Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)

Director: Declan Lowney
Starring: Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney, Sean Pertwee, Felicity Montagu, Simon Greenall, Nigel Lindsey, Tim Key
Certificate: 15
Genre: Comedy
Awards: None

If you are not familiar with Alan Partridge, this film will most likely look completely rubbish to you. For those of you who have not come across Steve Coogan's most loved character, Alan Partridge is supposed to be rubbish. He's a radio DJ who used to work for the BBC before his programs were cancelled for being too boring.

But Alpha Papa isn't just a replay of Partridge's greatest hits. Some recurring characters are seen (such as Michael the Geordie and Lynn the PA but they're not focused on that much while his catchphrase doesn't appear at all. The film is more interested in new character Pat Farrell (Meaney), the fired North Nofolk DJ who takes the radio station hostage in anger. He won't speak to the police unless it's through Alan.

Alpha Papa is as funny as it's sitcom predecessors with many of the jokes told awkwardly by Partridge. There are a few toilet humour jokes in there but they turn out differently than expected so you can't really take off points for that. Some jokes may seem a bit harsh, but it adds to Partridge's lack of social skills.

If you're not familiar with Partridge, Alpha Papa may seem quite strange. However it's still funny and definitely worth a look. It's my film of the year so far.

*****Brilliant

Jack Reacher (2012)

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Werner Herzog, David Oyelowo, Robert Duvall, Richard Jenkins
Certificate: 12
Genre: Action
Awards: None

There was a bit of a ruckus from Jack Reacher fans when Tom Cruise was announced to play 6 foot 6 Jack Reacher. However for the people who have actually seen it, that argument has died away. This could be a very good franchise for Cruise (but maybe not a successful one if box office numbers continue at this rate).

After five civilians are shot dead in a peaceful city, the evidence all points to an ex-army man with a history of past shootings. Instead of confessing, the man asks for Jack Reacher before being sent into a coma for the rest of the film. When Reacher arrives, he and the man's lawyer Helen (Pike) discover that the evidence pointing a bit too desperately to be believed.

Jack Reacher always seems to be on top of things. He never seems to be troubled or anywhere he can't handle himself and this works both with and against the film. On one hand it seems pretty awesome to see an invincible man with all the answers almost seem to stride through every obstacle while on the other it makes Reacher seem arrogant. He's a know-it-all and unlike John McLane in Die Hard, we don't see him find out these things. We just see him explain it to other characters and so we warm to him less. It also makes the villains not seem like a threat at all.

The action is great with Reacher just smashing and outwitting everybody at every turn while Werner Herzog plays the villain and if he had somehow defeated Reacher in any way he would probably have been seen as really good, but because of Reacher's unstoppable force he becomes more of a Scooby Doo villain.

Overall I like Jack Reacher because it's different. The character reminds me of Riddick in the way he deals with things - especially his last conversation with the villain. I really hope Reacher has a second shot at cinema.

****Good