The Big Picture: The 1989 Movie Draft
Host: Sean Fennessey
Co-Hosts: Amanda Dobbins, Chris Ryan
Date: November 3, 2025
Overview
In this engaging, wide-ranging episode, Sean, Amanda, and Chris convene to draft their favorite films from the massive, culture-shifting movie year of 1989. Equal parts nostalgia trip, genre analysis, and friendly banter, the conversation covers lasting classics, shifting industry trends, franchise fatigue, evolving stars, and the peculiar pull of movies both highbrow and comfort-food. The draft format pushes the trio to defend their choices (and steal picks from each other), while anecdotes and pop culture references fly fast and loose.
Key Topics & Insights
1. Begin with the Year in Context
- Why 1989?
- A true pivot point: End of '80s mainstream sensibilities, birth of '90s indie boom (Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Do the Right Thing) and the rom-com renaissance (When Harry Met Sally).
- A culture of both mega-franchises and mid-budget, adult-skewing dramas and comedies.
- The trio reflects on their personal ages and connections to the year's movies—ranging from VHS-fueled fandom to playground memories.
"This is a pretty important pivoting time for horror. It's kind of horror entering a real down period—end of slasher before we get to Scream."
— Sean Fennessey (24:15)
2. Hollywood's Changing Landscape
- Franchise Domination
- The box office champions are Batman, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lethal Weapon 2, Back to the Future Part II—sequels and franchise films launching a new Hollywood strategy.
- Yet, the year is also marked by original adult dramas and comedies—something the hosts lament as increasingly rare now.
"This is the thing we are literally saying when we say 'the middle': these are the movies that make $80 million and they're profitable and they win awards and they're in the culture at large. This year is littered with them."
— Sean (28:06)
3. Standout Films and Genre Shifts
- Rom-Com Revolution:
- "When Harry Met Sally" is crowned the modern template for the genre.
- Indie Breakthroughs:
- "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" and "Do the Right Thing" mark arrival of Soderbergh and solidification of Spike Lee.
- Blockbuster Redefinition:
- Tim Burton's "Batman" becomes a pop culture phenomenon.
- Other Notables:
- "Dead Poets Society" as an emotional touchstone; "Field of Dreams" as quintessential dad/son baseball weepie.
- Lessons from the Draft:
- The hosts grapple with balancing canon-worthy “best” picks and nostalgic favorites.
- Surprising depth: Many classics left undrafted.
“1989 produced more iconic scenes and memorable movie moments than almost any other in my lifetime... so many scenes from moments from movies of this year where you would see it in a historical Oscar montage.”
— Chris Ryan (34:31)
4. The Draft: Strategy and Rivalry
- Categories Chosen:
- Drama, Comedy, Action/Horror/Thriller, Oscar Nominee, Sequel, Blockbuster ($75M+), Wild Card.
- Difficult Choices:
- Amanda sacrifices for "When Harry Met Sally" in Blockbuster—“I can’t not have it.”
- Chris lands both “Do the Right Thing” (drama) and “Field of Dreams” (Oscar nominee), leading Sean to declare: "We’re getting our heads blown off by Chris in this draft..."
- Personal Anecdotes:
- Chris's childhood baseball league “shout-outs,” Amanda’s Halloween and parenting stories, Sean’s video store nostalgia.
- Regular teasing about “male bro-y” picks, “Star Wars Mommy” futures, and the enduring power of video games in family life.
5. Memorable Quotes & Moments
-
On Franchise Fatigue:
"There have been 10 Star Wars shows in six years... and there still has not been one [Star Wars] movie. Which is just malpractice."
— Sean (05:04) -
On 'When Harry Met Sally' Legacy:
"It is the best and most influential romantic comedy of my lifetime. The modern romantic comedy era starts here."
— Amanda (33:28) -
On 'Do the Right Thing’s' Impact:
"Can't overstate the lightning bolt effect this movie had on my life... Public Enemy and Spike Lee... a historically relevant moment that we were living through."
— Chris (35:32) -
On Movie Openers/Fame Now:
“No one can open a movie [on star power alone]... There are no movies, no one can open a movie… not a single person now who guarantees a movie opening.”
— Amanda (26:22) -
On Aging with Movies:
"You watch 'Say Anything' at 15 and Lloyd Dobler is one person, and then you watch it at 30 or 35 and think—that’s my husband."
— Amanda (64:00)
Timestamps by Section & Notable Draft Picks
| Timestamp | Topic / Quote / Draft Pick | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 18:59 | Chris: “This is a huge VHS year for me...” | | 34:03 | Draft begins – Amanda: "I can't not have When Harry Met Sally" (Blockbuster) | | 34:55 | Chris: “I'm going to go with Do The Right Thing” (Drama) | | 38:20 | Sean: “I'm taking Batman” (Action/Horror/Thriller) | | 42:08 | Sean: "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (Sequel) | | 44:49 | Chris: “In Oscar, I'm going to take Field of Dreams” | | 47:39 | Amanda: “Ghostbusters II” (Action/Horror/Thriller) | | 51:02 | Amanda: “In comedy, I’m taking Heathers” | | 54:48 | Chris: “In Blockbuster, Dead Poets Society” | | 58:46 | Sean: "In Oscar nominee, I'll be taking Sex, Lies and Videotape" | | 61:48 | Sean: “I think I'll take Say Anything in comedy.” | | 67:55 | Chris: “In comedy: Parenthood” | | 70:01 | Amanda: “In drama: Born on the 4th of July” | | 72:24 | Amanda: “In sequel: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” | | 89:23 | Chris: “I'm going to pick Road House for Action/Horror/Thriller”| | 93:05 | Amanda: “In Oscar nominee: The Little Mermaid” | | 97:41 | Amanda: “In wild card: Troop Beverly Hills” | |101:09 | Chris: “In wild card: Major League” | |102:49 | Sean: “In wild card: Roger & Me” |
Other Podcast Highlights
Star Wars News & Franchise Speculation
- Humor over rumors of a Soderbergh/Adam Driver/Scott Z. Burns “Ben Solo” movie pitch to Lucasfilm/Disney:
“If you ever decide to pivot to being Star Wars Mommy, you're unstoppable.”
— Chris (04:00)
Parenting & Video Games
- Amanda maintains her hard line against allowing video games at home, setting up future podcast comedy fuel (15:19).
Call of Duty & Franchise Film Adaptations
- The trio discuss Taylor Sheridan’s switch to Universal, the ongoing struggle to get a Call of Duty movie made, and the recycling of intellectual properties through new media and genres (12:23).
Industry Reflections
- Comparing the star system of 1989 (Costner, Cruise, Williams) with today’s “no openers” era.
- Acknowledging the pivotal role of “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” in launching 1990s indie cinema/Sundance acolyte careers.
Personal Memories
- All hosts reflect on how they first encountered these films, VHS vs. theaters, and their parents’ movie viewing—an endearing touchpoint.
Comedy & Banter
- Regular teases about who “really” deserves certain picks, e.g., Amanda defending “When Harry Met Sally” early.
- Chris’s appreciation for the “female body investigator” hat as a VHS-era artifact (91:31).
- Spirited digressions about Halloween parenting, drafting tactics, and working mother woes.
Undrafted & Honorable Mentions
The episode closes with each host bemoaning classics and cult favorites that went undrafted for sheer lack of space. Notables include:
- Crimes and Misdemeanors
- Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
- Major League (eventually chosen)
- Steel Magnolias
- Drugstore Cowboy
- Weekend at Bernie’s
- The Abyss
- The War of the Roses
- Dead Calm
- The Fabulous Baker Boys (chosen later)
- Tango & Cash
- Pet Sematary
- The Burbs
- My Left Foot
- Lean on Me
- Troop Beverly Hills (chosen by Amanda for wild card)
Noting the year’s riches, Sean quips:
“Should this have been a mega movie draft?” (100:47)
Final Draft Selections
(For each host; approximate picks given the sequence above.)
Amanda:
- When Harry Met Sally (Blockbuster)
- Ghostbusters II (Action/Horror/Thriller)
- Heathers (Comedy)
- Born on the Fourth of July (Drama)
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Sequel)
- The Little Mermaid (Oscar Nominee)
- Troop Beverly Hills (Wild Card)
Chris:
- Do the Right Thing (Drama)
- Field of Dreams (Oscar Nominee)
- Dead Poets Society (Blockbuster)
- Parenthood (Comedy)
- Lethal Weapon 2 (Sequel)
- Road House (Action/Horror/Thriller)
- Major League (Wild Card)
Sean:
- Batman (Action/Horror/Thriller)
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Sequel)
- Sex, Lies and Videotape (Oscar Nominee)
- Say Anything (Comedy)
- Back to the Future Part II (Blockbuster)
- The Fabulous Baker Boys (Drama)
- Roger & Me (Wild Card)
Closing Thoughts
All agree: 1989 stands out as a year that marks both the end and beginning of film eras. Blockbusters and franchises loom, but the indies and mid-budget dramas set the stage for the '90s. The deeply personal connections to these films, whether via video store fidelity or movie-night memories, are what fuel The Big Picture's patented mix of criticism, cheerleading, and communal nostalgia.
End of episode summary.