What Have You Watched Recently?

[BoloOfEarth]

The first three seasons of JourneyQuest, by the same folks that brought us The Gamers.  I had watched it before, but picked up the DVDs at GenCon so I introduced it to my wife.  Guess I forgot that Season 3 ended on a cliffhanger, so we're really hoping they release Season 4 soon.

[Pariah]

The classic Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark".

[Lord Liaden]

Re that episode, monster-suit actor Janos Prohaska came to the office of Gene Coon, who was show runner for Star Trek at the time, wearing the Horta costume which he made himself. Gene said, "That's great! What is it?" Janos replied, "It can be whatever you want." So Gene said, "I'll write a story about it." It took him just three days to write the script for, "The Devil in the Dark."

[1corpus christopher]

On 12/18/2006 at 7:47 PM, Susano said:

I just finished viewing Dog Soldiers, a soldiers versus werewolves movie. I found it liked it at lot, parts made me laugh, parts made me shudder, and parts made me say "that's not right...." I highly recommend it.

 

I also watched The Wizard of Oz over the weekend, for the first time. Rather fun, with some highly enjoyable sequences -- the flying monkeys were great! -- and the musical numbers are catchy. I also found it amusing to sort of "count" all the lines that have remained in popular use.

 

What have you seen recently?

Unforgiven, the story told by director/actor Clint Eastwood and actors Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman.

[Pariah]

I watched the first episode of She-Hulk today, as well as the first two and a half episodes of Ms. Marvel. Both a lot of fun.

[Bazza]

Ms Marvel got me interested by the 3rd episode. 

[Ternaugh]

I also enjoyed the first episode of She-Hulk, and I'm looking forward to the next episode.

 

The Sandman: An eleventh episode recently dropped, and the entire series is very much worth watching. (Netflix)

 

The Mummy (1999): I always want to organize a Justice, Inc. game whenever I watch this, it's a fun re-watch. (Peacock)

[Pattern Ghost]

3 hours ago, Ternaugh said:

The Sandman: An eleventh episode recently dropped, and the entire series is very much worth watching. (Netflix)

 

Oh! Thanks for the heads up.

[csyphrett]

Columbo night as Helen Shaver kills Ed Winter, and tries to frame an innocent man so she can kill Columbo's wife. Ian McShane is on as the boyfriend with the wife.

CES

[Ternaugh]

Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon (Episode 1): A prequel to Game of Thrones, this one focuses on power struggles around the succession of the throne in House Targaryen 200 years before the events of the earlier series. There's very little here that's original, but that's probably the point. (HBOmax)

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

We've been watching The Orville. This is much better than I expected. I thought it was going to be a raunchy family guy style parody, but they are actually taking it pretty seriously. And the effects are as good as anything ST:TNG had. Of course, that was 36 years ago, they should be at least that good. 

 

So, yeah, I'm a little late to the party, but I'm on board for this. 

[mattingly]

Being John Malkovich. I forgot how gonzo nutballs it is.

 

[Tech]

Watched Frozen

[death tribble]

Porn King: The Rise and Fall of Ron Jeremy parts 1 and 2

A look at Ron's career from its beginning to his incarceration. Various people who knew him from his childhood to those who employed him, worked with him, worked for him, befriended him and some who he hurt. Ginger Lynn and Christy Canyon appeared and while Ginger has a very bad experience with him, Christy did not. Based on their experiences some of the people who knew him found it hard to believe that Ron would do anything as bad as what he was accused of. However others told of what he did and did not come across as lying. The point was made that Ron came across as someone who was a goof and wanted to be liked. He did not exhibit a predator vibe. Those who worked in the industry made the point that the general public expected to touch and be touched by those who worked in the adult entertainment industry. This may be one of the reasons why it took so long for anything to happen and also if it is one person's word against another's and there are no other witnesses or evidence, what can you do, should you do and who do you believe ? The documentary also showed that Ron's mental state was collapsing as some of his interviews showed he was incoherent in the last decade. And he was no longer taking basic care of himself. That led him to attack someone he had known for a while and they reported him to the police. His mental state did not excuse his actions but it made him unable to stand trial and he is in an asylum as he could not even recognise his lawyer. On one level what he was accused of means he was worse than Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby but no-one will equate him as bad as them because he did not enjoy the public trust the way he did. On the other hand there is no resolution as he never faced a full trial and is held in a mental health facility.

The documentary was very even handed in its treatment of the subject and if you are interested in the story or industry it is worth a look.

,

Kessler

This is the follow up to Secret Army and finds the former SS head masquerading as a German businessman until Belgium TV unmasks him. Three of the Lifeline organisation appear in the first episode while the rest deals with a German Intelligence officer and an Israeli girl trying to find him after he leaves the country and his fellows killing anyone who gets close. Kessler has partial control of Nazi party funds which means that the old guard depend on him. His daughter and her colleagues want him to support the new movement and not the old men who will do nothing. History has exposed a couple of problems with the story in that Martin Boorman who was supposed to be in charge died in Berlin in 1945 and that Mengele who also played a central part was also dead. It is not bad but Secret Army was better.

 

Song for London

A short film about certain sites in London set to music and with occasional songs by the likes of Tommy Trinder. This was in the 60s.

 

Just for You

DJ Sam Costa introduces a number of acts who perform their latest hits. This is in the 60s. And only a few of the artists had or retained name recognition such as Peter and Gordon, The Bachelors and Freddie and the Dreamers. Dated.

 

Rhubarb

A vicar and a police chief inspector try to play golf and all sorts of things happen. The only word spoken is rhubarb. Harry Secombe (of the Goons) and Eric Sykes are Vicar and policeman. Harmless fun and can be rewatched.

 

The Fog

This is the original John Carpenter version. Jamie Lee Curtis has only a bit part in this while her mother plays one of the town's founders. On the 100th anniversary of the founding revenants of a ship wrecked by the town's founders come back to exact revenge for what was done to them. Creepy, atmospheric and although it does not have a high bodycount it creeps you out with the undead. The remake is not as good.

 

Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars parts 1 and 2

Saw this before I have fully finished series 3 and 4 of Farscape. Crichton and Aeryn are returned to life as the Scarrans and Peacekeepers are at war. They try to find a way to stop the conflict. It provides a resolution with several ideas falling before war is averted. Part of the problem is the editing of the two episodes so that some things are removed. Jool comes back just to be killed. Dargo dies off camera in the second episode unless you find a longer version. The Scarran Admiral's death is also cut. It is still enjoyable.

[Hermit]

On 8/23/2022 at 10:45 AM, Logan.1179 said:

We've been watching The Orville. This is much better than I expected. I thought it was going to be a raunchy family guy style parody, but they are actually taking it pretty seriously. And the effects are as good as anything ST:TNG had. Of course, that was 36 years ago, they should be at least that good. 

 

So, yeah, I'm a little late to the party, but I'm on board for this. 

 

I love the hell out of that show. The style and focus shifts over the seasons. I think the first is the weakest and I still enjoyed the heck out of it. I like it better than what I've seen of the current Official Trek myself.

 

 

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

19 minutes ago, Hermit said:

I like it better than what I've seen of the current Official Trek myself.

 

I've been hearing that a lot from the fanbase. Part of what convinced me to check it out. Makes me wonder about the future of 'real' Trek. 

 

I also watched a documentary on Galaxy Quest, which is considered one of the best Trek movies. A lot of non-Trek is getting a lot of attention. 

[Starlord]

22 minutes ago, Hermit said:

I like it better than what I've seen of the current Official Trek myself.

 

I would've definitely agreed with that until ST:  Strange New Worlds came out.  Orville has steadily become a decent show.  Not nearly as good as SNW, but much better than the rest of what passes as ST.

[Hermit]

1 minute ago, Starlord said:

 

I would've definitely agreed with that until ST:  Strange New Worlds came out.

 

Actually that IS one  i need to check out. to be fair. I heard good things.

 

Part of me wonders if Orville's semi success didn't help speed up  the Green light on the more comedic lower decks, and the more true to the optimism angle of Strange New Worlds.

If Orville did shove things back to a more hopeful viewpoint, ST fans may owe Orville even if they never watched an episode

 

[Scott Ruggels]

On 8/23/2022 at 7:29 AM, Ternaugh said:

Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon (Episode 1): A prequel to Game of Thrones, this one focuses on power struggles around the succession of the throne in House Targaryen 200 years before the events of the earlier series. There's very little here that's original, but that's probably the point. (HBOmax)

It was a very good start for a show I had no interest in.

 

 Watched "Carter" on Netflix.  Korean, over the top action movie, The Director borrowed a lot from From Hardcore Henry, but with an even  more unrestrained camera and drone footage. Huge bodycount, film rarely stops to catch it's breath.

 

Watched RRR on Netflix. Tallywood epic about two revolutionaries that meet each other in 1920s India. Very Lush and well staged. Same Director as the Epic Bahubali 1 & 2 (Also on Netflix).

[Pariah]

I was thinking the other day that if Star Trek: Strange New Worlds doesn't bring Rebecca Romijn back in the role of Number One next season, they should replace her with Claudia Christian playing a character very similar to Susan Ivanova.

[wcw43921]

Saw Samaritan on Amazon Prime yesterday--really good stuff, great street-level superhero action.  It would have been even better if they'd used the real Granite City instead of a fictional one--I always thought the steel mill there would make a great setting for a post-apocalyptic battle to the death.

 

At the risk of sounding immodest, I was quite pleased with myself for figuring out the mystery early on in the movie.  Usually I'm not that quick on the uptake.

 

Anyway, I liked it, and I hope you like it as well.

[Pariah]

Okay, I finally got around to watching Ms. Marvel on Disney+. I was initially a little hesitant, partly because she wasn't around when I was reading comics (which admittedly was a very long time ago) and partly because of a lot of things I'd read on the internet about the series. But I went ahead and watched it.

 

The people who complained about the series on the internet were, in my humble opinion, dead wrong. I loved it. I thought the character development was great. I thought Kamala's interactions with her friends, her family, and the people she met along the way were portrayed very well. I loved all the little cultural bits. I thought the little effects they threw in tying the story to the world of social media were a clever touch. I enjoyed the series as much as any of them.

 

I look forward to seeing Kamala on the big screen with Carol and Monica sometime soon.

[mattingly]

11 hours ago, Pariah said:

Okay, I finally got around to watching Ms. Marvel on Disney+.

 

They changed her origin and special effects from the comics, but apart from that Ms. Marvel is the closest comic-to-screen adaptation that Marvel has done (with the possible exception of She-Hulk). If you liked the show, you'll like the comic.

 

 

[Pariah]

33 minutes ago, mattingly said:

They changed her origin and special effects from the comics, but apart from that Ms. Marvel is the closest comic-to-screen adaptation that Marvel has done (with the possible exception of She-Hulk). If you liked the show, you'll like the comic.

 

See, I didn't even mind this, because they told a good story.

[Ternaugh]

Jurassic World: Dominion (Extended Version): The third movie in the second trilogy, it relies on a strong streak of nostalgia to paper over the plot holes (and there's lots of 'em). Certain plot points assume that you've seen the other movies in the series. For die-hard JP fans, it is worth a watch. For casual fans, I'd recommend Jurassic Park instead.  (Peacock)