The Big Picture · Review · Discussion · Rankings
October 2, 2026/ 111 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Inarritu's 'Digger' gets a spoiler-forward review that can't decide between love and irritation, then a run through a crowded Best Actor race and a two-host top 10 of Tom Cruise performances.
25 films across 3 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.
'Digger'spoilers throughout
Inarritu apocalyptic satire, Cruise in prosthetics as oil baron Digger Rockwell, revealed a third of the way in to be a play-within-the-film. Mixed-positive for Sean, 'one of the most annoying movies I've ever seen' for Amanda. Both agree: not a masterpiece. The tribunal 'you need me on that wall' speech is the price of admission.
The Best Actor racecrowded again, and where Cruise fits
John Malkovich; locked since the festivals.
Matt Damon; carried across by the film.
Andrew Scott; great reviews for a film people don't like.
John Turturro; Sean thinks it's happening.
Anthony Ippolito as Stallone; critics will hate it, audiences and the Academy may not. Sean's sleeper.
Robert Pattinson; box-office number one, surging, maybe underrated on Sean's list.
Seth Rogen; well-liked four-hander but the least classic 'best actor' turn of the group.
Pedro Pascal; on the periphery.
Sebastian Stan; divisive, slipped from a stronger position.
Brad Pitt; already won for the role, a Netflix film.
Ryan Gosling; film likely bigger than the performance.
Jafar Jackson as Michael Jackson.
Yura Borisov; unseen.
Jack O'Connell; not tracking.
Our Top 10 Tom Cruise PerformancesSean's ranked countdown (No. 1 first); Amanda went along unranked and swapped in Risky Business, Rain Man, The Color of Money, Top Gun, and Top Gun Maverick.
No. 1 for both. His best performance, arguably his most fully realized movie.
Shared No. 4. Sorkin ratatat, toe-to-toe with Nicholson, Sean's favorite performance.
Ron Kovic. Sean's pick for the Oscar he should have won; lost to Daniel Day-Lewis.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Inarritu's other films Amores Perros21 GramsBabelBiutifulBirdmanThe RevenantBardo
Comparisons and touchstones Don't Look UpMegalopolisMickey 17Dr. StrangeloveThe Royal TenenbaumsBlack NarcissusNetworkNuremberg
Other Cruise roles mentioned OblivionAmerican MadeThe MummyJack Reacher: Never Go BackMission: Impossible - Dead ReckoningMission: Impossible - The Final ReckoningInterview with the VampireFar and AwayValkyrieEdge of TomorrowRock of AgesThe FirmAll the Right MovesThe MasterTropic Thunder
Amanda's Tom Cruise picks (off Sean's list) Risky BusinessRain ManThe Color of MoneyTop GunTop Gun Maverick
In passing AvengersThe Love HypothesisResident EvilThe Thomas Crown AffairRipley's GameThe Talented Mr. RipleyMy Left Foot
October slate ahead VerityOther MommySocial ReckoningSense and SensibilityWhalefallClayfaceLa Bola NegraMaking Marie Antoinette
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Ripley (series)Severance
Podcasts The RewatchablesThe Press Box
Music Cameron Winter (concert)