By Danilo Castro 

​The Marvel Cinematic Universe has changed the way we look at superheroes. Through stellar casting, fluid continuity, and the clever planning of Marvel president Kevin Feige, the studio has created an experience that will come to define the current generation of moviegoers, just as Star Wars did in the past. That said, the success of the MCU has made it so that Marvel films that fall outside of its jurisdiction are generally seen as inferior.

One needn’t look hard for examples as to why. The very mention of critical misfires like "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Ghost Rider," and "Fantastic Four" (Pick one) is enough to send any self-respecting comic book fan into a fit of rage. But for as inconsistent as these films can be, they have also gone places, dramatic or otherwise, that the MCU never could. Some have taken storytelling risks that remain unparalleled in the genre and should be seen as “game changers” in their own right.

So, with the upcoming release of "Deadpool 2" (Which is not included in this list), we decided to focus on the ten non-MCU Marvel films that did it best.

By Will Mavity 

A few weeks ago, we put up a poll for you all to select sources of material that could be potential contenders for Best Adapted Screenplay this year. The top 3 choices (Boy Erased, First Man, Beautiful Boy with a special episode for The Incredibles 2) are all going to have their source material examined by us on the show with an in depth discussion into the work's themes, characters and our predictions as to how it will all translate to the screen. These podcast episodes are exclusive to our Patreon subscribers but we have included a preview of the latest episode after the jump. For the small price of $1 a month, you can get the full episode, so be sure to subscribe here.

For the first episode of Next Best Adaptation myself, Jacey Aldredge, Nicole Ackman and newcomer Lynde Smith all read Garrard Conley's novel "Boy Erased" which will be released September 28th. The adaptation is being directed and written by Joel Edgerton (Who also has a key role in the film as well) and co-stars Lucas Hedges, Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman.

Thank you and please feel free to subscribe to the Next Best Picture Podcast on either ​SoundCloud, Tunein, GooglePlay, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM & CastBox.

​By Jessica Peña 

​The Nashville Film Festival is making quite the impression on this first-time festival goer. From May 10th-19th, the fest has been screening some amazing titles, some that have already left me incredibly pleased. There’s a joyous air to being seated in a theater among others who appreciate this art form.

It’s even more rewarding to discover new feature films that will stay with me for some time. These first few films that I decided to write about left me with a staggering sensibility and craving for careful human contemplation.

Click below to read a little about these great films which you might not have heard about coming out of Nashville.

​By Will Mavity 

A few weeks ago, the Academy announced some long overdue changes to its Original Score and Original Song Categories. After years of many Original Score nominees snagging nominations based on the credentials of their composers (“Skyfall,” “Passengers,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” etc), The Academy will instead institute a method, not unlike that used for determining Visual Effects and Makeup nominees. Academy music members will attend a presentation of 15 shortlisted films where scores will be performed along with onscreen footage. Presumably, we will end up with a more creative set of nominees as a result of this process. 

Only time will tell which 15 films will end up on this year’s shortlist (And just as with the VFX and Makeup shortlists, surely there will be some irritating snubs), but for now, here are the 15 scores we at Next Best Picture are most excited about for the rest of this year (And no…these are not the 15 scores I am predicting to make the list).

By Matt Neglia 

For Episode 90, (We're now the same age as Oscar!!) myself, Will Mavity, Josh Parham and Danilo Castro discuss our favorite movies and memories pertaining to Mother's Day, discuss the polls related to "Deadpool 2," what's going on at Cannes, answer your fan questions, and give our thoughts on the trailers for "Searching" and "The Predator."

Thank you and please feel free to subscribe on either ​SoundCloud, Tunein, GooglePlay, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, CastBox or you can have a listen down below.

By Matt Neglia & Will Mavity 

​​We’re bombarded with a few dozen “breaking news” stories a day. And unless your eyes never leave your Twitter feed, then you probably miss a few. We usually include these as a part of the weekly podcast on the main show but we wanted to give you all a chance to see these new stories and trailers here in one place for your eyes to see. We will continue to post these on a weekly basis so that you're never out of the loop on what's going on in Hollywood.

​​As Cannes ramps up, expect many and many sales to be made, and huge projects to be announced. Here are just a few of the many huge bits of information the last week has brought us in the world of film. 

By Matt Neglia 

As we started with "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and continued with "The Avengers" the team over here at Next Best Picture is hard at work continuing to provide Throwback Reviews voted on by you, the dear fans of the site. These podcast reviews are exclusive to our Patreon subscribers but we have included a preview of the latest episode after the jump. To get us ready for "Deadpool 2" you voted on 2016's "Deadpool" which surprisingly was reviewed one week before the podcast actually started. We currently have a new poll going on until the end of the month for our June review tied to "Hereditary." For the small price of $1 a month, you can get the full episode, so be sure to subscribe here.

Myself, Mike Vermette and Josh Williams review the "Merc With A Mouth's" first real debut on the big screen (We like to pretend that "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" does not exist) with Marvel's 2016 (Non MCU) film "Deadpool" starring Ryan Reynolds in anticipation for "Deadpool 2."

Thank you and please feel free to subscribe to the Next Best Picture Podcast on either ​SoundCloud, Tunein, GooglePlay, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM & CastBox.

By Josh Williams ​

​Jason Reitman is a filmmaker who exploded onto the filmmaking scene and grew steadily in stature with both critics and audiences until his career slowly fizzled out. Now, with one highly acclaimed release currently playing in theaters ("Tully") and another high profile potential awards contender being released later in the year ("The Front Runner"), we have to ask the question: Is Jason Reitman finally coming back to reclaim the Oscar he should've won for "Up In The Air?" The way things are looking, he could be in a prime position to do more than that.

By Matt Neglia 

"Beast" is a seductive psychological thriller from the mind of writer/director Michael Pearce featuring breakthrough performances, an unsettling yet hypnotic mood and a control over story and craft. Michael Pearce was kind enough to lend me a few minutes of his time to talk about his indie breakthrough hit.

Thank you and please feel free to subscribe on either ​SoundCloud, Tunein, GooglePlay, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, CastBox or you can have a listen down below.

​By Danilo Castro 

​Assessing the career of Jason Reitman can be somewhat daunting, as he is a filmmaker who likes to assess his own career. He is constantly reconsidering his films, trying to pull different meaning from them, and, in instances where he feels something is problematic, candidly discussing them in public. “ [You] think you’re making something truly great,” he admitted in 2014, “And then it doesn’t land and then you realize, oh, this was a misguided effort for whatever reason.” If any filmmaker were to qualify as their own best critic, Jason Reitman would be the guy. 

This self-awareness has not only distinguished the way he makes his films but the kinds of stories and characters he chooses as well. Whether exploring the nuances of femininity with screenwriter (And frequent collaborator) Diablo Cody or spinning grand, melodramatic yarns of his own, Reitman constantly strives to capture the human condition, the flaws, and desires that he, like the rest of us, try to overcome on a daily basis. 

With that in mind, and with Reitman’s newest release “Tully” now playing in theaters (Listen to our full podcast review here), we thought it would be the perfect time to rank his films from least favorite to absolute favorite!

By Will Mavity

"RBG" is a detailed and crowd pleasing documentary examining the extraordinary life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We recently reviewed the documentary here and we also had the privilege of talking with the directors and producers of the film, Julie Cohen and Betsy West who told us about the experience and importance of making the documentary.

Thank you and please feel free to subscribe on either ​SoundCloud, Tunein, GooglePlay, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, CastBox or you can have a listen down below.

By Danilo Castro 

The 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival begins today, and with it a slew of anticipated titles will premiere on the big screen. Per usual, the titles scheduled to premiere at Cannes have already given us plenty to talk about, both in terms of content and in terms of the pedigree of the actors and filmmakers behind them. 

From long-gestating passion projects and eclectic dramas to sophomore efforts by promising talents, the lineup is wildly impressive in its scope, even with the recent controversy surrounding Cannes and their banning of Netflix films from the competition. “When we do a review of the year,” said festival director Thierry Frémaux, “We say to ourselves, 'We weren't daring enough'... This selection reflects that desire to be a bit more daring, to take more risks."

With that in mind, here are some of the films that we’re anticipating most ahead of today's festival.

By Will Mavity 

​For years I struggled to find a list somewhere of novels written by filmmakers. Not non-fiction books that are written by filmmakers, and not novelists who happen to have written a screenplay or two, but a list entirely composed of people who are first and foremost known as screenwriters and directors, but who it turns out to have cranked out a novel or two. Surely, someone who is a gifted storyteller could also convey compelling narratives on the page. As it turns out, there are hundreds who have done this. As we enter summer, begin our Patreon podcast episodes for "Next Best Adaptation" (First up is "Boy Erased") and you start craving some beach reading, why not pick a name or two off of this list?

By Matt Neglia 

For Episode 89, myself, Will Mavity and Josh Williams discuss the Cannes 2018 lineup as it kicks off this week, our favorite Palme d'Or winners (Which is also the question for this week's poll), the trailers for "Robin Hood" and "The Catcher Was A Spy" and more!

Thank you and please feel free to subscribe on either ​SoundCloud, Tunein, GooglePlay, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, CastBox or you can have a listen down below.

By Matt Neglia 

For this week's review, I am joined by  Jessica Peña and together we review the new film from director Jason Reitman, writer Diablo Cody and star Charlize Theron (Who all previously collaborated on the 2011 film "Young Adult") called "Tully" also starring Mackenzie Davis, Ron Livingston and Mark Duplass.

Thank you and please feel free to subscribe on either ​SoundCloud, Tunein, GooglePlay, iTunes, Stitcher, Player FM, CastBox or you can have a listen down below.