Jeremy Renner is....Jason Bourne?? - First look

So here's the first look at Jeremy Renner in the new Bourne flick.

The film hits NZ cinemas on August 16th and has a high profile cast including the likes of Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton and Albert Finney....

The Office: Special Edition set: DVD Review

The Office: Special Edition set: DVD Review

The Office: Special Edition Box Set
Rating: M
Released by BBC and Roadshow

David Brent aka Ricky Gervais certainly set the bar high for observational comedy docos.

Ten years on from its first outing, it remains a good strong watch - with its creators opting to end the series after 12 eps and throwing us a couple of special episodes for good measure.

For those who've never seen it, this fly on the wall doco looks at life in a paper company; with Ricky Gervais' boss David Brent who's more interested in being an entertainer to his staff; second in command Gareth is a power hungry wannabe, Tim is the temp who ends up stuck in the job - and Dawn, the receptionist who falls for Tim.

It's a great series still; excruciating in places but constantly watchable.

This latest release just about manages to pull "cynical cash in" from your mind by offering up a wealth of extra features including docos, music vids, outtakes, video diaries to name but a few.

Rating: 8/10 

Prometheus Trailer

This looks fairly epic.

From director Ridley Scott - and so far, no-one's confirming it's an Alien Prequel.

Yet.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Trailer

Here's the first look at The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey trailer. The film releases in New Zealand in December 2012.

Can't wait to see what the return to Middle Earth will be like on the big screen...

The Dark Knight Rises trailer

I couldn't be more excited about this final flick in the Batman series.

The prologue's playing before Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

But here's a look at the Bane vs Batman showdown hitting cinemas this winter in New Zealand....

Colombiana - Blu Ray Review

Colombiana
Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Entertainment

Zoe Saldana heads into the territory of the vengeful female, a trail which has been blazed by the likes of La Femme Nikita and Leon.

She stars as Cataleya, who, as a young girl growing up in Colombia, saw her mother and father killed off by a Colombian cartel. So ending up in the USA, she takes up with uncle Tio (Cliff Curtis) who decides to help when she pleads with him to become a killer.

However, as Cataleya edges ever closer to wiping out targets from the cartel to draw out Mr Big, she attracts the attention of Lennie James' FBI agent - and an artist who falls in love with her.
If you're after a kick ass babe with guns and an attitude but little emotional depth, then Colombiana is for you. I'm actually surprised how much I bought into this film despite the at times ludicrous plot developments.

That's because Zoe Saldana delivers a focused performance which delivers the action but little emoting - and also because Luc Besson was involved too.

Colombiana is a taut action thriller, with the prerequisite bangs and whistles - and explosions - and is perfectly serviceable for these rainy summer days we're getting. And it scores for the Xena reference subtly thrown in too.

RATING:

The Devil's Rock: DVD Review

The Devil's Rock
Rating: M
Released by Vendetta Film

Horror and Nazis combine in this Kiwi flick.

Craig Hall stars as Captain Ben Grogan, who along with his comrade Sergeant Joseph Tane (Karlos Drinkwater) is on a top secret government mission to destroy positions on the eve of D Day.

But when the pair end up on an apparently deserted bunker in Guernsey, they find more than they can handle - a series of bodies with entrails hanging out, a sole Nazi officer and a woman chained up.

The Devil's Rock is a pacy attempt at a good psychological horror; in many ways, the tense quiet opening as the pair negotiate the beaches is a traditional tale of any duo who find themselves in a minefield.

But when they get inside the bunker, it's here Campion abandons a lot of the war tenets and heads into horror territory as we hear screams, shots of tortured and mutilated bodies and see blood all over the walls.

Yet, it doesn't veer into OTT territory either with Campion preferring to give the film a more intimate and psychological feel as Hall and Sunderland's characters match wits and engage in verbal sparring initially as part of a two hander conversation. Gina Varela manages the right level of seductive menace as the Devilish woman chained up as the film heads into Exorcist meets Saving Private Ryan boundaries. Sure, you could argue it becomes a two hander because of budgetary constraints, but it manages to get by ok - even if there's some dodgy dialogue here and there.

There's a lot of gore in this outing and that may put some off but as a well researched horror which is based on a degree of fact, it really does offer something a little different to the genre and may impress more than you'd initially expect.