Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

The last Star Wars was so meh for me that I’ve only seen it once, in theaters, even though I usually see SW twice in theaters and bought it back on SW Day. I figured I’d finally rewatch it this month to see if it had gotten any better ;) and figured today was the day. However, I decided to watch the whole sequel trilogy to see if it adds to the experience (I did binge 7/8 before seeing 9). Currently on TFA.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I finally updated my list. I wasn't very active in this challenge but at long last I got to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey. I still don't know what the heck it was all about but I loved the visuals and the score.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Read the book. It'll explain what you saw.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I watched the Star Wars prequels + Rogue One in May and the original trilogy earlier this month. Had the next trilogy loosely on the list to watch this month, but I don't think I'm getting to them. Instead, I decided to watch The Hobbit trilogy which I haven't seen since they were released. I enjoy them but they could use a lot of cutting. Though, the biggest thing I dislike about them is that film two left on this huge cliffhanger with Smaug. You had to wait a year until the next one came out to find out what happened...only for it to be like a 5-10 minute segment. Totally anti-climatic. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating somewhat, but they really just briefly show the dragon and the fight and move on...all that energy in movie 2 and it just splutters out in movie 3.

Edit: Nope, I was pretty right on. 12 minutes in and the whole Smaug bit was done.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I've focused on first-time viewings and shied away from superhero stuff throughout the challenge so far, but I've got my heart set on a drive-in double feature tonight of The LEGO Batman Movie (eh) followed by the 1989 Batman (my favorite movie ever). I'm under doctor's orders to not go out at all, but this is on the approved list because I can stay insulated the entire time. They'll scan my phone through the window so I won't even need to roll that down to get in. I won't be able to get outside and sit in a chair like most of the others, but I can live with that. I've seen Batman at a regular theater, including a midnight screening; on TV, VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and I've even watched it on my iPod once. The drive-in is one of the last settings left. I think after this, all that I can think of will be with a live orchestra. That'd be sweet. I've been meaning to squeeze in a few more things, but baseball is back and that's been getting my attention.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I watched the extended versions of The Hobbit this year making the 2nd time I've watched that version. I really, really, wanted to like them more than the theatrical just like I do with the LOTR trilogy. I can't. There's just too much bloat in The Hobbit films and I felt like the theatrical versions were bloated but got the extended anyway (I was hoping the extra stuff would help them but it really didn't). I also have copies of the theatrical versions of both on DVD and BR but haven't watched any of those yet (on either format) - yeah... I'm a sucker...

If I'd seen "Smaug" in the theater I'd have been royally pissed! It's one thing to leave you wanting more, like was done with the LOTR films, but to end on a blatant cliff hanger and especially one which you felt like would be resolved rather quickly in the next movie... I did see it on disc a few months before the 3rd was available on physical and was rather annoyed with the "ending," but not nearly as much as I'd have been had that viewing been in the theater.

The 2nd Matrix movie did the same thing - I didn't see that in the theater either and only watched it when I purchased the trilogy on disc so could immediately watch the 3rd movie.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I have finished the checklist except for the Animation check which I will do on Friday night for double credit (yes, everyone should do the Animation Challenge). This is the first time that I have watched more repeats than first time views (I believe) but I have been focusing on franchises lately. I watched parts of 27 different franchises with 3 or 4 other movies that were part of two movies or overall franchises (like Marvel or DC). I was particularly happy that I will average approximately 111 minutes and 3 seconds per each movie this year. I wanted to get my average up over 1:50 and I have finally managed it. Hopefully next year I will have more first time views while continuing my franchises. Overall this has made for a great challenge, with a great job of hosting done by LJG765. Now besides getting ready for the Animation Challenge I need to look for some suggestions on changes for Directors next year. I know there has to be some that have plenty of choices without the choices coming only from franchises, I just have to look harder I guess.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

That sounds like a lot of fun! I know I miss our drive-in. It closed only a few years ago, but now would have been a perfect time to visit it. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you don't run out of spoons for tonight!

I wasn't super pissed off after the 2nd one. I was IN the 3rd when I realized all that anticipation just went "thud." 12 MINUTES! Why not just throw it on the end of the 2nd movie then and start fresh with everyone heading to the Mountain?

Totally agree the theatrical versions are bloated. I went ahead and bought the that version-they have special ones with Legos that I wanted-because I knew the extended versions would not be that great if the theatrical could already be cut down!

