New Avengers poster unveiled

Time's running out till the release of the Avengers film on April 25th this year - a week before the USA gets it.

And so, the info's coming thick and fast now - including this brand new poster for Iron Man et al.

There's also a rumour on the net that this film is now being called Avengers Assemble - but there's no confirmation on that hitting our shores yet.

The main thing though is the poster - check it out below!

The Simpsons: Season 14 Blu Ray Review

Rating: M

Released by 20th Century Fox

Another season, another packed season set released by 20th Century Fox.

This set though has a little something else to celebrate with the 300th ep of the cartoon serial. There's little changed in the MO of the series - it's Homer messing up and everyone paying the price - in hilarity. Guest stars this time around include the likes of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Kelsey Grammer, Blink 182 to name but a few.

While the quality of the eps can be a bit questionable, the quality on Blu ray of the picture and the extra content cannot - it's simply superb and constantly watchable.

Sure, there may be some bits creaking as they reached 300, but the Simpsons remains consistently entertaining and utterly enjoyable.

Extras: Commentaries on every ep, featurette on the 300th ep, bonus Treehouse of Horror ep and much much more

Rating:

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

Fresh in the footsteps of Tintin this year and Indiana Jones in the, erm, past, comes Edwardian adventuress Adele Blanc-Sec in a new film which is clearly a franchise attempt.

The engimatic Louise Bourgoin plays Blanc-Sec, an intrepid young reporter whose MO appears to be adventure. Set in Paris in 1912, Blanc-Sec finds herself in a world of excitement when she's caught up in a case involving an escaped pterodactyl, problems with an attempt to find an Egyptian mummy and a professor whose involvement in all of the above signifies mayhem for all. Plus behind all the goings on, there's a sense of sadness for Blanc-Sec as the real reason for her quest is revealed...

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec from director Luc Besson is a real surprise, an eye opener for adventure and fantasy films and seriously good fun.

Bourgoin is great as Blanc-Sec with a touch of sexiness, intelligence and a pinch of guile as the adventuress in this adaptation of a series of French novels. There's a real deftness to the story and a light touch from Besson gives this the look and feel of something cartoonish and something very much for a light Sunday afternoon viewing.

It ends with the promise of a sequel (set on the Titanic) and I hope it's forthcoming as this is tremendously watchable good fun.

Rating:

Dr Who - The Sensorites - DVD Review

Rating: PG

Released by BBC and Roadshow

Back to the 7th ever Dr Who release, this black and white six part adventure for the time travelling team has a NZ connection, starring as it does a very young Ilona Rodgers.

When the TARDIS crew materialise on a spaceship orbiting a mysterious world, there's all kinds of questions to be asked - and when the actual crew of the ship appear to be dead, there's more than a few alarm bells going off for William Hartnell's Doctor....

And when the mysterious and apparently dangerous Sensorites arrive, it looks like the Dr has a mystery to solve...

A nice slow piece this maybe from the 1960s but it's certainly an intriguing watch which builds atmosphere and vibe up in place of swift action and endless technobabble. It won't appeal to everyone but certainly Who fans will enjoy the polished remastering of this serial as well as the extras.

The highlight of said extras is a moving piece from fan Toby Hadoke who goes to try and find Peter R Newman, the writer of the serial about whom little is known. What emerges is a fascinating mini Who Do You Think You Are ep and it's perhaps one of the best extras of the range.

Extras: Commentary, featurettes and the ever brilliant in screen prod notes.

Rating:

Cedar Rapids: Blu Ray Review

Rating: R16
Released by Universal Home Ent

The Hangover's Ed Helms stars in this quirky little comedy piece about small town America.

Helms is shy and naive salesman Tim Lippe who heads into the big city for a convention for work - only while there he ends up meeting party animal Dean Ziegler (John C Reilly). Before Tim knows it, he's living outside his comfort zone, crashing parties, skinny dipping in the hotel pool and being seduced...

If you're expecting a raunchy flick, then you may be surprised. While there's a little of this within, it's a sweetly sly piece which sees Ed Helms impress with his comic muscles; likewise Reilly is watchable as the party guy. There's no real laugh out loud moments, but there are a lot of cute and sweet moments within. If you've seen Helm in The Office, you'll know exactly which character you're getting as his Lippe is an extension of character Andy.

Extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel, behind the scenes faux pieces

Rating:

Movie - The Movie trailer hits

Post Oscars, you need a little something to laugh at

And Jimmy Kimmel's got the answer - it's the ultimate Movie trailer for the Movie film everyone wants to see.

Take a look below.

Oscars winners - Live Updates

So the day's finally here and now is the show - and the time to see who Oscar's awarded to.

So far, the awards are going Hugo's way. Stay tuned to get comments on the show as it goes on - and on Billy Crystal as and when - plus other presenters.

Billy Crystal's opening skit was great - taking in The Artist as its starting point, then shoehorning in a little Justin Bieber to try and grab the "18-24" demo as they say before taking in a clip of Billy Crystal eating a little pie courtesy of the Help - but then seguewaying brilliantly into that scene from Bridesmaids. You can't get any better than that. A clever trademark singing monologue from Crystal also sets the tone too.

Tom Hanks, Cameron Diaz and J-Lo have given good presenting turns - the latter two looking dazzling in creams. Clearly this year's Oscars are a little more glam than normal...Sandra Bullock goes bilingual to present Best foreign language film and Christian Bale goes menacing for the best supporting actress gong. Octavia Spencer however, needs help being ousted from her chair to pick her award up - it's nice to see there's still some humility in the Oscars.

Kermit and Miss Piggy introduce the Cirque du soleil - and Billy Crystal jokes about pulling a hamstring. I do hope that's a reference to the jugglers - not Miss Piggy who he may have hit on....

Awesome to see Rango finally got some Oscar love. Even if for Chris Rock to say : "If you're a black man, you can play a donkey or a zebra!"

From Rango director Gore Verbinski: "Thank you so much, this is crazy. Someone asked me if this film is for kids, and I don't know, but it was certainly created by a bunch of grown ups acting like children. We just had the best time - thank you to Johnny Depp and the cast and crew for coming out and playing. Thank you to my beautiful wife and family who inspire me every day with their smiles and laughter."

Nice clip from Billy Crystal and Melissa McCarthy "Why don't we make this an undressing room....?"
Emma Stone and Ben Stiller present an FX award - and there's a lot of love for one of the presenters - hint, it's the one with the red hair...

But it's a bad day for WETA - their brilliant work on Apes loses out to Hugo. All I can say is Boooo.

However, that downer is rewarded by a best supporting Oscar for Christopher Plummer who gets a standing ovation...At 82, he's the oldest actor to ever win an Oscar as well - such a good film and out on DVD this next month in New Zealand. It's also only his second ever nomination too. Good vibes all around - even if he does get to talk longer than everyone else. Still, it's rude to cut him off, right?

And Christopher Plummer has the best line of the night so far -"You're only two years older than me, baby, where have you been all my life?" Superb and a reminder of how dreams can come true.

Finally, some glory for the New Zealand Oscar contingent, though as Bret McKenzie wins for his brilliant Muppet song...an in a sweet touch, thanks his parents as well as a throw out to Kermit - "Like many people in the movies, Kermit is much shorter in real life"

His full speech -
"Wow. Thank you, Academy. I grew up in New Zealand watching the Muppets on TV, and never dreamed I'd get to work with them. I was genuinely starstruck when I first met Kermit, but he's just a normal frog and like many stars, much shorter in person. I'd like to thank everyone on the production, Disney for making movies with songs in them, my wife and kids, my parents for never telling me to get a real job, and Jim Henson and team for creating The Muppets in the first place. Thank you!"
Ha, ha - all of New Zealand is celebrating this.

"Please welcome the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Angelina Jolie."...nice one Billy Crystal.
Woody Allen is the only no show of the night to collect his award...

Speech from the French contingent after they win The Best Directing Award for the Artist:

"Yes! Thank you very much! I have an Oscar. I forgot my speech. I am the happiest director in the world right now - thank you for that. Thank you the Academy, thank all of you. I want to thank my producer, the Weinstein Company, the cast, all of you. I want to thank all the crew, Uggie the Dog. I think he doesn't care - I'm not sure he understands what I say - he's not that good. I want to thank the crazy person who put money in that movie. Also, I want to thank the movie, because since this movie is made its life is full of grace and it brings to us joy and happiness. Thank you for giving it to me, thank you very much!"

The In Memoriam strand was a well done piece too - the full list for those interested were:
Jane Russell, Annie Girardot, John Calley, Polly Platt, Ken Russell, Donald Peterman, Farley Granger, Whitney Houston, Bingham Ray, Tak Miyagishima, Bert Schneider, Michael Cacoyannis, James Rodnunsky, Peter E Berger, Jack J Hayes, Peter Falk, Cliff Robertson, Laura Ziskin, Sidney Lumet, Sue Mengers, Steve Jobs, Geroge Kuchar, Hal Kanter, Theadora Van Runkle, Tim Hetherington, Gene Cantamessa, Gary Winick, Bill Varney, Jackie Cooper, Gilbert Cates, Richard Leacock, James M Roberts, Marion Dougherty, Ben Gazzara, Elizabeth Taylor.

Here's what best actor Jean Dujardin had to say on his best actor win:
"Wow. Thank you! Wahey! I love your country. Thank you to the Academie. It's funny because in 1929 it wasn't Billy Crystal but Douglas Fairbanks who hosted the first Oscar ceremony. Tickets cost $5 and it lasted 15 minutes. Times have changed. Thank you, Douglas Fairbanks! So many of you here tonight have inspired me. Thank you Michel, for this incredible gift. Thank you, my wonderful partner Berenice Bejo. Thank you my wife, I love you. And if George Valentin could speak he'd say WAOW VICTOIRE GENIAL MERCI! Thank you, I love you!"

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night is Meryl Streep getting gold for The Iron Lady - she's had 17 noms before and won twice before but this was generally thought to be going to The Help's Viola Davis - still it's nice to see there's a surprise or two around...

Here's her acceptance speech in full:
"Oh my god. Oh COME ON! [of the standing ovation] Thank you so much. When they called my name I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, 'Oh her AGAIN!' But, whatever. First I'm going to have to thank Dom, because if you thank your husband at the end they play you out, and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives, you've given us. And also my other partner - 37 years ago I met the hair and make-up artist Roy Helland and we've worked together ever since, every single movie since Sophie's Choice. I just want to thank Roy, but also I understand I'll never be up here again, I really want to thank all my colleagues, all my friends. I look out here and I see my life before my eyes, my old friends and my new friends. This is such a great honour, but what counts most for me is the friendship, the love and the sheer joy of making movies together. Departed or here, thank you for this inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you!"

And in a concluding move which will surprise no-one, The Artist wins big best picture award.
Collecting is Thomas Langmann, the producer and here's his speech:

"I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the members of the Academy, not only because we've received the award that any filmmaker dreams to achieve, but because this gives me the chance to pay tribute to an Academy member, Claude Berri, who I admire so much. I remember thinking could I ever work with such a director. Tonight I do because I worked with Michel Hazanavicius and I am glad to be his producer."
"I want to say a very important thing. I want to say hi to my kids, and it is 6am in Paris so you should go to bed in 30 seconds. I want to say thank you to my wife Berenice Bejo, because you inspired the movie, you're the soul of the movie, and thank you for being in my life. And I want to thank three persons. I want to thank Billy Wilder, and Billy Wilder, and Billy Wilder."

Thank you and good night!


Full list of Oscar 2012 winners -

Best cinematography - Hugo
Best art direction - Hugo
Best costume design - The Artist
Best make up - The Iron Lady
Best foreign language film - A Separation
Best supporting actress - Octavia Spencer
Best film editing - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best sound mixing - Hugo
Best sound editing - Hugo
Best Documentary Feature - Undefeated
Best Animated feature - Rango
Best Visual Effects - Hugo
Best Supporting Actor - Christopher Plummer
Best Original Score - The Artist
Best Song - Man or Muppet - Bret McKenzie
Best Adapted Screenplay - The Descendants
Best Screenplay - Midnight In Paris
Best Short Film (Live Action) winner -- "The Shore"
Best Documentary Feature - Saving Face
Best Animated Short - The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Best director - Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Best actor - Jean Dujardin
Best actress - Meryl Streep
Best Picture - The Artist.