Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
18x19 (4/6/10 edition)
I'm not sure why I keep linking to tv.com for Wossy episodes -- their editor for this section is clearly a bit of a dick.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
How I Met Your Mother
5x03 Robin 101
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Friday, 11 June 2010
all 11 Doctors in a box
Ever since Character began doing classic series action figures, this is the one box set I've been dying to get my hands on.
Click to enlarge.
All 11 Doctors' action figures in one presentation box. Beautiful.
The fact I already own most of them is irrelevant; besides, at least they've gone to the effort of making some a variant -- celery-sticked 5th Doctor (at last!) is perhaps the most obvious example; the 7th is now hatless (and brown-coated, though he was in the TARDIS set too); the 3rd, 4th Doctors are also different (or "slightly different", depending which versions you already own); the 6th may also have a slightly different costume, while the 10th is specs-on version (which, when they released so damn many 10th-era box sets with him, is hardly uncommon). Plus the 8th Doctor is new, and, as far as I'm concerned, I only recently got the Unearthly Child 1st Doctor so this is a big variant; plus I never got the 2nd and have yet to get an 11th.
Ah, the life of a collector.
Click to enlarge.
The set's due out in August. RRP is £49.99 but obviously the Forbidden Planets have discounts. Cheaper of the two is .co.uk -- only 50p on the page, but standard p&p is a whole £3 less than .com, a good saving in my book.
Click to enlarge.
All 11 Doctors' action figures in one presentation box. Beautiful.
The fact I already own most of them is irrelevant; besides, at least they've gone to the effort of making some a variant -- celery-sticked 5th Doctor (at last!) is perhaps the most obvious example; the 7th is now hatless (and brown-coated, though he was in the TARDIS set too); the 3rd, 4th Doctors are also different (or "slightly different", depending which versions you already own); the 6th may also have a slightly different costume, while the 10th is specs-on version (which, when they released so damn many 10th-era box sets with him, is hardly uncommon). Plus the 8th Doctor is new, and, as far as I'm concerned, I only recently got the Unearthly Child 1st Doctor so this is a big variant; plus I never got the 2nd and have yet to get an 11th.
Ah, the life of a collector.
Click to enlarge.
The set's due out in August. RRP is £49.99 but obviously the Forbidden Planets have discounts. Cheaper of the two is .co.uk -- only 50p on the page, but standard p&p is a whole £3 less than .com, a good saving in my book.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
TV
Aida
So, my first proper experience with opera. I quite liked it; this version, staged in 2009 for the Bregenz Festival, was certainly a spectacular piece of theatre (you can see a couple of photos of the huge set at the link above). Seems to me that opera is rather like a classically-scored foreign-language musical... which I'm sure many opera fans would like to lynch me for saying.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
1x01 33
1x02 Water
1x03 Bastille Day
I'd only intended to watch one episode, but got rather drawn in and... well, you can see. It's nice to have a bit of politics with your sci-fi -- it makes a change -- and a series that treats the viewer with a little bit of respect. For example, it's obvious what's going on in 33 -- the Cylons are attacking every 33 minutes -- but in the whole episode no one states it. Few genre shows would have the confidence not to have the very first line be, "so this will be the 237th time they've attacked after a 33 minute gap", or whatever.
The worst I would say about the series so far is that you can sometimes tell the writers' background is in genre/Star Trek TV, rather than 'proper drama'. Occasionally the story or way it's constructed reminds you that this is, really, a bunch of Star Trek writers putting all their efforts into making a 'proper drama' instead of just another space opera, rather than some 'proper drama' writers choosing to use sci-fi as a medium for social/political comment (like, for example, David Milch was aiming at with Deadwood, which was originally going to be set in the totally-different time period of Ancient Rome before Rome turned up). But it's loftier aims largely keep it above stuff we've all seen numerous times before... so far, at least.
So, my first proper experience with opera. I quite liked it; this version, staged in 2009 for the Bregenz Festival, was certainly a spectacular piece of theatre (you can see a couple of photos of the huge set at the link above). Seems to me that opera is rather like a classically-scored foreign-language musical... which I'm sure many opera fans would like to lynch me for saying.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
1x01 33
1x02 Water
1x03 Bastille Day
I'd only intended to watch one episode, but got rather drawn in and... well, you can see. It's nice to have a bit of politics with your sci-fi -- it makes a change -- and a series that treats the viewer with a little bit of respect. For example, it's obvious what's going on in 33 -- the Cylons are attacking every 33 minutes -- but in the whole episode no one states it. Few genre shows would have the confidence not to have the very first line be, "so this will be the 237th time they've attacked after a 33 minute gap", or whatever.
The worst I would say about the series so far is that you can sometimes tell the writers' background is in genre/Star Trek TV, rather than 'proper drama'. Occasionally the story or way it's constructed reminds you that this is, really, a bunch of Star Trek writers putting all their efforts into making a 'proper drama' instead of just another space opera, rather than some 'proper drama' writers choosing to use sci-fi as a medium for social/political comment (like, for example, David Milch was aiming at with Deadwood, which was originally going to be set in the totally-different time period of Ancient Rome before Rome turned up). But it's loftier aims largely keep it above stuff we've all seen numerous times before... so far, at least.
Articles
Die Hard 24/7 Starring John McClane & Jack Bauer Is The Wrong Call, But The Right Direction by Josh Wigler
(from MTV Movies Blog)
Be warned, the full article (which doesn't contain any more details on the project than that, just some opinion) has massive spoilers for 24 season 8.
Even New Line Execs Can’t Figure Out Why the Fourth Final Destination Made Nearly $200 Million, But Here Comes No. Five by Claude Brodesser-Akner
(from )
It's quite incredibly how much of a turnaround the franchise has seen with its fourth entry --
(from MTV Movies Blog)
20th Century Fox once mulled over the idea of teaming the Die Hard and 24 heroes together in a movie called — wait for it — Die Hard 24/7. The source reports that "the project didn't pan out because Kiefer was more interested in launching his own 24 movie franchise ... than doing buddy shtick in Bruce's already established series."Well... hm...
Be warned, the full article (which doesn't contain any more details on the project than that, just some opinion) has massive spoilers for 24 season 8.
Even New Line Execs Can’t Figure Out Why the Fourth Final Destination Made Nearly $200 Million, But Here Comes No. Five by Claude Brodesser-Akner
(from )
It's quite incredibly how much of a turnaround the franchise has seen with its fourth entry --
it’s made $115 million internationally, which is $55.5 million more than the next highest-grossing entry, the first one. Some areas seem particularly crazy about death: Colombia’s grosses quintupled from the third film in the franchise. Australian grosses are three and a half times greater. Dutch, Israeli, and German grosses tripled. And French and Brazilian grosses doubled.-- and no one, least of all the studio who released it, seems to know why.
Feeder Call Out video - exclusive, honest!
Exclusive to you for the next 24 hours, the code below contains the hot new video for the single Call Out.
Please post it anywhere you like online, and host your own premiere!
Yep, exclusive to me. And everyone else who gets their emails. And now to you, if you click that "share" button.
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
TV
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
Miniseries Part 1 (of 2)
Miniseries Part 2 (of 2)
Here I go, at last -- only 6½ years after it was first on and 9 months after buying the Blu-ray, I'm finally commencing perhaps the greatest TV series ever made. Does it top The Wire? And/or Everything Else Ever Made Ever? Based on the evidence of these opening three hours -- which play more like an epic movie (albeit with series-launching cliffhanger) than a two-part miniseries, if you ask me -- there's a good chance it might.
Luther
1x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
So, that's that then. Not sure if another series is a good idea; even less sure if it's going to happen. We'll see I suppose.
One thing I did rather like about Luther, by-the-by, is how they cut their "next time" trailer (and, in the finale, the episode's closing moments) in amongst the end credits, thereby circumventing the BBC guidelines that are designed to allow that irritating shrinking thing that means you can't see everyone's names. Well done, Luther production team, very clever. I bet the BBC modify their guidelines to stop anyone copying.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Miniseries Part 1 (of 2)
Miniseries Part 2 (of 2)
Here I go, at last -- only 6½ years after it was first on and 9 months after buying the Blu-ray, I'm finally commencing perhaps the greatest TV series ever made. Does it top The Wire? And/or Everything Else Ever Made Ever? Based on the evidence of these opening three hours -- which play more like an epic movie (albeit with series-launching cliffhanger) than a two-part miniseries, if you ask me -- there's a good chance it might.
Luther
1x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
So, that's that then. Not sure if another series is a good idea; even less sure if it's going to happen. We'll see I suppose.
One thing I did rather like about Luther, by-the-by, is how they cut their "next time" trailer (and, in the finale, the episode's closing moments) in amongst the end credits, thereby circumventing the BBC guidelines that are designed to allow that irritating shrinking thing that means you can't see everyone's names. Well done, Luther production team, very clever. I bet the BBC modify their guidelines to stop anyone copying.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Back to Future, Jurassic Park to become games by Derrik J. Lang
(from Google News)
You'd assume they'd be ultra-mainstream action-y titles, wouldn't you... but they're actually coming from Telltale, the company behind such point-and-click-esque adventure games as Sam and Max and Tales of Monkey Island. So will they be that style, or something new for the company? It would lend itself to Back to the Future, but what about Jurassic Park? How do you do the dino-fighting action? Or is that out the window in favour of Plot? Only time will tell.
Major Indy 5 News: Bermuda Triangle, the last of Harrison Ford
(from Sci Fi Wire)
I know I'm in the minority, but I thought Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was pretty entertaining. That said, this next adventure does sound more promising -- a more supernatural MacGuffin (though they could go sci-fi with it if they wanted, of course) and, perhaps, a degree of abandonment for CGI (which was overdone in Crystal Skull).
Russell T Davies Talks About Torchwood Series 4 and Doctor Who Series 31 (video)
(from Gallifreyan Embassy)
The post-announcement news-dribble continues with another RTD interview. More repetition and reassurances, as you'd expect. Also worth watching for the mildly amusing pronunciation of "John Barrowman".
(from Google News)
You'd assume they'd be ultra-mainstream action-y titles, wouldn't you... but they're actually coming from Telltale, the company behind such point-and-click-esque adventure games as Sam and Max and Tales of Monkey Island. So will they be that style, or something new for the company? It would lend itself to Back to the Future, but what about Jurassic Park? How do you do the dino-fighting action? Or is that out the window in favour of Plot? Only time will tell.
Major Indy 5 News: Bermuda Triangle, the last of Harrison Ford
(from Sci Fi Wire)
I know I'm in the minority, but I thought Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was pretty entertaining. That said, this next adventure does sound more promising -- a more supernatural MacGuffin (though they could go sci-fi with it if they wanted, of course) and, perhaps, a degree of abandonment for CGI (which was overdone in Crystal Skull).
Russell T Davies Talks About Torchwood Series 4 and Doctor Who Series 31 (video)
(from Gallifreyan Embassy)
The post-announcement news-dribble continues with another RTD interview. More repetition and reassurances, as you'd expect. Also worth watching for the mildly amusing pronunciation of "John Barrowman".
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
TV
The Graham Norton Show
7x09 (7/6/10 edition)
After last week's preconceptions-smasher, this edition just re-asserted that people like Usher and Miley Cyrus are a bit dim and rather irritating. It comes to something when Jack Whitehall seems the most interesting, funny and intelligent of your guests.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Luther
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
7x09 (7/6/10 edition)
After last week's preconceptions-smasher, this edition just re-asserted that people like Usher and Miley Cyrus are a bit dim and rather irritating. It comes to something when Jack Whitehall seems the most interesting, funny and intelligent of your guests.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Luther
1x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
DVD Extras
The Perfect Souffle: Testing Final Destination
Interesting featurette on the process of test screening a film, i.e. when they show it to an audience to see what they like and dislike, in order to perhaps make audience-pleasing changes before release. Everyone involved is keen to stress how useful it really is, how they don't have to listen to audience feedback and how it's nothing to do with who has final cut, honest. Which, as you can still tell from a few of the filmmakers interviewed, isn't quite the whole truth. But, when used responsibly and appropriately, it makes it clear that the oft-reviled process can be quite useful, mainly if you're making a film that's designed to simply please/entertain an audience.
Interesting featurette on the process of test screening a film, i.e. when they show it to an audience to see what they like and dislike, in order to perhaps make audience-pleasing changes before release. Everyone involved is keen to stress how useful it really is, how they don't have to listen to audience feedback and how it's nothing to do with who has final cut, honest. Which, as you can still tell from a few of the filmmakers interviewed, isn't quite the whole truth. But, when used responsibly and appropriately, it makes it clear that the oft-reviled process can be quite useful, mainly if you're making a film that's designed to simply please/entertain an audience.
Articles
iPhone 4 vs. iPhone 3G infographic by Jason Calacanis
(from calacanis.com)
Sums that one up nicely. (Despite the title, it's actually a comparison between the 3GS and iPhone 4, which might not sound like much but the 3GS and 3G had a number of differences as it was.)
Torchwood interviews with Starz chief Chris Albrecht, creator Russell T. Davies by James Hibberd
(from the live feed at The Hollywood Reporter)
Does what it says on the tin. A few worthwhile snippets in there for fans, including some reassuring comments from RTD.
(from calacanis.com)
Sums that one up nicely. (Despite the title, it's actually a comparison between the 3GS and iPhone 4, which might not sound like much but the 3GS and 3G had a number of differences as it was.)
Torchwood interviews with Starz chief Chris Albrecht, creator Russell T. Davies by James Hibberd
(from the live feed at The Hollywood Reporter)
Does what it says on the tin. A few worthwhile snippets in there for fans, including some reassuring comments from RTD.
Monday, 7 June 2010
TV
The Graham Norton Show
7x08 (31/5/10 edition)
"Oh no," I thought, before commencing this episode, "Chris Rock and Joshua Jackson? This is going to be dire." But no, it turned out to be rather good. File me under 'surprised'.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Have I Got News For You
39x09 (3/6/10; extended repeat) [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
7x08 (31/5/10 edition)
"Oh no," I thought, before commencing this episode, "Chris Rock and Joshua Jackson? This is going to be dire." But no, it turned out to be rather good. File me under 'surprised'.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Have I Got News For You
39x09 (3/6/10; extended repeat) [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
After Long Sojourn, Silent Films Return Home by Dave Kehr
(from the New York Times)
To summarise the article in a more reader-friendly fashion than that headline, 75 'lost' Hollywood silent movies have been found in New Zealand, including some made by or starring notable names like John Ford and Clara Bow. Many are now being returned to the US for restoration. All of which is fantastic news.
International partnership secures new series of Torchwood
(from Torchwood Official Website)
Hurrah!
I've chosen this BBC press release to cover the news because most of the US reports focus on it being a Starz series, ignoring the fact it (seems to be, anyway) primarily a BBC One series that Starz have expensively bought the rights to.
(from the New York Times)
To summarise the article in a more reader-friendly fashion than that headline, 75 'lost' Hollywood silent movies have been found in New Zealand, including some made by or starring notable names like John Ford and Clara Bow. Many are now being returned to the US for restoration. All of which is fantastic news.
International partnership secures new series of Torchwood
(from Torchwood Official Website)
Hurrah!
I've chosen this BBC press release to cover the news because most of the US reports focus on it being a Starz series, ignoring the fact it (seems to be, anyway) primarily a BBC One series that Starz have expensively bought the rights to.
Sunday, 6 June 2010
TV
The British Academy Television Awards 2010
BAFTA do pick some odd nominees. And winners. But hey-ho, that's awards for you.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Doctor Who
31x10 Vincent and the Doctor
A surprisingly excellent and brave episode. Well done on Richard Curtis for not shying away from Van Gogh's depression and suicide, particularly at the end, having the encounter with Amy & the Doctor not making it all alright. All credit to Tony Curran for pulling it off with a great performance too. Also, to Curtis again, for featuring a monster that was introduced late, dealt with early, and seemed to exist to support the characters and story rather than the other way round. Also, appropriate for the BBC to put the Action Line number up at the end, signalling the importance of what had just been covered.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Mock the Week
7x03 (23/7/09 edition) [2nd watch]
7x04 (30/7/09 edition) [2nd watch]
Ah, random late-night Dave. Though why half the adverts seemed to be aimed at women is a mystery.
Wallander [Swedish]
2x06 Prästen (aka The Priest)
BAFTA do pick some odd nominees. And winners. But hey-ho, that's awards for you.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Doctor Who
31x10 Vincent and the Doctor
A surprisingly excellent and brave episode. Well done on Richard Curtis for not shying away from Van Gogh's depression and suicide, particularly at the end, having the encounter with Amy & the Doctor not making it all alright. All credit to Tony Curran for pulling it off with a great performance too. Also, to Curtis again, for featuring a monster that was introduced late, dealt with early, and seemed to exist to support the characters and story rather than the other way round. Also, appropriate for the BBC to put the Action Line number up at the end, signalling the importance of what had just been covered.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Mock the Week
7x03 (23/7/09 edition) [2nd watch]
7x04 (30/7/09 edition) [2nd watch]
Ah, random late-night Dave. Though why half the adverts seemed to be aimed at women is a mystery.
Wallander [Swedish]
2x06 Prästen (aka The Priest)
Articles
FlashForward fans for 'blackout' protest by Mike Moody
(from Digital Spy)
As fan campaigns to bring back TV shows go, this is a nicely original but very relevant one. Well done FlashForward fans.
Sex and the City 2: What happened to good old Sex? by Victoria Coren
(from Comment is free at guardian.co.uk)
An interesting, humorous take on the widely-despised sequel, which finds it to be "the most radical and challenging film of the year".
(from Digital Spy)
As fan campaigns to bring back TV shows go, this is a nicely original but very relevant one. Well done FlashForward fans.
Sex and the City 2: What happened to good old Sex? by Victoria Coren
(from Comment is free at guardian.co.uk)
An interesting, humorous take on the widely-despised sequel, which finds it to be "the most radical and challenging film of the year".
this week on 100 Films
3 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Alice in Wonderland (3D) (2010)
National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
Public Enemies (2009)
Also this week, the first in a new monthly series looking at my progress. This one was, naturally, for May 2010.
More next Sunday.
Alice in Wonderland (3D) (2010)
this new Alice positions itself freshly by following in the footsteps of the specific side of the filmic fantasy genre started by Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. Although it uses the original’s most famous elements, the narrative and its structure — particularly a final epic (well, epic-ish) battle in which our unlikely heroine emerges as the long-prophesised One Who’ll Win It For The Good Guys — is familiar from those recent films
National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
National Treasure 2 essentially offers more of the same. That’s often levelled as a criticism, but in this instance it’s absolutely fine: it isn’t a rehash — there’s a new mystery with new puzzles — but is another adventure in the same vein, with clue-hunting and the occasional action sequence.
Public Enemies (2009)
I’d be among the first to be worried about Mann’s unglamorous, cheap digital video style — indeed, when I saw the first trailer, I was distinctly unimpressed — but colour me converted, because it largely works here. I wouldn’t want to see it on every film, but as a stylistic choice it’s a valid one
Also this week, the first in a new monthly series looking at my progress. This one was, naturally, for May 2010.
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 5 June 2010
TV
The Mentalist
2x16 Code Red
"Someone's murdered me" -- great opening. Tad wasted on a decent-but-run-of-the-mill mid-season episode of another detective show, though.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II [special]
So, it's just over a year since I watched the first Robot Chicken Star Wars special, and apparently this one was on in 2008. Sometimes I feel behind the times.
2x16 Code Red
"Someone's murdered me" -- great opening. Tad wasted on a decent-but-run-of-the-mill mid-season episode of another detective show, though.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]
Robot Chicken
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II [special]
So, it's just over a year since I watched the first Robot Chicken Star Wars special, and apparently this one was on in 2008. Sometimes I feel behind the times.
Articles
Last Time Sources Checked This Still America
(from the Onion)
Amusingly (deliberately) cliché-packed.
(from the Onion)
Amusingly (deliberately) cliché-packed.
Friday, 4 June 2010
TV
How I Met Your Mother
5x02 Double Date
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Luther
1x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
5x02 Double Date
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Luther
1x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
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