The Big Picture

The Anything But Oscars Mailbag Plus Hoppers

March 9, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The hosts announced they will be hosting live coverage on Instagram before and on Netflix after the Oscars telecast, noting the unusual 7 p.m. ET start time. 
  • The WGA and ASC awards confirmed 'One Battle After Another' as a strong contender, with Michael Bauman's ASC win completing the cinematography precursor trifecta, suggesting the race might be settled. 
  • Pixar's new film 'Hoppers' had a strong opening weekend ($81 million worldwide), signaling a potential shift back toward original animated features succeeding theatrically, despite the studio also announcing a 'Monsters Inc.' sequel. 
  • Sean and Amanda confirmed their intention to attend the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, expressing both excitement and nervousness about navigating the long, ticketed event. 
  • The hosts lamented the decline of the 'garbage sports movie' genre, which was a staple for younger audiences in previous decades, suggesting modern youth lack a comparable cinematic tradition in that space. 
  • The conversation concluded that director-driven films are replacing movie stars as the primary selling point for studios, reflecting a shift where audiences sign up for established creative brands like Christopher Nolan or Greta Gerwig. 
  • The hosts provided relationship advice, cautioning against overly public or gimmicky proposals, suggesting sincerity is more important than cinematic flair. 
  • The Pixar film ‘Hoppers’ is noted for being surprisingly funny with laugh-out-loud moments and strong voice performances, but its plot is considered convoluted and overstuffed, especially for younger viewers. 
  • The discussion concluded with anticipation for the next episode, which will focus on final Oscar predictions following the Academy Awards, while acknowledging the difficulty of recapturing the novelty of early CGI animation like the original *Toy Story*. 

Segments

Oscar Precursors and Live Show Plans
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(00:00:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts announced live coverage plans surrounding the Oscars and noted that the WGA and ASC awards provided little clarity on the screenplay races but solidified ‘One Battle After Another’ in cinematography.
  • Summary: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins confirmed live coverage plans on Instagram before the Oscars and again on Netflix afterward, noting the telecast starts at 7 p.m. ET. The WGA split its screenplay awards, while the ASC award went to Michael Bauman for ‘One Battle After Another,’ completing a precursor trifecta. The hosts will save their final Oscar predictions for a dedicated show later in the week.
Hoppers Box Office Performance
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(00:05:32)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘Hoppers’ achieved the second-largest original movie opening of the decade and the biggest Pixar original opening since ‘Coco’ in 2017, suggesting a potential audience appetite for new stories.
  • Summary: ‘Hoppers’ earned $81 million worldwide, with $47 million domestically, marking a significant theatrical success for a new Pixar property. This success follows a rocky period for Pixar, which saw ‘Soul’ and ‘Turning Red’ debut on Disney Plus and subsequent films like ‘Lightyear’ and ‘Elemental’ underperform expectations. The studio also announced a ‘Monsters Inc.’ sequel, indicating a continued reliance on established IP.
Christopher McQuarrie’s Conan Movie
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(00:10:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Christopher McQuarrie is directing a new ‘Conan the Barbarian’ film for 20th Century Studios, which will feature Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role.
  • Summary: The news confirms McQuarrie is moving from the ‘Mission Impossible’ franchise to reboot ‘Conan the Barbarian’ with 20th Century Studios, aligning with the studio’s mandate to revitalize existing IP. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is 78, is attached to the project, leading to speculation about whether the film will feature a younger Conan, perhaps using a ‘Creed’-style passing of the torch. The hosts expressed excitement for the project, especially given their appreciation for the original John Milius film.
Mailbag Segment Introduction
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(00:18:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts transitioned into the ‘Anything But Oscars’ mailbag, encouraging listeners to submit questions via email, while Amanda noted she is also accepting advice questions.
  • Summary: The hosts opened the mailbag segment, which features questions unrelated to the Oscars, and provided the email address ’[email protected]’ for submissions. Amanda specifically requested advice questions, which Jack Sanders noted were already accumulating rapidly. The segment began with a question regarding the character Bob Ferguson’s media consumption habits in ‘One Battle After Another’.
