The Big Picture · Discussion · Awards

Our Golden Globe Predictions. Plus: Introducing 25 for ’25!

January 3, 2025/ 124 min/ Sean Fennessy · Amanda Dobbins

Amanda Dobbins is back from maternity leave, and the first hour is a catch-up: where the Best Picture race actually stands (Wicked keeps rising and neither of them can stand it), Sean's physical-media habit, what their kids have been watching, and Amanda's line-by-line notes on Sean's year-end list. Then they announce 25 for ’25 (a countdown of their favorite films of the century, one per filmmaker, rolling out after the Oscars) and run all fifteen Golden Globes categories, splitting on eight of them.

132 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.

The State of the Best Picture RaceAmanda's first discussion point

Wicked 2024

Both dislike it: boring, dark to look at, choreography stuck somewhere between Broadway and Step Up. Sean concedes it's becoming the front-runner anyway and vows to throw a tantrum. Ariana Grande is the exception they'll defend.

Anora 2024

Sean's favorite film of the year, though he senses the long-presumed front-runner is now getting the 'let's find another angle' treatment.

The Brutalist 2024

Sean's galaxy-brain theory of the night is that the Globes go all-in on Brady Corbet. Amanda has a ticket at the Vista and keeps deferring judgment until she sees it.

Emilia Pérez 2024

Amanda watched to the end without knowing what happened; Sean calls the writing appalling at times. It's a Mexican story from a French director with American stars, and its footing in the international race is 'funky.'

Dune: Part Two 2024

One of Sean's five favorites of the year; eligible for score at the Globes but not the Oscars.

Nickel Boys 2024

Another of Sean's top five, held for a theater viewing; he thinks it's trending but hard to sit through and harder to stream.

A Complete Unknown 2024

Sean is lower on it than Chris and Mallory ('barely a movie'), but a good platform for the songs and for Chalamet.

A Different Man 2024

Amanda caught it before her son was born and liked it; Sebastian Stan is up for it in comedy/musical.

Nosferatu 2024

On Amanda's to-watch list; friends pitch it to her as a gothic romance with scares.

Gladiator II 2024

Amanda saw it solo at 10 a.m. and found it sloppy (everyone seemed to be acting in a different room), but agrees Denzel Washington carries it, and thinks the show was too hard on Paul Mescal.

Harriet 2019

Cited as Cynthia Erivo in her serious, grave register: good work in a film Sean doesn't rate.

Widows 2018

Erivo's tenacity and focus, the mode Sean thinks is miscast in Wicked.

The Break: Physical Media and the Kids' Watchlistcollector brain, Paddington, and the live-action Disney chain

The Wages of Fear 1953

Sean's example of restoration paying off: the 4K looks far better than it ever did on TCM in 1999.

The Sting 1973

The oldest film streaming on Netflix in the US, which Sean reads as a scandal: 50 years of Hollywood before it, unavailable.

Hundreds of Beavers 2024

Bobby name-checked its boutique Blu-ray release, alarming Amanda that the collecting bug is spreading.

Paddington 2014

Knox's gateway; Amanda wept through it postpartum and joined the 'Paddington dad hive.'

Paddington 2 2017

Same, plus Sean's running bit about its Mission: Impossible influence: the train.

Wonka 2023

The household's newest Paul King obsession; Knox requests it by name.

Paddington in Peru 2024

Coming soon, and notably not a Paul King film.

The Nutcracker 1993

The Macaulay Culkin / New York City Ballet Balanchine production, a revelation, beautifully filmed. Amanda once played a saber-carrying toy soldier.

Cinderella 2015

One of the live-action Disney remakes Alice surfaced by scrolling Disney+.

Beauty and the Beast 2017

Ditto: another Alice had never seen.

Snow White 2025

Alice saw the trailer and demanded it immediately: 'literally the only person in the world,' per Sean.

Mufasa: The Lion King 2024

Sean saw it: a disappointing two years of Barry Jenkins's life, and he can't wait for the next non-Disney project.

The Lion King 2019

Notably not requested at home, alongside Mufasa.

Aladdin 2019

In the live-action-remake chain the show has covered over the years.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil 2019

Also covered; Alice hasn't gotten that far down the chain.

101 Dalmatians 1996

The Glenn Close original; Amanda floats that Miranda Priestly cribbed the Cruella affect, though Meryl says the model was Clint Eastwood.

Cruella 2021

The designer-villain lineage Amanda traces straight to Devil Wears Prada.

The Devil Wears Prada 2006

Miranda Priestly, said to be modeled on Clint Eastwood (never raises his voice), not Anna Wintour.

Top Gun: Maverick 2022

Still a household passion; Knox checks out only at the Jennifer Connelly night-of-passion scene, as Tom Cruise reportedly did too.

Deadpool & Wolverine 2024

Knox keeps trying to launch it himself from the Apple TV homepage.

Amanda Grades the Year-End Listnotes on Sean's best-of-2024 ranking

Goodrich 2024

No. 65, and one of Amanda's 'you're a real one' vindications; Sean calls Michael Keaton excellent here, a big leap from Hallie Meyers-Shyer's Home Again.