Monsters: Blu Ray Review

Monsters: Blu Ray Review

Monsters
Rating: M
Released by Madman

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 (Scoot McNairy) - he's desperate to make his name in the media - but is tasked with returning his boss' errant daughter Sam (Whitney 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

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.

Extras:Cast interviews, B roll, trailer and Q&A at Melbourne premiere

Rating: 5/10

The Hangover Part II: Movie Review

The Hangover Part II: Movie Review

The Hangover Part II
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Justin Bartha, Paul Giamatti
Director: Todd Phillips
The Wolf pack is back in the sequel to the comedy that really redefined the R rated film genre.
This time, it's Thailand-bound as the gang come together for the wedding of Stu (Ed Helms).
Despite Stu's initial fears about heading out for some drinks with the boys on the eve of the wedding, he's persuaded to go for one with them - and brings along his teen soon to be brother in law, the over-achieving Teddy.
But when they wake up confused and hungover in a sweaty room with Teddy missing, no idea how they got there and with a severed finger in the room, it's a desperate race to find Teddy and get some idea of what went down.
However, that journey brings them into contact with gangsters, the seedier side of Bangkok, a chain smoking drug dealing monkey and a whole heap of trouble....
Simply put, The Hangover Part II is the same film as the first - but just relocated to Thailand.
While in principle that's no bad thing, it's fair to say that director Todd Phillips holds back from really upping the gross stakes for the sequel (though there are some out-there odd moments.)
Sadly though, it's more of a case of hearty chuckles throughout, rather than full-on belly laughs, as the humour serves to be the punchlines for the set-ups rather than being dished up every second.
The main trio are once again on form - and essentially the same as the first one: Bradley Cooper has the right amount of devilish glint to lead them; Ed Helms gives good repressed as he tries not to give in to the fun demon in him and Zach Galifianakis throws on the right amount of irritation and weirdness to steal scenes he's in with either a glance, some background antics or a well-placed line. Throw in Ken Jeong as psychotic and fun gangster Mr Chow and it's a good - if formulaic and unoriginal - mix.
Yet for all The Hangover Part II's beats and high moments (which are scattered throughout), it doesn't recapture the glory of the first; that's not to say it's not a fun time at the flicks, just a fair amount of deja vu.
Like any night on the town, the memories are more fun, rather than the reality of what went down.
Is The Hangover Part II a great film? Not really, it's a good film which is essentially a retread of the first. Is it a great sequel to the first? Again, not really and seems to pale in comparison to number one - that said, I think it's safe to say it'll be a box office hit, thanks to the easily identifiable trio of leads.

Oh, and once again though, the best bit of the film is the end credits where the contents of a mobile phone reveal what truly happened - laugh out loud funny and gross in equal measures, it's the pay off that finally delivers the raucous laughs.

Somewhere: Blu Ray Review

Somewhere: Blu Ray Review

Somewhere
Rating: M
Released by Universal

After winning us over with the Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppolla returns with this tale of a Hollywood bad boy spending his days in a hotel.

Stephen Dorff gives a brilliant turn as Johnny Marco, who's living a life of excess as he works through a press junket and life beyond. Disconnected from life and lacking any real emotional connection aside from the obligatory few sexual liaisons, Marco's life is changed when he receives an unexpected visit from his daughter, Cleo (played by another of the prodigious Fanning clan).

Marco takes Cleo in and out on the road to Italy with him as he does publicity for his new film and picks up an award - but when he returns to America, he starts to realise that he's lacking the emotional connection in his life.

Somewhere is trademark Coppolla all over - long, lingering shots peppered with silent moments run rampant through this film (which isn't going to be to everyone's taste). The director also wrote the story as well so it's very much an arthouse passion project

The pair make a likeable duo and thanks to Copolla's direction which sees plenty of shots holding on people, places and events, it's a welcome relief from all the fast paced and frenetic film making these days. Be warned - It won't be to everyone's tastes though

Extras: Making of

Rating: 5/10 

In A Better World: DVD Review

In A Better World: DVD Review

In a Better World
Rating: R16
Released by Vendetta Film

Golden Globe and Oscar winner In a Better World opens in Africa with Mikael Persbrandt's Anton working as a doctor in a field hospital and dealing with the fall out of a warlord and combat.

Anton is the pacifist, preferring to take the moral high ground rather than strike the first blow - but it's more difficult for his son Elias back in Denmark. He's bullied by the school kids and a bit of a loner.

One day, new kid on the block, Christian defends him - and a friendship forms. But as the friendship grows, Christian, who's recently lost his mother to cancer and is full of anger plots revenge on those who would do him and his friends wrong.

And it all escalates with devastating consequences.

In a Better World is a powerhouse, slow burning drama.
With evocative cutaways (either in Africa or Denmark), there's a real brooding intensity throughout - and while Persbrandt is good as Anton, the film belongs to the kids - William Jøhnk Nielsen as Christian and Markus Rygaard as Elias.

Both bring a real intensity to their brooding - Nielsen's particularly subtle in his role as a kid who's experienced loss and grief and doesn't know where to channel it.

Expect to become quickly engrossed in this drama - it's multi-layered, subtle and deeply rewarding.

Extras: None

Rating: 7/10 

The Dilemma: Blu Ray Review

The Dilemma: Blu Ray Review

The Dilemma
Rating: M
Released by Universal
In this dramedy from Ron Howard, Vince Vaughan is Ronny, whose best mate since college days is Kevin James' Nick. These two are tight and are probably one of the best definitions of bromance I've seen for a long time - they work together and party together.

Nick's married to Winona Ryder's Geneva and has been for years - but one day Nick sees Geneva in the arms of another man.

That throws him into a moral quandary - should he tell his best buddy and risk their friendship and business partnership falling apart? Or should he keep quiet?

It's a mixed bag - some painstakingly raw honest moments are well done and the drama is good too. But with a two hour running time and not enough funny, you may feel in a bit of a quandary yourself about whether this film is good or not.

Vaughan is okay as the suitably downbeat Ronny whose world falls apart amid suspicion and mistrust - and Winona Ryder (who appears to be undergoing something of a cinematic comeback this year) certainly gives her all as the morally challenged wife.

The main quartet are realistic and genuinely well acted to be believable and Ron Howard brings an assured eye to the direction yet The Dilemma lacks that certain kind of pizzazz and oomph which it needs to keep it moving along.

Extras: Alternate ending, deleted scenes, gag reel and a doco

Rating: 5/10 

The Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell: DVD Review

The Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell: DVD Review

The Hopes and dreams of Gazza Snell
Rating: M
Released by Vendetta Films

Set in East Auckland's Howick, The Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell is the story of William McInnes' manchild Gazza Snell, whose world is falling apart with a failing business.

All he's obsessed with is getting his eldest son to Milan for a karting championship in Milan.

However, when his youngest is seriously injured in a crash, Gazza loses all touch with the horrifying reality of what lies ahead - and instead becomes insistent on focussing solely on the karting.

That causes the family rift to widen.

The Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell is a feelgood Kiwi battler kind of treat- despite the initial beginnings there's plenty of warmth in this tale of a suburban dad; thanks to good solid performances from McInnes and Robyn Malcolm as his desperate housewife, it succeeds - even with its sentimental ending.

It's thanks to the everyman feel of the film that it becomes a winner - the universal tale of Gazza needing to grow up is clearly based on a degree of reality.

There's also a lot of honesty on display in this film - in the performances, the writing and the direction - it's an unashamedly crowd pleasing film which is easily identifiable to many of us.

Extras: Trailer, Video, bloopers, deleted scenes, interviews and commentary

Rating: 8/10 

Burlesque: Blu Ray review

Burlesque: Blu Ray review

Burlesque
Rating: M
Released by Sony

Christina Aguilera (and her warbling pipes) stars as Ali, a small town American girl with a great voice who dreams of making it big in LA. (There's the first cliché for you.)

So, after quitting her crummy job in a bar, she heads to the city of lights and stumbles across the Burlesque Lounge, a failing but stomping club run by Cher's Tess with a little help from Stanley Tucci's stage manager Sean.

Talking her way into a bartending job there, she strikes up a friendship with the bar manager Jake (Twilight's Cam Gigandet) and manages to find her way onto the stage - but not without making an enemy out of Kristen Bell's Nikki.

However, unless Tess can find a way to keep the club afloat, Ali's time in the spotlight may be brief.

Burlesque is essentially a series of extended music videos - broken up by some clichéd plot and some, at times, frankly awful (and unintentionally funny) dialogue.

Aguilera acquits herself brilliantly in the singing portion of the film but brings little extra in terms of acting to the role of Ali; Cher is lacking any real emotional depth (and facial movement) as Tess - so the two leads are a mixed bag.

At the end of the day, the overlong Burlesque is about the spectacle more than anything else - while the club scenes and songs rock the joint, they certainly do little (with one exception) to capture the sexiness and seductive tease of Burlesque.

Extras: Entire song performances commentary, bloopers and alternate opening; plus the blu ray throws in featurettes on the music, dancing and cast

Rating: 5/10