The TÁR discussion continues with a special spoiler episode. Murtada Elfadl welcomes actor Wyatt Fenner, from the upcoming movie Chrissy Judy, to dig deeper into Cate Blanchett's latest towering performance, where director Todd Field places the POV, spoiling the film and in particular three big scenes that form the thesis of the film including the …

Like all good things, the TÁR season comes to an end. Murtada Elfadl welcomes writer and podcaster Manish Mathur, host of It Pod To You podcast, to discuss the thematic correlations between TÁR and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. They also delve into how repeated viewings of the film reveal deeper meaning and the popularity and memefication of Ly…

The time has come to discuss TÁR . This week Murtada Elfadl welcomes critic and prgrammer Rafa Sales Ross to discuss Cate Blanchett's latest towering performance, Todd Field's elsusive jigsaw puzzle script and Nina Hoss' fantastic reaction shots. Hosted, Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl Guest: Rafa Sales Ross Support the show…

Our celebration of the release of TÁR continues. This week it's Todd Field's second film as a writer / director, Little Children. For this conversation Murtada Elfadl welcomes back Kevin Jacobsen host of And The Runner-Up Is podcast, to discuss what makes Field's movies entralling, Kate Winslet quintessentially American roles, why Patrick Wilson ne…

The podcast is back! There's a new Cate Blanchett movie in theaters soon so a conversation must be had. To celebrate TÁR we will have a few episodes to discuss the movies that preceded it and the ones that inspired it. This week it's Todd Field's first film as a writer / director, In the Bedroom. In this episode Murtada welcomes programmer and podc…

We have come to the end of this podcast project. In this episode Murtada puts a bow on the podcast and briefly talks about how and why it started, what was learned and recommends a few episodes as an entry to the project. Hosted, Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl. Support the showBy Murtada Elfadl

We are in the final stretch of the podcast series. This week it's another of Cate Blanchett's many titular roles and Charlotte Gray (2001). In this episode Murtada discusses Gillian Armstrong's World War II film, the many loving close ups she affords Balnchett and whether the film works as both a sweeping epic romance and a narrative about life in …

This week we go back to almost the beginning of Cate Blanchett’s illustrious career with Pushing Tin (1999). To discuss Mike Newell’s film and the performances of Blanchett, Angelina Jolie, John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton, Murtada welcomes to the podcast Mitchell Beaupre, senior editor at Letterboxd. Hosted, Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl…

This week we tackle one of Cate Blanchett’s weirdest roles, that of an injured American tourist traveling in Morocco in Babel (2006). To discuss Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film and Blanchett’s penchant to sometimes take on small supporting parts, Murtada welcomes to the podcast Zita Short, critic for InSession Film and Jumpcut Online and host of…

2015 film masterpiece. From those acknowledged by the director Todd Haynes - David Lean's Brief Encounter - to others we gleaned from watching the film many times - the films of George Cukor, Deborah Kerr in The End of the Affair and Haynes' own Far From Heaven. For this conversation Murtada welcomes back Izzy from Be Kind Rewind to discuss these t…

In this bonus episode we are discussing the 2022 Oscar Nominations. Our take on the acting categories and best picture. The discussion touches on the performances of Kristen Stewart, Nicole Kidman, Olivia Colman, Andrew Garfield and Denzel Washington. We lament the exclusion of Ruth Negga and raise a glass to Lady Gaga's fun and fascinating press t…

Cate Blanchett’s the top is so many ways. The top star, the top actress. And in Carol she plays the top. In the third of our multiple episodes about Carol (2015), the topic is the perfect merge of actor and role with Blanchett as Carol Aird. For this conversation, Murtada welcomes Maggie Larkin to discuss how Blanchett’s screen persona makes her th…

In this bonus episode we are discussing the many films we screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. For this conversation Murtada welcomes Li Lai, founder and editor in chief of Mediaversity Reviews to discuss a few films including Bill Nighy in Living, Emma Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and two films for both Dakota Johnson (AmI OK? …

This week we go back to Cate Blanchett's early career and another one of her "titular" roles, playing Irish journalist Veronica Guerin (2003). To discuss Joel Schumacher's film, Murtada welcomes illustrator and designer Dash Silva to the podcast. This wide ranging conversation also covers Blue Jasmine, The Aviator, the accent work of Meryl Streep a…

A witch and a warlock teach an orphan boy how to becme a magician in The House with a Clock in its Walls, one of Cate Blanchett's more curious film choices. We discuss her performance, what makes co-star Jack Black special on screen and briefly touch on the response to her two films on release. For this conversation Murtada welcomes filmmaker and p…

In the second of multiple episodes about Carol (2015), the topic is the cultural impact the film had on queer people. From memes to comedy routines, Carol was adored. For this conversation, Murtada welcomes writer and film programmer Shayna Maci Warner of Critically Queer, to review the film and talk about its queer legacy. Hosted, Produced and Edi…

There’s a comet hurtling towards earth and a bunch of movie stars at trying to not look up at it. To discuss Cate Blanchett’s second movie this holiday season – Adam McKay’s climate change satire Don’t Look Up – Murtada welcomes critic Boyd van Hoeij from The Film Verdict to the podcast. Hosted, Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl. Support the sh…

In the first of multiple episodes about Carol (2015), the topic is the love story. How Therese and Carol fell in love, how Todd Haynes visualizes falling in love and the scorching chemistry between Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. For this conversation, Murtada welcomes filmmaker Luke Willis to discuss all the above as well as rank the best line rea…

Cate Blanchett is back in cinemas this holiday season. And the podcast is back for a final season of episodes. We kick things off with the first of the two Cate movies coming out this month, Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley. For this conversation Murtada welcomes film critic Leila Latif, to discuss the film, how it differs from 1947 version, an…

The podcast returns on Sunday December 19th for a fourth and final season. Listen to this short announcement where the first film discussed will be revealed. Includes a snippet from The Good German episode with host Murtada Elfadl and guest Megan McGurk, host of Sass Mouth Dames podcast. Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl. Support the show (http…

Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore, two actresses linked in our minds as the muses of Todd Haynes, have only shared scenes on screen in 1999’s An Ideal Husband. For this episode Murtada welcomes back Chris Feil, host of This Had Oscar Buzz podcast, to discuss the film, whether it retains the wit of its author Oscar Wilde and the performances of Cate…

We go way back for this episode, to Cate Blanchett’s early screen performance in the Australian film Thank God He Met Lizzie. We discuss the film, the perfomance and its link to Katharine Hepburn’s screen persona as well as Blanchett’s long professional partnership with the film’s other star, Richard Roxburgh. Produced, Hosted and Edited by Murtada…

This week a double Cate Balnchett. In one of eleven vignettes included in Jim Jarmusch's anthology film Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), Blanchett plays a version of herself as well as her ne'er do well "cousin," Shelly. We discuss the film and performance and why it stands out in her filmography. For this conversation podcast host Murtada Elfadl welc…

To celebrate this year's Oscar nominations which were announced this week we have a special episode about one of the nominees for best actress; Carey Mulligan. We discuss her filmography, her screen persona and dig deeper into three films; Shame (2011), Wildlife (2018) and her latest Promising Young Woman for which she recieved her second Oscar nom…

A retread of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? A homage to the pop music of 1980s Welsh singing sensation Bonnie Tyler? The rare American studio film that celebrates polyamory? It's all of these things; Barry Levinson's Bandits (2001). It also has Cate Blanchett lip-synching, dancing and kissing both Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton. We also d…

We have a special episode this week, a companion to our discussion last week of Notes on a Scandal. We visit with the Dame, Judi Dench. We discuss her film career, with deep dives into an early entry A Room With a View (1986) and the film that launched her film stardom Mrs. Brown (1997). Returning for this conversation with our host Murtada Elfadl …

A scandalous affair with an underage boy is the entry into this melodrama about the friendship between two teachers in North London. Murtada Elfadl welcomes back Teo Bugbee to discuss the juicy and delicious Notes on a Scandal, its lineage to hagsploitation flicks like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, the trope of the predatory lesbian, and why thi…

In lieu of a regular episode, this week we are discussing the many films we screened at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Murtada Elfadl welcomes back writer and critic Valerie Complex to discuss a few films including Rebecca Hall's Passing, Shaka King's Judas and the Black Messiah and Jonas Poher Rasmussen's Flee, among many others. We also give ou…

Cate Blanchett: Medicine Woman. She's a healer in 1880s New Mexico in Ron Howard's Western The Missing (2003). We discuss the film, the performances of Blanchett, Tommy Lee Jones and Evan Rachel Wood. Plus we look into Howard's filmography including his latest Hillbilly Elegy (2020), while admitting that we can't find clues there to what he's obses…

AUDIO HAS BEEN FIXED. REFRESH. APOLOGIES. Well the time has come. This week we have a hurricane in us and we are going to command the wind. It's Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), the movie that contains that most famous monologue in Cate Blanchett's filmography. We discuss the film, that iconic scene and delve into that year's best actress Oscar co…

Glamour! Big Acting ! An Accent! A few hallmarks of Cate Blanchett's performances that we love are present in Sally Potter's The Man Who Cried (2001). It's a commanding star turn that shows Blanchett at her best, and for that the movie is a must-see for every Blanchett fan. We discuss the film and performance. Plus revisit Mrs. America and the show…

This week we discuss Galadriel, Cate Blanchett's most iconic role. We delve into the enduring populariy of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and what diffrentiates them as excellent action adventure films, what makes Galadriel so special within Blanchett's filmography and even ask Peter Jackson for a Boromir / Aragon rom-com. For this conversation Murt…

It's time for another delicious villian from Cate Blanchett. The Wicked Stepmother in 'Cinderella,' the 2015 live action Disney remake, directed by Kenneth Branagh. For this conversation Murtada Elfadl welcomes writer and podcaster Manish Mathur, host of It Pod To You and Queer and Now podcasts. Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl. Support the sh…

This week we are take a brief detour from the films of Cate Blanchett. Instead we are discussing a current film, out on release now, Ammonite. Plus the career of Kate Winslet and in the latter part of the podcast we discuss a few other queer films out this season. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest queer writer-performer, producer and filmmaker Re…

We kickoff the 3rd season of the podcast with the last film we saw in theaters for Cate Blanchett. Richard Linklater's Where'd You Go, Bernadette. For this conversation Murtada Elfadl welcomes Dan Mecca and Connor O' Donnell, hosts of the The B Side podcast. Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl. Support the show…

The podcast will be coming back from hiatus soon. Season 3 arriving wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl. Support the showBy Murtada Elfadl

For the 2nd season finale of the podcast, we return to 1998. Elizabeth was Cate Blanchett's international breakout and the first time many people saw her on screen. Hence it deserves a revisit. To discuss the film again, along with Blanchett's first Academy Award nomination and the 1998 best actress Oscar race, Murtada Elfadl welcomes Izzy from Be …

It's not Maid Marian but rather Marion Loxely, a more modern take on Robin Hood's paramour, played by Cate Blanchett in Ridley Scott's 2010 version of the folklore tale of the legendary outlaw and his merry men. For this discussion Murtada Elfadl welcomes back Teo Bugbee. Support the showBy Murtada Elfadl

To review the last two episodes of Mrs. America Murtada Elfadl welcomes back writer and filmmaker Tayler Montague. The TV miniseries about the fight to ratify the equal rights amendment in the 1970s is created by Dahvi Waller and stars Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly, the right wing polarizing organizer. Produced and Edited by Murtada Elfadl. Su…

The costumes are green, the hair is red and Cate Blanchett is the Wicked Witch in Hanna (2011). Ostensibly a thriller about a teenage assassin, it reveals itself to be a fairytale with a modern twist. For this disscussion, Murtada welcomes back Gavin Mevius, co-host of The Mixed Reviews Podcast . Support the show…

We continue recaping and reviewing Hulu's Mrs. America starring Cate Blanchett. This week we will tackle episodes 6 and 7 of the series about Jill Ruckelshaus played by Elizabeth Banks and Bella Abzug played by Margo Martindale. Also in this episode an interview with Bria Samoné Henderson who plays activist Margaret Sloan on the show. Hosted by Mur…

We continue recaping and reviewing Hulu's Mrs. America starring Cate Blanchett. This week we tackle episodes 4 and 5 dealing with Betty Freidan (Tracey Ullman) and Brenda Feigen Fasteau (Ari Graynor) debating Phyllis Schlafly (Blanchett). Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest staff writer at Backstage, Casey Mink. Support the show…

We are going back to the early 1970s to recap the first three episodes of Cate Blanchett's first major TV role in the FX on Hulu show, Mrs America as polarizing right wing figure Phyllis Schalfly. We discuss her performance, the all star cast, the costumes and review the show. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest writer and filmmaker Tayler Montague…

After last week, we stay with Cate Blanchett during WW2. This time as an Australian nurse in a Japanese internment camp who becomes part of a voice choir with her fellow prisoners of war in Paradise Road (1997). Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest Nathaniel Rogers of The Film Experience. Support the show…

For this episode we visit with Cate Blanchett among the ruins of 1945 Berlin in Steven Soderbergh's re-creation of a 1940s drama, The Good German. A film and performance we consider to be Blanchett's most underrated. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest Megan McGurk, host of Sass Mouth Dames podcast. Support the show…

In Truth, Cate Blanchett plays journalist and TV news producer Mary Mapes in the story of the fallout from the CBS investigation into George Bush's military service, that led to the resignation of Dan Rather. The performance was warmly recieved even if the film wasn't widely seen, we examine why in the latest episode. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with …

In this episode we discuss another Cate Blanchett foray into playing a villian in a big blockbuster; as Hela the goddess of death in Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Other topics discussed include the Marvel cinematic universe, who's the best Chris and Taika Waititi's singular comedic vision. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest writer and critic Joi Childs, …

In the 3rd and final part of the Blue Jasmine miniseries, we discuss Jasmine and her sisters. Annie Hall, Helen St Clair in Bullets Over Broadway, Maria Elena in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Cecilia in The Purple Rose of Cairo, among others. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with returning guest journalist and theater critic Jose Solís, of Token Theater Fri…

In part 2 of the Blue Jasmine miniseries, we discuss the similarities with Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, the character of Blanche Dubois, clearly is the blueprint for Jasmine. The many actresses who played Blanche or were inspired by her from the women in Pedro Almodovar’s movies to Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence to mo…

In the first of three episodes about Blue Jasmine, we discuss Cate Blanchett as the real auteur of Blue Jasmine, and the many ways her performance makes her the author of the film. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest writer and critic Matthew Eng. Support the showBy Murtada Elfadl