Richard Osman's House of Games
6x51 Week 11: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Sunday 30 April 2023
Films
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers — Extended Edition (2002/2003)
[5th or so watch]
[#33 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
I go back and forth on my feelings about Two Towers almost every time I watch it. No doubt it has phenomenal bits — some of my most favourite lines, shots, scenes, and characters from the entire trilogy are to be found here. But I’ve often found it to be, overall, a bit of a slog — a film that takes a long time to get going, and which frequently undermines its own flow by doing things like intercutting the phenomenal Helms Deep battle with the deathly-dull Entmoot. Even when I try to mentally prepare myself for that unevenly slow pace, it still sometimes grates. Well, for whatever reason, this is one of the times it didn’t. So that’s nice.
[5th or so watch]
[#33 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
I go back and forth on my feelings about Two Towers almost every time I watch it. No doubt it has phenomenal bits — some of my most favourite lines, shots, scenes, and characters from the entire trilogy are to be found here. But I’ve often found it to be, overall, a bit of a slog — a film that takes a long time to get going, and which frequently undermines its own flow by doing things like intercutting the phenomenal Helms Deep battle with the deathly-dull Entmoot. Even when I try to mentally prepare myself for that unevenly slow pace, it still sometimes grates. Well, for whatever reason, this is one of the times it didn’t. So that’s nice.
Saturday 29 April 2023
Films
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring — Extended Edition (2001/2002)
[5th or so watch]
[#32 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
I haven't watched Lord of the Rings since before Covid? Huh — seems like it would've been the perfect thing for lockdown. Mind you, so would the Godfather trilogy, which I've been meaning to rewatch for about 20 years, and I haven't done that either, so...
Part of the reason for the delay was waiting for the 4K versions, then waiting for them to do the 4K release properly, which never happened, so then waiting for the 4K release to be on sale... Finally, I'm there. Worth it? On balance, yeah. The way it’s been scrubbed of grain was occasionally noticeable and disappointing, but overall it looked fab, especially the HDR grade.
[5th or so watch]
[#32 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
I haven't watched Lord of the Rings since before Covid? Huh — seems like it would've been the perfect thing for lockdown. Mind you, so would the Godfather trilogy, which I've been meaning to rewatch for about 20 years, and I haven't done that either, so...
Part of the reason for the delay was waiting for the 4K versions, then waiting for them to do the 4K release properly, which never happened, so then waiting for the 4K release to be on sale... Finally, I'm there. Worth it? On balance, yeah. The way it’s been scrubbed of grain was occasionally noticeable and disappointing, but overall it looked fab, especially the HDR grade.
Friday 28 April 2023
Music
Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra: Live at the Royal Albert Hall
[2nd watch]
Almost four years later, the promised rewatch — yes, from my Blu-ray copy this time. Still a great show; probably Minchin's best all-round one to date.
[2nd watch]
Almost four years later, the promised rewatch — yes, from my Blu-ray copy this time. Still a great show; probably Minchin's best all-round one to date.
Thursday 27 April 2023
TV
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x47 Week 10: Tuesday
6x48 Week 10: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
6x47 Week 10: Tuesday
6x48 Week 10: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Wednesday 26 April 2023
Tuesday 25 April 2023
Fiction
Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz
Chapter 19
I started reading this in February 2022 with the intention of finishing it well before Horowitz's third (and final) Bond novel came out in May 2022 — but here we are in bloomin' April 2023, basically a whole year later than I'd intended to finish. And now there's another Bond novel on the horizon (Charlie Higson's On His Majesty's Secret Service, out in nine days), which set me a new deadline (I want to read that as soon as I get it).
And it's not as if I have a mass of the novel left to go, just 54 pages (now 45). I despair of myself; I really need to devote more time to reading.
Chapter 19
I started reading this in February 2022 with the intention of finishing it well before Horowitz's third (and final) Bond novel came out in May 2022 — but here we are in bloomin' April 2023, basically a whole year later than I'd intended to finish. And now there's another Bond novel on the horizon (Charlie Higson's On His Majesty's Secret Service, out in nine days), which set me a new deadline (I want to read that as soon as I get it).
And it's not as if I have a mass of the novel left to go, just 54 pages (now 45). I despair of myself; I really need to devote more time to reading.
Monday 24 April 2023
TV
Have I Got News for You
65x02 (21/4/2023 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended episode (again) on iPlayer.]
65x02 (21/4/2023 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended episode (again) on iPlayer.]
Sunday 23 April 2023
Saturday 22 April 2023
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
After a quiet few weeks, hoo boy, did lots drop through my letterbox this week! It's a combination of long-held preorders and caving to a bunch of stuff in sales (including two Arrow titles, two 4K titles, and four Eureka Westerns).
And all of that just in time to be included in the latest monthly running time update, too.
Number of titles in collection: 3,058 [up 10]
Of which DVDs: 1,029 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,029 [up 10]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 249 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 7,542 [up 18]
Number of films: 3,752 [up 16]
Number of additional cuts: 311 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,045 [no change]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
537 days, 8 hours, and 58 minutes.
(Up 2 days and 9 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
After a quiet few weeks, hoo boy, did lots drop through my letterbox this week! It's a combination of long-held preorders and caving to a bunch of stuff in sales (including two Arrow titles, two 4K titles, and four Eureka Westerns).
And all of that just in time to be included in the latest monthly running time update, too.
Number of titles in collection: 3,058 [up 10]
Of which DVDs: 1,029 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,029 [up 10]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 249 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 7,542 [up 18]
Number of films: 3,752 [up 16]
Number of additional cuts: 311 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,045 [no change]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
537 days, 8 hours, and 58 minutes.
(Up 2 days and 9 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday 21 April 2023
TV
Have I Got News for You
65x01 (14/4/2023 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended episode (again) on iPlayer.]
65x01 (14/4/2023 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended episode (again) on iPlayer.]
Tuesday 18 April 2023
Sunday 16 April 2023
Films
Clerks II (2006)
[#29 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
+ the five-minute intro by writer-director Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier. Like the extras on the first Clerks, they chat to camera in a wide-ranging ramble that's only sometimes about the film or the disc. That's their style; it's fine
[#29 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
+ the five-minute intro by writer-director Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier. Like the extras on the first Clerks, they chat to camera in a wide-ranging ramble that's only sometimes about the film or the disc. That's their style; it's fine
Saturday 15 April 2023
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
This month's additions include Masters of Cinema's Early Murnau box set — something I've had half an eye on since it came out, but I already owned most of its contents on DVD. But now it's going out of print (it's already sold out on their website), so I finally snapped it up. That results in some shenanigans below, what with it being a single release containing three discs and five films that replaces three titles containing four discs and four films.
Number of titles in collection: 3,048 [down 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,029 [down 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,019 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 246 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 7,524 [no change]
Number of films: 3,736 [up 2]
Number of additional cuts: 308 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,045 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
This month's additions include Masters of Cinema's Early Murnau box set — something I've had half an eye on since it came out, but I already owned most of its contents on DVD. But now it's going out of print (it's already sold out on their website), so I finally snapped it up. That results in some shenanigans below, what with it being a single release containing three discs and five films that replaces three titles containing four discs and four films.
Number of titles in collection: 3,048 [down 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,029 [down 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,019 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 246 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 7,524 [no change]
Number of films: 3,736 [up 2]
Number of additional cuts: 308 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,045 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday 14 April 2023
Audio Drama
Hell Cats
1x07 The Lost Lady of New Providence
1x08 The Pirate Code
[Listen to it (again) on Audible.]
1x07 The Lost Lady of New Providence
1x08 The Pirate Code
[Listen to it (again) on Audible.]
Thursday 13 April 2023
TV
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x45 Week 9: Friday
6x46 Week 10: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
6x45 Week 9: Friday
6x46 Week 10: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Comics
2000 AD #2305
Didn't realise it had been almost a month since my last issue. I've had a busy, distracted few weeks!
Didn't realise it had been almost a month since my last issue. I've had a busy, distracted few weeks!
Wednesday 12 April 2023
TV
Leverage
5x03 The First Contact Job
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x43 Week 9: Wednesday
6x44 Week 9: Thursday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Slow Horses
2x05 Boardroom Politics
2x06 Old Scores [season finale]
5x03 The First Contact Job
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x43 Week 9: Wednesday
6x44 Week 9: Thursday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Slow Horses
2x05 Boardroom Politics
2x06 Old Scores [season finale]
Tuesday 11 April 2023
TV
Ghosts
4x07 It's Behind You [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x41 Week 9: Monday
6x42 Week 9: Tuesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Slow Horses
2x03 Drinking Games
2x04 Cicada
4x07 It's Behind You [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x41 Week 9: Monday
6x42 Week 9: Tuesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Slow Horses
2x03 Drinking Games
2x04 Cicada
Monday 10 April 2023
TV
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x40 Week 8: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
Part 1 (of 3)
Part 2 (of 3)
Part 3 (of 3)
[Watch it (again) on ITVX.]
6x40 Week 8: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
Part 1 (of 3)
Part 2 (of 3)
Part 3 (of 3)
[Watch it (again) on ITVX.]
Sunday 9 April 2023
TV
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x39 Week 8: Thursday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Slow Horses
2x01 Last Stop
2x02 From Upshott with Love
6x39 Week 8: Thursday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Slow Horses
2x01 Last Stop
2x02 From Upshott with Love
Films
Clue of the Twisted Candle (1960)
[#26 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
Swallows and Amazons (2016)
[#26 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
Swallows and Amazons (2016)
Saturday 8 April 2023
TV
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x37 Week 8: Tuesday
6x38 Week 8: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
6x37 Week 8: Tuesday
6x38 Week 8: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Just one addition this week — a brand-new release on 4K, Babylon. Most of the new releases I buy nowadays are from boutique labels and, for whatever reason, they seem to favour releasing towards the end of the month, so expect plenty more in the next couple of weeks. Indeed, my current list of preorders totals 23 more titles before April ends.
Number of titles in collection: 3,049 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,032 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,017 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 246 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 7,524 [up 2]
Number of films: 3,734 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 308 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,045 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Just one addition this week — a brand-new release on 4K, Babylon. Most of the new releases I buy nowadays are from boutique labels and, for whatever reason, they seem to favour releasing towards the end of the month, so expect plenty more in the next couple of weeks. Indeed, my current list of preorders totals 23 more titles before April ends.
Number of titles in collection: 3,049 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,032 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,017 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 246 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 7,524 [up 2]
Number of films: 3,734 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 308 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,045 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday 7 April 2023
Thursday 6 April 2023
TV
Death in Paradise
11x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x36 Week 8: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Treason
Part 1 (of 5)
Part 2 (of 5)
[Watch the whole series (again) on Netflix.]
11x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's House of Games
6x36 Week 8: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Treason
Part 1 (of 5)
Part 2 (of 5)
[Watch the whole series (again) on Netflix.]
Wednesday 5 April 2023
TV
Doctor Who
2x34 The Death of Doctor Who
2x35 The Planet of Decision
aka The Chase Parts Five and Six.
Back in February, when I popped in The Collection: Season 2 - Disc 3 to watch the first part of The Rescue, I didn't intend to stick with season 2 for so long. I'd wanted to watch The Romans, and decided I may as well first watch the preceding two-parter that introduced Vicki; and when I realised The Web Planet came next, it seemed about time that I finally watched such an infamous story. Then I noticed I was within shouting distance of (a) the earliest Dalek story I'd not seen, which (b) was also Ian and Barbara's exit, and so it seemed only right to continue to that point. If I hadn't, I would've just gone off and found some other stories I'd not seen to watch next, so it may as well be these ones.
But now, I'm at the end of that. There is only one more story in season 2, The Time Meddler, but I only watched that fairly recently (almost three years ago, in fact, but that's "recent" in my perception of time), so I won't watch it again right now. But I might only skip ahead by one, because the season 3 premiere was Galaxy 4, and I've not watched the animated reconstruction of that yet...
2x34 The Death of Doctor Who
2x35 The Planet of Decision
aka The Chase Parts Five and Six.
Back in February, when I popped in The Collection: Season 2 - Disc 3 to watch the first part of The Rescue, I didn't intend to stick with season 2 for so long. I'd wanted to watch The Romans, and decided I may as well first watch the preceding two-parter that introduced Vicki; and when I realised The Web Planet came next, it seemed about time that I finally watched such an infamous story. Then I noticed I was within shouting distance of (a) the earliest Dalek story I'd not seen, which (b) was also Ian and Barbara's exit, and so it seemed only right to continue to that point. If I hadn't, I would've just gone off and found some other stories I'd not seen to watch next, so it may as well be these ones.
But now, I'm at the end of that. There is only one more story in season 2, The Time Meddler, but I only watched that fairly recently (almost three years ago, in fact, but that's "recent" in my perception of time), so I won't watch it again right now. But I might only skip ahead by one, because the season 3 premiere was Galaxy 4, and I've not watched the animated reconstruction of that yet...
Tuesday 4 April 2023
TV
Doctor Who
2x32 Flight Through Eternity
2x33 Journey Into Terror
aka The Chase Parts Three and Four. Plenty of six-parters are known for padding out their middle section, but I’m not sure any other ever did it so obviously as this.
2x32 Flight Through Eternity
2x33 Journey Into Terror
aka The Chase Parts Three and Four. Plenty of six-parters are known for padding out their middle section, but I’m not sure any other ever did it so obviously as this.
Sunday 2 April 2023
TV
Doctor Who
2x31 The Death of Time
aka The Chase Part Two. In which time does not die, but a Dalek does say, "well, see to it!" Funny old show.
2x31 The Death of Time
aka The Chase Part Two. In which time does not die, but a Dalek does say, "well, see to it!" Funny old show.
Audio Drama
Hell Cats
1x04 The Price of Freedom
1x05 Three is a Crowd
Now that this has settled into being a drama about pirates (as opposed to the first couple of episodes, which were setup and backstory), it's more or less exactly what I wanted it to be (i.e. piratical adventures) and pretty darn enjoyable. No offence to audio drama as a medium, but I imagine it would make a fun TV show (I probably ought to get round to Black Sails, eh?)
[Listen to it (again) on Audible.]
1x04 The Price of Freedom
1x05 Three is a Crowd
Now that this has settled into being a drama about pirates (as opposed to the first couple of episodes, which were setup and backstory), it's more or less exactly what I wanted it to be (i.e. piratical adventures) and pretty darn enjoyable. No offence to audio drama as a medium, but I imagine it would make a fun TV show (I probably ought to get round to Black Sails, eh?)
[Listen to it (again) on Audible.]
this week on 100Films.co.uk
No film reviews on 100Films.co.uk again this week, but it is the start of a new month, meaning a look back at the one just passed...
...including all the things I failed to watch during it...
More next Sunday, maybe.
...including all the things I failed to watch during it...
More next Sunday, maybe.
Saturday 1 April 2023
TV
Doctor Who
2x30 The Executioners
aka The Chase Part One. Only the third-ever Dalek story, and the oldest one I've not seen. A few thoughts about the episode itself on Letterboxd.
The Wheel
3x11 Episode 11
3x12 Episode 12 [season finale]
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
2x30 The Executioners
aka The Chase Part One. Only the third-ever Dalek story, and the oldest one I've not seen. A few thoughts about the episode itself on Letterboxd.
The Wheel
3x11 Episode 11
3x12 Episode 12 [season finale]
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Six new additions this week, although four of them were upgrades. Second Sight's long-awaited 4K release of George A. Romero's Martin doesn't usurp the old Arrow DVD from my collection because that has unique special features, but elsewise, I switched out 88 Films' BD of Dragons Forever for their 4K release, and their older BD of Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin for a remastered one (I've never seen either film, but I got a good discount); plus StudioCanal's 4K reissue of The City of Lost Children turned up a few days early. That's a title I've owned on DVD and Blu-ray, and now 4K, but never actually seen. More fool me.
Number of titles in collection: 3,048 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,032 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,016 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 245 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 7,522 [up 8]
Number of films: 3,733 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 308 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [up 14]
Number of short films: 1,045 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Six new additions this week, although four of them were upgrades. Second Sight's long-awaited 4K release of George A. Romero's Martin doesn't usurp the old Arrow DVD from my collection because that has unique special features, but elsewise, I switched out 88 Films' BD of Dragons Forever for their 4K release, and their older BD of Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin for a remastered one (I've never seen either film, but I got a good discount); plus StudioCanal's 4K reissue of The City of Lost Children turned up a few days early. That's a title I've owned on DVD and Blu-ray, and now 4K, but never actually seen. More fool me.
Number of titles in collection: 3,048 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,032 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,016 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 245 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 7,522 [up 8]
Number of films: 3,733 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 308 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 9,589 [up 14]
Number of short films: 1,045 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
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