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Pop Culture Happy HourPop Culture Happy Hour

Pop culture in high spirits
Chelley Bissainthe on Season 7 of Love Island USA.

Chelley Bissainthe on Season 7 of Love Island USA. Chelley and her partner, Ace, were dumped from the villa on Friday's episode. Kim Nunneley/Peacock hide caption

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Kim Nunneley/Peacock

Review

'Love Island USA' might decenter whiteness — but the show still won't face reality

The finale of Love Island USA airs Sunday night. Critic Aisha Harris says it's impossible to separate the season's racial and ethnic diversity from the show's mealy-mouthed handling of behind-the-scenes drama.

'Superman' takes off and nails the landing

Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet in Superman. Jessica Miglio/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. hide caption

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Jessica Miglio/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Superman' takes off and nails the landing

After much anticipation, there is a pretty great new Superman movie. And he's bringing exactly what we look to him for: hope. Writer and director James Gunn and new Man of Steel, David Corenswet, team up for a new tale of the eternal struggle between evil billionaire megalomaniac Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) and some people in colorful costumes who combine all their powers to stop him. And this time, there's a dog.

'Superman' takes off and nails the landing

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David Corenswet plays Superman in James Gunn's new film.

David Corenswet plays Superman in James Gunn's new film. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

James Gunn's 'Superman' movie is corny. Which is why it gets Superman right

Every era gets the Superman it needs. James Gunn's version — sincere, inspiring and idealistic — will make you want to cheer.

James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ movie is corny. Which is why it gets Superman right

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We rewatch the movies we loved as teens

Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future. Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo hide caption

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Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We rewatch the movies we loved as teens

This summer marks Pop Culture Happy Hour's 15th birthday. We decided to re-watch the movies we loved at 15 with fresh eyes, and of course, some of them have aged better than others. Today on the show, we revisit the movies we loved as teens — including Chicago, Back to the Future, The Breakfast Club, and The Hunger.

We rewatch the movies we loved as teens

Listen · 23:17
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We're taking a chaotic trip to 'Love Island,' babe

Huda Mustafa in season 7 of Love Island USA. Ben Symons/Peacock hide caption

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Ben Symons/Peacock

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We're taking a chaotic trip to 'Love Island,' babe

Love Island USA is pure chaos, and admittedly: we love it. It's one of many spinoffs of the long-running British hit series, Love Island — and it might be the closest thing we've got to a watercooler event. The latest season of Peacock's knowingly trashy reality dating show has fired up the group chats thanks to this messy batch of conventionally sexy singles. Sometimes, for better or worse, fans even get to stir the pot and decide who stays or goes.

We're taking a chaotic trip to 'Love Island,' babe

Listen · 26:55
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Great Songs For Your Next Road Trip

A man drives a vintage automobile down a highway June 27, 2007 in Colorado. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Great Songs For Your Next Road Trip

If you're thinking about taking a road trip, you're going to need some road trip music. You might need a pick-me-up, a distraction, or something for when you need a break from podcasts. But if you're headed out on the road, we're here to help with three songs to blast on your next road trip.

Great Songs For Your Next Road Trip

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In 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' even the humans are sick of dinosaurs

Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth. Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment hide caption

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Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' even the humans are sick of dinosaurs

Jurassic World Rebirth is the latest reboot of the beloved franchise. This time around Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey head to a fresh island of mutant dinosaurs, where they experience a familiar mix of splashy kills and not-so-subtle morality tales. But can the film live up to the magic of the original Jurassic Park?

In 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' even the humans are sick of dinosaurs

Listen · 21:07
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The 'Squid Game' finale answers questions, then raises one more

Lee Jung-jae in the third season of Squid Game. No Ju-han/Netflix hide caption

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No Ju-han/Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The 'Squid Game' finale answers questions, then raises one more

Netflix's Korean drama Squid Game became a worldwide phenomenon, winning six Emmys and inspiring countless Halloween costumes. The series has now reached its bloody finale. As the current game concludes, more people die and we find out whether Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and others can finally end the games for good.

The 'Squid Game' finale answers questions, then raises one more

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'The Bear' is back with its strong performances intact

Ayo Edebiri in The Bear's fourth season. FX hide caption

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FX

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Bear' is back with its strong performances intact

The Bear is back for a new season. The FX on Hulu series sees Carmy and Sydney (Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri) trying to get the restaurant they opened together on its feet before they run out of money. Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is thrown by his ex-wife's approaching wedding and what it's going to mean for him. Plus there's scallop drama, secret negotiations, and guest stars both new and old.

'The Bear' is back with its strong performances intact

Listen · 22:08
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'M3GAN 2.0' reboots a horror-comedy gem, with add-ons

M3GAN returns in M3GAN 2.0 Universal Pictures hide caption

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Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'M3GAN 2.0' reboots a horror-comedy gem, with add-ons

The horror comedy M3GAN spawned memes, made a fortune, and even taught us a lesson about the dangers of outsourcing our humanity to AI. The sequel, M3GAN 2.0, pans out to tell a bigger story about an even deadlier AI killing machine — and brings back the original M3GAN for some hi-tech robot-on-robot violence. Though M3GAN was defeated at the end of the original film, her tech remains — and it's found its way into a rogue AI assassin named Amelia.

'M3GAN 2.0' reboots a horror-comedy gem, with add-ons

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Is there vroom in your summer for 'F1 The Movie'?

Damson Idris and Brad Pitt in F1 The Movie. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Is there vroom in your summer for 'F1 The Movie'?

If you like cars that go fast, you'll be glad to know they go very fast in F1 The Movie. The film stars Brad Pitt as a veteran Formula 1 driver and Damson Idris as the young hotshot, who's very talented but a little too cocky. With nine races left in the season, they have to win one, or the whole team could crash and burn.

Is there vroom in your summer for 'F1 The Movie'?

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Marvel's 'Ironheart' suits up
Jalen Marlowe/Disney Plus

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Marvel's 'Ironheart' suits up

Ironheart is a fun new Marvel series following Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a brilliant young woman we first met in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. To fund her inventions – including a suit a lot like the one Iron Man used to wear – she falls in with a gang of criminals who rob from the rich led by The Hood (Anthony Ramos). But when her ambitions place the people she loves in danger, she's forced to reckon with her past and her grief. Ironheart is streaming now on Disney+.

Marvel's 'Ironheart' suits up

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Top 5 Pixar movies, ranked by listeners

Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Woody (Tom Hanks) in Toy Story. Pixar Disney/Maximum Film/Alamy hide caption

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Pixar Disney/Maximum Film/Alamy

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Top 5 Pixar movies, ranked by listeners

It's been nearly 30 years since Toy Story kicked off a historic run of animated films. So now seemed like a good time to discuss the best of the best — YOUR picks for the greatest Pixar films of all time. Thousands of you voted, and we've got the results.

Top 5 Pixar movies, ranked by listeners

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Space is the place for Pixar's 'Elio' (or so he thinks)

Elio voiced by Yonas Kibreab in Pixar's Elio. Disney/Pixar hide caption

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Disney/Pixar

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Space is the place for Pixar's 'Elio' (or so he thinks)

In the new Pixar film Elio, a lonely kid dreams of being abducted by aliens. And then one day, it happens. Eager to find a place to belong, Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) volunteers to save the aliens from a dangerous enemy. Along the way, he makes a friend and starts to think about Earth a little differently. The film was directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi (Turning Red) and Adrian Molina (Coco).

Space is the place for Pixar's 'Elio' (or so he thinks)

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Is '28 Years Later' worth the wait?

Ralph Fiennes and Jodie Comer in 28 Years Later. Miya Mizuno/Sony Pictures hide caption

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Miya Mizuno/Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Is '28 Years Later' worth the wait?

The new apocalyptic horror film 28 Years Later takes place in the same world as 28 Days Later, where a deadly virus transformed the citizens of the U.K. into rabid blood-spewing creatures. The new film brings back the original's director and screenwriter, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. It's set on a small island where a group of survivors (including Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson) eke out a modest existence. A desperate expedition reveals new allies and new horrors – because the infected have evolved.

Is '28 Years Later' worth the wait?

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'Pee-Wee As Himself' reveals the person behind the persona

Paul Reubens in Pee-Wee As Himself. HBO hide caption

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HBO

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Pee-Wee As Himself' reveals the person behind the persona

The new HBO documentary Pee-Wee As Himself isn't the boilerplate Hollywood profile you think it is. You get the biographical details you expect – how young avant-garde artist Paul Ruebens created the persona of Pee-Wee Herman, and the meteoric rise and fall that followed. But you also get a sense of what it cost Reubens to insist that Pee-Wee wasn't simply a persona, but in fact a real person. It's streaming now on Max.

'Pee-Wee As Himself' reveals the person behind the persona

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