Topic: RossRoy's Random Viewings

[Achim]

Thanks for the update. I am pleased to see that you are getting better without complications.

[Jimmy]

Good to know that everything goes without any complication. Take it easy for the first days at your job since you're always on medication.

[RossRoy]

I'm about to post a new review, but before I do, I just want to say I'm terribly sorry about making the site so slow to load. It would seem that a CPU failure has occured on the server I'm on at my hosting company (Site5, I'm hosted on Poseidon).

Terribly sorry about that. But they are usually pretty quick in fixing problems, so it should be back up soon (I hope...)

Forget about that, looks like it's already back online! Told you they were quick

[RossRoy]

Extras: The Whole Series

Original Title: Extras
Year: 2005
Country: United Kingdom
Written & Directed by:Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant
Length: 12x30 min. + 86 min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

What they say
Meet Andy Millman, Actor. Never forgets his lines because he never gets any.

Andy (Ricky Gervais) is a desperate man. He's been an actor for five years but thanks to his useless agent (Stephen Merchant), he's never done any real acting. Instead, he's a lowly film extra, making his mark in the background while the stars do their work. His partner in arms is the pitiable Maggie, a fellow extra and a hopeless romantic.

Andy may be an extra, but he's a star in his own right.

Too bad nobody else agrees.

EPISODES:

Series 1	Series 2
1. Kate Winslet 2. Ben Stiller 3. Ross Kemp 4. Samuel L. Jackson    5. Les Dennis 6. Patrick Stewart	1. Orlando Bloom 2. David Bowie 3. Daniel Radcliffe 4. Chris Martin 5. Ian McKellen 6. ? ? ? ? ? ?

& Series Finale Special

My Thoughts
I first noticed Ricky Gervais in an episode of Alias (Season 3 - Facade). He played a bomb specialist. And for some reason, his performance struck and I already liked him.

Fast forward some time, and I was shopping for some DVD to watch while I was stuck at work on a December 22nd. I stumbled upon The Office. I recognized Ricky Gervais, read the synopsis, sounded interesting, so I bought it.

Turned out to probably be one of the best blind buy I ever did. I've been a fan of Ricky's ever since.

So of course, watching the well done, but underwhelming, Quebec remake of The Office made me want to watch some proper Ricky Gervais. And since I had just watched "La Job", what better option did I have than "Extras"?

Right off the bat, Extras is very different from The Office. It's filmed as a proper sit-com, whereas The Office is set up as a mockumentary. But the differences don't just end there. Extras is, in a sense, much more serious than The Office, and yet, it's crazier. It's actually quite interesting how the tone for Extras is much more serious, and yet, the joke scenes are actually edgier than they were in The Office.

Extras is the story of the rise of Andy Millman. It is presented as a sit-com, and definitely has all the elements, but I can't help but feel that it is at the same time a drama. The whole series is far from being all fun and games. There are some genuine tender moments, as well as over the top comedy. There is an actual message and a serious undertone to it all, and I love the whole series all the more for it.

The final monologue by Andy Millman on celebrity at the end of the series finale special is brilliant, and sums up the whole point of the series. And it's funny, because while the monologue itself is actual quite funny, the whole message and how he delivers it is actual deep and meaningful. As a climax the series, it's great! A lot of emotions there, which I'm not used to in so-called "comedy" shows, but it works, and it's great.

Now the stars. It's actually funny, because while there are big names among the guest stars, the series stays focused on Andy (and Maggie actually, his best friend). The stars never overpower the story. The whole series is a character piece with great character development of Andy Millman. The guest stars, while they do have great lines and are hilarious in how they are portrayed, often as the opposite of the image they project, they do not take center stage, and are there to give an air of realism to the whole side of Andy being an extra on movies. In a sense, the stars are there to bring the actual comedy to the show, while the main actors (Ricky Gervais and Ashley Jensen mostly) do the more serious stuff.

I loved the show. Give it a shot. It's also 12 episodes plus a special, but I had a great time watching it.

[Achim]

I'll give Extras

It was laugh out loud funny to me and I occasionally had to pause it so I could catch my breath. I thought it was great how the guest stars made fun of themselves (most of them anyway, some stayed on the serious side of things, like Robert De Niro and David Bowie). Daniel Radcliffe playing with an unpacked (but  don't worry, it's unused...) condom and the seeing Dame Diana Rigg with it in her hair is a sight to behold.

The story arc over the two series and the special is great, although Andy's "status" kind of changes between the series, we don't get to witness his climb/fall.

"Is he having a laugh?"

[RossRoy]

Well one thing's for sure, I was missing some cultural references. Some of the stars in the show, I had never even seen! But yeah, I love how they all make fun of themselves, especially Orlando Bloom being convinced that his good looks alone is enough to attract women. That the fact he's famous doesn't have anything to do with it! 

[Najemikon]

If you like Gervais, you'd appreciate how he handles charity stuff. See if it's on YouTube; I'm at work and can't check properly.

For Comic Relief last Friday there was a sketch where someone wanted to do an Opera version of The Office and went to see Ricky for his blessing. Ricky sits in his office, gnawing at a whole chicken and keeps quoting examples of his success and takes the piss out of celebrity charity fundraising!

And for Children in Need last year (I think) he filmed an African sequence. Except unlike other celebrities, he didn't actually go, he just filmed it on a green screen!

[RossRoy]

Dead Poets Society

Original Title: Dead Poets Society Year: 1989 Country: United States Director: Peter Weir Rating: PG Length: 129 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: English

What they say
In an age defined by crew cuts, sport coats and cheerless conformity, he not only broke the mold... he reinvented it. Academy Award® winner Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor, 'Good Will Hunting', 1997) delivers an extraordinary performance in one of the most compelling motion pictures of all time.

Williams stars as English professor John Keating, a passionate iconoclast who changes his students' lives forever when he challenges them to live life to the fullest and "Carpe Diem" - seize the day! Keating's unconventional approach meets with irrepressible enthusiasm from his students, but the faculty at staid, exclusive Welton Academy prep school is, to put it mildly, not amused. Featuring a star-making performance by Ethan Hawke and over three hours of never-before-seen bonus material this Special Edition of 'Dead Poets Society' will captivate and inspire you again and again.

My Thoughts
I found this to be a marvelous film, and very inspirational. Robin Williams here is delightful in the role of the quirky professor at a very strict school. The scene where he gets Ethan Hawke's character to overcome his inhibition and compose a poem right there in front of the class just blew me away. The whole cast actually is very efficient in bringing the theme of the movie accross.

[RossRoy]

Jimmy, this Dead Poets Society review above is just a split away from my previous Good Morning Vietnam / Dead Poets Society review. You might want to update the link in your list.

It was bothering me that they were in the same post, and they now just showed up on the front page, so I decided to split them into 2 separate posts.

[Achim]

If you like Gervais, you'd appreciate how he handles charity stuff. See if it's on YouTube; I'm at work and can't check properly.

For Comic Relief last Friday there was a sketch where someone wanted to do an Opera version of The Office and went to see Ricky for his blessing. Ricky sits in his office, gnawing at a whole chicken and keeps quoting examples of his success and takes the piss out of celebrity charity fundraising!

And for Children in Need last year (I think) he filmed an African sequence. Except unlike other celebrities, he didn't actually go, he just filmed it on a green screen!

There is also a bit of a great charity routine of his in Grand Theft Auto IV!

[RossRoy]

There is also a bit of a great charity routine of his in Grand Theft Auto IV!

Hehe Yeah, I keep going to that comedy club in GTAIV hoping to see Ricky. But the game seems to prefer Kat Williams for some reason 

Not that he's bad, but I much prefer Ricky!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W85DkdydHmU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUP5tFKj2Uc

[Tom]

The guest stars, while they do have great lines and are hilarious in how they are portrayed, often as the opposite of the image they project, they do not take center stage, and are there to give an air of realism to the whole side of Andy being an extra on movies.

One of my favorite scenes in the series is Ian McKellen telling his acting secrets to Andy 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43sbtkQM6zc

[Jimmy]

Jimmy, this Dead Poets Society review above is just a split away from my previous Good Morning Vietnam / Dead Poets Society review. You might want to update the link in your list.

Ask and it will be done

I've just change the previous link in the database with this one.

[RossRoy]

One of my favorite scenes in the series is Ian McKellen telling his acting secrets to Andy 

Yeah, love that scene. Actually, that whole episode is probably my favourite!

[Najemikon]

This is the Comic Relief clip I mentioned. Ends with a great scene with Louis Walsh! He's Westlife's manager and is well known in his own right as a judge on X-Factor.

Gervais Comic Relief