Episodes

March 27, 2024

396: From Jon Stewart to 'True Detective', How the 2024 US Election & this Political Moment is Reflected in Popular Culture. Guest: Eric Deggans, NPR's TV Critic & Media Analyst.

NPR's TV critic & media analyst Eric Deggans joins Christina to talk about how the 2024 US election cycle is reflected in our popular culture. On the return of Jon Stewart. How are the late night talk shows meeting this poli…
March 12, 2024

395: The speeches, the highlights and the surprises! Our Oscar 2024 recap. With Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch)

"Oppy Oppy"! After Ryan McQuade's (AwardsWatch.com) stirring appreciation speech last week we had to have him back on to talk about Oppenheimer's magic night at the Oscars. Plus the best speeches, highlights, disappointments…
March 6, 2024

Episode 394: Oscar Predictions 2024! Who Will Win in Every Category. With Erik Anderson & Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch)

It's Oscar predictions time and Christina is joined by the best in the business: Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch ! Ahead of Sundays' Oscar telecast they predict the winners in a…
Feb. 19, 2024

393: Finn Bennett ('Peter Prior') on 'True Detective: Night Country', the incredible finale, the best fan theories, working with Jodie Foster and more.

We made it through the night country & everyone is talking about that finale! Christina talked to breakout star Finn Bennett ('Peter Prior') about Issa López 'True Detective: Night Country', his characters' almost biblical a…
Feb. 12, 2024

392: Robert Steen. The beautiful story of his late son Mats, what his family learned after Mats passing and the power of gaming. ('Ibelin')

When Robert and Trude Steen's son Mats passed away at age 25 from a degenerative muscular disease they grieved over what they thought had been an isolated and lonely life but what they found out would change everything. Mats…
Feb. 5, 2024

391: A conversation with actor & author Molly Ringwald!

Actor, author, icon! Molly Ringwald joins Christina for a wide ranging conversation about her role as Joanne Carson in Ryan Murphy's critically acclaimed series 'Feud: Capote vs The Swans', her iconic and seminal films with …
Feb. 1, 2024

390: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy & writer/director Andrew Haigh 'All of Us Strangers'

Christina talks to Andrew Haigh about his very personal journey writing and directing his beautiful film 'All of Us Strangers'. As well as conversations with actors Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal & Claire Foy on their characters,…
Jan. 23, 2024

389: 2024 Oscar Nominations Reactions! With Erik Anderson & Ryan McQuade, AwardsWatch

Erik Anderson & Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com join Christina to discuss the 2024 Oscar nominations! The surprises, snubs, history making nominations and so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad…
Jan. 17, 2024

388: Our Most Anticipated Movies of 2024! With critics Candice Frederick (Huffpost) & Thelma Adams (The Wrap)

Critics Thelma Adams (The Wrap, Variety, AARP), Candice Frederick (Senior Culture Reporter @ Huffpost) and Christina pick their 10 most anticipated movies of 2024! Follow on X: Candice Frederick @ReelTalker Thelma Adams @the…
Jan. 12, 2024

387: Creating the sounds of evil. "The Zone of Interest' sound designer Johnnie Burn ('Poor Things' 'Nope')

The brilliant sound designer Johnnie Burn talks to Christina about his research & emotional process creating the sounds of Auschwitz for Jonathan Glazer's powerful holocaust drama The Zone of Interest. They also discuss his…
Jan. 8, 2024

386: Our reactions to the 2024 Golden Globes! With Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch)

Christina and Ryan McQuade ( AwardsWatch ) share their reactions to 2024 Golden Globe awards ceremony. Oppenheimers big night! The celebrities! The winners! The telecast! The jokes (or lack of:) & everything else. Listen now…
Jan. 3, 2024

385: We are Starting 2024 with Emmys Predictions! Guest: Tyler Doster, TV Editor AwardsWatch

We are starting off 2024 with Emmys predictions! Tyler Doster, AwardsWatch TV editor, joins Christina to discuss, predict, agree & disagree. The 2023 Emmys ceremony airs January 15th 2024 (delayed from September due to the s…
Dec. 18, 2023

384: Academy Award Winning Cinematographer Linus Sandgren. On the Mystery, Beauty, Ugly & Sexy of Saltburn

Academy award winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren joins us to talk about his incredible work on Emerald Fennell's visually stunning film Saltburn. Sandgren guides us through the gothic, vampiric style of the cinematograph…
Dec. 14, 2023

383: Awards Season. The Succession Interviews! Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong. Justine Lupe, Arian Moayed and more.

Succession's final season has scored 27 Emmy nominations, 9 Golden Globe & 5 Critics Choice noms this awards season! Don't miss Pop Culture Confidential's complete collection of Succession interviews. Christina's conversatio…
Dec. 7, 2023

382: Till Death Do Us Part! The many movie-marriages of 2023. With Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com)

There are so many fascinating, passionate & chilling marriages explored at the movies this year. Maestro, Killers of the Flower Moon, Priscilla, Oppenheimer, The Zone of Interest, May December, to name a few! Ryan McQuade (E…
Dec. 1, 2023

381: Our first, massive Oscar nomination predictions show of the season! (with the AwardsWatch team)

Strikes are over, Oscar season is heating up and the gang is back to together for a massive Oscar nomination predictions show! It's such an incredible season of movies. Erik Anderson, Sophia Ciminello & Ryan McQuade of Award…
Nov. 30, 2023

380: Singer-songwriter, 4 time Grammy winner Jason Isbell on his role in Killers of the Flower Moon & the power of honesty in music and life.

Singer-songwriter & four time Grammy winner Jason Isbell joins Christina for an exclusive & wide ranging conversation. They talk about his first major film role in Martin Scorsese's epic Killers of The Flower Moon, on sobrie…
Nov. 22, 2023

379: Special episode! Ethan & Maya Hawke, recorded live from The Stockholm International Film Festival Nov 2023

Special episode, recorded live at The Stockholm International Film Festival. Christina was honored to moderate a Face2Face interview with iconic actor/director/author Ethan Hawke at the Stockholm International Film Festival …
Nov. 12, 2023

378: 'The writer in crisis'. We explore the many 'writers in crisis' characters in film. With Sean Fennessey (Host of 'The Big Picture', Head of Content at The Ringer)

Sean Fennessey, the brilliant host of 'The Big Picture' podcast & head of content at The Ringer, joins Christina for a great discussion on "writers in crisis"! This character type has been a constant in Hollywood & this year…
Oct. 30, 2023

377: A conversation with Sofia Coppola ('Priscilla')

We are honored to welcome writer/director Sofia Coppola to the show. In this exclusive conversation we talk about adapting and approaching Priscilla Presley's unique story. Why and how this story resonated with Coppola at th…
Oct. 24, 2023

376: Director & co-writer Mika Gustafson on her award-winning (Venice & London Film Festival) debut feature 'Paradise is Burning'

Congrats to our super talented guest! Director & co-writer Mika Gustafson just won an award for best first feature at the London Film Festival & Best Director at the Venice Film Festival’s Orizzonti section for her directori…
Oct. 20, 2023

375: How movies & TV affect everything! Pulitzer prize winning author & data journalist Walt Hickey 'You Are What You Watch'

Popular culture, movies, TV shows & books affect us in profound and surprising ways. Pulitzer prize winning author & data journalist Walt Hickey joins us to talk about his fascinating new book 'YOU ARE WHAT YOU WATCH. Entert…
Oct. 16, 2023

374: Errol Morris, the Academy Award winning filmmaker on his John le Carré doc ‘The Pigeon Tunnel’, and truth & betrayal.

Academy Award winning filmmaker Errol Morris ('The Thin Blue Line', 'The Fog of War') joins Christina to talk about ‘The Pigeon Tunnel’ his captivating documentary & conversations with the late British intelligence officer &…
Oct. 9, 2023

373: Costume Designer Jacqueline West & Osage Wardrobe Consultant Julie O’Keefe 'Killers of the Flower Moon'

Costume designer and 4 time Oscar nominee Jacqueline West (The Revenant, Dune) & lead Osage wardrobe consultant Julie O’Keefe join Christina to talk about Martin Scorsese's epic 'Killers of the Flower Moon', the incredible c…