Bridge of Spies: Blu Ray Review

Bridge of Spies: Blu Ray Review

Released by 20th Century Fox Home Ent
Rating: M


Powerhouse director Steven Spielberg re-teams with acting buddy Tom Hanks for the fourth time in this refreshingly old school Cold War thriller, inspired by true events and with a script given a spit and polish by the Coen Brothers.

At the height of the Cold War in 1957, Hanks is insurance lawyer James B Donovan, an all-round good guy. Given the task of defending Mark Rylance's spy accused Rudolf Abel, Donovan believes he's been given a poison chalice, with everyone turning against him for his decision to follow due procedure and the American justice system.

However, when an American pilot (Austen Stowell) is shot down in Russian airspace and paraded on trial as the paranoia ramps up, Donovan's called upon by the US Government to negotiate a trade. And things get more complicated when a young US student's caught up in the burgeoning East / West German republic and imprisoned, leading Donovan to try to do all he can to free him as well.

It's easy to see why Spielberg and Hanks were attracted to Bridge of Spies - it's likeSchindler's List, but with espionage thrown into the mix as the nice guy does all he can to save the day.

Hanks is as watchable as ever as Donovan, who has to negotiate his family's escalating tension at his involvement in standing up for a man accused of spying. Coupled with his son's real fear of the atomic bomb and his growing estrangement for his belief in the American principles, Hanks' character is as much out in the cold as Abel, and Hanks relishes his time in the spotlight with a studied dependable portrayal of a decent man.

The film begins with a chase sequence as Rylance's precise and measured Abel tries his best to elude the pursuit of several G-men, adorned in fedoras in the transit system. It's a sequence we've seen many times before in many different spy films and Spielberg executes it faithfully, carefully and masterfully.

But this studious chase sequence is perhaps one of the few moments of action in a film that settles for brilliant war-time aesthetics and settings and good ole-fashioned scenes of men talking (even with the Coens' wit brushed through the script aimed at punctuating the almost documentary-like feel). Bridge of Spies is not smeared in action and it's certainly not an urgent film (making it feel like one from yesteryear), preferring to take its time to head to its destination as the politics of trading, the escalating global tensions and the intertwined stories play out on screen to varying degrees of success.

Certainly, there's an argument to be made for Rylance's involvement in the film - his Abel is a spy by way of a laconic Droopy The Dog, dishing out dry wit and perfectly timed comments to cut through the moodiness of the situation. In the time he's part of the narrative, he's unmissable. Sadly, the middle part of the film deems it necessary to exclude him from the narrative, preferring to concentrate on Donovan's Frank Capra-esque escapades in Berlin. His final sequences hint at the true nature of a life after for a spy and it's in the titular Bridge that the film becomes subtly nuanced and shows a welcome melancholy edge.

It's not a fatal flaw for Bridge of Spies, and there's certainly an argument that this sedentary, masterful weaving of a story will suit a largely Sunday afternoon audience, but it's perhaps telling that in its 2hrs 20 minutes. the lack of real urgency starts to show and almost causes the film to be lost in the ether. It's only in the final moments as a trade happens on the titular bridge that you realise how gripping it's been.

There's no denying Bridge of Spies is a worthy story, and another example of Spielberg and Hanks teaming up to champion the common man who ultimately made a massive difference; but there's just a nagging feeling which persists that it could have done with a blast of more energy to propel it along.

Rating:

Rock the Kasbah: Blu Ray Review

Rock the Kasbah: Blu Ray Review

If you ever wanted to see a film with Bill Murray trussed to a bed, bedecked in a blonde wig and wearing a diaper, then Barry Levinson's latest is for you.

Murray plays washed up verging-on-con-man music manager Richie Lanz who spends his days listening to awful karaoke singers and promising them the world in return for cash. But his world turns around when he takes his last remaining client (Zooey Deschanel) on a USO tour of Afghanistan, believing fame and fortune lie around the corner.

However, having been ripped off and left without any means of escape from Afghanistan, Richie has to try and turn his fortunes around to make it out alive - and things get more complicated when, for the first time in his life, he discovers a genuine talent. Could his shot at redemption also be his undoing as he travels to Kabul to get his female singer on Afghan Star?

If you're expecting a hoot-a-moment film from the man who cocked a snook at the armed forces with the Adrian Cronauer story in Good Morning, Vietnam, then Rock The Kasbah is not the film for you.

It lurches wildly between tones as it negotiates a lunatic sensibility with a social commentary - and not always entirely successfully. Murray brings his usual deadpan laconic stylings to the table and there's just something about this rapscallion and his louche outlook that gets you on side. Certainly, in parts, Murray looks like he's having a blast.

The rest of the supporting cast don't fare as well - Hudson gets some extra time in the final furlong as the Armed forces tart-with-a-heart (even if one scene looks quite obviously like it was re-shot and re-scripted); Caan and McBride make the most of their extended cameos as black-market dealers - and even Willis shows up to whisper some lines before slinking off into the sand dunes of both the desert and the movie, only to reappear when dramatic fortune requires him to do so.

Equally, the film's sensibilities border on abrasive too, with the sentiment that Lanz can do whatever he wants with his client simply because he's American. Want to ride roughshod over years of cultural issues and oppression of women without any consequence? Sure, then Lanz is your man - and the script crassly precipitates this with Lanz getting his way for Afghan Star. Granted, it's morally questionable and perhaps a tighter script or a neater plotting of the arc could have helped, but this last third push within the film rankles and feels grossly awkward despite Murray's innate charm propelling it along.

That's the main problem with Rock The Kasbah; its tonal inconsistencies end up providing a patchy affair that's scrappy and amusing in equal measures. As the Clash remarked, the Shareef don't like it - and for large parts of this film thanks to its cultural awkwardness, if you'll forgive the pithiness, neither did I.

Rating:

Win a double pass to see Hunt For The Wilderpeople

Win a double pass to see Hunt For The Wilderpeople

To celebrate the release of Taika Waititi's Hunt For The Wilderpeople on March 31st, you can win 1 of 5 double passes to see the new film in the cinema!

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

Please include your name and address and good luck!

(Competition closes March 31st)



The full theatrical trailer for Taika Waititi’s adventure comedy ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ has been released today ahead of the film's nationwide cinema release on March 31, 2016.

Starring Sam Neill and Julian Dennison, 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' received rave reviews when it premiered in January at the Sundance International Film Festival. Trade bible Screen Daily touted the film as "warm, funny and deeply delightful", while The Hollywood Reporter described it as "a deliciously good time at the movies".


Alongside the release of the film, a special re-release of the novel ‘Wild Pork and Watercress’ by legendary author Barry Crump - which the film is based on – will be released by Penguin Random House (NZ). Featuring Neill and Dennison on the cover, this classic Kiwi yarn is available in all good bookstores now.

Legend: Blu Ray Review

Legend: Blu Ray Review

There's no disputing the Krays were synonymous with violence, intimidation and gangland rude in 1960s London.

This latest film to explore their riotous regime is pitched more as a romantic love triangle between Ronnie and Reggie Kray (both played by Tom Hardy) and Emily Browning's Frances Shea who's a bit fragile, according to her brother and desperate to rebel against her mother's wishes.

Ronnie is the more volatile of the pair, a sort of pug-nosed Michael Caine with a cold in Hardy's hands, but whose desire to rule with an iron fist sees him at loggerheads with the more suave and calmer Reggie, who believes himself to be a gangster prince at heart, but won't publicly acknowledge that. Into their world comes Frances, a naive waif of a girl whose fragility is at odds with the harshness of the reality of the Krays, but who's willing to be swept off her feet and seduced by Reggie.

Oscar winning director Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential) wastes no time in setting this latest version of the Krays up as a stylish look at the duo - and something quite distant from the Kray twins outing starring the Kemp brothers from back in the 1980s. But yet, despite the pristine veneer of the occasional bursts of violence (bizarrely set to music that sounds like a bad 70s style sitcom, no doubt to detract from the seething ugliness of the attacks), there's scant character progression at key moments.

Shea's decline is more immediate than gradual, and feels a little shoehorned in, a casualty of the escalating gang tensions and the police's sudden desire (and the narrative's sudden drive) to take the Krays out once and for all. It's a shame because Browning's porcelain fragility is neatly juxtaposed to the ugliness around her - even if her narration and voiceover begins to irritate as the film continues, preferring to use this as an expository tool rather than witness events.

Shea needs to be the eyes and ears of the Krays, a window into their world into the beauty and ugliness of it all, and sadly, she's too sidelined in this to make an effective story-telling tool or character.

Thankfully though, Hardy and Hardy's searing and savage turns as the suited-and-booted bastard Krays really stand head and shoulders above anything else in this. Helgeland wisely holds the duo from appearing on screen together  (save for back of head shots) until an epic showdown where Hardy takes on Hardy as the Krays scrabble at each other.

And from here onwards, Legend takes on a life of its own as the charismatic charm of the Krays becomes a balancing act between outright monsters and Casino like heroes. (Helgeland's Scorsese influences are worn on his sleeve - both from Goodfellas and Casino, and complete with swooping one takes that looks awfully familiar).  But Hardy never once loses sight of the nuances of the character which are needed to keep these two apart (even if the script feels the best way to do it is to push them into ACME cartoon comedy territory)

Ultimately, Legend stands on its gimmick, rather than the rest of its story-telling. There are a few story-telling niggles throughout this stylish pic that pick away at you throughout, but not for one moment, will you be distracted by Hardy's Legend-ary performance.

The Walking Dead: Michonne: Episode 1 PS4 Review

The Walking Dead: Michonne: Episode 1 PS4 Review

Released by Telltale Games
Platform: PS4

There's something about Telltale Games' Walking Dead series.

While it can be said to be all about the zombie action, it's predominantly the human interaction which makes The Walking Dead the monster show.

And in this spin-off three episode mini-series, it's all about the interaction but with fan fave Michonne predominantly.

Set in a gap in the Walking Dead comics where Michonne disappeared, Episode 1 aka In Too Deep delves deeply into her psyche and the more damaged elements of her life, using the usual Telltale decision making mechanics that have become the norm.

But it's more about the psychological state of Michonne than anything else this time with her weariness oozing from every animated frame and informing every single decision you make for her. Even the Walker fights (which are epically staged and pop) have a dogged weariness as they play out.

Orange is the New Black star Samira Wiley adds a new dimension to Michonne that's been hinted at on the TV Series by Danai Gurira but never fully explored - the cost of surviving and the personal PTSD that this key character's suffered. Granted, in the game's first episode, it's only through being plagued by visions that we get some hints of her suffering and elements which will no doubt be played out further later on.

Loosely in this mini-series, Michonne follows the template of the usual Walking Dead tropes - meeting new authority figures who may or may not be trustworthy and who put her in a position to help make a difference by getting on the wrong side of her. This time, it's the group of survivors led by an ambivalent character Norma in a Storming Norma's jacket and a clearly bad guy with an A for attitude. On that front, it's easy to see why the story's been criticised, but given the TV Series and comics follow a similar model, it seems trite and pointless an accusation to counter.

As with all of the Telltale Games, the rub is in the decision making which pay off further down the line. It's remiss to condemn it now without seeing it all play out - you don't after all judge an entire book on a few pages.

Though, it's fair to say, that despite some great imagery (Walkers emerging out of the deep provoked recollections of Sea Devils from Doctor Who), the supporting characters around Michonne are not quite as fully formed as they could be. New friend Pete adds some humour to proceedings before promptly disappearing and the two rogues that are encountered feel less formed, leading to one's arc failing to hit quite the emotional level it needed to. (And don't even get me started on the next time trailer which airs immediately at the end and rips the heft out of the cliffhanger ending).

That said, the foundations are being laid here for something quite unusual; it's a solid start to a character that's worth spending time with; the boats and the bayou add a mystical element to proceedings to a tense little nugget of a starter. Definitely intriguing, The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 1 In Too Deep is easily a solid and enjoyable starter to a new Telltale Game series that seems destined to build on previous successes.

Far Cry: Primal: PS4 Review

Far Cry: Primal: PS4 Review

Released by Ubisoft
Platform: PS4

Far Cry has always been a great series.

Tapping into something primal and encouraging the survivor in all of us (thanks mainly to homicidal maniacs), the game series has always been a vicarious thrill.

But there's no denying that after Far Cry 4's thrilling ride, the series needed to go somewhere new - which was what Ubisoft has done with this latest, and gone back to basics in a major way.

Set in 10,000 BC you are a hunter in the Mesolithic era, an alpha male called Takkar, who is in the middle of a hunt when you join him. Separated from his crew when it goes slightly awry, and left without basic weapons but a drive to survive, Takkar, the Wenja tribesman, is thrust into the open world of Oros.

But the Wenja people and Takkar are not alone for very long - with cannibals called the Udam and the Izila race manifesting in the plains, trouble is just around the corner as Takkar tries to survive, claim territory, protect his people and build his own life.

Far Cry: Primal is simply a blast.

Even though it follows the traditional Far Cry model (kill people, stealthily kill people, take territory, crafting etc) and even though it suffers from a lack of a traditional story mode (no overall bad guy to take down), its sheer playability makes it such a fun experience.

Day and night bring different levels of engagement.

While daytime sees you besieged by warriors and beasts, night brings out an equally dangerous bunch of predators determined to take you down. Thanks to Takkar's hunting vision senses though, you can see where everything is waiting to pounce on you.

The hunting vision is a great touch, a nod to the fact the senses were heightened when they were cave-people; clicking R3 turns everything into a yellow mist that is emitted from whatever animal you see. Effective hunting can be executed by using this idea and tracking your prey so carefully.

But it's not just about the hunting to get the animals. A side quest to visit a shaman allows you the chance to control animals, starting with an owl and building up from there. It's a great touch that gives the game a bit of scope and a USP. The taming of animals is also a decent idea too, one that progresses as you do and gives travelling a bit more speed. (Given how open Oros is, it's hard to make your way around all of the areas you uncover).

Equally, the stashes that are around camps where you settle and areas that you free are a clever touch. Things you need are contained within and can be picked out as a type of refuelling; it's a shame that you can't drop items in there for later use, but it's a nice way to use the old trading post ethos.

Graphically, the game is incredibly visualised. From the vast world of Oros to the small world of the beasts, everything in Far Cry Primal sizzles. Each environment is different in its own ways and each presents a visual feast as the world is given life.

While it's fair to say Far Cry Primal is the gaming equivalent of a fast food meal in many ways; it's a head rush, but some of the substantial depth of the story that has blessed the other Far Cry series really does affect the long-tail of this game. A lack of a strong story does hit as you wander around doing whatever you want but as the view is so incredibly pretty and the world so immersive, it's not as crippling a factor as you may imagine.

(Hopefully, there's plenty of DLC potential and granted, with civilisation as it is in the past, there are more than enough options for the future of Far Cry: Primal).

Far Cry Primal works because it takes the template of the original game and changes it to make something different. And in a world of remasters and remakes, the original touch is anything but prehistoric.

Xbox Showcases Stellar Spring Games Lineup for Xbox One and Windows 10

Xbox Showcases Stellar Spring Games Lineup for Xbox One and Windows 10

In San Francisco last week, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer reaffirmed Microsoft’s commitment to bringing the biggest Microsoft Studios franchises to both Xbox One and Windows 10, and provided journalists, YouTube personalities and Twitch streamers hands-on time with Xbox’s most-anticipated spring games and platform experiences.

Kicking off with today’s release of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition for Windows 10, the Xbox spring games lineup includes a wide array of fan-favorite franchises coming to both Xbox One and Windows 10, including Quantum Break, Forza, Killer Instinct and more.

“At Xbox we believe gamers should be able to play the games they want, with the people they want, on the devices they want,” Spencer said. “Making more of our popular games available for gamers to play on either Xbox One or Windows 10, each powered by Xbox Live, is another important step towards this vision. We are committed to delivering amazing gaming experiences for gamers who play on consoles, PCs or both.”

The Best Franchises are Coming to Xbox One and Windows 10 This Spring
Whether you enjoy hitting the race track in a gorgeous supercar, bending time to your will, or venturing deep into apocalyptic worlds, Xbox is delivering an amazing lineup of games this spring and beyond:

• Dark Souls III – Attendees enjoyed hands-on with new content from the third entry in the acclaimed Dark Souls series at the Xbox Spring Showcase. Launching Apr. 12 on Xbox One,Dark Souls III takes players through an apocalyptic, dark journey to unfold the secrets of the unique universe created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, FromSoftware and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (additional details).
• Forza Motorsport 6: Apex – Arriving in the Windows Store this spring, Forza Motorsport 6: Apexis a free, curated standalone experience for Windows 10 that provides fans with a diverse tour of what Forza Motorsport 6 has to offer, including trademark innovations iconic to theForza franchise, such as Drivatar™ opponents and Forzavista™ cars, as well as new ways to play and compete. The experience also takes advantage of DirectX 12, delivering breathtaking visuals at up to 4K resolution, and was playable for the first time at the Xbox Spring Showcase on an Intel Unleashed Custom (additional details).
• Forza Motorsport 6 (Porsche Expansion Pack) – Available today, the Porsche Expansion Pack for Forza Motorsport 6 on Xbox One spans Porsche’s 60-year history, giving players the chance to race and master 21 Porsche models, including nine new to Xbox One, in an all-new eight-hour Career campaign. The Porsche Expansion also features the debut of the Virginia International Raceway track, in both night and wet conditions (additional details).
• Gears of War: Ultimate Edition for Windows 10 – Available in the Windows Store starting today, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is playable for the first time on Windows 10, and was shown on Alienware Area 51 and iBUYPOWER Revolt 2 at the Xbox Spring Showcase. Remade from the ground-up, the game features amazing 4k resolution built with DirectX 12, unlimited refresh rates and controller and mouse and keyboard controls (additional details).
• ID@Xbox – ID@Xbox showcased two marquee titles:
  • Pit People from The Behemoth is coming first to Xbox One, followed by Windows 10. Experience this fast-paced, turn-based co-op adventure in a closed Beta later this year (additional details).
  • Below from Capy is coming to Xbox One. Below is a descent into the Depths. Explore. Survive. Discover. (additional details)
• Killer Instinct: Season 3 – Microsoft Studios and Iron Galaxy announced that eight new fighters are joining the arena in Killer Instinct: Season 3, available March 29 on both Xbox One and Windows 10. The team provided hands-on with the first four characters available on launch day – Kim Wu, Tusk, The Arbiter from the Halo franchise, and Rash from Battletoads – on Xbox One and an MSI Nightblade X2 Windows 10 PC (additional details).
• Minecraft with Oculus Rift support – Microsoft and Mojang are teaming up with Oculus to provide the first-ever demos of Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition with Oculus Rift support, shown at the Xbox Spring Showcase on Cyberpower Black Crow and Acer Predator G6. You can playMinecraft: Windows 10 Edition in Creative or Survival mode in full 3D while using the familiar Xbox One controller that ships with every Rift sold. Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition with Oculus Rift support will be available through the Windows Store and Oculus Store this spring.
• Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition – Microsoft Studios highlighted additional content for Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition, demoed at the Xbox Spring Showcase on Xbox One. The Definitive Edition enhances the award-winning original game release with new content, including new areas, abilities, more story sequences, multiple difficulty modes, fast travel between areas, and more. Available March 11 on both Xbox One and Windows 10 (additional details).
• Quantum Break – Remedy Entertainment debuted the DirectX 12-powered Windows 10 version of Quantum Break at the Xbox Spring Showcase, offering hands-on demos running on an Nvidia Z97 Carbide, Asus ROG G11 Series, and Acer Predator G6 (additional details). Anyone who pre-orders the Xbox One digital version through the Xbox Store, purchases an Xbox One digital token at participating retailers, or pre-orders an Xbox One Special EditionQuantum Break bundle, will receive the Windows 10 version of the game for free, downloadable from the Windows Store via redemption code when Quantum Break launches on Xbox One and Windows 10 on April 5.
• Tom Clancy’s The Division – Ubisoft treated attendees to in depth hands on time with the open beta content for Tom Clancy’s The Division, an immersive online open-world action role-playing game. Launching March 8 on Xbox One, players will team up with other Division agents to reclaim New York City from the chaos of a deadly pandemic (additional details).

DirectX 12 Showcase: Rise of the Tomb Raider, Ashes of the Singularity, King of Wushu – Square Enix, Snail, and Stardock showcased their latest DirectX 12 enhancements for Rise of the Tomb Raider, King of Wushu, and Ashes of the Singularity on Origin PCs, iBUYPOWER Revolt 2, and Maingear PCs. Ashes of the Singularity is taking advantage the DirectX 12 multi-adapter technology, allowing PCs to use multiple GPUs, even from different manufacturers. Rise of the Tomb Raider was playable for the first time at the Xbox Spring Showcase running DirectX 12.

New Features in the Windows 10 Xbox App and Xbox One – The Xbox team discussed new updates arriving soon on Xbox One and also in the Xbox app in Windows 10, demoing some of the new features on a top-of-the-line Razer Razerblade 14-inch laptop:

• Gamerscore Leaderboard in the Achievements section and Hero Stat Leaderboards in Game Hubs
• See Avatars in your Activity Feed if you’ve chosen to replace your gamerpic with your Avatar
• An updated “Featured” section spotlights games, deals, community events and more
• 16-person Party Chat is enabled across both Xbox One and the Windows 10 Xbox app
• Xbox 360 achievements will automatically post to your Activity Feed
• More interactive Game Hubs with web-linking
• Compare your Avatar with your friends’ Avatars
• Reputation interface changes, players with ‘good’ profiles will no longer feature a reputation gauge

Stay tuned for more exciting news and reveals at E3, including our full lineup of holiday exclusives as well as new innovations, features and experiences coming to Xbox One, Windows 10 and Xbox Live.