The Big Picture

This episode includes a discussion of the New York Film Festival highlights, such as Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s concert film Cameron Winter Carnegie Hall, alongside movie industry news regarding the Skydance-Paramount merger and upcoming franchise reboots. The hosts then deliver a largely negative review of The Social Network sequel The Social Reckoning, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, criticizing its procedural structure, lack of character depth, and failure to capture the urgency or cinematic quality of the original film. They conclude by debating the broader trend of legacy sequels and the cultural impact of the Facebook whistleblower story depicted in the movie.

This episode includes a discussion of the new Colleen Hoover adaptation Verity starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, evaluating whether its big‑weekend box office success qualifies it as “good trash” despite its pulpy, steamy nature. The hosts also cover the sudden leadership shake‑up at the merged Warner Bros‑Paramount studios and the disappointing performance of the $150 million‑budget film Digger, which opened to only $7.9 million. Additionally, they touch on upcoming releases and the broader implications for Hollywood’s shifting studio landscape.

This episode includes a detailed, spoiler-filled analysis of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film Digger, dissecting its divisive meta-narrative structure that shifts from a broad oil-tycoon satire into a theatrical rehearsal drama starring Tom Cruise in a dual role. The hosts debate the film’s irritating yet intentional tone, Cruise’s return to transformative dramatic acting amidst heavy prosthetics and accents, and the movie’s cynical themes regarding art, billionaire power, and climate collapse. They conclude by contextualizing the film within Iñárritu’s filmography and the crowded Best Actor Oscar race, followed by a live ranking of their top ten Tom Cruise performances.

This episode includes a draft of the hosts' favorite baseball movies across categories like drama, comedy, kids' movies, high concept, and wild card, with selections ranging from classics like Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, and The Sandlot to deeper cuts like Sugar and Eephus. The conversation weaves through personal anecdotes about baseball fandom, the cultural impact of 90s baseball films, and debates over the genre's decline, while also touching on postseason hopes and the difficulties of portraying the sport authentically on screen.

This episode includes a discussion of the weekend's new film releases, such as the Brad Pitt survival thriller Heart of the Beast, the animated feature The Wild Robot, and the Ethan Hawke western The Thicket, alongside an analysis of the Avengers: Endgame theatrical re-release and its new post-credits scenes teasing Avengers: Doomsday. The hosts also review the Mahershala Ali action drama Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and the John Wilson documentary The History of Concrete, before interviewing Wilson about his filmmaking process and background.

This episode includes a discussion of the new Robert Pattinson film Primetime, a dark satire about the making of To Catch a Predator that explores media ethics, conspiratorial narcissism, and the blurring of performance and reality. The hosts analyze Pattinson's transformative lead performance, the film's stylistic recreation of mid-2000s culture, and its descent into a moral nightmare involving the production crew and decoy actors. They also cover recent movie industry news regarding the Paramount merger and upcoming theatrical releases before interviewing director Lance Oppenheim about his transition from documentaries to scripted features.

This episode includes a discussion of the documentary Borman and the Devil, which examines John Boorman's critically panned sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic and his broader filmography, alongside a debate on whether artists should be judged by their successes or failures. The conversation expands to cover other notable documentaries about filmmakers, such as Hearts of Darkness, Burden of Dreams, De Palma, and American Movie, exploring the dynamics between directors and actors. Tracy Letts shares insights on the director-actor relationship and the value of examining cinematic misfires.

This episode includes a detailed recap of the Toronto International Film Festival with critic Adam Naiman, covering People's Choice Award winners like The Life of Chuck and standout films such as Every Little Thing and River, alongside discussions on industry news like the Paramount-Skydance merger settlement. The hosts then launch their monthly Best Picture power rankings, debating top contenders including The Odyssey, Emilia Pérez, and Wicked, before concluding with a spoiler-filled conversation with writer-director Zach Cregger about his new video game adaptation Resident Evil.

This episode includes a detailed, spoiler-filled review of Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil adaptation, praising its relentless pacing, practical gore, horror-comedy balance, and Austin Abrams’ lead performance. The hosts also break down recent industry news, including Noah Baumbach’s exit from Netflix for a Warner Bros. indie label, Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Cliff Booth novel and film, and casting updates for a Miami Vice reboot. Finally, they explore the history of horror-comedy and the evolving landscape of video game adaptations in Hollywood.

This episode includes a glowing review of the Oasis reunion documentary Don't Look Back in Anger, contrasting it with a largely disappointed discussion of the legacy sequel Practical Magic 2 regarding its plot logic, visual style, and wasted cast potential. The hosts then pivot to analyzing Sandra Bullock's filmography and career trajectory, debating ideal future collaborators like Steven Soderbergh and potential co-stars to revitalize her screen presence. They also touch on Venice and Toronto film festival updates, including the Golden Lion winner Woman Unknown and Alan Ritchson's Reacher series.

This episode includes a detailed breakdown of the summer box office season, highlighting record-breaking successes like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, and the surprise horror hit Obsession, alongside major disappointments such as Disney's live-action remakes and Supergirl. The hosts review their summer movie preview game results, revealing significant misses on several titles, before pivoting to discuss new releases including Paul Greengrass's The Uprising, the Korean sci-fi spectacle Hope, and the rom-com One Night Only. They also cover recent streaming films like Mayday and Buddy, and preview an upcoming deep dive into the filmography of Abel Ferrara with guest BenDavid Grabinski.

This episode includes hosts Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins comparing their experiences at the Telluride and Venice Film Festivals, highlighted by the secret screening of Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s documentary You Can See Everything at Telluride and the premiere of Oppenheim’s narrative feature Prime Time at Venice. They share their aligned top film rankings, praising Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse 9, Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, and Danny Boyle’s Ink, while also discussing Venice’s Oasis documentary and Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care. The conversation covers festival atmospheres, awards season implications for performances by actors like John Malkovich and Julianne Moore, and the unique logistics of each event.

This episode includes an extensive conversation about director Adam Wingard's new action film, "Onslaught," featuring an interview with actor Michael Biehn who discusses his career and their collaborative process. The hosts also delve into the changing landscape of movie releases, the impact of piracy, and define a "black and chrome" action subgenre, analyzing its characteristics through various recent and classic genre films.

This episode includes a comprehensive fall movie preview, discussing recent box office performances and major industry news. The hosts share their highly anticipated films for the season, touching on a diverse range of genres, and offer predictions for early Oscar contenders.

This episode includes a comprehensive look at Ridley Scott's extensive filmography, prompted by a review of his newest release and culminating in a ranking of his entire body of work. Additionally, recent movie news is covered, highlighting the passing of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, updates on the search for the next James Bond, and a new project involving Ryan Gosling.

This episode includes a detailed movie draft where participants select and debate films categorized as "flops." Criteria for these selections range from low domestic box office and negative critical reviews to being a "star bomb" or a "failed franchise launch." The discussion explores infamous cinematic missteps and overlooked gems, often sparking playful arguments among the hosts.

This episode includes a detailed discussion of "Tony," a new film delving into the early life and formative experiences of Anthony Bourdain, with its director sharing his unique, non-traditional approach to the biopic. The conversation explores the film's tone, performances, and themes of ambition and self-discovery, deliberately avoiding typical fan service. Additionally, the hosts share their personal lists of favorite coming-of-age films, examining how they portray loss of innocence and pivotal life choices.

This episode includes a discussion of new X-Men movie casting and the broader MCU's future direction, alongside a critical review of the Netflix film "The Last House." The hosts then dive into a spoiler-filled analysis of the dinosaur thriller "The End of Oak Street," examining its themes and surprising plot twists. The conversation concludes with a list of their favorite movies that evoke the spirit of "The Twilight Zone."

This episode includes an extensive discussion of a new meta-slasher film, delving into its unique blend of satire, emotional depth, and genre deconstruction. Guests explore the film's playful engagement with horror tropes, its themes of sexual awakening and identity, and the director's vision for a more liberated and joyful cinematic experience, as well as the actors' process in building an intimate on-screen relationship.

This episode includes a conversation with a renowned character actor about his career, alongside extensive movie news covering the massive box office success of a recent superhero film and upcoming project delays. It also features the host answering listener questions on topics ranging from the craft of film criticism and underrated movies, to personal reflections on relationships and career advice for aspiring film enthusiasts.