Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work: DVD Review
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Released by
Madman
Rating: M
A simply stunning doco about the stalwart of the American showbiz scene, Joan
Rivers: A Piece of Work follows the comedienne through one year of highs and
lows of her life.
During that time, Joan tries to launch a stage play, get as much work as she
can and generally seize every opportunity which presents itself - and then milk
it for as much as she can.
A warts and all portrayal of how to deal with longevity in showbiz it may be,
but what it's also is a fascinating look at how one woman continues to thrive
within the industry.
We watch Joan take every chance to get her play off the ground and then see
her slump catastrophically when it gets 3 star reviews - we view her apartment,
with its opulence and magnificence; or as she says "how Marie Antoinette would
have lived if she'd had money."
You can't help but want her to succeed or to empathise with this bastion of
showbiz - but what you do get out of this is a cautionary tale of how ruthless
the industry can be - however, given the amount of effort Joan puts in (filing
cabinets full of jokes, trying out material over Obama), you just can't look
away.
Highly recommended.
Extras: Commentary with Joan, Extra scenes, Q&A at
Sundance and trailer.
Rating: 8/10
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Paranormal Activity 2: Blu Ray Review
Paranormal Activity 2: Blu Ray Review
Paranormal Activity 2
Rating: R16
Released by Universal
Following on from the soaraway success of the first Paranormal film comes part two.
Once again, it's a doco style film where everything unfolds through CCTV around a house - this time, it's the home of Paranormal Activity's original victim Katie - to be specific it's sister Kristi (Sprague Grayden), a recent mother.
It begins 60 days before the death of Micah from the first film - the handheld video camera captures the return home of the new mom and her son Hunter as they begin their new life with husband Daniel and daughter Ali and their pet Alsatian.
But with something in the house as well, it's clear this isn't going to end well for all involved.
Paranormal Activity 2 is sinister, creepy, and improves on the first one. Those involved could have simply once again ramped up the scares and gone for obvious horrors - but thanks to a degree of restraint, there's an ominous tone of creeping horror in this sequel (which is more prequel than anything).
With CCTV footage you find yourself scanning all corners and waiting for the shocks to come - and even when they do, you're caught out.
Paranormal Activity 2 retains the quality of the first and leaves it open to a third one&here's hoping the trilogy will see it all wrapped up nicely rather than stretched out like SAW.
Extras: Exclusive footage, an extended cut - these are ok but do little to enrich the experience.
Rating: 7/10
Paranormal Activity 2
Rating: R16
Released by Universal
Following on from the soaraway success of the first Paranormal film comes part two.
Once again, it's a doco style film where everything unfolds through CCTV around a house - this time, it's the home of Paranormal Activity's original victim Katie - to be specific it's sister Kristi (Sprague Grayden), a recent mother.
It begins 60 days before the death of Micah from the first film - the handheld video camera captures the return home of the new mom and her son Hunter as they begin their new life with husband Daniel and daughter Ali and their pet Alsatian.
But with something in the house as well, it's clear this isn't going to end well for all involved.
Paranormal Activity 2 is sinister, creepy, and improves on the first one. Those involved could have simply once again ramped up the scares and gone for obvious horrors - but thanks to a degree of restraint, there's an ominous tone of creeping horror in this sequel (which is more prequel than anything).
With CCTV footage you find yourself scanning all corners and waiting for the shocks to come - and even when they do, you're caught out.
Paranormal Activity 2 retains the quality of the first and leaves it open to a third one&here's hoping the trilogy will see it all wrapped up nicely rather than stretched out like SAW.
Extras: Exclusive footage, an extended cut - these are ok but do little to enrich the experience.
Rating: 7/10
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Game Review: Dead Space 2
Game Review: Dead Space 2
Dead Space 2
Released by EA
Rating: MA15
Platform: PS3
A horror first person shooter - with the emphasis firmly on the "atmosfear" from beginning to end.
A sequel to the massively popular Dead Space, we once again rejoin Isaac Clarke as he fights an alien organism that infects and takes control of human corpses, turning them into "Necromorphs", mutating their bodies and generally scaring the player to death.
After a genuinely unsettling opening, the game rarely lets go of its fear factor - and despite the ability to drop some of the settings down to easier to battle on, Dead Space 2 is likely to give you some nightmares and haunting images as it progresses.
That's not necessarily a bad thing and sees the genre being slightly redefined in terms of gameplay, action and atmosphere - but it'll do little for any heart condition you may suffer as a result.
With 360 degree movement and the feeling you're never quite alone, this is a superior , if at times challenging game which will reward long term players as well as reward those who invest in the strategy side. There's masses to explore in this sprawling compund and some genuinely unsettling imagery will haunt you for a long time after - this isn't a game for the faint hearted with gore and horror in equal measures, it's certainly one to keep you horrified and entertained as you try to battle on through.
The Limited edition comes with an extra game for PS Move - and if you've completed the main game with nerves in tact - you're likely to want more as well.
Overall, as the dark nights draw in, Dead Space 2 is bound to be a solid game favourite - although the horror side of the game will have you scrambling to leave the lights on in the background on more than one occasion
Rating: 8/10
Dead Space 2
Released by EA
Rating: MA15
Platform: PS3
A horror first person shooter - with the emphasis firmly on the "atmosfear" from beginning to end.
A sequel to the massively popular Dead Space, we once again rejoin Isaac Clarke as he fights an alien organism that infects and takes control of human corpses, turning them into "Necromorphs", mutating their bodies and generally scaring the player to death.
After a genuinely unsettling opening, the game rarely lets go of its fear factor - and despite the ability to drop some of the settings down to easier to battle on, Dead Space 2 is likely to give you some nightmares and haunting images as it progresses.
That's not necessarily a bad thing and sees the genre being slightly redefined in terms of gameplay, action and atmosphere - but it'll do little for any heart condition you may suffer as a result.
With 360 degree movement and the feeling you're never quite alone, this is a superior , if at times challenging game which will reward long term players as well as reward those who invest in the strategy side. There's masses to explore in this sprawling compund and some genuinely unsettling imagery will haunt you for a long time after - this isn't a game for the faint hearted with gore and horror in equal measures, it's certainly one to keep you horrified and entertained as you try to battle on through.
The Limited edition comes with an extra game for PS Move - and if you've completed the main game with nerves in tact - you're likely to want more as well.
Overall, as the dark nights draw in, Dead Space 2 is bound to be a solid game favourite - although the horror side of the game will have you scrambling to leave the lights on in the background on more than one occasion
Rating: 8/10
Buried: Blu Ray Review
Buried: Blu Ray Review
Buried
Rating:M
Released by Warner Home Video
Ryan Reynolds stars in this claustrophobic thriller where the clock is ticking in a deadly race against time.
Reynolds is Paul Conroy, an American truck driver in Iraq who awakes to find himself trapped in a coffin with only a cellphone, a few pens and a lighter for company.
As Conroy comes round, he begins to realize the horror of the situation; namely that he's buried alive, with no idea where he is, why he's there and perhaps most importantly, how he's going to get out.
However, as he makes a series of desperate phone calls, he begins to piece together a potential escape plan. Things get more complicated when those who put him in the box call and make demands of him..can Conroy get it together in time and get out alive with time, oxygen and hope running out?
Buried is a good old fashioned thriller with an intriguing premise and a great sense of claustrophobia.
Every sound, every nuance is disorienting on the big screen in the dark - Conroy's frenzied panicked breathing puts you on the edge of your seat right away.
But what will keep you on the edge of that seat is Ryan Reynolds - what a performance in what is essentially a one man film. As the camera pans over Reynolds in his captivity, his every performance (whether it's the breathing or freaking out as he realizes how problematic his situation is) is pitch perfect.
Buried is a nervy mesmerizing treat - and a sign Ryan Reynolds is an underrated and extremely impressive talent.
Rating: 8/10
Buried
Rating:M
Released by Warner Home Video
Ryan Reynolds stars in this claustrophobic thriller where the clock is ticking in a deadly race against time.
Reynolds is Paul Conroy, an American truck driver in Iraq who awakes to find himself trapped in a coffin with only a cellphone, a few pens and a lighter for company.
As Conroy comes round, he begins to realize the horror of the situation; namely that he's buried alive, with no idea where he is, why he's there and perhaps most importantly, how he's going to get out.
However, as he makes a series of desperate phone calls, he begins to piece together a potential escape plan. Things get more complicated when those who put him in the box call and make demands of him..can Conroy get it together in time and get out alive with time, oxygen and hope running out?
Buried is a good old fashioned thriller with an intriguing premise and a great sense of claustrophobia.
Every sound, every nuance is disorienting on the big screen in the dark - Conroy's frenzied panicked breathing puts you on the edge of your seat right away.
But what will keep you on the edge of that seat is Ryan Reynolds - what a performance in what is essentially a one man film. As the camera pans over Reynolds in his captivity, his every performance (whether it's the breathing or freaking out as he realizes how problematic his situation is) is pitch perfect.
Buried is a nervy mesmerizing treat - and a sign Ryan Reynolds is an underrated and extremely impressive talent.
Rating: 8/10
The Killer Inside Me: Blu Ray Review
The Killer Inside Me: Blu Ray Review
The Killer Inside Me
Rating: M
Released by Warner Bros
A difficult watch to say the least, The Killer Inside Me (from acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom) is an adaptation of a Jim Thompson book about a sociopathic sheriff in 1950s Texas.
Casey Affleck plays said Sheriff Ford, who finds himself entangled in blackmail and extortion - as well as a torrid affair with prostitute Joyce (Jessica Alba) - and when things come to a head, boy, oh boy do they explode, as Ford discovers he's heading in deeper and deeper.
When Simon Baker's (The Mentalist) Howard Hendricks starts to investigate him (using very similar techniques to Patrick Jane as well) - and Ford finds he's in a real predicament.
This film, despite its slick 50s look and polished performances, is going to be steeped in controversy because of its violence- well, specifically its violence against the two women in Ford's life (both played wonderfully by Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson), which is shocking in the extreme.
While Affleck's performance is chilling and spot-on for a complete psychopath, it's a hard ask to watch a man who's meted out such violence as he has - audiences may find themselves split down the middle on this flick which has echoes of American Psycho -but none of the humour.
Rating: 5/10
The Killer Inside Me
Rating: M
Released by Warner Bros
A difficult watch to say the least, The Killer Inside Me (from acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom) is an adaptation of a Jim Thompson book about a sociopathic sheriff in 1950s Texas.
Casey Affleck plays said Sheriff Ford, who finds himself entangled in blackmail and extortion - as well as a torrid affair with prostitute Joyce (Jessica Alba) - and when things come to a head, boy, oh boy do they explode, as Ford discovers he's heading in deeper and deeper.
When Simon Baker's (The Mentalist) Howard Hendricks starts to investigate him (using very similar techniques to Patrick Jane as well) - and Ford finds he's in a real predicament.
This film, despite its slick 50s look and polished performances, is going to be steeped in controversy because of its violence- well, specifically its violence against the two women in Ford's life (both played wonderfully by Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson), which is shocking in the extreme.
While Affleck's performance is chilling and spot-on for a complete psychopath, it's a hard ask to watch a man who's meted out such violence as he has - audiences may find themselves split down the middle on this flick which has echoes of American Psycho -but none of the humour.
Rating: 5/10
Monday, 28 March 2011
The American: Blu Ray Review
The American: Blu Ray Review
The American
Rating: R16
Released by Universal
George Clooney stars as Jack, an assassin, who's been ordered to lie low in Italy after his cover in Sweden is blown, resulting in a bloodbath.
While there he befriends an elderly priest, falls for a prostitute Clara (Violante Placido) and takes on one last job.
However, the demons of the past are catching up with him.
Deceptively shot and simply made, The American is a thrilling ride.
With a restrained performance from Clooney, it's hard to root for this assassin as we learn very little about him - many shots are of him constructing a gun or merely going about his day to day business while waiting for the storm to blow over. Clooney's rarely been better than when he plays against type - and this is no exception.
It's a good solid turn from Clooney which sees you sucked into empathizing with him very early on - even if the opening does shock you.
It's a gradually building, well acted and restrained drama which has you in its vice like grip as the final moments play out.
Extras: Deleted scenes, making of and commentary - nothing wildly exciting but solid nonetheless
Rating: 8/10
The American
Rating: R16
Released by Universal
George Clooney stars as Jack, an assassin, who's been ordered to lie low in Italy after his cover in Sweden is blown, resulting in a bloodbath.
While there he befriends an elderly priest, falls for a prostitute Clara (Violante Placido) and takes on one last job.
However, the demons of the past are catching up with him.
Deceptively shot and simply made, The American is a thrilling ride.
With a restrained performance from Clooney, it's hard to root for this assassin as we learn very little about him - many shots are of him constructing a gun or merely going about his day to day business while waiting for the storm to blow over. Clooney's rarely been better than when he plays against type - and this is no exception.
It's a good solid turn from Clooney which sees you sucked into empathizing with him very early on - even if the opening does shock you.
It's a gradually building, well acted and restrained drama which has you in its vice like grip as the final moments play out.
Extras: Deleted scenes, making of and commentary - nothing wildly exciting but solid nonetheless
Rating: 8/10
The Town: Blu Ray Review
The Town: Blu Ray Review
The Town
Released by Warner Bros
Rating: M
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.
Rating: 8/10
The Town
Released by Warner Bros
Rating: M
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.
Rating: 8/10
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