Films

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
[#102 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

Well, almost every week -- I didn't bother last week because there was nothing to report again. This week, however, things kick off...

Number of titles in collection: 1,699 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,203 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 496 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 4,234 [up 2]
Number of films in collection: 1,832 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,242 [no change]
Number of short films in collection: 438 [no change]

...and wind up just one away from 1,700 titles! That barrier may be crossed next week, post willing. See you then, faithful reader.

TV

Gotham
1x01 Pilot
This received a lot of mixed reviews, but I liked it. The cop show/superhero show mash-up does mean it doesn't really feel like either, but it also means it doesn't feel quite like anything else either -- and that's a good thing. It looks gorgeous too, with great production design and cinematography. Overall: not perfect, but has promise.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]

The Great British Bake Off
5x11 The Class of 2013 [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Have I Got News For You
48x02 (10/10/2014 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]

Whose Line is it Anyway?
2x06 (22/12/89 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

TV

Doctor Who
13x12 Pyramids of Mars Part Four [2nd watch]

Forever
1x02 Look Before You Leap

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
3x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Whose Line is it Anyway?
2x05 (15/12/89 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

TV

Doctor Who
13x11 Pyramids of Mars Part Three [2nd watch]

Pioneers of Television
2x03 Crime Dramas

Pointless Celebrities
6x19 (11/10/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
13x10 Pyramids of Mars Part Two [2nd watch]
aka "The One Where the Doctor Takes Sarah Jane to an Alternate 1980". Excellent story, this.

Mock the Week
13x11 (9/10/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Scott & Bailey
4x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Films

The Tourist (2010)
[#101 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
13x09 Pyramids of Mars Part One [2nd watch]
After the Doctor faced down a Mummy on Saturday, what better choice for this week's tie-in classic story than the last time he faced such a creature? Bit different, these ones, though...

Duck Quacks Don't Echo
2x06 Episode 6

this week on 100 Films

Two brand-new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...


Darkman (1990)

Before he made the insanely successful Spider-Man trilogy, horror auteur Sam Raimi helmed this cinema-original superhero-esque fable, about a scientist caught in the crossfire between a corrupt developer and the mob who sets out for revenge.

Read more here.


The Tournament (2009)

the kind of film where its relative quality is entirely dependent on what you want from a movie. Is it original? Not terribly. Is it clever? Not really. Is it action-packed and kinda fun? Yessir.

Read more here.


Plus six were new to the new blog...


24: Redemption (Extended Edition) (2008)

Everything you need to know for this story is contained herein... On the other hand, it fails as a standalone movie. While the main plot — Jack defends school — is kicked off and wrapped up in the space between the title and the credits, there are several US-based plot threads that aren’t even close to being resolved. These are clearly designed to flow on into season seven

Read more here.


The Condemned (2007)

one keeps expecting it to degenerate into rubbish, but it never quite does. This is partly due to lowered expectations, true, and I’m not claiming it’s a piece of philosophical art — it’s still essentially a straight-up action movie — but there’s more to the story and its inherent issues than one has any reason to expect.

Read more here.


Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)

the main point is clearly the action, which is pretty spectacular. If you can bear the dense, plot-heavy first half (which does also contain several good sequences), the second is non-stop action, only occasionally marred by overactive camerawork.

Read more here.


I Am Legend (2007)

Things go very well for the first half. It’s nicely paced, concentrating on a depiction of one man’s loneliness taken to the extreme. The script, and Smith’s acting, handle the material well... Sadly, things begin to go down hill...

Read more here.


The Kite Runner (2007)

it feels like it’s part biography (though it’s fiction) and part moral fable. By the end, we’re presumably meant to leave with the feeling that some justice has been done at last. But while one boy has been saved from the horrors of his captors... there are hundreds left behind with the still-active villain.

Read more here.


