Friends with Benefits: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Ent

Haven't we already done this before with No Strings Attached starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman in the past 12 months?
Well, sort of.

Mila Kunis stars as corporate headhunter Jamie who first meets graphic designer Dylan Harper (Justin Timberlake) when she's trying to get him to relocate from LA to take a job with GQ in New York. Harper's initially reticent to take the post as he's not convinced the move is the right thing for him. But Jamie takes him for a night on the town and that persuades him to up sticks and move to the Big Apple.

But Harper doesn't really know anyone and so he latches onto Jamie and the two become friends.

Who then decide a little casual sex won't necessarily be a bad thing - as long as it doesn't lead to complications....

As romantic comedies go, Friends With Benefits is a bouncy, fun, light, frothy cappuccino of the genre; it's got a pacy opening and some zingy funny dialogue - as well as young things exposing a fair bit (and butt) of flesh.

That in mind, it's actually got a fair bit going for it - in particular, Kunis who cut her comedic chops on TV sitcom, That 70s Show. She outshines Timberlake in comic timing, playful sexiness and great delivery of some punchy oneliners while batting those big seductive eyes. It's not that Timberlake's terrible, just that he's not on the same level as her when it comes to the comedy and ends up more goofy than plausible.
There's a bit of a lull when the film relocates from the fun of NY to Harper's more serious home family situation in LA and despite another brilliant turn from Richard Jenkin, the energy dip nearly becomes critical for the movie.

A good solid ensemble cast, including a cameo from the superb Emma Stone, a hippyish free loving Patricia Clarkson as Jamie's mother and Woody Harrelson as a gay sports editor at GQ makes this something a little less predictable for the rom com genre. Sure, there's a bit of dissecting of the tenets of the rom-com world by the pair as they scoff at the banalities and predictabilities of Hollywood's romantic world view (even former Grey's Anatomy starlet and now romcom stable Katherine Heigl gets dissed), but it's all part of the overall mix.

All in all, despite the blatantly shoe-horned in product placement  and repeated flash mobbing, Friends With Benefits will surprise you - it'll make you laugh when you don't expect it and actually leave you with a fluffy glow.

Rating:

Zookeeper - Blu Ray Review

Zookeeper

Rating: PG
Released by Sony Home Ent

Kevin James continues to mine his everyman shtick in this latest, a comedy about a zookeeper.
James is Griffin, who, at the start of the film has his proposal rejected by Leslie Bibb's Stephanie (the love of his life).

Cue five years later, Griffin's now head zookeeper and relatively content with his lot in life. Until at his brother's engagement do (at the zoo, naturally) his ex shows up and Griffin realises what he may have lost.

So determined to better himself, Griffin decides it's time to leave the zoo - and take a high earning job elsewhere to ensure he's not seen as a failure.

And that's the moment, the animals plot to keep him - and break their code of silence to reveal to him, and he alone, that they can talk&.

What to say about Zookeeper?

If you like pratfalls, talking animals, a creepy Asian zookeeper (step forward Ken Jeong), flat set pieces which lack fizz and sparkle, occasional laugh out loud moments and an array of stars (Stallone, Cher to name but two) talking as animals, then stop reading right here and pre-book your ticket for Zookeeper.
Granted the younger end of the audience is likely to enjoy this and there's a nice message about staying true to yourself and believing in yourself, but Zookeeper is pretty much your standard middle of the road fare.

James trades well on his everyman role once again but this time around, there's little for him to work with here - there's certainly no sophistication on display in the script but some of the younger end of the audience will love it in places (particularly the whole friendship he has with a gorilla, and a talking monkey too).

At the end of the day, if you want to see Kevin James being given advice on getting women from a group of animated animals who're prone to putting him in a succession of embarrassing situations, believe the kids will have a good time and you're prepared to leave your brain at the door, then Zookeeper is the one for your hard earned cash.

Rating:

Wipeout 2048 video revealed

There can be no denying that I love the Wipeout racing games on the PlayStation.

They were one of my earliest gaming thrills on PS One - and led to hours of challenges between myself and my mates as we lived the heady days of student life and the excitement of co-op playing in its basic format.

So, it goes without saying that I'm very excited by the prospect of a return to this racing world for WipEout 2048...

A whole new batch of pics from the game has been unleashed too...

And now there's a video showing the intro movie and it comes with director's commentary as Game Director, Graeme Ankers, and Art Director, Lee Carus, give a deeper insight into the journey the movie takes the viewer on. ...

I for one, can't wait to see it very very soon.

Lord of the Rings online game expansion unveiled

What with the Hobbit on the way, it's a big year for Lord of the Rings fans.

And if there's gaming fans among you who love the online version of the LOTR games, then it's good news.

This morning, World of Entertainment's just got news that a new expansion to The Lord of the Rings Online™ will be launching Spring 2012.
The release says:

"The Lord of the Rings Online™: Riders of Rohan™, the latest expansion to the award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) developed by Turbine. 

Riders of Rohan expands the online world of Middle-earth where players join forces to ride into the Plains of Rohan. 

Riders of Rohan launches in the Spring of 2012 with an increased level cap, the vast plains of Rohan including iconic locations such as Amon Hen and Fangorn Forest, the new Mounted Combat system and much more!

“2011 was another banner year for The Lord of the Rings Online with consistent growth for the game, a successful unification of our European and North American services and the success of Rise of Isengard, our best selling expansion to date.” said Kate Paiz, Executive Producer of The Lord of the Rings Online.  “This is going to be another outstanding year as we celebrate our fifth anniversary and introduce a wealth of new content throughout the year, ending with our arrival in Rohan.  One of our largest expansions ever, Rohan is expected to be twice the size of the recent Rise of Isengard expansion and includes the most new game systems and technology we've introduced since 2008's Mines of Moria.”

New features will include
-  Experience the Riders of Rohan – Join with the Rohirrim and ride across the sprawling Plains of Rohan; witness the breaking of the Fellowship at Amon Hen; forge alliances with the Ents of Fangorn; and aid Éomer, adopted son of Théoden, as he seeks to protect his homeland from the growing Shadow.
- Introducing Mounted Combat – Ride into Combat atop your loyal War-steed as you defend the people of Rohan from the forces of Isengard and Mordor. Customise your War-steed’s armour and level its skills over time to aid you in mounted defence of King Theoden’s lands. Mount your steed and gather your fellows to fight against Warbands, contingents of roving warg riders that have been scouted all over the Plains of Rohan! It falls to you to head off and defeat this new threat before they over take the land.
- Advance to level 85 – Continue your legend in the next chapter of The Lord of the Rings Online. Experience new adventures in the epic story, and gain new skills and deeds as you face new challenges on your journey to 85!"

So, what are you waiting for - grab your sword in anticipation and get ready to ride with Rohan!

The Descendants: Movie Review

The Descendants

Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Robert Forster, Matthew Lillard, Beau Bridges

With ringing critical endorsements, Golden Globes wins and talk of Oscars for George Clooney, The Descendants opens in cinemas.

Based on a book by Kaui Hart Hemmings, Clooney stars as Hawaiian lawyer Matt King. King's been an absent father to his two daughters and somewhat distant in his marriage - but after his wife's put into a coma following a powerboating accident, he's forced to abandon his role as the "back up parent" and step up to the plate.

But that's not all - King's the descendant of some of Hawaii's founders and as sole trustee, he's facing the life altering choice of whether to sell thousands of acres of land and change the island's future.

All of that takes a back seat though when he discovers his wife was having an affair.

With the help of his rebellious teen daughter Alex (a brilliant star making turn from Shailene Woodley, star of TV2's Secret Life of the American Teenager), Matt sets out to meet the man who was involved with his wife...

The Descendants is one of those films which is funny, heartwarming, and a totally unexpected gem.
With a deftly amusing script and some very wry moments, it really works astonishingly well.

George Clooney rightly deserves Oscar buzz for his charming yet vulnerable, angry, emotive and restrained turn as weary land baron Matt King. He's on a career best here and mightily impressive throughout - despite being clad in some quite hideous Hawaiian shirts. A scene where he rails at his coma ridden wife conveys all the frustration, heartbreak and anger you'd expect in a film like this where the complicated threads pull together in a tight tapestry of tragedy.

If Clooney's good, co-star Shailene Woodley is his equal; initially just a rebellious teen, she peels back the layers on the complexity of a 17 year old who's faced with her mum dying and delivers such a nuanced performance that it rises from what could have been your archetypal mopey teen.

That's the thing with The Descendants; it defies your initial expectations of yet another dysfunctional family road trip film - it manages to deliver something which is incredibly emotive, has beautifully rich deadpan storytelling and is unexpectedly funny too.

Rating:

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: Movie Review

The Girl with Dragon Tattoo

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Robin Wright, Christopher Plummer
Director: David Fincher

So, here it is, the much hyped and awaited Americanised version of the series which first gripped our nation's readers and then our nation's cinemagoers.

Daniel Craig stars as Mikael Blomkvist, the Swedish journalist and co-owner of the Millennium magazine, who is being sued as the film begins. When the court action wipes him out financially, he ends up taking on an investigation into a death of a girl 40 years ago by the wealthy Henrik Vanger (Plummer).

As Blomkvist investigates further into the murky past of the family, he's brought into contact with computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) who helps him with the case.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is an electrifying take on the established film - and is exceptionally true to the book.

It's hard to adapt such a bleak and phenomenally popular book and film - but Fincher's taken the bull by the horns and given it a brave, bold new life.

But a lot of the success of this film is due to Rooney Mara's portrayal of Lisbeth Salander. While many will consider Noomi Rapace's take the definitive one, Mara's outstanding in every scene she's in, capturing the spiky fragility and power of the character so incredibly well that it's hard to pick directly between the two actresses. She's rightfully been nominated for a Golden Globe for this turn - it's such a phenomenally good take that it's captivating from the moment she appears. And it seems Oscar noms are rightfully bestowed on her too.

While the majority of the cast appears to try Swedish accents, Craig is the only one of the leads to consciously avoid it; it takes a little getting used to but he's as good in the role of Blomkvist, but he's overshadowed by his co-actor.

The film is as dark as it ever was; and Fincher's reteaming with the same team who created The Social Network soundtrack is a perfect match in capturing the darkness in an electronic/ techno crossover.

Overall, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is an extremely powerful and confident start to this franchise - and while the investigation into the Vanger death does give the film a slightly slow pace at times, thanks to the stunning work from Mara (and to a lesser extent, Craig), it's a thrilling ride as it unspools on the screen.

Rating:

Oscar nominations 2012

So they're finally here - the Academy Award 2012 nominations.

And what a list - a nod for NZ's Bret McKenzie, a 17th nomination for Meryl Streep, a first for Gary Oldman, Hugo leads the pack (but not for acting) and an overlooked Tintin misses out on an animated nod despite Golden Globe glory. But WETA scores for its awesome work in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

The show's on next month with Billy Crystal hosting - but for now here's the full list of the 2012 Oscar Academy Award nominations...

Best Picture

War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

 Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Best Actor
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Best Director
Michel Hazanivicus, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best Original Screenplay
Michel Hazanivicius, The Artist
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumulo, Bridesmaids
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Best Adapted ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Descendants
John Logan, Hugo
George Clooney, Beau Willimon and Grant Heslov, The Ides of March
Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin, Moneyball
Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Foreign FeatureBullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

Best Animated Feature
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Art Direction

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

Cinematography
The Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Costume Design
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Documentary Feature
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

Documentary Short Subject
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Film Editing
Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Kevin Tent, The Descendants
Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Thelma Schoonmaker, Hugo
Christopher Tellefsen, Moneyball

MakeupMartial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle, Albert Nobbs
Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, The Iron Lady

Music (Original Score)

John Williams, The Adventures of Tintin
Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Howard Shore, Hugo
Alberto Iglesias, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
John Williams, War Horse

Music (Original Song)

"Man or Muppet" from The Muppets, Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio" from Rio, Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett

Sound Editing
Drive
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Sound Mixing
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Monyeball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Visual Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Short Film (Animated)Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Short Film (Live Action)Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic