Listening to Mr iPhone by Rory Cellan-Jones
(from dot.life on the BBC Blog Network)
A moderately interesting piece about an interview (yes, "about an interview", not "an interview") with the designer of numerous Apple products, Jonathan Ive. Sadly, the comment section quickly degenerates into yet another Mac vs PC flame war.
World Exclusive: Hands-on with Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series on Blu-ray by Anton van Beek
(from Home Cinema Choice)
A first-look/review of the first 14 discs of the forthcoming UK/Region B release of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica on Blu-ray. After getting shafted with extras on the DVD releases, it looks as if the UK is getting a full port of the US Battlestar set. We may lose out on the Cylon action figure, but we get some different cool packaging -- and it's much cheaper than importing! And good news for both regions: looks like they've done it justice with the set. Something to seriously look forward to, then.
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
TV
Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
1x04 Swansea [2nd half]
After waiting a few days for this in the end, it was a sadly disappointing second half.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
1x04 Swansea [2nd half]
After waiting a few days for this in the end, it was a sadly disappointing second half.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
Bill Nighy joins cast of Deathly Hallows by Lara Martin
(from Digital Spy)
Though not which part he'll play.
Conversation, Forever Captured, in Dinner by Jen Chaney
(from The Washington Post)
An interesting review of the new Criterion DVD of My Dinner with André, which makes some interesting points about modern culture (specifically regarding the rise of YouTube).
Cybermen - Del-eat! Del-eat! by Dave Golder
(from SFX)
"This brilliant Cybercake, created by a shop called Truly Scrumptious was spotted by SFX reader David Todd... Apparently, the cake took four days to make."
Ross criticises Norton, Barrowman shows by Mayer Nissim
(from Digital Spy)
What is says in the title, really, though read the article if you want the exact quote. Could he be jealous of their increasing dominance at the Beeb?
Russell T Davies talks Torchwood by Ian Berriman
(from SFX)
Most Davies interviews are worth a read, and this is certainly no exception. A decent length too.
(from Digital Spy)
Though not which part he'll play.
Conversation, Forever Captured, in Dinner by Jen Chaney
(from The Washington Post)
An interesting review of the new Criterion DVD of My Dinner with André, which makes some interesting points about modern culture (specifically regarding the rise of YouTube).
Cybermen - Del-eat! Del-eat! by Dave Golder
(from SFX)
"This brilliant Cybercake, created by a shop called Truly Scrumptious was spotted by SFX reader David Todd... Apparently, the cake took four days to make."
Ross criticises Norton, Barrowman shows by Mayer Nissim
(from Digital Spy)
What is says in the title, really, though read the article if you want the exact quote. Could he be jealous of their increasing dominance at the Beeb?
Russell T Davies talks Torchwood by Ian Berriman
(from SFX)
Most Davies interviews are worth a read, and this is certainly no exception. A decent length too.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Magazines
Radio Times 4-10 July 2009
Torchwood's back! Hurrah! Good feature on it. Pretty cover (with exclusive imagery) too.
Torchwood's back! Hurrah! Good feature on it. Pretty cover (with exclusive imagery) too.
Articles
Review of How the West Was Won Blu-ray by Leonard Norwitz
(from DVDBeaver)
A great piece, part Blu-ray/film review and part article on the Cinerama process. There's some immensely insightful contributions from Cinerama documentarian Dave Strohmaier too (scroll right down past the screengrabs). It's a teeny bit technical, so primarily of interest to film/cinema/technology/Blu-ray buffs, and of course you have to battle past the AICN-esque lack of user-friendly design/formatting present at DVDBeaver, but I found it worth it.
Star Trek - What You Missed by Harry Barber
(from TNMC)
Barber has read an early version of the Star Trek script and here describes some of the stuff in there that didn't make the final cut, including at least one whole subplot. Whether it was cut at script stage or later, no one knows -- only the DVD/Blu-ray is likely to reveal that now.
(from DVDBeaver)
A great piece, part Blu-ray/film review and part article on the Cinerama process. There's some immensely insightful contributions from Cinerama documentarian Dave Strohmaier too (scroll right down past the screengrabs). It's a teeny bit technical, so primarily of interest to film/cinema/technology/Blu-ray buffs, and of course you have to battle past the AICN-esque lack of user-friendly design/formatting present at DVDBeaver, but I found it worth it.
Star Trek - What You Missed by Harry Barber
(from TNMC)
Barber has read an early version of the Star Trek script and here describes some of the stuff in there that didn't make the final cut, including at least one whole subplot. Whether it was cut at script stage or later, no one knows -- only the DVD/Blu-ray is likely to reveal that now.
Monday, 29 June 2009
Articles
Michael Jackson tops album chart
(from BBC News)
"Michael Jackson has topped the UK album chart and made six new entries in the singles top 40, six years after his last number one. Greatest hits album Number Ones rocketed from 121 to the top spot after a surge in sales since the superstar's death on Thursday... Four of his other hit albums also made a reappearance in the top 20... Thriller, still the biggest-selling album of all time, raced from 179 to number seven...
A total of 11 Michael Jackson or Jackson Five albums featured in the top 200. In the singles chart, 43 out of the top 200 singles feature the singer, with Jackson hits accounting for all but one of the new entries in the top 40."
Review of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
and
The Fall of the Revengers
by Roger Ebert (from rogerebert.com)
Ebert lays into Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with his usual panache -- twice! I still haven't bothered to see it, but I can well believe every word of this.
Tomas, Tommy, Tom: Past, present and future? by Matt Withers
and
Three Toms in The Fountain by Marc Caddell
(from rogerebert.com)
Two different, but equally intelligent, views on what exactly is going on in The Fountain, a film many dislike but I thought was rather good (with some reservations).
(from BBC News)
"Michael Jackson has topped the UK album chart and made six new entries in the singles top 40, six years after his last number one. Greatest hits album Number Ones rocketed from 121 to the top spot after a surge in sales since the superstar's death on Thursday... Four of his other hit albums also made a reappearance in the top 20... Thriller, still the biggest-selling album of all time, raced from 179 to number seven...
A total of 11 Michael Jackson or Jackson Five albums featured in the top 200. In the singles chart, 43 out of the top 200 singles feature the singer, with Jackson hits accounting for all but one of the new entries in the top 40."
Review of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
and
The Fall of the Revengers
by Roger Ebert (from rogerebert.com)
Ebert lays into Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with his usual panache -- twice! I still haven't bothered to see it, but I can well believe every word of this.
Tomas, Tommy, Tom: Past, present and future? by Matt Withers
and
Three Toms in The Fountain by Marc Caddell
(from rogerebert.com)
Two different, but equally intelligent, views on what exactly is going on in The Fountain, a film many dislike but I thought was rather good (with some reservations).
Technology
As I've discussed my TV-related plans a couple of times before, I thought I'd give updates now final decisions have been made and things have been ordered.
HDTV: Samsung LE37B650
It may have flaws, but the ones it has are of little consequence to me, which means it's pros stand out all the more.
In the post.
Blu-ray Player: Panasonic DMP-BD60
One of the best around at this price point, and also one of the few available chipped for multi-region -- a must for me.
In the post.
TV/Broadband/Phone: V+HD / Virgin Media
Yes, last time I had been verging on Sky, but their offer ended. This is for the best really -- Virgin will cost a lot less and BBC HD is the main HD channel I'll watch anyway. Considering my TV has a USB slot that will play movie files, there are always other ways of accessing HD content...
Installation ordered.
Blu-rays
I've also ordered an initial batch of films, so I can actually enjoy my BD player (plus it will upscale my thousands of DVDs, of course).
Ordered / in the post.
Thanks to moving house as well, all of this should be completely set up in the next 5-10 days. Ooh it's exciting.
HDTV: Samsung LE37B650
It may have flaws, but the ones it has are of little consequence to me, which means it's pros stand out all the more.
In the post.
Blu-ray Player: Panasonic DMP-BD60
One of the best around at this price point, and also one of the few available chipped for multi-region -- a must for me.
In the post.
TV/Broadband/Phone: V+HD / Virgin Media
Yes, last time I had been verging on Sky, but their offer ended. This is for the best really -- Virgin will cost a lot less and BBC HD is the main HD channel I'll watch anyway. Considering my TV has a USB slot that will play movie files, there are always other ways of accessing HD content...
Installation ordered.
Blu-rays
I've also ordered an initial batch of films, so I can actually enjoy my BD player (plus it will upscale my thousands of DVDs, of course).
Ordered / in the post.
Thanks to moving house as well, all of this should be completely set up in the next 5-10 days. Ooh it's exciting.
new review at 100 Films
Alien Resurrection (1997)
Read the full review at 100 Films.
There are currently numerous films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.
the most notable differences are its black humour, where the tastes of both [writer] Whedon and director Jeunet make their mark, and how grotesque it is — almost two extremes walking hand-in-hand. The deformed, perverted Ripley clones; the Hybrid; the Ripley-Alien sex scene — there’s nothing like this in the other films, and that’s a grand thing.
Read the full review at 100 Films.
There are currently numerous films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
TV
Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire
1x04 O Biclops, Where Art Thou?
Kröd's gone a little off the boil this week (many would say it was never on it), but it still has its moments -- most of them thanks to Matt Lucas, as usual.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
1x04 Swansea [1st half]
For various reasons, I stopped almost dead on halfway through -- even though that was in the middle of someone's act. Still, very funny so far.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
3x03 Episode 3
Vegetarian sketch = very, very good. James Bond sketch = genius. Rest = well above average for sketch shows.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Top Gear
13x02 (28/6/09 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
1x04 O Biclops, Where Art Thou?
Kröd's gone a little off the boil this week (many would say it was never on it), but it still has its moments -- most of them thanks to Matt Lucas, as usual.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
1x04 Swansea [1st half]
For various reasons, I stopped almost dead on halfway through -- even though that was in the middle of someone's act. Still, very funny so far.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
That Mitchell and Webb Look
3x03 Episode 3
Vegetarian sketch = very, very good. James Bond sketch = genius. Rest = well above average for sketch shows.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Top Gear
13x02 (28/6/09 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
How good is the new Torchwood? Find out! by Ben Rawson-Jones
(from Digital Spy)
Well, "Find out!" if you trust DS's reviews, that is. I don't know if I do or not (though their opinion of Primeval season 3 was in my eyes wrong), but good reviews always bode well.
(from Digital Spy)
Well, "Find out!" if you trust DS's reviews, that is. I don't know if I do or not (though their opinion of Primeval season 3 was in my eyes wrong), but good reviews always bode well.
Technology
Shazam
Just got this iPhone app, as recommended by the latest issue of What Hi-Fi?
Essentially, you play a song into it (by holding the iPhone's mic as close to the source as you can get) and it does some clever jiggerypokery and tells you what the song is, including a link to the iTunes Store. (It also does some other stuff with tagging your location and photos and whatnot, but the song identification is its primary function.) It's worked flawlessly for me so far, and What Hi-Fi? put it through a moderately rigorous test too.
This is a bit of software I've always wanted and I'm overjoyed to finally discover it exists. Hurrah!
Just got this iPhone app, as recommended by the latest issue of What Hi-Fi?
Essentially, you play a song into it (by holding the iPhone's mic as close to the source as you can get) and it does some clever jiggerypokery and tells you what the song is, including a link to the iTunes Store. (It also does some other stuff with tagging your location and photos and whatnot, but the song identification is its primary function.) It's worked flawlessly for me so far, and What Hi-Fi? put it through a moderately rigorous test too.
This is a bit of software I've always wanted and I'm overjoyed to finally discover it exists. Hurrah!
new review at 100 Films
Alien3 (1992)
Read the full review at 100 Films.
Tonight, I'll post a review of Alien Resurrection.
Even if in some ways 3 combines the first two — single Alien, claustrophobia, unarmed heroes; but there are lots of them, most with experience of killing — it adds enough variety, especially stylistically, to mark it out... it soon turns dark, dirty and decrepit, abandoning both the the military sheen of Aliens and the old tanker grime of Alien.
Read the full review at 100 Films.
Tonight, I'll post a review of Alien Resurrection.
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Articles
The blue and the green by Phil Plait
(from the Bad Astronomy blog at Discover)
This is a brilliant optical illusion. I highly recommend you follow the link and see why it's so good.
Seriously, it's great.
Talking to an Extraordinary Gentleman of letters
and
Language, Joyce, Newton, Bojeffries, magic and drugs advice
and
The Mighty Moore Marathon
by Pádraig Ó Méalóid (from the Forbidden Planet International Blog Log)
A very long, three-part interview with Alan Moore, discussing all kinds of stuff, far too much to even consider summarising. Quite interesting though. Well, some of it. Parts one and three, to be blunt. In fact, to be perfectly honest, it's far too damn long and needs a good edit. I mean, here's a good example (and, believe it or not, I've edited this a bit):
But still, if you like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the first and third parts are must-reads.
(from the Bad Astronomy blog at Discover)
This is a brilliant optical illusion. I highly recommend you follow the link and see why it's so good.
Seriously, it's great.
Talking to an Extraordinary Gentleman of letters
and
Language, Joyce, Newton, Bojeffries, magic and drugs advice
and
The Mighty Moore Marathon
by Pádraig Ó Méalóid (from the Forbidden Planet International Blog Log)
A very long, three-part interview with Alan Moore, discussing all kinds of stuff, far too much to even consider summarising. Quite interesting though. Well, some of it. Parts one and three, to be blunt. In fact, to be perfectly honest, it's far too damn long and needs a good edit. I mean, here's a good example (and, believe it or not, I've edited this a bit):
Moore: The other book which I am, I’ve read the first part, and am now looking forward to the second part, this is something that you won’t be able to find yet, it’s unpublished, but it’s by Brian Catling, the sculptor... What he’s written is a novel called The Vorrh, which is a three-part novel. I’ve read the first part...
Méalóid: Tell me how to spell Vorrh.
Moore: V H O O R? There’s another R on the end as well.
Méalóid: Could be another R on the end, yeah, we’ll put another R on the end, just to be safe.
Moore: I’ve got it here at my feet. Let’s just not be lazy, let’s open it up and see… VO double R H.
Méalóid: OK, got that. Fair enough. What am I going to ask you next?
But still, if you like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the first and third parts are must-reads.
new review at 100 Films
Aliens (1986)
Read the full review at 100 Films.
Tonight, I'll post a review of Alien3, and tomorrow, one for Alien Resurrection.
Where Alien is a Horror Movie — but in space — Aliens is a War Movie — but in space. The central characters are a team of marines, as opposed to the original’s ordinary guys; where the first film’s design was dark, shadowy and oppressive, here it’s all gleaming tech, tanks and guns and spaceships and the like; and, just to underline the point, the score is full of military drums.
Read the full review at 100 Films.
Tonight, I'll post a review of Alien3, and tomorrow, one for Alien Resurrection.
Friday, 26 June 2009
Films
A Few Good Men (1992)
[#38 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Can I handle the truth? I don't know yet, the damn iTunes rental went screwy 35 minutes before the end. (Currently trying to get hold of another copy to finish it off.)
[#38 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Can I handle the truth? I don't know yet, the damn iTunes rental went screwy 35 minutes before the end. (Currently trying to get hold of another copy to finish it off.)
Articles
Aliens, Actresses and Their Likenesses
(from Sideshow Collectibles)
"For the Sideshow Design and Development Team, the Queen Alien and Power Loader Dioramas were a labor of love and a long time coming... Some of you may have noticed that the woman behind the wheel looks a bit less like Sigourney Weaver than you may have expected, and well, here’s the scoop... Due to licensing issues with Sigourney Weaver’s likeness rights, we were unable to use Weaver’s portrait for Ripley in the Power Loader Diorama."
You've got to appreciate their honesty. It's also to their benefit, of course, because if buyers thought it was meant to look like Weaver then it would look like a poor sculpt. You can see pictures of the new face and whole diorama at the link.
EastEnders films Michael Jackson reference by Kris Green
(from Digital Spy)
"EastEnders has filmed a last-minute scene to be edited into tonight's episode referencing Michael Jackson's death... The three other major UK soaps - Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks - all confirmed that no last-minute editing will be made to tonight's episodes."
Says more about EastEnders than anything else.
Gaiman 'won’t write new Sandman comic' by Tim Parks
(from Digital Spy)
Neil Gaiman: "I wanted to do a 20th anniversary story, and it broke mostly because DC Comics would have loved me to do a 20th anniversary story at the same terms that were agreed upon in 1987, when I was a 26-year-old unknown... And my thought was, 'You know what, guys, it really doesn't work like that'. I wasn't going to do a deal at the same terms we had in 1987, and they were not willing to do any better than that."
Inglourious Basterds prequel still on? by James White
(from Total Film)
Lots of interesting bits & bobs about Tarantino's latest and its possible sequel/prequel from an interview with producer Harvey Weinstein. Did You Know fact of the day: for a while, it was going to be a Band of Brothers-esque TV series. That would've been... interesting...
Russell Davies Q&A on Doctor Who and Torchwood by Alan Sepinwall
(from What's Alan Watching?)
A rather good interview with outgoing Who supremo Russell T Davies about the forthcoming Who specials, forthcoming Torchwood miniseries Children of Earth, and his time on the series. Inevitably fans will have heard much of it before, but it's always nice to be reminded of the show's literally phenomenal success.
(from Sideshow Collectibles)
"For the Sideshow Design and Development Team, the Queen Alien and Power Loader Dioramas were a labor of love and a long time coming... Some of you may have noticed that the woman behind the wheel looks a bit less like Sigourney Weaver than you may have expected, and well, here’s the scoop... Due to licensing issues with Sigourney Weaver’s likeness rights, we were unable to use Weaver’s portrait for Ripley in the Power Loader Diorama."
You've got to appreciate their honesty. It's also to their benefit, of course, because if buyers thought it was meant to look like Weaver then it would look like a poor sculpt. You can see pictures of the new face and whole diorama at the link.
EastEnders films Michael Jackson reference by Kris Green
(from Digital Spy)
"EastEnders has filmed a last-minute scene to be edited into tonight's episode referencing Michael Jackson's death... The three other major UK soaps - Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks - all confirmed that no last-minute editing will be made to tonight's episodes."
Says more about EastEnders than anything else.
Gaiman 'won’t write new Sandman comic' by Tim Parks
(from Digital Spy)
Neil Gaiman: "I wanted to do a 20th anniversary story, and it broke mostly because DC Comics would have loved me to do a 20th anniversary story at the same terms that were agreed upon in 1987, when I was a 26-year-old unknown... And my thought was, 'You know what, guys, it really doesn't work like that'. I wasn't going to do a deal at the same terms we had in 1987, and they were not willing to do any better than that."
Inglourious Basterds prequel still on? by James White
(from Total Film)
Lots of interesting bits & bobs about Tarantino's latest and its possible sequel/prequel from an interview with producer Harvey Weinstein. Did You Know fact of the day: for a while, it was going to be a Band of Brothers-esque TV series. That would've been... interesting...
Russell Davies Q&A on Doctor Who and Torchwood by Alan Sepinwall
(from What's Alan Watching?)
A rather good interview with outgoing Who supremo Russell T Davies about the forthcoming Who specials, forthcoming Torchwood miniseries Children of Earth, and his time on the series. Inevitably fans will have heard much of it before, but it's always nice to be reminded of the show's literally phenomenal success.
Poem of the Week: Thriller
by Rod Temperton
With the world caught up in a fairly understandable frenzy about the death of Michael Jackson, let's have a look at the lyrics of one of his most famous songs in a semi-poetic context.
Thriller was released in 1984, sung by Michael Jackson with a soliloquy read by Vincent Price. Despite the success of the album of the same title and other successful tracks from it, Thriller the song only reached number four on the US Billboard singles chart and number ten on the UK singles chart. It's probably most famous for its 14-minute short film-like music video.
The lyrics are as close as I could find them on the Internet. (Yes, this is a fairly silly idea for Poem of the Week.)
With the world caught up in a fairly understandable frenzy about the death of Michael Jackson, let's have a look at the lyrics of one of his most famous songs in a semi-poetic context.
It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no one's gonna save you from the beast about strike
You know it's thriller, thriller night
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
You hear the door slam and realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand and wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl!
But all the while you hear the creature creeping up behind
You're out of time
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
There ain't no second chance against the thing with forty eyes, girl
Thriller, thriller night
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
Night creatures calling, the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this time
(They're open wide)
This is the end of your life
They're out to get you, there's demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change that number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, yeah
All through the night I'll save you from the terror on the screen
I'll make you see
That this is thriller, thriller night
'Cause I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a
Killer, diller, chiller, thriller here tonight
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
Girl, I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller, ow!
(I'm gonna thrill ya tonight)
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y'alls neighborhood
I'm gonna thrill ya tonight, ooh baby
I'm gonna thrill ya tonight, oh darlin'
Thriller night, baby, ooh!
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller.
Thriller was released in 1984, sung by Michael Jackson with a soliloquy read by Vincent Price. Despite the success of the album of the same title and other successful tracks from it, Thriller the song only reached number four on the US Billboard singles chart and number ten on the UK singles chart. It's probably most famous for its 14-minute short film-like music video.
The lyrics are as close as I could find them on the Internet. (Yes, this is a fairly silly idea for Poem of the Week.)
Thursday, 25 June 2009
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