Episode Summary: "2025 Pop Culture Resolutions And What's Making Us Happy"
Pop Culture Happy Hour returns with an engaging year-end episode where hosts Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glenn Weldon, and Aisha Harris reflect on their 2024 resolutions, set new goals for 2025, and share what’s currently bringing them joy in the vibrant world of pop culture.
1. Reflecting on 2024 Resolutions
As 2024 draws to a close, the hosts open the conversation by evaluating their past year's resolutions with a mix of honesty, humor, and encouragement.
Aisha Harris embarked on an ambitious journey with multiple resolutions: writing a novel, establishing a workout routine, reconnecting with friends and family, and diving deep into the genre of folk horror films. While she didn’t complete her novel or fully commit to her fitness goals, she proudly shares her success in becoming a "folk horror completist," having watched around 50 films in the genre. Aisha remarks with a chuckle, “Ask me about that. This is partly why part A did not happen. Because I spent so much time watching a lot of folk horror” ([02:40]-[06:51]).
Glenn Weldon focused his 2024 resolution on experiencing more old movies in theaters, particularly at the Stanford Theater in Palo Alto. Over the year, he watched approximately 10 films, including notable classics like "Mike’s Murder," and even discovered new favorites. Reflecting on his achievement, Glenn enthusiastically declares, “I did it, y'all. I did it” ([09:30]-[12:06]).
Linda Holmes aimed to immerse herself in repertory showings at the AFI and return to live theater, activities she had neglected since 2020. Although she didn’t attend repertory showings, Linda did attend a live performance of "Problems Between Sisters" thanks to an invitation from a friend. She shares, “I did not do a great job on these resolutions this year, but I give myself a little bit of partial credit” ([13:33]-[17:29]).
Stephen Thompson set out to write a children's book with his daughter and take an international vacation. While his trip to Mexico City for a wedding didn’t fully align with his creative aspirations, he made meaningful progress on the book by setting up a collaborative Google Doc with his daughter. Stephen reflects, “I'm giving myself a decent amount of credit here. It's not” ([17:56]-[20:49]).
2. Setting Resolutions for 2025
Looking ahead, each host shares their fresh set of resolutions, focusing on personal growth and deeper engagement with pop culture.
Aisha Harris shifts her focus from specific genres to a more extensive commitment: tackling long-form movies. She plans to immerse herself in films exceeding four hours, embracing the depth and prolonged engagement they offer. Aisha enthusiastically states, “I'm gonna clear my damn schedule and I'm gonna let 2025 be the year. I let movies take me for an extended ride” ([07:38]-[08:35]).
Glenn Weldon expresses a desire to rekindle his creative side by writing fiction, something he hasn't done since high school. Contemplating a screenplay, Glenn shares, “Preferably. I want to try and write a screenplay” ([12:14]-[13:14]).
Linda Holmes aims to enrich her literary pursuits by reading more nonfiction essays, particularly those from Best American Essays of 2024. Balancing this with her novel writing, she remarks, “I'm going to start with Best American Essays of 2024” ([14:37]-[17:21]).
Stephen Thompson plans to finalize the children’s book project with his daughter and re-engage with social media in a meaningful way. He emphasizes the importance of using social platforms to expand his community while maintaining healthy online habits: “I want to recommit to social media in ways that expand my horizons” ([19:14]-[23:11]).
3. What's Making Us Happy This Week
Shifting the focus to current joys, the hosts highlight aspects of pop culture that are bringing them happiness.
Aisha Harris shares two sources of joy:
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Yacht Rock Documentary on Max: A comprehensive look into the Yacht Rock genre, exploring its origins and cultural impact. Aisha appreciates its informative and entertaining nature, saying, “It's informative, it was fun. I enjoyed spending an hour and a half with this movie” ([25:17]-[25:40]).
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Pentiment Game: A narrative-driven, two-dimensional game set in a 16th-century monastery, blending elements of illuminated manuscripts and mystery. Aisha praises its unique storytelling and artistic design: “It's giving King's Quest vibes... and you learn a hell of a lot about ancient manuscripts” ([28:42]-[29:58]).
Stephen Thompson introduces us to Coloring’s album, "Love to You Mate," inspired by personal family experiences. He describes the album's lush soundscapes and emotional depth, likening it to artists like James Blake and Cigarettes After Sex. Sharing a snippet of the single "Loon," Stephen enthuses, “It's deeply catchy, but it's also just so sweet” ([25:40]-[28:37]).
Linda Holmes discusses her enjoyment of the Netflix action movie "Carry On." While she acknowledges it doesn’t reach the iconic status of classics like Die Hard, she finds it a fun and entertaining watch: “It is a fun action movie... I do think worth your time” ([28:37]-[31:09]).
4. Conclusion
As the episode wraps up, the hosts encourage listeners to reflect on their own resolutions and share what brings them joy. They express gratitude to their audience and reaffirm their commitment to delivering insightful and entertaining pop culture commentary in the new year.
Notable Quotes:
- Aisha Harris: “I am gonna clear my damn schedule and I'm gonna let 2025 be the year. I let movies take me for an extended ride” ([07:38]-[08:35]).
- Glenn Weldon: “I did it, y'all. I did it” ([09:30]-[12:06]).
- Stephen Thompson: “I want to recommit to social media in ways that expand my horizons” ([19:14]-[23:11]).
This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour adeptly balances personal reflections with pop culture insights, offering listeners both relatable content and thoughtful recommendations to inspire their own resolutions and sources of happiness in 2025.