Brand new OZ the Great and Powerful trailer

Brand new OZ the Great and Powerful trailer

It's here, the first full look at OZ the Great and Powerful.

The brand new Oz, The Great and Powerful trailer has been released.


The plot centres on Oscar Diggs, otherwise known as The Wizard of Oz (James Franco) a magician who meets three powerful witches, Theodora, (Mila Kunis), Evanora, (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda the good witch, (Michelle Williams) in the re-imagined fantasy land of Oz.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2: Movie Review

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2: Movie Review

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Billy Burke, Mackenzie Foy
Director: Bill Condon

So, it's finally here - the big finale of The Twilight Saga.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 is likely to be reviewer proof, given how many fans this vampire franchise has sunk its fangs into worldwide. In fact, no critic can criticise any of the Twilight movie series without risking the wrath of the rabid fanbase.

At the end of Breaking Dawn - Part 1, Bella (Stewart) had been transformed into a vampire by Edward (Pattinson) after their super baby broke out of her womb, effectively killing her.

As we rejoin the Cullen clan, Bella's enjoying her new life as a mum to daughter Renesmee (newcomer Mackenzie Foy) and the new powers being one of the undead brings. Soon, though, as with every other Twilight film, their happiness is threatened.

When Vampire Irina (Lost star Maggie Grace) starts to believe that Renesmee's birth could signal a threat and the end of The Volturi, she rallies the secretive group together to destroy this perceived threat of an Immortal child.

However, Bella and Edward pull together all the allies they can to help them fight one last crucial battle to protect their family and their future....

So, with the end nigh, the question is does Twilight Breaking Dawn deliver?

And the answer is kind of a surprising yes, actually.

Picking up exactly where the truly dire Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 ended, it starts with Kristen Stewart's Bella discovering the heightened sensory joys of being a vampire. From close ups of the minutiae of life to the smell of the blood of a human, this is a Bella who's revitalised from a life after death. (Or as she intones at one point: "My life as a human was over, but I'd never felt more alive").

But the reason this latest entrant into the Twilight Saga sparkles a little brighter than the rest is because they finally put aside the truly dire lovesick moping which has peppered the last 4 films, dialled back some of the awful dialogue and actually get to some action and deal with the menace of the Volturi.

It's not without its initial wobbles though - from a truly creepy CGI child that is Renesmee (seriously, you'll never be so freaked out by a newborn CGI/animatronic kid) to an awful slow mo/ soft focus sex scene between the two vamps and ending with a credits montage of everyone involved (no doubt to mark their work from all four of them), there are still the moments which have dogged the franchise from the viewpoint of anyone who's not a rabid fan of the books. The wolves this time are a little more solid and work better - laying to rest some of the CGI shambles which lumbered the previous films with unintentional laughter.

But director Bill Condon wisely holds back on all of those moments to focus on raising the stakes for Edward, Bella, Jacob and Renesmee by ramping up the menace facing the Cullen clan from the Volturi, led by Michael Sheen's ethereal, occasionally OTT and extremely sinister and preening Aro.

As the Cullens pull together a battle force to take on the Volturi, the franchise opens up a world of vampires which have previously been hidden. Bringing in vamps from Ireland, Russia, Egypt, the Amazon, it does occasionally feel like Twilight: X Men as various powers are shown off to prep for battle. That said, it does wonders to the narrative by expanding the universe Stephenie Meyer initially created, rather than fixating on just Edward and Bella's world.

However, when the showdown comes on a wintry battlefield, it's packed with suspense, gory and gruesome action - and slight deviation from what fans of the book are likely to be expecting. (To say more would be to veer into spoiler territory, but needless to say, what transpires is cleverly done in the context of this world as well as satiating those of us who've sat through the series wanting to see some real kickass action.)

Kristen Stewart does her usual constipated pained look for Bella, Robert Pattinson is a bit more restrained as Edward Cullen and Taylor Lautner (yes, he does get his shirt off, again - one last time for those abs and their lovers) is all petulance and cheek as Jacob. Of the newcomers, Lee Pace brings the comedy swagger as a rock'n'roll vamp, Garrett but to be honest, there's scant screen time to build up anything more than stereotypes for the other vamps from around the world. Billy Burke also deserves credit for bringing some humanity as Bella's dad, Charlie - and the laughs once again. Mackenzie Foy does little other than touch people to communicate, but she's a massive improvement on CGI baby Renesmee.

All in all, fans of the series won't be disappointed by the end after 4 years and 5 films - and for everyone else worried about attending this with them, by veering away from the love story and painful teen angsting, Bill Condon's given the franchise the film it really needed right from the start.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 isn't going to sweep the Oscars as the best movie ever, but it is a satisfying end to the franchise for fans - and a massive improvement in spectacle and cinema for non-fans - alike.

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First full trailer for Stephenie Meyer's The Host released

First full trailer for Stephenie Meyer's The Host released

Fresh off the Twilight Saga, Stephenie Meyer's The Host starring Saoirse Ronan has got a full trailer.

There was a tease before the premiere of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 ( read the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 review here) but overnight, the full first trailer for The Host from Andrew Niccol has been released.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 is coming

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 is coming

In case you didn't already know, this week sees the release of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 in cinemas and the conclusion of The Twilight Saga.

To celebrate the release of the The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, here's all the images we've got  and check back on this very blog later as I'll be posting the The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 movie review after the NZ premiere....

My Darling Companion: DVD Review

My Darling Companion: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Entertainment

A discovery of a dog on the side of a freeway serves as only the precursor to a menopausal drama playing out in this latest film from Lawrence Kasdan, which is reportedly part of his Big Chill generational series.

When Diane Keaton's Beth takes the dog home, husband Joseph, a successful spine surgeon played by Kevin Kline isn't in favour - but gradually the dog wins him over. Cue one year later, when at their daughter's wedding, the doc accidentally loses the dog out in the woods - and subsequently Beth breaks down.

Enlisting the help of a psychic gypsy (!), Beth and Joseph, along with family and friends try to search for the missing pooch as well as navigating a series of crises, self discoveries and ultimate acceptance of old age.

My Darling Companion benefits from a great ensemble cast - the pairing up of Mark Duplass and Richard Jenkins is inspired - but it falls short from a script which is more talky, and full of whiny people with problems.

It's a shame because it has a lot of potential rather than just becoming a film where people just mope rather than serving to move the narrative briskly along. It's probably aimed more at the older generation admittedly who will get a lot more due to recognition from the situations. While there's a message about working at relationships in the later years, there's little else which stands out from this piece which is admittedly well acted and directed.

And to save you the time, spoiler alert - the dog.... Well, actually, no I won't tell you.

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L!fe Happens: DVD Review

L!fe Happens: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Entertainment

Don't Tell the Bitch in Apartment 23's Krysten Ritter stars as a young mother Kim trying to juggle having a small child and getting back some semblance of a life after birth in this rom com.

When she tries to jump back into the dating scene, and juggle the lives of her two flatmates, she finds it all so difficult. Cue fall-outs, the inevitable lying about having a child to get a relationship and other such hilarity.

I'm sure a gaggle of girls on a night out would enjoy this, but it really did leave me cold I'm afraid with its life lessons and oh so obvious twists coming from a mile off. It's well played and with a cast who are more than competent, but it's never anything more than a Sunday afternoon matinee film about three BFFs - with a bit of raunchiness thrown in for good measure.

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Assassin's Creed 3 - Game Review

Assassin's Creed 3 - Game Review

Released by Ubisoft
Platform: PS3

Revolution is a word oft bandied about, but in Assassin's Creed III, it's totally appropriate.

Not just because of the game itself, but it's setting as well. And man, oh man, what a complete ride it is.

You take on the role of Connor Kenway at the time of the American Revolution in the 18th Century, as well as Desmond Miles in the current day.

While initially, you relearn the controls from playing as Desmond Miles, who's negotiating a cavernous world, you're soon thrust back into the Animus and back to the American Colonial times of 1753 to 1783 where you play on as Connor. (After completing an assassination task as his father).

From there, it starts off as life on a boat, trying to prevent the onboard mutiny before heading to the shores and cities of  Boston and New York and to a series of missions to complete your quest. I'm loathe to reveal too much about the actual plot of Assassin's Creed III because to be frank, some of the joy is watching it unfold.

The scope of the actual game is mightily impressive - from brilliantly cinematic visuals which unfold in cut scenes to the wondrous scope of roaming the various cities and wildernesses, there is much to marvel at and to cause the eyeballs to drool excessively. It's not just the main story arc of this game which commands your attention - it's the world around you. It only becomes clear at one point what this open world game has to offer - and that was when I'd spent a good 45 minutes to an hour, exploring the world around me, interacting  with the locals and going so far off track, I had to re-check exactly what I was supposed to be doing.

Richly detailed and with a life completely of their own, the surroundings are truly astounding. From a thief stealing an apple at the docks when you first pull into Boston, through to petting animals which litter the world, there's so much to lose yourself in. You can tell a game is vibrant when you don't realise how much is actually going on in the background - it's almost as if the developers had created such a world around the main protagonist that it's exactly what you'd expect if you were watching a historical TV series playing out; that's to say everything feels so naturalistic and of the era, that nothing stands out.

As for Connor himself, he's a lithe creature. Whether it's jumping from roof to roof fleeing the authorities, or negotiating deeper patches of snow in a white wilderness, to playing games for money with the bad pennies which litter various parts of the game, this is an experience which is utterly engrossing, and totally addictive.

There's no jerky movement from the character, no real glitches which I've found and no odd moments which take you out of the game-play. Stealth missions, chase missions, assassinations - there's plenty to hook you in once you're into the campaign itself.

If there's to be a criticism, it's that a lot of the cut scenes interrupt the flow of the story initially. But, given how stunning they look, that's a minor niggle which you can soon skip through or sit back and wallow in. With technical prowess and game-play which offers online potential as well, there's plenty to give you bang for your buck here.

Overall, Assassin's Creed III is a richly rewarding experience. From the main storyline, through to the options to look around the world and explore, there's so much to do within the game that you really can't afford not to own this.

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