The Lorax: Blu Ray Review

The Lorax: Blu Ray Review

Rating: G
Released by Universal Home Entertainment

From the team who brought us Despicable Me comes this latest computer animated outing The Lorax.

Zac Efron is 12 year old Ted, who lives in the world of Thneedville, a walled city where all the trees are dead and their world is covered in plastic inflatable trees as well as other artificial bits and bobs.

Smitten with Taylor Swift's Audrey, Ted is determined to win her over and make her the girl of his dreams - his way of doing this? Getting a tree for her.

So, when his Grammy tells him that a mysterious being known as the Once-ler who lives outside the walled city has the key to the trees, Ted sets off to break out of Thneedville and discover what exactly happened. 

But Ted's quest isn't going unmonitored - for hot on his heels and watching his every move, is greedy corporate baddie Mr O'Hare who owns a bottled oxygen company and who fears that if Ted gets his way, his empire will come crashing down.

However, when Ted finds the Once-ler, he discovers the guilty secret that he holds and how his quest to make a Thneed from the trees left them with a wasteland - despite the intervention of the spirit of the forests, the moustachioed Lorax (Danny De Vito).

Can Ted make a difference to what's gone on?

I'm not familiar with Dr Seuss' source material for this one; I understand it's based on Seuss' worries over economic progress at the expense of the environment -and I have to say this latest computer animation reeks of indoctrination from beginning to end.

The songs which permeate the brightly orange coloured film are clearly cleverly written to support the whole "Let's save the environment" stance of the piece. And it gets a little tiresome quite quickly. There's something insidious about the lyrics which get stuck in your head - the final song, a gospel style ode to the trees, is called "Let It grow" and for days, it's been lodged inside my brain like a seed growing away. 

There's nothing wrong with that stance and fair play to the creators for so heavily pushing it but I just feel like the message was sledge hammered home over any level of subtlety.

Which is a real shame - because the animation, complete with its requisite looniness which you'd come to expect from the creators of Despicable Me, suits the piece perfectly. There's little of Seuss' rhyming within the film itself though and while the younger end of the audience won't care or notice, maybe fans will feel a little cheated. 

Overall, The Lorax isn't bad - it's just that without the much needed easing off of the "Save the Trees, Save the Planet" message, the whole thing's a little heavy handed and leaves a sour taste in the mouth rather than the bouncy joy a Dr Seuss book should be.

Extras: 3 mini movies, a heap of interactive pieces and learning how to draw your favourite characters


Rating:

ALIENS Colonial Marines | Episode 2: "Xenos vs. Marines"

ALIENS Colonial Marines | Episode 2: "Xenos vs. Marines"

Sega released today part 2 of the developer diaries on Aliens: Colonial Marines. The Gearbox developers talk about the battle between the Marines and the Xenomorphs.




Aliens: Colonial Marines, a squad-based first-person shooter in the works at Gearbox Software and due to be available in February 12, 2013. Licensed through an exclusive agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising, Aliens: Colonial Marines begins with an ostensibly abandoned ship, the U.S.S. Sulaco, recovered in orbit around LV-426. Players lead a group of highly trained United States Colonial Marines as they board the deserted craft to uncover the fate of the crew. They will have to fight to survive unspeakable horrors and their own anxieties as they chase down the truth behind a galaxy-spanning deception that places humanity at the mercy of the most murderous and deadly species in the universe

Meet Death....Darksiders II style...

Meet Death....Darksiders II style...

It's nearly time for Darksiders II...releasing in NZ on August 17th.

This afternoon, we've been sent this quite cool video about Death to get you in the mood for the game.

This “Know Death” trailer is narrated by Michael Wincott, the voice of Death himself, who explains exactly what his motivations is.




About DarkSiders II

Awakened by the End of Days, Death, the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen, embarks upon a quest to restore mankind, and redeem his brother’s name. Along the way, the Horseman discovers that there are far worse things than an earthly Apocalypse, and that an ancient grudge may threaten all of Creation . . . Can DEATH really become mankind’s savior?

Joss Whedon to write and direct Avengers 2

Joss Whedon to direct Avengers 2

In news just to hand, I can now confirm the news geeks have been waiting for.

Joss Whedon will write and direct Avengers 2 - as well as a TV series about Marvel heroes.

There's little else on the Avengers 2 front but the news that Joss will return is a great boon to the series. As late as July's Comic Con he'd said he'd not decided yet whether he'd be back in the saddle for the next one with Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Hulk, Black Widow et al.

But now it's been confirmed he will.

Expect to see the Avengers 2 sometime in 2015 perhaps?

Still, it's great news ahead of the release of the Avengers Blu Ray and DVD on August 29th.

You can read the Avengers movie review on Darren's World of Entertainment.

Plus Check out a heap of Avengers character portraits as well - and as if that wasn't enough, go behind the scenes of the Avengers 2012 movie in our video.

The Campaign Movie Review

The Campaign Movie Review

Cast: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, John Lithgow, Dan Ackroyd, Dylan McDermott, Brian Cox
Director: Jay Roach

It's election time in America, and of course, once again, the satirists are keeping a keen eye on the Obama/Romney battle to see if there's any mileage and humour in their campaigns.

Enter into the fray, The Campaign movie, the latest contender in the political comedy landscape.

In North Carolina, Will Ferrell is unopposed candidate Cam Brady; he's been the incumbent for years and is going for a fifth term as congressman. But, when his lusty ways get the better of him and a misdialled smutty phone call ends up going to a Christian family, he starts slipping in the polls.

Sensing their influence over the district may be slipping with Brady faltering, two CEOs (Ackroyd and Lithgow) decide to put up rival candidate, Marty Huggins (a moustachioed Galifianakis) to shake up the race.

And that's when the politics get dirty - Huggins vows to run a clean campaign and Brady is determined to do whatever he can to stay in power...

So, the big question has to be - does (and should) the Campaign 2012 get your vote?

Not exactly.

This is not a satirical comedy, aimed at the smarter side of politics; it's a hit and miss, scrappy affair which proffers up a few laughs here and there but no smart intelligent insights into American politics. (Mind you with Ferrell and Galifianakis on board, what would you really expect?)

Sure, there are some funny one-liners dusted throughout (some of which are unprintable here)as the campaigning gets personal and the tit for tat silliness escalates. There are also some amusing sequences (including what not to do with a baby and world famous dog) but most of the humour falls a little flat given the pedigree of who's involved. The uneven film starts off amusing and with its tongue sharply in its cheek but quickly runs out of steam like a campaign lacking in finance and a groundswell of support.

Ferrell manages to channel Bill Clinton as his senator tries to blunder his way back onto the campaign trail and Galifianakis channels a little bit of the overly camp, over-exuberance of Cam from Modern Family and the facial hair of Freddie Mercury in his blunderingly naive first outing as a senator. The pair are watchable enough but are infinitely better than the material which has been handed to them. It's almost as if the gags aren't enough to sustain a film but work well enough as punchlines to a series of sketches.

Ultimately though, The Campaign is merely a collection of amusing moments in a broad scatter-shot comedy which packs no sharp satire. You will laugh (occasionally) but you'll find the next gag is a long time coming as the story plays out over its short 85 minute run time.

Sadly, this campaign and its candidates don't get my vote..

Rating:

Harry Potter collection details revealed

Harry Potter collection details revealed

Details have been revealed of the brand new Harry Potter Wizard's Collection.

Warner Home Video says:

Sydney, Australia, March 22, 2012 – The magical film franchise that enchanted Muggles around the world is now available in a spectacular limited-edition collectible box set. The most comprehensive Harry Potter movie collection yet, the Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection, featuring all eight films, exclusive never-before-seen content and must-have memorabilia, will be available on September 5 from Warner Home Video.

This new limited and numbered 31-disc collection contains all eight Harry Potter movies on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Copy and more than 37 hours of special features including all previously released materials and more than 10 hours of new to disc bonus content, and more than 4 hours of never-before-seen material. Witches and wizards that think they’ve seen everything will marvel at the all-new special features including the final two “Creating the World of Harry Potter” features titled “Story” and “Growing Up”. Many other, yet to be revealed, exciting features, are also included.

The Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection will also allow fans to conjure up every available version of all eight films. In addition to the theatrical release of every film, the collection also includes the extended versions of  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; and the 3D versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Parts 1 and 2.

Beautifully packaged in a stunning gift box measuring 32.39 cm x 26.83 cm x 28.58 cm and weighing 8.6 kgs, the Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection is the largest collection ever released by Warner Bros. and contains eight artistic and authentic film memorabilia that are essential for anyone who has ever dreamt of being accepted to Hogwarts. The collectibles are exclusive to the set, and each item along with the rest of the contents of this epic collection will be revealed to anxious fans in an online campaign on www.harrypotter.com beginning today.

Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection will be available for $599.95 RRP.

Films Included in Collection – All on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Copy
·         Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Theatrical Version and Extended Cut
·         Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Theatrical Version and Extended Cut
·         Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
·         Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
·         Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
·         Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
·         Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 2D and 3D Versions
·         Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 2D and 3D Versions

Special features details

- Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection Bonus Disc
Nearly 4 hours of features including:
All New! ”The Harry Potters You Never Met” - Watch how thrilling stunts from the films were performed, and learn about the tricks behind the major stunts in the series.
Additional features to be revealed on www.harrypotter.com.

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Bonus Disc 
Over 2 hours of features including:
All New! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 7: Story”
And many more to be revealed on www.harrypotter.com.

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Bonus Disc
Over 4 hours of features including:
All New! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 8: Growing Up”
All New! Extended “A Conversation with JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe” - with 15 minutes of new footage
And many more to be revealed on www.harrypotter.com

Interview with Sarah Palin....sort of

New film, Iron Sky (out on Thursday) is a comic action, science fiction film, whose central premise is that the Nazis escaped to the Moon after the end of World War II and returned to conquer the earth in 2018. Kiwi actress Stephanie Paul is one of the stars of the film, playing a Sarah Palin-esque President.

Tell us how you heard about Iron Sky? I heard about the film when I was asked to audition for it and sent the script. However, before I auditioned I went online and read all about it and learned how it started from the ground up with its fans.

It’s quite a unique project to be involved in – what were your thoughts about the online community having such a hand in it? How much input did they have during the filming? I think they way they used multimedia to build a fan base and get initial funding was amazing! It created an awesome community, and ultimately I got to meet many of them at the Finnish premiere. As far as how much input they had, I do not know as I was not involved in the “crowdsourcing” aspects of the website and how they used wreckamovie to work with the fans to gather ideas and funding.

What was the filming of this like? It was awesome! I got to live in Frankfurt Germany for a month and work with an amazing cast and crew! I didn’t have much green screen stuff to do so I think I had it a little easier than some of the other actors.

What’s your favourite part of the film and why? When James Washington (Chris Kirby) and Renate Richer (Julia Dietze) are arrested for fighting in the streets of NYC and the cop is questioning them at the police station. I personally think it is hilarious, ridiculous and it always makes me laugh. And I love it when the huge Nazi space ship comes busting out of the moon, for that alone you have to see it on the big screen. The special effects are fantastic and really creative.

What’s been your reaction to the final product? I have really enjoyed seeing the film and I have seen it five times now. Each time I noticed more small jokes within the film and little nuances that I did not see before.

What do you make of the reaction to the film? It is like any film or creative thing. The beauty is in the eye of the beholder, some will like it and some will not like it. But it has a following and they seem to love it.

How much research did you do into the Sarah Palin aspects of the role? Not much as the director didn’t want me trying to “be” Sarah Palin. He wanted me to create a President that just happened to look like her. Which I think made my role so much fun to play.

I did study George Bush Jr, Barack Obama, and Sarah Palin. I think I channeled more George Bush Jr than the other two in the end. If you ever notice politicians in America, when campaigning, change their accents depending on where/who they are talking to. So I never actually kept my accent within any particular State on purpose.  I decided to take it all over the map just like the politicians of America do, I guess in the sense of the film “taking the piss” really. 

What was the most fun part of this film? Being made up to look like someone completely different. Bliss who did the make up and hair was amazing. I went to set one day in the middle of a run I was taking around Frankfurt for a bit of exercise, and one of the actresses asked me to bring her something from her hotel room as they were short of PAs. I had only been seen by crew members as “The President” in costume. When I arrived on a closed set in running gear without credentials several people came over with concerned looks and were ready to throw me out. It was fun not being recognized by people I had been working with all week.

What’s been the best part of being involved with Iron Sky? Making new friends and being apart of an amazing production.

Will you be involved in the prequels or sequels at all? Not the prequel as it is set around the Nazis moving to the Moon, so that will be all about Udo Kier’s character Wolfgang Kortzfleisch I believe. I may be involved in the sequel but we will just have to wait and see!