The Big Picture
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins review the movies you need to see. Plus: Top 5s, Movie Drafts, Oscars analysis, and more, featuring a rotating cast of Ringer colleagues like Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, and Bill Simmons.
TV & Film
‘Abigail,’ ‘Late Night With the Devil,’ and the 10 Best Horror Movies of 2024 … So Far
Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to discuss the current ...
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Apr 23 2024 1h 23m
Chapter 1 8 mins
Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to discuss the current state of horror in theatersChapter 2 16 mins
They run through a list of movies that are out right now, then dive into what they did and did not like about themChapter 3 32 mins
Later, they’re joined by a special guest to explain the plot of ‘Imaginary’Chapter 4 9 mins
to Chris, who hasn’t yet seen the film. Finally, Sean and Chris discuss the directors they’d most like to see work in the horror genreChapter 5 13 mins
and discuss their most-anticipated upcoming releases
The 10 Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2024. Plus: Tarantino’s Pivot, Scorsese’s Sinatra, and Spielberg’s UFOs.
Sean and Amanda discuss the news that Quentin Tarant...
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Apr 19 2024 1h 26m
Chapter 1 10 mins
Sean and Amanda discuss the news that Quentin Tarantino has shelved what was previously reported as his 10th and final film, ‘The Movie Critic’Chapter 2 16 mins
Then, they react to some development news for Martin Scorsese’s and Steven Spielberg’s next projectsChapter 3 57 mins
and discuss the most anticipated movie of this upcoming summer
The 1999 Movie Draft
We are drafting again! Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan ...
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Apr 16 2024 2h 33m
‘Civil War’ With Alex Garland! Plus: The 10 Most Anticipated Movies Out of CinemaCon.
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to run thro...
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Apr 12 2024 2h 36m
Chapter 1 42 mins
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to run through the 10 most anticipated movies from this week’s CinemaCon, which Sean attendedChapter 2 1 hr 5 mins
Then, they have a long—and, at times, combative—discussion about Alex Garland’s big-budget A24 release, ‘Civil War’Chapter 3 46 mins
delving into the film’s politics (or lack thereof), point of view, cinematic style, and more. Finally, Sean is joined by Garland to answer questions regarding some of those very things and where he sees this in the arc of his career, as well as discuss whether he will take a step back from filmmaking
‘Dune: Part Two’ and the 10 Best Movies of the Year … So Far
Sean and Amanda revisit Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Pa...
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Apr 9 2024 1h 43m
Chapter 1 23 mins
Sean and Amanda revisit Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Part Two’ and assess whether the fervor for it holds upChapter 2 49 mins
Then, they share their 10 favorite movies of the year so farChapter 3 28 mins
including ‘Immaculate,’ ‘La Chimera,’ ‘The First Omen,’ and others. Sean is then joined by the director of ‘The First Omen,’ Arkasha Stevenson, to discuss the subversive nature of a her legacy sequel, how she got it made, and the career that led her here
‘Monkey Man’ Is Here! Plus, the Top Five 21st Century Directorial Debuts.
Sean and Amanda dig into the successes and shortcomi...
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Apr 5 2024 1h 16m
Chapter 1 40 mins
Sean and Amanda dig into the successes and shortcomings of this week’s biggest release at the box office: Dev Patel’s directorial debut, ‘Monkey Man’Chapter 2 34 mins
They discuss, among other things, the unique action put to screen and the movie’s rumored behind-the-scenes studio management. Then—after casually losing their sanity for 15 minutes in the middle of the podcast—they discuss the best directorial debuts of the 21st century
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ and the Steve Martin Hall of Fame
Sean and Amanda break down a pair of big franchise r...
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Apr 2 2024 2h 9m
Chapter 1 28 mins
Sean and Amanda break down a pair of big franchise releases—‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ and ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’Chapter 2 18 mins
They then share their thoughts on the new Steve Martin documentary ‘Steve!’Chapter 3 50 mins
and build the Steve Martin Hall of FameChapter 4 29 mins
Finally, Sean is joined by the director of said documentary, Morgan Neville, to discuss picking a subject, building rapport with that subject, and how he chooses projects
The ‘Babylon’ Watch-Along
In a hundred years, when you and I are both long gon...
