A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon: Neon NZ Review

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon: Neon NZ Review

Director: Will Becher, Richard Phelan

It's hard to explain why A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon works so well.

From its sci-fi easter eggs to its general desire to encapsulate timeless British silliness with throwaway gags (a bull in a china shop being the best), there's something about Aardman's work that just feels iconically English, yet universally funny.

While this latest may lack the heart of the first Shaun The Sheep movie, it's lost none of the madcap charm as we return to Mossingham. With a UFO sighting in the village, the farmer decides to cash in to try and make some money to upgrade his harvester.

However, Shaun's already met the alien, and in true buddy movie mentality, sets out to get the little critter home before the shady government agencies capture him first....

From slapstick silliness to pratfalls, scifi gags that include ET, Doctor Who, a wonderful Hitchhiker's nod and a truly brilliant 2001: A Space Odyssey pastiche, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is family fare for everyone to enjoy.

Once again, Aardman's homed in what makes British humour so amusing, and shows once again this animation studio's spent more time than any other weaving in gags into every single frame.

Sure, under closer analysis, it does lacks the emotional edge of the 2015 debut, but it over-delivers the silliness and packs in more jokes than you can take in. A finale doesn't quite match up all the pieces, but all in all, Aardman's still delightful and determined to leave you grinning.

There's also an opening reminder of how Wallace and Gromit led the way with their Grand Day Out (even down to the robot's roots in Farmageddon), but while they may be benched due to the sad death of Peter Sallis, Shaun The Sheep has certainly got years to go - here's hoping we don't have to wait another 5 years for the next outing.

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon: DVD Review

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon: DVD Review

It's hard to explain why A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon works so well.

From its sci-fi easter eggs to its general desire to encapsulate timeless British silliness with throwaway gags (a bull in a china shop being the best), there's something about Aardman's work that just feels iconically English, yet universally funny.

While this latest may lack the heart of the first Shaun The Sheep movie, it's lost none of the madcap charm as we return to Mossingham. With a UFO sighting in the village, the farmer decides to cash in to try and make some money to upgrade his harvester.

However, Shaun's already met the alien, and in true buddy movie mentality, sets out to get the little critter home before the shady government agencies capture him first....

From slapstick silliness to pratfalls, scifi gags that include ET, Doctor Who, a wonderful Hitchhiker's nod and a truly brilliant 2001: A Space Odyssey pastiche, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is family fare for everyone to enjoy.

Once again, Aardman's homed in what makes British humour so amusing, and shows once again this animation studio's spent more time than any other weaving in gags into every single frame.

Sure, under closer analysis, it does lacks the emotional edge of the 2015 debut, but it over-delivers the silliness and packs in more jokes than you can take in. A finale doesn't quite match up all the pieces, but all in all, Aardman's still delightful and determined to leave you grinning.

There's also an opening reminder of how Wallace and Gromit led the way with their Grand Day Out (even down to the robot's roots in Farmageddon), but while they may be benched due to the sad death of Peter Sallis, Shaun The Sheep has certainly got years to go - here's hoping we don't have to wait another 5 years for the next outing.

Underwater: Film Review

Underwater: Movie Review

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, TJ Miller, Jessica Henwick
Director: William Eubank

You've seen Underwater before.

Whether it's the mix of The Meg's terror, or the barely disguised Alien rip off baby creature, or in the seabase under threat mentality of various episodes of Doctor Who, there's a sense of deja vu from the moment this murkily executed, frustratingly workmanlike film begins.

Stewart is Norah, a close-cropped techie type who's spent so long under the sea working on the drilling operation that she's no longer sure what day it is, or if she's awake or dreaming.

However, her tenuous grip on reality is rudely awoken when large sections of the miles-deep rig begin to fail and she's forced to run for her life. Siding with a handful of other survivors, including the rig's Captain (Cassel, largely wasted), it becomes a desperate run for life as it transpires something outside the walls, potentially shaken out from the company's deep-sea drilling, is hunting them - and won't leave anyone alive.

Underwater's production values are stunning.

While the CGI creatures are a massive let down, the visualisation of the suits, the grimy walls and subterranean corridors is a claustrophobe's nightmare.

Director William Eubank makes great fist of the encroaching walls and the creaks and jolts of the underwater rig falling in around our ears. Using tightly shot close ups, or images from within the helmets, he gives the film a sense of terror, of urgency and of uncertainty which is largely lacking from a lot of the rest of the script.

Inconsistencies of the creature's behaviour, a desire to give Stewart's Norah a line worthy of Ripley and some truly average CGI work drags Underwater into the sea murk, which is a shame, as there's a kernel of a good thriller horror lurking here, a ticking time bomb of man versus nature mixed in with an "God what did we do" ethos and paranoia that's worthy of any film.

But by showing the creatures, the film squanders any good will, and despite a more muted, racked by tics Stewart showing she's never a one dimensional actor, there was truly some real potential here to uphold the despair and the fight for survival.

Underwater is serviceable enough - just frustratingly, it feels underwritten and its potential lost at sea.

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon: Film Review

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon: Film Review

Director: Will Becher, Richard Phelan

It's hard to explain why A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon works so well.

From its sci-fi easter eggs to its general desire to encapsulate timeless British silliness with throwaway gags (a bull in a china shop being the best), there's something about Aardman's work that just feels iconically English, yet universally funny.

While this latest may lack the heart of the first Shaun The Sheep movie, it's lost none of the madcap charm as we return to Mossingham. With a UFO sighting in the village, the farmer decides to cash in to try and make some money to upgrade his harvester.

However, Shaun's already met the alien, and in true buddy movie mentality, sets out to get the little critter home before the shady government agencies capture him first....

From slapstick silliness to pratfalls, scifi gags that include ET, Doctor Who, a wonderful Hitchhiker's nod and a truly brilliant 2001: A Space Odyssey pastiche, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is family fare for everyone to enjoy.

Once again, Aardman's homed in what makes British humour so amusing, and shows once again this animation studio's spent more time than any other weaving in gags into every single frame.

Sure, under closer analysis, it does lacks the emotional edge of the 2015 debut, but it over-delivers the silliness and packs in more jokes than you can take in. A finale doesn't quite match up all the pieces, but all in all, Aardman's still delightful and determined to leave you grinning.

There's also an opening reminder of how Wallace and Gromit led the way with their Grand Day Out (even down to the robot's roots in Farmageddon), but while they may be benched due to the sad death of Peter Sallis, Shaun The Sheep has certainly got years to go - here's hoping we don't have to wait another 5 years for the next outing.

Doctor Who Series 12 to premiere New Year's Day

Doctor Who Series 12 to premiere New Year's Day

The brand new series of Doctor Who will premiere on New Year's Day 2020.

It's official: Doctor Who will return to our screens on New Year's Day 2020.

As confirmed in the brand new trailer below, Jodie Whittaker's Time Lord will ring in the 12th series with a special two-part episode titled 'Spyfall' written by showrunner Chris Chibnall.

Doctor Who series 12 will consist of 10 episodes, and the show will air on Sundays much like the previous series in the UK.

Brittany Runs a Marathon: NZIFF Review

Brittany Runs a Marathon: NZIFF Review

Easily one of the most commercial films of the festival, and crowd-pleasing in extremis, Brittany Runs a Marathon's commitment to good humour and geniality is obvious from the get go.

Jillian Bell is Brittany, an overweight party goer who's in a dead end attendant job at the local theatre, and whose propensity for casual hook ups and nothing serious has sent her into an early downward spiral.

Heading to the doctor to score some free drugs, Brittany gets a wake up call and decides to lose some weight and shake her life up.

The lifestyle-choices-catch-up-with-you sentiment is not exactly a new one, and the sentimental edges of Brittany Runs a Marathon can be seen coming a mile off, but that doesn't mean Paul Downs Colaizzo's screenplay doesn't present some highlights and positivity for everyone to take away.

Pitch Perfect's Jillian Bell makes great fist of the comedic elements of the script, and there are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments as the authentic and earnest film plays out, and deals out a character that's messed up and not necessarily one that's going to get perfection by the final frame.

Internal loathing, social awkwardness and lashing out as well as self-deprecation are the orders of the day as Brittany Runs a Marathon's body image message is got across through great swathes of recognition. It's hard to negotiate both insecurities and deal out empathy, but Colaizzo and Bell deliver in spades.

Brittany Runs a Marathon may collapse in gooey sentiment at the end, but it's almost forgivable, given how criminally enjoyable it is.

Land of The Giants: Complete Collection: DVD Review

Land of The Giants: Complete Collection: DVD Review

Released by Madman Home Entertainment

There's just something about Irwin Allen's early 1960s TV series that appeals.

From Lost In Space to The Time Tunnel, Allen had a way of capturing the world of fantasy with imagination, never letting FX budget constraints hold him back and ensuring the shows' key push was their narratives.

So it is with Land Of the Giants, a show that essentially has all the elements of an Allen serial and that very occasionally looks dated, in the way that old episodes of Doctor Who have lost a little of their sheen.

In this 14 disc set, over 51 remastered episodes, we follow the crew of the commercial spaceship The Spindrift, after it crashes on a remote planet similar to Earth, but where everything is 12 times larger.

Cue the over-sized props, and menacing animals that are insignificant in this day and age.

Escapism is what Land of The Giants is about as the crew are separated, captured and have to survive in this series that ran from 1968. The remastering is solid, but the special features are exceptional on this with things ranging from unaired pilot to interviews with the actors, through to stills galleries; It's as complete as it can be - though a longer documentary would be nice.

A blast of 60s nostalgia and imagination, Land of The Giants: Complete Collection is for fantasy fans only really - but that audience will be satiated by this nice complete collection.

Lucky: DVD Review

Lucky: DVD Review

There's no denying the poignancy thrust deep upon Lucky, by first time director John Caroll Lynch, and with Harry Dean Stanton as the lead.

With Stanton leaving us last year, the tale of Lucky, and his impending mortality is more than touching - it's lent a kind of moving tribute that seems woefully unprepared for its effect on audiences.

Stanton plays Lucky, a former Naval officer, who lives a day-to-day existence in an Arizona town, negotiating the banalities of life with the grace that comes from the end of your life. Ambling from one moment to the next - be it a series of yoga moves in the morning, a visit to the local diner for coffee and the crossword or the bar to see friends, Lucky does little except survive - and he's content with his lot.

But one day, after collapsing for no real reason, other than the town doctor telling him he's old, Lucky's routine is shattered by the impending sense of mortality.

Lucky is the kind of film where nothing happens, but everything matters.

From the central character's rugged face, worn down by a life that's been mixed and blessed to a truly wondrous speech inside a bar that's as bittersweet as it is joyous, there's a certain mournful tone that overtakes this film and shakes your core. A resonant rumination wrapped up in an enigmatic intriguing tone.

But it's also one of immense joy as well - an appreciation of Harry Dean Stanton's work, his character so imbued with both sadness and fear of what's next - you simply couldn't have picked anything better for his final film.

However, Carroll Lynch's camera settles into the lyrical poetic moments here, but also captures what are at times, little more than moving photographs, vistas of the deserted mountains, a tortoise ambling by - and he wraps it all up in a script that's as wry as it is whimsically witty. Settle into the rhythms early on, and Lucky is deeply rewarding.

There's a lyricism at play here, a feeling of the motions of life lived and of death faced. And it's wondrous to behold. Poignant and powerful, a celebration of the human connection it may well be, but it's also about the unsaid bonds that bind us all.

At its heart though is Stanton. His delivery of just two words - "I'm scared" - carry more in the cinema and in life than could be believed; it's both heartbreaking and universal, a tacit admission of what comes next and what dogs us through our life. But at the same time, Stanton's insertion into this world of quirk and humanity proves to be deeply moving - and with a final shot that's as perfect as ever a send-off could be, Lucky proves to be a lyrical salute to both Stanton and life itself. 

Lucky: NZIFF Review

Lucky: NZIFF Review

There's no denying the poignancy thrust deep upon Lucky, by first time director John Caroll Lynch, and with Harry Dean Stanton as the lead.

With Stanton leaving us last year, the tale of Lucky, and his impending mortality is more than touching - it's lent a kind of moving tribute that seems woefully unprepared for its effect on audiences.

Stanton plays Lucky, a former Naval officer, who lives a day-to-day existence in an Arizona town, negotiating the banalities of life with the grace that comes from the end of your life. Ambling from one moment to the next - be it a series of yoga moves in the morning, a visit to the local diner for coffee and the crossword or the bar to see friends, Lucky does little except survive - and he's content with his lot.

But one day, after collapsing for no real reason, other than the town doctor telling him he's old, Lucky's routine is shattered by the impending sense of mortality.

Lucky is the kind of film where nothing happens, but everything matters.

From the central character's rugged face, worn down by a life that's been mixed and blessed to a truly wondrous speech inside a bar that's as bittersweet as it is joyous, there's a certain mournful tone that overtakes this film and shakes your core. A resonant rumination wrapped up in an enigmatic intriguing tone.

But it's also one of immense joy as well - an appreciation of Harry Dean Stanton's work, his character so imbued with both sadness and fear of what's next - you simply couldn't have picked anything better for his final film.

However, Carroll Lynch's camera settles into the lyrical poetic moments here, but also captures what are at times, little more than moving photographs, vistas of the deserted mountains, a tortoise ambling by - and he wraps it all up in a script that's as wry as it is whimsically witty. Settle into the rhythms early on, and Lucky is deeply rewarding.

There's a lyricism at play here, a feeling of the motions of life lived and of death faced. And it's wondrous to behold. Poignant and powerful, a celebration of the human connection it may well be, but it's also about the unsaid bonds that bind us all.

At its heart though is Stanton. His delivery of just two words - "I'm scared" - carry more in the cinema and in life than could be believed; it's both heartbreaking and universal, a tacit admission of what comes next and what dogs us through our life. But at the same time, Stanton's insertion into this world of quirk and humanity proves to be deeply moving - and with a final shot that's as perfect as ever a send-off could be, Lucky proves to be a lyrical salute to both Stanton and life itself.

Win a double pass to attend Auckland's Armageddon Expo!

Win a double pass to attend Auckland's Armageddon Expo!

To celebrate the upcoming Armageddon Expo, you can win a double pass to the event thanks to our friends at the festival!

Pop culture merchandise, a star-studded guest lineup and the latest in gaming, cosplay comics and animation and film are proving to be a recipe for success for this year’s Auckland Armageddon Expo ticket sales. 
                    

Anticipation for the largest event in the history of the expo is building ahead of the Labour Day weekend event.

Returning to Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds this October the 2017 event features the biggest line-up of celebrity guests the expo has ever hosted including stars from HARRY POTTER, CASTLE, DOCTOR WHO, ARROW, TEEN WOLF, THE 100, SUPERNATURAL, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and more, as well as a myriad of other activities including; Drive-In Movie Screenings, the Brother Cosplay Contest, Zombie Alley, E-Sports competitions and wrestling among other things. The show will continue to host a massive range of exhibitors from home crafted artist alley stalls, collectibles, anime merchandise to a number of MASSIVE Gaming and entertainment areas with Disney/Marvel, PlayStation, Nintendo, MightyApe Hewlett Packard, Samsung and more!

Event organizer, William Geradts says of the anticipation, “The public response to our announcements so far have been insane, amazing but insane. I’m confident we are on track for the biggest event we have ever had bar none and to see it coming all together after 22 years of building this event from the ground up is immensely satisfying”.  

Get ready to meet your favorite stars and experience the incredible that is #AUCKGEDDON 2017!

Auckland Armageddon, October 20^th-23^rd, ASB Showgrounds #AUCKGEDDON

To win a copy thanks to the Armageddon expo team, all you have to do is email  your details to this  address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Include your name and address and title your email ARMAGEDDON!
Competition closes Oct 15th

Good luck!

Peter Capaldi leaving Doctor Who

Peter Capaldi leaving Doctor Who

The Twelfth Doctor is leaving at the end of Series 10 of new Doctor Who.

Talking on BBC Radio 2, he's revealed he's leaving this year. He'd been asked to stay on but has said that he felt 3 years in the job is enough for him. Confirming that he'll leave at the end of the year with Steven Moffat, he's said there's never been anything more special to him.

But he also revealed he's keen to work on other jobs  as well and that he feels it's time to move on.

He's revealed his regeneration scene has not yet been filmed. His last episode will be Christmas Day 2017.

Doctor Who will return to BBC1 on April 15th.

Inferno: Blu Ray Review

Inferno: Blu Ray Review

The fourth Robert Langdon book heads to the screen courtesy of Dan Brown's paranoiaand Ron Howard's direction.

With Hanks once again reprising his role for a third time as Professor Langdon, it's a tale of amnesia, over-population concerns and a good old fashioned chase movie.

As the film starts, Langdon wakes in a hospital bed where a doctor Sienna (Felicity Jones) tells him he's been shot and has a head wound caused by a bullet grazing him.

Unable to work out what's going on, Langdon, along with Sienna (who turns out to be a fan of his) is on the run amid concerns a global virus is about to be unleashed thanks to a genius called Zobrist (Ben Foster).

With time against them, and a series of chasers closing in, can Langdon solve the puzzle and save the day?

If ever a film was so jammed with conspiratorial edges and paranoia, as well as po-faced portentous dialogue such as "Humanity is inhuman" and "The sixth extinction will be our own", Inferno is that film.

With allusions to Dante's Divine Comedy and inferno, black death imagery, hellish sights given life on the streets via Langdon's visions, flashes of kidnapping, the film's so chock full of stuff happening that it merely disguises the fact there's little going on beneath the surface. 

It starts at breakneck speed under Howard's guidance and doesn't really let up or give you the chance to breathe and allow for the contrivances to be accepted as it hurtles through Europe and Italian streets and landmarks.

Hanks is solid as Langdon and Jones is intelligent as his acolyte aide (it's like Doctor Who given a new assistant each time these films come out as Langdon receives a new pretty exposition partner), but there's never really much of a vibe between the pair of them to propel the film through.

Far more successful is Hanks' pairing with Westworld's Babse Knudsen towards the end of the film. As the film slows and the pace drops, the scenes between the two of them develop a lilting humanity and bittersweet edge, lifting proceedings from what is a fairly ludicrous chase movie throughout. Equally welcome, though narratively brief is Khan's shadowy leader, who adds humour to the proceedings that grow increasingly dour and border on the stiffly dull.

With its schlocky edges and predictable twists and turns, it feels like it's a few years too late on the scene and while the book diverges from its own ending to something more sanitary and audience pleasing, it feels like it has no courage of its convictions.

Inferno is the cinematic equivalent of a pulpy paranoiac, writ large; an airport thriller riddled with holes and pretensions, perfect for a journey but forgotten the moment of touchdown.

In many ways, thanks to its dullness, it's the cinematic equivalent of Purgatory.

Dr Who Christmas Special, The Return of Dr Mysterio gets Boxing Day Release

Dr Who Christmas Special, The Return of Dr Mysterio gets Boxing Day Release

A special Boxing Day cinema event in New Zealand

BBC Worldwide Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) and Rialto Cinemas today announced a Boxing Day screening of this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special, The Return of Doctor Mysterio, which sees the Doctor teaming up with a comic-book superhero in New York.

 The cinema event will include the full 60-minute special plus two bonus features, A New Kind of Superhero, giving a special inside look at Doctor Who’s concept of a modern superhero, and a special Christmas Doctor Who Extra, showing the making of this year’s special, with appearances by stars Peter Capaldi and Matt Lucas, and showrunner and executive producer Steven Moffat.

Fans throughout New Zealand will be able to enjoy the event in New Zealand cinemas nationwide. Information on participating cinemas and purchasing tickets for Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio can be found at: www.nz.rialtodistribution.com

Written by Steven Moffat, this family favourite will see the Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, join up with an investigative journalist, played by Charity Wakefield (Wolf Hall, The Player) and a superhero to save New York from a deadly alien threat. Grant, the superhero in human guise, is played by Justin Chatwin (Orphan Black, War of the Worlds).

Matt Lucas (Nardole) will also be joining the cast of the special with Adetomiwa Edun (Lucifer, Bates Motel), Aleksandar Jovanovic and Logan Huffman.

“Superheroes are a cinema staple so we’re doubly delighted to give Doctor Who fans the opportunity to see this spectacular adventure on the big screen,” said Louise Hill, Live Entertainment Executive for BBC Worldwide ANZ.

It is written by Steven Moffat, Executive Produced by Brian Minchin, Produced by Peter Bennett and Directed by Ed Bazalgette (Poldark). Doctor Who is made by BBC Studios Wales and shot in Cardiff at BBC Wales Roath Lock Studios.

The 60 minute Doctor Who Christmas Special will also air on Prime TV on Boxing Day.

 Tickets for the theatrical release of Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio are  on sale nationally now at: www.nz.rialtodistribution.com

Inferno: Film Review

Inferno: Film Review

Cast: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Ben Foster, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Irrfan Khan
Director: Ron Howard

The fourth Robert Langdon book heads to the screen courtesy of Dan Brown's paranoia and Ron Howard's direction.

With Hanks once again reprising his role for a third time as Professor Langdon, it's a tale of amnesia, over-population concerns and a good old fashioned chase movie.

As the film starts, Langdon wakes in a hospital bed where a doctor Sienna (Felicity Jones) tells him he's been shot and has a head wound caused by a bullet grazing him.

Unable to work out what's going on, Langdon, along with Sienna (who turns out to be a fan of his) is on the run amid concerns a global virus is about to be unleashed thanks to a genius called Zobrist (Ben Foster).

With time against them, and a series of chasers closing in, can Langdon solve the puzzle and save the day?

If ever a film was so jammed with conspiratorial edges and paranoia, as well as po-faced portentous dialogue such as "Humanity is inhuman" and "The sixth extinction will be our own", Inferno is that film.

With allusions to Dante's Divine Comedy and inferno, black death imagery, hellish sights given life on the streets via Langdon's visions, flashes of kidnapping, the film's so chock full of stuff happening that it merely disguises the fact there's little going on beneath the surface.

It starts at breakneck speed under Howard's guidance and doesn't really let up or give you the chance to breathe and allow for the contrivances to be accepted as it hurtles through Europe and Italian streets and landmarks.

Hanks is solid as Langdon and Jones is intelligent as his acolyte aide (it's like Doctor Who given a new assistant each time these films come out as Langdon receives a new pretty exposition partner), but there's never really much of a vibe between the pair of them to propel the film through.

Far more successful is Hanks' pairing with Westworld's Babse Knudsen towards the end of the film. As the film slows and the pace drops, the scenes between the two of them develop a lilting humanity and bittersweet edge, lifting proceedings from what is a fairly ludicrous chase movie throughout. Equally welcome, though narratively brief is Khan's shadowy leader, who adds humour to the proceedings that grow increasingly dour and border on the stiffly dull.

With its schlocky edges and predictable twists and turns, it feels like it's a few years too late on the scene and while the book diverges from its own ending to something more sanitary and audience pleasing, it feels like it has no courage of its convictions.

Inferno is the cinematic equivalent of a pulpy paranoiac, writ large; an airport thriller riddled with holes and pretensions, perfect for a journey but forgotten the moment of touchdown.

In many ways, thanks to its dullness, it's the cinematic equivalent of Purgatory.

Doctor Who - The Husbands of River Song: Blu Ray Review

Doctor Who - The Husbands of River Song: Blu Ray Review

Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Ent

So, the annual Doctor Who Christmas special finally arrives.

This year, shorn of Clara Oswald, Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor is thrown into a romp that sees him reunited with Alex Kingston's River Song as she tries to extract a diamond from her husband's head.

The twist is though, that this husband is not the Doctor, but King Hydroflax (Inbetweeners star Greg Davies) ... and it puts the Doctor's nose out of joint when he realises she doesn't know who he is.

However, all that's put to one side when the duo is forced on the run.

Ostensibly a throwaway piece, the silliness that pervades the first half of The Husbands of River Song is perfectly suited to the post-Xmas day bloat when you're sick of the family, stuffed on good and just want a diverting spectacle.

But long term and out of context, this feels like a show of two halves.

One that provides the silliness and a second that feels like it wraps up River Song's arc.

There's a beauty and elegaic feel to Capaldi and Kingston's final scenes together and the two knock it out of the park as you realise the finality has come calling. But it's a mixed ride to get to that point and also perhaps one of the less successful Christmas day outings for the TARDIS.

Ant-Man: Blu Ray Review

Ant-Man: Blu Ray Review

Rating:  M
Released by Sony Home Ent

It's fair to say that as the Marvel Universe expanded its horizons, those running it really did start to lose track of what made the earlier movies so great - character and a degree of intimacy.

Particularly in the last Avengers movie, which concluded in a soulless retread formulaic finale that was redolent of many before, relied on a MacGuffin and that was so steeped in angst, all the joie de vivre threatened to be crushed forever.

So, it's a joy to report that, despite a lack of ant-icipation, Ant-man takes Marvel back to its origins, with a flick that feels like a set- up / origins piece that was so prevalent of Phase Oneand one that is an utter blast in the cinema due to its simple plot.

Those unfamiliar with the incredible shrinking man needn't feel left out. 

It's the story of down-on-his-luck Scott Lang (a brilliantly vulnerable yet timed to comic perfection Paul Rudd), an ex-con with a moral code who just wants to do right by his daughter Cassie after getting out of jail. 

But Lang is singled out by Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas back on form and looking wearied enough to suggest an age and lifetime in the role prior to where we join the movie) to be the recipient of his shrinking super-suit and help Pym ensure that the current CEO of the Pym Industries Darren Cross (Corey Stoll in a relatively thankless role as the rather average and cartoon villain of the piece) doesn't use the tech for the wrong reasons and let it fall into the wrong hands.

Ant-Man is refreshingly small scale and, for the most part, all the better for it.

Sure, it's entrenched in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it never feels fully bound by its conventions, ongoing storylines or bogged down by the Infinity Gems saga. 

There are nods to the world around and an acknowledgement of the events in Age of Ultron(even Pym has a wariness about the Avengers getting their hands on their tech) but this is flick is more about the story of fathers and their legacies, rather than super-sized and angsty heroes coming together to save the day.

Ant-Man is at pains to put its redemption lessons and daddy issues front and centre of the film, with a mantra of the ordinary man being a hero squarely at the fore. Lang's told by his ex-wife at one point that his daughter thinks he's "her hero - so just be the person she already thinks you are"; Pym himself talks a lot about how he failed his daughter Hope (a worryingly sidelined Evangeline Lilly) and Cross is angry that his mentor Pym never fully trusted him or embraced him.

But it's the fact that Marvel's embraced these issues and looked more to address the intimacy of the films that's not proved an insignifc-ant contribution to the overall effect.

Granted, there are some pretty impressive visuals that revel in their Honey I Shrunk the Kidsand Planet of the Giants aesthetics, thanks to Pena's performance, there's a crackling line of comedy that buzzes all the way through (and clearly has Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish's DNA all over it) but there is never anything that wanders too far from the emotional edge that's clearly running through this ant's mandibles. And it's all wonderfully executed by Yes-Man director Peyton Reed.

It's not all perfect though - Stoll is never a full-on threat as the bad guy and the Marvel truck has gone back a few steps in its treatment and execution of women in this piece. Lilly deserved more of a presence in this first film (even if a mid-credits coda seems to promise more ahead) and is sidelined; it's once again a boy's world in this superior heist flick. And it has to be said the appearance of the wider world intrudes into this film - a mid-film sequence and even the post-credits moment feels like Marvel's going back to easy old habits, which is unwelcome after what's just transpired.

Ultimately, thanks to a massively charming Rudd and the lighter touch of the script, Ant-Man is entertaining fare, a welcome diversion from the darker edges and continual set-ups that have become the norm for these films and shorn of the ongoing mythology. 

Ant-Man is light, inventive, frothy and above all, fun - this caper has refreshed the Marvel cinematic offering and it's to be hoped that this formula won't be lost in future.

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Doctor Who Legacy - Talking its 2 year life and the future

Doctor Who Legacy - Talking its 2 year life and the future

With Doctor Who celebrating its 52 anniversary this November and Christmas on the way too, it’s never been a better time to pick up Doctor Who Legacy, the gem-matching game that also matches up a lot of the show’s history.

It’s the perfect gift for Xmas too for all ages to enjoy before the appearance of the Doctor on our festive tellies.
The game’s celebrating its second year anniversary as well this year and has launched some new premium content for fans of all ages to enjoy. There’s the Kids Content which aims at players of younger ages, and the Sonic Adventures which is a slightly trickier proposition for games with bombs and strategy needing to be deployed.

But Tiny Rebel Games has never lost sight of the community it serves – and while there were initial launch problems for some with the Premium content, both Lee and Susan from TRG tirelessly worked through the contacts and replied to everyone individually (something which is incredible for the amount of work they have on).

Equally, a server issue at their end recently saw them reward their community with a free character once it was fixed, continuing their patented approach of community and players first.

So with the 2nd year anniversary just gone past, and with there never being a better time to buy the Premium content as a Christmas present for the Whovian in your life, I reached out to TRG for a chat about the content, the future and what the plans are for Christmas this year.

Susan Cummings from Tiny Rebel Games got back in touch (for which I am grateful for her time)


The Kids content evolved from Anna’s Playground, but how did the gorgeously adorable artwork come about?
The BBC had shown us some of the early art in the new style they were developing a bit before we launched Anna’s Playground, and we were all in the process of trying to decide what, if anything, we would do with it in Legacy. Once it became obvious that there was a significant demand for more younger-Whovian oriented content in the game things just fell together neatly. We loved the art style from the moment we saw it =)

What was your general desire for achievement with the Kids Content? And how has the Kids stuff been received?
Anna’s playground started because we were sitting around on Boxing day going through support tickets, and someone had emailed us about their daughter, Anna. By lunch time we had a level mocked up, designed around the idea that we could tweak the core gameplay enough to truly let young kids have a compelling experience on their own, and had emailed Anna’s father back asking for a list of her favorite enemies so we could personalize the level for her. Our desire was to do something for the daughter of one of our fans, but once it became clear there was demand for more if it, our desire changed to doing that the best way we could. In the short term, that meant launching a second Anna’s playground and then that shifted to doing a full Kids area for the game. We’re very happy about the reception to the Kids area by our amazing community =)

You’ve dropped some new levels, proving once unlocked, the investment in the game’s paid off – will there be more kids content on the way and what’s the ultimate plan?
Internally we’re treating the Kids area like the Fan Area – once unlocked we’re going to keep updating it as much as we can. The first level pack for the Kids area has already been released, and I hope to get a second one out after Christmas. I can’t see us doing less than 4 expansions to the area, hopefully a lot more than that.

Turning to The Sonic Adventures, your own spin-off series in many ways, what was the plan with that one – it introduces Jo Grant to the game, the Eric Roberts Master ; was it always the idea to have older characters within the game to reflect the show’s legacy?
At launch we began with the most recent seasons, with a plan to continue backwards as far as we could (ideally to An Unearthly Child), but after launch as we started talking to the BBC about new characters for the game, and the community made it very clear that these should include many classic characters.  We therefore shifted the whole of the Legacy project over to a much more “classic inclusive” position, while also trying to keep right up to date with canon alongside each new season. When we found out from the BBC that we were going to be able to start putting Sonics into the game we were faced with a decision – we could do this slowly over time as with any other ally, or we could try and do it all at once and wrap it all together in our first “real” expansion. By doing that we were able to put together a self-contained adventure including a massive selection of sonic devices from throughout canon, as well as many hours of gameplay. When we got to that point we started talking about how this would tie into the canon of the game, and I decided that we would treat it as a side story to chapter 4. If you’re a user who stays with only free content then you shouldn’t be effected by the fact that this adventure is happening off to one side. You shouldn’t feel pressured to go take part in it. But for those who do decide to join the first Doctor you get some insight into the larger chapter 4 story as the TV Movie Master spearheads a counterattack against the Doctor.

The self-contained adventure of The Sonic Adventures is quite tricky, how much thought goes into strategies for the game and is there anything else like you’d like to do with this series? Could it be expanded?
We’re always looking at new ways to change the core gameplay in order to keep players on their toes =) You’ll see more of this next year.

Are there other plans for Premium content within the game? Or is there something else you’d love to do within the Game?
The next chapter of Bigger on the Inside will be premium content, and will be heavily story driven. We have years’ worth of plans for the game. We’ve only just started =)

There may be some who feel that outside of the Sonic Adventures and the Fan area Frenemies level,  there’s little chance to continue levelling up to 60 without access to the Strands of Time – it must be hard for you to balance the freemium mode you’ve done so successfully with the need for continual re-investment into the game – how do you counter comments like that from the community? (Even with continual weekly free drops, there must be some pressure / desire to keep it financially sustainable)
The plan was always to give Sonic Adventure players access first, then the Fan Area, and then to everyone else – sadly some players will have to wait but considering that to have that complaint they’re likely 50 – 60 hours into the game without spending a penny to speed that up in any way, I’m sure they don’t mind waiting a little longer.

The game’s been going for 2 years now and with weekly story levels dropping for the current Peter Capaldi TV show, what’s been your proudest achievement with it?
We’re very proud of the fact that we’re the first mobile game in history to shadow a running TV show in this way, the fact that we’ve done it for two years, and the fact that we can do it for free to our users.  But I would say our proudest achievement is undoubtedly the amazing community we have.

What are the plans for the future of Doctor Who Legacy ? Given Season 9 ends soon, what’s next for DWLegacy?
In order:
Special Fan Area level coming in the next few weeks
More Titan Comics costumes and characters
“The Event” starts in the next few weeks
Signature Series in Fan Area
Bigger On the Inside, Chapter 2
Chapter 4 continuing
We have plans past that with the BBC which run through to the end of next year, however these are the ones I’m comfortable mentioning right now.

Will there be an Advent Calendar this year in December? And will you all be taking some well-deserved down time after the efforts you’ve poured into the game and the community?
We released this info yesterday!

2015 Advent Calendar plans!!  – There have been a lot of questions regarding the advent calendar plans for 2015, so here is the official reply: because season 9 of the show is running into December this year, and then we have to prepare for the Christmas episode, we haven’t had the space between the end of the TV season and the start of advent to plan and execute an additional month of free content. However, as we continue to say – users who financially support the game through unlocking the fan area deserve special recognition for what they’ve done (it’s the 5% of players who have financially supported the game over the last 2 years who have kept it going, not the 95% who don’t), so we’re doing a very special “SIGNATURE SERIES” of characters exclusively for the fan area.

Over the last year the team at Tiny Rebel have gone from one Doctor Who convention to the next in order to tell Whovians about the game. During these travels we met members of the cast of the show, we would thank them for agreeing to be in the game, and we started asking them something very specific – would you mind signing your in-game art so we can do a special series of characters for fans of the game. Enough said yes that, for the week before Christmas, the Fan Area will receive a new set of characters, re-balanced, each displaying the actor’s signature on the profile page.

The fan area launched with 9 levels, and now has over 50. We hope the addition of the Signature Series helps reinforce the promise we made when we launched the game – if you unlock the fan area we’re going to keep giving you unique goodies as a thank you for as long as we’re making the game.

Lee. Creative Director.

To play Doctor Who Legacy for free and get into the game that's got Whovians buzzing, click on the various formats below:

Peter Capaldi talks the return of an icon and meets NZ fans

Peter Capaldi talks the return of an icon and meets NZ fans

Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi was in New Zealand last night for the "In conversation with" event.

Fans were given the chance to hear of the current Doctor's experiences on the show and had teases of Heaven Sent exclusively screened to them. It's the first time a current Doctor has appeared in New Zealand and happened the day after the show's 52nd anniversary.

Wearing his landmark shades in the second half, Peter Capaldi revealed that fans disgruntled by the wearable tech wouldn't have to wait long for the return of the sonic screwdriver - teasing that it would be back sooner than you'd think.

Two scenes from Heaven Sent were also shown, one with Peter Capaldi's Doctor facing the Veil and hinting that he was actually scared. Heaven Sent airs in New Zealand on Prime on Sunday at 7.30pm.

After the show, Peter spent over an hour chatting with fans and signing - he took particular time out with the youngsters who'd attended the event and waited for him after. In every moment and despite the late hours, he was both generous with his time and sincere to each and every single fan.

Below are some photos from the after event.

Armageddon 2015: Talking manning a stand with Retrospace's Rochelle Scoones

Armageddon 2015: Talking manning a stand with Retrospace's Rochelle Scoones

Retrospace is a science fiction collectables store, both online (www.retrospace.co.nz) and a physical shop at 22 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna in Auckland. Retrospace has had a stand at many of the Armageddon shows, and will be at the Auckland event this weekend. Retrospace is owned and run by Rochelle Scoones.

What’s the best part of being at Armageddon?

The best part is being in amongst the larger sci-fi pop culture community and meeting fellow fans. I enjoy catching up with our customers and friends, especially those from outside of Auckland who I don’t get to see the rest of the year. It’s always nice to meet new customers as well. At each Armageddon there will always be some people who are attending for the first time and haven’t been to our shop in Takapuna, so it’s neat to see their delight when they discover us.

What’s the one item that you always sell really well – and why do you think that is?

Sonic Screwdrivers are strong sellers year after year. They’re great cosplay items. Pop one out of its packet, press the button to make the lights and sounds - and away you go. Everyone wants to be the Doctor, and cosplay’s such a huge part of Armageddon. I’m expecting Doctor Who fans to show up wearing ‘sonic sunglasses’ this year (but I should add that we don’t have these for sale… yet!)

What does Armageddon mean to you?

Armageddon, and especially the Auckland show, is the biggest event on Retrospace’s calendar. We’ve exhibited at all five Armageddon shows this year, but Auckland will be by far the largest, both in terms of the size of our stand and the number of people expected to attend. We’ll go all out to make this special, with a wide range of products on sale. Unlike the Armageddon shows we’ve exhibited at in other cities, Auckland is home ground for us, so we can bring in fresh stock each day from our shop if we sell out of items at the show. It also means a lot of work both before and during the trading days, and I’m hugely grateful to our awesome band of helpers. Come and see us at stand #94!

What’s been your favourite moment at all of the Armageddons you have attended?

Hard to narrow it down to one as there has been so many. One highlight was having guest Seth Green (Robot Chicken) playing with the loose Star Wars figures on our stand. I’m a big Doctor Who fan so it was awesome to have classic series actors John Levene (Sergeant Benton) and Terry Molloy (Davros) signing on our stand. At one show Terry Molloy sat in the bottom half of a Dalek and put on his Davros voice. My hair stood on end! Another special moment was getting Armageddon guest artist Dean Rankine to draw me a personal tattoo commission, which I’ve now had immortalised in ink!

What’s the one thing at Armageddon this year that you have that you think is the coolest item?

It’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing, but we’ve just got in the Star Wars - The Force Awakens Pop Vinyl Figures, which are much-anticipated items. I’m also arranging to have a display of the highly-detailed Hot Toys 12” figures including Iron Man, the Hulk, Batman, Terminator and others. Many of these are limited editions and sure to sell fast.

What’s been your favourite costume from the event?

Definitely the Catbus (from the Miyazaki film My Neighbor Totoro), a huge costume ‘worn’ by a few people. There was room for others to get ‘on’ or ‘off’ the bus as it wove through the crowd. So cool!

What do you want to see at this year’s 20th Anniversary Armageddon?

I like to see everybody having as much fun as possible. That’s what Armageddon’s all about. I’m hoping to get along to one or two of the guest talks if possible, particularly those with the Supernatural guests as I’m currently marathoning the series as time allows. I rarely manage to get away from our stand for long as we’re usually so busy, but I suppose that’s a good thing!