Media Notes: Roundup for September 2023

 

  

 

This is a somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during September 2023.

Movies and films (links to IMDB.com for basic information unless noted otherwise). Some of these, OK, most of these I often watch via TubiTv.com or other online source. I now and then do try out other FAST sites (Free ad-supported television). 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). 

This month, I did not watch much in terms of movies, but I did start dipping into horror a bit as October is coming soon.

• Jeepers Creepers (2001. Horror. Mystery). Plot description: "A brother and sister driving home through isolated countryside for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature which is in the midst of its ritualistic eating spree." Film plays a bit on the small town or out in the middle of nowhere horrors that happen when you get off the main highways. At the beginning of the film, the two main characters do mention they were taking the long way home, i.e. the very small isolated country road. It also plays a bit with the everyone in the small hick town knows what is going on, and they know not to mess with the local curse. We all know where this leads. The two main characters are written as siblings, to avoid sexual tensions, but they are still the usual young somewhat obnoxious college kids you won't care much about. Also, as typical college kids in a horror movie, they make the typical dumb decisions, like Darry the brother wanting to go investigate further when they should have kept on driving. Trish the sister going along with it is not that much brighter. I understand they have to do stupid shit to get the plot going, but even with that horror movie convention, that first decision is dumb as fuck. And it gets worse from there. First act of the film is seriously slow. Once we get into the creature chasing them, the pace is still inconsistent. And granted, this is a typical horror B-movie, but even for that it is still just not that great. The scares are about average. We find out the monster may be supernatural about an hour into the film. Movie is not too gory, if at all. Add to the exposition with a local psychic who fills in the details, including the detail that the creature feeds for 23 days every 23rd spring, which is the premise of this monster. The premise is good, but the pacing and execution in the film are just slow and inconsistent. The script is not that good either. Aside from the few scares, it is fairly boring; most of the film just drags. I honestly do not get the oh so positive reviews this gets. It's just not that good. The ending is a bit creepy, not too bad, but mostly serves to set up future sequels. Unless you are a hardcore horror fan, you can probably skip this one. 1 out of 5 stars barely, and only because I've seen worse. Based on this one, I do not think I will follow up with the sequel or sequels. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/23.
• On a side note, that 1950s clunker they have the sister drive is a bit ridiculous while we are at it. For a brief moment, I thought the opening scenes were maybe in the 1950s, until we learn there are cellphones, and then we see cops' modern cop cars and other details. I understand they wanted the jalopy to be part of the plot, but I am sure a more modern clunker would have worked fine too. 
•  Dr. Giggles (1992. Horror. Comedy. Drama). Plot description: "A madman who believes he's a doctor comes to the town where his crazy father was killed, and soon begins murdering people and becoming infatuated with a teenage girl who has a heart condition." I remember when this movie came out it got a bit of hype due to Larry Drake in the title role; he was known for his character of Bennie in L.A. Law, so this was quite the contrast. The start, after the opening scene where Evan, Dr. Giggles, escapes the asylum, is the mostly usual boring meet the teens that are going to get killed, including the girl with the heart condition bummed out because she cannot do anything stressful. Dr. Rendell's house, Evan's father, is long abandoned after the town killed the man. So naturally, where do the teens go for shenanigans? The old house. Who came back to the old house? Yes, Dr. Giggles. You can take it from there. Soon about half hour into the film two town cops tell the story of the first Dr. Rendell, how he went mad due to his sick wife, and killed some patients, but how his son went missing. The humor in part comes from various one liners Evan uses as he kills his "patients" and an amusing in a dark way moment here or there. His kills of course are medically themed, and we learn though he is mad he is also highly intelligent with prodigy level IQ. In addition, we learn more of the Rendells' story through flashbacks. Overall, the movie is not bad, but it is not great either. It is a somewhat by numbers light slasher. Not really gory. Creepy, but not too creepy. Larry Drake does put in a good performance as Dr. Giggles, but overall, he does not get much to work with in terms of the story. The character's premise is on par with this kind of film. In the end, an OK film, so 2.5 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. watched 9/30. 
• Cube (1997. Horror. Mystery. Science Fiction). Plot description: "Six complete strangers with widely varying personalities are involuntarily placed in an endless maze containing deadly traps." We discover as we watch that each has a particular set of skills among them a cop, a math whiz, a building designer, a doctor, an escape master, and a disabled man. Will they be able to get out and figure out why they ended up in the Cube? The opening scene gets us into the film and its plot right away very neat and efficiently, and we soon learn the Cube can be lethal. Overall, a relatively minimalist film. The cube maze is the puzzle they must try to solve to find an exit. The film is more a character study and performance where what we really see are aspects of human nature: who will cooperate? who will betray? who is truly innocent? So on. Film has some suspense, and the puzzle keeps you guessing at times. Still, not a strong film. Sure, leave various questions open such as how they got there and why, but in the end such questions matter little in the face of the puzzle itself. The ending was not that good to be honest, apparently going for the only horror element of the film; film otherwise is more suspense. Compared to the rest of the film, the ending did not seem fitting in relation to the rest of the film. The premise is decent enough, but the movement throughout is not that great as they go from room to room. Some suspense, not terribly thrilling. If you want thrilling, this film is not it. You want more a puzzle and a bit cerebral, this may be more your alley. It just lacks a punch, so it was OK. 2 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 7/30.
• On a side note, there is a sequel, Cube 2: Hypercube and a prequel, Cube Zero. To be honest, based on this, not sure if I will follow up or not.
  

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.

I did not watch much in terms of television shows. What I did watch were a couple of comfort watch shows that I may have reviewed before, so not repeating them this time.

• CHiPs (1977-1983. Police. Crime. Drama). I just discovered this via PlexTv, so decided to go back memory lane. They have the full run. I watched this in younger days, but I do not think I caught the pilot, so it was nice to get to see it now. As the show starts, Officer Poncherello (Erik Estrada) is still a probationary officer. Hard to imagine given he goes on to succeed. In the pilot, he has been on probation status for two years, and he is at the end of the period. However, he can be rash and impulsive, yet still a good officer, but question is if he will make it to be a full officer or not. (We know he makes it since the show lasted 6 seasons, but it was still amusing).  
• "Lewis Black: Tragically, I Need You" (2023. Stand up comedy). Plot description: "Lewis Black brings his inimitable insights to the 'post'-pandemic state of world. 'Tragically, I Need You' picks up where his last special left off." He captures the experience we lived through during the really bad times of the pandemic (not, that it is over, but there has been some improvement despite the COVIDIOTS). He does present some very good insights and observations. Overall, this is pretty good, and a good reminder of that experience many of us shared. His note at the end is nice and a bit bittersweet. 4 out of 5 stars. Via YouTube.