David Bowie Is: Film Review

David Bowie Is: Film Review

Directors: Hamish Hamilton, Katy Mullan

There's no denying that David Bowie is a musical icon.

From Ziggy Stardust to Major Tom, his influence is everywhere.

And it's quite clear that the V &A Museum is aware of how this icon shines years after first appearing on the scene, which has led them to collecting together an exhibition dedicated to Bowie, which is currently touring globally.

So, it's no surprise then that this film is simply no more than a guided tour of the exhibition from its curators, designed to give those who can't afford to travel to the locales a chance to revel revel (sorry) in its finer parts.

The co-curators introduce the film before really conducting the kind of tour you'd normally pay cash for to see and would be given headphones for - and to be honest, your tolerance for the movie will really rely on how much you want to see the Bowie ephemera in all its glory.

It turns out Bowie is a hoarder, so with sketches, drawings, musings and material from his own archive, there's certainly plenty of material to help this tour and to immerse you in his life. But the problem is that the whole piece feels like a lecture on Bowie and a somewhat dry one at that.

A few stylistic touches impress, such as a freeze-frame effect of punters in the hallways / in front of the exhibits as the camera ducks and dives through them and weaves into the exhibits, giving the feel of depth.

But, despite the fascinating wealth of material and the clips, it's still nothing close to a Bowie biography and it's still, at the end of the day, a tour of an exhibition. It's a little too aloof to be so fully immersive and perceptive.

Perhaps more of a curio than a revelation into Bowie, David Bowie Is represents little more than a tantalising glimpse beneath the surface of the Thin White Duke rather than a full on deep-dive into what makes the man.

Silicon Valley Season 1: Blu Ray Review

Silicon Valley Season 1: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by HBO and Roadshow Home Ent

Focusing on a computer programmer in Silicon Valley, and skewering the likes of Google with its rip off company Hooli, this comedy series from HBO and directed by Mike Judge is perhaps one of the freshest surprises of 2015.

Thomas Middleditch channels his inner awkwardness as the Zuckerberg-type programmer Richard whose algorithm to compress files sparks a bidding war in the Valley and puts him on the map as a geek to watch out for.

Turning down millions and sticking with his mismatched and misfit crew of programmers who have their own social issues and working under the boorish been-there-already-done-it-lost-it boss Erlich (played with Emmy nominated brilliance by T J Miller),  Richard finds his company facing all kinds of problems as it squares up against the big players of the Valley.

Wisely choosing to go for smaller comedy moments rather than full-on eccentricity, Office Space's Judge's created a comedy that gets under your skin and demands you binge it all in one go. Funny, without being overtly OTT but occasionally being smart enough to use slapstick, Silicon Valley is a rare find, given that it's played on cable both here and abroad.

Clever without being alienating, funny without resorting to broadstroke stereotypes, it displays the smarts that you would want from a great legendary comedy.

It remains to be seen whether season 2 reaches the highs of the first, given the possibility of bringing in more characters, but as long as Judge retains that eye for his characters and character moments, Silicon Valley is the first must-see TV of the year.

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ZB review - Spy, Poltergeist and The Imitation Game

ZB review - Spy, Poltergeist and The Imitation Game

This week, it's comedy Spy, Poltergeist and on DVD The Imitation Game.

click the TV below to listen --- ooooh spooky.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/lifestyle/movies/darren-bevan-poltergeist-spy/

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/lifestyle/movies/darren-bevan-poltergeist-spy/

Be The Batman trailer

Be The Batman trailer

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today released a live action video from the upcoming Batman: Arkham Knight game.  Directed by Tim Cronenweth and Jeff Cronenweth (director of photography for Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Fight Club), with Trent Reznor serving as music consultant, the Official Batman: Arkham Knight Trailer – “Be The Batman” features “The Wretched” by Nine Inch Nails and showcases everyday people being determined, courageous and fearless as they rise to become the Batman. 

Batman: Arkham Knight is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and will be available on June 24, 2015 exclusively for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC. 

Batman: Arkham Knight brings the award-winning Batman: Arkham trilogy from Rocksteady Studios to its epic conclusion. Developed exclusively for the new generation of consoles and PCs,Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady's uniquely designed version of the Batmobile. The highly anticipated addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Batman: Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City. In this explosive finale, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city that he is sworn to protect, as Scarecrow returns to unite the super criminals of Gotham and destroy the Batman forever.

Need For Speed is back

Need For Speed is back

host Games™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio, announced today the return of Need for Speed™ in a full reboot of this storied franchise.  The game delivers on what the fans want, and what Need for Speed stands for - deep customisation, authentic urban car culture, a nocturnal open world, and an immersive narrative that pulls you through the game.

“Need for Speed is one of the most iconic names in gaming, and we're returning it to greatness in this reboot,” said Marcus Nilsson, Executive Producer at Ghost Games. “Pulling on our 20 years of history, and then taking a year out from releasing a game, we are making the game we’ve always wanted to. We're listening to the fans and delivering an experience that will capture their imagination and unleash their passion for cars and speed.”

Games of Thrones - Sons of Winter is coming

Games of Thrones - Sons of Winter is coming

Based on the award-winning HBO television drama series, Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series tells the story of House Forrester. Caught up in the events of The War of the Five Kings, they are placed in a precarious position where members of the household must do everything they can to prevent the house from meeting its doom.

The fourth of six episodes in the series, 'Sons of Winter' will be available starting Tuesday, May 26th on PC/Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, as well as the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 in North America (SCEA) and Europe (SCEE). The episode will be available on Wednesday, May 27th on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One® and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and will be coming to compatible iOS devices via the App Store and to Android-based devices on May 28th. 

The game series is based on the world, characters and events seen in HBO's TV show, which in turn is based on George R. R. Martin's books (A Song of Ice and Fire). The events in the game series begin towards the end of Season Three of the series, and end right before the beginning of Season Five. Players will visit familiar locations such as King's Landing and The Wall, as well as unfamiliar locations such as Ironrath, the home of House Forrester. 

The game is played from five different points of view. Each is a member of House Forrester; either a direct family member, or a person in service to the House. Scattered across Westeros and Essos, each will play their part in seeking to save House Forrester from destruction. 

In Episode 4, the fate of the scattered Forresters hangs in the balance, and no one allied with the family is safe. An unexpected meeting offers Rodrik a new opportunity to free Ironrath from its Whitehill stranglehold, but with young Ryon Forrester still held prisoner, his next moves are critical. Gared must abandon Castle Black and venture beyond the Wall in search of the mysterious North Grove, risking encounters with Wildlings and worse. In King's Landing, the population is reeling from a recent royal death, and Mira must step carefully in an increasingly complex game of politics where secrets are traded as currency. Far away in Essos, Asher infiltrates the slave city of Meereen at the behest of Daenerys Targaryen, but will the friendship he holds dear break under the strain of a mission that raises memories best forgotten? 

Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series - Episode 4: 'Sons of Winter' is rated 'M' (Mature) for Intense Violence, Blood, and Strong Language by the ESRB. Future content in the series is yet to be rated by the ESRB. 

For more information on Telltale Games, visit the official website, Facebook for Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, and follow Telltale Games on twitter @TelltaleGames.

Veep Season 3: DVD Review

Veep Season 3: DVD Review

Rating : M
Released by Warner Home Video and Roadshow Home Ent

The much under-rated Julia Louis Dreyfus sitcom brings its 10 episodes of season 3 to the small screen.

For the unintiated, Veep focuses on Selina Meyer, the current Vice president (and her staffers and their foibles and quirks). The third season sees Meyer toying with the big job of POTUS and dealing with the smaller issues as well.

Written by Armando Iannucci and spun off from The Thick Of It, Veep remains a solidly funny sitcom that works on escalating and smart farce in equal measures. Excellent support from the likes of Tony Hale and incredibly savvy and satirical writing boosts Louis-Dreyfus' natural comic timings and elevates the series to new levels.

Worth dipping your toes into and seeing what rises, Veep certainly gets my vote.

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