Alabama Shakes front woman Brittany Howard's first solo record is a majestic, funky, introspective album that explores the many different sides of Brittany. Her powerhouse vocals, incredible songwriting, and strong instrumentals make this a must-listen. Speaking of musts, one of the must-watch films of the year, The Peanut Butter Falcon, is an uplifting, funny, and heartwarming Mark Twain-style adventure for an unlikely duo. Also featured in this episode, our first EVER on-air happy tears. Try to predict who's crying before you hit play.

Jaime starts at 10:45.

Peanut Butter Falcon starts at 43:45.

Show notes at happytearspod.com/episodes/009

The 'Space' episode! We discuss the James Gray film Ad Astra, starring Brad Pitt. This movie a sprawling space odyssey about a man searching for his father in the vast reaches of space as he wrestles with solitude, family connection, the mysteries of life, and the limits of the human spirit. We also cover the comic book series Descender, written by Jeff Lemire, illustrated by Dustin Nguyen, and published by Image Comics. This space adventure follows a young boy robot traveling the galaxy to find his long, lost, human brother as the rest of the galaxy attempts to capture him.

Show notes at happytearspod.com/episodes/008

Ad Astra starts at 14:24.

Descender starts at 44:30

Looking for music that has incredible vocals, insane horns, and complex layering and production? You've found it! On this episode, we review two VERY different albums that include all of those elements. First, Atlanta-based hip hop duo, EARTHGANG, gives us Mirrorland which takes you through a fantastic, dark, and weird carnival of southern rap. Then, Little Ghost by Moonchild chills us out with smooth, funky, neo-soul vibes. Expect an abundance of stank face from both great albums.

Mirrorland starts at 22:00.

Little Ghost starts at 36:05.

More info at happytearspod.com/episodes/007

Lulu Wang's film The Farewell is a true story that follows a young woman caught between her Chinese heritage and her American upbringing when her family chooses not to tell their matriarch that she has cancer. There There by Tommy Orange is an exploration of the modern urban Native American experience. Both are fascinating stories about identity, culture, love, and pain.

The Farewell starts at 16:25.

There There starts at 43:16.

More info at happytearspod.com/episodes/006

Can one of our most beloved directors adeptly adapt a New York Times Best Selling comedy novel about an agoraphobic architect? We discuss Maria Semple's Where’d You Go, Bernadette along with Richard Linklater's film adaptation of the novel. There is one thing for certain: tears will be shed. 

More info at happytearspod.com/episodes/005

Superheroes! They’re a thing right now. We start with the grim, gritty, irreverent world of The Boys (Amazon Prime) where the world of Superheroes is corrupted by absolute power and corporate greed. Then we rewind to the golden age of comic books and explore the excitement and wonder of Michael Chabon’s fictional novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

More info at happytearspod.com/episodes/004

A Quentin Tarantino double-header! (Double feature?) Tarantino’s latest film Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is a send-up to old Hollywood complete with celebrities, hippies, and a very well-trained dog. As one of QT’s most grounded films, its a great pairing with Jackie Brown (1997).  The guys fill in a major QT blindspot with this great heist thriller starring Pam Grier and Samuel L. Jackson. More resources and info on this episode can be found here.

More info and resources on this episodes can be found at happytearspod.com/episodes/003

AKA “the one where Nick say ‘beautiful’ too much.” In this episode we discuss the album and short film from The National: “I Am Easy to Find” as well as Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunrise” film trilogy. Get ready for a reflection on time, humanity, and the nature of existence.

More resources and info on this episode can be found at happytearspod.com/episodes/001