The Next Best Picture Podcast

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture

The Next Best Series Podcast is back as Alyssa Christian, Daniel Howat, and Megan Lachinski join me to discuss the latest series, shows, and awards season updates for all things television! On this new episode, we discuss the 2026 Gotham TV Award nominations and which of those nominees are in serious contention for Emmy award nominations. We also make sure to touch upon "Widow's Bay," "The Pitt," "Beef," "DTF St. Louis," "Half Man," "Bait," "Your Friends And Neighbors," and more! Please tune in as we go through our current Emmy predictions as of today, as we continue to catch up on the shows we believe will be in contention for this year's Emmys! Thank you for your continued support. We hope you enjoy this episode and all the others still to come this Emmy Awards season.

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Is God Is" is an upcoming American thriller film written and directed by Aleshea Harris in her feature directorial debut, and starring Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, Vivica A. Fox, and Sterling K. Brown. It is based on Harris's 2018 play of the same name. Young, Johnson, Alexander, and Fox were all kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters from Amazon MGM Studios on May 15th. Thank you, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Episode 491, on the day I leave for Cannes, I am joined by Lauren LaMagna, Dan Bayer, and Megan Lachinski to deliver a final preview of the 79th edition of the world's largest film festival. For this week's poll question, to tie into the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, we're asking everyone: "Which Films From The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll, for the announcement of the new Oscar rules, where we asked, "Which Film Festival Prize Winner From The Last Decade Would You Have Nominated For The Oscar Under The New Best International Feature Rules?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Tony," "Evil Dead Burn," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! We hope you enjoy this week's episode. We'll be back midway through the Cannes Film Festival to give you an update on the films Cody Dericks, Nadia Dalimonte, and I have been seeing, and then we'll be fully back in two weeks with our final rundown of the festival. Until then! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. Au revoir!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this week's main podcast review, Josh Parham, Cody Dericks, and Will Mavity join me to review and discuss "Mortal Kombat II" starring Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim & Hiroyuki Sanada. A sequel to "Mortal Kombat" (2021), it is the fourth installment in the "Mortal Kombat" film series. It introduces Karl Urban's Johnny Cage as he joins his fellow Earthrealm fighters in an inter-dimensional tournament against the Outworld warriors to stop the tyrannical emperor Shao Kahn, with the help of Edenian princess Kitana. What did we think of this sequel? Please tune in as we discuss the action, bloody kills, the acting, story, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Silent Friend" is a 2025 historical drama film written and directed by Ildikó Enyedi, starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Léa Seydoux, Luna Wedler, Sylvester Groth, and Martin Wuttke. It follows a single ginkgo tree through three loosely connected stories spanning different eras: 1908, 1972, and 2020, set in the old university town of Marburg, Germany. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize and the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Wedler. Enyedi and Leung were both kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from 1-2 Special. Thank you, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices