Her: Blu Ray Review

Her: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Ent

Cinematic wunderkind Spike Jonze returns with a world that doesn't seem so far away.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly, a lonely writer who works in a letter writing company. His days are spent helping others connect with their partners, friends and relatives and helping them express emotions that they cannot. Ironically, he's a little repressed, with the final stages of his divorce coming through and he spends his time briefly with friends, at work or playing a virtual video game in his front room.

Melancholy and maudlin, Theodore decides to buy a new artificial operating system, the OS1 to help him get through life. However, once the machine's switched on, it starts to take on a life of its own as it grows and evolves with Theo's interactions. Known as Samantha (and voiced with dusky sultriness by Scarlett Johansson), Theo starts to fall in love...

Her is an incredibly timely piece of cinema, blessed with a great story and intriguing premise.

We already live in a world where technology is running rampant and taking over our lives, so why shouldn't the next step be to fall for a virtual other half? But where Jonze succeeds with this, is that he makes the idea of love and loss seem so plausible and viable - Theodore inhabits a world which embraces retro fashion (with trousers hoisted up around the chest) but can't connect with anyone.

Joaquin Phoenix delivers a multi-layered performance that's heartbreaking, recognisable to anyone who's suffered a romantic loss and which is incredibly joyous. It's a logical conclusion that Ted falls for Samantha and Phoenix really sells the relationship, making us believe totally that this is a man who can no longer connect with human beings for fear of rejection (a divorce from Rooney Mara's character, a failed date with a desperate woman played by Olivia Wilde); he seeks solace in the technology of the world around him as that won't damage him. He even intones at one point "Sometimes I feel I've felt everything I've already ever felt", implying that he's become so distanced from life that the existential is the only way forward.

Credit also has to go to Scarlett Johansson, whose disembodied voice supplies every emotion and nuance needed. She's rightly won awards for this performance and her narration and delivery of lines is pitch perfect. Equally, Jonze needs credit for the Oscar nominated screenplay - while it collects together a story of love and loss, it never loses sight of humour in the technology - from the abuse given to Theodore by the video game he plays to a sex line encounter, there's plenty of humour among the pathos and heart of the piece.

Compassionate, plausible and shrewd, Her is a marvellous piece of cinema - while there is a slight lag in proceedings at one point, it's the only low in a journey that's packed full of highs and which presents a not-too distant future that's both recognisable and emotionally frightening.

Extras: Love in Modern Age, How do you share your life with somebody, featurettes

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22 Jump Street: Movie Review

22 Jump Street: Movie Review

Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Amber Stevens
Directors: Christopher Miller and Phil Lord

A lot of time is spent in 22 Jump Street referencing the fact that 21 Jump Street was the success that nobody was expecting and that they're expected to do exactly the same thing second time around.

In fact, the meta is never really very far away with the whole opening sequence of 22 Jump Street seeing Jenko and Schmidt (Tatum and Hill reprising their roles) being warned that second time around, even with a bigger budget and better ideas, things are always worse.

It sets the tone for 22 Jump Street, which sees the duo sent to college (as they were told right at the end of 21 Jump Street) to try and bust a craze which is sweeping the campus in the form of new drug, WhyPhy. So, it's up to the two of them to blend in once again and bust the drug dealer, once again.

But for Jenko, college is a revelation - he gets to go having been denied the privilege earlier in life - and makes a connection with the jocks and the frats; whereas Schmidt finds he's alienated and unable to fully integrate, leading to sparks of friction within the bromance....

22 Jump Street is exactly the sequel you'd expect and is in some ways, the sequel you deserve.

It's really a case of the same again, with a few more stunts, the same comedy and very little else - other than endless self-referencing (which to be honest, starts to grate after a prolonged period of exposure). As mentioned above, the opening sequence amuses - right down to Tatum asking if their cops could go into the secret service and protect the White House - but the continual referencing becomes a really unnecessary crutch for the film-makers to fall back on, making parts of this at times overlong comedy appear bloated and lacklustre.

Thankfully, some (but not all) of that ill-will is left behind by the performances of Hill and Tatum. Once again, Tatum mines his dumb as a bag of spanners schtick for about as far as it can go as Jenko; his chemistry with Hill is easy and appealing, giving plenty of legs to their bromance. Equally, Hill pushes his own awkward comedy to its logical OTT end, producing some of the better moments of off the wall silliness as he heads into rejected partner territory.

The final set piece in Spring Break in Mexico feels like a bridge too far, an unnecessary addition to an already unnecessary second time around - but if you're prepared, like Channing Tatum's Jenko, to check your brain at the door, this is summer throwaway entertainment.

22 Jump Street tries to be too clever for its own good by continual self-referential commentary, but if you're willing to overlook that overcooking from the guys who brought you The Lego Movie, there are moments to amuse in among all the silliness.

And it's worth staying on for the credits, as the potential for 18 more sequels (I kid you not) is revealed....

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The Two Faces of January: Movie Review

The Two Faces of January: Movie Review

Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Oscar Isaac, Kirsten Dunst
Director: Hossein Amini

From the author of The Talented Mr Ripley, Patricia Highsmith, comes a new thriller, that's a three-hander.

Set in 1962 Greece Isaac stars as Rydal, a conman travel guide who spends his time ripping off tourists under his guidance while making his way through the ruins. One day, while guiding a group around, he sets eyes on Mortensen's wealthy Chester MacFarland and his wife Collette (Dunst) and is immediately beguiled by this duo in their crisp cream suits, imagining this is a scam he can pull off.

When Rydal later tries to return a bracelet left by Collette in a taxi, it's a chance meeting that changes all their lives after he discovers Chester's murdered a private detective who's tracked him down amid global fraud charges.

Suddenly, all three of them are on the run - and a rivalry begins between Chester and Rydal over the affections of Collette, which leads to an incredibly dangerous game of trust....

The Two Faces of January is a thriller that's slightly aloof, and not quite as psychologically thrilling as it could be thanks to a lack of chemistry between Dunst and Isaac.

As the inexorable journey towards a predictable denouement continues, Amini wisely chooses to spend the time piling on lashings of Greek tragedy and literary allusions - but at the cost of really building any true suspense between the leads in this tale of extortion, blackmail and framing.

Mortensen delivers a relatively solid performance as MacFarland falls apart under the pressure as his shifty past comes back to haunt him; Isaac impresses as Rydal, a man whose emotional baggage is continually hinted at (albeit in an occasionally heavy handed touch) and Dunst seems to sleepwalk through the piece as the romantic interest that's more third wheel than wedge between the lead protagonists.

The problem is that as the story unfolds, it's more the locations that leave a lot more in your mind than what else is on the screen. There's a fatal lack of tension, paranoia and suspense in the proceedings, leading to a highly indifferent attitude as it speeds to a conclusion. It's due in part to the characters feeling so aloof that you're never quite invested in Rydal's quandary as the implications of his actions become more evident.

While Amini may have delivered a literate thriller and one that's languishing in its own lavishness of locations, The Two Faces of January feels more like a piece which doesn't quite hit the emotional moments it needs to quite pull off the Hitchcockian noir elements it's clearly trying to channel.

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PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate: PS4 Review

PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Released as part of the June Instant Games Collection on PS Plus

The latest wave of the PS Plus collection is unveiled - and this month, among its number is a terribly cute little game.

Taking control of a subterranean craft, your mission is to head underground and to rescue the scientists who've become trapped in various places throughout. Using a grapple hook and a gun, it's simplicity itself as you negotiate lava, water, critters and rockets to achieve your aims.

Once all survivors are saved or killed (it's possible you can shoot your own as you try to save them by blasting through rock), and enough diamonds have been rescued from the walls, it's on to the next level. The game's divvied up into several stages, and is pretty damn playable in its mechanics.

It doesn't take much to ruin everything in one level and as progression is tied to either enough people being saved or diamonds freed, there's a real pressure to aim to perfection. Its puzzle nature and requirement to have a little forethought is what makes it so utterly addictive in its nature.

There's a chance to go multiplayer with this and the set actually combines two of the games together, giving it a length that makes it well worth picking up.

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition: PS4 Review

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition: PS4 Review

Dead Nation, released exclusively to the PlayStation3 four years ago is the latest game to cash in on those who've got a craving for flesh.

In this, you play a survivor (female or male - it's your choice) after a plague's ravaged the world; one year on and everything's been turned into a post apocalyptic scene with the hordes of the undead everywhere.

Over a series of ten missions, your player (and consequently you) has to survive the ongoing onslaught and use your wits - as well as an entourage of weapons to ensure you don't get savaged by the brain chomping masses. Each undead death gives you points and along with hidden treasure around the (relatively) open gaming environment, there are plenty of chances to upgrade your weapons as well as your armour (which you will need to do constantly).

But if you're thinking that Dead Nation is simply a shoot'em up, then you'd be wrong. It's really not that simple - with only a limited number of bullets and an unending horde, you actually have to plan a strategy to ensure you survive to the end of the level. So that means using exploding cars, gas tanks and the like to your advantage  - and knowing when to run away and when to stand and fight your corner. There's different levels of play as well - from an easy option (which really isn't that easy) to a difficult which is where you'll rely more on strategy rather than simply shooting, there's hours of gaming ahead here.

Dead Nation is fiendishly addictive; with an ominous opening of cinematically shot images of the virus taking hold, the gameplay grips you from the moment it begins. With an eerie soundtrack and chills and jolts being provided in spades with zombies popping up unexpectedly, it's really a game you want to play with the lights on. And the zombies are a mixed bunch too - with the combination of slow rambling killers and speedy runners, there's plenty to keep your nerves shredded and your gaming fingers on edge.

While you can play a solo mission, there's also plenty to benefit from taking Dead Nation online. There's a wealth of content available including the possibility of playing in a co-op or with other players - but the best bit is an option which tracks the spread of the virus across the world. You can see how other nations are tackling the problem and it means that every effort you take directly helps fight the global infection; it's a clever touch from the developers and means that as the spread of the virus stops, yet more content is opened up.

Chilling, devilishly addictive and nerve shredding, Dead Nation is compulsive gaming in the extreme. It's a relative retread of the PS3 version, but still remains eminently playable on the PlayStation 4 platform.

American Hustle: Blu Ray Review

American Hustle: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

Director David O Russell re-teams with his actors from The Fighter (Bale and Adams) and hisSilver Linings Playbook team (Cooper and Lawrence) to tell a story, some of which "actually happened", according to an onscreen caption at the start.

It's 1978 America and Bale is Irving Rosenfeld, a pot-bellied con artist with a garish comb-over, an affinity for Duke Ellington and an ability to get anything out of any situation. Teaming up with Amy Adams' Sydney Prosser (who's desperate to get out of her current life situation), the pair start a series of loan scams.

But, when they're busted by Bradley Cooper's curly haired, overly eager FBI Agent Richie DiMaso, they're offered a way out - if they can line up four further arrests. With no other option, Irving and Sydney (posing as a member of the English aristocracy) set out about their latest scam, but end up trying to bring down the mayor of New Jersey (played with big hair by Jeremy Renner), thanks to DiMaso's over-enthusiasm.

Soon, all of the players are in deeper than they expected....and not everyone is who they seem to be.

American Hustle is a good film with more comedy than perhaps you'd be expecting (though if you'd been expecting a shaggy dog style story, you could be right) - its over-the-top nature is evident in many places, and tonally, occasionally that wrongfoots the audience.

Lavished with Oscar nods for acting, it's fair to say that reallyChristian Bale andAmy Adams only deserve the nods, with their time on screen blowing everyone away. From the start, Bale convinces as the film opens with a slow long scene with his distended belly proving to be the focal point before he exerts massive effort to create the perfect comb-over. Equally Adams impresses with a character that's lost and desperate to get out of the con world but who appears to be even more lost the deeper in she gets and more determined. 

Both Lawrence, as Irving's young wife and who behaves like a brat (and brings some very funny moments) and Cooper don't come close to matching the others; Cooper in particular seems to be OTT - and even Jeremy Renner puts them to shame with a quietly dignified turn as someone who's trying to do the best for his people underneath a massively coiffed do. When his fate is revealed, he looks like a wounded puppy dog in a quiff - perhaps it's more beneficial that he feels more downplayed than the rest of the cast.

Over-use of voiceovers initially leads to a feeling of dizziness and along with swooping, swirling cameras, American Hustle starts to feel like a scam on the audience, aimed at disorienting and confusing as the story unfolds; it's almost as if Russell is pulling the strings and will stop at nothing to stop you keeping up.

In fact, American Hustle is really a case of a simple story being put upon layer upon layer; at its heart, it's about the pursuit of the American dream, and dressed up with some of the worst wigs and cleavage you've ever seen. A vein of humour runs throughout this garish vision of the 70s (with its Mafia overtones) thanks toLouis CK's police boss who's trying to spin a story to Richie.

All in all, American Hustle is all about the spin; ultimately shallow and blessed with some great performances, it's an intriguing choice for such awards success, because whilst it's still a solidly showy film, it's not a totally superbly engrossing one, with costumes, scenery and era recreation taking centre-stage.

The Con is perhaps, on.

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Inside Llewyn Davis: Blu Ray Review

Inside Llewyn Davis: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

The Coen Brothers return to the movies with a ramshackle week in the life of a young folk singer and a reminder that life's journey doesn't always take the straightest path toward destiny.

A bearded, sad-eyed Oscar Isaac plays Llewyn Davis, a singer who's trying to make it in the Greenwich Village scene of 1961 but failing to break through and falling deeper into self-doubt as he shambles from one uncertain night to the next.

Complicating his life are an unexpected pregnancy with Carey Mulligan's Jean (one of the places where Davis crashes), the lack of definitive work, a manager who appears to never pass any money on and a cruel winter. Even with a guitar slung on his back, Llewyn is facing his darkest days yet as he sets out to audition for a music mogul in Chicago, with nothing but misfits, biting cold, crippling hunger, and a ginger cat for company...

Inside Llewyn Davis is a film that soars on many levels - from the understated yet totally relatable Oscar Isaac as Davis, who nails every desperate scene with a quiet frustration as the thwarted artist, to the ragtag group of misfits who drift in and out of his life, the Coens have brought together a cyclical film that encapsulates the life of the artist as they move from uncertainty to tantalising hope.

But the Coens haven't lost any of their playfulness by doing this (even if they've dialled it back) - a recurring motif of a ginger cat who likes to travel (and whose name reveal at the end of the movie is a delicious treat), a cameo from John Goodman as a jazz singer who steals the scene he's in as a brute of an over-confident man who's the antithesis to Isaac's quietly frustrated Davis to Justin Timberlake's jumper-wearing oblivious to everything around him folk singer, there's something to love in almost every scene.

And that's without mentioning the rich, soulful soundtrack that is a perfect representation of the times - even down to the final appearance of a certain singer who kicked off the folk scene at that time. The songs range from the heartbreakingly frank (Oh Hang Me) to the verging-on-popsong-parody (Please Mr Kennedy) and are the perfect side dish, peppered as they are throughout. Drab colours and a washed out look to the film add to the vibe of the 60s Greenwich scene.

Inside Llewyn Davis feels exactly how it is to be a struggling artist, every scene reeks of quiet desperation and utter despondency as Davis goes from one uncertain moment to the next. When his eventual dark moment of the soul arrives, Isaac completely and heartbreakingly sells it with his sad tired eyes - fulfilling the melancholy almost maudlin vibe of what's already transpired as the soul crushing lows come to fruition. Particularly devastating is the scene where Davis pours his heart out with the guitar to a producer who simply dismisses him with the words "I don't see any money in it".

The sombre tone of this ramshackle road movie of the soul is beautifully played, though Davis is nothing more than a melancholic loner on this journey; his interactions with the likes of Jane and Timberlake's Jim merely emphasising that he doesn't fit in with them, an artist doomed to go his own lonely way - even the ginger cat leaves him as soon as the chance arises. If there are loose ends strewn here and there, it's symptomatic of how Davis comes and goes in people's lives more than poor writing or plotting.

Inside Llewyn Davis leaves you uncertain as to whether Davis is the real talent, destined to make it when the scene eventually breaks through or if he'll crack under the growing pressure of reality; it's a perfect portrait of someone suffering for their art - but the Coen brothers have ensured this journey is as far away from suffering as is remotely possible. It's a gorgeous film, a true testament to their skills as story-tellers and also their actors.

You can't afford not to see this quiet little masterpiece.

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