The Next Best Picture Podcast

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Giovanni Lago, Amy Kim, and Larry Fried join me to review and discuss "Supergirl" starring Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet & Jason Momoa. Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, it is the second film in the DC Universe (DCU) following Jame Gunn's "Superman" last year. How does this film compare and continue under producers Peter Safran and James Gunn's vision for DC Studios? Please tune in as we discuss the story, visuals, design, action, humor, Milly Alcock's performance, Krypto, Jason Momoa's Lobo, its awa...

"Romería" is a 2025 drama film written and directed by Carla Simón. It stars Llúcia Garcia as Marina, a young woman seeking the truth about her deceased biological father. The plot consists of a fictionalized account of Simón's own experiences. The film premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme D'Or and received positive reviews from critics for its direction, lead performance from Llúcia Garcia, editing, and cinematography. Simón was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about her work and experience making the film, which you can li...

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 Pride Month coming to an end, we figured there was no better time in our 2008 retrospective to revisit Gus Van Sant's "Milk," starring Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, and James Franco. Written by Dustin Lance Black and heavily influenced by the Oscar-winning 1984 documentary "The Times of Harvey Milk," the film, which was released after the passage of Proposition 8 in California, w...

"The Invite" is a 2026 American comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde and written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones. It is an English-language remake of the Spanish film "The People Upstairs" by Cesc Gay. It stars Wilde alongside Seth Rogen as a deteriorating couple who invite their enigmatic neighbors, played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, to a dinner party that spirals into unexpected places. The film premiered at the Eccles Theater as a part of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews from critics for its direction, screenplay, and performances. Wilde was kind enough to spend som...

"Very Important People" is an American improvisational comedy talk show that premiered on Dropout in December 2023, hosted by Vic Michaelis as a fictionalized version of themself. A reboot of the 2010 CollegeHumor series "Hello, My Name Is...," episodes feature comedians who, after being unwittingly transformed via extensive makeup and costuming, have to devise characters from first impressions for an interview with Michaelis' host persona. The show's third season aired from December 2025 to June 2026. Michaelis was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experience making the talk show, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to...

"Skyscraper Live" is a Netflix special in which American climber Alex Honnold ("Free Solo") scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan without ropes. The ascent was broadcast live on January 25th, 2026. It was hosted by sports broadcaster Elle Duncan, along with professional wrestler Seth Rollins, climber Emily Harrington, climbing broadcaster Pete Woods, and YouTuber Mark Rober. The stunt has been called one of the highest free solo climbs of an urban structure in the world. Honnold was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience climbing the skyscraper, which you can listen to below...

"Game Changer" is an American comedy panel game show on Dropout created and hosted by subscription streaming service CEO Sam Reich, which started in 2019. The show follows three comedians as they participate in a new game each episode, unaware of its premise and rules beforehand. Episodes of "Game Changer" have led to four spinoff shows on Dropout: "Dirty Laundry," "Make Some Noise," "Play It By Ear," and "Crowd Control." The show's eighth season premiered in May 2026 and is contending for Emmy recognition. Reich was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making...

"The Audacity" is an American dark comedy television series created by Jonathan Glatzer for AMC and AMC+. It follows a self-appointed "inventor of the future" tech CEO and his self-serving "performance psychologist,” who are engulfed in a scandal sparked by the exploitation of personal data. The series premiered on April 12th to positive reviews. In March 2026, ahead of the series premiere, the series was renewed for a second season. Creator Jonathan Glatzer and stars Billy Magnussen, Lucy Punch, Paul Adelstein, Simon Helberg, Rob Corddry, Meaghan Rath, Everett Blunck, Thailey Roberge, and Ava Marie Telek were all kind enough to sp...

For Episode 497, I am back from my ten year long overdue vacation and it's an old-school NBP reunion as just Will Mavity joins me to tell you what we feel have been the best films of 2026 so far as we approach the midway point of the year. For this week's poll question, we ask everyone that very question: "Which Is Your Favorite Film From 2026 So Far?" and we reveal the winner of last week's poll question tied to the release of Disney Pixar's "Toy Story 5," where we asked everyone, "Which Is Your Favorite Pixar Film?" We also share our reaction...

For this week's main podcast review, Megan Lachinski, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Cody Dericks, and Daniel Howat join me to review and discuss the latest film in the "Toy Story" franchise from Disney Pixar, "Toy Story 5" starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Blake Clark, Annie Potts, Bonnie Hunt, Melissa Villaseñor, Kristen Schaal, Keanu Reeves, Ally Maki, Greta Lee, Conan O’Brien, Craig Robinson, Shelby Rabara, Scarlett Spears, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Matty Matheson, Jeff Bergman, Anna Vocino, John Hopkins, Bad Bunny, Ernie Hudson & Alan Cumming. With Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton sitting in the director...

