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Hafsa Fathima

Monday

In 'Dead Boy Detectives,' two best mates reject their deadly fates

George Rexstrew as Edwin Payne in Dead Boy Detectives. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Dead Boy Detectives,' two best mates reject their deadly fates

The new show Dead Boy Detectives is a spinoff of Neil Gaiman's beloved series The Sandman – both the comic and the Netflix series. It's about a pair of detective ghosts (played by George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri) who refuse to move on to the afterlife. Aided by a young psychic (Kassius Nelson), they stick around and solve mysteries that will resolve the unfinished business of other ghosts.

In 'Dead Boy Detectives,' two best mates reject their deadly fates

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Friday

The Zendaya-led 'Challengers' is much more than a sexy tennis movie

Zendaya stars as Tashi in Challengers. Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios hide caption

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Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The Zendaya-led 'Challengers' is much more than a sexy tennis movie

The terrific new film Challengers is about being intense about tennis, sex, and competition. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the film stars Zendaya as Tashi, a tennis coach and object of desire to two men. She's married to Art (Mike Faist), who is facing his old friend Patrick (Josh O'Connor) at a Challengers event. This reopens all the trio's old wounds, and they excavate all of their relationships with each other.

The Zendaya-led 'Challengers' is much more than a sexy tennis movie

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Thursday

What makes a good sex scene?

Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon star in the 1996 film Bound. Alamy hide caption

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Alamy

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

What makes a good sex scene?

It's easy to notice when a sex scene is bad. But what makes a sex scene good? Today, we are recommending films with good sex scenes, including Bound, Love & Basketball, Magic Mike's Last Dance, and Oppenheimer.

What makes a good sex scene?

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Monday

On 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Taylor Swift spares no one

The Tortured Poets Department is the latest album from Taylor Swift. Beth Garrabrant/Republic Records hide caption

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Beth Garrabrant/Republic Records

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

On 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Taylor Swift spares no one

Taylor Swift dropped an epic new album that spans two hours — and two high-profile breakups. The Tortured Poets Department delves deeply into two of the singer's recent relationships — one with the English actor Joe Alwyn and the other with Matty Healy, who's the lead singer of The 1975. And while Taylor Swift indulges in a few beefs on this record, the target she returns to most often is herself.

On 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Taylor Swift spares no one

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Friday

'Fallout' is bleak but funny science fission

Ella Purnell stars as Lucy in Fallout. Prime Video hide caption

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Prime Video

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Fallout' is bleak but funny science fission

The new show Fallout is based on a hugely successful video game series known for its sardonic, very dark comedic sensibility, and its violence. It's set in the game's post-apocalyptic world – an America divided into factions wrestling for control of an irradiated wasteland. When the hopeful Lucy (Ella Purnell) steps out of the comfortable life she's known in an underground vault, the world she's confronted with is harsh, brutal, merciless – and kinda funny.

'Fallout' is bleak but funny science fission

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Tuesday

'X-Men '97' validates your nostalgia while looking to the future

Jean Grey and Cyclops in the new Disne series X-Men '97. Marvel Animation/Disney hide caption

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Marvel Animation/Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'X-Men '97' validates your nostalgia while looking to the future

For millions of kids, the popular 1990s X-Men animated series served as a gateway drug into the world of the X-Men and comics in general. Now, the new Disney+ series X-Men '97 picks up right where the original ended. But changes are also taking place: secrets get revealed, the team roster gets shuffled, and characters meet shocking fates. What hasn't changed is everything fans expect from the X-Men: big fights, big powers, and lots of mutant melodrama.

'X-Men '97' validates your nostalgia while looking to the future

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Monday

Books We Love: Love And Romance
Luke Medina/NPR

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Books We Love: Love And Romance

NPR's Books We Love is a roundup of favorite books of the year, sorted and tagged to help you find exactly what you're looking for. From the meet cutes to the happy endings and through all the ups and downs in between, we're recommending great books for people who love love and romance.

Books We Love: Love And Romance

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Friday

'Civil War' envisions a too-near future

Kirsten Dunst as Lee in Civil War. A24 hide caption

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A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Civil War' envisions a too-near future

The new film Civil War depicts a contemporary America torn apart by a military conflict between the federal government and an alliance of secessionist states. Directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina), the film follows a small band of journalists led by Kirsten Dunst's jaded war photographer. They embark on a harrowing journey to the heart of the conflict, encountering brutality and bloodshed along the way.

'Civil War' envisions a too-near future

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Friday

In 'Monkey Man,' Dev Patel gets revenge through gorilla warfare

Dev Patel in Monkey Man. Akhirwan Nurhaidi/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Akhirwan Nurhaidi/Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Monkey Man,' Dev Patel gets revenge through gorilla warfare

The new action film Monkey Man is Dev Patel's film – he serves as star, director, and co-writer. He plays a young man whose village was destroyed and mother murdered by elite members of society. He sets out to infiltrate their corrupt, rarified existence and seek his bloody, bloody revenge. There's plenty of gunplay, knife-play, ax-play, bone-crunching, tuk-tuk chases, and gouts of blood.

In 'Monkey Man,' Dev Patel gets revenge through gorilla warfare

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Thursday

'Ripley' offers a novel take. Literally.

Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley in Ripley. Philippe Antonello/Netflix hide caption

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Philippe Antonello/Netflix

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Ripley' offers a novel take. Literally.

Tom Ripley is back — and still can't be trusted. The character — created by novelist Patricia Highsmith — was made indelible by Matt Damon in the film The Talented Mr. Ripley. Now, he's played by Andrew Scott on a Netflix series called simply Ripley. Tom once again worms his way into the life of one Dickie Greenleaf and attempts to sabotage his luxurious life in the Italian countryside.

'Ripley' offers a novel take. Literally.

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Thursday

In '3 Body Problem,' Earth is doomed... eventually

Jess Hong in the Netflix series 3 Body Body Problem. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In '3 Body Problem,' Earth is doomed... eventually

In the new Netflix sci-fi series 3 Body Problem, a killing during the Chinese Cultural Revolution sparks a chain of events that puts humanity at risk. When scientists start dying in mysterious ways, five friends just might be the key to saving the world. The series' showrunners include David Benioff and D.B Weiss, the team behind Game of Thrones, who are once again adapting an epic book series.

In '3 Body Problem,' Earth is doomed... eventually

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Monday

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' is a chill hang

Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Connor, Paul Rudd, Kumail Nanjiani, Logan Kim and Carrie Coon in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Columbia Pictures hide caption

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Columbia Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' is a chill hang

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the latest entry in the blockbuster action-comedy franchise. This time, the crew has set up shop in New York, and, with the help of the surviving original Ghostbusters, tries to stop a demon looking to freeze the world and rule over it. The film is packed with both newer and nostalgic cast members, including Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and more.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' is a chill hang

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Thursday

Sydney Sweeney is a devout scream queen in the twisted 'Immaculate'

Sydney Sweeney stars in Immaculate. Neon hide caption

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Neon

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Sydney Sweeney is a devout scream queen in the twisted 'Immaculate'

In the new movie Immaculate, Sydney Sweeney plays Cecelia, an American woman who joins a convent in Italy. But after she arrives, she encounters strange occurrences and mysteriously winds up pregnant. Almost everyone in the convent touts it as a miracle, but Cecelia isn't so sure. Horror, of course, ensues. Immaculate was directed by Michael Mohan – who previously collaborated with Sweeney on the Hitchcock-esque thriller The Voyeurs.

Sydney Sweeney is a devout scream queen in the twisted 'Immaculate'

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Monday

'Problemista' speaks softly but carries big laughs

Julio Torres wrote, directed and stars in Problemista. A24 hide caption

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A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Problemista' speaks softly but carries big laughs

In the very funny and gently surreal new film Problemista, Julio Torres plays Alejandro, a young man from El Salvador scraping by in New York City as he pursues his dreams. But those dreams – and his immigration status – become imperiled. He must turn to a frazzled, fire-breathing art critic played by Tilda Swinton for emotional and financial support, which proves very fraught.

'Problemista' speaks softly but carries big laughs

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Tuesday

We watch 'Love Is Blind' because we know it's not

Jimmy Presnell and Chelsea Blackwell in Love is Blind. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We watch 'Love Is Blind' because we know it's not

Netflix's Love is Blind is like a bad relationship that's hard to give up. We've had doubts. We've had fights. And now, in its sixth season, we just can't seem to call it quits. This season has more strange proposals, more fights between people who obviously should not get married, and more moments when we find ourselves saying, "Really, Love Is Blind?"

We watch 'Love Is Blind' because we know it's not

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