Empire's 5-star 500 - My Movie Reviews

213 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

2013-05-07T00:00:00.001+01:00

Theatrical Poster
Source: Wikipedia

Here is another film that I watched a month ago and have left as a scheduled post! Not only that, but it is actually one from the Empire 5-star 500!

As with most people in this day and age, my only experience of Victor Hugo's classic is through the bright and colourful version Disney released in 1996 and featuring talking gargoyles. While Disney was lauded for exploring darker source material than normal it still comes nowhere near the original story.

Even this version, made in 1939, tones down the story a bit but it is clear that Disney drew inspiration for Quasimodo's appearance from Charles Laughton's striking character representation and I can't help but compare the two for just that reason alone.

The story is similar - in 15th Century Paris the gypsies are being persecuted. One - Esmerelda (Maureen O'Hara) - manages to sneak into the city where she attracts the attention of many local men, including the Judge Frollo (Cedric Hardwicke), Captain Phoebus (Alan Marshal) and Gringoire (Edmond O'Brien), a failing poet. Quasimodo is a reclusive hunchback who is made deaf by his bell-ringing in the Cathedral of Notre Dame and is legally cared for Frollo.

Noone had the heart to tell Quasimodo his hair dye was running

What I never realised about the story of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is the brutality of it. Victor Hugo's tale isn't a pleasant one, and this version exposes much of the gritty nature of the book - obviously far more so than Disney's colourful version. That being said, the book kills off both Esmerelda and leaves Quasimodo presumed dead which is a radically different ending than most people are aware of, so it could be argued that this film influenced Disney far more so than Hugo.

To back up this claim, Disney's Quasimodo even shares the same squint, wonky teeth and ruffled hair as Charles Laughton's heavily made up hunchback. Because Laughton has changed his physical appearance so much, the only thing that gives away the fact that it is the actor playing Quasimodo is that his podgy nose is identical which, again, is another trait that Disney copied.

In conclusion then, if you are interested in Victor Hugo's original text (probably translated), then this would be the perfect stepping stone. There are plenty of recognisable scenes from Disney's film, right down to the less-colourful Fool's Parade, but the added sense of realism will bring a whole new perspective on that story you saw as a child.

A to Z 2013: Reflections

2013-05-06T00:00:00.001+01:00

First of all, welcome to my new followers. It's great to have you on board! I hope you enjoy my continuation of the 5-star 500 challenge over the coming months and years.

What a month April has been - on the blog and in my offline life. Both have been horrifically busy and the blog has been a great escape. Thanks for all your comments - they have been greatly appreciated, and I'm sorry if I haven't replied to you yet.

I promised in January to write down 26 alternative endings and in mid-March I realised that was a difficult challenge to give myself seeing as I had only written 3. I had to hastily come up with another solution and decided to do something far lighter by doing an A to Z of comedy characters.

Initially I figured it was easy. Countless characters seemed to fall on the letter 'D' - Dory (Finding Nemo) and Doug (Up) are just two examples - and I had plenty for 'M', 'A' and 'S' too.

Then the ugly letters started to rear their heads. I first got to 'I' and realised I couldn't think of anyone for that letter before stumbling across Inspector Gadget. Having already done a piece on Matthew Broderick, this was a bit of an issue, so I hastily threw "Inspector" into Google in the hope of some inspiration. Brilliantly, it suggested Clouseau - and even more inspired because I wanted to write about Peter Sellers and had taken all the letters for his characters from Dr. Strangelove.

Then there was nothing for Q, U, X, Y or Z. I couldn't do Uncle Fester because Christopher Lloyd was Emmett Brown, I couldn't do Zoolander because Ben Stiller was White Goodman and couldn't do Zohan because Adam Sandler was Happy Gilmore. Crap. I must admit, I bodged those. Still, I think I got away with it.

Apologies once again if my posting schedule goes out of the window. I have three 5-star 500 posts to go up (OK, I need to finish them first) and then I shall continue on with the challenge. May isn't overly busy in the cinema - except for Star Trek - so with luck I can keep you all entertained with the main focus of the blog rather than getting distracted and going out!

Finally, I hope to be announcing something exciting soon which I have been working on in a literary sense. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Until next time!

Oblivion (2013)

2013-05-04T00:00:00.000+01:00

Theatrical Poster
Source: Wikipedia

Today is April 12. This post has been scheduled for release on May 7 since then. Apologies for the delay everyone, but the A to Z has well and truly taken over the month of April and held up all reviews since.

Oblivion has been on my calendar since the end of 2012 when I saw a preview in Empire. A simple image of a destroyed Earth seems to be all it takes nowadays to entice me into the cinema and I wasn't even put off by Tom Cruise headlining - whose films I don't usually rate.

Since that moment I had decided I was watching the film and starved myself of all information about it until, well, a couple of hours ago when I hit the cinema.

Oblivion describes a world where the moon has been reduced to a satellite of rubble by aliens. Humans, who destroyed Earth to win the war, have fled to one of Saturn's moons (Titan) and machines are somehow harvesting Earth's water supply to sustain the population. These machines are being guarded by drones who fight off the remaining alien hoard known as Scavs.

Jack (Cruise) and Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) live in the sky and Jack is sent to Earth each day to repair drones that have been damaged by the Scavs. During his sleep he has a constantly recurring dream of a time before the invasion where he spends time with a mystery woman.

Let me start off by saying that I wasn't disappointed by all of the hype that I had put on myself surrounding this movie. It is a film that is based on an unpublished graphic novel and therefore is heavy on the special effects and using Joseph Kosinski as director is an inspired decision. I also loved his film Tron: Legacy (which was practically all CGI), so he was definitely the man to head up Oblivion - and it looks stunning.

Yet again, Oblivion is part of the growing trend where the studio gets in on the act by changing their introduction scene to 'fit in' as part of the storyline. This time, Universal has been very intelligent. I remember watching it and thinking it was different to normal - only for my suspicions to be confirmed shortly afterwards. Keep an eye out for that if you watch the film.

Many of the posters for Oblivion feature a waterfall coming down a skyscraper and it was that kind of grandeur that I was expecting to see on the big screen. I can't actually recall that picture being used, but as Jack travels from the utopian sky to post-apocalyptic Earth, through menacing thunderclouds every single sense is aroused by the imagery that has been created.

With films that are heavy on the CGI it is easy for the plot and character development to get lost and this is probably my biggest criticism of Oblivion. It was far too predictable. I managed to predict practically every part of the film (err, except for the touching final scene) - but this was because it panned out exactly how I wanted it to. For me, this made it enjoyable. For others, I can see why you wouldn't be too impressed.

Overall, a mixed bag. I can't recommend the film because of its predictability and I fully understand any criticism that it gets. However, as a method to transport you to another world for a couple of hours... it's perfect.

Iron Man 3 (2013)

2013-05-03T00:00:00.000+01:00

In my review of Iron Man two days ago I said that the reason I liked it so much was because I could see it potentially becoming real at some point in the future. I take that back.

With Iron Man 3, it is like director Shane Black (in only his second directing shift) took that very thought and said to the team, "right, how mad can we make this franchise?". The answer, is a resounding "very mad".

After an explosion leaves his top security man and highly regarded friend, Hogan (Jon Favreau), fighting for his life, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) gives the terrorist who lays claim to the attacks his address and asks for a meeting face-to-face. The terrorist, known only as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), agrees and Stark soon finds his house being demolished along with much of his life.

Meanwhile Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow), Stark's girlfriend and manager of Stark Industries, meets a face from the past in Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). When she goes missing shortly afterwards, it seems as though the Iron Man has lost everything.

I will admit, that contrary to my prior thoughts, I did enjoy the first Iron Man and its sequel for bringing something fresh to the comic book genre. It does seem that you can have too much of a good thing, as Iron Man 3 delivers more of the same but without the originality. I imagine that Iron Man 3 will probably fade into the background of its predecessors' success.

That's not to say that there aren't good bits - or even that you shouldn't see the film at all. It is still peppered with one-liners and its humour still feels fresh. I don't think I'll ever get bored of listening to the Tony Stark Show as he and JARVIS (Paul Bettany) exchange quips as Stark bullies a robotic arm.

On the subject of the robotic arm, it goes to show how much effort was put into the previous films as much of Iron Man 3 relies heavily on the empathy that eminates from them. One scene shows the audience exactly how much he cares about his inventions in a typically laugh-out-loud but tender moment that has come to typify the franchise.

Much of the film comes undone in the last act. The final scene seems like a last hurrah and it was far too over-played and drawn-out. There is only so many times that a man can come back from a beating - and I'll leave it to you to decide which character that is aimed at.

At the end of the day though, the audience must come to realise that, like Stark, there is only so much empathy that can be shown towards machines. Perhaps then, despite all of his brilliance as the character (and he has been superb), Robert Downey Jr. can give no more as Iron Man.

The end of the credits explains that Tony Stark will return, but this only seems to add fuel to the speculation that Downey Jr. will not be reprising the role. I fear that without Downey Jr. the franchise will fail. As I've said in the past, it now seems as though character and actor have become married into one co-existance.

Perhaps though, this is what the franchise now needs.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

2013-05-02T00:00:00.000+01:00

Theatrical Poster
Source: Wikipedia

The second instalment of Iron Man was watched almost immediately (OK, two days) after the first - so now I'm all clued up and ready for Iron Man 3 in cinemas later this month! I should probably note that I'm actually writing this mid-April and have scheduled for May because of the inconvenient timing of the A-Z Challenge.

Iron Man 2 is much the same of its predecessor. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) has to fight another humanoid - this time War Machine - and has to overcome personal problems and medical difficulties in order to battle his enemies.

When the first Iron Man came out, it entered a saturated market with plenty of other heroes and it came out on top thanks to its smart humour and interesting protagonist. Despite being a new character, Iron Man was still very warmly received.

Iron Man 2 takes this successful formula and very much recycles it. There are more pieces added in for the fans, while it still keeps its accessibility for a broader casual audience.

Where Iron Man 2 falls down is that it feels very much like a stop-gap in the franchise before The Avengers - exemplified with the introduction of Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson. Their characters were interesting but they weren't given enough screen time to really have an impact. It really does feel as though they have been jammed in to try and justify their inclusion in The Avengers.

The one positive that this film gives over its predecessor is that is that it has a proper villain - and someone with a dastardly plan that doesn't involve around a business plan to overthrow Tony Stark. Mickey Rourke's Whiplash is mysterious and interesting while his change in character from focused workman to utter maniac is outstanding.

In summary then, Iron Man 2 is still just as witty as the original, but its lack of originality and its seeming conformity to the genre are not what Iron Man fans should expect.

Iron Man (2008)

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000+01:00

Theatrical Poster
Source: Wikipedia

I remember when Iron Man was released in 2008 and my snobby outlook on comic book films concluded that it was a fad that wouldn't last. I didn't really know anything about Iron Man and as far as I was concerned that was just how it should stay. Thus, until late in March 2013 (this review has been scheduled since the end of March because of the A to Z) I hadn't actually seen Iron Man.

Having seen The Avengers, I decided that perhaps Tony Stark's alter-ego (with emphasis on the ego), wasn't such a bad character. So, in preparation for the release of Iron Man 3 later in April - or rather, because of the scheduling, last month - I figured now was a good time to catch up with what's been happening in Tony Stark's life.

I'd heard that Iron Man was a film - and a character - that provided far more laughs than many other comic book heroes, and during the introduction it is clear to see that this is the case. A multi-millionaire, Stark (Robert Downey Junior) develops advanced weapons systems for the military. On a demonstration of his latest missile, however, he is captured by the enemy and told to design the same missile for them.

Instead, Stark decides to build himself a way out of there and the first Iron Man design is created. Upon his return home he finds that his company's weapons have often been ending up in the wrong hands and he informs the media he no longer wants to manufacture weapons - much to the disgust of his second-in-command, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges).

Alongside Downey Jr. are Gwyneth Paltrow as Iron Man's assistant, Pepper Pots, and Paul Bettany as Downey's artificially intelligent housekeeper JARVIS.

Unlike many other films of the genre, Iron Man doesn't seem to revolve around the supernatural. The fantastical suit is a concept that is clearly plausible with enough time or money - even if it uses an element (adamantium) that doesn't exist. The arc reactor could be created with some currently unknown power source. Perhaps it is these plausible theories that made Iron Man so easy for me to understand and laugh along with.

As the main man, Robert Downey Jr. is fantastic and his dry humour is comical. At the end of the film I thought to myself, "who else could play Iron Man?", and the answer is simply no-one. Even when he is inside the suit, you are fully aware of the man rather than the machine which makes it very easy for the character's human aspects comes through.

There is still an element of fad about the film - yes, it feels corny - but perhaps this is something that I am confusing with the fact that comic books now appear to have their own genre. Iron Man fits perfectly into this category as the nerdism cult hits an all time high.

In truth, Iron Man was a huge gamble for Marvel in that they chose to begin an unknown entity rather than reboot something more well known. They definitely stacked the odds in their favour with a huge budget and the signing of huge Oscar-nominated names and, thanks to Marvel's guts and gusto, Iron Man was - and still is - a resounding success.

Z is for... Zazu

2013-04-30T00:00:00.000+01:00

Z is for... Zazu
Film: Lion King (1994)
Actor: Rowan Atkinson

The Character
Zazu is a responsible adviser to the King, but the King's son, Simba, realises that Zazu's methods are antiquated. King's don't need advice from little hornbills for a start.

Of course, like any boring teacher, Zazu is always correct... but that's not always the fun way, right?

The Actor
Rowan Atkinson is one of Britain's finest comedy actors. He has probably become most well known for his role as Mr. Bean, the bumbling Mini-owning man who seemed to find himself in very bizarre situatoins. The TV series spun off into a film, Bean, which spawned a sequel, Mr. Bean's Holiday.

For British audiences he is also well known in Blackadder, where he plays an ancestry line through time with his assistant Baldrick (Tony Robinson). Elsewhere, on film, he is widely recognised as Johnny English - a spoof secret agent with British interests at heart.

Classic Scene

Bonus!
Thanks for sticking with my blog throughout the A to Z challenge. Enjoy this extra Rowan Atkinson film from the London Olympic Games 2012.

Y is for... Yzma

2013-04-29T00:00:00.000+01:00

Y is for... Yzma
Film: The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
Actor: Eartha Kitt

The Character
Yzma is pretty... ugly. As an evil villain she has schemes just as dastardly as the rest - and equally just as daft as the rest too. She could easily give Wile. E. Coyote a run for his money in the stupid plan stakes.

On the positive side, her megalomaniacal ways are often muted by her henchman Kronk - but his reason often falls on deaf ears. Perhaps if she had, the Empire wouldn't now be run by a llama that vaguely resembles its former leader.

The Actor
Eartha Kitt isn't a name that springs to most people's mind when they think of comic actresses. In truth, that's because she's not. She's a singer who has happened to have appeared in a few films. Remember the song "Santa Baby" before it was redone by a million different artists? Yeah, that was Eartha Kitt originally.

Film-wise she has still had a reasonable career with over 30 acting credits to her name. Most recognisable of these are her turn as Yzma from Emperor's New Groove (and the direct-to-video sequels), Bageera in The Jungle Book sequel and Madame Zeroni in Holes (2003).

Classic Scene

X is for... Xander Cage

2013-04-27T00:00:00.000+01:00

X is for... Xander Cage
Film: xXx (2002)
Actor: Vin Diesel

The Character
Xander Cage is one hardcore man who is a little too rebellious to be left on the streets, so the law decided to get him before he broke it. Once recruited, Xander goes sightseeing in various locations around the world including the USA, Columbia and the Czech Republic. There is one condition though - he must kill some bad guys.

The Actor
While Vin Diesel hit the acting scene in the 1990's, it wasn't until the early 2000's that he hit the mainstream in Pitch Black and xXx. This was also the period where he made the first Fast film - The Fast and the Furious.

Apart from one memorable (or, not) aside as a babysitter in The Pacifer, Vin Diesel has stamped his authority on the modern action genre with further Fast films, and Babylon A.D.

Classic Scene

W is for... White Goodman

2013-04-26T00:00:00.000+01:00

W is for... White Goodman
Actor: Ben Stiller
Films: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

The Character
White Goodman should be an inspiration to us all. Once upon a time he was overweight and grotesque, and he turned his life around to become one of the fittest guys around - albeit still grotesque. He is also a keen businessman having built his empire of gyms up from nothing and with a life like that it proves he isn't an Average Joe.

Problem is, he's a little bigoted and sees himself as a bit of a ladies man. He could be, save for the fact that he would be embarrassed on a first date as his head wouldn't fit through a door - especially not with all that hair. He is also a little too hell bent on vengeance to be worthy of a second date.

The Actor
Ben Stiller began his acting career on the television and broke into the limelight with four episodes on Saturday Night Live after the producers liked his own parody work. After a brief foray into short films, Stiller was given his own show on MTV.

After this success, Stiller hit the big time in the 1990's with films such as The Cable Guy and Reality Bites, where he both directed and acted in the films. After a few more successful films in Zoolander and Meet The Parents, Stiller entered his purple patch in 2004 with Meet The Fockers, Anchorman (cameo), Dodgeball, Envy, Starsky & Hutch and Along Came Polly.

As well as directing and acting, he has also done voice work when he starred as Alex in the Madagascar franchise.

Classic Scene

V is for... Van Wilder

2013-04-25T00:00:00.000+01:00

V is for... Van Wilder
Film: Van Wilder: Party Liaison (2002)
Actor: Ryan Reynolds

The Character
Van Wilder is a guy that likes to party hard. When he's not partying, he's off aiding other people in holding their own bashes and, as a result, he earned himself the title of Party Liaison Officer.

Life isn't all rosy for Van Wilder as his job often impedes his University work and it looks like he is about to throw any future of a career away. If only there were something he was good at...

The Actor
Ryan Reynolds has had an interesting career. Off the top of my head I can think of films where he has been a comic book character (Green Lantern), a fake husband (The Proposal) and buried alive (err, Buried). All in the life of a Hollywood superstar, then.

Despite his popularity and fame, Ryan Reynolds hasn't actually appeared in that many films. Aside from the odd rom-com, which Reynolds is most famous for, he has also made appearances in crime (Smokin' Aces) and horror (The Amityville Horror). In fact, he genre-skips so much it is difficult to predict which film he will star in next.

Classic Scene (*Strong Language)

U is for... Uncle Albert

2013-04-24T00:00:00.000+01:00

* OK, he's not a film character. I could have done Uncle Fester, but I've already written about Christoper Lloyd, so ner.

U is for... Uncle Albert
~~Films~~ Sitcom: Only Fools and Horses (1985 - 1999)
Actor: Buster Merryfield

The Character
You may have heard that Uncle Albert Gladstone Trotter did many things durin' the war. Actually, in his defence, he was a decorated war veteran who performed many brave antics and single handedly sunk many ships... even if they were on his own side.

His clearly successful past earned him the right to a peaceful life with his thoughtful nephews who are always there to look out for him. They even had the heart to take him in when their granddad sadly passed away.

The Actor
Buster Merryfield didn't get on the acting scene until the 1980's, where he took a few roles on stage and small roles in television in his retirement. It wasn't until he was offered the part of Uncle Albert, to take the place of Granddad following the sudden death of Lennard Pearce.

He played the part of Uncle Albert until 1996, trademarking the catchphrase "During the war...". After the sitcom ended, he returned to the stage before he died in 1999.

Classic Scene

T is for... The Tramp

2013-04-23T00:00:00.000+01:00

T is for... The Tramp
Films: Modern Times (1936), City Lights (1931), The Circus (1928), The Gold Rush (1925), Nice and Friendly (1922), The Kid (1921), A Dog's Life (1918), Easy Street (1917), Shanghaied (1915/I), The Tramp (1915), Recreation (1914), The Star Boarder (1914/II), Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914)
Actor: Charlie Chaplin

The Character
Despite being a homeless fellow, The Tramp aspires for something far greater. He often finds himself in bizarre situations that mean he could enhance his social status, but regularly screws it up to end up where he was before.

He only appears to have one set of clothes - in a similar vein to a cartoon character. His trademark bowler hat and baggy trousers with jacket and tie do everything to exemplify each social class.

Despite not being very wealthy, The Tramp is well travelled, having even visited as far North as Klondike, Canada in his hunt for gold and love. Again, he finds himself in perilous situations and, having had it all, only goes and loses it again.

The Actor
Charlie Chaplin is the star of silent comedy. In fact, because he - and his Tramp character - became so synonymous with 1920's and 30's film-making, he became a victim of his own success. At the dawn of the 'talkies', Chaplin failed to adjust his mannerisms to take in the marvellous invention of sound.

Despite his failure to adapt to modern film and the controversies that surrounded him in the 1940's onwards, Chaplin will always be remembered for giving the world its first true taste of comedy, from one of the world's first superstars.

Classic Scene

S is for... Steve Stifler

2013-04-22T00:00:00.000+01:00

S is for... Steve Stifler
Actor: Seann William Scott
Films: American Pie (1999), American Pie 2 (2001), American Pie: The Wedding (2003), American Pie: Reunion (2012)

The Character
Steve Stifler is a lewd young man who doesn't change in later age. He is known to be into sport, namely lacrosse, but isn't particularly academic and it makes him suffer in later life.

Despite this, he is very popular at school thanks to his ability to throw a damn good party and, equally, because he has a very attractive mother who looks a lot like Jennifer Coolidge. Some might even call her a MILF.

He is clearly a ladies man, at least in his own mind, but cares deeply for his friends too. That is, except for Paul Finch who Stifler fears may one day be his father-in-law... or at least the father of his half-sibling. He may also have a fear of chocolate cake.

The Actor
Seann William Scott's big break came in the American Pie franchise as party-thrower Stifler. As a result of this role he has come to be typecast in that role.

Despite this, Scott has had a varied career outside the American Pie franchise. Sure, he played a similar part in Road Trip (2000), Dude Where's My Car (2000) and Role Models (2008), but he has also been a monk's assistant in Bulletproof Monk (2003) and done some voice acting in the form of Crash in the Ice Age sequels.

Finally, Seann William Scott's most famous role outside of American Pie came in the form of Bo in The Dukes of Hazard (2005) - a reboot of the famous TV series.

Classic Scene

R is for... Rufus T. Firefly

2013-04-20T00:00:00.000+01:00

R is for... Rufus T Firefly
Actor: Groucho Marx
Film: Duck Soup

The Character
Rufus T. Firefly is the dictator of the bankrupt State of Freedonia, but fortunately he has the confidence and financial backing of the wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.

As his country is undergoing a political siege from nearby Sylvania it is not clear whether Firefly is aware of the terror that faces him. In fact, it is not clear whether Firefly knows anything about anything.

The Actor
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was one third of the Marx Brothers, along with his siblings Chico and Harpo. There were two other brothers too, Zeppo (who appeared in Duck Soup) and Gummo.

Despite only appearing in only half of his films without his brothers, Groucho is often considered the most enigmatic of the group with his snappy one-liners and witty innuendos. Due to the way comedy has evolved it makes him very difficult to understand to the modern audience, but it is still very intelligent none-the-less.

His legacy does live on though in his comedy moustache, glasses and nose which are seen as classic props in any gag.

Classic Scene

Q is for... Q

2013-04-19T00:00:00.000+01:00

Q is for... Q
Actor: Peter Burton (Dr. No), Desmond Llewelyn, John Cleese (The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day), Ben Whitshaw (Skyfall)
Films: James Bond franchise (except Live and Let Die, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace)

The Character
Major Geoffrey Boothroyd is Quartermaster to James Bond and is known as Q to his colleagues in respect to his job title. He often devises gadgets of a questionable nature with humorous end results appearing in the background while he prompts Bond on his latest mission.

He is known to have a base in several different countries and often appears with very little warning in the most obscure of places. Luckily this rigorous testing throughout the world provides Bond with the most advanced gadgetry known to the British Secret Service.

The Actor
A former lieutenant in the British Army and prisoner of Colditz Castle, Desmond Llewelyn turned to acting as an extra in several films following the end of the Second World War.

He eventually went on to become the staple of the James Bond franchise appearing in all of the films (except Dr. No and Live and Let Die) until his death in 1999. For the most part this was his only acting work except for a few other minor roles in films such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Ironically his death was sudden, in a car accident, but his character had had a fitting send off in his previous film, Die Another Day, telling Bond he must always have an escape plan.

Classic Scene

Pay attention 007.

P is for... Phil Connors

2013-04-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

P is for... Phil Connors
Actor: Bill Murray
Films: Groundhog Day (1993)

The Character
Phil Connors is a grumpy guts. He hates Punxsutawney almost as much as he hates little rats - especially if they share the same name as him. On the bright side, it could be worse - he could be in an endless loop of the worst day of his life.

Again, there are always positives to take from the situation. It is possible to experience death, multiple times, sex, multiple times, and the most happy radio presenter in the world... multiple times. Daily.

At least his colleagues are sympathetic to his egotistical cause.

Yes, he's grumpy. He has a point.

The Actor
Who you gunna call? Bill Murray! After a varied start on US television at the tail end of the 1970's, Murray started his film career in 1979 with his role in Meatballs and quickly established his career in the early 1980's.

His big break came in 1984 with Ghostbusters which quickly became a cult classic thanks in the most part to Murray's sharp wit and humour. The film's success spawned a sequel, but not before Murray had starred in Little Shop of Horrors.

His role as the unfortunate (but enterprising) egotist in Ghostbusters is very similar to the part he played in Groundhog Day and has undoubtedly formed a part of Murray's comedic career.

Into the new Century and Murray has starred in voice work with Garfield and Fantastic Mr. Fox but his other comedy is not far behind as he followed up playing himself in Space Jam (1996) with a rather random self-titled character in Zombieland.

Classic Scene

O is for... Oscar

2013-04-17T00:00:00.000+01:00

O is for... Oscar
Actor: Will Smith
Films: Shark Tale (2004)

The Character
Oscar is a fish. In truth I don't know much about Oscar, only that he is in a cartoon called Shark Tale - and cartoons tend to be funny. I just needed an 'O' and I wanted to talk about Will Smith. The rest of this section is practically lifted from Wikipedia.

For a fish, Oscar has high aspirations. Despite having no need for currency he dreams of being rich and famous. He would probably have been eaten long ago if he didn't have the good fortune to come across the only vegetarian shark that I have heard of outside Finding Nemo. Also, I have no idea why a car wash would be in the sea. The idea appears moronic.

The Actor
If Will Smith had his own Tomatometer he would be 'Certified Fresh'. It wasn't always that way though - in 1990, Will Smith was almost bankrupt and it was only when NBC built the show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air around him that he began an acting career that is still flourishing today.

While Smith became known for his action qualities in Independence Day and Enemy of the State, he has never forgotten his root with the proof in the fact that a comedy was never far away in films such as Men in Black and Wild Wild West.

Two sequels to Men in Black followed but he has also tried his hand in romantic comedy with Hitch, thriller with I Am Legend and voice work with Shark Tale. He truly is one of the most versatile actors around.

Classic Scene

*may or may not be from Shark Tale

N is for... Neil Patrick Harris

2013-04-16T00:00:00.000+01:00

N is for... Neil Patrick Harris
Actor: Neil Patrick Harris
Films: Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle (2004), Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (2008), A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

The Character
Neil Patrick Harris is just like the real Neil Patrick Harris except that he likes girls, drugs, prostitutes and hanging out of the top of cars (basically everything your Mum told you to avoid as a kid). Yes, Neil Patrick Harris is the weed-smoking ladies man who pops up at the most inconvenient time when Harold and Kumar are in a heap of trouble.

There are rumours that he takes on a gay appearance in real life in order to make his womanising far easier, but I have my doubts.

The Actor
Neil Patrick Harris is, in reality, nothing like his character counterpart in the Harold & Kumar series. He has had a relatively long career in film, and made one his early films in 1988 alongside Whoopi Goldberg. To American audiences he is well known for playing the title role in Doogie Houser M.D.

He became more popular across the rest of the world with his appearance in Harold & Kumar where he played himself (and, in the third film, had his partner star alongside him). Since 2005 he has become the womanising Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother.

Classic Scene (Warning: Explicit Language)

M is for... McLovin

2013-04-15T00:00:00.000+01:00

M is for... McLovin
Actor: Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Films: Superbad (2007)

The Character
If you ask McLovin exactly who he is he will tell you that he is a 25 year old organ donor from Hawaii whose friends happen to call him Fogell (which is definitely nothing to do with it being a fake ID canIhavemyalcoholplease).

Although noone says it, McLovin is undoubtedly the one who drags his friends down with his dorky motives - although he is willing to take the rap as he finds himself in trouble with the law.

The Actor
Fogell aka McLovin was Christopher Mintz-Plasse's first role in film after auditioning alongside two friends. He quickly established himself as playing geeky characters with another similar part in Role Models (2008).

His next most recognised role came in the 2010 film Kick Ass as super villain Red Mist - a part that he will reprise later this year in Kick Ass 2.

He has also done some voice over work as Fishlegs Ingerman in How To Train Your Dragon, two spin-off shorts and will reprise the role next year for the sequel.

Classic Scene

L is for... Lee

2013-04-13T00:00:00.000+01:00

L is for... Lee
Actor: Jackie Chan
Films: Rush Hour (1998), Rush Hour 2 (2001), Rush Hour 3 (2007)

The Character
Detective Inspector Lee is brilliant officer of the Hong Kong Police Force but finds himself lumbered by the arrogance of a Los Angeles Police Department detective called James Carter who has other things on his mind than finding the culprit in Lee's investigations.

Despite Lee's brilliance as a detective he is out of water when he investigates on American soil. After Lee has learnt what exactly War is good for (and the crime is solved), he becomes friends with Carter and Carter comes to visit Lee in Hong Kong - where another crime is committed! Luckily the duo are there to bodge their way through it all.

Later, back in America, Lee has to face the triads and uses his martial arts skill to defeat the army of assassins.

The Actor
Soon after acting in his first films in Hong Kong, Jackie Chan attained a black belt in the discipline Hapkido. It was these two roles that brought him to the attention of the mainstream Hong Kong market as it was thought that Chan would make the ideal stuntman. Chan doubled for Bruce Lee on more than one occasion during his early career.

During the 1980's Chan continued to make a name for himself in Hong Kong - even going so far as to displace Bruce Lee in the box office records. Into the 1990's, Chan started to make a name for himself in the cop buddy comedy with the Police Story franchise before he finally got his Hollywood blockbuster break in Rush Hour (1998) alongside Chris Tucker.

This success spawned two more sequels in the early 2000's and along with films such as Shanghai Noon (2000) and The Tuxedo (2002) he became a household name throughout the world. He has since returned more to his roots by voicing The Master in Kung Fu Panda and playing The Master in the Karate Kid remake.

Classic Scene

K is for... Kevin Patterson

2013-04-12T00:00:00.000+01:00

K is for... Kevin Patterson
Actor: Harry Enfield
Films: Kevin & Perry Go Large

The Character
Kevin Patterson, or Kevin The Teenager to his friends, is a ginger prat. While he is happy to tell you his parents hate him and that he'd never been born, his poor despairing mother has to put up with his mood swings and general teenage behaviour.

All being said, his parents did take him on holiday - once - to Ibiza. Kevin proceeded to embarrass himself with his best friend Perry (who looks like the suspiciously feminine Cathy Burke) as they both attempted to lose their virginity while being influenced by a drug-addled DJ called Eyeball Paul.

I just hope that he fulfills his dream of "doing it", before he reaches his twenties.

The Actor
Harry Enfield's career has been built around sketches for television. During his early days he would create characters for the UK Channel 4 with his comedy partner Paul Whitehouse.

In the early 1990's Enfield and Whitehouse teamed up with Kathy Burke to star in Harry Enfield & Chums which featured sketches on modern British culture including The Scousers, Wayne and Waynetta Slob and Kevin The Teenager. The latter of these was turned into a big screen production.

He later turned his eye to directing and writing, but is now back performing sketches on British television with Whitehouse in Harry and Paul.

Classic Scene

J is for... Johnnie Gray

2013-04-11T00:00:00.000+01:00

J is for... Johnnie Grey
Actor: Buster Keaton
Films: The General (1926)

The Character
Johnnie Grey is a lovesick puppy who was rejected by the army for being too valuable in his present job. He made a calamitous journey across the Union / Confederate divide to save a charming woman who decided she wasn't interested because he wasn't a soldier.

On his journey he is often faced with obstacles that are seemingly impossible to overcome, but these are smartly stepped around using great ingenuity.

The Actor
Like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton was a huge name in silent comedy. Whilst he started on stage with his family in The Three Keatons, he became known for his film career that spanned 50 years, between 1917 and 1966, as both an actor and a director.

He is renowned for creating and performing his own stunts, including a scene from The General that is rumoured to be the most expensive stunt in cinematic history (after inflation). His work in this field inspired other actors, such as Jackie Chan, decades after his showpieces.

Like many stars of the silent era, Keaton failed to make a successful living after the transition to sound, and he would later admit that signing for MGM was the worst decision of his life. He made a brief comeback in the 1930's and 1940's without too much success. Little matter, Keaton's real masterpieces had already been stamped into Hollywood history.

Classic Scene

I is for... Inspector Clouseau

2013-04-10T00:00:00.000+01:00

I is for... Inspector Clouseau
Actor: Peter Sellers, Alan Arkin (Inspector Clouseau (1968)), Roger Moore (Curse of the Pink Panther (1983)), Steve Martin^[1] (The Pink Panther (2006), The Pink Panther 2 (2009))
Films: The Pink Panther (1963), A Shot in the Dark (1964), Inspector Clouseau (1968), The Return of the Pink Panther (1975), The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), Trail of The Pink Panther (1982), Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), The Pink Panther (2006), The Pink Panther 2 (2009)

The Character
Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau is a bumbling fool and a shame to the police force. He often shows a disregard for other people's property in his quest to capture a criminal.

His deduction methods, however, are second to none and despite his obvious shortcomings he is able to figure out whodunnit with extreme accuracy. He is also highly patriotic and his rise to Chief Inspector must, in part, be to do with the outward and exaggerated affection that Clouseau shows towards his country.

The Actor
Peter Sellers devoted his life to comedy and character acting and appeared on stage, on the radio, on television and in over 50 films. At one point he even provided the voice of a chimpanzee in an advert for PG Tips.

Inspector Clouseau aside, and his most famous role was in Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove (1964) where he played three different characters - all of whom were different nationalities - and was nominated for an Academy Award.

He would later go on to be nominated for another Academy Award for his role in the 1979 film Being There, which was the last film to be released before his death in 1980.

^[1] Unfortunately I have no other characters lined up for Steve Martin, so although Peter Sellers was the iconic Clouseau, Steve Martin deserves a little mention for his portrayal in the modern Pink Panther films. His career has also been full of great moments - not least whenever I see him playing the banjo! I urge you to watch this video on YouTube.

Classic Scene

H is for... Happy Gilmore

2013-04-09T00:00:00.000+01:00

H is for... Happy Gilmore
Actor: Adam Sandler
Films: Happy Gilmore

The Character
Happy Gilmore is an amateur ice hockey player turned pro golfer. He is far better at hitting a golf ball than he is on hitting the ladies - not least because of his very bad temper.

Despite his anger management issues, he is a caring family man who would like nothing better than to see his grandma see out the rest of her days in peace and tranquillity - preferably in her own home. He has very little time for those inconsiderate hecklers and, if he wasn't so into his golf, would make an ideal steward in sports which require absolute silence - such as snooker, tennis and bowls.

The Actor
Adam Sandler has grown a reputation for the more distasteful side of comedy with his characters often showing a great deal of immaturity. He often plays the fool who has just enough empathetic sense to be loveable.

His movie protagonist debut came with Billy Madison in 1995 and although the film wasn't overly well received, Sandler burst straight onto the scene as one of Hollywood's fall-guy actors. His roles in Happy Gilmore (1996) and The Waterboy (1998) were very similar to that of his debut.

Sandler moved into romantic comedies at the turn of the Millennium with Big Daddy (1999), 50 First Dates (2004) and Click (2006) before returning to the dafter side of comedy with You Don't Mess With The Zohan (2008), Grown Ups (2010) and Jack and Jill (2011). The latter swept the board at the Raspberry's - the awards for terrible films.

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