The Big Picture

The 80th annual Golden Globes returned to the airwaves and carved a path for the next two months of this awards season. Sean and Amanda break down a big night for ‘The Fabelmans,’ ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ Angela Bassett, and Austin Butler’s Elvis voice. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back to power rank! With the release of Sarah Polley’s ‘Women Talking,’ Sean and Amanda are joined by Joanna Robinson to discuss the new film (1:00) and see where it stands in the Best Picture race (44:00). Then, Polley talks with Sean about her new film (1:04:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Sarah Polley and Joanna Robinson Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy New Year! Amanda and Sean are gearing up for 2023 at the movies. On this episode, they talk about what happened at the box office over the holidays (1:00) and pick their most eagerly awaited films of the year to come (11:00). Then, Sean is joined by Nikyatu Jusu to discuss her film, ‘Nanny’ (1:20:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Nikyatu Jusu Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean is joined by Charles Holmes to talk about the amazing stop-motion achievement ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ and the best animated movies of 2022. Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Charles Holmes Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean and Amanda double dip into two maximal extravaganzas from two of our most exciting auteurs. First up: Damien Chazelle’s Silent Era Hollywood bacchanalia ‘Babylon’ and then their top 5 movies about Hollywood (1:00). Then, they discuss Noah Baumbach’s adaptation of Don DeLillo’s novel, ‘White Noise’ (1:14:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean and Amanda dive deep into Rian Johnson’s ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,’ the delightful sequel to his smash murder mystery (1:00). Then, they share their five favorite puzzle movies (50:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are drafting again! And Amanda is back! She and Sean are joined by Chris Ryan to pick their faves and foil their pals in a draft of the movies from 2019. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean and Amanda share their 10 favorite performances of the year (1:00). Then, Adam Nayman joins the show to discuss Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new Netflix film ‘Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths’ (33:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Adam Nayman Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Big Jim! We’re goin’ back to Pandora, baby! James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is here, 13 years after the original dominated the movie world. Sean and Amanda discuss the film in depth, from the extraordinary technological achievements to its familiar-seeming story (1:00). Then, Chris Ryan joins to put Cameron’s filmography in context by ranking all of the director’s films, many of which are among the most successful and significant of the past four decades (44:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alan Siegel interviews some of James Cameron's creative collaborators to find out the secrets of the blockbuster director's success. You can read the written version of this feature at TheRinger.com. Host: Alan Siegel Edited by Andrew Gruttadaro Produced by Steve Ahlman and Vikram Patel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zach Baron joins Sean and Amanda for an action-packed episode that hits on the Golden Globe nominations; Will Smith’s new movie, ‘Emancipation’; and the new Brendan Fraser film, ‘The Whale.’ Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Zach Baron Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy holidays! Actor Timothy Simons joins Sean for the ultimate gift: a conversation about how to build a Blu-ray collection—how to shop for them, what to play them on, the best ones to buy, whether it’s an addiction or not, and so much more (1:00). Then, filmmaker Park Chan-wook stops by to talk with Sean about his film ‘Decision to Leave’ (1:23:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Park Chan-wook and Timothy Simons Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s here—time for year-end lists! Adam Nayman and Chris Ryan join Sean and Amanda to discuss Sight and Sound’s Greatest Films of All Time poll before diving into 2022 and sharing their top five movies of the year. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oscar season is … here? Sean and Amanda briefly dig into the 2022 Sight and Sound poll before discussing the touching new Robert Downey Jr. family documentary 'Sr.' (1:00) . Then, they run through their first power ranking of the 2023 race, ordering all the contenders for Best Picture (1:08:00). Finally, Sean is joined by documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras to talk about her new film, ‘All the Beauty and the Bloodshed’ (0:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Laura Poitras Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a long year at the movies. We’ve covered *almost* everything on the show. But a few titles slipped through the cracks. Sean and Amanda run through a list of recent releases and 2022 titles they missed (1:00). Then, Sean is joined by ‘Bones and All’ director Luca Guadagnino to discuss his new film (1:17:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Luca Guadagnino Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘The Fabelmans,’ Spielberg’s deeply personal new film, opens wide this holiday weekend. To celebrate, Joanna Robinson joins Sean and Amanda to break down the movie and rank all 35 of his films. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Joanna Robinson Producer: Kai Grady Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Mr. Robot’ creator and filmmaker Sam Esmail returns to the show for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of movies and how he made his forthcoming 2023 film, ‘Leave the World Behind,’ from conception to completion. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Sam Esmail Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘She Said,’ a new installment in the long history of journalism films, premieres this weekend. Bryan Curtis, the host of the 'Press Box' podcast, joins Sean and Amanda to dig into the film, break down its Oscar chances, and answer some of your media movie questions from the mailbag. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Bryan Curtis Producer: Jade Whaley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are drafting again! And Amanda is back! She and Sean are joined by Chris Ryan to pick their faves and foil their pals in a draft of the movies from 1997. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The sequel to Ryan Coogler’s box office–dominating, culture-shifting, Oscar-nominated 2018 film is here. Van Lathan joins Sean and Amanda to break it all down. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Van Lathan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than 20 months ago, Sean and Amanda embarked on their first-ever Movie Star Ranking. It's become a yearly tradition, and with the streaming release of two under-35 star-led vehicles, Harry Styles's 'My Policeman' and Jennifer Lawrence's 'Causeway,' we're running it back. Who's up, who's down, who's aged out, and who's hitting the scene hard? Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Ryan joins Sean and Amanda to dive into Martin McDonagh’s new film, ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ a reunion of Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell from McDonagh’s 2008 cult classic, ‘In Bruges,’ (1:00) before sharing their top 5 movie friendships (38:00). Then, McDonagh talks with Sean about the making of his new film (1:10:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Martin McDonagh and Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a tremendously hectic period at the movies right now, with award season picking up pace, the Streaming Wars in high gear, and some major-event movies right around the corner. Sean and Amanda break down 10-plus new releases now streaming or in theaters (39:00). Then, writer-director James Gray returns to the show to discuss his autobiographical new film, ‘Armageddon Time,’ and the state of the movie business. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: James Gray Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean and Amanda dive deep into one of the year’s most exciting and resonant movies, Todd Field’s ‘Tár' (1:00). Then, Field joins Sean to discuss the world of classical music, Cate Blanchett, and how he made the film (1:27:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Todd Field Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hierarchy of power has changed and Sean is depressed about it. Charles Holmes and Rob Mahoney join Sean to talk about ‘Black Adam,’ the no. 1 movie at the box office, the latest installment in the DCEU, and yet another Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson action vehicle. Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Charles Holmes and Rob Mahoney Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julia Roberts, the once (and maybe future) queen of the box office returns to movie theaters this weekend with ‘Ticket to Paradise,’ a rom-com reunion of sorts with George Clooney—her first starring role on the big screen in four years. Amanda and Sean will review this new film, then build their Julia Roberts Hall of Fame by choosing 10 of her most essential movie roles. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Halloween Ends,’ the third and allegedly final installment of David Gordon Green’s legacy sequel 'Halloween' trilogy, debuted this weekend in theaters and streaming on Peacock. Chris Ryan joins Sean to talk about the new film, the year in horror, and to rank all 13 'Halloween' films. Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are drafting again and since it’s Halloween season, we needed to bring in a big gun. Six-time 'Big Picture' returning champion Alex Ross Perry is live and in studio to parse through the horror canon. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Alex Ross Perry and Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This year marks the 30th anniversary of David Lynch’s ‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me,’ and the 25th anniversary of ‘Lost Highway.’ To celebrate, Sean and Adam Nayman are diving deep into the unnerving, beautiful, often terrifying dream logic of their Lynchian fascinatination. Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Adam Nayman Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean and Amanda get excited for the best movie month of the year, digging into some new October releases, including ‘Amsterdam,’ ‘Triangle of Sadness,’ and ‘Tár,’ as well as the best movies at the New York Film Festival and a brief celebration of the new Star Wars show 'Andor.' Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ the sequel to the most lucrative movie of all time, is slated for the end of this year. Does anyone care? Sean is joined by Griffin Newman and David Sims, hosts of the ‘Blank Check’ podcast, to discuss the lasting impact of James Cameron’s technologically revolutionary behemoth, and more importantly, whether ‘Avatar’ is actually good. Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Griffin Newman and David Sims Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Bros,’ Billy Eichner’s first leading role in a feature, is in theaters. Sean and Amanda dig into the movie before sharing their five favorite studio comedies of the century (1:00). Then, Sean is joined by Nicholas Stoller, the director of ‘Bros’ and other comedy installments like ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ and ‘Neighbors,’ to discuss the film and the current state of theatrical comedies in relation to streaming and television (58:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Nicholas Stoller Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Blonde,’ Andrew Dominik’s long-awaited Marilyn Monroe biopic starring Ana de Armas, is now available on Netflix. Sean and Amanda dissect the film’s handful of successes and numerous, puzzling failures, before discussing Monroe’s titanic impact on movie stardom and the various depictions of her throughout cinema history. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s the movie event of the fall, but not in a good way. Sean and Amanda break down all things ‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ Olivia Wilde’s controversy-racked new thriller, and talk about the most scandalous productions in movie history (2:00). Then, Sean is joined by Brett Morgen, direct of the new David Bowie documentary ‘Moonage Daydream’ (1:05:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Brett Morgen Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a quiet few weeks, movies are back in theaters in a big way—and none bigger than Gina Prince-Bythewood’s warrior epic ‘The Woman King.’ Sean and Amanda break down the new Viola Davis vehicle and nine more new releases, including a pair of disturbing horror movies, a David Bowie doc, and, um, ‘Pinocchio’ (2:00). Then, Adam Nayman joins Sean to share a report from the Toronto International Film Festival, including word on Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans,’ ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,’ and ‘My Policeman’ (56:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Adam Nayman Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are drafting again! And we’re widening the scope this time around. Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan pick their faves and foil their pals in a draft of 1980s comedy movies. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The no. 1 movie in America is a depraved, completely unpredictable horror movie: hallelujah! Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan (2:00) to talk about this wonderful freak show before Sean is joined by writer-director Zach Cregger (53:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan and Zach Cregger Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We did it—500 episodes! To celebrate, Sean, Amanda, and Bobby are taking your calls and answering your burning questions about their favorite episodes, movie theater experiences, Big-Pic bits, and the future of the show. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Oscars Show is back! Sean recounts his biggest takeaways from Telluride and what can be gleaned for the upcoming awards season, before Sean and Amanda share their semi-serious predictions for an Oscars show that is six months away. To call in and leave a voicemail for our 500th episode mailbag, give us a ring at (916) 900-2826‬. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are drafting again! And we have a twist: Rather than draft the best movies of 2005, we’re looking at some of the worst and making a case for them. Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan pick their faves and foil their pals in an upside-down draft of the movies from 2005. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sylvester Stallone is back on the big screen in ‘Samaritan,’ an Amazon Prime superhero vehicle with Stallone at the center. To mark the occasion, Sean is joined by Bill Simmons to build out the Sly Hall of Fame. Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Bill Simmons Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Miller, the beloved filmmaker responsible for the 'Mad Max' films, 'Babe,' 'Happy Feet,' and more, has a new fantasy film called 'Three Thousand Years of Longing' out this weekend. Sean is joined by Joanna Robinson to talk about the movie, and our undeniable fantasy moment (1:00). Then, Owen Kline talks to Sean about his debut feature ‘Funny Pages' (1:09:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Joanna Robinson and Owen Kline Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a grim summer movie season, but a promising fall awaits. Amanda and Sean break down the summer doldrums at the box office and then share the 20 fall films of 2022 they’re most excited to see. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joanna Robinson joins Sean to dig into A24’s new Gen Z horror-comedy-whodunit ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ (0:00) and to share their five favorite “one crazy night” movies (1:00). Then, Halina Reijn, the Dutch actress and director of ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies,’ talks with Sean about how she transitioned to working behind the camera full-time (1:12:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Joanna Robinson and Halina Reijn Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The latest in the ‘Predator’ movie saga, ‘Prey,’ is streaming on Hulu now. Chris Ryan joins Sean to talk about the film and where it sits in the ‘Predator’ canon (1:00). Then, ‘Prey’ director Dan Trachtenberg talks with Sean about how he made the film (44:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Dan Trachtenberg and Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Bullet Train’, a new movie set—you guessed it—on a Bullet Train, hits theaters this weekend. Van Lathan joins Sean to discuss the star-studded Brad Pitt action vehicle, and then they share their top five favorite movies set on the railway (23:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Van Lathan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean shares five new films to stream (1:00) before opening up the mailbag to answer your questions and beat the summer doldrums (22:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Russo Brothers’ new Netflix action extravaganza got Sean and Chris Ryan thinking about a subgenre they love: trashy spy subcontractor stories. They discuss ‘The Gray Man’ (1:00) and the movies it’s lifting from in depth (33:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are drafting again and we have some special guests: Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary, longtime friends, filmmaking collaborators, and the hosts of the Video Archives Podcast join Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan to pick their faves and foil their pals in a draft of the movies from 1987. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary, and Chris Ryan Producers: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Nope,’ Jordan Peele’s third feature film as writer-director, is in theaters now. Sean and Van Lathan dig into this complex, fascinating extraterrestrial tale (1:00), before Peele himself joins to talk about how and why he made his movie (1:05:00). Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Jordan Peele and Van Lathan Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices