Thor: Movie Review

Thor: Movie Review

Thor
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard
Director: Kenneth Branagh
So the Marvel universe continues its cinematic attempts to take over - this time with some help from a buffed up dude from Home and Away and a guy more likely to be known for Shakespeare.
Hemsworth plays Thor, a Norse god, who on the eve of his coronation as king is banished to Earth from Asgard by his father Odin (Hopkins) after he instigates an attack on the Frost Giants, a race with whom the Asgardians have been living in peace for years.
Dumped in New Mexico, Thor's found by Natalie Portman's scientist Jane Foster.
Convinced he needs to return to Asgard, Thor attempts to regain his mythic hammer (the source of his power) from a SHIELD facility.
But when he finds his powers have deserted him, Thor resigns himself to a life on earth.
However, back in Asgard, political machinations are afoot and Thor's brother Loki (a brilliantly reptilian Hiddleston) moves on the throne, prompting Thor's friends to try and bring him back....
Spectacularly epic, utterly engrossing and surprisingly funny, Thor is perhaps one of the best blockbusters in a while. Mixing Shakespearean motifs such as family betrayal, mistrust and revenge, it's clear to see why Branagh was attracted to this.
Hemsworth impresses as the petulantly arrogant god and Hopkins is suitably majestic as the regal Odin; each injecting their characters with the humanity and hubris needed of gods. Equally impressive is Hiddleston who brings the requisite element of mistrust to Loki that you're never quite sure whose side he's actually on - or what his motives truly are.
If there's to be a small quibble, it's that Portman and her team of scientists are a little underdeveloped - and the wonderful Kat Dennings is sidelined as simply comic relief.
The 3D serves really only to enrich the backdrops and isn't integral to the overall feel of Thor.
Yet, it's the Marvel universe which grows in depth with this latest adaptation - with crossover film The Avengers on the way, there's plenty to be done to lay the groundwork here. Mentions of Tony Stark, crossover characters from prior films and the obligatory Stan Lee cameo, this world is becoming more cinematically fleshed out than ever before - but not at the extent of alienating those who're not familiar with it all.

The winter blockbuster season is off to a simply Thorsome start.

Fast 5: Movie Review

Fast 5: Movie Review

Fast Five
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Dwayne Johnson
Director: Justin Lin
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Fast and The Furious franchise returns with Paul Walker's ex cop Brian O'Connor freeing Vin Diesel's Dom Toretto from a bus taking him to jail.
This puts Dom, Brian and Jordana Brewster's Mia top of the wanted list so they head to Rio to lay low for a while.
However, one last job pulls them back in - and when the trio's set up and betrayed by corrupt businessman Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), the hunt's on to clear their names.
But Reyes isn't the only one hunting the trio - fresh on their trail is federal agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) who's determined to bring them in for their part in the death of three agents.
So, the game is set.
Fast Five is like a greatest hits of the franchise; a bevy of familiar faces return with characters from all the films making an appearance in some form or other - along with new ones like Hobbs and a new love interest for Diesel's Toretto.
But as ever, the star of this show are the cars and the stunts. A particularly audacious final set piece is destruction to the maximum - and one scene sees a car go off a cliff with amazing effect.
The plot's as lacking as ever to be honest - and when characters utter lines like "It's easy money", you know exactly what's coming. Coupled with plenty of shots of Diesel and Johnson leering at each other, this predictably over long piece isn't exactly breaking the mould.
And yet, despite all that, it remains watchable fare (thanks to a superbly original take on using subtitles).
With the promise of a final film to wrap everything up and with the fact old characters have been brought back, it's clear those involved in this series actually care about the creations they've given life to.

In a world where movies often trot out tired sequels and phone it in, Fast Five shows there's still some heart and soul in the car racing franchise - and that's a rare thing.

Easy A - Blu Ray Review

Easy A - Blu Ray Review

Easy A
Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Pictures

The teen comedy genre gets a welcome shot of life with this new film, loosely based on the infamous book The Scarlet Letter.

Emma Stone is Olive Penderghast, who finds her world changed when she's caught up in a lie.

After avoiding a friend's camping trip for a weekend, Olive's badgered into confessing that she slept with a college guy over that 48 hour period; something which is patently untrue but one which is given life despite her protestations to the contrary.

Within hours, the school campus is full of the rumour that Olive's become a harlot and after helping faux relieve a friend of his virginity, Olive's reputation is sealed campus wide.

But Olive soon discover there's a cost&

Easy A rocks because of a smart, sharp script and a star making turn from Emma Stone. Self effacing, amusing and incredibly watchable, Stone carries the film and gives a performance which is pitch perfect.

Admirable support from the likes of Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson seal the deal - and make it a joy to watch again and again.
Extras: Gag Reel, Audition footage - commentary. The Blu Ray has pop culture references, movies of the eighties, the making of and a pop up trivia.

Rating: 8/10

Devil: Blu Ray Review

Devil: Blu Ray Review

Devil
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Entertainment
M Night Shyamalan returns with the first of a trio of anthologies from his Night Chronicles series.
In this, five people -who apparently have no connection - find themselves trapped in a skyscraper elevator.
As the police and various organisations try to free the quintet, it appears all of them have something to hide - and that one of them is actually the Devil, who's come to collect&
Devil feels like it should be part of a Twilight Zone series of stories on the small screen rather than the big screen release - its pacy story telling and brevity of running time are benefits.
With no famous leads or cast members, Devil works on one level as you're never quite sure who's going to make it out alive or who has the dirtiest secret. It's a clever twist from the director on the casting front - but it can't make the script soar.
The story's a little predictable and you can see how the intertwined story is going to unravel well before its muted and disappointing end.
That said, it's nice to see Shyamalan returning to grass roots film making - and I'd be interested to see some more of this trilogy.
Extras: Deleted scenes, docos on the story making and future releases - nothing stunning.

Rating: 5/10 

Cyrus: Blu Ray Review

Cyrus: Blu Ray Review

Cyrus
Rating: M
Released by Roadshow

Cyrus stars John C Reilly, Jonah Hill and Marisa Tomei as a mismatched trio.
Reilly is John a divorcee who meets Marisa's Molly at a party and they hit it off; so much so that after 7 years' estrangement from his ex Catherine Keener,he thinks she could be the one.

There's only one problem - her 21 year old son Cyrus (Hill) who initially welcomes John to their home but soon starts to act up in order to get him out.

Cyrus is a polished little gem of a dramedy of a film, delightfully quirky and confounds every expectation - while still delivering plenty of laughs and a good dose of heart.
The style is interesting as well - as it appears to have been shot on handheld cameras so they swoop in and out capturing every awkwardly odd moment.

The reason it works though is because of the leads - and if you give into the film's slightly weird ways and restrained humour, you'll love it

Extras: Deleted scenes, puppet movie (!) and intros

Rating: 7/10 

Heartbreaker: Movie Review

Heartbreaker: Movie Review

Heartbreaker
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Vanessa Paradis, Romain Duris, Andrew Lincoln
Director: Pascal Chaumeil
A massive hit in native France, L'Arnacouer aka Heartbreaker est arrive here on the big screen.
Duris plays Alex, a charming, expert in seduction - who resembles a French Vinny Chase from Entourage.
He's hired by various parties to break up couples; you know the ones where friends believe their friends could do better - or they're not happy.
He's good at it - and makes a reasonable living out of it too, having set up a business with his sister and dumb witted brother in law.
But he's also got money problems and with debts mounting up, he decides to take a high paying job to split Juliette (Paradis) from her fiancée Jonathan (The Walking Dead's Andrew Lincoln).
When he's taken to Monaco, Alex reckons this job should be easy - however, Juliette manages to make the work hard for him and he becomes more invested in it than he realises.
Part screwball, part farce, part rom com and part drama, Heartbreaker tries to be everything to everyone - and for the most part succeeds. With the slickness of a heist film, this stylish caper zips along with some funny moments (a pastiche of Dirty Dancing and snippets of Wham add the comedy factor).
But the end result is something like a light breezy cappuccino. There's plenty of froth and little substance at the end.
Sure, you can see what's coming a mile off - but Duris makes a good job of Alex despite some scenes being a little over the top and silly.
Paradis has some appeal as Juliette - and Lincoln impresses as the suave nice guy Jonathan.

If you fancy something a bit breezy and nothing too serious, Heartbreaker is the perfect remedy - and probably best you see it now, before the inevitable American remake hits our screens.

Dr Who - The Ark: DVD Review

Dr Who - The Ark: DVD Review

Dr Who - the Ark
Rating: PG
Released by BBC And Roadshow
Back to 1966 for this four part black and white adventure starring William Hartnell as the Doctor.
The TARDIS crew arrive on a massive spaceship carrying the final members of the human race as they head to a new home in space.
But a plague inadvertently brought by the Doc and his companions threatens their future - and their actions have shocking repercussions for all of mankind.
The Ark is known with Who circles for the Monoids - a race of rubber like aliens with one eye and a Beatles style moptop haircut. One of the less successful creatures (they can only communicate initially by sign language - which at times resembles the hand jive and other groovy dances of the sixties) they're a brave attempt at something different which sadly fail.
The story itself isn't too bad but isn't one of the strongest in the show's history- and came at a time when Who was facing the axe. Creatively it's an interesting premise which doesn't quite gel because of production failures and story issues.
Extras: Commentary, a look at HG Wells' influence on the show, One Hit wonder looks at the relative failure of the Monoids and a great doco explores the venue for the filming of many Who stories in the 1960s.

Rating: 5/10