​By Josh Williams & Matt Neglia

2017 is slowly but surely becoming a year conquered by women. Not only are there films coming out led by women but there are also films with women behind the camera. And it's accurate to say that these films are some of the best to release this year. Now it's also accurate to say that we are nowhere near where we should be in terms of women representation in cinema, but it certainly feels like we are taking small steps in the right direction. Again we are nowhere near where we should be but with films like "Wonder Woman," "Lady Bird," "Detroit" and "The Beguiled" it seems like Hollywood is moving in the right direction.

By Matt Neglia

For this week's main review, I am joined by Tommy Barquinero as we review the true story sports drama "Battle Of The Sexes" starring Emma Stone and Steve Carrell. Plus, stay tuned 35 minutes in for an exclusive interview with the composer of that film, Academy Award nominee Nicholas Britell ("Moonlight").

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

The first trailer for Alex Garland's much anticipated follow-up to "Ex-Machina" called "Annihilation" starring Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh is now online.

​Click below to check out the trailer.

By Josh Tarpley

Though I knew the Academy Awards and would tune in to the ceremony from time to time, I didn’t start following the Oscar race with intent until the 2010 season (“The Social Network” v “The King’s Speech”). After you have gone through your first season, you know how the game works and you are able to make predictions based on so many other factors than just “is this a good movie.” Release dates, a studio’s campaigning history, festival debuts, controversy behind the scenes, critics reactions, industry reactions, is a producer willing to bribe 85 foreign journalists who happen to have a televised awards show second only to the Oscars?

There is a lot we take into consideration as we play the predictions game, but one thing is for certain about 2017 that is separating it from recent years, we are still without a frontrunner...and that is a great feeling.

​By Daniel Howat

​Time and again we hear the rallying cry as fans of the summer blockbusters demand that the Academy recognizes their favorite superheroes. This year is no different, as "Wonder Woman," "Logan," and more have factions demanding Oscar nominations. Will they achieve a different result than in years past?

By Will Mavity

​As we enter October, the leaves change at a mindboggling rate, and so too does the awards field. TIFF has concluded. The New York Film Festival is revving up. The last unknown Oscar contenders are receiving release dates. And every week, something shifts. Since we last explored the ‘below-the-line’ contenders (AKA the techs), "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri" shocked many by snagging the coveted TIFF Audience Award over more obvious contenders like "Call Me By Your Name" and "The Shape of Water." Historically, this award has served as an accurate harbinger of a Best Picture nomination (8 of the last 10 winners were Best Picture nominees). Meaning it’s time we take the film seriously as a contender. 

​By Matt Neglia

Last year I attended the New York Film Festival as a guest just like the thousand others who travel from all over to enjoy the festival's much eclectic films. This year, I am attending for the first time ever as a member of the press. It's amazing how much a difference a year makes. While my festival experience has already started (See my review of "The Florida Project" here), I wanted to take a moment to preview the films that are sure to make some noise at this year's festival and what awards potential they have for this year's Oscar race.

By Matt Neglia

For Episode 57, myself, Will Mavity & Michael Schwartz issue an invitation, talk about our poll results, discuss the latest poll on the best female led sports films, answer fan questions and discuss the trailers for "Isle Of Dogs," "The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected)" and "Tomb Raider."

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 main review, I am joined by Matthew Garrell as we review the new awards-bait film from David Gordon Green "Stronger." Is Jake Gyllenhaal able to get that ever elusive Best Actor Oscar nomination? How does it all pan out? Find out below.

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 Will Mavity

​No Oscar season is complete without ‘overdue’ narratives: the idea that an actor, director, writer, and occasionally, composer, sound mixer, or cinematographer has delivered such an incredible body of work over the years without ever winning, that it is time to finally give them an Oscar for something…anything. Leonardo DiCaprio was the poster child of ‘overdue’ narratives, but many other Oscar winners have navigated a similar narrative all the way to Oscar glory. Look no further than Al Pacino, Paul Newman, Christopher Plummer, and Julianne Moore. This year, you will certainly hear names such as Gary Oldman, Christopher Nolan, and Willem Dafoe popping up as ‘overdue for a win,’ but ultimately, the overdue narrative is subjective. Someone out there (Someone twisted) was unhappy to see DiCaprio win an Oscar. 

As such, the only way to evaluate overdue status semi-objectively is to look towards the numbers: Who has more nominations without a single win than anyone else? Specifically, who has four or more nominations without a win and is in contention for an award this year? Which means, no James Ivory (3 nominations) (Although for the love of god, AMPAS, give him the Adapted Screenplay win), no Christopher Nolan (3 nominations), no Carter Burwell (1 nomination) (That is absurd by the way…he should have far more than one nomination), etc. Instead, we’re looking at the poor souls with a whole lot of nominations, and not a single win to their name. 

By Josh Williams & Matt Neglia

​​Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the most prolific actors working. He has stunned us with countless unforgettable characters time and time again. Ever since his career began in the early 90's, Gyllenhaal has been on a course with greatness. Utilizing the control he has over his vocal tones, the messages he can deliver with his face and his brute sometimes fragile physicality, he has easily become one of the greatest actors to ever step in front of a camera.

By Matt Neglia

The new trailer for Wes Anderson's new stop motion animated film "Isle Of Dogs" starring Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, Edward Norton and a slew of other can now be viewed online.

​Click below to check out the trailer.

By Josh Tarpley

As we near the end of September it is apparent the awards race is in full swing. Whether it be a constant barrage of film festival tweets or individuals weeding out their Oscar predictions, movie fans have fully transitioned out of the Summer blockbuster season and we have arrived in the Fall. Though most pundits are confident in the Oscar chances of films like “Call Me By Your Name,” “The Post” and “The Shape of Water,” the festival circuit is helping us shape the field and we already have our first surprise entry.

By taking TIFF’s People’s Choice award, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” is now a real player in this year’s race. Click beyond the jump to read more about the effect of TIFF’s People's Choice Award and the chances of “Three Billboards.”

By Matt Neglia

The new trailer for Noah Baumbach's latest film "The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected)" starring Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller and Dustin Hoffman can now be viewed online.

​Click below to check out the trailer.

By Matt Neglia

The first trailer for next year’s rebooted Tomb Raider franchise called “Tomb Raider” starring Alicia Vikander can now be viewed online.

​Click below to check out the trailer.

By Matt Neglia
​
After giving our predictions a few days ago, myself, Will Mavity and Michael Schwartz react and discuss the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards show, going through each category and talking about the smaller elements which really stood out to us.

​Next Best Series is a podcast exclusive under the Next Best Picture Podcast and this is our final episode for the time being while we figure out how to roll more content out to you in the future. Until then, please be sure to have a listen below, share your feedback with us and we will look into ways to expand.

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 Daniel Howat

​Netflix changed the game when it comes to television. They essentially gave audiences a new way to watch their shows by binge-watching them all at once. Dozens of high-quality new shows land on Netflix every year, and they have solidified themselves as one of the best TV networks around. For some reason, they still can't figure out how to have a strong film release. So as Oscar season is ramping up, and Netflix gears up to release potential contender "Mudbound," we need to ask a vital question: Is Netflix ready for a real awards campaign?

​By Michael Schwartz

​With the Toronto International Film Festival wrapping up, Oscar watchers are presented with a few more pieces to the awards season puzzle. While still in early stages, the race is officially upon us. Films have debuted, screeners are being sent out, and campaigns are beginning to start up. Now that we have some breathing room before the New York Film Festival at the end of the month, let’s take a look at where the race in top categories stands as of today.  

By Matt Neglia

For Episode 56, myself, Will Mavity & Michael Schwartz are back as we analyze the race post Venice, Telluride and TIFF. We also discuss the best performances of Jake Gyllenhaal's career (Our weekly poll) as we look forward to "Stronger" and we discuss the trailers for "Downsizing" and "All The Money In The World."

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 David Baldwin

TIFF runs for 11 days every year, starting the first Thursday after Labour Day. It is sheer madness whether you want to take in movies, sneak into parties or swiftly move around looking for celebrities – or for the real die-hards, a mix of all three. I have long given up on the party scene and am slowly starting to give up on getting pictures with celebrities (Waiting four hours for Ryan Gosling to say no kind of puts you off that kind of experience), so that leaves me with taking in as movies as I possibly can, in the shortest amount of time possible. This year, my time was confined to 9 of the 11 days of the festival. So as I bid TIFF adieu, here are some thoughts on the final two days of films I saw – plus a few bonus titles I saw at pre-screenings before the festival.

By Matt Neglia

For this week's main review, I am joined Matthew Garrell as we review the massively disturbing and divisive new film from Darren Aronofsky called "Mother!" starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer. We also go into spoilers with our review 34 minutes in so if you don't want to be spoiled, you can stop there.

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 Josh Tarpley

​It is rare these days that a major studio will put funding behind a movie as audacious, as outside the box, as offputting, as divisive as Darren Aronofsky’s “Mother!” After a marketing campaign that ratcheted up the horror aspect in the past months, audiences will finally be seeing the “Black Swan” director’s newest film. It is safe to say that the film will be polarizing at best and hated at worst. Though we in the prediction business kept our eyes on “Mother!” for as long as we could, the awards watching community has moved on from Aronofsky’s latest, deeming it too divisive for the Academy.

Here’s hoping we are wrong. Dear Academy members, give “Mother!” a chance.

By David Baldwin

​The days are starting to blend together. I know I’m writing this in the wee hours of Thursday morning, but I really have no sense of which movie I saw on which of the past three days. I am doing pretty good on not falling asleep during movies (Which may change today), but I am finding my mind drifting off into some other realm of reality all too frequently. And after watching 26 movies in seven days, that is a whole lot of drifting to do.​

By Matt Neglia

The first trailer for Ridley Scott's new film "All The Money In The World," starring Michelle Williams, Kevin Spacey and Mark Wahlberg can now be viewed online.

Click below to check out the trailer.

​By Josh Williams & Matt Neglia
​
Pain. Every single person in the world can relate to pain. Transferring emotional or even physical pain onto the format of film is something that continues to become increasingly rare. It has become directors focusing on characters at their absolute lowest point and glorifying that. It seems that recently at least, most directors seem to shy away from this. Obviously, there are still many directors who do not serve their stories with a cherry on top. One director who is the absolute maestro at glorifying pain is Darren Aronofsky.

Aronofsky's filmography strictly deals with characters at a horrifying time in their life. He already begins his projects with his characters digging through the mud of life but then he begins to torture them further. The scariest part of Aronofsky's work is that he manages to dig deeper. Instead of serving us a single terrifying experience he gives us multiple, sometimes the entire film is one massive traumatic event. He does not shy away from discomfort and at times he has even alienated his viewers. But one thing he has mastered through his shot composition, his editing, and his sound design is his ability to make you feel pain. Not only pain for the characters on screen but pain within yourself. You are witnessing these moments on screen with your hands over your face because you're so afraid of what is to come. And with Aronofsky's latest film "Mother!" arriving in theaters this weekend, we decided to take a stroll through Aronofsky's entire career.

​So here is NBP's ranking of Darren Aronofsky's filmography!