Glen Weldon

The new film Gladiator II is a sequel to Gladiator, Oscar-winning swords-and-sandals blockbuster that starred Russell Crowe. It tells a similar tale — a soldier, sold into slavery, becomes a gladiator in the Roman arena. This time out, it's Paul Mescal whose prowess in the coliseum earns him fame that threatens Rome's tyrannical rulers. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film also stars Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd/nprpopculture. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour

The musical Wicked is a bold, revisionist take on The Wizard of O z. It imagines that back in college, the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo) and

What do you do when you need a good movie, but you don't have much time? The answer is that you find a short one. In this encore episode, we recommend three films that deliver a lot of punch without taking up your whole day. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd/nprpopculture.

The new Netflix series Black Doves is a pulpy and stylish British spy show starring Keira Knightly and Ben Whishaw. Knightly plays a politician's wife who's been secretly funnelling information to a mysterious spy network for years, and Whishaw plays her old partner who's been out of the game. But when Knightly's character gets targeted, Whishaw's returns to protect her. It's all set in London at Christmastime, so if you like your holiday cheer spiced with British wit and gunplay, Black Doves may be for you.

We check out a lot of things in a given year: Lots of movies, TV shows, and music. Today, we are highlighting some of the best pop culture moments we enjoyed the most in 2024.Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd/nprpopculture.Subscribe to NPR Plus at plus.npr.org or make a gift at donate.npr.org.

If you're in the mood to binge from the couch this holiday season, NPR critics have gathered together their favorite TV shows of 2024. Have at it!

For a lot of people, It's A Wonderful Life is the Christmas movie. George Bailey's story of learning how much you really matter to the world has family, community, an angel, a mean rich guy, and a little kid playing carols on the piano. It has become a staple of holiday viewing, so we thought it was a perfect time to revisit our discussion about the movie. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd/nprpopculture.

For a lot of people, It's A Wonderful Life is the Christmas movie. George Bailey's story of learning how much you really matter to the world has

The movie Queer stars Daniel Craig as you've never seen him: as a junkie prowling the streets, hooking up, shooting up and guzzling tequila. He meets a handsome young man (Drew Starkey) he longs to connect with, and they embark on a quest into the jungle in search of a drug that will unite them on a deep, spiritual level. Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Challengers, Call Me By Your Name), the film is based on a short novel by William S. Burroughs.Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd/nprpopculture.Subscribe to NPR Plus at plus.npr.org or make a gift at donate.npr.org.

Our critics gather together their favorite films and TV shows of 2024. You can search by genre and where you can see it.