“‘The Trip to Greece’ Holds Steve Coogan Accountable Like No Other ‘Trip’ Before”

And if anyone can hold Steve Coogan accountable, it’s career Welshman Rob Brydon. Continue reading →

“‘Greed’ Is Not Good”

Both as in the selfish desire for wealth or power or material goods, and also the Michael Winterbottom movie. Continue reading →

Review: The Trip to Spain, 2017, dir. Michael Winterbottom

I took a trip to Spain back in May, during Independent Film Festival Boston, which is just a cutesy-poo way of saying that I saw The Trip to Spain, Michael Winterbottom’s third entry in his The Trip series, orchestrated with and starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. As with the other Trip movies, I liked this one. But it … Continue reading →

Review: Ruby Sparks, 2012, dir. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

The follow-up film from Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris is a big step forward from their 2006 indie darling, but the film’s true architect seems to be its screenwriter, Zoe Kazan, telling a story of gender politics and male wish fulfillment in the Match.com era. And it’s pretty great. Continue reading →

Review: In the Loop, 2009, dir. Armando Iannucci

If one word describes In the Loop, Armando Iannucci’s 2009 political satire, it’s almost certainly “scathing”. If two, that and “unforgiving”. Going further would only yield an entire novella of words meant to convey intense discontent or outright anger, and indeed the only declarative statement I can make about the film in the positive is … Continue reading →

Review: The Trip, 2011, dir. Michael Winterbottom

The Trip‘s primary, or perhaps ideal, audience may be comprised of frequent adherents of the Top Chef and aficionados of wry British wit. Michael Winterbottom’s film spends most of its time with its two stars, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, but the acclaimed director is playing loose enough here that he feels safe sneaking off … Continue reading →

Review: The Other Guys, 2010, dir. Adam McKay

Wow, Adam McKay– what’s gotten you so worked up? Watching The Other Guys, the answer isn’t particularly secret and nor does McKay seem terribly interested in trying to disguise it. For a bonkers, slapstick, off-the-wall comedy featuring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg swapping back and forth between being the straight man and acting like lunatics, … Continue reading →