Newstalk ZB Movie Review - Captain America 2, The Butler and Thanks for Sharing

Newstalk ZB Movie Review - Captain America 2, The Butler and Thanks for Sharing

This week on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame, I took a look at the new Captain America sequel, The Winter Soldier, Forest Whitaker in The Butler and Mark Ruffalo in Thanks for Sharing.

Reviews are on Jack's show every weekend on Saturday at around 940am.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/Auckland/listen-on-demand/audio/2099560487-Darren-Bevan--Captain-America-sequel

Insidious 2: DVD Review

Insidious 2: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Ent

Back in 2011, a low budget shocker emerged which took audiences by storm and grossed returns wildly beyond its budget.

That was Insidious, the story of a family whose child inexplicably drops into a coma and starts shepherding ghosts through astral channels. That ended in somewhat of a cliffhanger with Patrick Wilson's Josh character being in peril and potentially possessed - much to the horror of his wife, Renai.

Insidious Chapter 2 takes up that story, directly after the end of the first; with Rose Byrne's Renai explaining to the police what happened to the medium who died in their home. Both Josh and Renai believe the spirits are still haunting them. Determined to rid the family of this horror, they set out to uncover the secrets which have been plaguing them - but soon, things start to go awry.

Insidious Chapter 2 seems to follow much of a similar pattern to the first film with Wan drawing out moments of creepiness for maximum effect, complete with a blaring soundtrack to point out that SOMETHING REALLY SCARY is about to happen. The problem is that while the eerie and spooky atmosphere works for the most part of the film, the jolts are relatively expected and signposted that you're barely caught on the hop at all. Throw in some occasionally risible dialogue and it really works hard to ensure that you're not on side with it in the slightest. Byrne has little to do except wander about with her mouth permanently agog and the comedy ghostbusters who try to help solve the case are nothing short of irritating and unwarranted in their moments in the script.

There are cliched horror moments aplenty - a stolen glimpse of someone in white when someone turns their head, a piano playing with nobody around, stuff flies around a room etc, but somehow in parts, it seems to work. Add in moments which bring the dread you'd feel as a child in darkened homes, and it's got quite the chance to inveigle its way under your skin. The unsettling atmosphere which shows up from time to time during the chronological shifts back and forth in Josh's history work quite well and Patrick Wilson, along with some impressive make up, does slightly unhinged and on the edge reasonably impressively, with his impassive mug ratcheting up the dread.

It's just a shame that there's a horrendous sense of deja vu in terms of a lack of story / character development and some unanswered questions (such as why a ghost mother dresses her son up as a girl) which leave you scratching your head. Throw into that mix, the fact that you really do have had to have seen the first film to fully appreciate what's going on, and Insidious starts to become a franchise that's really only for its fans rather than open it up to wider audience. Plus a standard final act brings every cliche to the fore.

Though I have to confess, an ending which promises a third film (already in development) does nothing except leave me cold - if the Insidious franchise wants to move forward, it really needs to widen its scope, enrich its mythology and ensure the next one offers up something a little newer and fresher - or this tale of possession will forever by haunted by the promise it failed to fulfil.

Rating:

Blancanieves: Blu Ray Review

Blancanieves: Blu Ray Review

Blancanieves is an incredibly brave film. 

Spain's Academy Award submission is a black and white film, no doubt buoyed by the widespread success of Oscar winning The Artist. 

Set in 1920s Spain, it's the tale of Carmen, an orphan whose mother died in child birth and whose father Antonio, a famed matador, was left crippled after a bull gored him in a fight. 

Marrying his former nurse, the cruel and crazed Encarna, Antonio manages to bond briefly with his newly discovered daughter before Encarna orders their demise. Narrowly escaping Carmen teams up with a group of bull-fighting dwarves before an inevitable showdown with the big bad of the day. 

Wonderfully reminiscent of the films of yesteryear with a transcendant and magical score, which marks this film out as a potential future live cinema event, this is a silent film the likes of which have not been seen for years. It deserves to be seen on the majesty of the big screen. 

Wallowing in the medium and lavishing the monochrome, it feels like a full blooded piece from 1920s Hollywood as it takes on the Snow White legend in passing; it's romantic, eye-poppingly gorgeous and a nostalgic piece which is spell-binding and perfectly crafted.
 Rating: 

Muppets Most Wanted: Movie Review

Muppets Most Wanted: Movie Review

Cast: The Muppets, Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Jemaine Clement, Ty Burrell
Director: James Bobin

Following the success of The Muppets movie in 2011, it was no surprise to see they'd return, having been a massive worldwide box office smash.

This time, it's back to the Muppets formula and a caper rather than a nostalgia-twinged piece, which hit all the right notes - and the heart and fondness for these childhood puppet faves from yesterday.

In the latest, The Muppets are embarking on a grand world tour, having been taken on by their new manager Dominic Badguy (Gervais) - however, they're soon embroiled in a stolen jewel caper, spearheaded by a Kermit the Frog look-a-like Constantine (Kermit with a Russian accent and mole).

And things get worse when the real Kermit is imprisoned in a Russian Gulag, in a case of mistaken identity....

Muppets Most Wanted suffers in in comparison to and being released after The Muppets Movie from 2011, a film that managed to encapsulate a clever mix of self-awareness, parody, all wrapped up in a fuzzy felted glow of nostalgia and charm.

This latest starts with a brilliantly infectious and toe-tapping song which mocks the conventions of the sequel (telling line - "Everyone knows the sequel is never quite as good" and "all we need is a half-decent plot") before throwing away all of that cleverness and lapsing into a somewhat traditional Muppet movie with a half baked plot that's out more for one liners than ongoing depth.

It's not that there's anything wrong with that - it's a perfect kids movie, but for adults, this Muppet movie is a film that is more smoke and mirrors, stuffed to the gills initially with songs and more celebrity cameos than you've ever seen (seriously, I lost count at the number of people walking on for one line and disappearing) as opposed to a strong plot, blessed with the heart and warmth of its predecessor.

That said, in among the pleasantly amusing but totally predictable movie, the music (done once by Bret McKenzie) is a great eclectic mix of roof-raising numbers, reminiscent of and mixing in many styles from the 80s and old school music-hall films; there's certainly no denying once the band strikes up, you can't help but get carried along by the gusto and clever word-play.

Of the live cast, Gervais shows a flair for song and dance and it's clear he's having fun with the fuzzy felt brigade; Ty Burrell (aka Phil Dunphy from Modern Family) mocks the French and Europeans as an Inspector Clouseau-style sleuth, paired up with Sam the American Eagle to investigate the robberies; and Tina Fey dons a dodgy Russian accent to head up the Gulag where Kermit / Constantine is imprisoned (though, to be fair, more credit needs to go to Jemaine Clement, Ray Liotta and Danny Trejo as the heads of the prisoners in the Gulag). And Celine Dion gains much credibility for sending herself up in one of the most surprising cameos.

Kids will enjoy this film, a silly mix of one liners (watch Christoph Waltz do the, erm, waltz) and the general paciness and gags of the old school variety family film. But the cynical adults, who were so touched with nostalgic affection during the last film, may find themselves ruing the lack of depth in this one, laughing at the gags, but find that keeping count of the celebrity cameos is cold comfort as the story, such as it is, goes on to an end.

(It's also worth getting to Muppets Most Wanted early for the short Monsters University film which puts Mike and Sully in the position of creating the greatest frat party ever - and packs more fun and creativity in than the actual film Monsters University managed to...)

Rating:

Comedy Fest Q&A - Jamie Bowen

Comedy Fest Q&A - Jamie Bowen

Comedy Fest Q&A
JAMIE BOWEN

1)Tell us the name of your show
Heart Goes Boom

2)Which came first – the show name or the show content?
Well, my heart went boom, which helped me to think of jokes, which in turn lead me back to being aware that my heart was going boom. So who begat whom?

3)C’mon, be honest….
I experimented in high-school but I never inhaled. Nowadays I inhale. Waste not want not.

4)Any other working titles for the show?
Jamie Bowen’s Guide to Life; or, How Not To Do It.

5)How long – honestly- have you been working on this?
32 years.

6)What’s been the biggest challenge of pulling this show together?
I haven’t written any of this show down. It’s all been developed by trying it out on stage, recording it and then tweaking stuff in my head. So the hard part is remembering all the changes I make but it keeps me on point and on edge – the perfect place to exist as a comic.

