The Next Best Picture Podcast

For Episode 464, Josh Parham, Giovanni Lago, and I are here to recap the 2025 Gotham Film Award Nominations. For this week's poll, as "Predator: Badlands" is set for a wide release and "Sentimental Value" is scheduled for a limited release in theaters this weekend, we're asking, "Which Is Your Favorite Film Starring Elle Fanning?" We also reveal the winner of last week's poll, for the release of "Bugonia," in which we asked, "Which Is Your Favorite Yorgos Lanthimos Film?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Scream 7," "Dead Man's Wire," "Little Amélie or the Character of Rain," "Sirāt," and "Fackham Hall," 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

Ben Langford, a film writer and critic, joins the panel to dive into Yorgos Lanthimos's latest release, "Bugonia," exploring its dark humor and complex themes. He highlights how the film compares to its South Korean predecessor and discusses its critique of conspiracy culture and environmental issues. The conversation reveals mixed feelings on the film's tonal shifts, the effectiveness of absurd violence, and the poignant metaphor of bees. Emma Stone's standout performance and the film's visual craftsmanship receive acclaim, all culminating in a thoughtful debate on its merits and awards potential.

"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

Will Tracy, a talented screenwriter known for his work on "Succession" and "The Menu," discusses his unique adaptation of the absurdist black comedy film "Bugonia." He reveals his approach to the source material, emphasizing a contemporary feel while respecting the original. The conversation touches on character dynamics, with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons sharing insights on finding humanity amidst absurdity. They also explore creative choices, festival reactions, and the symbolic role of bees, all intertwined with themes of ecology and madness.

"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