Pop Culture Happy Hour artwork

Pop Culture Happy Hour

1,225 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 9.8K ratings

Get obsessed with us. Five days a week, Pop Culture Happy Hour serves you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more. Join arts journalists Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris - plus a rotating cast of guest pop culture aficionados. The Happy Hour team leaves room at the table for exploring a range of reactions and opinions on every bit of the pop universe. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, they take it all with a shot of cheer.

Make your happy hour even happier with Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus! Your subscription supports the podcast and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/happyhour

Film Reviews TV & Film After Shows culture health politics comedy news business interview science funny interviews
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed

Episodes

Road House And What's Making Us Happy

March 22, 2024 07:00 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MB

The 1989 movie Road House starred Patrick Swayze as a no-nonsense bouncer who saves a honky-tonk bar from a local toughs. Now, in the new remake, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a former UFC fighter who accepts a job to clean up a seaside bar in the Florida Keys that's being terrorized by a motorcycle gang. There's still plenty of fighting and plenty of brooding, but how does it hold up to the original cult classic? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Po...

Immaculate

March 21, 2024 07:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MB

In the new movie Immaculate, Sydney Sweeney plays Cecelia, an American woman who joins a convent in Italy. But after she arrives, she encounters strange occurrences and mysteriously winds up pregnant. Almost everyone in the convent touts it as a miracle, but Cecelia isn't so sure. Horror, of course, ensues. Immaculate was directed by Michael Mohan – who previously collaborated with Sweeney on the Hitchcock-esque thriller The Voyeurs. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.c...

Romantic Comedy Guide: Irish Wish, Anyone But You, Upgraded

March 19, 2024 07:00 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MB

If there is a spot in your heart-shaped like a rom-com, we've got some good news for you. You can stream a few playful love stories from your couch, whether you're a fan of Lindsay Lohan's red hair shining in Irish sunlight, Glen Powell's gleaming chest, or Camila Mendes navigating the glamorous art world. Today, we're rounding up three recent romantic comedies: Irish Wish, Anyone But You, and Upgraded. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about spo...

Problemista

March 18, 2024 07:00 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MB

In the very funny and gently surreal new film Problemista, Julio Torres plays Alejandro, a young man from El Salvador scraping by in New York City as he pursues his dreams. But those dreams – and his immigration status – become imperiled. He must turn to a frazzled, fire-breathing art critic played by Tilda Swinton for emotional and financial support, which proves very fraught. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Love Lies Bleeding And What's Making Us Happy

March 15, 2024 07:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MB

The movie Love Lies Bleeding is a fun and weird erotic thriller. It's set in the late 1980s and stars Kristen Stewart as a brooding gym manager who falls in love with a hitchhiking bodybuilder, played by Katy O'Brian. Directed by Rose Glass (Saint Maud), the film's got a killer electronic soundtrack, and cinematic references of everything from John Waters to Showgirls. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Girls5eva

March 14, 2024 07:00 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MB

The bingeable comedy series Girls5eva is a silly parody of the music industry. It's about four down-on-their-luck members of a 90s girl group who reunite to stage a comeback, and find that a lot has changed. The show features a stacked cast, including Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Busy Philipps, and Paula Pell. Girls5Eva recently moved to Netflix and just returned for a new season, so today, we revisit our conversation about the series. Learn more about sponsor message choices: pod...

Kung Fu Panda 4

March 13, 2024 07:00 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MB

Kung Fu Panda 4 is the latest movie in the popular and surprisingly thoughtful animated film franchise. Jack Black returns to voice Po, a gigantic, adorable panda who becomes the highly unlikely Dragon Warrior. He embarks on a quest alongside a devious fox, played by Awkwafina, to face a new villain, the Chameleon, played by Viola Davis. You got your hero's journey and training montages and some pretty stellar voice acting. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

Love Is Blind

March 12, 2024 07:00 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MB

Netflix's Love is Blind is like a bad relationship that's hard to give up. We've had doubts. We've had fights. And now, in its sixth season, we just can't seem to call it quits. This season has more strange proposals, more fights between people who obviously should not get married, and more moments when we find ourselves saying, "Really, Love Is Blind?" Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Our 2024 Oscars Recap

March 11, 2024 12:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MB

At this year's Oscars, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer won in most of the major categories, including best picture and best director. It was also a big night for Emma Stone, and Robert Downey Jr. Plus, Ryan Gosling brought the kenergy with a performance from Barbie. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

2024 Oscars Preview And What's Making Us Happy

March 08, 2024 08:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MB

Will it be Oppenheimer? Will it be Barbie? Or will it be some other story entirely? It's time to get down to business, because the Oscars are upon us. In this guide, we're talking about actors, directors, best pictures — and everything we think will and should win. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

2024 Oscars Guide: Documentary Feature

March 07, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MB

This year's Oscar nominees for outstanding documentary feature are really strong entries that are available on streaming now. They also happen to be pretty heavy, gripping watches — and well worth checking out. Today, we get into what we think will win, what should win, and where to watch this year's nominees. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Couple To Throuple

March 06, 2024 08:00 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MB

Most dating shows have two things in common: They are terrible and they are watchable. That dynamic continues on Peacock's new dating show Couple to Throuple. Four couples exploring polyamory arrive at a resort and are allowed to choose from a smorgasbord of single people in the hopes that they will find a "third" who can put the "throup" in "throuple." Drama ensues. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices...

2024 Oscars Guide: International Feature

March 05, 2024 08:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MB

This year's crop of Oscar nominees for the best international feature adopt vastly different approaches to tell their disparate stories. There's a couple that tackle the specter of fascism, one about the plight of migrants and one about an infamous real-life plane crash and its aftermath. Also there's one about a guy who cleans toilets. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

2024 Oscar Guide: International Feature

March 05, 2024 08:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MB

This year's crop of Oscar nominees for the best international feature adopt vastly different approaches to tell their disparate stories. There's a couple that tackle the specter of fascism, one about the plight of migrants and one about an infamous real-life plane crash and its aftermath. Also there's one about a guy who cleans toilets. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

2024 Oscars Guide: Original Song

March 04, 2024 08:00 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MB

This year's Oscar nominees for best original song are headlined by two songs from Barbie: one from Billie Eilish, and the other from Ryan Gosling. But there's also an intriguing mix of tracks from Jon Batiste, the Osage Tribal Singers, and Becky G — with an assist from perennial Oscar nominee Diane Warren. Today, we get into what we think will win, what should win, and what criteria should we use when we judge original songs in movies? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices...

Dune: Part Two And What's Making Us Happy

March 01, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MB

Dune: Part Two is a sweeping, soaring space epic and this year's first big movie. Starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, and directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film delivers plenty of spaceships and big explosions like any good sci-fi blockbuster should. But it also tackles themes of rebellion, religion, and the use and abuse of political power. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Wendy Williams

February 28, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MB

The new and unsettling Lifetime docuseries Where Is Wendy Williams? documents the former daytime talk show host as she struggled with alcohol addiction, serious health ailments, and financial issues. Days before the documentary aired, we learned that Williams had been diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. The four-episode series raises many ethical questions related to celebrity, privacy, and perceived exploitation. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/a...

Avatar: The Last Airbender

February 27, 2024 08:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MB

The animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender is regarded as a classic. Now, it's gotten a live-action adaptation on Netflix. The series tells the story of a boy named Aang (Gordon Cormier) who must learn how to harness the power of air, water, earth, and fire — and ultimately save the world. But how does the new show hold up to the beloved original? Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NP...

Oppenheimer

February 26, 2024 08:00 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MB

Oppenheimer tells the story of the brilliant physicist (Cillian Murphy) who oversaw the construction of the first atomic bomb. It goes on to chart the dark, complicated legacy of what he made – a technology that has gone on to irrevocably change the world, and that retains the real possibility of ending it. Christopher Nolan's film was a blockbuster hit last summer, and it earned 13 Oscar nominations – including best picture and best director. Today, we are revisiting our conversation about t...

