Saturday 19 December 2009

TV

Best Ever Family Films
Not sure about the order. Or all the films included. And it's rather dated, especially with some of the commentators. But hey-ho, it's good Christmastime schedule-filling.

Misfits
1x05 Episode Five
Aww, poor Simon.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Spooks
8x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Wallander [Swedish]
1x07 Den Svaga Punkten (aka The Tricksters)
After the epic cinema-released dramatics of episode six, it's back to lower-key normality here. The subtle touches that acknowledge previous events -- Linda's glasses, for example -- are nice.

Articles

Patrick Stewart 'to be knighted' by Sarah Rollo
(from Digital Spy)
Considering the source and rumoursome nature of this story, that headline should probably end with a question mark. But that's Digital Spy for you. Very well deserved if true though.

RATM: 'Campaign is a historic revolt' by Catriona Wightman
(from Digital Spy)
"I'm sure he's a very nice young lad. If there is any backlash against him it is totally undeserved, but it's the fault of The X Factor for pushing forward this 'guaranteed number one pop single'. To then turn around and cry, boo hoo hoo, that people are complaining about it - I don't have much sympathy for the X Factor people.
If we're going to start feeling sorry for young men who are going to have the number two single at Christmas, then that's putting our sympathies in the wrong place. Whatever sympathy is out there, then please use it to leave your donations for Shelter.
There are people who really deserve sympathy and support at Christmas, not the latest X Factor poster boy.


Also see a raft of articles on the forthcoming Hamlet, starring David Tennant, here.

Articles: Hamlet

Been reading lots around the web today about the forthcoming David Tennant, on BBC Two on Boxing Day. Its imminence, plus a screening/Q&A at the BFI and the launch of the extensive tie-in website, means there's a lot around now. Here's some of the best bits I've seen...

'Go make you ready'
and
'For this relief much thanks'
by John Wyver (from Illuminations Blog)
The blog of the company that made this Hamlet, here reacting to the screening and general such like things. Always worth a read, this blog.

Hamlet (BFI, 14th December 2009) by Julia Raby
(from Between the Acts)
Despite a few irritants (misplaced words, misspellings), this is a nice spoiler-free first analysis of the film and some talk of the Q&A.

Hamlet for the cross-platform age by George Entwistle
(from About the BBC)
"The reason we co-commissioned Hamlet, and the reason the project is so near to our hearts, is that we believe this version, with this cast, has the potential to engage audiences who wouldn't normally turn up for Shakespeare."

Hamlet on TV by Mark Lawson
(from TV matters from guardian.co.uk)
On the choice of scheduling for Hamlet, and other such matters. Includes well-reasoned criticism of Simon Cowell, so is of course perfect. (See also Lawson's article on the original stage production, The play's the thing.)

'Both at the first and now...' by John Wyver
(from Illuminations Blog)
Last word to the Illuminations blog, again, here collecting previews, reviews and other such links relating to the film.