7)Who’s your biggest comedy rival – and why?
Every other bald, middle-class, white, heteroflexible male comedian. We are a dime a dozen (except for the heteroflexible part) and it’s hard to make sure you’re sticking out from the pack. Hence the beard et al. Well, that, and laziness.

8)Who’s your biggest comedy friend – and why?
Every person I’ve got on with during the course of 15 years of doing comedy. What a trip and what an incredible bunch of humans.

9)Which show is your must see? Why?
Come to Late Laughs. Those things are always chaos and I’m I get to helm the good ship chaos  for a few nights so I’m looking forward to it.

10)Give us your definition of a great night out during the festival
Laughing until it hurts with people you love and complete strangers. It gives me hope in ‘us’ and hope is important.

11)What goes through your mind, the minute before curtain goes up?
I really hope I don’t set these people on fire through some kind of freak accident and I need to call my Mother more.

12)What about when you’re on stage?
Couldn’t tell you. Depends what’s happening on the night but in all honesty, most of the time it’s a blur. Not through any form of intoxicant, just because I’m in another zone…

13)How easily distracted are you?
This interview has taken me 3 days to complete.

14)Give us your dream comedy line up
Peter Sellers hosts Rowan Atkinson, Eddie Izzard, Monty Python, Bill Bailey, Victor Borge and some open-mic comic who nobody has ever heard and has only gigged twice. Always good to have a handgrenade in there.

15)Just finally, where will you be in 5 years’ time
On stage somewhere in the world, having a laugh. Or dead.  Hopefully the former.

Jamie Bowen performs his show HEART GOES BOOM (AKL 6-10 May & WLG 13 – 17 May) while hosting Wellington’s STAND UP FOR KIDS (WLG 17 May) and LATE LAUGHS all as part of the 2014 NZ International Comedy Festival in cahoots with Old Mout Cider this 24 April – 18 May. For more info visit www.comedyfestival.co.nz  

Comedy Fest Q&A - Jamaine Ross

Comedy Fest Q&A - Jamaine Ross

***Billy T nominee***

Tell us the name of your show
Jamaine Says Funny Things

Which came first – the show name or the show content?
Some show content, then the show name, then some more show content. I still don’t have enough show content though so it’s possible there’ll be a bit in there where I just read out my best tweets and Facebook status updates for ten minutes.

C’mon, be honest….
OK, twenty minutes.

Any other working titles for the show?
It was ‘Transformers & Shit’, then it was ‘Growing Up & Shit’. But I was worried that people wouldn’t understand my colloquial vernacular of saying ‘& Shit’ at the end of things and confuse it with literally being about shit.

How long – honestly- have you been working on this?
Honestly, ever since I started doing stand-up 4 years ago, I’ve been thinking about what my first hour long solo show would be like.
Metaphorically, since the dawn of time.

What’s been the biggest challenge of pulling this show together?
Deciding what to use as my entrance music. ‘Testify’ by Rage Against The Machine, or ‘Freaks and Geeks’ by Childish Gambino, or ‘Profile’ by Usual Suspects, or ‘22’ by Taylor Swift… again.

Who’s your biggest comedy rival – and why?
Any other comedian with a beard. I don’t want any of those chumps taking my coveted ‘Best Facial Hair Award’ that I won at last year’s Comedy Festival.

And the other Billy T Award nominees. One of which also has a beard. I’ve got my eye on you Brendon Green.

Who’s your biggest comedy friend – and why?
My homies James Roque and Pax Assadi. Whenever we hang out together we make each other laugh. So we started recording a podcast together (www.theissuespodcast.com) so that we have something to plug when we’re answering Q&A’s.

Which show is your must see? Why?
Local: James Roque - ‘Roque to Self’. He’s so genuine and funny on stage that you can’t help but enjoy yourself. Plus he’s my favourite New Zealand-Filipino comedian named James Roque.
International: Stuart Goldsmith - ‘He-Wolf’. He’s hilarious and will having you eating out of the palm of his hand, with the way he doesn’t use clichés to describe how good other comedians are.

Give us your definition of a great night out during the festival.
Any night that starts with a show, and ends up at Denny’s at 2 in the morning.

