Media Notes: Roundup for October 2023

  

 

This is a somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during  October 2023. I did try to watch a bit more horror for October. I am finding that at times I prefer to binge watch old television series that give me comfort than seeking out new (to me) movies. So for me, this month, I would say the highlight was binge watching the later seasons of Barney Miller, which I comment on below. I hope to finish watching the full run during November.

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):

• Invitation to a Murder (2023. Mystery. Thriller). Plot description: "1934. Miranda Green and five other strangers, are invited to the remote island mansion of billionaire Lewis Findley. As the weekend progresses the clues about why they have been invited begin to unfold along with a sinister mystery." This is a very loose take on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (known previously as Ten Little Indians). I've seen some adaptations of Christie's novel, so I figured I'd take a chance on this one, but going in with low expectations. Film opens with Miranda having a conversation with a friend, mainly to expose the character. Miranda reads Agatha Christie; she aspires to be a detective, but at the moment is a florist. So she lives her detective fantasies reading Christie mostly, until the invitation to the island gives her a chance to be the detective. As often the case with these mystery movies, they have a nice cast, and the movie itself looks nice, the cinematography. Early on Miranda comes across as a  young know-it-all, the kind that needs to cut in with some trivia (such as how long Walker's journey from the United States may have taken and what likely routes). Comes across a bit more as snooty or show off than anything else. She is also shown early on as observant and able to make deductions, not unlike Sherlock Holmes, but again, just seems a bit snooty at times. She does not quite have the grace nor presence of the classic detectives she reads about. Overall, this is a slow film. It lacks tension, and most of the time it seems to just be moving with no real direction or motivation. When the reveal of their connection happens, OK, I am willing to go with it, but even that seems a bit anti-climatic. If you are attentive, the solution to the second unplanned murder (trying not to spoil the film) you can likely guess or deduce who it is. The film sort of telegraphs it. Low drama, no real tension for a murder mystery, and just not that good overall. The ending comes as a bit too tidy, but then again, it is setting up Miranda's character for future movies. This is very optional watching, and to be honest, you are much better off watching some classical murder mysteries than this. I'd say 1.5 out of 5 at the most.
  
•  As for the guests, in this story there are six guests. We get the first murder at 40 minutes into the film; it is an hour and 32 minutes film. As in the classic story, the mystery is not just the deaths, but what connects the guests, and if they have any connection to the host.
  
• Walker, the American reporter, a bit of a hardened man and cynic, is also one who plants the seed for Miranda to become a private detective. Being American, he is presented as being a bit more OK with a woman as a private eye (he mentions knowing one in California) versus the British and their more proper ideas of what woman should be.
  
• This seems to be first of a new series featuring Miranda Green as a private detective. Next film in line is Murder at the Embassy, which is in pre-production as of this post. 
•  Urban Legend (1998. Horror. Thriller. Mystery). Plot description: "A college student suspects a series of bizarre deaths are connected to certain urban legends." Among the cast, Robert Englund, well known in horror for portraying Freddie Krueger, portrays the folklore class professor the college student and her classmates are taking. Opening scene sort of irked me as the woman driving the car is not only a distracted driver-- she almost gets in a wreck due to trying to find a cassette for her radio and taking eyes off the road-- but then not paying attention on being low on gas while passing a perfectly good gas station, as in modern, bright lights, well lit. She barely makes it to some rinky dink gas station that is not full service, the horror. Also a good example of why you pay cash for gas, and if need be, only a few bucks to keep on driving to civilization. Clearly the quality of dumbass in the potential victims starts strong here, and we get the first kill that is also an urban legend. Soon, we start getting other deaths modeled after urban legends, and the group of classmates starts shrinking.The premise of a serial killer using urban legends as the them to kill is pretty good. The rest of the movie is so-so. Most of the movies pacing is a bit on the slow side. The suspense not that good either. Much of the film is somewhat predictable. We get a twist at the end, also typical of many slasher movies when it comes to revealing the killer. The twist itself is fairly good given the premise, but also we should note by time the killer is revealed, most of the potential suspects are dead. For folks paying attention, by this point they are likely to figure it out by elimination. Still, a mostly average slasher film with its shares of cliches for the genre. It is not terrible, but it is not that good either. It is OK for a slow Halloween season night but that is about it. I'd give it 2 out of 5 stars, but cutting it close. Via TubiTv. Watched 10/13.
  
• In older movies like this some of the details referring to time period are interesting. One example are the phone lines being used for internet, and you either could use the computer or the phone because they had dial-up modems.  
• The movie does feature a good amount of cheap jump shots that don't lead to anything, just to keep the audience startled. Probably to break up the otherwise fairly slow pace of the movie between kills. 
• Since it is a fancy college, of course the dean wants to keep the incidents on the down low to keep the college's safety image. So when someone gets killed, to be honest, well, he had it coming.  
•  Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000. Horror. Thriller. Mystery). Plot description: "A film school is the center of a fresh spate of killings based on urban legends." A new campus with a film student trying to complete her film thesis on urban legends, only her film crew starts dying in various ways related to urban legends. Other than the basic concept, film is mostly not related to the previous one. It's another fancy pants small campus, because these things apparently never happen in large state schools. Of course, like the previous film, the university tries to cover up the killings for the sake of reputation. The prominent connection is Reese, the security guard in the previous film, has gotten a new security job at the new university. The quality of the acting has gone down on this film. The pacing is also somewhat inconsistent as it can slow down quite a bit at times. Add the usual gang of characters that are either despicable or just killer fodder, and this movie is just not that good or interesting. Movie mostly drags, and the suspense is not that good either. The plot is not that much better, incoherent at times, especially in the last act. To be honest, the revelation of the killer and the motivation is on the ridiculous side, very academic in a way. We do need to note that aside from one kill, the rest of the killings have nothing to do with urban legends, so it does not even keep to the original formula. The post credits scene was a nice tease, but certainly not enough to save this. This movie exemplifies the concept of unnecessary sequel. 1 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 10/14. 
• Urban Legends: Bloody Mary (2005. Horror. Mystery. Thriller). Plot description: "On a prom-night dare, a trio of high school friends chant an incantation, unleashing an evil spirit from the past with deadly consequences." Is it a prank or has the urban legend come to life? Tubi had the three movies in the series, as of this time, so I figured I may as well watch the last one, but I went in with low expectations given the previous two. The opening scene recreates the title urban legend, as three high school girls having a sleepover are entertaining themselves telling urban legends. When the three girls disappear the next morning, the mystery begins. We are not sure if it was supernatural or something more mundane. When they reappear, there are questions if it is a prank. Turns out the girls were kidnapped by football players, the kind that the audience would love for the slasher to kill off. And soon enough the first one gets it. Then other deaths start happening, and there are supernatural hints that Mary is restless and taking her revenge. This movie has a very loose connection to the previous two, mainly through small references such as one of the characters has a scrapbook of news clippings from events in the previous films. Still, overall the film has no real connection to the previous two. Aside from the title character, Bloody Mary, the film is barely a nod to the urban legends concept. Some deaths seem more freaky accidents, some nod to an urban legend. This film overall is a bit more a supernatural film combined with a conspiracy by football jocks to hide their old rapes and misdeeds including the death of Mary, who now seeks revenge on their children. The suspense is stronger in this one, and it keeps your attention a bit better. Overall, of the three, this one works better with a bit more suspense, the supernatural element, and they manage, at least initially, to make viewers wonder if it is something supernatural or not. The film is not really gory, and not a bad choice for Halloween season. It was much better than I expected. Of the three, this is the better film, and I ended up liking it, so 3 out of 5 stars. Watched 10/14.

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:

• Barney Miller (situation comedy, police. 1975-1982). As I mentioned above, this was the highlight for me this month. I know; this is not something spooky, but it was something I enjoyed in October. I commented on this before in May 2021, when I caught some of it, and then in July 2023. As of the start of this month, I've watched seasons 1-4. TubiTv got seasons 5 and 6, so I caught up on that. Then I discovered that the Lexington (KY) Public Library has the full run on DVD, so I checked out seasons 7 and 8, thus I am able to watch the rest of the full series this month.
• I finished seasons 5 and 6. At the end of season 5 is when they do the retrospective on actor Jack Soo, who portrayed Sergeant Yemana. The actor died the year of that season. 
• In season 7, Sergeant Fish (Abe Vigoda), by now retired, makes an appearance. 
• As with other series of this time, I am always fascinated by the various details of the time period. Overall, I appreciate the humanity in this series.
  
• 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.) As of the end of the month, I am about halfway through the first season.