Podcast Summary: The Eleventh Annual Blank Check Awards (The 11th Blankies)

Podcast: Blank Check with Griffin & David
Date: March 1, 2026
Guests: Joe Reid
Produced by: Ben Hosley

Overview

The 11th Annual Blank Check Awards (“The Blankies”) is an irreverent, delightfully chaotic alternative to the Oscars hosted by Griffin Newman and David Sims, with returning guest and awards spreadsheet maestro Joe Reid. The trio reflect on the year in cinema, debate honors for the 2025 film year, reminisce about 11 years of doing the Blankies, and dole out their own highly specific and personal awards—often with great wit, digressions, and the unique in-joke-laden style characterizing Blank Check. Ben “Producer Ben” Hosley joins them, providing his annual “weddies” and heartfelt tributes.

This episode celebrates the movies, performances, categories, and quirks that stood out to the Blank Check crew—often diverging from consensus and the actual Oscars. As always, deeply niche categories, running gags (“Putters and Murmurs,” “Wife on Phone”), and sentimental tangents pepper the breakdown.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Red Carpet Goofs and Musical Parodies (00:10–06:47)

• The episode opens with mock red carpet banter spoofing Oscar arrivals—with made-up celebrities (Pony, Varang, Samson from “28 Years Later,” etc.).
• Griffin bursts into several film-themed musical parodies, riffing on everything from “Let Hamnet Live” to “Frankenstein Made Him Hot,” and a “Wicked”/“F1” Oscars spoof.
• Commentary on the unpredictable nature of the Blankies (“Who will win?”) and acknowledgment that nominations often reflect the broader awards conversation, but rarely just copy the Oscars.

2. Reflecting on 11 Years of Blankies (10:51–14:37)

• Griffin, David, and Joe remember launching the Blankies early in the podcast run, their lack of preparation, and how it became a core tradition.
• The shift from “decade of dreams” to a more honest, reflective approach—appreciating Blank Check’s own 10-year milestone.

Quote:
"It made me realize, last year we were all, like, celebrating the decade of dreams. ... From a certain point of view, this year is when we celebrate the decade of Blank Check." – Griffin [12:32]

3. Oscar Nominations, Metrics & Personal Awards Strategies (06:54–17:13)

• The group reviews major blockbusters' box office standings for consideration (e.g., “F1,” “Sinners”), wrestling with how metrics and personal favorites blend in their ballots.
• Discussion on internal psychological games when voting (“Do I owe this person? Would it look bad to give a second award?”).

4. Marvel, Industry Gossip & Career Moves (16:45–20:55)

• A detour into Marvel news, rumors about upcoming “Avengers” and “Dune 3.” Florence Pugh’s trajectory is discussed, as well as the tendency of older actors (Ian McKellen, Kelsey Grammer) to accidentally leak spoilers.
• Banter about Kelsey Grammer’s Hollywood conservatism and navigating industry politics.

5. Category-by-Category Blankies

Best Supporting Actor (24:17–49:21)

• Panelists list their top five, revealing crossovers and unique picks.
  • Standout: Benicio del Toro (“One Battle After Another”) sweeps as the consensus winner.
  • Other nominees: Michael Cera (“The Phoenician Scheme”), Delroy Lindo (“Sinners”), Billy Crudup (“J. Kelly”), Dylan O’Brien (“Twinless”), William H. Macy (“Train Dreams”), Nicholas Hoult (“Superman”), Alexander Skarsgard (“Pillion”).

Quote:
"It’s a great old master performance where you’re like, this guy has cleaned his craft down to the bone." – Griffin on Del Toro [36:04]

• Discussion on category fraud, Oscar snubs, the performance arc for Del Toro, and love for Michael Cera’s versatility and meme-worthiness.
• Digression into the “Putters and Murmurs” category and redefinition for the year (Clifton Collins Jr. in “Eddington” gets the nod for apex puttering).

Best Supporting Actress (52:12–61:53)

• Highlights include Amy Madigan (“Weapons”), Miriam Afshari (“It Was Just An Accident”), Oona Chaplin (“Avatar: Fire and Ash”), Nina Haas (“Hedda”), Tiana Taylor, Regina Hall, Emma Stone (“Eddington”).
  • Nina Haas wins Griffin’s Blankie, Miriam Afshari wins for Joe, Amy Madigan for David.
• Commentary on how the tight Oscar race for supporting actress is “a three-way race”: Tiana, Wunmi, Amy.

Quote:
"That feels like an even three way. If I had supporting actor, feels like a five way." – Joe [56:28]

Screenplay Awards (62:33–76:19)

• Best Original Screenplay nominees include “It Was Just an Accident” (Panahi), “Sinners” (Coogler), “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” “Blue Moon,” “Griffin in Summer.”
  • Both David and Joe give it to “It Was Just An Accident”; Griffin to “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”
• Best Adapted Screenplay typical front-runners: “One Battle After Another,” “No Other Choice,” “28 Years Later,” “Wake Up Deadman.”
  • The panel agrees “One Battle” will win at Oscars; Griffin gives his Blankie to “No Other Choice.”

Best Animated Feature (77:16–80:48)

• Weak year overall, with “K Pop Demon Hunters,” “Arco,” “Zootopia 2,” and “Elio” in the mix. The team laments lackluster options and inability to catch up on all contenders.

Casting, Cinematography, Score (82:08–89:32)

• Shout-outs to “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Peter Hujar’s Day,” “Train Dreams,” and “28 Years Later” for visuals.
• Score-wise: “One Battle,” “Sinners,” “Testament of Anlee,” “Tron Aries,” and “Train Dream” are among favorites.

Specialty Awards and Memorable Moments (92:40–103:32)

• The IO Adebiri “Couldn’t Be More Seated” Award: Honors Al Pacino in “Dead Man’s Wire” for remaining seated in every scene.
• Best Wife on Phone: A beloved running Blankies category (e.g., “Sully,” “Captain Phillips”). This year’s standout: Renée Elise Goldsberry (FLOTUS in “House of Dynamite”).
• Other superlatives: “Putters and Murmurs,” “Sergeant Shroom Award,” “Black Box Performance” (e.g., Billy Crudup in “J. Kelly”).

6. Main Acting Categories (117:42–153:44)

Best Actor

• Nominees: Josh O’Connor (“Mastermind” and “Wake Up Deadman”), Dwayne Johnson (“The Smashing Machine”), Channing Tatum (“Roofman”), Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”), Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”), Ben Whishaw (“Peter Hujar’s Day”).
• Ethan Hawke, Dwayne Johnson, and Josh O’Connor are recurring nominees and favorites.
• Extended riff on dream sequences and actors’ career trajectory.

Quote:
"Dwayne Johnson... an incredible performance. I think that movie so suffered from trying to market it as a more conventional film..." – Griffin [124:16]

Best Actress

• Nominees: Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), Amanda Seyfried (“Testament of Anlee”), Jesse Buckley (“Hamnet”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Die My Love”), Kiki Palmer (“One of Them Days”), Sally Hawkins (“Unbecoming a Guinea Fowl”), Suzan Shardi, Son Ye Jin, Julia Roberts (“After the Hunt”).
  • Panel highlights Amanda Seyfried, Rose Byrne, Jesse Buckley; all have passionate supporters.
  • Julia Roberts’ career since 2000 becomes a point of debate (is “Ben is Back” her last great film?).
• Reflections on how Oscar narratives develop and shift—how someone can be "snubbed into" future opportunities.

7. Best Director & Picture (153:44–169:41)

• Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (“One Battle After Another”) sweeps as consensus pick; other nominees include Ari Aster, Mona Fastvold, Park Chan-wook, Mary Bronstein, Ryan Coogler, Jafar Panahi.
  • All three predict a potential Director/Picture split at Oscars: one battle (likely Director), “Sinners” favored for Picture.
  • General sense of satisfaction that there’s no “villain” in this year’s race.
• Best Picture:
  • Griffin: “Eddington” (his favorite all year), “One Battle,” “No Other Choice,” “If I Had Legs...,” “Testament of Anlee,” “Weapons,” “Sinners,” “Materialists,” “Phoenician Scheme,” “The Shrouds.”
  • David: “One Battle,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “Weapons,” “Sinners,” “Caught by the Tides,” “Secret Agent,” “Marty Supreme,” “28 Years Later,” “Blue Moon,” “Eddington.”
  • Joe: “It Was Just an Accident,” “One Battle,” “Marty Supreme,” “Train Dreams,” etc.

Quote:
"It already feels like a movie we’ve been studying for 15 years.” – Griffin, on “One Battle After Another” [168:43]

8. Producer Ben’s Weddies and In Memoriam (171:19–174:41)

• Wettest movies (“Weddies”) of the year: “Frankenstein,” “Sinners,” “Last Breath,” “Magellan,” “Sorry, Baby.”
• Ben delivers a moving in-memoriam tribute to his recently departed beloved cat, Pig, a staple behind the scenes of the podcast for over 17 years.

Quote:
"She ran this city ... She was a silent participant in so many episodes and we miss her dearly." – Griffin [187:03]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It is a great old master performance where you’re like, this guy has cleaned his craft down to the bone. ... Zen master!” – Griffin on Benicio del Toro [36:04]
• “If you pull that performance out, the movie’s not as good. It’s like the effect he had on the movie... the entire creative ecosystem.” – Griffin [35:25]
• “The rigorousness of your parameters really, like, dissuades me from, like, picking something on the fly...” – Joe, on Griffin’s “Couldn’t Be More Seated” award [96:57]
• “That feels like an even three way. If I had supporting actor, feels like a five way.” – Joe [56:28]
• Running Gags: The “Putters and Murmurs” debate; “Wife on Phone” award; “Sergeant Shroom” honorific; “Black Box” performance; talk-show asides about personal neuroses (Zoom phobia, falling and hurting knees/butts); Marie Barty’s crush on Austin Powers' "cut" body.
• Tribute: Deep appreciation and gratitude for Pig, Ben’s cat and podcast companion.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:10–06:47: Red carpet parodies and opening musical medleys
• 10:51–14:37: 11 years of Blankies, the show’s history and tradition
• 24:17–49:21: Best Supporting Actor
• 52:12–61:53: Best Supporting Actress
• 62:33–76:19: Screenplay categories
• 77:16–80:48: Animated Feature
• 82:08–89:32: Craft awards (casting, cinematography, score)
• 92:40–103:32: Special superlatives (e.g., “Putters and Murmurs,” “Best Wife on Phone”)
• 117:42–153:44: Best Actor, Best Actress
• 153:44–169:41: Best Director and Best Picture races—with predictions
• 171:19–174:41: Ben’s “weddies” (wet movie awards) and in-memoriam for Pig

Tone & Language

• Highly conversational, referential, and playful; full of inside jokes, running bits, and cinephile references.
• Panelists constantly reference their own spreadsheets, past podcasts, and Oscar “narratives,” blending earnest cinephilia with meta-comedy.
• Language blends sharp critical insight with slang, self-mockery (“I am now a psyop hair!”), and affectionate teasing.

Useful for Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

• All major categories are discussed, with panelists’ unique perspectives and cross pollination with the “real” awards conversation.
• Offers strong opinions on overlooked films/performances, category fraud, and the idiosyncrasies of Oscar and cinephile culture.
• Plenty of color about the show’s ethos and the personalities that drive it, making the summary useful both for regular listeners and newcomers with an interest in film awards.

Final Thoughts

The Blankies is a film awards special as only Blank Check could do: part cinephile survey, part joyous inside-joke party, and always informed by genuine love of cinema, deep knowledge, and willingness to spotlight what moved and amused them most—no matter its odds for Oscar. Whether or not you’ve seen the year’s films, the discussion brims with personality, passion, and humor, and offers a welcome alternative awards lens.

In Memoriam: Farewell Pig, the best cat and an integral (if silent) member of the Blank Check family.

Next on Blank Check: New miniseries—Peter Weir, “Weir making it weird.”

“We all got three babies. Are you looking at the picture of Varrang… Men do be looking at pictures of Varrang.” – Griffin [184:01]
“I know I joke and I whack with the stick, but I know men—and the men, they look at the pictures of Varrang.” – Joe [184:22]