In The Tank

The Heartland Institute

The weekly flagship podcast from The Heartland Institute features in-depth policy discussions connected to current news. Host Donald Kendal leads the discussion with the usual crew of Heartland Institute Vice President Jim Lakely, Socialism Research Center “Commissar” Justin Haskins, Editorial Director Chris Talgo, and others at this national free-market think tank. The entertaining and informative discussions often hit topics such as the environment, energy policy, Big Tech censorship, the troubling rise of socialism, globalism, health care, education, that state of freedom in America and around the world, and much more. This podcast is also available as part of the Heartland Daily Podcast, the “firehose” of all the organization’s podcasts that take deep and entertaining dives into public policy.

  1. The Future of Movies — In the Tank Podcast #522

    12/19/2025

    The Future of Movies — In the Tank Podcast #522

    Hollywood is at a breaking point—and audiences can feel it. On In the Tank Podcast #522, Linnea Lueken, Jim Lakely, Chris Talgo, S.T. Karnick, and Donald Kendal dig into what’s reshaping movies and TV right now: DEI-era gatekeeping, studios quietly changing course, shrinking opportunities for creators, and the growing role of AI in entertainment. They’re joined by Christian Toto, returning for his fifth annual appearance, to break down how Hollywood’s incentives filtered out creative voices—and why so many films now feel safe, preachy, and lifeless. The panel also tackles Disney’s new AI deal involving OpenAI’s Sora platform and what it means for writers, actors, and storytelling itself. Plus: the crew runs through their “Unhinged” list of the worst movies and TV of 2025—and what might actually be worth watching next. If Hollywood has lost its edge, this episode explores why—and what comes next. Join us LIVE at 1 p.m. ET every Friday on YouTube, Rumble, X, and Facebook. Visit our sponsor, Advisor Metals: https://climaterealismshow.com/metals Chapters: 00:33 Intro01:57 Special Guest Introduction03:55 Support Our Sponsor! 05:50 Unhinged: Worst Movies of 2025 22:08 Film Affected By DEI49:15 AI in Movies? Good or Bad?1:19:25 The Future of Movies: Embracing The Experience STORIES COVERED ON THE SHOW: DEI To Blame? - Writers and other roles in movie companies are being filtered by DEI politics in Hollywood. Does this have an effect on the quality of films? https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-lost-generation/ https://variety.com/2025/film/news/hollywood-drops-dei-programs-donald-trump-disney-paramount-amazon-1236327202/ AI in Movies - Where is it good, and Where does it suck? https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-openai-sora-agreement/https://archive.ph/2xtns  Optimism for the Future: the best films of 2025, what to look forward to in 2026 and beyond. https://x.com/vegasstarfish/status/1961588349799731453https://www.imdb.com/calendar/

    1h 38m
4.8
out of 5
52 Ratings

About

The weekly flagship podcast from The Heartland Institute features in-depth policy discussions connected to current news. Host Donald Kendal leads the discussion with the usual crew of Heartland Institute Vice President Jim Lakely, Socialism Research Center “Commissar” Justin Haskins, Editorial Director Chris Talgo, and others at this national free-market think tank. The entertaining and informative discussions often hit topics such as the environment, energy policy, Big Tech censorship, the troubling rise of socialism, globalism, health care, education, that state of freedom in America and around the world, and much more. This podcast is also available as part of the Heartland Daily Podcast, the “firehose” of all the organization’s podcasts that take deep and entertaining dives into public policy.

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