The Perplexing Confection of 'Asteroid City'

On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch (The Bulwark), Alyssa Rosenberg (The Washington Post), and Peter Suderman (Reason) try to figure out how this Vulture feature on the work that went into making Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse depicts an abusive workplace. Then they review Wes Anderson’s new film, Asteroid City, a movie about a fictional play anthologized on a fictional TV show set in a fictional town. (The essay collection Sonny mentions, Do Not Detonate Without Presidential Approval, is available from Penguin Random House here; he strongly recommends checking it out if you desire to learn more about the influences on the film.) Make sure to swing by Bulwark+ for a discussion of some of our favorite stage adaptations. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!