Moneyball: Movie Review

Moneyball

Cast: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hofman
Director: Bennett Miller

It’s Oscar potential for Brad Pitt with this latest film about baseball.

But before you roll your eyes and get out your sports movie cliché bingo card for the inevitable cinematic moments (locker room chat, slow mo shots etc), this is one which is actually a good solid watch. Although a few of those clichés are present and correct, in case you’re worried.

It’s 2001 and Pitt stars as Billy Beane, failed former baseball prodigy and now general manager at the Oakland Athletics team.

When another loss to the New York Yankees sinks the team, Beane’s forced to recruit some new players as his big hitters are being poached by other major league teams.

Sick of being, as he terms it, "an organ donor" for the other sides, Beane ends up meeting Peter Brand (Jonah Hill, in a watchably restrained and quiet performance) who believes major players are overpaid, and that there’s a league of underused players who actually perform better when you look at their statistics rather than their showy team mates.

So, with nothing to lose (cliché bingo, anyone?) and despite his advisors disagreeing, Beane tries this strategy for the new season.

Unsurprisingly, in the face of staunch opposition from everyone, the method doesn’t work out and the Oakland Athletics fare worse than hoped.

Suddenly, Beane and Brand find themselves the outsiders of the game – and facing uncertain futures in the wake of dismal results…

Moneyball features a winning performance from its two leads – and its director also. It doesn’t fall into the usual trappings of a sports film as it’s really about the mentality and statistical mindset of the sport rather than what unfolds out on the pitch (or diamond if you will).

But it’s the turns by Hill and Pitt which make this so watchable; Hill gives a quiet and dialled down performance which makes him feel real rather than a character. Likewise, Pitt has energy and spikiness but he channels that into making Beane feel a flawed and yet rounded character – and in the one scene when he’s negotiating three contracts on three different phones, you find out everything you need to know about this character.

At the end of the day, while Moneyball is your traditional underdog sports film in many ways, it’s probably one of the more intelligent offerings into the genre and will hopefully score a home run (sorry) for its actors when awards season is upon us.

Rating:



Check out the trailer here:

Romantics Anonymous: Movie Review

Romantics Anonymous

Cast: Benoît Poelvoorde, Isabelle Carré, Lorella Cravotta, Lise Lamétrie, Swann Arlaud, Pierre Niney, Stephan Wojtowicz, Claude Aufaure

A French romcom set in a chocolate factory sounds about as light and breezy as a chocolate bar itself.

This latest from director Ameris is the tale of shy and retiring (and also incredibly socially frightened) chocolatier Jean-Rene who ends up hiring Angelique (Carre) when she walks into his factory one day.

The trouble is that Angelique is equally as timid, even though she’s hiding the fact she’s one of France’s top chocolate makers.

However, Jean-Rene’s set a few challenges by his therapist to try and help him come out of his shell – and one of them becomes a relationship with Angelique.

The duo are hyper emotional and at times, it makes this film spool out as quite quirky as you watch their collective neuroses unfold.

Unfortunately this chick flick style feel is also borderline a little sickly too – much like too much chocolate really.

Granted, there’s no denying the charm and sweetness of it all and it will appeal to a certain sector of the audience but personally, I found the quirkiness of it overall a little too much to bear.

Rating:

PS Vita - aka how I lost most of my weekend

I've been very lucky to have been given a review PS Vita, ahead of its launch here in New Zealand on Feb 23rd.

To be honest, I was surprised when the offer was made to me and I couldn't really say no to it now, could I?

The slimline handheld launches in NZ in a couple of weeks' time, so this is in no way a review - merely a collection of a few early thoughts.

I have to admit I never really got on board with the whole PSP phenomenon when it launched back in 2004 - I was just getting to grips with the PS3 and the fact it could indulge my gaming tendencies and my search of higher quality video formats like Blu Ray to really be invested in it.

So in many ways, the PS Vita is my first exposure to the handheld consoles outside of the flip screen games from Activision from in my youth.

But what an experience it looks like it'll be - and I say that writing this late on Sunday morning having no real  recollection of where the last 36 hours have gone.

The first thing to note is how slender and beautifully designed the console is - despite having a couple of mini analogue sticks out of the front of it which could be cumbersome. But they're not in any shape or form - they look smaller in some ways and that led to some initial worries that it a) wouldn't be easy to play or b) wouldn't be durable enough. Clearly after numerous hours of messing with it, that's not the case.

Crystal clear graphics on the OLED screen and a "bouncy" feel to the bubbles graphics which hit the front menu suggest that it feels very much like a 3D iPphone screen in some ways. It also makes use of the whole touch and pull finger technology of the iPhone  as well as the peeling back of screens to flip between menus. Throw into that mix, a touch pad on the back of the PS VITA which is going to be used on games and in use of the console and there's plenty of use for fingers when it comes to this handheld item.

There's a few games which have been kindly dropped into the review code and I'll come to those another time - but initial thoughts on the PS Vita are that it's going to be very well received by the gaming crowd - and as it incorporates a lot of social ideas as well, there'll be plenty of a community feel to it.

The games which I've tinkered with - including the new Wipeout 2048 and ModNation Racers - Road Trip - are simply visually stunning and endlessly playable. Graphically, they're just stunning and with such clarity of the screen at even a low brightness, you don't have to worry about reflection and sun strike issues which occasionally dog these kinds of small screens. It's very easy to utilise the Wifi aspects of the console and get into the network while you're on the go; meaning you're never disconnected from your gaming life and the latest on offer from the PlayStation Network store.
All of the gaming titles are new versions and not simply ported across from another platform. It gives the PS Vita something new to offer when it comes to the games side of it all as well when it launches on the 23rd of February. Plus throw in a new game for Uncharted, Uncharted Golden Abyss and simply, there's much to keep the most hardy of gamers amused for hours ahead.

The games have been upgraded in terms of how you load them - instead of the UMDs you used to have with PSP, a lot more of this gaming software is going to come in use via either the downloads from the network or via a memory card which slots into the side of the PS Vita (much like a camera memory card) and bingo, you can begin playing.

As I say, more to come (including a bit more of a breakdown of the capacities on offer and some of the games too)....so stay tuned; but the early signs are that the PS Vita will make a significant splash into the marketplace - it's fair to say that having never really embraced the portable gaming market before, this hasn't left my side since I got hold of it last week. It's handy, convenient gaming and with an eye for the social as well, it's clearly going to be something which will proliferate the marketplace.

It's playable, durable, and above all, easy to use - the PS Vita may already have launched in Japan, but in this marketplace, it's going to be a success - after all, PlayStation have fashioned a device which - bar mobile calling - fulfills a lot of the requirements of any gamer on the go. With social platforming, Skype, Twitter, Facebook et al being added on as well, it really will become the go to toy for the next generation.

PS Vita's launch Date is set for 23rd February in New Zealand. Prices are $449.95 for the Wifi Model, $549.95 for the Wifi/3G Model.

You can get more on the PS Vita by going to the official PlayStation site here - and take a look at the PS Vita with the official PlayStation blog below...

This Means War: Movie Review

This Means War

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy, Chris Pine, Til Schweiger

It's Spy vs Spy in this film - and it's one aimed squarely at the date market as we head into Valentine's week.
FDR (Pine) and Tuck (Hardy) are long term mates and compadres at the CIA - they're the kind of guys who have each other's back when the going gets tough and the bullets are flying.

But Tuck longs for a bit of female company, having split with his wife and family; FDR though is the complete opposite - a self assured womaniser who's never short of the ladies and always happier for a one night stand than anything more long term.

Meanwhile, Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) is working as a consumer tester and also is looking for a little bit of love after the fact her ex's got engaged.

So, when Tuck signs up to a dating service, he ends up on a date with Lauren and it goes quite well; but when FDR spots her in a nearby video store, he too picks her up. Suddenly, it's spy vs spy in the game of love, something which is further complicated by the fact an undercover mission involving Tuck and FDR left the brother of a terrorist (Schweiger) dead - and he wants revenge.

The thing is with this film is that it's not based in any kind of reality and is just simply a piece of unashamed blockbuster crowd pleasing entertainment.
It's good to see Tom Hardy playing something softer than the hard man and both he and Pine have a good rapport as this spy versus spy tale of one up-man ship progresses.
Reese Witherspoon is in audience pandering ditz mode as Lauren, the girl torn between 2 guys; she rolls out that apple pie perky grin to devastating effect here.

Granted the vengeful terrorist storyline is a bit wasted and it's almost as if McG forgot this was part of the story given the randomness with which it pops up from time to time.

McG throws out some over-the-top set pieces with huge explosions and implausible set ups/aftermaths but it's exactly what you'd expect in a film where logic rarely plays a part; on a side note, a few of the action sequences blur by so quickly you can barely keep up.
Sure it's corny, cheesy and totally goofy but This Means War is an unashamedly silly guilty pleasure of a flick which will work as a treat for date night - but not if you're out for something aimed at taxing the grey matter.

Rating

Watch the This Means War trailer:

BAFTA Winners 2012

We're edging closer to the Oscars - and the Brits have just handed out their annual back slapping BAFTAs - which as ever, tends to favour the British talent over the rest of the world.

Here's the list of the winners from the glittering show in London, hosted by the ever funny Stephen Fry.

BEST FILM

WINNER: The Artist

The

Descendants
Drive

The Help
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

WINNER: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Tomas Alfredson, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn Slovo, Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan


My Week With Marilyn - Simon Curtis, David Parfitt, Harvey Weinstein, Adrian Hodges
Senna - Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Manish Pandey
Shame - Steve Mcqueen, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Abi Morgan
We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lynne Ramsay, Luc Roeg, Jennifer Fox, Robert Salerno, Rory Stewart Kinnear

LEADING ACTOR

WINNER: Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Clooney, The Descendants
Michael Fassbender, Shame


LEADING ACTRESS

WINNER: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Viola Davis, The Help


SUPPORTING ACTOR

WINNER: Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Jim Broadbent, The Iron Lady
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Ides of March


SUPPORTING ACTRESS

WINNER: Octavia Spencer, The Help


Carey Mulligan, Drive
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Judi Dench, My Week With Marilyn
Melissa Mccarthy, Bridesmaids

DIRECTOR

WINNER: The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius

Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn
Hugo, Martin Scorsese
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Tomas Alfredson
We Need To Talk About Kevin, Lynne Ramsay

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

WINNER: Tyrannosaur - Paddy Considine (Director), Diarmid Scrimshaw (Producer)
Attack The Block - Joe Cornish (Director/Writer)
Black Pond - Will Sharpe (Director/Writer), Tom Kingsley (Director), Sarah Brocklehurst (Producer)
Coriolanus - Ralph Fiennes (Director)
Submarine - Richard Ayoade (Director/Writer)

ANIMATED FILM

WINNER: Rango - Gore Verbinski

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn - Steven Spielberg
Arthur Christmas - Sarah Smith

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

WINNER: The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius


Bridesmaids, Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig
The Guard, John Michael Mcdonagh
The Iron Lady, Abi Morgan
Midnight In Paris, Woody Allen


ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

WINNER: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan


The Descendants - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
The Help - Tate Taylor
The Ides of March - George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
Moneyball - Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin


FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

WINNER: The Skin I Live In - Pedro Almodóvar, Agustin Almodóvar

Incendies - Denis Villeneuve, Luc Déry, Kim Mcgraw
Pina - Wim Wenders, Gian-Piero Ringel
Potiche - François Ozon, Eric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer
A Separation - Asghar Farhadi

DOCUMENTARY


*WINNER: Senna - Asif Kapadia

George Harrison: Living In The Material World - Martin Scorsese
Project Nim - James Marsh, Simon Chinn

CINEMATOGRAPHY

WINNER: The Artist - Guillaume Schiffman

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Jeff Cronenweth
Hugo - Robert Richardson
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Hoyte Van Hoytema
War Horse - Janusz Kaminski


PRODUCTION DESIGN
WINNER: Hugo - Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo

The Artist - Laurence Bennett, Robert Gould
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 - Stuart Craig, Stephenie Mcmillan
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana Macdonald
War Horse - Rick Carter, Lee Sandales

COSTUME DESIGN

WINNER: The Artist - Mark Bridges

Hugo - Sandy Powell
Jane Eyre - Michael O'Connor
My Week With Marilyn - Jill Taylor
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Jacqueline Durran

MAKE UP & HAIR
WINNER: The Iron Lady-  Marese Langan

The Artist - Julie Hewett, Cydney Cornell
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 - Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin
Hugo-  Morag Ross, Jan Archibald
My Week With Marilyn - Jenny Shircore

SOUND

WINNER: Hugo - Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman, John Midgley

The Artist - Nadine Muse, Gérard Lamps, Michael Krikorian
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 - James Mather, Stuart Wilson, Stuart Hilliker, Mike Dowson, Adam Scrivener
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy-  John Casali, Howard Bargroff, Doug Cooper, Stephen Griffiths, Andy Shelley
War Horse - Stuart Wilson, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Richard Hymns

EDITING

WINNER: Senna - Gregers Sall, Chris King

The Artist-  Anne-Sophie Bion, Michel Hazanavicius
Drive - Mat Newman
Hugo - Thelma Schoonmaker
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy - Dino Jonsater

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

WINNER: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2- Tim Burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler, David Vickery

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn- Joe Letteri
Hugo - Rob Legato, Ben Grossman, Joss Williams

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes - Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White

War Horse - Ben Morris, Neil Corbould


SHORT FILM

WINNER: Pitch Black Heist - John Maclean, Gerardine O'Flynn

Chalk - Martina Amati, Gavin Emerson, James Bolton, Ilaria Bernardini
Mwansa The Great-  Rungano Nyoni, Gabriel Gauchet
Only Sound Remains-  Arash Ashtiani, Anshu Poddar
Two and Two - Babak Anvari, Kit Fraser, Gavin Cullen

SHORT ANIMATION

WINNER: A Morning Stroll - Grant Orchard, Sue Goffe

Abuelas - Afarin Eghbal, Kasia Malipan, Francesca Gardiner
Bobby Yeah - Robert Morgan

ORIGINAL MUSIC

WINNER: The Artist - Ludovic Bource

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
HUGO - Howard Shore
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Alberto Iglesias
War Horse - John Williams

THE ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD (Voted For By The Public)

WINNER: Adam Deacon

Chris Hemsworth
Chris O’Dowd
Eddie Redmayne
Tom Hiddleston

Lost In Translation: Blu Ray Review

Rating: PG
Released by Universal Home Ent

There's just something about Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation - and it's not just the lingering shot of Scarlett Johansson's behind.

Bill Murray's Bob Harris and Johansson's Charlotte are two Americans in Tokyo. Harris is a movie star and Charlotte is in town for the ride with her hubby.

These two lost souls connect after a chance meeting and friendship blossoms as they head through the bright lights of the foreign city.

First time on Blu Ray and looking very good on the format, Lost In Translation is still as joyous as it was when it was first released nearly a decade ago. Murray and Johansson are great - with Murray using his deadpan ways to maximum effect and plenty of laugh out loud moments.

Simply dreamy and utterly adorable, this release needs to be in your collection without any shadow of a doubt.

Extras: Deleted scenes, brief interviews, music video and on location

Rating: