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The Vintage Tempest’s Picks for a Streaming Video Holiday Season

10 Dec

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Getting into the yuletide spirit is not tough. As the days count down to the holidays, some folks include video content to include making merry with. As for what’s new, Anna and the Apocalypse sounds like fun and this Zombie Christmas movie is finally getting theatrical distribution. I saw it listed for the Whistler Film Festival, but to attend for just this one film made me reconsider, especially when funds are low.

At home, many television classics can be enjoyed instead of rented. These days, that means putting in the queue to watch off of Netflix or iTunes. At least with YTV, I can have them playing in the background. This Canadian station is showing fond classics dating as far back as the ’90s. Elsewhere, I’m sure a local television network is doing the same. For something different, I’m tackling the difficult choice of wading through what’s available for streaming.

Online services offer a mix of old and new shows to enjoy. This list includes both and these are programs which made an impression on me. These shows are or will soon be easily accessible on services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Crave, iTunes or Hulu.

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Take Me Home to This Place I Belong, This Mountain Life

12 Nov

Plays November 14, at the Capitol 6 theatres, at 7pm and 9:30pm, in Victoria, B.C. Tickets can be bought online here, For upcoming screenings nationwide, please visit MountainLifeFilm.com

Coming soon to Knowledge Network. Please check local listings. The local showing includes the NFB’s Mountain of SGaana.

  • Spoiler Alert

This Mountain Life is a beautiful documentary about staying positive. For those aspiring to climb high enough, communion with Nature can be found. Though tuning into the cosmos natural vibration is not everyone’s goal, these huge rocky ranges people find latticed around the world offer than meets the eye. At least for those folks who wonder what it’s like to live off the grid, or spend time away from the concrete jungle—whether it’s at a cabin, a monastery or a small community in the woods—this film reveals plenty.

At the same time, we are reminded Supernatural British Columbia is three-quarters mountainous terrain. Life within the Coast Mountains (sic. Cascades) is the focus. To live life with the outdoors as your backyard is not limited. Those willing to explore these alpine ranges can reveal a bounty of medicines and new discoveries, if not reconnecting with a higher force. Small towns tucked within the valleys enjoy the benefits. In the Lower Mainland, some folks can visit Whistler, BC to go skiing. I am brave enough to venture deeper to discover other treasures, if not get spirited away—lest the wildlife have other plans for me.

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Fact or Fiction: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch

10 Nov

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Binge watching the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix made the day transition to night quick. On Halloween, it was the perfect show to get into the festive mood. The live-action adaptation of a nearly 50-year-old franchise and the comic book of the same name was perfect. This darker version is a departure of the light-hearted material from years past and has an odd Harry Potter style vibe to it.

The world of the mortals and “immortals” (magic users have longer lives) were once at odds centuries ago. The latter were hunted down and the mythos point to thirteen witches who took the fall so the rest may live.

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The Vintage Tempest’s Favourite Forgotten Classics to Watch on Halloween

31 Oct

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Not a lot of television episodes or specials made for the Halloween season stand the test of time. Some are developed because the formula for network television requires it (especially for sit-coms). As for those unique one-offs, I ask where are they now? Only two films make this list as they were quite common when rebroadcasted. The rest make up part of what I traditionally loved seeing on either the big or small screen.

I include a complete television series since I recall key episodes taking place on All Hallow’s Eve. Instead of focussing in on one particular country, I hope to give this list an international flair with my choices:

Image result for mad monster party

Mad Monster Party (1967)

No list can be considered legit without a reference to this Rankin-Bass stop-motion classic. Along with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, both shows rerun at their respective seasons. Sadly, this is no longer the case. What makes this production such a classic is that Boris Karloff led a monster mash of comedy and music. Its longevity faded because of time, and new audiences not familiar with the all-star lineup. Ask a young person now about who Phyllis Diller is and the response is likely, “Who?”

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