The Butler: Blu Ray Review

The Butler: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

In The Butler, Forest Whitaker plays Cecil Gaines, an African-American butler in the White House. Gaines served 34 years in the employ of various presidents. It begins with Gaines reflecting back on his life as he waits to meet Barack Obama.

Taking in his father's death at a cotton plantation and then being taught the ways of servitude before ending up in Washington after being hand picked by a White House head-hunter. Gaines finds his place in the serving world and forms a relationship with fellow butlers (played by Cuba Gooding Jr and Lenny Kravitz).

Against this backdrop of serving eight Presidents from 1957 to the 1980s,The Butler also focuses on the tempestuous Civil Rights movement and race relations as Gaines negotiates his own family woes - from a growing alcoholic wife Gloria (Oprah Winfrey) to a politically active son Louis (a tremendous performance by former Spooks star David Oyelowo), who can't stay away from the fight for the African-American quest for independence.

Lee Daniels' The Butler is of the ilk of The Help; it showcases an ugly chapter in America's history and attempts to use Hollywood to bring to life certain moments which have been swept under the carpet. Based on the life of Eugene Allen, it's nothing short of unsubtle in places to be honest; once again, the message is repeatedly sledge-hammered home when a simple more understated approach would have worked wonders.

Whitaker is venerable as Gaines, and Winfrey is stoic as his wife; but Lee Daniels' The Butler belongs more to Oyelowo who captures the antagonism of the father/ son / Civil Rights conflict perfectly and subtly with a performance that's captivating in among the sentimental, plodding mush of the predictable story.

It's weird as well as thanks to the various castings of the different presidents (Robin Williams as Eisenhower, John Cusack as Nixon, James Marsden as JFK, Alan Rickman as Reagan), you start to become distracted by who will be next in the presidential parade.

Overall, Lee Daniels' The Butler is one of those kind of cloying, race relations, Oscar-baiting films which is servicably made, but lacks the tenacity to bring the subtlety at strong moments, resulting in the direction feeling more heavy handed than anything. It's a shame because after a while, the plodding nature of parts of the film begin to grate and irritate, rather than inspire and appal as it should do.

Extras: Doco, behind the scenes, deleted scenes, gag reel, music video

Rating:

Muppets hit Disney Infinity

Muppets hit Disney Infinity

It’s Time to Play the Music, It’s Time to Light the Lights with the

Disney Infinity “Muppets Challenge” Toy Boxes

“Muppet Babies” Toy Box

Let’s get things started with the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational and Muppetational Disney Infinity Toy Boxes yet! 

To herald the highly-anticipated theatrical release of “Muppets Most Wanted” in April, players were tasked with using Muppets-themed items such as the Muppets Townspeople from the Toy Box Vault and the Electric Mayhem Bus Power Disc to create one-of-a-kind experiences. The top Toy Box of the week is “The Muppet Show” featuring appearances by Kermit, Waldorf, Animal and more.

This week’s episode of “Disney Infinity Toy Box TV: The Official Weekly Web Show” features the weekly top five countdown, Toy Box tutorials and social media spotlights:  http://youtu.be/gsBbUg4wZn0

To download screenshots of the “Muppets Challenge” Toy Boxes, please visit: http://smu.gs/1qWNzm1

Winning submissions include:

1.      The Muppet Show- As guest star you must help Kermit, take Waldorf/Statler to the VIP box, paint Miss Piggy and find Animal's drum set.

2.      Muppet Babies- Join The Muppets adventures! Find Animal Idol and save Piggy on the Death Star. (Hint: Escape through the trash chute!)

3.      Chef's Cuisines- The Swedish Chef has prepared quite a feast! You decide to race through his kitchen instead. Ready, set, BØRK BØRK BØRK!

4.      RainbowConnection- Why are there so many songs about rainbows? Enjoy a race from Kermit's swamp to the streets of Hollywood!

5.      Most Wanted- Inspired by Muppets Most Wanted.  Goal: Escape prison and get the real Constantine. Rules: Don't change weapons and no flying.

Watch_Dogs news...

Watch_Dogs news...

UBISOFT^® AND SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE ANNOUNCE WATCH DOGS™ EXCLUSIVE GAMEPLAY CONTENT FOR PLAYSTATION®4 AND PLAYSTATION®3 OWNERS

To view the trailer click image below:

Auckland, New Zealand — March 21, 2014 — Today, Ubisoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced that Watch Dogs, the highly anticipated open world action adventure title, will offer additional content only available on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3.

The exclusive content includes four extra missions, representing one hour of exclusive gameplay, as well as a unique ‘White Hat’ Hacker Outfit.  By playing this additional content, players will have a deeper knowledge of DedSec, a key and powerful faction in the Watch Dogs universe. Once complete, a Hacking Boost named Superior Capacity is acquired which gives players one additional Battery Slot.

The scenario takes place after Aiden Pearce, the vigilante hero of Watch Dogs, catches the eye of DedSec, a notorious hacker group fighting for freedom and security in the digital age. Aiden receives an encoded message asking him to help some members of this organisation who want payback. Pearce must use his knowledge of Chicago’s complex ctOS network to discover digital vulnerabilities in Umeni Technologies’ security network and earn his reward.

Watch Dogs will be released worldwide on May 27, 2014 on PlayStation^®4, PlayStation^®3, Microsoft Xbox One^® the all-in-one games and entertainment system, Microsoft Xbox 360^® video game and entertainment system and Windows PC. The Wii U™ version will release at a later date.

Stay connected to Watch Dogs by visiting the official website, Facebook page and Twitter account.

Morpheus details revealed

Morpheus details revealed

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES

“PROJECT MORPHEUS” − A VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEM

THAT EXPANDS THE WORLD OF PLAYSTATION®4 (PS4™)

With Project Morpheus and PlayStation®Camera, Games will Immerse Players in Virtual Worlds, Delivering a Sense of Presence in Gaming Never Before Possible 

 

Tokyo, March 19, 2014 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced the development of “Project Morpheus” (Morpheus) − a virtual reality (VR) system that takes the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) system to the next level of immersion and demonstrates the future of gaming.  SCE will continue development of Morpheus looking towards a future commercial launch.     

“At SCE we view innovation as an opportunity to build on our mission to push the boundaries of play,” said Shuhei Yoshida, President of SCE Worldwide Studios.  “Project Morpheus is the latest example of innovation from SCE, and we’re looking forward to its continued development and the games that will be created as development kits get into the hands of content creators."
Morpheus enables developers to create experiences that deliver a sense of presence - where players feel as though they are physically inside the virtual world of a game.  Presence is like a window into another world that heightens the emotions gamers experience as they play.  Morpheus features a visor style head-mounted display and works seamlessly with PlayStation®Camera to deliver a unique VR experience right before the player’s eyes.  Inertial sensors built into the head mount unit and PlayStation Camera accurately track head orientation and movement so as the player’s head rotates, the image of the virtual world rotates naturally and intuitively in real-time.  Furthermore, in supporting games, the player can use a PlayStation®Move (PS Move) Motion Controller as an object, such as a sword.  Morpheus will reproduce the player’s hands and sword within the game so the player feels like they are physically fighting off enemies with their sword in the virtual world.
Morpheus adopts 3D audio technology uniquely developed by SCE.  In addition to sounds coming from front, behind, left and right, Morpheus re-creates stereoscopic sounds heard from below and above the players, such as footsteps climbing up stairs below them, or engine noises of helicopters flying overhead.  Sounds that players hear change in real-time depending on their head orientation, creating a highly realistic audio environment within an immersive 360-degree virtual world.  
Along with PlayStation Camera, Wireless Controller for PS4, and PS Move, Morpheus will deliver immersive breakthrough entertainment experiences to gamers through the PS4 system, leveraging SCE’s expertise across key areas for VR – including display/optics, audio, tracking, control, ease of use, and content. 
Developers will be able to create Morpheus content for PS4, a platform which has sold over 6 million units only after 3 months and a half of its launch, and is continuing to show strong momentum. The Morpheus dedicated SDK is currently under development and will become available when ready.
During the Game Developers Conference 2014 held in San Francisco from March 19 through March 21, attendees can visit the Sony Computer Entertainment America booth to have a hands-on experience with Morpheus, which will be exhibited for reference.  Attendees can enjoy exclusive technology demo such as EVE Valkyrie (CCP), a multiplayer dogfighting shooter that uses virtual reality to give the player the sense of being a real pilot in an EVE Online spaceship, Thief (SQUARE ENIX Co., LTD.), which allows players to explore the dark shadowy world of the stealth action title, “The Castle” (SCE) that shows various VR　interactions utilizing PS Move, and “The Deep” (SCE), where players can observe the waters from inside a shark proof cage.

- Ends -

<Specifications of “Project Morpheus” Prototype >

Component	Processor unit, head-mounted unit
Display Method	LCD
Panel Size	5 inches
Panel Resolution	1920×RGB×1080  (960×RGB×1080 per eye)
Field of View	90 degrees
Sensors	Accelerometer, Gyroscope
Connection interface	HDMI + USB
Function	3D audio, Social Screen

*Specifications and designs are those of the prototype and are subject to change.

Titanfall coming to XBox 360 on April 10th

TITANFALL NOW COMING TO XBOX 360 ON APRIL 10

Since its debut on March 13, Titanfall and its adrenaline-fueled gameplay on Xbox One and PC has taken the gaming world by storm. I’ve spent many hours already dropping titans into the heat of battle and running along walls as a pilot, and I can tell you I am hooked. Our partners at Respawn have made a truly awesome and dynamic new experience that I will be playing for a long time to come.

The fan content that has been created so far has also been incredible. From taking out multiple titans with a perfectly timed Nuclear Ejection to pulling off one of the most impressive satchel kills to date, the fun that Titanfall delivers is clearly captivating the community. Those are just a sample – there’s a ton of amazing content on the brand new TitanWall launched by Respawn. Check back often for some of the latest and most entertaining new content from fans around the world.

Now, I want to update everyone on Titanfall for Xbox 360 in development with Bluepoint Games. I’ve been playing the game a lot, and it is fantastic. But we see a few things that can be made even better, so we’re giving Bluepoint a little more time to do just that and deliver an epic Titanfall experience for Xbox 360 players. Titanfall for Xbox 360 will now be releasing on April 10 in Australia and New Zealand. The game will feature the same 6v6 gameplay, maps, modes, weapons and Burn Cards as the Xbox One and PC versions of the game.

Generation Iron: Movie Review

Generation Iron: Movie Review

Director: Vlad Yudin

It's to the beefed up world of body building that this doco goes.

From some of those involved in the original classic Pumping Iron, comes this new doco which looks at the people involved in bringing their bodies to the fore at the Mr Olympia competition.

Chances are you've possibly not heard of this competition before - it's one that Arnold Schwarzenegger's won 7 times and considers the height of entertainment within its domain.

Yudin chooses to follow some prospective hopefuls as they build up to the competition and their road to the top - the likes of Phil Heath, Kai Greene, Branch Warren, Hidetada Yamagishi to name but a few.

From an opening shot of a pumped up beefcake doing a sensitive pencil drawing, you can tell Yudin's trying to smash a few stereotypes and reveal the personalities behind the attention grabbing bodies. It's no spoiler to say they're not exactly what you expect - a bodybuilder who's driven by his mum - but it's no surprise either that their characters are away from their on stage personas.

Along with Mickey Rourke's gruff and slightly dry, grinding voiceover (an inspired choice though, nevertheless) the film will probably appeal to those who've got an interest already in the subject matter, rather than attracting newcomers to the sport and theatrics of those involved. Whilst it's a watchable doco, it's less than gripping and occasionally the interest wanes.

That said, Generation Iron pokes a small hole in the psyche of those willing to exploit their bodies for the quest of physical perfection - but it's a once over lightly rather than a deeply engrossing piece.

Rating:

Brand new trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro

Brand new trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro

Hey webslingers - it's here - the brand new final  trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro has just dropped.

Featuring Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man, it's due to hit screens in April 2014.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro synopsis

“We’ve always known that Spider-Man’s most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man,” the release says. “But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead.

“It’s great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there’s no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realise that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.”