B Movies Blog

Note: Check back for updates as new content is announced!

January 2026

January 2 – We Bury The Dead (Theaters)

January 6 – Will Trent (ABC, Next day Hulu)

January 8 – The Traitors (Peacock)

January 8 – His & Hers (Netflix)

January 9 – People We Meet On Vacation (Netflix)

January 9 – Sleepwalker (Theaters)

January 9 – Primate (Theaters)

January 16 – Night Patrol (Theaters)

January 16 – 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Theaters)

January 21 – The Beauty (FX, Next day Hulu)

January 21 – Queer Eye (Netflix)

January 22 – Finding Her Edge (Netflix)

January 23 – Return to Silent Hill (Theaters)

January 28 – School Spirits (Paramount+)

January 28 – Shrinking (Apple TV+)

January 30 – Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (Theaters)

January 30 – Iron Lung (Theaters)

January 30 – Send Help (Theaters)

February 2026

February 6 – The Strangers: Chapter 3 (Theaters)

February 6 – Dracula (Theaters)

February 6 – Pillion (Theaters)

February 6 – Whistle (Theaters)

February 8 – The ‘Burbs (Peacock)

February 13 – “Wuthering Heights” (Theaters)

February 13 – GOAT (Theaters)

February 13 – Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (Theaters)

February 18 – 56 Days (Prime)

February 20 – This is Not a Test (Theaters)

February 25 – Scrubs (ABC, next day Hulu)

February 27 – Scream 7 (Theaters)

March 2026

March 5 – Ted (Peacock)

March 6 – The Bride (Theaters)

March 6 – Peaky Blinders: The Eternal Man (Theaters, Netflix on March 20)

March 11 – Scarpetta (Prime)

March 18 – Imperfect Women (Apple TV+)

March 20 – Project Hail Mary (Theaters)

March 27 – Ready or Not: Here I Come (Theaters)

March 27 – Fantasy Life (Theaters)

March 27 – They Will Kill You (Theaters)

April 2026

April 3 – The Drama (Theaters)

April 8 – The Boys (Prime)

April 10 – Malcolm in the Middle (Hulu)

April 15 – Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV+)

April 17 – The Mummy (Theaters)

April 17 – Normal (Theaters)

May 2026

May 1 – The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Theaters)

May 1 – Hokum (Theaters)

May 15 – Obsession (Theaters)

May 22 – I Love Boosters (Theaters)

June 2026

June 12 – Scary Movie 6 (Theaters)

June 19 – Toy Story 5 (Theaters)

July 2026

July 12 – Disclosure Day (Theaters)

July 17 – The Odyssey (Theaters)

August 2026

August 21 – Insidious: The Bleeding World (Theaters)

August 28 – The Dog Star (Theaters)

August 28 – Coyote vs. ACME (Theaters)

September 2026

September 11 – Sense and Sensibility (Theaters)

September 18 – Practical Magic 2 (Theaters)

September 18 – Play House (Theaters)

September 18 – Resident Evil (Theaters)

October 2026

October 1 – Terrifier 4 (Theaters)

October 2 – Digger (Theaters)

October 9 – Other Mommy (Theaters)

October 16 – Street Fighter (Theaters)

October 23 – Remain (Theaters)

November 2026

November 20 – The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (Theaters)

December 2026

December 18 – Avengers: Doomsday (Theaters)

December 18 – Dune: Part Three (Theaters)

December 25 – Werewulf (Theaters)

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping The Brendan Leonard Show into the ol’ VCR.

Picture it… 

The year is 2003. 

Teen Titans and My Life as Teenage Robot have both premiered. 

Evanescence’s Fallen is blaring through CD players across the nation. 

You’re anxiously awaiting the VHS release of both How to Deal and What a Girl Want because you’re only 11, so you can’t go to the movies freely. 

Just me? Cool.

2003 was also the year of something supremely special that you may or may not remember…The Brendan Leonard Show.

Video source: Nick D’Amico

The Brendan Leonard Show began as a local cable access show wherein a teenaged Brendan Leonard and his friends performed sketches while featuring the music of indie bands as the soundtrack throughout the episodes. 

ABC picked up The Brendan Leonard Show for a single, 16- episode season, and looking back, it’s truly surreal. 

I was trying to think about how to describe The Brendan Leonard Show, and I couldn’t find the right words. 

However, I found a Reddit post about it in my research, and I think it sums it up perfectly: 

“It kind of feels like if a church youth group decided to make a G rated, safe version of Jackass. At the start of each episode Brendan declares a band for the episode — always some obscure alt rock band from the myspace era.” 

I couldn’t have said it better myself. 

It very much mimics the early days of Smosh and other comedy YouTube channels, but if Seth Cohen were in the director’s chair.

Video source: Brendan Leonard

Looking back at this show 21 years after it aired is WILD. 

I don’t know if any network would take a risk like this now, but I also don’t know if The Brendan Leonard Show would be as special today. 

I can definitely see it having a YouTube following, but would that have messed with the charm of this show?

I’m not sure. 🤷‍♀️

However, it does make me happy that creators like Kane Pixels have gained so much attention because, say it with me, YouTube is the future of horror. 

I digress. 

Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding any full episodes of The Brendan Leonard Show anywhere on the internet. 

The show’s website still exists, but the links to episodes no longer work. 

Brendan Leonard’s YouTube channel does have a lot of content though, which was really cool to watch. 

Also, this should go without saying, but this show was made 21 years ago, so there are some things that don’t hold up. 

I will say though, that in some regards, it was ahead of its time. 

Video source: Brendan Leonard

The Brendan Leonard Show is special because it encapsulated the zeitgeist. 

The fact that a major network gave teenagers the keys to the house, albeit for one season, to bring their local access show to the big leagues is something that could (and would) probably only happen in the early aughts. 

Not to mention that the feel and soundtrack of The Brendan Leonard Show couldn’t be captured today. 

I’m not holding my breath, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that all of the episodes are released one day. 

Until then, this media is technically lost and refound. 

And yes, this is me teasing that this may become a series. 

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping office movies into the ol’ VCR.

Oftentimes, we use movies as a form of escapism. 

We run away to magical lands and fight against zombies to ignore the problems we’re facing in our lives. 

However, friends, sometimes we turn to movies for relatability; we need to see our life projected on that movie screen to feel less alone. 

And that’s why we’re covering office movies today. 

As always, I’m going to give you a quick rundown of how this list was curated. 

First and foremost, as someone who worked in the service industry for a very long time, I want to dedicate another piece to service industry movies. 

The service industry is an entirely different beast, and if you’ve ever worked in the service industry, you can attest to this fact. 

Secondly, I am very fortunate to have a job that I love, but we’ve all had jobs, or moments at jobs, where our eyes twitch and we want to cry in the bathroom. 

This list is perfect for those moments. 

And finally, I tried to give some variety to this list. 

There’s some comedy, horror, and drama, so there should be a little something for everyone. 

Alrighty, that should do us for introductions and disclaimers. 

Without further ado, meet us in the breakroom for some light gossip and these six office movies: 

• 9 to 5
• Mayhem 
• Working Girl 
• Office Space 
• Clockwatchers 
• The Belko Experiment

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping fashion-forward movies into the ol’ VCR.

Well, friends, it’s time to do a little turn on the catwalk. 

That’s right — we’re talking about fashion-forward movies. 

“But, Baillee, what are fashion-forward movies?” 

Thank you so much for asking! 

I have a few pieces of criteria for this one, so buckle up that fashionable belt of yours. 

First and foremost, fashion has to be a prominent part of the storyline. 

For example, Romy and Michele makes the cut because they talk about making their clothes throughout and (I’d say spoiler alert, but it came out in 1997) open a boutique. 

Clueless doesn’t make the cut because while Cher’s closet and wardrobe are totally buggin’, and there are multiple clothing references, fashion isn’t a huge part of the storyline. 

