- Less of/no sonic screwdriver. The Doctor managed without it for the first five years and for most of the '80s. And even if he should use it again, use it for things like opening locked doors (except wooden ones, of course).
- No making-out with the companions. Again, this is something the whole of 'Classic' Who managed until Paul McGann started it in 1996. Can we please make it through one companion who doesn't make out with the Doctor or show any romantic interest?
- Bringing back "classic" monsters - if you're going to do it, don't just make the episode into an exercise in showing off the revamped design(c.f. Dalek - which was good, and Cold War). And don't use CGI (c.f. Cold War).
- Stick to your guns and don't listen to the fans (and that includes me) - if you're going to revamp the Daleks and wipe out the previous "new" design (Victory Of The Daleks), then keep them rather than bring back the previous ones and retcon in the explanation that the new ones are the "officer class" (Asylum Of The Daleks). True, that explanation isn't even given on screen and it could just be that they "adopted" them. Except the "officer class" are nowhere to be found in Time Of The Doctor. At least with the Cybermen, they're moving on. The Daleks are at risk of being retrograde. If you have to go back to an old design, go way back to the '60s or '70s and build new models with a 2010's budget (it might at least make up for the lack of 'classic' Daleks in Asylum).
- TARDIS console room - next time you redesign it, please make it brighter. And bring back the round things.
- Music - less orchestral and more of what you'd hear in the 'classic' series (at least what you might hear on the 50th Anniversary soundtrack they released).
Formally "Media Engagement", I'm expanding to write my thoughts etc. on other subjects and interests.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
'Who' Years Resolutions 2014
I haven't blogged in a while and so one of my new year's resolutions is to do more of it. So to start off, here's my (in no particular order and slightly tongue-in-cheek) list of resolutions for Doctor Who in 2014 and onwards.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
DVD Review: "The Wedding Video" (2012)
DIRECTOR: Nigel Cole
SCREENWRITER: Tim Firth
Billing the film as "from the director of Calendar Girls" (and, according to IMDB, also Made In Dagenham), the DVD sleeve also neglects to mention it is also from the screenwriter of Calendar Girls. Credited as "a Nigel Cole film", the main auteurisms I could list from memory (it's been a while since I've seen Calender...) would be that The Wedding Video is a sunny British comedy set in the countryside.
If there is anything worse than a comedy film that isn't funny, it could be a British comedy film that isn't funny. The Wedding Video has an approximate two-and-a-quarter laugh record (which is probably two-and-a-quarter more laughs than Keith Lemon: The Film) but thanks to Robert Webb (Peep Show), manages to raise about 2-3 smiles. So it's not entirely without amusement or indeed interest, particularly in the second half (which may or may not be to do with my break to get a sandwich).
The film is made in the found-footage style with linking narration from our protagonist, Raif (Rufus Hound), and maybe a satire on the rich excesses of a society wedding (one excess did raise a laugh) and can be seen a contrasting with what the groom (Robert Webb) gets up to before the wedding (i.e. a stag night, which frankly, is probably more fun in concept).
Raif is the travelling brother who comes home to see his brother (groom Tim) after three years. Tim is marrying Saskia (Lucy Punch), Raif's former school peer and whose rebellious past sounds more interesting than as she is now but is eventually brought up. Raif is filming his own wedding video for them (despite Tim's initial reluctance) but once a professional is brought in, the film manages to split into separate-but-linked narratives once two cameras are involved. When things take a predictable turn (though there is the dubious use of audio when filming a conversation in a kebab shot while the camera is placed outside), the pay-off is slightly more interesting than the set-up.
There are some capable performances. Hound is kind-of well-cast as the slobbish brother while Webb shows he can do "drama" as well as raising a smile.
SCREENWRITER: Tim Firth
Billing the film as "from the director of Calendar Girls" (and, according to IMDB, also Made In Dagenham), the DVD sleeve also neglects to mention it is also from the screenwriter of Calendar Girls. Credited as "a Nigel Cole film", the main auteurisms I could list from memory (it's been a while since I've seen Calender...) would be that The Wedding Video is a sunny British comedy set in the countryside.
If there is anything worse than a comedy film that isn't funny, it could be a British comedy film that isn't funny. The Wedding Video has an approximate two-and-a-quarter laugh record (which is probably two-and-a-quarter more laughs than Keith Lemon: The Film) but thanks to Robert Webb (Peep Show), manages to raise about 2-3 smiles. So it's not entirely without amusement or indeed interest, particularly in the second half (which may or may not be to do with my break to get a sandwich).
The film is made in the found-footage style with linking narration from our protagonist, Raif (Rufus Hound), and maybe a satire on the rich excesses of a society wedding (one excess did raise a laugh) and can be seen a contrasting with what the groom (Robert Webb) gets up to before the wedding (i.e. a stag night, which frankly, is probably more fun in concept).
Raif is the travelling brother who comes home to see his brother (groom Tim) after three years. Tim is marrying Saskia (Lucy Punch), Raif's former school peer and whose rebellious past sounds more interesting than as she is now but is eventually brought up. Raif is filming his own wedding video for them (despite Tim's initial reluctance) but once a professional is brought in, the film manages to split into separate-but-linked narratives once two cameras are involved. When things take a predictable turn (though there is the dubious use of audio when filming a conversation in a kebab shot while the camera is placed outside), the pay-off is slightly more interesting than the set-up.
There are some capable performances. Hound is kind-of well-cast as the slobbish brother while Webb shows he can do "drama" as well as raising a smile.