The High Tech Low Life Podcast: A Cyberpunk Media Retrospective

Alright, we've introed the show, talked about the characters, now it's time to dig into the details of the first season of Westworld.  We go over the arcs of all the characters and try to reveal all the secrets we can.  We are joined by Stardaddy Stan of the Astronomica podcast once again. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com Cover art by Gillyvor

This episode was cursed from it's inception.  We fought connection issues throughout, and turns out we had audio issues crop up as well.  We did what we could to fix everything, but if things feel off, that's the reason.  Other than that though, it was a really fun talk with Stardaddy Stan from the Astronomica podcast about Westworld season 1.  Due to our struggles we cut it a little short this week after introducing the show and characters, and we will do a more thorough recap next week.   The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com Cover art by Gillyvor

What is a girl to do after losing her parents (who may or may not have been murderers), and her brother?  Become the devil and go on a quest for vengeance.  If she happens to lose her arm in the process? Just stick a big freakin' gun on what's left of it.  This week we recap The Machine Girl, the 2008 Japanese slasher that is drenched in fake blood and... tempura? The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Repo Man is a movie about a punk kid venturing into an exciting career in the field of automobile reposession.  When a government scientist with a super weapon goes rogue, all the repo men in town are out to find it because that's who you send to retrieve state secrets: the lowest dregs of humanity.  The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This episode has a fresh intro to recap the insane antics of the week and offer up a few recommendations, then we dive back into Simon Morden's Equations of Life.  Once again we are joined by Geoff from the Astronomica Podcast. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com Cover art by Gillyvor

It's another book episode, which means we are joined by Geoff from Astronomica to use our mushy little brains and read words on paper (or listen to someone else read them at us) and this time we are reading Equations of Life by Simon Morden.  The book follows a Russian refugee living in the London Metrozone and the punishment he receives for doing one good deed. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

If you were an adolescent in 2002-2003, Equilibrium ruled.  Equal parts Matrix-cool and not-at-all-subtle anti authoritarianism were the perfect mix for angsty young men such as your humble hosts.  As an adult in 2026 it's still kinda rules, though the flaws may be slightly more apparent.  Pre-Batman Bale, fresh off of LOTR Bean, and post Stella Diggs?  Sign me the eff up. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Blade Runner Black Lotus seems like it should be right up our alley.  The problem is, it's boring.  And not in a Blade Runner 2049 boring-because-not-a-lot-is-happening-but-interesting-because-you're-watching-characters-develop way, boring in a Surrogates way.  Perhaps we were unfair to Black Lotus because we had just watched the aforementioned Surrogates, but if you don't want to be called boring, then be more interesting! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Surrogates is kind of a bummer.  Not because it's exceptionally bad, or exceptionally squandered potential, it's just a waste of time that could be better spent doing almost anything else.  It stands for nothing, it's trying to say nothing, it offers nothing.  Most of the performances are people playing robots, and they act like robots.  This movie is AI slop before AI slop was even a thing.  Now that I've really sold it, listen to us talk about it for 2 hours. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week we have a fresh intro to discuss all the fun new dystopian things happening, and then we jump back into Transmetropolitan with issues 2-6. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This episode will be covering the first six issues of the 1997 comic book Transmetropolitan.  Transmetropolitan is a story about a guy named Spider, who is super cool 90s edgelord journalist, searching for truth in a remarkably prescient cyberpunk future.  It's a lot to cover, and this is just the first 10th of the whole series, but consider this your intro to Transmet course. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

At last this bottom-feeding podcast gets a much needed injection of class and taste with 1981's Heavy Metal.  A film for the discerning cine-o-phile.  Ok so only about 1/5th of this movie can be considered cyberpunk, but that's good enough for us, so we are diving in.  Cut yourself a line of Niborg and Loc your Nars in baby. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week we are recapping 3 short films found on the internet.  The first is a French film called Lost Memories 2.0 about a man searching for his lost love after a global computer crash. https://youtu.be/4WwC6CT92qw?si=AlBiIJk6BNKKl5m0 The Second is a Serbian Film called Anima about a cool dude trying to get "juice" for a mysterious reason. https://vimeo.com/992417940 And the third is a Malaysian film called The Masseuse, wherein a technician has to service the titular robotic Masseuse in the midst of an anti-robot movement. https://youtu.be/jeI2qXq0RRc?si=J0Jh9lW2Vg9Scyo0 The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week's property was a pretty big deal when it came out.  A film created by a legendary director who died before he could see it made, picked up and finished by another legendary director, and what these two legends created was.... fine.  It was fine.  Kind of a bummer actually.  Cool special effects and solid performances, but overall just kind of a bummer.  That's not gonna stop us from talking about it for 2 hours! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This is the second half of our Running Man 2025 recap.  What new infuriations will the second half hold?  Tune in and I'm sure we will tell you about it. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Edgar Wright's The Running Man is not a good movie.  It's so not good that all our complaints couldn't fit into one tight ninety and we had to give it two.  Episode 2 will drop later this week, but in this first episode we discuss our initial thoughts on the movie and start the recap.  That is after we review the horrors of the week, of course.  Big thanks to Kristen from Astronomica for sitting in on this one. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

The year is 202x, Kaiju are squirting out of a butthole in the Pacific ocean.  The only way to stop them is to build impossibly elaborate 30 story tall robots.  It makes perfect sense if you don't think about it at all whatseover.  Pacific Rim is not a cyberpunk film, but it does share certain vibes, and it was requested by our beloved listeners, so we are covering it regardless.  So snort yourself a big line of Kaiju bone dust and get ready for 2 hours of Rimming baby! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

2025 was a rough year, but it did produce some pretty top notch media.  For this special year-end episode, we will recap our top recommendos of 2025, and yes, we immediately thought of a bunch of stuff we forgot immediately after we finished recording so this is by no means definitive.  Bonus:  Start this podcast at exactly 10:26 PM on December 31st and we'll countdown the new year with you.  The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week we have an extra long episode to keep you warm on the cold Christmas nights coming up, even if your Christmas is forecasted to be around 65 degrees like ours is.  The Running Man may seem like a goofy action movie on it's surface, and maybe that's what it is below the surface as well, but whether intentionally or by accident, it actually ends up showing a pretty strong example of how a media-obsessed culture can be controlled and spiral into a fascist police state.  Sound familiar?  Don't worry about it.  Thanks to Kristen from the Astronomica Podcast for sitting in on this one! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com Cover art by Gillyvor

Robocop 2 is a movie about the drug epidemic, no wait nevermind.  Robocop 2 is a movie about a man turned machine separated from his family, no actually scratch that.  Robocop 2 is about corporate overreach, actually... Who the hell knows what Robocop 2 is about, it's got cool stop motion robot fights, explosions, and some decent gags, and that's good enough dammit. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Welcome to Part 2 of our recap of the Ten Percent Thief.  This week we explore the second half of tales from Apex City, and ask the question:  Did Lavanya Lakshminarayan pull it off?  Once again we are joined by Geoff of the Astronomica podcast to lend his beautiful brain to the project. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Bite The Hand: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/spellbook-gaming/bite-the-hand-cyberpunk-panic-engine-ttrpg?ref=bk-social-project Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week we are covering the book The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan.  The book is about a world strictly divided by social hierarchy, and told via interlocking short stories, ranging from humorous to horrific.  Your boys were divided on this one, but even if it fell short in places, the book definitely set itself up for a monumental task, and, for the most part, accomplished that task.  As with most of our book episodes these days we are thrilled to be joined by Geoff of the Astronomica podcast to help us break it down. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com Cover art by Gillyvor

Once in a while we pick a movie neither of us have heard of but yet of which we both end up singing the praises.  It's pretty rare, but thankfully Sleep Dealer is one of those movies. The Budget:  Low.  The effects:  Not so special.  But there is an unmistakable talent in the writing, directing, and acting that more than makes up for the small amount of money they had to make this film.  And to top it off, the theme of the film is extremely important for the time we are living in, despite the fact that it was made 18 years ago. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com  

It's an anime ep!  AD Police is a horny, cheap, and blessedly short collection of cyberpunk tales from 2027 Neo Tokyo.  We have covered a couple other series just like it, and it is, unfortunately, the worst of the bunch.  There might be a few nuggets of cool to pan out of this river of mediocrity, however, so stay tuned and see if these old prospectors manage to... sluice some... gold? This metaphor has gotten away from me. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

The Dream of the 90s is alive on the High Tech Low Life Podcast.  This week we watch The Net starring Sandra Bullock.  This movie is as 90s as it gets, and even though it's incredibly flawed and not that great, we just can't bring ourselves to hate it. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

As promised the thrilling conclusion of our Alien Earth recap featuring Colin of the Astronomica Podcast.  In this installment we cover episodes 3-8 of the series, and give it our ratings. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com Cover art by Gillyvor

This week we are thrilled to be joined by Colin of the Astronomica podcast to recap the recently concluded first season of Alien: Earth.  The show is a mixed bag of good and bad, but lots of interesting details to discuss and pontificate upon.  So many details that this is, once again, being split into two parts, however FEAR NOT!  The second part will be released in just a few days and we will have another full episode next week covering a completely different property.  The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

We had intended to cover a cool looking French film called Ares this week, however that was not to be as all the copies we found had unintelligible subtitles.  In lieu of that we decided to just put out an off the cuff episode with extended dystopia and recommendos, and a bonus review for the current Mark Wahlberg picture: Play Dirty.  What a treat! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week, after a freshly recorded intro recapping the horrors of the day, we dive back in and wrap-up our recap of Blade Runner 2049.  Thanks again to Sean Faust for joining on this deep dive. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Sean Faust: https://linktr.ee/seanfaustmusic Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

For our centennial episode we have the pleasure of recapping Denis Villeneuve's 2017 sequel to Blade Runner: Blade Runner 2049.  Thirty years after the original and Deckard is back up to his old blade running tricks, and this time he has a hot new sidekick you might recognize, The Gray Man himself: Ryan Gosling.  We are excited to be joined by our old friend Sean Faust to cover this one, and cover it we do.  This is the first of two parts.  The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Sean Faust: https://linktr.ee/seanfaustmusic Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

In our final double digit episode ever, we cover 2015's moody and sleek Ex Machina.  This movie features a baby Domhnall Gleeson, a robot Alicia Vikander, and an Oscar Isaac that can really "get it", despite his toxic personality. A beautifully shot and acted film and might I say handsomly recapped by your hosts. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

The Final Installment of our Shadowrun Lore extravaganza!   The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Pink Fohawk: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fKd0STUvxIlaqOdPu7ejE?si=8cdb8600091647eb Dean:  https://www.nullsheen.com Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor

Dean and Ben are back to continue helping us dig into the lore and timeline of the Shadowrun table top roleplaying game.  This week we finish up the pre-game timeline and get into first edition and some second edition shenanigans.  And oh yes, we've got bug spirits, if that's what you're into you sick freak.  It's me.  The sick freak is me. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Pink Fohawk: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fKd0STUvxIlaqOdPu7ejE?si=8cdb8600091647eb Dean:  https://www.nullsheen.com Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

We are back from break and ready to take on one of our most requested and anticipated properties:  Shadowrun.   Man be meeting magic and machine up in here, folks.  Don't go into this expecting a lot of coverage of Shadowrun as a game, our wheelhouse is lore, not game mechanics, so we focus on the story and what came to pass to get us to where we are in the 6th world.  We are also happy to be joined by Ben from Pink Fohawk and Dean from nullsheen.com The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Pink Fohawk: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fKd0STUvxIlaqOdPu7ejE?si=8cdb8600091647eb Dean:  https://www.nullsheen.com Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

We're almost back, baby!  On this mini-ep we talk about some aesthetic changes to the pod, and announce our big Season 3 premiere episode coming next week.  Also read a couple of emails for good measure. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Cover art by Gillyvor Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com  

I know, podcast "seasons" are dumb, nevertheless we are about to take a break and figured we'd kick out one more episode to cover the insane dystopian week we've had and read a few listener questions and comments.  Enjoy the heat and stay safe out in them streets! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week ya boys dip their toe into one of the more popular dystopias of the modern era: The Hunger Games, specifically the prequel A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.  And like any good quest into uncharted territory, they dare not go alone.  Thankfully, Kristen from the Astronomica podcast has been kind enough to join us and lend her considerable expertise.  Yes, I'm aware that Josh is actually quite familiar with the franchise but will you just let me have the metaphor?  Writing these things every week isn't as easy as it looks.  Anyway, lets get hungry! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

While it may not be very cyberpunk, Sneakers is still well worth a watch and does kinda share some vibes skirting the edges of the genre.  Who doesn't like a good caper?  Who doesn't like this cast?  Who doesn't like watching a blind man drive a panel van full throttle over a multi-level parking lot?  Cyberpunk it isn't, but a fun and well-made movie it very much is. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com    

What a strange bit of media Captain Laserhawk is.  Basically an extended commercial for a video game company, ripping off every cyberpunk trope in the book, you might expect it to be straight garbage.  Against all odds, however, it actually pulls off a fun and interesting little tale with some depressingly familiar dystopian world building.   Kudos to Ubisoft, I guess! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com    

In Time has an awesome concept.  What if time was literally currency?  What if centuries were horded by an elite that used the market to control and subjagate the majority of the population who had to toil and stress for every hour in the day?  Sounds like fertile ground for cyberpunkery!  Unfortunately this story is not told very well, and the result is kind of boring and hamfisted, and certainly not helped by some of the worst performances given by actors that we usually expect much better of.  In the end, 2 hours of your life watching this movie feels like you overpaid.  Hopefully 2 hours of this podcast is at least fair market value, maybe not a stellar deal, you could probably do better at another podcast, but at least it isn't a waste?  I'm lost in the time metaphors lets press on. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Screamers is a solid little under-the-radar, mid 90's sci fi film.  It has some quality dialogue, interesting story adapted from a Phillip K Dick novella, and some surprisingly solid special effects from a time period when the effects on low budget movies were frequently less than special. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com  

After a freshly recorded introduction to discuss the various horrors and delights of the week, we rejoin our podcast in progress recapping The Fifth Element.  The back half of the movie is even more insane than the front, due in no small part to the introduction of Chris Tucker's Ruby Rhod, famous space radio DJ?  Twitch streamer? Podcaster?  We're gonna call him a podcaster. I know I'd like and subscribe. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com  

The Fifth Element only skirts the edges of cyberpunk, but after the gruelling slog that was Pluto Nash, we feel like we've earned something a little more fun.  Between the story, characters, costumes, and problematic director, however, there is far just too much to cover in one episode, so this one is a two-parter. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Surely it can't be that bad, right?  It's just negative hype!  It's just people piling on a movie that may not be great by any means, but isn't 6% Rotten Tomatoes worthy.  Maybe there are some moments that make it worth the time investment.  Maybe it's the critics who are wrong. Nope!  This movie is B-A-D which stands for Boring As Dick (Dick is a guy I know and he's super boring). I wish it was fun-bad but it isn't, it's just bad-bad.  Best forgotten, sorry we dredged it up, this was all a mistake.  Enjoy listening to us regret our choices! The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

We are back to finish up our recap of All Tomorrow's Parties.  Listen and marvel at how, in the interest of time, Josh is forced to skip half the notes he painstakingly took, and yet we still manage to go way long.  Tune in to see what happens to Lainey, Rydell, Chevette, and most imporantly, Boomzilla.  Once again thanks to Geoff from Astronomica podcast for the assist. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com  

At long last we finish William Gibson's Bridge trilogy, or at least we start to finish it.  This is the first part of a two part recap of All Tomorrow's Parties, the final entry in the trilogy and, if one podcaster is to be belived, the final book of the 20th century.  We are also stoked to be joined by Geoff from the Astronomica Podcast once again to assist in breaking it all down for you folks. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Astronomica: http://www.astronomicapodcast.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com  

Pack your bags everyone we're heading to Mars.  Or at least our minds are.  Are they?  I don't know, the point is after this is all over it will FEEL like you went to Mars so just strap in, let your eyes glaze over, and your boys will take you on a journey.  Total Recall is this week's recap, and rest assured we both have a lot ot say about a movie that came around at the perfect time in history to permanently etch itself into the minds of both your hosts.  See you at the party, listeners. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Is it basically a children's movie from the 80's?  Yes.  Does it feature a white man playing an Indian character in brown face and imitating an accent?  Unfortunately also yes.  Does that make it a bad movie?  Surprisingly... not as much as you'd think.    Maybe it's just nostalgia talking, but we were prepared to do some heavy duty dunking on Short Circuit and ended up being kind of delighted by the whole silly affair, with some obvious big cultural asterisks in there. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

This week we are recapping our newest movie yet, 2025's Companion, a movie about robots, humans, and a Russian. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com

Ben Affleck teams up with John Woo to make an exceptionally mediocre early 2000s techno-thriller, and we are here to talk about it.  So the deal is, Affleck's character reverse-engineers tech devices, then makes something better, then has his memory of the whole experience wiped as a sort of futuristic NDA.  The problem is that he takes on a job a little too big, gets in a little too deep, and then can't remember wtf happened or why people want to kill/arrest him.  It sounds cooler than it is.  It's fine.  The movie is fine. The High Tech Low Life Podcast is a retrospective of cyberpunk fiction across all forms of media. Film, Television, Literature, Games, and Music are all on the table. In each episode we will revisit the property, it's influences, it's prescience, and enshrine it in the chrome and neon halls of Neo Valhalla. Bluesky: @hightechlowlife.bsky.social Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnny60seconds Patreon: http://patreon.com/hightechlowlife Theme music by http://www.nihilore.com