Friends
1x21 The One with the Fake Monica [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
Vera
3x03 Young Gods
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Comics
A Redtail's Dream by Minna Sundberg
Prologue
This was brought to my attention by an Indiegogo email, because it's currently running an (incredibly successful) campaign to publish a print edition. But because it's a webcomic, you can still read the full thing online for free here, which is certainly handy when it comes to decision-making about backing the project -- especially at the prices involved: although you can get a PDF version for as little as $15 (~£9.50), the fact the book will be over 600 pages long in a lavish hardback with a small print run (because hey, it's free online, so if you're gonna pay for a print edition you wanna go all-out) means prices start at $90 (~£57)!
The comic itself, then, is "about a young Finnish lad named Hannu Viitanen and his shapeshifting, talking dog Ville, who are on a journey to bring back the souls of their fellow villagers from the realm of dreams. Much of the story is inspired by Finnish mythology, and it is quite child friendly and lighthearted." The artwork is lovely, a painterly fairy-tale storybook style that would seem to suit a mythology-based family-friendly tale like a glove.
The story itself, in this prologue, is harder to gauge. There's a long preamble with some foxes chatting about their love of buns. It's Quirky and therefore kinda sickly. It's also thick with dialogue and an occasionally unclear arrangement of speech bubbles. Sundberg is working in a second (or third? She's Finnish-Swedish) language here, so some of that is understandable -- indeed, the vast majority of the time you'd never know, as these overly-wordy pages are the kind of thing you could see in any young person's (she started it in her second year of uni) first dabble in the medium.
At the minute I'm a little torn: I really like the art and it sounds like the hardback will be glorious, and show the artwork off beautifully; but I'm not sold on the writing/storytelling style in the prologue. The plot summary intrigues me though, and perhaps things settle down as Sundberg gets more experienced? The campaign doesn't end for another 2½ weeks, so maybe I'll just get stuck into reading it in the meantime.
Prologue
This was brought to my attention by an Indiegogo email, because it's currently running an (incredibly successful) campaign to publish a print edition. But because it's a webcomic, you can still read the full thing online for free here, which is certainly handy when it comes to decision-making about backing the project -- especially at the prices involved: although you can get a PDF version for as little as $15 (~£9.50), the fact the book will be over 600 pages long in a lavish hardback with a small print run (because hey, it's free online, so if you're gonna pay for a print edition you wanna go all-out) means prices start at $90 (~£57)!
The comic itself, then, is "about a young Finnish lad named Hannu Viitanen and his shapeshifting, talking dog Ville, who are on a journey to bring back the souls of their fellow villagers from the realm of dreams. Much of the story is inspired by Finnish mythology, and it is quite child friendly and lighthearted." The artwork is lovely, a painterly fairy-tale storybook style that would seem to suit a mythology-based family-friendly tale like a glove.
The story itself, in this prologue, is harder to gauge. There's a long preamble with some foxes chatting about their love of buns. It's Quirky and therefore kinda sickly. It's also thick with dialogue and an occasionally unclear arrangement of speech bubbles. Sundberg is working in a second (or third? She's Finnish-Swedish) language here, so some of that is understandable -- indeed, the vast majority of the time you'd never know, as these overly-wordy pages are the kind of thing you could see in any young person's (she started it in her second year of uni) first dabble in the medium.
At the minute I'm a little torn: I really like the art and it sounds like the hardback will be glorious, and show the artwork off beautifully; but I'm not sold on the writing/storytelling style in the prologue. The plot summary intrigues me though, and perhaps things settle down as Sundberg gets more experienced? The campaign doesn't end for another 2½ weeks, so maybe I'll just get stuck into reading it in the meantime.
this week on 100 Films
Three new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Anonymous (2011)
Iron Man 3 (2013)
The Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994)
And new to the new blog...
United 93 (2006)
More next Sunday.
Anonymous (2011)
this film by any other name would smell just as shit.Read more here.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Some have described Iron Man Three as “the best Iron Man yet”, even better than the exalted first movie. Others have described it as “at least better than Iron Man 2”, the derided first sequel. I thought the first one was a tad overrated and the second notably underrated, so where does this trilogy-forming instalment fall on my personal scale? Well, that depends what you want from an Iron Man film…Read more here.
The Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994)
Normally I’m a stickler for watching film series in order, even when it doesn’t matter, so skipping 31 sequels really isn’t my style… but this was on telly one night in July and I was in just the right mood, so the second will have to wait for its turn another day.Read more here.
