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.

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July 10, 2025Comments Off on We rewatch the movies we loved as teensRead More

‘We all want to be Superman; Superman wants to be us,’ says James Gunn

Morning Edition host A Martínez asks writer/director James Gunn, the man behind the reimagining of the entire DC Comics universe for the screen, about his vision for Superman.

July 10, 2025Comments Off on ‘We all want to be Superman; Superman wants to be us,’ says James GunnRead More

Celine Song had too much fun as a matchmaker

Filmmaker Celine Song isn’t religious, but that doesn’t stop her from seeing certain dead insects as signs in her life and treating a good meal like prayer.

July 9, 2025Comments Off on Celine Song had too much fun as a matchmakerRead More

What works about road trip movies centered on women?

NPR’s Pien Huang, Avery Keatley and Bob Mondello explore what works about road trip movies centered on women.

July 6, 2025Comments Off on What works about road trip movies centered on women?Read More

Mariska Hargitay walks a fine line in ‘My Mom Jayne’

It’s natural to feel some skepticism when a celebrity makes a documentary about their own family. But Law & Order star Mariska Hargitay’ tells a story that is both effective and empathetic.

July 5, 2025Comments Off on Mariska Hargitay walks a fine line in ‘My Mom Jayne’Read More

Jenny Han is an expert in embarrassment

Jenny Han feels close to her teen self, which explains why her books and their adaptations connect with teen audiences. She spoke with Rachel about the potency of shame and what she’s selfish about.

July 3, 2025Comments Off on Jenny Han is an expert in embarrassmentRead More

In theaters now: A post-apocalyptic thriller, a steamy noir and, yes, dinosaurs

The newest Jurassic installment is roaring into theaters. Meanwhile, Danielle Deadwyler is determined to defend her family’s land in the post-apocalyptic thriller 40 Acres.

July 3, 2025Comments Off on In theaters now: A post-apocalyptic thriller, a steamy noir and, yes, dinosaursRead More

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?

Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture

July 3, 2025Comments Off on In ‘Jurassic World Rebirth,’ even the humans are sick of dinosaursRead More

‘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 …

June 30, 2025Comments Off on ‘M3GAN 2.0’ reboots a horror-comedy gem, with add-onsRead More

What makes a great movie premise that sticks with you?

NPR’s Andrew Limbong leads a conversation about what constitutes a great premise for a movie – and why a good one sticks with you, even if the film doesn’t.

June 28, 2025Comments Off on What makes a great movie premise that sticks with you?Read More

‘M3GAN 2.0’ is more of an expansion pack than an upgrade

Filmmakers stuff the killer-robot sequel with extraneous plot threads, but preserve the B-movie appeal of the original.

June 28, 2025Comments Off on ‘M3GAN 2.0’ is more of an expansion pack than an upgradeRead More