They're the bees knees: Some totally buggy movies to stream this weekend

Posted June 10, 2020 11:00 pm

Sean Stangland

OK, OK, so this is a picture from the sequel, not the original “Ant-Man,” but it shows Scott (Paul Rudd) riding a bug. How could we not use it? Courtesy of Marvel

We all have ants in the pants from three months of quarantine, but this weekend let's make a beeline for the TV and herald the four-years-too-early arrival of the 17-year cicadas with some totally buggy movies and shows.

'Ant-Man'

A sci-fi heist with relatively low stakes in the Marvel world, “Ant-Man” injects humor (and Thomas the Tank Engine?!?) into its inventive action sequences, and allows reluctant hero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) to get small and ride hordes of arthropods. Michael Pena steals the show as Ant-Man's excitable buddy. (Disney+, fuboTV, TBS, TNT)

'Eight Legged Freaks'

David Arquette fends off a horde of giant mutant spiders with former MTV “Remote Control” co-host Kari Wuhrer and a pre-“Lost in Translation” Scarlett Johansson. High art, this is not! (HBOmax)

When he's not busy being the funniest character in Pixar's "A Bug's Life," Heimlich might be spotted at Disney's California Adventure. Associated Press

'A Bug's Life'

Pixar's second movie proved “Toy Story” wasn't a fluke, snagged Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and won 1998's animated insect box office battle with DreamWorks' “Antz,” starring Woody Allen. I'll let you decide which one's star is more problematic these days. (Disney+)

'The Fly' (1986 remake)

A silly '50s B-movie becomes a truly disgusting, disturbing horror film in David Cronenberg's hands. Jeff Goldblum gives the performance of his career as Seth Brundle, a scientist who invents a teleportation chamber but forgets to use bug spray before making some molecular soup. (Starz)

Man, those bugs in "Starship Troopers" are really nasty. Look what they did to Lt. Rasczak (Michael Ironside)! Courtesy of Sony

'Starship Troopers'

If you agree that “the only good bug is a dead bug,” then Paul Verhoeven's gleefully gory adaptation of Robert Heinlein's classic novel is for you. The “RoboCop” director ramps up the action and the fascistic imagery in this sneakily smart satire. (Netflix, IMDb TV)

'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'

Middle-earth's most fearsome foe is Shelob, a giant spider who tries to make a meal out of Frodo (Elijah Wood). Good thing Samwise (Sean Astin) was dropping eaves nearby, sword in hand. (HBOmax)

'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'

Indy (Harrison Ford) hates snakes, but has no problem with a dark tunnel full of exotic insects in the franchise's scariest scene. I'm getting the creepy crawlies just thinking about that thing in Willie's (Kate Capshaw) hair. UGH. (Netflix)

Follow Sean (from a distance) on Twitter at @SeanStanglandDH.

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