The Next Best Picture Podcast

For this week's third podcast review, I am joined by Sara Clements, Josh Parham & Dan Bayer to review and discuss "The Piano Lesson," starring John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith & Corey Hawkins. Directed by Malcolm Washington, the Netflix film is the latest adaptation of world-renowned playwright August Wilson's...

"Moana 2," the anticipated sequel to the 2016 Oscar-nominated Disney animated film "Moana," was originally meant to debut on Disney+. Instead, it's being released in theaters this week and was re-worked to play on the big screen. Co-Director and Co-Writer Dana Ledoux Miller was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about her work on the film, its production journey to get to this point, h...

For this week's second podcast review, I am joined by Sara Clements, Giovanni Lago & Brendan Hodges to review and discuss the latest film from Academy Award-nominated director Ridley Scott, "Gladiator II," starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn & Fred Hechinger. A highly-anticipated sequel to his Oscar Best Picture-winning 2000 film "Gladiator," Scott h...

"Spellbound" is a new American animated musical film directed by Vicky Jenson with music composed by the multi-Academy Award-winning Alan Menken, who also wrote the songs with longtime collaborator and lyricist Glenn Slater. The two of them were kind enough to spend a few minutes speaking with us about their work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, whi...

"Gladiator II" finds director Ridley Scott crafting a sequel to his Oscar Best Picture-winning film "Gladiator" 24 years later. Many of his frequent collaborators came on board to help him bring the time of Ancient Rome back on the big screen again, and we at Next Best Picture were lucky enough to interview a few of them. First is my interview with actor Fred Hechinger, who plays Emperor Caracalla...

For Episode 418, Nadia Dalimonte, Dan Bayer, Giovanni Lago, and I are here this week to talk about the simultaneous theatrical releases of "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" which the media has dubbed "Glicked," and discuss the reactions to final awards season contenders "Nosferatu," "Moana 2," and "A Complete Unknown" as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday. We reveal the winners of last week's poll, a...

For this week's main podcast review, I am joined by Ema Sasic, Dan Bayer, Lauren LaMagna, Daniel Howat & Alyssa Christian to review and discuss the long-anticipated Broadway-to-film adaptation of "Wicked" starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh & Jeff Goldblum. "In The Heights" director Jon M. Chu has finally giv...

"Anora" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Palme d'Or. It went on to play at various film festivals, placing in the top three for the TIFF People's Choice Award, and has received some of the best reviews of any film this year. Actor Yura Borisov ("Compartment No. 6") was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his role as Igor, which...

"Wicked" is undoubtedly one of 2024's biggest films. The film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning smash hit Broadway musical fans have been waiting for over twenty years for is finally here, and we have a slew of interviews taking you behind the scenes on what went into making this dream become a reality. First up, we have my interview with original show creator Stephen Schwartz and screenwriter...

"Bread & Roses" had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its examination of women in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban. Director and producer Sahra Mani was kind enough to spend some time with us to discuss her work on the film. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open theatrically in NYC, LA & select cities on November 22...

"In Her Place" had its world premiere at the 2024 San Sebastián International Film Festival and has been selected as the Chilean entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. Following her two Oscar nominations for her acclaimed documentaries "The Mole Agent" and "The Eternal Memory," director Maite Alberdi returned to the podcast to discuss her work on her latest film with...

"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" had its world premiere as the opening night film at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, where it received positive reviews and was heralded as a return to form for Tim Burton as his long-awaited sequel to 1988's "Beetlejuice" once again highlighted his use of practical effects, striking designs, and makeup work. The hair and makeup team, which consists of Christine Blundell, L...

"Piece By Piece" had its world premiere at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its animation, vibrancy, and music in telling the life of American musician Pharrell Williams. Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about the painstaking process of making a LEGO animated film, how it was different than any...

For Episode 417, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Lauren LaMagna, and I are here this week to discuss the various news in awards season this week (including Conan O'Brien being announced as the upcoming host of the 97th Academy Awards) and what we think will perform well at the precursors in the next couple of weeks as we embrace the calm before the storm that is about to hit. We reveal the winners of last...

For this week's main podcast review, I am joined by Alyssa Christian, Dan Bayer, Giovanni Lago & returning guest Zoe Rose Bryant to review and discuss the newest film from Jacques Audiard, "Emilia Pérez" starring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz & Édgar Ramírez. A genre mashup that tells the unique story of a drug crime lord who desires to undergo gender-affirming surgery...

"Ultraman: Rising" is a Japanese-American co-production between Netflix Animation and Tsuburaya Productions, with animation by Industrial Light & Magic; it is the 44th film in the franchise with Shannon Tindle making his feature directorial debut. The film stars Christopher Sean as Ken Sato/Ultraman, along with the voices of Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young, and Julia Harriman. The film...

"A Real Pain" had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won positive reviews for Jesse Eisenberg's direction, screenplay, and performances from him and Kieran Culkin. The film, only the actor's second directorial feature, is already being talked about as a potential awards season player, and we were lucky enough to chat with Eisenberg for a few minutes during the theatric...

"Flow" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where it received positive reviews for its animation, dialogue-free story, and score. It is now the the Latvian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. Director, Writer, Producer, and Composer Gints Zilbalodis was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his wo...

"The Substance" has been one of the most talked-about films of 2024 ever since it had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Most of the conversation has centered around Coralie Fargeat's maximalist direction, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley's performances, Dennis Quaid eating shrimp, and, of course, the film's awe-inspiringly disgusting makeup work. Special Makeup Effects Designer And Su...

"Conclave" had its world premiere at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its writing, direction, performances, score, editing, and cinematography. Academy Award-nominated Director Edward Berger, screenwriter Peter Straughan, editor Nick Emerson, and Academy Award-winning composer Volker Bertelmann were all kind enough to spend some time with us talking about th...

"All We Imagine As Light" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the festival's Grand Prix prize and received some of the most glowing reviews of the year for its writing, direction, cinematography, and performances. Director/Writer Payal Kapadia was kind enough to talk with us during the New York Film Festival about her work on the film, which you can listen to and...

For this week's second podcast review, I am joined by Josh Parham, Dan Bayer & Will Mavity to review and discuss the latest film from Academy Award-winner Steve McQueen, "Blitz," starring Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, Elliott Heffernan, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, Stephen Graham, Erin Kellyman & Leigh Gill. Depicting WWII London during the blitzkrieg bombings, the film is the...

"The Penguin" just concluded its first season last night with an explosive finale that has audiences talking and eagerly looking forward to what might be next for Colin Farrel's Oswald "Oz" Cob. We were lucky to speak with the show's production designer, Kalina Ivanov, as she was able to dive into all things Gotham City, how it expands upon what was set up in Matt Reeves's "The Batman," and more. ...

"Bird" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for Andrea Arnold's writing and direction and the performances from the cast in this fantastical coming-of-age story. Actors Nykiya Adams, Barry Keoghan, and Franz Rogowski were all kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work on the film. Please be sure to check out the film, whic...

For Episode 416, Dan Bayer, Alyssa Christian, Tom O'Brien, and I are here this week to discuss how the results of the 2024 U.S. Presidential election may impact the Oscar race. We reveal the winners of last week's poll, asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Hugh Grant Performance?" and ask this week's poll question, "Which Netflix Film Awards Season Contender Has Been Your Favorite?" We also give our re...