The Big Picture · Discussion
April 7, 2020/ 110 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Sean and Amanda's second movie swap: he assigns her James Cameron's Aliens, she gives him Four Weddings and a Funeral. Recorded during the March 2020 shutdown, so it opens on the emptied release calendar and what it does to the Oscars.
8 films across 2 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 Swap: 'Aliens'Sean's pick
Sean's pick and, by his reckoning, Cameron's best. He frames it as a war movie in the mold of The Dirty Dozen, not a horror one. Amanda watched it for the first time, respected the craft, but found the dark, gun-heavy chaos a grueling sit. Nominated for seven Oscars, including Sigourney Weaver for Best Actress.
Ridley Scott's original, which both had seen. Amanda's point of comparison: the first film's fear is existential and unseen, where the sequel shows you dozens of xenomorphs.
David Fincher's directorial debut; Sean calls it a fascinating watch and a career-altering nightmare to make.
Sean finds it borderline unwatchable and won't recommend it.
An object of obsession for Sean even though he doesn't think it's good; Amanda saw it in theaters and liked its more cerebral bent.
The last film in the franchise. Sean says it matches Aliens only in how disgusting it is.
The Swap: 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'Amanda's pick
Amanda's pick, and she's stunned Sean had never seen it. Written by Richard Curtis, directed by Mike Newell; the breakout that minted Hugh Grant and, on a $4.4M budget, became the highest-grossing British film of its moment. R-rated and bawdier than the rom-coms it spawned. Sean was won over: the John Hannah funeral eulogy (Auden's 'Funeral Blues') is the scene that got him.
Amanda's dissent: she calls it a masterpiece and the accessible 'studio version' of Four Weddings, even if not quite as good.
Also mentioned raised along the way
The shutdown release calendar Top Gun: MaverickSoulTenetThe French DispatchThe Green KnightMankDa 5 BloodsThe IrishmanVenom: Let There Be CarnageBlack WidowEternalsOnward
Movie memories & last year's swap Mission: Impossible - FalloutSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
James Cameron's other films The TerminatorTerminator 2: Judgment DayTitanicAvatarTrue LiesThe AbyssPiranha II: The SpawningPiranha
Aliens' action lineage RoboCopBlade RunnerThe Running ManFull Metal JacketTotal RecallDie HardThe MatrixThe RaidThe Bourne IdentitySeven SamuraiBad BoysJawsThe Dirty DozenThe Godfather Part IIStray Dog
Weaver's 1986 Best Actress rivals Peggy Sue Got MarriedCrimes of the HeartThe Morning AfterChildren of a Lesser God
Richard Curtis & Hugh Grant Love ActuallyBridget Jones's DiaryBridget Jones: The Edge of ReasonAbout TimeYesterdayWar HorseMauriceBitter MoonThe Remains of the DaySense and SensibilityMickey Blue EyesTwo Weeks NoticeAbout a BoyAmerican DreamzMusic and LyricsDid You Hear About the Morgans?Nine MonthsSleepless in Seattle
The 1995 Best Picture field Forrest GumpPulp FictionQuiz ShowThe Shawshank Redemption
Andie MacDowell elsewhere Sex, Lies, and VideotapeGroundhog Day
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Mad About YouDownton AbbeyThe HourBlackadderMr. BeanFour Weddings and a Funeral (Hulu series)
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