This is a preview of the podcast. The full version is only available to those who subscribe to us on Patreon. For the small price of $1 a month, you can receive this podcast along with other exclusive podcast content, so be sure to subscribe here.

Thank you so much for listening. The Next Best Picture Podcast is proud to be a part of the Evergreen Podcasts Network. You can subscribe to us anywhere you listen to podcasts or listen in the embedded player below. Please take a moment to review us on Apple Podcasts here. And if you’re feeling generous, you enjoy what you hear, and you want to hear more, please help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, and you’ll receive some exclusive podcast content from us, including this review ad-free.

You can follow Matt, Josh & Giovanni and hear more of their thoughts on the Oscars and Film on X at @NextBestPicture, @JRParham & @TheGiovanniLago

The post The Next Best Picture Podcast – “A House Of Dynamite” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

THE CAST – Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee & Jason Clarke

THE TEAM – Kathryn Bigelow (Director) & Noah Oppenheim (Writer)

THE RUNNING TIME – 112 Minutes

For many who are younger, there is little to no understanding of what it really is like to be on the brink of war with widespread consequences. Yes, the invasion of Iraq was a defining moment for an entire generation. Still, that insurgency was localized to a specific region and was presented in a way that allowed Americans to feel a sense of distance from the conflict. It may not have been justified, but the culture didn’t feel the sense of immediate consequences that would result from such an action. That’s why it is fascinating to hear tales from the Cold War, especially the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was an event that many had suspected could lead not just to another World War so soon after the last one had ended, but to global annihilation under nuclear weaponry. It was an unbelievably scary time that most had thought we were past. However, these days, it’s hard not to have those thoughts of doom creep back in. The political landscape is hectic and precarious, and what was thought to be a nearly impossible outcome may not seem so fantastical anymore. “A House of Dynamite” aims to tap into those anxieties, presenting a thoroughly tense, riveting, and captivating spectacle.

It’s a seemingly normal start to the day. Important White House leaders are being briefed on a series of updates around the world. Their staffers are preparing for a busy onslaught of meetings, and on-the-ground forces are monitoring any suspicious activity that could jeopardize the United States. One technician, played by Anthony Ramos, spots something truly alarming: a missile launched from the Pacific Ocean whose trajectory looks to hit a major target within the country. What was believed to be an ineffective test from an unknown hostile nation proves to be a greater threat. The nuclear device is armed, functional, and headed for Chicago. In the command center, Olivia Walker (Rebecca Ferguson) is heading up the operation to try to shoot down the missile. Above her are the staffers, close aides to White House officials who receive the information as it comes in and must make drastic decisions to inform what the next steps must be. Those choices must then be secured by the most high-level positions in government, including the president (Idris Elba). Everyone involved on this harrowing day, no matter where in the chain of command they lie, has to act quickly as an unmitigated disaster inches closer to horrific reality.

It’s been a long absence for Kathryn Bigelow from the cinematic landscape. “Detroit” came out eight years ago, though for many, works like “The Hurt Locker” and “Zero Dark Thirty” represent more of the enticing aspects of her filmography among the masses. From the moment Barry Ackroyd’s cinematography begins to utilize those classic zooms, evoking the documentary-like aesthetics seen previously in her films, you know we are back in the hands of a master storyteller who understands how to craft compelling set pieces. There’s little action in the traditional sense. There are no battlefields filled with explosions or daring military crews executing precisely executed excursions. This is a series of people talking in rooms, but the tension pushes you to the edge of your seat. The scrambling that takes place to retrieve any extra bit of information is exhilarating, and the unfolding chaos descends as quickly as the approaching warhead, making it a taught exercise that hardly leaves room to breathe. The sharp editing enhances the chaotic atmosphere and keeps one invested in this horrific set of circumstances. The sound design also captures the turbulent environment with the overlapping dialogue colliding with yet another overwrought Volker Bertelmann’s score, though this one sounds an awful lot like his work on “Conclave,” it starts to sound nearly identical. Through every frame, Bigelow’s mastery of craft is palpable, and she delivers an engrossing observation that is gripping throughout.

Well, for the most part, it is. Noah Oppenheim’s screenplay is structured into three distinct acts. Each one examines the start of the events, leading all the way up to a possible impact, and every new chapter resets to the beginning of this crisis with a different perspective that unfolds the entire process. These new lenses allow us to view these events differently as we move higher up the food chain. By the time the president and his senior cabinet members are involved, the immediacy of clear information that establishes the stakes feels like distant and unknown figures that exist within several other layers of interpretation. It’s an interesting commentary that those with the most power to make incredibly consequential decisions often lack a complete set of information to inform these sweeping acts. However, the result of this method of storytelling is that the propulsive momentum subsides with every change in viewpoint. A restructuring occurs every time a cut to black and a title card appear to mark the beginning of the next section. By the third instance, the narrative isn’t measuring up to the level of heart-pounding action it started with, even concluding on a muted note that leaves the audience more uncertain about the grave, perilous danger the world is in at this moment. It’s a profound statement that also might leave many underwhelmed.

Another issue that the script faces is what to do with its assortment of characters. The large ensemble features many well-known actors making impactful appearances. Still, the very nature of procedural dramas means that they are mostly props to drive the story along. You can feel the storytelling recognizing this and attempting to include some personal details to give a greater sense of depth to these people. A common occurrence lies in families trying to protect themselves from the incoming danger, but even those showcases can feel overly telegraphed. There’s a particularly rough inclusion of the Secretary of Defense’s daughter that plainly states the hardships with her father and why he feels a sense of obligation to reach out. However, it borders on melodrama, especially in its conclusion, and ultimately feels more emotionally manipulative. There’s a much better scene earlier in the film that shows one soldier calling his mother, knowing the strike is imminent. There’s no big backstory as to what this relationship means. Just a simple conversation that establishes the emotional weight without tipping its hand too much into histrionics. It’s a shame that the pacing can’t keep up with the fast pace established at the start, even though one can appreciate the attempt to find stronger thematic commentary.

With such a large group of actors assembled, it can be difficult for all of them to really make the biggest impression. Fortunately, the stable is full of enough talent that they all stand out, at least for the particular chapter in which their designated section is given the biggest focus. There’s a razor-sharp attention that Ferguson supplies that always makes her an enticing figure to watch, even if it does sound like her accent occasionally slips. She’s a commanding presence that takes charge whenever she’s on screen. Kudos also given to Ramos for providing an engaging energy that matches the escalating tension as well. When we reach one ring above them, there are plenty of aides delivering reams of information with impressive proficiency. Still, it’s hard not to be won over by Tracy Letts as a military officer who has an endearingly crusty persona that evolves into a steely yet anxious resolve. Elba has a calming and endearing presence that represents the measured hand a leader needs to project, and he ends up being the most effective player in his section. Jared Harris as the Defense Secretary is saddled with weak writing, Renée Elise Goldsberry is just the emotionally supportive First Lady, and Jonah Hauer-King provides decent chemistry with Elba but not much else. The very nature of this screenplay makes it hard for anyone to stand out across the entire film, but every member is exceptional at fulfilling their roles within the fabric of this stressful showdown.

A few years after that tense exchange in Cuba in the 1960s, the release of Sidney Lumet’s ” Fail Safe ” saw the release of Sidney Lumet’s “Fail Safe.” That film imagined a horrifying scenario in which a US plane carrying nuclear weapons was headed to drop its payload on Moscow after a communication error sent it to that target. It was a stark and bleak representation of what the escalating Cold War could deliver to the world. Those fears haven’t been with us in some time, and maybe it’s good to have that reminder that actual weapons of mass destruction are in the hands of superpowers who are constantly looking to change the world order, no matter how many lives might be taken. “A House of Dynamite” never finds itself exactly political. Part of the chaos is not only trying to stop this attack but finding the source of it as well, an equally arduous process that features a long list of possible suspects. It’s indicative of the very distrusting nature these countries have with one another, and this film brings yet another frightening scenario to life when one or more choose to act on that self-interest. Getting the perspective from the ground is a thrilling experience, a tightly-wound and taught exercise that’s rather breathtaking. That is, until energy wanes with each new break in the narrative, and the ending isn’t operating on quite the same level of rousing action as when it began. Still, there’s no denying what a powerfully rendered tale this is, both impressive in its filmmaking and performances. It’s a cautionary tale that we hope to never see, but also can’t help but ponder an inevitability that felt just as imminent decades ago.

The post “A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

THE CAST – Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Maria Bakalova, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Alex Borstein & Lilly Singh

THE TEAM – Pierre Perifel (Director), Etan Cohen & Yoni Brenner (Writers)

THE RUNNING TIME – 104 Minutes

After leaving their life of crime behind in “The Bad Guys,” the slick-talking crew of reformed criminals is struggling to adjust to their new roles as, well, Good Guys. In “The Bad Guys 2,” director Pierre Perifel returns to find Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) trying (and mostly failing) to live the straight life. Between soul-crushing corporate gigs and a stack of unpaid bills, it’s clear that going legit doesn’t suit them. So when they’re framed for a crime they didn’t commit, it doesn’t take much to pull them back into their old ways. Soon, they’re globe-trotting in an epic heist to steal gold and clear their names.

Not only does “The Bad Guys 2” raise the stakes, but it also ups the style, energy, and laughs from the already phenomenal first film. It’s a criminally good sequel, making it one of the best animated action-comedies in years. From Daniel Pemberton’s irresistibly jazzy score to the slick, dynamic camera work, the film proudly riffs on classic heist cinema. Perifel once again proves he has a flawless eye for kinetic action, staging set pieces that feel playful and inventive in every frame. A thrilling car chase through Cairo, a flashback to the crew’s glory days, sees their car barrel through crowds, soar across rooftops, and drift through alleys in a breathtaking ballet of chaos, all while being chased by swarms of police.

The animation looks stunning, too. The 3D designs are enhanced with hand-drawn flourishes that inject each punch, peel-out, or explosion with vibrant energy. That blend of styles gives the film a bold, expressive look that few other animated features match. One standout sequence, teased in the trailers, takes place on the exterior of a rocket mid-launch and features long takes, sweeping angles, and exhilarating choreography that genuinely stuns.

But it’s not all flash and style. There’s real substance beneath the spectacle. The introduction of a new group of villains, the Bad Girls, adds pressure and personality to the story. Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), Susan (Natasha Lyonne), and Pigtail (Maria Bakalova) blackmail the Bad Guys into pulling off one final job, threatening to leak damaging info about Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz). Even with a crowded ensemble, the sharp screenplay by Etan Cohen and Yoni Brenner lets the characters breathe and evolve. Romantic sparks fly between Snake and Susan, while Wolf wrestles with loyalty and love as he tries to protect Diane. These moments give the action emotional heft, all anchored by standout voice work, particularly from the ever-charismatic Rockwell.

The humor, too, is delightfully wide-ranging. Kids will cackle at Piranha’s endless stream of fart jokes, even if they wear a little thin, while adults will appreciate more pointed references, like the reveal that the rare substance the villains are after is called “Macguffinite.” And just when you think the film can’t get any weirder, it throws in an unexpected (and hilariously bizarre) makeout session between a snake and a raven that is awkward, absurd, and surprisingly on-brand.

While Pixar has long been the gold standard for emotional storytelling in animation, DreamWorks is currently undergoing a creative renaissance. With “The Bad Guys 2,” they continue to push the boundaries of style and storytelling, crafting something that feels fresh, bold, and unafraid to take risks. It might not plumb the emotional depths of Disney Pixar’s “Inside Out” or “Up,” but it more than makes up for it with its dazzling design, inventive action, and infectious sense of fun. “The Bad Guys 2” is a near-perfect sequel that’s fast, funny, and full of flair, resulting in a wickedly good time at the movies.

The post “THE BAD GUYS 2” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

Thank you so much for listening. The Next Best Picture Podcast is proud to be a part of the Evergreen Podcasts Network. You can subscribe to us anywhere you listen to podcasts or listen in the embedded player below. Please take a moment to review us on Apple Podcasts here. And if you’re feeling generous, you enjoy what you hear, and you want to hear more, please help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, and you’ll receive some exclusive podcast content from us, including this review ad-free.

