Margin Call: DVD Review

Margin Call: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Vendetta Films

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 (Zachary 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.
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.

Extras: Cast Interview

Rating:

Cave of Forgotten Dreams: DVD Review

Cave of Forgotten Dreams: DVD Review

Rating: G
Released by Vendetta Films

Originally shot in 3D, this doco sees German director Herzog, along with a select camera crew, heading to France to document the marvels held by a French cave discovered in 1994.

The Chauvet Cave in the south of France is one of anthropological wonder given that inside it's decorated with wall paintings and carvings from some 30,000 years ago.

Herzog was given exclusive access to document the innermost sanctum of the cave by the French government. 

Essentially this film really thrives when it's inside the cave and the camera simply lingers on the shots of the paintings and the full enormity of what's within explodes within your mind.

Skulls of animals long since dead and footprints from creatures 30,000 years old litter the pictures and are simply mind blowing. The 3D gives the depth to the paintings and reveals just how astounding they are.

But then Herzog's dry voiceover takes over and pompous statements like "It's like a frozen flash in a moment of time" give this an air of stuffiness that to be honest, it could do without.

Interviews with scientists and enthusiasts add to the pretentiousness of the piece and detract from the simple fact that sometimes, a picture paints a thousand words.

Those images of rhinos, horses, bison and tigers, bumps and shapes of the walls show a world that is beyond our comprehension and understanding; and in some ways, Herzog's insistence on talking really does mean the film loses some of its impact.

At the end, a montage of paintings and snapshots flash up on screen, accompanied by music - and in that flash alone, the film speaks volumes - and much more than Herzog ever can - of its secrets from thousands of years ago.

Extras: Image Gallery

Rating:

F1 2012: Game Review

F1 2012: Game Review

Released by Codemasters
Platform: PS3

Formula One - it's all about racing around in circles, right?

Not exactly in this latest annual outing from Codemasters, who've been given the job of updating the racing title on an annual basis and keeping the masses happy.

So, with this latest update, there's been a few tweaks and changes, but it's pretty much business as usual as you'd expect from the franchise. Once again, you're in the driver's seat but you'll need to take time out to learn the ropes before you get fully started.

Over two days of drivers' testing, you get to learn the basics of handling, using KERS and DRS and generally how to rewind time if you blow a tyre on the track (I kid you not - one of the features allows you to rewind the screw up and press a button just before to avoid it happening in the first place). If you've played before, this easily presented menu of reminisence will prove to be something of a brief chore but for all others, it's a handy and not too long intro to driving.

From there, it's on to the campaign trail and the hard task of actually doing a good job. It's quite a difficult game to master and may take even the die hard fans of F1 games a little time to build up a decent performance on the track as well as shave a bit of time off your laps. But it's a fully immersive experience with techs talking to you, emails flying around and commentary which is quite supportive as opposed to being a distraction.

Graphically, the game is slick and well-produced; backgrounds fly by in a well defined blur but show there's been plenty of work put into them and the cars themselves are polished and look good on the screen (right down to the sponsors' logos). With a new champions mode giving you the option to race head to head with some of the best, there's new content as well for those who may be wavering on whether to reinvest again in what's essentially the same concept.

I guess at the end of the day, how much you enjoy F1 2012 will really depend on how much you already enjoy the concept and franchise.

There's plenty of tension with the racing and also many chances for you to up your game and the simulation from its screeching tyres and howling engines is pretty top notch. The chance to go online and take on others extends this game's life a little longer (or until next year's update) but I think, unlike previous F1 games I've played before, this one feels more like a chance for newbies to jump in and get involved without getting lost in the intricacies and skills of the game. You will need real skill to progress but unlike previous titles, you'll get to earn that skill and if you're willing to invest a fair whack of time, see its benefits.

Hopefully, F1 2012 will garner a new audience of fans - because while Codemasters is doing a very good job of keeping the franchise fresh for its core fans, the casual gamer is still the key demo it needs to tap into to extend the franchise's reach even further.

Rating:

Delicacy: Movie Review

Delicacy: Movie Review

Cast: Audrey Tautou, Francois Damiens, Bruno Todeschini, Pio Marmai
Director: David Foenkinos

The hazel eyed French fondant Audrey Tautou returns in this latest romantic outing, guaranteed to leave you misty eyed by its end.

Tautou plays Nathalie, a woman deeply in love with her perfect husband Francois (Marmai) and their perfect live together- however, one day when Francois heads out on a run, he doesn't return. Nathalie is woken by a phone call, urging her to head to the hospital - but she is too late.

