Joker 2019
Golden Lion winner; Sean's read is a Taxi Driver riff by way of Todd Phillips. Neither host has seen it, but they note the Academy already rewarded the character once, via Heath Ledger.
The Big Picture · Discussion · Interview
An 'It Chapter Two' Deep Dive, 'Joker' at Venice, and Big Winners at the Toronto International Film Festival | The Oscars Show
September 10, 2019/ 88 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
The Oscars-show edition: Joker takes Venice's Golden Lion, Toronto sorts the contenders from the also-rans, and the Best Supporting Actress field fills up. Then director Andy Muschietti and, separately, Jason Concepcion on It Chapter Two.
55 films across 5 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
Joker Wins the Golden LionVenice and the early Oscar noise
Taxi Driver 1976
The 70s touchstone the hosts keep comparing Joker to.
An Officer and a Spy 2019
Roman Polanski's Silver Lion winner, awkward for an Academy that expelled him.
The Shape of Water 2017
One of only two recent Golden Lion winners to become a Best Picture nominee.
Roma 2018
The other; the pair cite both as evidence Venice may be turning into a bellwether.
Green Book 2018
The reactionary-vote precedent they keep circling back to.
Reading the Toronto Tea LeavesTIFF, secondhand
Jojo Rabbit 2019
Taika Waititi's anti-hate satire; a mixed, faintly disappointed reception, though Scott Feinberg noted audiences liked it more than critics.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood 2019
Tom Hanks confirmed as a supporting player; a warm-hug movie with audience-award appeal.
Knives Out 2019
Rian Johnson's Agatha Christie romp, loved by everyone because no awards weight is on it.
Dolemite Is My Name 2019
Eddie Murphy in caps; a Netflix quality play, and Wesley Snipes is back.
Parasite 2019
The festival's most popular title, carrying the weight of being the biggest darling in Toronto.
Marriage Story 2019
Big rapture for Adam Driver and Laura Dern; Amanda refuses to read the tweets until she sees it.
Waves 2019
Warmly received in the same TIFF wave.
Hustlers 2019
Lorene Scafaria's adaptation of Jessica Pressler's stripper-heist piece; the story is J-Lo.
The Two Popes 2019
The unflashy Netflix crowd-pleaser Sean thinks gets the streamer over the hurdle. Also: pizza.
The Irishman 2019
Cited in the Netflix-vs-theaters standoff; the Scotiabank Cineplex wouldn't screen streaming films.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2019
The two-month obsession now resting quietly on the sidelines.
The Best Supporting Actress Fielda lot of real people in the mix
Hustlers 2019
J-Lo's vehicle; Sean argues supporting is her lane, with Constance Wu the actual lead.
The Report 2019
Annette Bening as Dianne Feinstein; a transformation, if not her best, from an actress who's never won.
Marriage Story 2019
Laura Dern, clearly modeled on a real person, whether or not she's a hero.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2019
Margot Robbie, another real person, with real Academy affection behind the movie.
The Farewell 2019
Zhao Shuzhen as Lulu Wang's grandmother, the kind of older-actress role the Academy tends to surface late.
Ford v Ferrari 2019
Caitriona Balfe stuck with the underwritten traditional-wife role; if Claire Foy didn't get in, no one should for it.
Cats 2019
Jennifer Hudson singing Memory, and Judi Dench, why not.
The Goldfinch 2019
Nicole Kidman in a film that got dunked on harder than anything in a while.
Downton Abbey 2019
Maggie Smith, who won't even show for the Emmys, so an Oscar campaign seems unlikely.
The Laundromat 2019
Meryl Streep in a bucket hat. Respect the bucket hat.
Little Women 2019
The big unknown; Saoirse Ronan the presumed lead, everyone else fair game.
Dark Waters 2019
Anne Hathaway on the long-shot list.
Bombshell 2019
Margot Robbie possibly canceling herself out here while she cancels others.
Ad Astra 2019
Ruth Negga, loved by Sean but without the screen time to warrant it.
Avengers: Endgame 2019
Scarlett Johansson potentially running against herself, this and Jojo Rabbit against her Marriage Story lead.
Andy Muschietti on It Chapter Two
Andy Muschietti on
It Chapter Two 2019
The 2h49m conclusion; Muschietti on the clubhouse he finally got to build, Paul Bunyan (King's request), the upside-down blood set, and casting Peter Bogdanovich as the on-set director.
Andy Muschietti on
Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977
The Spielberg-reshot-after-release model for his dreamed six-hour supercut.
Andy Muschietti on
Midsommar 2019
The recent film that wowed him; he loves Ari Aster's savage streak of humor.
Jason Concepcion on It Chapter Two
Jason Concepcion on
It Chapter Two 2019
Concepcion found it a slog: a three-hour therapy metaphor with a CGI crab clown, saved mainly by Bill Hader; the sequential character arcs deliver the same scene six times.
Jason Concepcion on
It 2017
He liked chapter one more; the jump scares and Stand-by-Me coming-of-age vibe worked.
Jason Concepcion on
Stand by Me 1986
His King non-horror favorite; gets the one-special-summer feeling right.
Jason Concepcion on
The Shawshank Redemption 1994
The other King adaptation he ranks at the very top.
Jason Concepcion on
The Shining 1980
Unfaithful to the book but nails the vibe and the metaphor of madness.
Jason Concepcion on
Carrie 1976
The King horror adaptation he thinks really works, off-charts Sissy Spacek and a shock ending.
Jason Concepcion on
Cujo 1983
Invoked via the addiction context; King has said he doesn't remember writing it.
Jason Concepcion on
Split 2017
James McAvoy's star wattage, part of the point about a cast credibility gap.
Jason Concepcion on
The Last Jedi 2017
Concepcion's parting note: just rewatched it, Adam Driver kicks ass, both high on the hosts' list.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Comparisons and precedents The Grand Budapest HotelCan You Ever Forgive Me?Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriFirst ManThe Hangover Part IIIIndiana Jones
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV BarryThe WireOutlanderGame of ThronesSaturday Night LiveFamily GuyIt (1990 miniseries)
Podcasts The Hottest TakeBinge ModeTea Time
Web series NBA Desktop
In development The FlashAttack on Titan