Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
[#47 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
The Beast Stalker (2008)
[#48 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
HMV's 20% off Blu-rays offer last weekend saw plenty of stuff ordered by yours truly. Most of it was pre-orders (why not take advantage for stuff you're going to end up buying anyway, eh?), but a few things already out, which have naturally turned up in the intervening days. The 43 TV episodes are courtesy of a complete Press Gang box set from Network's Jubilee sale.
And just in time for a running time update too. How exciting.
Number of titles in collection: 1,493 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,156 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 337 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 3,703 [up 12]
Number of films in collection: 1,580 [up 4]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,532 [up 43]
And this week's running time update...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
265 days, 1 hour, and 57 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 20 hours, and 19 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
HMV's 20% off Blu-rays offer last weekend saw plenty of stuff ordered by yours truly. Most of it was pre-orders (why not take advantage for stuff you're going to end up buying anyway, eh?), but a few things already out, which have naturally turned up in the intervening days. The 43 TV episodes are courtesy of a complete Press Gang box set from Network's Jubilee sale.
And just in time for a running time update too. How exciting.
Number of titles in collection: 1,493 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,156 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 337 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 3,703 [up 12]
Number of films in collection: 1,580 [up 4]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,532 [up 43]
And this week's running time update...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
265 days, 1 hour, and 57 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 20 hours, and 19 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 15 June 2012
TV
It is, quite by accident, season finale day!
Have I Got News For You
43x09 (8/6/12 edition; extended repeat) [season finale]
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]
Mad Men
5x13 The Phantom [season finale]
Alongside episode 12 I posted an interview with series creator Matthew Weiner in which he not only discussed the season so far but promised to talk to them again after the finale. And he did, and that's here. There's also Digital Spy's verdict on the finale here.
As various people have noted, this a very low-key finale, but still high-quality. Less of a cliffhanger ending than they've made the last few years, but I'm always excited for more Mad Men anyway.
Romanzo Criminale
1x12 Episode 12 [season finale]
Or as I like to call it, the Romanzo Crimfinale! ...I'll get my coat.
Helluvan ending, though. Even more excited for the second series now.
Have I Got News For You
43x09 (8/6/12 edition; extended repeat) [season finale]
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]
Mad Men
5x13 The Phantom [season finale]
Alongside episode 12 I posted an interview with series creator Matthew Weiner in which he not only discussed the season so far but promised to talk to them again after the finale. And he did, and that's here. There's also Digital Spy's verdict on the finale here.
As various people have noted, this a very low-key finale, but still high-quality. Less of a cliffhanger ending than they've made the last few years, but I'm always excited for more Mad Men anyway.
Romanzo Criminale
1x12 Episode 12 [season finale]
Or as I like to call it, the Romanzo Crimfinale! ...I'll get my coat.
Helluvan ending, though. Even more excited for the second series now.
Trailers
For the BBC's forthcoming adaptations of Shakespeare's Richard II, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V, which look bloody awesome.
From Bleeding Cool, where there are several more clips.
From Bleeding Cool, where there are several more clips.
Thursday, 14 June 2012
TV
The Graham Norton Show
11x02 (20/4/12 edition)
Well, now I know who Nicki Minaj is. Thanks for nothing, Graham.
Once Upon a Time
1x09 True North
An episode about Hansel and Gretel. You can tell because they suddenly call each other by name when the writer decided it was time for the reveal. That's just one of an endless stream of unintentionally laughable moments this episode. After quite liking the last episode, this is crashing back to the series' usual standard. Below it, even.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Pointless
6x35 (30/4/12 edition)
Resuming the series that stopped on 30th March. Why they switched to repeats just through April, God only knows.
Romanzo Criminale
1x10 Episode 10
1x11 Episode 11
I nearly gave up on this, when it had been over six months since I watched an episode and there was 10 hours of it filling needed space on my V+ box; but I'm glad I chose to watch it rather than just delete it, because it's bloody good stuff. Now I'll join the ranks of people (see the comments at the series link above) hoping Sky Arts show the second (and final) series before too long. After I've watched the last episode of this one, of course.
11x02 (20/4/12 edition)
Well, now I know who Nicki Minaj is. Thanks for nothing, Graham.
Once Upon a Time
1x09 True North
An episode about Hansel and Gretel. You can tell because they suddenly call each other by name when the writer decided it was time for the reveal. That's just one of an endless stream of unintentionally laughable moments this episode. After quite liking the last episode, this is crashing back to the series' usual standard. Below it, even.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Pointless
6x35 (30/4/12 edition)
Resuming the series that stopped on 30th March. Why they switched to repeats just through April, God only knows.
Romanzo Criminale
1x10 Episode 10
1x11 Episode 11
I nearly gave up on this, when it had been over six months since I watched an episode and there was 10 hours of it filling needed space on my V+ box; but I'm glad I chose to watch it rather than just delete it, because it's bloody good stuff. Now I'll join the ranks of people (see the comments at the series link above) hoping Sky Arts show the second (and final) series before too long. After I've watched the last episode of this one, of course.
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Comics
Batgirl
#7 by Gail Simone, Ardian Syaf & Alitha Martinez
#8 by Gail Simone, Ardian Syaf, Alitha Martinez & Vicente Cifuentes
So, #7 was a bit blah -- talky talky middle; ongoing plots treading water -- until a helluva twist at the end. Simone seems to specialise in those -- there's another biggie at the end of #8 for starters. That issue's better, dealing with the ending of #7 giving it more of an emotional kick, not to mention backstory-mystery-solving kinda stuff.
Grotesque is a wasted villain though -- he's a good idea thrown away as background for a story about his henchman. Still, maybe someday someone will dig him out and do something with him -- that's what happens in the never-ending serial of interconnected superhero comics, right?
Also, it's a nice touch of the series that people keep calling her "Batwoman". Clever.
DC Comics - The New 52: FCBD Special Edition by Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Kenneth Rocafort & Gene Ha
DC's primary book for this year's Free Comic Book Day, containing a 14-page Justice League story written by Johns and illustrated by about a dozen different pencillers/colourers/etc. Well, it's kind of a "whole DCU" story really, but that's essentially what Justice League is, so it counts as that. It's all tease and setup and backstory, but I imagine what it sets up will be Very Important sometime next year.
The comic is fleshed out with 12 pages of previews for the six new books in The New 52's second wave. That just means a couple of excerpts, which is better than the usual issue-one-cover-plus-release-date that DC uses for adverts at the minute, but doesn't amount to much content-wise.
Justice League #8 by Geoff Johns & Carlos D'Anda with Ivan Reis & Joe Prado
A one-and-done (before next issue starts the next Big Story). Well, I say one-and-done -- more one-and-stop-quite-abruptly-without-really-concluding. But it will have cheered up some diehard fans wondering why Martian Manhunter isn't on the team, so at least they'll be appeased. Shame that the sudden end undercuts it though, because everything up to that point is good fun. And I must say, I like D'Anda's art better than Jim Lee's. I'm beginning to concur with those who say he's overrated.
Plus the second part of dull backup strip Shazam!, written by Johns and drawn by Gary Frank. 10 pages of domestic drama -- what?
Suicide Squad #9 by Adam Glass & Fernando Dagnino
Resurrection Man #9 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Jesus Saiz & Andres Guinaldo
Here's a weirdness: regular Resurrection Man artist Dagnino draws the Suicide Squad half of this two-part crossover, while Resurrection Man gets some other people. Maybe they regularly draw Suicide Squad and it's a deliberate switcheroo, I dunno.
Still, it's a solid crossover: lots of fighting, some plot developments. The first issue is mostly the former, the second issue more the latter, making it the better half. It ends up with the Suicide Squad having Mitch's right hand (while he's grown a new one, of course) and his current ally Kim Rebecki having a Suicide Squad-controlled bomb placed in her neck for future leverage. What's unclear is if these are future plot points for Resurrection Man or Suicide Squad or both or neither. Hopefully the solicitations will highlight it if there's going to be relevant crossover again...
#7 by Gail Simone, Ardian Syaf & Alitha Martinez
#8 by Gail Simone, Ardian Syaf, Alitha Martinez & Vicente Cifuentes
So, #7 was a bit blah -- talky talky middle; ongoing plots treading water -- until a helluva twist at the end. Simone seems to specialise in those -- there's another biggie at the end of #8 for starters. That issue's better, dealing with the ending of #7 giving it more of an emotional kick, not to mention backstory-mystery-solving kinda stuff.
Grotesque is a wasted villain though -- he's a good idea thrown away as background for a story about his henchman. Still, maybe someday someone will dig him out and do something with him -- that's what happens in the never-ending serial of interconnected superhero comics, right?
Also, it's a nice touch of the series that people keep calling her "Batwoman". Clever.
DC Comics - The New 52: FCBD Special Edition by Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Kenneth Rocafort & Gene Ha
DC's primary book for this year's Free Comic Book Day, containing a 14-page Justice League story written by Johns and illustrated by about a dozen different pencillers/colourers/etc. Well, it's kind of a "whole DCU" story really, but that's essentially what Justice League is, so it counts as that. It's all tease and setup and backstory, but I imagine what it sets up will be Very Important sometime next year.
The comic is fleshed out with 12 pages of previews for the six new books in The New 52's second wave. That just means a couple of excerpts, which is better than the usual issue-one-cover-plus-release-date that DC uses for adverts at the minute, but doesn't amount to much content-wise.
Justice League #8 by Geoff Johns & Carlos D'Anda with Ivan Reis & Joe Prado
A one-and-done (before next issue starts the next Big Story). Well, I say one-and-done -- more one-and-stop-quite-abruptly-without-really-concluding. But it will have cheered up some diehard fans wondering why Martian Manhunter isn't on the team, so at least they'll be appeased. Shame that the sudden end undercuts it though, because everything up to that point is good fun. And I must say, I like D'Anda's art better than Jim Lee's. I'm beginning to concur with those who say he's overrated.
Plus the second part of dull backup strip Shazam!, written by Johns and drawn by Gary Frank. 10 pages of domestic drama -- what?
Suicide Squad #9 by Adam Glass & Fernando Dagnino
Resurrection Man #9 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Jesus Saiz & Andres Guinaldo
Here's a weirdness: regular Resurrection Man artist Dagnino draws the Suicide Squad half of this two-part crossover, while Resurrection Man gets some other people. Maybe they regularly draw Suicide Squad and it's a deliberate switcheroo, I dunno.
Still, it's a solid crossover: lots of fighting, some plot developments. The first issue is mostly the former, the second issue more the latter, making it the better half. It ends up with the Suicide Squad having Mitch's right hand (while he's grown a new one, of course) and his current ally Kim Rebecki having a Suicide Squad-controlled bomb placed in her neck for future leverage. What's unclear is if these are future plot points for Resurrection Man or Suicide Squad or both or neither. Hopefully the solicitations will highlight it if there's going to be relevant crossover again...
Articles
Tynion Snatches a Talon from Batman
by Jeffrey Renaud (from Comic Book Resources)
Interview with James Tynion IV, writer of the forthcoming Batman spin-off Talon, which could be rather good. It's one of four new titles DC are launching in September, and while I'm interested in all of them for a change, this looks the most promising to me.
by Jeffrey Renaud (from Comic Book Resources)
Interview with James Tynion IV, writer of the forthcoming Batman spin-off Talon, which could be rather good. It's one of four new titles DC are launching in September, and while I'm interested in all of them for a change, this looks the most promising to me.
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
TV
Mad Men
5x12 Commissions and Fees
Another incredible episode. Personally I've enjoyed the entire season (as I was saying last time), but it really feels like they're pulling out all the stops towards the end.
Now that I've reached the penultimate episode, I'll also share this spoiler-riddled interview with creator Matthew Weiner, which looks back at the season so far and explains some things. Very interesting stuff for fans, but if you're even further behind than me do beware -- it has huge spoilers for this episode.
Romanzo Criminale
1x07 Episode 7
1x08 Episode 8
5x12 Commissions and Fees
Another incredible episode. Personally I've enjoyed the entire season (as I was saying last time), but it really feels like they're pulling out all the stops towards the end.
Now that I've reached the penultimate episode, I'll also share this spoiler-riddled interview with creator Matthew Weiner, which looks back at the season so far and explains some things. Very interesting stuff for fans, but if you're even further behind than me do beware -- it has huge spoilers for this episode.
Romanzo Criminale
1x07 Episode 7
1x08 Episode 8
Comics
Daredevil #10.1 by Mark Waid & Khoi Pham
Marvel's semi-controversial Point One series reaches Daredevil. It's designed to present potential readers with a standalone jumping-on point and taster of the series, but has been criticised for producing books that are inessential, too essential, or don't actually reflect the regular series very well. You can't win I guess.
This one... well, it's certainly not a one-and-done, being very much the next step in Daredevil's ongoing storyline about a harddrive containing vital information on all five of the Marvel U's biggest criminal organisations. It begins with some new-reader-friendly recaps, but nothing more than you could put in a regular issue -- this is Daredevil #11 in all but name; a regular issue with a number that highlights they've made concessions to allow new readers to begin here. Which I suppose makes sense really, though wouldn't they have been better off playing the "jump on here!" at the end of this big arc?
Other than that, I'm no fan of Pham's art. It just doesn't work for me. The book's regular pair of pencillers had been doing good, if kind of simplistically old-fashioned, stuff all run; Pham seems to be in the same ballpark, but it's kind of rougher in a way that doesn't click for me. Unfortunately he's back in a bit for the pivotal #13.
The Omega Effect
Avenging Spider-Man #6 by Greg Rucka, Mark Waid & Marco Checchetto
The Punisher #10 by Greg Rucka & Marco Checchetto
Daredevil #11 by Mark Waid & Marco Checchetto
A three-part crossover spanning... well, the above books. Despite ending with Daredevil, it's actually the next step in that book's ongoing story, related to the harddrive I was on about above.
It's a proper epic-feeling crossover, justifying the use of three heroes and the (apparent) climax to Daredevil's big plot. Checchetto's art is awesome too, even in spite of some copy-and-pasted panels and an unclear ending to The Punisher issue. Though even he can't make the cheap-'50s-sci-fi-B-movie-style costumes of the criminal organisations look any good. Nonetheless, more from him, please... but I think he's the regular artist on Punisher, so I guess I won't get it. Hey-ho.
For more detail on the thinking behind this crossover, see the two-part pre-event interview with the writers from Marvel.com: first Mark Waid, then Greg Rucka.
Marvel's semi-controversial Point One series reaches Daredevil. It's designed to present potential readers with a standalone jumping-on point and taster of the series, but has been criticised for producing books that are inessential, too essential, or don't actually reflect the regular series very well. You can't win I guess.
This one... well, it's certainly not a one-and-done, being very much the next step in Daredevil's ongoing storyline about a harddrive containing vital information on all five of the Marvel U's biggest criminal organisations. It begins with some new-reader-friendly recaps, but nothing more than you could put in a regular issue -- this is Daredevil #11 in all but name; a regular issue with a number that highlights they've made concessions to allow new readers to begin here. Which I suppose makes sense really, though wouldn't they have been better off playing the "jump on here!" at the end of this big arc?
Other than that, I'm no fan of Pham's art. It just doesn't work for me. The book's regular pair of pencillers had been doing good, if kind of simplistically old-fashioned, stuff all run; Pham seems to be in the same ballpark, but it's kind of rougher in a way that doesn't click for me. Unfortunately he's back in a bit for the pivotal #13.
The Omega EffectAvenging Spider-Man #6 by Greg Rucka, Mark Waid & Marco Checchetto
The Punisher #10 by Greg Rucka & Marco Checchetto
Daredevil #11 by Mark Waid & Marco Checchetto
A three-part crossover spanning... well, the above books. Despite ending with Daredevil, it's actually the next step in that book's ongoing story, related to the harddrive I was on about above.
It's a proper epic-feeling crossover, justifying the use of three heroes and the (apparent) climax to Daredevil's big plot. Checchetto's art is awesome too, even in spite of some copy-and-pasted panels and an unclear ending to The Punisher issue. Though even he can't make the cheap-'50s-sci-fi-B-movie-style costumes of the criminal organisations look any good. Nonetheless, more from him, please... but I think he's the regular artist on Punisher, so I guess I won't get it. Hey-ho.
For more detail on the thinking behind this crossover, see the two-part pre-event interview with the writers from Marvel.com: first Mark Waid, then Greg Rucka.
Monday, 11 June 2012
TV
Horrible Histories
4x10 Episode 10
Once Upon a Time
1x08 Desperate Souls
By focussing on far and away the show's best element, Robert Carlyle, they managed to produce a pretty good episode. Surprising.
That said, apparently jumping forward a fortnight from last episode's major death absents every character from really having to deal with it. What a cop out (pun not intended).
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Romanzo Criminale
1x06 Episode 6
For a serialised drama this feels like a pretty standalone episode -- it's The One Where They're In Prison -- until the final few minutes whip out a bunch of elements that better tie it to everything else, with plot turning points as well as thematic elements. Nicely done.
Silk
2x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
4x10 Episode 10
Once Upon a Time
1x08 Desperate Souls
By focussing on far and away the show's best element, Robert Carlyle, they managed to produce a pretty good episode. Surprising.
That said, apparently jumping forward a fortnight from last episode's major death absents every character from really having to deal with it. What a cop out (pun not intended).
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Romanzo Criminale
1x06 Episode 6
For a serialised drama this feels like a pretty standalone episode -- it's The One Where They're In Prison -- until the final few minutes whip out a bunch of elements that better tie it to everything else, with plot turning points as well as thematic elements. Nicely done.
Silk
2x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Comics: Star Trek / Doctor Who
Star Trek: The Next Generation / Doctor Who: Assimilation² #1 by Scott & David Tipton (with Tony Lee) & J.K. Woodward
Here's something fans have debated/dreamed about for decades, finally made reality thanks to the coincidence of the comics licence for both properties residing with IDW: a Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover, with a nice unwieldy title thanks to them choosing Next Gen for the Trek bit plus licenced comics' constant need to give things a subtitle. Apparently it's selling by the bucketload, as you'd expect for something joining two such huge franchises, even if people hadn't been discussing it as a pipe dream for so long.
As a Doctor Who fan, it's not the greatest dream realisation ever. It's telling that it's penned by regular Trek scribes Scott & David Tipton, with IDW's regular Who writer Tony Lee "helping"; and it's no coincidence that Trek comes first in the title. That's partly to do with sales (IDW aren't allowed to directly sell Who comics in the UK, due to DWM's licence, but arranging the title thusly means it falls under their Trek licence, which can be sold over here), but as an American company I imagine they see the Trek element as a far bigger point. Hey-ho.
But all that said, this is actually mostly Who. Indeed, it's the Trek fans who are liable to be disappointed. It starts all Trek-y, with the invasion of A Generic Federation Planet, but most of the issue is taken up with an adventure in ancient Egypt for the Doctor, Amy and Rory. Then a final-page shot features a couple of TNG cast members. And that's your lot. This is going to be an eight-issue series so I'm sure they're playing the long game, and that'll be fine in the inevitable collected edition, but as a monthly series of instalments that structure leaves it lacking in the crossover element the title promises. Judging how well this long-anticipated meeting of franchises actually works in practice will have to wait for later issues, then.
One observation, however. Though it's resulted in that daftly long title, choosing Next Gen has a practical advantage: that's where the Borg originated, and as the Borg are more-or-less the same concept as the Cybermen (albeit invented a couple of decades later -- in your face, Trek), they're the obvious choice for a villain team-up in this franchise team-up.
The Tiptons pretty well nail the Who characters. The Trek section is full of awkward po-faced dialogue, so I guess they've nailed that too. The main way their writing lets the reader down is in decompression. It's taken to daft heights here, with whole pages given over to exciting action like Rory knocking over a vase. Seriously. The amount of wasted space is astonishing. And Woodward's painted-style art does little to make up for it. It's relentlessly photo-referenced when it comes to recognisable faces, and Generic Extra Cast Members are scruffily rendered.
A bit of a let down for a first issue, then. We'll see how it goes, but unless the pace of the story can pick up a bit, I fear it's going to be relentlessly disappointing.
(For a slightly different but fundamentally similar version of my thoughts, see the review I bothered to post on Comixology.)
Here's something fans have debated/dreamed about for decades, finally made reality thanks to the coincidence of the comics licence for both properties residing with IDW: a Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover, with a nice unwieldy title thanks to them choosing Next Gen for the Trek bit plus licenced comics' constant need to give things a subtitle. Apparently it's selling by the bucketload, as you'd expect for something joining two such huge franchises, even if people hadn't been discussing it as a pipe dream for so long.
As a Doctor Who fan, it's not the greatest dream realisation ever. It's telling that it's penned by regular Trek scribes Scott & David Tipton, with IDW's regular Who writer Tony Lee "helping"; and it's no coincidence that Trek comes first in the title. That's partly to do with sales (IDW aren't allowed to directly sell Who comics in the UK, due to DWM's licence, but arranging the title thusly means it falls under their Trek licence, which can be sold over here), but as an American company I imagine they see the Trek element as a far bigger point. Hey-ho.
But all that said, this is actually mostly Who. Indeed, it's the Trek fans who are liable to be disappointed. It starts all Trek-y, with the invasion of A Generic Federation Planet, but most of the issue is taken up with an adventure in ancient Egypt for the Doctor, Amy and Rory. Then a final-page shot features a couple of TNG cast members. And that's your lot. This is going to be an eight-issue series so I'm sure they're playing the long game, and that'll be fine in the inevitable collected edition, but as a monthly series of instalments that structure leaves it lacking in the crossover element the title promises. Judging how well this long-anticipated meeting of franchises actually works in practice will have to wait for later issues, then.
One observation, however. Though it's resulted in that daftly long title, choosing Next Gen has a practical advantage: that's where the Borg originated, and as the Borg are more-or-less the same concept as the Cybermen (albeit invented a couple of decades later -- in your face, Trek), they're the obvious choice for a villain team-up in this franchise team-up.
The Tiptons pretty well nail the Who characters. The Trek section is full of awkward po-faced dialogue, so I guess they've nailed that too. The main way their writing lets the reader down is in decompression. It's taken to daft heights here, with whole pages given over to exciting action like Rory knocking over a vase. Seriously. The amount of wasted space is astonishing. And Woodward's painted-style art does little to make up for it. It's relentlessly photo-referenced when it comes to recognisable faces, and Generic Extra Cast Members are scruffily rendered.
A bit of a let down for a first issue, then. We'll see how it goes, but unless the pace of the story can pick up a bit, I fear it's going to be relentlessly disappointing.
(For a slightly different but fundamentally similar version of my thoughts, see the review I bothered to post on Comixology.)
Sunday, 10 June 2012
TV
Have I Got News For You
43x08 (1/6/12 edition; extended repeat)
aka The Alastair Campbell One. Brilliant.
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]
Mad Men
5x11 The Other Woman
Wow. Stunning episode in so many ways. One of my favourite bits was a perfectly-executed twist, and it wasn't even at the end of the episode! And that final scene between Don and Peggy...
All those saying this season hasn't been up to standard are so, so wrong.
Romanzo Criminale
1x05 Episode 5
Might be the best episode yet -- things move apace, and surprisingly in places, and a big cliffhanger ending too.
43x08 (1/6/12 edition; extended repeat)
aka The Alastair Campbell One. Brilliant.
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]
Mad Men
5x11 The Other Woman
Wow. Stunning episode in so many ways. One of my favourite bits was a perfectly-executed twist, and it wasn't even at the end of the episode! And that final scene between Don and Peggy...
All those saying this season hasn't been up to standard are so, so wrong.
Romanzo Criminale
1x05 Episode 5
Might be the best episode yet -- things move apace, and surprisingly in places, and a big cliffhanger ending too.
Comics
Extermination #1 by Simon Spurrier & Jeffrey Edwards
Created by BOOM! Studios' Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon but for whatever reason handed to Brit Spurrier to actually write, Extermination (which I keep calling Extinction for some reason) is set in a post-alien-invasion world where superheroes and supervillains must team up to fight the invaders, plus flashbacks to the pre-destroyed world and their regular superhero-y lives.
It's all good fun, actually. The characters are entertainingly written, with a fun and banter-some relationship. Spurrier gets to play with superhero cliches (the good guy, Nox, is Batman in all but name and bat-ears) and sci-fi ones too, like using silly made-up words but having one character question why they're using such a silly made up word. Edwards' art is more than up to Spurrier's writing, detailing both typical superhero action and the post-apocalyptic alien-stuff just as well, with a slight cartoony edge that suits the tone.
I don't read enough indy-ish comics to know if this is the kind of thing that will break out and be something people will recommend in years to come (a la Hellboy or The Walking Dead, say). Plus it has to keep this level of quality up, of course. But I hope it does because I really enjoyed it. Glad I followed Bleeding Cool's recommendation (in fact, I liked it even more than they did).
Created by BOOM! Studios' Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon but for whatever reason handed to Brit Spurrier to actually write, Extermination (which I keep calling Extinction for some reason) is set in a post-alien-invasion world where superheroes and supervillains must team up to fight the invaders, plus flashbacks to the pre-destroyed world and their regular superhero-y lives.
It's all good fun, actually. The characters are entertainingly written, with a fun and banter-some relationship. Spurrier gets to play with superhero cliches (the good guy, Nox, is Batman in all but name and bat-ears) and sci-fi ones too, like using silly made-up words but having one character question why they're using such a silly made up word. Edwards' art is more than up to Spurrier's writing, detailing both typical superhero action and the post-apocalyptic alien-stuff just as well, with a slight cartoony edge that suits the tone.
I don't read enough indy-ish comics to know if this is the kind of thing that will break out and be something people will recommend in years to come (a la Hellboy or The Walking Dead, say). Plus it has to keep this level of quality up, of course. But I hope it does because I really enjoyed it. Glad I followed Bleeding Cool's recommendation (in fact, I liked it even more than they did).
this week on 100 Films
Two new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
The A-Team: Explosive Extended Edition (2010)
The Book of Eli (2010)
More next Sunday.
The A-Team: Explosive Extended Edition (2010)
If you’ve seen the trailer you know there’s a bit where they fall out of a plane in a tank. Then they battle with fighter jets from this free-falling tank... As I see it, your reaction to that tank bit in the trailer will dictate your reaction to the whole film: if you thought it looked bloody stupid, extrapolate; if you thought it looked frickin’ cool, extrapolate; if you thought, like me, that it looked enjoyably far-fetched, extrapolate.Read more on my new blog or my classic blog.
The Book of Eli (2010)
Eli starts off with the potential for an arty 5; slips slightly to a solid 4 when the standard post-apocalyptic trope of a gang fighting for local power comes in to play; unsteadies that 4 with an increasingly atonal second half; and quite frankly borders a 1 with its sickening ending.Read more on my new blog or my classic blog.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 9 June 2012
TV
Episodes
2x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Romanzo Criminale
1x04 Episode 4
Vera
2x03 Sandancers
ITV screened this episode out of sequence due to real-life events (it concerns, in part, a death in Afghanistan), but the advantage of catching up later is I can put it back where it belongs. Not that it really matters.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
2x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Romanzo Criminale
1x04 Episode 4
Vera
2x03 Sandancers
ITV screened this episode out of sequence due to real-life events (it concerns, in part, a death in Afghanistan), but the advantage of catching up later is I can put it back where it belongs. Not that it really matters.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Comics
Wolverine and the X-Men
#9 & #10 by Jason Aaron & Chris Bachalo
#11 by Jason Aaron & Nick Bradshaw
Here we go, then: super-mega-event-crossover AvX hits the usually-brilliant WatXM for the next few months. Has this involvement ruined it? Well, things start off fine. There's plenty of unavoidable AvX stuff, but the book's own ongoing stories continue and the tone remains the same -- lots of good laughs in #9, for instance.
But there's a shift as it goes through #10, and by #11 it's in full-on part-of-the-event mode. #9 flows well enough into #10, but #11 has to open with a kind of "previously on" for things we haven't seen -- events that have taken place in other books that have an effect on characters covered by this one (primarily, Wolverine). It feels like skipping an issue.
Also, I've seen some complaints from fans that (despite claims from the honchos at Marvel) you can't follow AvX just by reading the main miniseries, and based on the content of WatXM #11 I can well believe this. As well as pages given over to excerpts of Avengers-on-mutants battles from around the globe, there's a significant chunk of plot with Wolverine and Hope that would seem essential to the story (says me, who's not reading AvX... yet). Unless this is all duplicated in an issue of the main series, I don't see how you could get by without reading this. Maybe I'll find out later.
WatXM's own subplots do still continue, Aaron's writing can still be good fun at times, and the art by both Bachalo and (especially, for me) Bradshaw is still enjoyable, but AvX is definitely starting to get in the way. Shame.
It has, incidentally, persuaded me that maybe I should return to Uncanny after all, if I can easily pick up the missing issues. While I presume that has become similarly embroiled in the Big Damn Crossover, I also presume it has similarly continued its own story threads, and I was being interested by them.
#9 & #10 by Jason Aaron & Chris Bachalo
#11 by Jason Aaron & Nick Bradshaw
Here we go, then: super-mega-event-crossover AvX hits the usually-brilliant WatXM for the next few months. Has this involvement ruined it? Well, things start off fine. There's plenty of unavoidable AvX stuff, but the book's own ongoing stories continue and the tone remains the same -- lots of good laughs in #9, for instance.
But there's a shift as it goes through #10, and by #11 it's in full-on part-of-the-event mode. #9 flows well enough into #10, but #11 has to open with a kind of "previously on" for things we haven't seen -- events that have taken place in other books that have an effect on characters covered by this one (primarily, Wolverine). It feels like skipping an issue.
Also, I've seen some complaints from fans that (despite claims from the honchos at Marvel) you can't follow AvX just by reading the main miniseries, and based on the content of WatXM #11 I can well believe this. As well as pages given over to excerpts of Avengers-on-mutants battles from around the globe, there's a significant chunk of plot with Wolverine and Hope that would seem essential to the story (says me, who's not reading AvX... yet). Unless this is all duplicated in an issue of the main series, I don't see how you could get by without reading this. Maybe I'll find out later.
WatXM's own subplots do still continue, Aaron's writing can still be good fun at times, and the art by both Bachalo and (especially, for me) Bradshaw is still enjoyable, but AvX is definitely starting to get in the way. Shame.
It has, incidentally, persuaded me that maybe I should return to Uncanny after all, if I can easily pick up the missing issues. While I presume that has become similarly embroiled in the Big Damn Crossover, I also presume it has similarly continued its own story threads, and I was being interested by them.
Articles
Everything We’re Told About The Justice League Movie: Directors, Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Lobo
by Matt McGloin (from Cosmic Book News)
I've never heard of this site, so I've no idea about them or their sources, but at the very least these are a raft of interesting rumours/speculations about a potential JL movie and/or a DC film series.
by Matt McGloin (from Cosmic Book News)
I've never heard of this site, so I've no idea about them or their sources, but at the very least these are a raft of interesting rumours/speculations about a potential JL movie and/or a DC film series.
Friday, 8 June 2012
TV
How I Met Your Mother
7x16 The Drunk Train
Better.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Romanzo Criminale
1x03 Episode 3
I watched the first two episodes of this back in November, but then it kind of fell by the wayside. I've got loads (and loads and loads) of TV catching up to do at the minute, but this one is taking up a phenomenal amount of space on my V+ box (most other stuff is downloaded one way or another) so it gets priority for the moment. Fortunately I managed to pick the plot threads back up well enough.
Incidentally, if you'd like to see it too, Sky Arts 1 seem to be beginning a repeat run next Wednesday. So there's a coincidence.
7x16 The Drunk Train
Better.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Romanzo Criminale
1x03 Episode 3
I watched the first two episodes of this back in November, but then it kind of fell by the wayside. I've got loads (and loads and loads) of TV catching up to do at the minute, but this one is taking up a phenomenal amount of space on my V+ box (most other stuff is downloaded one way or another) so it gets priority for the moment. Fortunately I managed to pick the plot threads back up well enough.
Incidentally, if you'd like to see it too, Sky Arts 1 seem to be beginning a repeat run next Wednesday. So there's a coincidence.
Articles
DC Confirms Zero Issues For September, Launches Talon, Amethyst, Team Seven And Phantom Stranger Series
by Rich Johnston (from Bleeding Cool)
There are dozens of articles about this across the 'net today, each with their own little tidbits of information, but this headline sums it up best. For a follow-up piece at Bleeding Cool look here; for a lengthy interview with DC co-publisher Dan DiDio look here; and for a slightly more detailed piece on Night of the Owls spin-off Talon look here.
by Rich Johnston (from Bleeding Cool)
There are dozens of articles about this across the 'net today, each with their own little tidbits of information, but this headline sums it up best. For a follow-up piece at Bleeding Cool look here; for a lengthy interview with DC co-publisher Dan DiDio look here; and for a slightly more detailed piece on Night of the Owls spin-off Talon look here.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
This week's update does include The Artist. Hurrah. There should also have been a few random things I picked up in Jubilee sales, but they're still in the post. Something for next time.
Number of titles in collection: 1,488 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,155 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 333 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,691 [up 2]
Number of films in collection: 1,576 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,489 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
This week's update does include The Artist. Hurrah. There should also have been a few random things I picked up in Jubilee sales, but they're still in the post. Something for next time.
Number of titles in collection: 1,488 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,155 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 333 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 3,691 [up 2]
Number of films in collection: 1,576 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,489 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
TV
Horrible Histories
4x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
How I Met Your Mother
7x15 The Burning Beekeeper
Ah, a good old HIMYM Structurally Complicated Episode. For all it's cleverness, it's a bit underwhelming -- too caught up in Being Clever to provide any real story for the characters. Shame.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Silk
2x01 Episode 1
This is over halfway through on the TV now, I think, so about time I got going with it. It's still great.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
4x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
How I Met Your Mother
7x15 The Burning Beekeeper
Ah, a good old HIMYM Structurally Complicated Episode. For all it's cleverness, it's a bit underwhelming -- too caught up in Being Clever to provide any real story for the characters. Shame.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Silk
2x01 Episode 1
This is over halfway through on the TV now, I think, so about time I got going with it. It's still great.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Captain America 2 Gets The Directors Of You, Me And Dupree
by Hannah Shaw-Williams (from Bleeding Cool)
Oh, that doesn't sound good. I hope Marvel know what they're doing.
First Full Trailer For Django Unchained – ON ICE
by Brendon Connelly (from Bleeding Cool)
This looks awesome. Normally I'd embed it (and post it as a Trailers post), but at the time of writing it's been pulled. The official release is later tonight in the US though, so it should re-appear at this link (and no doubt dozens of others) before too long.
by Hannah Shaw-Williams (from Bleeding Cool)
Oh, that doesn't sound good. I hope Marvel know what they're doing.
First Full Trailer For Django Unchained – ON ICE
by Brendon Connelly (from Bleeding Cool)
This looks awesome. Normally I'd embed it (and post it as a Trailers post), but at the time of writing it's been pulled. The official release is later tonight in the US though, so it should re-appear at this link (and no doubt dozens of others) before too long.
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
TV
Castle
2x15 Suicide Squeeze
Apparently Channel 5 are stopping Castle now for, of all things, Big Brother... and until next year too. That's at least 7 months' pause, mid-season. What the hell?! I may switch to downloads.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Mad Men
5x10 Christmas Waltz
Last week Dark Shadows, this week Star Trek; they're bidding for the Jaguar account; the season began with a real-life event... Mad Men seems to be getting itself stuck into Real Things much more than it has before. I wonder if there's a reason?
And it's ever so weird watching Christmassy episodes as we head into summer.
2x15 Suicide Squeeze
Apparently Channel 5 are stopping Castle now for, of all things, Big Brother... and until next year too. That's at least 7 months' pause, mid-season. What the hell?! I may switch to downloads.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Mad Men
5x10 Christmas Waltz
Last week Dark Shadows, this week Star Trek; they're bidding for the Jaguar account; the season began with a real-life event... Mad Men seems to be getting itself stuck into Real Things much more than it has before. I wonder if there's a reason?
And it's ever so weird watching Christmassy episodes as we head into summer.
Comics: Night of the Owls
Night of the Owls concludes!
I've so far given over two posts to my thoughts on last month's Batman event: for the first half, see Sunday, and for the next few see yesterday.
And so to the final few issues...
Batman: The Dark Knight #9 by Judd Winick & David Finch
Well, that was an odd one. A Talon's perspective on the night, showing some of his earlier life and then his rebirth for this particular night -- a neat idea, and one with some good moments. The Talon in question is the one who killed Lincoln March in Batman #9, so we also get a new perspective on that issue's final pages followed by a What Happened Next.
But... Red Robin is featured prominently on the cover, but turns up for just one panel, in which nothing like the cover event occurs. What was he doing during the Night? I don't think it's covered anywhere. Incredibly odd choice for a cover image, anyway. Then the issue ends with this particular Talon slinking off into the sewers, still alive. Will he be revisited later? I doubt it -- The Dark Knight is moving on; this event hasn't even been referred to in Batman so it'd be weird to bring it up later.
Batman Annual #1 by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV & Jason Fabok
Here's one that's included in the event almost by default. It's really a Mr Freeze story, re-telling his origin with a new New 52 twist, but it takes place on the Night of the Owls (after it, really) and refers to Freeze's involvement in passing. If one were to look back over the event as part of the ongoing Court of Owls story, however, this segment should probably be left out.
As a story in its own right, then, it's incredibly decompressed. Though nearly double the length of a regular issue, I think it could easily be condensed to normal size without too much effort. It's a shame Snyder and Tynion can't put all those extra pages to good use, rather than just use them to tell a short story in more expanded form. So many panels which are so thoroughly pointless... Oh, modern comics.
The main talking point is the new twist at the end. Some people will surely be up in arms about it; personally, I think it's a neat new twist. It changes things in an interesting way, but it's hardly a history-betraying re-write.
Catwoman #9 by Judd Winick & Guillem March
Winick pens his third issue for the Night of the Owls, making him as prolific as event mastermind Scott Snyder. (More so, you could argue, as Snyder only co-wrote Batman Annual and only has two more because the previous month's issue of Batman is also included. But anyway.)
So here we have the last issue of the Night itself (there's still All Star Western, as you can see below, but more on that in a moment). It's the early hours of the morning and Catwoman (and some sidekick she currently has) accidentally runs into a Talon trying to kill the Penguin. She doesn't know about the whole shebang, but fights and defeats him anyway.
And yet, for all that unconnectedness, this is one of the better-characterised Talons of the whole event. Many other issues have tried to make them more than masked assassins, but I think this is the most successful -- even including the issue that was entirely from a Talon's perspective! Seems even with a new writer The Dark Knight can't really succeed... even if that writer also wrote this one. Funny how these things work out.
Oh, and this one is rated T+, presumably because there's a nude male bottom and characters say things like "crap", "hell" and "Godalmighty". Though based on the content/rating dynamic of other books, I imagine the rating came before the content.
All Star Western #9 by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti & Moritat
Difficult to place in a reading list, this: it takes place over a hundred years before the Night itself, but does feature a Talon and is branded as a tie-in. But really, it's shoehorned into the thing, even less significant to the Court of Owls story than some of the standalone ancillary tales from other Bat-books this month (at least those take place on the right night!) Instead, forcing a Talon into the ongoing Hex story means the promising August 7 storyline is cut short -- all wrapped up in just six pages. I worried about that happening when I read the last issue and this one realises my concerns. They seemed to have a lot of potential, so this is real a shame.
Then the Owl thing finishes off the longer plot in another seven pages (was it really so many?!), and a new story begins in the final seven. It would seem efficient were it not for very little happening in each of these long chunks. When All Star is good it's great, but it seems to struggle to transition from one story to the next. You don't need a handover instalment (which they seem to keep doing), just devote a whole issue to a climax and start afresh the month after. As it is, all the endings feel rushed with a tacked-on new beginning. Shame.
