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More reviews
Jan. 2nd, 2007 05:23 pmWell New Year was spent quietly in Hove1 and comprised mostly of the Fox deciding to buy the wrong PDA2 and then being unable to get it to do two out of the three things he wanted it for.3 Of course, in theory, it is capable of all three ... but he was having a lot of trouble finding the right software to get it to actually live up to its promise. As a consequence of this, pretty much the entire weekend was spent tip-toeing on eggshells around a progressively grumpier Fox, though he was quite apologetic by close of play yesterday, still the New Year wasn't quite the joyous occasion it could have been. Not that we had a row, it's just that a fixated and grumpy (with himself mostly) Fox is best left to his own devices which left me either watching TV or playing EQ on my own for the weekend. Next year, by my own rules of timing,4 New Year will be spent at B-Movie so we shall probably miss each other terribly.
Anyway, what things did I see over the New Year period?
Hogfather
After a somewhat extended viewing of this, I finally finished watching it at 2.30 am on 1st january 2007. I suspect it will be released on DVD and I shall purchase it then so that I can watch the whole thing without annoying adverts and other disruptions. On the whole I really enjoyed this adaptation, it's been ages since I read the book so I may have missed some glaring inconsistencies,5 but the production values, acting and script seemed pretty much bang-on to me. I even had a little lump in my throat at the end but then I'm a softy like that ... I do hope they do another one.
Robin Hood
Again quite a good episode, perhaps not as strong as its predecessor but the story was clever enough and the first fight scene was actually rather good in places. Sadly I missed the last couple of minutes but equally sadly managed to catch the "ricocheting arrow-ona-rope" trick shot which was unfathomable in its awfulness and shouldn't have been even slightly effective.6 It was also not a good way to resolve the Much/Robin issue ... although they may have dealt with that better later. Gods I hope they do better in series 2 ... unfortunately it is all too possible that they will do worse.
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Whilst clearly aimed a children, I actually rather enjoyed this, certainly it was a better successor to Dr Who than Torchwood although I could swear that the first alien we see was in a Torchwood episode7, if so this makes Sarah Jane's claims of there being a "different way to do things" rather more pointed, it was also interesting that she adopted the Doctor's "last chance" habit. On the other hand, I wasn't overjoyed with the contents of the attic, though I suppose one must make some allowances for it being a children's programme.
In other news, I have seen the trailer for the sequel to Fantastic Four and it is very pretty ... I wonder how much of the original story they'll keep? The trailer (if you can call it that) certainly seems to suggest that the Silver Surfer isn't going to be a good guy from the outset. Having enjoyed the first movie, which I felt was very much in-keeping with the tone of the original comics8 I'm really looking forward to the sequel. Another sequel I'm looking forward to very much is Hellboy 2, though I know very little about that at the moment.
1 Actually.
2 A Palm Tungsten T2 ... yes, I advised the E2 but decided to avoid saying "I told you so" when the T couldn't do the things that mine seems to be able to do with little effort ... I'm quite proud of myself for that.
3 The three things being: play MP3s, play AVI files and act as a sat-nav.
4 If it falls on a weekend I spend New Year in Hove, if it falls during the week, I spend it with friends.
5 They dropped the ball slightly on the "s" gag in the Hogfather's Grotto and I think, on the whole, it would have been better had Nobby not tried to deliver the punchline for a joke that had not actually been told. Mind you, of all the casting, I was least happy with that of Nobby Nobbs, not that the fellow did a bad job as such ... more that I'd never pictured Nobby like that and that jarred somewhat.
6 Whilst Robin was setting it up, the Sheriff had ample to time to issue further threats or actually carry out his initial threat and then make good his escape.
7 I have a sneaky feeling it was the orgasmovore from episode two but I can't be sure ... perhaps a higher-order geek can confirm or deny this?
8 Yes, I am that old.
Anyway, what things did I see over the New Year period?
Hogfather
After a somewhat extended viewing of this, I finally finished watching it at 2.30 am on 1st january 2007. I suspect it will be released on DVD and I shall purchase it then so that I can watch the whole thing without annoying adverts and other disruptions. On the whole I really enjoyed this adaptation, it's been ages since I read the book so I may have missed some glaring inconsistencies,5 but the production values, acting and script seemed pretty much bang-on to me. I even had a little lump in my throat at the end but then I'm a softy like that ... I do hope they do another one.
Robin Hood
Again quite a good episode, perhaps not as strong as its predecessor but the story was clever enough and the first fight scene was actually rather good in places. Sadly I missed the last couple of minutes but equally sadly managed to catch the "ricocheting arrow-ona-rope" trick shot which was unfathomable in its awfulness and shouldn't have been even slightly effective.6 It was also not a good way to resolve the Much/Robin issue ... although they may have dealt with that better later. Gods I hope they do better in series 2 ... unfortunately it is all too possible that they will do worse.
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Whilst clearly aimed a children, I actually rather enjoyed this, certainly it was a better successor to Dr Who than Torchwood although I could swear that the first alien we see was in a Torchwood episode7, if so this makes Sarah Jane's claims of there being a "different way to do things" rather more pointed, it was also interesting that she adopted the Doctor's "last chance" habit. On the other hand, I wasn't overjoyed with the contents of the attic, though I suppose one must make some allowances for it being a children's programme.
In other news, I have seen the trailer for the sequel to Fantastic Four and it is very pretty ... I wonder how much of the original story they'll keep? The trailer (if you can call it that) certainly seems to suggest that the Silver Surfer isn't going to be a good guy from the outset. Having enjoyed the first movie, which I felt was very much in-keeping with the tone of the original comics8 I'm really looking forward to the sequel. Another sequel I'm looking forward to very much is Hellboy 2, though I know very little about that at the moment.
1 Actually.
2 A Palm Tungsten T2 ... yes, I advised the E2 but decided to avoid saying "I told you so" when the T couldn't do the things that mine seems to be able to do with little effort ... I'm quite proud of myself for that.
3 The three things being: play MP3s, play AVI files and act as a sat-nav.
4 If it falls on a weekend I spend New Year in Hove, if it falls during the week, I spend it with friends.
5 They dropped the ball slightly on the "s" gag in the Hogfather's Grotto and I think, on the whole, it would have been better had Nobby not tried to deliver the punchline for a joke that had not actually been told. Mind you, of all the casting, I was least happy with that of Nobby Nobbs, not that the fellow did a bad job as such ... more that I'd never pictured Nobby like that and that jarred somewhat.
6 Whilst Robin was setting it up, the Sheriff had ample to time to issue further threats or actually carry out his initial threat and then make good his escape.
7 I have a sneaky feeling it was the orgasmovore from episode two but I can't be sure ... perhaps a higher-order geek can confirm or deny this?
8 Yes, I am that old.
