Hi, this is Dana Steven Slate's movie critic, and I'm here with a Slate Spoiler Special podcast on I'm Still Here, the new documentary about Joaquin Phoenix, directed by Casey Affleck.

With me in the studio is John Swansberg.

Hey, John.

Hey.

Who is Slate's culture editor and my frequent and beloved podcast companion.

But, John, I have to say, I really feel that the two of us have suffered some sort of mutual

degradation by sitting through this movie, and I'm really sorry now that I made you

experience that.

You shouldn't apologize, but I would like to take this time to announce that I'm actually

retiring as a culture editor and podcast.

Spoiler.

I'm going to pursue a hip- hop career all right well let's hear your

rap uh well i can't i can't reveal my uh you know my notes thus far you have to wait until it's

more polished i don't want to i actually don't want to look like walkeen phoenix did when he was

rapping in this movie i want to make more of a study actually no matter what freestyle you busted

out just now,

I don't think it could possibly be any worse. Yeah, I think that's probably true. So we should set up this movie for those who haven't heard the advance buzz about it. I mean, the whole reason that

we're talking about this movie, the only reason this movie is interesting in effect, and I don't

think it is in the end at all, is because of the hoax or possible hoax questions surrounding the movie. Do you want to set

that up a little bit?

Sure. I'll try to do as best I can. So I believe it started in 2008. Is that about right? I think

in terms of chronology, Joaquin Phoenix, I think while working the red carpet for two lovers,

...