‘The Franchise,’ Superhero Comedy From ‘Veep’ Creator Armando Iannucci, Drops First Stressful Teaser
If you thought Marvel movies were stressful, you ain’t seen nothing yet. HBO dropped the first teaser for “The Franchise,” the premium cable network’s upcoming high-pressure comedy about creating a superhero franchise in Hollywood. The series will premiere on Oct. 6.
The upcoming show comes from Armando Iannucci, best known for creating “Veep” and “The Thick of It,” as well as Sam Mendes and Jon Brown.
“Just another 83 days, and then we’re done,” Himesh Patel as Daniel says in the teaser while rushing down a hall with people filing after him. “I’d savor every moment.”
As is typically the case with Iannucci’s work, it’s difficult to know how much of that statement is rooted in truth and how much is sarcasm thinly masking an impending mental breakdown. That manic tone continues throughout the teaser as characters call this movie everything from “a scrotum resting on...
The upcoming show comes from Armando Iannucci, best known for creating “Veep” and “The Thick of It,” as well as Sam Mendes and Jon Brown.
“Just another 83 days, and then we’re done,” Himesh Patel as Daniel says in the teaser while rushing down a hall with people filing after him. “I’d savor every moment.”
As is typically the case with Iannucci’s work, it’s difficult to know how much of that statement is rooted in truth and how much is sarcasm thinly masking an impending mental breakdown. That manic tone continues throughout the teaser as characters call this movie everything from “a scrotum resting on...
- 9/9/2024
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
On March 29, 2004, the people of London were hit by a virus known as Shaun of the Dead. It spread quickly, reaching all of the U.K. on April 9th and the U.S. on September 24th. It was just a low-budget zombie movie from the creators of a British sitcom named Spaced — primarily, actor Simon Pegg and director Edgar Wright — but it became a massive success on both sides of the Atlantic. Now, two decades later, Shaun of the Dead is a genuine zombie classic, mentioned in the same breath as the George A. Romero films it was sending up.
But you can’t have a zombie movie without the zombies — especially a zombie movie like Shaun of the Dead, where the zombies aren’t only half the battle, but half the fun, too. And so, because Shaun of the Dead will be returning to theaters this weekend to mark...
But you can’t have a zombie movie without the zombies — especially a zombie movie like Shaun of the Dead, where the zombies aren’t only half the battle, but half the fun, too. And so, because Shaun of the Dead will be returning to theaters this weekend to mark...
- 8/30/2024
- Cracked
On Monday 26 August 2024, BBC Two broadcasts Mastermind!
Season 22 Episode 3 Episode Summary
The upcoming episode of “Mastermind” on BBC Two promises to be an exciting challenge for contestants. With a diverse range of specialist subjects, viewers can look forward to a mix of literature, music, history, and television.
One contestant will dive into the novels of Zadie Smith, exploring her unique storytelling and rich characters. Another will tackle the world of Stephen Sondheim, focusing on the dark and intriguing musical “Sweeney Todd.” This subject will likely bring out some fascinating insights into the themes and music that make the show a classic.
Additionally, the history of Shetland hand-knitting will be featured. This subject will offer a glimpse into the traditional craft and its cultural significance. Contestants will have the chance to showcase their knowledge of patterns, techniques, and the stories behind this beautiful art form.
Finally, the beloved television sitcom “Spaced” will also be a subject.
Season 22 Episode 3 Episode Summary
The upcoming episode of “Mastermind” on BBC Two promises to be an exciting challenge for contestants. With a diverse range of specialist subjects, viewers can look forward to a mix of literature, music, history, and television.
One contestant will dive into the novels of Zadie Smith, exploring her unique storytelling and rich characters. Another will tackle the world of Stephen Sondheim, focusing on the dark and intriguing musical “Sweeney Todd.” This subject will likely bring out some fascinating insights into the themes and music that make the show a classic.
Additionally, the history of Shetland hand-knitting will be featured. This subject will offer a glimpse into the traditional craft and its cultural significance. Contestants will have the chance to showcase their knowledge of patterns, techniques, and the stories behind this beautiful art form.
Finally, the beloved television sitcom “Spaced” will also be a subject.
- 8/26/2024
- by Olly Green
- TV Regular
“Who is that actor?” It’s probably everyone’s reaction to their first experience of Britain’s Matt Berry. With his booming delivery, and an uncanny ability to draw out every last vowel and consonant from even the dullest of words, Berry has been a cult comic actor in the U.K. for 20 years now. He broke out there in 2012 with Toast of London, a surreal sitcom in which he appeared as the bitter, buffoonish, self-serious thespian Steven Toast. But in 2019, the FX show What We Do in the Shadows took his homegrown appeal overseas, as the shape-shifting 300-year-old vampire Laszlo in the mock-doc comedy show inspired by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s word-of-mouth movie hit from 2014.
Hardcore fans will remember him as Dr. Sanchez from Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place, a horror parody devised by Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade that premiered to little fanfare in 2004 but has since gathered a devout following,...
Hardcore fans will remember him as Dr. Sanchez from Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place, a horror parody devised by Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade that premiered to little fanfare in 2004 but has since gathered a devout following,...
- 8/12/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Some leaked images and a poster recently gave us a first glimpse of the main characters from Lucasfilm's next live-action Star Wars series, Skeleton Crew, and thanks to some official promo stills, we now have a much clearer look at Jude Law's mysterious Jod Na Nawood and the children he takes under his protection.
"I had a wonderful time making this with everyone involved," the Captain Marvel actor says of working alongside his young cast mates in an interview with People. "Those four in particular who worked with me very closely were just great fun and incredibly professional, and I'm immensely proud to be a part of their crew."
Series creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford echoed those sentiments.
"Because he's with the kids all the time, he's also kind of felt like the co-director, co-producer with us and he's co-acting coach, you know, giving the kids tips,...
"I had a wonderful time making this with everyone involved," the Captain Marvel actor says of working alongside his young cast mates in an interview with People. "Those four in particular who worked with me very closely were just great fun and incredibly professional, and I'm immensely proud to be a part of their crew."
Series creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford echoed those sentiments.
"Because he's with the kids all the time, he's also kind of felt like the co-director, co-producer with us and he's co-acting coach, you know, giving the kids tips,...
- 8/1/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Jack Quaid had many reasons to be grateful to his hero Simon Pegg, the most significant being his contribution to making The Boys possible. Fans of Garth Ennis’ comics knew that the original Hughie was modeled after the Shaun of the Dead star. Interestingly, illustrator Darick Robertson did not get permission from the actor before using his likeness for the comics.
Jack Quaid in a still from The Boys | Amazon Prime Video
Quaid thanked Pegg for not suing the comic book franchise, which could’ve hindered the production of such a critically acclaimed show. There were plans to make the series way back, with Pegg playing the role of Hughie, but it eventually did not materialize. Pegg got to be a part of the series nevertheless, playing Hugh Campbell Sr.
Jack Quaid Is Grateful To Simon Pegg For Making The Boys Possible Jack Quaid and Simon Pegg in The Boys...
Jack Quaid in a still from The Boys | Amazon Prime Video
Quaid thanked Pegg for not suing the comic book franchise, which could’ve hindered the production of such a critically acclaimed show. There were plans to make the series way back, with Pegg playing the role of Hughie, but it eventually did not materialize. Pegg got to be a part of the series nevertheless, playing Hugh Campbell Sr.
Jack Quaid Is Grateful To Simon Pegg For Making The Boys Possible Jack Quaid and Simon Pegg in The Boys...
- 7/19/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
In Simon Pegg’s immortal comedy series Spaced, his character Tim declares: “Every odd-numbered Star Trek movie is shit.” This is, of course, hilarious today, because Pegg was in two odd-numbered Trek films, and even co-wrote the 13th movie, 2016’s Star Trek Beyond. But, the fandom myth of the odd-numbered Star Trek “curse” almost certainly begins with 1984’s Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Released in movie theaters on June 1, 1984, the third Star Trek feature film was really the second part of what would become a trilogy of films, concluding with The Voyage Home in 1986. But, more than that, The Search for Spock was a pivotal moment in which the more mature aesthetic of Star Trek truly came into its own. Despite the unkind things said about The Search for Spock over the years, the truth is, the movie is perhaps more representative of the franchise as a whole...
- 6/3/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Edgar Wright's "Three Flavours Cornetto" trilogy is not your standard movie trilogy. The three films aren't sequels to each other — they don't share characters. But they do share cast members and similar themes, particularly themes of relationships and the dangers of being trapped in perpetual adolescence. They also share ice cream. Specifically Cornetto brand ice cream, which pops up in some form in all three films. Cornetto was mentioned in the first film, "Shaun of the Dead," as a throwaway joke — a cure for a hangover. However, when the joke resulted in Wright and co-writer/star Simon Pegg landing free Cornetto ice cream cones at the "Shaun of the Dead" wrap-party, they decided to keep the gag going. It took off, and resulted in Wright nicknaming the three films the "Three Flavours Cornetto" trilogy as a parody of Krzysztof Kieślowski's "Three Colours" trilogy.
You might now be wondering...
You might now be wondering...
- 5/26/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
‘If you see one movie this summer, see Star Wars. If you see a second, see Austin Powers.’ Thus spake trailer-man, in the teaser for Mike Myers’s upcoming comedy sequel, and to a great extent, that’s exactly what happened in the summer of 1999. Well, almost.
The 20th century was running out of time and that summer was impatiently filled with as many tantalising prospects as any big movie season in recent memory. It appeared to be the summer of comebacks. Following Terrence Malick’s long-awaited return to directing in the recently-released The Thin Red Line, Summer ’99 would see not only George Lucas but Stanley Kubrick making their much-delayed encores – though we knew by then that this was actually Kubrick’s swan song.
An exercise in peak-nostalgia seemed inevitable, but the season proved to be full of surprises. None more so than the success of that second Austin Powers film,...
The 20th century was running out of time and that summer was impatiently filled with as many tantalising prospects as any big movie season in recent memory. It appeared to be the summer of comebacks. Following Terrence Malick’s long-awaited return to directing in the recently-released The Thin Red Line, Summer ’99 would see not only George Lucas but Stanley Kubrick making their much-delayed encores – though we knew by then that this was actually Kubrick’s swan song.
An exercise in peak-nostalgia seemed inevitable, but the season proved to be full of surprises. None more so than the success of that second Austin Powers film,...
- 5/24/2024
- by Cai Ross
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Originally published in Empire in October 2021
It lasts roughly a minute and consists of only a handful of shots (and none of Edgar Wright’s trademark visual wizardry), yet the moment in Shaun Of The Dead when Simon Pegg’s hapless hero and his group of survivors round the corner and bump into another group is possibly the film’s most ambitious gag. Mainly because the other gang is played by a who’s who (then and now) of British comedy: Martin Freeman, Reece Shearsmith, Tamsin Greig, Spaced mainstay Julia Deakin, Matt Lucas and, at the vanguard, Pegg’s Spaced co-creator, Jessica Hynes. A finer cavalcade of cameos, you’ll never see.
———
Edgar Wright [co-writer/director]: We used to call it ‘Shaun Of The Dead Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’. You’re watching one story and the idea is, “What if they bumped into another film?”
Simon Pegg [co-writer/Shaun]: We just thought...
It lasts roughly a minute and consists of only a handful of shots (and none of Edgar Wright’s trademark visual wizardry), yet the moment in Shaun Of The Dead when Simon Pegg’s hapless hero and his group of survivors round the corner and bump into another group is possibly the film’s most ambitious gag. Mainly because the other gang is played by a who’s who (then and now) of British comedy: Martin Freeman, Reece Shearsmith, Tamsin Greig, Spaced mainstay Julia Deakin, Matt Lucas and, at the vanguard, Pegg’s Spaced co-creator, Jessica Hynes. A finer cavalcade of cameos, you’ll never see.
———
Edgar Wright [co-writer/director]: We used to call it ‘Shaun Of The Dead Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’. You’re watching one story and the idea is, “What if they bumped into another film?”
Simon Pegg [co-writer/Shaun]: We just thought...
- 4/10/2024
- by Chris Hewitt
- Empire - Movies
Shaun and his best mate Ed are in trouble. They’ve discovered two zombies in their garden, and the lumbering flesh-eaters show no signs of stopping. However, Shaun and Ed have found one way of slowing the approach: throwing records.
And so, as the two zombies grow closer, Ed and Shaun rustle through the latter’s collection. “Sign o’ the Times … Purple Rain,” Ed suggests as projectiles, only to have Shaun tell him no. That is until Ed reaches a low point in Prince’s discography, the Batman soundtrack. “Throw it,” Shaun commands, striking a blow against the living dead.
The above scene is just one instance of the humor and horror that director Edgar Wright and his co-writer Simon Pegg bring to the RomZomCom Shaun of the Dead, released twenty years ago. Shaun (Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost) spend a lot of time discussing their pop-cultural interests, even in the most dire situations.
And so, as the two zombies grow closer, Ed and Shaun rustle through the latter’s collection. “Sign o’ the Times … Purple Rain,” Ed suggests as projectiles, only to have Shaun tell him no. That is until Ed reaches a low point in Prince’s discography, the Batman soundtrack. “Throw it,” Shaun commands, striking a blow against the living dead.
The above scene is just one instance of the humor and horror that director Edgar Wright and his co-writer Simon Pegg bring to the RomZomCom Shaun of the Dead, released twenty years ago. Shaun (Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost) spend a lot of time discussing their pop-cultural interests, even in the most dire situations.
- 3/15/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
The actor, musician and troublemaker known for everything from Trainspotting to Fat Les opens himself up to your interrogations
Keith Allen: where to begin? You might know him as the guy who moves into the flat in Shallow Grave and then dies of a drug overdose, leaving a suitcase full of money and three flatmates on the prowl. Or as the dealer in Trainspotting who buys £16,000 worth of heroin from Renton and the gang. More recently he appeared as the dad in Eddie the Eagle and as the baddy in Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London opposite Frankie Muniz, as well as in Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins.
Maybe you caught Allen as a beardy Scrooge in Mark Gatiss’ stage 2023 adaptation of A Christmas Carol. He’s been in The Young Ones, Spaced and Doctor Who. He co-wrote and appeared in the video for...
Keith Allen: where to begin? You might know him as the guy who moves into the flat in Shallow Grave and then dies of a drug overdose, leaving a suitcase full of money and three flatmates on the prowl. Or as the dealer in Trainspotting who buys £16,000 worth of heroin from Renton and the gang. More recently he appeared as the dad in Eddie the Eagle and as the baddy in Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London opposite Frankie Muniz, as well as in Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins.
Maybe you caught Allen as a beardy Scrooge in Mark Gatiss’ stage 2023 adaptation of A Christmas Carol. He’s been in The Young Ones, Spaced and Doctor Who. He co-wrote and appeared in the video for...
- 3/8/2024
- by Rich Pelley
- The Guardian - Film News
Over the years horror has evolved into many weird, wonderful and gruesome as f**k genres; the 70s saw slashers emerge with films such as Prom Night and Halloween, then by the 90s (and beyond) the Scream franchise took on the horror mantle for slasher flicks. We’ve also been treated to classic monster movies that began with the likes of Frankenstein in 1931, to the sexy, arthouse stylings of Giallo horror, while splatter flicks, also known as torture porn, burst onto the scene in the brutal eye-gouging form of Hostel, while the supernatural still play a major role in scaring audiences nowadays. Of course, these are just the tip of the spooky iceberg when it comes to the delightful smorgasbord of horror subgenres, and there’s one that continues to thrill fans on both the small screen and theatrically; the zombie movie. However, up until 2004, the zombie genre had offered some amazing titles,...
- 2/19/2024
- by Adam Walton
- JoBlo.com
Thank goodness for no-shows. Had the controller of what was then BBC Choice turned up to the ‘rehearsed read’ for a potential studio sitcom in the very late 1990s and liked what they’d seen, we wouldn’t have Peep Show. As it reportedly went: BBC Two passed on it. BBC Choice didn’t see it. And everything ended happily ever after.
Peep Show creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain first met the show’s stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb on a BBC comedy writing project in 1998. That went nowhere, but sparked a partnership that led to the acclaimed nine-series sitcom on Channel 4. Before it led there, it almost led to “All Day Breakfast”, the rejected comedy out of which Peep Show grew.
As Robert Webb describes it in the introduction to 2008’s Peep Show: The Scripts and More, “All Day Breakfast” was about “two men in their mid-twenties,...
Peep Show creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain first met the show’s stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb on a BBC comedy writing project in 1998. That went nowhere, but sparked a partnership that led to the acclaimed nine-series sitcom on Channel 4. Before it led there, it almost led to “All Day Breakfast”, the rejected comedy out of which Peep Show grew.
As Robert Webb describes it in the introduction to 2008’s Peep Show: The Scripts and More, “All Day Breakfast” was about “two men in their mid-twenties,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
At the beginning of director Justin Lin's 2016 film "Star Trek Beyond," Uhura (Zoe Saldaña) ends her romantic relationship with Spock (Zachary Quinto), leaving him bitter and despondent in his uniquely Vulcan way. As part of their breakup, Uhura attempts to return a necklace to Spock, but he refuses it. Although it belonged to his mother, he insists that Uhura keep it. As it happens, the necklace is made of a rare mineral called Vokaya, a turquoise-like stone only found on the Vulcan homeworld and harmlessly radioactive. Later in the film, the radiation from the Vokaya necklace will allow Spock to locate Uhura on a distant planet after the two had been separated in a starship crash.
"Star Trek Beyond" was written by Doug Jung and by Simon Pegg, who also played Scotty in the film. Pegg has long been a pop culture obsessive and has written a TV series...
"Star Trek Beyond" was written by Doug Jung and by Simon Pegg, who also played Scotty in the film. Pegg has long been a pop culture obsessive and has written a TV series...
- 12/10/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The actor and writer on hotel breakfasts that trigger his Adhd, and why cooking helps him cope with his troubled past and successful present
Nick Frost’s new book starts with a recipe for beef stroganoff in his mum’s handwriting that he discovered long after she died. That recollection competes with a memory of his dad’s Sunday lunch, his special way with gravy (involving a can of McEwan’s Export). Also in there is his Welsh auntie’s take on cawl soup, which he now makes for his own three kids; and his trademark “pies in a bowl”, which was a staple of the time he shared a flat with his eternal friend and collaborator Simon Pegg. Though cooking has always been something like therapy for Frost, it was only when a publisher asked him to write a cookbook that he realised that the story of his life...
Nick Frost’s new book starts with a recipe for beef stroganoff in his mum’s handwriting that he discovered long after she died. That recollection competes with a memory of his dad’s Sunday lunch, his special way with gravy (involving a can of McEwan’s Export). Also in there is his Welsh auntie’s take on cawl soup, which he now makes for his own three kids; and his trademark “pies in a bowl”, which was a staple of the time he shared a flat with his eternal friend and collaborator Simon Pegg. Though cooking has always been something like therapy for Frost, it was only when a publisher asked him to write a cookbook that he realised that the story of his life...
- 10/15/2023
- by Tim Adams
- The Guardian - Film News
English director Edgar Wright clearly began his love affair with the horror genre long before he released his first actual scary movie back in 2021. From the hyper-violent amateur films of his youth to that memorable Resident-Evil-inspired episode of Spaced, it’s quite clear that the genre mashup of Shaun of the Dead -and the ensuing Cornetto Trilogy- was a lifetime in the making.
However, while the balls-to-the-wall satire of Hot Fuzz was just as well received as its zombie-spoofing predecessor, I find it strange that fans usually refer to 2013’s The World’s End as the weakest entry in the trilogy. In fact, I’ve always been baffled by negative perceptions of the film’s surprising tonal shifts and bizarre finale, as I think these unique elements make it a natural evolution of Wright’s previous work (though nothing can ever surpass the perfection of Hot Fuzz). And with the...
However, while the balls-to-the-wall satire of Hot Fuzz was just as well received as its zombie-spoofing predecessor, I find it strange that fans usually refer to 2013’s The World’s End as the weakest entry in the trilogy. In fact, I’ve always been baffled by negative perceptions of the film’s surprising tonal shifts and bizarre finale, as I think these unique elements make it a natural evolution of Wright’s previous work (though nothing can ever surpass the perfection of Hot Fuzz). And with the...
- 9/4/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
No Spaced. No The League of Gentlemen. No Smack the Pony or Goodness Gracious Me or The Royle Family or Brass Eye, or Red Dwarf or Father Ted or anything that belongs to the last century (side note: the late 90s were an incredible time for UK comedy). These are the 40 finest British comedy TV shows that have arrived since the year 2000, as nominated by our writers. Add in your favourites below, and it’s a party.
What’s cheering about this lot, apart from the fact that as comedies, they should all technically cheer us up, is how different they are. There’s the surreal chaos of Year of the Rabbit, and the sweet warmth of Lovesick, the Pythonesque bonkersness of Yonderland, the satirical might of The Thick of It and much more. Something for everyone, you might say.
And to make sure there was enough space to include a wide enough selection,...
What’s cheering about this lot, apart from the fact that as comedies, they should all technically cheer us up, is how different they are. There’s the surreal chaos of Year of the Rabbit, and the sweet warmth of Lovesick, the Pythonesque bonkersness of Yonderland, the satirical might of The Thick of It and much more. Something for everyone, you might say.
And to make sure there was enough space to include a wide enough selection,...
- 9/1/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Many, many directors have careers filled with passion projects that never got made, scripts that died in early development, or projects they were attached to briefly before departing. Edgar Wright has a lot of those misses in his back catalog, but the “Shaun of the Dead” and “Baby Driver” director can rest comfortably knowing that he’s in the company of greats like James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, and Steven Spielberg.
Wright, most famously, almost made the leap from beloved indie director to superhero cinema in 2015, when he was attached to write and direct “Ant-Man” for Marvel Studios. Ultimately, Wright’s vision for the film didn’t match up with the demands of the MCU content machine, and he departed the project in 2014 due to creative differences. Peyton Reed replaced him, and Wright — who made his name directing cult British TV comedy “Spaced” and a string of well-received films like “Hot Fuzz...
Wright, most famously, almost made the leap from beloved indie director to superhero cinema in 2015, when he was attached to write and direct “Ant-Man” for Marvel Studios. Ultimately, Wright’s vision for the film didn’t match up with the demands of the MCU content machine, and he departed the project in 2014 due to creative differences. Peyton Reed replaced him, and Wright — who made his name directing cult British TV comedy “Spaced” and a string of well-received films like “Hot Fuzz...
- 9/1/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Christopher Nolan is a very smart man who makes very smart movies (and "The Dark Knight Rises"), so it's fitting that he would be drawn to J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who led the Manhattan Project and created the most awesomely destructive weapon in human history. It's also not surprising that a man who's never made a bad movie (save for "The Dark Knight Rises) aced his biopic assignment with "Oppenheimer," which is currently torching the global box office and looking an awful lot like this year's Best Picture frontrunner.
Part of what makes Nolan one of the finest filmmakers of his generation is his respect for expertise. When, for instance, he makes a movie about astronauts traveling through a wormhole, he collaborates with the man who wrote the literal, and thus-far definitive, book on the subject (theoretical physicist Kip Thorne). And when the payoff is a brainy masterpiece like "Interstellar,...
Part of what makes Nolan one of the finest filmmakers of his generation is his respect for expertise. When, for instance, he makes a movie about astronauts traveling through a wormhole, he collaborates with the man who wrote the literal, and thus-far definitive, book on the subject (theoretical physicist Kip Thorne). And when the payoff is a brainy masterpiece like "Interstellar,...
- 8/20/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Michael Cera felt "a little depressed" after finishing filming 'Scott Pilgrim vs The World'.The 34-year-old actor admitted he struggled to accept it was over when work wrapped on Edgar Wright's 2010 action comedy - which is based on the graphic novel of the same name - and he had to leave the cast and crew behind.In an interview conducted before the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, he told GQ magazine: "By the end of the movie, I felt like this is my world, this is my group of friends."I thought it was always gonna be this way, and honestly I was a little depressed when we were done because it all just goes away, and you’re kind of like, ‘Where did everybody go?’"You kind of get used to it as you get older, but I was sad to lose it, I could have kept making that forever,...
- 8/17/2023
- by Alistair McGeorge
- Bang Showbiz
Despite existing for over half a century and evolving into one of the most profitable creative industries in the world, it’s only recently that filmmakers have gotten the hang of properly depicting video games on the big screen. This is likely because we’re now seeing a generation of writers and directors who actually grew up playing these games instead of observing them as outsiders – and that also applies to genre creators.
In fact, when it comes to horror, there have been a surprising amount of games featured in scary movies, with these interactive experiences often serving a central role in the story in much the same way that a cursed book or video tape might have been used in an older horror flick. With that in mind, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six of the scariest video games in horror movies, as fictional...
In fact, when it comes to horror, there have been a surprising amount of games featured in scary movies, with these interactive experiences often serving a central role in the story in much the same way that a cursed book or video tape might have been used in an older horror flick. With that in mind, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six of the scariest video games in horror movies, as fictional...
- 8/9/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
For this month’s installment of “TV Terrors” we revisit the horror-comedy sitcom “Holliston,” which aired for two seasons on the now-defunct FEARnet in 2012 and 2013.
Adam Green and Joe Lynch are two filmmakers and genuine horror fans who have given their fellow horror fans so much over the years, including some great movies like Mayhem, the Hatchet franchise, and Frozen, as well as the upcoming Suitable Flesh. Among their many contributions to the genre was their horror sitcom, “Holliston.”
The best way to describe the series for the uninitiated would be if “Spaced” had a head on collision with “Friends” and was re-attached into a weird, funny monster. Originally premiering as the first original series on the now defunct FEARnet in 2012, “Holliston” is set in the small town of Holliston, Massachusetts, and stars Adam Green as “Adam” and Joe Lynch as “Joe.” Both stars play fictional versions of themselves that are best friends and roommates.
Adam Green and Joe Lynch are two filmmakers and genuine horror fans who have given their fellow horror fans so much over the years, including some great movies like Mayhem, the Hatchet franchise, and Frozen, as well as the upcoming Suitable Flesh. Among their many contributions to the genre was their horror sitcom, “Holliston.”
The best way to describe the series for the uninitiated would be if “Spaced” had a head on collision with “Friends” and was re-attached into a weird, funny monster. Originally premiering as the first original series on the now defunct FEARnet in 2012, “Holliston” is set in the small town of Holliston, Massachusetts, and stars Adam Green as “Adam” and Joe Lynch as “Joe.” Both stars play fictional versions of themselves that are best friends and roommates.
- 7/31/2023
- by Felix Vasquez Jr
- bloody-disgusting.com
A lot of fans have been clamoring for a sequel to the 2004 zombie romantic comedy Shaun of the Dead (watch or own it Here) from the moment they first saw the end credits on that film to start to roll. We here at JoBlo even pitched an idea for a follow-up with an episode of our video series Show Me the Sequel! But while Shaun of the Dead star Simon Pegg admitted that he once “jokingly” wrote a treatment for a sequel that would have been called From Dusk Till Shaun, because Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright “thought it would be funny to do the film again, but with vampires”, he and Wright have both made it clear over the years that they really have no interest in making a sequel. And during a new interview with The Guardian, Pegg has said it’s time for fans to...
- 7/6/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Since its release in 2004, Edgar Wright’s “Shaun of the Dead” has grown to become one of the century’s most beloved comedy films. But as popular a touchstone as the film remains, co-writer and star Simon Pegg has made it clear that a sequel to the zombie rom-com isn’t on his to-do list in the future.
“If I ever do an Instagram Live or whatever, people are always like, ‘I need ‘Shaun of the Dead 2’ in my life,’” Pegg said in a recent interview with The Guardian. “And I’m like, ‘No, you don’t fucking need ‘Shaun of the Dead 2!’ The last thing you need is ‘Shaun of the Dead 2!’ It’s done. Move on!’”
The original “Shaun of the Dead” starred Pegg as the titular Shaun, a slacker salesman who gets dumped by his girlfriend right before the onslaught of a zombie apocalypse. The film was a sleeper success upon release,...
“If I ever do an Instagram Live or whatever, people are always like, ‘I need ‘Shaun of the Dead 2’ in my life,’” Pegg said in a recent interview with The Guardian. “And I’m like, ‘No, you don’t fucking need ‘Shaun of the Dead 2!’ The last thing you need is ‘Shaun of the Dead 2!’ It’s done. Move on!’”
The original “Shaun of the Dead” starred Pegg as the titular Shaun, a slacker salesman who gets dumped by his girlfriend right before the onslaught of a zombie apocalypse. The film was a sleeper success upon release,...
- 7/4/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Simon Pegg has called time on the nerdy stuff, and says he’d rather watch Succession than sci-fi. As for his A-list status, friendship with Tom Cruise and box-office pulling power – well, he’d take Hertfordshire over Hollywood any time
Last summer, the actor and writer Simon Pegg and the writer-director Edgar Wright holed up for a week at Pegg’s home in Hertfordshire to see if they could break ground on a fourth feature film together. Their previous three, aka the Cornetto Trilogy – Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013) – are all standards on any list of the best British films of the 21st century, and have made both Pegg and Wright bona-fide Hollywood heavyweights. But progress on film number four, Pegg admits, wrinkling his nose, was slow.
Was it the pressure of following those previous iconic films? Pegg shakes his head. “Edgar bought his dog,...
Last summer, the actor and writer Simon Pegg and the writer-director Edgar Wright holed up for a week at Pegg’s home in Hertfordshire to see if they could break ground on a fourth feature film together. Their previous three, aka the Cornetto Trilogy – Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013) – are all standards on any list of the best British films of the 21st century, and have made both Pegg and Wright bona-fide Hollywood heavyweights. But progress on film number four, Pegg admits, wrinkling his nose, was slow.
Was it the pressure of following those previous iconic films? Pegg shakes his head. “Edgar bought his dog,...
- 6/25/2023
- by Tim Lewis
- The Guardian - Film News
For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up-and-coming, or well-established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…
Tom Coupland
Tom Coupland...
Tom Coupland
Tom Coupland...
- 4/1/2023
- by Theodore Bond
- JoBlo.com
Nothing lasts forever, except maybe impermanence itself. Then again, if impermanence lasts forever, then it's not really impermanence. It's that kind of brain teaser that exhausts our noggins so much that we just want to sit back, konk out, and watch something on streaming. But just when you thought you were free from the stress of pondering the nature of impermanence, it turns out that some of the movies and TV shows you loved are suddenly not on Netflix anymore.
The good news is, you can avoid these kinds of catastrophes by preparing yourself accordingly. Instead of being taken off guard because your favorite sitcom or horror movie aren't available anymore, you can read article like this one — yes, the one you're reading right now! — and find out which films and series are leaving Netflix, so you can watch them now while you have the chance.
Because sadly, there's no...
The good news is, you can avoid these kinds of catastrophes by preparing yourself accordingly. Instead of being taken off guard because your favorite sitcom or horror movie aren't available anymore, you can read article like this one — yes, the one you're reading right now! — and find out which films and series are leaving Netflix, so you can watch them now while you have the chance.
Because sadly, there's no...
- 3/22/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Before we even knew there was such a thing as the ‘Cornetto Trilogy’, there was just…Shaun of the Dead, a remarkably fresh, funny and surprisingly sweet take on the zombie genre unlike any we had seen before. Along with Zack Snyder’s remake of Dawn of the Dead and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later – yeah, we know, not a real zombie movie – it helped reignite interest in the brainless ghouls known as zombies, and the undead are still rockin’ and rollin’ to this day.
Coming from the British trio of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, Shaun was a continuation of sorts of the splendid U.K. comedy series Spaced, which was pretty much an unknown commodity at that point for most of us. Shaun was a genre fan’s dream, and it seemed like a very tough movie to top, so the pressure was on Edgar...
Coming from the British trio of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, Shaun was a continuation of sorts of the splendid U.K. comedy series Spaced, which was pretty much an unknown commodity at that point for most of us. Shaun was a genre fan’s dream, and it seemed like a very tough movie to top, so the pressure was on Edgar...
- 2/12/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Simon Pegg has shared a furious response to Rishi Sunak’s plan to make pupils study Maths until the age of 18.
The actor, whose credits include Spaced and the Mission: Impossible franchise, couldn’t hide his anger while addressing the subject in a video he shared on Instagram.
“So Rishi Sunak, our unmandated, unelected prime minister twice removed, has decided it should be compulsory for children to learn Maths up until the age of 18 – what a pr***,” he said.
“What about arts and humanities and fostering this country's amazing reputation for creativity and self-expresison?” he asked, adding: “What about that? What about the kids that don't want to do Maths? I hated Maths. I dropped Maths as soon as I could and I’ve never needed it other than the skillset I acquired at the age of 12.”
Pegg continued: “But no. Rishi Sunak wants a f***ing drone army of data-entering robots.
The actor, whose credits include Spaced and the Mission: Impossible franchise, couldn’t hide his anger while addressing the subject in a video he shared on Instagram.
“So Rishi Sunak, our unmandated, unelected prime minister twice removed, has decided it should be compulsory for children to learn Maths up until the age of 18 – what a pr***,” he said.
“What about arts and humanities and fostering this country's amazing reputation for creativity and self-expresison?” he asked, adding: “What about that? What about the kids that don't want to do Maths? I hated Maths. I dropped Maths as soon as I could and I’ve never needed it other than the skillset I acquired at the age of 12.”
Pegg continued: “But no. Rishi Sunak wants a f***ing drone army of data-entering robots.
- 1/6/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Simon Pegg has shared a furious response to Rishi Sunak’s plan to make pupils study Maths until the age of 18.
The actor, whose credits include Spaced and the Mission: Impossible franchise, couldn’t hide his anger while addressing the subject in a video he shared on Instagram.
“So Rishi Sunak, our unmandated, unelected prime minister twice removed, has decided it should be compulsory for children to learn Maths up until the age of 18 – what a pr***,” he said.
“What about arts and humanities and fostering this country's amazing reputation for creativity and self-expresison?” he asked, adding: “What about that? What about the kids that don't want to do Maths? I hated Maths. I dropped Maths as soon as I could and I’ve never needed it other than the skillset I acquired at the age of 12.”
Pegg continued: “But no. Rishi Sunak wants a f***ing drone army of data-entering robots.
The actor, whose credits include Spaced and the Mission: Impossible franchise, couldn’t hide his anger while addressing the subject in a video he shared on Instagram.
“So Rishi Sunak, our unmandated, unelected prime minister twice removed, has decided it should be compulsory for children to learn Maths up until the age of 18 – what a pr***,” he said.
“What about arts and humanities and fostering this country's amazing reputation for creativity and self-expresison?” he asked, adding: “What about that? What about the kids that don't want to do Maths? I hated Maths. I dropped Maths as soon as I could and I’ve never needed it other than the skillset I acquired at the age of 12.”
Pegg continued: “But no. Rishi Sunak wants a f***ing drone army of data-entering robots.
- 1/6/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
Simon Pegg has shared a furious response to Rishi Sunak’s plan to make pupils study Maths until the age of 18.
The actor, whose credits include Spaced and the Mission: Impossible franchise, couldn’t hide his anger while addressing the subject in a video he shared on Instagram.
“So Rishi Sunak, our unmandated, unelected prime minister twice removed, has decided it should be compulsory for children to learn Maths up until the age of 18 – what a pr***,” he said.
“What about arts and humanities and fostering this country's amazing reputation for creativity and self-expresison?” he asked, adding: “What about that? What about the kids that don't want to do Maths? I hated Maths. I dropped Maths as soon as I could and I’ve never needed it other than the skillset I acquired at the age of 12.”
Pegg continued: “But no. Rishi Sunak wants a f***ing drone army of data-entering robots.
The actor, whose credits include Spaced and the Mission: Impossible franchise, couldn’t hide his anger while addressing the subject in a video he shared on Instagram.
“So Rishi Sunak, our unmandated, unelected prime minister twice removed, has decided it should be compulsory for children to learn Maths up until the age of 18 – what a pr***,” he said.
“What about arts and humanities and fostering this country's amazing reputation for creativity and self-expresison?” he asked, adding: “What about that? What about the kids that don't want to do Maths? I hated Maths. I dropped Maths as soon as I could and I’ve never needed it other than the skillset I acquired at the age of 12.”
Pegg continued: “But no. Rishi Sunak wants a f***ing drone army of data-entering robots.
- 1/5/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
The cast has been set for Sam Mendes’ upcoming HBO comedy pilot “The Franchise,” which is set in the world of franchise moviemaking.
Billy Magnussen (“No Time to Die”) will star as Adam, Jessica Hynes (“Spaced”) as Steph, Darren Goldstein (“The Affair”) as Pat, Lolly Adefpoe (“Ghosts”) as Dag and Isaac Powell (“Dear Evan Hansen”) as Bryson. Daniel Brühl and Richard E. Grant are also set in recurring roles.
Based on an idea by Mendes, the story follows a hopeful crew trapped inside the dysfunctional, nonsensical, joyous hellscape of franchise superhero movie-making. If and when they finally make the day, questions still loom: Is this Hollywood’s new dawn or cinema’s last stand? Is this a dream factory or a chemical plant?
Also Read:
‘Los Espookys’ Co-Creator Julio Torres’ New Series ‘Little Films’ Moving Forward at HBO
“Veep” and “Avenue 5” alum Armando Iannucci serves as executive producer, while Jon Brown is showrunner,...
Billy Magnussen (“No Time to Die”) will star as Adam, Jessica Hynes (“Spaced”) as Steph, Darren Goldstein (“The Affair”) as Pat, Lolly Adefpoe (“Ghosts”) as Dag and Isaac Powell (“Dear Evan Hansen”) as Bryson. Daniel Brühl and Richard E. Grant are also set in recurring roles.
Based on an idea by Mendes, the story follows a hopeful crew trapped inside the dysfunctional, nonsensical, joyous hellscape of franchise superhero movie-making. If and when they finally make the day, questions still loom: Is this Hollywood’s new dawn or cinema’s last stand? Is this a dream factory or a chemical plant?
Also Read:
‘Los Espookys’ Co-Creator Julio Torres’ New Series ‘Little Films’ Moving Forward at HBO
“Veep” and “Avenue 5” alum Armando Iannucci serves as executive producer, while Jon Brown is showrunner,...
- 12/16/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
HBO has found the main cast for the Sam Mendes-directed comedy pilot The Franchise.
The pilot, which will mark Mendes’ first time directing for U.S. television, is set against the backdrop of the production of a superhero movie. Billy Magnussen (Game Night, Made for Love), Jessica Hynes (Spaced), Darren Goldstein (Ozark), Lolly Adefope (Shrill) and Isaac Powell (American Horror Story) star, and Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds) and Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) will have recurring roles should The Franchise go to series.
The Franchise, per the show’s description will follow “a hopeful crew trapped inside the dysfunctional, nonsensical, joyous hellscape of franchise superhero movie-making. If and when they finally make the day, the question they must face — is this Hollywood’s new dawn or cinema’s last stand? Is this a dream factory or a chemical plant?...
HBO has found the main cast for the Sam Mendes-directed comedy pilot The Franchise.
The pilot, which will mark Mendes’ first time directing for U.S. television, is set against the backdrop of the production of a superhero movie. Billy Magnussen (Game Night, Made for Love), Jessica Hynes (Spaced), Darren Goldstein (Ozark), Lolly Adefope (Shrill) and Isaac Powell (American Horror Story) star, and Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds) and Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) will have recurring roles should The Franchise go to series.
The Franchise, per the show’s description will follow “a hopeful crew trapped inside the dysfunctional, nonsensical, joyous hellscape of franchise superhero movie-making. If and when they finally make the day, the question they must face — is this Hollywood’s new dawn or cinema’s last stand? Is this a dream factory or a chemical plant?...
- 12/16/2022
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There are few people working in movies who are as adept at both satirizing and paying loving tribute to various genres of cinema as Edgar Wright. Going back to his time working on the BBC series "Spaced" alongside his longtime collaborator Simon Pegg, it's obvious that Wright has a deep affection for the movies and genres at which he's poking a bit of fun. From zombies in "Shaun of the Dead" (a clear homage to the films of George Romero), to "Hot Fuzz" (buddy cop and action films like the "Bad Boys" franchise), to the final movie in his Cornetto Trilogy, "The World's End" (science fiction classics like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"), it's fully apparent that Wright understands both what makes those types of movies great, but also what makes them a bit ridiculous, when you step back and really analyze them.
"The World's End" is such a masterful...
"The World's End" is such a masterful...
- 12/15/2022
- by Jeff Kelly
- Slash Film
British sitcoms have long been the source of reboot attempts in America.
The big one that springs to mind is The Office, which became a global hit and, following its addition to Netflix, one of its most-watched titles. A recent success has been Ghosts, which received acclaim upon its debut in 2021.
However, there have been many botched attempts – Spaced, The Inbetweeners and The It Crowd, to name a few.
There have also been several attempts to do a US version of Peep Show in the past, all of which have failed – but FX is going to give it another go, with series creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain on board as executive producers.
However, the former will not be scripting the pilot due to his commitments with HBO’s Succession. Emmy-nominated Stefani Robinson, who worked on Atlanta and What We Dp in the Shadows, will write the first episode.
As...
The big one that springs to mind is The Office, which became a global hit and, following its addition to Netflix, one of its most-watched titles. A recent success has been Ghosts, which received acclaim upon its debut in 2021.
However, there have been many botched attempts – Spaced, The Inbetweeners and The It Crowd, to name a few.
There have also been several attempts to do a US version of Peep Show in the past, all of which have failed – but FX is going to give it another go, with series creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain on board as executive producers.
However, the former will not be scripting the pilot due to his commitments with HBO’s Succession. Emmy-nominated Stefani Robinson, who worked on Atlanta and What We Dp in the Shadows, will write the first episode.
As...
- 12/14/2022
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - TV
“The Boys” is beefing up its squad with the addition of cast members Rosemarie DeWitt, Rob Benedict and Elliot Knight in Season 4. The Prime Video superhero spoof series will also see the return of Simon Pegg, who portrayed Hughie’s father in earlier seasons and who will be joined by DeWitt, taking on the role of the Jack Quaid character’s mom.
No character details were revealed for Benedict and Knight. Previously announced additions to the upcoming fourth season are Susan Heyward (playing “Sister Sage”), Valorie Curry (portraying “Firecracker”) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as recurring guest star. Cameron Crovetti, who plays Homelander’s easily influenced son, has also been upped to series regular.
Also Read:
Amazon Studios Boss Jennifer Salke to Oversee MGM
Based on the New York Times bestselling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, “The Boys” presents a fun, irreverent and excoriating look at what happens when superheroes — who,...
No character details were revealed for Benedict and Knight. Previously announced additions to the upcoming fourth season are Susan Heyward (playing “Sister Sage”), Valorie Curry (portraying “Firecracker”) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as recurring guest star. Cameron Crovetti, who plays Homelander’s easily influenced son, has also been upped to series regular.
Also Read:
Amazon Studios Boss Jennifer Salke to Oversee MGM
Based on the New York Times bestselling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, “The Boys” presents a fun, irreverent and excoriating look at what happens when superheroes — who,...
- 12/1/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Flatmates have always been a goldmine for sitcoms, but the format was especially abundant on British TV in the '90s. You had Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmonson beating the crap out of each other in ultra-violent slapstick fashion in "Bottom," Ben Chaplin playing an agoraphobic roomie from hell in "Game On," and two guys talking about boobs and drinking beer in the roaringly popular and very laddish "Men Behaving Badly." Even "Red Dwarf" was basically the same formula, just set on a spacecraft three million years in the future where one flatmate was an android and another evolved from the ship's cat. Then you had "Friends" on its immensely successful Channel 4 run, like an affluent and super good-looking acquaintance wafting into a party full of slightly down-at-heel guests to dazzle with its slick writing and to-die-for New York apartments.
Each show had its own specific style, but nothing...
Each show had its own specific style, but nothing...
- 10/16/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
Forty-five years ago today, George Lucas' "Star Wars" debuted in a smattering of theaters scattered throughout the United States. Prior to release, no one outside of Hollywood had any idea it would enrapture moviegoers and completely revolutionize the entire industry. Few people inside Hollywood thought this. But upon seeing an unfinished cut of the film over spring break in 1977, a brash fifteen-year-old from Wadsworth, Illinois named Patrick Read Johnson knew what was coming. And after establishing himself as a studio filmmaker via '90s chestnuts like "Spaced...
The post Patrick Read Johnson's Long-Finished Star Wars Comedy 5-25-77 Is Finally About to Be Released appeared first on /Film.
The post Patrick Read Johnson's Long-Finished Star Wars Comedy 5-25-77 Is Finally About to Be Released appeared first on /Film.
- 5/25/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Warning: contains spoilers for Inside No. 9 series six.
In series six, Inside No. 9 pulled off a diamond heist, explored obsessive geek fandom, framed a cuckold in an international conspiracy, let a grotesque true crime bleed from reality to fiction and back again, made a deal with the devil, and killed Jesus. Where, one might well ask, next?
Anywhere it wants, is the answer to that question. The BBC Two anthology series can float from location to location, story to story, unhampered by the need to put down roots in any one place. Series seven brings half a dozen brand new films to screen, scored by composer Christian Henson, and each one as different as the last.
The official synopsis describes the new episodes as taking us “from the Welsh valleys to an abandoned house, from kidnappers to detectives, and from a day trip out in a pedalo to a public information film.
In series six, Inside No. 9 pulled off a diamond heist, explored obsessive geek fandom, framed a cuckold in an international conspiracy, let a grotesque true crime bleed from reality to fiction and back again, made a deal with the devil, and killed Jesus. Where, one might well ask, next?
Anywhere it wants, is the answer to that question. The BBC Two anthology series can float from location to location, story to story, unhampered by the need to put down roots in any one place. Series seven brings half a dozen brand new films to screen, scored by composer Christian Henson, and each one as different as the last.
The official synopsis describes the new episodes as taking us “from the Welsh valleys to an abandoned house, from kidnappers to detectives, and from a day trip out in a pedalo to a public information film.
- 4/14/2022
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Baby Assassins is a gleeful bit of nonsense, and for all its inventive and well executed bloodshed it's also a well observed comedy about very early adulthood. The perils and problems of flat-sharing and service industry jobs are only magnified when you might have accidentally left a pistol magazine in the washing machine. With a few recurring themes, including a ringtone piano version of Wagner's Walkurenritt, its episodic nature puts it in the company of works like TV sitcom Spaced or Reservoir Dogs.
Writer/Director Yugo Sakamoto has also created a parallel "making of gone wrong" mockumentary Legendary Hit-man, Kunioka which is in effect a comedy of errors about his research into the underworld to inform this comedy of ennui set in and around a (doubly?) fictionalised underworld. While the fight scenes owe a debt to John Wick which include what I believe to be wholly CG muzzle flash and firing,...
Writer/Director Yugo Sakamoto has also created a parallel "making of gone wrong" mockumentary Legendary Hit-man, Kunioka which is in effect a comedy of errors about his research into the underworld to inform this comedy of ennui set in and around a (doubly?) fictionalised underworld. While the fight scenes owe a debt to John Wick which include what I believe to be wholly CG muzzle flash and firing,...
- 3/15/2022
- by Andrew Robertson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The adage “write what you know” works well for writer-director Peter Strickland with his Berlin Film Festival Encounters feature Flux Gourmet. The former member of The Sonic Catering Band makes rich work of a fictional culinary performance collective, while also tackling taboos in the depiction of stomach problems on screen.
The latter may sound comical, and often is, but there’s also a serious note to Strickland’s flatulent hero, Stones (Makis Papadimitriou), who recounts his suffering in a solemn voiceover as he describes working as a ‘dossierge.’ His job is to interview and document the artist collective in residence at an institute run by an indomitable Jan Stevens (Gwendoline Christie). But Stones finds himself increasingly drawn into their world and their politics, while silently suffering from bowel issues that keep him awake at night.
Desperate to avoid embarrassment, Stones details the measures he takes for his condition to remain undetected,...
The latter may sound comical, and often is, but there’s also a serious note to Strickland’s flatulent hero, Stones (Makis Papadimitriou), who recounts his suffering in a solemn voiceover as he describes working as a ‘dossierge.’ His job is to interview and document the artist collective in residence at an institute run by an indomitable Jan Stevens (Gwendoline Christie). But Stones finds himself increasingly drawn into their world and their politics, while silently suffering from bowel issues that keep him awake at night.
Desperate to avoid embarrassment, Stones details the measures he takes for his condition to remain undetected,...
- 2/11/2022
- by Anna Smith
- Deadline Film + TV
You may know Simon Pegg as Scotty from "Star Trek." You may also know him and Benji from the "Mission: Impossible" movies. Or you saw "Spaced," or "Shaun of the Dead." Or perhaps you're just a big fan of the 2006 heist film "Big Nothing." However you might have first encountered him, it's likely you know Simon Pegg, as he has been quietly traversing some of the highest-profile feature films out there, sometimes hiding in background roles (he was hidden under alien make-up in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," appeared in two Steven Spielberg movies, did a few "Ice Age" flicks, and played John Lennon...
The post 5 Marvel Characters We'd Love to See Simon Pegg Play appeared first on /Film.
The post 5 Marvel Characters We'd Love to See Simon Pegg Play appeared first on /Film.
- 12/17/2021
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There's nothing like a good soundtrack. The right needle-drop can elevate a moment into surrealism, like Dean Stockwell's swaying dance to Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" in David Lynch's masterpiece "Blue Velvet." Edgar Wright understands the necessity of the right sound for a given story, which is why viewers can name at least one song intrinsically associated with each of his films. Quick, what movie do you think of when you hear Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now?" Exactly. Even as far back as Wright's direction on Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes' Y2K-era sitcom "Spaced," Wright took visual and sonic influences...
The post Last Night in Soho Gets a Curated Playlist of Tunes Handpicked by Edgar Wright Himself appeared first on /Film.
The post Last Night in Soho Gets a Curated Playlist of Tunes Handpicked by Edgar Wright Himself appeared first on /Film.
- 10/8/2021
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Edgar Wright is trying to cure himself. That’s how the writer-director describes his latest movie Last Night in Soho: a cure for the nostalgia that’s followed him all his life, and which still causes him to daydream against his better judgment about 1960s London as if it were a golden age.
“I have this recurring time travel fantasy about the idea of going back,” Wright says with the air of a confession. “But I think it’s always that thing, this nagging fear that it’s probably a really bad idea.”
It’s a surprising admission for a filmmaker who has spent his career often looking to the past in order to find something new and clever to say about our present. After all, Wright’s breakthrough was directing the game-changing British sitcom Spaced, which featured so many references and nods to the movies he loved that the...
“I have this recurring time travel fantasy about the idea of going back,” Wright says with the air of a confession. “But I think it’s always that thing, this nagging fear that it’s probably a really bad idea.”
It’s a surprising admission for a filmmaker who has spent his career often looking to the past in order to find something new and clever to say about our present. After all, Wright’s breakthrough was directing the game-changing British sitcom Spaced, which featured so many references and nods to the movies he loved that the...
- 9/14/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Rick and Morty season 5 is nearly upon us and, even among all the high-quality productions released at a rapid clip these days, the show still stands out as a unique television experience. Yes, there are a lot of amazingly well-crafted dramas (I’m looking forward to the conclusion of Better Call Saul) and this seems to be the heyday for brilliant comedies that actually turn out to be the most heartbreaking thing you’ve ever watched. But truly great sitcoms that do what sitcoms are historically known to do—namely make you laugh a lot and endear you to a cast of characters—are rarer.
For those of us who grew up with the golden age of The Simpsons and like our sitcoms densely packed with clever, layered jokes, there’s a lot less out there. Bob’s Burgers and its offspring The Great North are pretty great, but there’s a simpler,...
For those of us who grew up with the golden age of The Simpsons and like our sitcoms densely packed with clever, layered jokes, there’s a lot less out there. Bob’s Burgers and its offspring The Great North are pretty great, but there’s a simpler,...
- 6/8/2021
- by Joe Matar
- Den of Geek
A comedy on TV can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some see the genre in its basest form: a show that makes us laugh. Others have expanded the definition (along with the Emmy rules) to include the drama-comedy hybrids, as long as they clock in at around half-an-hour. Still others find comedy in black humor or extra campy nighttime soaps.
But over the last few decades, what makes for great TV comedy has changed just as much as the genre itself. We’ve seen it all, and yet, there’s always something new right around the corner. So before we get too far along, let’s remember the best of what we’ve see so far, across the ever-changing landscape of television.
Read More: The 20 Best TV Crime Shows of the 21st Century, Ranked
[Editor’s Note: The below piece was originally published on May 23, 2017. It was updated on February 24, 2021.]
[Selection Criteria: We’ve stuck to shows that aired a majority of their episodes after the year 2000, and we’ve only included scripted programming. Also, in an effort to highlight more live-action series, we’ve eliminated animated comedies from contention. Finally, while definition of a “comedy” is somewhat elastic, if the show was predominantly funny or widely considered a comedy, we deemed it eligible for this list.]
23. “Girls”
HBO
2012-2017
Upon its premiere in 2012 Lena Dunham...
But over the last few decades, what makes for great TV comedy has changed just as much as the genre itself. We’ve seen it all, and yet, there’s always something new right around the corner. So before we get too far along, let’s remember the best of what we’ve see so far, across the ever-changing landscape of television.
Read More: The 20 Best TV Crime Shows of the 21st Century, Ranked
[Editor’s Note: The below piece was originally published on May 23, 2017. It was updated on February 24, 2021.]
[Selection Criteria: We’ve stuck to shows that aired a majority of their episodes after the year 2000, and we’ve only included scripted programming. Also, in an effort to highlight more live-action series, we’ve eliminated animated comedies from contention. Finally, while definition of a “comedy” is somewhat elastic, if the show was predominantly funny or widely considered a comedy, we deemed it eligible for this list.]
23. “Girls”
HBO
2012-2017
Upon its premiere in 2012 Lena Dunham...
- 2/24/2021
- by Ben Travers and Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
If the truth is out there, it will likely remain out there. Amazon has canceled Nick Frost and Simon Pegg’s supernatural series “Truth Seekers” after just one season.
“Get ready to be rocked with some bad news,” Frost said in an Instagram video on Friday. “Sadly, ‘Truth Seekers’ will not be returning for a second season. ‘Truth Seekers’ has not been renewed, which is a massive kick in the willy for me. We really put our all into this, our heart and soul and blood in some cases — so to not come back is really sad for us. It’s a shame.”
“Truth Seekers” followed a team of part-time paranormal investigators using homemade gadgets to track the supernatural, sharing their adventures online. Their haunted stakeouts became more terrifying as they began to uncover “an unimaginable, apocalyptic conspiracy,” according to the show’s logline.
Guess we’ll never get to the bottom of all that,...
“Get ready to be rocked with some bad news,” Frost said in an Instagram video on Friday. “Sadly, ‘Truth Seekers’ will not be returning for a second season. ‘Truth Seekers’ has not been renewed, which is a massive kick in the willy for me. We really put our all into this, our heart and soul and blood in some cases — so to not come back is really sad for us. It’s a shame.”
“Truth Seekers” followed a team of part-time paranormal investigators using homemade gadgets to track the supernatural, sharing their adventures online. Their haunted stakeouts became more terrifying as they began to uncover “an unimaginable, apocalyptic conspiracy,” according to the show’s logline.
Guess we’ll never get to the bottom of all that,...
- 2/15/2021
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Allison Tolman and Nick Frost have been cast in Season 2 of “Why Women Kill” at CBS All Access.
The second season of the dark comedy anthology series is set in 1949. It will explore what it means to be beautiful, the hidden truth behind the facades people present to the world, the effects of being ignored and overlooked by society, and finally, the lengths one woman will go in order to finally belong.
Tolman will play Alma, a timid and awkward housewife, who remains optimistic in the face of the world’s cruelty. Alma yearns for a spot in the local garden club and to see her ungainly daughter married, but her life is disrupted once she learns of her husband’s secret hobby.
Frost will play Bertram, Alma’s beloved husband who spends his days as a veterinarian putting sick and injured animals out of their misery. Always kind and good-humored,...
The second season of the dark comedy anthology series is set in 1949. It will explore what it means to be beautiful, the hidden truth behind the facades people present to the world, the effects of being ignored and overlooked by society, and finally, the lengths one woman will go in order to finally belong.
Tolman will play Alma, a timid and awkward housewife, who remains optimistic in the face of the world’s cruelty. Alma yearns for a spot in the local garden club and to see her ungainly daughter married, but her life is disrupted once she learns of her husband’s secret hobby.
Frost will play Bertram, Alma’s beloved husband who spends his days as a veterinarian putting sick and injured animals out of their misery. Always kind and good-humored,...
- 10/27/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Longtime friends and collaborators Simon Pegg and Nick Frost haven’t worked together since Edgar Wright brought his Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy to a close with The World’s End back in 2013, but that’s all set to change when Amazon’s sci-fi comedy series Truth Seekers lands exclusively on the streaming service before the end of the year, in what marks the duo’s first small screen project together since their cult classic sitcom Spaced wrapped up almost 20 years ago.
Pegg and Frost’s Paul made it abundantly clear that they have a deep affection for sci-fi, and Truth Seekers looks to give the genre a modern day cultural spin as it follows a team of UK-based paranormal investigators who film their adventures for an online channel, only to uncover a deadly conspiracy that could potentially bring about the end of the world.
First Images Revealed From Simon Pegg's Ghost-Hunting...
Pegg and Frost’s Paul made it abundantly clear that they have a deep affection for sci-fi, and Truth Seekers looks to give the genre a modern day cultural spin as it follows a team of UK-based paranormal investigators who film their adventures for an online channel, only to uncover a deadly conspiracy that could potentially bring about the end of the world.
First Images Revealed From Simon Pegg's Ghost-Hunting...
- 9/5/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
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