Rhys Darby - Comedy Festival review

Rhys Darby - This Way To Spaceship

To say Rhys' return to the NZ International Comedy Festival is much anticipated would be an understatement.

With a packed Sky City theatre and extra dates added, you can tell there's still a lot of love for this self professed dick.

The show kicks off with Bill Napier heading to the stage to get us all warmed up for the main attraction - and the crowd is onside from the very start. With pauses and then punchlines, this character's still a winner for all concerned.

Also, a big winner is support Steve Hughes. He impressed at the Comedy Gala and is starring in his own show at the festival - and based on tonight's performance, it's one you really do have to see. This Aussie comic looks like a chilled out hippy death metal enthusiast but his vibe is seriously good fun. With dry and droll delivery, whimsical and intelligent material, he's got the crowd eating out of his hand as he espouses views on Australia, the "vortex of silence" when playing to Dutch crowds and a very funny sequence over health and safety. Hughes is a commanding performer and a towering talent - when you're still laughing at his gags after an hour of Rhys, you know that's pretty damn good going for a support act.

As for Rhys, well, what can I say that hasn't already been said?

A warm self effacing presence with a clear joy for what he's doing, he basks in the glow of being on stage as he weaves smart gags with physical japery throughout his stand up.

The setting this year is some material from his new book This Way To Spaceship about the worries over the world ending in December 2012 - and it begins with Rhys standing on stage looking a little akin to the Stig from Top Gear as he wakes to find himself in a spaceship. A Conchordian voiceover from a shipboard computer gives a thrill to the audience but it doesn't detract from Rhys' comic prowess.

There's a nice autobiographical feel to his show as well - I think we're all pretty familiar from how he went from lonely geek to well, popular geek but Rhys makes this adventure inclusive via his storytelling; by his lampoonery and lunacy, he makes you feel like it's ok to be slightly different and how ultimately, you do win the day.

Sure, there are his patented sound effects - including some very funny horses at dressage - but this material reduces the audience to fits of laughter as it's presented with a warm deftness that is both endearing and highly amusing.

Granted, a sequence about being an outsider at school may ring truer to some than others (I'm looking at me here) but the Stand By Me style adventure he has with his small (but hella cool) gang of mates is the stuff of pure comic geekery. It's given warmth and such feeling that you can't help but be swept up by Rhys' performance; sure, he's throwing a show on here but he's enjoying every minute of it - and as the audience laps up every second, it's clear he can do no wrong.

Rhys' defining moment comes when he tells the crowd "Keep rocking your own styles - eventually someone will dig it". Yes, Mr Darby, we will - because with you as our extremely affable role model, our chief mirthmeister and much loved Kiwi icon, we know that charisma, charm and comic perfection are something to really aspire to.

Do yourself a favour; beg, borrow or steal the chance to board this spaceship - and Steve Hughes - because the journey is one hell of a great feel good comic ride.

Dark Shadows: Movie Review

Dark Shadows: Movie Review

Dark Shadows: Movie Review - the film review of the Dark Shadows 2012 film, starring Johnny Depp, Eva Green, and directed by Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloe Grace Moretz, Bella Heathcote, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Helena Bonham Carter
Director: Tim Burton

So, hands up, who's heard of this series from back in the 1960s then?

Thought so.

The soapy series ran from 1966 to 1971 and was a gothic soap opera around the Collins family, whose head is a 200 year old vampire. Taking in werewolves, vampires, time travel, parallel worlds and ghosts, it was a curio back then.

And really, when you consider its pedigree, it should come as no surprise that Tim Burton and Johnny Depp should reteam for an eighth time to take it on.

The film begins in Liverpool in 1760 with the Collins family relocating to North America to make their name. With riches, they set up Collinsport and Barnabas (Depp) grows up abroad. But when he scorns the love of a witch, Angelique Bouchard (Green) for another, he's cursed, turned into a vampire and buried for 200 years underground.

Nearly 200 years later, Barnabas is accidentally awoken and returns to Collinsport to find the once great mansion in ruin, inhabited by relatives who don't care about the family name and finds the family fishing business is all but destroyed by competition from Angelique Bouchard's rival company.

So Collins sets about trying to recapture his former glory - as well as trying to win the heart of Victoria Winters (Heathcote) who's the spitting image of Barnabas' first true love.

Dark Shadows is an odd curio; it's an absolutely natural fit for the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp partnership, bathed as it is in off kilter moments and Gothic sensibilities. From its darkly chilling opening, it screams Burton's work - from the overly brightened colours to the pale washed out landscapes, it's clearly a horror joint with a backdrop of family tragedy and quirky misfits.

And yet, it's lashed with so much campy comedy that it's never really one thing or the other.

It's once again Johnny Depp's performance which keeps this going; his culture shock comedy at being revived some 200 years later is a blast, referencing the best of the 1970s and also Nosferatu as he skulks around in the shadows as the music of the 70s blasts from the soundtrack. There's plenty of tittering to be had at his facials and carefully pronounced acting which renders Collins a little stiff and starched.

As for the rest of the cast, well, I think to be honest, there's rather a few too many on screen, leading to it feeling like some are underdeveloped (Jonny Lee Miller as a thief being one) or simply there for effect rather than storytelling. Chloe Grace Moretz does well as the daughter with a secret, Pfeiffer is fairly stiff as the matriarch of the mansion, Bonham Carter is simply an orange wig as the family psychologist who's got hidden motives, and Eva Green is more toothy than seductive as the vindictive witch with a chip on her shoulder.

It's a shame because the creepy, spooky atmosphere, visuals and feeling Burton's brought to the screen are brilliant; it's just that it feels a little undercooked and unsure of what exactly it wants to be. There's not quite enough comedy to keep you laughing all the time (and most of the laughs are gentle ones rather than raucous belly laughs) and the drama isn't quite strong enough to pull it all through.

And the finale is pure Burton - a heady mix of Beetlejuice meets Death Becomes Her (as well as an hilarious riffing around the phrase "You make me sick").

All in all, while Dark Shadows is true to its roots and ends on the prospect of a sequel, it'll really need to get more of a definitive mix of campy comedy/ horror and Gothic for any future outings. It's not quite Addams Family sensibilities and humour either, but you can mark this one up as a slightly undercooked, overlong, curio and oddity which doesn't quite hit the mark.

Rating:

Margin Call: Movie Review

Margin Call: Movie Review

Cast: Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Zachary Quinto, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, Penn Badgeley

Director: J C Chandor

Prepare for a film about Wall Street that is not all flashy and style over substance.

Set in an investment bank, it begins with Eric Dale (the ever brilliant Stanley Tucci) being walked out of his office and made redundant. Right before he goes though, he passes a file to one of his employees, Peter Sullivan (Quinto) and says that he should take a look at it.

As Sullivan looks into the file, he finds that discovers that trading will soon exceed the historical volatility levels used by the firm to calculate risk. And furthermore, because of excessive leverage, if the firm's assets in mortgage backed securities decrease by 25%, the firm will suffer a loss greater than its market capitalization.

Suddenly, bosses from higher up above are called in and there are emergency meetings taking placeas the implications of what may transpire become clearer....

Margin Call was Oscar nominated for its screenplay - and it's easy to see why.

This is no flashy film about the excesses of Wall Street - it's a gritty and compelling (if occasinally difficult to follow) film which requires a modicum of intelligence and understanding to keep up with as the keyplayers see it through.

Thanks to a great ensemble cast, it shines; Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany and Stanley Tucci are the MVPs of the film with each giving their characters a human edge which takes them away from simply being flashy guys in flashy suits. It's suitably talky and tense as it plays out but every once in a while, those in charge of the screenplay remember not everyone is an economics expert and a character will urge them to explain it simply for them, which gives you a level of accessibility to the occasional banking technobabble which is necessary.

While some may feel it covers similar ground to last year's The Company Men, by focussing on the intricacies of the business side and the financial implications, it occasionally makes you feel a little distanced from the chracters but thanks to great acting all round, you're unable to tear your eyes away from what's transpiring. For those with an understanding of the intricacies of the banking system and the parallels with the global financial meltdown, it's a no brainer.

Margin Call is one of the more intelligent entries into this year's cinematic crop; the at times complex story won't be for everyone but for those who want to watch a film which takes you into the boardroom back and forth, Margin Call is definitely one of the most interesting dramas about Wall Street to emerge for years.

Rating:

Anil Desai: Comedy Festival Review

Anil Desai: Comedy Festival Review

Anil Desai’s A Night At The Movies

Well, of all the comedy shows, one with a movie title was always going to be the one I went to see after all the films I’ve seen over the years.

Anil Desai is a UK impressionist whose career went global thanks to his spot on impersonations of movie stars.

So for opening night, let’s just say a power cut at the venue, pouring rain and a crowd which seemed to want to derail him may not have been what he had in mind.

But thanks to boundless energy and enthusiasm, a lack of willingness to let anything get in the way, Anil emerged a nervy winner due to a combination of crowd banter, some mightily clever takes on some movie faves.

Anil reckons he’s seen about 1000 movies over the past 3 decades and is as informed as anyone to be able to talk about movie etiquette, movie sex, why he fell in love (with the films, not the person proffering the sex) and relationships – because of what he’s learnt on the silver screen.

And he’s right.

But his biggest problem on the night is dealing with the reticent audience – after pleading with the audience at the start to get involved and ditch the usual reluctance, he finds it hard to attract volunteers to the stage – which is baffling because he’s an affable guy, the show’s a fun one and there’s no reason to fear this guy with the microphone – he’s a consummate pro, a great entertainer and a good night out.

It’s a shame because it leads to some very funny moments – including live re-enactments of various film studio logos.

His Al Pacino / Jeff Goldblum / De Niro take on dealing with a relationship is effortlessly done as he switches from one persona to the next, leaving the crowd in spasms of contorted laughter as he nails each one’s tics and vocal skills to perfection.

The highlight of the show – despite one guy’s attempts to derail him – is a deck of cards which has movie names on; he chooses (after some co-ercing) to give those to a member of the audience and asks them to be shuffled and read out before launching into a string of impressions and details of how to do these characters. The list is enormous – and every single one of them is dead on.

But Tuesday in Auckland is a fickle night – and thanks to that audience member choosing to read out only his favourites, Anil’s time to shine is sabotaged. However, it’s a testament to how likeable Anil is that the crowd’s on his side and the dick is fired from the volunteer job.

Anil’s show is a great night of entertainment – if you’re even the most casual of movie watchers, you’ll love it. And if you’re not, you’ll still love it thanks to his combination of winning personality, great stage presence and easy going charm.

Brendhan Lovegrove: Comedy Festival Review

Brendhan Lovegrove - Bury Me Happy

There’s just something irrepressible about Mr Brendhan Lovegrove.

His caustic wit and straight to the point attitude has been tearing up the comedy scene for a long time – and he’s been brought to wider audiences thanks to the brilliance of comedy show A Night At The Classic (returning later this year we’re promised).

So, a new show called Bury Me Happy is a welcome sight on the comedy festival circuit for one of the seasoned pros.

But if you think he’s mellowing as time goes on, you’d be dead wrong (aside from one moment of sincerity at the end of the show).

A raucous crowd gave as good as they got on opening night at Auckland’s Loft at Q and Lovegrove lapped it up as he talked about jealousies over the success of the Conchords and the Nek Minnit guy, how people dislike things on Youtube, the Occupy movements and a smattering of (literal) toilet humour.

That’s the thing with Brendhan though – thanks to such a motormouth delivery, he can cover so much and with such sheer quick wit, you really do need to keep up.

But the rewards are plentiful – every zinger he dispensed last night hit the target, regardless of whether it was PC or otherwise. Nostalgic look backs at phones, worries over getting old and alcoholism all got a mention – and each one in a hysterically funny way and each one in a way which leaves you collapsed with laughter.

Brendhan’s an effortless pro and a consummate pro; he’s also the kind of guy that you can’t help but warm to even when he’s being as foul as he has a tendency to be; thanks to a cheeky grin and a glint in his eye, it’s pointless to be offended at him – even if you’re on the end of a barrage of comments.

It’s an intense show – and at the end, it’s also a slightly more personal one than I’m used to with Brendhan. Taking in his alcoholism, he recites the Rifleman’s Creed and how that relates to his life; but just when you think he’s about to get completely soppy, he heads so far in the other direction that the wrongfooting is just hilarious.

But with a dedication and explanation as to why he’s sobered up, comes a new Lovegrove; a Lovegrove who’s willing to bare his soul on the stage rather than hide behind a vitriolic veneer. It’s a poignant personal touch and a surprise from the mirth-master and rogeuish charmer, who’s simply blistering this year and once again, on fire. 

Brand new Amazing Spiderman stills unveiled

Brand new Amazing Spiderman stills unveiled

As the web gets closer to being unspun on the big screen, there's slowly being a bit more publicity unleashed for the upcoming Amazing Spiderman.

Today's seen the release of two new pictures of Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker and Emma Stone's Gwen Stacey - and they're pretty mean and moody.

It follows the release of the brand new Amazing Spiderman trailer last week.

The Amazing Spiderman hits cinemas on July 4th.

Cabin in the Woods gets NZ release date - of sorts

Cabin in the Woods gets NZ release date

Following on from the news yesterday of 3 titles from the upcoming New Zealand International Film Festival, there's been some very exciting news for Joss Whedon fans from this upcoming festival.

After it was revealed that Cabin in the Woods may have been going straight to DVD in Aus and NZ, there was an online petition started (whenever us geeks want anything achieved, we hit online) and the numbers grew.

Then last week, on Facebook, Roadshow Films NZ, the distributors for the film teased the fact there would be an announcement about the film this week.

And this morning, Ant Timpson of the Incredibly Strange Film Festival posted this news:

AN INCREDIBLY STRANGE RELEASE : 

"Horror fans of New Zealand. Listen the hell up! Joss Whedon's hotly anticipated CABIN IN THE WOODS was destined to home video only release. Then the fans rallied and demanded it to be released onto NZ screens. Today their pleas have been answered. CABIN IN THE WOODS will be now screening in the "Incredibly Strange' section of NZ Film Festival on our NZs most magnif...icent screens. Now you can witness the genre-bending greatness of the most acclaimed horror film in years up on the enormous Civic and Embassy screens. This will be your chance to prove to local distributors that you want to see these sorts of titles get a theatrical. If you don't turn up to see this, then don't be surprised if you never see another CABIN play on NZ screens. Lest We Forget."


Normally, I'd post a trailer, but I'm too worried that even the trailer would carry major spoilers, so search and decide for yourselves...

The New Zealand International Film Festival kicks off in July in Auckland - stay tuned for more.