PopaHALLics #164 "Damaged Goods"

Damaged people make for good pop in this episode, from a Neil Diamond tribute band with trouble at the door to a widow keeping busy to cope with her son's disappearance over 30 years ago in "Remarkably Bright Creatures."

Streaming:

• "Remarkably Bright Creatures," Netflix. This movie adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt's novel stars Sally Field as a night shift aquarium worker who forms a bond with a curmudgeonly giant Pacific octopus (voiced by Alfred Molina).
• "Widow's Bay," Apple TV. A new mayor (Matthew Rhys) tries to turn his island town into a tourist destination despite its dark past in this comedy horror series. With Stephen Root and Kate O'Flynn.
• "Patience," BBC. An autistic police archivist (Ella Maisy Purvis) helps a detective inspector (Laura Fraser) solve crimes in this Belgian/British drama.
• "Song Sung Blue," Hulu. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as a Neil Diamond tribute band in Milwaukee in this heartwarming movie about the trials and tribulations of their relationship.
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord," Disney Plus. Animated. The horned, red and black devilish villain from "The Phantom Menace" tries to rebuild his criminal empire and woo a Jedi apprentice to the Dark Side.

Books:

• "The Twelve LIves of Alfred Hitchcock: An Anatomy of the Master of Suspense," by Edward White. This 2021 Edgar Award-winning biography explores the famed director through 12 distinct facets of his life, such as "The Voyeur," "The Entertainer," and "The Murderer."
• "Hex House," by Amy Jane Stewart. A dark feminist horror novel set in Scotland. Hex House is a magical safe haven that turns abused women into vessels of revenge.
• "Hitchcock's Blondes: The Unforgettable Women Behind the Legendary Director's Dark Obsession," by Laurence Leamer. This book covers some of the same subjects as "The Twelve Lives," but puts the women at the center of the story, with an emphasis on misbehavior (mainly Hitchcock's) and sex (mainly them).

Music:

PopaHALLics #164 Playlist (Kacey) features selections from Kacey Musgraves' new album "Middle of Nowhere," as well as Jackman and Hudson performing Neil Diamond's hits from the "Song Sung Blue" soundtrack.

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PopaHALLics #163 "Pop-ping up Everywhere"

Buckle up, kids! On this episode, we zoom around from deep space to 1998 New York to Palestine to Ireland to a Mormon community in Utah to Elle Fanning's bedroom. Note: Three of the trailers below open with someone waking up gasping. Prepare to be breathless!

Theaters:

• "Project Hail Mary." In this huge sci-fi hit, a high school science teacher (Ryan Gosling) must reluctantly save the Earth. And make an unlikely friend in the process. Based on the novel by Andy Weir ("The Martian").

Streaming:

• "Caught Stealing," Netflix. Watching his neighbor's cat forces a former baseball prodigy (Austin Butler) into contact with some very bad gangsters in this violent dark comedy. With Regina King, Zoe Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, and Vincent D'Onofrio. Extra points if you spot Griffin Dunne!
• "Margo's Got Money Troubles," Apple TV. A single mom college student (Elle Fanning) uses her creative skills to get money through an Only Fans account in this comedy drama. With Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman.
• "Trust Me: The False Prophet," Netflix. In this documentary, a cult expert and her husband embed themselves in a Mormon community, where Samuel Bateman claims to be the successor to imprisoned prophet Warren Jeffs.
• "War Machine," Netflix. During the final stage of Army Ranger selection, an elite team's training exercise turns into a very real fight for survival against an alien threat in this action thriller. Starring Alan Ritchson and Dennis Quaid.
• "The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson," Netflix. This documentary explores "the vibrant life of a pro cyclist, her shocking murder, and how far her killer went to evade capture" (Netflix).

Books:

• "Too Soon," by Betty Shamieh. This 2025 debut novel follows three generations of Palestinian women as they navigate love, identity, and displacement from 1948 to the present day.
• "Murder in G Major: A Gethsemane Brown Mystery," by Alexia Gordon. In this 2015 cozy mystery, a struggling African-American conductor' takes a job working with high school musicians in Ireland and living in a cliffside cottage. The ghost of the cottage''s owner, a famous composer, asks for her help in clearing his name of the murders of his wife and himself. Witty and fun.

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copy[right law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted materials for purposes such as comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #162 "Many (Happy) Returns?

People come back on this episode—to the past, to gangland trouble in the present, to a murder that keeps occurring, and to home.

Theaters:

• "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." When Princess Rosalina gets kidnapped by Bowser Jr., Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach are on the case. With the voices of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, and more.

Streaming:

• "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man," Netflix. In this movie sequel to the series, will Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) return from self-imposed exile in time to prevent the gang's new leader, his son, from making a terrible mistake?
• "Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice," Hulu. This unusual crime comedy finds future Nick (Vince Vaughn) traveling through time to try to save his associate Mike (James Marsden) when the gang suspects a rat.
• "The Outrun," Netflix. After living life on the edge, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) tries to come to terms with her troubled past by returning to Scotland's Orkney Islands.

Books:

• "The Man Who Died Seven Times," by Yasuhiko Nishizawa. In this twisty, clever murder mystery, a college student stuck in a time loop attempts to prevent his grandfather's murder and learn the killer's identity.
• "Heart the Lover," by Lily King. Both a prequel and sequel to "Writers and Lovers," this novel explores a college love triangle decades later when the narrator is forced to confront her past.
• "Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery," by Fred Van Lente. When ten comedians are summoned to a remote island to meet a legendary comic, someone begins killing them off one by one. A funny, sometimes gory novel.
• "Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng," by Kylie Lee Baker. As women are murdered in Chinatown, a young Chinese-American wonders if she is haunted by a "hungry ghost" or a vampire in this horror novel.

The Fair Doctrine doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the unauthorized limited use of copyrighted materials for such purposes as comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #161 "All in the Family"

Family runs through this episode, whether it's a crime family with a manipulative matriarch, a family of animals (dinosaurs) or a homeless-looking guy trying to build a "family" from hostages to stop technology from taking over the world.

In Theaters:

• "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die." In this sci-fi action comedy with crazy visuals, a man claims to have come from the future to prevent dangerous AI. Starring Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, and Juno Temple.

Streaming:

• "How to Get from Heaven to Belfast," Netflix. In this Irish comic mystery/thriller from the creator of "Derry Girls," three lifelong friends attending the wake of a fourth realize something's amiss.
• "Animal Kingdom," Prime. Ellen Barkin stars as a crime family matriarch who rules her sons and grandson with borderline incestuous love. Six seasons of this American crime drama, based on an Australian film, are available.
• "The Dinosaurs," Netflix. With stunning CGI, this four-episode series from producer Stephen Spielberg traces the rise and fall of the dinosaurs. Morgan Freeman narrates this spiritual successor to "Life on Our Planet" (2023).

Books:

• "Empire of Madness: Reimagining Western Mental Health for Everyone," by Khameer Kidia. A physician argues our mental healthcare system focuses on medicating symptoms rather than addressing root causes like history, culture, and political structures.

Music:

• Harry Styles returns with the disco and electronic-pop-tinged album, "Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally." And cohost Steve Hall releases his first solo record in 13 years, "It's Alive" (Remastered), as well as "First Wind" by his band the Windbag Brothers. All are featured on PopaHALLics #161 Playlist (Harry).

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PopaHALLics #160 "It's Time to Light the Lights"

From Kermit the Frog to the KGB, from Bad Bunny to "Eternity," we are all over the pop culture landscape. There's even a short review of Oscar-nominated shorts.

Streaming:

• "Eternity," Apple TV. After a woman (Elizabeth Olsen) dies in this romantic comedy, she must choose who she wants to spend eternity with: Her longtime husband (Miles Teller) or her husband who died young (Callum Turner).
• "The Muppet Show," Disney +. In this special like their old series (1976-1981), Kermit and the gang try to put on a show despite backstage chaos. Singer/songwriter/actress Sabrina Carpenter is the guest star.
• "Ponies," Peacock. This Cold War thriller features two women (Emilia Clarke and Haley Liu Richardson) becoming unlikely spies in Moscow to investigate their husbands' mysterious deaths.
• Oscar-nominated live action shorts: "The Singers," Netflix; "A Friend of Dorothy," YouTube; and "Jane Austen's Period Drama," YouTube. Through March 2, you can also watch seven of the nominated live-action and animated shorts at manhattanshortonline.com for $12.

Books:

• "The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox," by Maggie O'Farrell. In this 2006 novel by the author of "Hamnet," the release of a great-aunt from a psychiatric hospital after 61 years forces a woman to confront a hidden family history of secrets and shame.
• "Our Mothers' Daughters," by Judith Arcana. This nonfiction book from the 1970s uses interviews to explore the relationship between mothers and daughters.

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PopaHALLics #!59 "Train Dreams and Wonder Men"

We discuss the Oscar-nominated "Train Dreams," Marvel TV series "Wonder Man," the latest "Bridgerton," and more! Plus Resident Kid Expert (age 10) reviews "KPop Demon Hunters."

Streaming:

• "Train Dreams," Netflix. A logger (Joel Edgerton) struggles with the meaning of life in this Best Picture nominee. With Felicity Jones and William H. Macy.
• "His and Hers," Netflix. Estranged spouses (Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal) compete to solve a murder case while both thinking the other did it.
• "Wonder Man," Disney +. A struggling actor with superpowers (Yahya Abdul Mateen II) and a pretentious acting vet with a hidden agenda (Ben Kingsley) develop an unlikely friendship. Based on the Marvel comic.
• "Bridgerton," Netflix. In season 4, rake Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) is intrigued by a masked woman (Yerin Ha) at a ball. Upstairs and downstairs!
• "Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game," Tubi. A young GQ writer/pinball wizard seeks out to change the game being illegal in NYC in this true story.
• "KPop Demon Hunters," Netflix. This animated musical about a girl group battling demons is Netflix's most-watched original film, with over 500 million views.

Books:

• "Up Jumps the Devil" and "Reincarnation Blues," by Michael Poore. Two humorous fantasies. In the first, the Devil tries to make America great to win back his heavenly love. In the second, Milo is running out of lives to become one with everything—including his true love.
• "Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil," by V.E. Schwab. In this acclaimed novel, three female vampires over the centuries deal with love and rage.

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PopaHALLics #158 "Pop Goes the Globe!"

We look at two movies with Golden Globe awards—"One Battle After Another" and "Marty Supreme"—as well as the movie "Life of Chuck," the rom-com "People We Meet on Vacation" and Tulsa-set crime comedy drama series "The Lowdown."

In Theaters:

• "Marty Supreme." Timothee Chalamet won a Golden Globe (best actor, musical/comedy) by playing a talented jerk determined to be a world-champion ping pong player at all costs. With Gwyneth Paltrow, Fran Drescher, Penn Jillette, and more.

Streaming:

• "One Battle After Another," various streaming channels. This intense political thriller won Golden Globes for best musical/comedy, Teyana Taylor (best actress, musical/comedy), best screenplay and best director (Paul Thomas Anderson). Leonardo DiCaprio plays a former revolutionary trying to protect his daughter from a villainous Army captain (Sean Penn).
• "The Life of Chuck," Hulu. This adaptation of a Stephen King novella was written and directed by Mike Flanagan. Tom Hiddleston stars in the life-affirming tale of an ordinary man, whose story is told in reverse chronological order. With Karen Gillan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mia Sara and Mark Hamill.
• "People We Meet on Vacation," Netflix. In this romantic comedy, Emily Bader and Tom Blyth play best friends/polar opposites who have gone on vacation together for a decade. Based on an Emily Henry novel.
• "The Lowdown," Hulu and other streaming channels. Ethan Hawke plays a "truthologist" trying to get to the bottom of the death of the black sheep (Tim Blake Nelson) of a prominent Oklahoma family. With Keith David, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Kyle Maclachlan, and Peter Dinklage.
• "Emily in Paris," Netflix. In season 5, Emily (Lily Collins) travels to Rome to launch an Agence Grateau office there. She also handles a new relationship with a luxury fashion heir (Eugenio Franceschini). What could go wrong?

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PopaHALLics #157 "Ho Ho Pop"

On our last episode of 2025, we discuss new movies including the latest "Knives Out" and "Hamnet," and books including a great take on the Lennon-McCartney relationship. Plus Kate looks back at "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"!

In Theaters:

• "Hamnet." Academy-Award winning director Chloe Zhao and author Maggie O'Farrell explore how the loss of a son inspires William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.

Streaming:

• "Wake up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery," Netflix. In the third installment of Rian Johnson's detective series, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig, in thumbnail photo) investigates a murder mystery "with biblical proportions" in a small town. With Josh O'Connor, Josh Brolin, and Glenn Close.
• "The Family Plan 2," Apple TV. In this action comedy sequel, the Morgans' trip to London at Christmas is complicated by a "ghost from the past." Starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, and Kit Harrington ("Game of Thrones").
• "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Hulu. Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends (including Alyson Hannigan and Nicholas Brendon) battle vampires and the terrors of high school in this series (1997-2003).

Books:

• "John & Paul: A Love Story in Song," by Ian Leslie. This fresh take on the Beatles examines Lennon and McCartney's relationship from 1957 to 1980 through songs, both their favorites and their originals.
• "Brightly Shining," by Ingvild H. Rishøi. Two young sisters struggle to make a Christmas for themselves as their father struggles with unemployment and alcoholism.
• "Mr. Splitfoot," by Samantha Harris. This contemporary gothic novel interweaves two timelines, one about two orphans in the 1980s and the other about a mysterious walking pilgrimage decades later.

The "fair use" doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for purposes such as comment and education.