Shhhh! Digital Media Watch Party Channel

Not so much a channel per se, as it is a schedule of movies and streaming television being watched at Shhhh! Digital Media, either during my working or leisures hours, Sunday to Saturday, every week of every month, at least three times a week.

I used to be quite a movie buff and I still enjoy watching cult classics from the Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Comedy and Horror genres.

I'll be posting my scheduled upcoming watches up to three days in advance, occasionally scheduling some on short notice. Every scheduled event will have additional trivia and facts about the movies I've chosen.

Generally, I choose from a variety of streaming channels. Amazon Prime, River TV, Netflix, Disney Plus etc, so you'll be able to watch it at roughly the same time.

Every movie will be connected in one or more ways to the movie that preceded it. For example: I recently played David Cronenberg's adaption of the horror classic: The Fly. The next movie after The Fly is/was Beetlejuice, as both movies star Gina Davis. The movie that comes after Beetlejuice will be in some way connected to it, but I won't tell you how.

Stay tuned for upcoming watch parties...


Please be advised that these watch parties involve movies intended for an adult audience. Viewer discretion is advised unless otherwise noted.

2024 (Newest First)

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Sunday December 1, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

4:00 PM Wolverine Versus Deadpool - DisneyPlus
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Wade "Deadpool" Wilson is approached by the Time Variance Authority to undertake a mission of redemption, however, Wolverine, his reluctant accomplice ends up becoming the greatest obstacle in accomplishing the mission.

Definitely a great action/comedy movie with a typically Deadpool dark twist, though I can see this movie being enjoyable to those just coming into the franchise for the first time. The returning performances were awesome all around, not to mention the arrival of a perfectly played Gambit was definitely a shoutout to fans of the X-Men '97 series (which seems to be serving as the foundation for Marvel's venture into the cinematic world of X-Men).

Seeing Elektra too was a reminder of just how great Jennifer's original portrayal was and how it is worth checking out again, especially with all of the Zhang Yimou meets George Martin style art direction going on and present in both films. The writing was very polished and clever, but played out like it was all improvised, not to mention the main event will keep Wolverine and Deadpool fans satisfied for some time to come. 

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Saturday October 26, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

3:30 AM Escape From New York - Plex
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In the future, crime is out of control and New York City's Manhattan is a maximum security prison. Grabbing a bargaining chip right out of the air, convicts bring down the President's plane in bad old Gotham. Gruff Snake Plissken, a one-eyed lone warrior new to prison life, is coerced into bringing the President, and his cargo, out of this land of undesirables.

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Sunday October 27, 2024 Eastern Standard Time



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Ultimate Self-Defense Championship (USDC) is a YouTube reality series
that pits six martial arts experts against each other in various self-defense
challenges.

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Sunday October 20, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

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Ultimate Self-Defense Championship (USDC) is a YouTube reality series
that pits six martial arts experts against each other in various self-defense
challenges.

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Gratis Action Sunday================================

Sunday October 13, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

3:45 PM Black Hawk Down - Paramount+

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160 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.



Thankful Action Saturday================================

Saturday October 12, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

9:00 PM Red October - iTunes Rental

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A new technologically-superior Soviet nuclear sub, the Red October, is heading for the U.S. coast under the command of Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery). Based off the military thriller by Tom Clancy and directed by John McTiernan.

Remarks: Absolute classic film and cast, and perhaps one of the most incredible films featuring the dynamics involved in Navy operations, and strategic intelligence, and how they all come together in the hands of experienced men gamble everything they have on an informed hunch.

Serene Saturday=======================================

Saturday October 5, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

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For generations, Welton Academy students have been groomed to live lives of conformity and tradition-until a charismatic new professor, John Keating, inspires them to think for themselves.

Dedicated to Robin Williams and his brilliant performance and to my frenemy Ian Philips, another of life's hidden poets.

What is now, was then
What was then, is nought
What is to be and when,
Are now what's just thought

Living in the past, 
Makes harbour for regret
The good things you remember,
Are the future you beset.

...

There is no I in Us or We

B. Johns


There isn't an I in Us or We, because there are two Is in Wii

Nintendo (their response to my shortest poem is a true story from the turn of the millennium)

Friendly Friday=======================================

Friday October 4, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

9:00 PM Pleasantville - iTunes Account (Sorry, had to change the watch schedule)
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Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves transported to a 1950s sitcom where their influence begins to profoundly change that colorless, complacent world.

Remarks: One of my favourite movies of all time, and certainly a partner in inspiration of everything here of a constructive and creative nature here at Shhhh! Digital Media. Pleasantville is The Wizard Of Oz of my generation. I can only hope that it inspires people much the same into the future and beyond. An incredible work of art by the writer, cast and crew alike, and a perfect cameo role by veteran performer Don Knotts.

For more by writer Gary Ross, see the movies Big (Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Banks) and Dave (Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver). 

Gary Ross also wrote the screenplays for Hunger Games and Ocean's 8.

Sunday Matinee========================================

Sunday September 29, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

9:00 PM Mad Max: Furiosa - Amazon Prime (rental) (half today, half tomorrow)
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The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max.

Absolutely epic story, brilliant performances, photography and art direction.

Sunday Matinee========================================

Sunday September 29, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

2:00 PM Barry Lyndon - Google Play Movies
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An Irish rogue wins the heart of a rich widow and assumes her dead husband's aristocratic position in 18th-century England.

Remarks: Every frame a masterpiece, and poetic every line of dialogue.

Sunday Matinee========================================

Sunday September 29, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

11:00 AM Barbie - Google Play Movies - Google Play Movies
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Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.

Movie Trivia: The character "Weird Barbie" is a hommage to commedienne Phyllis Diller.

Sunday Matinee========================================

Sunday September 29, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

10:00 AM The Book Of Boba Fett: Episode One - Stranger In A Strange Land - Disney+

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No longer just a hired gun, the veteran of the Mandalorian wars reinvents himself on Tatooine alongside Fennec Shand, as the former republic needs both two sides. The one offered by the former Galactic Empire, and the Mandalorian solution he offers.

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Saturday September 28, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

12:30 PM Hero - iTunes Account
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A defense officer, Nameless, was summoned by the King of Qin regarding his success of terminating three warriors.

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Saturday September 28, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

11:30 PM Samurai Champloo Episode 19: Unholy Union - Crunchyroll
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Fuu harbors a female fugitive who's on the run from a bogus, gun-slinging missionary. The new girl is trouble, no doubt about it, but she may hold the finding the samurai who smells like sunflowers.

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Saturday September 28, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

11:00 PM Samurai Champloo Episode 2: Redeye Reprisal - Crunchyroll
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When Mugen wounds an enemys arm, it sets off a dangerous chain reaction. Fuu is kidnapped, and two deadly assassins are dispatched to make short work of vagabond Mugen and ronin Jin.

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Monday September 2, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

2:00 PM Tombstone - Disney+ 
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Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday team-up to dispense justice.


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Sunday August 11, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

2:00 PM ACCA: 13 Territory Inpection Department Episode 2 - Crunchyroll (Free Trials Available)
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"ACCA" is a giant unified syndicate residing in a kingdom split into 13 autonomous regions. ACCA was formed back when there was threat of a coup d'etat, and it has continued to protect the peace of civilians for almost one hundred years. Jean Otus, the vice-chairman of the inspections department at ACCA headquarters, is one of the most cunning men in the syndicate's history with the nickname "Jean the Cigarette Peddler." Whimsically puffing his cigarettes, he wanders through the 13 districts, checking to see if there is any foul play afoot.

Discretion Advised
(Contains tobacco usage, references to cigarettes)

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Sunday August 11, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

1:30 PM ACCA: 13 Territory Inpection Department Episode 1 - Crunchyroll (Free Trials Available)
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"ACCA" is a giant unified syndicate residing in a kingdom split into 13 autonomous regions. ACCA was formed back when there was threat of a coup d'etat, and it has continued to protect the peace of civilians for almost one hundred years. Jean Otus, the vice-chairman of the inspections department at ACCA headquarters, is one of the most cunning men in the syndicate's history with the nickname "Jean the Cigarette Peddler." Whimsically puffing his cigarettes, he wanders through the 13 districts, checking to see if there is any foul play afoot.

Discretion Advised
(Contains tobacco usage, references to cigarettes)


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Sunday August 11, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

1:00 PM PuraOre! Episode 2 - Crunchyroll (Free Trials Available)
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Sports themed Anime in support of the Olympics

Manaka’s competitive spirit ignites when she discovers ice hockey! Even though she’s a rookie, she’s got her sights set on Nikko City’s hockey team, where girls aim for the top as they compete in this full-contact sport. After finally convincing her childhood friends and her sister to play, they join a team of girls ready to go for the goal!

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Sunday August 11, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

12:30 PM PuraOre! Episode 1 - Crunchyroll (Free Trials Available)
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Sports themed Anime in support of the Olympics

Manaka’s competitive spirit ignites when she discovers ice hockey! Even though she’s a rookie, she’s got her sights set on Nikko City’s hockey team, where girls aim for the top as they compete in this full-contact sport. After finally convincing her childhood friends and her sister to play, they join a team of girls ready to go for the goal!

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Saturaday August 10, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

11:00 AM Shogun Episode 10 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

I apologize for the mix-up. Episode 10 is the last episode in the series.

My review?

What light from the fire,
it speaks boldly in brilliance,
but then the water.

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Monday August 5, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

10:05 PM Shogun Episode 9 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Sunday August 5, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

5:00 PM Prey - FX(Disney+)
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A woman of an indigenous tribe seeking to ascend the limits of their tradition, finds herself facing off against not only the advanced technology of European colonizers, but a hunter of unspeakable power and abilities.

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Sunday August 5, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

2:30 PM The Predator - Disney+
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A young boy triggers the return of the universe's most lethal hunters.

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Sunday August 4, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

11:00 PM Predators - Disney+
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Elite Warriors suddenly awake to find they've been kidnapped as the prey in a deadly game.

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Sunday August 4, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

8:45 PM Predator - Disney+
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On a mission in a Central American jungle to attack a guerrila encamptment, a team of commandos find themselves hunted by a dangerous warrior.

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Saturday August 3, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

7:45 PM Boogiepop Phantom Episode 2 Portraits In Darkness - Crunchyroll
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Five years ago, a string of grisly murders shook the city to its core. Now, panic and terror have returned and this time it has a name: Boogiepop. Everyone knows about Boogiepop: Death incarnate, she stalks the night in search of fresh victims. Meet her and you simply... vanish. In the darkness, glass shatters and time stands still.... You can sense it. There’s something out there... and its coming closer. Are you safe?

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Saturday August 3, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

7:15 PM Boogiepop Phantom Episode 1 Portraits From Memory - Crunchyroll
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Five years ago, a string of grisly murders shook the city to its core. Now, panic and terror have returned and this time it has a name: Boogiepop. Everyone knows about Boogiepop: Death incarnate, she stalks the night in search of fresh victims. Meet her and you simply... vanish. In the darkness, glass shatters and time stands still.... You can sense it. There’s something out there... and its coming closer. Are you safe?

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Saturday August 3, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

5:00 PM Shogun Episode 8 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Saturday August 3, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

2:00 PM Shogun Episode 7 - FX (Disney+) 
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Saturday August 3, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

1:00 PM Shogun Episode 6 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Saturday August 3, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

12:00 PM Shogun Episode 5 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Friday August 2, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

7:05 PM Black Widow - Disney+
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The legendary member of the Avengers Natasha Romanov, confronts her history as a spy, reliving the dangerous missions and the broken relationships left in the wake of her life.

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Double Feature Intermission

Friday August 2, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

6:55 PM One Shots: Team Thor Part 2 - Disney+
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See more of the hilarious partnership between Thor and his roommate Darryl.

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Double Feature Intermission

Friday August 2, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

6:50 PM One Shots: Team Thor Part 1 - Disney+
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This short satire suggests what Thor might have been doing during the Avengers' civil war.

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Double Feature Intermission

Friday August 2, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

6:45 PM Mickey Down Under - Disney+

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Mickey and Pluto vacation in Australia.

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Friday August 2, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

4:00 PM Shang-Chi: Legend Of The Ten Rings - Disney+ (sorry, ran a bit late)
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Shang-Chi must confront his past, having operated as an assassin in his father's interest, his father being the leader of the Ten Rings organization: the most notorious dynastic syndicate in history.

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Saturday July 27, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

11:30 PM VTuber Legend - Crunchyroll
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Yuki Tanaka is a VTuber at Live-On, one of Japan’s largest VTuber companies, as the polite and ladylike Awayuki Kokorone. One day, she forgets to end the stream, and viewers see her real personality—irreverent, improper, and prone to imbibing after a long day. Yuki is surprised to find that her accident caused her rankings to multiply, so she doubles down and gets to work. She’ll be a star yet!

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Saturday July 27, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

9:00 PM Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins - Netflix
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In this high octane origin story, a warrior seeks revenge for the murder of his father.

Remarks: Awesome martial arts action epic, including many faces I was overjoyed to see in the film. Great action movie.

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Saturday July 27, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

12:30 PM Deadpool 2 - Disney+
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Deadpool finds himself caught up in a plot involving a pyrokinetic mutant he meets while imprisoned, and takes it upon himself to help said mutant seek justice.

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Saturday July 27, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

11:30 AM She-Hulk (Episode 5) - Disney+
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She-Hulk discovers Titania owns the name “She-Hulk” and is suing her for trademark infringement. Many cameos in this episode.

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Saturday July 27, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

11:15 AM Barnyard Olympics (1932) - Disney+
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Mickey Mouse and a variety of other farm animals compete in a series of summer sports events. (Younger family member friendly)

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Friday July 26, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

11:00 PM The Wolverine - Disney+
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Logan's life begins to change when he is summoned by an old Japanese war veteran who seeks to repay a debt to the Wolverine. However, Wolverine's sleeping hours are met by the phantoms of his conscience.

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Saturday July 6, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

3:00 PM Samurai Champloo Episode 15 - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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Two rebels of the Japanese Feudal era team up with an escaped hostess on a quest for liberation and for the Sunflower Samurai.

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Saturday July 6, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

3:00 PM Ergo Proxy 17 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A police officer investigates mysterious crimes taking place in her city, spurring an adventure that upends her life and her understanding of the foundations of her society.

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Saturday July 6, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

1:30 PM Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Disney+ (Sorry, ran a bit late. Guess I'm a projaculationist).
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The Rebel Alliance organizes a team of outcasts to conduct a mission against the Galactic Empire in a bid to begin the events that may eventually lead to their downfall. Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk

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Saturday July 6, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

11:30 AM Shogun Episode 4 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Friday July 5, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

11:45 PM Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves - Netflix
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Once again, following tonight's theme of sword and sworcery, this film reflects the Forgotten Realms D&D campaign setting, bringing the cast up against the Red Wizards Of Thay, a despotic order of magic-users who seek to rule Faerun. Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Kyle Hixon, Spencer Wilding.

A great movie and cast, that really breathes life into the essence of what the fervor of D&D is all about. Great performances by the whole cast, but its always great to see Hugh Grant playing the bad side as much as it is seeing him play the good side in movies like Four Weddings And A Funeral. Michelle Rodriquez is hilarious as a devious and resourceful Barbarian. Chris Pine brings the role defining charisma to the performance of his Bard.

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Friday July 5, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

8:30 PM Willow - Disney+
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A husband (just think Hobbits and you're on the right track) and father named Willow longs to qualify as a Wizard's apprentice with the local Master Wizard. However, when a Daikini (human) child ends up in the care of his family, a much more sinister plot emerges that requires Willow to go on a grand adventure and become the Wizard he longs to be. Starring Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis (as Willow), Patricia Hayes, Gavan O'Herlihy, Phil Fondacaro and Pat Roach. Written by Bob Dolman based upon a story by George Lucas.

There will be a second show or movie (which I haven't yet picked), but likely closer to starting at or near midnight on July 5.

My choosing this film (which is one of my favourites of all time), is directly connected to having recently played the free to play Dark And Darker, a great Massively Multiplayer Online first person dungeon crawler that is already very entertaining and has so much future potential that it got me in the mood to see this one. I say this even though they wouldn't let me name my account ShhhhDigital unfortunately. So LegendaryOfXarn it is.

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Thursday July 4, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

3:30 PM National Geographic: Born In China - National Geographic (Disney+)
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The struggle for survival of animals living in the diverse biomes to be found within China is documented with incredible videography, as the stories of these animals is told.

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Thursday July 4, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

2:30 PM National Geographic: Women Of Impact - National Geographic (Disney+)
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National Geographic chronicles the lives of women, whom are all pioneers in their field and for women everywhere. Their stories are delivered by them and in their own words in this incredible documentary.

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Thursday July 4, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

1:30 PM She-Hulk Episode 1 - Marvel (Disney+)
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Jennifer Walters, a principled lawyer working at a firm has a bizarre accident involving her cousin Bruce Banner, and ends up with powers similar to those of the Avengers member, Hulk. However, unlike her cousin, she manages to immediately strike a balance and maintains her own psyche, even when in the form of She-Hulk. She continues her life and career as both a lawyer and She-Hulk. Starring Tatiana Maslany, Jameela Jamil, Josh Segarra, Ginger Gonzaga, Renee Elise Goldberry. Special appearance by Mark Ruffalo.

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Thursday July 4, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

12:30 PM Shogun Episode 3 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Wednesday July 3, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

1:30 PM Shogun Episode 2 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Monday July 1, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

1:30 PM Mulan - Disney+
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A young woman who lives in a Chinese village pretends to be a man in order to protect her father and her family's honour when soldiers come looking for recruits to stop an organized band of marauders who've been terrorizing the land. As she maintains this lie, which is harming her Chi (body and life force energy), it becomes clear that the marauders have much more dire ambitions against the throne of China. Starring Liu Yeifei, Donnie Yen, Gong Li, Jet Li, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An

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Monday July 1, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

12:30 PM Shogun Episode 1 - FX (Disney+)
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An incredible modern adaption of James Clavell's novel into an epic miniseries depicting the final months leading up to the end of the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira.

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Wednesday April 11, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

4:30 PM Tournament - Plex TV (Free On Demand)
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An action thriller set in modern times, where the premise involves a 
battle royale style tournament run by the wealthy, between world class 
assassins in a game where death is guaranteed for at least all but one of 
the contestants. This year however is different, as a civilian has become 
entangled in the tournament, and gains the trust and protection of a an 
attractive female assassin. The previous year's winner however has other 
plans for this life and death contest.

Movie Connection:

Both films involve a group of overseers, who are crafting the consequences 
of mishaps together towards some meaningful outcome in order to maintain 
their form of order over the whole.

In L.A. Confidential, these men are the Police Chief and District Attorney, 
while in Tournament, they are a group of wealthy elites headed by a man named 
Powers. Whatever circumstances occur to undermine public perception or order, 
these groups adapt the overall narrative to maintain their control over the situation.

Both movies include great actions sequences and star performances by their leads.
For excelent stunt and martial arts action, Tournament is particularly good, especially 
where they showcase the skills of the character Lai Lai Zhen.

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Wednesday April 11, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

2:00 PM L.A. Confidential - Plex TV (Free On Demand)
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A gripping Police drama and mystery set in 1940s Los Angeles.
The story is woven around an attractive and empathic call girl, and three 
exceptional Police Officers. The first is regarded as an instinctual brute who 
protects women, the second is a strategist and master of department 
politics, while the third is a Police consultant on the fictional television show 
Badge Of Honour. The three officers team up to solve a series of murders 
from connected cases, one of which established the tone of, and threatens to 
undo their current careers with the department.

Movie Connection: 

Both movies are of the neo-noir genre of film, set in the dark and gritty 
backdrop of a large bustling city, weaving themes of power, corruption and 
justice into a gripping story. Both movies were critically acclaimed at their 
time of release, and were both nominated for multiple academy awards.

This edition of Movie Connection was made possible with the assistance of 
Windows 11 Co-Pilot, an AI assistant, and facts.net and mentalfloss.com.

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Saturday March 30, 2024 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

12:00 PM The Dark Knight - Netflix On Demand
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A masked vigilante takes on the organized crime that thwarts his home 
city of Gotham, however, a man who symbolizes chaos itself pulls the 
carpet from beneath his and everyone else's feet. Can the vigilante save 
those he deems himself to protect?

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November 2023 Adventures...


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Tuesday November 21, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

2:00 PM Incitement (Subtitled) - Amazon Prime (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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Details the year leading to the assassination of Israel's Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995), from the point of view of the assassin.

Thoughts: An interesting movie, and certainly a telling possibility of how radicalization can occur on any side of the fence, as both sides each have their own forms of extremism. Really underlines the difficulty in securing the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

Recent events with the October 7 attacks on Israeli settlements by Hamas militants underline this fact, considering that it took almost two months before anyone else in the world was willing to refer to Hamas' attacks as war crimes against Israeli civilians. The danger is that the extremes on either side could use such events to justify further atrocities. Perhaps there truly is a perpetual motion machine, despite thermodynamics defying any such possibility. The perpetual motion machine that represents an on-going, constant conflict.

Movie Connection: This movie will stand on its own, but it is connected in terms of the culmination of the final event it depicts, to the plot of the most recent episode of The Two Butterflies - We Who Stand On Guard Episode 7, which is currently a work in progress at the time of this writing (November 21, 2023) and the intense research required. This episode of We Who Stand On Guard is a one-time reflection (and speculation) of the connection between world events and the lives of those working in covert operations and their connection to regional and global politics.

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Friday November 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

5:30 PM Everything, Everywhere, All At Once - Amazon Prime (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A Chinese woman and her family discover that their lives are intertwined with the future of the entirety of reality.


Wow. It made me cry several times, especially about the singer, and her final kiss in the movie. Incredible movie, and perhaps one of the most incredible movies I've seen for a long, long time. Wow. 


Movie Connection: coming soon...

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Friday November 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

5:30 PM Samurai Champloo - Redeye Reprisal 2 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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Two rebels of the Japanese Feudal era team up with an escaped hostess on a quest for liberation and for the Sunflower Samurai.

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Friday November 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

5:00 PM Berzerk: Golden Age Arc 1 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A lone swordsman is defeated in a duel, and the price of the debt incurred by the battle both grows an immense friendship and the seeds of betrayal in this epic fantasy anime.

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Friday November 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

4:30 PM Gunslinger Girl 1 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A Social Welfare Agency saves the lives of terminal patients, most of whom are young girls who've lost their families. Then it educates them how to survive in "hostile environments" with the help of their handlers.

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Friday November 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

4:00 PM Samurai Champloo - Tempestuous Temperaments 1 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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Two rebels of the Japanese Feudal era team up with an escaped hostess on a quest for liberation and for the Sunflower Samurai.

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Friday November 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

3:25 PM Paranoia Agent 1 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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The modern regimented scheduled world and a variety of characters within meet the mystery of dreams through a cute toy that becomes the iconic brand of a lost generation.

However, being at one end of the scale, it begets its own diametrical opposite who quickly becomes a destructive and violent social media phenomenon of equal proportions dubbed by the media as L'il Slugger.

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Friday November 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

3:00 PM Ergo Proxy 16 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A police officer investigates mysterious crimes taking place in her city, spurring an adventure that upends her life and her understanding of the foundations of her society.

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Saturday November 4, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

11:00 AM Ergo Proxy Episodes 9-15 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A police officer investigates mysterious crimes taking place in her city, spurring an adventure that upends her life and her understanding of the foundations of her society.

