Media Notes: Roundup for September 2026

 

  

 

Welcome to my somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during September 2026.

Movies and films (links to IMDB.com for basic information unless noted otherwise). Some of these I watched via TubiTv.com or other online source. The DVDs come from the public library (unless noted otherwise). In addition, I will try to add other trivia notes, such as when a film is based on a book adding the information about the book (at least the WorldCat record if available). 

• The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024. Action. War). Plot description: "During World War II, the British Army assigns a group of competent soldiers to carry out a mission against the Nazi forces behind enemy lines... A true story about a secret British WWII organization — the Special Operations Executive. Founded by Winston Churchill, their irregular warfare against the Germans helped to change the course of the war, and gave birth to modern black operations." Movie has the "based on a true story" label which means they probably took a lot of liberties with the story to make it entertaining. The movie is good enough. Not great. Some good action moments, but some of the pace can also be a bit on the slow side. Performances are decent enough. If you like movies like The Dirty Dozen, you might like this one. 3.5 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/5.
• The Sleeping Car (1990. Horror). Plot description: "Jason moves into an abandoned train car where he resurrects the vicious ghost of his landlady's dead husband... The Mister. After some near-fatal encounters with the violent specter, he consults a local exorcist." Movie starts with a train accident where The Mister, who was the train conductor at the time, fails to get his philandering assistant to do his job of watch. Train crashes and blows up; Mister manages to jump off. From there, we move to ten years later, and the movie starts properly. I think I heard of this movie from one of those lists of underrated horror movies you see on YouTube. Well, movie can stay underrated. It is seriously slow. The horror is relatively minimal. The ending to be honest was kind of ridiculous, and a bit of nonsense even for a nonsensical movie like this. Much of the movie just feels like filler to be honest. 1 out of 5 stars barely. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/5. 
• Jeff Conaway is in this one. You may know him from Babylon 5.  
• Movie at times is like a bad sitcom where everybody just walks into the protagonist's living space, the sleeping car, given he leaves the door open and unlocked. The visitors all have a bit of a quirk, kind of like in a sitcom, without the comedy elements.
• Night Train to Terror (1985. Horror. Anthology). Plot description: "God and Satan are on a train discussing the fate of three individuals. The stories of the people in question are told in a trio of very strange vignettes. One involves an insane asylum with some very interesting treatment plans. Another involves a 'death club'. The final story shows us the adventures of a server of Satan."  Movie starts with a small musical number, very 80s, before we move on to the scene with God and Satan sitting across each other.If you read the Wikipedia article, which has brief synopsis of each story, they sound pretty good. On film, some of the segments' scenes may be very concise, so you need to watch closely to catch some of the details. The band playing music sort of serves as a bit of transition between the stories. As you keep watching, the scenes are often short, ending abruptly. Transitions are not very good and can make the stories inconsistent in pace and plot. At times, the movie just feels incoherent. Oh, and those brief creature effects do not help the movie. I tend to like anthology films, but this one just does not hold up. Willing to give it 1.5 out of 5 stars, a bit below OK for a film, but mainly because I have seen worse, a lot worse. I do wonder what could have been if the stories had become finished films as originally planned. They'd probably still be cheesy horror films, but likely better than this. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/25.
• Richard Moll, often known for his bailiff character "Bull" Shannon in Night Court, appears in two of the stories as different characters.  
• As Tubi offers it, the film lacks closed captioning.
• Trivia  note: the stories were filmed before intended to be full films, but those never happened, so the content they got went into this anthology. This may account for the very compressed element of the storytelling. At times, there is a bit of narrative voiceover in the stories to move the stories along or add details we might miss otherwise.
• Movie is an example of a Z-movie.  I thought B- and C-movies were low, but they are masterpieces compared to a Z-movie, and I can see the label fits for this messy anthology.
• The Mummy (1999. Action. Adventure.) Plot description: "As archaeologists dig for a long-lost treasure in Hamunaptra, an ancient city in the Egyptian desert, a 3,000-year-old legacy of terror is unearthed." I remember watching this one around time it came out, and I remember that I enjoyed. Tubi got it in this month, so decided to rewatch it. They got the trilogy in this month, so I will see if I can get all three in. The movie is still a pretty good and fun action film. It does take time to build the mythology as it builds up the action. If you like a good adventure film that nods to the old school of adventure, this will do nicely. It is entertaining, good action, a bit of humor, and touch of horror. Brenda Frasier's performance as the reluctant hero and adventurer is pretty good. Rest of the cast is pretty good too, and the special effects work well. In the end, a good popcorn entertaining film. I am willing to give it 5 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/26. 
• The Mummy Returns (2001. Action. Adventure.) Plot description: "Fearless adventurer Rick O'Connell races against time to save his son and the world from the dual threat of Imhotep and the Scorpion King."  I continue watching the series with the first sequel to the 1999 film. This one gets a bit silly at times, and I am not sure it needed to be two hours like the first one. Still, it is mostly entertaining, and a decent popcorn adventure movie. It still has some humor as the original did. Most performances were decent, though I found the O'Connells' kid a bit irritating at times, but otherwise the film as a whole does entertain. Special effects were mostly good, except for the by now somewhat infamous effects of the Scorpion King in the last act that did not turn out as well, but still workable. I did find myself enjoying the musical soundtrack at times; some of it added a nice epic element to the film. Not a great sequel, but decent enough. If you enjoyed the first one, odds are you may like this one as well. 4 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/26. 

 

 

Television and other series (basic show information links via Wikipedia unless noted otherwise). Some of these come in DVD from the public library. Others may be via YouTube, which, as noted before, I keep finding all sorts of other old shows in it, often full episodes:

• How It's Made (2001-2019. Documentary).  Documentary series that focuses on how common items are made. As I noted last month when I started watching it, TubiTv has 24 of the 32 seasons, which is still plenty to watch. I start September with Season 1, Episode 8.
• My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding (2012-2018. Reality television). I linked to the Wikipedia entry for the plot, etc.  TubiTv had this, and I figured I'd watch an episode or two in order to just watch something that did not require much brain power, and in that regard it fit the bill. I ended up binging the whole series here and there over the month. In a nutshell, it is comparable to any drama you might see on the Jerry Springer Show. To be honest, not very flattering of the gypsies it claims to represent. The men in the show all come across as serious chauvinistic pigs, think not unlike the guys in the Jersey Shore series, except gypsy instead of Italian American, less tanned, more trashy, while the women are mostly a tradwife stereotype in love with bling. 
• One detail that is eye catching are the very expensive dresses the women wear for weddings and other occasions such as Sweet 16 and even infants for baptisms. Many of the dresses are made by Sondra Celli. Note that dress prices are never mentioned in the program, but given that Celli's website mentions the most basic dress starts at about $3,000, and the dresses on the show are blinged and highly jeweled, we are likely talking at least $10K for a dress and up easily. 
• There are a few LGBTQ episodes in the series that are kind of sweet. Sure, they still have the show's usual drama, but they are the nicer episodes in the series despite fact that Gypsies, at least as portrayed in the show, are not accepting of gay people.
• This show is a spinoff of a British show. Basically one of those "freak" shows that TLC tends to feature nowadays. To think TLC was once "The Learning Channel."
• The show is pretty much your typical reality show with ramped up drama and more than a few liberties. So like other TLC shows, don't go looking to a show like this for any cultural insights or educational content. It's as trashy as they come.  This article sums up the various issues and controversies of the show; article draws some material from this other article out of The New Republic and a few other news sources. On a side note, the one young lady who wanted to become a wrestler, according to some online research, did go on to become a wrestler and even got work in the WWE. 
• I think overall I've filled my quota of trashy television for a while now. This was like watching a terrible car wreck. You want to avoid it but can't help looking.

 

Short book review: Star Wars: Target Vader

Robbie Thompson, et.al., Star Wars. Target Vader. New York: Marvel, 2020.  ISBN: 9781302918583. 

Genre: graphic novels and comics

Subgenre: Star Wars

Format: trade paperback

Source: Eastside Branch, Lexington (KY) Public Library 

 

In this story, Darth Vader is on a mission against a crime syndicate. Soon he discovers that he is the target of bounty hunters. He has to complete his mission, deal with the bounty hunters, and find out who put a bounty on his head. One of the bounty hunters is a former Imperial officer who is very motivated to get Vader. 

The story overall is good. It has some intrigue, some good action, and it moves at a good pace. The art is good enough. Entertaining story that is a quick read, and you move on. This is one to borrow then move on to the next one. I liked it. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

 

 

 

 

Qualifies for the following 2026 Reading Challenge: 

 

Book Review: Read this when things fall apart

Kelly Hayes, ed., Read this when things fall apart: letters to activists in crisis. Chico, CA: AK Press, 2025. ISBN: 9781849355841. 

Genre: politics, activism

Subgenre: letters, advice

Format: trade paperback

Source: Hutchins Library, Berea College  

 

This is one of the most moving books I've read so far this year. Though it is geared to activists, regular folks like me can gain benefit, encouragement, and inspiration from this book. I am a librarian and teacher/educator at best. For me, this is a powerful book. 

The book is a collection of letters written by activists for activists. In the struggle, there will be setbacks and defeats. You may come to feel angry, frustrated, tired, ready to give up. That's when this book can help. The book features 21 letters on various topics. Note that some letters do come with a trigger warning. Some letter topics include: 

• If you're losing and discouraged.
• If you're panicking about collapse.
• If you are heartbroken.
• If you are struggling with grief. 

Whether you are an activist in the trenches or just a decent human being about to lose hope after looking around, this book is for you. It can remind you why the struggle is important. It can bring you comfort in your darkest hour. It can give a bit of healing when you need it. And after you read the book, share it with someone else who may need it. 

Though you can read all the letters, you can also pick and choose to read just what you need. You may identify strongly with some topics. Other topics may not call to you as much. I'd say read them anyways and learn something new. The letters bring in a bit of history, personal experiences, and plenty of practical advice. Social justice work and struggle are not easy. This book can bring some written advice and support to keep going in the Hard Times. 

I recommend the book for public and academic libraries. In academia, schools with strong programs in social justice, peace studies, and similar fields will want this book. I ordered it for our library, and it is a good fit for us. 

Overall this book is an essential reading. 

5 out of 5 stars.  

 

Additional reading notes: 

 

What the book is and is not: 

"This book is not an organizing handbook. It is a humble, personal offering grounded in an awareness that there are some moments, on all fronts of struggle, when, despite all our best efforts, things fall apart. At such times, we sometimes need a kind thoughtful voice amid the chaos or an outstretched hand to reach for" (3).

The editor notes that the book is no substitute for having a community, but there are also moments community is not enough, and you need a bit more. Consider this book your lifeline for such moments. And maybe these letters may inspire you to write a letter to others.

 

On living in the United States: 

"We live in a class dictatorship thinly disguised as a democracy. Our speech is not free, and the level of surveillance and repression by the state and its parallel institutions has been astounding. Even in our colleges and universities-- institutions whose primary missions are the spread of knowledge and free inquiry-- the will of donors has overruled the edicts of open discourse and student needs" (19). 

 

Book qualifies for the following 2026 Reading Challenge: 

 

 

  

Deck Review: Sacred Sites Oracle Cards

Barbara Meiklejohn-Free (author) and Yuri Leitch (artist), Sacred Sites Oracle Cards. Newbury Port, MA: Watkins Publishing (imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser). 2015. ISBN: 9781780288420. (link to publisher)

This kit includes the 53-card deck and a small companion book. The kit comes in a nice slipcase, which adds a bit of a classy element. From the publisher's description: 

"Heal your past, transform your present, and fulfill your potential by connecting with the planet's most sacred sites. . .". 

 The book is arranged as follows: 

• Introduction. The author describes some of her travels to sacred sites and the overall concept of the deck. If you can't just take off to travel, the cards here may help you connect with the energy of these sacred sites. 
• How to read the cards. Here we get instruction on how to use the deck. The cards are arranged by directions: north, east, south, and west. Each card has interpretations based on these world: lower world (the past), middle world (the present), and upper world (potential). In a nutshell, you interpret the card based on what part of a card-- top, middle, or bottom-- catches your eye right away. It's a different system, and best I can tell unique to this deck. 
• Card entries. Entries are grouped by direction. Note that entries under each direction are not alphabetized. Since the cards are not number either, it may take a bit of work finding a card entry in the book. Each entry includes location name, card's energy focus, and location of the site. Each entry also has interpretation for each world-- lower, middle, and upper. Each entry closes with a small ritual, invocation, meditation, and/or exercise you can do. On a side note, card entry book pages are color coded. The detail makes the book look nice, but that is about it. 
• Small list of resources. This is basically the authors' books and websites. A bit of self-promotion. 

 

The card art has a nice pastel coloring style with good details. The art does draw you in. The division of past, present, and future is more apparent in some cards than others. Cards overall are nice and colorful. In theory, I would say you can probably read the cards intuitively. However, you will need to read the book if you want to read them according to the author's system of directions and levels. The text interpretations are good, but you need to do some serious study to master the deck's system. Personally, I sort of read the cards intuitively and then read the book for clarification or to enhance my initial reading. 

The cards measure about 5 inches by 3 inches. The cards have a color border based on its region. At the side of each card there is an arrow tip to indicate a card's direction. The cards have a thick glossy finishl they can stick together when shuffling. The card back art is minimalist and reversible, though the deck is not designed for reversals. 

Overall, I like the deck. I do like the art. It's system does feel a bit complex at times. You do need to keep the book on hand. While I am good with it in my collection, it does not feel like a deck I'd bring out to use often. It may be comparable to the Earth Power Oracle (link to my review). Between the two, I like the other deck better. 

3 out of 5 stars.  

 This kit qualifies for the following 2026 Reading Challenge: 

 

Deck Review: Sufi Tarot

Ayeda Husein, The Sufi Tarot. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2022. ISBN: 9781401970413. 

Genre: Tarot, cartomancy

Subgenre: Sufism

Format: 78-card deck with companion book

Source: I own this one 

Side note: as of this post, checked the publisher site, and deck was not available. It may be out of print at this time.  

 

Two of Coins 

This kit includes the 78-card deck and a small companion book. As the publisher describes, this deck "creatively reenvisions the cards through a Sufi lens and shares the potency of its ancient of its ancient teachings and healing techniques." I picked this up due to the art, and I was curious about how the deck would blend Tarot and Sufism. The concept works well. 

The book has two major parts: Using the Deck and The Cards. Part One explains how the deck draws on the Persian practice of Fal (Fal-e Hafez), offers card spreads, and short explanations of the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana cards. Part Two has the card entries. Entries include upright keywords, reversed keywords, descriptions of card images and symbols, "when this card appears for you," contemplations (a couple of reflective questions), and an affirmation. The entries have the same information and quality for the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. 

The book is an easy read, and I found it interesting. The text blends lessons of Sufism and Tarot well. The reflective questions are helpful and can work well for journaling. The book also includes a small set of endnotes to document some references. Endnotes may help readers find some suggestions for further readings on Sufism. 

The cards do follow Rider Waite Smith (RWS) for the most part. Note that some of the card names are changed to Arabic names, but you can still recognize the basic imagery. The art is beautiful, expressive, and colorful with images that draw you in. The images are nice to look at and good for meditation. I feel this deck can work well for intuitive readers. 

You don't need to practice Sufism to use this deck. I found myself learning some new things, and I really enjoyed using the deck. I found the deck works well and provides good readings. 

The cards measure about 5 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Size is close to most oracle card decks. The card stock is a bit thick. It makes for a bit heavy deck. The cards have a very soft gloss, and they can stick when shuffling. They are not always easy to shuffle, but the effort is worth it. The art on the back of the cards is reversible. I love this one and recommend it. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

 

Kit qualifies for the following 2026 Reading Challenge: