At Darren's World of Entertainment - a movie, DVD and game review blog.
The latest movie and DVD reviews - plus game reviews as well. And cool stuff thrown in when I see it.
Gleefully unhinged and schlocky as they come from about halfway through, Becky is a vengeance film that puts its Cabin in the Woods versus the Nazis ethos to good use.
Lulu Wilson's Becky is still raw with emotion after the death from cancer of her mum. Sprung early from school by her dad (Community's McHale), she heads to the woods on a break. However, Becky's surprised on arrival by a visit from her dad's new girlfriend and her son.
And she's even more surprised when dad reveals he's about to remarry. Running off and hiding in the woods, Becky is even more shocked when a group of neo Nazis, led by Kevin James' Dominick, show up on the doorstep, searching for a key...
Becky doesn't hold back from the necessary violent edges when it needs to - and is all the better for it.
James turns in a surprisingly restrained and villainous performance as the brooding leader of the baddies, but his character's motivations are left weirdly vague in a way that detracts from the film's sense of urgency. However, he exudes the menace needed and gives the film the bad guy it needs.
Equally impressive is Lulu Wilson, whose character is described at one point as "vindictive and strong-willed". Wild-eyed and grappling with grief, loss and jealousy, Wilson's Becky becomes a force of nature halfway through that any film would use for OTT requirements. However, Wilson's stripped back turn helps turn her into a tool of vengeance and revenge with ease during the home invasion elements.
It's a good thing too, because the script's more ludicrous edges and sense of convenience begins to outweigh the film as it races towards its end.
Granted, Becky is the kind of film you watch after a few beers or as part of a marathon, but thanks to James and Wilson's performances, that's no bad thing.
Television of unease doesn't come much better than new psychological thriller, The Third Day. Even if the answers aren't quite as enticing as the questions posed early on.
Jude Law stars as Sam, a former social worker who now runs a garden centre with his wife. On a road somewhere he makes a call to an unknown person, his voice edged with desperation and urgency.
Stumbling into a woods, Sam sees a girl apparently playing a game - but when the game turns nearly deadly, Sam rescues her and offers to take her home, an offshore island called Osea, separated from the mainland by a causeway that only opens a few times a day due to flooding.
So The Third Day begins - and the new series from Dennis Kelly, the creator of Utopia never really lets up with its mystery and intrigue, as it sends Sam and the viewers on a trip that messes with both the head and reality.
The Third Day is split into 6 episodes, and three sections.
The first three episodes, subtitled Summer, concern Sam and his time on the mysterious island of Osea.
The second three, entitled Winter, concern Naomie Harris' mother Helen as she visits Osea with her daughters.
Sandwiched in between is a 12 hour immersive event, the screening details of which have yet to be revealed.
It's fair to say that the limits are pushed in The Third Day's first three episodes (episode one of which is now available to view on Neon NZ, and which plays Tuesday nights on SoHo in NZ) which make at times for uncomfortable viewing, even if you are familiar with The Wicker Man, The League of Gentlemen and Midsommar.
But while the reveals in episodes two and three help piece together the portentous jigsaw puzzle, they're not as massively earth-shattering as perhaps you'd expect; equally though, they are not on Lost levels of disappointment.
It's in the thrill of the journey and the steely determination of Jude Law's Sam that The Third Day gets its power.
With Law's continually furrowed brow and director Marc Munden's use of close ups, The Third Day has a very real tendency to unnerve as it spins its story. It's helped by Law's edgy performance that suggests confusion as he searches for answers on Osea.
But it's greatly exacerbated by the likes of Paddy Considine and Emily Watson as the owners of the local pub, and Katherine Waterston as one of those visiting the island for its pagan festival. Sure the folk horror genre has undergone a revival thanks to Midsommar, but at its heart, The Third Day appears to be more a treatise on grief and how it affects personally those involved.
In Jude Law's Sam, the unsettling tipping point seems to ever be closer (opening moments show Law sobbing uncontrollably by a stream as a piece of clothing is placed in and left to float away) but Law never proves showy in his portrayal.
It's part of the success of Kelly's The Third Day that nothing is overplayed - from the score to the startling use of over-exposed colours and odd imagery that's dropped seemingly randomly within, the script and its delivery know well that understated adds to the oddity of proceedings and the unnvering nature of some of the dialogue.
Ultimately, the first part of The Third Day provides some kind of conclusion.
Granted, it may not be the game-changing set of answers that is provoked by the initial questions, but the three episodes do feel like a complete whole that reward for the three hour investment. It's perhaps enjoyed more with an open mind and with a spoiler-free attitude. Fans of the genre may get more from The Third Day, but even casual viewers will be rewarded with the intrigue of a psychological jigsaw and the powerhouse central performance of Jude Law.
The Third Day airs on Neon and on SoHo on Tuesday nights. The first three episodes were supplied for the purpose of this review
This morning, PlayStation has finally revealed the price of their new console, the PlayStation 5.
The new console will cost $399.99 US or $499.99 US.
New Zealand prices mean $819.95 or $649.95.
Not only that, PlayStation has revealed the PlayStation 5 will release on November 12 in New Zealand and November 19 in other parts of the world.
There's been speculation PlayStation was set to release details after Xbox last week revealed the price and release date of its XBox Series X and XBox Series S consoles.
You can watch all of the PlayStation 5 showcase again below - including extended looks at Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Death Loop, Village and the God of War: Ragnarok reveal.
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) today announced launch date and price details for its highly anticipated next-generation videogame system, PlayStation®5. SIE also revealed new updates to the PS5™ game portfolio, including Final Fantasy XVI, Fortnite, Hogwarts Legacy, and a new God of War title.
On November 12, PS5 will launch in seven key markets: the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. The global rollout will continue on November 19 with launches throughout the rest of the world*, including Europe, Middle East, South America, Asia and South Africa. The PS5 Digital Edition will be available for a recommended retail price (RRP) of NZD$649.95, and PS5 with an Ultra HD Blu-ray™ disc drive will be available for an RRP of NZD$819.95. Pre-orders will be available starting as early as today at select retailers in New Zealand.
Both PS5 models use the same custom processor with integrated CPU and GPU for high-fidelity graphics up to 4K, as well as the same ultra-high speed SSD with integrated I/O that will deliver lightning-fast loading. Both PS5 models also offer a deepened sense of immersion through the DualSense wireless controller and 3D audio capabilities, so players will enjoy the same transformative gameplay experiences regardless of which PS5 they choose.
“Since we first announced our next generation console last year, we have received astounding support from developers and gaming fans all around the world, and it’s truly humbling,” said Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. “Now we are just a couple of months away from launching PS5, which will offer a new generation of experiences that go beyond players’ expectations of how games can look, feel, sound, and play. We can’t wait for our fans to experience for themselves the incredible speed, the heightened immersion and the breathtaking games on PS5 when we launch this November.”
Adding to its growing games portfolio, SIE today unveiled several new titles coming to PS5, including:
Devil May Cry 5™ Special Edition (Capcom)
Final Fantasy XVI (Square Enix)
Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach (Steel Wool Studios and ScottGames)
Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros. Games)
A new God of War title(Santa Monica Studio)
With titles such as Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Demon’s Souls, the breadth of unique gaming experiences coming to PS5 represent the best lineup in PlayStation history. Exclusive titles from SIE Worldwide Studios will be priced at launch from NZD$109.95 to NZD$139.95 (RRP) on PS5.
To support the PlayStation®4 community as they transition to the next generation when they’re ready, SIE will launch PS4™ versions of a few exclusive titles: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy A Big Adventure, and Horizon Forbidden West. While these three games were designed to take advantage of PS5 and its unique next-gen features like the ultra-high speed SSD and DualSense controller, PS4 owners will also be able to enjoy these experiences when they launch. The PS4 digital versions of launch games include a free upgrade on both PS5 consoles, while the PS4 disc versions of these games include a free upgrade on the PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-Ray disc drive.
In addition, SIE today revealed the PlayStation Plus Collection**, a curated lineup of PS4 games that defined the generation, which will be available to PS Plus members to download and play on PS5. The PS Plus Collection features critically acclaimed games, including Batman™ Arkham Knight, Bloodborne, Fallout 4, God of War, Monster Hunter: World, Persona 5 and many more.
SIE also announced the price for the following accessories that will launch alongside the PS5 console:
*Availability in each country subject to local import regulations. PS5 launch date for China is still under exploration and will be announced at a later date.
Cast: Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan, the wonders of Greece Director: Michael Winterbottom
Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan reprise their Trip persona for the fourth time.
And while the third time is apparently the charm (not so in The Trip To Spain's case), it feels like now really is the time to wind up this over-inflated travelogue series for good.
It's something which those involved have said will happen with this Hellenic outing, but in parts, this film feels like a retread of everything that's gone before and a greatest hits package of the Coogan-Brydon relationship.
Except in parts, this trip around Greece, as the pair follow Odysseus' journey, delves more in the maudlin and melancholy, a welcome touch from the incessant one upmanship that's been seen so many times before. Sure, the banter between Brydon and Coogan becomes more desperate as the duo tackle more impressions, but it really does start to grate the fourth time around.
This time, it's peppered with touches of the portentous as Coogan trumpets being known for his BAFTA for Stan Laurel, but hints at being tired of only ever being awarded for work playing other people; and Brydon's continual talk of being a light entertainer feels more savage as the legacy suffocates him rather than leaving him feeling fulfilled.
As with the previous films, this has been crafted out of the 3 hour TV version, and most of the intricacies and rhythms of the food tasting and the locations have been scythed through - which is a great shame.
The star of the Trip is still Winterbottom, whose eye for magnificent shots is evident once again.
But Brydon and Coogan prove to be game enough company - from a swimming competition that's more an old man's pissing contest to the constant jabs, their exploration of friendship is a more poignant and potent affair to spend time with, rather than a tiresome retread of who can do the best impression.
If this Trip to Greece truly is the last, it's a welcome end to the series which should have been a two course menu, rather than an endless degustation of middle-aged mimcry and midlife melancholy.
