First Despicable Me 2 image released

First Despicable Me 2 image released

It's your first official image from Despicable Me 2 - and unsurprisingly, it features one of the stars of the original film.

The minion.

Voiced by Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan and Al Pacino, the film releases in New Zealand on 4th July.

Lincoln: Movie Review

Lincoln: Movie Review

Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Director: Steven Spielberg

It's already received a slew of Screen Actors Guild Awards and Golden Globes nominations, and now it's out on New Zealand cinemas.

Daniel Day-Lewis takes on the role of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America.

Choosing to zero in on the last few months of PotUS' life and set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, it's the story of how he decided he wanted to abolish slavery by passing the 13th Amendment in the US constitution. It's also the tale of the fractures between the Republicans and the Democrats as Lincoln looks to get this bill through - come what may.

Lincoln is like watching a history lesson brought vividly to life before your very eyes.

It's also one which, if you don't have more than a basic grasp of American history, could sail over your head. Occasionally, it's like a somewhat stuffy school lesson as it's quite dialogue heavy and will require you to pay attention over 150 minute running time. This sounds like a couple of criticisms being levelled at the film, and it's not directly; merely, just a warning that this veers more into the worthy but dull territory.

Thankfully, in among a sea of bearded and relatively faceless US officials who swoop in and out of the film at on so many occasions, it's one man's performance which stands head and shoulders above everyone else. Thanks to mightily impressive make up, a scholarly and erudite performance by a soft spoken Day Lewis, you can't help but watch him as the political machinations and extreme talk of deals plays out on the screen. But he also breathes life into a character whose attitude to his rivals was not one of scorn, but one of respecting their viewpoints - and by doing so, it makes Lincoln more of a rounded man than a man doggedly pursuing his own selfish political gains.

While retaining a lot of the backroom politics and information (and by letting it play out naturally as opposed to some quick fix deals), Spielberg's also wisely managed to humanise the man giving the audience outside of America (and outside of those who've studied Lincoln) a vital in road that's needed for the duration of the quite long film.

Lincoln's working toward a resolution of the American Civil Wars as well so that he can stop his son Robert Todd (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) signing up to partake in them. Also, when the key vote is going down on the abolition of slavery, Spielberg shows Lincoln reading to his youngest son. It's these touches which greatly make a relatable figure; a figure so mythical to so many and give the film the softness that it really needs in places. Also the occasional humour from James Spader and John Hawkes as Bilbo and Latham, who lobby for Lincoln's bill brings a much needed laugh to a dour and serious film. Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field also need commendations for their turns as Thaddeus Stevens and Lincoln's wife respectively.

All in all, Lincoln (based on the book Team Of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin) stands by the utterly wonderful character performance of Day Lewis, which anchors this moment in history which defined America - but it's a long road to that in the entire duration of the film. Expect it to a) leave you feeling a slight amount of inadequacy on your knowledge of American history and b) take home some accolades as the awards season begins.

Rating:

Golden Globes 2013 Winners

Golden Globes 2013 Winners

The winners of the 2013 Golden Globes have been revealed.

Here's the full list of Golden Globes 2013 winners.

Best Motion Picture (Drama) - Argo
Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) - Daniel Day Lewis
Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) - Jessica Chastain
Best Motion Picture - comedy or musical: Les Miserables
Best Actor in Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Best TV Series - Comedy or Musical: Girls
Best director: Ben Affleck
The Cecil B DeMille Award: Jodie Foster
Best Actress in a TV comedy or musical: Lena Dunham
Best Animated Feature: Brave
Best actress, TV Series: Claire Danes, Homeland
Best foreign film: Amour
Best actor in a TV Series, comedy, musical: Don Cheadle
Best screenplay: Django Unchained
Best supporting actress, Motion Picture: Anne Hathaway
Best actor in miniseries, TV or comedy: Ed Harris
Best actress in musical or comedy: Jennifer Lawrence
Best performance in mini-series: Kevin Costner
Best Original Song: Skyfall
Best Original Score: Life of Pi
Best TV Series Drama: Homeland
Best Actor - TV Series: Damian Lewis
Best actress in mini-series: Julianne Moore
Best mini-series: Game Change
Best supporting actress: Dame Maggie Smith
Best supporting actor: Christoph Waltz

Here are the full list of nominations for the Golden Globes for TV and Film...

Best Motion Picture — Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Richard Gere, Arbitrage
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust & Bone
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The ImpossibleRachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea

Best Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the YemenSilver Linings Playbook

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
Emily Blunt, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith, Quartet
Meryl Streep, Hope Springs

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson
Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Best Director — Motion Picture
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

Best Screenplay — Motion Picture
Argo, Chris Terrio
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino
Lincoln, Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell
Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal

Best Original Score — Motion PictureAnna Karenina, Dario Marianelli
Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Cloud Atlas, Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimet & Reinhold Heil
Life of Pi, Michael Danna
Lincoln, John Williams

Best Original Song — Motion Picture
“For You ” (music and lyrics by Keith Urban), Act of Valor
“Not Running Anymore” (music and lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi), Stand Up Guys
“Safe & Sound” (music and lyrics by Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams and T Bone Burnett), The Hunger Games
“Skyfall” (music and lyrics by Adel and Paul Epworth), Skyfall
“Suddenly” (music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Schonberg and Alain Boublil),Les Miserables

Best Animated Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

Best Foreign Language Film
Amour
The Intouchables
Kon-Tiki
A Royal Affair
Rust & Bone

Best Television Series — Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom

Best Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Costner, Hatfields and McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Toby Jones, The Girl
Clive Owen, Hemingway and Gellhorn

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway and Gellhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Huston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionHayden Panettiere, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey 
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louis
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionGame ChangeThe Girl
Hatfield & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals

Cecil B. DeMille Award
Jodie Foster

Gangster Squad: Movie Review

Gangster Squad: Movie Review

Cast: Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Giovanni Ribisi, Mireille Enos, Nick Nolte
Director: Ruben Fleischer

Back to the world of the gangsters we go, with this latest summer release.

It's 1949 Hollywoodland to be precise - and inspired by a true story (ie, most of what you're about to see has an element of truth, but little else).

Former boxer and Mob boss Mickey Cohen (Penn in an occasionally cartoonish performance) is making a move on the Los Angeles scene, gradually manouvering himself to take off most of the rackets of the town and increase the tentacles of the bad old guys.

Sick and tired of the corruption within the system hindering the police's attempts to foil Mickey's plans, Chief Bill Parker (a grizzled and gruff Nolte) calls on former Army soldier and current Sergeant John O'Mara (Brolin) to go beyond the means of the law and do whatever he can to prevent the criminal underbelly from winning the day.

So, O'Mara pulls together a motley crew of five, known as the Gangster Squad to try and help save the day, putting the gang of those operating outside of the law on a collision course with the corruption and the Mob.

Gangster Squad is a pulpy, trashier version of The Untouchables.

It's a film which guns for stylish, but chooses to go for cliche and full on violence while eschewing a subtle and smarter approach to the Mob vs police story which has been told time and time again.

So, in many ways, unfortunately it brings nothing new to the mobster genre and certainly does little to break the mould despite a fine ensemble cast and stylish overall feel.

That's not to say it's not enjoyable - merely, that if you're going to Gangster Squad expecting to see the 21st Century version of The Untouchables, you'll be disappointed with script and dialogue which is straight out of the 1950s RKO TV and Radio serial world. With cliched dialogue, the rat-a-tat-tat of tommy guns and fairly predictable story choices, mixed in with a gratuitous cacophony of bullets and plenty of slow-mo moments during the action sequences, it's eschewed subtlety for a predominance of violence. There's no sense of the bad guys being outsmarted - merely out-gunned by the opposition (a fact remarked on by one of the Squad.)

Of the ensemble, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling impress most - from Brolin's stoic family cop, who's got a pregnant wife at home and a penchant for rescuing the dames, to Gosling's suave copper (although the scene where Gosling's character decides he'll sign up for the Squad is so cliched, it's laughable), they're the ones who shine out in this over-the-top and at times, cartoonish world. And as they're the ones who get the most screen time out of the ensemble, it's hard to really care for any of the others.

Emma Stone, while looking impressive in a series of vampish outfits, doesn't quite have the chops for the femme fatale/ damsel in distress character  unfortunately - and Penn's trying to channel some of De Niro in his baddie but fails to do so in this wannabe crime noir which is too pulpy for its lofty ambitions.

All in all, the Gangster Squad movie is no slick and sophisticated crime noir, and is more of a popcorn blockbuster, aimed at satiating the masses. It is so superficial, you'll fuhgeddaboutit the minute you leave the cinema.

Rating:

More films for January 2013

More films for January 2013

It's an extremely busy month for films in January.

So here are a few more trailers to whet your appetite for what's coming up - all of these are out January 31st.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters


Zero Dark Thirty


Lincoln


Anna Karenina

The Master: Movie Review

The Master: Movie Review

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Joaquin Phoenix returns to the screen after an absence, in a film which has netted him an Oscar nomination.

Phoenix plays Naval veteran Freddie Quell, who's back home in America after the end of the war and who's unsettled and unsure about what's ahead. An alcoholic, he lurches from one job to the next in a booze fuelled   state and one day ends up as a stowaway on a ship.

However, it turns out that ship is being operated by a group called The Cause, led by their charismatic leader, Lancaster Dodd aka The Master. Soon, Freddie is taken in by The Cause and they try to convert him to their ways.

But, is Freddie beyond saving? And what is it that The Master sees in Freddie that's so mesmerising?

None of these questions are really answered in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master.

Granted, it's masterful performances from Seymour Hoffman and Phoenix which really anchor this film as it rolls from one moment to the next. Some have said that The Master is about Scientology and a thinly veiled attack on the religion which has swept Hollywood. I'm not 100% sure I see that in it, but I can understand where it's coming from given that it's about the hold one man has on a group of people who are completely in his thrall, despite some feeling that he's simply making it up as he goes along.

What is evident though is that the film from Anderson shows why he's such a searing talent in the film-making department. Scenes take a while to build up and when he keeps the camera on his two leads, it's mesmerising and utterly compelling to behold.

One sequence, an interrogation between Quell and Dodd, is just an absolute masterclass in how to frame a scene and how to get the best of your leads. It helps that Phoenix and Seymour Hoffman are at their absolute peak as Dodd tries to burrow into Quell's mental state of mind. That powerful scene alone stays with you long after the film's finished.

Which is just as well, because there are a fair few unanswered questions throughout - such as why Dodd is so determined to stick by Quell when his wife (who at times appears to be the power behind the Cause) and family tell him to cut him loose. Granted, they're two sides of one coin with Dodd the charismatic, chiselled and sophisticated leader and Quell the base, loose scoundrel - but there's never any real reason given for the lifelong devotion.

Amy Adams delivers a masterfully understated performance and you have plenty of questions as to whether she's the actual power behind The Cause. (Behind every great man, and all that....) Once again, she shows that she's an incredibly versatile talent who's immensely watchable in anything she does.

All in all, The Master is an indispensable piece of film - it's likely to be loved by critics and award ceremonies but potentially will puzzle audiences who may be a little lost to its appeal. Simply put, it's Phoenix and Phillip Seymour Hoffman who make this such a compelling powerhouse for a film.

Rating:

Paranorman: Movie Review

Paranorman: Movie Review

Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Casey Affleck, John Goodman, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin
Director: Chris Butler

He sees dead people - everywhere.

We've been here before, haven't we?

In  this stop motion animated film, Norman (Smit-McPhee) is an outsider in his home town of Blithe Hollow; a zombie lover, bullied by his classmates and mocked by his family for claims he can see the dead, he's an odd solitary figure in the world.

But one day, Norman finds a friend in fellow bully victim and fat kid, Neil (Tucker Albrizzi). Which is a good thing because shortly after that, Norman's eccentric uncle tells him that he holds the key to saving the day and must perform an annual ritual to stop the dead from rising due to a curse laid down by a witch centuries ago.

However, when the ritual doesn't go to plan, Norman has to convince everyone that his zombie obsession is real and that if they don't help him, it could be game over for Blithe Hollow...

Paranorman is a macabre animated treat which makes the best of a slightly lacking story by throwing in some truly undead animation. Purples and vibrant yellows pack out the screen towards the end and give a suitably spooky glow to the proceedings which get a little dark and frightening towards the end.

With hints of The Crucible and a tragic story of sadness, it's certainly enough to stand out from the usual animated fare but also wise enough to throw in a few great sight gags here and there. From the mocking of Norman's zombie obsession to the mafiosa ghost haunting the streets with his feet encased in concrete, this is a film which is reverential and respectful of the genres which have inspired it. Even the heroes of the piece, the jock, the cheerleader, the nerd, the fat kid and the bully are stock stereotypes from the splatter films of yore, but by putting a fresh spin on them, Paranorman doesn't rely on cheap gags and simplistic shocks as the dialled down story plays out. A great sight gag involving a certain hockey mask is cleverly executed as this skewed Grimm fairy tale rolls on.

Creepy visuals pierce some of the darker more nightmare scenes which unfold later in the piece, but it never looks anything other than original as the macabre mirth and furtive funnies are whacked up to 11.

Paranorman is a little something different for the animated holiday fare - it should have been released nearer Hallowe'en as it has that creepy feel - but at its heart, it's a sad story which just may touch you in ways you hadn't quite been expecting.

Rating: