Russell Brand is one of those comedians you either love or hate. And it seems people pay just as much attention to the sordid details of his private life as to his work – in the films he appears in (Get Him to the Greek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) or lends his instantly identifiable whiny voice to (Hop, [...]

The art of keeping up appearances through both lying and telling the truth has been explored in various Hollywood films over time. Strangely enough, Jim Carrey comes to mind – he’s involved himself on both sides (think The Truman Show and Liar Liar). But when one of Hollywood’s newer funny-men introduces himself to the ‘lie’ sub-genre in a film concerning the invention of the lie, it appears to be a fresh idea full of possibilities. Englishman Ricky Gervais is no doubt a witty guy, and while his characters all seem to be immersed in small bubbles he often makes it work. But it’s when the story goes pear-shaped then the character can’t hold it together, and this is the major flaw of The Invention of Lying. It’s comfortable, but not confident in bursting out of its bubble.

Playing on the theme of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future from the Charles Dickens classic ‘A Christmas Carol’, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past replaces an old, miserly man with an attractive guy that doesn’t believe in love. An entertaining and amusing journey ensues as the ghosts attempt to help him change his ways and win the love of his life before it’s too late.