Virtual 'Fast And Furious' Marathon Will Let You Experience The Entire Series From The Comfort Of Your Couch
Buckle up, y'all! Alamo On Demand is hosting a 24-hour online Fast and Furious marathon. You can relive the action 20 years in the making, featuring features friendships, rivalries, a little bit of romance, epic stuntwork, and a whole lot of fast cars, all from the comfort of your home. Here's what you need to know.
Family is Forever and so is This Marathon
To celebrate the release of F9, the ninth installment of the Fast and Furious franchise, Alamo Drafthouse's video streaming platform Alamo On Demand is teaming up with Scener for a full-throttle 24 hour-long virtual marathon beginning at 1PM EDT/10AM PDT this Saturday, June 19, 2021.
The event with be hosted by Alamo On Demand's Ahbra Perry and Rachel Walker and will include the franchise's first eight films (from 2001's The Fast and the Furious through 2018's The Fate of the Furious), the 2019 spinoff Hobbs & Shaw, F9 director Justin Lin's 2002 film Better Luck Tomorrow, as well as introductions from writers, podcasters, and critics like Jen Yamato, Germain Lussier, Phil Yu & Jeff Yang (They Call Us Bruce), Jordan Crucciola, and Sara Benincasa. There will also be pre-show and post-show entertainment that includes trivia, games, and prizes. If you're familiar with Alamo, then you know they have plenty of creative tricks and treats up their sleeves.
Here's how you can participate.
First, you'll need to purchase the films. Films 1-8 are available for a limited time as a bundle to own for $48.99 via Alamo On Demand. Viewers can also rent each film individually for $3.99. You could even gather some friends together and split the cost. Personally, I'm all for a Fast & Furious slumber party. Be sure to remember that you'll need to rent the additional films, Hobbs and Shaw and Better Luck Tomorrow in order to participate in the full 24-hour marathon.
Second, go to scener.com/get in your Chrome browser and follow directions to "Get Scener" and add the Scener extension. From there, you will get an email before the show inviting you to the Virtual Alamo Drafthouse Theater. On June 19, click the "JOIN THE PARTY" button on your film page and just head into the Scener theater based on what films you choose from the marathon schedule.
If you're a die-hard fan and want to participate in the full 24-hour marathon, make sure to submit an entry form because space is limited and Universal Pictures will be providing an epic grand prize to select participants.
Life in the Fast Lane
It's great to see director Justin Lin's crime drama Better Luck Tomorrow on the schedule as the second film, following the original The Fast and The Furious. The film is about Asian American overachievers who become bored with their lives and decide to enter a world of petty crime. I think it will give audiences a greater appreciation for Lin as a director and also remind viewers that it is somewhat of an origin story for Han (played by Sung Kang), who later appeared in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, also directed by Lin, and continues to have a role in the larger franchise.
And let's not shy away from one of the best parts of the franchise: the jaw-dropping stuntwork. F9 will be Lin's third time behind the camera (and wheel) for Fast and Furious fans. From swinging cars to explosions, Lin sure as hell knows how to deliver a high-intensity thrill ride. So, this marathon looks like a blast and the perfect lead-up to the release of F9.
Grab your friends, family, and a few (or a lot) of Coronas this Saturday, and keep an eye out for F9 racing into theaters on June 25, 2021.