Change Your Image
Frin
Reviews
QI (2003)
Quite Interesting, indeed!
It's nice to have something a little more intelligent and interesting as a quiz; it's educational and it's still hilarious - and sweary, hurrah!
I really have a soft spot for Stephen Fry, I think he's adorable!
And not forgetting Alan Davies, bless him - I loved it when they his assigned buzzer for the Obvious Answer alarm. :)
The guest panellists are always great too. Panellists I would like to see in the future would include John Sergeant, Mark Thomas, and Eddie Izzard; and I'd love to see Jo Brand and Jeremy Hardy back again. I'd also like to *be* on the show, but obviously that's not going to happen. :)
QI is fantastic, I'd recommend it to anyone - and have done.
Spaced (1999)
It's over, and I'm OK about it... *sniff*
I first saw Spaced way back in '99 when it was first aired, and I immediately fell in love with it. The characters, the humour, the stories, and of course the references - what's not to love? It's my favourite sit-com of all time, but it's much more than "just" a sit-com. It was just exactly what I would love to have written if I had the opportunity, talent, and had thought of it first! :)
I prefer the second season to the first, but for little reasons - as a whole the programme is just about flawless. When the credits rolled on the second season - with everything as it should be - although I never wanted it to end I thought that the ending there was perfect. The Collector's Edition DVD has a wonderful gift at the end of the documentary, and although being able to look in on Daisy and Tim for that moment and finding out that they're doing great left me wanting more, it also reinforced how perfect the season 2 ending was; and that it's fine if that's all there is. Though a special when the gang are in their thirties and "grown-up" (hmm... :)) would be *special*. :) Or a third season...
I cannot recommend it enough, and over the years I have made several people sit through the whole thing in one go, and all have kicked themselves for not watching it before. I must watch the DVDs maybe about every month or so, and not a moment of it ever gets old.
I'll always have a huge affection for the series - and you will too if you watch it, I guarantee it.
Batoru rowaiaru (2000)
The Book versus The Film
The first time I saw Battle Royale I watched it in two sittings and it didn't immediately grab me; I watched it again with a friend, she loved it right away and on second viewing so did I.
The reason the film works is because it's very funny and lighthearted along with the shock factor and making some good points. The score is perfectly selected/composed, and the choral theme playing a few times is beautiful and melancholy. There *are* a few moments that go "too far", but it all adds together to make a delicious darkly-comic treat.
The hilariously peppy video presenter is a definite highlight.
Something that doesn't really hit home in the film (as it's not the case) but does in the book is the frequency in which the BR Act is carried out - week-in, week-out. The government is murdering approximately 2,132 kids a year, and their parents/guardians if they resist - the winner might not have a family to go back home to.
It's ironic that the BR Act is designed to control wayward youth - but it's only those who are well-behaved enough to drag themselves to school who are subject to it! Goodness knows how truants behave!
I'm pretending this is *it* though, I'm pretending the sequel didn't happen; but that doesn't stop me from recommending the original: 9/10