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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Sean and Amanda cover Noah Baumbach’s new film, ‘Jay Kelly,’ starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler. They work through their mixed reactions to the movie and sort through specifically what worked for them and what didn’t (4:24). Then, they speculate Sandler’s potential award chances (41:33) before building his Hall of Fame with their favorite performances (53:50). Finally, Sean is joined by Baumbach to explain why he doesn’t enjoy revisiting his old work, why Clooney was perfect for the part o...
Sean and Amanda have an action-packed show today, and they start with the biggest piece of news: Netflix’s $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. They talk through their initial gut reactions to the news; cover the additional information that came through over the weekend, including Paramount’s hostile bid; and hypothesize whether or not the sale will go through (1:57). Then, they react to the Golden Globe nominations and try to make sense of what they mean for the Academy Awards (...
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman to share their five favorite films from the year. But before diving in, they cover a handful of movie news items, including the updated rumors regarding the potential sale of Warner Bros. (1:25), the massive box office success of ‘Zootopia 2’ (5:44), and the speculation that Leonardo DiCaprio has been cast in Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2’ (11:15). Then, they each share their top five favorite movies from 2025 (25:20). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and A...
Sean, Amanda, and Chris visit Pandora and join the Na’vi to watch James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in anticipation of his upcoming sequel, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash.’ Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sean and Amanda are joined by Tracy Letts to cover the monumental work of legendary actor Robert Redford. They celebrate the star’s illustrious career, share their personal relationship to his work, and build his Hall of Fame. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Tracy Letts Producer: Jack Sanders Research: Brantley Palmer Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Sean and Amanda delve into Spike Lee's "25th Hour," a film they consider an "undiscovered masterpiece" that uniquely captures the present-tense anguish and confusion of New York post-9/11. They discuss its brilliant adaptation of David Benioff's novel, Edward Norton's nuanced performance, and the film's unflinching look at male friendship, regret, and the city's underbelly. The hosts highlight its powerful cinematography and unforgettable, dreamlike ending, advocating for its recognition as a vital cinematic work.
Sean and Amanda begin the show by discussing the imminent sale of Warner Brothers Discovery, consider the potential implications of a merger with one of Paramount, Comcast, or Netflix, and debate which scenario is the most likely outcome (1:22). Then, they cover the new Colleen Hoover adaptation ‘Regretting You’ starring Allison Williams and Dave Franco, which they found absolutely baffling (17:28). Next, they have an extensive conversation around Joachim Trier’s ‘Sentimental Value,’ starring Re...
Sean and Amanda, joined by Juliet Litman, dissect 'Wicked: For Good,' expressing frustration over its narrative choices, character development, and rushed musical numbers, despite acknowledging its box office potential. The episode then pivots to a highly praised review of Clint Bentley's 'Train Dreams,' a moving and beautifully shot exploration of a logger's life, grief, and human connection, followed by an insightful interview with Bentley about its adaptation and independent filmmaking.
Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds,’ which made for one of the greatest movie-going experiences of the century. They talk through why this was the official Tarantino pick over ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,’ praise Christoph Waltz for his generational performance, and explore the film’s legacy at great length. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Pro...
On today’s action-packed show, Sean and Amanda dive deep into the two newest films from one of their favorite filmmakers, Richard Linklater. Before diving in, they react to a handful of movie news headlines, including Tom Cruise’s honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards, the new teaser trailer for the live-action ‘Moana’ film, and Georgia Oakley’s upcoming remake of ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ starring Daisy Edgar-Jones (1:14). Then, they discuss ‘Nouvelle Vague’ (16:06) and ‘Blue Moon’ (28:11) and ...
Sean and Amanda are joined by Van Lathan to cover two new releases that they collectively had mixed feelings about. Before diving in, though, they theorize about why the fall movie slate has been such a huge disappointment both commercially and critically and what it represents for the industry at large going forward (0:34). Then, they break down Edgar Wright’s new action film, ‘The Running Man,’ starring Glen Powell, which they found deeply messy but also full of impressively staged action scen...
Sean and Amanda dive into Greta Gerwig's "Lady Bird," highlighting its status as a quintessential millennial film set in 2002. They praise its raw portrayal of a challenging mother-daughter dynamic and the protagonist's aspirations to escape her "second city" life in Sacramento. The discussion also covers Gerwig's unique directorial voice, the film's surprising box office success, and its enduring cultural impact.
Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to avenge their Yautja brethren on planet Genna and cover Dan Trachtenberg’s ‘Predator: Badlands,’ starring Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. Before diving in though, they briefly cover a handful of movie news headlines, including the reporting that Ryan Reynolds is remaking the 1970s crime film ‘Thunderbolt and Lightfoot’ for Amazon MGM (2:35). Next, they unpack the new 'Predator' legacy sequel and make the case for why it wouldn’t work without Fanni...
Sean and Amanda are joined by Rob Mahoney to cover a pair of new releases, but before diving in, they react to two new movie trailers for ‘Michael’ and ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ and the news that a ‘Miss Piggy’ movie from Cole Escola, Jennifer Lawrence, and Emma Stone is in development (0:53). Then, they unpack Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein,’ starring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi. They talk through the divisive reception to the film thus far, explain why the second half of the film is much...
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins continue their '25 Best Movies of the Century' series with David Lynch's 'Mulholland Drive,' a film born from a failed TV pilot. They dissect its unique blend of Americana, surrealism, and classic Hollywood noir, focusing on its enigmatic plot, the city's dark underbelly, and Naomi Watts' acclaimed breakthrough performance. The hosts also discuss the film's resistance to definitive interpretations and its lasting legacy as a cinematic puzzle box and portal to surrealist art.
We’re drafting again! Before diving into the draft, Sean, Amanda, and Chris react to two recent pieces of news with Disney reportedly turning down Steven Soderbergh’s ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’ (1:05), and Taylor Sheridan leaving Paramount (9:25). Then, they discuss who they were in 1989 (17:33) and draft the best movies from that year (29:44). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Sean and Amanda kick off the show with a brand-new version of their Best Picture Power Rankings (1:43). Then, they cover Yorgos Lanthimos’s new movie, ‘Bugonia,’ starring Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone. They explain why this is their preferred “flavor” of Lanthimos, crown it as a new type of paranoid thriller, and praise Plemons's and Stone’s incredibly sincere and sympathetic performances (21:31). Later, Lanthimos joins Sean to talk through the difficulties and benefits of shooting the film with ...
Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Wong Kar-wai’s ‘In the Mood for Love,’ the signature romance film of the century. They talk about why the film is one of the most influential movies ever made, highlight its incredibly beautiful composition and framing, and discuss why the feeling of not getting what you want is more resonant than ever. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack San...
Sean and Amanda start the show by covering the major box office success of ‘Chainsaw Man,’ reacting to the news that Cinemark is opening myriad new 70 mm IMAX screens across the country, and discussing what it represents for the future of moviegoing (2:00). Then, they deep dive into Kathryn Bigelow’s new film, ‘A House of Dynamite,’ starring Rebecca Ferguson. They unpack their very complicated feelings by highlighting what they found successful, including a titillating first act and some strong ...
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan and Yasi Salek to head over to 'State Trooper' town and cover Scott Cooper’s ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,’ starring Jeremy Allen White. They unanimously agree that the movie is overwhelmingly unsuccessful, then dive into why it lacks dramatic stakes (1:42). Later, they hypothesize its box office potential and Academy Awards chances (36:20) before having a conversation about music biopics at large, where they share their personal favorites, as we...
Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite,’ which features one of the greatest movie endings of all time. They celebrate its nuanced portrayal of what systems do to people; highlight the small, formal decisions that elevate the movie’s ideas; and remember its iconic Best Picture win that changed the trajectory of the Academy Awards. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Produ...
On today’s show Chris Ryan joins Sean to unpack the year 2025 in horror movies. But first, they hit a handful of movie news headlines, including rumors of a new trailer coming out in December for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ Michael Mann’s recent comments about the production of ‘Heat II,’ and Eva Victor being cast in Tony Gilroy’s ‘Behemoth!’ (2:02). They then cover Scott Derrickson’s sequel, ‘The Black Phone 2’ (starring Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames), which they both found quite disappoi...
Sean and Amanda begin the show by honoring the legendary actor Diane Keaton, who passed away at 79 last Saturday (3:19). Then, following a disappointing box office performance from a handful of new weekend releases, they have an extensive conversation around what audiences want from movies at the movie theater (9:54). They form a rubric from their main takeaways and apply it to ‘Tron: Ares’ (14:53), ‘Roofman’ (29:47), and ‘After the Hunt’ (0:00). Finally, they briefly cover Rebecca Miller’s new ...
Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss George Miller’s ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ one of the greatest action movies of all time. They explain why it almost feels like a silent film despite its incredibly loud sound, celebrate Charlize Theron’s phenomenal performance and highlight it as the signature performance of her career, and reflect on George Miller’s legacy at large. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda...
Sean and Amanda are joined by David Sims of the Blank Check podcast to commemorate the incredible career of Daniel Day-Lewis. They begin the show by debating whether or not 2025 has been a good year for movies, and they forecast what the fall slate will look like (2:34). Then, they discuss Day-Lewis’s return to acting with ‘Anemone,’ directed by his son Ronan Day-Lewis (14:14). Finally, they work through the entire career and filmography of the legendary actor (20:28) and build his Hall of Fame ...
Live from New York, it’s 'Saturday Night'! Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan, plus Griffin Newman and David Sims of the Blank Check podcast, to draft their favorite New York City movies of all time. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan, Griffin Newman, and David Sims Producers: Jack Sanders, Elizabeth Fierman, Helen Eichner, Charlie Finan, and Mike Wargon Unlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...
On a very special bonus episode of the podcast, Van Lathan joins the show and gets the chance to share his perspective on the box office debate for ‘One Battle After Another’, share his overall thoughts on the film, and comment on its portrayal and depiction of Black women. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Van Lathan Producer: Jack Sanders Unlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Sean and Amanda get in the ring with Van Lathan to go multiple rounds on Benny Safdie’s new film, ‘The Smashing Machine,’ starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt. They work through their mixed feelings by recognizing the phenomenal performance from the Rock, which makes it worth the price of admission alone, and their disappointment and frustration toward Emily Blunt’s incredibly one-note character (1:49). Then, Sean and Amanda create their new Best Picture power rankings following th...
Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Sofia Coppola’s ‘Marie Antoinette,’ one of the greatest blank checks this century, starring Kirsten Dunst. They explain why this was the official Sofia Coppola selection for the list, especially over ‘Lost in Translation’; highlight the specific decision to not include Antoinette’s infamous beheading; and discuss why this is a quintessential Kirsten Dunst perfor...
Sean and Amanda have an action-packed episode today following the release of Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another.' They begin the show by reacting to the film’s opening weekend box office performance and astounding initial critical acclaim (0:57). Then, they open up the mailbag to answer all of your questions about Paul Thomas Anderson and his new movie (13:03). Next, our mean pod guy, Adam Nayman, the author of 'Paul Thomas Anderson: Masterworks,' joins the show (but isn’t very mea...
