Ariana Grande has been omnipresent the last few years. Discussions of her relationships and her weight have made Grande an internet fixture in recent years. She’s coming off a long run promoting and starring in the two Wicked films, and her hit song “Hate That I Made You Love Me” has been everywhere this summer. She’s also announced she’s taking a step back from public life after her current tour. So with the release of her new album, Petal, what do we make of Grande’s latest batch of songs, and do they successfully capture this moment in her life?

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Olivia Rodrigo seems pretty sad, but does she still generate bangers?

On 'Arirang,' BTS nods to K-pop's past, present and future

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Whether they're lightly perspiring, gently glowing, or soaked through from sweltering, people in the movies sweat a lot. But what movie has had people sweat the very most? With another summer underway, we are revisiting our debate about what is the sweatiest movie of all time — including Do the Right Thing, Dog Day Afternoon, Y tu mamá también, and Body Heat.

If you like need more summery suggestions, check out these episodes:

The summer blockbusters we finally watched

‘Jaws’ is still stuck in our teeth, 50 years later

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ has drama, romance and the music of Taylor Swift


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Sex is back, baby! In the fun new movie I Want Your Sex, Olivia Wilde plays Erika, a mixed-media artist who enters into a very consensual, very kinky, but very unprofessional sub/dom relationship with her assistant Elliot (Cooper Hoffman). Elliot’s having the time of his life, but Erika is a lot, and soon his life starts to fall apart. I Want Your Sex is directed by Gregg Araki and the film doubles down on his brand of fun, in-your-face sexuality he’s known for.

If you want more great films about sex, check out:

‘The Invite’ is a marriage comedy with sex and heart

In ‘Pillion,’ submission is the mission

What makes a good sex scene?


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Zendaya and Tom Holland are back in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and the movie has a more grounded tone than we’ve seen from the franchise. But does it strike the right balance of fun and darkness? Directed by Daniel Destin Cretton, the film also features Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, and Sadie Sink.


Looking for more spectacular Spider-episodes? Check out: 

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' mixes fun and fan service

'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' thrills in every dimension

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The Dink is pickleball’s very funny new entry into the classic genre of sports comedies. In the new film, Jake Johnson stars as a washed-up tennis underachiever whose loyalties become divided after befriending a pickleball player played by Mary Steenburgen. It’s got a contest with huge stakes and a surprising dose of heart, and the jokes make it over the net. 


If you want more breezy fun flicks, check out these episodes: 

In 'Power Ballad,' Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas hit all the right notes

Fun movies you may have missed


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The new Hulu show Furious is a twisty serial killer drama with a sense of humor, but does it hit its mark? Emmy Rossum stars as Alice, a low-level FBI agent on the hunt for a young woman (Lola Petticrew) who’s been targeting prominent men across New York City. Furious will keep you guessing as both women carve their own paths to justice. 

Need more deep dark thrillers? Check out these episodes:

TV heavy-hitters get dark in ‘The Beast In Me’

In ‘Task’, Mark Ruffalo pursues his quarry 


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There’s plenty to love about summer: Summer music, summer road trips, summer movies. But to enjoy all those things, you have to sustain yourself with summer snacks. But what are the best summer treats of all? We asked our listeners, and we are revealing the results in a game all about summer snacks. (Today’s episode originally ran as a bonus episode for NPR Plus supporters.)
For other episodes where we unpack your votes, check out:
Top 5 Pixar movies, ranked by listeners
Top 10 Muppets, as voted by listeners

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Can’t make it to Broadway? Hadestown: The Musical has you covered. The film adaptation of the Tony-winning hit captures the musical retelling of the Greek tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice. Fans can see the principal original Broadway cast including Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, and André De Shields reunite on the big screen for five nights only. 

Need more musicals? Check out these episodes:

'Wicked: For Good' will bring you to tears

We debate the best movie musical numbers

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Hot Ones is the YouTube show where famous people answer questions while eating increasingly hot chicken wings. Now host Sean Evans is bringing his wings to Netflix with a series of specials called Hot Ones: Extra Heat. What exactly makes a good Hot Ones guest? On this encore episode, we discuss the show and specifically about possibly the best guest ever, Conan O’Brien.

If you want hot questions answered (hold the wings), check out these episode: 
We debate the best live TV moments in pop culture
What makes for a good book to film adaptation?
We debate the best fictional bands

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Have some people forgotten how to behave at music festivals? Summer is peak music festival season, and that means many of us are braving huge crowds and sweltering heat to see a bunch of artists we love in one place. But is there a decline in social decorum in these concert settings? From using phones to being in the front row to navigating crowds, today we’re sharing personal and passionate takes about music festival etiquette.

If you are looking for more episodes like this one, check out:
The pop culture hill I'll die on
How we handle spoilers

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