Episode 476: Zach Cregger’s Weapons – Review & Deep Dive (Guest: Ryan McQuade)

From Citizen Kane, All The Presidents Men, Anchorman, and Newsroom to this years much buzzed about films Truth and Spotlight – Hollywood has had a long, adoring, but complicated relationship portraying journalism. The iconic 1976 film Network staring Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall will soon celebrate its fortieth anniversary. In both television and film, journalism is still a hot topic today with crusading journalists, cutthroat executives and stressed newsrooms front and center. The film Network was groundbreaking when it premiered but it’s influence is still felt and has inspired filmmakers like Aaron Sorkin and TV personality Stephen Colbert. On the show, we speak to New York Times writer Dave Itzkoff and author of the hit book Mad as Hell: The Making of Network and the Fateful Vision of the Angriest Man in Movies about Network on the continuing allure of the journalism genre. Why are these depictions important in our greater culture? Why do newspaper journalists get so much more respect then their counterparts on TV? And is there any truth to the power-hungry female news producer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Jan 201630min

We are thrilled to speak with Roger Christian who won Best Art Direction - Set Decoration for 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope' in 1977. Along with his team, he is responsible for the iconic interior of the Millennium Falcon, the first lightsaber, R2D2, and much more. And we talk to Entertainment Weekly senior writer Anthony Breznican about everything you need to know about Star War: The Force Awakens premiere and much more! Host/Producer: Christina Jeurling Birro. Producer: Renee Viterstedt. Editor: Tom Hansen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2 Jan 201659min

This weeks guests have created some of the most iconic looks for superstars like Britney Spears, Pink, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, and Marilyn Manson. They are behind the wonderful costumes in the Oscar winning film Dallas Buyers Club, and most recently they designed the costumes for Mockingjay Pt 1 & 2 of the Hunger Games franchise. Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller, who make up the New York-based costume design team Kurt & Bart, created meticulously detailed looks for Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson and the rest of the cast, along with over 10,000 extras. Yes, you read that correctly - 10,000 extras! Unlike the previous Hunger Games films, Mockingjay Part 1 & 2 take place mainly in District 13 as Katniss leads the revolution against the Capitol. The costumes Kurt & Bart designed reflect the shift for each character as they take on new roles and the limitations of wartime. The result is both restrained in color and materials, but no less visually stunning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Nov 201530min

Marlon Brando was one of the most acclaimed and influential actors of all time. He also was one of the most elusive and enigmatic. In the new documentary Listen to Me Marlon, written, directed and edited by Stevan Riley, we get a powerfully absorbing portrait that dives into the inner space of Brando’s mind. The film features exclusive access to Brando's previously unseen and unheard personal archive of private audio tapes the actor recorded at home, in business meetings, during hypnosis, in therapy, and during press interviews. And Brando doesn’t hold back as he reflects on his childhood, his movie career and the people he worked with. No talking heads, no interviewees: just Brando on Brando. We speak to director Stevan Riley to hear about his process making the film, what Brando felt about celebrity and his own appearance, his relationship with Francis Ford Coppola and the myths of Apocalypse Now - and much more! This year Listen to Me Marlon has been nominated for “Best Feature” at the 2015 International Documentary Association Awards, and is one of the documentary features submitted for the 2016 Oscar race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Nov 201524min

Carrie Coon burst onto the scene in 2014 with two remarkable performances in David Fincher’s Gone Girl and HBO’s The Leftovers. We are honored to speak with her! How would you react if 2% of the world’s population suddenly disappeared, including your husband and two children? This is the premise for Carrie Coon’s character Nora Durst on the hit HBO show The Leftovers, now in its second season. The show is co-created by Lost’s Damon Lindelof and the author of the novel, Tom Perrotta. We speak to actress Carrie Coon about her work on The Leftovers and what season two will bring for her character, what it was like to work with David Fincher on the psychological thriller Gone Girl and how the roles for women on television are evolving. Then we ask the question – can watching television increase your emotional intelligence? New research shows that watching award-winning television shows, such as Mad Men, Lost, The Good Wife or The West Wing, can increase our ability to read emotion and to empathize. We speak to Professor of Psychology Jennifer L. Barnes to find out what this research means for avid viewers like us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Nov 201548min

By 1982, cocaine made up 30% of all Colombian export, surpassing coffee, with much help by cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar. The new hit Netflix series “Narcos” traces his rise as one of the leaders of the Meddellín Cartel, the flow of cocaine from Colombia into the United States and the DEA’s attempts to bring down Escobar and the cartel. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura has received high praise for his portrayal of Escobar, who is a complex character – to say the least. He is one of the worlds most notorious criminals, reportedly responsible for over 4,000 murders and terrorizing many more, but to some he is also a hero, a Robin Hood like character who gave money to poor comminutes in Colombia, built soccer stadiums and even ran for office. At the time of his death, he was reportedly worth an estimated $25 billion dollars – making him also the wealthiest criminal in history. “Narcos” is filmed on location in Colombia with some real archival footage mixed in, and many of the real-life protagonists are consultants on the show. The result is equal parts drama and fascinating history lesson. We speak to producer Paul Eckstein about the extensive research that went into developing the project, the amazing cast and crew who have brought the scripts to life, and what is next for him and the team. We also ask him about his experience acting on Star Trek and why he thinks the show is a hotbed for talented writers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Okt 201541min

Twenty-five years ago Buzz Bissinger went in search of the Friday night lights – to chronicle the high school football ritual that can bring together a small American town. The result of this journey that took him to Odessa, Texas became the New York Times bestseller “Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream”, a book that would later be adapted into both a movie and TV show of the same name. The book shows America’s love of football while exposing its racism and greed, which is just as prevalent today but often overlooked. Since then Bissinger has not shied away from controversial subjects, including his own life. He has written about his struggle as a shopaholic which has included spending over $500,000 on high-fashion clothing in just two years, as well as his love of wearing women’s clothing. In his very touching book “Father’s Day: Across America with an Unusual Dad and His Extraordinary Son” he explores his relationship with his son Zach, who is savant challenged by serious intellectual deficits, as they take a road trip across the U.S.. As a contributor for Vanity Fair he has written very revealing profiles - of the disgraced journalist Stephen Glass, post scandal Tiger Woods, Oscar nominated Bradley Cooper and maybe his most memorable - Caitlyn Jenner in which he chronicles “the fears and doubts, love and courage, and tensions and traumas involved in the transition”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Okt 201537min

Guest: Priyanka Chopra This week we interview one of the world’s biggest movie stars. She acts, she sings, she dances, and as an FBI agent in the new ABC drama “Quantico” she kicks some serious butt! Priyanka Chopra, the Bollywood superstar has over 50 films on her resume, and is now taking Hollywood by storm – and making history by being the first South Asian woman to headline a US network drama. Priyanka Chopra was born in Jamshedpur India, but as a teenager she lived for some years with her aunt in the United States. She returned to India in her late teens and at 18 she won the Miss World Title, an event that helped start her film career. Today Chopra is one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses and a vocal advocate for women’s rights. She has shown herself to be extremely versatile by playing a range of unconventional characters, including a serial killer, a glamorous femme fatal, India’s real-life boxing champion Mary Kom and an autistic woman in the internationally acclaimed romantic comedy Barfi!. In “Quantico”, helmed by Joshua Safran of Gossip Girl fame, Chopra plays Alex Parrish, a new FBI recruit in training who is accused of a terrorist attack as the series begins. The series premiered in September on ABC and airs on Sundays. In Sweden it premieres October 19th on Kanal 5. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Okt 201524min