The Wild Robot’s Big Heart

On this week’s episode, the hosts tackle A‌ Real Pain, writer-director Jesse Eisenberg’s tale of two cousins (played by himself and Kieran Culkin) who travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother and, in the process, come to understand their family’s history through a new lens. Then, the three drop into the lush, sumptuous world of Like Water for Chocolate, Max’s new six-part limited series adapted from Laura Esquivel’s best-selling novel (which later became a critically acclaimed and internationally successful blockbuster.) Then finally, in a post 2024-election reality, do newsrooms still matter?‌ What role will journalists play over the next few years?‌ And can we solve the attention crisis in America?‌ Our panel discusses.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dive into a simple, yet important question: How are you doing?  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana: On the Media’s latest episode, “The Manosphere Celebrates a Win. Plus, M. Gessen on How to Survive an Autocracy.”  Julia: What better time than now to announce the results of the AMC Nicole Kidman poll!  Steve: “Jessica Mitford’s Escape From Facism” by Noah McCormack.  Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.  Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

On this week’s show, Extremely Musical Friend of the Pod (EMFOP)‌ Chris Molanphy joins to memorialize pop’s Renaissance Man, Quincy Jones, who passed away on November 3, 2024. The legendary producer worked with every star under the sun, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan, and created the best-selling album in history. (“Thriller,” maybe you’ve heard of it?) Then, the trio mulls over Conclave, a sumptuous new film by director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) about what happens when the Pope dies. It’s a fun, pulp-y romp, but does the movie have anything profound to say?‌ Finally, the panel considers Martha, a Netflix documentary about Martha Stewart’s rise to fame – and confronts all of lifestyle guru’s charms, mysteries, and borderline sociopathic tendencies. Mentioned in today’s episode:‌ Hit Parade’s “I Wanna Rock with Q“ series. Conclave review, written by Dana. In the exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel unpacks the most interesting part of Conclave:‌ that out-of-left-field plot twist. Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana:‌ Will &‌ Harper on Netflix. Steve:‌ Getting lost in “Songs of a Lost World,”‌ a new album by the Cure. Chris:‌ The podcast A Very Good Year. Julia:‌ Throwing a birthday for your house; commissioning a micro-history of your home. Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

On this week’s show, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion sits in for Julia Turner. First, the hosts examine Dahomey, an audacious new documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics.)‌ With a one hour, eight minute run time, Dahomey is an incredibly rich text in a very small package, and contemplates the repatriation of 26 royal treasures plundered from the Kingdom of Dahomey as they journey back to their homeland, which now lies within the Republic of Benin. Then, the three dive into Netflix’s Death, Let Me Do My Special, a one-woman show performed and written by Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.)‌ The special is perceptive, macabre, and whimsical, as Bloom reflects on the pandemic years and the loss of her close friend and collaborator, Adam Schlesinger. Finally, what is Mark Zuckerberg wearing?‌ That is the question Brendon Holder asks in a recent Substack essay and that is bewildering the panel. Is the Meta CEO simply trying to beat the dweeb allegations through oversized t-shirts and a boyish haircut? Or is there something more sinister going on here? In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the role TV plays in their lives, inspired by a recent mega-article published by GQ, “How to Watch TV.”  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana:‌ The AOC‌ and Tim Walz Twitch stream, specifically, the moment when Walz calls Tony Hinchcliffe a “jackwad” following a racist comment.  Rebecca:‌ The Voyage Home by Pat Parker. Stephen:‌ Todd Gitlin’s 2001 essay, “Unsafe in any state.” Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

On this week’s show, the panel falls for Anora, a new movie from writer-director Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project) that’s as arrestingly tender as it is sexy, funny, and unpredictable. The whirlwind Cinderella story won the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, and will likely become an Oscar frontrunner due to its star-making performances and humanistic depiction of life on the margins and sex work. One host calls it “the best American movie in the past 25 years.”  Then, the three discuss Matlock, a gender-swapped reboot on CBS starring Kathy Bates. With huge viewership numbers and decent critical success, is the quirky legal procedural proof that network television is so, so back?‌‌ Finally, our trio turns their attention to Hearing Things, a new site for independent music journalism run (and owned by) a group of former Pitchfork writers. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the hosts explore their thoughts and feelings about Halloween costumes.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Steve:‌ “Two Don Quixote Lyrics”‌ by W. H. Auden. Julia:‌‌ Hampton Heights, an excellent novel by Supreme Friend of the Pod (SFOP)‌ Dan Kois. Dana:‌ In honor of her new oven, a recipe for Roasted Cod and Potatoes. Also in honor of Dana’s recent appliance upgrade, an oven recipe from Julia and Stephen respectively:‌ Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts With Honey Mustard and Roasted Kale and Sweet Potatoes With Eggs. Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.  Disclosure: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

