Media Notes: Roundup for April 2019

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These are the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during April 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):

• The Unafraid (link to film website. 2018. Documentary. Immigration issues. DACA. Berea College).  Documentary looking at the lives of three undocumented young men and women hoping to get a college education. The documentary features a student that was admitted to Berea College. A very moving and well made documentary that I highly recommend. I got to see it when the college hosted a special showing with the film makers on April 2, 2019. 
• Iron Wolf (2013. Horror. Werewolves. Nazis). Another entry in the Nazi war experiments gone bad. The Nazis, desperate for a miracle weapon, experiment with werewolves, hoping to tame them enough to unleash on the enemy. Film starts in a Nazi lab that is about to fall to Soviet troops. The SS officer orders the lab destroyed but that does not quite happen. Years later in present day, a bunch of punk kids find the abandoned building, and they want to have a concert there. Despite a warning, they unleash the werewolf that was locked away in a sealed chamber (because, you know, who listens to warnings in these horror films anyhow?). This movie could have had potential at least as a horror B-movie, but it is slow, the horror is fairly minimal, and the special effects to be honest are pretty laughable; the acting is pretty poor too. The ending does have a bit on an open finish, and there is a small content bonus in the end credits. Still, not much to get excited about with this film. Not even good enough for one of those horror film programs you may catch late at night on cable. Via TubiTv. 
• Iron Sky (2012. Science Fiction. Action. Comedy. Spoof).  After their defeat in 1945, the Nazis fled to the Moon, and set up a base on the dark side of the moon. They then waited for the right time to return to Earth. It is now 2018. Sarah Palin is President of the United States (well, she is not named but this is pretty obvious), and she is seeking reelection. Starting a war seems like a good idea, and just now the Nazis decide to launch their invasion. The premise sounds ridiculous, but it is an amusing and entertaining movie at times that also makes a comment on our modern times. Part of the humor of course is that more than 50 years have passed, and while the Nazis are good with the old technology and science they have (there is a bit of a steampunk aesthetic, or more appropriate a diesel punk since they use fuel instead of steam, and it is a 1930s-1940s aesthetic. However, they may be good at tech but still seriously incompetent megalomaniacs), the contrast to our modern times where you can put a computer on a cellphone is quite amusing. Overall, not too bad. I enjoyed this, and I think others might too. It is a solid B-movie. The movie has a sequel. I will let you all know if I manage to watch it. Via TubiTv. 
• Murder on the Orient Express (1974. Crime. Mystery). This is the big production of the classic Agatha Christie story. I say big because it had for its time, and even today, a very strong cast of very famous actors. Albert Finney portrayed Detective Hercule Poirot. The story is known: Poirot is returning to England aboard the Orient Express from Turkey. One night the train gets stopped by snow drifts in Yugoslavia, and in the night a murder happens. He is called to solve it, and he needs to solve it before the train is rescued out of the snow, and they have to tell the police in the next town. So there is a bit of a deadline for Poirot. The rest of the cast, most of them suspects now, features Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, and many others.  This is not my favorite version of the story, but I can appreciate the pageantry. It tries to be a bit more melodramatic than other versions. It does have a pretty good music soundtrack by the way. The movie won 3 Oscars, including Albert Finney as Best Actor and Ingrid Bergman as Best Supporting Actress; the other Oscar was for Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted from Other Material. The movie does pay some attention to details. Overall, not my favorite version, but it is still pretty good and worth a look. Via DVD from the Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library. 
• Event Horizon (1997. Horror. Science Fiction). The brief movie description: "A rescue crew investigates a spaceship that disappeared into a black hole and has now returned...with someone or something new on-board." After being lost in space, the deep space exploration vessel Event Horizon reappears at the edge of Neptune. The rescue ship Lewis and Clark, led by Captain Miller (portrayed by Laurence Fishburne) is sent to investigate, bring along the ship's creator Dr. Weir (portrayed by Sam Neill). Soon they find the ship has been way out there, and it may not let them leave. This movie at the time did not do well in movie theaters, but it is a good, solid scifi horror film. It is one of my favorite films. The overall effects still hold pretty well despite all the advances in movie tech since the 1990s. Also, it is not your usual formulaic horror film with good attention to details. If you have not seen it, it is worth checking out. I certainly recommend it. Via Popcornflix. 
• Sands of Iwo Jima (1949. War. Action. Drama). The classic John Wayne film where he portrays a Marine sergeant training a squad into shape. Events in the movie go from their training to getting experience in Tarawa to the invasion of Iwo Jima, ending in the iconic raising of the flag. Movie has a bit of everything from drama to war action to even a bit of romance and some light humor here or there. Overall, pretty good movie and still worth watching. Via TubiTv, where they had a few John Wayne movies this month. I will probably watch one or two more this month and next month. Via TubiTv.
• Rio Grande (1950. Western. Action.) The third of John Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy" of Western films starting John Wayne looking at the U.S. Cavalry after the Civil War. Here Wayne is Lt. Colonel York, commanding his regiment near the Rio Grande.  As often happens in his movies he has a estranged son, who naturally ends up as a trooper in the regiment. Meanwhile, Trooper York's mom wants to buy his way out of the army, something both men refuse. In the larger picture, the Apaches, allied with other tribes, are raiding, and Lt. Colonel York is finally ordered to go after them, including crossing the river. An audacious plan, but if it fails, it is a court martial for him. Overall, a good movie worth watching. It can be entertaining, and it has some light humor to it. Also, a part that I liked were the musical numbers. I guess you can't have a classic Western without a song or two. Via Popcornflix.

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:

• Supermarket Sweep (Game show. 1965-2003). I continue watching the 1990s run, with some 2000s, hosted by David Ruprecht, which ran on Lifetime Channel and later on Pax TV, on YouTube this month. See the June roundup post for more comment on this show. Watched 3 episodes
• MXC: Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (2003-2007. Comedy. Game Show. Spoof). The comedic competition show based on Takeshi's Castle. What made MXC funny of course was the dubbing that was added to turn it into MXC.  The basic premise is teams of rivals competing in various challenging events for points. The rivalries are completely made up.  I discovered this back in March, and I continued watching the rest of season four and the final fifth season this month. Via TubiTv.