Roger Michell
54 connections found
View:
Connections, in both directions
A "Broadcast News"-type saga of life behind the camera on a struggling national morning news show based in Manhattan, "Morning Glory" starts beautifully and, though it doesn't quite go the distance, it certainly has the credentials to do so.
Not that it was striving to be "Broadcast News," but "Morning Glory" comes a lot closer in its sensibility to "That Girl."
This behind-the-scenes story about a failing television station doesn't have the depth of "Network" or "Broadcast News," but it doesn't need to in order to be entertaining, lighthearted and often surprising.
Written by Aline Brosh McKenna (“The Devil Wears Prada,”) and directed by Roger Mitchell (“Notting Hill”), this innocuous, formulaic romantic comedy combines elements of the sit-com “WKRP in Cincinnati” with “Working Girl,” “Broadcast News” and other commentaries on the sad state of television today, presenting a series of contrived obstacles that idealistic Becky must overcome.
“Morning Glory” is basically “Broadcast News” flipped on its head.
In order to fuel its phony, mostly unfunny narrative, " Morning Glory " advertises itself as a sharp comedy -- recycled body parts courtesy of " Broadcast News " -- about the death of hard news in an over-mediated environment that seeks only to amuse the masses to death.
When she catches her friend (Betty Gilpin) watching a Notting Hill -type movie on her computer at the office, she snaps.
At barely 90-minutes the film is chockablock with references to rom-com classics like Pretty Woman and When Harry Met Sally , to newer features like 13 Going on 30 and Notting Hill that benefit rewatching to catch everything.
It knows these movies are pure formula, and it makes fun of that formula in myriad and amusing ways, including overt references to such predecessors as “Pretty Woman,” “Notting Hill” and “13 Going on 30.”
Along the way, we get nostalgic homages as Natalie grows up adoring “Pretty Woman” (1990), her co-worker religiously watches “The Wedding Singer” (1998) and her friends regularly reference “Notting Hill” (1999), “Sweet Home Alabama” (2002) and “13 Going on 30” (2004).
The film manages to pay tribute to/make gentle fun of films like “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Notting Hill,” and “13 Going on 30” while folding in some female empowerment, too.
Such is the wackadoodle premise of this movie, which is based on a graphic novel but also recalls the turn-of-the-century rom-com Notting Hill , in which megastar Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) falls for shambolic, stuttering bookshop owner William Thacker (Hugh Grant).
It is the most movie rom-com set up that’s ever existed, and this is a movie that wears its love for the genre on its sleeve with knowing references to everything from “Pretty Woman” to “Notting Hill.”
Bound for theaters and Peacock in time for Valentine’s Day and borrowing from “Roman Holiday” and “Notting Hill,” the pop music-fueled romantic comedy has a very famous woman becoming romantically entangled with an ordinary Joe.
I suppose this isn’t too far-fetched, Notting Hill (1999) pretty much did the same thing.
And given that Owen Wilson is basically the American Hugh Grant, it makes sense that he’d eventually lead a Notting Hill -style romance—one that lets Lopez winkingly riff on her own celebrity persona just as Julia Roberts did in that 1999 Richard Curtis classic.
Out of the rom-com genre, that includes anything by Nora Ephron as well as Notting Hill by Roger Michell.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Strong Notting Hill vibes here, and that’s a comparison I do not make lightly.
Some of the scenes, where Olivia and Antonio are forced to get to know each other, are reminiscent of "Notting Hill," where Julia Roberts' movie star—used to rarefied air—hangs out with "real" people and revels in normalcy.
There are touches of Notting Hill here as well with the hapless Antonio feeling ‘invisible’ in his own world, but much less hapless than Hugh Grant’s character and I like the fact that Antonio is quite happy with his life and not at all envious of the rich and famous.
This version of the story brings its distinctly “Notting Hill” beats to Tinseltown, where the modest and socially awkward Antonio (Mexican star Eugenio Derbez, more widely seen of late as the endearing music teacher in “CODA”) works as a valet, parking the fancy cars of a swanky Beverly Hills establishment’s rich clientele.
It takes its time to walk slow, smell its silly roses, and in so doing surprise of surprises strides a little closer to classic Notting Hill territory than it does the forgettable Overboard remake, which was the last movie to unite writers Bob Fisher and Rob Greenberg with their leading charmer Derbez.
Take the “slob gets dream girl” framework of Notting Hill, add lashings of political satire, power dynamics, and a Boys II Men-heavy soundtrack, and you’ve got Long Shot – an often hilarious, occasionally uncomfortable rom-com for the liberal stoner crowd.
Whether you realize it or not, “Long Shot” is “Notting Hill” re-imagined.
Long Shot references Pretty Woman, but the Julia Roberts movie it most resembles is Notting Hill, in which a nobody (Hugh Grant) finds himself in a relationship with the world’s most famous movie star.
Take The American President, Notting Hill, and Pretty Woman and put them into a blender with some modern political subtext, copious amounts of illegal substances, and a handful of jokes about unfortunately timed erections and you’ll get Jonathan Levine’s Long Shot, a film that’s far more charming, sweet, and hilarious than I probably just made it sound.
“Long Shot” is not original – it has dashes of “Notting Hill” and “The American President” with updated pop culture references – but it’s propelled by some excellent jokes and a supremely talented cast.
This year he’s back with revenge, bringing not one but two films, the R-rated comedy starring 11-year-olds Good Boys, and Long Shot, a romantic comedy that’s a cross between Notting Hill and Veep.
The Anglo-American culture clash has been a common theme of numerous recent Britcoms, from "Four Weddings and a Funeral" to "Notting Hill" to "Love, Actually."
"Wimbledon" is refried "Notting Hill" with a Teen People glaze.
As Paul and Lizzie both seek but also resist their celebrity, Wimbledon opts for the most common, most Notting Hill-ish resolution.
As I watched the film, I thought about how Hugh Grant in the role of Peter – especially since the producers are credited with “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill.”
To say that Wimbledon borrows from other more successful Working Title romantic comedies, like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, is putting it mildly.
Presented by the same producers of incredibly successful British comedies like “Notting Hill” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” director Richard Loncraine makes sure to include the same peculiar humor that set apart the aforementioned films from other comedies, but it won’t necessarily have the audience rolling around on the floor with laughter.
Unhinged is technically an original story, though it may remind you of better rage movies (Changing Lanes, with Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson, is quite good) and road thrillers – Steven Spielberg’s debut feature Duel from 1971 remains a case study in how to do it right.
If you want a good road-rage movie, seek out 2002’s Changing Lanes.
Sure, it’s a B-picture, a straight-up rage-on-the-road genre movie in the “Duel,””Changing Lanes” or “Falling Down” mold.
A smarter writer-director team might have goosed up this sensational revenge scenario into a timely state-of-the-nation address in the tradition of Do the Right Thing , Falling Down or Changing Lanes .
Unlike films like Joel Schumacher’s Falling Down (1993) and Roger Michell’s Changing Lanes (2002), Unhinged doesn’t really attempt to delve into the deeper intricacies of why Crowe’s character is so…er… Unhinged .
It also steals shamelessly from better, similarly-themed films, such as Duel, Falling Down and Changing Lanes.
"Harold and Maude" (1971) is the film's close spiritual cousin.
Not since Harold and Maude has there been an intergenerational love connection as intense as this.
The movie seems to be channeling Notting Hill (which was written by Richard Curtis), right down to the poster and its opening montage showing Efron’s movie star character Chris Cole attending premieres and being hounded by the paparazzi.
Por su parte, Richard Curtis es el responsable de filmes como 4 Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones, Notting Hill, Love Actually y varios filmes de Mr. Bean.
With that promising set-up, a screenplay from the crown prince of sentimental storytelling Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill,” “Love, Actually”) and directed by the electrically talented Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “28 Days Later”), the jukebox musical drama/comedy “Yesterday” was atop the charts of my most anticipated movies of the Summer of 2019.
With a screenplay by Richard Curtis ("Love Actually," "Notting Hill"), the focus is on the relationship between Jack and Ellie and it's a bit light in the loafers.
Yesterday is written by Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Life Actually) so no surprise that the romantic leads are nothing if not moral, dedicated and sweet.
There’s some Notting Hill in the way protagonist Jack Malik’s (a likeable Himesh Patel) frumpy parents are oblivious about a celebrity (Ed Sheeran) in their house.
Some will claim that “Yesterday,” the new film by Danny Boyle, written by Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill”), turns on a plot axis so untenable that the whole picture collapses around it.
As for the mention of this London neighborhood, it brings up the automatic thought of 1999's Notting Hill, amongst the few other movies in the rom-com genre to explore a romance through a lens in which one of the people in the relationship is world-famous (unfortunately, Marry Me tried to rip off this concept with much less success).
It isn’t just a heartfelt, gloriously crafted rom-com in the Richard Curtis vein of Notting Hill and Four Weddings .
It’s a homegrown film set and shot in contemporary London, with little of the typical tonal imprimatur of Working Title Films (responsible for Notting Hill , Bridget Jones , and the like)––although they are co-producers here, like the majority of Wright’s work.
At about the same time, two different studios released films on Blu-ray about urban angst, 2002's "Changing Lanes" and 1993's "Falling Down."
The plot owes something to previous films such as Barry Levinson’s Tin Men (two salesman in an escalating spiral of revenge) and Falling Down (Michael Douglas having an absolutely appalling day).
Although that might sound like something of a black comedy combination of elements from films such as "The War of the Roses" and "Falling Down" - and the film borders on that genre at times and easily could have completely gone down that path - there's more at work here than just that.
Think Falling Down (Michael Douglas) in a new decade.
Rhys Ifans (so memorable in Notting Hill, and some readers may recall his pseudo-gay stalker role in Enduring Love) is also quietly effective here as Roger's former best friend.
Also, it’s great to see a terrific Rhys Ifans finally overcome his gangly, goofball persona from Notting Hill and make the most of his supporting and very sympathetic role as Greenberg’s former best friend.
All that matters is that this is a witty and terribly charming rom-com that deserves to be mentioned in the same swoony breath as Four Weddings and a Funeral , Notting Hill and, more recently, The Big Sick .
A glance at the premise might suggest some shared DNA with Notting Hill — regular Joe (or Josephine in this case) enjoys unlikely romance with a celebrity — but that’s true only in the sense that The Sopranos is genetically related to Analyze This .
The romantic subplot thankfully never overtakes the personal torments of the characters, but it still plays out like a gender swapped riff on Notting Hill .
From there, the film becomes half- Notting Hill and half- You’ve Got Mail .
The film could also spawn other movies in the same world, as Zeller has also written for the stage The Mother and The Son , which are related to The Father thematically.
Like the other Zeller plays I have seen, The Mother and Height of the Storm , “The Father” was written as a tour de force usually focusing on one person.
No, Finding You doesn't try to hide its Notting Hill-esque concept.
Such is the setup of Brian Baugh’s “Finding You,” a rom-com (with splashes of drama, care of death, cancer, and the price of celebrity, surely all stellar romantic hallmarks) that never met a contrivance it didn’t love, right down to its winking take on “Notting Hill.”
A kind of mash-up of ‘90s and noughties tales like Notting Hill , Circle of Friends , Before Sunrise , Save the Last Dance and 10 Things I Hate About You , Finding opens with Finlay failing her potentially career-defining music school audition.
He’s got the same charm as Hugh Grant in Notting Hill or his co-star Dermot Mulroney in My Best Friend’s Wedding, and it’s difficult (if not impossible) not to fawn over him even when he’s sparring with Sweeney.
No matter who they're pretending to be on screen, even if they're royalty and regular people (like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in "Roman Holiday" or even Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in "Star Wars"), it's the first law of cinema that stars recognize each other and find a way to be together, no matter what the circumstances.
It happened in 1994, with “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” and in 1999, with “Notting Hill,” and in 2001, with “Bridget Jones’s Diary.”
Surrounded by love stories and holiday cheer in a glossy, pre-Christmas London (even “Notting Hill” showed off more grime, and that’s a film that takes place mostly in a bookshop and at swanky press junkets), Kate is suddenly confronted with an appealing paramour.