What goes through your mind, the minute before curtain goes up?
“Don’t worry. Once you’re on stage, you won’t even feel nervous anymore.”

What about when you’re on stage?
“I THOUGHT YOU SAID I WOULDN’T FEEL NERVOUS ANYMORE!”

How easily distracted are you?
Not very easily at all. While I was answering this Q&A, I had porn running in a Chrome incognito window and didn’t ‘alt+tab’ to that shit once.

Give us your dream comedy line up
Dave Chappelle, Tig Notaro, Louis CK, Hannibal Buress, and the chick who does the voice of Dory in Finding Nemo. I forget what her name is. Helen or something.

Just finally, where will you be in 5 years’ time
Still in New Zealand, still doing stand-up, still ordering a Millennium Burger, curly fries and a glass of apple juice at Denny’s at 2 in the morning.

Jamaine Ross is a 2014 Billy T nominee who performs his show JAMAINE SAYS FUNNY THINGS in Wellington (Tue 6 - 10 May) and Auckland (12 – 17 May) as part of the 2014 NZ International Comedy Festival in cahoots with Old Mout Cider 24 April – 18 May. For more info visit www.comedyfestival.co.nz

Thanks For Sharing: DVD Review

Thanks For Sharing: DVD Review

In this comedy drama, three friends negotiate their way through the realities and temptations of being a sex addict; there's Ruffalo's Adam, who's five years sober, Gad's ER doctor who's attending meetings due to a court order and there's aphorism spouting Mike (Tim Robbins) who's been in rehab for a while and is a sponsee to Adam.

When Mike urges Adam to get back out there and start meeting people, he comes across Gwyneth Paltrow's perky but damaged Phoebe, who's had breast cancer and been in a relationship with an addict. Cautiously, the pair grow closer, acting on their initial attraction. But for Adam, the reality of his condition starts to intrude on his relationship.

Likewise, the arrival of Mike's addicted son causes friction between himself and his wife (Joely Richardson); and when Gad loses his job for inappropriate behaviour, he soon finds himself facing a harsh truth and needing the help of Alecia Moore AKA Pink's Dede, a fellow member of the group...

Thanks For Sharing is a rich piece, riddled with humour (mainly at Jonah Hill-esque Josh Gad) and fuelled by a powerful performance of addiction, which is grounded in reality by Ruffalo.

When he confesses to Phoebe, his thoughts are that "Cancer gets you sympathy, this gets you judgement" and it's probably the harsh reality of an addiction that's been thought of as simply a cover up for men cheating on their wives. But it's Ruffalo's honesty and earnesty as an actor while he's on this journey and its lucid insights which just manage to keep this on the right side of drama; while the comedy's amusing in places, it comes dangerously close to trivialising the addictions they face. Ruffalo excellently conveys the sympathy needed to root for this central character and his relationship with Phoebe as he battles with the addictions he's had. In fact, one scene where Paltrow delivers him a strip-tease is more completely inappropriate than tantalising given how it comes shortly after he confesses his condition. But that scene alone is symptomatic of a few of the problems of Thanks for Sharing - some of the narrative feels rushed and dare I say it, predictable; Paltrow's act would have had more resonance had it happened later on in the film. Likewise, Mike's journey from sanctimonious bon motif spouting holier than thou to inevitably wrong father is one that can be seen coming from a mile off. He's a guy who's wrecked his family and would rather be there for others than for those around him and his lesson learning is entirely unsurprising.

It's perhaps Josh Gad and Alecia Moore (in her first role) who really rise from this film; Moore's tearful confession in her first scene at the addiction class is wonderfully moving and heartfelt - it shows she is an actor on the rise; and Gad, while endowing his out of control ER doc with some humour, rises to the occasion as well.

But a terribly Hollywood, neat resolution ending almost leaves the audience feeling cheated as it powers towards a sunnier day where all our protagonists are in a good place. It's a crass ending to a film that's worked so hard to show that sometimes being out of control isn't very easy to control.

All in all, Thanks for Sharing has moments of inevitability but due to the character work done - especially by a wonderful Ruffalo - while exploring this maligned of addictions, it does just about what it sets out to do.

Rating: