'The Professor And The Madman' Trailer: Mel Gibson And Sean Penn Define The English Language

Chances are you won't see Mel Gibson doing much press for The Professor and the Madman. While he stars in the film and serves as a producer, he was engaged in a legal dispute with another production company that very nearly derailed any hopes of a release. Fortunately, the bizarre story of the Oxford Dictionary's origin will be told in a couple of months, and here's the latest trailer.

Gibson stars alongside Sean Penn, a duo that would've meant huge box office back in the day. Now they're almost an asterisk in the movie they're headlining, which follows the titular professor and a convicted murder who collaborated on defining the English language.  The film co-stars Steve Coogan, Natalie Dormer, Jennifer Ehle, and Ioan Gruffudd while director Farhad Safinia had his name taken off the project. Doesn't bode well, does it?

Here's the official synopsis: Based on the worldwide best-selling novel by Simon Winchester, THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN is an extraordinary true tale of madness, genius, and obsession about two remarkable men who created history with the writing of the Oxford English Dictionary. The compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary began in 1857 and was one of the most ambitious, and revolutionary projects ever undertaken. Professor James Murray (Mel Gibson) took on the challenge of creating the most comprehensive dictionary ever compiled, but knew that it would take him and his team over a century to compile all known definitions. However, by “crowd sourcing” the work, that is, by enlisting definitions from people all over the world, the dictionary could be compiled in mere decades. As definitions were collected, the overseeing committee, led by Professor Murray, discovered that one man, Dr. W.C. Minor (Sean Penn), had submitted more than ten thousand words. When the committee insisted on honoring him, a shocking truth came to light: Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran, was a convicted murderer and being held at an asylum for the criminally insane.

The Professor and the Madman hits theaters and VOD on May 10th.

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Review: 'Stan & Ollie', John C. Reilly And Steve Coogan Show A Different Side To The Comedy Legends

NOTE: This is a reprint of my review from the Middleburg Film Festival. 

For more than 30 years beginning in the late 1920s, Laurel and Hardy were the preeminent comedy duo, starring in over 100 films and dozens of features. But it wasn't all a barrel full of laughs, as seen in Jon S. Baird's biopic Stan & Ollie, which stars Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as the comic pair. Theirs was a partnership that was something more than strictly business, but definitely couldn't always be classified as friendship. Lovingly penned by Jeff Pope with an admiration for the ways of old Hollywood, the film overcomes rote presentation through the extraordinary gifts of its multi-faceted stars.

Stan & Ollie takes an unexpected approach to examining the decades-long careers of Stan Laurel (Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (Reilly, fat-suited up something fierce), showing them not at the height of their notoriety but in its twilight. While they always gave the impression of being the closest of friends on screen, despite their vast differences in personality, mistrust, and resentment was a constant.  When a contract negotiating tactic leaves Stan on the outs and Ollie fulfilling his obligations (1939's Zenobia), it drives a wedge that is still raw years later as they embark on a whirlwind tour of Britain to reignite their dying careers.

While we expect a lot of laughs from Coogan and Reilly, the film is hardly a joke-a-minute affair. Somberness is the prevailing mood as the comedy legends scrape by in half-empty theatre houses, and withhold painful secrets from one another.  It's definitely a warts and all look at Laurel & Hardy that has as many tears as it does punchlines. Fortunately, Coogan and Reilly prove adept at handling both. Their impeccable comic timing and stagecraft are put on full display reenacting some of Laurel & Hardy's unforgettable bits. Baird goes to exacting lengths to present an authentic look at the era, but it's his stars who find such a perfect rhythm together as if they too had been partners for decades. 

While Coogan and Reilly have that incredible comedic chemistry, individually they show sides to their characters that most people never knew. Stan's hot-headedness and insecurity often drove him to make rash decisions that hurt his career, while Ollie was more sensitive than his outward appearance would suggest. When together, their everyday lives often played like comedy routines. They just couldn't ever shut it off. 

