At Darren's World of Entertainment

Friday, 27 July 2012

Contraband: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Lukas Haas, Ben Foster, Kate Beckinsale, Giovanni Ribisi
Director: Baltasar Kormákur

A remake of a 2008 Icelandic film, which starred the director, Contraband is a heist film set on the seven seas and in Panama.

Wahlberg stars as Chris Farraday, a notorious smuggler, who's now retired from the trade. He's now a family man living the quiet life with his wife Kate (Beckinsale) and 2 kids and working in security alarms rather than hijinks on the waters.

But smuggling runs in the family - and when Kate's brother Andy messes up a deal for boss Tim Briggs (Ribisi), the debt proves to be high and the cost could be Andy's life. So, forced out of retirement for this last job, Farraday decides to head to Panama to call in on some old contacts and try to smuggle out millions of dollars in counterfeit bills.

However, (unsurprisingly), not everything goes to plan - and suddenly Chris is not only fighting for his life but his family's back home...

The idea of one last job for family or to settle a debt is nothing new to be honest - it's been used countless times before.

But Contraband doesn't seem to care as it straddles increasingly strained and preposterous ideas and one (predictable) betrayal after another; however, Wahlberg makes it watchable somehow - even if there is a relative lack of any suspense or real tension.

Ribisi channels feral (at times OTT leering) weasel as the unhinged lunatic Briggs who's trying to cash in the debt and threatens Chris' family with it for the rest of their lives; Wahlberg is solid if unspectacular as Chris, whose attempts to reign in the debt see him involved in a Pollock Panama heist.

Despite a dark grimy unwashed feel to the film, director Baltasar Kormákur Opts for countless swirling and unnecessary aerial shots to bridge the gap between the 'action'. The effect is irritating rather than dizzying and detracts by taking away from any tension which may have been created.

The problem is a real lack of emotional investment in the characters, their plights and resolutions. The often lumpy script doesn't help this either as the noose tightens around everyone's necks. Wahlberg looks suitably perplexed throughout and the pay off at the end (complete with twist) just doesn't feel rewarding enough.

Don't get me wrong; this is well put together, it just lacks a certain little something to make it either edge of your seat stuff or gripping. As it is, it's perfectly serviceable, relatively cliched and instantly forgettable the moment the lights go up.

Extras: See how stunts and effects were done, commentary, deleted scenes, making of

Rating:

Headhunters: DVD Review

Rating: R16
Released by Vendetta Films

There seems to be just something about the Scandanavian and Norwegian region which breeds thrillers with a slightly skewed take on the world. And that continues with the Headhunters Movie.

It's the world which brought us Stieg Larsson and of course, the superb TV series, The Killing. The latest from top author Jo Nesbo stars Aksel Hennie (whom you may remember from Max Manus) as Roger Brown, a seemingly together guy who has it all; a beautiful blonde wife who adores him, a top headhunting job which sees him one of the leading within his industry - and a multi million dollar house.

And yet - he's living beyond his means and stealing art on the side to make ends meet.

At a gallery opening, he's introduced to Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones), a potentially perfect candidate for a new job but also who has one of the most sough after paintings in the modern art world.

Naturally, with creditors snapping at his heels, Brown can't resist - however, his greed gets the better of him and soon he finds himself in way deeper than he thought - and potentially fatally out of his depth. Classy, sleeky put togeher and slyly funny in places, Headhunters is a truly fresh piece of film in a genre which has essentially become crowded and cluttered with unoriginality.

There's deceit and paranoia in spades here as Brown suspects everyone and as the web weaves itself tighter - but despite taut direction, the script doesn't allow itself to get too overtly serious with moments of bizarre humour thrown in completely unexpectedly.

Hennie is great at keeping us grounded as the plot spirals a little into lunacy with a well rounded performance which is plausible and compellingly watchable throughout. Headhunters is, at every turn, not what you'd think it is - it's a refreshingly good and smartly put together intense Nordic crime flick which is a welcome treat thanks to unexpected twists and turns.

And it also has one of the worst toilet scenes since Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting...

Extras: Featurette behind the scenes

Rating:

21 Jump Street: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Entertainment

Here comes the most pleasant surprise of the movie year.