Mourning Francois, she throws herself into her work and three years pass. Suddenly, one day, and on a whim after a throwaway comment that she's not living her life, she kisses colleague Markus (Damiens), a Swedish schlub who's about a million miles away from her perfect previous husband in looks, charm and social grace.

But Markus is entranced by the kiss - and gradually, the pair begin to bond....Nathalie may once have found and lost the one, but is she now on the verge of finding another one.

Delicacy is as romantic a film as you'd expect from the hazel-eyed Tautou - it's also likely to garner the words sweet and charming. Not that those are bad things to aim for - and will certainly ensure a series of bums on seats for its release.

And yet, it's all froth and very little substance.

Once the film gets over its initial vein of sadness, there's little else for it to go except into ever-so-slightly quirky and lightly humorous territory as it explores the possibility that a fatter, balder Swedish man rather than Nathalie's original husband, who's chiselled to perfection, could offer some salvation to her extended mourning.

Tautou is as watchable as ever and the script is certainly peppered with humorous moments scattered throughout but the whole film, overall, feels slightly insubstantial. She certainly brings the emotion to the fore in her character but there's never any real depth which will deeply engage the audience. Damiens is a good foil to Tautou's good looks; his slightly scruffy, unkempt and jumper loving Swede is exactly the tonic which is needed to punctuate this romantic fluff - and his awkwardness will strike a chord with many watching on.

Overall, Delicacy has charm and humour - but the romantic swirl does exactly what you'd expect it to do and if that's what you're in the mood for, then dive on in - it's perfectly pleasant and diverting for a couple of hours in the cinema.

Rating:

The Sessions: Movie Review

The Sessions: Movie Review

Cast: John Hawkes, William H Macy,Helen Hunt, Moon Bloodgood
Director: Ben Lewin

Martha Marcy May Marlene's cult leader John Hawkes takes the lead in this film which broke out at the Sundance festival this year and is based on a true story.

Hawkes plays journalist and writer Mark O'Brien, who's been paralysed from the neck down due to contracting polio when he was younger. O'Brien lives his days in an iron lung, and one day after falling in love and being rejected by his carer, and when researching an article on Sex and the Disabled at an editor's request, he decides he wants to lose his virginity after 38 years of life.

So, to that end, via a friend and with the blessing of his priest (brilliantly played by a shaggy haired William H Macy) O'Brien contacts sex surrogate, Cheryl (Helen Hunt) to help out.

Cheryl begins a series of six sessions with O'Brien to help him achieve his goal....

The Sessions will knock you sideways.

John Hawkes is frankly a revelation in this film; it's a role which has little physical presence other than moving his head and speaking  but Hawkes imbues his O'Brien with a real strength of character, charm and humour and delivers such an affecting performance that you can't help but be moved by it. Don't get me wrong - this is no mawkish, dragged down into the mire piece - it's the very opposite in fact thanks to Hawkes' performance and a very sharp and witty script.

It's also a film about celebrating a full life whatever the limitations placed on you are - be they physical, mental or religious - and Hawkes delivers that conviction in spades thanks to some greatly amusing lines, a brilliantly warm, witty and real friendship between him and William H Macy's priest and a relationship between himself and his carer Vera (a supporting role played with sensitivity and heart by Moon Bloodgood).

Also Helen Hunt delivers a bravura performance as well - stripping down literally and metaphorically for the audience. Gently played and sensitively handled, Cheryl feels like a real character rather than a sleazy stereotype.

The Sessions is a deeply engaging and powerfully accessible film which has been carefully put together by Lewin, a former polio sufferer. But it's a film which stands or falls on the performance of its lead - and Hawkes delivers in spades despite the physical limitations of what's demanded of him. It's really one of the strongest performances of its ilk that I've seen on the screen in a long time.

Don't miss The Sessions - it may make you re-evaluate your life and will deliver you a film which is mature, thoughtful, funny and hauntingly good.

Rating:

Brand new pics from The Wolverine

Brand new pics from The Wolverine

The Daily Telegraph's been busy.

They've snapped a couple of shots of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine on the set of The Wolverine, during filming in Sydney.

Logan's got his claws out in one and there appears to be a fair amount of snow too... as well as ninjas.

The Wolverine is due for release next year.

New character posters for The Hobbit

New character posters for The Hobbit

With the clock ticking towards the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in Wellington in just about three weeks time, anticipation is rising.

And to satiate that, 15 new Hobbit character posters have been revealed for the Hobbit.

Take a look at the new character images from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey below