Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr

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Book Club Announcement: Just Listen (June 2025) May 27, 2025

Show notes

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 hkhspod@gmail.com before June 20th!

> Brenna: @brennacgray

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

Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Adolescence (2025) May 20, 2025

Show notes

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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Mailbag 43: Olympic & Lottery Winners May 13, 2025

Show notes

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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

The Fire Inside (2024) May 06, 2025

Show notes

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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Mailbag 42: Comic Adaptations and Kids on Screen Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

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 <gulp> 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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (2024) Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Thanks to a prompt from listener Victoria, we're checking out Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (2024), the five part docuseries exposing harmful working conditions on Nickelodeon shows in the early 2000s.

It's grim to say the least, not just for survivors like Drake Bell, but broadly speaking all of media that employs children. Should we even be watching this kind of content? Cue the existential crisis!

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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Rez Ball (2024) Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

We're checking out director Sydney Freeland's Indigenous basketball movie, Rez Ball (2024). C/W: suicide (off-screen)

Co-written by Reservation Dogs' Sterlin Harjo, this underdog feel-good sports film does exactly what you expect and not much else (Prompting another round of "it's fine, why does it need to be more?"). Still, at nearly 2 hours, Joe wishes there was stronger character work and Brenna is frustrated by the mother character's incomplete arc.

Plus: Navajo language, beautiful New Mexico scenery, and colourful Pitch Perfect-esque commentary!

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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Uglies Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

Brenna and Joe return with their first book to film adaptation episode with a discussion of Scott Westerfeld's 2005 dystopian novel Uglies and the long delayed 2024 film adaptation by McG.

This is...a miss. The book has extremely shallow commentary and has editing issues, while the film has (yes) ugly CGI hoverboard action and an unconvincing love interest. And then there's Laverne Cox as a villain who forces children to undergo surgery, which is just unfortunate considering the current political transphobic moment. Yikes!

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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Bonus Track (2023) feat. Conrad Chambers Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

Brenna and Joe are joined by Conrad Chambers, Joe's co-host from The Queer Gaze podcast, to discuss 2023 UK gay coming of age film Bonus Track.

It's a little bit slight, albeit full of charming performances and nicely fills the gap left by Heartstopper and Sex Education.

Plus: nepo babies, a Josh O'Connor cameo, and confusion about the period setting.

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)

> Conrad: @thequeergaze

Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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

Mailbag 41: Heartstopper's Tara & Darcy, Banned Book Club, and Child Actors Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

Brenna and Joe are back for another mailbag, with recommendations from Tea, Books and Chocolate, gentle criticism about Heartstopper S03 and a call to action from Miriam, and request for coverage about child actor exploitation on set from Victoria.

Want to recommend a book or participate in a new iteration of Banned Book Club? Contribute your suggestions in this open Google Doc: https://tinyurl.com/mryhx96a!

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 hkhspod@gmail.com

Theme music: Letra “Like A Bird”

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