Media Notes: Roundup for October 2025

 

 

  

 

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

It's October, so of course I am watching some horror.  

• Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021. Horror. Thriller. Slasher). Plot description: "In this new chapter from the Book of Saw, a detective and his partner investigate grisly murders that are eerily reminiscent of the past." This is the 9th entry in the Saw series; last one I watched was Saw 3D (a.k.a. Saw VII). As I understand it, this one is sort of a sequel, sort of a spin off of the main series. Anyhow, TubiTv got it in for October, so I decided to give it a watch. Chris Rock plays the main detective this time, and Samuel L. Jackson plays his father. Rock plays Detective Zeke, a somewhat rogue cop the others hate because years ago he turned in a crooked cop. So when the murders start, and it seems it is a Jigsaw copycat, he gets to lead the investigation, more so because the first victim was a cop, albeit as we learn a crooked cop. We soon learn the copycat/killer has "a bone to pick" with the police, and unless they come clean of their crimes, corruption, and sins, the killer will keep killing. Up to Zeke and his precinct to stop him. It is a Saw movie, so naturally they feature the extreme torture deaths and traps where some extreme sacrifice needs to be made to escape, i.e. the standard rules of the series. To be honest, this was better than I expected. Works well enough as a police thriller. There is some gore, but less than previous films. The twist at the end, well, if you paid attention, you could likely guess at it. Rock does play the loner cop fairly well. It may leave you with a question or two at the end, but it works. Not sure it needed to be a Saw film to work as the dark police thriller it is, but still worth watching. If nothing else, it breaks out of the usual formula yet maintains elements of original. I'd say a 4 out of 5 stars; I ended up liking it. Watched 10/3.
• Solomon Kane (2009. Horror. Fantasy. Action. Adventure). Plot description: "A ruthless mercenary renounces violence after learning his soul is bound for hell. When a young girl is kidnapped and her family slain by a sorcerer's murderous cult, he is forced to fight and seek his redemption slaying evil."  The movie was pretty good. Not great, but good. The story is a blend of quest and revenge as Solomon needs to keep his promised to save the young girl and do so at any cost. Some good action sequences, but also a slow moment here or there. The ending leaves an opening for a sequel, but so far that has not come. I liked it well enough. I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars. Watched 10/3.
• The movie draws from the stories of Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard, which were published mainly in Weird Tales. There are also at least two comics series featuring the character. Howard is also the creator of Conan the Barbarian. This may be a case where the source material may be better than the film, so I am curious to seek out the stories. 
•  The Omen (1976. Horror. Mystery). Plot description: "Mysterious deaths surround an American ambassador. Could the child that he is raising actually be the Antichrist? The Devil's own son?" One of the big horror classics. I've seen it, but I had not reviewed it before, so I am doing it now. We start with Gregory Peck, a classic actor, leading the cast. Harvey Spencer Davis, the child at the time portraying Damien, was doing his film debut here. To be honest, the movie does start pretty slow. The small hints that Damien may be more than just a small child happen here and there, just enough to make the parents wonder but not take any radical actions, at least not right away. As often happens in horror movies, there are warnings, but the parents, especially Mr. Thorne the father just fail to pay attention. By time Mr. Thorne figures out maybe there is something going on, and starts to investigate, it may be too late. Note that to add to the mood of something evil happening they used Latin singing choirs. That is the sign something demonic is about to happen. Overall, the movie thrives on atmosphere and some suspense. By today's standards, it is a very slow movie, with scares few and far between. The scares when they happen are effective. Back in the day I recall this was seen as seriously scary, but I am not sure it quite holds up today given much of the pace is just very slow. Gregory Peck does deliver a decent performance. Rating it now I am just OK with it, so 2.5 out 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 10/18.
• The film went on to inspire two sequels, a prequel, and there was a novelization. (Wikipedia entry).
•  All Hallows' Eve (2013. Horror. Slasher. B-movie. Dark Fantasy). Plot description: "While babysitting two children on Halloween, a babysitter finds a VHS tape in one of their candy bags. The tape contains three horror stories, linked by a killer clown. As the night progresses, strange things happen in the house."  One of the three shorts in this film is the 2011 short for "Terrifier," which went on to become a feature film later on. This movie helped the character of Art the Clown reach more audiences. The core of the movie is in the short stories in the tape, which the babysitter keeps watching despite her complaining it was too violent or such. Meanwhile, there are happenings in the house, and it seems the stories in the tape are moving into the real world of the babysitter and her home.The stories are good horror in the slasher tradition, but then we get the final horror in the last moments of the film. There are some pretty gruesome moments, and Art the Clown can be quite horrifying. Fans of the slasher horror genre will likely enjoy this. I went with low expectations, and I ended up liking it overall. Not great, but pretty good. Do note the acting is fairly inconsistent; add to it the kids she is babysitting are seriously irritating and obnoxious. The movie certainly makes for a good Halloween season watch. Of the shorts, "Terrifier," the third one may be the best of the set. In the end, as I said, better than I expected, and I can say I have seen it. Art the Clown can be just as terrifying as Jason and Freddy and a few other slashers out there. Based on this, I am likely to seek out others in the series. 3 out of 5 stars.   Watched 10/31. Via TubiTv.
• This movie has at least one sequel, All Hallows' Eve II plus the Terrifier films.  
• Content Warning (CW). Yes, I know it is a horror movie, but there is a very violent scene towards the end involving a female victim that may be way over for some viewers.  

 

Other non-horror I watched:  

• Sharktopus (2010. Horror. Science Fiction. Action. Adventure. Comedy). Plot description: 'A half-shark and half-octopus creature created for the military creates a whole lot of terror in Mexico, while the scientist who helped to create it tries to either capture or kill it." One of the SyFy originals for television. Even though IMDB rates it as horror, I did not feel right listing it with actual horror films above, so here it is. The comedy label I am sure comes from the not so intentional dark humor. Example, the bungee jumping scene, that was just bait waiting to happen.  I had seen this, but saw I did not review it, so decided to give it another view to make a note here. The sharktopus turns out to be an experimental U.S. Navy weapon-- they were messing with shark and octopus DNA-- and as it happens in horror movies, it escaped. Mayhem ensues. On a trivia note, Roger Corman is one of the producers. , and it has Eric Roberts in it, so we can expect serious cheese here. A small detail some may appreciate is all the hot women in bikinis they got roaming around...at least until the sharktopus eats a few of them. Overall, it is a silly and amusing at times monster movie. The acting is about average at best. The special effects about what you expect for a television movie, in other words, they are OK. This is the kind of movie you watch late at night with a couple of beers. 2 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 10/4.

 

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 mostly rewatched series that comfort me. 

•  Starting at the end of September and through this month I rewatched Babylon 5. I own the series in DVD, but Tubi recently added it, so I went ahead and watched it, I mostly started watching a few episodes, and gradually ended up watching it all again. On a small note, in the last season, Season 5 Episode 8, "Day of the Dead," they do a reflection about the dead returning, which I found timely as we are getting close to Day of the Dead. In the episode, we also get a guest appearance by Penn and Teller as comedian humorists Rebo and Zooty. Speaking of guest stars, the episodes featuring Walter Koenig, well known as Mr. Chekhov from Star Trek, portraying Bester the Psi Cop are always a highlight. He really did a great job portraying that villain. On another note, the last episode of the series always leaves a nice, moving bittersweet feeling. Great series overall. 
• Been rewatching Iron Chef (Japan). I am entering the 4th season as we end the month, via TubiTv.