

The Big Picture
The Ringer
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins review the movies you need to see. Plus: Top 5s, Movie Drafts, Oscars analysis, and more, featuring a rotating cast of Ringer colleagues like Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, and Bill Simmons.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 30, 2021 • 1h 25min
Year-End Mailbag! The Top 10 Performances, Trailers, and Needle Drops of 2021
It’s our last episode of the year and Sean and Amanda are celebrating 2021 by naming their 10 favorite performances on the big screen (1:00) before opening up the mailbag to answer your questions ahead of the new year (38:00).Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda DobbinsProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 28, 2021 • 1h 47min
‘Encanto’ and the 10 Most Underrated Movies of 2021
Andy Greenwald joins Sean to discuss Disney’s latest achievement in animation, ‘Encanto,’ and share some tips for how to be a dad who wants to introduce their child to movies (1:00). Chris Ryan swings by to talk about Paul Verhoeven’s sexy nuns movie, ‘Benedetta’ (38:00). Then, Adam Nayman and Sean list their 10 most underrated, underseen, or underdiscussed movies of 2021 (51:00).Host: Sean FennesseyGuest: Andy Greenwald, Chris Ryan, and Adam NaymanProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 24, 2021 • 1h 11min
‘The Matrix Resurrections’ and the Wachowski Movie Rankings
‘The Matrix Resurrections’ is out in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. Sean and Amanda talk about the film, the franchise (1:00), and the Wachowskis cinematic experience (43:00). Joining them is Ringer staff writer Rob Mahoney.Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda DobbinsGuest: Rob MahoneyProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 22, 2021 • 54min
‘Scream’: The Oral History
Alan Siegel interviews the cast and crew of ‘Scream’ and uncovers what it took to get the iconic horror film made.You can read the written version of this piece at theringer.com.Host: Alan SiegelProducer: Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 21, 2021 • 1h 36min
Spider-Man’s Mega Box Office, Aaron Sorkin’s ‘Being the Ricardos,’ and Best Picture Power Rankings
Sean and Amanda hit the stunning box office success of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (1:00). Then they circle back to the Oscar race because this week sees the release of some serious contenders, including Aaron Sorkin’s ‘Being the Ricardos’ and Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Nightmare Alley’ (12:00). Then, Sean talks with Sean Baker, director and cowriter of ‘Red Rocket’ (1:00:00).Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda DobbinsGuest: Sean BakerProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 17, 2021 • 1h 45min
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Is Here!
We’re talking about the most anticipated movie of the winter: 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.' Swinging into the conversation with Sean and Amanda is our friendly neighbor Mallory Rubin for a spoiler-free (1:40) and then spoiler-packed breakdown of the movie (33:00). Later in this episode, Sean will have a conversation with Tommy Oliver, the director of 'Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss,' the final film in HBO and The Ringer’s Music Box documentary series (1:15:00).Hosts; Sean Fennessey and Amanda DobbinsGuests: Mallory Rubin and Tommy OliverProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 14, 2021 • 1h 33min
The Leonardo DiCaprio Hall of Fame and ‘Don’t Look Up’ With Adam McKay
Sean and Amanda discuss the new Netflix climate crisis satire ‘Don’t Look Up,’ which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Meryl Streep (1:00). Then, they build a Hall of Fame to Leo, one of the best movie stars ever (20:00). Finally, ‘Don’t Look Up’ writer-director Adam McKay joins Sean to discuss his new film (1:00:00).Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda DobbinsGuest: Adam McKayProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 10, 2021 • 1h 29min
‘West Side Story’ and Top Five Steven Spielberg Movies
This week marks the release of Steven Spielberg’s first musical, a remake and modest reimagining of the 1957 show and legendary 1961 film. Sean and Amanda are joined by Joanna Robinson to talk about the original, Spielberg's remake, and their five favorite Spielberg films.Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda DobbinsGuest: Joanna RobinsonProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 9, 2021 • 1h 19min
Top Five Movie Soundtracks
It’s a music-movies team-up episode. Rob Harvilla returns to the show to talk about the art of the soundtrack and share his top five favorites (1:00). Then, Sean talks with John Maggio, who directed the latest entry in The Ringer’s Music Box film series on HBO. His movie, ‘Mr. Saturday Night,’ chronicles the fascinating life of Robert Stigwood, an impresario of stage, screen, and music responsible for projects like ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (46:00).Host: Sean FennesseyGuests: Rob Harvilla and John MaggioProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

7 snips
Dec 7, 2021 • 1h 52min
Top Five Movies of 2021. Plus: Denis Villeneuve on ‘Dune’!
It's time to talk about the best of the year, so Sean and Amanda are joined by Adam Nayman and Chris Ryan to share their five favorite movies of 2021 (1:00). Then, 'Dune' director Denis Villeneuve comes to the show to talk about his extraordinary adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel (1:17:00).Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda DobbinsGuests: Denis Villeneuve, Chris Ryan, and Adam NaymanProducer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