Aw, thanks! :) I appreciate your (and everyone else's) contribution to the challenge too! Without people responding and participating, we wouldn't have much of a challenge!

Whoa, that's a pretty good average! I have a handful of longer movies in my watch list (Avengers and the Hobbit) but most of mine are more in the 90-110 min range. I find it a lot easier to fit in a couple shorter films than one long one.

I also appreciate any suggestions, directors especially! Keep 'em coming!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I hated The Desolation of Smaug while I was watching it, and felt that same expounded frustration when it was resolved so quickly at the beginning of Five Armies. I've never read a single page of Tolkien, and my only other exposure to Middle Earth was one viewing each of the extended cut of Fellowship, both cuts of Two Towers, and the theatrical cut of Return of the King. I have no way of knowing what came from the source material, what came from appendices, and what was outright invented for the movies, but I had the distinct feeling while watching Smaug that I was watching the pitch meeting for a video game. I'll revisit all six of those movies at some point. I've got the LOTR Blu-ray set on my to-do list for this challenge, but it's unlikely I'll get to them. The only ones I fully enjoyed the first time were Two Towers and Unexpected Journey, and I'm hoping maybe I'll connect more with the others. Gonna be hard for Smaug to win me over, though.

Regarding the checklist, my understanding has always been in every challenge that a movie can count for more than one check, but not more than one per category. Decade, MPAA rating, sub-genre, actor are all fine, but not two sub-genres or two actors. There's no reason that has to be universal, but it would be nice to have it established upfront one way or the other. I hope I don't come off as some anti-franchise snob, because I'm not. But yeah, standing back and looking at the actors and directors lists, it feels like this is more of an Alien/Jurassic/MCU/Middle Earth/Star Trek/Star Wars challenge. They're the marquee attractions of the genre so it makes sense, but it feels like a closed circuit. Maybe a helpful litmus test is whether someone has enough genre work that there's a decent pool of movies to watch if we excluded those franchises. I don't, however, really have any suggestions of whom to add. I've tried some cursory web searching, but I don't know enough about the history of the genre to really know where to look for ideas. Ironic, given that learning more about the history of the genre is the biggest benefit of the checklist.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Just read "The Hobbit" - if you're an average reader it's short enough that you can read it in about the time it'd take to watch all three movies.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

For sure the LotRs movies are much much better than the Hobbit movies. Though, Return of the King might be my favorite. Even the extended versions go by quickly.

Huh, I didn't hear that at all about the checklists. I think it's because every challenge has a different host (for the most part). At this point, for this challenge and the animation challenge, you can use each movie multiple times on the checklist, doesn't have to be just per section. I've used multiple for each section many, many times and if I change the rules now, that would be pretty hypocritical of me!

I watched the Avengers: Endgame movie last night. Decided I wanted to watch some more Marvel and just put in Ant-Man. As much as I enjoy the series, I haven't watched that one and the sequel yet. So, will get them off my to watch list.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I made it to the drive-in, which was nice. I was underwhelmed by The LEGO Movie, and one of the things I disliked the most was their take on Batman. Tonight's double feature opened with the spinoff, The LEGO Batman Movie. He's more tolerable here, though still a long way off from being likable. The movie has some heart, I'll give it that. There are also some amusing meta-level Bat-jokes. But it's much too hyper and a little of it goes a long way. I doubt I'll make any effort to revisit it for quite some time.

The reason I went, though, was to see the 1989 classic Batman. Over the years, I've come to view it as a descendant of German Expressionism. Earlier this year, I streamed a collection on The Criterion Channel that convinced me of it. Tonight I made note of several specific elements that support my thesis: The absurdly long dining table; The Joker emerging from the shadows; the Batmobile drive back to the Batcave; the entirety of the cathedral in the finale. Plus, Batman and The Joker themselves, really. There are plenty others, but those were the key standouts. I highly recommend that Criterion Channel collection, several of which fit this challenge for anyone looking to squeeze in anything here at the end. None of them are eligible for August's Animation challenge, but provided they're still up in September, they'd be eligible for that month's Criterion Challenge. Movies in that include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari; Nosferatu; Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler; and Metropolis, among others.How incredible could Fritz Lang's Batman have been! Which reminds me, in case anyone hasn't seen this yet, it is amazing and I wish there really was an Ingmar Bergman film based on The Flash:

