Miranda
1x06 Dog [season finale]
A nice conclusion to a brilliant series. Already can't wait for the just-commissioned series two.
[Watch it again on iPlayer.]
The Royal Variety Performance 2009
I would describe it as "varied".
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Articles
BBC hands second series to Miranda by Dan French
(from Digital Spy)
French seems to be under the impression that the TV industry is run be people going around handing each other things all the time. I don't know, maybe it is, but I do find it makes for consistently irritating headlines.
Oh, and this is marvellous news.
The Oscar Badmouthing Has Begun! by Nikki Finke
(from Deadline Hollywood)
Ah, film awards -- so honest and lovely, aren't they?
Rage extend chart lead over McElderry by David Balls
(from Digital Spy)
Hurrah! But can it keep it up?
(from Digital Spy)
French seems to be under the impression that the TV industry is run be people going around handing each other things all the time. I don't know, maybe it is, but I do find it makes for consistently irritating headlines.
Oh, and this is marvellous news.
The Oscar Badmouthing Has Begun! by Nikki Finke
(from Deadline Hollywood)
Ah, film awards -- so honest and lovely, aren't they?
Rage extend chart lead over McElderry by David Balls
(from Digital Spy)
Hurrah! But can it keep it up?
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
TV
Have I Got News For You
38x08 (11/12/09 edition; uncut repeat)
I thought Dominic West was an odd choice to host, but he surprised me by being rather good. Super.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson
1x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Top Gear
14x04 Episode 4
Yes, last week's. Well, actually, last week-and-a-half's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
38x08 (11/12/09 edition; uncut repeat)
I thought Dominic West was an odd choice to host, but he surprised me by being rather good. Super.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson
1x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Top Gear
14x04 Episode 4
Yes, last week's. Well, actually, last week-and-a-half's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Michael Clayton (2007)
[#87 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Time is getting severely low to reach my target before the year's out. Still, I was also only at 87 about this time last year and I made it to 100 (just), so there's plenty of hope yet.
[#87 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Time is getting severely low to reach my target before the year's out. Still, I was also only at 87 about this time last year and I made it to 100 (just), so there's plenty of hope yet.
Articles
A Christmas Carol returns to UK BO summit by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
To return to the top spot in the 6th week of release is pretty incredible. On the other hand, who thought it was a bright idea to release such a Christmassy film a full two months before the big day?! Of course it's doing better business now, especially with it about to be kicked out of many 3D screens in favour of Avatar.
SFX Soapbox by Richard Edwards
(from SFX #191, p.35)
"The bit of the mag where angry SFX writers go to spout off. This month: Richard Edwards rants about people who refuse to call science fiction science fiction."
A brilliant -- and very truthful -- rant. (I believe this issue is out from tomorrow, despite being dated February 2010. Magazines are barmy.)
(from Digital Spy)
To return to the top spot in the 6th week of release is pretty incredible. On the other hand, who thought it was a bright idea to release such a Christmassy film a full two months before the big day?! Of course it's doing better business now, especially with it about to be kicked out of many 3D screens in favour of Avatar.
SFX Soapbox by Richard Edwards
(from SFX #191, p.35)
"The bit of the mag where angry SFX writers go to spout off. This month: Richard Edwards rants about people who refuse to call science fiction science fiction."
A brilliant -- and very truthful -- rant. (I believe this issue is out from tomorrow, despite being dated February 2010. Magazines are barmy.)
Articles: Avatar reviews
FILM REVIEW: Avatar by Richard Edwards
(from SFX)
Despite the four-and-a-half stars, it seems SFX have hit upon a fundamental flaw: great effects, weak story. The most telling sentence, I feel, is halfway through: "Avatar’s problem is that it’ll automatically get a star docked as soon as it arrives on the small screen".
Review of Avatar by Chris Hewitt
(from Empire)
At the end of a five-star review: "a flawed but fantastic tour de force that, taken on its merits as a film, especially in two dimensions, warrants four stars."
Just to emphasise this point.
Review of Avatar by Roger Ebert
(from rogerebert.com)
A thoroughly sycophantic (unfortunately) offering from Ebert.
(from SFX)
Despite the four-and-a-half stars, it seems SFX have hit upon a fundamental flaw: great effects, weak story. The most telling sentence, I feel, is halfway through: "Avatar’s problem is that it’ll automatically get a star docked as soon as it arrives on the small screen".
Review of Avatar by Chris Hewitt
(from Empire)
At the end of a five-star review: "a flawed but fantastic tour de force that, taken on its merits as a film, especially in two dimensions, warrants four stars."
Just to emphasise this point.
Review of Avatar by Roger Ebert
(from rogerebert.com)
A thoroughly sycophantic (unfortunately) offering from Ebert.
