Next Best Picture Podcast

"Hallow Road" a psychological thriller film directed by Babak Anvari and written by William Gillies. It stars Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys as a couple who receive a distressing late-night call from their teenage daughter (Megan McDonnell) after she accidentally hits a pedestrian. Jumping in their car, they race to get there before anyone else stumbles across the scene. As they head deeper into the night, disturbing revelations threaten to tear the family apart. The film premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival to positive reviews for its clever premise, taut direction, and strong performances from Pike and Rhys. Director Babak Anvari was kind enough to spend time speaking 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 is now playing in theaters. 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

"Hedda" is a dramatic adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" written and directed by Nia DaCosta, starring Tessa Thompson in the title role, with Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss in supporting roles. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews for its performances, DaCosta's direction, and modern take on the material. Hoss and Bateman were kind enough to spend time speaking with Ema Sasic about their work and experiences making the film. This is followed by my conversation with the film's casting directors, Dez Hamilton and Joe Harris, and concludes with Cody Dericks' interview with the film's composer, Academy Award-winner Hildur Guđnadóttir. You can listen to all of these below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Prime Video 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

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 With the recent release of "Frankenstein" and the arrival of Halloween, the Next Best Picture team decided to revisit director Guillermo del Toro's 2015 gothic romance film "Crimson Peak," starring Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam & Jim Beaver. The film was considered a disappointment by some who had expected more of a horror movie 10 years ago, but it has been reevaluated in the years since. How does it hold up 10 years later? Please join Nadia Dalimonte, Dan Bayer, Sara Clements, Brendan Hodges, and me as we discuss the direction from del Toro, the performances, writing, craftsmanship, its lack of an awards season run, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy our review. Have a safe and fun Halloween! Not all ghosts are scary! 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

"Bugonia" is an absurdist black comedy film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos from a screenplay by Will Tracy that adapts the 2003 South Korean film "Save the Green Planet!" by Jang Joon-hwan. The film follows two young men who kidnap a powerful CEO, suspecting that she is secretly an alien who wants to destroy Earth. The film stars Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone. It had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival and also screened at the Telluride Film Festival to positive reviews. Stone, Plemons, Lanthimos, and Tracy were all kind enough to spend time speaking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Focus Features. 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

"Ballad Of A Small Player" is a British psychological thriller directed by Edward Berger and written by Rowan Joffé, adapted from Lawrence Osborne's 2014 novel of the same name. The film stars Academy Award-nominee Colin Farrell as Lord Doyle, a high-stakes gambler laying low in Macau, where he spends his nights playing baccarat. As his debts spiral out of control, Doyle finds an unlikely lifeline in Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a casino hostess who holds secrets of her own. The film had its world premiere at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival before continuing its run at TIFF, where it received strong acclaim for its flashy direction, bombastic score, and Farrell's high-wire committed performance. Farrell, Chen, and Berger were all kind enough to spend time speaking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Netflix. 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 463, Megan Lachinski, Dan Bayer, Alyssa Christian, Tom O'Brien, and I are here to recap the 2025 AFI Fest in Los Angeles, including the world premiere of "Song Sung Blue" and "The SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants," how films such as "Jay Kelly," "The Testament Of Ann Lee" and "Train Dreams" played on a rewatch. For this week's poll, for the expansion of "Bugonia" to more theaters this weekend, we're asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Yorgos Lanthimos Film?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, in which we asked, "Which Is Your Favorite Guillermo del Toro Film?" for the theatrical release of "Frankenstein" (arriving on Netflix on November 7th). We also share our reactions to the trailer for "Crime 101," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, subscribing, and voting. 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

"Dracula" is a Romanian satirical comedy-drama film written and directed by Radu Jude. The film title is inspired by the Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, "Dracula." Set in contemporary Transylvania, it explores the legend of Dracula through Romanian lenses while examining modern dystopia through the timeless allure of vampire lore, crafting a biting, gleefully profane takedown of AI, capitalism, and our decaying culture. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 78th Locarno Film Festival, where it received polarizing reviews. It's par the course for Jude, but he still has his own opinions on how audiences are receiving his 170-minute bonkers film. Jude was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience working on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 29th by 1-2 Special. 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

After Charlie Kaufman utilized one of Eva H.D.'s poems in his 2020 feature "I'm Thinking of Ending Things," the pair hit it off. While Eva had never worked in film before, Kaufman had likewise never directed another writer's work before. Nevertheless, the pair were kindred spirits, and set off to continue working together, and made their first short film together, "Jackals and Fireflies" in 2023. Now, they're back with another short film making the film festival rounds, "How To Shoot a Ghost." Set in Athens, the short follows two recently deceased people, played by Jessie Buckley and Josef Akiki, as they wander around the city, experiencing the afterlife. Kaufman and Eva were kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their work and experience making the short film, which you can listen to below. 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 this week's main podcast review, Ema Sasic, Katie Johnson, and Tom O'Brien join me to discuss the latest film from Scott Cooper, "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere," starring Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, Gaby Hoffmann, Marc Maron & David Krumholtz. Written and directed by Scott Cooper and based on the 2023 book "Deliver Me from Nowhere" by Warren Zanes, as well as some elements from Bruce Springsteen's autobiography "Born to Run," it chronicles Springsteen's personal and professional struggles during the conception of his 1982 album "Nebraska." The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Telluride Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances, emotional honesty, and character-driven story of confronting depression and turning pain into art. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the performances, writing, direction, tone, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"A House Of Dynamite" is an American apocalyptic political thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Noah Oppenheim. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke playing members of the U.S. government as they navigate an official response to a single nuclear missile launched by an unidentified enemy. The film premiered at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews. Academy Award-winning film editor Kirk Baxter and Academy Award-winning Supervising Sound Editor & Re-Recording Mixer Paul N.J. Ottosson were both kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their experience working on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Netflix. 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

"Shelby Oaks" is a supernatural horror mystery film produced, written, and directed by former YouTuber turned filmmaker Chris Stuckmann in his feature directorial debut, with Mike Flanagan as an executive producer. It stars Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Keith David, Sarah Durn, Robin Bartlett, and Michael Beach. Expanding upon an online found-footage series centered on a paranormal investigation team called the Paranormal Paranoids, which also featured Durn, the film follows a woman (Sullivan) desperate to find her sister (Durn) after she vanishes while exploring the eerie, abandoned town of Shelby Oaks. The film premiered at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival in 2024, where it earned mostly positive reviews, with critics praising Stuckmann's direction, the film's haunting atmosphere, and Sullivan's standout performance. Stuckmann was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience working on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 24th from NEON. 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

"Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" is a biographical musical drama film starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen. Written and directed by Scott Cooper and based on the 2023 book "Deliver Me from Nowhere" by Warren Zanes, it chronicles Springsteen's personal and professional struggles during the conception of his 1982 album Nebraska. The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances, grounded tone, and psychological look into what makes Springsteen such a thoughtful and compelling artist. Cooper was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience working on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 24th from 20th Century 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

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 third podcast review, Josh Parham and Giovanni Lago join me to review and discuss the latest film from Kathryn Bigelow, "A House Of Dynamite," starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke. The plot follows the U.S. government navigating an official response to a single nuclear missile launched by an unidentified enemy. It's presented in a terrifyingly realistic manner that wants to encourage more thoughtful discussion surrounding nuclear weapons, but its three-act "Rashomon" inspired narrative structure and divisive ending have audiences perhaps thinking about other elements than what was intended since its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the screenplay, direction, the performances from the ensemble, the ending, its score, awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

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, Nadia Dalimonte, Dan Bayer, Brendan Hodges, and Will Mavity join me to review and discuss the latest film from Guillermo del Toro, "Frankenstein," starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, Charles Dance, and David Bradley. Based on Mary Shelley's classic 1818 novel of the same name, the Netflix film has been a passion project for del Toro for many years, dating back to when he first read the book as an eleven-year-old. That passion can be felt in every frame of this exceptionally crafted piece of work, but what did we think of it as a whole? Please tune in as we discuss the narrative structure, adaptation changes, themes, performances, technical aspects, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"Hal & Harper" is an American comedy drama television series created, written, and directed by Cooper Raiff and starring Raiff, Lili Reinhart, Betty Gilpin, and Mark Ruffalo. The series had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival where it received positive reviews for its writing, performances and decision to use the older actors to play their younger selves in flashbacks. Raiff was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work and experience making the show, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the show, which is now available to stream on MUBI. 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 462, Dan Bayer, Will Mavity, and I are here to preview the 2025 AFI Fest in Los Angeles, including the world premieres of "Song Sung Blue" and "The SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants," and discuss the 2025 Critics' Choice Documentary Award (CCDA) nominations. For this week's poll, for the release of "Frankenstein" in theaters this weekend, we're asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Guillermo del Toro Film?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, where we asked "Which Is Your Favorite Luca Guadagnino Film?" for the release of "After The Hunt." We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Send Help," "The Secret Agent," "Rebuilding," "Keeper," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, subscribing, and voting. 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 this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Dan Bayer, Lauren LaMagna, Giovanni Lago, and Joselyn Safadi join me to discuss the latest film from Luca Guadagnino, "After The Hunt," starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny. After having its world premiere out of competition at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, the psychological thriller (generous), written by Nora Garrett, has divided critics and audiences on its story about a college professor caught between a sexual abuse accusation involving one of her students and a colleague. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the performances, writing, direction, score, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"It Was Just An Accident" is a thriller film written and directed by legendary Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. The film is a co-production between Iran, Luxembourg, and France, the latter selecting it as the country's official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. The film explores political repression in Iran and morality as a group of former political prisoners kidnap their torturer and decide what to do with him. Panahi, who is critical of the Iranian government and has been imprisoned several times, made the film without official filming permission from the Iranian authorities. The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it received universal acclaim and won the prestigious Palme d'Or. Panahi and editor Amir Etminan were kind enough to spend some time speaking 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 NEON. 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

"After The Hunt" is a psychological thriller film directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Nora Garrett that premiered at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival out of competition and opened the 63rd New York Film Festival. Starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny, it contains a number of powerhouse performances from big and small names. In our first casting director interview for this awards season (brought on by the fact that there is now a new Oscar for Best Casting being bestowed at the 98th Academy Awards), Jessica Ronane was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about the nature of her job, her experience working on the film, and more, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters 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

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 third podcast review, Nadia Dalimonte, Dan Bayer, Katie Johnson, and Giovanni Lago join me to review and discuss the latest film from Mary Bronstein, "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You," starring Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Christian Slater, and ASAP Rocky. It is a psychological, nerve-wracking comedy-drama film that follows a mother desperately trying to navigate her daughter's mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for Rose Byrne's performance, Bronstein's direction, the supporting performances of the rest of the cast, and the screenplay's confrontations with uncomfortable truths surrounding motherhood and parenting. Please tune in as we discuss these elements, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"Blue Moon" is an American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Richard Linklater and written by Robert Kaplow. The film follows songwriter Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) as he reflects on himself and his work on the opening night of "Oklahoma!," the iconic musical by his former colleague Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott). It also stars Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, and Jonah Lees. The film had its world premiere at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance for Scott and received positive reviews for Kaplow's writing, Linklater's focused direction, and Hawke's multi-layered performance, with many calling it one of the best of his career. Hawke was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience working on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 17th from Sony Pictures Classics. 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

"The Smashing Machine" is a biographical sports drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Benny Safdie. It stars Dwayne Johnson as former amateur wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr, alongside Emily Blunt as Kerr's girlfriend Dawn Staples, with Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk in supporting roles. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Lion and received positive reviews for the performances, notably Johnson's committed and transformational work and Safdie's re-creation of the world of MMA and the UFC during its early days. Filmmaker Safdie was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience working on 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

"John Candy: I Like Me" is a celebrity biopic documentary film directed by Colin Hanks about Canadian actor John Candy. The documentary premiered as the opening night film of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews. Hanks, who also produced the film, along with film participants and Co-Executive Producers Chris Candy & Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their work and experience on making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. 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

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, Ema Sasic, Josh Parham, Lauren LaMagna, Dan Bayer, and Cody Dericks join me to review and discuss the latest film from Bill Condon, "Kiss Of The Spider Woman," starring Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, and Jennifer Lopez. It is an American musical drama that is a film adaptation of the 1992 stage musical, itself based on the 1976 novel. It is the second film adaptation, following the Oscar-winning 1985 adaptation. It premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival to positive reviews for its performances, craftsmanship, and musical fantasy sequences. But what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss these elements, the themes, songs, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"Urchin" is a British independent drama film written and directed by Harris Dickinson, in his feature-length directorial debut, that stars Frank Dillane as a homeless young man in London, struggling with addiction and poverty. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, where Dickinson won the FIPRESCI Prize and Dillane won the section's Best Actor award. Dickinson and Daillane were both kind enough to spendsome time speaking with us about their work and experience working on the film, which you can listen to below.Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in limited release from 1-2 Special. 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

"The Woman In Cabin 10" is a psychological thriller film directed by Simon Stone, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse. It is based on the 2016 novel by Ruth Ware. The film stars Keira Knightley, Guy Pearce, David Ajala, Art Malik, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kaya Scodelario, David Morrissey, Daniel Ings, and Hannah Waddingham. Filmmaker Stone was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience working on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Netflix. 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 461, Lauren LaMagna, Giovanni Lago, Alyssa Christian, Tom O'Brien, and I are here to talk about the end of the 2025 New York Film Festival (NYFF63), including the "secret screening" world premiere of Josh Safdie's "Marty Supreme," the Closing Night world premiere of Bradley Cooper's "Is This Thing On?." For this week's poll, for the release of "After The Hunt" this weekend, we're asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Luca Guadagnino Film?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, where we asked "Which Is Your Favorite Channing Tatum Performance?" for the release of "Roofman." We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Hamnet, "Die, My Love," "Father Mother Sister Brother," "Nuremberg," "Mercy," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, subscribing, and voting. 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 this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Dan Bayer, Sara Clements, Daniel Howat, and Tom O'Brien join me to review and discuss the latest film from Derek Cianfrance, "Roofman," starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias, Jimmy O. Yang, and Peter Dinklage. Based on the real-life story of robber Jeffrey Manchester, who hid out in a toy store from law enforcement, the film had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for Tatum and Dunst's performances, as well as Cianfrance's writing and direction. Please tune in as we discuss these elements, its balance of drama and comedy, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"Mussolini: Son of the Century" is a biographical historical drama television series directed by Joe Wright, based on the 2018 novel "M: Son of the Century" by Antonio Scurati. Starring Luca Marinelli as Benito Mussolini, the series centers on Mussolini's early political career in the 1920s. It premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival to positive reviews for its direction, score, and Marinelli's performance. Wright was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience working on the series, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the series, which is now available to stream in full on MUBI. 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

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 and Dan Bayer join me to review and discuss the directorial debut of Ronan Day-Lewis, "Anemone," starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, and Samantha Morton. Co-written with his son, the 3-time Academy Award-winning legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis came out of "retirement" to star in his son's first feature film. The film tells the original story of a troubled recluse whose estranged brother arrives to convince him to come home and reunite with his family. It premiered at the New York Film Festival to mixed reviews, but what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the performances, direction, writing, cinematography, soundscape, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" is an independent psychological comedy-drama film, written and directed by Mary Bronstein. It stars Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Christian Slater, and ASAP Rocky. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for Byrne's performance (for which she won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival), Bronstein's script, direction, and the supporting performances from O'Brien and Rocky. Byrne and Bronstein were kind enough to spend time speaking 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 be released in theaters on October 10th 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

"Kiss Of The Spider Woman" is an American musical drama film written and directed by Bill Condon. Based on the stage musical by Terrence McNally, John Kander, and Fred Ebb, it is the second film adaptation of the 1976 novel by Argentine author Manuel Puig, following the Oscar-winning 1985 film. Jennifer Lopez stars in the titular role, alongside Diego Luna and Tonatiuh. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received generally positive reviews from critics for its direction, performances, and craftsmanship. Costume Designers Colleen Atwood and Christine L. Cantella were kind enough to spend time speaking 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 be released in theaters on October 10th from Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions, and LD 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

"The Perfect Neighbor" is an American documentary film, directed and produced by Geeta Gandbhir, that follows the killing of Ajike Owens, primarily told through bodycam footage, exploring several suburban disputes that led to the murder. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its direction, editing, and harrowing true story, which serves as an example of exploring the "stand-your-ground" law. Gandbhir was kind enough to spend time speaking with us about her work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 10th and available to stream on Netflix on October 17th. 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

"Roofman" is an American biographical crime comedy film directed by Derek Cianfrance starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias, Jimmy O. Yang, and Peter Dinklage. The film chronicles the exploits of convicted spree robber Jeffrey Manchester, portrayed by Tatum, and the single mother and Toys "R" Us employee he falls for, Leigh Wainscott (played by Dunst). The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances, writing, and direction from Cianfrance. Tatum, Dunst, and director/co-writer Cianfrance were all kind enough to spend time speaking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 10th from Paramount Pictures. 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 460, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Megan Lachinski, and I are here to talk about how the 2025 New York Film Festival (NYFF63) is going so far including, the Centerpiece North American Premiere of "Father Mother Sister Brother," the announcement of a "Secret Screening" tomorrow night, and more. We also talk about the AFI FEST lineup and other recent announcements in the world of awards season. For this week's poll, for the release of "Roofman" this weekend, we're asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Canning Tatum Performance?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, where we asked "Which Is Your Favorite Daniel Day-Lewis Performance?" for the release of "Anemone." We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Pillion," "The Thing With Feathers," "Psycho Killer," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, subscribing, and voting. 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 this week's main podcast review, Josh Parham, Joselyn Safadi, Dan Bayer, and Giovanni Lago join me to review and discuss the latest film from Benny Safdie (his first solo directorial credit after working with his brother, Josh, throughout his career), "The Smashing Machine," starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk. Based on the 2002 documentary "The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr," the film had its world premiere at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, where it received the best reviews of Johnson's career for his committed performance and won the Silver Lion for Best Director for Safdie. Please tune in as we discuss the performances, direction, writing, authenticity to MMA, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"The Alabama Solution" is an independent American documentary film about the prison system in Alabama from the perspective of incarcerated inmates, from footage they recorded with contraband phones. The documentary, directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. Jarecki and Kaufman were kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their work and experience on making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, now playing in limited release and available to stream on HBO and HBO Max starting October 10th, from HBO Documentary 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

"Orwell: 2+2=5" is a documentary film, directed and produced by Raoul Peck. It follows the life and career of George Orwell, examining how his political observations remain relevant in the present day, particularly the lessons from his novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four." Damian Lewis narrates the film as Orwell. The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes Premiere section, where it received positive reviews and was nominated for the L'Œil d'Or. Peck was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work and experience on making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 3rd by NEON. 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

"Black Rabbit" is an American crime thriller television miniseries created by Zach Baylin and Kate Susman for Netflix, starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released on Netflix on September 18th. It tells the story of the owner of a New York City hotspot (Law) who allows his chaotic brother (Bateman) back in his life, opening the door to escalating dangers that threaten to bring down everything he's built. Director Ben Semanoff (Episodes 5 and 6) was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work on the series, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the series, which is now available to stream in full on Netflix. 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

"Bone Lake" is an American independent horror thriller film directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan and written by Joshua Friedlander. It stars Maddie Hasson, Alex Roe, Andra Nechita, and Marco Pigossi. It tells the story of a couple whose romantic getaway to the secluded Bone Lake takes an unexpected turn when they are forced to share a mansion with a mysterious and alluring couple. As tensions escalate, the retreat devolves into a web of deception, desire, and manipulation, gradually revealing long-buried secrets. The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Fantastic Fest, where it received positive reviews. Director Mercedes Bryce Morgan was kind enough to spend time speaking with us about her work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters on October 3rd by Bleecker Street. 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

"Anemone" is a psychological drama film directed by Ronan Day-Lewis in his feature directorial debut, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his father, three-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis, who also stars in the lead role. It features the latter's return to acting for the first time since "Phantom Thread" in 2017, alongside Sean Bean and Samantha Morton. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 New York Film Festival and received positive reviews for the performances, dark atmosphere, striking cinematography, and haunting music by Bobby Krlic. Day-Lewis (the son, not the father) was kind enough to spend time speaking 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 be released in theaters on October 3rd by Focus Features, and then expand a week later on October 10th. 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

"Zootopia 2" is the highly anticipated upcoming animated sequel to the Academy Award-winning "Zootopia" (2016). Actors Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, and Shakira reprise their roles from the first film, joined by newcomers Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Patrick Warburton, and Quinta Brunson. The film follows Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they pursue Zootopia's new and mysterious reptilian resident, Gary De'Snake. With the sequel's release two months away on November 26th, Next Best Picture was invited to Walt Disney Animation Studios for an early look at the long-awaited sequel. Please take a listen to our exclusive interviews with Directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush, Producer Yvett Merino, Heads of Story Carrie Liao and David Vantuyle, and Head of Animation Chad Sellers. Please be sure to check out the film, which will release in theaters on November 26th from Walt Disney 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

For Episode 459, Nadia Dalimonte, Dan Bayer, Megan Lachinski, Lauren LaMagna, Tom O'Brien, and I are here to talk about the start of the 2025 New York Film Festival (NYFF63), including the Opening Night North American Premiere of "After The Hunt," the world premiere of "Anemone," and more. For this week's poll, for the return to the big screen for three-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis, we're asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Daniel Day-Lewis Performance?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, where we asked "Which Films From NYFF63 Are You Most Looking Forward To Seeing?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "The Bride!," "A House Of Dynamite," "Star Wars: The Mandalorian And Grogu," "Greenland 2: Migration," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, subscribing, and voting. 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 this week's main podcast review, Josh Parham, Cody Dericks, Giovanni Lago, Brendan Hodges, and Will Mavity join me to review and discuss the latest film from Paul Thomas Anderson, "One Battle After Another," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. Inspired by the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, the film follows an ex-revolutionary turned stoner father who must rescue his daughter from an overpowering military officer and aspiring white supremacist. It has garnered some of the best reactions, reviews, and audience ratings of Paul Thomas Anderson's career, at a time when many feel that a politically charged yet massively entertaining film like this (that can be experienced in a wide range of theatrical formats) is wholly necessary for the times we're living in. But what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the writing, direction, performances, score, cinematography, its politics, awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"Eleanor The Great" is a drama film directed by Scarlett Johansson (making her feature directorial debut) and written by Tory Kamen, which had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival where it received positive reviews for June Squibb's lead performance. It stars Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Squibb and Kellyman were kind enough to spend time speaking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Sony Pictures Classics. 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

"In Your Dreams" is an upcoming American animated adventure fantasy comedy film directed by Alex Woo, and co-directed by Erik Benson from a script by Woo and Benson and a story by Woo, Benson, and Stanley Moore. The film stars Craig Robinson, Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Gia Carides, Omid Djalili, SungWon Cho, and Zachary Noah Piser. Produced by Netflix Animation and Kuku Studios, it is set for a limited theatrical release on November 7th, 2025, before its release on Netflix on November 14th, 2025. Giovanni Lago visited Netflix studios a few weeks ago and was able to screen a portion of the film before sitting down with director Woo and producer Tim Hahn to discuss the upcoming animated film, which you can listen to below. 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

"All of You" is a science fiction romantic drama film directed and co-written by William Bridges. It stars Brett Goldstein, Imogen Poots, Zawe Ashton, Steven Cree, and Jenna Coleman. It premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and received positive reviews for its premise, performances, and chemistry from Goldstein and Poots, as well as its writing. Bridges was kind enough to spend time speaking 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 be available to stream on Apple TV+ on September 26th. 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

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, Sara Clements, Giovanni Lago, and Alyssa Christian join me to review and discuss the latest film from Academy Award-nominated director Paul Greengrass, "The Lost Bus," starring Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez, and Ashlie Atkinson. Known for directing real-life survival drama thrillers, Greengrass co-wrote the screenplay with Brad Ingelsby, based on the nonfiction 2021 book "Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire" by Lizzie Johnson, which recounts the story of the 2018 Camp Fire —the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews, and is now playing in limited release before it's available to stream on Apple TV+ on October 3rd. Please tune in as we discuss the direction, performances, writing, crafts, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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 458, Nadia Dalimonte, Dan Bayer, Alyssa Christian, Tom O'Brien, and I are here to preview the 2025 New York Film Festival (NYFF63). To tie into that, for this week's poll, we're asking, "Which Films From NYFF63 Are You Most Looking Forward To Seeing?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, where we asked "Which Films Are You Most Excited To See From The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Anaconda," "The Housemaid," "Now You See Me: Now You Don't," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, subscribing, and voting. 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 this week's main podcast review, Ema Sasic, Katie Johnson and Joselyn Safadi join me to review and discuss the latest film from Kogonada, "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey," starring Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie, Kevin Kline, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Lily Rabe, Jodie Turner-Smith, Billy Magnussen, and Sarah Gadon. Written by Seth Reiss, the fantasy romance film tells the story of a pair of strangers and the unimaginable journey that ties them together. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the writing, direction, performances, score, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, 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

"Plainclothes" is an independent romantic thriller drama film directed by Carmen Emmi and starring Russell Tovey, Tom Blyth, Maria Dizzia, Christian Cooke, Gabe Fazio, Amy Forsyth, and John Bedford Lloyd. It premiered earlier this year at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances, '90s aesthetic, and direction from Emmi. It went on to win the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast. Emmi, Tovey, and Blyth were all kind enough to spend time speaking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters from Magnolia Pictures on September 19th. 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