Explore every episode of the podcast Not My Fantasy
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) (feat. T. Zaccario and Cait Callaghan) | 18 Dec 2024 | 02:02:17 | |
It is cold, and Scrooge likes that. This holiday season, we’re watching “A Muppet Christmas Carol,” the most faithful adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas tale. We dive into some of Christmas’ spooky history and Dickens’ influence on the depictions of the holiday in media. Cullen outs himself as a Nephew Freddie, Hannah reveals why she’s not a fan of The Muppets, T shivers at the sight of the Ghost of Christmas Past, and Cait flexes their English teacher muscles with lots of great insights into the book.
Want to support a teacher this holiday season (or anytime)? You can support Cait’s high school English classroom by donating and/or sharing the link to their classroom fund profile on DonorsChoose. You can also follow Cait on Instagram at @caldadlorian.
Be sure to check out T’s podcast, Obscure Obsessions wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the podcast on Instagram at @ObscurePodcast.
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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. | |||
| Moana 2 (2024) | 14 Dec 2024 | 01:40:18 | |
This week, Cullen and Hannah talk about the a-meh-zing Moana 2, emphasis on meh. We both try to articulate why this movie didn’t quite work, Cullen gives us a lesson on musical lyric writing, and Hannah brainstorms a plot for the Moana sequel we wanted to see. Oh, and there are so many references to the Bionicle movie, Wicked and D&D. Research for this episode:
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Research & Writing by Hannah Sylvester and Cullen Callaghan. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (2023) (ft. Maiko Greenleaf) | 24 Aug 2024 | 01:49:43 | |
Ask us what kind of tree it is, because it’s a Chris Pine (movie). We watched “Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves” and explored the world of the Forgotten Realms with our favorite dorky, dysfunctional adventuring party. Cullen references The Veggie Tales for the 100th time, Hannah shares her close call with a rogue gang of Minions, and Maiko reports live from Legolas’ back woods.
Check out our guest appearance on Shoot the Flick! We had a fun conversation dissecting the obliteration of history in “Night About the Museum.” You can find that episode of Shoot the Flick on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan & Hannah Sylvester. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| 1st Famtasy Choice Awards (50 Episode Celebration) | 13 Jul 2024 | 02:11:44 | |
The Famtasy Choice Awards (50 Episode Celebration)
Cullen and Hannah thank viewers like you and hand out Famtasy Choice Awards to the characters, songs and movies we’ve met on the Fantastical Adventure as voted by our listeners. We also read comments and reviews and celebrate the journey of our first 50 episodes. Thank you listeners for listening to 50 episodes of magic, mayhem, and movies!
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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. | |||
| Nimona (2023) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen and Brittany Spurlin) | 23 Jun 2024 | 02:02:11 | |
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. | |||
| Mulan (1998) (feat. Nick Bennett) | 09 Jun 2024 | 02:41:32 | |
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:
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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. | |||
| All of Us Strangers (2023) (feat. Once Upon a VHS) | 02 Jun 2024 | 02:04:45 | |
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
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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.
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| Eragon (2006) (feat. The Book Was Better Podcast) | 26 May 2024 | 02:17:13 | |
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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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.
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| How To Train Your Dragon (2010) ft. Allyssa Swearingen | 19 May 2024 | 01:54:44 | |
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:
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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: The Mask of Light (2003) ft. John Gossett | 11 May 2024 | 02:49:45 | |
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.
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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. | |||
| Moana (2016) (feat. Lyra Tan) | 05 May 2024 | 01:48:56 | |
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
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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.
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| About Time (2013) (feat. Neethi Jelaji) | 27 Apr 2024 | 02:33:15 | |
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:
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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. | |||
| Wicked Part One (2024) (feat. Down the Yellow Brick Pod) | 08 Dec 2024 | 01:45:53 | |
We’re going back before the brick road was yellow to discuss the Wicked movie! We’re joined by Tara and EmKay of Down the Yellow Brick Pod to talk about the movie, the musical, and the book! Cullen holds space for the future Shiz University Library LEGO set, Hannah goes on a face journey hearing the plot of the book, Tara spreads Gregory Maguire’s pro-crone message, and EmKay spotlights Cynthia and Ariana’s award-nomination-worthy scenes.
Want more Tara, EmKay, and Oz? Listen to Down the Yellow Brick Pod wherever you get your podcasts. And follow them on Instagram: @DownTheYellowBrickPod.
Research for this episode:
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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. | |||
| The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009) (feat. Shoot the Flick) | 21 Apr 2024 | 02:23:08 | |
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:
==================================== Watch Us on YouTube! Follow Our Adventures on Social Media: @notmyfantasypod
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. | |||
| Kate and Leopold (2001) ft. Alex Alemany | 14 Apr 2024 | 02:28:05 | |
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:
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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. | |||
| Back to the Future (1985) (feat. Scott Thompson) | 06 Apr 2024 | 02:33:33 | |
We’re going to the past with Back to the Future (1985) in our first-ever episode about time travel. Hannah takes the lore reins this week and breaks Cullen’s brain with all sorts of time travel physics, philosophy and paradoxes. With our grad school professor, screenwriter Scott Thompson, we unravel the time travel rules of the Back to the Future universe,
Be sure to follow @freemartin.short on Instagram to see more about the short film Scott and his child Hayes are writing and producing! You can also read more about the story in the article “Screenplay Script Writing & Short Film Anatomy: Free Martin” on Shore Scripts.
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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. | |||
| Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time (2007) (feat. Elyza Halpern aka PossumGirl) | 30 Mar 2024 | 02:08:30 | |
We’re traveling back in time to retraumatize Cinderella with the straight-to-DVD Disney animated sequel, Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time. Cullen celebrates a belated St. Paddy’s Day by retelling an Irish fairy tale, Hannah calls out the movie’s retconning the king, and our guest Elyza convinces us that this movie is actually just Cinderella 1½.
Check out Elyza Halpern on TikTok @PossumGirl and Instagram @PossumGirl_IG.
Research for this episode:
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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. | |||
| Cinderella (2015) ft. Katrina Reinert of the Fairy Tellers | 23 Mar 2024 | 03:04:46 | |
Cinderella (2015) (feat. Katrina Reinert from The Fairy Tellers)
In this episode of our Cinderella series, we’re joined by Katrina from The Fairy Tellers to discuss Lily James Cinderella from 2015. We recount the Brothers Grimm story “Ashenputtel,” mourn the fairy tale parents we’ve lost to Victorian novel disease, and dissect the dangers of toxic positivity and kindness for kindness’s sake.
Want more Cinderella? Go listen to The Fairy Tellers wherever you get your podcasts! And be sure to follow their podcast on Instagram: @TheFairy_Tellers.
Research for this episode:
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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.
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| Cinderella (2021) ft. Gleek of the Week | 16 Mar 2024 | 02:37:31 | |
Cinderella (2021) (feat. Gleek of the Week)
We’re continuing Cinderella month with the #girlboss version of the HBIC. It’s Amazon Prime’s Cinderella (2021) starring Camila Cabello, the wickedly talented Adele Dazeem and, of course, James Corden as a mouse. We’re joined by Andrew, host of Gleek of the Week, to talk about this very Glee-coded, jukebox musical fairytale film. We consider what the true meaning of Cinderella’s tale really is, critique this Cindy’s fashion design skills, and do a lot of real-time research on mouse genitals, the Oscars fan vote, and the waves of feminism.
You can listen to Gleek of the Week wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Gleek of the Week on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter!
Research for this episode:
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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. | |||
| Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997) (feat. Coltrane Zerai-Che) | 09 Mar 2024 | 01:49:21 | |
In our second episode for Cinderella month, we’re covering the 1997 classic Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella starring Brandy…or as we all refer to it as: Brandy Cinderella! Cullen takes us through the hard-to-trace origins of the Cinderella tale, from Greco-Roman times to a Cinderella story from 8th century China–Ye Xian. With our guest, Brandy Cinderella stan Coltrane, we rave about the power of Brandy’s version of this classic tale, complain about this soundtrack not being on Spotify, and dissect the lore behind everyone’s obsession with dainty feet.
Check out Coltran on Instagram @ColtraneZeraiChe!
Research for this episode:
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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. | |||
| Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Part 2 | 07 Mar 2024 | 01:00:05 | |
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (PART 2)
We’re wrapping up our discussion on the Disney+ show, Percy Jackson and the Olympians! We dive into the lore of the lotus eaters, bicon Hermes, and the realm of Hades. Plus, we praise Hades for setting boundaries with his toxic family, giggle over the show’s dry humor, and make our final comparisons between this show and the poorly adapted movie.
Research for this episode:
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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. | |||
| Cinderella (1950) ft. Bethanie Finger | 02 Mar 2024 | 02:32:24 | |
Cinderella (1950) (feat. Bethanie Finger of Prince Kai Fan Pod)
We’re finally doing our first-ever Cinderella series, and we’re starting with the classic Walt Disney’s Cinderella from 1950. We dive into the Charles Perrault story, fangirl over how relatable Cinderella is, and dissect her very sinister situation as a woman in olden times. Thanks to author/podcaster Bethanie Finger for the TSwift references and incredible analysis!
Be sure to listen to our interview with Bethanie about her book, “More Than Life.” Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube!
Check out Bethanie Finger and Prince Kai Fan Pod: A Marissa Meyer Book Club Podcast on social media: Instagram: @BethanieFinger / @PrinceKaiFanPod Facebook: @PrinceKaiFanPod
Research for this episode:
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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. | |||
| Warm Bodies (2013) (feat. Laurel Repshas) | 24 Feb 2024 | 01:39:05 | |
This movie warmed our cold hearts! Cullen and Hannah are joined by “Warm Bodies” (2013) stan Laurel to talk about this unique adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, the Haitian origins of zombies, and the corpses we didn’t fall in love with during Supernatural Romance Month. Oh, and Cullen hijacks this episode to platform about the DCOM series “Zombies,” driving everyone to the brink of madness. Huge thanks to Laurel!
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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.
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| The Wizard of Oz (1939) (feat. Jenna Karn) | 01 Dec 2024 | 02:15:50 | |
We’re entering our Oz era. This week, we’re talking about the classic fantasy film “The Wizard of Oz” starring Judy Garland. Cullen takes us through the crazy fantasy of the L. Frank Baum book, Hannah shows off her Oz swag from her theatre viewing, and our guest Jenna shares her wonderful experience meeting the munchkins as a kid.
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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. | |||
| Lisa Frankenstein (2024) ft. Passages Podcast | 17 Feb 2024 | 02:08:42 | |
Lisa Frankenstein (2024) (feat. Passages Pod)
We saw Lisa Frankenstein (2024), the brand-new cult-horror-teen-romance from writer Diablo Cody. Listen as Cullen, Hannah, and special guests Robbie and Amanda from Passages Podcast fall deep into madness over this terrifically terrible film. Our conversation is just as wild, twisted and confusing as the movie itself. A MUST-LISTEN!
HUGE THANKS to Robbie and Amanda for ranting with us! Listen to Passages Podcast with Robbie and Amanda wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to follow Passages Podcast on Instagram (@passagespod) and at PassagesPod.com.
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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. | |||
| More Than Life - Interview with Author Bethanie Finger | 12 Feb 2024 | 00:58:07 | |
Cullen sits down with past/future guest of the pod, Bethanie Finger, to talk about her upcoming debut novel, “More Than Life.” Learn more about what inspired this fantasy-romance-adventure story, discover her writing process AND wrack your brain over her hints about the rest of the trilogy to keep you guessing about what’s next for Cordelia, Jaspar and the rest of the crew.
AVAILABLE NOW! Order your copy of “More Than Life” from your favorite bookstore and request a copy at your local library!
Check out Bethanie at BethanieFingerAuthor.com and follow her on Instagram (@BethanieFingerAuthor). Be sure to also check out her podcast, Prince Kai Fan Pod: A Marissa Meyer Book Club Podcast, available wherever you listen to your podcasts. You can follow her podcast on Instagram (@princekaifanpod).
“More Than Life” is published by Wise Wolf Books.
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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. | |||
| Beautiful Creatures (2013) ft. Cala Adair | 10 Feb 2024 | 02:15:41 | |
Beautiful Creatures (feat. Cala Adair)
There’s nothing quite like a Southern Gothic story to spice up Supernatural Romance Month. That’s why we watched Beautiful Creatures (2013). Watch as Hannah loses her mind defending the Beautiful Creatures book that she didn’t like! This week, we cover everything from the history of witchcraft in the South to questionable perceptions about the Civil War to wild changes between the book and the movie. Huge thanks to Cala for not only being our guest but for also DEMANDING that we watch this supernatural romance movie.
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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. | |||
| Twilight (2008) feat. Julia Bianco | 03 Feb 2024 | 02:44:54 | |
Hold on tight, spidermonkeys. We’re starting Supernatural Romance Month with THE supernatural romance of the millennial generation: Twilight! We traverse through a smattering of vampire lore from around the world and in literature, dissect the differences between real Quileute mythology and the white nonsense created by Stephanie Meyer, and explore the traditional Mormon messaging of this story. Big thanks to friend-of-the-pod Julia for demanding we do this episode! Research for this episode:
==================================== Watch Us on YouTube! Follow Our Adventures on Social Media: @notmyfantasypod Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan & Hannah Sylvester. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester. Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Season 1 Part 1 | 27 Jan 2024 | 01:02:36 | |
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Part 1)
We’re heading back to Camp Half-Blood and watching the new Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians. We’re light on lore, but heavy on the hot takes about season one (so far), how it compares to the book and the ways in which it is superior to the motion picture.
Research for this episode:
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Research & Writing by Hannah Sylvester and Cullen Callaghan. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) ft. Overly Sarcastic Productions | 13 Jan 2024 | 02:14:52 | |
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (feat. Overly Sarcastic Productions)
For part two of our mythology month, we’re watching the widely disappointing introduction to the movie franchise that never struck lightning: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. We venture through a very brief summary of the loose canon of the 12 Olympians, compare and contrast the STARK differences between the book and the movie, and mourn the loss of innocence over just how horny this movie is.
Huge thanks to our guest Red, one half of Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube! Be sure to check out their channel and follow them on Twitter/X at @OSPyoutube.
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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. | |||
| Rankin/Bass - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town | 23 Dec 2023 | 01:59:20 | |
Rankin/Bass - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
For the second part of our 2023 holiday celebration, we’re talking about the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964) and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (1970). Hannah and Cullen reminisce about holiday traditions, break down the unhinged-ness of these stop-motion animation films, and finally unravel a decades-long conspiracy about the dictator Santa featured in Rudolph. #NotMySanta
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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. | |||
| The Knight Before Christmas (2019) ft. Tori Coyne | 10 Dec 2023 | 02:09:12 | |
The Knight Before Christmas (feat. Tori Coyne)
For the second episode in a row, we’re talking about feudalism! To start off the holiday season, we dissect the second film in the Vanessa Hudgens Christmas Cinematic Universe (VHCCU for short), 2019’s The Knight Before Christmas on Netflix. Cullen tries ASMR hot chocolate-making, Hannah reveals the movie’s subliminal advertising for other Netflix content, and Tori finally addresses her infamous feud with VHudg.
Big thanks to Tori for being on the pod. And have a great start to your 2023 holiday season, y’all!
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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.
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| Wish (2023) (feat. Cait Callaghan) | 01 Dec 2023 | 02:32:41 | |
Wish (2023) (feat. Cait Callaghan)
When you wish upon a star…it may fall from the sky, help you free the wishes of your feudalist Mediterranean town, and overthrow the silver fox sorcerer that stole the wishes in the first place. That’s right, we’re talking the brand new Walt Disney Animation film, Wish, its music and the rancid internet discourse that surrounds it. Cullen starts a feud with astrology girlies, Hannah fades in and out of existence, and Cait pitches to make the movie more like Macbeth, Lord of the Rings, and Carebears.
Big thanks to Cait for joining us for yet another episode recorded over Thanksgiving!
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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. | |||
| Noble Himbo and His Berry Yogurt: Cullen and Hannah Make DND Characters | 12 Nov 2023 | 01:53:37 | |
Put on your imagination caps because it’s time to make Dungeons & Dragons characters! This episode, Cullen guides Hannah through the DND character creation process. We do lots of simple math, Cullen confesses that he’s a DBU alumnus, and Hannah revels in her love of high-fiber berries.
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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. | |||
| Night of the Living Dead (1968) (feat. Mike Lera) | 26 Oct 2024 | 01:35:15 | |
We’re ending our first zombie series with the classic that launched the modern, pop culture zombie: George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968). We’re joined by writer, filmmaker and all-around horror buff Mike Lera to explore how Romero’s ghouls got the zombie moniker. In this episode, Cullen accidentally watches the 1990 remake, Hannah reminds us of the importance of remembering the original Haitian zombie and its history, and Mike shares his experience meeting Judith O’Dea, a.k.a Catatonic Barbara.
Check out Mike on Instagram and Facebook @MikeLera.author.screenwriter, on YouTube @MikeLera and be sure to check out his work on MikeLera.com.
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Research & Writing by Hannah Sylvester. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| Halloween and her Haters | 31 Oct 2023 | 01:34:28 | |
Exploring Halloween’s Secret Christian History, Our Old Costumes, and Spooky Reads
It’s spooky season yet again! This year, we’re diving into the diverse European roots of Halloween, doing a fashion review of Cullen’s previous Halloween costumes, and deconstructing Hannah’s trauma with Christian haunted houses known as Hell Houses. Grab your cape, cat, and cauldron and join us for a lot of lore and even more reminiscing about Boston.
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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. | |||
| A.S.S.: A Scary Sleepover (feat. Cassandra Pimentel) | 14 Oct 2023 | 01:07:46 | |
HOLY CANNOLI GUACAMOLE! We’re getting extra spoozy–spooky and cozy–with the 2018 indie web series A.S.S.: A Scary Sleepover. Cullen and Hannah chat with the series’ writer and director, Casey, about the Filipino lore of the dreaded aswang featured in the story, her inspiration behind giving a shout to Rob Schneider while on the toilet, and whether there will be a part two . So, erect your blanket forts, turn out your lights, and join us for this spoozy chat.
You can find A.S.S.: A Scary Sleepover and the MYX News channel on YouTube.
Check out Casey’s other content at cassandrapimentel.com, and follow her on social media @cassandra.pimentel!
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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. | |||
| Diablo IV (2023) ft. Josh Adkins | 30 Sep 2023 | 01:46:21 | |
We took the highway to hell to explore the world of Sanctuary and the lore of the Diablo video game series. Come get your sprinkling of the deep, rich lore of the Sumerian, Judeo-Christian, and Islamic demons, too! Cullen apologizes to his mom for not having his holy water with him, Hannah kicks herself for never asking Cullen about his experience with exorcists, Josh recounts his harrowing trials in Diablo IV hardcore mode, and we all spend most of the episode stanning Lilith.
Big thanks to Josh for sharing his Diablo knowledge and suggesting we cover this hellishly cool story! Check out Josh on social media: @whatsgoodjosh
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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan & Josh Adkins. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| Monster Prom (2017) | 17 Sep 2023 | 01:17:53 | |
Monster Prom
We’re gamers now! In light of the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strike in Hollywood, we’re going to cover some of our favorite (and least favorite) fantasy video games! We talk about the indie video game franchise Monster Prom, Cullen quizzes Hannah on a smattering of lore about practically every creature from horror-fantasy lore, and Hannah laments about not being able to date the hottest gorgon at school.
Interested in Monster Prom? Check it out on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/743450/Monster_Prom/
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Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan & Hannah Sylvester. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| UPDATE on Strikes and Podcast Pause | 25 Jul 2023 | 00:14:47 | |
Hi lovely listeners. Due to current guidelines from SAG-AFTRA we will be putting Not My Fantasy on pause.
In the meantime watch Cullen's Mythology Twitch show. Camp Oracle at Outside in Theater.
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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.
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| Hercules (1997) ft. Jon of Life’s But a Song. CROSSOVER | 08 Jul 2023 | 01:49:44 | |
Hercules (1997) (feat. Jon Reilly of Life’s But a Song)
We’re going from zero to hero to start off mythology month. That’s right, we’re talking about Disney’s dreamy demigod, Hercules! We won’t say we’re in love because we have mixed feelings about this movie that millennials really, REALLY love. Titan-sized thanks to our special guest, Jon, for teaming up for this legendary podcast crossover event.
Be sure to head over to Life’s But a Song, available anywhere you listen to NMF, to hear our thoughts on the music in this Disney animated musical. And follow Jon’s podcast on social media, @butasongpod!
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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.
Check out Camp Oracle at Outside in Theater | |||
| Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken (2023) | 05 Jul 2023 | 01:25:13 | |
MINISODE: Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)
PLOT TWIST! Benevolent sea creature season isn’t over just yet. Cullen and Hannah talk about Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, a movie they both thought would be very shallow and not good. Turns out, it’s got deep layers of pro-xenophia propaganda, complex multi-generational mother-daughter relationships, and enough surface-level anti-mermaid discourse and Disney deconstruction to turn this minisode into, well, an episode.
Check out Camp Oracle, a four-episode, live D&D campaign series Cullen is hosting with Outside In Theatre. It premieres Tuesday, July 18, at 7PM PST/10EST on Twitch at twitch.tv/outsideinthtr. Make sure to follow Outside In Theatre on Instagram (@outsideinthtr), too.
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Research & Writing by Hannah Sylvester. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| The Little Mermaid (2023) feat. Debbie Danielpour | 24 Jun 2023 | 01:53:04 | |
The Little Mermaid (2023) (feat. Debbie Danielpour)
It’s our final dive under the sea this year, and we watched the Little Mermaid 2023 live-action remake. We’re joined by one of our professors from grad school, screenwriter Debbie Danielpour, to dissect this adaptation and bemoan the Disney live-action remake as a genre. We’re light on lore but heavy on the hot takes, like loving the “Scuttlebutt” song, hating that the fish in “Under the Sea” don’t play their bodies like instruments, and being very bored by Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula.
Thank you so much to Debbie for reminiscing about our grad school days and making us feel special anytime she said we made a good point.
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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.
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| Luca (2021) ft. Derek Shea | 11 Jun 2023 | 02:17:41 | |
Luca (2021) (feat. Derek Shea)
Ciao! Piacere, amici! We’re spending part of our Mer-May/Mer-Summer in the beautiful Italian Riviera with the 2021 Pixar animated film, Luca! First, we get a brief tasting of multiple sea creature mythologies from all over the world. Then, we dive into the queer-coded plot and character dynamics, cringe at the bottom-feeder villain, and celebrate the powerful friendships between Luca, Alberto and Guilia. Oh, and Hannah finally admits she was wrong in hate-turning off this movie when she first tried to watch it in 2021 because she thought the movie was going to be something else. Spoiler alert: It’s her fantasy!
Big thanks to our special guest and friend-of-the-pod Derek for joining us in celebrating Pride Month. Give him a follow on Instagram @derek_shea.
P.S. - Please forgive our technical difficulties with Derek’s video and audio freezing and getting robotic sometimes. Elsa, Queen Emeritus of Arendelle, cursed his internet modem.
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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. | |||
| The Little Mermaid (1989) (feat. Fairy Tale Fix) | 30 May 2023 | 02:42:47 | |
Episode 17: The Little Mermaid (1989) (feat. Fairy Tale Fix)
We’re under da sea with Abbie and Kelsey of the Fairy Tale Fix podcast, diving into the world of The Little Mermaid (1989). We talk about mythology and literary tales that inspired this Disney Renaissance classic, including the story of Undine and the Hans Christian Andersen tale “The Little Mermaid.” And we cover the metaphor of queerness that mermaids have always possessed, gush over how amazing Ursula is as a girlboss sea witch, and praise Eric for rolling with the punches to help out his hot-mess girlfriend Ariel.
Check out Fairy Tale Fix on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @fairytalefixpod. And be sure to listen to all of their mermaid content for even more deep, gay lore about these sea creatures and the bi disaster Hans Christian Andersen. You can find them wherever you listen to Not My Fantasy!
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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. | |||
| Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) (feat. Christian Cintron) | 20 Oct 2024 | 02:10:07 | |
Zoinks! The NMF gang watches “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island” and, like, we weren’t prepared for such a rich discussion on zombies. This week, we dive into the voodoo of New Orleans and how this movie uses it as a backdrop for benevolent zombies, voodoo dolls, and werecats! Cullen reveals himself to be the lost 5th (human) member of the Mystery Inc. gang, Hannah headbangs through the music numbers, and our guest Christian does a Charli XCX impression so good, you’ll get the heebie-jeebies.
Check out Christian Cintron on Instagram and X @StandUp4YourPower, and watch his comedy special “Laugh Proud” for FREE on Tubi!
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Research & Writing by Hannah Sylvester and Cullen Callaghan. This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little. | |||
| The Last Unicorn (1982) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen) | 13 May 2023 | 02:40:12 | |
The Last Unicorn (1982) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen)
The third film in the Crag-verse is the 1982 animated cult classic, The Last Unicorn. We’re joined once again by our friend Allyssa because this fantasy movie is one of her absolute favorites — and Cullen’s too! But Hannah thought it was super boring. We chat about everything from the dynamic lore of unicorns and harpies, the movie’s ‘70s folk-rock soundtrack, a Last Unicorn-themed story pitch for Dimension 20, and the top tips for protecting yourself against immortal beings (because, obviously, they exist).
Check out Allyssa and her awesome art (often D&D inspired!) on Instagram @a.m.swearingen! And, if you love our dynamic as a trio, then you’ll love Gleeboot, a podcast where we got drunk and talked about rebooting Glee one episode at a time. Find Gleeboot wherever you listen to Not My Fantasy!
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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. | |||
| Sleeping Beauty (1959) feat. Cassie Hock | 30 Apr 2023 | 03:04:24 | |
Sleeping Beauty (1959) (feat. Cassie Hock)
We talk about fairytale heavy-hitter, Walt Disney Animation’s Sleeping Beauty from 1959. Though it was considered a critical and financial flop back in the day, we all loved this film, even Hannah who had never seen it. (Boy was Cullen nervous about that.) Listen to us explore Sleeping Beauty stories from all over Europe, sarcastically congratulate Charles Perrault on his feminist takes, criticize Maleficent’s girlboss energy, and brainstorm what other gift Merryweather could have given Aurora instead of True Love’s Kiss (True Love’s High Five, anyone?)
Big thanks to our special guest, Cassie! You can check out her Princess-themed fashion Pinterest board.
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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. | |||
| Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005) Feat. Alina Phelan Ballou | 16 Apr 2023 | 02:43:23 | |
Don’t shut the wardrobe door as you join us in exploring the magical first installment of the Chronicles of Narnia franchise! We’re talking about the 2005 film “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” And we’re in good hands with special guest Alina Phelan Ballou who was a major collaborator and stand-in for Mrs. Beaver! We discuss the smart adaptational choices made by the filmmakers, rave the quality of the 18-year-old CGI animals, and get lost in the wondrous world of Narnia.
Check out Alina on Instagram at @missalinagram, AND be sure to rewatch the battle scene to spot Alina as the Centaur shooting a flaming arrow that turns into a phoenix!
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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. | |||
| Pinocchio: A True Story (2021) with Katie Weatherly and Aaron Buckley | 01 Apr 2023 | 02:29:43 | |
Episode 13: Pinocchio: A True Story (2021) (feat. Katie Weatherly and Aaron Buckley)
Happy April Fools!
No we didn’t talk about Guillermo or Walt’s Pinocchio, we talked about Pauly Shore’s! We take on fruity Pinocchio in a hot mess of an episode where we talk about unrealistic expectations of women, nonsense plots, daddy issues, and how little Cullen cares for the Pinocchio story. We also plug a Patreon that doesn’t exit. But should it?
Thank you Katie for watching the movie and proving Cullen wrong about Thumbelina and Aaron for not watching the movie or reading the email.
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Research & Writing by Cullen This episode was edited by Hannah
Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music "Not My Fantasy Quest" by Scott Little. | |||