Podside Picnic

Eugenics - am I right? We talk today about C.M. Kornbluth's The Marching Morons, a right doozy of a tale, where you do NOT have to hand it to Hitler

We talk about Get Lamp (2010), along with its bonus materials, a documentary about the history of "IF" or Interactive Fiction which has its charms, but is ultimately a little unfocused Visit the Get Lamp site: http://www.getlamp.com/ Also, the full documentary (and bonus/additional material) is on YouTube. Main Documentary: https://youtu.be/TmBSYho5Gbk?si=8jhdN91bGqA6PKLN Cut Scenes: https://youtu...

Today, we talk about The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule by Lucius Shepard, and follow the life of artist, and possible con-man, Meric Cattanay, in his quest to have his name as remembered as the dragon he's proposed to slay

Aaron Thorpe returns to talk about GATTACA (1997) with us, a film that asks: what would society look like if it believed in genetic determinism?

Spring has indeed sprung. What better time to talk about bunnies? Who are on an epic quest to find a new home?

You can't keep a good cop dead, they say. Not even if your name is Roger Mortis, and you have mere hours to solve the mystery of your own murder

Today we discuss Eric Schwitzgebel's The Dauphin's Metaphysics, first printed in Unlikely Story's The Journal of Unlikely Academia, a story about a limited and quite disturbing form of immortality Read the story:http://www.unlikely-story.com/stories/the-dauphins-metaphysics-by-eric-schwitzgebel/ Art by Diane Dellicarpini

This time, we talk about Bruce Sterling's Mozart in Mirrorshades (collected in the much-hyped cyberpunk anthology, Mirrorshades) - a story about corporate extraction with extra steps (mainly, time travel) Oh, Galactus wished he had it this good

This time around, we end up in the hinterlands of southeast Texas, where the local sasquatch is making the most of Stand Your Ground laws

Today, we talk about the proto-cyberpunk film, Brainstorm. Directed by a SFF cinema luminary, Douglas Trumbull, and with Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood in lead roles, this is a movie that asks what if Online was your feelings made fact?

It's time again to crack a few cold ones and shoot the shit about - among other things - a Japanese adaptation of The Shadow Over Innsmouth. Salud!

This time, we discuss Cronenberg's 1983 The Dead Zone, which asks the question: if you had the power to change the future in your clammy hands, would you?

Jeff Martin returns to rock out to the Chaindevils playlist, a real grimphony in the key of chainsaw! Check out Jeff's comics: https://hell.rentathugcomics.com/ And his games (Space Jerks, BURGERPunk, more): https://rentathug.itch.io/

We talk about another De Palma, this time it's The Fury (1978). Two teenagers with psychic powers pitted against one another. . . it's a real enemies-to-enemies trope

Mattie joins us again to close out our read-alongs of Susanna Clarke's works with the charming and funny story of John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner (collected in The Ladies of Grace Adieu)

We talk about Andrew Bujalski's 2013 film Computer Chess, where none of the people in the movie actually play chess. Check and mate, nerds

Today we talk family, bears, and discovering fire as we talk about Terry Bisson's Bears Discover Fire Original story: https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/bears-discover-fire/ Short film adaptation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu594ennuxI

Gremlins! In the Big City! Any kind of gremlin you can imagine! What else could you ask for?

Today we check out that cozy little coffeeshop run by an orc. Who wants more cinnamon buns?

As the year turns, so does our taste in reading. Join us in our read-along of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and remember: This land is all too shallow/It is painted on the sky/And trembles like wind-shook rain/When the Raven King goes by

Jeff Martin returns to help Podside pull the starter cord and cut through Matthew Mitchell's Chaindevils, part WH40K homage, part splatterpunk "there and back again" narrative, all gnarl Check out Jeff's work: https://rentathugcomics.com/

Today we talk about one of the recently-deceased Howard Waldrop's better-known stories, The Ugly Chickens. Part shaggy-dog (chicken?) story, part alternate history, and all good eatin!

We talk about The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) this time. You'd better have your quarter lined up on the cabinet bezel so you can witness a rivalry for the ages - it's nerd vs. nerd action, like you've never seen it before!

The gang's all back and chaos reigns! Next round's on you!

This time we talk about Neil Blomkamp's Elysium (2013), a story where a gringo finally makes himself useful!