Episodes
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
Christina was honored to moderate a Face2Face interview with iconic actor/director/author Ethan Hawke at the Stockholm International Film Festival where Mr. Hawke was presented with their Achievement Award 2023 . The festiva…
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…
Sept. 29, 2023
Episode 372. Part 2, the contract! Tom O'Brien (critic/WGA member) is back to talk about the new WGA contract after the strike.
In part 2 of our coverage of the WGA strike, critic/WGA member Tom O'Brien ( nextbestpicture.com ) is back with us to discuss the key issues that have been settled in the tentative agreement between the Writers Guild and the…
Sept. 25, 2023
371: Deal! The Writers Guild has reached a tentative agreement with the studios & streamers. Guest: critic and WGA member Tom O'Brien.
Breaking! After a 146-day long strike the Writers Guild has reached a tentative agreement with the studios & streamers. Critic/writer at nextbestpicture.com and WGA member Tom O'Brien joins us with the news! Learn more about…
Sept. 21, 2023
370: REVISIT our conversation with Milad Alami writer/director 'Opponent', Sweden's Oscar submission.
Congratulations Milad Alami! His film 'Opponent' has been selected as Sweden's International Feature Oscar submission. Revisit Christina's conversation with the writer/director from earlier this year. Iranian/Swedish writer-…
Sept. 15, 2023
369: Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight Show’ accused of being “toxic workplace” in new report. Drew Barrymore under fire for return amid writer's strike. TV editor Tyler Doster joins us to discuss this weeks breaking TV news.
TV editor Tyler Doster (AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina with insight and perspective on the breaking news out of the TV talk show universe this week: 16 current and former staff members of the Tonight Show spoke to Rolling…
Sept. 8, 2023
368: AwardsWatch & Pop Culture Confidential recap the 50th edition of the Telluride Film Festival!
Christina joins forces with The AwardsWatch Podcast (Executive Editor Ryan McQuade, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributor Sophia Ciminello) to give their reactions to the films they saw at the 50th editio…
Aug. 22, 2023
367: A conversation with award-winning casting director John Papsidera. ('Oppenheimer')
Award-winning casting director and a real master of his craft John Papsidera joins Christina on Pop Culture Confidential! Papsidera is one of Hollywood foremost casting directors. He has collaborated with director Christophe…
Aug. 21, 2023
Sharing a special episode from our friends 'The AwardsWatch Podcast.' What Will Be and What We Want to See at the 50th Telluride Film Festival'
Thanks for the invite! Christina had a great time on The AwardsWatch Podcast previewing the upcoming 50th edition of the Telluride Film Festival. We are sharing the episode here! You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast whe…
Aug. 9, 2023
366: LA Times film industry reporter Ryan Faughnder joins us to talk about a summer Hollywood won't forget!
Labor strikes, box office hits & misses, Barbenheimer, superhero fatigue, the surprise and controversial hit Sound of Freedom, Hollywood's box office battle in China...it's a lot... Ryan Faughnder, LA Times entertainment ind…
Aug. 4, 2023
365: It's Margot Robbie's world! A deep dive into the career of actor/producer Margot Robbie. With Sophia Ciminello (Oscar Wild podcast, AwardsWatch)
We dive deep into the career of actor/producer Margot Robbie! This just as her film 'Barbie' (which she produced and stars in ) is about to top one billion dollars globally at the box office. Sophia Ciminello (co-host of the…