Mel at 100: The Mel Brooks Movie Rankings. Plus: ‘Scary Movie’ Is Terrifyingly Awful

June 9, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Mel Brooks turns 100 this month, and to celebrate, Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins, and guests Yasi Salek and Adam Nayman spent an episode of The Big Picture ranking all 11 films Brooks directed. But before that, they waded through a blockbuster box office weekend that included Scary Movie—a film they found "absolutely terrible" and "tremendously unfunny," yet one that still opened to $55 million. "It's almost like it's come back around," Fennessey observed. "It's not funny, but it's extremely marketable."

The Box Office Context: Scary Movie and the Summer Boom

The conversation opened with a striking box office landscape: four movies grossed over $25 million in a single weekend, a density that felt like a throwback to the show's early years. Obsession and Back Rooms drove much of the energy, with Obsession in particular being described as "the most lucrative movie ever made" when considering profit margins. Masters of the Universe "underperformed" relative to its budget, but Scary Movie defied expectations.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:15) **Episode Introduction & Box Office Check-In** - Sean and Amanda open the show, celebrating Mel Brooks turning 100 and previewing the rankings conversation with Yasi Salek and Adam Nayman, but first discuss current box office trends.
2 (09:48) **‘Scary Movie’ Review: Terrifyingly Awful** - Sean and Amanda analyze the new "Scary Movie" reboot, which opened to $55 million despite being critically panned.
3 (14:34) **Summer Movie Preview & ‘The Odyssey’ Ticket Chaos** - The hosts briefly discuss the upcoming summer slate and the frustrating ticket-buying process for Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey."
4 (17:24) **Segment Transition: Celebrating Mel Brooks at 100** - The conversation pivots to the main topic, introducing guests Yasi Salek and Adam Nayman to discuss the life and work of Mel Brooks.
5 (18:07) **Personal Relationships with Mel Brooks** - Yasi and Adam share their formative experiences with Brooks' films, revealing a generational and cultural connection to his comedy.
6 (24:54) **Brooks’ Comedy: Mad Magazine, Jewish Identity, and the “Other”** - The group analyzes the core components of Brooks' comedic voice, from its roots in parody to its focus on being an outsider.
7 (35:37) **Brooks as a Filmmaker: Technique, Warmth, and Sloppiness** - The panel discusses Brooks' directorial style, noting the contrast between his technically polished films and his cruder, more "janky" work.

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Show Notes

Sean and Amanda kick off the show with some movie news, including the remarkable box office surge that shows no signs of slowing down (0:45). Next, they discuss why the new Scary Movie doesn't work and why audiences are showing up for it anyway (8:48). Then, they are joined by Yasi Salek and Adam Nayman to celebrate Mel Brooks as he approaches his 100th birthday (16:57). Together, they comb through his legendary filmography, rank his films (55:24), discuss his lasting influence on comedy, and explore how his work helped shape generations of filmmakers. Never underestimate the power of the Schwartz!

Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins

Guests: Yasi Salek and Adam Nayman

Producer: Jack Sanders

Production Support: Lucas Cavanagh, Sarah Reddy, and Jamie Yukich

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