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...

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...

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.   Research for this episode: Dungeons & Dragons: 5th Edition   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!    Follow Our Adventures on Social...

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. Research for this episode: Trick or Treat | A History of...

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...

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...

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:...

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.   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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Episode 12: The Secret of Kells (2009) (feat. Maiko Greenleaf)   Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Hannah converts to Christianity in this episode that takes us on a journey from Irish MythologyxBible crossover fics to a Golden Age of Saints and Scholars to Colonialism to a beautiful unique film about the blending of Irish religion and culture. We explore  a world of intricate art, faeries who deserve more screen time, and wide-eyed ginger scamps trying to save the Bible while their crossfit uncle...

Episode 11: The Beauty and the Beast (2017) (feat. Allyssa Swearingen)   This episode, we talk about the 2017 live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast,” which is exactly the same as the 1991 animation but worse. We cringe at the movie answering all the thought experiments no one really wanted answers to, rate how sexy the bad-CGI beast is, and scream about how this movie was marketed as “more feminist” but is actually way less feminist. Plus, Cullen takes us on some adventures in Norway...

Episode 10: Beauty and the Beast (1991 (feat. T Zaccario of Obscure Obsessions)   We’re still talking about Beauty and the Beast but now the version everyone knows. We talk about a film as influential on Cullen as the Bible and one Hannah could take or leave. We talk Cupid and Psyche and Bluebeard and turning the pretty love interest into the protagonist. Is it true love (Yes)? Is it Stockholm Syndrome (No) ? Is a Grad School project a report (Maybe)? T is back to go over these deep questions...

Episode 9: La Belle et La Bete (1946) (feat. The Fairy Tellers)   This week, we go back as far to the beginning of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale that we care to go. We’re joined by Katrina and Geoff from The Fairy Tellers podcast to talk about the 1946 French fantasy film, “La Belle et La Bete” and three early versions of the story by Villeneuve, Beaumont, and the Brothers Grimm. Hear our takes on everything from romance to disembodied body parts as decor to suffering through two hours...

Episode 8: Return of the King (feat. Paul and Tori of the Sillymarillion )   We finished Lord of the Rings! Join us to see the epic climax of one of the Greatest Fantasy Trilogies of All time. We (allegedly) follow Frodo to Mount Doom while Aragorn unites the people of Middle-Earth against a Dark Lord with terrible dental coverage. Paul and Tori of the Sillymarillion join us to go over the history and headcanons of Middle-Earth, discuss the ultimate girlgoddessxhobbit ship, and pitch...

Episode 7: The Two Towers (feat. Elizabeth Achanta)   New year, new episode about The Lord of the Rings trilogy! Join us as we explore industrialism vs. nature with Merry, Pippin, and the Ents, fantasize about the Sir Ian McKellen-Cate Blanchett makeover montage that never was, try our best Gollum impressions, and swoon over Aragorn becoming the horse girl he was always meant to be.   Check out Elizabeth Achanta on The Slug Club Podcast: A Harry Potter Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and...

Episode 6: Fellowship of the Ring (feat. Cait Callaghan) NEW INTRO MUSIC WHO DIS? It's time to talk about the Fantasy Film Franchise to rule them all! Join Pippin (Cullen) and Merry (Hannah) as they join Frodo (Cullen's Sibling Cait @artsywriter on IG and @stronggayarms on Twitter) on a quest to discuss what made the greatest epic of the modern age so strong. We talk elves, dwarves, orcs, Shrek, Wagner, serving looks, Gay Wizards and Hobbits, Gabriela Montez, and Fleetwood Mac's Rhiannon...

Episode 5: Gods of Egypt (feat. Alexis Jacobson) TW: For brief reference of attempted Sexual Assault in an Egyptian Myth It's Morbin time to talk about a truly wild film with such deep lore. Our conversation has everything, baby gravy salad, the mistress of the west, Bible villains, robogods, a blond Aladdin, Chadwick Boseman love, a jilted goddess, men in skirts with no sexual or platonic chemistry and girlfriends dying before the almighty will of Christopher Nolan, god of male character...