Blank Check with Griffin & David The Eleventh Annual Blank Check Awards with Joe Reid
43 snips
Mar 1, 2026 Joe Reid, film critic and frequent collaborator, returns to help hand out the annual Blankies. They riff on Oscar season tactics, debate supporting and lead performance shortlists, salute craft categories like cinematography and casting, and trade playful superlatives and Putters & Murmurs for the year’s quirkiest moments.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Blankies Ballots Are Shaped By Social Calculus
- The hosts admit strategic voting considerations: avoiding repeat wins, balancing sentimental picks, and worrying about perceived slights when nominating friends.
- David and Griffin confessed to altering ballots to avoid appearing unfair or to spread recognition across people they've favored previously.
Favor Bold Screenplays Over Box Office When Judging Originality
- For original screenplay recognition, prioritize distinctive voice and thematic ambition over commercial performance.
- David elevated It Was Just an Accident and Materialist for daring storytelling rather than box-office metrics.
Animated Films Had A Thin Year For Blankies
- 2025 was a weak animated year for the hosts, causing abstentions and narrow slates; they still highlighted K-pop Demon Hunters as crowd-pleasing and Arco/Little Amelie as notable festival titles.
- The gap between family-friendly hits and cinephile animation made animated nominations feel thin.