Wicked: Part One: Movie Review

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh
Director: Jon M Chu

There's a scene early on in Jon M Chu's audacious staging of Wicked where his professor character Dr Dillamond, a talking goat, denounces one of the student's assignments as being little more than "form over content."

In some ways, that could be applied to the first part of the adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's musical, a film that's largely about setting up a payoff that won't come until November 2025.

A breathtakingly impressive Erivo stars as the green-skinned outcast Elphaba, who lives in the land of Oz and is destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Determined to meet the Wizard of Oz (Goldblum, in an eccentric and whimsical performance), she enrols at Shiz University. 

But appalled at her treatment by the powers that be, blonde-haired mean girl Glinda (Grande, a natural at the comedy airhead routine needed by the Good Witch) tries to ostracise her. However, when the pair actually form a friendship, they find they have more in common as a dark conspiracy swirls around Oz itself.

While the film is largely a great deal of style over substance, set in a derivative version of a Hogwarts-style university complete with talking animals and nods to the Wizard of Oz and what's to come, the incredible costumes and look and feel of the musical is actually astounding to behold.

Covering only the musical's first act, a colourful array of props and scenes litter proceedings, with various songs peppered throughout. It does fall to mention that unfortunately, unless you're a fan of the original musical, many of the numbers are lost to the memory the moment the lights go up.

The central narrative of how wickedness happens is a soft one in many ways, a chance to revamp a story that's previously been doused in evil and all the better for it. But with horrifying imagery such as how the flying monkeys got their wings and emotional betrayal at its heart, most of what transpires in Wicked: Part One is infinitely more enjoyable than you'd come to expect.

Both Erivo and Grande excel, and while the whole gimmick of singing live during filming is fairly tame given both have live music backgrounds, there's no doubting their chutzpah and delivery whatsoever. Taking the traits of a musical that panders to audience knowledge and laughs (from a few knowing cameos to Grande's continual Glinda hair toss routine), the film does much to ingratiate itself in those who aren't familiar with the source material.

Yet at its heart, the film belongs solely to those behind the camera. From visions of bursting colour and exquisitely choreographed and clear scenes of crowds, Chu's eye for what transpires as spectacle is hard to deny - and deserves plenty of praise.

In hindsight, while Wicked: Part One does little in terms of strong narrative and character depth, what it achieves within its genre is completely impressive. It remains to be seen whether the second act is as good as the first's bum-numbing 2hr 40 minutes, but it'd be Wicked to dismiss this film's execution as anything but a triumph within its class.

JBL Soundgear Frames review

The idea of wearable tech is one that's grown over the years, with each subsequent item released pushing the boundaries of what's fashionable and what's practical.

With summer coming up, JBL's push is the JBL Soundgear Audio Glasses - something that mixes both the best for your ears and also your eyes. Equipped with speakers on both of the arms, the audio glasses represent something that's more personal for you, but something which allows you to appreciate your surroundings as well.

Making it a piece of kit that's enjoyed on the go, these audio glasses work effectively on an 8 hour battery, with a short charge giving a few hours of pleasure as well. A simple cable charges both of them, but it's highly advised to do this before you head out.

Cleverly, the glasses turn themselves off and on when you fold in the arms, so there's no accidentally leaving them on to drain the power. But in truth, the arms could do with being a little tighter on the screws, given how easily they close on you.

As such the sound is a little tinny if you like your bass elements, but generally, the audio performs well given the size of the speaker and the positioning near your ears. Everything's customisable as usual via the JBL app, meaning you can get the best of what you need.

In terms of the frame - it's either rounded or square and while the lenses work well to block the UV and look like a pair of RayBans in parts, those who wear glasses and not contacts may find themselves having to fork out for new lenses to incorporate into the frames, something which will bump up the price obviously and may be an option to see some avoid buying them. 

It's not recommended they be worn over glasses as the speakers don't measure up in terms of sound delivery and don't give you the optimaal experience you need for them. While this is not JBL's fault in a mass market, and there is the chance to adapt, it is one thing that's possibly going to prevent people from investing in them.

Ultimately though, with good solid sound from music and decent call quality as well, thanks to a lightweight feel, these audio glasses, with their lower end pricing, mark a good sounding off point for trying out something new. 

With summer coming up, there's likely to be nothing better than chilling in the garden, sunnies on, enjoying sounds without the hindrance of in-ear buds.

A pair of JBL Soundgear Frames were provided for the purposes of this review.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person: DVD Review

Cast: Sara Montpetit, Félix-Antoine Bénard, Steve Laplante, Sophie Cadieux, Noémie O’Farrell
Director: Ariane Louis-Seize

Mixing hipster vibes and vampire lore, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person proffers a slice of cool cinema, that's perhaps a little too relaxed in its execution.

It's the tale of sensitive teenage vampire Sasha (Montpetit), who, traumatised after the family slaughter of a clown ordered for her birthday, is struggling to adjust to her lifestyle. Instead of chomping down on hapless victims, Sasha prefers to suck her sustenance from bloodbags - much to the frustration of her mother.

Sent away to live with her cousin (O'Farrell) as a sharp shock to the system and to help her get over the compassion she feels for dying animals, Sasha forms a bond with Paul (Bénard), a depressed teen who's planning his own death.

As she helps him edge closer to his mortal end, Sasha finds herself embracing a new life through Paul - and helping him live out his dying wishes - something which pushes her desire to help him to breaking point.

Pushing quirk and aesthetics above all else, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person spends a little too long revelling in its oddness and not enough time building the depth of poignancy that it so clearly wants to achieve.

Montpetit is great as Sasha, imbuing her character with the teenage angst and outsider-vibe than many feel, helping her double down on her ostracism from life and the lifestyle of her family. But Benard simply gives his Paul nothing more than wide eyes and a kind of simpering vibe that doesn't help his case or his character.

That's not to say there aren't laughs from unexpected places within Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person; but they come from minor moments rather than a script that feels polished.

More successful perhaps is the overall execution of Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person. From a sweet and aching tone to some impressively-lit and staged scenes, the film's more about a swoon-worthy vibe in places than a deep narrative engagement.

It has charm aplenty and a lead actor to die for, but it's not quite enough to ensure this vampire tale is one for all eternity.

This film is playing as part of the 2024 Whanau Marama New Zealand International Film Festival. For more details, visit nziff.co.nz

The Exorcism: Shudder Movie Review

Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, David Hyde Pierce, Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg
Director: Joshua John Miller

The idea of an actor losing their mind while making a film about dealing with possession is a great one. 

As a concept, the dramatic possibilities of the premise are endless. Unfortunately, while The Exorcism spends a lot of time breadcrumbing its ideas and giving its star a chance to play up the ambivalence and brooding, when it comes to the crunch, it simply abandons it in favour of rote schlock horror shenanigans.

Crowe is Tony Miller, an actor coming onto a horror project as a priest. Troubled by his own demons and forced to take in his daughter (Simpkins) after she's been expelled from school, he already appears on the edge.

But things get worse as he gets into filming - leading to suspicions he's falling back on old addictions. However, is something more sinister at play?

The Exorcism has a great moody atmosphere and plays on its spiritual connections to the original film (its director is the son of one of the actors from The Exorcist) - but when push comes to shove, the film falls back on a few lazy jump scares and schlock to bring the horror.

Yet in its moments such as this, it gives Crowe the chance to bring some of the power he's not shown for years in terms of menace and malevolence. Watching his Tony twist, writhe and glower reminds you of the absolute command Crowe had during Romper Stomper.

Simpkins also deserves praise for a relatively thankless role - their interaction with Frasier's David Hyde Pierce make the more pedestrian and plodding sections of the film feel a little more alive with a degree of intelligence and depth the script hasn't quite afforded them.

Ultimately, The Exorcism stands as middling curio that offers brief pleasures but feels frustratingly like it could have done much more with its intriguing premise.

Deadpool and Wolverine: Disney+ Review

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew MacFadyen
Director: Shawn Levy

Ryan Reynolds returns as the motor-mouth Wade Wilson for yet another outing - but for the first time, Reynolds' wise-cracking, fourth-wall breaking antihero is joining the Disney universe. However, he's not alone in the ride into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Despite trying to join the Avengers in Earth-616, Wade Wilson finds himself rejected. Lacking purpose, he gives up on being Deadpool until the Time Variance Agency (from Disney+ show Loki) shows up on his doorstep on his birthday, saying they need his help.

Abducted, Deadpool is offered a chance in his eyes to redeem himself as the self-confessed Marvel Jesus and bring life to the fracturing timelines...

To say more about Deadpool and Wolverine's (admittedly slight) plot is to rob it of its many reveals.

Needless to say Levy and a team of five writers have pulled together a love letter to both the Marvel and the 20th Century Fox Universe, with a slew of cameos and unexpected moments to thrill fans of the genre. (A moment even Deadpool self-referentially tells nerds to get their sock out to cope with their excitement).

But, if the humour occasionally grates by hitting low-hanging fruit and staying there, and if the pace feels a little bit of a lag over a near 130 minutes run time as the continuing asides fall from his mouth, what Deadpool and Wolverine manages to do is to make essentially what was becoming tired feel somewhat fresh again. However, there are moments when the humour feels a little forced and the script lacks some of the looseness that has previously been brought to table - no doubt thanks in large part to the actors' strike constraints.

Yet, deep within the film Reynolds and Jackman's bond is evident. From continual fights and bickering between the two to a glowering nihilistic Wolverine from Jackman, the chemistry in this Odd Couple companionship is there from the get-go. Of the pair, Jackman is the more successful, having to reinvent yet again another version of the X-Men favourite - but there's a despondency and resentment that Jackman brilliantly mines here to great effect, and which Logan's harder-edge and rating have clearly influenced. (And the script doesn't hold back either, with one moment referencing Jackman's recent divorce).

However, there's a respect for the characters - both the main and the cameos that borders on reverential; at times, the story feels more like it's going for sentiment and saccharine having blown plenty of its cinematic load on some gory, all-out action scenes.

Corrin's take on their character feels both familiar, yet new, exuding menace when needed in the brief appearances she makes as the unsettling antagonist - though the less said about their final moments the better. It's in moments like this, the script's weaker edges come to the fore.

Maybe a tighter edit could have reined in some of Deadpool and Wolverine's less alive moments (which really feel their weight as the story goes on) as it borders on too indulgent (but Marvel famservice) - but as a distinctive love letter to a world, Deadpool and Wolverine strikes the right tone. While it's best to go in cold for maximum enjoyment, the characters will win you over.

It's bitterly ironic for a character who spends so much of his time snarking and poo-pooing sentiment, that Deadpool and Wolverine's central message of mattering to others and heart comes so close to saccharine overload in the final moments. Though, on reflection, perhaps that's Deadpool's ultimate joke on all of us - that no matter what we feel or think, this film and its main character - much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe's legion of fans - just want to be loved.

Rogue Flight: PS5 Review

Developed by Truant Pixel

Published by Perp Games

Platform: PS5

Rogue Flight's penchant for fixed vision arcade-style shooting is a welcome return to the kind of classics you'd encounter back in the 1980s fish'n'chip shops.

Its story seems nicely 80s led too - setting it as it does when Argus, an AI goes rogue, unleashes missles and makes the world burn. But unfortunately, there's a group of resistance fighters called BOW who decide to fight back.

While there's little outside of a predetermined route for your fighter, and it's a case of fighting back against incoming barrages of baddies, Rogue Flight's steely determination to simply do nothing outside of what's expected on screen proves to be one of its selling points.

With barrel rolls, targetting missiles and the chance to unleash on multiple targets at once, Rogue Flight has a small arsenal up its sleeve against the onslaught. But it also uses its combos wisely - with health power ups on offer and a chance to survive for longer.

While the story is nothing sensational, the use of adaptive triggers, haptic feedback and the in-controller mic make it feel like you're really in a dogfight, flying high in the sky.

The only real frustration from Rogue Flight comes from a need to start each level from the very beginning, meaning either re-enduring some tough flights or potentially failing to learn from what you've already done. 

For a smaller indie game with pixel sensibilities, Rogue Flight does soar in places, but given how short it is overall, it's one to improve your skills with early on to able to enjoy it the most.