The Next Best Picture Podcast

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Interview With "Hokum" Star Adam Scott & Filmmaker Damian McCarthy Apr 29, 2026

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"Hokum" is a supernatural horror film written and directed by Damian McCarthy, starring Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, and Austin Amelio. Scott plays an author who travels to a remote part of Ireland to spread the ashes of his deceased parents, unaware that his rented accommodation could be haunted. The film premiered at the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival and received positive reviews from critics for its haunting atmosphere, jump scares, integration of Irish folklore, and Scott's performance. Scott and McCarthy were both kind enough to spend some time talking 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 will open in theaters on May 1st from NEON. Thank you, and enjoy!

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"Mother Mary" Apr 28, 2026

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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

For this week's second podcast review, Nadia Dalimonte, Dan Bayer, Sara Clements, Larry Fried, and Brendan Hodges join me to discuss David Lowery's newest film, "Mother Mary," starring Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, and FKA Twigs. A different kind of ghost story from Lowery, the dark psychological drama functions as a chamber piece high on metaphor and symbolism about creative collaboration and what it means to be an artist, with a haunting atmosphere and a banger of a pop soundtrack. It's certainly a vibe, but that vibe may not be for everyone. So, what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the performances from Hathaway and Coel, Lowery's direction, his dense writing and its many interpretations, the craft of the film, if we feel it has any awards potential, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Omaha" Director Cole Webley & Screenwriter Robert Machoian Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

"Omaha" is a 2025 American drama film directed by Cole Webley (making his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Robert Machoian ("The Killing Of Two Lovers" and "The Integrity Of Joseph Chambers"). The film stars John Magaro as a father who takes his two children on a cross-country trip after a family tragedy. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival as an entry in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category, where it received positive reviews for Webley's direction and Magaro's lead performance. Webley and Machoian were both kind enough to spend some time talking 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 playing in NY, will open in LA on May 1st, and expand nationwide on May 8th from Greenwich Entertainment. You can also check out our in-depth interview with John Magaro here. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Episode 489 - Critics vs. Audiences, Cannes Film Festival Additions, "Coyote vs. Acme," "Leviticus," "Carolina Caroline" & "Idiots" Trailers Apr 26, 2026

Show notes

For Episode 489, I am joined by Nadia Dalimonte, Megan Lachinski, and Larry Fried as we discuss the ongoing debate between Critics and Audiences, which has been given renewed attention this week with the release of "Michael." We also discuss the additions to the 2026 Cannes Film Festival across multiple sections, including James Gray's "Paper Tiger" and Zachary Wigon's "Victorian Psycho." For this week's poll question, for the release of "The Devil Wears Prada 2," we're asking everyone: "Which Upcoming Movies From CinemaCon 2026 Are You Most Excited To See?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll, for CinemaCon, asking, "Which Upcoming Movies From CinemaCon 2026 Are You Most Excited To See?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Coyote vs. Acme," "Leviticus," "Carolina Caroline," "Idiots," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you enjoy!

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"Michael" Apr 25, 2026

Show notes

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Josh Parham, Giovanni Lago, and Daniel Howat join me to review and discuss "Michael" starring Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Juliano Valdi, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Laura Harrier, Jessica Sula, Mike Myers, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and with direct involvement from the Jackson estate, the film tells the life story of mega-music superstar Michael Jackson... up to a point. The music biopic covers his involvement with the Jackson 5 in the 1960s and 1970s, up to the "Bad" tour in the 1980s, while ignoring the controversies that plagued his later years. The decision has divided critics and audiences, sparking a ton of discourse about the role of critics, Michael Jackson himself, and the music biopic subgenre in Hollywood. Well, what did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the story, the acting, the direction, the musical performances, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Apex" Screenwriter Jeremy Robbins Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

"Apex" is a 2026 survival action thriller film directed by Baltasar Kormákur, written by Jeremy Robbins, and starring Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana. It tells the story of a rock climber in the wild who is hunted by a hunter as she struggles to survive. Feature debut screenwriter Robbins 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, which is now available to stream on Netflix. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Omaha" Star John Magaro Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

"Omaha" is a 2025 American drama film directed by Cole Webley and written by Robert Machoian. The film stars John Magaro as a father who takes his two children on a cross-country trip after a family tragedy. The independent film had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, where it received positive reviews for Magaro's performance. Magaro was kind enough to be our second fully produced in-studio interview and spent a while talking with us about his career (including "Past Lives," "Not Fade Away," "The Bride!" "My Soul To Take," "First Cow," "Unbroken," "September 5," and more), experience making the film, his views on acting, the industry, and more, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Greenwich Entertainment. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Mother Mary" Filmmaker David Lowery Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

"Mother Mary" is a psychological drama-thriller film written and directed by David Lowery. It stars Anne Hathaway as the iconic pop star, Mother Mary, who reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer (played by Michaela Coel) on the eve of her comeback performance as long-buried wounds between the two rise to the surface and a more sinister presence emerges. The film also stars Hunter Schafer, FKA Twigs, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Isaura Barbé-Brown, Sian Clifford, and Alba Baptista. Lowery was kind enough to spend some time speaking with me, while promoting the film in between screenings, about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, now playing in limited release from A24 and expanding nationwide on April 24th. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interviews With "Fuze" Stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Sam Worthington, And Director David Mackenzie Apr 23, 2026

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"Fuze" is a 2025 British crime thriller heist film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Ben Hopkins, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington. Set in London, there is a citywide evacuation when an unexploded World War II bomb is unearthed at a busy construction site. Amid the escalating tension and chaos, a daring criminal operation is set in motion -- one that uses the evacuation as a cover for a meticulously planned bank heist. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur, and moral boundaries are crossed. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its action, tension, twists, and muscular direction. Taylor-Johnson, Worthington, and Mackenzie were all kind enough to spend some time talking 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 will be released in theaters on April 24th from Roadside Attractions and Saban Films. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Over Your Dead Body" Director Jorma Taccone Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

"Over Your Dead Body" is an American action-comedy-thriller film directed by Jorma Taccone and written by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney. It is an English-language remake of the 2021 film "The Trip" starring Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Paul Guilfoyle, Keith Jardine, Timothy Olyphant, and Juliette Lewis. The film had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it received positive reviews for its performances, action from 87North Productions, and dark comedy. Taccone 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, which will open in theaters on April 24th from Independent Film Company. Thank you, and enjoy!

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