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I am just over 80 watches. I probably won't get too many more genre watches in other than The Outer Limits original series. I finished and posted my checklist. It is hard to believe, but somehow i did not watch a single film in the directors list!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I wouldn't worry that you come off as anti-franchise as everything you say is true. As far as the checkist goes, I never use any movie for more than one check and yet I watched many franchises. The suggested changes to the checklist (especially the directors etc. changes) will make it much harder to watch as many franchises but I look forward to more first time views next time, however, having spent a number of hours on the Directors etc. category I can't find many changes to suggest myself. Part of the problem is IMDB's search ability, but I am beginning to accept that there aren't many choices if you rule out franchise movies. I hope someone else has more knowledge in this area and can suggest some changes that make sense and aren't just changes for change sake without enough choices. I have come to the conclusion that we might want to make packs of three choices per checkmark to create some choices. My only real hope is that someone has IMDPro and that the search for that will have the ability to show how many different genre films each director has, making this job a piece of cake.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I don't have IMDb Pro, but it just occurred to me that I could use Flickchart's filter to suss out some ideas:

DIRECTOR
Roger Corman
Terrence Fisher
Freddie Francis
Robert Stevenson

ACTOR
Peter Cushing
Christopher Lee

Yeah, they're both in Star Wars movies and Lee is also in the Middle Earth series, but you could knock out a decent chunk of the checklist using just their filmographies without getting into those. [As an aside, Season of the Witch has the distinction of being the only thing that featured both Nicolas Cage and Christopher Lee.]

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I haven’t posted much this month, but I have really enjoyed this challenge. I’ll likely watch a lot of sci fi and fantasy cartoons next month. Many of my cartoon DVDs are sci fi. I have a lot of 80s cartoons, like MASK ​​​​​​, Voltron ​​​​​​, GI Joe ​​​​, Jayce And The Wheeled Warriors​​​​​. I even have a complete set of G1 Transformers ​​​​​​, including all three Japanese series. I’ve also enjoyed working on the checklist. Not everything I watched worked for it, but I enjoyed adding to it.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

It's surprisingly easy to do. :/ We'll figure something out for next year. Either fill in with directors that only have a couple eligible titles but they are well known ones, or maybe lower the requirement...

I'll add these to the list in the opening post. Pretty sure Lee was on there at one point, but we can definitely switch him back in for someone else. Someone mentioned having switching them in and out on a yearly basis, maybe keep a list of actors we used each year and doing half one year, half the next would work and make the actors list fresher each year?

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'm not putting up big numbers this year, but I wasn't planning to. But I'm getting through my existing streaming queues of fantasy and sci-fi movies, got around to watching the first season of a couple of recent sci-fi series (Lost in Space reboot and The Expanse), and rewatched a couple of trilogies from my Blu Ray collection (Jurassic Park and Back to the Future). And unlike past challenges, I'm not bailing on other kinds of media (like books and video games) to put up better numbers.

Going by my ratings, my favorite first-time views were I Lost My Body (a clear #1) followed by Farmageddon: A Shaun the Sheep Movie and Aniara, I also enjoyed The Vast of Night, Snatchers, Underwater, and I certainly won't forget Butt Boy.

For those that have watched, how does the second season of Lost in Space compare to the first? I liked it ok but it didn't grab me to the point where I'm sure I'll keep watching. Though the ending of the season was interesting


I'll finish up season one of The Expanse on the last day of the challenge (I have 2 more episodes to go). It's hard to judge until it's over since the season is really structured like a novel (episodes are not at all stand-alone) and it took me some time to get acclimated to the characters and world. But it seems like it's coming together, and I've read that many think the series improves in future seasons.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

That will be me tonight. Finally cracking open my 4K Blu-ray of it. Can't wait.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I picked up that one on disc simply because I like the original and it was very inexpensive (IIRC I paid $10 for the BR). Like you, I found it OK... Most of the changes worked and it looks quite good. On the down side, it moved way too slow in the way modern dramas seem to do. Where they take a really good episode and stretch it across 3 or 4 with lots of padding. That Soap Opera kind of feeling. I'll not subscribe to Netflix to watch but will likely purchase S2 on disc should it come out and be as inexpensive as S1.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I have officially completed the checklist and updated it. I want to thank LJG765 for his hosting and Goldenwheels and Hamilton Books for the prizes. Once again it was a great Challenge, my second favorite (sorry, LJG765) behind the Horror Challenge. I will now be throwing myself into the Animation Challenge.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'd be down for a core group of, say, ten "gimmes" and then another group of twenty "deeper cuts" from which half gets rotated in and out of the checklist. Gimmes I'd suggest:

