Media Notes: Roundup for April 2022

     

This is a somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during April 2022.

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 Hound of the Baskervilles (1959. Mystery. Horror. Literary Adaptation). Plot description: "When a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, detective Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate." The Hammer Studios adaptation featuring Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes with Andre Morell as Dr. Watson. Great dramatic opening soundtrack, as was often the case in movies of this era. Christopher Lee portrays Sir Henry Baskerville, the current heir of Baskerville Hall, and he plays up the obnoxious Baskerville noble well, keeping up with their reputation which we see in his previous ancestor that first suffered the curse. Overall, the acting in the film is very good. The film has a good amount of suspense too with some light horror elements. Very good atmosphere as well. I really liked this one. 4 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTV. Watched 4/1. 
• El Mariachi (1992. Action. Crime. Thriller). Plot description: "A traveling mariachi is mistaken for a murderous criminal and must hide from a gang bent on killing him." The first film in Robert Rodriguez's Mexico Trilogy. The opening sets up the tone and plot of the film as a hit man escapes from jail after a betrayal from a former boss, and now seeks his revenge. By the way, this movie is in Spanish, with English subtitles. It may be a low budget film, but the grittiness works in the movie's favor, giving it a grindhouse feel. The young mariachi does have a bit of a poetic sense, especially when he reflects on his own story and life. His dream sequences, when he sleeps, brief as they are do add a bit of a surrealistic element to the film. Overall, this may be a low budget film, but it is a good film that is reminiscent of old time films. The plot is pretty simple, but it is the way the story runs and turns out plus the acting, especially from Gallardo as the Mariachi, that makes this a very good film. For me, reminds me of some old time Mexican movies I used to watch in younger days. It is not a perfect film, and it can have a slow moment here or there, but the drama overall is pretty good. I am willing to give it 4 out of 5 stars for the effort, the simple yet good story, and those surreal moments that add just a bit more to the movie. I had not seen this before, and I was pleasantly impressed.  Via TubiTv. Watched 4/2. 
• Desperado (1995. Action. Crime. Thriller). Plot description: "Former musician and gunslinger El Mariachi arrives at a small Mexican border town after being away for a long time. His past quickly catches up with him and he soon gets entangled with the local drug kingpin Bucho and his gang." The second movie of the Mexico Trilogy. The nameless Mariachi returns, only this time Robert Rodriguez's film has a bigger budget, and they got Antonio Banderas to play the Mariachi. The Mariachi now is not as innocent as in the previous film; he clearly has grown and become more adept at killing and using firearms. Bucho previously killed his girlfriend, or rather he pulled the strings, so now the former musician turned gun man with a guitar case full of weapons will get his revenge. There is also some pretty good big budget casting with Steve Buscemi (who sets up the story initially), Quentin Tarantino, Cheech Marin (as a bartender), and Salma Hayek (the bookstore owner and new love interest). Oh, and Danny Trejo appears in this as well as a knife throwing henchman. This time the movie is in English by the way. The movie does pick up close to the previous film, even redoing the ending of the first one where the crime boss shoots Mariachi's hand and kills the woman, only now Antonio Banderas is the actor as the nameless Mariachi. On a curious side note, the actor who was the Mariachi in the first film portrays Campa, the twin guitar case machine gun mariachi friend of El Mariachi. I am not sure how much of an improvement is this movie. On the one hand, not much story here either; it is a basic revenge tale. What we do get is a film that is highly stylized. The shootout scenes are great and very well made; they are the best part of the movie. Aside from that, there is not that much more in terms of substance. They do add some small humor touches here or there, but it does not seem enough. Also that ending is not as satisfying as it could be. The reveal twist at the end did not seem quite right. So the movie works as fun shootout entertainment, but the rest seems a bit like what we need to watch to get to the shootouts. Banderas does put in a good performance, so does Hayek. I had seen this one previously, without seeing the first one. It can stand on its own, but it does work along as a sequel. 3.5 out of 5 for this one. Via TubiTv. Watched 4/2. 
• Once Upon A Time In Mexico (2003. Action. Crime. Thriller). Plot description: "Hitman "El Mariachi" becomes involved in international espionage involving a psychotic CIA agent and a corrupt Mexican general." The reluctant hero El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) and Carolina (Salma Hayek) return for the conclusion of the Mexico Trilogy, and there is a pretty good cast here too including Johnny Depp, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, and Willem Dafoe among others. The film has some very good action sequences. There is also a bit of humor; I particularly appreciated the bull fight scene (hey, the bull got a win for a change). There is a bit of a more focused plot this time as Depp's character, corrupt CIA agent Sands, is running a plan that will get the Mexican president killed, get the big cartel boss killed, all to, as he says, restore a balance. To do so he brings various folks in including a retired FBI agent (Ruben Blades) and El Mariachi. El Mariachi's motivation is a corrupt Mexican general that killed Carolina and Mariachi's daughter. It's revenge he seeks. Naturally, soon some folks start double crossing others hoping to gain rewards, and the action picks up. We soon also get a bit of a cat and mouse game going on. Compared to the second film, the pace is faster, and there is a bit more action. The film feels as an improvement to the previous one; this is due to the faster pace, and the plot was a bit more focused compared to the previous one. If you think about it too much, you may start asking what some of the motivations are, but overall, as an action revenge piece with some intrigues thrown in, it's pretty entertaining. The action sequences remain the forte of the film. Some good performances as well. I am willing to give it 4 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 4/8.
• Blade of the Immortal (2017. Action. Drama. Fantasy. Manga adaptation. Japanese film). Plot description: "Samurai Manji has taken a lot of lives, both innocent and guilty, and now lives life in feudal Japan as a criminal. After being cursed with immortality until he kills enough evil men, Manji meets a young girl who enlists him to be her body-guard. Swearing loyalty, protection and vengeance against the group of sword fighters who slaughtered her family, the unlikely duo set on a remarkable quest to make right against those who did them wrong." While the movie has some very well made action, a lot of the plot goes over the growing relationship between Manji, who reluctantly becomes Rin's bodyguard. Keep in mind, Manji becomes immortal, but this does not make him invulnerable, so yes, he can be wounded, feel the pains, and eventually the wounds heal and close from the magic in the curse. With a price on his head, Manji has his share of enemies. Anotsu, leader of the group that killed Rin's family, has a scheme to be the leader of swordsman schools, but when the Shogun decides he is not about to hand things over to Anotsu, the plot gets more complex. The story overall is quite complex as intrigues are revealed and revenge is sought. It is quite a good story with various twists and dramatic moments. Plus it has quite a good ending scene. The performances by the actors portraying Manji and Rin are solid too. The actor portraying Anotsu does a good performance as well. Yes, he is the villain, yet he has a story of his own as well. Overall, this is a great movie, and for me, another example how foreign films are often better than a lot of Hollywood offerings. 5 out of 5 stars for this one. Watched. 4/8. Via TubiTv.
• This is based on the Blade of the Immortal manga series. I will be adding this to my TBR list. 
• Godzilla vs. Kong (2021. Action. Thriller. Science Fiction). Plot description: "Legends collide as Godzilla and Kong, the two most powerful forces of nature, clash on the big screen in a spectacular battle for the ages. As a squadron embarks on a perilous mission into fantastic uncharted terrain, unearthing clues to the Titans' very origins and mankind's survival, a conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever." Given that every other review I saw about this said this was just a big dumb popcorn movie, i.e. a lot of flash, monsters fight, no discernible plot, I went in with accordingly lowered expectations of leave the brain at the door. Like so many of these giant monster movies, this one has the often common kids that just get in the way more than anything else. To make things modern, we have the now almost obligatory in these kind of films the conspiracy theory podcaster. The more I watch some of the characters, the humans, the more I just wish one or both of the monsters would squash them. They are not exactly inspiring the viewer to care much for them. The young girl seeking the conspiracy theorist by now is about as ridiculous as the podcaster is; this part of the movie is just seriously slow.  Action picks up a bit about 30 minutes in, but even that is just not that exciting. One thing the film has going for it is the CGI and special effects look pretty good. Once Kong gets to the Hollow Earth part, things look a bit interesting; it does look very nice. As for the girl and the conspiracy theorist, it feels more like the poor attempt at a comedy relief that does not work. When Apex Corporation's mechanical monster is finally revealed an hour or so in, you know this is the thing that the two titular monsters have to confront, and now we just need to drag until we get to that point. We still got 50 more minutes or so at this point, oh brother. Seriously, this movie, aside from the few moments with Kong in it, pretty much is worse than most B-movies. Only difference is B-movies are actually fun and have a lower budget while not taking themselves too seriously. This movie is trying to be smart, failing miserably at it with a plot that is more complex than needs to be for what should be a monster feature. And it is not that good of a monster feature either. As for the ending, it was a seriously ridiculous contrivance. By the way, the songs for the soundtrack not that good either. I am glad I saw this on DVD because this is certainly not worth price of admission in a movie theater. Boring, overdrawn, and slow, but hey, it looks nice half the time. 1/2 a star barely as this is time I am not getting back watching this dreck. It is not often I say a movie was awful, but this was awful. Via DVD from Madison County (KY) Public Library. Watched 4/16. 
• By the way, nice touch in the DVD; the film starts when you hit "play" instead of shoving 5 or 6 trailers you may or not care for. 
• The movie from what I gather shares the same universe as films like Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of Monsters. I have not seen the previous movies, but at start of this one we get a bit of exposition to establish both creatures share a common ground and setting. After this one, I am in no rush whatsoever to find the previous movies. 
• P.S. I had previously seen Critical Drinker's review of this movie on YouTube, but for some reason I decided to watch the movie anyhow. If you want a good summary of all the plot holes and other fuckery in this movie, this 9 minutes review has you covered. Watch that and just skip the damn movie, which is what I should have done. To be honest, I could suggest before you watch a movie that may not seem good, check to see if Drinker reviewed it first. It can save you money and certainly time. 
• Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977. Action. Fantasy. Adventure). Plot description: "Sinbad The Sailor sails to deliver a cursed prince to a dangerous island in the face of deadly opposition from a powerful witch." This is a favorite of mine since childhood, so when I found it again I decided to watch. Special effects are by the great Ray Harryhausen, which is another reason I like this film. When some folks say they do not make movies like they used to, they mean this kind of film. This is an entertaining fantasy adventure that is fairly family friendly too. The special effects look good, and in a time of CGI, they are admirable to see. The story is a good quest tale, and there is a bit of action too. Some of it may look cheesy, but overall this is a good plot told in an entertaining way, and a relatively wholesome fantasy movie. It really appealed to my imagination back then, and to be honest, it still does now. I miss films like this. A good movie to watch on a Friday evening. 4.5. out of 5 stars. Via Crackle, which seems a bit better in usability since last I checked, though not by much. But worth it to see this movie. Watched 4/22. 
• Trivia note: I did not realize until later that Peter Mayhew, who portrayed Chewbacca in Star Wars, portrayed Minoton in this film; he is uncredited as Minoton. 
• The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958. Fantasy. Adventure. Action). Plot description: "When a princess is shrunken by an evil wizard, Sinbad must undertake a quest to an island of monsters to cure her and prevent a war." I probably watched this as a kid at some point, but I barely remember it, so when I found it, decided to take a chance. I always like Ray Harryhausen films. By the way, a nice soundtrack, one that uses music to set mood pretty well. The wizard basically is obsessed with a magic lamp that has a child genie in it. When he loses it on the island of monsters, he sets his scheme in motion to force Sinbad to undertake the voyage. To be honest, for a genie, the boy seems quite limited in what he can and cannot do. If the genie was more powerful, or Sinbad when he has the lamp would put the genie to work better, this movie would be over a lot sooner. The genie's lackluster power is a thing you mostly notice as an adult if you pause to give it thought. For children, this would probably not be an issue as they would likely relate to the character. Still, the best part of the movie are of course Ray Harryhausen's special effects, and they look great here with various monsters. The special effects add to a sense of wonder. The plot is good, but it does seem to move a bit slow at moments. Still, it is an entertaining movie overall with a nice adventure story, and yes, I can say a good ending. While the film has aged a bit, it is still a good watch for a Saturday evening, and as the later film, one you can watch with the family. The special effects still work well, even in this time of CGI and such. For me, watching it now I appreciate Harryhausen's achievements more. For me, this is a nice trip down memory lane, and a reminder how much I enjoy nice fantasy stories. 4 out of 5 stars. Via Crackle. Watched 4/23.
• On a side note, if you wonder, a possible source for the rope swinging scene in Star Wars with Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia when escaping the Death Star, well, you get that scene's predecessor here. As I said, possibly. Lucas was influenced by films like this among other sources. 

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 Mafia: The Rise and Fall of Organized Crime (2021. Documentary. Crime). Plot description: "The story of organized crime in Las Vegas is an intriguing tale of murder greed and corruption. Learn how the mob built the most dazzling and decadent city in the West before being dismantled by federal prosecutors hell-bent on taking them down. Through newsreels, archival photos and first hand accounts from those who participated, American Mafia: Las Vegas takes you inside the story from the people who know it best." A small detail is the narrator, when on camera, and some of the experts they get, dress up in period attire. The documentary starts from the very early rise of Las Vegas as a desert stopover to the mecca of entertainment and gambling that it became on to the luxury high end resorts and expensive arenas of today. It goes over some of the usual cast of Mafiosi but we also see other characters that come to Vegas and make their mark such as Howard Hughes. The documentary is interesting, but the narration can be a bit slow. Nice use of historical photos and newsreels. What I find interesting is the stories that are not the usual ones or that we may not hear as much about. I think the documentary adds a bit more to the lore we often hear about Las Vegas. The documentary does seem a bit sympathetic to the city; I mean city officials and other locals could be just as corrupt as the mobsters they decried even as they took money from them to build the casinos, so on. An issue is the documentary may be a bit too long at hour and a half, in part because at times they back up the narrative to emphasize some detail or another, so some parts may seem a bit repetitive. Via TubiTv. Watched 4/16.
• Book mentioned in the documentary by Oscar Goodman, former lawyer who defended various mob figures like Rosenthal and Spilotro, and went on to become mayor of Las Vegas: Being Oscar: From Mob Lawyer to Mayor of Las Vegas. I think it may one I seek out down the road. 
• Another book mentioned. This one by Jeff Burbank, who is one of the experts in the documentary: Las Vegas Babylon: True Tales of Glitter, Glamour, and Greed.