Superman And What's Making Us Happy

Summary

Pop Culture Happy Hour: "Superman And What's Making Us Happy"

Release Date: July 11, 2025
Hosts: Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris
Guest: Writer Chris Klimek

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Introduction to the New Superman Film

In this episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour, the team dives deep into the newly released Superman movie directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. The conversation centers around the film's portrayal of Superman, its reception, and its place within the broader Superman canon.

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Overview of the Film

The new Superman film introduces David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. The plot revolves around Superman's intervention in an international conflict, leading to public doubt about his role as a hero. The antagonist, Lex Luthor, portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, is depicted as a ruthless bigot manipulating public fears against Superman's extraterrestrial origins. Notably, the film introduces Crypto the Dog, adding a fresh dynamic to the superhero narrative.

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Hosts' and Guest’s Reactions and Analyses

Glen Weldon's Perspective

Glen Weldon expresses a predominantly positive reaction to the film, highlighting moments that resonate emotionally with the audience.

• Notable Quote:

  "[02:12] I want any Superman film to move me, to cheer me, to give that surge of elation. This movie delivers that in several moments, much like Avengers: Endgame."

Weldon appreciates the film's balance between action and emotional depth, particularly praising the introduction of Crypto the Dog as a standout element.

Linda Holmes' Observations

Linda Holmes echoes Weldon's sentiments, emphasizing the film's understanding of both Superman and its canine character. She appreciates the variety in aesthetics and environments, contrasting it with previous iterations like Man of Steel which she felt were monochromatic.

• Notable Quote:

  "[04:56] I love that the movie starts in media res, skipping extensive backstory and jumping straight into emotionally complex territory. It allows for a more engaging and immediate connection with the characters."

Holmes also discusses the film's handling of socially relevant themes, such as immigration and manipulation of public fear, aligning Superman's immigrant narrative with contemporary societal issues.

Chris Klimek's Views

Guest Chris Klimek offers a nuanced take, expressing high regard for the film while noting areas that felt reactive to past criticisms. He appreciates the film's brevity and its avoidance of excessive exposition, allowing character development to unfold organically.

• Notable Quotes:

  "[04:23] This movie gives us everything we've been asking for, but perhaps nothing we didn't realize we needed. It's reactive, but in a way that honors the character's legacy."
  "[05:08] The moment when Superman discovers he can fly comes with a new musical theme that's distinct but not as stirring as John Williams'. It's a fresh take, though it leaves me wanting more grandeur."

Klimek also commends the film's ability to intertwine humor and emotional substance, citing scenes where comedic elements coexist seamlessly with heartfelt moments.

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Thematic Discussion

Superman as an Immigrant Symbol

The hosts delve into the portrayal of Superman as an immigrant, a theme deeply rooted in his mythology. They discuss how this aspect is intentionally emphasized in the film to reflect contemporary issues around immigration and identity.

• Notable Quote:

  "[16:09] Superman being an immigrant is not a narrative choice; it's a fundamental aspect of his character that resonates with real-world issues."

Lex Luthor's Characterization

Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor is examined as a modern villain who adeptly manipulates media and public perception. The hosts praise Hoult's performance for adding a slickness that makes Luthor feel both menacing and relatable.

• Notable Quote:

  "[13:28] Hoult portrays Lex Luthor with a level of charm that makes his villainy more disconcerting. He embodies a fear of the other that feels disturbingly relevant today."

Emotional Authenticity vs. Corniness

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the film's balance between heartfelt sincerity and moments of perceived corniness. The hosts agree that while some speeches and scenes may come off as corny, they effectively convey Superman's unwavering ideals.

• Notable Quote:

  "[15:11] Is it corny? Yes. But it accurately reflects Superman's character—his unwavering commitment to helping others despite the challenges."

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"What's Making Us Happy" Segment

In their beloved weekly segment, the hosts share personal joys that enhance their week.

• Glen Weldon:
  Celebrates Jeff Hiller’s memoir, Actress of a Certain Age, praising its humor and self-deprecation. He appreciates how Hiller navigates celebrity memoir clichés with charm and authenticity.

  "[21:11] Jeff Hiller's memoir is funny, engaging, and self-deprecating in the best ways. His narration adds a delightful layer to the reading experience."

• Chris Klimek:
  Recommends the Criterion Collection’s 4K reissue of William Friedkin's Sorcerer (1977). He highlights the film's suspense and the palpable danger experienced during its production, calling it a magnificent suspense film worthy of its superior presentation.

