It’s July, you’re walking down the street downtown and boom! There’s Batman! Pow! There’s a Stormtrooper! Bam! There’s Daenerys! It must be San Diego Comic-Con.
This year, though, it’s all online with ComicCon@Home. And you don’t need no stinkin’ badge. You can access the convention’s YouTube channel to view content: panels with show and film casts, how-tos to get into the business, activities for kids and more.
Highlights for the weekend include (links take you to the full day’s schedule and access to individual streams):
Friday: Charlize Theron kicks off the day at 10 a.m., reflecting on her action roles. Panels: Zombies & Coronavirus: Planning for the Next Big Outbreak, noon; From Idea to Hired: Books, TV, Film, Comics, 1 p.m.; the Psychology of Star Trek vs. Star Wars, 2 p.m.; Hiphop and Comics, Cultures Colliding, 6 p.m.; the casts of The Walking Dead, 1 p.m. and Archer @Home, 5 p.m.; Spawn creator Todd McFarlane, 4 p.m.
Saturday: Keanu Reeves alert! At noon he’s on a panel to mark the 15-year anniversary of the film Constantine, then at 3 p.m., he takes the nostalgia even deeper as he joins Kevin Smith at the Bill & Ted Face the Music panel. Seth MacFarlane drops in on the 10 a.m. Cosmos panel, as does astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson. Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro discusses his new project, the horror film Antlers, at 1 p.m. Cast panels: The Simpsons, 11 a.m.; Bless the Harts, noon, and Lovecraft Country, 4 p.m.
Sunday: Parents – here’s a new idea: Create Life Size Cardboard Models of Your Favorite Superheroes. Watch at noon as artists Connor and Bauer Lee give you tips to guide your budding artists. Also, Comic Con Film School, noon, and Who’s the Best Dr. Who? 1 p.m.; visits with the cast of The Goldbergs, 1 p.m., and Con fave Nathan Fillion (of Firefly and Castle fame) 2 p.m.
The Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad brings you Shana Tucker live at 2 p.m. Friday via their MoMM@Home stream. The singer/songwriter/cellist describes her music as “chamber soul,” while critics have compared her to Dianne Reeves, Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman.
Want to cut loose from your devices and get out this weekend? Maybe it’s time to give a cult classic a go – or maybe, wine and cheese?
The dude abides in Mission Hills through Sunday as Cinema Under the Stars features The Big Lebowski, starring Jeff Bridges in the title role in a film by Joel and Ethan Coen, famous for their skewed take on a story, be it comedy or drama. And as organizers posted to Facebook, “We are an outdoor theater and we have fresh air and room for distancing … Please wear your facial mask for entry and exit.” Admission for the 8 p.m. shows, $20 online or $18 at the box office.
Bleu Bohème in Kensington celebrates National Wine and Cheese Day from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday by offering guests a collapsible “table in a bag” and takeout so they can enjoy a picnic across the street at Kensington Park. Call 619-255-4167 for more info.
– Staff reports