Silver Linings Playbook: Movie Review

Silver Linings Playbook: Movie Review

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles
Director: David O Russell

Silver Linings Playbook is the first film to scoop Oscar nominations in all 4 major categories in 31 years and finally arrives on New Zealand cinema screens.

Cooper is Pat Solitano, a bipolar disorder sufferer and former teacher, who is getting out of a mental health facility, 8 months after a violent incident which saw him hospitalised and restraining orders slapped in place. Released to his mother (Animal Kingdom's Jacki Weaver) he heads up home, determined to win his wife back and resume normal life.

In denial about whether he needs medication to cull his manic ways, Pat sets about trying to get in touch with his wife but his plan is slightly derailed when he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence on fine form), a young woman whose husband was killed and who has problems of her own.

Initially, the pair rub each other up the wrong way - but soon after, a friendship develops as Tiffany promises to help him deliver a letter to his wife - as long as he helps her achieve her dream of taking part in a dance competition.

But Pat's commitment to Tiffany puts him on a collision course with his father (De Niro) who believes (thanks to OCD) that Pat is the key to his gambling successes...

Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic drama / comedy with heart and humour aplenty.

However, it also benefits from a career best performance from Bradley Cooper, who commands the screen from the beginning and imbues his Pat with manic energy and warmth, while resisting the urge to overplay the bipolar behavioural tendencies of his character. It's this humanity, coupled with Cooper's willingness to lay it all bare, which make Pat so relatable. This is no showy, "Look at me, I've got bipolar" performance, but a crowd-pleasing, warmly comic, instantly human turn.

Likewise, Jennifer Lawrence also impresses as Tiffany, the damaged woman who has her own issues. While some of the writing leaves you a little unsure as to why she's initially attracted to helping Pat, there's no mistaking the spiky, spunky relationship the pair strike up. But she takes what essentially could be a one note character and gives it depth. Equally, De Niro, with his character's OCD tendencies, gives such a great turn you almost forget some of the absolute drivel he's done recently. All three deserve their Oscar nominations - though Jacki Weaver is a little too sidelined to shine as the family bicker, quarrel and pick at each other the way all loving families do in among the chaos of daily life.

Mixing eccentricity with a warm gooey centre, Silver Linings Playbook is a slightly off-kilter crowd-pleaser of a film which is poignant, touching. moving and yet never overly sentimental.

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Step Up To the Plate: Movie Review

Step Up To the Plate: Movie Review

Cast: Michel Bras, Sebastien Bras
Director: Paul Lacoste

Food porn lovers will adore this documentary which takes a peek at the first foodie family of France, the Bras.

In 2009, Michelin star winning chef Michel Bras decided enough was enough and it was time to hand over his restaurant to son Sebastien, who'd been with him for 15 years in the kitchen.

Lacoste charts that succession plan and spends time watching from the sidelines - and what he's captured, while interesting, isn't as gripping as you'd potentially have hoped for - but it's different in some ways. From the start of the doco, the emphasis is clearly on the eye candy of the food and the mouthwatering temptation of the dishes on display.

But, while Lacoste's camera catches the intricate work needed to create one of the 3 Michelin star winning plates, it also reveals the precision and minutiae of the foodie world. Michel is, in some ways, an addict, having spent so long creating and sculpting his dishes as if they were art projects. He even tells his son at one point that a treat he'd prepped was "tasty" and that "he didn't expect that". This is a man whose blood is probably a jus of some sort and whose dedication to culinary excellence makes it hard for his son to step out of his shadow.

Divided up into the seasons of the year, the film captures the essence of what drives exquisite cooks to degrees of eccentricity and charts the relationship between the pair which is one of an extremely patient charge and chrysalis, trying to emerge from the wings and a master who's not ready yet to step away.

Rather than going for overtly over the top and pompous voiceover, Lacoste is happy to let the camera catch the tale of their relationship and in fact, all of their moments catalogue more of a family bond than countless photos and talking heads could ever achieve.

Sumptuously put together but not quite as nourishing as perhaps you'd want if you're not au fait with the subject, this doco is a gentle piece, beautifully shot and with everything needed to tantalise the eyes. It's more of a fly on the wall with subjects who are happy to let the camera sweep around them, than a definitive expose of France's most influential gastronomic family.

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Devil May Cry: PS3 Game Review

Devil May Cry: PS3 Game Review

Platform: PS3
Released by Capcom

I have to confess to have never heard of Dante and the Devil May Cry series prior to this outing.

This latest is a reboot and has become the more stylised DMC, from Ninja Theory. A hack and slash'em up, it's centred around Dante, who's under attack from a series of demons who are currently beseiging Limbo City.

It begins with Dante awaking from a heavy night out, only to discover a demon's hunting him. Warned by a mysterious hooded woman figure that he's in danger, he grabs his trusty sword, Rebellion and pistols (Ebony and Ivory) and sets off to find out exactly what's going on.

