TV

Jack Ryan
1x01 Pilot
[Watch it (again) on Prime Video.]

Films

Zorro (1975)
[#186 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

TV

Hang Ups
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]

Magic for Humans
1x03 Terrifying Tech
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Films

The Most Unknown (2018)
[#185 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

TV

Disenchantment
1x08 The Limits of Immortality
1x09 To Thine Own Elf Be True
1x10 Dreamland Falls [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Films

The Hunt for Red October (1990)
[2nd watch]
+ the Blu-ray's special features; primarily, a decent half-hour making-of.

Seoul Station (2016)
[#184 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

Films

Ready Player One 3D (2018)
[#183 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

TV

Disenchantment
1x07 Love's Tender Rampage
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Magic for Humans
1x02 Express Yourself
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

this week on 100 Films

Just 2 brand-new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year again this week, and they were...


Kidnapped (1917)

Kidnapped may not be an unheralded classic begging for rediscovery, but it’s a fun jaunt nonetheless. Proof, if it were needed, that there’s often worth to be discovered by digging into the more forgotten and esoteric corners of film history.

Read more here.


Conquest Program No.9

For her DVD release of the 1917 feature Kidnapped, Fritzi Kramer of Movies Silently was able to source the four short films that were bundled with it as part of “Conquest Program No.9”. The Conquest Programs were the idea of distributor George Kleine and created by Thomas Edison’s film company. Eleven were created in all, each one bundling together a feature film and a mix of shorts to create a complete bill of wholesome entertainment. By specifically recreating Program No.9, the Kidnapped DVD doesn’t just offer an approximation of what a night at the movies in 1917 might’ve been a bit like, but rather a genuine was-definitely-shown-in-theatres programme from the time.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

Films

Darkest Hour (2017)
[#182 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

There were a total of 9 new additions to my collection this week... but one of those was a 2D-to-3D Blu-ray upgrade, adding a single disc, and three more were DVD-to-BD upgrades, with one of those alone replacing three former titles and reducing five discs to three. And if that wasn't enough, a further two were Blu-ray upgrades of films I own on DVD but I can't ditch the DVD copies because they're in box sets with other stuff!

Anyhow, you can see the fallout of all that below. You can also see what effect all those upgrading shenanigans had on the monthly running time update...

Number of titles in collection: 2,140 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,153 [down 5]
Of which Blu-rays: 987 [up 8]

Number of discs in collection: 5,447 [up 3]
Number of films: 2,388 [up 5]
Number of TV episodes: 8,105 [up 1]
Number of short films: 624 [up 5]

Total running time of collection (approx.):
401 days and 29 minutes.
(Up 18 hours and 8 minutes from last month.)

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

The Comedy Lineup
1x08 Tim Dillon [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Disenchantment
1x05 Faster, Princess! Kill! Kill!
1x06 Swamp and Circumstance
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Edinburgh Nights
2018 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965)
[#181 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

TV

The Comedy Lineup
1x02 Ian Karmel
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

TV

I've got a miserable cold, so all this comedy seemed like a good way to while away some time...

The Comedy Lineup
1x05 Phil Wang
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Dana Carvey: Straight White Male, 60
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Disenchantment
1x04 Castle Party Massacre
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Friends
1x20 The One with the Evil Orthodontist [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
A random episode courtesy of Comedy Central.

Jimmy Carr: Funny Business
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

Magic for Humans
1x01 Self-Control
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

TV

Disenchantment
1x01 A Princess, an Elf, and a Demon Walk Into a Bar
1x02 For Whom the Pig Oinks
1x03 The Princess of Darkness
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]

TV

Hang Ups
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]

this week on 100 Films

2 brand-new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...


Christopher Robin (2018)

There have been many Winnie the Pooh adaptations down the years, as well as original movies and TV series featuring the same characters, so rather than remake any of those, here Disney have set about telling another brand-new story (although it begins with an adaptation of one of A.A. Milne’s very best Pooh stories, which is nice). This new tale justifies its live-action form by moving beyond the confines of the Hundred Acre Wood; and it also, smartly, trades on our own childhood nostalgia for the silly old bear.

Read more here.


A Quiet Place (2018)

Its USP is the “must stay quiet” aspect, which reportedly led to less chatter and popcorn-munching during cinema screenings. If only all moviegoing experiences were so blessed. Of course, a similar conceit was only recently deployed in Don’t Breathe, but here the threat level is upped by the almost supernatural enemy. The film’s PG-13 rating in the US means it occasionally pulls its punches on going all-out terrifying, but, as the UK 15 certificate may indicate, it’s still loaded with sequences of tension and suspense.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

Podcasts

The Empire Film Podcast
Mission: Impossible – Fallout Spoiler Special
Part 1 ft. Christopher McQuarrie
Part 2 ft. Team Empire

If you thought Empire's Rogue Nation podcast was long, well, Chrises Hewitt and McQuarrie have really outdone themselves here: Part One alone beats it, and Part Three (which I've barely started) is even longer again. In between, Part Two sees the Empire team chat about the film for a brief 48 minutes.

TV

Edinburgh Nights
2018 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience
8x03 Airline Cabin Crew
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Live Comedy

Hal Cruttenden: Chubster
at Pleasance Courtyard

Mark Simmons: One-Linererer
at The Banshee Labyrinth

Films

Christopher Robin (2018)
[#180 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

Live Comedy

AAA Batteries (Not Included)
at Just the Tonic

Shaken Not Stirred
at Just the Tonic

Dinner

The Kitchin

Last time I was in Edinburgh, we went to The Kitchin. This time... well, it was good!

(Looking that up made me realise I've been thoroughly inconsistent at logging this kind of activity -- mainly by, er, not.)

Films

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
[2nd watch]
Rewatchathon 2018 #31. This time in IMAX. It was rather awesome.

Films

Skyfall (2012)
[3rd watch]
Rewatchathon 2018 #30

Apparently I haven't watched this in five-and-a-half years (or, at least, haven't watched it in full -- I feel like I must've seen some of it in that time, surely). In fact, I didn't even watch all of it tonight -- I caught it on TV once it was already a little way in. Maybe I'll rewatch it 'properly' sometime soon.

Music

Synthesis by Evanescence

Only just found out about this album. I used to be a big fan of Evanescence back in the day. Now... well, I quite liked this. I wasn't sure the first time, but I've already listened to it a couple of times and it grew on me.

this week on 100 Films

Just 2 brand-new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...


When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Written by the queen of the romcom, Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally is almost a deconstruction of the genre: its titular protagonists are just friends, but (the film asks) can a man and a woman ever be ‘just friends’? It perhaps feels like a dated question today, when almost 30 more years of gender equality have pushed heavily towards the answer being “yes, of course”, but that doesn’t matter for two very good reasons: first, the film still stands as an insight into the nature of relationships in the ’80s and ’90s; and second, it’s just a really good film.

Read more here.


Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (1965)

The eleventh film in the Zatoichi series is perhaps the first one that could legitimately be described as bad. It’s not outright terrible, but the plot doesn’t hold together very well, and there are only a couple of redeeming scenes.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

Opera

Saul
at Glyndebourne

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

Despite what I said last week, this turns out to be a regular-ish-sized update -- stuff took longer than expect to arrive, basically. I'm also away from home currently, so it'll be a bit longer still before they get added.

Number of titles in collection: 2,137 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,158 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 979 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 5,444 [up 3]
Number of films: 2,383 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes: 8,104 [no change]
Number of short films: 619 [no change]

See you in a fortnight, faithful reader.

TV

Hang Ups
1x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]

Films

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
[#179 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

TV

Lupin the 3rd: Part IV
1x07 Until the Full Moon Passes

Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema
1x03 Coming of Age
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Quiet Earth (1985)
[#178 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]
+ most of the Blu-ray's extras, including a visual essay, a gallery, and the theatrical trailer (which, much like the original poster, conspires to give away the ending!)

A Quiet Place (2018)
[#177 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

Non-Fiction

Space Helmet for a Cow: The Mad, True Story of Doctor Who - Volume 2: 1990-2013 by Paul Kirkley
Chapter 11 (pages 192-197)

this week on 100 Films

It's monthly progress report time at 100 Films in a Year!





Plus, 5 brand-new reviews...


Killing Gunther (2017)

As a comedy, I thought it was funny. Not always super original or absolutely hilarious, but ticking enough. As an action movie, some of the single-take assassination scenes are done quite well. It was clearly produced on a low budget, so the action sequences don’t really fulfil on an adrenaline-junkie level, but they work decently in context.

Read more here.


Train to Busan (2016)

shunts aside any tiredness you may feel about zombie flicks to demonstrate that, however overdone a genre may seem, there’s almost always room for fresh voices and creativity to produce remarkable work

Read more here.


Review Roundup: 15-Rated Comedies

You don’t have to be an adult to like today’s reviewed movies, but… you do have to be a teenager. Still being a teenager would probably help you enjoy them, too.

In this roundup: Airplane II: The Sequel, Hot Tub Time Machine, and Sausage Party.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

Films

Strangers on a Train (1951)
[#176 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]
Blindspot 2018 #8

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

Three additions this week, all US imports, oddly enough. There should be a lot more next week... provided it turns up before I go away for a bit. Most of those are going to be US imports too -- even more than this week. Funny how things pan out sometimes.

Number of titles in collection: 2,135 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,158 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 977 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 5,441 [up 5]
Number of films: 2,381 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes: 8,104 [no change]
Number of short films: 619 [no change]

See you next week, faithful reader.

Films

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
[#175 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

TV

Lupin the 3rd: Part IV
1x06 Venice of the Dead

Films

Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
[#174 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]

Non-Fiction

Space Helmet for a Cow: The Mad, True Story of Doctor Who - Volume 2: 1990-2013 by Paul Kirkley
Chapter 11 (pages 178-192)

Films

Ant-Man 3D (2015)
[2nd watch]
Rewatchathon 2018 #29

The Way of the Gun (2000)
[#173 in 100 Films in a Year 2018]