A pair of shorts for summer

Two new reviews of short films have been posted over at 100 Films today...

The Wraith of Cobble Hill (2005)

there’s no reason that any story shouldn’t be told in animated form… but sometimes, you have to wonder if it’s the best choice for the job. The Wraith of Cobble Hill is a perfect example for this debate as its modern, urban story seems to clash with the cartoonish style employed to bring it to the screen.

The Lunch Date (1990)

to attempt to describe the plot would be to give too much away, which would be a mistake because this is a beautifully shot (in grainy black & white) and performed tale with a distinct, yet subtle, character arc and an important, but not over-egged, moral message.

Read the full reviews at 100 Films.

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

Poem of the Week: Limerick

by Roger McGough

Apologies for missing Poem of the Week last week. We're back on track with this:

Back in April I featured a poem from McGough's latest collection, Slapstick, called Gateway to the Atlantic. Here's another from that collection, which in part provided the inspiration for a couple of poems in my recently-submitted-for-assessment collection. I may share those here when the marks come back.

Anyway, back to McGough:

A poet passing through Limerick
Determined to write a fine limerick
He worked day and night
But try as he might
He never got the hang of the limerick.

Clever, eh? Though some won't be impressed. Just wait 'til you see mine...

As mentioned above, Limerick is taken from Slapstick (aka Slapstick Poems), McGough's 2008 collection published by Puffin.

TV

Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire
1x01 Wench Trouble
1x02 Golden Powers
As with Hugh Laurie last Friday, this has become another twitter trend to cause confusion amongst Americans. Bless 'em.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Mentalist
1x12 Red Rum
I've just twigged that Patrick Jane's grin of glee when he encounters something interestingly unusual reminds me very much of a certain Time Lord.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Music

Blackbud by Blackbud

Articles

The Call of Cthulhu: A Genuine H.P. Lovecraft Adaptation by David Austin
(from Cinema Strikes Back)
This sounds great, kind of in the vein of La Antena. I think I shall have to acquire it.

TV

Ashes to Ashes
2x08 Episode Eight [season finale]
A decent finale, mainly notable for its audacious final twist. Can't wait for the third series -- and all the answers!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Futurama Returns
(from WENN)
"Fox have now ordered a revival of Futurama, commissioning 26 new episodes which are due to be screened in 2010."

See What A Live-Action Simpsons Movie Would Look Like by Erik Davis
(from Cinematical)
Not half as good as the article seems to think it is.

Lovecraft’s Dagon (2001) by ghostof82
(from Musings of the Ghost Of 82)
As well as a review of this particular adaptation, there's a broader perspective on film adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft tales. To summarise, "they're not very good".

new review at 100 Films

This is showing on BBC One tonight at 10:45, so just in time for that...

Insomnia (2002)

Despite the early plot and stylistic conventions, this is not a “whodunnit”: the killer’s identity is revealed around the halfway mark (assuming you haven’t already guessed it from the opening credits) and from then on the film gradually moves into murky moral territory, quickly leaving behind those early trappings for a set of more complex noir-ish moral conundrums.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

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

TV

Robin Hood
3x10 Bad Blood
A good idea for an episode, as much as anything for the change of pace, but it was seriously flawed by an overuse of cliches and thoroughly implausible plot twists, not to mention some dodgy dialogue and accents. Just to round it off, one also has to wonder if it was a tad too dark for the series' primary audience. Try harder next time, eh?
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Insomnia (2002)
[#33 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Being the only Chris Nolan film I've not seen. It's on BBC One tomorrow night, so I aim to get a review up at 100 Films before then. We'll see...

Music

Battle For the Sun by Placebo
This is the first time I've consciously set out to buy the new Placebo album by pre-ordering it. Normally I wouldn't, but I'd bought their last two (respectively, a re-release of Sleeping With Ghosts bundled with a second disc of Covers in a sale, and a good deal on a +DVD version of Meds) and enjoyed them both much more than I'd actually expected to.
Sadly my faith was slightly misplaced as, on a first listen, Battle For the Sun is tracks that sound like Placebo-by-numbers and so didn't really grab me. There's nothing really wrong with them, but not a huge amount right either. For What It's Worth, The Never-Ending Why and Julien are worthwhile listens, as is the title track, but I'm not sure any will remain as memorable as The Bitter End, Every You Every Me, or even Meds.

Articles

Lots, again, but today it's all film news/views...

Boyle and Beaufoy Return to Mumbai by Owen Williams
(from Empire)
"Maximum City to be Slumdog 2?" Has potential: "The book actually features several stories, taking in gangsters, cops, right-wing Hindus, Bollywood and strippers, so it's possible a portmanteau approach could work, or even a sprawling multi-character narrative a la Magnolia or Robert Altman's Short Cuts."

Is Harvey Weinstein asking Tarantino to cut 40 minutes from Inglourious Basterds? by Russ Fischer
(from /film)
Though the Cannes reviews were variable, I do hope this isn't true. The article certainly implies it isn't, and has a couple of other interesting points on the Tarantino/Weinstein partnership.

James Cameron Goes Heavy Metal by Owen Williams
(from Empire)
A portmanteau movie directed by Cameron, David Fincher, Zack Snyder, Gore Verbinski and Kung Fu Panda's Mark Osborne? Please yes please.

The McTiernan Run by Chris Hewitt
(from the Empire Blog)
An interesting hypothesis, though, as many commenters point out, there are other more apt names for it.

Pixar Sequels Are Go! by Owen Williams
(from Empire)
Namely, Monsters, Inc. 2. So Pixar are making sequels to two of their weakest pictures? (The other being Cars.) At least it's not Another Bug's Life I guess.

Transformers: Bigger And Longer On Imax by Helen O'Hara
(from Empire)
Well that's lovely if you have a convenient IMAX. I don't.

Articles

Another day with lots to read. First up, a fantastic bit of news...

Ashes To Ashes to end after next series by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Of course, an infinitely more positive spin would be "Ashes to Ashes recommissioned", which is the real story here -- they've said for a long time that they had a three-year plan and that would be it. So thank God they've got the final series, because otherwise the damn thing would never've been resolved. The press release quotes also sound highly intriguing:
"Fans have theorised... about who Gene Hunt actually is and what his alternative world really means... Will Alex make it back home, why is she living in this parallel '80s world, what will become of bullish Gene Hunt and will we ever discover what actually happened to Sam Tyler? Viewers will not be left disappointed". Let's hope not.

In other news...

Daniel Craig's James Bond Is Licenced To Chill by Devin Zydel
(from CommanderBond.net)
Topless Daniel Craig as an ice lolly. That's... mad.

DreamWorks get Masi Oka's Defenders by Alex Fletcher
(from Digital Spy)
"The film's plot follows teenagers around the world, who are involved in multiplayer video gaming. The gang, who don't know each other's real personas, are suddenly forced into a real-life adventure and inadvertently become heroes." Interesting.
Ironically, but inevitably, "DreamWorks are developing a video game to be released simultaneously."

Nintendo questions opposition's priorities by Liam Martin
(from Digital Spy)
Fighting talk -- and probably very true.
"[A] Nintendo of America executive said Sony and Microsoft seemed more interested in technical specifications rather than entertaining the public. "What's happening sounds to me a lot like, 'Who's got the prettiest picture? Who's got high-definition? Who has the best processing power?' It sounds like technology, when the consumer wants to be entertained." The comments come after Microsoft announced Project Natal... while Sony revealed its answer to the Wii Remote... "[Nintendo's] focus is, 'How do we take active play and make it entertainment?' And that's what we're going to continue to focus on.""
Quite right too.

Shame this review has become buried, but anyway...

Review of Heroes of the East (1978) by Cal
(from Heroes of the East )
Heroes of the East is one of my favourite blogs on FilmJournal.net, so a review of its namesake is naturally not to be missed.

Say Hello To The iPhone 3G S — “S” Is For Speed by MG Siegler
(from TechCrunch)
All the details on what's in the new iPhone. Personally, I won't be upgrading.

Wes Craven dishes on Scream 4 by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
The Scream trilogy a fun series of films, let's hope they don't ruin them.

new review at 100 Films

In Bruges (2008)

It's hilariously funny, much more so than most by-the-numbers ‘comedy’ films can manage... It’s also dark and occasionally tragic though, and in this respect it’s unsurprising that writer/director McDonagh started out as an acclaimed and award-winning playwright, as stage plays mix humour and darkness more frequently (and with wider extremes) than films ever dare to.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

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

TV

Have I Got News For You
37x07 (5/6/09 edition; uncut repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Lie to Me
1x01 Pilot
Wound up watching this by accident, but it's brilliant, vaguely in the same vein as The Mentalist. Of course, their shared existence is all House's fault (it's similar to that too), but as all three are good shows that's no bad thing. Shame it's on Sky1 though, because I don't get that normally so won't be able to continue watching.

Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
1x01 Edinburgh
A great lineup for a highly amusing first show, my personal favourite being Stewart Francis. Very similar to Live at the Apollo (well, it's a continuation of sorts, though they've nicked the set design/logo), but has the advantage for packing in more comedians (therefore more variety) and allowing in some new talent. Let's hope every episode can be as good.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Roland Garros 2009
Roger Federer defeated Nadal-beater Robin Söderling in straight sets to win the French Open, the one Grand Slam he had yet to claimed. Equalling all kinds of records in the process, it's becoming pretty hard to deny that Federer's the greatest tennis player ever.

Articles

Lots of interesting stuff today (well, I thought it was interesting), so here goes...

Del Toro: Hobbit casting 'very close' by Tim Parks
(from Digital Spy)
News about forthcoming news? Yep, that's the sort of thing that only happens for the biggest of the big franchises.

Fiona Phillips: 'Leaving GMTV was silly' by Daniel Kilkelly
(from Digital Spy)
Or it could be because she's a truly awful presenter.

Lowest ever live launch ratings for BB by Dan French
(from Digital Spy)
Good.

And in related news...

Michael McIntyre slams Big Brother
(from the Press Association, hosted by Google News)
Go Michael go!

Primeval creator talks finale, future by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Primeval may be of seriously variable quality, but at least they seem to have a plan. On the other hand, they're not very good at executing it.

Sugar 'must choose' between jobs
(from BBC News)
"The Conservatives say Sir Alan Sugar must choose between working for the government and working for the BBC as the star of The Apprentice. They say his new role as an "enterprise tsar" for the government is "completely incompatible" with BBC rules. Sir Alan, who will also be made a lord, denied he was joining the government. "As far as I'm concerned, this is politically neutral. All I want to do is to try and help businesses and enterprise," he told the BBC."

And finally...

Tourist clings to Australia train
(from BBC News)
An incredible story, worth reading in full.

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats
8x01 (5/6/09 edition)
Far (far) from the best panel show on TV, but it has its moments.

Primeval
3x10 Episode 10 [season finale]
Look here for my thoughts on this episode.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Articles

Five Favorite Films with Adult Film Star Sasha Grey by Jen Yamato
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
An incredibly surprising list, all things considered.

Five Favourite Films with Renny Harlin by Orlando Parfitt
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
A surprisingly intelligent list, all things considered. Still not as surprising as the last one, mind. Though I'm not sure anyone's could be.

Where Will Star Trek Boldly Go Next? by Oscar Hillerstrom
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
With Star Trek II an inevitability (or Star Trek XII, if you prefer; or Star Trek XI 2), RT wonders what might be in store. Though not very seriously.

Wish List: 14 Directors and the Video Games They Should Adapt by Alex Vo
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
Again, don't take it too seriously, because, well, it isn't.

Primeval 3x10

Sometimes I genuinely begin to wonder if Primeval even has a writer. This episode in particular displayed no evidence of one on frequent occasions, from characters contradicting themselves between scenes ("there won't be any guards" / "oh, there were no guards!") to unexplainable elements thrown in to provide brief moments of excitement (where did those grey bin bags come from and why were they there?)

But worst of all was the ending -- or 'ending'. It tried to provide a cliffhanger, but with the story so neatly tied up and no final twist to surprise us (despite the preceding 22 episodes containing plenty of elements that could be utilised to create one), the episode simply stopped.

Still, at least one plot point that's spanned all three series has finally been resolved -- good riddance! Though why they bothered I don't know, as most ongoing plot elements in Primeval are conveniently forgotten when they've had enough of them -- Helen's ability to clone soldiers/anything, for just one example, and something that could've been used to provide that twist too.

Personally, I was also surprised that Cutter didn't return -- his death was so brief and so surrounded in elements that could provide a get-out for him, it was disappointing that there was no twist to be revealed. On the other hand, as the majority of Primeval's fanbase seems to have simply accepted his death at face value, I guess the show's operating at the same intelligence level as its audience.

I expect we'll get a fourth series of Primeval. Though, really, is there any need?

TV

Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
16x14 (8/5/09 edition)
Haven't watched Jonathan Ross' show for ages, for no reason other than I never get round to it. Ought to try to change that now.

The Mentalist
1x11 Red John's Friends
Ah episode 11 -- halfway point of a US TV season. What does that mean? Yep, the most arc-plot-focused episode since the first. Pretty good one though. And I bet next week's is an especially light-hearted edition to balance it.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Articles

Amazon Unveils Watchmen Blu-ray Exclusive
(from High-Def Digest)
Ooh, that's pretty...

Electronic Arts stages fake protest of game at E3
(from Mail.com)
A somewhat dubious idea, it seems to me. It would never fly over here these days after all the recent controversy over media outlets misleading the public.

Hobbits, monsters and CSI vampires
(from Newsnight Review)
An interview with film director Guillermo Del Toro, mainly covering his forthcoming work. Always worth a read. Tonight's Newsnight Review had a related feature, apparently, as well as several other interesting features by the looks of things. I missed it though, so iPlayer it is!

Articles

BB10 'no housemates' twist revealed by Alex Fletcher
(from Digital Spy)
Don't worry, I'm not about to start covering Big Brother, but this piece is notable for its terribly misleading headline, which makes things sound a lot more intriguing than they actually are.

Kung Fu star Carradine found dead
(from BBC News)
"Kill Bill and Kung Fu star David Carradine has been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room."
Sad, unexpected news. Some places are reporting this as a suspected suicide, but if you read the details it really doesn't sound like one.

TV

Primeval
3x09 Episode 9
In which Surprise Future Lady turns up and starts spouting cliches like there's no tomorrow. Ironically. Then there's the uncomfortable marriage of a light-hearted plot (for the first half of the episode) and a Dark And Serious one (for the second), which they keep trying to pull off and never works. And to top it off, a cheesy final shot of the Team Walking Purposefully to the leader's Motivating Intention Speech while the Dramatic Purposeful Motivating Music sores. Oh dear.
In summary: Primeval's writing really does stink this series.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.

Robin Hood
3x09 A Dangerous Deal
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Anthony Head: The Buffy spinoff Ripper may still be possible by
(from Sci Fi Wire)
"May" being the operative word. It's a case of "believe it when you see it" -- which I sincerely hope we do.

Outpost Gallifrey & the Doctor Who Forum To Close July 31 by Shaun Lyon
(from Outpost Gallifrey)
Something of a surprise, the closing of the biggest/most popular Doctor Who site/forum. Several years ago the site's owner & creator, Shaun Lyon, had enough of running the place and half handed it on to new people. That made sense -- fair enough if you want to move on, let new people keep it alive -- but this move doesn't, really, which is why it's a surprise. But hey, look, he still wants you to come to his conventions!

Games

Sam & Max: Season One
Episode 1: Culture Shock

I honestly can't remember the last time I played a computer game that wasn't something like Tetris or Solitaire. But I used to love adventure games and I've had this for a while, and with a new Monkey Island (always my favourite series) on its way next month, it's time to get back into the habit. Plus, as I have a Mac these days, I needed to get Windows running on here so I can play the darned thing. And I've managed it, though it's depressingly slow.

As for the game itself, it's a lot of fun -- which bodes well for the new Monkey Island as these are the guys behind that too. I really like this model of gaming -- a series of standalone chapters/episodes released over five or six months -- because it allows the more casual player to dip in and out, or effectively pay in installments, as well as allowing for a variety of stories to be told without the game seeming disjointed. Also, one of the reasons it works here is because each episode is a decent length -- at least, if you go round looking at everything and exploring every conversation path, which I always do because of all the good lines you can find tucked away in them. Certainly, I didn't complete this chapter in one sitting, and assuming they're all the same length that means a decent full-game-length amount of playability across all six chapters.

A success, then, which means I'm even more excited for Tales of Monkey Island...

TV

The Wire
2x12 Port in a Storm [season finale]
So, that was that. Nice to see a clear indication of where the next season will be going. Only two-and-a-half weeks 'til it begins on BBC Two...

Articles

Review of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Blu-ray by James Gray
(from DVD Times)
Informative review of the best (so I'm told) Star Trek film, recently released on Blu-ray.

Review of Up by Clydefro Jones
(from DVD Times)
Gasp in shock and horror as someone writes a review that criticises Pixar! While I don't wholly agree, he does have a point.

Watchmen (R2/UK BD) in July by Dave Foster
(from DVD Times)
An announcement (hurrah!), but a confusing one (boo!)

new review at 100 Films

Watchmen (2009)

With the dubiously-featured UK DVD and Blu-ray releases just announced, it seems about time to add a few of my thoughts to the already-overflowing mix. In doing this I find it impossible to fully divorce myself from the fact that I’m a fan of the book, so can only really view this adaptation from that perspective... But even as a fan, my opinions are not as predetermined as some might think.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 18 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, plus two shorts. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Ashes to Ashes
2x07 Episode Seven
Brilliant episode. A surprising twist, perfectly built across the whole series, and a great performance from Marshall Lancaster, the unsung gem of both Ashes and Life on Mars.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Graham Norton Show
5x12 (28/5/09 edition, uncut repeat) [season finale]
Goodbye for now, Graham. You will be missed.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Eastern Promises (2007)
[#32 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

DVD Extras

Superman II: Restoring the Vision
(from Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut)
How they recreated Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, almost 30 years after it was shot. It's truly amazing how much effort was required to do this.

Resurrecting Jor-El
(from Superman Returns)
Similarly, how they created a new Marlon Brando performance for Superman Returns, using footage shot for Superman and Superman II back in the late '70s.

Articles

Back To Earth DVD Cover Art
and
Documenting the Documentaries
and
Content Confirmed
(from reddwarf.co.uk)
Latest updates on the forthcoming Red Dwarf: Back to Earth DVD. Love that screen-faithful packaging. The addition of Making Of: Part Two is also great news as the first was a tad lacking.

Tony Scott Confirms Carl Rinsch is Directing New Alien Movie. And it’s a PREQUEL! by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub
(from Collider.com)
Both exciting and very... suspicious...

And don't miss the announcements of new Monkey Island games here.

Monkey Island is back!

I never thought I'd see the day, but it's been reported today that LucasArts' Monkey Island series of games is to return. Hooray! I've grown up playing those games and adored every last one, so this has me over the moon. I literally jumped for joy.

Anyway, here are some of the announcements & that..

Monkey Island is BACK, baby! by Emily
(from the Telltale Blog)
So, the new game -- or games, depending on your perspective -- is being developed by Telltale, who make various other game-series like Sam & Max and Wallace & Gromit (maybe the should've rebranded it Guybrush & Elaine? No?) Here's their announcement, with plentiful details.

Stuff and Things and Monkey Island by Ron Gilbert
(from Grumpy Gamer)
The games' original creator on the latest news. A long but fascinating read.

You may have noticed that, in addition to the new game, they've remade the original. Not sold on the new graphic style, though I'll definitely be getting my hands on it. The official site -- with art, videos, that kinda thing is...

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition Official Site
aka www.MonkeyIslandSpecialEdition.com. Nice name. Includes a great behind-the-scenes video.

And to round things off, the full official site for the new game...

Tales of Monkey Island Official Site
Ooh, I can't wait!

new review at 100 Films

La Antena (2007)

La Antena could sit comfortably alongside ‘real’ silent films to the extent that the uninitiated might reasonably be fooled into believing it was one. In some respects this is neither here nor there, though it will undoubtedly put some viewers off. For those with a more open mind or who are fans of silent movies, however, it’s a joy.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

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

TV

Have I Got News For You
37x06 (28/5/09 edition; uncut repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Roland Garros 2009
Huge shocks as clay court God Rafael Nadal, never defeated at the French Open, goes out in the 23rd seed in only the fourth round. You may've seen this all over twitter.

The Wire
2x11 Bad Dreams
The penultimate episode, and this variable season is nearly done. Good to see some Omar action at last. I hear season three is widely held to be the best of the bunch, so looking forward to that one (whenever it begins).

Films

The Great Dictator (1940)
[#31 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

TV

Ashes to Ashes
2x06 Episode Six
Gene Hunt + nasty lone shark + car crusher = brilliant.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Robin Hood
3x08 The King is Dead, Long Live the King...
Another fantastic episode thanks to Toby Stephens' Prince John, who is beyond brilliant, and an epic confrontation in an abbey. The schoolboy squabbling of Robin's gang and a couple of niggling plot holes do hold the show back, but it's nothing like as weak as Primeval has been recently. That said, with Prince John leaving -- and half the cast also off at the end of this series -- things don't look that rosy.
(Yes, I'm a week behind.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Le Mépris Trailer
As found on the Criterion DVD (and possibly other releases, I don't know. A bit like a Hitchcock trailer, it's an entertaining work in its own right. If only they still made 'em like this.

Toy Story 3 Trailer
Brief and unrevealing, but also funny and excitement-building. Can't wait.

new review at 100 Films

Commentary! The Musical (2008)

Focuses its energy on spoofing commentary tracks, DVD extras, and the American film and TV industry in general... It’s almost all incredibly funny and it moves at a rate of knots, meaning it rewards multiple listens to pick up every gag... With its well-targeted thematically-appropriate comedy and plentiful gags, it’s pure delight for fans of DVDs

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 18 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, plus two shorts. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Boy Meets Girl
Part 4 (of 4)
A moderately satisfying conclusion.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Primeval
3x08 Episode 8
There comes a point in every episode of Primeval these days where, however hard you're trying to take it seriously, you just have to give in and either let the poor writing and ludicrous plotting wash over you or start laughing at its absurdity. I've always been quite critical of Primeval, but increasingly this batch of episodes is making me long for the good old days of the first series.
Meanwhile, this episode, Annoying Brother finally gets in some proper trouble, though disappointingly survives. On the bright side this is his final episode... though the Annoying Government Baddies are back to replace him. It's like a relay race of irritation.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Films

The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
[#30 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

David Tennant reprises role in RSC Hamlet for BBC Two
(from BBC Press Office)
Hurrah! It was an excellent production and this filmed version sounds different but equally promising.

Doctor Who unveils new companion for 11th Time Lord
(from BBC Press Office)
An interesting choice, and arguably quite brave to go with an unknown alongside a near-unknown Doctor, though I'm certain they have good reason.

Poem of the Week: Just In Case

by Charlotte Mitchell

A third and final (for now) venture into the poems offered by . This one rang very true for me. I'm sure sensible people don't do it, but I'm also sure you must know someone who does.

I'm going to the see for the weekend,
in a couple of days I'll be back,
so I'll just take my little brown suit and a blouse
and a beret and carry my mac.

But what if the house is a cold one,
the house where I'm going to stay,
no fires after April, no hot drinks at night
and the windows wide open all day?
I'd better take one -- no, two cardys
and my long tartan scarf for my head,
and my chaste new pyjamas in case they decide
to bring me my breakfast in bed.
And what about church on the Sunday?
I could wear my beret and suit,
but if it were sunny, it would be a chance
to wear my straw hat with the fruit.
I can't wear my little brown suit, though,
not with the straw with the fruit,
so I'll just take a silk dress to go with the straw
and a silk scarf to go with the suit.
I'll just take my jeans and that jumper
in case we go out in a car,
and my Guernsey in case we go out in a boat
and d'you know where my swimming things are?

D'you think I should take that black velvet
in case they've booked seats for a play?
And is it still usual to take your own towel
when you go somewhere to stay?
I had thought of just taking slippers,
but they do look disgustingly old,
I'd better take best shoes and sandals and boots
for the church and the heat and the cold.

I daren't go without my umbrella
in case I'm dressed up and it rains;
I'm bound to need socks and my wellies
for walking down long muddy lanes.

I'd rather not take my old dressing gown,
it is such a business to pack,
but 'spose they have breakfast before they get dressed
I'd have to take mine in my mac.

I'm going to the see for the weekend,
in a couple of days I'll be back,
so I'll just take my little brown suit and a blouse,
     two cardys, my long tartan scarf,
     my chaste new pyjamas,
     my straw hat with the fruit,
     my silk dress, my silk scarf,
     my jeans, that jumper,
     my Guernsey, my swimming things,
     my black velvet, my towel, my
     slippers (no one need see them)
     my sandals, my boots, my
     umbrella, my socks, my wellies,
     my dressing-gown, no, not
     my dressing-gown, OK, my
     dressing gown
and a beret and carry my mac.

This was first published in Mitchell's volume Just in Case: Poems in My Pocket in 1991, a collection connected to her radio series (also title Just in Case). She's also an actress who was involved in The Goon Show donchaknow.

TV

Ashes to Ashes
2x05 Episode Five
A disappointing episode, with Alex behaving ridiculously around the 14-year-old version of her future ex-husband. It must've sounded like a good idea for an episode, but sadly it's poorly handled. Hopefully the remaining three will be as good as previous episodes.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Mentalist
1x10 Red Brick and Ivy
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Films

Stand By Me (1986)
[#29 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

The Complete List Of Tired Movie Cliches by Helen O'Hara
(from the Empire Blog)
Scroll to comment #122 -- it shows why movie clichés are actually a good thing. (And I found it very funny too.)

Fry's Audiobook A Big Hit
(from WENN)
"Stephen Fry's new audiobook has become an online bestseller in just one day. The British writer and funnyman's The Dongle of Donald Trefusis was released as a download through iTunes... In a day, it shot into the top five Top Albums in iTunes' UK and New Zealand stores, and it's already currently the number one spoken word album in United States iTunes' store."
And it is, in fact, #1 across all albums on the UK store! Rather incredible. Well done Mr Fry.

Put the book back on the shelf: 13 book-to-film adaptations that the authors hated by Josh Modell, Keith Phipps, Leonard Pierce, Nathan Rabin, Scott Gordon, Scott Tobias, Tasha Robinson & Zack Handlen
(from A.V. Club)

Review of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian by Roger Ebert
(from rogerebert.com)
I do like a good review by Ebert. And by "good" I mean well-written, because he doesn't like this at all -- and it's great.

TV

The Omid Djalili Show
2x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
A variable quality episode to end a variable quality series. To be honest, I think Djalili is much funnier as a stand-up than a sketch performer, though his musicals are great.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Wire
2x10 Storm Warnings
Sometimes I worry that The Wire is slipping into clichés and losing sight of its original "it's all real" outlook. Most of them would pass by just fine in any other drama, but they seem a little out of place here. On the bright side, at least the plot continues to move forward, though having wasted so many of the early episodes on next-to-nothing this season has generally struggled to reach the highs of the first.
This second season finished on BBC Two tonight, though due to a recording muck up I'll be a few days behind. I presume that, as before, there'll be a few weeks before season three comes along.

Articles

Boyle Returns To Mumbai To Reassure Child Stars
(from Studio Briefing)
The controversy over how Slumdog Millionaire treated its poor Indian children cast members rears its head again. To be blunt, I'm beginning to wonder if some of these child stars' parents are just trying to get a free ride. I mean, "It's no big deal for them, this kind of money... They should help us." My understanding is, they already have, and clearly he just wants more.

TV

The Wire
2x09 Stray Rounds
In which Baltimore detective Jimmy McNulty -- played by English actor Dominic West -- has to try an English accent, and is appallingly bad at it. Most amusing.

new review at 100 Films

Flash Gordon (1980)

Flash often seems to be dismissed as an unintentionally campy load of nonsense, perhaps with some ironic appeal. What this assessment misses is how knowing it is. Yes, it’s ridiculously camp, the dialogue is cheesy, the performances equally so, and it’s brighter and more colourful than any under-5s TV show ever produced. But it knows it is... The sheer volume of things there are to love in this film makes them hard to list without watching it and pointing them out as they appear...

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 16 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, plus three shorts. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

The Graham Norton Show
5x11 (21/5/09 edition, uncut repeat)
Featuring Isabella Rossellini's Green Porno, which has to be seen to be believed but is utterly hilarious.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Have I Got News For You
37x05 (22/5/09 edition; uncut repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Wire
2x08 Duck and Cover
Playing catch up (episode ten is on BBC Two as this is posted). Now thankful the Beeb are taking breaks between seasons!

Articles

Two pieces of exciting Doctor Who news today...

The Doctor Joins The Sarah Jane Adventures by Cameron K McEwan
(from Den of Geek!)
"David Tennant will be starring in a two-part story due to be screened in the Autumn. Also joining the Tenth Doctor is the robotic mutt, K9... "it's more than just a cameo from the Tenth Doctor! He's a proper part of the story... the wedding of Sarah Jane will be a day for everyone to remember!""
Intriguing! I just hope it's called something like The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith to tie in with the similarly-titled stories from seasons one and two.

Doctor Who: Animated Series On The Way by Cameron K McEwan
(from Den of Geek!)
"Debuting in "Autumn," a new animated Doctor Who story, entitled Dreamland, will be hitting the small screen through the BBC's red button service and Children's BBC. There will be seven episodes comprising of approximately six minutes." Follow the link for more.

There's also the promise of "Special Project 3" from Russell T Davies -- but what will it be? Who can say...

TV

Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken: Star Wars [special]
Everyone knows that Family Guy did a great big George Lucas-approved Star Wars spoof (right)? What slightly fewer people know (due to it being on some obscure channel) is that Robot Chicken also did one. And they did it first. I think. Anyway, this is that.
Which was funnier? It's been so long since I saw Family Guy's (before this blog began) that I honestly wouldn't like to say, but they're notably different -- Family Guy retells A New Hope, while this contains sketches about the whole series.

Films

Glory (1989)
[#28 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

Yet more on Tarantino's latest today...

Early Buzz: Inglourious Basterds by Peter Sciretta
(from /film)
More review summaries? Yes, but this is a nicely concise and varied example. Stand-out comment: "well worth watching and admirably ambitious and single-minded... Inglourious Basterds will split viewers." You only need to read the article to see how much it already has.

Tarantino Heading Back into the Editing Room with Basterds by Alex Billington
(from FirstShowing.net)
"Before its premiere, the running time was one of the most talked about aspects of the film. It was listed at 2 hours 40 minutes, but it actually only played roughly 2 hours 28 minutes. Most people are instantly assuming that some of the negative criticism stems from its length and are saying that Tarantino needs to trim it down. On the contrary, though, it felt like it was missing a few key scenes...
Universal wants Tarantino to return "to the editing room post-Cannes to make some trims edits that might include adding a scene, says Tarantino." He also reminds us that the current run time is "well under his contractual final cut length of 2 hours 48 minutes.""

DVD Extras

Transporter 3 extras
- The Making of Transporter 3
- Storyboard Comparison
- Special FX
- Set/Production Design
- Car Stunts

With a combined running time of 27 minutes, there's not a great deal here. On the other hand, some of it's so lightweight that becomes a blessing. The Making Of featurette takes up most of the time at 16 minutes, but it's very weak, often just showing some behind-the-scenes footage with no explanation.

The four featurettes all feature commentary from director Olivier Megaton and are much better. Though they run for just two to three minutes each, they manage a passable amount of detail about their chosen topics. The storyboards one is especially interesting because, in spite of the title, it shows two unfilmed sequences (and no storyboard-to-screen comparisons).

Films

Flash Gordon (1980)
[#27a in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Despite having seen this before -- only once, I think, and a long time ago when I was very young -- and having a huge review backlog I've still taken the time to write a piece on this. I have my reasons. Anyway, I'll post it in a few days, quite cynically leaving time for my Alien and Predator reviews to garner hits from DVD Times' front page.

Fiction

The Recently Deflowered Girl by Hyacinthe Phypps
Pages 6 - 47

This is a bit random: a comedy book from 1965, actually written/illustrated by Mel Juffe (if he's real) and Edward Gorey (though it's so obscure it's not even on his Wikipedia bibliography) offering advice on what to say in certain potentially embarrassing post-deflowerment situations.

Someone's scanned a significant chunk (though apparently not all) of it and put it online here. Some of it's very funny, other bits just wish they were. Look to this blog post for a little more info.

new reviews at 100 Films

A pair of new reviews have been posted over at 100 Films today...

Alien: The Director's Cut (1979/2003)

Alien feels unchanged. It’s been said many times before but, first and foremost, it’s a horror movie — it just happens to be one set in space with plenty of sci-fi trappings… Whatever effect Scott’s trims may have had, they haven’t made it any less effective in this regard

Predator (1987)

it’s an entertaining war flick that turns into a sci-fi/action/horror skirmish thingy — but it doesn’t have the same finesse that imbues Alien and its sequel.

Read the full reviews at 100 Films.

There are currently 15 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, plus three shorts. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

Films

Transporter 3 (2008)
[#27 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

Review of Terminator Salvation by Devin Faraci
(from Empire)
A positive perspective on the widely panned new Terminator entry. Sounds pretty good to me.

Poem of the Week: Casey at the Bat

by Ernest Lawrence Thayer

As promised last week, here's another selection from The Nation's Favourite Comic Verse. It's about baseball -- or, to us Brits, 'glorified rounders' -- though a lack of knowledge on that front is no barrier to enjoyment, as the basic theme of this could easily apply to most sports (and for much of it could be about most sports).

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play.
So when Cooney died at second, and Burrows did the same,
A pallor wreathed the features of the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to the hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, 'If only Casey could but get a whack at that --
We'd put up even money now with Casey at the bat.'
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a fake;
So upon that stricken multitude a deathlike silence sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled in the mountaintops, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the hillside and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped --
'That ain't my style,' said Casey -- 'Strike one,' the Umpire said.
From the benches black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signalled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the Umpire said, "Strike two."
'Fraud!' cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered, 'Fraud!'
But one scornful look from Casey and the multitude was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville -- mighty Casey has struck out.

This was first published in a newspaper in 1888, a year which looks kinda nice written down. It's clearly Thayer's most famous poem and has its own Wikipedia page here with more info than you could ever need.

There's also a version of the poem at Wikisource which has many notable differences to the one I've published here, which is taken directly from The Nation's Favourite Comic Verse. It's not just a case of formatting or punctuation -- some lines are almost entirely different. Wikisource says their version is the original from the paper; I don't know where this (revised, presumably) version originates.

TV

I didn't watch Question Time -- unlike most of twitter, it would seem -- but I did watch these:

The Graham Norton Show
5x10 (14/5/09 edition, uncut repeat)
Very surprised how much I liked Lily Allen on this. Amused that she could say the controversial lyrics from her song but wasn't allowed to sing them -- presumably the bit where she spelt it out was cut from the first broadcast (which has an earlier timeslot).
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Mentalist
1x09 Flame Red
Although the actual plot was a little light, it was thematically significant. Nice to see Jane's steely side too. I'm really enjoying this show -- very glad it's actually been a hit in America and isn't faced with cancellation, as so many of the best shows often are.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

The Omid Djalili Show
2x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

At the risk of getting dreadfully behind, for various personal reasons The Wire will now return next week.

Articles

C’est Magnifique - The Red Shoes Wows Cannes by John Hodson
(from From the Cheap Seats)
"The Red Shoes has been meticulously restored and [received] a special screening at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival... 'I had never seen The Red Shoes on the big screen, leave alone like this. The restoration is stupendous... The colours absolutely leap from the screen.'"
The restored Red Shoes hits UK DVD and Blu-ray on June 29th.

Details on next-gen iPhone leaked? by Mark Langshaw
(from Digital Spy)
"Consistent with past rumours, the system will allegedly include a digital compass and video recorder. A built-in FM transmitter and an OLED screen to improve battery life will also be incorporated, while the RAM and processing power are double that of the current iPhone. The system’s digital camera will be significantly more powerful than its predecessor's, and users will also be able to send photographs and video material via text message."
True or not, there's definitely a software update coming for existing iPhones this summer, and some of that could be incorporated there too.

Film review: Inglourious Basterds by Emma Jones
(from BBC News)
BBC News' balanced opinion on Tarantino's new film (see yesterday and further down for more).

The new 1982 by primus
(from The Ark)
An interesting theory (that 1982 is remembered as a classic year for genre cinema, but has there been one as good since?) and intriguingly argued, though I'm not convinced he's found a genuinely viable alternative.

The Next Dimension: Does 3D Really Work? by Dan Jolin
(from the Empire Blog)
Some valuable 3D skepticism.

We've Seen Inglourious Basterds! by Chris Hewitt
(from Empire)
And finally, a glowing report/review of That Tarantino Film.

TV

Damages
2x13 Trust Me [season finale]
And so Damages' highly variable second season toddles to its conclusion. It's a twisty windy episode of twists and counter-twists, which rather relies on the audience just going along with it as much as genuinely understanding it. Hidden within all that are some bits that make sense and some that really don't. By the end, I wasn't sure if it was brilliantly done and amazingly written, or a total mess and dreadfully written.
Either way, season two's plot was fully wrapped up, and everything left hanging from season one was finished off too. Fresh start for season three? That's what I'm hoping for...

The Wire
2x07 Backwash
Well I never thought I'd see The Wire sink to a clichéd and predictable subplot! (I speak of the Tennis Ball Bug bits.) Much of it's still great, of course, and the plot's finally moving forward. Still not a patch on season one though.

Poetry

Hoping It Might Be So: Poems 1974-2000 by Kit Wright
Bump-Starting the Hearse (1984) (pages 120-151)
That's the end of that 'chapter' (each chapter in this volume is a book in its own right, collected here). Now I must read some other poets, because I have an essay to write that should ideally refer to lots of them.

Articles

Movie Reviews: Inglourious Basterds
(from Studio Briefing)
Tarantino's new film has premiered at Cannes, and the critics weren't impressed.

Mega Shark Vs Giant Octopus trailer

Apparently this has been the talk of the Internet recently. I've rather missed that, so clearly I need to pay more attention.

Anyway, I heard about it a little while ago but finally got round to watching the trailer. Looks like suitably B-movie-esque fun. Here it is for your benefit:

DVD Extras

Commentary! The Musical
(from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)
[#26a in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

This is utterly brilliant, and worth every cent of the Amazon.com-exclusive $10.49 (+ p&p) asking price all by itself (the DVD is Region Free). I'll post a full review at 100 Films sometime, so will leave the rest of my thoughts 'til then, but this really is worth hearing for any film fan. And if you liked Dr. Horrible, it's essential.

Some more info about it can be found here.

Magazines

Radio Times 23-29 May 2009
The RT's new 'Point of View' column (which began when they relaunched the mag at Easter), with its roster of ten (mostly-)famous writers ready to offer up their opinions, has produced some excellent articles so far. The stand out is still Xander Armstrong's take on Sundays, but this week's piece comes close:
Michael Parkinson bemoans ITV's cancellation of The South Bank Show, something all us intelligent TV viewers can get on board with, and also the amount of drivel that particular network broadcasts generally.
It's on page 12; you should read it.

Articles

Battlestar Galactica - Disc-by-Disc Bonus Material Listings, Specs for Blu-ray & DVD Complete Series
and
Battlestar Galactica - Awesome New Images of Packaging for Season 4.5 Blu & Complete Series
by David Lambert
(from TVShowsOnDVD.com)
I've never seen any of the relaunched Battlestar Galactica, simply because I missed the original miniseries -- I think it clashed with something, and when the DVD came out the UK release was so inferior to the US one I refused to buy it. Later, I moved to Uni, thereby missing out on Sky and making it even harder to see -- and so even less incentive to watch.
But it's one of the most praised shows of the past few years, if not ever, and this rather beautiful and extras-packed Blu-ray set looks like a nice way to get caught up.

Also, see today's Magazines section.

Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes trailer

Follow links for larger versions.

Any thoughts?

For my money, it's not really Sherlock Holmes, but it does look like an awful lot of fun as a Victorian era action/adventure movie. The final gag is especially reminiscent of the Iron Man trailer, which I feel may be the broad tone being aimed at here. At the very least, Downey Jr. has absolutely nailed the accent and should be nothing short of magnificent.

new review at 100 Films

Marnie (1964)

Marnie is a film grounded in the field of psychoanalysis, though that word is never used and none of the characters are a therapist. Instead, it just concerns itself with a main character suffering under the strain of repressed childhood memories... Unfortunately, psychoanalysis was only an emerging area at the time, and the price Marnie pays for being ahead of the pack in the mid ’60s is that it looks dated and inaccurate now.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 14 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, not to mention three shorts, a film I've previously seen, and an alternate cut. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.