The Next Best Picture Podcast

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Josh Parham, Cody Dericks, Giovanni Lago, and Daniel Howat join me to discuss the latest film from Emerald Fennell, "Wuthering Heights," starring Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, and Ewan Mitchell. Adapted from Emily Brontë's 1847 novel, the film is a highly subjective reinterpretation by Fennell and has garnered a wide range of opinions and generated a ton of discourse surrounding the casting and book changes/omissions. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss Fennell's direction, writing, the costumes, production design, cinematography, score, songs by Charli xcx, the performances and chemistry from Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening. Come undone with us and enjoy (or let it drive you mad). Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL REVIEW. Please check out the full podcast review on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture For this week's second podcast review, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Lauren LaMagna, Aaron Isenstein, and Tom O'Brien join me to discuss the debut feature film from Harry Lighton, "Pillion" starring Alexander Skarsgård, Harry Melling, Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, Jake Shears, and Anthony Welsh. The film follows Colin (Harry Melling), a timid gay man, as he starts a BDSM relationship with Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), an enigmatic biker who likes to be the dominant one in the relationship. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where it received widespread praise from critics, and several award nominations and wins throughout the 2025 awards season. What did we think of it, though? Please tune in as we discuss the writing, performances, depiction of the BDSM world, the ending, its awards season run, how far we would go for Skarsgård's Ray, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening. Submit yourself and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Train Dreams" has gone on to become the most celebrated film from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, with praise going to Bentley's direction, Edgerton's performance, and the cinematography. Among its accolades, the film was named as one of the top ten films of 2025 by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. For his performance, Edgerton was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. It received four nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song, and Best Cinematography. Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso has won the Critics' Choice Award for Best Cinematography and has been nominated for the ASC, BAFTA, Spirit Award, and Oscar for Best Cinematography, becoming the first Brazilian to achieve the latter. Veloso was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work on the film, the experience of awards season, his Brazilian roots, and more, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Netflix and is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards in all eligible categories, including Best Cinematography. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die" is a science fiction action-adventure comedy film directed by Gore Verbinski and written by Matthew Robinson. The film stars Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry, Tom Taylor, and Juno Temple. It tells the story of a man from the future who travels to the past and recruits the patrons of a Los Angeles diner he arrives in to help combat a rogue artificial intelligence. The film premiered at the 2025 Fantastic Fest, where it received positive reviews for its premise, performances, and Verbinski's direction on a smaller budget than what we're used to seeing from him. Verbinski, Rockwell, Lu Richardson, Peña, and Beetz were all kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters on February 13th from Briarcliff Entertainment. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Crime 101" is a crime thriller film written and directed by Bart Layton. It is based on the 2020 novella of the same name by Don Winslow. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as jewel thief Mike Davis, whose heists along the 101 freeway have left the police baffled. When Mike sets his sights on the ultimate score, his plans intersect with those of insurance broker Sharon Colvin, played by Halle Berry. Detective Lou Lubesnick, played by Mark Ruffalo, believes he has cracked Mike's pattern and is determined to bring him down before the next job. The film also stars Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Nick Nolte. Layton was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters on February 13th from Amazon MGM Studios. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Cold Storage" is an action-horror-comedy film directed by Jonny Campbell, from a screenplay by David Koepp, based on Koepp's 2019 novel of the same name. The film stars Georgina Campbell, Joe Keery, Sosie Bacon, Vanessa Redgrave, Lesley Manville, and Liam Neeson. It follows a group of characters as they attempt to contain a parasitic fungus that leaks from an abandoned military base. Georgina Campbell, Joe Keery, and Liam Neeson were all kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters on February 13th from Samuel Goldwyn Films. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Mr. Nobody Against Putin" is a documentary film directed by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin. It follows Talankin in his job at a school in Karabash, a poor mining town near the Ural Mountains. While recording his students, Talankin also documents the Putin administration's movements to control public perception during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. The film had its world premiere at the World Cinema Documentary section of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Award. It was selected as the Danish entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, but it was not shortlisted for a nomination. However, it was nominated in the Best Documentary Feature Film category. Borenstein and Talankin were both kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in select theaters from Kino Lorber. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie" is a Canadian time-travel mockumentary-adventure film directed by Matt Johnson ("BlackBerry") and written by Johnson and Jay McCarrol. The film stars Johnson and McCarrol as fictionalised versions of themselves in a band called "Nirvanna the Band" as they attempt to book a gig at the Rivoli, a bar and restaurant in Toronto, even though they have never actually written or recorded a single song, nor taken any steps to contact the Rivoli's management about booking a show. A new plan to play the Rivoli goes wrong, sending Matt, Jay, and their friend/cameraman Jared back in time to 2008, leaving them stranded unless they can find a way back to the future. The film is based on Johnson and McCarrol's 2007–2009 web series "Nirvana the Band the Show," as well as its 2017–2018 sequel television series "Nirvanna the Band the Show." The film had its world premiere at the 2025 South by Southwest film festival, where it received positive reviews for its premise, humor, performances, writing, and direction with such a small budget. Johnson and McCarrol were both kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters from NEON on February 13th. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Pillion" is an erotic comedy drama film written and directed by Harry Lighton, based on the 2020 novel "Box Hill" by Adam Mars-Jones. The film stars Harry Melling as a timid gay man and Alexander Skarsgård as an enigmatic biker who starts a BDSM relationship. The film had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the section's Best Screenplay prize and the Palm Dog for Mutt Moment, alongside nominations for the Caméra d'Or and the Queer Palm. It received widespread praise from critics, receiving several nominations and awards, including two British Independent Film Awards and a Gotham Independent Film Award, as well as three British Academy Film Award nominations. Lighton, Melling, and Skarsgård were all kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from A24. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Episode 478, Ema Sasic, Megan Lachinski, Nadia Dalimonte, Amy Kim, and Lauren LaMagna join me to discuss the 2026 DGA, AACTA, BSC, and SCL winners, and how their wins impact the Oscar race. We also give our predictions for what we believe will win the CDG and MUAHS awards later this week. For last week's poll, with the conclusion of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, we asked, "Which Film From The 2026 Sundance Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" And for this week's poll, with the 2025 NBP Film Community Award Ballots going out (Due before February 14th), we're asking, "Which Was The Best Film From 2025 To Not Receive A Single Oscar Nomination?" We also give our reactions to the trailers for "The Devil Wears Prada 2," "Tow," and "Exit 8," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more. Thank you all for listening, supporting, and subscribing. Enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices