The Big Picture

We take an early survey of the alleged frontrunners in the 2020 Oscars—a slim list of movies that are already getting negative buzz—before discussing the live-action remake trend that Disney is employing in its latest effort to dominate the financial landscapes of moviemaking (1:00). Then, Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Stearns join the podcast (previously recorded at SXSW) to discuss their partnership in making ‘The Art of Self-Defense’ (54:17).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Stearns

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Chris Ryan joins to discuss ‘Midsommar,’ Ari Aster’s shocking Swedish nightmare follow up to his debut horror hit ‘Hereditary’ (1:00). Then, Aster comes by to talk about the challenges of making a horror film set exclusively in the daylight, the pressure of following ‘Hereditary,’ and what he’s doing next (14:47).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Chris Ryan and Ari Aster

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Friendly neighborhood MCU fan Micah Peters joins the show to discuss ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home,’ the Marvel movie tasked with following ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ the wonders of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio, and how the movie stacks up to last year’s smash hit ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.’

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Micah Peters

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In this double episode, Sean and Amanda review ‘Yesterday,’ a movie that delivered in Beatles nostalgia but came up short in plot payoff (1:00). Then, Adam Nayman calls in from Toronto to share his top five movies of a slow year so far (42:50).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Adam Nayman

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The horror genre spent decades as the lowbrow stepchild of the movie industry, but now it’s the vehicle for exciting young filmmakers like Ari Aster and Jordan Peele. Chris Ryan joins the show to help make sense of how we got here (1:00). Then, Gary Dauberman stops by to discuss his path from writing spec scripts to becoming the director of ‘Annabelle Comes Home’—the latest movie in the 'Conjuring' universe, a series he helped grow (21:31).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Chris Ryan and Gary Dauberman

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Despite the threat of sequel fatigue, Pixar has managed to create classics. 'Toy Story 4' is the latest example, a fascinating portrait of identity that doubles as a treatise on trash. Rob Harvilla joins Sean Fennessey to talk about the new film, what it means to kids and parents, and how the studio has persisted for 25 years (1:36). Then, they share their top five Pixar movies (28:43).

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'Men in Black: International' is yet another in a series of disappointing and drab sequels to hit this summer. What went wrong with the alien comedy relaunch? And should young stars like Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson count on shaky franchises to brighten their careers (1:15)? Then, we examine what makes a great summer movie slate, and what—if anything—we can learn from the lineups of the past 10 years (36:40).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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We dive deep on ‘The Snyder Cut’—the unreleased director’s cut of ‘Justice League’—and the activism surrounding it from DCEU fans, before reviewing the Netflix Bob Dylan mockumentary ‘Rolling Thunder Revue’ (1:00). Then, indie film pioneer Jim Jarmusch joins the show to discuss his new film 'The Dead Don’t Die,' his first foray into the zombie genre (37:55).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Rob Harvilla, Jim Jarmusch

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We go over Mindy Kaling’s feature screenwriting debut, ‘Late Night, before reviewing the box office flop of ‘Dark Phoenix,’ the most recent and final release of this generation of the X-Men franchise (1:00). Then, ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ director Joe Talbot joins to talk about his directorial debut—a picturesque examination of his hometown in the face of rapid gentrification (55:45).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Amanda Dobbins and Joe Talbot

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Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to dive deep on the existing X-Men franchise, a two-decade-long series of movies that have seldom delivered but still grabbed our attention. Then, the two review the newly released “Dark Phoenix” and speculate over the direction Disney will take with X-Men’s intellectual property.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Chris Ryan

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Sean is joined by Mallory Rubin to react as fans to HBO’s ‘Chernobyl’—a science-laden docudrama that snuck up as one of the best shows on television this year (1:00). Then showrunner Craig Mazin comes to the studio to talk about making the jump from film to TV and how writing for feature-length comedy prepared him for conveying a real-life tragedy on screen (37:00).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Mallory Rubin and Craig Mazin

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We give our immediate reactions to ‘Rocketman’—Dexter Fletcher’s Elton John biopic, starring Taron Egerton. How is Egerton’s singing? How does the film handle John’s sexuality in comparison to a film like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody?’ Is “Elton John is good” the first thing Sean and Amanda have ever agreed on?

