Scott and Steven tackle the first half of the Monsterverse series as they discuss Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017). Topics include "the scale problem" inherent in giant monsters, the intricacies of synchronized skydiving, the fickle nature of kaiju worship, and of course Kong's oddly firm butt. We also discuss movie issues like tonal c…

In this latest installment, things get... a little weird. We present to you: Brazil (1985) vs Southland Tales (2006), two strangely similar yet VERY different sci-fi dystopian comedies (one intentional, one we're not sure) about Kafkaesque government bureaucracy, terrorism, and plastic surgery. Both boast talented all-star casts (if not necessarily…

This pairing has been on our agenda since we first started the podcast, and today is finally the day. Apollo 13 (1995) and Apollo 18 (2011) are both about astronauts landing on the moon, but that's where the similarities end. One is a meticulously accurate retelling of actual historic events. The other is made-up nonsense without a shred of believa…

One year ago this month, we went to Austin to cover Time After Time on our first ever live show at Other Worlds Film Festival. This year we are back for the 2020 OWFF virtual festival! This time around, we tackle the Sylvester Stallone 90s comic-book adaptation Judge Dredd and its 2012 remake Dredd. We talk about sci-fi bullets and the wounds they …

In this (belated) Halloween episode, we discuss the lighter side of reanimating the dead. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) is the very definition of a "cult classic", having spawned decades of sing-alongs by generations of adoring be-costumed fans. Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974) is no less beloved, and with good reason, as one of the gre…

This week we tackle Amazon's blue-tinged, pretty-boy-filled series The Expanse. As with all of our commentary tracks, you can watch along with the episode yourself, or you can listen to it on its own.Door Science vs Fiction

We cover Scott's favorite episode of the series and discuss, among many things, the purpose of floating chandeliers. As with all of our commentary tracks, you can watch along with the episode yourself, or you can listen to it on its own.Door Science vs Fiction

We tackle the new series in the beloved Star Wars universe. Werner Herzog! Baby Yoda! Killer Robots! And More! As with all of our commentary tracks, you can watch along with the episode yourself, or you can listen to it on its own.Door Science vs Fiction

In the third installment of our Firefly commentary series, we spend a lot of time talking about the Reavers. As with all of our commentary tracks, you can watch along with the episode yourself, or you can listen to it on its own.Door Science vs Fiction

Steven and his wife Randi are big fans of The Orville, whereas Scott was completely new to the series and a bit reluctant, for reasons divulged within the actual episode. Did it win him over? Listen and find out. As with all of our commentary tracks, you can watch along with the episode yourself, or you can listen to it on its own.…

Our next patron commentary episode covers the debut episode of Firefly -- even though it wasn't actually the Firefly pilot. It's a little confusing, yes. But Scott and Steven explain it all while revisiting one of the series' best "heisty type" episodes. As with all of our commentary tracks, you can watch along with the episode yourself, or you can…

Next in our series of commentary tracks, we tackle an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that scared the crap out of Steve when he first watched it as a kid. As with all of our commentary tracks, you can watch along with the episode yourself, or you can listen to it on its own.Door Science vs Fiction

When we started this podcast, we wanted to provide episodes to Scott's patrons on Patreon (www.patreon.com/scotteweinberg), but we didn't want to accidentally cannibalize movies that we might want to later cover in a proper cage-match episode. So we decided to do some commentary tracks for TV shows. Since we are taking a brief hiatus for the next f…

Strap in for a trip to Mars! Two of them, actually (well... four, if you want to get really technical), as Scott and Steven tackle Brian De Palma's theme-park-ride-based yawnfest Mission to Mars (2000) and the terrifically intense Ridley Scott space adventure The Martian (2016). Which movie gets the science right? And which one is as dull as it is …

There's sci-fi, there's horror, and there's sci-fi/horror, but how many movies have the audacity to follow up a hit horror movie with a complete left turn into straight sci-fi the way Happy Death Day 2U (2019) does? Scott and Steven sit down to watch this endearingly oddball sequel and discuss it in real time. Slasher horror, screwball comedy, murd…

Scott and Steven sit down for one of Marvel's most science fiction-y movies, aka the one in which a miniaturized ex-con teams up with a mad scientist, his double-agent daughter, and an army of helpful ants to keep their technology out of the hands of the military-minded bad guy. This week we're trying something different: a full-length commentary t…

Scott and Steven take a long hard look at two of the most beloved time travel comedies of the 1980s (or ever). And while both films are still considered "most excellent" today for their genuine warmth and lovable characters, they also boast surprisingly intelligent screenplays, full of interesting science questions, including: Could a giant amplifi…

This week we tackle two movies about characters who go from being cogs in a corrupt system to burning that very system to the ground--in one case literally! In Minority Report (2002), Steven Spielberg's action-packed and brain-bending adaptation of the Philip K. Dick story, Tom Cruise races against time to prove his innocence for a crime he has yet…

In 1982, the world was introduced to one of the most beloved alien visitors of all time. His name was E.T., and apparently he was a not-too-bright child techno-savant exo-botanist whose alien biology was somehow perfectly compatible with Earth's atmosphere, candy, and liquor. This was seven years after a man named Travis Walton and his lumberjack b…

Travel back in time, make a quick stop in Egypt, and then soar deep into outer space with a pair of popular (and kinda wacky) sci-fi epics. First up is Luc Besson's The Fifth Element, which is as colorful as it is incomprehensible -- and then it's Stargate, in which a fascinating space-travel premise quickly ends up in... a big pile of sand dunes. …

Here's a fun little sidebar to our Blade Runner(s) episode. Scott sits down for a brief chat with Charles de Lauzirika, whom sci-fi fans will recognize as the producer of the stunning Blade Runner blu-ray release as well as "The Final Cut." Which means he's also one of the globe's leading experts on the original Blade Runner.…

The original Blade Runner is one of the most influential, celebrated, and debated science fiction films of all time. The sequel was met with rapturous praise but, similar to its predecessor, died a quick death at the box office, like tears in the rain. Listen in as Steven and Scott discuss the harsh realities of flying cars, fake snakes, human-size…

Did you know that George Lucas made Star Wars only after he failed to adapt the old Flash Gordon comic/serial into a feature? It's true! So it only makes sense to pair the original Star Wars (1977) with the 1980 Flash Gordon movie that only got made because Star Wars was a smash hit. This episode's important science questions include: What do Obi-W…

In this monster of an episode (pun intended), we discuss two of the greatest sci-fi/horror/action movies of all time, and investigate how two perfect movies could possibly birth such a deformed and moronic lovechild. Along the way, we explore such critical science questions as: Is the xenomorph just basically Jiffy Pop? Can you rip someone’s spine …

It's time for another "original vs remake". This time we set our sights on two films inspired by the grandfather of science fiction, H.G. Wells. The 1953 version of War of the Worlds is considered a classic of the genre, but how does it hold up today? Can Steven Spielberg's 2005 rendition survive the scrutiny of an analytical revisit? We cover alie…

It wasn't difficult to choose the movies for our first Christmas episode. Not only does Joe Dante's Gremlins (1984) hold up as a supremely entertaining movie, but it's also a truly impressive blend of comedy, horror, science fiction, and Christmas movie. But how would the "three rules" actually work in reality? What qualifies as "after midnight"? H…

This week we present our first ever LIVE SHOW! Scott and Steven ply their trade at Other Worlds Film Festival in Austin, TX, where they discuss 1979 fan favorite Time After Time (aka the movie in which H.G. Wells chases Jack the Ripper into modern-day San Francisco). Join us as we open the massive can of worms that is cinematic time travel, with th…

In 1938, John W. Campbell Jr. wrote a scary sci-fi story called "Who Goes There?" That story caught the eye of producer Howard Hawks, who adapted the tale into a 1951 feature film called The Thing From Another World, which blew the mind of a kid named John Carpenter, who would get to direct his own adaptation in 1982, which is still so beloved that…

How likely is it that humans can catch horrible diseases from adorable monkeys? Are those big, shiny decontamination suits all that effective? Can deadly snot work its way through the ventilation system of a crowded theater? These questions and more (even some intelligent ones) as Scott and Steven do the SvF treatment on Outbreak (1995) and Contagi…

Do Leprechauns have gold testicles? What would happen if you shot Jason into the heart of the sun? Why are McDonald's french fries so fluffy? We answer these and other deeply scientific questions as we discuss two of the first horror franchises to go into outer space for some reason.Door Science vs Fiction

On this episode we discuss a pair of very well-regarded science fiction films that deal with dazzling deep space voyages full of countless dangers, great actors, hard science, amazing special effects, and lots of unresolved daddy issues. It's Interstellar vs. Ad Astra!Door Science vs Fiction

Scott and Steven take a short break from the normal SVF format to bring you a breakdown of the best science fiction films they saw at Fantastic Fest 2019 -- and there are a lot of them. (We also cover some non-sci-fi as well.) Grab a pen for this episode because you're going to want to keep an eye out for most of these movies... like the creepy Lov…

A young man survives a horrible tragedy only to discover that his body is now under the control of a nefarious force. That basic plot synopsis covers both Venom and Upgrade, but beyond that (as in the arenas of scientific justification, quality filmmaking, clever ideas, and intelligent storytelling) they couldn't be more different. Listen in as Sco…

What do Sunshine (2007) and Event Horizon (1997) have in common? Well, both movies are about doomed space missions and the terrible mysteries surrounding their failures. Beyond that they couldn't really be more different. (Also they both have great ensemble casts.) Scott and Steven settle in for a highly entertaining double feature full of black ho…

Things get a little shaky between Steven and Scott as they discuss the relative assets of Roland Emmerich's big, fat blender of a disaster movie, 2012 (2009), but then they find a lot of common ground with the fantastic 2015 Norwegian import called The Wave. Precisely how do earthquakes cause tsunamis? What are neutrinos? Which movie has the sillie…

Steven & Scott sit down with one of Scott's favorite episodes of Firefly: Bushwacked. Support the show and check out the full patron episode here.Door Science vs Fiction

If you love volcanoes, prepare for your new favorite episode of Science vs Fiction. Not only do Scott and Steven discuss 1997's warring lava movies, Dante's Peak and Volcano, but they've also invited a guest along! Geologist / volcanologist Jess Phoenix (of the excellent podcast Catastrophe!) is not only an expert, educator, and the founder of Blue…

Is the Cloverfield monster truly from outer space? Can formaldehyde actually turn fish into elephant-sized tadpoles? How large can a kaiju get before its legs simply break? Scott and Steven pose these science-adjacent questions (and more) in a mega-monstrous episode that spends time with found footage favorite Cloverfield (2008) and the frankly fan…

When is a pilot episode not a pilot episode? When the network decides to bury the actual pilot episode and commands the writers to bang out another one in a big hurry. Seriously. That's what happened on The Train Job. Enjoy this excerpt from our Firefly commentary patron series! http://patreon.com/scotteweinberg…

While it's true that James Cameron's Aliens (1986) has very little in common with Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers (1997) in tone, style, presentation, and possibly even genre, they do have similar stories: humans land on an unfriendly planet and are required to fend off waves of insectile alien creatures. But they may have more in common than th…

Here's an excerpt from our first patron (aka subscriber) episode. We'll be publishing patron episodes on our off weeks in between regular episodes, and here's a free sample! For the rest of this episode (in which Scott & Steven discuss the amazing Firefly pilot for 90+ minutes) head on over to patreon.com/scottEweinberg and support the show! Thanks…

The summer of 1998 gave us two wildly different movies about meteors/comets coming really close to destroying all of humanity -- but are Deep Impact and Armageddon really all that different? Yes. Yes, they are. Steven and Scott compare these two blockbusters in terms of cinematic quality, entertainment value, and of course scientific veracity. You'…

On the inaugural episode of Science vs Fiction, Scott and Steven tell you a little bit about themselves before discussing two movies about humanity's first contact with alien life. 2016's Arrival (starring Amy Adams) and 1996's The Arrival (starring Charlie Sheen) have similar titles but VERY different ways of approaching the subject, both artistic…