What Did You Watch? 2013-02-16 (Saturday)

[Ubiquitous]

On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:

PLANET OF THE APES
BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
that much in 2000 years and there certainly wouldn't be any traces of
humans left when they did, not even 2000 later!
Oh yeah, I didn't know Rod Serling wrote the original movie!

What did you watch?

--
"Re-electing Obama is like backing The Titanic up and hitting the
iceberg a second time."

[Obveeus]

"Ubiquitous" <web...@polaris.net> wrote:

> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>
> PLANET OF THE APES
> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
> that much in 2000 years

Did these original films incorporate the idea of DNA manipulation by man or
did they just put forth the silly premise that apes would evolve that much
on their own?

> What did you watch?

IRON SKY: (Netflix streaming). This absurdist comedy sci-fi film pitting a
Sarah Palin style US President against a Nazi invasion force that has been
hiding on the moon. Actress Peta Seargent reminds me a lot of Megan Fox
here...and, if possible, displays even worse acting skills. I've seen her
in a few seasons of SATISFACTION, so I know she can do better (but not a lot
better). The really standout in this film, though, is Julia Dietze who
shines. As for the rest of the film, the plot is silly and the commentary
about our actual society isn't particularly deep, but overall there are
certainly worse films to watch. This one at least provides enough campiness
to make the silly stuff not anger the viewer...and the special effects are
remarkable considering this films likely TV movie sized budget.

NASCAR: The Bud Shootout, renamed the Sprint something or another. Tony
Stewart is still overly aggressive and caused a big accident early in this
race, everyone crashing behind him and he went on unscathed. I hate that.
Hard to say how the new car will perform in a real race. Some cars seemed
to lose the draft even in this 12 car field, so a long green flag run may
cause small packs to end up a lap down even on a plate track. Meanwhile,
NASCAR is going to try hard this year to discourage start and parkers, so
they say, but Terry Labonte did it in this exhibition event. :-/

[Arthur Lipscomb]

On 2/17/2013 6:00 AM, Obveeus wrote:
> "Ubiquitous" <web...@polaris.net> wrote:
>
>> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>>
>> PLANET OF THE APES
>> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
>> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
>> that much in 2000 years
>

Skipped the Tim Burton remake and Rise?

> Did these original films incorporate the idea of DNA manipulation by man or
> did they just put forth the silly premise that apes would evolve that much
> on their own?

I think you have to take with a grain of salt the apes in the original
movies are the same apes we have today without any additional evolution
beyond perhaps their vocal cords.

In Escape no one notices or comments on the future apes being any
different than present apes in their appearance. Conquest which takes
place not much later establishes that modern apes look identical to
future apes. Even their enhanced intelligence isn't really explained.

At least Rise addressed this problem and since it's sort of a reboot of
the original Ape series (there are several hints of this in the
background) it retroactively explains how the Apes gained their
intelligence in the original timeline before Taylor time traveled.

>
>> What did you watch?
>
> IRON SKY: (Netflix streaming). This absurdist comedy sci-fi film pitting a
> Sarah Palin style US President against a Nazi invasion force that has been
> hiding on the moon. Actress Peta Seargent reminds me a lot of Megan Fox
> here...and, if possible, displays even worse acting skills. I've seen her
> in a few seasons of SATISFACTION, so I know she can do better (but not a lot
> better). The really standout in this film, though, is Julia Dietze who
> shines. As for the rest of the film, the plot is silly and the commentary
> about our actual society isn't particularly deep, but overall there are
> certainly worse films to watch.

I think we'll have to disagree on that point. It would take a bit of
effort to find a worse film to watch.

This one at least provides enough campiness
> to make the silly stuff not anger the viewer...

Well this viewer was left angered...

and the special effects are
> remarkable considering this films likely TV movie sized budget.
>
>

I watched:


The Office - unnecessary hour long episode that was occasionally amusing.


Law and Order: SVU - A bit of a convoluted cold case plot. But I think
I caught an Oz inside joke since they had Harold Perrineau Jr.'s
character play an ex-con in a wheel chair, and they mentioned another
character named O'Reily who I was sure would show up played by Dean Winters.


Young Justice - "Complications" - Switching focus back to Miss Martian
and events on Black Manta's ship, Sportsmaster and Cheshire infiltrate
the ship to take their revenge on Manta and Aqualad. Pretty good
episode. Maybe, just maybe, they will wrap everything up.


Deadfall (Netflix rental) - Eric Bana and Olivia Wilde play a couple of
crooks (who are also brother and sister) on the run, who for various
convoluted reasons wind up in the home of an ex-con and his parents on
Thanksgiving. I think maybe it was trying to be a Cohens type of movie
but whatever they were going for it didn't work.


Beautiful Creatures (theatrical) - A boy in high school falls for the
new girl who is literally the girl of his dreams and a witch. On her
16th birthday she will be claimed by either the light or the dark. Her
relatives on the light and dark side each try to manipulate her to join
them and use the would be boyfriend as a pawn in their plans. The plot
was muddled and the two leads had zero chemistry. They were surrounded
by a supporting cast which included Jeromy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy
Rossum and Emma Thompson but a strong supporting cast can't save a weak
script and uncharismatic leads.

[Ian J. Ball]

In article <kfqbhu$g3k$1...@dont-email.me>,

Ubiquitous <web...@polaris.net> wrote:

> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>
> PLANET OF THE APES
> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
> that much in 2000 years and there certainly wouldn't be any traces of
> humans left when they did, not even 2000 later!
> Oh yeah, I didn't know Rod Serling wrote the original movie!
>
> What did you watch?

The other (better!) set of movies on TCM!! (I kid (some) - actually, I
like the "Apes" series as much as anyone... ;> ).

Anyway, TCM 'went to town' yesterday (it's the "31 Days of Oscar", and
TCM shows movies from a time when the Oscars were at least in the
ballpark of accurate...), so I spent a good part of the day watching
that:

I woke up too late for "On The Town", unfortunately. But I did wake up
in time for:

An American In Paris (TCM) - Still my vote for the best musical of
all-time. Now, I realize that's not the traditional choice. But if your
preference is for musical *dancing* over musical singing, this is the
correct choice.
This movie probably has the greatest closing 20 minutes of any movie
in film - it's like an impressionist painting of dance, with the
top-notch music of Gershwin (and actual *composer*, not just a
song-writer) to take it over the top.
Love this one, every time I see it (Oscar Levant cracks me up, every
time too!!).

Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings (Chiller) - Because I know David hangs
on my every word on these, I'm happy to report that this one is *much*
better than Wrong Turn 3 (WT3, remember, is the one that's so bad, that
even Janet Montgomery can do nothing to save it from wretchness!!).
But this one has a horrific (in the right way) opening, and while the
remainder doesn't stack up to the opening, it's still pretty good (you
don't need "great acting" for horror, folks!!). My only complaint about
this one is the awful (and totally unnecessary) very ending.

golf - Day #3 at the Riviera Country Club in L.A. (specifically Pacific
Palisades) was pretty uneventful - Bill Haas, son of Jay Haas, led the
whole way.

Return of the Living Dead - Arguably the best of all of the zombie
movies, and unquestionably the most ridiculous (indeed, it's probably
the best *because* it's the most ridiculous!!).
In fact, the zombies posited by RotLD are probably the *worst-case*
zombies possible, because they are:
1) "Fast" Zombies
2) Intelligent Zombies (that not only plan, but even can talk!)
3) *Unkillable* Zombies (as they're "reanimated flesh", even cutting
off their heads or destroying their brains doesn't stop them!!)
Add in a zombie cause that's basically undestroyable (more flouting the
laws of chemistry and physics!!), and you've got problems.
Best lines:
"Brains!"
"Live brains!"
"More brains!!"
Random zombie: "Send more paramedics/cops..."
Heh.
Anyway, only James Karen and Miguel A. Nunez are recognizable from
this cast. But you gotta love how they have a buck naked chick run
around for at least half the movie!

Ben-Hur (TCM) - At 4 hours, it's taken me a long time to actually sit
down and watch this, and yesterday was the day. It's definitely
over-long. But the chariot race scene is incredibly impressive (and
gruesome, for a 1950s movie!!). Anyway, this was interesting (if I
learned one thing from this flick, it's that naval warfare in 30 A.D.
was completely pointless!!), and I'm glad I saw it. But I won't be
sitting down to watch it again any time soon!... ;)

The Collector (Siffy) - Highly derivative of "Saw" (to the point that
this movie was originally pitched as a "Saw" prequel!! but they were
turned down on that...), I actually think this flick is more interesting
than most of the "Saw" flicks.
In this one, Josh Stewart from... lots of stuff, is a contractor guy
who has to steal from his employer (Michael Reilly Burke and Andrea
Roth) to bail out his wife (Daniella Alonso) and daughter (Haley Pullos
from GH) from a loan shark (Robert Wisdom). But when he breaks in to the
house to steal from them, he discovers that the house has already been
booby-trapped by some other super psycho sicko, who has taken the whole
family (save older daughter, Madeline Zima, who arrives later) hostage,
and is proceeding to torture them.
Anyway, good suspense/torture porn flick, though, again, I didn't
care for the ending (at all).

Recorded for later: Alien Surf Girls (finally got the episode "Vanished"
so I can see all 30 minutes of it!!...).

--
"Surf-crazed aliens... Of course." - Amber, "Alien Surf Girls",
Episode #1.1, "Wipeout".
Wait a minute... "Of course"?! "*Of course*"?!! Did I miss a step here??!!

