Harry Potter 7 Blu Ray Review

Harry Potter 7 Blu Ray Review

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Part One
Rating: M
Released by Warner Home Video

This first part of the final film sees dark times ahead for the world.

With Lord Voldemort (a sinister Ralph Fiennes) completing his rise to power and the Ministry of Magic falling into the hands of the Dark Lord and his supporters, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself on the run - and public enemy Number One.

Following the death of Dumbledore, Potter and his friends realise they're running out of time - and opportunities - to rid the world of Voldemort.

Despite attempts to keep Harry safe, it appears no-one can be trusted and so the trio of Ron, Hermione and Harry decide now is time to try and bring Voldemort down before it's too late.

So, heading away from Hogwarts school, they set out to find the Dark Lord's Horcruxes (a sort of magical object which gives Voldemort his power) and destroy them - in the hope that that will end this battle once and for all.

Dark, bleak, moody and melancholy are just a few words to describe this, the penultimate outing from Harry Potter as the final curtain draws ever closer.

There's a lot to like in this first part - the action, such as it is (aside from an opening segment which plunges you right into the action and is breath taking on any size screen) is held by the trio of actors.

And for once, they impress; there's no way these kids could have dealt with such dark material and such emotional scenes earlier in their career.

Sure, Rupert Grint rolls out his trademark gurning face at times, but director Yates (and probably the material) reins it in this time.

To be honest though, there's hardly room for humour throughout - with jumps and jolts, the maudlin atmosphere is spooky, frightening and will be nightmarish to the younger end of the audience.

There's much of a "quest" feel about this film - perhaps, inevitably it would be the case as the story centres on the hunt for Horcruxes, swords and so forth.
It also means at times, there's little for the casual viewer - every lingering hug and stolen glance has some kind of significance and will be lost on those who've not followed the series or the book.
The best part though has to be the ghoulish animation which accompanies the tale of what exactly the Deathly Hallows are - with shadow animation and a Gothic feel, it's a stunningly well realised moment that stands out from the rest of the film.

But the problem is that it all feels too much of a set up for the final part - which granted, is, in some ways, no surprise.

The whole film has an ominous tone which doesn't have the pay off that's needed and as a result the ending to all the brooding and foreshadowing doesn't pack the emotional punch which was needed to whet my appetite for the final film, which comes out in 2011.
Extras: A 2 Disc DVD set comes packed with some good stuff - including a game of golf between the actors who play Weasley and Malfoy which charts their decade long friendship; there's also mini docos as well - but the Blu Ray contains a tantalising look at the final film, coming very soon&

Rating: 8/10

Dark Skies: DVD Review

Dark Skies: DVD Review

Dark Skies
Rating: M
Released by Shock DVD

Late 90s UFO conspiracy show Dark Skies was notable for many reasons at the time.

It crested a wave created from the success of the X Files and launched Eric Close as an actor (before he went onto Without a Trace)

It was also notable for launching to the fanfare that it would run over five seasons - if the ratings held up.

Sadly they didn't - so we're left with only the one season.

It centres around a young couple in the 60s John Leongard and Kimberly Sayers (Close and Megan Ward) who are caught up in the conspiracy of an alien invasion by a group called The Hive.

But opposing their hunt for the truth is the Majestic 12, a covert government group who'll do all it can to stop the truth coming out- and it seems all of history as we know it is a lie and was manipulated by these two groups.

Clever and well written Dark Skies still holds up reasonably well, some 15 years later.

Well acted and with a sense of compelling story telling, the 18 episodes all hang together and pack in great performances from Close, Ward and the much missed JT Walsh as the bad guy.

It's just unfortunate the season ends on a frustrating note which will never be resolved.

Extras: Photogallery

Rating: 7/10

Luther: DVD Review

Luther: DVD Review

Luther
Released by BBC and Roadshow
Rating: R16
The brilliant Idris Elba of The Wire fame finds himself in a BBC crime drama about a troubled detective (aren't they all?) lasting six episodes.
Elba is John Luther - who as the series opens is being brought back into work after being cleared from an investigation into his part in a case.
But no sooner is this maverick cop back on the beat than he finds his life taking all manner of turns for the worst.
Hoping for a reconciliation with his wife (Indira Varma), Luther discovers his already fragile world teetering on the brink into a series of investigations which push him to the very edge.
A little slow to get going, Luther is worth persevering with.
Mainly because of its star Elba who veers from burning passion and rage to complete vulnerability - and all of it thanks to a nuanced performance.
Which is a relief because the stories themselves are nothing spectacular - and may explain why the show's only coming back for another two episodes.
Ultimately Luther rises on Elba's turn and falls on the lack of originality in the script - it's perfectly watchable but instantly forgettable when it's finished.
Extras: Brief doco

Rating: 6/10

Sarah's Key: Movie Review

Sarah's Key: Movie Review

Sarah's Key
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Kristin Scott Thomas, Melusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup, Aidan Quinn
Director: Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Based on Tatiana de Rosnay's best selling novel, Scott Thomas stars as American journalist Julia Jarmond.
She begins to look into the Vel'd'Hiv Roundup in 1942 in France as part of a magazine article but discovers that she shares a key connection to what happened in the past to a Jewish family and their little girl called Sarah.
As she digs further into the past, and vivid flashbacks bring to light what happened, Jarmond finds that the present and future can definitely be influenced by what has already happened.
Kristin Scott Thomas has done little recently cinematically to impress after Leaving and Love Crime; so it's great to report that she's back on form in this exquisitely layered and powerful drama.
The film starts with two children bouncing and giggling in a bed in 1942; but with a dreaded knock at the door, everything changes.
This film is arrestingly good and packs a mighty wallop as the pieces begin to fit together; the story from 1942 is horrifically well realised, and conjures up a time we hope never to see again.

It's a strong sense of direction that delicately weaves together these two tales, stretched 67 years apart as they are - and thanks to the sensitive acting of Scott Thomas, you'll be left an emotional heap at the end.

Game Review: Rango - The Game

Game Review: Rango - The Game

Rango - The Game
Platform: PS3
Rating: PG
Released by EA
Based on the brilliant Johnny Depp CGI animated film of the same name, Rango (The Game) takes place after the film's denouement.
Depp's CGI chameleon is still top dog/ sheriff in the town of Dirt but has a new investigation to look into - the disappearance of Beans' father and the appearance of some moon rocks.
So, once again spinning some tall tales, the player must take on his mission and find out what the rocks have to do with everything and why Bad Bill's back in town.
The platforming style of this game mean it's pretty much aimed at all ages - though after a while, it does tend to feel as if it's skewing a little younger with the core repetition of action scenes.
It's great to have Depp voicing the character once again and makes the spin off game feel more like it's part of the film rather than the usual swift cash in. With some smart scripting, the goofy oddball sensibilities which pervaded the film are once again present in the gaming narrative.
Most of the game sees Rango having to see off gangs of bandits - either with his trusty shooter gun or via some crafty punching and general fightin'. Each villain you dispatch brings you sheriff stars which you can trade in to build up your core strengths, fighting skills and gun ammo. Throw in the need to guide bullets around certain parts of Dirt to open up portions of each level and you've got enough to keep you occupied.
While Rango is good platforming generally, its somewhat simplistic tone and repetitive nature (search the town, fight the gangs, collect the stars, shoot a golden bullet at a target and defeat the end of level boss) does grate a little towards the end. There are a few minor deviations where you get to ride creatures and chase trains and because of their sparse use they feel like welcome diversions.
Three settings (easy, medium and hard) mean you can play again if you want to - and also means all ages can take part in this.
All things being equal, Rango isn't a bad platformer; I was quite happy to endure the repetition of the levels and played onto the end - though I have to say, while it was a fun and entertaining ride while it lasted, it's fairly forgettable stuff once the PS3 was turned off.

Rating: 7/10

Paul: Movie Review

Paul: Movie Review

Paul
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Voice of Seth Rogen
Director: Greg Mottola
Aliens, geeks and Pegg and Frost back on screen - how can it go wrong?
The duo from Hot Fuzz, Spaced and Shaun of the Dead reteam (and write) this comedy about two guys, Graeme and Clive who head to geek mecca Comic Con after years of dreaming of making the trip.
Sated on the nerd fest that is Comic-Con, the duo then decide to roadtrip around the States, taking in some of the best UFO spots in America.
On a remote highway, the hapless pair chance upon Paul, a grey alien (voiced by Seth Rogen).
The little chap needs a helping hand to escape the government and get home - so Graeme (Pegg) obliges - and the great alien road trip begins.
Throw in a couple of FBI agents chasing, an accidental kidnap of Kristen Wiig's Ruth from an RV camp and a shadowy figure trying to stop them, and you've got the recipe for the rest of this scifi-geek-steeped-pop-culture film.
Eschewing many sci-fi references (ET, Close Encounters, Aliens, Star Wars et al), Paul is likely to appeal more to a certain sector of the audience than others.
That said, don't let the scifi bent of this witty (at times puerile) script put you off.
Sure, some may garner a little deeper level of laughs here compared to others - but the trademark bromance chemistry between long time working partners Pegg and Frost continues to amuse on many levels.
Granted, Paul is a little slow to get going and you almost feel some of the jokes are a little predictable at the beginning but once it picks up the pace, it really fires on all cylinders.
If you're a connoisseur of the bromance of Pegg and Frost (and their old married couple vibe), you'll know the easy charm the pair exude and with some great repartee (some of it completely unexpected and laugh out loud funny), you'll be in stitches throughout.
The supporting cast are also uniformly brilliant too - from the ever dependable Jason Bateman as an FBI agent to Kristen Wiig as the love interest, there's plenty of heart beating in here as well as the geek.

And yet in places, the script creaks a little with easy puerile humour being relied on a little too heavily. Given the smarts of the writing team that is, to be frank, a little disappointing.

Ultimately though, Paul is a good solid night out; it's cheeky, amusing and fun - some of the geek references may be lost on portions of the crowd, but that's not enough to make you feel you're missing out.

Hop: Movie Review

Hop: Movie Review

Hop
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Russell Brand, James Marsden, Hugh Laurie, Gary Cole, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, The Hoff
Director: Tim Hill
As school holidays lurk around the corner, along with Easter, then it's time to roll out the animated fare at the cinema.
Hop is a part live action, part animated film, starring the vocal talent of Russell Brand, as EB.
A descendant of the Easter Bunny line from Easter Island, EB has a destiny to fulfil - he gets to become the Easter Bunny.
But selfish bunny two shoes EB doesn't want that - like any rebellious kid, he's got his own future marked out - as a drummer.
So running away from Easter Island to Hollywood via a portal, EB runs into Frank O'Hare (Marsden) a no hoper whose continual disappointment to his family has led to them intervening in his life to try and get it on track.
The pair accidentally meet - and EB throws himself into Frank's life - despite Frank's protestations to the contrary.
However, while EB is away, back at the Easter Island factory where the holiday season becomes real, the number two in charge, The Easter Chick, Carlos (voiced by Hank Azaria) is plotting a chicken coup d'etat...(That's not a MasterChef dish or recipe by the way)
Hop is a disappointment.
With a script that hardly packs in many laughs early on, it tries to get by on the charm and roguish caddish ways of Russell Brand and early jokes about the Playboy mansion (just think about the inhabitants if you're struggling).
The animation is charming enough (from the creators of Despicable Me, you'd expect that) but the live action scenes don't really gel. Russell Brand is typically Russell Brand and you can tell the creators have played to his strengths; James Marsden seems a little lost and brings only goofiness to the role.
Don't get me wrong; there are some moments when the comedy comes to the fore and finally reaps the rewards - including a scene halfway in where EB acts like a stuffed toy to get a cuddle from Frank's sister (The Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco).

But with laugh out loud moments few and far between in an average script, this Easter "funny" will play better to the young.

Even with a cameo from the Hoff (which has more cheese on it than he likes on his burgers), it's one which the parents may find a little difficult to sit through. The kids however, will love it.