VEEP: The Complete fourth season: DVD Review

VEEP: The Complete fourth season: DVD Review

Rating: R13
Released by Roadshow Home Ent and HBO

Seinfeld's Julia Louis Dreyfus continues her trajectory to America's comedic sweetheart with this latest seasons of the political comedy that's garnered her plenty of critical acclaim.

Starring as the president Selina Meyer, this latest season sees the likes of Hugh Laurie joining the comedy as Tom James alongside the likes of Anna Chlumsky and Tony Hale.

Razor sharp writing and an unique style help the season transition from contenders to White House dwellers, but as ever with VEEP, there are continuing situations to get under control from data breaches to freeing journalists.

As ever, VEEP manages the satirical incredibly well and thanks to the impressive work by the ensemble cast, the series is a must watch for any fans of comedy.

Captain America: Civil War: Film Review

Captain America: Civil War: Film Review

Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Don Cheadle, Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Elisabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

That the latest Captain America is perhaps one of the better Marvel entrants should come as no surprise, given how strong the first two of this trilogy have been.

That it achieves this with a taut mix of action, thrills, a re-invented Spider-man and a film of some degree of consequence should be no surprise either.

But that it manages to blindside you in its final act is the real surprise of the piece, whipping the carpet with such aplomb from under your weary cynical expectations of where the story may go.

Taking a lead from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the 13th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is all about collateral damage, both of the physical and emotional variety.

When Captain America's team inadvertently cause a series of deaths and destruction while trying to save the world, pressure grows to build a system of accountability for the Avengers and their ilk. But the proposed status quo fractures the Avengers, with Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark in favour of it after his conscience is pricked by a mother whose son died in the events of Age of Ultron.  

However, Chris Evans' plucky straight arrow Steve Rogers isn't as in favour, fearing the bureaucracy could limit their abilities to save the world... and so, a show down is set between long time friends and new potential enemies.

Distraction is the name of a lot of the game here (complete with plenty of globe-trotting and juggling many balls in the air): and while many will head to this slightly overlong flick with the delicious anticipation of an Avengers internal clash (which delivers in a set piece that does what you'd expect), the larger joy in among all the buzz of the clearly and concisely executed CGI clashing, is that Captain America Civil War has the smarts to realise the smaller emotional moments of devastation as sides are drawn and friendships tested are where the true strength of the red white and blue lie. 

Captain America: Civil War is a film where the veracity of character moments shine and where the strength lies (something perhaps Guardians of the Galaxy realised earlier on and went to more comic extremes thereof) and not a routine rote CGI Smash-and-grab ending that has blighted the rest of these films.

It's in the heart of the film and the heart within the film that the success of this one lies - Cap's main raison d'etre is to do right by his old pal Bucky aka The Winter Soldier (Stan in an expanded role from previous outings) and his ethics come into direct contrast and clash with Stark's ideologies. The series has been building to this - and that it pays that set up off well is perhaps testament to not only the investment we've had in the characters but that also our patience to get to this point was tested too.

Both Evans and Downey Jr rise to the occasion, underplaying their hands respectively and helping ground the film in a more human edge that it needs.

It also helps that Captain America: Civil War proffers up some thrilling set pieces of action that dazzle with effortless ease, as well as some throwaway humour to enhance the engagement. 

When the visceral action is shorn of the CGI trickery, there are chase scenes that elicit gasps and dazzle with their freshness of execution - both Joe and Anthony Russo have managed to up the game once again with a clear concise vision of what the audience wants and what will engage the non-fans. (Although there is perhaps one or two mano-a-mano sequences too many).

Juggling the introduction of new characters into the MCU with ease and lack of distraction is not easy, but there won't be many who will come away feeling that the new faces are under-served (and perhaps Tom Holland as Spider-Man is the real find of the piece; a Peter Parker who is a kid from the comic-books). And don't even get me started on the energy that Paul Rudd brings to the piece with his spiky electric Ant-Man.

Daniel Bruhl also deserves commendation for his mournful role - it's a smaller, more subtle touch that he brings and his involvement in the piece provides more than can be discussed in this spoiler-free review.

