Culture Gabfest

This week's podcast reviews the star-studded documentary 'The Greatest Night in Pop,' delves into the biopic 'Rustin' about Bayard Rustin, and explores the ethical concerns in true crime. They also discuss Bob Dylan's amazing appearance in a documentary and recommend 'We Are the World' and 'Rustin' for their insightful portrayals and significance.

Isaac Butler and Dan Kois discuss the audacious movie 'The Zone of Interest', its depiction of the Holocaust, and the criticism it has received. They also delve into the complexities of directing, discuss the movie 'Nia' and express their disappointment, and explore the role of the director in the film industry.

From our friends at Life and Art, a culture podcast of the Financial Times:This week, we return to an old comfort classic: the 2003 Nancy Meyers romcom Something’s Gotta Give, starring Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. In it, two middle-aged people fall in love, but only after one heart attack, two younger lovers, some unexpected midnight pancakes and ample bickering. Does the movie still work today? How has the way we depict aging in film changed? And do we miss Nancy Meyers movies? Joining host Lilah Raptopoulos is comedian Negin Farsad, host of the podcast Fake the Nation, and FT senior corporate finance correspondent Eric Platt. This is one of his favourite movies.https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/life-and-art-from-ft-weekend/id1179847741 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cord Jefferson, Percival Everett, and Jeffrey Wright discuss the subversive brilliance of their Oscar contender film, American Fiction, adapted from Everett's novel. The hosts analyze the film's exploration of race, family dynamics, and generational wealth. They also delve into the satirical elements and nuanced expectations portrayed by Tracy Ellis Ross. Additionally, the podcast touches on the depiction of homelessness in media, critiques NPR's style, and explores the Oscars' impact on opening doors for unknown talent. Finally, the hosts share their music endorsements - the albums "Chameleon" by Labelle and "Midnight Dancer" by Silk.

Jodie Foster and Kali Reis star in the chilling fourth season of True Detective. The hosts also discuss Ava DuVernay's film Origin and delve into the evolution of music journalism with the recent folding of Pitchfork. In the Slate Plus segment, they celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos.

Guests Reneé Rapp and Angourie Rice discuss the 2024 version of Mean Girls; Maya Erskine voices a samurai seeking revenge in Blue Eye Samurai. The hosts also debate the merits of January as the least-loved month.

Discussion of the disappointing romcom adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, the beautiful and thematic film The Boy and the Heron by Hayao Miyazaki, and the return of the Golden Globes and its chances of redemption

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by jumping into the fantastical world of Wonka, a prequel to Roald Dahl’s enduring novel that explores the origins of its famously impish character, Willy Wonka, portrayed here by a wide-eyed, sugary sweet Timothée Chalamet. The musical film, directed by Paul King (Paddington, Paddington 2) isn’t the kind of movie you want to pick on–it undoubtedly has a warm heart–but has the effect of watching a lucrative homework assignment. Then, the three switch gears and review Maestro, a biopic (if you can even call it that) about one of America’s greatest cultural luminaries and public educators, Leonard Bernstein. Directed by and starring Bradley Cooper as “Lenny,” the film explores Bernstein’s complicated marriage with Felicia Montealegre (played spectacularly by Carey Mulligan) and the couple’s struggle to balance Lenny’s public genius with his life as a closeted gay man. (For more on Cooper’s prosthetic nose, read Mark Harris’ comprehensive essay for Slate, “The Bradley Cooper ‘Jewface’ Controversy Isn’t Really About That Nose.”) Finally, the panel is led by ringmaster extraordinaire, Dana Stevens, through Slate’s 2023 Movie Club, an annual digital roundtable featuring conversations between prominent film critics and writers as they look back through a year in film. This year, Bilge Ebiri (film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture), entertainment writer Esther Zuckerman, and film historian Mark Harris contribute, along with features from Nadira Goffe, Sam Adams, and the project’s editor, Dan Kois. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel embraces a post-holiday theme and discusses memorable gifts: their favorites and the ones that got away, inspired by a recent episode from the podcast Scriptnotes. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Revisiting favorite episodes, the panel discusses Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. They also explore the controversy behind country singer Jason Aldean's song. Topics include movie impact, female directors, portrayal of Barbie as a revolutionary toy, mixed feelings about a Nolan movie, Japanese films depicting Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and analysis of Aldine's problematic song.

In this annual call-in show, the hosts discuss their childhood influences and a story album for children called The Point. They also express their admiration for Madonna as a cultural icon and debate her changing appearance. Additionally, they share their thoughts on book acknowledgments and reflect on the profound impact of certain books on their worldview.