Not My Fantasy

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  The Bionicle Encyclopedia  Maori Appropriation   Creation of Bionicle  Bionicle Sector 01, A Bionicle Wiki Bionicle History Video Essay  More Bionicle History  The Mata Nui Online game   The Bionicle to Trans Pipeline   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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  Maui  Polynesian Mythology  Maui and the Sun    ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 Time Traveling for Dummies: A Physicist Looks at The Time Traveler’s Wife - Slate Paradox-Free Time Travel Is Theoretically Possible, Researchers Say - NPR Mr. Brightside - Wikipedia   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 Paradox-Free Time Travel Is Theoretically Possible, Researchers Say - NPR Time travel - Wikipedia ==================================== Watch Us on YouTube! Follow Our Adventures on Social Media: @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 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.   Research for this episode: “A brief history of time travel” - Oliver Franklin-Wallis on Wired Flux Capacitor: The Real Science Behind Back to the Future - GiantFreakingRobot Time travel - Wikipedia Time dilation - Wikipedia Delorean time machine - Wikipedia   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 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: History of Disney Sequels Fair, Brown and Trembling   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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) (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: A Wish Your Heart Makes: From the Grimm Brothers’ Aschenputtel to Disney’s Cinderella Cinderella by Charles Perrault  Cinderella by the Brothers Grimm    ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 (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: The Cinderella Cat by Basile,   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

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: Asian Origins of Cinderella: The Zhuang Storyteller of Guangxi by Fay Beauchamp   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 (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: Percy Jackson/Riordan wiki Wikipedia  The Underworld   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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) (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: Cendrillon by Charles Perrault Finette-Cendron by Madame D’Aulnoy   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 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!   Research for this episode: The Tragic, Forgotten History of Zombies - The Atlantic Romero Invented Flesh Eaters - Zombie Research Society   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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) (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.   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

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.   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 (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.   Research for this episode: Why Are There So Many Confederate Vampires? - Princess Weekes Mary Ingleman The Loa of Vodou The History of Vodou   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   Instagram TikTok   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.

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: The long and bloody history of vampires in literature - MPRNews A Brief History of Vampire Fiction - Wired.com Vampires: Fact, Fiction, and Folklore - Live Science The Bloody Truth About Vampires - National Geographic Truth Versus Twilight - The Burke Museum Vampires and werewolves: Rewriting religious and racial stereotyping in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Series - Georgina Ledvinka, University of Notre Dame Australia The Vampire by Francis Hindes Groome ==================================== Watch Us on YouTube!  Follow Our Adventures on Social Media: @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok 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 (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: Perseus - Britannica The Myth of Perseus and Medusa Explained - Theoi.com   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!    Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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 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.  ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!    Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   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   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   Research for this episode: The History of Santa   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!    Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.