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Three playful movie reviewers break down a variety of film franchises by dedicating a podcast to every single sequel, reboot, and spin-off in a series. In-depth conversations cover production history, literary sources, gossip, merchandising, and personal opinion with humor and critical insight. No cinematic universe is too obscure or sacred! Over 1,200 reviews at http://nowplayingpodcast.com
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Who is the man and who is the impostor?
Books & Nachos is now part of Now Playing Podcast.
Before our book reviews were branded as Now Playing Podcast Book Reviews, they were released under a separate show called Books & Nachos. That podcast focused on book discussions, most of which tied directly into films we were covering on Now Playing. We’ve now merged those episodes into the main Now Playing Podcast feed for easier access and a complete archive. But these older episodes still have the original Books & Nachos intro and credits on those older recordings.
This week, Stuart continues traveling through the works of Philip K. Dick with a review of “Impostor,” Dick’s 1953 short story about a man accused of being something he may not even know he is. Built around suspicion, self-doubt, and a devastating twist, the story later inspired the film Impostor, starring Gary Sinise. Stuart examines how Dick packs existential terror into a tight narrative, and whether the original short story delivers a sharper punch than its expanded film adaptation.
Mr. Monk and the Case of the Reshot Footage
Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump) headlines Impostor, a paranoid sci-fi thriller inspired by a story from Philip K. Dick. Sinise plays a government scientist developing a weapon to stop alien invaders, only to be accused of being an android assassin programmed to detonate and kill Earth’s leadership. Originally conceived as a short film before being expanded to feature length, Impostor stretches Dick’s identity-twisting premise into a larger chase narrative filled with suspicion, betrayal, and existential dread. But does that expansion deepen the concept, or expose its limitations? The Now Playing Podcast hosts examine whether Impostor successfully blurs the line between man and machine, or if its ambitions outpace its execution.
In 1995, ROBOCOP star Peter Weller signed up for more cybernetic carnage playing the leader of a space colony overrun by war machines originally designed to protect them from a human enemy. Will fans of Philip K Dick's "Second Variety" scream with delight or howl in pain at this low budget Canadian curiosity? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
This novella is a real scream
Books & Nachos is now part of Now Playing Podcast.
Before our book reviews were branded as Now Playing Podcast Book Reviews, they were released under a separate show called Books & Nachos. That podcast focused on book discussions, most of which tied directly into films we were covering on Now Playing. We’ve now merged those episodes into the main Now Playing Podcast feed for easier access and a complete archive. But these older episodes still have the original Books & Nachos intro and credits on those older recordings.
This week, Stuart continues his discussion of Philip K. Dick's works with Second Variety, Dick’s 1953 short story about autonomous killing machines that evolve beyond human control. The tale of soldiers trapped in a war against weapons that can perfectly mimic their creators would later inspire the 1995 film Screamers, but how does the original prose stack up against its cinematic offspring? Stuart digs into Dick’s bleak worldview, razor-sharp concepts, and unsettling twists to determine whether this story still cuts deep.
Type 6 Screamers look like DVR boxes. You have been warned.
In 1995, Peter Weller traded Detroit for deep space in Screamers, a low-budget adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s short story “Second Variety.” Weller plays the leader of a distant mining colony locked in a brutal war, only to discover that the autonomous weapons built to protect humanity have evolved beyond their programming. Blending dystopian sci-fi with creature-feature paranoia, Screamers leans into claustrophobic tension and practical effects on a modest Canadian budget. But does this adaptation capture Dick’s unsettling themes about identity and artificial life, or does it feel like straight-to-video filler with big ideas it can’t quite execute? Stuart, Jakob, and Brock venture into the wasteland to decide whether fans will scream with delight or wince at what might have been.
In 1990, Philip K Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" fuelled a rocket to Mars for action star Arnold Schwartzenegger, landing him one of his biggest box office successes and most complicated acting challenges. Is Ahnold the good guy liberating a Martian colony from tyranny, the bad guy sleeper spy, or a crazy man on a head-trip vacation gone very wrong? More importantly, does TOTAL RECALL decide if it's going to be forgettable action schlock or subversively smart sci-fi? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
{Total Recall Series}
If you don't recall this story, it is time for you to read it!
Books & Nachos is now part of Now Playing Podcast.
Before our book reviews were branded as Now Playing Podcast Book Reviews, they were released under a separate show called Books & Nachos. That podcast focused on book discussions, most of which tied directly into films we were covering on Now Playing. We’ve now merged those episodes into the main Now Playing Podcast feed for easier access and a complete archive. But these older episodes still have the original Books & Nachos intro and credits on those older recordings.
In this episode, Stuart dives into We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, the razor-sharp short story by Philip K. Dick that asks a deceptively simple question: what if your memories aren’t real, and worse, what if they’re better than your real life? Long before exploding heads and Mars rebellions, Dick’s original tale is a lean psychological puzzle about identity, desire, and the fragile line between fantasy and reality. Stuart breaks down how the story plays with implanted memories, government paranoia, and existential dread in just a handful of pages. This isn’t the bombastic spectacle many associate with the title. It’s tighter, darker, and more ironic. A story about wish fulfillment that becomes a nightmare about who you really are when the wish comes true.
Man, I just pulled my Quato
In 1990, Philip K. Dick's short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" fuelled a rocket to Mars for action star Arnold Schwarzenegger, landing him one of his biggest box-office successes and most complex acting challenges. Is Ahnold the good guy liberating a Martian colony from tyranny, the bad guy sleeper spy, or a crazy man on a head-trip vacation gone very wrong? More importantly, does Total Recall decide if it's going to be forgettable action schlock or subversively smart sci-fi? Listen in and find out!
Harrison Ford took a break from STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES to play cynical bounty hunter Rick Deckard in an expensive adaptation of Philip K Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". A flop in 1982, BLADE RUNNER's cult following has grown in the subsequent decades as new edits of the movie offer expanded interpretations of Deckard's real identity. Does Ridley Scott's vision pass the hype test with our hosts, or will they retire it from the list of great sci-fi flicks? Listen and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
{Blade Runner Series}
Everyone knows the movie, now learn about the story!
Books & Nachos is now part of Now Playing Podcast.
Before our book reviews were branded as Now Playing Podcast Book Reviews, they were released under a separate show called Books & Nachos. That podcast focused on book discussions, most of which tied directly into films we were covering on Now Playing. We’ve now merged those episodes into the main Now Playing Podcast feed for easier access and a complete archive. But these older episodes still have the original Books & Nachos intro and credits on those older recordings.
As Now Playing Podcast reviews all Philip K. Dick screen adaptations, Stuart also explores the source material that inspired the movies and transformed the science fiction genre for a whole generation of readers. This week, Stuart takes a look at the seminal 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the dystopian detective novel that gave birth to the Harrison Ford/Ridley Scott classic movie Blade Runner.
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