The Playlist Podcast Network

When it comes to being an on-screen mariner, Tom Hanks takes his orders from no one. To celebrate his recent birthday and the release of the new WWII submarine movie "Greyhound" (2020), Chance and Noah dive into the boat-bound roles of Hanks’ storied career. That means “Splash” (1984), “Sleepless In Seattle” (1993), “Cast Away” (2000), “Captain Phillips” (2013), and then “Greyhound.” Can the guys craft a coherent thesis as to why Hanks keeps choosing the water as his co-star? Permission to come aboard. * * * To support the causes of justice and equity for our Black colleagues, friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

Cristin Milioti is the definition of an entertainer. She’s a musician, singer/songwriter, stage performer, Broadway star, and actress - and that’s just what we know. She won a Grammy and was nominated for a Tony Award for her breakout performance in the musical adaptation of “Once.” She collaborated with Martin Scorsese on “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and, in television, has had pivotal (in some cases, awards-worthy) roles in “How I Met Your Mother,” “Fargo,” and “Black Mirror.” Milioti has worked hard to ensure the only thing you can expect from her is to be unexpected with the projects she chooses. Typecasting is the last thing the 34-year-old performer wants, and while, early on, some have tried, Milioti has remained steadfast pivoting using her natural talents and diverse skillset. Milioti's latest film is The Lonely Island's 2020 Sundance smash hit "Palm Springs." The film was one of the most talked-about movies at the festival and even broke records selling to Neon and Hulu for $17.5 million and 69 cents, making it the biggest Sundance sale ever. The film follows two strangers, Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Milioti), who attend a wedding at Palm Springs only to get stuck inside a time loop unexpectedly. Re-living the wedding day over and over again, the two not only begin to form a budding romance but embark upon an introspective journey. Being a musician first and then actor, Milioti often finds herself thinking musically when it comes to developing her characters. She creates playlists for each of them and believes the kind of music someone listens too can tell you a lot about a person. During our conversation with Cristin Milioti, we discuss her work on the stage, songwriting, the nervousness that comes with singing in front of an audience, "Russian Doll," how never seeing "Groundhog Day" gave her a fresh perspective on "Palm Springs" and much more.

"Cane River" (1982), a recently unearthed debut from late writer/director Horace Jenkins, is now, after a year of remastering, available for streaming. Part love story, part critique of colorism in Louisana, "Cane River" is a moving examination of how cinematic romances can't escape history. Critic and writer Tiana Reid joins Noah and Chance to unpack the concept of the "Black outdoors" and review some of Peter Metoyer's poetry. Read Tiana's tremendous review of "Cane River" here: www.nybooks.com/daily/2020/06/20/…e-black-outdoors/ * * * To support the causes of justice and equality for our Black colleagues, friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens, please consider donating to: -The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative-- aaronline.org/page-1795315 -Don't Shoot PDX -- www.dontshootpdx.org/tag/donate/ -The Family of James Scurlock -- www.gofundme.com/f/for-james-scurlocks-family

Most actors wouldn't consider leaving a role as one of the most popular and beloved characters on one of the most acclaimed BBC costume dramas in it's prime. However, most actors aren't Dan Stevens. To avoid being typecast, the "Downton Abby" alum boldly exited the series in 2012 to pursue a career in American cinema. Since then, Stevens has strived to diversify his filmography. He's had great success in genre films such as "The Guest" and "Colossal" and even lent his musical talents to Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast" as The Beast. He also helped challenge cable television and the comic book genre with his titular role in Noah Hawley's thought-provoking series "Legion." All of this is to say that Dan Stevens is a performer with range and someone who's imagination knows no bounds. This summer, Stevens not only returns to the paranoia driven psychological thrillers he's so fond of but lends his charisma and charm to the first-ever Eurovision movie. In Dave Franco's directorial debut, "The Rental," Stevens stars opposite Allison Brie in this timely thriller following two couples who rent an Airbnb for a weekend getaway. Shortly after arriving, they suspect the owner is spying on them. What follows will make audiences reconsider before booking their next Airbnb (if COVID-19 hasn't already). "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga," sees Will Ferrell reteam with "Wedding Crashers" director David Dobkin and former SNL writing partner Andrew Steele. The film tells the story of an Icelandic duo (Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) competing in the world's largest international song competition. While the movie is full of entertaining performances, Stevens steals the show with his turn as the suave and eccentric Russian billionaire Alexander Lemtov. Stevens has an attuned ear when it comes to dialect. In fact, the 37-year-old actor revealed that if he converses with someone for long enough, he'll start unintentionally adopting their speech pattern. More often than not, Stevens' entry point into a character is in how they speak, and his attraction to dialect has informed some of his other career decisions. Many may be unaware, but Dan Stevens is a rather accomplished audiobook narrator with credits ranging from Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express," to "The Illiad" and "The Odyssey," to "Frankenstein," "War Horse," and Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale." Perhaps much of his fascination with audiobooks stems from his love and degree in literature. However, there's something to be said about how Stevens is drawn to words and the endless creativity they inspire when a camera isn't around. Over the course of our conversation with Dan Stevens, we discussed Eurovision, ambitions of pursuing more voice acting, his time doing stand-up comedy, collaborating with a first-time actor turned director on "The Rental," and more.

Much like it's vampirical antagonist, AMC’s summer horror fare, "NOS4A2" recently began its second life. The show, based on Joe Hill's novel of the same name, about a 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith symbiotically linked to succubus Charlie Manx (Zachary Quinto) and his battle against Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings), a young woman who has superpowers of her own, had its second season premiere last week and is once again available as a full season stream to those with the AMC Premiere subscription. However last year, its future wasn't so certain. The premiere of season one garnered significant interest, with over 2 million viewers watching live, streaming, or watching through DVR, but as the season progressed, viewership was almost cut in half. The show's mixed reception slowly affecting return viewership, and the remaining fans were uncertain if they would ever see the conclusion of Vic's battle with Manx. However, that fear was quickly put to rest, as AMC decided to put season two into production before season one had even completed airing on cable. So with newfound confidence, showrunner, and creator, Jami O’Brien knew she and her cast and crew had a rare opportunity to really dig into Hill’s work and begin expanding the mythos. “The big difference with season two is that there is no mystery," said O'Brien. "[In season One, Vic] was learning what her powers were, what she could and could not do, she was learning who Charlie Manx is, [and] the audience was learning all these things along with her.” Perhaps this explains the mixed reception of Season 1. Often it could suffer from slower, but nevertheless important, episodes that had to explain these rules. O’Brien promises season two will excite on a regular basis. “With that mystery gone, it just means the show, right off the bat has more gas in the tank." Having screened the first five episodes, I couldn't agree more. Shows can often find their legs in the second season. Many believe it's the perfect time for them to find their real voice with that first season of exposition out of the way, and the core audience established. O’Brien also knows that she and her writers were given a great opportunity to really focus on the shows’ strengths, and that includes catering the characters to the talents of "NOS4A2’s" (arguably) underrated cast. “[In Season 1] we had most of the scripts written before anything was cast,” said O'Brien as she focused on one of the major draws of the show, the always charming, often twisted Zachary Quinto, as Manx. “Zach is amazing and explosive whenever he’s on-screen in season one. But at the end of the first season I [realized], we have the amazing Movie star/Broadway star, Zach Quinto… let’s put him to work” Season 2, really finds its footing in the second episode, and the first two episodes are excellent companion pieces that reveal how layered the crux of the show can be. They feature excellent performances by Quinto and Cummings. It is a great reminder of why the show was renewed, and how those two can carry it for the remainder of its run (along with a terrific supporting cast). This season promises enough expansion, twists, and turns and fun-filled-horror that AMC and "NOS4A2" are known for, and let’s hope the audiences will return in greater numbers to pump some blood into the heart of the show for future seasons. During our conversation with O'Brien, we discuss getting to the heart of Hill's original novel, the challenge in bringing iconic moments from the book to life, being selective with scares, why comparisons have been drawn between the show and Peter Pan, and much more. Additional reporting by Michael Winn Johnson

"It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" co-creator and star Rob McElhenney talks with Chance Solem-Pfeifer about 14 seasons of changing yet not changing Mac, answering constant questions about his physique, and the new quarantine episode of his Apple TV+ comedy "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet." Plus, there's George RR Martin talk and McElhenney's overall advice for staying sharp and responsible as an artist.

"Chicken Run" (2000) turns 20 this week, and to celebrate, Chance and Noah are looking back at the filmography of Nick Park, the chief creative voice of Aardman Animation through its heyday. To understand the origins of Park's droll but heartfelt world, we rewind to the original, Academy Award-winning "Wallace & Gromit" shorts and discuss all the hallmarks of tactility—exploding fruit, precocious critters and nightmarish “steam folk” machines—that made Aardman movies so singular. After a full-scale celebration of “Chicken Run,” we also review “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” (2005) and “Early Man” (2018).  * * * To support the causes of justice and equality for Black Americans in these times, please consider donating to: The AAR Diversity Internship Initiative Don’t Shoot PDX The Family of James Scurlock

