Dean O Gorman Trumbo Interview

Dean O Gorman Trumbo Interview

Jack Tame caught up with Dean O'Gorman, star of The Hobbit to discuss Trumbo, where he plays Kirk Douglas - and looks uncannily like him.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-mornings-with-jack-tame/audio/dean-ogorman-hitting-the-big-time/

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-mornings-with-jack-tame/audio/dean-ogorman-hitting-the-big-time/

Adventure Time: Jake and Finn Investigations: PS4 Review

Adventure Time: Jake and Finn Investigations: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Released by Bandai Namco

The Adventure Time series is incredibly popular - and it's no surprise that yet another game has been released for the show.

This time around it's a real-time fully 3D orientated adventure game that features combat.

As well as solving puzzles and interacting, the game's fully concentrated on providing an experience for fans of the show.

It all kicks off in Jake and Finn's tree-house where the pair discover a ticker-tape machine that sends them on a series of adventures. Heading around the tree-house first though, you get a chance to get used to what's around and how to interact with the world they live in. It's a slow start to the game which takes a while to find its feet and also suffers from a little bit of tedium as it comes to the puzzle solving.

Once you're through those hoops though, the game opens up to more of an experience and a world that's worth diving into as you negotiate your way through various chapters within. There's also an additional chapter which will be the basis of downloadable DLC and gives players the chance to take on the persona and vampire abilities of Marceline.

Graphically, the game is up there with some of the best of its kind; it fully embraces the world it's emulating and the 3D edges give it a feel that's conducive to what it wants to achieve. As you wander around collecting items and presenting them to people when necessary, the game begins to open up and its ambitions stretch beyond its cartoon-like appearance.

While the start of the game is a little bogged down in mechanics and there's a glut of dialogue that simply has to be sat through, younger kids will get a kick out of the game and will likely be drawn into the story. Potentially, the older ones may get a little bored from time to time, but if you're willing to sit through it, Adventure Time: Jake and Finn Investigations is a solid game for the summer months.

Poltergeist: DVD Review

Poltergeist: DVD Review

Rating: TBC
Released by 20th Century Fox Home Ent


"They're here"

It was 1982's Poltergeist and director Tobe Hooper which turned the TV set into something to be feared, turning the image of a small girl with her hands on a set spewing static into an icon.

Now, over 33 years later, the remake is upon us, in a time where digital devices have overwhelmed us and homes are swamped with screen-based technology. (A fact only partially acknowledged during the flick)

Rockwell stars as Eric Bowen, laid off from his role within John Deere and relocating with his family to a suburban sprawl. With financial tensions nibbling at the parents, the kids aren't faring much better, with teen Kendra hating the move, youngster Madison continuing to talk to herself and son Griffin one terrified breath away from a full-on asthma attack thanks to his inner fears.

But it turns out that Griffin's worries may have some merit, when Madison is apparently abducted during a storm that affects all the electrical equipment in the house - soon, the Bowens are dealing with a cod TV psychic (an Irish accented Jared Harris) and a group of paranormal experts as they try to get their daughter back.Effective and creepy for the first 45 minutes at least, the new Poltergeistcertainly knows how to get under your skin.

Bundling the under-deliverance of the American dream and the fears that haunt you when you relocate, Kenan's done a solid job of dialling up the suspense and tension by allowing scenes space to breathe and employing some effective jump scares early on thanks to cameras which glide and pan slowly across the screen.

The malevolent atmospherics carry on well thanks to the innate likeability and realism of Rockwell and Dewitt as a couple, giving you the empathy you need for their escalating plight (even if they - like their kids - are underwritten once the spooks set in). And the set-piece where the storm kicks in terrifying and haunting the home alone kids works chillingly, working on the fears thanks to creepy clowns, split-second digital FX and a sense of dread.

However, when the paranormal team and psychic ghostbuster show up, it's really wherePoltergeist starts to lose its freaky mojo; lapses in logic and flow jar the 2015 Poltergeist movieand Kenan relies more on the humour and silliness to propel the movie toward the end point within the supernatural realm.

Granted, the malevolent spirits are well-realised but echoes of Insidious and a smarter FX employment nag the second half of Poltergeist with a horrible feeling of deja vu.

Solid, rather than re-visionary, the Poltergeist remake proffers up an entertaining if uneven film; its first 45 minutes are nothing short of unsettling, but its second half derails the work done early on.

Potentially, for more savvy horror audiences these days, it could have used a bit more of an edge, but keeping it in the realm of family friendly, if unsettling, fare means this supernatural fright-flick is nowhere near as effective as it could be and it certainly won't scare up enough cash to kick this franchise back from the afterlife.

Rating:

XCOM 2 announced

XCOM 2 announced

2K Announces XCOM® 2 Digital Deluxe Edition

Includes full base game, XCOM 2 Soundtrack, and three downloadable add-on packs available in single offering

Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #XCOM2

Sydney, Australia – December 11, 2015 – 2K and Firaxis Games today announced that the XCOM® 2 Digital Deluxe Edition is now available for pre-purchase for AUD$110. Launching globally on February 5, 2016 for Windows PC and coming to Mac and Linux via Feral Interactive, the XCOM 2 Digital Deluxe Edition includes the sequel to the Game of the Year* award-winning strategy title XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the XCOM 2 Reinforcement Pack** and the digital soundtrack. XCOM 2 takes place 20 years into the future, where humanity has surrendered to the alien threat and XCOM is largely forgotten, forcing them to reclaim Earth and free mankind from the aliens’ rule.

The Reinforcement Pack** can be purchased separately for AUD$29.95 and bundles three downloadable add-on packs. Each add-on pack will offer a unique twist to the core game experience by adding new missions, aliens, weapons, more extreme soldier customizations and other items.

The Reinforcement Pack** includes the following:

• Anarchy’s Children: featuring rebellion-themed content with more dramatic soldier customizations (releasing spring 2016);

• Alien Hunters: introducing new gameplay surrounding XCOM as an elite alien hunting unit tracking down “Ruler” aliens, along with a new mission, soldier customization options and more powerful weapons and armor (releasing summer 2016);

• Shen’s Last Gift: offering a brand new soldier class with unique upgradeable weapons, armor and customization features, as well as an additional narrative-driven mission and map (releasing summer 2016).

Players who pre-order or pre-purchase XCOM 2 or the XCOM 2 Digital Deluxe Edition will also receive the Resistance Warrior Pack, offering additional soldier customization options such as bonus outfits, headgear, and custom facial war paint. The Resistance Warrior Pack also includes a “Survivor of the Old War,” a new XCOM recruit who will appear in the Avenger’s barracks.

About XCOM 2

XCOM 2 is the sequel to the Game of the Year* award-winning strategy title XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Developed by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games, XCOM 2 transports players 20 years into the future, where humanity lost the war against the alien threat that has established a new world order. The secret paramilitary organization known as XCOM is largely forgotten, and must strike back to reclaim Earth and free mankind from the aliens’ rule. Forced to operate on the run in their new mobile headquarters, players must use a combination of firepower and covert tactics to help XCOM recruit soldiers and build a resistance network, all while attempting to expose the evil alien agenda and save humanity.

XCOM 2 will be available globally for Windows PC on February 5, 2016. XCOM 2 is rated MA15+ in Australia. XCOM 2 is not yet rated in New Zealand. For more information on XCOM 2, please visit www.XCOM.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter and use the hashtag #XCOM2 or subscribe to XCOM on YouTube. 

Win Fat Princess Adventures on PS4!

Win Fat Princess Adventures on PS4!

Let them all eat cake!

To celebrate Friday, I've got a nice little gift to give to you - a code for Fat Princess Adventures on PS4, thanks to the awesome guys at PlayStation!

Fat Princess Adventures on PS4
A cheeky, light-hearted humour is the order of the day in this comedy adventure. 

Go into battle with up to three friends in a quest to slay monsters, steal loot, rescue the princesses, gobble cake and defeat the evil Bitter Queen. 

Fat Princess Adventures is now available from PlayStation Store, but thanks to PlayStation New Zealand we have a copy to giveaway!

And to win all you have to do is one very simple thing which is easy to do if you're a princess! (Or not, I'm not discriminating)

To enter simply email to this address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com  and in the subject line put CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE.

Please include your name and address and good luck!

Golden Globes Nominations 2016

Golden Globes Nominations 2016

The 2016 Golden Globe Nominations are out - here's the complete list of who's up for what

Best Motion Picture, Drama
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Best Motion Picture, Musical, or Comedy
The Big Short
Joy
The Martian
Spy
Trainwreck

Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Saoirse Ronin, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl


Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Melissa McCarthy, Spy
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Maggie Smith, The Lady in the Van
Lily Tomlin, Grandma

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Will Smith, Concussion

Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Paul Dano, Love
Idris Elba, Beast of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Performance by Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hateful Eight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Director, Motion Picture
Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical, or Comedy
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Matt Damon, The Martian
Al Pacino, Danny Collins
Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Emma Donoghue, Room
Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, Spotlight
Charles Randolph & Adam McKay, The Big Short
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight

Original Score, Motion Picture
Carter Burwell, Carol
Alexander Desplat, The Danish Girl
Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
Daniel Pemberton, Steve Jobs
Ryuchi Sakamoto, The Revanant

Best Motion Picture, Animated
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“Love Me Like You Do,” Fifty Shades of Grey
“One Kind of Love,” Love & Mercy
“See You Again,” Furious 7
“Simple Song #3,” Youth
“Writing’s on the Wall,” Spectre

Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language
The Brand New Testament
The Club
The Fencer
Mustang
Son of Saul

Best Television Series, Drama
Empire, Fox
Game of Thrones, HBO
Mr. Robot, USA
Narcos, Netflix
Outlander, Starz

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Casual, Hulu
Mozart in the Jungle, Amazon Video
Orange Is the New Black, Netflix
Silicon Valley, HBO
Transparent, Amazon Video
Veep, HBO

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
American Crime, ABC
American Horror Story: Hotel, FX
Fargo, FX
Flesh and Bone, Starz
Wolf Hall, PBS

Best Performance By an Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Wagner Moura, Narcos
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

Best Performance By an Actor in a Television Series, Musical, or Comedy
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Rob Lowe, The Grinder
Patrick Stewart, Blunt Talk
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Idris Elba, Luther
Oscar Isaac, Show Me a Hero
David Oyelowo, Nightingale
Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall
Patrick Wilson, Fargo

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Damien Lewis, Wolf Hall
Ben Mendelson, Bloodline
Tobias Menzies, Outlander
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Drama
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Eva Green, Penny Dreadful
Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Joanna Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Regina King, American Crime
Judith Light, Transparent
Maura Tierney, The Affair

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kirsten Dunst, Fargo
Lady Gaga, American Horror Story: Hotel
Sarah Hay, Flesh and Bone
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Queen Latifah, Bessie

Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series, Musical, or Comedy
Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Jamie Lee Curtis, Scream Queens
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace: DVD Review

Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace: DVD Review

Rating: G
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Ent

So, here it is then, the very final classic series Doctor Who DVD Release.

Well, until they find more missing episodes that is.

This release from Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor years sees the Doctor taking on a mad professor who's hell-bent on raising Atlantis from the seas.

Given that the two stories before this are of the new Doctor, The Underwater Menace is the first real look at Mr Troughton's cosmic hobo and even though half of it's missing and replaced with telesnaps, it still provides a tale worth diving into.

If you know 60s Doctor Who, you know what to expect - a raft of great ideas with some wobbly execution, but The Underwater Menace proves to be a serial that's worth diving into the waters of home viewing for - and is essential for collectors of Who alike.