QI
7x09 Gallimaufrey (extended repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Wallander [Swedish]
1x12 Jokern (aka The Joker)
With a quirky jazz score! Weird...
Monday, 25 January 2010
Films
Die Bergkatze (1921)
aka The Mountain-Lion / The Wildcat
[#9 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Anna Thorngate.
aka The Mountain-Lion / The Wildcat
[#9 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Anna Thorngate.
Articles
Avatar to topple Titanic's BO record by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
Not that Titanic is a worthy number one, but... well, neither's Avatar. Still, lesser of two evils and all that.
(from Digital Spy)
Not that Titanic is a worthy number one, but... well, neither's Avatar. Still, lesser of two evils and all that.
Sunday, 24 January 2010
TV
24
7x05 12:00PM - 1:00PM
7x06 1:00PM - 2:00PM
A quarter of the way through Day 7, and the MacGuffin Device (I completely forget what it's actually called -- CPS? CRB? CPR? Could be anything...) is threatening to give us a re-run of Day 4's histrionics. Still, it's not there yet, so fingers crossed...
Our World
Guantanamo Reunited
Happened across the tail end of this BBC News documentary last night while it was on BBC Two. It's an excellent documentary in which "a former guard at Guantanamo Bay comes face-to-face with two of his ex-prisoners who spent more than two years at the world's most notorious prison" (and were found to be falsely accused, it should be noted). It's reassuring to see how the men can reconcile with each other. If only world leaders were capable of the same.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
7x05 12:00PM - 1:00PM
7x06 1:00PM - 2:00PM
A quarter of the way through Day 7, and the MacGuffin Device (I completely forget what it's actually called -- CPS? CRB? CPR? Could be anything...) is threatening to give us a re-run of Day 4's histrionics. Still, it's not there yet, so fingers crossed...
Our World
Guantanamo Reunited
Happened across the tail end of this BBC News documentary last night while it was on BBC Two. It's an excellent documentary in which "a former guard at Guantanamo Bay comes face-to-face with two of his ex-prisoners who spent more than two years at the world's most notorious prison" (and were found to be falsely accused, it should be noted). It's reassuring to see how the men can reconcile with each other. If only world leaders were capable of the same.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Anna Boleyn (1920)
aka Deception
[#8 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay, "The Court Jester", by David Cairns.
aka Deception
[#8 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay, "The Court Jester", by David Cairns.
Saturday, 23 January 2010
TV
24
7x04 11:00AM - 12:00PM
Mock the Week
8x01 (21/1/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Wallander [British]
2x03 The Fifth Woman [season finale]
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
7x04 11:00AM - 12:00PM
Mock the Week
8x01 (21/1/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Wallander [British]
2x03 The Fifth Woman [season finale]
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Lawless: 'Spartacus will offend people' by Catriona Wightman
(from Digital Spy)
"new show Spartacus: Blood And Sand... features explicit sex and violence." So it's basically Rome 2 then. Well, Rome was severely underrated, so you never know...
Why do Americans care about late night TV? by Elizabeth Diffin & Megan Lane
(from BBC News Magazine)
Interesting article from a UK perspective -- as it points out, "the late-night talk show has been a staple of American programming for the best part of half a century [but] it's a format - and a timeslot - that's never really caught on in the UK.".
(from Digital Spy)
"new show Spartacus: Blood And Sand... features explicit sex and violence." So it's basically Rome 2 then. Well, Rome was severely underrated, so you never know...
Why do Americans care about late night TV? by Elizabeth Diffin & Megan Lane
(from BBC News Magazine)
Interesting article from a UK perspective -- as it points out, "the late-night talk show has been a staple of American programming for the best part of half a century [but] it's a format - and a timeslot - that's never really caught on in the UK.".
Friday, 22 January 2010
TV
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
18x01 (15/1/10 edition)
Wossy's final series (well, presumably -- they might put a break halfway through; though the BBC site says it'll run for a straight 25 episodes) gets underway with only veiled references to his impending departure. Sensible, probably.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
18x01 (15/1/10 edition)
Wossy's final series (well, presumably -- they might put a break halfway through; though the BBC site says it'll run for a straight 25 episodes) gets underway with only veiled references to his impending departure. Sensible, probably.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Sumurun (1920)
aka One Arabian Night
[#7 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay, "Ali-Babelsberg", by David Cairns.
aka One Arabian Night
[#7 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay, "Ali-Babelsberg", by David Cairns.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week. Slight increases across the board this week (almost), though a couple of box sets mean the discs/films total is quadruple the titles! This is why I count titles and actual discs separately.
Number of titles in collection: 1,126 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,068 [up 4]
Of which Blu-rays: 58 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,772 [up 19]
Number of films in collection: 1,184 [up 20]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 3,870 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
Number of silent titles:
19
(1.7% of the total)
These titles include 48 feature-length films and numerous shorts.
(Some are box sets that include a mix of silent and sound titles, but I've only counted genuine silents from that era -- so not including the likes of The Call of Cthulu, made in 2005 in an imitation silent style. Just to complicate matters, two Charlie Chaplin films -- City Lights and Modern Times -- are technically sound pictures, but only have synchronised music/effects and limited dialogue. The latter is often called the last silent film. So, you could say my actual total is therefore 50.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Number of titles in collection: 1,126 [up 5]
Of which DVDs: 1,068 [up 4]
Of which Blu-rays: 58 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 2,772 [up 19]
Number of films in collection: 1,184 [up 20]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 3,870 [no change]
Statistic of the week:
Number of silent titles:
19
(1.7% of the total)
These titles include 48 feature-length films and numerous shorts.
(Some are box sets that include a mix of silent and sound titles, but I've only counted genuine silents from that era -- so not including the likes of The Call of Cthulu, made in 2005 in an imitation silent style. Just to complicate matters, two Charlie Chaplin films -- City Lights and Modern Times -- are technically sound pictures, but only have synchronised music/effects and limited dialogue. The latter is often called the last silent film. So, you could say my actual total is therefore 50.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
TV
24
7x03 10:00AM - 11:00AM
I'm beginning to get a little worried by the amount of plot that's already been revealed. There's 21 hours to go, guys -- don't make the same mistake as recent seasons and over-cram the story with an unfeasible amount of incident!
7x03 10:00AM - 11:00AM
I'm beginning to get a little worried by the amount of plot that's already been revealed. There's 21 hours to go, guys -- don't make the same mistake as recent seasons and over-cram the story with an unfeasible amount of incident!
Films
Die Austernprinzessin (1919)
aka The Oyster Princess / My Lady Margarine
[#6 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky.
aka The Oyster Princess / My Lady Margarine
[#6 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
TV
National Television Awards 2009
A surprisingly high number of worthwhile winners this year. Not all of them, of course, but what do you expect? It's on ITV after all. So, well done British public.
A surprisingly high number of worthwhile winners this year. Not all of them, of course, but what do you expect? It's on ITV after all. So, well done British public.
Films
Ich möchte kein Mann sein (1918)
aka I Wouldn't Like to Be a Man
[#4 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Anna Thorngate.
Die Puppe (1919)
aka The Doll
[#5 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky.
aka I Wouldn't Like to Be a Man
[#4 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Anna Thorngate.
Die Puppe (1919)
aka The Doll
[#5 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
And the accompanying new essay of the same title by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky.
Articles
Marc Webb Will Direct New Spider-Man Reboot by Brad Brevet
(from RopeofSilicon)
This story's all over everywhere, so you can take your pic of who reported it. Quite surprising news though -- a) to have announced a director so speedily, and b) their unproven choice. Could make for an interesting Spider-Man 4... er, 0... or... um...
Spooks, Waking The Dead tipped for axe by Daniel Kilkelly
(from Digital Spy)
And the BBC deny it, of course, but their denial sounds rather false: the original story reports both will end after their next series, the BBC 'denial' just says they've been recommissioned not cancelled... which is true, but because the article says after the next series there's no reason it's not also correct.
It's probably about time though -- Spooks has its moments, but its best years are long gone and they're clearly out of stories; and I've never watched Waking the Dead but it doesn't look much cop.
(from RopeofSilicon)
This story's all over everywhere, so you can take your pic of who reported it. Quite surprising news though -- a) to have announced a director so speedily, and b) their unproven choice. Could make for an interesting Spider-Man 4... er, 0... or... um...
Spooks, Waking The Dead tipped for axe by Daniel Kilkelly
(from Digital Spy)
And the BBC deny it, of course, but their denial sounds rather false: the original story reports both will end after their next series, the BBC 'denial' just says they've been recommissioned not cancelled... which is true, but because the article says after the next series there's no reason it's not also correct.
It's probably about time though -- Spooks has its moments, but its best years are long gone and they're clearly out of stories; and I've never watched Waking the Dead but it doesn't look much cop.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
TV
24
7x02 9:00AM - 10:00AM
Law & Order: UK
2x02 Hidden
A surprisingly strong episode of L&O:UK, both in terms of its subject matter and its relentlessly twisty storytelling. If only every episode had this much going on.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
QI
7x08 Germany (extended repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
7x02 9:00AM - 10:00AM
Law & Order: UK
2x02 Hidden
A surprisingly strong episode of L&O:UK, both in terms of its subject matter and its relentlessly twisty storytelling. If only every episode had this much going on.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
QI
7x08 Germany (extended repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Magazines
Radio Times 25-31 January 2010
Sometimes there's nothing to read in the Radio Times, other times I'm virtually reading cover to cover. This week's is the latter, thanks in part to the belated return of Mad Men to BBC Four and BBC HD -- hurrah! If only we didn't have to wait so long for it -- makes it very tempting to acquire it while it's on in the US.
Sometimes there's nothing to read in the Radio Times, other times I'm virtually reading cover to cover. This week's is the latter, thanks in part to the belated return of Mad Men to BBC Four and BBC HD -- hurrah! If only we didn't have to wait so long for it -- makes it very tempting to acquire it while it's on in the US.
Articles
Fox readying U.S. version of Torchwood by James Hibberd
(from the live feed at The Hollywood Reporter)
I'll believe it when I see it. It's not wholly implausible, but there're enough suspicious bits in the article (like they'd allow a "reboot Doctor Who for U.S. audiences") to make it doubt-worthy. Still, a US-set variant of Torchwood could work... maybe...
(from the live feed at The Hollywood Reporter)
I'll believe it when I see it. It's not wholly implausible, but there're enough suspicious bits in the article (like they'd allow a "reboot Doctor Who for U.S. audiences") to make it doubt-worthy. Still, a US-set variant of Torchwood could work... maybe...
Monday, 18 January 2010
TV
10 Minute Tales
Episode 7 The Three Kings
Episode 9 Syncing
If only Syncing had a decent, sense-making ending, it might've been rather good. As it stands, it's a couple of neat sound/image-trickery ideas in search of a story to support them.
24
7x01 8:00AM - 9:00AM
It's been literally years since I last watched a series of 24: you may remember this seventh season was delayed a full 12 months thanks to the Writers' Strike (in the interim we were treated to the season-bridging TV movie Redemption), and season eight has just kicked off in the US (with the UK broadcast beginning next Sunday). Add it all up and it's about two-and-a-half years since I saw the end of season six.
I only missed Day 7 (as some like to call it) when it was on because I didn't have Sky1 then (I say "only" -- I was all prepared to be dishonest, I just didn't get round to it), so it's only now -- prompted, of course, by season eight beginning -- that I'm catching up. Is it the long-awaited return to form some fans claimed? Or just another chapter in the show's descent into overblown unbelievable uber-threats? Well, I'll have to wait and see, but this is certainly a strong start going in the right direction.
Peep Show
1x01 Warring Factions
Everyone goes on about the brilliance of Peep Show, and I've just discovered I can watch it online for free (legally) so thought I'd give it a go. The first-ever episode clearly has potential and a couple of good moments, but it certainly isn't great yet. I presume, therefore, that things only get better, and so I shall continue to watch.
[Watch for free at LOVEFiLM or on 4oD.]
Episode 7 The Three Kings
Episode 9 Syncing
If only Syncing had a decent, sense-making ending, it might've been rather good. As it stands, it's a couple of neat sound/image-trickery ideas in search of a story to support them.
24
7x01 8:00AM - 9:00AM
It's been literally years since I last watched a series of 24: you may remember this seventh season was delayed a full 12 months thanks to the Writers' Strike (in the interim we were treated to the season-bridging TV movie Redemption), and season eight has just kicked off in the US (with the UK broadcast beginning next Sunday). Add it all up and it's about two-and-a-half years since I saw the end of season six.
I only missed Day 7 (as some like to call it) when it was on because I didn't have Sky1 then (I say "only" -- I was all prepared to be dishonest, I just didn't get round to it), so it's only now -- prompted, of course, by season eight beginning -- that I'm catching up. Is it the long-awaited return to form some fans claimed? Or just another chapter in the show's descent into overblown unbelievable uber-threats? Well, I'll have to wait and see, but this is certainly a strong start going in the right direction.
Peep Show
1x01 Warring Factions
Everyone goes on about the brilliance of Peep Show, and I've just discovered I can watch it online for free (legally) so thought I'd give it a go. The first-ever episode clearly has potential and a couple of good moments, but it certainly isn't great yet. I presume, therefore, that things only get better, and so I shall continue to watch.
[Watch for free at LOVEFiLM or on 4oD.]
Sunday, 17 January 2010
TV
Wallander [British]
2x02 The Man Who Smiled
Kurt Wallander is depressed. No change there, you might think, but now he's properly depressed in the wake of shooting Svartman -- sorry, Racist Murderer Guy -- in last week's episode. It feels odd for a series of out-of-sequence novel adaptations to have such a linking thread, but it's a good showcase for Branagh. I imagine it must frustrate some viewers -- "he killed a bad man, why can't he just get over it?" -- but I should imagine murder, even of someone so deserving, isn't that easy to deal with in reality.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
2x02 The Man Who Smiled
Kurt Wallander is depressed. No change there, you might think, but now he's properly depressed in the wake of shooting Svartman -- sorry, Racist Murderer Guy -- in last week's episode. It feels odd for a series of out-of-sequence novel adaptations to have such a linking thread, but it's a good showcase for Branagh. I imagine it must frustrate some viewers -- "he killed a bad man, why can't he just get over it?" -- but I should imagine murder, even of someone so deserving, isn't that easy to deal with in reality.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
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