TV

Brooklyn Nine-Nine
3x07 The Mattress
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]

Vera
6x01 Dark Road
[Watch it (again) on the ITV Hub.]

Films

The Martian (2015)
[#25 in 100 Films in a Year 2016]

this week on 100 Films

I know it's been February for a whole week already, but as the first day of that week was the 1st, it's time to look back at last month on 100 Films in a Year. So here's my January progress report:




Also this week, four brand-new reviews were published...


Happy Feet Two (2011)

Not as fun as the first, Happy Feet Two suffers from messy storytelling that can’t seem to settle on a narrative thread. For example: a massive subplot featuring a pair of Pythonesque philosophical krill, voiced by Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, is the film’s most fun element, but never significantly connects to anything else.

Read more here.


Predestination (2014)

a film that rewards knowing as little as possible, especially as the seasoned sci-fi viewer/reader has a fair chance of guessing a good number of its twists (possibly all of them) long before they’re revealed by the film. Fortunately that doesn’t really matter, because the tale remains an engaging and thought-provoking one, with many thematic points to consider, and not just of a science-fictional nature — there are human and historical issues in play here too, which is undoubtedly a rarity in modern screen SF.

Read more here.


Prisoners (2013)

While the basic format is straightforward, it’s realised in the form of a multi-stranded narrative full of well-drawn characters with complications of their own. Jackman and Gyllenhaal may be top billed and on the poster, but there’s actually a powerful ensemble cast here, and its their performances that help the film to stand out from the thriller crowd

Read more here.


Slow West (2015)

The Coens and Wes Anderson are common reference points in reviews of this slightly quirky Western [but] writer-director Maclean has his own variation on that voice, bringing an occasional comically askew perspective to underscore tense confrontations and well-crafted shootouts.

Read more here.


Finally, my 100 Favourites series continued with 2 superheroic entries...


Batman Begins (2005)

Nana-nana-nana-nana nana-nana-nana-nana Batman! But, y’know, serious. Important crimefighting jobs include getting hold of cool gadgets your company developed, messing around in restaurant fountains with models, and perfecting a ludicrously gruff voice to use when in costume.

Read more here.


Batman Returns (1992)

“Burton couldn’t play it safe if he wanted to, and he doesn’t want to. Entrusted with one of the most valuable franchises in movie history, he’s made a moody, grotesque, perversely funny $50 million art film.”

Read more here.


More next Sunday.