Kathryn Hahn is having a sustained ongoing moment and it's arguably been happening since 2013. That year, she starred in Jill Soloway's "Afternoon Delight," and while the response to that Sundance indie was muted, it arguably transformed her career, taking her out of supporting "crazy lady" comedic roles and into the place of lead in complex comedic dramas about female identity, desire and the yearning for much more. Hahn has become something of a muse for many female filmmakers and "Afternoon Delight" lead to terrific turns in Soloway's "Transparent," the overlooked, but short-lived series,  "I Love Dick," and lead roles in Tamara Jenkins' "Private Life," and HBO's "Mrs. Fletcher" series from director Nicole Holofcener and author Tom Perrota (known for writing the novels of "Election" and "Little Children"). Hahn's latest two projects couldn't be more different. One is HBO's "I Know This Much Is True" from director Derek Cianfrance alongside Mark Ruffalo. The other is "Central Park," an animated AppleTV+ show from the makers of "Bob's Burgers." In our hour-long chat, we parsed all these topics, most of Hahn's entire career, and even touched a little upon "Wandavision," the upcoming Disney+ Marvel series that she has a role in. 

On this episode, Ryan Oliver is joined by Kathia Woods (Cup of Soul Show, Philadelphia Tribune, Awards Watch) and Ronda Racha Penrice (Zora, NBC THINK, Atlanta Journal Constitution) to discuss the latest Spike Lee joint - "Da 5 Bloods" - while spending the bulk of the discussion looking back at the more underrated and under-appreciated films in Lee's four decades of filmmaking. 0:00-23:13 - "Da 5 Bloods" Review 23:14-End - The Underrated and Overlooked Films of Spike Lee "School Daze" "Get on the Bus" "4 Little Girls" "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts" "Summer of Sam" "Miracle at St. Anna" "Red Hook Summer" "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus" "Pass Over" All shows and episodes are a part of The Playlist Podcast Network—which includes The 4th Wall, Be Reel, Indie Beat, and more—and can be heard on iTunes, AnchorFM, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. To listen on this page, you can stream the podcast via the AnchorFM embed below or up top. Follow us on iTunes, and you’ll get this podcast as well as our other shows regularly. Be sure to subscribe, and drop us a comment or a rating as we do appreciate it. Thanks for listening.

Some cinematic properties are lost in production-limbo for ages, and yet, when the films are finally released, the timing could not have worked better for them. The Creator and author of "Artemis Fowl," Eoin Coffer, has jokingly stated that the film would be finished two years after his death. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait that long. But while the film took almost twenty years to make; those twenty years were very kind to the project. Disney was able to secure the rights, the studio was able to distance itself from Harvey Weinstein, and there was a change in director from Lawrence Guterman to the legendary Sir Kenneth Branagh. Finally, because of a delay due to the Disney/Fox merger, and with recent complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the film will hit Disney+ Friday, June 12th, in what is perhaps the perfect platform for this movie. "Artemis Fowl" stars Ferdia Shaw (grandson of the great Robert Shaw) as the title character, Lara McDonnell, Nonso Anozie, Colin Farrell, and returning to work with Branagh after "Murder on the Orient Express," Josh Gad and Judy Dench. It follows the story of a wunderkind, a self-proclaimed child-criminal genius who must breach the barrier between the world of man, and the world of Irish mythology to save his father from magical peril. Perhaps "Artemis Fowl" being an adaptation of Eoin Colfer's beloved fantasy novels is precisely why Branagh is a great choice to direct. He is no stranger to literary classics turned cinematic, and not simply because of the myriad of Shakespearean adaptations. The filmmaker has "Frankenstein," "Cinderella," "Murder on the Orient Express," and even more contemporary literature like "Thor" that help comprise his filmography. It's apparent that Branagh has a deep love for literature of all kinds and it's what helps fuel his adaptations. What's even more distinct about Branagh's adaptations is how he strikes a balance between traditional folklore ("Thor," "Artemis Fowl") and the contemporary. "Artemis Fowl," specifically, thrives on introducing this fabled world all while making it more accessible and relevant to its target demographic. However, audiences of all ages will be able to find something in this adventure they’ll enjoy, and it will undoubtedly speak to children everywhere, even if they have never read a single page of the novels. During our conversation with Kenneth Branagh, we not only discussed his love of literature and adaptations but his collaborations with Christopher Nolan and Kevin Feige, how he fostered a welcoming set for "Artemis Fowl's" child actors Ferdia Shaw and Lara McDonnell, how he selects which of his directed projects to star in, what we can expect from his upcoming "Death on the Nile" and much more. Additional reporting by Michael Winn Johnson