Modern Technology Watches – The Modern Technology Podcast Network

Modern Technology Watches is an off-the-cuff film-discussion podcast.

Follow along with Rob Vincent and Gila Drazen, a married couple of film geeks with very different tastes and a shared video library, as they take turns introducing one another to the films rattling around in their combined collection.

Please note that every episode features a full recap and detailed discussion of the film featured, so be sure to watch anything for which you’re avoiding spoilers before listening to our take on it. Please also note that the movies we talk about often contain adult language and content, and so do our discussions on this podcast; listener discretion is advised.

Subscribe directly to this podcast’s RSS feed, or listen via Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, Stitcher, YouTube, or Spreaker.
What’s that music?
See all this site’s news posts about this program.
Send us your questions, comments, and other listener feedback via email or voicemail.

Episode Guide

Season 1

Episode 101 Lifeboat (1944)	Released May 27, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob and Gila smash a bottle of something sparkly on their new film podcast by watching the 1944 Alfred Hitchcock film “Lifeboat.”

Episode 102 The Ten (2007)	Released June 10, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

In this special Shavuot episode Gila introduces Rob to the 2007 David Wain film “The Ten,” an anthology of comedy sketches based on the Ten Commandments.

Episode 103 Rocketman (2019)	Released June 30, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob and Gila shake up the format and go to their local cinema to catch a film neither of them has already seen, 2019’s Elton John biopic “Rocketman.”

Episode 104 The Goonies (1985)	Released August 19, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob shows Gila 1985’s piratey-wish-fulfillment adventure “The Goonies,” and they discover together whether the old swashes can still be suitably buckled today.

Episode 105 The Tao of Steve (2000)	Released August 30, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila shows Rob the extremely indie 2000 Sundance-award-winning rom-com “The Tao of Steve,” which somehow results in our shortest episode to date.

Episode 106 The Warriors (1979)	Released September 24, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

There’s a special film-festival screening of 1979’s cult dystopian gang-fight film “The Warriors” on Coney Island, and Rob takes Gila out to play.

Episode 107 Josie and the Pussycats (2001)	Released October 25, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila takes Rob on a journey to Riverdale. Not the dark CW teen drama based on Archie comics, nor the neighborhood in the Bronx; this is the bubbly cinematic Riverdale populated by 2001’s live-action “Josie and the Pussycats.”

Episode 108 Without Warning (1994)	Released October 30, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

The Modern Technology Watches Halloween Special consists of the fallout from Gila and Rob’s joyous annual Halloween viewing of 1994’s fake-news TV movie “Without Warning.”

Episode 109 Some Like It Hot (1959)	Released November 18, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila and Rob are joined on Modern Technology Watches by special guest Susie “Mother of the Bride” Drazen, who has brought the acclaimed 1959 comedy “Some Like It Hot” for us to enjoy.

Episode 110 Blade Runner (1982)	Released December 4, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob takes Gila on a Modern Technology Watches trip to the dark and mysterious future of… *checks notes* …November 2019, the futuristic setting of 1982’s cyberpunk film noir “Blade Runner.”

Episode 111 Camp (2003)	Released December 23, 2019
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila, a grownup theatre kid, invites Rob, another grownup theater kid, on a trip to “Camp,” a 2003 film about a theatrical Summer camp populated by theatre kids putting on theatre.

Episode 112 Network (1976)	Released January 13, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob connects Gila to 1976’s news-entertainment satire “Network” and its award-winning world of live-televised meltdowns, corporate machination, and human manipulation.

Episode 113 Pitch Perfect (2012)	Released February 13, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila caps off our inaugural season with 2012’s a-capella-competition comedy “Pitch Perfect,” a cinematic celebration of teen warfare via structured cover-band battles.

Season 2

Episode 201 Back to the Future (1985)	Released March 10, 2020 BTTF special 1/3
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

In a very special second-season premiere Rob introduces Gila to the 1985 classic scifi action comedy “Back to the Future,” with assistance from BTTF fans and friends of the network Jen and Gabe of The Dork Web.

Episode 202 Empire Records (1995)	Released April 8, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila celebrates the day 1995’s “Empire Records” takes place by, strangely enough, making Rob watch 1995’s “Empire Records.”

Episode 203 Back to the Future Part II (1989)	Released July 7, 2020 BTTF special 2/3
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

The future is now (a.k.a. five years ago) as Rob shows Gila 1989’s “Back to the Future Part II.” Special guests Jen and Gabe from The Dork Web return as we all skew into some tangents together.

Episode 204 A New Leaf (1971)	Released August 6, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob shows Gila 1971’s cult Elaine May/Walter Matthau dark comedy romance “A New Leaf.”

Episode 205 But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)	Released August 21, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila introduces Rob to the cult LGBTQIA+ film “But I’m a Cheerleader.”

Episode 206 Back to the Future Part III (1990)	Released September 8, 2020 BTTF special 3/3
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Jen and Gabe from The Dork Web join us as we double back to Hill Valley one last time to complete the trilogy with “Back to the Future Part III.”

Episode 207 The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975)	Released September 22, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob shows Gila writer/director/star Gene Wilder’s 1975 spoof “The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother.”

Episode 208 Bye Bye Birdie (1995)	Released October 29, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila shows Rob the 1995 made-for-TV adaptation of Broadway musical “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Episode 209 An Adventure in Space and Time (2013)	Released November 19, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob shows Gila the 2013 TV movie “An Adventure in Space and Time,” a docudrama about the origin of “Doctor Who.”

Episode 210 Election (1999)	Released December 15, 2020
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Gila introduces Rob to the 1999 Alexander Payne dark comedy “Election,” which was made in her hometown.

Episode 211 Metropolis (1927)	Released January 29, 2021
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob shows Gila 1927’s “Metropolis,” her first silent film.

Episode 212 Cheaters (2000)	Released February 20, 2021
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry Episode transcript

Gila shows Rob 2000’s “Cheaters,” a made-for-TV dramatization of a real-life high-school cheating scandal.

Episode 213 Hackers (1995)	Released March 2, 2021
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry Episode transcript

Rob shows Gila 1995’s “Hackers,” a film about which the real-world hacker community has all sorts of feelings.

Season 3

Episode 301 Keeping the Faith (2000)	Released January 30, 2022
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry Episode transcript

Gila shows Rob 2000’s “Keeping the Faith,” a quirky romantic comedy about a priest, a rabbi, and the woman they love.

Episode 302 Sneakers (1992)	Released March 6, 2022
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry Episode transcript

Rob shows Gila 1992’s “Sneakers,” a hacker/heist/spy adventure hybrid with a cast of Hollywood luminaries at the height of their powers.

Episode 303 Citizen Ruth (1996)	Released June 24, 2022
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry Episode Transcript

Prompted by current events, Gila and Rob take a break from the normal format and instead use “Citizen Ruth,” a film about activism relevant to what’s going on in the world of bodily-autonomy rights, to discuss the state of things.

Episode 304 Bernie (2011)	Released October 14, 2022
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry Episode Transcript

Gila shows Rob the 2011 Richard Linklater film “Bernie,” a black comedy based on real events..

Episode 305 Flight of the Navigator (1986)	Released December 23, 2022
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry

Rob shows Gila Randal Kleiser’s 1986 film “Flight of the Navigator,” a scifi adventure about a boy with a spaceship.

Episode 306 A Chorus Line (1985)	Released May 4, 2023
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry for the film Wikipedia entry for the original musical

Gila shows Rob the 1985 film “A Chorus Line,” an adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical of the same name about the hopes, dreams, and inner lives of overlooked dancers.

Episode 307 Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023)	Released May 25, 2023
Play in browser Download MP3 Download FLAC	Wikipedia entry for the film Wikipedia entry for the original novel

Gila and Rob go to the theater to see 2023’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” the long-awaited film adaptation of the coming-of-age novel of the same name by Judy Blume.