Demetri Martin: The Overthinker
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
7x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Sunday, 25 October 2020
this week on 100 Films
No new reviews at 100 Films in a Year this week — indeed, the only new post was about why that was...
FilmBath + AMPLIFY!
Hopefully, more reviews next Sunday.
FilmBath + AMPLIFY!
In a mirror of this post from last year, I’m here again to blame my recent blogging quietness on FilmBath Festival. Yes, even in these Covid-struck days, we are putting on a film festival. It’s different — smaller, for one thing, with just nine films over five days... But, as if to make up for that, we have a New Thing… AMPLIFY! is an online virtual film festival — which, in short, means you can enjoy it if you live anywhere in the UK.Read more here.
Hopefully, more reviews next Sunday.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
A later-than-normal update again, because a bunch of stuff turned up on Saturday morning (that's why I set this to normally post at 3pm on Saturday, but it's no good if lots turns up when I'm busy with something else). By "lots" I primarily mean "something to think about": three shiny new titles, that's easy; but I picked up the Universal Classic Monsters 30-film Blu-ray set (which contains 31 films) in Amazon's Prime Day sale and that causes dilemmas. Does it replace my existing 8-film 'highlights' Blu-ray set? Does it also replace my similar DVD set? You might think "duh, of course", but the DVD set comes with some physical extras I'd like to keep.
For now, I've just added it as a brand-new title. Long-term, I suspect the 8-film set will go, but the DVDs won't — I've no need for those discs anymore, so I could sell them and keep the physical extras; but as that wouldn't save me any space (and the DVDs would only make a pittance), what's the point?
Number of titles in collection: 2,456 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,087 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,369 [up 4]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 80 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,341 [up 28]
Number of films: 2,812 [up 34]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,975 [no change]
Number of short films: 766 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
A later-than-normal update again, because a bunch of stuff turned up on Saturday morning (that's why I set this to normally post at 3pm on Saturday, but it's no good if lots turns up when I'm busy with something else). By "lots" I primarily mean "something to think about": three shiny new titles, that's easy; but I picked up the Universal Classic Monsters 30-film Blu-ray set (which contains 31 films) in Amazon's Prime Day sale and that causes dilemmas. Does it replace my existing 8-film 'highlights' Blu-ray set? Does it also replace my similar DVD set? You might think "duh, of course", but the DVD set comes with some physical extras I'd like to keep.
For now, I've just added it as a brand-new title. Long-term, I suspect the 8-film set will go, but the DVDs won't — I've no need for those discs anymore, so I could sell them and keep the physical extras; but as that wouldn't save me any space (and the DVDs would only make a pittance), what's the point?
Number of titles in collection: 2,456 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,087 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,369 [up 4]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 80 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,341 [up 28]
Number of films: 2,812 [up 34]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,975 [no change]
Number of short films: 766 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Saturday, 24 October 2020
TV
The Great British Bake Off
11x04 Chocolate Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x04 Daemons' Roost [Christmas special; series finale]
It's been almost four years since this episode aired — not as long as the longest gap in the series' history (just under five years between the series four finale and The Grinning Man), but you can see why websites have decided this is probably the final-ever instalment (it certainly is for now, at least). If that's the case, it's not a bad one to go out on: a lot better than other recent episodes, and with some nice nods to the series' history.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
11x04 Chocolate Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x04 Daemons' Roost [Christmas special; series finale]
It's been almost four years since this episode aired — not as long as the longest gap in the series' history (just under five years between the series four finale and The Grinning Man), but you can see why websites have decided this is probably the final-ever instalment (it certainly is for now, at least). If that's the case, it's not a bad one to go out on: a lot better than other recent episodes, and with some nice nods to the series' history.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Down with Love (2003)
[#228 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Puzzle (2018)
[#229 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
[#228 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Puzzle (2018)
[#229 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Friday, 23 October 2020
TV
Elementary
7x08 Miss Understood
Who Dares Wins
12x05 (27/7/19 edition)
Young Wallander
1x06 Bomb [season finale]
Well, that was... less than great. "Bomb" indeed. Full review in my next 100 Films TV column.
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
7x08 Miss Understood
Who Dares Wins
12x05 (27/7/19 edition)
Young Wallander
1x06 Bomb [season finale]
Well, that was... less than great. "Bomb" indeed. Full review in my next 100 Films TV column.
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Thursday, 22 October 2020
TV
Ghosts
1x01 Who Do You Think You Are? [2nd watch]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
7x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Young Wallander
1x05 Billionaire's Black Tie
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
1x01 Who Do You Think You Are? [2nd watch]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
7x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Young Wallander
1x05 Billionaire's Black Tie
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Wednesday, 21 October 2020
TV
Elementary
7x07 From Russia with Drugs
The Great British Bake Off
11x03 Bread Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Young Wallander
1x04 Assassination Closed?
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
7x07 From Russia with Drugs
The Great British Bake Off
11x03 Bread Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Young Wallander
1x04 Assassination Closed?
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Tuesday, 20 October 2020
TV
Jonathan Creek
5x03 The Curse of the Bronze Lamp [season finale]
An array of terrible subplots make you wish this episode was considerably shorter (it’s only an hour but feels like two), but its mystery is still the nearest these latter-day Creeks have come to its heyday highs.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Young Wallander
1x03 Mona & Munck Connection
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
5x03 The Curse of the Bronze Lamp [season finale]
An array of terrible subplots make you wish this episode was considerably shorter (it’s only an hour but feels like two), but its mystery is still the nearest these latter-day Creeks have come to its heyday highs.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Young Wallander
1x03 Mona & Munck Connection
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Monday, 19 October 2020
TV
Elementary
7x06 Command: Delete
Who Dares Wins
12x04 (20/7/19 edition)
Young Wallander
1x02 Nightclub Smugglers
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
7x06 Command: Delete
Who Dares Wins
12x04 (20/7/19 edition)
Young Wallander
1x02 Nightclub Smugglers
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Sunday, 18 October 2020
TV
Elementary
7x05 Into the Woods
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
7x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
7x05 Into the Woods
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
7x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
As mentioned last week, this update brings Back to the Future in 4K, and with it uncertainty what to do with my old Blu-ray copy. I bought the tin edition with lots of bits & bobs in it. I'd like to keep those, but I don't need the discs anymore. Maybe I could sell the actual Blu-ray set and keep the tin & tat... but it's likely to be worth so little (it sells new for less than £15, probably even lower now there's a new edition) that, if I'm keeping the big ol' tin anyway, is there any point selling some of its contents?
Anyway, while I continue to ponder that into the future, here's this week's overall changes...
Number of titles in collection: 2,452 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,087 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,365 [up 4]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 80 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 6,313 [up 14]
Number of films: 2,778 [up 4]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,975 [up 11]
Number of short films: 765 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
As mentioned last week, this update brings Back to the Future in 4K, and with it uncertainty what to do with my old Blu-ray copy. I bought the tin edition with lots of bits & bobs in it. I'd like to keep those, but I don't need the discs anymore. Maybe I could sell the actual Blu-ray set and keep the tin & tat... but it's likely to be worth so little (it sells new for less than £15, probably even lower now there's a new edition) that, if I'm keeping the big ol' tin anyway, is there any point selling some of its contents?
Anyway, while I continue to ponder that into the future, here's this week's overall changes...
Number of titles in collection: 2,452 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,087 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,365 [up 4]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 80 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 6,313 [up 14]
Number of films: 2,778 [up 4]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,975 [up 11]
Number of short films: 765 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
this week on 100 Films
This week on 100 Films in a Year began with another lengthy TV column...
And there was 1 new film review, too...
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
More next Sunday.
And there was 1 new film review, too...
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
If it all sounds a bit predictable, director Marielle Heller dodges that with some indie-movie-esque flourishes. There’s a touch of Wes Anderson to how she uses Mr Rogers’ TV show, switching into Academy ratio to demarcate us entering a different ‘world’ — not just literally clips from the show, but bookend narration, dream sequences, location transitions, and so on.Read more here.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 17 October 2020
TV
The Great British Bake Off
11x02 Biscuit Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x02 The Sinner and the Sandman
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Young Wallander
1x01 Anti Immigration at Home
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
11x02 Biscuit Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x02 The Sinner and the Sandman
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Young Wallander
1x01 Anti Immigration at Home
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Friday, 16 October 2020
Tuesday, 13 October 2020
Monday, 12 October 2020
Films
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
[#224 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Some Beasts (2019)
[#225 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
[#224 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Some Beasts (2019)
[#225 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Sunday, 11 October 2020
TV
Monty Python Conquers America
Hour-long documentary (available on Netflix) about the unlikely-but-true story of how Monty Python came to be so popular in the US.
Hour-long documentary (available on Netflix) about the unlikely-but-true story of how Monty Python came to be so popular in the US.
this week on 100 Films
5 new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week...
Bloodshot (2020)
The 100-Week Roundup XIII
More next Sunday.
Bloodshot (2020)
Like those half-arsed efforts of old, Bloodshot is, when taken as a brain-off sci-fi actioner, mostly adequate. That’s about the best that can be said for it. I was going to say that it’s probably bland enough to scrape a passing grade, but, the further I get from it, the more it lessens in my memory.Read more here.
The 100-Week Roundup XIII
Featuring...Read more here.
- TiMER
- Suspiria (1977)
- Matinee
- The Producers (1967)
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 10 October 2020
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Just two new titles this week: one regular ol' Blu-ray and one BD-to-4K upgrade.
Number of titles in collection: 2,449 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,088 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,361 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 78 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 6,299 [up 2]
Number of films: 2,774 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [no change]
Number of short films: 765 [up 1]
Next week will hopefully bring Back to the Future in 4K, and another dilemma about whether to keep or sell my old Blu-ray copy. See you then, faithful reader.
Just two new titles this week: one regular ol' Blu-ray and one BD-to-4K upgrade.
Number of titles in collection: 2,449 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,088 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,361 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 78 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 6,299 [up 2]
Number of films: 2,774 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [no change]
Number of short films: 765 [up 1]
Next week will hopefully bring Back to the Future in 4K, and another dilemma about whether to keep or sell my old Blu-ray copy. See you then, faithful reader.
Thursday, 8 October 2020
Wednesday, 7 October 2020
Monday, 5 October 2020
Films
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
[#220 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Live and Let Die (1973)
[4th watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #40. It was James Bond day today, so it seemed only right to watch a Bond film. The date marks the release of the first Bond film, but I watched the first Roger Moore one instead because, well, that's where I'm at in my rewatch (which has been going on since this anniversary in 2012. Eight films in eight years? That's not deliberate, I've just accidentally been horrendously tardy. But I better pick up the pace, otherwise it's going to take until 2036 just to get to Spectre again…)
[#220 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Live and Let Die (1973)
[4th watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #40. It was James Bond day today, so it seemed only right to watch a Bond film. The date marks the release of the first Bond film, but I watched the first Roger Moore one instead because, well, that's where I'm at in my rewatch (which has been going on since this anniversary in 2012. Eight films in eight years? That's not deliberate, I've just accidentally been horrendously tardy. But I better pick up the pace, otherwise it's going to take until 2036 just to get to Spectre again…)
Sunday, 4 October 2020
this week on 100 Films
A new month meant a new monthly review over at 100 Films in a Year this week...
And there was 1 new film review, too...
Enola Holmes (2020)
More next Sunday.
And there was 1 new film review, too...
Enola Holmes (2020)
As a story set in the world of Sherlock Holmes, Enola Holmes is… well… um… but then, it’s not really about him. While I don’t imagine Sherlockians will be inducting this into their favourite screen iterations of the Great Detective, it works as a female-led YA mystery-adventure.Read more here.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 3 October 2020
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Finally, as promised, the much-delayed monthly running time update!
Before I get to that, I also removed those titles I mentioned last week. That would've sent several stats down (in reality, it should've just been fewer increases last week rather than decreases this week), but I also bought some new stuff (of course), so there are actually some increases instead.
Number of titles in collection: 2,448 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,088 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,360 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 77 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 6,297 [up 2]
Number of films: 2,773 [up 5]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [no change]
Number of short films: 764 [no change]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
457 days and 14 hours exactly.
(Up 1 day, 9 hours, and 17 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Finally, as promised, the much-delayed monthly running time update!
Before I get to that, I also removed those titles I mentioned last week. That would've sent several stats down (in reality, it should've just been fewer increases last week rather than decreases this week), but I also bought some new stuff (of course), so there are actually some increases instead.
Number of titles in collection: 2,448 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,088 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,360 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 77 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 6,297 [up 2]
Number of films: 2,773 [up 5]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [no change]
Number of short films: 764 [no change]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
457 days and 14 hours exactly.
(Up 1 day, 9 hours, and 17 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 2 October 2020
Music
Mouth Dreams by Neil Cicierega
So, recently, apropos of nothing, I started listening to my favourite tracks from Neil Cicierega's Mouth albums again, for the first time in ages (here's when I first discovered them, a little over two years ago). After a few days of that, I decided I should look to see if he'd ever done a fourth one... only to find it just came out a couple of days ago! Life is weird. Anyway, of course I had to play it immediately.
You can listen to it for free here.
So, recently, apropos of nothing, I started listening to my favourite tracks from Neil Cicierega's Mouth albums again, for the first time in ages (here's when I first discovered them, a little over two years ago). After a few days of that, I decided I should look to see if he'd ever done a fourth one... only to find it just came out a couple of days ago! Life is weird. Anyway, of course I had to play it immediately.
You can listen to it for free here.
Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Films
Lost in La Mancha (2002)
[#217 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
He Dreams of Giants (2019)
[#218 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Completing a triple-bill with yesterday's film. (For those who don't know, Lost in La Mancha is about Terry Gilliam's failed attempt to film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, while He Dreams of Giants documents his success in making it almost 20 years later.)
[#217 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
He Dreams of Giants (2019)
[#218 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Completing a triple-bill with yesterday's film. (For those who don't know, Lost in La Mancha is about Terry Gilliam's failed attempt to film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, while He Dreams of Giants documents his success in making it almost 20 years later.)
Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Monday, 28 September 2020
Sunday, 27 September 2020
Films
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
[6th watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #39. Continuing the 4K M:I rewatch that I started back in May. Didn't necessarily intend for them to be so spread out, but there's no rush either.
[6th watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #39. Continuing the 4K M:I rewatch that I started back in May. Didn't necessarily intend for them to be so spread out, but there's no rush either.
Saturday, 26 September 2020
TV
Jonathan Creek
5x01 The Letters of Septimus Noone
What an odd episode! We see the murder happen when it happens, leaving Jonathan to solve a mystery we already know the solution to. It’s like it was written and/or directed and/or edited by people who’ve never seen a murder mystery before. No wonder it’s the series’ lowest-rated episode on IMDb.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
5x01 The Letters of Septimus Noone
What an odd episode! We see the murder happen when it happens, leaving Jonathan to solve a mystery we already know the solution to. It’s like it was written and/or directed and/or edited by people who’ve never seen a murder mystery before. No wonder it’s the series’ lowest-rated episode on IMDb.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Enola Holmes (2020)
[#214 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
The Hippopotamus (2017)
[#213 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
[#214 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
The Hippopotamus (2017)
[#213 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
I promised one of those stats this week would be the delayed monthly running time update, but I've been too busy to sort that out; not to mention that this week's additions include some uncertainties.
How so? Well, I upgraded a DVD to Blu-ray, but I'm not sure if I'm keeping the DVD too; and I upgraded a pair of Blu-rays to a 4K box set, but I'm not sure if I'm keeping the Blu-rays too. I should probably get rid of them all (my collection can't keep expanding indefinitely!), but, I don't know, it's some kind of sentimental attachment, I guess.
For now, I've just added the additions and made no subtractions. My plan is to make decisions (hopefully "get rid of"!) by next week, in time for the very-delayed-but-definitely-going-to-happen 'monthly' running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 2,447 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,358 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 74 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 6,295 [up 10]
Number of films: 2,768 [up 4]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [no change]
Number of short films: 764 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
I promised one of those stats this week would be the delayed monthly running time update, but I've been too busy to sort that out; not to mention that this week's additions include some uncertainties.
How so? Well, I upgraded a DVD to Blu-ray, but I'm not sure if I'm keeping the DVD too; and I upgraded a pair of Blu-rays to a 4K box set, but I'm not sure if I'm keeping the Blu-rays too. I should probably get rid of them all (my collection can't keep expanding indefinitely!), but, I don't know, it's some kind of sentimental attachment, I guess.
For now, I've just added the additions and made no subtractions. My plan is to make decisions (hopefully "get rid of"!) by next week, in time for the very-delayed-but-definitely-going-to-happen 'monthly' running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 2,447 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,358 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 74 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 6,295 [up 10]
Number of films: 2,768 [up 4]
Number of additional cuts: 187 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [no change]
Number of short films: 764 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 25 September 2020
TV
Criminal: United Kingdom
2x04 Sandeep [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Elementary
7x04 Red Light, Green Light
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
7x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
2x04 Sandeep [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Elementary
7x04 Red Light, Green Light
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
7x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Thursday, 24 September 2020
TV
Criminal: United Kingdom
2x03 Danielle
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Elementary
7x03 The Price of Admission
The Great British Bake Off
11x01 Cake Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
2x03 Danielle
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Elementary
7x03 The Price of Admission
The Great British Bake Off
11x01 Cake Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Wednesday, 23 September 2020
TV
Elementary
7x02 Gutshot
Jonathan Creek
5x00c The Clue of the Savant's Thumb [Easter special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Who Dares Wins
12x03 (13/7/19 edition)
7x02 Gutshot
Jonathan Creek
5x00c The Clue of the Savant's Thumb [Easter special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Who Dares Wins
12x03 (13/7/19 edition)
Tuesday, 22 September 2020
TV
Criminal: United Kingdom
2x02 Alex
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Elementary
7x01 The Further Adventures
Strike
3x04 Lethal White Part 4 [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
2x02 Alex
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Elementary
7x01 The Further Adventures
Strike
3x04 Lethal White Part 4 [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Monday, 21 September 2020
TV
The Rookie
2x19 The Q Word
2x20 The Hunt [season finale]
Strike
3x03 Lethal White Part 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Who Dares Wins
12x02 (11/5/19 edition)
2x19 The Q Word
2x20 The Hunt [season finale]
Strike
3x03 Lethal White Part 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Who Dares Wins
12x02 (11/5/19 edition)
Sunday, 20 September 2020
TV
Criminal: United Kingdom
2x01 Julia
Remember how this was originally made by four different countries doing the same format? Only the UK one seems to have been recommissioned, and in all the press pushing this second season (of which there's been a surprising amount) I don't think I've seen a single mention of the original multi-country setup. Considering that was a selling point first time round, you'd think it'd at least warrant a mention...
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Friday Night Dinner
6x06 The Females [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Insert Name Here
4x08 Rob [series finale]
Strike
3x02 Lethal White Part 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
2x01 Julia
Remember how this was originally made by four different countries doing the same format? Only the UK one seems to have been recommissioned, and in all the press pushing this second season (of which there's been a surprising amount) I don't think I've seen a single mention of the original multi-country setup. Considering that was a selling point first time round, you'd think it'd at least warrant a mention...
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Friday Night Dinner
6x06 The Females [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Insert Name Here
4x08 Rob [series finale]
Strike
3x02 Lethal White Part 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
this week on 100 Films
9 new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week...
Bait (2019)
Bill & Ted’s Double-Bill
Safety Last! (1923)
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
The 100-Week Roundup XII
More next Sunday.
Bait (2019)
The past and the present — the old ways and the new — clash head-on in Mark Jenkin’s Bait, both in its storyline and its production... It was shot on 16mm black-and-white stock with a wind-up camera, with all the sound post-synced... it’s actually a wonderful marriage of form and content; the earthy, hand-hewn visuals reflect the film’s themes.Read more here.
Bill & Ted’s Double-Bill
As Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) slightly belatedly face the music in UK cinemas, now seemed a good time to review their first excellent adventure and second bogus journey…Read more here.
Safety Last! (1923)
The first two-thirds of the film are a very solid 4-out-of-5 farce, but the final act mixes laughs with thrills in a perfectly executed, constantly escalating sequence that is a 6-out-of-5-level climax.Read more here.
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
“I’ll be back,” the Terminator famously said in The Terminator, and he has been proven right — again and again. And again. This may be a franchise about time travel, but it’s us who seem to be stuck in some kind of time loop, because this is now the third attempt at creating a direct sequel to Terminator 2... As well as being the third Terminator 3, Dark Fate is also the third attempt to start a new trilogy, and is now the third to see those plans aborted after poor box office.Read more here.
The 100-Week Roundup XII
Featuring...Read more here.
- Bridget Jones's Baby
- Network
- Prevenge
- Ran
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 19 September 2020
TV
Insert Name Here
4x06 Liz
4x07 Jules
The Rookie
2x18 Under the Gun
Strike
3x01 Lethal White Part 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
4x06 Liz
4x07 Jules
The Rookie
2x18 Under the Gun
Strike
3x01 Lethal White Part 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Two new additions this week, one a box set, so plenty of bits & bobs to add.
Number of titles in collection: 2,444 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,355 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 72 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,285 [up 7]
Number of films: 2,764 [up 5]
Number of additional cuts: 186 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [up 6]
Number of short films: 764 [up 2]
It's also meant to be the running time update this week, but I've been too busy to get that ready to go, unfortunately. Hopefully I'll get it sorted in time for next week, but it may even have to get pushed to the week after.
Either way, see you next week, faithful reader.
Two new additions this week, one a box set, so plenty of bits & bobs to add.
Number of titles in collection: 2,444 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,355 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 72 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,285 [up 7]
Number of films: 2,764 [up 5]
Number of additional cuts: 186 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 8,964 [up 6]
Number of short films: 764 [up 2]
It's also meant to be the running time update this week, but I've been too busy to get that ready to go, unfortunately. Hopefully I'll get it sorted in time for next week, but it may even have to get pushed to the week after.
Either way, see you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 18 September 2020
TV
Celebrity Mastermind
2019/2020 Episode 6 (of 10)
Friday Night Dinner
6x05 The Cage
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x00b The Judas Tree [Easter special; 2nd watch]
When I first watched this in 2010, I commented it wasn't "vintage Creek". It's far-fetched even by the series' own standards, and whether it all really hangs together is certainly debatable.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
2019/2020 Episode 6 (of 10)
Friday Night Dinner
6x05 The Cage
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x00b The Judas Tree [Easter special; 2nd watch]
When I first watched this in 2010, I commented it wasn't "vintage Creek". It's far-fetched even by the series' own standards, and whether it all really hangs together is certainly debatable.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Thursday, 17 September 2020
TV
The Twilight Zone
5x13 Ring-a-Ding Girl
5x30 Stopover in a Quiet Town
And that completes my "best of" selection! From now on they're just "episodes" (until I do another "worst of", anyway).
5x13 Ring-a-Ding Girl
5x30 Stopover in a Quiet Town
And that completes my "best of" selection! From now on they're just "episodes" (until I do another "worst of", anyway).
Wednesday, 16 September 2020
TV
The Twilight Zone
4x13 The New Exhibit
+ audio commentary by TZ expert Marc Scott Zicree and Bill Warren, author of a book about classic sci-fi films.
I'm almost at the end of my "best of" picks here, which represent the top 33% of the series (according to the average of various ranking lists), and this is the second and last episode included from season 4. It really is a widely disliked season. On the commentary, even the usually praise-full Zicree is mostly quite critical of this episode!
4x13 The New Exhibit
+ audio commentary by TZ expert Marc Scott Zicree and Bill Warren, author of a book about classic sci-fi films.
I'm almost at the end of my "best of" picks here, which represent the top 33% of the series (according to the average of various ranking lists), and this is the second and last episode included from season 4. It really is a widely disliked season. On the commentary, even the usually praise-full Zicree is mostly quite critical of this episode!
Tuesday, 15 September 2020
TV
Hannah Gadsby: Douglas
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Twilight Zone
1x02 One for the Angels
2x05 The Howling Man
2x23 A Hundred Yards Over the Rim
3x19 The Hunt
Starting on my 10th (and final) "best of" selection.
+ the commentary on The Hunt by the episode's writer, Earl Hamner, and TZ expert Marc Scott Zicree
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Twilight Zone
1x02 One for the Angels
2x05 The Howling Man
2x23 A Hundred Yards Over the Rim
3x19 The Hunt
Starting on my 10th (and final) "best of" selection.
+ the commentary on The Hunt by the episode's writer, Earl Hamner, and TZ expert Marc Scott Zicree
Monday, 14 September 2020
Sunday, 13 September 2020
Films
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
[#207 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
For the Love of Spock (2016)
[#208 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
[#207 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
For the Love of Spock (2016)
[#208 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Music
A Curious Thing by Amy Macdonald
Life in a Beautiful Light by Amy Macdonald
I can't post listen counts for these older Amy MacDonald albums, because for some reason iTunes has lost that information; but it has been over seven years since I listened to any of them. They all feel very familiar, though, because they were listened to a lot and they're good. (Next up: the one I only just bought.)
Life in a Beautiful Light by Amy Macdonald
I can't post listen counts for these older Amy MacDonald albums, because for some reason iTunes has lost that information; but it has been over seven years since I listened to any of them. They all feel very familiar, though, because they were listened to a lot and they're good. (Next up: the one I only just bought.)
this week on 100 Films
8 new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week...
Before Midnight (2013)
Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
Le Mans ’66 (2019) (2019)
Love on a Leash (2011)
Memories of Murder (2003)
The 100-Week Roundup XI
More next Sunday.
Before Midnight (2013)
The first two films are marked by an unreserved romanticism. Midnight is notably different, abandoning that lovey-dovey-ness and replacing it with a powerful examination of the tension in a long-term relationship. In some respects, it’s all the better for it. That’s in no way a criticism of the previous films, but it’s realistic that, as time goes on, people change. They can’t be young-spirited and full of the joys of first love forever.Read more here.
Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
the crazy story of how a director of surrealist Mexican art-films came this close to making an epic space opera out of one of the most acclaimed science-fiction novels ever written, but, in his failure, accidentally helped give birth to Star Wars (sort of), Alien (indirectly), and possibly the entire history of screen science-fiction that did actually get made in the ensuing 40 years. Sounds like a bit of a stretch? Um, well, yeah… but that doesn’t stop some of this documentary’s contributors from asserting it, and they do kind of have evidence.Read more here.
Le Mans ’66 (2019) (2019)
It might look like a film for car nuts, and I’m sure they’ll get a lot out of it... but the rest of us are by no means left out, thanks to involving characters and exciting race scenes, even if some plot beats border on clichéd. Le Mans ’66 may not reinvent the wheel, but it works hard at refining it.Read more here.
Love on a Leash (2011)
how do you rate a film like this? As an exercise in moviemaking, it’s a 1. The storyline is borderline nonsensical; it’s shot like an amateur using a camcorder for the first time; the sound mix is so unfinished I’m not sure it was ever started… And yet it’s constantly enjoyable, partly through a “so bad it’s good” hilarity (see the aforementioned terrible filmmaking), but also for the barminess with which it conducts itself, the relentless forward momentum of the storyline leading us in unpredictable narrative directions.Read more here.
Memories of Murder (2003)
Loosely based on the true story of Korea’s first serial murders, and taking a procedural approach to the crime thriller genre, Memories of Murder invites comparison to David Fincher’s Zodiac for its methodical, realistic narrative style and plot that follows obsessed investigators chasing unsolved murders in the past. Zodiac is one of my favourite films, so it’s a tall order to be pitched against it. Fortunately, Memories of Murder is strong enough to withstand the comparison.Read more here.
The 100-Week Roundup XI
Featuring...Read more here.
- Compulsion
- Courage Under Fire
- Heathers
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 12 September 2020
Films
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)
[#205 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Vice (2018)
[#206 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
With this, I've finally seen every Oscar Best Picture nominee from the last five years. Next stop: the last ten years (got ten more films to see before I've managed that, though).
[#205 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Vice (2018)
[#206 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
With this, I've finally seen every Oscar Best Picture nominee from the last five years. Next stop: the last ten years (got ten more films to see before I've managed that, though).
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Just two new additions this week, one a BD-to-4K upgrade, so it looks like just one. There's a few things currently in the post though, which should arrive just in time for next week's monthly running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 2,442 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,353 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 72 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 6,278 [up 2]
Number of films: 2,759 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 185 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 762 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Just two new additions this week, one a BD-to-4K upgrade, so it looks like just one. There's a few things currently in the post though, which should arrive just in time for next week's monthly running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 2,442 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,353 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 72 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 6,278 [up 2]
Number of films: 2,759 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 185 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 762 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 11 September 2020
Fiction
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
6 The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual
Another of the top-ranked Holmes stories. Not my favourite, but it has its clever points.
6 The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual
Another of the top-ranked Holmes stories. Not my favourite, but it has its clever points.
Thursday, 10 September 2020
Films
All About Eve (1950)
[#204 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
As part of Blindspot 2020, a leftover from WDYMYHS 2019.
[#204 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
As part of Blindspot 2020, a leftover from WDYMYHS 2019.
Wednesday, 9 September 2020
Music
This Is the Life by Amy Macdonald
Amy Macdonald has a new album on the way; and, like the Killers recently, this made me realise I'd never bought her last one, and hadn't listened to any of it for years. So, similar to the Killers, here I go again, relistening to the back catalogue before getting to the unheard ones.
Amy Macdonald has a new album on the way; and, like the Killers recently, this made me realise I'd never bought her last one, and hadn't listened to any of it for years. So, similar to the Killers, here I go again, relistening to the back catalogue before getting to the unheard ones.
Tuesday, 8 September 2020
Films
Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
[2nd watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #38. On my mind, with the new Dune trailer out tomorrow(!)
[2nd watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #38. On my mind, with the new Dune trailer out tomorrow(!)
Monday, 7 September 2020
Sunday, 6 September 2020
Films
Anand (1971)
[#201 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Ikiru (1952)
[#202 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
As part of Blindspot 2020, a leftover from WDYMYHS 2019.
+ Alex Cox’s 15-minute introduction on the BFI DVD, over half of which is a Kurosawa biography rather than specifically about the film
Apropos of nothing, these are both films about men dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis. (After watching Anand I read that it was partly inspired by Ikiru, so that planted the seed of choosing to watch the latter.)
[#201 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Ikiru (1952)
[#202 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
As part of Blindspot 2020, a leftover from WDYMYHS 2019.
+ Alex Cox’s 15-minute introduction on the BFI DVD, over half of which is a Kurosawa biography rather than specifically about the film
Apropos of nothing, these are both films about men dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis. (After watching Anand I read that it was partly inspired by Ikiru, so that planted the seed of choosing to watch the latter.)
Music
Imploding the Mirage by the Killers
I've not read any full reviews, but I get the impression this has been the Killers' best-received album for years, and I'd agree -- even though I've only listened to the last two recently, and they did grow on me, I instantly enjoyed this a lot more than either of those. I'm not entirely sure about standout tracks yet, but my initial favourites are My God, Caution, Lightning Fields, and the title track.
I've not read any full reviews, but I get the impression this has been the Killers' best-received album for years, and I'd agree -- even though I've only listened to the last two recently, and they did grow on me, I instantly enjoyed this a lot more than either of those. I'm not entirely sure about standout tracks yet, but my initial favourites are My God, Caution, Lightning Fields, and the title track.
this week on 100 Films
The big news at 100 Films in a Year this week was a special announcement...
In regular business, a new month began this week, so it was time to look back at the old one...
There was also a new TV column, packed to bursting...
And there were even 4 new film reviews, too...
The 100-Week Roundup X
More next Sunday.
In regular business, a new month began this week, so it was time to look back at the old one...
There was also a new TV column, packed to bursting...
And there were even 4 new film reviews, too...
The 100-Week Roundup X
Featuring...Read more here.
- Lost in the Space
- Skyline
- April and the Extraordinary World
- I Kill Giants
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 5 September 2020
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Except that, for the first time in over three months, there's nothing to report! I'm sure it'll pick up again before I know it...
Number of titles in collection: 2,441 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,352 [no change]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 71 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,276 [no change]
Number of films: 2,758 [no change]
Number of additional cuts: 185 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 762 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Except that, for the first time in over three months, there's nothing to report! I'm sure it'll pick up again before I know it...
Number of titles in collection: 2,441 [no change]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,352 [no change]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 71 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,276 [no change]
Number of films: 2,758 [no change]
Number of additional cuts: 185 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 762 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 4 September 2020
TV
Cobra Kai
1x01 Ace Degenerate
1x02 Strike First
1x03 Esqueleto
1x04 Cobra Kai Never Dies
1x05 Counterbalance
When I sat down to start this, I didn’t intend to watch half the first season in one sitting, but turns out it’s pretty addictive. It helps that the episodes are short, really feeding the “just one more” feeling. In fact, because they’re around 25 minutes each, this still only totals a bit over 2 hours of viewing — like a double-bill of a usual streaming drama.
[Watch seasons 1&2 (again) on Netflix.]
1x01 Ace Degenerate
1x02 Strike First
1x03 Esqueleto
1x04 Cobra Kai Never Dies
1x05 Counterbalance
When I sat down to start this, I didn’t intend to watch half the first season in one sitting, but turns out it’s pretty addictive. It helps that the episodes are short, really feeding the “just one more” feeling. In fact, because they’re around 25 minutes each, this still only totals a bit over 2 hours of viewing — like a double-bill of a usual streaming drama.
[Watch seasons 1&2 (again) on Netflix.]
Thursday, 3 September 2020
Films
In the Mood for Love (2000)
[#200 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Blindspot 2020 #8, and my third-ever #200! I wrote something about that milestone here.
[#200 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
Blindspot 2020 #8, and my third-ever #200! I wrote something about that milestone here.
Music
Wonderful Wonderful by the Killers
The second album in my Killers catchup. Battle Born quickly grew on me after just a couple of additional plays, but I can't say the same for this. The Man is great, and The Calling is pretty good, but I didn't care for most of the rest. Oh well.
Hot Fuss by the Killers
[9th listen]
So, I went back to the Killers' debut record to see if it was just that my taste had changed and left them behind. Nope -- this features banger after banger. It's not all perfect (it tails off a bit at the end), but there's at least half-a-dozen all-timer tracks here.
The second album in my Killers catchup. Battle Born quickly grew on me after just a couple of additional plays, but I can't say the same for this. The Man is great, and The Calling is pretty good, but I didn't care for most of the rest. Oh well.
Hot Fuss by the Killers
[9th listen]
So, I went back to the Killers' debut record to see if it was just that my taste had changed and left them behind. Nope -- this features banger after banger. It's not all perfect (it tails off a bit at the end), but there's at least half-a-dozen all-timer tracks here.
Wednesday, 2 September 2020
Music
Battle Born by the Killers
So, the Killers recently released their sixth studio album, which made me realise I'd never got round to listening to their fourth (from 2012) or even bought their fifth (from 2017). Now I have all three and am catching up. Sadly, I didn't think a great deal of this one on my first listen — I didn't feel like I'd missed out by not listening to it for eight years. I liked a couple of tracks, though (mainly The Rising Tide and Battle Born); and I listened to it again and felt less ambivalent. I'm not sure it's going to be a favourite, but maybe it improves with repeat listens.
So, the Killers recently released their sixth studio album, which made me realise I'd never got round to listening to their fourth (from 2012) or even bought their fifth (from 2017). Now I have all three and am catching up. Sadly, I didn't think a great deal of this one on my first listen — I didn't feel like I'd missed out by not listening to it for eight years. I liked a couple of tracks, though (mainly The Rising Tide and Battle Born); and I listened to it again and felt less ambivalent. I'm not sure it's going to be a favourite, but maybe it improves with repeat listens.
Monday, 31 August 2020
TV
Agatha Raisin
3x04 As the Pig Turns [season finale]
Friday Night Dinner
6x04 Dad's Birthday
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off
10x10 The Final [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x10 Episode 10 [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Lucifer
5x08 Spoiler Alert
And that's it for now -- this is a "mid-season finale", because Netflix have decided to split the fifth run in two.
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
3x04 As the Pig Turns [season finale]
Friday Night Dinner
6x04 Dad's Birthday
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off
10x10 The Final [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x10 Episode 10 [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Lucifer
5x08 Spoiler Alert
And that's it for now -- this is a "mid-season finale", because Netflix have decided to split the fifth run in two.
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
Films
Dressed to Kill (1946)
[2nd watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #37. That completes my rewatch of the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films. The first time it took me eight years; this time it's taken eight months.
[2nd watch]
Rewatchathon 2020 #37. That completes my rewatch of the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films. The first time it took me eight years; this time it's taken eight months.
Sunday, 30 August 2020
TV
The Great British Bake Off
10x09 Pâtisserie Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x00a The Grinning Man [Christmas special]
There was a five-year gap between the last series of Creek and this one-off special, which led to it doing big numbers in the ratings, and then more specials being commissioned. iPlayer and stuff like that list those specials as part of series 4, which is daft given that big gap; but they're also not part of series 5, which came several years later. Numbering systems for TV series aren't really built for shows that pop back and forth between one-offs and full series... Anyway, for now I'm going to number all those specials as "5x00" because I don't have a better answer.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x06 BlueBallz
5x07 Our Mojo
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x17 Control
10x09 Pâtisserie Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
5x00a The Grinning Man [Christmas special]
There was a five-year gap between the last series of Creek and this one-off special, which led to it doing big numbers in the ratings, and then more specials being commissioned. iPlayer and stuff like that list those specials as part of series 4, which is daft given that big gap; but they're also not part of series 5, which came several years later. Numbering systems for TV series aren't really built for shows that pop back and forth between one-offs and full series... Anyway, for now I'm going to number all those specials as "5x00" because I don't have a better answer.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x06 BlueBallz
5x07 Our Mojo
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x17 Control
this week on 100 Films
2 new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week...
Ready or Not (2019)
Venom (2018)
More next Sunday.
Ready or Not (2019)
definitely a comedy-horror, with more laughs than scares and an appropriate amount of gore. It obviously owes a debt to other movies, or at least has points of similarity (You’re Next particularly comes to mind), but it also has a few nice subversions and doesn’t always go the way you’d thinkRead more here.
Venom (2018)
I wasn’t sure what I thought of Venom. It’s kind of fun, in a juvenile way (juvenile like teenagers who think violence and edgy dialogue is “grown up”). But it’s also kind of rubbish in places, in part because it can be so juvenile (juvenile like… yeah, same again).Read more here.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 29 August 2020
TV
Jonathan Creek
4x06 Gorgons Wood [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x05 Detective Amenadiel
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x16 The Overnight
4x06 Gorgons Wood [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x05 Detective Amenadiel
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x16 The Overnight
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Even as I try to cut back, I can't help buying more! This week's lot includes three titles from Masters of Cinema (one new release, two from a sale), with 6 films between them.
I also bought Arrow's new edition of The Game, which duplicates most (but not quite all) of the special features from the Criterion edition I already own. So I ought to sell that, probably, but haven't made up my mind entirely, so it remains for now.
Number of titles in collection: 2,441 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,352 [up 5]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 71 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,276 [up 9]
Number of films: 2,758 [up 8]
Number of additional cuts: 185 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 762 [up 2]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Even as I try to cut back, I can't help buying more! This week's lot includes three titles from Masters of Cinema (one new release, two from a sale), with 6 films between them.
I also bought Arrow's new edition of The Game, which duplicates most (but not quite all) of the special features from the Criterion edition I already own. So I ought to sell that, probably, but haven't made up my mind entirely, so it remains for now.
Number of titles in collection: 2,441 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,352 [up 5]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 71 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 6,276 [up 9]
Number of films: 2,758 [up 8]
Number of additional cuts: 185 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 762 [up 2]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 28 August 2020
TV
Friday Night Dinner
6x03 The Au Pair
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x05 The Chequered Box
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x04 It Never Ends Well for the Chicken
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x15 Hand-Off
6x03 The Au Pair
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x05 The Chequered Box
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x04 It Never Ends Well for the Chicken
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x15 Hand-Off
Films
The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story (2019)
[#197 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
This documentary was originally produced for US TV, but it's now being pitched as a film by Netflix, so I'm counting it.
[#197 in 100 Films in a Year 2020]
This documentary was originally produced for US TV, but it's now being pitched as a film by Netflix, so I'm counting it.
Thursday, 27 August 2020
TV
The Great British Bake Off
10x08 Pastry
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x04 The Seer of the Sands
Kinda far-fetched, even by Creek's standards, though I liked how important punctuation was!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x03 ¡Diablo!
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x14 Casualties
10x08 Pastry
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x04 The Seer of the Sands
Kinda far-fetched, even by Creek's standards, though I liked how important punctuation was!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x03 ¡Diablo!
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x14 Casualties
Wednesday, 26 August 2020
TV
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x03 The Tailor's Dummy [2nd watch]
As I noted on its first episode, series 4 is when I fell irreparably behind watching Jonathan Creek, but I can’t remember exactly how far I got. I’m sure I watched some of the series, but I haven’t remembered any specifics from any of these first three episodes. At this point there was a year-long gap (effectively splitting it into two three-episode series, not that they get labelled like that, obviously), and I’m fairly certain I never watched any of the second half, so I’ll just leave this as the final “2nd watch” episode.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x02 Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer!
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x13 Follow-Up Day
6x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x03 The Tailor's Dummy [2nd watch]
As I noted on its first episode, series 4 is when I fell irreparably behind watching Jonathan Creek, but I can’t remember exactly how far I got. I’m sure I watched some of the series, but I haven’t remembered any specifics from any of these first three episodes. At this point there was a year-long gap (effectively splitting it into two three-episode series, not that they get labelled like that, obviously), and I’m fairly certain I never watched any of the second half, so I’ll just leave this as the final “2nd watch” episode.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Lucifer
5x02 Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer!
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x13 Follow-Up Day
Tuesday, 25 August 2020
TV
The Great British Bake Off
10x07 Festival Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x02 Angel Hair [2nd watch]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Rookie
2x12 Now and Then
10x07 Festival Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x02 Angel Hair [2nd watch]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Rookie
2x12 Now and Then
Monday, 24 August 2020
TV
Friday Night Dinner
6x02 The Plastic Bag
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Lucifer
5x01 Really Sad Devil Guy
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x10 The Dark Side
2x11 Day of Death
6x02 The Plastic Bag
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
6x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Lucifer
5x01 Really Sad Devil Guy
[Watch it (again) on Netflix.]
The Rookie
2x10 The Dark Side
2x11 Day of Death
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
It's much later than usual this week thanks to several big additions to factor in, and just in time for the monthly running time update, making it that much more thorough.
So, this week's biggest addition is Arrow's complete Gamera box set -- big physically (it's an over-sized box set including two big books) and in terms of content (8 discs with 12 films and 4 alternate cuts, plus bags of extras, including an audio commentary on every film). It's going to take me a while to get through that! Well, I'm still working my way through the Criterion Zatoichi set I bought years ago, and I haven't started their Godzilla set I got for Christmas, so... yeah.
Also from Arrow this week is a 4K release of Pitch Black, which I thought upgraded my DVD copy, but I own the Riddick Collection Blu-ray and, of course, got rid of the DVD when I bought that (why I thought I'd kept the DVD, I don't know). The Riddick Collection also includes short film Dark Fury in SD, which the new Pitch Black includes in HD, and The Chronicles of Riddick film, which means I still need to hang onto it for now.
I also bought another new DVD set this week (silent films again)... but then I upgraded an old DVD set to Blu-ray copies, so they cancel each other out.
Number of titles in collection: 2,436 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,347 [up 4]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 71 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 6,267 [up 13]
Number of films: 2,750 [up 16]
Number of additional cuts: 184 [up 6]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 760 [up 1]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
456 days, 4 hours, and 43 minutes.
(Up 3 days, 9 hours, and 38 minutes from last month.)
It's a year of big increases, because that's second place for the year (behind March) and the fourth to have an increase over 3 days (that means 50% of months this year have seen increases that large). The final tally for 2020 might be a huge one...
See you next week, faithful reader.
It's much later than usual this week thanks to several big additions to factor in, and just in time for the monthly running time update, making it that much more thorough.
So, this week's biggest addition is Arrow's complete Gamera box set -- big physically (it's an over-sized box set including two big books) and in terms of content (8 discs with 12 films and 4 alternate cuts, plus bags of extras, including an audio commentary on every film). It's going to take me a while to get through that! Well, I'm still working my way through the Criterion Zatoichi set I bought years ago, and I haven't started their Godzilla set I got for Christmas, so... yeah.
Also from Arrow this week is a 4K release of Pitch Black, which I thought upgraded my DVD copy, but I own the Riddick Collection Blu-ray and, of course, got rid of the DVD when I bought that (why I thought I'd kept the DVD, I don't know). The Riddick Collection also includes short film Dark Fury in SD, which the new Pitch Black includes in HD, and The Chronicles of Riddick film, which means I still need to hang onto it for now.
I also bought another new DVD set this week (silent films again)... but then I upgraded an old DVD set to Blu-ray copies, so they cancel each other out.
Number of titles in collection: 2,436 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,089 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 1,347 [up 4]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 71 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 6,267 [up 13]
Number of films: 2,750 [up 16]
Number of additional cuts: 184 [up 6]
Number of TV episodes: 8,958 [no change]
Number of short films: 760 [up 1]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
456 days, 4 hours, and 43 minutes.
(Up 3 days, 9 hours, and 38 minutes from last month.)
It's a year of big increases, because that's second place for the year (behind March) and the fourth to have an increase over 3 days (that means 50% of months this year have seen increases that large). The final tally for 2020 might be a huge one...
See you next week, faithful reader.
Sunday, 23 August 2020
TV
The Great British Bake Off
10x06 Dessert Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x01 The Coonskin Cap [2nd watch]
We're getting into the era of Jonathan Creek where I accidentally stopped watching, so I can't remember for certain which of these episodes I've seen; but I'm pretty sure I at least started series 4. (I appreciate this matters to no one but me.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Rookie
2x09 Breaking Point
10x06 Dessert Week
[Watch it (again) on All 4.]
Jonathan Creek
4x01 The Coonskin Cap [2nd watch]
We're getting into the era of Jonathan Creek where I accidentally stopped watching, so I can't remember for certain which of these episodes I've seen; but I'm pretty sure I at least started series 4. (I appreciate this matters to no one but me.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Rookie
2x09 Breaking Point
this week on 100 Films
2 new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week...
The Man Who Laughs (1928)
Yes, God, Yes (2019)
More next Sunday.
The Man Who Laughs (1928)
Perhaps because of the connections to other horror films, and because it inspired such a violent character in the Joker, and because of the publicity stills that inspired that look, and because its production studio (Universal) would shortly become renowned for their iconic interpretations of the cornerstones of horror (Dracula, Frankenstein, et al), The Man Who Laughs has often been cited as a horror movie. It isn’t. It's a romantic melodrama, with a bit of antiestablishment satire and a swashbuckling climax thrown in for good measure.Read more here.
Yes, God, Yes (2019)
It would be easy to label this a “cumming of age movie” (such a pun is certainly not below my level of humour), but it would feel slightly inaccurate. Put another way, if you’ve come to see Nancy Wheeler cum, you’ll be disappointed... Indeed, despite it providing the plot hook and title, wanking is only one part of the film’s exposure of religious hypocrisy.Read more here.
More next Sunday.
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