The Big Picture

The Ringer

4.3 (5K)
TV & FILM
UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

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.

4 HR. AGO

The Best Picture Movie Draft

Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan gather to draft films that have been awarded Best Picture at the Academy Awards. This time, they select from six categories: 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 1990s, 2010s, and Best Picture Loser. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 26m
3 DAYS AGO

The 21st-Century (American) British Movie Canon, ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,’ and ‘Paddington in Peru’

Sean and Amanda are joined by ‘Bandsplain’ host Yasi Salek to discuss ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,’ the fourth installment in the franchise (1:00), before breaking down ‘Paddington in Peru,’ the third film in the beloved ‘Paddington’ series (35:00). Then, they sketch out a loose American vision of the British film canon for the 21st century (50:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Yasi Salek Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 19m
FEB 14

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Is Marvel’s Rock Bottom. Now What?

Sean and Amanda are joined by Chris Ryan to review the utter mess that is ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’ They discuss its various rewrites, the ways the movie shows its seams, why Harrison Ford is even interested in taking roles like this, and what it means for the end of Phase 5 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Chris Ryan Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 11m
FEB 10

The Mega-Mailbag Is Here, and the New Best Picture Front-Runner Is …

Sean and Amanda react to the movie trailers that ran during the Super Bowl and give their broader thoughts about cinema’s role in football’s biggest broadcast (1:00). Then, they dig into the PGA and DGA Awards, including what they portend for the front-running films at the Oscars, like ‘Anora,’ ‘The Brutalist,’ and ‘Emilia Pérez’ (11:00). Finally, they open up the mailbag: Listeners sent in over 1,000 questions about watching habits, the state of theater-going, auteur theory, work-life-movie balance, and much more (37:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2h 9m
FEB 7

The Top 10 Garbage Love Movies, ‘Companion,’ and ‘You’re Cordially Invited’

Sean and Amanda react to the ‘Fantastic Four’ and ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ trailers (1:00) before discussing the slate of movies being released that are tied to Valentine’s Day, including Drew Hancock’s ‘Companion’ (15:15), ‘You’re Cordially Invited’ (29:30), ‘Love Me’, and ‘Heart Eyes’ (40:00). Then, they mint a new bespoke subgenre called “garbage love”—romance movies that use genre as a vehicle to deliver their love stories (55:00). Then, Sean is joined by Hancock to discuss his circuitous journey to directing his first feature, ‘Companion’; casting Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher in the lead roles; working alongside ‘Barbarian’ producer Zach Cregger; the themes of the film; the difficultly of promoting a movie that relies so much on the tension in its script; and more (1:24:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Drew Hancock Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2h 11m
FEB 4

The 10 Best Movies at Sundance, and the Astonishing ‘Nickel Boys’

Sean and Amanda discuss the evolving story of Karla Sofía Gascón’s old tweets (1:00) and what it might portend for the ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscar hopes. Then, they discuss an underwhelming Sundance 2025 (12:00) before diving deep into one of the best movies of 2024, ‘Nickel Boys’ (44:00), and discussing the excellent Michael Keaton performance at the center of ‘Goodrich’ (1:01:00). Finally, Sean is joined by director Tim Fehlbaum to discuss ‘September 5,’ how he became interested in the story that it depicts, casting the film, and the ascendant run it’s been on this awards season (1:15:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Tim Fehlbaum Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1h 45m
JAN 31

Best Picture Power Rankings and Brutal Honesty About ‘The Brutalist’

Sean and Amanda dig into ‘The Brutalist’ (with spoilers!)—the text, the reception, the performances, the score, its awards chances, its lasting presence in the American film canon, and everything in between (1:00). Then, they’re joined by Joanna Robinson to weigh in on the Best Picture race and rank all 10 films nominated for the award based on their current chances to win the race (1:31:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Joanna Robinson Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2h 28m
JAN 27

The 2025 Dumpuary Extravaganza. Plus: Steven Soderbergh Returns!

Sean and Amanda are joined by Yasi Salek to discuss ‘Better Man,’ the bizarro Robbie Williams biopic in which he is rendered as a CGI chimpanzee (1:00) and ‘One of Them Days,’ the Keke Palmer and SZA action comedy produced by Issa Rae and directed by Lawrence Lamont (29:00). Then, Yasi departs and Sean and Amanda explore ‘Back In Action,’ the spy-action-comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx that jumped up to number one on Netflix (53:00). Next, Chris Ryan joins to weigh in on ‘Wolf Man,’ ‘Flight’ Risk,' and ‘Presence,’ a trio of movies of wildly different quality from three accomplished directors (1:06:00). Finally, Sean is joined by Steven Soderbergh to discuss his 35th feature film ‘Presence,’ a tense thriller experimenting with point-of-view and form (1:40:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guests: Yasi Salek, Chris Ryan, and Steven Soderbergh Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Video Producer: Jack Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2h 16m

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TRAILER

The Big Picture: A Ringer Movies Podcast

Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins review the movies you need to see. Plus: Top 5s, Movie Drafts, Oscars analysis, and conversations with Hollywood's biggest filmmakers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10/31/2020

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2 min

4.3

out of 5

5,024 Ratings

Vocal sound quality

Feb 13

Difab4

Hello, I enjoy the content, but have become reluctant to listen because of the strident, unpleasant quality of Amanda’s voice. I suggest exploring a different mic or do a frequency analysis and use equalization to cut some of the offending upper/mid frequencies. I listen exclusively in a 2016 Toyota Camry and have no other similar problems with other podcasts, including The Town and Rewatchables. Thank you
Get Amanda gone

5 days ago

pverse1

Amanda is so hot garbage. How can she continue to be on when she hasn’t seen the movies?
My fave podcast!

6 days ago

whichjen

So glad Amanda’s back from maternity leave — she and Sean have the best chemistry! (Love when CR joins for 3rd chair, too)
Great

6 days ago

Ajxkcnens

Sean and Amanda have great chemistry. Their conversation on The Brutalist was the best commentary/discussion on that film I’ve heard all season.

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.