Despicable Me 2: DVD Review

Despicable Me 2: DVD Review

Rating: PG
Released by Universal Home Ent

In Despicable Me 2, Steve Carell's Gru is back - this time round, he's now a doting single father to his adopted daughters, Agnes, Margo and Edith. Pursued by some of the single women in the neighbourhood, Gru's content with life. But when Dr Nefario (Brand) quits Gru's world, saying he yearns to be bad, Gru begins to question his life. And when he's recruited into the Anti-Villains League by Agent Lucy Wilde (Wiig) to help track down an evil villain living in the mall, he thinks he's found his calling.

However, Gru's about to discover several things which will rock the foundations of his world to their very core.

Despicable Me 2 is a little bit of a disappointment, when compared to the greatness which was the first film.

It's a perfectly acceptable choice for the school holidays and the youngsters will adore its madcap antics and colourful animation, but it feels a little like it's lost some of the shine which made it so special before.

Principally, it's to do with the story, which in itself, isn't quite strong enough to sustain the interest level of the adults. While the cast are perfectly adequate, the humour and strong touch points of the first film are missing and the whole thing feels a little flat. Sequences with Gru and his mission are presented nicely, but lack the punch that's needed of such a character - Gru has more fun being bad - and in its place, there's a lot of lunacy from the minions who are rolled out to accentuate scene changes and provide comic relief (which they do in spades and are very funny for it). There's no real emotional pull from Gru - he's more fun as a villain rather than a doting dad, who's losing the plot because his eldest adopted daughter has discovered boys. He also needs a stronger nemesis to square off against to give him some bite - and unfortunately in this one, there's nothing as strong as Jason Segel's Vector. And there's certainly no feeling that there's a real and plausible relationship between Gru and Agent Wilde - there's no moment of epiphany other than something which feels forced.

The minions though provide the lion's share of the laughter - and it's clear their spin off film is likely to be a massive success given their popularity with the younger end of the audience.

Despicable Me 2 is a perfectly fine school holiday film - its animation is lush and exciting. It's just a shame that the story doesn't follow that lead. If anything, it's more Despicable Meh.Though, I'm sure it won't stopDespicable Me 3 from happening (or should that be Despicable M3?)

Extras: Gru's Girls, Gadgets and commentary

Rating:

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa: Movie Review

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa: Movie Review

Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll, Greg Harris
Director: Jeff Tremaine

"You can have anything in this world as long as you just try."

So goes a line from Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, the fourth Jackass outing with Johnny Knoxville to hit the big screen, but the first to simply concentrate on one "character" as the show hits the road. And I really wish that those involved had actually tried.

The oddest thing with this latest one, is its insistence on adhering to a plot; Knoxville latexs up as Irving Zisman, an 86-year-old man, who finds himself a guardian of a young kid Billy (Nicoll) after his daughter / Billy's mum has to go to prison for doing drugs.

Determined to dump the kid off to his deadbeat father, the pair set out on a roadtrip (along with Irving's dead wife who's dumped in the boot of their car) - and pranks ahead.

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa is a real hybrid of a film, and one which really doesn't seem to have an identity of its own. Its curious mix of a story and real-life pranks makes it feel like it doesn't quite know what it really wants to be; on the one hand, you've got Zisman and Billy interlinking the "pranks" with their interaction, a growing bond and some odd moments and then on the other, you've got the 86 year old farting in a cafe and spraying all over the walls, much to the horror of the other patrons.

And it's this which will provoke some belly laughs (much to your horror and guilt) but other moments that make you feel it's all a little tired and been done before. It's partially due to the rigid road trip structure that's in play throughout, with some of the best laughs coming from unscripted short burst moments (presumably the key to Jackass' continued success is the random, rapid fire mentality which is so absent in this), which only serve to highlight how different an outing this is.

The final show-piece is a supposedly shocking entering of Billy into a beauty pageant and his consequent strip tease act. Which was essentially done in Little Miss Sunshine, nearly 7 years ago.

Sure, some of the "thrill" of this comes from seeing the real reactions of those being pranked, but the reason why Jackass so inspired a generation was that there was an element of danger to the stupidity, a frisson of excitement and schadenfreude. That is sorely lacking in Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa; not once does Knoxville put himself in danger and not once does he really do anything totally original, anarchic or utterly outrageous.

All in all, I've got to be honest and say based on this, I'd question whether you actually want a serving of Irving - if you like the puerile humour of the Jackass series, you'll be left wanting - and if you expect a riotous guilty pleasure, you'll equally be disappointed.

Rating

The Purge: Blu Ray Review

The Purge: Blu Ray Review

Rating: R16
Released by Universal Home Ent

In a near future America, for 12 hours on one night a year, Government sanctioned crime is legal. This is The Purge and it's credited with keeping the populace in line and the criminal element in line.

There are rules though - no government can be overthrown and some weapons are outlawed. But otherwise, it's all go in this cathartic criminal cutdown.

Successful security salesman James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) is hunkering down with his family for the night of the Purge, when things start to go awry. His young son Charlie sees a homeless man begging for help on the security screens during their lockdown and lets him in. But that brings the people who were doing the hunting to the door, demanding his release - or they'll come for all of them.

Suddenly, Sandin is facing a difficult choice....

The Purge is a terrific concept for a film - director James DeMonaco does a great job of building up the initial suspense and places plenty of seeds of doubt over what could happen (an angsty teen daughter, upset at her father's meddling in her relationship, jealous neighbours and the fact a man gets into their home) but then fudges the second half.

Having built up some goodwill and some eeriness as well as a great moral dilemma / social comment, The Purge then unfortunately loses it as it lapses into formulaic home invasion, blundering about in the dark, and providing the usual scares and jump-out-of-your-seat moments.  There's also a queasiness that the man being hunted is coloured and the would be killers are white - it's an uncomfortable touch which should have been jettisoned; more morally suspect ideology could have been explored in a less unsubtle way.

Hawke and Lena Headey work well with the story's confines and the initial discussions provoke plenty of internal discussions about what would you do if the same occurred; but by the time the grinning baddie comes crashing through the doors, the film's lost all semblance of a smart thriller and blundered into cliche territory.

Great premise, poor execution - a sequel's planned so who knows if the creators will take this to heart. The Purge proffers some intellectual scares but abandons them in favour of the usual horror tropes.

Extras: Making of

Rating:

Newstalk ZB: Movie Review - One Chance, The Fifth Estate

Newstalk ZB: Movie Review - One Chance, The Fifth Estate

This week, talking to Jack Tame about movies, we discuss the Paul Potts' biopic One Chance and also Benedict Cumberbatch in The Fifth Estate.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/player/ondemand/1333799708-darren-bevan-at-the-movies--one-chance-and-the-fifth-estate

The Day Of The Doctor: First clip revealed

The Day Of The Doctor: First clip revealed

Just moments ago as part of Children In Need, the first clip from The Day Of The Doctor has been revealed.

Don't forget to donate to Pudsey and here's the clip.



With just days to go until the Day Of The Doctor screens as part of the 50th Doctor Who celebrations, there's a real treat just been unleashed.

The Night Of The Doctor mini episode's been put out by the BBC to get the celebrations underway.

To say more would spoil it, but enjoy it below.


It's coming soon - and it's almost time to celebrate the Day of The Doctor.

BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who hits its 50th anniversary this very month on November 23rd and there are global celebrations planned.

But it's also a massive month - one of the biggest ever - for Doctor Who releases on the small screen.

BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment have got a huge slate of Doctor Who releases planned for the celebrations - and it's great to see the show is being taken seriously over here.

First up though, there are three volumes of Doctor Who: Revisited out on November 6th:

A special 50th anniversary DVD series
The first volume in this restrospective series showcases Doctor Who's first four doctors - William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, spanning from 1963-1981.

The Doctors Revisited includes a half hour profile and a classic story for each Doctor introduced by Steven Moffat (the current Lead Writer & Executive Producer). Each classic story is available to view as a widescreen, feature-length version or in its episodic, original format.

Featuring The Aztecs (William Hartnell), The Tomb of the Cybermen (Patrick Troughton) Spearhead from
Space (Jon Pertwee) and Pyramid of Mars Tom Baker.
RELEASED: 6 NOVEMBER * RRP: $39.99 * DISCS: 4 *

DOCTOR WHO REVISITED VOLUME 2
The years 1981-1996 saw four new actors portray the Doctor, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester
McCoy and Paul McGann, the focus of the second volume in The Doctors Revisited. Featuring 30 minute
restrospectives per Doctor, a Steven Moffat introduction.. Each classic story is available to view as a
widescreen, feature-length version or in its episodic, original format.

Featuring the stories: Earthshock (Peter Davison), Vengeance on Varos (Colin Baker), Remembrance of the Daleks (Sylvester McCoy), and Doctor Who: The Movie (Paul McGann).

Then 2 weeks later, in the year that Doctor Who celebrates its 50th anniversary, the very first regeneration story gets a release too - The Tenth Planet.

DOCTOR WHO: THE TENTH PLANET
• Contains a newly animated fourth episode (the original is currently missing from the BBC Archives)
• The very first regeneration story

The TARDIS lands at the South Pole in 1986. The arrival coincides with the appearance of Earth’s forgotten twin planet Mondas along with visitors from that world – the emotionless Cybermen. It’s up
to the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his friends to stop the creatures before they convert Earth’s population into similar cyber creations – but the encounter will have a devastating effect on the Doctor...

Special Features: • Commentary • Frozen Out Making Of • Episode 4 Reconstruction • William Hartnell
Interview • Doctor Who Stories – Anneke Wills • The Golden Age • Boys! Boys! Boys! Peter Purves, Frazer Hines and Mark Strickson reminisce about their time as companions • Companion Piece • Blue Peter Tenth anniversary retrospective on Doctor Who’s history • Radio Times Listings • English Subtitles • Photo
Gallery • Digitally Remastered Picture and Sound Quality •

Perhaps the biggest release this month though, comes from the recent haul of 11 recovered previously missing episodes - and is a global day and date release - The Enemy of The World.

The Enemy of the World, is the fourth six-part tale of the original fifth series which first broadcast in the
UK December 1967. Alongside Patrick Troughton, who plays both the Time Lord, and his antagonist
(Ramon Salamander) are his companions Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Deborah Watling (Victoria). Episodes 1,  2, 4, 5 and 6 had been missing from the BBC archives, until now. All episodes have been re-mastered.

27 Doctor Who stories still remain missing or have incomplete episodes, after a number were lost as a
result of BBC Archive space-saving measures.

RELEASED: 27 NOVEMBER * RRP: $TBA * DISCS: TBA

Don't forget also, you can see the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, The Day of The Doctor in cinemas on November the 24th - check your local cinemas for details.

The Night Of The Doctor mini story launches Dr Who's 50th

The Night Of The Doctor mini story launches Dr Who's 50th

With just days to go until the Day Of The Doctor screens as part of the 50th Doctor Who celebrations, there's a real treat just been unleashed.

The Night Of The Doctor mini episode's been put out by the BBC to get the celebrations underway.

To say more would spoil it, but enjoy it below.


It's coming soon - and it's almost time to celebrate the Day of The Doctor.

BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who hits its 50th anniversary this very month on November 23rd and there are global celebrations planned.

But it's also a massive month - one of the biggest ever - for Doctor Who releases on the small screen.

BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment have got a huge slate of Doctor Who releases planned for the celebrations - and it's great to see the show is being taken seriously over here.

First up though, there are three volumes of Doctor Who: Revisited out on November 6th:

A special 50th anniversary DVD series
The first volume in this restrospective series showcases Doctor Who's first four doctors - William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, spanning from 1963-1981.

The Doctors Revisited includes a half hour profile and a classic story for each Doctor introduced by Steven Moffat (the current Lead Writer & Executive Producer). Each classic story is available to view as a widescreen, feature-length version or in its episodic, original format.

Featuring The Aztecs (William Hartnell), The Tomb of the Cybermen (Patrick Troughton) Spearhead from
Space (Jon Pertwee) and Pyramid of Mars Tom Baker.
RELEASED: 6 NOVEMBER * RRP: $39.99 * DISCS: 4 *

DOCTOR WHO REVISITED VOLUME 2
The years 1981-1996 saw four new actors portray the Doctor, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester
McCoy and Paul McGann, the focus of the second volume in The Doctors Revisited. Featuring 30 minute
restrospectives per Doctor, a Steven Moffat introduction.. Each classic story is available to view as a
widescreen, feature-length version or in its episodic, original format.

Featuring the stories: Earthshock (Peter Davison), Vengeance on Varos (Colin Baker), Remembrance of the Daleks (Sylvester McCoy), and Doctor Who: The Movie (Paul McGann).

Then 2 weeks later, in the year that Doctor Who celebrates its 50th anniversary, the very first regeneration story gets a release too - The Tenth Planet.

DOCTOR WHO: THE TENTH PLANET
• Contains a newly animated fourth episode (the original is currently missing from the BBC Archives)
• The very first regeneration story

The TARDIS lands at the South Pole in 1986. The arrival coincides with the appearance of Earth’s forgotten twin planet Mondas along with visitors from that world – the emotionless Cybermen. It’s up
to the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his friends to stop the creatures before they convert Earth’s population into similar cyber creations – but the encounter will have a devastating effect on the Doctor...

Special Features: • Commentary • Frozen Out Making Of • Episode 4 Reconstruction • William Hartnell
Interview • Doctor Who Stories – Anneke Wills • The Golden Age • Boys! Boys! Boys! Peter Purves, Frazer Hines and Mark Strickson reminisce about their time as companions • Companion Piece • Blue Peter Tenth anniversary retrospective on Doctor Who’s history • Radio Times Listings • English Subtitles • Photo
Gallery • Digitally Remastered Picture and Sound Quality •

Perhaps the biggest release this month though, comes from the recent haul of 11 recovered previously missing episodes - and is a global day and date release - The Enemy of The World.

The Enemy of the World, is the fourth six-part tale of the original fifth series which first broadcast in the
UK December 1967. Alongside Patrick Troughton, who plays both the Time Lord, and his antagonist
(Ramon Salamander) are his companions Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Deborah Watling (Victoria). Episodes 1,  2, 4, 5 and 6 had been missing from the BBC archives, until now. All episodes have been re-mastered.

27 Doctor Who stories still remain missing or have incomplete episodes, after a number were lost as a
result of BBC Archive space-saving measures.

RELEASED: 27 NOVEMBER * RRP: $TBA * DISCS: TBA

Don't forget also, you can see the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, The Day of The Doctor in cinemas on November the 24th - check your local cinemas for details.

Carrie: Movie Review

Carrie: Movie Review

Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday
Director: Kimberley Peirce

So, after the 1976 classic of Carrie, starring Sissy Spacek as Carrie and Piper Laurie, we get the 2013 re-imagining of the Stephen King iconic story.

Kick Ass' Hit Girl, Chloe Grace Moretz stars as Carrie White, who this time around is an abused child, locked in the cupboard under the stairs by a religious puritannical fundamentalist zealot of a mother (Julianne Moore) traumatised by the birth and confused by the conception.

Shy, awkward and stooping, Carrie is an outsider at high school and encounters the first throes of womanhood in a shower in front of all her classmates. Mocked and bullied by them for her reaction, and taped on a mobile phone (one of only a few touches which suggest this film is in the modern day setting), Carrie begins to realise she has powers springing up from this life-changing event.

But along with those powers, the bullying of a group of girls increases and begins to make her life hell; with only the protection of Judy Greer's PE teacher, it's clear something's gotta give. However, a ray of light comes when one boy Tommy offers to take her to the prom (it's because his girlfriend felt guilty about the bullying) and soon Carrie starts to believe that she's normal and being accepted.

The prom comes around - and we all know what happened to Carrie at the prom....

The remake of Carrie is frightfully dull, despite the best intentions of those involved.

Chloe Grace Moretz doesn't quite give off the impression of a Carrie; she's all wide-eyed, open-mouthed, looking like she's permanently stubbed her toe as she wanders from one miserable encounter to the next. She only really comes alive and brings a few of the chills during the discovery of her powers with her mother and when asked to call upon the naively innocent girl within during being pursued to go to the prom. Elsewhere, she tries to deliver a performance that plays on the outsider but doesn't quite make it thanks to her really not looking the part in the same way that Spacek did.

That the film doesn't quite work is also due in part to the mostly stereotyped bullies, who are scantily sketched out and proffer up little character of their own, meaning there's hardly any kind of pull when the telekinetic storm is unleashed at the prom. That scene alone though is more of a performance though; Chloe Grace Moretz's almost orchestral and balletic movements seem like a show being put on as bits start flying around (a la many superhero origin movies you've seen) and the stuff hits the proverbial fan.

Equally, Julianne Moore gives relatively good unhinged as the mother who'd rather pray and banish Carrie under the stairs than connect with her growing daughter. Complete with self-harming, Moore's mother adds little to the film after a mightily impressive opening birthing scene which is truly horrific and packed with psychological damage.

Religious iconography is plastered rather scattergun throughout the film - a statue of Jesus bleeds from the stigmata when Carrie's trapped in her cupboard, one character's killed off in a crucifixion pose - and it's a little heavy-handed. A degree of subtlety, rather than plenty of slow-mo shots, would have been more effective in conveying the horror.

Overall, the 2013 remake of Carrie doesn't really succeed in bringing anything new or original to the cinematic table - it's all been done exceptionally well back in its 1976 version. This Carrie is a bit of a bloody misfire; not exactly a disaster, but not exactly a seized opportunity.

Rating: