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I am a reviewer of films and television at Spryfilm.com and I upload stories to thisissouthtaranaki.com.
  • Bluray Review: “Narcos – Season One”

    Bluray Review: “Narcos – Season One”

    “Narcos – Season One” (2015-)

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    Drama, Television Series, Action, Thriller

    Episodes: 10

    Created by: Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro, Chris Brancato

    Featuring: Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal, Paulina Gaitan, Juan Murcia

    Pablo Escobar: “Geniuses are always branded as crazy.”

    Yet another excellent Netflix show makes it ways onto Blu-ray and DVD this month and like many of their offerings they hit it out of the park. And in early news the show has been renewed up to at least season 4, so you should really start now!

    This first season chronicles the life of Pablo Escobar from 1970s, to the 1990s – during this time we witness the main events occurring in Colombia and Escobar’s relationship to them. It is told through the perspective of Steve Murphy, an American DEA agent working in Colombia.

    The initial episodes show how Escobar first became involved in the cocaine trade in Colombia. He was an established black marketeer in Medellín, moving trucks worth of illegal goods (alcohol, cigarettes, and household appliances) into Colombia during a time when this was strictly forbidden, when introduced to Mateo “Cockroach” Moreno, a Chilean exile and underground chemist, who pitched the idea that they go into business together, with Moreno producing and Escobar distributing a new, profitable drug—cocaine. They expand beyond Moreno’s small cocaine processing lab by building additional, larger labs in the rainforest and, using the expertise of Carlos Lehder, transport their product in bulk to Miami, where it gains notoriety amongst the rich and famous. Soon enough, Pablo develops larger labs and more extensive distribution routes into the US to supply growing demand.

    This first season is a must watch and after the first episode you will be absorbed into a world that will leave you wanting more. The entire season has an excellent arc that will have you asking many questions and some of these will eventually be answered in upcoming episodes. It is always a great vote od confidence when a show is renewed for not one nut two further seasons and is not shy about changing the direction of a show when it has to.

    Special Features:

    Audio Commentaries – Three episodes are given commentaries, Episode 1, with director Jose Padilha and star Wagner Moura, Episode 6, with showrunner Chris Brancato and Episode 10 with executive producer Eric Newman and director Andrés Baiz. All three commentaries contain good information about the production process, how the show came about, casting, location shooting and realism; none are really episode specific, rather they talk about the season as a whole.

    The Colombian Collection – Brief 10 minute featurette containing interviews with cast and crew exhorting the values of shooting the whole series on location in Columbia and how that contributed to the project.

    Establishing the Route – A lengthier 25 minute feature that discusses, with the same interviewees, how the series came about, why Netflix was chosen, how it was conceived for ‘binge-watching’ and the music for the show. A lot is covered in a short time.

    The Language Barrier – Another 10 minute featurette, again with the same interviewees, about the bi-lingual nature of the series.

    Deleted Scenes – Nine scenes in total that play as one 8 minute featurette, from various episodes running at the most 2 minutes, but normally less than one; the scenes are mostly character beats.

    If you enjoyed this series, try these:

    Blow (2001)

    The Infiltrator (2016)

    Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

    Scarface (1983)

  • DVD Review: “Labyrinth of Lies” (2014)

    DVD Review: “Labyrinth of Lies” (2014)

    “Labyrinth of Lies” (2014)

    Drama, German (subtitled)

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    Running Time: 124 minutes

    Director: Giulio Ricciarelli

    Featuring: Alexander Fehling, Johannes Krisch, Robert Hunger-Bühler, Gert Voss, Friederike Becht

    Johann Radmann: “…the only response to Auschwitz is to do the right thing yourself.”

    I have to admit first off that I had no idea about the story behind this film and watching it for the first time I was left thinking how could this have happened and could it indeed be happening right now under our very noses. This is a film that asks some very difficult questions and never answers all of them as with the quote above the answers can only be found within us. What would you do and are we doomed to repeat the same mistakes of the past.

    This is based on the real life events of a very young German prosecutor, Johann Radmann, who in 1958 took a personal interest in the case of Charles Schulz, a former Auschwitz extermination camp commander, who is now a teacher. It turns out he has a harder time than he may think with many ex-Nazis now involved in the highest levels of government. When Radmann realizes what is happening he convinces his boss that there are many more cases that require investigation and he is put in charge of a much larger investigation. What he and eventually his comrades find shake Germany to its core and becomes a unifying event that makes the country face up to its past in a very real way.

    The film has many surprises and instead of the audience being part of any trial we are taken on a ride that is more akin to a crime procedural that illustrates the complexities of the investigation and mammoth task that had to be undertaken in a way that would not be possible if the Nazis has not been such good record keepers. We are also invited into the familial life of Radmann and what he himself had to face up to so he was able to understand what it may have been like in Nazi Germany.

    It would be a cheap spoiler to explain what happens in this film but trust me you will be surprised and at some point the revelations become to unbelievable – except of course all the atrocities that are uncovered are true and may have been white washed if not for the bravery of people like Radmann who needed to face up to what a previous generation had been a part of willingly or not.

    I recommend this film highly and it deserves a second and third viewing so that we are reminded that this is our recent past and it should not be forgotten as we move towards the middle of this century.

  • Film Review: “Sully”(2016)

    Film Review: “Sully”(2016)

    “Sully” (2016)

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    Drama, Based on Real Events

    Running Time: 119 minutes

    Director: Clint Eastwood

    Featuring: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney

    Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger: “Everything is unprecedented until it happens for the first time.”

    On the surface this film may seem like an odd choice for a film – I mean how can you build a prestige project around one event that lasted less than five minutes – we it’s a credit to all involved particularly the subject, Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger, that this is one of the movies of the year and has to be an early favorite for Oscar consideration – it is a real story of extraordinary people doing amazing things just to preserve life as well as backing their own decision making in the face of detractors and Monday morning quarterbacking.

    The plot itself is simple and revolves around Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger landing his plain full of passengers (155 souls we are told) into the Hudson alongside New York City and the immediate fallout for him and his crew. What could have been told in a very simple way is lovingly complicated within the narrative, and pretty much the entire film is told from Sully’s point of view. The other thing that the director may have done was turn this into some kind of courtroom drama and made it very boring. Instead the film pretty much stays mobile with shots of different outcomes of his decisions, him running around New York, literally exercising any demons he may have, and phone calls with his wife where he may be still but she walks around with her phone showing us what is going on from her point of view.

    The performances in Clint Eastwood films are nearly always flawless and that speaks to his talent in casting but these days you cannot go wrong with Tom Hanks in a lead role, and he shines here almost disappearing into his role. It is important to say that you can see the respect that he and all the cast and crew show in making this moving picture that gives us a portrait of a human being and not some sort of made up action hero.

    The interesting way in which the story is told, and this is given away in the shorts, is that it does for most of the film make you and the characters doubt that the right decision was made, and it is to this what the film is really asks the characters to struggle with. I believe it is also asking – is there a place for someone with over forty years experience or should they be discarded for younger, quicker but possibly flawed individuals in the workplace. Of course this film is made and about by mostly people (and it has to be said white men) who think they know the answer – and I bet all those passengers know the answer as well.

    The real secret to this film is in the edit, and Blu Murray has to take much of the credit as this is the first real movie he has been a part of and I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future. It is one of the shortest Eastwood films I cab remember in quite a long time. As I said it moves quickly and all the characters are mobile as well and I applaud Eastwood for all the decisions he makes as a filmmaker. For my mind and for some time he has been the singular aged presence in films for some time, and whilst you may not agree with his politics there is no arguing with his talent.

    If you liked ths then see:

    Unforgiven (1992)

    Flight (2012)

    The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

    Captain Phillips (2013)

  • Film Review: “Blair Witch” (2016)

    Film Review: “Blair Witch” (2016)

    “Blair Witch” (2016)

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    Horror/Found Footage

    Running Time: 99 minutes

    Director: Adam Wingard

    Featuring: James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Corbin Reid, Brandon Scott, Wes Robinson, Valorie Curry

    “There’s something evil hiding in the woods.”

    Were we really waiting for another Blair Witch sequel? On the evidence presented it turns out we were – and it lives up to the hype of the original, in fact it may even surpass it.

    This new sequel was filmed under a false name, “The Woods”, and it is only in the past few months the true title was revealed and the early screenings purported to be a revelation for the long dead series, killed off by the Joe Berlinger directed “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2” (2000), a movie that was rushed into production and eventually taken away from the award winning director.

    This film written and directed by Simon Barrett and his longtime collabortator Adam Wingard – two guys with a pretty decent film pedigree. This partnership had helped spear head a new wave of horror films, and amongst them are there very own “A Horrible Way to Die” (2010), the very good “You’re Next” (2011) and the excellent box office hit “The Guest” (2014). If you have not seen this films go and get them and watch them, like many horror writer/directors there films get better as time goes by and will do as their output increases.

    So, it was with some trepidation that I saw their names on the credits of this film – it seems on the surface a step back to make a sequel to another persons work, with that work seemingly irrelevant in today’s horror genre. However, what they have been able to do is take a (now) time worn sub genre, the found footage film, and bring a new millennial twist to it and perhaps reinvigorating it for a new generation. They have taken new technology, drones, micro cams and other bits and used them to propel the reason why someone might record absolutely everything – it’s just easier and less of a hassle now.

    This sequel is set twenty years after the first and revolves around another found video, this time on YouTube, it seems to show something (watching it in the cinemas I was not sure what I was looking at) and is interpreted as Heather still alive (from the first Blair Witch) by her brother, James, who has never recovered from her loss – this sets him on a course to the infamous location of the first movie, with three friends and two Burkittsville locals who found and uploaded the footage.

    The film quickly takes a nasty turn for all involved and really the least said the better, as with the first film the secret is not knowing what happens and experiencing it as freshly as possible. Whilst we are talking about it I would also avoid the trailer as this does spoil a few scenes, which I was waiting on throughout, the film and it was a little distracting knowing they were coming. I am a big fan of what the Paranormal Activity series did and that was create trailers with footage not in the movie.

    I love horror films and was waiting for this movie to be released and I had a really great time watching it. There are just enough callbacks from the original film to recreate that singular atmosphere, whilst injecting more story and possibly better characters. The motivation for being in the forest is clear, however some of the decisions by the characters is a little hard to fully believe and invest in – there is also an over reliance on jump scares, which is one of the cheapest tricks in the horror genre. The characters themselves are all formed by their relationship to the main character, James – who along with his documentarian friends are the main characters in this story. There is even quite a bit of humor which seems narratively natural and not forced – this was a great juxtaposition to what was to happen to them later.

    You don’t have to watch the original first as that story is covered off here – in fact I recommend going into this one cold as there are some differences in location which can be jarring if you have seen the original recently.

    All in all I do recommend this film and it seems 2016 is the year of horror movies and this is the second sequel this year after “The Conjuring 2” which lives up to the original – go see with a friend and see at night to add to the atmosphere!

    If you like this watch:

    “The Last Broadcast” (1998)

    “WER” (2013)

    “Afflicted” (2013”

  • Film Review: “Nerve” (2016)

    Film Review: “Nerve” (2016)

    “Nerve” (2016)

    Running Time: 96 minutes

    Director: Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman

    Featuring: Emma Roberts, Dave Franco, Emily Meade, Juliette Lewis

    “Are you a watcher? Or are you a player?”

    This week see the release of the thriller “Nerve” featuring Emma Roberts and Dave Franco headlining a movie aimed at audience that has been spoilt for horrors this year, particularly with last months “Lights Out” (2016). Whereas the former film was a breath of originality and true horror, this films story has been told many times before one way or another in the low budget horror world. The one film that I could not stop thinking about was the highly regarded “Cheap Thrills” (2013) which treads similar themes but on a much lower budget and one locale.

    “Nerve” finds student Vee (Emma Roberts), watching her high school life seemingly pass her by, that is, until she finds the online game ‘Nerve’, which challenges her to accept a series of dares each more intense than the last, its not until its too late that she realizes that there is no way out and she finds herself battling to survive just to make it thought the night. On the way she meets Ian (Franco) a player who possibly knows more than he is letting on.

    The film progresses well and there are enough thrills to keep the audience engaged for the most part, but this is exactly what you would expect from the directors whose previous highlights have been directing two films in the “Paranormal Activity” series.

    The color scape that is used is primarily green, blue and red, these show up time and again, and it can be wearisome on the eyes, but it does make each scene seem important and may allude to a depth the movie was going for, missing in the actual plot. It is nice to know, speaking of the plot, that the story can have a nice neat ending that helps all the characters move on with their lives, and to move past all of their obstacles both within the game and of course in their personal lives.

    When genre films like this come along it is up to the main characters to keep you wanting more in the story and luckily the producers had the foresight to cast the always-likeable Emma Roberts and Dave Franco in the role of protagonists. It is the these two that we are really here to see and Roberts shines as the always watching and now must acting student – I think this may be one of the last roles we see her in before she starts spreading her wings into heavier affairs. Franco on the other hand is as usual a kinetic mess which I love – I have been a fan of Franco for ages and think he has more personality and smarts than the characters he plays have – I would like to see him in more thoughtful affairs but would still watch him in anything.

    If you like easy breezy thrillers with a hint of darkness then this is the film for you. Enjoy and maybe you might think twice before involving yourself online again.

  • Bluray Review: “Black Sails – Season 3”

    Bluray Review: “Black Sails – Season 3”

    “Black Sails – Season Three” (2016)

    Running Time: 10 Hours Approx.

    Created by: Robert Levine & Jonathan E. Steinberg

    Featuring: Toby Stephens, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Hannah New, and Tom Hopper

    “Take what’s yours!”

    The story so far…

    Black Sails is set approximately twenty years after the classic Treasure Island story and during the age of Piracy. Captain Flint brings on a younger crew member as they fight for the survival of New Providence island.

    Real life pirates that are fictionalized in the show include Anne Bonny, Benjamin Hornigold, Jack Rackham, Charles Vane, Ned Low, and Blackbeard. The plot of the first season focuses on the hunt for the Spanish treasure galleon Urca de Lima. At the beginning of the second season, the treasure from the Urca de Lima has been stranded on the shores of Florida with Spanish soldiers guarding it, but by the conclusion of the second season, the treasure has been taken by Jack Rackham and his crew and brought to New Providence Island.

    Season Three:

    While also being able to look at the whole story and see completeness to everything. Vane began things in total alignment with Flint and Jack, but then had to abandon ship, as it were. Or, really, abandon Nassau after Eleanor returned with a fleet of ships looking for vengeance. From there Vane would then shun his pirate cohorts, but then return to embrace them – and the cause – whole heartedly with a touching, shocking sacrifice that he hoped would spark enough unrest to overthrow the invasion.

    Jack, meanwhile, would continue to be my favorite character on the series. His decision to send a coded message to Anne, telling her not to turn over the gems, might be my favorite moment of the entire season, in fact. He just had so many great “underdog” speeches and scenes and I love Toby Schmitz’s performance as this eager-to-make-a-name character who’s devious but also devoted. And smartly loyal. And I loved how the show, by the finale, had positioned Jack to take over for Vane in a sense. Even perhaps at the side of Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson) in a “surrogate son” role.

    This is a very good show and one that bears staying with through the beginning of season one – I look forward to season four after an excellent season three.

     

     

  • DVD Review: “Scare Campaign” (2016)

    DVD Review: “Scare Campaign” (2016)

    “Scare Campaign” (2016)

    Horror/Running Time: 76 minutes

    Director: Cameron Cairnes & Colin Cairnes

    Featuring: Meegan Warner, Ian Meadows, Olivia DeJonge

    Over the past few years there have been quite a few low budget films coming out of Australia and while the quality does range quite a bit, the films themselves are original and watchable from the always watchable Wolf Creek (2005), through to These Final Hours (2013) as well as The Little Death (2014).

    While “Scare Campaign” is not the greatest film out there it is well worth a look as it shows some very real skills behind and in front of the camera. When we look back on this period it could be the start of a new Australian wave of low budget cinema that could see some huge payoffs in the future if the opportunities arise.

    Scare Campaign is not only the name of the film but also the name of the television show within the film that the plot revolves round. The show has been on-air for 5 years with its mix of old school scares and hidden camera fun. But as we enter a new age of online TV the producers find themselves up against a new hard-edged web series, which makes their show look decidedly quaint. It’s time to up the ante, but will the team go too far this time, and are they about to prank the wrong guy?

    This is a fun watch and makes a nice antidote to the over dramatized and plot driven horrors of recent times – give it a look!

  • Bluray Review: Stanley Kubrick: The Blu-ray Collection

    Bluray Review: Stanley Kubrick: The Blu-ray Collection

    Stanley Kubrick: The Blu-ray Collection

    Over the past few months we have seen the release of three seminal Stanley Kubrick films, and now these have been put together as one three disc set – these are films Kubrick made outside his Warner Brothers work – they are all excellent and see the filmmaker working in three very different modes.

    “Fear & Desire” (1953)

    This is a relatively recent find and is not a stones throw from his later work “Paths of Glory” (1957), this film follows a squad of soldiers who have crash-landed behind enemy lines and must work their way downriver to rejoin their unit.

    Here we see Kubrick extremely early in his career and working with a major star, Frank Sinatra, and with a limited budget – something Kubrick would not have to worry about again as his own name became larger than any single film.

    Special Features:

    – The Seafarers – a short film

    “Spartacus” (1953)

    This was a film that Kubrick should never have been a part of but he was a late arrival and was working not only with a massive budget, many egos, it was also one of the first films written by a blacklist writer – the indomitable Dalton Trumbo. This may have been a Kirk Douglas movie but it has become the standard bearer for epics and the first time Kubrick made his mark. Still one of his best – a must watch for any film lover.

    Special Features:

    • Deleted Scenes
    • Interviews
    • Behind the Scenes
    • Newsreels
    • Costume Designs and more

    “Dr Strangelove” (1964)

    More a satire than an outright comedy, this sees Kubrick delve into one of the only ‘funny’ films he made and the second with Peter Sellers in a number of roles. A film that covers many locations in very different types of scenes. Watch out for shifting aspect ratios and superb performances from George C Scott and Sterling Hayden – one of the most popular Kubrick films in pop culture and have been riffed on numerous times in “The Simpsons”.

    Special Features:

    • The Cold War featurette
    • Inside Dr. Strangelove doco
    • No Fighting in the war room doco and more

    This new Stanley Kubrick Collection includes three masterpieces from the great director in stunning all-new digital transfers, restored picture and new digital audio.

  • DVD Review: “Lonesome Dove – The Ultimate Collection”

    DVD Review: “Lonesome Dove – The Ultimate Collection”

     

     

    Lonesome Dove – The Ultimate Collection

    This month sees the release of the Lonesome Dove – Ultimate Collection on DVD a huge set that encompasses all that is best about this saga that tells the story of two Texas Rangers in the cauldron that was the 1800s wild west.

    This set is over 40 hours long and is made up of 16 DVDs that in the best decision ever is ordered in the chronology of all the series and not the year that they were made. The best thing about this is that you meet the characters when they are very young and go through to old age, which may seem obvious but given the level of performance I defy you not to get lost in the stories that unfold over peoples lives. You meet characters that live and many die as was the case in the west – it is an amazing achievement that author Larry McMurtry was able to weave the fiction and non-fictional events and characters into excellent a characters driven narrative.

    I have just finished watching the set and it was one of the easiest binge watching experiences I have had recently. Even though these have been produced over twenty years the production quality if not excellent in some is very good in others. There are high points in the series, that being the original “Lonesome Dove” (1989) where the talent is top notch and the behind the camera team are at the top pf their game. The low point is the direct follow up, “Return to Lonesome Dove” (1993) which is not good at all and the only one not based on a McMurtry novel.

    You are in for a treat.

    Below I will outline each series but will give no spoilers and this of course is the order in the set.

    Dead Man’s Walk (1996) – set in the early 1840s

    Directed: Yves Simoneau

    Featuring: David Arquette, Johnny Lee Miller, Brian Dennedy, F. Murray Abraham, Keith Carradine, Edward James Olmos, Eric Schweig, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray McKinnon, Tim Blake Nelson

    Running Time: 280 minutes

    Long Bill Coleman: “I wish I still had my harmonica. Its dreary out here without no tunes.”

    In this first chronological story we are introduced to Texas Rangers Woodrow F. Call and Augustus McCrae as well as a character that would become their nemesis, the Comanche war chief Buffalo Hump. Once they have had an initial conflict with him, they then proceed to Sante Fe to invade, which was inhabited by Mexicans. This is a failure and of the 200 that went only about 40 survive, falling to starvation, bears, and Indians only to be taken captive by the Mexican authorities. Those survivors are forced to march the Jornada del Muerto (“Dead Man’s Walk”) to El Paso.

    Comanche Moon (2008) – set in the 1850–60s

    Directed: Simon Wincer

    Featuring: Steve Zahn, Karl Urban, Wes Studi, James Rebhorn, Melanie Lynskey, Rachel Griffiths, Val Kilmer, Elizabeth Banks, Linda Cardellini, Ray McKinnon

    Running Time: 360 minutes

    Gus McCrae: “We are Texas Rangers! Our jurisdiction is wherever we happen to be.”

    Texas Governor Elisha Pease sends a small troop of Texas Rangers, under the leadership of Captain Inish Scull, to the Llano Estacado in pursuit of the celebrated Comanche horse thief, Kicking Wolf. This bold Indian steals Hector, Scull’s famous horse, and takes it to the Sierra Perdida to give to the notorious Mexican bandit Ahumado, feared for the horrible tortures that he inflicts upon his victims. Scull, promoting McCrae and Call to Captains and instructing them to lead the Ranger troop back to Austin, sets off on foot after Kicking Wolf, accompanied only by the Kickapoo tracker Famous Shoes..

    Lonesome Dove (1989) – set in mid-to-late 1870s

    Directed: Simon Wincer

    Featuring: Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Duvall, Danny Glover, Ricky Schroder, Diane Lane, Robert Urich, Frederic Forrest, D.B. Sweeney

    Running Time: 360 minutes

    Gus McCrae: “A man who wouldn’t cheat for a poke don’t want one bad enough.”

    “Gus” McCrae and Woodrow Call now run a livery in the small dusty Texas border town of Lonesome Dove. Gus loves women, but he’s twice a widower, and Call is somewhat of a workaholic. Working with them are Joshua Deets, a black tracker and scout from their Ranger days, Pea Eye Parker, another former Ranger who works hard but isn’t very bright, and Bolívar , a retired Mexican bandit who is their cook. Also living with them is Newt Dobbs, a 17-year-old whose mother was a prostitute named Maggie.

    From there they decide to run cattle even though they really know nothing about this.

    This is the great original production and is not equaled in the entire series. A must watch!

    Return to Lonesome Dove (1993) – set in mid-to-late 1880s

    Directed: Mike Robe

    Featuring: Jon Voight, Barbara Hershey, Ricky Shroder, William Petersen, Oliver Reed, Dennis Haysbert, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Cooper, CCH Pounder

    Running Time: 300 minutes

    Woodrow F. Call: “Leave it to Augustus… first man I know who could get himself into a shootin’ scrape after he was dead.”

    Woodrow F. Call, played by John Voight, is returning from his pilgrimage to bury McCrae and determines to take something back. He decides to drive a herd of Texas mustangs to Montana in order to continue his activities in the horse business.

    This is the weakest of the bunch and while it is the official follow up to the original, it is the next series that is the true follow up.

    Streets of Loredo (1995) – set in the early 1890s

    Directed: Mike Robe

    Featuring: James Garner, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shephard, Ned Beatty, Randy Quaid, Wes Studi, Charles Martin Smith, George Carlin, Kevin Conway, James Gammon

    Running Time: 300 minutes

    Woodrow F. Call: “I will not tolerate rude behavior.”

    In the new sequel, a couple of decades have passed since “Lonesome Dove.” Woodrow Call has retired from the Texas Rangers, and is not too happy about age setting in. He has a touch of arthritis, his eyesight is fading and it’s something of a chore just to get on a horse. But he keeps on working. As a freelance bounty hunter, he sets out after some vicious train robbers, the worst of them a 17-year-old blond, blue-eyed Mexican boy named Joey Garza . As someone says, Joey is less interested in the robbing than in the killing.

    Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994 – 1995)

    This series was based around Newt Call as he finds his way in the worl on his own and meets all sorts of interesting characters.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • DVD Review: “Where to Invade Next” (2015)

    DVD Review: “Where to Invade Next” (2015)

    “Where to Invade Next” (2015)

    Directed and Featuring: Michael Moore

    Michael Moore: “I am an American. I live in a great country, that was born in genocide and built on the backs of slaves.”

    Michael Moore has become his own brand over the past twenty five years, helping usher in the ego driven documentary. He has had huge success with many of his documentaries such as the timeless “Roger & Me” (1989), set in his hometown of Flint, Michigan,where Moore attempts to speak to General Motors boss Roger Smith about possible layoffs, to the Oscar winning and box office juggernaut “Fahrenheit 9/11” (2004), which cemented him as some kind of agent provocateur for the “people”.

    This month sees the DVD release of his latest film “Where to Invade Next”, a welcome return to form after some lacklustre and very much Moore-centric movies.

    In “Where to Invade Next” we follow Moore as he strives to find out what other countries are doing to educate, look after and empower their citizens and what the country he loves could use to help their own citizens.

    The countries are Italy, France, Finland, Slovenia, Germany, Portugal, Norway, Tunisia, and Iceland; respectively, the subjects covered are worker benefits, school lunches, early education, college education, worker inclusion, decriminalized drugs, low recidivism, women’s health care, and women inclusion.

    As with all of Moores films he has a point and in this movie it is a good one. He and it illustrates how US citizens have slowly over the past thirty years have had some pretty basic rights either removed or not even considered by successive governments.

    This is a great watch and recommended to those that would like a taste of what Moore received that is that there are some countries that treat their people with respect and trust – a lesson that could be learned in New Zealand I think.

     

  • Bluray Review: “Donnie Darko” (2001)

    Bluray Review: “Donnie Darko” (2001)

    “Donnie Darko” (2001)

    Directed by: Richard Kelly

    Featuring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Patrick Swayze, Drew Barrymore, Noah Wylie, Mary McDonnell

    Donnie: “Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?”

    Frank: “Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?”

    This week sees the release of the 15th anniversary bluray of “Donnie Darko”, a film that has, like so many others has survived and is remembered even though it was a financial disappointment in its very limited run. It did announce Richard Kelly, its writer/director, as a unique voice in cinema, and its leading man, Jake Gyllenhaal, as an actor to look out for.

    Kelly has struggled to repeat the critical success of Darko, but Gyllenhaal has appeared in some of the best films of the past ten years or so, Prisoners (2013), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Nightcrawler (2014), Enemy (2013), End of Watch (2012) and many others. He is creating an acting legacy, and has learnt to steer clear of the big budget messes that seem to swallow potentially good actors his age.

    Donnie Darko the film and Donnie Darko the characters are both cut from the same cloth in that they are both of their time and out of time. It seems like every five years or so the film appears in conversations and lists about the best films made, and it has an impact on those that see it to this very day. Good stuff!

    The film follows Donnie as he struggles with some very existential issues over the period of twenty-eight days – he has a kind of sidekick in Frank, a large talking bunny who seems to have a sway over Donnie and who seems to know where Donnie is headed. The least said about the plot and story of the film the better, as it is one of those films that reveals more of itself in multiple viewings and deserves discussion about afterward.

    The film boasts some of the best performances by actors who at the time could have been the main characters in their own films – it just shows how much the script was held in such high regard for some of these actors to appear in a low-budget first time directors movie. The standouts for me are Patrick Swayze as Jim Cunnigham a motivational speaker who is introduced to Donnie’s class and who later has an altercation with; Drew Barrymore as teacher Karen Pomeroy who is trying to help Donnie through this period in his life; Noah Wylie as Prof Kenneth Monnitoff who introduces Donnie to a book that becomes central to the charater and plot “The Philosophy of Time Travel”; Mary McDonnell as Rose Darko, Donnies mother who proves why she is one of the great unsung actresses of the past twenty five years. Some other great performances to keep an eye out for are Seth Rogen, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Fran Kranz, James Duval and Katherine Ross.

    The great thing about this new edition is that it contains a director’s cut and a wealth of extras, which I can say, only adds to the mystery around this great film. It has commentaries which are definitely worth listening to, as they will greatly increase the depth of this movie.

    I recommend this Blu-ray as a must have and will make a welcome addition to any collection.

    Special Features:

    Original Theatrical Cut (New 2K Transfer) Director’s Cut (New 2K Transfer)
    Audio Commentary with Director Richard Kelly Audio Commentary with Cast & Crew
    Production Diary
    Featurette: They Made Me Do it
    Featurette: Darkomentary
    Featurette: Screen Comparison
    Trailer

     

     

  • Review: “Bad Moms” (2016)

    Review: “Bad Moms” (2016)

    “Bad Moms ” (2016)

    Running Time: 100 minutes

    Director: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore

    Featuring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith, Annie Momolo

    Amy: “We all work too damn hard trying to make our kids’ lives amazing and magical. Their lives already are amazing and magical. Let’s be bad moms!”

    The new film “Bad Moms” (2016) has been written and directed by people from Todd Phillips stable of creatives, in case you are wondering that is the guy that directed the now classic (tongue firmly in cheek) “Hangover Trilogy” (2009 – 2013). I would normally say that this was enough of a clue to decide whether you should see this film or not. But we do need to weigh a few things up.

    I can imagine that this film was put together to cash in on the post “Bridesmaids” (2011) world we now inhabit, where executives have finally seen a mostly untapped demographic, the female led comedy film that appeals to a possible audience that makes up over fifty percent of the Earths population. That’s not to say that this film led by some incredible comic talents is not good, its just not up to a “Bridesmaids” quality, that being said its not up to a lot of the female centered comedies of the past few years, “The Heat” (2013), pretty much any Melissa McCarthy film or any Kristen Wiig comedy.

    The story is scatter shot at best, and follows a pretty simple plot that centers on the absolutely charming and funny Mila Kunis, who plays Amy mother of two and wife to a husband that is terminally unfaithful. Amy meets two other Moms who have their own issues, Kiki (Kristen Bell) and Carla (Kathryn Hahn). It seems that Amy is suffering from being too busy and trying to have it all, be a wife, mother, career woman and friend, but it is getting on top of her and she has a kind of break down at an emergency PTA meeting. From there we see her behaving like a bad mom, but not really, in fact she never really becomes the bad mom of the title – which is a little confusing, but never the less the film moves on.

    In any other film Bell or Hahn could be the leads but wiser heads have supplied Kunis with reliably funny talent and two actresses that can deliver the kind of dialogue that is supplied with their eyes closed. Their main antagonist is Gwendolyn (Christian Applegate) who is the leader of a three headed serpent, made up of Vicky (Annie Mumolo) and Stacy (Jada Pinkett Smith) who follow her every move and basically serve as the mean girls of the film. The talent in this film is huge and the cast is rounded out by Clark Duke, Wendall Pierce, Wanda Sykes and Jay Hernandez (Diablo from this months “Suicide Squad”).

    Whilst the three main characters are given most of the screen time, I can’t help but wonder what could have been with a better script that didn’t completely underserve Applegate, Pinket Smith and Mumolo who deserve much better than what they have been given or at least with the story that has been made around them. Unlike the earlier “Bridesmaids” that seemed to fit all of the large cast into the film, it also gave all of them their turn at being funny and well rounded, it is no wonder that the script was nominated for an Oscar (and in my opinion should have won). This is something the screenwriters of “Bad Moms” needn’t worry about.

    It may sound like I am not recommending this movie as one to go and see, in fact I would recommend this film whole heartedly to all, all of its main comedy set pieces are hilarious and the audience I saw it with were laughing out loud. There are no holds barred and the actors really embrace their inner filth. My favorite scene is when Kathryn Hahn is explaining to Mila Kunis how to have sex with a man who is uncircumcised – let me just say it involves a hoody and Kristen Bell.

    Go and see this now!

     

  • Review: “War Dogs” (2016)

    Review: “War Dogs” (2016)

    “War Dogs” (2016)

    Running Time: 114 minutes

    Director: Todd Phillips

    Featuring: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Kevin Pollak, Bradley Cooper

    David Packouz: [voice over] “My name is David Packouz. I’m twenty-two years old and I’m an international arms dealer. Six months ago I was a massage therapist in Miami Beach, and now here I was with my best friend from junior high.”

    Post “The Big Short” (2015), which served as  Director/Screenwriter Adam MacKay’s coming out party as a legitimate and bankable film-maker I am sure there were many comedy directors who thought “How hard can that be?” – get a couple of A/B list actors, have an A list actor make a memorable appearance, have a marginally interesting plot and frame it around one of the best know rags to riches to comeuppance stories around, in our case the DePalma classic “Scarface” (1982), and it will be a commercial and critical success! Is this the case with the recently released “War Dogs” (2016), directed by Todd Phillips, whose biggest success so far has been the “Hangover Trilogy” (2009 – 2013).

    This film is adapted from a Rolling Stone Magazine article “Arms and Dudes”, that tells the story of two wannabe arms dealers, Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) and David Packouz (Miles Teller) who in their early twenties stumbled onto a US$300 million arms contract for the US Government. The film charts their come from nowhere small business to heading a massive deal that ended up eating its own tail. The boys were out of their league and so were clueless to how international arms deals actually work thus paying a heavy price – sort of. It is worth noting that the story is told from the point of view of Packouz who comes across as a naive young guy seduced by Diveroli into doing things he would not have dreamed of prior to their meeting. That side of the film is a little difficult to come to turns with but it does (luckily for the director) paint Diveroli as a lose cannon who lies to everyone willingly, and just ploughs his way blindly through situations while portraying Packouz as a kind of anti-hero. The extent to which Diveroli is painted as the villain in contrast to a real arms dealer, played by Bradley Cooper, is seen as a kind of good guy with morale’s who sells weapons just to get out of this house – this is a person who owns up to being on the US terror watch list and is not able to do business with the US government. Hmmm, a little Hollywood reworking to make reality fit the story – and yes it is based on a true story, based being the operative word.

    This is definitely a film made for a certain type of audience, one who likes laughs, guns and the three-act structure. I mean when Diveroli explains to Packouz what he does and how he operates he has to do it three times just to get the point across to him and albeit the audience. It really is not rocket science to say they are middlemen in a transaction, they buy low and sell high, but instead of the stock market they are trying to short, it is the US government – but they don’t get away with it.

    The performances that Phillips gets out of Hill and Teller are good, but I have to admit it seems like Hill is strolling through this movie, and is not really trying to prove himself beyond what he has shown in earlier better movies. Hill started his career in broad comedies and moved effortlessly (it seemed) into top shelf dramas, earning two Oscar nominations in just a few years, he has shown he is one of the new breed of actors ably mixing genres with ease. Teller on the other hand has a handful of roles that he stands out in and just when he seems like he may be starting to make a name for himself he make a big budgeted embarrassing flop. Teller in the film holds his own against Hill, but is too much a passive character to really sympathize with, which is a shame because it could have been a better role if he had more than one shade to his character.

    I think the film reached for the skies but misses a few beats (the music choices are pretty blatant and obvious and I think were meant to lighten the mood, but fail completely) overall you will go to this film and have a few laughs, but there is really nothing beyond the surface which for a Friday night with Jonah Hill is probably no bad thing.

  • Film Review: “The Purge: Election Day” (2016)

    Film Review: “The Purge: Election Day” (2016)

    “The Purge: Election Year” (2016)

    Running Time: 105 minutes

    Director: James DeMonaco

    Featuring: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson, Terry Serpico, Kyle Secor

    PSA: “Blessed be our New Founding Fathers for letting us Purge and cleanse our souls. Blessed be America, a nation reborn.”

    This film could not have been timed more appropriately with the Presidential elections starting to ramp up in the US at the moment – and yes there have been jokes made about this film and a Donald Trump presidency which I will not go into here as it is too easy a target.

    If you are interested in this latest Purge film then I am assuming you seen the previous two films and their rising escalation from family home to the streets to the war on/by the government.

    There is only one returning character who has joined this new cast and that is Leo Barnes, (Frank Grillo) who in the second film was on a path of vengeance on Purge Night, and, who came to realise that it was nothing but a form of class warfare. In this film he is the head bodyguard of Presidential Nominee Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) who is an anti-purge politician, and who, as a child had her own purge nightmare experience. The main thrust of this film is how the people in power are sensing a movement in the lower classes to rid the country of The Purge, and to use the only power they have left – the power to vote.

    This film is less inclined to show what people are up to on purge night and instead focuses on the battle (both physical and spiritual) between the corrupt government and those against that perceived tyranny. Then there are three main disparate groups that end up coming together to help the fight for democracy and to show that all lives matter rich or poor.

    As usual the film has some pretty great protagonists and they are the foot soldiers of the government, these are a cadre of white supremacists, they make a great foe for the Senator and her bodyguard. I mean who doesn’t like to see racists get their comeuppance. The film boasts many action sequences that are inventive, and illstrste just what a crazy night this is. My only real criticism is that in the second film there was a lot more going on in the background, but in this film most of the action takes place with our central characters.

    More and more these films seem like an authentic throwback to the great 80s films that were about the downfall of society and the kind of ‘normal’ people that are there to bring back some normalcy, while fighting for themselves and others.

    If you are a fan of hard action and horror with thrills thrown in then this entire series is for you.

  • Film Review: “Suicide Squad” (2016)

    Film Review: “Suicide Squad” (2016)

    “Suicide Squad” (2016)

    Running Time: 130 minutes

    Director: David Ayer

    Featuring: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Common, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman

    Rick Flagg: “Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you people.”

    Harley Quinn: “I can be known to be quite vexing.”

    After what seems like an eternity “Suicide Squad” (2016) is released into theatres this week and it has a lot riding on its shoulders in a post “Deadpool” (2016) world.

    When Suicide Squad was announced and the trailers started to be released it seemed like a wild idea to have anti-heroes teaming up and saving the world, the film seemed like it was a slap in the face to previous superhero moves that had come before. The style was anarchic and the characters seemed to be unique not only in their motivations but also they way they treated each other and authority. Audiences had their appetites piqued and it seemed like a slam-dunk for DC and their parent company Warner Brothers.

    Then “Deadpool” happened and on a much smaller scale and a harder rating the ‘Merc with a mouth’ stole not only “Suicide Squads” hype but has also cast a giant shadow over the Summer Season as well as all the other superhero films this year and maybe for longer – maybe except for “Captain America: Civil War” (2016). “Deadpool” also did it on a comparatively tiny budget and made over US$750 million dollars with a sequel on the way.

    Warner Brothers themselves have had a pretty bad year so far with their own initial superhero movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice “ (2016) being released and not only costing a reported US$250 million but only managing to gross worldwide US$870 million which may sound a lot but it was no secret they really had to get over the now standard blockbuster US$1 billion dollars – it doesn’t help that the movie was critically panned universally, and actually reviled in some quarters.

    Needless to say there is a lot riding on “Suicide Squad” in terms of the DC cinematic universe, Warners bottom line and to assist in the launch of their other superhero movies starting next year.

    So how does this one rate?

    Pretty good actually and David Ayer has produced a good comic book movie, finally,for Warner’s that does indeed herald the way forward for the DC Universe. Ayer who either can make a brilliant film or a terrible one is an extreme filmmaker, and when he hits it, he hits it out of the ballpark. This film can sit in his oeuvre alongside the brilliant “End of Watch” (2012) and the excellent “Fury” (2014) and, finally, the awful “Sabotage” (2014) can go to its resting place. He is a true actors director and this shows with the performances and the buy in he gets out of this huge cast, but he also gives things over to the intense wide screen action that the trailers have promised for so long.

    Whilst the ending is a little muddled and what superhero movie these days isn’t, although Marvel do seem to be solving this issue, just look at the excellent “Civil War” for proof of that, I feel this film does deliver on the marketing that has been prominent for some time.

    This is one of those films that has already, after just one day, received so much hate and vitriol I have to ask myself did I see the same movie as everyone else. The bottom line is this is worth going to see it is full of humor, and the personalities of the actors involved is huge and a big reason why I like this movie so much.

    The standouts are Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn with able support from Jared Leto as the Joker. There are cameos aplenty and you might think you have stepped into a Batman movie for the first half but then it becomes its own thing and moves at a pace that you need to keep up with.

    This is an overblown action film that has criminals as heroes and you do root for them, in a “Con Air” (1997) kind of way – it feels like a throw back to the 90s and the best thing about that is that its not a throwback to the 80s.

    If you go into this film wanting to hate it (and I cannot understand this mentality) then you will, but the truth is there is more to like here than to not so sit back eat your popcorn and have a big drink of the soft stuff.

    Oh and Jai Courtney, Ryan Reynolds wants his Unicorn back!

    Enjoy!

     

     

  • Film Review:”Jason Bourne” (2016)

    Film Review:”Jason Bourne” (2016)

    “Jason Bourne” (2016)

    Running Time: 117 minutes

    Director: Paul Greengrass

    Featuring: Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel, Julia Stiles, Riz Ahmed

    CIA Director Robert Dewey: “Why would he come back now?”

    Good question! And the answer is believable – kind of…

    After nine years Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon finally reteam for another Bourne movie, that asks the inevitable question: Should they have done it?

    Well within the film there is the good and the bad, and I would say the score is one to Nil in favor of producers, actor and director. After the previous Damon-Greengrass film “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007) concluded, it gave the trilogy a great send off, and I was among those that thought bring on more sequels, I mean if you could do it twice, why not more. But the intervening years have only built up the anticipation of what a new Bourne film could be, and now that has been answered with the release this week of “Jason Bourne” (2016).

    As usual I am staying away from spoilers but broadly, Bourne, who now lives in Greece (or thereabouts) makes a kind of living fighting in pretty rugged tournaments, and is brought out of the cold by Nicky, (pleasing to see Julia Stiles back) who has found out some key information about Jason’s past that she thinks he needs to act on. From here we are introduced to three new main characters, CIA Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones), CIA operative Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) and the “Asset” (Vincent Cassel) who all acquit themselves well in roles that give them just enough depth for us to feel for them one way or another. The other new character is social media guru Aaron Kailoor (Riz Ahmed) who is in bed with the CIA and being asked more of his company than he ever thought he would have or need to give.

    As you would expect the action scenes are incredible, and Greengrass’s shaky camera style has not lost any of its impact, it’s a credit to his cinematographer that he can keep up with what the Directors desires. The film itself shifts from Europe to the US to Germany to the UK and eventually winds up in Las Vegas for the films climax and biggest action scene in the movie. Unlike previous Bourne films this one relies on tropes and pretty stereotypical characters. There are twists but they are a little obvious and there are no real surprises that would indicate the need for Bourne to really be involved in this story at all.

    Where the film excels is in changing the entire reason for there to be a Jason Bourne in the world. The older Bourne movies were made in an era of boots on the ground and one on one-action beats with the very reason for the CIA exisiting was to feed information to their asset. In this new era the power is the CIA itself and this power they weld through giant networks leaving someone like Bourne old fashioned and an antiquated model of a bygone era. That is why he is able to do the things he does, they really don’t make them like they used to.

    It is also great to see an aging Damon complete with grey hair, as well as an older nemesis in Vincent Cassel’s “Asset” and of course Tommy Lee Jones. In fact the only youngish person is recent Oscar Winner Alicia Vikander who seems to be able to play any role set in any time – she is the welcome female character who is not only empowered but also has designs on her own pathway in her own way.

    The film will be successful so I only hope they will make more in the series and keep this new direction going, you never know it may give Bourne a reason to live.

    Washington, DC – Matt Damon and Alicia Vikander are on set filming for Bourne 5 at the Capital in Washington DC. AKM-GSI December 4, 2015 To License These Photos, Please Contact : Steve Ginsburg (310) 505-8447 (323) 423-9397 steve@akmgsi.com sales@akmgsi.com or Maria Buda (917) 242-1505 mbuda@akmgsi.com ginsburgspalyinc@gmail.com
  • Film Review: “Lights Out” (2016)

    Film Review: “Lights Out” (2016)

    “Lights Out” (2016)

    Running Time: 81 minutes

    Director: David F. Sandberg

    Featuring: Teresa Palmer, Maria Bello, Gabriel Bateman, Billy Burke, Alexander DiPersia

    Martin: “I’ve been sleeping with the lights on. Every time I turn them off there’s this woman, she doesn’t like the light.”

    Its refreshing going to the movies and seeing a horror film that is not a sequel, a remake or a rip-off. It is one of the great genres but in most cases is reductive, sexist or boring. In the case of the new film by writer/director David F. Sandberg, I can happily report that he and writer Eric Heisserer have created a new horror character that is both original and scary and left me wanting more.

    The film involves siblings who find out they have been haunted by the same entity years apart, and have to come together along with their mother to defeat it. The human mind plays a large part in this story, the fragile thing that it is, but it also illustrates the strength of family and support to help fight for a family member with a crippling mental illness.

    Martin is being terrified by a dark supernatural entity known as ‘Diana’ (Alicia Vela-Bailey) an entity who seems to have a special relationship with his mother, Sophie (Maria Bello) who does not seem to care about the situation at all. In a desperate attempt at seeking help Martin reaches out to older half sister Rebecca (Teresa Palmer), in fact he wants to leave his mother and live with Rebecca permanently.

    It turns out that ‘Diana’ is very real and used to haunt Rebecca when she was younger, to cope she put it down to very bad dreams and repressed it. It seems to have an effect as in her current life she will not let anyone get to close to her, particularly boyfriend Bret (Alexander DiPersia) who would like to take their relationship to the next level. From here the film moves into high gear and follows the normal horror formula, but the originality is in the creation of ‘Diana”, something I can see working in multiple sequels, particularly if the reputation of the film keeps growing the way it has.

    Very rarely can you say you saw the beginning of something special, some examples are the first Jeepers Creepers, A Nightmare on Elm Street and even the first Saw film. At some point these franchises burn themselves out, but in the case of “Lights Out” there is a chance to start something really special in cinema, especially with the origin story that is revealed in the movie.

    The film is co-produced by James Wan, the Director of such horror megahits as Saw (2004), Insidious (2010), The Conjuring (2013), Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016). When you know your stuff you really know it, and Wan has embraced his horror roots, his signature can be seen all over this film, as with his other films it is highly personal, family orientated and scary.

    This is also the kind of film that anyone over the age of thirteen can enjoy, there are mostly jump scares and little actual gore to be frightened by, however it is best seen with a group, as the feedback from the audience enhances the experience. Slumber parties will never be the same again.

  • DVD Review: “45 Years” (2016)

    DVD Review: “45 Years” (2016)

    “45 years” (2016)

    Running Time: 95 minutes

    Director: Andrew Haigh

    Featuring: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, and Geraldine James

    Kate Mercer: “Its funny how you forget the things in life that make you happy.”

    This is the kind of adult drama that is becoming a rare commodity in the film world; it shares nothing but DNA with the modern day movie, but is a cut above at least 90% of movies released in cinemas each year.

    Academy Award nominee Charlotte Rampling and fellow lead Tom Courtenay feature in this film in which a couple are about to celebrate their forty-fifth wedding anniversary when a blast from the past unearths feelings and emotions that had been forgotten about. Its obvious to say that only a certain number of actors could play these parts but an even fewer number could make them believable as well as giving them great depth in this very contained film.

    The premise of the story is simple, in the week leading up to the event Geoff receives a letter from the Swiss government advising him the perfectly preserved body of his girlfriend has been uncovered in a glacier fifty years after she disappeared.

    Needless to say this is a shock and brings up unspoken feelings between Kate and Geoff, and we see Geoff losing his grip by smoking (something he had earlier given up) and looking for pictures of his lost love – Kate too starts to unravel as she realizes their marriage might not be the perfect relationship she thought it was.

    The performances by Rampling and Courtenay give reality to this script that could have been over acted and ruined, instead we see a lifetime of memories and actions starting to be questioned and of course with any great story the answers are not easily found.

    Interestingly the metaphor of the couple’s home acting as a keeper of secrets as well as the couple themselves is no more evident than where memories are kept, in the attic, or, in the mind buried in boxes long forgotten but reawakened by a third party, and once these memories are out of the box, like anything it is difficult to put them back.

    This is a film that lives and dies with performance but it is to Director Andrew Haigh’s credit that he has adapted and directed a film that looks so good and competent in only his third film out and to challenge himself with working with two legendary British thespians of such standing proves he can do wonders when working with the best.

    Recommended to all.

  • DVD Review: “Law & Order: UK” Series 3 & 4

    DVD Review: “Law & Order: UK” Series 3 & 4

    “Law and Order: UK” – Series 3 & 4

    Running Time: 630 minutes approximately

    Featuring: Bradley Walsh, Harriet Walker, Ben Daniels, Bll Paterson, Jamie Bamber, Freema Agyeman,

    Opening: “In the Criminal Justice System the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups. The police who investigate crime and the District Attorneys who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.”

    I feel like there has been at least one incarnation of Dick Wolfs “Law and Order” franchise on air since I have been watching TV, and that’s because of the reliable formula that has been provided by Wolf, and the excellent stories and actors prevalent throughout all of the shows.

    It was inevitable that the producers try the formula outside of the US and so we have “Law and Order: UK” which with a few minor tweaks here and there is, I think, a good reflection of what the show is with a very English twist. All the English stereotypes along with all the police stereotypes are present and are carried off well, although sometimes I found myself amused by all the accents and puns.

    The show itself is broken into two separate pieces, the first involves the police tracking down the criminal and the second involves the prosecutors attempting to get a conviction. A simple set up and pay off that has worked for the show for over a decade.

    The police are represented by the senior cop, Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and his junior partner, Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) arriving at a crime scene assessing whats what, and then reporting to their boss, Natalie Chandler (Harriet Ealker) who advises them on what  jobs to do and earnestly pushes them along so they can then seek a prosecution from the lawyers James Steel (Ben Daniels) and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agymen) who with some challenges almost always get their man and/or woman.

    The stories are almost all stand alone and episodic which means that every episode has a resolution one way or another, this can be a nice antidote to other crime shows that involve entire seasons to reach their conclusion. The charcters , whilst existing episode to episode do grow but you have to stick with the episodes to see their development.

    As with all Law and Order shows the real strength is in the actors who bring believability to their roles, and this no more so than Jamie Bamber and Freema Agyeman who have both appeared in legendary Sci-Fi shows, Battlestar Galactica and Dr Who respectively, and it is refreshing to see them embrace their Earth bound roles with ease and relish.

    I recommend these DVDs to all those who enjoy a good crime yarn with a very English twist.

  • Film Review: “Star Trek Beyond” (2016)

    Film Review: “Star Trek Beyond” (2016)

    “Star Trek Beyond” (2016)

    Running Time: 122 minutes

    Featuring: Chris Pine, Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Idris Elba, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Sofia Boutella

    Bones: “You spent all this time trying to be your father, and now you’re wondering just what it means to be you.”

    Depending on which way you count them this is either the third or thirteenth Star Trek film in the franchise’s history – and it is one of those really good ones, that deserves rewatching as soon as the end credits roll.

    The film forgoes all that was wrong with 2013’s “Star Trek into Darkness”, the cheap plot manipulations, the inferior version of the greatest Star Trek film of all and the somber tone it decided to take for no apparent reason. This film discards this for a righting of the ship, so to speak, and delivers a film that whilst being episodic in nature (or a standalone film) pushes the characters of the crew into unfamiliar situations and thereby giving them greater depth to draw from.

    The film opens unlike previous Trek films with a scene of pure comedy that also serves as it turns out as the key to the entire film, as well as the premise of the movie. We are into year three of the Enterprise’s first five-year voyage with the crew and particularly the Captain a little bored of life on ship. It is also Kirk’s birthday, a scene we have witnessed before albeit with an older Kirk – and as it turns out he has always hated his birthday, but of course Dr. McCoy is there to shed some relief both through alcohol and friendship. Much like the scene towards the beginning  of “The Wrath of Khan” (1982), we are witnessing two close friends talking about their pasts and the different paths taken, or might yet be taken.

    From there the film follows a familiar format, with the Enterprise and her crew going to  rescue others but getting caught in the crossfire of a larger story and eventually a face off against a big bad occurs and all of a sudden we arrive at the climax of the film with the future yet to be written.

    To be honest this films greatness and success does not rest with the story but like so many good Trek films before it, with the crew and they are the ones that make all the right noises and moves to invigorate what could have been a very ordinary plot.  It is a delight to witness all of the crew giving genuine emotional beats to their moments within the story and I cannot wait for the next instalment.

    After the previous Trek film the franchise seemed to have gotten lost after the excellent reboot “Star Trek” (2009), but once the results were in on that film Paramount dumped the script and the director (of what would have been the original Star Trek Beyond) in favor of a new creative team, that being Justin Lin, director of three of the blockbuster Fast and Furious films as well as Simon Pegg, geek-king and the actor who plays Scotty. At the time it may have been seen as a Hail Mary but Pegg, who knows all the characters so well and Lin a self confessed Star Trek fan, has turned out to be a canny choice of creative minds and one I hope that will continue for at least another film.

    Something that has become an issue with so many big budget movies and one that exists within this film is, not only feeling that there are no real stakes involved but also a two-dimensional villain that does not ring true and cannot not even be saved by the likes of a wasted Idris Elba. However my feeling is that the smart writng, the kinetic directing and the fact that all of these superb actors know their charcters so well more than makes up for this. It is a joy to see them play together in what must have been an actor friendly environment.

    Even with my minor criticism I would recommend this movie to all.