You may not see Denzel Washington in the new Netflix film adaptation of the August Wilson play The Piano Lesson , but his influence as producer – and parent – is unmistakable. Denzel's son Malcolm Washington is the director, and his son John David Washington plays one of the leads alongside Danielle Deadwyler and Samuel L. Jackson. It's a story about family, legacy and community. And the hauntings both literal and figurative make a big impression. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at l...
Nov 26, 2024•23 min•Ep 1970•Transcript available on Metacast The charming Netflix sitcom A Man on the Inside stars Ted Danson as a lonely widower who's hired by a private investigator to live undercover in a senior living facility. His mission is to find out who stole a precious item from one of the residents. Created by Michael Schur ( The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine ), the series is also a tender and poignant depiction of loss, aging, and finding community. Subscribe to NPR Plus at plus.npr.org or make a gift at donate.npr.org . Learn more about spon...
Nov 25, 2024•17 min•Ep 1969•Transcript available on Metacast The musical Wicked is a bold, revisionist take on The Wizard of O z. It imagines that back in college, the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda the Good Witch of the North (Ariana Grande) were best friends. The sprawling film delivers lavish spectacle, costumes, music, and choreography. But does the long-awaited film live up to the hype? Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoi...
Nov 22, 2024•29 min•Ep 1968•Transcript available on Metacast The new film Gladiator II is a sequel to Gladiator , Oscar-winning swords-and-sandals blockbuster that starred Russell Crowe. It tells a similar tale — a soldier, sold into slavery, becomes a gladiator in the Roman arena. This time out, it's Paul Mescal whose prowess in the coliseum earns him fame that threatens Rome's tyrannical rulers. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film also stars Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture . ...
Nov 21, 2024•17 min•Ep 1967•Transcript available on Metacast The moving dramedy A Real Pain stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin as two very different cousins attempting to reconnect by going on a heritage tour of Poland. As they make their way across the country, they mourn their late grandmother, confront the fractures in their relationship, and reckon with the grief left in the wake of the Holocaust. A Real Pain was written and directed by Eisenberg. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture . Learn more about spons...
Nov 20, 2024•19 min•Ep 1966•Transcript available on Metacast If you've ever loved a movie musical, then you've probably got a favorite movie musical number — a song that makes you want to sing along, swoon, celebrate, or simply dance with the nearest lamppost. But what makes these moments great? With Wicked hitting theaters, there's never been a better time to debate the best movie musical numbers. For even more of our favorite movie musical numbers, check out our list at Letterboxd — at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture. Learn more about sponsor message choic...
Nov 19, 2024•26 min•Ep 1965•Transcript available on Metacast In the deeply goofy Christmas action comedy Red One , the holiday season comes to an emergency halt when Santa (J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped. It's up to his head of security, played by Dwayne Johnson, and a ne'er-do-well played by Chris Evans to save Christmas. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Nov 15, 2024•22 min•Ep 1964•Transcript available on Metacast One night in Belfast in 1972, a mother of ten was abducted from her home in front of her children and never seen again. But the new FX series Say Nothing isn't just true crime – it's part of a more complex history. Because this particular woman was kidnapped and killed by members of the Irish Republican Army during the period known as the Troubles. And decades later, one of the women involved in her disappearance still grapples with her memories and whether to tell the truth about what happened....
Nov 14, 2024•22 min•Ep 1963•Transcript available on Metacast Emilia Pérez is Netflix's new divisive musical about a Mexican cartel boss who disappears from the criminal underworld to create a new life as a woman. But when her love for her kids proves overpowering, she ingratiates herself back into their lives, posing as a distant relative. The movie stars Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture . Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn m...
Nov 13, 2024•23 min•Ep 1962•Transcript available on Metacast There are songs you want to groove to, and songs you want to pump up to. But sometimes, you just want something for the come down at the end of a long day. If you're having trouble sleeping in silence, or are just looking for some new songs to throw into your bedtime rotation, we've got you covered. In this encore episode, we are recommending three great songs that will help you fall asleep. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Nov 11, 2024•9 min•Ep 1961•Transcript available on Metacast In the claustrophobic thriller Heretic , two young Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) knock on the door of a charming man played by Hugh Grant. At first he seems genuinely interested in learning more, and invites them in. But it quickly becomes clear that this guy doesn't actually want to have a good-faith discussion. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Pol...
Nov 08, 2024•22 min•Ep 1960•Transcript available on Metacast Today, we're bringing you an episode of How To Do Everything, a new NPR podcast from the team behind Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! On each episode, Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag offer practical advice for everyday problems — like how to tell if you smell, or how to get close to a panda — with help from celebrity guests. This episode, their guest is Tom Hanks. Mike and Ian also help a listener who's curious about world fame. Plus, a bottoms-up approach to recognizing your family members. Follow How ...
Nov 06, 2024•22 min•Ep 1959•Transcript available on Metacast Elections can be pretty stressful. And it never hurts to have some emergency distractions on hand if you just need to shut down for a while. One of our favorites is YouTube: a place for the good, the bad, the bizarrely detailed, and the wildly specialized. Today, we're talking about our favorite YouTube rabbit holes that are great distractions. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Nov 05, 2024•24 min•Ep 1958•Transcript available on Metacast In the HBO new series The Penguin , an unrecognizable Colin Farrell reprises his role as Oswald Cobb from The Batman. This time though, the caped crusader is nowhere to be found. Instead, we've got an unexpectedly fresh take on Gotham, and a crackling turf war involving the vengeful daughter of a crime boss, played by Cristin Milioti. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Nov 04, 2024•26 min•Ep 1957•Transcript available on Metacast What if you spent eternity in one living room? That's the premise of Here , a new drama starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright as a married couple whose lives unfold in that living room over the course of many decades. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film also shows vignettes of other people who lived in the house, and moments throughout history. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Pr...
Nov 01, 2024•25 min•Ep 1956•Transcript available on Metacast In the Netflix drama The Diplomat , Keri Russell plays an ambassador who's thrust into an international incident with massive stakes. She's also sorting through a tumultuous marriage with her husband, a hotshot veteran diplomat (Rufus Sewell). The series combines the tension of Homeland with the administrative drama of The West Wing . The Diplomat just returned for a new season, so in this encore episode, we revisit our conversation about the series. Learn more about sponsor message choices: pod...
Oct 31, 2024•16 min•Ep 1955•Transcript available on Metacast The new movie Conclave is a fun and twisty political thriller. Ralph Fiennes plays a cardinal tasked to managing the secretive process in which the pope is replaced. The film offers plenty of scandals, surprises, and dark horses, along with some strong commentary on the state of the Catholic church. Directed by Edward Berger ( All Quiet on the Western Front ), the film also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/n...
Oct 30, 2024•22 min•Ep 1954•Transcript available on Metacast Agatha All Along is a darkly funny new Marvel show on Disney Plus. It stars the selfish, sardonic and hilariously petty witch Agatha Harkness, played by the great and good Kathryn Hahn. When a mysterious goth teen saves her from a spell she's been trapped in, she assembles a coven of witches so they can together undergo a series of trials that will grant them each what they most desire. The thing is – the other witches hate Agatha's guts, and there's more to this goth kid than meets the eye. Sub...
Oct 29, 2024•20 min•Ep 1953•Transcript available on Metacast In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns for a third time as a sad-sack loser with an alien symbiotic life-form bonded to him. This time out, it's a buddy comedy and road movie, as the two are hunted by another race of aliens. And along the way, they meet some hippies, hit the Vegas strip, and get in a quick dance number. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 25, 2024•18 min•Ep 1952•Transcript available on Metacast Netflix's Woman Of The Hour is not your conventional serial killer movie. It's based on the true story of a serial killer who appeared on The Dating Game in the 1970s. But it's also about the women who became — or almost became — his victims. Directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, it's a tense, thoughtful film that has much to say about the systems that make life easier for dangerous and otherwise crummy men. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Learn more...
Oct 23, 2024•24 min•Ep 1951•Transcript available on Metacast We've all been there. A major movie is mentioned, you shrug, sheepishly, and someone says, "I can't believe you've never seen that!" Today, we make a dent in our own lists of classic films we somehow had not yet gotten to, including Erin Brockovich, Flower Drum Song, Enter the Dragon and Raging Bull . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 22, 2024•25 min•Ep 1950•Transcript available on Metacast The new movie Anora is a dark rom-dramedy about an enterprising sex worker (Mikey Madison) who links up with a very rich and very immature young man (Mark Eydelshteyn). Their transactional encounter turns into a quickie Vegas wedding. But her new in-laws are Russian oligarchs, and they'll do everything in their power to put an end to this whirlwind romance. Anora is the latest feature from writer and director Sean Baker ( The Florida Project ). Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at lett...
Oct 21, 2024•20 min•Ep 1949•Transcript available on Metacast The horror movie Smile was a massive hit. Its flashy new sequel Smile 2 finds the franchise's terrifying entity infecting a new host: a pop star (Naomi Scott) who's about to head out on tour after experiencing a trauma. And the movie has a lot to say about the horrors of pop stardom. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 18, 2024•23 min•Ep 1948•Transcript available on Metacast Two people meet, they fall in love, and someone gets sick. The new film We Live In Time tries to bring something new to that familiar story of the preciousness of life. Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield laugh and cry as a couple trying to make the most of their time together. Director John Crowley ( Brooklyn ) utilizes an unconventional structure that jumps around from their first meeting to their later crisis and several key points in between. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.np...
Oct 17, 2024•18 min•Ep 1947•Transcript available on Metacast A lot of us are about to have the experience of opening our front doors to find witches, goblins, ghosts, and Moo Deng standing on our porches. Why? Because it's almost Halloween. In this encore episode, we talk about what kinds of entertainment scared us when we were kids, and whether they still scare us now. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 16, 2024•22 min•Ep 1946•Transcript available on Metacast In the powerful new Apple TV+ drama Disclaimer , Cate Blanchett plays a woman who's terrified after she's sent a novel that's based on a chapter of her past that she's desperate to keep secret. From Oscar-winner Alfonso Cuarón, the series was also stars Kevin Kline, as a man who's also consumed by the events recounted in the book. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 15, 2024•23 min•Ep 1945•Transcript available on Metacast The new film Saturday Night attempts to capture the chaotic 90 minutes leading up to the very first broadcast of Saturday Night Live . Untried producer Lorne Michaels (played by Gabriel LaBelle) and his cast of complete unknowns prepare to make television history. At the same time, network suits breathe down their necks, and just about everything that can go wrong does. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 11, 2024•17 min•Ep 1944•Transcript available on Metacast The word "basic" often gets thrown around to describe anything that's mainstream, popular, frictionless, or otherwise inoffensive. But sometimes basic stuff is just what we crave, whether it's a binge-watch, a popular song, or a pumpkin spice latte. It's fall, so today we're talking about what we're calling... Pop Culture Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 10, 2024•26 min•Ep 1943•Transcript available on Metacast We're in a pretty critical election year. And in times like these, a lot of us are turning to political comedy to help make sense of (and fun of) the bizarre, ongoing news cycle. Today on the show, we're talking about how late night comedy shows like Saturday Night Live , Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and The Daily Show are speaking to the moment. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Oct 09, 2024•23 min•Ep 1942•Transcript available on Metacast The off-beat psycho dramedy A Different Man follows Edward (Sebastian Stan), an aspiring actor living with facial disfigurement. He takes an opportunity to try a new procedure and reconstruct his appearance. But then, he encounters a guy with the same condition he once had, and who lives a fun, fulfilling life. To put it mildly, Edward now has some regrets. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NP...
Oct 07, 2024•19 min•Ep 1941•Transcript available on Metacast 
