Stephen Thompson

The horror movie Smile was a massive hit. Its flashy new sequel Smile 2 finds the franchise's terrifying entity infecting a new host: a pop star (Naomi Scott) who's about to head out on tour after experiencing a trauma. And the movie has a lot to say about the horrors of pop stardom.

Netflix's Woman Of The Hour is not your conventional serial killer movie. It's based on the true story of a serial killer who appeared on The Dating Game in the 1970s. But it's also about the women who became — or almost became — his victims. Directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, it's a tense, thoughtful film that has much to say about the systems that make life easier for dangerous and otherwise crummy men. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture

Powerhouse names lingered around the top of Billboard’s albums chart all summer: Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen -- crowding out new entries. But this week brings an embarrassment of riches.

The pop superstar finally graced the actual Tiny Desk with joyous music, at a time when we could all use it.

For 15 weeks this summer, Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" had the No. 1 song in the country, but a new song breaks its streak this week. Plus, pop fans mourn Liam Payne.

The new movie Conclave is a fun and twisty political thriller. Ralph Fiennes plays a cardinal tasked to managing the secretive process in which the pope is replaced. The film offers plenty of scandals, surprises, and dark horses, along with some strong commentary on the state of the Catholic church. Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), the film also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini.Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour

In the Netflix drama The Diplomat, Keri Russell plays an ambassador who's thrust into an international incident with massive stakes. She's also sorting through a tumultuous marriage with her husband, a hotshot veteran diplomat (Rufus Sewell). The series combines the tension of Homeland with the administrative drama of The West Wing. The Diplomat just returned for a new season, so in this encore episode, we revisit our conversation about the series.

The Cure's first album in 16 years, Songs of a Lost World, is thematically dark, but sonically rich and inviting. Still, though, Robert Smith says there's so much more to come.

The production wizard behind Michael Jackson's Thriller won 28 Grammy awards during a career that spanned more than 70 years as a performer, songwriter, producer and music executive.

The rapper's eighth album scored his best-selling debut week ever, but the raw numbers don't tell the whole story of its success. Meanwhile, Shaboozey returns to the top of the songs chart.