Bridesmaids: Movie Review
Bridesmaids
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa
McCarthy, Jon Hamm, Chris O'Dowd
Director: Paul Feig
From its opening sex scene and with the first words being spoken being about
cupping a part of the anatomy, you can tell Bridesmaids is going to tread
lightly.
Wiig plays Annie, lifelong friend to Maya Rudolph's Lillian. Annie's a bit of
a self saboteur; her bakery business went down the drains and she's got low self
esteem from one night stands with Hamm's sleazy Ted.
She's not heading anywhere fast - and when Lillian reveals she's getting
married, Annie's given the role of maid of honour.
However, as she begins to plan the wedding, she runs into the social circle
of Lillian's friends; one of whom, Helen (Rose Byrne) becomes her nemesis.
So a rivalry is formed - and despite Annie's best attempts, the disagreements
and resentment threaten her place in her best friend's wedding...
Bridesmaids is the best kind of R rated film - raucously funny and really
rude in places.
From producer Judd Apatow, you'd be expecting something a little close to the
edge - but what actually transpires is probably one of the best examples of an
all female led frat pack.
There's a series of set pieces here; an awful dinner which leads to a wedding
fitting which ends in the worst possible way; a trip to Vegas that sees the
girls thrown off the plane; it's some pretty funny stuff - and in a very
unexpected way.
Kristen Wiig (who co-wrote this) is the star of the show; with her natural
comic timing and some hilarious dialogue and scenes, she's now finally a star in
her own right (after years of honing it on Saturday Night Live); Rose Byrne is
also good as the rival and Chris O'Dowd (from the IT Crowd) shines through as a
cop who's also a nice guy.
The representation of female rivalry and one upmanship is perfectly captured
in the screenplay and while it occasionally reaches hysterical heights, it
always feels real - mainly thanks to the persona and acting of Kristen Wiig who
clearly is bound for great things.
Of the fellow Bachelorettes, not many of them stand out - perhaps the best
(and recipient of the worst treatment during the wedding fitting) is Melissa
McCarthy's Megan. In this she's the female equivalent of Zach Galifianakis in
The Hangover - and she gets some of the best (and crudest) lines.
Sure, it's not going to be to everyone's tastes but to be honest, Bridesmaids
is an unexpectedly good treat; it's crude enough for the boys to enjoy and
accurate enough for the women to steal some guilty pleasure from too.
Thursday, 16 June 2011
The Reluctant Infidel: Movie Review
The Reluctant Infidel: Movie Review
The Reluctant Infidel
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Omid Djalili, Richard Schiff, Matt Lucas, Archie Panjabi
UK comedian Djalili stars as Muslim Mahud Nasir, a Muslim who doesn't always follow the tenets and commands of his faith.
After his mother's death, Nasir discovers that he's actually adopted by Muslims and was born a Jew.
So with that identity crisis, Nasir sets out to find his real father and finds himself on a journey into the Jewish faith - at the same time of this deeply personal crisis, his son is due to marry and needs his father to embrace his Muslim faith to impress their would be father in law&.
The Reluctant Infidel is cross cultural comedy at its very best - and occasionally at its most predictable.
That said, its pre credits sequence packs in more humorous moments than some comedy films ever manage to cram in during their entire running time.
But it's with its star Omid Djalili that this film triumphs - with a rotund appearance and everyman face, he's immediately identifiable and affable in the extreme. He manages to deliver some brilliant one liners and deal with some broad based comedy of misunderstandings as well.
David Baddiel's script sizzles with smarts and farce in equal measures; but it creaks a little towards the end - some may be put off by the subject matter but it's sensitively handled and ultimately preaches a message of tolerance.
The Reluctant Infidel is a sharp satirical piece which is at its heart, a old fashioned British comedy - with a fantastically funny lead.
The Reluctant Infidel
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Omid Djalili, Richard Schiff, Matt Lucas, Archie Panjabi
UK comedian Djalili stars as Muslim Mahud Nasir, a Muslim who doesn't always follow the tenets and commands of his faith.
After his mother's death, Nasir discovers that he's actually adopted by Muslims and was born a Jew.
So with that identity crisis, Nasir sets out to find his real father and finds himself on a journey into the Jewish faith - at the same time of this deeply personal crisis, his son is due to marry and needs his father to embrace his Muslim faith to impress their would be father in law&.
The Reluctant Infidel is cross cultural comedy at its very best - and occasionally at its most predictable.
That said, its pre credits sequence packs in more humorous moments than some comedy films ever manage to cram in during their entire running time.
But it's with its star Omid Djalili that this film triumphs - with a rotund appearance and everyman face, he's immediately identifiable and affable in the extreme. He manages to deliver some brilliant one liners and deal with some broad based comedy of misunderstandings as well.
David Baddiel's script sizzles with smarts and farce in equal measures; but it creaks a little towards the end - some may be put off by the subject matter but it's sensitively handled and ultimately preaches a message of tolerance.
The Reluctant Infidel is a sharp satirical piece which is at its heart, a old fashioned British comedy - with a fantastically funny lead.
Dr Who: Revisitations 2 - DVD Review
Dr Who: Revisitations 2 - DVD Review
Dr Who - Revisitations 2
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow
The second set of remastered classic Doctor Who releases collects together 1960s tale The Seeds of Death, 1970s The Carnival of Monsters and the 1980s Dalek tale, Resurrection of the Daleks.
As the original series of DVD releases near an end, it's inevitable some of the earlier releases would be put out again given they didn't have the wealth of extras and weren't as polished as the later releases have become.
It's almost as if the BBC knew there would be a degree of cynicism about this trio of releases because the extras lavished on the sets are quite simply excellent and worth the money alone.
The stories themselves are a decent bunch and showcase some of the best and worst of the show - it's great to see the Ice Warriors and Daleks back and there's something curious about the technicolour spectacle which is Carnival of Monsters.
But the effort which has gone into the remastering and the wealth of docos is the main reason to cherish the Revisitations 2 set; the piece de resistance is an hour long doco presented by David Tennant (The 10th Doctor) looking at the time Peter Davison spent in the role as Dr Who No 5 - it's a solidly entertaining piece which picks up the tensions, restraints and the successes of the era.
I'll continue to welcome these Revisitations Sets as long as the wealth of special features on this six disc set continues to be as excellent as this latest outing.
Rating: 8/10
Dr Who - Revisitations 2
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow
The second set of remastered classic Doctor Who releases collects together 1960s tale The Seeds of Death, 1970s The Carnival of Monsters and the 1980s Dalek tale, Resurrection of the Daleks.
As the original series of DVD releases near an end, it's inevitable some of the earlier releases would be put out again given they didn't have the wealth of extras and weren't as polished as the later releases have become.
It's almost as if the BBC knew there would be a degree of cynicism about this trio of releases because the extras lavished on the sets are quite simply excellent and worth the money alone.
The stories themselves are a decent bunch and showcase some of the best and worst of the show - it's great to see the Ice Warriors and Daleks back and there's something curious about the technicolour spectacle which is Carnival of Monsters.
But the effort which has gone into the remastering and the wealth of docos is the main reason to cherish the Revisitations 2 set; the piece de resistance is an hour long doco presented by David Tennant (The 10th Doctor) looking at the time Peter Davison spent in the role as Dr Who No 5 - it's a solidly entertaining piece which picks up the tensions, restraints and the successes of the era.
I'll continue to welcome these Revisitations Sets as long as the wealth of special features on this six disc set continues to be as excellent as this latest outing.
Rating: 8/10
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Motorstorm Apocalypse: Game Review
Motorstorm Apocalypse: Game Review
Motorstorm Apocalypse
Released by Sony
Platform: PS3
Back to the heady world of racing we go - this time though, with a mix of motion comics and street racing.
But essentially this is street racing with an ever changing environment requiring you to adapt and lose the race.
Set against the backdrop of Apocalypse's MotorStorm Festival, you race as one of three participants, labelled Mash "The Rookie", Tyler "The Pro", and Big Dog "The Veteran"; across a series of terrains and a growing number of bikes, cars, trucks et al.
But as the races progress, the difficulty level increases; and the cityscapes you race around change as they begin to crumble and fall apart in keeping with the apocalyptic tone of the game.
Motorstorm Apocalypse is an all right sort of racing game; graphically, it's an odd mix using motion comics to tell the story is akin to watching an anime cross with a Gorillaz video; but when it comes to the gameplay, there's little radical on show. Sure you get to boost around the track but have to soon realize that could lead to over heating and explosions; so that means any acceleration has to be done in small bursts to ensure you make it to the end of the track in a qualifying position.
Sadly there's no in game map making it difficult to gauge where your competitors are - which makes it somewhat tricky to plan manoeuvres or any kind of race track strategy.
Disposable fun Motorstorm Apocalypse it may be - and an addition of multiplayer adds to an element of fun and competition- but once you complete the tracks, there's little incentive or reward to go back and finish first and claim anything - other than bragging rights.
Rating: 7/10
Motorstorm Apocalypse
Released by Sony
Platform: PS3
Back to the heady world of racing we go - this time though, with a mix of motion comics and street racing.
But essentially this is street racing with an ever changing environment requiring you to adapt and lose the race.
Set against the backdrop of Apocalypse's MotorStorm Festival, you race as one of three participants, labelled Mash "The Rookie", Tyler "The Pro", and Big Dog "The Veteran"; across a series of terrains and a growing number of bikes, cars, trucks et al.
But as the races progress, the difficulty level increases; and the cityscapes you race around change as they begin to crumble and fall apart in keeping with the apocalyptic tone of the game.
Motorstorm Apocalypse is an all right sort of racing game; graphically, it's an odd mix using motion comics to tell the story is akin to watching an anime cross with a Gorillaz video; but when it comes to the gameplay, there's little radical on show. Sure you get to boost around the track but have to soon realize that could lead to over heating and explosions; so that means any acceleration has to be done in small bursts to ensure you make it to the end of the track in a qualifying position.
Sadly there's no in game map making it difficult to gauge where your competitors are - which makes it somewhat tricky to plan manoeuvres or any kind of race track strategy.
Disposable fun Motorstorm Apocalypse it may be - and an addition of multiplayer adds to an element of fun and competition- but once you complete the tracks, there's little incentive or reward to go back and finish first and claim anything - other than bragging rights.
Rating: 7/10
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Lovely, Still: Movie Review
Lovely, Still: Movie Review
Lovely, Still
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks, Adam Scott
Director: Nicholas Fackler
Set against a backdrop of Christmas, this is the story of Martin Landau's Robert, an elderly gent who's working in a supermarket and who lives alone.
One day, he meets Mary (Burstyn) and spurred on by the potential for romance, the pair begin to date.
And that's really all I can say about the plot of this film - as you really don't want to know too much more about it to be honest.
Fackler's created a wondrous piece which will leave some on the verge of tears and may even melt the most cynical of hearts as this romantic tale plays out - but it's in the casting where he's really triumphed; both leads have wonderfully expressive faces, etched with the lines of life, hopes, regret and possibility. Theirs is a courtship of confusion, simplicity and above all heart.
Landau is an absolute stand-out as Robert; scenes of him asking his shop manager for help about going on a date, coupled with close up shots of his daily routine in front of the mirror are quirky, different and engaging from the get go. Coupled with Burstyn, there's a warmth and ease to both their performances which will have you thinking about grandparents, parents and lost loved ones as the story plays out. Throw in some solid support from Banks and particularly Scott, and this story is a compelling watch from beginning to end (even if you are a little cynical, it's hard not to be won over).
Suffice to say there is a twist in this tale of old love and it's one which really whips the carpet out from under your viewing eyes and demands you watch again to pick up the intricacies of the plot - but in this day and age of instant gratification and visual satisfaction, it's commendable to see story comes first.
Tugging at the heartstrings and leaving you with a warm glow, Lovely, Still is a perfect two hander, beautifully played and engaging; it's also one which will command you curl up with your loved one afterwards.
Lovely, Still
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks, Adam Scott
Director: Nicholas Fackler
Set against a backdrop of Christmas, this is the story of Martin Landau's Robert, an elderly gent who's working in a supermarket and who lives alone.
One day, he meets Mary (Burstyn) and spurred on by the potential for romance, the pair begin to date.
And that's really all I can say about the plot of this film - as you really don't want to know too much more about it to be honest.
Fackler's created a wondrous piece which will leave some on the verge of tears and may even melt the most cynical of hearts as this romantic tale plays out - but it's in the casting where he's really triumphed; both leads have wonderfully expressive faces, etched with the lines of life, hopes, regret and possibility. Theirs is a courtship of confusion, simplicity and above all heart.
Landau is an absolute stand-out as Robert; scenes of him asking his shop manager for help about going on a date, coupled with close up shots of his daily routine in front of the mirror are quirky, different and engaging from the get go. Coupled with Burstyn, there's a warmth and ease to both their performances which will have you thinking about grandparents, parents and lost loved ones as the story plays out. Throw in some solid support from Banks and particularly Scott, and this story is a compelling watch from beginning to end (even if you are a little cynical, it's hard not to be won over).
Suffice to say there is a twist in this tale of old love and it's one which really whips the carpet out from under your viewing eyes and demands you watch again to pick up the intricacies of the plot - but in this day and age of instant gratification and visual satisfaction, it's commendable to see story comes first.
Tugging at the heartstrings and leaving you with a warm glow, Lovely, Still is a perfect two hander, beautifully played and engaging; it's also one which will command you curl up with your loved one afterwards.
The Fighter: Blu Ray review
The Fighter: Blu Ray review
The Fighter
Rating: R16
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Based on a true story, Mark Wahlberg stars as Micky Ward, a boxer who's living in the shadow of his older brother Dicky Eklund (a wonderfully wiry and sparky, Golden Globe and Oscar award winning Christian Bale.) Eklund is the pride of Lowell, Massachusetts; a boxer who once knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard, he's the celeb of the working class town.
However, Eklund is racked with addiction to crack cocaine and is dragging the family down - as well as his brother's hopes of staging some kind of fighting revival. Plus along with the fearsome matriarch of the nine strong family, Alice (a ferocious Golden Globe and Oscar award winning Melissa Leo) in charge of their careers, Micky is going nowhere fast.
So when Micky meets Amy Adams' Charlene, a local bartender college drop out, a tender romance develops and Micky begins to start to believe in himself and his ability again.
This is a knock out of a film which pulls no punches.
But it's the ensemble cast which gives this true story a human feel and raise it well above the mire of a clichéd boxing film.
Christian Bale is astoundingly good as Eklund, a sinewy frame supporting a "can't take your eyes off him" performance. There's energy and world class acting on show here as the small town hero who was on the cusp of having it all but blows it for the cycle of addiction.
Yet, while Bale's great, thanks to the sensible and restrained direction of David O Russell, it doesn't detract from the rest of the cast - specifically Mark Wahlberg, whose subtly underplayed performance is the perfect antithesis to Bale's sparky energy. He's an assured presence here and conveys the torment of realizing the family's holding him back and the pain of having to try and make that clean break.
Extras: Director, Filming the Fighter and deleted scenes
Rating: 9/10
The Fighter
Rating: R16
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Based on a true story, Mark Wahlberg stars as Micky Ward, a boxer who's living in the shadow of his older brother Dicky Eklund (a wonderfully wiry and sparky, Golden Globe and Oscar award winning Christian Bale.) Eklund is the pride of Lowell, Massachusetts; a boxer who once knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard, he's the celeb of the working class town.
