Saturday, 31 October 2009

new review at 100 Films

Saw IV (2007)
After the overly gory third film, Saw IV returns to the franchise’s roots by playing more like a thriller than a horror film — even more so than the previous instalments, one might argue, as aside from a couple of jumps and a few instances of gore, the story and its key sequences move forward via police investigation, endless flashbacks and copious twists. The Saw franchise should be applauded for trying to be more than just another slasher series, but needs to learn the value of restraint in other areas.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 19 films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

Friday, 30 October 2009

TV

The Armstrong and Miller Show
2x02 Episode 2
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Criminal Justice
2x01 Part 1
2x02 Part 2
Finally catching up with this. It's grim and depressing, as promised, but also utterly brilliant. Marvellous performances all round, particularly from Maxine Peake.

How I Met Your Mother
2x17 Arrivederci, Fiero
Oops, skipped one again. Fortunately this was entirely standalone.

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x06 The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith Part Two
Another brilliant episode -- SJA is really excelling this series -- with a moving send-off to David T.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

High Anxiety (1977)
[#65 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
[#66 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
On 4HD, though the D didn't look very H to me.

Articles

The Thief of Bagdad (1940) by Roger Ebert
(from Great Movies at rogerebert.com)
Lovely review/article on 100 Films' #66.

Collection Count

Last week I started my new Collection Count series, tracking my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics. You can read the whole initial post here.

This week most numbers have gone up (as is generally the case; though, occasionally (very occasionally) I do sell titles and they might go down), which is as exciting as ever. And statistic of the week is truly fascinating. Oh yes.

Number of titles in collection: 1,066 [up 9]
Of which DVDs: 1,031 [up 7]
Of which Blu-rays: 35 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 2,625 [up 9]
Number of films in collection: 1,102 [up 8]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 3,653 [up 1]

Statistic of the week:

Number of titles produced in the '00s:
589
(55.3% of the collection)

See you next week, faithful reader.

Thursday, 29 October 2009

TV

Ooh, lots today...

Argumental
2x09 (27/10/09 edition)

Defying Gravity
1x03 Threshold
Dear God, please save us from "sci-fi for women". (Not that there's anything wrong with women liking sci-fi, but foisting Hollyoaks-level soapy plotting onto a promising sci-fi/fact idea is incredibly disappointing.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
17x08 (23/10/09 edition)
If anyone knows where I can get hold of Tim Minchin's specially written song, please let me know -- it was brilliant!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

How I Met Your Mother
2x15 Lucky Penny
The kind of episode HIMYM does so well. Here, the story jumps increasingly far back in time to outline a months-long chain of cause and effect that stems from a penny to Ted losing out on a major job.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
23x05 (28/10/09 edition)
Frank Skinner makes for the most laid-back host yet. Not sure if that's good or bad...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Ross Noble's Australian Trip
Part 4 (of 6)
Part 5 (of 6)
"Landrover on a Pole." Ah, Australia.
[Watch Part 4 and Part 5 (again) on Demand Five.]

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x05 The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith Part One
One of the best yet, packed with wonderful humour. Though the best bit is surely to come tomorrow, of course.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Wednesday, 28 October 2009

TV

Generation Kill
Part 4 Combat Jack
Along with @Generation_Kill, of course.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

House
6x04 The Tyrant

How I Met Your Mother
2x13 Columns
2x14 Monday Night Football

Films

Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
[#64 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
It was made in '64... and it's #64! Such amazement...

Articles

The Five Scariest Episodes in TV History by Richard Lawson
(from tv.com)
Some good picks, though the omission of Doctor Who's Blink is a serious oversight.

Tuesday, 27 October 2009

TV

Argumental
2x08 (20/10/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.
Proof if proof were needed that this isn't series three: managing to discuss Michael Jackson with reference to his upcoming gigs at the O2 -- and, obviously therefore, not mentioning his death -- clearly shows it was filmed a good while ago. I'm fairly surprised they broadcast that round, actually.

How I Met Your Mother
2x12 First Time in New York

Articles

It's Question Time for the Daily Mail by Media Monkey
(from guardian.co.uk)
The Daily Mail are liars -- look, here's proof.

The Only Tobin Bell Interview You'll Ever Need by Kyle Buchanan
(from Movie|Line)
Normally I find articles with such self-important titles to be objectionable, but for once it's not undeserved. The star of the Saw series has an awful lot more to offer, as demonstrated by this interview that is fascinating but barely mentions those films.

Paul Haggis Renounces Church of Scientology in Blistering Letter by Kyle Buchanan
(from Movie|Line)
You may've heard this story -- it's such a damning letter that it's been quite widely reported. Be sure to stick around for page two, that's where the best bits are (not that I don't approve of what he's saying on the first page, but someone in the media being pro gay marriage and a church being anti it has all the surprise value of the latest X Factor single going straight to number one).

new review at 100 Films

Saw III (2006)
the point at which the franchise finally tips over into the justly reviled “torture porn” category. That’s not to say it’s solely focused on its gruesome deaths — as with the previous two films, there’s a thriller-ish plot to work through as well — but Jigsaw’s traps this time round are shown in excruciating detail... Along with it, the gore feels less justified. The traps have an element of invention about them, but the punishment doesn’t fit the crime in the same way it did in the first tw

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 17 films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

Sunday, 25 October 2009

TV

FlashForward
1x04 Black Swan
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Life
Part 2 Reptiles and Amphibians
Crikey this looks stunning in HD.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Life On Location
Part 2 Chasing the Dragon
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Russell Howard's Good News
1x01 (22/10/09 edition, extended repeat)
Faintly topical, rather lewd, very BBC Three.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Saw IV (2007)
[#62 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

Hmm... remember this? by Anton Vowl
(from The enemies of reason)
One of the best articles you will ever read, showing both the hypocrisy of papers like the Daily Mail and Daily Express, and how they might just be to blame for the rise of the BNP. My favourite bit is where the Mail has a headline that's word-for-word identical to BNP protest placards.

Saw 7 - Sequel Plans by Sheridan Passell
(from Movie Moron)
Odd things are occurring in the world of the Saw franchise -- just look at those Rotten Tomatoes scores!

Saturday, 24 October 2009

TV

Emma
Part 3 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

How I Met Your Mother
2x09 Slap Bet
2x10 Single Stamina

Merlin
2x05 Beauty and the Beast Part 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Magazines

Doctor Who Magazine #414

DWM finds itself in a slightly awkward position at the minute, it seems to me. It can't start reporting on Matt Smith's era because David Tennant's is far from over (there's three Who specials, a full-length animation, two eps of Sarah Jane, and a surprise 'Project 3' still to come), despite reports covering the web with titbits from filming; but as Tennant's era is all in the can, with broadcast still a month or two away, it has no news on that front either. Russell T Davies' Production Notes are particularly meaningless these days because of that -- we want to hear what Mr Moffat has to say about work on the new series, not Davies' endless (almost literally, it seems) musings on leaving.

It leaves the whole thing feeling a bit neutered, quite frankly, a problem it didn't have in the run up to Chris Eccleston's era beginning -- with no exiting Doctor, the mag was free to publish bits of news and whatnot about the forthcoming series. Same for Tennant's, actually, because serious work (well, filming) didn't commence until after the regeneration was shown on screen. Surely they don't really think fandom are dumb enough to not realise Smith's era is already underway? Where's the news of writers, directors, which episodes have been/are being filmed?

While celebrating it's 30th anniversary this month, it seems DWM has finally hit a production team-enforced nadir. One can only hope that things return to their previous high standard once the new team take over properly.

Friday, 23 October 2009

TV

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
17x07 (16/10/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.

The Graham Norton Show
6x03 (19/10/09 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x04 The Mad Woman in the Attic Part Two
Makes a nice change to have aliens without a malicious purpose, but to still craft an interesting and worthwhile story around them. It's especially suited to the kiddy-centric Who spin-off, actually
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]