Next Best Picture Podcast

For Episode 436, I am joined by Daniel Howat and Katie Johnson to discuss what we think will be announced this week for the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and recap what was announced at CinemaCon this week. We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Film From Q1 2025?" and pose this week's poll question for the release of "Warfare" asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Project Alex Garland Has Written And/Or Directed?" We also react to the trailers for "Tron: Ares," "M3GAN 2.0," "Bring Her Back," "Fountain Of Youth," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, and subscribing. We hope you enjoy this episode, and we will see you all next week.Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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, Giovanni Lago, and I are reviewing and discussing "A Minecraft Movie" starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers & Sebastian Hansen. Adapted from the immensely popular 2011 video game Minecraft by Mojang Studios, the film is directed by Academy Award-nominee Jared Hess and celebrates the power of creativity. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the performances, visuals, story and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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 Friend" had its world premiere at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances from Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, and the Great Dane Bing, and the writing and direction from filmmakers Scott McGehee & David Siegel that made audiences laugh and cry. Based on the 2018 novel by Sigrid Nunez, the film tells the story of a New York City writer who reluctantly inherits a Great Dane named Apollo from her dearly departed friend but soon comes to realize it may be the best thing that's ever happened for her in order to move on from her grief. McGehee & Siegel were both kind enough to speak with me about their work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Bleecker Street. Thank you, and enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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

"Freaky Tales" had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its homage to 80's genre films and Oakland, California, with a game cast who were all tuned in to filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's distinct vision for the anthology film. Starring Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani Kordei Hamilton, Dominque Thorne, Ben Mendelsohn, Ji-young Yoo, Jack Champion, Angus Cloud & Kier Gilchrist, the film depicts four interconnected stories taking place at real locations and during real historical events in 1987 Oakland, California. Boden and Fleck were both kind enough to speak with me about their work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Lionsgate. Thank you, and enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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/NextBestPictureAfter making its return in the last episode discussing the Emmy contenders that received Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations, the Next Best Series Podcast is back to discuss the hit new shows contending for Emmy nominations that didn't receive any of those previous precursors. Ema Sasic, Nadia Dalimonte, Giovanni Lago, and Tom O'Brien all join me to discuss shows such as "The Pitt," "The Studio," "Adolescence," "Severance," "The White Lotus" and more! Please tune in as we examine which ones might receive Emmy nominations and review our first nomination predictions for the season! We'll be back with another new episode in two weeks. Thank you for your continued support. We hope you enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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

"Gazer" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its homage to film-noir, guerrilla-style independent filmmaking, and lead performance from Ariella Mastroianni. Director/Writer/Producer/Editor Ryan J. Sloan (making his feature directorial debut with this film) and Mastroianni, who also co-wrote and produced alongside Sloan were both kind enough to spend some time speaking with me about their work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters from Metrograph Pictures on Friday, April 4th. Thank you, and enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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

"Hell Of A Summer" had its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Festival in the Midnight Madness section, where it received positive reviews for its homage to slasher films, the mixture of comedy and horror, and performances from its young cast of up and coming actors. Directors, writers, producers, stars, and friends Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk, along with star Fred Hechinger, were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with me about their work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters from NEON on Friday, April 4th. Thank you, and enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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

"Eric LaRue" had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances and direction from Academy Award-nominated actor Michael Shannon (making his feature directorial debut) as he brought Brett Neveu's play of the same name to the screen. Shannon was kind enough to spend some time speaking with me about his work on the film, while Dan Bayer spoke with two of the film's stars, Judy Greer and Alexander Skarsgård, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters from Magnolia Pictures on Friday, April 4th. Thank you, and enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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

"Julie Keeps Quiet" had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in the Critics' Week section, where it won the Gan Foundation Award for Distribution and SACD Award. Leonardo Van Dijl (in his directorial debut), along with his co-writer Ruth Becquart, tells a quiet story of abuse in the world of tennis. It received positive reviews and was chosen as the Belgian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. Van Dijl was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work 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 Paradiso Films. Thank you, and enjoy!Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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 435, I am joined by Josh Parham and Katie Johnson to discuss our favorite movies from Q1 of 2025. We also talk about other various pieces of news this week within the film industry, reveal the winner of last week's poll, asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Movie To Feature A Unicorn?" and pose this week's poll question asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Film From Q1 2025?" We also react to the trailers for "One Battle After Another," "Final Destination: Bloodlines," answer your fan-submitted questions and more! Thank you all for listening, supporting, and subscribing. We hope you enjoy this episode, and we will see you all next week.Check out more on NextBestPicture.comPlease subscribe on...Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jTYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOwAnd 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