Films

Mad City (1997)
[#94 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
15x16 The Sun Makers Part Four
Yep, that was jolly good. Definitely underrated.

The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
1x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Pioneers of Television
3x03 Superheroes

Two Tribes
1x26 (22/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
15x15 The Sun Makers Part Three
Really enjoying this. It only came 162nd (out of 241) on DWM's last poll of greatest Who stories, with a score of 66%. That's definitely too harsh -- there are certainly worse things above it.

The Great British Bake Off
5x08 Advanced Dough
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Two Tribes
1x25 (19/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

American Hustle (2013)
[#93 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Derren Brown: Infamous
I hope that woman at the end has changed her phone number...
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Doctor Who
15x14 The Sun Makers Part Two

Scott & Bailey
4x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Two Tribes
1x24 (18/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
15x13 The Sun Makers Part One
After the Doctor and friends robbed a bank on Saturday, here they come up against evil taxmen, in the most thinly-veiled 'satire' ever made (I suspect).

Tumble
1x06 Episode 6 [season finale]

Two Tribes
1x23 (17/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Always (1989)
[#92 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Crimes of Passion
1x04 Roses, Kisses and Death
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Frankenweenie (2012)
[#91 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

this week on 100 Films

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


Braveheart (1995)

I figured I ran the risk of affecting the outcome of the Scottish independence referendum if I posted this review yesterday (because of course I have that kind of reach and influence), but after Mel Gibson’s historical(ly-dubious) epic wound up on my 2014 WDYMYHS list, it seemed too good an occasion to miss. So whether Scotland is about to become independent or not, here are my thoughts on a movie that hopefully didn’t actually influence anyone’s vote…

Read more here.


Dark Shadows (2012)

Director Tim Burton’s most recent live-action movie is an adaptation of a 1960s soap opera… albeit one featuring vampires, witches, ghosts and sundry other supernatural goings-on. You wouldn’t get that on EastEnders (more’s the pity).

Read more here.


The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

The big one everyone wants to see, of course, is Jackie Chan vs. Jet Li. Rather than engineer it to form part of the climax, they duel halfway through, in an encounter that settles on a victor just as much as that opening credit does. Nonetheless, it’s an epic bout in terms of both scope and length.

Read more here.


Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)

This new take has trashier, almost grungy, stylings, which at least make it more interesting than the "mainstream blockbuster"-styled first attempt. That doesn't make it a good film by any means, but it does make it somehow less objectionable

Read more here.


Plus five were new to the new blog...


Bride & Prejudice (2004)

Melodramatic love story/stories? Check. A couple of over-acted comedy characters? Check. Characters bursting into song? Check. Bright, colourful, extravagant song-and-dance numbers? Check.

Read more here.


Ladies in Lavender (2004)

Charles Dance’s first film as writer and director. Judi Dench and her long-time friend Maggie Smith play believable sisters in a beautiful Cornish setting who discover a young Pole washed up on their beach.

Read more here.


Miracles (1989)

It’s 1930s Hong Kong and Jackie Chan accidentally becomes the head of a mafia-like gang. The film follows a “gang war” plot for about 40 minutes before abruptly changing tack to become an identity-based farce! It’s all a bit messy

Read more here.


Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

“What if Max Schreck really was a vampire?” is the simple, thoroughly daft, and equally promising, premise of this low-budget horror/drama/comedy. Having the advantage of such a good concept to kick things off, all starts well, but the longer it runs the more it loses it.

Read more here.


Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Most negative reviews accused the film of being essentially a TV episode, not earning itself a spot on the big screen. They may have a point. The subject matter isn’t at fault... but the execution of it is frequently low-key.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
7x03 (19/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Celebrity Squares
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Doctor Who
34x05 Time Heist
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Extra
1x05 Time Heist
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Two Tribes
1x22 (16/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Would I Lie To You?
8x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Collection Count

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

Absolutely no changes this week. Hey-ho.

Number of titles in collection: 1,697 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,203 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 494 [no change]

Number of discs in collection: 4,232 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,830 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,242 [no change]
Number of short films in collection: 438 [no change]

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
1x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Mock the Week
13x08 (18/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Wall (2012)
[#90 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]
aka Die Wand

TV

Doctor Who
26x07 Ghost Light Part Three [2nd watch]

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
3x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Would I Lie To You?
8x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Spirit (2008)
[#89 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
26x06 Ghost Light Part Two [2nd watch]

The Great British Bake Off
5x07 Pastry
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Musketeers
1x10 Musketeers Don't Die Easily [season finale]
Seems like it would've been quite easy to write the Cardinal out after all... Anyway, good show. Look forward to series two.

Films

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
[#88 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
26x05 Ghost Light Part One [2nd watch]
It's quite hard to think of a classic Who serial that's very like Listen, so this is the best I could come up with: the Doctor taking his companion to a mysterious and nigh-unfathomable thing from their past in a dark, creepy and complex tale.
It also means that, for the second week in a row, my tie-in four-parter is less than four parts. Ho hum.

Duck Quacks Don't Echo
2x03 Episode 3

Two Tribes
1x21 (15/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
7x02 (12/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Celebrity Squares
1x01 Episode 1
Despite being billed in some places as a 21st Century version, this feels like it was made in the '70s.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Mock the Week
13x07 (11/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Scott & Bailey
4x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]