Comments on: How to Lose Friends & Alienate People

By: Thom

Thom — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:38:35 +0000

Katherine-Good point. I had forgotten about that aspect.

You know who I really want to see tackle RomCom? Rob Zombie.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:55:41 +0000

Thom, I hope I’m not spoiling anything by saying that Enchanted did something of what you’re describing.

Katherine, that explains why they were familiar yet so fresh. Thanks!

By: Katherine F.

Katherine F. — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:37:31 +0000

Wright and Pegg have said that Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz were about porting genres that are mostly associated with the US to Britain, so I'm not sure there'd be any point in them making a romantic comedy -- the British film industry is awash with romantic comedies. There's no incongruence in a romantic story taking place in London or Cornwall, whereas a bombastic action flick or a zombie invasion that happens in England is just inherently odd, and therefore humorous.

By: Thom

Thom — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:56:28 +0000

Thanks! I liked parts of Run Fat Boy Run, especially Pegg’s interaction with Dylan Moran and Harish Patel. I confess to always kind of wanting to see a romantic comedy take a sudden diversion where the hero learns that it is okay if he/she does not win the object of affection back and finds peace, and maybe a new romantic opportunity. This is kind of a silly hope, as the whole point of romantic comedies is to ultimately vindicate the lead’s desire.

But I would love to see a Wright/Pegg version of the chick flick (though some would aregue that was Shaun of the Dead). :)

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:18:48 +0000

Good analysis! I don’t think RFBR was a tribute, just a romantic comedy. And I liked it, myself. But now I really want to see Pegg/Wright’s version of the ultimate chick flick, just like Hot Fuzz was the ultimate cop actioner.

By: Thom

Thom — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:40:48 +0000

This is true, though, I think following the conventions was part of the point of Spaced, Shaun and Hot Fuzz. They were love letters to genres of film and television. I loved listening to the commentaries on Spaced where the Americans were praising it’s superiority to American Television…and Wright, Pegg and Hynes all talked about their goal being to do a show that showcased their love for American television and movies.

Near as I could tell, Run Fat Boy Run was not meant to pay tribute to any genre of film, which might have helped it if it had. Sounds like a similar problem with HtLF&AP.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:54:10 +0000

Mmm, interesting observation. I think most of what I’ve seen him in (Shaun, Spaced, Hot Fuzz) has been very conventional in structure underneath — it’s just that the trappings are so unusual that they seem more out there.

By: Thom

Thom — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:45:59 +0000

Oh, certainly, I did not mean to suggest he should only work with Edgar Wright. And if he was merely supporting cast, I think I would be less bothered with the choices-an actor has to work, and plenty of good actors will appear in a great film, and then appear in some weak comedy later the same year and so on. I think what got me with Run Fat Boy Run, was simply that Pegg helped with the script and it still felt like a first time screen writer following all the conventional rules.

I agree, I am very curious to see him as Scotty (I really like the new Star Trek’s casting choices).

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:03:14 +0000

You can only stay a cult artist, working with only one director, for so long. You have to branch out in order to be seen as more than a one-trick pony. I’m curious to see how his work in the Star Trek remake is received.

By: Thom

Thom — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:46:39 +0000

Wow. It is frustrating to see Pegg picking these roles after Hot Fuzz and Shawn of the Dead. I watched Run Fat Boy Run last week. And man, what a cliched mess, at no point did I get surprises like his prior work in HF, SotD or Spaced.

Between that and this, I want to know who is recommending these choices to Pegg.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:39:07 +0000

After getting out of the groove and being overcome by stress, I found movies easier to write about to ease myself back into the habit, for some reason. I have a bunch of comic reviews coming now, though.

Rich, I doubt the book would overcome one of my key problems with the material: I don’t want to spend any time with the jerk central character.

By: Rich Johnston

Rich Johnston — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:19:28 +0000

You know how people can be boring saying “Read the book, it’s sooooo much better than the movie”?

How To Lose Friends is probably the greatest example of that of late. The book is fantastic. The film is pedestrian.
Try the book. The film shouldn’t spoil it for you.

By: Rivkah

Rivkah — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:35:09 +0000

Not to complain, but what’s with all the movies lately? There seems to have been a barrage of movie reviews over comics this week.

By: David Oakes

David Oakes — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:43:16 +0000

Disdain and self-loathing made only partly bearable through brief glimpses of marginally famous people?

It would seem to capture the Vanity Fair experience perfectly.