Also this issue, the concluding part of Patrick Scherberger-pencilled backup strip Nighthawk and Cinnamon, which has no relation to the Owls whatsoever. It's a decent story, nicely drawn, but there's just so much needless dialogue. It has a kind of B-movie cheesiness which is sort of nice, but even allowing for that being deliberate there's just so much. A little pruning, please.
And that's that! Bit of a downbeat conclusion to the event, with no issue here that really has a significant bearing on the storyline. Indeed, two of them are barely connected at all. Oh well.
Overall, it's been pretty fun. The winner for me is the two-part Nightwing tale, though Red Hood and the Outlaws was surprisingly good too. The main story, taking place in two issues of Batman, felt underwhelming, with a lack of scope considering the Gotham-wide nature of the event -- indeed, such a sense was conveyed better in Batgirl, of all things! Actually, that was one of the event's better issues too.
I imagine the Batman pieces actually fare better when taken as two instalments near the climax of the eleven-issue Court of Owls saga, rather than as the linchpin of the Night of the Owls. That's been a great story and I can't wait to see how it ends.
I've so far given over two posts to my thoughts on last month's Batman event: for the first half, see Sunday, and for the next few see yesterday.
And so to the final few issues...
Batman: The Dark Knight #9 by Judd Winick & David Finch
Well, that was an odd one. A Talon's perspective on the night, showing some of his earlier life and then his rebirth for this particular night -- a neat idea, and one with some good moments. The Talon in question is the one who killed Lincoln March in Batman #9, so we also get a new perspective on that issue's final pages followed by a What Happened Next.
But... Red Robin is featured prominently on the cover, but turns up for just one panel, in which nothing like the cover event occurs. What was he doing during the Night? I don't think it's covered anywhere. Incredibly odd choice for a cover image, anyway. Then the issue ends with this particular Talon slinking off into the sewers, still alive. Will he be revisited later? I doubt it -- The Dark Knight is moving on; this event hasn't even been referred to in Batman so it'd be weird to bring it up later.
Batman Annual #1 by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV & Jason Fabok
Here's one that's included in the event almost by default. It's really a Mr Freeze story, re-telling his origin with a new New 52 twist, but it takes place on the Night of the Owls (after it, really) and refers to Freeze's involvement in passing. If one were to look back over the event as part of the ongoing Court of Owls story, however, this segment should probably be left out.
As a story in its own right, then, it's incredibly decompressed. Though nearly double the length of a regular issue, I think it could easily be condensed to normal size without too much effort. It's a shame Snyder and Tynion can't put all those extra pages to good use, rather than just use them to tell a short story in more expanded form. So many panels which are so thoroughly pointless... Oh, modern comics.
The main talking point is the new twist at the end. Some people will surely be up in arms about it; personally, I think it's a neat new twist. It changes things in an interesting way, but it's hardly a history-betraying re-write.
Catwoman #9 by Judd Winick & Guillem March
Winick pens his third issue for the Night of the Owls, making him as prolific as event mastermind Scott Snyder. (More so, you could argue, as Snyder only co-wrote Batman Annual and only has two more because the previous month's issue of Batman is also included. But anyway.)
So here we have the last issue of the Night itself (there's still All Star Western, as you can see below, but more on that in a moment). It's the early hours of the morning and Catwoman (and some sidekick she currently has) accidentally runs into a Talon trying to kill the Penguin. She doesn't know about the whole shebang, but fights and defeats him anyway.
And yet, for all that unconnectedness, this is one of the better-characterised Talons of the whole event. Many other issues have tried to make them more than masked assassins, but I think this is the most successful -- even including the issue that was entirely from a Talon's perspective! Seems even with a new writer The Dark Knight can't really succeed... even if that writer also wrote this one. Funny how these things work out.
Oh, and this one is rated T+, presumably because there's a nude male bottom and characters say things like "crap", "hell" and "Godalmighty". Though based on the content/rating dynamic of other books, I imagine the rating came before the content.
All Star Western #9 by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti & Moritat
Difficult to place in a reading list, this: it takes place over a hundred years before the Night itself, but does feature a Talon and is branded as a tie-in. But really, it's shoehorned into the thing, even less significant to the Court of Owls story than some of the standalone ancillary tales from other Bat-books this month (at least those take place on the right night!) Instead, forcing a Talon into the ongoing Hex story means the promising August 7 storyline is cut short -- all wrapped up in just six pages. I worried about that happening when I read the last issue and this one realises my concerns. They seemed to have a lot of potential, so this is real a shame.
Then the Owl thing finishes off the longer plot in another seven pages (was it really so many?!), and a new story begins in the final seven. It would seem efficient were it not for very little happening in each of these long chunks. When All Star is good it's great, but it seems to struggle to transition from one story to the next. You don't need a handover instalment (which they seem to keep doing), just devote a whole issue to a climax and start afresh the month after. As it is, all the endings feel rushed with a tacked-on new beginning. Shame.
Also this issue, the concluding part of Patrick Scherberger-pencilled backup strip Nighthawk and Cinnamon, which has no relation to the Owls whatsoever. It's a decent story, nicely drawn, but there's just so much needless dialogue. It has a kind of B-movie cheesiness which is sort of nice, but even allowing for that being deliberate there's just so much. A little pruning, please.
And that's that! Bit of a downbeat conclusion to the event, with no issue here that really has a significant bearing on the storyline. Indeed, two of them are barely connected at all. Oh well.
Overall, it's been pretty fun. The winner for me is the two-part Nightwing tale, though Red Hood and the Outlaws was surprisingly good too. The main story, taking place in two issues of Batman, felt underwhelming, with a lack of scope considering the Gotham-wide nature of the event -- indeed, such a sense was conveyed better in Batgirl, of all things! Actually, that was one of the event's better issues too.
I imagine the Batman pieces actually fare better when taken as two instalments near the climax of the eleven-issue Court of Owls saga, rather than as the linchpin of the Night of the Owls. That's been a great story and I can't wait to see how it ends.
Articles
Christopher Nolan Won’t Make a Howard Hughes Film, But He Still Wants To Direct a Bond Movie
by Russ Fischer (from /Film)
The headline pretty much covers it, except for this tidbit:
Really need to get round to reading that Empire -- it has a huge feature (really, a set of features) on The Dark Knight Rises.
Forecast: Online Demand For Movies, TV Shows Will Top DVD Sales This Year
by Daniel Frankel (from paidContent)
It's a bleak and depressing headline, sure -- online streamed or downloaded video content mostly doesn't have the quality of DVD, and stuff that claims to be HD is nowhere near as good as Blu-ray. Sure, it's fine for the latest trashy blockbuster, even more so for the average viewer; but for those who care about quality and a film-like experience, it's rubbish.
But the news in the article itself is much more heartening:
Sounds like we should be getting discs for years -- perhaps decades -- more yet. Hopefully at least time enough for technology to make that streaming/downloaded content achieve the same visual/audio quality as Blu-ray, if not exceed it. Hurrah!
by Russ Fischer (from /Film)
The headline pretty much covers it, except for this tidbit:
Nolan does tell Empire that he met with producers about Bond, but that any film with his name on it “would have to be the right situation and the right time in their cycle of things.” Precisely what “the right situation” is can be open to question, but since part of Nolan’s working method is exerting total control, he might want to cast his own Bond. Given how much effort EON puts into choosing and marketing their Bond, that could be the one and only stumbling block that matters.
Really need to get round to reading that Empire -- it has a huge feature (really, a set of features) on The Dark Knight Rises.
Forecast: Online Demand For Movies, TV Shows Will Top DVD Sales This Year
by Daniel Frankel (from paidContent)
It's a bleak and depressing headline, sure -- online streamed or downloaded video content mostly doesn't have the quality of DVD, and stuff that claims to be HD is nowhere near as good as Blu-ray. Sure, it's fine for the latest trashy blockbuster, even more so for the average viewer; but for those who care about quality and a film-like experience, it's rubbish.
But the news in the article itself is much more heartening:
IHS predicts digital transactions will only yield around $1.7 billion in 2012, compared to $11.1 billion for physical formats. Even by 2016, the research firm projects that digital viewing will only account for 17% of home entertainment revenue...
“We are looking at the beginning of the end of the age of movies on physical media like DVD and Blu-ray. But the transition is likely to take time: almost nine years after the launch of the iTunes Store, CDs are still a vital part of the music business.”
Sounds like we should be getting discs for years -- perhaps decades -- more yet. Hopefully at least time enough for technology to make that streaming/downloaded content achieve the same visual/audio quality as Blu-ray, if not exceed it. Hurrah!
Monday, 4 June 2012
TV
Episodes
2x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
MythBusters
9x13 Bikes & Bazookas
9x17 Flying Guillotine
9x16 Duct Tape Plane
In the first of these, they spend half an episode seeing if something from the film RED is plausible. I could've told them that in half a second. Still, it meant stuff blowing up, and that's always cool. The second episode, meanwhile, showed that C4 (as in the explosive) is pretty amazing stuff. (Though how Discovery UK decide the broadcast order of these episodes is beyond me.)
2x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
MythBusters
9x13 Bikes & Bazookas
9x17 Flying Guillotine
9x16 Duct Tape Plane
In the first of these, they spend half an episode seeing if something from the film RED is plausible. I could've told them that in half a second. Still, it meant stuff blowing up, and that's always cool. The second episode, meanwhile, showed that C4 (as in the explosive) is pretty amazing stuff. (Though how Discovery UK decide the broadcast order of these episodes is beyond me.)
Comics: Night of the Owls
Night of the Owls continues!
For my thoughts on the first half, see yesterday's post. The next batch (according to this reading order) begins with...
Birds of Prey #9 by Duane Swierczynski & Travel Foreman
Not the strongest issue to get back into things with, as the ragtag group of minor characters that are the Birds of Prey battle another generic Talon.
There are some good touches -- the Talons-eye-view panels that re-imagine what he's seeing as being from the 1800s are neat, and Foreman (formerly of Animal Man) delivers good imagery all round -- but Swierczynski's dialogue feels awfully clunky, shoehorning in references to on-going plot threads for no good reason... other than perhaps as some kind of attempt to get the casual Night of the Owls reader to start buying BoP regularly. Well, not close to working on me.
Fine, but (along with Batwing) the least-essential tie-in yet.
Oh, and no beheadings, but a gory double-page spread at the start including slit throats and spilled intestines. Still rated T.
Nightwing #9 by Kyle Higgins, Eddy Barrows & Andres Guinaldo
Picking up where the previous issue left off, this finishes the flashback story of the first Talon Batman encountered, who is also (spoilers!) Nightwing's great-grandfather, while in the present day the relatives go head-to-head.
It's one of the best issues of the whole event, in my opinion. While Batman may be aiming for an epic main battle against the Court of Owls, Nightwing conveys the personal, emotional impact of events on such a key member of the Bat-family. It makes this storyline much more of a heavy-hitter, and proves that Nightwing is as essential to the storyline as the main title.
Detective Comics #9 by Tony S. Daniel
Batman turns up at Arkham Asylum, presumably at some point in the couple-of-hours gap between two panels near the end of Batman #9. There's also a brief reference to the end of Nightwing #9, and the implication Batman's off to find the Birds of Prey in their #9... which is interesting, because he doesn't turn up in that issue!
Anyway, despite the presence of Batman himself this is pretty much a standalone fight. Though he leaves with Dr Arkham at the end for no particular reason, unless that thread's going to crop up again in one of the few remaining issues. Considering he decides to drop him with Nightwing, I can't imagine which.
The Two-Face backup strip continues, nothing to do with the event. Szymon Kudranski's art is impenetrably dark and shadow-driven, making an already lacklustre story even harder to follow. Meh.
More tomorrow.
For my thoughts on the first half, see yesterday's post. The next batch (according to this reading order) begins with...
Birds of Prey #9 by Duane Swierczynski & Travel Foreman
Not the strongest issue to get back into things with, as the ragtag group of minor characters that are the Birds of Prey battle another generic Talon.
There are some good touches -- the Talons-eye-view panels that re-imagine what he's seeing as being from the 1800s are neat, and Foreman (formerly of Animal Man) delivers good imagery all round -- but Swierczynski's dialogue feels awfully clunky, shoehorning in references to on-going plot threads for no good reason... other than perhaps as some kind of attempt to get the casual Night of the Owls reader to start buying BoP regularly. Well, not close to working on me.
Fine, but (along with Batwing) the least-essential tie-in yet.
Oh, and no beheadings, but a gory double-page spread at the start including slit throats and spilled intestines. Still rated T.
Nightwing #9 by Kyle Higgins, Eddy Barrows & Andres Guinaldo
Picking up where the previous issue left off, this finishes the flashback story of the first Talon Batman encountered, who is also (spoilers!) Nightwing's great-grandfather, while in the present day the relatives go head-to-head.
It's one of the best issues of the whole event, in my opinion. While Batman may be aiming for an epic main battle against the Court of Owls, Nightwing conveys the personal, emotional impact of events on such a key member of the Bat-family. It makes this storyline much more of a heavy-hitter, and proves that Nightwing is as essential to the storyline as the main title.
Detective Comics #9 by Tony S. Daniel
Batman turns up at Arkham Asylum, presumably at some point in the couple-of-hours gap between two panels near the end of Batman #9. There's also a brief reference to the end of Nightwing #9, and the implication Batman's off to find the Birds of Prey in their #9... which is interesting, because he doesn't turn up in that issue!
Anyway, despite the presence of Batman himself this is pretty much a standalone fight. Though he leaves with Dr Arkham at the end for no particular reason, unless that thread's going to crop up again in one of the few remaining issues. Considering he decides to drop him with Nightwing, I can't imagine which.
The Two-Face backup strip continues, nothing to do with the event. Szymon Kudranski's art is impenetrably dark and shadow-driven, making an already lacklustre story even harder to follow. Meh.
More tomorrow.
Sunday, 3 June 2012
TV
Archer
3x13 Space Race Part 2 [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Have I Got News For You
43x07 (25/5/12 edition; extended repeat)
aka The William Shatner One. Absolutely brilliant.
3x13 Space Race Part 2 [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Have I Got News For You
43x07 (25/5/12 edition; extended repeat)
aka The William Shatner One. Absolutely brilliant.
Comics: Night of the Owls
Night of the Owls begins!
And with the publication last Wednesday of Batman Annual #1, the event is now over... but I've saved up the whole thing to read in one go. Well, I say one go -- it's fourteen issues, so it'll probably be two or three goes. And the other advantage to waiting is I can read it in reading order rather than publication order... though as they're mostly standalone stories, and some issues take place across multiple other ones anyway, I doubt it really matters.
So, in reading order...
Batman #8 by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, James Tynion IV & Rafael Albuquerque
Here the night begins with a whole team of Talons attacking Wayne Manor, forcing Bruce and Alfred to retreat into the Batcave where they realise the full extent of the Court's plan. It's primarily an action issue, with some good fights, but it also sets up where the whole event is going.
This is also the first issue of Batman to have a backup strip (co-written by Snyder & Tynion and drawn by Albuquerque) and, unusually, it continues the story immediately where the main one leaves off, plus leads directly into the wider Bat-family's involvement in the event. I hope there's no one who just ignores those extra bits...
Nightwing #8 by Kyle Higgins & Eddy Barrows
They've labelled this a "prelude" to the main event, just because it fell outside the main month when everything as tying in, which is stupid really: Alfred's call from the Batman backup comes very early in the issue (complete with a Night of the Owls timestap), before Nightwing ends up battling a Talon and it all ends on a "to be continued" cliffhanger. I imagine if one only read Nightwing #9 as part of the event, it would feel a tad confusing -- this is as much a part of it as anything else.
And once again, I swear no one actually reads these comics before they put an age rating on them. Despite featuring a graphic beheading (amongst sundry other violence), this retains the series' regular T rating. Perhaps it's a moot point -- comics mostly sell to grown men who should know better these days -- but still, if you're going to bother, do it right.
Batgirl #9 by Gail Simone & Ardian Syaf
I'm behind on Batgirl -- last one I read was #6, so I'm skipping two issues here -- but it's Night of the Owls! And it's a standalone issue as part of that, so it's OK.
The way they pitched Night of the Owls, I was expecting the main story to be contained to Batman (and maybe Nightwing) with all the other titles telling smaller one-on-one stories about Bat-family members which are connected to the main story but not essential. Based on this one issue, that's not entirely the case: not only does this reference several other issues (plenty of footnotes telling you where to go for the full story), but it's based around a pretty significant incident (I imagine -- we'll see), involving not only Batgirl but also Commissioner Gordon, and a turning-point victory for the Court.
While it would be good for comics crossovers generally if not every involved issue was essential to understanding what the hell's going on, I'm glad that not all the books in Night of the Owls will be providing ancillary stories that don't really matter.
Oh, and Batgirl fights a female Talon -- I hope they don't have all the female heroes fighting female Talons, because that's just too coincidental.
Batman and Robin #9 by Peter J. Tomasi, Lee Garbett & Andy Clarke
Or Robin, this issue, as Batman is pretty busy elsewhere (considering he's the sole starring character in three other titles; though I think Batman: The Dark Knight subs in Red Robin this month (which is funny, really, because as the only one without Batman in the actual title, you'd think Detective Comics would be the natural home for a non-Batman story. But hey-ho, that's comics for you.)).
Unlike Batgirl, this is a standalone ancillary tale, but a pretty good one. Another bloody beheading though -- in fact, there's four. Four. And Americans count this as Teen. God.
Batwing #9 by Judd Winick & Marcus To
So we reach the first title in the Night of the Owls that I've never read before (there'll be several more of these before we're done). It's another standalone tale in which 'African Batman' Batwing defends Batman, Inc.'s Lucius Fox from a Talon attack. It also builds on some elements from Batwing's regular run, I think, but in no way that locks out people like me who'll only pick up this issue. It's fine enough as a bit of a scrap, but it's not going to convince me to start buying the book regularly.
It's also nice that in several books characters who would know note how much the Talon moves like Nightwing -- in Batgirl, here, and later in Red Hood.... Neat. As for other recurring themes, there's no beheadings this time (only a threatened one), but yet another repetition of Alfred's call from the end of Batman #8. I suppose I don't blame them, it's a good way of quickly kicking off the plot, but I'll know it by heart at this rate. At least Red Hood and the Outlaws put it at the end of their preceding issue.
And Batwing doesn't fight a black Talon, so that's good (see comment on Batgirl above for why I note this).
Batman #9 by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Back to the main title next for the primary issue of the whole event -- it's even titled Night of the Owls, just to make sure you know. This one covers a fair chunk of the evening, passing around and over the events of several books that will follow (and some that have gone before) -- there's a glaring space left for the events of Detective Comics #9, for instance. (For some reason the reading list puts that four issues away yet, but I'd consider putting it next. Maybe there's a reason I'll discover when I get to it.)
As a whole, the issue by itself doesn't quite have the grandiosity that an event of this scale promises. It's a fight -- a tough one, admittedly, but still just a fight -- followed by a quick trip in the Batmobile to the next plot token. I suppose that's kind of the problem with the Night of the Owls: by making it a Big Event they've made it seem like the climax to the story, but actually that's a couple of issues away yet. Not bad, just not quite the event linchpin one feels it should have been.
The backup strip (again co-written by Snyder & James Tynion IV with art from Rafael Albuquerque) is titled The Fall of the House of Wayne, Part 1 of 3, and tells the story of another Talon attack, this one in the past, on Alfred's father and former servant to the Waynes, Jarvis Pennyworth. It promises some secret to the history of the Wayne family, which some have speculated will be a re-writing of Batman's origin story. We'll see.
Red Hood and the Outlaws #9 by Scott Lobdell & Kenneth Rocafort
Another one I've never read before. More successful than Batwing this issue, in my opinion, though obviously you can't use these to judge the whole series. Some of the cast's banter is more forced than funny, and Rocafort's unusual layouts are a mixed blessing (that they're strange is nice; that this sometimes results in very small panels is more debatable), but it tells a whole story that doesn't feel woefully short, with some major character beats (that Red Hood has previously been resurrected a la the Talons is neatly used).
It also ties in nicely to the rest of the event: there's Mr Freeze, who'll crop up majorly in Batman Annual #1 (which is placed later on the reading list, though there's no clues left here to where it should sit), and the last couple of pages wrap up the story from Batgirl, as well as pointing the way to Birds of Prey (which is next on the reading list). All good stuff. Despite early reservations, this is perhaps my favourite single issue of the event so far.
And that's the halfway point! More tomorrow.
And with the publication last Wednesday of Batman Annual #1, the event is now over... but I've saved up the whole thing to read in one go. Well, I say one go -- it's fourteen issues, so it'll probably be two or three goes. And the other advantage to waiting is I can read it in reading order rather than publication order... though as they're mostly standalone stories, and some issues take place across multiple other ones anyway, I doubt it really matters.
So, in reading order...
Batman #8 by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, James Tynion IV & Rafael Albuquerque
Here the night begins with a whole team of Talons attacking Wayne Manor, forcing Bruce and Alfred to retreat into the Batcave where they realise the full extent of the Court's plan. It's primarily an action issue, with some good fights, but it also sets up where the whole event is going.
This is also the first issue of Batman to have a backup strip (co-written by Snyder & Tynion and drawn by Albuquerque) and, unusually, it continues the story immediately where the main one leaves off, plus leads directly into the wider Bat-family's involvement in the event. I hope there's no one who just ignores those extra bits...
Nightwing #8 by Kyle Higgins & Eddy Barrows
They've labelled this a "prelude" to the main event, just because it fell outside the main month when everything as tying in, which is stupid really: Alfred's call from the Batman backup comes very early in the issue (complete with a Night of the Owls timestap), before Nightwing ends up battling a Talon and it all ends on a "to be continued" cliffhanger. I imagine if one only read Nightwing #9 as part of the event, it would feel a tad confusing -- this is as much a part of it as anything else.
And once again, I swear no one actually reads these comics before they put an age rating on them. Despite featuring a graphic beheading (amongst sundry other violence), this retains the series' regular T rating. Perhaps it's a moot point -- comics mostly sell to grown men who should know better these days -- but still, if you're going to bother, do it right.
Batgirl #9 by Gail Simone & Ardian Syaf
I'm behind on Batgirl -- last one I read was #6, so I'm skipping two issues here -- but it's Night of the Owls! And it's a standalone issue as part of that, so it's OK.
The way they pitched Night of the Owls, I was expecting the main story to be contained to Batman (and maybe Nightwing) with all the other titles telling smaller one-on-one stories about Bat-family members which are connected to the main story but not essential. Based on this one issue, that's not entirely the case: not only does this reference several other issues (plenty of footnotes telling you where to go for the full story), but it's based around a pretty significant incident (I imagine -- we'll see), involving not only Batgirl but also Commissioner Gordon, and a turning-point victory for the Court.
While it would be good for comics crossovers generally if not every involved issue was essential to understanding what the hell's going on, I'm glad that not all the books in Night of the Owls will be providing ancillary stories that don't really matter.
Oh, and Batgirl fights a female Talon -- I hope they don't have all the female heroes fighting female Talons, because that's just too coincidental.
Batman and Robin #9 by Peter J. Tomasi, Lee Garbett & Andy Clarke
Or Robin, this issue, as Batman is pretty busy elsewhere (considering he's the sole starring character in three other titles; though I think Batman: The Dark Knight subs in Red Robin this month (which is funny, really, because as the only one without Batman in the actual title, you'd think Detective Comics would be the natural home for a non-Batman story. But hey-ho, that's comics for you.)).
Unlike Batgirl, this is a standalone ancillary tale, but a pretty good one. Another bloody beheading though -- in fact, there's four. Four. And Americans count this as Teen. God.
Batwing #9 by Judd Winick & Marcus To
So we reach the first title in the Night of the Owls that I've never read before (there'll be several more of these before we're done). It's another standalone tale in which 'African Batman' Batwing defends Batman, Inc.'s Lucius Fox from a Talon attack. It also builds on some elements from Batwing's regular run, I think, but in no way that locks out people like me who'll only pick up this issue. It's fine enough as a bit of a scrap, but it's not going to convince me to start buying the book regularly.
It's also nice that in several books characters who would know note how much the Talon moves like Nightwing -- in Batgirl, here, and later in Red Hood.... Neat. As for other recurring themes, there's no beheadings this time (only a threatened one), but yet another repetition of Alfred's call from the end of Batman #8. I suppose I don't blame them, it's a good way of quickly kicking off the plot, but I'll know it by heart at this rate. At least Red Hood and the Outlaws put it at the end of their preceding issue.
And Batwing doesn't fight a black Talon, so that's good (see comment on Batgirl above for why I note this).
Batman #9 by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Back to the main title next for the primary issue of the whole event -- it's even titled Night of the Owls, just to make sure you know. This one covers a fair chunk of the evening, passing around and over the events of several books that will follow (and some that have gone before) -- there's a glaring space left for the events of Detective Comics #9, for instance. (For some reason the reading list puts that four issues away yet, but I'd consider putting it next. Maybe there's a reason I'll discover when I get to it.)
As a whole, the issue by itself doesn't quite have the grandiosity that an event of this scale promises. It's a fight -- a tough one, admittedly, but still just a fight -- followed by a quick trip in the Batmobile to the next plot token. I suppose that's kind of the problem with the Night of the Owls: by making it a Big Event they've made it seem like the climax to the story, but actually that's a couple of issues away yet. Not bad, just not quite the event linchpin one feels it should have been.
The backup strip (again co-written by Snyder & James Tynion IV with art from Rafael Albuquerque) is titled The Fall of the House of Wayne, Part 1 of 3, and tells the story of another Talon attack, this one in the past, on Alfred's father and former servant to the Waynes, Jarvis Pennyworth. It promises some secret to the history of the Wayne family, which some have speculated will be a re-writing of Batman's origin story. We'll see.
Red Hood and the Outlaws #9 by Scott Lobdell & Kenneth Rocafort
Another one I've never read before. More successful than Batwing this issue, in my opinion, though obviously you can't use these to judge the whole series. Some of the cast's banter is more forced than funny, and Rocafort's unusual layouts are a mixed blessing (that they're strange is nice; that this sometimes results in very small panels is more debatable), but it tells a whole story that doesn't feel woefully short, with some major character beats (that Red Hood has previously been resurrected a la the Talons is neatly used).
It also ties in nicely to the rest of the event: there's Mr Freeze, who'll crop up majorly in Batman Annual #1 (which is placed later on the reading list, though there's no clues left here to where it should sit), and the last couple of pages wrap up the story from Batgirl, as well as pointing the way to Birds of Prey (which is next on the reading list). All good stuff. Despite early reservations, this is perhaps my favourite single issue of the event so far.
And that's the halfway point! More tomorrow.
this week on 100 Films
Just one new review was posted to 100 Films in a Year this week...
Priest (2011)
...but you may also have noticed that it's now June, so here's the May update too.
More next Sunday.
Priest (2011)
It tries to generate character and tension, but hasn’t spent enough time building them to earn it. There’s lots of awful dialogue, flooded with clichés… as is a lot of the plot, and the stock dystopian future setting, and the overuse of slow-mo. There’s some ideas with promise, but they’re largely shunted aside in favour of something from The Big Book of Standard Character Arcs.Read more on my new blog or my classic blog.
...but you may also have noticed that it's now June, so here's the May update too.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Articles
Box Office Milestone: The Avengers Becomes No. 3 Pic of All Time With $1.331 Billion
by Pamela McClintock (from The Hollywood Reporter)
by Pamela McClintock (from The Hollywood Reporter)
On Friday, the Disney and Marvel Studios' tentpole surpassed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 to become the third-biggest tile of all time at the worldwide box office...
[It] also shattered another record domestically on Friday, surpassing The Dark Knight to become the third top grossing film of all time [in America] with a cume of $538.1 million...
Internationally. Avengers [is] the fifth-best showing of all time.
Friday, 1 June 2012
Articles
Avengers ten-disc Blu-ray collection surfaces
by Mark Langshaw (from Digital Spy)
Oo-ooh! Need to sell my Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America BDs now...
Primeval series five to air on ITV1 a year after Watch broadcast
by Morgan Jeffery (from Digital Spy)
Well I never. It's nearly 18 months since they aired season four, a year since season five premiered on Watch, and it's been out on DVD & Blu-ray for about that long too, so I didn't think ITV were going to bother -- it can't be a huge ratings draw at this point, especially considering it wasn't that big before. Perhaps that's why they're dumping it in the summer. But I don't mind -- despite it's low quality, last series ended on cliffhangers and I want to know what happened without having to pay for the thing.
by Mark Langshaw (from Digital Spy)
Oo-ooh! Need to sell my Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America BDs now...
Primeval series five to air on ITV1 a year after Watch broadcast
by Morgan Jeffery (from Digital Spy)
Well I never. It's nearly 18 months since they aired season four, a year since season five premiered on Watch, and it's been out on DVD & Blu-ray for about that long too, so I didn't think ITV were going to bother -- it can't be a huge ratings draw at this point, especially considering it wasn't that big before. Perhaps that's why they're dumping it in the summer. But I don't mind -- despite it's low quality, last series ended on cliffhangers and I want to know what happened without having to pay for the thing.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
A few sale acquisitions this week -- including The Exorcist on Blu-ray, a film I've been meaning to buy (and see, of course) for God knows how many years -- give a bit of a boost.
The Artist was also out this week. That's on order. I waited until it was out to use a 10% voucher I had (not useable on pre-orders), then the next day found it cheaper still somewhere else. I was able to move the order, but wasted the voucher and needn't have waited. There's a moral in there somewhere.
Number of titles in collection: 1,486 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,154 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 332 [up 5]
Number of discs in collection: 3,689 [up 6]
Number of films in collection: 1,574 [up 7]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,489 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
A few sale acquisitions this week -- including The Exorcist on Blu-ray, a film I've been meaning to buy (and see, of course) for God knows how many years -- give a bit of a boost.
The Artist was also out this week. That's on order. I waited until it was out to use a 10% voucher I had (not useable on pre-orders), then the next day found it cheaper still somewhere else. I was able to move the order, but wasted the voucher and needn't have waited. There's a moral in there somewhere.
Number of titles in collection: 1,486 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,154 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 332 [up 5]
Number of discs in collection: 3,689 [up 6]
Number of films in collection: 1,574 [up 7]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,489 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
TV
Mad Men
5x09 Dark Shadows
There seem to be an awful lot of dream/fantasy sequences this season. It must mean something.
Pointless
4x26 (11/7/11 edition) [2nd watch]
And this is where I came in. Back to new episodes next, then.
5x09 Dark Shadows
There seem to be an awful lot of dream/fantasy sequences this season. It must mean something.
Pointless
4x26 (11/7/11 edition) [2nd watch]
And this is where I came in. Back to new episodes next, then.
Films
The Scarlet Claw (1944)
[#46 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Being the eighth film to star Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. It's also, quite coincidentally, five months to the day since I watched the last. I'll try not to leave it so long 'til the next one, but then I've been intending that for years.
[#46 in 100 Films in a Year 2012]
Being the eighth film to star Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. It's also, quite coincidentally, five months to the day since I watched the last. I'll try not to leave it so long 'til the next one, but then I've been intending that for years.
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
TV
Grandma's House
2x06 The day Simon and his family opened the door to acceptance [season finale]
Suitably downbeat ending. I hope there's going to be more, but this year's ratings have been lower than the first and apparently Amstell doesn't want to do another series anyway.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Making of the Ring
3 Siegfried (of 4)
Third of four half-hours looking behind the scenes of La Fura dels Baus' production of Wagner's Ring Cycle. And just the making of this time, because I didn't have time for a full opera (Siegfried is a good 4½-5 hours) but really do need to clear some space on my V+ box. (Exciting, I know.)
2x06 The day Simon and his family opened the door to acceptance [season finale]
Suitably downbeat ending. I hope there's going to be more, but this year's ratings have been lower than the first and apparently Amstell doesn't want to do another series anyway.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Making of the Ring
3 Siegfried (of 4)
Third of four half-hours looking behind the scenes of La Fura dels Baus' production of Wagner's Ring Cycle. And just the making of this time, because I didn't have time for a full opera (Siegfried is a good 4½-5 hours) but really do need to clear some space on my V+ box. (Exciting, I know.)
Articles
If Paul Chambers’s conviction is allowed to stand, what should we not do in future?
by Schroedinger99 (from Bad Reason)
"the judges can't agree on a verdict. The two High-Court Judges concerned have been thinking about the question I examine in this post for three and a half months and they can't even decide what the law is. This begs the question even more strongly than I beg it in the post below: How on earth are mere mortals, with no legal training, supposed to know how to obey the law on tweeting when it comes to the 2003 Communications Act?"
by Schroedinger99 (from Bad Reason)
"the judges can't agree on a verdict. The two High-Court Judges concerned have been thinking about the question I examine in this post for three and a half months and they can't even decide what the law is. This begs the question even more strongly than I beg it in the post below: How on earth are mere mortals, with no legal training, supposed to know how to obey the law on tweeting when it comes to the 2003 Communications Act?"
Monday, 28 May 2012
TV
How I Met Your Mother
7x14 46 Minutes
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The Voice UK
1x16 The Semi-Final Results
Well well well, who saw that coming? Apart from anyone who read online speculation, of course, where those two upsets were quite clearly signposted. But hey, it keeps it interesting.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
7x14 46 Minutes
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The Voice UK
1x16 The Semi-Final Results
Well well well, who saw that coming? Apart from anyone who read online speculation, of course, where those two upsets were quite clearly signposted. But hey, it keeps it interesting.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Dirk Gently axed by BBC Four, confirms star Stephen Mangan by Morgan Jeffery (from Digital Spy)
and
Scott & Bailey recommissioned, says star Suranne Jones by David Brown (from Radio Times)
Bad and good news on the TV recommissioning front, here.
The High Court is unable to agree on Twitter Joke Trial appeal
by David Allen Green (from New Statesman)
The quest for common sense goes on. Two judges heard the last case and delivered a split verdict, presumably because one saw sense and the other is an idiot. Next time it'll be three, so fingers crossed enough of them are of the (apparently rare among the judiciary) intelligent variety.
There's also a more personal comment from Green (who is Paul Chambers' solicitor) here.
The Voice creator John de Mol: we need to make the live shows "more exciting"
by Jack Seale (from Radio Times)
Well, it's good they realise it, and they have some definite, sensible ideas for going forward.
and
Scott & Bailey recommissioned, says star Suranne Jones by David Brown (from Radio Times)
Bad and good news on the TV recommissioning front, here.
The High Court is unable to agree on Twitter Joke Trial appeal
by David Allen Green (from New Statesman)
The quest for common sense goes on. Two judges heard the last case and delivered a split verdict, presumably because one saw sense and the other is an idiot. Next time it'll be three, so fingers crossed enough of them are of the (apparently rare among the judiciary) intelligent variety.
There's also a more personal comment from Green (who is Paul Chambers' solicitor) here.
The Voice creator John de Mol: we need to make the live shows "more exciting"
by Jack Seale (from Radio Times)
Well, it's good they realise it, and they have some definite, sensible ideas for going forward.
Sunday, 27 May 2012
TV
The British Academy Television Awards 2012
Rather uncomfortably ceremony this year, I thought. Lots of awkward bits from the awards presenters. Dara did a good job though.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
MythBusters
9x02 Blue Ice
9x04 Carbonated Chaos
Getting close to a year since I last stumbled across some MythBusters on late-night TV, I did the same again. The first of this double bill was very interesting; the second looked kinda cool, hence why I stuck with it, but neither myth was particularly worth bothering with.
Rather uncomfortably ceremony this year, I thought. Lots of awkward bits from the awards presenters. Dara did a good job though.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
MythBusters
9x02 Blue Ice
9x04 Carbonated Chaos
Getting close to a year since I last stumbled across some MythBusters on late-night TV, I did the same again. The first of this double bill was very interesting; the second looked kinda cool, hence why I stuck with it, but neither myth was particularly worth bothering with.
Comics
All Star Western #8 by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti & Moritat
Unlike Aquaman (below), Gray and Palmiotti consistently pack lead strip Jonah Hex full with action and plot. The story's titular villainous organisation, The August 7, seem to make for a formidable enemy -- I hope they're not too easily defeated too quickly.
Also includes the second part of a Patrick Scherberger-pencilled back-up strip starring Western superheroes Nighthawk and Cinnamon. After the first dealt with the backstory of the former, the second deals with the backstory of the latter. Solid stuff.
Next issue is a Night of the Owls tie-in, so I'll be interested to see if either of the current storylines take a pause for that, or if one is somehow connected to it (if either, I presume it'd be the Hex one), or if they boldly pack three strips into a single issue.
Aquaman #8 by Geoff Johns & Ivan Reis
Meh. Good moments here, but there's so much decompression (there's a couple of unnecessary splash pages, and it's awash with low-panel-count pages and wasted panels) that it borders on frustrating. I criticised it for this last issue too, but it feels even worse here because the story isn't yet as engrossing as the opener. Disappointing.
Unlike Aquaman (below), Gray and Palmiotti consistently pack lead strip Jonah Hex full with action and plot. The story's titular villainous organisation, The August 7, seem to make for a formidable enemy -- I hope they're not too easily defeated too quickly.
Also includes the second part of a Patrick Scherberger-pencilled back-up strip starring Western superheroes Nighthawk and Cinnamon. After the first dealt with the backstory of the former, the second deals with the backstory of the latter. Solid stuff.
Next issue is a Night of the Owls tie-in, so I'll be interested to see if either of the current storylines take a pause for that, or if one is somehow connected to it (if either, I presume it'd be the Hex one), or if they boldly pack three strips into a single issue.
Aquaman #8 by Geoff Johns & Ivan Reis
Meh. Good moments here, but there's so much decompression (there's a couple of unnecessary splash pages, and it's awash with low-panel-count pages and wasted panels) that it borders on frustrating. I criticised it for this last issue too, but it feels even worse here because the story isn't yet as engrossing as the opener. Disappointing.
this week on 100 Films
Just one new review was posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and it was...
Legion (2010)
This past week also saw the UK TV premiere of Bruce Willis sci-fi movie Surrogates, so I posted my old review to my new blog. You can read it here. If you missed it, don't worry, it's pretty rubbish.
More next Sunday.
Legion (2010)
It’s penned by writers who think speechmaking equates to character. All of the dialogue is appalling; even Big Lines — just before an heroic death, that kind of thing — are irredeemably bad. It’s performed by actors who aren’t even capable of delivering that tosh. They all overact in one way or another, especially a gurning turn from Dennis Quaid. Later on it aims for some kind of epic fantasy stuff, but it manages to be both underdeveloped and overplayed.Read more on my new blog or my classic blog.
This past week also saw the UK TV premiere of Bruce Willis sci-fi movie Surrogates, so I posted my old review to my new blog. You can read it here. If you missed it, don't worry, it's pretty rubbish.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 26 May 2012
TV
Archer
3x12 Space Race Part 1
Unexpected-cliffhanger-tastic! (It would've been less unexpected if I'd looked this up and seen "Part 1" before watching.) But I'm glad because this is a fun story. Shame next week's is the last of the season.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Eurovision Song Contest: Baku 2012
Shame Engelbert did so badly, but I think people must've been after upbeat songs this year. Plus going first was never going to do him any favours. The success of the Serbian entry completely mystifies me though.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Have I Got News For You
43x06 (18/5/12 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]
The Voice UK
1x15 The Semi-Final
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
3x12 Space Race Part 1
Unexpected-cliffhanger-tastic! (It would've been less unexpected if I'd looked this up and seen "Part 1" before watching.) But I'm glad because this is a fun story. Shame next week's is the last of the season.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Eurovision Song Contest: Baku 2012
Shame Engelbert did so badly, but I think people must've been after upbeat songs this year. Plus going first was never going to do him any favours. The success of the Serbian entry completely mystifies me though.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Have I Got News For You
43x06 (18/5/12 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]
The Voice UK
1x15 The Semi-Final
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
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