The Big Picture · Review · Discussion
February 16, 2024/ 96 min/ Sean Fennessy · Amanda Dobbins · Chris Ryan
Three January dregs: Chris Ryan on the improbable hit ‘The Beekeeper,’ then Sean and Amanda on the wreck of ‘Madame Web’ and Jennifer Lopez's self-funded ‘This Is Me…Now.’
4 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.
‘The Beekeeper’with Chris Ryan
David Ayer's Jason Statham revenge picture: a literal beekeeper turns out to be a deactivated black-ops agent and goes up the ladder of an elder-scam ring that runs to the White House. Chris reads it as a Death Wish for the age of phishing, part Q-shaman-as-assassin, part Taxi Driver, part Jan. 6, and calls it the biggest movie of 2024 so far.
‘Madame Web’15 questions
S.J. Clarkson's Sony Spider-Man prequel about a paramedic (Dakota Johnson) who sees the future. Sean calls it one of the worst studio movies of the decade: Tahar Rahim's whole performance ADR'd, a 2003 setting that plays like 1994, a Toxic team-up teased and abandoned, and the meme trailer line cut from the film. Structured as 15 questions.
‘This Is Me…Now: A Love Story’
Jennifer Lopez's $20M self-funded musical visual album, now Amazon's: a mechanical heart fed flower petals, Fat Joe as her therapist, a Zodiac council (Post Malone is the Leo), and Ben Affleck under prosthetics as a cable-news anchor. Amanda had a good time; Sean compares the self-mythologizing to Billy Joel's Glass Houses.
The making-of documentary, out Feb. 27 on Prime; Ben Affleck features. Amanda's looking forward to it.
Also mentioned raised along the way
David Ayer Street KingsHarsh TimesFuryEnd of WatchBrightSuicide Squad
Statham's back catalog The MechanicMechanic: ResurrectionWrath of ManWild CardHomefrontHummingbirdParkerSafeKiller EliteBlitzCrankThe TransporterThe MegMeg 2: The TrenchF9Fast XFast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
The vengeance lineage Death WishTaxi DriverTakenJohn WickJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - ParabellumJohn Wick: Chapter 4Kill Bill: Vol. 1Sound of Freedom
Also out this dumpuary ArgylleBob Marley: One LoveOppenheimerDune: Part TwoTop Gun: Maverick
Dakota Johnson, elsewhere The Social NetworkThe Five-Year EngagementFifty Shades of GreyA Bigger SplashThe Lost DaughterCha Cha Real SmoothAm I OK?Daddio
Superhero comps Fantastic FourDaredevilBladeElektraCaptain MarvelWonder WomanBlack WidowThe MarvelsCatwomanBirds of Prey
Sony's Spider-verse VenomMorbiusSpider-Man: No Way HomeKraven the HunterVenom: The Last DanceSpider-Man: Into the Spider-VerseSpider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseBlue Beetle
The Madame Web cast, elsewhere NapoleonImmaculateAnyone but YouSaltburnDefending Your Life
In the J.Lo film's DNA A Wrinkle in TimeOut of SightThe Way We WereSingin' in the RainZodiacLemonade
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV The Umbrella AcademySeveranceMs. MarvelBlack-ishVanderpump Rules
Unmade / announced El MuertoThe Sinister Six
Albums This Is Me... ThenGlass Houses
Books State of Terror
Ads Wells Fargo Autograph JourneyState FarmTremfyaWhole FoodsDelolaNicole Kidman AMC intro