Podcast
The Big Picture
Hosted by The Ringer · EN
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins review the movies you need to see. Plus: Top 5s, Movie Drafts, Oscars analysis, and more. Subscribe to Sean's newsletter, Projections, here.
223episodes
Episodes
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The 2022 Movie Draft
Dec 1701:28:02Summary readyWe’re drafting again! Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss who they were in 2022 and draft the best movies from that year. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe Movie Business Freak-Out Mailbag and ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,’ With Rian Johnson!
Dec 1602:02:18Summary readySean and Amanda begin the show by honoring the towering career of Rob Reiner following his devastating passing (1:22). Then, they open up the mailbag and answer your questions about the general panic and angst about the future of the movie business (7:48). Next, they cover Rian Johnson’s new murder mystery sequel, ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,’ starring Josh O’Connor and Daniel Craig (1:10:14). Finally, Johnson joins the show to discuss why he gravitates toward murder mysteries as a storyteller, how his personal relationship with religion and faith has evolved over time, and why he was blown away by O’Connor’s performance (1:24:58). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Rian Johnson Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary‘Hamnet’ and the 10 Best Performances of 2025. Plus: Kleber Mendonça Filho on ‘The Secret Agent.’
Dec 1202:27:07Summary readySean and Amanda are joined by Joanna Robinson on today’s show to cover Chloe Zhao’s adaptation of ‘Hamnet,’ starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. They unpack their complicated feelings by highlighting the film's incredible emotional power, and also criticize aspects they found totally confounding (12:28). Next, they briefly discuss Kleber Mendonça Filho’s ‘The Secret Agent’ and celebrate Wagner Moura’s wonderful performance at the center of the film (48:46). Then, they share their individual top 10 favorite performances of 2025 (55:47). Finally, Sean is joined by Mendonça Filho to explain how some fiction work can discover even more truth than documentary, his thought process behind utilizing split diopter shots, and why he wrote the lead role of the movie specifically for Moura (1:45:46). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Kleber Mendonça Filho and Joanna Robinson Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe Adam Sandler Hall of Fame and ‘Jay Kelly’ With Noah Baumbach!
Dec 1002:27:40Summary readySean and Amanda cover Noah Baumbach’s new film, ‘Jay Kelly,’ starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler. They work through their mixed reactions to the movie and sort through specifically what worked for them and what didn’t (4:24). Then, they speculate Sandler’s potential award chances (41:33) before building his Hall of Fame with their favorite performances (53:50). Finally, Sean is joined by Baumbach to explain why he doesn’t enjoy revisiting his old work, why Clooney was perfect for the part of Jay, and whether his films are getting funnier or more tragic with age (1:49:39). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Noah Baumbach Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe Truth About Netflix Buying Warner Bros. Plus: Snubs and Surprises of the Golden Globe Nominations and Jafar Panahi on ‘It Was Just an Accident.’
Dec 801:58:38Summary readySean and Amanda have an action-packed show today, and they start with the biggest piece of news: Netflix’s $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. They talk through their initial gut reactions to the news; cover the additional information that came through over the weekend, including Paramount’s hostile bid; and hypothesize whether or not the sale will go through (1:57). Then, they react to the Golden Globe nominations and try to make sense of what they mean for the Academy Awards (1:00:11). Finally, they briefly discuss Jafar Panahi’s ‘It Was Just an Accident’ (1:20:29) before Sean is joined by Panahi himself to discuss how he casts his actors, why he prioritized balancing a humorous tone and serious drama, and why he feels that his next film has to be about war (1:26:51). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Jafar Panahi and Sheida Dayani Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe Top Five Movies of 2025
Dec 502:10:53Summary readySean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman to share their five favorite films from the year. But before diving in, they cover a handful of movie news items, including the updated rumors regarding the potential sale of Warner Bros. (1:25), the massive box office success of ‘Zootopia 2’ (5:44), and the speculation that Leonardo DiCaprio has been cast in Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2’ (11:15). Then, they each share their top five favorite movies from 2025 (25:20). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. A State Farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Watch-Along!
Dec 303:19:16Summary readySean, Amanda, and Chris visit Pandora and join the Na’vi to watch James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in anticipation of his upcoming sequel, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash.’ Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The Robert Redford Hall of Fame
Nov 2802:33:35Summary readySean and Amanda are joined by Tracy Letts to cover the monumental work of legendary actor Robert Redford. They celebrate the star’s illustrious career, share their personal relationship to his work, and build his Hall of Fame. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Tracy Letts Producer: Jack Sanders Research: Brantley Palmer Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 3 - '25th Hour’
Nov 2600:50:51Summary readySean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Spike Lee’s ‘25th Hour,’ one of the most present tense films ever made. They discuss its fascinating legacy as a somewhat under-discussed masterpiece, explain why Lee’s stylistic choices are deeply moving, and identify the impressive fricative tension in all of the movie’s ideas. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Shopping. Streaming. Celebrating. It’s on Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryBest Picture Power Rankings and the Super-Sincerity of ‘Sentimental Value,’ With Joachim Trier! Plus: Regretting ‘Regretting You.’
Nov 2402:07:27Summary readySean and Amanda begin the show by discussing the imminent sale of Warner Brothers Discovery, consider the potential implications of a merger with one of Paramount, Comcast, or Netflix, and debate which scenario is the most likely outcome (1:22). Then, they cover the new Colleen Hoover adaptation ‘Regretting You’ starring Allison Williams and Dave Franco, which they found absolutely baffling (17:28). Next, they have an extensive conversation around Joachim Trier’s ‘Sentimental Value,’ starring Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgard, where they explore why some people are connecting to the film so strongly, while for others it doesn't seem to resonate (47:15). Finally, Trier joins the show to explain how much of himself is actually mapped onto Skarsgard’s character, how being a good listener and observant of the world around you translates to strong characterization, and the story of shooting in a house that was down the street he grew up on (1:33:54). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Joachim Trier Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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