Morning Glory: Blu Ray Review

Morning Glory: Blu Ray Review

Morning Glory
Rating: M
Released by Universal

So it's into the heady world of breakfast television we go with this frothy light comedy piece from the director of Notting Hill.

Rachel McAdams stars as Becky Fuller, a producer on a television news show. Fired from her current role, she ends up being offered the job as a producer on a failing show called DayBreak.
Single and not tied down by relationships or family, Fuller lives for the job and seizes the opportunity thrust her way by Jeff Goldblum's laconic TV exec Jerry Barnes. On her first day she fires weird co-anchor Paul McVee (played brilliantly by Modern Family's Ty Burrell) and suddenly finds she needs a co host for Diane Keaton's Colleen Peck

Enter Harrison Ford's prickly and slightly bitter former news anchor Mike Pomeroy. Once a newsmaker and a newsbreaker, Pomeroy's in the twilight of his career and not willing to sacrifice news values for fluffier breakfast time pieces.

However, when Fuller's told DayBreak's on the verge of being cancelled, she realizes she has to do everything she can to get Mike into the swing of things to save all their jobs.

Morning Glory is as fluffy as the genre it's parodying but it's kept alive by the performances of both McAdams as the annoyingly perky and optimistic Fuller and Ford as the gruff and irritable co anchor Pomeroy.

Unfortunately the end of Morning Glory sinks into a schmaltzy mire (perhaps, inevitably) and the whole thing leaves a bit of a saccharine taste in your mouth - overall, Morning Glory may well appeal more to those in the television industry and the media who'll recognize the egos, the debates and the problems; the rest of us may well be wondering what else is on the other channel.

Extras: Commentary by director; deleted scene - not very much at all

Rating: 5/10 

Let Me In: Blu Ray review

Let Me In: Blu Ray review

Let Me In
Rating: R16
Released by Warner Bros

From the director of Cloverfield comes a shot-for-shot remake of the perfect Swedish vampire/horror film, Let The Right One In.

It's 1980s New Mexico: Kodi Smit-McPhee plays 12-year-old Owen. His parents are on the verge of divorcing and his school life is hell, thanks to daily bullying. He's pretty much your archetypal loner kid who just can't seem to connect with anyone (through no fault of his own).

At the same time as Owen's trying to make his way through a miserable existence, police are hunting an apparent ritualistic murderer who drains victims of their blood. They're at a loss to work out why the victims are targeted and what the motive is.

One day in a snowy courtyard, Owen meets Abby (Chloe Moretz), an apparent kindred soul who, despite initially bonding with Owen, warns him they can't be friends.

But against the grain, the two become friends - Owen drawing strength from Abby, and Abby benefiting from the daily contact with someone her same age.

However, their two worlds are threatened when Abby's truth is revealed ... and what's inside her threatens to boil over.

Let Me In is a superior horror and, quite frankly, given the source material it was taken from, there really is nothing else it could be.

Purists who've seen the Swedish masterpiece will notice how 95 per cent of the film is just reshot from the original and it's simply the location which has been changed.

Yet, that's unfair to simply dismiss Matt Reeves' version. Let Me In works brilliantly because of the three main characters, all of whom put in textured, layered and tender performances. Richard Jenkin proves once again he can't put a foot wrong - his role as Abby's protector is filled with sadness at the horror of the situation he lives in - and his final scenes with Abby are haunting and emotionally charged

Thrilling and frightening, Let Me In is possibly one of the best remakes I've seen all year.

Extras: Commentary with director; making of, FX special, deleted scenes and a blow by blow account of a scene

Rating: 8/10 

Love and Other Drugs: DVD Review

Love and Other Drugs: DVD Review

Love and Other Drugs
Rating: R16
Released by Roadshow

It's back to the heady mid 90s with this new film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.

Gyllenhaal plays Jamie Randall, a man who has the gift of the gab. This guy can sell you anything with his charm - as well as himself to the ladies. After being kicked out of his latest job, Randall (a med school drop out) decides to enter the world of pharmaceutical drugs sales with a company called Pfizer.

So Randall applies his talents to selling the drugs and staking out the doctors to encourage them to sell their brand of anti depressant rather than Prozac. Throw in Viagra into the mix too and Randall's in heaven.

And that's where Randall meets Maggie (a brown doe eyed Anne Hathaway) who's at the doctor's to get drugs for her stage one Parkinson's disease. But there's an instant attraction and the pair end up having a one night stand.

Randall falls hard for Maggie - but the road to romance is always tough - particularly if both sides have their own problems and demons to battle.

Love And Other Drugs is an odd sort of film - it starts off with tremendous, lusty gusto with wide-eyed Jake charming the pants (literally)off everything that moves. That bravado and braggadocio are pushed even further when he pairs up with Anne Hathaway and the film heads into a sex comedy (particularly with the addition of Jamie's down on his luck, kicked out by his wife brother played by Jack Black/ Jonah Hill cross Josh Gad) complete with plenty of sex, smut and humour.

Halfway through, there's a complete tonal change and it becomes romantic drama with a good dose of obstacles thrown in for good measure.

That tonal change happens so fast (although, to be fair, it's signposted from early on) that you almost feel like you're watching a completely different film.

But, when performances are as compelling as they are from Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway (who have sizzling steamy chemistry), you can almost forgive them anything. Almost.

Extras: Deleted scenes, behind the scenes docos with the actors and an inside look at the pharmaceutical trade.

Rating: 6/10 

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