The Big Picture

'Episode IX' is here and, well, it's not all we'd hoped and dreamed it would be. To break down J.J. Abrams's film, the ninth and final installment in the Skywalker saga, Sean is joined by Binge Mode's Mallory Rubin to explore what worked (Rey and Kylo), what didn't (um, a lot), and where the 'Star Wars' machine will go from here (Disney+?).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Mallory Rubin

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Bryan Curtis stops by to talk about 'Richard Jewell' and 'Bombshell,' two new films about the media, the Kathy Scruggs controversy at the center of Clint Eastwood's latest, and how factual a movie about real people ought to be (1:04). Then, Sean and Amanda break down the just-released Oscars short lists and survey the Best Director race—and the probable absence of women from said race (38:48). Finally, Sean is joined by 'Bombshell' director Jay Roach to discuss his long career in comedy and the making of his new film about the inner workings of Fox News (60:36).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Jay Roach, Bryan Curtis

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The grand master of ridiculous action movies is back and he’s teamed up with Netflix. Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to break down every aspect of Michael Bay’s latest, ‘6 Underground’ (0:37). Then, Sean and Amanda analyze the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations and what they could mean for the Oscar race (56:19). Finally, Sean is joined by ‘Richard Jewell’ leading man Paul Walter Hauser to discuss the new Clint Eastwood drama and his long road to Hollywood stardom (67:00).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Paul Walter Hauser and Chris Ryan

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The Golden Globe nominations are here, and they're as dumb as ever. But will they matter come Oscars time? Amanda and Sean break down all the nominees and who was left out in the cold (1:08). Then they discuss the Academy Awards chances of Netflix's 'Marriage Story' and 'The Irishman' now that both films have debuted on the service (50:02). Finally, Sean is joined by Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney to talk about his new film, 'Citizen K' (62:30).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Alex Gibney

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Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman join Sean and Amanda to rank their top five movies of 2019, which got off to a slow start but has been flooded with great films over the last two months. The quartet discuss masters of their craft like Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese making late-period career retrospectives, as well as internationally renowned auteurs like Bong Joon-Ho and Claire Denis stunning American audiences.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Chris Ryan and Adam Nayman

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We're less than a week away from the official start of awards season: Golden Globe nominations. Amanda and Sean share their best guesses in the major categories and defend the honor of Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' (4:00). Then, resident 'Frozen' fan Jason Gallagher joins to break down why the sequel has become the fall season's juggernaut at the box office (41:10). Finally, Sean is joined by director Todd Haynes to talk about his new film, 'Dark Waters,' a chilling legal thriller that isn't always what it seems (66:10).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Todd Haynes, Jason Gallagher

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Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to discuss, debate, and ultimately crown the 10 best films of the decade as they see them.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Chris Ryan

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We convene to share our top five murder mystery films and judge the category with ranging specificity (1:15). Then writer-director Rian Johnson joins to discuss ‘Knives Out’—the whodunnit vehicle featuring Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, and Ana de Armas—and how he landed on this film after his role in the 'Star Wars' franchise (32:00).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Rian Johnson

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The Spirit Awards typically act as Oscars counterprogramming, rewarding outliers and underseen indies in the race. Sean and Amanda break down the 2020 nominations and what they could mean for the big show (1:09). Then, with 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' hitting theaters, we discuss the long and brilliant career of America's Dad, Tom Hanks, by constructing a hall of fame with his 10 most essential performances (16:15). Finally, Sean is joined by director Marielle Heller to talk about Hanks and how together they captured the essence of Fred Rogers (1:09:49).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Marielle Heller

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The Oscars are closer than you think—just 82 more days!—so Sean and Amanda take a closer look at the chances of 'Ford v. Ferrari,' 'Waves,' and five more potential contenders (2:40). Then they break down the dismal box office performance of Elizabeth Banks's 'Charlie's Angels' reboot (48:02) and discuss the unlikely boost that 'Joker' received over the weekend (59:23). Finally, Sean interviews writer-director Scott Z. Burns about his new drama 'The Report' (68:41).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Scott Z. Burns

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