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Mar 26 2024 3h 13m
Chapter 1 7 mins
Babylon Movie Discussion With CR and AmandaChapter 2 9 mins
Babylon Movie Discussion and Hollywood PartiesChapter 3 6 mins
Critical Analysis of Movie LengthChapter 4 9 mins
Discussing Margot Robbie's Sex Symbol StatusChapter 5 8 mins
Movie Theater Experience and DiscussionsChapter 6 11 mins
Film, Horses, Dogs, and Spike JonzeChapter 7 11 mins
Discussion of Hollywood Filmmaking and IconsChapter 8 6 mins
Rich Women Starting New BusinessesChapter 9 7 mins
Fashion, Film, and ConversationsChapter 10 11 mins
Air Conditioning History and Random ChatterChapter 11 16 mins
Incoherent Musings on Pop CultureChapter 12 5 mins
Gene Kelly Fashion and Hollywood SocietyChapter 13 15 mins
Golf Course Reservation ControversyChapter 14 12 mins
Babylon Movie Analysis and DiscussionChapter 15 7 mins
Australian Dreams and Wimbledon WishesChapter 16 18 mins
Los Angeles Sequence at CR's HouseChapter 17 10 mins
Discussion on Hollywood and Personal ChoicesChapter 18 7 mins
Discussion on Film Making EvolutionChapter 19 9 mins
Film Analysis and Movie ReactionsChapter 20 1 min
Thanking Listeners on Big Picture
‘Road House’ and the Top 10 Junk Fight Movies. Plus: Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Immaculate’!
Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to briefly discuss ‘Imm...
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Mar 22 2024 1h 43m
Chapter 1 30 mins
Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to briefly discuss ‘Immaculate,’ the new Sydney Sweeney nun horror movie, before digging into Jake Gyllenhaal’s ‘Road House’ remakeChapter 2 35 mins
Then, Sean and Chris explore a new niche subgenre they’ve invented: junk fightsChapter 3 35 mins
Finally, Sean is joined by ‘Immaculate’ director Michael Mohan to discuss working in the genre, working with Sweeney, and how he hopes to build on this film going forward
The 1977 Movie Draft
We are drafting again! Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan ...
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Mar 19 2024 1h 46m
Chapter 1 8 mins
1977Chapter 2 8 mins
Cinematic Reflections on 1977Chapter 3 9 mins
Conversation About 1977 Films and PoliticsChapter 4 5 mins
Discussion on 1977 Oscar NomineesChapter 5 11 mins
Cultural Impact of Blockbuster FilmsChapter 6 10 mins
Favorite Movies DiscussionChapter 7 11 mins
Film Critique and DiscussionChapter 8 6 mins
Bond Movies and Action ThrillersChapter 9 7 mins
Classic FilmsChapter 10 7 mins
Movie Draft Banter and World HungerChapter 11 12 mins
Movie Reviews and RecommendationsChapter 12 7 mins
Casual Film Conversation and BanterChapter 13 32 sec
Sydney Sweeney at the Egyptian
‘Love Lies Bleeding’ and the 21st Century Noir Movie Canon
Sean and Amanda discuss a recent run of positive 202...
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Mar 15 2024 1h 27m
Chapter 1 18 mins
Sean and Amanda discuss a recent run of positive 2025 movie newsChapter 2 15 mins
before digging into Rose Glass’s second feature, ‘Love Lies Bleeding’Chapter 3 16 mins
They take stock of Kristen Stewart’s unique movie star presence, discuss Glass’s genre command and audacious screenwriting, and praise Katy O’Brian’s wonderfully physical and emotional performance. Then, they run down a list of films they’re calling the 21st Century Noir Movie CanonChapter 4 34 mins
Finally, Sean is joined by Glass to discuss the production of ‘Love Lies Bleeding,’ working with a star like Stewart, why she set the film in America, how Ed Harris became involved in the project, and more
The 2024 Oscars Mailbag and a Way-Too-Early Look at 2025 Best Picture
Sean and Amanda are joined by Joanna Robinson to bri...
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Mar 12 2024 1h 35m
Chapter 1 35 mins
Sean and Amanda are joined by Joanna Robinson to briefly discuss ‘Dune: Part Two’ and other way-too-early contenders for the 2025 OscarsChapter 2 58 mins
Then, they open the mailbag to answer your questions about ‘Oppenheimer,’ Emma Stone, Lily Gladstone, ‘Rango,’ Bradley Cooper, ‘The Holdovers,’ and more
The 2024 Oscars: The Year of ‘Oppenheimer’ and Christopher Nolan
Sean and Amanda give their immediate reactions to th...
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Mar 11 2024 1h 22m
Chapter 1 14 mins
Academy Awards Review and PredictionsChapter 2 3 mins
Award Season Winners and SnubsChapter 3 10 mins
Oscars Reflection and Cultural ImpactChapter 4 11 mins
Opinions on Oscars Clips and PerformancesChapter 5 6 mins
Oscars Reflection of Older GenerationChapter 6 3 mins
Academy Awards and Aging ReflectionsChapter 7 11 mins
Oscars Recap and DiscussionChapter 8 7 mins
Discussion on Film Personalities and AwardsChapter 9 8 mins
Oscar Winners and Fashion TrendsChapter 10 5 mins
Movie Night Wager and Awards RecapChapter 11 1 min
Acknowledgements and Future Plans
Oscar Predictions: Who Will Win and Should Win at the 2024 Academy Awards
Sean and Amanda make their final predictions for who...
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Mar 7 2024 1h 32m
Chapter 1 6 mins
The Academy Awards and PredictionsChapter 2 11 mins
Daylight Savings and Oscars TimeChapter 3 11 mins
Oscar Predictions and Discussing NomineesChapter 4 4 mins
Oscar Nominated Short Films ConversationChapter 5 1 min
Predicting Academy Awards Makeup Category
The 2024 Alternative Oscars, a.k.a. the Big Picks!
Sean and Amanda are joined by New York Times film cr...
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Mar 6 2024 2h 15m
Chapter 1 30 mins
They've included a handful of categories they’ve invented, as well as alternative nominees and winners in the major Academy Awards categories. Before digging into this exercise, they open by talking about ‘Dune: Part Two,’ as well as the state of ‘Oppenheimer’ and director Christopher Nolan as overwhelming Oscar front-runnersChapter 2 1 hr 43 mins
Sean and Amanda are joined by New York Times film critic Wesley Morris to hand out The Big Picture’s very own Alternative Oscars
‘Dune: Part Two’ Is Here and It’s Spectacular
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss ...
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Mar 1 2024 1h 40m
Chapter 1 1 hr 18 mins
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss the massively anticipated Denis Villeneuve epic, ‘Dune: Part Two.’ The trio discuss the scope of the film, the fan fervor, the movie star performances it centers, and moreChapter 2 20 mins
Then, they discuss Villeneuve’s most successful film entries up to this point and decide where ‘Dune: Part Two’ slots in among his best achievements
Final Best Picture Power Rankings and How Oscar Voting Really Works
Sean and Amanda open the show by discussing the SAG ...
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Feb 26 2024 1h 43m
Chapter 1 42 mins
Sean and Amanda open the show by discussing the SAG Awards and highlight the Netflix streaming experience, Lily Gladstone’s win for Best Actress, and the dominance of 'Oppenheimer’Chapter 2 17 mins
Then, they create their final Best Picture power rankingsChapter 3 42 mins
Later, Tom Oyer joins the show to help explain how the Academy Awards actually work and what the voting process looks like
‘Drive-Away Dolls’ and Book Club No. 1—Francis Ford Coppola, ‘Apocalypse Now,’ and ‘The Path to Paradise’
Sean and Amanda are joined by Ringer contributor and...
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Feb 23 2024 1h 10m
Chapter 1 22 mins
Sean and Amanda are joined by Ringer contributor and beloved “Mean Pod Guy” Adam Nayman to discuss ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ the latest solo Coen movie—this time directed by Ethan and written along with his wife, Tricia CookeChapter 2 46 mins
After that, it’s the first iteration of The Big Picture Book Club. Sean and Amanda dig into ‘The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story,’ what it reveals about the highs and lows of Coppola’s career, what it tells us outside of the already well-known mythology of Coppola, and—with ‘Megalopolis’ likely coming out this year—the ways it contributes to Coppola’s presence in the film zeitgeist in 2024
‘The Beekeeper,’ ‘Madame Web,’ and a Dumpuary Extravaganza
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Dumpuary! ...
