Not My Fantasy

This week, we’re talking with friend of the pod and the NMF Twilight correspondent Julia Bianco! Her fantasy romance adventure novel Witch Season is officially out, so she talked with us about corporatized witchcraft, enemies to lovers, and developing her book into a TV show!    Pick up a copy of Witch Season wherever you buy your books. Be sure to pre-order the sequel Heat Spell, out next summer....

We’re concluding Swords and Sandals Summer with the modern take on Greek demigods, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters! Cullen calculates how many hit points we’re dealt each scene of the movie, Hannah does her best impression of the boy employee himself, and our guest Red finds her new personal nemesis.    Check out Red, one half of the YouTube channel Overly Sarcastic Productions. Follow their channe...

The ultimate Swords and Sandals film is finally here! This week, we discuss Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey starring literally everyone in Hollywood. Cullen demands more men in skirts, Hannah is still pro-Polyphemus, Ben petitions for a Nolan-directed body horror movie, and Kevin might just sign up for the Matt Damon fan club.   Check out Ben’s content on YouTube , Instagram and TikTok at @Bend_31...

Another Ray Harryhausen joint–it’s Jason and the Argonauts! This week, Cullen pulls a deep cut from Monsters Inc., Hannah demands the Tyler Perry’s Madea cut of this film, and our guest Callum prays to the goth goddess Hecate.   Be sure to follow Callum’s podcast Once Upon a VHS on Instagram and Tiktok ! Listen to him and his co-host Michael wherever you listen to NMF!   Research for this episode:...

We pre-game for Nolan’s Odyssey with the TikTok musical animatic of Epic: The Musical! Cullen uses the power of music to pronounce ancient Greek names, Hannah unpacks emotional baggage, and our guest Lill brings her mythology-gaming expertise. Bonus points if you can guess how many times we say “epic” throughout the episode.   Check out LillTCG on Instagram and TikTok (@LillTCG) and listen to her...

Swords and sandals meets Pride! This week, we’re discussing Sebastiane, the sensual, slow-burn erotic thriller about St. Sebastian. Cullen ranks the gayest saints, Hannah thanks Obama for everything, and our guest Brandon gives industry-insider insight on the movie’s production. Huge thanks to Brandon for being on this sexy, sensual episode ;) Research for this episode: David and Jonathan  Sergius...

Um, I think we all have the power. It’s He-Man: Masters of the Universe for another entry in Swords and Sandals Summer! We’re joined by our friend and podcaster T. to gawk at the himbo-ness of this toy-to-cartoon-to-movie-to-cartoon-to-movie movie. Cullen doesn’t believe Prince Henry’s crush on Veronica Lodge, Hannah’s bisexuality is confirmed, and T. wants his two hours and 20 minutes back.   Che...

Don your tunics because this week of Swords and Sandals Summer is the original 1981 Clash of the Titans! We’re joined by host of the Big Flying Lizards podcast, Bryce Wilson! Cullen fights against twunk erasure, Hannah adopts the mechanical owl named Bubo as her child, and Bryce catches all the Mormon references.   Check out Bryce’s dragon-focused fantasy podcast Big Flying Lizards on Apple Podcas...

This week of Swords and Sandals summer, we’re talking Clash of the Titans, the 2010 remake of the beloved 1980s film of the same name. Cullen gushes about his love of Perseus, Hannah fumbles through the confusing plot, and our guest Emma pitches the better version of this film where Gemma Arterton plays a cow.  Huge thanks to our guest, screenwriter and friend of the pod Emma Dudley! =============...

This week, we’re talking about the most 2004 movie ever made–Troy! We’re joined by TV writer and friend of the pod, Jeremy Gilfor! In this episode, Cullen prays to the gods that didn’t appear in this adaptation, Hannah desperately tries to convince Cullen this movie is amazing, and Jeremy catches us up on the director’s cut.   Huge thanks to Jeremy for going on this ancient epic adventure with us!...

This is the episode we’ve been promising (threatening) for YEARS! Kicking off our Swords and Sandals Spring and Summer is Dreamworks Animation’s “The Prince of Egypt” (1998). Cullen makes multiple references to Veggie Tales, Hannah lists the forefathers of Moses from memory, and Allyssa sets the record straight on the Egyptian gods rollcall rap.   Huge thank you to our bestie Allyssa for joining u...

We’re bringing both Supernatural Romance Month and Frankenstein back to life on the pod. This week, we’re joined by podcast host and friend Jon to talk about Maggie Gyllenhaal’s strange take on “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Cullen recovers from his no-thoughts-head-empty viewing of the film, Hannah plans a tattoo dedicated to this wacky story, and Jon catches all the fun references to the original...

This week, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a forgotten Disney gem that Cullen grew up thinking was offensive. We meet Darby O’Gill, a young Scottish Sean Connery and a leprechaun Fire Island while Hannah shades the annoying widow and Tierney rages against Katie O’Gill. We also explore the history of Leprechauns, the Fey and why you should always say Bless You when someone sneezes.    Check out...

This week, we explore Netflix’s Emerald Isle with Lindsay Lohan in “Irish Wish.” Cullen is not this movie’s apologist, Hannah auditions to be a screaming script doctor, and Natalie handles the geography checks.   Check out Natalie on Instagram (@NatalieNiaIvey)! You can also find her content on YouTube and TikTok !   Research for this episode: Brigid, Goddess and Saint  St. Brigid of Kildare Brigi...

This week, we’re DIVING into Irish folklore with the animated selkie story, “Song of the Sea.” Cullen retcons his childhood nickname, Hannah admits that she cries sometimes, and Maiko shares the special connection she has with this movie.    Huge thank you to Maiko for joining us for another whimsical fantasy film!    Research for this episode: Selkie Stories   Manannan Mac Lir  Owls in Celtic Myt...

This week, we’re going full gothic horror romance with Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Cullen goes down a Crimean War rabbit hole, Hannah can’t stand this version of Victor Frankenstein, and Tish reminds us of Mary Shelley’s emotional depth and genius. Check out Tish on Instagram , TikTok and Substack (@TalesWithTish). AND be sure to grab her book, “Ebony, Blood, and Snow,” from wherever you bu...

Celebrate the 3rd annual Twilight episode of Not My Fantasy! We’re joined again by our friend Julia to talk all things Twilight: Eclipse. Cullen inches ever closer to becoming someone who’s seen all of the Twilight films, Hannah dives deep into Stephanie Meyer’s writing process, and Julia feels seen thanks to the reappearance of her vampire counterpart, Victoria.   Check out Julia on Instagram (@J...

K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025) (feat. Uriel Mendoza)   To kick off Supernatural Romance Month 2k26, we’re FINALLY talking about THE fantasy animated musical of last year–K-Pop Demon Hunters. Cullen shows off his boyband demon side, Hannah celebrates original concepts for film, and our guest Uriel relives his second-generation K-Pop fanboy days.   Huge thanks to Uriel for guesting on this episode and h...

  Happy Holidays from Cullen and Hannah and friend of the pod Katie! This season we controversially stretch the boundaries of our genre to slouch towards Bethlehem with our boy Milo and the team behind Glee and High School Musical. We explore the real war on Christmas, the history of the festive season and even do a seasonal Bible study. (Making Cullen a new favorite of Hannah’s mom) Will our reli...

We’re easing on down to a cult-classic version of Oz–it’s The Wiz! This week, Cullen reveals his disdain for 70s cinema, Hannah demands answers about Dorothy, and our guest Jahlyn tries to figure out why this Oz is so dystopian. Also, Cullen and Hannah reveal their very weird relationship with this movie, which they had never seen before.   Check out Jahlyn on Instagram @jrmthewerm to see her awes...

We’re returning to Oz once again to chat about Wicked: For Good! This week, we cover the rest of the Maguire novel, Cullen drops fresh, oddly relevant childhood-nickname lore, Hannah makes too many puns, and our guest Rob shares additional insights from having seen the stage musical a few days prior–a true Wicked loremaster!   Check out Bona Books on Kickstarter to get a copy of the Wrath Month an...

This week, we’re podcasting to save Hannah from Rottingham! Cullen’s enlisted the help of our good friends and fellow folklore podcasters, Katrina and Geoff, of The Fairy Tellers. We talk about the hyper-specific references to the Kevin Costner Robin Hood film, the community theatre vibes of this film, and whether the jokes were even funny then or now. Be sure to follow The Fairy Tellers on Instag...

Hannah is B-A-C-K! Cullen fulfills his T-H-R-E-A-T to make Hannah watch Disney Channel’s Z-O-M-B-I-E-S franchise. Covering all FOUR MOVIES, we tumble into our magical capitalist overlord’s best race allegory, cheer for our favorite ship #Zaddie, and nearly zombie-out trying to remember Demi Lovato’s ridiculous character name from Camp Rock.   ====================================   Watch Us on YouT...

Welcome back to England to explore English and Cinema history with Christian Garcia of "That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema" through the 1938 Erroll Flynn and Olivia de Havilland classic, The Adventures of Robin Hood. We talk hidden mirrors, the Norman Conquest, dudes sleeping together in the woods,being a race traitor,  how tights were worn and whatever a “lusty infant” means.    Check out That Ol’ Gay C...

Take a trip with us to Kevin Cosner’s Merry England. A land of butt doubles, Bryan Adams and Ewok Villages. Joining us for this leg of the journey are fellow fantasy podcasters Callum Sinclair and Michael Lee Richardson of Once Upon A VHS. Cullen draws the connections between May Day Festivals and the birth of Robin Hood as we know him, Michael points out the geographical inaccuracies and advocate...