Extended Godzilla trailer roars in

Extended Godzilla trailer roars in

Another look at Godzilla, launching in NZ soon.

Here's a brand new extended Godzilla trailer for you to enjoy.

(And don't forget, I've seen 11 minutes of Godzilla footage and can tell you all about it in my preview)

Blackfish: DVD Review

Blackfish: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Madman Home Ent

Blackfish is not, as some may have you believe or fear, this year's The Cove. 

Whereas The Cove was an unsettling look at the slaughter of dolphins in Japan, this is a shocking expose of the corporate negligence and unbelievable head burying in the sand of SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. 

Focussing on the Orca Tilikum and the death, at his teeth, of trainer Dawn Brancheau, it's a stunning indictment of a company which pursues the lies and pushes the line that nothing's wrong with the Orca, which has now sired several other creatures within. 

Former trainers reveal the extent of their corporate brain washing and proffer up reasons for staying (to care for the animal) but no-one can avoid the core truth at the heart of this violence from the Orca. 

Purely and simply, it's about the captivity of the creature, the fact the male Orca is bullied by females and how neglect fuelled the inherent aggression within. 

It's a candid doco with a powerful message and a story simply told - but you shouldn't avoid this for fear of shots of animal cruelty. If anything, the humans are more badly treated than the captive creatures.

Rating:

Comedy Fest Q&A - Dan Nightingale

Dan Nightingale Comedy Fest Q&A

1.Tell us the name of your show
My show is called; ‘Dan Nightingale is trying his best not to be a dick.’

2.Which came first – the show name or the show content?
Erm. Well the content really. Nearly all of my comedy, as well as my life, is about me trying not to be a dick. I’m really trying.

3.C’mon, be honest….
What? Ok, I will be. I have a sexual thing for Otters…………. Well you asked. Weird question. That weird bit was your fault mate.

4.Any other working titles for the show?
Yes; ‘Otter love! Is it so wrong?’

5.How long – honestly- have you been working on this?
Stop fucking questioning my honesty. I’ve told you about the Otters haven’t I? What more do you want? Jesus. Working on it? The Show? Fucking ages. Is that what you want? (7 months).

6.What’s been the biggest challenge of pulling this show together?
My gambling debts. And temper issues.

7.Who’s your biggest comedy rival – and why?
My own lethargy and tendency to procrastinate. That and Otter Porn.

8.Who’s your biggest comedy friend – and why?
I’ve got lots of comedy friends. Honest. In New Zealand my favourite comedy friend is a girl called Alyce. She works for the festival and is bloody magic.

9.Which show is your must see? Why?
Is Acaster coming this year? If not, Carl Donnelly is just as good. He’s da shit. Officially.

10.Give us your definition of a great night out during the festival.
Cuba Street with the staff from the Cavern club. YES!

11.What goes through your mind, the minute before curtain goes up?
Otters.

12.What about when you’re on stage?
The adulation of strangers. And Otters.

13.How easily distracted are you?
Otter.

14.Give us your dream comedy line up.
Carl Donnelly, James Acaster, Bill Burr and some strippers. Who are Otters. (You started this shit.)

15.Just finally, where will you be in 5 years’ time?
Either living and working in New Zealand as the first Lancastrian stand-up to migrate to your lovely country and become a television super star comedian or back in Lancashire regretting my life choices.

Bad Grandpa: Blu Ray Review

Bad Grandpa: Blu Ray Review

"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:

Comedy Fest Q&A: Gordon Southern

Comedy Fest Q&A: Gordon Southern

Comedy Fest Q&A
GORDON SOUTHERN

1)Tell us the name of your show
YOUR NEW FAVOURITE COMEDIAN

2)Which came first – the show name or the show content?
THE IDEA  WAS TO HAVE A SHOW THAT APED THE MUSIC, STYLE AND SWAGGER OF THE HIVES, WHO IN 2001 RELEASED THE ALBUM ‘YOUR NEW FAVOURITE BAND”

3)C’mon, be honest….
THE PLAN WAS TO MAKE A SORT OF COMPILATION SHOW -AS THE ALBUM  “YOUR NEW FAVOURITE BAND” IS-  BUT AS I BEGAN WRITING A LOT OF THE OLDER STUFF GOT PUSHED OUT

4)Any other working titles for the show?
FREAK-WENT FLYER. ADRENALINE MONKEY.

5)How long – honestly- have you been working on this?
18 YEARS

6)What’s been the biggest challenge of pulling this show together?
THERE’S A STORY IN IT WHICH IS QUITE HARD TO TELL… YOU’LL KNOW WHICH ONE THAT IS WHEN YOU SEE THE SHOW.

7)Who’s your biggest comedy rival – and why?
ANYONE WHO IS ON AT THE SAME TIME AS ME!

8)Who’s your biggest comedy friend – and why?
MOST OF THE CHAPS I PLAY FIVE- A –SIDE FOOTBALL WITH IN THE UK. ALL STAND UPS, MIXED ABILITY WOULD BE THE KINDEST DESCRIPTION.

9)Which show is your must see? Why?
URZILA. I DID THE COMEDY CONVOY WITH HER IN 2012 AND FELL IN LOVE WITH HER AND HER COMEDY. LOKING FORWARD TO THE FAN FICTION SHOWS TOO

10)Give us your definition of a great night out during the festival
GO TO THE CLASSIC HAVE A COUPLE OF BEERS WITH THE CREW. ORDER IN SOME GREAT JAPANESE FOOD.  THEN MESS AROUND IN THE LATE SHOW

11)What goes through your mind, the minute before curtain goes up?
BLOOD, FAST. DID I REMEMBER TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING?

12)What about when you’re on stage?
BLOOD, FASTER STILL.

13)How easily distracted are you?
I LOVE A GOOD CONTRIBUTION FROM THE AUDIENCE. LAST NIGHT I GOT A CHAP FROM QUEENSLAND TO CONFESS TO MURDERING A BOY SCOUT AND KEEPING THE REMAINS IN AN ESKY. TYPICAL SUNDAY NIGHT.

14)Give us your dream comedy line up
PELLE ALMQUIST (LEAD SINGER, HIVES.) MITCH HEDBERG. PETE HOLMES. TINA FEY. AL MURRAY. BILL BAILEY. GOOD LUCK GETTING THE BUDGET FOR THAT, OH, AND ONE OF THEM IS DEAD.

15)Just finally, where will you be in 5 years’ time
KING OF COMEDY IN THE UK, OR VERY WITTY MINI CAB DRIVER WITH RESENTMENT SEETHING JUST BELOW THE SURFACE WHEN ANYONE MENTIONS COMEDY.

Gordon Southern performs his show YOUR NEW FAVOURITE COMEDIAN (AKL 6-10 May & WLG 13 -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

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: