The Desolation of Smaug - a first look

The Desolation of Smaug - a first look

News hot off the social media this morning.

Peter Jackson's unveiled a first look at The Desolation of Smaug - well, a first look at the poster for The Hobbit sequel anyway.

And it's been revealed The new teaser trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be unveiled this Tuesday, June 11th, at 10am PT

Benedict Cumberbatch is the voice of Smaug and it hits cinemas in December 2013.

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...

Here's a First look at the elf Tauriel.

The elf Tauriel played by Evangeline Lilly will appear in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

The Impossible: Blu Ray Review

The Impossible: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M

Released by Sony Home Entertainment

There are some events which are always going to feel too raw when you see them on the big or small screen.

The Boxing Day 2004 tsunami of Thailand is, still, perhaps one of them.

In this film, a regular family, Maria (Oscar nominated Naomi Watts) and husband Henry (McGregor), along with their three sons are heading to Thailand to spend Christmas there, amid some financial worries which are on the horizon. However, when they're upgraded to a villa on the coastline, it seems as if the holiday is a perfect tonic set in an idyllic location, with Christmas with the family playing all together by the pool.

But that's when the devastating tsunami hits, violently separating them from each other and their paradise; Maria with her eldest and Henry with the two other boys are torn asunder...

And so, a desperate fight for survival begins.

It's hard to watch The Impossible without a tide of emotion sweeping over you, swallowing you up in a heap of discomfort and horror as the story unfolds. In fact, The Impossible was not a film I was relishing in many ways. Some events in history seem too raw still to explore on the silver screen, no matter how much time has passed. Certainly, a natural event which claimed the lives of some 230 thousand people, was not one which I wanted to see given the "Hollywood treatment", and particularly because it chooses to concentrate on a western family.

However, while not perfect, you couldn't be further away from the truth. Directed and pulled together by a Spanish team, The Impossible takes the true story of a Spanish family and spins it through the machine (perhaps a little unnecessarily - there's no reason why these guys have to be relocated) and emerges with something primal that taps into all of our fears; separation, loss, anxiety, grief and fear itself.

And it's because of the sensitivity of how it's handled that it really stirs something so deep within. 10 minutes into the film and the tsunami strikes. But this is not a disaster which is catalogued from multi-angles and with slow-mo shots of devastation. In fact, it's utterly horrific as the wave and associated cacophony of sound comes hurtling towards you on the screen. It's brutal, battering and utterly numbing, replete as it is with the terrifying sounds of the ocean superimposed on your eardrums as the tumult grows.

The Impossible, initially, focuses on Maria and Lucas (an unbelievably good and breakout turn from newcomer Tom Holland). Bayona shows shots of Maria being pulled under, tossed around and struck by all manner of objects as the water hits - and all through, all Naomi Watts does is channel the fear that any parent has over what's happened to their child.

Watts has been nominated for an Oscar for The Impossible - and while she's pretty much bloodied, bruised and bed-ridden throughout the majority of the film, she's commanding in every scene she's in, mixing in raw emotion, power and hope through the truly horrific scenario Maria went through. I guarantee you plenty of her scenes will have you shifting uncomfortably in your chair and squirming as the extent of her injuries are revealed in quick cutaways here and there. (Which is another thing director Bayona gets right -the choice not to dwell or over-dramatise the situation)

Likewise, McGregor brings dignity and heart to a husband, hoping against all hope for some form of survival.  There's a class to McGregor's turn and both command an association and heartbreak you immediately identify with in what's, at its heart, the (relatively) feel-good tale of survival against the odds. A scene, where he breaks down making a phone call, is like an arrow to the heart and you'd be a hard bastard to not feel anything at that point. However, where The Impossible stumbles slightly is in its depiction of life around those fighting for survival, as well as its inexplicable reason to mess with who was part of the story, by choosing European over Spanish - decisions which cast an inexorable pall over this international tragedy.

The picture of locals is nothing other than sketchy even as the story is told just as it no doubt happened. Granted, that may have been how it was in the reality of the aftermath, but the film feels questionable when examined under those moments, truth or otherwise. Likewise, an ending with empty seats on a plane feels awkward and uncomfortable, given the scale of what's occurred - though that could be naivety on this reviewer's behalf. It certainly hangs jarringly at the end. Similarly, the decision to cast Hollywood actors and move the family away from Spanish heritage could be a tactic to ensure more people see the film (and is no reflection on Watts, McGregor or Holland) - but it's one which jars, given a title board at the end which depicts the family.

All in all, The Impossible is, at its heart, a film about family, love and the universal bonds we all share as a human race. It's not a film to enjoy and in fact, in parts, it's more one which you endure as it rumbles on toward its pay-off, with moments of frenzied predictability and occasionally manipulative score.

That said though, it's breath-taking and will see you go through the gamut of emotions as the lights go down and the haunting images begin to flood toward you with one emotional sucker punch after another. But I guarantee you, that you'll not leave that cinema without swearing to always ensure you do your utmost for your loved ones - no matter what.

Extras: Audio commentary, casting the film, deleted scenes and realising the film

Rating:

ZB Movie review - Great Gatsby, Perks of being a Wallflower and Les Miserables

ZB Movie review - Great Gatsby, Perks of being a Wallflower and Les Miserables

http://newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/player/ondemand/122375836-darren-bevan-at-the-movies--june-8

Giselle to hit New Zealand International Film Festival

Giselle to hit New Zealand International Film Festival

FEATURE FILM VERSION OF GISELLE TO HAVE ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Acclaimed New Zealand playwright and film director Toa Fraser’s feature film interpretation of the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s performance of Giselle, will have its world premiere in the opening weekend of the New Zealand International Film Festival at the Civic Theatre, Auckland.

The filming of Giselle commenced in October/November 2012 in the lead up to the ballet's seven-centre New Zealand tour and three-week tour of China.

Ethan Stiefel, RNZB Artistic Director and Johan Kobborg, internationally acclaimed Principal Dancer of London’s Royal Ballet co-choreographed the ballet. Prima Ballerina, Gillian Murphy, RNZB Principal Guest Artist and star of the American Ballet Theatre, dances the role of Giselle with acclaimed Chinese/New Zealand dancer Qi Huan playing Albrecht, giving a performance which has been gathering him critical acclaim around the world.

“The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s superb, universally acclaimed production of Giselle has now been made into a superb film. Director Toa Fraser and cinematographer Leon Narbey have worked intensively with the company to ensure that this screen version works wonders in its own right.” says Bill Gosden, NZIFF Director.

“The RNZB is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary, has just toured three weeks in China and now has the immense privilege of premiering a feature film inspired by our recent Giselle production. Through the making of this film, all involved have been presented with an amazing opportunity to share a wide variety of the good things that are happening in New Zealand arts and culture. The RNZB is appreciative and proud to have been asked to be a part of such a beautiful project” says Ethan Stiefel, Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

New Zealand Film Commission CEO Graeme Mason added "The NZFC is delighted this collaboration with the RNZB has resulted in this beautiful and entrancing film with a unique view of a much loved and romantic ballet.  The festival cinema audience are in for a very special treat."
Giselle is a collaboration between the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) and the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) with additional investment from Auckland’s Digi Film, and was produced by Matthew Metcalfe (Dean Spanley, Love Birds, Beyond the Edge 3D). The film is being released in New Zealand and Australia by Rialto Distribution.

Massive Amazing Spider-Man 2 spoiler revealed?

Massive Amazing Spider-Man 2 spoiler revealed?

Has there been a reveal of a massive Amazing Spider-Man 2 spoiler?

Entertainment Weekly seems to think so.

In their latest piece from the Amazing Spider-Man 2 there are some spooky parallels between a key plot point with Emma Stone's Gwen Stacey and Spidey.

The picture's revealed below - but for the full details you'll have to check out the Entertainment Weekly story

Brand new Man of Steel trailer

Brand new Man of Steel trailer

There's a brand new Man of Steel trailer here with Henry Cavill.



From Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures comes "Man of Steel", starring Henry Cavill, directed by Zach Snyder. The film also stars Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Henry Lennix, Christopher Meloni and Laurence Fishburne.

Here's the latest Man of Steel trailer....a Viral video from Zod...

 
There are also some brand new Man of Steel images out there too, courtesy of the preview on Entertainment Weekly. Including a first proper look at Michael Shannon as Zod. 

There's a brand New Man of Steel image from Zack Snyder due later this year.

It shows Henry Cavill as Superman...

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger: PS3 Review

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger: PS3 Review

Platform: PS3 - via PSN
Released by UBISOFT

Time to saddle up, gunslinger, with this new PSN title from the Call of Juarez series, the fourth such title.

In it you take on the role of Silas Greaves, a rooting, tooting bounty hunter who moseys into town one day with a series of stories and a thirst for beer in the local saloon. As Silas recounts his story to his spellbound audience, you play through the series of chapters in his life.

Most of those involve shoot-outs in the classic Western settings - and with some familiar faces from infamy.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is actually a fun little title to play and an unexpected treat on the gaming front.

Mixing duelling pistols and first person shooter is a great combination - and as you make your way through the game, you get the chance to upgrade your skills and with those, your shooting ability. It's fairly repetitive in terms of game play, and it can be frustrating that sometimes it takes more than a few shots to fell some of the bad guys. But it actually trains you to improve your shooting and aim to not only garner skill points but also quick kills. Add in the chance to avoid being shot by a quick time event and there's a lot to keep your fingers nimble on the draw.

There are also "nuggets of truth" collectibles scattered around the game for collection which each reveal a little something about the people involved. And there's a cartoony, almost pulpy feel to the gameplay and how it's presented, with it feeling a little akin to Robert Rodriguez's new trailer for Machete Kills in many ways.

Once story mode is done, there's an arcade shooter and a duels section to keep you playing on - and in particular the arcade section is very playable and addictive as you blast your way through levels of baddies and take on the other gunslingers.

In all honesty, I'd not been expecting much from Call of Juarez: Gunslinger but it delivers on so many fronts. It makes a downloadable title fun, extremely playable and enjoyable title which has put a bit of life into the overall seriousness of a lot of the first person shooters.

Rating: