The Big Picture – Episode Summary

Podcast: The Big Picture
Hosts: Sean Fennessey & Amanda Dobbins
Date: December 19, 2025
Episode Title: ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Burns Bright Before Flaming Out. Plus: Best Picture Power Rankings and the Oscar Short Lists!

Episode Overview

Sean and Amanda return for an end-of-the-year look at James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” the third installment in the blockbuster franchise. They assess the movie’s strengths and shortcomings, its place within contemporary Hollywood, and whether it can stand alongside its predecessors. The episode then pivots to discuss seismic Oscar telecast news, analyze the Steven Spielberg trailer “Disclosure Day,” and break down Oscar shortlists along with 2025’s Best Picture Power Rankings. As always, the tone is conversational, opinionated, and infused with humor about both the movies and themselves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oscars Moving to YouTube — A Tectonic Shift

• Announcement: Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will move from ABC to YouTube (03:00–04:00).
• Implications:
  • Global accessibility; easier for international fans ("…consumers will be able to watch this show for free around the world." – Sean, 03:25).
  • All Academy content consolidates on YouTube, enhancing the Oscars' online presence (04:35–05:30).
  • Loss of some prestige (“…inevitably a kind of lowering of the prestige…by making it something you…watch on a device.” – Sean, 05:14).
• Why YouTube, not Netflix? Possibly a bigger check from Google, perhaps a reluctance to further Netflix dominance (07:02–07:58).
• Streaming duopoly: Sean sees a “death struggle between YouTube and Netflix” for cultural primacy (08:19–08:43).

2. Trailer Talk: Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” (12:48–15:27)

• A new Spielberg sci-fi thriller starring Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor; described as an alien invasion film (“I thought it was an absolutely thrilling trailer. Astonished that a 78-year-old man would make a movie this big.” – Sean, 14:02).
• Notable for its thrilling set pieces and questionable CGI (“There are a few images…that don’t look good…like an AI Hallmark card.” – Sean, 14:58).
• Anticipation high for Spielberg’s originality and blockbuster sensibility.

3. Main Review: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Plot and Initial Impressions (16:05–19:22)

• Picks up after “Way of Water”; Jake and Neytiri grieve their son, facing off against the Ash People clan, led by Varang.
• Technical marvel but story fatigue: Amanda’s verdict – “It’s a no for me, dog…The experiment has run out.” (17:47)

Visuals vs. Story (19:22–23:53)

• Both agree: unmatched technical craft (“…looks really, really good” – Amanda, 18:05).
• But a story that’s largely a retread and overstuffed (“Such a retread of the last one and so bogged down in its own ideas…loses…basic pacing and plotting.” – Amanda, 18:05).
• Pacing suffers; extended set pieces followed by draggy, meditative stretches (“…movies just slow down a lot, and they really take their time letting the characters sit inside…sadness…” – Sean, 22:55).

Character Issues & Worldbuilding (23:17–27:47)

• Many characters hard to distinguish (“…for a million dollars, can you name three of these people?” – Amanda, 23:20).
• Rules of Pandora and its mythology remain confusing; critiques about clarity and audience engagement.
• Extended, notable sequence: Sigourney Weaver’s Kiri has an intense spiritual experience, described as a “Na’Vi orgasm,” which amuses the hosts (24:30–25:20).

Villains, Sexuality, and Performance Standouts (28:28–33:33)

• Oona Chaplin as Varang lauded for bringing personality and menace (“She’s very sexy…hips forward Na’Vi.” – Sean, 30:17)
• Unpacking the absence of body diversity and Cameron’s personal beliefs (“There must be some quote unquote, heroin chic…” – Amanda, 30:28).
• Psychedelic tent scene between Varang and Quaritch: a highlight, likened to a “Na’Vi PCP” trip and one of the film’s most entertaining moments.

Themes and Flaws (33:09–38:51)

• Second half loses focus; major villain (Varang) sidelined.
• Whale character (Payakan) exiled and parallels to Lo’ak’s outsider storyline.
• Cameron’s struggle with franchise filmmaking; repetition and lack of major set-piece innovation.

Family, Gender, and Meta-Readings (37:12–38:51)

• Amanda: female characters, especially Neytiri and Kate Winslet’s, underdeveloped and sidelined until finale.
• Babymaking climax called out as a trope (“…classic, you know, I’m dying, but I gotta give life to this baby first.” – Amanda, 38:41).
• Sean sees the film as a “dad in crisis” and “you got this mama” movie, reflective of Cameron’s own life stage.

