Podcast Summary: The "Anything But Oscars" Mailbag! Plus: ‘Hoppers’

The Big Picture – The Ringer
Hosts: Sean Fennessey & Amanda Dobbins
Date: March 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of The Big Picture, Sean and Amanda field a wide range of listener questions in their “Anything But Oscars” mailbag, discussing everything from physical media habits, the state of Pixar, cult classic films, and favorite movie locations, to advice questions about life and love. They also deliver a detailed review of Pixar’s latest film, “Hoppers”. Throughout the episode, the hosts weave in their signature playful banter and insightful film commentary, offering both laughter and thoughtful takes on the current state of movies.

Key Discussion Points

1. Upcoming Live Oscar Coverage & Oscars Season Updates

• [02:43] Sean and Amanda outline their upcoming Oscar coverage and live reactions on Instagram Live and Netflix, with time reminders so listeners don’t miss the earlier-than-usual telecast.
• [04:27] Quick Oscars season recap: “One Battle After Another” is dominating precursors; the hosts find the ongoing awards season unusually suspenseful with some potential for surprises brewing.

2. “Hoppers” and State of Pixar

• [06:02] “Pixar’s back”: “Hoppers” had a strong global box office opening ($81M USD), marking the biggest original opening for Pixar since “Coco.”
• [07:48] Amanda attributes the success to the simple, animal-centric marketing and a new generation seeking their own stories rather than endless sequels.
• Discussion of Pixar’s “troubled period” (pandemic releases, creative shakeups, criticisms of recent films for being less innovative, corporate interference).
• [09:27, 10:03] Confirmation that Pixar’s business model will continue to balance originals with reliable sequels, e.g., “Monsters Inc. 3”.
• [10:48] Brief mention of positive buzz for the upcoming “Project Hail Mary.”

3. Franchise & Hollywood News

• [11:13] Christopher McQuarrie’s upcoming “Conan the Barbarian” film starring 78-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger prompts playful speculation about legacy sequels and aging action heroes.
• [12:51] Thoughtful skepticism from Amanda about the reboot trend, star power longevity, and Hollywood’s reliance on familiar IP.

4. The State of Movies, Movie Fantasy Leagues, and Summer Previews

• [15:43] Amanda shares personal anecdotes about robust moviegoing, especially for families and kids, and excitement for “Mandalorian & Grogu.”
• [16:11] Sean introduces the idea for a “Big Picture Movie Fantasy League,” bringing together their love of tracking movie performance and friendly competition.

5. Mailbag: Key Questions & Answers

A. Physical Media Habits of Characters ([20:19])

• Q: If Bob Ferguson from “One Battle After Another” was in the Criterion Closet, what would he pick?
  • Amanda: “He does not have a phone. This guy is not investing in plastic...he's watching this on TCM. No, not a collector.” ([21:41])
  • Sean picks five films (Army of Shadows, Paths of Glory, Sembène’s trilogy, Che, Eraserhead) as Bob’s hypothetical selections, exploring their political and revolutionary themes.

B. Defining 2020s Film Aesthetics ([27:39])

• Q: What does “feels like a 2020s film” mean?
  • Sean: “Right now everything is...kind of extratextual mania in every movie...synthetic and a synthesis era...the influence of the Internet...and YouTube is strong on horror.” ([31:31])
  • Amanda highlights the prevalence of screens/phones as a visual motif and attempts by cinema to absorb the chaos, distraction, and visual style of social media.

C. Desert Island Movie Curse ([35:54])

• Q: If you could curse the other with a single desert island movie they must watch until they “get it”?
  • Amanda: “Devil Wears Prada, easy. You don’t value it.” ([35:54])
  • Sean: “I think I'll just give you Evil Dead 2 and you could just sit with it and look at the craft.” ([37:47])

D. Why No Major Studios Have Bought Warner Bros. ([39:26])

• Amanda: “Disney's just now digging out of the Fox debt, so they were never really under consideration.” ([39:57])
• Sean: “If Disney bought Warner Brothers, that would really be IP Game Over.” ([40:07])
• The consensus: Apple could afford it, but their strategy appears to be content creation and tech innovation over acquiring legacy studios.

E. Best Movie Locations in the World ([45:02])

• Venice, Paris, New York, Rome, London named as cinematic centers; Amanda’s vote includes Venice’s “Rebecca Ferguson death bridge” from Mission Impossible, and Sean’s is New York. ([45:17])

F. Garbage Sports Movies ([61:44])

• The hosts reminisce about childhood favorites like The Cutting Edge, Mighty Ducks, Bring It On, Chariots of Fire, Blue Crush, and discuss the disappearance of these formulaic but beloved sports films from the modern slate.

G. Cult Movies of the 2020s ([70:20])

• Building the future “rom-com canon” (Palm Springs, Plus One, Set It Up) as potential cult classics; others mentioned: Pearl, Bottoms, Beau Is Afraid, Game Night, Saltburn.

H. Movie Theater Memories ([86:13])

• Personal best movie theater experiences: “Seeing There’s Something About Mary with a crowd—it was like going to see fucking Led Zeppelin or something.” – Sean ([86:32])
• Amanda: “As a child, I remember going to see Clueless at Lenox mall with my mom…” ([87:22])

I. Hollywood Satire Favorites ([98:28])

• Sullivan’s Travels, Singin’ in the Rain, Sunset Blvd, The Player; Hail Caesar, Tropic Thunder, Adaptation, Bowfinger, and more.

J. Life & Relationship Advice ([105:04])

• Listener Dustin asks if a TIFF proposal themed around their love of cinema would be good.
  • Amanda: “Absolutely…But I like, we shouldn’t be trying to rent out like a screen…Do something from the heart.” ([105:25])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Pixar’s recent strategy:
  • “Pixar knows that every two years there has to be a new Toy Story, a new Monsters Inc... That’s kind of their business strategy at this point.” – Sean ([08:53])
• Cultural nostalgia & movie trends:
  • “There’s a kind of extratextual mania in every movie...that is very much the influence of the Internet.” – Sean ([31:31])
• On generational shifts:
  • “A new generation of young audiences...ready to get in on the ground floor of something instead of being handed whatever their parents were really into 30 years ago.” – Amanda ([06:59])
• On why garbage sports movies disappeared:
  • “They don’t happen anymore because audiences don’t show up for them. And that...was stock and trade Disney strategy for 30-plus years.” – Sean ([62:21])
• On 2020s movie aesthetics:
  • “Screens, surveillance footage, YouTube, TikTok...movies visually trying to get their arms around the Internet and all of the ways we’re projected around ourselves...” – Amanda ([32:13])
• Favorite theater experience:
  • “Seeing There’s Something About Mary...it was like going to see fucking Led Zeppelin or something.” – Sean ([86:32])
• Advice for a movie-themed marriage proposal:
  • “I don’t know if you need a photographer hidden, but that’s up to you. And then you can go see a movie.” – Amanda ([108:35])

Hoppers Review (Pixar)

[Starting at 109:07]

Plot Overview

• Scientists invent tech to transplant human consciousness into robotic animals.
• Mabel, a passionate animal activist, uses this tech to explore and protect animal worlds.

Key Insights

• Amanda: “A little convoluted, is it not?...my son said loudly, ‘This is not Hoppers!’ because the billboard animals hadn’t appeared yet.” ([109:50])
• Sean: Found it “perhaps the most laugh-out-loud funny Pixar movie in a long time,” but acknowledges the plot may be “challenging for a little kid”—even his own daughter was confused partway through. ([111:00])
• Discussion on complexity: The film balances themes of environmentalism, body-swap comedy, and coming-of-age, sometimes at the expense of clear storytelling for its youngest viewers.
• Praise for voice acting: Dave Franco and Meryl Streep singled out.
• Amanda notes the film’s fast pacing reflects a “Netflix-ification” of kids entertainment, keeping viewers engaged but sometimes at the cost of coherence.

Memorable Moments

• A shocking villain elimination that is “played for laughs” and genuinely surprises the audience.
• Amanda’s preferred version would focus longer on young Mabel: “I really would have liked a whole movie about angry 7-year-old Mabel freeing all the class pets...” ([114:03])

Additional Highlights

• On the state of film culture: Acknowledgment that directors (Nolan, Gerwig, Peele) have replaced movie stars as marquee draws for serious moviegoers. ([97:33])
• Upcoming Coverage: The hosts are heading to Cannes for the first time, sharing the inside scoop on how they prep for a major festival. ([51:49])
• Lighting & Visuals: Extended sidebar on cities as indelible film locations (Venice, New York, Rome).
• Listener Community Engagement: Amanda is a “unique advice columnist,” fielding multiple live advice questions; Jack Sanders (producer) appears regularly to provide color commentary and enforce email etiquette.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:43] – Live Oscar coverage details
• [06:02] – "Hoppers" box office / Pixar’s state
• [09:27] – Sequel culture / Monsters Inc 3
• [11:13] – Conan the Barbarian reboot announcement
• [15:43] – Family moviegoing & trailer moments
• [20:19] – Mailbag begins (Bob Ferguson’s criterion favorites)
• [27:39] – What is a 2020s film?
• [35:54] – Desert island movie punishments
• [45:02] – Greatest movie locations
• [61:44] – Garbage sports movies
• [70:20] – Future cult classics discussion
• [86:13] – Most memorable theater experiences
• [98:28] – Best Hollywood satires
• [105:04] – Life advice: cinematic marriage proposals
• [109:07] – “Hoppers” review

Closing Thoughts

This episode of The Big Picture offers a delicious smorgasbord of new release reactions, industry news, deep film nerdery, and approachable advice. The hosts’ warmth, knowledge, and humor shine as they traverse everything from collectibles to Cannes prep to family movies to the nitty-gritty of modern film aesthetics. Their review of “Hoppers” provides a thoughtful take on how children’s movies have evolved to serve both young and adult audiences, occasionally at the cost of narrative clarity but often with a distinct comedic charm.

Notable Closing Exchange:

“How did you feel our live experience went? Did this break?” – Sean ([123:34])
“No, it’s good. We’re still on Netflix.” – Amanda/Jack ([123:41])

End of Summary