Les Miserables: Movie Review

Les Miserables: Movie Review

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter.

Director: Tom Hooper

Anne Hathaway as Fantaine in Les Miserables

After countless years of stage shows and several cinematic attempts, it's time for another take on the Victor Hugo story, Les Miserables.

In this latest set in 19th Century France, Hugh Jackman takes on the role of Jean Valjean, who's served his time after stealing bread to feed a family member. Under the watch of beastly Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), Valjean is supposed to report in for parole, but he doesn't.

And that sets off decades of pursuit from Javert as Valjean tries to turn his life around - but the pair's dogged back and forth all culminates in the tragedy of the 1832 French revolution in Paris....

(Relatively) fresh from Oscar success, Tom Hooper returns with this, which makes much of the music and song being sung live rather than recorded and redubbed within the confines of the studio. And yet for all the plaudits that it should deserve for being brave, it's somewhat of a hollow experience.

Don't get me wrong - Les Miserables is certainly a hell of a visual spectacle. The sets and settings are incredibly evocative and hit the right note all through out.

Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert in Les Miserables

Talking of hitting the right note, it's really all about the singing, with maybe only 20 words all up being spoken throughout. (Which will tell you whether you want to see a film where every last word is sung at you for narrative purposes).

Of the main cast, all have varying degrees of success, all having some pedigree of musical history. Hugh Jackman gives his all and manages to imbue his singing with some level of emotion throughout - as opposed to Russell Crowe, whose staunch visage is emotionless as he barks his way through his dogged pursuit. It means you never really fully get his state of mind throughout and I can't for the life of me begin to explain why he's pursued this man for so long after he broke parole after being jailed for stealing a loaf of bread....

As Fantaine, Hathaway runs the gamut as her tragic journey plays out and certainly does a belter of a performance for I Dreamed a Dream. But, here's the curious thing - I never really felt any sympathy for her plight. And it's an odd discrepancy with this version; there's a real lack of an emotional connection through its somewhat overly long duration. I don't know whether it's the fact the action is on celluloid so you're more disconnected than you would be with a stage version but I never got the heart in my mouth moment at any point that I would have been expecting during any of the revolution scenes, various character demises and so on.

Perhaps, because there's so much music and musical on show throughout, you never really get a moment to catch your breath and wallow in the spectacle before the next iconic musical morsel is boisterously blasted in your direction and in quite extreme close ups in some cases.

After the unrelenting misery of the start, Sacha Baron Cohen brings some much needed humour to the proceedings as the innkeeper, but it's short lived as the main story continues. Eddie Remayne is a little squeaky as the love interest too; but Amanda Seyfried makes up for it, giving them the stronger bond and making them a likeable pair.

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables

It could be the fact I'm a cultural slob and have consequently not seen Les Miserables before so it may resonate with others more. Whilst it is technically and visually dazzling, in my humble opinion the entire film remains a curiously detached experience. Some of the set pieces are brilliantly pulled together by Hooper but there's so many moments thrown one after another, that there's just not the letting up in pace which is sorely needed.

Its ensemble cast, overall, do good work (and I'd expect the production of Les Miserables to be Oscar nominated) but the lack of relative emotion and overly long running time (a few songs could have been trimmed) mean Les Miserables remains unfortunately thwarted by its ambition and doesn't quite hit the high peaks you'd have expected.

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug First look

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug First look

Read The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie review

With The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opening this week in New Zealand, it seems like we've all gone Hobbit crazy.

So, wanting to fuel that fire even further, here's your first look at Bilbo in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug...

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is due in cinemas in December 2013...

WWE 13: PS3 Review

WWE 13: PS3 Review

Platform: PS3
Released by THQ

Wrestling - it's all about the show, isn't it?

It certainly appears to be in this latest game release, which heads out for the Christmas rush. This time around, the bout of wrestling heads into the Attitude Era of the sport, of which I confess I knew nothing of before.

The series gets annual updates and there's a danger that this kind of attitude to releasing could mean that the format feels a little tired by the time it hits the shelves, with people being asked to reinvest on a yearly basis - which these days is a big ask.

Thankfully, THQ's brought a game out which will appeal to the hardcore WWE gamer taking in new techniques and encouraging you to improve your game to ensure that you come back time and time again with the stack of matches to get through. From brawls to cage fights, there's plenty of content to engage again and with statistics as well as online playing, there's certainly something for everyone. Graphically, it all comes together well with the overall feeling of a crowd led environment and atmosphere certainly hitting the mark.

Simplified controls mean it's easier to take down your opponent but a little harder to achieve specific aims of you which are asked of you later on - it takes a little time to master but it's worth bearing with it. While I wasn't blown away by WWE 12, this latest is a smoother, more rounded kind of ride that fans of the genre will love - but I'm not 100% sure that non wrestling fans will be as blown away. It's a good solid game simulation which is slightly let down by a somewhat generic feeling commentary from the ringside mouthpieces, but it's still good fun for fans wondering if it's worth updating with the latest release.

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Japanese Iron Man 3 trailer adds more footage

Japanese Iron Man 3 trailer adds more footage

Fans of Iron Man 3 have got a little bit more to go on with the Japanese trailer release of Iron Man 3.

There's extra footage in the piece of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, suggesting that the latest Iron Man film will be all about them rather than anything else....

Far Cry 3: PS3 Game Review

Far Cry 3: PS3 Game Review

Platform: PS3
Released by Ubisoft

The First person shooter just got a massive shot in the arm - an incredible shot in the arm - with the release of Far Cry 3.

Set on a tropical island, somewhere in the middle of who knows where, a group of pretty young things is out on a holiday. Extreme tourism gone extremely wrong, when you, as Jason Brody, are captured by a group of pirates. Held with your brother, you must initially break out of the prison you've been chucked in as you get used to your controls.

But, when the rescue goes wrong, it's up to you to get the hell out of there and survive....

After the initial horror of what's transpired, Jason must do all he can to free his friends, negotiate the island and just generally, live to fight another day.

Not since Grand Theft Auto have I been as engrossed in an open world as much as I have in Far Cry 3.

There is just so much to be done in the open environment, so much to explore and admire and so many dangers to take you away from the land of the living.

The thing is, it's actually quite distracting. I spent a day's gaming roaming free and trying to hook up the radio towers that I didn't go back to the main storyline for a while. That's no bad thing and it's a real credit to how engrossing and enveloping the wider world is that the developers have created.

There are plenty of pitfalls too - from pirates who can take you down without much effort to the wild animals, which will turn on you without any hint they are around . For instance, I spent a lot of time heading to various radio towers, avoiding detection and was about to climb to the top when 2 kimono dragons set on me. Likewise, when taking a swim across the waters to get to an objective, I was calmly sitting there before a shark took a chunk out of me.

It's this kind of unpredictability which is so in keeping with the world that's been created which renders this game so immersively realistic and so utterly engrossing. Along with some slick animation and totally reactive gameplay, it's just completely difficult to stop playing once you've started. 

With an intelligent storyline, smart AI which doesn't let you off the hook and often catches you out without you even realising, it's an extremely strong contender for Game of the Year. Littered with Kiwi accents here and there, it's likely to have a strong appeal here which is great.

With its gritty storyline (human trafficking, drugs, pirates et al), it doesn't ever release its grip as you spend time on the island, collecting plants to build your own medical kits, hunting animals to craft your own gear bags for carrying the wide expanse of weapons you have, there's just so much to dive into. As you unblock radio towers, the world is gradually revealed to you - and with enemy camps there for the taking, there's just so much to do in terms of side missions or outside of the main storyline.

It's hard to recall when a game like this was just so utterly absorbed into your consciousness. But I guarantee you there's no such thing as just 5 minutes with Far Cry 3 - this game saps your life, chews you up and spits you out - but it's one hell of an addictive yet insanely entertaining ride. Easily one of the best games of the year.

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Star Trek Into Darkness trailer is here

Star Trek Into Darkness trailer is here

Some exciting news for fans of Star Trek Into Darkness. And something awesome for my 700th blog post...

