B Movies Blog

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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 some of my holiday traditions into the ol’ VCR. 

And yes, it’s time for another cheesy piece. 

KP was really big on traditions. We always ate chili dogs or Frito pies on Halloween. My sister and I always received goodie bags on Valentine’s Day. We needed the house to be cleaned on New Year’s Eve for a good new year. Christmas was/is no exception. 

We had several traditions growing up, some common, some not. Regardless, I wanted to take the time on the last Friday before Christmas to share a few of my holiday traditions with you (as well as to give you the opportunity to share some of yours in the comments). 

Up until her last Christmas, KP bought me Christmas Eve pjs. We didn’t open them until Christmas Eve, and you didn’t usually know what they looked like. 

We also got to open one additional gift. KP tried to discourage opening a big one (because she was smart and knew that we would be upset on Christmas morning without a big gift), but she always let us open whichever one we wanted. 

We were also bigggggg Christmas lights people. We would drive around looking at lights for what seemed like hours, culminating in long nights of riding around on the nights of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

Lastly, one of our other big Christmas traditions was watching A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve, and if you grew up with cable, I’m sure you’re also familiar with the 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story on TBS. 

As I’ve grown up, I’ve added some traditions of my own. 

Every year, I write a letter to “Santa.” It’s not an actual wishlist like you wrote as a child, but it more so serves as a way for me to look back on what I wanted and where I was the year before. I always put the letter in my stocking, and I keep it until I write the next letter. 

I also watch the “Christmas Who?” episode of SpongeBob SquarePants and The Powerpuff Girls: ‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas before I go to bed each and every Christmas Eve, and I have for almost two decades. 

Finally, I hate going to sleep past midnight on Christmas. I don’t like the feeling of Christmas being over in real time. The magic seems to wear off right before your eyes, and I’m not a fan. 

So, friends, those are my Christmas traditions. They may have changed or evolved as I have grown up, but I’ve kept up with many of them. My sister has taken on the role of pajama buyer, and I pop in a DVD of A Christmas Story now, but there’s still plenty of winter whimsy in my house. 

Happy Holidays, Movie Mavens. 

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

Friends, we’re talking about a key part of my childhood today: The N. 

Much like Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, The N was the “teen” programming block of Noggin, just less mature and more Canadian. 

I watched The N religiously, and it’s one of those nuggets of pop culture I still reminisce about to this very day. 

Video source: Jordan2002’s Corner of Nostalgia

It had everything from reality shows to cartoons to scripted content, and it was so good and so bad. 

My favorite shows on The N were: 

• O’Grady 
• Degrassi: The Next Generation 
• Instant Star 
• Girls v. Boys
• Radio Free Roscoe 

Also, if they were feeling particularly frisky, The N would throw out episodes of Degrassi Junior High or Degrassi High, which, if you don’t know, are where Snake, Spike, and many of the other adult characters on Degrassi: The Next Generation were established as characters. 

The layers of Degrassi run deep, y’all. 

Video Source: Instant Star – The Official Channel

I’m not kidding when I say these shows had a hold on me. In fact, KP actually found me a star ring to match Alexz Johnson’s in Instant Star that I still own to this very day. 

I also know I can’t be the only one personally victimized by J.T.’s death in Degrassi: The Next Generation. 

I wanted to be Lily from Radio Free Roscoe more than I can express, and Girls v. Boys instilled a lifelong love of reality competitions games like Big Brother, The Mole, The Traitors, etc.. 

Girls v. Boys was also just essentially a mix of The Challenge, Survivor, and The Real World for teenagers, so I couldn’t possibly imagine why it had a short run. 

O’Grady just fueled my love of cartoons, especially weird ones. 

Video Source: ninjadudevideos

Daria eventually also ran on The N, but my obsession began before then (or should I say the-n). 

The N is one of those special little things that can’t fully be replicated. It was the perfect amount of dramatic and weird and cool, and, oh yeah, IT HAD A SHOW WHERE TEENAGERS WERE PARTICIPATING ON A COMPETITION REALITY SHOW. 

However, we’ll keep the spirit of The N alive. 

Whatever it takes. 

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping another edition of Lights, Camera, Albums into the ol’ VCR. 

In today’s edition of Lights, Camera, Albums, we’re going to cover Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album, GUTS. GUTS is like a mix of the Freaky Friday and 10 Things I Hate About You soundtracks, so it only seems logical to give it the Lights, Camera, Albums treatment. Also, we’ve already done SOUR, and I’m a completionist.

If you’re new here, Lights, Camera, Albums is a series where I pair each song on an album with a movie. Sometimes, it’s obvious. Other times, I have to over explain myself into oblivion, and you still need to tilt your head and squint. Fun! 

Without further ado, let’s jump into Lights, Camera, Albums: Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS.   

“all-american bitch” as Saved! 

You can’t listen to this song and tell me it doesn’t scream 10 Things I Hate About You, but I digress (because I already used 10 Things for another edition of LCA). 

Saved! is a wonderful runner up though. I can picture Cassandra (Eva Amurri) singing this to Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore) as Hilary Faye tries to convert her YET AGAIN. Also, I’ve had Saved! in my back pocket since the concept of Lights, Camera, Albums, and I finally had the perfect place for it. 

“bad idea right?” as Bridesmaids 

The older I get, the more I appreciate Bridesmaids. I also more than understand Annie’s (Kristen Wiig) self-destructive behaviors, including when she continues to hook up with Ted (Jon Hamm). Ted is absolutely horrible, and her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), tries to tell her multiple times how bad this situation is. 

“vampire” as Renfield 

Renfield is obviously a bit more reserved and wouldn’t use the exact lyrics from “vampire.” But, I can see him, in his sweet little rainbow sweater, singing this to Dracula when he finally stands up to him.

“lacy” as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 

I would love nothing more than to hear Michael Cera sing “lacy,” let alone Scott Pilgrim. Scott (Micheal Cera, obvi) and Envy (Brie Larson) had an awful breakup, and Envy went on to front a super successful band, so it’s hard for Scott to escape her. Envy sucks, but Scott still has some feelings for her. 

They’re definitely into pegging (no judgement). 

“ballad of a homeschooled girl” as Lady Bird 

I know that Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan) wasn’t homeschooled, but in true adolescent fashion, she’s very dramatic, and every single thing is seen like it’s the end of the world. 

“making the bed” as Heathers 

In Heathers, Veronica (Winona Ryder) “upgrades” her friend group and ditches her old best friend, Betty (Renée Estevez), for popularity and for the Heathers. She doesn’t want to go to a party, but Heather Chandler (Kim Walker, RIP) forces her to by threatening to make her a social pariah. Veronica obviously doesn’t deserve the things she goes through, but she chose to make herself miserable by choosing the Heathers. 

“logical” as Cruel Intentions 

Much like Saved!, I’ve been holding on to Cruel Intentions for the right moment. I see “logical” being written from Annette’s (Reese Witherspoon) perspective after Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) rejects her. They do eventually end up together (for a brief time, anyway), but Sebastian rejects her after he begins to feel guilty about the bet. 

“get him back!” as Rosaline

First and foremost, I think Rosaline is criminally underrated. Secondly, Katilyn Dever is a national treasure. Anyway. Rosaline is a modern-ish (it’s still set in the same time period, but you’ll see what I mean) retelling of Romeo (Kyle Allen) and Juilet (Isabela Merced), from the perspective of Juliet’s cousin, and Romeo’s ex-girlfriend, Rosaline (Kaitlyn Dever). After Juliet catches Romeo’s eye, Rosaline is willing to try just about anything to “get him back!” 

Kathryn Merteuil is somehow a mix of Buffy and Faith with a sprinkling of Darla. 

“love is embarrassing” as He’s Just Not That Into You 

This one was an easy connection for me. He’s Just Not That Into You shows us love from all sides, and it doesn’t leave out any of the embarrassing parts. 

“the grudge” as The Beguiled (2017) 

I know there’s an original, but we’re going with Sofia Coppola’s because this is my blog. Surprisingly, I’m not the biggest fan of The Beguiled (I don’t think it’s a bad movie, but it’s not 100% my bag), but I do think it’s a wonderful representation of “the grudge.” Did Martha (Nicole Kidman) really need to amputate Corporal McBurney’s (Colin Farrell) leg, or was it because she caught him in bed with Alicia (Elle Fanning)? Sounds like a grudge to me. 

“pretty isn’t pretty” as Sierra Burgess is a Loser 

Okay, listen. I’m a sucker for a teen movie, so yes, I have seen Sierra Burgess is a Loser. Sierra (Shannon Purser) uses Veronica (Kristine Froseth) as her proxy because Veronica is “prettier,” and she doesn’t want to reveal her real identity to Jamey (Noah Centineo). Fuck traditional beauty standards and the idea of leagues. Sure, every single person won’t be attracted to you, and you won’t be attracted to every single person, but we have to get over these stupid convictions society has. 

“teenage dream” as Sixteen Candles 

I know that Liv sings about blowing out her 19 candles, but her mentality about growing up immediately made me think of Sam Baker’s (Molly Ringwald) in Sixteen Candles. Sam keeps wondering when she’s going to get a boyfriend, and, much like Lady Bird, carries some adolescent drama.  

Hey, ScarJo, do you need a bandaid for that scab?

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

Now, I’m not shy to admit that Halloween (1978) is my favorite horror movie of all time. I have a Laurie Strode tattoo, countless pieces of memorabilia around my house, and I own all of the movies on DVD or Blu-Ray. 

John Carpenter directed and wrote with Debra Hill (RIP) one of the absolute greatest horror movies of all time. The storyline is straightforward… a babysitter and her pals are stalked on Halloween night by a man who killed his own sister as a child. 

When you try to get past the Spectrum table at Walmart without being noticed. 

He’s seemingly indestructible, and he’s presented as a void. Hell, he’s referred to as “The Shape” in the credits. 

However, this piece of horror history catapulted Jamie Lee Curtis into stardom, launched a franchise, and made John Carpenter a legend.

I know that I probably don’t need to list any of his credits, but after Halloween (and Assault on Precinct 13), John Carpenter went on to direct even more of my favorite horror movies, including: 

• The Thing 
• Christine
• The Fog 
• Body Bags 
• Prince of Darkness

And that’s not even mentioning his non-horror work like Big Trouble in Little China and Escape from New York. 

I love John Carpenter because he’s always had this gritty, DIY feel about him. He wrote the infamous theme to Halloween. Debra Hill was in the costume for the famous scenes in the beginning of Halloween, shot from Micheal’s POV. They allegedly couldn’t afford lighting, so scenes aren’t purposely dark. 

It’s honestly super punk rock. 

I can’t tell you how long this has been on my dream couple’s costume list.

Like Robert Rodriguez, it’s also super obvious that you’re watching a John Carpenter movie. I don’t know if it’s the style or the music or both, but there’s no mistaking a Carpenter flick for anything else. 

Thank you, John, for not only giving me my favorite horror movie of all time, but for creating one of the defining movies for horror fans. 

We salute you. 🫡

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Emily Moss Wilson’s Dear Christmas into the ol’ VCR. 

Friends, I know it’s the holiday season, but I’m about to eviscerate a cheesy Christmas movie. We let this happen, and the straights are truly out of control. 

Now listen, everyone did the best they could with what they had. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a whole lot. 

“Hey, Jason, do you want to start a recap podcast with me?” 

Jason Priestly’s character is named Chris Massey. The man’s name is CHRISTMASSY. 

Yeah, so. There’s that. 

The only way I could probably convey my emotions to all of you is through everyone’s favorite: a stream of consciousness blog. 

If you’re new around here, I write down my genuine emotions while watching a movie. Outside of fixing any typos or editing ever-so-slightly for clarity, these are my sincere thoughts. Anyone who knows me can attest to this. 

Grab your tow truck hot chocolate and old journal, and let’s get started. 

Jesus’ birth looks different than I thought it would. 

• Of course she’s a podcaster. 
• I can’t decide if Earmuffs is either the best or the worst name for a podcast company I’ve ever heard. 
• I lost count of how many cliches MJH strung together to describe true love. 
• I love that the budget was so small that they couldn’t even film her in a car. 
• It’s the sexy Christmas music when Jason Priestly gets out of the truck for me. 
• Ed Begley Jr. deserves way better than this. 
• When she said, “You look familiar,” I really wanted him to say, “Yeah, because I’m Jason Priestly.” 
• Cato sponsored this film. 
• Grandma really said, “Don’t ruin this holiday with your birth, baby.” 
• All of the couples in the listener videos clearly hate each other. 
• Listen, not to be that guy, but I was in band for six years, and, uh, there were no red flutes. 
• Can you imagine if she went to bed in a tank top and opened that window to Jason with a titty out?
• I don’t understand why she’s so baffled at the fact that Mr. Christmas professionally hangs Christmas lights. 
• How in the name of childhood trauma did she forget about him?
• Girl, what did you trip over? Your repressed memories?
• Her parents are definitely swingers. 
• Man, I wish I was an investment banker that could buy a bookstore on a whim. 
• OKAY FINE, I DID GET A LITTLE MISTY EYED AT THE WHOLE TOWN PUTTING HEARTS IN THE WINDOWS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKS. ACAB, THOUGH. 
• I think she’d prefer for him to get into her gift basket, if you catch my drift. 
• I have no idea how Natalie’s name correlates to Christmas unless she’s sincerely saying it’s derived from nativity. 
• I swear to god that their outside Christmas decorations change every single time they’re outside. 
• Her sister sincerely just asked that man if he was going to bang MJH with a present euphemism. 
• NO FAMILY TALKS LIKE THIS. My sister once stabbed me in the head with a fork over a brownie. That’s normal. 
• Wait…if Billy is also coming from Chicago, and that’s where Natalie came from, could he not just drive to their house?
• I know I’m sober, but choosing to make their kitchen cutesy scene centered around  making cocktails is a WEIRD artist decision. 
• My man, this night is clear as day. 
• Shoutout to her dad for doing the bare minimum and counting it as a Christmas gift. 
• Her sister’s baby bump has moved around at least four times in this movie. 
• I was waiting for the dead wife angle and was almost bummed that it wasn’t a plot point. 
• This is the most sensual glass blowing scene I’ve ever seen in my entire life. 
• Her sister’s hair is way too hip for this movie. 
• Okay, so let’s recap. Her sister is in labor, and she can’t go to the ball, and THAT’S the conflict? 
• What in the name of the fear of copyright infringement is this Christmas song?
• But seriously. This man just sang “glow with ornaments and lights.” 
• Let’s not even begin to talk about how problematic it is that Penny is dating her employee…who works in HR. 
• GIRL, YOU’RE  GOING TO LET ONE THING YOUR BOSS,  WHO IS DATING HER EMPLOYEE, SAID COMPLETELY DERAIL A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP?
• Her mom basically just gave her the same advice from Bo Burnham’s song about love. 
• Silly grandma, Oliver can’t smoke cigars! He looks like more of a menthol baby. 
• I would crawl in a hole and die if my family had me stand next to a person I liked and made them hold my sister’s baby. 
• I’m honestly a little obsessed with the idea of depressed Christmas cookies. 
• I’d be so pissed if someone dumped me and then said, “OH DON’T WORRY, I FOUND MY EIGHTH GRADE JOURNAL, AND I LIKED YOU BACK THEN, SO TRUE LOVE TOOK TIME, AND WE CAN BE TOGETHER!” 
• I’m sorry, Nat, but you’ve got nothing on Delilah.
• I was going to talk smack about her sharing their story on the podcast…and then I remembered I’ve written about multiple people. Whoops. 
• Girl, you just said that man’s Christian name on a global show. I’ve never even been that bold. 
• Did he essentially just give her a…promise ring? In their 30s?
• These credits are tiny because they don’t even want to be seen with this film.

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping another edition of Lights, Camera, Albums into the ol’ VCR. 

In today’s edition of Lights, Camera, Albums, we’re going to cover Billie Eilish’s sophomore album, Happier Than Ever. This album is unique in that it shows Billie is wise beyond her years, however, it’s worth the reminder that she’s still only 21. I know that some of the movies I chose are erotic thrillers, but I would like to point out that I based my decisions on the lyrics, not ANYTHING to do with Billie herself. 

I’ll spare you all a soapbox today, but I have a lot to say about how Billie Eilish has been treated by the media, and would like to remind all of you again that she’s 21-years-old because I think some of you need to be reminded. I digress. 

If you’re new here, Lights, Camera, Albums is a series where I pair each song on an album with a movie. Sometimes, it’s obvious. Other times, I have to over explain myself into oblivion, and you still need to tilt your head and squint. Fun! 

I also made the decision to forego pictures on this one because some of the movies are heavier/have more intense subject matter, and it didn’t feel right to throw images with silly captions into this one. 

Without further ado, let’s jump into Lights, Camera, Albums: Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever 

“Getting Older” as Almost Famous 

I see “Getting Older” as being sung from Penny Lane’s perspective. She continues to follow Stillwater and other bands as she gets older and isn’t treated well. Two of the last lines really solidify this pairing for me: 

“But next week, I hope I’m somewhere laughing

For anybody asking, I promise I’ll be fine” 

“I Didn’t Change My Number” as Scream 

I have to admit that this pairing is a little tongue in cheek. Ghostface’s (literal) calling card is the phone, and I could definitely see Sidney belting this out at the end of the movie when she fights off Billy and Stu. 

“Billie Bossa Nova” as Fatal Attraction 

One night changes Dan Gallagher’s (Michael Douglas) life, as well as Alex Forrest’s (Glenn Close). Each seems to have a different impression of what their rendezvous meant, and I think this song represents Alex’s vantage point. She believes this to be the beginning of a relationship, albeit an unhealthy one, and “Billie Bossa Nova” is Alex explaining her actions to Dan. 

“my future”  as Love Actually

If this song had come out in 2003, I can guarantee you that it would’ve been on the Love Actually soundtrack. It gives the same tonal vibe as Kelly Clarkson’s “The Trouble With Love Is,” as well as other songs we hear throughout the movie. 

Out of all of the characters in Love Actually, I think this song is perfect for the Mark and Juliet arc. Mark knows nothing can come out of his feelings for Juliet, but he has to confess them to her to move on, which is the main message of the song. 

“Oxytocin” as Basic Instinct 

I’m going to be really honest and admit this was the hardest pairing for me. I knew I wanted something with a little sleaze and sensuality to it, but nothing felt quite right. Then, it hit me. I needed Verhoeven. And no, this isn’t the only time Verhoeven will pop up in this piece. 

The intense sound and vibe of this song matches a lot of the themes within Basic Instinct. From THE famous scene to the scenes in the nightclub, I just think this song encapsulates this erotic thriller. 

“GOLDWING” as Dracula 

I almost see this song as a warning from Renfield to Mina about what’s to come. If she does accept the vampiric life that Dracula is trying to seduce her into, she’s going to be torn apart, and once Dracula is bored with her, there will be another girl for him to sink his teeth into. 

“Lost Cause” as Showgirls 

Verhoeven strikes again! I think this song works in several different ways. I think Nomi could sing it to Crystal, Zack could sing it to Nomi, Molly could sing it to Nomi, you name it. At the end of the day, almost everyone in this movie is a horrible person, so you can Choose Your Own Adventure. 

“Halley’s Comet” as Only Lovers Left Alive 

Adam and Eve might be betrothed, but they rarely come together. Their love has spanned centuries, but they have different philosophies. Adam and Eve’s relationship is complex, to say the least, but they still have a love for each other, and “Halley’s Comet” illustrates this complicated romance. 

“Not My Responsibility” as Dumplin’ 

I know this is more prose, but it’s on the album, so we’re covering it. When I listened to “Not My Responsibility,” I thought of Dumplin’. Willowdean (Danielle Macdonald) tries to challenge societal body standards throughout the film much like Billie does in this piece. I know Dumplin’ is a little more lighthearted at times, but the message remains the same — women need to stop being held to impossible body standards. 

“OverHeated” as The Devil Wears Prada 

I see Andi (Anne Hathaway) singing “OverHeated” as she becomes immersed in the world of Runway. She becomes more interested in fashion, has a fling with Christian (Simon Baker), and manages to both lose and find herself in the process. 

“Everybody Dies” as Tuck Everlasting 

If you aren’t familiar with the story of Tuck Everlasting*, the Tucks are a family who have discovered the secret to immortality. Jesse (Jonathan Jackson) falls for Winnie (Alexis Bledel) and leaves her with the choice on whether or not to drink from the same spring. After traveling back to town decades later, Jesse learns Winnie lived a full and happy life but ultimately chose morality. I picked these two to go together because of these two lyrics in particular: 

“I just wonder why you’d wanna stay

If everybody goes”

*Note: Tuck Everlasting was a novel first, and this is actually the second film adaptation. It’s just the one I saw first.” 

“Your Power” as An Education 

This one is really heavy, but it was one of the first pairings I made. Billie sings about someone older abusing their power by having a relationship with someone much younger, much like the one between Jenny (Carey Mulligan) and David (Peter Sarsgaard). 

“NDA” as Perfect Blue

I’m embarrassed to admit I only watched Perfect Blue recently, but I think it matches the tone of “NDA.” Mima (voiced by Junko Iwao) is so exposed to the public and has been molded into this perfect image that when she does anything to the contrary, the public is shocked, including her stalker. 

“Therefore I Am” as Bottoms 

So this one is more about a matching vibe than an actual storyline connection. Bottoms is all about female empowerment, particularly queer female empowerment, while taking down satirical male characters like Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine). The vibe of “Therefore I Am” matches PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie’s (Ayo Edebiri) attitudes towards the toxic masculinity within their school. Plus, I just really loved Bottoms. 

“Happier Than Ever” as 10 Things I Hate About You 

Like “Brutal,” this movie has become synonymous with Do Revenge for me. However, I used Do Revenge in the LCA for Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR. The good news is, 10 Things I Hate About You was still available, and I think “Happier Than Ever” pairs nicely with it. Kat (Julia Stiles) could sing this to Patrick (Heath Ledger) after she finds out about the bet because they went all over the city together.  

“Male Fantasy” as American Beauty 

Oftentimes, women are only viewed through the male gaze and are expected to behave a certain way that fits into the image of perfection the viewer has created, much like how Angela (Mena Suvari) is seen by Lester (Kevin Spacey, unfortunately). American Beauty is a particularly icky manifestation of this idea, but the message remains the same. Women, especially GIRLS, don’t exist simply for male pleasure, and in the case of GIRLS, shouldn’t at all.

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

When done well, a concept album is truly brilliant. It’s essentially a musical without the visuals, or like with Childish Gambino’s Because the Internet or Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer, we have a video component to align with the album itself. 

I was watching the episode of The Broski Report where Brittany Broski took a deep dive into Ethel Cain’s album, Preacher’s Daughter, and I was enamored. To be perfectly honest, I had only heard about Ethel Cain’s album in passing, and I’m ashamed that I hadn’t taken the time to research it until the podcast. 

Video Source: BroskiReport

Preacher’s Daughter tells the extremely tragic tale of a young girl who is constantly abused and mistreated at the hands of the men around her. She believes she’s found peace in the arms of her lover, only to later die at his hands. It’s beautiful and horrible and everything in-between, and if you haven’t listened yet, I’d highly recommend it. 

After researching Preacher’s Daughter, I started to think about some of my other favorite concept albums and how underappreciated concept albums can be. That’s why I want to highlight a few of my favorites, so that you can listen and overanalyze right along with me. 

As with every one of these lists, my disclaimer is this — I can’t possibly list every single concept album of all time, including all the ones I love. There will be some I miss because I’m human, or I haven’t listened to them, or I just overlooked them, like I did Preacher’s Daughter. Just roll with it. 

Video Source: Ethel Cain

Additionally, I know that some of these might not be as carefully calculated as others, but they’re concept albums all the same. Again, just roll with it. 

Without any further ado, here are some of my favorite concept albums of all time: 

• Childish Gambino – Because the Internet 
• Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer (and all of her other albums, honestly) 
• Green Day – American Idiot 
• David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars 
• My Chemical Romance – Welcome to the Black Parade 
• The Mountain Goats – Bleed Out (even though you could technically argue all of their albums are concept albums) 
• Pink Floyd – The Wall 
• Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. and good kid, m.A.A.d city 
• Prince and the Revolution – Purple Rain 

Honorable mention 

I feel like Ghost deserves some love here. The band itself is a concept, and they’ve created so many characters and so much lore that Ghost’s entire existence could be construed as a concept. They also put on a hell of a live show.

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Rankin/Bass Christmas specials into the ol’ VCR. 

Note: Okay, friends, I somehow took a piece about the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials and made it about my dead mom, so, uh, that’s where we are. 

Friends, I feel like you’re a part of my family now. You know my annual watches. You’ll soon learn some of my holiday traditions. We endured the FFS together. The works. 

That’s why I feel like you’ll understand the love my actual family has of the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. 

If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials include: 

• Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town 
• The Year Without a Santa Claus 
• Frosty the Snowman 
• The Little Drummer Boy 

KP put these in my stocking one Christmas, and I’ve been chasing that high ever since. 

You get the gist. 

They always play on Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas (aka the artist formerly known as ABC Family). You basically can’t avoid them. 

However, they were staples in my house. We watched ALL of them throughout the entire holiday season, with our favorite being The Year Without A Santa Claus. 

I can quote these bad boys off the dome, and “It’s Gonna Snow Right Here In Dixie” lives rent free in my head. 

The Rankin/Bass Christmas specials hold such a special place in my heart. They remind me of KP making hot chocolate and canned french vanilla cappuccinos (IYKYK) while we all snuggled up on the couch with blankets. We’d turn on all of the Christmas lights, including the tree, so that the TV would cast a warm glow amongst all of the twinkling globes. 

Video source: HolidayFavorites

BRB, grabbing a tissue because I just made myself cry writing this. 

I was fortunate to have such a wonderful mother, so, as I get older, I find myself returning to many of the traditions of childhood. 

My childhood was, in no way, perfect, but KP made everything feel so magical and always made me feel so loved, even when other members of my family (daddy issues, party of one) didn’t. 

That included annual rewatches of the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. We’d sing the songs and laugh and make fun of my sister for being Snow Miser (which, as we’ve gotten older, the roles have swapped, and she’s DEFINITELY Heat Miser). Watching these specials without her somehow feels wrong but also makes me feel closer to her. 

Video source: K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S 

Kacey gets it. 

Leave it to me to make a piece about Rankin/Bass Christmas specials somehow an anecdote for how it feels to lose a loved one. But damn it, we’re here now, so I’m going to ride this out. 

Whether you’ve recently lost a loved one, or it’s been years, this is your sign to do something to celebrate them this year. Watch a Christmas special that you watched together, get one of their favorite holiday treats, or just put an ornament on the tree for them. 

