Sundays With Cate

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 Murtada Elfadl with guest Andy Stewart.

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.

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.

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.

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 guest Kevin Jacobsen host of And The Runner-Up Is podcast.

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, host of The Color Grade podcast.

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 Friends podcast.

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 most recently Carey Mulligan in Wildlife.  Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with guest TV and Film Journalist Candice Frederick.

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.

That heart wrenching closeup. That iconic buzzcut. That performance many think is one of Cate Blanchett's best. This week Murtada Elfadl welcomes Kyle Stevens to discuss Heaven (2002), directed by Tom Tykwer.

No new episode because of the holidays, however we are looking back at our first 12 episodes and what we learned about the films of Cate Blanchett so far.

We are going avant garde because "art is supposed to be radical." Murtada Elfadl welcomes Shelley Farmer to discuss Waiting for the Artist (2019), an episode of Documentary Now, and the film Manifesto (2017) which started as an art installation, two Cate Blanchett projets that grapple with what it means to be an artist!

A sea expedition to find a killer shark. A riff on Jacques Cousteau. Cate Blanchett enters the quirky and unique world of Wes Anderson. Murtada Elfadl welcomes producer and filmmaker Erica Mann to discuss The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).

This week Murtada Elfadl welcomes Kate Halliwell to discuss Ocean's 8 and the period post Carol (2015) which they both consider to be Blanchett's peak celebrity and pop culture power.

We are going big this week. Big movie. Big performance. Murtada Elfadl welcomes Gavin Mevius, co-host of The Mixed Reviews Podcast to discuss Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).

One of Cate Blanchett’s earliest films finds her working in Australia with Gillian Armstrong and Ralph Fiennes. It's an odd, eccentric but very feminist tale. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with Andy Stewart.

Perhaps Cate Blanchett's least seen film, at least in the United States, Litte Fish (2005) is gritty and scrappy and unlike anything in her filmography. Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with Valerie Complex.

This week we discuss one of the most popular films Cate Blanchett has ever been in, yet oddly unrecognized as one of her signature parts. It's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), directed by David Fincher and co-starring Brad Pitt.  Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with Andrew Kendall.

What happens when an icon of cinema takes on another icon? Well an Oscar for starters. This week we discuss Cate Blanchett's performance as Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004). Hosted by Murtada Elfadl with Manuel Betancourt.