logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2
55m 10s

Is 'One Battle After Another' the Best M...

The New York Times
About this episode

Paul Thomas Anderson is a very rare figure in Hollywood — he’s widely considered to be one of the very best directors of his generation, but he’s never really had a hit when it comes to making money. One Battle After Another might change that. It’s a big budget action movie with a bankable star. And to Wesley’s relief, that didn’t come with any compromises.

Wesley invites The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey to celebrate the merits of Anderson’s films and determine if this is his best.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Up next
Today
Robert Redford Was a True Movie Star. Are There Any Left?
Wesley Morris has been talking about movie stardom with Bill Simmons of The Ringer for as long as they’ve known each other. The actor and director Robert Redford is often invoked in their conversations as the definition of a movie star. In today’s episode, Wesley invites Bill to ... Show More
48m 46s
Sep 25
Is 'South Park' Trump-Proof?
This season, “South Park” is taking on the Trump administration the only way it knows how: with stop-motion, expletives and jokes about the size of the president’s penis. But how is the show getting away with it? Wesley Morris and the comedian Wyatt Cenac discuss the special sauc ... Show More
50m 2s
Sep 18
Nikole Hannah-Jones Knows Why History Feels Dangerous
Six years ago, with the publication of The 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones argued that slavery was a foundational institution upon which the United States was built. President Trump called the project a crusade against American history — ideological poison that, “if not removed ... Show More
1h 11m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
Unpacking “Quiet On Set” with Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan Hearne
Growing up in the 90’s, Nickelodeon was DA BOMB. There was nothing more entertaining than seeing kids get slimed, or the relentlessly silly sketches of “All That.” But was there something more disgusting beneath the surface than that shiny green slime? Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan ... Show More
1h 1m
Jul 2024
Body Snatchers (1993) (feat. Slasher Talk)
Why do aliens want to inhabit humans so badly? Better question: why do humans resist being inhabited by aliens? Welp, in Justin's last episode for his stint in the Co-Ghost series, we definitely do not answer these questions. Instead, we make fun of those who got their body snatc ... Show More
1h 17m
Nov 2024
Rob Lowe: Outsider Turned Hollywood Insider | 250
Just in time for the election, we’ve got an 80s idol who’s no stranger to the real “West Wing.” He’s Rob Lowe - Hollywood’s comeback kid. After reaching the top of the Hollywood hierarchy as part of the “Brat Pack,” everything comes crashing down for the “About Last Night” star. ... Show More
54m 7s
Aug 2019
Liam Hemsworth, Cayley Stoker & Elijah Allan-Blitz?
You're saying "hello" to a brand new episode of Who? while Olivia Jade is saying "bye-bye" to USC—and it's about time #close #source #says. Miley is saying "bye-bye" to her new'ish husband Liam Hemsworth, who has no comment about photos of her hanging out / making out with the no ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 2024
#625 ft. Maika Monroe, Griffin Dunne
This week's Empire Podcast has another brace of cracking guests, as Maika Monroe returns to the show to talk about her terrifying new horror film, Longlegs [25:43 - 39:01 approx], and inadvertently inspires Chris Hewitt to launch the Empire Podcast Hall Of Fame for repeat guests. ... Show More
1h 47m
Sep 2024
Meghan Markle’s Jam Crisis & Angelina Jolie’s Tears
Iconic teen drama One Tree Hill is reportedly making a comeback, but now there’s a feud between the stars brewing behind the scenes. Plus, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt both attended the Venice Film Festival, despite plans behind the scenes to keep them apart. It all ended in tear ... Show More
20m 49s
Sep 1
Cumberbatch and Colman team up to play a couple at war
So many movies are made about the beginning of a relationship. That first spark of attraction. That first kiss. The new dark comedy “The Roses” is about the other end – when it's all falling apart. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star as Theo and Ivy, a couple who was once ... Show More
8m 47s
Jun 2025
Chalamet, Cruise, and the New Celebrity Press Tour Playbook
Matt is joined by veteran publicist and co-CEO of Kovert Creative, Lewis Kay, to discuss how much the game has changed in the world of celebrity PR, including how the modern media landscape has impacted the celebrity press tour, what works and what doesn’t, and why that is so har ... Show More
37m 28s
Jan 2025
S2E3: Who Is Alive? (with Gwendoline Christie)
To unpack Season 2 Episode 3, Ben and Adam are joined by Gwendoline Christie, who plays a mysterious new Lumon employee, for her first ever podcast. And she’s a natural! They talk all about her unique acting journey, the power of leaning into the absurd and obscene, and how prote ... Show More
1h 3m