Drive-Away Dolls And What's Making Us Happy

February 23, 2024 08:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MB

The movie Drive-Away Dolls is a shaggy comedy about a couple of lesbian friends (Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan) who take a road trip and unwittingly find themselves wrapped up in a bizarre criminal caper. There's a strange briefcase, a shady senator, and psychedelic vibes, which makes for one weird little movie. The movie directed by Ethan Coen, who co-wrote the screenplay with Tricia Cooke. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Jennifer Lopez's This Is Me... Now

February 22, 2024 08:00 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MB

The wait to learn more about Jennifer Lopez's love life is finally over. The singer and actress has released a new film on Prime Video called This Is Me...Now: A Love Story, in conjunction with a new album and an upcoming documentary. It's all about her journey from Gigli to joyful, from falter to altar, with her now-husband Ben Affleck. She sings, she dances, and is cared for by the weirdest council of advisors ever assembled — including cameos from Neil deGrasse Tyson, Post Malone, Jane Fon...

Madame Web

February 20, 2024 08:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MB

Madame Web, the latest Spider-Man-adjacent film that stakes out its own corner of the Spider-Verse. Dakota Johnson plays a New York paramedic who sees glimpses of the future. She bonds with three young women who are being hunted by a mysterious and remorseless supervillian. It has gotten pilloried by critics and has been ruthlessly mocked by a series of memes. But is it as bad as all that? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

True Detective: Night Country

February 19, 2024 08:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MB

HBO/Max's True Detective: Night Country is the fourth season of the murder mystery anthology series. It's a bit of a welcome departure, with new showrunner Issa López at the helm. Set in a remote Alaskan mining town, this season's victims are a team of scientists, and the mismatched pair of cops investigating the murders are two women, played by Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastch...

Feud And What's Making Us Happy

February 16, 2024 08:00 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MB

Feud: Capote Vs. the Swans is the latest reimagining of historical events produced by Ryan Murphy. The series follows famed author Truman Capote (played by Tom Hollander), who hobnobs with a close-knit circle of New York socialites known as the Swans. But then he embarrasses them by airing their dirty laundry — and things get nasty. The Swans are deliciously played by actors like Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, and Chloë Sevigny. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoice...

Platonic Love In Pop Culture

February 14, 2024 08:00 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MB

There have been countless romantic movies and TV shows — and a virtually infinite number of ways to watch people fall in love. But we're here to celebrate pop culture that revolves around friendship — where people love and care about each other deeply, even though they'll never kiss. Today we're recommending things to watch that get platonic love right. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Abbott Elementary

February 13, 2024 08:00 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MB

The fantastic ABC series Abbott Elementary is a workplace sitcom set at a severely underfunded Philadelphia public school. It's a giant hit, and it's become an Emmys darling, including two wins for its creator and star Quinta Brunson. Abbott Elementary just returned for its long-awaited third season, so in this encore episode, we are revisiting our conversation about the show's first season. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

2024 Super Bowl, Plus Beyoncé's New Singles

February 12, 2024 10:47 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MB

This year's Super Bowl featured an exciting game in which the Kansas City Chiefs beat San Francisco 49ers. It also featured an attention-grabbing halftime show from Usher, many Taylor Swift sightings, and a big announcement during the commercials: Beyoncé is releasing a new album in March, and she just dropped two new singles. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Lisa Frankenstein And What's Making Us Happy

February 09, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22 MB

In the new '80s horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein, an introverted teen (Kathryn Newton) finds comfort in visiting the grave of a young Victorian bachelor (Cole Sprouse). When his corpse comes to life, he becomes her confidante as they embark on a murderous spree. Written by Diablo Cody (Jennifer's Body) and directed by Zelda Williams, the movie is an over-the-top mix of romance, jealousy, self-realization, horniness and murder. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adcho...

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

February 07, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22 MB

On Prime Video's fun new spy show Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Donald Glover and Maya Erskine play spies going undercover as a married couple. The show is part tense thriller and part romantic comedy. But it's also a character study, of two people who have made their way into the spy life and aren't sure how they feel about being in it together. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Expats

February 06, 2024 08:00 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MB

The new Prime Video series Expats fits quite neatly into the recent work done by its star, Nicole Kidman. She plays a rich woman who is one of three American so-called expats living in 2014 Hong Kong whose stories intersect. The series was created by Lulu Wang (The Farewell) and looks at the lives of these three women, who are all affected by one catastrophic event and its aftermath. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choic...

2024 Grammys Recap

February 05, 2024 14:15 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MB

Every night is a big night for Taylor Swift. But this year's Grammy night proved especially big: Swift won album of the year for Midnights and announced her next album, titled The Tortured Poets Department. It may be time to pose the question: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Other major winners included Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and SZA. In fact, women swept all nine categories presented during Sunday night's telecast. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoice...

Argylle And What's Making Us Happy

February 02, 2024 08:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MB

In the comedic spy thriller Argylle, a reclusive author (Bryce Dallas Howard) gets sucked into a web of danger and intrigue when her books mirror the inner workings of a rogue spy agency. Argylle is full of globe-trotting action, with more twists than you can count. It's directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, the Kingsman movies) with a cast that includes Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, and Dua Lipa. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Priva...

The Pop Culture Hill I'll Die On

February 01, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MB

Maybe you think you shouldn't read a book before seeing the movie adaptation, or you're convinced season two is the best season of The Wire. We've all got that one argument we're always making: that non-negotiable stance, that immutable truth we're sticking to no matter what. Today, we're talking about the pop culture hills we'll die on. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur

January 31, 2024 08:00 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MB

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is an all-ages animated series that's got style and energy – and original songs – for days. It's the story of a 13-year-old Black girl genius who accidentally transports a T-Rex from the prehistoric past to present day. She then launches into a side-hustle fighting crime. The Disney+ show is about to return for a second season, so today we are revisiting our conversation about the series. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhou...

2024 Sundance: Best Movies

January 30, 2024 08:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

Over 75 feature films premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year, including a deeply personal coming-of-age story, a film starring Saoirse Ronan, and Steven Soderbergh's highly immersive ghost tale. It was impossible to catch them all, but today, we're highlighting some of the standouts we think are worth keeping on your radar. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Vanderpump Rules

January 29, 2024 08:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MB

For more than a decade, Vanderpump Rules has been a hit reality show on the Bravo network. The show reached new heights of tabloid infamy last season due to a much-discussed affair between two members of its cast. The whole thing was nicknamed "Scandoval" and led to record-breaking ratings and countless memes. Vanderpump Rules is about to return for its 11th season, and if you want to catch up on all the drama from last year, we've got you covered. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at...

Jacqueline Novak's Get On Your Knees And What's Making Us Happy

January 26, 2024 08:00 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MB

In her smart and funny comedy special Get On Your Knees, performer Jacqueline Novak delivers a kind of Ted Talk on the subject of oral sex. It's also a passionate and thoughtful coming-of-age tale delivered in language that's been finely honed to accomplish its very funny purpose. Directed by Natasha Lyonne, the Netflix special began as an off-Broadway show. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Barbie

January 24, 2024 08:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MB

Barbie was the biggest movie of last year. We saw the memes, we heard the songs, and it was 2023's highest grossing movie. It recently racked up eight Oscar nominations, including best picture. Today in this encore episode, we revisit our conversation about Barbie. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

2024 Oscar Nominations

January 23, 2024 22:53 - 19 minutes - 18 MB

This year's Oscar nominations were announced today and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer leads the field with 13 nominations. Other leading nominees include Poor Things, Killers Of The Flower Moon, and Barbie. We run down the nominees in the major categories and talk about some of the surprising snubs. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The Zone Of Interest

January 22, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MB

In The Zone of Interest, a German couple and their family live a bucolic life, but over the garden wall lies the Auschwitz concentration camp. The father is one of the chief architects of the Holocaust, and over the course of the film, he and his wife attempt to preserve their compartmentalized lives. But the horrors taking place outside refuse to be held at bay. Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the film is favored to pick up a best picture nomination at the Oscars. Learn more about sponsor mess...

Origin And What's Making Us Happy

January 19, 2024 08:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MB

Origin is the story of a writer who faces personal loss at the same time she works on a book based on her unified theory about systems of oppression. Written and directed by Ava DuVernay, the film is adapted from Isabel Wilkerson's best-selling book, Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents, and dramatizes the book's ideas and the way it comes together. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor stars as Wilkerson, and also features Jon Bernthal and Niecy Nash-Betts. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcas...

Echo

January 18, 2024 08:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MB

The new Marvel series Echo spotlights Maya Lopez (played by Alaqua Cox), whom we first met as the stoic badass enforcer for the criminal Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio). She's now on the run, fleeing to her tiny Oklahoma hometown determined to nurse her wounds and make plans to take over Fisk's criminal empire. But her friends and family – including generations of her Choctaw ancestors – may have other plans. It's streaming on Disney + and Hulu. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podc...

Bluey

January 17, 2024 08:00 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MB

The TV cartoon Bluey is a hit with young children. But it's also found a devoted following among their parents, who've embraced the show's emotional depth – as well as its messages about creativity, collaboration, and learning through play. Bluey just returned with a batch of new episodes on Disney+, so today we're revisiting our conversation about the series. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Our Emmys Recap

January 16, 2024 12:15 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MB

The 75th annual Emmy Awards are over, and it was a big night for The Bear, Beef, and Succession. Plus Elton John earned his EGOT, and Jennifer Coolidge and Niecy Nash Betts gave memorable speeches. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Lift

January 15, 2024 08:00 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MB

In the new Netflix action-comedy-heist movie Lift, Kevin Hart plays an experienced thief and con man whose crew is backed into a corner and forced to work for the government. Their next theft will be their greatest, and it's all to avert an enormous disaster. They'll have to fly planes, use disguises, sneak around, beat the bad guys, and look great doing it. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Mean Girls And What's Making Us Happy

January 12, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MB

Mean Girls is a film adaptation of the Broadway adaptation of the beloved Lindsay Lohan and Tina Fey comedy. The songs are there, the dances are there, and the nasty, nasty high school drama is there. But does the retelling capture the energy, the style, and the jokes of the original? The new cast includes Reneé Rapp, Auliʻi Cravalho, and Angourie Rice. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Baldur's Gate 3

January 11, 2024 08:00 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MB

Baldur's Gate 3 was the most acclaimed video game of last year and recently won Game of the Year at The Game Awards. It maps the experience of Dungeons and Dragons onto the mechanics of videogames. You and your companions embark on an epic quest, going through dark dungeons and dangerous wilderness — all while being confronted with choices that change the game in ways big and small. But what makes it so beloved? Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Priv...

Night Swim

January 09, 2024 08:00 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MB

In the new horror film Night Swim, Wyatt Russell plays a former baseball player who's been forced into retirement due to the early stages of MS. He and his wife, played by Kerry Condon, decide to buy an old house and refurbish its dilapidated swimming pool. But there is a catch: the pool is haunted. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

All Of Us Strangers

January 08, 2024 08:00 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MB

The movie All of Us Strangers is a wistful fantasy drama that tells two intersecting stories about different kinds of love: One between a son and his long-deceased parents; the other of two lonely men and neighbors who long for connection. Directed by Andrew Haigh, the film stars Andrew Scott as Adam, a TV writer living a lonely existence in London, and Paul Mescal as his neighbor Harry. Adam's parents are played by Claire Foy and Jamie Bell. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcast...

The Brothers Sun And What's Making Us Happy

January 05, 2024 08:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

The new Netflix series The Brothers Sun is a fun genre mashup of action, comedy, and family drama. Michelle Yeoh plays Eileen Sun, who married into a powerful Taiwanese crime family, and then secretly raised her youngest son (Sam Song Li) in the U.S. to protect them both from being targeted by rival gangs, while her oldest son (Justin Chien) was left in Taiwan and is now a remorseless killer. But when danger threatens the family, they must band together by any means necessary. Learn more abo...

Guests

Kumail Nanjiani
2 Episodes
Mallory Ortberg
2 Episodes
Alan Moore
1 Episode
Cameron Esposito
1 Episode
Guy Branum
1 Episode
Hari Kondabolu
1 Episode
Hasan Minhaj
1 Episode
John Hodgman
1 Episode
Lake Bell
1 Episode
Neil Gaiman
1 Episode
Philip Pullman
1 Episode
Rhea Butcher
1 Episode
Roxane Gay
1 Episode
Terry Gross
1 Episode
Tom Hanks
1 Episode

Books

A Wrinkle in Time
1 Episode
His Dark Materials
1 Episode
The Princess Bride
1 Episode