Love Story: Movie Review

Love Story: Movie Review

Love Story
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Florian Habicht, Masha Yakovenko, Florian's father

Director: Florian Habicht

Delightfully quirky, and a little bit insane, this is the latest from NZ film maker Florian Habicht who made Kaikohe Demolition and Land of the Long White Cloud. It's opening in Auckland and playing in the 2011 New Zealand International Film Festival as well.

It's a mash of genres - with a dazzling pinch of interactivity.

Love Story is made on the fly with the truly interactive feel of New York and those who live there. Basically, Habicht one day sees a woman (Masha Yakovenko) walking on the streets holding a plate with a piece of cake on it.

Spurred on by a whim, he introduces himself to Masha and persuades her to be part of his film - only, he doesn't really have a vision of where it's going and this is where the New Yorkers and his father come in as he seeks advice from them about what he should do next&

Love Story is random, nuts, hilarious and touching throughout as well.

There's a real blurring of reality though as Florian the film maker plays "Florian the film maker" (or does he?) as he directs himself in this film which takes the path chosen by the New Yorkers he randomly meets in the streets.

It's also got a brilliant turn by his dad - who tends to skype in and join the discussion at highly random times but with laugh out loud repercussions.

This wonderfully absurd and highly watchable film is rewarding, entertaining and will make you smile the biggest smile as you head out into the winter nights. It's to be commended for its light tone which shows an inventive touch at work and one who'll clearly be able to turn his hand to anything when necessary.

Plus you'll never look at romantically eating food off someone in the same way again when you see this...

Something Borrowed: Movie Review

Something Borrowed: Movie Review

Something Borrowed
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, John Krasinski, Colin Egglesfield
Director: Luke Greenfield
From the book of the same name comes a new rom com.
Goodwin stars as Rachel White, a woman hitting her 30s and still single and unmarried; her best friend Darcey Rhone (Hudson) is the complete opposite - engaged to Rachel's former college buddy dreamy Dex (Egglesfield) and about to be married.
But when Rachel begins a clandestine affair with Dex, all manner of secrets, lies and hidden truths begin to surface.
Something Borrowed will appeal to a certain sector of the audience but to everyone else, it'll be a case of eye rolling and a terrible sense of déjà vu.
While Goodwin does as well as she can with drippy sad sack Rachel, Hudson's managed to perfect the self obsessed and generally unlikeable best friend who's unaware she's being cheated on.
And that's major problem with Something Borrowed; there's no one really to root for in this. Sure, you can argue it should be about friendship but when Hudson's character is so spiteful and self centred, it's hard to argue for her and that her fiancée shouldn't cheat on her.
The only high point in this film is John Kransinski - his best friend Ethan is hilariously funny in an underplayed way dispensing deadpan lines and generally stealing the show. The negative side of that is how the story treats him with a revelation ruining any kind of decency his character may have had prior to that.
With some funny scenes (a badminton match on the beach is amusing and seeing Goodwin and Hudson pretend to be Salt'n'Pepa being the best) and a subplot involving Ethan being stalked by a cougar he can't shake, this overlong romcom seriously outstays its welcome with its 2 hour run time.

Overly asinine and formulaic, Something Borrowed left me feeling like shouting Something Blue afterwards.

Horrible Bosses: Movie Review

Horrible Bosses: Movie Review

Horrible Bosses
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudekis, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Julie Bowen
Director: Seth Gordon
Let's face it - who hasn't thought of offing their boss in a moment of revenge and sweet justice after years of being ignored, mistreated or passed over?
Right, so it's just me then - well, that's pretty much the premise of this new comedy starring Jason Bateman.
Bateman is Nick Hendricks who despises his boss Dave Harken (Spacey) after he's passed up for promotion; his pals Dale (Day) and Kurt (Sudekis) who have issues with their bosses played by Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell respectively.
Perhaps Dale has it worst with his sexually suggestive and lecherous dental boss Julia (played with delicious relish by Aniston) as she's always trying to seduce him and continually sexually harasses him.
So the trio decides enough is enough and plot to off their big bad bosses to ensure their continual happiness.
But because they're inept, things go seriously awry.
Much like the film itself, to be brutally frank.
Bitterly disappointing and horribly flat at times, Horrible Bosses is crushingly unfunny which is a real shock given the talent involved. Don't get me wrong, the main trio work well and have a good dynamic but the dark comedy of this premise goes largely unexplored and becomes quite wasted as the time wears on.
Aniston clearly has fun, putting to bed the good girl image she's spent years on - and some of the language out of that potty mouthed character will surprise some and will make force casting agents to look at other darker roles for her. Spacey is menacing as one boss but Farrell's barely on screen for long enough to warrant anything more than a cameo appearance in this.
Bateman, Day and Sudekis gel well on the screen and there are some laugh out loud funny moments - but they're too few and far between for this version of the Three Stooges. Bateman and Day are the clear stand outs - with Bateman channeling his usual laconic style and Day bringing some welcome manic moments to the fore. But it's just not enough to save it.

Ultimately Horrible Bosses runs out of steam and its uninspired denouement is clearly sign posted well in advance; as an overall experience, it's one which is hollow, lacking and whilst it's not exactly a waste of all those involved, it's a shame that it couldn't be something more original and funny instead of a flat, uneven night out at the cinema.

Larry Crowne: Movie Review

Larry Crowne: Movie Review

Larry Crowne
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bryan Cranston, George Takei, Cedric The Entertainer, Wilmer Valderrama
Director: Tom Hanks
A rom com with Tom Hanks directing and starring and co-written with Julia Roberts may not sound like a hit but Larry Crowne is an absolute surprise.
Hanks plays Larry Crowne, a former Navy man who's working in a WalMart style shop. One day, however, he finds he's a victim of downsizing and it's revealed he was targetted because he had no college education and will never succeed in any company.
So, armed with that information Crowne heads back to enrol in community college - and winds up in a motivational class run by Julia Roberts' disenchanted and disillusioned teacher Mercedes Tainot.
However, Crowne finds a new lease on life - as does Tainot as the two of them rediscover what's important in their lives.
Sure, it sounds sickly and sentimental, but this film from Hanks is actually a lot of fun and an unexpected life affirming pleasure. With a quirky script and some brilliant supporting turns (particularly by Gugu Mbatha-Raw - this girl is heading for big things) it's funny, heart warming and dry.

George Takei enlivens things no end with his stuffily deadpan economics professor and gets the lion's share of the best lines - but Hanks manages to negotiate a couple of lulls in the proceedings and offers up something pleasant and thoroughly entertaining in this small nicely polished film.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Movie Review

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Movie Review

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Rating: 8/10
Cast: James Franco, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton, Brian Cox, John Lithgow Andy Serkis
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Modern day San Francisco and Will Rodman (Franco) is a troubled scientist, working on a cure for Alzheimers disease and using chimps as well as illegally using his father (Lithgow) to see if the ALZ 112 cure works.
When one of the chimps which is showing signs of growing intelligence thanks to the trials in the lab breaks out and is killed, Rodman discovers she's protecting a baby - whom Rodman promptly takes home and raises as his own test subject.
Three years later and Caesar the test subject is also showing signs of inherited intelligence and has learned sign language - however, when Caesar attacks a neighbour protecting Rodman's dad, he's locked up in a primate sanctuary.
But it's not long before Caesar's plotting a break out from the chimpanarium his human captors have imprisoned him in...
A reboot of the Apes franchise was in no way on my radar after the somewhat messy Tim Burton/ Mark Wahlberg attempt back in 2001 - but quite frankly, this reboot is perhaps one of the best of the series - and one of the best reboots of a flagging franchise I've ever witnessed.
That's mainly, it has to be said, due to the work done by WETA in creating the chimps and Andy Serkis' motion capture suit work as the lead Caesar. We've now reached an age where digital technology can do pretty much anything and can do it astoundingly well.
While the early digital realisation of the baby chimps is something akin to a Mogwai/Ape cross and a little creaky, when Caesar ages and comes into his own, it's really an astonishingly good cinematic moment (even if early shots of him careering around a home are unnecessary and feel shoehorned in as if to show off what the tech can do) as the ape rises up and begins to emote. There's so much feeling conveyed in Caesar's eyes that you can't help but connect with the primate and his kin and for that, those involved in this film really do need huge kudos as it's never easy to get an audience to empathise with digitally created creatures.
Most of the humans are really confined to second fiddle in this to be honest and some pretty unsurprising stereotypes are rolled out as well; the boss of the genetic research company rolls out such clichés as "I run a business - not a petting zoo" and "You make history - and I make money". Coupled with Tom Felton's cruel cage master, that side of the story is somewhat predictable, clunky and a little jarring. Plus when you throw in a couple of plot holes - convenient lapses of security aid some of the narrative but will irritate some, there's clearly some further evolution of the script needed.
That said, director Rupert Wyatt (who did the superb The Escapist) is in need of praise for helming this origin story, which tips a hat to the mythology as well (if you're an Apes fan, there's some pretty sly and cool nods to the franchise in the past - look out for them, you won't be disappointed) but also for helming a terrifically well paced and reined in blockbuster. The final set piece is also to be commended as it breaks some of the conventions of Hollywood blockbusters and dials down the action which actually adds to the tension and suspense of the film.

All in all, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is one of the best blockbusters of the season; it's a thrilling, emotion filled and intelligent ride which reinvigorates the franchise and has got me salivating for a potential sequel.

Dr Who: Frontios: DVD Review

Dr Who: Frontios: DVD Review

Dr Who - Frontios
Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Ent

Heading back to 1984, this four part adventure from Peter Davison's tenure in the TARDIS sees the Doc having to deal with the threat facing the last surviving humans on a planet far far away.

But the TARDIS team soon find out there's more than just one threat as a series of parasites known as the Gravis and the Tractators are out for survival too.

Redolent of the blight of the scripts in the 1980s, this serial is nothing sensational for the range - it's perfectly watchable if you're a Who fan but it's not exactly welcoming to non fans of the Time Lord.

The baddies are well realized (particularly the moments when the good guys are pulled underground) and there's some good solid acting on show from the likes of Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, Janet Fielding and Jeff Rawle, but this tale isn't going to set the world alight.

A reasonably light smattering of extras by the range's standard complete the package, but there's a sense there's very little to add to a story which doesn't stand out from the Classic series.

Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes, isolated score and a making of the story - about average for the range.

Rating: 5/10

Game Review: Street Fighter IV - Super Arcade Edition

Game Review: Street Fighter IV - Super Arcade Edition

Street Fighter IV: Super Arcade Edition
Released by Capcom
Platform: PS3

Sometimes, in the world of gaming, if it ain't broke, you don't need to fix it.

That's certainly the case with this release which essentially takes the smackdown, smack'em in the face world of Street Fighter and injects a healthy dose of gameplay within.

With 39 fighters to choose from, each with their own signature moves and moods, there's certainly no lack of choice when it comes to choosing your weapon of street bound destruction.

Throw in an online multiplayer mode and there's definitely plenty of fist fights and showdowns ahead. It takes a little time to adjust and learn the combo moves you need to succeed but this is part of the fun of a game like this - adapting to the circumstances and reacting to the challenges in each fight as the time ticks down.

With backgrounds which are a little 3dimensional and give a street fight feel, there's something nostalgic and simple about this game - it doesn't really need whistles and bells to grab your attention - essentially, you need to win a fight over three rounds. It's as simple and as much fun as that.

Kicking ass and progressing through the levels, you have to adapt to survive and that ensures you can't get lazy on the technical front; you need to learn combos, assess the dangers and react to newer foes.

Ultimately, whether it's one player, two player or the multiverse, Street Fighter IV Super Arcade Edition is just good ole fashioned fun - the kind you used to lose all your pocket money to down in the arcades.

Rating: 7/10