The Press Box

This week on 'Damage Control,' The Ringer’s Justin Charity and K. Austin Collins discuss critics’ confusing handling of Ava DuVernay’s ‘A Wrinkle In Time’ (1:17), why wishing for black artists to have opportunities to make mediocre work is flawed thinking (19:44), and the cultural-appropriation accusations against Bruno Mars (21:39). More from The Ringer:‘A Wrinkle in Time’ Is a Noble FailureThe ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ Exit SurveySubscribe to 'The Recappables'

The Ringer's Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker discuss the media spectacle surrounding Donald Trump's alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels (03:00), the controversy following New York Times columnist Farhad Manjoo's social media experiment (22:00), and how Michael Smith's departure from 'SportsCenter' reflects ESPN's programming problem (34:30). 

Ringer Editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with first time director Cory Finley about his film ‘Thoroughbreds’ and his transition from playwright to filmmaker.

The Ringer's Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker break down the handling of the Academy Awards (01:45), what Hope Hicks's White House departure means for the press (22:45), and the FBI vs. the University of Arizona by way of ESPN and Mark Schlabach (35:30). Read Miles Surrey's "The Winners and Losers of the 2018 Academy Awards" here: https://t.co/FR1HeJsNqi

The Ringer’s Juliet Litman and Amanda Dobbins rejoice at the end of awards season and discuss Sunday night’s Oscars (1:21). They also talk about Barbra Streisand cloning her dogs (17:23) and the four billboards outside Palm Springs in honor of Serena Williams (22:26). More from The Ringer:2018 Oscars coverageSubscribe to 'Bachelor Party' Related Links:Barbra Streisand Explains: Why I Cloned My Dog (New York Times)Serena Williams' four billboards (Instagram)

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey chats with filmmaker Francis Lawrence about making ‘Red Sparrow,’ his fourth film in a row starring Jennifer Lawrence; their working relationship forged through ‘The Hunger Games’ movie franchise; and his new creative venture with Apple TV. More on movies from the Ringer

This week on 'Damage Control,' The Ringer’s Justin Charity and K. Austin Collins discuss the strange media phenomena surrounding the Parkland activists (1:18), Donald Glover's identity crisis playing out in The New Yorker (12:06), and the outcry over Mo'Nique’s pay-equity campaign against Netflix (26:08). More From The Ringer:The Surprising, Very Public Evolution of Donald GloverSubscribe to 'The Recappables'

The Ringer's Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker talk about how the NRA became a media entity (03:00), the messy Winter Olympics coverage (17:45), and Amos Barshad's article about The Player's Tribune (34:00).

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey sits down with The Ringer’s Amanda Dobbins and K. Austin Collins and New York Times critic Wesley Morris to discuss eerie similarities between ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ and the notorious 2006 Best Picture winner, ‘Crash’ (0:00). Then, Chris Ryan joins to discuss ‘Shape of Water’ and its status as the clear front-runner to win Best Picture (0:00). More on the Oscars from The Ringer: https://www.youtube...

Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey speaks with acclaimed writer and director Alex Garland about the making of the Natalie Portman sci-fi thriller ‘Annihilation’ and the tricky nature of adapting Jeff VanderMeer’s best-selling book. They also discuss Garland’s first film, ‘Ex Machina’; his time as a novelist and screenwriter of movies like ‘28 Days Later...’ and ‘Sunshine’; and a lot more. For more movie coverage, check out The Ringer