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'John Wick: Chapter 4' wonders, 'When does this all end?'

Keanu Reeves returns as John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4. Murray Close/Lionsgate hide caption

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Murray Close/Lionsgate

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'John Wick: Chapter 4' wonders, 'When does this all end?'

In previous John Wick films, Keanu Reeves played a retired hitman out of revenge. In the latest entry, John Wick: Chapter 4, his reasons are a little more simple — he just wants to be left alone. Wick's quest for freedom takes him all across the world, as encounters would-be assassins, busy traffic, and a sadistic French aristocrat.

'John Wick: Chapter 4' wonders, 'When does this all end?'

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Breaking down the Jennifer Lopez Wedding Industrial Complex Canon
United Archives GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo; Ana Carballosa/Lionsgate; Universal Pictures; RGR Collection/ Alamy Stock Photo

It's Been a Minute

Breaking down the Jennifer Lopez Wedding Industrial Complex Canon

It's basically spring - which means wedding season is starting to rev up. And no one does weddings quite like Jennifer Lopez - both on-screen and off. Host Brittany Luse is joined by New York Magazine features writer Rachel Handler to break down J.Lo's wedding planning movies (the Jennifer Lopez Wedding Industrial Complex Canon), how they add to J.Lo's brand, and what they say about our investment in the real-life wedding industrial complex.

Breaking down the Jennifer Lopez Wedding Industrial Complex Canon

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In defense of fan fiction, and ignoring the 'pretensions of polish'

An ode to the joy of fan fiction. askmenow/Getty Images hide caption

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askmenow/Getty Images

Main Character of the Day

In defense of fan fiction, and ignoring the 'pretensions of polish'

Fan fiction may not command the same respect as other literary pursuits, but it's a rich mode of expression, says one author who mounts a passionate case for the style.

In defense of fan fiction, and ignoring the 'pretensions of polish'

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Why a horror film starring Winnie the Pooh has run into trouble in Hong Kong

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey was initially approved by Chinese officials to screen at more than 30 cinemas in Hong Kong and Macau on Thursday. But days ahead of the screening, the film's distribution company was told it was no longer allowed to show the slasher film starring a murderous Winnie the Pooh. Chen Cici/AP hide caption

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Chen Cici/AP

Movies

Why a horror film starring Winnie the Pooh has run into trouble in Hong Kong

The film featuring a murderous Pooh bear has been pulled from theaters in Hong Kong and Macau without explanation. Some say it's a result of China's censorship of memes related to leader Xi Jinping.

Jonathan Majors on his meteoric rise through Hollywood

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Nickolai Hammar/NPR

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Jonathan Majors on his meteoric rise through Hollywood

Actor Jonathan Majors is having a moment right now: he recently starred in Creed III and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Friend of the show and host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday Ayesha Rascoe recently sat down with Majors for a fun and wide-ranging conversation about his path to acting, how he picks his roles, and how he defines masculinity.

Jonathan Majors on his meteoric rise through Hollywood

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The intense sting of 'Swarm' might be worth the pain

Dominique Fishback stars as Dre in Swarm. Warrick Page/Prime Video/Prime Video hide caption

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Warrick Page/Prime Video/Prime Video

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The intense sting of 'Swarm' might be worth the pain

In the new Amazon Prime series Swarm, Dominique Fishback plays Dre, a socially awkward young woman who is obsessed with the mega pop star Ni'Jah, a thinly veiled analog for Beyoncé. When a life-changing event occurs, Dre's obsession with Ni'Jah takes on a more sinister tone. Donald Glover co-created the show with Janine Nabers, and it definitely shares an off-kilter vibe with his previous hit Atlanta.

The intense sting of 'Swarm' might be worth the pain

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Gwyneth Paltrow appears in a Utah court for a trial over a 2016 ski crash

Actor Gwyneth Paltrow looks on before leaving the courtroom on Tuesday in Park City, Utah, where she is accused in a lawsuit of crashing into a skier in 2016 and leaving him with brain damage and four broken ribs. Rick Bowmer/AP hide caption

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Rick Bowmer/AP

Law

Gwyneth Paltrow appears in a Utah court for a trial over a 2016 ski crash

The trial has been seven years in the making, and on Tuesday, the Oscar-winning actress appeared in Park City for a jury trial that will determine who was at fault in the 2016 crash.

'Grand Crew' is a network comedy to sip and savor

Echo Kellum plays Noah on Grand Crew. Elizabeth Morris/NBC hide caption

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Elizabeth Morris/NBC

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Grand Crew' is a network comedy to sip and savor

The very funny, bingeable NBC sitcom Grand Crew has a dependable sitcom setup: Six friends hang out together to decompress and commiserate about their careers and their love lives. They're Black, their hangout is a Silver Lake wine bar, and the show – like the vino they're always guzzling – has gotten better with age.

'Grand Crew' is a network comedy to sip and savor

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The number of Black video game developers is small, but strong

A screenshot from the game Never Yield. Neil Jones hide caption

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Neil Jones

Culture

The number of Black video game developers is small, but strong

We talk to five people who are forging their own path in the industry, and bringing their unique experience to the world of video games.

The number of Black video game developers is small, but strong

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Big names including Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien come out to honor Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler accepts Mark Twain prize on March 19. Scott Suchman/Kennedy Center hide caption

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Scott Suchman/Kennedy Center

Big names including Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien come out to honor Adam Sandler

Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston and Chris Rock were also among those in Washington, D.C. this weekend to celebrate Sandler, who worked on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s and moved on to films.

Big names including Steve Buscemi, Conan O'Brien come out to honor Adam Sandler

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We're Russian To Finish 'Shadow And Bone'

Jessie Mei Li plays Alina Starkov and Ben Barnes plays General Kirigan and in the Netflix series Shadow and Bone. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We're Russian To Finish 'Shadow And Bone'

Shadow and Bone is a fantasy series based on a successful set of novels. There's a lot to take in — at least six main characters, people who can wield wind and shadow and light, and a Chosen One. That all sounds familiar, but there's enough here to make this series worth your consideration. Shadow and Bone recently returned for a second season, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit our conversation recorded back in 2021 about its first season, featuring panelists Mallory Yu and Petra Mayer. Petra died unexpectedly later that year, and we always loved having her on the show. Even though we will always miss her terribly, we hope you'll agree how great it is to hear her voice, and her passion, in your podcast feed once again.

We're Russian To Finish 'Shadow And Bone'

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Sam Waterston on being the most recognizable pretend lawyer in New York
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Sam Waterston on being the most recognizable pretend lawyer in New York

On this week's episode, guest host Karen Chee talks with legendary actor Sam Waterston about Law & Order, how to look good in a stovepipe hat, and where to see raccoons doing Shakespeare.

Sam Waterston on being the most recognizable pretend lawyer in New York

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Let's celebrate the mistakes the Oscars didn't make

Directors Daniel Kwan (left) and Daniel Scheinert pose with their best director trophies for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Let's celebrate the mistakes the Oscars didn't make

Just one last word about the 2023 Academy Awards, which wrapped Sunday in a manner largely free of catastrophic embarrassment: Here's an unsexy-but-crucial rundown of the mistakes that were avoided.

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a near myth

"Forget Pat's, forget Geno's. Jim's. Jim's in the best cheesesteak in Philly." Shazam (Zachary Levi) and Hespera (Helen Mirren) have a sit-down. Warner Bros. hide caption

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Warner Bros.

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a near myth

The sequel to the 2019 film that starred Zachary Levi as the adult superhero persona of a lonely teen goes bigger. And goofier. But the fuel mixture's off and Levi's one-note performance grates.

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a near myth

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