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Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant Start Production on New Series, Watch Teaser

Laura Aguirre — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:45:41 +0000

Ricky Gervais and his right hand man Stephen Merchant have began production on their new comedy series “Life’s Too Short.” The show will air on the BBC2 later this year, but for those of us on the west side of the pond, we’ll have to wait until fall 2012 when HBO premieres the show. Check out what Gervais has to say about his new show from the set of “Life’s Too Short.”

Gervais, who’s mainly known for his good work on “Extras” and the original “The Office,” is both writing and executive producing “Life’s Too Short” with Merchant. In a brief clip (see below), Gervais and Merchant introduce the sitcom alongside Warwick Davis, the star of the show.

In the new sitcom Davis will play a fictionalized version of himself as a worn-down actor who’s looking to get back into the spotlight. The cameras will follow him à la “Extras” and “The Office.”

It should come as no surprise that Gervais has already lined up some amazing cameos to be on the show including Steve Carell, Johnny Depp and Sting. On “Extras,” Gervais was able to get icons like David Bowie and Robert De Niro.

The good thing about Gervais and Merchant is that they know when to pull the plug on a show. Based on their previous projects, “Life’s Too Short” will probably have a short run. In the clip below, we can get a taste of what is to be expected from this show. Indeed, this will be another series full of awkward silences and hilarious moments.

(via Zap2It)

Will you tune in for “Life’s Too Short” in 2012?

Hall Pass: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 01:30:52 +0000

The Farrelly brothers are back with their latest collaboration Hall Pass. The film stars Owen Wilson, who’s once again headlining a male-driven comedy that features its fair share of juvenile antics. Going into this you might think that you’re in for a treat. The combination of Wilson and the Farrellys should yield amazing results, but unfortunately it doesn’t. Hall Pass leaves nothing to the imagination and a lot to be desired. Check out the review…

The Players:

Directors: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly
Screenwriters: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, Pete Jones, Kevin Barnett
Cast: Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate, Richard Jenkins, Alexandra Daddario, Stephen Merchant, Nicky Whelan, Derek Waters, J.B. Smoove, Alyssa Milano, Vanessa Angel, Tyler Hoechlin, Kristin Carey
Cinematography By: Matthew F. Leonetti

The Plot:

Two friends Rick (Wilson) and Fred (Sudeikis) get the opportunity of a lifetime when their wives (Fischer and Applegate) give them one week off from marriage. It’s called a “hall pass” and it allows them to date or sleep with whoever they want with no consequences. The movie’s premise begs the question: when you take a dog off its leash will it run away or stay home?

The Good:

Jason Sudeikis: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Sudeikis is the funniest comedian on “Saturday Night Live” right now. He’s greatly underused on that show, so it’s nice to see him take front and center in a feature film. Even though Wilson is a vet when it comes to these types of comedies, he wasn’t the strongest performer. Sudeikis drove home most of the best jokes, and his timing and natural comedic ability made him one to watch.

The Bad:

Dated Comedy: Hall Pass feels like it should have come out around the same time as There’s Something About Mary, but even then it probably wouldn’t deliver. It has great actors, a hilarious but interesting premise, and it does nothing with them. Everyone and everything comes across as tired and dated.
The Women: Fischer and Applegate were completely wasted in this film. All of the “funny” stuff was given to their male counterparts and they were left to be the more disciplined and boring characters. It’s unfortunate considering the background that the women have.
Was There Supposed to Be A Lesson?: In some comedies, no matter how gross or outlandish, they try to teach you something at the end. In the case of Hall Pass, it attempts that but fails miserably. At the end, you leave the theater questioning what the hell happened. Neither one of the couples come out of their situation squeaky clean but you’re not sure who’s better or worse for it. It’s strange.

Overall:

Hall Pass should be passed on this weekend. It’s not the Farrelly’s best, it’s not Owen Wilson’s best, and Fischer and Applegate are completely wasted.

Rating: 4/10

Hall Pass opens in theaters on February 25th.

Photo Gallery:

Trailers:

Will you be seeing Hall Pass this weekend?

Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis in Hall Pass Movie Trailer

Krystal Clark — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:52:43 +0000

Owen Wilson’s back to doing what he does best, slightly inappropriate comedy with questionable premises. His latest film is called Hall Pass and it co-stars “Saturday Night Live” regular Jason Sudeikis as his partner in crime. The duo (as you can judge from their stance in the above photo) aren’t your typical guys. They’ve been given the power to do something that men and women only dream of. Check out the trailer to see what all the hype’s about…

In the film, Rick (Wilson) and Fred (Sudeikis) are best friends who have a lot in common, including the fact that they have each been married for many years. But when the two men begin to show signs of restlessness at home, their wives (Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate) take a bold approach to revitalizing their individual marriages: granting them a “hall pass,” one week of freedom to do whatever they want…no questions asked. At first, it sounds like a dream come true for Rick and Fred. But it isn’t long before they discover that their expectations of the single life-and themselves-are completely, and hilariously, out of sync with reality.

The cast of Hall Pass also includes Richard Jenkins, Alexandra Daddario, Stephen Merchant, Nicky Whelan, Derek Waters, Alyssa Milano, Vanessa Angel and Kristin Carey. We love the fact that Richard Jenkins can do Step-Brothers, get an Oscar nomination for The Visitor, go do Let Me In, and come back to do something like Hall Pass. That guy has range!

Hall Pass hits theaters on February 25, 2011.

What do you think of the first trailer for Hall Pass?

Source: Apple Trailers

Gnomeo and Juliet Trailer and Photo

Krystal Clark — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:55:29 +0000

What is Gnomeo and Juliet? It’s a new animated film from Touchstone that features an all star cast of actors including James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, and even Ozzy Osbourne. Will they be enough to get asses in the seats or will the trailer suffice? Check it out and judge for yourself…

In the film, McAvoy and Blunt are the title characters, who have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. It’s a retelling of the classic Shakespearean play set against the backdrop of your neighbor’s lawn.

Even though there hasn’t been much said about the film the trailer is mildly funny. We’d be lying if we didn’t give them props for some of their gags. The script can’t be that bad if they were able to snag such talented people to star — can it? By the way, did anyone else notice that the young and old versions of Professor Xavier from X-Men are in this movie?

Gnomeo and Juliet hits theaters on February 11, 2011

What do you think of the first trailer for Gnomeo and Juliet?

Source: Apple

It’s Team Britain! – Jackboots On Whitehall Trailer

Ben McCarthy — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 23:14:53 +0000

It’s been 6 years since we were introduced to Team America: World Police; it was a savage political satire from the creators of “South Park,” that covered terrorism and proved that Pearl Harbor was a really bad movie. Even though the film lives on through the immortal line of “America, fuck yeah!” it seems that good ol’ Blighty plans to beat the Yanks at their own game with Jackboots on Whitehall. Watch the trailer below…

The film is set during an alternative version of WWII, with the Nazis seizing London and the British retreating to Hadrian’s Wall to form a resistance. Jackboots on Whitehall is directed by Edward and Rory McHenry and is the first film to use animatronic puppets. Take that Team America! One would say that this could be a companion piece to Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, with its disregard for historical accuracy but despite that, it still looks hilarious.

The film has a high profile voice cast, with Ewan McGregor, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Stephen Merchant, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall, Alan Cumming and Richard Griffiths. Whitehall will have its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June, where many of the actors will appear on the big night.

From the looks of it, this could have the wit and cutting-edge satire to be a memorable addition to the festival, or a cringe-inducing “Carry-On” style comedy.

What do you think? Will Hitler get his head blown off for the second time? Will it be Team Britain?

HBO Renews The Ricky Gervais Show

Krystal Clark — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:41:24 +0000

Actor-writer-director Ricky Gervais has once again struck gold with a cable television series. This time his success stems from the aptly titled “The Ricky Gervais Show” on the HBO network. According to Reuters, the freshman animated series has been renewed for a second season, which will mark the return of Gervais and his co-stars Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington.

“The Ricky Gervais Show” is based on a series of podcasts where the three collaborators discuss a various array of topics. Seriously, they talk about the most random things like what superpower they would choose or their stance on public nudity. That type of banter must be what HBO execs are looking for these days because they’ll be back for another round next season.

The network’s decision comes as a surprise because when “The Ricky Gervais Show” originally aired its ratings weren’t that great. As a matter of fact it still only “averages 180,000 viewers an episode, with a 0.1 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic.” But there’s a certain amount of history between the actor and HBO, the network previously aired his UK based series “Extras,” which lasted a few seasons before Gervais decided to pull the plug.

Even though the ratings are dismal now it doesn’t mean they won’t improve with time. You know what other HBO show had horrible ratings when it first aired? “True Blood.” We see how that one turned out.

Do you watch The Ricky Gervais Show? Were you a fan of Extras or the BBC version of The Office?

Tooth Fairy: Movie Review

Krystal Clark — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:22:34 +0000

If you told me ten years ago that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would sport a pink tutu, and fairy wings I would have called you insane. But that’s exactly what’s happens in Tooth Fairy, a family comedy that stars Johnson as the fabled creature who takes children’s teeth and leaves them money under their pillow. The film is directed by Michael Lembeck and he literally places Johnson in the land of fairies and forces him to act out every children’s fantasy known to man. It may be a joy for the kids but it turns out to be a nightmare for the adults…

The Players:

Director: Michael Lembeck
Writer: Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, Joshua Sternin, Jeffrey Ventimilia, Randi Mayem Singer
Actors: Dwayne Johnson, Julie Andrews, Stephen Merchant, Ashley Judd, Ryan Sheckler, Billy Crystal, Seth McFarlane
Music: George S. Clinton
Director of Photography: David Tattersall, BSC

The Plot:

Tooth Fairy centers on Derek Thompson, an intimidating hockey player known for his ability to knock out his opponents teeth with his deadly charge. He has the ego to match his huge persona and makes sure that everyone around him knows who’s boss. One day he unwisely shatters the dreams of a young fan by telling them they can never grow up to be a success. This causes a domino effect that lands him in Lily’s (Andrews) fairy headquarters. He’s sentenced to two weeks hard time as a tooth fairy, and from that point on cliched laughter and slapstick gags ensue.

The Good:

Billy Crystal: The stand up legend was the only actor who had any genuine comedic timing thanks to his background. He only had two scenes in the movie and both of them were the most memorable out of the entire film. He brought the talent, but most importantly he brought the laughs.
Chase Ellison: The young actor stars as the son of Ashley Judd’s character and has some of the most emotional scenes in the film. He holds his own against someone as physically intimidating as Johnson without breaking a sweat. This kid is one to watch.

The Bad:

Screenplay: The underlying premise of keeping the faith regardless of your age was great, but the script was filled with cliched dialogue and unoriginal content. Every important scene in the film that showed any type of character growth was ripped from somewhere else, and they weren’t trying to hide it.
Johnson and Judd’s Chemistry: Watching these two play a couple was truly cringe-worthy. They’re both good looking, and you’d think they’d link up quite nicely but that wasn’t the case. Their intimate scenes appeared forced and unnatural.
Special Effects: The visuals that were used to show the fairy magic looked very low budget. They didn’t come across as polished or professional, which is sad considering this is a major studio film.

Overall:

Tooth Fairy is an unoriginal family film that takes an old school lesson and adds nothing new to it. The film is filled with stale humor, bad effects, and with the exception of a few, mediocre acting. It’s not worth your time or money.

Rating: 4/10

Tooth Fairy will be in theaters on Friday, January 22nd

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Behind the Scenes with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant

Mali Elfman — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:42:24 +0000

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant talk about their upcoming film, Cemetery Junction, in a little behind the scenes sneak peak on what their upcoming film. They just began principal photography on the film last week and talk about their goals for the film about a couple of junior insurance clerks in the early seventies having a good time.

Check out the behind the scenes video on timesonline.co.uk and if you like that, then you don’t want to miss the trailer with Gervais and Merhcant messing with with Ralph Fiennes.

Cemetery Junction Funny Movie Teaser

Laura Aguirre — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:52:18 +0000

Academy-Award nominee Ralph Fiennes has joined the grand old writing/acting team Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant‘s in their first feature film together Cemetery Junction. Although shooting just started last month, a short but sweet trailer, or rather introduction video has just been posted for the film.

The trailer doesn’t give you much away, it merely the two directors having a good laugh with Fiennes — who has a surprisingly good sense of humor seeing as they spend the majority of time poking fun at him, in their own Gervais, Merchant way. For any of you who watched the amazing TV show “Extras” you’ve seen their style before, it’s hilarious.

Honestly, I’m already sold on the film. Take a look “trailer” the jump:

The film is set to be released sometime in 2010.

What do you think of the trailier-ish thing?

Matthew Goode Joins Ricky Gervais in Cemetery Junction

Krystal Clark — Mon, 11 May 2009 23:15:16 +0000

Many of you who went to see Zack Snyder’s Watchmen had some issues with the casting of Matthew Goode as Dr. Ozymadias. Some felt he was too young, while other’s thought his acting wasn’t up to par. Granted Goode’s resume doesn’t boast of many American films, but I still think he deserves a fair shot. According to THR, comedic genius Ricky Gervais must see something in him because he just cast the actor in his latest comedy, Cemetery Junction.

Cemetery Junction is a dramedy that takes places during the 1970′s. The story focuses on a group of salesmen who work at Prudential Insurance. It will chronicle the ups and downs of their relationships with each other and the respective women in their lives. Goode will portray a “go getter” who just so happens to be dating his bosses daughter. Gervais and collaborator Stephen Merchant both wrote the screenplay and will also direct.

This is one of several romantic comedies on the horizon for Goode. He’s already earned a principle role in the film Leap Year, which will co-star Amy Adams. I guess I’m one of the many people who choose to sweep his 2004 rom-com, Chasing Liberty with Mandy Moore under the rug. Yep, that was him in that. I shamelessly watched it on ABC Family one Sunday. The options were pretty slim that afternoon.

What do you think of his casting in a Ricky Gervais comedy? Do you think he’s got the chops to make us laugh?

ScreenCrave.com » stephen merchant

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant Start Production on New Series, Watch Teaser

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