Wrap-Up and Reception (42:12–44:13)

• Divided cohosts: Sean finds it flawed but still remarkable in its craft and spectacle; Amanda unmoved and ready to step off the Pandora train.
• Both predict lower box office and diminished Oscar prospects relative to previous Avatar films.
• Uncertainty about Cameron’s continued involvement as he seems invested in other projects.

4. Oscars Shortlists & Industry Trends

Oscar Shortlists Released (44:13–54:01)

• “Fire and Ash” shortlisted in four categories but seen as unlikely for Best Picture.
• “Sinners” and “Wicked for Good” are shortlist leaders.
• Notable surprises include the strong performance of “Seurat” and the absence of “J. Kelly,” raising doubts about Adam Sandler’s chances (45:45–46:11).
• Reflects shifts in studio power (rise of Neon, Searchlight possibly shut out for the first time in over a decade).

Notable Category Breakdowns

• Casting: Strong year, notable for films like “Weapons” and “Seurat” (49:49–51:06).
• International Feature: Neon’s dominance, five titles possible; significant presence of bold international cinema (51:30–54:07).
• Cinematography & Music: Head-scratchers, with several acclaimed contenders snubbed (56:56–59:49).
• Original Song: Disappointment at missed opportunities for popular music inclusion (“…only one K Pop Demon Hunters. What are we doing?” – Amanda, 58:24).
• Best Score: Diverse field, including blockbusters and foreign films (59:55–61:16).

5. Best Picture Power Rankings

• Reflecting the evolving landscape and the impact of shortlist standings.
• Top contenders: “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Hamnet,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “Marty Supreme,” “Frankenstein,” “Sentimental Value,” “Train Dreams,” “The Secret Agent,” and the bold new entry “Seurat.” (79:11–79:12)
• “Avatar: Fire and Ash” dropped out due to waning critical enthusiasm and perceived lack of “juice.”
• Candid admission that predictions are becoming harder as the race becomes more international and less predictable.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s a no for me, dog. Respectfully, the experiment has run out.”
  – Amanda, on Avatar: Fire and Ash ([17:47])

• “You watch a movie like this and then you get mad that you have to go back and watch a Marvel movie or…Mario's. It just doesn’t…”
  – Amanda, on Avatar’s technical dominance ([18:05])

• “I was in the bathroom for like 98 seconds…but experientially, it goes on for a while and there’s like a lot of swaying and you’re like, what's wrong with a prolonged orgasm?”
  – Bathroom break/Na’Vi spiritual sequence banter ([24:52–25:11])

• “Where are the fat Na’Vi?…the body image in Avatar is not what one would want.”
  – Amanda, on Na’Vi physical perfection ([30:21])

• “It's just Big Jim and all of his toys, computers and guns together, and I just wasn't involved.”
  – Amanda, summing up her detachment ([18:05])

• “Psychedelic seduction…Ayahuasca…letting his freak flag fly!”
  – Sean, enthusing on the Varang x Quaritch tent scene ([32:07–32:18])

Timestamps for Key Segments:

• Oscars/YouTube Announcement: [03:00–07:58]
• Spielberg Trailer: [12:48–15:27]
• Avatar: Fire and Ash Review: [16:05–44:13]
• Oscar Shortlists: [44:13–54:01]
• Cinematography/Music Breakdown: [56:56–61:16]
• Best Picture Power Rankings: [62:13–79:12]

Final Takeaways

• “Avatar: Fire and Ash” inspires awe for its visuals but disappointment for its recycled narrative and stretched storytelling; Amanda’s patience runs out.
• The Oscars’ move to YouTube represents a dramatic and irreversible shift in distribution and accessibility, signaling the true arrival of streaming as the new gatekeeper.
• Bold international films make surprising moves on Academy shortlists, cementing 2025 as a year of industry transformation.
• The year-end Best Picture race is wide open, as traditional favorites jostle with neon-lit upstarts and the familiar gives way to the adventurous.

Listeners new and old will find a thorough exploration of the state of big-budget filmmaking, the challenge of franchise fatigue, and the dynamism roiling the awards landscape—leavened by sharp, self-deprecating wit.