Episodes
Dec. 21, 2021
259: Jazz Tangcay, Senior Artisans Editor at Variety, on the year in movies!
We are so happy to have Jazz Tangcay, Senior Artisans Editor at Variety, back on the show! We take a look at some of the incredible achievements behind the scenes, this tumultuous year in cinema. 2021 has been an incredible year at the movies, from giant blockbusters like Dune and Spider-Man to the…
Dec. 15, 2021
258: We are joined by Erik Anderson (AwardsWatch). We talk controversial Golden Globes, awards season news & a 'Succession' finale deep dive!
Editor in Chief of AwardsWatch Erik Anderson is back! We analyze the controversial Hollywood Foreign Press Association and their Golden Globe nominations. We talk about the state of the Oscar awards race. Give our thoughts on...
Dec. 3, 2021
257: We revisit our interview with Jeremy Strong 'Succession'!
This week we revisit our 2019 interview with the great Jeremy Strong!
Jeremy Strong talked to us while on location filming season two. We talked about researching media-moguls for the role, the relationship between Kendall and his father Logan, Succession in the age of Trump, filming the very …
Nov. 25, 2021
256: A special episode! Kirsten Dunst & Benedict Cumberbatch 'The Power Of The Dog'
Happy Holidays to all celebrating Thanksgiving this week! As a holiday treat here is is a special episode of Pop Culture Confidential: Kirsten Dunst & Benedict Cumberbatch speak to us about their incredible performances in Jane Campions’ The Power of The Dog (Netflix)
Interviews were done by Chr…
Nov. 23, 2021
255: Writer/Producer Georgia Pritchett 'Succession', 'Veep', 'The Shrink Next Door'. Author 'My Mess Is A Bit Of A Life'
Thrilled to be joined by the multi-award-winning television writer and producer Georgia Pritchett (In The Thick of It, Veep, Succession) She is currently a writer and co-executive producer on HBO's Succession, now in it's third season and show runner of the new Apple TV+ miniseries The Shrink Next …
Nov. 20, 2021
248: The era of Arian Moayed! On 'Succession' s3, Netflix 'Inventing Anna', 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' & much more.
One of our favorite guests returns! Actor, writer, director Arian Moayed joins us to talk about the incredible season opener of 'Succession' S3 (HBO Max), Stewy & lots of behind the scenes talk from the show. Plus Moayeds upcoming projects: from Shonda Rhimes new limited series ‘Inventing Anna’ (Ne…
Nov. 18, 2021
254: Kidman, Smith, Gaga & angry fans. AwardsWatch Erik Anderson is back with a report from AFI fest & all the movie and awards news
AwardsWatch Erik Anderson is back with a report for the AFI fest & more! We talk about Will Smith, on his way to Oscar glory as KING RICHARD & Lin Manuel Mirandas excellent directorial debut TICK TICK …BOOM! Nicole Kidman is ...
Nov. 10, 2021
252: Executive producer/writer Danny Strong 'Dopesick'
A conversation with Danny Strong (‘Game Change’, ‘Recount’) the creator/writer/director of ‘Dopesick’. Mr Strong talks about making the series & taking on the origins and devastation of the opioid epidemic in the U.S.
And how one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in American history.
…
Nov. 1, 2021
251: Actor Reed Birney "Mass"
Actor Reed Birney (House of Cards, The Blacklist) joins us to talk about his Gotham Award nominated performance in the powerful film ‘Mass’. We spoke about his role (which first time director Fran Kranz wrote specifically for him), the tragedy of his character, themes of grief, forgiveness and surv…
Oct. 28, 2021
250: Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch! All the latest industry news, controversies & Timothée Chalamet heats up the box office
Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief AwardsWatch .com, is back for our regular segment covering all the most important industry & awards news! Dune and Belfast. The Golden Globes, just when we thought we were out they are dragging ...
Oct. 22, 2021
249: A conversation with director Yngvild Sve Flikke, 'Ninjababy'
An unwanted pregnancy, an animated fetus and Rakel, a great character at the center, Ninjababy is a hilarious film that packs some powerful punches. We talk to director Yngvild Sve Flikke about the interesting themes, how differently the film has resonated around the world and much more, The movie …
Oct. 11, 2021
247: An hour with Brian Cox!
At the height of the pandemic lock-down, while waiting to finish season 3, the great Brian Cox sat down with Christina to talk about his incredible portrayal of Logan Roy on HBO’s Succession, who he jokingly calls his “evil twin”. Now just days away from the premiere of S3 we are re-airing this can…
Oct. 8, 2021
246: Squid Game! Professor Areum Jeong on the cultural, political & artistic impact of the Netflix megahit
This week we talk about the biggest television show in the world, Squid Game! Honored to have Professor Areum Jeong with us to talk about the cultural, political & artistic impact of the Netflix megahit Dr. Jeong, assistant p...
Oct. 3, 2021
245: Rick Stanton, one of the lead divers in the Thai soccer team cave rescue. Author 'Aquanaut'.
We are honored to talk to Rick Stanton MBE, one of the lead divers & key players in the 2018 dramatic rescue of the 12 boys and their soccer coach from an underwater cave in Thailand. An incident that, for weeks, was followed by the world. Mr. Stanton talks to Christina about his hobby, his passion…
Sept. 27, 2021
244: The race is on. AwardsWatch Erik Anderson joins us for movie news, hits & misses and a taste of Licorice Pizza!
The stars are out this festival & awards season and Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com is back with us! We talk Denzel, Will Smith, Kristen Stewart, Chastain. The state of the oscar race and festival hits & misses. Why musicals...
Sept. 16, 2021
243: Emmys 2021 Predictions Special! With critic Thelma Adams
Ted Lasso! The Crown! Get your ballots ready for Emmys 2021! Critic and writer Thelma Adams joins Christina as they predict this exciting year ahead of the Emmys telecast on Sunday the 19th. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
Sept. 5, 2021
242: Our Venice Film Festival dispatch part two! On location with critic John Bleasdale
Welcome to part two of our Venice Film Festival dispatch! Critic, writer & host of the ‘Writers on Film’ podcast John Bleasdale joins Christina, in Venice, to talk about the the 2021 festival and review & discuss the films th...
Aug. 26, 2021
241: Ciao Venezia! Critic John Bleasdale joins us to talk about what to expect from the Venice Film Festival 2021!
In part 1 of our Venice Film Festival special writer & critic John Bleasdale (The Guardian, Sight & Sound) talks to Christina about some of the movies, directors and performances they are most looking forward to at the festiv...
Aug. 15, 2021
240: Jonas Poher Rasmussen director of the extraordinary, Sundance award winning documentary 'Flee'
Director Jonas Poher Rasmussen joins us to talk about his remarkable animated documentary 'Flee"‘.
The Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner ‘FLEE ‘tells the story of Amin, who through a series of interviews with Rasmussen, tells his dramatic journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark in …
Aug. 5, 2021
239: The Britney Spears case, #freebritney and Britneys fight for freedom. With culture writer Constance Grady (vox.com)
Culture writer Constance Grady (vox.com) joins us to talk about Britney Spears court case which she has followed closely, the #freebritney movement, how it has started major discussions on reforming conservatorships, the cultural implications and what will be happening going forward.
Grady recen…
July 29, 2021
238: Emmys & Venice & Gucci, oh my! Erik Anderson (AwardsWatch) is back with all the latest on movies, festivals & TV!
Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief of AwardsWatch , is BACK! We have a great conversation about the Venice Film Festival line-up, the Cannes winners, early Emmy predictions and those incredible House of Gucci posters. Listen now!...
July 23, 2021
237: Summer revisit: 'Allen v. Farrow'. Interview with director Amy Ziering
This week we revisit our interview (from March) with “Allen v. Farrow” director Amy Ziering. Congratulations on getting 7 EMMY nominations including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series and Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program.
Award winning filmmaker Amy Ziering jo…
July 18, 2021
236: Summer Revisit! Composer Nicholas Britell (The Underground Railroad, Succession, Moonlight)
CONGRATS to Nicholas Britell on his Emmy nomination! (score: The Underground Railroad)
This week we revisit my interview from a few months ago with award-winning composer Nicholas Britell (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, The Big Short, Succession). We talk about Mr. Britell's powerful col…
July 8, 2021
235: Summer Revisit: legend Danny Trejo!
This week we listen back to our interview from last year with legend DANNY TREJO! And don’t miss Mr Trejos new memoir ‘Trejo’ released this week.
Mr Trejo talks to us about his story, from a life of crime to hard prison time at San Quentin and Folsom prisons. How he turned his life around and ho…