[Obveeus]

"Arthur Lipscomb" <art...@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:

> On 2/17/2013 6:00 AM, Obveeus wrote:
>> IRON SKY: (Netflix streaming). This absurdist comedy sci-fi film
>> pitting a
>> Sarah Palin style US President against a Nazi invasion force that has
>> been
>> hiding on the moon. Actress Peta Seargent reminds me a lot of Megan Fox
>> here...and, if possible, displays even worse acting skills. I've seen
>> her
>> in a few seasons of SATISFACTION, so I know she can do better (but not a
>> lot
>> better). The really standout in this film, though, is Julia Dietze who
>> shines. As for the rest of the film, the plot is silly and the
>> commentary
>> about our actual society isn't particularly deep, but overall there are
>> certainly worse films to watch.
>
> I think we'll have to disagree on that point. It would take a bit of
> effort to find a worse film to watch.

In another thread/group you claimed today that BEAUTIFUL CREATURES was worse
than the TWILIGHT films. So, since the TWILIGHT films are unwatchably
horrible they and BEAUTIFUL CREATURES easily fit the bill of being worse
than IRON SKY. And at least IRON SKY is trying to be campy, like some flick
created specifically for MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000.

[Arthur Lipscomb]

On 2/17/2013 9:54 AM, Ian J. Ball wrote:
> In article <kfqbhu$g3k$1...@dont-email.me>,
> Ubiquitous <web...@polaris.net> wrote:
>
>> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>>
>> PLANET OF THE APES
>> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
>> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
>> that much in 2000 years and there certainly wouldn't be any traces of
>> humans left when they did, not even 2000 later!
>> Oh yeah, I didn't know Rod Serling wrote the original movie!
>>
>> What did you watch?
>
> The other (better!) set of movies on TCM!! (I kid (some) - actually, I
> like the "Apes" series as much as anyone... ;> ).
>
> Anyway, TCM 'went to town' yesterday (it's the "31 Days of Oscar", and
> TCM shows movies from a time when the Oscars were at least in the
> ballpark of accurate...), so I spent a good part of the day watching
> that:

I have an issue with TCM since they never show a proper HD image. I
don't know why but their HD is like a zoomed in DVD that never fills the
screen. Full frame is OK but anything widescreen makes me want to turn
the channel. I have a couple of TCM movies recorded now but I don't
know if I'm actually going to watch them or not.

>
> I woke up too late for "On The Town", unfortunately. But I did wake up
> in time for:
>
> An American In Paris (TCM) - Still my vote for the best musical of
> all-time. Now, I realize that's not the traditional choice. But if your
> preference is for musical *dancing* over musical singing, this is the
> correct choice.
> This movie probably has the greatest closing 20 minutes of any movie
> in film - it's like an impressionist painting of dance, with the
> top-notch music of Gershwin (and actual *composer*, not just a
> song-writer) to take it over the top.
> Love this one, every time I see it (Oscar Levant cracks me up, every
> time too!!).

I was going to say I've never seen it before but according to Netflix I
rented the blu-ray a few years ago and didn't like it. Must not have
left much of an impression on me.

>
>
> Return of the Living Dead - Arguably the best of all of the zombie
> movies, and unquestionably the most ridiculous (indeed, it's probably
> the best *because* it's the most ridiculous!!).

I saw it in the theater when it first came out. I always thought of it
as one of the better zombie movies; at least one of the most fun.

2 was a pure cash grab but 3 stared Sarah Douglas and had it's moments.
4 & 5 are best forgotten.

> In fact, the zombies posited by RotLD are probably the *worst-case*
> zombies possible, because they are:
> 1) "Fast" Zombies
> 2) Intelligent Zombies (that not only plan, but even can talk!)
> 3) *Unkillable* Zombies (as they're "reanimated flesh", even cutting
> off their heads or destroying their brains doesn't stop them!!)
> Add in a zombie cause that's basically undestroyable (more flouting the
> laws of chemistry and physics!!), and you've got problems.
> Best lines:
> "Brains!"
> "Live brains!"
> "More brains!!"
> Random zombie: "Send more paramedics/cops..."

That was a good line.

This is the zombie movie that explains *why* zombies eat brains, which
prior to this movie I didn't know they ate.

> Heh.
> Anyway, only James Karen and Miguel A. Nunez are recognizable from
> this cast. But you gotta love how they have a buck naked chick run
> around for at least half the movie!


>
>

> The Collector (Siffy) - Highly derivative of "Saw" (to the point that
> this movie was originally pitched as a "Saw" prequel!! but they were
> turned down on that...), I actually think this flick is more interesting
> than most of the "Saw" flicks.
> In this one, Josh Stewart from... lots of stuff, is a contractor guy
> who has to steal from his employer (Michael Reilly Burke and Andrea
> Roth) to bail out his wife (Daniella Alonso) and daughter (Haley Pullos
> from GH) from a loan shark (Robert Wisdom). But when he breaks in to the
> house to steal from them, he discovers that the house has already been
> booby-trapped by some other super psycho sicko, who has taken the whole
> family (save older daughter, Madeline Zima, who arrives later) hostage,
> and is proceeding to torture them.
> Anyway, good suspense/torture porn flick, though, again, I didn't
> care for the ending (at all).

I was going to watch the Syfy version last night. Turns out they were
showing it in the wrong aspect ratio which is generally a deal breaker
for me. So I guess I'll go ahead and rent it from Netflix.

[Arthur Lipscomb]

Iron Sky is far worse than Beautiful Creatures. I don't care what they
were trying to be, they failed on every level. Although the MST3K
treatment might have helped to make Iron Skies almost tolerable.

[Obveeus]

"Arthur Lipscomb" <art...@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:
> On 2/17/2013 10:12 AM, Obveeus wrote:
>> In another thread/group you claimed today that BEAUTIFUL CREATURES was
>> worse
>> than the TWILIGHT films. So, since the TWILIGHT films are unwatchably
>> horrible they and BEAUTIFUL CREATURES easily fit the bill of being worse
>> than IRON SKY. And at least IRON SKY is trying to be campy, like some
>> flick
>> created specifically for MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000.
>
> Iron Sky is far worse than Beautiful Creatures.

If that is true than BEAUTIFUL CREATURES must be at least 1,000 times better
than the dreck that is the TWILIGHT series.

> I don't care what they were trying to be, they failed on every level.

According to IMDB reviews:

Iron Sky rates a 6.1 from 49,000+ users. That rating is higher than any of
the TWILIGHT films and it ties the BEAUTIFUL CREATURES current rating (which
is certain to go down in the weeks to come as it reaches beyond the core-est
of audience).

[Ubiquitous]

In article <kfqnoh$959$1...@dont-email.me>, Obv...@aol.com wrote:
>"Ubiquitous" <web...@polaris.net> wrote:

>> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>>
>> PLANET OF THE APES
>> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
>> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
>> that much in 2000 years
>
>Did these original films incorporate the idea of DNA manipulation by man or
>did they just put forth the silly premise that apes would evolve that much
>on their own?

No scientific intervention, but now that you mention it, the apes took over in
1991, twenty-something years after the first movie, after they were used to
replace all the pet cats and dogs that a plaguye wiped out.

[Ubiquitous]

In article <kfr10b$p5m$1...@dont-email.me>, art...@alum.calberkeley.org wrote:
>On 2/17/2013 6:00 AM, Obveeus wrote:
>> "Ubiquitous" <web...@polaris.net> wrote:

>>> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>>>
>>> PLANET OF THE APES
>>> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
>>> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
>>> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
>>> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
>>> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
>>> that much in 2000 years
>
>Skipped the Tim Burton remake and Rise?

As far as I know, they only played the 1970's films.

Tim Burton did the remakes? Color me shocked!

[Ian J. Ball]

On Feb 17, 10:32 am, Arthur Lipscomb <art...@alum.calberkeley.org>
wrote:

> On 2/17/2013 9:54 AM, Ian J. Ball wrote:
>
> > An American In Paris (TCM) - Still my vote for the best musical of
> > all-time. Now, I realize that's not the traditional choice. But if your
> > preference is for musical *dancing* over musical singing, this is the
> > correct choice.
> >     This movie probably has the greatest closing 20 minutes of any movie
> > in film - it's like an impressionist painting of dance, with the
> > top-notch music of Gershwin (and actual *composer*, not just a
> > song-writer) to take it over the top.
> >     Love this one, every time I see it (Oscar Levant cracks me up, every
> > time too!!).
>
> I was going to say I've never seen it before but according to Netflix I
> rented the blu-ray a few years ago and didn't like it.  Must not have
> left much of an impression on me.

If you can't get in to the final 20 minutes, there's something wrong
with you!
:/

[Ian J. Ball]

On Feb 17, 10:32 am, Arthur Lipscomb <art...@alum.calberkeley.org>
wrote:

> On 2/17/2013 9:54 AM, Ian J. Ball wrote:
>
> > Return of the Living Dead - Arguably the best of all of the zombie
> > movies, and unquestionably the most ridiculous (indeed, it's probably
> > the best *because* it's the most ridiculous!!).
>
> I saw it in the theater when it first came out.  I always thought of it
> as one of the better zombie movies; at least one of the most fun.
>
> 2 was a pure cash grab but 3 stared Sarah Douglas and had it's moments.
>   4 & 5 are best forgotten.

The real virtue of RotLD 3 is that it starred (a then young) Mindy
Clarke. :)

[Obveeus]

"Ubiquitous" <web...@polaris.net> wrote:
> In article <kfqnoh$959$1...@dont-email.me>, Obv...@aol.com wrote:
>>"Ubiquitous" <web...@polaris.net> wrote:
>
>>> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>>>
>>> PLANET OF THE APES
>>> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
>>> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
>>> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
>>> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
>>> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve
>>> that much in 2000 years
>>
>>Did these original films incorporate the idea of DNA manipulation by man
>>or
>>did they just put forth the silly premise that apes would evolve that much
>>on their own?
>
> No scientific intervention,

Then yes, the level of evolution demonstrated in the films is completely
unrealistic.

> but now that you mention it, the apes took over in
> 1991, twenty-something years after the first movie, after they were used
> to
> replace all the pet cats and dogs that a plaguye wiped out.

This is why people will choose pot bellied pigs and box turtles over those
damn dirty apes.

[anim8rFSK]

In article
<ijball-NO_SPAM-983...@news.eternal-september.org>,

"Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

> Return of the Living Dead - Arguably the best of all of the zombie
> movies, and unquestionably the most ridiculous (indeed, it's probably
> the best *because* it's the most ridiculous!!).
> In fact, the zombies posited by RotLD are probably the *worst-case*
> zombies possible, because they are:
> 1) "Fast" Zombies
> 2) Intelligent Zombies (that not only plan, but even can talk!)
> 3) *Unkillable* Zombies (as they're "reanimated flesh", even cutting
> off their heads or destroying their brains doesn't stop them!!)
> Add in a zombie cause that's basically undestroyable (more flouting the
> laws of chemistry and physics!!), and you've got problems.
> Best lines:
> "Brains!"
> "Live brains!"
> "More brains!!"
> Random zombie: "Send more paramedics/cops..."
> Heh.
> Anyway, only James Karen and Miguel A. Nunez are recognizable from
> this cast. But you gotta love how they have a buck naked chick run
> around for at least half the movie!

You don't recognize Clu Gulager?? BTW, Linnea Quigley isn't actually
buck naked, she's wearing buck naked appliances ...

--
"Every time a Kardashian gets a TV show, an angel dies."

[anim8rFSK]

In article
<ijball-NO_SPAM-983...@news.eternal-september.org>,
"Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

> Ben-Hur (TCM) - At 4 hours, it's taken me a long time to actually sit
> down and watch this, and yesterday was the day. It's definitely
> over-long. But the chariot race scene is incredibly impressive (and
> gruesome, for a 1950s movie!!). Anyway, this was interesting (if I
> learned one thing from this flick, it's that naval warfare in 30 A.D.
> was completely pointless!!), and I'm glad I saw it. But I won't be
> sitting down to watch it again any time soon!... ;)

Now watch the remake with Kristen Kreuk as Ben-Hur's Chinese sister.

[anim8rFSK]

In article
<ijball-NO_SPAM-983...@news.eternal-september.org>,
"Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

> Recorded for later: Alien Surf Girls (finally got the episode "Vanished"
> so I can see all 30 minutes of it!!...).

I still haven't seen the part of one ep where plasma wackiness ensued in
the diner, and I don't even know which one it was. :(

[anim8rFSK]

In article <kfr10b$p5m$1...@dont-email.me>,

Arthur Lipscomb <art...@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:

> > Did these original films incorporate the idea of DNA manipulation by man or
> > did they just put forth the silly premise that apes would evolve that much
> > on their own?
>
> I think you have to take with a grain of salt the apes in the original
> movies are the same apes we have today without any additional evolution
> beyond perhaps their vocal cords.
>
> In Escape no one notices or comments on the future apes being any
> different than present apes in their appearance. Conquest which takes
> place not much later establishes that modern apes look identical to
> future apes. Even their enhanced intelligence isn't really explained.

Well, there's the future ape baby, but they should have had the next
film take place a couple hundred years later to explain how his brains
spread through the entire population, or at least had him like a breeder
in A Boy And His Dog.

I still don't get how the apes from the first film who'd never seen a
paper airplane, much less 'lectricity, magically dredged up Taylor's
ship, repaired it, *launched* it, and just happened to be joyriding in
orbit when the Earth blew up.

[Ian J. Ball]

On Feb 17, 11:40 am, anim8rFSK <anim8r...@cox.net> wrote:
> In article
> <ijball-NO_SPAM-98359E.09540317022...@news.eternal-september.org>,

>  "Ian J. Ball" <ijball-NO_S...@mac.invalid> wrote:
>
> > Recorded for later: Alien Surf Girls (finally got the episode "Vanished"
> > so I can see all 30 minutes of it!!...).
>
> I still haven't seen the part of one ep where plasma wackiness ensued in
> the diner, and I don't even know which one it was.  :(

That one is still coming up on TeenNICK - it's entitled "Meltdown";
it's the episode after "Surf's Up". It's apparently airing next Sunday
on TeenNICK.

[Arthur Lipscomb]

On 2/17/2013 11:45 AM, anim8rFSK wrote:
> In article <kfr10b$p5m$1...@dont-email.me>,
> Arthur Lipscomb <art...@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:
>
>>> Did these original films incorporate the idea of DNA manipulation by man or
>>> did they just put forth the silly premise that apes would evolve that much
>>> on their own?
>>
>> I think you have to take with a grain of salt the apes in the original
>> movies are the same apes we have today without any additional evolution
>> beyond perhaps their vocal cords.
>>
>> In Escape no one notices or comments on the future apes being any
>> different than present apes in their appearance. Conquest which takes
>> place not much later establishes that modern apes look identical to
>> future apes. Even their enhanced intelligence isn't really explained.
>
> Well, there's the future ape baby, but they should have had the next
> film take place a couple hundred years later to explain how his brains
> spread through the entire population, or at least had him like a breeder
> in A Boy And His Dog.
>

There was one scene when they bred him but yeah, that doesn't really
account for why his contemporaries were all almost as smart. The only
real difference is he could talk and they couldn't. Then of course in
Battle set only about 10 or so years later, suddenly *all* the apes
could talk.

