The Big Picture

Wim Wenders, master filmmaker, joins the podcast to discuss his new film, 'Perfect Days', his career in movies, and his return to a film set in Japan. The hosts also conduct a draft of the best movies of 1991 and reminisce about the impact of films released that year, including their love for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the portrayal of an abusive husband in 'Sleeping with the Enemy'. They touch on the legacy of selected movies, cultural representation in films, and their personal movie picks.

Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell talk about the unsuccessful elements of 'Argylle', a meta spy thriller. They also discuss the decline of "wink action" movies. Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Arcel join to talk about 'The Promised Land' and the differences between making movies in Hollywood and internationally.

Actor and physical media enthusiast Tim Simons joins Sean to discuss the growing trend and value of physical media, the importance of preserving and appreciating movies on physical media, the role of writers and editors in film, exploring movies old and new, and the significance of physical media in today's digital age.

In this podcast, the hosts pay tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman, highlighting his career and impact on the film industry. They analyze his versatility, explore his standout performances, and discuss his unique physicality as an actor. They also discuss his roles in movies like Magnolia and the Mission Impossible franchise, and touch on the tragic twist in 'A Most Wanted Man'. Overall, the podcast celebrates Hoffman's talents and categorizes his films as greens or yellows.

The hosts discuss controversial Oscar nominations and disappointments, the predictability of the Oscars, and their predictions for the best actress category. They also explore the blind spots of the Academy Awards, debate the best debuts and breakthrough performances in film, and discuss potential nominees for the Oscars. Additionally, they admire Sophia Coppola and discuss various films and documentaries they have seen, including a horror movie and a documentary about a young boy's life. Lastly, they delve into a scene from a film that explores the director's intention of making it a reminder of the current world's shift towards a fascistic approach and the ignorance of death and toxicity.

The hosts discuss the lack of surprises and the snubs in the 2024 Oscar nominations. They mention disappointment over Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie's snubs and discuss the strong nominations for 'Oppenheimer'. They also touch on the power of music in cinema and the speculation surrounding Dominic Sessa's nomination prospects. The hosts express their opinions on the supporting actress category nominations and joke about Tom Cruise's email habits.

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.