The Other Guys: Movie Review
The Other Guys
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Samuel L Jackson, Dwayne
Johnson, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan
Director: Adam McKay
Will Ferrell reteams with director Adam McKay (who made Ferrell famous in
Anchorman, Talladega nights and Step Brothers) for this buddy cop comedy.
Ferrell plays Detective Allen Gamble, a mild mannered desk bound cop whose
partner Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) is an uptight ready for action, desperate to
impress cop.
The pair suddenly find themselves thrust into the limelight and into a major
job when their department hot shots (excellently played by Samuel L Jackson and
Dwayne Johnson) are taken off an investigation (to say why would spoil one of
the film's best gags).
But when these "other guys" are given the chance to step up and impress the
department captain (played with great comic chops by Michael Keaton) by looking
into the case of billionaire David Ershon (Coogan), not everything goes to
plan&
It's another case of check your brain at the door and get ready for some
silly chuckles with The Other Guys. If you do that, you'll be guaranteed a great
time in the company of the hilariously deadpan Will Ferrell.
His at times caustic partnership with Wahlberg works well - even if Wahlberg
spends most of the time shouting, it's a nice contrast with Ferrell's more laid
back and annoying cop.
Where The Other Guys succeeds brilliantly is in its opening minutes - Jackson
and Johnson have a great time deftly parodying every violent crime cop flick and
the start of the film is guaranteed to leave you in stitches.
Some of that momentum is carried on - and once again Ferrell and Wahlberg's
comments are destined for catchphrase status (eg "I'm going to climb over your
anger wall one day - and it'll be glorious" and "Cap'n, I'm a peacock - you've
got to let me fly" are just a selection of the many quotable lines) but sadly
the plot just can't sustain itself to the end.
Thankfully though a smart ensemble cast - including a star turn by Michael
Keaton as a TLC line quoting department head - manage to keep this film on the
right side of hilarious parody.
If you want to just laugh stupidly for reasons that you don't always know
why, then The Other Guys is another good solid addition to Ferrell's comic
contribution - but he's yet to match his turn as Ron Burgundy in Anchorman.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Gordonia: Movie Review
Gordonia: Movie Review
Gordonia
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Graham Gordon
Director: Tom Reilly
A doco about one man's fight to keep a little part of West Auckland free from the red tape of district councils.
Shot over a seven year period, Gordonia focuses on Graham Gordon and his fight against the Waitakere District Council and their push to try and get him to clean up what's called in TV archive reporting, a hippy haven.
Graham's land is littered with cars and transients and offers a respite to those who can't find the peace they need elsewhere.
But, perhaps inevitably with that kind of description, you can see how that may cause clashes - and Gordon's accused of breaching environment court acts as well as various district council pushes.
So it all comes to a head - with council members and the police moving onto his land to clear it up - and clashes are on the cards.
Gordonia is an intriguing look at bureaucracy and how it's affected one life - and indirectly many more.
Tom Reilly's film making's non-intrusive and documents the human face of legislation very well - it's a sly eye onto how lives are irrevocably changed by people sat behind desks.
But it's also maddening at times because with continual no-shows from the district council for interview, he's left only to onscreen captions to give their point of view - and that's frustrating because there's never a 100% rational debate (which maybe there never will be.)
However, it's Reilly's access to his subject and the people who live on the land (whom Gordon wryly notes "most of them are a bit different" before Reilly cuts to a guy with a mullet smashing a car with a hammer) which gives this doco a human face and an easy accessibility.
Yet it's Gordon who's the hero of this - a man so apparently baffled by the council's refusal to grant permits or to submit to reasonable requests that he's probably likely to be cheered on by many who've suffered at the hands of a faceless office worker and the brutality of bureaucracy.
He's got an overt humanity and ease of character - he's the kind of guy who when the pressure's on in court turns to his friend and remarks on the tie he's wearing rather than the possibility of facing jail.
Gordonia is a real slice of West Auckland and equally an insight into office life and district plan politics - whether any of it changes when we become the Super city remains to be seen.
Gordonia
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Graham Gordon
Director: Tom Reilly
A doco about one man's fight to keep a little part of West Auckland free from the red tape of district councils.
Shot over a seven year period, Gordonia focuses on Graham Gordon and his fight against the Waitakere District Council and their push to try and get him to clean up what's called in TV archive reporting, a hippy haven.
Graham's land is littered with cars and transients and offers a respite to those who can't find the peace they need elsewhere.
But, perhaps inevitably with that kind of description, you can see how that may cause clashes - and Gordon's accused of breaching environment court acts as well as various district council pushes.
So it all comes to a head - with council members and the police moving onto his land to clear it up - and clashes are on the cards.
Gordonia is an intriguing look at bureaucracy and how it's affected one life - and indirectly many more.
Tom Reilly's film making's non-intrusive and documents the human face of legislation very well - it's a sly eye onto how lives are irrevocably changed by people sat behind desks.
But it's also maddening at times because with continual no-shows from the district council for interview, he's left only to onscreen captions to give their point of view - and that's frustrating because there's never a 100% rational debate (which maybe there never will be.)
However, it's Reilly's access to his subject and the people who live on the land (whom Gordon wryly notes "most of them are a bit different" before Reilly cuts to a guy with a mullet smashing a car with a hammer) which gives this doco a human face and an easy accessibility.
Yet it's Gordon who's the hero of this - a man so apparently baffled by the council's refusal to grant permits or to submit to reasonable requests that he's probably likely to be cheered on by many who've suffered at the hands of a faceless office worker and the brutality of bureaucracy.
He's got an overt humanity and ease of character - he's the kind of guy who when the pressure's on in court turns to his friend and remarks on the tie he's wearing rather than the possibility of facing jail.
Gordonia is a real slice of West Auckland and equally an insight into office life and district plan politics - whether any of it changes when we become the Super city remains to be seen.
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Boy: DVD Review
Boy: DVD Review
Boy
Released by Universal Home Entertainment
Rating: M
Officially the biggest ever film ever to hit the New Zealand cinema, Taika Waititi's Boy finally hits the DVD market.
Set in 1984, and on the rural East Coast of New Zealand, it's the tale of Boy (a wonderful James Rolleston) who lives with his brother Rocky (a heartbreakingly human turn by Te Aho Eketone-Whitu) and their nan.
The pair have been abandoned by their Dad - Boy believes his dad Alamein (Waititi) is a deep sea diver, war hero or anything else rather than the reality - an inept criminal who's doing time for a bungled robbery.
One day, Alamein comes out of jail and heads home - and Boy realizes the reality of his father is nothing like the fantasy he's created.
Boy - what can you say about it that's not already been said? I loved it when it was released in the cinema and I love it still when it's out on DVD.
There's a sadness to the story too - Rocky believes his super powers killed their mum when she gave birth to him as he's unable to cope with the reality of death during child birth.
Both the leads are brilliant in this - each imbues their characters with such warmth and humanity that it's impossible not to love them. Waititi is also great as well - he brings a degree of inspired directing to the film as well as various fantasy scenes come to life on the screen. (I hate to use the word quirky but they're genius moments)
Boy is a national treasure - and should be seen and loved by everyone.
Extras: Trailer and commentary from Waititi - a little disappointing.
Rating: 9/10
Boy
Released by Universal Home Entertainment
Rating: M
Officially the biggest ever film ever to hit the New Zealand cinema, Taika Waititi's Boy finally hits the DVD market.
Set in 1984, and on the rural East Coast of New Zealand, it's the tale of Boy (a wonderful James Rolleston) who lives with his brother Rocky (a heartbreakingly human turn by Te Aho Eketone-Whitu) and their nan.
The pair have been abandoned by their Dad - Boy believes his dad Alamein (Waititi) is a deep sea diver, war hero or anything else rather than the reality - an inept criminal who's doing time for a bungled robbery.
One day, Alamein comes out of jail and heads home - and Boy realizes the reality of his father is nothing like the fantasy he's created.
Boy - what can you say about it that's not already been said? I loved it when it was released in the cinema and I love it still when it's out on DVD.
There's a sadness to the story too - Rocky believes his super powers killed their mum when she gave birth to him as he's unable to cope with the reality of death during child birth.
Both the leads are brilliant in this - each imbues their characters with such warmth and humanity that it's impossible not to love them. Waititi is also great as well - he brings a degree of inspired directing to the film as well as various fantasy scenes come to life on the screen. (I hate to use the word quirky but they're genius moments)
Boy is a national treasure - and should be seen and loved by everyone.
Extras: Trailer and commentary from Waititi - a little disappointing.
Rating: 9/10
A Single Man: DVD Review
A Single Man: DVD Review
A Single Man
A Single Man, based on the book of the same name, is the directorial debut of Tom Ford and the film which saw plaudits rained down upon its leading actor, Colin Firth.
Firth stars as Professor George Falconer, a gay English professor who lives in 1960s Southern California. As the film begins - and via viewers' flashback, he's told by a phone call that his long term partner Jim (Goode) has been killed in a car crash.
When he can't find a reason to go on, he decides to put his affairs in order and end his own life.
A Single Man is a stylistically heavy film - it won't surprise you to learn that it's from the same production design team who make TV's Mad Men; in fact a lot of the stylish recreations of the time are perfectly encapsulated on the screen.
A Single Man is Colin Firth's film, I really am going to have to re-evaluate him because he's sensational and sears on the screen in this - particularly in the scene where he's told of his partner's death - just sensational.
Extras: Making of, and audio commentary by Tom Ford.
Rating: 8/10
A Single Man
A Single Man, based on the book of the same name, is the directorial debut of Tom Ford and the film which saw plaudits rained down upon its leading actor, Colin Firth.
Firth stars as Professor George Falconer, a gay English professor who lives in 1960s Southern California. As the film begins - and via viewers' flashback, he's told by a phone call that his long term partner Jim (Goode) has been killed in a car crash.
When he can't find a reason to go on, he decides to put his affairs in order and end his own life.
A Single Man is a stylistically heavy film - it won't surprise you to learn that it's from the same production design team who make TV's Mad Men; in fact a lot of the stylish recreations of the time are perfectly encapsulated on the screen.
A Single Man is Colin Firth's film, I really am going to have to re-evaluate him because he's sensational and sears on the screen in this - particularly in the scene where he's told of his partner's death - just sensational.
Extras: Making of, and audio commentary by Tom Ford.
Rating: 8/10
Friday, 24 September 2010
Charlie St Cloud: Movie Review
Charlie St Cloud: Movie Review
Charlie St Cloud
Rating: 5/10
Cast: Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Amanda Crew, Kim Basinger, Ray Liotta
Director: Burr Steers
Having done so well in Me and Orson Welles, Zac Efron tries ever harder to leave the High School Musical genre behind in this romantic weepy.
He's Charlie St Cloud, who lives in a small American coastal town - a guy with everything going for him; a chance to get a sailing scholarship at Stanford, and a brother Sam (Tahan) who idolizes him but fears he's leaving much like their absent father did to his mum (Kim Basinger).
On the night of graduation, Charlie's saddled with baby sitting Sam rather than joining his mates for one last blast - and so deciding to head out with them, he grabs Sam and they take the car out.
But an accident sees Charlie's life changed forever when a driver kills Sam - suddenly five years has gone and Charlie's still in the same town, tending the graveyard and every night keeping a promise to practise baseball with his dead brother.
Unable to move on, Charlie finds his life changed again when Tess (Crew) a fellow high school graduate heads back to town on the eve of a solo round the world sailing trip.
Can Charlie learn to love - and live again?
Charlie St Cloud shows once again that Zac Efron can actually act - sure he's saddled with horrendous good looks, but he really does hold his own in this flick - and the anguish he conveys when his brother's killed is gut wrenching to say the least.
The whole film is a revelation in many ways - it's an unconventional romantic drama which doesn't do exactly what you'd expect.
Both Tahan and Efron's on screen time is well done and there's an ease between the pair which keeps the whole "I'm playing baseball with my dead brother because I'm a bit damaged" schtick out of the completely weird and kooky and just the right side of charming. Zac impresses throughout - and is clearly the best graduate of the High School musical phenom.
But it's just a shame that the film loses it completely in the final reel as it inevitably moves into the purely cheesy and schmaltz - anything that solicits a major groan from most in the audience is never a good sign. Sure you could probably see it coming, but given the film's confounded your expectations early on, it's just a shame they bottled it at the end.
Charlie St Cloud
Rating: 5/10
Cast: Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Amanda Crew, Kim Basinger, Ray Liotta
Director: Burr Steers
Having done so well in Me and Orson Welles, Zac Efron tries ever harder to leave the High School Musical genre behind in this romantic weepy.
He's Charlie St Cloud, who lives in a small American coastal town - a guy with everything going for him; a chance to get a sailing scholarship at Stanford, and a brother Sam (Tahan) who idolizes him but fears he's leaving much like their absent father did to his mum (Kim Basinger).
On the night of graduation, Charlie's saddled with baby sitting Sam rather than joining his mates for one last blast - and so deciding to head out with them, he grabs Sam and they take the car out.
But an accident sees Charlie's life changed forever when a driver kills Sam - suddenly five years has gone and Charlie's still in the same town, tending the graveyard and every night keeping a promise to practise baseball with his dead brother.
Unable to move on, Charlie finds his life changed again when Tess (Crew) a fellow high school graduate heads back to town on the eve of a solo round the world sailing trip.
Can Charlie learn to love - and live again?
Charlie St Cloud shows once again that Zac Efron can actually act - sure he's saddled with horrendous good looks, but he really does hold his own in this flick - and the anguish he conveys when his brother's killed is gut wrenching to say the least.
The whole film is a revelation in many ways - it's an unconventional romantic drama which doesn't do exactly what you'd expect.
Both Tahan and Efron's on screen time is well done and there's an ease between the pair which keeps the whole "I'm playing baseball with my dead brother because I'm a bit damaged" schtick out of the completely weird and kooky and just the right side of charming. Zac impresses throughout - and is clearly the best graduate of the High School musical phenom.
