Zombieland: DVD Review

Zombieland: DVD Review

Zombieland
Rating: MA15
Released by Sony Home Entertainment

From the opening slow mo titles which see zombies taking people out in very drawn out fashion to the final showdown at the end, Zombieland is one hell of a lot of fun.

Basically, thanks to a diseased burger, the entire US of A has been overrun with zombies, leaving just a few survivors determined to avoid being bitten.

The hero is Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a nerdy student who encounters Woody Harrelson's red neck Tallahassee one day as he tries to find out if his family's survived the apocalypse.

So teaming up, the duo head across America - however, on the way they encounter Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) who manage to con them out of their car, guns and belongings. It appears the end of the world has still brought out the worst in some people -as well as that whole zombie flesh eating issue.

Zombieland is not your average undead film flick - for one thing, it's a terrifically fun ride, chock full of unexpected madness and laugh out loud moments.

But there's one defining moment to Zombieland which makes it so great - and that's the cameo appearance of a certain person (hint - who you gonna call) - it's a rare unexpected moment which helps the film sparkle, crackle and makes it a great night's entertainment.

Extras: Commentary with Woody and Jesse, behind the scenes, trailers and a feature about the zombification of the USA

Rating: 8/10

Predators: Movie Review

Predators: Movie Review

Predators
Rating: See below
Cast: Adrien Brody, Predators, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne
Director: Nimord Antal
Back into the jungle we go...
Adrien Brody stars in this latest film in the Predators franchise which to be honest has taken quite a knocking since the Aliens vs Predators.
Brody's one of a group of 8 who wake up in freefall and just before landing in a jungle - as they come to, suspicions and mistrust arises as they try to work out where they are, why they're there and how to get away.
But the group - which includes a yakuza Japanese warrior, the FBI's most wanted, a Mexican hardman, a Sierra Leone soldier (to name but four) - soon finds out they're not alone on this planet - but are rather part of a game preserve and are being hunted by the Predators...
Produced by Robert Rodriguez, there was a lot riding on Predators to relaunch the series and revitalise what had been mocked for a while.
And it's unfortunate to say that this won't do much to help the series - but may actually put the final nail in the coffin.
Basicall,y this film is essentially another version of the very first one with Arnie in - even down to the ending; the guys in the jungle are picked off one by one by the Predators and soon realise they've got little chance of survival.
The biggest problem with this film is that it offers nothing new to the franchise or genre (aside from the idea that the Predators are divided into clans and hunting themselves) and really doesn't give them anywhere to go for the future.
There's hardly any tension as the 8 are hunted - aside from the obligatory rising crescendo of music and there's more clichés around than originality.
However, there are some pluses in this.
Chiefly it's one human element - Adrien Brody makes a good atypical lead; more of a thinking man's action hero who's immoral and will use people to draw the creatures out; Laurence Fishburne's role is more an extended cameo which sees him playing deranged quite well.
And there's some loose morals at work here as the gang of eight do what they can to try and survive - you're never quite sure who's going to stab who in the back.

Personally I feel this film was a missed opportunity to reinvent the Predator - but having said that, the two people who accompanied me to this (who are big Predator fans and male) loved seeing them back up on the screen again and enjoyed the whole affair. Their ratings were 7/10, 6/10 and mine was 3 /10 - so overall - 5/10

The Karate Kid: Movie Review

The Karate Kid: Movie Review

The Karate Kid
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan
Director: Harald Zwart
When you remake a classic, you're almost faced with an impossible task - improving an original respectfully and updating it for a new generation.
This version of the Karate Kid begins with Jaden Smith's 12 year old Dre Parker packing to leave Detroit as he and his widowed mum ( ) get ready to move to China for her new job.
But no sooner does Dre get to China and tries to settle into a life there, he finds himself squarely in trouble of the bullying kind after making googly eyes at a local girl.
When the bullies batter him, he ends up being saved by Jackie Chan's Mr Han - and determined to make sure he gets his revenge, he asks Han to teach him the kung fu ways after seeing a local academy in action.
So begins Little Dre's initiation into the martial arts - and on a collision course in a karate tournament with the bullies who blight his daily life&.
This new version of The Karate Kid isn't a bad attempt at revitalizing the franchise. Jackie Chan's dour Mr Han is in keeping with Chan's more recent roles as the sad underdog; his Mr Han is a damaged man who has a secret which is ripping his life apart.
And Jaden Smith is a surprise as Dre - the kid's got charisma (which is blown in some scenes) and presence worthy of his father Will; he's also got that cheeky way with a role which clearly runs in the family. He also shows a great degree of vulnerability in the role for one so young.
It's a little overlong in parts - and with a fair few slow mo shots of the training coupled with a crescendo of music to ensure the point is hammered home, it does lose its way at times when a bit of subtlety would have sufficed.
And the bullies' predilection for "No mercy" kung fu is clearly at odds with Dre and Han's approach which doesn't make the ultimate showdown as morally engaging as it could have been.
Yet, there's a genuine affection between the pair in their training partnership and the writers of this film have shied away from directly copying the infamous Wax On, Wax Off scene preferring shots of Dre hanging up a coat, dropping it on the floor and putting it on under Han's tutelage to teach him what he needs to know.
I have to admit to being quite partial to Chan's underacting - his sombre tone lends a credibility to this film and makes the scenes when he busts out the kung fu more thrilling.

Ultimately this Karate Kid just falls just a little short when compared to the original but thanks to the bond between the two, it's reasonable enough family entertainment

Welcome: Movie Review

Welcome: Movie Review

Welcome
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Vincent Lindon, Firat Ayverdi
Director: Philippe Loiret
Welcome is a film which will have you thinking long after the credits roll.
It's the story of Kurdish refugee Bilal (underplayed with quiet resolve by Firat Ayverdi) who is determined to make it to England to see his recently emigrated girlfriend and to get a better life.
So, initially he tries to get through the French border in a lorry along with a group of fellow refugees - and it's all going well until they hit Calais and Bilal, wearing a plastic bag on his head, has a panic attack and they're all busted.
Suddenly Bilal finds himself in France and one day upon seeing the white cliffs of Dover decides that he can swim for freedom and for a new life.
And that's how he meets Simon (a gruff Vincent Lindon) as he seeks swimming lessons from him.
Gradually a friendship is formed and Simon tries to do what he can to help Bilal...but will it be enough?
Welcome is an at times gritty and desperate affair, accurately recording the routine degradations and desperations of the refugee community. The sight of them with bags on their heads in the lorry as they head to Calais is depressing and claustrophobic; and as they converge on Bilal's swimming pool to shower and get thrown out of supermarkets it's a sad indictment of what our world's coming to.
Lindon's Simon undergoes a subtle change of character - initially gruff and with his head in the sand to the plight of the refugees, he gradually warms to the very quiet and determined Bilal and risks everything to help - including the wrath of the police who are hunting clandestines.

Welcome is a film about humanity and hope - and you may leave the cinema feeling initially depressed and saddened, but ultimately it's a provocatively underplayed affair which will haunt you.

Shutter Island: DVD Review

Shutter Island: DVD Review

Shutter Island

Rating: R16
Released by Universal Home Entertainment

Scorsese and di Caprio reteam for this spooky mystery thriller adapted from the book by Dennis Lehane (who wrote Mystic River).

Di Caprio stars as US Marshall Teddy Daniels who's sent to a mental asylum on Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of an inmate who is believed to still be somewhere on the island.

However, along with his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), he finds his investigation blocked at every turn by the doctors in charge of the facility (chiefly Ben Kingsley's Dr Cawley).

As the pair find themselves stranded on the island by a storm, Teddy starts to suffer from flashbacks to the murder of his wife (Michelle Williams) and unsure of exactly who to trust.

Shutter Island is a heady mix of spooky, creepy and generally unsettling images, it's a real masterclass in film making. It also looks wonderful on Blu Ray and is really quite disturbing.

Once again Martin Scorsese's created a cinematic experience which is full of his trademark camera work and vision which builds a claustrophobic world where you're never quite sure what's going on.
Along with a great use of soundtrack and silence, the overall atmosphere is one of menace and uncertainty.

Sure, you may work out what's going on but you won't understand all of it until the end - and then you may be a little creeped out.

Extras: Behind the shutters and into the Lighthouse featurettes - not much given the wealth of talent involved in this project.

Rating: 8/10

Bronson: DVD Review

Bronson: DVD Review

Bronson

Rating: R18
Released by Madman
Described on the cover as A Clockwork Orange for the 21st Century, this is an unforgiving biographical pic of the UK's most notorious criminal, Charles Bronson.

Played with a wonderful theatrical feel by Tom Hardy, this takes a look back at what shaped the man behind bars - and how one of the UK's most vicious criminals was created.

The story is told in a rather unusual and visually captivating way - in front of an audience, Bronson tells us he always wanted to be famous; with his bald head, polished dome and large handlebar moustache, he cuts a comical figure; almost clown-like in his mannerisms and speech - but heaven help you if you mock him - because there's also an explosion of violence around the corner.

And it's merely minutes before the fighting begins; Refn cuts directly back and forth from Bronson's speech on the stage to his taking on a series of guards and battering them black and blue.

It's jail where Bronson blooms gleefully cementing his title as a violent uncontrolled offender - and it's here the film becomes a little confrontational as it shows there's no hope of reform for this character.

However, it succeeds, thanks to the stunning and towering performance from Hardy himself; while Bronson's never going to be a likeable character, it's Hardy's performance which makes him so compelling to watch.

There's some great visual touches and an extension of the performance of a clown sees Bronson at his peak - Hardy's mesmerizing turn never sees you off guard; you're 100% sure of his propensity for explosive violence but yet you can't help but watch this portrayal.

Extras: Teaser trailers, commentary and interview with director Nicolas Winding Refn

Rating: 7/10 

Me And Orson Welles: Movie Review

Me And Orson Welles: Movie Review

Me And Orson Welles
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Eddie Marsan, Christian McKay
Director: Richard Linklater
1930s New York and young teen wannabe actor Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) finds himself on the steps of the Mercury Theatre.
Samuels is a dreamer and wants to tread the boards - and thanks to a chance meeting with soon to be legendary Orson Welles (a brilliant and stellar performance from Christian McKay), he finds himself cast in a minor role in Welles' Julius Caesar.
But from there, Samuels begins to learn the reality of the life backstage isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Particularly not when the director is Orson Welles, a brilliant, impetuous, temperamental and arrogant man who firmly believes the play's the thing.
Me and Orson Welles surprises on a few levels - it's a spot on recreation of 1930s New York (complete with a spry soundtrack) but it's the acting talent and the story which really shine.
While Zac Efron's better than you'd expect given his High School Musical pedigree, it's really Christian McKay who excels in his role as Orson. From the vocal performance and the perfect encapsulation of the volatile Welles, to the characteristics of the man who polarised many, McKay is spot on and emerges as the real winner of this film.
His Orson is a sleaze, the kind of man who takes ambulances to appointments to beat traffic, a real cad and bounder whose passion for performance eclipses everything else. And it's McKay's performance which eclipses everyone else - he steals every scene he's in and is scarily impressive.

Combined with a sweet central romance between Efron's character and Claire Danes' manager, Me And Orson Welles is an unexpected treat, well worth two hours of your time.