Stand By Me (1986)

Irrespective of age, generation, or being able to remember the kinds of experiences suggested by the film, Stand By Me is still an effective and affecting little film. The level of enjoyment for some may depend on how much they can stomach child actors, though as kids go they’re mostly very good.

Read more here.



More next Sunday.

TV

Doctor Who
34x08 Mummy on the Orient Express
Really enjoyed that, which makes a good few in a row for me now. Opinion seems very divided on this season: my Twitter feed is full of hatred for it, comments sections on websites see plenty of others declaring it the best run ever, and commenters regularly disagreeing with reviewers about which episodes are great and which are weak. There's a range of opinions on everything, of course, and especially Who, but it feels more pronounced this year.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Extra
1x08 Mummy on the Orient Express
The series rarely builds extensive sets (as far as I'm aware), more often using location filming, so it would've been nice to learn a bit more about the process behind the Orient Express. Still, between the impressive monster, a big-name guest star and a big-name cameo, I guess there was more than enough to discuss.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Panel-show-tastic!

Have I Got News For You
48x01 (3/10/2014 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch the extended version (again) on iPlayer.]

Whose Line is it Anyway?
2x04 (8/12/89 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Would I Lie To You?
8x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
21x16 Planet of Fire Part Four

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
28x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Whose Line is it Anyway?
2x03 (24/11/89 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

TV

Doctor Who
21x15 Planet of Fire Part Three
This seems to have turned into a fairly aimless runaround, but at least the cliffhanger was good.

Grantchester
1x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

The Great British Bake Off
5x10 The Final
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Mock the Week
13x10 (2/10/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Spanking the Monkey (1994)
[#100 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

Aaaand that's 100! Now, how far will I get...

TV

Doctor Who
21x14 Planet of Fire Part Two

Forever
1x01 Pilot
Welshman Ioan Gruffudd is a 200-year-old Englishman who can't die in this new American procedural -- hey, when there are so many cop shows on TV, you need a good twist. On the evidence of this opener it's not an exceptional show, but it is above-average and pretty entertaining, with enough amusing bits to make up for the rote elements. The writers could have done with a healthy dose of "show don't tell" instead of the mass of voiceover, though.

Whose Line is it Anyway?
2x01 (10/11/89 edition)
2x02 (17/11/89 edition)
Following "most fans"' advice, I decided to jump ahead to series two. The format is the same -- indeed, many of the rounds are exactly the same -- and yet instead of being a little awkward and occasionally amusing, it's now frequently hilarious. Not sure how or why that's changed, but hooray.
[Watch 2x01 and 2x02 (again) on 4oD.]

Would I Lie To You?
8x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Go Ahead, Get Excited for the New Twin Peaks. Even If It Turns Out Awful.
by James Poniewozik (from TIME)

Why it's OK to stop being cynical and start being excited for something -- in this case, new Twin Peaks.

TV

Doctor Who
21x13 Planet of Fire Part One
This week's Who serial was one of the first I locked in for our tied-to-the-new-episodes classic viewing. For Saturday's episode, they shot in Lanzarote doubling for the Moon; in this serial, they shot in Lanzarote doubling for the planet Sarn... and also Lanzarote. It looks incredible, actually -- a great use of location in both episodes. I guess there's not the budget to do it more often, but going overseas is probably the best way to find a genuinely alien-looking landscape.
Also, this is The One With Peri's Bikini, lest we forget (as if).

Gilmore Girls
2x14 It Should've Been Lorelai [2nd watch]
The first episode to feature Mädchen Amick as Christopher's new lady -- on the same day as the Twin Peaks news! Complete coincidence.

