Taxi Driver: Blu Ray Review

Taxi Driver: Blu Ray Review

Taxi Driver
Rating: R18
Released by Sony Home Entertainment

Having seen the remastered version of this DeNiro classic at the NZ Film Festival this year, I was eagerly waiting its arrival on Blu Ray.

The print had been cleaned up and this release is a superior picture quality as well - part of a series of releases done by Sony to showcase some of the best of their product.

De Niro is excellent as Travis Bickle, a NYC taxi driver whose flight into madness and paranoia is fuelled by his desire to just do something big. Cybill Sherpherd is luminous as his early love interest and Jodie Foster is astonishing in a debut role. If it doesn't quite hang together in some ways, it's because 21st century eyes look back on a 70s film but I can finally understand why so many adore this.

Beautifully restored on Blu Ray, De Niro has rarely been better and Scorsese's sleazy NYC is still a searing watch.

Extras: A whole horde of them - interviews, commentary from Scorsese - befitting an iconic release.

Rating: 8/10 

Last Paradise: DVD Review

Last Paradise: DVD Review
Last Paradise
Rating: G
Released by Madman Home Ent
This doco from film maker Clive Neeson pretty much sums up why NZ's become the extreme sports mecca of the world.
Pulling together archive footage and traditional talking heads interviews, it takes a look back at why and how Aotearoa became the go to place for those seeking a thrill and looking for something - other than the scenery - to leave the heart pumping.
From home video footage of tyre rolling, boarding, kids on trolleys being pulled by horses to AJ Hackett bungying off the Eiffel Tower, there's plenty to see here in this charming nostalgic look at what's shaped a major part of our tourism world.
However, it's not just that; there's a curiosity factor of seeing the first surfers in action and you end up marveling at those who set the pace.
A clever celebration of Kiwi ingenuity and a sparkling look at what shaped an industry, Last Paradise, while at times being a little more than a sports show promo (complete with slow mo footage), is a fascinating glimpse into why this is the best country in the world.
Extras: Bonus scenes and a trailer - nothing major

Rating: 7/10 

Thor: Blu Ray Review

Thor: Blu Ray Review

Thor Blu Ray
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

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.
Chris 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 (Anthony 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 Tom 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 Kenneth 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.
Thor's a great intro to the character ahead of the release of next year's Avengers.

Extras: Commentary by Branagh, deleted scenes, featurettes - a fair bunch

Rating: 8/10

The Orator: Movie Review

The Orator: Movie Review

The Orator
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Fa'afiaula Sagote, Tausili Pushparaj, Salamasina Mataia, Ioata Tanielu
Director: Tusi Tamasese
The Orator (O Le Tulafale to give its Samoan title) arrives with a certain amount of prestige behind it.
The tale from first time director Tusi Tamasese has been submitted for consideration as Best Foreign Language Film for the 84th Academy Awards®, to be held in Hollywood on the 28th of February 2012.
It's the story of Vaaiga, (Pushparaj) who's been banished from her ancestral village - she's now living with little person Saili (a stunning turn from debut actor Sagote) who's angered neighbours near their home by refusing to move the graves of his parents.
In fact, he insists on tending them every day and chopping down taro plants which are being grown by the neighbouring villagers - much to the ire of those trying to make a living.
Vaaiga's brother Poto (Tanielu) is also causing problems for this small family; he's sick and wants her to return home.
However, Poto's wish has disastrous consequences for all of them.
Quite frankly, if you fail to be moved by The Orator, you don't have a pulse.
Lusciously shot and beautifully subtle and nuanced, this entirely Samoan film is one for the heart as well as the eyes.
First time actor Fa'afiaula Sagote and first time director Tusi Tamasese make a stunning double act - there's the pain of dishonour and the weight of expectation etched across Saili's weary face throughout and you can't help but feel for him as he faces what he faces. Tamasese brings a level headedness to this cultural debut which captivates you from the opening moments to the heart-stopping climax.
This isn't all about highly compelling slow-burning drama; there's a rich vein of subtly dry humour running throughout - mainly thanks to a Samoan rugby team - which gives the weightiness of the script a much needed touch of lightness.

Ultimately though The Orator is simply strong measured storytelling and impressive acting; it's engrossing, heartfelt and in its final scenes, profoundly moving.

Real Steel: Movie Review

Real Steel: Movie Review

Real Steel

Rating: 6/10

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, A sad faced robot

Director: Shawn Levy

In the not too distant future on earth, robots have taken the place of humans in the boxing ring.

It's in this world we meet Charlie Kenton (Jackman), a former boxer whose glory days are past him and who now spends time using his skills to guide fighting robots in the ring.
Only ridden with debt, Charlie's got a few problems - he's got creditors threatening him, his former girlfriend Bailey (Lost's Evangeline Lilly) is about to lose the family gym because of the debt
Charlie's racked up and to make matters worse, Charlie gets his young son Max dumped on him after his ex-wife dies.

But when Max discovers an old robot and decides his discarded bot will be a fighting champion, Charlie indulges his son and gives him a chance to experience life as a fighter.

However, when Max's robot starts to win, Charlie soon discovers he's got a chance to change his life.

This feel good family flick feels at times like a simple smash em up robot smackdown; a sort of Robot Wars for the new CGI digital age. But at its core, it's an old fashioned tale about the underdog, the broken family and second chances.

Which means some of it feels a little old hat and unoriginal - despite the futuristic setting and blaring heavy metal soundtrack each time the robots fight in the ring, there's something very old fashioned to the story telling.

While it avoids the cliché of the mop haired kid, there's a very real feeling to the relationship between Max and Charlie; Hugh Jackman brings his requisite charm to the role and while there's some cheesy lines in the film (Max tells Charlie at one point: You just throw away anything you don't need), there's a heartfelt warmth underneath.

The robot fight scenes are quite cool to be honest - and will indulge the father/son bonding nature of this flick; and I have to admit to being very impressed by the animatronic robots (but that's the nerd in me coming out).

At the end of the day, Real Steel is a brash and at times noisy affair with a gooey heart deep within and it's certainly going to have limited family appeal.

The Smurfs: Movie Review

The Smurfs: Movie Review

The Smurfs

Rating: 6/10

Cast:Neil Patrick Harris, Sofia Vergara, Hank Azaria, The Smurfs, Gargamel

Director: Raja Gosnell

The Smurfs are somewhat of an institution - so the idea of seeing them redone for a big screen release is one that may give some fans of Peyo's original cartoons a bit of a nervous shudder.
Small creatures of blue with white pointy hats, they live in an enchanted forest away from human contact - but always with the threat of evil wizard Gargamel (a brilliant Hank Azaria) trying to track them down.

So one day, after a series of mishaps when Clumsy Smurf accidentally reveals the location of their perfect village to Gargamel, a handful of them are forced to flee through a portal to New York - and into the life of uptight father to be Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris).

And while Patrick's pregnant other half Grace (Jayma Mays) is happy to embrace them, Patrick isn't too pleased to welcome Smurfette, Poppa Smurf, Clumsy et al into his life.

Things get even more complicated when Gargamel heads through the portal too trying to track them down...

Will they ever be able to return home? Will they be able to fight off the wizard? And will Patrick avoid being fired from his job by Cruella de Vil like boss Odile (Modern Family's Sofia Vergara.)

The Smurfs is a lot of family fun - and much more bearable than you'd believe of a computer animated film about small blue people.

There's a cartoony feel to it in places - but not one which makes it feel childish and silly; it's more of a joyous self knowing celebration. Katy Perry's Smurfette even reveals at one point, that she kissed a Smurf and she liked it.

There's a playfulness to the script and while Gargamel veers dangerously close to pantomime territory, thanks to Azaria's great acting and some clever laugh out loud oneliners, he's more fun than complete caricature.

Sure, there's a schmaltzy message for Patrick's father to be and some extremely gratuitous product placement, but The Smurfs is a solid family outing and proffers up a lot more fun than you'd ever expect from a group of blue people.

Game Review: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

Game Review: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Released by THQ
Platform: PS3
A video game starring the awesome character Mark Strong is never something to be sniffed at.
And so it is with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine.
Strong stars as Captain Titus, leader of the elite fighting force, The Ultramarines. He and his troops are called in to help fight off the menace of a marauding Ork force - and pretty soon, the troops (and by extension, you) are engaged in a battle of brutal force.
I'd like to give you more of a plot here but to be honest, while there's a simple one at play, there's little else to the game except fighting off hordes of slavering, slobbering orks - who either shoot or hack at you.
Essentially though, this third person shooter will rise or fall on whether you enjoy this kind of gameplay; sure, there's plenty of fun to be had from simply massacring everything around you with either a gun or an array of chainsaws but there are some frustrations too.
That initial rush of killing joy soon begins to wear off as you realise that's predominantly what the game has on offer and the fact you are unable to deviate from the route mapped out for Titus and explore the world, means in some ways you are trapped.
Conversely though, that's outweighed by the fact there are some nifty weapons (combat knife, bolt pistols) on show and you need to use smarts to progress through levels rather than just killing everything in sight.
Strong adds a degree of credibility to the game with his voice over and some of the cut scenes are almost cinematic in scope - but at the end of the day, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is fun to play if you're willing to leave your brain off and simply go on a spree of violence.

Rating: 7/10