Wednesday 4 May 2011

Off to Switzerland

Apologies for the fact this update is later than planned.

The good news: I have a new contract which means I will soon be able to buy new Blu-rays again.

The bad news: It's in Switzerland, which means reviewing UK-specific releases in a timely fashion isn't going to work.

I had hoped to find something in my home town of London, but it was not to be. My Swiss contract is for six months, and I'm keeping this blog and the associated web site active in the hope that I can revive it towards the end of the year, assuming I return when my six month contract in Switzerland ends.

But for now, the UK Blu-ray Review Podcast is dead. :-(

Sunday 20 March 2011

Online Prices Set to Rise as Chancellor Closes "VAT Loophole"

According to this morning's Sunday Times the forthcoming budget will close the VAT loophole that enables the supermarkets and online stores to avoid paying VAT on CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays that retail for under £18, by shipping the product from offshore companies based in Jersey and Guernsey.

New legislation will be introduced to reduce the "no VAT" limit from its current £18 limit to £8, meaning that most titles will now be subject to 20% VAT and are likely to rise in price accordingly.

Saturday 19 March 2011

Taking a Leave of Absence (possibly permanently)

Possibly returning 17th April 2011

Hello and welcome to not so much the latest episode of the UK Blu-ray Review Podcast, as a statement about it probably being the last.

I am, as they euphemistically say, suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly "between jobs" which means that it’s hard to justify the outlay, both financial and in terms of time, that it takes to produce a reasonably complete podcast episode each week. My priorities need to be around getting more work that actually pays the bills.

I had originally intended to keep the podcast going "come what may" for 6 months to see if it took off or not, but after 12 weeks the download figures for the podcast have remained at the same very low levels as when it started at the beginning of January. In fact if anything, they are slightly lower now even after the slight boost the podcast got when iTunes finally started listing it.

I started the podcast for myself – I thought it would be fun (which, mainly, it has been), and I also thought there was a need for something like it with nobody else doing what I thought was required. But I seriously under-estimated the time it would take up each week, and completely over-estimated the interest there would be in it (which appears to be almost non-existent :-(). It’s hard to justify keeping it going. The competition last week was a last feeble attempt to grow the audience but it attracted precisely zero entries, so clearly wasn't an avenue that was worth exploring further.

I’m going to be taking the next few weeks out to kick-start some other projects instead of spending every minute that I’m not working trying to get the next weekly podcast out and ready on time.

I WILL be back on 17th April, either with a regular episode of the show and an announcement that I’m rebooting the podcast and it’s returning, or definite confirmation that it won’t be back and has to be regarded as a failure and mis-step on my part.

In the meantime I’d like to thank those few who gave me feedback on the podcast, either through wonderful reviews on itunes or through enthusiastic comments on the blog or through private messages on the one forum - AVForums.com - that didn’t automatically ban any mention of the podcast for fear of 'competition' to their own forums or web sites. I hope those of you that offered encouragement and support understand that it’s hard to justify the time, effort and expense required when the downloads each week are, to be frank, barely scraping double figures.

I’m starting to understand why pretty much all the podcast publications and blogs have vanished over the last year or two, and why the UK DVD Review podcast which inspired this one gave up on the format after nearly 3 years of podcasting. It’s hard to get an audience when there’s so much on offer from the BBC and mainstream media and so little chance to publicise your existence. I still think the format was correct, but without any means of actually marketing the podcast it's hard to get any kind of meaningful audience - meaningful in the sense that it justifies the time and effort required to keep it going.

There will be an update on the situation on Sunday, 17th April – a month from now – so please check back then, for a final statement.

Thanks,

Ian Smith

Monday 14 March 2011

#11: Saw 3D, IP Man 2, The Kid.. and more!

The latest podcast episode is now available. You'll find all the details, the transcript download and the links to the individual title pages with trailers and Screencaps over on the main podcast web site.
There's also a copy of the latest Blu-Ray Sales Top 10 and early notification of the titles I'll be reviewing in the next podcast, which should be published late on Sunday night, 20th March 2011.

You can win a copy of Let Me In on Blu-ray by posting a podcast review on iTunes and sending a copy of it to ian@iansmith.co.uk to reach me by lunchtime on Sunday, 20th March 2011 at the latest. To provide any feedback on this latest episode please use the Comment link at the bottom of this blog post.


Episode 11 image showing Blu-ray covers of titles reviewed

Sunday 6 March 2011

#10: Due Date, Alice in Wonderland, Easy A, Paranormal Activity 2 and more

The latest podcast episode is now available. You'll find all the details, the transcript download and the links to the individual title pages with trailers and Screencaps over on the main podcast web site. There's also a copy of the latest Blu-Ray Sales Top 10 and early notification of the titles I'll be reviewing in the next podcast, which should be published late on Sunday night, 13th March 2011.

If you've got any feedback on the latest episode, please use the Comment link at the bottom of this blog post. For comments on the podcast as a whole please click on the iTunes icon to make a comment there that might help others to make up their mind as to whether the podcast is worth downloading or not.


Episode 10 image showing Blu-ray covers of titles reviewed

Saturday 5 March 2011

Episode 9 has finally been released

Almost a week later than planned :-( the latest podcast episode is now available. You'll find all the details, the transcript download and the links to the individual title pages with trailers and Screencaps over on the main podcast web site.
There's also a copy of the latest Blu-Ray Sales Top 10 and early notification of the titles I'll be reviewing in the next podcast, which I'm still hoping to get out late tomorrow (Sunday) night UK time :-O

If you've got any feedback on the latest episode, please use the Comment link at the bottom of this blog post. For comments on the podcast as a whole please click on the iTunes icon to make a comment there that might help others to make up their mind as to whether the podcast is worth downloading or not.


Episode 9 image showing Blu-ray covers of titles reviewed

Tuesday 1 March 2011

I'm Late, I'm Late... for a Very Important Date!

Other commitments mean that this week's podcast is being published later than usual. The podcast should be available late Saturday afternoon (5th March) with the following episode appearing as usual late Sunday evening (6th March). Sorry for the delay!

Episode 9 Blu-ray covers

Sunday 20 February 2011

#8: Social Network, RED, Buried, American Beauty and more...

The latest episode is now available, but with the main UK Blu-ray Review Podcast web site now in slightly better shape you'll find all the details, the transcript download and the links to the individual title pages with trailers and Screencaps over on the main site.
There's also a summary of the new releases for this week, with an indication as to which titles will get reviewed on next week's podcast

If you've got any feedback on the latest episode, please use the Comment link at the bottom of this blog post to let us know what you think.


Episode 8 image showing Blu-ray covers of titles reviewed

I'd love you to rate the podcast on iTunes to help it get a sufficient number of ratings for an average to become visible on iTunes podcast search

Sunday 13 February 2011

#7: Bambi, Once Upon a Time in America, Eat Pray Love, True Grit and more

The latest episode is now available, but with the main UK Blu-ray Review Podcast web site now in slightly better shape you'll find all the details, the transcript download and the links to the individual title pages with trailers and Screencaps over on the main site.

There's also a summary of the new releases for this week, with an indication as to which titles will get reviewed on next week's podcast

If you've got any feedback on the latest episode, please use the Comment link at the bottom of this blog post to let us know what you think.


Episode 7 image showing Blu-ray covers of titles reviewed

I'd love you to rate the podcast on iTunes to help it get a sufficient number of ratings for an average to become visible on iTunes podcast search

Sunday 6 February 2011

#6: The Town, Wall Street 2, Winter's Bone and more...

Episode 6

The latest episode is now available!


The latest podcast is now available.
This week's new reviews include Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), The Town (2010), Winter's Bone (2010), Going The Distance (2010), Mr. Nice (2010), 22 Bullets (2010),
Amer (2009) and Legend of the Fist: The Return of the Chen Zhen (2010).

I'd love you to rate the podcast on iTunes to help it get a sufficient number of ratings for an average to become visible on iTunes podcast search (and thanks to the three folks who've already given the podcast five star ratings. Truly humbling!)


And if you're hard of hearing, or just don't have time to listen to podcasts don't forget you can always download the transcript of this week's podcast.




Due Out Over the Next 7 Days

The following titles are officially released on Monday, 7th February 2011 and likely to be reviewed in next week's podcast (Episode 7):
  Bambi (1942)
  Charlie St. Cloud (2010)
  Diary Of A Wimpy Kid (2010)
  Eat Pray Love (2010)
  Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
  The Rebound (2010)
  Takers (2010)
  True Grit (1969)

The following titles are also released this week, but unlikely to be reviewed in next week's podcast:
  Big Momma's House (2000)
  Big Momma's House 2 (2006)
  Bragging Rights (2010)
  Brief Encounter (1945) (Reissue in Valentine's Day packaging)
  I Spit On Your Grave (2010)
  Red and White (2009)

Sunday 30 January 2011

Episode 5: The Other Guys, Devil, My One and Only, Lemmy, Spartacus, Shogun Assassin and Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol

Episode 5

The latest episode is now available!


