The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 8 - ‘Parasite’
22 October - 50 minsSean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite,’ which features one of the greatest movie endings of all time. They celebrate its nuanced portrayal of what systems do to people; highlight the small, formal decisions that elevate the movie’s ideas; and remember its iconic Best Picture win that changed the trajectory of the Academy Awards.
Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins
Producer: Jack SandersUnlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture
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‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ and the ‘Music Biopic’ Mount Rushmore
Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan and Yasi Salek to head over to 'State Trooper' town and cover Scott Cooper’s ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,’ starring Jeremy Allen White. They unanimously agree that the movie is overwhelmingly unsuccessful, then dive into why it lacks dramatic stakes (1:42). Later, they hypothesize its box office potential and Academy Awards chances (36:20) before having a conversation about music biopics at large, where they share their personal favorites, as well as ones they hope to never see made (44:00). Finally, Sean and Amanda briefly cover Mary Bronstein’s new film ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ (1:00:48), before Bronstein herself joins the show. She walks through the long and arduous process of getting the movie made, speaks on why she needed to make this movie and the urgency behind her message, and shares insight on her deeply personal connection to the material (1:07:46). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Chris Ryan, Yasi Salek, and Mary Bronstein Producer: Jack Sanders Unlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 hour 49 mins
24 October Finished
The 10 Best Horror Movies of 2025 and ‘Black Phone 2’
On today’s show Chris Ryan joins Sean to unpack the year 2025 in horror movies. But first, they hit a handful of movie news headlines, including rumors of a new trailer coming out in December for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ Michael Mann’s recent comments about the production of ‘Heat II,’ and Eva Victor being cast in Tony Gilroy’s ‘Behemoth!’ (2:02). They then cover Scott Derrickson’s sequel, ‘The Black Phone 2’ (starring Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames), which they both found quite disappointing (10:32). Next, they reflect on the current state of horror as a genre and explore why they feel it's in a weird place right now (26:07). Later, Chris and Sean share their favorites of the year (36:16) before Alex Ross Perry joins the show to discuss his contribution to V/H/S/Halloween. Perry talks us through his thought process and points out why finding what he personally finds scary is the most important part (1:02:50). Finally, they have an extensive conversation surrounding horror anthologies, where they identify what defines a good horror anthology and share their personal favorites (1:22:58). Host: Sean Fennessey Guests: Chris Ryan and Alex Ross Perry Producer: Jack Sanders Unlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 hour 59 mins
21 October Finished
The “Should I See It in a Movie Theater?” Test: ‘Tron: Ares,’ ‘Roofman,’ and ‘After the Hunt.’ Plus, the Magic of ‘Mr. Scorsese.’
Sean and Amanda begin the show by honoring the legendary actor Diane Keaton, who passed away at 79 last Saturday (3:19). Then, following a disappointing box office performance from a handful of new weekend releases, they have an extensive conversation around what audiences want from movies at the movie theater (9:54). They form a rubric from their main takeaways and apply it to ‘Tron: Ares’ (14:53), ‘Roofman’ (29:47), and ‘After the Hunt’ (0:00). Finally, they briefly cover Rebecca Miller’s new documentary miniseries, ‘Mr. Scorsese,’ a thorough exploration of Martin Scorsese’s fascinating and iconic career (46:54). They then have Miller herself on to talk through the incredible journey and process from start to finish (1:14:18). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Rebecca Miller Producer: Jack Sanders Unlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 hour 44 mins
17 October Finished
The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 9 - 'Mad Max: Fury Road’
Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss George Miller’s ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ one of the greatest action movies of all time. They explain why it almost feels like a silent film despite its incredibly loud sound, celebrate Charlize Theron’s phenomenal performance and highlight it as the signature performance of her career, and reflect on George Miller’s legacy at large. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producer: Jack Sanders Unlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture 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
47 mins
14 October Finished
The Daniel Day-Lewis Hall of Fame
Sean and Amanda are joined by David Sims of the Blank Check podcast to commemorate the incredible career of Daniel Day-Lewis. They begin the show by debating whether or not 2025 has been a good year for movies, and they forecast what the fall slate will look like (2:34). Then, they discuss Day-Lewis’s return to acting with ‘Anemone,’ directed by his son Ronan Day-Lewis (14:14). Finally, they work through the entire career and filmography of the legendary actor (20:28) and build his Hall of Fame (39:28). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: David Sims Producer: Jack Sanders and Belle Roman Unlock an extra $250 at linkedin.com/thebigpicture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 hours 9 mins
10 October Finished