1566 – Species (1995)

spacetime coordinates: 1990’s  Los Angeles, California

Species is a 1995 American science fiction horror film directed by Roger Donaldson and written by Dennis Feldman. It stars Natasha Henstridge (in her film debut role), Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker and Marg Helgenberger. The film’s plot concerns a motley crew of scientists and government agents who try to track down Sil (Henstridge), a seductive extraterrestrial-human hybrid, before she successfully mates with a human male.

The extraterrestrial aspect of Sil’s character was created by H. R. Giger, who was also responsible for the beings from the Alien franchise. The effects combined practical models designed by Giger collaborator Steve Johnson and XFX, with computer-generated imagery done by Richard Edlund‘s Boss Film Studios. (wiki)

Influence and themes   /   imdb

1559 – Now Apocalypse (TV Series 2019)

spacetime coordinates: 2010’s Los Angeles

Now Apocalypse is an American comedy television series that aired for one season of ten episodes from March 10 to May 12, 2019, on Starz. The series was written by Gregg Araki and Karley Sciortino. Araki also was director and executive producer alongside Steven Soderbergh and Gregory Jacobs. Starz canceled the series on July 26, 2019. Araki later stated that he was shopping the series to other networks.

Ulysses, his friends Carly and Ford, and Ford’s girlfriend Severine navigate love, sex, and fame in Los Angeles. Troubled by sinister, premonitory dreams, Ulysses wonders if the end of the world as we know it is coming, or if he is simply suffering some kind of marijuana-fueled delusions. (wiki)

This is all perfectly well-made, candy-coloured fun as well as being a bang up-to-date exploration of 21st-century sexual identities (co-written by Araki with sex columnist Karley Sciortino), albeit one in which everyone looks amazing all the time. Boyd Hilton / Empire Magazine / rottentomatoes

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1558 – Class of 1999 (1990)

spacetime coordinates: In 1999, special areas known as “free fire zones” have discouraged police from entering out of fear. Seattle‘s Kennedy High School is in the middle of a free fire zone, thus the Department of Education Defense (D.E.D.), a pilot special government agency, has been notified. Working with MegaTech head Dr. Bob Forrest, an experiment begins where three former military robots have become android educators.

Class of 1999 is a 1990 American science fiction action thriller horror film directed by Mark L. Lester. It is the director’s follow-up to his 1982 film Class of 1984. (wiki)

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1544 – Stonewall (2015)

spacetime coordinates: Indiana >1969 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village / Stonewall Inn

Stonewall is a 2015 American drama film directed by Roland Emmerich, written by Jon Robin Baitz, and starring Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp, Ron Perlman,Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Joey King, Caleb Landry Jones, Matt Craven, Atticus Mitchell, and Mark Camacho.

The drama is set in and around the 1969 Stonewall riots, a violent clash with police that sparked the gay liberation movement in New York City. (wiki)

review / review / imdb

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The Stonewall Inn or sometimes referred as Bonnie’s Stonewall Inn was originally built as stables in the mid 19th century. By 1930 it became a Tearoom for heterosexuals. The Stonewall Inn first closed in 1964 after 34 year’s of business as a Tearoom when the interior was destroyed by fire. It was restored by three mobsters in 1967 as a gay bathhouse and became the largest gay bar in the US. After the riots in 1969 it shortly closed. For twenty years the Stonewall ran as a Bagel Sandwich Shop, a Chinese Restaurant and shoe store before reopening in 1998 as simply Stonewall.

1517 – Birds of Prey (2020)

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is a 2020 American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Birds of Prey. It is the eighth installment in the DC Extended Universe and a follow-up to Suicide Squad (2016).

It was directed by Cathy Yan and written by Christina Hodson, and it stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, and Ewan McGregor.

The film follows Harley Quinn as she joins forces with Helena Bertinelli, Dinah Lance, and Renee Montoya to save Cassandra Cain from Gotham City crime lord Black Mask. (wiki)

future   /   imdb

1467 – The Wave (2019)

Frank, an opportunistic insurance lawyer, thinks he’s in for the time of his life when he goes out on the town to celebrate an upcoming promotion with his co-worker, Jeff. But their night takes a turn for the bizarre when Frank is dosed with a hallucinogen that completely alters his perception of the world, taking him on a psychedelic quest through board meetings, nightclubs, shootouts, and alternate dimensions. As Frank ping-pongs between reality and fantasy, he finds himself on a mission to find a missing girl, himself – and his wallet. (imdb)

directed by Gille Klabin starring Justin Long, Tommy Flanagan, Donald Faison, Sheila Vand, Katia Winter.

1454 – Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

timespace coordinates: New York City in 1957

Motherless Brooklyn is a 2019 American neo-noir crime film written, produced and directed by Edward Norton, based on the 1999 novel of the same name by Jonathan Lethem. Set in 1950s New York, the film follows a private investigator with Tourette syndrome, who is determined to solve the murder of his mentor. Along with Norton, the film also stars Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Alec Baldwin and Willem Dafoe.

A passion project of Norton’s ever since he read Lethem’s novel in 1999, the film took nearly 20 years to go into production. Although the book is set in contemporary times, Norton felt the plot and dialogue lent themselves more to a noir setting — moving it to the 1950s, with many added plot points inspired by The Power Broker.  (wiki)

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Knox Goes Away (2023)

Knox Goes Away is a 2023 American crime thriller film directed by Michael Keaton starring Keaton, James Marsden, Suzy Nakamura, Joanna Kulig, Ray McKinnon, John Hoogenakker, Lela Loren, Marcia Gay Harden, and Al Pacino. (wiki)

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