Nearly as funny and twice as contentious are Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda as Ollie and Stan's wives. As Lucille Hardy, Henderson is Ollie's fiercely loyal, mousy-voiced defender when she feels Stan is taking advantage of her man.  Meanwhile, Stan's wife Ida has a pretentious attitude as thick as her Russian accent.

Great performances aside, Stan & Ollie is presented in a generic fashion familiar to many docudramas. For far too long it only comes alive when Laurel and Hardy are on that stage doing what they do best. It's then that you get a sense of what their comedy has meant to the world, and the legacy they left behind. 

Rating: 3 out of 5

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'Stan & Ollie' Trailer: Steve Coogan And John C. Reilly Star As The Comedy Legends

I had the pleasure of being among the first to see Stan & Ollie, a biopic on legendary comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. They became a force in the late 1920s and were a powerful comedic force for decades, becoming famous all around the world. But if you're expecting a typical drama about the height of their careers, think again. This film is interested in telling a very different story.

Starring Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel and an unrecognizable John C. Reilly as Oliver Hardy, the film focuses on the twilight of their careers, as they embark on one last tour of the U.K. in a bid to stay relevant. It's a tough story that explores their decades-long partnership, which as you might have guessed was full of personal ups and downs.  Along for the ride as their wives are Nina Arianda and Shirley Henderson, with Danny Huston as renowned producer Hal Roach.

Directed by Jon S. Baird, Stan & Ollie opens December 28th. You can check out my early review right here.

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Middleburg Review: 'Stan & Ollie', Steve Coogan And John C. Reilly Show A Different Side To The Comedy Legends

For more than 30 years beginning in the late 1920s, Laurel and Hardy were the preeminent comedy duo, starring in over 100 films and dozens of features. But it wasn't all a barrel full of laughs, as seen in Jon S. Baird's biopic Stan & Ollie, which stars Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as the comic pair. Theirs was a partnership that was something more than strictly business, but definitely couldn't always be classified as friendship. Lovingly penned by Jeff Pope with an admiration for the ways of old Hollywood, the film overcomes rote presentation through the extraordinary gifts of its multi-faceted stars.

Stan & Ollie takes an unexpected approach to examining the decades-long careers of Stan Laurel (Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (Reilly, fat-suited up something fierce), showing them not at the height of their notoriety but in its twilight. While they always gave the impression of being the closest of friends on screen, despite their vast differences in personality, mistrust and resentment was a constant.  When a contract negotiating tactic leaves Stan on the outs and Ollie fulfilling his obligations (1939's Zenobia), it drives a wedge that is still raw years later as they embark on a whirlwind tour of Britain to reignite their dying careers. 

While we expect a ot of laughs from Coogan and Reilly, the film is hardly a joke-a-minute affair. Somberness is the prevailing mood as the comedy legends scrape by in half empty theatre houses, and witthold painful secrets from one another.  It's definitely a warts and all look at Laurel & Hardy that has as many tears as it does punchlines. Fortunately, Coogan and Reilly prove adept at handling both. Their impeccable comic timing and stagecraft are put on full display reenacting some of Laurel & Hardy's unforgettable bits. Baird goes to exacting lengths to present an authentic look at the era, but it's his stars who find such a perfect rhythm together, as if they too had been partners for decades.  

While Coogan and Reilly have that incredible comedic chemistry, individually they show sides to their characters that most people never knew. Stan's hot-headedness and insecurity often drove him to make rash decisions that hurt his career, while Ollie was more sensitive than his outward appearance would suggest. When together, their everyday lives often played like comedy routines. They just couldn't ever shut it off.  

Nearly as funny and twice as contentious are Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda as Ollie and Stan's wives. As Lucille Hardy, Henderson is Ollie's fiercely loyal, mousy-voiced defender when she feels Stan is taking advantage of her man.  Meanwhile, Stan's wife Ida has a pretentious attitude as thick as her Russian accent.

Great performances aside, Stan & Ollie is presented in generic fashion familiar to many docudramas. For far too long it only comes alive when Laurel and Hardy are on that stage doing what they do best. It's then that you get a sense of what their comedy has meant to the world, and the legacy they left behind.  

Rating: 3 out of 5

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'Stan & Ollie' Trailer: John C. Reilly And Steve Coogan Are Comedy's Legendary Duo

When the first image from Stan & Ollie dropped a few weeks ago, it was tough to tell the difference between John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan from the legendary comedy duo. But a single still image means nothing if the performances don't measure up to the subject matter. Based on the response out of TIFF, Sony Pictures Classics' enthusiastic acquisition of the film, and now this debut trailer I don't think that's something we have to worry about.

The first trailer for Stan & Ollie promises a slightly unexpected look at comic pair Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Rather than focusing on the heyday of their decades-spanning comedy career, it follows them as they embark on one final tour of Britain with their best days long behind.

While there are glimpses of the slapstick Laurel & Hardy were famous for, this actually looks like quite the sobering biopic. Here's hoping director Jon S. Baird (Filth) and Philomena writer Jeff Pope find a good balance.  Also starring Shirley Henderson, Nina Arianda, and Danny Huston, Stan & Ollie opens in January across the pond but has yet to get a U.S. date.

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'Stan & Ollie': First Look At Steve Coogan And John C. Reilly As Comedy Duo Laurel & Hardy

Wow. If you showed me, without context, the above image it'd be hard to tell that's not an actual photo of legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. That's how much John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan resemble the legendary pair in Jon S. Baird's film, Stan & Ollie, which is about to make its premiere surprisingly soon.

Obviously, the film is about Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, but this isn't a straight biopic about the height of their popularity. Instead, the film takes place in 1952 at the tail end of their careers, making one last tour in Britain.

Baird is probably best known for directing James McAvoy in the R-rated 2013 film, Filth, while the script is by Philomena writer, Jeff Pope.

And we won't have to wait long for the film's world premiere as it has been announced as the closing night film at the BFI London Film Festival on October 21st.  Here's what Baird had to say about the news...

“I’m really proud to be able to give the film its World Premiere in London; a city that’s so dear to myself and I know was to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. ‘Stan & Ollie,’ at its heart, is a love story between old friends, who just happen to be two of the most iconic comedic characters in Hollywood’s history. I’m really excited to have the Closing Night film and to bring the movie to a Festival audience."

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'Ideal Home' Trailer: Paul Rudd & Steve Coogan Try To Be Good Parents

Ideal Home is a film you've probably never heard about, and that's okay because almost nobody has. Weird because it stars Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan, two screen favorites if there ever were. But to say it has been flying under the radar would be an understatement. It's already had a world premiere at the Mardi Gras Film Festival, which probably none of you attended, and somehow there's a release date in Australia before there's one in the U.S. But we do have a trailer, and maybe that will clear things up a little.

Oh. Well here's one potential stumbling block: Andrew Fleming. He's the director behind the awful Coogan-led flop Hamlet 2, which has the distinction of being one of the highest-selling box office disasters out of Sundance. And it's a terrible movie. The trailer for Ideal Home doesn't look that good, either. It stars Rudd and Coogan as an extravagant celebrity gay couple who have their lives turned inside out by a 10-year-old boy who claims to be Coogan's grandson. Of course he begins to change their selfish lives for the better.  I'll just say that laughs seem like they will be very hard to come by, and the gay jokes are like something from ten years ago. Come on, guys, do better. 

So there's no date here in the U.S. but in Australia Ideal Home opens in June. I suspect we'll get some kind of VOD release around the same time.

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'Irreplaceable You' Trailer: Netflix's Tearjerker Rom-Com With Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kate McKinnon, And More

I don't know what Netflix is doing with Irreplaceable You, but I can only guess their marketing strategy matches the mixed emotions of the movie itself. Y'see, the film, which boasts a rather great cast with Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Huisman, Christopher Walken, Brian Tyree Henry, Jacki Weaver, Kate McKinnon, Steve Coogan, and Timothy Simons, is a romantic comedy centering on on soulmates whose perfect life is ruined when they learn she has cancer.  The tagline for the movie?

“Fall in love with childhood sweethearts Abbie and Sam, just in time to watch them try to say goodbye.”

I can scarcely think of a better way to celebrate  than watching a perfect couple torn apart by cancer. And as you might expect, the trailer is pretty awkward as it tries to balance the sadness of their predicament with light-hearted gags. Everybody's joke meter is cranked up to 11, especially Abbie (Mbatha-Raw) as she goes to extreme lengths to find Sam a new woman so he won't have to fend for himself.

So prepare to laugh and cry, I guess.  Directed by longtime Veep producer Stephanie Laing, Irreplaceable You hits Netflix on February 16th.

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Review: 'The Dinner' Starring Richard Gere, Steve Coogan, Laura Linney, & Rebecca Hall

There's nothing dull about this dinner party in Oren Moverman's saucy drama, The Dinner. Moverman is one of the most versatile filmmakers around, but what's most intriguing about him is the shifting approach he takes depending on if he's directing or just writing the screenplay. While his scripts for Love & Mercy and I'm Not There were deeply personal yet accessible, his directorial efforts such as The Messenger, Rampart, and Time Out of Mind have been subversively political. All deal with failing aspects of the government system, whether it be the military, law enforcement, or social services. The Dinner is perhaps the most overtly political film he's done and makes for the perfect Trump era drama about the legacy of privilege.

The Dinner is a little bit like the flipside of the coin to Moverman's other political movies, showing those who have seen benefit and will always see benefit no matter what they've done. When the familiar cinematic question is asked, "How far would you go to protect your kids?", the answer is very different depending on your rung on the social ladder.

An adaptation of Dutch novelist Herman Koch's scathing social satire that has been adapted multiple times for multiple nationalities, the story finds two couples at a super bourgeois, top secret restaurant having one very testy dinner engagement. Steve Coogan is Paul, an acerbic former history teacher who can scarcely go five minutes without some reference to the American Civil War. It's an apt skill for the decidedly civil war of words he's about to be dragged into by his fiercely loyal wife, Claire (Laura Linney). She's the one who encourages him to attend the dinner invitation from Paul's seemingly uppity brother, Stan (Richard Gere), and his most recent wife, Kate (Rebecca Hall). Seeing as how Paul calls his brother an "ape", we assume this won't be a happy reunion. Paul seems to hate everything about him, including his politics, which is awkward since Stan is a U.S. congressman running for Governor on a platform that will surely sour his bitter sibling.

If the acidic verbal sparring of Roman Polanski's Carnage was to your liking, then The Dinner is probably your speed. Split into courses from "Appetizer" all the way up to "Digestif", each broken up by the appearance of an over-eager matire'd (Michael Chernus) who endures insults and bad food puns ("We don't have thyme!"), they act more like boxing rounds in a prize fight. Their kids have done something awful; something that was caught on video and threatens to destroy Stan's political career. He's called them together to do something about it, and the responses he gets are surprisingly vicious. It's like someone peed in his consumme.

The Dinner unfolds in ways that are constantly surprising and illuminating. Paul begins looking as if he'll be our curmudgeonly voice of reason; the everyman hero in a sea of white collar lies. His every other word some kind of jabbing barb, his rhetoric slowly begins to take on a different shape, so much so that we may begin to see him in very different light. The same goes for Claire, with Linney's innocent routine melting away to reveal much harsher contours similar to her manipulative, Lady Macbeth performance in Mystic River. There are jealousies big and small everywhere. Gere is at his self-righteous best while Hall could turn men to ice with the glare she shoots from across the dinner table. Coogan has the most challenging role by far. Further revelations about Paul reveal him to be a man who isn't just combative for the sake of being combative, although it's clear that the fight makes him feel alive in some way. Our own biases and preconceived notions about class are repeatedly toyed with, especially our natural dislike for politicians. Who can ever trust those guys? Teachers are much more reliable, haven't you found?

