The Big Picture

Sean and Amanda close out the year by breaking down the tepid reception and complicated franchise future of 'Star Wars' in the aftermath of 'The Rise of Skywalker' (1:10). Then, they look at former president Barack Obama's picks for his favorite movies of the year and the Christmas season box office winners (34:47). Finally, they debate whether 2019, which has featured so many exciting movies, is the very best the decade has had to offer. Amanda presents the case for three other candidates, and Sean decides (51:05).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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This is how the Safdies win. Sean shares the 12 highly specific things he loves (with spoilers!) about the New York brothers' new film (0:55). Then, Josh and Benny Safdie join Sean to talk about the long road to its creation (16:04). 

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Josh and Benny Safdie

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It's been 25 years since the last Hollywood adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel about the March sisters. Why did Greta Gerwig want to tackle this piece of classic literature for her 'Lady Bird' follow-up (14:15)? We look at how she refashioned and reimagined certain aspects of the book, how it fits in with previous iterations of the story, and why there's something uniquely urgent about it. Then, Gerwig joins the show to talk about how she conceived the film and executed her vision (1:00:00).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Greta Gerwig

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Tom Hooper's adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash musical hit has finally come to movie theaters and … well … yikes. Sean and Amanda break down the history of Webber's show and its enormous impact on Broadway. Then they take a closer look at the characters, the confounding production design and costumes, and just generally have a meltdown about the absurdity of this enterprise.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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'Episode IX' is here and, well, it's not all we'd hoped and dreamed it would be. To break down J.J. Abrams's film, the ninth and final installment in the Skywalker saga, Sean is joined by Binge Mode's Mallory Rubin to explore what worked (Rey and Kylo), what didn't (um, a lot), and where the 'Star Wars' machine will go from here (Disney+?).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Mallory Rubin

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Bryan Curtis stops by to talk about 'Richard Jewell' and 'Bombshell,' two new films about the media, the Kathy Scruggs controversy at the center of Clint Eastwood's latest, and how factual a movie about real people ought to be (1:04). Then, Sean and Amanda break down the just-released Oscars short lists and survey the Best Director race—and the probable absence of women from said race (38:48). Finally, Sean is joined by 'Bombshell' director Jay Roach to discuss his long career in comedy and the making of his new film about the inner workings of Fox News (60:36).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Jay Roach, Bryan Curtis

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The grand master of ridiculous action movies is back and he’s teamed up with Netflix. Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to break down every aspect of Michael Bay’s latest, ‘6 Underground’ (0:37). Then, Sean and Amanda analyze the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations and what they could mean for the Oscar race (56:19). Finally, Sean is joined by ‘Richard Jewell’ leading man Paul Walter Hauser to discuss the new Clint Eastwood drama and his long road to Hollywood stardom (67:00).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Paul Walter Hauser and Chris Ryan

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The Golden Globe nominations are here, and they're as dumb as ever. But will they matter come Oscars time? Amanda and Sean break down all the nominees and who was left out in the cold (1:08). Then they discuss the Academy Awards chances of Netflix's 'Marriage Story' and 'The Irishman' now that both films have debuted on the service (50:02). Finally, Sean is joined by Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney to talk about his new film, 'Citizen K' (62:30).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Alex Gibney

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Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman join Sean and Amanda to rank their top five movies of 2019, which got off to a slow start but has been flooded with great films over the last two months. The quartet discuss masters of their craft like Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese making late-period career retrospectives, as well as internationally renowned auteurs like Bong Joon-Ho and Claire Denis stunning American audiences.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman

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We're less than a week away from the official start of awards season: Golden Globe nominations. Amanda and Sean share their best guesses in the major categories and defend the honor of Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' (4:00). Then, resident 'Frozen' fan Jason Gallagher joins to break down why the sequel has become the fall season's juggernaut at the box office (41:10). Finally, Sean is joined by director Todd Haynes to talk about his new film, 'Dark Waters,' a chilling legal thriller that isn't always what it seems (66:10).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Todd Haynes, Jason Gallagher

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Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss, debate, and ultimately crown the 10 best films of the decade as they see them.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Chris Ryan

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We convene to share our top five murder mystery films and judge the category with ranging specificity (1:15). Then writer-director Rian Johnson joins to discuss ‘Knives Out’—the whodunnit vehicle featuring Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, and Ana de Armas—and how he landed on this film after his role in the 'Star Wars' franchise (32:00).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Rian Johnson

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The Spirit Awards typically act as Oscars counterprogramming, rewarding outliers and underseen indies in the race. Sean and Amanda break down the 2020 nominations and what they could mean for the big show (1:09). Then, with 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' hitting theaters, we discuss the long and brilliant career of America's Dad, Tom Hanks, by constructing a hall of fame with his 10 most essential performances (16:15). Finally, Sean is joined by director Marielle Heller to talk about Hanks and how together they captured the essence of Fred Rogers (1:09:49).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Marielle Heller

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The Oscars are closer than you think—just 82 more days!—so Sean and Amanda take a closer look at the chances of 'Ford v. Ferrari,' 'Waves,' and five more potential contenders (2:40). Then they break down the dismal box office performance of Elizabeth Banks's 'Charlie's Angels' reboot (48:02) and discuss the unlikely boost that 'Joker' received over the weekend (59:23). Finally, Sean interviews writer-director Scott Z. Burns about his new drama 'The Report' (68:41).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Scott Z. Burns

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With the release of the Christian Bale–Matt Damon racing two-hander, we look back on Damon’s best performances, including the iconic ‘Good Will Hunting’ and the lesser-known ‘Dogma’ (0:45). Then, James Mangold joins to discuss ‘Ford v Ferrari’ and the threat that a changing movie industry presents to movies like it (58:30).

Host: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Chris Ryan and James Mangold

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The launch of Disney's new streaming service raises fascinating questions about the future of streaming and awards season. Sean and Amanda dive in by looking at the launch slate and whether it will change how we think about the Oscars (1:37). Then, 'The New York Times' culture editor Gilbert Cruz joins to discuss the confusing 'Shining' sequel 'Doctor Sleep' and why the Stephen King adaptation struggled at the box office (28:05). Sean's little sister Grace makes a special appearance to break down her three favorite movies of 2019, and dunk on her older brother (46:50). Amanda and Sean break down this year's Best Original Song slate, which is historically one of the worst categories at the Oscars (1:05:24). And finally, Sean interviews writer-director Trey Edward Shults to discuss one of the year's most moving films, 'Waves' (1:19:11).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Gilbert Cruz, Grace Fennessey, and Trey Edward Shults

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Writer-director Noah Baumbach's latest is one of the year's best and most emotionally devastating films. The Netflix release stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson as a young couple reckoning with the dissolution of their relationship and the separation of their intertwined lives. Sean and Amanda take a long look at this story; how it will make you feel about your marriage; Baumbach's catalog of erudite, entertaining movies; and the history of divorce movies (1:25). Then, Baumbach joins Sean to talk about the making of 'Marriage Story,' transposing autobiography onto creative work, and the genius of composer Randy Newman (61:15).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Noah Baumbach

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Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' is already being hailed as a sophisticated masterwork—by Sean and Amanda and dozens of critics—that will challenge for Oscars in nearly every major category. But it isn't easy to see in theaters. The battle between Netflix and theater chains to show the movie at multiplexes around the world reveals the perilous future of the movie business (3:00). Then actor Antonio Banderas joins Sean to discuss making the transition from Spain to America; his decades-long collaboration with director Pedro Almodóvar; and their latest film, 'Pain and Glory' (62:20).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Antonio Banderas

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'The Irishman' opens in theaters this weekend, so Sean has convened two Scorsese fanatics, Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman, to share their top five favorite Marty movies. The trio discuss Scorsese's signature themes and visual style, his approach to genre, and what makes him such a historic figure in the world of filmmaking (3:00). Then, Edward Norton joins Sean to discuss the making of his latest film—which he wrote, directed, and stars in—'Motherless Brooklyn' (61:00).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Chris Ryan, Adam Nayman, and Edward Norton

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The nominations are flowing and we're already drunk with takes. Amanda and Sean look at the Gotham Awards noms and the Academy's Governors Awards and predict several key questions about the Oscars, including all six major categories (1:10). Then, Sean is joined by writer-director Bong Joon-ho to talk about making his extraordinary new movie 'Parasite' (65:03).

Host: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Bong Joon-ho

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The '10s are nearly over, and horror has been one of the decade's most dominant genres. Chris Ryan teams up with Sean to break down the very best the genre has had to offer and where it's going in the coming decades (2:08). Then, Sean is joined by screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski to talk about their new, Eddie Murphy–starring film, 'Dolemite Is My Name,' and their long history capturing what they call "the fringe history of America" in their screenplays (52:21).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Chris Ryan, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski

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We did it—200 episodes in the can. To celebrate, Sean and Amanda are tackling reader questions that run the gamut from Francis Ford Coppola's Marvel throwdown to the worst Oscar travesties of the decade (1:00). Then, Sean is joined by 'The Lighthouse' writer-director Robert Eggers to discuss how he made his stunning, flatulence-laden, Robert Pattinson–starring new film (1:11:40).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Robert Eggers

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Political subtext is everywhere, even at the movies. The weekend's four big releases—'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'; 'Jojo Rabbit'; 'The Laundromat'; and 'Zombieland: Double Tap'—all have surprising and occasionally confounding nods to the fractured nature of the United States. Amanda and Sean look closely at each movie and the circumstances that led to their messages (2:00). Then, Sean is joined by 'Zombieland: Double Tap' director Ruben Fleischer to discuss the sequel to his 2009 hit, his work on 'Venom,' and more (53:00).

Host: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Ruben Fleischer

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After winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes, soaring to international box office success, and riding a wave of extraordinary festival buzz, Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite' has finally hit U.S. theaters. Donnie Kwak joins Amanda and Sean to break down Bong's career, what makes his latest so special, and the movie's chances come Oscar time (1:52). Then, Sean and Amanda break down the evolving conversation around 'Joker,' two unusually bad trailers that premiered over the weekend, and the complex race for Best International Feature Film (28:56).

Host: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Donnie Kwak

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As Ang Lee's hyperreal new action movie 'Gemini Man' hits theaters, Sean and Amanda look back at the long, fascinating career of rapper, sitcom star, screen legend, and Instagram icon Will Smith. They discuss the flaws and innovations of Lee's work with 120 frames per second 3-D 4K and the future of how we see movies (0:50). Then, they share their top five Will Smith performances and whether or not he will ever win an Oscar (21:33).

Host: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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Todd Phillips's 'Joker' is one of the year's biggest hits and most controversial films. Chris Ryan joins Sean and Amanda to talk about the film's success and whether all the hubbub was worth it (1:07). Then they take a close look at Joaquin Phoenix's Oscar chances, the Best Actor race, and Martin Scorsese's comments about Marvel movies (32:20). Then, Sean is joined by The Ringer's Shea Serrano to talk about his new book, 'Movies (and Other Things)' (55:08).

Host: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Chris Ryan and Shea Serrano

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Todd Phillips's 'Joker,' a gritty homage to '70s films like 'Taxi Driver,' has become one of the year's most anticipated and controversial movies. Sean and Jason Concepcion explore the long history of the Batman supervillain, in comic books and on screen (1:30). Then, they take a close look at the new Joaquin Phoenix–starring movie, its societal ramifications, and what it means for the superhero movie genre at large (41:20). Finally, Sean is joined by writer-director Noah Hawley to discuss his feature film debut, 'Lucy in the Sky' (75:18).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Jason Concepcion and Noah Hawley

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Marty back! 'The Irishman' premiered at the New York Film Festival to rapturous reviews over the weekend, so Sean and Amanda look at the film's chances at the Oscars. Is Martin Scorsese's latest the new front-runner (1:40)? They also discuss Robert De Niro's hilarious comments on cable, look at Eddie Murphy's return to the screen in Netflix's 'Dolemite Is My Name,' and analyze a quietly shifting Best Documentary category (39:07). Then, Oscar-winning documentarian Asif Kapadia joins to discuss the making of his new film, 'Diego Maradona' (57:16).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Asif Kapadia

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Sean and Amanda break down a busy news cycle, including Jennifer Lopez's Oscars-related decision to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show and Marvel guru Kevin Feige turning his attention to the 'Star Wars' franchise (1:20). Then, they look at Renée Zellweger's comeback vehicle 'Judy,' a biopic that feels too familiar despite its star's best efforts (29:03). Then director Daniel Scheinert stops by to talk about his poignantly weird ode to a pair of dumbasses living in Alabama (59:40).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Daniel Scheinert

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Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to break down the phenomenon of turning TV series into movies after the box office success of 'Downton Abbey.' Then, the trio discuss the shows they'd like to see extended into new movies, explore Maggie Smith's chances at a third Academy Award, and rank their favorite awards shows in the aftermath of a lackluster Emmys ceremony (1:00). After that, 'Downton' director Michael Engler swings by to talk about supersizing the costume drama into one of the year's most surprising movie hits (57:00).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Michael Engler and Chris Ryan

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Sean and Amanda dive deep into the career of Brad Pitt by sharing their top five favorite performances and examining his work in two of the year's best movies, 'Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood' and James Gray's new space drama 'Ad Astra' (0:38). Then, Gray joins Sean to talk about his long career, working on a bigger canvas than ever before, and the perilous future of movies (48:47).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: James Gray

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After winning the Audience Award at TIFF, 'Jojo Rabbit' is likely to follow in the footsteps of past winners like 'Green Book' and 'Three Billboards,' straight to the Oscars. Sean and Amanda break down its chances and the post-festival discourse (0:51) before examining the box office success of 'Hustlers' and the failure of 'The Goldfinch' to reassess what we talk about when we talk about "Oscar Bait" (9:55). Then, documentary filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer joins to discuss his latest, 'Where's My Roy Cohn?,' a close look at the controversial lawyer and political operator who brokered power for everyone from Joseph McCarthy to Donald Trump (62:31).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Matt Tyrnauer

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With the release of 'Hustlers,' a stripper-criminal saga, Sean and Amanda take a close look at the movie career and unusually persistent superstardom of Jennifer Lopez, who has received the best reviews of her career for the film (1:04). Then, Sean is joined by 'Hustlers' writer-director Lorene Scafaria to talk about how she translated a New York magazine feature story into one of the year's most exciting movies (46:56).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Lorene Scafaria

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'The Oscars Show' returns to read the tea leaves out of Venice and TIFF, including the shocking Golden Lion win for 'Joker'; the divisive reaction to 'Jojo Rabbit'; and the glorious rise of Jennifer Lopez, 'Hustlers' star and Academy Awards contender (1:09). Then Sean digs into this weekend's smash hit, 'It Chapter Two,' with a conversation about the making of the Stephen King saga with director Andy Muschietti (32:04). Finally, Jason Concepcion joins to talk about the challenges of adapting King's work and what 'It Chapter Two' had to sacrifice to make it to the big screen (69:46).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Andy Muschietti and Jason Concepcion

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Ringer contributor Adam Nayman joins Sean to break down the films he's most looking forward to at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (1:10). Then, ahead of the release of 'It Chapter Two,' Sean and Adam share their favorite adaptations of Stephen King novels, including the classics you'd expect along with a few curveballs (7:30).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Adam Nayman

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Sean has returned from Telluride bearing takes on the very best that the Colorado film festival had to offer, among them 'Marriage Story,' 'Ford v. Ferrari,' Uncut Gems,' 'Waves,' and (yes, seriously) 'The Two Popes.' Then, Sean and Amanda take a close look at where the Oscar race stands after Venice and Telluride, what to look forward to at the Toronto International Film Festival, and how a very competitive Best Actor race is shaping up.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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Awards season is nearly upon us, and Netflix has landed on a rollout strategy for its big movies, among them the Eddie Murphy vehicle 'Dolemite Is My Name,' Noah Baumbach's 'Marriage Story,' and Martin Scorsese's hugely anticipated (and also quite long) 'The Irishman' (0:45). Then, with the esteemed Venice, Telluride, and the Toronto film festivals approaching, Sean and Amanda share the movies they're most looking forward to and what their festival showings will mean for the coming Oscar race (33:53).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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Disney’s D23 Expo brought with it a lot of news about the near and far future of streaming (1:00). Plus, we hand out awards for a slow summer in movies (18:00), and Sean talks to the writer and director of ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon,’ Paul Downs Colaizzo (54:35).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Chris Ryan and Paul Downs Colaizzo

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A public, corporate feud between Marvel and Sony could spell the end of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—are we stuck caring about this forever, and will we ever return to the days of movie stars (0:45)? Then, Ben Berman joins the show to discuss his strange and postmodern documentary on magician and comedian “The Amazing Johnathan” (74:51).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Wesley Morris and Ben Berman

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‘Blinded by the Light’ struggled in what was another slow weekend at the box office, while ‘Good Boys’ broke the trend of superhero and franchise-IP movies dominating 2019. We discuss that, the late-breaking news that Annapurna’s debt will be paid off by Larry Ellison, and ‘Where’d You Go Bernadette’—Richard Linklater’s latest film (2:00). Then, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, and Chad Villella—collectively known as Radio Silence—join the show to share their collaborative creative process in making their ‘Ready or Not’ (41:31).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, and Chad Villella

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With the release of the Springsteen-inspired coming-of-age film 'Blinded by the Light,' Sean welcomes Chris Ryan to share their five favorite songs from The Boss. They also discuss the recent cancellation of the controversial thriller 'The Hunt,' debate the trailers for 'Little Women,' 'A Hidden Life,' 'Parasite,' and more (1:00). Then Gurinder Chadha, writer-director of 'Blinded by the Light,' swings by to share her journey and explain why Springsteen has been so pivotal to her creative life (51:00).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Gurinder Chadha and Chris Ryan

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We open the mailbag to answer some of our listeners’ most-pressing questions: What films are we most looking forward to for the rest of the year? Is Adam Driver our best working actor (and is he hot)? What are Sean’s guilty-pleasure movies? And more.

Host: Sean Fennessey

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We attempt to have a nuanced conversation about the complicated reception to Quentin Tarantino’s new film. (0:00) Then, we break down the latest shakeup in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' leadership, and how it will affect the Oscars' future (2:00). Plus: Oscar-nominated writer-director Andrea Berloff joins the show to talk about ‘The Kitchen’—her crime drama about 1970s New York, starring Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss, and Melissa McCarthy (1:06:34).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Andrea Berloff

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Sean and Amanda finally cave and watch each others’ beloved films after months and months of refusing (1:00). Then, director Avi Belkin joins the show to talk about his motivation for diving into a subject like Mike Wallace (1:13:23).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Avi Belkin

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‘Hobbs and Shaw’ director David Leitch joins to talk about the challenges of adapting a successful franchise, his work on 'John Wick,' and the state of the action-comedy genre.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: David Leitch

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We gather to discuss Quentin Tarantino’s ninth—and allegedly penultimate—film, ‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.’ We break down everything from Leonardo DiCaprio grappling with the end of his career in the leading role, to Brad Pitt’s quiet charisma, to the way historical accuracy competes with fantasy.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins, Chris Ryan

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The ‘Cats’ trailer set fire to Twitter, and Marvel extinguished the flames by announcing its next decade of IP dominance—what are we looking forward to most (1:00)? Then, we finally hash it out: We debate the top five Quentin Tarantino movies (16:15). Lastly, producer Cameron Crowe, director A.J. Eaton, and titular star David Crosby join the show to discuss ‘David Crosby: Remember My Name,’ the long-in-the-works documentary about Crosby’s legendary life and music career (1:22:45).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan, David Crosby, Cameron Crowe, A.J. Eaton

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Disney is in the midst of a nostalgia churn, and the latest installment is a remake of ‘The Lion King,’ the iconic 1994 peak of the Disney golden era. Have we reached a dark place with live-action remakes, and are there more to come? Plus, does the 2019 all-star cast live up to the original voice performances?

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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The slow box office summer continued this weekend as ‘Stuber’ failed to make a real impact in theaters. Is streaming going to put an end to the big-budget action comedy (0:37)? Plus, a long conversation with Lulu Wang about her path to becoming a filmmaker, the deeply personal experience of making ‘The Farewell,’ and what wider success means for a Sundance darling (42:30). 

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Lulu Wang

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David Shoemaker joins the show to talk about how action stars are minted in the post–The Rock era of filmmaking, Dave Bautista’s rise to legitimate actor, and who is primed to make the leap from WWE to the big screen (0:45). Then, ‘Stuber’ director Michael Dowse comes in to talk about the role of improvisation in his films, working with Bautista and comedian Kumail Nanjiani, and what his future in directing looks like (25:07).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: David Shoemaker, Michael Dowse

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