Before I Go To Sleep: Blu Ray Review

Before I Go To Sleep: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Ent

Based on the SJ Watson novel and from the writer / director of the underrated The American and Brighton Rock, comes this mind games/ head trip high concept thriller.

Kidman is Christine, a severe amnesiac, who wakes every day having had the last 24 hours of her life wiped out after a traumatic car accident, which left her battered and beaten. She wakes up each day with her husband Ben (Colin Firth), who patiently explains what's going on.

But each day, unbeknownst to Ben, Christine gets a call from a Dr Nash (soft spoken Mark Strong) who tells her to find a camera in her closet which has videos on explaining what's been happening. Along with these video diaries, Christine begins to get memories come flooding back - as the truth starts to slowly unfurl.

Recalling Memento to begin with thanks to its wall of photographs and written post-it notes around the house, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was a case of similar territory.

Essentially a three-hander, Joffe opts for a psychological build up where the pendulum of truth and mistrust swings back and forth on Ben as Christine delves deeper into her own past and makes discoveries she's not prepared for.

Kidman delivers a variety of wide-eyed and horrified and shocked looks as the various situations demand of her but just manages to convince of the emotional rollercoaster she's boarded daily. Equally, Firth goes from fully supportive to fully shifty and back again in as many turns as the movie spins on its axis. And Strong is his usual solid self as the doctor who offers help to Christine, unasked for and therefore inviting questions over his motive. But none of the actors really ever shine through; they're solid enough, but don't dazzle.

The problem comes with the denouement of this movie (don't worry, no spoiler ahead) which is somewhat inevitable given how nobody really shows their hand until late in the piece. As it's a three-hander, and based on a book, whereas the twist may be slightly more plausible on the page, it's difficult to execute on screen given that a late in the day addition would throw implausibility into the mix.

In among the maudlin and melancholic tone, Before I Go To Sleep works on the mind games front and does keep you guessing throughout, before its totally OTT ending throws any sensibility out of the window. It's a shame because the suspense built up and the back-and-forth questions are quite effective during the thriller; sadly though, the moment it ends, you're suffering from the same affliction as Christine, because it's relatively unmemorable.

Rating:

Project Almanac: Film Review

Project Almanac: Film Review

Cast: Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Virginia Gardner
Director: Dean Israelite

What would you do if you were a teenager with a time machine?

The go-pro, handheld cam obsession of the selfie generation provides the backbone of the latest found footage movie, which mixes in the glee of recent superhero found footage movie Chronicle and the pure hedonism of Project X.

Centred around David Raskin (Jonny Weston), a high schooler science genius who's on the brink of being accepted into MIT but is short on cash for the required scholarship, Project Almanac posits the theory that time travel is possible.

After David and his gang of (largely) intelligent friends find a video of David's 7th birthday and spot him in the mirror, they gradually try to work out exactly how he got there. A series of clues lead them to the basement and the discovery of a machine that helps them travel in time - and could be the answer to their various problems.

Project Almanac wears its influences on its sleeve and actually proves quite successful within the confines of its genre. Citing Looper, Doctor Who, Groundhog Day, Timecop, Terminator, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and even Argo, the writers have grasped the pop culture mettle fully by the hand and run with it. Plus the fact the central character's a science pro (and a relatable everyday type who struggles with girls, not your typical geek) helps with the set up and kicks the story along (though admittedly, David has to keep explaining things to his sister aka the audience proxy).

In fact, it's the fact that these characters are everyday types and relatable (the guy with the secret unrequited crush, the goofball of the group et al) that helps Project Almanac work in the ways it does. There's a dizzy joy as the group heads to Lollapalooza with backstage passes purchased after the event on eBay and do all the kinds of things you imagine you would do again - if you could.

The inevitable Butterfly Effect which hits the group impacts into proceedings late in the day; granted the theory is the slightest ripple causes the biggest problem but the script doesn't call for this to come into until the final stretch, making the film feel a little rushed as it throws emotional weight at the wall hoping it'll stick (and don't get me started on some of the time travel - it's paradoxical at best in places) and leaving audiences a little dizzied as the denouement tries to pack the weight on.

Overall, Project Almanac works best as a hedonistic mash up that stays within the confines of the rules it lays down; sure, some of the found footage moments creak and feel shoe-horned in but for the large part, the occasionally self-aware referencing and play-it-straight-but-within-teen-concerns means that this time travel flick doesn't give the feeling of deja vu you may have expected.

Rating

Guardians of the Galaxy: Blu Ray Review

Guardians of the Galaxy: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Ent

Finally, after the Marvel Universe has spent its last few outings hinting at a world beyond our own, it heads out into the Universe - and as a result, breathes new life into the Marvel franchiseafter the likes of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers threaten to become too Earth-bound with their obsessions.

Chris Pratt stars as brash adventurer Peter Quill aka Star Lord, abducted by aliens when he was young and had just lost his mother. Complete with a Walkman full of 80s tunes and a cocky swagger (Han Solo / Indiana Jones anyone?), Quill finds himself the object of a bounty hunt after making off with an orb sought by Lee Pace's Ronan, a despot who wants to destroy everything in his path.

It's this hunt which puts him in the sights of beautiful green skinned assassin Gamora (a kick-ass Saldana), psychopathically enhanced Rocket Raccoon (a CGI creation voiced by Bradley Cooper), his protector the tree Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), as well as Drax The Destroyer (Bautista).

Forced to team up, this ragtag bunch of squabbling and quipping misfits are determined to save the day when Ronan's ambitions threaten the entire galaxy...

Essentially, the plot of Star Wars redux with a mash of every 80s film you can think of (even the legend of Footloose is tossed in there), Guardians of the Galaxy is a space adventure which benefits from not taking itself too seriously at all.

Eschewing the brooding of the Earth set Avengers in favour of plenty of action, humour and general lightness of tone, Guardians of the Galaxy simultaneously succeeds in expanding the Marvel Universe and introducing a great new set of characters to it, who bristle with unpredictability and hints of chaos. This is not a team that has superpowers to fall back on most of the time, may not succeed with their plans and bicker affectionately along the way.

But it also benefits from a large dose of heart in places; Quill's determination to cling to the Walkman and the mix tapes his mother made for him is a lovingly poignant touch, a way into his past and a nostalgia the older parts of the audience will recognise.

The group have a great chemistry (particularly thanks to Bradley Cooper's scene-stealing Rocket Raccoon) and synergy together and off-set the po-faced and overly serious nature of Ronan and his gang. Former Doctor Who companion Karen Gillan impresses as cyborg Nebula, even if she is slightly underwritten. Even Thanos shows up to link the last lot of film, but he's casually tossed aside as an irrelevance to the plot and inadvertently loses some of his menace because of it.

If there are echoes of previous film's denouements and big final act action pieces, it's probably to be expected given how Marvel is all about spectacle and team building. A final sequence of ramming home the message very nearly chokes the film - but even with this cinematic deja vu, former Troma director James Gunn handles it all with a certain directorial aplomb, never losing sight of the fun and action of the piece throughout - and creating some truly stunning space visuals.

But it's Pratt's film for the taking. And it sees him seize his chance to soar as an occasionally vulnerable lead, who's always ready with a quick comment and a self-knowing wink (he describes the orb as a Ark of the Covenant / Maltese falcon type) in any given situation. For Star-Lord, this is a charismatic star-making turn - along with his colleagues - that suggest Quill's future is assured (even with hints of more personal discoveries to come).

Oh, and stick around for the now obligatory post-credits sequence - it fits perfectly with the 80s kitsch colourful vibe, even if it does little to advance the ongoing Marvel threads.

Rating:

Doctor Who Christmas special transmission revealed

Doctor Who Christmas special transmission revealed

Prime TV has today unveiled details of when you can see the Doctor Who 2014 Christmas Special - Last Christmas.

Read on for the announcement from the Facebook page and scroll down for some sneak peeks:

DOCTOR WHO!

Trapped on an Arctic base, under attack from terrifying creatures, who are you going to call? Why, Santa Claus, of course! Yes, it's that time of year again as the Doctor and Clara turn to the jolly man himself (special guest star Nick Frost) to save the day in the brand new 2014 Doctor Who Christmas Special!

Come Boxing Day evening tuck into your Christmas leftovers then find a comfy spot in front of the TV at 7.35pm for our evening screening of the Doctor and Clara’s ‘Last Christmas’. We also bring a little present for loyal Whovians on Boxing Day morning, a special speedy 9.00am transmission, airing in NZ just after it airs in the UK!

Edge of Tomorrow: Blu Ray Review

Edge of Tomorrow: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

With the earth invaded by creatures known as the Mimics and with nations toppling around them, Tom Cruise's spin doctor Major William Cage finds himself thrust onto the front line by a vindictive general (Brendan Gleeson) on the eve of a major last push from UK soil.

Unable to cope with the concept of fighting, and with a Normandy style beach landing just around the corner, Cage does all he can to escape the war - but to no avail. Thrust into the theatre of war, Cage is killed by a Mimic - only to wake up and find that he's jumped back in time and is being forced to live the same 2 days over and over again....

Edge of Tomorrow is based on the Japanese novel, All You Need Is Kill and is a heady mash up of the sci fi and other genres you've seen before - from Starship Troopers to Groundhog Day,Saving Private Ryan to Looper, Elysium with its exo-suits and even Cruise's last outing,Oblivion,  it's derivative in many ways.
Humour permeates the first third of the film with Cruise's Cage being offed in a variety of ways, in a plethora of situations that if you're not a fan of the superstar may bring you an element of perverse glee (as well as make you think it's some kind of bizarre cinematic video-game).

Though, it's Cruise that shines through in this as he starts out as a smug PR weasel of a man forced into a baptism of fire on the battlefield; with each death, there's a grim edge that creeps into his character and an attitude that he manages to sell incredibly well, with his own old age helping.

Equally, Blunt impresses as the bad-ass Rita Vrataski, despite starting out as the "Full Metal Bitch", heroine of the army and gradually softening to Cage's continued assault. Toned and combat ready, she carries her no-nonsense one-note heroine as Cage's foil throughout - she shoulders the burden of the bulk of the laughs during the reset sequences in a nice twist of expected gender stereotypes. Mention must also go to the evangelical Bill Paxton who, as a base sergeant, spouts such litany of Biblical proportions on combat that you almost feel like signing up yourself.

Liman's brought together an alien invasion that's visually original too, with spidery-style octopus like creatures ripping through the troops during the Saving Private Ryan beach landings. Speed and visual FX impress and make up for some of the convenient lapses in time travel logic and plotholes that permeate parts of the film (why is Gleeson's general so adamant that Cage will fight, how does an airship get off a base during lockdown).

Though it has to be said, the final portion of the film almost muddies the whole experience with a showdown that's as generic and predictable as most sci fi fare and derails the sparkiness and edge that delivered a freshness so early on, despite the sci-fi hokum and flimsy premise.

All in all, Edge of Tomorrow is a fine example of its oeuvre, a fun blockbuster sci-fi blast that reinstates Cruise as the king of the popcorn flick and proffers up Blunt as the queen of kick-ass.

Rating:

Win a double to Auckland's Armageddon Expo!

Win a double to Auckland's Armageddon Expo!

It's coming - and here's your chance to be part of the brilliant annual event that is Armageddon Expo!

We're giving you a chance to win a double to Auckland's Armageddon expo - simply email to this address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com  and in the subject line put ARMAGEDDON - it closes Weds 22nd Oct, so best be quick!

Event Backgrounder

Dates:                                    ASB Showgrounds: Friday 24^th October – Monday 27^th October

Opening Hours:                    Friday October 24^th – 6pm to 9pm

Saturday October 25^th – 10am to 6pm
                Sunday October 26^th – 10am to 6pm
                Monday October 27^th – 10am – 5pm

Website:                               http://www.armageddonexpo.com/nz/

Ticket Prices:                        SINGLE DAY ENTRY - Friday to Monday
Adult - $20.00 (presale only) - $25.00 at the door
Student (with ID) $17.00 (presale only) - $20.00 at the door
Child (5-12) $10.00 or FREE with a full paying adult
Family (2 adults & 3 child) $55.00

MULTIDAY PASSES
Special discounts apply for purchasing tickets to three or four days of the event.

THREE DAY PASS
Adult - $50.00 (presale only) - $60.00 at the door (save $10.00)
Student (with ID) $45.00 (presales only) - $50.00 at the door.

FOUR DAY PASS
Adult - $60.00 (presale only) - $70.00 at the door
Student (with ID) $55.00 (presales only) - $60.00 at the door
Child (5-12) $30.00

TICKETS ARE NOW ONSALE THROUGH WWW.ITICKET.CO.NZ 

Event Description

Dust off your light saber, clean out your turtle shell and get practicing your favourite superhero theme song because Armageddon Expo 2014 is coming to town for four huge days of pulp culture mayhem in October.

The ASB Showgrounds will be overrun with sci-fi, movie and comic fans of all ages, gamers and the just plain curious from October 24^th – 27^th, starting with a special opening night on the Friday and then three full days of action and adventure over the Labour Weekend!

Armageddon features more entertainment, mind-altering exhibits and famous people than you can handle, with comics, Anime, TV celebrities and movie stars, comic and voice artists, massive interactive gaming stands and much, much more on display.

This year’s list of celebrity guests includes a star studded selection from some of the most iconic TV series and movies headed by MacGyver himself Richard Dean Anderson, followed by the stunning and loveable Doctor Who companion Jenna Coleman, the WWE master of beef and braun ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, along with voice artists William Salyers from the awesomely quirky The Regular Show and Greg Cipes, the voice of our favourite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Michaelangelo.

Comics / Sci Fi / Fantasy / Cards:

Comic Guests: These ever-popular guest panels are a standout feature at Armageddon, as well as the autograph signings and sketches from the highly talented group of International comic guests. This year, Armageddon welcomes Kevin Eastman co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Adrian Kinnaird of Earth’s End: The Best of New Zealands Comics, joined by Ant Sang from The Dharma Punks, and writer Kyle Higgins from Batman Eternal, Deathstroke, Nightwing and more.

Tournaments: Aucklands home of card tournaments for card enthusiasts to meet up and play on a grand scale – they swap, compete and challenge each other in Pokémon, Yu Gi Oh, Cardfight!! Vanguard and Magic The Gathering all under the one roof over three days.

Anime / Manga / Cartoons:

Special Yu Gi Oh Presentation: Armageddon Expo and Madman Entertainment present a special screening of Dragon Ball Z – Battle of Gods with the voice of Goku - Sean Schemmel in attendance! Sean will intro the film and take questions from fans before the screening. 

Trans-Tasman Cosplay Contest: A big deal at Armageddon, the Cosplay Contest becomes an outright Cosplay war with Australia. This is a contest for fans of all genres and of all abilities and is open to TV, movies and Anime competitors.

Cosplay Parade: For those who don’t want to compete, the Cosplay Parade is an opportunity to get on stage and show off their costumes, as well as take part in zany performances and skits.

Voice artists at Armageddon 2014 include: Greg Cipes the voice of Michelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, William Salyers aka Rigby from The Regular Show, Roger Jackson voice of Mojo Jojo off Powerpuff Girls and Ghostface from Scream, Jason Spisak from Young Justice.

Screenings and Panels:

Get photos and autographs with your favourite TV and Film stars. Guests appearing include: Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver, Stargate SG1), Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who), David Nykl (Stargate Atlantis), Sarah Louise Madison (Doctor Who), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Michael Hogan (Teen Wolf, Battlestar Galactica), Jacqueline Samuda (Stargate SG1), AJ Buckley (Supernatural, CSI NY), Travis Wester (Supernatural), David Hewlett (Stargate Atlantis), Suanne Braun (Stargate SG1), Peter Williams (Stargate SG1), Mira Furlan (Babylon 5, Lost), Judson Scott (Star Trek 2), Helen Slater (Supergirl, Smallville), Cliff Simon (Stargate SG1), William Kircher (The Hobbit), DJ Qualls (Supernatural, The New Guy), Barry Duffield (Spartacus).

Screenings: Join THE ZONE for a preview of the feature-length premieres of Defiance and  Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods.

Gaming / Technology

Gaming Kiosks: This year will feature a massive increase in gaming distributors with some very exciting brands showing their latest releases. Including; Little Big Planet 3, Singstar Ultimate Party, Mortal Combat X, Lego Batman 3, Call of Duty Advance Warfare and more!

Kiwi-made Games: The NZ Game Developers Association have bought some of the finest kiwi game developers together for a unique Armageddon pop-culture indie showcase and speakers panel.

Sports

Impact Pro Wrestling: New Zealand’s premier wrestling group will once again be laying the smack downs, bringing the big talk and even bigger moves to the Kiwi public at the Armageddon Expo 2014. Be prepared to witness ‘never to be tried at home’ moves so impressive, they’ll have you trying them as soon as you get home!

WWE Wrestling Hall of Famer: ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan is coming to Armageddon and will be wrestling at the event as well as signing autographs.

Fun for Everyone

The Forbidden Jungle: Upon entry to Armageddon, a secret peril awaits any who is brave enough to enter... The Forbidden Jungle! Be escorted through a hidden area of the event, where something dangerous lurks, just waiting to be disturbed.

Meet The Moe Show: Meet your favourite characters from The Moe Show at Armageddon! Moe, Fern and Frank will be there for photos and fun! The best chance to catch them will be before 2pm (Moe needs his nap time) but if they're having fun they might stay all day!

Eating Contests: Push the limits of your stomach with the Fear Factor Challenge – six rounds of eating challenges, and if you survive that, why not have a shot at the Tip Top Ice Cream eating challenge to really finish yourself off?

Kamehameha Contest: Has been a screaming success over the past years and is hugely entertaining to watch. Sit back and watch or get involved and compete against other fanatic Dragonball Z fans for the most powerful Kamehameha.

Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary collection: Blu Ray Review

Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary collection: Blu Ray Review

Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Ent

Last year's 50th anniversary of Doctor Who was a big deal for a show that had been sidelined to the scrap heap at the end of the 80s. Managing to make a half century became a worldwide event for fans new and old, with cinema screenings of the special episode, various one offs and more Dr Whooey-goodness than we've ever experienced before.

So, in true limited edition style, a wonderful collector's edition set's been released - only 500 DVDs and 575 Blu Rays here in NZ - and if you're a fan, it's worth getting (though if you've collected the majority of the material before, you may question your bank balance first.

I've already discussed at length The Day Of The Doctor so, skipping over that, the special features are what makes this set worth investing in - the first Blu Ray outing for An Adventure in Space and Time (the story of William Hartnell's tenure and how the show was made) as well as The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, Peter Davison's ode to getting the classic Doctors into the 50th anniversary.

The set's beautifully put together, a nice compendium of everything that was done - including behind the scenes stuff, trailers, the Doctor Who at the Proms - everything a fan could want in one collection. Oh and a neat welcoming of Paul McGann into the fold that caused the internet to implode.

For the fact it's limited, and the fact it's such a historic outing, you'd be mad not to pick this set up.

Extras: Behind the Scenes, Night of the Doctor, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide, Behind the Lens, The Last Day,  The Day of the Doctor – Script to Screen, Cinema Intros – Strax & The Doctor, 50th cinema trails, Deleted Scenes – from The Time of the Doctor & An Adventure in Space and Time, Tales from the TARDIS, Farewell to Matt Smith, A Night with the Stars - The Science of Doctor Who, William Hartnell: The Original, The making of an Adventure, Reconstructions, Title Sequences ,The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, Doctor Who at the Proms 2013

Rating:

Before I Go To Sleep: Movie Review

Before I Go To Sleep: Movie Review

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Anne-Marie Duff
Director: Rowan Joffe

Based on the SJ Watson novel and from the writer / director of the underrated The American and Brighton Rock, comes this mind games/ head trip high concept thriller.

Kidman is Christine, a severe amnesiac, who wakes every day having had the last 24 hours of her life wiped out after a traumatic car accident, which left her battered and beaten. She wakes up each day with her husband Ben (Colin Firth), who patiently explains what's going on.

But each day, unbeknownst to Ben, Christine gets a call from a Dr Nash (soft spoken Mark Strong) who tells her to find a camera in her closet which has videos on explaining what's been happening. Along with these video diaries, Christine begins to get memories come flooding back - as the truth starts to slowly unfurl.

Recalling Memento to begin with thanks to its wall of photographs and written post-it notes around the house, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was a case of similar territory.

Essentially a three-hander, Joffe opts for a psychological build up where the pendulum of truth and mistrust swings back and forth on Ben as Christine delves deeper into her own past and makes discoveries she's not prepared for.

Kidman delivers a variety of wide-eyed and horrified and shocked looks as the various situations demand of her but just manages to convince of the emotional rollercoaster she's boarded daily. Equally, Firth goes from fully supportive to fully shifty and back again in as many turns as the movie spins on its axis. And Strong is his usual solid self as the doctor who offers help to Christine, unasked for and therefore inviting questions over his motive. But none of the actors really ever shine through; they're solid enough, but don't dazzle.

The problem comes with the denouement of this movie (don't worry, no spoiler ahead) which is somewhat inevitable given how nobody really shows their hand until late in the piece. As it's a three-hander, and based on a book, whereas the twist may be slightly more plausible on the page, it's difficult to execute on screen given that a late in the day addition would throw implausibility into the mix.

In among the maudlin and melancholic tone, Before I Go To Sleep works on the mind games front and does keep you guessing throughout, before its totally OTT ending throws any sensibility out of the window. It's a shame because the suspense built up and the back-and-forth questions are quite effective during the thriller; sadly though, the moment it ends, you're suffering from the same affliction as Christine, because it's relatively unmemorable.

Rating:

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection details revealed

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection details revealed

DOCTOR WHO 50TH  ANNIVERSARY  COLLECTION
Available on DVD and Blu Ray from 10th
September 2014

For the ultimate Doctor Who fan comes a special collection of highlights from the groundbreaking 50th  anniversary of Doctor Who, including Mark Gatiss’ award winning drama An Adventure in Space and Time on Blu Ray for the first time, and the hilarious Five-ish Doctors– starring Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and a host of special guests – available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time.

The limited edition numbered collector’s set (500 DVD, 575 BD in New Zealand) also features the 50th Anniversary Special The Day of the Doctor, Matt Smith’s Farewell The Time of the Doctor, the Series 7 finale The Name of the Doctor, and the Eighth Doctor’s (Paul McGann) surprise regeneration into John Hurt’s War Doctor in The Night of the Doctor.

The collection is packed full of special features including an exclusive cut of the read-through of The Day of the Doctor featuring Matt Smith and David Tennant (‘Script to Screen’), deleted scenes, Doctor Who at the Proms 2013 and the mini-episodes The Last Day & Night of the Doctor.

Special Features:
 Behind the Scenes
 Night of the Doctor
 Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide
 Behind the Lens
 The Last Day
 The Day of the Doctor – Script to Screen
 Cinema Intros – Strax & The Doctor
 50th cinema trails
 Deleted Scenes – from The Time of the
Doctor & An Adventure in Space and Time.
 Tales from the TARDIS
 Farewell to Matt Smith
 A Night with the Stars - The Science of Doctor
Who
 William Hartnell: The Original
 The making of an Adventure
 Reconstructions
 Title Sequences
 The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
 Doctor Who at the Proms 2013

Guardians of the Galaxy: Movie Review

Guardians of the Galaxy: Movie Review

Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Lee Pace, Josh Brolin, Michael Rooker
Director: James Gunn

Finally, after the Marvel Universe has spent its last few outings hinting at a world beyond our own, it heads out into the Universe - and as a result, breathes new life into the Marvel franchise after the likes of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers threaten to become too Earth-bound with their obsessions.

Chris Pratt stars as brash adventurer Peter Quill aka Star Lord, abducted by aliens when he was young and had just lost his mother. Complete with a Walkman full of 80s tunes and a cocky swagger (Han Solo / Indiana Jones anyone?), Quill finds himself the object of a bounty hunt after making off with an orb sought by Lee Pace's Ronan, a despot who wants to destroy everything in his path.

It's this hunt which puts him in the sights of beautiful green skinned assassin Gamora (a kick-ass Saldana), psychopathically enhanced Rocket Raccoon (a CGI creation voiced by Bradley Cooper), his protector the tree Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), as well as Drax The Destroyer (Bautista).

Forced to team up, this ragtag bunch of squabbling and quipping misfits are determined to save the day when Ronan's ambitions threaten the entire galaxy...

Essentially, the plot of Star Wars redux with a mash of every 80s film you can think of (even the legend of Footloose is tossed in there), Guardians of the Galaxy is a space adventure which benefits from not taking itself too seriously at all.

Eschewing the brooding of the Earth set Avengers in favour of plenty of action, humour and general lightness of tone, Guardians of the Galaxy simultaneously succeeds in expanding the Marvel Universe and introducing a great new set of characters to it, who bristle with unpredictability and hints of chaos. This is not a team that has superpowers to fall back on most of the time, may not succeed with their plans and bicker affectionately along the way.

But it also benefits from a large dose of heart in places; Quill's determination to cling to the Walkman and the mix tapes his mother made for him is a lovingly poignant touch, a way into his past and a nostalgia the older parts of the audience will recognise.

The group have a great chemistry (particularly thanks to Bradley Cooper's scene-stealing Rocket Raccoon) and synergy together and off-set the po-faced and overly serious nature of Ronan and his gang. Former Doctor Who companion Karen Gillan impresses as cyborg Nebula, even if she is slightly underwritten. Even Thanos shows up to link the last lot of film, but he's casually tossed aside as an irrelevance to the plot and inadvertently loses some of his menace because of it.

If there are echoes of previous film's denouements and big final act action pieces, it's probably to be expected given how Marvel is all about spectacle and team building. A final sequence of ramming home the message very nearly chokes the film - but even with this cinematic deja vu, former Troma director James Gunn handles it all with a certain directorial aplomb, never losing sight of the fun and action of the piece throughout - and creating some truly stunning space visuals.

But it's Pratt's film for the taking. And it sees him seize his chance to soar as an occasionally vulnerable lead, who's always ready with a quick comment and a self-knowing wink (he describes the orb as a Ark of the Covenant / Maltese falcon type) in any given situation. For Star-Lord, this is a charismatic star-making turn - along with his colleagues - that suggest Quill's future is assured (even with hints of more personal discoveries to come).

Oh, and stick around for the now obligatory post-credits sequence - it fits perfectly with the 80s kitsch colourful vibe, even if it does little to advance the ongoing Marvel threads.

Rating:



Watch the new Guardians of the Galaxy trailer



.

Edge of Tomorrow: Movie Review

Edge of Tomorrow: Movie Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Doug Liman

Blockbuster season is upon us - and the latest entrant to the popcorn pantheon sees Tom Cruise stuck in a war is hell analogy.

With the earth invaded by creatures known as the Mimics and with nations toppling around them, Tom Cruise's spin doctor Major William Cage finds himself thrust onto the front line by a vindictive general (Brendan Gleeson) on the eve of a major last push from UK soil.

Unable to cope with the concept of fighting, and with a Normandy style beach landing just around the corner, Cage does all he can to escape the war - but to no avail. Thrust into the theatre of war, Cage is killed by a Mimic - only to wake up and find that he's jumped back in time and is being forced to live the same 2 days over and over again....

Edge of Tomorrow is based on the Japanese novel, All You Need Is Kill and is a heady mash up of the sci fi and other genres you've seen before - from Starship Troopers to Groundhog Day, Saving Private Ryan to Looper, Elysium with its exo-suits and even Cruise's last outing, Oblivion,  it's derivative in many ways.

Humour permeates the first third of the film with Cruise's Cage being offed in a variety of ways, in a plethora of situations that if you're not a fan of the superstar may bring you an element of perverse glee (as well as make you think it's some kind of bizarre cinematic video-game).

Though, it's Cruise that shines through in this as he starts out as a smug PR weasel of a man forced into a baptism of fire on the battlefield; with each death, there's a grim edge that creeps into his character and an attitude that he manages to sell incredibly well, with his own old age helping.

Equally, Blunt impresses as the bad-ass Rita Vrataski, despite starting out as the "Full Metal Bitch", heroine of the army and gradually softening to Cage's continued assault. Toned and combat ready, she carries her no-nonsense one-note heroine as Cage's foil throughout - she shoulders the burden of the bulk of the laughs during the reset sequences in a nice twist of expected gender stereotypes. Mention must also go to the evangelical Bill Paxton who, as a base sergeant, spouts such litany of Biblical proportions on combat that you almost feel like signing up yourself.

Liman's brought together an alien invasion that's visually original too, with spidery-style octopus like creatures ripping through the troops during the Saving Private Ryan beach landings. Speed and visual FX impress and make up for some of the convenient lapses in time travel logic and plotholes that permeate parts of the film (why is Gleeson's general so adamant that Cage will fight, how does an airship get off a base during lockdown).

Though it has to be said, the final portion of the film almost muddies the whole experience with a showdown that's as generic and predictable as most sci fi fare and derails the sparkiness and edge that delivered a freshness so early on, despite the sci-fi hokum and flimsy premise.

All in all, Edge of Tomorrow is a fine example of its oeuvre, a fun blockbuster sci-fi blast that reinstates Cruise as the king of the popcorn flick and proffers up Blunt as the queen of kick-ass.

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Thanks For Sharing: DVD Review

Thanks For Sharing: DVD Review

In this comedy drama, three friends negotiate their way through the realities and temptations of being a sex addict; there's Ruffalo's Adam, who's five years sober, Gad's ER doctor who's attending meetings due to a court order and there's aphorism spouting Mike (Tim Robbins) who's been in rehab for a while and is a sponsee to Adam.

When Mike urges Adam to get back out there and start meeting people, he comes across Gwyneth Paltrow's perky but damaged Phoebe, who's had breast cancer and been in a relationship with an addict. Cautiously, the pair grow closer, acting on their initial attraction. But for Adam, the reality of his condition starts to intrude on his relationship.

Likewise, the arrival of Mike's addicted son causes friction between himself and his wife (Joely Richardson); and when Gad loses his job for inappropriate behaviour, he soon finds himself facing a harsh truth and needing the help of Alecia Moore AKA Pink's Dede, a fellow member of the group...

Thanks For Sharing is a rich piece, riddled with humour (mainly at Jonah Hill-esque Josh Gad) and fuelled by a powerful performance of addiction, which is grounded in reality by Ruffalo.

When he confesses to Phoebe, his thoughts are that "Cancer gets you sympathy, this gets you judgement" and it's probably the harsh reality of an addiction that's been thought of as simply a cover up for men cheating on their wives. But it's Ruffalo's honesty and earnesty as an actor while he's on this journey and its lucid insights which just manage to keep this on the right side of drama; while the comedy's amusing in places, it comes dangerously close to trivialising the addictions they face. Ruffalo excellently conveys the sympathy needed to root for this central character and his relationship with Phoebe as he battles with the addictions he's had. In fact, one scene where Paltrow delivers him a strip-tease is more completely inappropriate than tantalising given how it comes shortly after he confesses his condition. But that scene alone is symptomatic of a few of the problems of Thanks for Sharing - some of the narrative feels rushed and dare I say it, predictable; Paltrow's act would have had more resonance had it happened later on in the film. Likewise, Mike's journey from sanctimonious bon motif spouting holier than thou to inevitably wrong father is one that can be seen coming from a mile off. He's a guy who's wrecked his family and would rather be there for others than for those around him and his lesson learning is entirely unsurprising.

It's perhaps Josh Gad and Alecia Moore (in her first role) who really rise from this film; Moore's tearful confession in her first scene at the addiction class is wonderfully moving and heartfelt - it shows she is an actor on the rise; and Gad, while endowing his out of control ER doc with some humour, rises to the occasion as well.

But a terribly Hollywood, neat resolution ending almost leaves the audience feeling cheated as it powers towards a sunnier day where all our protagonists are in a good place. It's a crass ending to a film that's worked so hard to show that sometimes being out of control isn't very easy to control.

All in all, Thanks for Sharing has moments of inevitability but due to the character work done - especially by a wonderful Ruffalo - while exploring this maligned of addictions, it does just about what it sets out to do.

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Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor: Blu Ray Review

Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor: Blu Ray Review

Rating: PG
Released by BBC And Roadshow Home Ent

So, here it is then, the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who: The Day of The Doctor, starring Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt.

When a painting in the National Gallery appears to show the impossible, the Doctor's summoned by UNIT to try and work out what exactly is going on. But what it sets in motion is a chain of events that requires him to team up with his tenth incarnation (the ever bouncy David Tennant) and the mysterious War Doctor (John Hurt), a man they've tried to deny...

Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor is essentially a Christmas Carol with three Doctors playing various versions of the ghost; and it changes all of what has gone before in the past few years of the show. It's difficult to go into without spoiling (and I'll keep that going) but it's an ode to the show's 50 years with references to companions, moments and places woven effortlessly into the narrative without alienating the current fanbase.

While some of the plots don't come to full fruition and prove a frustration, the acting of the main three Doctors is top notch; Hurt breaks down some of the silliness created over the past few years and gives a venerable turn as an old school Doctor; even Tennant dials down his performance - but once again, Matt Smith excels with a performance that has charm, sadness and steely dedication all rolled into one.

It's a massive shame his next adventure will be his last....

Extras: The minisodes include McGann's final outing as the 8th Doctor, as well as trailers for the show and a Dr Who explained piece for newcomers. Shame there's no real making of other than a behind the lens piece, but it's a solid bunch for this release which looks very good in HD.

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Extended The Time of The Doctor trailer

Extended The Time of The Doctor trailer

Just released is a new longer trailer for Matt Smith's final outing in Doctor Who. 

The BBC America trailer offers a few more hints of what lies ahead...


The Time of The Doctor's due to play in the UK on Christmas Day. And in New Zealand, Prime TV's revealed it will air The Time Of The Doctor on Boxing Day at 8.30pm.

On Christmas Day and Boxing Day the channel will also air all the episodes from Matt Smith's last season as the Doctor. They start from 945am on Christmas Day

Here's the trailer for The Time of The Doctor:

Following on from the 50th Anniversary celebrations of Doctor Who, the first details have been revealed of Matt Smith's final outing as the Doctor, coming this Christmas.

The BBC's revealed the adventure will be called:  The Time of The Doctor.

An official synopsis has been given as well:

"Orbiting a quiet backwater planet, the massed forces of the universe's deadliest species gather,drawn to a mysterious message that echoes out to the stars. And amongst them – the Doctor.  

"Rescuing Clara from a family Christmas dinner, the Time Lord and his best friend must learn what this enigmatic signal means for his own fate and that of the universe."

Doctor Who - The Doctors Revisited: Volumes 1 -3 DVD Review

Doctor Who - The Doctors Revisited: Volumes 1 -3 DVD Review

Rating: PG - M
Released by BBC And Roadshow Home Ent

In the 50th anniversary of the show, there's plenty to celebrate.

And these sets which take in all of the Doctors since the show's inception in 1963 are no exception. The format's simple - over 3 volumes (Doctors 1-4 in set one, 5-8 in set two and 9-11 in set three) actors and stars of the shows recall why it struck a chord with the public and them.

Each doco runs to about half an hour and comes with an adventure from each of the Doctors - they've all been available before but are presented by Steven Moffat, current showrunner, in either a film version or their original version - it's a great wee set of collections and recollections from all involved.

William Hartnell gets the historical epic The Aztecs, which has moments of slowness within; Patrick Troughton's iconic Tomb of the Cybermen is back - Jon Pertwee's Spearhead from Space gets another release following its Blu ray outing this year - and Tom Baker's The Pyramids of Mars is a Gothic classic no matter what.

On set 2, Peter Davison's Cybermen adventure Earthshock continues to impress; Colin Baker's grim Vengeance on Varos shows the cruellest of the show and Sylvester McCoy gets a Daleks outing with Remembrance of the Daleks. Paul McGann's 8th Doctor movie is thrown in - but the less said about that one the better.

In the final set, Christopher Eccleston's contribution are his last ever 2 episodes; David Tennant gets the Stolen Earth and Journey's End; and Matt Smith's The Impossible Astronaut and the Day of The Moon introduce the Silence, who may have a hand in his demise.

Each of the sets is essential viewing to long term fans of the shows and also, to those who are dipping their toes into the Whoniverse for the first time.

It's a wonderfully nostalgic look at the show and a brilliant testament to its 50 years.

Recommended - with the Doctor's approval.

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