The Best Picture Match Game With Sam Esmail

Godzilla vs. Kong 2021

the day-and-date release Esmail points to as proof the theatrical/streaming split doesn't cannibalize anything.

Those Who Wish Me Dead 2021

that week's HBO Max day-and-date release; the hosts can't remember its title on air.

The Irishman 2019

cited as a Netflix movie people still went to theaters for.

Palm Springs 2020

one of the only recent rom-coms Amanda will defend.

Happiest Season 2020

the other recent rom-com exception.

The Kissing Booth 2018

the streaming rom-com franchise nobody in the room watches but everyone concedes is a hit.

Notting Hill 1999

night one's pick; Amanda remembers it as more indie than she expected.

My Best Friend's Wedding 1997

night two's pick, chosen for the soundtrack.

Fruitvale Station 2013

Ryan Coogler's debut, held up as the career path getting cut off.

Creed 2015

Black Panther 2018

the point where Coogler gets folded into the studio system.

Eternals 2021

Chloe Zhao's Marvel movie, cited the same way.

Miss Juneteenth 2020

his runner-up for the year and pick for best directorial debut of the decade so far; he calls Channing Godfrey Peoples a future great.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things 2020

his favorite of the year; the hosts split hard on it.

Synecdoche, New York 2008

named as one of the Charlie Kaufman films he'll watch no matter what.

Anomalisa 2015

same list of automatic Kaufman watches.

Tenet 2020

used as the contrast case — a plot-mechanics movie that doesn't work for him the way Kaufman does.

Mulholland Drive 2001

his comparison point for the surrender-to-the-experience feeling he got from 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things.'

The Vast of Night 2019

watched cold off the Amazon Prime poster; his pick for best debut of the young decade.

On the Rocks 2020

Sofia Coppola, whom he watches unconditionally; he hated the ending but loved everything around it.

The Assistant 2019

Kitty Green's narrative feature debut, praised as a horror movie that never shows the monster.

Casting JonBenet 2017

Green's earlier documentary, name-checked as her real debut.

Bad Education 2019

a favorite of the year that fell into HBO's TV-movie gray area and missed awards eligibility because of it.

Thoroughbreds 2017

Cory Finley's first film, the reason Esmail already followed him into 'Bad Education.'

The Silence of the Lambs 1991

matched the Academy's winner.

Unforgiven 1992

both matched the winner.

Schindler's List 1993

matched the winner.

12 Years a Slave 2013

matched the winner.

Moonlight 2016

one of only two years Amanda felt the Academy got it right.

Parasite 2019

matched the winner for both.

Casablanca 1942

her other all-time match; she misheard the prompt as unbounded by 1990.

The Departed 2006

his second match, alongside Unforgiven.

JFK 1991

his pick over the actual winner, Silence of the Lambs.

Thelma & Louise 1991

her favorite of that year over Silence of the Lambs.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2019

his pick over Parasite, the actual winner — the same call the Golden Globes made.

Forrest Gump 1994

that year's winner; Sam and Sean both say the Academy already knew Pulp Fiction was the more important film and gave it to Gump anyway.

Pulp Fiction 1994

the film they think should have won.

Quiz Show 1994

Four Weddings and a Funeral 1994

The Shawshank Redemption 1994

Dances with Wolves 1990

that year's winner, over Goodfellas.

Goodfellas 1990

the influential film that never had a real chance to win.

How Green Was My Valley 1941

beat Citizen Kane — Amanda's counter to the idea that only recent Oscars get it wrong.

Citizen Kane 1941

Titanic 1997

that year's winner.

Deconstructing Harry 1997

The Game 1997

Boogie Nights 1997

Jackie Brown 1997

Kundun 1997

thrown into the conversation almost as an afterthought.

American Beauty 1999

that year's winner.

The Matrix 1999

Fight Club 1999

Eyes Wide Shut 1999

Notting Hill 1999

cited again as an also-ran nobody remembers as a 1999 contender.

Arrival 2016

his personal favorite of Moonlight's year, separate from the actual match.

The King's Speech 2010

beat The Social Network — the group's long-running grievance.

The Social Network 2010

the film everyone in the room knew was winning the moment it came out.

Green Book 2018

that year's winner, described as looking a lot like Driving Miss Daisy.

Roma 2018

The Favourite 2018

A Star Is Born 2018

The Shape of Water 2017

that year's winner, over Lady Bird and Get Out.

Lady Bird 2017

Get Out 2017

No Country for Old Men 2007

the actual winner in a year all three call stacked.

There Will Be Blood 2007

Sam calls it the best film of the 21st century.

Michael Clayton 2007

Nomadland 2020

the most recent winner, discussed as proof the Oscars still drive awareness even when nobody actually streams the movie.

Licorice Pizza 2021

Paul Thomas Anderson's next, still only known by its working title, 'Soggy Bottom,' at the time of taping.

West Side Story 2021

Spielberg's remake.

In the Heights 2021

Dune 2021

The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun 2021

House of Gucci 2021

Amanda's self-declared hive; Sean opts out.