The Big Picture · Draft
The New York City Movie Draft, With Griffin Newman and David Sims!
October 7, 2025/ 105 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins · Chris Ryan · Griffin Newman · David Sims
A live New York City movie draft at the 92nd Street Y. Sean, Amanda, and Chris Ryan are joined by Blank Check's Griffin Newman and David Sims, each filling a six-slot roster across Drama, Comedy, Action / Horror / Thriller, Oscar Winner, Blockbuster, and Subway. The room votes; David Sims wins.
30 films across 1 segment.
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 teams drafting New York City movies
Chris Ryan
Action / Horror / Thriller
Rear Window 1954
Hitchcock; a very New York condition, watching the neighbors.
Oscar Winner
All That Jazz 1979
Fosse; Roy Scheider trying to make it and keep it. Won Best Editing.
Blockbuster
Die Hard with a Vengeance 1995
First overall pick. Uses the real grid and parkways with no geographic cheats.
Subway
The French Connection 1971
The chase into the station where he just misses the Marseille dealer.
Amanda Dobbins
Blockbuster
You've Got Mail 1998
Ephron; the Upper West Side and the Barnes & Noble that eats the small bookstore.
Griffin Newman
Drama
Sully 2016
Eastwood; a handwritten card, drafted from the heart. The five days he's stuck in the city.
Comedy
The Muppets Take Manhattan 1984
Small-town Muppets come to town and get their asses kicked, then regroup.
Action / Horror / Thriller
The Warriors 1979
The long ride home to Coney Island, forced to wait on the train.
Blockbuster
When Harry Met Sally... 1989
Ephron; shot by Barry Sonnenfeld, full of locations no one could get today.
Sean Fennessey
Action / Horror / Thriller
Uncut Gems 2019
The Safdies; on-location anxiety, real New Yorkers cast off the street.
Blockbuster
Ghostbusters 1984
Taken to deny Griffin. Smart about how the city would react to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
David Sims
Drama
Do the Right Thing 1989
Often cited as the definitive New York movie; the best Brooklyn movie.
Comedy
The Royal Tenenbaums 2001
Anderson's shabby, romantic New York; the kinds of freaks who succeed here.
Subway
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three 1974
His favorite movie; the original, where the IRT Pelham line impossibly reaches Coney Island.
On the board, undrafted honorable mentions
The Devil Wears PradaHome Alone 2: Lost in New YorkThe King of Staten IslandEyes Wide ShutEscape from New YorkCloverfieldInside Llewyn DavisAnoraWest Side StoryRosemary's BabyMoonstruckFatal AttractionUnfaithfulCruel IntentionsMalcolm XThe ApartmentInside ManGhostComing to AmericaShaftThe WizMidnight CowboyBlack SwanCitizen KaneCatch Me If You CanBreakfast at Tiffany'sThe Devil's AdvocateSleepless in SeattleIt Happened One NightKing of New YorkBad LieutenantNew York StoriesThe CruiseCarlito's WayThe Last Days of DiscoKidsSweet Smell of SuccessThe AvengersRequiem for a DreamPiNoahJohn WickSaturday NightSerpicoWall Street
Also mentioned raised along the way
In the trivia round Kramer vs. KramerBirdmanThe GodfatherAnnie HallTake OutPrince of BroadwayGangs of New YorkMean StreetsNew York, New YorkThe Age of InnocenceThe King of ComedyRaging BullThe IrishmanWho's That Knocking at My DoorBringing Out the DeadKundunSilenceHugoBoxcar BerthaThe DaytrippersSuperbadSaboteur
Also mentioned One Battle After AnotherTron: AresIron Man 3Kicking and ScreamingThe Dark KnightJokerStar WarsGhostbusters IISpider-ManDances with WolvesExcaliburArmageddonReservoir DogsPredatorA Good Day to Die HardJohn Wick: Chapter 2John Wick: Chapter 4BallerinaWitnessCaught StealingBringing Up BabyMetropolisLittle NickyAntzPeppermint
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV AndorRescue Me
Music The Life of a ShowgirlLover
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