PopaHALLics #126 "Hit Man & Hitmakers"
Wouldn't it be nice to learn more about the Beach Boys and Neil Young? We enjoy a documentary and a biography giving new insights into these influential musicians and their place in pop culture. We also laugh at a sexy fake hit man, cheer on "The Bear" and "Sweeth Tooth," and are very glad Lady Jane Grey does not lose her head in the swashbuckling, dryly funny reimagining "My Lady Jane."

Streaming:

• "Hit Man," Netflix. In this action comedy directed by Richard Linklater, a dweeby college professor (Glen Powell, "Anyone But You") pretends to be a hit man for police investigations. What happens when he falls for a sexy suspect (Adria Arjona) who thinks he's a cool, confident killer?
• "My Lady Jane," Amazon Prime. Wait, Lady Jane Grey does NOT get "the chop" at the Tower of London? This reimagining of her life is like "The Princess Bride," with adventure, oodles and oodles of sex, and magic realism. As in people can turn into animals!
• "The Bear," Hulu. Season 3 finds tormented chef Carmie (Jeremy Allen White) continuing to chase a Michelin star, with lots more yelling in the kitchen and more emphasis on the characters around him.
• "Sweet Tooth," Netflix. The third and final season of this sweet, gentle drama finds Gus the deer boy and his friend Big Man trying to get to Alaska and hook up with Gus' mom, who's trying to stop the plague "the Sick."
• "The Beach Boys," Disney +. This fan-friendly documentary traces the history of the band known for surf anthems through "Pet Sounds," a revolutionary album in its time, and beyond. Tons of never-before-seen photos, great stories, and critical insights into the band's importance from the likes of Lindsey Buckingham, producer Don Was, and Janelle Monae.

Books:

• "Disobedient," by Elizabeth Fremantle. This novel based on the life of Artemisia Gentileschi—the greatest female painter of the Renaissance—finds her refusing to be silent about a rape and having "visual revenge" in the creation of her masterpiece, "Judith Beheading Holofernes."
• "Shakey: Neil Young's Biography," by Jimmy McDonough. This 2002 mammoth biography is the definitive look at the life and art of the enigmatic rocker. It was authorized by Young and yet still manages to hold his feet to the fire for questionable creative decisions and the many times he treated those closest to him badly.

Music:
Since we talk about the Beach Boys and Neil Young, let's have fun, fun, fun with a playlist featuring lots of music from both! PopaHALLics #126 Playlist kicks off with a song by the Four Freshmen, who heavily influenced Beach Boys' leader Brian Wilson's ideas about harmonies.

Click through the links above to watch, read, and listen to what we're talking about.