Elysium: Blu Ray Review

Elysium: Blu Ray Review

Rating: R16
Released by Sony Home Entertainment

The director of District 9 returns with yet another sci-fi outing. In the year 2154. the Earth has become over-populated and over-polluted leading to the rich upping and leaving the planet to inhabit a floating space station called Elysium where everything is perfect - and where those who can afford it can be healed of any condition or problem. But back down on the surface, the have nots are struggling to get by, spilling out of slums and slaving for what little they can find.

Matt Damon is Max, who's always wanted to be among the stars and who's sickened by the class system which has developed on the Earth. He works on a production line in a factory, building the robots who police the world and who, ironically, suspect him of wrong-doing simply because he has a criminal record. When he's given an overdose of radiation at work, he believes he has nothing left to lose - and sets Elysium in his sights. But, in order to secure a ticket and transport to the space station, run by Defence secretary Delacourt (an icy Jodie Foster, underused, underwritten and with a truly bizarre clipped accent), he finds himself part of a mission which could bring equality to both those up there in space and down on Earth. But there are those who don't want the equilibrium damaged....

District 9 was such an incredible success that it was perhaps inevitable that anything Blomkamp followed it up with would be disappointing.

Not so with Elysium - to a degree.

Once again, his flair for stunning visuals and establishing shots is there right from the beginning; as with District 9 and its spaceship hanging in the sky, Blomkamp brilliantly sets the scene of the ravaged Earth and creates the world within the space of a few minutes.But despite Elysium being a gritty, dystopian piece of sci-fi, it proffers up a bitterly sweet sentimental ending that seems unnecessary.

Flashbacks back to Max's childhood and friendship with Alice Braga's Frey swoop in and out maybe a few times too often and the end reminiscence certainly is unwarranted. It's Blomkamp overegging the pudding in attempt to ground his protagonists with sentimental motivation.

That said, Damon is pretty good as the man with nothing left to lose and everything to gain as he plies his everyman persona to a slowly dying Max.But it's Copley who once again shines - this time playing bad ass mercenary and rogue agent Kruger, who's sent to deal with Max. There's a cruel streak to him which is uncomfortable to watch in places - I wouldn't be surprised if he gets offered a few more roles as the bad guy now.

FX wise and on the technology front, Blomkamp has created a world which is utterly plausible and totally impressive - he really has grounded the scifi look in a reality which seems just over the horizon and then dirtied it up a little to take the sheen off it. With props created by Weta Workshop and including Weta crew Joe Dunckley and Tim Tozer, we've got something to shout about.

The social message is clear for all to see and while the action scenes are sparse and brutal (aside from a final showdown between Max and Kruger which is all Hollywood bluster as they go head to head in exosuits in something akin to Rock Em Sock Em Robots ) Blomkamp has not lost sight of the thrust of his film despite the bluster and slightly out of place ending.

It was always going to be impossible to reach the heights of District 9 and by over-sentimentalising towards the end as he attempts to humanise the protagonists, Blomkamp's actually detracted from what the film sets out to do. That said, it's still a superior slice of sci-fi and a film which is well worth watching, from a director who's pretty quickly raising the bar for the genre.

Extras: Over 1 hour of content for the blu ray including behind the scenes content on how it was put together

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To The Wonder: Blu Ray Review

To The Wonder: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

This time around, rather than taking on the big mysteries of life, director Terence Malick's choosing to concentrate on the nature of love, in To The Wonder with a piece centring on Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko's relationship and how it plays out. 

It starts off romantically as the duo journey to Europe on a train. With no inclination for explanation, we're thrown into the middle of their relationship and left to observe; Affleck is near mute and Kurylenko's voiceover gives us snapshots of a life, a love and a budding world of dreams. As time goes on though, the romance cools, the pair split amid a visa issue and Affleck falls back for former girlfriend played by Rachel McAdams. However, once again, that dream falters and the original duo reunite. Intertwined with their life and love is a priest played by Javier Bardem whose purpose in life is drifting away from his calling.

Once again, Malick displays a real propensity and skill for a lyrical liquid narrative, blessed with some wonderful imagery which captures the life within our grasp; but for some, the fluidity and lack of real structure may prove a stumbling block as it rambles on to its conclusion. The overall feeling of To The Wonder is more of an experience, a live picture book than a conventional film - a spiritual journey rather than a scripted pathway. An orchestral score soars early on as the trio all search for something - and while Affleck and Kurylenko's characters seem to get the most closure, Bardem's priest is a little neglected and on the outside of the film rather than being more fully embraced. To The Wonder is a film to be seen and discussed but it may not be one whose snapshots of life and love are anything more than fleeting moments of celluloid; haunting definitely but lasting, not entirely.

Extras: Making of

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Cut: DVD Review

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Cut: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Warner Home Entertainment

For some, an extended cut of the first Hobbit movie is something akin to torture. For those who love Jackson's deep dive into Middle Earth though, it's to be welcomed as much as a second breakfast.

Everyone knows the story of the Hobbit, so let's skip over that and just say that this cut adds in 13 minutes of footage which was dropped - including more dwarves singing. It's ok, but nothing sensational and there really is the feeling that Peter Jackson put in as much as he could into the main body of the film and there was little left over.

However, the greatest addition part of this 5 disc set is the appendices which chronicle the making of the film and these are a real insight into a production from inception to final birth on the screen. These are essential viewing for anyone who's ever been interested in making movies and also for the fans of this series - Jackson's released these kinds of docos before with King Kong but the scope of them this time around is greatly rewarding and worth the price of the set alone.

A final disc goes back to Middle Earth and discusses the characters within- another greatly expanded piece for completists.

All in all, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Cut set is a must own for any one serious about either Middle Earth or film-making in general.

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The World's End: Blu Ray Review

The World's End: Blu Ray Review

Rating: R13
Released by Universal Home Ent

Simon Pegg re-teams with on screen buddy Nick Frost and behind the camera whiz Edgar Wright for this latest, which sees Pegg playing initially a little darker than he has done before.

Simon Pegg is Gary King, a black coated, black haired and distinctly Gothic lizard of a man who believes the best year of his life was when he attempted a pub crawl (aka The Golden Mile) in his home town of Newton Haven.

Determined to finish what he started for reasons initially unclear (though hinted at with some kind of family tragedy), King attempts to pull back together the other four players in this epic challenge of alcoholic proportions and put the band back together for one last boozy night out. However, in his unswerving dedication to the amber nectar, he's ignorant to the fact most of the gang have moved on - and one is still harbouring a grudge over treatment from all those years ago.

Paddy Considine's Steven now works in housing, Martin Freeman's O-Man is an estate agent with a blue- tooth permanently wired to his ear and Eddie Marsan's Pete is a respectable man with a family of two kids in suburbia. The final link is Nick Frost's Andy, a partner in a firm and the one who feels most betrayed by King's behaviour and lies.

But, against all the odds, King manages to pull them together and they all pile into his car from the 80s (which he still owns) and head back home to try and complete the legendary pub crawl, no matter what.

However, when the quintet hit the Haven, it appears not all is what it seems and soon, Gary and the gang are facing a fight for their lives, and potentially the planet's future.

The World's End is an epic, exciting and giddy end to the Three Colours Cornetto series.

It's still Pegg and Frost as you know them, but this time, the world's been created on a larger scale - both in budget and characters.

So, it means all the main players have had to severely up their (already high) game and the end results are truly beneficial for the audience. Pegg's brought a complexity to his Gary King which marks some of his best work. Initially distinctly unlikable, Gary is a bit of a hard ask when it comes to eliciting sympathy. But it's as if Pegg knows that and has imbued his Gothic quest leader with an infectious energy, even if he does seem to harbour several personality disorders.

And Frost is utterly incredible in this - confined to the (relatively) oafish roles in the first two films, here his Andy is the straight man for a change and is completely watchable for it. Many of the crowd pleasing moments are elicited by Andy's behaviour and to say more on that front, would spoil the pleasure I felt when those moments came to the fore. The core dynamic is still there at work and still the bonds of friendship ring true, regardless of how initially fractious they may be.

By widening the ensemble cast, Pegg, Frost and Wright have ensured there's more of a dynamic at play without ever losing the tight plotting, jeopardising the story and providing smart and silly pay-offs. And that's the thing about The World's End, it is remarkably silly in places, but it's the kind of goofy fun which leaves a wide grin on your face. The sci-fi elements are brought to the fore in this story as the likes of The Stepford Wives, The Village of the Damned, The Invasion of the Bodysnatchers and The Thing are all referenced.

But, by choosing to lace the script with these moments rather than hang it on them, the story is all inclusive and universal - it's about growing up, losing and rediscovering friendships and staying true to your youthful dreams, despite life trying to force you into maturing.

Considine brings stoic solid support as Steve, Martin Freeman adds a deadpan edge as O-Man but it's Eddie Marsan who is the best of the ensemble. There's a tragic pathos to his turn as the put upon Pete and his underplaying is much to the advantage as the story unfolds.

Wright also needs to be commended as well for adding in a new layer of action to his directing cannon. Early scenes may be slower, concentrating on the relationships and interplay, but once the action begins, the wonderfully choreographed moments unspool with such frenetic yet careful ease.

However, Wright doesn't lose the personality of his characters as the action plays out. One bravura sequence sees Pegg channelling some of the best silent comics as he tries to administer a beat-down while not spilling a drop of his pint. It's impressive stuff and certainly adds a level that could make Wright someone to watch when Ant-Man comes out in a few years.

With an impressive OST recalling some of the best of Britpop and a sense of emotional darkness,The World's End is a gritty yet silly end to the trilogy; it's one which suggests all the players are ready to move on, but are celebrating one last blast before calling time, gentlemen.

Extras: Over 4 and a half hours of content - a great bonus amount

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The Spirit of 45: Movie Review

The Spirit of 45: Movie Review

Director: Ken Loach

The post war spirit of Britain (aka the Stiff Upper Lip) is oft spoken of, and here evoked in director Ken Loach's latest.

Blending archive footage with modern day interviews (which are curiously in black and white), Loach pulls together a potted history of the UK in the days post the end of World War II and with an eye to never returning back to the doldrums of the years before.

Shots of bed bugs, of tidying up after the bombs have dropped and talking heads paint a picture of a world struggling to get back on its feet - but despite the film being painted as a polemic documentary, it's more a film of softer edges with a subtle political message running throughout. Loach proffers up his political colours, but chooses to let the speakers paint the picture rather than lecture around it.

Sure, you can see his political stance a mile away (trade unions are praised rather than looked at for their divisiveness) and there's something quite simplistic over the portrait which has been created overall.

However, The Spirit of 45 encapsulates and provides a portrait of the times more than anything else - it's down to the footage that Loach selects to use which gives an insight into a time we may have never seen rather than lived through.

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Top films of 2013

Top films of 2013

It's done, folks. 

2013 is very nearly over for the year and with it, a time to reflect back on a year that was.

Scanning back on New Zealand's cinematic year, it's been a solid one - and some films have risen higher than others of their ilk when it comes to offering an experience.

So, in no particular order, here are my picks for the top films of 2013:

The Silver Linings Playbook - slipped in before Oscar season, this heavily nominated drama shone with cracking performances all around; particularly from Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. Read The Silver Linings Playbook review here - and see why I said it had "heart and humour aplenty"

Amour / Rust and Bone - two crackers of smaller films which both had a rich emotional resonance and imagery that stayed with me long after I'd left the cinema. Read the Amour review here and see what I made of Rust and Bone here.

Blockbusters came thick and fast this year - but in among the blur, a few stood out. The second part of The Hunger Games trilogy, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire could have so easily have been a repeat of its formula (and indeed is in parts with a retread of the killing) but thanks to Jennifer Lawrence, it managed to be "certainly exhilarating to watch it unfold" - read The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie review here.

Equally, The World's End was a fitting conclusion to the Cornetto trilogy with Pegg, Frost and Wright bringing a touching poignancy and friendship to the closing film, which meshed sci-fi and drinking to comic effect. Read The World's End review here.

And of course, Benedict Cumberbatch's presence in Star Trek: Into Darkness led me to believe those in charge had "set phasers to stunning." Read the Star Trek Into Darkness movie review and see why. There's also mentions for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug which brought the action - and a big CGI dragon; and praise for Ben Stiller's directorial prowess in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (which releases here on Boxing Day).

But there were quieter moments which really caught my attention this year and providing haunting moments for long after they'd finished. Mads Mikkelsen may be making his name as Hannibal these days, but in The Hunt movie, his pursuit over claims of paedophilia was horrific. It was a heart in the mouth drama that had a way of inveigling itself under your skin - read The Hunt movie review and find out more. 

I also fell for The Selfish Giant at the New Zealand International Film Festival, which still has yet to find a NZ release date. It's a shame as the film "crackles with electricity" thanks to its subject matter and the two young actors. Read The Selfish Giant movie review and see why NZ is missing out.

The Way Way Back, The Spectacular Now and What Maisie Knew were also impressive, with each possessing a wisdom of its subject and performances that certainly hit the right note. All dealt with growing up in different ways and the journey of their protagonists proved compelling, engaging and engrossing. 

Prisoners proved to be captivating in more ways than one - with Hugh Jackman delivering a powerhouse turn as a father whose family suffers the most horrifying of tragedies. Read the Prisoners movie review and see why its bleakness appealed to me. Equally, Stoker and Blue Jasmine possessed an appeal that proved difficult to deny. Stoker was a powerfully psychological piece and Blue Jasmine saw director Woody Allen back on form after the abysmal recent run of his that included To Rome with Love. Cate Blanchett proved to be the shining star of this horror show, delivering a multi-faceted turn that commanded the screen. Read the Blue Jasmine movie review here.

It's had film of the year accolades thrown all over it, and Gravity continues to be weighed down by plaudits. Somewhat ironic, given that it's set in the weightlessness of space. But director Alfonso Cuaron delivered an experience that was unparalleled in the cinema this year. Read the Gravity movie review here.

Equally, Ron Howard's Rush movie gave me a heady thrill and made me care about a sport that I normally ignore - motor racing. The story of the rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt is the stuff of legend but Howard's handling of this particular motor as well as the performance from Daniel Bruhl proved too intoxicating to ignore. Read the Rush movie review.

While James McAvoy delivered a killer turn in an adaptation of Irvine Welsh's Filth, it was in Danny Boyle's head-scratching Trance that he secured his reputation as one of his generation's best. Under-rated and under-appreciated, it's one of the best of the year without a doubt. Read the Trance movie review.

And finally, in this wrap, it was a sad year of deaths of stars, but none more so than the death of James Gandolfini. His passing away from a heart attack cast a shadow over Enough Said, but didn't rob the film of its warmth and heart and two great performances from both him and Veep and Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I said this tale of adult second chance love had "warmth and a raw honesty that's completely compelling and utterly entrancing." Read the Enough Said movie review here.

Merry Christmas to all - and stand by for the worst of the year to be revealed later over the festive period. 

Hit me up on the comments to share your finest movies of 2013! Did I miss any out?

Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor: Blu Ray Review

Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor: Blu Ray Review

Rating: PG
Released by BBC And Roadshow Home Ent

So, here it is then, the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who: The Day of The Doctor, starring Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt.

When a painting in the National Gallery appears to show the impossible, the Doctor's summoned by UNIT to try and work out what exactly is going on. But what it sets in motion is a chain of events that requires him to team up with his tenth incarnation (the ever bouncy David Tennant) and the mysterious War Doctor (John Hurt), a man they've tried to deny...

Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor is essentially a Christmas Carol with three Doctors playing various versions of the ghost; and it changes all of what has gone before in the past few years of the show. It's difficult to go into without spoiling (and I'll keep that going) but it's an ode to the show's 50 years with references to companions, moments and places woven effortlessly into the narrative without alienating the current fanbase.

While some of the plots don't come to full fruition and prove a frustration, the acting of the main three Doctors is top notch; Hurt breaks down some of the silliness created over the past few years and gives a venerable turn as an old school Doctor; even Tennant dials down his performance - but once again, Matt Smith excels with a performance that has charm, sadness and steely dedication all rolled into one.

It's a massive shame his next adventure will be his last....

Extras: The minisodes include McGann's final outing as the 8th Doctor, as well as trailers for the show and a Dr Who explained piece for newcomers. Shame there's no real making of other than a behind the lens piece, but it's a solid bunch for this release which looks very good in HD.

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