PopaHALLics #139 "Deception"

PopaHALLics #139 "Deception"
The truth is, er, fluid in the pop culture discussed in this episode, from a married spy trying to determine if his spouse is doing wrong, to an Australian pretending to have a fatal disease for profit and influence, to a supervillain seemingly going straight who might still be very bent. 

In Theaters:

• "Black Bag." In this spy thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh, a legendary intelligence agent (Michael Fassbender) must determine if his wife/fellow spy (Cate Blanchett) has committed treason—and whether his loyalty is to his marriage or his country.

Streaming:

• "Apple Cider Vinegar," Netflix. In this limited series based on true events, two young women (Kaitlyn Dever and  Alycia Debnam-Carey) set out to cure their life-threatening illnesses through health and wellness, influencing their global online community along the way. Unfortunately, they aren't really ill. 
• "Daredevil: Born Again," Disney +. Marvel's blind superhero returns, sort of. After a disturbing event, attorney Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox) hangs up his Daredevil suit. But wait—does his nemesis Kingpin/Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) have an ulterior motive in running for mayor of New York?

Books:

• "Say No to the Devil: The Life and Musical Genius of Rev. Gary Davis," by Ian Zack. Davis, a blind street preacher and amazingly talented guitarist, is not as well-known today as contemporaries like Son House and Lightning Hopkins. Yet, as this 2016 biography explains, Davis had an outsized influence on music because of his many guitar students and admirers, who include Bob Dylan, Stefan Grossman, Eric Clapton, Hot Tuna, and more. 
• "The Blackbird Oracle," by Deborah Harkness. In the fifth installment in the bestselling All Souls series, witch/Oxford scholar Diana and vampire geneticist Matthew seek to avoid the testing of their twins' magical skills. Attempting to forge a new future for her family, Diana must face "a confrontation with her family’s dark past and a reckoning for her own desire for even greater power."

Music:

On PopaHALLics #139 Playlist (Rev. Gary Davis), experience the music of the blind guitarist/street preacher (see "Say No to the Devil" above) as interpreted by Jackson Browne, the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, Mavis Staples, and more, as well as Davis himself. We've also added a few tunes by Kate's new discovery, the 1960s/70s French rock band Les Variations.

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