The Skiffy and Fanty Show

Tom Selleck, missile guns, and delayed gratification robots, oh my! Shaun Duke and Becca Evans join forces to tackle Runaway (1984), a film selected based on a poll put together by longtime listener, Jeff Xilon. Thanks a lot, Jeff… Together, Shaun and Becca tackles the film’s strange production history, why Gene Simmons is so weird, how the film treats family and the future of robots, and many other strange and silly subjects. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Runaway (1984)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (C-)Becca (C+)Average (C) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Tethered souls, murderous Santa Cruz, and fire!!!, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Paul Weimer join forces to Jordan Peele’s Us (2019). Together, they explore the film’s historical references, its treatment of class politics and horror tropes, what it’s like to be a crawdaddy, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Us (2019)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Deathly fungi, questionable parents, and confused demons, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien join forces to discuss Netflix’s new German film, Das Privileg Die Auserwählten (The Privilege). Together, they explore the film’s exploration of themes of teen life, demon possession, and more, its treatment of teen sexuality, what it means to be infected with evil fungi that makes you susceptible to demonic possession, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! A very special thanks to Cora Buhlert who helped us with pronunciations for this film. You are amazing, Cora! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Das Privileg Die Auserwählten (The Privilege)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mammary aliens, incomprehensible plots, and assassassinauts, oh my! Shaun Duke and Alex Acks are forced to bring back Jen Zink for a listener-selected episode of Torture Cinema. Thanks to Kathryn, we watched Assassinaut (2019). Together, our intrepid crew tries to make sense of the film’s plot, explores what it means to have many layers of aliens, odd directorial choices, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Assassinaut (2019)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (D-)Alex (D)Jen (D-)Average (D-…ish)“Inside Assassinaut: A Camera Assistant’s Perspective“ If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Flying whales, cyberstalking, and the metaverse, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Iori Kusano team up to discuss 2021’s Belle (Ryû to sobakasu no hime), a new film by Mamoru Hosoda. Together, they explore the film’s treatment of Internet culture, visual metaphors both topical and literary, Hosoda’s narrative choices, and so much more. TW: discussions of child abuse and cyberstalking. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Belle (2021; Ryû to sobakasu no hime)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Librarian spies, meet cutes, and train Nazis, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien are joined by the incredible heist magician Michi Trota for a live discussion at Capricon 42 on Leverage: Redemption (especially the second half of the season). Together, they talk about the season’s treatment of social issues, what it means to be redeemed, the power of friendship and doing the right thing, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Leverage: Redemption (2021)(IMDb)Michi’s Things:WebsiteTwitterFacebookPrism If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Worries, needs, and the future, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Paul Weimer get honest about the state of the show in 2022. How are we feeling about where we’re at and where we’d like to go? What do we still hope to do? What barriers are keeping us from our dreams? And what can you do to help us get there? This and more makes up the bulk of this honest, sometimes-funny episode! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole.

Great experiences, bonkers good literature, and media wonders, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, Iori Kusano, and Paul Weimer open up 2022 with a look back at what brought us joy in 2021 and a look forward to the things we’re excited about in 2022. Plus, we give a quick look into what to expect for the show this year. Make sure to tune in! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Looking Back to 2021:Shaun’s Things:Book: A Master of Djinn by P. Djélí ClarkMedia: Xala (1975).Other: DisCon III / Worldcon. Brandon’s Things:Book: No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell TurnbullMedia: Leverage: RedemptionOther: SHIVER: Death of the AuthorIori’s Things:Book: And What Can We Offer You Tonight by Premee MohamedMedia: Macross F Toki no MeikyuuOther: Suzuki Minori Covers CollectionPaul’s ThingsBook: Reset by Sarina DahlanMedia: WandavisionOther: The Case of the Cindered SealMoving Forward to 2022:Shaun’s Things:Book: The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories (Volume 2) edited by James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle.Media: Stranger Things (Season 4)Other: “Fractal Spire“Brandon’s Things:Book: When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd BanwoMedia: 1899Other: Shiver Gothic by Parable GamesIori’s Things:Book: Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirMedia: Re:Cycle of PenguindrumOther: Bayonetta 3Paul’s Things:Book: Babel by R.F. KuangMedia: Star Trek: Strange New WorldsOther: Tiny Tina Wonderlands If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole.

Tin cans, quirky locals, and goblins, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Iori Kusano turn their attention to the high paranormal documentary, Hellier, with absolutely no promises about there being goblins in the episode. Together, they consider Hellier‘s production and approach to narrative, the limitations and power of personal narratives in paranormal investigations, goblins and theories, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Hellier \(2019)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Confused Cage, adorable kids, and Don Cheadle, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Becca Evans collect themselves for the final Torture Cinema episode of the year — the annual holiday special! This time, our Patreon supporters chose The Family Man. Together, our crew explore the bizarre timeline, what it means to be bashed with heteronormativity, dogs, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!The Family Man (2000)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (A-)Alex (C)Becca (C-)Average (C+) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Terrible fathers, mecha trauma, and the anti-universe, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Iori Kusano take a deep dive into the definitely last ever piece of Evangelion film! Together, they discussion 3.0+1.0‘s treatment of trauma and parenthood, its impact on the franchise as a whole, the legacy of Evangelion, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Evangelion 3.0+1.0 (2021)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Killer bops, Michael Caine, and Muppets, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Mike Underwood bring on some holiday cheer with a joyful conversation about a classic: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). Together, they explore the film’s themes of redemption and wealth, what it’s like to live in a world of puppets, some apocryphal Muppet stories, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Manipulated memory, cults, and monstrous friends, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien join forces for a brand new interview with Cadwell Turnbull! Together, they explore Cadwell’s approach to the monstrous, the inspiration for the novel’s major events, the meaning of cultural memory, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!No Gods No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull (Buy It!)Cadwell’s Things:Cadwell’s WebsiteCadwell’s Twitter If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Human facemasks, turkey sex, and charming sheriffs, oh my! Shaun Duke and Alex Acks join forces to discuss our first ever Thanksgiving-related movie, ThanksKilling! Together, they try to understand the film’s approach to horror comedy, reflect on what it’s like to wear a human facemask, analyze the meaning of a killer turkey, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!ThanksKilling (2009)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (C)Alex (B-)Average (C+ish) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Butt flaps, spider sphincters, and Ron Jeremy’s dad, oh my! Shaun Duke and Tonia Ransom join forces to make sense of the 1975 monster bonanza, The Giant Spider Invasion! Together, they talk about the film’s confusing family dynamic, how blood splatter actually works, the objectification of actresses, and even Ron Jeremy’s theoretical dad! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!The Giant Spider Invasion (1975)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (D+)Tonia (C-)Average (D+ish)Tonia’s Things:TwitterWebsiteNightlight Pod (site)Nightlight Pod (Twitter) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

80s politics, weird story choices, and Wolverines!!!, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss 1984’s most memorable jingoistic nuclear war film, Red Dawn. Together, they discuss the film’s history and impact, just what it takes to be a Wolverine, what the 80s were like, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Red Dawn (1984)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (B-)Alex (B)Paul (B)Average (Bish) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Dark secrets, weird Nazi parties, and confusing everything, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien try to make sense of Netflix’s latest horror film, There’s Someone Inside Your House (2021). Together, they discuss the movie’s plot, its treatment of identity, what we’re supposed to get from this killer, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!There’s Someone Inside Your House (2021)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Questionable teachers, fascist ideologies, and male pests, oh my! Shaun Duke and David Annandale turn their attentions to The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)! Together, they work to make sense of the film’s treatment of fascist ideology, its intentionally horrific portrayal of education, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie links:IMDbRotten TomatoesWikipediaOur next film: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (1969) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Magic weapons, kicks to the face, and Chinatown, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien are joined by the incredible heist magician Michi Trota for another in-depth conversation about a totally different television show: CW’s 2021 adaptation of Kung Fu. Together, our crew explores the show’s treatment of its Chinese-centered narrative, its perspectives on romance, migration and race, etc., and what we think about the future of the show. Plus, there’s so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Kung Fu (2021)(IMDb)Michi’s Things:WebsiteTwitterFacebookPrism If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Extra breasts, sunburnt nips, and bad choreography, oh my! Shaun Duke and Alex Acks are joined by long time friend of the show, Mike Martinez, for a Torture Cinema festival for the ages! Together, they tackle the 1984 stinker, The Warrior and the Sorceress while trying to answer the question: What the hell did we just watch? Prepare to laugh your nips off. All four of them! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (F-)Alex (F-)Mike (F-)Average (F-)Mike’s Things:WebsiteTwitter If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Streaming services, really awesome toys, and new shows, oh my! Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano strap in for a wide-reaching conversation about the state of Kamen Rider in 2021! Together, they talk about new announcements from Toei, the struggles of being an international fan, fansubs and conflict, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Card games, strange airducts, and questionable lawyers, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien are joined by the incredible heist magician Michi Trota for an in-depth conversation about Leverage: Redemption. Together, our crew explores the season’s themes and new characters, its approach to political and social concerns, what it means to be redeemed, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Leverage: Redemption (2021)(IMDb)Michi’s Things:WebsiteTwitterFacebookPrism If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Editorial decisions, poetic greatness, and pro wrestling, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien join forces for an in-depth interview with Lynne M. Thomas and Chimedum Ohaegbu about the 8th year Kickstarter for the multi-Hugo winning Uncanny Magazine. Together, they discuss the editing process, what it’s like to run a magazine for 8 years, the wonders of pro wrestling, poetry, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Uncanny Magazine (Year 8) KickstarterLynne’s Things:WebsiteTwitterChimedum’s Things:WebsiteTwitter If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Creepy watchers, questionable 90s, and stakes, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson are joined by the wonderful Tonia Ransom for a hilarious discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as selected by our patrons! Together, they look at the film’s history, why sexy high school shenanigans are weird, the 90s, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (C-)Trish (C-)Tonia (B-)Average (C)Tonia’s Things:TwitterWebsiteNightlight Pod (site)Nightlight Pod (Twitter) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Identify reveals, space travel logistics, and ships, oh my! Righteous Kicks is back! Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano put on their spandex bodysuits and head to even more abandoned quarries to kick evildoers until they explode in the final episode on Kamen Rider Fourze (Ep. 33 to the end)! Together, they talk about the show’s big reveals, their favorite ships, the social dynamics of the Kamen Rider club, the future of the characters, and so much more! As always, you have homework for next time…in the form of a poll coming very soon. Stay tuned! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Kamen Rider Fourze on the Kamen Rider WikiFourze at KRDL.moe If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Global corporations, streaming problems, and accessible nerdery, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and David Annandale collect in an undisclosed location to talk about the trials and tribulations of international streaming. Together, they explore the limits of streaming services, the problems they can create for international viewers, the new and troublesome media environment growing around us, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

American crime syndicates, movie rip-offs, and so much walking, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, Paul Weimer, and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss the Toei v-cinema production, Lady Battle Cop (1990)! Together, they try to make sense of its crime-ridden world, just what it borrows from RoboCop (1987), why choreography is important, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Lady Battle Cop (1990)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (C+)Brandon (B+)Paul (C+)Daniel (B-)Average (B- ish) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Space employment agencies, NASA spies, and Oakland, oh my! Shaun Duke and David Annandale turn their eyeballs to Sun Ra’s Space is the Place (1974). Together, they discuss the film’s history and themes, its approach to U.S. racism, the power of music, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Space is the Place links:IMDbRotten TomatoesWikipediaSun Ra’s Chicago: Afrofuturism and the City by William SitesAfrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture by Ytasha L. WomackAfrofuturism Rising: The Literary Prehistory of a Movement by Isiah Lavender IIIOur next film: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mortars, marabouts, and colonialist briefcases, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien take At the Movies in a truly new direction as they explore Ousmane Sembène’s Xala! Together, Shaun and Brandon explore the history of one of the earliest and significant works of African SF/F cinema, from its themes of family, pride, and greed to its exploration of French colonialism in Senegal to the film’s treatment of the fantastic! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Xala (1975)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Tea saunas, detective mysteries, and magical Cairo, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien join forces for an incredible interview with the incredible P. Djèlí Clark! Together, they discuss A Master of Djinn, the wonders of historical research, addressing transnational racism, making Cairo full of magic, wonder, and complexity, and challenging genre and historical practices in fiction, plus much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark (Buy It!)Phenderson’s Things:WebsiteBlogTwitter If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bad language, human hand bras, and space lesbians, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Becca Evans join forces to discuss John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars (2001)! Together, they try to make sense of the bizarre plot, the worldbuilding, why Jason Statham is just so darn handsome, why Martian ghost monsters love saw blades, and some pressing questions about sex toys and the Mall of America… Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Ghosts of Mars (2001)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (D+)Alex (C)Becca (C-)Average (C-) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Highschool shenanigans, friends inside satellites, and secret identities, oh my! Righteous Kicks is back! Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano put on their spandex bodysuits and head to even more abandoned quarries to kick evildoers until they explode in their continuation of Kamen Rider Fourze (Ep. 17-32)! Together, they talk about the show’s progression, the wild world of Japanese high schools, what it means have a secret identity in a school with a Kamen Rider club, favorite characters and storylines, and so much more! As always, you have homework for next time: Episodes 33-48! These may be streaming on one of your preferred platforms. Otherwise, check out toku.fun or do a quick Google search. They’re easy enough to find outside of Japan! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Kamen Rider Fourze on the Kamen Rider WikiFourze at KRDL.moe If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Twisted quotas, questionable empires, and ancient mysteries, oh my! Shaun Duke is joined by special guest Brent Lambert for a neck deep discussion of Acacia by David Anthony Durham! Together, they discuss the influence of the book on Brent’s life, the role of ancestry and legacy in empire, Durham’s treatment of trauma and the fantasy genre, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Acacia by David Anthony DurhamBrent’s Stuff:Brent’s WebsiteBrent’s TwitterFIYAHCON 2021!FIYAH Magazine If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Strange eggs, suspicious mannequins, traumatic youth, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Iori Kusano join forces with Soup to discuss the controversial anime series, Wonder Egg Priority! Together, they discuss what the show was trying to do, how it went off the rails, what it’s like for an anime studio to run into production problems, and the show’s approach to its central (and very difficult) themes. This is a hard hitting episode, y’all! TW: the series and this episode of our show make explicit references to subjects such as depression, suicide, sexual assault, abuse, and related concerns. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Wonder Egg Priority (2021)(IMDb)Wonder Egg Priority on Funimation!“TV Anime, A Deadly Landscape Even for High Profile Productions: SK8 and Wonder Egg Priority‘s Struggles” by kViN (SakugaBlog)Soup’s Things:WebsiteTwitterAbsolute Territory PodcastSoup’s Games! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Traumatic Americans, Blip politics, and vibranium wings, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien team-up like a Marvel comic book crossover event for a discussion of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier! They’re joined by Allie Bustion and Faiq Lodhi. Together, this crew of Avengers tackle the show’s treatment of race and trauma, what it means to wear the shield, just what makes John Walker tick, why Marvel has a villain problem, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (IMDb)Allie Bustion’s Things:TwitterWebsiteTwitchFaiq Lodhi’s Things:TwitterYouTubeThe Culture Shock (EP) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Lesbian vampires, Ottawa, and bad wigs, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer bring on special guest and friend of the show Tonia Ransom for a truly special edition of Torture Cinema! Together, they discuss 2001’s totally absurd parody film, Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter. Just what makes this movie tick? Why are there so many militant atheists? Where does Jesus get his power, and why are vampires like that? We discuss this and more in this laugh-filled podcast deconstruction! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter (2001)(IMDb)Tonia’s Things: WebsiteNightlight PodTwitterOur GradesShaun (D)Paul (D-)Tonia (F)Average (D-) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Electric whips, cruel spirits, and acid lakes, oh my! Shaun Duke and Alex Acks return for the second part of our first “a book and its adaptation” pairing. This time, they discuss Brown Girl Begins, a prequel adaptation of Brown Girl in the Ring, which we covered in episode 420! Together, they cover the film’s approach to adapting the novel, the script choices, and the directorial style, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Brown Girl Begins (2017)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Invisible men, sexy moss, and gymnastics, oh my! Shaun Duke and Alex Acks join forces for the first ever A Book and Its Adaptation pairing. April 2021’s selection includes Nalo Hopkinson’s Brown Girl in the Ring and the prequel adaptation, Brown Girl Begins (2017; dir. Sharon Lewis)! In this episode, Shaun and Alex discuss Hopkinson’s novel, diving into the book’s themes, its treatment of white flight and Caribbean culture, its exploration of medical and cultural power, and its significance, among other amazing subjects. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Invisible men, sexy moss, and gymnastics, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson take a page out of the 60s to discuss Samuel R. Delany’s Captives of the Flame! Together, they discuss Delany’s approach to plotting, the novel’s themes of the other and war, the strange ending, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Captives of the Flame: Project Gutenberg / LibriVox If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Confused plots, red capes, and superpeople juice, oh my! Shaun Duke and Alex Acks combine their powers to discuss the horrifically questionable Canadian Ventura vehicle, Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe (1991)! Together, they explore the film’s bizarre sexless vision of the future, how a movie about an impregnating flannel-wearing alien super soldier works, and other topics more Rated R than the film the creators originally meant to give us! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Abraxas, Guardian of the University (1991)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (D)Alex (D-)Average (D-ish) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Gothic abodes, inescapable nightmares, and suckers, oh my! Shaun Duke and David Annandale return for a new edition of our “good movies” subcast. As promised, they’ve joined forces to dig into David’s selection, Lisa and the Devil, with some discussion of its shaky release history! Together, they discuss the film’s surreal and nightmarish horror in narrative and set design, the history of European horror cinema, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Lisa and the Devil links:IMDbRotten TomatoesWikipediaOur next film: Sun Ra’s Space is the Place (1974) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Trash gremlins, space families, and Elon Bezos, oh my! Shaun Duke and Alex Acks take a trip to South Korea to discuss the totally epic space western, Space Sweepers (2021). Together, they discuss what makes the film so fun, its treatment of trauma, its differences from other blockbusters of its type, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Space Sweepers (2021)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Vicious temptation, religious morals, and tap dancing, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer take a time machine back to the 1940s to look at the jazz- and swing-infused religious fable, Cabin in the Woods! They discuss the film’s legacy, its take on black spirituality (as best as we understand it), its themes of temptation and good vs. evil, the wonders of a good jazz number, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Cabin in the Sky (1943)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Hopeful visions, genre nerdery, and diversity, oh my! Let the shenanigans ensue! Shaun Duke, Jen Zink, and GoH Brandon O’Brien join forces for a live recording of the 3x Hugo Finalist podcast, The Skiffy and Fanty Show! Together, they’ll discuss the power of science fiction to explore the present and uncover hope, from its technological imagination to its approach to social issues and beyond. They might even give you an absurdly long reading reading list… Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Brandon’s Things:WebsiteTwitter If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Confused plots, red capes, and superpeople juice, oh my! Shaun Duke and Jen Zink do the unthinkable: bring on Tonia Ransom to talk about one of our “banned films,” which our patrons selected! Together, these fine young heroes try to make sense of Snyder’s vision, what’s wrong with DC’s heroes, the nature of superhero feefees, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!BvS: Dawn of Justice (Extended Cut)(2016)(IMDb)Our GradesShaun (F-)Jen (F-)Tonia (F-)Average (F-)Tonia’s Things:WebsiteTwitterNightlight PodRisen (BUY IT!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Marsh crabs, magic paint, and the times are a-changin’, oh my! Shaun Duke and Jen Zink join forces for this super special interview with Eden Royce on Root Magic. Together, they discuss Eden’s approach to U.S. history and the Gullah-Geechee culture, what makes Root Magic a southern gothic novel, and the wonderful world of middle grade novels. Plus so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Eden’s Things:Root Magic (buy the book!)WebsiteTwitterInstagram If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Shiny spaceships, funny aliens, and it’s so 80s, oh my! Shaun Duke and Jen Zink return to the Wardrobe for a special conversation about Flight of the Navigator. Together, they discuss the film’s thematic approach to family, abduction, and adolescence, the surprising treatment of 80s culture, and oh so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Flight of the Navigator (1986)(IMDb) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

New years, new shiny, and memories, oh my! Shaun Duke and Jen Zink dive into the exciding world of African short films with a look at three exciting projects from the last decade-ish — Afronauts (2017), Z: The Beginning (2019), and Pumzi (2009). Together, they explore their themes of dystopia and hope, their treatment of African culture and familiar ideas from SF, and just what makes these films so special! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Afronauts (2014)“Afronauts — Zambia’s Space Program” by Flavia Ferrucci (Good Short Films)Z: The Beginning (2019)“These Nigerian kids are creating epic sci-fi short films using their phones, and Hollywood is paying attention” by Aisha Salaudeen (CNN)Pumzi (2009) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole.

New years, new shiny, and memories, oh my! Shaun Duke, Jen Zink, and Brandon O’Brien join forces for the first podcast of 2021. Together, they take a dive back into the things they enjoyed about 2020 before jumping in time to all the things they’re looking forward to in 2021. Plus, we share new goals for the year, announcements about things to come, and brand new intro music! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions!Looking Back to 2020Brandon’s Things:Media: Toei Tokusatsu World Official (YouTube; for Kamen Rider and more) / Tsuburaya Productions (YouTube; for Ultraman and Gridman!)Literature: Recognize Fascism: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology edited by Crystal M. HuffRandom: The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book edited by James D’AmatoShaun’s Things:Media: Shudder, the streaming service!Literature: Ring Shout by P. Djèlí ClarkRandom: FIYAHCONJen’s Things:Media: Star Trek: Discovery (Season 2)Literature: Legendborn by Tracy DeonnRandom: CoNZealand FringeMoving Forward to 2021Brandon’s Things:Media: Kamen Rider is coming to YouTube!Literature: No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell TurnbullRandom: This Rider Kicks Fascists pins (and Indiegogo campaign)Shaun’s Things:Media: Space Jam 2Literature: No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell TurnbullRandom: Capricon 41 (Feb. 4-7, 2021; virtual convention) AND the super secret upcoming actual play project!Jen’s Things:Media: Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts by Rebecca Hall and Hugo MartínezLiterature: Sorrowland by Rivers SolomonRandom: This show and all the exciting things we’re about to do! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole.

White bread, thick shins, and it’s Myanmar not Constanti-Burma, oh my! Shaun Duke, Jen Zink, and Paul Weimer fulfill their destiny as pawns to our Patreon supporters in our annual Holiday Special Torture Cinema! Together, they look at The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) and the meaning of characters in the context of a visual spectacle. Does the movie have characters? Is it possible for it to have characters? Does this movie actually know what a movie *is*? You’ll have to listen to find out! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! It’s a movie or something… Show Notes: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)(IMDb)Our Grades:Shaun (D-)Jen (D)Paul (D)Average (D-ish) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from “Sphere” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.