Set in this parallel universe, the action of Devil May Cry is certainly full on.

Mashing buttons together, you get to perform various different hacking and killing combos as you take on various demons plaguing the world. The more incisive and violent your take downs are, the more points you rack up through the levels, thanks to an onscreen grading system which helps guide you through the kills.

As you explore the world, you learn tips and tricks of vaulting through the air, flying, pulling out blocks et al to your advantage. But there are also little bits to do within each world - secret missions, missions to save various lost souls trapped around limbo (which need to be killed to be freed).

The gameplay in Devil May Cry is relatively simple to be honest - with a narrative scattered through looking at Dante's past and his timeline, there's enough to keep you invested. The emo punk Dante looks impressive and is perhaps a little too pretty boy for those who've experienced Dante before - but certainly, graphically, it handles all of the requirements of the screen time.

Devil May Cry is not without its faults though - occasionally, the camera refuses to centre where it's needed, rendering combat a little too tricky when it shouldn't be and exploring the worlds with a weird camera can sometimes be annoying as well.

The biggest mis-step of Devil May Cry though is the music. Whoever decided that heavy metal should play as you deal in combat has made a serious miscalculation. It's annoying, grating and distracting - thankfully the option is there to remove the soundtrack, for which I'm eternally grateful.

Chained combos, along with the ability to upgrade weapons and various abilities being unlocked along the way, plus three settings mean Devil May Cry has a degree of re-playability - and shows that the naysayers who dismissed the reboot may be eating their hats once they sit down and take it on.

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This Is 40: Movie Review

This Is 40: Movie Review

Cast: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Megan Fox, John Lithgow, Albert Brooks, Chris O'Dowd, Lena Dunham
Director: Judd Apatow

They say life begins at 40, and it certainly has an impact in this latest dramedy offering from Judd Apatow.

He returns to his characters, Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) who we met in Knocked Up and who are hitting the big 40. With 2 kids, debt and a bit of a mid-life crisis, life is beginning to bite quite seriously.

Debbie is the first to hit 40 and is in straight denial, with her husband Pete's birthday just around the corner. But Pete's facing financial woes with his record label, as it's failing to bring in the money or any kind of success. Add to that, the fact Pete's dad is mooching money off them, the pressure is really on. Throw in the fact, Debbie suspects young Desi (Megan Fox) of stealing from her business, they're in trouble.

So, when Debbie decides it's time to turn their lives around, physically and spiritually, it causes ructions within the family unit - and they're stretched to the limit.

This Is 40 is thematically similar in many ways to Apatow's previous, Funny People - it brings a fair few recognisable laughs with its rambling, occasionally aimless, running time. (Though there isn't the noticeably jarring thematic tone half way through this latest)

Both Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are affable enough in their lead roles and will strike a few recognisable chords with many - from the frustrations of having children, negotiating sex lives, and managing expectations, there are plenty of moments where Apatow's script is on the money and certainly capable of generating a few unexpected laugh out loud segments as it exposes some of the psychoses and neuroses of relationships. Mann, in particular, deserves praise for fleshing out the foibles into something which feels real and relatable, rather than whiny and irritating. O'Dowd brings a few laughs - as does his Bridesmaids co-star Melissa McCarthy - and Megan Fox is simply along for the eye candy quota.

Yet, there are also times when you wonder if there was any sense of what was being created in the writers' room; a daughter's obsession with JJ Abrams' show Lost seems bizarrely shoved in, repeated many times and no reason ever given for it.  Initially, John Lithgow's appearance as Debbie's father seems shoe horned in, ignored and then suddenly forms part of the denouement - it's these kinds of moments scattered throughout which contribute to the feeling of aimlessness and general narrative disparity which is present throughout the overlong, occasionally meandering, running time.

And despite all of that, there's a relevance and poignancy which will hit many in the audience - from the problems of the economic downturn to the desire to get back to what's important in your life, Apatow's certainly crafted together a story which has finally resolves itself by showing off the heart within. (Even if you do question whether they'd be able to fend off some of the money issues by selling one of their massive cars).

All in all, This is 40 is a mixed bag - you may at times struggle to care about such an affluent family's money issues given how they live, but you sure as hell will relate to the problems they have which are universal in nature, and in Apatow's hands, occasionally very damn funny.

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The House at the End of the Street: Blu Ray Review

The House at the End of the Street: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Entertainment

Jennifer "Hunger Games" Lawrence made this low budget indie horror pre her break out in the Hunger Games series.

She plays Elissa, who along with her mum (Elisabeth Shue) move to a new home in the idyllic part of the woods. But it turns out the house next to them is a murder house where a girl Carrie Anne murdered her parents leaving only her brother Ryan alive.

Despite her mum's denial, Elissa forms a relationship with Ryan, who's the town outsider and the pair begin to bond and grow closer.

However, Ryan's keeping a secret from her....

The House at the End of the Street is your stereotypical horror movie, with obligatory jolts, shocks and fake out moments.

It's predictable, uneventful and not particularly frightening or heavy on suspense. It's also slow to get going, trying to build an atmosphere and unease and creepiness and not really achieving it.

Which is a real shame because both Elisabeth Shue and Jennifer Lawrence are good in this below average fare. Their relationship feels real rather than cliched and you invest in them, making it a real sense of disappointment that the rest of the script doesn't follow suit.

Ultimately, The House at the End of the Street is your by the numbers horror, with a few twists thrown in for good measure among some bad dialogue and unrealistic moments. It's just unfortunate it couldn't have been more given the talent involved.

Extras: None

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Hitchcock: Movie Review

Hitchcock: Movie Review

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Toni Collette,Danny Huston, Jessica Biel, James D'Arcy
Director: Scaha Gervasi

"Good evening"

The list of Hitchcock's influence is as long and wide as his jowls. From Psycho, North by Northwest to The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window, the list goes on and on.

This latest release details his struggles to get Psycho made, following the success of North by Northwest and is a light and frothy affair, which is based on Stephen Rebello's non-fiction book, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho.

Anthony Hopkins dons the prosthetics and curls out his bottom lip to play the portly master of suspense in this film, set in 1959, which finds Hitch mulling over which project to take on, following the major success of "North by Northwest" and stung by a reporter asking him when he plans to retire.

Various proposals come his way - including Casino Royale - but taken by a novel Psycho by Robert Bloch (and about killer Ed Gein), Hitchcock becomes obsessed with getting this project off the ground - despite the protestations of both the studio and his wife Alma Reville (wonderfully portrayed with richness by Helen Mirren).

But Hitch's a man on a mission - and he starts to risk it all by taking on this project. From mortgaging his house to self finance the flick and dealing with the censors, it begins to push their relationship to the absolute breaking point.

Coupled with starting to see Gein and suspecting Alma of an affair, the making of Psycho could be the unravelling of Hitchcock's hitherto charmed life.

Hitchcock is a knockabout film in parts which is potentially more suited to a telemovie than a big screen release.

Thankfully, some wonderful character performances elevate it from the level of the small screen; firstly, Helen Mirren, whose portrayal and portrait of a woman behind the man is nothing short of compelling, rich and watchable from the get go. How she never received some form of recognition beyond a BAFTA nomination for this is incredulous.

Anthony Hopkins is, in all honesty, a mixed bag in terms of his portrayal of Hitchcock. There are moments when he's spot on with the role, working under a prosthetic face and an enhanced girth. And certainly, there are times when he has the trademark pout spot on.

But then there are others when Hitchcock sounds like a curious mix of cockney Michael Caine put through a Welsh burr and mixed in with a fat suit. It's an extraordinarily odd sense of the man and at times, the make up and vocals become distracting. However, in encapsulating Hitch's more lecherous side, his obsessive compulsions and his propensity towards his leading ladies, Hopkins gives a never less than rounded portrait and insight into what propelled the man.

Scarlett Johansson impresses as Janet Leigh, all cheekbones and empathy; but Jessica Biel as Vera Miles feels underwritten and underused, which is a real shame given that Hitchcock felt that Miles deserted him. I never really fully got the sense of why the betrayal cut so deep. The story is an interesting look into what went on with the making of such an influential film and offers an intriguing peek and insight to those not already in the know.

While this may be more small screen, occasionally knockabout fare, the scenes where the infamous shower sequence in Psycho was shot come alive with a frisson of menace because of the work done by Hopkins as Hitchcock - and the final third of the film has some brilliant flourishes, humour and visual touches which are relatively lacking and sorely missed in the early stages. These touches only come alive because they choose to focus more on the dynamics of the relationship between Hitch and Reville and really soar because of the work predominantly done by Mirren.

All in all, Hitchcock is an entertaining, if occasionally forgettable, piece which will have you leaving the cinema and seeking out Psycho to rewatch - as well as some of Hitch's other fare. Which is no bad thing at all.

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SAG Awards winners 2013

SAG Awards winners 2013

The awards season continues in America, with the reveal of who's taken home a SAG Award.

No real surprises here for the movies to be honest...

Here's the full list of 2013 SAG Award winners:

MOVIES:

Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"

Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Supporting actor: Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"

Supporting actress: Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"

Cast: "Argo"

Stunt ensemble: "Skyfall"

TELEVISION:

Actor in a movie or miniseries: Kevin Costner "Hatfields & McCoys"

Actress in a movie or miniseries: Julianne Moore, "Game Change"

Actor in a drama series: Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"

Actress in a drama series: Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Actress in a comedy series: Tina Fey, "30 Rock"

Drama series cast: "Downton Abbey"

Comedy series cast: "Modern Family"

Stunt ensemble: "Game of Thrones"

Life Achievement: Dick Van Dyke