Film Utopia

23. Star Trek: The Next Generation Part 1

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean “make it so” and engage at warp 9.8 into Star Trek: The Next Generation. A new crew, a new ship, and much love all round as all three of us are massive fans of this particular series!

We talk about the show’s rocky first steps, the gradual sharpening of its identity, and the characters who made the Enterprise-D feel like a top-heavy home. From the French Captain Jean-Luc Picard – played by possibly the most ‘English’ actor imaginable, Patrick Stewart – to Data’s curiosity, from Q’s chaos to Worf’s honour, we explore how the show evolved into a true TV landmark. Join as as we talk season’s 1 to 4.

22. Star Trek: The Original Series

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean beam back to the Original Series; the three seasons of Trek that started it all. It’s fond nostalgia overall, especially for the iconic brilliance of Seasons 1 and 2, where the stories hit warp speed, the ideas were truly “final-frontier-level,” and Shatner’s shirt seemed contractually obligated to be torn every third episode.

We dive into classic adventures, legendary characters, colourful alien encounters, and the utterly charming mix of philosophy, fistfights, and futurism that made TOS the blueprint for everything that came after. As for Season 3 though, let’s just say its dilithium crystals were running a bit low.

21. Star Trek: The Kelvin Timeline Movies

This week on Film Utopia, Steven, Benjamin, and Sean break the established rules of transportation range and lens-flare their way into the Kelvin Timeline movies. Starting with the J.J. Abrams helmed Star Trek (2009) and its follow up, Into (Shit) Darkness, and finally the Justin Lin directed Star Trek: Beyond. Strap yourself in because things get… testy.

There’s not a huge amount of love for J.J. Abrams or Alex Kurtzman, and Into Darkness draws particular fire for its disgraceful rehash of Wrath of Khan, right down to the emotionally hollow “KHAAAN!” inversion that still makes our collective souls curl up. Add in the awkwardly forced Spock/Uhura romance, and you’ve got plenty of fuel for rant engines.

But it’s not all photon torpedoes: we give credit where it’s due. Some casting is spot-on, with Karl Urban’s Bones and Zachary Quinto’s Spock getting and approving collective nod, and even the films’ harshest critics among us admit that—occasionally—the reboot got the spirit right.

20. Star Trek: The TNG Movies

On this episode of Film Utopia, Steven, Benjamin, and Sean set phasers to stun and warp into the Next Generation era of Star Trek movies, covering Generations to Nemesis; a run of films that ranges from sublime to “why did they write it like that?”

We tackle the saggy, pacing-challenged middle of Generations, mourn the disgracefully anticlimactic death of Captain Kirk, and collectively shake our heads at how the baton was (barely) passed to Picard. There’s plenty of Borg-infested joy as we celebrate First Contact, the one universally beloved TNG film and a shining example of how to do big-screen Trek properly. Unfortunately, the goodwill instantly evaporates with Insurrection, a cinematic nap disguised as a feature film. “Bore-fest” doesn’t quite cover it. Finally, we hit Nemesis, greeted with a mixture of bafflement, frustration, and the occasional guilty defence. Mostly, though, it’s a telepathic chorus of “Yeah… it’s bad.”

19. Star Trek: The Original Movies

Welcome to the first episode of our giant summer retrospective! Yes! Goddammit, Jim! We’re doing Star Trek! All of Star Trek!

Join us as Steven, Benjamin, and Sean boldly go back and revisit the original cast movies, from The Motion Picture to The Undiscovered Country, with wildly different energy levels, varying degrees of patience, and one host (Sean) who is clearly not firing on all thrusters.

Benjamin almost—almost—convinces Sean that The Motion Picture deserves genuine Star Trek respect for its slower, cerebral sci-fi ambitions. Steven, however, stands firm in his belief that it is a beautifully lit bore-fest of cosmic proportions. Elsewhere, there’s pure, unfiltered love for Wrath of Khan, one of the best films of 1982 as well as one of James Horner’s finest scores, though that doesn’t stop us nitpicking it to death for entertainment value. Sean unexpectedly rediscovers The Search for Spock, sending the trio down a warp-speed rabbit hole of appreciation. Ben (as tradition demands) reminds us he saw every one of these films in the cinema at the time, meanwhile, Steven has no patience whatsoever for the comedy of The Voyage Home. We all gleefully eviscerate The Final Frontier, but harmony is finally restored as we celebrate The Undiscovered Country; a classy, heartfelt farewell to the original Enterprise crew.

A lively mix of affection, nitpicking, nostalgia, and friendly mutiny, because no Star Trek discussion is complete without a little chaos on the bridge.

18. Die Hard On A Podcast: The Die Hard Clones

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean crawl through the air vents of action cinema to break down the Die Hard formula, where it came from, and hopefully mention every last “Die Hard on a…” clone that followed.

We talk about the films that honoured the blueprint, the ones that shamelessly photocopied it, and the ones that looked at John McClane’s shoes and thought, “Bare feet? Easy.”

Expect Skyscrapers, boats, trains, planes, hockey rinks, battleships, prisons, schools, Christmas parties, and at least one rogue mountain. If Die Hard did it first, someone else did it louder, stupider, or with Steven Seagal whisper-growling through a ponytail.

Join us as we reboot, reload, and re-laugh our way through the greatest (and lowest) moments of the Die Hard Clone Era.

17. Darren Aronofsky

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean strap in for a cinematic panic attack as we dive head-first into the bleak, obsessive, beautifully unhinged world of Darren Aronofsky. From the head-drilling mathematical madness of Pi, to the operatic nightmare of Requiem For a Dream – the cinematic equivalent of being run over by a train made of violins and bad decisions – continuing through the cosmic grief of The Fountain to the broken bodies of The Wrestler and Black Swan, all the way to the allegorical chaos of Mother!

We talk intensity, we talk craft, we talk about films that make you want to lie down in a dark room after being exposed to them. Along the way, we compare notes on Aronofsky’s obsessions; spirals, self destruction, devotion, bodily harm, and the kind of sound design that makes your teeth clench.

Is he a genius? A madman? A prophet of doom? Or all three in a hoodie? Join us as we pick apart the artistry, the agony, and the adrenaline of one of modern cinema’s most intense filmmakers.

16. Martial Arts

Steven and Benjamin are joined by special guest Max for a general chat on Martial Arts action stars and movies. From early memories of David Carradine in Kung Fu to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies on video rental, through the action explosion of the 80s with Cannon Films mainstay Chuck Norris and beyond to the 90s DTV nonsense. Expect detours into Hong Kong cinema, the usual suspects of Van Damme and a look at the current state of fighting cinema with modern action stars such as Scott Adkins.

15. Marvel & DC Update! Wandavision, Wonder Woman 1984, The Snyder Cut and more!

Following on from last year’s MCU & DCEU episodes, Steven and Benjamin catch up with the latest releases from each studio to mostly share a collective ‘WTF?’. Expect candid reactions to Wandavision, Wonder Woman 1984, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and last but not least, Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

14. 1994 in Film

Film Utopia kick off the new year by winding back the cinema clock to 1994 for an in depth look at what floated our boats back then, and what still does now.

A year of certified bangers to be sure, including Ace Ventura, Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, Forest Gump, Four Weddings and a Funeral. But also, bizarrely, a tonne of ‘twin’ movies: Skydiving? There’s Terminal Velocity and Drop Zone. Thrillers with bombs plots? Speed and Blown Away. Future-set prison movies? Fortress and No Escape? Wyatt Earp? Tombstone and, err, Wyatt Earp.

Grab a snack, fire up the projector, sit back back and join Steven, Benjamin, and Sean as we look back on what made 1994 in film awesome! (And sometimes, shit).

13. Film Composer: Alan Silvestri. Great Scott, what a career!

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean dive into the dynamic, bombastic, time-travelling, jungle-thundering, motion-captured musical universe of Alan Silvestri.

We cover his entire theatrical composer filmography, from cult curios and early oddities, through the Spielberg/Zemeckis collaborations, all the way to the modern mega-franchises. It’s hard not to dwell on the heavy-hitters, so naturally, we spend ample time on Back to the Future, Predator, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Abyss, and The Avengers.

We celebrate his instantly recognisable melodies, his heroic brass blasts, his emotional precision, and his uncanny ability to make even the quiet moments feel monumental!

12. Bill Paxton

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean spend some long overdue time paying tribute to the late, great Bill Paxton – one of our favourite character actors. With undeniable energy and some of the most memorable performances in cinema history, Paxton really delivered the goods for the three of us throughout our collective cinema-going history. Terminator, Aliens, Near Dark, True Lies, Titanic, Twister, The Dark Backward, One False Move, Predator 2, Navy Seals, Tombstone, Frailty, Hatfields & McCoys, Big Love, Next of Kin, Nightcrawler and so many more!

11. The MCU Phases 1-3

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean take a breezy stroll through the first three phases of the MCU, from the spark of Iron Man to the finishing blow of Endgame. It’s a loose, lively chat packed with fond memories, strong opinions, and the occasional nerd detour.

There’s unanimous love for Civil War, plenty of admiration for the early world-building magic of phase 1, and a healthy back-and-forth on the hits, misses, crossovers, and cosmic chaos that shaped the Infinity Saga. The trio wrap things up by pondering what the future of the MCU might (or might not) hold.

10. The DCEU

The FU lads strap themselves in for a rather strong worded chat about the DCEU; Every movie up to this point, from Man of Steel to Birds of Prey. Expect mixed opinions at the start, followed by unanimous lambasting as we talk through the films.

09. Alien vs Predator vs Robocop vs Terminator Part 2

Steven, Benjamin, Sean, and Max return for Part 2 of our AvPvRvT franchise free for all, this time diving head first into the cold, corporate dystopia of Robocop and the time-shredding chaos of The Terminator.

Expectedly, there’s unanimous love for Verhoeven’s Robocop, but the debate gets spicy regarding the Director’s Cut extra splatter – especially Murphy’s gloriously excessive death scene. Max champions Robocop 2 for its Rob Bottin/Phil Tippett effects wizardry, while Sean tears into the film’s plot like a malfunctioning ED-209. Universal disdain rains down on Robocop 3, but Max has some good things to say about the 2014 remake.

Jumping over to the Skynet mainframe, Steven relishes revealing his waning affection for Terminator 2, and we all give Genysis the kicking it deserves while ultimately pondering the state of the franchise post-Cameron.

08. Alien vs Predator vs Robocop vs Terminator Part 1

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean are joined by returning guest Max for a monster mash of metal, mandibles, xenomorph goo, and time-travel tantrums. It’s Alien vs Predator vs Robocop vs Terminator – and absolutely nothing is sacred.

In Part 1, we dive claw-first into the Alien and Predator franchises, plus the disappointing AvP double bill. While the holy classics of Alien and Aliens are lifelong favourites for all of us, we gleefully pick at the their seams anyway, because that’s half the fun.

Expect divided opinions on Prometheus and Covenant (with Steven bravely waving the flag for the latter), a lot of laughter, a lot of nonsense, and plenty of creature-feature hot takes as we warm up for the two metal titans still to come.

07. Guilty Pleasures

Time to raid the closet for those movie skeletons! Steven, Benjamin, and Sean come clean on a few embarrassing film choices that they find enjoyment in while others would rather do anything else than rewatch.

06. Sequels

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean discuss all things sequels. The good, the bad, and the pointless. There’s far too many to mention, but we certainly try to mention as many as possible, especially from our ‘era’.

05. Rob Bottin: Master of Monsters

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean are joined by practical FX wizard Max to offer some insight into the goo-soaked, latex-stretched, animatronic madness of Rob Bottin’s legendary career.

From the creeping dread of The Fog and the transformative nightmares of The Howling, to The Thing’s still-unmatched body-horror masterclass. We chart Bottin’s rise as one of cinema’s greatest ever special makeup effects artists. We go spelunking through Explorers, marvel at the dark fairytale beauty of Legend, salute the mechanical mayhem of Robocop and Total Recall, and swing by the grim subtleties of Se7en’s horrifying crime scenes.

Max brings the industry insight, the rest of us bring enthusiasm for gore, and Bottin brings the nightmares. It’s a celebration of practical effects at their gnarliest, bravest, and most unforgettable.

04. Our Top 10 Movies

Before we went any further with our Film Utopia mission, we felt it right to reveal our very own ‘film utopias’. Steven, Benjamin, and Sean each deliver their top 10 movies of all time with, surprisingly, almost zero crossover. Steven’s penchant for ranking things and making lists in his spare time makes the task easy, whereas Benjamin and Sean struggle with the levels of OCD required to undertake the monumental task of picking and ranking their all-time ten favourite movies!

03. David Cronenberg

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean finally deep-dive the directorial filmography of Canadian auteur film maker David Cronenberg. A master of psychological intensity, body horror, and the patron saint of psychosexual science fiction, Cronenberg’s filmograpy runs the gamut from head-popping, stomach-churning horror to supernatural thriller with pit stops at biographical history, comic book adaptations, and mind bending science fiction. He’s a director who won’t just get under your skin; he’ll rewire your whole nervous system while he’s there, and then make that the point of the film.

With Sean the resident Cronenberg fanatic, and Benjamin already (largely) a fan, Steven is, for once, the newcomer here having previously only seen a handful of Cronenberg’s movies. Join us as we run through the theatrical filmography in non-chronological order from Shivers to Maps to the Stars.

02. 1987 in Film

Steven, Ben and Sean return to the 80s once more to take a look at the year in film for 1987 – and are dumbstruck at how many classics reside there!

Predator, Lethal Weapon, and Robocop all started in 1987, we also got horror classics Evil Dead 2 and Hellraiser as well as two of the best Vampire films made to date in The Lost Boys and Near Dark.

But there were plenty of laughs too from Steve Martin, Rob Reiner and the Coen brothers. We also spot a lot of over-worked actors who had several movies out this year – in particular Steve Guttenberg with 5!

So relax and let us do the talking as we re-explore fond memories and great films including Predator, Robocop, The Running Man, The Lost Boys, Near Dark, Hellraiser, Evil Dead 2, The Princess Bride, The Untouchables, Lethal Weapon, Full Metal Jacket, Good Morning Vietnam, Raising Arizona, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and many more!

01. 1982 in Film

Welcome to The Film Utopia Podcast!

Steven, Benjamin, and Sean kick things off with a retrospective on one of their favourite years in cinema history, 1982. A year teaming with some of the most important and groundbreaking science fiction films ever created; The Thing, Blade Runner, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior), Tron, and E.T. – and that’s just one genre!

Strap in and join us for a couple of hours of nostalgic memories as we celebrate many old favourites, along with some newfound experiences as we catch up with a few we missed back in the day.