> I still don't get how the apes from the first film who'd never seen a
> paper airplane, much less 'lectricity, magically dredged up Taylor's
> ship, repaired it, *launched* it, and just happened to be joyriding in
> orbit when the Earth blew up.
>

We're not supposed to ask that question! It leads to asking other
questions like how the apes suddenly knew the true history of how humans
ruled the Earth when the first Ape said "no" when in the first movie
they had *no* knowledge of their real history. Even if Dr. Zaius
somehow knew the details, I doubt if he filled them in on it.

[BTR1701]

In article <kfr10b$p5m$1...@dont-email.me>,
Arthur Lipscomb <art...@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:
>

> Law and Order: SVU - A bit of a convoluted cold case plot. But I think
> I caught an Oz inside joke since they had Harold Perrineau Jr.'s
> character play an ex-con in a wheel chair, and they mentioned another
> character named O'Reily who I was sure would show up played by Dean Winters.

This is the headline the episode was ripped from. They even got her in
an interview room and led her out in handcuffs when it was done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Lazarus

[anim8rFSK]

In article
<3e7ab5b1-1792-4304...@m9g2000pby.googlegroups.com>,

Coo, if I had a DVR, I'd program it!!

[Ubiquitous]

anim...@cox.net wrote:
> Arthur Lipscomb <art...@alum.calberkeley.org> wrote:

>> I think you have to take with a grain of salt the apes in the original
>> movies are the same apes we have today without any additional evolution
>> beyond perhaps their vocal cords.
>>
>> In Escape no one notices or comments on the future apes being any
>> different than present apes in their appearance. Conquest which takes
>> place not much later establishes that modern apes look identical to
>> future apes. Even their enhanced intelligence isn't really explained.
>
>Well, there's the future ape baby, but they should have had the next
>film take place a couple hundred years later to explain how his brains
>spread through the entire population, or at least had him like a breeder
>in A Boy And His Dog.
>
>I still don't get how the apes from the first film who'd never seen a
>paper airplane, much less 'lectricity, magically dredged up Taylor's
>ship, repaired it, *launched* it, and just happened to be joyriding in
>orbit when the Earth blew up.

Yeah, and that.

[Ubiquitous]

I thought they found out in the second movie, right before the mutants
incinerated the Earth with the doomsday weapon. Oh, wait...

[Ubiquitous]

Damn you all to hell!

[David Barnett]

In article <kfqbhu$g3k$1...@dont-email.me>,
web...@polaris.net says...
>
> What did you watch?

Yesterday, after PRISONERS OF WAR: Keep Your Soul
I watched:

MURDOCH MYSTERIES: A Study in Sherlock
I've written a separate post about this episode, with no
big spoilers.

This morning, Mon Feb 18, I watched:
CASTLE: Swan Song which was aired in the US on 12 Nov 12.

--
David Barnett

[David Johnston]

PUSH: ***

Suddenly this movie is all over my cable schedule, so why the hell not.
Its set up is better than the one for Jumper but in the end it kind of
dissolves into nonsense. Nice action scenes though.

ANIMISM THE GOD'S LAKE PROJECT: ***

The hippies manage to drive off the evil land developer and punch him in
the nose despite his ability to sprout cyborg tentacle, ending the
season. However they screw up sealing the deal and finally defeating
the evil tycoon and his wetiko, so they can have another season if they
find enough spare change in the cushions.

GAME OF THRONES: ***

Really, really pretty. They make sure to show the nekkid wimmens.

"There are only two people who like Joffrey, and that's his mother and
aunt. So..who's the other person?."

MERLIN ***

Guinevere, who is evil now, poisons Arthur by pouring it into his ear.
This isn't biologically accurate, but is historically accurate in that a
few centuries back it was an urban myth. (Shakespeare used it in
fact.). Merlin gets to use his cranky old man character again after
Evil Guinevere points the finger at him and he has to sneak out of
durance vile. He really should arrange to have his cell fixed up in
anticipation of the next time he ends up there.

RIPPER STREET ***

Disgruntled ex-military officer plans a grandiosely impractical robbery
to collect an unofficial pension for strugging ex-soldiers and tries to
induct Drake, the ex-military cop into his crew. Drakes fondness for
his former commander and his desire to have enough money to satisfy his
hooker girlfriend balances against his profession and the fact that he's
obviously dealing with a nutter.

[Hass]

On Feb 17, 4:32 am, Ubiquitous <web...@polaris.net> wrote:
> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>
> PLANET OF THE APES
> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would evolve

> that much in 2000 years and there certainly wouldn't be any traces of
> humans left when they did, not even 2000 later!
> Oh yeah, I didn't know Rod Serling wrote the original movie!
>
> What did you watch?
>

> --
> "Re-electing Obama is like backing The Titanic up and hitting the
> iceberg a second time."

Another rockin' Saturday in front of the TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats!

[Arthur Lipscomb]

On 2/17/2013 10:58 PM, David Johnston wrote:
> PUSH: ***
>
> Suddenly this movie is all over my cable schedule, so why the hell not.
> Its set up is better than the one for Jumper but in the end it kind of
> dissolves into nonsense. Nice action scenes though.

I was just thinking about Push the other day. I'd like to see it again
but my movie backlog is too massive to squeeze it in. unless they
release a sequel, then of course I'll have to watch it again.

Jumper was a bit of a let down. On the other hand I Am Number Four was
surprisingly good.

>
>
> GAME OF THRONES: ***
>
> Really, really pretty. They make sure to show the nekkid wimmens.
>
> "There are only two people who like Joffrey, and that's his mother and
> aunt. So..who's the other person?."
>

I'm eagerly anticipating the season 2 blu-rays. :-)

[Ian J. Ball]

On Feb 18, 7:44 am, Arthur Lipscomb <art...@alum.calberkeley.org>
wrote:

> Jumper was a bit of a let down.  On the other hand I Am Number Four was
> surprisingly good.

I actually would like to see "I Am Number Four", even though it sports
the teeniest-tiniest actress from Australia (I thot they were all
Amazons over there!!!) ridiculously trying to channel "Action Babe!!
1!" ;p

[Mason Barge]

I've got to second Arthur, I enjoyed it also. Number 6 is a fox!

I'll tell you what else I liked that went south at the box office, was
the one with Dakota Faninng . . . gimme a sec . . . "Push". And
Camilla Belle -- another great bit of eye candy. She has wonderful
sad eyes.

[Mason Barge]

On Sun, 17 Feb 2013 23:58:39 -0700, David Johnston
<davidjo...@block.com> wrote:

>PUSH: ***
>
>Suddenly this movie is all over my cable schedule, so why the hell not.
> Its set up is better than the one for Jumper but in the end it kind of
>dissolves into nonsense. Nice action scenes though.
>
>ANIMISM THE GOD'S LAKE PROJECT: ***
>
>The hippies manage to drive off the evil land developer and punch him in
>the nose despite his ability to sprout cyborg tentacle, ending the
>season. However they screw up sealing the deal and finally defeating
>the evil tycoon and his wetiko, so they can have another season if they
>find enough spare change in the cushions.

LOL, I've got to see that one.

>GAME OF THRONES: ***
>
>Really, really pretty. They make sure to show the nekkid wimmens.

Did this premiere or are you backtracking.

I hate to be contrary, and I completely agree about how beautiful the
show is, but I was actually surprised that there wasn't a touch more
nudity. They really needed to go full frontal with Daenerys, and not
just for reasons of salacious male viewers.

I guess it's that the stars almost all don't do undress. They needed
to cast Cersei better -- Lena Headey was a terrible choice -- and give
us a bit of skin, given her sexual nature.

[Mason Barge]

I actually was watching "THE LION KING" on Broadway. Unfortunately I
got food poisoning the following morning and have been to sick to even
watch t.v. or read since then.

I also left my brand new smartphone in the hotel room. Great trip!

Oh, for anyone interested, Lion King was just great. The plot is a
bit lame, but then, I was ready for that since it IS a kid's story.
The songs were largely forgettable (especially the non_african ones)
and the male and female leads bordered on lame.

That said -- this is without a doubt the greatest production I've ever
seen. And the choral singing was superb -- I'm sensitive to pitch,
and they were just unbelievably dead-on, even a capella. I don't see
how they could have autotuned it, either.

Grade: A+, worth every penny (and it was a lot of pennies)

And FWIW, I came *this* close to going to Spiderman instead, but the
critics hate it and I was with the wife, so took the safer choice.
Prolly made the right call, even though it would have been fun to see
the show.

[David Johnston]

On 2/18/2013 11:42 AM, Mason Barge wrote:

>
>> GAME OF THRONES: ***
>>
>> Really, really pretty. They make sure to show the nekkid wimmens.
>
> Did this premiere or are you backtracking.

Just premiered on...Bravo Canada I think.

[William December Starr]

In article <j8t4i8ttgqn563nbr...@4ax.com>,
Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> said:

> David Johnston <davidjo...@block.com> wrote:
>
>> ANIMISM THE GOD'S LAKE PROJECT: ***
>>
>> The hippies manage to drive off the evil land developer and punch
>> him in the nose despite his ability to sprout cyborg tentacle,
>> ending the season. However they screw up sealing the deal and
>> finally defeating the evil tycoon and his wetiko, so they can
>> have another season if they find enough spare change in the
>> cushions.
>
> LOL, I've got to see that one.

Sober?

-- wds

[William December Starr]

In article <mht4i8h8d51cgpuc7...@4ax.com>,

Mason Barge <mason...@gmail.com> said:

> And FWIW, I came *this* close to going to Spiderman instead, but
> the critics hate it and I was with the wife, so took the safer
> choice. Prolly made the right call, even though it would have
> been fun to see the show.

My understanding, from the news and some reviews, is that by
the time the Spider-Man musical officially opened it had been
successfully retooled from entertainingly awful to just plain
mediocre.

-- wds

[Arthur Lipscomb]

On 2/18/2013 10:55 AM, Mason Barge wrote:
> I actually was watching "THE LION KING" on Broadway. Unfortunately I
> got food poisoning the following morning and have been to sick to even
> watch t.v. or read since then.
>
> I also left my brand new smartphone in the hotel room. Great trip!
>
> Oh, for anyone interested, Lion King was just great. The plot is a
> bit lame, but then, I was ready for that since it IS a kid's story.
> The songs were largely forgettable (especially the non_african ones)
> and the male and female leads bordered on lame.

I finally caught the Lion King a few months ago. I liked it and thought
it did a pretty good job of bringing the movie to stage. The songs for
the most part are straight from the movie. My only gripe was changing
the line about doing the hula to whatever it is they changed it to.

>
> That said -- this is without a doubt the greatest production I've ever
> seen. And the choral singing was superb -- I'm sensitive to pitch,
> and they were just unbelievably dead-on, even a capella. I don't see
> how they could have autotuned it, either.
>
> Grade: A+, worth every penny (and it was a lot of pennies)
>
> And FWIW, I came *this* close to going to Spiderman instead, but the
> critics hate it and I was with the wife, so took the safer choice.
> Prolly made the right call, even though it would have been fun to see
> the show.
>

I don't care what the reviews say, if I'm ever in New York, Spiderman is
a *must* see. I'm still kicking myself a little for not seeing the
Batman touring stage show when it came to town; well near town.

A few years ago I started to buy season tickets so now I see all the
touring shows. But Spiderman strikes me as the type of show that won't
tour; or at least if it did it wouldn't be the in your face experience
that you'd get in New York.

[WrongWayWade]

Ubiquitous wrote:
> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>
> PLANET OF THE APES
> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES

This was always my favorite. The deal where the mutants worship the Bomb is
priceless. "And the holy fallout...." Great stuff.

[Ubiquitous]

And them ripping off their "Mission Impossible" style face masks,
revealing their true faces to their gawd, the bomb! Why do they bother
and why did they use masks of different sub-racial types?

[Ubiquitous]

mason...@gmail.com wrote:

>I actually was watching "THE LION KING" on Broadway.

And N*wport just jizzed in his pants...

>Oh, for anyone interested, Lion King was just great.

Ibid.

[Ubiquitous]

bhass...@gmail.com wrote:
>On Feb 17, 4:32�am, Ubiquitous <web...@polaris.net> wrote:

>> On the 45th anniversary of The Planet of the Apes, I watched:
>>
>> PLANET OF THE APES
>> BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES
>> CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
>> A decent set of movies to watch, but I don't think primates would
>> evolve that much in 2000 years and there certainly wouldn't be any
>> traces of humans left when they did, not even 2000 later!
>> Oh yeah, I didn't know Rod Serling wrote the original movie!
>>
>> What did you watch?
>

>Another rockin' Saturday in front of the TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats!

Eat yer heart out, boy.

[anim8rFSK]

In article <anim8rfsk-0808F...@news.easynews.com>,

Hmm. I wonder why I thought it was on Sunday ...

[Ian J. Ball]

On Feb 24, 6:04 pm, anim8rFSK <anim8r...@cox.net> wrote:
> In article <anim8rfsk-0808FB.15331217022...@news.easynews.com>,

>  anim8rFSK <anim8r...@cox.net> wrote:
> > In article

> > <3e7ab5b1-1792-4304-9997-4b27a6593...@m9g2000pby.googlegroups.com>,

> >  "Ian J. Ball" <ijb...@mac.com> wrote:
>
> > > On Feb 17, 11:40 am, anim8rFSK <anim8r...@cox.net> wrote:
> > > > In article
> > > > <ijball-NO_SPAM-98359E.09540317022...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> > > >  "Ian J. Ball" <ijball-NO_S...@mac.invalid> wrote:
>
> > > > > Recorded for later: Alien Surf Girls (finally got the episode "Vanished"
> > > > > so I can see all 30 minutes of it!!...).
>
> > > > I still haven't seen the part of one ep where plasma wackiness ensued in
> > > > the diner, and I don't even know which one it was.  :(
>
> > > That one is still coming up on TeenNICK - it's entitled "Meltdown";
> > > it's the episode after "Surf's Up". It's apparently airing next Sunday
> > > on TeenNICK.
>
> > Coo, if I had a DVR, I'd program it!!
>
> Hmm.  I wonder why I thought it was on Sunday ...

Dang typos!... :o


Ian (...though it's possible that, when I typed that, my cable guide
was actually telling me it was going to air on Sunday instead of
Saturday... :/ )

[anim8rFSK]

In article
<65f49778-c122-4187...@vh9g2000pbb.googlegroups.com>,

I appreciate your trying; this kind of dedication is why we will
*always* rely on your lists!