The Next Best Picture Podcast

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Interview With "Lorne" Filmmaker Morgan Neville Apr 15, 2026

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"Lorne" is an American documentary film directed and produced by Morgan Neville about the creator of Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels. The film features exclusive, archival, and interview footage of notorious Saturday Night Live personalities, including Tina Fey, Chris Rock, Conan O'Brien, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, John Mulaney, as well as Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Kristen Wiig, Mike Myers, and Paul Simon. Being the private individual he is, this is the closest anyone has come to understanding the real Lorne Michaels, or at least, as close as he will still allow. Neville 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 be released in theaters on April 17th by Focus Features. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Blue Heron" Filmmaker Sophy Romvari Apr 14, 2026

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"Blue Heron" is a 2025 drama film written and directed by Sophy Romvari in her directorial debut. Described as "semi-autobiographical," the film is based in part on Romvari's own childhood and her previous short film "Still Processing." The film stars Eylul Guven as Sasha, the eight-year-old daughter of a Hungarian immigrant family who relocate to Vancouver Island in the late 1990s, while their oldest son, Jeremy (Edik Beddoes), displays increasingly dangerous behavioral issues in their new environment. The cast also includes Ádám Tompa and Iringó Réti as Sasha's parents, Liam Serg and Preston Drabble as Sasha's brothers, and Amy Zimmer as Adult Sasha. The film had its world premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival, receiving universal acclaim, winning the Swatch First Feature Award, and later the Best Canadian Discovery award at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Romvari was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about her work and experience 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 17th by Janus Films. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Normal" Star Bob Odenkirk And Director Ben Wheatley Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

"Normal" is a 2025 American action film directed by Ben Wheatley and written by Derek Kolstad, based on a story by Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk. Odenkirk also stars in the film alongside Henry Winkler and Lena Headey. The film premiered in the Midnight Madness program at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and received positive reviews for its practical action, small-town dark comedy, and Odenkirk's performance. Odenkirk and Wheatley were kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experience 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 17th by Magnolia Pictures. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Bunnylovr" Filmmaker And Star Katarina Zhu Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

"Bunnylovr" is a 2025 American drama film written, directed by, and starring Katarina Zhu. The film follows a Chinese-American cam girl who navigates a toxic client relationship while reconnecting with her dying father. Alongside Zhu, Rachel Sennott, Austin Amelio, Perry Yung, and Jack Kilmer star in supporting roles. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is Zhu's directorial debut, showcasing a talent both in front of and behind the camera that is worth watching for in the future. Zhu was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about her work and experience making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Utopia. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Episode 487 - The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Lineup & "The Invite" Trailer Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

For Episode 487, I am joined by Lauren LaMagna, Dan Bayer, and Will Mavity as we give our reactions to the lineup for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. For this week's poll question, for the announcement of the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival lineup, we're asking everyone: "Which Films From The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll for the release of Steven Soderbergh's newest film, "The Christophers," where we asked "Which Is Your Favorite Ian McKellen Performance?" We also share our reactions to the trailer for "The Invite," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you enjoy!

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"You, Me & Tuscany" Apr 11, 2026

Show notes

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson and Dan Bayer join me to discuss "You, Me & Tuscany," starring Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, Lorenzo de Moor, Isabella Ferrari, Aziza Scott, Marco Calvani & Nia Vardalos. Directed by Kat Coiro and written by Ryan Engle, it takes place in Italy and tells the story of a young cook who squats in an abandoned Tuscan villa owned by a man she barely knows, and she meets the owner's cousin. A POC-led American romantic comedy, the film has been saddled with expectations to perform well at the box office so that other similar projects can be greenlit. Is this fair? What is the current state of the rom-com genre for theatrical exhibition? Why isn't Regé-Jean Page a bigger star, and what will become of Halle Bailey's still young and blossoming career? Did we enjoy this film despite its flaws? Please tune in as we discuss the story, comedy, romantic chemistry between the two leads, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

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Interview With "The Stranger" Filmmaker François Ozon Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

"The Stranger" is a 2025 drama film written and directed by François Ozon, based on Albert Camus's 1942 novel "The Stranger". Benjamin Voisin stars in the lead role of Meursault, alongside Rebecca Marder, Pierre Lottin, Swann Arlaud, and Denis Lavant. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion. Ozon 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 playing in NY, LA, San Francisco, Washington DC, Portland, Indianapolis, Baltimore, with a national expansion to follow from Music Box Films. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Faces Of Death" Filmmakers Daniel Goldhaber & Isa Mazzei Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

"Faces Of Death" is a 2026 American horror film and reimagining of the 1978 film by John Alan Schwartz. Directed by Daniel Goldhaber and co-written with Isa Mazzei, it stars Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Josie Totah, Aaron Holliday, Jermaine Fowler, and Charli XCX. The film premiered at the Beyond Fest in Chicago as a 35mm screening and received positive reviews for its performances and direction. Goldhaber and Mazzei were kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their 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 10th from Independent Film Company. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Interview With "Exit 8" Filmmaker Genki Kawamura Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

"Exit 8" is a 2025 Japanese mystery psychological horror film directed by Genki Kawamura, who co-wrote the screenplay with Kentaro Hirase, based on the 2023 video game "The Exit 8" developed by Kotake Create. The film had its world premiere in the Midnight Screenings section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it received widespread acclaim from critics and has already been a financial success overseas. Kawamura 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 10th from NEON. Thank you, and enjoy!

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"The Drama" Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

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, Ema Sasic, Dan Bayer, Lauren LaMagna, and Larry Fried join me to discuss Kristoffer Borgli's "The Drama" starring Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Zoë Winters & Hailey Benton Gates. The dark romantic comedy follows a happily engaged couple who get put to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week off the rails. The film's marketing by A24 brilliantly held back the big reveal that propels the story and sparks a ton of conversation, forcing audiences to go to the theater to find out for themselves. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the shocking reveal, the performances from Zendaya, Pattinson, and the supporting players, how Borgli handles the controversial subject matter, the editing, its shifting perspectives, any awards potential it may have later in the year, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

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