The setup quickly loses its flavor, however. The repeated breaks and the accompanying flashbacks are clunky, and feature performances by younger actors (one of which is Charlie Plummer) that don't measure up to their older counterparts. Also, whatever message Moverman hoped to send, and he definitely hoped to send one with a film like this, is lost in a muddled finale that leaves The Dinner slightly undercooked, if still pretty tasty.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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Steve Coogan & Rob Brydon Hit The Road Again In 'The Trip To Spain' Trailer

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon may fight...a lot, but obviously they can't stop taking road trips together. And after The Trip and The Trip to Italy, the hilarious duo are back for The Trip to Spain. So get ready for more culinary delights, one-liners, and dead-on impersonations of your favorite celebrities. Here's the synopsis:

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reunite with director Michael Winterbottom for another chapter in their hilarious road trip series. This time taking their wit and appetites on a tour through picturesque Spain’s finest fine dining, Coogan and Brydon trade celebrity impressions and witty banter over paella and gazpacho, their comic observations on fame and friendship as dry as the finest Spanish wine.

Once again directed by Michael Winterbottom, The Trip to Spain will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.

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Secrets Are Served In Trailer For 'The Dinner' With Richard Gere, Steve Coogan, And Rebecca Hall

Richard Gere, Steve Coogan, Rebecca Hall, and Laura Linney in a movie written and directed by Oren Moverman? Yes, please. And that The Dinner looks like a pure acting showcase based on this new trailer only makes me more excited for an extra helping.

Based on the bestselling book by Herman Koch, the film centers on two couples and the dark secrets that bind them together over dinner. Gere plays politician running for Governor, with Coogan as his estranged younger brother. So already there's tension between those two and their respective wives, but throw in the fact their kids have committed a horrible crime, and they may not make it to dessert.

The Dinner opens May 5th. [EW]

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Steve Coogan And Rob Brydon Reuniting For 'The Trip To Spain'

Are you ready to go on another culinary and comedic road trip with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon? Good, because the duo is planning their third in the popular series, The Trip to Spain, so get ready for more amazing food, exotic locales, petty grievances, and celebrity voice impressions.

Screen Daily reports the plan is to begin filming later this year in Spain, of course, to be broadcast as a series in the U.K. However, like the earlier films it will be packaged together as a feature film and delivered to America. Here's what Coogan told NME about the project....

“Having thought long and hard about yet another sojourn into culinary distractions and middle age, I have reluctantly agreed to Y viva Espana. I have a hole in my diary, there will be free food and accommodation and Rob Brydon is surprisingly good company. I also like Michael.”

He's referring to Michael Winterbottom who will return to direct once again, and this time they'll be heading to such places as Cantabria, the Basque region, Aragon, Rioja, Castile-La Mancha and Andalusia. Good work if you can get it.

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Laurel & Hardy Biopic To Star Steve Coogan And John C. Reilly

Given how disastrous the film on The Three Stooges was just a couple of years ago, the bar has been set incredibly low for a biopic on another legendary comedy team, Laurel & Hardy. Fortunately, the talent involved suggests it will actually do the duo appropriate justice. According to Screen Daily, Steve Coogan is set to play Stan Laurel while John C. Reilly will play Oliver Hardy in an upcoming biopic from BBC Films.

At the helm will be Jon S. Baird, who last directed the R-rated comedy Filth starring James McAvoy. The story is penned by Jeff Pope (Philomena) and centers on the end of the duo's career, as they set out on a final tour of Britain  in 1953. Well past their prime and with their time as Hollywood's kings of comedy well behind them, Laurel & Hardy must keep the laughs coming while facing an uncertain future.

No word on when this will roll, but landing Coogan and Reilly, both multi-talented performers of the stage and screen, is about a good way to start as one could hope for.

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Alan Rickman and Olivia Cooke Hunt 'The Limehouse Golem'; Steve Coogan Joins 'Shepherds and Butchers'

 Alan Rickman, Olivia Cooke (Ouija), and Douglas Booth (Jupiter Ascending) will headline The Limehouse Golem, an adaptation of Peter Ackroyd's 1994 novel set in 19th century London. Jane Goldman (Kingsman: The Secret Service) writing the script with Juan Carlos Medina directing the story of a series of gruesome murders that the Limehouse district citizens believe was committed by a golem. Rickman most recently directed and starred in A Little Chaos, which is in theaters now in the UK. Cooke can be seen every week on AMC's Bates Motel, and stars in this summer's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.

With Steve Coogan's new Showtime series, Happyish, debuting in just a few days, the actor has landed his next big screen role. He'll star in Shepherds and Butchers, a drama that takes place in post-Apartheid South Africa and follows a jaded lawyer who takes on a hapless multiple homicide case that reveals shortcoming in the South African capital punishment system. The film is written by Brian Cox and directed by Oliver Schmitz (Life, Above All). [Deadline]

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Review: 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb' starring Ben Stiller and Rebel Wilson

While silly and clearly aimed at the kiddies, the first Night at the Museum movies were smarter than they get credit for. Ben Stiller plays a security at a museum where the exhibits spring to life when night falls, giving the historical artifacts a chance to be relevant again. For kids, the message was simple: history is both important and can be fun. Nobody's going to call either film a tour de force, but they had energy to spare and a high-powered cast (remember Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart? *swoon*). The same can't be said for Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, a rehash of old gags told with half the zip and a rather depressing send-off for two comedy legends.

Ben Stiller is back as Larry, night watchman at the American Museum of Natural History. He's spent years hiding the secret of the living artifacts: Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), diminutive cowboy Jedediah (Owen Wilson) and Roman centurion Octavius (Steve Coogan), Attila the Hun (Patrick Gallagher), and more. When the magical tablet that gives them life begins to lose power, for reasons poorly explained in a Mummy-esque prelude, Larry packs up the gang and flies off to the British Museum where the item gets its power. Along for the ride is Larry's teenaged son because if there's one thing all the madcap nonsense needs is some daddy drama.

A new environment doesn't give us new jokes, though. You've seen Larry get slapped by the Capuchin enough, and there are only so many ways Attila can grunt that are funny. Actually, that number is zero. Perhaps now is a good time to give Octavius and Jedediah their own spinoff? The biggest laughs come from their tiny escapades, including a hilarious Pompeii gag that is better than the Pompeii movie we got earlier this year. Worth an unintentional laugh is the presence of Ben Kingsley as an Egyptian pharaoh, as if we didn't just see him as a Hebrew slave in Exodus: Gods and Kings. Dude. We know you're a chameleon but you don't have to rub our faces in it. Rebel Wilson barely registers as a lonely security guard who falls in love with a caveman designed to look like Larry. She deserves better. So do we. So do the late Robin Williams and Mickey Rooney (he makes a small cameo) in their final movie roles. The script lets them down terribly, but especially Williams whose Roosevelt character is relegated to the background. He turns to wax as the tablet's power wanes. He's luckier than the audience.

'Secret of the Tomb' is beyond tedious; it feels like a slapped-together cash grab. Not even the broad strokes make much sense. For much of the film there's no real villain so the characters just run around in circles doing exactly nothing. Eventually a confused Lancelot (Dan Stevens) starts causing problems, but it's too little too late. Wasn't there an actual historical figure they could have used? Nah, that would have required too much thought. The sight of Stevens in his suit of armor will give moms something to look forward, to, but that's about it. They say those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Let's hope the lesson has been learned and Night at the Museum stays in the past where it belongs.

 Rating: 2 out of 5

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Robin Williams Returns as Teddy Roosevelt in New 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb' Trailer

There's a reason why a third Night at the Museum film is headed our way next month. Combined the first two comedies have made over $980M, and probably inspired a bunch of school field trips to the local museum to check out the artifacts. But what may be the biggest draw for Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is the final chance to see the late Robin Williams on screen.

Ben Stiller is back as museum watchman Larry Daley, and this time he's bringing the gang of living artifacts across the pond. There they explore the Egyptian wing of the British Museum in hopes of finding a way to revive the magic powers of the Tablet of Akhmenrah. And this trailer features a good deal of Williams, back on his horse as President Teddy Roosevelt, one of the popular roles he'll always be remembered for.

Directed by Shawn Levy and co-starring Owen Wilson, Rebel Wilson, Steve Coogan, Dan Stevens, Rami Malek, Ben Kingsley, and Ricky Gervais, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb opens December 19th.


EXCLUSIVE - Night at the Museum Secret of the Tomb Official Trailer #2 (2014) - Robin Williams Movie by Allvideos HD

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First Trailer for 'Despicable Me' Spinoff 'Minions' Shows Minions Throughout History

When Universal debuted Despicable Me a couple of years ago they never could have expected it to be the phenomenon it turned out to be. Originally designed as a starring vehicle for Steve Carell, voicing the supervillain Gru, most popular characters to emerge were actually his little yellow sidekicks, the minions. Now you can find them everywhere: on t-shirts, as toys, in their own amusement park ride at Universal Studios, and now they've got their own movie.

Universal has revealed the first trailer for Minions, a Despicable Me spinoff that works as an origin story. Directed by Pierre Coffin and featuring the voices of Jon Hamm, Sandra Bullock, Steve Coogan, Michael Keaton, and Allison Janney, the story shows how the Minions serving evil throughout history, until finally an ambitious trio set out to find a new master. Their best prospect turns out to be Scarlet Overkill (Bullock), the world's first female supervillain.

Basically, this looks like everything fans could want from a Minions movie, and with the first two Despicable Me films grossing more than $1.5B Universal is in no hurry to change the formula. Minions opens July 10th 2015.

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Steve Coogan Leads 'Boswell for the Defence', Guy Pearce Joins 'Holding the Man'

With Steve Coogan's road trip comedy The Trip to Italy in theaters now, the actor is already moving ahead on his next film. He'll take on the title role in Boswell for the Defence, playing 18th century Scottish lawyer and author James Boswell. Gregor Jordan (Buffalo Soldiers) will direct from playwright Patrick Edgeworth's script which centers on Boswell's attempts to save convict Mary Bryant from execution.

The ever-busy Guy Pearce is joining the cast of Holding the Man in a supporting role. Directed by Neil Armfield and based on Timothy Conigrave's memoir and stageplay, the film follows the decade and a half-long relationship between a pair of Australian men. Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Kerry Fox, and Anthony LaPaglia also star. [ScreenDaily]

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Review: 'The Trip To Italy' by Michael Winterbottom and Starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon

How would do you describe The Trip To Italy to someone who, maybe like some of you, have never seen The Trip? Well let me give it a shot. The Trip To Italy is the sophisticated and worldly man’s bromantic comedy. Much like the earlier film a lot of Judd Apatow comedies, it's about looking at male friendships through a comedic lens, only less subdued and crass overall. It’s not really sappy either because, hey people, this is British so it’s full of guarded vulnerability wrapped in quips and great impersonations. The Trip To Italy brings back together stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon with Director Michael Winterbottom as fictionalized versions of themselves again on restaurant tour, this time through Italy from Liguria to Capri following the path of the great romantic poets.

Now much like the last film there really isn’t much of a hardcore linear plot being told here. It’s mostly a film made up of improvised conversations and constant back and forth between Coogan and Brydon as they try to one-up each other. The one difference in this film than the last is a greater emphasis on them getting older and trying to come to grips with it. This time the two are lot less adversarial and open in terms of what the “characters” are feeling in terms of their lives. There is a lot of scenes here that are just them riffing on different impersonations of famous actors. They of course go back to doing the greatest Michael Caine impersonations ever done but this time instead of doing the OG Bond in Connery they decide to keep doing Roger Moore to hilarious effect as one does Caine and the other Moore in imagined interactions.

