Binge Bones

  I'm back! At least for a little bit. I recently hurt my knee fainting on concrete and it looks like I'm going to be in bed for awhile, so may as well spread some holiday cheer with some suggestions on what to stream!  Today, I'm looking at ALF's Special Christmas, from Season 2, episode 12 of ALF.  Episode aired: Dec 14, 1987 Runtime: 48 minutes Director: Burt Brinckerhoff Writers: Steven HollanderPaul, Fusco(uncredited), Tom Patchett(uncredited) Stars:  Max Wright, Anne Schedeen, Andrea Elson Country: USA Language: English Studio: Sony Pictures Studio Genres: Comedy, Family, Sci-fi The plot: The Tanners decide to spend Christmas in a cabin in the woods but ALF soon gets lost. Here is what happens when a TV Christmas special is inspired by a real life experience where ALF visited a Make a Wish Foundation kid. You end up with one of the most baffling and depressing things to ever happen to an 80's Christmas special  " What do you say to a li...

Sci-fi September #Something Borrowed (h/t Justin McClure on Facebook) Wizards (1977) RELEASED February 9, 1977 RUNTIME 80 mins DIRECTOR Ralph Bakshi WRITER Ralph Bakshi  Stars: Bob Holt, Jesse Welles, Richard Romanus COUNTRY United States LANGUAGE English  STUDIOS Bakshi Productions  GENRES Animation, Fantasy, Science Fiction Streaming on: YouTube The plot: After the evil mutant wizard Blackwolf's mother dies, he discovers some long-lost military technology and takes over her throne in an effort to be the world's biggest asshat. Luckily his good twin brother Avatar has decided to use his own magical powers for the good of all, even though it might mean using them against his own twin. Random observations: Hey! Mark Hamill!  It totally looks like Blackwolf's design was borrowed for Rasputin in the 1997 movie Anastasia.  I want a tarot deck based on this world. Is there one? I'm too lazy to Google. But if not, you should make one and then make millions of dollars ...

  Sci-fi September #Something Blue Captain America: Civil War (2016) 147 minutes The Blue Ribbons: Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA 2017 * Saturn Award Winners: Best Performance by a Younger Actor Tom Holland Best Comic-to-Film Motion Picture Best Director Anthony Russo Joe Russo Best Actor Chris Evans Golden Schmoes Awards - 2016 * Winners Breakthrough Performance of the Year Tom Holland Best Action Sequence of the Year 'Airport Battle' IGN Summer Movie Awards 2016 * Winners IGN People's Choice Award Best Action Movie IGN Award Best Action Movie RELEASED May 6, 2016 DVD September 13, 2016 RUNTIME 147 mins  DIRECTORS Anthony Russo, Joe Russo  WRITERS Christopher Markus (screenplay) COUNTRY United States LANGUAGE English STUDIO Marvel Studios GENRES Action, Science Fiction, Adventure, Superhero Streaming on: Disney+, USA, TNT The plot: The governments of the world want to regulate the activities of superheroes. Captain America and Iron Man ha...

  Sci-fi September #Something Blue Venom (2018) 112 minutes     Venom's Blue Ribbons:      Chinese American Film Festival (C.A.F.F.) 2019      Winner *  Golden Angel Award      Most Popular U.S. Film in China      Faro Island Film Festival 2019      Winner *  Golden Carp Film Award -International      Favorite Actor -  Tom Hardy      Taurus World Stunt Awards 2019      Winner *  Taurus Stunt Award      Best Work with a Vehicle      Jack Gill (stunt coordinator-2nd unit)      Henry Kingi (stunt driver)      Jalil Jay Lynch (stunt driver-motorcycle and car)      Denney Pierce (stunt driver)      Jimmy N. Roberts (stunt double-Tom Hardy motorcycle)           Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2019    ...

  Sci-fi September #Something Borrowed (h/t Amanda Andrews on Facebook) Bicentennial Man (1999) 131 minutes Director: Chris Columbus Writer: Isaac Asimov(short story "The Bicentennial Man"),  Robert Silverberg (novel),  Nicholas Kazan (screenplay) Stars: Robin Williams, Embeth Davidtz, Sam Neill Streaming on: HBO Keywords: 23rd century, android, based on short story The plot: The "life" and times of Andrew the android, a robot purchased and programmed to perform menial household tasks. It soon becomes evident that the Martin Family has received much more than they paid for.  Random Observations: Pretty sure this is the first live-action Robin Williams film I've rewatched since his passing (not counting the fantastic 2018 documentary Come Inside My Mind).  A long time ago I was in a books-to-movie club and we read the short story "The Bicentennial Man" prior to watching the Chris Columbus film. I remember liking the movie better after having read the sh...

Sci-fi September #something new Lovecraft Country, Season 1, Episode 1 (2020) Sundown 58 minutes Director: Yann Demange Writer: Misha Green (teleplay), Wes Taylor (executive story editor), Shannon Houston (executive story editor) Stars: Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors, Aunjanue Ellis Streaming on: HBO Keywords: Lovecraft, Segregation, Roadtrip The plot: Atticus Freeman, a vet and pulp aficionado travels from the Jim Crow South to his hometown near Chicago in search of his missing father. Random observations: I know two things going into this show: 1) H.P. Lovecraft would be rolling in his grave if he knew about this show. 2) That makes me unquantifiably happy. He was a racist shithead.  The name "Freeman" was often given to slaves after release. This is a topic covered frequently on the amazing PBS show "Finding Your Roots". Speaking of which, Lovecraft Country producer Jordan Peele is on a very insightful episode, so check your local listings. The name Atticus was...

  Sci-fi September #something old Phase IV (1974) PG; 1 hour, 24 minutes Director: Saul Bass Writer: Mayo Simona Stars: Nigel Davenport, Michael Murphy, Lynne Frederick Streaming on: Amazon, Epix, Hulu Keywords: ant attack, psychotronic film, biodome The Plot: Time0lapse ants stalk two scientists in the Arizona desert.  Random Observations Totally thought the narrator was Kelsey Grammer at first, but it isn't obviously, I was just dumb for like 40 seconds.  The director is Saul Bass. Yeah, THAT Saul Bass, who does the super bitchin' title animations for films such as North by Northwest, Psycho, and The Man with the Golden Arm. It looks like this was his only feature film.  My "something old" today is a first watch for me (Although, I did watch it on Mystery Science Theater 3000 -- KTMA Season 0 Episode 9 about a decade ago) . The 1970's has some of my favorite science fiction. Even though there are some smooshy plot lines and a bit of unnatural dialogue in plac...