Murderland
Part 1 Carrie's Story
I've had this miniseries sat waiting to be watched for almost nine months(!) It is, as you may guess from the title, about a murder; but each episode is told from the perspective on a different character -- in part one, it's the teenage daughter of the victim. It's a very good performance from young Bel Powley as the titular Carrie, and it's quite amazing just how much like The Past the mid-'90s now look, but the mystery is thus far only mildly intriguing. Perhaps things will click together in the next two episodes.
Mock the Week
9x03 (1/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Monday, 5 July 2010
Films
1945-1998 (2003)
[#66a in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
I suppose this falls somewhere between the stools of "short film", "Art" and "Internet video", but, still, it's long enough and focused enough that I'm going to count it -- and, of course, review it. At some point.
You can watch it (for free) here.
[#66a in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
I suppose this falls somewhere between the stools of "short film", "Art" and "Internet video", but, still, it's long enough and focused enough that I'm going to count it -- and, of course, review it. At some point.
You can watch it (for free) here.
Articles
Have you seen this movie?
(from Today at BBC News)
Inception is bleeding into the real world!
(from Live for Films)
That's a damn cool advert.
Click to enlarge.
UKATV Manga Interview
(from UK Anime Network)
An interview (obviously) "with Jerome Mazandarani at Manga Entertainment about the latest announcements from the May London Expo and how these announcements could shape the future of company."
It's a particularly interesting insight into how the UK DVD business works, with emphasis on the anime side of things (obviously), but I think the possibly-supririsngly-low sales numbers are a good indicator of just how little small companies actually sell, and why they have to be very careful about what they choose to release (I'm thinking mainly of the likes of Masters of Cinema and the BFI in this regard). It also indicates why some are beginning to move more towards Blu-ray -- some of Manga's biggest releases are selling 50/50 on DVD/Blu-ray, with their biggest recent title even managing 60% on Blu-ray.
(Note, while page one of the interview (linked above) is a video, there's a transcript over the next three pages. I prefer a transcript, me.)
Your favourite Who episodes revealed by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Series 1/5/31/fnarg Who eps, ranked and rated by Digital Spy readers. My initial thought was that many episodes were ranked too low, but then better ones kept turning up. That said, I'd move up Amy's Choice and The Eleventh Hour, and sacrifice both parts of the finale (a little) to make some room at the top. Also, the places look less bad if you do the sensible thing and combine the two-parters into single stories.
(That said, since the RTD re-launch each half of a two-parter has often had a slightly different tone or feel -- none more so than this year's finale, in fact. And that said, they're still more often than not blatantly two halves of a whole.)
(from Today at BBC News)
The British Film Institute has launched a search for 75 films which have disappeared from view.Here's a gallery of some of the Most Wanted.
Inception is bleeding into the real world!
(from Live for Films)
That's a damn cool advert.
Click to enlarge.
UKATV Manga Interview
(from UK Anime Network)
An interview (obviously) "with Jerome Mazandarani at Manga Entertainment about the latest announcements from the May London Expo and how these announcements could shape the future of company."
It's a particularly interesting insight into how the UK DVD business works, with emphasis on the anime side of things (obviously), but I think the possibly-supririsngly-low sales numbers are a good indicator of just how little small companies actually sell, and why they have to be very careful about what they choose to release (I'm thinking mainly of the likes of Masters of Cinema and the BFI in this regard). It also indicates why some are beginning to move more towards Blu-ray -- some of Manga's biggest releases are selling 50/50 on DVD/Blu-ray, with their biggest recent title even managing 60% on Blu-ray.
(Note, while page one of the interview (linked above) is a video, there's a transcript over the next three pages. I prefer a transcript, me.)
Your favourite Who episodes revealed by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Series 1/5/31/fnarg Who eps, ranked and rated by Digital Spy readers. My initial thought was that many episodes were ranked too low, but then better ones kept turning up. That said, I'd move up Amy's Choice and The Eleventh Hour, and sacrifice both parts of the finale (a little) to make some room at the top. Also, the places look less bad if you do the sensible thing and combine the two-parters into single stories.
(That said, since the RTD re-launch each half of a two-parter has often had a slightly different tone or feel -- none more so than this year's finale, in fact. And that said, they're still more often than not blatantly two halves of a whole.)
Sunday, 4 July 2010
TV
Have I Got News For You
39x02 (8/4/10 edition; extended repeat)
Bizarrely belated repeat (it's from the start of April... as if the date above didn't tell you that) for this particularly good edition of HIGNFY, now with even more laughs.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Wimbledon 2010
[Watch the Men's Singles final, as well as other matches, on iPlayer.]
39x02 (8/4/10 edition; extended repeat)
Bizarrely belated repeat (it's from the start of April... as if the date above didn't tell you that) for this particularly good edition of HIGNFY, now with even more laughs.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Wimbledon 2010
[Watch the Men's Singles final, as well as other matches, on iPlayer.]
Films
Guess Who (2005)
[#66 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
An inverted semi-remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Not as good, of course.
[#66 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
An inverted semi-remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Not as good, of course.
this week on 100 Films
2 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Clue (1985)
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
Also this week, as we've moved into July it's time for the monthly look at my progress.
More next Sunday.
Clue (1985)
it’s the kind of film that’s unremittingly daft, but it knows it is, and if one gets on board with that then it’s a very enjoyable experience... a mix of hilarious farce and fast-paced screwball comedy. It’s Agatha Christie meets Fawlty Towers.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
It could easily have been a simplistic message movie — these people are liberal, these people are racist, etc — but instead there’s complexity at every turn... these characters could just become ciphers for the arguments and debates; but they’re not, they’re characters, having believable reactions, and from this comes the debate.
Also this week, as we've moved into July it's time for the monthly look at my progress.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
TV
The Mentalist
2x19 Blood Money
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Wimbledon 2010
[Watch the Ladies' Singles final, parts one and two, as well as other matches, on iPlayer.]
2x19 Blood Money
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Wimbledon 2010
[Watch the Ladies' Singles final, parts one and two, as well as other matches, on iPlayer.]
Music
Renegades [EP 1] by Renegades
Renegades [EP 2] by Renegades
Feeder's new album, Renegades, turned up today, at which point I realised I still hadn't listened to these two EPs -- by Feeder labelling themselves as Renegades (don't ask me why, no one really seems to know). So, I thought I ought to get round to it before spinning the album, especially as 5 of the songs are duplicated on there.
Renegades [EP 2] by Renegades
Feeder's new album, Renegades, turned up today, at which point I realised I still hadn't listened to these two EPs -- by Feeder labelling themselves as Renegades (don't ask me why, no one really seems to know). So, I thought I ought to get round to it before spinning the album, especially as 5 of the songs are duplicated on there.
Friday, 2 July 2010
TV
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
2x13 Epiphanies
2x14 Black Market
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
18x22 (25/6/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wimbledon 2010
Men's semi-final day. Cheerio British hope then.
[Watch Murray v Nadal and Berdych v Djokovic (again) on iPlayer.]
2x13 Epiphanies
2x14 Black Market
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
18x22 (25/6/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wimbledon 2010
Men's semi-final day. Cheerio British hope then.
[Watch Murray v Nadal and Berdych v Djokovic (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
FlashForward is 'most missed' axed show by Morgan Jeffery
(from Digital Spy)
On the one hand, you think, "really? Really?" On the other, look at its competition in that poll. On another, with the likes of Law & Order and Scrubs there it's a bit bizarre how much it won by. On a fourth hand, several L&O franchises remain and Scrubs was apparently past its best.
Is Aaron Johnson too perfect for Spider-Man? by Ben Child
(from Film Blog at guardian.co.uk)
This article posted just hours before it turned out that, yes, he probably was. And quite right too -- Kick-Ass rather undermines Spider-Man.
(from Digital Spy)
On the one hand, you think, "really? Really?" On the other, look at its competition in that poll. On another, with the likes of Law & Order and Scrubs there it's a bit bizarre how much it won by. On a fourth hand, several L&O franchises remain and Scrubs was apparently past its best.
Is Aaron Johnson too perfect for Spider-Man? by Ben Child
(from Film Blog at guardian.co.uk)
This article posted just hours before it turned out that, yes, he probably was. And quite right too -- Kick-Ass rather undermines Spider-Man.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
No updates to the regular numbers this week, but at least there's the running time update to make up for it.
Number of titles in collection: 1,185 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,095 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 90 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 2,920 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,247 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,111 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
Total running time of collection (approx.):
205 days, 4 hours, and 32 minutes.
(Up 2 days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
No updates to the regular numbers this week, but at least there's the running time update to make up for it.
Number of titles in collection: 1,185 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,095 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 90 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 2,920 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,247 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,111 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
Total running time of collection (approx.):
205 days, 4 hours, and 32 minutes.
(Up 2 days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
TV
Rev.
1x01 Episode 1
BBC Two's new Church-based sitcom is very good. Recommended, for what that's worth.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Stand Up for the Week
1x01 (25/6/10 edition)
Well, now, that was at least as rude as was implied, eh. Some of it was quite funny though, so that's OK. Though I'm slightly concerned: this is the third thing I've seen with Jack Whitehall in a row where I thought he was one of the best bits -- do I actually like him?!
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
1x01 Episode 1
BBC Two's new Church-based sitcom is very good. Recommended, for what that's worth.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Stand Up for the Week
1x01 (25/6/10 edition)
Well, now, that was at least as rude as was implied, eh. Some of it was quite funny though, so that's OK. Though I'm slightly concerned: this is the third thing I've seen with Jack Whitehall in a row where I thought he was one of the best bits -- do I actually like him?!
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Articles
The Great Box-Office Scam by Roger Ebert
(from rogerebert.com)
An article from 1985 (mentioned today on twitter) which feels as relevant 25 years later as it surely was then. And it's funny reading about "recent hits" like Rambo and "movies about to come out" like Pale Rider, Silverado and Back to the Future -- and, mentioned in more or less the same tone, movies that are now forgotten.
(from rogerebert.com)
An article from 1985 (mentioned today on twitter) which feels as relevant 25 years later as it surely was then. And it's funny reading about "recent hits" like Rambo and "movies about to come out" like Pale Rider, Silverado and Back to the Future -- and, mentioned in more or less the same tone, movies that are now forgotten.
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
Music
Night Work by Scissor Sisters
Finally got round to putting this on. Liked a lot of it quite a bit, but not as much as Ta-Dah. Likely to grow; not certain it's catchy enough to usurp their previous album in my affections.
Finally got round to putting this on. Liked a lot of it quite a bit, but not as much as Ta-Dah. Likely to grow; not certain it's catchy enough to usurp their previous album in my affections.
Articles
Review of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse by Roger Ebert
(from rogerebert.com)
Ebert gives the latest Twilight claptrap a thorough slating and two thumbs down. Quite right, I'm certain.
(from rogerebert.com)
Ebert gives the latest Twilight claptrap a thorough slating and two thumbs down. Quite right, I'm certain.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Articles
EastEnder Jessie Wallace to star in Corrie drama
(from BBC News)
(from BBC News)
Actress Jessie Wallace, who played Kat in EastEnders, is to star in a drama about the birth of Coronation Street... The drama, being filmed in Manchester, will air on BBC Four later this year.Well that's just meta personified.
Monday, 28 June 2010
TV
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
2x11 Resurrection Ship Part 1
2x12 Resurrection Ship Part 2
Holy frak. I'm beginning to really see where all the plaudits come from -- BSG was pretty great before, but these mid-season episodes are really pushing it to another level.
The only thing standing between these being listed right after Pegasus was midnight -- a pair of gripping cliffhangers easily ensured my undivided attention for the full two-and-a-half hours of these three episodes back to back.
Mock the Week
9x02 (24/6/10 edition)
It comes to something when Jack Whitehall is your most famous guest. Not necessarily a problem, but it really does come to something when he's also the funniest. (See also: Graham Norton a few weeks back.)
Relatedly -- that white South African guy's act seemed to consist wholly of impersonating black South Africans in a rather awkward, arguably racist fashion. Uncomfortable. And not in the good Frankie Boyle-ish way.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
2x11 Resurrection Ship Part 1
2x12 Resurrection Ship Part 2
Holy frak. I'm beginning to really see where all the plaudits come from -- BSG was pretty great before, but these mid-season episodes are really pushing it to another level.
The only thing standing between these being listed right after Pegasus was midnight -- a pair of gripping cliffhangers easily ensured my undivided attention for the full two-and-a-half hours of these three episodes back to back.
Mock the Week
9x02 (24/6/10 edition)
It comes to something when Jack Whitehall is your most famous guest. Not necessarily a problem, but it really does come to something when he's also the funniest. (See also: Graham Norton a few weeks back.)
Relatedly -- that white South African guy's act seemed to consist wholly of impersonating black South Africans in a rather awkward, arguably racist fashion. Uncomfortable. And not in the good Frankie Boyle-ish way.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 27 June 2010
TV
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
2x09 Flight of the Phoenix
2x10 Pegasus [extended version]
The BSG Blu-rays (and some/all of the DVDs) contain a total of seven extended episodes, the first of these being Pegasus. Whereas the creators have labelled some of these episodes "editor's cuts" -- effectively meaning a long, unpolished version of the episode -- the extended Pegasus is a "director's cut" -- meaning the full-length version they would've liked to broadcast were they not stuck with a specific length slot. So, in this case, I've decided to eschew the broadcast version and jump straight to the extended one; quite what I'll do when I get to "editor's cut" episodes is something I'll equally over-think when the time comes.
More pertinently, then: what a frakkin' huge cliffhanger! Glad I don't have to wait months for the resolution -- on I go.
Damages
3x13 The Next One's Gonna Go in Your Throat [season finale]
If this does turn out to be the series finale, it was a great one, wrapping up all the major plot threads from all three seasons once and for all -- at last. But it leaves it open for more, so fingers crossed there'll be another case for Patty Hewes.
Doctor Who Confidential
5x13 Out of Time [season finale]
I often find I miss New York, something this episode was all-too-good at reminding me. As for the two slight hints about next season... reassuring, but disappointingly vague. Which I suppose it what we should expect from Moffat & co.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
How I Met Your Mother
5x05 Duel Citizenship
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
2x09 Flight of the Phoenix
2x10 Pegasus [extended version]
The BSG Blu-rays (and some/all of the DVDs) contain a total of seven extended episodes, the first of these being Pegasus. Whereas the creators have labelled some of these episodes "editor's cuts" -- effectively meaning a long, unpolished version of the episode -- the extended Pegasus is a "director's cut" -- meaning the full-length version they would've liked to broadcast were they not stuck with a specific length slot. So, in this case, I've decided to eschew the broadcast version and jump straight to the extended one; quite what I'll do when I get to "editor's cut" episodes is something I'll equally over-think when the time comes.
More pertinently, then: what a frakkin' huge cliffhanger! Glad I don't have to wait months for the resolution -- on I go.
Damages
3x13 The Next One's Gonna Go in Your Throat [season finale]
If this does turn out to be the series finale, it was a great one, wrapping up all the major plot threads from all three seasons once and for all -- at last. But it leaves it open for more, so fingers crossed there'll be another case for Patty Hewes.
Doctor Who Confidential
5x13 Out of Time [season finale]
I often find I miss New York, something this episode was all-too-good at reminding me. As for the two slight hints about next season... reassuring, but disappointingly vague. Which I suppose it what we should expect from Moffat & co.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
How I Met Your Mother
5x05 Duel Citizenship
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
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