  "[22:23] William Friedkin's Sorcerer is a masterpiece of suspense. The Criterion 4K reissue captures the film's intensity and the real dangers faced during its making."

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with the hosts reaffirming their appreciation for the new Superman film, recognizing its strengths in character development, thematic depth, and emotional resonance. They encourage listeners to share their thoughts on the movie and continue engaging with the Pop Culture Happy Hour community through various platforms.

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Final Notable Quotes:

• Glen Weldon:

  "[14:28] Every era gets the Superman it needs. Today, he's a beacon of hope and idealism in a complex world."

• Linda Holmes:

  "[15:25] Superman's immigrant story has always been integral to his character, reflecting the ever-evolving real world within which these stories are told."

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Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:
Find discussions, reviews, and episode updates on Facebook and Letterboxd.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the rich discussions and varied perspectives shared by the hosts and their guest, providing a thorough overview for both avid listeners and newcomers alike.

Transcript

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[Glen Weldon]

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[Linda Holmes]

Heroes come and go, but there is only one Superman. By which we mean there have been many Supermans, super men. And now, after much anticipation, there is another. And he's bringing exactly what we look to him for. Hope.

[Glen Weldon]

Writer and director James Gunn and new man of Steel David Corenswet team up for a new tale of the eternal struggle between an evil billionaire megalomaniac and some people in colorful costumes who combine all their powers to stop him. And this time, there's a dog. I'm Glen Weldon.

[Linda Holmes]

And I'm Linda Holmes. And today we're talking about Superman on pop culture Happy hour from NP pr. Joining us today is writer Chris Klimek. Hello, Chris.

[Chris Klimek]

Hello, Linda. It's not a bird. It's not a plane. It's just me. Hello.

[Linda Holmes]

Yeah, that's right. So James Gunn worked on, among other things, Guardians of the Galaxy and the Suicide Squad. Not. Not the first one, not Suicide Squad, but the Suicide Squad. David Coren sweat. Looks like he was born to play the role of Clark Kent, slash Superman. You might know him mostly from supporting roles in movies like Twisters. His Lois Lane, played by Rachel Brosnahan, knows all about his identity. And she's concerned because, as the movie begins, he's not all that popular. It seems he intervened in an international conflict, and the fallout from that has made people doubt him both at home and abroad. Pulling many of the strings is, of course, Lex Luthor, played by a very bald Nicholas Holt and written here as a ruthless bigot who's not above stoking people's fears that a man from another planet cannot possibly be here to help. The film is in theaters now. Glenn, tell me, you, I believe, wrote a book in 2013 called the Unauthorized Biography?

[Glen Weldon]

I did.

[Linda Holmes]

And I am wondering, do you have any feelings about this version of Superman at all?

[Glen Weldon]

I do, and they're pretty much mostly all pro. I mean, the thing I want out of any Superman film, any superhero property, but a Superman film in particular is I want to feel moved, to cheer, to feel that surge of elation or that vicarious joy that moves you to cheer and to. And when you're in a crowded theater and that happens, you remember it for the rest of your life. You know, Avengers endgame had on your left. I felt that same surge Several times in this film. Now, I wasn't always cheering for Superman. Sometimes I was cheering for other characters. There's a character named Mr. Terrific who's one of this kind of corporate funded super team called the Justice Gang. He's played by Eddie Gathege. He gets a moment to shine. Mostly, I was cheering for the dog. Crypto for the breakout character of 2025, Crypto the dog.

[Linda Holmes]

And I gotta tell you, Glenn, you know, you are the reason why I knew about Crypto the Dog before this movie. Because the book, your book goes into some detail about your love of crypto.

[Glen Weldon]

Yeah, it went into a lot more detail before my editor said, nobody cares about the dog. This movie proves him wrong.

[Linda Holmes]

It's true.

[Glen Weldon]

I think this movie delivered on its promise. You know, this doesn't have the sweep and the epic scope of the 1978 Richard Dunner film because that film spent a lot of time establishing the myth. The John Ford landscapes of Crypt in Kansas and the Arctic. And a lot of people like Linda, wrong people found all the Krypton stuff boring. But he did that because Dunner needed to place us in that reality so that you will believe a man can fly. He had a big verisimilitude. Verisimilitude, exactly. Was a watchword that. This doesn't bother with any of that, as you mentioned, because it doesn't need to. He's established, he's dating Lois. Luther hates him. Let's go. I'll say more about this later, but I do think this movie gets Superman in a really essential way that recent attempts really haven't. But, yeah, pro all, probably awesome.

[Linda Holmes]

Me too. And I also do think that this movie, in addition to understanding Superman, understands dogs. All right, Chris, you are, as we speak, the listeners unfortunately don't know this, but you do have a Superman shirt on. I know you have some fondness for Superman, the character. How did you come down on this version?

[Chris Klimek]

You know, I'm pretty high on this movie and I might go higher on it. This is another one where I know I will have an ongoing relationship with this film. And I think this is the kind of really good but not euphorically satisfying movie that is like, so reactive. And I guess maybe crypto is the thing that I'm about to say is missing. But I think this gave us everything that we've been saying we wanted, but maybe nothing that we didn't know we wanted. You know, that sort of extra element of magic.

[Linda Holmes]

I hear you.

[Chris Klimek]

It's impossible not to receive this in a way that's just reactive to the criticism of prior attempts. I mean, this movie is brutal. This movie is optimistic. This movie is shamelessly goofy. This movie is short. You know, this movie is barely over.

[Linda Holmes]

Two hours for this kind of movie. It is short.

[Chris Klimek]

Yeah. It's like. Well, it's into recent years, all of our notes. And I love that it kind of starts in media res. Like, the world already knows about Superman. Lois already knows that Clark and Superman are one and the same. We skipped over all of that. I think that was a very smart choice. And I like that they didn't even feel the need to backfill that in exposition. You know, Clark, when you told me that you weren't. None of that, you know, I really appreciate it.

[Linda Holmes]

You don't really know how she found out or how. Right.

[Chris Klimek]

Which is that. I mean, in the earlier. You know, this is part of the saga of the Donner Lester, Superman's world, where basically, depending on which edit of Superman II you're watching, Lois is either very shrewd or kind of dumb. Yeah. So I love all of that stuff. But, yeah, like, I know this sounds so ungrateful. And maybe crypto is the thing. It lets it be a joke a lot of the time. There's a dialogue scene between Superman and Lois where just in the background of the frame, Guy Gardner, the jackass Green Lantern from the justice, is just hitting some floating, disembodied alien eye with like a big green laser hammer or something. And that bit just goes on and on and on somehow does not conflict with the emotional substance of the conversation that's happening between Lois and Clark in front of. So I like all that stuff. And I will probably warm up to this thing over time. I'm very high on it now. You know, I wanted to be a little more surprised than I was. And I want a little bit of the grandeur. And for all of its problems, man of Steel does have the grandeur. There's a lot of things wrong with that movie, we all agree. But, like the moment when Superman figures out that he can fly and we get a new variation. Not a variation, an entirely new theme. A Hans Zimmer Superman theme. That's not the John Williams one I love so much. And this movie, for all it does right, does not have anything quite as stirring as that. So that's what I missed.

[Linda Holmes]

I don't know if I agree with that, but I get what you're saying. I personally am glad that what they are using here is a sort of an adaptation of the John Williams music Not exactly the same. I was wondering whether at some point we were going to hear just the straight on John Williams theme. And they didn't do that. But they do adapt it. And you hear the themes from it kind of over and over again through the movie. I really liked this. I think, you know, we've already mentioned Guy Gardner, played with great relish by Nathan Fillion, with the worst haircut of his career. And I think Mr. Terrific is really a fun character. I think they have a lot of fun with that guy. I was not expecting to kind of be enamored of them. I think Hawkgirl, who's played by Isabella Merced, is probably the member of that kind of little group that gets the least to do. But I still. I mean, I think she does fine. I think she does fine with what there is there. I feel like there are some choices in here that I thought were interesting. I was not expecting 5 years time by Noah and the Whale to be a song underscoring a battle. I thought that was a really interesting idea, and I appreciated that. I also. I mentioned this to Glenn after we watched it. You know, I appreciate that there are kind of a variety of aesthetics in this film. A variety of environments. That doesn't kind of give you that heavy gray sort of all one thing feel that I got from man of the only thing I remember about man of Steel. And I'm not saying this is all there is. I'm saying the only thing that stuck with me was gray, gray, gray, gray, gray, gray. And in this film, you know, you get some Kansas. By the way, I think Pruitt Taylor Vince, who plays his father, really does a nice job with this part. They have a really nice scene with him laying out some themes in a way that could seem very clunky, but I think is pulled off so well that it ends up working. But you get some Kansas. You get a kind of an otherworldly place that they end up having fights. You get a lot of Metropolis fighting. You know, they kind of mix up the sections. Now, if I have. You know, there are some things that are inherently difficult about the Superman story. You know, Glenn and I talked also about the fact that when Superman goes and interferes in this international incident, this conflict exists between a sort of a poor country where the people are not white and a big militarized force of, as near as we can tell, kind of white soldiers. The optics of that are complicated when the people who are being attacked are yelling for Superman. But to me, that is a white Superman saves the world problem. Because if you're going to be honest about the people who tend to be imperiled by somebody like Lex Luthor, it's not going to be, you know, a thriving Western European country, probably. Right. And so I think part of this is it's not that it's not a thing. It's that it's inherent to Superman. Right. And I don't know that there's a good way to completely avoid it. It did make me twitch a little bit, and I think it will make other people twitch. With that said, I think there's a lot to recommend this movie. I love the fact. And you guys touched on this, but I love the fact that it starts with this layout of text. It's not really a crawl. It's just like a card. And it's three whatever ago this happened, and three this happened, and it goes through it. And I realized this is why this movie is two hours long. In other versions of this, they would take an hour of movie, a literal hour of movie, and show everything that's on that card. And some people would prefer that. I personally would not prefer that. I like let's start this story where it becomes emotionally complicated, which I think is what they do.

[Glen Weldon]

Yeah. I would just underscore something that you both have touched on, which is that this movie doesn't give us a lot we haven't seen before. But when it hits those beats, it hits them cleanly. This movie is often corny. There are speeches here like what your actions make you who you are, not.

[Linda Holmes]

Love it.

[Glen Weldon]

There's a speech toward the end where he talks about being, you know, human.

[Linda Holmes]

Love it.

[Glen Weldon]

That is corny. The first word out of David Corenswet's Superman's mouth in this film. He mutters it to himself under his breath, having just had his butt handed to him. It's golly. And that's when I relaxed, and that's when I said to myself, all right, because coming into this, I've loved some James Gunn stuff. I've hated some James Gunn stuff. Chris and I texted each other when he was announced. Because glibness is what he brings to a lot of his superhero stuff. And glibness is kryptonite. It kills Superman. So Superman is corny. He's an ideal. He's the best we can aspire to. Past attempts to make him, quote unquote, relatable have made him only darker and brooding. That's not who he is. And that's what I think this movie gets.

[NPR Sponsor]

Right.

[Glen Weldon]

I agree with you that Brown People being used as props to underscore how villainous our white villain is. That felt like a vestigial tale that felt like a holdover from the 70s and 80s.

[Linda Holmes]

I agree.

[Glen Weldon]

Doesn't belong in this movie. There's no reason for it.

[Chris Klimek]

I don't know. I don't think the film is entirely unconscious of that.

[Linda Holmes]

No, I don't think it's unconscious of that at all. I think one of the things that made the Open probably the first hour of this film hard for me to watch is that you are watching Lex Luthor really capitalize on people's fear of people who are different from them. You are seeing the military decide to essentially outsource detainment and capture of its enemies to this private company run by this evil billionaire who, you know, runs a gigantic, as it turns out, private prison. And there is a lot here that is hard for me to watch right now. And it made me feel kind of. I felt like there better be a big payoff here and I better. And I think part of this is down to Nicholas Hoult, who I think really manages to make Lex Luthor. He both is what Lex Luthor usually is and is kind of even worse than that because he has a sort of slickness that you didn't really see in the Jesse Eisenberg one. Right. Where the whole thing was that he was kind of awkward but evil. Right.

[Chris Klimek]

He does have a moment of shocking violence from Lex Luthor that, I mean, and it lands exactly where it should. It's not excessive. It's not handled, you know, callously.

[Linda Holmes]

I think that he. I think that Holt is really able to play Lex Luthor as an evil guy that feels so close to an evil guy we might really run into that it feels like, yes, this is the kind of thing that I am afraid of, the way that he is able to manipulate via television and social media. There's a great joke, kind of a joke, kind of a horror thing about angry social media posting that I'm not gonna spoil, but it's awesome. So I appreciated where Holt came down, I think on Lex, who's having a.

[Chris Klimek]

Better career than Nicholas Hoult? I mean, that guy. What a run that guy is having.

[Glen Weldon]

But I'm really glad you brought this up, Linda, because I wasn't thinking about this, but now you've articulated something. I think that every era gets the superman it needs. 78 film came out post Vietnam, post Watergate.

[Linda Holmes]

Yeah.

[Glen Weldon]

And this happens over the years whenever the ideals of what America supposedly stands for justice for. All right, whatever that Feels the farthest away. You know, things like equality and safety. Just the notion of defending the defenseless. Right. Helping those in need. It is inspiring to be reminded in this very, you know, admittedly simplistic light of what those ideals can look like. Is it hokey? Is it corny? Is it cheesy? Yep. Because what we're dealing with is abject sincerity. Right. This deep feeling. And that speech I'm talking about, it's cornball, but it's an accurate reflection of who this character not just is, but who this character has to be to work at all. Right.

[Linda Holmes]

And also, I gotta say, like, when he explains, it's basically a conversation about what it means to be human. And I feel like, is it corny? It is. I also agree with it. See, that's weird.

[Chris Klimek]

Yeah.

[Linda Holmes]

And I am a corny person, I guess. But I also really believe that. And I think not to keep going back to Glenn's book, but like, one of the things that I picked up from that and that I have picked up from other kind of pop culture histories and is that very often the state of the world and what was on people's minds has always been part of the development of Superman. The fact that it's an immigrant story has always been part of what Superman is. And sort of the way that the real world is has always heavily influenced how these stories are told and how they're received. And so this one does too, I think.

[Glen Weldon]

I mean, Gun and promos has been talking about how Superman is an immigrant. That is not an opinion. That is not a take. That is not woke. That is a statement of fact.

[Linda Holmes]

Well, and it was intentionally, you know what I mean? Like, that is part of the mythology on purpose, you know?

[Glen Weldon]

Right.

[Chris Klimek]

And I mean, how deep into the character are we when he's fighting the clan? I mean, the character's only been around for a few years at that point.

[Glen Weldon]

Right.

[Chris Klimek]

This is the 40s, so this has always been part of the character.

[Glen Weldon]

Right. It's just when we become enamored of the anti hero, it's good to be reminded that the best distinction between a hero and a villain is what you do with your power and privilege. Right. If you use your power and privilege to help people, to put the needs of others above your own, like, say, your body is instructable. To some of us, that's gonna be, I can get away with anything and no one can stop me. Other people will think the best use of my indestructible body is to act as a shield to place it between Innocent people and those who would do them harm. We get to see him in this film do exactly that again and again and again. I give so many extra points. Anytime we see superheroes actually saving individual lives, it's inspiring. Gonna say it. Gonna use the I word.

[Linda Holmes]

Yeah.

[Chris Klimek]

I mean, that's another thing that felt. I mean, and I am entirely in favor of it, but that was one of the things that felt reactive to me. It's like, you know, James Gunn is to us. And many others talk about man of steel 12 years ago and being like, you know, didn't Metropolis get flattened? How many tens or hundreds of thousands of people are dead in Metropolis as a result of this mass casualty superhero fight?

[Linda Holmes]

Right, sure. And I think, you know, this is a movie where, you know, they try to suggest that, for example, that people attempt evacuations so that you don't have to know what the body count is necessarily.

[Chris Klimek]

Metropolis obey evacuation orders.

[Linda Holmes]

Right. Absolutely. And I would. And the other thing I think is interesting, you know, you talk about him saving individual lives. The other thing I think is interesting is that you start with him in a moment of vulnerability and not in a moment of, you know, look what a hero he is. Which is often where you start with Superman is that you're introduced to him as he is, you know, floating in the air or something like that. Here you do start with him having just lost a fight. He's bloody, he's bruised. He is clearly not invincible. That's the opening idea. And, you know, the last thing that I want to touch on is Rachel Brosnahan and her kind of take on Lois. I think the interesting thing about Lois in this is that she's really in this as his ally. And very often I say this as somebody who has always kind of embraced the romantic comedy elements of the Clark and Lois kind of story. The two big sections of that story are typically, when is she gonna find out he's Superman? When are they gonna get together? You meet them in this story already past both of those points, which is a really interesting thing, I think. And I ended up kind of liking it. And I think there was some of this in the Zack Snyder take as well. But it means that she can kind of participate, and she takes a pretty strong hand in this film, and I appreciated that.

[Glen Weldon]

Yep.

[Linda Holmes]

I think we all enjoyed Superman. I look forward to seeing it again. I encourage folks who like this kind of thing to enjoy it. Tell us what you think about Superman. Find us on Facebook, Facebook.com PCHH and on [e-mail] NPRpopculture. We'll have a link in our episode description up next. What's making us happy this week?

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[Linda Holmes]

Time for our favorite segment of this week and every week. What's making us happy this week? Glenn Weldon what is making you happy this week, buddy?

[Glen Weldon]

The actor Jeff Hiller. If you listen to this show, you know him from the HBO series Somebody Somewhere. He plays Joel, but he's a guy who's been putting in the work for years. He has a new book, a memoir called Actress of a Certain Age and it is very funny and very engaging and self deprecating as hell. And not for nothing, it is knowing. And that's what I appreciate about it. He knows the cliches of celebrity memoirs. Each chapter is titled after a different celebrity memoir that he loves. And whenever he deploys one of those celebrity memoir cliches, which he does, you know, often he does so by, you know, putting a hat on it. He warns you that it's coming and it kind of Points out when it just passed. And as I say, every time I recommend a book by a performer, get the audiobook. He reads it and you know, whenever he says something funny, he does a little giggle. The little like that. And you think it get. It would get old. It never does. It's always charming. AF that is Actress of a Certain Age by Jeff Hiller.

[Linda Holmes]

Yeah. There is also a wonderful interview that he did with our old pal Sam Sanders on the Sam Sanders show that I highly recommend you listen to also. Big fan of both of those guys. All right, thank you very much, Glenn Weldon. Chris Klimek, what is making you happy this week, my friend?

[Chris Klimek]

I refer you to the glorious brand new Criterion Collection reissue of William Friedkin's sorcerer from 1977. It's one of the things I love as sort of a famous flop. And history has kind of recorded this as well. It came out at the same time as Star wars, which like this movie was never going to have the kind of appeal that Star wars does. This is sort of a remake of the Wages of Fear. It's about four dead enders who accept this basically suicide mission transporting a truck full of explosives through South America. It is one of those movies that recalls the thing that Soderbergh said about Mad Fury Road where you're like, how did they shoot this? How is no one dead? And apparently when you look into this, this production was, you know, racked by weather disaster and accidents and all kinds of hazards that do find their way into the frame. So, yeah, the danger that you're feeling as you watch this film is palpable and real. Not a lot of quips, not a lot of jokes, but it is a magnificent suspense film available in superior presentation to any we've had available to us at home before. So The Criterion Collection 4K reissue of William Friedkin's Sorcerer. I recommend it.

[Linda Holmes]

All right, thank you very much, Chris Klimek on Disney. You can find a documentary called jaws at 50, which, you know, we've talked a little bit about Jaws and the fact that it is 50 years old. This is a new doc with, you know, lots of Steven Spielberg interview. I think for me, as somebody who is kind of a casual Jaws person, like I've seen Jaws, but I've never really immersed myself in the story of it. It was very interesting not only to hear, you know, about just how cataclysmically badly the shoot of this movie went from a point of view of budget and time. You know, people didn't really have James Cameron style operations at that time they were really a film crew that just went out on the water in boats and tried to shoot a movie. But also, I think Spielberg does a lot of reflecting in a way that's probably evolved over the course of his life about the traumatic experience of making that film, how it affected him, the kind of double edged situation that he was in there where on the one hand it made his career and on the other hand it almost destroyed him as a person. I think this is not the first documentary made about Jaws. You can tell when you watch it that it's not the first documentary about Jaws because you're clearly looking at other footage from other interviews from other documentaries made about Jaws. Nevertheless, I think it does a really good job of talking about the legacy and the story. And I very much enjoyed it. And I don't think you have to be a super fan of Spielberg or Jaws to enjoy it again. It is on Disney and it is called jaws at 50. That is what is making me happy this week. All right. And also this Sunday in our podcast feed, we will have another monthly bonus episode for our Pop Culture Happy Hour. Plus, supporters Stephen and Aisha are talking about the movies that landed at the bottom of our Pixar poll, including the film that received zero votes. Place your bets. They have thoughts on thoughts. Sign up for pop culture happy hour [e-mail] happy we will also have a link in our episode description. That brings us to the end of our show. Chris Klimick, Glenn Weldon, thank you so much for being here. You are both superheroes to me.

[Chris Klimek]

Oh, thank you, Linda.

[Glen Weldon]

Thank you.

[Linda Holmes]

This episode was produced by Carly Rubin, Hafsa Fathoma and Mike Katsif and edited by our show Jessica Reedy. And hello. Come in provides our theme music. Thanks for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from npr. I'm Linda Holmes and we'll see you all next week.

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