Money On Film: Margin Call

Money On Film: Margin Call

Author: Slate Podcasts March 20, 2026 Duration: 27:47

Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries!


Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the intersection of culture and finance. On this episode, we’re headed to Wall Street to watch a Felix Salmon favorite: Margin Call, the 2011 thriller-drama starring a long list of famous people, including Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore, and yes, Kevin Spacey.


Directed by J. C. Chandor, the film takes place at an investment bank on the brink of the Great Financial Crisis, as financiers struggle to maintain their balance sheets against the greatest villain of the aughts: mortgage-backed securities.


Coming up on Money On Film: the 2025 rom-com Materialists, followed by the animated masterpiece Spirited Away from 2001. See you next time!


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
Vince Vaughn is Back in Bad Monkey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:23
On this week’s show, the hosts begin by reviewing Bad Monkey, a breezy new crime drama on Apple TV+ starring Vince Vaughn as a former police officer turned health inspector. It’s everything a summer show should be: laid-…
Will Industry Succeed Succession? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:24
On this week’s show, Rebecca Onion and Jenny Zhang fill in for Stephen. First, the panel tackles HBO’s Industry. The show is in its third season and has seen a huge increase in viewership. But is it a show worth of the c…
Blake Lively Brings Melodrama Back [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:45
On this week’s show, June Thomas (author of A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture) and Dan Kois (author of Hampton Heights) fill in for Dana and Stephen. First, the panel tackles It Ends With U…
Culture Gabfest “Summer Strut 2024” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:37
On this week’s show, it’s the return of a Cultfest favorite: The Annual Summer Strut Episode! As per tradition, the panel is joined by Slate’s pop music critic and chart analyst (and host of the podcast Hit Parade) Chris…
Deadpool & Wolverine #%&$ the Box Office [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:38
On this week’s show, the panel is joined by Jamelle Bouie (New York Times Opinion columnist and Friend of the Pod) to discuss Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel’s R-rated superhero flick starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman…
Twisters Blows Away the Box Office [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:34
On this week’s show, the panel gets swept up by Twisters, and begins by discussing director Lee Isaac Chung’s standalone sequel starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. (For the record, the original 1996 disaster flic…
Longlegs Has Legs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:24
On this week’s show, the panel begins by dissecting Longlegs, director Osgood Perkin’s viral horror movie starring Nicolas Cage that’s sweeping the box office. Aided by a clever marketing campaign, Longlegs is undoubtedl…
Has The Bear Jumped the Shark? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:16
On this week’s show, June Thomas (co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and the author of A Place of Our Own) sits in for Julia Turner. The panel first explores The Bear, now in its third season, and questions whether Chris…
Celine Dion’s Heart Goes On [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:34
On this week’s show, Dan Kois (author of Vintage Contemporaries and the upcoming Hampton Heights) and Laura Miller (Slate’s books and culture columnist and author of The Magician’s Book) fill in for Julia and Dana. The p…

«1...678910