The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus: Blu Ray Review

The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus: Blu Ray Review

The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus

Rating: PG
Released by Sony Home Pictures

Forever determined to be known as Heath Ledger's final film this is the fantasy tale of Dr Parnassus (a wonderfully world weary Christopher Plummer) who travels the land with his carnival troupe (including Verne Troyer of Austin Powers fame) and his daughter Valentina (a porcelain doll like Lily Cole).

Granted immortality, Parnassus is locked in an ongoing battle with Tom Waits' Devil - and the Devil has arrived to collect his due. You see, years ago, Parnassus wagered his first born and now to stop the Devil taking what's his, he bets he can win over five souls.

Into this mélange of madness in modern day London, arrives Heath Ledger's shyster Tony. Mysteriously left for dead, he's taken in by the troupe - and could be the tipping point in Parnassus' quest to finally beat the Devil.

Yes, it's sprawling and a bit unfocussed at times, but The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is perhaps one of the most visually original pieces of cinema you'll ever see - even on the small screen (and particularly in Blu Ray).

There are flashes of pure genius from director Terry Gilliam as he weaves his surreal web. It's a wonderfully talented ensemble cast who make this film work - and a real tribute to Gilliam's genius that the film continued with the likes of Jude Law and Colin Farrell coming onboard.

Recommended without a shadow of a doubt.

Extras: The disc is really a tribute to the Ledger legacy with exclusive featurettes forming the majority of the extras and a packed disc it is too.

Rating: 9/10 

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.

Sherlock: Series one: Blu ray review

Sherlock: Series one: Blu ray review

Sherlock Series One
Rating: M
Released by BBC and Roadshow

A new Sherlock Holmes for the 21st Century?

Didn't Robert Downey Jr already do that on film last year?

Well, he did - but to be honest, he never reached the heights of this brilliant 3 parter from the team who helped with the reinvention of Dr Who, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and a BAFTA award winning Martin Freeman as Watson, this is compelling viewing from the get go as it takes Holmes from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books and updates him to the 21st century crime world of London.

This Holmes though is somewhat of a sociopath; he consults with Scotland Yard as a hobby because he has little else in life to keep him intellectually involved; so when Watson, a former army doctor ends up meeting Holmes, the pair become allies - albeit unlikely ones as they investigate a clutch of cases in London.

Over the course of three 90 minute stories, this modern day new version shines through - even though the second story isn't as compelling as those either side of it. And it's the writing, the clever visual touches and the brilliance of the main duo which make it so spinechillingly good.

Perhaps the highlight though is the third tale which introduces Holmes' nemesis and ends on a cliffhanger that you're screaming at the screen when the credits come up.

Clever, smart and confoundingly enjoyable, this is a Sherlock to love - and thank goodness more is on the way.

Extras: Commentary from creators, unaired pilot and a making of - a decent bunch

Rating: 8/10 

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.

Dr Who: A Christmas Carol: DVD Review

Dr Who: A Christmas Carol: DVD Review

Dr Who - A Christmas Carol

Released by BBC and Roadshow
Rating: PG
So Matt Smith's first Christmas outing as the Eleventh Doctor arrives - and it's a complete rip off of Dickens.
With Amy and Rory on honeymoon and trapped on a space liner about to crash, it's upto the Doc to save the day.
But standing between him and a rescue effort is Michael Gambon's Kazran Sardick, a Bah humbug character who doesn't believe anyone deserves a happy ending.
So, with the Doc taking on the role of Christmasses past, present and future (Time travelling's never been so convenient), he sets out to melt Sardick's heart and save his pals.
Firstly, this is about as Christmassy as Who gets - which coming after Tennant's Festive Farewell in 2009 is a relief; but it does have the feeling of being a little too fluffy at times - and even has a flying shark.
No seriously, it does.
But,ultimately this does melt your heart and before you know it (and with a second viewing) you're swept along with the adventure and feeling festive. However, Steven Moffat really does need to up the writing to match Matt Smith's impeccable performance - and it remains to see if Series six will deliver later this year.
Extras: Dr Who at the proms and Behind the scenes - a rounded if unspectacular package.

Rating: 7/10 

Dr Who: Colony in Space: DVD Review

Dr Who: Colony in Space: DVD Review

Dr Who - Colony in Space
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow

It's to 1972 we head for this six part slice of time travelling with Jon Pertwee's Dr Who.

When the Time Lords realize the Doc's nemesis, the Master's got his hands on a Doomsday device, they send the Doc and his companion Jo to the 25th century to try and save the day.

Slightly wonky and aged sets aside, this serial isn't a bad entry into the final batch of releases from the Who range. Atmospherically put together and acted with such purpose by Pertwee and Katy Manning, plus a great chemistry between Roger Delgado's The Master and The Doctor, it's a fairly pacy romp which looks at the consequences of weaponry - but in a non overtly preachy way.

An average set of extras for the release include commentary and a doco looking back - but nothing sensational.

Rating: 6/10 

In A Better World: Movie Review

In A Better World: Movie Review

In A Better World
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen
Director: Susanne Bier
After snagging a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, and with an Oscar nomination in tow, it would appear In a Better World can do no wrong.
It opens in Africa with Persbrandt's Anton working as a doctor in a field hospital and dealing with the fall out of a warlord and combat.
Anton is the pacifist, preferring to take the moral high ground rather than strike the first blow - but it's more difficult for his son Elias back in Denmark. He's bullied by the school kids and a bit of a loner.
One day, new kid on the block, Christian defends him - and a friendship forms. But as the friendship grows, Christian, who's recently lost his mother to cancer and is full of anger plots revenge on those who would do him and his friends wrong.
And it all escalates with devastating consequences.

In a Better World is a powerhouse, slow burning drama.

With evocative cutaways (either in Africa or Denmark), there's a real brooding intensity throughout - and while Persbrandt is good as Anton, the film belongs to the kids - William Jøhnk Nielsen as Christian and Markus Rygaard as Elias.

Both bring a real intensity to their brooding - Nielsen's particularly subtle in his role as a kid who's experienced loss and grief and doesn't know where to channel it.

Expect to become quickly engrossed in this drama - it's multi-layered, subtle and deeply rewarding. As the emotional tense pressure cooker boils up, you will be moved by the powerful punch it packs at the end.

And it will probably be clearing some space for Oscar very soon.

In A Better World: DVD Review

In A Better World: DVD Review

In a Better World
Rating: R16
Released by Vendetta Film

Golden Globe and Oscar winner In a Better World opens in Africa with Mikael Persbrandt's Anton working as a doctor in a field hospital and dealing with the fall out of a warlord and combat.

Anton is the pacifist, preferring to take the moral high ground rather than strike the first blow - but it's more difficult for his son Elias back in Denmark. He's bullied by the school kids and a bit of a loner.

One day, new kid on the block, Christian defends him - and a friendship forms. But as the friendship grows, Christian, who's recently lost his mother to cancer and is full of anger plots revenge on those who would do him and his friends wrong.

And it all escalates with devastating consequences.

In a Better World is a powerhouse, slow burning drama.
With evocative cutaways (either in Africa or Denmark), there's a real brooding intensity throughout - and while Persbrandt is good as Anton, the film belongs to the kids - William Jøhnk Nielsen as Christian and Markus Rygaard as Elias.

Both bring a real intensity to their brooding - Nielsen's particularly subtle in his role as a kid who's experienced loss and grief and doesn't know where to channel it.

Expect to become quickly engrossed in this drama - it's multi-layered, subtle and deeply rewarding.

Extras: None

Rating: 7/10 

Armageddon 2013 - Day One - The celebrities.

Armageddon 2013 - Day One - The celebs

A media call was held this morning for the various celebrities attending the Auckland Leg of the Armageddon expo this weekend.

Take a look at pictures of Dwight Schultz from the A Team, Norman Lovett from Red Dwarf, Barry Bostwick from Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dean Stockwell from Quantum Leap, Dan Starkey from Doctor Who and Ben Browder from Farscape.