The Big Picture

The Criterion Channel streaming service is celebrating its one-year anniversary this week and it has been a shelter in a storm for movie lovers during quarantine. To celebrate, we've asked 15 friends of The Big Picture—writers, filmmakers, and critics—to explain why the Channel is so crucial and suggest one must-watch from its massive and essential library. (And maybe a few runners-up, too.) Then,...

Hollywood has officially canceled summer movie season, so we're going back to old favorites and exposing each other to new experiences. For their latest movie swap, Sean chooses James Cameron's epic sci-fi actioner 'Aliens,' while Amanda selects Richard Curtis's aggressively charming rom-com 'Four Weddings and a Funeral.' Will they love the picks? Hate them? Will they come to understand each other...

The Japanese superstar would have turned 100 years old this week, so for our 250th episode, Mifune's centenary is as good a time as we're ever going to get to celebrate his extraordinary career as a film actor. Sean is joined by Chris Ryan to walk through Mifune's life and work, including his iconic collaborations with director Akira Kurosawa, and analyze his mind-blowing physical and emotional po...

New movie releases have slowed to a crawl, but we do have a quarter of a year's worth to judge. Sean and Amanda have scanned the results and decided to hand out some premature Academy Awards to spotlight the very best we've seen so far. Then, they do a little guesswork, peruse the year ahead, and make some blind guesses on the 2021 winners for the big six Oscar categories. Hosts: Sean Fennessey an...

With no new movies on the horizon, we have resorted to ridiculous rankings. First up, a completely unscientific but emotionally charged rundown of the 35 best, most exciting movie stars under the age of 35 working today in Hollywood. How did we choose them? Did your internet boyfriend make the cut? Is playing a superhero a prerequisite for this list? Tune in to find out. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and...

Suddenly, nearly every 2020 movie that's been released is available at home. Sean and Amanda break down our new (hopefully temporary) reality of home consumption, discuss the drawbacks of the VOD economy, and go in-depth on two new at-home releases, 'The Hunt' and 'Emma.' (0:32). Then, Bill Simmons stops by to talk about how excited he is for the future of seeing new movies from the comfort of his...

You asked and we answered. After diving into the mailbag, Sean and Amanda tackled all your questions and came up with dozens of movies to watch during self-quarantine. Plus: We discuss the future of the Oscars in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the postponement of the Cannes Film Festival, the watch-at-home problem, and the absolute disgrace of #ReleaseTheButtholeCut. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and...

With virtually every major new release pushed back and the box office recording a record low over the weekend, movie theaters have shuttered around the country to battle the coronavirus. And some studios are starting to make their movies widely available on streaming services and VOD platforms. Sean and Amanda talk about the brave new world of movies, what these radical changes could portend for r...

The coronavirus and new social distancing measures have led most major studios to delay their spring theatrical releases. With blockbuster titles like 'Fast & Furious 9,' 'Mulan,' and 'A Quiet Place: Part II' on hold and many people quarantined at home, streaming has become the movie lover's refuge. Sean and Amanda talk about the long-term ramifications of the delays and then they each pick three...

The spread of COVID-19 has struck virtually every part of communal life, including the movie theater. With more people staying home to watch movies, Sean and Amanda look at some of the short- and long-term ramifications that anxiety from the coronavirus has provoked (0:41). Then, The Ringer's noted dad Jason Gallagher stops by to discuss the latest Pixar film, 'Onward'; whether the company's movie...

Mark Wahlberg is one of the most unlikely movie stars of the century, mixing serious drama, comedy, action, and highbrow films across his long career. Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to talk about his peculiar acting style, what makes him such a persistent figure in Hollywood, and his best roles over the years (1:23). Then, Sean is joined by writer-director Kelly Reichardt to talk about h...

As his new drama, 'The Way Back,' nears release, Ben Affleck is back in the spotlight and opening up about his struggles with substance misuse. It's the latest in a career that has collided the personal with the artistic in a way few writer-director-actors can claim. Sean and Amanda talk through Affleck's series of comebacks, his utterly unique brand of stardom, and the last decade of self-reflexi...

To celebrate the release of 'The Invisible Man,' Leigh Whannell's clever reimagining of the classic Universal monster movie, Adam Nayman joins the show to help construct a shrine to the greatest creatures, ghouls, aliens, oversized apes, and ineffable spirits in film history (1:03). Then, Whannell joins Sean to talk about the making of his new movie, casting Elisabeth Moss as the protagonist of th...

The art of placing music in a movie is harder than it looks. 'Ringer' staff writer Rob Harvilla joins Sean to explore the rules of a great needle drop and the pitfalls of an obvious one, before sharing their five favorite music movie moments (0:42). Then, Sean sits down with The Band cofounder Robbie Robertson to discuss his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, the relationship between movies and...

Movies have the February blues, so we enlisted a friend of the show to liven things up. 'Mr. Robot' creator and movie fanatic Sam Esmail joins Sean and Amanda and comes bearing a new game to play that reveals a lot about their favorite directors, personal taste, and how they view the long arc of film. Their sprawling conversations covers more than 80 years of movie history. Hosts: Sean Fennessey a...

The Oscars are a distant memory, but we are still trapped in February, a typically scary time for movie lovers. Sean and Amanda explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 2020 Dumpuary movie slate so far this season, including 'Sonic the Hedgehog,' 'Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey,' 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before P.S. I Still Love You,' and 'Fantasy Island' (1:11). Then Sean is joined by Oscar...

Still awash in the 'Parasite' afterglow, we drill down on some of the lingering questions from the 92nd Oscars submitted by you, the listeners (1:17). Has 'Parasite' undone the wrongs that the Academy inflicted on Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘Roma’? What happened to ‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood’ and what are Quentin Tarantino’s future Oscar prospects? Which films are emerging as early contenders to be di...

In a shocking and exhilarating finale to the 92nd Academy Awards, ‘Parasite’ and Bong Joon-ho won Best Picture, capping off an amazing Cinderella run to the top. Sean and Amanda gather their emotions to recap a strange and often dull ceremony that was highlighted by some extraordinary bursts of greatness. They break down all the awards and the best presenters, speeches, and moments from the show....

In our final show before the 92nd Oscars, we run down every category and predict what we think will win each award. Will it be a historic night for 'Parasite' and Bong Joon-ho, a sweep for '1917' and Sam Mendes, or a night full of curveballs we don't see coming? We also discuss whether the feeling of inevitability surrounding the acting categories has decreased excitement for the show overall. Hos...

Now that we know how this weekend’s Oscar ceremony is lining up, we’re ready to share some ideas of our own. Wesley Morris joins Sean and Amanda for the first annual Big Picture Oscars to create some new awards for the telecast and find new nominees in the six big categories. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Wesley Morris Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...

'1917' has run roughshod over the preliminary awards shows, dominating at the BAFTAs over the weekend. Does a WGAs win for 'Parasite' create any daylight for the South Korean sensation? Amanda and Sean break down the film's chances with a deep dive into the preferential balloting system that the Academy uses to determine its Best Picture winner (2:15). Then, they make the case for 'Parasite' as th...

We have returned from Sundance and we have seen the movies. Some of them, at least. Sean and Amanda break down the Sundance movie archetypes and share their favorites from the festival (1:02). Then, they discuss what's been purchased in the market, and how streaming services are trying to improve their track record of Sundance acquisitions. They also explore the festival's biggest disaster (35:25)...

After a victory at the Directors Guild of America Awards, Sam Mendes's '1917' seems poised for dominance on Oscar night. How did the most exciting race in years become so predictable so quickly? And if there are surprises on February 9, what will they be? Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan debate whether a '1917' Best Picture win would signal a return to unimaginative Academy tradition (1:17). Then they...

We've touched down in Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival and we're ready to watch some movies. Sean and Amanda break down what it means to be a Sundance movie, the evolving state of the festival, and a few of the films they've already seen, including a Taylor Swift documentary and a hair-centric horror movie from the director of 'Dear White People' (1:00). Then, they share their lists...

After a busy weekend for guild awards ceremonies, we have a new front-runner, '1917,' which scored a big win at the Producers Guild Awards. But 'Parasite' nabbed a surprise victory for Best Cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, setting up an intriguing showdown. Sean and Amanda break down the new narrative for Best Picture as we head into the Oscars home stretch (0:57). Then, we're joined by She...