Composer Emile Mosseri might be humble. And judging from our podcast conversation, he might have low expectations. But, he should get ready because after his breakthrough Oscar-nominated score for “Minari,” it would be shocking if some of the world’s major filmmakers were not rushing to collaborate with him.

READ MORE: Steven Yeun Faces His Father’s Generation In ‘Minari’ [Interview]

The 35-year-old composer first made a name for himself with the gorgeous score for 2019’s “The Last Black Man in San Francisco.” He’s followed that up with music for “Kajillionare” and the second season of “Homecoming,” which both debuted in 2020.

Continue reading Emile Mosseri Reflects On His Oscar-Nominated Score For ‘Minari’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Are you ready for the Billy Magnussen renaissance? The Tony Award nominee is best known for his roles in “Aladdin,” “Into the Woods,” “Game Night” and “Ingrid Goes West,” but that’s all about to change. By the end of the year, he’ll have appeared in the very very pandemic delayed James Bond flick “No Time To Die,” the somewhat pandemic delayed “Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark” and the new dramedy “Made for Love” which drops on HBO Max this week.

Continue reading Billy Magnussen on ‘Made For Love’ & Playing A Gangster In ‘Many Saints Of Newark’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

As the years pass it’s clear that the impact of one of the biggest music stars of the latter half of the 20th Century is starting to fade. Ask anyone under 30 who Tina Turner is and unless they are a pop culture connoisseur they’ll probably just recognize the name. Maybe they’ve heard “The Best” in their neighborhood supermarket or at a sporting event. For anyone else, Turner was the epitome of the great American comeback.

Continue reading ‘Tina’ Directors On Crafting The Definitive Tina Turner Documentary [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Even with fewer films opening n theaters, it’s still somewhat frustrating that certain releases seem to be falling under the radar with audiences. One of the films that deserves a lot more attention than it’s received so far is  Mona Fastvold‘s “The World To Come,” starring Katherine Waterston, Vanessa Kirby, Casey Affleck, and Christopher Abbott. That’s why it was something of a joy to sit down with Waterston to have a conversation about the period piece and the state of the world for the latest episode of the Four Quadrant podcast.

Continue reading Katherine Waterston on ‘The World To Come’ & A ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Tease [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Many might describe “Boys State,” the critically acclaimed and Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentary by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine as timely. Especially as the United States finds itself once again in a divisive presidential election. A more accurate description may be “timeless,” because everything the doc captures has happened before and is destined to happen again.

READ MORE: “Boys State” offers both hope and despair for the uncertain future of American politics [Sundance Review]

Moss and McBaine chronicled the 2018 Texas session of Boys State, a summer conference held in different states across the nation for high school juniors that centers on government and politics (there is a Girls State as well).

Continue reading ‘Boys State’ Filmmakers On Their ‘Dazed & Confused’ Inspiration [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Somehow Yahya Abdul-Mateen II isn’t a household name yet, but, boy, that’s about to change. Despite portraying Black Manta in the blockbuster “Aquaman” along with roles in “The Greatest Showman” and “Us,” the New Orleans native was one of the more under the radar actors when Damon Lindelof’s “Watchmen” mini-series debuted last year. And that might have been his biggest asset as he transformed from the quiet Cal Abar to Dr.

Continue reading Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Goes From ‘Watchmen’ Secrets To The “Good Trouble” Of ‘The Trial Of The Chicago 7’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

You probably don’t know Stephany Folsom’s name off the top of your head today but give it a few years and it might be instantly recognizable.  The screenwriter has had a banner few years contributing to “Thor: Ragnarok,” co-writing Pixar’s critically acclaimed blockbuster “Toy Story 4,” tackling the first two episodes of Amazon’s secretive “The Lord of the Rings” episodes and spearheading her own series, “Paper Girls,” also set for Prime Video. 

Continue reading ‘Toy Story 4’ Screenwriter Stephany Folsom On Forky’s Journey, ‘Lord of The Rings’ & ‘Paper Girls’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

You probably have not heard of Minhal Baig...yet.  If you check out her IMDB you’d see she’s written on the celebrated Hulu TV series “Ramy” and “BoJack Horseman.”  But, Baig’s calling card will be “Hala,” a very personal drama that premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was released in theaters in November before debuting on Apple TV Plus earlier this month.  To say she’s a talent is an understatement.

Continue reading Director Minhal Baig On Jada Pinkett Smith Giving ‘Hala’ Life [Podcast] at The Playlist.

After 25 years of navigating the global film market, Karim Ainouz knows how hard it is to get a movie made.  And as a filmmaker working primarily in Brazil, he knows that many productions would not get off the ground without assistance from the Brazillian government.  Like many parts of the world, however, things are currently tenuous in South America’s most influential republic.  To say the administration of recently elected Brazillian president Jair Bolsonaro is not friendly to the arts is something of an understatement.  

Continue reading ‘Invisible Life’ Director On Why An Oscar Nod Is So Important For Brazil [Podcast] at The Playlist.

It goes without saying that Dexter Fletcher is experiencing an abundance of riches.  After helming the crowd-pleasing “Eddie the Eagle” in 2015, the mostly former actor was chosen to help get “Bohemian Rhapsody” to the finish line after its “official director” was unceremoniously and justifiably let go by 20th Century Fox. Much to the surprise of many, “Rhapsody” ended up earning a Best Picture nomination and star Rami Malek won the Best Actor Oscar.  

Continue reading Dexter Fletcher On Keeping ‘Rocketman’s’ Edge As An R-Rated Musical & Bringing ‘Sherlock Holmes’ Back [Podcast] at The Playlist.

There have been many films with legendary tales of extreme conditions.  Movies that lost their sets to dust storms in the desert or numerous other natural disasters. It’s rare, however, that you can feel that visceral danger the cast and crew were experiencing on screen.  Director Alejandro Landes would likely insist no one was actually in “danger” shooting “Monos” in the vast extremes of Columbia, but speaking to the Four Quadrant podcast he admits jumping from the high altitude mountains to the hot and humid jungle wrecked havok on everyone involved, including himself.

Continue reading Alejandro Landes Was Carried On A Stretcher Out Of The Jungle Making ‘Monos’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider may not be household names, but you’ve seen their work for years.  They wrote some of the more memorable sketches on “Saturday Night Live” this decade and were co-head writers for the 2016-2017 season.  They have spent the last year, however,  shepherding their own baby, the critically acclaimed series “The Other Two.”

The Comedy Central program follows brother and sister Carey and Brooke Dubek (Drew Tarver, Helene Yorke) as they try to navigate the surprising pop star success of their much younger brother Chase aka ChaseDreams (Case Walker).

Continue reading ‘The Other Two’s’ Chris Kelly & Sarah Schneider Are Gagging For You [Podcast] at The Playlist.

You know you’ve lived a life when the ballroom community bestows the title of “Iconic” on you.  And, trust, Dominque Jackson more than earned that accolade.  The model, activist and, now, actress has made a splash on FX’s “Pose” as Elektra Abundance, the mother of the House of Abundance (for most of a season at least) and a fierce competitor on the runway.  It was Jackson’s first real acting gig and she stole scene after scene during the program’s inaugural season.  

Continue reading Dominque Jackson Turns A ‘Pose’ & Breaks Down The Global Ballroom Scene [Podcast] at The Playlist.

You may not recognize their names immediately, but if you’ve been a regular television watcher the past 15 years you’ve likely seen the work of Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders. They rose from writers to executive producers on “Smallville” and have produced and written for programs such as “Political Animals,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Under the Dome” and “Salem.” Most recently they were consulting producers on the first two seasons of NatGeo’s “Genius.” Now, they have reunited with the new Disney network for “The Hot Zone,” a six-episode mini-series based on the best-selling non-fiction novel by Richard Preston which screens over three nights beginning Monday, May 27 at 9 PM.

Continue reading ‘The Hot Zone’ Producers On Julianna Margulies, Adapting Non-Fiction & Those Clunky Suits [Podcast] at The Playlist.

It’s tough to say goodbye to something you love, but Timothy Simons has a pretty good perspective on the final season of “Veep.”  That’s one of the takeaways from our conversation about his last go around playing the desperately power-hungry Jonah Ryan.  A character that has gone from lowly White House laison t0 New Hampshire congressman to unlikely, but potential Presidential nominee.

READ MORE: Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Will Ferrell to star in “Force Majure” remake “Downfall”

Simmons joined the Four Quadrant podcast where he discussed the origins of Jonah, how the year-long break between seasons six and seven made him appreciate the show, the differences in the show under the auspeces of showrunners Armando Iannucci and David Mandel, the hilarious change in Anna Chlumsky‘s Amy this season and what he’s working on next.

Continue reading Timothy Simons Says Goodbye To ‘Veep’ & Jonah Ryan [Podcast] at The Playlist.

When Rachel Lears was chronicling the election campaigns of four progressive Democrats trying to upend the status quo she was very aware that all of the primary candidates could lose their races. Amy Vilela was trying to earn the nomination for a Las Vegas area congressional seat long controlled by the vaunted Harry Reid machine. Cori Bush was attempting to overcome one family’s hold on a St. Louis congressional seat for almost 50 years.

Continue reading ‘Knock Down The House’ Director Chronicles The Incredible Journey Of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Sometimes good things come to those who wait.  For Steven Canals, an idea that sparked in 2004 while he was a college student at the University of Binghamton came to roost 14 years later.  He’d just seen the landmark documentary “Paris is Burning” and was intrigued by the idea of a TV series centered on two competitive ballroom houses.  Last year that dream came to fruition with the debut of “Pose,” an FX drama series that earned critical accolades such as being named to AFI’s Top 10 series of 2010.

Continue reading Steven Canals On The Long Journey To Strike That ‘Pose’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

There is still a slim chance, but it doesn’t look promising for Debra Granik to earn her first Oscar nomination for Directing.  The New York-based filmmaker helmed one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, “Leave No Trace,” but the Bleeker Street title has been overshadowed by larger studio fare in a season where small indies, for the most part, have been curiously overlooked.  Don’t fret for Granik though, she can still celebrate the film’s three Spirit Awards nominations including Best Director, Best Feature and Best Supporting Actress (Thomasin McKenzie) as well as her stellar Los Angeles Film Critics Association win for Best Director.

Continue reading Debra Granik On Finding That Right Ending For ‘Leave No Trace’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

When you sit down and chat with director Anne Fletcher you immediately recognize the energy that fueled her first three box office hits, “Step Up,” “27 Dresses” and “The Proposal.”  Her last two films didn’t quite work out, but now she’s back with “Dumplin’,” an independently financed dramedy that Netflix acquired and debuted on the service last weekend.  And while critics have given it mixed reviews, it’s been completely embraced by fans of the service who had the film trending on twitter.

Continue reading ‘Dumplin’s’ Anne Fletcher On Dolly Parton, Self-Empowerment & Drag Queens [Podcast] at The Playlist.

It would be disingenuous to not acknowledge that it’s often off putting when you see a movie and your fellow critics don’t react with the same enthusiasm.  After seeing “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” a few weeks ago I left the theater impressed with Stefano Sollima’s English-language feature debut, a sequel to Denis Villeneuve‘s 2015 thriller, “Sicario.”  And a number of critics and writers I respect felt the same way.  

Continue reading Stefano Sollima On The Controversial Opening Of ‘Sicario: Day Of The Soldado’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

After watching the first season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” you probably weren’t a big fan of Serena Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski), the icy wife Commander Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) and one half of the couple who are basically the legal captors of June/Offred (Elisabeth Moss).  And, frankly, you’d be justified.  During the second season, however, series creator and show runner Bruce Miller has turned Serena into, arguably, the most well rounded character on the critically acclaimed program.  

Continue reading ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’s’ Yvonne Strahovski: I Cry When I Read The Scripts [Podcast] at The Playlist.

If you haven’t watched the first season of “Counterpart” you honestly don’t know what you’re missing. Easily the best continuing show on Starz (“Howard’s End” may trump it as a limited series) not only is “Counterpart” a triumph for star J.K. Simmons but a simmering and compelling thriller that often leaves you with more questions than answers in the best way possible.  And while executive producer and pilot director Morten Tyldum deserves credit for setting the cinematic tone for the series, creator and showrunner Justin Marks deserves even more kudos for shepherding a very complex narrative.

Continue reading Justin Marks Teases What’s Next On ‘Counterpart’ Season 2 [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Continue reading Andrew Haigh On ‘Lean On Pete,’ ‘The North Water’ And The State Of Gay Film [Podcast] at The Playlist.

“Mudbound’s” long journey from novel to screen has found co-screenwriter Virgil Williams lauded as an Adapted Screenplay Oscar nominee along with director Dee Rees.  It’s a career peak for a writer and producer who cut his teeth working on broadcast series such as “E.R.” and “Criminal Minds” and he’s trying to enjoy every minute of it.

Williams joined the Four Quadrant podcast earlier this month to talk about the making of “Mudbound,” his surreal experience at the Oscar luncheon (where he spoke to fellow nominee Kobe Bryant) and the difficulty in landing Academy Awards tickets, among other topics.

Continue reading Virgil Williams On His Oscar Nod For ‘Mudbound’ And Adapting ‘A Journal For Jordan’ Next [Podcast] at The Playlist.

For two relatively young guys, the Oscar nomination Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber earned for “The Disaster Artist” is a long time coming. From “500 Days of Summer” to “The Spectacular Now” to “Fault In Their Stars” the writing duo have shown a unique talent to bring a fresh perspective to familiar genres. At first glance “The Disaster Artist” seems like an odd fit for the writing partners, but as they note in our podcast interview at its core it’s more a movie about friendship than the making of the infamous cult movie “The Room.”

READ MORE: Sofia Coppola on the ‘earthquake’ that hit Hollywood and the ‘Wonder Woman’ effect [podcast]

For those that know the story of Tommy Wiseau‘s bizarre drama and it’s improbable theatrical release “The Disaster Artist” was likely a joy.

Continue reading ‘The Disaster Artist’ Screenwriters Are Pretty Sure Tommy Wiseau Wants To Go To The Oscars [Podcast] at The Playlist.