Media Notes: Roundup for February 2025

 

  

 

Welcome to my somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during February 2025.

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). 

In terms of movies and films, I did not watch much this month. To be honest, as of late, I've been feeling like comfort watches, and that often means either old comfort show or other short content that does not require much brain power (and not interesting enough to document here). I will say the two movies I caught this month were pretty good though.

• Hostiles (2017. Drama. Western). Plot description: "In 1892, a legendary Army Captain reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory." Part of the reason I picked this up is it has Wes Studi in it, who always does good work. It also has Christian Bale, and the trailer look good enough to take a chance. The chief, portrayed by Wes Studi, is dying of cancer, and as dying wish asked to be released to go back to holy land in Montana. It falls to the captain, portrayed by Christian Bale, to get him there, albeit reluctantly. It is a perilous journey whether from other natives attacking them or from other evil folks out there. For Wes Studi, this must not have been too difficult, since he does not speak much in the film, and yet, in a few moments we do see him his facial expressions and soft voice of the dying man convey a strong presence. Good performances from Bale and rest of the cast forming his caravan. This is a slow film at times, and it builds up very gradually. There are some very violent moments, but that is also an important part of the story. The cinematography looks great; they picked some beautiful locations. If you are looking for a fast, shooting Western, this is not it. But if you want a good, solid drama that takes place in the West and explores topics like violence, grief, and forgiveness, this may be for you. 4 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 2/1.
• Prey (2022. Action. Science Fiction. Horror). Plot description: "Naru, a skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation, fights to protect her tribe against one of the first highly-evolved Predators to land on Earth." I am going into this one with a bit of low expectations, feeling like the Predators (or their movie writers) are running out of ideas, so let's do Native Americans this time. I was also a bit skeptical because reviews I saw for the film were mixed. But I am also a bit intrigued by the idea, so here we go. As the movie notes, it is 1719. One thing the movie has upfront is very nice cinematography. Some of the setting in the opening shots just looks beautiful. They chose some nice locations. One small detail after the first Predator movie is that none of the later films will recapture the suspense and eventual revelation of the Predator. By now, we all mostly know what the Predator is and the basic premise. So newer films have to rely more on the Predator being smarter, better hidden, and the hero(es) being capable of standing up to the Predator. The tribe, especially the men, underestimate Naru, but as her mother comments to her at one point, Naru is very good at many things. For one, she observes, pays attention to details, thinks. Those skills will serve her well. She wants to be a hunter but naturally the macho chauvinists of the tribe don't think she can nor should. Until the trouble begins, and it's too late for the guys who were trying to stop her. The movie somewhat follows the formula of the original: once the hero, or heroine here, figures out the weaknesses of the Predator, like its heat vision, and discover it can bleed, they have a chance to kill it. To be honest, this is a lot better than some of the reviews said. Yes, it has a slow moment or two, but overall it has good action, some good suspense, and you come to care for Naru and Saari her dog. It does feel a bit like going back to basics in a good way, plus if you pay close attention, there is a small sort of easter egg/service to Predator 2 in the end, sort of. I liked it, and I think for fans it is worth watching. Is it perfect? No, hard to surpass the original. However, compared to the pretty bad sequels that came after, especially after Predator 2, this is pretty close to excellent. Film lasts about one hour and 39 minutes, which works well for the film. Just enough to develop the story without dragging it or adding filler. 4 out of 5 stars. Watched 2/15. 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:

• Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988-1999. British. Comedy. Improv). Plot description: "The programme's format was on a panel of four performers conducting a series of short-form improvisation games, creating comedic scenes per predetermined situations made by the host or from suggestions by the audience." I continue watching the original British series on Tubi.