Secondly, I tried to pick movies with characters who worked in fashion or design, but I’m also counting movies with models, like Zoolander, because they’re ingrained in the fashion world. 

Finally, I know that The Neon Demon would also fit all of the criteria, but I just simply can’t recommend it to you. 

Alrighty, that should do us for disclaimers and introductions 

• Cruella 
• In Fabric 
• Zoolander* 
• Kinky Boots 
• Phantom Thread
• Last Night in SoHo 
• The Devil Wears Prada 
• Confessions of a Shopaholic 
• Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion

*Fair warning that Tr*mp is in this movie for a split second at the beginning.

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping movie plots turned into AITA posts into the ol’ VCR.

All of you (and Elliott) loved the first edition of AITA Theater so much that you know I had to do it again. 

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, now’s your chance to get in on the ground floor, as this is only AITA Theater #2. 

For those unfamiliar with both this series and the AITA Subreddit, individuals can submit stories and have Redditors decide if they’re the asshole in a particular situation. 

The OP, or Original Poster, can expect one of four major outcomes: 

• Not The Asshole (NTA) 
• You’re The Asshole (YTA) 
• Everyone Sucks Here (ESH) 
• No Assholes Here (NAH) 

There are some other ratings, like Poo Mode Activated, but we’re just gonna stick to the main four. 

So, what I do in my wild little brain is write movie plots in the same style of these Reddit stories and give them a rating. 

I’ll leave little hints for you on the plot throughout, but you won’t find the answers until the bottom of the blog post. 

Blame it on a childhood of Highlights and cereal box puzzles. 

Alrighty, that should do us for introductions. 

Without further ado, here are 10 movie plots turned into AITA stories: 

AITA for lying to my girlfriend?

u/pittsofhell 

Verdict: YTA 

Hello Reddit. Based on your actions, I believe some of you are already familiar with me. I even have my own subreddit, I believe. However, that’s not why we’re here. Forgive me if there are any typos, as I am new to this body, er, website. 

The old host of this body, uh, I met a very beautiful woman the other morning but then found myself in a rather tragic situation. I then entered his, erm, my body and went to collect on a debt from her father. 

The thing is, I found myself falling in love with her. The problem is, I’m from somewhere very far away. We’ll call it…the deep south. She also doesn’t know that I’ve inhabited, um, changed a bit from our first meeting, and I’m scared to tell her who I really am. I also feel terrible because I’m going to have to kill her father…’s business plans. So Reddit, am I the asshole? 

AITA for not sharing?

u/winsletitgo 

Verdict: YTA 

First time poster here. So, this happened a long time ago (it’s been 84 years), and I can’t help but feel bad about it. I was taking a trip abroad with my family and fiance (don’t judge me yet). On the trip, I fell for a charming vagabond who was talented with his hands in more than one way (he was good at drawing and holding doors…sometimes). 

Unfortunately, our trip took a turn for the worst, and we found ourselves fighting to survive in the freezing waters of the ocean. You know, normal vacation disasters. And, well, he didn’t make it. 

Listen Reddit, it was a very stressful situation, and I did the best I could with the door we had. But, almost everyone says that there was a way for both of us to be rescued. I’ve thought about him every day and miss him so much that I threw the only piece of him I had left into the ocean to float about his bones. 

AITA?

WIBTA for not supporting my boyfriend?

u/m@yqu33n 

Verdict: NTA 

I’m so incredibly sorry to bother all of you, but I wanted to ask a question, if that’s okay. So, my parents and sister all tragically died recently, so I’ve been depressed. My boyfriend and his friends had a trip planned, and they were all apprehensive to invite me. But, I totally get it because I’ve been a downer. 

We arrived yesterday, and it’s been wonderful so far. We tripped, even though I didn’t really want to, but it’s okay, I didn’t want to upset anyone. I’ve also lost my boyfriend multiple times, but I’m sure he just had a lot on his mind. But I did win a maypole contest! 

Now, here comes the issue. I have to make a choice, and I’m not 100% sure what to do. 

I have to choose between one of the villagers here and my boyfriend. Now, I know that the villagers here have been nothing short of kind, but my boyfriend has had to deal with all of my sadness recently, so he’s going through a lot. 

I’m just not sure what to do. If I don’t choose my boyfriend, would that make me the asshole? 

AITA for helping my girlfriend change?

u/tbirds4life

Verdict: ESH

Hey, yo, Reddit. You stayin’ frosty? I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong here, but I just want to make sure I’m right. Ya see, I met this fine chick during the summer, and we really clicked. But, I could never tell my friends I showed her my true self. We’re in high school, ya dig?

So, naturally, when she showed up at my school, I tried to play it cool and made a bunch of gross and sexist comments because that’s how high schoolers in the 1950s talked apparently. 

Throughout the school year, I let my friends convince me to treat her like garbage until she changed everything about herself to appeal to me because her friends convinced her that was the best way to get me. And, it worked! 

But, as our car is flying away into the sun, I’m rethinking all of the peer pressure our friends and myself put on her to change. Am I in the wrong?  

AITA for doing my research?

u/flytheway

Verdict: YTA 

Throwaway account because I’m always changing…locations. 

I’ve been researching and studying those around me to become more human better understand human nature. I crashed with a few other people in the woods for a while until we took a boat trip back to the city. 

After we returned, my true colors came out, and I think my friends are now mad at me. My only intention was to defend my family, but I think I might’ve taken it too far. I attacked a couple of them…with the truth, and they seemed less than thrilled to hear about my plan. 

AITA for teaching my friend a lesson?

u/quesarahsarah 

Verdict: NTA 

I’m new in town, and I was trying to make friends with some of the girls in my grade. This guy I used to like warned me about them, but he was also a jerk. Anyway, I started hanging out with these girls, and we did normal teenage girl things like gossiping, shopping, and calling the four corners. 

One of the girls in my group is starting to act a little unhinged, and I think she’s starting to let things go to her head. It all started when her stepdad unexpectedly died after she stared at him really hard, and she and her mother got his life insurance money. 

She also got really jealous because the guy I liked conjured up feelings for me instead of her. Now, she and our other friends are bullying and harrassing me. I can’t sleep, and I don’t think moving is an option.

Finally, after letting her push me around for a long time, I decided to turn the tables and with the help of a higher power, I gave her a dose of her own medicine. Am I the asshole?  

AITA for asking my friend to cover my babysitting job?

u/annieareyouokay 

Verdict: YTA 

Okay, I need you to hear me out. We’ve all been in this situation before. I was simply double-booked. 

You see, my boyfriend, Paul, called me up when I was babysitting to see if I wanted to drink beer and party. We’re teenagers in the late ‘70s, so what else do you expect a girl to do? One of my friends, who’s a real goodie goodie, was babysitting across the street, so I called her and asked if I could send the girl I was babysitting over to hang out with them. 

I even told her I would try to get her a date with the guy she liked because I’M A GOOD FRIEND. I know she didn’t sign up to babysit both kids, but she was the final girl on my list of options. I don’t think I did anything wrong, but it’s also hard to think when I’m trying to outrun a lumbering, masked psychopath. Should I have just babysat instead of trying to hang out with my boyfriend? 

AITA for running late?

u/iwannabnthesequel

Verdict: NTA

Okay, so posting here is totally lame, but I need to clear my conscience. I was supposed to pick up my friend for a sleepover, but I got held up at cheerleading practice. For context, it’s almost the anniversary of her mother’s death, and someone is picking off teenagers in our town like it’s some sort of Wes Carpenter flick. 

While she was waiting on me, some masked psycho tried to gut her like a fish, and her boyfriend suspiciously showed up right after the big chase. Fortunately, she was able to type in 911, and my doofy older brother showed up to help. 

I promise I got there as soon as I could, and it’s just really bad luck that everything happened when I was running late. 

AITA for not giving a girl a book?

u/inahayes

Verdict: Soft YTA 

My daughter is making me post this. I’ve been telling her the story of how I met her mother* through talking about the three great loves of my life as a coping mechanism because we’re getting divorced. 

I love her mother, but I clearly still have feelings for another woman in the story, as I gave the other two code names but used her real name throughout. Her father gave her a copy of a famous novel that he wrote a message in, and he died shortly after. She lost the book over the years, and she’s been trying to track it down ever since. 

I actually found her copy but got nervous when I got to her apartment and saw her boyfriend there. I held onto it for years and never told her I had it. I then met up with her years later and gave it to her, but she was upset at me for holding on to it for so long. 

We want to randomly show up to this woman’s apartment so that I can finally declare my love, but I’m nervous. So, my daughter wants to know if I’m the butthole. 

*But without a series finale that still haunts me to this very day. 

AITA for doing my job?

u/weddyornot 

Verdict: YTA 

Not to brag, Reddit, but I’m actually a writer. Sure, it might not be my dream job, but everyone has to start somewhere. That includes covering weddings. 

So, I followed this woman between weddings one night. Trust me, it’s not as creepy as it sounds.* And, as it turns out, being a bridesmaid is basically her second job. I hijacked her planner, wrote over all of her other plans, and all but forced her into hanging out with me. 

We really started to hit it off, and she let me into her personal life. She really started to trust me. But, she initially didn’t know who I was, and I wrote a story about her. Sure, I felt bad, but it’s also my job to cover bridal news, and this story would make my career. 

I tried to get the story canceled, but my editor ran it anyway. Is this on me?

*It was. 

The Answers

1. Meet Joe Black 
2. Titanic 
3. Midsommar 
4. Grease 
5. The Watchers 
6. The Craft
7. Halloween (1978)
8. Scream 
9. Definitely Maybe 
10. 27 Dresses

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping one of my famous letters into the ol’ VCR.

Today marks the second anniversary of my mom’s passing. 

One of the very few, if only, downsides of running B Movies with Elliott is that my mom never got to see it. 

Over the years, she read every single piece I ever wrote. Seriously. 

All of my personal blogs. Everything for Hyperreal Film Club. All of it. 

And honestly, I owe this all to her. 

She supported all of my movie watching by coming home with armfuls of movies from Blockbuster. 

She always encouraged my writing and even bought me the infamous Barbie journal I attribute to my first blog. 

She pushed me to follow my dreams and passions (within reason, obviously), and she taught me to never give up. 

If she hadn’t been the guiding force in my life for almost 30 years, I don’t know if I would’ve had the courage to start B Movies or the drive to keep it going. 

There are so many pieces I wish she could read, but at the end of the day, I know she’d love them all. 

Initially, I wasn’t sure where to go with this piece. 

But, it finally clicked with me. 

In the grand tradition of B Movies, I wanted to give you a list of some of her favorite movies. 

And yes, I swear that these were genuinely some of her favorite movies. 

Without further ado, here are 10 of KP’s favorite movies: 

• Ghost
• Scream
• The Craft
• Hope Floats
• Pet Sematary 
• Halloween (1978)
• Practical Magic
• Rosemary’s Baby 
• Where the Heart Is

For KP, for always. 🖤

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping the work of David Dastmalchian into the ol’ VCR.

I saw something the other day that said David Dastmalchian is becoming this generation’s Vincent Price. 

And, honestly, I’m inclined to agree. 

David Dastmalchian is incredible, and I’m glad that he’s finally getting cast into the spotlight. 

He’s also becoming one of the biggest heartthrobs of the horror community, and for good reason. 

He and Evelyn Leigh, his wife, are both SUPER hot and talented. 

I digress. 

David Dastmalchian perfectly occupies the intersection of campy, creepy, and charismatic. 

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just watch his interviews on Grave Conversations, particularly the episode with Matthew Lillard. 

Additionally, DD is just one of those actors I get excited to see pop up in a project, and I’m hoping that he might be involved with the horror movie The Boulet Brothers have been hinting at. 👀

As with all of our spotlights, there’s not much more I can say about David Dastmalchian that hasn’t already been said. 

