The Big Picture · Discussion · Review · Rankings
December 19, 2025/ 82 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
James Cameron's third Pandora trip splits the room. The Oscar short lists land in 12 categories, and the Best Picture rankings get their last reshuffle of 2025.
34 films across 4 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.
The Oscars Leave ABC for YouTube, Plus the ‘Disclosure’ Trailerthe news up top
The Spielberg alien thriller with Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor, out June. The hosts weren't sure of the title on air and guessed 'Disclosure.' Sean flagged some CGI shots (a girl, a moose, a bird) as Zemeckis-'Here'-adjacent, but loved the practical car chase.
Cited as part of the Spielberg alien lineage.
Same lineage.
The Spielberg predecessor the new trailer echoes.
Evidence for the 'old directors still going big' trend (Ridley Scott).
The other late Ridley Scott swing.
Scorsese, same trend.
Coppola, same trend.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
The split verdict: Amanda's out ('the experiment has run out'), Sean liked it on strength of its highs. Both grant the craft is a different league, both fault it for replaying the first films beat-for-beat and for pacing that drags once the family is scattered. Highs: the jellyfish-dragon battle, Quaritch's psychedelic seduction by Varang, the third-act squids. Oona Chaplin's Varang is the standout. Sean predicts $1.6B and doubts a fourth and fifth film.
The Oscar Short Lists12 categories announced
The shocker: shortlisted 5 times, including casting. Oliver Laxe's Spanish film (a rave in the desert) that nobody pegged as an Academy movie. Landed at No. 10 in the power rankings.
Surprise casting nod; with Amy Madigan looking like a lock, it jumps to tier 1.
Shortlisted 8 times; an 'interesting Sinners moment' with real spoiler potential.
Also shortlisted 8 times.
Six shortlistings, which isn't a surprise.
Only missed in sound, which the hosts would have liked to see.
Absent from casting and cinematography, which looks like a DOA sign and makes them nervous about Adam Sandler.
Shut out entirely; Searchlight looks likely to miss Best Picture for the first time since 2016.
Gorgeously shot but snubbed in cinematography; it turns up across the lists without dominating any of them.
Casting nod is a good sign for the Brazilian film.
In score despite reused Max Richter music, which didn't disqualify it.
A score look for a movie otherwise thin across the lists.
Another score nod, for a film that's barely shown up elsewhere on the lists.
In score only, not a great sign for the film more broadly.
In score; Laura Karpman (of the jazzy 'American Fiction') composed it.
Best Picture Power RankingsDec. 19 · No. 1 first
No. 1: still the front-runner, though Sean admits he's getting overconfident.
No. 2: first critics' prize broke One Battle's streak; the spoiler with the loudest late buzz.
No. 3: the people who love it love it; the original-screenplay/below-the-line profile.
No. 4: Panahi's film has power; Sean floats him for Best Director.
No. 6: placed above Sentimental Value for its likely six below-the-line noms and a directing bid.
No. 10: the new addition, added off the short-list strength, replacing 'Avatar: Fire and Ash.'
Also mentioned raised along the way
In the Avatar review AvatarAvatar: The Way of WaterAliensAlienDrums Along the MohawkPrometheusThe Hurricane
International feature short list BelénIt Was Just an AccidentSound of FallingHomeboundThe President's CakeKokuhoAll That's Left of YouSentimental ValuePalestine 36Left-Handed GirlLate ShiftThe Voice of Hind Rajab
Documentary short list The Perfect NeighborCome See Me in the Good LightCover-UpApocalypse in the TropicsMy Undesirable Friends: Part I
Cinematography, score & song short lists Ballad of a Small PlayerBugoniaDie My LoveF1Nouvelle VagueSong Sung BlueTron: AresTruth & TreasonNurembergDiane Warren: RelentlessK-Pop Demon Hunters
Golden Globes box-office award & other mentions Mission: Impossible - The Final ReckoningZootopia 2Springsteen: Deliver Me from NowhereRental FamilyIs This Thing On?Ella McCayMagellanPredatorsOrwell: 2+2=5Put Your Soul on Your Hand and WalkAmerican FictionThe Birth of a NationAnatomy of a Fall
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Game of ThronesThe HourSaturday Night Live
Ads Amazon PrimeMeta Ray-Ban glassesSam's ClubScout MotorsSingin' in the Rain (read in a Prime spot)