It’s been 25 years since the diminutive title hero of Ron Howard’s Willow first saved the world from an evil queen; now you can relive the swords-and-sorcery epic on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time.  Warwick Davis (Harry Potter series) stars as an unlikely hero who must rescue an infant destined to overthrow a wicked queen before she can sacrifice the child.  Assisting him in his quest are the roguish swordsman Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), the impaired sorceress Fin Raziel (Patricia Hayes) and two comical creatures known as Brownies (Rick Overton, Kevin Pollak) who are even smaller than Willow himself.  Standing in their way are Princess Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) and the vicious General Kael (Pat Roach) who will do anything to deliver the infant to the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh).

While the remastered edition of Willow on Blu-ray is well worth the purchase, there are sufficient extras to please fans of all ages.  Though there is a lack of a feature commentary option, Howard takes viewers through a variety of deleted scenes as well as a retro making-of featurette.  Davis is also on hand to narrate his own personal video diary he captured during the production and there are a variety of special effects artists who explain the then cutting-edge techniques applied to the film.  Plus, find out what happened to the missing acorn!  Hit the jump for my review of Willow on Blu-ray.

Of all the things Ricky Gervais enjoys doing — acting, directing, writing, taking pictures of himself in the bathtub – annoying his friend Karl Pilkington has got to take top billing.  The first two seasons of An Idiot Abroad were based solely on this idea: sending Karl out into a world that he wants nothing to do with (left to his own desires, he would never have even left Manchester for London).

While most people would salivate at the opportunity to go to the places Ricky sent Karl (though maybe not in the style he went in), Karl has never had any interest in the Seven Wonders or traveling “anywhere you have to get a vaccination to visit.” His unique perspective though, and very real displeasure at some of the things he was asked to do, resonated both emotionally and with humor for viewers.  It’s what Ricky discovered over ten years ago on their London radio show when Karl was just an unknown producer, and has continued to successfully bring to audiences in different mediums (books, podcasts, TV shows).  But has the joke run its course?  Hit the jump for my take on how this third season of the travel series panned out, with its new addition of Warwick Davis.

Fans of HBO’s comedy series Life’s Too Short will be happy to know that they’ll be getting some closure on the Warwick Davis-led show.  The HBO/BBC comedy premiered on HBO last February with a seven episode first season, but executive producers/stars Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have opted to wrap the show up with a special in lieu of commissioning a full second season.  HBO announced at the TCA’s that they have indeed committed to a Life’s Too Short special that will wrap the series up, set to air later this year.  I watched the first couple of episodes of Life’s Too Short, and despite the amusing cameos I was never quite taken with the series.  That said, I’m sure there are plenty of fans that are happy to hear that the show will be given some finality.

Merchant is currently working on a new comedy series for HBO called Hello Ladies, while Gervais recently landed the lead role in The Muppets sequel.  Hit the jump to watch one of the highlights from Life’s Too Short, Johnny Depp’s cameo.

Written in part by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, the swords-and-sorcery fantasy epic, Willow, will be available on Blu-ray for the first time on March 12, 2013. The 25th anniversary release of the film starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley will feature a fully-restored edition along with never-before-seen deleted scenes, Davis’ personal video diary and a “making of” featurette with an introduction by Howard. Hit the jump for the new Blu-ray trailer for Willow and the full press release.

The 1988 Lucasfilm fantasy Willow apparently had aspirations for the small screen as an animated series. We’ll blame the lackluster box office for the failure of the project, but we can still take a look at some concept art that was drafted along the way. Directed by Ron Howard and written by George Lucas, the feature film followed the dwarf-like character Willow (Warwick Davis), barbarian Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and warrior princess Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) as they attempted to protect an infant from the diabolical plans of an evil queen (Jean Marsh). It’s a classic swords-and-sorcery flick with some great moments; it even managed to garner two Academy Award nominations (for Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects). While it’s a shame that I can’t relive the childhood memories of watching an animated Willow on Saturday mornings, these images provide a nice glimpse of what could have been. Hit the jump to check them out.

After finding success with The Office in the UK, not to mention the US adaptation on NBC, writer, director and star Ricky Gervais returns to the mockumentary subgenre with his longtime friend and writing partner Stephen Merchant. However, this time the two British funnymen bring a new face into the comedic world as Life’s Too Short follows an exaggerated version of dwarf actor Warwick Davis, still clinging to his fame from starring in films like Return of the Jedi, Willow and the Harry Potter franchise and struggling to keep his life together as an agent for other dwarf actors and a smug star who might be too big for his britches. For my take on HBO’s new series hit the jump.

While Warwick Davis is a name you might not instantly recognize, I can assure you you’ve seen his work. His career began as the Ewok “Wicket” in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, after which he starred in such films as Labyrinth, Willow, the Leprechaun series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and of course Harry Potter. In the wizarding franchise, Davis played two characters: Professor Flitwick and Griphook. Steve is currently in sunny Orlando at Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the DVD/Blu-ray release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, and he got the chance to sit down with Davis for an extended interview earlier today.

The actor spoke about his impressions of Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, getting recognized in the street, the evolution of make-up effects over the years, what props he’s been able to keep from various films, Bryan Singer’s big-budget Jack the Giant Killer, his hilarious new TV series Life’s Too Short with Ricky Gervais, and of course the lasting legacy of the Harry Potter franchise. Hit the jump to watch the interview.

Last month, we showed you a clip from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant‘s new TV series Life’s Too Short starring Warwick Davis (Harry Potter).  The clip had Johnny Depp lampooning himself by going after Gervais’ hosting of the Golden Globes.  It was pretty funny and it was good to know that someone was looking out for Tim Allen.  This new clip absolutely blows it away.  In the latest clip, Liam Neeson comes in to talk with Gervais and Merchant about expanding into comedy.  Neeson, Gervais, and Merchant use Neeson’s dramatic gravitas to brilliant effect and show that improv, Oscar-nominees, and contracting AIDS from an African prostitute is an odd but hilarious mixture.

Hit the jump to check out the clip.  Life’s Too Short began airing yesterday on BBC Two and will air in the US on HBO next year.

Back in March we learned that the British comedy series Life’s Too Short from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the creators of the UK version of The Office, would feature some great guest stars like Jerry Seinfeld and Johnny Depp alongside series star Warwick Davis (best known for playing Wicket the Ewok and Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter franchise). The series won’t hit HBO until sometime next year (though it will air across the pond before then), but now we have an absolutely hilarious clip of Johnny Depp meeting Ricky Gervais and absolutely tearing him a new one about his jokes during his hosting stint at the Golden Globe awards. Of course, it’s all in good fun as Depp has his fedora handed to him a couple times as well. And if there’s one thing you’ll learn from this clip, is that Depp is quite a big fan of a certain 90′s sitcom star. See the clip from Life’s Too Short after the jump.

Two new featurettes for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 have been released.  One featurette takes a look at the goblins and the heist at Gringotts bank while the other examines the hunt to find the final horcruxes (if you don’t know what a horcrux is, then why do you even care about this movie?).  Be warned: watching these featurettes may cause you physical pain as you realize the film doesn’t come out for another two weeks.

Hit the jump to check out the featurettes.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 opens in 3D on July 15th.

Since his programs like Extras and The Ricky Gervais Show have found a happy home at HBO, it’s no surprise to learn from Deadline that the cable network will also air Life’s Too Short, the new comedy series from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. We first heard about the project back in April of last year which has Warwick Davis playing a fictionalized version of himself as a down and out little person actor trying to hustle and connive his way back into the spotlight. We’ve already heard about guest stars such as Johnny Depp and Jerry Seinfeld , and it sounds like Sting and Steve Carell will also make appearances along with Gervais and Merchant playing themselves in small roles too. The series will first air on BBC Two later this year and will hit HBO sometime in 2012, but you can check out the first trailer for the new series after the jump.

What will I miss most about the Harry Potter franchise?  Probably the 800 posters that accompany every single film.  There have already been seven released for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, but apparently that’s not enough so here are 11 more.  That’s 18 in total and we both know there are more on the way.  Hit the jump to check them out and puzzle over who has the most pained expression (I vote Grint).  The film opens in 3D on July 15th.

Warner Bros. has released a new trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.  There’s really only one word to sum up this trailer, however cliched its use might be: epic. It begins with a warped version of the Harry Potter theme that we’ve all come to know and love, generating some fantastic tension for what’s ahead. Fans of the book will not be disappointed and may let out a shriek or two at some of the memorable moments glimpsed in the trailer. I’m loving the operatic feel that Part 2 looks to embody, and can’t wait to see how David Yates and Co. wrap up the most successful franchise in film history this summer.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Ralph Fiennes.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 opens in 3D on July 15th.

As a fan of comedy from our friends across the pond in the United Kingdom, I pretty much love anything Ricky Gervais delivers from The Office to Extras. Now I’m currently eagerly anticipating another one of his BBC shows hitting HBO with Life’s Too Short, a series which sees Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter franchise and Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi) as an egomaniac dwarf who runs a talent agency for fellow showbiz dwarfs. Gervais and Stephen Merchant (who also crafted the two aforementioned British comedy series) wrote the six episode first season which is described as a cross between Extras and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Now the show is even more enticing with some great guest appearances from some of Hollywood’s biggest names. Deadline reports Gervais is in the midst of working out a schedule with Johnny Depp to have some sort of guest role on the show, and he’s also approached Jerry Seinfeld for a guest spot to play “quite a whiny Upper East Side Jewish guy.” Honestly, this new series can’t come soon enough. While no formal deal is in place yet, the series is expected to hit HBO at some point, so stay tuned for more news on the project coming to the States.

In order to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, eFX Inc. and the 501st TK Project are auctioning off an autographed Star Wars stormtrooper helmet.  The helmet was signed by George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Frank Oz, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Billy Dee Williams, Jeremy Bulloch, and Warwick Davis.  As of this writing, the helmet is currently selling for $5,100 and would be worth far more if Lucas had written on it “Sorry for the prequels.”

Hit the jump to check out the helmet and the press release.  The auction will run until December 24th.