Fiction

Solo by William Boyd
Part Two, Chapters 7-8

TV

Friends
2x16 The One Where Joey Moves Out [4th or so watch]

QI
11x03 K-Folk (XL edition)

Films

The Falcon in San Francisco (1945)
[#84 in 100 Films in a Year 2013]

Flight (2012)
[#83 in 100 Films in a Year 2013]

this week on 100 Films

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


The Dinosaur Project (2012)

The story concerns a group of present-day explorers heading into the jungle to find dinosaurs. Lead explorer-man’s son tags along for various contrived reasons, and because he is Young and Hip he brings a bunch of cameras that he’s constantly recording from, hence the found footage thing. And the footage is “found” rather than “returned” because, of course, Things Go Wrong.

Read more here.


Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

At times I wondered if the film might just want to be a straight thriller, but that Kubrick couldn’t escape what he saw as the inherent ludicrousness of the situation. Even if you wanted to try reading the film from that angle, the silly bits are too silly to take the rest seriously.

Read more here.


Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

For a film with world-ending consequences, it all feels a little slight and lacking in scale. I’d say it feels “of its era” — a slightly indefinable feeling based on not only the quality of its CGI but also the cinematography, the choice of locations, the tone and pace... — but it’s less of its era, more a few (or more) years earlier.

Read more here.


And new to the new blog...


Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982/2007)

You don’t need me to tell you about Blade Runner. It’s one of the most popular movies ever, if not with a mass audience then with a significantly-sized cult following and even wider-spread respect. Still, I’m going to go on about it for a bit anyway.

Read more here.


Cloverfield (2008)

it’s when the monster turns up that things kick off. From then the film does a great job of creating an unrelenting chase/escape, drawing the viewer in with its first-person/eyewitness style. You’re never going to be fooled into thinking it’s a real thing that really happened, obviously, but it comes as close as it’s likely to.

Read more here.


Jumper (2008)

Budget is plastered across the screen in incredible action sequences that show off the promise of the concept to good effect. Griffin jumping a double decker bus at Roland is a particular highlight. The jumping car chase, on the other hand, is visually neat and a good idea, but also entirely pointless

Read more here.


More next Sunday.

TV

Atlantis
1x01 The Earth Bull
The BBC's attempt at a Merlin replacement is another rejigging of familiar myths and legends, from the same people who made Merlin. Seems like a safe bet, eh? On the evidence of the first episode, it's certainly of a level with Merlin -- though if they're not careful it'll be too of a level, recycling character arcs and 'twists' on familiar icons that we've seen before.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]

Friends
2x14 The One with the Prom Video [4th or so watch]
2x15 The One Where Ross and Rachel... You Know [4th or so watch]

Films

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Deluxe Edition (2013)
[#82a in 100 Films in a Year 2013]

This animated movie was originally released in two parts, one at the end of 2012 and the next early in 2013. Now it's been combined into one long movie and is out on US DVD and Blu-ray in a couple of weeks (except at Best Buy, where it's already available). I've reviewed both parts separately (here and here), so this single-cut doesn't count as a new number.

(Although my rule for things-I've-seen-before-in-a-new-form is they must be significantly different, and this is double the length of either part individually, and watching in one sitting is very different to watching in two chunks separated by many months... they're still the same two films. It's not much different to double-billing the existing versions.)

You can read more of my thoughts in the review I posted on Letterboxd. The same thoughts (and maybe more) will, of course, eventually turn up on 100 Films too.

Fiction

Solo by William Boyd
Part One, Chapters 1-2
Part Two, Chapters 1-6

aka the new James Bond novel!

After the present-day diversion of Carte Blanche, it's back to 1969 for a continuation of Fleming's Bond. That means it's set after Sebastian Faulks' Devil May Care, the first of the current run of continuation novels from five years ago (which was set in '67), but whether it embraces that into continuity or outright contradicts it I don't know (and can't remember Devil May Care well enough to work out).

As a novel unto itself, it's a funny but entertaining mix. It begins with two chapters about Bond's birthday and his strange almost-encounter with a mysterious woman (presumably something that will have renewed relevance later), but then it's off to Africa for Bond to single-handedly stop a civil war. It certainly feels more like a Fleming novel than Jeffrey Deaver's movie-influenced modern novel, and I think it's fair to say that's definitely a good thing.

Articles

Hitchhiker’s Guide director Dirk Maggs: "Douglas Adams told me there was more to come"
by Tristram Fane Saunders (from Radio TImes)

The producer and director on doing justice to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, working with Neil Gaiman, and the debt they both owe to Douglas Adams

Including some of Radio 4's reaction to the recent adaptation of Neverwhere he helmed for them.

Collection Count

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

A Blu-ray! No -- two Blu-rays!

Number of titles in collection: 1,615 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 1,185 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 430 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 4,023 [up 6]
Number of films in collection: 1,719 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,963 [up 9]
Number of short films in collection: 392 [no change]

Next week it's the monthly running time update. See you then, faithful reader.

TV

Castle
3x01 A Deadly Affair
Back on C5! After just... 9 months. Well, still, hurrah!
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]

Celebrity Fifteen to One
That was surprisingly good fun. I imagine the sheer volume of celebrities required for any one edition will prevent this becoming some kind of back-door pilot, though.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Doctor Who
13x03 Terror of the Zygons Part Three [2nd watch]
Y'know, I think the Skarasen is actually a pretty well-executed effect, all things considered -- I mean, this was 1975, on a UK kids' TV budget. Some (like in the BBC episode guide linked above) assert it ruins the story, but that's going far too far. And with this placing in the top 20 of the Mighty 200, it would seem others agree.

Friends
2x12 The One After the Superbowl Part 1 [4th or so watch]
2x13 The One After the Superbowl Part 2 [4th or so watch]
No Superbowl occurs or is mentioned in either of these episodes. I presume it was originally on immediately after said sporting occasion, a point which is thoroughly lost almost 18 years later.

A Touch of Cloth II
2x02 Undercover Cloth Part Two

A Touch of Cloth: Behind the Scenes
Behind the scenes of A Touch of Cloth II, with a look ahead to A Touch of Cloth III.

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
4x06 80s Night Special
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Friends
2x10 The One with Russ [4th or so watch]
2x11 The One with the Lesbian Wedding [4th or so watch]

Mock the Week
12x09 (19/9/13 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Vera
3x04 Prodigal Son [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Comics

A Redtail's Dream by Minna Sundberg
Chapter 2

Only about four days of the print campaign left, and I'm beginning to feel pretty sold. It's not perfect storytelling -- see my complaints last time, only now with more typos -- but the story and characters are appealing, and the art can be quite beautiful.

Articles

William Boyd's Solo reviewed
by Cathy Rentzenbrink (from The Bookseller)

The new Bond novel. Sounds good. My copy arrived today (the cover looks great in the flesh), but I didn't get a chance to start it.

TV

Archer
4x06 Once Bitten
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]

Doctor Who
13x02 Terror of the Zygons Part Two [2nd watch]
Damn fine story, this. Weirdly, I'm certain I've seen it before, but whole swathes are unfamiliar. Like the silly bit where Sarah Jane and some soldiers need to split up while chasing a potentially dangerous fellow... so Sarah Jane goes one way and the three armed men the other. But, y'know, other than that.

Friends
2x08 The One with the List [4th or so watch]
2x09 The One with Phoebe's Dad [4th or so watch]
I think I've quite consistently seen all of Friends' first season, but I've definitely seen some of season two (and, probably, later years) more than others. For instance, I'm very familiar with The One with Phoebe's Dad (which is also The One Where Gunther Has His First Line!), but in a few episodes' time it's The One with the Lesbian Wedding, which I feel like I've only seen a couple of times (I've seen the entire series through at least twice already, so, hey).
This doesn't signify anything, just something I've been mulling over.

The Newsroom
2x04 Unintended Consequences
Every episode, it strikes me how clunky (and therefore painfully predictable) Sorkin's writing can actually be (see also: last time). On the bright side, at least some of the plot lines rattle along to revelations, rather than dragging every mystery out only to pay them all off at once in the finale.

TV

Archer
4x05 Vicious Coupling
Hurrah, C5 have deigned to give us more!
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]

Downton Abbey
4x01 Episode 1
Oh Downton and your funny ways. It's so painfully on the nose at times, and yet Americans seem to think this is Great Drama... even though they produce plenty of subtle, great drama of their own. But as a high-class soap, with plenty of unintentional hilarity, the Abbey can't be beat.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Friends
2x07 The One Where Ross Finds Out [4th or so watch]

The Last Leg
3x08 (18/9/13 edition) [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

TV

Dexter
8x12 Remember the Monsters? [series finale]

Another packed episodes, with a near endless array of things that could be discussed -- and debated. Did the show's writers make all the right choices? I'm not sure. The end was always going to be controversial: some fans wanted Dexter caught, some wanted him dead, some wanted him to live happily ever after -- three different endings that are not compatible. But the particular way they went about it... well, of course some people hate it -- some people have hated the whole season; heck, some people have hated the series for years (and yet still they watch...)

Personally, I thought it was mostly fitting, in its way. Don't know if it's what I wanted, per se, but (as discussed) it's a damn hard show to know how to end right. Not sure about the coda, though; it was the one moment where it seemed like the writers lacked the courage of their convictions. But what's done is done.


Doctor Who
13x01 Terror of the Zygons Part One [2nd watch]

My choice for the Fourth Doctor's entry in #bbbDW50 is both an acknowledged classic (it came 17th on DWM's Mighty 200, putting it in the top 9% of all Who tales), and the only on screen appearance for monster design icons the Zygons... before their return in November's 50th anniversary special, of course.

It was also going to finally come out on DVD the very week we were scheduled to watch it... until inserting the TV Movie pushed all my plans a week earlier (see also: Ice Warriors). Fortunately, the Fourth Doctor Time Capsule came to my scheduling rescue.

It's a cracking story, too. The monsters are teased gradually, building to a great -- and very sudden -- cliffhanger. There's plenty of mystery, plenty of excitement and humour. Once again, the stuff shot on location on film looks great -- why oh why couldn't the whole show have had the budget to go that route?!


Friends
2x06 The One with the Baby on the Bus [4th or so watch]

Smelly Cat makes its debut! Sung by someone else! Weird.

Articles

Dexter producers explain finale, defend final season
by James Hibberd (from Inside TV on Entertainment Weekly)

Obviously this is riddled with spoilers if you're waiting for next Sunday's UK airing of the finale. Otherwise, interesting.

TV

Dexter
8x11 Monkey in a Box
And lo, my plan did work perfectly: this episode was on UK TV tonight, and the series finale will be on US TV a few hours after I post this. That's tomorrow's viewing, then.
I don't despise this final season as much as some of Dexter's fans (former fans?), but it's not been the best ever. Nonetheless, still excited to find out what happens in the end.

Films

The Falcon in Hollywood (1944)
[#82 in 100 Films in a Year 2013]

North by Northwest (1959)
[#81 in 100 Films in a Year 2013]

this week on 100 Films

Three new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week!


Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter (2013)

Action-packed, funny, character developing, and with some hilarious cameos at the end… You couldn’t ask for much more from a 15 minute superhero-universe short.

Read more here.


Marvel One-Shot: Item 47 (2012)

This is exactly the kind of tale I presume the imminent TV series Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be telling. Considering fans seem ultra-hyped for that, I’m not sure why they dislike Item 47 so much

Read more here.


The Muppets (2011)

a film that embraces the Muppets’ anarchic nature and old-fashioned entertainment style, while also integrating them into the modern world... breaks of the fourth wall abound, and constitute most of the film’s best bits.

Read more here.


Plus a whole load were new to the new blog...


The Green Mile (1999)

draws the viewer into believing that miracles may be possible. It’s a whole hour before Michael Clarke Duncan’s near-silent John Coffey (“like the drink, only not spelled the same”) does his healing thing, at which point what was apparently a straightforward period prison drama gains a new dimension.

Read more here.


Henry V (1944)

I didn’t much care for it. It failed to engage me, and I’d put this down to Olivier’s infamous staging (literally) of it.

Read more here.


Henry V (1989)

Olivier’s version is an over-stylised, propaganda-inspired, outdated version of Shakespeare, whereas Branagh’s is a comprehensible, realistic, textured and, perhaps most importantly, genuinely enjoyable interpretation.

Read more here.


The History Boys (2006)

The History Boys isn’t really about what it’s about — the boys applying for Oxbridge is shoved into a corner almost as soon as it’s introduced — but is instead about their learning, and their experience gained while (and from) learning, and a bit about growing up and discovering oneself too.

Read more here.


Thunderbirds (2004)

If you loved the series you’ll never like this; heck, unless you’re under 10 you’ll probably never like this (and that’s being generous). Maybe, someday, there’ll be a decent new version of Thunderbirds. Sadly, this has probably hindered any attempts at that.

Read more here.


Transformers (2007)

It may be clichéd in places, with too much of a tech fetish, shallow female characters, too many faceless soldiers, bouts of weak dialogue, a muddled climax… But it’s still fun.

Read more here.


Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

This is what happens when a studio allows someone like Bay an essentially limitless budget and less than two years to turn a blockbuster around.

Read more here.


More next Sunday.