Scott & Bailey
4x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Whose Line is it Anyway?
1x01 (23/9/88 edition)
1x03 (7/10/88 edition)
Remember years ago I caught and liked some random episodes of WLIIA on Dave? Well, I stumbled across the whole darn thing on 4oD and thought I'd start at the start. It's remarkable how slow and kind of awkward it is -- and very obvious that the improvisation is genuinely completely improvised. How things have changed in the intervening 26 years! The first episode wasn't much cop, to be honest, but a quality line-up helped the next one I tried. Apparently "most fans feel that the show was at its best from Series 2-6, with Series 1 being too smart and low-budget," so maybe I should skip ahead in future.
[Watch 1x01 and 1x03 (again) on 4oD.]

Articles

Twin Peaks to return with new episodes in 2016
by Morgan Jeffery (from Digital Spy)

Best TV revival news since 2003!

Massively excited for this. Two years seems such a long time off... but as all I've actually seen of Twin Peaks is the first season, and that was many years ago, I've actually got a season one re-watch and first time viewing of the much-longer second season and the movie to fill (some of) that time.

Co-creator Mark Frost has been doing a ton of interviews, but some choice ones I read include those at TVLine, The Hollywood Reporter and HitFix.

TV

Crimes of Passion
1x06 Tragedy in a Country Churchyard [season finale]
This hasn't been to everyone's taste (there was at least one moany letter in the Radio Times, not to mention a 'pick of the day' review for this episode by a writer who even said they hadn't watched most of the series), but I've enjoyed it and hope to see more.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
[#99 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

this week on 100 Films

This week saw the start of October, meaning it was time for the regular 100 Films in a Year monthly update...




As well as that, three brand-new reviews were published this week...


A Beautiful Mind (2001)

There’s a Big Twist that they skilfully kept out of the advertising, and which many people have done a fair job of keeping quiet for the past 13 years; but, unlike most Big Twists, this one isn’t at the end of the film — in fact, it’s pretty early on, and the bulk of the movie is spent dealing with its fall-out.

Read more here.


Clear and Present Danger (1994)

The plot isn’t exactly inspiring, sadly, but it does allow for a few more memorable sequences: an alleyway ambush on an American convoy, with Ryan in the thick of the action, which is apparently still used to train real troops; and, in a very modern twist, a sequence where Ryan hacks into a corrupt colleague’s computer, while the colleague tries to delete the files Ryan is looking for.

Read more here.


Patriot Games (1992)

a sprawling tale. Although most of the major characters start off connected by a failed assassination, they soon splinter to go about their business in unconnected sequences, which finally come back together towards the end. To describe it as “novelistic” might be obvious, but it’s not been streamlined for the big screen.

Read more here.


Finally, this week's archive re-posts had a bit of a one-track mind...


David Fincher Week

With Fincher's latest in cinemas this week, it seems a good time to repost my 2011 'week'. Starting with this somewhat-self-indulgent introduction...

Read more here.


The end of David Fincher Week

...and continuing with my summary post from the week's end.

Read more here.


Se7en (1995)

The quality of a crime thriller is often so tied to its mystery that the film can only sustain so many viewings — sometimes, only one — before you know it too well. I have seen Se7en at least seven times now, which for me is a lot — a helluva lot, even — and yet I still get something from it every time. That’s a rarity, that’s a reason to love it, and that is why it may well be my favourite film.

Read more here.


Fight Club (1999)

At one point consensus seemed to have it that Fight Club was easily Fincher’s best movie, a generation-defining statement, “the first great film of the 21st Century” despite being released in 1999... I’ve always preferred Se7en myself. I still do. But Fight Club is nonetheless an exceptional film.

Read more here.


Panic Room (2002)

stands out as (arguably) Fincher’s most atypical film. Whereas his others are all epic, in one way or another, this is the exact opposite. It’s very contained, virtually the entire running time spent on one night in one house, alleviated only by brief outside bookends and a guided tour of the house at the start. Fortunately, it’s still an outstanding little thriller.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

TV

Doctor Who
34x07 Kill the Moon
This may well be the first classic of the Capaldi era. Not everyone on Twitter agreed though, so we'll see... but it felt great to me.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Extra
1x07 Kill the Moon
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Pointless Celebrities
6x18 (4/10/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978)
[#98 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

Articles

Lost ‘Sherlock Holmes’ Film Discovered After Almost a Century
by Kevin Noonan (from Variety)

A nearly 100-year-old silent film version of “Sherlock Holmes” starring famed Holmes thespian and American actor William Gillette has been discovered at the Cinémathèque Française

Exciting! Lord knows how us normal people who don't attend silent film festivals will ever get to see it, but, y'know, we'll see.

