Carol: DVD Review

Carol: DVD Review

Based on The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, the prestige practically drips from the screen in Carol.

Blanchett plays Carol Aird, who meets Rooney Mara's shop assistant Therese Belivet when out shopping for Christmas in 1952 New York. When Carol accidentally leaves her gloves on a counter, Therese returns them and the pair strike up a deep friendship.

But Carol's undergoing a difficult and messy separation from her husband Harge (Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler) after a tryst discovered between Carol and her friend Abby (American Horror Story star Sarah Paulson). The enmity between Harge and Carol boils over when the friendship with Therese is uncovered and soon the pair's lives are changed forever.


Swathed in large clumps of elegance and beautiful costumes, Carol is a love story that's richly orchestrated on to the screen and subtly portrayed by its two leads.

Mara does meek well as Therese, a woman whose world appears to be mapped out but whose desires and dreams are thwarted in parts. So when she meets with Cate Blanchett's Carol, Mara uses subtlety to bring her to life, slowly blossoming on the screen from her earlier appearances where she seems lost in her world and unsure of her ultimate destination.

Equally, Blanchett, draped in the finest haute couture of the time and slathered in femme fatale gear, brings a softness and a sadness to a woman trapped in a downward spiralling situation. It's the inflections in her voice and the subtle movements on her face that convey more than words can and get to the heart of this story.

Haynes also deserves praise for the execution of Carol; its lack of overtness, its framing of parts of its leads rather than all of them at key moments may seem to be perverse, but makes for a stylish experience, which is already rightly picking up awards buzz. The film is not in a rush to get where it needs to, and at times, luxuriates in the journey; but it's highly effective because one shocking moment in the middle of the film lands with resonance though in hindsight is painfully obvious.

Carol is a film that commands your attention from start to finish - thanks to its leads above all; from its polished veneer, its sumptuous costuming and its pacing, it's a film to languish in - even if it's hard to fully grab on to emotionally in parts and seems occasionally aloof.

At its heart, Carol is a love story that's rich in resonance and high in subtlety. It's already an awards darling and it's hard to not see that continuing as it weaves its mesmerising spell over audiences in 2016.

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Be Here Now: Film Review

Be Here Now: Film Review

Cast: Andy Whitfield, Vashti Whitfield
Director: Lilibet Foster


There can't be anyone who's not been touched by cancer in some form or another.

And there have been countless stories and films about the perils of cancer and the insidious nature of the disease and the way it destroys and inspires lives of those around them.

Yet, Oscar nominated director Lilibet Foster has created something more intimate and more devastating than the usual fare.

With unprecedented access to former Spartacus actor Andy Whitfield, his wife Vashti, and their children over an 18 month period, this warts and all video diary is equal parts inspiring, equal parts maddeningly upsetting and heartbreaking.

Whitfield was a model turned actor, whose star was severely in the ascent when he signed up for Starz drama Spartacus, filmed in New Zealand. At the end of the first season, his life changed completely when a routine check up for a pain revealed he had Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Suddenly facing a life-changing disease and nothing more than sheer bad bloody luck, the doco follows the highs and extreme lows of living day to day with a disease. From Andy's mantra of living in the moment and turning the negatives into the positive, it's clear this doco wants to be inspirational. And it'll be the hardest of hearts and the most cynical of human beings that's not moved by his sheer positivity in the face of such an incredible wave of bad news, flying the Whitfields way.

This is perhaps one of the most intimate docos on the subject of cancer; at times, it's a hard watch as the cruel blows keep raining down on them.

However, Foster's omni-present yet never intrusive camera gets to the rub of the matter and presents in a heart-breakingly honest way that's never mawkish.

Witnessing wife Vashti's arc is going to be nothing more than a positive for many as well. Initially fearing she can't support her husband because she doesn't  fully buy into his positivity before ultimately holding her husband up and supporting him when the final diagnosis drops and no other options remain, she's a portrait of honesty, anger, support and love.

Equally, Andy Whitfield's portrayal of a family man, a man for whom fighting the disease was a blessing in disguise because he can spend time with the kids, is something aspirational.

This is a warts and all documentary, that's sensitively executed, carefully probing yet never intrusive and with a stark, emotional honesty that many will recognise. It's film-making that captures a series of moments that show humans at their lowest and also at their most elated - there's no denying that Foster's film will anger you. But not because of the way the situation is milked, but because the way it's presented is nothing short of a compelling, conflicting, maddening and emotional ride.

At its heart, Be Here Now is a love story and a testament to a deeply loving relationship.

Sure, it may not have the happy ending that you ultimately expect, but the phoenix that rises from this tragedy is nothing short of inspiring, a sign of something to aspire to and a journey that's as humbling as it is heartfelt.

Be Here Now plays as part of the DocEdge festival in Wellington now and in Auckland from May 18th.

MOTOX GP2: PS4 Review

MOTOX GP2: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Released by Milestone

Motorcross is not a sport that sings out for simulation on a console.

Essentially, the thrill of it lies within the thrust of the bikes, the adrenaline of the moment and the dirt under the wheels. And also the level of skill of the drivers.

Transposed onto the smaller screen and with an inept driver, the game becomes something of an endurance test to begin with. Initially you can expect to see your bike become easily separated from its rider, but with a degree of patience and tolerance for learning how to race properly, MXGP2 soon becomes something of a boon for fans of its ilk.

Customisation is the name of the game to start off with from names and flags to icons, but this is mere window dressing to get you into the game itself. But when it comes to the racing, there's a degree of skill needed which takes time to master. Use of different calibrations of the bike take some time to adjust to and hurling around corners is nothing short of pointless, sending you flying into the mud, rather than sending you flying into the rankings.

Graphically, the game looks fine - though there's little next gen sparkle so recently seen with the likes of Driveclub Bikes. This is not really a game for this current generation to be honest, with the machines' engines hardly getting much of a work-out.

In terms of career, there's plenty to do here and even a multiplayer to keep you amused.

Overall, MXGP2 is a fine title, but it rarely soars. It feels perfunctory instead of amazing and doesn't dazzle as much as it should. Granted, it's playable, but it is also forgettable once you've switched it off.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End: PS4 Review

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Developer: Naughty Dog
Released by Sony Computer Entertainment

There’s no denying there’s a massive weight of expectation on Uncharted 4.

The Naughty Dog Nathan Drake franchise has been a high performer throughout, and with the news this is the wrap up game, it’s fair to say that everyone is expecting very very high things.

And the good news is that as an experience, the story mode of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End delivers.

Taking a leaf out of the Rise of The Tomb Raider, Naughty Dog’s two year development’s paid off both in terms of gorgeous visuals and deep dive narrative.

It’s as cinematic as it is action packed, without ever losing sight of what makes the core dynamics of the game so enticing to so many.

Set several years after Drake’s Deception, Nate is retired, a wearied man who has given up on the thrilling Indiana Jones style life and forsaken it for a normal life with wife Elena.

However, his world’s turned upside down when his long-believed-dead brother Sam shows up and thrusts him into another adventure, with Henry Avery at its core…

To say more is to reveal spoilers in what is essentially a globe-trotting game that sees Naughty Dog being as audacious with their hero, as they are with their timelines.

It starts with the first of many rug-pulls as you find yourself on the high seas (initially believing it to be behind the wheel of a jeep) and from there, it’s a rollicking adventure that never loses sight of the personal for Drake and consequently, the player.

Dipping into his past, moving into his present and reuniting many of the franchise’s familiar faces, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is as much as about seeking treasure as it is about exploring the bond between Nate and his older brother Sam. Both Nolan North and Troy Baker (as Nate and Sam respectively) knock it out of the park, from banter to heartache, the voice work on this is top-notch. It imbues the whole thing with a heart that sees you through the occasionally repetitive(but none the less thrilling) gameplay that is prevalent early on.

A lot of the start of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is about parkour, hurtling through Nate’s memories and appreciating the wondrously gorgeous backgrounds that Naughty Dog’s visualised. From the grimy streets of an orphanage style break-out, to the high tops of a prison riot, this is a game that knows what its core audience wants and also how to dazzle the casual gamer who may navigate their way to this episode because of the hype. (It’s also a game that knows how to surprise as you go on the journey with Nate – something that the global delivery and release will do, and something which will forbid spoilers from being released within).

With elements of stealth, remnants of Tomb Raider’s grappling sides of tall precipices and jumping through clifftops and large lashings of both Indiana Jones and Nathan Drake, there’s certainly no need to accuse Uncharted 4 of not going all out in its final outing.

Combat is intuitive and also easy to initiate – and certainly the fact that if you’re stupid enough to fall off a cliff, the body can be seen plummeting to its death rather than stopping mid-fall. Coupled with Sam’s wails as you die, this is a game that has all the edges wrapped up.

Even the inclusion of the new rope and grappling mechanics is smooth - it's a natural extension of Indy's bull-whip and it gives the game a cleverly outdoorsy edge that's hard to shake. Used in conjunction with stealth, this is a device that definitely helps out of corners.

It’s the breadth and emotional focus of Uncharted: A Thief’s End that impresses though.

Within the first few hours, there’s plenty of globe-trotting before you even notice what you’ve been doing – and the game’s immersive touches and environments certainly keep you engaged.

The single player elements of the story are compelling, tautly executed and flow with ease (though no doubt there was plenty of hard work going on behind the scenes to ensure this was the case). It looks gorgeous and is seamless. (And with the relationship between the brothers, it further cements my belief that Nathan Fillion would make a perfect Nathan Drake - and perhaps either William Mapother or William Fichtner to play Sam).

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will undoubtedly grow with the planned release of free DLC over the next year – and while I’m waiting to play test the multiplayer when the game universally releases and the servers are fully populated ( that’s not due to problems within, more with my interest being piqued by how it will all cope when the masses receive it), it’s a title that so far, I can’t help but recommend fully.

Thrilling, enthralling, engaging and exciting, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is one game to leave the PS4 third-person fan breathless and one to entice the casual gamer into its fold.

Naughty Dog has delivered and then some – if this is the end for Nate and the Uncharted franchise, in terms of its story mode and single player, it couldn’t have hoped for a better send off.

(Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End: Multiplayer will be reviewed after the release date of May 10th, when the servers are more fully populated)

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First Film Announcements for NZIFF

The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) today reveals the first five films of the 2016 programme, which will screen in Auckland from 14 July.

“We’ve chosen to reveal these five films first because audiences have been requesting them ever since they appeared overseas, or in the case of High-Rise, ever since the first trailer launched. NZIFF July is still a while away, and programming is still underway, but we encourage you to start booking out your diary now for those winter weeks at the movies.” says NZIFF Director Bill Gosden.

Heart of a Dog

An enchanted cinematic essay by legendary performance artist Laurie Anderson. Centering on Anderson's beloved rat terrier Lolabelle, who died in 2011, Heart of a Dog is a self-narrated punk meditation on love and death; exquisitely crafted and effortlessly profound.

http://www.nziff.co.nz/2016/auckland/heart-of-a-dog/

High-Rise

In Ben Wheatley's ambitious, wildly disorienting adaptation of the J.G. Ballard novel, tenants of a high-tech skyscraper slip into a literal class war. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, and Elisabeth Moss.

http://www.nziff.co.nz/2016/auckland/high-rise/

NUTS!

Loaded with wry humour and surprising rug-pulls, Penny Lane’s supremely strange biography of 20s impotence-cure mogul J.R. Brinkley is the documentary oddity every festival watch-list needs at least one of. 

http://www.nziff.co.nz/2016/auckland/nuts/

Midnight Special

Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst and newcomer Jaeden Lieberher star in this dazzling, genre-defying sci-fi/chase movie from the director of Mud and Take Shelter.

http://www.nziff.co.nz/2016/auckland/midnight-special/

Tanna

Australian documentary filmmakers Bentley Dean and Martin Butler collaborated with villagers in the Vanuatu highlands who’d never seen a movie to create this ravishing cinematic expression of traditional culture and forbidden love.

http://www.nziff.co.nz/2016/auckland/tanna/

NZIFF is run by a charitable trust and encourages lively interactions between films, filmmakers and New Zealand audiences in 13 towns and cities around the country. The full NZIFF programme will be available from Tuesday 21 June for Auckland, and Friday 24 June for Wellington. NZIFF starts in Auckland on 14 July and in Wellington from 22 July in 2016.

Brooklyn: DVD Review

Brooklyn: DVD Review

Saoirse Ronan's star is most definitely in the ascent with Boy A director's John Crowley's Brooklyn.

It's not an original story by any stretch of the imagination as Ronan's young Irish immigrant Eilis heads to Brooklyn for a new life at the behest of her sister who believes she has more going for her life than she has in Ireland.

Inevitably Eilis suffers from crippling home-sickness as she adjusts to a new country, filled with her own ex-pats but still feeling alienated by those around her. Stuck in a boarding house ran by Julie Walters' Mammy, Eilis worries she has made the right decision, but finds her life is turned around when she meets Italian nice guy Tony (Cohen) who woos her, and ultimately wins her heart.

But when tragedy hits at home, Eilis feels the familial bond stretched as far as it will go...

That Brooklyn follows a predictable route is no surprise, (the film cruises along with a genial vibe before a bad thing happens) but what emerges is that Saoirse Ronan makes the journey of Eilis' coming of age so damn approachable.

From the subtle clothing choices - Eilis wears dowdy dull colours in Ireland before donning more luminous and bright garb as she begins to blossom in Brooklyn - to the social history made real, this old fashioned feel good film is likely to hit as many in its audience as it intends to.

Ronan lifts the film from its mediocre roots with a rounded performance that feels like a credible arc; from naive homesick Irish girl to woman of the world, she sells the journey with an earnestness that is deeply watchable and transcends the material as well as getting you to believe the immigrant experience and the blossoming of a young woman. Eilis may appear to dither at times, and certainly in the second half of the film when she heads back to Ireland, the reasons for her actions are more obtuse than you'd expect due to a passive turn that's perfectly crafted and wonderfully understated.

However, sensitively executed with a troupe of solid performers (Jim Broadbent's turn as the benevolent and benefactor priest is a highlight) Brooklyn's timeless and universal story of coming of age and starting anew seems destined for awards - and marks a real turning point in Ronan's career.

Sometimes labelling a film as lovely and pleasant seems like a back-handed compliment, but Brooklyn manages the fine line between both as it juggles the emotive with the dramatic; richly resonant and likely to hit the majority of the audience - even if cynics will dismiss its naivete and intentions - it deserves to be a talking point during awards season.

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Fallout 4: Far Harbour unveiled

Fallout 4: Far Harbour unveiled

The official trailer for Fallout 4’s third add-on, Far Harbor, which will be available worldwide on Thursday, 19 May across Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC for $29.95 AUD / $34.95 NZD is here!.

In Far Harbor, a new case from Valentine’s Detective Agency leads you on a search for a young woman and a secret colony of synths. Travel off the coast of Maine to the mysterious island of Far Harbor, where higher levels of radiation have created a more feral world. Navigate through the growing conflict between the synths, the Children of Atom, and the local townspeople. Will you work towards bringing peace to Far Harbor, and at what cost?

Far Harbor features the largest landmass for an add-on that Bethesda Game Studios has ever created, filled with new faction quests, settlements, lethal creatures and dungeons. Become more powerful with new, higher-level armor and weapons. The choices are all yours.

Stay tuned for more details on even more add-ons to be released in 2016, and on free updates like Mods which is now available on PC. Mods will be coming to Xbox One players later this month and to PlayStation 4 players in June.