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Friday November 3, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4) Sorry, running late.

10:00 PM A Quiet Place II - Amazon Prime (On Demand. Free trial available)
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Mysterious beasts invade the Earth, and are drawn to their human prey by the sounds and noises they make, requiring everyone to live without noise.

Movie Connection: Both Ergo Proxy and A Quiet Place II feature strong and complex female lead characters. In A Quiet Place 2, Evelyn Abbott (played by Emily Blunt) is a mother of three who has to protect her children from the dangers of the outside world, while also dealing with her grief and trauma.

In Ergo Proxy, Re-l  Mayer (voiced by Ri Saito in the Japanese dub and TRachel Hirschfeld in the English dub), is a granddaughter of the Regent of Romdeau, aa city that values order and stability. She is independent, intelligent, and rebellious, and often clashes with the order of the society she lives in.

The answers on this particular Movie Connection were made possible by Microsoft Copilot for Windows 11. Copilot is an operating system integrated AI assistant. These answers have been validated where applicable.  

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Friday November 3, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4) Sorry, running late.

6:30 PM Ergo Proxy Episodes 6-9 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A police officer investigates mysterious crimes taking place in her city, spurring an adventure that upends her life and her understanding of the foundations of her society.

Movie Connection: Interesting connections between Ergo Proxy and the season of Autumn:

  • Ergo Proxy's opening theme song by the band Monoral (of which I am a fan), is called Kiri, which is also the Japanese word for fog or mist, which in turn is a common feature of Autumn.

  • Ergo Proxy's setting is a post-apocalyptic world where humans live in domed cities, could be seen as a metaphor for the decay and death of nature that occurs in Autumn, as well as the isolation and loneliness that some people feel during this season.

  • *** Slight Spoiler Ahead *** Ergo Proxy's plot deals with a mysterious virus which infects androids, causing them to become self-aware and sometimes rebel against humans. This plot element could be related to the theme of transformation and change that is characterized of the season Autumn, as well as the idea of facing one's own inner demons and finding one's true identity.

The answers on this particular Movie Connection were made possible by a collaboration between myself and Microsoft Copilot for Windows 11. Copilot is an operating system integrated AI assistant. These answers have been validated where applicable.  

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Tuesday November 1, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

9:30 PM Ergo Proxy Episodes 1-3 (Anime) - (Crunchy Roll) (On Demand. Free trial available) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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A police officer investigates mysterious crimes taking place in her city, spurring an adventure that upends her life and her understanding of the foundations of her society.

Movie Connection: Both have connections to Star Wars: Harrison Ford in the Temple Of Doom also played the spirited smuggler, Han Solo, while voice actor Liam O'Brien who voiced Vincent Law in English dub of Ergo Proxy, also voiced characters from several LucasArts Star Wars video games not to mention  animated series. 

Both have connections to The Lord Of The Rings: Johnathan Rhys-Davies (who played Sallah in Raiders Of The Lost Ark) also played the Dwarf Gimli in the Peter Jackson Lord Of The Rings movie adaption. In Ergo Proxy, the voice performer Travis Willingham, who voiced Iggy in the English dub also voiced Thorin Oakenshield in the video game Lord Of The Rings: War In The North. 

Connections to Ridley Scott's iconic film Blade Runner: Kate Capshaw, was married to Stephen Spielberg who was a big fan of Blade Runner. So much so that he almost ended up directing an immediate Blade Runner sequel back in the 1980s. In Ergo Proxy, Koji Yusa, who voiced Raul Creed in the Japanese dub of Ergo Proxy, also voiced Roy Batty in the Japanese theatrical release of Blade Runner.

The answers on this particular Movie Connection were made possible by Microsoft Copilot for Windows 11. Copilot is an operating system integrated AI assistant. These answers have been validated where applicable.  

Future answers will include responses from other various AI assistants. The very first AI assistant I asked to help me about with these and other content production related issues was Google Bard (credited below for the connection between the late 1980s movies Firestarter and Beetlejuice).

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Tuesday November 1, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

7:30 AM Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom - (Amazon Prime) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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Indy's adventures continue as he and his friends take on a dangerous cult.

Movie Connection: Harrison Ford is (obviously) in both movies and turns great performances in both films, but what most people don't know is that legendary stuntman/actor Pat Roach is also in both movies for a significant role. In Raiders Of The Lost Ark, he plays the muscular Nazi aircraft mechanic. In The Temple Of Doom, he plays the muscular Chief Guard in the cult. 

SPOILER 
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During flying wing scene, Indy faces off against the mechanic in one of the most iconic action sequences of film, while this same fight is mirrored in The Temple Of Doom when Indy faces off against the Chief Guard. Both the mechanic and the Chief Guard have a gruelling death.
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Tuesday November 1, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

7:30 AM Raiders Of The Lost Ark - (Amazon Prime) (On Demand. Free trial available)
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An archaeologist and his partner adventure to Egypt in order to recover an important relic before the Nazis do.


