Bond Reclassified – 50th Anniversary Blu Ray Update.
by Matthew Harkin (from CommanderBond.net)
As part of the big 50th anniversary box set coming soon, some more Bond films have been reclassified (GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies were included uncut as 15s last time they did a big re-issue on DVD). This time out, Diamonds Are Forever has been re-rated as a 12 (stuff that was once deemed suitable at PG no longer is), while Casino Royale will be uncut for the first time in the UK, earning a 12.
Fantastic news. If I wasn't sold on this set already (and, to be honest, I was borderline, as they haven't included all the extras for Casino Royale or any of the made-but-unreleased special features for Quantum of Solace), I pretty much am now.
Date for the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who
by Amy Jones (from The Digital Fix)
Also coming out of tonight's screening of Asylum of the Daleks: the episode titles for the first half of the series (the five episodes that will air before this year's Christmas special), and the news that every episode will feature it's own unique title sequence -- if they do that properly, it could be brilliant.
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Monday, 13 August 2012
TV
Pointless
6x40 (8/5/12 edition)
Starlings
1x04 Episode Four
Suburgatory
1x04 Don't Call Me Shirley
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Vexed
2x01 Episode 1
It's two years since the first series of Vexed, and it didn't seem to go down very well so I didn't expect to see it back. But I quite liked it -- it's not high art, but it is quite funny; so I'm very happy -- if also very surprised -- to see its return.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
6x40 (8/5/12 edition)
Starlings
1x04 Episode Four
Suburgatory
1x04 Don't Call Me Shirley
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Vexed
2x01 Episode 1
It's two years since the first series of Vexed, and it didn't seem to go down very well so I didn't expect to see it back. But I quite liked it -- it's not high art, but it is quite funny; so I'm very happy -- if also very surprised -- to see its return.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 12 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Sixteen
Closing Ceremony Countdown
Closing Ceremony
The last day! A bit of volleyball, a bit of gymnastics, the end of the modern pentathlon... and, of course, the closing ceremony, which I thought was pretty good overall.
No Olympics Tonight tonight though, sadly, which means no round-up of the final sports... at a sporting event. Dropped the ball a bit there, BBC.
[Watch the countdown and closing ceremony (again), as well as loads of archived coverage from the BBC.]
Day Sixteen
Closing Ceremony Countdown
Closing Ceremony
The last day! A bit of volleyball, a bit of gymnastics, the end of the modern pentathlon... and, of course, the closing ceremony, which I thought was pretty good overall.
No Olympics Tonight tonight though, sadly, which means no round-up of the final sports... at a sporting event. Dropped the ball a bit there, BBC.
[Watch the countdown and closing ceremony (again), as well as loads of archived coverage from the BBC.]
this week on 100 Films
Half by accident, it's been a kind of 'animation week' at 100 Films in a Year, with a mix of old and new reviews. It started with Cars and Cars 2 last week, and continues with two new reviews...
Rango: Extended Cut (2011)
Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation (2011)
And new to the new blog this week...
Toy Story 3 (2010)
WALL-E (2008)
More next Sunday.
Rango: Extended Cut (2011)
perhaps the most striking thing about Rango is ILM’s hallmark, the extraordinary realism. Though some of the characters are rendered cartoonishly (just look at Rango’s face) and all are of course anthropomorphised, the textures and lighting are as true-to-life as any of their work in live-action movies. They consciously went for a photographic look, as if it had been shot with real cameras, and it paid off because the whole thing looks incredible.Read more here.
Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation (2011)
Toy Story is in many ways Pixar’s flagship franchise, and after the Huge Event that was Toy Story 3, was it really wise to dilute the experience with a series of mini-adventures? Was it not better to leave it as a series of three big movies, each one a grand and special event? After all, the more you do something, the less special it becomes.Read more here.
And new to the new blog this week...
Toy Story 3 (2010)
it’s hilarious, emotional, exciting, scary; a great comedy, a great action/adventure... It’s kid-friendly, of course, but it’s not just for kids — it’s for young adults, who’ve grown up with these films and these characters and, in a way, are letting them go along with Andy; and for adults, who may have left childish things behind but can hopefully still appreciate the thematic sentiment.Read more here.
WALL-E (2008)
a film of two halves. They’re not exactly poorly linked, as elements from each feed into the other, but they are notably different... If I were to broadly characterise the two halves, I’d say the first is everything you’d hoped for after the advance hype, while the second is something you could have feared.Read more here.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 11 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Fifteen
It's the penultimate day of the Olympics (don't worry, there's the Paralympics later this month), which today saw me watch diving twice (this morning's semis and the evening's final), a bit of mountain biking, a bit of gymnastics, and finally the usually evening routine of athletics.
And to round it off, the final edition (boo!) of Olympics Tonight. Where will I get my summary of the final day?! I know it's the closing ceremony, but surely they could follow it with a sports-related round-up.
[Watch Saturday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Fifteen
It's the penultimate day of the Olympics (don't worry, there's the Paralympics later this month), which today saw me watch diving twice (this morning's semis and the evening's final), a bit of mountain biking, a bit of gymnastics, and finally the usually evening routine of athletics.
And to round it off, the final edition (boo!) of Olympics Tonight. Where will I get my summary of the final day?! I know it's the closing ceremony, but surely they could follow it with a sports-related round-up.
[Watch Saturday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Articles
Another Twittter Storm: BMW
by PME200 (from The Blog That Peter Wrote)
When twitter found out BMW were giving free cars to Team GB's male medal winners, but not to the female ones, everyone naturally got Very Upset And Angry. But they should've bothered to check their facts first...
BBC Books: The Exodus Code
by Chuck Foster (from Doctor Who News)
More at the link.
by PME200 (from The Blog That Peter Wrote)
When twitter found out BMW were giving free cars to Team GB's male medal winners, but not to the female ones, everyone naturally got Very Upset And Angry. But they should've bothered to check their facts first...
BBC Books: The Exodus Code
by Chuck Foster (from Doctor Who News)
BBC Books have released details on the next book in their hardback range of novels, the first to feature spin-off series Torchwood; The Exodus Code is written by "Captain Jack" himself John Barrowman with his sister Carole
More at the link.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week. Which I've decided to move to Saturday 'officially', because I doubt anyone will notice and if they do I doubt they care. And also Saturday is the last post day, so it makes sense as I can't remember the last time I bought a DVD or BD anywhere but online.
This week, one DVD-to-BD upgrade. Other than that, the monthly running time update is the other side of the regular stats.
Number of titles in collection: 1,507 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,161 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 346 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,734 [down 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,591 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,618 [no change]
As promised, the running time update...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
268 days, 8 hours, and 50 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 2 hours, and 37 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
This week, one DVD-to-BD upgrade. Other than that, the monthly running time update is the other side of the regular stats.
Number of titles in collection: 1,507 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,161 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 346 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,734 [down 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,591 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,618 [no change]
As promised, the running time update...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
268 days, 8 hours, and 50 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 2 hours, and 37 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 10 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Fourteen
Mainly an evening of athletics, where several British hopes were dashed, and diving, where Tom Daley just scraped through to tomorrow's semi-final (final also tomorrow).
Before that, scraps of synchronised swimming, gymnastics, and BMX.
Finally, the return of Ian Thorpe (hurrah!) on Olympics Tonight, with a look at why Australia have done relatively poorly these Games.
[Watch Friday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Fourteen
Mainly an evening of athletics, where several British hopes were dashed, and diving, where Tom Daley just scraped through to tomorrow's semi-final (final also tomorrow).
Before that, scraps of synchronised swimming, gymnastics, and BMX.
Finally, the return of Ian Thorpe (hurrah!) on Olympics Tonight, with a look at why Australia have done relatively poorly these Games.
[Watch Friday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Articles
5 Ways You Don't Realize Movies Are Controlling Your Brain
by David Wong (from Cracked.com)
Although structured to fit into Cracked's usual "X Things..." format, this is actually an interesting article on the way stories have been designed and evolved to influence the way we think and perceive the world. Naturally it still has Cracked's regular humorous bent, but (like quite a few of their articles, actually) it's also genuinely informative and interesting.
by David Wong (from Cracked.com)
Although structured to fit into Cracked's usual "X Things..." format, this is actually an interesting article on the way stories have been designed and evolved to influence the way we think and perceive the world. Naturally it still has Cracked's regular humorous bent, but (like quite a few of their articles, actually) it's also genuinely informative and interesting.
Thursday, 9 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Thirteen
After yesterday's lull, definitive diversity today: a bit of swimming (another medal miss), a bit of synchronised swimming, a bit of dressage (two medals!), a bit of gymnastics, and a bit of athletics; all wrapped up with a bit of Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Thursday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Parents
1x06 Episode Six [season finale]
Well... that's that over.
Day Thirteen
After yesterday's lull, definitive diversity today: a bit of swimming (another medal miss), a bit of synchronised swimming, a bit of dressage (two medals!), a bit of gymnastics, and a bit of athletics; all wrapped up with a bit of Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Thursday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Parents
1x06 Episode Six [season finale]
Well... that's that over.
Articles
London 2012: 20 lesser-spotted things of the Olympics so far
(from BBC News Magazine)
Meant to mention this a few days ago; forgot (obviously). It's a fun/interesting list of "some of the less asked questions and lesser-spotted oddities of the Games so far."
Doctor Who drama to mark show's 50th birthday
(from BBC News)
A lot of people predicted they'd do something like this; then genuine rumours began to emerge; and no it's been confirmed: Mark Gatiss is writing a 90-minute drama about the creation of Doctor Who, provisionally titled An Adventure in Time and Space. Exciting times.
Superheroes and the law: How would Batman or Captain America fare in court?
by Matthew Huisman (from Law.com)
(from BBC News Magazine)
Meant to mention this a few days ago; forgot (obviously). It's a fun/interesting list of "some of the less asked questions and lesser-spotted oddities of the Games so far."
Doctor Who drama to mark show's 50th birthday
(from BBC News)
A lot of people predicted they'd do something like this; then genuine rumours began to emerge; and no it's been confirmed: Mark Gatiss is writing a 90-minute drama about the creation of Doctor Who, provisionally titled An Adventure in Time and Space. Exciting times.
Superheroes and the law: How would Batman or Captain America fare in court?
by Matthew Huisman (from Law.com)
A new book asks the questions most comic fans haven't — how would superheroes, and villains, manage if they had to legally answer for their actions? This slideshow provides some educated guesses.Both interesting and fun it is too.
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Twelve
It felt like there wasn't a great deal going on today, like things were winding down. That's presumably just some kind of fluke, because there were still 16 golds awarded... just no medals for Team GB. But we're still positioned for some later in the Games, both as favourites and as 'guaranteed at least silver's, so it's not over yet.
Nonetheless, watched a bit of BMX, a bit of athletics, and of course found out what had been going on thanks to Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Wednesday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Twelve
It felt like there wasn't a great deal going on today, like things were winding down. That's presumably just some kind of fluke, because there were still 16 golds awarded... just no medals for Team GB. But we're still positioned for some later in the Games, both as favourites and as 'guaranteed at least silver's, so it's not over yet.
Nonetheless, watched a bit of BMX, a bit of athletics, and of course found out what had been going on thanks to Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Wednesday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Articles
Luther creator eyes Alice spinoff
by Jon Weisman (from The Vote at Variety)
Didn't really expect that, though it was nice to know why Alice disappeared in the last series. Sounds like Luther has a very intriguing future: third (and final) series, an almost-definite film version, and now a spin-off. Crazy.
by Jon Weisman (from The Vote at Variety)
Didn't really expect that, though it was nice to know why Alice disappeared in the last series. Sounds like Luther has a very intriguing future: third (and final) series, an almost-definite film version, and now a spin-off. Crazy.
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Eleven
A less varied day today -- just cycling and athletics -- though with glimpses and smidgens of gymnastics and triathlon; and all wrapped up and summarised, of course, by Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Tuesday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Eleven
A less varied day today -- just cycling and athletics -- though with glimpses and smidgens of gymnastics and triathlon; and all wrapped up and summarised, of course, by Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Tuesday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Articles
Joe Carnahan Close to Daredevil, Fantastic Four Characters Could Go Back to Marvel
by Silas Lesnick (from SuperHeroHype)
Well now here's a twist! Everyone was assuming Fox would have to either rush a new Daredevil film into production or let the rights slip back to Marvel, something they clearly don't want -- he's a popular character and we're still in an age of incredibly successful superhero movies. But instead it looks like they're offering Marvel selected characters from the Fantastic Four licence (which they also want to hang onto) in return for longer to make Daredevil.
But other reports say it may be something completely different, and much more normal, that they're considering: co-funding. Blah. Be interesting to see how this plays out.
Joss Whedon Signed for The Avengers 2 and Marvel Live-Action TV Series
by Peter Sciretta (from /Film)
Hurrah! And for a clarifying Disney statement too, see here.
Now just gotta see the first one...
by Silas Lesnick (from SuperHeroHype)
Well now here's a twist! Everyone was assuming Fox would have to either rush a new Daredevil film into production or let the rights slip back to Marvel, something they clearly don't want -- he's a popular character and we're still in an age of incredibly successful superhero movies. But instead it looks like they're offering Marvel selected characters from the Fantastic Four licence (which they also want to hang onto) in return for longer to make Daredevil.
But other reports say it may be something completely different, and much more normal, that they're considering: co-funding. Blah. Be interesting to see how this plays out.
Joss Whedon Signed for The Avengers 2 and Marvel Live-Action TV Series
by Peter Sciretta (from /Film)
Hurrah! And for a clarifying Disney statement too, see here.
Now just gotta see the first one...
Monday, 6 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Ten
An increasingly eclectic selection of viewing, it feels like: starting with Beth Tweddle's bronze (hurrah for her!) in the gymnastics and continuing with synchronised swimming (weird); then there was Jason Kenny's gold in cycling, and finally a largely disappointing evening of athletics.
Today also saw Team GB take a team gold on the horsies. Didn't see that live, but such things are what Olympics Tonight is for.
[Watch Monday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Ten
An increasingly eclectic selection of viewing, it feels like: starting with Beth Tweddle's bronze (hurrah for her!) in the gymnastics and continuing with synchronised swimming (weird); then there was Jason Kenny's gold in cycling, and finally a largely disappointing evening of athletics.
Today also saw Team GB take a team gold on the horsies. Didn't see that live, but such things are what Olympics Tonight is for.
[Watch Monday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Websites
Medals Per Capita
Subtitles Olympic Glory in Proportion, this site includes all sorts of ways of looking at one piece of data: the amount of Olympic medals won by each country. There are all sorts of ways to cut it up, and you can do it by every individual Olympics or an All Time list.
Current favourite has to be London 2012 Weighted Medals per Capita, which shows how well every nation is doing in the current games relative to the size of their population. Britain places 8th; the next nearest country with a population comparable to ours is France, in 22nd; the next nearest nation with a similarly high weight score is the USA, in 30th (I say "similarly" -- it's still much higher).
Basically, it proves how bloody amazingly we're doing.
Subtitles Olympic Glory in Proportion, this site includes all sorts of ways of looking at one piece of data: the amount of Olympic medals won by each country. There are all sorts of ways to cut it up, and you can do it by every individual Olympics or an All Time list.
Current favourite has to be London 2012 Weighted Medals per Capita, which shows how well every nation is doing in the current games relative to the size of their population. Britain places 8th; the next nearest country with a population comparable to ours is France, in 22nd; the next nearest nation with a similarly high weight score is the USA, in 30th (I say "similarly" -- it's still much higher).
Basically, it proves how bloody amazingly we're doing.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Nine
Big day for those of us focused on the tennis as it came to an end with three finals (and their respective bronze medal play-offs). So gutted for Federer that he was denied a career Golden Slam, but Murray did play exceptionally well. Thank goodness he's not had real success until after becoming a Nicer Person and Better Sportsman with Ivan Lendl's training -- his previous stroppy attitude has not been vindicated. A shame that Murray and Laura Robson didn't quite manage victory in the mixed doubles, too. My tennis supporting day didn't go so well.
Also today was gymnastics, where two of our guys did extraordinarily and still didn't quite get gold. I don't think it's possible to miss out by any smaller margin, poor guy.
Finally, athletics, Usain Bolt, blah blah blah; and, of course, Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Sunday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Twenty Twelve
2x07 Loose Ends [series finale]
Generally very good last ever (presumably) episode. The bell-ringing thing seemed unnecessary, but I suppose they needed something for Siobhan to do. And the cheek of that ending...!
Day Nine
Big day for those of us focused on the tennis as it came to an end with three finals (and their respective bronze medal play-offs). So gutted for Federer that he was denied a career Golden Slam, but Murray did play exceptionally well. Thank goodness he's not had real success until after becoming a Nicer Person and Better Sportsman with Ivan Lendl's training -- his previous stroppy attitude has not been vindicated. A shame that Murray and Laura Robson didn't quite manage victory in the mixed doubles, too. My tennis supporting day didn't go so well.
Also today was gymnastics, where two of our guys did extraordinarily and still didn't quite get gold. I don't think it's possible to miss out by any smaller margin, poor guy.
Finally, athletics, Usain Bolt, blah blah blah; and, of course, Olympics Tonight.
[Watch Sunday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Twenty Twelve
2x07 Loose Ends [series finale]
Generally very good last ever (presumably) episode. The bell-ringing thing seemed unnecessary, but I suppose they needed something for Siobhan to do. And the cheek of that ending...!
this week on 100 Films
Just one brand-new review was posted to 100 Films in a Year this week...
Cars 2 (2011)
But there were also a few archive reviews, including...
Cars (2006)
Citizen Kane (1941)
The Hitchcock 4
The new Greatest Film Of All Time is a Hitchcock, so here I bring the four Hitch films I've reviewed over to the new blog. Those being Rebecca, Notorious, Marnie and The Birds. Really need to watch some more Hitchcock...
And finally, now that we're in August, there was also my round-up of July, including some extra stuff on something the BFI tweeted recently.
More next Sunday.
Cars 2 (2011)
why is the police car wearing a giant hat?!Read more here.
But there were also a few archive reviews, including...
Cars (2006)
I’ve often heard people criticise the world of the movie for not making sense... it does play on your mind while watching, and because it shouldn’t matter I think it’s indicative of faults elsewhere: if the characters and story were keeping your attention, if the film was consistently funny or exciting or engrossing, you wouldn’t be wondering who built these cars, or where their builders went, or how they reproduce… It’s like a child’s game writ into filmRead more here.
Citizen Kane (1941)
As of 1st August 2012, Citizen Kane is no longer the greatest film of all time. Here’s some brief, aimless thoughts I had about it when I saw it for the first time, almost exactly five years ago…Read more here.
The Hitchcock 4
The new Greatest Film Of All Time is a Hitchcock, so here I bring the four Hitch films I've reviewed over to the new blog. Those being Rebecca, Notorious, Marnie and The Birds. Really need to watch some more Hitchcock...
And finally, now that we're in August, there was also my round-up of July, including some extra stuff on something the BFI tweeted recently.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 4 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Eight
Super Saturday! Rowing in the morning; tennis and cycling in the afternoon; swimming and athletics in the evening; Olympics Tonight to round it all off -- and medals throughout! A great day for British sport, that's for sure.
[Watch Saturday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Eight
Super Saturday! Rowing in the morning; tennis and cycling in the afternoon; swimming and athletics in the evening; Olympics Tonight to round it all off -- and medals throughout! A great day for British sport, that's for sure.
[Watch Saturday's Olympics Tonight (again), as well as loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Friday, 3 August 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Seven
Tennis as ever, particularly the nail-biting record-length match between Federer and Del Potro. Tough for the latter to lose it, but so happy the former one -- guaranteed medal, and hopefully it'll be gold... although the home crowd will be against him. Hey-ho.
Also, various successes (and disappointments) in rowing, cycling and swimming. Plus some rapid-fire pistol shooting, which turned out to be surprisingly boring so I stopped.
Finally, I've taken to half-watching the Gabby Logan-hosted (never mind) post-news round-up programme, Olympics Tonight, which is handy for an overview (today, for instance, saw things kicking off for athletics in the main stadium -- a major thing I pretty much skipped live). So that's... way more than I was ever expecting.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Parents
1x05 Episode Five
Day Seven
Tennis as ever, particularly the nail-biting record-length match between Federer and Del Potro. Tough for the latter to lose it, but so happy the former one -- guaranteed medal, and hopefully it'll be gold... although the home crowd will be against him. Hey-ho.
Also, various successes (and disappointments) in rowing, cycling and swimming. Plus some rapid-fire pistol shooting, which turned out to be surprisingly boring so I stopped.
Finally, I've taken to half-watching the Gabby Logan-hosted (never mind) post-news round-up programme, Olympics Tonight, which is handy for an overview (today, for instance, saw things kicking off for athletics in the main stadium -- a major thing I pretty much skipped live). So that's... way more than I was ever expecting.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Parents
1x05 Episode Five
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Number of titles in collection: 1,507 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,162 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 345 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,735 [up 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,591 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,618 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Number of titles in collection: 1,507 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,162 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 345 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,735 [up 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,591 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,618 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 2 August 2012
TV
How I Met Your Mother
7x24 The Magician's Code Part 2 [season finale]
Well, that was intriguing. Barney's bride was no surprise at all, but didn't really expect Ted's ending. How many seasons has these got left now, though? Getting time for an ending...
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
London 2012 Olympics
Day Six
Tennis. Swimming. Cycling. Even a little bit of judo.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Suburgatory
1x03 The Chatterer
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
7x24 The Magician's Code Part 2 [season finale]
Well, that was intriguing. Barney's bride was no surprise at all, but didn't really expect Ted's ending. How many seasons has these got left now, though? Getting time for an ending...
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
London 2012 Olympics
Day Six
Tennis. Swimming. Cycling. Even a little bit of judo.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Suburgatory
1x03 The Chatterer
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Articles
The First Class Sequel is Officially X-Men: Days of Future Past
by Silas Lesnick (from SuperHeroHype)
I loved First Class. I used to love the X-Men animated series (I probably still would, but I've not seen it for nearly 20 years -- can still hum the theme tune though), and the Days of Future Past adaptation is one of the storylines that really stuck in my head. Ought to get round to reading the original comics.
Anyway, what this combination of factors means is -- I'm incredibly excited for this sequel. Be interesting to see how faithful it is though, and if they bring in characters/actors from the first three X-Men movies, and if they do how big a part they play.
Ooh, it's exciting!
by Silas Lesnick (from SuperHeroHype)
I loved First Class. I used to love the X-Men animated series (I probably still would, but I've not seen it for nearly 20 years -- can still hum the theme tune though), and the Days of Future Past adaptation is one of the storylines that really stuck in my head. Ought to get round to reading the original comics.
Anyway, what this combination of factors means is -- I'm incredibly excited for this sequel. Be interesting to see how faithful it is though, and if they bring in characters/actors from the first three X-Men movies, and if they do how big a part they play.
Ooh, it's exciting!
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
TV
Adam Buxton's Bug
1x01 Episode One
1x02 Episode Two
Wasn't sure what I'd make of this -- Buxton can be very funny, but sometimes it just doesn't work for me -- but it's actually consistently brilliant. Shame it's buried away on Sky Atlantic.
London 2012 Olympics
Day Five
And there we go -- golds in rowing and cycling. Hurrah! Also in today's viewing: gymnastics and, as per usual, tennis and swimming -- where we got a silver too. Helps take us from 21st on the medal table last night to 11th tonight. Lovely.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
1x01 Episode One
1x02 Episode Two
Wasn't sure what I'd make of this -- Buxton can be very funny, but sometimes it just doesn't work for me -- but it's actually consistently brilliant. Shame it's buried away on Sky Atlantic.
London 2012 Olympics
Day Five
And there we go -- golds in rowing and cycling. Hurrah! Also in today's viewing: gymnastics and, as per usual, tennis and swimming -- where we got a silver too. Helps take us from 21st on the medal table last night to 11th tonight. Lovely.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Articles
Lots to report today, so...
12 Gotham Newspaper Headlines During The Dark Knight Rises by Dan Hopper (from Jest)
and
New Alternate TDKR Poster by thefirerisesnolan (from Reddit)
Both of these are absolutely stuffed with spoilers, but if you've seen the film the newspaper headlines are funny and the poster is awesome. I'd include it below but, like I said, spoilersome. (In case you can't find it on that page (took me a bit), here's a direct link.)
BBC Two orders another series of Rev
and
Room 101 recommissioned for 13th series
(from The British Comedy Guide)
Fantastic news and pretty good news respectively, as far as I'm concerned. Just a shame Rev. won't be back until 2014 -- that's at least 18 months from now, and two-years-plus since it was last on! Madness.
The Doctor Daleks Danger!
(from Doctor Who official site)
A big new pic from the next series of Who, before a new trailer hits at 6am (8pm on the telly).
The Greatest Films of All Time 2012 by Nick James (from Sight & Sound)
and
Vertigo is named 'greatest film of all time' (from BBC News)
and
The Top 50 Greatest Films of All Time (from BFI)
and
On Writing My Top Ten For ‘Sight & Sound’ by Edgar Wright (from edgar wright here)
It's the film poll, and it only happens once a decade, and here's the new top 10 -- including a new #1! I won't go into all the details, but the various links above will. Worth noting, however, that the most recent film on the list is 44 years old. Should the debate be, is this poll still relevant when it only selects such old films?
12 Gotham Newspaper Headlines During The Dark Knight Rises by Dan Hopper (from Jest)
and
New Alternate TDKR Poster by thefirerisesnolan (from Reddit)
Both of these are absolutely stuffed with spoilers, but if you've seen the film the newspaper headlines are funny and the poster is awesome. I'd include it below but, like I said, spoilersome. (In case you can't find it on that page (took me a bit), here's a direct link.)
BBC Two orders another series of Rev
and
Room 101 recommissioned for 13th series
(from The British Comedy Guide)
Fantastic news and pretty good news respectively, as far as I'm concerned. Just a shame Rev. won't be back until 2014 -- that's at least 18 months from now, and two-years-plus since it was last on! Madness.
The Doctor Daleks Danger!
(from Doctor Who official site)
A big new pic from the next series of Who, before a new trailer hits at 6am (8pm on the telly).
The Greatest Films of All Time 2012 by Nick James (from Sight & Sound)
and
Vertigo is named 'greatest film of all time' (from BBC News)
and
The Top 50 Greatest Films of All Time (from BFI)
and
On Writing My Top Ten For ‘Sight & Sound’ by Edgar Wright (from edgar wright here)
It's the film poll, and it only happens once a decade, and here's the new top 10 -- including a new #1! I won't go into all the details, but the various links above will. Worth noting, however, that the most recent film on the list is 44 years old. Should the debate be, is this poll still relevant when it only selects such old films?
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
TV
How I Met Your Mother
7x23 The Magician's Code Part 1
The title had no apparent relevance to the episode and there was no it's-halfway-through-the-finale cliffhanger. What?
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
London 2012 Olympics
Day Four
Today's viewing: mixed results in the swimming and tennis, plus (expected) disappointment in gymnastics. Still no gold medals, but that should change tomorrow. Should...
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
7x23 The Magician's Code Part 1
The title had no apparent relevance to the episode and there was no it's-halfway-through-the-finale cliffhanger. What?
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
London 2012 Olympics
Day Four
Today's viewing: mixed results in the swimming and tennis, plus (expected) disappointment in gymnastics. Still no gold medals, but that should change tomorrow. Should...
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Films
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 Trailer
Exciting stuff, even if they can't use the right spelling of "Knight" in the official trailer!
The Final Destination (2009)
[#61 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Skyfall US & International Trailers
Finally, a full-length trailer for Bond 23... and we get two! Fundamentally similar, but with different shots and structure in places. Either way, looks fantastic to me. Can't wait.
Exciting stuff, even if they can't use the right spelling of "Knight" in the official trailer!
The Final Destination (2009)
[#61 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Skyfall US & International Trailers
Finally, a full-length trailer for Bond 23... and we get two! Fundamentally similar, but with different shots and structure in places. Either way, looks fantastic to me. Can't wait.
Articles
An Olympic Fencer Refuses To Leave The Floor After Getting Screwed
by Kevin Lincoln (from BuzzFeed)
Quite a story, this. Really, you have to read it for yourself.
by Kevin Lincoln (from BuzzFeed)
Quite a story, this. Really, you have to read it for yourself.
Monday, 30 July 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Three
Close attention to the aquatic centre today, where there was disappointment for Britain in both the diving and swimming. Good efforts by all, but no medals.
And tennis again, of course.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Three
Close attention to the aquatic centre today, where there was disappointment for Britain in both the diving and swimming. Good efforts by all, but no medals.
And tennis again, of course.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Articles
An unexpected journey
by Peter Jackson
Jackson announces his two-part adaptation of The Hobbit will now be a trilogy in this beautifully-written statement.
by Peter Jackson
Jackson announces his two-part adaptation of The Hobbit will now be a trilogy in this beautifully-written statement.
Sunday, 29 July 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day Two
Mainly tennis again, even if lots of it was rained off (proper Wimbledon!), but also Team GB's first medal at the end of the women's road race and some success (including Rebecca Addlington's bronze, of course) in the swimming.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Day Two
Mainly tennis again, even if lots of it was rained off (proper Wimbledon!), but also Team GB's first medal at the end of the women's road race and some success (including Rebecca Addlington's bronze, of course) in the swimming.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Comics
Batman #11 by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
The epic Court of Owls storyline comes to a close with a stonking big fight and a debrief-ish chat between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.
It's a pretty exciting finale, but the downside comes in a number of plot threads left dangling. I suppose that's the nature of serialised never-ending comics -- the Court are a great villain, but to create a truly memorable, enduring enemy in this medium, they have to be able to resurface and pose a threat again and again. That's what Snyder leaves us with here: a collection of possible answers, but none of them definite, so they can always be returned to. Not wholly satisfying, then.
The final part of backup strip The Fall of the House of Wayne (written by Snyder & James Tynion IV, drawn by Rafael Albuquerque) is also a kind of epilogue to the main story. I didn't get as much out of it as I did last issue's, again because it's deliberately inconclusive.
"Great but not perfect," might be the best summary of this ending. It'd be a great story to see on film, actually, because it's atmospheric and exciting, playing on all of Batman's various strengths as a franchise, but an adaptation would surely have the cojones to round it off, to make it a self-contained experience. It would be better for it.
The epic Court of Owls storyline comes to a close with a stonking big fight and a debrief-ish chat between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.
It's a pretty exciting finale, but the downside comes in a number of plot threads left dangling. I suppose that's the nature of serialised never-ending comics -- the Court are a great villain, but to create a truly memorable, enduring enemy in this medium, they have to be able to resurface and pose a threat again and again. That's what Snyder leaves us with here: a collection of possible answers, but none of them definite, so they can always be returned to. Not wholly satisfying, then.
The final part of backup strip The Fall of the House of Wayne (written by Snyder & James Tynion IV, drawn by Rafael Albuquerque) is also a kind of epilogue to the main story. I didn't get as much out of it as I did last issue's, again because it's deliberately inconclusive.
"Great but not perfect," might be the best summary of this ending. It'd be a great story to see on film, actually, because it's atmospheric and exciting, playing on all of Batman's various strengths as a franchise, but an adaptation would surely have the cojones to round it off, to make it a self-contained experience. It would be better for it.
this week on 100 Films
Two brand-new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
The Saint in New York (1938)
Also new-to-new-blog this week were...
M (1931)
Fritz Lang's proto-noir serial killer thriller. It's an exceptional film and I encourage you to see it wholeheartedly.
Wallander: Before the Frost and other stories
Reviews of the Swedish Wallander movies Before the Frost, Mastermind, The Secret, and The Revenge.
More next Sunday.
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
the story is built on slow suspense and mystery: who is Komoko? What happened to him? How does Macreedy know? And what does Macreedy want? Sturges happily lets this mull and build over the best part of an hour, before suddenly darting past the reveals as if they’re unimportant. I’m not saying they need to be sign-posted with dramatic camera angles, weighty overacting and thudding “dun-dun-DUN!” music, but they’re shoved in here as if they’re immaterial; a bit of bookkeeping before the all-action climax.Read more here.
The Saint in New York (1938)
As the Saint, Louis Hayward makes for an appealing hero. He’s cocksure, a James Bond character, so justifiably confident of his own abilities and plan that he has every right to believe he’ll be OK. (Indeed, this is certainly readable as a proto-Bond movie.) The downside is there’s no sense of jeopardy or danger, which I suppose is a shortcoming; but instead there’s a kind of comic inevitability to the villains believing they could ever beat the Saint.Read more here.
Also new-to-new-blog this week were...
M (1931)
Fritz Lang's proto-noir serial killer thriller. It's an exceptional film and I encourage you to see it wholeheartedly.
Wallander: Before the Frost and other stories
Reviews of the Swedish Wallander movies Before the Frost, Mastermind, The Secret, and The Revenge.
More next Sunday.
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Day One
Day One, and I've already watched more coverage than I expected! Tennis, of course, but also some of the cycling, fencing, swimming and volleyball. Discovering random stuff -- I suppose that's half the point.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Starlings
1x03 Episode Three
Day One
Day One, and I've already watched more coverage than I expected! Tennis, of course, but also some of the cycling, fencing, swimming and volleyball. Discovering random stuff -- I suppose that's half the point.
[Watch loads of live coverage from the BBC.]
Starlings
1x03 Episode Three
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Articles
Christopher Nolan’s goodbye letter to the Batman franchise
(from Batman-News.com)
Taken from The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy.
Plus various articles on the Olympics...
Media reaction to London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony
(from BBC News)
A summary of media reaction from at home and abroad. I particularly like the Washington Post's thoughts:
NBC's opening ceremony mess: the top six cringeworthy moments
by Paul Harris (from the Guardian)
Sounds like the US coverage of the Olympics opening ceremony was offensively bad. Here are the low-lights.
Olympics ceremony: 27m UK viewers watched opening
(from BBC News)
Opening ceremony a celebration -- of protest and dissent
by Alex Wolff (from London 2012 at SI.com)
A good piece by a US journalist on what the ceremony really represented.
(from Batman-News.com)
Taken from The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy.
Plus various articles on the Olympics...
Media reaction to London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony
(from BBC News)
A summary of media reaction from at home and abroad. I particularly like the Washington Post's thoughts:
If the opening ceremonies of the London Games sometimes seemed like the world's biggest inside joke, the message from Britain resonated loud and clear: We may not always be your cup of tea, but you know - and so often love - our culture nonetheless.
NBC's opening ceremony mess: the top six cringeworthy moments
by Paul Harris (from the Guardian)
Sounds like the US coverage of the Olympics opening ceremony was offensively bad. Here are the low-lights.
Olympics ceremony: 27m UK viewers watched opening
(from BBC News)
The UK's TV audience for the Olympic opening ceremony peaked at 26.9m... The average viewing figure for Friday's four-hour show was 22.4m, making it the UK's 13th most watched programme ever.
The programme also had an 82% share - almost twice that of the previous high for an Olympic opening ceremony, in Barcelona in 1992.
Opening ceremony a celebration -- of protest and dissent
by Alex Wolff (from London 2012 at SI.com)
A good piece by a US journalist on what the ceremony really represented.
Friday, 27 July 2012
TV
London 2012 Olympics
Opening Ceremony Countdown
Opening Ceremony
[Watch the countdown and ceremony (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Parents
1x04 Episode Four
Opening Ceremony Countdown
Opening Ceremony
[Watch the countdown and ceremony (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Parents
1x04 Episode Four
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
This week, I finally got the Doctor Who: Revisitations 3 box set (as it came down in price, briefly). I already had all of the stories in the set, so they disappear as the box set replaces them, which means a couple of numbers are down. New special features disc, and the complete Batman Beyond (cheap thanks to Amazon.com), mean a couple are up too though. Shiny.
Number of titles in collection: 1,506 [down 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,162 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 344 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 3,734 [up 11]
Number of films in collection: 1,590 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,618 [up 52]
See you next week, faithful reader.
This week, I finally got the Doctor Who: Revisitations 3 box set (as it came down in price, briefly). I already had all of the stories in the set, so they disappear as the box set replaces them, which means a couple of numbers are down. New special features disc, and the complete Batman Beyond (cheap thanks to Amazon.com), mean a couple are up too though. Shiny.
Number of titles in collection: 1,506 [down 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,162 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 344 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 3,734 [up 11]
Number of films in collection: 1,590 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,618 [up 52]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 26 July 2012
TV
Absolutely Fabulous
6x03 Olympics [special]
The last of Ab Fab's three new specials. The first two were surprisingly good, but this one was pretty weak I thought. Shame.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Newsroom
1x03 The 112th Congress
Suburgatory
1x02 The Barbecue
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x12 The Final [series finale]
Thank God Rory didn't win! How he made it this far is mystery enough.
Hopefully that's the end of Holden as a presenter too. Tonight's sample of her style: "Well… that's it, that. Is. It. We… have… our… performances, we are all done. All they can do now, they've done everything they can to convince you at home. They should be crowned the king of kings and… only one of them can get that dream role in Jesus Christ Superstar their fate is completely in your hands." Sigh.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
6x03 Olympics [special]
The last of Ab Fab's three new specials. The first two were surprisingly good, but this one was pretty weak I thought. Shame.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Newsroom
1x03 The 112th Congress
Suburgatory
1x02 The Barbecue
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x12 The Final [series finale]
Thank God Rory didn't win! How he made it this far is mystery enough.
Hopefully that's the end of Holden as a presenter too. Tonight's sample of her style: "Well… that's it, that. Is. It. We… have… our… performances, we are all done. All they can do now, they've done everything they can to convince you at home. They should be crowned the king of kings and… only one of them can get that dream role in Jesus Christ Superstar their fate is completely in your hands." Sigh.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
TV
Mock the Week
11x06 (19/7/12 edition) [mid-season finale]
The usual mid-series best-ofs and outtakes. Mock the Week returns in... um... The Future.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
A Short History of Everything Else
1x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
Rob Rouse wasn't funny once and Grace Dent is always annoying. Bit of a damp squib for a final episode, then.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x11 The Semi-Final
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
11x06 (19/7/12 edition) [mid-season finale]
The usual mid-series best-ofs and outtakes. Mock the Week returns in... um... The Future.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
A Short History of Everything Else
1x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
Rob Rouse wasn't funny once and Grace Dent is always annoying. Bit of a damp squib for a final episode, then.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x11 The Semi-Final
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Articles
Box Office Curios
(from the ghost of 82)
"Huge hit" Prometheus has made $300m. "Massive flop" John Carter made $283m. Obviously there are issues of budget size in the stories of their relative success (Carter cost nearly twice as much as Prometheus, before marketing), but maybe the press (and fans) should think a little more carefully about their rhetoric.
Fifty spoiler-heavy questions for The Dark Knight Rises
(from Ultra Culture)
I calculate these questions to be precisely 26% answered by the film itself (or with a little bit of your own thought), 28% genuine things worth asking, and 46% deliberately silly. And I allowed the middle one the benefit of the doubt more than once too.
(from the ghost of 82)
"Huge hit" Prometheus has made $300m. "Massive flop" John Carter made $283m. Obviously there are issues of budget size in the stories of their relative success (Carter cost nearly twice as much as Prometheus, before marketing), but maybe the press (and fans) should think a little more carefully about their rhetoric.
Fifty spoiler-heavy questions for The Dark Knight Rises
(from Ultra Culture)
I calculate these questions to be precisely 26% answered by the film itself (or with a little bit of your own thought), 28% genuine things worth asking, and 46% deliberately silly. And I allowed the middle one the benefit of the doubt more than once too.
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Films
M (British version) (1931/1932)
[#58a in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
The Saint in New York (1938)
[#59 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
The first film in the Saint series, which BBC Two are currently showing in a completely jumbled up order.
[#58a in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
The Saint in New York (1938)
[#59 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
The first film in the Saint series, which BBC Two are currently showing in a completely jumbled up order.
Articles
15 Things That Bothered Us About The Dark Knight Rises
(from /Film)
There may be some worthwhile points in here, but a lot of it can be solved by applying a little brainpower or artistic licence. Normally I advocate ignoring the comments section on popular websites, but there's a few good counterpoints in there -- particularly the top comment, by markedward, which is pretty much a necessary riposte.
COMICS: Grant Morrison To Leave Action Comics And Batman Incorporated
by Josh Wilding (from ComicBookMovie.com)
Unless they get someone really good on Action, that's me done with it -- I was considering leaving it behind anyhow, but now I think I'll stick it out to the end of Morrison's run. Be interesting to see if they hand Incorporated (which Morrison created) on to someone else, or just wrap it up. There are certainly more than enough Batman books on the stands right now, but then they sell so of course they keep them going!
(from /Film)
There may be some worthwhile points in here, but a lot of it can be solved by applying a little brainpower or artistic licence. Normally I advocate ignoring the comments section on popular websites, but there's a few good counterpoints in there -- particularly the top comment, by markedward, which is pretty much a necessary riposte.
COMICS: Grant Morrison To Leave Action Comics And Batman Incorporated
by Josh Wilding (from ComicBookMovie.com)
Unless they get someone really good on Action, that's me done with it -- I was considering leaving it behind anyhow, but now I think I'll stick it out to the end of Morrison's run. Be interesting to see if they hand Incorporated (which Morrison created) on to someone else, or just wrap it up. There are certainly more than enough Batman books on the stands right now, but then they sell so of course they keep them going!
Monday, 23 July 2012
TV
MythBusters
7x08 Thermite vs. Ice
7x12 Knock Your Socks Off!
These episodes: one of the most awesome explosions ever in the first (lots of thermite + lots of ice); the most ridiculous-but-amusing 'myth' I've seen tested: is it possible to literally blow your socks off?
And finally, "It's unsafe to leave loaded guns in exploded rooms." MythBusters: essential consumer advice.
Once Upon a Time
1x13 What Happened to Frederick
Pointless
6x39 (7/5/12 edition)
Twenty Twelve
2x06 Inclusivity Day
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
7x08 Thermite vs. Ice
7x12 Knock Your Socks Off!
These episodes: one of the most awesome explosions ever in the first (lots of thermite + lots of ice); the most ridiculous-but-amusing 'myth' I've seen tested: is it possible to literally blow your socks off?
And finally, "It's unsafe to leave loaded guns in exploded rooms." MythBusters: essential consumer advice.
Once Upon a Time
1x13 What Happened to Frederick
Pointless
6x39 (7/5/12 edition)
Twenty Twelve
2x06 Inclusivity Day
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 22 July 2012
TV
Once Upon a Time
1x12 Skin Deep
This week, OUaT recasts Beauty and the Beast with Rumplestiltskin as the Beast. And as with everything this series does, it's very much based on the Disney version.
Can't escape it's regular penchant for low-level awfulness, though: the Mayor/Queen persuades Mr Gold to reveal he knows his own real identity by bribing him with a stolen item, but because he knows his real identity he also knows all he has to do is say "please" and she'll do whatever he wants, so why doesn't he just say "give it back please" and be done? If you're going to have rules, stick to them -- especially when you've reminded us of them by using it several times in the episode already!
Suburgatory
1x01 Pilot
New-to-the-UK sitcom about a single father and his daughter who move from New York to the suburbs. It's actually quite good.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x09 Episode Nine
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
1x12 Skin Deep
This week, OUaT recasts Beauty and the Beast with Rumplestiltskin as the Beast. And as with everything this series does, it's very much based on the Disney version.
Can't escape it's regular penchant for low-level awfulness, though: the Mayor/Queen persuades Mr Gold to reveal he knows his own real identity by bribing him with a stolen item, but because he knows his real identity he also knows all he has to do is say "please" and she'll do whatever he wants, so why doesn't he just say "give it back please" and be done? If you're going to have rules, stick to them -- especially when you've reminded us of them by using it several times in the episode already!
Suburgatory
1x01 Pilot
New-to-the-UK sitcom about a single father and his daughter who move from New York to the suburbs. It's actually quite good.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x09 Episode Nine
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
this week on 100 Films
This week has seen 100 Films in a Year go a bit Batman crazy in anticipation of the release of The Dark Knight Rises, including both new reviews and old ones re-posted to the new blog.
The headline piece, now, is my spoiler-free initial thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises. Other than that, click through for reviews of...
The Batman Series
Featuring new reviews of Batman (1989), Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.
Batman (1966)
Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)
Batman: Year One (2011)
The Dark Knight (2008)
My original review from 2008.
The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience (2008)
My thoughts on seeing The Dark Knight in its intended IMAX format back in 2008, sadly something I won't be able to repeat for The Dark Knight Rises.
More next Sunday, including new-to-new-blog reviews of M and four Wallander films going up later today.
The headline piece, now, is my spoiler-free initial thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises. Other than that, click through for reviews of...
The Batman Series
Featuring new reviews of Batman (1989), Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.
Batman (1966)
Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)
Batman: Year One (2011)
The Dark Knight (2008)
My original review from 2008.
The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience (2008)
My thoughts on seeing The Dark Knight in its intended IMAX format back in 2008, sadly something I won't be able to repeat for The Dark Knight Rises.
More next Sunday, including new-to-new-blog reviews of M and four Wallander films going up later today.
Saturday, 21 July 2012
TV
Wallander [British]
3x02 The Dogs of Riga
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Yes, Prime Minister
2x03 A Diplomatic Incident
3x02 The Dogs of Riga
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Yes, Prime Minister
2x03 A Diplomatic Incident
Articles
The Dickensian Aspects of The Dark Knight Rises
by Forrest Wickman (from Brow Beat at Slate)
This is spoilery, but if you've seen the film it's worth a read.
by Forrest Wickman (from Brow Beat at Slate)
This is spoilery, but if you've seen the film it's worth a read.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Number of titles in collection: 1,507 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,163 [up 2]
Of which Blu-rays: 344 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,723 [up 4]
Number of films in collection: 1,590 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,566 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Number of titles in collection: 1,507 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,163 [up 2]
Of which Blu-rays: 344 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,723 [up 4]
Number of films in collection: 1,590 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,566 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 20 July 2012
TV
The Graham Norton Show
11x03 (27/4/12 edition)
Oh yeah, I may be three months behind, but I'm still watching it.
How I Met Your Mother
7x22 Good Crazy
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The Newsroom
1x02 News Night 2.0
This is beginning to feel really quite silly, but fun. It feels like tonally it should be going for The West Wing, but has wound up as Studio 60 by way of something altogether cheaper (the women are all histrionic and relationship-obsessed, for example).
Superstar
1x08 Episode 8
"We're back tomorrow with two elimimiminations! Two! TWO!" Is Amanda Holden the worst presenter of a (relatively) major TV series ever?
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
11x03 (27/4/12 edition)
Oh yeah, I may be three months behind, but I'm still watching it.
How I Met Your Mother
7x22 Good Crazy
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The Newsroom
1x02 News Night 2.0
This is beginning to feel really quite silly, but fun. It feels like tonally it should be going for The West Wing, but has wound up as Studio 60 by way of something altogether cheaper (the women are all histrionic and relationship-obsessed, for example).
Superstar
1x08 Episode 8
"We're back tomorrow with two elimimiminations! Two! TWO!" Is Amanda Holden the worst presenter of a (relatively) major TV series ever?
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Films
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
[#58 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Fantastic. My full spoiler-free initial thoughts are here.
[#58 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Fantastic. My full spoiler-free initial thoughts are here.
Thursday, 19 July 2012
TV
Parents
1x03 Episode Three
Well that was... surprisingly better.
Superstar
1x07 Episode Seven
Amanda Holden is an incredibly laughable presenter. "Do not call after lines have closed (surprised face) or your vote will not be counted! (frowny face) And you may still be charged!" It's literally like she's trying to tell it to a two-year-old.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
1x03 Episode Three
Well that was... surprisingly better.
Superstar
1x07 Episode Seven
Amanda Holden is an incredibly laughable presenter. "Do not call after lines have closed (surprised face) or your vote will not be counted! (frowny face) And you may still be charged!" It's literally like she's trying to tell it to a two-year-old.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Films
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)[#57 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Just time enough to drop this in to my schedule of Batman viewing. If you don't know, it's a theatrically-released spin-off from the acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series animated series, which Those In The Know have long hailed as one of the best Bat-films of any kind.
And by golly, they're right! It's bloody brilliant. Not sure where I'd place it in the overall scheme of Batman movies, but then that's always hard because they have such different styles anyway. Though I don't think it's far from the truth to say it has one of the absolute best, most complex storylines for the character of Bruce Wayne -- certainly better than anything in the Burton films, better than Batman Forever, and more original than the familiar vengeance arc offered in Begins. The nearest similarity may be parts of the Bruce-Rachel story in The Dark Knight and its (apparent) continued effect in The Dark Knight Rises. But even then, this may have the edge.
Add to that stunning design and animation, including multiple barnstorming action sequences, and it all adds up to fantastic entertainment. And for an American animation, it's stunningly mature/adult/grown-up, while also remaining kid-friendly. Outstanding.
Non-Fiction
Holy Franchise, Batman! by Gary Collinson
Part 1: Live-Action Batman - Batman on hiatus (1997-2003) (pages 120-124)
Part 1: Live-Action Batman - Aborted spin-offs (pages 169-175)
Part 2: Animated Batman - The Dark Knight in the DC Animated Universe - Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) (pages 189-191)
Part 2: Animated Batman - The further animated adventures of the Caped Crusader - The Batman vs Dracula: The Animated Movie (2005) (pages 217-219)
Part 3: Batman of the Future (pages 242-244) [the end]
I am nothing if not thorough in listing exactly what I've read.
Part 1: Live-Action Batman - Batman on hiatus (1997-2003) (pages 120-124)
Part 1: Live-Action Batman - Aborted spin-offs (pages 169-175)
Part 2: Animated Batman - The Dark Knight in the DC Animated Universe - Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) (pages 189-191)
Part 2: Animated Batman - The further animated adventures of the Caped Crusader - The Batman vs Dracula: The Animated Movie (2005) (pages 217-219)
Part 3: Batman of the Future (pages 242-244) [the end]
I am nothing if not thorough in listing exactly what I've read.
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
TV
Parents
1x02 Episode Two
I have a suspicion this is going to get increasingly dire rather than any better.
Superstar
1x06 Episode Six
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
1x02 Episode Two
I have a suspicion this is going to get increasingly dire rather than any better.
Superstar
1x06 Episode Six
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Films
The Dark Knight (2008)[3rd watch]
I was, oddly, a little nervous sitting down to watch TDK for the first time in four years. I'd had such an incredible experience viewing it in the cinema (twice) and, by not watching it since, it had built up some kind of aura in my mind. But I dismissed such silliness and damn well got on with it.
It's interesting watching this directly after Begins. While Nolan's first film isn't even close to being as all-out fantasy as the earlier entries, it errs more in that direction than this one, in my opinion. Begins has a kind of fantastical warmth to it, alongside the more urban-realism aspects. I say "warmth" probably because of the sepia/brown hues of the sequences set in the Narrows and so on. The Dark Knight, by comparison, is set in the cold grey-blue steel world of skyscrapers and the modern metropolis, inspired by towering architecture in its visual style and by epic crime-thrillers in its plotting.
Begins is, at heart, still a superhero action-adventure; Dark Knight is a crime thriller that happens to take place in a world with superheroes. Does that make it inherently better? No. But it does make it more unusual for the genre. And as Nolan & co pull off the crime thriller style and feel so damn well, it flat out makes it a great film.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Films
Batman Begins (2005)[3rd watch]
As I've decided to cover this Bat-series re-watch on 100 Films now I'll say some more about this film there (on Friday, I should imagine), but now I want to make a comment about the way it uses Gotham City.
Primarily, I think it's important to note what a fine job Nolan does of making Gotham City another character in the film. All of the Batman films have done this to some degree -- it was Burton's stated aim to make Gotham "the third character" in his first effort -- but by giving the city recognisable landmarks, districts, a true sense of history and on-going interrelations, it feels like a real place. And those recognisable landmarks continue into The Dark Knight (the split-level roads, the Narrows and it's bridges, even if the vital-to-the-plot elevated railway completely disappears between films), cementing the importance of this cityscape.
I do hope this continues into The Dark Knight Rises. I've already read one review that said they should've named the final film Gotham City, so I'm optimistic.
Articles
Review of The Dark Knight Rises by Nev Pierce (from Empire)
and
Review: The Dark Knight Rises closes out Nolan's trilogy with brains and bombast by Drew McWeeny (from Motion Captured at HitFix)
A pair of great, spoiler-free reviews of the new Batman film. Really looking forward to this, so much so that I've booked a ticket and it'll be my first cinema trip in over a year. And now I intend to avoid reading too many (or any) further reviews, just in case.
In other TDKR news:
The Dark Knight Rises -- This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
by Matt Atchity (from Rotten Tomatoes)
With reviews coming in, Rotten Tomatoes has gone insane... kinda literally. Not the site itself, but it's users/commentators, which has led the site to take some action. Official statement-y thing here should give you an idea what's been going on, but I first read about it somewhere else so in case my foreknowledge led me to think this was more thorough than it is, what you need to know was there were a raft of positive reviews and a single negative one, which attracted thousands (I do believe it was literally thousands) of comments, most of them abusive stuff from people who hadn't even seen the film.
And then some 'real' critic posted a negative comment linking to something that wasn't a review because he hadn't even seen the film. It was something to do with making a point about how no RT commentators even bother to click through and read the whole review, but it seems this wasn't appreciated by RT's management. Not necessarily wrongly.
and
Review: The Dark Knight Rises closes out Nolan's trilogy with brains and bombast by Drew McWeeny (from Motion Captured at HitFix)
A pair of great, spoiler-free reviews of the new Batman film. Really looking forward to this, so much so that I've booked a ticket and it'll be my first cinema trip in over a year. And now I intend to avoid reading too many (or any) further reviews, just in case.
In other TDKR news:
The Dark Knight Rises -- This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
by Matt Atchity (from Rotten Tomatoes)
With reviews coming in, Rotten Tomatoes has gone insane... kinda literally. Not the site itself, but it's users/commentators, which has led the site to take some action. Official statement-y thing here should give you an idea what's been going on, but I first read about it somewhere else so in case my foreknowledge led me to think this was more thorough than it is, what you need to know was there were a raft of positive reviews and a single negative one, which attracted thousands (I do believe it was literally thousands) of comments, most of them abusive stuff from people who hadn't even seen the film.
And then some 'real' critic posted a negative comment linking to something that wasn't a review because he hadn't even seen the film. It was something to do with making a point about how no RT commentators even bother to click through and read the whole review, but it seems this wasn't appreciated by RT's management. Not necessarily wrongly.
Dark Knight Girl Rises With The Dragon Tattoo
Trailer footage for The Dark Knight Rises set to Immigrant Song from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trailer?
More awesome than it sounds, and it sounds awesome.
More awesome than it sounds, and it sounds awesome.
Monday, 16 July 2012
TV
A Short History of Everything Else
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x04 The Superstar Studio
Amanda Holden wasn't... actually as bad as I thought she'd be. I mean, she's not great -- she's no Graham -- but still, she can read out loud, so...
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Superstar
1x04 The Superstar Studio
Amanda Holden wasn't... actually as bad as I thought she'd be. I mean, she's not great -- she's no Graham -- but still, she can read out loud, so...
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Films
Batman & Robin (1997)[2nd watch]
Believe it or not, Batman & Robin isn't a complete disaster. Relatively significant screen time is given to a subplot involving Alfred being very ill. Thanks to the general warmth of feeling felt toward the character, plus the acting abilities of Michael Gough and George Clooney, this storyline deserves to be part of a far better film.
Also, the realisation of Gotham is impressive. Mixing gigantic sets, model work and CGI, Schumacher and co crafted a towering fantasy landscape straight out of the comic's wilder imaginings. The neon colouring may not be to everyone's taste, but this is an animated-series-style Gotham writ in live-action.
The rest of the film is an irredeemable mess, however. I'll write more on 100 Films in a few days, but one thing I hate is a foul new look for the Batmobile -- though the DVD featurette on the film's vehicles almost makes you appreciate it. The behind-the-scenes version is much more impressive than what we see in the film.
Non-Fiction
Holy Franchise, Batman! by Gary Collinson
Part 1: Live-Action Batman - The Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Era (pages 63-119)
Subtitled Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Silver Screen, this new book covers all the on-screen incarnations of the Dark Knight to date. As you can see, I'm basically reading along with my viewing (retrospectively, anyway), to perhaps inform the mini-reviews I'll post on 100 Films later this week.
Part 1: Live-Action Batman - The Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Era (pages 63-119)
Subtitled Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Silver Screen, this new book covers all the on-screen incarnations of the Dark Knight to date. As you can see, I'm basically reading along with my viewing (retrospectively, anyway), to perhaps inform the mini-reviews I'll post on 100 Films later this week.
Sunday, 15 July 2012
TV
Parents
1x01 Episode One
Well that was... mediocre.
Starlings
1x01 Episode One
Or, as the title card would have it, "STarLINGS". Or perhaps "sTarLINGs", who can say. It's kind of like Stella, but not quite as good.
Superstar
1x03 Mallorca
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Yes, Prime Minister
2x02 Official Secrets
1x01 Episode One
Well that was... mediocre.
Starlings
1x01 Episode One
Or, as the title card would have it, "STarLINGS". Or perhaps "sTarLINGs", who can say. It's kind of like Stella, but not quite as good.
Superstar
1x03 Mallorca
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Yes, Prime Minister
2x02 Official Secrets
Films
Batman Forever (1995)[4th or so watch]
Three observations I personally hadn't made before:
1) everyone goes on about how the pre-Begins Batman films dealt with the villains and ignored Bruce Wayne. That's true of Burton's pair, but this one spends a ton of time with Bruce (a lot of that's about Robin, but it's about Robin in relation to Bruce). The one who's hard done by is Harvey Dent/Two-Face, who gets relatively little screen time and most of it is spent as a cackling halfwit sidekick to the Riddler. Not befitting the character at all.
But 2) talking of Two-Face, wow does Tommy Lee Jones over-act furiously! Perhaps that's not news, but crikey it's so unlike anything else I've ever seen him in.
And 3) I swear Elliot Goldenthal's score referenced the music of the '60s Adam West series on several occasions. Which, considering the overall tone of the film, feels entirely possible. (I watched the featurette on the BD about the music but they didn't mention it, sadly.)
this week on 100 Films
I didn't get round to writing and posting either Green Lantern or Cowboys & Aliens (both of which have premiered on Sky Movies recently, and I've seen 'n' everything), so it's just one new review again this week...
Devil (2010)
Also, because of problems with my old blog, I've decided not to continue posting full reviews there, at least for the time being. Just in case you wondered where those links had gone.
More next Sunday.
Devil (2010)
Devil launched a series of films dubbed “The Night Chronicles”... as I recall the idea is they were a series of low-key/low-budget horror-thrillers conceived by M. Night Shyamalan (he has a Story and Producer credit here) but helmed by others... Funny thing is, this is better than anything Shyamalan has done in a long time.Read more on my new blog.
Also, because of problems with my old blog, I've decided not to continue posting full reviews there, at least for the time being. Just in case you wondered where those links had gone.
More next Sunday.
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