I write about TV and other pop culture for @DenofGeekUS | Bass player in Boring Story (full-length album Rust out now)
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Articles by Nick Harley
Chili Finger’s Cast and Creators Turn Real-Life News Into Black Comedy
In March 2005, no one could stop talking about Wendy’s. Specifically, everyone talked about the fast-food chain’s chili, after a woman claimed to have found a severed finger in her meal. When the claim turned out to be fraudulent, most people forgot about the instance, but not writer Stephen Helstad and his co-director Edd Benda.
Adult DVD, Gogol Bordello, Amie Blu: The Best Music We Caught at SXSW 2026
Taking in all the music at South by Southwest is a bit of a marathon. You find yourself waking up thinking, “I couldn’t possibly drink again tonight. My ears are still ringing; how can I be expected to step foot in another loud club? My voice is gone — I couldn’t hoot and holler for another band if I tried.” But then you catch a second wind. And a third. A well-timed Celsius and an Arrachera taco from the strategically placed TacoWëy food stands get you feeling right as rain.
SXSW 2026: Music Spotlight
While the big brand activations and celebrity sightings often headline at SXSW these days, the true spirit of the festival remains its dedication to global music. From packed dive bars to scenic outdoor stages, the 2026 lineup once again shows that the music portion of the festival is more about creating trends than following them.
The Most Anticipated Albums of Early 2026
Piccadilly Records Photo: Piccadilly Records While the holiday season is usually a time to reflect on all of the best media consumed in the last calendar year, we’re busy looking ahead at the marquee music releases coming in Q1 of 2026. From heartland troubadours to club-dwellers trading strobe lights for Emily Brontë’s prose, the next few months promise a masterclass in artistic reinvention. So here are the records we’ll be spinning in the new year.
The Biggest Bands and Artists at the SXSW 2025 Music Festival
From returning elder statesmen to the next wave of artists and producers fusing musical genres, Austin is packed this year with pioneer performers. With EDM, electropunk, country, grunge, indie, goth, rap, hip hop, Americana, R&B and more… music lovers can experience a rainbow of categorization-defying styles. With so many acts spanning the festival’s venues, we’ve collected the musical highlights from South by Southwest 2025 to make sure that nobody passes under the radar. Happy listening.
"It'll Last Maybe a Year or Two": An Oral History of SpongeBob SquarePants' First Episode
This article is presented by Starting a new job brings an interesting mix of emotions—the rejuvenating promise of a fresh start mixes with the anxiety that several unknowns produce. You hope you like your boss, that you gel with your coworkers, and the gig lasts long enough to provide stability. Few people go into their first day thinking they are settling in for a quarter-century run of a lifetime.
Bad Bad Hats on 10 Years of It Hurts & Finding a "Dancier" Sound for Their New Album
This article appears in the SXSW 2024 issue ofDen of Geekmagazine. Check out all of our SXSW coverage here. Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted before artists pulled out of SXSW 2024 in protest of US military and defense company sponsorships at this year’s event. Minneapolis indie pop band Bad Bad Hats are returning to South by Southwest to start promotion for their upcoming fourth LP.
The Biggest Bands and Artists at the SXSW 2024 Music Festival
This article appears in the SXSW 2024 issue ofDen of Geekmagazine. Check out all of our SXSW coverage here. While South by Southwest often features megastar performers drawing music lovers to Texas’ cultural center, Austin, the festival excels at showcasing the next wave of musical pioneers.
Best American TV Comedies of the 21st Century
Comedy, as it turns out, is quite subjective. Folks have some strong opinions about what does and does not make them laugh. Thankfully, strong opinions are exactly what we’re looking for. The 21st century has been particularly kind to comedy on TV, so we wanted to honor that with not one but two lists of the best comedy TV shows of 2000s. Below you can find our choices for the best American shows (and a Canadian show or two popular enough with American audiences to be considered eligible).
The Best Brooklyn Nine-Nine Episodes
Brooklyn Nine-Nine managed to do what few televsion shows get to do – it came back from cancellation and ended on its own terms. The show made it through 8 seasons, surviving two different networks, a global pandemic, and so much more to give fans a true ending for the characters they love. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is such a tonally consistent and persistently funny show that there are few episodes that truly stand out. The show’s 100+ episodes just feel like one big glob of excellent comedy.
Enter the Reese's x Blue Beetle Giveaway for a Chance to Win Limited Edition Peanut Butter Cups
This article is brought to you by Reese’s and Warner Bros. Blue Beetle soars into theaters this summer just in time for fans, friends, and families everywhere to experience the hero’s first-ever big screen adventure. To celebrate, Reese’s and Warner Bros. Pictures have teamed up to create a specialty run of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups x Blue Beetle.
Exclusive: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Soundtrack Celebrates Hip-Hop Legends
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and music go together like the Ninja Turtles and pizza; the two are intrinsically linked. From the iconic theme song of the 1987 animated series, to Vanilla Ice’s tie-in “Ninja Rap” for 1991’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, and even their semi-forgotten 1990 stage rock and roll musical Coming Out of Their Shells, no matter the genre, these green teens are always rocking big tunes.
Sign up for the chance to enter The Big DC Giveaway and win a trip for two to Hollywood!
In association with DC Comics Are you sprinting toward your local cinema in anticipation of The Flash? Ready to get nuts with the return of Michael Keaton’s Batman? Anxiously awaiting meeting Sasha Calle’s Supergirl?
London Action Festival 2023 Lineup Announced Featuring John Wick, Game of Thrones, The Raid and More Original
Den of Geek is the Senior Media Sponsor of The London Action Festival If a lack of quality action movie content is a disease, consider the return of The London Action Festival the cure. If you’re in the London area or are planning to be between June 21-25, you won’t want to dodge this bullet.
What a Time Jump Could Mean for the Barry Finale Original
| May 2, 2023 | | Comments count:0 This article contains spoilers through Barry season 4 episode 4. “Starting…now.” That’s been Barry Berkman’s (Bill Hader) unofficial mantra ever since he killed detective Janice Moss (Paula Newsome) and shattered his chance at a new life.
The Best Nicolas Cage Movies Ranked
There never has been a movie star quite like Nicolas Cage. While obviously handsome and gifted with backlogs of charisma, beneath the surface there lies an unmistakable hunger, a sense of searching, and what some might even call a mania to take a role to its fullest extreme.
SXSW Music Spotlight: An Interview with Enumclaw Frontman Aramis Johnson
Aramis Johnson is ready for festivals. The Enumclaw frontman and chief songwriter has been noticing the size of the audience growing at his band’s shows, where Enumclaw’s infectious energy seems to supercharge anyone within close proximity. Still, Johnson is eager to adapt to bigger stages and audiences that may not be familiar with the Northwest’s buzziest alternative band. “I think we still haven’t played enough festivals to really grasp it,” Johnson says over the phone.
SXSW Music Spotlight: An Interview with Jobber's Kate Meizner
With these experiences on her mind, Meizner started her new band Jobber, featuring former Ovlov and Speedy Ortiz drummer Mike Falcone, guitarist Michael Julius, and bassist Maggie Toth. The band’s sound pulls from the greatest aspects of ‘90s alternative, from sugary, synth-fueled hooks reminiscent of The Rentals, to muscular, heavy riffs akin to bands like Hum and Helmet.
Heat, Empire Records, and the Best Movies Free on Plex in January
Watch L.A. Confidential for free on Plex now! Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Blindspotting This 2018 film written by, produced by, and starring Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal is a stunning display of talent and an incisive piece of social commentary.
Great Eat the Rich Satires to Watch After The Menu
Lifestyles of the rich and the famous have always been popular targets for satirists, but in 2022 the wealthy and elite were favorite punching bags for filmmakers. As billionaires continue to overstep and draw the ire of the rest of the 99 percent of the world’s population, our films reflected the rising “eat the rich” sentiment, and perhaps none more so than Mark Mylod’s satirical thriller The Menu.
The Best Movies of 2022
Based on a novel by Camille DeAngelis, Bones and All keeps the viewer on unsteady ground by exposing us to the horror of Lee and Maren’s existence while creating a beautiful, palpable dynamic between them. Russell and Chalamet generate real sparks while Mark Rylance, Michael Stuhlbarg, and David Gordon Green (as other “eaters”) are genuinely creepy, hinting at the dark existence these human-adjacent beings live.
Glass Onion: Where You've Seen Whiskey Actor Madelyn Cline Before
For those that had the chance to see Rian Johnson’s sequel to Knives Out, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, over the Thanksgiving weekend, you were treated to a funny, twisty tale of murder featuring no less than a murderers’ row of talent. For everyone else, Glass Onion is the Netflix event of the holiday season, complete with a star-studded cast that features a returning Daniel Craig as Southern sleuth Benoit Blanc, as well as Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, and more.
Glass Onion: Where Else You've Seen Knives Out Breakout Janelle Monáe
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a crowd-pleasing, laugh-filled whodunit with a packed ensemble. The Rian Johnson sequel features a returning Daniel Craig as Southern gentleman detective Benoit Blanc, and this time he’s joined by fellow A-listers like Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista, as well as rising stars like Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., and Jessica Henwick.
Emily the Criminal and The White Lotus Unlock Aubrey Plaza's True Range
In Emily the Criminal, Plaza is also projecting strength to mask vulnerability, but instead of clamming up and putting on a brave face, desperation causes her character to unleash all the rage and ferocity that has been built up inside of her. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Emily the Criminal is about a woman named Emily who is saddled with massive student debt after a felony conviction forces her to drop out of college early.
The Road Warrior, The Shining, and The Best Movies Free on Plex in December
The Road Warrior George Miller’s 1981 sequel to Mad Max, The Road Warrior once again finds Mel Gibson’s Max Rockatansky wandering the post-apocalyptic highways of the Australian outback before he stumbles upon a relatively peaceful group of settlers whom he feels compelled to defend against a roving band of marauders. Using a light Western motif, the film is pure, uncut kinetic energy, with Miller using an increased budget and leveled-up skills to up the go-for-broke ante of the original.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Soundtrack Might Surpass the Original
Wakanda Forever! After the tragic passing of star Chadwick Boseman forced Marvel Studios and director Ryan Coogler to rethink their approach for a sequel to 2018’s smash hit, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters this weekend. The long-awaited sequel will double as both the latest entry in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and as a tribute to the late Boseman.
Great Horror Comedy Movies to Watch After Barbarian
Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010) Less a horror movie than a comedy of errors, Tucker and Dale vs Evil lovingly satires the teen slasher genre with aplomb. Sending up hixploitation films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Wrong Turn, the titular characters are not fearsome rednecks but just a pair of sweet-natured country boys that are unfairly stereotyped by a gang of judgemental, yuppie teens.
Barbarian: Where to Watch the Scariest Horror Movie on Streaming
Every once in a while a horror movie comes along that takes audiences—and the box office—by surprise. Barbarian, written and directed by Zach Cregger and starring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long, seems to be 2022’s out-of-nowhere surprise hit thanks to a wildly fun narrative structure with some genuinely jaw-dropping twists and turns.
The Best Horror TV Shows of the Last 15 Years
Cruelly cut short by the BBC Three funding issues that led to the channel’s (since reversed) move to online-only, In The Flesh is a beloved cult favourite. The least macho, most moving zombie story around, Dominic Mitchell’s two series are funny, pithy and packed with protest at bigotry and intolerance. – LM Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! 21.
The Midnight Club Review: A Rare Flanagan Misfire
This article contains no spoilers. Mike Flanagan has become Netflix’s go-to spooky season purveyor, dealing out annual horror miniseries that serve somewhat as Trojan horses for deep ruminations on life, death, and faith. After The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass, Flanagan’s house style has crystalized.
Hocus Pocus Cast: Where Are They Now
Omri Katz After getting his start playing John Ross Ewing III on the popular evening soap Dallas, child star Omri Katz worked steadily in TV, with a role on the beloved cult darling Eerie, Indiana, for instance, before landing the role of Max in Hocus Pocus. After time with the Sanderson Sisters, things started to dry up for Katz.
James Bond Songs Ranked from Worst to Best
Jack White was originally never supposed to write a song for Daniel Craig’s second outing as 007, Quantum of Solace (2008). The Bond producers initially wanted Amy Winehouse, but when her efforts didn’t work out, White and eventually Alicia Keys were called in at the eleventh hour to write a Bond song double-quick.
Keanu Reeves Classics That Also Deserve Legacy Sequels After Constantine 2
A 2015 remake failed to entice moviegoers, but perhaps original director Kathryn Bigelow could return to the franchise to give a new installment legitimacy. If a new project could balance high-octane stunts with new age-y macho mysticism and a healthy dose of camp, it’ll feel like Point Break.
Kevin Smith Movies Ranked from Worst to Best
13. Tusk (2014) Tusk began as an extended joke stretched out into a story on one of Kevin Smith’s podcasts. There are many of us who probably wish it stayed there. With all the coherence of a weed-fueled diatribe, Tusk follows Wallace (Justin Long), an arrogant and mean-spirited podcaster who unwisely travels to Canada in search of a fringe type he can interview and demean on his show. He should’ve stayed in the States.
Do Revenge: Where You've Seen The Cast Of Netflix's Dark Comedy
Fans of Abrams will get to see him do something drastically different than his Euphoria character, as Do Revenge finds Abrams playing Max, the popular, manipulative ex of Drea who’s using performative “wokeness” to avoid backlash from leaking Drea’s nudes. It will be fun to see the talented young actor play the on the opposite side of the high school hierarchy.
Indiana Jones 5: Why James Mangold Replaced Steven Spielberg as Director
This past weekend at Disney’s D23 Expo, an emotional Harrison Ford showed a room packed with Indiana Jones fans the first official trailer for Indiana Jones 5.
The Witch, Hot Summer Nights, and More Best Free Movies on Plex This Month
Stream The Witch on Plex Here Hot Summer Nights (Available 9/22) A24’s neo-noir coming-of-age crime drama from writer-director Elijah Bynum is dripping with nostalgia for the ‘90s and bursting with energy from its young cast, featuring Timothée Chalamet, Alex Roe, and Maika Monroe. Set in 1991 on Cape Cod, the film follows Daniel, a teenager sent to live with his aunt after the death of his father.
Classic '80s Horror Movie Monster Finally Brought Back with New Look
While 1987’s Hellraiser never set the box office on fire and split critics down the middle, Clive Barker’s supernatural horror film has gone on to become a cult classic, spawning nine sequels. The films, centered on a mystical puzzle box called the Lament Configuration that summons extra-dimensional, sadomasochistic beings called Cenobites who cannot differentiate between pain and pleasure, are anchored by their leader Pinhead, who has rightfully become a horror movie icon.
George Miller: The Only Director Who Could Make Mad Max and Babe
There’s more connecting Mad Max and Babe than just the technical challenge of it all, though. The stories that emerge from the Mad Max series are about the fight for civility and the improbable grasp on hope in the face of death. It may sound silly, but Babe trying to survive life on the farm fits this motif pretty snuggly.
Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 13 Review: Saul Gone
We learn that in Saul Goodman’s final appearance. After being caught in a dumpster and forced to confront Marie Schrader face-to-face (a stroke of genius to bring Betsy Brandt back in this capacity), Magic Man talks his way into an extremely lenient plea deal. Clearly enjoying himself despite the circumstances, the Saul Goodman mask only falls once Kim Wexler’s name is brought up.
Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 12 Review: Waterworks
“Waterworks,” the penultimate episode of Better Call Saul, is masterful. It’s full of emotionally walloping moments, black comedy, and satisfying reveals. “Waterworks” is among the very best Vince Gilligan-verse hours assembled, full stop. The fact that the man himself wrote and directed the hour is unsurprising considering the immaculate quality.
Bodies Bodies Bodies Cast: Meet A24’s New Generation of Horror Stars
What kind of friend are you? We all fall into certain friendship archetypes, whether we’re the responsible “parent” of the group, the instigator, or the one that never responds in the group chat. Sometimes we fill these archetype roles to bring out the best in our friend groups, but more often than not these roles are set in stone during our youth, before we define ourselves, and coalesce into something toxic and decidedly unfriendly.
Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 11 Review: Breaking Bad
This Better Call Saul review contains spoilers. Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 11 It’s no surprise that a series with a partial focus on the inner workings of a drug cartel would be so adept at presenting an addiction parable. Breaking Bad explored the theme of addiction with Jesse and Jane in a traditional albeit harrowing sense, but on Better Call Saul, Jimmy’s addiction isn’t chemical.
The Best Movies Streaming on Plex in August
Susanna White’s biographical western Woman Walks Ahead is set in 1890 and follows Caroline Weldon, played by Jessica Chastain, as she travels from New York City to the Dakotas to paint a portrait of Sitting Bull, played by Michael Greyeyes. In the process, Caroline is swept up in Lakota peoples’ struggle over the rights to their land. Chastain is as great as ever, but the real revelation is Greyeyes, who brings a sense of gravity, wisdom, and wry dignity to his portrayal of Sitting Bull.
The World Needs a Jim Carrey Legacy Sequel
It’s official: Top Gun: Maverick is the breakout hit of the summer. Thirty-six years after the original Top Gun soared into theaters, Paramount Pictures has another jet-fueled, box office behemoth on its hands; the legacy sequel has become Paramount Pictures’ highest-grossing movie in the United States and Canada, surpassing Titanic. That makes Tom Cruise’s Maverick the new King of the World, we suppose. Knowing Hollywood, they will learn the exact wrong lessons from Maverick’s success.
Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 10 Review: Nippy
Falling right back into Slippin’ Jimmy’s rhythms, Gene befriends Jeff’s mother (played by television icon Carol Burnett), always able to make an easy mark of the elderly. Waiting inside Jeff and his mother’s home as Jeff returns from work, Gene makes it clear that he’s not someone to be trifled with. When the men can share a private moment, Gene tells Jeff that he knows Jeff’s not interested in turning him in because he would have called the police by now.
Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 9 Review: Fun and Games Original
Cheryl refuses to believe that Howard was using drugs, but Kim fabricates a story about catching Howard using late at the HHM offices. It’s a reminder, albeit a sick one, of how Jimmy and Kim’s con act worked best — Jimmy as the soft pedaling lead, Kim as the authoritative closer. In a moment that mirrors their old smoke breaks from season one, Kim gives Jimmy a long, passionate kiss that feels like a goodbye the second their lips meet.
The Best A24 Movies Streaming on Plex in July
Temperatures are heating up in July, and so is the content on Plex! July kicks off Plex’s new collection, The Cinephiles — A24 on Plex. Each month, thought-provoking, genre-bending, and boundary-pushing films from the production house and distributor A24 will hit Plex TV for streaming! Plex offers a one-stop-shop streaming service offering 50,000+ free titles and 200+ of free-to-stream live TV channels, from the biggest names in entertainment, including Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Warner Bros.
The Chris Hemsworth Action Movie You Missed Becomes a Netflix Hit
12 Strong centers on Hemworth’s Mitch Nelson, a U.S. Army captain with Green Berets Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595 who volunteers to lead 595 into Afghanistan immediately after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Accompanied by veteran soldier CW5 Hal Spencer (Michael Shannon), Nelson and the 595 fight alongside Northern Alliance leader Abdul Rashid Dostum (Legion’s Navid Negahban) in their battle against the Taliban and their leader Mullah Razzan.
Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 8 Review: Point and Shoot
The tension is sky-high as Kim makes her way to Gus’ home. At a stoplight, Kim is waiting next to a cop car, and she almost instinctually rolls her window down to flag for help, but fear, adrenaline, and a green light keep her from raising any flags. It’s a small thing, but it helps illustrate how torturous this all is for Kim. This is not her world; these are not the sort of compromises she makes.
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