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.

PopaHALLics #156 "Scott of the Bells"

In this on-location episode, Steve interviews Scott Soltermann, who plays, records, and programs the carillion (bells) at Butler University in Indianapolis. Steve and his wife often hear the bells in their neighborhood and began wondering about the anonymous player.

Scott, a former music and special needs teacher, also listened to the bells while growing up in Indianapolis. When he returned home from Oregon, he volunteered to keep them going, Now, on a clear day, his playing can be heard for up to two miles!

For non-Hoosiers: When Scott mentions Tony Hinkle, he's referring to Butler's legendary head football coach, head baseball coach, AND head basketball coach for nearly 50 years. Butler's basketball arena, the largest in the U.S. until 1950, was renamed Hinkle Fieldhouse in his honor. If you've seen the basketball movie "Hoosiers," that's where the fictional state high school championship game was filmed.

We learn how a modern electronic carillion works and hear Scott play some tunes. It's a show with a peal. (Get it?)

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

PopaHALLics #155 "Breaking Good"
Can one unhappy woman save the world from "hive mind"? Why does Kate think motherhood is an important theme in the new "Frankenstein"? And Alicia Silverstone may be "Clueless" about her feelings in a new holiday movie.

Streaming:

• "Pluribus," Apple TV. In the new sci-fi drama from the creator of "Breaking Bad," can the most miserable person on Earth (Rhea Seehorn) save the world from happiness from an extraterrestrial virus? And does Steve agree with the series' 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating?
• "Frankenstein," Netflix. Last episode, we heard Steve's thoughts on Guillermo Del Toro's visually gorgeous version of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, starring Oscar Isaacs and Jacob Elordi. This week, Kate's review.
• "Down Cemetery Road," Apple TV. A concerned neighbor (Ruth Wilson) and a private investigator (Emma Thompson) search for a missing girl and uncover a conspiracy in this 8-part British TV series. Based on a novel by "Slow Horses" creator Mick Herron.
• "A Merry Little Ex-Mas," Netflix. In this romantic comedy coproduced by Melissa Joan Hart, divorcing couple Kate (Alicia Silverstone) and Everett (Oliver Hudson) want one last Christmas together as a family. New flames (Jameela Jamil and Pierson Fode) and old feelings complicate their plans.
• "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," Hulu. Being friends with any of the mom influencers in this reality TV series would be an emotional roller-coaster ride. And not in a good way.

Music:

Folksinger Todd Snider, 59, died on Nov. 14 after being hospitalized with walking pneumonia. Snider was a wry, compassionate voice of modern Americana and alt-country songwriting. Steve is a huge fan, loving Snider's funny songs like "I Can't Complain" and even funnier long, meandering stories. Snider's memoir "I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like: Mostly True Tales" features some of his best ones. Our PopaHALLics #155 Playlist (Todd) showcases some of our favorite tunes by this barefoot troubadour. Enjoy!

Click through the links to watch, read, or hear what we're talking about. The fair use doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows the limited use of copyrighted material without permission for such purposes as commentary and education.