We are thrilled to have Ryan McQuade (executive editor, AwardsWatch.com) back for a jam packed episode! After an emotional week we thought it would be fitting to discuss what has made us emotional at the movies. We pick our most emotional scenes in 2024, so far. Plus our reactions to this week's big premiere Gladiator II. And from Ridley to Francis…

The brilliant Karla Sofía Gascón, groundbreaking star of ‘Emilia Pérez’! Catch my subtitled interview on YouTube or listen on Pop Culture Confidential. The trans actress is making history this awards season! She talks to me about the incredible reactions from audiences to ‘Emilia Pérez’, her own difficult and inspiring journey, how she’d love to st…

With less than 2 weeks until the US election Christina is joined by journalist Chris Smith, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and best-selling author ofThe Daily Show (the Book), to discuss Harris and Trump's media strategies. They talk about the candidates many podcast interviews, media appearances and their messaging. If celebrity endorsements m…

This is an encore episode (previously aired in Feb 2024) 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, a gamer known as 'Ibelin' in World of Warcraft, had despite his phy…

It's time for Pop Culture Confidential's first Oscar predictions episode of the season! Ryan McQuade, (Executive Editor @ AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a huge Academy Awards predictions show. With the Venice, Telluride & Toronto film festivals behind us what is the state of the race? What films are dominating the awards conversation? Ryan & Chri…

Christina had the honor of interviewing the brilliant Ken Leung! This bonus episode includes their previously unaired talk about the season finale of 'Industry' now that the episode has aired. Christina is joined by actor Ken Leung for this wide ranging conversation! Ken Leung is electrifying in his role as Eric on Industry (HBO Max) which takes pl…

Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina to talk about the big film & movie news of the week! They talk about Saturday Night Live season 50's election cast (which includes Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris and Dana Carvey as Joe Biden), Coppola's 'Megalopolis' and 'The Brutalist' written & directed by Brady Corbet. Learn more about your ad choices. V…

Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor AwardsWatch) joins Christina to review and discuss the new body horror film 'The Substance' from writer/director Coralie Fargeat. The film stars Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley & Dennis Quaid. Spoilers! Plus 'Musical-fishing'! Why are studios hiding the fact that their movies are musicals in their marketing campaigns and…

It's a huge fall season for SNL! Saturday Night Live will be back for its 50th season on September 23rd and Jason Reitman's movie 'Saturday Night', (about the first ever SNL episode in 1975) premieres in October. Christina is honored to have Alan Zweibel on the show. Alan is an original SNL writer and a 5 time Emmy awards winner. (Josh Brener plays…

Christina joins The AwardsWatch Podcast to discuss their reactions to the films at the 51st Telluride Film Festival! On episode 250 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and special guest Christina Birro of Pop Culture Confidential come together The 2…

In a new Telluride Film Festival 2024 mini dispatch Christina talks to Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com about 'Nickel Boys', RaMell Ross narrative directorial debut. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

Our first dispatch from the 51st Telluride Film Festival! Christina is in the mountains of Colorado covering the legendary film festival. Christina talks about the exciting 2024 movie line up that was just announced yesterday. And talks to AwardsWatch Ryan McQuade about why Netflix buying Pablo Larraín's 'Maria', starring Angelina Jolie, sent shock…

Christina is honored to be joined by actor Ken Leung for this wide ranging conversation! Ken Leung is electrifying in his role as Eric on Industry (HBO Max) which takes place in the cutthroat world of finance and is now on it's critically acclaimed third season. Ken Leung's career includes roles on TV shows like Lost and The Sopranos and in the fil…

Nosferatu & Maria Callas. Guadagnino & Almodovar. Popes & Gladiators. Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina for a discussion about (a mostly:) thrilling season of movies ahead! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

A fantastic new season of 'Industry'! 'Squid Game' returns! New shows starring Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum are on the schedule! It looks like it's going to be an exciting TV season coming up this fall. Tyler Doster (TV editor @ AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina for a rundown of 2024 fall/winter TV season Learn more about your ad choices. Visit …

Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina to countdown their favorite movies of 2024 so far. A great mix! From Challengers to Hit Man and so many more. Plus the latest movie news, Horizon Part 2 heading to the Venice Film Festival, who will host the Oscars after Kimmel and Mulaney pass up the offer, Chalamet as Bob Dylan and much more! Learn more …

Paul Raci, Oscar nominated for his role in 2019's 'Sound Of Metal', is back on Pop Culture Confidential to talk about his phenomenal new film 'Sing Sing'! The film centers on a group of inmates putting up a play at the maximum security prison Sing Sing through (the real) Rehabilitation Through the Arts Program. Mr. Raci, who plays theater director …

It's June all summer! Christina talks to acting legend June Squibb. The 94 year old actor stars as Nostalgia in the summer's biggest hit 'Inside Out 2' and as Thelma in Josh Margolin's wonderful directorial debut. 'Thelma', about a grandmother determined to get justice after she's scammed out of ten thousand dollars, is a generational story and an …

From their studios at The Ringer/Spotify in downtown Los Angeles Christina visits with the brilliant TV critics and co-hosts of 'The Watch' Chris Ryan & Andy Greenwald! They talk, among other things, about their longtime friendship and collaboration. The latest seasons of TV and discuss: are we in a particularly good moment for multifaceted female …

Ryan McQuade (of AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina for a wide ranging discussion about Kevin Costner's four part, mega film project 'Horizon: An American Saga' and it's aftermath. Their thoughts on the first film. How will the lackluster reviews for part one and the slow box office affect the coming movies? They talk about filmmakers and their passi…

Ryan McQaude joins Christina to discuss the new documentary 'I Am: Celine Dion'. Plus they countdown their 10 favorite celebrity docs, from Hearts of Darkness to Get Back to O.J.: Made in America and many more. Plus a fantastic announcement! Ryan will be joining us on a more regular basis. Once a month we'll have Fridays with Ryan with more great d…

2024 Emmy voting is open! Christina is joined by NPR TV critic & media analyst Eric Deggans to discuss the 2024 Emmy year, nomination predictions, possible surprises and much more. Will it be a big year for the critically acclaimed shows Shōgun and Baby Reindeer? Will The Bear dominate again for its terrific second season? Voting closes on June 24 …

Erik Anderson, Editor-in-Chief at AwardsWatch.com, joins Christina for some early Oscar predictions! What is the Oscar buzz post-Cannes and the spring festivals? What do we have coming up this summer and at the fall festivals? Looks like it will be an incredible awards season! Particularly in the actress category; Amy Adams in 'Nightbitch' (will sh…

Guest writer/director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel talks to Christina about his fascinating first feature 'Armand', winner of the Cannes' Camera d'Or 2024. They talk about his ambitious and risky drama that revolves around a meeting between parents and school staff regarding an incident between two kids. On how he built the tension in the script, being i…

Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor, AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina to discuss the reasons behind the low box office numbers this Memorial Day weekend (Furiosa and Garfield), the state of cinema & streaming, and looking forward to even more fantastic, original, risk-talking cinema ahead! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Christina ha tenido el honor de hablar con una de las estrellas del festival de Cannes 2024, ¡Karla Sofía Gascón! Gascón nos habla de 'Emilia Peréz', la película dirigida por Jacques Audiard que ha sido la sensación de Cannes. Nos habla de la importancia que tiene esta película para ella como persona trans, su historia y mucho mas! 'Emilia Perez' n…

Another dispatch from the 2024 Cannes Film Festival! Christina talks about some of the stand-out performances from the fest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

Christina continues covering the 2024 Cannes Film Festival! Today from the FURIOSA:A MAD MAX SAGA press conference with actors Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & director George Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

A short report from Cannes 2024! Christina talks about what she is looking forward to at the festival from Coppola to Lanthimos to following the brilliant jury lead by Greta Gerwig. Stay tuned for more dispatches! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

We are honored to have the brilliant Kathryn Hunter on the show this week. The award winning actor has played both Lear and Richard III on stage and gives an extraordinary performance as the three witches in Joel Coen's 'The Tragedy of Macbeth'. Ms Hunter talks to Christina about working with Francis Ford Coppola in his upcoming film 'Megalopolis',…

The Netflix hit series 'Baby Reindeer' is based on Scottish comedian Richard Gadd harrowing experience being stalked by an obsessed woman as well as the trauma of sexual assault. Candice Frederick (Senior Culture Reporter @ Huffpost) joins Christina to unpack the series, process their reactions to it, talk about the important and complex issues it …

Ryan McQuade (Executive editor AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina for a deep dive into Luca Guadagnino's latest film 'Challengers'. Join us as we talk about the dazzling performances by Zendaya, Mike Faist & Josh O'Connor, the score, the spectacular tennis scenes, and the electric love triangle at its center. Ryan McQuade on X @ryanmcquade77 Learn mo…

We have reached the finale of one of the best TV shows of the season! We're thrilled to have director Hiromi Kamata ('Let the Right One In', 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters') join us to talk about 'Shōgun' & her incredible episode 'Ladies of the Willow World'. Ms. Kamata and Christina talk about the power of the women of 'Shōgun', why she showed the a…

Variety's Senior Artisans Editor Jazz Tangcay joins Christina to discuss the huge, buzzy Hollywood titles that are hitting theaters this summer! 'The Fall Guy', 'Challengers', 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga', 'Kinds of Kindness', 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die, 'Inside Out 2'', 'Twisters', 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', just to name a few. They also talk about 'Joke…

Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina to discuss one of 2024s most anticipated, and possibly divisive, films Alex Garland's 'Civil War'. The first trailer left us with a lot of questions and certain expectations but the film turned out to be something else completely. Christina and Ryan discuss the film, the discourse, Alex Garland, the in…

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 political moment? What issues are TV creators exploring in shows like True Detective & Fargo as well as in the documentary series …

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 John Hughes and her complicated feelings about them, her Swedish roots and so much more. Listen now! Learn more about your ad …

We are honored to welcome writer/director Sofia Coppola to the 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 this moment in her career & life. How she can see Priscilla from several perspectives, her mother's generation and from the …

"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 and surprises of the 96th Oscar ceremony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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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 (Executive Editor @ AwardsWatch.com) joins us to dissect one of this years' big themes and discuss the state of matrimony at the…

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 work with Yorgos Lanthimos on 'Poor Things', creating alien sounds for Jordan Peele on 'Nope' and much more. Learn more about …

Award winning composer/producer Ludwig Göransson joins Christina to break down his journey scoring 'Oppenheimer', his process, influences and close collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. Photo credits: Courtesy of Ludwig Göransson Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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, love, loneliness, accidental cruelty and more. Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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 arc, working with Jodie Foster, his thoughts on Nic Pizzolatto's remarks, the incredible finale, the best fan theories and much…

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, a gamer known as 'Ibelin' in World of Warcraft, had despite his physical disabilities formed strong friendships, fallen in l…

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/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts

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 @thelmadams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesEvergreen Podcasts