Nimona (2023) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen and Brittany Spurlin)

This week, Cullen is joined by two grad school friends, Allyssa and Brittany, to talk about the shape-shifting queer tale of Netflix’s Nimona! We start with some queer book recommendations to finish your Pride Month with some more awesome tales. Then, Cullen gives us an overview of shapeshifter and trickster lore, Allyssa raves about the unique world of the movie and Brittany swooned at the love story between Boldheart and Goldenloin.

PSA: Support your local library!

Check out Brittany on Twitter (currently known as X): @BSInitials 

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

For this week of Pride Month, we’re talking about the animated movie that invented gender-bending — Disney’s Mulan 1998. Cullen shares two of the oldest versions of the Chinese folktale, Hannah can’t stop talking about how good this movie is, and our guest Nick convinces us that he’s not saying Mulan is a trans story but he’s also not NOT saying that. Huge thanks to our friend Nick for sharing amazing insights and love for this great film!

Vote in the Famtasy Choice Awards

Research for this episode:

• Everything Culturally Right and Wrong With Mulan 1998 - Xiran Jay Zhao

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Happy Pride Month! We’re starting off with a heavy film that just barely counts as a fantasy film– “All of Us Strangers.” Cullen does a roll call of various queer deities (gay-ities, if you will), Hannah points out fantasy tropes and themes, and our guests Callum and Michael share insights about the first movie adaptation of “Strangers,” the novel this film is based on.

Trigger Warning: Briefs References to Self-Unal*ving

Check out Callum and Michael’s podcast Once Upon a VHS, and be sure to follow them on Instagram and Tiktok!

VOTE IN THE FAMTASY CHOICE AWARDS 

Research for this episode:

• History of Dog and the Sailor 

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

We’re making Not My Fantasy history, folks. That’s right, we’re finally talking about the movie that comes before Cullen’s favorite song about a blue dragon. We’re reviewing “Eragon” with special guests, Kaley and Taylor of The Book Was Better Podcast! Cullen relives his disappointing experience seeing the movie in theaters, Hannah tries to wrap her brain around the movie’s confounding lore, while Kaley and Taylor help us make sense of the filmmakers’ crazy changes from the book.

Check out The Book Was Better Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

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Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen)

This week, we’re talking about dragons with the Dreamworks film, “How to Train Your Dragon.” Cullen refuses to forgive Stoic for being such a bad father, Hannah gets second-hand embarrassment about the big kiss at the end, and our guest Allyssa gives us great insights into the key changes between the book and the movie as well as filmmaking decisions from the directors’ commentary.

Research for this episode:

• Dragon Lore 

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Bionicle: Mask of Light (2003) (feat. John Gossett)

Back in the early 2000s, Bionicles caused controversy with their cultural appropriation. Now, they’re wreaking havoc on Hannah’s sanity. This week, we’re lava-surfing into the 2003, direct-to-video movie “Bionicle: Mask of Light.” Cullen soapboxes about the strange, dense lore of the Bionicles toys and media franchise, Hannah desperately clings to reality at the mention of any character’s name, and our guest John is just here to enjoy the crab ride around the island of Mata Nui.

Research for this episode:

•  The Official Bionicle Guide 

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

We’re journeying to the island village of Motuni with Moana (2016). We explore just some of the vast lore of Polynesian cultures and talk about the film’s original takes on it as well as the completely original lore created for the film. Plus, Cullen asks the hard questions about using the facilities while searching for Te Fiti, Hannah discovers Moana is her patron Disney Princess saint, and our guest, Disney fan and content creator Lyra Tan, pitches a new Moana-themed ride for Disneyland.

Check out Lyra on Instagram: @brightyoungleerah

Research for this episode:

• Polynesian Mythology 

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

This week, three Americans watch 2013’s “About Time” and can’t be convinced that the U.K. is a real country. Cullen shares lore about the British obsession with The Killers, Hannah accepts the lack of time travel logic in this delightful film, and our guest Neethi tries to figure out whether the main character is using time travel to tip the British legal system in his clients’ favor. Oh, and Cullen issues a correction about the story of his birth and its relation to the story of Cinderella.

Research for this episode:

• Time travel - Wikipedia

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

For this week of time travel month, we’re talking about “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” the 2009 sci-fi romance film adaptation of the book of the same name. Cullen proudly comes out as a “free will stan,” Hannah takes off her rose-colored glasses to see this movie for the mess it really is, and Frankie of the Shoot the Flick podcast earns a purple heart for finishing the movie even though she wanted to stop many times.

You can listen to Shoot the Flick wherever you get your podcasts. Follow them on social media @shoottheflick on Instagram and Twitter (currently known as X).

Research for this episode:

• Time Traveling for Dummies: A Physicist Looks at The Time Traveler’s Wife - Slate

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan and Hannah Sylvester. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

We’re traveling back in time to experience a romcom like no other: “Kate & Leopold” starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman. Hannah breaks our brains with more time travel philosophy and science, Cullen can’t stop comparing this move to “The Knight Before Christmas,” and our guest Alex tries to spot the OTHER time traveler at the beginning of the film. Oh, and we’re all seduced by Hugh Jackman in this movie.

Research for this episode:

• Time travel - Wikipedia

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Watch Us on YouTube!

Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:

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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan and Hannah Sylvester. 

This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.

Cover Art by William Callaghan

Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.