Pop Culture Confidential

Episodes page 1 of 6

1. 459: From YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING to FJORD: Truth at the Movies in 2026 (with Christopher Rosen of The Ankler)

   27 Oct 2026 · 35 min

   What is truth, and who gets to tell it? Christopher Rosen, Deputy Editor of The Ankler, joins Christina for a fascinating conversation about why so many of this year’s films and filmmakers are exploring and…

2. 548: ‘You Can See Everything’ .... You’ve Never Seen Anything Like It. Christina Birro & Ryan McQuade Review

   16 Oct 2026 · 57 min

   It’s the film event of the year! Thirty-four days before she’s sent to prison, Elizabeth Holmes invites Nathan Fielder to move in with her. The result is You Can See Everything, Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s masterful,…

3. 547: We Talk The Social Reckoning (Guest: Critic Jorge Tenreiro)

   11 Oct 2026 · 25 min

   Freelance critic Jorge Tenreiro joins Christina to dig into The Social Reckoning, Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to The Social Network. The film stars Mikey Madison as Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and Jeremy Allen…

4. 546: Dispatch from NYFF. Behemoth! + Digger Talk (with Ryan McQuade)

   3 Oct 2026 · 32 min

   In this dispatch from the New York Film Festival 2026, Christina and Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) dig into the festival's Centerpiece film, Tony Gilroy's Behemoth!, starring Pedro Pascal. Plus, Digger talk!

5. 545: A Conversation with Palme d'Or–Winning Director Cristian Mungiu (Fjord)

   1 Oct 2026 · 47 min

   A special episode of Pop Culture Confidential! Christina had the honor of interviewing Cristian Mungiu, director of the Palme d'Or film Fjord. In a wide-ranging conversation, they discuss the film, the themes that run…

6. 544: Chris Rosen (The Ankler) Joins Us to Talk TIFF, La Bola Negra, Fall Films, and the Oscar Race!

   21 Sep 2026 · 53 min

   Toronto just wrapped, closing out the fall festival trio of Venice, Telluride, and TIFF, and the Oscar picture is starting to come into focus. This week, Christopher Rosen (deputy editor at The Ankler, co-host of the…

7. 543. Mini Review: Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes Doc "You Can See Everything". Telluride Film Festival Dispatch

   8 Sep 2026 · 23 min

   Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's documentary "You Can See Everything" about Elizabeth Holmes blew the roof off the Telluride Film Festival at its secret screening. Christina sat down with Jay Ledbetter and Ryan…

8. 542: Mini Review : "La Bola Negra": Dispatch from Telluride Film Festival 2026

   8 Sep 2026 · 12 min

   High above Telluride, Christina hops aboard a gondola with Jorge Tenreiro and Sophia Ciminello of AwardsWatch to talk about La Bola Negra, the new film from Los Javis. From the Telluride Film Festival.

9. 541: Mini Reviews: "Wild Horse Nine" & "A Long Winter": Dispatch from Telluride Film 2026

   7 Sep 2026 · 27 min

   Christina and Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com discuss two of Telluride's most talked-about films: Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine and Andrew Haigh's A Long Winter.

10. 540: Emmy Predictions 2026. Final Picks Before the Envelopes Open (Guest Eoin Daly)

    31 Aug 2026 · 58 min

    Emmy time! Eoin Daly is back for our final Emmy predictions ahead of the 78th Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, (airing September 14th). Who will take home the gold? Tune in! Follow Eoin on instgram @eoin_daily

11. 539: A Conversation with Actor Steve Way! ('Furious')

    28 Aug 2026 · 27 min

    This week Christina has the honor of talking to actor, comedian, writer and activist Steve Way about his incredible performance as Alden on Furious, creator Liz Meriwether's riveting crime thriller. (Furious was just…

12. 538: Special Episode: Guesting on the AwardsWatch Podcast: Previewing the 53rd Telluride Film Festival

    24 Aug 2026 · 1 h 01 min

    Christina joins the AwardsWatch podcast for a special episode! We’re less than two weeks before the 53nd Telluride Film Festival kicks off on Labor Day weekend and we have a packed show. On episode 360 AwardsWatch…

13. 537: We Talk 'The End of Oak Street', 'The Invite', & TV's 'Furious' and 'Lanterns' (Guest: Ryan McQuade)

    19 Aug 2026 · 1 h 04 min

    Summer's winding down but the watchlist isn't. Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) is back on Pop Culture Confidential to review and discuss The End of Oak Street and The Invite, plus a couple of TV picks worth your time,…

14. 536: Director Brian L. Tan & Co-Producer Tara McNamara On Their Award-Winning Film 'Bandit' & Filmmaking Journey

    18 Aug 2026 · 29 min

    Christina is joined by director Brian L. Tan and co-producer Tara McNamara to talk about their new film Bandit & their filmmaking journey! Tan describes the film as "The White Lotus from the perspective of the help."…

15. 535: Lupin to Blood Sacrifice: Creator and Showrunner George Kay's Global Playbook

    13 Aug 2026 · 27 min

    Christina talks to creator and showrunner George Kay. Kay is one of the most versatile and prolific creators working in television. His work spans genres and continents, with global hits like Lupin, The Long Shadow,…

16. 534: The Best Movies of 2026, So Far! (Guest: Ryan McQuade)

    26 Jul 2026 · 1 h 30 min

    It's been an incredible first part of the year at the movies! Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) joins Christina to talk about their 10 best movies of the year so far (not an easy task!) Plus, they talk about the Venice…

17. 533: Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Review & Deep Dive (Guest: Ryan McQuade)

    16 Jul 2026 · 1 h 17 min

    Guest Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) and Christina journey into Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey! Join us as we review, discuss, and dissect Nolan's latest epic.

18. 532: The Footballer Who Vanished: Directors Ramiel Petros & Nicholas Freeman on Their Doc 'The Last Guest Of The Holloway Motel'

    13 Jul 2026 · 17 min

    He was Player of the Year for Norwich City Football Club in the 1970s. Then he vanished, for decades. Directors Ramiel Petros & Nicholas Freeman found him hiding in plain sight, managing a motel in Los Angeles that…

19. 531: A Conversation With The Great K Callan! ('Ruth', Widow's Bay)

    10 Jul 2026 · 45 min

    We are thrilled and honored to be joined by Widow's Bay's own Ruth, the incredible K Callan (Widow's Bay just got 19 Emmy nominations!!!). At 90 years old, K Callan is a LEGEND , over 7 decades working in TV, from…

20. 530: Guadagnino's 'Artificial' Dropped by Amazon. Google Invests in A24. AI: Hollywood's Big Dilemma? (Guest: Critic/Author John Bleasdale)

    27 Jun 2026 · 38 min

    Film critic and journalist John Bleasdale joins Christina to discuss the news that Luca Guadagnino's film about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Artificial, has been dropped by Amazon, which just happens to have a partnership…

21. 529: Emmys 2026! Nomination Predictions ft. Guest Eoin Daly

    24 Jun 2026 · 46 min

    TV time! Emmy nominations drop on July 8th. Christina and guest Eoin Daly make their boldest nom predictions. From The Pitt to Hacks, Widows Bay, Pluribus, and a lot of surprises. Who's getting in? Who's getting…

22. Episode 528: Unpacking and Reviewing Spielberg's Disclosure Day. Guest: Ryan McQuade

    13 Jun 2026 · 59 min

    It's Disclosure Day! Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch to discuss and review Steven Spielberg's latest film. They dig into how it fits into the director's filmography as well as his biography,…

23. 527: Entering the 'Backrooms' with Guests Production Designer Danny Vermette and VFX Supervisor Edward J. Douglas

    12 Jun 2026 · 28 min

    Backrooms is the record-breaking horror phenomenon of the summer. Christina sat down with brilliant production designer Danny Vermette and VFX supervisor Edward J. Douglas to talk about their work on the film and their…

24. 526: Brittany Allen on Her Powerful Performance as Roxie on 'The Pitt'

    7 Jun 2026 · 24 min

    Actor Brittany Allen (The Boys, Dexter: Original Sin, Jigsaw) joins the show to discuss her Emmy-buzzed performance as Roxie Hamler, a terminal cancer patient on HBO’s The Pitt. We dive into the research behind her…

25. 525: Backrooms, Obsession & The YouTube Creators Filling Cinemas! (Guest: Ryan McQuade)

    4 Jun 2026 · 1 h 08 min

    Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com joins Christina to discuss the mega-hits Obsession (directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker) and Backrooms (by 20-year-old Kane Parsons), the rise of YouTube content creators in cinema and…

26. 524: Dispatch 10: Final Cannes Report & The Award Winners! Guest, Ryan McQuade

    25 May 2026 · 51 min

    524: Dispatch 10: Final Cannes Report! Guest Ryan McQuade, AwardsWatch.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27. 523: Cannes Dispatch 9. Club Kid, Coward, The Man I Love & Jim Queen. Guest:Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch.

    22 May 2026 · 33 min

    Cannes Film Festival Dispatch 9. Club Kid, Coward, The Man I Love & Jim Queen with guest: Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch. https://awardswatch.com Video Anton Isiukov https://www.antonisiukov.com Learn more about your…

28. 522: A Conversation with Sean Fennessey ('The Big Picture') at Cannes 2026

    21 May 2026 · 40 min

    Cannes Film Festival 2026 Dispatch nr 8. A Conversation with Sean Fennessey. Guest: Sean Fennessey https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-big-picture https://substack.com/@seanfennessey Video: Anton Isiukov…

29. 521: Cannes Dispatch 7. Cannes Unfiltered! Sales, Palme Buzz, the Palm Dog & Reviews! Guest Wendy Mitchell, Screen International

    20 May 2026 · 26 min

    Guest Wendy Mitchell Contributing Editor for Screen International and ScreenDaily.com https://www.filmwendy.com/writing

30. 520: Cannes Film Festival Dispatch 6. Reviews Koreeda, Gray & Dupieux (Guest: John Bleasdale

    18 May 2026 · 24 min

    Guest, author and film critic John Bleasdale https://www.johnbleasdale.com Video by Anton Isiukov https://www.antonisiukov.com

31. 518: Cannes Film Festival Dispatch 4. Gustaf Skarsgård & Peter Birro ('The Cannibal')

    17 May 2026 · 21 min

    On a special episode from Cannes 2026, Christina interviews (her husband:), screenwriter Peter Birro, and director Gustaf Skarsgård about their upcoming film. They are at the festival to introduce The Cannibal, a…

32. 519: Cannes Film Festival Dispatch 5! Review Paweł Pawlikowski's 'Fatherland' (Guest Sophia Ciminello – AwardsWatch)

    17 May 2026 · 23 min

    Cannes Film Festival Dispatch 5: Review Paweł Pawlikowski 's 'Fatherland' (Guest Sophia Ciminello – AwardsWatch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

33. 517: Cannes Film Festival Dispatch 3. Review "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" (Guest Ryan McQuade)

    15 May 2026 · 13 min

    Review! We are excited about Jane Schoenbrun's ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson. Guest Ryan McQuade AwardsWatch.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

34. 516: Cannes Film Festival 2026. Dispatch 2 (Guest: Ryan McQuade, AwardsWatch)

    13 May 2026 · 17 min

    Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina live from the Cannes Film Festival 2026 to discuss this year’s jury, predictions, and some of the fests biggest stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

35. 515: Cannes Film Festival 2026! Dispatch 1, a quick hello from Christina!

    12 May 2026 · 5:11

    What to expect from Pop Culture Confidential at the Cannes Film Festival 2026. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

36. 515: TV Talk! Hacks, Beef, Half Man, The Pitt, Emmy predictions & more (Guest: Eoin Daly)

    7 May 2026 · 49 min

    Emmy season is heating up, and Christina is joined by Eoin Daly (of @onofusnet) to break down and discuss the most buzzworthy TV! From the sharp humor of Hacks, to the brilliance of Beef season 2, Half Man, The Pitt,…

37. Special Episode! AwardsWatch Podcast: New Oscar Rules and Preview of the 79th Cannes Film Festival with Special Guest Christina Birro

    6 May 2026 · 1 h 05 min

    Special cross-over episode! On episode 344 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and Pop Culture…

38. 514: Our First Ever Summer Movie Draft! (Guests Jay Ledbetter & Ryan McQuade)

    27 Apr 2026 · 1 h 45 min

    Welcome to the first-ever Pop Culture Confidential Summer 2026 Movie Draft! Christina is joined by Jay Ledbetter and Ryan McQuade (hosts of The Director Watch Podcast) to draft the films of the summer season. From…

39. 513: A Conversation About Lena Dunham's New Memoir 'Famesick' (Guest: Sophia Ciminello)

    20 Apr 2026 · 46 min

    Lena Dunham’s 'Famesick' is here! On this episode, Christina is joined by Sophia Ciminello (AwardsWatch, Oscar Wilde podcast) to unpack the much-anticipated memoir and explore Dunham’s cultural impact. Learn more…

40. 512: Cannes Film Festival 2026 Preview (Guest: Ryan McQuade, AwardsWatch)

    14 Apr 2026 · 58 min

    Sachs, Farhadi, Almodóvar, Pawlikowski, Kore-eda, Hamaguchi, Mungiu and many more! Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com joins Christina to preview the Cannes Film Festival 2026, featuring an incredible lineup of films and…

41. 511: A Conversation With Writer/Director Mary Bronstein ('If I Had Legs I'd Kick You')

    6 Apr 2026 · 21 min

    The brilliant writer/director Mary Bronstein joins Christina to discuss her film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. The film is a raw and revelatory exploration of motherhood, anchored by an incredible, Oscar-nominated…

42. 510: 'The Drama,' the Oscars Move, Scorsese & More. A Grab Bag Episode (Guest: Ryan McQuade)

    1 Apr 2026 · 1 h 09 min

    This episode, Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a grab bag of news, reviews, and all manner of good stuff! They dive into 'Project Hail Mary', 'The Drama', Colbert taking on Tolkien, the Oscars venue move,…

43. 509: Director Weronika Tofilska. Exploring Existential Themes, 'Baby Reindeer', and Netflix’s 'Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen'.

    27 Mar 2026 · 24 min

    Emmy-nominated director Weronika Tofilska joins Christina to discuss her bold, existential storytelling, from the wildly successful Baby Reindeer to her latest project, Netflix’s chilling horror series Something Very…

44. 508: We Recap the 2026 Academy Awards! (With Guest Ryan McQuade)

    16 Mar 2026 · 1 h 17 min

    Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina to recap last night’s 2026 Academy Awards (and cap off a long season!) One Battle After Another’s biggest wins, Sinners' successes, the surprises, emotional highlights, and…

45. 507: Our 2026 Oscar Predictions! Guest Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch

    10 Mar 2026 · 1 h 27 min

    Join us as we dive into the 2026 Oscar predictions! Christina is thrilled to be joined by Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com. This year has brought us outstanding films, incredible performances, and one of the most…

46. 506: The State of the Oscar Race. BAFTAs, PGAs & the Actor Awards with Ryan McQuade

    3 Mar 2026 · 1 h 19 min

    The race is alive! We’re just about ten days away from the Oscars, and things are heating up on the precursor front. The BAFTAs were last weekend, and this weekend brought the PGAs and the Actor Awards (the awards…

47. 505: Oscar Nominated Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska on Designing Hamnet

    20 Feb 2026 · 25 min

    Christina is joined by 2026 Oscar nominated costume designer Malgosia Turzanska, celebrated for her extraordinary work on Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. Known for her unforgettable costumes in Train Dreams, Stranger Things, The…

48. 504. Inside Train Dreams: A Conversation with Writer-Director Clint Bentley

    17 Feb 2026 · 16 min

    Writer and director Clint Bentley joins Christina to discuss his acclaimed film Train Dreams, one of the most beautiful and celebrated films of the season! Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Adapted…

49. 503: Arian Moayed Returns! On Working with Malala, 'Wonder Man', the 'Succession' Family & the Urgency of Art

    13 Feb 2026 · 36 min

    The endlessly inspiring Arian Moayed is back on the show and it is, as always, an absolute blast. The actor, director, and producer joins Christina to talk about his exciting new Marvel series Wonder Man and…

50. 502: Revisit! Alexander Skarsgård on Pillion, Career Highlights & Creative Risks (Live from Stockholm Film Festival)

    4 Feb 2026 · 26 min

    Encore episode! Alexander Skarsgård talks Pillion, career, and more. With Pillion now premiering widely (the wonderful, warm, and emotional BDSM rom-com co starring Harry Melling) we revisit Christina’s wide ranging…