A podcast looking a nerdy pop culture from both a fan and critical perspective, encouraging the things we love to do better.
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All of those notes we had about ecofeminism and capitalism came in handy, because it’s time for part two (the last part) of our episodes on the Alien franchise! Join us as we tackle Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, Alien: Romulus, and Alien: New Earth. Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: “Alien, The Thing” and the Principles of Terror by Douglas Fowler Between A Rock And A Hard Place by Vivian Sobchack “Prometheus” in Excavating the Future: Archaeology and Geopolitics in Contemporary North American Science Fiction Film and Television by Shawn Malley Fractal Patterns Out of Chaos in Ridley Sco
We’re back to tell you what we’ve been up to! And, as is our wont, to have a little rant about something. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple I Saw the TV Glow Together Off Campus Reading Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett Copper Script by KJ Charles What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching Voicemails to Isabelle Toy Story 5 Reading The Emperor and The Finisher by Runyx The Gargoyle from General Management by Kate Prior Website | Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Patreon | Merch | Episode Transcripts The post WWBUT 117 – I’ve Been to Notre
If A Wrinkle in Time encouraged us to expand our minds to the size of the universe, A Wind in the Door asks us to make them very, very small… and then expand them just a bit further than we did the first time around. Join us as we discuss identity, growing up, and the ever-important theme of faith (and what faith can mean, beyond the obvious), in the second book of the Time Quartet! Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Symbiogenesis, Selfhood, and Science Fiction by Laurel Bollinger Spiritual practices children understand: an analysis of Madeleine L’Engle’s fantasy, A Wind in the Door by T
Someday we will catch up to time and not be doing these super-sized WWBUTs, but that day is not today! So: here’s what we’ve been up to. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching The Drama Reading Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami Scotch on the Rocks by Elliot Fletcher Kiss Me, Judas by Will Christopher Baer The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Godzilla Rivals: Jet Jaguar versus Megalon by Nola Pfau and Megan Huang Swamp Thing by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, and John Totleben This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladdstone Hellblazer: D
Abjection? The Monstrous-Feminine? Motherhood? What else could we be talking about other than the Alien franchise? Join us as we examine the first four films in the Alien series—Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Resurrection—to trace how this franchise has evolved, shifted, and taken on grotesque new forms over time. Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Powers of Horror by Julia Kristeva Alien and The Monstrous-Feminine by Barbara Creed What’s the Story, Mother?: The Mourning of the Alien by Stephen Scobie Monstrous Mothers: Medusa, Grendel, and Now Alien by Lynda K. Bundtzen “Alien” With
Join us in our belated discussion about this year’s Emerald City Comic Con, including what’s working (artist alley), what isn’t (panels), and what we hope to see in the future (a scrap of curation on the convention’s part). But even better, we got to chat with Ren Strapp (The Shepherd’s Sword, Amira the Van Life Cunt, How Could You?) and Becca Farrow (First Test, Ladycastle, Seventh Circle)! We’re so grateful to both of them for their time and for entertaining our questions about things like bodies and erotica and adaptation. You’re really, really, going to want to give both of these interview
We’re still going through it, which means we’re releasing another WWBUT! And it’s a doozy, because we saw Wuthering Heights and we have some (unpopular) opinions about it, about the critical response to it, and more. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Wuthering Heights A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Dear David Marty Supreme Train Dreams Frankenstein The Secret Agent Project Hail Mary Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire Reading Babel by R. F. Kuang What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching Wuthering Heights Southern Hospitality The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Bridgerton Reading Caught Up by Naves
It’s time for OPINIONS as we get into what we’ve been up to! Missy begins this year’s Oscar journey and Merri has thoughts on reality TV and stalker romance. Notes: The sound on this one is a little rougher than usual because a piece of our usual recording equipment went out and we weren’t able to monitor the sound the way we normally do. We should have this under control for our next episode! What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Wake Up, Dead Man Dust Bunny Sinners Bugonia One Battle After Another The Moment Send Help Dogma Until Dawn Heated Rivalry Reading Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by E
Let’s get into personal history, religion, the power of love, and sado-masochism (the clinical kind, let’s not get too excited) as we discuss Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time! This is the first in our series of episodes on L’Engle’s Time Quartet (or Quintet?)—we’ll be back throughout the year with more! Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: There is Such a Thing as a Tesseract: A Wrinkle in Time by Mari Ness Breaking Out of the “Muffin Tins”: A Wrinkle in Time, Cosmopolitanism, and Children’s Literature by Deborah Lindsay William From Camazotz to Stranger Things: A Wrinkle in Time by M
Oh, what a month we’ve had. We’re back with a belated WWBUT, covering everything we did while our brains turned to mush. What Missy’s Been Up To: Reading The Stranger by Albert Camus It Came from the Closet edited by Joe Vallese Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro Watching The Lobster Fleabag Eddington What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Fantastic Four Wicked: For Good The Grinch Website | Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Patreon | Merch | Episode Transcripts The post WWBUT 112 – Paddington’s Brot
Join us as we journey into history, depravity, and hypocrisy as we take a closer look at Danny McBride’s The Righteous Gemstones! Can people this bad be redeemed? Isn’t that what the whole Christ story is about? And how close to reality is this, anyway? Let’s find out. Some Links You Might Find Interesting: The prosperity gospel, explained: Why Joel Osteen believes that prayer can make you rich by Tara Isabella Burton The Joel Osteen Fiasco Says A Lot About American Christianity by Laura Turner THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES: What is a “Megachurch”? by Shrink Tank Psychology of THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONE
What have we been up to? A lot! Join us as we discuss whether Nicholas Hoult’s face has any trace of the uncanny, why it pays to be perpetually behind, and the eternal wisdom of the Real Housewives. Also: a bit about this year’s PAX West, including our experience with the game Ten Candles. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching The Queen’s Gambit Mickey 17 The Smashing Machine Reading The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden The Swallowed Man by Edward Carey Playing Ten Candles What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching Superman Alien: Earth Elio Lilo and Stitch How to Train Your Dragon Playing Ten C
Our 2024 Oscar nominee double-feature (we’re only talking about two because we are chasing our bliss) continues with Anora, Sean Baker’s ode to class and sex work and the American dream. Where do we stand on that ending? Do we feel it’s respectful? Let’s find out. Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Sean Baker on the politics in his films: “We’re telling stories that can be discussed by both sides” – LFF Screen Talk by Josh Slater-Williams Anora Is a Raucous Good Time With a Gut-Punch of an Ending by Richard Lawson Why Anora is the Disney Princess We Need by Broey Deschanel Romance Labor:
After a brief unexpected hiatus, we’re back with a pre-hiatus what we’ve been up to! We’re talking about demon hunting, forgiveness, and more. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Cabaret KPop Demon Hunters The Others The Talented Mr. Ripley Reading Cringeworthy by Melissa Dahl Prisons Make Us Safer and 20 Other Myths about Mass Incarceration by Victoria Law The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith Gilead by Marilynn Robinson What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching KPop Demon Hunters Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action Website | Facebook | Bluesky |
What does it cost to be beautiful? Let’s find out in our discussion of The Substance, Coralie Fargeat’s 2024 body horror film about beauty, Hollywood, and aging. We’re discussing mixed messages, Demi Moore’s performance, and why, despite everything, this film failed to stick the landing for us. Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Horrality by Phillip Brophy Feminist Body Horror explained: female puberty horror, pregnancy body horror, hagsplotation by Femme Fatale’s Heels The Substance may be grotesque, but it is not body horror by Billie Walker I Don’t Know How To Feel About The Substance
Welcome to another WWBUT! This time around, we’re discussing things the internet should stop talking about, memories of the indie sleaze era, and more. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Materialists Watchmen (the show) Gudiya – Bluebeard’s Bride Queer for Fear Zodiac Reading The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching The Cult of American Apparel Mary Poppins The Real Housewives of Atlanta Website | Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Patreon | Merch | Episode Transcripts The post WWBUT 109 – Stuffed-Up Vader appeared first on FAKE GEEK GIRLS.
Join us as we take a look at 2023’s Renfield, a big-budget fanfic (no, no, hear us out) continuation of the 1931 Dracula adaptation! This time, we’re discussing the purpose of remixing older media, masculinity, pop psychology, and copaganda, as well as how hot Nicholas Hoult looks as the saddest, wettest little man on Earth. Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Renfield: The Vampire’s Undying Assistant by M. Keith Booker & Isra Daraiseh The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) and Renfield (2023) by Carol Senf Renfield Sucks a Funny Premise Dry by Alison Willmore ‘Renfield’ Review: Nicolas Ca
Another month, another batch of HOT NEW TOPICS from your favorite Fake Geek Girls. This month, we’re chatting about the difference between love stories and romance, what on earth a liver king is, and new-found fears. Edit: We changed the name of this episode because the Liver King got arrested for “terroristic threats” less than 24 hours after we posted it, which is probably not something we want to accidentally suggest we are bestowing flower crowns for. Even if the title WAS funny. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Whiplash Call Me By Your Name Final Destination: Bloodlines Reading All About
She’s beauty and she’s grace, but is she… FEMINIST? (Please imagine Missy’s most sarcastic voice saying that.) That’s right, we’re talking about 2000’s Miss Congeniality, the pinnacle of 2000’s girl power. What does this film have to say about femininity? About neoliberalism? About… feminism? Let’s find out. Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Who’s Afraid of Gender? (A Guide to Judith Butler) by Philosophy Tube Why We Can’t Fix the Makeover Movie by VerilyBitchie Neoliberal Femininity in Miss Congeniality (2000) by Yael D. Sherman Abjection, postfeminism and the makeover in Miss Congenia
It’s time to indulge nostalgia by revisiting old favorites and explore newness in our latest What We’ve Been Up To! What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Ghost World Final Destination 1 – 5 Reading Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching Conclave The Lion King A Goofy Movie Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Reading A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers Website | Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Patreon | Merch | Episode Transcripts The post WWBUT 107 – A Vanilla Milkshake
Join us as we discuss satire, gender, sexuality, representation, and more as we take a look at But I’m a Cheerleader! Does this early 2000s cult classic comedy hold up? What’s it really making fun of? Does its representation ring true? Let’s find out! Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Heterosexual Questionnaire by Martin Rochlin, Ph.D A thundering round of boos for ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ by Paul Tatara But I’m a Cheerleader by Emanuel Levy Review of “But I’m a Cheerleader” by Sarah Warn 20 years ago, But I’m A Cheerleader reclaimed camp for queer women by Caroline Siede The Quare Agend
A bigger-than-average WWBUT has us discussing a very, very bad Oscar movie, Real Housewives, and how much you need to know about Catholicism. What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Mythic Quest Conclave Anora Emilia Perez Reading Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching Moana 2 The Accountant Bluey Real Housewives of New York Flow Emilia Perez Website | Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Patreon | Merch | Episode Transcripts The post WWBUT 106 – Big Oof appeared first on FAKE GEEK GIRLS.
We’re taking a closer look at Howl’s Moving Castle, both the novel series by Diana Wynne Jones and Studio Ghibli’s hit film! What makes a good adaptation? When is lack of clarity a good thing? Can we rightfully call this story “cozy?” Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: Animating the Fantastic: Hayao Miyazaki’s Adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle by Matt Kimmich in Fantasy Fiction Into Film Turning point : 1997-2008 by Hayao Miyazaki The Castle, the Curse, and the Collectivity: Howl’s Moving Castle by Susan Napier Howl’s Moving Castle – an Underrated Masterpiece by BREAD
In which we start off and almost finish reasonably before Missy discusses a romance novel that drives us deep into NSFW territory. Also, Oscar movies! What Missy’s Been Up To: Watching Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood Tenet The Brutalist The Substance Reading Provoked by Joanna Chambers What Merri’s Been Up To: Watching Strange World Venom: The Last Dance Real Housewives of Salt Lake City How to Train Your Dragon Website | Facebook | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Patreon | Merch | Episode Transcripts The post WWBUT 105 – Who’s the Wizard Now? appeared first on FAKE GEEK GIRLS.
Uma Thurman with a sword! Lucy Liu with a sword! An extended homage to every martial arts film you have seen and also a bunch you haven’t! We’re dissecting Kill Bill, discussing Quentin Tarantino’s approach to filmmaking, “movie movies,” and, naturally, how the “woman with a sword” genre fits into feminism. Some Sources You Might Find Interesting: The Decay of Cinema by Susan Sontag Revenge and the Family Romance in Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” by Lesel Dawson A piece on Tarantino by bell hooks Volumes of Transnational Vengeance: Fixing Race and Feminism on the Way to Kill Bill by Ruby C. Tapia Fou
