Media Notes: Roundup for February 2019

These are the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during February 2019.

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):

• Hercules (1983. Fantasy. Adventure). Lou Ferrigno takes the title role in this film made by Cannon Films and producers Golan-Globus, the company known for a lot of action flicks in the 80s.  In this story, evil King Minos and his daughter Adriana plan to conquer the world, but to achieve their plans they have to sacrifice Cassiopea. Hercules needs to rescue Cassiopea, but he will face various obstacles along the way while receiving some help from the sorcerer Circe. Meanwhile the gods take sides to either help or hinder Hercules. The movie plays a little lose with mythology, but it is cheesy entertainment. Not as much action, and some seriously bad special effects. It is pretty much a product of the 1980s. Not great but amusing. If you like fantasy and sword and sorcery, you could do worse. I vaguely remember watching this as a kid; I did not recall it was so cheesy bad but as I said, still amusing. Part of the charm is just seeing some of the ridiculous elements, and some interesting takes, like Daedalus, who works for Minos, as a woman. Via TubiTv.
• Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (2012. Action. Adventure. Science Fiction. Video Games). In a military academy in a far away planet, Cadet Lasky does not seem to care much about his military career despite having ability and a good pedigree. His squad is upset at him as they view him as a liability in training. However, Lasky and the rest of the cadets soon have to rise to the occasion when their planet is attacked. The attack is not by the insurrectionists they were taught to fight and hate, but a whole new alien species. Now they need to escape with the help of Spartan 117, the Master Chief. Movie overall is fairly slow for the first three quarters of the film or so in the academy and training session. Pace does pick up dramatically once the invasion happens but still overall a pretty slow film. Probably more for hardcore fans of the video game and its universe.  For other casual movie watchers, the movie is pretty much another military academy training sequence with all the cliches and about 25 minutes or so at the end of anything actually happening. Unless you are a fan, this film is pretty forgettable. Via TubiTv.
• Election (2005. Crime. Drama). A Hong Kong triads film. In this one, the Wo Sing triad elects a new chairman every two years. Lok is elected. Part of the tradition is him receiving a baton, symbol of the chairman's authority. Big D refuses to accept the result of the election and instructs the current holder of the baton to not turn it over. Lok represents tradition, and Big D represents the younger ones wanting to be more modern and leave traditions behind. Now Lok and Big D are locked in conflict to find the baton. In the process, the elders worry a war may break out if the two do not settle their differences. It is a very slow movie, but it is interesting given the back room deals, scheming, and machinations along the way. It does have a bit of a shocking but not surprising ending. In the end, it was a bit slow, but it had some good moments and some interesting details. Via TubiTv. 
• Rommel (2012. War. Drama. Biography). The movie tells the story of Field Marshall Rommel's last seven months of life. It starts with him getting transferred to Normandy to lead the defense against the Allies. Despite his efforts, the Allied invasion succeeds as Rommel is unable to convince Hitler to give him the necessary troops and materials to defend Normandy. Meanwhile, a plot to kill Hitler is taking form, and Rommel becomes aware of it, which complicates things.  Overall, the film is a somber but solid drama looking at this part of history. The performances were good. An interesting detail is that they had a narrator at times recite Nazi propaganda of how well the war was going while we could see war footage showing how bad the war front was really going for the Germans. Movie is in German, with English subtitles. Via TubiTv.
• Tekken (2011. Action. Fantasy. Adventure. Martial Arts). The year is 2038. After a global war, governments fall, and corporations take over parts of the world. Tekken Corporation takes over what includes the former United States. In a slum known as The Anvil, Jin makes a small living smuggling small goods. When his mother is killed, Jin, who is a trained martial arts fighter, enters the Iron Fist Tournament that Tekken sponsors every year not for money or glory but to seek revenge. The movie is pretty formulaic in terms of your basic revenge plot and take down the bad tyrant. Fans of the game, movie is based on a video game, will recognize characters from the game. The fight sequences are mostly well made, but the story as I said is pretty formulaic, and let's be honest, the result is pretty predictable. Do stay tuned for the very end of the credits for a small bonus scene. Via TubiTv.
• Justice League Dark (2017. Action. Fantasy. Animation). One of those DC Comics original animated movies that goes to DVD. In this one, people start behaving in irrational and violent ways. Batman suspects there may be magic and the paranormal involved. So he gets help from John Constantine, and together they put a team together with Zatanna, Jason Blood (who is bonded to the demon Etrigan), and Deadman to fight against Destiny, an old being trying to take over the world and cause of the violence. It is a comics movie but heads up, it does have an R-rating (for some violence, and there is a death or two). Overall, entertaining but nothing major. If nothing else, it is better than a lot of the live action efforts DC actually releases for theaters. It was OK. It does have some good voice talent in the cast including Rosario Dawson (Wonder Woman), Nicholas Turturro (as Boston Brand/Deadman), Alfred Molina (Destiny), and Jason O'Mara (Batman) among others. DVD from Madison County Public Library.
• The Fall of the Essex Boys (aka Gangster Playboy Legends. 2013. Crime. Mobsters).  A British mobster film, based on true events, about the rise and fall of the Essex Boys, a 1990s drug running gang. The movie can be a bit convoluted at times, but it blends a good amount of intrigue and double crossing with the violence. There is feel that the filmmakers may assume the audience knows the basic details of the real events, so if you know little to none, you may not realize what is real or not. As I said, film is convoluted. Acting is often loud, as in a lot of yelling, and just not that good. Consider this optional to watch. There may be better films on this story out there. Via TubiTv. 
• The Spirit (2008. Crime. Adventure. Fantasy). Will Eisner's character The Spirit gets the big screen. Sadly this movie was not quite what the hero deserved. The premise is pretty out there, and Samuel L. Jackson as The Octopus, the movie's villain, just hams it up with every other cliche of mad villain you can get including the speech a villain gives before he attempts to kill the hero. The movie has a bit of the noir aesthetic from films like Sin City, also done by Frank Miller, but it does not live up to neither his name nor the quality of Sin City. In the end, it's bad enough to be laughable here and there at how ridiculous it can get, but also a missed opportunity. Overall, you are better off seeking out the comics source material, which I think I will do. Via TubiTv.

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:

• American Horror Story (Season 1. 2011. Drama. Horror. Thriller). The first season of the anthology series. Contains the pilot and 11 episodes. DVD from Madison County (KY) Public Library. Overall, I watched a little bit, but I just did not find this series all that appealing. Since each season is a different theme, I may try the next season, but I am in no rush.
• Pilot. To be honest, I was lukewarm about this. It has some very creepy moments, but between those creepy moments it's basically soap opera drama. The Harmons move to a house in L.A. coming from the East Coast. Dr. Harmon had an affair, and him and the wife are trying to patch things up. Their daughter is your typical teen full of angst who thinks life stinks (nothing new there). But the house, there is something about the house which they managed to buy very cheap because it turns out a murder happened there. I am intrigued by the house and its potential horrors, but the domestic drama I could not care less for it. Not sure if I will keep watching or not. I just want the horror without the melodrama.  To be honest, I am rooting for the house because the family is pretty unsympathetic. 
• Episodes 2 and 3 the paranormal elements kick up a notch as we get some revelations of what really happened in the house, and the true nature of their neighbors and the maid. Family still remains pretty unsympathetic, but you start to see the influence of the house on them.