Pop Culture Happy Hour

Disclosure Day and What’s Making Us Happy

Stephen Spielberg brings aliens back to the big screen in Disclosure Day. But how does his new blockbuster compare to his alien classics like E.T. and Close Encounters of The Third Kind? Our heroes Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor are compelled by something they don’t understand, and there are authority figures trying to keep a huge secret from the public.  If you need more summer blockbusters, check out:  ‘Jaws’ is still stuck in our teeth, 50 years later [https://www.npr.org/2025/08/28/nx-s1-5518187/jaws-is-still-stuck-in-our-teeth-50-years-later] The summer blockbusters we finally watched [https://www.npr.org/2025/06/10/1253920685/the-summer-blockbusters-we-finally-watched] 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]

Summer House

Have you been keeping up with all the drama of Summer House? The cast of the Bravo reality series is currently embroiled in a scandal involving Kyle Cooke, Amanda Batula, West Wilson and Ciara Miller. We’re unpacking why people in and outside the Bravo fandom can’t stop talking about Summer House, what drives the drama of Bravo, and where the franchise might go from here.  Do you like messy and fun reality shows? Check out these episodes: We're taking a chaotic trip to 'Love Island,' babe [https://www.npr.org/2025/07/08/1255321716/were-taking-a-chaotic-trip-to-love-island-babe] 'Vanderpump Rules,' 'Scandoval' and a fight that never ends [https://www.npr.org/2023/05/31/1179287325/vanderpump-rules-scandoval-and-a-fight-that-never-ends] 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]

Office Romance

The new Netflix film Office Romance pairs rom-com veteran Jennifer Lopez with Brett Goldstein in a story about the hazards of falling for your boss. But is the on-screen chemistry there? And how does it fit into J.Lo’s rom-com history? Directed by Ol Parker (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again), the film was written by Goldstein and Joe Kelly, one of the writers he worked with on Ted Lasso. If you need another Jennifer Lopez fix, check out these episodes: Can Jennifer Lopez's 'This Is Me... Now' say anything new? [https://www.npr.org/2024/02/22/1197962072/jennifer-lopezs-this-is-me-now] A silly 'Shotgun Wedding' sends J.Lo on an adventure [https://www.npr.org/2023/01/25/1151319714/a-silly-shotgun-wedding-sends-j-lo-on-an-adventure] 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]

Scary Movie

The horror comedy franchise Scary Movie is back in theaters with a new movie. But does this legacy sequel that parodies other legacy sequels have anything new to say? Helmed by the Wayans Brothers, it lampoons horror tropes new and old amid a flurry of jokes and references, and brings back familiar faces like Anna Faris and Regina Hall. It also introduces a new generation to face the dreaded Ghostface. Do you want to hear about more legacy sequels? Check out these episodes: ‘Scream 7’ takes a weak stab at continuing the franchise [https://www.npr.org/2026/02/27/nx-s1-5729142/scream-7-takes-a-weak-stab-at-continuing-the-franchise] 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' gets hooked on nostalgia [https://www.npr.org/2025/07/22/1256040801/i-know-what-you-did-last-summer-gets-hooked-on-nostalgia] 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]

Masters of the Universe and What’s Making Us Happy

The new Masters of the Universe movie is packed with Easter eggs for fans of the old 80s cartoon and toys, but does this wannabe summer blockbuster have anything to offer for everybody else? It features big names playing the signature characters, like He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine), Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie), Man at Arms (Idris Elba), and Skeletor (Jared Leto). But the movie also adds a contemporary and comedic comic riff on the story.     If you like nostalgic adaptations for superfans, check out these episodes: In 'Mortal Kombat II,' fatality meets fan service [https://www.npr.org/2026/05/08/nx-s1-5814848/in-mortal-kombat-ii-fatality-meets-fan-service] 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' has high charisma [https://www.npr.org/2023/03/22/1165377735/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves-has-high-charisma] 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]