The Big Picture

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with director Joe Wright to discuss how he picked himself up after the failure of his 2015 film, ‘Pan,’ to deliver ‘Darkest Hour,’ a Winston Churchill biopic that stars a mesmerizing Gary Oldman. Plus: Wright discusses the changing state of the movie business and why he took the reins on an episode of ‘Black Mirror.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey is joined by fellow Ringer staffers and comic book enthusiasts Jason Concepcion and David Shoemaker to discuss the evolution, the current state, and the future of the movie universes of DC and Marvel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with actor, writer, and director Greta Gerwig to discuss her critically acclaimed film ‘Lady Bird.’ Gerwig shares her years-long writing process, how she casts actors, and a defense of Dave Matthews Band. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard Linklater to discuss the impact of war in his new film, ‘Last Flag Flying,’ as well as his tendency to creatively revisit his previous films over time, like with ‘Dazed and Confused,' ‘Before Midnight,’ and ‘Boyhood’ (1:00). Linklater also discusses the state of sexual harassment news in Hollywood (28:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with Taika Waititi about his transition from small indie comedies in New Zealand to Marvel’s big-budget superhero epic ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with filmmaker Ruben Östlund about his new film, ‘The Square,’ satirizing the art world, and why he enjoys toying with audiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with filmmaker Todd Haynes to discuss his journey of making movies as a child to channeling youth and finding children to star in his latest film, ‘Wonderstruck.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with writer-director Noah Baumbach to discuss his new film, ‘The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)’; creating a serious role for Adam Sandler; Netflix purchasing his film; and how he captures the American family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with filmmaker Darren Aronofsky to discuss his polarizing film, ‘Mother!,’ and the art of putting both his characters and the audience under duress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins break down their favorite films about the British royal family (1:00) before Sean sits down with acclaimed director Stephen Frears to discuss his new film ‘Victoria and Abdul,’ making films about the royals, and his longevity in the industry (10:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins, and K. Austin Collins attempt to wrap their heads around Darren Aronofsky’s controversial new film, ‘Mother!’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey and executive editor Chris Ryan reveal their favorite biopics and hash out what makes them great (1:00). Then, Sean sits down with writer, actor, and director Danny Strong to discuss his recent J.D. Salinger biopic, ‘Rebel in the Rye,’ and how doubling down on his passion paid off (12:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with Kate Knibbs about Stephen King’s classic horror novel ‘It’ (0:30) before sitting down with Andy Muschietti, who discusses adapting the book for the screen and re-creating the terrifying character Pennywise (6:20). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with Katie Baker about the best hockey films ever made (0:30) before he sits down with actor and now director Jay Baruchel about making his first film, 'Goon: Last of the Enforcers'; hockey fandom; and filming the perfect hockey fight (6:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with Alison Herman about Janicza Bravo’s approach to uncomfortable comedy and her direction of “Juneteenth,” the instant-classic episode of ‘Atlanta’ (1:00). Then Sean sits down with Bravo and her husband/producing partner, Brett Gelman, to discuss the tumultuous five-year process of getting their film ‘Lemon’ into the world (10:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and K. Austin Collins discuss the Safdie Brothers’ new crime film, ‘Good Time.’ (0:30) Then, Sean sits down with the Josh and Benny Safdie to discuss making a movie starring Robert Pattinson, capturing New York City on-screen, and the frenetic pace of ‘Good Time’ (11:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan discuss screenwriter Taylor Sheridan’s films ‘Sicario,’ ‘Hell or High Water,’ and his new film, ‘Wind River,’ starring Jeremy Renner (0:40). Then, Sean and Sheridan discuss 'Wind River,' how he depicts raw and realistic scenarios in his movies, and why he decided to get behind the camera (11:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins discuss Gillian Robespierre’s ‘Obvious Child’ (0:10) and her new film, ‘Landline.’ Then Sean is joined by Robespierre, Jenny Slate, and Elisabeth Holm to discuss growing up in the ’90s, the sacrifices of independent filmmaking, and collaborating on their second project together (10:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan discuss the successes and failures of filmmakers who have recently overseen big-budget franchises, such as Matt Reeves’s ‘Planet of the Apes’ series, Michael Bay’s ‘Transformers’ series, and Christopher Nolan’s sustained run (1:05). Later, Sean sits down with Matt Reeves to discuss the intricate filmmaking process of ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ and what to expect from his next movie, ‘The Batman’ (13:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey and Vanity Fair film critic Richard Lawson discuss filmmaker David Lowery’s latest, ‘A Ghost Story,’ an unconventional film with an unconventional debut at Sundance (1:00). Later, Sean chats with Lowery about the making of the movie and why he no longer watches his movies or reads his reviews (9:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey and staff writer Lindsay Zoladz discuss the dearth of female filmmakers in the R-rated comedy space (2:00) before Sean chats with the ‘Rough Night’ writing and directing team of Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs about meeting at the UCB Theatre, developing ‘Broad City,’ and making a studio comedy starring big names like Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, and Zoë Kravitz (17:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey and film critic K. Austin Collins discuss the emergence of modern horror films like ‘The Witch’ and the increasing emphasis on tone over standard horror tropes (1:00). Then, Sean is joined by Trey Edward Shults, who explains how working through his own darkness led to making his latest film, ‘It Comes At Night’ (15:50). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey discusses comedic storytelling and Amy Schumer’s career arc, from stand-up comedian to movie star, with Jason Zinoman of The New York Times (0:50). Then Sean is joined by filmmaker Jonathan Levine (‘The Wackness,’ ‘50/50’) to discuss collaborating with Schumer on his new comedy, ‘Snatched’, his own career arc, finding his path, and dealing with bad reviews (14:20). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey and executive editor Chris Ryan explore the career arc of renowned director Guy Ritchie (0:30) before sitting down with Ritchie (10:00) to discuss the challenges of making his new film, King Arthur, and his personal philosophies surrounding fear, results, and self-confidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with first-time director J.D. Dillard to discuss how he went from dropping out of school to being on the set of The Force Awakens with J.J. Abrams to debuting his first film, Sleight, at Sundance. Dillard also talks about helming the long-rumored reboot of The Fly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer Editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with director Ben Wheatley to discuss his latest film, Free Fire (0:10), getting sought out by star actors and directors like Armie Hammer and Martin Scorsese (6:40), and striking a balance between entertaining and traumatizing an audience (14:40). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with acclaimed director James Gray to discuss the high stakes of filming his new movie, The Lost City of Z, in the jungle, the near-impossible task of making a classic film, and why he isn’t interested in making a television series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer’s Chris Ryan and Sean Fennessey sit down with actor Jake Johnson and director Joe Swanberg to discuss their new gambling film Win It All, why they wanted to make a movie for Netflix, and what it’s like teaming up for multiple projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Editor-in-Chief Sean Fennessey sits down with director Charlie McDowell to discuss his new film The Discovery (1:55), casting Robert Redford (12:58), being one of Netflix's first major features (21:05) and how to pull off an ending with a twist (18:45). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with writer-director Jordan Peele (of 'Key & Peele' fame) to discuss his new hit film, 'Get Out,' how and why he made it, and its overwhelmingly positive reception. Peele also talks about ideas for alternate scenes and endings as well as his reasoning behind some of the movie's most pivotal moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gore Verbinski has been directing movies for two decades now, including The Ring, Rango, The Lone Ranger, and the first three Pirates of the Caribbean features. His latest picture, A Cure for Wellness, breaks away from big-budget Hollywood features with a lesser-known cast and unique premise. On the latest Channel 33 episode, he spoke with Sean Fennessey about the joy in making something different and the future of the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight is one of the heavyweights in this year’s Academy Awards race, racking up eight nominations. The film was the first movie for Jenkins in eight years, and provided particular challenges due to limited funding and time. One way he overcame those obstacles and made his movie unique was by casting non-actors alongside actors, something he discussed with Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with filmmaker Ezra Edelman to discuss the making of O.J.: Made in America, his epic eight-hour Oscar-nominated documentary examining O.J. Simpson’s rise and fall through the lens of race, place, celebrity, and time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Mills’s past two films — Beginners and 20th Century Women — have both been semi-autobiographical. Beginners focuses on Mills’s father, who came out at age 75 shortly before his death, while 20th Century Women is based on Mills’s mother as a way to look at the 1970s. On Channel 33, Sean Fennessey talked to Mills about his experience making the films, and how he blends his own childhood with his art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ringer's Sean Fennessey sits down with Ted Melfi to discuss the success of his latest film, Hidden Figures (1:10), and how it came about (3:19), as well as the difficulties of making an entertaining movie about math (8:00). Melfi also shares what it's like working with Taraji P. Henson (18:27) and Kevin Costner (21:15), getting Pharrell to score his movie (29:20), and how he feels about the "Hidden Fences" mishap (38:45). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices