Category Archives: Reviews

The IT Crowd

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The funniest Irish joke ever starts, “There were these three priests on an island…” It ran for 3 series on Channel 4.

One of the writers behind The Funniest Irish Joke Ever, Graham Linehan, has written a sitcom about an IT department. Channel 4 has the first episode for free download in WMF format and I strongly encourage you to watch it. It’s exceptionally funny.

It has the kind of throwaway genius, surreally freakish characters and beautifully deadpan acting which made Father Ted the sort of television that doctors have to warn their patients against watching immediately after surgery. It also contains enough truth and affection for its subject matter that IT people the world over will snort their coffee all over their ThinkGeek t-shirts at the in-jokes*. That’s a promise.

Plus, the pilot episode has two references to The A Team.

I’m there, man.

* The end credits of the pilot have a slideshow of pictures with music playing over them. The music is the default ‘slideshow’ music from iPhoto. (Or so…someone…told me.) …It’s probably funnier if I don’t have to explain it.

Corpse Bride

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[“Corpse Bride” poster art]
Well up to the usual Tim Burton standards—in almost every respect:

  • Atmosphere moody, gothic and sinister? Check.
  • Stars Johnny Depp? Check.
  • Features an adorable array of character designs which will be making their way onto goths’ backpacks near you soon? Check.
  • Preoccupation with death? Hello? Did you read the title?
  • Happy ending? Check.

Animation is top-notch. Comedy is mostly spot-on. A few scary bits, but it’s not like you’re going to be showing a film called “Corpse Bride” to your 5-year-old, now, is it?

King Kong

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[“King Kong” poster art] Top movie.

The original (1933 King Kong) is probably the classic monster movie, and I’m guessing that you know the plot already. (Ape meets girl; empressario ships ape to New York; ape carries girl to top of Empire State Building; girl loses ape.) So watching this film is a bit like watching Titanic, or The Empire Strikes Back: you know that the ship sinks and that Luke’s dad is the one with the breathing difficulties… but, in a way, that just adds an extra dimension of tragedy. You know that Kong is doomed, and Peter Jackson knows that you know. And you know that he knows that you know, and that only makes it more poignant. Continue reading →

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

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[“Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire” poster art] Yes, it’s smashing magical goodness.

Go and see it, though not if you have already read the book 8 times, and will wince inwardly when the film omits a plot-point—because the film cuts out a lot. And because really, that’s no way to enjoy a film.

Basically the story this year at the magical Mallory Towers is that the Tri-Wizard Tournament is being held at Hogwarts. It’s a game of danger and skill and 3 magical trials, played by 3 randomly selected participants from 3 magical schools. (The 3 schools being Hogwarts, a French lot and a school from Bulgaria.) Strangely (though not surprisingly), Harry Potter becomes selected, magically, in addition to the 3 formal contenders. Equally unsurprisingly, his schoolmates turn against the righteous little git. Anyway, I give nothing away by telling you that he completes the three tasks and beats all the other contenders. (I spoil the story for real in the next paragraph.) Predictably everybody loves little Harry Potter by the end. Continue reading →