this week on 100 Films

A busy week on 100 Films in a Year -- well, actually, it was a pretty quiet week, and then suddenly a very busy last few days.

Anyway...

First, as it's December 1st, here's the November update. And because I've reached 100 films, it looks back at all the previous #100s too. Exciting.

Secondly, as it's December 1st, it's time to launch the 100 Films Advent Calendar 2013! I Know, I bet you can barely contain your excitement. 25 days of solid new reviews -- thrilling!

Thirdly, two new reviews were published this week, and they were...


Dredd (2012)

It's the gritty take on 2000AD’s primary hero that aficionados have long desired, but also an exemplary sci-fi/action movie in its own right. With impressive gun battles, dry humour, and Karl Urban nailing the title character (yes, including the voice)

Read more here.


Shane (1953)

The general shape of the plot is one familiar to Western fans, though that may well be because the others are based on Shane: a mysterious stranger riders into town, just looking for lodgings and/or work. Turns out the honest good-hearted town-folk are in some way being oppressed by a local gang/landowner/etc. The stranger doesn’t want to intervene, he just wants a quiet life… but eventually something galvanises him and he can’t help it. Cue climactic shoot-out.

Read more here.


And finally, there were a couple of reviews new to the new blog too...


Casanova (2005)

pales in comparison to the Russell T Davies-scripted, David Tennant-starring BBC production from the same year. Where that version is witty, clever, entertaining and actually does something with the characters, this film is silly, predictable and only occasionally graced with an amusing moment.

Read more here.


Make/Remake: Assaults on Precinct 13

Comparing the 1976 cult classic to its glossy 2005 remake.

Individual reviews can be found here and here, while the comparison is here.

Swing Time (1936)

One interesting note is some story similarities to Sideways — yes, Sideways, the recent Oscar-winning indie comedy about love and wine tasting. Whether Swing Time had any influence on that (made almost 70 years later), or it’s just a huge coincidence, I don’t know, but there are several reminiscent moments throughout the engaged-man-and-buddy-find-love-in-far-off-location-(then-accidentally-let-truth-slip) plot.

Read more here.


Phew!

More next Sunday. Seven more, hopefully.