Drama
The Master 2012
Paul Thomas Anderson's film; Sean says he's returned to it at the Arclight more than once.
The Big Picture · Draft · Interview
The 2012 Movie Draft
September 29, 2020/ 126 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan re-run the movie draft, six categories deep, with new rules written in the wake of last time's scandal. Billy Ray joins after to talk The Comey Rule.
29 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 2012 Movie Draft drafting 2012 movies
Sean Fennessey
Blockbuster
The Avengers 2012
By his own count, not even a top-five MCU movie for him. Amanda calls it a weird pick.
Sequel
Prometheus 2012
Ruled eligible as a prequel; Ridley Scott's first Alien-franchise film in almost 35 years.
Wildcard
Moonrise Kingdom 2012
Wes Anderson, with Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, and Bruce Willis.
Comedy or Horror
Sinister 2012
Scott Derrickson and Ethan Hawke, before Derrickson went off to direct Doctor Strange.
Animated or Foreign Language
It's Such a Beautiful Day 2012
Don Hertzfeldt's stick-figure trilogy, released as one film this year.
Amanda Dobbins
Sequel
Skyfall 2012
One of her favorite movies of the decade; she rewatched it the night before the draft.
Comedy or Horror
21 Jump Street 2012
A studio comedy she says has made her laugh consistently for a decade.
Drama
Anna Karenina 2012
Joe Wright's stage-bound adaptation, with Keira Knightley and Alicia Vikander.
Animated or Foreign Language
Amour 2012
Michael Haneke; she saw it at BAM early on with the man she'd go on to marry.
Blockbuster
The Hunger Games 2012
Calls it Jennifer Lawrence's better 2012 performance, over Silver Linings Playbook.
Chris Ryan
Drama
Django Unchained 2012
Filed under drama despite calling it a stretch; he also calls it very funny and an action movie.
Sequel
The Bourne Legacy 2012
Loves Jeremy Renner and especially Edward Norton: 'putting your hand on a train track.'
Comedy or Horror
V/H/S 2012
The horror anthology from Ti West, Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, and others.
Animated or Foreign Language
Rust and Bone 2012
Marion Cotillard, in a category he says is 'full of pain' next to Amour.
On the board, undrafted honorable mentions
Zero Dark ThirtyChronicleThe Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyLincolnKilling Them SoftlyTedThe CampaignFlightSilver Linings PlaybookCloud AtlasDamsels in DistressSearching for Sugar ManJiro Dreams of SushiThe Five-Year EngagementHoly MotorsThe HuntWreck-It RalphBraveParaNormanBattleshipJohn CarterSavagesLawlessThe Dark Knight Rises
In conversationThe Comey Rule screenwriter-director on adapting Comey's story, and on the movies behind his own work
Billy Ray on
Shattered Glass 2003
The film Ray is still best known for; Sean says journalism students of his generation owe it a debt.
Billy Ray on
Breach 2007
His FBI drama with Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe, the first film ever allowed to shoot inside the FBI building.
Billy Ray on
Richard Jewell 2019
Directed by Clint Eastwood; Ray calls an invented detail in the script a 'deep regret.'
Billy Ray on
All the President's Men 1976
His structural touchstone for what he calls 'people talking in rooms' movies.
Billy Ray on
Jaws 1975
Studied for how it withholds the shark; modeled The Comey Rule's first half on that reveal.
Billy Ray on
Amadeus 1984
Its Salieri narration gave him the idea to frame The Comey Rule through Rod Rosenstein.
Billy Ray on
Schindler's List 1993
His example of a film that, without Spielberg attached, wouldn't get made as a theatrical feature today.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Banned from this draft (penalized from the 2011 episode) The Cabin in the WoodsThe Raid
Cited in the rules argument X-Men: First ClassCasino Royale
Jessica Chastain's post-Zero Dark Thirty run AvaIt Chapter TwoDark PhoenixMolly's GameThe Zookeeper's Wife
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV The Comey RuleThe WirePen15All or Nothing: TottenhamChef's Table
Ads CarvanaBoar's HeadHeinekenQuakerPepsi
Games FIFA World Cup Launch Edition