The announcement Star Trek Into Darkness trailer has landed....

Watch the Star Trek Into Darkness trailer.



And as if that wasn't exciting enough, the Japanese trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness has 15 seconds more footage - here it is...including a rather worrying homage to Star Trek The Wrath of Khan - is this where we see the demise of Zachary Quinto's Spock???

Star Trek Into Darkness synopsis

In 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek Into Darkness.

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Returning again will be NZ’s own Karl Urban, along with a cast that includes Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg and Benedict Cumberbatch.  

Star Trek Into Darkness: releases in NZ on 16 May 2013.

Magic Mike: Blu Ray Review

Magic Mike: Blu Ray Review

Rating: R16
Released by Roadshow Home Entertainment

Magic Mike is based on Channing Tatum's experiences as a stripper - and follows his character, a guy called Mike, who's a self-professed businessman, entrepreneur and of course, dude throwing his robes off on stage and gyrating around for the cold, hard cash in the wilds of Tampa.

When he meets up with the Kid (Alex Pettyfer, looking a bit mopey, chiselled and scruffy) on a construction job, the two end up becoming friends and Mike introduces him to the world of stripping - a world which The Kid embraces whole heartedly being 19 and out for a good time.

But Mike does a little more than simply introducing him to the world - he takes him under his wing, and cares for him.
Inevitably though, the Kid's entry into this occasionally sleazy pasttime causes real problems for Mike...

Let's be clear about this, Magic Mike has scenes of Channing Tatum stripping (and others) and full routines that highlight the extreme pecs appeal of the rock hard abs of the cast which have been hired as the "Cock Rocking Kings of Tampa." And said scenes, and indeed routines, will cause many of the female audience to wilt, blush and generally whoop and holler at the screen. I will concede they're very well done, pandering to what an audience wants and are liberally used throughout. (Although I will confess I am deeply grateful that it's not in 3D even though there are hot new fully extended dance sequences)

And yet, this film is about more than the pelvic hip thrusts of the beefed-up man candy which are strutted during some mightily impressively choreographed dance scenes.

Soderbergh's pulled together a kind of cross between The Full Monty meets Boogie Nights which is more dramedy than drunken hens' night out antics.

Usually, these kind of hedonistic pieces would be filmed from the viewpoint of the newbie - but Soderbergh's flipped that, choosing to follow Mike, a genuinely nice guy who wants more to his life than his stripping (even though, based on his chiselled talents, that's clearly where the cash is) with businesses being run on the side and a desire to set up a custom-made furniture company. It's wise to have concentrated on Mike too, as the Kid's generally unlikeable and offers little to give you any real lasting connection throughout.

It's here that Tatum excels again, putting in an underplayed performance which channels sensitivity, charm and a bit of angst as Mike hits a very early mid-life crisis and begins to lose his way. Tatum's really impressed recently in a string of roles (21 Jump Street, The Vow) which have shown he's a little more than just a good lookin' guy. His Mike is occasionally mopey, lacking any real connections with anyone outside of his fake stripping world and give him a universal appeal to both women (who're lusting over him) and men, who've no doubt been dragged to the cinema with a nagging idea of what's ahead. Plus his fledging relationship with the admittedly rather bland sister of The Kid works thanks to his sparkiness and playfulness.

But I have to confess, in amongst the undeniable energy, the star of the piece is Matthew McConaughey's club owner Dallas, whose self parodying, lounge lizard is a blast to watch whenever he's on the screen (fully clothed or otherwise). McConaughey has a ball playing this and there are hints of rifts between Dallas and Mike, who's wanting a bigger stake in the club, which add an undercurrent of uncertainty to their relationship and a frisson to the dramedy that's unfolding.

All in all, Magic Mike is the perfect blend of angst and cheesy stripper moves (I never thought I'd be writing that) and is actually more of a downbeat low-key drama with heart (with a thoroughly predictable denouement) than you'd ever have expected from the posters and promos.

Extras: Mainly dance sequences stuff, so, let's leave it at that...

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