Batman: Arkham City: PS3 Review

Batman: Arkham City: PS3 Review

Batman Arkham City 
Released by Rocksteady and Warner Bros 
Rating: M 

Wow. 

Simply put, there's very little else to say about this new release which once again puts you back into the Bat Boots as the Caped Crusader.

Expanding the world that was created in Batman: Arkham Asylum was always going to be a difficult task, but developers Rocksteady have made a game which incorporates the world of the Batman so seamlessly with its mythology that it becomes one of the best playing experiences around. 

In terms of plot - Bruce Wayne is captured and dumped behind the locked walls of Arkham City, a prison area of Gotham City. It's here the dregs and the deranged members of society are dumped - along with some of the Bat's deadliest foes -including his nemesis, Joker. 

So when Wayne awakes from his kidnapping, he's understandably keen to get out - and that's where the Batman comes in. Armed with help via comms from loyal butler Alfred, Batman's got to find out what's going on in Arkham City and how it can be stopped... 

The plot may sound a little generic but for fans of the Batman mythology, it's a shame to spoil the surprises and characters which crop up as the game progresses. 

As a playable landscape, Arkham City is just stunning; the world's been beautifully realized and feels like a pastiche of crime films and Blade Runner. Coupled with the cinematic touches and cutscenes, there's so much to immerse yourself in here that you really can lose yourself in Arkham City. Throw in top notch voice work from those who've been involved in the franchise for a very long time and you're aware this is a labour of love from the developers' point of view as well as a player's. 

Using stealth attacks, gliding, an array of Bat gadgets, there's plenty on show for you to build up your armoury, your stamina and your skills and the game really does reward continuous playing. As well as the main storyline, there are side missions too which pepper Gotham City and give you a bit of a breather from what needs to be done. 

Easily one of the games of the year, Batman Arkham City is one hell of an experience and one of the best entrants into the Batman genre; it embraces and expands the mythology and is a totally exciting and entertaining proposition for any gaming fan. 

X Men First Class: Blu Ray Review

X Men First Class: Blu Ray Review

X Men First class
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent and 20th Century Fox

So once more back into the X Men breach - and a third attempt at an origins film.

This time though it's from the minds who brought us the truly wonderful Kick Ass.

James McAvoy stars as Charles Xavier, a gifted young man whose life is decided by the altruistic path he forges in nurturing mutant kind and uttering the word "Groovy" as the 1960s progress.

Directly idealogically opposite him is Erik Lehnsherr (a brilliant Michael Fassbender) whose youth is defined by his tortuous treatment as a Jew in the Nazi concentration camps at the hands of Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon).

So Erik sets out to hunt Shaw down and kill him - but when Shaw threatens to bring the world to its knees via nuclear war, Erik and Xavier join forces - along with other newly discovered mutants to try to avert a potential world war three.

X Men First Class is better than some of the more recent entrants into the franchise but it's no massive progression for the series to be frank.
It's more a case of the film once again attempting to restart and reboot the franchise and managing to do so in a somewhat at times limp way - so fanboys of this particular genre be aware...
However, there are some truly impressive things within this latest mutant outing.

Firstly Kevin Bacon's Shaw is startlingly good - Bacon's really delivered the acting goods here with menace mixed with charm as well as incredible screen presence. His is the stand out performance of the film without a shadow of a doubt.

Fassbender and McAvoy also deliver the goods but it's Fassbender who is the better actor bringing a dash of danger to the future Magneto as he heads off on his Bond like quest of vengeance; McAvoy's performance is crippled a little by his character's penchant for spouting pompous dialogue and putting two fingers to his forehead every time he uses his telepathy.

Overall, X Men First Class may impress some with its fine acting but fans of the X genre will be disappointed nothing radical is done (aside from some great fanboy pleasing cameos); the rest of us may feel it's time to give the X Men a rest - even though this is rumoured to be the start of a new trilogy.

Extras: Good solid bunch including deleted and extended scenes, behind the scenes of the film

Rating: 7/10 

Anonymous: Movie Review

Anonymous: Movie Review

Anonymous
Rating: 4/10
Cast: Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis, Joely Richardson, Rafe Spall, Sebastian Armesto
Director: Roland Emmerich
A political conspiracy thriller done by the guy who's prone to big FX films which blow the White House up?
Yep, that's the gist of Anonymous, a tale which tries to assert the theory that Shakespeare didn't actually write all of that stuff you have to suffer in English classes and pore over for exams.
Set in Elizabethan times, Rhys Ifans stars as Edward De Vere, the Earl of Oxford who's actually written a whole heap of plays but can't turn his back on his way of life and fight the taboo imposed on writers. When Ben Johnson (Armesto) meets de Vere, the crafty Earl decides that this is the way his work can be performed.
However, when the play's a success, a drunken actor by the name of William Shakespeare (Spall) steps up and claims the credit. But events spiral out of control and along with political machinations, soon seething jealousy and snake pit politics overtake the arts - and against a backdrop of rebellion, the truth becomes harder to realize.
Anonymous is an odd sort of film - while there are flashes of brilliance (such as the visualizations of Elizabethan times and the stunning performances of some of the plays in the Globe which recapture the vibe and thrust of what theatre must have been like in its infancy), there's a lot of stiffness in both the dialogue and characters. Coupled with Emmerich's continual desire to throw in thunder and lightning effects every time there's a confrontation or trouble, there's little subtlety on show here.

Rhys Ifans is watchable as the Earl and Redgrave is impressive as Elizabeth but all in all, Anonymous is as starched as an Elizabethan collar with its over the top premise. I can't say I left giving much credence to the theory Shakespeare was a fraud, but I can say I left feeling a little bit like I was back in school having to get my head around those texts which dogged and troubled my formative years.

Bridesmaids: Blu Ray Review

Bridesmaids: Blu Ray Review

Bridesmaids
Rating: R16
Released by Universal Home Ent

In one of the comedies of the year, Kristen 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 Jon 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.

It's actually great entertainment for both male and female audiences which is somewhat of a pleasant surprise.

Extras: Bonus features includes gag reels, extended version, commentary and alternate and extended scenes

Rating: 8/10 

Modern Family S2: DVD Review

Modern Family S2: DVD Review

Modern Family: Season 2
Rating: PG
Released by Universal Home Ent

It nabbed a slew of Emmy awards and to be honest, it's easy to see why.

Following 3 families, Modern Family is the first appointment viewing comedy in a very very long time which everyone can enjoy. Rather than being reliant on smut for the laughs, this goes for the smarts and it hits the target every time.

The mockumentary style casts its eye on Mitchell and Cam, the gay fathers trying to find their way, Claire and Phil with their brood of three and family patriarch Jay, who's trying to keep his sexy Cuban wife Gloria and son happy.

It's rare for an entire season of one show to keep you entertained but 24 episodes of this show do just that. Thanks in part to the outstanding ensemble cast and very smart writing, this is one of the shows that's got the magic right from beginning to end.

Extras: Table reads, videos, extended scenes and gag reel - nothing sensational to be honest, but given how good the show is, you can't imagine there'd be much else left to give

Rating: 8/10 

The Killing: DVD Review

The Killing: DVD Review

The Killing
Rating: M
Released by Madman Entertainment

Four years after being first released in native Denmark, and to universal critical acclaim, the 20 part first series of The Killing is released here.

And what a scorching series it is.

Over 20 episodes, a homicide unit follows the killing of 19-year-old woman, Nanna Birk Larsen - by the intrepid Detective Inspector Sarah Lund, who as the series begins is about to leave for Sweden. But as she looks further into the case, the death has serious implications for an ongoing mayoral campaign.

The pilot of The Killing pretty much lays its atmospheric cards out on the table - with iconic backgrounds and Nordic landscapes, it does feel a little like The Millennium Trilogy in tone; but it's its own beast.
It's captivating, engrossing, intelligent and enthralling television at its best with a central protagonist who's prone to wearing chunky jumpers and because of that, ends up in the pantheon of quirky yet brilliant detectives.

Simply put, The Killing needs your time - set aside 20 hours for some of the best TV you'll see - and then beg Madman to release the second series...

Rating: 8/10

Rio: Blu Ray Review

Rio: Blu Ray Review

Rio
Rating: PG
Released by Universal Home Ent

From the creators of Ice Age, it's the story of the last male macaw in the world Blu (voiced with geeky overtones by The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg) who's kidnapped when young from his Brazilian habitat. An accident leads him to be cared for by Linda (Leslie Mann) in Minnesota - and Blu's quite happy in his domesticated lifestyle.

However, when Tulio, from Brazil's department of Conservation shows up on her doorstep, pleading with Linda to let him mate Blu with the last female Macaw Jewel (Anne Hathaway), Blu's life is thrown into disarray.

Dragged to Rio for a romantic liaison, Blu's birdnapped once again - and along with Jewel and a few feathered friends, he's determined to escape back to Linda and the comfort of his normal life.

Colourful, passionate and full of heart, Rio is an animated delight. From its opening song which soars with birds covering the screen in a wealth of vibrant colours, Rio will get you onside right away.
Even if the sight of most of those birds being kidnapped minutes later will terrify the young...

With a story which is sweet but not cloying, Rio manages to move and amuse in equal measures.

Throw in a great performance from Jesse Eisenberg (who's really cornering that geeky style) as bird nerd Blu - and a menacing turn from Jemaine Clement's Nigel, a cockatoo who used to be the in thing but who's now bitter and angry, and you've got the mix for a fun time for all the family at the cinema. Which is a rare thing.

But, it's an all family affair too - from the wondrous animated backdrops of Rio itself to the cast of supporting characters, (monkeys, dogs, toucans, birds) there's plenty for everyone to get lost in here.

The script has smarts too - with witty dialogue, great songs (the stand out of which is Jemaine Clement's bird rap) charm and animation that is easy on the eye and not reliant on 3D, you can't go wrong with Rio.
Rating: 7/10