Damages
2x03 I Knew Your Pig
Flashbacks too! Yay! Still not hitting season one's heights, but it's early days yet. Incidentally, for those who haven't noticed, the episode titles are always drawn from a line of dialogue within the episode. They do like to pick odd and obscure ones, it seems.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Episode 3 (of 4)
Dances not as funny as the previous two weeks, sadly, but some surprisingly good. Next time, the final! Still want Robert Webb to win.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Non-Fiction
The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry
Chapter One: II (p.33-54)
Still not getting through it fast enough, considering when my self-reflexive essay is due on my poetry module. At the same time, struggling to do any worthwhile work from it (not the fault of the book, I hasten to add). Still, my failure might give me something to write about in that essay.
Chapter One: II (p.33-54)
Still not getting through it fast enough, considering when my self-reflexive essay is due on my poetry module. At the same time, struggling to do any worthwhile work from it (not the fault of the book, I hasten to add). Still, my failure might give me something to write about in that essay.
Articles: Watchmen
Once again, they're all about one film...
6 Really Bad Watchmen Sequel Ideas by James White
(from Total Film)
Deliberately humourous (hence the "really bad"), but not all that funny (hence the "really bad"?) Contains major spoilers right from the start.
Watchmen cupcakes
(from Cupcakes Take the Cake)
Aww! I want.
What if Woody Allen Had Directed Watchmen? by Dan Kois & Ashley Quigg
(from Slate)
Also imagines it as done by Judd Apatow, Tyler Perry, Sofia Coppola, Pedro Almodovar and Quentin Tarantino. With the exception of the Tarantino bit, which presents a slightly sideways look at things and therefore is quite clever, this is like Total Film's article: not as funny as you'd hope.
6 Really Bad Watchmen Sequel Ideas by James White
(from Total Film)
Deliberately humourous (hence the "really bad"), but not all that funny (hence the "really bad"?) Contains major spoilers right from the start.
Watchmen cupcakes
(from Cupcakes Take the Cake)
Aww! I want.
What if Woody Allen Had Directed Watchmen? by Dan Kois & Ashley Quigg
(from Slate)
Also imagines it as done by Judd Apatow, Tyler Perry, Sofia Coppola, Pedro Almodovar and Quentin Tarantino. With the exception of the Tarantino bit, which presents a slightly sideways look at things and therefore is quite clever, this is like Total Film's article: not as funny as you'd hope.
Watchmen 2: a couple of suggestions
Recently posted at 100 Films...
Head here to read the full piece and all 12 suggestions.
After finding Total Film's humourous suggestions for a Watchmen sequel a little lacking in the funniness department, I thought I'd jot down a few myself. It doesn't mean they're actually any better, obviously, but it kept me amused for a few minutes.
Betcha can'tspot all the references...
The Watchmen Strike Back
In which the Watchmen form a rebel alliance to fight crime and try to repeal the Keene Act! Sounds depressingly plausible...
Head here to read the full piece and all 12 suggestions.
Friday, 6 March 2009
TV
Moving Wallpaper
2x02 Episode 2
Not the best episode, which does raise the question: with show-within-show Renaissance already shooting, what are the behind-the-scenes team going to do for most of the series? It's still funny, though only sporadically. I hope it gets another recommission, but Must Try Harder if it's going to.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Not Going Out
3x06 Speech
Simple pleasures.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Orangutan Diary
2x01 Episode 1
Since the advent of iPlayer, the BBC's website has really gone downhill -- series that previously had dedicated sites now just have pages with iPlayer-esque links, like this one for Orangutan Diary. Series 1 had a proper site! (Archive here.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
2x02 Episode 2
Not the best episode, which does raise the question: with show-within-show Renaissance already shooting, what are the behind-the-scenes team going to do for most of the series? It's still funny, though only sporadically. I hope it gets another recommission, but Must Try Harder if it's going to.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Not Going Out
3x06 Speech
Simple pleasures.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Orangutan Diary
2x01 Episode 1
Since the advent of iPlayer, the BBC's website has really gone downhill -- series that previously had dedicated sites now just have pages with iPlayer-esque links, like this one for Orangutan Diary. Series 1 had a proper site! (Archive here.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Watchmen (2009)
[#9 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Watchmen is turning out to be a real "love it or hate it" film, with both critics and audiences. Depending on what day you're looking on and what site you're looking at, you're likely to be left thinking it's either utterly brilliant or utterly dreadful. Incidentally, this isn't a "fans love it / non-fans hate it" split either -- it seems to afflict both sides equally. So the truth, as I say, is that it more or less divides people.
Personally, I found a few flaws with it; but, as Danny Boyle recently said (about a different film), "it's imperfect; which every film should be". Yep, I'm firmly in the "loved it" camp.
[#9 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Watchmen is turning out to be a real "love it or hate it" film, with both critics and audiences. Depending on what day you're looking on and what site you're looking at, you're likely to be left thinking it's either utterly brilliant or utterly dreadful. Incidentally, this isn't a "fans love it / non-fans hate it" split either -- it seems to afflict both sides equally. So the truth, as I say, is that it more or less divides people.
Personally, I found a few flaws with it; but, as Danny Boyle recently said (about a different film), "it's imperfect; which every film should be". Yep, I'm firmly in the "loved it" camp.
Watchmen in Top 250
Poem of the Week: Ozymandias
by Percy Bysshe Shelley
You know, I've had this poem lined up since November -- that's almost four months ago. Why so long? Well, that's when I found it, and realised it would be a good enough choice for today -- Watchmen Day. It's not necessarily got a great deal to do with said comic adaptation, but that does have a major character called Ozymandias, and some of the poem's imagery is appropriate...
It was written in December 1817 (published January 1818) as part of a writing competition with Shelley's friend, Horace Smith. So guess what I'll be publishing on Monday...
You know, I've had this poem lined up since November -- that's almost four months ago. Why so long? Well, that's when I found it, and realised it would be a good enough choice for today -- Watchmen Day. It's not necessarily got a great deal to do with said comic adaptation, but that does have a major character called Ozymandias, and some of the poem's imagery is appropriate...
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said:-- "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
It was written in December 1817 (published January 1818) as part of a writing competition with Shelley's friend, Horace Smith. So guess what I'll be publishing on Monday...
Twitter & feed
Two new ways for you to follow My Cultural Experience, as well as the good ol' fashioned way (i.e. through the site).
Twitter, the increasingly popular social networking (of sorts) site.
a FeedBurner feed, which I believe is something to do with RSS feeds, but I've never understood those...
I also intend to set it up so that 100 Films is fed to @MyCulturalExp -- that's my next task, in fact.
And that's it, dear readers. I hope these new sources are of use to someone...
I also intend to set it up so that 100 Films is fed to @MyCulturalExp -- that's my next task, in fact.
And that's it, dear readers. I hope these new sources are of use to someone...
Thursday, 5 March 2009
TV
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
16x06 (27/2/09 edition)
Clive Owen: cool, if stand-offish.
Emily Blunt: loved by men, hated by women (so I'm told).
David Attenborough: knight of the realm.
U2: bland.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
16x06 (27/2/09 edition)
Clive Owen: cool, if stand-offish.
Emily Blunt: loved by men, hated by women (so I'm told).
David Attenborough: knight of the realm.
U2: bland.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles: Watchmen
Because they're all about a little forthcoming (well, arrived now, I suppose!) film again...
100ft Dr. Manhattan and the Comedians Badge arrive in London - Amazing Water Projection
(from Live For Films)
As mentioned yesterday, now with pictures and video. It's... well...
Review of Watchmen by Roger Ebert
(from rogerebert.com)
Yep, yet another review. But this is from Roger Ebert, one of the world's most respected film critics, so it's worth paying attention to. And he loves it!
Review of Watchmen by Dave Foster
(from DVD Times)
Another good review. Super. Only 11 hours 'til it finally opens in my area (damn those at midnight screenings as I post this!)
Snyder Rules Out Watchmen Sequel
(from WENN)
But the cast are contractually obligated... Hopefully it's a standard blockbuster contract, not a statement of intent.
100ft Dr. Manhattan and the Comedians Badge arrive in London - Amazing Water Projection
(from Live For Films)
As mentioned yesterday, now with pictures and video. It's... well...
Review of Watchmen by Roger Ebert
(from rogerebert.com)
Yep, yet another review. But this is from Roger Ebert, one of the world's most respected film critics, so it's worth paying attention to. And he loves it!
Review of Watchmen by Dave Foster
(from DVD Times)
Another good review. Super. Only 11 hours 'til it finally opens in my area (damn those at midnight screenings as I post this!)
Snyder Rules Out Watchmen Sequel
(from WENN)
But the cast are contractually obligated... Hopefully it's a standard blockbuster contract, not a statement of intent.
Technology
Spent most of today battling to fix my iMac (late 2006 model, according to Apple's help pages).
It seems to be well & truly screwed though -- something wrong with the hard disk, basically amounting to the computer not being able to find it. Could mean it's just come unplugged (lord knows how), could be thoroughly done for.
Hopefully, at the very least, some or all of the data can be retrieved from it though, because there's so much stuff on there -- including all my notes for future 100 Films reviews and, more importantly, a heck of a lot of work-related things.
Nothing more I can do, it seems. A trip to the local Genius Bar will be required -- I'm just thankfully that, firstly, so many Apple Stores have popped up across the UK now, and secondly, that I live in Exeter, where we have one! Not sure when I'll go though, as I'm not sacrificing Watchmen time tomorrow and I hate town on Saturdays.
Sunday then...
It seems to be well & truly screwed though -- something wrong with the hard disk, basically amounting to the computer not being able to find it. Could mean it's just come unplugged (lord knows how), could be thoroughly done for.
Hopefully, at the very least, some or all of the data can be retrieved from it though, because there's so much stuff on there -- including all my notes for future 100 Films reviews and, more importantly, a heck of a lot of work-related things.
Nothing more I can do, it seems. A trip to the local Genius Bar will be required -- I'm just thankfully that, firstly, so many Apple Stores have popped up across the UK now, and secondly, that I live in Exeter, where we have one! Not sure when I'll go though, as I'm not sacrificing Watchmen time tomorrow and I hate town on Saturdays.
Sunday then...
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
TV
QI
6x10 Flora and Fauna (extended edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Getting so far behind with TV viewing again...
6x10 Flora and Fauna (extended edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Getting so far behind with TV viewing again...
Articles
Many Doctors to save the universe
(from Forbidden Planet International Blog Log)
An unusual piece of Who art...
Papers sorry for 'Facebook party' story by Oliver Luft
(from guardian.co.uk)
Oh they got it wrong, and how! Interestingly, the Guardian wasn't one of them.
Robert Patrick to appear in Terminator 5? by Chris Hicks
(from Total Film)
Could be good... maybe...
Sucker Punch - Mamma Mia! The cast for Zack Snyder's next film has been announced
(from Live For Films)
This film sounds mad. Follow the link for more info.
Plus, so many Watchmen articles they get their own post here.
(from Forbidden Planet International Blog Log)
An unusual piece of Who art...
Papers sorry for 'Facebook party' story by Oliver Luft
(from guardian.co.uk)
Oh they got it wrong, and how! Interestingly, the Guardian wasn't one of them.
Robert Patrick to appear in Terminator 5? by Chris Hicks
(from Total Film)
Could be good... maybe...
Sucker Punch - Mamma Mia! The cast for Zack Snyder's next film has been announced
(from Live For Films)
This film sounds mad. Follow the link for more info.
Plus, so many Watchmen articles they get their own post here.
Articles: Watchmen
As its Tomatometer slowly slides downwards, here are today's Watchmen-related articles of interest...
Manhattan-on-Thames
(from WatchmenComicMovie.com)
"Dr. Manhattan, the blue skinned, super-powered being beloved of all Watchmen fans, will rise above the murky depths of the Thames to a height of over 70 feet and tower over all those who dare to attend. This dramatic, one-off spectacle will be created using the world’s biggest water screen projector. The water screen... will create an enormous vertical screen of water that will extend to 72 feet in height and 100 feet across."
Sounds pretty impressive. This was due to happen earlier this evening, but I've not come across any reports or photos yet. Please comment if you have. I'll report more if I hear more...
Watchmen has already broken a record by Carl DiOrio
(from THR.com)
"However high Watchmen grosses can climb, the superhero actioner sure will be playing wide: Its 3,611 playdates will be the most ever for an R-rated film. [It] will play in an impressive 1,600 locations at midnight [on] Thursday. That's substantially more than the 656 midnight shows that helped [director Zack] Snyder's ancient Greece actioner 300 fetch an incredible... $71 million opening weekend in March 2007... The previous widest release for an R-rated pic was the 3,603-theater bow for The Matrix Reloaded...
dates include 124 engagements in Imax giant-screen auditoriums... Imax's Web site crashed four times this week because of traffic surges by Watchmen fans looking for ticket information, Foster said."
Looks certain it'll beat 300 to become the 2nd highest grossing R-rated opening weekend, but can it beat The Matrix Reloaded too? I'd bet "yes" myself.
And as Empire begin a "Watchmen Week", here are the first two items...
Watchmen: The Failed Attempts
(from Empire)
"take a look at the Watchmen movies that might have been..."
Watchmen: The Added Stories
(from Empire)
"Watchmen [is] punctuated with texts that expand upon that main story, clarify it and occasionally go off on a tangent (or seem to). Here are the pieces of the puzzle outside that main story that you may not see on the big screen"
Manhattan-on-Thames
(from WatchmenComicMovie.com)
"Dr. Manhattan, the blue skinned, super-powered being beloved of all Watchmen fans, will rise above the murky depths of the Thames to a height of over 70 feet and tower over all those who dare to attend. This dramatic, one-off spectacle will be created using the world’s biggest water screen projector. The water screen... will create an enormous vertical screen of water that will extend to 72 feet in height and 100 feet across."
Sounds pretty impressive. This was due to happen earlier this evening, but I've not come across any reports or photos yet. Please comment if you have. I'll report more if I hear more...
Watchmen has already broken a record by Carl DiOrio
(from THR.com)
"However high Watchmen grosses can climb, the superhero actioner sure will be playing wide: Its 3,611 playdates will be the most ever for an R-rated film. [It] will play in an impressive 1,600 locations at midnight [on] Thursday. That's substantially more than the 656 midnight shows that helped [director Zack] Snyder's ancient Greece actioner 300 fetch an incredible... $71 million opening weekend in March 2007... The previous widest release for an R-rated pic was the 3,603-theater bow for The Matrix Reloaded...
dates include 124 engagements in Imax giant-screen auditoriums... Imax's Web site crashed four times this week because of traffic surges by Watchmen fans looking for ticket information, Foster said."
Looks certain it'll beat 300 to become the 2nd highest grossing R-rated opening weekend, but can it beat The Matrix Reloaded too? I'd bet "yes" myself.
And as Empire begin a "Watchmen Week", here are the first two items...
Watchmen: The Failed Attempts
(from Empire)
"take a look at the Watchmen movies that might have been..."
Watchmen: The Added Stories
(from Empire)
"Watchmen [is] punctuated with texts that expand upon that main story, clarify it and occasionally go off on a tangent (or seem to). Here are the pieces of the puzzle outside that main story that you may not see on the big screen"
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
TV
Film 2009 with Jonathan Ross
Episode 6 (3/2/09 edition)
Wossy weviews Watchmen. I've found that Ross' opinions often chime with my own, so was pleased to find he enjoyed it so much (with some reservations). Only two days to go now...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Nature's Great Events
Part 2 The Great Salmon Run
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Episode 6 (3/2/09 edition)
Wossy weviews Watchmen. I've found that Ross' opinions often chime with my own, so was pleased to find he enjoyed it so much (with some reservations). Only two days to go now...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Nature's Great Events
Part 2 The Great Salmon Run
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Non-Fiction
The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry
Chapter One: II (p.21-33)
Christ I'm progressing through this slowly. Really need to speed up -- it's a week tomorrow that I have to hand in / work through in class a 'progress report' on the module so far, and I've done nothing like enough work to write such a thing without being in Trouble.
Chapter One: II (p.21-33)
Christ I'm progressing through this slowly. Really need to speed up -- it's a week tomorrow that I have to hand in / work through in class a 'progress report' on the module so far, and I've done nothing like enough work to write such a thing without being in Trouble.
Articles
Behind the Mask by Craig McLean
(from Telegraph Magazine 22/2/09, p.36-43)
Just another Watchmen preview, really, but a decent one. (Plus it was in a genuine printed magazine, all too rare a thing to be mentioned round 'ere. Though I've also found it online for your reading pleasure.)
British entrepreneur Rob Williams dies on skiing holiday in tragedy played out on Twitter by Richard Edwards
(from Telegraph.co.uk)
A good use of technology, even if it was still too little too late.
Crushed by the tyranny of the nipple: where it all went wrong at Arena by Brian Schofield
(from Organ Grinder at guardian.co.uk)
So, Arena magazine is dead. I'm not too fussed, I never bought it; but how can you resist an article with that title?
Life on Mars canceled by Tim Surette
(from tv.com)
And I never got round to watching it (this is the US one, of course). At least it sounds like they'll have a chance to wrap up the story, so maybe I'll catch the DVD set.
(from Telegraph Magazine 22/2/09, p.36-43)
Just another Watchmen preview, really, but a decent one. (Plus it was in a genuine printed magazine, all too rare a thing to be mentioned round 'ere. Though I've also found it online for your reading pleasure.)
British entrepreneur Rob Williams dies on skiing holiday in tragedy played out on Twitter by Richard Edwards
(from Telegraph.co.uk)
A good use of technology, even if it was still too little too late.
Crushed by the tyranny of the nipple: where it all went wrong at Arena by Brian Schofield
(from Organ Grinder at guardian.co.uk)
So, Arena magazine is dead. I'm not too fussed, I never bought it; but how can you resist an article with that title?
Life on Mars canceled by Tim Surette
(from tv.com)
And I never got round to watching it (this is the US one, of course). At least it sounds like they'll have a chance to wrap up the story, so maybe I'll catch the DVD set.
Monday, 2 March 2009
TV
Heroes
3x14 A Clear and Present Danger
See here for my thoughts on this episode.
Law & Order: UK
1x02 Unloved
Apparently the first episode did very well in the ratings (don't have figures, just overheard it on TV) and this is a strong episode, so it deserves to continue.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Watchmen (aka Watchmen Motion Comics)
Chapter I At Midnight, All the Agents... [2nd watch]
Chapter II Absent Friends
Chapter III The Judge of All the Earth
See here for my thoughts on these episodes.
3x14 A Clear and Present Danger
See here for my thoughts on this episode.
Law & Order: UK
1x02 Unloved
Apparently the first episode did very well in the ratings (don't have figures, just overheard it on TV) and this is a strong episode, so it deserves to continue.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Watchmen (aka Watchmen Motion Comics)
Chapter I At Midnight, All the Agents... [2nd watch]
Chapter II Absent Friends
Chapter III The Judge of All the Earth
See here for my thoughts on these episodes.
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