That said, Captain America: Civil War is not perfect.

For a film about consequence, there are still troublingly less than realistic physical ramifications for the central gang - while there are thrills to see Cap and Iron-Man go at it, there's never really a feeling that either will fall (and perhaps nor should there be) but there is a feeling of seeding of buds of emotional unrest that will continue to ripple out.

And some characters fall by the wayside as the third act plays out, simply fading away into the peripherary as their narrative use loses traction.

Equally, at 2 hours 27 minutes, it's overlong in the final stretch but it's hard to say where the trim could have come from. This is a film that feels full, but never bloated; an important distinction as the past transgressions storylines come to a head and the Captain America trilogy wraps up.

Ultimately, while there had been signs of apathy threatening to overtake the onslaught of Marvel Cinematic Universe films (stand by for Doctor Strange, coming soon), Captain America: Civil War emerges as a contender as one of the best of the run, thanks to character moments, limited chaos and a concisely executed and fresher vision of what a genuine action blockbuster can offer.


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New Call of Duty announced

New Call of Duty announced

CALL OF DUTY: INFINITE WARFARE REDEFINES THE FRANCHISE WITH CLASSIC WAR STORY IN A BOLD, NEW SETTING

All-New Call of Duty Arrives on Friday, November 4

Acclaimed Studio Team at Infinity Ward to Deliver Timeless Hero’s Journey, Immense Multiplayer Action and Original Zombies Experience

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Legacy and Digital Deluxe Editions Includes

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered for the Ultimate Fan Package

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND. – May 3, 2016 – Call of Duty® is returning to its roots for a classic, epic battle of two armies unlike anything seen before in the record-setting series. Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare will launch worldwide Friday, November 4, immersing players in a war story that, for the first time in franchise history, extends beyond the reaches of Earth into the vast expanse of our solar system. Published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and led by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will also be available as the Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition, which includes the return of the full campaign and 10 multiplayer maps from the famed Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare®, released in high-definition brilliance as Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® Remastered*.

Infinite Warfare and the Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition, featuring Modern Warfare® Remastered, will be available for PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, and PC.

“This year, we’re both honouring the heritage of Call of Duty while taking players to incredible new heights," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is a bold, new vision from the studio that created the original Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, and an adventure on an insanely epic scale that only Call of Duty could deliver. And Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is one of the most beloved games of all-time, reborn for a new generation. We have lovingly remastered it with a whole new level of graphical fidelity and realism that wasn’t possible when the original was released. It’s going to be a great year for Call of Duty players.”

“With Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, we are taking Call of Duty to places fans have never experienced in the series,” said Dave Stohl, Studio Head of Infinity Ward. “On one hand, this game is the kind of gritty, boots on the ground, visceral war story that Call of Duty is known for. On the other, its future setting takes players on a journey of epic scale and proportions, providing incredible gameplay innovations and new experiences for our fans. This is a grand scale, old-school, all-out war in an epic new-school setting. And it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun.” 

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare puts storytelling front and centre in a rich, immersive narrative. Infinity Ward breaks new ground by exploring the weight of leadership and its responsibilities. In a desperate time of overwhelming adversity, the player, as Captain of their own warship, must take command against a relentless enemy. Experienced soldiers are thrust into extraordinary circumstances that will test their training and reveal their true character as they learn to lead and to make the hard decisions necessary to achieve victory. The game also introduces stunning, never before seen environments, new weaponry, and inventive player abilities to Call of Duty. The entire campaign – from boots-on-ground combat to piloting high speed space-fighters – occurs as a near seamless experience with few visible loading times, and delivers the hallmark, blockbuster franchise moments that fans love.

For online action, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare promises to strike with maximum impact in a world where every second counts as it delivers the future of warfare. The game’s Multiplayer mode features an evolution of Call of Duty’s movement system with an emphasis on front-line engagement. Additionally, Infinite Warfare will introduce an original cooperative Zombies mode that takes players on a wild ride through a new storyline with unique gameplay features and mechanics. More details about multiplayer and the new zombies experience will be announced at a later date.

One of the most critically acclaimed titles in the series, inspired by overwhelming community interest, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is being remastered for current generation consoles. Executive produced by Infinity Ward and developed by Raven Software, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered* puts players into a modern-day action-thriller filled with the heart-stopping moments that made it one of the most critically-acclaimed games of all-time.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered boasts vibrant current generation visuals, with fully improved texture resolution and detail, high-dynamic range lighting, lit and shadowing VFX particles, revamped animation and audio, stunning sound, and much more. Fans will relive the full, iconic campaign as they’re transported around the globe with Capt. Price, Gaz and Soap across all the missions from the original game, including “All Ghillied Up,” “Charlie Don’t Surf,” and “Crew Expendable.” Players will also experience the online multiplayer mode that redefined Call of Duty by introducing killstreaks, XP, Prestige and more, and battle head-to-head in 10 fan-favourite maps from the original multiplayer mode, including classics such as “Crash,” “Backlot” and “Crossfire.”

“The original Modern Warfare raised the bar on video games and forever will be remembered as one of the best. It’s an honour to be developing the remaster and we are committed to faithfully remastering this classic for Call of Duty fans,” stated Brian Raffel, studio head of Raven Software.  

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered* is included with the following editions of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare:

·         Legacy Edition and Digital Legacy Edition – Includes both Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.

·         Digital Deluxe Edition – Includes Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered and Season Pass.

·         Legacy Pro Edition – Includes Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, Season Pass, collectible Steelbook^TM, official game soundtrack and additional digital items.

*Check local retailers for availability of all Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Editions.

*Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered contains only 10 MP maps from the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare game.  Modern Warfare Remastered is a full game download.  Internet connection required.  For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com/MWR_FAQ.

For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty and @InfinityWard on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Call of Duty: Infinite Warfareis scheduled for release on PlayStation® 4 system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PC.  The title is not yet rated.

Silicon Valley Season 2: Blu Ray Review

Silicon Valley Season 2: Blu Ray Review

Rating: R16
Released by Warner Home Video

In the second series of the brilliant Silicon Valley, it's back to our inept team of wannabes at Pied Piper as they continue their slow ascent to greatness.

This year, the gang are faced with the death of one of their potential buyers and threatened with lawsuits from Google rip-off Hooli, as well as forced to deal with the potential theft of their algorithm.

But it all builds up to a shock at the end of the season when the CEO of Pied Piper faces an insurmountable threat that could ruin their future as a company.

Treading the fine line between awkward and hilarious, Silicon Valley's second season remains as fresh as the first with the politics of corporations coming under scrutiny as much as the inept leadership of start ups.

Both Thomas Middleditch (as Hendricks) and TJ Miller (as Bachman) stand out in a cast that impresses all around. While they're given the majority of the dramatic weight, they're still prone to the more slapstick elements of the stories. However, there's equally enough from the rest of the ensemble who find themselves in situations beyond their control.

Funny, satirical and strongly written Silicon Valley Season 2 remains as fresh as the first season. With the third season on the way, there are no signs of this slowing down and no signs yet of any of the writing starting to flag.

The Dressmaker: Blu Ray Review

The Dressmaker: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

Set in an Aussie small town where everyone is an oddball, The Dressmaker's quirkiness begins to grate pretty quickly.

The deranged and nutty tone sets the scene for a story that's as steeped in tragedy as it is over-the-top garishness. 

A perfectly cast Winslet plays Myrtle, a woman scorned from the small fictional Aussie backwater Dungatar with the belief she caused the death of a boy. Returning to her mother, Mad Molly (a wonderful Judy Davis who imbues her bitter mother with as much heart as she does black humour) after a spell working in high fashion, Tilly sets feathers flying with her seamstress skills and her vampish figure, reminiscent of a Hollywood siren.

But she also captures the heart of Liam Hemsworth’s rugger boy and neighbour Teddy (who gets shirtless on numerous occasions) and begins to melt back to the charms of Dungatar while trying to exact her revenge for years of ostracism.

The Dressmaker is a curio, which is verging on high campery too as Winslet's Myrtle arrives back in town with revenge on her mind and snarling out a "I'm back ,you bastards" from under an icy veneer as the film starts, channelling a wild western showdown soundtrack and signalling something is in the water.

But under the high 1950s fashion is a simple story of reputations unfairly gained and rumours viciously spread among the ghouls of a small town, a trope that many who have tried to flee their past only to run home will recognise. The film heads more for farce and a parody of grotesques in its execution, rather than giving the supporting players a touch more humanity.

For this is a small town where the police are more interested in high fashion than high crime, where one man drugs his wife to rape her in her sleep and where a secret truth has festered for years rotting the community from within – it’s not exactly the most pleasant place to dwell, and Moorhouse works reasonably well from the Aussie ocker source material the Gothic book written by Rosalie Ham.

Of the leads, Davis seriously impresses, giving Molly the emotional arc she needs as the prodigal daughter returns home; elsewhere Winslet’s thawing of the stark and severe Myrtle seems as inevitable as the wonderful dresses she wears but her turn gives the predictable story a kind of watchability that’s welcome among all the frocks and barbs. It’s the mother and daughter relationship that is the real thrust of this film and proves to be the reason to plough on through the nuttiness and extreme stereotypes.

Weaving’s cop also deserves mention; a policeman who is more interested in the fripperies that Myrtle brings from Paris and whose cross-dressing is indulged but never revelled in. Granted, it’s like watching another variation of Weaving’s turn from Priscilla, Queen of the desert but he’s a small oasis in a backwater of confused tone, overlong pacing and dusty yesteryear drama.

Ultimately, The Dressmaker is a celebration of the absurd, a gallery of grotesque and unfortunately, a grating film that will surprise many who are expecting something else than what the poster appears to promise.

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Game of Thrones: Season 5: Blu Ray Review

Game of Thrones: Season 5: Blu Ray Review

Rating: R18
Released by Warner Home Video

George R R Martin's fantasy shows no signs of slowing - but the television series does show signs of starting to strike out on its own in the latest season of Game Of Thrones.

With the novels' release pace slowing, this latest finds the Westeros tale taking original elements and weaving them into the narrative to make up for the lack of source material.

It also delivers an ending moment that's set pop culture alive in the break between the show and its latest sixth season.

With a power vacuum in place and various people trying to fill it, the fifth season of Game of Thrones is the usual mix of politics, sex, violence and shocks. From the likes of Lena Headey's Cersei, Emilia Clarke's Daenerys and Peter Dinklage's Tyrion, there's plenty afoot as the threads begin to wind closer together.

However, this season is not without controversy with its sexual assault of a main character being a litmus moment for many viewers. And it's easy to see why - sometimes, Game of Thrones prefers to present moments without judgement and that frankness causes discomfort in many.

While the journey doesn't feel as strong this year, there's no denying Game of Thrones' unending power. Though ironically, that may be the saga's problem - it potentially does need to explore an ending sooner rather than later, so that everyone feels satiated and so that the show doesn't hit a decline.

Republique: PS4 Review

Republique: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4

With overtones of 1984, the dystopian story of Republique feels very much like it takes its time to get you into the story and the characters.

Set within the facility known as Metamorphosis, and concentrating on a character called Hope, you are tasked with the possibility of helping her, before she is "re-programmed" by the masses within. Full of cameras and options to view round, you're going to need all of your skills to help and ultimately try to free Hope before the state wins.

Based on an episodic iOs game and ported over to the PlayStation, Republique is a game that requires some patience to claim an ultimate reward. The stealth-adventure title needs you to be able to plan what you want to do and to execute it in a manner that's deft, clever and requires you to think ahead about what is needed.

Flicking around cameras proves to be a clever touch in this tale that lingers on its surveillance ways in a clever mantra that feeds into the dystopian feel of the game - heck, even titling the heroine Hope is a sledgehammer move that somehow manages to work.

Simple controls make moving Hope an easy task, and given this is one of the major advantages of the PlayStation version, it's no wonder the game's a bit more immersive than it ever was.

Simply executed and beautifully rendered in parts, Republique is a player experience that really somehow manages to defy expectation and description. It's a stealth game that requires thought and an immersive experience that somehow manages to transcend its origins and becomes its own beast.