Ricky Gervais

TV Review: HBO’s ‘Eastbound & Down,’ ‘Life’s Too Short’ Offer Unique Takes on Comedy

BrianTT — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:54:34 -0500

CHICAGO – HBO brings back a few of their most larger-than-life personalities with the third (and final) season premiere of “Eastbound & Down” and the stateside premiere of “Life’s Too Short.” Danny McBride/Kenny Powers should be familiar to anyone with an HBO subscription by now and the super-talented pair that made HBO’s “Extras” — Stephen Merchant & Ricky Gervais — are behind another bout of awkward comedy with A-list guest stars. Both shows are flawed but damn funny. You could do worse on a Sunday night.

TV Rating: 3.5/5.0

On paper, HBO’s “Eastbound & Down” and “Life’s Too Short” may not seem to have much in common and yet they are perfectly paired on Sunday nights not only by virtue of being unlike anything else on TV but also on a critical level. “Eastbound,” which is starting its third and final season, has been better in the past but still shows signs of that first-season greatness. Similarly, “Life’s” is produced by people who have been better in the past but also shows signs of why Mr. Merchant and Mr. Gervais are considered comedy geniuses. Both shows are significantly more daring and inventive than most network sitcoms, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for criticism.

Life’s Too Short
Photo credit: HBO

“Eastbound & Down” returns with a final season arc that’s just begging to take the bite out of this very dark comedy — Kenny’s got a baby to take care of while he continues to claw his way back to the spotlight. There are very funny moments in all of the first three episodes I’ve seen but this season definitely seems a little more crowd-pleasing, a little lighter than, say, Kenny’s cockfighting operation in Mexico last season. While there are dark tones, such as the very fact that Kenny carries around his baby in a backpack or a truly disturbing job for Stevie (Steve Little) in episode two, this definitely feels like a toned down version of Kenny Powers.

& Down" title="Eastbound & Down">
Eastbound & Down
Photo credit: HBO

It doesn’t help that the season is dominated by guest stars, including a recurring role for Jason Sudeikis, a prominent appearance by Will Ferrell in episode two, and a guest shot by Matthew McConaughey in episode three. And John Hawkes returns as Kenny’s brother. I love all these guys, but they need to let this show belong to Danny McBride and they need to let Kenny Powers be the amoral, obnoxious jerk that he’s always been destined to be. Please don’t let him learn a lesson through fatherhood and slow the revolving door of guest stars. “Eastbound & Down” may be a tough show to wrap up in a creatively succesful way, but I still have hope that McBride, Jody Hill, and David Gordon Green can figure it out. I’m concerned but optimistic. And I know I won’t miss a minute.

While Kenny Powers is an over-the-top personality, Warwick Davis is an under-the-top one, pun only slightly intended. Not only is Mr. Davis vertically-challenged but he is also a subdued personality, often the straight man in his scenes in “Life’s Too Short,” a fictional take on the actor’s real life. Davis plays a version of himself — an actor who has appeared in “Star War, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,” the “Harry Potter” films, “Willow” and much more. However, if “LTS” is to be believed, Davis has serious trouble making ends meet and finding roles. He spends time at conventions at which he is rarely recognized or begging Gervais and Merchant (who play themselves) for work.

The first episode features an episode-stealing appearance from Liam Neeson, who tries to do improv comedy with hysterically serious results (hint — don’t use the word “AIDS” in any context in comedy), and the second episode is stolen by Johnny Depp, who wants to work with Davis and compares him to a grub crawling out of an apple. “Extras” featured some of the most amazing guest appearances in the history of television (Ian McKellen and Kate Winslet might be the top two…ever) but Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) and Maggie Jacobs (Ashley Jensen) were fantastic characters in their own right. Davis seems like a likable fellow but he’s not yet interesting outside of being a foil for Gervais, Merchant, and the guest star of the week. It leaves kind of a black hole in the center of the show in that the lead feels like more of a gimmick (and I don’t mean that as an insult to Mr. Davis but it’s also not I who wrote a scene in which he gets stuffed in a toilet or can’t reach an intercom).

Here’s what really matters — I like “Eastbound & Down” and “Life’s Too Short” to recommend that you season pass both of them. Danny McBride is completely fearless and anything by team Gervais/Merchant is worth your time. My only reservations are that these are both good shows by people with the talent to make great ones. But what could have been (or could still be later in the season) shouldn’t stop one from enjoying the quality of what is now.

“Eastbound & Down” stars Danny McBride, Steve Little, Katy Mixon, Andrew Daly, John Hawkes, and Jennifer Irwin. It returns for its third season on February 19th, 2012 at 9pm CST on HBO.

“Life’s Too Short” stars Warwick Davis, Ricky Gervais, and Stephen Merchant. It premieres on February 19th, 2012 at 9:30pm CST on HBO.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV on DVD Round-up: ‘The Adventures of Merlin,’ ‘An Idiot Abroad,’ ‘Primeval’

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:40:46 -0500

CHICAGO – We’re back with another DVD Round-up of recently released titles that may catch your attention when you’re browsing the DVD store this week. (Do they still have DVD stores?) This time, read this entire piece aloud in a British accent. Once again, these round-ups are designed as informative, to let you know about releases that might not get as much attention and what special features to expect if you pick them up. Having said that, this is a particularly strong round-up. Ricky Gervais, Camelot, and dinosaurs? You really can’t go wrong with any of these choices.

All three titles were released on January 10th, 2012.

“The Adventures of Merlin: The Complete Third Season”

The Adventures of Merlin: The Complete Third Season
Photo credit: BBC

Available: DVD

Starring: Bradley James, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Richard Wilson, Colin Morgan, Anthony Head, and the voice of John Hurt.

Running Time: 562 minutes

Synopsis: Swords, sorcery and swashbuckling adventure return in this third season of the hit series, following our heroes Merlin and Arthur as they face their greatest challenge yet. When misbegotten secrets are exposed and old friends choose new sides, they soon discover that the great battle for Camelot is only just beginning… with epic action sequences, stunning CGI sequences, terrifying new monsters and a guest cast featuring Warwick Davies (The Harry Potter Series , The Chronicles Of Narnia); Miriam Margolyes (The Harry Potter Series, Being Julia); Mark Williams (The Harry Potter Series, The Fast Show); as well as Emilia Fox (Ballet Shoes, The Pianist) returning as Morgause and Santiago Cabrera (Heroes, Che) as Lancelot, the third series of Merlin will be bigger, bolder and more action-packed than ever.

Special Features:
o Cast And Crew Audio Commentaries
o The Making Of Merlin Season 3
o Deleted Scenes
o Outtakes
o Photo Gallery
o Wallpapers

“An Idiot Abroad”

An Idiot Abroad
Photo credit: BBC

Available: DVD

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington

Running Time: 347 minutes

Synopsis: In this hilarious series Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, co-creators of The Office and Extras, send their friend Karl Pilkington (The Ricky Gervais Show) around the world…against his will!

Karl thinks he’s visiting the Seven Wonders but along the way the “Little Englander” must endure camel rides, jungle treks, tribal customs and local oddballs while dining on toads and testicles… and searching for a clean bathroom.

How does a man who prefers vacationing via camper cope with being an idiot abroad?

Special Features:
o The Preview Show
o Deleted Scenes
o Photo Gallery

“Primeval: Volume Three”

Primeval: Volume Three
Photo credit: BBC

Available: DVD and Blu-ray

Starring: Ben Miller, Andrew Lee Potts, Hannah Spearritt, Ciaran McMenamin, Ruth Kearney, Alexander Siddig, Ben Mansfield, and Jason Flemyng

Running Time: 581 minutes

Synopsis: It’s one year on and following the death of Johnson, the ARC has been shaken by the long-term disappearance of Abby, Connor and team leader Danny. The government has appointed entrepreneurial - scientist Philip Burton to take charge of the operation, with a brand new building and new team. Ex-soldier and zoologist Matt, the highly efficient if unconventional Jess, the mysterious Gideon and anomaly-traveling Ethan all join the team, but are they ready for what’s ahead?

As Connor and Abby finally escape the terrifying creatures of the Cretaceous to an uncertain welcome back at the ARC, Danny continues to fight his way through a Pliocene age Rift Valley, desperate to return to the team with a vital secret that will change their whole outlook. With a new team and new creature threats, the ARC team is facing their toughest challenge yet…

Special Features:
o New Dawn - Making The New Primeval Episode Prequel
o Webisodes

YOU MIGHT LIKE
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By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 37-Image Gallery of Celebrities at 69th Annual Golden Globes

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:16:23 -0500

CHICAGO – This 37-image slideshow contains a selection of NBC-provided images from the 69th Annual Golden Globes, which were handed out on January 15th, 2012 on NBC. Celebrities featured include Ricky Gervais, Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Kate Beckinsale, Meryl Streep, Claire Danes, Jean Dujardin, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Emily Blunt, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Madonna, Peter Dinklage, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and many more.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos courtesy of NBC and credited to Paul Drinkwater. All Rights Reserved.

Golden_Globes_2012_01: Ricky Gervais
Golden_Globes_2012_02: Ricky Gervais
Golden_Globes_2012_03: Ricky Gervais
Golden_Globes_2012_04: Ashton Kutcher & Elle MacPherson
Golden_Globes_2012_05: Laura Dern, winner for “Enlightened”
Golden_Globes_2012_06: Kate Winslet, winner for “Mildred Pierce”
Golden_Globes_2012_07: Freida Pinto
Golden_Globes_2012_08: Kelsey Grammer, winner for “Boss”
Golden_Globes_2012_09: Madonna, winner for “W.E.”
Golden_Globes_2012_10: Idris Elba, winner for “Luther”
Golden_Globes_2012_11: Brad Pitt
Golden_Globes_2012_12: Kate Beckinsale & Seth Rogen
Golden_Globes_2012_13: Michelle Williams, winner for “My Week With Marilyn”
Golden_Globes_2012_14: Peter Dinklage, winner for “Game of Thrones”
Golden_Globes_2012_15: George Clooney
Golden_Globes_2012_16: Jessica Alba & Channing Tatum
Golden_Globes_2012_17: Steven Spielberg, winner for “The Adventures of Tintin”
Golden_Globes_2012_18: Felicity Huffman & William H. Macy
Golden_Globes_2012_19: Dustin Hoffman
Golden_Globes_2012_20: Claire Danes, winner for “Homeland”
Golden_Globes_2012_21: Emily Blunt
Golden_Globes_2012_22: Matt LeBlanc, winner for “Episodes”
Golden_Globes_2012_23: Octavia Spencer, winner for “The Help”
Golden_Globes_2012_24: Reese Witherspoon
Golden_Globes_2012_25: Morgan Freeman
Golden_Globes_2012_26: Robert Downey Jr.
Golden_Globes_2012_27: Angelina Jolie
Golden_Globes_2012_28: Martin Scorsese, winner for “Hugo”
Golden_Globes_2012_29: Antonio Banderas & Salma Hayek
Golden_Globes_2012_30: Jean Dujardin, winner for “The Artist”
Golden_Globes_2012_31: Meryl Streep, winner for “The Iron Lady”
Golden_Globes_2012_32: Johnny Depp & Ricky Gervais
Golden_Globes_2012_33: Adam Levine & Jimmy Fallon
Golden_Globes_2012_34: Katherine McPhee & Debra Messing
Golden_Globes_2012_35: Clive Owen & Nicole Kidman
Golden_Globes_2012_36: Mark Wahlberg & Jessica Biel
Golden_Globes_2012_37: Ricky Gervais

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodCh\icago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Film News: Live Updates, Results For 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards

TimBMartens — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:37:38 -0500

CHICAGO – Welcome to the HollywoodChicago.com coverage of the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards. These awards honor the best in film and TV for 2011 while also allowing host Ricky Gervais to poke fun at all your favorite Hollywood stars.

Below you will find a list of all the nominees for each category. As winners are announced, the list will be updated with winners appearing with a Golden Globes icon next to them. The show starts at 7 p.m. CST tonight on NBC.

The Golden Globes
Photo credit: Hollywood Foreign Press Association

FILM

BEST PICTURE: DRAMA

“The Descendants”
“The Help”
“Hugo”
“The Ides of March”
“Moneyball”
“War Horse”

BEST PICTURE: COMEDY OR MUSICAL

“50/50”
“The Artist”
“Bridesmaids”
“Midnight in Paris”
“My Week With Marilyn”

BEST DIRECTOR

Woody Allen (“Midnight in Paris”)
George Clooney (“The Ides of March”)
Michel Hazanavicius (“The Artist”)
Alexander Payne (“The Descendants”)
Martin Scorsese (“Hugo”)

BEST ACTOR: DRAMA

George Clooney (“The Descendants”)
Leonardo DiCaprio (“J. Edgar”)
Michael Fassbender (“Shame”)
Ryan Gosling (“The Ides of March”)
Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”)

BEST ACTRESS: DRAMA

Glenn Close (“Albert Nobbs”)
Viola Davis (“The Help”)
Rooney Mara (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”)
Meryl Streep (“The Iron Lady”)
Tilda Swinton (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”)

Johnny Depp and Ricky Gervais at the 69th Golden Globes.
Photo credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC

BEST ACTRESS: COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Jodie Foster (“Carnage”)
Charlize Theron (“Young Adult”)
Kristen Wiig (“Bridesmaids”)
Michelle Williams (“My Week With Marilyn”)
Kate Winslet (“Carnage”)

BEST ACTOR: COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”)
Brendan Gleeson (“The Guard”)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“50/50”)
Ryan Gosling (“Crazy, Stupid, Love”)
Owen Wilson (“Midnight in Paris”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo (“The Artist”)
Jessica Chastain (“The Help”)
Janet McTeer (“Albert Nobbs”)
Octavia Spencer (“The Help”)
Shailene Woodley (“The Descendants”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh (“My Week With Marilyn”)
Albert Brooks (“Drive”)
Jonah Hill (“Moneyball”)
Viggo Mortensen (“A Dangerous Method”)
Christopher Plummer (“Beginners”)

BEST ANIMATED FILM

“The Adventures of Tintin”
“Arthur Christmas”
“Cars 2”
“Puss in Boots”
“Rango”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

“The Flowers Of War” (China)
“In The Land of Blood and Honey” (USA)
“The Kid With a Bike” (Belgium)
“A Separation” (Iran)
“The Skin I Live In” (Spain)

BEST SCREENPLAY

”The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“The Ides of March”
“Midnight in Paris”
“Moneyball”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Ludovic Bource, “The Artist”
Abel Korzeniowski, “W.E.”
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”
Howard Shore, “Hugo”
John Williams, “War Horse”

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Hello Hello,” “Gnomeo & Juliet” Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
“The Keeper,” “Machine Gun Preacher” Music & Lyrics by Chris Cornell
“Lay Your Head Down,” “Albert Nobbs” Music by Brian Byrne, Lyrics by Glenn Close
“The Living Proof,” “The Help” Music by Thomas Newman, Mary J. Blige and Harvey Mason, Jr.; Lyrics by Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas
“Masterpiece,” “W.E.” Music & Lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost and Jimmy Harry

TELEVISION

Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais.
Photo credit: NBC

BEST ACTRESS, TV COMEDY

Laura Dern (“Enlightened”)
Zooey Deschanel (“New Girl”)
Tina Fey (“30 Rock”)
Laura Linney (“The Big C”)
Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”)

BEST ACTRESS, TV DRAMA

Claire Danes (“Homeland”)
Mireille Enos (“The Killing”)
Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”)
Madeleine Stowe (“Revenge”)
Callie Thorne (“Necessary Roughness”)

BEST ACTOR, TV COMEDY

Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”)
David Duchovny (“Californication”)
Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory”)
Thomas Jane (“Hung”)
Matt LeBlanc (“Episodes”)

BEST ACTOR, TV DRAMA

Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”)
Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”)
Kelsey Grammer (“Boss”)
Jeremy Irons (“The Borgias”)
Damian Lewis (“Homeland”)

BEST ACTOR, TV SERIES, MINI-SERIES or MOVIE

Hugh Bonneville (“Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)”)
Idris Elba (“Luther”)
William Hurt (“Too Big to Fail”)
Bill Nighy (“Page Eight (Masterpiece)”)
Dominic West (“The Hour”)

BEST ACTRESS, TV SERIES, MINI-SERIES or MOVIE

Romola Garai (“The Hour”)
Diane Lane (“Cinema Verite”)
Elizabeth McGovern (“Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)”)
Emily Watson (“Appropriate Adult”)
Kate Winslet (“Mildred Pierce”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, TV SERIES, MINI-SERIES or MOVIE

Peter Dinklange (“Game of Thrones”)
Paul Giamatti (“Too Big to Fail”)
Guy Pearce (“Mildred Pierce”)
Tim Robbins (“Cinema Verite”)
Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TV SERIES, MINI-SERIES or MOVIE

Jessica Lange (“American Horror Story”)
Kelly Macdonald (“Boardwalk Empire”)
Maggie Smith (“Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)”)
Sofia Vegara (“Modern Family”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Mildred Pierce”)

BEST COMEDY SERIES, TV

“Enlightened”
“Episodes”
“Glee”
“Modern Family”
“New Girl”

BEST DRAMA SERIES, TV

“American Horror Story”
“Boardwalk Empire”
“Boss”
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”

BEST MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE

“Cinema Verite”
“Downton Abbey”
“The Hour”
“Mildred Pierce”
“Too Big to Fail”

By TIM MARTENS
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
tim@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-ray Review: ‘Spy Kids: All the Time in the World’ Proves Utterly Wasteful

mattmovieman — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:17:16 -0500

CHICAGO – If this fourth “Spy Kids” installment proves anything at all, it’s that time has clearly run out on the franchise. While the original film was playfully inventive and preached resonant messages about family unity and the importance of teamwork, the series has followed the usual pattern of diminishing returns. After an eight-year hiatus, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez tried and failed to reboot the franchise with this soulless retread.

Though Rodriguez has earned the respect of his colleagues with his status as a self-made filmmaker, he’s gotten all too comfortable in his effortless excess. Since literally anything can happen in his green screen wonderland, does it matter that anything does? While Rodriguez continues to produce A-grade B-movies for adults, his family films often feel like dumbed down versions of traditional action blockbusters. With its shoddy effects and cheap gags, “Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” plays like a 90-minute toy commercial on a sugar high.

Blu-ray Rating: 1.0/5.0

Fresh-faced newcomers Rowan Blanchard and Mason Cook play the latest pair of precocious tykes who discover that their stepmom (Jessica Alba) is secretly a spy. When bad guys raid their house, they escape with the help of Argonaut, a robotic dog regrettably voiced by the great Ricky Gervais, whose detached one-liners do little to elevate the material. It’s not long before the kids enter the family business in order to solve the instantly obvious identity of the evil Time Keeper intent on stealing the world’s time. Sadly, all he ends up stealing is the audience’s patience with an endless array of clock-related puns. Jeremy Piven does what he can with his thankless role, which would’ve had the potential to be a lot more fun with the aid of a more imaginative script.

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World was released on Blu-ray and DVD on Nov. 22, 2011.
Photo credit: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Loud, garish and filled wall-to-wall with fart and barf jokes, “Spy Kids 4” is guaranteed to please no one apart from the most undiscriminating toddlers. Blanchard and Cook’s performances are pitched at the level of, “Hey look, mom! I’m in a ‘Spy Kids’ movie,” but this misfire is hardly their fault. It’s the mind-numbing approach and strangely joyless direction of Rodriguez that sinks the whole show. The childlike exuberance that he brought to earlier projects is conspicuously lacking from this by-the-numbers effort. Like “Scream 4” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” this film fails to build a convincing argument as to why the franchise should continue beyond its intended trilogy. The dialogue is so painfully groan-inducing that it could make even the silliest kids roll their eyes. When one character defiantly argues that she’s just following her instincts, another character quips, “Well, your in-stinks!” Yet there’s one line that actually managed to succinctly summarize my disgusted reaction to the shrill monotony: “There’s got to be a better way to pass the time.”

“Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio), and is available in a four-disc set including a Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and digital copy of the film. Thankfully missing from the combo pack is the films’ theatrically released version in 4D “Aroma-Scope” which allowed Argonaut’s “butt bombs” to stink both literally and figuratively. Unfortunately, viewers must purchase a Full HD 3D TV, compatible 3D glasses, and a Full Blu-ray 3D player in order to experience full disappointment in three dimensions. Among the disposable extras are eight minutes of deleted scenes that feature further mediocre visual gags, such as an “invisible poncho” that’s no different from the Invisibility Cloak in “Harry Potter.”

In the sole endearing featurette, original “Spy Kids” stars Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara nostalgically reflect on the series while praising the new actors, who are admittedly more vibrant while out of character. Cook is a particular delight as he declares with wide-eyed seriousness that working alongside Vega and Sabara is “a true honor.” Die-hard fans will also appreciate the assortment of mini-docs on spy gadgets, behind-the-scenes mischief and Gervais, who may find it difficult to take jabs at overpaid stars after taking this paycheck for playing the butt-bombing dog.

‘Spy Kids: All the Time in the World’ is released by Anchor Bay Entertainment and stars Rowan Blanchard, Mason Cook, Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Jeremy Piven, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara and Ricky Gervais. It was written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It was released on Nov. 22, 2011. It is rated PG.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Special Edition of BBC’s Original ‘The Office’

BrianTT — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:52:01 -0500

CHICAGO – I can still vividly remember when it was announced that NBC was to air a remake of the incredible British series “The Office.” Those of us familiar with the original thought it was a VERY bad idea. A guy from “The Daily Show” filling the shoes of Ricky Gervais? Now it’s safe to say, the current season excepted, that the remake has eclipsed the original. It leads me to wonder if there isn’t a whole generation now that doesn’t even know the NBC version is a remake. School them with “The Office: Special Edition,” now available for discerning Black Friday shoppers everywhere.

DVD Rating: 5.0/5.0

One of the reasons history may have begun to forget “The Office” is that it was such a brief run that the entirety of it can be captured on four discs, Christmas Special included. Still, there’s comedy gold here with one of the most memorable TV characters of the last twenty years. The show influenced not only its remake but countless other programs in the decade since it premiered. And it made Ricky Gervais a star. See where it all began.

Those of you concerned about double dipping and wondering if you should replace your current DVD editions of the two series of “The Office” (and the special, of course), I have some bad news — you’re probably going to want to do so. The Special Edition includes introductions and new extended interviews with not only the major players behind the series (Gervais & Stephen Merchant) but a cavalcade of celebrity fans, including Ben Stiller, Matthew Perry, Hugh Jackman, and more. Fans can also see the original pilot for the first time and experience a new retrospective documentary called “Comedy Connections.” All other previously-available special features have been imported. For shows as beloved as “The Office,” the occasional double dip can be forgiven.

The Office: Special Edition
Photo credit: Universal

Synopsis:
Celebrate the 10 Anniversary of the BBC premiere of the original Golden Globe winning comedy sensation with The Office: Special Edition!

The inspiration for the long-running NBC comedy, The Office garnered tremendous critical acclaim when it originally premiered on BBC America including being declared the “best comedy on television” by The New York Times and “pretty much the funniest show ever” by Newsweek. Only twelve episodes and a 2-part Christmas Special were ever made, but its influence on television comedy is unparalleled.

This new Special Edition includes the complete original series with all the bonus features from the original DVD release plus new bonus features. Join not only the co-creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, but also special guests Matthew Perry, Ben Stiller, Richard Curtis, Hugh Jackman and others for specially recorded episodes introductions and interviews. It’s a spectacular celebration of the original comedy phenomenon that is The Office!

Special Features:
o Episode Introductions to Series One And Extended Interviews with Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Special Guests Matthew Perry, Ben Stiller, Richard Curtis, Hugh Jackman and More!
o Comedy Connections: A Retrospective Documentary
o Original Pilot
o Exclusive Documentary: How I Made The Office
o Deleted Scenes
o Video Diaries
o Outtakes
o Director’s Commentary
o Golden Globes Featurette
o Music Video
o Making Of Freelove Freeway

“The Office: Special Edition” stars Ricky Gervais, Lucy Davis, Martin Freeman, and Mackenzie Cook. It was released by BBC Home Video on November 22nd, 2011.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Film News: Billy Crystal Takes Over as Oscar Host

TimBMartens — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:34:28 -0500

CHICAGO – A day after Eddie Murphy dropped out as the host of the next Academy Awards Ceremony, Billy Crystal announced on his twitter that he would take over the hosting duties. Crystal will host the Oscars for the ninth time on February 26, 2012.

Crystal’s announcement comes just days after both Brett Ratner and Eddie Murphy departed from the 2012 Oscar ceremony. Brian Grazer was announced as the new show producer yesterday, and rumors started to swirl around who the new host could be; Ricky Gervais, Neal Patrick Harris, The Muppets, Dan Aykroyd (“Trading Spaces” anyone?). In the end, the Academy went with a reliable favorite.

Crystal tweeted the hosting news this afternoon: “Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions. Looking forward to the show.”

Crystal will still be 10 hosting jobs shy of Bob Hope’s record 19 appearances, but the 2011 hosting job makes Crystal a host in four different decades. Hopefully, Grazer and Crystal can team up to create an Oscar ceremony that made Billy a favorite for eight Oscar ceremonies before this. The bright side? It would be pretty hard to be worse than James Franco and Anne Hathaway from last year’s show.

By TIM MARTENS
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
tim@hollywoodchicago.com

TV News: Rumors Claim Ricky Gervais Will Host Golden Globes Again

TimBMartens — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:10:08 -0400

CHICAGO – Apparently, Hollywood does not know how to quit Ricky Gervais, even when he gives them every reason to kick him out the door. Rumors have hit the web this morning that Ricky Gervais, creator of “The Office” (UK) and “Extras,” has been asked to return a third consecutive year as the host of the Golden Globe Awards.

The rumors are both surprising and somewhat expected. Gervais made news everywhere the last few years for his no-holds-bar attitude as the host of the awards that celebrate the year of film and television. Last year, Gervais was able to mock Johnny Depp repeatedly for his movie “The Tourist,” threw in a joke about Robert Downey Jr.’s substance abuse problems, and touched on some religious laughter at the expense of scientology enthusiasts Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

After the telecast, Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Phillip Berk told the media he had no idea what Ricky was planning on: “He definitely crossed the line. And some of the things were totally unacceptable. But that’s Ricky,” Berk said. “I had absolutely no idea what Ricky was going to say so anything I heard was heard the same time you heard it. When you hire Ricky Gervais, you expect the unexpected.”

The rumors of Ricky’s return, first reported by The New York Post, was followed by a tweet from Gervais that simply read “Ooooooh! The plot thickens… Thoughts?”

Will Hollywood deal have to deal with more jokes at their own expense this year? We will have to wait and see if the rumors are true and the most fearless host in Golden Globe history returns for a third year.

By TIM MARTENS
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
tim@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Hysterical Animation of HBO’s ‘The Ricky Gervais Show’

BrianTT — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:36:23 -0500

CHICAGO – Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are two of the funniest men alive. Their work on “The Office” and “Extras” stills stands up as brilliant, clever, and consistently hysterical. Their quick wit made them a perfect fit for the world of the podcast and it’s simply spectacular that they hold the Guinness title for the most-downloaded audio recordings. The smash hit podcasts have been turned into an animated HBO series, returning to the network on Friday, January 14th, 2011, shortly after the DVD release of the first season.

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

“The Ricky Gervais Show” is incredibly simple. Take already-recorded material and animate it for the audience who wants to hear it again with visuals and for the audience who don’t know what a podcast is. Honestly, the animation is mediocre and I’m not sure if the podcasts needed more than the audio to make them great. I hadn’t heard most of the material and actually found myself looking away from the screen and just listening to the audio as if it were a podcast.

The Ricky Gervais Show: The Complete First Season was released on DVD on January 4th, 2011
Photo credit: WB

Ignoring the odd concept of the show in general in that the material clearly works without the visuals, “The Ricky Gervais Show” is straight-up hysterical. Most of it centers around Ricky and Stephen ripping on their friend Karl Pilkington, the kind of dolt who makes one wonder if he’s not putting on a routine when he refuses to pick what superpower he would have because he can’t handle the responsibility or suggests that perhaps the airplane was a bad invention because it made war easier. Ricky and Stephen are clearly thoroughly entertained by Karl and, while it can approach being mean every once in awhile, their joy can be infectious.

The first season of “The Ricky Gervais Show” has been collected on two discs, totaling just over five hours of entertainment. It’s presented in a matted widescreen format with an English Dolby Surround 5.1 audio track and a pair of special features. Fans of “The Office” and “Extras” should definitely pick up the reasonably-priced release and tune in for season two on HBO. It’s nowhere near as landmark as the other Gervais/Merchant collaborations but very few things are. It’s still damn funny.

Special Features:
o Comedy Gala Animation
o Episode Storyboard

“The Ricky Gervais Show: The Complete First Season” stars Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington. It was directed by Craig Kellman. It was released on DVD on January 4th, 2011 and runs 317 minutes.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Stardust’ Sparkles with Exuberance, Imagination

mattmovieman — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:20:49 -0400

CHICAGO – Matthew Vaughn is a filmmaker unafraid of taking risks. His films are often messy and uneven, but they have more energy, exuberance and conviction than the vast majority of Hollywood blockbusters. Though he’s never quite topped his directorial debut, “Layer Cake,” his 2007 sophomore effort “Stardust” has nearly all the trappings of a future cult classic, with the key exception of a large fan base.

Hopefully this luminous Blu-Ray release will endear Vaughn’s under-appreciated lark to a fresh new audience. Though it lacks the uproarious laughs and electric romantic chemistry of its obvious inspiration, “The Princess Bride,” “Stardust” is far more sprawling in its tireless invention. Yet the convoluted plot is nearly ambitious to a fault, threatening to implode on itself as it attempts to cram in as many elements as possible from its source material (the whimsical novel by fantasy author Neil Gaiman). What makes Vaughn ultimately triumph is his utter refusal to sanitize or commercialize the material for mainstream consumption.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

From one end of the screen to the other, “Stardust” consistently brims with life and unpredictability, exuding a spirit of cheerful playfulness that is utterly infectious. As in “Kick-Ass,” Vaughn took a gamble here by casting a relative unknown, Charlie Cox, in the lead role of Tristan, since most female viewers would’ve preferred the more standard hunk, Ben Barnes (the future Prince Caspian), who plays Cox’s father in the film’s prologue. Tristan may be the least interesting character in the film, but Cox brings a sweet vulnerability to the role that is quite disarming. After promising to fetch a falling star for the girl of his dreams, Tristan encounters the star, who takes the form of a beautiful yet agitated young woman named Yvaine (played by ever-ethereal Claire Danes). Soon, the two reluctant companions are being pursued by an assortment of evildoers, including Septimus (Mark Strong), the ruthless would-be heir to a throne, and Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), a wretched witch hellbent on obtaining everlasting life. There’s also a cross-dressing pirate, a goat awkwardly transformed into a man, an elderly guard with a startling mastery of martial arts, several wisecracking ghosts and Ricky Gervais.

Charlie Cox initially tries to win the heart of Sienna Miller in Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust.
Photo credit: Paramount Home Entertainment

Not every gag works, but that hardly matters in a film chockfull of unexpected delights. There are several moments in the picture that deliver the sort oddball surprise that made the Hit Girl sequences in “Kick-Ass” such a kinetic blast. That is most true of the scenes involving Robert De Niro, who effortlessly steals the film as Captain Shakespeare, a friendly pirate with a formidably macho exterior, who keeps his homosexuality a secret from his crew. His character could’ve been a cartoonish stereotype, but De Niro proves to be a natural charmer in a role that couldn’t have been more far removed from Travis Bickle (though the captain does partake in a show-stopping solo dance in front of his mirror). When Gervais pops up in a priceless cameo, and engages in some verbal repartee with De Niro, I finally realized what “Stardust” so obviously resembles: the feature-length version of one of those absurd fake movies witnessed in the great British sitcom, “Extras” (where Gervais plays a struggling actor forced to take bit parts in films). Gervais even gets to rattle off his trademark “Extras” catchpharse, “You havin’ a laugh?” “Stardust” is the type of curiosity so off-the-wall goofy that it must be seen to be believed. One thing’s for certain: everyone involved was clearly havin’ a laugh.

Stardust was released on Blu-Ray on Sept. 7, 2010.
Photo credit: Paramount Home Entertainment

“Stardust” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio), accompanied by English, French, German, Italian, and two Spanish (Castilian and Latin American) audio tracks. The disc is loaded with extras, several of which are recycled from the film’s DVD incarnation, though the five-part, hour-long making-of documentary is featured in pristine HD. Gaiman is prominently featured in the interviews, where he reveals the origins of his story, which he says was never built to be a film. Vaughn says he envisioned the project to be a hybrid of “The Princess Bride” and “Midnight Run,” while admitting that he had to greatly alter the book’s uncinematic third act, while condensing the book’s first sixty pages into the film’s opening two minutes (which distressed Gaiman, to say the least). Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura says that Vaughn aimed to translate his smaller independent aesthetic to a larger canvas while keeping the same crew members he had worked with since producing “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” The filmmakers consciously avoided borrowing from popular fantasy franchises, such as “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings,” and sought out beautiful locations in Iceland to Scotland in order to bring a level of visual gravity to the fantastical landscapes.

Vaughn and co-writer Goldman share a vibrant audio commentary in which they candidly point out the sequences that could’ve been improved with more money. The director is hilariously self-deprecating while analyzing a climactic wolf attack that is glaringly toothless. They also highlight a fascinating bit of studio hypocrisy centering on a scene where Cox wakes up in bed next to Danes. Both actors are clearly shirtless, yet the studio ruled that Cox’s lack of a shirt was “too sexual,” therefore forcing the effects artists to digitally add a shirt onto Cox (the effect is truly impressive if thoroughly inexplicable). In a brief 10-minute featurette, Gaiman and his illustrator, Charles Vess, prowl through a studio backlot while lamenting about elements of the book that were understandably cut. Five minutes of deleted scenes include an odd alternate ending (featuring Cox in old age makeup) and more mugging from the ghostly greek chorus. The biggest missed opportunity on the disc is the all-too-brief blooper reel, which should’ve included the complete unedited outtakes from the improvised routine between De Niro and Gervais, which offers ample evidence that they may very well be the next great comic duo. Scorsese, I hope you’re listening!

‘‘Stardust’ is released by Paramount Home Entertainment and stars Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mark Strong, Robert De Niro, Sienna Miller, Peter O’Toole and Ricky Gervais. It was written by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn and directed by Matthew Vaughn. It was released on Sept. 7th, 2010. It is rated PG-13.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com