Bill Bailey
A top London cop who is so good at his job that he makes his fellow officers look like slackers by comparison is "promoted" to serve in the sleepy village of Sandford in this contemporary action comedy from the creators of Shaun of the Dead. Police constable Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) always gets his man, but these days his impeccable record seems to be more indicative of his fellow officers' shortcomings than his own formidable skills as a keeper of the peace. Loathe to stand idly by as their once respectable track record is steadily soiled by the hyper-competent actions of one lone overachiever, Sergeant Angel's superiors at the Met soon determine to remedy their problem by relocating the decorated constable to the West Country village of Sanford -- where tranquil garden parties and neighborhood watch meetings stand in stark contrast to the violent crime and heated gunplay of the city. As Sergeant Angel does his best to adjust to the relative calm of his new environment, his oafish new partner Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) strives to gain the respect of his fellow constables while sustaining himself on fantasies of his favorite action films and police shows. Later, just as it begins to appear as if Sergeant Angel has been relegated to an uneventful existence in the relative calm of the countryside, a series of horrific "accidents" lead him to suspect that the tranquil hamlet of Sanford has fallen prey to a sinister plot which reeks of foul play. Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Steve Coogan, and Martin Freeman co-star in the Edgar Wright film. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, (more)
- 2005
- PG
- AddThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxyto QueueAddThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxyto top of Queue
Douglas Adams' oft-adapted tale of an normal guy making his way through the universe (it's already been presented as a novel, a radio serial, a television series, and a comic book) finally makes its way to the big screen in this endearingly goofy sci-fi comedy. Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) is a very ordinary man who is having a truly unusual day -- after discovering that one of his best friends, Ford Prefect (Mos Def), is actually an alien, Ford tells him that the planet Earth is going to be destroyed so that otherworldly forces can make room for construction of a hyperspace bypass. Since Arthur accidentally saved Ford's life years ago, Ford does him a favor -- he first gets him a ride on a spaceship passing by, and then presents him with a guidebook that will tell a beginner everything he needs to know as he hitchhikes through outer space. Along the way, Arthur encounters such interstellar notables as sleazy Galaxy president Zaphod Beebelbrox (Sam Rockwell), the girl of his dreams Tricia McMillan (Zooey Deschanel), perpetually glum robot Marvin (voice of Alan Rickman), interplanetary construction magnate Slartibartfast (Bill Nighy), and cult leader Humma Kavula (John Malkovich). The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was the first feature film for Garth Jennings, previously best known for his work in television commercials and music videos; he was recommended to the producers by director Spike Jonze after Jonze had to turn down an offer to head up the project. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Freeman, Mos Def, (more)
- 2004
The routines of popular Danish comic Anders Matthesen provided the characters and inspiration for this computer animated feature, which tells humorous tales from the life of one put-upon 11 year old. Terkel's life is complicated enough as he has to deal with his chain-smoking mom, his chronically depressed dad, and annoying little sister, but things really start hitting the skids for him at school as he becomes the target of squirt-gun wielding bullies, mistakenly tattles on his best friend, and accidentally causes the suicide of an obese girl with a crush on him. Anders Matthesen provides the voice of Terkel for Terkel i Knibe, as well as nearly all of the other major characters. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Matthesen, Anders Matthesen, (more)
Waking Ned Divine (1998) meets Up in Smoke (1978) in this wacky British comedy about growing marijuana. Grace Trevethan (Brenda Blethyn is a cheerful upper-class housewife and gardening enthusiast who is blithefully unaware of business matters. This all changes when she learns that her husband fell from an airplane without a parachute. Her husband's numerous hare-brained schemes at getting rich quick left their accounts in utter ruin. Worse, if she does not raise 300,000 pounds quickly, she might lose her manor. Out of sheer desperation, she turns to her oddball Scottish gardener Matthew (Craig Ferguson), who suggests growing pot. Grace puts her green thumb to work, and in the blink of an eye the greenhouse is converted into the biggest marijuana farm in Cornwall. Soon, word gets out to the not unsympathetic townspeople, including the local doctor -- who is somewhat of a pot enthusiast -- and a horror flick-loving Vicar. Unfortunately, a nervy French drug lord (Tcheky Karyo) also learns of their scheme and soon starts causing trouble. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brenda Blethyn, Craig Ferguson, (more)
