Brand new Pacific Rim trailer is here

Brand new Pacific Rim trailer is here

The brand new trailer for Pacific Rim has just landed from Wondercon...



When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes -- a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) -- who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Star Trek Into Darkness: Movie Review

Star Trek Into Darkness: Movie Review

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Weller
Director: JJ Abrams

Set phasers to stunning....

Following on from the success of the 2009 reboot of the Star Trek series, it was inevitable there would be a sequel. And it's a much welcome decision if the meltdown on the internet over the plot and subtleties of this latest is anything to go by.

Chris Pine once again returns as the younger version of Captain Kirk, who, this time around, finds his world is shattered with the arrival of John Harrison (a villainous and cold Benedict Cumberbatch), a terrorist whose actions rock the very core of Star Fleet.

But when Kirk is despatched to bring in the war criminal, the stakes are higher than ever before...

Even if you hadn't been expecting the last Star Trek movie to be thrilling and exciting, this new film never lets those expectations drop - and in fact, it completely exceeds them.

Even with the advent of the internet, there has never been so much rabid fan assessment of every detail, each single trailer, every single nuance of dialogue and story hints. Trust me, it's best to go into this completely cold and unspoiled.

Conversely, director JJ Abrams and his team are to be commended for pulling together a film which totally services the incessant whimperings of the fan base through moments which acknowledge its past without ever sacrificing the broader appeal which the first film carefully traversed and successfully paid homage to.

Kirk and his crew are utterly engaging once again as the action piles up and it's Chris Pine, whose heroic central performance deserves the most commendation. It's a stunning turn once again by an amazing Pine who brings a maturity to his hot headed and brash Enterprise captain.

Not only is there action a-plenty in this latest Star Trek movie, there's just so much of it. The film begins at a breakneck pace with Kirk and McCoy racing through the undergrowth of an alien world, but after two hours, just when you think you can't cope with any more, JJ Abrams throws in a final showdown piece which takes your breath away as the parallels to the contemporary politics of war reach an epic conclusion.

But it's also in the quieter moments that Abrams and co truly deliver in this new Star Trek movie - a menacing and magnificent Benedict Cumberbatch exudes villainy and clever cerebral cunning as John Harrison, whose single minded ruthlessness signals a real threat to StarFleet; humour from Simon Pegg as Scotty and moments of laughter from Karl Urban's brilliant McCoy blend nicely into the mix; and squabbles between Zoe Saldana's Uhura and Zachary Quinto's Spock add layers of humanity to the story as it plays out. Even though Chekov and Sulu are a little sidelined, nods to pivotal moments or characters from the show's run will spark nostalgia with fans and will please, but not at the expense of alienating the newer generation. It's a vulnerable Kirk who's growing up, maturing as he makes the journey and taking some responsibility for the choices he's made, and Chris Pine conveys all of this excellently. As an added bonus, the bromance between Kirk and Spock is warm, welcoming and utterly relatable as well as funny in places. Quinto and Pine have captured the essence of the original characters and made them their own.

There's so much to love with Star Trek Into Darkness. 

From the unfolding mystery and intrigue to the set pieces which soar as the action shows no sign of abating and is cranked up to Warp Factor 11; it's packed full of surprises and twists plus there's an extremely subtle tweaking and subversion of what you might expect. 

The end result is mesmerizing - a perfect blend of blockbuster thrills, spills and excitement as this latest boldly goes into 3D, which adds depth to the Enterprise and vastness to the space scenes - as a bigger, bolder and more exciting piece than its predecessor, it's an utterly, unashamedly enthralling ride.

Easily one of the films of the year without a shadow of a doubt.



Rating:

Details of PlayStation 4 Controller revealed

Details of PlayStation 4 Controller revealed

Some good news for fans of PlayStation 4.

A video's been released giving some details of the key features of the PlayStation 4 DUALSHOCK controller.

Injustice: Gods Among Us: PS3 Review

Injustice: Gods Among Us: PS3 Review

Released by Warner Bros
Platform: PS3

Imagine a world where Superman had gone mad and turned from the red, white and blue, to the red of blood over everything.

Imagine that rage had been caused by Joker, instigating the death of Supe's nearest and dearest. And then imagine you had the chance to take control of the cream of the crop of the superhero world with the option to beat the living daylights out of each other.

Imagine also if Mortal Kombat had been merged with the DC world.

That, in a nutshell, is Injustice: Gods Among Us.

Developer NetherRealm has worked on Mortal Kombat for years, so the fusion of the fighting with the superhero is to be honest, the dream of the nerd; a chance to take your favourite Superhero on and beat down the baddies. But that's where things are not quite as simple here.

Using the whole alternate reality storyline, you initially take control of Batman and other members of the Justice League, who are determined to bring down the gone bad Superman and put an end to the chaos of the alt-world. It soon becomes a case, in story mode, of fighting other versions of your own character - ie Green Lantern takes on Yellow Lantern, Batman vs Batman etc.

Control wise, it's pretty much like most other beat'em'ups you will have played many, many times before. A combination of buttons, a series of supercharged moves and an array of weapons to let loose on your opponent. Yet, by keeping the control system simple on Injustice: Gods Among Us, it makes it very easy to progress in fights without being a fighting expert. That's not to say there aren't fun moments - a wager moment in the middle of the fight can see yours - or your opponent's - health meter taken apart by gambling a portion of it on the outcome. And firing up your supermove can be a lot of fun too. A move from Joker sees Batman flung epically through the air and through several screens of damage; likewise a blast from one of the Lanterns can see you launched into space - it's these moments when you're praying your health meter doesn't decrease too much because as you sustain layers upon layers of attack, there's little you can do but watch.

Graphically, NetherRealm's pulled together a game which looks the part - it won't redefine how you see the characters - and is colourful as well as being cinematic at times. Throwing in the occasional use of the background and its elements also adds in to the novelty of the game play as well - using a well placed oil drum to beat down an opponent is a welcome move.

As well as story mode, there are two single player modes which allow you to partake in some bite-sized entertainment and mini smack downs - a multiplayer option adds in the chance for you to co-op some play or be part of a tournament of wannabes wanting to take down the current champion, for bragging rights...

All in all, Injustice: Gods Among Us is a great, fun title which offers up a wealth of play to everyone and a world of hurt to explore.

Rating:

Jurassic Park 3D: Movie Review

Jurassic Park 3D: Movie Review

Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough, Jeff Goldblum, Samuel L Jackson, Wayne Knight, T-Rex, Velociraptor, Cutesy kids
Director: Steven Spielberg

The dinosaurs are back - and this time, they're in 3D.

It's the 20th anniversary of Jurassic Park and to celebrate, it's been shined up, given the 3D makeover and thrust out, once again, into the world.

In case you don't know the story of Jurassic Park (and believe me, apparently there are some), it's the tale of John Hammond, a billionaire and dreamer, who uses his science connections to build a theme park which has been populated with dinosaurs.

But when Hammond brings in dinosaur experts, Dr Ellie Sattler and Dr Alan Grant (Dern and Neill) along with Dr Ian Malcolm (Goldblum) it appears that everything that can go wrong on the island, does so.

Soon, the group's fighting for their lives as the dinos break out...

There's no denying that Jurassic Park is a classic movie which proffers up a wonderful experience of awe inducing excitement. It's one of the superlative releases ever made, with Spielberg crafting together a piece which satirizes corporate greed and lawyers, wallows in the hubris of science and shows the strength of a family bond and children.

But Jurassic Park is really about a little bit more than that - and it's the dinosaurs.

20 years ago, the work done by Stan Winston on the creature department was outstanding - they were so life-like that it was almost as if the dinos had been caught by a documentary crew in action. And to be perfectly frank, some 20 years later, they still look incredible.

Likewise, the soundtrack still soars as much as it did back then - I can't deny the initial burst of the theme gave me goosebumps all over again.

But the main reason for this release is the 3D - does it work and enhance the film?

Well, the answer is yes - for the majority of parts.

There are moments when it works really well - and those are predominantly the set pieces - such as the field shot with Alan Grant as the dinos flock and run round them; it's here the 3D gives perspective to the fields and hills and breathes some life into the animation. Likewise the scene where the glass of water vibrates as the T Rex first stomps about is more eye catching now than ever. And the sequences with the T-Rex chase and the Velociraptors attack are guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat as it plays out. Just as it did some 20 years ago.

For the rest of the film though, the 3D adds little if nothing to what was already a spectacular watch. Despite some cheesy dialogue, some awful acting and a gratuitous shot of Jeff Goldblum semi shirtless, there's little depth that the 3D can bring - and in parts, the dark of the glasses actually detracts from what's on the screen.

Ultimately though, Jurassic Park remains worth a rewatch - a nostalgic family action blockbuster that really changed the landscape for these kinds of films (plus it's a chance to marvel at chunky computer screens and marvel at how exciting touch screen technology was back then. How far we've come....) With Jurassic Park 4 hitting screens very soon, it's time to go back to Jurassic Park and marvel at it all over again.

Rating:

You've Been Trumped: DVD Review

You've Been Trumped: DVD Review

Rating: PG
Released by Rialto and Vendetta Films

In this doco, it's David vs Goliath in Scotland.

Well, to be more accurate - it's Michael Forbes and some of the residents of Aberdeenshire vs the Mega Weave and he of the "You're fired" catchphrase and pursed lips, Donald Trump.

Originally a BBC documentary, this piece follows the plans of the Don to build a massive golf course and hotel complex on the sites of scientific interest in Aberdeenshire, and on a piece of coastline which has been untouched by man for years.

Essentially, it's a tale of one man's mega-corporation's push and PR to discredit and destroy the local objectors, of whom there are only a handful - but what emerges is that ever trusty piece of film that benefits from only one side being involved. Unfortunately, Baxter was unable to get any co-operation from anyone in Trump's teams, or the local police and council to comment or be interviewed for the documentary. So, what emerges is a piece, albeit well told, that is horrendously one sided.

Baxter interviews the locals threatened by Trump's plans and who, in fairness, emerge as espousing more than just the usual NIMBY arguments by looking at the greater good.
But he manages to slightly wrongfoot and over-sentimentalise his argument and case by giving the locals a sympathetic backstory, letting them present footage of their past and links to the land while cutting to shots of the Don and his fleet of black SUVs.

It's not that You've Been Trumped isn't competently and flashily put together; it's a well oiled, slick and sleek piece of film-making. It's just one that means you're never anything but opposed to the plans from Donald Trump and his evil empire. (Cue moustache twirling). I empathise with Baxter as a film-maker here - there are no options for them to get the other viewpoint from the property tycoon as he tries to bulldoze what's described as the crown jewels of Scotland's coast; and to be fair, they've tried every which way to get that; from turning up on a site, to putting in calls and emails to the Trump's office; all of which are rebutted, refused and end up in Baxter being arrested by the police. To be frank though, Trump doesn't help himself with arrogance, pomp and pursed lips like a badger sucking a lemon, the Don manages to shoot himself in his foot and then shove the other one squarely into his own mouth. Baxter manages to get some top golfers to get their opinions on any course - and so, the case against the Don piles up higher than a sandbank being created by the construction site.

What emerges from You've Been Trumped is a piece which shows the bullying tactics, petty nature and general bluster of anyone involved in the Trump organisation. But what also shows up is a piece which is, unfortunately, never anything but in favour of the residents.

Consequently, Baxter is to be praised for trying to balance a doco as much as he can and pulling together a watchable film which tries to tell the facts but is thwarted by the shut downs of his opposing subject and the refusal of anyone to actually talk about it.

Extras: None

Rating:

Beasts of the Southern Wild: Blu Ray Review

Beasts of the Southern Wild: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Icon and Roadshow

A heady, visceral and tender tale of life, love and our connection to the world, Beasts of The Southern Wild took the New Zealand International Film Festival by storm when it opened there in July.

It's the tale of six year old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis), who lives with her father in the Bathtub, a southern New Orleans delta continually threatened by rising flood waters. But, so in love with the land around her, she doesn't want to leave and her father refuses to evacuate them. 

When a storm comes though, and devastates their community, the pair trawl through the Bathtub trying to find survivors as they negotiate their way out of the Bathtub. But, events are conspiring against Hushpuppy and soon, her father's health is a major issue.

Replete with an impressive lively OST and anchored by one of the strongest child performances seen on celluloid for a long time, Beasts of The Southern Wild  is a unique vision of life and a joyous celebration of what binds us to the land and each other. 

But it all rises on the central performances of the child and her father - and thankfully by looking at life from the eyes of a kid, it's an insightful view which offers up a truly rewarding experience. When Hushpuppy accidentally starts a fire, she hides in a box, figuring that if she can't see the flames, then they don't exist. It's this magical kind of innocence which pervades Beasts of The Southern Wild throughout and proves majorly beneficial to this fable, which has echoes of Katrina etched throughout.

Thanks to mystical creatures known as the Aurochs and stunning cinematography, this vision of life may not be for everyone, but in terms of offering something new and riveting on the big screen, it more than delivers.

Rating: