The Poppedcast

Hello and welcome back to Popped, a blog about film history and cinema culture. Thanks for reading.There we are then, my first live Substack complete.I’ve done webinars at work before, and this was like that, but fun! It was a really great chat and the time flew by. Thanks to Vicki Lesley for letting me join your film club. If exploring autism on film is something that interests you then please do consider joining Vicki, for free, on her page for the current Film Thread season.Thank you to everyone who tuned into the chat live. And if you weren’t able to join us, don’t worry, it’s all here in video or audio form! If you subscribe to my podcast you can listen to it that way, or you can watch a video above.I’m reposting what I wrote in the build-up to the event in case you missed it and to provide some context. Why this film then?I’ve been reading Vicki’s excellent page for a few years now. Being a documentary filmmaker, Vicki’s Substack is full of insight on her time making her last project, The Atom: A Love Affair as well as documenting thoughts and notes on her next project which is in its early stages.On top of all that, Vicki hosts her own film club which has seasons around different themes. This season explores autism on film which is a topic I’m really excited to talk about. I am by no means an expert in the subject however I have recently been exploring neurodivergence in different ways as members of my family begin to see new aspects in themselves. It’s been a revealing and fascinating year.For the Film Thread I wanted to pick a film that deals with autistic experience for women; a topic that’s grossly under-researched.I’ve not seen it before, where can I catch up?You can catch it on Prime or for free on Rakuten in the UK. Outside of the UK, here’s a link to find where to stream: JustWatch I’d also like to include the links that Vicki added into her post that act as show notes here. Take it away, Vicki!Before I go, I promised to share some links to other positive female autistic screen representations and writers, so here we go…Firstly here are some TV shows I’ve watched and some film suggestions I’ve not but have heard good things about:On TV…* Dinosaur (BBC sitcom about a palaeontologist in Glasgow written by and starring autistic writer and comedian Ashley Storrie)* A Kind of Spark (children’s BBC drama based on a YA novel by a female autistic writer and with multiple autistic lead cast members)* Patience (Channel 4 drama series about an autistic criminal archivist, with an autistic actor in the main role; also the French drama series on which it’s based, Astrid: Murder in Paris).On Film…* Room to Move (a feature doc recently released on Netflix about a newly-diagnosed autistic dancer exploring how dance and stimming intersect in her life)* Temple Grandin (biopic of the real life American inventor and noted autistic self-advocate, starring Claire Danes)* Keep the Change (a groundbreaking authentically-cast rom-com about a couple who meet at an autism support group - based on a wonderful earlier short film, which I have seen - sadly the feature doesn’t seem to be streaming online and I can’t afford to stump up the very steep cost of an expensive US DVD import which is the only option to watch it I’ve found so far…)And here are some autistic women writers whose work I always appreciate reading and learning from:On Substack…* Andrea Anderson- writing and educating about neurodivergent self-discovery at Belong...we are neurokin* Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕 - writing about the double whammy of autism and perimenopause at Divergent Menopause* Ruth Elliott-Booth - honestly sharing her creative life as a disabled, autistic woman at Becoming Me* Dr Gemma L. Williams - an autistic academic publishing essays and mini-podcasts at Neurodiverse Universe* Amanda N. Bray - an autistic writer and editor offering publishing strategy & guidance at The Publishing Spectrum and more personal writing at ✵ The Co-Writing Studio ✵ and, of course,* Katherine May, the bestselling author of Wintering, Enchantmentand The Electricity of Every Living Thing, her memoir about a midlife autism diagnosis, at The Clearing by Katherine MayThanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time. ThanksGareth This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit popped.substack.com

In this episode, I share my thoughts on 007 First Light and take a look at how film and games continue to inspire each other. I also explore how GoldenEye 007 helped define a generation of gaming, from its technical breakthroughs to its long-lasting influence on modern shooters. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit popped.substack.com

In this episode, I dive into my latest obsession with the Star Wars universe, from TV series to movies and games, exploring how the franchise continues to evolve and adapt to modern streaming and cinematic landscapes. I share my thoughts on the success of the Mandalorian, the complexities of Star Wars storytelling, and potential directions for future installments.Make sure to subscribe to my Substack! Stay tuned for my upcoming episode on James Bond and more! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit popped.substack.com

Join Gareth as he dives into his latest journey through Universal Monster films, revealing how his curiosity and storytelling background shape his take on cinema. Perfect for film enthusiasts, storytellers, or anyone interested in the history of horror This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit popped.substack.com

In this episode, I read out my essay from the Popped blog where I explore The Bride (2026) as a modern conversation with The Bride of Frankenstein (1935).Stick around at the end where I have a quick chat around my thoughts on both films!As always, thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit popped.substack.com