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Stephen Thompson Stephen Thompson is a host, writer and reviewer for NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour. He appears frequently on All Songs Considered and NPR newsmagazines.
Washington, DC - May 03, 2016: Stephen Thompson CREDIT: Matt Roth
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Stephen Thompson

Friday

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out June 26

Arca. Her latest release, KiCk i, is on our shortlist of the best new albums out on June 26. Alex Raduan/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alex Raduan/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out June 26

This week's "best new albums" shortlist includes the genre-defying sounds of Arca, Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson's transporting improvisations, HAIM, sacred soul and more.

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out June 26

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In Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods,' The War Never Ends

Isiah Whitlock Jr., Norm Lewis, Clarke Peters, Delroy Lindo and Jonathan Majors star in Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods,' The War Never Ends

In Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods, four Black war veterans return to Vietnam. They're there to retrieve the remains of a fellow soldier, who died on the battlefield. They're also after millions of dollars' worth of gold bars they'd hidden during the war. Da 5 Bloods was supposed to roll out in theaters this summer; instead, it dropped on Netflix earlier this month. But it's still a major Oscar contender — a war epic that's grand in scope, with generational scars that run deep.

In Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods,' The War Never Ends

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Friday

New Music Friday: The Top 7 Albums Out On June 19

Phoebe Bridgers. Her sophomore full-length, Punisher, is on our shortlist of the week's best new albums. Frank Ockenfels hide caption

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Frank Ockenfels

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 7 Albums Out On June 19

Our shortlist of the week's best new albums includes a celebration of love from John Legend, a stunning release from Phoebe Bridgers, a long-lost Neil Young record, the Malian singer Oumou Sangaré and more.

use this one

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Wednesday

'The King Of Staten Island': Outer Borough, Inner Mess

Marisa Tomei and Pete Davidson star in the latest Judd Apatow film, The King of Staten Island. Mary Cybulski/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Mary Cybulski/Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The King Of Staten Island': Outer Borough, Inner Mess

In The King Of Staten Island, comedian Pete Davidson plays a wayward stoner whose life isn't going anywhere. He still lives with his mom, he doesn't have a job, and his plans for his life involve a vague — and foolish — plan to open "a tattoo restaurant." The film is directed by Judd Apatow, who also made Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Trainwreck. Apatow's movies often involve a protagonist who faces some sort of need to grow up, and The King Of Staten Island may feature the biggest reclamation project yet: Davidson's character barely functions as an adult, and through much of the film, we see a manchild with a lot of growing up to do.

'The King Of Staten Island': Outer Borough, Inner Mess

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Friday

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On June 12

Chloe x Halle's Ungodly Hour is on our shortlist of the best new albums out June 12. Robin Harper/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Robin Harper/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On June 12

From new jazz albums from Ambrose Akinmusire and Norah Jones to soothing works from Gia Margaret, Eighth Blackbird and Noveller, here are the best new albums out on June 12.

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On June 12

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'Central Park': A Musical Drawn To New York

Josh Gad (Birdie), Leslie Odom Jr. (Owen), and Chris Jackson (Glorious Gary) are just a few of the notable voice cast appearing in the Apple TV+ series Central Park. Apple TV+ hide caption

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Apple TV+

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Central Park': A Musical Drawn To New York

The new Apple TV+ series Central Park is an animated musical with a lot of interesting DNA. It shares creative and performing talent with Bob's Burgers, Frozen, and Hamilton, among other projects. The show follows the manager of New York's Central Park, who tries to keep the park safe from trash overflows, a demanding public, and city politics.

'Central Park': A Musical Drawn To New York

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Monday

Friday

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On May 29

Ondara (formerly known as JS Ondara). He's latest release, Folk N Roll Vol. 1 – Tales of Isolation, is on our shortlist of the best new albums out on May 29. Ian Flomer/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ian Flomer/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On May 29

If there's a common theme to the best new albums out this week, it's joy, from the relentlessly jubilant rock of the band Vistas, to singer Nicole Atkins' love letter to the Jersey Shore.

use this one

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In Tune With 'The High Note'

Dakota Johnson stars as Maggie Sherwood, Ice Cube as Jack Robertson and Tracee Ellis Ross as Grace Davis in The High Note. Glen WIlson/Focus Features hide caption

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Glen WIlson/Focus Features

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

In Tune With 'The High Note'

There have been countless movies about real and fictional musicians. And in the new movie The High Note, Tracee Ellis Ross plays the fictional legendary singer Grace Davis. Dakota Johnson plays Maggie, an aspiring record producer and Grace's personal assistant. The two women have to figure out everything from whether Maggie has a future in the music industry to whether Grace should take a residency in Vegas.

In Tune With 'The High Note'

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Wednesday

Why You Should Stream 'Booksmart'

Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, star in the 2019 comedy Booksmart. Courtesy of Annapurna Pictures hide caption

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Courtesy of Annapurna Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Why You Should Stream 'Booksmart'

Last year we talked about the movie Booksmart, and we really, really liked it. It's about two young women about to graduate from high school who spend one last night trying to catch up on everything they missed. Starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, it's the directing debut of actress Olivia Wilde. The comedy came out last summer — and it's currently streaming on Hulu and available to rent on demand. And because so many students are wrapping up their school year and graduating, we thought, what better time to look back at this terrific movie? (This episode originally aired on May 31, 2019.)

Why You Should Stream 'Booksmart'

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Saturday

Friday

New Music Friday: The Top 6 Albums Out On May 22

The 1975. The English band's latest release, Notes on a Conditional Form, tops our list of the best new albums out on May 22. Jordan Hughes/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jordan Hughes/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The Top 6 Albums Out On May 22

The best albums out this week include The 1975's sprawling masterpiece, Notes On A Conditional Form, the return of Indigo Girls, The Airborne Toxic Event, the rapper Gunna and more.

New Music Friday: The Top 6 Albums Out On May 22

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Great Recent Movies We Missed

Lakeith Stanfield and Issa Rae star in The Photograph, written and directed by Stella Meghie. Emily Aragones/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Emily Aragones/Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Great Recent Movies We Missed

This is not a normal summer movie season. Theaters are closed, big projects are delayed, and we're missing the flood of new films that would usually have already started. But you don't have to go without movies. That's because even if you see a lot, you miss even more. We do too, and that's what we're talking about today: some recent films we missed that are well worth your time. Plus, we remember the lives and work of Fred Willard and Lynn Shelton.

Great Recent Movies We Missed

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Wednesday