Book Club returns as Brenna and Joe discuss Sarah Dessen's 2006 novel Just Listen, along with responses from Miriam, Victoria, and Tea, Books & Chocolate. C/W: sexual assault and disordered eating.

We *loved* this book, which feels fresh, accessible and side-steps glamorizing or wallowing in the trauma.

Plus: girlhood, placelessness, glass house metaphors and radical honesty.

Wanna connect with the show or comment on July's selection Felix Ever After (due July 18)? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe check out coming of age film Uproar (2023), directed by Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennett and written by Bennett and Sonia Whiteman.

The 80s-set New Zealand movie follows Josh (Julian Dennison), a Maori boy who becomes politically engaged when his small town hosts a South African rugby club during Apartheid. It is an unintentionally timely text considering the recent wave of protests and the reticence of older people to get involved.

Plus: Minnie Driver and Rhys Darby stunt casting, rugby factoids, and why white "allies" are the worst!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky: @HKHSPod

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's easy, breezy time as Brenna and Joe check out our first Jennifer E. Smith text with Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (2015) and Michael Lewen's 2022 Netflix adaptation.

This feels like a classic first year HKHS combo: a beach-read book and an enjoyably slight romantic film, anchored by likeable leads. We're especially shocked at the negative reviews for the latter!

Plus: our fave stops on the tour, Jordan Fisher's music, Joe's frustration with book Clare, and a surprising film development around diverse inclusion.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A quick reminder that your responses to Sarah Dessen's Just Listen is due Friday, June 20.

And also: the announcement of our July 2025 selection, which is Kacen Callender's Felix Ever After (2018). If you wanna read along, the due date for responses for July is Friday, July 18.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to listener requests, Brenna and Joe dig into the fantasy world of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart and its 2008 film adaptation starring Brendan Fraser.

It's...not what we expected. In addition to less driving, Joe wanted more fantasy, while Brenna wanted more famous characters.

Possible reasons this didn't connect for us: translation issues and the revelation that it may have been meant to be read aloud at bedtime!

Plus: Helen Mirren doing Judy Dench, obvious sequel set-up, our interest in Fenoglio (but not Elinor) and the surprising longevity of the film's FX!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the request of Miriam, we're re-starting Book Club! Our first pick is Sarah Dessen's Just Listen (2006), which concerns rape and eating disorders (C/W).

In order to proceed, we need your thoughts! Send us an email response at [email protected] before June 20th!

Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe tackle the buzzy four episode Netflix limited series Adolescence (2025).

Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham (with all episodes directed by Philip Barantini), the show has drawn raves for its single long take format and outstanding acting.

But what's missing from the discussion? Does it earn the acclaim? And what should a potential S02 look like? Let's discuss!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe have a quick conversation about Miriam's email regarding the stark realities of Olympic winners, with a quick comparison to lottery winners.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe return to inspirational sports movies with The Fire Inside (2024), but this is secretly two movies in one!

The first is the story of Clarissa "T-Rex" Shields fighting for boxing gold at the Olympics; the second is what happens upon her return to Flint, Michigan.

Anchored by two stellar performances from Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry, we prefer the second, more interesting movie and speculate the stronger film that could have been if writer Barry Jenkins and director Rachel Morrison had just avoided the familiar, trope-y underdog part altogether.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with a fresh Mailbag courtesy of Sophie and Tea, Books and Chocolate.

First up: a question about the popularity of comic adaptations of books such as the After series?!

Then, a response about the recent Quiet on Set episode which further complicates the issue of kids working in entertainment.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird” 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.