Blank Check with Griffin & David Critical Darlings: Train Dreams, And Netflix’s Quest For Best Picture
Jan 29, 2026
They ride through Train Dreams, discussing its quiet lead performance, adaptation choices, and visual style. They dig into Sundance’s shifting identity, how premieres shape awards buzz, and the festival’s move toward mainstream clout. They debate Netflix’s long quest for Best Picture credibility and how streaming is changing which films get made and awarded.
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Sundance Has Lost A Single Identity
- Sundance's identity has blurred from a countercultural indie incubator into a marketplace for varied American films.
- Festivals now jockey for prestige as filmmakers chase Cannes or international recognition instead.
Virtual Access Comes With New Costs
- Sundance's online platform broadened access but created piracy and exclusivity dilemmas.
- Festivals now limit which films go online to protect sales and theatrical potential.
A Sundance Memory Thawing Out
- Alison recalls thawing out emotionally at a Sundance screening of Call Me By Your Name in 2017.
- The memory tied the film to relief from a snowy, tense festival atmosphere.
