Monday 18 May 2009

TV

Have I Got News For You
37x04 (15/5/09 edition; uncut repeat)
An excellent edition of the topical news quiz. The current poor state of our politics is wonderful fodder for this series, which when it's on form is among the very best things on TV. Plus, guest host Rolf Harris was super -- a lovely guy and clearly game for a laugh.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Robin Hood
3x07 Too Hot to Handle
Prince John is still brilliant, but this episode wasn't -- there were several plot holes big enough for Little John to fit through. A pair of excellent fight scenes though, which does go some way toward making up for it.
From the trailer, the next episode looks oddly like a season finale. Most strange...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Non-Fiction / Art

Jack Vettriano by Jack Vettriano & Anthony Quinn
Lovers and Other Strangers: 1997 - 2000 (p102-145)
Affairs of the Heart: 2001 - 2004 (p146-183) [the end]
As I said yesterday, I like Vettriano's style, but it can become a bit samey when viewed in so concentrated a way.

Articles

Are You Watching Closely? The Hidden Details We Often Miss In Movie Trailers! by Ron Henriques
(from LatinoReview.com)
A fairly long article that you might get bored with -- especially as it's a few weeks old and so contains speculation about all sorts of things we now know -- but it's worth it for the G.I. Joe/Team America comparison alone.

BFI wows with Watchmen, stuns with Star Trek by Matt Chapman
(from DVD & Blu-ray Review)
I'm a bit late in mentioning this, but still: "The BFI has revealed that its IMAX cinema in London has taken more money at the box office for Watchmen than any other cinema in the entire world, (that's all cinemas, not just IMAX!)." Impressive. Follow the link for all sorts of numbers, plus whatever it was the article had to say about Star Trek.

First Thor, Now Loki. More Thor Casting News! by George 'El Guapo' Roush
(from LatinoReview.com)
Or, "Branagh casts Wallander co-star as Thor villain".

Norton 'would take BBC pay cut' by Adam Silverstein
(from Digital Spy)
"Graham Norton has admitted that he would happily take a pay cut to stay at the BBC."
After he did a great job hosting Eurovision, another reason to like him.