The Next Best Picture Podcast

"Cookie Queens" is a 2026 documentary film that follows four young women striving to become their own "Cookie Queen" and top sellers of Girl Scout Cookies, exploring the joys, pains, and pressures of the Girl Scout Cookie season. The film had its world premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex serve as executive producers under their Archewell Productions banner. Director and producer Alysa Nahmias was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about her work and experience making the film, which you can watch or listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will open in theaters on August 7th from Roadside Attractions. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/ysnoy4NuszQ

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

"The Samurai And The Prisoner" is a 2026 Japanese historical drama mystery film written and directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa and based on the novel of the same name by Honobu Yonezawa. It stars Masahiro Motoki, Masaki Suda, Yuriko Yoshitaka, Munetaka Aoki, and Ryota Miyadate. Set in 16th-century Japan, the film follows Lord Murashige Araki (Motoki), who, besieged in his castle, confronts mysterious crimes and allies with imprisoned strategist Kanbei Kuroda (Suda) to uncover the truth. The film had its world premiere in the Cannes Premiere section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews for its overall design reminiscent of classic samurai films, detective narrative, and performances. Kurosawa was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can watch or listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in NY and LA select theaters and will expand nationwide later from Janus Films. Thank you, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/svpf8EEw9Nk

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

Following our 503rd episode of The Next Best Picture Podcast, we're back with a new episode of Mailbag Monday. Josh Parham and Dan Bayer join me in this new series dedicated entirely to answering your fan-submitted questions from the NBP Film Community. Covering everything from the latest movie news, awards season, and Oscar predictions to filmmaking, industry trends, and whatever else is on your mind, Mailbag Monday allows us to engage more directly with all of you every week. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions for this episode, whether on our X account or on our Discord (Patreon members get a private link to chat with other members of NBP and me). If you'd like to be featured on a future edition of Mailbag Monday, be sure to leave your questions in the comments or submit them through our social media channels every Sunday morning when prompted on our X account. We hope you'll join us every Monday as we continue the conversation beyond our weekly Sunday podcast. Thank you, as always, for listening, subscribing, and supporting Next Best Picture, and helping us build such an incredible film community. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/BvleaMratq0

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 503 of the Next Best Picture Podcast, I am joined by Josh Parham, and Dan Bayer. For this week's main topic, we're discussing the NYFF Centerpiece film (the world premiere of Tony Gilroy's "Behemoth!") and giving our predictions for what we believe will be announced this week for the Main Slate. We also discuss the recent resurgence of the box office in 2026 that has continued through the summer with the performance of "The Odyssey" and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." For this week's NBP poll question, with the release of these two films, we're asking everyone, "Which Is Your Favorite Tom Holland Performance?" and we reveal the winner of last week's NBP poll, for announcement of the 2026 Venice Film Festival lineup, where we asked everyone, "Which Films Are You Most Looking Forward To From The 2026 Venice Film Festival?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "The Thomas Crown Affair," "Children Of Blood And Bone," "Ramayana," and "Wicker." We are still answering your fan-submitted questions, but our answers will now be released separately the day after, in a new show called Mailbag Monday! So stay tuned for that and many other updates from Next Best Picture as this year's awards season continues. Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/boXnDdbgDSI

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, Katie Johnson and Josh Parham join me to review and discuss the latest MCU Tom Holland Spider-Man film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," starring Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Florence Pugh, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei, and Mark Ruffalo. Taking over from Jon Watts director Destin Daniel Cretton steps into the director's chair and brings the larger than life spectacle of the MCU back down to the ground a little bit as the reset button is hit following the events of 2021's "No Way Home," where those who knew Peter Parker cannot remember him any longer, thus forcing our favorite web-slinger into isolation and depression, which leads to some unexpected changes in his DNA while a new mysterious foe emerges that will have ramifications across the entire MCU. Also, Bruce Banner (aka. Hulk), Frank Castle (aka. Punisher), and Yelena Belova (aka. Black Widow) show up! What did we think of it? Please tune in either on video or audio only as we discuss the film's story, its performances, action, humor, visual effects, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

https://youtu.be/8bNjYYRK3Vg

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