The Big Picture

Andrew Scott, star of 'All of Us Strangers', joins the hosts to talk about his role, selecting roles in his career, and building chemistry with costars. They also predict the Oscar nominations and review 'Mean Girls', a musical remake, before discussing 'All of Us Strangers', a heavily-tipped Oscar movie.

Guest Jake Johnson, a first-time feature director, joins the hosts to talk about his movie 'Self Reliance' and how it fits into his career arc. The hosts also auction draft their most anticipated movies for 2024, including 'Dune Part 2' and 'Challengers.' They discuss natural disasters, speculate on plotlines for 'Rebel Moon 2' and 'Furiosa Medmax Saga,' and reflect on the themes of life and death in current events.

A live screening of 'Oppenheimer' at IMAX in Los Angeles brings together the cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, editor Jennifer Lame, and composer Ludwig Göransson. They discuss shooting on film and in IMAX format, the collaborative process of creating the music and sound world, the director's vision, and favorite sequences from the film.

Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes discuss 'May December', exploring its performances, satire reception, rendering the recent past, and more. The hosts also react to movie news and rankings, analyze Yorgos Lanthimos's 'Poor Things', and refresh their Best Picture power rankings.

Christopher Nolan, Director of 'Oppenheimer', discusses his film's success at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards. The hosts critique the TV production and discuss other successful movies like 'The Holdovers'. They also talk about the shortcomings, decline in ratings, and popular memes from the ceremony. The hosts analyze the etiquette of giving speeches in public, improvements in award show process and enhancements in production. They also touch upon an actor's hobbies, physical endurance, funny moments, film genres, and Bruce Springsteen's attendance at the Golden Globes.

Chris Ryan, along with Sean and Amanda, recounts the plot of 'Night Swim' after previously explaining the plot of 'Barbarian' to Amanda. They discuss their most anticipated movies of 2024 including 'Dune: Part Two' and 'Furiosa'.

The podcast covers box office thoughts, the films 'Anyone but You' and 'The Color Purple', and New Year's movie resolutions. They discuss their visit to the Living Desert, a redo of a Tony Gilroy movie, the challenges of marketing and releasing movies, Glenn Powell's versatility, weddings in movies, and the challenges and successes of a movie adaptation. They also share their movie and podcast resolutions for 2024.

The podcast discusses underrated movies of 2023, including 'Bottoms' and 'Joyride'. They also delve into pro wrestling and the Von Erich family's representation in 'The Iron Claw'. The challenges of recreating pro wrestling in cinema and casting stars like Zac Efron are explored. The hosts praise acting performances, scenes from the movie, and the emotional portrayal of brotherhood. They share their fascination with the Von Eric family and the struggles of setting up a wrestling venue. They also discuss a visit to MoMA and their experience with a Richard Sarah art installation.

Chris Ryan, The Ringer’s Michael Mann aficionado, joins Sean and Amanda to discuss 'Ferrari' and their top five Michael Mann movies. They talk about the casting choices, Adam Driver's performance, and whether 'Ferrari' will be Mann's last film. They also share their favorite Michael Mann movies, including 'Collateral' and its depiction of Los Angeles.

Cord Jefferson, director of 'American Fiction', joins Sean to discuss the challenges of directing a film as a writer and the movie's remarkable cast. They also talk about the state of family dramas and satires, and Cord shares his future projects. Sean and Amanda start the show by sharing their top 5 movie scenes of 2023, and later discuss 'American Fiction' as a refreshing mix of genres.