The Met Ball (2010)
[#88a in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
Short companion piece to The September Issue, covering the organisation of 2007's New York Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, aka the Met Ball.
Friday, 27 August 2010
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
As mentioned last week, a large number of DVDs are now turning up for a nice big jump. And there's still a lot more to come. This batch includes my 100th Blu-ray -- that's only taken me just over a year, then. It was The Inglorious Bastards, if you're interested.
Number of titles in collection: 1,207 [up 6]
Of which DVDs: 1,105 [up 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 102 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 2,959 [up 18]
Number of films in collection: 1,265 [up 7]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,195 [up 19]
Statistic of the week:
Total running time of collection (approx.):
208 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes.
(Up 2 days, 3 hours, and 11 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
As mentioned last week, a large number of DVDs are now turning up for a nice big jump. And there's still a lot more to come. This batch includes my 100th Blu-ray -- that's only taken me just over a year, then. It was The Inglorious Bastards, if you're interested.
Number of titles in collection: 1,207 [up 6]
Of which DVDs: 1,105 [up 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 102 [up 3]
Number of discs in collection: 2,959 [up 18]
Number of films in collection: 1,265 [up 7]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 4,195 [up 19]
Statistic of the week:
Total running time of collection (approx.):
208 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes.
(Up 2 days, 3 hours, and 11 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Articles
How cute – Star Wars meets Winnie the Pooh
(from Live for Films)
Does what it says there, like. There's also a few not pictured.
(from Live for Films)
Does what it says there, like. There's also a few not pictured.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
TV
Grandma's House
1x03 The day Simon announced that he was in control of the Universe
Perhaps the best episode yet. After my initial doubts, this has certainly settled into its own, rather good, rhythm.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Vexed
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
1x03 The day Simon announced that he was in control of the Universe
Perhaps the best episode yet. After my initial doubts, this has certainly settled into its own, rather good, rhythm.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Vexed
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
TV
The Deep
Part 3 Ghosts of the Deep
Over halfway through now... thank God...
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Joanna Lumley's Nile
Part 3 (of 4)
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
Part 3 Ghosts of the Deep
Over halfway through now... thank God...
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Joanna Lumley's Nile
Part 3 (of 4)
That Mitchell and Webb Look
4x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
Articles
Award-Winning Anime Director Satoshi Kon Passes Away
(from Anime News Network)
I have to admit, I didn't recognise his name when I saw it as the top twitter trend earlier tonight. But I do recognise the names of everything he's directed, all highly-acclaimed productions -- and, it seems to me, it's not often that everything someone's done is well-thought-of. Not to mention the fact that he was just 47, which is too young. RIP.
Take That, Theatrical Re-Release! Avatar Special Edition DVD Will Feature Sixteen Minutes of New Footage by Russ Fischer
(from /Film)
Clearly Cameron & co aren't happy with the couple of billion dollars Avatar has raked in with its original theatrical run and first DVD/BD release -- there's got to be a slightly-longer theatrical re-release, and a slightly-longer-again- DVD/BD re-release, and no doubt a slightly-changed-again 3D Blu-ray release even further down the line. Maybe they're aiming for trillions now...
(from Anime News Network)
I have to admit, I didn't recognise his name when I saw it as the top twitter trend earlier tonight. But I do recognise the names of everything he's directed, all highly-acclaimed productions -- and, it seems to me, it's not often that everything someone's done is well-thought-of. Not to mention the fact that he was just 47, which is too young. RIP.
Take That, Theatrical Re-Release! Avatar Special Edition DVD Will Feature Sixteen Minutes of New Footage by Russ Fischer
(from /Film)
Clearly Cameron & co aren't happy with the couple of billion dollars Avatar has raked in with its original theatrical run and first DVD/BD release -- there's got to be a slightly-longer theatrical re-release, and a slightly-longer-again- DVD/BD re-release, and no doubt a slightly-changed-again 3D Blu-ray release even further down the line. Maybe they're aiming for trillions now...
Monday, 23 August 2010
TV
Dexter
4x06 If I Had a Hammer
Halfway. I'd intended to make this season last a little while... Oops.
Dragons' Den
8x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
4x06 If I Had a Hammer
Halfway. I'd intended to make this season last a little while... Oops.
Dragons' Den
8x07 Episode 7
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
'Ground Zero mosque'? The reality is less provocative by Charlie Brooker
(from Comment is free at guardian.co.uk)
Insightful and amusing, as always.
(from Comment is free at guardian.co.uk)
Insightful and amusing, as always.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
TV
Dexter
4x05 Dirty Harry
This season of Dexter is certainly managing an above-average number of twists and surprises, what with the ending to the previous episode and now this one. (UK pace viewers can find out in about three and four weeks.)
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
1x03 The Dining Room Curtains
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
4x05 Dirty Harry
This season of Dexter is certainly managing an above-average number of twists and surprises, what with the ending to the previous episode and now this one. (UK pace viewers can find out in about three and four weeks.)
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
1x03 The Dining Room Curtains
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Games
Tales of Monkey Island
Chapter 1 Launch of the Screaming Narwhal
The fifth Monkey Island game has been out for a long while now (over a year -- crikey, really?!), and I've even had the DVD version for a few weeks, so I'm not quite sure why it's taken me so long to get round to playing it. Expectation, I suppose -- I've loved the Monkey Island games for as long as I've been using computers; they're a part of my childhood, and my adolescence, and they're excellent -- who knew if this could live up to it?
I shouldn't have worried though, because it's brilliant. Not all of it -- the control method is frequently awkward (though as this isn't a fast-paced pixel-specific kind of game that's an irritant rather than major flaw), and there's a pair of sections that rival the Doctor Who Adventure Games for mind-numbing easily-failed repetitive boredom.
But by far the majority is entertaining, brain-taxing (in a very good way), and funny too. Hurrah! In fact, it was so good I played it all in one sitting -- which lasted about four hours (I'm sure it could be completed much faster, but I enjoy exploring everything and working through every dialogue tree that I can manage).
And there's four more episodes to go -- even better! Not to mention that it seems to have been a huge success. Dare we hope for a Monkey Island 6? I hope we don't have to wait as long (nine years!) next time.
Chapter 1 Launch of the Screaming Narwhal
The fifth Monkey Island game has been out for a long while now (over a year -- crikey, really?!), and I've even had the DVD version for a few weeks, so I'm not quite sure why it's taken me so long to get round to playing it. Expectation, I suppose -- I've loved the Monkey Island games for as long as I've been using computers; they're a part of my childhood, and my adolescence, and they're excellent -- who knew if this could live up to it?
I shouldn't have worried though, because it's brilliant. Not all of it -- the control method is frequently awkward (though as this isn't a fast-paced pixel-specific kind of game that's an irritant rather than major flaw), and there's a pair of sections that rival the Doctor Who Adventure Games for mind-numbing easily-failed repetitive boredom.
But by far the majority is entertaining, brain-taxing (in a very good way), and funny too. Hurrah! In fact, it was so good I played it all in one sitting -- which lasted about four hours (I'm sure it could be completed much faster, but I enjoy exploring everything and working through every dialogue tree that I can manage).
And there's four more episodes to go -- even better! Not to mention that it seems to have been a huge success. Dare we hope for a Monkey Island 6? I hope we don't have to wait as long (nine years!) next time.
this week on 100 Films
3 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Final Destination 3 (2006)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Matchstick Men (2003)
More next Sunday.
Final Destination 3 (2006)
what of The Point: the deaths? Some are moderately inventive, and one or two even provoked a crumb of the intended amusement, but somehow it didn’t click as it was clearly intended to (i.e. more with the humour of the second than the fear of the first).
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
The whole film is a grab-bag of filmmaking styles, techniques and modes, thrown together with a gleeful abandon. Tarantino uses what he wants when he wants it, sometimes for no reason at all, and with no eye to creating a stylistic whole.
Matchstick Men (2003)
Matchstick Men ends with a twist. One of those great big changes-everything-you’ve-just-seen numbers that have a habit of making a film notorious. I’m almost loathe to mention it, because I’ve never read a review that mentions it. Maybe they’re playing along trying to keep the secret. But not me, because I bloody hated it. The twist, that is. The rest of the film is pretty good
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 21 August 2010
TV
Dexter
4x04 Dex Takes a Holiday
The Making of King Arthur
Nothing to do with the recent(-ish) film, everything to do with how the Normans appropriated and developed the myth (and what happened to it over the next couple of centuries). Written and presented by Simon Armitage, who seems distinctly odd and a little self-centred. But then he is a poet.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Proms 2010
Prom 1 The First Night of the Proms: Symphony of a Thousand
Every year, I intend to watch or listen to more of the Proms. Last year I managed one (and a half); this year, so far, none. But this -- more properly known as Mahler's Symphony No.8 -- was about to disappear from my iPlayer downloads, so... (If anyone's interested, the full programme can be read here.)
I've also got Prom 2, The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, but that also disappears tomorrow and it's five hours long. Not looking so good.
Would I Lie To You?
4x05 (20/8/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
4x04 Dex Takes a Holiday
The Making of King Arthur
Nothing to do with the recent(-ish) film, everything to do with how the Normans appropriated and developed the myth (and what happened to it over the next couple of centuries). Written and presented by Simon Armitage, who seems distinctly odd and a little self-centred. But then he is a poet.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Proms 2010
Prom 1 The First Night of the Proms: Symphony of a Thousand
Every year, I intend to watch or listen to more of the Proms. Last year I managed one (and a half); this year, so far, none. But this -- more properly known as Mahler's Symphony No.8 -- was about to disappear from my iPlayer downloads, so... (If anyone's interested, the full programme can be read here.)
I've also got Prom 2, The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, but that also disappears tomorrow and it's five hours long. Not looking so good.
Would I Lie To You?
4x05 (20/8/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
So Bryan Singer just called regarding Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class... I'm quite excited now. by Harry Knowles
(from Ain't It Cool News)
Ah AICN, still with their amateurish design and useless headlines. They do get good scoops though, and here's a great one -- or, rather, few -- about the forthcoming fourth (or fifth, if you count Wolverine) X-Men film. It's going to be set in the '60s, with a young, walking, full-head-of-hair-owning Charles Xavier setting up the titular mutant supergroup with an equally young Magneto.
Even more new details in the article.
(from Ain't It Cool News)
Ah AICN, still with their amateurish design and useless headlines. They do get good scoops though, and here's a great one -- or, rather, few -- about the forthcoming fourth (or fifth, if you count Wolverine) X-Men film. It's going to be set in the '60s, with a young, walking, full-head-of-hair-owning Charles Xavier setting up the titular mutant supergroup with an equally young Magneto.
Even more new details in the article.
Friday, 20 August 2010
TV
Dexter
4x03 Blinded By the Light
I believe it's tonight season four started on FX over here. Tum tee tum...
Joanna Lumley's Nile
Part 2 (of 4)
4x03 Blinded By the Light
I believe it's tonight season four started on FX over here. Tum tee tum...
Joanna Lumley's Nile
Part 2 (of 4)
Articles
The lexicography of Starbucks by Jon Kelly
(from BBC News Magazine)
Ultraviolet light reveals how ancient Greek statues really looked by Esther Inglis-Arkell
(from io9)
Well I never.
(from BBC News Magazine)
An English professor's stubborn refusal to use a coffee chain's terminology has struck a chord around the world. But why are brands so keen to impose their jargon on us?...
Tony Thorne, King's College London's former language centre head... believes the impact of such marketing techniques is insidious. "Some of this stuff is ludicrous in its complexity," he says... "It's intended to bamboozle and intimidate. I see it as a form of corporate bullying."
Ultraviolet light reveals how ancient Greek statues really looked by Esther Inglis-Arkell
(from io9)
Well I never.
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