The Next Best Picture Podcast

"Half Man" is a British six-part television drama created by multi-Emmy Award winner Richard Gadd ("Baby Reindeer") about Ruben (Stuart Campbell) and Niall (Mitchell Robertson), who grew up as brothers despite not being related by blood—one strong and fiercely loyal, the other quiet and gentle. Thirty years later, they reunite at Niall’s (Jamie Bell) wedding, but Ruben (Gadd) seems uneasy and on edge; when a sudden act of violence erupts, it sends the story back through their shared past, revealing how their bond was shaped and how even the closest relationships can ultimately fall apart. It received positive reviews for its blistering writing, direction from Alexandra Brodski and Eshref Reybrouck, and the performances from the cast. It has been nominated for two Gotham TV Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited or Anthology Series for Bell. Gadd and director Alexandra Brodski were both kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experiences making the series, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the series, which is up for your consideration for this year's Emmy Awards and is now available to stream on HBO Max. Thank you, and enjoy!

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"Tuner" is a 2025 crime thriller film directed by Daniel Roher and written by Roher and Robert Ramsey, starring Leo Woodall as a talented piano tuner whose meticulous piano-tuning skills lead him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down. Havana Rose Liu, Lior Raz, Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno, and Dustin Hoffman also star. The film had its world premiere at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival and received positive reviews from critics for its performances, editing, and sound work. Woodall and editor Greg O'Bryant 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 theaters from Black Bear Entertainment. Thank you, and enjoy!

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Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

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For Episode 494, I am joined by Sara Clements, Larry Fried, Will Mavity, and Tom O'Brien, as we deliver our preview for the 2026 Tribeca Festival. We also touch on the recent box-office successes of "Backrooms" and "Obsession," and what they mean for Hollywood moving forward. For this week’s poll question, for the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, we’re asking everyone: “Which Films From The 2026 Tribeca Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?” and reveal the winner of last week’s poll question tied to the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, "Which Of The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Award Winners Are You Most Looking Forward To Seeing?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "In The Hand Of Dante," "I Am Frankelda," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. Enjoy!

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Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

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YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

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For this week's main podcast review, Ema Sasic, Katie Johnson, Sara Clements, Alyssa Christian, and Brendan Hodges join me to review and discuss "Backrooms" starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett & Lukita Maxwell. Directed and co-scored by Kane Parsons (in his feature-length directorial debut at the young age of 20 years old) and written by Will Soodik, this A24 horror film is based on Parsons's web series of the same name, inspired by the "Backrooms" creepypasta. It has developed a massive following online, which we're seeing reflected in its overperforming box office, and has generated a ton of interest and conversation surrounding horror films in Hollywood today, the pipeline from YouTube creators to filmmakers, liminal horror spaces, Renate Reinsve's dominance over 2026, and more! What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss all of these points and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

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Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

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"The Pitt" is an American medical drama television series created by R. Scott Gemmill and executive-produced by John Wells and Noah Wyle. It stars Wyle, Tracy Ifeachor, Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, Shabana Azeez, and Sepideh Moafi. Each season of the series follows emergency department staff as they work through the challenges of a single 12-hour shift at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, while navigating staff shortages, underfunding, and their own personal crises. Each episode, set in real time, covers approximately one hour of the work shift. The series has received critical acclaim for its performances, writing, direction, format, and realism. The medical community has also praised the series for its accuracy, realistic representation of healthcare workers, and portrayal of the stressors medical staff face in a post-pandemic world. The series has received several accolades, with the first season winning five awards at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, namely Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting, and acting wins for Wyle, LaNasa, and recurring guest star Shawn Hatosy. Additionally, it was listed among the 10 best television programs of 2025 by the American Film Institute and won Best Television Series – Drama at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards. Ema Sasic spoke with Sepideh Moafi, and Daniel Howat spoke with series cinematographer Johanna Coelho. Both were kind enough to spend some time talking with them about their work and experiences making the series, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the series, which is up for your consideration for this year's Emmy Awards and is now available to stream on HBO Max. Thank you, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free
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