The Brutalist’s Outsized Ambition

The Brutalist’s Outsized Ambition

Author: Slate Podcasts January 8, 2025 Duration: 1:06:34

On this week’s show, it’s an all-movie week! Isaac Butler — author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act and host of the new Criterion Channel series, The Craft of Acting — sits in for Stephen Metcalf. First, the panel explores The Brutalist, director Brady Corbet’s two-part epic following the life of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who survives the Holocaust then emigrates to the United States. Then, the three unpack Carry-On, an action thriller set in Los Angeles International Airport. It’s a well-made film with a dumb concept, and smashed Netflix records over the holiday. Finally, it’s that time of year again: Dana leads the panel through Slate’s Movie Club 2024, a cherished tradition in which she chats with other critics over email about the year in cinema. (Read her first post, here.)

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the all-movie theme continues, as the three spoil The Brutalist.  

Email us at culturefest@slate.com


Endorsements:

Dana: Adaptation, directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman. 

Julia: A two-part endorsement: (1) My Cousin Vinny and (2) the production design of Three Men and a Baby (that apartment!) 

Isaac: Eat What You Kill,” a masterfully reported piece by J. David McSwane for ProPublica. 


Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry. Production assistance by Kat Hong.


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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: 862

Culture Gabfest
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Slate: Introducing the Cultural Gabfest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The popularity of Slate's Political Gabfest over the last two years has prompted us to try a variation on the theme: a Cultural Gabfest, featuring some of Slate's best critics batting around the week's cultural happening…