1. Harrison Ford
2. Samuel L. Jackson
3. Christopher Lee
4. Ian McKellan
5. Vincent Price
6. Zoe Saldana
7. Arnold Schwarzenegger
8. Will Smith
9. Akira Takarada
10. Sigourney Weaver

In the rotating pool, I'd suggest including Michael Ironside in one group and David Warner in the other. Neither is an obvious gimme, but they each have more than a hundred eligible credits on IMDb so participants may well stumble across either without actively seeking them. I'd also suggest splitting Peter Cushing and Boris Karloff. I don't have any further thoughts about the pools right now.

Also, it occurred to me that "Watch a TV mini-series or a complete season" might be a nice format option since so many of us watch at least some TV in any given year.

EDIT TO ADD
I'd also suggest removing Gene Roddenberry, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stan Lee, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells from "He's Dead, Jim" since they've each been dead for quite some time. Maybe create a "Thank the Maker" section for them since more stuff is based on things they created than things they personally wrote or directed? I'd shift George Lucas from Director to that pool and add Philip K. Dick.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

That deserves to be in your signature.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I have come up with 7 possible Directors so far. Robert Zemeckis has roughly 24 Sci-Fi/Fantasy credits. Robert Rodriguez has roughly 16 credits. Roland Emmerich has roughly 12 credits. Bryan Singer has roughly 10 credits but the vast majority are for the X-Men franchise. Christopher Nolan has roughly 8 credits and they are mostly for the DC movies. Alex Garland has roughly 7 credits and Duncan Jones has roughly 4 credits. I'll be focusing on the Animation Challenge now but will add more as I can.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Started season 2 of The Umbrella Academy today, and it so good that it hurts to stop at three episodes today, but I've got other stuff to watch, spreading it out over a couple more days at least will prolong the pleasure assuming I don't bread down and watch the other seven episodes tomorrow.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I revisited The Mummy this afternoon, from the Universal Classic Monsters box set. I first saw it eight years ago and was disappointed and underwhelmed. I felt the same way this time. Karloff is as fantastic as advertised, as is Jack Pierce's makeup, especially in this Blu-ray presentation. I just can't get into the story, try as I might. Its dialogue is too weighted with exposition, for one thing. But mostly it doesn't work for me because it's centered on the parallel romance stories and neither of these work for me. Imhotep is set on resurrecting Anck-su-namun because he's still devoted to her, but she isn't into him nearly as much and she does not want to be resurrected, making his scheme not only entirely selfish but also entirely pointless. Helen, meanwhile, understandably wants to live but it isn't because her passion for Frank rivals Imhotep's passion for Anck-su-namun. She's barely into Frank, really. He flirts with her, but she tells him pointblank that she has enough going on without him coming onto her. She kisses him, but it's entirely unconvincing. What's more, Frank's interest in Helen is closer to obsession than love. I'm supposed to feel sympathy for Imhotep for longing to restore his love and desperate to see Frank and Helen be together but instead I feel sympathy for Anck-su-namun for being involuntarily dragged into all this by Imhotep and I just want Helen to get away from Frank.

There are two commentary tracks on the Blu-ray I have. One is a group track with makeup artist Rick Baker, filmmaker Scott Essman, screenwriter and film historian Steve Haberman, collector Bob Burns and sculpture studio owner Brent Armstrong. It's an engaging, free-wheeling conversation about The Mummy, Karloff, Pierce, Carl Laemmle, Jr., Universal's horror pictures, and the history of the horror genre writ large. The other is a solo track by film historian Paul M. Jensen and it is, to be candid, boring. Most of the first half hour consists of giving us a play-by-play of what we can see for ourselves happening in the story, adding little insight or context. Eventually, Jensen gets into the back story of the film's production and abandoned or changed elements from previous drafts, which is interesting but he also stops speaking altogether frequently, letting whole dialogue exchanges play out before resuming. Not because he's setting it up or following it with any elaboration but just because he's reached the end of his written segment and hasn't started the next. Also, the audio quality is outright bad in places, sounding like a stream over a bad connection.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks! I'll add to the list for next year.

I've put the suggestions down so I won't forget them. Anyone want to weigh in on the bold/italicized suggestion? It kind of interests me. A short, core list that doesn't change, another list with changing directors as more (or less) make films.

I do really like the idea of a Maker/Founder/Creator section for those authors/directors/producers/whoever that creates an iconic Sci-Fi/Fantasy universe that's been transferred to film. Anyone else?

No worries, it's hard to top the Horror Challenge if you're a fan. It's pretty amazing how detailed and complex it is!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

My list is finalized! I had a wonderful challenge. Unfortunately, I got caught up in a couple of animated series in the last week and didn't finish up the checklist. Thanks to LJG765 for hosting!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Congrats!

tarfrimmer, I'm not sure if you will see this, but you are so close to blackout! Don't forget the challenge goes until dawn!

Don't worry, I'm not finalizing anything and will give plenty of time for people to write down their last watches and finalize your lists, but I wanted to get a head start on looking through everyone's lists and checklists. I'm amazing at how many watches people are getting! Congrats to everyone who participated and I wish everyone could get a prize!

Unfortunately, I can't do that, so will continue with tallying all the entries into the prize drawing! Remember to earn entries for the prize drawing you need to:

1. Have a numbered list! (I have run into at least one that isn't!)
2. Have at least 5 entries on the checklist
3. Complete the checklist (don't have to watch something that fulfills every entry, but need to watch what the requirement)
4. Blackout the checklist (meaning complete every single entry)

Finally, you do need to have an United States postal address to be eligible to win. Thanks again to HamiltonBooks and GoldenWheels for sponsoring the challenge!

Last thing: I will give everyone until Thursday, August 6th, 2020, 11:59 Central time to finalize your lists and checklists. What is there on midnight, August 7th, will be what I use to determine how many entries you've earned into the drawing.

Please let me know if there is any questions and I'll do my best to answer them. I also appreciate any feedback for next year! Hope to see everyone in the Animation Challenge!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I'm also going to shout out alyxxstarr who not only blacked out their checklist but added several categories on their own! KaBluie is also close to blackout, so make sure you get your last watches in tonight and don't forget to finalize the checklist!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

My checklist is finalized, very enjoyable, I'll definately do it again next year.
Thanks LJG765 for hosting

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thank you LJG765 for hosting this shindig. I didn't complete the checklist but I did get through a lot of Star Trek.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

:thumbsup: to LJG765 for hosting this thang. This was my first time trying a checklist, and I found a few new things I liked, and one I did not **cough** 2012 **cough**.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I managed to watch about two thirds of my list as first time viewings, my personal favorites included.
The Vast of Night
Cabinet of Dr Caligari
Border
Mandy
Dagon
Her
Alien Raiders
The Old Guard

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Props to LJG for a great challenge and a fun month.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

I didn't Blackout the checklist. But I did complete the required items!

I put this at the top of my list:

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks, everyone! I think this was one of the best challenges we've had in a while! :)

I did see this, but when I was looking it over, I saw how close you were so wanted to try to encourage you and make sure you didn't have any final watches you needed to add!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Thanks for running things LJG!

I didn't watch a single qualifying thing last night - my 3 youngest grandkids (4, 6, 9) arrived from the NW part of the state to stay with grandma and me for a few days. I hung out and played with them instead of watching movies. They'll help my progress in the animation challenge as that's about all they watch if we watch TV (regrettably, it's mostly newer animation programs I just don't like) so there's that. I'm hoping we spend more time playing games (the older 2 can play some simpler board games). Their 10yo cousin (my daughter's youngest) is also staying as she's not going to miss a chance to play with her cousins.

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Looking Back
I had dual objectives this year. I wanted to log some of my un-logged library, and I wanted to go outside the usual suspects and see some new-to-me stuff. I only logged three from my library: The Mummy, War of the Worlds, and Woman in the Moon. I did better with my second objective; most of my viewers were first time. My favorite by far was Solaris, which I was so into that I ordered it from Barnes & Noble (love that Criterion sale!). My second favorite was surely Woman in the Moon, which wowed me with its dedication to detail and imagining of what a rocket launch would be like. I would have watched more, but baseball is back (for the time being)!

Also, let me add my signature to the Thank You card for LJG765 for hosting! Some hosts get a bit prickly about critiquing the checklist once the challenge is underway, so I appreciate your openness. Well done!

Re: 13th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge Discussion Thread
 

Good Challenge, had fun. My list is complete and my checklist has at least five entries.