Movie Connection: Both movies were produced by Paramount Pictures. Both movies have stars who've worked with director Steven Spielberg. Both films were nominated for Oscars, but were awarded one each at the Oscars ceremony. Both films have nods to the directing and story telling of director Alfred Hitchcock. 

The answers on this particular Movie Connection were made possible by Microsoft Copilot for Windows 11. Copilot is an operating system integrated AI assistant. These answers have been validated where applicable.


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Tuesday October 24, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

2:00 PM Scream - Paramount+ - (Amazon Prime) (On Demand and free trial) This time for sure.
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A series of horrific deaths in their small town lead to a group of friends becoming the targets of a masked killer.


Movie Connection: Drew Barrymore starred in both Firestarter and Scream.


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Saturday October 21, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

5:00 PM Alien - STARZ - (Amazon Prime) (On Demand and free trial)
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In this little known low budget thriller, the seven person crew of the refinery tugship Nostromo are awakened out of hypersleep on their way to Earth to investigate a mysterious signal on the planet LV-426.

Movie Connection: This was a last minute choice so the movie connection movie will be Scream on Sunday.


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Friday October 20, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

2:00 PM Firestarter - STARZ - (Amazon Prime) (On Demand and free trial)
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A young girl (Drew Barrymore) on the run from a dangerous agency harbours a dark secret her pursuers seek to exploit. Her father (David Keith) tries his best to protect her, while keeping his own secrets from their pursuers (Martin Sheen and George C. Scott).

Movie Connection: The connection between Beetlejuice and Firestarter is that their plots are uncannily similar, albeit one is a comedy while the other is a thriller/horror flick.

Both movies involve protagonists coming to grips with their emerging special abilities: Lydia's (Wynona Ryder) ability to communicate with the deceased in Beetlejuice and Charlie's (Drew Barrymore) abilities of pyro and telekinesis in Firestarter.

Both movies involve protagonists who are trying to avert being exploited by the antagonists of the movies. In Beetlejuice, Lydia is trying to escape Beetlejuice's (Michael Keaton) plans to liberate him from the afterlife, and also Otho's (Glenn Shadix) plans to exploit the paranormal they discover in Lydia's home, while in Firestarter, Charlie is trying to escape "The Shop" also known as "The Institute" who are experimenting on her to uncover the means of her powers and to weaponize them.


Notes And Credit Due: In all honesty, I have to credit this connection to the amazing abilities of Google Bard. Although I was initially going to go with the similarities between Lydia and Charlie before talking with Bard about the topic, Google Bard found so many ways that the two movies are connected via similar plots that I had to include Bard's observations.

This brings up an interesting point in that Bard and other platforms are great tools for content elaboration. Whereby the content creator has an idea for interesting content, but they don't have the time or resources to extrapolate the kind of information they need to make it meaningful to the end user. That's exactly where Google Bard, Open AI and Microsoft's ChatGPT, Amazon's Titan and Bedrock and IBM's Watson come into play. 

I do not use AI at the time of this writing to create content (yet), but I have no plans to use AI for writing or to create plots for my stories. I will always create the plots and do the writing myself, though I at times benefit from a spell checker and on very rare occasions, grammer proofing. 

In the future though, I will be examining in detail the many options there are for using AI in content creation, especially for interactive media.

In the future I will be trying other AI platforms for similar extrapolation as finding the connections between two seemingly unrelated movies. 

Once again, thank you Google Bard :-)

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Wednesday October 18, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

3:18 PM (Oops!) Beetlejuice - STARZ (Amazon Prime) (On Demand and free trial)
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A halloween comedy starring Gina Davis, Wynona Ryder, Michael Keaton and Alec Baldwin, directed by the poster boy for Halloween himself, Tim Burton and with a great musical score by Danny Elfman.

A recently deceased couple (Gina Davis and Alec Baldwin) find themselves in the afterlife and in the need of the services of Beetlejuice, a legendary ghost who scares the living out of their homes. For a modest fee, of course.

Movie Connection: The Fly, much like Beetlejuice, also stars Gina Davis.

Afterthoughts: One of those few movies that are so far ahead of their time in terms of hidden social elements, that its difficult to find anything about this movie that makes one feel unwelcome while watching it.

Great comedic performances by an all star cast from the late 1980s, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where they'll go with Beetlejuice 2. 

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Tuesday October 17, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

2:00 PM The Fly - STARZ (Amazon Prime) (On Demand and free trial)
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In this creature thriller, a beautiful journalist (Gina Davis) is drawn into suspenseful horror when she's invited by an ingenious inventor (Jeff Goldblum) to document the progress of his latest invention.

Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum appeared in other films together from the same era, hallmarking her frequent roles as the subtly strong female protagonist. Both her's and Jeff Goldblum's performances often complement each other very well.

The film is directed by epic biological horror director and artist David Cronenberg, fresh from his work on Videodrome and a couple years before he co-wrote and directed Dead Ringers (which recently received the modern day made for streaming mini-series treatment).

Much of the 1986 film was made in Toronto. There are a few exterior scenes that were shot on Yonge Street and Kensington Market that contain many 1980s Toronto land marks.

Movie Connection: The Fly takes place in 1986, around the same time that The Superdeep also takes place, albeit in the USSR.

Afterthoughts: Nothing but sparks in the screen chemistry between Gina Davis and Jeff Goldblum. The horror comes from watching such a likeable couple descend into the depths of the dark plot for which David Cronenberg is well known.

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Monday October 16, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

8:30 PM The Superdeep - Shudder (Amazon Prime) (On Demand and free trial)
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A team of researchers delves into a secret subterranean research facility in late 1980s USSR to find a cure to a mysterious disease.

Movie Connection: Tremors, much like The Superdeep, finds most of the action occurring beneath the soil of the movie setting. Sorry, got you with the same one twice ;-).

Afterthoughts: Its always great to see modern horror films finding new ways from which to come at familiar horror tropes, and still make you feel like you've never seen it before. Like this film, there are likely many great sci-fi and horror stories to be told to western audiences about the USSR years.

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Monday October 16, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

2 PM Tremors - River TV (On Demand and free trial)
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Subterranean creatures terrorize the people of a small town in the USA in this horror classic.

Movie Connection: In Creepshow 2, the story segment for The Raft finds the protagonists fighting for their life against something from beneath their feet, albeit in the water.

Afterthoughts: What's not to like in a comedic action-horror flick that features an all star cast and likeable protagonists?

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Sunday October 15, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)

2 PM Creepshow 2 - Amazon Prime Video
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The sequel to the 1982 original of the same name, brings three more short horror stories to life from the pages of the horror comic Creepshow. Writers Lucille Fletcher, George A. Romero and Stephen King return, each offering up their own story for the trio. 

Lucille Fletcher wrote the story for the film's segment: The Hitchhiker, which is originally adapted from the very first season of the hit television series and Rod Serling's own masterpiece writer's playground, The Twilight Zone.

Its interesting to note that the short story, The Raft also appears in Stephen King's own anthology: Skeleton Crew.

The movie is directed by Michael Gornick, who also directed the Stephen King's Golden Tales segment: Word Processor Of The Gods. The story from that segment also originally appeared in King's own short story anthology: Skeleton Crew, but was first published in the January 1993 issue of Playboy.

Michael Gornick was also an actor in the cult classic horror flick: The Crazies. 

He's worked as a film producer on a number of other Stephen King projects including the 1995 mini-series adaption of The Langoliers and the 1994 mini-series of Stephen King's The Stand.

George A. Romero directed the first Creepshow, returning for Creepshow 2 only as the writer of one of the three story segments.

Movie Connection: The next movie from herein will be the point that movie connection starts from.

Afterthoughts: Horror anthology never seems to get old where it involves nostalgic connections to real life. Ie as a first date movie, or with a crowd of friends as fans of horror flicks, this one brings back some memories.

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Saturday October 14, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)


4 PM Monsters - Amazon Prime (2021)
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Two strangers must travel through a land overrun by alien beings.

Afterthoughts: A great movie overall, cast and crew alike, that will leave you pondering it long after you've watched it.

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Saturday October 14, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)


2 PM Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City - Amazon Prime (2021)
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In RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY, once the booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City is now a dying Midwestern town. The company’s exodus left the city a wasteland… with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night.

Afterthoughts: A modern connection to the recently revived video game franchise, with a few cameos by those who starred in the original Resident Evil movies of the new millennium along with a redefinition of the characters themselves.

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Wednesday October 11, 2023 Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4)


11 AM Creepshow - River TV (On Demand and free trial)
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Stephen King's own tribute to the horror comics of the 1950s and 1960s, in the form of five short horror stories centered around the pages of a horror comic called Creepshow. 

Starring a cast of legends such as: Adrienne Barbeau (Escape From New York), Carrie Nye (The Guiding Light), Gaylen Ross (Dawn Of The Dead, 1978), Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun), Ted Danson (Cheers), Fritz Weaver (Demon Seed), Ed Harris (The Abyss), E.G. Marshall (Superman II), Hal Holbrook (The Fog) and horror writer Stephen King, who penned all the stories for the movie and also stars in one of them as Jed.

All that, and Creepshow is directed by legendary zombie film director George A. Romero.

Shhhh! Digital Facts: Back in 1982, the film debuted with the release of a graphic novel comic book adaption, which my parents gifted me on my birthday that same year when the film was released.

Creepshow has since evolved into a modern horror series available for streaming on Shudder.