The latest podcast is now available.
This week's new reviews include American comedy The Other Guys (2010) supernatural thriller Devil (2010), rock documentary Lemmy (2010), 1950's period drama comedy My One and Only (2009), the 50th Anniversary edition of the Spartacus (1960), Samurai classic Shogun Assassin (1980) and the Christmas 2010 episode of Doctor Who - A Christmas Carol (TV 2010).

I'd love you to rate the podcast on iTunes to help it get a sufficient number of ratings for an average to become visible on iTunes podcast search (and thanks to the three folks who've already given the podcast five star ratings. Truly humbling!)


And if you're hard of hearing, or just don't have time to listen to podcasts don't forget you can always download the transcript of this week's podcast.

Check back later this week for links to the other two titles covered in this latest podcast. They'll be posted piecemeal over the next 7 days as I find time to complete them.

Due Out Over the Next 7 Days

The following titles are officially released on Monday, 31st January 2011 likely to be reviewed in next week's podcast (Episode 6):
  22 Bullets (2010)
  Amer (2009)
  Going The Distance (2010)
  Mr. Nice (2010)
  The Town (2010)
  Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
  Winter's Bone (2010)

The following titles are also released this week, but unlikely to be reviewed in next week's podcast:
  The Color Purple (1985) (the US import is a better release, issued in digi-book format)
  Legend of the Fist (2010)
  Wall Street (1987)/Wall Street 2 (2010) (the original Wall Street has been available on Blu-Ray for some time)

Sunday 23 January 2011

Episode 4: Grown Ups, The Hole, The Switch, Certified Copy, Soul Men and more!

Episode 4

The latest episode is now available!


As usual I review all the new releases that debuted on Blu over the last week, as well as giving a quick 'heads up' of new titles coming out in the week ahead and giving a rundown on the best-selling Blu-rays in the Official Sales Chart for the last seven days, up to the evening of Saturday, 22nd January 2011.

This week's new reviews include American comedies Grown Ups (2010) and Soul Men (2008), family-oriented horror film The Hole (2010), romantic comedy The Switch, Cannes film festival award winner Certified Copy, and two classics from the Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu Equinox Flower (1958) and Good Morning (1959).

If you found this week's News and Chart rant interesting I've got an interesting blog post about Chart Hyping and the Increasing Power of the Supermarkets over on my personal blog.

I'd love you to rate the podcast on iTunes to help it get a sufficient number of ratings for an average to become visible on iTunes podcast search (and thanks to the three folks who've already given the podcast five star ratings. Truly humbling!)


And if you're hard of hearing, or just don't have time to listen to podcasts don't forget you can always download the transcript of this week's podcast.







Due Out Over the Next 7 Days

The following titles are likely to be reviewed in next week's podcast:
  Devil (2010)
  Doctor Who - A Christmas Carol (2010)
  Lemmy (2010)
  My One and Only (2009)
  The Other Guys (2010)
  Shogun Assassin (1980)
  Spartacus (1960)

The following titles are also released this week, but unlikely to be reviewed in next week's podcast:

  Backdraft (1991)
  The Breakfast Club (1985)
  Daylight (1996)
  Dead Space: Downfall (2008)
  Dead Space: Aftermath (2011)
  Definitely Maybe (2008)
  Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
  The John Cena Experience (2010)
  Liar Liar (1997)
  Meet Joe Black (1998)
  Notting Hill (1999)
  Out of Africa (1985)
  Shakespeare In Love (1998)
  Smokey and the Bandit (1997)
  Tremors (1990)
  Two for the Money (2005)

Sunday 16 January 2011

Episode 3: Resident Evil:AfterLife, Gainsbourg, F .. and more!

Episode 3

The latest episode is now available!

As usual I review all the new releases that debuted on Blu over the last week, as well as giving a quick 'heads up' of new titles coming out in the week ahead and giving a rundown on the best-selling Blu-Rays in the Official Sales Chart for the last seven days, up to the evening of Saturday, 15th January 2011.

This week's new reviews include hoodie horror F (2010), mockumentary I'm Still Here, gaming CGI-fest Resident Evil 4: AfterLife, acclaimed Swedish detective story The Girl Who Played With Fire, French 'fantasy bio-pic' Gainsbourg and Sky TV thriller series Thorne: Sleepyhead & Scaredycat.

If you can't wait for the podcast subscription to appear in iTunes you can always use the RSS feed on the right to subscribe outside of iTunes.


And if you're hard of hearing, or just don't have time to listen to podcasts don't forget you can always download the transcript of this week's podcast.







PODCAST CORRECTION: Please note that in the closing "Next Week's releases" section I incorrectly state that The Switch stars Patrick Bateman. I did, of course, mean to say Jason Bateman.


Due Out Over the Next 7 Days

Some of these will be fully reviewed in next week's podcast:

   Certified Copy (2010)
   Equinox Flower (1958)
   Good Morning (1959)
   Grown Ups (2010)
   The Hole (2010)
   Soul Men (2008)
   The Switch (2010)

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Now on iTunes!

The podcast is now available on iTunes although it will apparently be a couple more days before it shows up on searches.

The logo seems to have gone AWOL, which is strange given that it showed up in the submission form, but hopefully that can be sorted out in the next few days.

Sunday 9 January 2011

Episode 2: Dog Pound, A Serbian Film, Deep Red and more!

Episode 2
In this episode I have a quick look at the hot news topics this week, which include: Blu-Ray discussion at CES in Las Vegas, multiple store closures for HMV and the big 'Star Wars is coming to Blu-Ray' announcements.
As usual I review all the new releases that debuted on Blu over the last week, as well as giving a quick 'heads up' of new titles coming out in the week ahead.
This week's new reviews include one of the American/French remake of Scum, called Dog Pound and I also look at the highly controversial torture-porn flick A Serbian Film from, oddly enough, Serbia.
I also explain why 1970's Italian horror classic Deep Red wasn't on my shopping list this week.
And, as usual, I've also got the Official Top 10 Sales countdown, reflecting Blu-Ray sales for the seven day period ending on the 8th January 2011.

If you can't wait for the podcast subscription to appear in iTunes you can always use the RSS feed on the right to subscribe outside of iTunes.

And if you're hard of hearing, or just don't have time to listen to podcasts don't forget you can always download the transcript of this week's podcast.
Behind the scenes I've been working hard on souped-up information pages for the podcast reviewed titles, so if you want to know more click on the picture links below. See you next Monday, when new Blu-Ray releases really start to ramp up again.


Due Out Over the Next 7 Days

Some of these will be reviewed in next week's podcast:

   F (2010)
   Gainsbourg (2010)
   The Girl Who Played With Fire (2010)
   I'm Still Here (2010)
   Resident Evil 4: AfterLife (2010)
   Thorne: Sleepyhead / Scaredy Cat (TV 2010)

Friday 7 January 2011

Episode 1: Scott Pilgrim, Piranha 3D, Jonah Hex and more!

Thanks to the excellent service and support offered by my new podcast hosting company LibSyn I now have a proper podcast feed and hopefully the podcast should soon be appearing on iTunes

The next episode should be up late on Sunday evening (9th January 2011) and will have a similar "podcast player" button to that shown below in the associated blog post made here when the podcast is available.


If you can't wait for the podcast subscription to appear in iTunes you can always use the RSS feed on the right to subscribe outside of iTunes.

And if you're hard of hearing, or just don't have time to listen to podcasts don't forget you can always download the transcript of this week's podcast.

Wednesday 5 January 2011

The podcast is on its way!

In fact I launched the first episode last week. The problem is that I chose PodcastFM in the UK to host the podcast and it's been a disaster from the start. NOTHING on their web site works: the upload process, the FTP password mechanism, the Contact Us page, the ability for you to log in without getting a 'Write failed. No space' error page full of messy stack traces and php source information. Farcically bad!

So as a temporary measure, I've placed the first podcast, which runs to 32 minutes, up on my personal web site here However the download is slow and there's no RSS feed or iTunes support (yet!)

I'm hoping to finalise an arrangement with a new podcasting company by next Monday (10th January 2011) so that the next episode (a short one as there were only 3 releases in the UK this week!) can be properly supported. If all goes according to plan there will even be supporting applications in the iTunes app store to enable downloading of the podcast direct to to your iPhone/iTouch/iPad device with some fun extra's like the ability to download the pdf transcript too. More information when I've got things set up.

Stay tuned!