The Next Best Picture Podcast

For this week’s main podcast review, Daniel Howat and Tom O’Brien join me to discuss the new film written, directed, and with visual effects by Takashi Yamazaki, “Godzilla Minus Zero,” starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Sakura Ando, Miou Tanaka, Min Tanaka, Masami Nagasawa, and Jun Kunimura. A sequel to “Godzilla Minus One,” the film is set in 1949, as postwar Japan struggles to rebuild while facing a new threat: King Ghidorah. Godzilla reappears and, through human intervention, is drawn into conflict with the three-headed monster. The film had its world premiere at the 2026 New York Film Festival, where it received praise for its visual effects while sparking debate over how it compares to its predecessor. What did we think of it? Please tune in, either on video or audio only, as we discuss the story’s exploration of postwar recovery, its returning characters and performances, the use of King Ghidorah as a formidable antagonist to Godzilla, Yamazaki’s direction, the visual effects, thundering sound, Oscar prospects, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/KN8_zbpNTFU

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"Wild Horse Nine" is a 2026 black-comedy spy thriller written and directed by Martin McDonagh, starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, where Malkovich won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Critics praised it for its performances, writing, and McDonagh's direction. Malkovich, Rockwell, Buscemi, and Posey were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their work and experiences 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 Searchlight Pictures. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/qTuNX4PQ4Cw

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“Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother” is a 2026 American action thriller film written and directed by Bassam Tariq, starring Mahershala Ali, John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, Abubakr Ali, Tramell Tillman, Tiffany Boone, and Laith Nakli. The film follows a devoutly religious widower and hitman (Ali) who embarks on a desperate journey across Houston to protect his children, confronting the forces closing in around him and the beliefs threatening to unravel within. The film had its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, where critics widely praised Tariq’s writing and directing, as well as Ali’s lead performance. The film has been nominated for three Gotham Awards, including Best Feature and Outstanding Lead Performance for Mahershali Ali. Following the announcement of his Gotham Award nomination, Ali was kind enough to spend some time talking with us in-studio about his work and experience making the film, his career, including his two Best Supporting Actor Oscar wins for "Moonlight" and "Green Book," who he wants to work with next, what the future looks like for him, and more, which you can watch or listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Amazon MGM Studios. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/tZbPqKDxgTQ

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“Fjord” is a 2026 legal thriller family drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Cristian Mungiu. A co-production of Romania, France, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, it stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a conservative Romanian-Norwegian couple facing scrutiny after moving to the wife's progressive, remote Norwegian hometown. It is loosely inspired by the true story of the Bodnariu family (renamed Gheorghiu in the film), whose children were forcefully taken from them by the authorities in Norway. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a 12-minute standing ovation and won the Palme d'Or, the François Chalais Prize, the FIPRESCI Prize, the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, and the Prix de la Citoyenneté. It received critical acclaim, with particular praise for its performances and screenplay, and has been selected as the Romanian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards. Reinsve was kind enough to spend some time speaking with Nadia Dalimonte, while Mungiu spoke with Cody Dericks 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 NEON. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/_HBju5V-tpU

https://youtu.be/Vigchud2q44

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“Mouse" is a 2026 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Kelly O'Sullivan and Alex Thompson, and written by O'Sullivan. The film follows Minnie (Katherine Mallen Kupferer), whose relationship with Callie (Chloe Coleman) is upended on the eve of their senior year when Minnie forms a complicated friendship with Callie's mother (Sophie Okonedo). It also stars Tara Mallen, Beck Nolan, Iman Vellani, and David Hyde Pierce. The film premiered in the Panorama section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its writing and performances. Mallen Kupferer, Okonedo, O'Sullivan, and Thompson were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can watch or listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters on November 6th from Independent Film Company. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/HBNoVe-dDGI
https://youtu.be/qgJ-EJPrZig

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