The Big Picture The 1988 Movie Draft
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Mar 26, 2026 
Chris Ryan, writer and pod contributor who loves film lists, and Bill Simmons, sports and pop-culture writer with big movie memories, draft favorites from 1988. They debate blockbuster picks like Die Hard and Big. They revisit VHS culture, star power, and which films defined late‑80s moviegoing. Nostalgia, controversy, and surprising wildcards fuel lively tradeoffs and friendly trash talk.
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Roger Rabbit Shifted What Movies Could Be Technically And Emotionally
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit remains an emotional and technical landmark for blending live-action and animation.
- Sean credits it for expanding his sense of what movies could be and for imprinting Jessica Rabbit as a cultural figure.
Midnight Run Reframed De Niro As A Comedic Lead
- Bill took Midnight Run to comedy because De Niro's performance opened a new comedic lane for him.
- He describes the film as one of the rare action-comedies that nails both jokes and emotional beats in theaters.
Restoration And 4K Can Reshape Film Appreciation
- Rewatching films in higher-quality formats can reveal previously unseen details and change appreciation.
- Sean notes 4K restorations can transform darker 70s–80s films that suffered from inferior home transfers.