In the fun, genre-mashing action comedy Polite Society , Priya Kansara plays Ria, a spunky teen who aspires to be a movie stuntwoman. When her older sister Lena (Ritu Arya) suddenly gets engaged, Ria becomes determined to sabotage the wedding. The movie is the feature debut of Nida Manzoor, who created the acclaimed series We Are Lady Parts . And it's a sharp, yet loving exploration of sisterhood — though with a bit more fighting and stunts. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoic...
Apr 28, 2023•26 min•Ep 1623•Transcript available on Metacast In the extremely divisive film Beau Is Afraid , Joaquin Phoenix stars as a schlubby, anxiety-ridden man whose existence is an extended nightmare of guilt, shame, dread and paranoia. Written and directed by Ari Aster ( Hereditary, Midsommar) , the film follows Beau as he attempts to visit his mother. But he gets repeatedly frustrated by a series of deeply disturbing obstacles that may be real, or may be entirely of his own making. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour...
Apr 27, 2023•25 min•Ep 1622•Transcript available on Metacast The iconic singer, humanitarian, and actor Harry Belafonte died today at the age of 96. His career spanned many decades, giving award-winning performances, where he dazzled regardless of the genre. We're remembering Belafonte's life and legacy – and talking about some of his great performances. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 26, 2023•14 min•Ep 1621•Transcript available on Metacast Sam Raimi's 1981 horror movie The Evil Dead became a cult classic, spawning two sequels, a TV series, and a 2013 film that "reimagined" the franchise. Now, the series gets another reset with Evil Dead Rise – complete with a new writer and director (Lee Cronin), a new cast (including Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland), and a truly extraordinary amount of blood. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 25, 2023•16 min•Ep 1620•Transcript available on Metacast In the new 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 – which makes sense, given that The Diplomat 's creator worked on both shows. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy...
Apr 21, 2023•21 min•Ep 1619•Transcript available on Metacast Judy Blume has been a prominent author for more than 50 years and her books are incredibly beloved. She's written for kids and adults, and has faced controversy. Perhaps her most treasured book, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, is about to get its first film adaptation, and Blume is the subject of a new documentary. Today, we're talking about why we love Judy Blume, and recommend some of our favorite books. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about...
Apr 20, 2023•24 min•Ep 1618•Transcript available on Metacast Jean-Luc Picard captained the starship Enterprise on the beloved series Star Trek: The Next Generation some 30 years ago. Patrick Stewart returned to that iconic role in the Paramount Plus series Picard . Now in its third and final season, Picard has brought the old Next Generation gang together for one last mission. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 19, 2023•16 min•Ep 1617•Transcript available on Metacast In Showing Up , Michelle Williams plays a sculptor preparing to exhibit her work in a small art gallery, even as family and friends complicate her life and steal her focus. It's the latest feature from Kelly Reichardt, a director known for quiet, intimate films about isolation, alienation, and community. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 18, 2023•17 min•Ep 1616•Transcript available on Metacast The new horror comedy Renfield is about Count Dracula's long-suffering servant. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) is trapped in a toxic relationship with his narcissistic boss Dracula (Nicolas Cage). So he sets out to free himself from the vampire's thrall, with the help of group therapy, inspirational posters, and friendly police officer (Awkwafina). Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 14, 2023•22 min•Ep 1615•Transcript available on Metacast Oscar-winner Mo'Nique has had a storied career in entertainment. She's a successful standup comedian, and a former sitcom star turned talk show host. But she's also had a contentious relationship with the industry, and alleges she was blackballed for not playing by Hollywood's rules. In her candid new Netflix comedy special My Name is Mo'Nique , she deconstructs her own public persona with keen observations about her childhood and family. She also reveals a long-held secret and, as always, keeps...
Apr 13, 2023•26 min•Ep 1614•Transcript available on Metacast In the great new Netflix series Beef , two people have a lot of beef with each other. Created by Lee Sung Jin, the series stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun as characters whose worlds collide when they engage in a manic road rage war. Neither can help trying to one up the other in a long-running, increasingly mortifying tit-for-tat that reveals past traumas and existential dread. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 12, 2023•26 min•Ep 1613•Transcript available on Metacast Almost 40 years ago, a young Michael Jordan signed what was then the NBA's most lucrative sneaker deal with Nike. The new movie Air traces the origin of that deal and the creation of the culture-shifting Air Jordan. It's directed by Ben Affleck and stars Matt Damon, Viola Davis and Jason Bateman — and features a lot of talk about "greatness" and the meaning behind a shoe. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.c...
Apr 11, 2023•22 min•Ep 1612•Transcript available on Metacast In The Super Mario Bros. Movie., Chris Pratt and Charlie Day play Mario and Luigi, two New York City plumbers who get transported to another world. Soon, Mario must team-up with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) to stop Bowser (Jack Black) from destroying the Mushroom Kingdom. The animated movie is heavy on Easter eggs that draw from Nintendo's many decades of video games. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 07, 2023•25 min•Ep 1611•Transcript available on Metacast Even after 20 seasons, we still get a thrill every time we hear "hands up utensils down" on Top Chef . Controversial winners, heartbreaking losses, food that looks good enough to eat, and the foolishness of even attempting risotto — they've all been backbones of the Top Chef franchise over its many, many years. So we thought now would be the perfect time to revisit our conversation about the Bravo series. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 06, 2023•20 min•Ep 1610•Transcript available on Metacast In The Big Door Prize , a small town is forever changed when a mysterious machine pops up in the local general store. Each person who gets in the "Morpho" machine receives a card that reveals their life's potential, and it often leads them to radically change their lives, sometimes in surprising ways. Starring Chris O'Dowd and Gabrielle Dennis, the series is now streaming on Apple TV+. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: po...
Apr 05, 2023•18 min•Ep 1609•Transcript available on Metacast The snappy new romantic comedy Rye Lane follows Dom and Yas, two South Londoners who meet in the restroom of an art show and wind up spending the day together. It's a day of adventures, long conversations and terrible exes. But it might just offer them a little bit of hope for the future. Directed by Raine Allen-Miller, the movie is streaming now on Hulu. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR ...
Apr 04, 2023•19 min•Ep 1608•Transcript available on Metacast In Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Chris Pine stars as a wise-cracking and charismatic thief who leads a band of misfits with different reasons to hate a malevolent ruler played by Hugh Grant. It's a fantasy epic meets heist movie, complete with some dragons, talking corpses, relics and spells, an epic quest, and LOTS of jokes. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 31, 2023•24 min•Ep 1607•Transcript available on Metacast When we asked our listeners to tell us which Muppets were their favorites, we knew you'd all come through. More than 6,000 of you cast more than 18,000 votes — and we have the results. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 30, 2023•18 min•Ep 1606•Transcript available on Metacast Today we are tackling two of the most important questions of our time: who are our favorite Muppets? And which Muppets do we most identify with? As they always say, the Muppets are the window to the soul. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Mar 29, 2023•23 min•Ep 1605•Transcript available on Metacast An FBI agent working in a lonely, secret office in the White House basement gets a phone call. A woman needs help, right away. That's the beginning of The Night Agent , a Netflix spy thriller series full of action and intrigue. Created by The Shield 's Shawn Ryan, the series follows Peter and Rose — the agent and the tech expert he's protecting — as they try to uncover a conspiracy that goes right to the heart of the government. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour ...
Mar 28, 2023•15 min•Ep 1604•Transcript available on Metacast NPR's Books We Love is full of stories. The feature rounds up fiction and nonfiction of many different kinds, and it gives you lots of ways to find what you might love, too. Today we're recommending great books for people who love show business, including a fictional take on a popular gossip Instagram account, a love story, and a memoir. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 27, 2023•9 min•Ep 1603•Transcript available on Metacast In previous John Wick films, Keanu Reeves played a retired hitman out of revenge. In the latest entry, John Wick: Chapter 4 , his reasons are a little more simple — he just wants to be left alone. Wick's quest for freedom takes him all across the world, as encounters would-be assassins, busy traffic, and a sadistic French aristocrat. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 24, 2023•26 min•Ep 1602•Transcript available on Metacast Actor Jonathan Majors is having a moment right now: he recently starred in Creed III and A nt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania . Friend of the show and host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday Ayesha Rascoe recently sat down with Majors for a fun and wide-ranging conversation about his path to acting, how he picks his roles, and how he defines masculinity. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 23, 2023•29 min•Ep 1601•Transcript available on Metacast In the new Amazon Prime series Swarm , Dominique Fishback plays Dre, a socially awkward young woman who is obsessed with the mega pop star Ni'Jah, a thinly veiled analog for Beyoncé. When a life-changing event occurs, Dre's obsession with Ni'Jah takes on a more sinister tone. Donald Glover co-created the show with Janine Nabers, and it definitely shares an off-kilter vibe with his previous hit Atlanta . Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor m...
Mar 22, 2023•26 min•Ep 1600•Transcript available on Metacast The very funny, bingeable NBC sitcom Grand Crew has a dependable sitcom setup: Six friends hang out together to decompress and commiserate about their careers and their love lives. They're Black, their hangout is a Silver Lake wine bar, and the show – like the vino they're always guzzling – has gotten better with age. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 21, 2023•24 min•Ep 1599•Transcript available on Metacast Shadow and Bone is a fantasy series based on a successful set of novels. There's a lot to take in — at least six main characters, people who can wield wind and shadow and light, and a Chosen One. That all sounds familiar, but there's enough here to make this series worth your consideration. Shadow and Bone recently returned for a second season, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit our conversation recorded back in 2021 about its first season, featuring panelists Mallory Yu and Petra ...
Mar 20, 2023•15 min•Ep 1598•Transcript available on Metacast Four years ago, Shazam! was a surprise hit and a lighthearted entry in the DC Extended Universe. It follows teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who's bestowed with magical powers and turns in an adult superhero, played by Zachary Levi. In the new sequel Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, Levi returns with a big cast that includes newcomers Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 17, 2023•15 min•Ep 1597•Transcript available on Metacast The Ghostface killer is taking yet another stab at the box office as Scream 6 has arrived in theatres. It's a sequel to last year's reboot – or requel – of everyone's favorite deeply meta slasher franchise. Starring Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barerra, Scream 6 takes the characters who managed to survive the last Scream movie out of bucolic Woodsboro and into the urban jungle of New York City. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 16, 2023•21 min•Ep 1596•Transcript available on Metacast When the thriller series You premiered five years ago, it started a lot of conversations. The show was told largely from the point of view of a charismatic serial killer named Joe (Penn Badgley), and he hasn't changed much as a person, even though his circumstances have. The Netflix series recently returned for a fourth season, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit our conversation about the third season. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Priva...
Mar 15, 2023•22 min•Ep 1595•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Black girl genius Lunella (voiced by Diamond White) who accidentally transports a T-Rex with the personality of a golden retriever from the prehistoric past to present day. She then launches into a side hustle fighting crime. The show is now streaming on Disney+. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Mar 14, 2023•15 min•Ep 1594•Transcript available on Metacast 
