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Ricky Gervais - Love Him or Leave Him?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:30:57 -0800

Ricky Gervais is trying his hand at yet another workplace-centered TV comedy! The soon-to-be Golden Globes host and scribe behind The Office is lending his talents to PhoneShop, which follows a guy working at a phone store at the mall. Mundane jobs are Gervais's specialty, so it's bound to be hilarious - but for now, it's only set to air in the UK.

I've always taken a liking to Gervais, between The Office, Extras, and the fact that he keeps popping up at various awards shows. I've also seen him perform his stand-up routine live, so I guess I may be a bigger fan than most people.

What's your take on the guy? Are you obsessed with him (and his brand of humor), or is he not your cup of tea?

Ricky Gervais Is Hosting the Golden Globes - Are You Excited?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:39 -0700

Ricky Gervais has stolen the show at the last two Emmy Awards, hamming it up and taking no prisoners during his brief stints on stage. The big laughs haven't gone unnoticed, and Gervais is slated to host the upcoming Golden Globe Awards in January.

The show hasn't had a host since 1995 (!) and I can't wait to see Gervais get an even bigger platform to showcase that signature quick wit. Many of you nominated Gervais when I asked who should host the 2010 Oscars, but are you excited to hear that he'll be the master of ceremonies at the Globes?

The Invention of Lying: Sweet, but Unsteady

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:45:37 -0700

In his Hollywood directorial debut, Ricky Gervais takes us to an alternate universe where honesty makes the world go round. It's not just that lie-telling is an impossibility; everyone can't help but speak their minds at all times, no matter how personal, embarrassing, or brutal their innermost thoughts may be. The premise of The Invention of Lying is rife for comedy, but the film is also a commentary on religion and has its sad moments as well.

The film tells the story of Mark Bellison, an average joe who just can't seem to get ahead in a world where his mediocrity is ridiculed day after day. His co-workers can't stand him and women reject him based on his looks alone. When he loses his job as a screenwriter, Mark is ready to give up - until he mysteriously becomes the world's first liar.

To see what else I thought of the film, just read more.

Ricky Gervais stars as Mark, living in a world that's mostly free of flair, frills, and aesthetics. Mark's house and office are plain and boring, complementing his every-day appearance. Those who stand out are the people who are naturally attractive, like the object of Mark's affections, Anna (Jennifer Garner) and his snarky co-worker Brad (Rob Lowe). Anna can't help but show her shallow side on her first date with Mark. She immediately rejects him on the basis that she doesn't want to have "fat, snub-nosed" children someday and must find a "better genetic match." Once Mark starts to stretch his newfound talent though, he decides he can have whatever he wants - and begins a quest to win Anna's affections.

Gervais surprised me with his performance because he finally takes a break from his typical British dry humor. As affable, down-on-his-luck Mark, Gervais proves that he doesn't need his signature sarcasm to be witty. The most important scene of the movie requires a lot of raw emotion from Gervais, and he absolutely nails it, showcasing a sweet side that we rarely see from the actor.

There are two major aspects of the movie that wore me down: the cameos and the product placement. I love a good celebrity appearance, but after Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ed Norton, and Jason Bateman pop in, it starts to feel like Gervais is trying to use his comical buddies to keep the storyline afloat when it starts to lose focus. Seeing a familiar face is always fun, but this isn't a Judd Apatow movie.

The product placement is funny and fitting at first; there's not much room for advertising in a world of stark truth. With only a reputation to rely on, Coke and Pepsi are left with the slogans "It's very famous" and "When they don't have Coke," respectively. The film goes way overboard from there though, and suddenly Mark is surrounded by Budweiser bottles at all times and at the film's climax he's standing in front of a group clutching a pair of cardboard Pizza Hut boxes.

The movie's biggest problem is that it tries to appeal to too many genres. It's packaged as a comedy, but Mark becomes a god-like character once the world gets wind of his lies. His peers literally take everything he says as gospel, and Mark becomes a blatant modern-day Moses (complete with long hair and beard). Just as the audience begins to wonder where it's all going, the movie quickly ditches the religious aspect and finishes up as a love story. The ending is satisfactory, but what's the point of satirizing religion when it doesn't hold much water for the overall message of the movie?

Like I said, the premise is rife for comedy and starts us down a path that's packed with laughs - I just wish Invention of Lying didn't wander off before finding its way back home.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

A Seinfeld Reunion - and Other News From HBO

BuzzSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:35:49 -0700

HBO took the stage at the Television Critics Association press tour on Thursday and came out with plenty of big news, including a Seinfeld reunion on Curb Your Enthusiasm, new seasons of several shows, and a new animated series from the folks behind The Office. Want to know more? Here goes:

First of all: Seinfeld reunion! Larry David had long insisted such a thing would never happen, but then he decided it might be funny to do it on the new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm - so he is! The idea of a Seinfeld reunion will be a major plot on the upcoming season, which will premiere Sept. 20. Jerry Seinfeld will appear in five episodes throughout the season, and Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael Richards will also appear in four to five episodes each, though not necessarily all together. Said David:

We'll see writing, see aspects of the read-through, parts of rehearsal, see the show being filmed, and see it on TV. You won't see the entire show. You'll see parts of the show. You'll get an idea of what happened [to the Seinfeld characters] 11 years later. Within the show, it will be incorporated into regular Curb episodes.
HBO also officially renewed three shows: the new comedy Hung and veterans Entourage and - confirming what we heard at Comic-Con - True Blood. All will return sometime in 2010, with True Blood a lock for a Summer slot.
One of the announcements that excited me most: HBO has officially ordered an animated comedy series from The Office creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, based on their podcasts with Karl Pilkington.
The official word on a possible third season of Flight of the Conchords: "When they're ready, we're ready."
Ideally, Treme (from The Wire creator David Simon) will premiere in the Spring. The fates of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and In Treatment remain undecided. And Martin Scorsese's Boardwalk Empire is practically guaranteed a series order.

Will you tune into Curb for the Seinfeld reunion? Does any of this other news excite you?

Do You Prefer American or British Humor?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:30:17 -0700

In a recent interview, funny British comedian Ricky Gervais compared British television to American television and concluded that American TV is funnier right now. He put it this way:

We've got some poor copies of Curb Your Enthusiasm, some poor copies of Entourage and some poor copies of Seinfeld. With a few exceptions the Americans seem to be ahead of the game.

It seems like a pretty strong swipe at British comedy from the man who created The Office, and it got me thinking about the differences between British and American humor. I tend to associate a dry, witty, and somewhat cerebral brand of comedy to our friends across the Atlantic. On the other hand, I think of American humor as broader and often more physical.

Given Gervais's statements - and since we're approaching a certain holiday that marks a split between the US and the UK - I figured there was no better time to ask: Do you prefer one country's humor over the other? Or can you even tell a difference?

Source

Movie Preview: Gervais, Garner, Fey in The Invention of Lying

BuzzSugar — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:30:49 -0700

According to Ricky Gervais's blog, J.J. Abrams has seen Gervais's movie The Invention of Lying and is raving about it. Whether Gervais is joking or not remains to be seen, but he writes:

J.J. Abrams (Star Trek director) watched The Invention of Lying and said it was one of his favourite films. I know I shouldn't care what people think - some people will like it, some will hate it, and some won't care either way. But the reason I'm so excited in this instance is that I think J.J. is one of the most exciting directors out there at the moment.

Well, that's a nice endorsement. The movie (previously titled This Side of the Truth) certainly does look interesting, and it's chock-full of fun people like Tina Fey, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Rob Lowe, and more. Of course, Gervais himself is also in the movie, as the central character who lives in a world in which everyone only ever tells the truth - always. The movie shows what happens when lies are introduced to such a world. Naturally, Gervais's character is the inventor of lying.

The movie opens Sept. 25. To check out the trailer, read more.

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:30:03 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to my selections below you can take home Will Smith's drama Seven Pounds.

Slumdog Millionaire
Now that I've seen the movie and read the book I'm excited to go back and watch the movie again! Can you tell I'm into this flick? When this year's Oscar winner for Best Picture hit theaters, it began an epic journey into the hearts and minds of moviegoers around the globe, and I have a feeling many people will end up owning it on DVD.

The story follows an 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, Jamal (Dev Patel), who is accused of cheating as a contestant on India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. To prove his innocence he reflects back on his amazing life in director Danny Boyle's intense and inspiring movie.

Special features include "Slumdog Dreams: Danny Boyle and the Making of Slumdog Millionaire," deleted scenes, and commentary by Danny Boyle and Dev Patel.

Two more up next so read more.

Marley & Me
Aw . . . puppy! Looks like the marketers of this movie know a good thing when they see it. I doubt many of you missed this movie while it was in theaters over the holidays, seeing as it did such good business at the box office. I found this movie, starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, to be good-natured, earnest and cute.

It turns out to be pretty much exactly what you expect if you've seen the trailers and/or read the book on which the movie is based: A story about a crazy, uncontrollable dog who impacts a young couple's marriage in unexpected ways. It gets pretty emotional toward the end there, but otherwise it's too sweet to resist.

The special features look like a lot of fun and include 19 deleted scenes, commentary from director David Frankel, a "Finding Marley" featurette, an "On Set With Marley: Dog of All Trades" featurette, and an "Animal Adoption" featurette.

Ricky Gervais: Out of England: The Stand-Up Special
It doesn't get much better than Ricky Gervais doing stand-up. I could watch this courageous and hilarious man chat onstage for hours. Since I didn't catch it when it aired a couple of months ago, I'll leave it to Netflix for the show's description:

"Funnyman Ricky Gervais unleashes his formidable talent on Madison Square Garden - with political correctness taking a backseat - in his first special for HBO, home of his Emmy-winning series Extras. Gervais shares his thoughts on a variety of topics, including obesity, Nazis and nursery rhymes - even sacred cows such as physicist Stephen Hawking and Nelson Mandela are targets of the comic actor's stinging wit in this hilarious performance."

That sounds amazingly inappropriate, so count me in. Special features include a conversation with Ricky Gervais.

What to Netflix: Weekend Edition!

BuzzSugar — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:30:58 -0800

Usually the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays, but there are a handful of big releases out today so I thought I'd alert you. Today, just like I do each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I'm sorting through the best of the batch to suggest some additions for your queue.

The Duchess
I'm glad this sumptuous movie is out on DVD because it's so beautiful to look at. The costumes in this period drama starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes are gorgeous and the rest of the movie is pretty good too.

Knightley plays Georgiana, wife of William Cavendish (Fiennes), the Duke of Devonshire. While their relationship grows bitter in private, Georgiana starts to become quite popular in public and immerses herself in the world of politics and high society. As her husband puts other women between them, Georgiana finds herself falling in love with a young politician, Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper). However, the threat of scandal proves too great for the Duke and Duchess, and a relationship with Charles is forbidden.

Special features include a featurette titled, "Georgiana in Her Own Words," the making of the movie, and a costume diary.

Two more up next so read more.

Ghost Town
Aw, Ricky Gervais. This comedy wasn't the smash hit that someone of his talent deserves but it's an easygoing and sometimes bittersweet comedy all the same.

Gervais plays dentist Bertram Pincus, an ornery, solitary man who comes out of a medical procedure to discover that he died briefly during it. His momentary death gives him the ability to see people who have died but who are still hanging out on Earth because they have unfinished business. One such restless soul is Frank (Greg Kinnear) who needs Bertram to prevent Frank's widow, Gwen (Tea Leoni), from remarrying. This is a good pick for something to watch with the family if you're still hanging around with them til the New Year.

Special features include commentary from Gervais and the making of the movie.

Eagle Eye
This is one of the most intense-looking DVD covers I've seen in awhile. In fact it's kind of stressing me out, which is about the right vibe for this movie. I actually thought this movie was rather thrilling, even if the actual stuff going on in the plot is a wee bit preposterous.

Shia LaBeouf plays Jerry Shaw, a slacker with low ambitions and little money. The sudden death of his estranged twin brother Ethan sets off a series of baffling occurrences for Jerry, starting with a strange woman contacting him on the phone just as he's being set up to look like a terrorist. Oh, this is only the beginning, though! Michelle Monaghan is also in this movie and she and LaBeouf make a surprisingly adorable onscreen pair.

Special features include a gag reel and a photo gallery.

Ricky Gervais Brings His Stand-Up Comedy to HBO

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:30:10 -0800

Ever since turning up for a funny bit with Steve Carell at the Emmys in September, British comedian Ricky Gervais has been back in the news, big-time. He's been rumored as a host for the Oscars (though he denies that he'd take the job) and even hinted that he might like to appear on NBC's version of The Office, the show he co-created.

This weekend, Gervais will be back on HBO - where his second TV series, Extras, finished its run last year - for the premiere of his stand-up special, Ricky Gervais: Out of England. The special was taped at a live show in New York and features Gervais riffing on a variety of topics, including Nazis, obesity, AIDS, and other things often seen as taboo.

In an interview with HBO about the special, Gervais said:

The best observational comedy is not about saying something that everybody's already thinking. It's saying something they weren't thinking until you said it. And now they think, "Ah. Right."

Can Gervais do that with this special? We'll find out Saturday at 9 p.m. EST, 10 p.m. PST. For now, to watch a preview clip, just read more.

Source

Box Office: Lakeview Terrace Wins So-So Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:00:01 -0700

Lakeview Terrace, a thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson, came in at No. 1 at the box office over the weekend and performed relatively well with an estimated $15.6 million. Second place went to the Coen brothers' comedy Burn After Reading which continues to also do well at the box office, earning an estimated $36.4 million over its first ten days.

Around the No. 3 spot on this weekend's box office report things start to look a little gloomy, starting with the Dane Cook-Kate Hudson comedy My Best Friend's Girl. The movie only earned about $8.3 million, perhaps a result of some harsh reviews (or maybe it was just the poster, as Cook whined, that drove audiences away).

The animated family film, Igor, came in fourth place followed by Righteous Kill in fifth. Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys and The Women rounded out the sixth and seventh place respectively, and a movie I enjoyed, Ghost Town, opened at No. 8.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures