The Big Picture · Review · Discussion · Interview
June 10, 2025/ 115 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins · Chris Ryan
Sean, Amanda, and Chris pan the reshoot-scarred 'Ballerina' and dig into the Philippou brothers' bleak 'Bring Her Back,' then revisit 'Dogma' at 25. Kevin Smith takes the second half for an hour on the movie's Weinstein-era limbo and its re-release.
14 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.
'Ballerina'the fifth John Wick film
Len Wiseman directs, Shay Hatton writes, Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro on a revenge spree through the Ruska Roma and a hidden village of killers. All three find it a mediocre script propped up by Chad Stahelski reshoots; the restaurant brawl is the high point, the tacked-on Keanu Reeves cameo and thin training arc the low ones. Gabriel Byrne, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, and Lance Reddick in his final role.
'Bring Her Back'the Philippou brothers' follow-up to 'Talk to Me'
Danny and Michael Philippou go grimmer than 'Talk to Me': Sally Hawkins as a bereaved foster mother trying to resurrect her drowned daughter, with two child performances from Sora Wong and Billy Barrett. Sean calls it well-made and genuinely upsetting - a grungy early-2000s horror mode, tooth violence and all. Amanda, warned off, sat it out (and a Zoom drop spared her the melon scene).
'Dogma' at 25Sean, Amanda, and Chris revisit it
Back in theaters after years out of circulation. The hosts find it holds up: a silly action comedy about faith that's smarter than its shit-monster reputation, with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as fallen angels, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, George Carlin, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, and Alanis Morissette. Sean, raised Catholic, reads it as a mature film about the contradictions of the church.
In conversationthe guest hosts for the hour
Smith's hour-long account of the film's limbo: made at Miramax over Disney's objections, buried for two decades under Harvey Weinstein's rights, and finally freed when producer Alessandra Williams bought a tranche of Weinstein assets and re-released it on ~1,500 screens. It played Cannes Classics; Smith is writing a sequel.
The $30k debut, the second film ever sold at Sundance; Smith argues Miramax bought it to signal nothing had changed after the Disney sale.
The Universal/Gramercy follow-up, before Smith set up an overall deal at Miramax.
The Sundance self-distribution 'auction' stunt that birthed Smith's touring model - and the setting for the 'shut the fuck up' Weinstein anecdote.
Made under the Weinstein Company; got an eight-minute ovation at Cannes in 2006, Smith's last visit before 'Dogma.'
The last film Smith made with the Weinsteins before walking away.
Smith owns the ending: he'll take the heat on it while still praising a film that also didn't know when to stop.
His last-great-thing pick - pop-culture philosophizing he calls 'porn for me' while writing the 'Dogma' sequel.
Also recommended; he praises Sophie Thatcher and calls it smart and original.
Loved it - 'one of the bravest acts of cinema' - even as he notes it holds his beer on refusing to end.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Around 'Ballerina' John Wick: Chapter 3 - ParabellumJohn Wick: Chapter 4No Time to DieKnives OutBlack SwanThe Long Kiss GoodnightCenter StageLethal WeaponMission: Impossible - The Final ReckoningThe AmateurThe Boondock Saints
Around 'Bring Her Back' Talk to MeScreamPaddingtonPaddington in Peru
Around 'Dogma' Good Will HuntingGalaxy QuestSense and Sensibility
In the Kevin Smith story, in passing KidsThe PianoThe Crying GameGo FishJersey GirlKill Bill: Vol. 1Fahrenheit 9/11TwilightThe Hunger GamesThe ArtistJay and Silent Bob Strike BackJay and Silent Bob RebootClerks III
Teased for Friday The Life of ChuckMaterialists
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV The AcolyteThe Walking DeadSquid Game
Announced, unreleased Street FighterHighlander
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