorial debut ‘Blockers’ and her transition from writing to directing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In preparation for Steven Spielberg's ‘Ready Player One,’ The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan discuss and debate the prolific filmmaker's best movies of all time. They cover everything from ‘Jaws’ to ‘Jurassic Park,’ from the ‘Indiana Jones’ series to ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ and many, many more (1:00). And later, CEO of The Ringer Bill Simmons stops by to give his take on how terrifying 'Jaws' was and Spielberg's career (43:00).Ringer web store Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with 'Wild Wild Country' directors Maclain and Chapman Way and producer Mark Duplass about the arduous process of making an in-depth documentary that features a 64,000-acre ranch in Oregon, a spiritual guru, ritualistic group sex, assassination plots, guns, drugs, and bioterrorism.You can find the official Ringer web store here:http://bit.ly/ringershop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan recap the best movies they saw at the SXSW Film Festival, including ‘Ready Player One,’ ‘A Quiet Place,’ ‘Eighth Grade,’ and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer Editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with first time director Cory Finley about his film ‘Thoroughbreds’ and his transition from playwright to filmmaker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with filmmaker Francis Lawrence about making ‘Red Sparrow,’ his fourth film in a row starring Jennifer Lawrence; their working relationship forged through ‘The Hunger Games’ movie franchise; and his new creative venture with Apple TV.More on movies from the Ringer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with The Ringer’s Amanda Dobbins and K. Austin Collins and New York Times critic Wesley Morris to discuss eerie similarities between ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ and the notorious 2006 Best Picture winner, ‘Crash’ (0:00). Then, Chris Ryan joins to discuss ‘Shape of Water’ and its status as the clear front-runner to win Best Picture (0:00).More on the Oscars from The Ringer:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiI3wRw9PbSYHic2RJiHo4UxfhVD2DYWbhttps://www.theringer.com/oscars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey speaks with acclaimed writer and director Alex Garland about the making of the Natalie Portman sci-fi thriller ‘Annihilation’ and the tricky nature of adapting Jeff VanderMeer’s best-selling book. They also discuss Garland’s first film, ‘Ex Machina’; his time as a novelist and screenwriter of movies like ‘28 Days Later...’ and ‘Sunshine’; and a lot more.For more movie coverage, check out The Ringer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer Editor-in-Chief Sean Fennessey speaks with Academy Award-nominated documentarian Yance Ford about making Netflix’s ‘Strong Island,’ a personal film about the tragic murder of his brother, William, and the larger implications in the story about segregation, race, violence, and power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with ‘Wallace and Gromit’ creator and Academy Award–winning animation director Nick Park to discuss the time-consuming process of making stop-motion animation, his commitment to the form, and his new underdog cavemen comedy, ‘Early Man.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey speaks with filmmaker Alex Ross Perry about his quick-and-cheap working style and his shift from art house movies like his latest, ‘Golden Exits,’ to his upcoming big-budget ‘Winnie the Pooh’ adaptation for Disney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with filmmaker Bryan Fogel to discuss his Academy Award–nominated documentary, ‘Icarus.’ Fogel explains how his journey into the world of blood doping and cycling was transformed into a larger story about the state-run Russian Olympic doping program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer Editor-in-Chief Sean Fennessey speaks with documentarian Erin Lee Carr (‘Mommy Dead and Dearest’) about her new project “Drug Short,” an installment in Netflix’s new doc series ‘Dirty Money’ and why she’s drawn to grim and morally gray stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins, and K. Austin Collins react to the 2018 Oscar nominations. They break down the front-runners, the most shocking snubs, and what to look forward to come March 4. Also: the Academy’s apparent love of fish sex.https://www.theringer.com/2018/1/23/16923366/academy-award-nominations-get-out-lady-bird-three-billboards-shape-of-water-snubs-surprises Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with director Jaume Collet-Serra to discuss teaming up with movie star Liam Neeson for a fourth time in his new movie, ‘The Commuter’; the difficulties of shooting a movie in a confined space; and why he keeps coming back to genre films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with first-time screenwriter Liz Hannah and Academy Award-winning scribe Josh Singer about 'The Post,' their collaboration for Steven Spielberg about the men and women who published the Pentagon Papers in The Washington Post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Amanda Dobbins and K. Austin Collins rank and debate the best movies of 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with writer-director Rian Johnson about making ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi,’ putting his own spin on the franchise, and his upcoming spinoff trilogy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, and Andy Greenwald go back to 2007 to discuss the most fascinating year for movies in recent memory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with Sean Baker, who was recently awarded Best Director by the New York Film Critics Circle for his latest film, ‘The Florida Project.’ They discuss how Baker tells authentic stories about underrepresented communities, his use of inexperienced actors, and why he prefers making smaller-budget films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with documentarian Errol Morris to discuss his new Netflix miniseries ‘Wormwood,’ a story of mind control, LSD, the CIA in the 1950s, and murder. They also discuss Morris’s classic works like ‘The Thin Blue Line,’ as well as the day he spent with Donald Trump to discuss the president’s favorite film, 'Citizen Kane.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices