Saturday 28 October
This sci-fi pic clone pic from the Wibberleys isn't too bad.
Five US, 9:00pm
This is a fun movie despite the obvious comic set-ups. Although the contrast between the gags and the violence jarred a little.
ITV2, 10:00pm
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Sunday 29 October
I was reluctant to see this, which is after all about a bloke stuck on a desert island but somehow it is made compelling by screenwriter William Broyles Jr. So many of us struggle to tell a story through dialogue between two people, how would we do taking away dialogue and taking away one of those people?
BBC3, 7:45pm
New series begins.
For those wanting to write for popular series, it's an idea to see at least the first episode of new popular drama series.
ITV1, 8:00pm
The long-awaited return of Britain's favourite family.
BBC1, 9:00pm
Compelling and brilliant drama from Mark Romanek.
It's an accurate psychological study of stalking and obsession. Not that I have any experience of that. It just feels authentic.
Film4, 9:00pm
This is based on a true story of a couple who tried to top themselves unable to cope with their ill daughter.
I pitched something to the producer of this and he turned me down. This had bloody better be good is all I can say.
Grrrrr!
ITV1, 9:00pm
While the original is iconic in so many respects and I'm proud to be British blah blah blah, in terms of actual screenwriting and film-making then this remake is just so much better.
ITV1, 9:00pm
David Aukin, head of drama at Mentorn, said: "It got off to a terrific start with a first episode that made for compulsive viewing.
A totally implausible world was created and I swallowed it whole. There is no finer storyteller writing today than Russell T Davies. The piece has a scale and style that could fool you into thinking you were watching an American import.
"
I didn't see it quite the same way. With Doctor Who, the RTD episodes were the worst and so I will keep watching to see how the other writers do.
BBC3, 10:00pm (and Wednesday 9:00pm)
John Fusco's under-rated thriller.
ITV3, 10:00pm
Ben Younger was in his mid-twenties when he made his writer-director debut with this low-budget movie. It created a stir because it introduced us to a new world we were unfamiliar with and did it via interesting characters and good dialogue. It is let down by a logic flaw towards the end but it's still worth catching.
BBC1, 12:00pm
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Monday 30 October
Unmissable sequel to last weeks's unmissable
Film4, 6:50pm
Excellent thriller that is a useful lesson in how to write affordable sci-fi. If you've got strong characters, a strong premise, a strong visual concept and a strong story then you don't need much money, relatively, for it to be a success. By contrast, the sequel had all the money in the world but only the visual concept was interesting.
Not enough time was spent pre-production on the concept, characters and story while this original went through several re-writes.
Film4, 9:00pm (and Friday 9:00pm)
New six part drama following 5 travellers which takes place in four world cities.
Aussie Co-creator and producer Andrea Denholm said the idea of travel was crucial to the whole project: "My partner in Corner Store Films, Andrew Knight, and I wanted to make a contemporary drama about Australians living in London and Brits down under. It seemed a broad and accessible premise through which to explore ideas of travel (why we do it and how it changes us), of freedom, self-discovery and fate."
They chose Mike Bullen of Cold Feet (who has moved to Sydney) to collaborate with and all three locked themselves away at a beach house "with a vague idea and a blank page" to flesh out the narrative.
Three days later they presented the ideas for the lead characters and main storylines. The network head of drama commissioned the scripts and the writers began work on six episodes adding Matt King (Peep Show) and
Anna Funder (Stasiland). Production still had to wait for co-pro money from Five and a grant by the Oz equivalent of The Film Council.
Bullen, Knight and Denholm wanted to deliver a show with the essence of a story, but in a different, more compelling shape. Andrew Knight: "The lineal arc, the three-act structure of traditional drama series, becomes a bit metronomic. I think, with so many viewers drawn to reality TV, they are looking for something that's structurally different.
But you feel like you are watching a more lateral narrative. We like the idea of grand themes and little people; all these people flying around and colliding with each other, then moving apart. It is the fickleness of things, which adds to the intensity of living.
We've tried to capture that stylistically (in the wobbly camerawork)."
The first episode is excellent with some nice humour and some compelling dramatic moments. I recommend taping it and looking at the character development and how the plot is constructed.
They have to reveal so much information but they do it seamlessly so you might not catch it consciously the first time you watch.
Five, 10:00pm
Loads of people actually believed this supernatural horror was true, that the film was actual found footage detailing what happened to missing documentary film-makers. Although it could show how dumb some people are, on the other hand it shows just how well crafted the whole enterprise was, from the website to the film itself.
E4, 10:00pm
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Tuesday 31 October
Successful teen flick based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew which, I think, set off the trend for teen films to be based on classical texts.
ITV2, 9:00pm
Acclaimed famous TV western begins four part series.
BBC4, 9:00pm
Micheal Myers was recently voted the scariest ever movie villain (or was it Jason?
).
BBC1, 11:45pm
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Wednesday 1 November
This subtle peacenik film about a boy who hacks into a Pentagon computer stands the test of time.
Film4, 6:50pm
Funny action comedy about aspiring shambolic superheroes.
At first I thought 'what the hell is this?' but now it's one of my favourites.
ITV4, 8:00pm
Howard Overman's original acclaimed drama from last year now sandwiched between a new prequel and a new sequel.
Five, 9:00pm
Daniel Pyne's terrific thriller about landlords with a troublesome tenant.
Film4, 11:05pm
Clever Irish relationship comedy based on Pasolini's Theorem.
BBC2, 11:20pm
Quality comedy horror
BBC1, 11:35pm
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Thursday 2 November
Conspiracy thriller co-written by Lizzie Mickery and Dan Percival.
BBC1, 9:00pm
Clive Bradley uses William Hogarth's prints to look at 18th century prostitution in this historical drama.
C4, 9:00pm
Double bill of new celeb impersonation comedy show following on from C4's one which just finished.
ITV2, 9:00pm
Indie darling 's excellent low-key comedy-drama won a best screenplay award at the Independent Spirit awards.
Film4, 9:00pm
Showcasing new comedians.
ITV2, 10:00pm
Possibly the Coen brothers most popular film. It's a re-working of .
Apparently.
Film4, 10:45pm
Great musical by Dick Clemant and Ian Le Frenais based on Roddy Doyle's book, which is showing here in widescreen. Bizarrely, only a pan and scan version is available on DVD so you might want to record it.
C4, 11:05pm
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Friday 3 November
Written by my own hero, , this brilliant and hilarious comedy drama is one of my all-time favourites. Loser Dustin Hoffman witnesses a plane crash, should he help rescue people or not?
ITV3, 9:00pm
One of those classic worthy films you're meant to see before you die because everyone keeps going on about it but which we'll probably only tape and watch something which seems more fun instead, then tape over it in three months without ever seeing it.
Or is it just me?
More4, 9:00pm
Paul Schrader's classic unmissable masterpiece.
Film4, 11:00pm
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