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This is NPR. If you've ever talked to a machine you probably know how creepy it can be when it talks back even

if that's exactly what it's supposed to do. In the new movie Afraid John Cho plays

a dad who has a chance to try out a very advanced AI system in his home and it does a lot more than talk back.

I'm Glenwellyn.

And I'm Linda Holmes and today we're talking about a raid on pop culture happy hour from NPR.

Joining us today is Jordan Cruciola. She is a writer and

producer and the host of the podcast Feeling Seen on Maximum Fun. Welcome back

Jordan. Hello, what was great to be here. We love to have Jordan here for scary movies and this is a scary

movie of a type. So Afraid is the latest in the well-established genre of the computer

is alive stories, which of course includes

things like 2001 A Space Odyssey, even War Games. Afraid stars John Cho and

Catherine Waterston as Curtis and Meredith, a nice couple with three kids who

welcomed an AI named Aya into their home at the request of Curtis's boss.

At first, they're very impressed with Aya's ability to make life easier, but as time goes on they grow uneasy about

her powers even as their kids bond with her. The film was written and directed by

Chris Whites who has a very diverse filmography including a The film

and directed by Chris Whites, who has a very diverse filmography, including, among other things, about a boy

and the Twilight Saga New Moon.

Yeah. Yep.

Afraid is in theaters now. Jordan, I'm going to start with you I have it on good authority that you are into this general genre of scary computer movies

What did you think of this one? I love robot cinema and I will

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