You can follow Matt, Lauren, Josh, Sara, Dan & Giovanni and hear more of their thoughts on the Oscars and Film on X at @NextBestPicture, @laurenlamango, @JRParham, @mildredsfierce, @dancindanonfilm & @TheGiovanniLago

The post The Next Best Picture Podcast – “Twisters” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

THE CAST – Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney & Sasha Lane

THE TEAM – Lee Isaac Chung (Director) & Mark L. Smith (Writer)

THE RUNNING TIME – 122 Minutes

The phrase “they don’t make ’em like they used to” gets thrown around a lot these days regarding movies. Usually, it refers to one of two things: The weightless, rubbery CGI that has replaced more realistic-looking in-camera effects or the relative lack of Hollywood star power of the modern era, when audiences care more about the legacy character an actor plays than the actor themselves. But there’s a certain je ne sais quoimissing from the blockbusters of the 2020s that can really only be defined by a direct comparison with blockbusters of the past. There’s a certain generosity and joie de vivre in films like “Die Hard” and “Speed,”  a willingness to be cheesily entertaining that disappeared when filmmakers started feeling the need to reclaim genre films to prove that they, too, could be Serious Works of Art. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but the self-seriousness of modern blockbusters (even in something as seemingly lightweight and poppy as last year’s “Barbie“) can get a bit exhausting. Whatever happened to the popcorn films of yore, which gave us practical spectacle, star power, and serious entertainment without needing to be taken completely seriously?

Enter Lee Isaac Chung’s “Twisters,” the decades-later sequel to Jan de Bont’s 1996 classic “Twister.” Calling it a sequel feels wrong, especially in the modern era; the two films share no characters or named locations in common, just the premise of storm chasers trying to get groundbreaking scientific equipment into a tornado. However, Chung’s approach to the film places it firmly in the lineage of this particular era of blockbusters. The decision to shoot on film gives the finished product a grit that digital still can’t fully replicate, which in turn lends a tactility to the titular characters that are essential to the film’s success. There’s not a single moment in “Twisters” where it feels like characters are staring at a green screen or a tornado stand-in. The visual effects feel real, heightened by the unflinching look at the devastation left behind after the thrill of the tornado is gone. As he did with his breakthrough film “Minari,” Chung proves adept at treating the natural world as a character in its own right, a perfect, unfeeling foil to the emotional human story at the film’s heart. While the overall tone here is quite different from the understated family drama of “Minari,” the sensitivity Chung brings to the quieter scenes serves as the perfect counterbalance to the high-octane thrills of the action sequences, making the film feel like a well-rounded piece of entertainment, not just a roller coaster ride.

Mark L. Smith’s screenplay (from a story by Joseph Kosinski) follows the template of the first film almost to the letter, a smart move given that “Twister” is one of the most well-structured action films of the ’90s. This film centers on Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a meteorologist in New York City who grew up chasing storms in her home state of Oklahoma. She had been conducting field research into stopping tornadoes dead in their path, but a tragic incident five years ago resulted in the death of all her other crew members except for Javi (Anthony Ramos). Now, Javi is seeking out Kate’s legendary storm tracker skills to put him in the exact right spot for his new technology to get a 3D mapping image of a tornado. After reluctantly agreeing, Kate joins Javi and his overly professional crew in Oklahoma for a once-in-a-lifetime slew of storms. There, she instantly gets the attention of Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a self-proclaimed “tornado wrangler” who livestreams his tornado chases to social media. Will these two groups of storm chasers be able to come together to figure out how to stop tornadoes and save the people of Tornado Alley? This flip of the original’s dynamic, where we were embedded with the ragtag crew of less-well-funded tornado chasers, sets up certain expectations that the film delights in dismantling, allowing for some sneakily potent commentary about disaster relief in Capitalist America. As thrilling as the film’s action scenes are, it is this focus on the aftermath of the tornadoes, on the destruction they leave in their wake, that is the secret ingredient keeping the film from being an utterly disposable piece of entertainment, giving it a weight that’s difficult to shake.

Edgar-Jones, nothing short of a revelation as Kate, embodies the film’s ethos by showing how Kate’s youthful idealism has hardened into risk aversion and how she had to subsume her desire to help the world to ensure her own survival. As is par for the course with disaster flicks, all the characters are pretty thin on the page, but Edgar-Jones finds Kate’s emotional core early on and never lets go, drawing us ever closer to her as the film goes on. She’s perfectly matched by Powell, who radiates such charisma that you almost believe he could stop a tornado all by himself. He’s so innately watchable that you nearly don’t notice that the romance plot between Kate and Tyler is practically nonexistent. In “Top Gun: Maverick,” it was clear Powell had the goods to be a major star, and now, with “Twisters” coming hot on the heels of rom-com hit “Anyone But You” and his bravura performance in Richard Linklater’s hilarious “Hit Man,” the inevitable has come to pass. The man is a superstar, able to seamlessly jump between genres and create believable chemistry with any co-star.

Those who have been complaining about the death of originality in Hollywood may have several bones to pick with “Twisters” – it is a sequel that essentially recreates the original, after all. However, so much of what the film does well feels anathema to current filmmaking trends that it feels like an inspired throwback instead of a mindless rip-off. The thrilling action sequences, backed by Benjamin Wallfisch’s rollicking score, would feel equally at home in any of the past three decades, as likely to hold on wide shots to get across the scale of the awe-inspiring, terrifying destruction as they are to use fast cuts and wild camera movements to put you right in the middle of the chaos of a giant, overwhelming storm. Against all odds, Chung has managed to have his cake and eat it, too, perfectly walking the line between serious and fun to create a well-rounded piece of entertainment that takes its characters and their plight seriously without taking itself too seriously. Instead of apologizing for itself or bending over backward to justify its existence, “Twisters” proudly sets out to be the best version of itself it can be, which turns out to be just as entertaining, if not more so, than the original.

The post “TWISTERS” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

Plot Synopsis: Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, “In the Heights“) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better. As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

What do you all think of the trailer? Of all the Super Bowl trailers we saw last night, this one was my absolute favorite. The original 1996 film is such a fun roller coaster ride, and this new film (from the director of “Minari” nonetheless) appears to be perfectly capturing exactly what audiences want from their summer blockbusters nowadays. Yes, there’s CGI, but there’s an element of practical filmmaking with an exciting young cast of actors on the cusp of moviestardom (mainly Edgar-Jones and especially Powell). The overall tone of this film looks entertaining as hell and will likely be a big talking point this summer if it’s received well, critically speaking, as I imagine audiences will flock to see this. The screenplay credit for Mark L. Smith gives me some pause, but with Chung directing, I want to believe we’re in good hands. What do you all think, though? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or our Twitter account.

The post Trailer – “Twisters” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

Thank you so much for listening. The Next Best Picture Podcast is proud to be a part of the Evergreen Podcasts Network. You can subscribe to us on YouTube, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Tunein, Player FM & Castbox, or listen in the embedded player below. Please take a moment to review us on Apple Podcasts here. And if you’re feeling generous, you enjoy what you hear, and you want to hear more, please help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, and you’ll receive some exclusive podcast content from us.

You can follow Matt, Lauren, Josh & Dan and hear more of their thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @NextBestPicture, @laurencohenfilm, @JRParham & @dancindanonfilm

The post The Next Best Picture Podcast – “Dumb Money” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

THE CAST – Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley & Seth Rogen

THE TEAM – Craig Gillespie (Director), Lauren Schuker Blum & Rebecca Angelo (Writers)
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THE RUNNING TIME – 104 Minutes

The enormous pressure for a movie like “Dumb Money,” chronicling the GameStop Stock short squeeze of 2021, is that in addition to telling an entertaining story, the film must educate its viewers on the subject it’s covering. What’s a short squeeze? How do hedge funds lose money when one stock shoots up? Rather than stop the momentum of a story to give explainers like “The Big Short” did a few years ago, “Dumb Money” focuses on telling the story well, simplifying the details, and trusting the audience to follow along. Viewers won’t receive investment tips from the film, but Craig Gillespie’s latest crafts an energetic, intelligent breakdown of what happened in January 2021, creating heroes you genuinely want to cheer for.

Based on Ben Mezrich’s book “The Antisocial Network” (the author also wrote “The Accidental Billionaires,” which was adapted into “The Social Network“), “Dumb Money” primarily focuses on one man: Keith Gill, played with relatable likability by Paul Dano. Most of the world came to know Gill by his YouTube moniker, Roaring Kitty. Gill was essentially a nobody. He has family problems with his wife (Shailene Woodley) due to their financial troubles, just like everyone else, and he bonds with his deadbeat brother (Pete Davidson) in the aftermath of a family tragedy. To put it simply, he’s like most average Americans. He certainly wasn’t rich. He was a financial analyst but had not achieved much major success until he started posting to a Reddit thread, r/wallstreetbets, and YouTube about his idea to go all in on the company GameStop. “I just like the stock,” Gill tells his small following which starts to grow slowly but surely due to his findings about the company being grossly undervalued by Wall Street. The big guys in suits make money by betting against companies such as GameStop, which are on the brink of collapse, and all Gill wanted to do was turn the tables.

Gill puts $50,000 into GameStop stock, and the rest of r/wallstreetbets starts noticing. Before long, his commitment starts to catch on. “Dumb Money” showcases various members who join Gill “on a mission to the fucking moon.” They’re all pretty much broke. There’s a nurse named Jenny (America Ferrera), two college students named Riri and Harmony (Myha’la Herrold and Talia Ryder), and even a GameStop employee named Marcus (Anthony Ramos). They’re watching Roaring Kitty like he’s a messiah, here to save the stock market from the greedy bastards who have rigged the system. Gill is their Robin Hood, and the investors from r/wallstreetbets are his merry men, and they’re stealing from the rich to give to themselves. Even when others mock them, they hold the line. Jenny defends the group to her friend. “The r/wallstreetbets people aren’t nerds. They’re gangsters!” That’s how they see themselves, anyway.

“Dumb Money” is another absurd but true story of modern-day class warfare. Gill and the rest of the r/wallstreetbets investors directly oppose big hedge fund managers with their Gamestop bid. Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) is hit the hardest, but with billionaire friends like Steve Cohen (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman), he doesn’t have much to really fear as Ken pulls strings behind the scenes to have Robinhood, the stock trading app frequented by every day, non-Wall Street investors run by Vlad Tenev (Sebastian Stan) and Baiju Bhatt( Rushi Kota), pause investments in Gamestop. They rigged the system, and they’re not even subtle about it. And if Ken gets squeezed hard enough, his friends will always be there to bail him out.

For a film that opens by blasting Cardi B’s “WAP” and centers on a character named Roaring Kitty, you might not expect it to be as intelligent as it is. Ridiculous as many of the characters are, the film’s humane sentimentality is its secret weapon. There’s genuine reflection on how hard the pandemic hit the world and how bad the divide between the rich and the poor grew in such a short period of time in America. Director Craig Gillespie, known for stylistic flourishes in “I, Tonya,” “Cruella,” and “Pam & Tommy,” is surprisingly restrained in how he tackles the story. So much of the film is inherently silly that the filmmaking pulls back a bit and works like a charm to counterbalance the meme-centric storytelling. Credit must also be given to Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo’s deft screenplay. Gillespie’s tight control also helps the script to feel believable through and through, even as the story gets crazier and a modern-day revolution takes place in the financial world that we’re all still feeling today.

Like a great sports movie, “Dumb Money” keeps the audience rooting for the underdog, despite it actually being a true-life financial story. The audience is entirely in Gill’s corner and the rest of the Gamestop investors. The story is a strange but essential marker in time for America, following in the footsteps of films like “The Social Network,” “Moneyball,” and “The Big Short.” The well-put-together film inspires genuine goosebumps during its final ending titles that will make audiences break out in applause and raise their triumphant fists in the air as they continue to root for the little guys who simply want to level the playing field and be given a fair shot to make money in this country. What could be more American than that?

The post “DUMB MONEY” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

Plot Synopsis: “Dumb Money” is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world’s hottest company. In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich – until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down. 

What do you all think of the trailer? Recalling the vibe of something like “The Big Short,” the insane story behind how a bunch of normal, everyday people shook Wall Street, is nothing we haven’t seen before but seeing director Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya” & “Cruella“) tied to this makes me believe there will be a fun amount of energy injected into this. If nothing else, the cast is entertaining and filled with talented names to provide some intrigue. I question if anyone wants to see this story, but we’ll see how audiences respond. The chances of a TIFF world premiere right before its theatrical release seem pretty high. What do you all think, though? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or our Twitter account.

The post Trailer – “Dumb Money” appeared first on Next Best Picture.

Thank you so much for listening. The Next Best Picture Podcast is proud to be a part of the Evergreen Podcasts Network. You can subscribe to us on YouTube, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Tunein, Player FM & Castbox, or listen in the embedded player below. Please take a moment to review us on Apple Podcasts here. And if you’re feeling generous, you enjoy what you hear, and you want to hear more, please help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, and you’ll receive some exclusive podcast content from us.

You can follow Matt, Isaiah, Kolby & JD and hear more of their thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @NextBestPicture, @Izabod13I, @kolbytoldme & @RealJDDuran

The post The Next Best Picture Podcast – “Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts” appeared first on Next Best Picture.