TODAY I WATCHED (Movies, TV series) 2015

"The Swarm" (1978)


Irwin "Master of Disaster" Allen's box office winning streak came to an end with this late 70s turkey in which an all star cast (includes Henry Fonda, Michael Caine, Olivia De Havilland, Fred MacMurray and Richard Widmark) battles a lethal horde of African killer bees. Much unintentional hilarity ensues.

22 Jump Street

Captain American: The Winter Soldier

Dual Survival

"Airport" (1970)


This hit adaptation of Arthur Hailey's aviation soap opera set the template for the "Big budget all-star disaster movie" genre that lasted through most of the 1970s. The cast includes Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jacqueline Bisset and Helen Hayes (who won an Oscar for her role as an elderly stowaway!) to name just a few, and their personal stories all intersect on a very rough night at a major Midwestern airport - not only has a massive snowstorm blocked the main runway, but another airliner is crippled in flight by a mad bomber. Yeah, I hate when that happens too.

The success of "Airport" led to three increasingly silly sequels plus a ton of clones and ripoffs that revolved around countless natural and man-made disasters. By the end of the decade, "Airplane!" came along and skewered them all so bad that it became impossible to take the originals seriously anymore, but "Airport" was still a fun watch for its retro/camp value.

MVC Championship

Man, the bubble teams have got to be breathing a sigh of relief.  Illinois State had a 14 point lead over Northern Iowa at the half.  The MVC is already going to have No. Iowa and Wichita State in The Dance and if Ill St. had won they'd also have gotten an automatic entry.  Unfortunately for them, No. Iowa turned the tables on them in the second half and ended up with a 69-60 win.

Veep - Season 3, Episode 1
Black Sails - Season 2, Episodes 1 and 2

Family Guy

OK, this episode made all the warped crap I watch seem normal.  Stewie invents a way for him to become pregnant with Brian the dog's baby and gives birth to these Stewie/Brian hybrid things?  Wow, wait until the Japanese hear about this premise...

The Strain - season 1

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Walking Dead

ABCs Of Death

I'm only rewatching this because I also bought ABCs Of Death 2 which is supposed to be better.  I love the concept but man, the first one sure has a lot of misfires in it.   There are maybe 7 or 8 at most that are decent to great. 

Among the shorts I watched today was "N is for Nuptial".  I forgot how funny that one is.  "Q is for Quack" is pretty funny too as the director and writer are actually the stars and they're pissed that they got "Q".

S.D. wrote:

The Strain - season 1

Well, that was seriously mediocre. Well below the quality expectations I had considering Del Toro's involvement. It was just a standard, cliche-ridden, paint by numbers vampire story, derivative and uninspired. Plus "the master" was laughable, what a horrid design. I won't be wasting my time on season 2.

S.D. wrote:

S.D. wrote:

The Strain - season 1

Well, that was seriously mediocre.  Well below the quality expectations I had considering Del Toro's involvement.  It was just a standard, cliche-ridden, paint by numbers vampire story, derivative and uninspired.  Plus "the master" was laughable, what a horrid design.  I won't be wasting my time on season 2.  

Ha.  At least when I watch my duds I'm on the elliptical so it's not a total waste of time.

"Son of Batman" (2014)


When Batman's arch enemy Ras-al-Ghul is assassinated by a rival ninja clan led by Deathstroke, his daughter (and Bruce Wayne's sometime lover) Talia flees to Gotham City, where she introduces Bruce/Batman to their son Damien...a skilled martial artist with a serious chip on his shoulder. As Deathstroke's assassins close in, Bruce begins training the boy to be the newest Robin, and together father and son end up kicking a whole lotta ninja ass in this ultra violent 'toon from the DC Animated Universe. As usual with these flicks, the animation and voice casting is excellent. I'm excited for the next installment, "Assault on Arkham!"

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Absurd

Agents of Shield
The Walking Dead

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Behind The Music : The Go-Go's

Black Sails - Season 2, Episode 3

Just started watching season 1 of The Walking Dead, interesting so far. Not sure if this is a show I want to binge watch though, I think maybe I'll finish the first season and then take a break for awhile and watch something else.

S.D. wrote:

Just started watching season 1 of The Walking Dead, interesting so far.  Not sure if this is a show I want to binge watch though, I think maybe I'll finish the first season and then take a break for awhile and watch something else.

I gave up after season 2. Such a boring show and all the characters were morons. I say this as someone that has read the Walking Dead comics for years. I hear it picked up in Season 3, but I'm not willing to give it another try.

Witchfinder wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Just started watching season 1 of The Walking Dead, interesting so far.  Not sure if this is a show I want to binge watch though, I think maybe I'll finish the first season and then take a break for awhile and watch something else.

I gave up after season 2.  Such a boring show and all the characters were morons.  I say this as someone that has read the Walking Dead comics for years.  I hear it picked up in Season 3, but I'm not willing to give it another try.  

I started on Netfilx and watched to catch up - actually a good show, but there are some really slow episodes.