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Feb 16 2024 1h 34m
Chapter 1 29 mins
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Dumpuary! Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss the box office sensation of the year thus far, David Ayer’s politically charged action romp ‘The Beekeeper,’ starring Jason StathamChapter 2 43 mins
Then, conversely, Sean and Amanda dive (surprisingly) deep into what may be the worst movie of the year, the Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney superhero vehicle ‘Madame Web’Chapter 3 19 mins
They wrap up by running through some other dumpuary movies, including J.Lo’s ‘This Is Me... Now: A Love Story’
The Best Super Bowl Trailers, ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ ‘The Taste of Things,’ and Top Five Food Movies
Sean and Amanda open by discussing the movie trailer...
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Feb 13 2024 1h 49m
Chapter 1 27 mins
Sean and Amanda open by discussing the movie trailers that debuted at the Super BowlChapter 2 9 mins
before digging into this past weekend’s biggest release: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’Chapter 3 40 mins
Then, they discuss one of their favorite movies of last year, the French cooking romance ‘The Taste of Things’Chapter 4 29 mins
Finally, Sean is joined by Tran Anh Hung and Juliette Binoche, the director and star (respectively) of ‘The Taste of Things,’ to discuss the unique challenges of making a movie so centered around cooking technique, and the ways they went about portraying the authenticity of love between the two main characters
The 1991 Movie Draft. Plus: Wim Wenders!
We are drafting again! Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan ...
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Feb 9 2024 2h 15m
Chapter 1 1 hr 29 mins
We are drafting again! Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan reunite for a draft of the best movies of 1991Chapter 2 44 mins
Then, Sean is joined by master filmmaker Wim Wenders to discuss his new film, ‘Perfect Days’; his return to a film set in Japan; how he looks back on his long career of making movies; and more
‘Argylle’ and the Death of the Winking Action Movie
Sean and Amanda discuss the wildly unsuccessful elem...
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Feb 7 2024 1h 52m
Chapter 1 42 mins
Sean and Amanda discuss the wildly unsuccessful elements of ‘Argylle,’ Matthew Vaughn’s meta spy thriller starring Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam RockwellChapter 2 35 mins
Then, they try to contextualize it within what Sean has dubbed "wink action"—a subgenre of action that rose around the turn of the 2010s and has finally started to peter outChapter 3 32 mins
Finally, Sean is joined by Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Arcel to discuss ‘The Promised Land’ and the key creative differences between making movies in Hollywood and making movies internationally
Physical Media Strikes Back With Tim Simons
Sean is joined by actor and physical media enthusias...
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Feb 2 2024 1h 27m
Chapter 1 12 mins
The Big PictureChapter 2 9 mins
The Future of Physical MediaChapter 3 13 mins
Physical Media and Local Gem ImportanceChapter 4 3 mins
4K Color Corrections and Film Restoration ControversiesChapter 5 10 mins
The Impact of Recuts and RestorationsChapter 6 10 mins
Collecting and Organizing Physical MediaChapter 7 5 mins
The Emotional Impact of Physical MediaChapter 8 12 mins
Ownership & Appreciation of FilmsChapter 9 10 mins
Films and Physical Media Discussion
The Philip Seymour Hoffman Hall of Fame
As the 10-year anniversary of Philip Seymour Hoffman...
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Jan 30 2024 1h 34m
Chapter 1 8 mins
As the 10-year anniversary of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death approaches, Sean pays tribute to his favorite actor with an audio essay highlighting the ways in which Hoffman was sui generis on the screenChapter 2 1 hr 24 mins
Then, Amanda joins to run through Hoffman’s entire filmography and select 10 movies to make up his hall of fame
The ‘Barbie’ Freak-Out, Oscar Nominations Mailbag, and ‘The Zone of Interest’
Sean and Amanda open the mailbag to answer lingering...
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Jan 26 2024 2h
Chapter 1 1 hr 11 mins
Sean and Amanda open the mailbag to answer lingering questions about the Oscar nominations, including the growing fervor around Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig’s failure to be nominated for ‘Barbie,’ why ‘The Iron Claw’ received no nominations, which film could surprise at the awards, and moreChapter 2 8 mins
Then, Sean gives a quick recap of what he saw at the Sundance Film FestivalChapter 3 38 mins
before they finally do a full deep dive into Jonathan Glazer’s ‘The Zone of Interest’