But it's just a shame that the film loses it completely in the final reel as it inevitably moves into the purely cheesy and schmaltz - anything that solicits a major groan from most in the audience is never a good sign. Sure you could probably see it coming, but given the film's confounded your expectations early on, it's just a shame they bottled it at the end.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
The Box: DVD Review
The Box: DVD Review
The Box
Released by Warner Home Video
Rating: M
Following on from Donnie Darko and the flop that was Southland Tales, Richard Kelly heads to Twilight Zone territory with this new film based on a short episode.
Based on an episode of the show called "Button, Button" Diaz and Marsden star as a couple just getting by in 1970s Conneticut. One day the doorbell rings early in the morning and the pair find a box on their doorstep along with the message that Mr Steward will visit at 5pm.
When the time comes, Mr Steward (Langella) shows up on their door - and with the offer that if they press the button, they will get one million dollars.
However, if they do take the offer, someone unconnected to them will die&.
The Box is frustrating, infuriating and to be honest, brilliant in places. There's a Twin Peaks/ David Lynch style running throughout which gives the whole story an edge of insanity and a foreboding tone which sees it work.
Langella and Diaz are very good in their roles; Marsden is not quite upto par - but it's Kelly who sees a return to form after the critical drivel that was Southland Tales. Complete with trademark water effects, nosebleeds and Arthur C Clarke, the whole film has a haunting and eerie feel which will guarantee it cult hit status.
Extras: Commentary from Kelly, doco about The Box
Rating: 7/10
The Box
Released by Warner Home Video
Rating: M
Following on from Donnie Darko and the flop that was Southland Tales, Richard Kelly heads to Twilight Zone territory with this new film based on a short episode.
Based on an episode of the show called "Button, Button" Diaz and Marsden star as a couple just getting by in 1970s Conneticut. One day the doorbell rings early in the morning and the pair find a box on their doorstep along with the message that Mr Steward will visit at 5pm.
When the time comes, Mr Steward (Langella) shows up on their door - and with the offer that if they press the button, they will get one million dollars.
However, if they do take the offer, someone unconnected to them will die&.
The Box is frustrating, infuriating and to be honest, brilliant in places. There's a Twin Peaks/ David Lynch style running throughout which gives the whole story an edge of insanity and a foreboding tone which sees it work.
Langella and Diaz are very good in their roles; Marsden is not quite upto par - but it's Kelly who sees a return to form after the critical drivel that was Southland Tales. Complete with trademark water effects, nosebleeds and Arthur C Clarke, the whole film has a haunting and eerie feel which will guarantee it cult hit status.
Extras: Commentary from Kelly, doco about The Box
Rating: 7/10
Brothers: DVD Review
Brothers: DVD Review
Brothers
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: M
Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman star in this war drama about the bonds of a family and the horror of war.
Maguire is Captain Sam Cahill who's embarking on a fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan, leaving his wife (Portman) and daughters behind. Just before he heads off, Gyllenhaal's Tommy comes out of jail and attempts an uneasy return to the family.
However, Sam asks Tommy to look after the family while he's away - unfortunately Sam's shot down in Afghanistan and the family is ripped asunder.
Based on a Danish film of the same name, Brothers is quite a traditional melodrama which is a little slow to get going but thanks to the captivating and gripping performances of the main trio involved, it becomes a movie which you can't tear your eyes from towards the end.
While Gyllenhaal and Portman have an easy chemistry - it's Tobey Maguire who really layers on the textured performance and easily captures the horror of war and the psychological effects of the trauma long after leaving the conflict.
Extras: A doco about the director Jim Sheridan, how the film was made for America, and a trailer
Rating: 7/10
Brothers
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: M
Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman star in this war drama about the bonds of a family and the horror of war.
Maguire is Captain Sam Cahill who's embarking on a fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan, leaving his wife (Portman) and daughters behind. Just before he heads off, Gyllenhaal's Tommy comes out of jail and attempts an uneasy return to the family.
However, Sam asks Tommy to look after the family while he's away - unfortunately Sam's shot down in Afghanistan and the family is ripped asunder.
Based on a Danish film of the same name, Brothers is quite a traditional melodrama which is a little slow to get going but thanks to the captivating and gripping performances of the main trio involved, it becomes a movie which you can't tear your eyes from towards the end.
While Gyllenhaal and Portman have an easy chemistry - it's Tobey Maguire who really layers on the textured performance and easily captures the horror of war and the psychological effects of the trauma long after leaving the conflict.
Extras: A doco about the director Jim Sheridan, how the film was made for America, and a trailer
Rating: 7/10
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