Next Best Picture Podcast

"Is God Is" is an upcoming American thriller film written and directed by Aleshea Harris in her feature directorial debut, and starring Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, Vivica A. Fox, and Sterling K. Brown. It is based on Harris's 2018 play of the same name. Young, Johnson, Alexander, and Fox were all kind enough to spend some time talking 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 from Amazon MGM Studios on May 15th. 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 491, on the day I leave for Cannes, I am joined by Lauren LaMagna, Dan Bayer, and Megan Lachinski to deliver a final preview of the 79th edition of the world's largest film festival. For this week's poll question, to tie into the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, we're asking everyone: "Which Films From The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll, for the announcement of the new Oscar rules, where we asked, "Which Film Festival Prize Winner From The Last Decade Would You Have Nominated For The Oscar Under The New Best International Feature Rules?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Tony," "Evil Dead Burn," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! We hope you enjoy this week's episode. We'll be back midway through the Cannes Film Festival to give you an update on the films Cody Dericks, Nadia Dalimonte, and I have been seeing, and then we'll be fully back in two weeks with our final rundown of the festival. Until then! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. Au revoir! 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, and Will Mavity join me to review and discuss "Mortal Kombat II" starring Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim & Hiroyuki Sanada. A sequel to "Mortal Kombat" (2021), it is the fourth installment in the "Mortal Kombat" film series. It introduces Karl Urban's Johnny Cage as he joins his fellow Earthrealm fighters in an inter-dimensional tournament against the Outworld warriors to stop the tyrannical emperor Shao Kahn, with the help of Edenian princess Kitana. What did we think of this sequel? Please tune in as we discuss the action, bloody kills, the acting, story, 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

"Silent Friend" is a 2025 historical drama film written and directed by Ildikó Enyedi, starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Léa Seydoux, Luna Wedler, Sylvester Groth, and Martin Wuttke. It follows a single ginkgo tree through three loosely connected stories spanning different eras: 1908, 1972, and 2020, set in the old university town of Marburg, Germany. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize and the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Wedler. Enyedi and Leung were both kind enough to spend some time talking 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 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

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture The nominations for the 79th annual Tony Awards were announced yesterday and were led by "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon!" with 12 nominations each. "Ragtime" received 11 nominations, while "Cats: The Jellicle Ball," "Death of a Salesman," and "Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show" each received 9 nominations. What did Cody Dericks, Lauren LaMagna & Dan Bayer think of this year's nominees? Which nominations surprised them, made them happy, and left them feeling the most disappointed? Please tune in below to listen to their thoughts and find out. NBT will return with a winner predictions episode shortly before the 2026 Tony Awards on June 7th. Thank you for all of your support. 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 Film" is a 2025 indie drama film written and directed by Elliot Tuttle, starring Kieron Moore as a camboy who agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client (Reed Birney), only to discover a shocking tie to his past. It had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival last year and received positive reviews for Tuttle's screenplay and the performances from Moore and Birney. Tuttle, Moore, and Birney were all kind enough to spend some time talking 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 select theaters on May 8th from Obscured Releasing. 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

"Wuthering Heights" is a 2026 romantic period drama film produced, written, and directed by Emerald Fennell. Loosely based on the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, the film is a reinterpretation intended by Fennell to "recreate the feeling of a teenage girl reading this book for the first time." Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi respectively star as Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, alongside Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, and Ewan Mitchell in supporting roles. The film premiered earlier this year and was a box-office success, grossing $242 million worldwide. Production Designer Susie Davies & Set Decorator Charlotte Dirickx were kind enough to spend some time talking with Ema Sasic, and I spoke with Cinematographer Linus Sandgren 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 at home on HBO Max and will be available to own on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray. 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 490, with one week before we set off for Cannes, I am joined by Katie Johnson, Dan Bayer, Amy Kim, and Tom O'Brien as we discuss the new rules announced by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for the 99th Oscars and Audiences. For this week's poll question, to tie into the announcement, we're asking everyone: "Which Film Festival Prize Winner From The Last Decade Would You Have Nominated For The Oscar Under The New Best International Feature Rules?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll, for the release of "The Devil Wears Prada 2," where we asked, "Which Of Meryl Streep's Oscar Nominations Is Your Favorite?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Verity," "Resident Evil," "One Night Only," "Jackass: Best And Last," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you 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, Dan Bayer, and Cody Dericks join me to review and discuss "The Devil Wears Prada 2" starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Justin Theroux, Kenneth Branagh, and Stanley Tucci. A sequel to the 2006 film "The Devil Wears Prada," the film reunites the old cast and crew to tell the story of Runway Magazine fighting to survive in an era where journalism is struggling. What did we think of this hotly anticipated sequel, twenty years removed from the original's release? Please tune in as we discuss the story, the performances, the costumes, 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

"Two Pianos" (or in French, "Deux pianos") is a 2025 French romantic drama film directed by Arnaud Desplechin, starring François Civil as a virtuoso French pianist who returns from Asia to experience an impossible love story in his hometown of Lyon. The cast also includes Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Charlotte Rampling, and Hippolyte Girardot. The film had its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and received positive reviews. Desplechin was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his 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 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

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 Our 2008 retrospective continues with John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of his own Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning 2004 stage play "Doubt: A Parable" with "Doubt" starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. With four Oscar-nominated performances driving the gripping drama, exploring themes such as doubt and uncertainty, certainty vs. suspicion, moral responsibility, power and institutional accountability, and tradition vs. change, the film has given Aaron Isenstein, Dan Bayer, Cody Dericks, Tom O'Brien, and me a lot to discuss. Tune in as we talk about the writing, direction, performances, cinematography from Roger Deakins, its awards season run, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Please check out our past review for "Frost/Nixon." We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy our review! 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

"Hokum" is a supernatural horror film written and directed by Damian McCarthy, starring Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, and Austin Amelio. Scott plays an author who travels to a remote part of Ireland to spread the ashes of his deceased parents, unaware that his rented accommodation could be haunted. The film premiered at the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival and received positive reviews from critics for its haunting atmosphere, jump scares, integration of Irish folklore, and Scott's performance. Scott and McCarthy were both kind enough to spend some time talking 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 on May 1st 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

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, Sara Clements, Larry Fried, and Brendan Hodges join me to discuss David Lowery's newest film, "Mother Mary," starring Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, and FKA Twigs. A different kind of ghost story from Lowery, the dark psychological drama functions as a chamber piece high on metaphor and symbolism about creative collaboration and what it means to be an artist, with a haunting atmosphere and a banger of a pop soundtrack. It's certainly a vibe, but that vibe may not be for everyone. So, what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the performances from Hathaway and Coel, Lowery's direction, his dense writing and its many interpretations, the craft of the film, if we feel it has any awards potential, 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

"Omaha" is a 2025 American drama film directed by Cole Webley (making his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Robert Machoian ("The Killing Of Two Lovers" and "The Integrity Of Joseph Chambers"). The film stars John Magaro as a father who takes his two children on a cross-country trip after a family tragedy. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival as an entry in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category, where it received positive reviews for Webley's direction and Magaro's lead performance. Webley and Machoian were both kind enough to spend some time talking 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 NY, will open in LA on May 1st, and expand nationwide on May 8th from Greenwich Entertainment. You can also check out our in-depth interview with John Magaro here. 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 489, I am joined by Nadia Dalimonte, Megan Lachinski, and Larry Fried as we discuss the ongoing debate between Critics and Audiences, which has been given renewed attention this week with the release of "Michael." We also discuss the additions to the 2026 Cannes Film Festival across multiple sections, including James Gray's "Paper Tiger" and Zachary Wigon's "Victorian Psycho." For this week's poll question, for the release of "The Devil Wears Prada 2," we're asking everyone: "Which Upcoming Movies From CinemaCon 2026 Are You Most Excited To See?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll, for CinemaCon, asking, "Which Upcoming Movies From CinemaCon 2026 Are You Most Excited To See?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Coyote vs. Acme," "Leviticus," "Carolina Caroline," "Idiots," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you 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, Josh Parham, Giovanni Lago, and Daniel Howat join me to review and discuss "Michael" starring Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Juliano Valdi, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Laura Harrier, Jessica Sula, Mike Myers, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and with direct involvement from the Jackson estate, the film tells the life story of mega-music superstar Michael Jackson... up to a point. The music biopic covers his involvement with the Jackson 5 in the 1960s and 1970s, up to the "Bad" tour in the 1980s, while ignoring the controversies that plagued his later years. The decision has divided critics and audiences, sparking a ton of discourse about the role of critics, Michael Jackson himself, and the music biopic subgenre in Hollywood. Well, what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the story, the acting, the direction, the musical performances, 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

"Apex" is a 2026 survival action thriller film directed by Baltasar Kormákur, written by Jeremy Robbins, and starring Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana. It tells the story of a rock climber in the wild who is hunted by a hunter as she struggles to survive. Feature debut screenwriter Robbins 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 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

"Omaha" is a 2025 American drama film directed by Cole Webley and written by Robert Machoian. The film stars John Magaro as a father who takes his two children on a cross-country trip after a family tragedy. The independent film had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, where it received positive reviews for Magaro's performance. Magaro was kind enough to be our second fully produced in-studio interview and spent a while talking with us about his career (including "Past Lives," "Not Fade Away," "The Bride!" "My Soul To Take," "First Cow," "Unbroken," "September 5," and more), experience making the film, his views on acting, the industry, and more, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Greenwich 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

"Mother Mary" is a psychological drama-thriller film written and directed by David Lowery. It stars Anne Hathaway as the iconic pop star, Mother Mary, who reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer (played by Michaela Coel) on the eve of her comeback performance as long-buried wounds between the two rise to the surface and a more sinister presence emerges. The film also stars Hunter Schafer, FKA Twigs, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Isaura Barbé-Brown, Sian Clifford, and Alba Baptista. Lowery was kind enough to spend some time speaking with me, while promoting the film in between screenings, about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, now playing in limited release from A24 and expanding nationwide on April 24th. 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

"Fuze" is a 2025 British crime thriller heist film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Ben Hopkins, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington. Set in London, there is a citywide evacuation when an unexploded World War II bomb is unearthed at a busy construction site. Amid the escalating tension and chaos, a daring criminal operation is set in motion -- one that uses the evacuation as a cover for a meticulously planned bank heist. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur, and moral boundaries are crossed. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its action, tension, twists, and muscular direction. Taylor-Johnson, Worthington, and Mackenzie were all kind enough to spend some time talking 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 April 24th from Roadside Attractions and Saban 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

"Over Your Dead Body" is an American action-comedy-thriller film directed by Jorma Taccone and written by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney. It is an English-language remake of the 2021 film "The Trip" starring Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Paul Guilfoyle, Keith Jardine, Timothy Olyphant, and Juliette Lewis. The film had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances, action from 87North Productions, and dark comedy. Taccone 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 April 24th from Independent Film Company. 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 EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture The Next Best Series Podcast is back as Alyssa Christian and Giovanni Lago join me to discuss the latest series, shows, and awards season updates for all things television! On this new episode, we discuss our first Emmy nomination predictions on the site, the shows competing in this year's Emmy awards race that did not receive any previous precursors including "Margo's Got Money Troubles," "The Boys," "Rooster," "Industry," "The Comeback," "A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms," "The Madison," and more! Please tune in as we go through our current consensus picks as of today, who we feel are the early frontrunners, and we also go over other shows we've been catching up on since the last time you heard from us! Thank you for your continued support. We hope you enjoy this episode and all the others still to come this Emmy Awards season. 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

"I Swear" is a 2025 British biographical drama film directed, written, and produced by Kirk Jones. It is based on the true life story of John Davidson, a Scottish man with severe Tourette syndrome who was the subject of the 1989 television documentary "John's Not Mad." The film stars Robert Aramayo as Davidson, alongside Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, and Peter Mullan in supporting roles, with Scott Ellis Watson making his acting debut as a young Davidson. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received universal acclaim from critics, who praised the performances of Aramayo and Mullan. The film received five nominations at the 79th British Academy Film Awards, winning two for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Aramayo and Best Casting. Aramayo 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 US theaters on April 24th 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

"Amrum" is a 2025 German historical drama film directed by Fatih Akin and co-written by Akin with Hark Bohm, based on Bohm's childhood on the German island of Amrum during the last months of World War II. It stars Jasper Billerbeck, Kian Köppke, Laura Tonke, Diane Kruger, Detlev Buck and Matthias Schweighöfer. The film had its world premiere in the Cannes Premiere section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its direction, writing, and lead performance from Billerbeck. Bohm died two months after the film's German theatrical release, and the film is dedicated to his memory. Akin 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, now playing at the Quad Cinema in New York and opening at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles on April 24th 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

For Episode 488, I am joined by Aaron Isenstein, Daniel Howat, and Giovanni Lago as Howat recaps his experience at this year's CinemaCon and the films showcased. We also discuss the Cannes sidebar announcements, including Critics' Week, Acid, and Directors' Fortnight. For this week's poll question, we're asking everyone: "Which Upcoming Movies From CinemaCon 2026 Are You Most Excited To See?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll asking, "Which Films From The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Focker-In-Law," "The Dog Stars," "Street Fighter," and "Passenger," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you 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, Josh Parham, and Cody Dericks join me to review and discuss "Lee Cronin's The Mummy," starring Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Verónica Falcón, and Natalie Grace. A reimagining of "The Mummy" franchise (Not THAT "Mummy" franchise starring Brendan Fraser), the film is produced by James Wan and Jason Blum and brings a much darker, more sinister edge to the franchise than has ever been seen before. It injects the same style and tone Cronin brought to the "Evil Dead" franchise, producing something gory, shocking, and punishingly brutal for both the characters and the audience. But what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the story, the acting, sound work, makeup effects, 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

"Wasteman" is a 2025 British prison film directed by Cal McMau from a screenplay by Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran. The film stars David Jonsson and Tom Blyth as incarcerated cellmates who have to do what they need to do in order to survive the prison's brutal conditions. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for McMau's intense and gritty direction and the powerful performances from Jonsson and Blyth. The two young actors 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 theaters from Sunrise 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

"Erupcja" is a 2025 drama film directed and produced by Pete Ohs, from a screenplay by Ohs, Jeremy O. Harris, Charli XCX, Lena Góra, and Will Madden. It stars XCX, Góra, O. Harris, and Madden. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival in the Centerpiece section, and also played in New York at Film at Lincoln Center as part of the New Directors, New Films program. The film follows Nel (Góra), who lives in Warsaw, Poland, where she works at a flower shop. When her childhood friend Bethany (XCX) comes to visit with a new boyfriend (O. Harris), a volcano erupts. Ohs, O. Harris, and Góra were 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 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 Christophers" is a 2025 black comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Ed Solomon. It stars Sir Ian McKellen, Michaela Coel, Jessica Gunning, and James Corden. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews from critics for Ed Solomon's screenplay and the performances of Sir Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel, mostly in a chamber piece under the direction of Soderbergh. McKellen and Cole were 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 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

"Mile End Kicks" is a 2025 Canadian romantic comedy film written and directed by Chandler Levack. Based in part on Levack's own young adulthood before becoming a professional music critic and filmmaker, the film stars Barbie Ferreira as Grace Pine, a young woman who moves to Montreal, Quebec, in 2011 to write a book about Alanis Morissette's album Jagged Little Pill but instead becomes romantically involved with Archie (Devon Bostick) and Chevy (Stanley Simons), two members of the aspiring indie rock band Bone Patrol, and takes a job as the band's publicist. The cast also includes Jay Baruchel, Juliette Gariépy, Robert Naylor, Emily Lê, Hasani Freeman, Magi Merlin, and Isaiah Lehtinen. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews. Levack was kind enough to spend some time talking 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 is now playing in theaters from Sumerian. 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 Hello NBP Film Community! Our 2008 retrospective has officially begun!! And we're kicking things off with Ron Howard's politically charged film adaptation of the stage play of the same name, written for both mediums by Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon" starring Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Toby Jones, Matthew Macfadyen, Oliver Platt & Sam Rockwell. With its terrifying, eerie ties to today's political landscape, how does it hold up? Join Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Tom O'Brien, and me as we discuss our thoughts on the performances, writing, direction, editing, its awards season run, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy our discussion! 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

"Lorne" is an American documentary film directed and produced by Morgan Neville about the creator of Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels. The film features exclusive, archival, and interview footage of notorious Saturday Night Live personalities, including Tina Fey, Chris Rock, Conan O'Brien, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, John Mulaney, as well as Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Kristen Wiig, Mike Myers, and Paul Simon. Being the private individual he is, this is the closest anyone has come to understanding the real Lorne Michaels, or at least, as close as he will still allow. Neville 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 be released in theaters on April 17th by 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

"Blue Heron" is a 2025 drama film written and directed by Sophy Romvari in her directorial debut. Described as "semi-autobiographical," the film is based in part on Romvari's own childhood and her previous short film "Still Processing." The film stars Eylul Guven as Sasha, the eight-year-old daughter of a Hungarian immigrant family who relocate to Vancouver Island in the late 1990s, while their oldest son, Jeremy (Edik Beddoes), displays increasingly dangerous behavioral issues in their new environment. The cast also includes Ádám Tompa and Iringó Réti as Sasha's parents, Liam Serg and Preston Drabble as Sasha's brothers, and Amy Zimmer as Adult Sasha. The film had its world premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival, receiving universal acclaim, winning the Swatch First Feature Award, and later the Best Canadian Discovery award at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Romvari was kind enough to spend some time talking 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 April 17th by Janus 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

"Normal" is a 2025 American action film directed by Ben Wheatley and written by Derek Kolstad, based on a story by Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk. Odenkirk also stars in the film alongside Henry Winkler and Lena Headey. The film premiered in the Midnight Madness program at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and received positive reviews for its practical action, small-town dark comedy, and Odenkirk's performance. Odenkirk and Wheatley were 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 be released in theaters on April 17th by Magnolia 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

"Bunnylovr" is a 2025 American drama film written, directed by, and starring Katarina Zhu. The film follows a Chinese-American cam girl who navigates a toxic client relationship while reconnecting with her dying father. Alongside Zhu, Rachel Sennott, Austin Amelio, Perry Yung, and Jack Kilmer star in supporting roles. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is Zhu's directorial debut, showcasing a talent both in front of and behind the camera that is worth watching for in the future. Zhu was kind enough to spend some time talking 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 is now playing in theaters from Utopia. 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 487, I am joined by Lauren LaMagna, Dan Bayer, and Will Mavity as we give our reactions to the lineup for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. For this week's poll question, for the announcement of the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival lineup, we're asking everyone: "Which Films From The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll for the release of Steven Soderbergh's newest film, "The Christophers," where we asked "Which Is Your Favorite Ian McKellen Performance?" We also share our reactions to the trailer for "The Invite," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you 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 and Dan Bayer join me to discuss "You, Me & Tuscany," starring Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, Lorenzo de Moor, Isabella Ferrari, Aziza Scott, Marco Calvani & Nia Vardalos. Directed by Kat Coiro and written by Ryan Engle, it takes place in Italy and tells the story of a young cook who squats in an abandoned Tuscan villa owned by a man she barely knows, and she meets the owner's cousin. A POC-led American romantic comedy, the film has been saddled with expectations to perform well at the box office so that other similar projects can be greenlit. Is this fair? What is the current state of the rom-com genre for theatrical exhibition? Why isn't Regé-Jean Page a bigger star, and what will become of Halle Bailey's still young and blossoming career? Did we enjoy this film despite its flaws? Please tune in as we discuss the story, comedy, romantic chemistry between the two leads, 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 Stranger" is a 2025 drama film written and directed by François Ozon, based on Albert Camus's 1942 novel "The Stranger". Benjamin Voisin stars in the lead role of Meursault, alongside Rebecca Marder, Pierre Lottin, Swann Arlaud, and Denis Lavant. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion. Ozon 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 is now playing in NY, LA, San Francisco, Washington DC, Portland, Indianapolis, Baltimore, with a national expansion to follow from Music Box 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

"Faces Of Death" is a 2026 American horror film and reimagining of the 1978 film by John Alan Schwartz. Directed by Daniel Goldhaber and co-written with Isa Mazzei, it stars Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Josie Totah, Aaron Holliday, Jermaine Fowler, and Charli XCX. The film premiered at the Beyond Fest in Chicago as a 35mm screening and received positive reviews for its performances and direction. Goldhaber and Mazzei were 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 April 10th from Independent Film Company. 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

"Exit 8" is a 2025 Japanese mystery psychological horror film directed by Genki Kawamura, who co-wrote the screenplay with Kentaro Hirase, based on the 2023 video game "The Exit 8" developed by Kotake Create. The film had its world premiere in the Midnight Screenings section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it received widespread acclaim from critics and has already been a financial success overseas. Kawamura 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 April 10th 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

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, Dan Bayer, Lauren LaMagna, and Larry Fried join me to discuss Kristoffer Borgli's "The Drama" starring Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Zoë Winters & Hailey Benton Gates. The dark romantic comedy follows a happily engaged couple who get put to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week off the rails. The film's marketing by A24 brilliantly held back the big reveal that propels the story and sparks a ton of conversation, forcing audiences to go to the theater to find out for themselves. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the shocking reveal, the performances from Zendaya, Pattinson, and the supporting players, how Borgli handles the controversial subject matter, the editing, its shifting perspectives, any awards potential it may have later in the year, 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 Drama" is an American romantic dark comedy film written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a happily engaged couple whose relationship is tested by an unexpected revelation during the week before their wedding. It also stars Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, and Hailey Gates in supporting roles. The film has received positive reviews from critics for its acting, direction, and screenplay. It has been a hit for A24 at the box office, driven especially by the audience's desire to know the big "reveal" that the film's marketing has brilliantly kept hidden. Haim, Athie, and editor Joshua Raymond Lee (who cut the film using Adobe Premiere) were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their work and experiences 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. Please note that there are SPOILERS throughout these two interviews. 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 486, I am joined by Josh Parham and Ema Sasic as we look ahead to April 9th, and the announcement of the lineup for the 79th Cannes Film Festival, and discuss which films we think will be announced for this year's festival. For this week's poll question, for the release of Steven Soderbergh's newest film "The Christophers," we're asking everyone: "Which Is Your Favorite Ian McKellen Performance?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll asking "Which Has Been Your Favorite Film Of Q1 2026?", share our reactions to the trailers for "Backrooms," "Deep Water," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you 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, Giovanni Lago, and Daniel Howat join me to discuss "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," starring Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, Glen Powell, and Brie Larson. The film is the sequel to "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," which was released in 2023, with many of the same voice actors returning and new additions of Safdie, Glover, Powell, and Larson as Bowser Jr., Yoshi, Fox McCloud, and Princess Rosalina, respectively. With the creative team of directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic and screenwriter Matthew Fogel all returning after the massive success of the first film, how does this intergalactic sequel hold up for fans of the popular Nintendo property and newcomers? Please tune in as we discuss the action, story, characters, animation, score, 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 Blue Trail" is a dystopian drama film directed and co-written by Gabriel Mascaro. Starring Denise Weinberg and Rodrigo Santoro, the film follows the 77-year-old Tereza, forced to retire from her job and placed under the guardianship of her daughter, who defies a government order to relocate its growing elderly population, embarking instead on a personal journey through the Amazon. It had its world premiere at the main competition of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize. Mascaro 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, now playing in New York at the Angelika Theatre and in Los Angeles at the Landmark Nuart Theater, from Dekanalog. 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 EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture The Next Best Series Podcast is back as Megan Lachinski, Giovanni Lago, Nadia Dalimonte, and Amy Kim join me to discuss the latest series, shows, and awards season updates for all things television! On this return episode, we discuss the shows which did or did not receive an early boost from the Critics Choice, Golden Globes and Actor Awards that will be competing in this year's Emmy Awards season including "Pluribus," "Task," "Black Rabbit," "All Her Fault," "The Diplomat," and more! Please tune in as we examine which ones might be serious Emmy contenders, who we feel are the early frontrunners, and we also go over other shows we've been catching up on since the last time you heard from us! We'll be posting new episodes every two to three weeks this year (depending on how the scheduling works out), and on our next episode we'll talk about all the new shows contending for Emmy gold. Thank you for your continued support. It feels good to be back. We hope you enjoy this episode and all the others still to come this Emmy Awards season. 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

"Fantasy Life" is an American comedy film written and directed by Matthew Shear in his directorial debut. It stars Amanda Peet, Shear, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Bob Balaban, Andrea Martin, Zosia Mamet, Jessica Harper, Holland Taylor, and Sheng Wang. It had its world premiere at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it received positive reviews for Shear's writing and direction, as well as Peet's performance. Shear 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 is now playing in theaters from Greenwich 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

"Our Hero, Balthazar" is an American dark comedy-drama film directed and produced by Oscar Boyson in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by Boyson and Ricky Camilleri. It stars Jaeden Martell, Asa Butterfield, Chris Bauer, Jennifer Ehle, Anna Baryshnikov, Noah Centineo, Becky Ann Baker, Avan Jogia, and Pippa Knowles. It tells the story of a wealthy teenager who tries to gain his crush's attention by posting videos pleading for stricter gun laws. As an online troll begins mocking his videos, he becomes convinced the troll is a mass shooter, and travels to Texas to confront him. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances, direction, and writing. Martell, Butterfield, Boyson, and Camilleri were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their work and experiences on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in NY, opening in Los Angeles on April 3rd, and expanding nationwide throughout the month from Picturehouse. 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

"Kontinental '25" is a Romanian absurdist black comedy-drama film written and directed by Radu Jude. It stars Eszter Tompa as a bailiff in Cluj-Napoca who faces a moral crisis when a homeless man she has evicted kills himself. Its title is inspired by the Roberto Rossellini film Europe '51. An international co-production between Romania, Brazil, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg, the film premiered at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay. Jude was kind enough to return to the podcast and 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 is now playing in theaters 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

For Episode 485, I am joined by Josh Parham, Aaron Danielle, and Giovanni Lago as we look back on the first three months of 2026 to name our favorite, least favorite, most surprising, and disappointing film releases of the year so far. Tying into this week's poll question, we're asking everyone: "Which Has Been Your Favorite Film Of Q1 2026?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll asking "Which 2026 Awards Season Contenders Are You Most Looking Forward To?," share our reactions to the trailers for "Moana," "Forgotten Island," "The Furious," "Rosebush Pruning," "Stop! That! Train!," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you 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, Josh Parham, Aaron Isenstein, Dan Bayer, and Tom O'Brien join me to discuss "They Will Kill You," starring Zazie Beetz, Myha'la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham & Patricia Arquette. Written and directed by Kirill Sokolov (co-written with Alex Litvak), the action-horror-comedy combines many genres into B-movie shlock to provide bloodthirsty audiences with as much entertainment as possible from its simple premise: a woman desperately searching for her sister encounters a satanic cult in a foreboding New York City high-rise. What did we think of it, though? Please tune in as we discuss the action, Zazie Beetz's performance, the wacky directions the story takes, whether the "eat the rich" trope is getting played out, whether we think there will be a sequel, 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