The Odyssey and What's Making Us Happy

The Odyssey and What's Making Us Happy

The Odyssey is director Christopher Nolan’s spectacular take on Homer’s epic work – full of gods, monsters, love and very bloody revenge. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, who is trying to get home to his wife and son, played by Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland. But the journey home is not easy, as Odyssey and his crew are confronted with sea monsters, nymphs, whirlpools and cannibals.  If you’re looking for more great epic blockbusters, check out these recommendations: 'Oppenheimer' looks at the building of the bomb, and its lingering fallout [https://www.npr.org/2024/02/26/1197962134/oppenheimer-looks-at-the-building-of-the-bomb-and-its-lingering-fallout]   Ryan Gosling gets serious (and very funny) about saving the planet in ‘Project Hail Mary’  [https://www.npr.org/2026/03/20/nx-s1-5751896/ryan-gosling-gets-serious-and-very-funny-about-saving-the-planet-in-project-hail-mary] Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour: Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/nprpopculture/] / Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/pchh] Our weekly newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/pop-culture] Support Pop Culture Happy Hour+ [https://plus.npr.org/happy] See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is a comedy, but it’s mostly a very funny hang. Zoey Deutch plays a small town hairdresser whose fiancee has just had sex with the celebrity on his sex pass list. She's determined to do the same – with Jon Hamm. She sets off to Hollywood to find him and gathers a motley crew along the way. The film was directed by David Wain, also is known for Wet Hot American Summer.  For other goofy comedies, check out these episodes:  'Jackass: Best and Last' looks back, misty-eyed, at a legacy of mayhem [https://www.npr.org/2026/06/29/nx-s1-5871313/jackass-best-and-last-looks-back-misty-eyed-at-a-legacy-of-mayhem] ‘Stop! That! Train!’ goes off the rails in a good way  [https://www.npr.org/2026/06/15/nx-s1-5855439/stop-that-train-goes-off-the-rails-in-a-good-way] Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour: Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/nprpopculture/] / Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/pchh] Our weekly newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/pop-culture] Support Pop Culture Happy Hour+ [https://plus.npr.org/happy] See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Little House on the Prairie

You may be familiar with the world of Little House on the Prairie, either through Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books, or the 1970s TV adaptation. Now, Netflix is once again bringing the Ingalls family to life with a new series. It focuses on earlier in Laura's life in Kansas, where the promise of available land for the family comes at the expense of a local Osage population that's being pushed out. During this time, the Ingalls family must make friends in their local community and deal with the harsh realities of pioneer life. Here are some recommendations both kids and adults will enjoy: ‘Zootopia 2’ brings back your favorite fun animals — and some pointed commentary  [https://www.npr.org/2025/11/26/nx-s1-5620813/zootopia-2-brings-back-your-favorite-fun-animals-and-some-pointed-commentary] In 'Toy Story 5,' playtime's over and screentime's in [https://www.npr.org/2026/06/19/nx-s1-5862016/in-toy-story-5-playtimes-over-and-screentimes-in] Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour: Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/nprpopculture/] / Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/pchh] Our weekly newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/pop-culture] Support Pop Culture Happy Hour+ [https://plus.npr.org/happy] See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

The Invite

What happens when a simple dinner party goes off the rails? That’s the premise of The Invite, a very good new comedy directed by Olivia Wilde. Wilde also stars alongside Seth Rogen as a couple who invite their neighbors over for a meal, played by Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton. And it’s a heck of a dinner party, full of frank talk about sex and its complications. If you like slightly absurd relationship comedies, check out these episodes: 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' is a stylish take on spy marriage [https://www.npr.org/2024/02/07/1197961672/mr-and-mrs-smith-is-a-stylish-take-on-spy-marriage] In Tina Fey’s ‘The Four Seasons,’ marriage is far from a vacation [https://www.npr.org/2026/05/28/nx-s1-5836363/in-tina-feys-the-four-seasons-marriage-is-far-from-a-vacation] Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour: Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/nprpopculture/] / Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/pchh] Our weekly newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/pop-culture] Support Pop Culture Happy Hour+ [https://plus.npr.org/happy] See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Moana and What’s Making Us Happy

Moana is back in Disney’s new sort-of-live-action remake, but how far does it go from the original? Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, appearing in the flesh this time around. Catherine Laga'aia plays Moana, who sets out to save her island, along with her chicken. The film features a new song from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote songs for the original animated film.  Craving more live action Disney remakes? Check out these episodes: 'Lilo & Stitch' brings its fuzzy agent of chaos to the real world [https://www.npr.org/2025/05/27/1253209957/lilo-and-stitch-brings-its-fuzzy-agent-of-chaos-to-the-real-world] 'The Little Mermaid' takes the uncanny valley under the sea [https://www.npr.org/2023/05/08/1174750539/the-little-mermaid-takes-the-uncanny-valley-under-the-sea] Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour: Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/nprpopculture/] / Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/pchh] Our weekly newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/pop-culture] Support Pop Culture Happy Hour+ [https://plus.npr.org/happy] See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]