Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I've been re-watching Star Trek Deep Space Nine and it is definitely my favorite of the Star Trek series.

The episode "Whispers" may be one of my favorite.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I've been drilling through that Mill Creek Sci-Fi Classics 50 movie set. Here are views on a couple of "first time viewings".

Last night I watched Santa Clause Conquers the Martians. Wow... what a bad film. It was worse than I'd read. That theme song is extremely annoying! This is definately one that'll *only* get another viewing if it's the only qualifying film I own that's needed for a checklist item! If anyone else wants to watch it I'll loan them the copy.

On the same disk was Teenagers from Outer Space. I was a bit surprised at this one as it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. A couple of performances were terribly "stilted" and appeared to be the work of people who'd never been in a film before (or just had poor direction), but others, which at first glance gave that impression, actually worked that way as they were from the "invaders" which seemed to play up that they were somewhat unfamiliar with English so had to speak very deliberately. I've read this is mainly because of the way the audio was recorded. "Visual" effects were laughable, the "gargon" is especially bad, but the skeleton effect could be chilling to a kid audience. The "Teenagers" in the title was probably to cash in on the 50s push towards the teen drive-in audience as the crew of the saucer were obviously *not* "teenagers". It also could have stood for a bit "tightening" in the script which could have made for a better film. I was also surprised at the quality of the print. I'd expected no better than a "screener" quality which would only allow me do decide whether or not to pick up a copy of the "restored" version from the Wade Williams Collection. The WWC might have a better print but the one in this set is very acceptable. I'd watch it again in spite of the suspicious acting/direction and somewhat slowish pace.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Watched Prometheus last night (theater was almost full) and I really loved it. I like movies that make you ask questions and invite discussion.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Ick, Barbarella was really, really terrible! Just a meandering series of unfunny set pieces, glad I only rented it. Jane Fonda looks amazing, so it's successful in that regard at least. Made for an interesting double bill with Solaris! I had no idea Clint Eastwood was going to be in Revenge of the Creature - he looks very ill at ease!

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

i watched a title iv been avoiding bc iv never heard anything positive about
battle royale 2
i actually enjoyed it but felt like an entirely different type of movie. only downfall was the gore was kicked up quite a bit and despite my love of over the top gore it felt out of place in this movie.

tonight i notice the new conan was added to nwi may watch that

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I felt the same about Barbarella, as well as other similar titles from the same time. I know a lot of them are popular but it's just not a style of film I could ever get into.

Last night I started a Rifftrax marathon, that I'm finishing just now with Thor. Frankenstein Island was the high point, for sheer absurdity. The Braniac wasn't good. The film by itself is something I don't mind watching once but anything more than that is just not needed. Kind of like the Star Wars Holiday Special. I watched it once years ago but trying to get through it a second time, with Rifftrax, was horribly painful.

My biggest surprise this weekend was Attack of the 50 Ft Woman, mainly because she didn't start running around until the last 7 minutes of the film.

Now it's time to flounder around until I can figure out what I want to start watching next.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Was a busy day for me yesterday so I only had time to get one movie in, but at least I got something in. I decided to watch the MST3K version of Gamera vs Barugon.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I just watched this recently too - most of the screen time is devoted to drunken domestic disagreements! I suppose proto-feminists had a field day with it though. If you're looking for more Allison Hayes fare (and with a figure like that, who isn't?) check out The Hypnotic Eye, The Disembodied, The Unearthly, The Undead and Zombies of Mora Tau. Actually, she might make a fine checklist actress for October!

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I finally finished the Harry Potter series for the first time.

Still kicking myself for waiting so long.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'm chugging along nicely. Broke into the 30's yesterday and I've got a fair chunk of the checklist completed. If I can keep up this pace I just might make the century mark.

I've managed to include a good amount, about 1/3 of the total, of first time viewings this time around. Eden Log and Trollhunter were both pleasant surprises.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I first saw Trollhunter last year for the Horror Challenge, and I enjoyed it too.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Used David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis as my first wildcard. This film so much like a sci-fi film with its alternate universe, tech noir feel, and themes. Interesting, but will require more viewings down the road to fully wrap my head around it.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

We can pay tribute to Ernest Borgnine by identifying and watching films he did that fall into this challenge. He didn't do a lot of sci-fi. I think the first was THE NEPTUNE FACTOR (1973).

The ones that jump out at me are:

THE BLACK HOLE (1979)
SUPER FUZZ (1980)
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)
GATTACA (1997)

I saw each of these four on the big screen when they came out.

Oh, and SMALL SOLDIERS (1998) would qualify, since he does a voice for one of the toy soldiers-come-to-life. That may be the only one of this group that I have in my collection already. I'd really love to see SUPER FUZZ again. That's an Italian comedy shot in English in Miami with Terence Hill as a cop who gets super powers. Borgnine played his partner. Silly but fun.

There are various relevant TV shows ("Future Cop") and TV movies on his filmography. I don't recognize too many of the titles he did in the last 20 years.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

The Black Hole never made any sense to me as a kid and bored me to death.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'll watch Escape in Borgnine's honor as part of my Carpenter mini-marathon scheduled for Wednesday.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I read so many good things about Trollhunter during last year's Horror Challenge I picked up a copy to use this year only to find it's not listed as a horror film on either IMDB or AllMovie. They list Adventure/Fantasy and Fantasy/Creature film. Didn't this have horror as a genre last year *or* did it being a "Found Footage" film (theme night) give it an automatic approved stamp? Gotta decide whether or not to watch it this month or sit on it for October...

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I was an adult when I saw it and it didn't make much sense to me, either. But Yvette Mimieux was still pretty hot in it. That's what I came away with.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Yvette Mimieux... the *only* reason to watch that film both then and now.

I remember being a bit excited that Disney was releasing what I thought would be a more "serious" film only to find the story was pretty much the standard Disney formula. Considering that it came 2 years after Star Wars, it was also a major disappointment in the visual effects department.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Just finished Laser Mission (1989) - another of those films on the MC "50 Sci-fi" Classics set. I don't know where the film makers spent their budget but it certainly wasn't on the soundtrack. They used "Mercenary Man" by David Knopfler for *everything*. Open, close, incidental, with/without lyrics. It rarely fit what was on the screen and just made a bad film worse due to the constant looping. If you like the song going in you'll probably not want to hear it for a looooong while once this turkey's over.

I should mention that Ernest Borgnine was one of the stars. What a waste of his talent. I'll need to watch Escape from New York or Gattaca to get the bad taste out of my mouth...

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Does that set have Abraxas? If you're going to watch Laser Mission, you might as well make it a double feature with Abraxas.

I started Alien Outlaw last night. That's a movie with no music budget. It's 100% from a cheap Casio keyboard.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Just switched over from DirectTV to Comcast, and am breaking it in with one of the free on demand films, Bava's Planet of the Vampires.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

That's a good one. I saw it in the movies on a double bill with ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE back in 1967. I watched it for the B-movie Challenge in April. I should point out that its star, Barry Sullivan, would have turned 100 this coming August 29.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

No, but it's on the "Sci-Fi Invasion" 50 movie set which I got bundled with the other set (a WM special). I've not yet opened that 2nd set but if Abraxas is anywhere as bad as Laser Mission I believe I'll wait a bit. :D

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

They're both bad but I liked Abraxas more. It's kind of like The Terminator but with Jesse Ventura.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I have both the Sci Fi Classics set, and Sci Fi Invasion as well, so I might end up watching those movies sometime this month as well.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Watching Pee-wee's Big Adventure on a big screen with a large, appreciative audience was great. For some reason, Pee-wee's parting quip when he steals back his bike - "In fact, I'm going to start a paper route right now!" - brought down the house.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Haven't had a chance to watch many movies the last couple days, but hope to make up for it tomorrow.

I am going to try to include at least one movie with Ernest Borgnine. I have a few, but none that really qualify for this challenge. Well, I do have Alice In Wonderland (one of the TV ones), but don't feel like watching the whole thing just for a short bit with him in. I'm ordering Escape from New York, though, as I think it fits in with the ones I've been watching.

Watching Mortal Kombat right now. Haven't watched it in quite a while and was thinking about it earlier today so put it in. It's one that's fun to watch.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Had a really fun time over the past weekend discovering all 5 of the Planet of the Apes for the first time. I was quite amazed with the sheer pessimism of the first 2 movies and amazed by how bleakly the 3rd movie ended. The 3rd & 4th were okay for me but they just didn't have the impact of the 1st 3 movies.