Monday, 14 December 2009
TV
The Graham Norton Show
6x10 (7/12/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
QI
7x03 Games
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
We Need Answers
2x02 Love
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
6x10 (7/12/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
QI
7x03 Games
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
We Need Answers
2x02 Love
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
shameless eBay self promotion: post-sale update
After all that, 35 of the 36 items sold. Hurrah! The one outstanding is now relisted:
Some one buy it. Oh go on. You know you want to. It's a great book. Oh go on. Go on go on go on go on go on go on.
Go on?
Some one buy it. Oh go on. You know you want to. It's a great book. Oh go on. Go on go on go on go on go on go on.
Go on?
Sunday, 13 December 2009
TV
Argumental
2x14 Best of Argumental [season finale]
Second of two clip show specials rounding out the series. As with the first it really is just clips, no outtakes. At least they were funny.
The British Comedy Awards 2009
Hurrah for the Comedy Awards! Always good fun, even if the opening monologue had clearly been subjected to fervent lawyering this year (it's usually much more cutting). And, for a change, nearly all the right people/shows (read: people/shows I wanted to win) won. Lovely.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Live at the Apollo
5x02 (11/12/09 edition)
Squeezing three comedians into just half an hour leaves them all feeling a little short changed. Still, it means any you don't like re gone fairly quickly.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Miranda
1x05 Excuse
Final episode tomorrow, sadly. It's gone by so quickly... probably because I only started watching last Monday...
[Watch it again on iPlayer.]
2x14 Best of Argumental [season finale]
Second of two clip show specials rounding out the series. As with the first it really is just clips, no outtakes. At least they were funny.
The British Comedy Awards 2009
Hurrah for the Comedy Awards! Always good fun, even if the opening monologue had clearly been subjected to fervent lawyering this year (it's usually much more cutting). And, for a change, nearly all the right people/shows (read: people/shows I wanted to win) won. Lovely.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Live at the Apollo
5x02 (11/12/09 edition)
Squeezing three comedians into just half an hour leaves them all feeling a little short changed. Still, it means any you don't like re gone fairly quickly.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Miranda
1x05 Excuse
Final episode tomorrow, sadly. It's gone by so quickly... probably because I only started watching last Monday...
[Watch it again on iPlayer.]
shameless eBay self promotion: final update
This is, hopefully, the final update of what I'm currently selling on eBay. All auctions end this evening, at various times until around midnight.
Nearly everything is currently being bid (hurrah!), but the two items that aren't (as of posting) are emboldened. Sold stuff is crossed out, most of it at the end.
'Exclusive' & New DVDs
300 Special Edition, with The Art of the Film mini-book
Crash (2004) (new)
Wanted with mini-comic & exclusive website access code
Films on DVD
The Da Vinci Code Special Edition
Dark City (theatrical cut)
Dark City: Director's Cut (US Region 1)
The Fountain
Highlander 2-disc 'European edition'
Marnie
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life Special Edition
The Ultimate Mummy Collection including The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns
No Country For Old Men
Nosferatu (1922) Special Edition
Predator
Underworld Special Extended Edition
Masters of Cinema DVDs
#1 Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
#71 Mad Detective
TV on DVD
Band of Brothers in original tin packaging
The Complete Fawlty Towers 3-disc set
The Sopranos Series 1 Collector's Edition
The Sopranos Series 2
The Sopranos Series 3
Books
From Russia With Love (Penguin Modern Classics edition)
You Only Live Twice (Penguin Modern Classics edition)
As I said, all items end this evening.
Sold
Batman Begins Special Edition
The Dark Knight Special Edition with mini-comic
Fight Club Definitive Edition (uncut)
Ghostbusters 15th Anniversary Edition
The Great Dictator 2-disc edition
Highlander Immortal Edition
Monty Python and the Holy Grail Extraordinarily Deluxe Edition
Monty Python's Life of Brian The Immaculate Edition
Se7en 2-disc edition
This is Spinal Tap Special Edition
Underworld Evolution
Zodiac: Director's Cut
Nearly everything is currently being bid (hurrah!), but the two items that aren't (as of posting) are emboldened. Sold stuff is crossed out, most of it at the end.
'Exclusive' & New DVDs
Films on DVD
Masters of Cinema DVDs
TV on DVD
Books
As I said, all items end this evening.
Sold
Saturday, 12 December 2009
TV
Gavin & Stacey
3x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Merlin
2x07 The Witchfinder
Finally picking up on this again, with just two weeks before it's all deleted from iPlayer. Oops.
Very good episode, though, with Charles Dance making a thoroughly evil villain.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Misfits
1x04 Episode Four
Misfits does the natural time travel episode -- what happens if you change the past? -- though with its own drug-addled spin. Shame that it pushes coincidence to the max by having every major character in the same location months before they all met. That aside, however, it was a well executed episode.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Wallander [Swedish]
1x05 Afrikanen (aka The African)
A relatively weak edition, I thought, particularly at the convenient and improbable climax (would the police really send one person to a potentially-dangerous location while three went to another?)
3x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Merlin
2x07 The Witchfinder
Finally picking up on this again, with just two weeks before it's all deleted from iPlayer. Oops.
Very good episode, though, with Charles Dance making a thoroughly evil villain.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Misfits
1x04 Episode Four
Misfits does the natural time travel episode -- what happens if you change the past? -- though with its own drug-addled spin. Shame that it pushes coincidence to the max by having every major character in the same location months before they all met. That aside, however, it was a well executed episode.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Wallander [Swedish]
1x05 Afrikanen (aka The African)
A relatively weak edition, I thought, particularly at the convenient and improbable climax (would the police really send one person to a potentially-dangerous location while three went to another?)
Magazines
Doctor Who Magazine #416
'The David Tennant Issue', a bumper-length edition packed with stuff about the end of the Russell T Davies era. Lots of intriguing tit bits about the 135 minutes of his Who that's left to go...
Next month: 'The Matt Smith Issue', an equally-lengthy issue heralding the new guard, and a redesigned magazine (well, the logo, at the very least) to boot.
Radio Times 19 December 2009 - 1 January 2010
...and today, I made it to the end. Hooray!
'The David Tennant Issue', a bumper-length edition packed with stuff about the end of the Russell T Davies era. Lots of intriguing tit bits about the 135 minutes of his Who that's left to go...
Next month: 'The Matt Smith Issue', an equally-lengthy issue heralding the new guard, and a redesigned magazine (well, the logo, at the very least) to boot.
Radio Times 19 December 2009 - 1 January 2010
...and today, I made it to the end. Hooray!
Collection Count
Collection Count, now in its eighth week, tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics. It's 24 hours late this week for no other reason than that it is.
I've been selling some DVDs this week (as you may've noticed), as well as replacing others with Blu-rays, but the sheer volume has been enough to show no dip in numbers. Always nice.
Number of titles in collection: 1,102 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,053 [up 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 49 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,706 [up 14]
Number of films in collection: 1,148 [up 4]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 3,780 [up 33]
Statistic of the week:
Audio commentaries:
672 titles (61% of the collection) have at least one audio commentary (or, on Blu-ray, picture-in-picture track). I've only listened to all the commentaries on 8 (1.2%) of these.
See you next week, faithful reader.
I've been selling some DVDs this week (as you may've noticed), as well as replacing others with Blu-rays, but the sheer volume has been enough to show no dip in numbers. Always nice.
Number of titles in collection: 1,102 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,053 [up 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 49 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,706 [up 14]
Number of films in collection: 1,148 [up 4]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 3,780 [up 33]
Statistic of the week:
Audio commentaries:
672 titles (61% of the collection) have at least one audio commentary (or, on Blu-ray, picture-in-picture track). I've only listened to all the commentaries on 8 (1.2%) of these.
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 11 December 2009
TV
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
17x13 (4/12/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson
1x05 Episode 5
Missed episode four, dammit, especially as it sounds particularly good. The BBC seem to decide at random which programmes are worth of an iPlayer series link...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
23x11 (9/12/09 edition)
Frankie Boyle is the last guest host before next week's David Tennant-fronted Doctor Who special. Fortunately, he appears to be relatively unneutered by the BBC's political correctness-obsessed censors. Hooray for his particular brand of hysterical vileness!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
17x13 (4/12/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson
1x05 Episode 5
Missed episode four, dammit, especially as it sounds particularly good. The BBC seem to decide at random which programmes are worth of an iPlayer series link...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
23x11 (9/12/09 edition)
Frankie Boyle is the last guest host before next week's David Tennant-fronted Doctor Who special. Fortunately, he appears to be relatively unneutered by the BBC's political correctness-obsessed censors. Hooray for his particular brand of hysterical vileness!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Magazines
Radio Times 19 December 2009 - 1 January 2010
So, there weren't enough hours in the day -- today I made it almost to the end of the TV listings (almost!) Tomorrow, the end of the magazine? Perchance to dream...
So, there weren't enough hours in the day -- today I made it almost to the end of the TV listings (almost!) Tomorrow, the end of the magazine? Perchance to dream...
Articles
15 Must-See Movies On TV This Christmas by Mark Powell
(from Total Film)
Just in case you need more guides for what to watch this Christmas.
John Simm to star in Hamlet next year by Oli Simpson
(from Digital Spy)
Well, that's just going to invite comparisons with David Tennant's version, isn't it?
Russell T Davies And The Heritage Of Doctor Who by Dave Golder
(from SFX)
SFX's Doctor Who Countdown continues with a fourth part to their Russell T Davies interview, here discussing why he never did a multi-Doctor story.
(from Total Film)
Just in case you need more guides for what to watch this Christmas.
John Simm to star in Hamlet next year by Oli Simpson
(from Digital Spy)
Well, that's just going to invite comparisons with David Tennant's version, isn't it?
Russell T Davies And The Heritage Of Doctor Who by Dave Golder
(from SFX)
SFX's Doctor Who Countdown continues with a fourth part to their Russell T Davies interview, here discussing why he never did a multi-Doctor story.
shameless eBay self promotion: update 3
It's Friday! What a good day to bid on something on eBay, eh?
So, here's what I'm selling then. In a different move to the last few days' updates, stuff being bid on in is now normal while the few remaining unbid-on-or-sold-(yet) items are emboldened. Stuff that's sold is crossed out.
'Exclusive' & New DVDs
300 Special Edition, with The Art of the Film mini-book
Crash (2004) (new)
Wanted with mini-comic & exclusive website access code
Films on DVD
The Da Vinci Code Special Edition
Dark City (theatrical cut)
Dark City: Director's Cut (US Region 1)
The Fountain
Highlander 2-disc 'European edition'
Marnie
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life Special Edition
The Ultimate Mummy Collection including The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns
No Country For Old Men
Nosferatu (1922) Special Edition
Predator
Underworld Special Extended Edition
Underworld Evolution
Masters of Cinema DVDs
#1 Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
#71 Mad Detective
TV on DVD
Band of Brothers in original tin packaging
The Complete Fawlty Towers 3-disc set
The Sopranos Series 1 Collector's Edition
The Sopranos Series 2
The Sopranos Series 3
Books
From Russia With Love (Penguin Modern Classics edition)
You Only Live Twice (Penguin Modern Classics edition)
All auctions end at some point on Sunday.
Sold
Batman Begins Special Edition
The Dark Knight Special Edition with mini-comic
Fight Club Definitive Edition (uncut)
Ghostbusters 15th Anniversary Edition
The Great Dictator 2-disc edition
Highlander Immortal Edition
Monty Python and the Holy Grail Extraordinarily Deluxe Edition
Monty Python's Life of Brian The Immaculate Edition
Se7en 2-disc edition
This is Spinal Tap Special Edition
Zodiac: Director's Cut
So, here's what I'm selling then. In a different move to the last few days' updates, stuff being bid on in is now normal while the few remaining unbid-on-or-sold-(yet) items are emboldened. Stuff that's sold is crossed out.
'Exclusive' & New DVDs
Films on DVD
Masters of Cinema DVDs
TV on DVD
Books
All auctions end at some point on Sunday.
Sold
Thursday, 10 December 2009
TV
Live at the Apollo
5x01 (4/12/09 edition)
Didn't think we'd see this again, after Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow seemed to replace it. But I swear it used to be longer than half an hour...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Spooks
8x03 Episode 3
An exemplary episode, even if it once again stretches credibility -- a given with Spooks these days, I suppose. It's also one of those episodes where one agrees with the terrorists, to at least some degree, which is always an interesting conundrum; particularly for the writer I should imagine.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
5x01 (4/12/09 edition)
Didn't think we'd see this again, after Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow seemed to replace it. But I swear it used to be longer than half an hour...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Spooks
8x03 Episode 3
An exemplary episode, even if it once again stretches credibility -- a given with Spooks these days, I suppose. It's also one of those episodes where one agrees with the terrorists, to at least some degree, which is always an interesting conundrum; particularly for the writer I should imagine.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Fatal Instinct (1993)
[#86 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Ah, iTunes' 99p Film of the Week, what randomness thou dost produce.
[#86 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Ah, iTunes' 99p Film of the Week, what randomness thou dost produce.
Magazines
Radio Times 19 December 2009 - 1 January 2010
Ah, the legendary (their word) Christmas issue.
I do love the Christmas RT. Every year it's an epic of a magazine, stuffed to bursting (literally -- the cover's two-thirds off mine already) with previews, interviews, reviews, other 'views, the film guide and, of course, two whole weeks' worth of TV and radio listings.
Today, I've managed to make it as far as what is ostensibly the point of the magazine: the actual TV listings section. Tomorrow, maybe I'll reach the end... but there may not be enough hours in the day...
Ah, the legendary (their word) Christmas issue.
I do love the Christmas RT. Every year it's an epic of a magazine, stuffed to bursting (literally -- the cover's two-thirds off mine already) with previews, interviews, reviews, other 'views, the film guide and, of course, two whole weeks' worth of TV and radio listings.
Today, I've managed to make it as far as what is ostensibly the point of the magazine: the actual TV listings section. Tomorrow, maybe I'll reach the end... but there may not be enough hours in the day...
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