Brad Pitt’s Victory Lap Edition

Brad Pitt’s Victory Lap Edition

Author: Slate Podcasts July 2, 2025 Duration: 58:21

On this week’s show, Steve, Julia, and guest host Sam Adams are off to races with F1:The Movie, the new Brad Pitt racing vehicle featuring lots of racing vehicles. Is the thrill ride more than the sum of its sports movie cliches, high-octane action sequences, and perpetually handsome movie-star? Does the answer even matter?

Next, they’re joined by Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario to decode the particularly British charms of Taskmaster, the UK panel/game-show now in its 19th season. Finally, what’s more fun to pick apart than a best of list? Dana Stevens hops in to dissect the New York Times’s 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century interactive feature.

In an exclusive Plus bonus episode, the topic is: sex! Specifically, the hosts discuss the status—and seeming decline—of sex in Hollywood movies. 

Endorsements:

Sam: Drinking the anise-flavored aperitif pastis, the French brand Henri Bardouin is a good one to try.

Julia: The delicious Los Angeles restaurant Tomat in the most unlikely of locales: a strip mall by LAX International Airport.

Steve: The album Cunningham Bird by Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham and the song Sara by Fleetwood Mac.

Dana: The production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It available to stream on National Theatre at Home.

Our Panelist’s Top Ten(ish) Movies of the 21st Century:

Dana:

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

The Act of Killing

Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)

Bright Star

Children of Men

Grizzly Man

Parasite

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Moonlight

There Will Be Blood

Julia:

I’m Still Here

Mean Girls

Get Out

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Zombieland

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Erin Brockovich

The Act of Killing

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Sam:

In the Mood for Love

The Act of Killing

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Gleaners and I

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A Serious Man

It’s Such a Beautiful Day

The New World

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

The Death of Stalin

Stephen:

Anora

Spotlight

Toni Erdmann

The Lives of Others

Paddington 2

Meyerowitz Stories

Spirited Away

Get Out

There Will Be Blood

Mulholland Drive

Parasite

A Separation



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Each week, the lively and insightful critics of Culture Gabfest gather to dissect what’s happening across the cultural landscape. Hosted by Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner, the conversation flows effortlessly from the latest film releases and television phenomena to books, music, and broader artistic debates, blending highbrow analysis with genuine pop enthusiasm. Their dynamic is less a formal review and more like eavesdropping on a brilliant, sometimes heated, coffee chat between friends who happen to be experts. You’ll hear them grapple with the nuances of a challenging new series, champion an overlooked artist, or passionately disagree about a blockbuster’s merits, all with a sharp wit and deep knowledge that clarifies your own thinking. This Slate Podcasts production has become an essential weekly ritual for many, praised by voices like New York Times critic Dwight Garner for its consistent intelligence and engaging rapport. For those who can’t get enough, a Slate Plus subscription offers ad-free listening and additional bonus segments, extending the discussion even further. Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a curated, conversational briefing on everything that matters in arts and entertainment, delivered with a personal touch that reminds you why culture is worth talking about in the first place.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Culture Gabfest
Podcast Episodes
The 2025 Call-In Spectacular Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:19
In the waning moments of 2025, Julia, Dana, and Steve say goodbye to the year that was with a beloved annual end-of-year tradition… our listener call-in show! And you delivered some great queries, dear listeners. The hos…
We Found Our Archives: The Abstract Noun Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:51
After thinking it was lost to the sands of internet time, our team uncovered a 2013 gem from the archives. In the “The Abstract Noun Edition,” your favorite Gabfesters talk about how we talk. Steve, Dana, and Julia discu…
The Biggest Show on Paramount Is Big Oil Propaganda Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:55
On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by guest host Rebecca Onion for a Gabfest first: a segment about something from the sprawling Taylor Sheridan television universe. They strap on their cowboy boots and hop i…
"Is the Warner Bros. Deal the End Of Cinema?" Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:13
On this week’s episode, Gabfest old friends Steve, Julia, and June Thomas convene on two showbiz works of midlife retrospection and regret: the new film Jay Kelly and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. The former,…
Knives Out Is Back with a New Hot Priest Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:49
On this week’s show, Julia and Steve are joined by guest host Jamelle Bouie to crack mysteries corporeal and divine in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The latest entrant in Rian Johnson’s whodunnit franchise sees…
Wicked Triple Feature Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:13
Something Wicked this way comes as Dana, Steve, and guest host Dan Kois gather round their proverbial cauldrons for an all-movie edition of the Gabfest. First up, of course, is Wicked: For Good the green/pink-hued conclu…
Glen Powell Does The Running Man Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:41
If you’ve got a cultural question or topic you’d like our hosts to tackle, now is your chance because we’re preparing for our annual call-in show! Call and leave us a message with your cultural query at: 347-201-2397On t…
The Slate Culture Gift Guide [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:10
Hark, the holiday season is upon us—and with it the most solemn of festive traditions: a gift guide! In this video and podcast special, Slate hosts Dana Stevens, Chris Molanphy, and Willa Paskin beam-in from their collec…
The Creator of Breaking Bad is Back—with Polite Zombies Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:06
On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia merge their consciousnesses—so to speak—to reflect on Pluribus, the latest television saga from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. In this unlikely body snatchers/sci-fi mash…
Lily Allen’s Revenge Tour Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:50
On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia pull up proverbially barstools at Sardi’s to discuss Richard Linklater’s latest film Blue Moon, which is about one night in the life of Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart. As played…