Crimson Peak: DVD Review

Crimson Peak: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

Gothic and ghastly in equal measure, Guillermo del Toro's Victorian-soaked Crimson Peakaims for scary chamber piece but ends up more as atmospheric attempt and in its final scenes, derivative and slasher silly.

Period piece go to actress du jour Wasikowksa stars as wannabe novelist Edith Cushing (reference number 1) who ends up falling for society man Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston), much to the consternation of long time friend and potential love interest, Doctor Alan McMichael (Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam). 
When her father dies brutally, Edith marries Sharpe, and moves to his somewhat spooky mansion in a remote part of England, where Thomas lives with his sister. But upon arrival, Edith's plagued by visions and begins to realise something's not quite right...

While The Frighteners-esque visuals and general atmosphere deserve to be richly commended as nothing short of a pre-Hallowe'en feast for audiences seeking their spooks, the high society melodrama elements of the story are lost in the mix as the maestro tries to weave a seductive tapestry but ultimately, ends up muddying some of the threads.

The haunted house vibe works superbly with del Toro's detailed eye, delivering the perfect mix of creepy corridors and moody mansion as well as throwing in some blink and miss it gruesome shocks from yesteryear. But, as the cameras pan down the long nightmarish corridors destined to haunt your darker nights by way of suggestion, it appears the cinematic cupboard is bare of real scares, preferring to let the chamber piece melodrama of icy and aloof Chastain, swarthy and sinister Hiddleston and stuck-between-worlds Wasikowska take centre stage. (Something which may surprise those looking for a things-that-go-bump-in-the-night thrill ride).

As the inherent mystery of the house, its inhabitants and its past all threaten to collide with hints of delicious promise, the coming together never delivers the coup de grace you are expecting. It's mainly due to the emphasis on the love triangle and the time taken to craft that section of the story, which doesn't quite hit the mark. There's no disputing del Toro's delivery of a magnificently moody atmosphere, but the prosecution weighs heavily against his would be "love makes monsters of us all" raison d'être. 

And quite simply, the mystery of the siblings' bond is anything but original to anyone who's seen a horror film in the last 10 years.

Nods to Cushing and Mary Shelley as well as other inspirations are dispatched with ease early on and seem destined to play Del Toro's influence hand, but the script lacks a depth and retains an aloofness which will prove fatal to some audiences as it plays long and languorously out over its extended two hour run time. 

Special mention must go to the lavish costuming and the beautifully bedecked mansion. Equally, the eerie score by The Orphanage's Fernando Velazquez is incredible (seriously, stay for the start of the end credits to see del Toro's vision perfectly embodied), drenching this cinematic Victoriana in a richness which is hard to shake.

The build-up and the extended tease is perfectly executed, but the ultimate reveal and overplaying of the Gothic elements of the story leave more questions than answers and frustrate, rather than thrill and electrify. 

Ultimately, Crimson Peak is a masterclass in atmospheric execution and in influence, a sign that Del Toro's lost no sight of what makes a great film visually soar (some of the background detail over butterflies and insects really stand out); but a little more crafting of the love story and other elements could have made this haunted house drama a more enticing check-in prospect.

Rating:

Zootopia: Film Review

Zootopia: Film Review

Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, JK Simmons, Nate Torrence
Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore

Mixing anti-racism, anti-segregation, self-worth and belief, and horror into a family friendly mismatched buddy / cop film while keeping it entertaining may sound like a tall order, but Zootopia manages it with ease.

It's the story of Judy Hopps (a likeable Goodwin), a plucky and tenacious bunny who never stops believing in her dream of becoming a cop, despite coming from the hick town of BunnyBurrow.  Even with her father urging her to give up on her dreams and never try anything so you don't fail, Hopps makes it through police academy and is dispatched to Zootopia, a city where predators like tigers, lions live alongside their prey in peace.

But Hopps faces discrimination in the Hill Street Blues style precinct and is given parking permit duty, rather than the chance to help the investigation into 14 missing predators. However, when she discovers a lead that's connected a to street-smart sly fox Nick (brilliantly realised by Jason Bateman), she's like a rabbit with a carrot and won't let go - no matter how wide ranging the conspiracy appears to be.

The key to a great animation is a cross-generational appeal.

On the one hand, it should keep the kids engaged with bright animation, the simple relay of various messages and keep it short to ensure their attention spans don't wander. Equally, the adults in the audience have to be satiated too.

Zootopia over-delivers on both fronts, weaving a story that's as smart and earnest as it is brilliantly executed.

With knowing pop culture nods (Breaking Bad, The Godfather) and a superbly realised world that feels alive, natural and over-flowing with life, Zootopia is an intelligent joy from beginning to end.

From a savvy script that plays on words to a sequence in a sloth-manned DMV, the whole thing is anchored in animated love and slathered with an under-the-surface political message that rings true with its You can do it ethos to galvanise the kiddies.

There's an idea of the shattering of innocence too, with Hopps discovering the world isn't quite as chipper as she thought it would be and how small town mentality can be ground down by big city cynicism. Not to mention brief didactic moments surrounding inclusiveness as well as segregation (one sequence in a cafe reeks of the societal perceptions that swept the No Coloureds ethos of America), and of stereotyping and dismissing others.

These are weighty political mentions and ideas in this utopian paradise, but all of which sit alongside a film that's as colourfully and breathlessly executed as Zootopia is. Never once does it lose sight of the fact that it's there to entertain.

Goodwin and Bateman are the perfect foils, with Goodwin's eternally optimistic Hopps sitting in clever juxtaposition to Nick's dismissively cynical, yet relatably human fox. Their anthropomorphic mismatched buddy schtick is cleverly realised and add to the three dimensional feel of the Zootopia universe (one which practically demands further examination).

Smart enough to not talk down to the kids, and wise enough to appeal to the adults, Zootopia is nothing short of an animated delight, a cracker of a Disney family film that's as smart about tackling prejudice and ignorance as it is determined to mete out its moral message without ever distancing itself from delivering entertainment of the highest quality.

Rating:

Newstalk ZB Review - Hail, Caesar!, Mahana and Bridge of Spies

Newstalk ZB Review - Hail, Caesar!, Mahana and Bridge of Spies

This week on the Jack Tame Show, the reviews were the Coen Brothers Hail, Caesar!, Mahana and Bridge of Spies.

Take a listen below!

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-mornings-with-jack-tame/audio/darren-bevan-hail-ceasar-mahana/

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-mornings-with-jack-tame/audio/darren-bevan-hail-ceasar-mahana/

Burnt: Blu Ray Review

Burnt: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

It’s the long path to redemption in Burnt, the latest serving from the cinematic kitchen.

Cooper plays chef Adam Jones, who destroyed his career in Paris, and also wrecked his life with booze, drugs and women. Having paid his penance for his mistakes by shucking a million oysters, he swans back into London and the life of maitre’d Tony (Daniel Bruhl, one of the film’s high points), demanding another chance and trading on his brilliance in a former life.

With Jones determined to get a third Michelin star, he begins setting up a kitchen, but finds the sins of his past are roadblocks to his current behaviour…

Unlike last year’s amiable Chef, Burnt is a traditional road to redemption story, with a diversion into Gordon Ramsay behaviour and tirades.

Opening with a ramshackle “getting back the gang a la Oceans 11/12/13 for one last heist / restaurant Michelin star” push, the film’s got a rag-taggle feel to it, Burnt never really settles for anything ambitious or deep in its treatment of its protagonist, preferring to tread a workmanlike route.

Jones’ narcissistic tendencies and chef based arrogance are deeply alienating, and certainly his relationship with Sienna Miller’s sous chef and potential love interest Helene has all the hallmarks of a classic bully/ victim/ abuse cycle (in fact, it’s deeply disturbing that this is never fully addressed throughout – and is echoed in his relationship with Bruhl’s Tony who comes back time and time again, simply because he’s dazzled by his brilliance).  Despite re-teaming with hisAmerican Sniper colleague, there's never really a sense of plausibility to the relationship - even though one suspects those within the industry may quietly acknowledge the inferred realities of what transpires.

So, Jones' quest back to redemption and acceptance by the critical world is marred by this and also by the fact he never actually shows his talents or the troubles from his past which threaten so catastrophically to derail his plans for gastronomic success. It is merely enough for the script to tell us he's great and continue to ram that point down our throats that it feels like it suffices, like a cinematic amuse bouche that doesn't hit the spot.

Cliched moments mar the journey too as this volatile and cocky chef heads onwards; and while Wells’ eye for frenetic fleeting shots of haute cuisine feel like a slideshow working on double time, his evocation of the culinary perfection and white sheen of the restaurant world is a tantalisingly refreshing treatment and avoids falling into clichéd food porn shots.

But it's the fact that Burnt is a film that flounders without a real identity, seems happy to highlight supporting players and then toss them aside like a discarded starter that irritates more than anything. Emma Thompson, Uma Thurman and Alicia Vikander are treated appallingly, reduced to fleeting cameos in effect and left in the wake of Cooper's character. A deeper interaction with more of them would have been more effective and certainly would have given Burnt the depth that it so desperately needed. (Though one twist is deliciously served up towards the end, adding some much needed spice to this bland concoction)

Ultimately Burnt serves up all the cliches, but with a protagonist who's so unlikeable and who behaves in a manner that's so unworthy of ultimate redemption. It's more a cinematic meal that you'd possibly want to send back, rather than savour every bite of.

Win a double pass to see 10 Cloverfield Lane

Win a double pass to see 10 Cloverfield Lane

To celebrate the release of 10 Cloverfield Lane on March 10th, we're giving you a chance to win a double pass to see the film, thanks to our pals at Paramount Pictures.

About 10 Cloverfield Lane:

A Bad Robot Production

 “10 Cloverfield Lane”

Produced by J.J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber

Story by Josh Campbell & Matt Stuecken

Screenplay by Josh Campbell & Matt Stuecken and Damien Chazelle

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg

Cast:               Starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher, Jr, in 10 Cloverfield Lane, Monsters come in many forms....

To enter simply email to this address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com  and in the subject line put 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu Ray Revealed

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu Ray Revealed

RELEASED ON Blu-ray™ AND DVD ON APRIL 13, 2016

Including new in-depth bonus offering fans the chance to experience more

BURBANK, Calif. (March 3, 2016)—Star Wars: The Force Awakens shattered box office records upon its debut to become the cinematic event of a generation with over $14.5 million in New Zealand and $2 billion worldwide. Opening to New Zealand’s biggest box office weekend ever, Star Wars: The Force Awakens enjoyed a huge NZ$6.3M opening week, smashing the previous record held, by NZ$2.2M.

As announced this morning by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger at The Walt Disney Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the epic movie will be available to own on Blu-ray™ and DVD on April 13.

Discover the complete story behind the making of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with in-depth documentary and bonus material that will take fans on an exciting journey behind the scenes.

Secrets will be revealed through extensive footage, never-before-seen deleted scenes, and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers. Blu-ray™ bonus features include:

• Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey – For the first time, discover the complete story behind the making of The Force Awakens, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature documentary.
• The Story Awakens: The Table Read – Cast members familiar and new reflect on the memorable day they all first came together to read the movie’s script
• Building BB-8 – See how the filmmakers brought the newest droid to the screen, creating an instant fan favorite in the Star Wars universe.
• Crafting Creatures – Watch movie magic as the filmmakers bring a cast of new creatures to life.
• Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight – Go deeper into the epic, climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren
• John Williams: The Seventh Symphony – The legendary composer shares personal insights of his work on Star Wars and The Force Awakens
• ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force – An insider’s look into the remarkable digital artistry of the movie’s visual effects
• Force For Change – Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. See how the Star Wars: Force for Change initiative has united Star Wars fans all over the globe in using the Force to help others.
• Plus Deleted Scenes

Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw the eagerly anticipated reteaming of original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels, the only actor to have been in all seven Star Wars films, and Peter Mayhew. The returning cast was joined by newcomer Daisy Ridley, who beat out fierce competition to take the principal role of Rey; BAFTA Rising Star Award winner John Boyega (Attack the Block, Imperial Dreams) as reluctant stormtrooper Finn; Emmy® nominee Adam Driver (Lincoln, Girls) as the villainous Kylo Ren, and Golden Globe® winner Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, The Bourne Legacy) as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt. Lucasfilm president and eight-time Academy Award® nominee Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams, along with his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, are the film’s producers.

           

Having established a musical legacy with his iconic scores for the previous six films in the Star Wars Saga, acclaimed composer John Williams returned to score Star Wars: The Force Awakens, ultimately garnering his 50^th Oscar® nomination for it.

           

DISC SPECIFICATIONS:

FEATURE RUN TIME:                            Approximately 136 min.

RATING:                                                  DVD is rated M-V

ASPECT RATIO:                                      Blu-ray Feature Film =           2.40:1

                                                                 DVD Feature Film = 2.40:1                                                                         

AUDIO:                                                   Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks

                 DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio Language Tracks

LANGUAGES:                                         English, French & Spanish

SUBTITLES:                                            English SDH, French & Spanish

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: