Aloha: Film Review

Aloha: Film Review

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, Alec Baldwin, Danny McBride, John Krasinski
Director: Cameron Crowe

Hawai'i is a place for dreamers, so perhaps it's pertinent that Almost Famous director Cameron Crowe dreamed up this latest redemption flick and set it in the islands.

Assembling a multi-talented cast as well would appear to be the icing on the cake in this flick, which centres around Bradley Cooper's blue-eyed, lost at sea morally, defence contractor, Brian Gilcrest, who's brought to the islands to oversee negotiations of the blessing of a gateway for a new airfield.

However, when Brian heads back, he finds himself surrounded by his ex, Tracy (a woefully under-used and under-written McAdams) and under the charge of hotshot, star-in-ascendant Air Force pilot Alison Ng (a perky Emma Stone).

Thrown into that mix is billionaire private sector contractor Carson Welch (Bill Murray) whom Brian is now working for and who may have slightly-less-than-altruistic reasons for being on the island - will Brian find the redemption he needs?

With dialogue that seems like it's written more for the page than to be spoken, Cameron Crowe's latest is somewhat of a muddle. Mixing Hawai'ian mysticism in as Gilcrest negotiates with the islanders (a series of scenes which seem to be ripped from a tourism video in an attempt for Crowe to Show me the mana rather than fully develop them) and domestic twaddle, Crowe's badly misfired with the heart and soul of this piece.

The problem is that the characters almost feel like caricatures for the most part, espousing dialogue that feels unnatural and is a perception of how relationships should be - particularly for Ng and Gilcrest whose future is never anything but assured.

Equally, McBride's character, Fingers, is so called because he twitches his fingers repeatedly, a bolted on quirk to little else; Baldwin's General is essentially a frustrated drill-sergeant; Murray is a weird presence lurking on the sidelines, Krasinski is near-silent (something that works to the story's advantage it has to be admitted) and McAdams is merely a plot device to enable Cooper's Gilcrest to his final moment of clarity.

An ongoing "is he the father" story element is fudged, glossed over and resolution shoe-horned in so much that it has re-write and re-shoot written all over it; just one of the scripted moments that should have emotion in but don't manage to do so.

In amongst the spiritual leanings of Aloha and the great soundtrack, there's nothing iconic or long-lasting in Crowe's story, the likes of which he has penned before; it's meandering fluff of the highest order that has glaring tonal lurches and "do the right thing" written all over it but it never feels like a journey, merely a formulaic path to a screen-writer's perception of an emotional arc.

No Aloha indeed.

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NZIFF Live Cinema announced

NZIFF Live Cinema announced Live Cinema Shines at The Civic Because more is never enough, we are pleased to announce two glorious Live Cinema Events for NZIFF 2015. Charlie Chaplin’s 1921 heart-warming classic The Kid, preceded by his 1917 short The Immigrant, amps up the delights of our annual engagement with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra; and the rarely-screened Lonesome (1928) from Hungarian director Paul Fejos, boasts a World Premiere score by New Zealand's pop maestro Lawrence Arabia with cinematic jazz ensembleCarnivorous Plant Society. Moving, funny and affectingly personal, The Kid was Charlie Chaplin’s first feature-length film. The already world-famous Little Tramp is accompanied by a smaller, spirited foil and dependent in the form of a newsboy-capped kid (Jackie Coogan). The blend of agile physical comedy and unabashed sentiment in his portrayal of Victorian London street life is still stirring to this day, never more so than when experienced with the gloriously symphonic score Chaplin composed for the film in 1981. The Kid is preceded by The Immigrant, one of the last shorts Chaplin made before stepping up to feature-length films, and one of his most gob-smackingly inventive. The Little Tramp causes havoc on board a crowded ship from Europe; then on the mean streets of New York. A long buried treasure from Hollywood’s golden age, Lonesome (1928) was only unearthed in the 1980s, a remarkable piece of cinema from the little-known but audaciously creative Hungarian émigré, Paul Fejos. A lavish New York City tale set amidst the mass mania of Coney Island during the Fourth of July holiday, Lonesome pulls out all the stops for a film of its era: colour tinting, superimpositions, experimental editing, and a roving camera, plus three dialogue scenes, belatedly added to satisfy the new craze for talkies. At the heart is a winning love story - making their way through the visual pandemonium are two shy and lonely young city folk falling in love. New Zealand's pop maestro Lawrence Arabia will be joined by cinematic jazz ensemble Carnivorous Plant Society to perform a World Premiere score for Lonesome. Tickets for our one-off screenings of The Kid and Lonesome are now on sale through Ticketmaster (links below) and at the Civic box office.

The Kid USA 1921 | 68 minutes | G cert Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Live Cinema at NZIFF drinks from the headwaters of classic cinema with a pair of Charlie Chaplin masterpieces. The moving, funny and affectingly personal The Kid is preceded by one of his most anarchic shorts, The Immigrant, in which the penniless Tramp wreaks brilliantly choreographed chaos in a restaurant. Marc Taddei conducts Chaplin’s own gloriously symphonic score for The Kid, as arranged by Carl Davis, and a feisty new score for The Immigrant by Timothy Brock. Sunday 2 August at 6.00pm, Civic Theatre BUY TICKETS

Lonesome USA 1928 | 69 minutes | G cert New Zealand indie pop maestro Lawrence Arabia and collaborators Carnivorous Plant Society bring new life to a long buried treasure from 1920s New York. Unearthed in the 80s, and as kinetic as the metropolis itself, Lonesome is the creation of the little-known but remarkable Hungarian émigré Paul Fejos. Lonesome is a lavish city symphony, set amidst the mania of Coney Island during the Fourth of July holiday. Two shy and lonely young city folk meet, fall for each other, then get separated in the course of a frantic afternoon. Sunday 26 July at 6.00pm, Civic Theatre BUY TICKETS The full Auckland programme will be announced on the evening of Monday 22 June, with tickets on sale from Friday 26 June. NZIFF screens in Auckland from 16 July to 2 August.

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood: PS4 Review

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood: PS4 Review

Released by Bethesda
Platform: PS4

First person shooter meets Nazis, robotised dogs and uses big guns to deploy mayhem after stalking around various locations?

Sold.

In a nutshell that's Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, the prequel to Wolfenstein: the New Order. In this lower-priced, shorter running companion piece, you reprise your role as the killing machine that is BJ Blazkowicz in this alternate history.

Your mission is to get back into Castle Wolfenstein, steal some documents which offer up secret details into a top bigwig's whereabouts and get out alive with them. Only, it doesn't quite go to plan and after one jackboot in the face, Blazkowicz finds himself trapped in the dungeons of the Castle and plotting to escape.

There's something relatively simplistic about The Old Blood, but it's utterly appealing.

Skulking around taking down Nazis that have been powered up thanks to mega suits that are attached to electrical lines is actually tremendous fun and thanks to the speedy intentions of The Old Blood, the game rattles along at a fair pace. Even the moments when the game busts out from the prison are as entertaining too, mixing B movie sensibilities with gun-blasting madness.

Graphically, the game bizarrely feels like parts of Bioshock Infinite with its first person feel and occasional steampunk sensibilities but that soon becomes a thing of the past once the blasting sets in.

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood certainly feels like a breezy prequel, a disposable pick up and play element being the major part of the game, but equally, if you want to invest hours in the latest escapades of Blazkowicz, there's still plenty to do and plenty of blood left in this Nazi-zombie killing series.

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Guitar Hero tracks unveiled

Guitar Hero tracks unveiled

Listen up, it’s time for some more playable tracks from Guitar Hero Live!  Below you’ll find a further set of awesome songs that you’ll be able to rock out to in the game.

Be on the lookout for news about all the great music coming to Guitar Hero Live. You can also visit facebook.com/guitarhero and guitarhero.com to check out the latest. Here are the next ten:

Halestorm - “Love Bites (So Do I)”

Tenacious D - “Tribute”

Beartooth - “I Have A Problem”

Pearl Jam - “Mind Your Manners”

Rise Against - “Tragedy + Time”

Soundgarden - “Been Away Too Long”

Anthrax - “Got The Time”

Architects - “Gravedigger”

Chevelle - “The Clincher”

A Day To Remember - “Right Back At It Again”

New Assets released for Disney Infinity 3.0

New Assets released for Disney Infinity 3.0

New Assets and Information Released For Disney Infinity 3.0’s

Star Wars™: Twilight of the Republic Play Set

Avalanche Software and Ninja Theory Partner to Deliver Star Wars™ Gameplay

Experience That Brings Lightsaber™ Duels to a New Level

MELBOURNE, Aust. – (May 26, 2014) Disney Interactive today released new assets and information for Star Wars™: Twilight of the Republic, one of the three Star Wars™ Play Sets to be released for Disney Infinity 3.0this year.   Developed by Ninja Theory, in partnership with Avalanche Software, the game is set to deliver an authentic family-friendly Star Wars game experience with enhanced combat system.

Set during the latter years of the Clone Wars, players will travel to four locations and explore open worlds of Tatooine and Coruscant, battle droids in Geonosis and partake in an epic boss battle in Naboo. Along the way, players will use the Force™ and master their Lightsaber™ skills as they fight alongside Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda to save the Republic and defeat the Separatists. 

Each Jedi character is given specialised Force combat abilities and Force finishing moves, as well as unique Lightsaber forms with powerful combo attacks. As Jedi Master Yoda, for example, players will leap into action with his agile and acrobatic prowess. Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano uses her lightning-fast dual Lightsabers to carve up Battledroids, while Darth Maul uses his double-bladed Lightsaber and power in the dark side of the Force in a death-defying duel against the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

To access the new localised images and screenshots, please visit: https://www.RelayIt.net/?c=ktk784fd5CHP3Sk2zwhbwK5cJF67Qd5FbM2B 

The Star Wars™: Twilight of the Republic Play Set is included in the Disney Infinity 3.0 Starter Pack available this Winter, which also includes the Disney Infinity 3.0 Base, Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker character figures, and a web code card that unlocks content for PC and mobile devices.

Two additional Star Wars Play Sets will be available for Disney Infinity 3.0 this holiday, including Star Wars™: Rise Against the Empire and Star Wars™: The Force Awakens. In addition, players will be able to unlock the ability for all Star Wars characters to play inside all of the Star Wars Play Sets, as well as in the newly enhanced Toy Box, along with all characters previously released for Disney Infinity.

San Andreas: Film Review

San Andreas: Film Review

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Paul Giamatti, Archie Panjabi, Kylie Minogue, Ioan Gruffud
Director: Brad Peyton

It ain't over till the fat lady sings.

But in San Andreas' case, it ain't over till the American flag is unfurled amid the ruins of California and the words "We can rebuild" are uttered.

Channelling 1970s disaster flicks and eschewing any form of character depth, the director of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island juggles CGI falling buildings and Dwayne Johnson's innate charm as Ray, a rescue helicopter pilot trying to save his daughter from a massive West Coast earthquake.

It's not just the seismic activity on the ground Ray has to deal with though - he's on shaky ground emotionally too, with his ex Emma (Carla Gugino) who's dealt him divorce papers and is facing the prospect of his daughter Blake (Daddario) moving to college. Throw in a past haunted by the fact he couldn't save his first daughter from drowning, and Ray's a troubled man when the earth opens up, threatening to swallow whole all he loves dearly.

Add into the mix a geologist (Paul Giamatti) whose growing penchant for looking aghast, horrified and providing exposition is maximised as the number and severity of the quakes intensifies despite his warnings, and you've pretty much got all the tenets of a B movie disaster flick which used to rock our world back in the 70s like the Towering Inferno, Earthquake and The Poseidon Adventure. (Even the Hollywood sign is not immune to being torn asunder as we get ready to rubble)

Sure, depth of character is non-existent; sure, the women exist solely to be rescued (a fact that feels wasted given efforts to build Blake up early on as more than just eye candy) and sure, Emma's new partner (Forever star Grufudd) is nothing more than a slimeball when the chips are down and sure Blake's Brit love interest is a horrendous Hugh Grant stereotype initially, but you don't go to films like San Andreas for dense soliloquies and in-depth character development - you go to see carnage and to get ready to rumble.

And, for the most part, Peyton works the crumbling land masses and tall buildings assuredly (though one questions how some may feel about the film's sensitivity given recent quakes here and in Nepal) as we negotiate our ripped apart protagonists through one potential disaster to the next before reuniting them for one last perilous situation.

San Andreas is committed to its own short-comings, and it knows when to pile the patriotic cheese on.

When Johnson tells one potential victim to "get up against something sturdy", we know what his subtext is - and when he parachutes himself and his ex into a baseball field proclaiming it's "been a while since I got you to second base", there's corn aplenty. But thanks to his easy going charisma and the fact he's our go to guy in such situations, we're just about willing to commit to this cornball flick.

The seeds of a sequel are sown, thanks to Giamatti's scientist gasping that this could happen globally at any time, but as an over-bearing FX fest that tears up the screen and the West Coast of America around it, San Andreas may have its faults, but as a blockbuster, it delivers what it sets out to - nothing more and nothing less.

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Project Cars: XBox One Review

Project Cars: XBox One Review

Platform: XBox One
Released by Slightly Mad Studios / Bandai Namco

"Control, control, you must learn control"

An exhortation from my youth as spoken by a Muppet in a space film, but one which is terribly relevant to Project Cars, the massive racer just unleashed by Bandai Namco and Slightly Mad Studios.

It's been an interesting year for the genre, with Driveclub now hitting its straps after a shaky start off the starting grid and with Forza Horizon 2 dominating my XBox racing time - but Project Cars is an entirely different beast and one which rewards with plenty of time investment and with dedication.

Much like a racer starting their career.

The simulator lets you work from the ground level up and build your career if you want; but if you don't care for that, the added bonus is that you can jump into the championships, grab your favourite cars and race from wherever and whenever you want.

It's this sandbox approach that the developers and community have gone for which gives Project CARS its USP. But it's punishing if you expect to simply pick up and enter the sim, because the game's centred around a realistic driving experience rather than an arcade feel a la Forza Horizon. But it's great that it has a reason to exist and to stand out, because quite simply, the reward is there for those who are willing to suffer too.

Starting off with karts is a lot harder than it seems; the slightest overtouch of acceleration or a gentle nudge the wrong way sees you spinning out of control, breaking the races rules and heading off track - it's a frustration initially that the calibration isn't suited to your driving skills and you will need time to adjust the controls to your preferred methods (just one of the modding elements that's required for you to get the utmost out of the game). Occasionally, another driver whacking into your sides causes all manner of problems and gives you the disappointment of having to go all over again.

But patience is required to get the best from the game - and it's a game that really does look stunning too. Particularly on the XBox One, the backgrounds are incredible with the sun falling over tracks like Imola and Silverstone, the grunt of the platform pays dividends, rivalling Driveclub's finer moments.

It's a win that Project CARS is all about the business of racing, rather than the grind of gearing up. There's a wealth of cars on offer, an embarrassment of vehicular riches to partake in, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the game because you feel swamped with choice. You can stick with your favourite car, partake in championships, engage in brief one off races - there's more than enough to do here.

In some ways, this look at Project CARS is a work in progress, which will no doubt be re-reviewed later on - predominantly because the community will inform a part of it. If there are any concerns about the game, the simulation's so good that the hands off / don't need to invest in anything other than a few championships may hold a few back from playing nightly; and occasionally, I've had the game graphics drop down a notch, but it's still in the early days of it. Driveclub had way more issues on launch and Project CARS has to be applauded for not falling into the Day One problems other contemporaries have had.

As a simulator, Project CARS has set the bar high; granted, it's a little too workmanlike at times but the rewards you reap when it all comes together are dizzying. Just make sure you stick with it after the first few spin-outs - you won't regret taking these cars for a ride.

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