Death in Paradise
3x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
2x04 Episode 4 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Thursday, 23 January 2014
Fiction
The Tale of Zatoichi by Kan Shimozawa
The short story that was adapted into The Tale of Zatoichi, translated here by Juliet Winters Carpenter for the Criterion box set of the film series. It's clear where bits of it became the film, but there's also significant differences.
The short story that was adapted into The Tale of Zatoichi, translated here by Juliet Winters Carpenter for the Criterion box set of the film series. It's clear where bits of it became the film, but there's also significant differences.
Wednesday, 22 January 2014
TV
Friends
7x13 The One Where Rosita Dies ['Super-Sized' version; 5th or so watch]
7x14 The One Where They All Turn Thirty ['Super-Sized' version; 4th or so watch]
When Friends finally came to DVD in the US, somewhere between "most" and "all" of its episodes were extended; controversially, the Blu-ray release only includes the shorter original TV versions... with the exception of four episodes from the middle of season seven. They're still the shorter versions when watched in HD, but the extended versions (in SD) can be found among the special features.
Have to say, nothing jumped out at me as new here, which led me to wonder if these were included on the UK DVDs too... but then goodness knows how long it's been since I last watched them, so it'd be no surprise if I just didn't notice.
The Illusionists
Although The Magicians barely limped to two series, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us only managed one, the main channels still boldly attempt to get magic on TV: BBC One have recently started airing Dynamo's Watch series, and around Christmas ITV had this one-off special. Very good it was, too. Shame this stuff doesn't seem to connect with a wider audience.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
7x13 The One Where Rosita Dies ['Super-Sized' version; 5th or so watch]
7x14 The One Where They All Turn Thirty ['Super-Sized' version; 4th or so watch]
When Friends finally came to DVD in the US, somewhere between "most" and "all" of its episodes were extended; controversially, the Blu-ray release only includes the shorter original TV versions... with the exception of four episodes from the middle of season seven. They're still the shorter versions when watched in HD, but the extended versions (in SD) can be found among the special features.
Have to say, nothing jumped out at me as new here, which led me to wonder if these were included on the UK DVDs too... but then goodness knows how long it's been since I last watched them, so it'd be no surprise if I just didn't notice.
The Illusionists
Although The Magicians barely limped to two series, and Penn & Teller: Fool Us only managed one, the main channels still boldly attempt to get magic on TV: BBC One have recently started airing Dynamo's Watch series, and around Christmas ITV had this one-off special. Very good it was, too. Shame this stuff doesn't seem to connect with a wider audience.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Comics
Red Sonja #2-3 by Gail Simone & Walter Geovani
Simone knows how to write a story that works as self-contained issues but also form part of a larger narrative -- I like this. Too many comics are just a graphic novel serialised, and with too little story for the price per issue, so it's nice to read something that gives you a satisfying chunk.
Satellite Sam #1-5 by Matt Fraction & Howard Chaykin
Another one I'm reading to decide whether to continue with or not (and it won't be the last of those).
I was going to do a simple "X meets Y" thing here, but it's a tad more complicated than that. It has the era and 'world' of The Hour, with the complex business speak of Mad Men at its densest, but the speed of Studio 60, mingled with the dark, seedy crime of L.A. Confidential... It's a heady brew, relayed in almost-sketchy black-and-white art.
Not so sure about this one, even after the entire first arc. Well, that's the first arc technically speaking -- although they've called it that, and collected these five issues as the first paperback, and it does come to a fairly big conclusion/twist at the end of #5, it's certainly not a finite story. What kind of long haul is it settling in for?
Simone knows how to write a story that works as self-contained issues but also form part of a larger narrative -- I like this. Too many comics are just a graphic novel serialised, and with too little story for the price per issue, so it's nice to read something that gives you a satisfying chunk.
Satellite Sam #1-5 by Matt Fraction & Howard Chaykin
Another one I'm reading to decide whether to continue with or not (and it won't be the last of those).
I was going to do a simple "X meets Y" thing here, but it's a tad more complicated than that. It has the era and 'world' of The Hour, with the complex business speak of Mad Men at its densest, but the speed of Studio 60, mingled with the dark, seedy crime of L.A. Confidential... It's a heady brew, relayed in almost-sketchy black-and-white art.
Not so sure about this one, even after the entire first arc. Well, that's the first arc technically speaking -- although they've called it that, and collected these five issues as the first paperback, and it does come to a fairly big conclusion/twist at the end of #5, it's certainly not a finite story. What kind of long haul is it settling in for?
Articles
Lupin III: The Story So Far
by Andrew Osmond (from Manga)
An interesting potted history of the star of The Castle of Cagliostro, which has the side effect of creating a 'wish list' of things I want to see...
by Andrew Osmond (from Manga)
An interesting potted history of the star of The Castle of Cagliostro, which has the side effect of creating a 'wish list' of things I want to see...
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
TV
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
2x03 Episode 3 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Veronica Mars
3x11 Poughkeepsie, Tramps & Thieves
2x03 Episode 3 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Veronica Mars
3x11 Poughkeepsie, Tramps & Thieves
Comics
Red Sonja #1 by Gail Simone & Walter Geovani
The start of Batgirl writer Simone's acclaimed run on the swords-and-sorcery series, which recently completed its first arc. I enjoyed it, which is good because I've already got the next five issues.
A Voice in the Dark #1-2 by Larime Taylor
A 2-part opening story to this ongoing from new creator Larime Taylor, who writes, draws, colours -- indeed, everythings -- every issue by mouth. It's not just Worthy to support a disabled creator, though -- this is an interesting and, for comics, unusual book: almost every character is female, and they look like real women rather than the usual teenage boy's moronic fantasy that the medium usually offers in both art and characterisation. On top of that, it's the tale of a girl coping with thoughts of murder alongside the always-life-changing situation of moving away to university -- sorry, it's American: college.
Anyway, good stuff so far -- I'm looking to cut down the number of comics I buy (as you may have noticed, I've been doing an awful job at actually reading them), but this one I'll keep.
The start of Batgirl writer Simone's acclaimed run on the swords-and-sorcery series, which recently completed its first arc. I enjoyed it, which is good because I've already got the next five issues.
A Voice in the Dark #1-2 by Larime Taylor
A 2-part opening story to this ongoing from new creator Larime Taylor, who writes, draws, colours -- indeed, everythings -- every issue by mouth. It's not just Worthy to support a disabled creator, though -- this is an interesting and, for comics, unusual book: almost every character is female, and they look like real women rather than the usual teenage boy's moronic fantasy that the medium usually offers in both art and characterisation. On top of that, it's the tale of a girl coping with thoughts of murder alongside the always-life-changing situation of moving away to university -- sorry, it's American: college.
Anyway, good stuff so far -- I'm looking to cut down the number of comics I buy (as you may have noticed, I've been doing an awful job at actually reading them), but this one I'll keep.
Monday, 20 January 2014
Sunday, 19 January 2014
TV
Friends
7x12 The One Where They're Up All Night [4th or so watch]
To get lucky...?
Timeshift
13x07 How to Be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of a Master Detective
A really good overview of the many actors who've played Holmes down the years. Not exhaustive -- there's not time in an hour -- but a good analysis of the major ones. If you missed it, it's on iPlayer until Wednesday night; there are also four web-exclusive extended interview clips, totalling 8½ minutes, on the episode's Programmes page.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
7x12 The One Where They're Up All Night [4th or so watch]
To get lucky...?
Timeshift
13x07 How to Be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of a Master Detective
A really good overview of the many actors who've played Holmes down the years. Not exhaustive -- there's not time in an hour -- but a good analysis of the major ones. If you missed it, it's on iPlayer until Wednesday night; there are also four web-exclusive extended interview clips, totalling 8½ minutes, on the episode's Programmes page.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
this week on 100 Films
Two new reviews were published to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Man of Steel (2013)
Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009)
More next Sunday.
Man of Steel (2013)
Produced by Christopher Nolan and other creatives behind the uber-successful Batman reboot The Dark Knight Trilogy, this is intended to do a similar thing for Superman: a present-day, real-world relaunch. Which begins with a huge sequence on a crazy alien world. Well done, chaps. And that’s before we get into the merits of grounding clean-cut Boy’s Own all-American hero Superman in our ideologically complex modern world. Is that what Superman is?Read more here.
Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009)
"From 1984 to 1994, a perfect storm of people and circumstances changed the face of animation forever."Read more here.
So declares the title card at the start of this documentary, which covers how in just a few years Disney went from nearly shutting down its animation division to a period of immense critical acclaim and box office success
More next Sunday.
Saturday, 18 January 2014
TV
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
5x03 (17/1/14 edition)
Hostages
1x01 Pilot
Channel 4's latest answer to Homeland, apparently, although I began to wonder if it was meant to be a spoof it made me laugh so much. But no, I think it was just daft. And yet you know me, I'm bound to keep watching it -- I mean, it took me almost 30 episodes to ditch Once Upon a Time, and this is only 15.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins
7x02 (11/1/14 edition)
5x03 (17/1/14 edition)
Hostages
1x01 Pilot
Channel 4's latest answer to Homeland, apparently, although I began to wonder if it was meant to be a spoof it made me laugh so much. But no, I think it was just daft. And yet you know me, I'm bound to keep watching it -- I mean, it took me almost 30 episodes to ditch Once Upon a Time, and this is only 15.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins
7x02 (11/1/14 edition)
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
This week's acquisitions include two titles that aren't out yet (Doctor Who: The Moonbase, out Monday; and Wings, out on the 27th), two recent-archive bargains (a big fancy US edition of Casablanca from a couple of years ago, replacing my old DVD; and Danny Boyle's Trance), and a missed Christmas present (The World's End). Shiny.
Number of titles in collection: 1,652 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,198 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 454 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 4,131 [up 7]
Number of films in collection: 1,779 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,102 [up 4]
Number of short films in collection: 406 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
This week's acquisitions include two titles that aren't out yet (Doctor Who: The Moonbase, out Monday; and Wings, out on the 27th), two recent-archive bargains (a big fancy US edition of Casablanca from a couple of years ago, replacing my old DVD; and Danny Boyle's Trance), and a missed Christmas present (The World's End). Shiny.
Number of titles in collection: 1,652 [up 4]
Of which DVDs: 1,198 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 454 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 4,131 [up 7]
Number of films in collection: 1,779 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 6,102 [up 4]
Number of short films in collection: 406 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 17 January 2014
TV
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
1x01 Pilot
E4's latest US acquisition... which is also showing on Channel 4, albeit in a somewhat later slot the next day. Showing it on Channel 4 at all = confidence. Showing it on Channel 4 second and almost buried = wary. Well, I thought it was good -- and it just picked up two Golden Globes earlier this week, so I'm not alone.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Death in Paradise
3x01 Episode 1
Hm. Kris Marshall's character works, but it was a bit of an unceremonious dispatching of Ben Miller. Surely a couple of minutes with him and the gang before we went off to the fateful reunion would've been nice, at the very least?
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
1x01 Pilot
E4's latest US acquisition... which is also showing on Channel 4, albeit in a somewhat later slot the next day. Showing it on Channel 4 at all = confidence. Showing it on Channel 4 second and almost buried = wary. Well, I thought it was good -- and it just picked up two Golden Globes earlier this week, so I'm not alone.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Death in Paradise
3x01 Episode 1
Hm. Kris Marshall's character works, but it was a bit of an unceremonious dispatching of Ben Miller. Surely a couple of minutes with him and the gang before we went off to the fateful reunion would've been nice, at the very least?
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Films
The Big Lebowski (1998)
[#4 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]
What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...? 2014 #1!
[#4 in 100 Films in a Year 2014]
What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...? 2014 #1!
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
TV
Friends
7x11 The One with All the Cheesecakes [4th or so watch]
Veronica Mars
3x10 Show Me the Monkey
7x11 The One with All the Cheesecakes [4th or so watch]
Veronica Mars
3x10 Show Me the Monkey
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
TV
Celebrity Mastermind
2013-14 Episode 9 (of 10)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Elementary
2x11 Internal Audit
Friends
7x10 The One with the Holiday Armadillo [5th or so watch]
Veronica Mars
3x09 Spit & Eggs
2013-14 Episode 9 (of 10)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Elementary
2x11 Internal Audit
Friends
7x10 The One with the Holiday Armadillo [5th or so watch]
Veronica Mars
3x09 Spit & Eggs
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