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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The discourse around ‘Booksmart’ blew up on Twitter over the long weekend, but the film still disappointed at the box office. What, if anything, is there to make of the reaction (1:15)? Then we discuss the breakout movies from the Cannes Film Festival, the premiere of Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,' and early Oscar favorites (25:41).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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Disney is releasing its third live-action remake of a beloved animated classic this year alone—is this overflooding the market or is it a smart strategy for bolstering their incoming streaming platform? Plus, we examine how Will Smith’s career led him to be a charming (if lacking) Genie, and the perplexing decisions of an ultimately interesting filmmaker in Guy Ritchie.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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We preview ‘Booksmart,’ Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut out this weekend, and the latest in a long tradition of what we call “high school movies"—of which we share our top five lists (1:10). Then (recorded previously at SXSW), Sean is joined by Olivia Wilde, Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, Katie Silberman, and Billie Lourd to talk about making ‘Booksmart’ and what it takes to make a successful high school comedy in 2019 (49:30).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Olivia Wilde, Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd, Katie Silberman

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Chad Stahelski, the mind behind John Wick, joins the show to discuss some of the unique difficulties of shooting one of the most action-packed franchises in Hollywood, his relationship with Keanu Reeves, and the converging arts of stunt making and directing (2:11). Then, Shea Serrano calls in to wax poetic about the Wick universe and what ‘Parabellum’ means for its future (50:42).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Chad Stahelski, Shea Serrano

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You asked and we answered—sort of. In a year dominated by superheroes, it's been hard to find a common theme at the movies for just about anything else. So we share some of the weirdest movies of the year so far, like 'Serenity,' 'Under the Silver Lake,' and 'Wine Country.' Then we break down some of our favorites, including Olivier Assayas's 'Non-Fiction' and Claire Denis's 'High Life.'

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Amanda Dobbins

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Micah Peters joins the show to make sense of the public’s obsession with Pokémon and the release of ‘Detective Pikachu’ (1:30). Then, Werner Herzog comes by the studio to discuss his new documentary, ‘Meeting Gorbachev,’ and the scope of his long and successful career (26:30).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Micah Peters and Werner Herzog

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We discuss the continued dominance of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ at the box office and the ramifications for wide-release movies and smaller festival darlings alike (1:30) before analyzing Zac Efron’s portrayal of Ted Bundy (26:40) in Netflix's ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile.’ Then the film's director, Joe Berlinger, joins the show to discuss his documentary work, his second narrative film, and its companion documentary (31:40).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Amanda Dobbins, Joe Berlinger

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We examine Charlize Theron’s arc on the big screen—from prototypical roles that leaned heavily on her sexuality to her turn toward action stardom, ultimately leading to her role as secretary of state in Jonathan Levine’s new comedy, ‘Long Shot’ (0:45). Then, Levine joins the show to talk about working with Theron, Seth Rogen, and what types of films he sees himself making in the future (49:15).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Amanda Dobbins, Rob Harvilla, Jonathan Levine

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We discuss the high-wire act that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ was trying to pull off—stitching together over a decade of films into one neat, fan-serviceable, creative ending—and if it ultimately worked (1:00). Then, we take a step back and look at some of the numbers ‘Endgame’ put up at the box office, and whether it spells total domination for the mid-budget movie (23:40). Finally, we look ahead to a summer full of non-Marvel movies and share which ones we’re most excited for (40:30).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Chris Ryan

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‘Avengers: Endgame,’ the culmination of more than a decade of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, is finally here. We discuss how the long-running arcs of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and many others have been strung together and resolved in ‘Endgame.’ Plus, we break down the movie’s complex ideas about time travel, character deaths, and, ultimately, its stakes. Finally, we take stock of where this leaves the MCU, and what could be in store for Phase 4 and beyond.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Mallory Rubin

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‘Avengers: Endgame’ is just days away, and with that comes the final installment in our Marvel Month series: ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’ We discuss our relationships with Spider-Man as a cinematic figure, Tom Holland’s portrayal of a character who hadn’t been quite nailed down by other talented actors like Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, and where the character is headed as the Marvel story drifts further into space—decidedly different than the high school setting of this film.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Adam Nayman

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We go over the week in the movie world: Beyoncé’s documentary ‘Homecoming,’ the Oscars happening two weeks earlier, and the movies we’re anticipating will enter the Best Picture conversation (1:40). Then Andrew Garfield joins the show to talk about his new film ‘Under the Silver Lake,’ an L.A.-based noir film that is a change of pace from his career arc thus far (33:00).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Andrew Garfield

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In the penultimate episode of our Marvel Month preview series, we sit down to discuss ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’ How does AI function as a villain in the Marvel universe? Does the movie jump from location to location too frequently? Is this movie better now than when it actually came out?

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Micah Peters

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As ‘Avengers: Endgame’ inches closer, we continue our Marvel month with one of the most effective, influential, and surprising movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: James Gunn’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ We review the original ‘Guardians’ comics, then examine the movie’s star-making ability, its use of music, and its long-lasting impact on the MCU.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: David Shoemaker

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We go over some of the most iconic rock star movies ever made and review the recent slew of films in that vein—including ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘A Star Is Born,’ ‘Vox Lux,’ and more (1:30). Then, Elisabeth Moss and Alex Ross Perry join the show to talk ‘Her Smell,’ their recent installment in the trend (31:00).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Lindsay Zoladz, Elisabeth Moss, Alex Ross Perry

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Sean is joined by Miles Surrey to assess the landscape of DC films after the breakout success of ‘Shazam!' (2:00). Then, 'Shazam!' director David F. Sandberg swings by to talk about how he turned his terrifying short, 'Lights Out,' into a feature-film career in Hollywood, the movies that inspired him, and his future in the DCEU (13:30).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: David F. Sandberg and Miles Surrey

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We break down Joss Whedon's 'Marvel’s The Avengers’—a landmark in the cinematic universe that established the rapport between the tentpole superstars and set the tone for the films going forward. How has the MCU changed our relationship with movie stars, and does that make Marvel the most important force in Hollywood right now?

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Chris Ryan

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With Harmony Korine’s latest film ‘The Beach Bum’ now in theaters, Sean, Amanda, and Rob take a look back through Matthew McConaughey’s mercurial career—including his breakthrough moments, peaks and valleys, and where his stardom stands today.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Amanda Dobbins, Rob Harvilla

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In a rotating-guests episode of 'The Big Picture,' Sean is first joined by Bill Hader to discuss how filmmaking played into the conception of his HBO show ‘Barry’ (2:15). Then, Mary Kay Place and Kent Jones join the show to discuss Jones’s first narrative feature, ‘Diane,’ which stars Place as a mother trying to bond with her drug-addicted son (41:10).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Bill Hader, Mary Kay Place, and Kent Jones

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In the first episode of our Marvel Cinematic Universe series—dropping once a week in the lead-up to ‘Avengers: Endgame’—Sean and Amanda go deep on the first Captain America movie. How did this movie set the tone for patriotism in superhero movies? Did it succeed as a period piece/spy drama? Why don’t Avengers have more sex?

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Amanda Dobbins

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Now 20 years removed, we convene to discuss and share our top five movies from 1999—the year many believe was the greatest year of movies ever (1:00). Then, a conversation with ‘Running With Beto’ director David Modigliani from SXSW (1:08:00).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Amanda Dobbins, Chris Ryan, and David Modigliani

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We react to ‘Us,’ Jordan Peele’s much-anticipated follow-up to the social thriller ‘Get Out.’ We give a spoiler-laden explanation of the ending, analyze Peele leveling up as a filmmaker, and parse some of the cultural (but largely personal) themes that peek through in the film. (Disclaimer: there are spoilers in this podcast.)

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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Oscar-winning director and writer Jordan Peele joins the show—the day after the premiere of his new film ‘Us’ at SXSW—to discuss following up ‘Get Out,’ working with stars like Lupita Nyong’o, Elisabeth Moss, and Winston Duke, and tackling complex themes within the horror genre.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Jordan Peele

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With ‘Triple Frontier’ now streaming on Netflix, we launch the first episode in a series of career retrospectives on Hollywood’s biggest stars. From ‘Good Will Hunting’ to ‘Gone Girl,’ ‘Armageddon’ to ‘The Town,’ ‘Justice League’ to the "Jenny From the Block" video, we identify Affleck’s breakthrough moments and peak performances before breaking down his latest movie.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins, Rob Harvilla

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Sean, Chris, and Amanda convene to talk about their favorite movies from the SXSW Film Festival—including Jordan Peele’s much-anticipated directorial follow-up to ‘Get Out’ (1:05). Then, Sean sits down with ‘Gloria Bell’ director Sebastián Lelio to discuss working with Julianne Moore and John Turturro and the calculus behind remaking one of your own films (55:30).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Chris Ryan and Sebastián Lelio

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Brie Larson stars as ‘Captain Marvel’ in the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its first stand-alone female superhero movie. We react to what it means for the forthcoming ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and how directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck incorporated elements of the 1990s into the Marvel machine.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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Steven Spielberg is waging war against Netflix—what does this mean for the Academy Awards (0:57)? Then, Rob Harvilla joins the show to discuss ‘Leaving Neverland,’ the new Michael Jackson documentary on HBO, and its potential ramifications for the future of writing about music (18:08). Finally, Sean and Amanda share the best movies they’ve seen so far in this year and preview some of ones they’re anticipating most in March (40:15).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Rob Harvilla

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Amanda and Sean put a bow on the 2019 Oscars by answering the burning questions they didn’t have time for on Sunday night (1:00). Then, Sean is joined by writer-director Neil Jordan to discuss his latest film, ‘Greta’ (48:06).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Neil Jordan

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We react to what we feared might happen all Oscars season—a ‘Green Book’ Best Picture victory—by weighing the power of the old Academy vs. the new Academy. Plus, reactions to Spike Lee's long-awaited Oscar win, Alfonso Cuarón’s coronation, and Olivia Colman's shocking Glenn Close in Best Actress.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

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Sean sits down with ‘Masked Man’ host David Shoemaker to discuss the evolution of pro wrestling on the big screen (0:31). Then Stephen Merchant joins to talk about his relationship to wrestling, working with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and turning Florence Pugh into a believable professional wrestler (21:28).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Stephen Merchant, David Shoemaker

Wrestling film recommendations:

The Big Show Off

Night and the City

The Foul King

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A host of Ringer staffers join Sean and Amanda to break down the narratives that have emerged in the lead-up to the 2019 Oscars. Why does Netflix want an Oscar so badly? What happened to our beloved ‘A Star Is Born'? Plus, we make the case for each Best Picture nominee, do our best to see into the future and predict next year’s Oscars, and more.

To see this podcast in video form, go to The Ringer’s YouTube page!

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Mallory Rubin, Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan, Alison Herman, Micah Peters, Kate Halliwell

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The Academy has flip-flopped again, saying they would reinstate the four categories they cut from the telecast just last week. Is that the right decision, an indication of a true crisis, or both (0:39)? Plus, an exhaustive breakdown of every Oscars category, including who will (and should) win (36:30).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins

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Micah Peters and Rob Harvilla join the show to make the case for why ‘Black Panther’ transcends the Marvel Cinematic Universe and should be taken more seriously as a Best Picture nominee (1:00). Then Ruth E. Carter, the film’s costume designer, joins to detail the unique demands of designing for a comic book movie, her work with Spike Lee, and her path from Broadway to Hollywood (21:38).

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Ruth E. Carter, Rob Harvilla, Micah Peters

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We sift through what’s real and what’s just British after the BAFTAs this weekend, and whether or not the ‘A Star Is Born’ media blitz is helping or hurting its stock at the Oscars. Then we wonder what might happen if the Oscars telecast is as much of a disaster as it’s shaping up to be. Finally, Sean sits down with Nicholas Britell—the composer of the ‘If Beale Street Could Talk,’ ‘Moonlight,’ and ‘Succession’ soundtracks—to talk about the process of conceiving a score and working with a director to execute their vision.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Nicholas Britell

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With today’s Netflix release of Steven Soderbergh’s newest film, ‘High Flying Bird,’ we sit down to list and discuss the top five movies he’s made in a prolific career.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Chris Ryan

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We take stock of a Best Documentary Oscars race that doesn’t include ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor’ and ‘Three Identical Strangers’—two of the most commercially successful documentaries of the year (0:40). Then ‘Free Solo’ directors Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi join the show to talk about the challenges of filming a climber in a life-or-death situation (18:22).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi

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We spend an inordinate amount of time talking about ‘The Wife,’ Glenn Close’s latest film that will likely net her her first Best Actress win at the Oscars (1:09). Then we assess the stock of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘A Star Is Born,’ and ‘Roma’ after the Directors Guild Awards (40:30). Finally, Sean sits down with ‘BlacKkKlansman’ editor Barry Alexander Brown to discuss working with Spike Lee and the role of an editor in the filmmaking process (59:15).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Barry Alexander Brown

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Dan Gilroy joins the show to talk his Netflix-backed horror-thriller art-world satire, directing Jake Gyllenhaal, and the commercialization of creativity.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Dan Gilroy

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