This week, we talk about the new film ‘Civil War’, directed by Alex Garland, which depicts a future US that’s divided and decimated. It stars Kirsten Dunst as a veteran photojournalist, who is on a road trip with a ragtag group of colleagues. They’re driving through the war-torn north-east to reach the White House before it is stormed by rebel forces. The film has been highly praised as well as highly criticised. What is it trying to say about the state of America? Is it a war film, a political film, or both? The FT’s politics columnist Stephen Bush and US executive producer of audio Topher Forhecz join Lilah to discuss.
-------
We love hearing from you. Lilah is on Instagram @lilahrap and we’re on X @lifeandartpod. You can email us at lifeandart@ft.com. We are grateful for reviews, on Apple, Spotify, etc.
-------
Links (all FT links get you past the paywall):
– Danny Leigh’s review of Civil War (he liked it less than we did): https://on.ft.com/4aTzD6P
– FT critic Leslie Felperin’s interview with Alex Garland: https://on.ft.com/3W03lmt
– You can get a free trial of Stephen’s political newsletter Inside Politics – which includes a daily cultural recommendation – by clicking here
– Stephen Bush on X at @stephenkb.
– Listen to our episode ‘How to process the news when it all feels bad’, with FT foreign editor Alec Russell. You can find it in our feed
More or Less:
– Topher wants to see more interesting landmarks used in films, as in ‘North by Northwest’ and ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’
– Stephen wants to see no more ‘Ghostbusters’ ever. Here’s the FT’s 2-star review of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’: https://on.ft.com/4aVOEot
– Lilah wants fewer menus. She recommends 15 Fox Place in Jersey City, and Osteria 16 in Copenhagen
-----
The FT Weekend Festival is coming back, and will be in Washington on May 4. Speakers include Nancy Pelosi. To book tickets, go to ft.com/festival-us and use our exclusive discount code: weekendpodcast.
Special FT subscription offers for Life and Art podcast listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial, are here: http://ft.com/lifeandart
—
Clips this week are from A24
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kristen Roupenian on 'Cat Person', dating and overnight success. Plus: we discuss consent
Chiwetel Ejiofor, The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind and It's Not About the Burqa
Tracey Emin, the Oscars and Frieze in LA
Richard E Grant, Oscar nominee. Plus: is Netflix good for TV?
Fiction special: Alexander Chee reads The Rosary
Best books of 2018. Plus: Sally Rooney on sex, class and the internet
Christmas Food & Drink Special with Tim Hayward, Polly Russell and Chef Cyrus Todiwala
How to make it as a rapper in 2018. Plus: Thomas Page McBee, the first trans man to box at Madison Square Gardens
‘The Big Lebowski’ at 20. Plus: John Cooper Clarke, the Baudelaire of Salford, is ‘The Luckiest Guy Alive’
Kerry James Marshall on painting African-American life
Sally Rooney, David Shrigley and comedy in contemporary art
Comedian Phil Wang - Live
Can you be a writer and a good parent? Plus: The Guilty Feminist
Matthew Macfadyen: from Mr Darcy to the 'dork' in Succession
Stephen Mangan's Hang Ups. Plus essential summer songs
Loneliness and the search for a new reality
Lehman Brothers, Lauren Greenfield and how capitalism turned sour
Simon Schama on satire in the age of Trump
Trendy food and faddish diets. Plus: artist Cornelia Parker
1968 and the spirit of protest today. Plus: comedian Fern Brady
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
FT News Briefing
Money Clinic with Claer Barrett
FT World Weekly
Just So Stories
Anne of Avonlea
FT News in Focus
FT Banking Weekly