Friday Night Dinner
2x01 Buggy
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The Great British Bake Off
3x09 Patisserie
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
26x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Articles
The Entitlement Thing
by Stephen Gallagher (from Hauling Like a Brooligan)
A great piece on the attitude people have towards criticising TV/film/etc now, with specific reference to Doctor Who. If that doesn't quite make sense, here's a choice quote:
by Stephen Gallagher (from Hauling Like a Brooligan)
A great piece on the attitude people have towards criticising TV/film/etc now, with specific reference to Doctor Who. If that doesn't quite make sense, here's a choice quote:
And disappointment seems to come very easily to many people, these days, with every new genre piece being released to the sound of sharpening knives. Our culture has become like a birthing pool full of crocodiles. There was a time when the response to new material was to invest in it, meet it halfway, go all the way to find something to love in it. [Now,] the default setting seems to be one of outrage that our specific expectations haven't been met.
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
TV
Hunted
1x01 Mort
New spy thriller from the makers of Spooks. Flawed, but quite good overall. Hope it can keep it up/improve. (Despite looking as if it's intended as a one-off serial, they've reportedly signed up a new writer in anticipation of a second run, so we'll go with series-ish episode numbering for now.)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Mock the Week
11x11 (4/10/12 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Suburgatory
1x16 Poetic Injustice
1x01 Mort
New spy thriller from the makers of Spooks. Flawed, but quite good overall. Hope it can keep it up/improve. (Despite looking as if it's intended as a one-off serial, they've reportedly signed up a new writer in anticipation of a second run, so we'll go with series-ish episode numbering for now.)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Mock the Week
11x11 (4/10/12 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Suburgatory
1x16 Poetic Injustice
Monday, 8 October 2012
TV
Cuckoo
1x02 Family Meeting
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
QI
10x04 Jack and Jill (XL edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
1x02 Family Meeting
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
QI
10x04 Jack and Jill (XL edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Shoot 'Em Up (2008)
[2nd watch]
I don't do much re-watching of films generally, mainly because I get focused on 100 Films and repeat viewings don't count, but after this was on Channel 5 last night and I posted my old review to the new blog (it was 2008's #66), I felt the urge. And it was as much daft OTT action-comedy fun as I remembered it being, so that was nice.
[2nd watch]
I don't do much re-watching of films generally, mainly because I get focused on 100 Films and repeat viewings don't count, but after this was on Channel 5 last night and I posted my old review to the new blog (it was 2008's #66), I felt the urge. And it was as much daft OTT action-comedy fun as I remembered it being, so that was nice.
Articles
Fox Wanted Extended Prometheus Blu-ray, Ridley Scott Said No
by Brendon Connelly (from Bleeding Cool)
That perhaps explains some of the speculation/rumours that the BD was going to contain some form of Director's Cut. I'm looking forward to finally seeing the controversial film now that he Blu-ray's out... just got to wait for mine to turn up in the post...
Masters of Cinema Monthly October 2012 – Fear and Desire, The Blue Angel, Onibaba, City of Women, La Poison and an Interview with Soul Power Director Jeffrey Levy-Hinte
by Craig Skinner (from Bleeding Cool)
The January and February releases from Masters of Cinema were announced today via Eureka's twitter feed, and Bleeding Cool's article has the most thorough coverage (press release, covers, initial extras).
To summarise what that typically unwieldy title already covers (more or less), the Blu-rays are, in January, The Blue Angel (including the simultaneously-shot English-language version) and Kubrick's Fear and Desire (both of which are must-buys for me), and in February, La Poison, Fellini's City of Women, and a Blu-ray upgrade for Onibaba (which are less thrilling for my personally).
For another concise personal take on the titles, see Hope Lies' piece.
by Brendon Connelly (from Bleeding Cool)
That perhaps explains some of the speculation/rumours that the BD was going to contain some form of Director's Cut. I'm looking forward to finally seeing the controversial film now that he Blu-ray's out... just got to wait for mine to turn up in the post...
Masters of Cinema Monthly October 2012 – Fear and Desire, The Blue Angel, Onibaba, City of Women, La Poison and an Interview with Soul Power Director Jeffrey Levy-Hinte
by Craig Skinner (from Bleeding Cool)
The January and February releases from Masters of Cinema were announced today via Eureka's twitter feed, and Bleeding Cool's article has the most thorough coverage (press release, covers, initial extras).
To summarise what that typically unwieldy title already covers (more or less), the Blu-rays are, in January, The Blue Angel (including the simultaneously-shot English-language version) and Kubrick's Fear and Desire (both of which are must-buys for me), and in February, La Poison, Fellini's City of Women, and a Blu-ray upgrade for Onibaba (which are less thrilling for my personally).
For another concise personal take on the titles, see Hope Lies' piece.
Sunday, 7 October 2012
TV
Busy day in front of the telly...
Downton Abbey
3x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Lorraine's Fast, Fresh and Easy Food
1x04 Baking It
Merlin
5x01 Arthur's Bane Part One
I think the popularity of Merlin has caught some people by surprise. It started off OK, a lesser Doctor Who-slot drama, but as the series has grown so its audience seems to have been established -- this season five premiere gained around 6 million viewers according to the overnights, leaving it just behind Strictly and X Factor. It's in the same ballpark as Who these days, rather than a couple of million behind it. I wouldn't argue it's that good, but it is still fun with an increased edge as it's grown older. And as the producers always said they had a five year plan, perhaps getting somewhere fast too.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
26x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Peep Show
4x03 Gym
4x04 Handyman
Remember when I watched the first ever episode of Peep Show and didn't like it so never watched it again (despite what I said)? Yeah. But this was on Dave when I wasn't feeling so well and I just let it happen. And it was quite good, actually.
Person of Interest
1x09 Get Carter
Much like Suburgatory, having to download to catch up got me in the habit and now I've overtaken C5. Oh well.
[Watch it on Demand 5 from Tuesday 9th October.]
Suburgatory
1x15 Fire with Fire
Downton Abbey
3x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Lorraine's Fast, Fresh and Easy Food
1x04 Baking It
Merlin
5x01 Arthur's Bane Part One
I think the popularity of Merlin has caught some people by surprise. It started off OK, a lesser Doctor Who-slot drama, but as the series has grown so its audience seems to have been established -- this season five premiere gained around 6 million viewers according to the overnights, leaving it just behind Strictly and X Factor. It's in the same ballpark as Who these days, rather than a couple of million behind it. I wouldn't argue it's that good, but it is still fun with an increased edge as it's grown older. And as the producers always said they had a five year plan, perhaps getting somewhere fast too.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
26x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Peep Show
4x03 Gym
4x04 Handyman
Remember when I watched the first ever episode of Peep Show and didn't like it so never watched it again (despite what I said)? Yeah. But this was on Dave when I wasn't feeling so well and I just let it happen. And it was quite good, actually.
Person of Interest
1x09 Get Carter
Much like Suburgatory, having to download to catch up got me in the habit and now I've overtaken C5. Oh well.
[Watch it on Demand 5 from Tuesday 9th October.]
Suburgatory
1x15 Fire with Fire
this week on 100 Films
Two new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week.
But before that, October has just begun, so here's the September update.
And with that out of the way, those reviews...
The Negotiator (1998)
Read more here.
Unknown (2011)
Read more here.
And new to the new blog...
Melinda and Melinda (2004)
Read more here.
Taken (2008)
Read more here.
More next Sunday.
But before that, October has just begun, so here's the September update.
And with that out of the way, those reviews...
The Negotiator (1998)
As premises go, “hostage negotiator turns hostage taker” is a doozy. You can immediately imagine all the drama to be had from pitting The Best Negotiator In The World against The Second Best Negotiator In The World — he’ll know all the techniques! He’ll… well, mainly the techniques one. But also his colleagues will be working against him — will they be on his side? Or against him? It practically writes itself.
Read more here.
Unknown (2011)
In the film’s special features, producer Leonard Goldberg talks about how, having made thrillers his whole life, when he starts reading or watching them he can usually figure it all out early on, but the novel on which Unknown is based managed to surprise him. Thinking if it could surprise him it might surprise others too, he snapped up the rights, and I must say I think he was right.
Read more here.
And new to the new blog...
Melinda and Melinda (2004)
One might argue that this is a remake of Sliding Doors, but only in a superficial and unsustainable way. Here, two stories are told, both taking the same premise — a Manhattan dinner party is interrupted — but one is told as a tragedy and one is told as a comedy. The only common factor is Radha Mitchell’s Melinda, who takes on a very different role in each tale.
Read more here.
Taken (2008)
remember Man On Fire? The Tony Scott/Denzel Washington one. Well, replace Washington with Neeson and Dakota Fanning’s character with “his daughter” and you’ve more or less got it. Taken is practically a remake, only in Europe, with a happier ending, and an hour shorter. It’s also not as good, but that’s a different matter.
Read more here.
More next Sunday.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week. I'm a bit under the weather at the moment, hence the overnight delay in this post. I doubt anyone noticed.
And there's not much at all to notice this week, either. I would've had Prometheus and the Indiana Jones BDs in the past, but all websites seem to be rubbish at getting pre-orders out early these days; plus for those I went with sites who have always been bad at it, so what do you expect.
In other news, it's the running time update. Big new Bond box set could make a large impact... except it replaces all the equivalent films on DVD. Still, that makes it 4.167% longer anyway...
Number of titles in collection: 1,492 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,143 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 349 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 3,703 [up 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,507 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,679 [no change]
Number of short films in collection: 367 [up 2]
And the running time update goes as follows...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
269 days and 40 minutes.
(Down 6 hours and 32 minutes from last month.)
...oh. I must confess, I'm not entirely sure how it's gone down. But that's what it says, so...
See you next week, faithful reader.
And there's not much at all to notice this week, either. I would've had Prometheus and the Indiana Jones BDs in the past, but all websites seem to be rubbish at getting pre-orders out early these days; plus for those I went with sites who have always been bad at it, so what do you expect.
In other news, it's the running time update. Big new Bond box set could make a large impact... except it replaces all the equivalent films on DVD. Still, that makes it 4.167% longer anyway...
Number of titles in collection: 1,492 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,143 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 349 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 3,703 [up 1]
Number of films in collection: 1,507 [no change]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,679 [no change]
Number of short films in collection: 367 [up 2]
And the running time update goes as follows...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
269 days and 40 minutes.
(Down 6 hours and 32 minutes from last month.)
...oh. I must confess, I'm not entirely sure how it's gone down. But that's what it says, so...
See you next week, faithful reader.
Saturday, 6 October 2012
TV
Comedy World Cup
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Dragons' Den
10x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Monroe
2x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
1x05 Episode Five
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Dragons' Den
10x04 Episode 4
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Monroe
2x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
1x05 Episode Five
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Films
Dr. No (1962)
[4th or so watch]
50 years ago yesterday, Dr. No hit cinemas and a phenomenon was born. What more appropriate to watch on James Bond Day (well, just after it) than this?
I'm also hoping it'll be the start of a complete re-watch of all the Bond films, now on Blu-ray. I've tried twice before (once covered in part on this very blog) but not yet made it all the way through in a reasonable period of time. Third time lucky…
And therefore, all going to plan, I'll be reviewing this as #81a in 100 Films 2012, alongside the other '60s Bond films, at a later date. This is also one of the ones I covered on here before, back in June 2008.
[4th or so watch]
50 years ago yesterday, Dr. No hit cinemas and a phenomenon was born. What more appropriate to watch on James Bond Day (well, just after it) than this?
I'm also hoping it'll be the start of a complete re-watch of all the Bond films, now on Blu-ray. I've tried twice before (once covered in part on this very blog) but not yet made it all the way through in a reasonable period of time. Third time lucky…
And therefore, all going to plan, I'll be reviewing this as #81a in 100 Films 2012, alongside the other '60s Bond films, at a later date. This is also one of the ones I covered on here before, back in June 2008.
Friday, 5 October 2012
Thursday, 4 October 2012
TV
Arrested Development
1x06 Visiting Ours
1x07 In God We Trust
1x08 My Mother, the Car
Once Upon a Time
1x21 An Apple Red as Blood
1x22 A Land Without Magic [season finale]
Well that's that then. Wait, this got recommissioned?! How?!
I jest -- of course I knew it had been recommissioned (it's already started Stateside). The "how" still stands though.
Mock the Week
11x10 (27/9/12 edition)
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
1x02 Episode Two
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Red Dwarf
10x01 Trojan
Hurrah for the Dwarfers' long-awaited return! It's three-and-a-half years since even Back to Earth, never mind the 13 since the cliffhanger-ended Red Dwarf VIII... not that I imagine we'll ever see that resolved.
1x06 Visiting Ours
1x07 In God We Trust
1x08 My Mother, the Car
Once Upon a Time
1x21 An Apple Red as Blood
1x22 A Land Without Magic [season finale]
Well that's that then. Wait, this got recommissioned?! How?!
I jest -- of course I knew it had been recommissioned (it's already started Stateside). The "how" still stands though.
Mock the Week
11x10 (27/9/12 edition)
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
1x02 Episode Two
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Red Dwarf
10x01 Trojan
Hurrah for the Dwarfers' long-awaited return! It's three-and-a-half years since even Back to Earth, never mind the 13 since the cliffhanger-ended Red Dwarf VIII... not that I imagine we'll ever see that resolved.
Music
Skyfall by Adele
Technically this is out later (in a few minutes after this is posted, actually), but it was played on radio earlier today.
After one listen... it's quite good, rather Bond-y, a change of pace from the last two. Takes far too long to get going though -- hope that's where they make the inevitable cuts for inclusion in the title sequence. It's always best when the title appears on screen when it turns up in the lyrics, and as this is the first film for 10 years to have the title in the lyric...
Technically this is out later (in a few minutes after this is posted, actually), but it was played on radio earlier today.
After one listen... it's quite good, rather Bond-y, a change of pace from the last two. Takes far too long to get going though -- hope that's where they make the inevitable cuts for inclusion in the title sequence. It's always best when the title appears on screen when it turns up in the lyrics, and as this is the first film for 10 years to have the title in the lyric...
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
TV
The Great British Bake Off
3x08 Biscuits
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Person of Interest
1x08 Foe
I suppose Alan Dale had to turn up at some point. Makes a change for him not to be set up as a recurring character.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
3x08 Biscuits
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Person of Interest
1x08 Foe
I suppose Alan Dale had to turn up at some point. Makes a change for him not to be set up as a recurring character.
[Watch it (again) on Demand 5.]
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
TV
Once Upon a Time
1x20 The Stranger
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
1x01 Episode One
Or #pogdogs, as per the hashtag that was displayed on screen five times in 22 minutes.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Suburgatory
1x14 The Body
1x20 The Stranger
Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs
1x01 Episode One
Or #pogdogs, as per the hashtag that was displayed on screen five times in 22 minutes.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Suburgatory
1x14 The Body
Monday, 1 October 2012
TV
Cuckoo
1x01 The Homecoming
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Family Guy
10x23 Internal Affairs [season finale]
10x22 Family Guy Viewer Mail #2
BBC Three finished this season of Family Guy last night. The new season began in the US last night. Not everything makes it over here promptly yet then, I guess.
And they showed them the way round listed above, which does seem to make more sense. It was the second one I was watching for, because it contained (essentially) Family Guy If It Was British. Which was... alright. The bit from Stewie's point of view was better.
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
26x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Once Upon a Time
1x19 The Return
The Rob Brydon Show
3x03 Episode 3
1x01 The Homecoming
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Family Guy
10x23 Internal Affairs [season finale]
10x22 Family Guy Viewer Mail #2
BBC Three finished this season of Family Guy last night. The new season began in the US last night. Not everything makes it over here promptly yet then, I guess.
And they showed them the way round listed above, which does seem to make more sense. It was the second one I was watching for, because it contained (essentially) Family Guy If It Was British. Which was... alright. The bit from Stewie's point of view was better.
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
26x01 Episode 1
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Once Upon a Time
1x19 The Return
The Rob Brydon Show
3x03 Episode 3
Music
The 2nd Law by Muse
This is out today, though it's been available to stream since last week sometime. I've had it since Saturday but only got round to it now. It's Muse's first album for three years, since the pretty brilliant The Resistance. It's more... shall we go with eclectic. Not bad, just less convinced.
This is out today, though it's been available to stream since last week sometime. I've had it since Saturday but only got round to it now. It's Muse's first album for three years, since the pretty brilliant The Resistance. It's more... shall we go with eclectic. Not bad, just less convinced.
Articles
M Is For Music
by Andrew Ellard (from Noise to Signal)
Long but great survey of Bond title songs and scores, and their relationship to one another. Published before Quantum of Solace so sadly not bang up-to-date, but that still leaves you with 21 films to read about.
Review of Muse: The 2nd Law
by Simon Jay Catling (from The Quietus)
Criticising an album for being overblown while writing the most overblown review ever is some kind of irony. Also, it cites the album's influences as including "Led Zeppelin's Kashmir, Gustav Holst's Mars The Bringer Of War, the James Bond theme tune [and] Queen" as if that's a bad thing. Weirdo. Kind of a fun read, but I fairly thoroughly disagree with it.
by Andrew Ellard (from Noise to Signal)
Long but great survey of Bond title songs and scores, and their relationship to one another. Published before Quantum of Solace so sadly not bang up-to-date, but that still leaves you with 21 films to read about.
Review of Muse: The 2nd Law
by Simon Jay Catling (from The Quietus)
Criticising an album for being overblown while writing the most overblown review ever is some kind of irony. Also, it cites the album's influences as including "Led Zeppelin's Kashmir, Gustav Holst's Mars The Bringer Of War, the James Bond theme tune [and] Queen" as if that's a bad thing. Weirdo. Kind of a fun read, but I fairly thoroughly disagree with it.
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