Nerds Against Normality

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Full plot spoilers for the ACOTAR series up to the new release! ⚠️

Getting ready to dive into the latest Sarah J. Maas release? Vic and Stacey are joined by guest Beccy Byatt for an unfiltered ACOTAR series catch-up as we prep for Prythian’s return!

Normally, Nerd Against Normality dissects screen scenes and video games, but with the new ACOTAR book dropping, we are stepping out of our comfort zone to review the story so far. Note: We haven't read the new release yet—this is our ultimate catch-up, theory session, and pre-game hype!

Inside this special episode:

• The Story So Far: Reviewing key plotlines, court politics, and major twists from the previous books.

• Night Court Debates: Feyre, Rhysand, and Tamlin—unpacking character arcs on a reread (and who belongs in the Hybern dungeons).

• New Book Theories: Guest Beccy Byatt shares her wildest predictions for what SJM is about to drop.

• Pre-Game Verdict: Where the series stands and how ready we are for the new release!

👉 Hit that Follow/Subscribe button on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you don't miss our review of the new book! Drop your top predictions in the Spotify Q&A box below or tag us on social media!

The Last Voyage of the Demeter review! This week on Nerds Against Normality, we're reviewing André Øvredal's 2023 supernatural horror film, based on a terrifying chapter from Bram Stoker's legendary novel Dracula.

Starring Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian and Javier Botet, we discuss the film's chilling atmosphere, gruesome horror, Dracula's terrifying design, standout performances, behind-the-scenes trivia and whether The Last Voyage of the Demeter delivers a voyage worth taking.

Whether you're a lifelong horror fan or looking for your next creepy watch, join us for another fun-filled movie review packed with laughs, nerdy tangents and plenty of debate.

This Halloween, Nerds Against Normality heads into the woods for Sam Raimi’s cult horror classic, The Evil Dead (1981)! 🎃

Starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker and Theresa Tilly, and produced by Renaissance Pictures, this low-budget nightmare delivers demonic possession, buckets of blood and some truly questionable decisions.

Does The Evil Dead still hold up as a horror classic, or should we have left the Book of the Dead alone? Join us as three nerdy friends debate the gore, the scares and the legacy of one of horror’s most iconic films. 

Make sure to subscribe to catch all our latest episodes every Wednesday 

This week on Nerds Against Normality, we're reviewing Resident Evil Apocalypse and heading back into the world of Umbrella Corporation for the sequel to the 2002 Resident Evil movie, based on Capcom's legendary survival horror video game series.

But does Resident Evil: Apocalypse deserve to survive the outbreak, or should this sequel have been left for dead?

We get into Milla Jovovich's return as Alice, Sienna Guillory's debut as fan-favourite Jill Valentine, the terrifying Nemesis, and director Alexander Witt's attempt to bring the chaos of the Resident Evil games to the big screen. From zombie carnage and action-packed set pieces to the film's horror credentials, we're putting this video game adaptation under the microscope in our Resident Evil: Apocalypse review.

Plus, Ben takes us into the world of SIGNALIS, the sci-fi survival horror game available on PlayStation. We explore its retro-inspired visuals, disturbing atmosphere, limited resources and psychological horror, as Ben tackles a nightmare filled with cryptic puzzles, sinister creatures and unsettling secrets.

It's all fun and games until somebody mentions the T-virus.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986) — John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, ancient sorcery, underground monsters and one truck driver who somehow thinks he’s the hero of the story.

This week on Nerds Against Normality, we’re heading into San Francisco’s Chinatown to revisit one of the strangest cult movies of the ’80s.

But does Big Trouble in Little China still deserve its cult-classic reputation, or is Jack Burton’s greatest trick convincing everyone this film makes any sense whatsoever?

We get into Kurt Russell’s brilliantly useless action hero, David Lo Pan, the Three Storms, John Carpenter’s completely unhinged mix of martial arts, fantasy, comedy and action — and all the wonderfully ridiculous moments that could only have come from the 1980s.

Plus, we put the film to the usual Nerds Against Normality treatment, go wildly off topic and find out whether all three of us actually agree on this one.

It’s all in the reflexes.

🎬 Big Trouble in Little China

🎙️ Nerds Against Normality — a film podcast where three nerdy friends with very different tastes take turns choosing what the others have to watch.

What are the five greatest Super Mario games of all time?

Harry is flying solo for a special bonus episode of Nerds Against Normality, celebrating the anniversary of Nintendo's GameCube classic Super Mario Sunshine by ranking his five favourite Super Mario games ever.

From 2D classics to Mario's biggest 3D adventures, Harry counts down his personal Top 5, explains why each game deserves its place and reveals which Mario game takes the number-one spot.

Expect nostalgia, controversial choices and at least a few Nintendo favourites that didn't make the cut. And yes, Super Mario Galaxy fans may want to prepare themselves.

What's your Top 5? Let us know which Super Mario game you'd put at number one.

🎬 YOUR NAME (2016) REVIEW — Is it really one of the greatest anime films ever made?

This week, it’s Harry’s pick as we dive into Makoto Shinkai’s acclaimed anime Your Name — and it’s Vic’s very first anime. We get into the body-swapping, romance, twists and stunning animation, and find out whether Your Name can live up to the hype for a complete anime newcomer.

Plus, Harry’s finally finished Apple TV’s Slow Horses and gives his thoughts on the hit spy series.

So, does Your Name deserve its reputation — and more importantly, have we finally converted Vic to anime?

Tokyo Game Show 2026 – Biggest Games & Announcements 🎮

Tokyo Game Show 2026 is here! Harry jumps into the biggest reveals and announcements in this quick-fire bonus episode, including Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT, Persona 4 Revival and Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance.

What looks worth getting excited about, which announcements caught our attention, and what should be firmly on your gaming radar?

A quick 10-minute hit of Tokyo Game Show from Nerds Against Normality.

The House Bunny (2008) Review 🎬

It’s Vic’s pick this week as we head back to 2008 for The House Bunny, starring Anna Faris, Emma Stone and Kat Dennings!

Does this late-2000s comedy still hold up? Is Shelley Darlingson one of Anna Faris’ best roles? And just how badly have some parts of the film aged? Harry, Ben and Vic get into the comedy, characters, favourite moments and whether The House Bunny deserves to be remembered as a genuinely great comedy or simply a guilty pleasure.

Before all that, Vic has finally finished the latest season of FROM — so naturally, we need to find out what she thought of it.

Plus, as always, expect plenty of completely unnecessary tangents along the way.

🎙️ Nerds Against Normality — three friends, three very different tastes.

This week, we’re reviewing The Blues Brothers (1980) — the cult musical comedy starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

Does Jake and Elwood’s mission from God still hold up more than 45 years later? We’re talking legendary music, incredible cameos, ridiculous car chases and some truly spectacular destruction.

Plus, we put our musical knowledge to the test as Harry, Ben and Vic attempt to identify famous songs from some questionable descriptions.

Three friends. Three very different tastes. Plenty of opinions.