And new to the new blog...
United 93 (2006)
it is hard to imagine a more competent and respectful film being made about 9/11... Perhaps most importantly of all, the families want you to see it.Read more here.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 14 September 2013
TV
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
4x05 (13/9/13 edition) [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Friends
1x20 The One with the Evil Orthodontist [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
The Great British Bake Off
4x04 Pies and Tarts
Paul Hollywood seemed on particularly mean form this week, though Ali-who-wouldn't-taste-his-fruit probably deserved to go.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
4x05 (13/9/13 edition) [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Friends
1x20 The One with the Evil Orthodontist [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
The Great British Bake Off
4x04 Pies and Tarts
Paul Hollywood seemed on particularly mean form this week, though Ali-who-wouldn't-taste-his-fruit probably deserved to go.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
DVD Extras
Carry On Screaming
and
Interweb of Fear
The two main new documentaries on the Scream of the Shalka DVD (out Monday).
The first concerns the making of the serial itself, with some insights into the original plans (a 12-episode series of three four-parters!), the difficulties getting it made, and also the wonder how well it came together on so little time, money and expertise. It also includes the revelation that, were it not for Shalka, the revived TV series might never have happened: it was the research done into the rights situation so they could produce Shalka that meant that when BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey was saying they couldn't put Who on TV because of rights, the BBC website team were able to put her right. Architects of their own destruction, maybe, but it worked out well for all of us!
The second is about the aforementioned site, and the BBC's web presence more generally, including some of the groundbreaking and experimental things it was able to get away with... before the higher-ups shut things down, in spite of their popularity. It also doesn't shy away from some of the bad ideas, either.
One thing I got from both documentaries is what an ungrateful, hateful bunch Doctor Who fans can be. You can get that impression just by going on most dedicated forums for a few minutes, but you may assume it's isolated. However, stories of Who fans' nasty behaviour and negative attitude crops up in both these pieces. It's sad, really.
and
Interweb of Fear
The two main new documentaries on the Scream of the Shalka DVD (out Monday).
The first concerns the making of the serial itself, with some insights into the original plans (a 12-episode series of three four-parters!), the difficulties getting it made, and also the wonder how well it came together on so little time, money and expertise. It also includes the revelation that, were it not for Shalka, the revived TV series might never have happened: it was the research done into the rights situation so they could produce Shalka that meant that when BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey was saying they couldn't put Who on TV because of rights, the BBC website team were able to put her right. Architects of their own destruction, maybe, but it worked out well for all of us!
The second is about the aforementioned site, and the BBC's web presence more generally, including some of the groundbreaking and experimental things it was able to get away with... before the higher-ups shut things down, in spite of their popularity. It also doesn't shy away from some of the bad ideas, either.
One thing I got from both documentaries is what an ungrateful, hateful bunch Doctor Who fans can be. You can get that impression just by going on most dedicated forums for a few minutes, but you may assume it's isolated. However, stories of Who fans' nasty behaviour and negative attitude crops up in both these pieces. It's sad, really.
Comics
Dredd Underbelly: Part One by Arthur Wyatt & Henry Flint
(from Judge Dredd Megazine #340)
While the campaign continues to get a Dredd sequel made, here's the official comic book sequel to last year's movie.
It's a bit hard to get a handle on it in this first instalment -- these feel very much like the first 10 pages of a graphic novel-length tale, rather than a self-contained chunk of action. That said, it manages to give Anderson a nice re-introduction, an action sequence for Dredd, and then establish the storyline. It also expands the world of the film, introducing Cursed Earth mutants. Thankfully, Flint's design for the muties is less comic-book and more how they might look in the film's universe.
There's definite promise here, but I suspect it will read better in collected form than in short monthly parts.
Nonetheless, Megazine #340 is in shops from next Wednesday.
(from Judge Dredd Megazine #340)
While the campaign continues to get a Dredd sequel made, here's the official comic book sequel to last year's movie.
It's a bit hard to get a handle on it in this first instalment -- these feel very much like the first 10 pages of a graphic novel-length tale, rather than a self-contained chunk of action. That said, it manages to give Anderson a nice re-introduction, an action sequence for Dredd, and then establish the storyline. It also expands the world of the film, introducing Cursed Earth mutants. Thankfully, Flint's design for the muties is less comic-book and more how they might look in the film's universe.
There's definite promise here, but I suspect it will read better in collected form than in short monthly parts.
Nonetheless, Megazine #340 is in shops from next Wednesday.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
I believe I've had Blu-rays as part of my collection since before I started this weekly round-up, so this may be a first ever: a week with lots of new additions that is entirely DVD-only. It's not long 'til my next expected BD (a week Monday, to be precise), but still: this week, it's all good ol' Digital Video Disc.
That includes four bargain-priced Doctor Who DVDs (my collection edges ever nearer to completion), one new Doctor Who DVD that arrived a few days early, a box set I've waited so long to get I had to buy it used, and an upgrade of a US series from its barebones US edition to special-feature-packed UK release (weird, eh).
Number of titles in collection: 1,609 [up 6]
Of which DVDs: 1,181 [up 6]
Of which Blu-rays: 428 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 4,014 [up 14]
Number of films in collection: 1,716 [up 6]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,946 [up 25]
Number of short films in collection: 392 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
I believe I've had Blu-rays as part of my collection since before I started this weekly round-up, so this may be a first ever: a week with lots of new additions that is entirely DVD-only. It's not long 'til my next expected BD (a week Monday, to be precise), but still: this week, it's all good ol' Digital Video Disc.
That includes four bargain-priced Doctor Who DVDs (my collection edges ever nearer to completion), one new Doctor Who DVD that arrived a few days early, a box set I've waited so long to get I had to buy it used, and an upgrade of a US series from its barebones US edition to special-feature-packed UK release (weird, eh).
Number of titles in collection: 1,609 [up 6]
Of which DVDs: 1,181 [up 6]
Of which Blu-rays: 428 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 4,014 [up 14]
Number of films in collection: 1,716 [up 6]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,946 [up 25]
Number of short films in collection: 392 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 13 September 2013
TV
Dexter
8x05 This Little Piggy
I haven't always been convinced in previous episodes, but between this one and the trailer for next time, I think this might turn out to be a cracking final season.
Doctor Who
10x01 The Three Doctors Episode One [2nd watch]
A break from the Doctor-by-Doctor approach now for, appropriately enough, the series' 10th anniversary serial. It also features the first appearance of evil Time Lord Omega, who some rumours suggest will turn up for the 50th. Even if he doesn't, it's another iconic (ish) villain to add to the list.
I can't remember when I first watched The Three Doctors -- after its DVD release, but before this blog's existence, so clearly a number of years ago. I didn't care for it then, for whatever reason, but I rather enjoyed this first episode. Hopefully the rest of the serial will keep it up.
Friends
1x19 The One Where the Monkey Gets Away [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
8x05 This Little Piggy
I haven't always been convinced in previous episodes, but between this one and the trailer for next time, I think this might turn out to be a cracking final season.
Doctor Who
10x01 The Three Doctors Episode One [2nd watch]
A break from the Doctor-by-Doctor approach now for, appropriately enough, the series' 10th anniversary serial. It also features the first appearance of evil Time Lord Omega, who some rumours suggest will turn up for the 50th. Even if he doesn't, it's another iconic (ish) villain to add to the list.
I can't remember when I first watched The Three Doctors -- after its DVD release, but before this blog's existence, so clearly a number of years ago. I didn't care for it then, for whatever reason, but I rather enjoyed this first episode. Hopefully the rest of the serial will keep it up.
Friends
1x19 The One Where the Monkey Gets Away [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
Films
Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter (2013)
[#75b in 100 Films in a Year 2013]
Marvel One-Shot: Item 47 (2012)
[#75a in 100 Films in a Year 2013]
The two most recent Marvel short films, the latter included on the Blu-ray of Avengers Assemble this time last year, the former on the released-this-week Blu-ray of Iron Man 3.
Both are entertaining, though Agent Carter is definitely the winner -- a 'sequel' to 2011's Captain America, in just 15 minutes it manages to entirely better it.
[#75b in 100 Films in a Year 2013]
Marvel One-Shot: Item 47 (2012)
[#75a in 100 Films in a Year 2013]
The two most recent Marvel short films, the latter included on the Blu-ray of Avengers Assemble this time last year, the former on the released-this-week Blu-ray of Iron Man 3.
Both are entertaining, though Agent Carter is definitely the winner -- a 'sequel' to 2011's Captain America, in just 15 minutes it manages to entirely better it.
Articles
DVD Preview: Scream of the Shalka
by Christopher Allen (from Doctor Who 50th Anniversary: Official BBC Worldwide Site)
After a near-decade of waiting, Shalka finally makes it to DVD next Monday. Here, the BBC's official 50th anniversary site previews the release, mounting a mini-defence of the serial and nothing that the disc features "a fascinating interview with Ben Lavender, creator of the BBC iPlayer and the 82 presentations he had to make to get iPlayer in front of the Director-General!"
Relatedly:
Doctor Who: The Simon Clark Story That Never Was
by Ian Berriman (from SFX)
The Shalka sequel that was half-written and fully outlined sounds great. Someone somewhere make it happen somehow, please!
by Christopher Allen (from Doctor Who 50th Anniversary: Official BBC Worldwide Site)
After a near-decade of waiting, Shalka finally makes it to DVD next Monday. Here, the BBC's official 50th anniversary site previews the release, mounting a mini-defence of the serial and nothing that the disc features "a fascinating interview with Ben Lavender, creator of the BBC iPlayer and the 82 presentations he had to make to get iPlayer in front of the Director-General!"
Relatedly:
Doctor Who: The Simon Clark Story That Never Was
by Ian Berriman (from SFX)
The Shalka sequel that was half-written and fully outlined sounds great. Someone somewhere make it happen somehow, please!
Wednesday, 11 September 2013
TV
Dexter
8x03 What's Eating Dexter Morgan?
Doctor Who
8x04 Terror of the Autons Episode Four
Despite the title, I think it's fair to say this is definitely a Master story with the Autons re-employed as his drones. Which is fair enough, what with this being his introductory adventure 'n' all. Whether it was a wise idea to include him in every single story of season 8 or not is another matter... one I won't be finding out about, because of course we're toddling on to something else.
Three best things in this story:
1) The UNIT family, feeling properly established. Yes, season 7 had a version of it, but I don't think it clicked as well as this.
2) The Master. Delgado really hits the ground running.
3) The Autons are better served overall by Spearhead from Space, but some moments here -- the suffocating chair, the freaky troll-doll, the policemen who take the Doctor and Jo at the end of episode two, etc -- are some of their most effective of all.
Marred only by some dodgy direction, over-reliance on blue screen, and those Auton voices -- and, actually, some rush-resolved subplots, like that poor susceptible manager of the plastics factory -- Terror is a good story overall.
Friends
1x16 The One with Two Parts Part 1 [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
1x17 The One with Two Parts Part 2 [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
Suburgatory
2x08 Black Thai
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
8x03 What's Eating Dexter Morgan?
Doctor Who
8x04 Terror of the Autons Episode Four
Despite the title, I think it's fair to say this is definitely a Master story with the Autons re-employed as his drones. Which is fair enough, what with this being his introductory adventure 'n' all. Whether it was a wise idea to include him in every single story of season 8 or not is another matter... one I won't be finding out about, because of course we're toddling on to something else.
Three best things in this story:
1) The UNIT family, feeling properly established. Yes, season 7 had a version of it, but I don't think it clicked as well as this.
2) The Master. Delgado really hits the ground running.
3) The Autons are better served overall by Spearhead from Space, but some moments here -- the suffocating chair, the freaky troll-doll, the policemen who take the Doctor and Jo at the end of episode two, etc -- are some of their most effective of all.
Marred only by some dodgy direction, over-reliance on blue screen, and those Auton voices -- and, actually, some rush-resolved subplots, like that poor susceptible manager of the plastics factory -- Terror is a good story overall.
Friends
1x16 The One with Two Parts Part 1 [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
1x17 The One with Two Parts Part 2 [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
Suburgatory
2x08 Black Thai
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
TV
Dexter
8x02 Every Silver Lining...
Friends
1x15 The One with the Stoned Guy [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
It strikes me how often Friends episodes don't name themselves after the most memorable element. This one, for example, is The One Where Ross Talks Dirty, or The One with the WENUS.
The Last Leg
3x06 (4/9/13 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
8x02 Every Silver Lining...
Friends
1x15 The One with the Stoned Guy [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
It strikes me how often Friends episodes don't name themselves after the most memorable element. This one, for example, is The One Where Ross Talks Dirty, or The One with the WENUS.
The Last Leg
3x06 (4/9/13 edition)
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Monday, 9 September 2013
TV
Dexter
8x01 A Beautiful Day
So Dexter's final season begins, two months to the date since I finished series 7 -- and, more importantly, carefully timed so that I can watch it at my usual rate (an episode every day or two) right up to the finale (more or less), which is a fortnight today.
Doctor Who
8x03 Terror of the Autons Episode Three
And my carefully-timed Who season is officially back on track today, too. Nifty. More thoughts on the story itself with its final episode on Wednesday.
Friends
1x14 The One with the Candy Hearts [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
QI
11x01 Knees & Knockers (XL edition)
Here we go again: another year of desperately trying to find all the XL repeats once the BBC start titting about with them, and to see all the episodes once the BBC start bunging the last few around as 'specials'.
But, uh, the show itself is good as well.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
8x01 A Beautiful Day
So Dexter's final season begins, two months to the date since I finished series 7 -- and, more importantly, carefully timed so that I can watch it at my usual rate (an episode every day or two) right up to the finale (more or less), which is a fortnight today.
Doctor Who
8x03 Terror of the Autons Episode Three
And my carefully-timed Who season is officially back on track today, too. Nifty. More thoughts on the story itself with its final episode on Wednesday.
Friends
1x14 The One with the Candy Hearts [goodness-knows-what-th watch]
QI
11x01 Knees & Knockers (XL edition)
Here we go again: another year of desperately trying to find all the XL repeats once the BBC start titting about with them, and to see all the episodes once the BBC start bunging the last few around as 'specials'.
But, uh, the show itself is good as well.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 8 September 2013
TV
Doctor Who
8x02 Terror of the Autons Episode Two
Some well-known scenes of Auton violence in this episode (the man-eating plastic chair, the living doll). What most amused me was that both were greeted with expressions of "why would anyone buy that?!" from the regular folk they were about to kill, whereas nowadays inflatable plastic chairs and ugly dolls are readily available and (apparently) desired left, right and centre. Some of the special effects in these sequences are actually pretty good, especially for the era, though whoever felt it was necessary to use bluescreen to create such fantastical locations as a phone box and a domestic kitchen was off their rocker (or just over-obsessed with the technology).
The Great British Bake Off
4x03 Desserts
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Would I Lie To You?
7x09 The Unseen Bits [season finale]
Why they always broadcast these clip shows in a random slot months after the regular series, I'll never know.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
8x02 Terror of the Autons Episode Two
Some well-known scenes of Auton violence in this episode (the man-eating plastic chair, the living doll). What most amused me was that both were greeted with expressions of "why would anyone buy that?!" from the regular folk they were about to kill, whereas nowadays inflatable plastic chairs and ugly dolls are readily available and (apparently) desired left, right and centre. Some of the special effects in these sequences are actually pretty good, especially for the era, though whoever felt it was necessary to use bluescreen to create such fantastical locations as a phone box and a domestic kitchen was off their rocker (or just over-obsessed with the technology).
The Great British Bake Off
4x03 Desserts
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Would I Lie To You?
7x09 The Unseen Bits [season finale]
Why they always broadcast these clip shows in a random slot months after the regular series, I'll never know.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
this fortnight on 100 Films
With very little to report last week, I thought I'd hold off and summarise a whole fortnight on 100 Films in a Year.
First up, we're now well into September, so here's a look back at August. This month's list of five is "adaptations that changed the book's title". I say "five" -- I got 11 examples in there. Hey-ho.
In regular business, two new reviews were posted this week (yes, "week" singular, because there were none the week before). They were...
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
The Tempest (2010)
And new to the new blog this fortnight...
Mamma Mia! (2008)
More next Sunday.
First up, we're now well into September, so here's a look back at August. This month's list of five is "adaptations that changed the book's title". I say "five" -- I got 11 examples in there. Hey-ho.
In regular business, two new reviews were posted this week (yes, "week" singular, because there were none the week before). They were...
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
cabin-in-the-woods horror movie The Cabin in the Woods is as much a deconstruction, or even spoof, of the genre as an entry in it... This means it’s one for the genre literateRead more here.
The Tempest (2010)
a radical-seeming interpretation of Shakespeare’s final play. The main character’s changed gender! There’s CGI being tossed about everywhere! It’s got Russell Brand in it! If that sounds superficial, it is. It's still set in the Elizabethan period, in Elizabethan dress, with a cast of mostly classical actors, enacted on an island that is admittedly a stunning setting but is nonetheless where the original play is set.Read more here.
And new to the new blog this fortnight...
Mamma Mia! (2008)
As camp as a row of tents, disliked by critics, loved by audiences: Mamma Mia! is everything you’d expect from Abba.Read more here.
More next Sunday.
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