Feature: Best Movie Trilogies

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy

Watching the epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises (see my review here) got me thinking; could this be the greatest movie trilogy ever? How many other trilogy's can attest to being as consistently brilliant as The Dark Knight Trilogy? There are very few stories that have consistently delivered in quality across a three-film trilogy; by the third instalment, it can often be that a franchise has run out of steam, ideas or originality. Take the original Spider-man series for example; Sam Raimi's Spidey trilogy (2002, 2004 and 2007) was great to begin with, better again in Spider-man 2 but fatally flawed in third instalment.

As it turns out, this pattern of a 'tricky threequel' is not unique to Spidey. X-Men: The Last Stand is generally seen as the weakest in the trilogy, whilst Austin Powers was feeling mighty tired by the time Goldmember rolled around. This makes it especially hard to find many truly great trilogies around, especially if the first two films were especially good. Another reason for there being so few is the increasing trend for (often) unnecessary 'fourquels'. In recent years, Indiana Jones, Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean, Terminator and Mission: Impossible have all been added too with a fourth instalment (with varying success).

So then, what would make a trilogy stand-out as being one of the best? For me, the most important thing is consistency of quality and storytelling. A trilogy such as the Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) certainty ranks up there with the best because of this; each instalment fits into a wider story arc that completes a beginning (Fellowship), a middle (Two Towers) and an end (Return of the King).

So, after some degree of consideration, here's a bunch of five trilogies that stand out for me.

1) The Original Star Wars Trilogy (A New Hope/The Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi)

R2-D2 and C-3PO in
 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

How could it not be one of the best? Whilst the 1977 Star Wars (later retitled A New Hope) was an unexpected gem that got people intrested in sci-fi, it was really the middle entry, Empire Strikes Back that elevated this trilogy above all others.

With a gloomier tone, an upping of the stakes and the sense that our hero was in genuine peril, Empire Strikes Back set the precedence for how sequels should be done; The Avengers take note.

Whilst the final third is considered the weakest, Return of the Jedi is still a brilliant film that both stacks up by today's standards and completes the story fittingly.

The simple fact that not even a more recent Star Wars trilogy with CGI aliens, planets and dog-fights can even stack-up against the original Star Wars speaks wonders about its brilliance. Now, if only Mr. Lucas would stop tampering with it...

2) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring/The Two Towers/ The Return of the King)

Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins.

Showing the world how a book adaptation should be done, Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is nothing short of being a masterpiece. Perfectly paced across all three films, stunningly filmed and rich in the minute details that were poured into Tolkien's original novels, Jackson and co.'s trilogy collected a grand total of 17 Academy Awards overall.

My personal favourite is the opening third, Fellowship of the Ring, but the concluding third Return of the King is seen as the best of the three, despite it's many endings and the Academy agreed, awarding it all of the 13 Oscars it was nominated for. Not bad for a film about midgets with no shoes if you think about it. 

The pressure is now on to see if Jackson can work his same magic on Tolkien's prelude The Hobbit, the first part of which is out this December. 

3) The Dark Knight Trilogy (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises)

The Dark Knight Rises

The most recent addition to the list, Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy has set the template for all future comic book films. With the horrendous cheese-ridden Joel Schumacher train-wrecks that were Batman Forever and Batman and Robin still relatively fresh in everyone's mind's, it is a miracle that the trilogy was ever pitched in the first place.

Gone were the garish Batsuit nipples, the dinosaur surfing, the cringe-worthy bad dialogue and Arnold Schwarzeneggar.  In it's place, real acting talent (Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Heath Ledger, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, the list goes on), a gritty and dark world soaked in realism (not neon) and intelligent script writing that evoked real-world drama like 9/11 or the GFC.

Arguing over which entry is the best is like picking which is your favourite child, limb or member of One Direction. Batman Begins is a solid start point that put Batman front and centre, The Dark Knight brought us Heath Ledger's wickedly evil and anarchistic Joker (a.k.a. the best movie villain of all time) whilst Dark Knight Rises drew the two together in a epic and brilliant finale.

4) The Toy Story Trilogy (Toy Story 1-3)

"To Infinity and Beyond!"

Getting better with each and every entry, the Toy Story trilogy is family film-making at its greatest. It's inclusion might be based on my own slight bias for the films but it is hard to deny that everyone of all ages can engage with Toy Story.

Again, like with the Dark Knight it is extremely hard to pick a favourite. The original has the, well, originality whilst the second adds some awesome Star Wars jokes with Emperor Zurg as well as Jessie and Bullseye. The third one is the saddest, the incinerator scene especially poignant.

That such a high quality of story-telling has been so consistent across all three films is simply a testament to Pixar's amazing ability to pen stories of such brilliance time after time.

My only hope is that they realise when enough is enough and don't add a fourth, completely robbing the closing scenes in No. 3 of any weight in the process.

5) The Back to the Future Trilogy (Part I - III)

Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly

Another personal favourite of mine, the Back to the Future trilogy is one that is intelligently written, endlessly quotable and cleverly, each entry has its own vibe or motif.

Part One is the set-up; Marty McFly goes back in time to 1955 in a souped-up DeLorean and accidentally prevents his parents from ever getting together. Faced with the task of setting them up again, being erased from existence and riding a bolt of lightning (not literally) back to the future, Marty has his luck stacked against him. 

Part Two sees Marty travel to the far off world of 2015 (!) only to find, upon his return to the 80's that a alternate timeline has been created, whilst in Part Three, Marty has to travel back to 1885 to rescue Doc Brown from the past.

In my mind, the final film is the weakest of the three; the format of every character relatives' being played by three or four actors is feeling the strain and horses and hoe-downs are no match for hover-boards and future fashions.



So there we have it, my top 5 movie trilogies. Leave any thoughts or comments in the box below and check back soon for more blog posts. Now make like a tree, and get out of here.

Read More

Formula 1: The Race Is On

Does Bahrain deserve its place on the calender?

This Formula 1 season has been one of many firsts; first wins for Rosberg and Maldonado, as well as Mercedes GP, the first seven races each had different winners and the first to feature six past and present World Champions. In a few months time, Formula One arrives in Austin, Texas for the first race in the United States in five years. Not only this, but it means that this years World Championship is the first to reach 20 races in a season.

So, with the Championship stretching fit to burst across 5 continents, is there any more room for new circuits and events? We all know that scheduled for next year is the first Grand Prix around the streets of New Jersey and then the Russian city of Sochi is being scheduled for 2014. Then there have been Grand Prix's pitched in places like Greece as well as the increasing speculation of a Grand Prix in London.

Not only this but the possibility of re-adding classic events like South Africa, Mexico, Argentina and France into a season poses the question of there being any room left for new events in what is an already jam-packed calender?

All this got me thinking; where would the ultimate F1 season take us? Which circuits, out of the current crop of tracks, as well as future and proposed events would be included and which ones would get the chop? There is only one rule; that the season should not exclude 20 races. So, first off, let's deal with the certainties.

In my mind, there are four essential events the Formula One calender should always visit, regardless of monetary issues. These are, in no particular order, Monaco, Silverstone, Monza and Spa Francorchamps. All are classic circuits that separate the men from the boys and ooze motor-sporting passion, history and heritage. The reasons for the inclusion of these four are pretty obvious but I'll go ahead and list them anyway.

Firstly, Silverstone for its fast curves, changeable weather and huge crowds; the Brits really get behind their favourites on race-weekend like nowhere else. Monaco, for its risky, tight circuit that leaves no room for error and glitzy location. Spa, because it is simply the best race-track in the sport and Monza because it is the home of Ferrari, the tifosi and the legends that go with it.

 Add in other important and classic events like the Spanish (Valencia or Barcelona to alternate), French (Paul Ricard), Hungary (Hungaroring) and German (preferably Nurburgring) Grand Prix's and we have 8 races in Europe. 12 spaces left to fill.

Events outside of Europe are obviously essential in creating what is truly a 'World' Championship. Again, there are certain tracks that are a given. Montreal. Suzuka. Albert Park. Interlagos. So that's one a piece for North America, Asia, Oceania and South America. 8 spaces left to fill. We're running out of places.

An event that stands out is the Singapore Grand Prix. An immensely challenging circuit in tough conditions, the Marina Bay circuit has the street-like nature of Monaco with the humidity of Malaysia and the glitz of Abu Dhabi. So add it to the list of events. Couple that with the Malaysia Grand Prix, a race that rarely fails to disappoint, and we have just 6 spaces left.

The United States Grand Prix in Texas is a great upcoming venture for Formula 1. The States is a market that F1 needs to tap back into and there are certainly no shortage of motorsport fans there. In my mind, F1 should never have left behind Indianapolis, but Austin is shaping up to be something special. As for New Jersey, I don't agree any country should have two races a year so it'll either have to move aside or alternate with Austin.

I'm not so sure on Grand Prix racing in Russia but, given the growing fanbase around Vitaly Petrov, I see no reason why it should miss out. Add it to the list. 4 spots left.

In recent years, F1 has expanded into huge markets such as China and India. Both have been hugely successful and popular; we have had some cracking Chinese Grand Prix's (2006, 2009-2012) and the Indian Grand Prix last year was a big success. It is important for the sport to forge audiences in the Far East so add China and India to the other 5 Asian races (Japan, Singapore, UAE, Russia and Malaysia). 2 left to go.

At this point, it is easier to look at which circuits I would discount rather than those I would include. So for starters, I would dump Bahrain. I can't recall one single Bahrain Grand Prix that has had me shouting at the television and jumping up and down. More likely, I was reaching for the pillows and my nightcap. Abu Dhabi does an okay job of filling the "Middle Eastern" round of the season so do we really need two? Not really. Sorry Bahrain; time to bite the dust. Add Abu Dhabi to the list. 1 spot left to go.

For me, an event I always enjoyed immensely was Turkey. A stellar circuit with a mixture corners and elevation changes, Istanbul Park gave us some classic races, 2010 most notably. This aside however, the race itself was always a commercial failure and poor ticket sales left empty grandstands for the most part. So scratch that from the list.

Another obvious one to omit is Korea. 2010 and 2011 have not been enough to convince me that Korea is a valid place to host a Grand Prix and the empty grandstands on race day imply that the Koreans have not been convinced either. A track that is dull, grey and lifeless, the Yeongam circuit is hardly Spa or even Sepang for that matter. Scratch it.

With one space left then, where else could F1 go? Does Mexico get to make a come-back? What about South Africa? For me, Mexico would be a brilliant venue, with fans pouring in to see young gun Sergio Perez make his mark. Either that, or Argentina, home of the great Juan Manuel Fangio would be a good country to see return.

So there we have it, 20 races, one ultimate F1 season. What do you think? Do you think I missed anywhere? Let me know what you think in the comments! I've included the full list of tracks (and preferred order below)

1. Australia (Albert Park)
2. Singapore (Marina Bay)
3. Malaysia (Sepang)
4. China (Shanghai)
5. Spain (Valencia/Barcelona alternating)
6. Monaco (Monte Carlo)
7. Canada (Montreal)
8. United States (Austin/New Jersey alternating)
9. France (Paul Ricard)
10. Britain (Silverstone)
11. Germany (Nurburgring/Hockenheim alternating)
12. Belgium (Spa)
13. Italy (Monza)
14. Hungary (Hungaroring)
15. Russia (Sochi)
16. Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
17. India (Buddh)
18. Japan (Suzuka)
19. Mexico/Argentina (new track)
20. Brazil (Interlagos)

Read More

Formula 1: Hungarian GP Overview

Hamilton emulates his hero Senna with his third Hungarian GP win

McLaren celebrate their third win of the year

The 2012 Hungarian Grand Prix may not have had the outright excitement and lavish amounts of overtaking we have come to cherish about this season but there is one thing it did have; tension. It was an edge of your seat thriller that burned until the very last lap; with such rapid tyre degradation, the big question was would Lewis Hamilton be able to fend off the fast-charging Kimi Raikkonen? Would Sebastian Vettel, on fresher tyres, storm through and take them all to win?

The last few laps, were some of the tensest all year. Hamilton; desperately needing the win to keep his championship hopes alive, Raikkonen; looking to seal Lotuses first and kick-start his title bid onto another level, Vettel; looking to rediscover his 2011 glory only glimpsed at so far this year.

But in the end, the right man won the day. Hamilton had dominated the weekend from the outset, his stunning pole lap in particular was something any true F1 fan would enjoy. He got the perfect start and, small lock-up into turn one aside, didn't put a foot wrong all race. He managed the Pirelli tyres masterfully, inching out the performance across the entire race, not blowing all of the available grip in the first laps. Essentially, getting into the first corner first was the most important job done; with overtaking around the Hungaroring at a premium, all Lewis had to do was manage his pace, tyres and fuel right to get the finish in first.

Behind him finished the two Lotuses of Raikkonen and Grosjean. Romain had run second behind Lewis until Kimi exited from his second stop and dived past. On the whole, it was a impressive race from Lotus, beating both Red Bulls, both Ferraris and a McLaren to complete the podium. The team are inching ever closer to sealing their first win of the year and, after the pace exhibited in Hungary, it seems to be something of a certainty that they'll achieve it.

Grosjean and Vettel duel on track

Vettel will be bitterly disappointed with fourth; the reigning World Champion venting his frustration at being stuck behind Jenson Button across the team-radio for all to hear. Likewise, his team-mate Mark Webber, who finished 8th for the second time in 7 days, will be going into the summer break down-hearted. After winning so convincingly in Britain, Webber has collected only 8 points.

Meanwhile, our current championship leader Fernando Alonso employed an effective 'damage limitation' strategy to finish 5th. Ferrari hadn't looked particularly fast in Hungary, so to come away with 5th and beat Webber in the process is a positive.

Mercedes continued their slide back into the mid-field in Hungary; Rosberg ended the race a distant 10th whilst Schumacher had a dismal afternoon. He stalled on the grid, started in and sped through the pit-lane, earned a drive-through penalty and eventually retired on lap 61. Other drivers who had a fairly mediocre race included both Force India's, both Sauber's and Maldonado.

The tale of the race though was Hamilton's controlled drive to career win No. 19. Can he close the gap to Alonso when F1 returns to Spa in a month's time? Will Lotus come to furore on a track Kimi does so well at? Will Red Bull fight back and make it three in a row? With nine races left to go, everything is still to play for and nothing will be certain for long.

Read More

Formula 1: German GP Overview

Alonso seals it with a kiss

Fernando Alonso put in a sublime performance around Hockenheim to win his third race of the season and extend his lead at the top of the standings to 34 points. He didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon, beating Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen to the finish.

Starting from pole position as he did in Silverstone, Alonso's fortunes were a lot better in Germany and he managed to hold Button and Vettel at arms length for the entirety of the race. His challengers were able to match the Spaniard's pace all afternoon, but not able to get past when it mattered toward the end of the race.
In a gripping finale, it seemed as though the race would have a sting in it's tail just as Silverstone had two weeks previously; Button and Vettel closed down on Alonso, with the Briton looking best placed to rob the Spaniard of this thirtieth career win. But then, with just a handful of laps left to go, Jenson's tyres faded fast and saw him drift  back towards Vettel.

Button and Vettel congratulate the winner

If not remembered for Alonso's victory, the 2012 German GP will be remembered for one thing; Vettel's move on Jenson on the penultimate lap. As the two approached the hairpin, it looked as though Jenson had kept position by forcing Vettel to go around the outside of his Mclaren. Soon enough, Seb realised that he was running out of space and track and with little hesitation, fired his Red Bull across the run-off area and ahead of Jenson. With all four wheels off of the track, it was obvious that Vettel had gained an advantage and his subsequent penalty that demoted him to 5th was appropriate and to be expected. The main benefactor in all this was Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen who snatched the final podium place as a result.

One of the most impressive, and understated performances of the race was that of both Sauber drivers. A solid 4th and 6th from Kobayashi and Perez is a brilliant result, especially considering they started 11th and 17th respectively. For a team like Sauber, such a performance sees them really start to punch above their weight. They are now closer to Mercedes in 5th than Williams in 7th. Can they upset the order and fight it out with Ross Brawn's boys from Brackley?

In contrast to the lead four (Fernando, Jenson, Seb and Kimi), each of their respective team-mates had a disappointing and frustrating afternoon. First off, Felipe Massa did nothing to dispel the idea that his Silverstone result was a simple flash in the pan with a first lap collision with Daniel Ricciardo. His broken nose-cone littered carbon-fibre all over the first corner and ultimately should have been reason enough to bring out the safety car.

Button hunts down second-placed Vettel

 It didn't however, and the razor sharp shards of bodywork pierced the rear tyre of Lewis Hamilton's McLaren and ruined his afternoon. It was a bitterly disappointing turn of events for the 2008 World Champion in what was his 100th race. He would later retire with gearbox issues. Romain Grosjean never fully recovered from his dismal qualifying result and finished 18th. Meanwhile, Mark Webber also never had the pace to counter-act his grid penalty and finished where he started, in eighth.

For a team on home soil, Mercedes had a utterly underwhelming afternoon. 10th for Rosberg was the best he could achieve from the back of the grid and Schumacher spent his afternoon going backwards. Those world championship titles look further and further away by the minute...

With his third win of the year, Alonso is now clear favourite to win the title. No question about it, the man is a machine, a points scoring and race winning machine who is on top of his game and out and out the best driver on the grid. Hamilton, Vettel, Webber, Raikkonen; all have strengths, but more importantly, all have weaknesses. Alonso is seemingly impenetrable and incapable of mistakes. And all of this praise is coming from a self-confessed Hamilton/Button fan. If anyone is to beat Fernando, they're going to have a hard time doing so.

Read More

Film Review: The Dark Knight Rises

"When Gotham is ashes, you have my permission to die"

This review may contain some minor spoilers.

Eight years on from the events of The Dark Knight, Batman (Christian Bale) returns to the city that branded him a criminal to save them from a new enemy, terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy). 

Christopher Nolan's first two Batman films are seen as something of a benchmark as superhero films go; 2005's Batman Begins reintroduced The World's Greatest Detective to cinema-goers in dark and gothic fashion, followed by 2008's even darker The Dark Knight. Not one to disappoint, Nolan has done it again, with The Dark Knight Rises perfectly ending the trilogy in heart-poundingly tense and dramatic fashion.

The stakes, and the scale, are higher than they have ever been before, with the isolated Gotham City in a state of civil war and on the brink of annihilation. When the action kicks off in the film's final third, it's bigger than we have ever seen in a Batman film. It is also the most emotional Batman ever, with plenty of scenes that'll bring a genuine lump to your throat. The Avengers this ain't.

"I'm not afraid, I'm angry"

Going in, it felt as though one of the film's biggest drawbacks would have been it's long running time; at over 2 hours and 45 minutes it is something of a marathon event. This however turned out to be not the case at all; if anything, the time flies past so that it barely feels like 2 hours. The film is paced impeccably and never feels like it drags, even in the plot-laden first hour. This fairly plot-heavy opening hour is probably the film's only minor downside. As Nolan attempts to weave together all the necessary strands for the film, such as introducing a plethora of new characters (Bane, Miranda Tate, John Blake, Selina Kyle, Daggett), as well as recap the fallout from Harvey Dent's death, it can feel quite complex. For people new to the franchise, and therefore unfamiliar with the existing core characters, it would be hard to follow at the best of times.

Not that you can expect many people you haven't seen Batman Begins or The Dark Knight to be in the audience anyway; as a concluding chapter in a trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises completes one entire story that started eight years ago. Not only does it begin with a memorial to TwoFace/Harvey Dent and see Bruce Wayne continuing to ignore the cape and cowl as a result of his death, but it sees the return of some old foes from the first chapter.

Anne Hathaway was purrrrfect as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
(sorry)

On the whole, The Dark Knight Rises has more in common with Batman Begins than The Dark Knight, which I really liked. As a story, it focused more on Bruce, not Batman. Also, it  gave less focus to the villain. Something The Dark Knight did well was really hone in on the relationship between Joker and Batman but it meant that the focus wasn't solely on the titular Knight. Not so in this one; this story is all about Bruce/Batman and not about Bane. Sure, Bane is the main antagonist, but he merely serves the purpose of giving Bruce the motivation to return as Batman and little more than that. It is good however that Bane is a physical opponent that tested Batman's strength, something that Scarecrow and Joker could never have done previously. The films centre-piece, a tense face-off between Bats and Bane is brutal and crushing, a stand-out scene. Fans of comic book series' like Knightfall won't be left disappointed...and I'll leave it at that. It is a little hard to make out some of Bane's dialogue at times and, with the mask covering most of his face, Tom Hardy's performance is a little inscrutable. He did well to come across as brutal and uncompromising, as well as intelligent and calculating but at the same time, wasn't a patch on the late Heath Ledger's cackling, psychopath Joker.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake

Christian Bale was brilliant as Bruce Wayne/Batman and probably gives his best performance of the trilogy here. He brings the necessary emotional gravitas as Wayne (especially in the film's pain-stricken middle third), as well as the imposing strength and weight as Batman nearer the end. Other returning actors such as Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman, as Alfred, Jim Gordon and Lucius Fox respectively, were also excellent, the first's anguish and pain at a watching a dedicated Bruce Wayne force himself back into action is especially poignant. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also solid as hot-headed detective John Blake.

The real star of the show however was Anne Hathaway; Her husky and breathy voice, jet-black hair and slinky frame have made her absolutely purrfect for the role as morally ambiguous cat-burglar Selina Kyle. It was always going to interesting to see how she fitted into Nolan's hyper-realist universe but everything about her character fits in well with the surroundings; her masquerade mask, utility belt, lycra catsuit and cat-like vision goggles are a far-cry from the stitched-leather suit paraded around by Michelle Pfiffer in Batman Returns. It's a shame her character has only been introduced in this final chapter; the banter between her and Batman is very funny and allows for the mood to be lightened ever so much.

Technically, The Dark Knight Rises is also a marvel; it is shot beautifully, with snow-covered, war-torn Gotham evoking images of the 9/11 attacks. Nolan's ability to tug at heart strings is shown best here; a destroyed football stadium, an American flag in ruins all resemble all too familiar images of our own world. In addition to the fantastic cinematography, Hans Zimmer's rousing score perfectly complements the ideas of revolution and uprising that Bane insights.

The big question is however, is it better than The Dark Knight? Well, Part 2 of the trilogy does have stronger villains in Joker and Two-Face but then Part 3 has the necessary pay-off and closure, as well as additional allies for Batman in Kyle and Blake. In my opinion, the two stand on-par with one another as both are breath-taking and emotional films that convert real-world themes like the War on Terror and the GFC into mass cinema-friendly characters, settings and plots.

Overall, The Dark Knight Rises is sublime and heart-pounding. It is an epic conclusion to the trilogy in almost every way and fully-deserving of all and any acclaim it receives. It is one of those films you walk out of the cinema already wanting to see again. I give it 9/10. 

Read More

Verdict: Life's Too Short

Life's Too Short features stars like Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. 

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant; the comedic geniuses behind landmark television shows like The Office and Extras, An Idiot Abroad, The Ricky Gervais Show, a plethora of podcasts and stand-up tours. Now, they're back with a third slap of comedy in Life's Too Short; but how does it stack up alongside it's predecessors?

Initially it might seem that Life's Too Short is treading over old ideas. Similar in concept and approach to both The Office and Extras through it's 'documentary' style and twisted versions of familiar faces, Life's Too Short doesn't appear to be doing anything that Gervais and Merchant haven't tackled before. It's themes of discovering the harsh realities of fame and fortune can be seem reflected in the chronicles of previous character's David Brent and Andy Millman.
Protagonist Warwick Davis, famous for appearing in the Star Wars and Harry Potter films, exhibits all of the same traits one would associate the Messrs' Brent and Millman; ignorance, obnoxiousness and being generally offensive. He is however, on the whole, a more likeable and endearing character than his predecessors'.

There is no doubting that the special guest appearances are works of genius. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter's short skit's were genuinely funny. Depp's dedication to his new film (it's directed by Tim Burton y'know), leads him to studying Warwick, and the more excited and intense Depp becomes the funnier it is. Likewise, Bonham Carter's inability to work alongside Warwick because he's a dwarf is the equal amounts cringe-worthy and funny.

Also, the scenes where Ricky and Steve play dead-pan and "holier than thou" versions of themselves are gold; fans of Extras will delight at the addition of Shaun "Barry from Eastenders" Williamson as the duos errand boy.

The show however, like both of Gervais' and Merchant's previous works tries to do a lot more than just flex it's muscles and show off its star power. There is heart and soul in Warwick's mistakes that show that Life's Too Short has a story and a message to tell. Yes, the jokes are skin-crawlingly awkward and make you want to throttle the star, but this all adds to the charm and appeal of the show. You do feel that come the end of the story arc, Warwick will have learnt from these mistakes and changed his ways in the same way Andy in Extras did.

This being said, the similarities to Extras and The Office are in my mind a little too obvious; the format, the character roles, the settings, the general feel. All of these factors add up to give a overbearing sense of deja vu. For example, Rosamund Hanson's role as Cheryl is really just a re-imagining Ashley Jensen's Maggie in Extras. She may be genuinely funny but it is easy to see where the idea for the "ditzy girl" character came from. Also, once the novelty of going "ooh look it's Johnny Depp/Liam Neeson/Steve Carrell" has worn off, the show reduces itself to laughing at midget ten-pin bowling and Warwick climbing a bookcase three times his size to reach a trophy.

So even though its more of the same witty and clever stuff from Gervais and Merchant, Life's Too Short seems to fall a little, well, short to be honest. It might have genuine character development and a moral at it's heart, but it is also not as revolutionary as The Office and not as outrageous as Extras were, and is seriously lacking in Karl Pilkington.

Read More

Formula 1: Mid-Season Report #2

Part 2 of my Formula 1 mid-season report details the remaining seven teams from Sauber through to Hispania. On a team by team basis, I look at who has impressed and who hasn't so far. For Part 1, click here.

Sauber F1 Team: C+

Drivers' Championship: 9th - Perez, 14th - Kobayashi

Constructors' Championship: 6th

Sauber have had a great first half of the season; their car has been consistently quick in both qualifying and the race and they have two talented, young drivers not afraid to mix it with the leaders. Whilst not a race winner (at least not yet), Sauber's C31 is a neat piece of engineering from a team without the resources of institutions like Mclaren or Ferrari. 

Sergio Perez has been the talk of the town after finishing
second in Malaysia.

In the hands of Mexican Sergio Perez, the C31 has thrived and has raced onto the podium twice, in Malaysia and Canada. In Malaysia, Perez came ever so close to winning and most likely should have. Had he not run wide at the penultimate corner with only a handful of laps to go, Perez and Sauber would have been the surprise of the season (until Maldonado and Williams came along in Barcelona of course). Perez's drive in Canada also showed an ability to keep cool and stay focused over long stints on the fragile Pirelli tyres. His reward was a fantastic third place. 

On the other side of the garage, Kamui Kobayashi has had a fairly consistent, if unremarkable, year so far. The highlight at this point has been qualifying a career best 3rd in China, but Kamui has failed to match his Latin American team-mate. He finished well in Australia (6th) and again in Spain (5th) but three retirements and a few incidents on track (see Valencia) have seen a marked contrast between the two Sauber drivers. 

Sauber have a driver line-up yearning to prove itself and a car that is a steady-earner. Perez can reach the podium on occasion before the end of the year, with it being doubtful of him winning. Kobayashi will be eager to match his team-mate to prove his talent in the second half of 2012.

Williams F1 Team: B-

Drivers' Championship: 10th - Maldonado, 15th - Senna

Constructors' Championship: 7th

Williams have come off the worst year in their long history in 2011 and completely knocked it out of the park so far this year. After scoring a meagre 5 points in total last year, Sir Frank's boys have clocked up over 9 times that already. Like Sauber, their car has been solid, a real testament to the team's pedigree. As a result, the team were rewarded with a out-of-the-blue pole position and win at the Spanish Grand Prix, their first in 8 long, long years. 

The man who delivered on the day was the much derided and shunned "pay driver" Pastor Maldonado. Pastor is an interesting driver, one that certainty divides opinion; 2012 has been a mixed bag for the Venezuelan so far, from brilliant highs to shadowy lows.  Taking his first win in Barcelona showed his sheer, raw pace and did much to dispel the thoughts he was in the sport because of his bank balance. He beat Fernando Alonso on home turf and hardly put a foot wrong. 

Maldonado's broken through into F1's big league

On the flipside, Pastor has plumbed immense lows; crashing out on the last lap in Australia, ramming the side of Perez in Monaco, T-boning the side of Hamilton's Mclaren in Valencia and again, taking out Perez at Silverstone. He has been reckless and hot-headed, impatient and, in Sergio's own words, "stupid". Whether Pastor can do much to dispel this idea of being a crash-magnet in the remaining 11 races remains to be seen, as does whether he can again reach the podium for Williams. 

His team-mate, Bruno Senna has been a little underwhelming to say the least. Whilst he has the race-craft and calm head Maldonado needs, it still is in question whether Bruno possesses the true natural ability his surname has become synonymous with. He has regularly stacked up points throughout the year, but failed to set the paddock abuzz like Pastor has.  

Can Williams build on their early success in Barcelona and continue to blaze a trail of redemption in 2012?

Force India Mercedes: D

Drivers' Championship: 11th - di Resta, 16th - Hulkenberg

Constructors' Championship: 8th

Hulkenberg has shown promise

Force India had big expectations for this year; they talked up their chances all through testing, even remarking at the VJM05's launch that they could scale the heights of 5th in the constructors championship.  A big boast, given that it would require them to skip past one the big manufacturer teams. 

Half way through the year and they must be feeling a little down-trodden. Not only have they failed to challenge at the front like they foretold, but they have also failed to beat those behind them, teams like Williams and Sauber. 

Di Resta and Hulkenberg have had a fairly mixed-bag. Paul has scored on six occasions, his best finish being at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April. That he is only two points behind Maldonado in the table is a testament to the Scot's great consistency and potential. He was unlucky to be knocked out so early on at Silverstone. Nico has been a little rough around the edges since returning to F1 but has lost none of the promise he showed in 2010. His highlight so far has been 5th in Valencia, whilst his low-point has been retiring on the opening lap in Australia. 

In a season filled with such unpredictability there is every chance that Force India can pull one out of the bag and reach the podium, like they did at Spa in 2009. They'll have to raise their game but in di Resta and Hulkenberg, they have two promising talents to drive them forward. They aren't far behind Williams and Sauber so a couple of surprise performances will put them back in the mix for 6th. 

Toro Rosso: E

Drivers' Championship: 17th - Vergne, 18th - Ricciardo

Constructors' Championship: 9th

Vergne takes a detour across the Silverstone grass

Toro Rosso have had a fairly disappointing year so far. Not fast enough to challenge consistently in the mid-field, the Italian squad are more occupied with fending off Caterham from behind. Their real weakness is their young driver line-up; Neither Ricciardo and Vergne are simply not ready to lead a team. 

Ricciardo did well to score in Australia, but has yet to do so again. Likewise, Vergne finished 8th in Malaysia (after a cunning tyre strategy) but has failed to score since. Their inexperience is showing, their incidents with both Caterham's in Valencia being case in point.

Buemi and Alguesuari's absence is felt and the team are stuck in a little league of their own, suspended between the mid-field and the back-markers. Their driver duo have impressed by not retiring often; only one apiece for Vergne and Ricciardo, but six points in total puts them a long way off Force India. They are most definitely confined to 9th, possibly 10th if Caterham hit form soon. 

Caterham F1 Team: D

Drivers' Championship: 19th - Kovalainen, 20th - Petrov

Constructors' Championship: 10th

Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen in Monaco

Caterham are rapidly making their way towards the mid-field and are closing in on that maiden points finish. It probably would have transpired in Valencia had their drivers' not been picked off by the Toro Rosso's. Given the right circumstances, track conditions and a little bit of luck, Caterham could be knocking on Toro Rosso's door by the end of the season. It'll take a lot of work, but Mike Gascoyne has built a tight little operation in the three years since the team joined the sport. 

Both Kovalainen and Petrov have had their flashes of brilliance, with Heikki edging out the Russian overall. In particular, Heikki's sturdy defence of Jenson Button around Monaco was amazing to watch. 

Marussia F1 Team: E

Drivers' Championship: 21st - Glock, 22nd - Pic

Constructors' Championship: 11th

France's Charles Pic in action

There is very little to say about Marussia; other than beating HRT to 11th in the Constuctors' so far, there has been little progress to speak of. They are a noticeable distance off Caterham and not about to set the world alight by scoring points on merit.

Glock, in my opinion, is a driver that deserves a better seat than this and must feel frustrated languishing at the tail-end of the field. A season best 14th in Australia and Monaco is nothing to really write home about. On the other side of the garage, Charles Pic has been solid enough to keep pace with Timo. The young Frenchman may have the talent and staying power, but little opportunity to showcase it. 

Whether Marussia have the ability to develop a car to move closer to the mid-field still remains to be seen. 

HRT F1 Team: F

Drives' Championship: 23rd - Karthikeyan, 24th - de la Rosa

Constructors' Championship: 12th

Hispania's Narain Karthikeyan

Much like Marussia, HRT's season has been more of the same in term's of disappointing results. Their car didn't materialise until Melbourne and failed to qualify for the second year running. de la Rosa is a strong technical mind with thousands of miles of testing under his belt at Mclaren; he is the team's best shot of developing the car effectively. Karthikeyan is a driver I don't rate at all and, given HRT's predisposition to alternate drivers' mid-season, it'll be a surprise if Narain isn't shown the door in favour of Liuzzi or Clos later in the year. 

Read More