

The Big Picture
The Ringer
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins review the movies you need to see. Plus: Top 5s, Movie Drafts, Oscars analysis, and more, featuring a rotating cast of Ringer colleagues like Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, and Bill Simmons.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 2, 2024 • 1h 27min
Physical Media Strikes Back With Tim Simons
Actor and physical media enthusiast Tim Simons joins Sean to discuss the growing trend and value of physical media, the importance of preserving and appreciating movies on physical media, the role of writers and editors in film, exploring movies old and new, and the significance of physical media in today's digital age.

25 snips
Jan 30, 2024 • 1h 35min
The Philip Seymour Hoffman Hall of Fame
In this podcast, the hosts pay tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman, highlighting his career and impact on the film industry. They analyze his versatility, explore his standout performances, and discuss his unique physicality as an actor. They also discuss his roles in movies like Magnolia and the Mission Impossible franchise, and touch on the tragic twist in 'A Most Wanted Man'. Overall, the podcast celebrates Hoffman's talents and categorizes his films as greens or yellows.

10 snips
Jan 26, 2024 • 2h 1min
The ‘Barbie’ Freak-Out, Oscar Nominations Mailbag, and ‘The Zone of Interest’
The hosts discuss controversial Oscar nominations and disappointments, the predictability of the Oscars, and their predictions for the best actress category. They also explore the blind spots of the Academy Awards, debate the best debuts and breakthrough performances in film, and discuss potential nominees for the Oscars. Additionally, they admire Sophia Coppola and discuss various films and documentaries they have seen, including a horror movie and a documentary about a young boy's life. Lastly, they delve into a scene from a film that explores the director's intention of making it a reminder of the current world's shift towards a fascistic approach and the ignorance of death and toxicity.

7 snips
Jan 23, 2024 • 1h 10min
2024 Oscar Nominations: Snubs, Surprises, and WTFs
The hosts discuss the lack of surprises and the snubs in the 2024 Oscar nominations. They mention disappointment over Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie's snubs and discuss the strong nominations for 'Oppenheimer'. They also touch on the power of music in cinema and the speculation surrounding Dominic Sessa's nomination prospects. The hosts express their opinions on the supporting actress category nominations and joke about Tom Cruise's email habits.

Jan 19, 2024 • 1h 57min
Oscar Nomination Predictions, ‘Mean Girls,’ and ‘All of Us Strangers’ With Andrew Scott
Andrew Scott, star of 'All of Us Strangers', joins the hosts to talk about his role, selecting roles in his career, and building chemistry with costars. They also predict the Oscar nominations and review 'Mean Girls', a musical remake, before discussing 'All of Us Strangers', a heavily-tipped Oscar movie.

6 snips
Jan 16, 2024 • 2h 4min
The 2024 Movie Auction. Plus: Jake Johnson!
Guest Jake Johnson, a first-time feature director, joins the hosts to talk about his movie 'Self Reliance' and how it fits into his career arc. The hosts also auction draft their most anticipated movies for 2024, including 'Dune Part 2' and 'Challengers.' They discuss natural disasters, speculate on plotlines for 'Rebel Moon 2' and 'Furiosa Medmax Saga,' and reflect on the themes of life and death in current events.

Jan 14, 2024 • 51min
The Making of ‘Oppenheimer’ with Hoyte Van Hoytema, Jennifer Lame, and Ludwig Göransson
A live screening of 'Oppenheimer' at IMAX in Los Angeles brings together the cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, editor Jennifer Lame, and composer Ludwig Göransson. They discuss shooting on film and in IMAX format, the collaborative process of creating the music and sound world, the director's vision, and favorite sequences from the film.

4 snips
Jan 11, 2024 • 2h 23min
Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes!
Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes discuss 'May December', exploring its performances, satire reception, rendering the recent past, and more. The hosts also react to movie news and rankings, analyze Yorgos Lanthimos's 'Poor Things', and refresh their Best Picture power rankings.

4 snips
Jan 8, 2024 • 1h 21min
The 2024 Golden Globes: The ‘Oppenheimer’ Behemoth
Christopher Nolan, Director of 'Oppenheimer', discusses his film's success at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards. The hosts critique the TV production and discuss other successful movies like 'The Holdovers'. They also talk about the shortcomings, decline in ratings, and popular memes from the ceremony. The hosts analyze the etiquette of giving speeches in public, improvements in award show process and enhancements in production. They also touch upon an actor's hobbies, physical endurance, funny moments, film genres, and Bruce Springsteen's attendance at the Golden Globes.

Jan 4, 2024 • 1h 54min
The 24 Most Anticipated Movies of 2024
Chris Ryan, along with Sean and Amanda, recounts the plot of 'Night Swim' after previously explaining the plot of 'Barbarian' to Amanda. They discuss their most anticipated movies of 2024 including 'Dune: Part Two' and 'Furiosa'.


