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I am a reviewer of films and television at Spryfilm.com and I upload stories to thisissouthtaranaki.com.
  • DVD/Blu-ray review: “The Hollow Crown” (2012)

    DVD/Blu-ray review: “The Hollow Crown” (2012)

    “The Hollow Crown” (2012)

    Historial Drama

    5stars_small

    Running Time: 528 minutes

    Directed by: Rupert Goold, Richard Eyre, Thea Sharrock and Dominic Cooke

    Featuring: Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons and Tom Hiddleston

    This television show is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s second historical tetralogy, the Henriad: Richard II, Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II and Henry V.

    The first series, which aired in the United Kingdom in 2012, were unanimously hailed as a success with Ben Whishaw and Simon Russell Beale winning BAFTA’s for Leading actor and Supporting actor for their performances, Jeremy Irons was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Actor for his role as Henry IV. The first episode, Richard II, was nominated for the Best Single Drama at the BAFTAs.

    Below are the technical details followed by a short write up about the entire season.

    Richard II
    (148 minutes)

    Adapted and Directed by Rupert Goold

    Featuring: Ben Whishaw (King Richard), Rory Kinnear (Henry Bolingbroke), James Purefoy (Thomas Mowbray), Patrick Stewart (John of Gaunt) and David Morrissey (Northumberland)

    Henry IV Part I
    (120 minutes)

    Directed and adapted by Richard Eyre.

    WITH:Tom Hiddleston (Prince Hal), Jeremy Irons (King Henry), Julie Walters (Mistress Quickly), Simon Russell Beale (Falstaff), Joe Armstrong (Hotspur), Alun Armstrong (Northumberland), David Hayman (Worcester) and Michelle Dockery (Kate Percy)

    Henry IV Part II
    (121 minutes)

    Directed and adapted by Mr. Eyre.

    WITH: Mr. Hiddleston (Prince Hal), Mr. Irons (King Henry), Ms. Walters (Mistress Quickly), Mr. Beale (Falstaff), Alun Armstrong (Northumberland), Geoffrey Palmer (Lord Chief Justice), Ms. Dockery (Kate Percy) and Maxine Peake (Doll Tearsheet)

    Henry V
    (139 minutes)

    Directed by Thea Sharrock; adapted by Mr. Power.

    WITH: Jérémie Covillault (French Ambassador), Anton Lesser (Exeter), Paterson Joseph (York), John Hurt (Chorus) and Lambert Wilson (French King)

    The Hollow Crown is something unique for television in that it gives its audience three amazing performances by three actors arguably not only at the top of their game but also as popular as any actors have been in Ben Whishaw (King Richard), Tom Hiddleston (Prince Hal) and Jeremy Irons (King Henry) – true lead performances in the plays of the Henriad, the epic trilogy that tells the story of the opening salvos of the Wars Of The Roses.

    The Hollow Crown is a triumph for television particularly because it is extremely dense and complicated so the dramatists and directors need to be commended for the way this series has turned out, and of course the sequel.  Henry IV is split into two parts; onscreen, it clocks in at four-and-a-half hours of solid Shakespeare. Richard II is left mostly intact, save some editing down, while Henry IV and V are rearranged so that some scenes can happen before others, or even simultaneously.

    The way each play flows in “The Hollow Crown” means that actors can play the same roles throughout the four hour running time. We see for example, Simon Russell Beale and Tom Hiddleston at the opening scene of “Henry IV, Part I” to the end of “Henry V”. The great Sam Mendes is the producer on all three plays so there is a common thread that is kept a hold of, and this is done extremely well. In doing this it has meant that Mendes has employed very different directors on each seperate instalment, meaning that visually the palette and mis-en-scene change markedly throughout.

    Of the three, my and i think many peoples favourite is the always intriguing “Richard II”, Ben Wishaw overcomes some very real shortcomings by the director to deliver probably the best performance of the entire series – as stated he delivers an award winning performance. Rory Kinnear, as Wishaws antagonist is equally brilliant and it is a performance that has been promoted for years, of course an actors best performance should be in response to the Bards work.

    The other breakout of The Hollow Crown is Tom Hiddleston, who, like Whishaw, takes his role by storm. He’s given a trickier character to play—less nuanced, and yet truly confounding. In Prince Hal, Shakespeare presents a story of total transformation, told so obliquely as to be almost invisible. Hiddleston doesn’t leap of the screen in the role, but that’s precisely because he’s not supposed to. Instead, the actor presents the true grandeur of his character—his baffling commoner’s spirit, combined with his regal majesty.

    Massive casts – including  Jeremy Irons, Michelle Dockery, Patrick Stewart, and John Hurt – and endless dialogue could be a distraction to “The Hollow Crown”, however because each director brings their own look as well as spark, they spread out each actors input mixing it expertly with all the other tools in their quiver – of course it is to Shakespeare himself that the kudos go to with timeless narratives that would not be out of place in our world, or stolen from him to be put into other narratives that have come into being on other networks.

    This is highly recommended and don’t be surprised if you end up rewatching with others or by yourself on these long winter nights.

    Out now on DVD & Blu-ray.

  • DVD/Blu-ray review: “Cube: 20th Anniversary Special Edition” (1997)

    DVD/Blu-ray review: “Cube: 20th Anniversary Special Edition” (1997)

    “Cube: 20th Anniversary Special Edition” (1997)

    Science Fiction/Thriller

    3-stars

    Running Time: 90 minutes

    Written & Directed by: Vincenzo Natali

    Featuring: Maurice Dean Wint, Nicole de Boer, Nicky Guadagni, David Hewlett, Andrew Miller, Wayne Robson

    Rennes: “No more talking. No more guessing. Don’t even think about nothing that’s not right in front of you. That’s the real challenge. You’ve gotta save yourselves from yourselves.”

    In 1997 a low budget Canadian film by second time director Vincenzo Natali called “Cube” (1997), a genre film that was filled with genre actors. As with many directors that rely on a low budget Natali produced a genre film that was part horror, part science fiction as well as having a heavy element of Kafkaesque conspiracy thriller where there seems to be no rhyme or reason behind the situation the protagonists find themselves in which then means there is little need for a ton of exposition. Basically people are captured and put into a cube within a cube, they then have to try and escape. The brilliant part of the movie is that fact that each room is (within the film) designed individually with specific traps that are aimed to kill the inhabitants of the Cube before they can escape.

    Five people – Quentin, Worth, Holloway, Rennes, and Leaven – wake up in a room. None of them knows where they are or how they got there. Quentin informs the others that there is more than one room and that some rooms contain traps, which he learned by nearly being killed by one. Rennes assumes each trap is triggered by a motion detector and tests each room by throwing one of his boots in first. Leaven notices numbers inscribed in the passageways between rooms. Quentin recognizes Rennes as “the Wren”, an escape artist renowned for getting out of jails. After declaring one room trap-free, Rennes enters and is killed when he is sprayed with acid. The others realize that there are different kinds of detectors, and Quentin deduces that this trap was triggered by heat.

    Quentin believes each person has a reason for being there. Leaven is a mathematics student, Holloway a physician and conspiracy theorist, and the surly Worth declines to talk about himself. Leaven hypothesizes that any room marked with a prime number is a trap. They find a mentally challenged man named Kazan, whom Holloway insists they bring along. When Quentin nearly dies in a room deemed safe by Leaven’s calculations, tensions rise due to personality conflicts and lack of faith in Leaven’s system.

    Genre films are filled with stories of people trapped in a room or other space for whatever reason, either to solve a problem, escape or any other reason a writer may come up with. One of the earliest and greatest trapped in a room films is the Alfred Hitchcock thriller “Rope” (1948), which had another gimmick, it was supposed to look like a one take and done film – of course it isn’t, now its pretty easy to see where the cuts are. What Natali has done which is kind of unique, is to reduce the elements of the story to escape, thereby eradicating the questions who, why and what – it becomes pretty clear that these people need to get out – everything else becomes secondary – ultimately even their relationships with one another becomes expendable.

    Even though we follow the characters from room to room, we are essentially in the same room for a majority of the film, we need to establish the leaders and followers, as well as the power dynamics within this new world the varied characters now inhabit. Of course this changes over the course of the film, it is done so quite believably as well as subtlety thanks to a very good screenplay as well as excellent character actors who make this film somewhat believable.

    This film worked well in 1997, as well as still being an excellent watch now for a number of reasons, the room (actually rooms in the film), the different set-ups, traps as well as varying color schemes are some of the main reasons. On a small budget invention is one of the most important aspects of filmmaking particularly in genre movies, so a big debt of gratitude has to be laid at the feet of not only Natali but also the production designer Jasna Stefanovic, who has gone on to have a good career but it is here where a reputation is made.

    Of course when you have a film that essentially takes place in one room with the same actors on-screen for most of the film you had better cast well, which this was, with Canadian character actors Maurice Dean Wint, Nicole de Boer, and David Hewlett. All three of these actors had and have continued to have a lot of experience in television, especially genre television. Nicole de Boer went on to have a major role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 – 1999) as well as the terrific “Dead Zone” (2002 – 2007), David Hewlett who is a great comic actor, went on to play a major part in the television version of the ongoing “Stargate” universe.

    One of the great effects of this film was that post-1997 the trapped in a room film became a sub-genre of other genres, not just horror films but thrillers, science fiction as well as the drama movie. Most if not all are poor imitations of “Cube”.

    If you have never seen this film, or do not own it, you should go out and buy this now, it is a fantastic film as well as a great example of genre film-making from a director who should have had a bigger career than he has so far. What is amusing is that this film spawned two more sequels, “Cube²: Hypercube” (2002) and “Cube Zero” (2004) which while acceptable do something unforgivable, try and give answers to questions that should never be asked.

    “Cube: 20th Anniversary Special Edition” is out now on DVD & Blu-ray.

    Special Features:

    Audio commentary with co-writer/director Vincenzo Natali, co-writer Andrea Bijelic and actor David Hewlitt

    Interview with actress Nicole de Boer

    Storyboard Sequences

  • Film review: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2” (2017)

    Film review: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2” (2017)

    “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2” (2017)

    Sci-Fi/Fantasy

    images

    Running Time: 136 minutes

    Written & Directed by: James Gunn

    Featuring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell

    Baby Groot: I am Groot. 

    Yondu: What’s that? 

    Rocket: He says, “Welcome to the frickin’ Guardians of the Galaxy!” Only he didn’t use “frickin’”.

    Three years after the success of “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) hit cinemas comes its obvious follow-up “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2” (2017), written and directed by the latest geek king James Gunn (now that Joss Whedon has been pushed aside) – this is not only a sequel but part of the overall now infamous Marvel Cinematic Universe that began in 2008 with the Jon Favreau directed “Iron Man” (2008), at the time making a star out of Robert Downey Jnr., and pushing Favreau onto the A-List of Hollywood directors.

    At the time the original movie was seen as a huge gamble for Marvel as literally nobody outside of comic fans had even heard of this team of misfits, let alone knew any of the individual characters – absolutely none of the previous Marvel films had mentioned any of the characters so this was an unknown quantity at all levels. That film ended up being one of their more original movies, and as a first in a possible mini-franchise it was super successful making US$770 million worldwide. Plus, it was a critical success with film critics and most importantly, fans alike. This was also the movie that made a superstar out of Chris Pratt who has been a great character in television’s “Parks and Recreation” (2009 – 2015), but it was “Guardians of the Galaxy” that showed him as a dramatic, comedic, and action orientated actor – not to forget the dancing. The question now is, can the sequel not only match the first films success but can it be its own movie while upping the stakes as well as feeding into the wider Marvel Universe and those pesky Infinity Gems.

    The Guardians of the Galaxy – Peter “Star-Lord” Quill, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Baby Groot – accept a job from the Sovereign, to defend valuable batteries from an interdimensional monster in exchange for Nebula, a wanted criminal and Gamora’s sister, whom the Sovereign captured. But despite Star Lord’s word, Rocket steals several of the batteries. When the Sovereign discover this, they accuse the Guardians of betrayal and attack the Guardians’ ship, with their own fleet of drones. The Milano is heavily damaged and forced to crash-land on a nearby planet, but the Sovereign fleet is single-handedly destroyed by Ego (Kurt Russell), who reveals himself as Quill’s father. Ego invites Quill to return to his home, accompanied by Gamora and Drax. Rocket and Groot remain to repair the Milano and guard Nebula.

    The film actually has quite a dense plot for a Marvel film, much more layered than the previous film. The themes of patriarchy as well as familial relationships are explored in quite some detail, which leads to long breaks in the action. One of the best elements of the original film was its adherence to the action film trop, that is the plot as well as the narrative is always moving forward with any exposition being given within scenes of action. However, this slows the pace of the film down dramatically as well as adding to the long running time of the movie itself. I may be in the minority but I believe this might be a positive for the film as it deepens the characters as well as setting up a more streamlined,lined third film which can not only a positive for this franchise.

    Like the recent sequel “The Fate of the Furious” (2017) one of the ways a franchise can top itself is to bring in a new raft of actors to play characters that are at some point familiar, but also add to the general mayhem of the plot. In this case the film has added one of the more iconic actors of the past five decades who once cast brings many of his previous roles as baggage (good baggage in this case), the always great (and I mean that) Kurt Russell, as Ego The Living Planet – yes you read that correct, Russell is playing the human embodiment of a sentient planet – also Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) father. In other casting we see Sylvester Stallone, Miley Cyrus and up and comer Elizabeth Debicki as the high priestess of the Sovereign as well as a possible instigator of the next movie.

    The other element that “Guardians of the Galaxy” has in common with “The Fate of the Furious” is an element that appeals to audiences as its something most people can either relate to or would like to relate to, that is the idea of family whether that mean blood relations or something you might feel with the closest if friends – trust and clarity. Whilst some people see a similarity with the “Star Wars” (1977 – present) films, a kind of space opera, I see more of the Roger Corman produced “Battle Beyond the Stars” (1980). That movie became all about misfits thrown together to work towards some common goal and this is what the disparate characters are asked to do here. While the foundation for the “Guardians” family was laid out in the first film, it is expanded again with the addition of Yondu (the scene stealing Michael Rooker) as well as Nebula (Karen Gillan). These two who were antagonists in the first film become somewhat trusted allies to the main cast in this outing – they are both brilliant comedic actors who shine here in expanded roles.

    Of course a film like this requires a strong leader at the helm, James Gunn as co-writer as well as director holds this movie together with sheer will and talent. Over the course of Gunn’s career which to this point has been “Slither” (2006), “Super” (2010) and then “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) which have not only been films about family but have also had rather large casts that required a delicate balancing act so that no one felt underserved. This is something that should not be under estimated as a talent for a director, particularly with one that is so relatively inexperienced, as there is much pressure on a movie like this when there is so much money at stake, as well as a film in a much larger environment. Gunn is growing as a talent in front of our eyes, Marvel Studios has trusted him to deliver a movie that is quite different from the first, that is a very good thing.

    The action as well as the environments that have been created for this film are as you would expect incredible, we are seeing corners of the Marvel Universe that have so far been untouched, even including the first film. The mythology of the Marvel Universe is growing at an incredible rate, it will need to continue with the upcoming Avengers films in the next few years. If you are a comic fan or have read these particular titles you will get a huge kick out of what Gunn has accomplished. The biggest leap was to include Ego The Living Planet as even on paper from the 1970s it was a bit of a stretch but the casting of Kurt Russell is inspired and again something repeated from “The Fate of the Furious” as well as “Furious 7” (2015).

    One word of warning there are indeed five stingers throughout the closing credits of this film which you should stay for as most are for comic relief but also hint to something wider. Another tip is to keep your eyes peeled for some guest appearances from other cosmic characters – I will not spoil their appearance but lets just say you should ‘watch’ out for them.

    This movie is as good as the first in the franchise, not only that this fits in well woth the overarching MCU, with all the previous movies and those to follow. This is a spectacle of a movie with a plot that holds together within the generic narrative. We have come to expect humor from these movies and that is a major part of this movies success with Rocket (hilariously played by Bradley Cooper) as well as his sidekick Groot (Vin Diesel) once again making a play for the best charter in the MCU. Go and see now, and then see it again!

    This movie is in New Zealand cinemas now.

  • Film review: “Get Out” (2017)

    Film review: “Get Out” (2017)

    “Get Out” (2017)

    Drama/Horror

    5stars_small

    Running Time: 104 minutes

    Written & Directed by: Jordan Peele

    Featuring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root and Catherine Keener

    Rod Williams (Talking to Detectives): “Then he sent me some weird pictures… I’m like all man that’s Andre Hayworth… this dude been missing for 6 months.Right? So I do all my research you know cause as a TSA agent… you know, you guys are detectives, you know, I got the same training. We might know more than y’all sometimes, you know cause we are dealing with some terrorist sh_t, so… but that’s a totally different story. So look I, I go do my… my detective work, right? And I start putting pieces together. And see this is what I came up with. Their probably abducting black people, brain washing them and making them slaves. Or sex slaves. not just regular slaves, but sex slaves and sh_t. See? I don’t know if it’s the hypnosis that’s making em slaves or wot not, but all I know is they already got two brothas we know and there could be a whole bunch of brothas they got already. What’s the next move?”

    Talk about great debut films, Jordan Peele has written, produced and directed one of the great films of 2017, which is saying something as we have had some very good releases this year already. What, for me, is fantastic is that this is a good old fashioned genre film that exudes many of the specific tropes that make this genre, horror, one of the best ways to not only view society but to physically see the choices people make in their lives to ether help or hinder others. Peele was half of the great US sketch comedy duo “Key & Peele” (2012 – 2015) along with Keegan Michael-Key who after their big screen movie, the excellent comedy “Keanu” (2016) (which Peele co-wrote) have gone their own way, each doing very different things. Keegan Michael-Key seems to have decided to appear in a variety of films in some roles that are a departure from what we are used to. On the other hand Jordan Peele basically seems to have poured himself into making “Get Out” which means he has been onscreen infrequently – but this has paid huge dividends as he has created something truly riveting as well as special. This is indeed a commentary on race in the post-Obama America, now that there is an open racist in the White House.

    “Get Out” is based around African-American Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), and his white girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) who decide to take a weekend trip to meet Rose’s parents, neurosurgeon Dean (Bradley Whitford) and psychiatrist/hypnotherapist Missy (Catherine Keener), and her brother Jeremy (Caleb Landry Jones). Chris is disturbed by what he perceives as strange behavior from the black groundskeeper and housekeeper, Walter and Georgina, and that night, is invited by Missy to talk about his mother, who died in a hit and run when he was eleven. As they talk, Missy hypnotizes Chris into a paralytic state with the tap of her spoon to her tea cup, sending his consciousness into a void that Missy calls “the sunken place”. Chris wakes up in bed the next morning and initially believes that the encounter was just a nightmare, but later realizes that Missy has hypnotized him to quit smoking.

    This film has made a star out of Jordan Peele as well as leading man Daniel Kaluuya, an English import who has been playing supporting roles in a variety of films. His last major role was in the well-received “Sicario” (2015) where he was Emily Blunt’s characters partner, who was the wise head amongst a bunch of emotionally charged characters. In his first real supporting role not only is he great but the material he has been given is nothing short of excellent.

    Peele has written a screenplay that reflects a post-Obama America where the white privilege that existed prior to Obama being elected the first black President has given way to a new right that has started to infect the American dream. When we first encounter Chris Washington (great last name) with his girlfriend, they are the very example of a new America, a black man and white woman having a relationship that seems great on all levels, socially, sexually as well as politically. As we move through the film their relationship seems out of step as they move closer to Rose’s parents home. It’s a sad and sudden shock for Chris to see how Rose’s parents live as well as the kind of opulence they live in with what seems like a maid and gardener – both black and seem out of another America. As the film progresses things get suddenly weird for him as we have what seems like a slip back to how slaves were dealt with in earlier times – it is a sudden and eerie thing to be in the middle of what ostensibly is a horror film, then to be thrust into a story that becomes only about race, culture, political correctness as well as what it means to be non-white in Western Society.

    As with all my reviews I am not going to give away any spoilers but this is a horror film with hints of comedy, drama and pastiche, with all these adding up to be more than the sum of their parts.

    The cast is rounded out with actors of such high caliber that not only do they have the tools to incorporate many different emotions, but also they can seamlessly disappear into their roles so that there is only each other to play off. So we have Allison Williams as Rose Armitage who offers the right amount of pathos as well as creepiness, Bradley Whitford as Dean Armitage the patriarch who also acts like an odd Archie Bunker with a PhD., Caleb Landry Jones, as Jeremy Armitage brother and so who is off the rails from his introduction and finally  the amazing Catherine Keener as matriarch Missy Armitage who has the ability to ‘prep’ the guests.

    As with many genre movies most of the antagonists are playing with duality, particularly in how they respond to the protagonist, Chris, who is unaware of any possible danger until it is too late. Much like the early days of the US where the economy was built on the backs of African Americans the way the Rose’s operate in their own ‘economy’ is similar. What Peele has done is to transplant all of the horrific practices from two hundred years ago and bring these into the present with truly horrific results.

    In the Us African Americans make up a major audience for horror films, but seldom are they ‘seen’ in these movies, particularly as the protagonist – if anything the characters that they play are for onscreen deaths or hyper stylised reflections of the popular media – how many African American jocks can be seen in any genre – not only that they are amped to the nth degree. What Peele has done is give us a ‘realistic’ view of a real African American charater, it is one of the reasons why the movie is called “Get Out”.

    This is a game changer of a film and has to be seen to be believed. “Get Out” works on many levels as all great films do. On one hand this is a competent debut from a writer/producer/director who has not shown this amount of talent prior to the release of his film. On the other hand this is a great horror film with a variety of comments on social norms as well as how segments of society trat and feel about other segments. I recommend this highly.

    “Get Out” is released this week in New Zealand cinemas.

  • Film Review: “Going in Style” (2017)

    Film Review: “Going in Style” (2017)

    “Going in Style” (2017)

    Drama/Comedy

    3-stars

    Running Time: 97 minutes

    Written by: Theodore Melfi

    Directed by:  Zach Braff

    Featuring: Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Joey King, Matt Dillon, Christopher Lloyd and Ann-Margret

    Joe: “These banks practically destroyed this country. They crushed a lot of people’s dreams, and nothing ever happened to them. We three old guys, we hit a bank. We get away with it, we retire in dignity. Worst comes to the worst, we get caught, we get a bed, three meals a day, and better health care than we got now.”

    It may be difficult for some to remember but director Zach Braff, star of the now defunct television show “Scrubs” (2001 – 2008), was once the bright light of independent cinema with his first film the always re-watchable “Garden State” (2004). Then came the extremely underwhelming “Wish I was Here” (2014) which showed he may not be up to the task of holding a story together – now comes his third feature “Going in Style” (2017), what seems like a copy of recent “old man” movies, like “Last Vegas” (2013), “Old Dogs” (2009), “Wild Hogs” (2007) and many many more. These simple films seem like the place where old A list actors go when original roles have dried up. What is unique about this film however is that the three principles Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin are still appearing in A list movies for A list directors, which indicates that this may have more to it than those previously mentioned movies. Spoiler warning: It does not.

    This film is based around three characters Joe, Willie and Al who are senior citizens and lifelong friends. During an unpleasant appointment at the bank, Joe is one of the victims to witness a robbery in progress carried out by three individuals wearing black gas-like masks. When the company they worked for is bought out, their pensions become a casualty of the restructuring. Joe is hit particularly hard and finds out that he, his daughter and granddaughter will be homeless in less than 30 days. Willie finds out he’s gravely ill from kidney failure and needs a transplant. Willie’s frustrated because his financial situation forces him into a long-distance relationship with his daughter and granddaughter. Desperate, the three friends decide to rob the bank that holds their pension funds and take back what is rightfully theirs.

    The film, on the surface, has some nice pedigree with the cast being great (the three main actors all being Oscar winners), as well as being written by Theodore Melfi who is hot of an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for the excellent and massive hit “Hidden Figures” (2016). Melfi was also nominated as a producer for the Oscar for Best Picture for the same film. From that recent success you may infer that this film will be a drama with a big dose of hunour, particularly seeing the cast and what they are capable of. There is no doubt Melfi knows how to write while giving a big dose of dramatic realism with that promised humor, I just wonder if at some point he was attached to direct, as I find he is an extremely good director of his own material. The writer in his short career has proved himself not only a very good director of the elements of his own writing, but also of actors both male, female, legends and ingénues. To me this is what is missing – his deft hand.

    Braff on the other hand while an able comedy actor, which he has proved in his television show, is not able to come to terms with the material, as well the amazing cast. This film should have come off more like “Wild Hogs” which was a great comedy with an amazing cast, but also cut across the lines of what it is to be a little older as well as being a little uncool than everyone else – but illustrates through visuals what is unique about that. What this movie does is take three older guys, forcing them to be something they are not, while making them smarmy as well as a little unlikeable – that’s where subtly is – these three actors don’t need to prove themselves – they are legends. There is also an over abundance for almost every character to remind the audience that these guys are old – I’m not blind, I can see they are old.

    The build up to the end of the film to the heist that takes place feels mostly tedious, although there are some laughs to be had. It also seems to me that there were a lot of scenes left on the cutting room floor, there are some abrupt cuts, as well as jumps in the story that make little sense – with some characters having a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn in their personality and motivation. The internal logic of the film makes little sense, as does the day to day running of retirement, banks as well as bank staff. The movie makes some serious comments about the economy but on a basis that makes little sense to anything reflected in the real world – such a missed opportunity – a better director may have been able to link these together.

    The movie actually has some scary Trumpian logic to it – if that is a thing – and not an oxymoron. In the movie an American owned steel plant is closing shifting jobs overseas, not only that but the pensions that these people have worked for will cease, on top of that there is a ham fisted coincidence that the guys bank is going to carve these up. What I could see happening (and what hasn’t happened yet) is the new President saying, “See… this is what’s happening – this isn’t a fictional event it’s a documentary.” Be careful what message is being sent to audiences as this is what Fuhrer Trump warned us about. This is a sad indictment of the Melfi script, a good example of why he may have been better to direct.

    Anyway letting go of the plot holes, as well the vague aimless politics, I would say that if you want a nice afternoon at the movies with some laughs, a heist film where its fun and games, then head along to this, you could do worse.

    Out now at the movies.

  • DVD/Blu-ray Review: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (2016)

    DVD/Blu-ray Review: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (2016)

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (2016)

    images

    Fantasy

    Running Time: 133 minutes

    Director: David Yates

    Featuring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Carmen Ejogo and Colin Farrell

    Percival Graves: “You’re an interesting man, Mr. Scamander. Just like your suitcase, I think there’s more to you than meets the eye. Kicked out of Hogwarts for endangering human life with a beast, yet one of your teachers argued strongly against your expulsion. I wonder… what makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you, Mr. Scamander?”

    The latest film from the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise,  “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (2016), has recently been released to the home market, maybe surprisingly it is a home run for the first original script by J.K. Rowling as well as a welcome return to form for David Yates after the uneven “The Legend of Tarzan” (2016). There is a tendency for films once released at the theatres like this one to not have a great shelf life in the secondary market but this is such a good start to new planned series of films that it definitely bears re-watching.

    The film starts its journey in 1926, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York, carrying a mysterious suitcase that is home to dozens of magical creatures that he has saved from around the world.

    In the streets of New York, he comes across Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) preaching about the existence of witches and other magical people. While Newt listens to Mary Lou, a Niffler, a small furry creature attracted to precious metals and gems, escapes from his suitcase and runs into a bank. Newt chases after it, causing mayhem everywhere and inadvertently dragging along a “No-Maj” (American Muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), a World War I veteran and canning factory worker who is at the bank seeking a loan for a bakery. After retrieving the Niffler from the bank vault, Newt takes Jacob outside and prepares to obligate (wipe his mind) him, but Jacob strikes him with the suitcase and escapes. Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), a demoted auror, arrests Newt and takes him to Seraphina Picquery, the president of MACUSA (the Magical Congress of the United States of America), who dismisses them as unimportant.

    From here the plot moves along at a real place, we are introduced to many characters and a huge back-story, the real issues of the film start to form around Newt, Tina and Jacob and they become part of a larger narrative – much bigger than what resides in the mysterious suitcase. The film is a prequel (of sorts) and so we hear familiar terms and names muggle, Hogwarts and Dumbledore, you cannot help but smile when these subjects are talked about – it is actually quite refreshing to make the link from this film to the Harry Potter series. But, make no mistake about it, this film and the ones to follow are not about children but adults, in a much larger world that is going to be overtaken by a very real fascist and a war that will reshape their environments.

    As usual for these films there are plenty of great actors involved, and they all know their place in supporting Eddie Redmayne as Newt, such as Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Carmen Ejogo and Colin Farrell. But my personal favorites are the scene stealing Dan Fogler as Newts new friend Jacob, and Alison Sudol as Queenie, Tina’s roommate, who happens to have a thing for Jacob and has her own unique magical powers. They are both revelations in their roles and I found them both to be most interesting and I can only hope they will somehow return for the sequels.

    This film is once again directed by David Yates, fresh of the very average “The Legend of Tarzan” (2016) and returns to the world he knows so well, maybe even better than Potter author and screenwriter here J.K.Rowling, in a cinematic sense anyway – after all Yates has directed the four most successful Potter movies and will return for four more Fantastic Beasts sequels.

    This first film has a few differences to the original films, it is set in New York in a mostly human world and there are few children in sight. And in this story even when children do appear humans are using them. There are many parallels between the Salem Witch Trials and in a possible coming Fascist state, there is indeed war brewing not only between the humans, but also the magic states that exist in this world.

    I, without hestiation, recommend this film to all, but particularly to adults as well as children – there is none of the heavy adolescent angst that permeates the other Harry Potter films and that is a welcome relief.

    Out now on DVD & Blu-ray.

  • DVD/Blu-ray Review: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

    DVD/Blu-ray Review: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

    “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

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    Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller

    Running Time: 132 minutes

    Directed by: Gareth Edwards

    Featuring: Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelson, Ben Mendelsohn, Forrest Whittaker, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen

    Mon Mothma: “On your own from the age of fifteen; reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined.”

    Jyn Erso: “This is a rebellion, isn’t it? I rebel.”

    The proof was in the pudding, after just three months the latest and first Star Wars spin-off movie has arrived, it ended up being one of the movies of 2016. Like all the previous  films this too has an amazing cast and takes place before the now classic “Star Wars” (1977), and its on par with “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980).

    “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016) is primarily set around petty criminal Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is pressed into service by the Rebel Alliance when word is leaked in regards to an Imperial weapon of mass destruction – one designed in part by her father, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen). It soon becomes apparent exactly what they are up against, and a team of misfits led by Jyn and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) races against time to obtain the means necessary to defeat this battle station.

    Their primary obstacle is the full might of the Imperial forces, represented in the form of ladder-climbing douche-weasel Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). The Death Star is his pride and joy, as well as his path to the Empire’s inner circle – something the security leaks have put into jeopardy.

    This film, directed by “Monsters” (2012) and (the remake) “Godzilla” (2014) Gareth Edwards, brings together the film written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, into a singular vision that helps to explain the opening of the original “Star Wars” and why there was such an obvious flaw in the Imperial Death Star – geeks around the world will be very happy about that one. While there was some worry this year when reshoots were ordered, this has never really bothered me and has had no obvious negative effect on the film – most large budget movies have reshoots happen on a regular basis, it should not be a reason to be concerned.

    Michael Giacchino seems to be the go to guy for modern scores and Disney seem to love him, here he has composed a score that fits in well with the accompanying John Williams pieces – an Oscar nomination perhaps?

    Without giving away any spoilers, it is an interesting point that there are two characters from the previous “Star Wars” that are here and have been created digitally – to my mind they both work well but it will be different for different people. There are old characters that make an appearances from the Lucas prequels as well as Episode IV and they are most welcome – and almost a tip of the cap to those previous movies.

    The action and special effects are of course as good as you would expect from a new Star Wars film, but it is the believability of the actors and environments they are given to work with that is the real strength of the movie. That, and the message of hope that of course leads directly into the title of the movie that comes after – “A New Hope” – it has real ramifications for the future of the franchise which leads us to “The Force Awakens” and the next few episodic films. It would be great to see or hear something of this adventure in the upcoming Episode VII.

    This was one of my films of last year, now that it has arrived for home viewing it begs to be watched multiple time , as far as I am concerned this is a must see film.  It fulfills the promise of what the George Lucas prequels could have been and offers hope for the future of the franchise and why it was a great investment for Disney.

    Out now on DVD & Blu-ray, buy now!

  • Film review: “Personal Shopper” (2016)

    Film review: “Personal Shopper” (2016)

    “Personal Shopper” (2016)

    Drama

    5stars_small

    Running Time: 110 minutes

    Written & Directed by: Olivier Assayas

    Featuring: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Sigrid Bouaziz, Anders Danielsen Lie, Ty Olwin, Hammou Graia, Nora von Waldstatten, Benjamin Biglay, Audrey Bonnet and Pascal Rambert

    Maureen: “My twin brother, Louis, died here. It’s been 95 days. We made this oath. Whoever died first would send the other a sign.”

    It has been five years since Kristen Stewart completed the teen vampire/ werewolf movies in the five film ‘Twilight’ series, adapted from Stephanie Meyer’s best selling books. It would be incorrect to say this was Stewart’s big break – that came in 2002 playing Jodie Fosters diabetic daughter in David Fincher’s “Panic Room”. From that 2002 film until 2008 when “Twilight” was released she had been making waves in mostly independent films. However, where she once was a young woman with acting talent, we are now witnessing the talent promised for so long in two of her better films, the 2014 “Clouds of Sils Maria” and the release this week in New Zealand of “Personal Shopper” (2016), both written and directed expertly by Frenchman Olivier Assayas.

    “Personal Shopper” revolves around Maureen, a personal shopper, who serves wealthy clients in major cities, buying clothes and accessories, and taking care of mundane chores. She lives in Paris but travels to London and other cities for her employment. Her fraternal twin and brother has recently died; they both had a similar genetic heart problem, as well as this they both believed they had connections to the spirit world, her brother more than she.

    Opening the film, Maureen stays over at her late brother’s house, hoping he will reach her beyond death. His significant other Lara wants to sell the house, and buyers want to know it is free of unhappy spirits. The film suggests what she sees and reacts to, including a series of knowing texts received even while she is on a train to and during her time in London, from “Unknown”. She believes she is in touch with ghosts.

    This film really suits Stewart and what has become her signature acting style, as such she is suited for this role like no other at the same age. Stewart, at the age of only twenty-seven is amassing a nice oeuvre of work like no other, except for maybe Jennifer Lawrence – although the fact that Stewart has spread her wings well as working with many Europeans in Europe says a lot about the kind of actress she is choosing to become. In saying that Stewart does not have to chase a payday, as the residuals from the ‘Twilight’ films will keep her in the black for the rest of her life – which must be a nice luxury.

    Stewart’s Maureen is a woman who is facing a crisis as well as something that has been stalking her for the entirety of her life, that is, the possible impending death of herself and/or her brother – this is a concept that most people from her economic and social background don’t face until much later in life. Stewart handles this with aplomb as her style and mannerisms suits this charater down to the ground. She seems to be relishing the opportunity to be working with a European like Assayas (again) as well as the subject matter of the two films she has made with him.

    One of the great things about Stewart is her ability to play supporting parts to other actresses as well as her ability to not seem to have an ego for her on-sceeen personas. Assayas shoots Stewart in close up with these shots not being complementary as we see imperfections in her face as well as the age that she has seemed to gain through the stresses of her very existence. It is something to see an actress willing to give up her ‘look’, not to have makeup or to play a ‘real’ person that is not perfect looking. It is a juxtaposition between the glam pictures you may see of Stewart to this flawed, haunted as well as haunting person that is searching for some truth and perhaps closure.

    Olivier Assayas has had a long career as well as being a force in French and International cinema for years, he has made a wide variety of films in multiple genres, he has to be one of the more prolific directors in the world today. He also enjoys partnerships with actors, hopefully this is the start of something with Stewart who he obviously enjoys working with – it must also help get a budget when you have a champion with such international clout and awareness.

    There are many elements to this film that make it unique to the environment it has been released into, it co-opts many genres to give us twists on each one. I loved this movie, but it would be nothing without Stewart who is perhaps shaping to be the actress of her generation.

    Go and see now!

  • DVD Review: “Sleepless” (2017)

    DVD Review: “Sleepless” (2017)

    “Sleepless” (2017)

    1-star-676x132

    Thriller/Action

    Running Time: 96 minutes

    Written by: Andrea Berloff

    Directed by: Baran bo Odar

    Featuring:  Jamie Foxxand T.I., Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney, David Harbour, Gabrielle Union and Scoot McNairy

    This film is a remake in all but name – the first one was at least set overnight hence the title – the only positive thing to say about this is that the laughter it will generate form an audience will keep them ‘Sleepless’. This film is about as dull as well as being completely identical to any other good cop gone bad then back again film out there – I mean there is an entire industry around these movies, some have good actors and directors others have terrible actors as well as terrible directors. This one is somewhere in the middle, its unfortunate the laughable plot, terrible pacing, unbelievable locations, props and scenery as well as the awful characterizations make it something worth missing – you should be proud to say “I did not see this movie’.

    The film is set in Las Vegas, vice LVMPD policemen Vincent Downs and Sean Cass rob a shipment of cocaine belonging to entrepreneur Stanley Rubino, who is associated with mobster Rob Novak, the son of a powerful mob boss. They volunteer to investigate the robbery in order to cover up their involvement, clashing with Internal Affairs investigators Jennifer Bryant and Doug Dennison, who are suspicious of their involvement. Unbeknownst to them, Vincent is undercover on behalf of Internal Affairs to dismantle the crime ring within the police department, which has left him estranged from his ex-wife Dena and their son, Thomas.

    While driving Thomas to soccer practice, Vincent is ambushed by Rubino’s men, who stab him in the abdomen and kidnap Thomas, demanding the stolen cocaine back in exchange for Thomas’s life.

    Its hard to believe that the writer of this film was nominated for an Oscar a little under two years ago because this film has not been thought out well at all. There are plot holes, times shifts and logical jumps that make little or no sense at all. The way in which characters jump from once scene to anther as well at where they end up at the end of the film makes you wonder if this was an actual exercise to discover how stupid the studio thinks the audience is. I wont go into too much detail incase you watch this film at some point – but really you need to give this film a miss, maybe watch a great crime film like “Heat” (1997) and remember there are specialists who are great at these kinds of movies.

    One of aspects of film making that should be invisible and any movie, like this one, that takes place at so few locations should be able to nail its mise en scène to the all, so it’s a wonder that almost every set in this film looks so underwhelming and fake. The sets are awful and the casino that is represented has to be one of the low brow ones I have ever seen in film. I would be frankly embarrassed to go to the casino in this film – I mean it looks terrible – as well as the nightclub that is surrounded by some kind of black curtain – it wouldn’t look good in a comedy let alone a film with this cast.

    How this movie could get the attention let alone get the cast that is in this film is a mystery to me, everyone is wasted here. The only actor that seems to know the trouble they are in is Scoot McNairy playing the villain of the piece who is not only marginally camp but plays up the villainy to ten, just so he stands out. The rest of the cast seem to be in a different film where every plot point can be seem a mile off, yet is played like it is original. In fact this is the least original film I have see this year, and I watched “Rings” (2017).

    Sequels. If you do manage to see this movie and make it all the way to the ‘ending’, you will notice that it sets up the possibility of a sequel.

    Do yourself a favor and avoid this film as much as possible, I would not even stream it if that was option. Avoid at all costs.

    Released on DVD & Blu-ray on 24 May 2017.

  • DVD/Blu-ray review: “Moana” (2016)

    DVD/Blu-ray review: “Moana” (2016)

    “Moana” (2016)

    5stars_small

    Animation

    Running Time: 107 minutes

    Directed by: Ron Clements & John Musker

    Featuring: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger and Alan Tudyk

    Maui: “Do you know who Maui is? The greatest demigod that ever lived, who stopped the sun, who pulled up islands out of the sea, and battled monsters. Do you know why I know all this? That’s because, *I* am Maui!”

    The latest in a long line of Disney Princess movies has arrived on DVD and Blu-ray, but unlike other Princesses this one has agency, she does not rely on a man, or is even interested in a man in that love story kind of way. If anything, she is an enabler of the leading muscle bound hero, but does not need him in any traditional way. In fact this film is more about brain than brawn!

    “Moana” begins with a small pounamu stone that is the mystical heart of the goddess Te Fiti is stolen by the demigod Maui, who planned to give it to humanity as a gift. As Maui made his escape, he was attacked by the lava demon Te Kā, causing the heart to become lost in the ocean along with his magical fishhook.

    A millennium later, young Moana Waialiki, daughter and heir of a chief on the small Polynesian island of Motunui, is chosen by the ocean to receive the heart. Her father, Chief Tui, insists the island provides everything the villagers need. But years later, fish become scarce and the island’s vegetation begins dying. Moana proposes going beyond the reef to find more fish. Tui rejects her request, as sailing beyond the reef is forbidden.

    The film moves along at a brisk place and like most recent Disney Animation films it follows the trope of a road movie and borrows from others, this is definitely not a negative – one of my favourite parts could be lifted straight from last years “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) when Maui and Moana are attacked by sentient coconut pirates called Kakamora, who surround their boat and steal the heart, but Maui and Moana retrieve it. This for me was one of the more technically complex parts of the film and the director’s pull it off as well as George Miller ever could.

    In fact the entire film (as you would expect from Disney) looks incredible, the animation is slick enough that at one point there are animations within animations within animations, that leave you forgetting that the main part of the film is for all intents and purposes a cartoon – my hat, as always goes off to the animators – and except for this years “The Jungle Book” (2016) has to be one the best animated films I have ever seen.

    Another fantastic part of the film is the music composed by wunderkind, and I am sure soon to be EGOT winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (and Opetaia Foa’I and Mark Mancina) – his touch is all over the music and lyrics and he even sings on the soundtrack (now available). Without the great music leading the way this film would still be great, but with the music, it adds another layer to the movie and lets us experience the fantasy of Moana and Maui – as well as helping us feel for them as real life characters and by the end of “Moana” you will be humming the music for quite some time.

    Except for the scene stealing Jemaine Clement and Disney’s good luck charm Alan Tudyk the movie is filled with new actors providing both their spoken and musical talents. The standout is of course Auli’i Cravalho as the voice of Moana, in her debut role, who matches her onscreen alter ego with a voice that is both strong and vulnerable, she matches up against her co-stars like she is the one with all the experience. Of course there is the one and only Dwayne Johnson, who has a voice made for Maui but maybe not the singing in a Disney film – he does have only one song so all is forgiven pretty quickly! Finally, in a film with many surprises Jemain Clement as a giant crab named Tamatoa with his Bowie like song really ups the ante of how Disney characters can behave and almost steals the show, until the brilliant and inventive ending, with a twist you might not see coming.

    This is not only a film for the holidays but is undoubtedly one of the films of the year and one I must say should be considered at the Oscars for not only Animated Film of the Year, but also a best picture nod – this is one of the most original and groundbreaking (with it goes the term populist) films of the century. Not only is the film not a typical princess film but all of the characters are non-white, but has a cast that is non-white as well – remember this is the year when a Japanese animated film is voiced by all white actors and movie stars.

    I recommend this to all and it has of course multiple re-watches in it, i would go and purchase the soundtrack as well!

    Out NOW!

  • Film review: “The Fate of the Furious” (2017)

    Film review: “The Fate of the Furious” (2017)

    “The Fate of the Furious” (2016)

    Action

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    Running Time: minutes

    Written by: Chris Morgan

    Directed by: F. Gary Gray

    Featuring:  Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Kurt Russell, Scott Eastwood, Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren

    Roman Pearce: “Why are they shooting at me?” 

    Tej Parker: “I don’t know. Maybe because you’re in a orange Lamborghini.“

    Roman Pearce: “Shut up, Tej!”

    This film franchise has been on the precipice twice, once after the third entry was released “Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift” (2005), secondly after the sudden death of star Paul Walker, when “Furious 7” (2015) was still in production. But now against all odds the billion dollar franchise returns with its eighth installment, “The Fate of the Furious” (2017), apparently the start of a new trilogy for that old warhorse Vin Diesel, who has proved over the past few years that this is all he has to offer audiences. Such a shame for an actor that proved he was more than a muscle bound actor in such films as “Saving Private Ryan” (1998), the timeless “The Iron Giant” (1999) and the memorable “Boiler Room” (2000). The franchise that began as a cautionary tale about street racing has re-invented itself at least twice, once as a heist series and now as some kind of hybrid franchise, balancing a few time honoured genres.

    The plot ignites with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) are enjoying their honeymoon in Cuba when Dom is approached by elusive cyberterrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron), who has kidnapped Dom’s ex-girlfriend Elena Neves and their son, whom Dom didn’t know about, to force Dom to collaborate with her. Dom and his crew, comprised of Letty, Roman Pearce, Tej Parker and Ramsey, are then recruited by DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) to help him retrieve an EMP device from a military outpost in Berlin. During the getaway, Dom goes rogue, forcing Hobbs off the road and stealing the device on Cipher’s behalf, while Hobbs is arrested by the local authorities and locked up alongside an old enemy, international assassin Deckard Shaw. They are later extracted from prison by intelligence operative Tom Petty (Kurt Russell) and his new partner, Eric Reisner (Scott Eastwood), who recruit Shaw (Jason Statham) to help Hobbs and the crew find Dom and capture Cipher.

    That’s just the opening of the movie that sees the set up pay off over the next few hours of screen time. This film stands as the most over the top installment yet, I say that in a good way as the action film genre has recently suffered from either unoriginal ideas, aging stars or hacky directors – this franchise is just warming up. This movie travels the globe leaving carnage in its wake, as well as picking up and dropping off characters like they were as disposable as the car’s themselves.

    The Fast and Furious films have now made themselves a cross between Mission Impossible and any comic book film around. The questions remain – How long will people keep coming back? What is there to reinvent themselves as next? Can anything follow up the billion dollar previous film? The answer of course is we will see, but with the reintroduction of Kurt Russell and the introduction of his sidekick Scott Eastwood, there has been an attempt to make an IMF like agency out of Vin’s crew as well as maybe having a Paul Walker like replacement in Eastwood. Someone like Eastwood I found quite welcoming as he can be quite clueless which is a nice juxtaposition to the all knowing crew.

    This film directed by newcomer to the franchise F. Gary Gray is not only an experienced action film director but also has done a sterling job on dramas and comedies which can only help with this new challenge. Gray was chosen for his previous work as well as a relationship he has with Diesel who has control over the franchise. The director is coming off a career high with the film “Straight Outta Compton” (2015), which was not only a critical hit but also generated over US$200 million dollars worldwide, so he is here rewarded with a going concern that could help him in the future for any of his own projects he may want to get off the ground.

    Once again the cast of this film is huge adding Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron to the mix as protagonist and antagonists to the main cast. When you have nowhere else to go in a franchise sometimes the best thing to do is to trade up and include some prestige actors, giving them a chance to create over the top characters in an already over the top film. They have done that in spades, whilst the Theron character, the super hacker Cipher, is just that, she has very little to do physically, just stand, around look pouty, making quips to monitors as others do her bidding. Mirren shows up twice but acts crazy enough to feel like she has been there the entire time. My favorite character is the wise cracking Tyrese who steals every scene he is in, which is good because he also asks “WTF?” every time something insane happens or is mooted, which is great because as the audience you will be doing exactly the same thing.

    The rest of the cast including, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Chris Bridges and Nathalie Emmanuel all do what has been expected of them in the previous movies but they all seem to have either been given convenient twists on their back stories or given super human abilities, Dwayne Johnson, now has a daughter and coaches soccer, Michelle Rodriguez, just looks intense and angry in every scene, Chris Bridges and Nathalie Emmanuel, are now hacker geniuses as well as an authority on almost everything. They all do their jobs very well especially Johnson and Statham who seem to be auditioning for their own buddy action comedy movie – bring it on I say.

    This story involves family, of course, as well as new revelations from new characters as well as old – and it would not be a ‘Furious’ film without the endless supply of action and fighting scenes between the goodies and the baddies – it’s a over two hour fun ride that never stops. At film number eight it was only a matter of time before a baby was dragged into the franchise, so it goes, are we going to see Dom quit his life of action? I don’t think so, and judging from how the baby is incorporated with his Uncle Dex (Statham) this is a kid in for the ride of his life.

    I have to admit to seeing some early reviews which have not been positive, and once the film had ended I really could not understand why. This movie fits in perfectly with the rest in the series, not only that it does actually progress some of the characters further along some kind of life, which is more than some film series do – I am looking at you DC/Warner Bros. – in fact we are seeing the re-drawing of old enemies into allies as well as a new comedic bent from the like of Statham, Johnson and now Helen Mirren. This film I believe does something unique for its type as well as having permission to do it from audiences, that is to set up a sequel like it is no big deal, or even a stretch to ask for this indulgence. There are very few franchises that could do this, one is the MCU, with that only happening after a few failures, however here we see a new story set up with a villain that will obviously return, as well as retconning her origins so it appears she has been around for some time – something this franchise does continuously.

    This movie will not win any awards but it is great PG fun that will have you on the edge of your seat, laughing and maybe even crying. I recommend this highly to all, whether you have seen them all or just the last installment, you will not be disappointed at all!

    “The Fate of the Furious” (2017) is out now.

  • DVD review: “The Void” (2016)

    DVD review: “The Void” (2016)

    “The Void” (2016)

    Horror

    images

    Running Time: 90 minutes

    Written & Directed by: Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie

    Featuring: Ellen Wong, Aaron Poole, Evan Stern, Kathleen Munroe and Kenneth Walsh

    Original horror films are so hard to produce, they can be even harder to find for the public with a love of the genre. This year has already seen some great horror films, “Split” (2017), “Get Out” (2017) and “The Belko Experiment” (2017) to name just a few; of course there have been some pretty big stinkers as well, “The Bye-Bye Man” (2017), “The Cure for Wellness” (2017) and “Rings” (2017). This is actually a large list, what is more impressive is that are all theatrically releases, have made (on the whole) quite a bit of money, both in the US as well as internationally. Now comes “The Void” (2016) a film produced last year but starting to be released around the world now, and is set for a home release of some kind in New Zealand.

    “The Void” is based around police officer Carter (Aaron Poole) who discovers a blood-soaked man limping down a deserted road; he rushes him to a local hospital with a barebones, night shift staff. As cloaked, cult-like figures surround the building, the patients and staff inside start to turn ravenously insane. Trying to protect the survivors, Carter leads them into the depths of the hospital where they discover a gateway to immense evil.

    Written and Directed by Steven Kostanski & Jeremy Gillespie, “The Void” comes fully formed as one of the more original films (of any genre) to be released this year, not only does it herald the arrival of a new and promising pair of creators to the genre, it announces them out loud, I for one cannot wait to see what they do next. Both of these directors have had experience in making films before so this shows an excellent progression from learning about the genre and gaining experience through other projects to fully formed idea that has ended with a film that is at least very good, as well as most importantly, original.

    The film has been cast with some very experienced actors from a wide range of ages as well as a nice mix of gender. What this means for a film like this is that while some of the actors may be familiar they are not too familiar in that they will not take away from the story with their celebrity, like some well known stars will do. It also means that with possible new faces an audience will be more likely to go with them in terms of the story, this is so important with a film like this as it requires a bit more disbelief than the normal comedy or drama.

    The tone genre films set are as important as anything else within the production, the directors of “The Void” nail this completely, and whether this is a budgetary or artistic choice it need not matter. This film is dark both within the frame as well as within the story. This darkness adds to the ambient nature of the film, as well as the way in which the characters behave towards the impending doom of the film as well as each other.

    There are some touches within the film that are influenced by John Carpenter and even the great David Lynch. The monster in the film, is itself reminiscent of the wonderful “The Thing” (1982), and the way in which it interacts with its victims as well as those around it. The cutaways to the expanse of space for no reason (it seems), remind me of a Lynchian way to highlight a greater menace that the people within the hospital have no idea of.

    This is a micro budget film and so CGI effects are out of the question as these would be far too expensive for the filmmakers to carry. Instead they have wisely invested their funds in the cast and practical effects, relying on lighting to cover up any possible issues with the production. If the filmmakers had known that this film was going to get some attention they may have paid more attention to the script and motivations of their main characters, but I forgive this because I enjoyed the film so much.

    I can recommend this film to all fans of horror as well anyone that ejoys low budget feature that reach for the stars – they may not get there but its fun watching them try.

    “The Void” is coming soon to DVD & streaming services in New Zealand.

  • Blu-ray review: “Why Him?” (2016)

    Blu-ray review: “Why Him?” (2016)

    “Why Him?” (2016)

    Comedy

    3-stars

    Running Time: 111 minutes

    Written & Directed by:  John Hamburg

    Featuring: James Franco, Bryan Cranston, Zoey Deutch, Megan Mullally, Griffin Gluck and Keegan-Michael Key

    Laird Mayhew: “Motherfucking *Fleming’s* are in the house! YES!”

    Ned Fleming: “Oh my God.”

    This new James Franco/Bryan Cranston comedy is a riff on the classic drama “Guess who’s coming to dinner” (1967), they star as the titular warring generationally challenged possible in-laws, which of course has been repeated as comedy ever since that first great (although much dated) film. On paper this seems like a great idea and a twist on a familiar story, with the app obsessed billionaire culture meeting an old world business that is suffering in this new age of technology. However, the fact that Cranston’s character owns a printing business seems so early 2000s and not late 2010s – really printing is still a thing? Come on seriously? So much of this film seems so early century it is not funny, smart houses? Game apps? Clueless billionaires – I have seen this somewhere before – Oh yes on HBO’s smarter, more relevant and cool “Silicon Valley” – where there are real issues amongst the hilarious comedy with way more likeable and unique characters.

    “Why Him?” (2016), is set just prior to and after the Christmas holidays, loving but overprotective Ned (Bryan Cranston) travels to California to visit his daughter Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) at Stanford University. While there, he meets his biggest nightmare: her well-meaning but socially awkward boyfriend Laird (James Franco). Even though Laird is a billionaire, Ned disapproves of his freewheeling attitude and unfiltered language. His panic level escalates even further when he learns that Laird plans to ask for Stephanie’s hand in marriage.

    Peter Hamburg writes and directs here, his other big screen effort was the underwhelming “I Love You, Man” (2009), he does do a good job here, although this movie may have been more effective if there had been an editor involved at the script stage. Like many post-Apatow comedies this does seem to have a bloated running time,  an over abundance of explanation as well as needless plot twists that seem superfluous, especially in comedies. That’s not to say that the gags, most of the time don’t work, they do, however they do seem borrowed from other films, much like the plot. Even Cranston makes a point that a running gag, that of Laird beng attacked randomly by his servant is straight from the “Pink Panther” films – themselves having being remade this century. I think this is supposed to be self-aware but comes off cheesy as well as clumsy. In this film they don’t need help pointing out their flaws, these are all over the screen.

    The performances are all pretty good with the bulk of the laughs going to the always funny Megan Mullally as the generic buttoned down mother, Bryan Cranston as the set upon father with a lesson to learn. Zoey Deutch (daughter of director Howard Deutch & actress Lea Thompson) and James Franco are good as well but to a lessor extent, as Franco has been playing the same part for over a decade now in various other roles. Franco is so good you forget he has many other talents, but I assume he does these roles to either up his profile or to fund other projects – I have no beef with him at this point of his career. Deutch on the other hand is the relative newcomer but holds her own although as with many other like comedies she has very little to do. Keegan-Michael Key makes an appearance as Franco’s manservant and kills it as usual, once again proving the talent on show in his television show was not a fluke – he is truly a gifted comic.

    This is not a bad film particularly measured against some of the horrible films that have made their way to cinemas this year alone, but it is deeply flawed. Why is it so many white comedies have to be about privilege, they all seemingly set in upper class, millionaire or as is the case here, billionaire households. It is such a lazy shortcut to dismiss any actual problems by making people rich and thereby making their problems emotionally based – what is this saying to people not only in the US but around the world. In this new cinematic comedy world all rich people are white – the only non-white person in this film is a butler/man-servant – isn’t that trope from the 1960s? The other thing is the fact that Cranston’s character doesn’t like the successful billionaire boyfriend is that he is a bit of free thinking hippie – really that’s why he doesn’t like him – yeah, right.

    I would actually recommend this film on either a streaming service or rental if that still exists. The movie does not have any real re-watchable value as the story is pretty redundant it does not cross any lines to make it a classic comedy. It is a shame really as there was plenty here to make it relevant if the story had been updated more, with something that would make it unique among a marketplace with more relevant, funny and ground breaking comedies.

    Released on DVD and Blu-ray 12th April 2017.

  • Blu-ray review: “Monster Trucks” (2017)

    Blu-ray review: “Monster Trucks” (2017)

    “Monster Trucks” (2017)

    Science Fiction/Action

    stars-2-5

    Running Time: 104 minutes

    Written by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger, Derek Connolly and Matthew Robinson

    Directed by: Chris Wedge

    Featuring:  Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Amy Ryan, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Barry Pepper and Holt McCallany

    Reece Tenneson: “I’m not into hurting people..”

    [Nods to Burke]

    Reece Tenneson: “..that’s his job.”

    When movies go bad they really go bad and not much can save them. Enter “Monster Trucks” (2017), a film that was actually made a few years ago, had multiple date changes and was released at the movies recently, now arriving on DVD/Blu-ray very quickly and quietly just to get it off the studios books. This film marked the debut of Chris Wedge as a live action film maker, he had been making successful animated movies up to this time, helping found Blue Sky Productions, he wanted to spread his wings into live action – it appears this was not the film to do that on.

    At the start of the film, Terravex Oil is in the midst of a fracking operation near a lake in North Dakota, overseen by CEO Reece Tenneson (Rob Lowe) and geologist Jim Dowd (Thomas Lennon). The operation releases 3 subterranean creatures and destroys the drilling rig. Two are captured by Terravex, but one of them escapes the site. Meanwhile, high school senior Tripp (Lucas Till) is looking for something to do to escape the life of his family and has taken up a part time job at a local junkyard and has created a hobby of building a pickup truck to impress his classmate Meredith (Jane Levy). One night, Tripp encounters the escaped creature in the junkyard and captures it but the creature escapes before he can seek authorities.

    This isn’t an entirely bad movie, its just a little slow and very formulaic, much like the latest Power Rangers film, which on the surface seems to share some mutual DNA. All of the characters seem way too familiar having a ‘been there and done that’ vibe; even the ending of the film is overblown, noisy and pointless. If there had been some originality from the writers or director this could have been interesting, maybe concentrating on the science angle, whilst decreasing the sheer number of characters would have been a start.

    In cases where the market you are aiming for are young people and families it may help to actually show families with issues that can then be a start for three dimensional people that you can understand and care for. This is what makes films like this work, the ultimate example being “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982), is a grounding in some reality with the rules of the world being set up and clear which is something Spielberg always tackles extremely well. It is something new film makers should learn – in particular with this film for example gravity does not hold sway over the vehicles which is not very realistic – what it has always meant to me was that anytihg is possible, this does not lead to any real peril for the heroes as the seem to be able to get wawy with anything.

    I can see why this film failed, its really not hard but if you have some children hat want to watch something at home these holidays you could do worse – faint praise but then that’s about as positive as I can be about this big budget folly.

    Released on DVD & Blu-ray 12th April 2017.

  • Blu-ray review: “The Bye Bye Man” (2017)

    Blu-ray review: “The Bye Bye Man” (2017)

    “The Bye Bye Man” (2017)

    Horror

    2-star-rating

    Running Time: 96 minutes

    Directed by: Stacy Title

    Featuring: Douglas Smith, Lucien Laviscount, Cressida Bonas, Doug Jones, Carrie-Anne Moss, Faye Dunaway and Jenna Knell

    Almost everyone in the movie: “Don’t think it. Don’t say it. Don’t think it. Don’t say it. Don’t think it. Don’t say it. Don’t think it. Don’t say it. Don’t think it. Don’t say it. Don’t think it. Don’t say it.”

    Another PG horror comes to bear this month as “The Bye Bye Man” (2017) an inept horror from an inept director and writer that treats its audience like fools with a storyline with so may holes you could drive another better movie through. The very idea that anyone would have the temerity to release this movie into theatres let alone ask people to purchase it is beyond belief. Not to sound sexist but I would expect better of a film directed by a woman, especially a horror film that should rely on some kind of subtly and original characters but instead we are left with some kind of a hodge posed of unoriginal ideas, plot, a laughable narrative as well as tropes in regards to the genre and characters that leave me wondering why a little more time, effort and thought were not put into this.

    The film’s thread bear plot revolves round three college students who move into an old house off campus, they unwittingly unleash a supernatural entity known as The Bye Bye Man, who comes to prey upon them once they discover his name. The friends must try to save each other, all the while keeping The Bye Bye Man’s existence a secret to save others from the same deadly fate.

    This film is the downside of such a good year of horror, as well the influence of a little company called Blumhouse which has produced two of the biggest horror hits of the year, “Get Out” (2017) and “Spilt” (2017), as well as some of the largest and successful horror movies of the past few years. Now it seems any production company that can wrangle some actors, a director and writer with an idea that could possibly be cut into a  half decent trailer, generating interest to have their inferior film released in theatres then on DVD and Blu-ray. This may seem overly simplistic and harsh but that’s how “The Bye Bye Man” (2017), and other genre films can happen.

    This film takes a ridiculous idea and further expounds on it with seemingly worthless twists, environment as well as vapid shallow characters. The main character has a back story that is right out of any screenwriting textbook, from a broken famlity who is jealous of his older brother who has his own issues, the way we know he is a deep thinker with issues – he wears a Joy Division T-Shirt, which is way to hip for this film. Whilst “The Bye Bye” man has some kind of story, apparently the way to summon him is to say his name or something, kind of like the Candyman but not – also he can make you see things or something – I don’t know I lost interest about thirty minutes into this film. There is some kind of love triangle that never really pays off, but that is like the rest of the film. Nothing ever really pays off in this movie.

    To cover up the dismal performances of the leads as well as the aimless direction and the horror tropes that are everywhere, the film-makers some how managed to get Carrie-Ann Moss as well as living legend Faye Dunaway to make an appearance, how I don’t know, maybe the casting director had some compromising photos of them or paid them an obscene amount of money to be in this ‘film’. To be fair both of these actresses are wasted in this movie, they are exposition heavy with little motivation to the actual plot.

    Trying to blame what happens in the world on some formless entity is naive to say the least, misleading to say the worst. At least with a horror film like “Get Out” there is a need to face up to try and answer why things happen – they are the fault of people and their narrow view points. Society can be to blame for the motivations of real people, just look at who is the US President – that didn’t come from some forces entity, that was constructed by real people.

    After the year that was 2016 and the abhorrent things that have happened as well as what is happening this year, to try and pass it off as something that happens because if some unknown force is a slap in the face. The reasons bad things happen is that people are to blame – it is about the responsibility of the self and not same shapeless invisible force.

    Give this movie a wide birth and go and see “Get Out” instead.

    Released on DVD & Blu-ray on the 19th April 2017.

  • DVD review: “The Fly – Ultimate Collection” (1958 – 1989)

    DVD review: “The Fly – Ultimate Collection” (1958 – 1989)

    “The Fly – Ultimate Collection” (1958 – 1989)

    Horror/Science Fiction

    One of my favorite series of films was introduced to me by television, specifically the old ‘Sunday Night Horrors’ time slot on TV2, where the original “The Fly” (1958) aired regularly. It was not until I was older that I finally watch the two sequels that were made to cash in on the heady days of cold war science fiction films. Its extremely difficult not to like the first two movies, they both feature the legendary Vincent Price who was so cool and charming that he effectively stole both films from the horror they contained. The third film which was produced after a delay was made as an exercise in the genre, but ultimately did not amount to much of a success and was shown as part of a creature feature double bill in the US.

    Then in 1986 David Cronenberg reinvented the series with the groundbreaking modern re-make of “The Fly” (1986), which was produced by legendary comedian Mel Brooks. This used cutting edge make up effects to make it one of the more shocking horrors of its day. Chris Walas who was a well-known creature effects artist awarded an Oscar for make up and creature effects. In fact, Walas came back three years later to direct the follow up, the underwhelming “The Fly II” (1989, which ostensibly killed the franchise at the time.

    Now comes a box set of all five films collected on eight discs, and I must say it is worth the purchase, in effect all five films have repeat watchability.

    “The Fly” (1958)

    5stars_small

    Written by: James Clavel

    Directed by: Kurt Neumann

    Featuring:  David Hedison, Patricia Owens, Vincent Price and Herbert Marshall

    Andre Delambre: [about the cat killed by the transporter] “She disintegrated perfectly, but never reappeared.” 

    Helene Delambre: “Where’s she gone?”

    Andre Delambre: “Into space… a stream of cat atoms…” [sighs]

    Andre Delambre: “It’d be funny if life weren’t so sacred.”

    Scientist Andre Delambre (David Hedison) is found dead with his head and arm crushed in a hydraulic press. Although his wife Helene (Patricia Owens) confesses to the crime, she refuses to provide a motive, and begins acting strangely. In particular, she is obsessed with flies, including a supposedly white-headed fly. Andre’s brother, Francois (Vincent Price), lies and says he caught the white-headed fly; and, thinking he knows the truth, Helene explains the circumstances surrounding Andre’s death.

    In flashback, Andre has been working on a matter transporter device called the disintegrator-integrator. He initially tests it only on small inanimate objects, but he eventually proceeds to living creatures, including the family’s pet cat (which fails to reintegrate, but can be heard meowing somewhere), a guinea pig, and a newspaper. After he is satisfied that these tests are succeeding, he builds a man-sized pair of chambers. One day, Helene, worried because Andre has not come up from the basement lab for a couple of days, goes down to find Andre with a black cloth over his head and a strange deformity on his left hand. Communicating with typed notes only, Andre tells Helene that he tried to transport himself but that a fly was caught in the chamber with him, which resulted in the mixing of their atoms.

    This first film plays like a melodrama spliced with a thriller as well as a touch of cold war paranoia and sci-fi that balances its elements expertly. The film has an interesting plot which of course is the horror/science-fiction aspect, however the narrative is structured in almost complete flashback which is a novelty and it also feeds into the feeling of the unknown as well as creating a kind of tension that stays with the viewer even as the closing credits roll.

    Great care was taken by the director Kurt Neumann who had to make us believe in a kind of science but not reducing the story to a B movie that it easily could have been – like its later sequels. Interestingly Neumann was a German emigre to the US, he became famous for directing many B movies as well science fiction films, this however would seem to be his most famous and most successful film.

    “Return Of The Fly” (1959)

    3-stars

    Written & Directed by: Edward Bernds

    Featuring: Vincent Price, Brett Halsey, David Frankham, Danielle De Metz, John Sutton, Dan Seymour and Jack Daly

    Francois Delambre: [voice over] “Here passes from this earth Helene Delambre, widow of my brother, Andre, whom I loved deeply, hopelessly. She was destroyed in the end by dreadful memories, a recollection of horrors that did not dim as the years went on, but instead grew monstrously, and left her mind shocked and unsteady, so that death, when it came, was a blessed release.”

    Now an adult, Phillipe Delambre (Brett Halsey) is determined to vindicate his father by successfully completing the experiment he had worked on. His Uncle Francois (Vincent Price) refuses to help. Phillipe hires Alan Hines from Delambre Frere and uses his own finances, but the funds run out before the equipment is complete. When Phillipe threatens to sell his half of Delambre Frere, Francois relents and funds the completion. After some adjustments, they use the transporter to “store” and later re-materialize test animals.

    This sequel attempted to maintain the horror/science fiction from the first film, but also introduced a spy element no doubt to expand the story as well as painting corporations as evil and out to make profits at any cost – something that remains today and there are hints of this in the remakes of the 1980s.

    Vincent Price makes a welcome return as Uncle Francois the level headed patriarch who can see the downfall of anyone that toys with his late brothers invention – he seems to be the only one who learnt a lesson from the first film. Why will people not listen to him. As with most movies Vincent Price appeared in he steals the show and its an entirely better film when he is on screen.

    This film is a step down in quality from the original, without the fantastic David Hedison, the protagonist from the original this one lacks an actor of real quality to show the driven scientist who will stop at nothing to prove himself to the world.

    This is defiantly worth watching as well as being integral to the legacy of this series.

    “Curse Of The Fly”(1965)

    stars-2-5

    Written by: Harry Spalding

    Directed by: Don Sharp

    Featuring:   Brian Donlevy, George Baker, Carole Gray, Burt Kwouk, Yvette Rees, Michael Graham, Mary Manson, Charles Carson, Jeremy Wilkins and Rachel Kempson

    At the end of the closing credits: “Is this the end?”

    Martin Delambre (Baker) is driving to Montreal one night when he sees a young girl by the name of Patricia Stanley (Gray) running in her underwear. They fall in love and are soon married. However, they both hold secrets: she has recently escaped from a mental asylum; he and his father Henri (Donlevy) are engaged in radical experiments in teleportation, and they have already had horrific consequences. Martin also suffers recessive fly genes which cause him to age rapidly and he needs a serum to keep him young.

    The aptly named “Curse of the Fly” (1965) deals with all the shenanigans of the first two films while at the same time re-booting the franchise a little. This film may seem confusing to some who have just watch the first two as the timings and ages of the characters seem a little “off”, but if you go with it you will enjoy a nice short B film which was part of a double bill in the US in 1965.

    “The Fly – 20th Anniversary Special Edition” (1986)

    5stars_small

    Written & Directed by:  David Cronenberg

    Featuring:  Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis and John Getz

    Ronnie: I don’t know what you’re trying to say. 

    Seth Brundle: I’m saying… I’m saying I – I’m an insect who dreamt he was a man and loved it. But now the dream is over… and the insect is awake. 

    Ronnie: No. no, Seth… 

    Seth Brundle: I’m saying… I’ll hurt you if you stay.

    Seth Brundle, a brilliant yet eccentric scientist, meets Veronica Quaife, a science journalist, at a press event. He takes her back to his warehouse that serves both as his home and laboratory and shows her his invention: a set of “Telepods” that allows instantaneous teleportation from one pod to another. Brundle convinces Veronica to keep the invention a secret in exchange for exclusive rights to the story, and she begins to document his work. Although the telepods can transport inanimate objects, they mutilate living flesh, as is demonstrated when a baboon is turned inside-out during an experiment.

    Seth and Veronica soon begin a relationship. Their first sexual encounter inspires Brundle to reprogram the Telepod computer to cope with living flesh, and he successfully teleports a second baboon with no apparent harm. Veronica departs before they can celebrate, and Seth worries that she is rekindling her romantic relationship with her editor, Stathis Borans; in reality, Veronica has left to confront Stathis about a veiled threat, spurred by his jealousy of Brundle, to publish the Telepod story without her consent. In a fit of drunken jealousy, Brundle decides to teleport himself alone, unaware that a common housefly has slipped inside the transmitter pod with him. After the teleportation, he emerges from the receiving pod, seemingly normal.

    The first huge US success for Canadian director David Cronenberg see this update of the classic film given a modern (at the time) makeover with a huge dose of gore as well as the existential questions being asked when a man is merged with a fly at a sub atomic level.

    The film offers great performances from the three main actors, Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis and John Getz, as well as stunning make up effects from the master Chris Walas with an understanding of how this film needed to shock people, from producer Mel Brooks. In fact Chris Wales received an Oscar for his work, the only Cronenberg film to ever receive one.

    This is undoubtedly the best film in the series with a director making his move to Hollywood and making one of the biggest hits of that year.

    “The Fly II” (1989)

    3-stars

    Written by: James Clavel

    Directed by: Chris Walas

    Featuring:  Eric Stoltz and Daphne Zuniga

    Martin Brundle: “Something odd is happening to me and I don’t know what it is.”

    Several months after the events of The Fly, Veronica Quaife delivers Seth Brundle’s child. After giving birth to a squirming larval sac, she dies from shock. The sac then splits open to reveal a seemingly normal baby boy. The child, named Martin Brundle, is raised by Anton Bartok, who is the owner of the company which financed Brundle’s teleportation experiments and fully aware of the accident which genetically merged Seth Brundle with a housefly. Martin grows up in a clinical environment. His physical and mental maturity is highly accelerated, and he possesses a genius-level intellect, incredible reflexes, and no need for sleep. He knows he is aging faster than a normal human, but is unaware of the true cause, having been told his father died from the same rapid aging disease.

    This film, directed by Chris Walas who had received an Oscar for make-up for the first film takes a stab at following up one of the great horror movies of the 1980s, and succeeds somewhat but is let down by budget restraints and miscast actors. Also the fact  that Geena Davis would not return for this sequel speaks volumes for the material that was on offer.

    This film is on a par with “The Curse of the Fly” as it offers little in the way of an intimate story with the audience not really identifying with Eric Stoltz in the lead and Daphne Zuniga as a lifeless love interest for him to care about.

  • Blu-ray review: “War on Everyone” (2016)

    Blu-ray review: “War on Everyone” (2016)

    “War on Everyone (2016)

    Comedy/Thriller/Action

    stars-2-5

    Running Time: 97 minutes

    Written & Directed by: John Michael McDonagh

    Featuring: Alexander Skarsgård, Michael Peña, and Theo James

    Bob Bolaño: “He called me a ‘wet back’! He knows damn well I was born here. He is a big fat racist pig is what he is.”

    John Michael McDonagh is best know for his films “The Guard” (2011) and “Calvary” (2014) both featuring Brendan Gleeson in the lead roles. Even though both of these films are drams they do have moments of comedy within them. However with his latest film “War on Everyone (2016), he has written and directed an out and out black comedy that works on some levels, but lacks the drama and subtlety to be truly great. It’s a shame when someone you look forward to seeing what they will do next creates something that seems so far removed from the smart, comic drama that impressed you in the first place.

    The film centers on two corrupt cops in Albuquerque, New Mexico who blackmail and frame every criminal unfortunate enough to cross their path, but things take a sinister turn when they try to intimidate someone who is more dangerous than they are.

    I believe this film was supposed to be more of a satire than what it turned out to be, that could be because there was little oversight, this film must have looked great on paper, but has turned out to be less than the sum of its parts. When you have John Michael McDonagh writing and directing as well as a cast led by Alexander Skarsgård fresh of his star making “True Blood” role and Michael Peña who is getting rave reviews for his parts you would hope there would be a deeper meaning to any project they undertook – this is not really the case, this project comes off if anything as quite shallow.

    There is not much to really say about this film that is positive as not only does it come off as crass and full of Tarantino lite rip offs without the humor, pastiche or homage, but it wastes any real hope of being relevant – maybe if this film had been made ten years ago it would come off better – or maybe not.

    If you enjoyed the “CHiPs” (2017) from this year then this movie is for you.

    Released 12th April 2017.

  • DVD review: “I Smile Back” (2015)

    DVD review: “I Smile Back” (2015)

    “I Smile Back” (2015)

    Drama

    5stars_small

    Running Time: 95 minutes

    Directed by: Adam Salky

    Written by: Amy Koppelman & Paige Dylan

    Featuring: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski and Chris Sarandon

    Laney: “Nobody tells you that it’s terrifying to love something so much.”

    “I Smile Back” (2015) is firmly based around the character of Laney played by Sarah Silverman who offers a singular performance that will definitely stay with you long after the film has ended. I initially viewed this film in 2015 when it was going through the festivals, it met with some success through that awards season, with Silverman being nominated for a SAG award. This role is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any actress, there are so few great parts for women in film, that this one stands out, it is fantastic that Silverman whose comedy has always been socially aggressive as well as cutting edge gets this chance to make her mark in a role that should be remembered for a very long time.

    Outwardly, Laney (Sarah Silverman) appears to have the perfect suburban life. She has two loving children, a caring husband (Josh Charles), and an opulent, upper-middle-class home. Beneath her seemingly pristine image lie anxiety, depression, unresolved childhood issues, and destructive behavior, which jeopardize everything she holds dear.

    The source material for “I Smile Back” is a book authored by the screenwriter, Amy Koppelman, who has taken her words with assistance from Paige Dylan, has constructed as well as deconstructed a narrative that works absolutely perfectly for director Adam Salky, whose previous big screen effort was the drama “Dare” (2009). This film could be characterised as a ‘womens’ film but that would be unfair to everyone involved in this film. So little has been done for women i film as well as about women reflected in life that this should be a must see for anyone that has women in their lives.

    The central performance of Laney is portrayed by (most known for) stand up Sarah Silverman who over the past few years has made forays into light comedies as well as dramas for directors that have seen the potential in her work. In fact if you have ever seen her stand up or read her book “The Bedwetter” (2010) you will recognize someone who struggles with her early life while embracing her foibles in her work. I imagine that this was a difficult casting choice for some, but the entire film is rewarded by her real performance of a suburbanite in crisis – mostly a record in self abuse that destroys everything and possibly eveyone she touches.

    The film is a unique way of looking at not only depression, but the way in which a victim of depression handles themselves, the possible addiction that comes with a sickness, where origins of mental disorders and even if they are disorders originate from. What is it like in the eye of the storm where everything is amplified so much that one wonders if there is a way out. In the immortal lyrics of Talking Heads – “Is this my beautiful life? How did I get here?”

    Laney, is someone on the outside that seems to have it all, a devoted, understanding husband, beautiful children, a huge house in the suburbs and more than enough money to not have to worry about much. However, trauma, any trauma never really stays buried, the more you have the more memories can eat away at you, this goes more so when you have nothing but free time in your life. Laney who does drugs, sleeps around and borderline becomes manic about the perfection of her children is not the most likeable of characters, but the more you delve into her life the more you realize something is wrong in this perfect existence – what that is Laney and the audience really do not know – and like many people that struggle with existence may never really find out.

    “I Smile Back” moves along at a brisk pace which is a little different to what this film could have been, in fact the episodic nature of the film works for me as it shows Laney moving from one horrible act to another – as well as maybe trying to get help. When you are at the center of addiction, turmoil as well as grief that is all you have – decision after decision, and they are normally self-destructive. While in real life there are ‘down’ times and breaks in life, this film shows in a short amount of time the break down of a person – but never questions her motives – because she has none. Laney is not about guilt, trust or love she is about trying to feel something, anything to move on from this life she feels she has inherited – of course she has no idea who from.

    As with many independent movies this does not offer any real solutions, it has an ending that some may see as a failure, it might actually be happy if Laney finds something she has been looking for most of her life. This film is not for the weak of heart or for people looking for closure – in case you have not worked it out life is not full of happy endings – maybe that’s something Laney has recognized and is dealing with.

    Released on DVD 5th April 2017.

  • Blu-ray review: “Bad Santa 2” (2016)

    Blu-ray review: “Bad Santa 2” (2016)

    “Bad Santa 2” (2017)

    Comedy

    stars-2-5

    Running Time: 92 minutes

    Directed by: Mark Waters

    Featuring: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Kathy Bates, and Christina Hendricks

    Marcus: “We’ve got a job. I’m talking millions, this time.”

    Willie: “Why are you even out of the joint anyway? You know, they used to sterilize guys like you, to keep the world from becoming some negro Land of Oz.”

    Marcus: “Early release, you racist moron fuck!”

    When the original “Bad Santa” (2003) was released it was at a time when both star Billy Bob Thornton and director Terry Zwigoff were both critical darlings of the film world. Thornton had made a string well received independent films, but it was Zwigoff who had just directed Scarlett Johansson to her first great performance as Rebecca in the now classic “Ghost World” (2001) who everyone was looking at. The film also featured Thora Birch and Steve Buscemi in very unique roles, Zwigoff was also nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay.

    “Bad Santa” was an exercise in bad taste in the best possible way, not only did it feature Thornton in the lead role, but the supporting cast was A+ with Tony Cox, Bernie Mac, John Ritter and Lauren Graham, all adding to the great script by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa who have proved to be a solid writing duo over the intervening years. In 2003 “Bad Santa” was different enough to be extremely successful, it ended up making US$63 million dollars at the US box office as well as much more on DVD when that could happen – talk of a sequel started years ago but there had been no movement on it until last year. It can sometimes speak volumes when very little of the original film makers return for a sequel, in this case only Thornton and Tony Cox have retuned for “Bad Santa 2” (2017).

    Set thirteen years after the first film, Willie Soke remains depressed as ever, upset his “happy ending” did not pan out, as he is again addicted to sex and alcohol. After he tries, and fails, to kill himself, he is visited by Thurman “The Kid” Merman, who has just turned 21 and works at a sandwich shop. Thurman delivers to Willie a package containing a good amount of cash, and Willie soon finds out it’s from Marcus, his former partner who has been released from jail after the events 13 years earlier. Marcus, expressing remorse for betraying Willie, tells Willie he has an opportunity in Chicago, a deal that can potentially net them millions, though he is unwilling to disclose the name of his contact. Willie reluctantly agrees, unsuccessfully trying to help Thurman lose his virginity before he leaves for Chicago.

    This sequel directed by Mark Waters who had some independent cinema credibility in his early days, has, for the past decade been making romantic comedies as well as some teen angst film fair, with his last film credit being the cinematic bomb “Vampire Academy” (2014) which was a disaster on most levels and wasted the acting talent of all involved. Waters is here directing from a script by relative newcomers Johnny Rosenthal and Shauna Cross who judging from their work on this film have either never seen the first film or have no idea why the first film worked so well.

    Billy Bob Thornton once again playing Santa slob Willie Soke hasn’t moved on much from the first film, and remains a character with little growth, the same goes for Tony Cox playing Marcus Skidmore. It is a real shame because black comedies can sometimes transcend their own reason for being, becoming  a comment on social upheaval, at their best they can shine a light against the morale’s of the day, much like the first film achieved. Sadly, “Bad Santa 2” is just a crass excuse for a film with little reason for it being other than the first one was funny and a hit, it really offers nothing new. Unlike its predecessor where thumbing your nose to the PG rated rom coms of the time was seen as anti establishment, this new film is very much an establishment film – just look at Trump sometime, it doesn’t get any more establishment than that.

    If you like foul mouthed, gross out comedies then this is for you, the story is seemingly superfluous as can be seen by how often the plot is forgotten, while Thornton takes center stage in every scene he is in – to me the only reason that this was made was that he agreed to be in it. I would say that the cast involved is too good for this film, except Christina Hendricks who seems to say yes to all sorts of R Rated comedies that are all well below her talent level. So, watch if you like but there are far better comedies out there – “Bad Santa” for example.

    BS2-11273_CROP(l-r) Billy Bob Thornton stars as Willie Soke and Brett Kelly as Thurman Merman in BAD SANTA 2, a Broad Green Pictures and MIRAMAX release.Credit: Jan Thijs | Broad Green Pictures / Miramax
    BS2-01603_CROP Billy Bob Thornton stars as Willie Soke in BAD SANTA 2, a Broad Green Pictures and MIRAMAX release. Credit: Jan Thijs | Broad Green Pictures / MIRAMAX
  • Film review: “Ghost in the Shell” (2017)

    Film review: “Ghost in the Shell” (2017)

    “Ghost in the Shell” (2017)

    Science Fiction/Thriller/Action

    images

    Running Time: 107 minutes

    Directed by: Rupert Sanders

    Featuring: Scarlett Johansson, Takeshi Kitano, Michael Pitt, Pilou Asbæk, Chin Han and Juliette Binoche

    The Major: “Well, maybe next time you can design me better.”

    The Major: “Everyone around me, they feel connected to something. Connected to something, I’m not.”

    Scarlett Johansson has always been an outstanding actress, making her initial mark in Robert Redford’s underrated “The Horse Whisperer” (1998), then becoming a mainstay in smaller projects that enhanced her acting ability leading to her Oscar nominated performance in “Lost in Translation” (2003). The second identifiable stage of her career started in 2010 cast as ‘Black Widow’ in Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man 2” (2010), this period of her career continues with the release of this weeks “Ghost in the Shell” (2017), which on the surface does not seem like a stones throw from her MCU roles, but in fact runs a lot deeper than any of those roles, it also may be one of her best performances to date.

    In the near future, Hanka Robotics, the world’s leading developer of augmentative technology, establishes a secret project to develop a mechanical body, or “shell”, that can integrate a human brain rather than an AI. A young woman named Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson), the sole survivor of a cyberterrorist attack, is chosen as the test subject after her body is apparently destroyed beyond repair. Over the objections of her designer, Dr. Ouélet (Juliette Binoche), Hanka CEO Cutter (Peter Ferdinando) decides to train Killian as a counter-terrorism operative.

    A year later, Killian has attained the rank of Major in the anti-terrorist bureau Section 9, working alongside operatives Batou (Pilou Asbæk) and Togusa (Chin Han) under Chief Daisuke Aramaki (Takeshi Kitano). Killian, who has been experiencing hallucinations that Ouélet dismisses as glitches, becomes increasingly bothered by how little she remembers about her past.

    To talk about the plot any more is to pull on a ball of string, so I will just say that whilst the story has been around in various forms for over a hundred years,  you may know the formulaic plot and may even guess where its going – which is not a real skill in these types of movies. The actual elements of the plot have existed since humans asked the question – “Who am I?” “Why do I exist?” – heavy themes indeed.

    This is Scarlett Johansson’s first starring role since her massive global hit “Lucy” (2014), which had some similarities to this film, the biggest difference being that this new film is set in a entirely new world, has much deeper themes as well as a more performance oriented role. Johansson has proved time and again that she is perfectly able to portray a kick ass savy women on screen, this is her chance to play the same character with some real issues as well as giving her depth beyond what we expect to encounter in studio films. This so much more than a person who had a bad childhood (a staple and arhetype), she was taken and forced to act for others, she has been manipulated by people more powerful than her, used and spat out – a metaphorical rape of her mind and body.

    The film owes a debt (as many science fiction tomes do) to Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, as well as James Whales “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) – there are many elements they share, this becomes apparent in a few scenes between the Major and her sometime nemesis Kuze. This no more so than their first real meeting when they know there is a connection, Kuze feels it intensely but the Major is repulsed by him on every level. In fact in the denouement which plays out like a tragic love story, but not, we see decisions made that will have effects on both characters as well as possibly bringing the protagonist back for any sequels.

    Rupert Sanders the director of this film has had a knack of world building in particular with his last film the amazingly beautiful looking “Snow White and the Huntsman” (2012) – while this was a hit he had issues on the film and was lucky not to be asked back for the dreadful sequel. In this case he dodged a bullet, has really struck creative gold with this film and a cast that are obviously devoted to this new vision of the future, technology and human interaction. Sanders offers us good looks at what a city by the sea in the future looks like from a wide screen perspective as well as ground level interactions with a variety of incredibly designed characters, where they all look in some way hideous with their technological implants – it is a look at a future that for me is not welcome. I loved the way the director kept the story always moving forward with each of his cast getting their own characterisations, where you can tell each person apart – you also know their loyalties as well as their motivations. Unlike some other films where there is an artificial attempt at having some twist where a person who looked like a friend or ally suddenly betrays the main character, this has been played out in lesser science fictions films to death.

    As well as Scarlett Johansson in the main role there are some fresh faces that round out the cast, the stand out being the Majors main partner Batou (Pilou Asbæk), who never once wavers from her side, stays loyal and has some kind of understanding about who she might really be. Batou for all his bluster seems to really love the Major whether this leads to a more platonic love or romance remains to be seem – but he has her back the entire film, he asks for little in return. Even when he is hurt he does not hold back who he is and unlike a stereotype he does ask his friend for assistance – he knows she needs help, as does he, and they are simpatico in the best way possible.

    The other standout is the always, and I mean always stunning Juliette Binoche as the Majors creator Dr. Ouélet, they love each other in a way that imitates mother and daughter, Ouélet has created the shell in her idealized mirror image, not unsurprisingly for someone with no relationship or children in her life. Binoche fills Ouélet with some compassion for her patient but seems to know that deep down she has wronged the Major on some basic level – interesting the word Ouélet is a place that is barren and desert until rain comes – in respect of this character there is a flood that reveals her true nature.

    In case you have not guessed I loved this film, I recommend it to fans of action movies  that honor, in the best way possible, a previous iteration of a property, as well as gives us a place and characters that are intriguing enough to keep you enthralled for two hours. I do believe you will get more out of this film the more you think about it and I hope they make more. The Major is more than a rank and a soldier she is a person with much to offer.