TV

Mad Men
2x11 The Jet Set
Shocking surprises and windy twists -- hurrah! Mad Men certainly seems to be building up to a big finale.
Have also realised that the lead character has an amusing name for us British viewers: he goes by the name Don Draper, though his secretive real name is Dick Whitman -- making him Dick/Don. Which sounds a bit like Dick & Dom. Hilarity ensues, I assure you.

The Mentalist
1x06 Red-Handed
This episode manages to both avoid Most Recognisable Guest Star Syndrome and be accurate to real theories, applications and abilities of mentalism (as does the rest of the series). Brilliant.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Poetry

Hoping It Might Be So: Poems 1974-2000 by Kit Wright
Bump-Starting the Hearse (1984) (pages 97-119)
Initially, my favourite section of this volume. Slightly more variable as it continues, but generally more consistent.

Articles

8 Awesome Cases of Internet Vigilantism by Ian Fortey
(from CRACKED.com)
True stories of when the Internet does good.

If Everything Was Made by Microsoft by CRACKED Readers
(from CRACKED.com)
Some Photoshopped funniness for today. Naturally some are more bemusing than amusing, but others are very good. An easy target, maybe, but a funny one.

The Problem With 3-D by Daniel Engber
(from Slate)
Excellent article about why 3D films might not take off this time either.

Review of State of Play by gproject
(from Slate Scrawl)
A good review of this week's number 1 film at the UK box office, coming at it from the perspective of a newcomer -- unlike mine. (Incidentally: yes, this review does mention me; no, that's not the only reason I'm mentioning it.)

Breakfast As Directed by Michael Bay

Breakfast As Directed by Michael Bay
powered by Cracked.com

new review at 100 Films

Cut (2009)

Is Cut an advert or is it a film?

It’s an advert, isn’t it? But it shouldn’t've been blocked from TV, which has incensed me enough to pretend it’s a film for the purposes of my little corner of the Internet.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 14 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, not to mention two shorts, a film I've previously seen, and an alternate cut. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Cracker
2x05 The Big Crunch Part 2
I do like a good, well-written drama where none-more-moral Christians end up aborting, murdering and causing suicide. There are few more open to corruption for personal gain than the none-more-moral-than-we.
Once again, I thoroughly look forward to Fitz getting his hands on them in Part 3.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

I've Never Seen Star Wars
1x07 David Davis
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Speaker
1x08 Episode 8 [season finale]
Duncan? Duncan?! No. He should've gone out weeks ago, if not right at the start, and certainly didn't deserve to win. While his speeches were well written his delivery was like a used car salesman crossed with a spin doctor, and as endlessly irritating as that sounds. Irene, on the other hand, spoke well and intelligently, touching without being irritating. What a mistake.
As for the series, though marred in early rounds by tasks that weren't really relevant to the series' aim, and though they picked an appalling winner, it had a very positive message and was clearly a positive experience for many involved. It wouldn't hurt to see them have another go.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Cut (2009)
[#20a in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
For more on this film, and to watch it for free, look here.
Is it a film or an advert? I'll post my review soon and debate it (a little) there.

Articles

10 Funniest Typos ever
(from Oddee.com)
They're not all great (I'm not even sure one's a typo), but others are worth it -- "Reliability ...always upholding the highest standards for every detal".

12 Worst Photoshop Mistakes Ever
(from Oddee.com)
Again, I'm not sure they're the worst ever -- surely the Minister who had himself Photoshopped into the photo of an event he didn't bother to attend is a bigger "Photoshop mistake" than a poor attempt at making someone fatter/thinner -- but they are funny.

Cool poster redesigns for classic films
(from Live for Films)
Retro/arthouse poster designs for classic (and modern classic) movies. Those given the treatment include Die Hard, The Dark Knight, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and four others. They're by a designer/artist called Olly Moss, whose website contains much more of his work, including a number of nice T-shirt designs.

TV

Argumental
2x05 (27/4/09 edition)
Sean Hughes may as well have stayed at home; Reginald D. Hunter was as brilliant as ever. A well deserved win for the Blue team this week -- Rufus' first of the series!

Mad Men
2x10 The Inheritance
A rare thing: this episode contained a scene in which I actually liked Pete Campbell. Gasps all round. Does this make me a bad person?

The Speaker
1x07 Episode 7
Duncan's improving, though he managed to cancel that out with a depressingly religious speech. I'd still rather anyone but him stayed in. I hope to God he isn't the winner...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Poetry

Hoping It Might Be So: Poems 1974-2000 by Kit Wright
Short Afternoons (1989) (pages 80-95)

Articles

Rashomon (1950) by Cal
(from Heroes of the East)
Nice review.

Review of X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) by Nick de Semlyen
(from Empire)
Short summary: "oh dear".

new review at 100 Films

Anne Frank Remembered (1995)

this Oscar-winning documentary exposes the ‘untold story’ of Anne Frank. [It] reflects on Anne herself, and what it uncovers is not always positive. Such an honest approach could be contentious, but its attempt to uncover the truth — rather than paint a false saintly picture — is admirable... an essential companion piece to one of the most famous and important documents of the Second World War.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 14 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, not to mention two shorts, a film I've previously seen, and an alternate cut. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Ashes to Ashes
2x02 Episode Two
Another highly entertaining -- and, actually, increasingly thoughtful -- episode of Ashes. They're handling the corruption plot very well so far, and it seems a sensible move not to have dragged out the "is Gene corrupt?" storyline for too long.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Damages
2x10 Uh-Oh, Out Come the Skeletons
The muddled plot muddles on. Will it ever get genuinely good again? Hopefully this season can resolve all the ongoing bollocks and start afresh next year.

The Graham Norton Show
5x07 (23/4/09 edition, uncut repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Poetry

Hoping It Might Be So: Poems 1974-2000 by Kit Wright
Short Afternoons (1989) (pages 56-79)

Articles

Knightley domestic violence advert banned by Lara Martin
(from Digital Spy)
See here for some of my thoughts, where you can also see the clip in question.

Sky1 acquires House from Five by Dan French
(from Digital Spy)
Disappointing news. Sky have an annoying habit of poaching TV shows from others.

Clearcast support domestic violence

Mmm, sensationalist title. But read on:

An anti-domestic violence advert starring Keira Knightley has been banned from television after being deemed too shocking for audiences.

The Women's Aid commercial, which has already been aired on YouTube and in cinemas, shows the actress being accused of having an affair, before she is thrown to the ground and repeatedly kicked by her boyfriend.

However, Clearcast, the body that censors adverts for Ofcom, has ruled that the promo cannot be aired unless the violent scenes are removed.

What idiots.

The one bright side to this is that their stupid decision has received a fair degree of coverage, which will hopefully raise awareness further.

Read the full story at Digital Spy. Check out the campaign on Women's Aid's website.

Also, here's the advert in question. Be warned, it contains appropriately hard-hitting material that the censors don't want you to see:

You can also see the film in HD (or, at least, higher definition) on YouTube and at CutMovie.co.uk.

TV

The British Academy Television Awards 2009
Many worthy winners, some worthier losers, many under-appreciated jokes, and a jibe at the criminally useless Ed Balls.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Horne & Corden
1x04 Episode 4
Not exactly underrated, but better than many would have you believe.

The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency
1x02 Poison

Robin Hood
3x04 Sins of the Father
Finishing up after what happened yesterday.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Amstell quits BBC's Buzzcocks by Sarah Rollo
(from Digital Spy)
Shame, he's been an excellent host.

Fry & Laurie 'would love TV reconciliation' by Dan French
(from Digital Spy)
I'm still upset that Fry & Laurie never played Holmes & Watson, and that was planned years ago. Fry's ideas for a guest spot on House are all really good though:
"I quite like the idea of being a ruder doctor than Hugh -- one that is even ruder than he is to patients and staff. That would be quite amusing. Or one who is so unbelievably nice but a better diagnostician than he is!"

Gripesville 1 - 9 by ghostof82
(from Musings of the Ghost of 82)
Nine problems with modern movies. Many of them are very agreeable-with.

See-Through Screens
(from Amazing! Incredible!)
Computers with see-through monitors. Very cleverly done.

Doctor Who news

Thanks to the wonder that is twitter, it's now confirmed that, despite earlier reports, Skins actress Hannah Murray definitely isn't the next Doctor Who companion. I leave it to Lizo Mzimba's tweets to report in full:

News hot off the press. Just spoke to the lovely Hannah Murray who says she definitely isn't going to be Matt Smith's assitant in Dr Who.

Hannah Murray said: It was something I could never consider cos I'm doing a degree at the moment so I could never commit to a show that big.

Hannah Murray continued re rumours: "That was never founded in fact." And re-asserted that companion was "definitely not" going to be her.

She's a decent enough actress and wouldn't've been bad casting, especially as it'll be a challenge to find anyone who actually looks young than Matt Smith.

TV

HD on BBC iPlayer is rubbish. Keep reading to find out why...

Have I Got News For You
37x01 (24/4/09 edition; uncut repeat)
Hurrah! It's great to have HIGNFY back -- why can't it be on all year round?
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Primeval
3x05 Episode 5
Probably Primeval's most ludicrous episode yet -- and that's saying something. Riddled with plot and logic holes, which is a shame because the basic ideas here have such potential.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Robin Hood
3x04 Sins of the Father
I was quite excited by the prospect of using BBC iPlayer to watch content in HD legally. This was my trial run... and it was appalling. Playback frequently dropped as low as one frame-per-second and the compression was blocky -- not what you expect from HD! Ran out of time to finish it before HIGNFY was on so will have to catch the rest on regular TV iPlayer another time. So much for iPlayer, back to less-than-legal downloads it.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]