The New York City Movie Draft, With Griffin Newman and David Sims!

Key Takeaways

The Big Picture podcast hosted a live New York City movie draft featuring five participants.
A trivia segment challenged audience members on NYC Best Picture winners and Spike Lee's NYU classmate.
The movie draft defined six categories including Drama, Comedy, Action/Horror/Thriller, Oscar Winner, Blockbuster, and Subway.
Guests Chris Ryan, Griffin Newman, and David Sims joined hosts Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins.
Amanda Dobbins made strategic early draft picks including 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' and 'Frances Ha'.
David Sims of the Blank Check podcast was declared the winner of the New York City movie draft.

The Criterion Collection sponsored a live trivia segment with prizes for correct answers.
Questions included identifying five Best Picture winners set in New York City, such as 'Kramer vs. Kramer' and 'The Godfather'.
An audience member correctly identified Ang Lee as Spike Lee's NYU Film School classmate who won Best Director twice.
Sean Baker and his films 'The Prince of Broadway' and 'The Florida Project' were correctly identified in a trivia question.
Another question pinpointed the King Cole Bar as where Andy Sachs from 'The Devil Wears Prada' picks up an early Harry Potter galley.

Hosts Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins introduced guests Chris Ryan, David Sims, and Griffin Newman for the New York City movie draft.
Participants discussed their personal connections to New York City, noting that movies influenced some to move there.
The draft parameters were announced, including six categories: Drama, Comedy, Action/Horror/Thriller, Oscar Winner, Blockbuster, and Subway.
The 'Subway' category was clarified to include any movie with a subway scene, even station scenes, and Gotham City was deemed ineligible.
David Sims shared his experience of leaving New York at age nine and returning at 22, having fallen in love with movies in London.

Amanda Dobbins selected 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' as the first overall pick in the Blockbuster category, surprising other participants.
Sean Fennessey indicated his intention to select Martin Scorsese films, noting the director's many 'dirty cops' in his filmography.
Dobbins's second pick for the 'Subway' category was Noah Baumbach's 'Frances Ha,' chosen for its pivotal subway scene and personal connection.
'Goodfellas' was nominated for the 'Oscar Winner' category due to Joe Pesci's win for Best Supporting Actor.
'Dog Day Afternoon,' directed by Sidney Lumet, was chosen as a personal 'knee-jerk pick' for greatest New York City movie.

A participant intended to pick Spike Lee's 'Do the Right Thing' for the Drama category, noting its portrayal of New York City as a character.
'Men in Black' was drafted for the Blockbuster category, praised as the best New York Blockbuster ever made.
Chris Ryan selected 'Ghostbusters' for the draft, leading to a debate on whether it or 'Ghostbusters 2' is a more quintessential New York film.
Griffin Newman drafted 'Spider-Man 2' for its iconic subway sequence, depicting Peter Parker as a 'background character' in his own life, described as a New York trait.

Spike Lee's 2002 film '25th Hour' was selected, acknowledged as a tribute to New York and praised as a masterpiece with a notable ending scene.
The film was deemed ineligible for a 'Blockbuster' pick due to its serious tone.
'The French Connection' was drafted as a subway movie, noted for its harrowing chase scene and iconic car chase directed by William Friedkin.
This film was recognized for influencing subsequent films and establishing itself as a great cop and New York movie.

'Taxi Driver' was selected for the 'drama' category, described as a profound New York movie capturing the city's sounds, sights, and feel.
The film highlighted the isolation of Travis Bickle amidst the city's constant activity, contrasting it with perceived isolation in Los Angeles.
'The Royal Tenenbaums' was picked for the Comedy category, noted for its romanticized, early 80s depiction of New York and showcasing lesser-seen parts of the city.
The original 'The Taking of Pelham 123' was selected, praised for its real-time crisis depiction and the city's bureaucracy responding, capturing the energy of both criminals and officials.

'Uncut Gems' was praised for its intense depiction of modern New York anxiety and authentic portrayal of the city, causing many attendees to walk out at the Telluride Film Festival.
Griffin Newman selected 'The Warriors' for the Action/Horror/Thriller category, describing it as a 'funhouse mirror depiction' of New York and a great subway movie.
'Working Girl' was drafted for the Comedy category, lauded as a favorite movie from the late 80s about a young woman making it in Manhattan.
Martin Scorsese's 1985 film 'After Hours' was recognized for its capture of New York City's chaotic energy, featuring a notable subway token and chase scene.

Clint Eastwood's 'Sully' was drafted for the drama category, noted for capturing a specific New York moment and its $120 million domestic gross.
Martin Scorsese's 'The Wolf of Wall Street' was praised for its comedic elements and a pivotal, wordless subway scene featuring Kyle Chandler.
'American Psycho' was selected for the action/thriller/horror category, deemed the most 'New York' film due to its portrayal of 80s ambition and business culture.
'The Godfather Part II' was chosen in the 'Oscar winner' category for its depiction of the immigrant experience in New York, notably the iconic Ellis Island scene.

'Dressed to Kill' was selected for its harrowing subway scene in the 'Subway movie' category.
Chris Ryan picked 'All That Jazz' and 'The Muppets Take Manhattan,' with the latter capturing the struggle of newcomers in the city.
'Michael Clayton' was selected as an Oscar winner for its portrayal of George Clooney's character.
'Saturday Night Fever' was chosen as the final pick, described as a movie about losing oneself in work, relatable to the New York City experience, featuring Al Pacino in a gay underground dance club scene.

Honorable mentions included 'Cloverfield' for its subway scenes, along with 'Inside Llewyn Davis,' 'West Side Story,' 'Rosemary's Baby,' and 'The Apartment.'
A debate ensued over 'Sleepless in Seattle' as a New York film, despite its iconic Empire State Building scene, due to primary settings in Seattle and Baltimore.
Other notable mentions included Abel Ferrara's 'King of New York' and 'Bad Lieutenant,' 'Sweet Smell of Success,' 'The Avengers,' and Darren Aronofsky's 'Requiem for a Dream.'
After audience voting, David Sims of the Blank Check podcast was declared the winner of the New York City movie draft.
The hosts thanked guests, producers, LinkedIn, and Criterion, and previewed a future episode on the greatest actor of his generation.