However, Eklund is racked with addiction to crack cocaine and is dragging the family down - as well as his brother's hopes of staging some kind of fighting revival. Plus along with the fearsome matriarch of the nine strong family, Alice (a ferocious Golden Globe and Oscar award winning Melissa Leo) in charge of their careers, Micky is going nowhere fast.
So when Micky meets Amy Adams' Charlene, a local bartender college drop out, a tender romance develops and Micky begins to start to believe in himself and his ability again.
This is a knock out of a film which pulls no punches.
But it's the ensemble cast which gives this true story a human feel and raise it well above the mire of a clichéd boxing film.
Christian Bale is astoundingly good as Eklund, a sinewy frame supporting a "can't take your eyes off him" performance. There's energy and world class acting on show here as the small town hero who was on the cusp of having it all but blows it for the cycle of addiction.
Yet, while Bale's great, thanks to the sensible and restrained direction of David O Russell, it doesn't detract from the rest of the cast - specifically Mark Wahlberg, whose subtly underplayed performance is the perfect antithesis to Bale's sparky energy. He's an assured presence here and conveys the torment of realizing the family's holding him back and the pain of having to try and make that clean break.
Extras: Director, Filming the Fighter and deleted scenes
Rating: 9/10
The King's Speech: Blu ray review
The King's Speech: Blu ray review
The King's Speech
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Pictures
Colin Firth stars as Prince Albert aka the soon to be King George VI and Bertie, who's crippled by a stammer. With the health of his father failing and the second World War looming, his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) decides Bertie needs help.
So, after doctors fail him and other therapists come up short, she finds a potential salvation in the shape of Aussie Lionel Logue (a brilliant Geoffrey Rush), an alternative and maverick therapist.
But with the death of his father, the forced abdication of Edward and the looming Second World War, Bertie soon finds it'll be his words which will inspire the Commonwealth.
The King's Speech is, quite simply, marvellous.
A brilliant crowd pleaser, with a script liberally peppered with dry wit and humour, along with some stunning turns from Firth and Rush, it's a riveting watch from beginning to end.
Colin Firth swept to glory with this performance but his role as the monarch to be is mesmerizingly good. The frustration Albert clearly feels in his inability to speak is etched perfectly on his face - and not once do you feel Firth is over egging the role. In fact, it's his restrained turn that may have you doubled with nerves as you will him to speak every single word when he's struggling.
Simply the unmissable crowd pleasing film of 2011, which will leave you lost for words.
Extras: A wealth of extras which are welcomed; commentaries, interview with Lionel Logue's grandson and a Q&A with the stars are just some of the best
Rating: 9/10
The King's Speech
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Pictures
Colin Firth stars as Prince Albert aka the soon to be King George VI and Bertie, who's crippled by a stammer. With the health of his father failing and the second World War looming, his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) decides Bertie needs help.
So, after doctors fail him and other therapists come up short, she finds a potential salvation in the shape of Aussie Lionel Logue (a brilliant Geoffrey Rush), an alternative and maverick therapist.
But with the death of his father, the forced abdication of Edward and the looming Second World War, Bertie soon finds it'll be his words which will inspire the Commonwealth.
The King's Speech is, quite simply, marvellous.
A brilliant crowd pleaser, with a script liberally peppered with dry wit and humour, along with some stunning turns from Firth and Rush, it's a riveting watch from beginning to end.
Colin Firth swept to glory with this performance but his role as the monarch to be is mesmerizingly good. The frustration Albert clearly feels in his inability to speak is etched perfectly on his face - and not once do you feel Firth is over egging the role. In fact, it's his restrained turn that may have you doubled with nerves as you will him to speak every single word when he's struggling.
Simply the unmissable crowd pleasing film of 2011, which will leave you lost for words.
Extras: A wealth of extras which are welcomed; commentaries, interview with Lionel Logue's grandson and a Q&A with the stars are just some of the best
Rating: 9/10
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