I’m going to watch The Year Without a Santa Claus, surrounded by my dogs and blankets, with a giant cup of hot chocolate, just like KP would want me to. 

Merry Christmas, Ma 🖤

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

It should come as absolutely no surprise that I love Wes Craven (RIP). He directed one of my favorite horror franchises of all time. He wrote and directed the original Nightmare on Elm Street and New Nightmare. He also directed the original Hills Have Eyes, The Last House on the Left,  Swamp Thing, Deadly Friend, and The Serpent and the Rainbow, just to name a few. 

He’s a legend. 

One of the best cameos of all time. 

I actually met Wes Craven by accident at SXSW when he was invited to a premiere. He was super nice, and he didn’t want a bunch of fanfare around his entrance. I only got to speak to him for a few brief moments, but for me, it’s still one of my favorite little horror memories. 

I sincerely can’t tell you the first time I watched a Wes Craven movie, but I can tell you my first was either Scream or Nightmare on Elm Street. These flicks each shaped me in different ways. 

Scream established my love of meta commentary (which I know Kevin Williamson had a heavy hand in, and I don’t want to discredit that). Scream showed me it was possible to comment on horror tropes while still creating one hell of a horror franchise. 

Video source: Movieclips

Nightmare on Elm Street, on the other hand, taught me about primal fear. How do you defeat a villain that lives within the dreamscape? Freddy Krueger is a literal nightmare, and we all have to sleep at some point. THAT’S horror, baby. 

One of Wes Craven’s biggest strengths was playing off the fear and trauma we all have internally when bringing films to life. In Scream, Sidney is betrayed by someone she loves. In Deadly Friend, Paul loses someone he loves to tragic circumstances. In The People Under the Stairs, there is so much familial trauma and classism to unpack that I don’t know where to start. 

He had a way of making movies that you could just watch straight or unpack if you wanted to. *Cue the cold open to Scream (2022)* 

Video source: MoviesDestination

For fear of going on a tangent or just waxing poetically, we’ll end it here. 

RIP, Wes. 🖤

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping the cultural impact of Scooby-Doo into the ol’ VCR. 

Friends, one of the best things about running your own pop culture blog is that you can talk about whatever you want, within reason. Keep this in mind as I intro today’s topic. 

Scooby-Doo and the rest of the gang are en vogue. Wet n Wild released a Scooby-Doo collection back in October, we saw the successful (albeit controversial) release of Velma earlier this year, you name it. 

The answer to “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” is EVERYWHERE. 

I was fortunate enough to not only grow up watching reruns of the original cartoon, but I was blessed with hits like A Pup Named Scooby-Doo and What’s New, Scooby-Doo (complete with its bitchin’ Simple Plan theme song), as well as all of the movies like Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island and Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost. And, most importantly, and I’ll save you the soapbox, The Scooby-Doo Project, which I’ll never, ever stop talking about. 

Video Source:SimplePlanLyrics 

Scooby-Doo has never really gone anywhere, but the past couple of years, you gotta admit that Scooby and Co have seen a massive resurgence. They even have their own dedicated section in Spirit Halloween, so you know they’re legit. 

I also want to give some love to Eagan Tilghman’s short, “Scooby Doo, Where Are You? In… SPRINGTRAPPED!” I know he’s received a little hate for using AI voices, and as much as I, as a writer, hate AI, ChatGPT, etc…, I think the hate he’s receiving is a bit ridiculous.  

This is a fan-made short made by a creator who didn’t have the funds to hire voice actors and pay them what they should be paid. This isn’t a major studio, nor is this a wealthy individual who could’ve hired voice actors and chose to use AI instead. I think this short is incredible and worth the watch. 

Video Source: Eagan Tilghman

Much like The Brady Bunch, Scooby-Doo has become a timeless cultural figure who is almost universally recognizable. Scooby and the gang continue to transcend time, thanks to us meddling kids.