Dr Who S5 V4: Blu Ray Review

Dr Who S5 V4: Blu Ray Review

Dr Who Series 5: Vol 4
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment
Rating: PG
So the final volume of the latest series of Dr Who gets a release - and once again, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan get the chance to shine.
The final set contains 4 adventures for the Doc and Amy - including the two part season finale (but more on that in a mo).
It's clearly about the guest stars and talent in this final clutch of four - Vincent and the Doctor is written by Richard Curtis of Britcom fame and starring Bill Nighy and in The Lodger James Corden of Gavin and Stacey fame stars. The two tales are ok - Vincent and the Doctor seems to have a giant style chicken as the baddie haunting Vincent Van Gogh and his dark ways and The Lodger sees the Doc stranded in the UK after Amy has mishap in the TARDIS.
The final tale (The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang) sees the Doc facing an army of baddies and River Song (Alex Kingston) back once again. It's a so-so season final and seems to spend a lot of time setting up for future series rather than providing some kind of closure after 13 eps. That said, it is worth it for Amy's great wedding speech where she manages to reconjure up the Doctor - it's a take of the something borrowed lines - and it's a moment of genius from Steven Moffat.
An excellent pixel perfect conversion for Blu Ray gives the Doc's world some sparkly HD makeover.
All in all, this year had such promise for a new Doctor - thankfully Matt Smith's never disappointed and given the performance of his life. I am just hoping for more next year from the writing team.
Extra: The Monster Files delves into the army of baddies which face off against the Doc at the end - it's ten minutes of relative fluff from behind the scenes - all the best stuff will be being saved for the complete series box set.

Rating: 6/10

Monsters: Movie Review

Monsters: Movie Review

Monsters
Rating: 5/10
Cast: Whitney Able, Scoot McNairy
Director: Gareth Edwards
With a film about aliens landing in the USA six years ago and being quarantined in one area, it's obvious you'll recall to mind one of the best films of 2009, the Peter Jackson produced District 9.
But this similar premise comprises Monsters which is more relationship drama than alien societal integration.
Set in the not too distant future, opening titles explain that a spacecraft sent to bring back alien samples broke up over Mexico in re-entry. The result of that is a series of alien life forms (which look uncannily like squid on stalks) have taken up residence throughout parts of central America and Mexico - and are spreading.
Rather than nuke them, the government's decided that they will let them be - and simply declare zones of the country in quarantine and infected areas.
Enter into this photographer Andrew (McNairy) - he's desperate to make his name in the media with a picture of a live creature - but is tasked with returning his boss' errant daughter Sam (Able) back home safe.
Through a series of mishaps, the pair find the only way they can get back to home is via the infected zone - and so their journey into danger begins&
Monsters is not what you'd expect at all - initially you're introduced to the squid creatures early on and so you're never waiting for a big alien reveal, which robs the premise of some of its tension.
Director Gareth Edwards is also a little heavy on the direction - opening shot after shot are simply about the infected zone signs or military fighter jets heading past in the skies. It's a pummeling to set up the world they inhabit rather than subtlety to get the message across. Even on a low budget, it could have achieved more.
With a lack of real script (most of this is improvised) it's left to McNairy and Able to make it believable and to have you care. The pair are both relative newcomers both have stunning chemistry together (and are now married in real life) - so while there are dips in the film and dialogue which is simply about asking where they are while navigating the grim reality of it all, it's thanks to these two and their tender relationship that you make it through to the end.

It doesn't live up to its premise and the attack which inevitably comes in the infected zone lacks any real tension. It's a disappointment which doesn't live upto its premise and you may feel a little cheated when the lights go up at the end.

Hot Tub Time Machine: DVD Review

Hot Tub Time Machine: DVD Review

Hot Tub Time Machine
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: R16
John Cusack stars in this story of a group of guys who've got various issues - John Cusack's Adam's just been dumped; Craig Robinson's Nick has an unfaithful wife and a job that involves him sticking his hand in dog's bottoms; Clark Duke is a teen who's going nowhere and Rob Corddry's Lou has just tried to commit suicide.

Spurred into action by the suicide attempt, the quartet head to one of their haunts from their past to live it up. But when they get there, they find the party resort has gone down the dumps - and deciding to get drunk, the guys head to the hot tub to party.

After a night's decadence - and a shoe horned in plot device, they awake to find themselves back in the 1980s and as younger versions of themselves at Winterfest 1986.

What can be said about this? The film finds its level in the first few moments as Craig Robinson's failed musician pulls out a pair of car keys from a dog's backside and throws them straight to its owner...subtle it ain't.

Funny at times, it is though - a likeable cast give a frankly insane idea a bit of life and the whole thing is just about carried off - if like the lads, you've been drinking.

Rating: 5/10

Dr Who: The Dominators: DVD Review

Dr Who: The Dominators: DVD Review

Dr Who- The Dominators
Released by BBC and Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: PG
Back to the 1960s we go and the moptop ways of the second Doctor Patrick Troughton and his faithful crew of Jamie the highlander and Zoe the genius in this five part serial which screened in 1968.
The TARDIS lands on a planet called Dulkis; one which is supposed to be quiet and relaxed; but when the TARDIS trio arrive there, they find the native race has been enslaved by the ruthless Dominators (and their large tortoise shell like jackets) and their servants, the robotic Quarks.
Can the Doctor save the race?
A fairly average serial when compared to the later efforts of the series, this is starting to show some cracks in terms of the production values; but it's worth seeing for the very first introduction of the Quarks which were mooted as the next Daleks way back when.
Sure, they lumber and seem quaint, but it's nice to see the series try something a little different with the baddies. A deeper look into the story would see some satire of the hippy ways of the 1960s but Troughton et al give it their all in this.
Extras: Commentary from the surviving main cast, a look back on the making and a piece on how the show was covered in the media are all reliably informative. What's a little odd and doesn't do much for the continuing perception of nerdiness is a hidden extra in which two Scottish sock puppets (no I don't believe I'm typing this either) discuss the labeling of the serials back in the 1960s&.

Rating: 6/10

Edge of Darkness: DVD Review

Edge of Darkness: DVD Review

Edge of Darkness
Rating: R16
Released by Warner Home Video

After fraught times for Mel Gibson recently, it's nice to actually remember what he does for a living - on the screen.

Based on a BBC mini series (which was directed by NZ Martin Campbell back when it was initially broadcast in the 1980s) Gibson stars as Boston detective Tom Craven, whose daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) comes home to visit.

However, Emma becomes sick and after vomiting blood, Craven decides to take her to the hospital. But barely out of the front door, she's shot dead in a drive by.

The police are convinced he's the target of the shooter, but Craven begins his own investigation - and gradually begins to realize he's slap bang in the middle of a massive conspiracy which has wider implications than he could ever realize.

Aside from some jolts to your nerve moments (which are obviously coming), there's little original in how this pans out. That's not to say it's not good - it's merely middle of the road, generic, formulaic thriller with chases, scenes of suspense and twists aplenty.

Gibson's strong in it though as he unleashes his steely eyed determined look and wreaks a bit of havoc - you probably wouldn't want him not on your side&

Extras: Deleted scenes, Mel's back, Profile of kiwi director Martin Campbell and a featurette on the original mini series are part of a solid package for an average film

Rating: 6/10

Home By Christmas: DVD Review

Home By Christmas: DVD Review

Home By Christmas
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: PG
It's a powerful New Zealand film memoir by Gaylene Preston based on interviews with her father Ed Preston about his time in World War 2 in Italy and North Africa.

Culled from archive material, Preston's called in the services of Goodbye Pork Pie's Tony Barry to narrate the material and essentially play her father. But as we learn early on, Ed was never too keen on sharing his experiences until one day, as a Christmas present, he decided to open up to his daughter.

What unfolds is the story of one man and how he signed up to the NZ Army back in 1940 because the rest of the rugby team were doing it for a free holiday and he didn't want to be left out.

As he remarks, they never expected to see any war - but that was the opposite from what they'd ever have hoped.

This story is interspersed with the tale of the wife he left behind (played by Chelsie Preston Crayford) and the problems she faced while they were at war. It's a nice device which off sets the archive footage used by Preston to piece together the narrative. And it's one which many Kiwis will associate with.
There's a subtlety and restrained feeling about this film which makes it engaging - Ed's tell it like it is style means Home By Christmas will strike a chord with many in the audience who've heard hints of similar stories from previous generations. It's also a humbling and haunting film - but one which is important and needs to be told.
Extras: A Solid bunch here including making of, docos, deleted scenes and Ed's original interview, this is a well thought out batch which really rounds off the release and makes it essential viewing.

Rating: 8/10

The Town: Movie Review

The Town: Movie Review

The Town
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Titus Welliver, Blake Lively, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper
Director: Ben Affleck
Well, I think the first definite contender for Oscars 2011 just hit our cinemas.
In this flick, set in Charlestown in America, Affleck is Doug MacRay, a criminal who's found robbing banks is the only way to survive the miserable drudgery of working a construction job.
However, he along with his three co-robbers, end up abducting the manager of the latest bank they turn over - Claire, played by Rebecca Hall.
The problem is that they're not sure what Claire saw or heard so when Doug's volatile buddy Jem (a searingly jumpy turn by Jeremy Renner) suggests keeping an eye on her, Doug decides it'd be safer if he looked out for Claire.
As Doug and Claire's relationship begins to flourish into something, the police (led by Mad Men's Jon Hamm and Lost's Man in Black Titus Welliver) begin to close in on the gang - and Doug starts to wonder if he can ever escape from the life he's forged for himself.
I hadn't been expecting too much from a Ben Affleck outing to be honest - but thanks to some excellently restrained directing which allows the story to breathe and come to life, he's managed to put together a corker of a film with some brilliant ensemble performances - from the likes of Gossip Girl's Blake Lively as Jem's sister who's had an off-on-off again thing with Doug and is resentful of Claire to Jeremy Renner's nerve tingling performance as Jem, a man who can explode at any second.
That's not to say the likes of Pete Postlethwaite as a gangland kingpin who runs a florist and a cameo from Chris Cooper as Doug's dad don't shine - everyone brings their A game to this flick about desperation, hopes of escape and the promise of another life.
But it's Affleck who gives his soul to this project - action scenes, intelligent humour (one cop says at one point "You need a Venn diagram to keep all these together") and sensitive directing help the maudlin tone rise into something gripping and compelling.
It's the small dramatic moments which keep the film from the "too earnest" category which could have seen it derail as the fragile house of cards MacRay's stacked begin to fall.

Look for this to figure in the Oscars next year - and possibly someone from the Town to be heading up to the stage to pick something golden up.