Pop Culture Confidential

We’re pulling back the curtain on one of modern horror’s most unforgettable new icons: Aunt Gladys from Zach Cregger’s smash hit Weapons. Christina is joined by makeup department head Leo Satkovich and special makeup effects designer Jason Collins, the brilliant team behind her terrifying transformation. They explore how Aunt Gladys was brought to life: from drawing inspiration in Cindy Sherman’s photography and John Waters’ Pink Flamingos to perfecting the haunting look worn and played to perfection by Amy Madigan. They dig into the gory details — THAT potato peeler, wrangling a mob of kids, and much more. The conversation even dares to imagine a prequel Aunt Gladys, picturing a younger version in all her unsettling glory. And of course, the artists share exclusive Halloween costume tips straight from their own toolkit. Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Christina is joined by rising star Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, recently named one of Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch, to talk about her role as Agnes in Joachim Trier’s Oscar-contending drama Sentimental Value. The film, also starring Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, and Elle Fanning, explores family, identity, and the complicated bond between two sisters and their father. Inga shares what it was like working with Trier and Skarsgård, the intensity of filming a pivotal emotional scene with Renate Reinsve, and how audiences around the world are connecting with the film’s themes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Modern Masterpiece! Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com to dive into Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Chase Infiniti, and Benicio Del Toro. Edge-of-your-seat, urgent, and timely, Anderson’s bold filmmaking delivers a cinematic experience like no other. Join us for a deep dive into one of the year’s most anticipated films. Spoilers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value is the talk of the season, and Christina sits down with the acclaimed Norwegian director to dig into it. Featuring Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Stellan Skarsgård, and Elle Fanning, the film has already won the Grand Prix at Cannes, charmed audiences on the festival circuit, and is quickly becoming an Oscar favorite. Christina and Trier dive into its rich themes — family roles, complicated relationships, and the deeply personal ideas at its heart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood turns its spotlight on television’s biggest night this Sunday — the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards! Christina is joined by Tyler Doster, TV Editor at AwardsWatch.com, to predict the major categories and discuss potential surprises and upsets. From The Pitt and Severance to The Studio and Adolescence, which shows and stars will walk away with Emmy gold? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All new Pop Culture Confidential: Telluride Dispatch!What a festival! Together with each of the incredible AwardsWatch.com team, we dive into the biggest conversations at Telluride — from Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Bugonia, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, to the Springsteen biopic

This week, Christina welcomes Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) for a deep dive into Bruce Springsteen on film — including a look ahead at Deliver Me From Nowhere, the highly anticipated biopic starring Jeremy Allen White. From the Malick-inspired Nebraska to iconic soundtrack moments, we explore Springsteen’s cinematic inspirations and how his music continues to live on the big screen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into the phenomenon of Weapons, filmmaker Zach Cregger’s latest hit. From the success of Barbarian to this ambitious follow-up, Cregger has quickly become one of the most exciting names in horror. I’m joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) to break down our reactions to Weapons — the scares, the themes, the filmmaking, and the cinematic influences and nods to PTA, Lynch, Tarantino, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina welcomes back one of the sharpest voices in film — Sean Fennessey of The Big Picture — for a wide ranging conversation on the year in movies so far and what’s next. From Weapons and the horror/genre boom to box office shocks, Nolan fever, political storytelling, their Telluride predictions — and plenty more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and critic John Bleasdale joins Christina to discuss his excellent new book, Darkness Visible: The Cinema of Jonathan Glazer—a deep dive into the work of the visionary director behind Sexy Beast, Birth, Under the Skin, and The Zone of Interest.They also break down the exciting 2025 Venice Film Festival line-up, featuring Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt starring Julia Roberts, Kathryn Bigelow’s latest, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The industry was rocked by the news that CBS is cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and ending the franchise entirely in 2026. While CBS claims it’s purely a financial decision, speculation is swirling — including questions about political pressure. Christina is joined by AwardsWatch’s Ryan McQuade to unpack Colbert’s exit — and whether this marks the beginning of the end for traditional late night as we know it. They also discuss Emmy nomination surprises as well as the latest lineup announcements from TIFF and Venice. Plus, Ryan’s reactions to the 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' trailer & 'The Fantastic Four'. A jam-packed episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Emmy nominations approach, we’re revisiting one of our standout conversations of the year! Actor Taylor Dearden delivers a powerful performance as Dr. Mel King in The Pitt, the gripping medical drama now streaming on HBO Max. In this encore episode, Taylor joins Christina to talk about filming the intense series, medical boot camp, how her ADHD shaped her performance, working with Noah Wyle, and much more. Don’t miss this interview with one of the season’s most talked-about breakout stars! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From film news to fresh reviews — it’s a packed week on the show.We’re diving into some of the biggest releases of the summer, including 28 Years Later, Jurassic World: Rebirth, F1, The Materialists, and Eddington.Plus, we break down Nolan’s The Odyssey teaser, the latest on the Social Network sequel, and Denis Villeneuve taking on 007.With special guest Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re thrilled to welcome actor Alexej Manvelov to the show. His standout portrayal of Akram in Netflix’s hit Dept. Q has made the character one of this season’s most acclaimed and beloved. In Scott Frank’s adaptation of the bestselling novels, Manvelov plays Akram, a former Syrian police officer and refugee who joins Edinburgh’s cold-case unit alongside Detective Carl Mørck (Matthew Goode). His subtle, magnetic performance has made Akram both a fan favorite and a critical standout. Manvelov shares with Christina how he built the role, the choices behind key scenes, and his remarkable personal journey — from growing up in the Soviet Union to immigrating to Sweden at age ten, and pursuing his acting dreams while working night shifts. With acclaimed roles in Top Dog and Chernobyl, his turn in Dept. Q cements Manvelov as one of today’s most captivating screen talents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer may not be the official spooky season, but it’s long been a surprisingly perfect time for horror. From the 1975 release of Jaws—which turns 50 this year!—to Poltergeist, Friday the 13th, and A24’s Hereditary andMidsommar, horror has thrived under the summer sun.Now, summer 2025 is shaping up to be another standout season for the genre, with titles like 28 Years Later, M3GAN 2.0, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Together, Weapons, and more.Film enthusiast and theatre technician (dresser) Eoin Daly joins Christina to explore why horror works so well in the summer—and what terrifying highlights await us this year. Eoin is a lifelong fan of cinema, both classic and contemporary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Christina is joined by writer and critic Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) for the fun (and difficult!) exercise of ranking their favorite films of the decade so far, from 2020 through 2024. Tune in for passionate picks, tough calls, unexpected choices, a few controversial rankings, and plenty of love for the movies that have defined these first five years! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creator of Andor and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, The Bourne films) joins Christina for a wide-ranging conversation about the groundbreaking Star Wars prequel series — a show that’s as politically urgent as it is thrilling. With the second and final season now complete, they look back at the creative journey. They explore the big themes at the heart of Andor: found family, sacrifice, fascism, moral ambiguity, and the question of why good people do bad things. Plus: how the politics of Andor resonate in today’s world, what it’s like working within the Disney machine, and the creative complexities behind bringing such an ambitious story to life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining Christina is film critic and writer Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch as they wrap up the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. From what it was like covering this year’s festival, to the Palme d’Or winners, major Neon and MUBI acquisitions, standout titles from Joachim Trier and Spike Lee, The Secret Agent, The History of Sound, and more—this episode dives into all the unforgettable moments that made this edition one for the books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special dispatch from the Croisette, Christina is joined by the brilliant and effortlessly cool Stellan Skarsgård, starring in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value—a strong Palme d’Or contender at this year’s festival. Skarsgård plays Gustav, a once-renowned director who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter by casting her in his comeback film. They discuss Sentimental Value, the state of cinema and the world, why Skarsgård often chooses Norwegian films over Swedish ones, the importance of good catering—and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina is joined by critic and author John Bleasdale (The Magic Hours: The Films and Hidden Life of Terrence Malick) for a new dispatch from the Croisette. They dive into some of the most talked-about titles at the festival, including The Phoenician Scheme by Wes Anderson, Pillion starring Alexander Skarsgård, and two films directed by actors: Kristen Stewart’s The Chronology of Water and Harris Dickinson’s Urchin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices