With its sold-out premiere at TIFF Next Wave and a coveted Audience Award win at SXSW Sydney, Sam Hayes’ debut feature Pools is making more than just a splash—it’s sending ripples through the indie film world. Led by Odessa A’zion, Michael Vlamis, Mason Gooding, and Ariel Winter, the film is a rich, character-driven portrait of connection, conflict, and the quiet moments that catch you off guard. As word spreads, Pools is quickly becoming one of the year’s most talked-about discoveries. Set over the course of a sweltering Chicago weekend, Pools
Catie Turner is quickly becoming one of the most compelling voices of her generation—an artist unafraid to turn discomfort into art, vulnerability into strength, and fleeting thoughts into unforgettable lyrics. Each line she writes lands with intention, stripped of pretense and full of purpose. With new music on the horizon, she’s leaning even further into that raw honesty. Her upcoming single, “I Might,” confronts the complicated relationship between safety, intimacy, and self-worth. It’s a song born from reflection but delivered with instinct—what Catie describes as the moment her voice finally
Amber Afzali makes one of the most memorable debuts of the year, delivering a performance marked by emotional depth and quiet power. In Rule Breakers, she brings a sense of authenticity that’s rooted not only in her craft, but in a profound connection to the Afghan Dreamers—young women whose courage and ambition defied the odds. For Amber, stepping into this role wasn’t just an artistic milestone—it was the realization of a dream that echoed the very spirit of the girls she was portraying. Set in a country where educating girls
Pop Culturalist is excited to be partnering with Warner Bros. Pictures to give away tickets to a NYC screening of Final Destination: Bloodlines. You and a guest will see the film before it’s released on May 16th. All the details are below. Good luck! About the Film The premonition-based horror franchise returns in Final Destination: Bloodlines. This entry acts a relaunch for the series with the formula remaining the same. Each film’s protagonist is given a vision of a deadly event that takes several lives – by using this information