Film Review: The Trip to Italy

The boys are back out of town.

Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan strike an intellectual pose.
Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan strike an intellectual pose.

You know when you think that your conversations with your friends are prime material for a movie, television show, or web series?  Well, 9 times out of 10, your conversations wouldn’t be very entertaining to others.  I’m guilty of this as well.  Thankfully we have Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan, two comedians who have now created two hilarious and engaging films mostly consisting of them talking and eating.  The Trip (2010) introduced us to the semi-improvised story of Rob and Steve, playing fictionalized versions of themselves, where the latter joined the former on a restaurant tour assignment in Northern England.  The Trip to Italy is a direct continuation from the first film, featuring the same bickering, multi-course meal montages, and Michael Caine impersonations that made the first trip so enjoyable…this time with a side of Italy and a pinch of emotional depth.

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Film Review: Alan Partridge

A witty, efficient, and quirky little tale of an oddball in an odd situation.

Steve Coogan as the odd radio DJ, Alan Partridge
Steve Coogan as the odd radio DJ, Alan Partridge

Alan Partridge is a new film centered around a beloved fictional radio host/DJ character created by Steve Coogan and friends for the BBC series, On The Hour.  An unknown to most American audiences, Partridge is precisely the type of neurotic, awkward, and narcissistic underdog that we love to watch and cheer for (like Ron Burgandy).  The film is a bizarre tale involving an absurd but charming chain of events.  There are moments when the story comes very close to crossing into unfunny territory, but instead it rides the line without sacrificing its tempo.  There’s something quite wonderful about a comedy that knows how to get in and get out whilst fulfilling all the requirements of the genre, and Steve Coogan seems to be the mastermind behind it all.

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Film Review: What Maisie Knew

Julianne Moore and Onata Aprile in What Maisie Knew
Julianne Moore and Onata Aprile in What Maisie Knew

It’s Friday morning, and you’re turning to your significant other saying, “Let’s go to the movies tonight…. What should we see?”  You scroll through Fandango or skim through the Chronicle Datebook listings (okay, maybe that’s just me…) and ask, “What about this film about these two flawed people involved in a bitter custody fight over their sweet six- year-old daughter?”  Your S.O. is no doubt responding….  “Ummm…  how about Star Trek?” Continue reading “Film Review: What Maisie Knew”