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Welcome to Dumpuary: Breaking Down a Bad Movie Buffet | The Big Picture

February 18, 2020/ 98 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins

Sean and Amanda wade through February's leftovers (Sonic, the To All the Boys sequel, Birds of Prey, Fantasy Island), then Nat Faxon and Jim Rash talk remaking Force Majeure into Downhill.

16 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.

Quick Recommendsthe good stuff hiding in a bad month

Portrait of a Lady on Fire 2019

Sean interviewed director Celine Sciamma; the movie's only in four or five theaters but already made half a million dollars.

The Traitor 2019

Marco Bellocchio's Cosa Nostra epic. Long, Italian, more mood piece than Goodfellas.

The Assistant 2019

Julia Garner as an aide to a Harvey Weinstein-esque boss, shot entirely from her point of view. Both hosts recommend it and call it upsetting, "defeating."

Horse Girl 2020

Alison Brie for director Jeff Baena. Sean quit the movie twice before finishing it a third time, and only endorses the last 30 minutes.

The Photograph

The Photograph 2020

Stella Meghie's Issa Rae/LaKeith Stanfield romance, which they don't even count as dumpuary. Amanda: "a mood in search of a movie," no real tension across 95 minutes.

The Ones They Skippedunseen, unmourned

The Grudge 2020

A remake of a remake from Nicolas Pesce. Neither host has seen it.

Underwater 2020

Another Kristen Stewart bomb, also unseen.

The Lodge 2019

From the Goodnight Mommy team, played Sundance the year before. "I heard this film was not good."

The Rhythm Section 2020

Blake Lively and Reed Morano's revenge thriller, pulled from theaters after two weeks before either could catch it.

Gretel & Hansel 2020

A horror reimagining of the fairy tale. Unseen.

The Turning 2020

A remake of The Turn of the Screw with Brooklynn Prince. Bombed and vanished.

The Four Dynamite Featuresthis week's dumpuary buffet

A hit nobody predicted: Paramount redesigned Sonic and delayed the release after fan backlash, then opened to over $70 million. Amanda: "it's not good... and I won't be returning to Sonic," but "you could do worse."

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You poster

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You 2020

Sequel to a genuine Netflix hit, minus the tension: new director, new love triangle. Amanda says Lana Condor has no chemistry with the new guy.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) poster

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) 2020

Opened to $33 million and got quietly renamed for SEO after the bomb. Sean: ugly, badly paced, "boring and noisy." Amanda liked the cast but wanted the actual team on screen together for more than the last scene.

Fantasy Island 2020

Blumhouse's cheap end of the ledger: a 70s anthology show turned PG-13 horror. "There's a crappy Ryan Gosling in the movie... a crappy Anne Hathaway."

In conversation

Nat Faxon and Jim Rash on

Downhill 2020

Their first film in seven years, an American remake of Force Majeure that came to them via producer Julia Louis-Dreyfus, first drafted by Jesse Armstrong before he left to run Succession's writers' room.

Also mentioned raised along the way

In theaters this weekend Parasite Bad Boys for Life 1917 JoJo Rabbit Ford v Ferrari

Coming soon The Invisible Man The Lovebirds Wonder Woman 1984

Failed video game movies, cited in a list Super Mario Bros.Resident Evil Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Tomb Raider Mortal Kombat Doom Rampage Silent Hill Assassin's Creed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Max Payne Need for Speed

Superhero and franchise comparisons Deadpool Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Aquaman Suicide Squad Cats Justice League Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Dolittle Jumanji: The Next Level John Wick Truth or Dare Charlie's Angels Maleficent Twilight The Twilight Saga: New Moon