Grandma's House
1x02 The day Simon decided it might be a nice idea to surprise his mother with a gift
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Normans
Part 3 Normans of the South [final episode]
I've said all I need to about this series, really -- the concluding part is just as good as the first two.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Vexed
1x01 Episode 1
In their review, the Radio Times seemed to imply this was the most horrendous thing to blight our screens for decades. Conversely, I really enjoyed it. It's not flawless, but mostly it's entertaining, funny, and I think most of the bits that RT complained about were actually misinterpreted by them.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
TV
The Deep
Part 2 Into the Belly of the Beast
Still risible. It looks like it might have enough central plot to sustain a two-hour film, which has then been padded with problem-of-the-episode bits and dull emotional subplots to make a five-hour series. And the problems are compounded by poor dialogue, stupid characters, illogical plot jumps, and weak acting.
I'm beginning to wonder if it was written as a deliberately bad B-movie-style kind of thing, before the director & cast took it seriously. I hope for the writer(s)'s sake it was...
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Dragons' Den
8x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Would I Lie To You?
4x04 (13/8/10 edition)
Part 2 Into the Belly of the Beast
Still risible. It looks like it might have enough central plot to sustain a two-hour film, which has then been padded with problem-of-the-episode bits and dull emotional subplots to make a five-hour series. And the problems are compounded by poor dialogue, stupid characters, illogical plot jumps, and weak acting.
I'm beginning to wonder if it was written as a deliberately bad B-movie-style kind of thing, before the director & cast took it seriously. I hope for the writer(s)'s sake it was...
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Dragons' Den
8x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Would I Lie To You?
4x04 (13/8/10 edition)
Articles
The greatest rant you'll see this week: World War II is full of plot holes, and the writers should all be fired by Charlie Jane Anders
(from io9)
Saw this a little while ago, forgot to mention it. It's very funny. The full rant can be found here.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Lamentable Weekend Gross — what happened? by Cyriaque Lamar
(from io9)
Geeks don't equal cash, as we've seen. This suggests three things that may have gone wrong, complete with amusing video.
(from io9)
Saw this a little while ago, forgot to mention it. It's very funny. The full rant can be found here.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Lamentable Weekend Gross — what happened? by Cyriaque Lamar
(from io9)
Geeks don't equal cash, as we've seen. This suggests three things that may have gone wrong, complete with amusing video.
Monday, 16 August 2010
The World at War Blu-ray is a travesty
I think I may have bemoaned this in the past, but my anger has been provoked again, so here we go.
A quick summary: The World at War is a classic documentary series about World War 2. It was made in 4:3 (fullscreen). The forthcoming remastered DVD and Blu-ray has cropped it -- i.e. cut out a significant chunk of the image -- to 16:9 (widescreen).
That's not on.
The company behind it, Fremantle (also behind plenty of other pop culture travesties, like everything that stars Simon Cowell), have recently (or, recently enough that I've only just noticed) issued their reasons for this bastardisation. Essentially, "because 4:3 is old and 16:9 is modern". They have more specifics than that, but they're all rubbish.
Normally I don't like Amazon reviews about an unreleased product that the reviewer hasn't seen/read/heard... but sometimes there are exceptions, and this is one of them -- especially when there are a bunch of misguided five-star reviews saying how great it is the series is now in widescreen. So I've joined the one-star review crowd.
My review can be found here. I'd copy & paste it, but I'd hate for Amazon to delete it on the assumption I'd nicked it from my own blog (as it were). I'd appreciate if you'd go click "Yes" at the bottom, to say it was helpful, even if you don't really care. I appreciate that by posting it here I'm also chancing people clicking "No" just for the hell of it, but... well, please don't.
And it would also be good to click "Yes" on these two well-informed reviews as well. And, just for good measure, a "No" on this one and, particularly, this one (as you can see in the comments, the guy who wrote the latter is a right idiot).
You're allowed to disagree with me, of course, but if you do then (in this instance) you're just plain wrong.
A quick summary: The World at War is a classic documentary series about World War 2. It was made in 4:3 (fullscreen). The forthcoming remastered DVD and Blu-ray has cropped it -- i.e. cut out a significant chunk of the image -- to 16:9 (widescreen).
That's not on.
The company behind it, Fremantle (also behind plenty of other pop culture travesties, like everything that stars Simon Cowell), have recently (or, recently enough that I've only just noticed) issued their reasons for this bastardisation. Essentially, "because 4:3 is old and 16:9 is modern". They have more specifics than that, but they're all rubbish.
Normally I don't like Amazon reviews about an unreleased product that the reviewer hasn't seen/read/heard... but sometimes there are exceptions, and this is one of them -- especially when there are a bunch of misguided five-star reviews saying how great it is the series is now in widescreen. So I've joined the one-star review crowd.
My review can be found here. I'd copy & paste it, but I'd hate for Amazon to delete it on the assumption I'd nicked it from my own blog (as it were). I'd appreciate if you'd go click "Yes" at the bottom, to say it was helpful, even if you don't really care. I appreciate that by posting it here I'm also chancing people clicking "No" just for the hell of it, but... well, please don't.
And it would also be good to click "Yes" on these two well-informed reviews as well. And, just for good measure, a "No" on this one and, particularly, this one (as you can see in the comments, the guy who wrote the latter is a right idiot).
You're allowed to disagree with me, of course, but if you do then (in this instance) you're just plain wrong.
Sunday, 15 August 2010
TV
Dexter
4x01 Living the Dream
Season 4 starts on UK TV sometime this week, I believe -- plus season 5 kicks off before long in the US -- so what better time to get round to it for myself. Somehow I doubt I'll have the patience to make it last 12 weeks, but you never know.
4x01 Living the Dream
Season 4 starts on UK TV sometime this week, I believe -- plus season 5 kicks off before long in the US -- so what better time to get round to it for myself. Somehow I doubt I'll have the patience to make it last 12 weeks, but you never know.
Films
Bride & Prejudice (2004)
[#82 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Final Destination 3 (2006)
[#83 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
[#82 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Final Destination 3 (2006)
[#83 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Articles
Expendables Explode, Eat Pray Love Carbo-Loads, Scott Pilgrim Powers Down by Brandon Gray
(from Box Office Mojo)
So much for all that Comic-Con-based hype, then.
(from Box Office Mojo)
Scott Pilgrim scored a modest estimated $10.5 million [to come 5th for the weekend], which was less than Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist's $11.3 million opening weekend. It also paled compared to the launches of Kick-Ass ($19.8 million) and Zombieland ($24.7 million), among recent fan boy affairs.
So much for all that Comic-Con-based hype, then.
this week on 100 Films
2 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Final Destination 2 (2003)
True Lies (1994)
More next Sunday.
Final Destination 2 (2003)
Final Destination 2 is daft. The concept’s daft, the new additions are daft, the characters are daft, and most of all the deaths are daft. And that’s why it’s an awful lot of fun.
True Lies (1994)
True Lies is unusual on director James Cameron’s CV in that it’s a funny, daft comedy, a spoof of other action films. Where it differs from most spoofs is that it’s also a proper action movie.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 14 August 2010
TV
Robin Hood
3x13 Something Worth Fighting For Part 2 [series finale]
And that's that for this version of Robin Hood. It's a shame the series got cancelled after it was made -- a lot of the ending is very definitive, but with the chance of a fourth run they had to leave it open somehow; if the news had come sooner they could've just rounded it off properly. Oh well.
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
1x02 The Unglamorous Row
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Sandbaggers
3x07 Opposite Numbers [series finale]
And that's Sandbaggers over forever too, sadly -- and on a cliffhanger, damn 'em. Brilliant as ever though. I guess I'll just have to get my hands on Queen & Country for my political/spy fix.
3x13 Something Worth Fighting For Part 2 [series finale]
And that's that for this version of Robin Hood. It's a shame the series got cancelled after it was made -- a lot of the ending is very definitive, but with the chance of a fourth run they had to leave it open somehow; if the news had come sooner they could've just rounded it off properly. Oh well.
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
1x02 The Unglamorous Row
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Sandbaggers
3x07 Opposite Numbers [series finale]
And that's Sandbaggers over forever too, sadly -- and on a cliffhanger, damn 'em. Brilliant as ever though. I guess I'll just have to get my hands on Queen & Country for my political/spy fix.
Films
Ocean's Eleven (1960)
[#80 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
All those people who say the remake is better... are right.
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
[#79 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
The 6th film in the Rathbone/Bruce series (I've previously reviewed the preceding five). It's a good entry, moving away from the WW2-spying Nazi-fighting tales of the last three films and back towards proper Holmesian detective work. Apparently the next couple are even better, so I look forward to those.
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
[#81 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
[#80 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
All those people who say the remake is better... are right.
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
[#79 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
The 6th film in the Rathbone/Bruce series (I've previously reviewed the preceding five). It's a good entry, moving away from the WW2-spying Nazi-fighting tales of the last three films and back towards proper Holmesian detective work. Apparently the next couple are even better, so I look forward to those.
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
[#81 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Friday, 13 August 2010
TV
How I Met Your Mother
5x12 Girls Vs. Suits
Three recognisable (ish) guest stars, a great big song-and-dance number, and a mother-related plot? That's the kinda palaver you wheel out for a) the first ep back after a Christmas break and b) the 100th episode. And there I was thinking it must've been a sweeps one.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
5x12 Girls Vs. Suits
Three recognisable (ish) guest stars, a great big song-and-dance number, and a mother-related plot? That's the kinda palaver you wheel out for a) the first ep back after a Christmas break and b) the 100th episode. And there I was thinking it must've been a sweeps one.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
A variety of sales make this the biggest update for a while; and there's more to come, as a pile of Criterion DVDs and BDs wing their way to me across the Atlantic. Lovely. (Though my bank balance doesn't agree.)
Number of titles in collection: 1,201 [up 7]
Of which DVDs: 1,102 [up 6]
Of which Blu-rays: 99 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,941 [up 9]
Number of films in collection: 1,258 [up 5]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,176 [up 16]
Statistic of the week:
Titles in regular Amaray cases:
737
(61.4% of the total)
Yep, this is the kind of thing I keep a record of. "Amaray cases", for the uninitiated, are the standard plastic DVD cases that most DVDs come in, especially these days -- Way Back When, when digipacks (i.e. those cardboard fold-out ones) were commonplace for any significant release with more than one disc, and Warner insisted on those dreadful snapper cases, it seemed a worthwhile thing to note. These days, everything comes in a version of Amarays it seems -- you get two or three discs squeezed into regular cases with those stacking systems, or The Bit In The Middle, and whole TV series in those thick ones that hold four or five or six or more discs. Personally, I miss digipacks and all that lovely cardboard, but hey-ho.
What this total doesn't include is boxes with multiple Amarays -- I class those, cunningly, as "box sets" -- or those thin plastic cases you sometimes get, or those thick ones (like you get whole TV series in), or standard Blu-ray cases. I don't know if the latter are being called Amarays (the name originates from the manufacturer/patent holder/something like that of DVD cases), but I just call them Blu-ray Cases, so...
Still awake? No? Well, never mind, it's over now.
See you next week, faithful reader.
A variety of sales make this the biggest update for a while; and there's more to come, as a pile of Criterion DVDs and BDs wing their way to me across the Atlantic. Lovely. (Though my bank balance doesn't agree.)
Number of titles in collection: 1,201 [up 7]
Of which DVDs: 1,102 [up 6]
Of which Blu-rays: 99 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,941 [up 9]
Number of films in collection: 1,258 [up 5]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,176 [up 16]
Statistic of the week:
Titles in regular Amaray cases:
737
(61.4% of the total)
Yep, this is the kind of thing I keep a record of. "Amaray cases", for the uninitiated, are the standard plastic DVD cases that most DVDs come in, especially these days -- Way Back When, when digipacks (i.e. those cardboard fold-out ones) were commonplace for any significant release with more than one disc, and Warner insisted on those dreadful snapper cases, it seemed a worthwhile thing to note. These days, everything comes in a version of Amarays it seems -- you get two or three discs squeezed into regular cases with those stacking systems, or The Bit In The Middle, and whole TV series in those thick ones that hold four or five or six or more discs. Personally, I miss digipacks and all that lovely cardboard, but hey-ho.
What this total doesn't include is boxes with multiple Amarays -- I class those, cunningly, as "box sets" -- or those thin plastic cases you sometimes get, or those thick ones (like you get whole TV series in), or standard Blu-ray cases. I don't know if the latter are being called Amarays (the name originates from the manufacturer/patent holder/something like that of DVD cases), but I just call them Blu-ray Cases, so...
Still awake? No? Well, never mind, it's over now.
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
TV
Robin Hood
3x12 Something Worth Fighting For Part 1
Only 14 months after it was actually on, I've finally got round to watching this. I'd forgotten what it was like... which is to say, was the writing and acting always this bad? I swear the villains are straight off CBBC...
3x12 Something Worth Fighting For Part 1
Only 14 months after it was actually on, I've finally got round to watching this. I'd forgotten what it was like... which is to say, was the writing and acting always this bad? I swear the villains are straight off CBBC...
Films
Late Spring (1949)
[#78 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
I got on considerably better with this than I did Tokyo Story a few years ago, though it would be a lie to say I'd had some kind of revelation about the genius of Ozu.
[#78 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
I got on considerably better with this than I did Tokyo Story a few years ago, though it would be a lie to say I'd had some kind of revelation about the genius of Ozu.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
TV
Grandma's House
1x01 The day Simon told his family about his important decision
Former Never Mind the Buzzcocks host Simon Amstell turns his hand to sitcom writing and acting. This sample exchange (from the programme itself; you can view the clip here) sums it up:
Simon: Maybe I'll write something or act a bit.
Grandpa: Oh dear...
Tanya: Act?! You can't act. Can you?
Grandpa: No.
Yet for all that, it ultimately manages a few laughs. I'll stick with it; we'll see how it goes.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Normans
Part 2 Conquest
I don't watch that many documentaries, often put off (as much as anything) by all the talk of pointless camerawork and other OTT visuals. This keeps it simple: presenter, talking, with accompanying period illustrations or other evocative shots. OK, so a lot of the footage has very little to do with what he's talking about, but what are they meant to show? No, this is brilliant, and (based on what I read of other programmes) more documentaries should follow its style.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Sandbaggers
3x06 Who Needs Enemies
This is the penultimate-ever episode of The Sandbaggers, so I'm running out of chances to say this: this series is excellent. If you're at all interested in spy dramas/thrillers or other series of that ilk, it's a must-see.
1x01 The day Simon told his family about his important decision
Former Never Mind the Buzzcocks host Simon Amstell turns his hand to sitcom writing and acting. This sample exchange (from the programme itself; you can view the clip here) sums it up:
Simon: Maybe I'll write something or act a bit.
Grandpa: Oh dear...
Tanya: Act?! You can't act. Can you?
Grandpa: No.
Yet for all that, it ultimately manages a few laughs. I'll stick with it; we'll see how it goes.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Normans
Part 2 Conquest
I don't watch that many documentaries, often put off (as much as anything) by all the talk of pointless camerawork and other OTT visuals. This keeps it simple: presenter, talking, with accompanying period illustrations or other evocative shots. OK, so a lot of the footage has very little to do with what he's talking about, but what are they meant to show? No, this is brilliant, and (based on what I read of other programmes) more documentaries should follow its style.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Sandbaggers
3x06 Who Needs Enemies
This is the penultimate-ever episode of The Sandbaggers, so I'm running out of chances to say this: this series is excellent. If you're at all interested in spy dramas/thrillers or other series of that ilk, it's a must-see.
Articles
Dalek Birthday Cake
(from Geeks are Sexy)
That's... just... wow...
Click to enlarge.
The Tempest – Poster for the new adaption
(from Live for Films)
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but... wow that's a good poster.
Click to enlarge.
(from Geeks are Sexy)
That's... just... wow...
Click to enlarge.
The Tempest – Poster for the new adaption
(from Live for Films)
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but... wow that's a good poster.
Click to enlarge.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
TV
The Deep
Part 1 To the Furthest Place
Oh dear. Such a promising idea, wasted with poor writing, unconvincing characters, weak acting, a turgid pace, pointless flashbacks, an implausible set... I laughed out loud several times, usually at the bits that were Deadly Serious. How rubbish. How disappointing. And I'll still watch the rest... all four hours of it... ugh.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
How I Met Your Mother
5x11 Last Cigarette Ever
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
1x01 The Guarantee
Conversely (to The Deep), this is beautifully written and acted, both funny and real. Super.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Part 1 To the Furthest Place
Oh dear. Such a promising idea, wasted with poor writing, unconvincing characters, weak acting, a turgid pace, pointless flashbacks, an implausible set... I laughed out loud several times, usually at the bits that were Deadly Serious. How rubbish. How disappointing. And I'll still watch the rest... all four hours of it... ugh.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
How I Met Your Mother
5x11 Last Cigarette Ever
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
1x01 The Guarantee
Conversely (to The Deep), this is beautifully written and acted, both funny and real. Super.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Girl quits her job on dry erase board, emails entire office by Leo
(from the Chive)
Read this. Stick with it. It's worth it.
Serious funny business by Will Gompertz
(from Today on BBC News)
On the rise and rise of stand-up comedy.
Sherlock returning for second series by Ryan Love & Paul Millar
(from Digital Spy)
Hurrah!
(from the Chive)
Read this. Stick with it. It's worth it.
Serious funny business by Will Gompertz
(from Today on BBC News)
On the rise and rise of stand-up comedy.
Sherlock returning for second series by Ryan Love & Paul Millar
(from Digital Spy)
Hurrah!
Monday, 9 August 2010
Articles
Matthew Vaughn Agreed to Direct X-Men: First Class Because He Believes Superhero Movies Will Be Dead Soon by Adam Quigley
(from /Film)
Vaughn speaks with honesty and sense. That said, he may be calling the death a mite too soon -- with Batman 3, The Avengers and a rebooted Spider-Man on the way, amongst others, is the superhero movie really dead just yet? Surely there's a few more years, perhaps half a decade, left at least. I suppose we'll see...
6 ways Torchwood's new season will change everything by Fred Topel (from blastr)
and
Torchwood relaunch is more global by Hanh Nguyen (from Zap2it)
Mostly stuff we've already heard, but a couple of extra bits. I think. When you read enough of these things it becomes hard to know if it's new info or just something you'd assumed already.
(from /Film)
Vaughn speaks with honesty and sense. That said, he may be calling the death a mite too soon -- with Batman 3, The Avengers and a rebooted Spider-Man on the way, amongst others, is the superhero movie really dead just yet? Surely there's a few more years, perhaps half a decade, left at least. I suppose we'll see...
6 ways Torchwood's new season will change everything by Fred Topel (from blastr)
and
Torchwood relaunch is more global by Hanh Nguyen (from Zap2it)
Mostly stuff we've already heard, but a couple of extra bits. I think. When you read enough of these things it becomes hard to know if it's new info or just something you'd assumed already.
Sunday, 8 August 2010
TV
The Sandbaggers
3x05 Sometimes We Play Dirty Too
Sherlock
1x03 The Great Game [season finale]
Generally, a very good episode. Not sold on the cut-price-John-Simm-Master of a Moriarty though. So much for him being "the next great one".
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
3x05 Sometimes We Play Dirty Too
Sherlock
1x03 The Great Game [season finale]
Generally, a very good episode. Not sold on the cut-price-John-Simm-Master of a Moriarty though. So much for him being "the next great one".
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Films
Final Destination 2 (2003)
[#76 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Read my review here.
Nanny McPhee (2005)
[#75 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
[#76 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Read my review here.
Nanny McPhee (2005)
[#75 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Articles
James Marsters' Captain John Hart Will Likely Not Be In Starz Torchwood Reboot by Carl Cortez
(from iF Magazine)
No surprise -- can't really imagine Captain John fitting in with a Children of Earth-style story. It'll be a shame if they never bring him back though.
Also, it's not really a reboot, is it? Not in the sense we usually mean, like Casino Royale or Star Trek. So tsk, stop that now, American journalists, who seem to think just because a US network is now a production partner rather than simply buying broadcast rights means it's now a Whole New Show.
Torchwood gets new title: The New World by James Hibberd
(from the live feed at The Hollywood Reporter)
Don't worry, they're not renaming the whole show: just as season three was called Torchwood: Children of Earth, season four is to be called Torchwood: The New World. Apt.
(from iF Magazine)
No surprise -- can't really imagine Captain John fitting in with a Children of Earth-style story. It'll be a shame if they never bring him back though.
Also, it's not really a reboot, is it? Not in the sense we usually mean, like Casino Royale or Star Trek. So tsk, stop that now, American journalists, who seem to think just because a US network is now a production partner rather than simply buying broadcast rights means it's now a Whole New Show.
Torchwood gets new title: The New World by James Hibberd
(from the live feed at The Hollywood Reporter)
Don't worry, they're not renaming the whole show: just as season three was called Torchwood: Children of Earth, season four is to be called Torchwood: The New World. Apt.
this week on 100 Films
2 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were of two of the most-discussed -- and best -- films of the year so far...
Inception (2010)
Kick-Ass (2010)
More next Sunday.
Inception (2010)
This [rather long] review ends by calling Inception a “must-see”. I’m telling you this now for two reasons. Primarily, because this review contains major spoilers, and seems daft to end a review aimed at those who’ve seen the film with a recommendation that they should see it. Secondly, because Inception — and here’s your first spoiler, sort of — also begins at the end.
Kick-Ass (2010)
By using various other superhero movies and TV series as its starting point, but grounding them in (a version of) the real world — with attendant debates about violence etc — Kick-Ass fills a void in need of filling — by which I mean: as Watchmen was to superhero comics, so Kick-Ass is to superhero films.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 7 August 2010
TV
Rev.
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wallander [Swedish]
2x13 Vittnet (aka The Witness) [series finale]
A pretty low-key and regular last-ever-episode, even by Wallander's standards. And actually, by Wallander's standards, it wasn't up to much as an episode, sadly. Still, an appropriate ending: in no way definite or overly sentimental, but clearly The End. That, at least, was nicely done.
Would I Lie To You?
4x03 (6/8/10 edition)
Spectacularly played by Kevin Bridges. Watch his round here.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wallander [Swedish]
2x13 Vittnet (aka The Witness) [series finale]
A pretty low-key and regular last-ever-episode, even by Wallander's standards. And actually, by Wallander's standards, it wasn't up to much as an episode, sadly. Still, an appropriate ending: in no way definite or overly sentimental, but clearly The End. That, at least, was nicely done.
Would I Lie To You?
4x03 (6/8/10 edition)
Spectacularly played by Kevin Bridges. Watch his round here.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Casino Royale, in the style of Casino Royale
As the rubbish 1967 version was on TV this afternoon, here's a nifty trailer for it -- done in the style of the 2006 version.
man hit by van to Inception music
Does what it says on the tin. Of course, it has no right to be as funny as it is...
Friday, 6 August 2010
TV
The Sandbaggers
3x04 My Name is Anna Wiseman
You Have Been Watching
2x08 Crime Special [season finale]
The episode postponed because of one or other of the shooting sprees the other month. Now first broadcast at the end of a post-midnight repeat run on E4. (For some reason, it's still absent from the official episode guide, but is nonetheless on 4oD. Odd.)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
3x04 My Name is Anna Wiseman
You Have Been Watching
2x08 Crime Special [season finale]
The episode postponed because of one or other of the shooting sprees the other month. Now first broadcast at the end of a post-midnight repeat run on E4. (For some reason, it's still absent from the official episode guide, but is nonetheless on 4oD. Odd.)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Articles
Bruce Feirstein interview: James Bond, Blood Stone and modernising GoldenEye by Michael Leader
(from Den of Geek!)
Interesting point in this interview: writing GoldenEye, the film, was all about having to move Bond into a new, post-Cold War world; now, writing the GoldenEye game remake, which updates the story to today, 15 years on from the film, involves updating it to a much-changed world again. Which is kind of interesting. It's also increased my already-quite-high interest in the game. Crap, I'm gonna have to buy a console again, aren't I...
Mark Gatiss interview: writing Sherlock, and where it’s heading next by Simon Brew (from Den of Geek!)
and
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes villains like no other by Steven Moffat (from guardian.co.uk)
Just to whet your appetite ahead of this Sunday's Sherlock series finale, here's a pair of articles: the first an interview with co-creator Mark Gatiss about the series' conception and where it may go next; the second by co-creator Steven Moffat on why Holmes' nemesis, Moriarty, is so legendary, plus which are the best screen versions.
And in other Sherlock news...
Sherlock DVD & Blu-ray Cover Art
(from Sherlocking)
Seems like we now have nearly all the details for the DVD/BD release of this excellent series: all three episodes (naturally), commentaries on the first and third, a half-hour making-of, and, perhaps best of all, the unaired one-hour pilot. It could only be better if they'd done commentaries on episode two and the pilot -- hopefully the making-of will cover why the latter was rejected and the series rethought.
Torchwood attracts Buffy, Breaking Bad, House writers by Maureen Ryan
(from The Watcher at Chicago Tribune)
Or, the list of writers for Torchwood's forthcoming fourth season. Only one other UK writer (besides RTD): John Fay, who penned the middling Mobile but also two episodes of the outstanding Children of Earth (aka Torchwood season 3, of course).
Of the three yanks now involved, one is Jane Espenson, of excellent work such as Buffy and Battlestar Galactica, while the other two I've not heard of, but have worked on the likes of The X Files and House. It'll be interesting to see how Americanised this makes a series that obviously started out as very British/Welsh.
(from Den of Geek!)
Interesting point in this interview: writing GoldenEye, the film, was all about having to move Bond into a new, post-Cold War world; now, writing the GoldenEye game remake, which updates the story to today, 15 years on from the film, involves updating it to a much-changed world again. Which is kind of interesting. It's also increased my already-quite-high interest in the game. Crap, I'm gonna have to buy a console again, aren't I...
Mark Gatiss interview: writing Sherlock, and where it’s heading next by Simon Brew (from Den of Geek!)
and
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes villains like no other by Steven Moffat (from guardian.co.uk)
Just to whet your appetite ahead of this Sunday's Sherlock series finale, here's a pair of articles: the first an interview with co-creator Mark Gatiss about the series' conception and where it may go next; the second by co-creator Steven Moffat on why Holmes' nemesis, Moriarty, is so legendary, plus which are the best screen versions.
And in other Sherlock news...
Sherlock DVD & Blu-ray Cover Art
(from Sherlocking)
Seems like we now have nearly all the details for the DVD/BD release of this excellent series: all three episodes (naturally), commentaries on the first and third, a half-hour making-of, and, perhaps best of all, the unaired one-hour pilot. It could only be better if they'd done commentaries on episode two and the pilot -- hopefully the making-of will cover why the latter was rejected and the series rethought.
Torchwood attracts Buffy, Breaking Bad, House writers by Maureen Ryan
(from The Watcher at Chicago Tribune)
Or, the list of writers for Torchwood's forthcoming fourth season. Only one other UK writer (besides RTD): John Fay, who penned the middling Mobile but also two episodes of the outstanding Children of Earth (aka Torchwood season 3, of course).
Of the three yanks now involved, one is Jane Espenson, of excellent work such as Buffy and Battlestar Galactica, while the other two I've not heard of, but have worked on the likes of The X Files and House. It'll be interesting to see how Americanised this makes a series that obviously started out as very British/Welsh.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Absolutely no changes this week, though a few orders should see a pile of nice shiny new titles arriving in the next few weeks. Exciting stuff.
However, as alluded to in the past couple of updates, I do have a special stat of the week this time. 'Special' as in it took some extra effort to compile; this doesn't guarantee it'll be interesting.
Number of titles in collection: 1,194 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,096 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 98 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 2,932 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,253 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,160 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
Things I'd seen before buying them:
Titles: 347 (29.1%)
Films: 279 (22.3%)
TV episodes: 1323 (31.8%)
Be it at the cinema, on TV, or a rented or borrowed DVD -- or even VHS -- these are all the things I'd actually seen before I invested in the DVD/Blu-ray for myself. As you can see, I buy an awful lot of stuff 'blind'.
I've broken it down into both titles and films for one simple reason: box sets. There are some sets I own where I'd seen some but not all of the films before purchasing; these are only counted in the Titles number if I'd seen more of the set than not before purchasing. Hopefully this way it somehow evens out statistically. The straight Films number, of course, counts all films I'd seen, even if that's just one from a set of six, because… well, that's just accurate, isn't it?
The TV number is different again, in that it's more guesswork (in places). Just how many episodes of The World at War were we shown in school? How many episodes of Bugs did I miss while on holiday over a decade ago? Did I see all of Captain Scarlet when I was little or just some episodes? And so on. As for their inclusion in the titles number, I've also taken some leeway -- I've still not seen the second half of Buffy season 4 (why not you fool?!), never mind seeing it before buying it, but I've counted that set anyway. Angel, on the other hand, I've only watched the first half of season 1 (why not the rest you fool?!) and so not counted it.
Yes, I spend my time concerned with things like this.
See you next week, faithful reader.
Absolutely no changes this week, though a few orders should see a pile of nice shiny new titles arriving in the next few weeks. Exciting stuff.
However, as alluded to in the past couple of updates, I do have a special stat of the week this time. 'Special' as in it took some extra effort to compile; this doesn't guarantee it'll be interesting.
Number of titles in collection: 1,194 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,096 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 98 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 2,932 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,253 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,160 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
Things I'd seen before buying them:
Titles: 347 (29.1%)
Films: 279 (22.3%)
TV episodes: 1323 (31.8%)
Be it at the cinema, on TV, or a rented or borrowed DVD -- or even VHS -- these are all the things I'd actually seen before I invested in the DVD/Blu-ray for myself. As you can see, I buy an awful lot of stuff 'blind'.
I've broken it down into both titles and films for one simple reason: box sets. There are some sets I own where I'd seen some but not all of the films before purchasing; these are only counted in the Titles number if I'd seen more of the set than not before purchasing. Hopefully this way it somehow evens out statistically. The straight Films number, of course, counts all films I'd seen, even if that's just one from a set of six, because… well, that's just accurate, isn't it?
The TV number is different again, in that it's more guesswork (in places). Just how many episodes of The World at War were we shown in school? How many episodes of Bugs did I miss while on holiday over a decade ago? Did I see all of Captain Scarlet when I was little or just some episodes? And so on. As for their inclusion in the titles number, I've also taken some leeway -- I've still not seen the second half of Buffy season 4 (why not you fool?!), never mind seeing it before buying it, but I've counted that set anyway. Angel, on the other hand, I've only watched the first half of season 1 (why not the rest you fool?!) and so not counted it.
Yes, I spend my time concerned with things like this.
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 5 August 2010
TV
The Normans
Part 1 Men from the North
An excellent series, this first part covering how Vikings conquered the North of France, creating Normandy, and eventually went on to invade Britain -- in 1066, of course. That's about as far as this episode (the first of three) goes.
Part of a major season on the BBC about the Normans, including various other programmes with varying degrees of interest (Norman walks? No thanks).
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Rev.
1x04 Episode 4
Fallen rather behind on this. Still recommend it, though. If you missed it, I believe you've got until Monday before all episodes are removed from iPlayer.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Part 1 Men from the North
An excellent series, this first part covering how Vikings conquered the North of France, creating Normandy, and eventually went on to invade Britain -- in 1066, of course. That's about as far as this episode (the first of three) goes.
Part of a major season on the BBC about the Normans, including various other programmes with varying degrees of interest (Norman walks? No thanks).
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Rev.
1x04 Episode 4
Fallen rather behind on this. Still recommend it, though. If you missed it, I believe you've got until Monday before all episodes are removed from iPlayer.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
TV
Dragons' Den
8x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Top Gear
15x06 (1/8/10 edition) [season finale]
Series of Top Gear pass by far too fast.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
8x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Top Gear
15x06 (1/8/10 edition) [season finale]
Series of Top Gear pass by far too fast.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
TV
How I Met Your Mother
5x10 The Window
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The Sandbaggers
3x03 Unusual Approach
Excellent as ever, this is a particularly enjoyable episode: Burnside is sent off to Greece to feature in a comedy subplot, while SIS deal with one of their most dangerous missions in his absence. More dramas like this today wouldn't go amiss.
Stand Up for the Week
1x06 (30/7/10 edition) [season finale]
After that brief, bizarre burst of Whitehall-like a few weeks back, he's now sunk to his lowest levels of laughter-lackingness yet. And he seems to have taken the whole show with him. I'm not sure how I've stuck with it to episode six, to be honest, but I certainly didn't make it to the end of this one (in fact, it was so good, I fell asleep).
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
5x10 The Window
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The Sandbaggers
3x03 Unusual Approach
Excellent as ever, this is a particularly enjoyable episode: Burnside is sent off to Greece to feature in a comedy subplot, while SIS deal with one of their most dangerous missions in his absence. More dramas like this today wouldn't go amiss.
Stand Up for the Week
1x06 (30/7/10 edition) [season finale]
After that brief, bizarre burst of Whitehall-like a few weeks back, he's now sunk to his lowest levels of laughter-lackingness yet. And he seems to have taken the whole show with him. I'm not sure how I've stuck with it to episode six, to be honest, but I certainly didn't make it to the end of this one (in fact, it was so good, I fell asleep).
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
The 100 Greatest Family Films Ever! by Andrew Collins, Barry Norman & Mark Kermode
(from Radio Times, 7-13 August 2010, p12-18)
This is a very bizarre list. It does what it says on the tin, counting down the 100 greatest family films, voted for by the public, and most if not all are worthy inclusions... but the order they've wound up in is baffling. Temple of Doom 12 places above Raiders of the Lost Ark? Beauty and the Beast down at 96th, below a host of other, lesser (and, I thought, less-loved) Disneys? I know polls like this often clash with personal opinion, but even accounting for that there are numerous bizarre instances of X-beating-Y in this list (even beyond the two I've cited).
Kick-Ass DVD and Blu-ray Interview with Mark Millar
(from MovieWeb)
After Matthew Vaughn yesterday, now comic creator/writer Mark Millar chips in with some words on how Kick-Ass was received and the plans for Kick-Ass 2, both in comic form and on the big screen.
(from Radio Times, 7-13 August 2010, p12-18)
This is a very bizarre list. It does what it says on the tin, counting down the 100 greatest family films, voted for by the public, and most if not all are worthy inclusions... but the order they've wound up in is baffling. Temple of Doom 12 places above Raiders of the Lost Ark? Beauty and the Beast down at 96th, below a host of other, lesser (and, I thought, less-loved) Disneys? I know polls like this often clash with personal opinion, but even accounting for that there are numerous bizarre instances of X-beating-Y in this list (even beyond the two I've cited).
Kick-Ass DVD and Blu-ray Interview with Mark Millar
(from MovieWeb)
After Matthew Vaughn yesterday, now comic creator/writer Mark Millar chips in with some words on how Kick-Ass was received and the plans for Kick-Ass 2, both in comic form and on the big screen.
Monday, 2 August 2010
TV
Mock the Week
9x06 (29/7/10 edition)
The tradition best-of/outtakes mid-series show, as MtW takes a month(-ish) break for the Fringe.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Sherlock
1x02 The Blind Banker
Another enjoyable episode. Apparently this didn't go down as well as the first with some viewers/bloggers. I'd agree it wasn't as good, but it follows up one of the best bits of TV in a long time -- in itself, it's still a perfectly good tale.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
9x06 (29/7/10 edition)
The tradition best-of/outtakes mid-series show, as MtW takes a month(-ish) break for the Fringe.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Sherlock
1x02 The Blind Banker
Another enjoyable episode. Apparently this didn't go down as well as the first with some viewers/bloggers. I'd agree it wasn't as good, but it follows up one of the best bits of TV in a long time -- in itself, it's still a perfectly good tale.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Matthew Vaughn Talks Kick-Ass DVD/Blu-Ray, Deleted Scenes, And Kick-Ass 2 by Rick Marshall
(from MTV Splash Page)
Well, I think that title pretty much has it covered.
(from MTV Splash Page)
Well, I think that title pretty much has it covered.
Twilight spoof, yay!
It's taking the piss out of Twilight! Yay!
On the other hand, all the jokes are either obvious or rubbish. Though the use of a spade near the end very nearly redeems the whole thing.
On the other hand, all the jokes are either obvious or rubbish. Though the use of a spade near the end very nearly redeems the whole thing.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
TV
Dragons' Den
8x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wallander [Swedish]
2x12 Indrivaren (aka The Collector)
If I didn't know better, I'd think this was the last one.
But it isn't.
Would I Lie To You?
4x02 (30/7/10 edition)
Having heard Ruth Jones tell the story about her tortoise before, it was a particular joy to see the other team flounder in their disbelief. Lee Mack's genuine shock when the truth is revealed was, of course, especially amusing...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
8x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wallander [Swedish]
2x12 Indrivaren (aka The Collector)
If I didn't know better, I'd think this was the last one.
But it isn't.
Would I Lie To You?
4x02 (30/7/10 edition)
Having heard Ruth Jones tell the story about her tortoise before, it was a particular joy to see the other team flounder in their disbelief. Lee Mack's genuine shock when the truth is revealed was, of course, especially amusing...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
this week on 100 Films
2 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Get Smart (2008)
Mulan (1998)
Plus, with today being August 1st, there's the July update. Shiny.
More next Sunday.
Get Smart (2008)
mostly quite good fun. Not all the jokes hit home, but enough do to keep it amusing — which is better than some comedies manage. Even after three Austin Powers films it seems there’s enough left to do with the spy genre to keep a comedy rolling along. And to make sure things don’t get dull, there’s a few action sequences that are surprisingly decent too
Mulan (1998)
The thing that stands out about Mulan, particularly now, is how very Americanised it is. That’s nothing new for Disney, of course, but it feels a little odd these days. When we’re so used to increased attempts at appropriate cultural reverence from Hollywood movies, it’s almost uncomfortable to hear such American accents from clearly Chinese characters.
Plus, with today being August 1st, there's the July update. Shiny.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 31 July 2010
TV
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
2x17 The Captain's Hand
2x18 Downloaded
2x19 Lay Down Your Burdens Part 1
2x20 Lay Down Your Burdens Part 2 [season finale]
Nearly a fortnight off and then a four-episode binge to end the season? Yup, that's my way. Still, I'll take a break before commencing season three (or rather, before that, The Resistance webisodes), just to try to separate them a bit in my mind.
Helluva conclusion though: after spending a miniseries and two whole seasons following the fleet for nine months, the series jumps forward twelve in a single cut. And then, after setting up a radically different status quo, it immediately wipes it out with a nice big twist/cliffhanger. Splendid stuff.
2x17 The Captain's Hand
2x18 Downloaded
2x19 Lay Down Your Burdens Part 1
2x20 Lay Down Your Burdens Part 2 [season finale]
Nearly a fortnight off and then a four-episode binge to end the season? Yup, that's my way. Still, I'll take a break before commencing season three (or rather, before that, The Resistance webisodes), just to try to separate them a bit in my mind.
Helluva conclusion though: after spending a miniseries and two whole seasons following the fleet for nine months, the series jumps forward twelve in a single cut. And then, after setting up a radically different status quo, it immediately wipes it out with a nice big twist/cliffhanger. Splendid stuff.
Friday, 30 July 2010
Films
No TV today, but a significant boost to my film viewing...
Ministry of Fear (1944)
[#70 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Panic in the Streets (1950)
[#71 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Terminator Salvation: Director's Cut (2009)
[#72 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Ministry of Fear (1944)
[#70 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Panic in the Streets (1950)
[#71 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Terminator Salvation: Director's Cut (2009)
[#72 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Articles
Steven Moffat interview: Sherlock, writing modern TV, and Doctor Who series 6 by Simon Brew
(from Den of Geek!)
Think that title has it covered! Though do note it's not as long as that lengthy list likely implies.
The UK Film Council is dead. Let's give the British Film Institute a chance by Dave Calhoun
(from Time Out London)
Or, why the closure of the UKFC isn't necessarily a bad thing. Well argued and a good counterpoint to all the clamour that shutting down the UKFC means the end of British cinema.
(from Den of Geek!)
Think that title has it covered! Though do note it's not as long as that lengthy list likely implies.
The UK Film Council is dead. Let's give the British Film Institute a chance by Dave Calhoun
(from Time Out London)
Or, why the closure of the UKFC isn't necessarily a bad thing. Well argued and a good counterpoint to all the clamour that shutting down the UKFC means the end of British cinema.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Not that you'd know it from the final numbers, but this week the total of films went down a little (since levelled out by new purchases) and TV went up instead. Not because of new purchases, but while going through my collection to compile next week's Statistic of the Week, I discovered some miniseries I'd somehow mislabelled as being 1 film instead of 6 episodes of TV. But then, like I say, some new films levelled it out, so it just looks like I bought some new TV series. Thrilling, eh...
Number of titles in collection: 1,194 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,096 [up 2]
Of which Blu-rays: 98 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 2,932 [up 6]
Number of films in collection: 1,253 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,160 [up 38]
Statistic of the week:
Total running time of collection (approx.):
206 days, 5 hours, and 22 minutes.
(Up 1 day and 50 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Not that you'd know it from the final numbers, but this week the total of films went down a little (since levelled out by new purchases) and TV went up instead. Not because of new purchases, but while going through my collection to compile next week's Statistic of the Week, I discovered some miniseries I'd somehow mislabelled as being 1 film instead of 6 episodes of TV. But then, like I say, some new films levelled it out, so it just looks like I bought some new TV series. Thrilling, eh...
Number of titles in collection: 1,194 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,096 [up 2]
Of which Blu-rays: 98 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 2,932 [up 6]
Number of films in collection: 1,253 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,160 [up 38]
Statistic of the week:
Total running time of collection (approx.):
206 days, 5 hours, and 22 minutes.
(Up 1 day and 50 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
DVD Extras
Sam & Max: Freelance Police - The Complete Animated Series Extras
Because I'm too lazy to type them out in full, I found myself semi-accidentally watching all the extras on the Sam & Max DVDs. Not that there are many, but in fairness to producers Shout! Factory, I don't imagine they had a huge budget to churn out a super-deluxe set considering the size of interest this was likely to generate.
And, actually, they didn't do badly at all: as well as all the episodes (obviously), there's a half-half-dozen animated shorts that were also made for TV, an interview with creator Steve Purcell, a featurette on the birth of Telltale Games (who now make the episodic Sam & Max PC games), a surprisingly-interesting 24-page series bible, and concept art.
Seems I could be bothered to type it out after all.
Because I'm too lazy to type them out in full, I found myself semi-accidentally watching all the extras on the Sam & Max DVDs. Not that there are many, but in fairness to producers Shout! Factory, I don't imagine they had a huge budget to churn out a super-deluxe set considering the size of interest this was likely to generate.
And, actually, they didn't do badly at all: as well as all the episodes (obviously), there's a half-half-dozen animated shorts that were also made for TV, an interview with creator Steve Purcell, a featurette on the birth of Telltale Games (who now make the episodic Sam & Max PC games), a surprisingly-interesting 24-page series bible, and concept art.
Seems I could be bothered to type it out after all.
Articles
Running on empty: culture in the silly season by Mark Lawson
(from guardian.co.uk)
Interesting article that uses the summer broadcast of the well-received Sherlock to consider why Art is seen to exist in seasons. Just, for the sake of your sanity and blood pressure, don't go near the comments.
(from guardian.co.uk)
Interesting article that uses the summer broadcast of the well-received Sherlock to consider why Art is seen to exist in seasons. Just, for the sake of your sanity and blood pressure, don't go near the comments.
surely this means a crossover is imminent...
From @steven_moffat...
Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes; Steven Moffat as Sherlock co-creator and Doctor Who exec producer Steven Moffat; and Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes; Steven Moffat as Sherlock co-creator and Doctor Who exec producer Steven Moffat; and Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Articles
Inception Infographic by dehahs
(from ~dehahs on deviantART)
Thought the final act of Inception was actually quite easy to follow? Well it wasn't, apparently -- look at this and become even more confused.
(from ~dehahs on deviantART)
Thought the final act of Inception was actually quite easy to follow? Well it wasn't, apparently -- look at this and become even more confused.
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
TV
How I Met Your Mother
5x09 Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Mock the Week
9x05 (22/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Stand Up for the Week
1x05 (23/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
5x09 Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Mock the Week
9x05 (22/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Stand Up for the Week
1x05 (23/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Monday, 26 July 2010
TV
Sherlock
1x01 A Study in Pink
Excellent, in every respect. So many respects I can't even be bothered to list them all. If you didn't watch it for any reason, you really should.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
1x01 A Study in Pink
Excellent, in every respect. So many respects I can't even be bothered to list them all. If you didn't watch it for any reason, you really should.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Articles
Comic-Con, Day 3: Where the fans are by Todd VanDerWerff
(from The AV Club)
Sick of the rabid love of Comic-Con? Here's a wonderful, realist's antidote. And it's a must-read even if you are a fan of the uber-con. (Hm, Uber-Con... good name...)
(from The AV Club)
Sick of the rabid love of Comic-Con? Here's a wonderful, realist's antidote. And it's a must-read even if you are a fan of the uber-con. (Hm, Uber-Con... good name...)
this week on 100 Films
3 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
1945-1998 (2003)
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Sherlock Holmes (2010)
More next Sunday.
1945-1998 (2003)
Is 1945-1998 actually a film? Or is it a piece of video Art? Or just another online video? Its setup is quite simple: it charts every nuclear explosion between the titular years; the total, by-the-way, is 2,053. These explosions play out as flashing dots on a world map; different colours indicate which country was responsible for the explosion, accompanied by running totals.
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Ritchie brings something special to the director’s chair, believe it or not — you may think he’s sold out into blockbusterdom to revive his flagging and repetitive career, but the touches he brings suggest the mind of someone who has control of his material, his camera and his edit, and wants to use them all to try something a bit different, not just another hack-for-hire
Sherlock Holmes (2010)
in The Asylum’s favour, their Sherlock Holmes doesn’t hide what it is. Yes, it’s called simply Sherlock Holmes rather than Sherlock Holmes and the Implausible CGI Monsters, but at least said monsters are plastered all over the DVD cover. If you see that and still expect something faithful to Conan Doyle, more fool you. That said, at times it’s surprisingly faithful to Doyle’s spirit.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 24 July 2010
TV
The Mentalist
2x23 Red Sky in the Morning [season finale]
Another season over, another smidgen closer to Red John. But only a smidgen, of course.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Would I Lie To You?
4x01 (23/7/10 edition)
When last series' opener aired, I suggested Would I Lie To You? was buried on a Monday and should be moved to Friday nights. Well, lookee where it is now! Job well done.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
2x23 Red Sky in the Morning [season finale]
Another season over, another smidgen closer to Red John. But only a smidgen, of course.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Would I Lie To You?
4x01 (23/7/10 edition)
When last series' opener aired, I suggested Would I Lie To You? was buried on a Monday and should be moved to Friday nights. Well, lookee where it is now! Job well done.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
Why Sherlock is still sleuthing by Tim Masters
(from BBC News)
Quote-packed piece on why a 123-year-old literary detective is still so popular today -- and it is particularly relevant, what with two new stage productions, a new TV series, a new Nintendo DS game, and the Guy Ritchie film all turning up in less than a year (plus more to come).
(from BBC News)
Quote-packed piece on why a 123-year-old literary detective is still so popular today -- and it is particularly relevant, what with two new stage productions, a new TV series, a new Nintendo DS game, and the Guy Ritchie film all turning up in less than a year (plus more to come).
Friday, 23 July 2010
TV
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
18x25 (16/7/10 edition) [series finale]
Wossy's last-ever show... on TV... for the BBC. See you next year on ITV, Wossy!
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
18x25 (16/7/10 edition) [series finale]
Wossy's last-ever show... on TV... for the BBC. See you next year on ITV, Wossy!
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Blu-ray Producers: Extras Are for the Fans, By Fans by John Latchem
(from Agent DVD)
A report on the DVD/Blu-ray producers panel at Comic-Con 2010, mainly focused on the importance of special features and if studios are beginning to ignore DVD. A decent read for those interested.
Is A Game of Thrones the most eagerly anticipated TV show ever? by Mathilda Gregory
(from guardian.co.uk)
I reckon it's safe to say "no" on that one, to be honest -- I bet Doctor Who's pre-installed fan base before the 2005 revival would knock it out of the park -- but, still, it sounds interesting.
Lone Star Statements by Matthew Baldwin
(from The Morning News)
Ah, the article title that gives you no clue what the article's about. Try this:
RTD on Torchwood by Ian Berriman
(from SFX)
Specifically, the next series -- "one long story, consisting of 10 episodes". Awesome.
(from Agent DVD)
A report on the DVD/Blu-ray producers panel at Comic-Con 2010, mainly focused on the importance of special features and if studios are beginning to ignore DVD. A decent read for those interested.
Is A Game of Thrones the most eagerly anticipated TV show ever? by Mathilda Gregory
(from guardian.co.uk)
I reckon it's safe to say "no" on that one, to be honest -- I bet Doctor Who's pre-installed fan base before the 2005 revival would knock it out of the park -- but, still, it sounds interesting.
Lone Star Statements by Matthew Baldwin
(from The Morning News)
Ah, the article title that gives you no clue what the article's about. Try this:
Recently [it was 2005, but then so was this], Time magazine published a list of the 100 best novels. But the praise of professional critics hardly matters to the book-reviewing readers at Amazon.com. A compilation of the best of the worst… about the best.So there you go. Some of these actually provoke a response more akin to "well, I've not read the book, that might be fair criticism" from me, but as they go on they get increasingly ridiculous and, therefore, funny. Some of my favourites include the quotes about Mrs. Dalloway, Lord of the Flies, 1984 and Slaughterhouse-Five. And Tropic of Cancer (right at the end) probably sums up the general attitude.
RTD on Torchwood by Ian Berriman
(from SFX)
Specifically, the next series -- "one long story, consisting of 10 episodes". Awesome.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Only Blu-ray increases this week, pushing me closer still to 100 of them. I can't remember exactly when I got Blu-ray, though I should try to find out -- it's been almost a year and it would be interesting to know just how many I acquire in my first 12 months.
Number of titles in collection: 1,190 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,094 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 96 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 2,926 [up 2]
Number of films in collection: 1,253 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,121 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
James Bond titles:
23
(1.93% of the total)
No particular reason for this -- I was just looking for something easy while I continue to work on a slightly unusual stat (which will appear in a fortnight, as next week is the running time update).
There are, of course, only 22 official Bond films. The 23rd thing isn't Never Say Never Again, nor the crappy '60s Casino Royale, nor even the TV Casino Royale (which I still haven't seen, actually). No, it is, of all things, the Die Another Day Special Edition bonus disc -- because the Ultimate Edition left off extras (why? The fools!) I kept a copy of the original SE's second disc. Because I'm like that.
See you next week, faithful reader.
Only Blu-ray increases this week, pushing me closer still to 100 of them. I can't remember exactly when I got Blu-ray, though I should try to find out -- it's been almost a year and it would be interesting to know just how many I acquire in my first 12 months.
Number of titles in collection: 1,190 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,094 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 96 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 2,926 [up 2]
Number of films in collection: 1,253 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,121 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
James Bond titles:
23
(1.93% of the total)
No particular reason for this -- I was just looking for something easy while I continue to work on a slightly unusual stat (which will appear in a fortnight, as next week is the running time update).
There are, of course, only 22 official Bond films. The 23rd thing isn't Never Say Never Again, nor the crappy '60s Casino Royale, nor even the TV Casino Royale (which I still haven't seen, actually). No, it is, of all things, the Die Another Day Special Edition bonus disc -- because the Ultimate Edition left off extras (why? The fools!) I kept a copy of the original SE's second disc. Because I'm like that.
See you next week, faithful reader.
Red trailer
Remember the Red (and/or RED, if it matters) teaser trailer from last month? Well, there's a full-sized trailer already:
Still looks like a ton of fun.
Still looks like a ton of fun.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Articles
My Two Cents (20/7/10) by Bill Hunt
(from The Digital Bits)
Fantastic news for us Blu-ray fans: the risible release of Gladiator is being done-over with a new transfer. And it looks properly stunning too -- I'm sure even uninitiated Normal People will be able to see how much sharper the lines are, how much more accurate the colours look, and so on. Now all that remains to be seen is if it makes its way to the UK -- in the US and, it would seem, some other countries, Paramount are responsible for distributing it and are re-releasing the new transfer; but in the UK it's owned by Universal... oh dear. Well, if they don't, I'll just buy the US version and they shan't have my cash. So ner.
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss interview: Sherlock by Michael Leader
(from Den of Geek!)
Some of this is familiar from earlier articles (I'm guessing it was a roundtable interview, especially as it mentions how "we ventured out to the BBC studios in Wales with a bunch of eager journalists"), but there are enough new bits to hold the interest of the interested.
(from The Digital Bits)
Fantastic news for us Blu-ray fans: the risible release of Gladiator is being done-over with a new transfer. And it looks properly stunning too -- I'm sure even uninitiated Normal People will be able to see how much sharper the lines are, how much more accurate the colours look, and so on. Now all that remains to be seen is if it makes its way to the UK -- in the US and, it would seem, some other countries, Paramount are responsible for distributing it and are re-releasing the new transfer; but in the UK it's owned by Universal... oh dear. Well, if they don't, I'll just buy the US version and they shan't have my cash. So ner.
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss interview: Sherlock by Michael Leader
(from Den of Geek!)
Some of this is familiar from earlier articles (I'm guessing it was a roundtable interview, especially as it mentions how "we ventured out to the BBC studios in Wales with a bunch of eager journalists"), but there are enough new bits to hold the interest of the interested.
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
TV
How I Met Your Mother
5x08 The Playbook
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Stand Up for the Week
1x04 (16/7/10 edition)
No sooner had I accepted that Jack Whitehall might be getting good than he turned rubbish again. Ho hum.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Top Gear
15x04 (18/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
5x08 The Playbook
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Stand Up for the Week
1x04 (16/7/10 edition)
No sooner had I accepted that Jack Whitehall might be getting good than he turned rubbish again. Ho hum.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Top Gear
15x04 (18/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Films
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
[2nd watch]
I first watched this back in December, when it became #82 in 100 Films in a Year 2009. And now, over 7 months later, I've still not got round to reviewing it. I don't know if that's a personal record (it felt like I took a pretty long time to get to The Green Mile, but it was only actually two months -- child's play to me these days), but it's still far too long.
And so, I have watched it again -- partly to jog my memory so I can finally write the damn review, and partly just cos it's great.
[2nd watch]
I first watched this back in December, when it became #82 in 100 Films in a Year 2009. And now, over 7 months later, I've still not got round to reviewing it. I don't know if that's a personal record (it felt like I took a pretty long time to get to The Green Mile, but it was only actually two months -- child's play to me these days), but it's still far too long.
And so, I have watched it again -- partly to jog my memory so I can finally write the damn review, and partly just cos it's great.
Monday, 19 July 2010
Articles
Damages finds home on DirecTV by Stuart Levine
(from Variety)
(Yep, in bold, and caps, with an exclamation mark.)
I really thought Damages was a goner, so this is stupendous news. My one hope is that it doesn't somehow mean the BBC lose the rights -- it would be irritatingly ironic for the series to leave FX in the US only to wind up on FX over here.
Jeffery Deaver will write a James Bond novel by Glenn McDonald
(from newsobserver.com)
OK, the headline tells us nothing we don't already know, which makes it just about the most pathetic headline ever, because this is actually an interview with Deaver in which he reveals a few more snippets about the direction he'll be taking Bond in. Interesting.
The new Doctor Who season will hit home video with a tantalizing extra by Geoff Boucher
(from Hero Complex at the Los Angeles Times)
Or, translated into English, "The Doctor Who Series 5 DVD will have a tantalising special feature". And one that will likely interest those fans who don't normally give a toss about extras too -- a pair of new scenes, starring Smith and Gillan and written by Moffat. Oo-ooh indeed.
Sherlock Holmes is back… sending texts and using nicotine patches by Vanessa Thorpe
(from The Observer)
Half preview, half interview with co-creator Mark Gatiss, there's not a great deal new here but there are snippets, and if you've not read anything about the series yet it's fine. Don't bother with the comments thought -- you may think you've stumbled onto the Daily Mail's website.
Whole lotta cantin' going on by Roger Ebert
(from Roger Ebert's Journal)
Or, as the URL puts it better, "the myth of a perfect film". Very definitely worth a read, this one. The BBC Entertainment News twitter said not to read it 'til you've seen Inception, though I honestly have no idea why -- it doesn't spoil the film and is only about it in part (it's a starting point and case study as much as it's the focus).
(from Variety)
[DirecTV] has ordered two 10-episode seasons. The first season will air next summer with the [second] launching in the summer of 2012. Glenn Close and Rose Byrne have been confirmed to return with other thesps set to sign on soon.YAY!
(Yep, in bold, and caps, with an exclamation mark.)
I really thought Damages was a goner, so this is stupendous news. My one hope is that it doesn't somehow mean the BBC lose the rights -- it would be irritatingly ironic for the series to leave FX in the US only to wind up on FX over here.
Jeffery Deaver will write a James Bond novel by Glenn McDonald
(from newsobserver.com)
OK, the headline tells us nothing we don't already know, which makes it just about the most pathetic headline ever, because this is actually an interview with Deaver in which he reveals a few more snippets about the direction he'll be taking Bond in. Interesting.
The new Doctor Who season will hit home video with a tantalizing extra by Geoff Boucher
(from Hero Complex at the Los Angeles Times)
Or, translated into English, "The Doctor Who Series 5 DVD will have a tantalising special feature". And one that will likely interest those fans who don't normally give a toss about extras too -- a pair of new scenes, starring Smith and Gillan and written by Moffat. Oo-ooh indeed.
Sherlock Holmes is back… sending texts and using nicotine patches by Vanessa Thorpe
(from The Observer)
Half preview, half interview with co-creator Mark Gatiss, there's not a great deal new here but there are snippets, and if you've not read anything about the series yet it's fine. Don't bother with the comments thought -- you may think you've stumbled onto the Daily Mail's website.
Whole lotta cantin' going on by Roger Ebert
(from Roger Ebert's Journal)
Or, as the URL puts it better, "the myth of a perfect film". Very definitely worth a read, this one. The BBC Entertainment News twitter said not to read it 'til you've seen Inception, though I honestly have no idea why -- it doesn't spoil the film and is only about it in part (it's a starting point and case study as much as it's the focus).
Sunday, 18 July 2010
TV
The Mentalist
2x22 Red Letter
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Mock the Week
9x04 (15/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Sandbaggers
3x02 To Hell With Justice
Wallander [Swedish]
2x10 Vålnaden (aka The Ghost)
Another rather good episode, for the most part -- very filmic, nicely shot and evocative of a summer heatwave.
2x22 Red Letter
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Mock the Week
9x04 (15/7/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Sandbaggers
3x02 To Hell With Justice
Wallander [Swedish]
2x10 Vålnaden (aka The Ghost)
Another rather good episode, for the most part -- very filmic, nicely shot and evocative of a summer heatwave.
Fiction
A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Part 2, Chapters 6 - 7 [the end]
Very good. Still not sure if I've read it before.
Anyway, I read it via iBooks on my iPhone -- that's how I started it, for one thing, and it's surprisingly pleasurable to use, not to mention portable. I've been using the good preview copy I mentioned when I read Chapter 1 because, well, it was the best one. But, reaching the final chapter, I discover they are sensibly cunning: the preview includes all of the novel... except the final chapter. Oh no! Unfortunately for them, I already own two hard copies of the complete Holmes so have finished it off with one of those.
But, as it's only £1.99 for a very readable almost-complete collection, I may buy it anyway. It's just unfortunate that, out of the three copies I found on iBooks, by far the most readable is also the least complete: it misses The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, still under copyright in the US, while one of the other two is actually the complete Arthur Conan Doyle -- and is as unwieldy to use as you might imagine a single book containing dozens of novels and hundreds of short stories would be.
Part 2, Chapters 6 - 7 [the end]
Very good. Still not sure if I've read it before.
Anyway, I read it via iBooks on my iPhone -- that's how I started it, for one thing, and it's surprisingly pleasurable to use, not to mention portable. I've been using the good preview copy I mentioned when I read Chapter 1 because, well, it was the best one. But, reaching the final chapter, I discover they are sensibly cunning: the preview includes all of the novel... except the final chapter. Oh no! Unfortunately for them, I already own two hard copies of the complete Holmes so have finished it off with one of those.
But, as it's only £1.99 for a very readable almost-complete collection, I may buy it anyway. It's just unfortunate that, out of the three copies I found on iBooks, by far the most readable is also the least complete: it misses The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, still under copyright in the US, while one of the other two is actually the complete Arthur Conan Doyle -- and is as unwieldy to use as you might imagine a single book containing dozens of novels and hundreds of short stories would be.
this week on 100 Films
3 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
The International (2009)
Is Anybody There? (2008)
Max Payne: Harder Cut (2008)
Also this week, an editorial piece on the abundance of Director's Cuts (and the like) that we now see. Which is the definitive version of a film these days? Read my thoughts here.
More next Sunday.
The International (2009)
A lot of scenes involve people explaining the plot to each other, or discoursing in clichés about why they’re going to be thrown off the case or justice is an illusion or whatever. In a rare moment of something approaching innovation, we don’t have to suffer a romance between the two leads. It should be something of a concern when one of a film’s high points is something it doesn’t do.
Is Anybody There? (2008)
Far from being “lightweight”, it’s a subtle tale that covers a lot of ground in an unshowy way. Aside from the main plot, which is very worthwhile in itself — about how a lonely, slightly odd 10-year-old boy and a lonely, stubborn old man accidentally wind up bringing out the best in each other and helping each other to move on from the troubles they’re stuck in — the supporting characters are used to paint succinct pictures of old age, abandonment and regret.
Max Payne: Harder Cut (2008)
director John Moore doesn't use Matrix-derived bullet-time visuals, but, despite keeping a snow-bound New York and a revenge plot, he's somehow managed to also throw out everything that made Max Payne: The Game good. Despite the similarities in plot and setting, this doesn't feel at all like the game. Max Payne: The Film, to put it simply, is a load of crap.
Also this week, an editorial piece on the abundance of Director's Cuts (and the like) that we now see. Which is the definitive version of a film these days? Read my thoughts here.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Articles
Rushdie to write his lost chapter by Ben Hoyle
(from The Australian)
(from The Australian)
Salman Rushdie has started work on perhaps the most anticipated literary memoir of them all: the story of his decade in hiding from a fatwa.I think I was always too young to realise exactly how serious the threat against Salman Rushdie was -- and the actions that were carried out by deranged extremists against other people involved in publishing his novel around the world.
Friday, 16 July 2010
TV
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
18x24 (9/7/10 edition)
So, as most viewers dig into Wossy's last-ever show (on TV) (on the BBC), I'm still watching last week's, as usual. Ho hum. Particularly good episode though, I thought.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x01 Episode 1
When the third series of Mitchell & Webb started (just over a year ago), I noted that I still hadn't watched the second series. And I still haven't. So... yeah...
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
18x24 (9/7/10 edition)
So, as most viewers dig into Wossy's last-ever show (on TV) (on the BBC), I'm still watching last week's, as usual. Ho hum. Particularly good episode though, I thought.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x01 Episode 1
When the third series of Mitchell & Webb started (just over a year ago), I noted that I still hadn't watched the second series. And I still haven't. So... yeah...
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Fiction
A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Part 2, Chapters 1 - 2
Study in Scarlet certainly has a crazy structure. Holmes solves the case, catches the villain, declares he's finally ready to explain it all... and then it suddenly cuts to decades earlier in America. Time to be a trusting reader... (though I know more or less where it's going anyway).
Part 2, Chapters 1 - 2
Study in Scarlet certainly has a crazy structure. Holmes solves the case, catches the villain, declares he's finally ready to explain it all... and then it suddenly cuts to decades earlier in America. Time to be a trusting reader... (though I know more or less where it's going anyway).
Sherlock stuff
It's exciting, and so here I share it (taken direct from the official site).
Trailer:
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss interview:
Trailer:
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss interview:
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
More funny number-flippery this week, as another Blu-ray film upgrade replaces two DVDs and a new TV DVD throws further spanners in the works. No doubt it looks much less confusing than it feels, and looks much less interesting than... no, it's not really interesting, is it.
Number of titles in collection: 1,188 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,094 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 94 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,924 [up 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,251 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,121 [up 10]
Statistic of the week:
DVDs I never even watched before upgrading them to Blu-ray:
16
A couple of months back I counted the number of DVDs I'd upgraded to Blu-ray, but, despite some similarity, this number isn't that. No, inspired by the double-DVD-replacement I mentioned earlier, this is just the number of titles I've upgraded which I hadn't actually watched when I replaced them with a Blu-ray. Also known as the "list of stuff I really wasted money on" (doubly so in the couple of instances where I still own the DVD, for whatever reason).
See you next week, faithful reader.
More funny number-flippery this week, as another Blu-ray film upgrade replaces two DVDs and a new TV DVD throws further spanners in the works. No doubt it looks much less confusing than it feels, and looks much less interesting than... no, it's not really interesting, is it.
Number of titles in collection: 1,188 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,094 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 94 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,924 [up 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,251 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,121 [up 10]
Statistic of the week:
DVDs I never even watched before upgrading them to Blu-ray:
16
A couple of months back I counted the number of DVDs I'd upgraded to Blu-ray, but, despite some similarity, this number isn't that. No, inspired by the double-DVD-replacement I mentioned earlier, this is just the number of titles I've upgraded which I hadn't actually watched when I replaced them with a Blu-ray. Also known as the "list of stuff I really wasted money on" (doubly so in the couple of instances where I still own the DVD, for whatever reason).
See you next week, faithful reader.
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