Bob Ferguson’s Media Habits
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(00:20:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Bob Ferguson, based on the scene in ‘One Battle After Another,’ is characterized as an analog enthusiast who likely watches classic films on TCM rather than actively collecting physical media.
  • Summary: The question centered on Bob Ferguson watching ‘The Battle of Algiers’ on his couch, suggesting he is not reliant on modern streaming or digital formats. The hosts concluded he is an ‘analog king’ who enjoys cinema classics on TCM, contrasting him with modern collectors like those using Letterboxd. Amanda suggested five Criterion-worthy films for Bob, including ‘Army of Shadows’ and ‘Paths of Glory,’ emphasizing themes of revolution and paranoia.
Defining 2020s Film Style
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(00:27:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Current major 2020s films are characterized by hyper-stylization, genre fusion, and the influence of internet aesthetics, contrasting sharply with the naturalistic grit of 1970s cinema.
  • Summary: The hosts agreed that modern blockbusters like ‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘Barbie,’ and ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ share a synthetic, highly stylized visual signature, often reflecting internet culture like memes and surveillance footage. This contrasts with the naturalistic, ground-level realism prevalent in 1970s films like ‘All the President’s Men.’ The influence of YouTube and other screens is forcing movies to visually account for how audiences consume media today.
Flawed Films We Defend
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(00:47:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts revealed their personal defenses for objectively flawed or chaotic films, with Amanda citing ‘The Bride’ for its ‘insane, I went for it’ quality and Sean mentioning ‘Congo’ and ‘Triple Frontier.’
  • Summary: Amanda defended ‘The Bride,’ acknowledging its problems while appreciating its commitment to an ambitious vision, noting the film’s poor box office performance. Sean’s go-to example of a chaotic but beloved film is ‘Congo,’ a movie he considers a five-star classic despite its perceived stupidity. The segment briefly touched on the box office failure of ‘The Bride’ and the hosts’ shared appreciation for movies that ‘go for it.’
Cannes 2026 Trip Planning
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(00:51:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Sean and Amanda are officially planning to attend the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, recognizing the logistical challenge of the 12-day event.
  • Summary: The hosts confirmed their attendance at Cannes 2026, noting the festival’s 12-day duration presents scheduling difficulties for their work. They plan to ‘divide and conquer’ to maximize film viewing and anticipate the ticketing process will resemble Venice. They hope to see world premieres of major anticipated films.
Anticipated Cannes Premieres
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(00:54:28)
  • Key Takeaway: The top anticipated world premiere for Cannes is the Quentin Tarantino/David Fincher collaboration, ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth,’ though its premiere location remains uncertain.
  • Summary: Key potential premieres discussed include ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth’ (Tarantino/Fincher), Terrence Malick’s long-rumored ‘The Way of the Wind,’ and Joel Coen’s ‘Jack of Spades.’ Steven Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ is also considered a strong possibility for an out-of-competition screening.
Garbage Sports Movie Tradition
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(01:01:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The tradition of releasing high-concept, low-execution sports movies aimed at children, common in the Disney strategy of past decades, has largely disappeared because modern audiences do not show up for them.
  • Summary: The hosts reminisced about beloved childhood sports films like ‘Little Giants’ and ‘Angels in the Outfield,’ noting these were reliable annual releases. They question what comparable sports movies the current generation (under 15) embraces, suggesting films like ‘Creed’ or ‘Warrior’ are too serious or high-quality to fit the ‘garbage’ category.
Cult Classics and Rom-Com Canon
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(00:59:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘holy trinity’ of low-wattage late 2010s/early 2020s rom-coms that deserve cult status consists of ‘Palm Springs,’ ‘Set It Up,’ and ‘Plus One,’ all featuring rising young stars.
  • Summary: These three streaming rom-coms are considered superior because they adhere to traditional, structured rom-com formulas, unlike many contemporary, less funny streaming efforts. ‘Plus One’ was highlighted as particularly delightful but underseen. Other potential cult films mentioned include ‘Pearl,’ ‘Bottoms,’ and ‘Red Rocket.’
Favorite Movie Theater Experiences
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(01:25:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The most memorable theater experiences cited include the electrifying, highly anticipated 1998 screening of ‘There’s Something About Mary’ and the intense, polarizing Telluride premiere of ‘Uncut Gems.’