I'd like to gloss over the Tim Burton "re-imagining" - it didn't do much for me :)

But the 7th movie, the reboot, is something else! THAT was really good, IMO. Looking fwd to the 8th one that IMDB says is coming out in 2014 i think.

After all that monkey business, I decided I needed some mutant action so I revisited the 3 X-Men movies - Singer's film are such a joy to keep coming back to. wish i could say the same about the 3rd movie... just didn't leave an impression on me... And that Wolverine spin-off was pretty bland too... Maybe they should include Gambit in the next X-men movie - I'd pay to see that :)

I missed watching X-Men First Class in the cinema last year and it's such a JOY to be watching it on BD. Love that score & that whole 60s vibe - especially the end-credit sequences. very James Bond-ish! :) Michael Fassbender makes a fantastic Magneto and the cameo with Wolverine was hilarious! I was pleasantly surprised to know that Bryan Singer produced & wrote the script - his influence clearly shows on this one. looking fwd to the next one in 2014, according to IMDB.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

If you have a Big Lots in your town check there for Escape from New York before placing an order. The the 2-disk SE has been at those stores for $5 over the past few months. It'll be easy to spot as it's in one of those "fat" or double-thick type amaray type cases. There were a few copies at the one here (they've all been sold at this point).

I should add that BL is a *very* much YMMV chain. One store will get multiple copies of a title and the one down the road (next town, etc.) may get none. It sometimes pays to check all "local" stores depending on distance from home (gas ain't cheep, eh?). I've seen titles listed in the Big Lots Titles Found thread that haven't been in the store here (only one for 70 miles around) for months.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Last night, I didn't watch much, just watched an episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Terror on Dinosaur Island. Think tonight I'll watch more of VTTBOTS.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Watched the new Conan last night....it is by NO means perfect but I was THOROUGHLY entertained and even had a few moments where I was hooting and clapping in my own basement, all alone. The whole damn thing was just so OTT I couldn't help but love it.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Watched The Darkest Hour, while not great, I didn't think it was half bad. At least it tried something different with the aliens.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I did that about 10 years ago. I didn't really mind the later ones and I also think I watched the live action show as well, which was about as good as the later films.

I started Alien vs Predator Requiem last night. Only about halfway through as of this morning but it only took a few minutes for the director to fully blow his load and completely remove any sort of mystery about any of the species that could be expanded upon by any sort of sequel. At this point, the only thing left is for them to turn into wisecracking monsters, like they started to do with Freddy beginning with Nightmare on Elm Street 3.

I have to admit there was some mystery, if there's any light in the room, it's hard to make out about half the scenes.

Is that the one with the two guys in a cabin that trap an alien in the bathroom?

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Good to hear! I picked up a very cheap copy a couple of weeks ago and plan to watch it sometime this week.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Could I use a wild card on The Gold Rush, as it includes several fantasy sequences?

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Nope, but now I wanna know what that is??? It's kids running around Moscow being obliterated by (sometimes invisible) balls of light.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

That seems like a stretch but I'll leave it up to the viewer?

After a little digging, it was Dreamcatcher. I only caught that scene but considering I've seen it before, don't remember anything about it, and seeing all the reviews about it, it's probably awful and not worth watching.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'll just skip it, plenty of other stuff to watch. I will add Belle de jour (my other relevant Criterion purchase) to the viewing queue though.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't know that that was sighted there. I'll have to head there tomorrow since I'll be in town anyway for an appointment. I actually ordered it through my library, so I'm not paying for it, but for $5 bucks, it's worth the buy. I also wanted to check them out for Bond titles I don't have yet as they have been spotted there too.

Watching The Land Before Time for the first time in a long time. I bought it several years ago at Walmart in the cheapo bin but haven't watched it since I was a kid. It still holds up, I think. Very cute movie, but I'm finding the transfer pretty grainy, especially for an anniversary edition.

I found out the young actress who voices Littlefoot was killed by her father when she was ten. I had never heard that before. What a sad ending for a talented young girl! She was also the voice of the little girl in All Dogs Go to Heaven, another favorite from childhood.

Re: 5th Annual Summer Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Angel-A - Kind of like watching Six before or after the events of BSG.