Pop Culture Happy Hour

Netflix’s charming comedy The Four Seasons follows a group of couples whose friendship dynamic is rocked by their mid-life crises. The impressive cast includes Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte. And while the jokes may not fly quite as fast as they did on 30 Rock , Fey’s comedic sensibilities are written all over it. The Four Seasons just returned for a second season, so we’re...

In the new film I Love Boosters , Keke Palmer is the ringleader of a shoplifting crew that squares off with an unethical fashion CEO played by Demi Moore. It's from the bizarro visionary director Boots Riley ( Sorry to Bother You ) and it may be his most delightfully unhinged project yet.  Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Ho...

Something is definitely up in the fantastic new Netflix series The Boroughs . Monsters, or maybe aliens? It’s set in a seemingly idyllic mid-century modern retirement community in the middle of the desert, and focuses on a septuagenarian Scooby Gang formed by Geena Davis, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare and Clarke Peters. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhou...

The Mandalorian has made the jetpack-assisted leap to the big screen with the new movie Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu . The laconic bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) and his cute sidekick Grogu are hired by the good guys to do a job for some bad guys. You know what you’re gonna get – creatures, droids, easter eggs, and lots of fights. But, after three seasons on Disney+, will folks go out to the...

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert comes to an end this week amid a lot of changes in the business and the country. Some of the sources of tension include the economics of late night, the approaching merger of Paramount and Warner Brothers, and President Donald Trump's constant criticism of late-night hosts. But for Colbert's fans, it's the end of a friendly, funny, candid show. So we’re talking a...

You should make sure to check out the new film Is God Is . It’s a kinetic movie about twin sisters (Kara Young and Mallori Johnson) who set out to kill their abusive dad (Sterling K. Brown). It’s an exciting road trip movie akin to Thelma & Louise mashed up with the affecting themes of sisterhood in The Color Purple. The promising feature debut from acclaimed playwright Alesha Harris also features...

If you’re a fan of the movie Heat , then you might be into Netflix’s new action-packed heist series Nemesis . Co-created by Courtney A. Kemp ( Power) , it’s about the blurry lines between criminality and the law, and follows an LAPD detective (Matthew Law) chasing an elusive crew of robbers and its ringleader (Y’lan Noel). The show has a lot going on – stylized set pieces, double-crosses, relation...

The new film Obsession has a familiar setup: A guy makes a wish, wish comes true, and things go bad. But what sets this twisted little movie apart is how bad things go, and the astonishing, terrifying performance of its lead actress, Inde Navarrette. Written and directed by Curry Barker, the film follows a schlubby music store employee (Michael Johnston) who’s in love with his coworker (Navarrette...

Shrek launched a Dreamworks franchise, won an Oscar, spawned a stage musical, and greatly extended the cultural life of the band Smash Mouth. And it all started with the story of a crabby green ogre, voiced by Mike Myers, who just wants a bunch of fairy-tale characters to stay out of his swamp. The film turns 25 this month, so we are revisiting our conversation about its legacy.  Follow Pop Cultur...

One basic truth of the streaming era is that streaming movies come at you fast. So we’re recommending three fun movies that we haven't covered on the show that you can stream at home: Apex , Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice , and Thrash . Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour  See pcm.adswizz.com for...

In the charming new movie The Sheep Detectives , a shepherd (Hugh Jackman) is murdered and the sheep who adored him are determined to solve the crime. The sheep are voiced by an impressive cast including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patrick Stewart, and Bryan Cranston. It’s sweet and funny, and quite emotional. It might change the whole way you see sheep and murrrrrrder.  Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on...

Mortal Kombat II brings back more of the unforgettable characters you might have grown up eviscerating. Based on the ultra-violent video game franchise, it centers the story on warrior princess Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) and washed-up action star Johnny Cage (Karl Urban).  And of course, there’s fighting. Lots and lots of fighting. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at  letterboxd.com/nprpo...

You probably read the Lord of the Flie s in high school — and now you can watch it on Netflix. It follows a bunch of British schoolboys who get stranded on a deserted island and descend into violent tribalism. Lord of the Flies is made by one of the creators of the Emmy-winning Adolescence , another grim meditation on youth and violence and masculinity. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

Survivor changed the landscape of reality television. Over 50 seasons, the competition has riveted audiences with its complex social strategy, ever-shifting alliances, and many twists. The show has evolved, and fans have debated changes to the game for years. So what’s the best Survivor season of all time? Sign up for the Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter at npr.org/popculturenewsletter . See pcm....

In the satisfying new horror movie Hokum , Adam Scott plays a misanthropic writer who takes his parents' ashes to the lonely Irish inn where they honeymooned many years ago. There’s just a few things dampening his stay: surly staff, a local eccentric and a witch haunting the hotel. Hokum was directed by Damian McCarthy, known for making similarly spooky films like Caveat and Oddity.  Follow Pop Cu...

The Devil Wears Prada 2 reunites Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci 20 years after the beloved original film. The sequel finds Andy as a mid-career reporter who gets an unexpected opportunity to lead the features department at Runway and working for Miranda Priestly, the worst boss she ever had. But does the sequel capture the magic of the original film? Follow Pop Culture...

It’s getting warm outside and the sun is shining, which means it’s time to look ahead to what you should be watching and listening to this summer. We've got a guide to the movies, TV and music we're most excited to check out, including Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, and movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day , Disclosure Day and I Love Boosters . Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.or...

The great new Apple TV series Margo's Got Money Troubles boasts an impressive cast: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Nicole Kidman--there's no shortage of star power. Fanning plays a college student whose life gets very complicated when she becomes a mother at 19 and joins OnlyFans. It was created by David E. Kelley ( Big Little Lies ), and is based on a novel by Rufi Thorpe.  Subsc...

The surreal movie Mother Mary stars Anne Hathaway as a Gaga-esque pop star facing an existential crisis. She turns to her former costume designer and estranged friend, played by Michaela Coel, to find herself again. The reunion resurfaces old wounds, and then things get spooky and weird. The film features a few grandiose concert numbers with songs penned by Charli xcx, Jack Antonoff, and FKA twigs...

Michael Jackson was one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, so it’s only natural that he’s the subject of a glossy, big-budget biopic. In Michael , the singer’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson portrays him in his rise to fame. The film leans heavily on the depiction of live performances, but steers entirely clear of the controversies that dogged the singer.  Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Le...

Michael Jackson remains one of the most influential and celebrated musicians in modern history, yet his legacy continues to inspire both intense criticism and fascination. The new film, Michael , is set for release this week, raising the question of whether an estate-approved biopic can truly redefine an artist's legacy. Aisha Harris explores the various music videos and biopics related to this ge...

In the terrific new film The Christophers , an art restorer with a background in forgery (Michaela Coel) takes a job as an assistant to a once-famous artist who's faded from public life (Ian McKellen). And her motives are… complicated. It might seem like a quiet story, but as directed by Steven Soderbergh, the movie packs a serious punch of talent. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at le...

The Netflix Beef returns for season two with an all new cast. This time the beef involves two couples: Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac face off against Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny. Just like in the first season, their feud reveals way bigger underlying issues for each of the parties involved. Everyone’s a mess and it’s a surreal journey to behold. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at pl...

Bob Odenkirk has pivoted from sketch comedy to dramatic acting and, most recently, to late-middle-aged action star. In the new film Normal , he plays a small-town sheriff who finds out his small town isn’t so normal after all, which will of course require some sexagenarian butt-kicking. The cast includes Henry Winkler and Lena Headey, and was written by Derek Kolstad, the mind behind the John Wick...

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, in this encore episode, we make a dent in our own lists of classic films we somehow had not yet gotten to, including Erin Brockovich , Enter the Dragon , Raging Bull, and Flower Drum Song . Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See...