My Cart - In the Loop (2009)
In the Loop is the big screen adaptation of Armando Ianucci’s enormously successful political satire The Thick of It. The film features a number of actors who starred in The Thick of It, but this time playing different characters. However, Peter Capaldi reprises his role as the Prime Minister’s chief spin-doctor, the formidably verbose Malcolm Tucker, famed for bombastically administering oral bludgeonings to all and sundry.
The film moves away from the Westminster-centric politics of The Thick of It, and instead viciously satirises the build-up to 2003 Invasion of Iraq, with a great deal of the action taking place in Washington.
After the hapless Simon Foster, the Secretary of State for International Development, accidently endorses an armed conflict in a routine interview, he finds himself in the centre of a very hot political soup which he very clumsily tries to squirm his way out of. With some very sharp and well written dialogue, particularly from Tucker’s indiscriminate verbal eviscerations, this is an extremely funny, albeit rather close to the bone, satire of modern international politics.
Furthermore, In the Loop also features a very amusing cameo from Steve Coogan playing a man who’s rather upset about a garden wall.
Sightseers (2012)
This little gem of severely black comedy was released to relatively little fanfare, which is a shame because it’s extremely funny, extremely well made and extremely British. Sightseers could easily be summarised as ‘brummy Bonnie & Clyde go on a caravanning holiday’. Twisting the seemingly mundane into the darkly surreal, the film stars Steve Oram and Alice Lowe as the loved-up couple who manage to perfectly capture the quiet insanity of a seemingly boring couple who develop a murderous streak.
This film does not take itself too seriously, and you may experience a few guilty laughs at some of the rather cartoonish deaths. It’s not clear where the film is heading, thanks to the dynamic of the relationship between Chris and Tina, which is actually one of Sightseer’s strengths, as it keeps the viewer intrigued. We’d advise not watching the trailer as it gives a little too much away and ruins the ending somewhat.
If you prefer your comedy with somewhat of a nasty streak, then Sightseers is for you.
Alpha Papa (2013)
The highly anticipated big screen debut of Alan Partridge, Steve Coogan’s grotesquely self-absorbed, socially inept and incompetent TV presenter turned local radio host, was talked about for many years before it reached the production phase. Mercifully, the film kept the action firmly in Norfolk, Alan’s hometown, rather than transposing him to America, as many feared would happen. There was speculation that the film might turn out to be ‘Alan goes to Hollywood’, which would have been a serious and inappropriate departure for Coogan’s best loved character.
There was a collective sigh of relief from Partridge fans upon release of the film, as it lived up to its hype, fulfilling and exceeding many expectations. Alan’s career at North Norfolk Digital is under threat after the station is bought out and rebranded by a media giant, eager to broaden the station’s appeal. Things take a turn for the worst as Alan finds himself in the middle of a hostage situation after a disgruntled DJ, laid off by the station’s new owners, seeks to take his revenge. Ever the small-minded hypocrite that audiences have grown to love, Alan, the personification of everything that is mean and petty about British life, deals with the situation with all the tact and delicacy you’d expect, clumsily attempting to use the ensuing media circus to boost his own profile.
If you’re already a fan of Alan Partridge, then you’ll know what to expect, but that doesn’t mean the film is predictable. The character is the same, but the situation is radically different from Alan’s typically mundane adventures. Breathing some new life into a popular British comedy character that had been notable by his absence for some years now, the film will even manage to raise plenty of laughs from people who aren’t Partridge aficionados and should be seen by all British comedy fans.
Do not forget to browse our website to see our current selection of cheap TVs, as we stock plenty of models from leading brands at great prices. With all the films we’ve mentioned in this article available to watch in HD on Blu-ray, you’ll want a top of the line TV with an excellent picture to make the most of your viewing experience. Contact us today or call us on 0121 327 3273 for more information about the TVs we have in stock.
