On Demand Weekly

New Movies On Demand for the Week of January 18

District 9

An extraterrestrial race is forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth as refugees but when a government agent is exposed to the secrets of their biotechnology an alliance is quickly formed. Simple yet brilliant - one of the best films of the year.

Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope. R / 112 minutes / Available 01/19

The Invention of Lying

Attention Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant fans, CEMETERY JUNCTION (FilmBuff) is now available on VOD until 10/31/2010. ODW's review will run Wednesday. See the trailer below...

Demand Weekly provides new movie reviews of hot movies and shows on demand from the POV of watching from the comfort of your home. Today’s review: Life's Too Short (HBO).

Life's Too Short
It's not the size that counts

By Jean Tait

I love Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. I thoroughly enjoyed “Idiot Abroad” and “Extras.” Knowing they were creating a show with similarly snarky dwarf actor, Warwick Davis (WILLOW, HARRY POTTER), and some brilliant famous face cameos, and

I knew I’d be getting deadpan Brit humor

at its best!

“Life’s Too Short” is a mockumentary a la “The Office,” and the subject matter is perfect for the genre. Answering the question, “What’s it like to be a (sort of) famous little person?” “Life’s Too Short” follows the day-to-day life and career of Warwick Davis. In order to push the humor, they downplay his most recent accomplishments in the dual roles of Griphook and Professor Filius Flitwick in the Harry Potter movies, to create the impression that he is now down on his luck since his success in the 1980’s of WILLOW and STAR WARS.

Ricky Gervais, Warwick Davis / LIFE'S TOO SHORT (HBO)

This Warwick Davis is a pint-size actor with enough ego and bombast for a Hulk-sized ham. His need for cash (he’s in the midst of a nasty divorce AND he owes back taxes) forces him to get into a number of uncomfortable situations, including being hired so Johnny Depp can observe him as a character study, and acting as a stand-in for a child actor playing opposite Helena Bonham Carter. Depp and Carter are fantastic, as they play “themselves.” Watching Depp meet up with Ricky Gervais (who famously dissed him at the 2011 Golden Globes) is pee-funny! Helena Bonham Carter is an hysterical mess as her discomfort with Davis gets harder and harder for her to hide in each successive take. The crew working to indulge her neuroses ends up putting Davis in a trash bin.

Ricky Gervais, Warwick Davis, Stephen Merchant / LIFE'S TOO SHORT (HBO)