The Big Picture

What It’s Really Like at an Awards Show. Plus: Cliff Booth Returns and the Best Super Bowl Trailers!

February 10, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The Super Bowl trailers, particularly the teaser for Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher's *The Adventures of Cliff Booth*, generated significant excitement due to their distinct visual style and lack of explicit plot details. 
  • The DGA Awards ceremony, being untheatrical, offered a looser, more filmmaker-focused experience where nominees for Best Feature Film gave extended speeches, highlighting the importance of the entire directing team. 
  • The anticipation for the upcoming Star Wars movie, *The Mandalorian and Grogu*, appears surprisingly muted compared to previous major franchise installments, evidenced by its promotion via a brief, beer-commercial-style spoof. 
  • Jacob Alordi's DGA speech for Guillermo del Toro highlighted his commitment to serious, cinephile-driven projects, contrasting with the established partnership dynamic seen in other award winners' speeches. 
  • The DGA Awards strongly predict the Best Director Oscar winner, with the DGA winner losing the Oscar only eight times in 80 years, suggesting Paul Thomas Anderson is the likely winner. 
  • The creation of *KPop Demon Hunters* was driven by the directors' desire to make a film for themselves and their younger selves, heavily influenced by Korean cinema (Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook) and a commitment to balancing comedy, action, and deep character emotion in animation. 
  • A core motivation for the directors of *KPop Demon Hunters* was the desire to create strong, distinct female characters and explore themes of sisterhood and vulnerability, contrasting with frustrating past experiences in story rooms dominated by male characters. 
  • The film's phenomenon status is attributed to its 'sneaky deep' approach—combining spectacle and entertainment with profound themes like embracing personal flaws (represented by Rumi's scars) to achieve resonance and word-of-mouth success. 
  • Maintaining focus over a long production period (seven years for one director) was sustained by a shared frustration with existing film types and a deep belief in the importance of the movie's core themes regarding vulnerability and connection. 

Segments

Super Bowl Trailer Reactions
Copied to clipboard!
(00:01:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The teaser for David Fincher’s The Adventures of Cliff Booth, written by Quentin Tarantino, utilized a fake 1970s exploitation style reel with intentional bleeps to convey a ’naughty’ vibe without revealing the plot.
  • Summary: The trailer for The Adventures of Cliff Booth was noted for its Fincher-esque digital cinematography and its effective communication of a 70s exploitation vibe, reminiscent of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo teaser. The hosts observed specific 1977 Paramount lot posters (Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Black Sunday, First Love) within the footage, suggesting a strong period setting. The trailer’s withholding of the title and reliance on vibe over narrative was deemed a smart marketing tactic.
Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ Teaser
Copied to clipboard!
(00:09:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day teaser featured an exciting, old-school Spielberg action set piece involving a car trapped under a train, alongside a UFO sighting.
  • Summary: The Disclosure Day teaser was very brief, but contained a standout action sequence reminiscent of classic Spielberg filmmaking. The trailer revealed Emily Blunt’s character undergoing a transformation, leading to a discussion about the desirability of shapeshifting as a superpower. The hosts expressed a desire to know more about the premise while simultaneously wanting to avoid spoilers.
Project Hail Mary Hype
Copied to clipboard!
(00:16:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts are highly anticipating the Amazon film Project Hail Mary, scheduled for release on March 20th, six weeks from the recording date.
  • Summary: Sean Fennessey opted not to watch the Project Hail Mary trailer, feeling already sold on the film after a year of hype, and confirmed the release date is approximately six weeks away, the week after the Oscars. The hosts noted the difficulty of attending screenings at the Amazon theater due to its distance. The conversation briefly touched upon preferred alien archetypes, favoring sculptural, spiritual beings over gross-out designs.
Minions and Monsters Trailer
Copied to clipboard!
(00:17:47)
  • Key Takeaway: The Minions and Monsters trailer generated excitement for its premise of combining powers to make a movie, while the hosts noted the Minions franchise may be nearing peak saturation.
  • Summary: The trailer for Minions and Monsters looked funny, especially for children, and the hosts briefly discussed the controversy surrounding a Spanish figure skater’s unauthorized Minion-themed routine at the Olympics. They questioned whether the Minions franchise is approaching a downturn despite the new film’s potential success. The hosts also noted the Minions appear to be multilingual but currently speak at a ‘baby’ language level.
Mandalorian Super Bowl Ad
Copied to clipboard!
(00:20:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The Mandalorian and Grogu Super Bowl commercial, a spoof of a Budweiser ad featuring Sam Elliott, suggests the upcoming Star Wars film is being marketed primarily toward children.
  • Summary: The hosts observed a flat anticipation for the new Star Wars movie, contrasting it with the pandemonium surrounding previous releases like the prequels and The Force Awakens. The commercial’s focus on Grogu and its child-friendly tone led to the conclusion that the film is aimed at kids, which the hosts felt was acceptable but signaled a shift from the franchise’s event status. The segment included a humorous anecdote about a child asking if the Mandalorian’s helmet comes off.
Supergirl and Superhero Film Trends
Copied to clipboard!
(00:25:47)
  • Key Takeaway: The 11-month gap between Supergirl (June 26th release) and the previous superhero film marks the longest such stretch since at least 2008, indicating a cooling of the genre’s output.
  • Summary: The Supergirl trailer suggested a return to an older style of superhero movie featuring jokey dialogue followed by large-scale explosions, which the hosts thought was outdated. The long gap between major superhero releases is attributed to both circumstantial factors (DC resets) and a general decline in audience demand for these films. The hosts noted that while the genre is slowing down, major players like DC and Marvel are planning significant resets.
Dunkin’ Affleck Commercial
Copied to clipboard!
(00:31:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The Goodwill Dunkin’ commercial featuring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, and Tom Brady was considered tough to watch due to its reliance on nostalgia baiting, AI de-aging, and the absence of Matt Damon.
  • Summary: The hosts expressed discomfort with the commercial’s imagery, particularly the AI de-aging of Ted Danson. They noted that Ben Affleck’s consistent work for Dunkin’ Donuts is respected, but the inclusion of Tom Brady was complicated by his recent departure from the Patriots. The absence of Matt Damon from the Good Will Hunting reunion aspect of the ad was also noted as slightly sad.
DGA Awards Experience
Copied to clipboard!
(00:34:20)
  • Key Takeaway: The DGA Awards ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton, is structured to heavily feature speeches from all five Best Feature Film nominees before the winner is announced, making it highly relevant to filmmakers.
  • Summary: The untheatrical nature of the DGA show allows for extended, personal speeches from nominees like Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler, unlike more televised events. The show ran crisply, hosted by Kumail Nanjiani, and featured table mates from the press and nominees from other categories, such as the winning Conan O’Brien crew. A recurring theme was directors honoring the essential, often uncredited, work of their below-the-line crews and assistant directors.
Nominee Speech Analysis
Copied to clipboard!
(00:46:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Ryan Coogler delivered a powerful speech emphasizing the revolutionary power of unions and referencing federal government overreach, while Steven Spielberg’s presence elevated the reception of the Hamnet table.
  • Summary: Leonardo DiCaprio gave a crisp speech detailing his early meetings with Paul Thomas Anderson concerning The Adventures of Cliff Booth (then possibly Dirt). Ryan Coogler spoke passionately about union power and political themes relevant to Sinners. Steven Spielberg’s attendance made him the de facto star of the night, with many speakers referencing him directly in their remarks.
Alordi and Del Toro Speeches
Copied to clipboard!
(00:52:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Jacob Alordi’s speech demonstrated his successful effort to establish himself as a serious, cinephile actor who values working with venerated directors like Guillermo del Toro.
  • Summary: Alordi’s speech conveyed warmth and respect for del Toro, framing the collaboration as a privilege. The segment noted that Alordi has been clarifying his artistic intentions over the last few years. It was also mentioned that Andrew Garfield was originally cast as the monster in del Toro’s film.
Nolan and Del Toro DGA Moments
Copied to clipboard!
(00:53:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Guillermo del Toro’s DGA speech included a charming invitation for attendees to make models while he made quesadillas, referencing a real tradition among directors like J.J. Abrams and James Cameron.
  • Summary: Del Toro acknowledged Christopher Nolan, the President of the DGAs, setting a warm tone for the evening. The anecdote about model-making highlights that many established filmmakers share a childlike passion for creation. The hosts noted that while they lack enthusiasm for del Toro’s latest film, he remains a genuinely nice person.
Chalamet’s Funny DGA Speech
Copied to clipboard!
(00:55:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Timothée Chalamet delivered a very funny and loose speech that captured the energy of the Safdie brothers’ New York-centric filmmaking style.
  • Summary: Chalamet’s humor was immediately effective, including a specific, funny anecdote about Josh Safdie telling him to use the name Mike Dipey if he ever needed an Elias. His physical appearance was noted as resembling Damien Chazelle, prompting a wish for them to collaborate.
Josh Safdie’s Personal Speech
Copied to clipboard!
(00:57:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Josh Safdie gave a deeply personal speech detailing how the film Kramer vs. Kramer was weaponized against his mother during his parents’ divorce and custody battle.
  • Summary: Safdie connected his childhood trauma, where his father pointed out the Meryl Streep character as his mother, to his current filmmaking process. This story illustrated the essential, intertwined nature of movies and life for him. The hosts found the speech deeply affecting, relating to the emotional impact of the film’s subject matter.
Spielberg on Chloe Zhao’s Naturalism
Copied to clipboard!
(00:58:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Steven Spielberg used an anecdote about tripping on set to illuminate the fundamental difference between his lighting-dependent style and Chloe Zhao’s commitment to naturalism in filmmaking.
  • Summary: Spielberg complimented Zhao by noting her film was already lit when he arrived, contrasting with his instinct to ask for proper lighting. This highlighted Zhao’s focus on the intersection of characters and the natural world, a style the host admitted not fully connecting with. Zhao’s speech focused on the unknowability of process and connection after grief.
DGA Awards Winners Recap
Copied to clipboard!
(01:03:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The DGA Awards recognized several key films, including a somber win for the documentary 20000 Days in Mariupol and a tribute to the late first AD Adam Sumner during Paul Thomas Anderson’s directing win.
  • Summary: Other winners included The Pitt and an SNL music concert, alongside a tribute to Catherine O’Hara. The documentary winner delivered a serious speech reflecting the terror witnessed while filming in Ukraine. PTA’s emotional speech honored Sumner, who was also featured in a tribute voiceover in The Master Gardener.
Best Director Race Analysis
Copied to clipboard!
(01:08:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Paul Thomas Anderson’s DGA win, which strongly correlates with the Best Director Oscar, was influenced by both admiration for his body of work and the heartfelt tribute to his late first AD, Adam Sumner.
  • Summary: The DGA winner has only lost the Oscar eight times in the guild’s history, making PTA the likely Academy Award winner. The hosts noted that The Zone of Interest seems to be surging in conversations, potentially leading to a split between Best Picture and Best Director. The DGA win was seen as a collision of admiration for the film and respect for PTA’s career.
Academy Screening Changes
Copied to clipboard!
(01:16:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The Academy is canceling post-nomination theatrical screenings for members due to extremely low attendance (averaging five people), relying instead on the digital Academy Portal for film access.
  • Summary: This shift is viewed as a sad but inevitable reality reflecting changes in viewing habits and the accessibility provided by digital platforms. The cancellation of these screenings, which are premised on theatrical movies, signals a major procedural change for the organization. The hosts acknowledged using the portal for practical reasons but prefer first watches in theaters.
KPop Demon Hunters Filmmaking Philosophy
Copied to clipboard!
(01:28:33)
  • Key Takeaway: The directors of KPop Demon Hunters intentionally created a film that blends diverse genres (musical, action, comedy) by ensuring every sequence advances character arcs while mixing tonal ingredients, like inserting comedy into emotional moments.
  • Summary: The directors aimed to make a movie they wished they had seen growing up, drawing inspiration from Korean cinema and anime like Cowboy Bebop. They reverse-engineered their unique animation style to accommodate the wide tonal range required by the story. Songwriting involved creating detailed scene documents that married specific character monologues with accessible pop metaphors, requiring many more iterations than typical pop music production.
Screenplay and Music Challenges
Copied to clipboard!
(01:47:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Creating KPop Demon Hunters required writing two interwoven screenplays simultaneously due to the music’s integral role in the narrative.
  • Summary: The filmmaking process involved tackling two distinct writing challenges: the screenplay structure and the music integration. The directors compared the unique challenge to musicals like Bye-Bye Birdie that reflect contemporary popular music. They relied on partners like Broadway-experienced music producer Ian Eisenrath and K-pop label Black Label to help synthesize the story and pop elements.
Female Character Development
Copied to clipboard!
(01:49:21)
  • Key Takeaway: The film intentionally centers on women taking initiative, reflecting the directors’ frustration with underwritten female roles in past projects.
  • Summary: A key theme resonating with audiences is women choosing to ‘do it ourselves,’ which was a primary goal for the creators. The director aimed to move beyond typical story room scenarios where female characters are an afterthought needing hours of discussion to ‘pop.’ The goal was to create three distinct female characters exploring silliness, seriousness, and emotional depth, emphasizing sisterhood and found family.
Sustaining Long-Term Projects
Copied to clipboard!
(01:52:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Filmmakers maintain focus on decade-long projects by bonding over shared frustration with the medium and believing deeply in the story’s necessity.
  • Summary: The directors were motivated to direct because they felt they could do more with the medium than the projects they were previously working on. They bonded over the film’s themes concerning vulnerability, weaponization of weakness, and offering grace to lift others up. This core belief acts as a ‘North Pole,’ sustaining them through exhaustion, similar to raising a child.
Film’s Phenomenal Resonance
Copied to clipboard!
(01:53:47)
  • Key Takeaway: The movie’s deep connection with audiences stems from embracing unacceptable parts of the self, symbolized by Rumi’s scars, which viewers interpret through personal pain and surgery experiences.
  • Summary: The film’s success is attributed to its central theme of embracing parts of oneself previously deemed unacceptable. Viewers have related Rumi’s scars to their own physical and emotional pain, demonstrating broad interpretative depth. The creators aimed for a balance of truth and spectacle, planting seeds that succeed through word-of-mouth recommendations.
Last Great Thing Seen
Copied to clipboard!
(01:56:56)
  • Key Takeaway: The directors praised the film Sentimental Value for its genius structural efficiency, subtle acting, and powerful silent storytelling.
  • Summary: One director recently watched Sentimental Value and appreciated its slow, European style, noting how the director tricked them with silent storytelling. The film’s structural progression and subtext, particularly concerning the relationship between the father and daughter at the end, came full circle powerfully. The acting was praised for its subtlety, conveying resolution without overt physical displays of emotion.
Upcoming Episode Preview
Copied to clipboard!
(01:58:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The next episode of The Big Picture will feature Sam Sanders discussing a ‘very horny Valentine’s Day double feature’ of Wuthering Heights and Pillion.
  • Summary: The hosts anticipate a lively discussion in the following episode, hoping for disagreement with guest Sam Sanders regarding the two feature films. The upcoming discussion will focus on films by Emerald Fennel, who ‘gives a lot.’ The hosts expressed excitement to analyze these two features in depth.