One Banger After Another Edition

One Banger After Another Edition

Author: Slate Podcasts October 1, 2025 Duration: 59:30

On this week’s dispatch, Dana is joined by comrades in arms Sam Adams and Isaac Butler to take on Paul Thomas Anderson’s thrilling and incendiary new film One Battle After Another. Starring Leonard DiCaprio, the action epic depicts an America one notch away from our own fractured republic. Does the target of its revolutionary fantasia hit too close? They discuss.

Next, they kvell about Long Story Short, the new, time-jumping family comedy from the creators of BoJack Horseman. Finally, they turn to the Great White Way to assess the dire state of the business of Broadway musicals as written about in a recent piece by Michael Paulson in the New York Times.

There was so much to say about One Battle After Another, the gang kept gabbing for an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Sam: If possible, seeing One Battle After Another in its native format VistaVision.

Isaac: The Criterion Channel’s Robert Altman collection and for a great date night movie Splitsville.


Dana: The writing of the late Kaleb Horton, particularly his essay "walking through los angeles when the crows are screaming and going through your garbage."

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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: 50

Culture Gabfest
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