Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted: Movie Review

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted: Movie Review

Vocal cast: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen,  Frances McDormand, Bryan Cranston, Martin Short, Jessica Chastain
Director: Eric Darnell, Phil McGrath, Conrad Vernon

Alex the Lion, Melman the giraffe, Marty the Zebra and Gloria the hippo are all back for another animated outing which sees the group joining the circus.

Following on from events of the second film, Alex is determined to get back to New York, and is feeling somewhat homesick. So, he suggests to the gang that they catch up with the penguins in Monte Carlo and they fly them back to New York.

But when Alex and the gang crash the casino, animal control led by the ferocious Madame DuBois (Frances McDormand) start to track them down.

With no other option, the four friends and the penguins stowaway on a circus to escape - but it turns out the circus is a little bit rubbish - so the gang decides to reinvent it - Madagascar style.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is perhaps the best Madagascar yet.

Bright, colourful, drenched in neon, funny, lunatic are all just a few words which spring to mind to describe this latest outing.

Sure, it's not the most original story but what it may lack on that front, it more than makes up for with one liner zingers, madcap antics, smart and a general nuttiness which pervades the screen from the beginning to the end.

The writers have brought to the table  a story which brings out the best of the critters and the potential for the animators to bring an explosion of colour to the screen; from the opening break out from the Monte Carlo casino to a dazzlingly colourful neon-drenched circus end, the animation on this is joyous and works so well in a 3D environment. (The final sequence alone is so trippy and dizzying with its colour, I thought I'd dropped a tab of LSD).

All of the gang get a moment to shine and the three circus newcomers, Jessica Chastain's Gia, Bryan Cranston' bitter Russian tiger and Martin Short's sealion make welcome additions to the group.

Replete with throwaway one-liners, some blink and miss them visual gags and some insane asides (featuring the Penguins and King Julien once again), the whole film will keep the kids amused all the way throughout. Themes of self belief, comradeship and friendship crop up and are valuable lessons for all.

There's just enough in Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted for adults to be amused and engaged too - and a shortish running time will also ensure it doesn't outstay its welcome.

Infectious and amusing, enjoyable and visually stunning, as well as never losing sight of being entertaining, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is the perfect school holiday treat and great fun for kids - and the young at heart. You'd have to be a real grump and completely churlish to not be swept along by this.

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Twenty Twelve Series 2: DVD Review

Twenty Twelve Series 2: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by BBC And Roadshow Home Entertainment

The second series of fly on the wall mockumentary series Twenty Twelve continues to build on the success of the first series.

Hugh Bonneville stars of the head of the Olympics Deliverance Commission in London as they prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games. As ever, there are problems ahead for the team as they plan for the biggest party the UK's ever seen.

From an Algerian team threatening to boycott the games after they discover a building's not facing Mecca to discovering the opening ceremony fireworks display will launch the ground-to-air missiles installed to protect the Games, there's plenty of satire on offer here.

With a great ensemble and smart cast as well as a gentle script, Twenty Twelve Series 2 is a welcome return and a series which having seen what the Olympics actually delivered in London 2012, makes you wonder just how true it actually all is.

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Dr Who - Planet of Giants: DVD Review

Dr Who - Planet of Giants: DVD Review

Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment

Back to 1964 we go with this black and white tale from William Hartnell's first Doctor.

When the TARDIS malfunctions in flight, the crew find themselves back in 1960s Britain - but something's not right. Shrunk down to tiny size, the Doc and his companions, Susan, Ian and Barbara find danger at every turn.

This three part serial is reminiscent of the 1960s series Land of the Giants which may have come after the series but seems very familiar in some parts.

Camera trickery and some impressive model shots bring this serial to life; you really get the feeling of 60s Who using the best of its budget and constraints to bring in some creativity to its filming. While it does feel a little rushed toward the end due to hasty rewrites and the culling of one episode, it's still a pacy reminder of what 60s Who achieved and how TV didn't need to rely on FX to bring brilliance to the small screen.

Extras: Commentary, reconstruction of last 2 eps, a few brief docos

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New Wreck-it Ralph trailer hits

New Wreck-it Ralph trailer hits

Something a little retro for a Thursday...

The brand new Wreck-It Ralph trailer!



Wreck-It Ralph (voice of John C Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer). Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. 

But they do love heroes... so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of  Jane Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan -- win a medal -- but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade.

Ralph's only hope? 

Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman), a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade?

The Lucky One: DVD Review

The Lucky One: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Entertainment

Only in a Nicholas Sparks book and world, could taking a photo of an unknown good looking woman and tracking her down be romantic - and not deemed stalking.

That's exactly what happens in the adaptation of the 2008 novel from the Sparkster and starring Zac Efron in his first major leading man role.

Efron is Marine Corp soldier, Logan, who finds a pic of a girl (Taylor Schilling) in Iraq. When he heads away from his unit to pick it up, the rest of his troop are killed. Believing she's his guardian angel, he vows to track her down.

And that's exactly what he does - and ingratiates himself into her life. He finds she's called Beth, and despite initially irritated by him, Beth begins to warm to him - as does her son.

You can pretty much guess the rest.

The Lucky One is chick flick kryptonite which is, in all honesty, pleasantly put together but utterly predictable. With soft focus and deliberate director manipulation, you know what's on the way but will totally relax into the journey.

Efron makes a pleasant lead and he shares good chemistry with co-star Taylor Schilling, which certainly helps sell the story. Even if that story is Nicholas Sparks' formulaic and schmaltzy, it's certainly enough to pass a rainy afternoon.

Extras: Efron and Schilling's chemistry.

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Dr Who - Vengeance on Varos: Special Edition: DVD Review

Dr Who - Vengeance on Varos: Special Edition: DVD Review

Rating: PG

Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment

Initially released very early on in 2001 as part of the classic series range on DVD, Dr Who - Vengeance on Varos finally gets a  Special Edition blessed with extras which were absent back a decade ago.

It's the second serial starring Colin Baker's 6th Doctor - and sees Baker and the production team doing a lot to ensure that we question everything the Doctor's stood for over his 22 years on screen.

When the TARDIS ends up adrift and lacking power, the Doctor and companion Peri (Nicola Bryant) end up on Varos, a dangerous planet where everyone has to fight for their lives and for popular opinion.

Soon, the pair are fighting for their lives as they face deadly villain Sil (one of the series' best baddies).

Dr Who - Vengeance on Varos: Special Edition DVD is a great release - a story which is hard to love in parts, due to the Doctor seeming nasty on occasion, letting people die in an acid bath and turning a laser on others, it's certainly a brave attempt to subvert the Doc into something a little edgier.

Colin Baker is brilliant in this - getting all of the shifts of character spot on and still hinting at the innate goodness of the hero, even though the Doc's questionable behaviour causes real splits of opinion. Nabil Shaban is also stunning as the reptilian Sil and remains an unctuous presence in the show's history - simply one of the best villains ever and a real shame that we never saw more of him.

A solid and enjoyable set of extras add to this set - giving the re-release several good incentives to buy again and fleshing out a story which is notorious for so many reasons.

Extras: Commentary, doco behind the scenes, a look back at the sixth doctor's era, deleted scenes - and a wealth more.

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Looper: Movie Review

Looper: Movie Review

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels, Piper Perabo, Paul Dano, Pierce Gagnon
Director: Rian Johnson

The director and star of Brick re-team for Looper, a film which is likely to be on a lot of favourites' lists by the end of the year.

It's Kansas, 2044 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Joe, who makes a living working as a Looper, an assassin with a twist. Basically, in 2074 time travel becomes a reality and the mob use it to get rid of anyone they don't want alive. By dropping the victim back 30 years in time, the Looper takes care of the job.

However, the future's under threat from a kingpin known as the Rainmaker, who's "closing all the loops" by systematically sending back the future versions of the assassins to be taken care of their younger selves.

One day, Joe's out on a job and the future version of himself (Bruce Willis) drops into existence, for execution.

Only older Joe manages to escape - and it's upto younger Joe to close the loop....

Looper is an utterly incredible movie - I've yet to see anything match it for intelligence, intensity and surprises  this year. The Looper trailer gives little away and really wrong foots you to a degree.

From a brilliantly realised future / day after tomorrow world which blends seemlessly into the background of every shot and gets it spot on with the look and feel of future technology through to a continually surprising storyline, Johnson hits every right note from the get go.

It helps that he's blessed by another riveting performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who under a few prosthetics oozes the gumshoe/ hitman appeal and hits the genre spot on as well as offering a mature take on his role. He's also got the steely determination downpat as the story goes on - and in his scenes with Bruce Willis, it's pretty obvious to see the future connection between the pair.

Talking of Bruce, by putting away the smirk and actually doing some proper acting for a change, Willis adds a lot to the story and gives Joe the humanity and warmth that he's lacking as a younger junkie version of himself. It's a sympathetic turn and one which may catch you off guard.

The thing with the movie Looper though is, to be honest, you're best going in to it without any idea of what lies ahead. Sure, you're promised a time travel story with some familiar ideas and ethics, but what Johnson actually delivers is rich in story-telling, blessed by great character acting and uses the sci-fi as a construct for the narrative rather than the sole purpose of it.

Throw in the continual surprises of the story going where you'd least expect it and it's one of the freshest films of the year.

If you're a sci-fi buff, you'll know it plays with some familiar time travel ideas and ethics - but it is also a strong character piece as well with the relationship between Emily Blunt's character Sara and Joe being a central tenet and tent piece to what evolves.

Looper is an easy contender for one of the films of the year - it offers a new thematic take on a few old ideas and is dazzingly original, ambitiously fresh and stays with you for days after you've seen it - something which has been so rare this year.

Do yourself a favour and see one of the best genre films of 2012.

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