David, if you ever read this, I think you’re extremely talented. 🖤

Without further ado, here are some of my favorite pieces of David Dastmalchian content: 

• Sushi Girl 
• The Boogeyman 
• The Suicide Squad 
• Grave Conversations
• The Belko Experiment 
• Late Night with the Devil 
• Twin Peaks: The Revival 
• The Last Voyage of the Demeter
• The Boulet Brothers’ Halfway to Halloween TV Special

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping MTV dating shows into the ol’ VCR.

Well, friends, it’s time to talk about something that clearly didn’t age well. 

We’ve talked about MTV shows. 

We’ve talked about Awkward.

The natural progression here is to talk about MTV dating shows. 

As I already said, these shows ABSOLUTELY DID NOT AGE WELL. 

I don’t even know where to start. 

The misogyny, the invasion of personal space, the lack of diversity, the lack of plus-size inclusion, you name it. 

It’s not great, and that’s an understatement. I don’t condone any of these things, but unfortunately, it’s a part of pop-culture history that happened. 

Additionally, when I was doing my research, I found a lot more dating shows that I remembered. I also found an article from Nylon I thought I would include. This way, if you watched more MTV reality dating shows than I did, you can reminisce there. 

The big four that I’m going to concentrate on today are: 

• Singled Out 
• Next 
• Room Raiders 
• Parental Control 

I’m also toying with the idea of doing a separate piece on MTV prank shows because they’re also, um, awful, so I’ve excluded any content that leans more into prank territory. 

Alrighty, that should do us for disclaimers and introductions. 

Without further ado, let’s dive into four MTV reality dating series. 

Singled Out

The original iteration of Singled Out aired from ‘95 – ‘98 with Chris Hardwick (who is trash) hosting for all three years, and Jenny McCarthy (who’s problematic AF) co-hosting from ‘95 – ‘97; Carmen Electra would come in to host for the last year. 

The premise was simple: 

1. The Picker (like, c’mon) would be blindfolded in front of 50 contestants. 
2. The Picker would use various questions and categories to whittle down the Dating Pool. 
3. The Picker and their match would then meet each other and be treated to various prizes. 

Of course, the questions were…questionable. 

You’ve probably guessed that everyone was “traditionally” hot and thin. 

You get the picture. 

However, Singled Out did cement itself so firmly in the zeitgeist that it appeared in both Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion AND, in the aptly titled Boy Meets World episode, “Singled Out.” 

Video source: Viva 90s 

Next 

Next, we have Next. Next aired from 2005 – 2008 and had a more simplified (but still deeply problematic) premise than Singled Out. TL;DR – Contestants would be paired on blind dates with other people and had the option to end the date by yelling, “Next!” 

Contestants would also get more money the longer they stayed on the date and would choose between love and money at the end. 

I’m not kidding. 

However, the real reason people watched was the unhinged bios presented with each contestant. They included everything from nicknames to, you guessed it, very problematic takes, like questioning the status of someone’s virginity. 

If you think I’m joking, check out this Buzzfeed article. 

Video source: TV Shows & Movies & Commercials

Room Raiders 

Out of all four shows, Room Raiders is the one I’m the most guilty of watching; I watched it RELIGIOUSLY. In fact, as a kid, I would pretend like I was one of The Raiders, hold up different things in my room, and talk about them. 

Y’all, I have no shame anymore with what all I’ve said on the internet thus far. 

I digress. 

If you aren’t familiar with the premise of this particular show, let me get you up to speed: 

1. The Raider would sufficiently rip apart three different bedrooms. There was usually a black light involved because 2003 – 2009 television was the height of class. 
2. The three raidees would then have the opportunity to return the favor. 
3. After all the raiding had been completed, The Raider would then choose to go on a date with one of the three raidees. 

Oh yeah, and all three raidees watched The Raider tear apart their rooms from a van. 

Room Raiders lasted for eight whole seasons from 2003 – 2009, and I feel like that might’ve been a little *too* long. 

I don’t think you need me to even discuss everything wrong with this. But, I’ll link a Kurtis Conner video below where he watches a problematic-themed video to really drive my point home. 

Video source: Kurtis Conner

Parental Control 

And finally, we have Parental Control. Oh boy. 

So, Parental Control is a bit more layered than the other shows we’ve covered, so let me break it down: 

1. Some of the contestants’ loved ones didn’t like the contestant’s partner. 
2. These said loved ones would then pick two potential suitors for the contestant. 
3. The contestant would go on dates with both of the picks. 
4. The contestant would then eliminate one of these picks. 
5. The contestant would then choose whether to be single, stay in their current relationship, or to give the new relationship a go. 

The contestant’s loved ones would also watch the entire thing unfold. 

Yeah…there’s a lot to unpack here. 

But don’t take my word for it. Check out the clip below that proves a) this show was obviously fake and b) how problematic and cringy this entire thing is. 

Video source: TV Shows & Movies & Commercials

Wrap Up 

Now listen, I’m not here to say things have necessarily gotten better. We still have shows where conventionally hot people hook up with other conventionally hot people. 

I do think we still have a long way to go with reality dating shows being more size inclusive, diverse, you name it. 

I personally believe that you’re attracted to whoever you’re attracted to, and leagues are bullshit, but I’ll save my soapbox. 

For someone who talks A LOT about nostalgia, I would definitely be okay with these dating shows never coming back. 
And this is coming from someone who religiously watches shit like The Traitors.

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping some of the books I loved growing up into the ol’ VCR.

We’ve talked about this before, but we all know that Elliott is the bookworm of B Movies. However, as a kid, I was a voracious reader. 

I participated in every summer library reading challenge and sat in the top of the AR point earners (and earned myself a Razor scooter, I might add). 

That’s why I thought it would be fun to revisit some of my favorite books and series from when I was a kid. 

These are the series I would request from my local library or titles that KP would buy for me from the bookstore. 

I even made a calendar out of the quotes in The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes in Excel and Word. 

Yes, I’m serious. 

Alrighty, I think that does us for an introduction. 

Without further ado, here are six books and series I loved growing up: 

• The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes 
• Sammy Keyes 
• Fear Street 
• Define “Normal” 
• Heir Apparent 
• Anything Christopher Pike 

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes is mostly comprised of journal entries from the title character, Abby Hayes. The series begins when Abby is in the fifth grade as she laments about having three siblings who seem to succeed at everything they do. However, Abby soon finds her passions and realizes her talent, all while juggling the trials and tribulations of being a preteen. 

The first book in the series debuted in August of 2000, and author Anne Mazer wrote the entire series, with the last book being published in 2009. I loved this series because a) I was a baby writer finding my voice and b) I felt like Abby got me. Also, there’s some dry humor throughout that I could even appreciate as a kid. 

Sammy Keyes 

Sammy Keyes is a mystery/comedy novel series wherein our title character solves mysteries all while dealing with a vapid, star-driven mother and dodging security at her beloved grandmother’s retirement community. The series was written by Wendelin Van Draanen and lasted for 18 books. 

Like Abby Hayes, I saw a lot of myself in Sammy Keyes. She was plucky and sharp and stood out. As someone who also stood out as a kid (I wore a suit to a Camp Fire award ceremony because I was in an Annie Hall phase), I felt a kinship with her. 

Fear Street 

Fear Street is the spawn of R.L. Stein, and each tells a different paranormal/supernatural/thriller-esque story set in the fictional town of Shadyside. The first book in the series was released back in 1989, and the series has continued, albeit on and off, since then. They also inspired Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy, which most of you know is one of my favorite horror trilogies of all time. 

I feel like this is probably one of, if not THE, least surprising section on this entire list. I spent many a summer afternoons as a kid and teenager lying out on my trampoline in Soffe shorts with my Zune reading an entire book at a time. KP had grabbed any Fear Streets she came across at Goodwill and garage sales, so we had at least one entire shelf dedicated to them. 

Define “Normal” 

Julie Anne Peters’ Define “Normal” was released in 2000 (which is 24 years ago, for those keeping count — WOOF), and follows two girls, Antonia and Jazz, as they participate in a peer counseling organization. Antonia is a prep on the surface while Jazz is our punk, but as their counseling progresses, they find they have more in common than they ever could’ve imagined. 

I grew up in early to mid-aughts, so, naturally, I loved a storyline with two foils on an enemies-to-friends track. I grew up in the time of Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8r Boi,” thank you. I was “punk,” aka I wore band tees and was a little funky, but I was also an overachiever, so I felt like I related to both Antonia AND Jazz. 

Heir Apparent 

Heir Apparent was written by Vivian Vande Velde and released in 2002. The story focuses on Giannine, who must complete the quest in a medieval VR game. The catch? Every time she dies,Giannine is taken back to the beginning of the game. 

This book was a BIG deal for a lot of peeps my age. I remember Heir Apparent being hard to get a hold of at my library, so KP just bought me a copy from the Scholastic Book Fair. I love Ready Player One so much; I think it’s a great double read with Heir Apparent. 

Anything Christopher Pike 

For those not familiar with Christopher Pike, he wrote books similar to the Fear Street series, with the first being published in 1985. While a lot of these novels were one-offs, Pike did write several series like Chain Letter, The Last Vampire, and Thirst. He’s also responsible for The Midnight Club, which was adapted into the Netflix series by Mike Flanagan. 

As with Fear Street, KP kept us stocked in Christopher Pike novels, and I can’t tell you how many I’ve read over the years. 

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping some of my favorite songs into the ol’ VCR.

I truly mean it when I say that I love making these little favorite lists for all of you. 

It’s really fun for me to actually think through my favorites and have them handy in the event that I have to introduce myself somewhere.

Because, if you’re anything like me, you have an existential crisis the second someone asks you anything about yourself. 

Now, I already know this list is probably going to be controversial; there are several covers on here. 

That doesn’t mean I don’t respect the original artists who sang and/or wrote these songs. It just means that I fell in love with a different interpretation of them. 

I also don’t feel like many of my favorite songs will come as a surprise, as I’ve talked about a couple of them before. 

Alrighty, that should do us for disclaimers and introductions. 

Without further ado, here are 10 of my favorite songs:

• “Purple Rain” by Prince 
• “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes 
• “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star
• “Video Games” by Trixie Mattel
• “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John 
• “The Promise” by Sturgill Simpson
• “You Were Meant For Me” by Jewel
• “No Children” by The Mountain Goats 
• “Don’t Think Twice” by  Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
• “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass

Note: I’m ASHAMED of myself because I forgot one of my absolute favorite songs of all time aka “Act Naturally” by Buck Owens.

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping the work of Justice Smith into the ol’ VCR.

I’ve been a fan of Justice Smith ever since The Get Down.

I’ve always thought he was a great actor, and I think his performance in I Saw the TV Glow proves my point. 

Over the past 12-ish years, Justice Smith has played everything from Detective Pikachu’s companion to Simon the Sorcerer (his character is just named Simon, and he happens to be a sorcerer, but I like the ring of that title). 

And, I honestly think he’s just getting started. 

I think Justice Smith is a super versatile actor who will continue to rise over the next few years. 

Additionally, Justice Smith came out as queer back in 2020. 

I had issues initially coming out, so I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like doing so as a celebrity, and I want to give him props. 

As always with our spotlights, there’s not much I can say that hasn’t already been said. 

For all intents and purposes, Justice Smith’s career may seem like it’s just getting started, but I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. 

Justice, if you ever read this, I think you’re extremely talented. 🖤

Without further ado, here are some of my favorite pieces of Justice Smith content: 

• The Quarry 
• The Voyeurs
• The Get Down 
• I Saw the TV Glow 
• Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Note: I haven’t watched Genera+ion, so I didn’t want to include it, and I apologize.