Wall Street Money Never Sleeps: Movie Review

Wall Street Money Never Sleeps: Movie Review

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Rating: 5/10
Cast: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan, Susan Sarandon, James Brolin, Frank Langella
Director: Oliver Stone
It's 23 years since Gordon Gekko headed to prison at the end of Wall Street - and since then, the real financial world has seen major changes.
The sequel to Wall Street begins with Gekko heading out of prison, collecting his belongings (including that trademark chunky mobile phone) and trying to rediscover his place in the world.
At the same time, Shia LaBeouf's Jacob Moore, an investment banker whose dream is in the energy sector and who's part of successful bank Keller Zabel, run by his mentor Lewis Zabel (Langella).
Moore's also dating Gekko's estranged daughter Winnie (Mulligan) - after watching Gekko speak, Moore turns to Gekko for advice.
However, when things financially hit the skids as the global recession begins to bite, Zabel commits suicide and Moore begins to suspect Josh Brolin's Bretton James may have been involved - and he vows revenge.
And Gekko sees - and seizes - the opportunity to exert his power...
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is a curious film - there's splashes of the usual Oliver Stone extravagance on the directing front but there's also flashes of genius too. One particular trick sees Stone outlining the skylines of New York and London with the share market ups and downs; it's a clever visual touch which stands out.
Also standing out is Michael Douglas who once again burns everyone else off the screen as Gekko - his manipulating, scheming presence may have slightly softened this time round but with that steely twinkle in his eye, Douglas manages to imbue the post recession Gekko with a harshness which is welcome.
Shia LaBeouf gives his character a punky and slightly cocky feel but he manages to keep up with Douglas; it's good to see him maturing as an actor rather than simply fighting robots all the time.
Sadly Carey Mulligan's Winnie is perhaps the weak link in all of this - she spends a lot of time moping and looking forlorn as Gekko's daughter - it's a shame as the character feels underwritten and underused.

That said Oliver Stone's woven an intelligent film together which takes an insider look at the financial wheelings and dealings which brought the world to the brink - it shows that a financial expert's had a hand on the script. The problem is that it goes a little too far into financial speak and despite the drama's being there, it's as if Stone's unveiling yet another conspiracy (though this time it's factual) and the film suffers a little because of it.
But it's the treatment of Gekko which is the most disappointing - the character changes so much in the final reel that you almost feel cheated at the end.

Oh and yes there is a cameo from someone in the original film too - a nice touch which will appeal to fans.

Date Night: DVD Review

Date Night: DVD Review

Date Night

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
It comics Steve Carell and Tina Fey team up in this comedy about mistaken identity.

They're Phil and Claire Foster - a NY husband and wife whose suburban lives have been besieged by the mundanities of two point four children; for whom each day is a series of routines - including their Date Night which sees them ordering the same dishes week in, week out.

So, shocked by the news one of their favourite couples is about to divorce, Phil decides to shake things up to prevent their marriage from being the next casualty.

On the spur of the moment, he takes Claire to a swanky Manhattan restaurant and refusing to give in because he doesn't have a reservation, takes someone else's.

However, that's when the problems start and they become embroiled in the world of Manhattan's gangsters.
Date Night has a great cast and there's something about Steve Carell and his deadpan delivery which can leave me in tears; equally Tina Fey goes a long way to convincing me that she's actually funny.
But unfortunately this caper doesn't quite work as a story and I don't know exactly what went wrong with it; it's not a bad film, it's just a bit lacking that 5% magic that needs to make it gel.
That said Date Night remains a fairly disposable piece of fun film for a relatively entertaining date night in.

Rating: 6/10 

Dr Who S5 Vol 3: DVD Review

Dr Who S5 Vol 3: DVD Review

Doctor Who Series Five Volume Three

Released by Roadshow/ BBC
Rating: PG

So the latest season of the eleventh continues with the release of another three stories from the most recent TV series.

Comprising one story and a two part story, these latest tales see Matt Smith's Doctor and Karen Gillan's feisty Amy Pond joined in the TARDIS by her boyfriend Rory (Arthur Darvill) which brings a new dynamic to the team.

In the first adventure, the Doc and the gang are tortured by the Dream Lord and visions of the future - and in the second, a two parter, an old enemy of the Doctor's The Silurians make a reappearance.

So the mid season minor slump hits the TV series - there's nothing inherently wrong with these adventures and Matt Smith continues to shine as the Doctor but the pacing of these stories feel a little off and not as magical as they could be.

But it's the performances which help the average scripts rise - from Toby Jones' brilliant Dream Lord, Matt Smith's superlative take on the Doc to Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill's companions, each moment with their characters is one to savour.

Here's hoping the slump doesn't continue.

Extras: Monster Files take a look at the new enemies.

Rating: 6/10

Misfits Series One: DVD Review

Misfits Series One: DVD Review

Misfits Series One
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: R18
Made for the digital arm of Channel 4 in the UK, Misfits is a terrific series about a group of five criminal misfits who are out carrying out community service when their worlds change.
Hit by a freak storm, the gang gradually find out they've got superpowers - and that the death of their community service minder is being investigated by social services...and they've all had a hand in the death.
It sounds like a rip off of Heroes in many ways - but what sets Misfits apart and gives it its fantastically fresh feel is that none of these guys get a cool superpower merely one which accentuates their insecurities.
I don't remember the last time I was so hooked on a TV mini series so quickly - within 10 minutes into episode one, these characters are so well written and rounded that they're believable, funny and realistic. It's also in the script and acting of the relative newcomers that make this such an easy watch - and despite being only six episodes long, you're left wanting more immediately.

Extras: Behind The Scenes, Simon's Films and the Making of Misfits will get you ready for series two coming soon.

Rating: 8/10

The Blind Side: DVD Review

The Blind Side: DVD Review

The Blind Side

Released by Warner Home Video
Rating: PG

The film that netted Sandra Bullock an Oscar on the same weekend as she scored a Razzie finally hits DVD.

Based on a 2006 book, The Blind Side is the story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a towering gentle giant who's from the wrong side of Memphis. Homeless, apparent family-less and with no prospects at all, Michael's life is changed when his path one day accidentally crosses with Sandra Bullock's brassy, Southern sassy Leigh Anne Tuohy.

The Tuohys are from the right side of town; Leigh Anne's husband owns a heap of Taco Bells and with their Christian way of life and ethics, they never want for anything.

So in the true spirit of altruism, the Tuohys take in Michael and begin to offer him some hope - and some of that hope gives him the belief he needs to play American football.

I know exactly what The Blind Side is aiming for - it has aspirations to be inspirational and is clearly pitching purely and simply at uplifting.

But sadly, personally it didn't strike the chord with me.

Sandra Bullock is good as Leigh Anne but I couldn't shake the feeling having seen other Oscar nominated performances that she didn't quite deserve to walk off with the statuette - she does ballsy and headstrong with a heart well but is it Oscar winning? Well that's for debate I guess.

Extras: A very light Additional Scenes

Rating: 5/10

From Paris With Love: DVD Review

From Paris With Love: DVD Review

From Paris With Love
Released by Sony Home Pictures
Rating: R16

From a story by Luc Besson and from the director who made Liam Neeson an action man in Taken comes From Paris With Love.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as James Reece, a young employee of the US ambassador in France. With his 1920s style spiv like moustache and slightly uptight attitude, Reece is a model employee, deeply in love with his girlfriend Caroline and when his country calls him, he's a bit of a rookie spy.

He yearns to play a bigger role in the espionage world.

He's given that chance - enter John Travolta's dome headed slightly unhinged Charlie Wax who's an operative with the CIA and in France to try and stop a terrorist attack.

But given these two are polar ends of the spectrum when it comes to attitudes and Reece finds himself in a world he never imagined he'd be part of.

What do you say about From Paris With Love? With its tagline, Two agents, One City, no Merci, explosions, gunfights and beatings set to heavy metal, let's be clear this isn't rocket science - or a film you particularly need to concentrate on the plot of (although you do have to keep up).

However, it is more entertaining than you'd expect.

And it's worth it for just one moment - to see John Travolta finally get that burger he talked about in Pulp Fiction all those years ago....

Extras: Making of, deleted and extended scenes and a music video

Rating: 6/10

Animal Kingdom: Movie Review

Animal Kingdom: Movie Review

Animal Kingdom
Rating: 9/10
Cast: James Frecheville, Joel Edgerton, Ben Mendelsohn, Guy Pearce
Director: David Michod
One of the hits from the 2010 New Zealand International Film Festival, Animal Kingdom duly deserves its wider release.
An Aussie crime thriller Animal Kingdom by writer director David Michod, this is the Melbourne set story about a crime family falling apart amid police scrutiny - and how a teenager previously estranged from the underworld becomes involved.
It opens with Josh (newcomer James Frecheville) discovering his mum's heroin overdose - and calmly watching an episode of Deal Or No Deal as it all goes down.
With no family to turn to, he's taken into the bosom of the Cody family - a local crime gang who're in their twilight of their career thanks to continual police surveillance.
When one of the Cody family is brutally dispatched by the cops, tensions escalate - and soon Josh is in deeper than he expected - and with Guy Pearce's Detective Leckie using him as leverage to try and bring down the syndicate, Josh soon realizes he has to take a side - and that the wrong one could cost him his life.
Animal Kingdom is a tense enthralling affair which hooks you in when you least expect it.
Thanks to the wonderfully layered performance of newcomer James Frecheville,you're caught in the grip of this slick slow burning thriller as you're never quite sure when it's going to explode into violence; there's little of that throughout but thanks to welcome directorial restraint, when it does happen,you're shocked.
With a moody ominous OST, some scenes crackle with uncertainty as you wait for the inevitable to hit. Ben Mendelsohn deserves mention as the volatile uncle Pope whose actions drive so much of the film.
But the real star of this film is relatively new director David Michod - he's clearly now a presence to watch over the coming years with this essential feature film debut.

Animal Kingdom is the perfect intelligent and excellently plotted antidote to fast paced unsubstantial crime films- it's a savage must see.