  • Summary: Amanda recalled seeing ‘There’s Something About Mary’ with friends during peak Farrelly brothers hype, describing the atmosphere as electrifying. Sean mentioned seeing ‘The American President’ four times with his father and the grand premiere of ‘The Irishman’ before COVID. The ‘Uncut Gems’ screening was noted for dividing the audience between those who loved the intensity and those who walked out.
Screenwriters vs. Directors as Stars
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(01:32:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The trend of directors writing and directing their own films, exemplified by recent Oscar winners, is partly driven by studios marketing directors (like Nolan or Gerwig) as brands to attract niche, consistent moviegoers, diminishing the prominence of screenwriters.
  • Summary: The hosts value the classic model where great directors interpret great screenplays, citing William Goldman and Shane Black as examples of venerated screenwriters who did not direct. They note that while director-driven films are exciting, the shift has come at the expense of the stock-and-trade screenwriter. This branding strategy targets dedicated fans who follow specific creative voices.
Films Capturing Local Culture
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(01:40:11)
  • Key Takeaway: For Long Island culture, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ best captures the ‘aggro bro’ mentality, while for Atlanta, historical context is found in ‘Gone with the Wind’ and ‘Selma,’ and modern culture in ‘Drumline.’
  • Summary: Sean identified ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ as the definitive capture of Long Island aggression, noting that earlier films like ‘Married to the Mob’ and ‘Goodfellas’ provided suburban antecedents. For Atlanta, historical representation is tied to ‘Gone with the Wind’ and the legacy of John Lewis in ‘Selma,’ while ‘Drumline’ represents the HBCU culture.
Atlanta Movie Settings
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(01:42:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Atlanta is frequently filmed in, but few good movies accurately represent its vibe or history, with Gone with the Wind and Selma cited as historical examples.
  • Summary: Few movies set in Atlanta capture its true essence, despite the city being a common filming location. Gone with the Wind is noted for depicting a historical period in Atlanta, while Selma connects to Atlanta’s history through Dr. King and Congressman John Lewis. Drumline is mentioned as a present-day example related to HBCUs.
Proposal Advice for Cinephiles
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(01:44:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts advise against elaborate, public, cinema-themed proposals, suggesting sincerity and avoiding gimmicks like renting out a theater screen at TIFF.
  • Summary: A listener planning a proposal at TIFF asked if they should incorporate their shared love of cinema. The hosts strongly discouraged a public proposal, specifically advising against renting a screen for a ‘will you marry me’ announcement. They ultimately recommended focusing on a heartfelt moment rather than a complex, gimmicky cinematic gesture.
Hoppers Plot and Reception
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(01:48:31)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘Hoppers’ features surprising humor and strong voice work, but its plot, involving consciousness transfer into robot animals, is overly complex for young children.
  • Summary: The plot of Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ centers on Mabel using technology to transform human consciousness into robotic animals to uncover mysteries and protect nature from human disruption. The film is praised for being one of the funniest Pixar movies recently, with notable performances from Dave Franco and Meryl Streep. However, both hosts noted that their young children found the plot confusing due to its many twists, including body-swapping and political subplots.
Animation Style Critique
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(01:58:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The hyperactive pacing and visual style of ‘Hoppers’ feel overstuffed, contrasting sharply with the unique, special textures found in films like Miyazaki’s work or Spider-Verse.
  • Summary: A preview of the film in a 2D, hand-drawn Miyazaki style suggested an alternative, potentially better direction for the movie. The current 3D style is criticized for having a frantic pace, inserting jokes every few seconds to maintain attention across different audience demographics. This overstuffed nature makes the film feel less extraordinary compared to animation styles that prioritize unique visual textures.
Wrap-up and Next Episode
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(02:03:02)
  • Key Takeaway: The next episode of The Big Picture will air on Thursday to deliver final Oscar predictions, following a successful live road test of the show format.
  • Summary: The hosts confirmed the live broadcast was a successful road test for the following Sunday’s episode format. The next scheduled episode will be released on Thursday, dedicated entirely to making final Oscar predictions. They thanked the production team, including Jack Sanders, for navigating the live stream.