Sunday 17 January 2016

TV

Dickensian
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
[#8 in 100 Films in a Year 2016]

Super 8 (2011)
[#7 in 100 Films in a Year 2016]

this week on 100 Films

Firstly on 100 Films in a Year this week, a tribute to Alan Rickman:




Elsewise, 3 brand-new reviews were published:


The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)
Widely regard as one of (if not the) greatest kung fu movies ever made... The chambers take the form of challenges, which San Te must overcome by either puzzling them out or developing some kind of physical or mental acuity. Their content is varied and innovative, which makes them engrossing to watch even as they make the film episodic
Read more here.


Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)
It’ll come as no surprise that the biggest and best [bit] is Williams reprising his iconic performance, and consequently being responsible for most of the film’s humour. There are a couple of fun nods to some of Williams’ other best-remembered roles, and plenty to other Disney films too. The rest of the film offers a fast-paced, action-packed narrative, with a few musical numbers to boot.
Read more here.


What Dreams May Come (1998)
Director Vincent Ward and his team have created a rich, engrossing visual space here. It’s not just the Oscar-winning visual effects either, which create Chris’ initial realisation of Heaven as a kind of living painting, but also the locations, their decorations, and some fantastic sets. The design work is brilliant
Read more here.


Finally, as will hopefully be the case every week for the rest of 2016, my 100 Favourites series continued with 2 more posts:


Alien (1979)
Being a great of one genre is an achievement, but to be great in two at the same time (horror and sci-fi, of course) is something else.
Read more here.


Apocalypse Now Redux (1979/2001)
Adding some 49 minutes of footage to the praised theatrical version, Redux divides viewers and critics on whether the extensions make a classic even better or just dilute it. If there’s a consensus, it’s that in either version this is a great movie.
Read more here.


More next Sunday.