Delicious Links (for the past fortnight)

Whedonesque: Let's Watch A Girl Get Beaten To Death.

Joss Whenon briefly uses the fan site as a blog to highlight something that's troubling him which I think it interesting in and of itself. He's not wrong too.

Nathan Fillion: Tasty Riffs, Continued Requests, and Birds of Precious Metal.

How not to get his attention on MySpace: "Post another blog/photo: Don't tell me what to do. I don't tell you what to do. Now, go make me a sandwich."

Something Awful: Talk Crazy to Me

NOT SAFE FOR WORK. Reads like a Seinfeld monologue, but funny.

LRB : For his Nose was as sharpe as a Pen, and a Table of greene fields

Another review of the new RSC reprint of the First Folio of Shakespeare's complete works -- goes into detail regarding formating which is something I haven't seen anywhere else.

filmlog: Point Break (1991)

Another action film that academics love to write about because of the gay subtext, this oscillates wildly between brilliance and so-bad that it's good. Gary Busey largely steals the thing from under everyone's noses.

BRINGO : Stop Talking to Machines and Talk to a Real Human

"Find the company you'd like to call by category, enter your phone number, wait a few seconds while we navigate the phone tree and when we call you back, pick up your phone and you're done. No more phone trees." But only in the US. Damn.

filmlog: The Constant Gardener (2005)

Plays much better on second viewing when you're able to enjoy the evocative imagery and touching performances outside of the sometimes clunky exposition. Weisz is adorable which is why completely understand Feinnes's motivation.

filmlog: Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

'Showgirls' with geishas. Appropriates the aesthetic of the Japanese heritage and although this leads to some wonderfully evocative images, the film unfortunately feels airless in places. Generally saved by some wonderful performances.

OTT BLOG: I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

A comment in this post at 'Off The Telly' lists a range of ITV drama produced but never screened. About the most intriguing is something called 'Avenging Angels' with Jessica Stevenson.

Pomona College Orchestra Audio Excerpts

Free downloadable music. Includes the “Aquarium” movement from Saint-Saëns’ 'The Carnival of the Animals' which is one of my all time favourite pieces of music and was featured prominently in the films 'Visions of Light' and 'Days of Heaven'

Kasterborous: Woody Allen...? Who's Next, Michael Jackson?

Filed deeply in the 'if only it were true column'. Woody Allen reportedly (by The Sun) appearing in the Doctor Who Christmas special as Albert Einstein. Sounds like bobbins, but the source has called right everything else so far ... ulp ...

BBC NEWS Entertainment | Malta slates Eurovision's voting

Malta's judges complain about the routine voting. Say that the twelve marks that the UK got from them were a protest against this block voting. Apparently the phone voting isn't used throughout Europe. This explains ... so much.

Popjustice interviews Russ from Scooch about that bloody song

Russ: ''I honestly thought that the one place that would support us this time would be Popjustice and you haven't. You've been horrible.' PJ: 'The problem is not with you but with 'Flying The Flag' and that it is shit.' Russ: 'I can see your point of view

Observations on film art and FILM ART : New media and old storytelling

Excellent (as usual) essay from David Bordwell, this time about the nature of dvd and how people view them and how that effects storytelling techniques in films. Have they become richer and edgier since the turn of the millenium?

Wikipedia: Primer (film)

Excellent primer about Primer. Includes diagrams and timelines lists.

The Seven Streets of Liverpool

Fascinating website explaining in greater detail what I discovered a few weeks ago at the Liverpool 800 Lectures about the foundation of Liverpool. Thanks Ian!

TrekToday - 'Next Generation' Episode Causes Controversy in Ireland

It would be about right if a seventeen year old episode of Star Trek derailed the peace process ...

Metropolis: An Interactive Toy Story

It's the cuddly toy that actually knows when you're hugging it. Realistic beating heart included.

MetaFilter: Eurovision starting in less than 1 hour!!! Watch online!

'Good grief, the appalling Europap Turkish entry got 12 points from the UK. But compared with the British entry, it's worthy of a Grammy.' 'Is this what the end or the world as we know it looks like?' 'Memo to UK: you are not ABBA.'

Guardian Unlimited Arts Theatre story: Playing to the crowd

"Far from being the tourist trap some predicted, the Globe is much loved by audiences and actors alike. Howard Brenton on the thrill and terror of having his own play performed in Shakespeare's theatre..."

filmlog: Xchange (2000)

Fun post-exploitation thriller with an amiable script and some good ideas. Loses something when Kyle McLachlan is replaced by Stephen Baldwin who is understated to the point of narcolepsy. Pascale Bussières is brilliantly exotic too.

filmlog: This Island Earth (1955)

Another disappointment. Perhaps I've been spoiled by such modern inventions as forward narrative momentum and characterisation to really appreciate the spectacle but it's a shame there simply isn't more to it. They go to a planet, then...

Guardian Unlimited Film: As chosen by you ... the greatest foreign films of all time

Not a lot of surprises, except for how democratic and historical the list is -- Seven Samuri at three? Amazing. Perhaps this is Lovefilm in action, people catching up with classic foreign cinema. I'm just off to list those items I've missed.

BBC NEWS Entertainment: McGregor returns to London stage

As Iago at the Donmar Warehouse in a production of Othello with Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role and Kelly Reilly as Desdemona which sounds amazing. Can Ewan do evil?

Andrew Collins: Cleaning up in Europe's cleanest town

His sitcom 'Not Going Out' wins the Rose D'Or beating out 'The Royle Family' and 'The Thick Of It'. See, I told you it was good. Unfortunately Andrew arrived after the ceremony had finished...

Guardian Unlimited Arts Theatre story: A Shylock for today

"How do you play Shakespeare's famous villain without resorting to anti-semitic caricature? One young actor asked Jewish religious affairs specialist Nathan Jeffay for advice."

filmlog: Grease (1978)

Or some great songs and dance numbers searching for a decent film. Feels like heresy after all these years but the movie's a slog despite the winning presence of Newton-John, Channing, Travolta and Conn. Is subtlety such a bad thing?

Adam Buxton: HAVE I GOT LAST WEEK'S NEWS FOR YOU? (yes, I do.)

His Dad said: 'Have I Got News For You is exactly the kind of programme on which you are thoroughly ill suited to appear. It's full of people being witty and telling jokes and that's not what you're good at all.'

BBC News 24 is being streamed permanently

... but only for people in the uk, which is a shame but understandable. I suspect it'll be useful if you're at work or college and one of those massive, interesting stories hits.

filmlog: Gone with the Wind (1939)

... is a very long film. The first half is pretty entertaining fitting the melodrama around the civil war, but by about hour three I began to sag and couldn't wait for it end. Very disappointing although the photography just about saves the day.