The Next Best Picture Podcast

For this week's main podcast review, Ema Sasic, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Cody Dericks, and I are reviewing the latest film from director Ti West, "MaXXXine," starring Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito & Kevin Bacon. The third and final film in West's "X Trilogy" follows the releases of "X" and "Pearl," and it cont...

"Kill" had its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was the First Runner Up winner for the Midnight Madness section. Director/Writer Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's bloody, action, revenge film has been described as "The Raid" meets "Snowpiercer," and the companions could not be any more true. Bhat and his leading star, Lakshya, were kind enough to spend some time talking...

"MaXXXine" is the third film in Ti West's "X" trilogy, following "X" and "Pearl." With a fully stacked ensemble of terrific actors, everyone is at the top of their game, supporting West and his leading lady Mia Goth's vision. One of those names is the incomparable Kevin Bacon. One of the great actors of our time, Bacon has amassed a career of countless classics and has never been afraid to take ri...

For this week's second podcast review, Josh Parham & Giovanni Lago, and I are reviewing the latest film from Academy Award-winner Kevin Costner, "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1," starring Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella H...

"The Devil's Bath" had its world premiere at the 2024 Berlinale Film Festival, where it received the Silver Bear for an Outstanding Artistic Contribution and garnered positive reviews for its bleak atmosphere, attention to detail, and committed lead performance from Anja Plaschg. Filmmaking duo Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala ("Goodnight Mommy" & "The Lodge") were kind enough to speak with us about...

For Episode 399, Alyssa Christian, Dan Bayer, Giovanni Lago & Will Mavity and I discuss the films we are most looking forward to for the rest of 2024 as we cross the year's midway point. We also go over the polls revealing what your favorite films of 2024 have been so far, give our reactions to the trailers for "Nosferatu," "Here," and "Red One," answer your fan-submitted questions and more. Thank...

For this week's main podcast review, Giovanni Lago & Brendan Hodges, and I are reviewing the latest film from director Michael Sarnoski, "A Quiet Place: Day One," starring Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff & Djimon Hounsou. Serving as the third entry in the "A Quiet Place" franchise, this prequel is the first film not to be directed by John Krasinski, with Sarnoski following up the success...

"Last Summer" had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its direction, writing, and performances from Léa Drucker, Olivier Rabourdin, Samuel Kircher & Clotilde Courau. Legendary French director Catherine Breillat was kind enough to spend some talking with us about her first film in over a decade, a remake of the 2018 film "Queen Of Hearts," whi...

"Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it received an 11-minute standing ovation for director/star/producer Kevin Costner, whose epic film will be told in cinemas across four separate chapters. Stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Costume Designer Lisa Lovaas were all generous with their time to speak with u...

"Daddio" had its world premiere at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival and would later go on to screen at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and 2024 Tribeca Festival. It received positive reviews for its direction, writing, and performances from Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn. Johnson, who also produced the film, and director/writer Christy Hall (making her feature directorial debut) were ki...

"A Quiet Place: Day One" is the third film in the "A Quiet Place" franchise and finds "Pig" filmmaker Michael Sarnoski picking up directorial duties from franchise helmer John Krasinski. With the prequel setting the action in New York City on Day One of the Death Angels' arrival, Sarnoski takes us away from the family of the first two films and introduces us to new characters played by Academy Awa...

For this week's second podcast review, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer & guest Jillian Chilingerian, and I are reviewing the latest film from Academy Award-nominee Yorgos Lanthimos, "Kinds Of Kindness," starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie & Hunter Schafer. The anthology film has its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where i...

"Green Border" had its world premiere at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim for Director/Co-Writer Agnieszka Holland's harrowing depiction of the refugee crisis sweeping its way through the Belarus–European Union border. With stark black and white photography, intense performances and a vast but intimate scope that looks at how the crisis has impacted t...

"Kinds Of Kindness" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for Academy Award-nominee Yorgos Lanthimos' writing, direction, and the performances from the cast (including Jesse Plemons, who won the Best Actor prize at Cannes for his work in the film). Stars Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Lanthimos were all kind enough to spend some time talking wi...

"Thelma" had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for Academy Award-nominee June Squibb's performance, her chemistry with the late Richard Rountree, the parody style of action filmmaking and its sweet center of the relationship between a grandparent and grandchild. Director/Writer Josh Margolin was kind enough to speak with us about his work on...

For Episode 398, Nadia Dalimonte, Sara Clements, Giovanni Lago & Alyssa Christian, and reveal some of our favorite films of 2024 as we reach the midway point of the year. We also discuss the six world premieres announced for TIFF 2024, go over the polls, give our reactions to the trailers for "Smile 2," "A Real Pain," "The Front Room," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more. Thank you, as a...

"RuPaul's Drag Race" is one of the most popular television shows in the world. Winner of 24 Emmy Awards and having just completed its sixteenth season, the hit show is a sensation that keeps audiences returning for more each passing year. The winner of this year's season, Nymphia Wind (the show's first ever East Asian winner), was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their particip...

For this week's main podcast review, Lauren LaMagna, Dan Bayer, Sara Clements, Danilo Castro & Tom O'Brien, and I are reviewing the latest film from director Jeff Nichols, "The Bikeriders," starring Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace, Norman Reedus & Happy Anderson. After its world p...

Premiering in March of 2024, "Palm Royale," the new period comedy series from Apple TV+, is based on Juliet McDaniel's 2018 novel "Mr. & Mrs. American Pie" and stars some incredibly talented people, including Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Laura Dern Allison Janney, Carol Burnett and more. It is an impeccably crafted show that transports us to late '60s Palm Beach, Florida; Costume Design...

"Fancy Dance" had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and received very strong reviews for Academy Award-nominee Lily Gladstone's performance, the writing, and the emotional power of the story of an Indigenous woman searching for her missing sister. Lily was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about the film, which she also executive produced. You can listen to that co...

"True Detective: Night Country" garnered some of the best reviews from critics and reactions from fans since the HBO show's acclaimed first season. One of the highlights was the striking, chilling visuals from Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister ("TAR"). Florian was very gracious with his time and went into detail with us on his work for this latest season of the hit minise...

"Slave Play. Not A Movie. A Play." had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Festival just a few days ago and is now streaming on HBO Max. Tony Award-nominee Jeremy O. Harris has taken his acclaimed play "Slave Play" and translated it to the screen in a highly unique way as a deconstruction and commentary on the play itself, making his feature directorial debut in the process. He was kind enough...

"Fallout" already had a huge built-in fanbase due to the success of the video game franchise it is based on. However, the Amazon Prime Video adaptation series exceeded everyone's expectations as it became one of the best shows of 2024. Part of what makes the show so immersive is its design, brought to life by some of the best craftspeople in the world. Makeup Artist Jake Garber and Production Desi...

"Under The Bridge" follows the true crime murder of Reena Virk, based upon the book of the same name by Rebecca Godfrey. Developed by Quinn Shephard, the series drew acclaim for its direction, writing, and performances from its cast. One of those cast members is Javon Walton, who, following the success of his role as Ashtray in "Euphoria," has gone on to star in "Utopia," "The Umbrella Academy" an...

"The Bikeriders" had its world premiere at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival, where it was initially supposed to be released in theaters by 20th Century Studios. A few months later, the distribution was passed over to Focus Features, and now, almost a full year later and eight years since the release of his last feature film, we finally have a new movie from writer/director Jeff Nichols. One of the...