Friday 31 December 2021

TV

The Big New Years & Years Eve Party
Part 1 (of 2)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Ghosts
3x07 He Came! [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

23 Walks (2020)
[#207 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

A Study in Scarlet (1933)
[#206 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

That's it for another year of 100 Films. The last year? Well, we'll see...

Thursday 30 December 2021

TV

Death in Paradise
11x00 Christmas Special
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Great British Bake Off
12x08 Free-From Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]

The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
8x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]

Richard Osman's House of Games
5x44 Week 9: Thursday
5x45 Week 9: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]

Wednesday 29 December 2021

TV

Blankety Blank
1x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Ghosts
3x06 Part of the Family [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Richard Osman's House of Games
5x40 Week 8: Friday
5x41 Week 9: Monday
5x42 Week 9: Tuesday
5x43 Week 9: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]

Tuesday 28 December 2021

TV

Anything Goes
I suppose I could count this as a film, as it was screened in cinemas, but it does feel like a filmed stage production (cf. One Man, Two Guvnors, Hamilton). Whatever you count it as, it's really good fun.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Richard Osman's House of Games
5x37 Week 8: Tuesday
5x38 Week 8: Wednesday
5x39 Week 8: Thursday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Bishop's Wife (1947)
[#205 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Sunday 26 December 2021

TV

Blankety Blank
1x10 Christmas Special [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Ghosts
3x05 Something to Share?
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Michael Ball & Alfie Boe: Back Together
[Watch it (again) on My5.]

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
29x07 Episode 7 [season finale]

Richard Osman's House of Games
5x35 Week 7: Friday
5x36 Week 8: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]

Collection Count

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

A bunch of new box sets turned up this week, just befoe Christmas... and their impact was completely wiped out by two of them being partial upgrades. One was Cartoon Saloon's Irish Folklore Trilogy, replacing my copy of the only one of trilogy I owned (Song of the Sea). Another was the latest classic Doctor Who Blu-ray release, which this time replaced three DVDs (and maybe another Blu-ray, Shada, although as there are some special feature differences, I'm hanging on to that for now). Take all that into account and the net increase in titles was... zero. Of course, evidence of the new arrivals exists elsewhere. For example, another was Arrow's Shawscope: Volume One box set, which alone added 12 films to that tally.

But then Christmas came, and with it a couple of Blu-rays as pressies, and so things ended up like this...

Number of titles in collection: 2,747 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,055 [down 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,692 [up 5]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 140 [up 1]

Number of discs in collection: 6,887 [up 19]
Number of films: 3,237 [up 17]
Number of additional cuts: 246 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes: 9,225 [up 38]
Number of short films: 909 [no change]

See you next week, faithful reader.

this week on 100 Films

Just a brief one from 100 Films in a Year this week...


Merry Christmas from 100 Films in a Year
this is — officially speaking — 100 Films in a Year’s last Christmas. I’ve been stuffing it with more Christmas films than I usually watch, but, ironically, not Last Christmas. Maybe tomorrow. (Maybe not, too.)
Read more here.


Big changes are coming soon...

Friday 24 December 2021

TV

Doctor Who
39x06 Flux, Chapter Six: The Vanquishers [season finale; 2nd watch]
Conversation around this died off so quickly, I can't believe it's only been a couple of weeks since it was on. Indeed, so instantly did I drop it from my memory that I'd also forgotten my other half was away and hadn't seen it yet. Hardly a glowing recommendation, eh? But then it doesn't deserve one... although, removed of any expectations, I minded it less on a second viewing.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Not Going Out
11x06 Panto [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

A Boy Called Christmas (2021)
[#203 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Fiction

Doctor Who: The Wintertime Paradox by Dave Rudden
12. The Paradox Moon

Monday 20 December 2021

TV

Would I Lie To You?
15x00 At Christmas
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Final Countdown (1980)
[#200 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]
As 100 Films is... changing... this is my last-ever official #200. The title seemed apt.

Jingle All the Way (1996)
[#199 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Fiction

Doctor Who: The Wintertime Paradox by Dave Rudden
8. A Girl Called Doubt

Sunday 19 December 2021

TV

Michael Bublé’s Christmas in the City
A bit of a cheesy sing-song of some Christmas standards? Perfect seasonal viewing.
[Watch it (again) on the ITV Hub.]

The Wheel
2x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Fiction

Doctor Who: The Wintertime Paradox by Dave Rudden
7. Christmas with the Plasmavores

Saturday 18 December 2021

TV

The Wheel
2x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Dreamcatcher (2003)
[#198 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Zatoichi's Conspiracy (1973)
[#197 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Fiction

Doctor Who: The Wintertime Paradox by Dave Rudden
6. We Will Feed You to the Trees

Collection Count

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

This week's additions are mostly anime: that big sale order I've been talking about finally turned up, as did this week's single biggest addition (in every sense), the ultimate edition of Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's huge, heavy, and gorgeous. Should it replace my Platinum Edition DVDs, though? I ought to double-check the special features and sort that out, because there's no point keeping DVDs of something I have on Blu-ray unless the Blu-rays are missing content. The DVDs are in a rather nice tin, though...

Number of titles in collection: 2,745 [up 10]
Of which DVDs: 1,058 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,687 [up 11]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 139 [up 1]

Number of discs in collection: 6,868 [up 27]
Number of films: 3,220 [up 8]
Number of additional cuts: 243 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,187 [up 68]
Number of short films: 909 [up 2]

See you next week, faithful reader... though probably not on my usual day, as that's Christmas Day and I imagine I'll be busy. But you never know.

Monday 13 December 2021

Sunday 12 December 2021

Films

Pather Panchali (1955)
[#193 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]
Blindspot 2021 #11

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
1. The Master: Anything You Can Do [the end]

Enjoyed that a lot. As with any anthology, some stories are better than others, but overall there were more hits than misses (and the misses aren't "misses" per se, they're just not direct-hits).

Now, as I mentioned back at the start, it's on to the next one...

Saturday 11 December 2021

TV

The Wheel
2x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
[#192 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]
There are three cuts of this film, and the Blu-ray I own contains two of them. So, to clarify, I watched the UK/international theatrical cut.

Elf (2003)
[2nd watch]
Rewatchathon 2021 #33

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
2. Judoon: The Rhino of Twenty-Three Strand Street

Collection Count

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

So, last week I mentioned that I'd ordered a pile of stuff from All the Anime's sale. Frankly, I really thought it would turn up this week, but it hasn't. Even without it, this is a Big Week — with it, it would've been a record-shatterer. We'll see what happens when it does finally turn up.

Things that did arrive include StudioCanal's UK 4K release of Mulholland Drive. I now own three copies of the film, including a Special Edition DVD and Criterion Blu-ray, and I'll be keeping them all due to unique special features. But I guess I didn't know that when I bought the Criterion Blu-ray, because I'd removed the DVD from my list (but not actually got round to selling it, fortunately). So, this week it goes back in... despite never having left, really. Does this mean I'll soon get round to watching all those special features? Haha! That's another matter entirely...

Number of titles in collection: 2,735 [up 11]
Of which DVDs: 1,059 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,676 [up 10]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 138 [up 3]

Number of discs in collection: 6,841 [up 24]
Number of films: 3,212 [up 21]
Number of additional cuts: 243 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 9,119 [no change]
Number of short films: 907 [up 9]

See you next week, faithful reader.

Wednesday 8 December 2021

TV

Moriarty the Patriot
1x17 The Riot in New Scotland Yard
1x18 The Merchant of London
When I started this back in July, I thought I'd race through it — I really enjoyed that first episode, and the ones that followed held definite promise. But here I am five months later, still with a bunch of episodes to go. That's because the early sheen has long worn off, and I've found it a bit of a plod since. I still intend to finish it — these two episodes felt like a slight improvement, although still with nagging things I dislike — but hopefully it won't take me too much longer.
[Watch it (again) on Funimation.]

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
5. Ood: The Heist

Tuesday 7 December 2021

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
6. Silurians: The Red-Eyed League
Another really good one, this; so good it makes me want to read/listen to more stories of the Paternoster Gang. Of course, whether the other work that's been produced about the trio would match this is another matter...

Sunday 5 December 2021

TV

Doctor Who
39x06 Flux, Chapter Six: The Vanquishers [season finale]
This season started well, but can Chibnall stick the landing?
...lol, no, of course he can't!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
8. The Silence: Student Bodies

Music

Pressure Machine by the Killers

Last year, I caught up on the Killers albums I'd missed in time for their new one. And this year, they've got another new one — but I'm on the ball this time. Well, I say "on the ball": I bought it when it came out back in August and have had it sat next to me on my desk waiting to be played for almost four months. Time flies, eh?

Anyway, this feels like a more folksy and melancholic offering from the band. It'd probably be interesting to look back over all their LPs and chart their change/development from zeitgeisty cool rock to this more adult, less radio-friendly style.

Collection Count

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

Among this week's additions is Criterion's UHD release of Citizen Kane. If you're a Blu-ray fan you'll probably have heard that BD 1 is faulty, but I'm not sure I can be bothered getting it replaced — I bought this for the 4K disc and special features, not the 1080p film disc. And this is my third copy of Kane (I own it on a UK DVD and US BD, which I'm keeping for the different special features), so I never needed that 'fourth' version anyway.

Number of titles in collection: 2,724 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,058 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,666 [up 6]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 135 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 6,817 [up 11]
Number of films: 3,191 [up 5]
Number of additional cuts: 242 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 9,119 [no change]
Number of short films: 898 [up 7]

Plus, this week it's time for the monthly running time update, so...

Total running time of collection (approx.):
490 days, 16 hours, and 8 minutes.
(Up 2 days and 21 hours from last month.)

Oh, by the way, I just caved to ordering a massive haul in the All the Anime Christmas sale. So if that turns up promptly — along with various new releases I've got on preorder — next week could be a big'un. (Frankly, whenever the Anime order turns up, that week will be a big'un.)

See you then, faithful reader.

this week on 100 Films

No new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week (as usual these days), but it was time for the monthly review — and in it, a tease about the blog's future...





Writing this post made me realise that I never actually shared the October montly review! So, here's that too...





More (perhaps, but probably not) next Sunday.

Saturday 4 December 2021

TV

The Wheel
2x05 Episode 5
2x06 Episode 6
[Watch episodes (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Falling for Figaro (2020)
[#190 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
9. Cybermen: Ghost in the Machine
Another cracker of a story, this, which gives us insight into the mind of a Cyberman. You might not think that was a thing of interest or worthwhile, but here, it is. Superb.

Friday 3 December 2021

Films

Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)
[#189 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
10. Time Lords: Celestial Intervention - A Gallifreyan Noir
This is a superb little story, a pastiche of hardboiled crime novels with a Time Lord private eye operating in the Gallifreyan underworld. I'd love to a read a whole series like this.

Poetry

What Sort Of Bird Are You? by Tessa Foley
Old Bird
It's a very long time since I've properly read any poetry, so it would probably be unfair for me to try to assess this.

Wednesday 1 December 2021

Films

Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
[#188 in 100 Films in a Year 2021]

Fiction

Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping by Dave Rudden
Introduction: Halfway Into the Dark
12. The Weeping Angels: Grey Matter

Dave Rudden has now written two collections of Christmas-themed Doctor Who short stories. Frankly, I hadn't really paid them any attention — nothing personal, I'm just not up-to-date with Who publishing in general — but then one of the stories from this first collection came up in a thread I happened to be reading on Twitter last month, and I looked into the books, and they seemed like good Christmastime reading. Plus, there's a total of 25 stories across the two volumes — how perfectly advent-y! So, I intend to read one a day between now and Christmas Day. We'll see how that goes...

Also: I'm not reading the book backwards for some reason — the chapter numbers count down, as in The Twelve Days of Christmas.