On this week’s show, Julia and Stephen are joined by Slate writer and senior editor, Sam Adams. Why do we tell fictional stories about real people?‌ The panel ponders this question as they discuss two biopics: The Apprentice and Saturday Night. The Apprentice is an uncanny portrait of Donald Trump, a young striver under the tutelage – and spell – of his mentor, Roy Cohn. But does the film offer any new information or ideas? Saturday Night, on the other hand, is the often obnoxious tale of the frenetic 90-minute countdown before Saturday Night Live’s first broadcast in 1975. Finally, the panel is joined by The Atlantic staff writer Charlie Warzel to discuss his recent and prescient piece, “I’m Running Out of Ways to Explain How Bad This Is.” In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses f*cking profanity, a conversation inspired by a listener question from Jonathan.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Sam: Separated, a documentary by Errol Morris. (Read Sam’s review here.) Julia: Ten, Nine, Eight, a wonderful children’s book by Molly Bang.  Steve: Laura Miller’s book review of Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell for Slate.  Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

On this week’s show, Dana and Stephen are joined by Supreme Friend of the Podcast (SFOP) Isaac Butler, author of The Method:‌ How the Twentieth Century Learned to‌ Act. The trio first explores The Wild Robot, DreamWork Animation’s handcrafted, lovingly made film that’s the surprise of the year. Lupita Nyong’o voices ROZ, an old-fashioned robot powered by supremely advanced A.I. who must learn about and adapt to her new wild surroundings. Then, they dissect Nobody Wants This, a new Netflix series starring Kristen Bell (who plays a sex podcaster) and Adam Brody as a hot rabbi. Although there are obvious charms, the show’s “will they, won’t they” rom-com beats can often feel, at best, gratingly familiar, and at worst, bizarre and unthoughtful, particularly in its portrayal of Jewish women.  Finally, the Criterion Collection, is “a catalog so synonymous with cinematic achievement that it has come to function as a kind of film Hall of Fame,” writes Joshua Hunt for The New York Times. The panel dives into the wonderful world of ‘Closet Picks,’ a viral video format in which celebrities and movie buffs head into the Criterion Collection stockroom and pluck high-quality DVDs and Blu-rays off its shelves while explaining their personal significance.  Also mentioned in this episode:‌ “The Wild Robot Has an Intelligence That’s Anything But Artificial” by Dana Stevens for Slate. “‘Nobody Wants This’ Pits Jewish Women Against ‘Shiksas.’ Nobody Wins.” By Jessica Grose for The New York Times. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel extols the joys of being on the ground. Inspired by Chris Black’s column for GQ, “How I Learned to Love a Layover,” the trio discusses how they spend their time in airports.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana:‌ “Abbas Kiarostami’s Childhood Films,”‌ a collection of 17 films by the renowned Iranian filmmaker made about or for children. Isaac:‌ The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, directed by Isao Takahata. Stephen:‌ “The Song That Connects Jackson Browne, Nico and Margot Tenenbaum”‌ by Bob Mehr for The New York Times. Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

On this week’s show, the hosts are joined by a very special fourth panelist: Wesley Morris, a critic at The New York Times and the host of The Wonder of Stevie, a new podcast on Audible. First, the quartet explores The Substance, a lurid, monstrous body horror flick by writer-director Coralie Fargeat. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading Hollywood icon who is so repulsed by the idea of aging, that she purchase a black-market drug known as “the substance.”‌ The film caused a commotion at Cannes this year, where audience members reportedly walked out in disgust and the remaining crowd gave it a 13-minute standing ovation. Then, the panel dives into The Wonder of Stevie with its host. The new six-part Audible series explores the career of Stevie Wonder and “uncovers the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.”‌ On the show, Wesley is joined by guests including Barack and Michelle Obama, Questlove, Smokey Robinson, and more. Finally, the hosts discuss A.I. slop and the onslaught of online garbage and language model detritus. This conversation was inspired by Max Read’s piece for New York Magazine, “Drowning in Slop.”‌ In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Wesley Morris sticks around for a classic Slate spoiler special, and joins the hosts in dissecting The Substance and the film’s controversial, bloody, and borderline nauseating third act.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana: Stevie Wonder and Gilbert Gil performing live in Brazil in 1995. Julia:‌ Today on Trail, Rusty Foster’s spin-off newsletter miniseries about hiking the Appalachian Trail with his son. Stephen:‌ British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya’s album, My Method Actor. Wesley: Vote for your favorite songs of the past 25 years, and add to WXPN radio’s definitive list of the “885 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century.”‌ Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong. Disclosure: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

On this week’s show, two of our favorite Slate-sters, Nadira Goffe (culture writer)‌ and Dan Kois (author of Hampton Heights), fill in for Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf. The trio first pays a visit to Gotham, and reviews Max’s The Penguin, an odd, unevenly paced mob show that doubles as DC Comics intellectual property. Sporting a prosthetic face, Colin Farrell reprises his role as the titular character (also known as Oz Cobb) and adds a new layer of humanity to the villainous Penguin. Then, the three discuss Sundance darling My Old Ass, a charming coming-of-age film by writer-director Megan Park, in which teenage Elliot (played by Maisy Stella) meets her future self (Aubrey Plaza) while tripping on shrooms. Finally, the panel tackles Am I The Asshole?‌‌ and explores the classic Reddit forum’s many pleasures. Mentioned in this episode:‌ Colin Farrell’s Long Waddle to The Penguin (Isaac Butler, Slate.) In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses Robert Caro’s The Power Broker with staff writer Henry Grabar, who in his essay, “Read Another Book,” offers a counterpoint to the weighty tome: maybe it’s OK to skip this one.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Nadira: Sean Wang’s film Dìdi; a playlist of metaphorically violent songs, inspired by Charli XCX’s “Sympathy is a Knife.”‌ (Also, if anyone has any intel on “Life Is a Death Wish”‌ or Golden Age Ensemble, please reach out!) Dan:‌ Thank Goodness, an extremely funny video game.‌ Available on most gaming platforms. (He also strongly recommends watching this video about the game’s developers!) Julia:‌‌ ColorKu, a vibrant and beautiful puzzle game. Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by reviewing one of Netflix’s hottest movies at the moment, Rebel Ridge. Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge is a revenge thriller that tackles the very real issue of civil asset forfeiture. And while the film’s cleverness is up for debate, the panel agrees on one thing: the star of Rebel Ridge, Aaron Pierre, is fantastic (“each of his eyes deserves a special Oscar nod,”‌ describes Steve.)‌ Then, the trio explores His Three Daughters, a tear-jerking death-watch drama that follows three estranged sisters trapped in a claustrophobic New York City apartment. The film is written and directed by Azazel Jacobs and stars Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, and Carrie Coon. Finally, musician and Friend of the Pod Franz Nicolay joins to discuss his new book, Band People:‌ Life and Work in Popular Music.  In the exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel is joined by Slate staff writer Nitish Pahwa to discuss the fate of the Internet Archive and controlled digital lending.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana: Inspired by today’s Plus conversation, Dana endorses the Media History Digital Library, “a conservation and access project for historical printed materials related to cinema, broadcasting and recorded sound,” hosted on the Internet Archive. Julia:‌‌ An actually good protein bar:‌ Papa Steve’s No Junk Protein Bar. Steve:‌ Colm Tóibín’s essay on James Baldwin for The New York Review, “The Pitch of Passion.” Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

On this week’s show, the hosts revisit Beetlejuice (1988), the seminal film that marked Tim Burton’s arrival onto the scene as a sort of grim fairy tale teller. 36 years later, the director and much of the original cast return for its sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a surprisingly sincere tale about the nature of death and grieving. Or, is it a total mess?‌‌ The hosts discuss. Then, the three dive into English Teacher,‌‌ a hilarious new FX‌ series in which Brian Jordan Alvarez (previously known for online comedies like The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo)‌ plays Evan Marquez, a high school English teacher in Austin, Texas. Finally, chat podcasts (like the one you’re listening to right now)‌ are like dating and improv – to work, they necessitate a certain level of chemistry, intimacy, and vulnerability. The hosts are joined by New York Times culture critic Reggie Ugwu to discuss his recent piece, “What Makes Good Chemistry?‌ For Chat Podcasts, It’s Fundamental,”‌ as well as the Gabfest’s early days, the hosts first impressions of one another, and how they went about building their own unique rapport.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julia joins last week’s productivity discourse and widens its scope, and the hosts discuss the nature of “hacking life” and how our relationship to productivity reflects current American ideals.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana:‌ A‌ spice shop that’s been in the news:‌ Penzeys Spices, in Pittsburgh. Check out Helen Rosner’s 2018 piece on the shop for The New Yorker, as well as Penzey’s sweet and spicy Cake Spice. Steve: Howard’s End, a novel by E.M. Forster. Julia: A‌ two-parter:‌ (1) The single best piece of criticism about Avatar:‌ The Way of Water, performed by English Teacher cast member Jordan Firstman (it’s the second slide in the Instagram reel). (2)‌ Season 8, episode 5 of Frasier entitled ‌“Taking Liberties.”‌ Victor Garber is a hilarious guest star – this is Frasier at his best. Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.