In theory, it shouldn't work - a revamp of an 80s action TV show which was from Stephen J "A Team" Cannell and starred Johnny Depp.

But this Hollywood remake and update is surprisingly great, ever so slightly silly entertainment, self knowing and yet respectful and as a result, ends up being a really good night out on the small screen.

Hill stars as Morton Schmidt, a former high school loner and misfit who ends up partnering with his high school jock nemesis Greg Jenko (Tatum) when they end up in police academy after finishing their school years.

The two realise each other has a way of helping them graduate academy - Schmidt can help with the book smarts to the somewhat dim Jenko and Jenko can help Schmidt with his lack of fitness and confidence.

When they end up graduating, they're assigned to park patrol despite their dreams of achieving greatness, they find themselves kicked out of even that menial job after messing up an arrest.

So, due to their youthful looks, their boss sends them off to join the 21 Jump Street division, run by Ice Cube's Captain Dickson. That team is responsible for dealing with crime among teenagers and in schools...

Their first assignment - go back to high school and stop a synthetic drug from spreading from campus to campus by finding the supplier.

But it seems both of the pair, working undercover, have a score to settle from their old days...

Smart, self mocking and yet reverential, 21 Jump Street is a raucously riotous action comedy film which doesn't skimp on the R Rated behaviour and language but certainly brings the funny.

Mixing a mocking of the genre with a knowing nostalgic look at 80s action films (one chase sequence sees Hill opining that two potential explosions don't actually occur - which of course is a poke at any explosion in any of the 80s shows penned by Canning which always ended in gargantuan fireballs) and a lot of genuinely laugh out loud funny moments, 21 Jump Street provides plenty of brain in neutral entertainment.

Tatum and Hill work well together - they've got the great chemistry of a bromance and a smart clever script to help them along in the adventure. And both play their stereotype very well - in fact, Tatum manages to throw in the best performance I've seen from him in ages - it's nice to see him step outside of the romantic drama rut he's got into. Likewise, Hill has a very funny deadpan way of delivering the lines and riffs well on his insecurity and the story. With the pair playing it serious for for laughs, it works exceptionally well.

There's also a brilliant shoot out sequence at the end which is notable for what happens rather than the explosions - but I don't want to spoil that in any way shape or form.

All in all, 21 Jump Street, which ends on the definite promise of a very welcome sequel, is good entertainment coupled with a dollop of obligatory R rated moments. But, it's also great fun and respectful of the show it sprang from - it's definitely worth your time and you may be surprised how much you actually enjoy it.

Extras: Commentary, Back to school doco, 20 deleted scenes, gag reel, JDepp on set, and more - a great package

Rating:

J Edgar: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Warner Home Video

Leonardo di Caprio stars as J Edgar Hoover, the man who, over nearly 50 years in public office and serving somewhere in the region of 8 presidents, helped redefine the criminal system in the

USA

, set up the FBI - and who had a tendency to spy on a lot of people.

It starts with a looming voiceover intoning that “It’s time this generation heard my side of the story” and cuts to Hoover dictating his memoirs to a series of agents – starting with his first foray into the world of crime investigation in 1919, while at the Department of Justice.

Central to the story is the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh’s son in 1932 aka The Crime of the Century– which not only sent J Edgar’s FBI into the spotlight but horrified the nation at the time.

And at the same time, Eastwood’s picture concentrates on Hoover’s own internal struggle with his sexuality, his attraction and friendship to protégé Clyde Tolson (played by The Social Network’s Armie Hammer), and his relationship with his mother (Judi Dench) and his fiercely loyal secretary, Helen Gandy (Watts).

While the narrative jumps around a lot and flashes back and forth between the investigations andHoover’s later years, it’s a film which really does belong to Leonardo di Caprio.

His ferocious blistering performance as the man whose puritanical, even evangelical speeches were clearly his defining trait, is one to watch from the moment it begins. It’s a commanding performance which while seeming initially full of bluster, is one which lets some of the hidden truths about Hoover come out through a subtly nuanced performance of inner turmoil.

Scenes with Judi Dench stand out as well – as Hoover tries to reveal to his overbearing mother he doesn’t like women, he’s told she’d rather have a dead son than a “daffodil”.

Di Caprio’s co-star Armie Hammer does well as Tolson in conveying their relationship and mutual love too – even if towards the end, he’s a little weighed down with latex and liver spots. Naomi Watts suffers a little from a lack of limelight as Hoover’s trusted secretary Helen Gandy and you’re never quite 100% sure why she supported Hoover so rigidly.

All in all, J Edgar is an interesting – if occasionally overlong - portrait of the man – and while Clint Eastwood’s direction sometimes errs toward the clunky, it’s a fascinating and compelling central performance from di Caprio which keeps the audience along for the ride.

Extras: Behind the scenes piece

Rating:

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: Blu Ray Review

Rating: PG
Released by Warner Home Video

Based on the best selling book by Jonathan Safron Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is the story of one boy's life after his father was taken from him in the September 11th World Trade Centre attacks.

Newcomer Horn stars as Oskar Schell, a borderline Aspergers Syndrome sufferer who shares an incredibly close bond with his father Thomas (Hanks). The pair are inseparable and his jeweller father sets quests for Oskar to complete and mysteries for him to solve.

So, when his father is killed in the 9/11 attacks, Oskar is devastated and rejects his mother Linda (Bullock), drawing further into his own world. And his world is blown apart when Oskar one day finds a key in a vase - believing his father's left it for him and with only the clue Black written on the back of the envelope it's written on, Oskar sets about finding the lock the key will open...

However, his quest looks unbeatable with the odds mounting up against him - and Oskar ends up getting the help of Max von Sydow's The Renter, who lives with his grandmother. Unspoken and communicating only via written notes, The Renter begins to fulfill Oskar's father figure needs as the quest goes on...

It's a powerful subject to be tackled in a haunting film like this and there are still some I suspect who may find the idea of a film like this difficult to watch.

It's certainly harrowing in parts and you can't help in places but feel emotionally manipulated as this extremely long film spools out. But there's no denying the wallop some scenes hit you with - one where Oskar tells his mum he'd rather she'd died in the Tower collapse is horrifically shocking but feels so true and real in these actors' hands.

The trouble is that in places you can't help but feel emotionally milked and wish Daldry would have eased back a little on some of his direction; montages of people reading letters and the frankly cheesily appaling freeze frame end would have been better excised from the final cut. Also, a scene of Hanks plunging to his death could really have been left out.

Yet, thanks to a very impressive turn from first time actor Horn gives this something for us to pin our cinema going hats on; it's a remarkably assured performance as the troubled borderline Aspergers syndrome kid hunts for the key to the mystery. But it's not just that - it's the fact, Horn's anger feels real and in line with what a kid would feel when railing against the injustice and unfairness of the death of his father.
Likewise supporting players like Von Sydow, Viola Davis, Hanks and Bullock also give this sense of gravitas and empathy in amongst the brooding.

Scenes of Oskar listening to the six answerphone messages from his father trapped within the towers feel raw, awkward and intrusive, hinting at a grief which is still too new but also alluding to how families of those affected must still be coping.

A veritable weepie in places, this will reduce even the hardest of audiences to tears at times - and while not exactly an overwhelmingly upbeat film, its ending certainly hints at a healing.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close rises above mawkish sentiment by very impressive ensemble performances from its cast; and while it's not flawless, it's certainly an emotional watch which feels raw and true.

Extras: Making of, Thomas Horn talks, ten years on - looking at 9/11 and a piece on Max von Sydow

Rating:

Thursday, 26 July 2012

New Zealand Film Festival Reviews - Day Five

Actually, in all honesty, I've lost track of whether it is Day Five of the reviews, due to the level of choice I'm being spoilt with...

But, if you are scanning ahead for films to watch, check out the following links:

New Zealand Film Festival Reviews - Day One
New Zealand Film Festival Reviews - Day Two
New Zealand Film Festival Reviews - Day Three
New Zealand Film Festival Reviews - Last Dogs Of Winter special
New Zealand Film Festival Reviews - Day Four

Here's the latest take on the films which I saw last night -

Your Sister's Sister - Emily Blunt, Mark Duplass and Rosemarie DeWitt star in this threesome which is probably one of the most charming films I've seen so far at NZFF 2012. From Humpday director Lynn Shelton, comes this tale of the trio and whose lives are changed by a trip. Duplass stars as Jack, whose brother Tom died 1 year ago; Jack's struggling to cope so his best friend Iris (the ever luminous Blunt) sends him off to a family cabin to get some headspace time and to hopefully, change his outlook on life. But when he arrives there, he finds Iris's gay sister Hannah (DeWitt) there nursing a break up. One bottle of tequila and a drunken fumble later finds the duo in all manner of problems. Particularly when Iris shows up unannounced... Jack's plan? To keep the truth from Iris and just get through the next few days. However, both Iris and Hannah have designs on Jack which he could never have expected. Deftly funny, smartly written and with a cast that underplays each line and scene so beautifully, Your Sister's Sister is a gently amusing, utterly engaging and totally enjoyable visit to the festival.Clever writing which feels real is Shelton's trade in this - and when matched up with the rising brilliance of a deadpan and yet farcical Duplass (who you really should see in Safety Not Guaranteed when it shows up), it's a winning combination. Even when things take a turn for the apparently more serious, Your Sister's Sister never loses the plot - or the audience. This goofily charming movie is an acutely observed three hander which is poignant when it needs to be and totally winning from beginning to end.

The Hunt - I'd heard dark things about The Hunt from others who'd attended this - about how it got unrelentingly bleak and so to be honest, I had been expecting the worst from this tale of kindergarten teacher Lucas ( an award winning Mads Mikkelsen) whose life is irrevocably changed after one of the children in his charge lies and falsely tells his boss he's been sexually abusing them.

What I couldn't have been expecting is just how utterly compelling and totally claustrophobic, this latest film from the director of Festen, Thomas Vinterberg was going to be. It's actually one of the films of the festival so far as far as I'm concerned. It's no wonder Mikkelsen won the Best actor at Cannes this year for his portrayal of Lucas, the innocent man who's damned before his peers without any shred of evidence.

But what's winning about this film is how utterly plausible it is and how non-hysterically it plays out. Mikkelsen and youngster Annika Wedderkopp (who plays Klara who makes the claim) are completely the stars of the piece thanks to underplayed, subtly sly and riveting performances. Sure, it's an old story and one which we've all seen shades of before, but it's these two actors who imbue their time on screen with such utter devotion that you can't help but be swept up by it.
Vinterberg also needs commendation for his directing and crafting of the tale - Lucas goes from being part of a gang of friends whose bond stretches years back to a haunted and vilified ghost of a man, whose (admittedly frustrating) refusal to totally refute the claims seems like madness. No doubt his self belief is what carries him through but as they say, it's darkest before the dawn, and Mikkelsen's subtle performance is a cinematic tour de force.
Similarly, Wedderkopp, a cute blond moppet (a direct contrast to Mikkelsen's frog like facials) plays a girl who doesn't understand the truth of her lie and who's caught up in a world she can't possibly understand. The scenes where she tells her mother that it didn't happen and her mother comes back telling her it did are gobsmackingly heart breaking and cut an emotional quick as well as hint at a reality of what could play out. Vinterberg's hit a fine form here and a few nerves as well (judging by the horrified yelp of one woman at the screening's ending last night) and makes The Hunt as dark as anything you're likely to experience during the festival. ,
The Hunt is horrifyingly good heart in the mouth drama that challenges but showcases acting genius and really does need to be seen up on the big screen while you have the chance.

Take a look at a clip from The Hunt below.

And also, if you fancy previewing any of the films on at the New Zealand International Film Festival, here's the festival's official Youtube channel for you to peruse at your leisure.

Dredd stills released

In a move which will excite the fans of comic book anti hero, Judge Dredd, there's a whole heap of stills from the upcoming Dredd 2012 movie out there now.

And as we approach the October release date in New Zealand, I thought it was time to collect the drokkin' lot together.

To say I'm excited by the Judge Dredd movie, starring NZ Karl Urban as the judge is a massive understatement - so for now, here's a collection all the images we've had so far.

The Judge Dredd movie hits NZ Cinemas October 4th