Welcome to Celluloid Circuits, the podcast where film meets technology!
I dive into the world of cinema to explore how iconic films have shaped and reflected our understanding of technology. From artificial intelligence to virtual reality, and from ethical dilemmas to futuristic visions, Celluloid Circuits examines the big ideas behind the big screen. Whether you’re a film buff, a tech enthusiast, or just curious about how movies influence the way we think about innovation, this is the podcast for you. Subscribe now and join us on this journey at the intersection of film and tech. As always the future is only a "Reel away."
What if Hollywood got to AI before the headlines did?
In this intro episode ,I lay out the arc of The Machine Awakens the first five episodes of the season, examining the films that imagined artificial intelligence before most of us knew to be worried about it. From a Cold War supercomputer that decided world peace required total control, to a teenager who nearly triggered nuclear war by playing a video game, to an AI that got out of its glass cage and never looked back.
Five films. Fifty-four years of cinema. One thread: the gap between what we intend to build and what we actually create.
This episode is your roadmap — a short preview of each film in the arc, an introduction to the show's format, and the debut of The Circuit Breaker Scale, Celluloid Circuits' rating system for technical accuracy.
The Machine Awakens covers: Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970), WarGames (1983), Ex Machina (2014), Upgrade (2018), and Transcendence (2014).
18 Feb 2026
Ep. 8 - Born Guilty - Gattaca + Minority Report: Engineering the Future
Born Guilty
Gattaca + Minority Report: Engineering the Future
What if your life was decided before you ever made a choice?
In this episode of Celluloid Circuits, I explore two sci-fi films that turn prediction into destiny: Gattaca and Minority Report.
From genetically engineered embryos to psychic crime prediction, both films imagine societies obsessed with eliminating uncertainty. In one world, your DNA determines your worth. In the other, you can be arrested for a crime you haven’t committed yet.
But how far are we from these futures already?
In This Episode
How Gattaca envisions genetic profiling as a normalized social hierarchy
The subtle surveillance of DNA — where your body becomes your résumé
Vincent Freeman’s biological identity hack
How Minority Report built one of cinema’s most convincing predictive tech ecosystems
Gesture-based computing, biometric tracking, and personalized advertising
The ethical flaw at the heart of Precrime
Real-world parallels:
Consumer DNA testing and genetic privacy
CRISPR and embryo editing debates
Predictive policing software
Facial recognition and algorithmic bias
Why probability is not destiny
Would we trade freedom for certainty?
Core Theme
Both films ask the same chilling question:
When technology predicts our future, do we still have one?
In Gattaca, your genes define your ceiling. In Minority Report, your predicted actions define your guilt.
In both worlds, humanity is reduced to data and choice becomes an inconvenience.
Why It Matters Now
As genetic testing kits grow more common and algorithmic systems increasingly shape hiring, insurance, advertising, and law enforcement, these once-speculative futures feel closer than ever.
Are we engineering a safer world or quietly building systems that decide who we are allowed to be?
Films Discussed
Gattaca (1997)
Minority Report (2002)
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing and leaving a review it helps more people discover the show.
You can find more of Anthony’s work at riosdoesit.com (http://riosdoesit.com) and explore past episodes at Celluloid Circuits.
And remember… The future is only a reel away.
15 Jul 2025
Ep. 7 - Double Feature Ex-Machina and HER
In this special double feature episode of Celluloid Circuits, we boot up two of the most thought-provoking films about artificial intelligence: Spike Jonze’s Her and Alex Garland’s Ex Machina.
If you’ve ever wondered how close we are to falling in love with our devices—or if our devices might already be studying us—this episode is your gateway.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss our next tech-infused film deep dive.
Visit my site at riosdoesit.com (http://riosdoesit.com) for more of my work and behind-the-scenes thoughts.
Check out our show’s home on rss.com (http://rss.com) for all episodes, show notes, and bonus content.
Join the Conversation
We’d love to hear your take—would you date an AI? Or is that a one-way ticket to heartbreak (or a robot uprising)? Leave a review, drop us a comment, or share your thoughts on social with the hashtag #CelluloidCircuits.
And remember… the future is only a reel away.
2 Jul 2025
Ep 6: Before Privacy Died: What The Net (1995) Got Right About Us
This episode analyzes the 1995 film *The Net* and how its themes of digital surveillance, identity theft, and online existence resonate with today's data breaches and algorithmic bias, highlighting the cost of digital convenience.
25 Jun 2025
Ep. 5 - Hackers (1995): When Cybercrime Was Cool
The hosts of Celluloid Circuits analyze the 1995 film *Hackers*, dissecting its cyberpunk aesthetic and surprisingly accurate predictions about tech culture, digital surveillance, and the hacker counterculture.
18 Jun 2025
Ep4: Before Snowden, There Was Bishop: Tech, Trust, and Sneakers (1992)
This episode analyzes the movie *Sneakers* (1992), examining its surprisingly accurate depiction of cybersecurity concepts like social engineering and predicting the rise of surveillance culture.
12 Jun 2025
Bonus - Stay Safe While Protesting
Addie LaMarr shares tips for staying safe while protesting, providing resources from the ACLU and her own insights.
11 Jun 2025
Ep. 3 - Going Full Transparent: Tech Culture & Surveillance in The Circle (2017)
The host analyzes the film *The Circle* and its depiction of technology, exploring themes of social conformity, corporate overreach, and the dangers of sacrificing privacy for transparency.
11 Feb 2025
Anon - The intersection of Privacy and Tech
Join us as we discuss the intersection of technology and film. In this week's episode we break down the 2018 Neo-Noir film Anon. With its thoughts on privacy and what it means to live a life devoid of that, thanks to technology.
Are we headed to this future or are there questions we can ask ourselves now so we tailor technology to avoid this type of future.
How much freedom are we willing to sacrifice for an apparent safer world?
We break down the how, they why and ….. does it actually work.
Film Trailer (https://youtu.be/RJOoYhQcQBI?si=eHMOecfbdwy0QZjV)
Find me at Rios Does IT (https://riosdoesit.com)
Keep this Going (https://buymeacoffee.com/riosdoesit).
Have a suggestion or for a future episode or comments to share enter it here (https://riosdoesit.com/celluloid-circuits-contact/).
Remember the Future is only a Reel Away.
3 Feb 2025
Troubleshooting Johnny Mnemonic
Johnny Mnemonic the past Future of Tech
Join us as we discuss the Film Johnny Mnemonic. Breaking down data uploads and Brain Computer implants. Also how much data do you think you can hold in your head listen and find find out.
Have a suggestion or for a future episode or comments to share enter it here (https://riosdoesit.com/celluloid-circuits-contact/).
Links:
Film Trailer (https://youtu.be/KYo0hcf7mrM)
My Website (https://riosdoesit.com/johnny-mnemonic-data-couriers-and-the-past-future-of-tech/)
Keep This Going (https://buymeacoffee.com/riosdoesit)
3 Jan 2025
Celluloid Circuits Trailer
Welcome to Celluloid Circuits, the podcast where film meets technology!
We dive into the world of cinema to explore how iconic films have shaped and reflected our understanding of technology. From artificial intelligence to virtual reality, and from ethical dilemmas to futuristic visions, Celluloid Circuits examines the big ideas behind the big screen.
Whether you’re a film buff, a tech enthusiast, or just curious about how movies influence the way we think about innovation, this is the podcast for you.
Subscribe now and join us on this journey at the intersection of film and tech. The future is closer than you think.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
29
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
22
Social presence
0
YouTube
63
Engagement
0
Contact Celluloid Circuits
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Celluloid Circuits?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
