Tag Archives: Hugh Grant

Comedy, No Spoiler Reviews, TV

DEATH TO 2020 (2020): The Thing I Liked…

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Death To 2020 (2020), Cristin Milioti, Netflix

My favourite thing about Netflix’s Death to 2020, a comedic retrospective of the year that was 2020 is the phrase ‘Prime Ministerial scarecrow, Boris Johnson.’ I laugh every time I re-read it, because it’s true.

There’s certainly a handful of more amusing moments within the show, whether it’s courtesy of Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant, Lisa Kudrow, Leslie Jones, Cristin Milioti or several others. Nevertheless, one of my key issues with Death to 2020 relates to how disjointed it feels; even with the narration used to bring everything together.

Furthermore, the show felt a lot like a less amusing version of Trevor Noah’s The Daily Show; even though I’ve only ever experienced The Daily Show via the best clips on their Youtube Channel.

Unfortunately, Death to 2020 also had me nodding off to sleep a few times. A reality I can blame on the above reasons, and the fact that my favourite comics already helped me laugh at 2020, a little closer to when much of the madness was happening.

I say give Death to 2020 a chance if you’re curious. You may not be as avid a consumer of current comedy as myself.

Happy Film Loving and a fantastic 2021!

G

Comedy

DEATH TO 2020 (2020): New Trailer From Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant, Leslie Jones, Lisa Kudrow…

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Death To 2020 (2020), Samuel L. Jackson, Netflix
Death To 2020 (2020), Samuel L. Jackson, Netflix

Read my spoiler-free movie review of  Death to 2020 (2020).

Charlie Brooker (Black Mirror creator), Al Campbell and Alice Mathias are the directors of new Netflix comedy special Death to 2020.

Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant, Lisa Kudrow and Leslie Jones. Death to 2020 is all about 2020, a year whose story couldn’t be told until now, because it was still happening.

I’m definitely in for all the jokes about what 2020 has been for us all. I already love the joke at the expense of Quibi and everything Leslie Jones said. Can’t wait for more from Samuel L. Jackson.

This looks precisely like what we need to close the less than ideal chapter that has been 2020.

Additional key cast includes Cristin Milioti, Tracey Ullman, Samson Kayo, Kumail Nanjiani, Joe Keery and Diane Morgan.

Death to 2020 Release Dates: December 27th, 2020 (US), Netflix…

Happy Film Loving

G

Animation, Comedy, Family

PADDINGTON 2 (2018): New Trailer From Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Hugh Bonneville, Peter Capaldi…

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Paddington 2 (2018) Ben Whishaw (Voice)
Paddington 2 (2018) Ben Whishaw (Voice)

Starring Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Ben Whishaw, Peter Capaldi, Brendan Gleeson and a handful more British actors, director Paul King is back with Paddington 2, a sequel to the 2014 animated family comedy. The story picks with Paddington who’s now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community. He works odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday but unfortunately, the gift is stolen…

I haven’t seen the original Paddington (2014) simply because the mood for it never really struck. It’s probably time I did, particularly to see another example of how Britishness, British charm and the streets of London are portrayed on the big screen.

Sally Hawkins, Imelda Staunton, and Julie Walters also star.

Happy Film Loving Paddington 2 Release Dates: November 10th, 2017 (UK); January 12th, 2018 (US)….

G

Biography, Comedy, Drama, No Spoiler Reviews

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS (2016): The Thing I Liked…

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Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), Meryl Streep.
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), Meryl Streep

Florence Foster Jenkins, the story of a New York heiress who dreamed of becoming an opera singer, despite having a terrible singing voice is a movie I found to be just OK.

Starring Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg, ‘acting queen’ Meryl Streep and directed by Stephen Frears, I enjoyed the little moments of humour and I appreciated the film as a sweet story of one man’s complicated love for his wife and friend, particularly the lengths he and a number of her friends went to to ‘take care of her’.

It goes without saying that Streep performed well as Jenkins. Helberg and Grant were good too. Ordinarily, I personally can’t imagine myself gladly helping to delude a talentless person I care about into thinking that they were actually talented. Watching Florence Foster Jenkins has ensured that I’d take a little more time to consider it. Even though it all reeks heavily of the most cringe worthy moments in talent shows such as X-Factor and American Idol.

As always, watch it if you’re curious enough.

Happy Film loving

Comedy, No Spoiler Reviews, Romance

BRIDGET JONES’S BABY (2016): The Things I Liked…

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Bridget Jones's Baby (2016), Rene Zellweger
Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016), Rene Zellweger

I loved the first two Bridget Jones movies; Bridget Jone’s Diary (2001) and Bridget Jones – The Edge Of Reason (2004). I personally found them refreshing as film experiences. Rene Zellweger’s British accent was impressive and I absolutely adored watching Hugh Grant in a role where he wasn’t playing, for want of a better phrase, ‘a lovable dithering idiot’  – the kind of role he’d played in Four Weddings & A Funeral (1994), Notting Hill (1999) and Mickey blue Eyes (1999). Grant’s role for the first two Bridget Jones movies can be described as a well dressed publishing bad boy named Daniel Cleaver.

The first bit of bad news for me about Bridget Jone’s Baby is that Hugh Grant isn’t in it. I kind of missed his character’s humour but I do understand the need for difference with the third instalment.

Bridget Jones's Baby (2016), Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey
Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016), Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey

The second bit of bad news is that I don’t consider Bridget Jone’s Baby as a good movie. Reason being, it’s odd, awkward and overfilled with dated and obvious music. I particularly dislike the first 40 or so minutes where everything just doesn’t flow well. One of the lowest points for me is the following line and its cringily awkward delivery…

‘Oh God! I’ve just slept with a complete stranger! I’m nothing but a feckless prostitute!’

–  Terrible, terrible, TERRIBLE! This is the point at which it dawned on me that all the Bridget Jones character traits that were once charming, humorous and certainly better written have now morphed into the opposite of all of that and become straight annoying.

There were one or two lines I loved and both happened to be delivered by the ever wonderful Emma Thompson, an actress whose comic timing is sharp as can be. I also enjoyed Patrick Dempsey’s role and welcomed his character’s newness. Overall though, I found myself less than invested in the film’s central love story; something  I blame on the writing and that particular aspect of the film feeling ‘so very 12 – 14 years ago (when the first two movies were released)’.

I say watch this movie if you absolutely must. Just know that the first two are a hell of a lot more fun.

Happy Film Loving

G

Biography, Comedy, Drama

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS (2016): New Trailer From Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant & Simon Helberg

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Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), Meryl Streep
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), Meryl Streep

In today’s new trailer for Florence Foster Jenkins, Meryl Streep plays a New York Heiress with a terrible singing voice and dreams of becoming an opera singer…

Teaser Trailer

Full Trailer

I already like the sound of this movie because it seems like an underdog story and it’s directed by Stephen Frears, the man behind The Queen (2006) and High Fidelity (1998).

‘The lady is a lesson in courage and that’s why we love her’ _A quote I love.

Hugh grant, Simon Helberg of The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Neve Gachev and Rebecca Ferguson make up some of the key supporting cast.

Florence Foster Jenkins Release Dates: May 6th, 2016 (UK); November 25th, 2016 (GER)…

Happy Film Loving 🙂

G

Action, Adventure, Comedy, No Spoiler Reviews

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (2015): Stylish & Fun Action

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The Man From U.N.C.L.E (2015), Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer
The Man From U.N.C.L.E (2015), Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer

Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Hugh Grand and Elizabeth Debicki star in Director Guy Ritchie’s latest spy movie, The Man From U.N.C.L.E ( U.N.C.L.E meaning United Network Command for Law and Enforcement).

I was initially quite concerned after watching the trailer for The Man From U.N.C.L.E. because I feared that the film would contain one or two very questionable accents. I’m neither Russian nor American, so perhaps I’m not the right person to say, but both Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer’s respective American and Russian accents sound rather above board to me.

As for the movie’s spectacle, I found The Man From U.N.C.L.E. adequately entertaining. The story, style and everything in the film, including all aspects of design, namely the fashion, cars and interiors… all of it plus the dialogue did just enough to keep me watching.

I also really enjoyed a relatively short but beautifully captured moment of rage towards the end of the movie. Though, overall I strongly doubt whether there’ll ever be a Guy Ritchie movie that could unseat the top positions that his first two films, Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000) continue to hold in my heart and mind.

Tune in to The Man From U.N.C.L.E. for the design / style and if you haven’t already, make time for Ritchie’s very smart first two movies. They’re simply super!

Happy Film loving 🙂

G

Comedy, Drama, No Spoiler Reviews, Romance

LOVE ACTUALLY (2003): Sweet, Funny & Perfectly British

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Love Actually (2003), Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keira Knightley
Love Actually (2003), Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keira Knightley

Set in London, England, Love Actually is a romantic comedy written and directed by Richard Curtis, the man responsible for hit films such as Notting Hill (1999), Bridget Jone’s Diary (2001) and most recently, About Time (2013).

Focused on the love lives of several couples in the month leading up to Christmas, Curtis’s cast represent an excellent selection of some of the UK’s best acting talent. It is a cast that includes – to name just a few, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Liam Neeson.

In Love Actually, what Curtis has delivered is a very sweet and funny movie. Along with the classically British humour and eccentricities, there’s a healthy sprinkling of romance, drama and family – just the perfect balance for the holiday season.

Love Actually (2003), Hugh Grant, Nina Sosanya, Martine McCutcheon
Love Actually (2003), Hugh Grant, Nina Sosanya, Martine McCutcheon

On the other hand, there are one or two situations/relationships that I didn’t find particularly believable. Not to say that they would never happen, but they certainly felt like a stretch. Still, it is after all the holiday season so perhaps magic is supposed to happen, yes?

My inability to ‘believe in love aside…’ 🙂  Love Actually is a well paced holiday movie with all the right sentiments. I know Christmas is not quite here yet but I watched it anyway, for the love and humour.

My favourite of all the couples would have to be Billy and Joe in the recording studio, Sarah and Karl at the office and Judy and Jack. Who doesn’t like Judy and Jack?

Happy Love Actually and season’s greetings 🙂

G