With today’s Netflix release of Steven Soderbergh’s newest film, ‘High Flying Bird,’ we sit down to list and discuss the top five movies he’s made in a prolific career.

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Chris Ryan

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We take stock of a Best Documentary Oscars race that doesn’t include ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor’ and ‘Three Identical Strangers’—two of the most commercially successful documentaries of the year (0:40). Then ‘Free Solo’ directors Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi join the show to talk about the challenges of filming a climber in a life-or-death situation (18:22).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi

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We spend an inordinate amount of time talking about ‘The Wife,’ Glenn Close’s latest film that will likely net her her first Best Actress win at the Oscars (1:09). Then we assess the stock of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘A Star Is Born,’ and ‘Roma’ after the Directors Guild Awards (40:30). Finally, Sean sits down with ‘BlacKkKlansman’ editor Barry Alexander Brown to discuss working with Spike Lee and the role of an editor in the filmmaking process (59:15).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins

Guest: Barry Alexander Brown

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Dan Gilroy joins the show to talk his Netflix-backed horror-thriller art-world satire, directing Jake Gyllenhaal, and the commercialization of creativity.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Dan Gilroy

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This week we break down a big win for ‘Black Panther’ at the SAG Awards and whether it will improve its Best Picture chances (2:20). Then Sean shares his Academy Award nomination frustrations, and we examine how the telecast could be headed for disaster (16:00). Finally, we take a long look at the Best Director race, ‘Roma,’ and Netflix’s standing in the Oscar conversation (45:26).

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

How Does Netflix Make Money? | Ringer PhD

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Our instant reactions to the 2019 Oscar nominations pose as many questions as answers: Is 'Roma' the new favorite? Is ‘A Star Is Born’ doomed? And why couldn’t the Academy get it together for Ethan Hawke? Then we turn to the never-ending 'Green Book' saga in Stock Up/Stock Down and examine the Best Picture betting odds as they stand on January 22.

Hosts: Amanda Dobbins, Chris Ryan

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We react to ‘Glass,’ veteran director M. Night Shyamalan’s final installation in an almost-two-decade-long trilogy that includes ‘Unbreakable’ and ‘Split.’ Where does the movie, which stars a cast of James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bruce Willis, fit into a catalogue that includes home runs like ‘The Sixth Sense’ and lows like ‘The Happening?’

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guest: Justin Charity

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Rob Harvilla calls in to make sense of the release of two Fyre Festival documentaries in the same week by Netflix and Hulu. Then, ‘Minding the Gap’ director Bing Liu talks about navigating the complicated and personal themes in his documentary.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Bing Liu, Rob Harvilla

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This week, we explore how the various guild awards can tell us who is in the best position to bring home Oscars (0:53). Then, we try and digest the deluge of ‘Green Book’ controversies (25:21). Finally, we try and place our finger on an answer to the existential question hanging over our show: What does 'Best Picture' even mean (32:42)?

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Links:

This Is the Most Wide-Open Best Picture Race in Years, Sean Fennessey

Green Book Director Used to Flash His Penis As a Joke, Anna Silman

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Chris Ryan joins the show to break down the latest news that the Oscars will be hosted by committee and share his top five Los Angeles films. Then, director Karyn Kusama joins the show to discuss ‘Destroyer’—her second movie with a distinct take on L.A.

Host: Sean Fennessey

Guests: Karyn Kusama, Chris Ryan

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