The Big Picture — "We Almost Missed These 10 Movies. Should You?"

Date: September 22, 2025
Hosts: Sean Fennessey & Amanda Dobbins

Overview

Fresh from an August hiatus, Sean and Amanda catch up on a deluge of recent film releases, ranging from original indie genre swings to giant franchise continuations. They reflect candidly on notable disappointments (“Him,” “A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey”), highlight under-the-radar gems, and dig into a few blockbusters you can safely skip. Along the way: sharp Oscar analysis, pop culture riffs, and a healthy dose of movie-and-meme nerdery.

In Memoriam: Robert Redford (02:00–04:50)

• The episode opens with a tribute to the late Robert Redford, noting his enduring contributions as a star, director, and the founder of Sundance.
• Sean and Amanda promise a full Hall of Fame episode later in the year, but reflect on:
  • Redford’s exceptional run in the 1970s and his underrated acting (“...almost entirely made adult films. And I don't mean porn. I mean films for adults.” — Sean, 04:28)
  • The outsized shadow Sundance has cast on American indie cinema.
  • Amanda’s affectionate commentary on Redford’s ‘70s hotness and iconic gold chain in "All the President’s Men."

News & Pop Culture Tidbits (04:48–13:22)

“The Mandalorian & Grogu” Trailer

• Discuss the drop of the new trailer amidst Disney controversies (06:00–06:50).
• Amanda admits she’s only aware of Grogu (not a Yoda prequel), leading to confusion and comedic riffing on Star Wars lore.
  • “Have they aged him up in your mind? ...He's losing volume in his face. You know, it comes for all of us.” — Amanda, 10:45
• Sean laments the increasing dominance of CGI in modern Star Wars (11:56–12:43) and nostalgia-mining by Disney.
• Amanda’s take: Grogu’s “losing cuteness,” the franchise has gotten too insular, and her lack of interest in Star Wars’ spiritual dimension.

Physical Media, Passions, and Teacups (08:11–10:23)

• Tangent on collecting movies vs. teacups (“You care about plastic.” — Amanda, 09:58).
• Mutual defense of passionate obsessions — whether movies or crafts.

Other News

• Discussion of “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” movie event at AMC (25:36–28:21).
• Box office analysis: September’s weak receipts, horror dominance, and the surprise success of "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" (18:04–23:08).

Mini-Reviews: The Films They Nearly Missed

The hosts blitz through films released over the break, organized reverse-chronologically; spirited opinions abound.

1. Him (29:06–37:14)

• What It Is: Horror-sports drama, produced by Monkeypaw (Jordan Peele’s company), not directed by Peele.
• Premise: Rising Black quarterback and a retiring legend (Marlon Wayans) converge in a psychological horror set during NFL draft prep.
• Assessment: Striking visuals but hollow, struggles for narrative momentum.
  • “It does effectively feel like a 90-minute commercial...looked beautiful to me, but I thought the story was very hollow.” — Sean, 32:36
  • Julia Fox delivers the only performance tuned into the film’s camp potential.

2. A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey (37:05–42:40)

• What It Is: Whimsical time-bending romance from director Kogonada, starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell.
• Summary: Two strangers are thrust through pivotal moments from their past by a magical rental car service.
• Assessment: A high-profile flop. No chemistry, treacly tone, humorless. Echos ‘90s magical realism but fails to capture emotional truth.
  • “It reminded me a little bit of, like, really kind of treacly 90s movies, like what Dreams May Come…” — Sean, 39:12
  • “A manic pixie dream girl nightmare.” — Amanda, 39:45

3. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (44:41–52:26)

• What It Is: Third (allegedly “final”) film capping the beloved TV series.
• Summary: It’s 1930; the Crawleys downsize, Lady Mary faces divorce — all the stately drama and gentle humor you expect.
• Assessment: Heartwarming fan service, precisely what you hope for; Amanda loves the set design and location work, continues her “real houses > CGI” campaign.
  • “If you liked the show, all three movies are great...I’d watch it happily every year.” — Sean, 45:11

Rankings:

• Downton Abbey movies: 2 > 3 > 1

4. The Long Walk (54:04–58:38)

• What It Is: Long-awaited Stephen King adaptation by Francis Lawrence ("Hunger Games").
• Premise: Gripping dystopian contest; 50 teens walk at 3+ mph until only one survives.
• Assessment: Intense, well-acted (Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson), narrative ultimately fizzles.
  • “I wish it was better. And if this was a podcast about The Long Walk, I’d go frame by frame…At the end, I was mad.” — Sean, 58:31
• Memorable timestamp: Sean’s summary of the premise (55:00–55:45)

5. Freakier Friday (60:22–66:47)

• What It Is: Sequel to the beloved body-swap comedy, with much of the cast returning (Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis).
• Assessment: Comforting, energetic, funny — perfect for families and fans of the original. Lohan’s return is delightful.
  • “It’s weird that she just came back and everything’s fine. It’s great.” — Sean, 63:32

6. Splitsville (66:50–71:21)

• What It Is: Offbeat relationship comedy from "The Climb" team, starring Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona.
• Theme: Messy, funny, real take on “couple friends,” masculine insecurity, and romantic comedy traditions.
• Assessment: Very funny, grounded, and a sharp critique of gender dynamics and realism in romantic pairings.
  • “This movie is even sillier than (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice) and probably has a little bit less to say socio-culturally. But it’s really fun.” — Sean, 70:28

7. MegaDoc (71:21–78:37)

• What It Is: Mike Figgis's documentary about the chaotic making of Coppola’s “Megalopolis.”
• Takeaways:
  • Unfiltered look at auteur hubris, creative destruction, and on-set “genius”/disaster energy.
  • Shia LaBeouf features heavily as agent of chaos, both frustrating and, at times, right.
  • “It’s as raw a Making-Of as you will ever see...conflict, failure...Points are being made.” — Sean & Amanda, 75:15
  • “I think MegaDoc is an incredible companion piece...maybe it can help some people on the journey to understand what the hell’s going on.” — Amanda, 73:07

8. Thursday Murder Club (78:38–82:13)

• What It Is: Chris Columbus adaptation of the British cozy mystery bestsellers, starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan et al. (on Netflix).
• Assessment: Amanda, a superfan of the books, is disappointed; showy sets replace real British locations, undercuts the heart and chemistry of the source material.
  • “I was disappointed. ...They’re all very nice apartments at the retirement home. ...But you gotta go places.” — Amanda, 80:58

9. Eden (84:01–86:10)

• What It Is: Ron Howard’s odd, low-profile true story about eccentric Europeans founding a utopian society in the Galapagos.
• Assessment: Weird, not particularly good or bad; negligible impact. Ana de Armas is "very campy," Sweeney "not the babe." Some wild dog attacks and miscastings are involved.

10. Honey Don’t (88:42–90:26)

• What It Is: Ethan Coen & Tricia Cooke’s follow-up to "Drive-Away Dolls"; comic detective romp, Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans.
• Assessment: A misfire, script and tone not working.
  • “I need Joel and Ethan to just get back together. ...No more Honey Don’t.” — Sean, 89:23

Noteworthy Quotes & Moments

• On "Him"’s style:
  “There were a couple choices that were cool.” — Sean, 37:24
• On Redford’s career:
  “Almost entirely made adult films. And I don't mean porn. I mean films for adults.” — Sean, 04:28
• On physical media collecting vs. teacups:
  “You care about plastic.” — Amanda, 09:58
• On box office trends:
  “September is kinda the new February. … Recent years, the two IT films… Beetlejuice was the big hit. … This year, The Conjuring: Last Rites is a real sensation.” — Sean, 18:04
• On downton location verisimilitude:
  “Speaking of location, including…various LA landmarks. …the ‘real houses > CGI’ campaign.” — Amanda, 44:41–46:44
• On MegaDoc’s transparency:
  “It’s as raw a Making-Of as you will ever see...” — Sean, 74:24

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Redford Tribute: 02:00–04:50
• Mandalorian & Grogu/Star Wars Rant: 04:49–17:55
• September Box Office ("Demon Slayer" et al.): 18:00–24:45
• Taylor Swift/Theatrical Music Trends: 25:36–28:21
• Mini-Reviews Begin: 29:06
  • Him: 29:06–37:14
  • A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey: 37:05–42:40
  • Downton Abbey 3: 44:41–52:26
  • The Long Walk: 54:04–58:38
  • Freakier Friday: 60:22–66:47
  • Splitsville: 66:50–71:21
  • MegaDoc: 71:21–78:37
  • Thursday Murder Club: 78:38–82:13
  • Eden: 84:01–86:10
  • Honey Don’t: 88:42–90:26
• Mets/Misc. Riffing: 93:41–98:28

Final Notes

• Amanda’s love for “cozy mysteries” (81:49–82:13) and Sean’s take on collecting physical media thread through and enliven the episode.
• Both hosts are overall excited (with relief) for PTA season and the return of more serious fall cinema.
• The episode concludes, as usual, with baseball misery (Sean on the Mets), serving as catharsis for fans and a reminder of The Big Picture’s blend of film talk, wit, and lived reality.

In summary:
The hosts catch up on a parade of movies they almost missed — flagging major letdowns among original projects, saluting a few sturdy comfort-food continuations, laughing at some studio foibles, and urging cinephiles to catch docs like "MegaDoc" for an unvarnished glimpse at movie magic (and mess). Their candor and banter make the episode sing, even when the movies themselves don’t.