The Next Best Picture Podcast

For Episode 507 of the Next Best Picture Podcast, I am joined by Nadia Dalimonte, Cody Dericks, Daniel Howat, Larry Fried & Tom O'Brien. This week is a special one, for effective September 1st, NBP will be celebrating its 10th anniversary, and how fitting such a milestone episode falls right before our team heads off to Venice, Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF to deliver the best coverage we can for this upcoming awards season. This week, we're discussing the films premiering at the Venice International Film Festival and what we're specifically looking forward to from that festival. For this week's NBP poll question, as the fall film festivals kick off, we're asking everyone for the second time this year, "Which Film Do You Think Will Be The Next Best Picture Oscar Winner?" And we reveal the winner of last week's NBP poll, for the release of "Coyote vs. Acme," where we asked everyone, "Which Is Your Favorite Film That Combines Live Action And 2D Animation?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Fjord," "Possible Love," "The Social Reckoning," "A Talent For Murder" & "Unabomber." We are still answering your fan-submitted questions, but our answers will now be released separately the day after, in a new show called Mailbag Monday (and that is where we will announce the winners of the 2008 NBP Film Community Awards)! So stay tuned for that and many other updates from Next Best Picture as this year's awards season continues. Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/b_KAgkjHVJM

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For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson and Giovanni Lago join me to review and discuss the latest film from legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, "The Dog Stars," starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Allison Janney, and Benedict Wong. The film follows the survivors of a global flu pandemic as they adjust to the new world around them in the wake of this disaster. Ridley Scott may be a masterful technician with an iconic resume of many classic films, but how is his latest? Please tune in, either on video or audio only, as we discuss the story, performances, Ridley's direction, the writing by Mark L. Smith, the crafts, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/EnD9JRaL_58

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"Hanging By A Wire" is a 2026 thriller documentary by Mohammed Ali Naqvi. It tells the incredible and harrowing true story of eight people, including six students, in Battagram, Pakistan, who became trapped 900 ft above a valley when their cable car malfunctioned in the mountains in 2023. As time continued to run out before the final cable failed, rescue teams worked against the clock to save the stranded passengers. The film premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its blockbuster style of storytelling and editing. Ali Naqvi was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can watch or listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Abramorama. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/JK7iB_MsGfE

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Please subscribe on...

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

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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"Hanging By A Wire" is a 2026 thriller documentary by Mohammed Ali Naqvi. It tells the incredible and harrowing true story of eight people, including six students, in Battagram, Pakistan, who became trapped 900 ft above a valley when their cable car malfunctioned in the mountains in 2023. As time continued to run out before the final cable failed, rescue teams worked against the clock to save the stranded passengers. The film premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its blockbuster style of storytelling and editing. Ali Naqvi was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can watch or listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Abramorama. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/JK7iB_MsGfE

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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"It Ends" is a 2025 American road-horror thriller film written, directed, and edited by Alexander Ullom in his directorial debut. It stars Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, and Mitchell Cole. It follows a group of graduates who go on a late-night drive but accidentally turn onto a two-lane highway that appears to go on indefinitely. The film premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where it received positive reviews but struggled to find a distributor. It was made available as a digital rental for a limited period in December 2025, via the Letterboxd Video Store. Due to its success on the platform, the film was later acquired by NEON. Ullom was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, its long road to getting released, and what he has coming up next in his just beginning, which you can watch or listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from NEON. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/K4s7OJXFLJM

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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