Stephen Merchant

News, Reviews & Features

Logan

Movie Review | Ali Gray | 9th March 2017

There only three things that are certain in life: death, taxes and the fact that someone is hard at work writing a sequel to the X-Men movie you're currently watching. Logan, the third Wolverine standalone movie after X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Wolverine, is the exception: it is the last in its series, because Hugh Jackman says so, and not just because they've run out of ways to name Wolverine movies. Buoyed by the success of 15-rated Deadpool and supported by Jackman's desire to leave a lasting legacy for his defining role, Logan is that rare superhero movie that feels like a full stop rather than a comma. Intentionally distanced from the rest of the X-Men universe and its frankly Gordian timelines, Logan stands alone as the best of the series: a bleak, bold and mold-breaking masterpiece of the genre.

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I Give It A Year

Movie Review | Ali | 5th February 2013

I gave it half an hour. 30 minutes is more than enough time to establish whether or not you're going to like a film and its protagonists: if you're not on board after the first act, chances are the second and third acts aren't going to be to your tastes either. To its credit, I Give It A Year starts where most romcoms end: the happily-ever-after wedding between its two leads – writer Josh (Rafe Spall) and prissy ad agency miss Nat (Rose Byrne) – mercifully sparing us the agonisingly tedious meetcute routine and fast-forwarding straight to the good bits i.e. the bickering, the adultery and the break-up. In other words, the bits romcoms are otherwise scared to show.

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Ricky Gervais' new sitcom creates excuse for 'small person' gags

TV Video | Matt Looker | 22nd June 2011

Gervais is returning to TV (have you seen The Invention of Lying?) with a brand new sitcom based on the life of vertically challenged actor Warwick Davis. Let's hope it doesn't come up short! I wonder if it will reach the 'heights' of Gervais' previous telly work? Hahahaha - midgets.

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Cemetery Junction

Movie Review | Ali | 16th April 2010

Ricky Gervais goes serious? Hmm. I love The Office, I love Extras and I love Ricky full stop (it's the laugh). But as his career wheel has started turning and the David Brent act has worn thin, Gervais clearly has his eye on the long game - that means cutting back on comic exasperation and showing himself capable of something with soul. Hence Cemetery Junction, Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant's first directorial effort; a coming-of-age comedy set in Gervais' home town.

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Cemetery Junction trailer

Movie Trailer | Ali | 2nd February 2010

Behold, the first trailer for Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's Cemetery Junction. Do the dance! Do the dance! Hint: he doesn't do the dance.

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