What It's like to Fly the $23,000 Singapore Airlines Suites Class
by Derek Low
This looks amazing! Definitely sits high on the list of "things to do if I win an insane amount on the Lottery".

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

Nothing again -- again! -- this week. I imagine it'll be quite a small monthly running time update, then...

Number of titles in collection: 1,697 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,203 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 494 [no change]

Number of discs in collection: 4,232 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,830 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,242 [no change]
Number of short films in collection: 438 [no change]

Plus this week it's time for a running time update, so...

Total running time of collection (approx.):
304 days, 18 hours, and 3 minutes.
(Up 10 hours and 13 minutes from last month.)

It's approaching the time when all of the summer's big blockbusters hit disc, and as I skipped them all at the cinema I'll be buying a fair few. Hopefully these updates will get a bit livelier then, then.

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

Detectorists
1x01 Episode 1
BBC Four sitcom about metal detector users -- aka detectorists -- not incompetent police detectives, or something.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
1x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
28x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Would I Lie To You?
8x03 Episode 3

TV

Doctor Who
25x04 Remembrance of the Daleks Part Four [3rd watch]

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
3x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Two Tribes
1x30 (26/9/14 edition) [season finale]
Hope this is coming back.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
25x03 Remembrance of the Daleks Part Three [3rd watch]

The Great British Bake Off
5x09 Semi-final - Patisserie
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Mock the Week
13x09 (26/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Two Tribes
1x29 (25/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
25x02 Remembrance of the Daleks Part Two [3rd watch]

Duck Quacks Don't Echo
2x05 Episode 5

Two Tribes
1x28 (24/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

This is Not a Film (2011)
[#97 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
25x01 Remembrance of the Daleks Part One [3rd watch]
After Saturday's Doctor Who took us to Coal Hill School, here's what happened the last time the Doctor visited that esteemed educational establishment. Also, a belated Dalek story, something felt owing ever since I didn't pick one to follow Into the Dalek.

Pioneers of Television
4x05 Robin Williams Remembered

Scott & Bailey
4x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Two Tribes
1x27 (23/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Crimes of Passion
1x05 Dangerous Dreams
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

No (2012)
[#96 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

this week on 100 Films

Four brand-new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...


Alter Egos (2012)

You might not think superheroes lend themselves to the ultra-low-budget indie treatment, but where there’s a will there’s a way, and clearly writer-director Jordan Galland had a will.

Read more here.


American Hustle (2013)

“Don’t put metal in the science oven!” If you’ve seen that bit, you’ve seen the most successful thing American Hustle has to offer. Possibly a victim of hype, it’s an over-long disappointment.

Read more here.


Touch of Evil (1958/1998)

This is not film noir as many think they know it. Instead of a doggedly determined wisecracking PI solving a slightly seedy case, Touch of Evil is suffused with a sweaty and disquieting atmosphere. It’s like a terrible fever dream, with events and characters that sometimes seem disconnected, but nonetheless interweave through a dense plot.

Read more here.


Up (2009)

You know Up: it's the Pixar movie where everyone talks about how amazing the first 10 minutes are, and never seems to have anything to say about the rest of the film. Which sums it up pretty well, to be honest.

Read more here.


Plus seven were new to the new blog...


The Blues Brothers (1980)

Cult comedy musical, with a more-than-healthy dose of the surreal... its insistence at being random, crazy, and incessantly silly throughout is beautifully anarchic.

Read more here.


Children of Heaven (1997)

a charming little number, with a simple story about a brother and sister that nonetheless runs itself on inventive incident — the amount of (pleasingly light-hearted) drama it can ring from one missing pair of shoes is, in many ways, quite extraordinary.

Read more here.


Field of Dreams (1989)

it’s almost unremittingly pleasant. The lack of anything hard-hitting is no doubt why some have such a dim view of the film... [it] won’t shock you, it likely won’t make you think very hard, and any moral message or meaning it has is positive and reassuring… but what’s so wrong with that?

Read more here.


The Game (1997)

Having seen it a few times over the years, I've come to the conclusion that The Game is by far at its best on your first viewing, when you don't know how it will end and it's stuffed with mysteries and twists... a lot of the film's enjoyment comes from being played with, the back-and-forth of what the truth is.

Read more here.


The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

Even more attractive are the skills Welles brings directorially, on display throughout... the cruise offers many of the best bits — the hot, sweaty foreign climes are conveyed brilliantly, aided by sumptuous location photography, and these sunny scenes contrast nicely with the noir plot.

Read more here.


Lethal Weapon (1987)

my mind frequently wandered during Lethal Weapon — often to Die Hard. This may predate the Bruce Willis franchise by several years, but it’s a testament to the fame of that film’s Christmas setting that my first thought was they’d ripped it off

Read more here.


The Woodsman (2004)

recently released paedophile struggles to fit back into the world and avoid recommitting former crimes... Kevin Bacon manages the tricky task of eliciting sympathy and understanding as the paedophile

Read more here.



More next Sunday.

TV

Doctor Who
34x06 The Caretaker
Very much enjoyed that. OK, there are similarities to previous episodes, but that almost seems to be the theme this season. It was likeable, both fun and funny, and most importantly of all, entertaining. Best of the season so far? Certainly the most easily enjoyable, I'd say.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Extra
1x06 The Caretaker
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Pointless Celebrities
6x17 (27/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
[#95 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

Nothing again this week! I know, it's so unlike me.

Number of titles in collection: 1,697 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,203 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 494 [no change]

Number of discs in collection: 4,232 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,830 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,242 [no change]
Number of short films in collection: 438 [no change]

Maybe there'll be something next week... but maybe not... See you here either way, faithful reader.

TV

Duck Quacks Don't Echo
2x04 Episode 4

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
3x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Pointless Celebrities
6x16 (20/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Mad City (1997)
[#94 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
15x16 The Sun Makers Part Four
Yep, that was jolly good. Definitely underrated.

The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
1x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Pioneers of Television
3x03 Superheroes

Two Tribes
1x26 (22/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
15x15 The Sun Makers Part Three
Really enjoying this. It only came 162nd (out of 241) on DWM's last poll of greatest Who stories, with a score of 66%. That's definitely too harsh -- there are certainly worse things above it.

The Great British Bake Off
5x08 Advanced Dough
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Two Tribes
1x25 (19/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

American Hustle (2013)
[#93 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Derren Brown: Infamous
I hope that woman at the end has changed her phone number...
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Doctor Who
15x14 The Sun Makers Part Two

Scott & Bailey
4x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Two Tribes
1x24 (18/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
15x13 The Sun Makers Part One
After the Doctor and friends robbed a bank on Saturday, here they come up against evil taxmen, in the most thinly-veiled 'satire' ever made (I suspect).

Tumble
1x06 Episode 6 [season finale]

Two Tribes
1x23 (17/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Always (1989)
[#92 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Crimes of Passion
1x04 Roses, Kisses and Death
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Frankenweenie (2012)
[#91 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

this week on 100 Films

Four brand-new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...


Braveheart (1995)

I figured I ran the risk of affecting the outcome of the Scottish independence referendum if I posted this review yesterday (because of course I have that kind of reach and influence), but after Mel Gibson’s historical(ly-dubious) epic wound up on my 2014 WDYMYHS list, it seemed too good an occasion to miss. So whether Scotland is about to become independent or not, here are my thoughts on a movie that hopefully didn’t actually influence anyone’s vote…

Read more here.


Dark Shadows (2012)

Director Tim Burton’s most recent live-action movie is an adaptation of a 1960s soap opera… albeit one featuring vampires, witches, ghosts and sundry other supernatural goings-on. You wouldn’t get that on EastEnders (more’s the pity).

Read more here.


The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

The big one everyone wants to see, of course, is Jackie Chan vs. Jet Li. Rather than engineer it to form part of the climax, they duel halfway through, in an encounter that settles on a victor just as much as that opening credit does. Nonetheless, it’s an epic bout in terms of both scope and length.

Read more here.


Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)

This new take has trashier, almost grungy, stylings, which at least make it more interesting than the "mainstream blockbuster"-styled first attempt. That doesn't make it a good film by any means, but it does make it somehow less objectionable

Read more here.


Plus five were new to the new blog...


Bride & Prejudice (2004)

Melodramatic love story/stories? Check. A couple of over-acted comedy characters? Check. Characters bursting into song? Check. Bright, colourful, extravagant song-and-dance numbers? Check.

Read more here.


Ladies in Lavender (2004)

Charles Dance’s first film as writer and director. Judi Dench and her long-time friend Maggie Smith play believable sisters in a beautiful Cornish setting who discover a young Pole washed up on their beach.

Read more here.


Miracles (1989)

It’s 1930s Hong Kong and Jackie Chan accidentally becomes the head of a mafia-like gang. The film follows a “gang war” plot for about 40 minutes before abruptly changing tack to become an identity-based farce! It’s all a bit messy

Read more here.


Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

“What if Max Schreck really was a vampire?” is the simple, thoroughly daft, and equally promising, premise of this low-budget horror/drama/comedy. Having the advantage of such a good concept to kick things off, all starts well, but the longer it runs the more it loses it.

Read more here.


Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Most negative reviews accused the film of being essentially a TV episode, not earning itself a spot on the big screen. They may have a point. The subject matter isn’t at fault... but the execution of it is frequently low-key.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
7x03 (19/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Celebrity Squares
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Doctor Who
34x05 Time Heist
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Extra
1x05 Time Heist
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Two Tribes
1x22 (16/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Would I Lie To You?
8x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

Absolutely no changes this week. Hey-ho.

Number of titles in collection: 1,697 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,203 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 494 [no change]

Number of discs in collection: 4,232 [no change]
Number of films in collection: 1,830 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,242 [no change]
Number of short films in collection: 438 [no change]

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
1x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Mock the Week
13x08 (18/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Wall (2012)
[#90 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]
aka Die Wand

TV

Doctor Who
26x07 Ghost Light Part Three [2nd watch]

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
3x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Would I Lie To You?
8x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Spirit (2008)
[#89 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
26x06 Ghost Light Part Two [2nd watch]

The Great British Bake Off
5x07 Pastry
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Musketeers
1x10 Musketeers Don't Die Easily [season finale]
Seems like it would've been quite easy to write the Cardinal out after all... Anyway, good show. Look forward to series two.

Films

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
[#88 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

Doctor Who
26x05 Ghost Light Part One [2nd watch]
It's quite hard to think of a classic Who serial that's very like Listen, so this is the best I could come up with: the Doctor taking his companion to a mysterious and nigh-unfathomable thing from their past in a dark, creepy and complex tale.
It also means that, for the second week in a row, my tie-in four-parter is less than four parts. Ho hum.

Duck Quacks Don't Echo
2x03 Episode 3

Two Tribes
1x21 (15/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
7x02 (12/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Celebrity Squares
1x01 Episode 1
Despite being billed in some places as a 21st Century version, this feels like it was made in the '70s.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Mock the Week
13x07 (11/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Scott & Bailey
4x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

TV

Crimes of Passion
1x03 No More Murders
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Braveheart (1995)
[#87 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...? 2014 #9

Seemed an appropriate choice this week.

this week on 100 Films

Three brand-new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...


Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

Disney attempted to replicate the success of Mary Poppins with this, another musical adaptation of a fantastical British novel set in Britain with British people in it — including some kids who, based on their accents, must be from the same part of London as Dick Van Dyke’s Bert.

Read more here.


Idiocracy (2006)

The creator of Beavis and Butthead imagines a future America in which, essentially, everyone has become his once-famous animated creations. I think — I never watched it. Basically, everyone’s a moron.

Read more here.


Monsters vs Aliens (2009)

it’s The Avengers with ’50s B-movie monsters. If that doesn’t sound like a fun concept, you’re probably already on a hiding to nothing. It has a love and understanding of B-movies that should keep many a genre fan happy, suggesting it was created for them almost as much as its true audience [i.e. kids]

Read more here.


Plus four were new to the new blog...


Be Kind Rewind (2008)

The work of Michel Gondry and the comedy of Jack Black are both, shall we say, acquired tastes, and not ones you would necessarily expect to overlap. Yet here they do — at least to an extent — but while Black is again doing his usual schtick as the Ker-Azy Best Mate, it’s the writer-director who is perhaps offering some surprises.

Read more here.


It Happened Here (1966)

Alternate histories are always fun, and nothing seems to have provoked more than the Second World War. Which, as a defining event in modern history for a good chunk of the world, is understandable. It Happened Here is perhaps one of the earliest examples, depicting a 1940s Britain under Nazi occupation.

Read more here.


Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

arguably Agatha Christie’s most famous novel, perhaps because of its widely-known twist ending, or perhaps because it’s inspired in part by a high-profile true story, or perhaps because of this multi-Oscar-nominated all-star adaptation.

Read more here.


Over the Hedge (2006)

CGI movies are far too common these days, meaning that the quality is dropping... Over the Hedge is certainly derivative — its character arc is almost directly lifted from Toy Story, for example — but it is beautifully animated

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

TV

Doctor Who
34x04 Listen
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Extra
1x04 Listen
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
3x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Tumble
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Two Tribes
1x20 (12/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Dark Shadows (2012)
[#86 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

A classic TV series on DVD, half a new one on Blu-ray, and a movie on BD too, make for increases in almost every tally this week.

Number of titles in collection: 1,697 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,203 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 494 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 4,232 [up 8]
Number of films in collection: 1,830 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,242 [up 23]
Number of short films in collection: 438 [no change]

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
1x06 Episode 6
Having an unrepentant Diana on feels like it's reopened that can of worms just after it had finally died down...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Last Leg
5x06 (5/9/14 edition) [season finale]
Ending a week too early to cover the Pistorius verdict! Shame. Great episode, though.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Two Tribes
1x19 (11/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

The Great British Bake Off
5x06 European Cakes
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Musketeers
1x09 Knight Takes Queen

Two Tribes
1x18 (10/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
20x22 The King's Demons Part Two [season finale; 3rd watch]
What an odd ending. Essentially, the Doctor uncovers the Master's plot... and then all the time travellers just leave. There must be some very confused 13th Century nobles left behind, but we never see any of that. The downsides of being only two parts, I guess. You have to wonder if three is the ideal length for a Who story -- two is a bit rushed and unsatisfactory, whereas with four (or more) a good deal of the middle episodes is often spent doing sod all.

Two Tribes
1x16 (8/9/14 edition)
1x17 (9/9/14 edition)
[Watch episodes 16 and 17 (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Doctor Who
20x21 The King's Demons Part One [3rd watch]
Any Doctor Who fans reading this will notice that, despite my stated aim of watching a four-parter after every new Who episode this year, The King's Demons has only two parts. There are a couple of reasons for this: one, it has the best connection to Robot of Sherwood that I could think of (it's set in the same era, with the same king on the throne; and, in the second half, features a robot); two, it has a neat connection to a story we'll be watching later (more on that when we get there); and three, due to a familial invasion we only have time for a two-parter this week anyway -- what serendipity!

Two Tribes
1x15 (5/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Grey (2011)
[#85 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
7x01 (5/9/14 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Crimes of Passion
1x02 King Lily of the Valley
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
[#84 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]

Articles

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Jack the Ripper unmasked: How amateur sleuth used DNA breakthrough to identify Britain's most notorious criminal 126 years after string of terrible murders
by Russell Edwards (from Mail Online)

Sorry to link to the Daily Fail, but this is a rather fascinating story, all over Twitter today.

I started reading it with a high degree of scepticism -- surely it wouldn't turn out to be true? It would be someone deluding themselves about some "well, maybe... kinda..." evidence. But it does sound pretty convincing, actually. I'm sure other experts will weigh in and review the evidence over the coming days/weeks/months, and perhaps then we'll know for certain.

this week on 100 Films

Right back at the start of this week, September started! Which of course means 100 Films in a Year took pause to look back at August. Read all about it here.


Following that, four brand-new reviews were published. They were...


The Battle of the Somme (1916)

Arguably the most famous clash of the First World War, the Battle of the Somme lasted four-and-a-half months from July to November 1916 and, with over a million men wounded or killed, is “one of the bloodiest battles in human history.” As the BBC’s History website puts it, although it was “intended to be a decisive breakthrough, the Battle of the Somme instead became a byword for futile and indiscriminate slaughter”. Not that you’d guess it from this contemporary documentary, which is essentially a propaganda piece produced by the British government.

Read more here.


Crimes of Passion: Death of a Loved One (2013)

the latest Scandi-crime acquisition for BBC Four, airing in their regular “foreign crime” slot of Saturday nights at 9pm. [This first episode debuted in cinemas in March 2013.] Marketed as “Mad Men meets The Killing”, it would be more accurately be described as “Agatha Christie with subtitles”.

Read more here.


The House of Fear (1945)

it felt to me like it wasn’t really going anywhere until Holmes suddenly figured it all out at the end. Certainly he draws on clues encountered along the way, but even then most of those come late on.

Read more here.


Wrath of the Titans (2012)

A confused story connects workmanlike action sequences and mediocre CGI... New ideas sporadically rear their head, but Liebesman can’t ring anything interesting from them. Its predecessor’s strong points — creature design; retro-styled gods — are AWOL.

Read more here.


But just one review was re-posted to the new blog this week (oops).


Clash of the Titans (2010)

the film is built to provide action sequences, though these are passable and rarely more. They’re fine while they’re happening, but pretty much forgotten after — none of it shows a great deal of inspiration. The history of film is littered with far worse examples, but that’s about the best I can say.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

I half forgot to post this yesterday, half hadn't done all the sums -- so here it is today! Complete with exciting monthly running time update...

Number of titles in collection: 1,694 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,202 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 492 [up 3]

Number of discs in collection: 4,224 [up 6]
Number of films in collection: 1,829 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,219 [up 5]
Number of short films in collection: 438 [no change]

And the aforementioned running time update tells us...

Total running time of collection (approx.):
304 days, 7 hours, and 50 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 23 hours, and 59 minutes from last month.)

Yep, one minute off exactly two days. Ah well.

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

Doctor Who
34x03 Robot of Sherwood
Really enjoyed that. It aimed to be a fun romp, and it was a fun romp -- what more can you ask? Looks like we're back to Super Seriousness next week, which will please some. Not that it displeases me, but I like the tone of my Who to be varied.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Extra
1x03 Robot of Sherwood
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Two Tribes
1x13 (3/9/14 edition)
1x14 (4/9/14 edition)
[Watch episodes 13 and 14 (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
[#83 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]