Being that The Trip To Italy is like its predecessor a BBC comedic series that was edited down from six 30-minute episodes into a roughly 2-hour film the quality of the direction feels like a BBC show. That’s not a bad thing at all there is always a very cinematic level of filmmaking in a lot of British television and you'd never know this was a TV series first unless made aware of it. The film also does a fantastic job of keeping you interested even though it's just two actors on screen either talking, eating or driving. They also have some great shots of Italy’s landscape and landmarks along with great quick shot of the different restaurants preparing the dishes they are eating.

Finally I’ll be honest I really like British humor a lot. I grew up on it but while watching this I chuckled knowing this might not be for everyone.  It might be a bit too quiet and slow for some, and it has no real "point". For what it’s worth it’s pretty dope to see a film that has two men as friends, having conversations and enjoying one another's company with bubbling, gross events, and silly action/slapstick set pieces. For what it’s worth my score is going to be a high one but hey maybe I’m biased to English accents or I’m just sappy these days.

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Review: 'Alan Partridge', Starring Steve Coogan

Last year, we saw Steve Coogan's more dramatic side in Philomena, a Best Picture nominee that he helped co-write and . But now that he's back in the comedic chair, the first thing we see him in is his BBC character Alan Partridge, in the movie titled... you guessed it: Alan Partridge. Now I'll immediately start off by saying that I haven't seen the series the movie is based off of, but it is safe to say that the film is enjoyable and funny regardless of your level of Alan Partridge knowledge. 

Alan Partridge (Coogan) is as annoying as ever. A DJ who is immensely aware of his own popularity and image, he cares about nothing and no one but himself. If there's a way to save his own hide, he'll stoop low enough to make sure that his job, and more importantly his large ego, stay intact. Partridge is definitely the kind of guy who follows the motto that as long as someone's talking about you, then there's no such thing as bad publicity. 

Everything gets a little complicated when Alan's radio station is bought by a new company and changes their image to a more modern taste and a different sound. Which means that they're looking to fire someone and only two possible people are on the list: Alan and Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney). When Alan convinces (or rather begs) the station to fire Pat and keep him (in a display of humorous desperation), Pat eventually goes off the deep end and holds the station's employees hostage, forcing Alan to be the middle man between Pat and the police. And the whole time, poor Pat still thinks that Alan has his best interest at heart. 

British comedy is always less subtle than American comedy. It's a little more fast-paced and either you get the jokes and humor off the bat or you don't. There's no pause button that gives you a cue of when to laugh. And that's exactly what Alan Partridge feeds off of. Many fans liked the first series of the show better than the second and third, and some may be split on whether the film still holds a candle to the show, but there's no denying that this film has a spark. 

It starts off slow and the laughs are few and further between, but as the film progresses, so does its comedy. Steve Coogan is as awkwardly funny as ever. His character's annoying but never so much so that it's obnoxious, and yet when he is being slightly irritating, that's when the laughs are the most. The supporting cast gets enough to do that they're not just extras, and some of the funniest scenes are between Coogan and Meaney, both awkward and slightly strange in different ways. 

Alan Partridge is exactly the kind of person who society looks up to and hates at the same time. He's a fame whore who's only concerned with being talked about and popular, doesn't care about hurting other people to get what he wants, and is rude and demeaning a lot of the time. Yet, somehow the people love him, though it's unclear whether it's because of his attempt at being charming and charismatic or because he's an entertaining DJ. It's a really interesting point of discussion about the desperation for fame and the meaning of having some kind of moral code. Partridge even uses the hostage situation for press, trying to gain as much news coverage as possible, even continuing radio hosting with Pat while under lockdown. 

Perhaps this is reading too much into the Alan Partridge character and what he stands for. Ultimately, the film is pretty entertaining with some laugh-out-loud moments from around halfway through until the end. Steve Coogan's comedy is sometimes hit or miss with some people, but he's pretty humorous in a role he's been playing for awhile. You don't need to be a fan of the show to find enjoyment out of this movie, which is endearing regardless of its overly simple plot and sometimes asinine sense of humor. Just wait for the scene where the cast makes up a new jingle for Pat's radio show while under threat of being shot and you'll know this is worthy of a laugh. 

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