"Lord Of The Flies" is a television drama series based on the 1954 novel of the same name by William Golding. It is the first-ever television adaptation of the novel. It was developed and written by Emmy Award-winning writer Jack Thorne ("Adolescence"), directed by Marc Munden ("The Sympathizer") for BBC iPlayer and executive produced by Joel Wilson for BBC One in a co-production with Stan. The four-episode series was released in the UK in February, and then Sony Pictures Television confirmed Netflix had acquired the U.S. rights to the series, and it premiered on the streaming platform on May 4...

"Rose Of Nevada" is a 2025 British science fiction drama film written, edited, composed, and directed by Mark Jenkin. Starring George MacKay, Callum Turner, and Francis Magee, the film tells the story of a fishing vessel that was lost at sea 30 years ago and mysteriously reappears in the harbor of a fishing village. The film had its world premiere in the Orizzonti section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival and received positive reviews for its 16mm cinematography, sound work, performances, and intellectual and haunting concept. Jenkin and MacKay were both kind enough to spend some time talking with us ab...

"The Lowdown" is an American crime comedy drama television series created by Sterlin Harjo for FX. It stars Ethan Hawke and Keith David. The series is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It features a man "who knows too much" (loosely inspired by historian Lee Roy Chapman), citizen journalist Lee Raybon (played by Ethan Hawke), a self-proclaimed Tulsa "truthstorian" whose obsession with the truth always lands him in trouble. It also stars Keith David, Kaniehtiio Horn, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Macon Blair, Scott Shepherd, Tim Blake Nelson, Tracy Letts, Dale Dickey, Paul Sparks, Peter Dinklage, and more! The series received...

"Beef" is an American comedy-drama anthology television series created by Lee Sung Jin for Netflix. Season 1 starred Steven Yeun and Ali Wong and went on to win eight Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and acting wins for Yeun and Wong. At the 81st Golden Globe Awards, it won in all three of its nominated categories, including Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television. Season 2 stars Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan as Joshua Martín and Lindsay Crane-Martín, and Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton as Ashley and Austin, two couples; after th...

"Death by Lightning" is an American historical drama miniseries created by Mike Makowsky and based on the 2011 book "Destiny of the Republic" by Candice Millard. It stars Michael Shannon as United States President James A. Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as his assassin, Charles J. Guiteau. The four-episode series premiered on Netflix on November 6th, 2025, and received widespread acclaim from critics, with particular praise for the performances, writing, and direction, and was named one of the best television programs of the year by the American Film Institute. Creator, Executive Producer, and Writer Mike Makowsky was kind enough to spend some...

"Stranger Things" is an American television series created by the Duffer Brothers for Netflix. The fifth and final season was released in three volumes, including the finale, in November and December 2025. The show combines elements of horror, science fiction, mystery, coming-of-age, and drama. Set in the 1980s, the series centers on the residents of the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, after a young girl with psychokinetic abilities named Eleven inadvertently creates a wormhole known as the Upside Down at a nearby secretive government research facility, connecting Earth to a hostile realm called the Abyss. The ensemble cast includes Winona...

"Leviticus" is a 2026 Australian supernatural horror film written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, and stars Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Davida McKenzie, Nicholas Hope, Zamira Newman, and Mia Wasikowska (who is also an executive producer on the film). It follows two gay teenagers who become tormented by a violent supernatural entity, summoned by their homophobic religious community, that takes the form of the person they desire most – each other. The film premiered in the Midnight section of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews for its concept, performances, atmosphere, and nuance in crafting a queer ho...

"The Death Of Robin Hood" is an American thriller film starring Hugh Jackman as Robin Hood in a dark adaptation of the 17th-century ballad "Robin Hood's Death." It is written and directed by Michael Sarnoski and also stars Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, and Noah Jupe. The film received generally positive reviews from critics for its grim atmosphere, craftsmanship, and Hugh Jackman's powerful performance. Sarnoski was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, w...

"The Boys" is an American satirical superhero streaming television series developed by Eric Kripke for Amazon Prime Video. Based on the comic book series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, it follows the eponymous team of vigilantes as they combat superpowered individuals, referred to as "Supes," who often abuse their powers for personal gain and work for a powerful company, Vought International, that ensures the general public views them as heroes. The story focuses on Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid), a young electronics clerk, and Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), a former SAS and CIA operative, who...

"Slow Horses" is a British spy thriller television series based on the Slough House novels by Mick Herron, and adapted for television by the English comedian and writer Will Smith. It follows an MI5 unit that consigns disgraced or failed agents, under the supervision of Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). It also stars Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jonathan Pryce, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar, Christopher Chung, and Aimee-Ffion Edwards. The series premiered on Apple TV+ on April 1st, 2022, to highly positive reviews. The first five series have adapted the novels "Slow Horses," "Dead Lions," "Real Tigers," "Spook Street," and "London...