FINAL FANTASY XV - Uncovered Quick Recap video

FINAL FANTASY XV - Uncovered Quick Recap video

 

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension: DVD Review

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension: DVD Review

Released by Universal Home Ent

It began back in 2007 and after global box office domination, spawned another four films of varying degrees of success.

Now, the final film is here in the Paranormal Activity franchise and promising answers after a series of haunted house / demonic child-bothering set up some tantalising ideas.

This time around, it's all set around a family, The Fleeges, dad Ryan(Murray) and mum Emily (Shaw) who just before Christmas, has recently moved to a new home, along with their moppet kid Leila (George). When Ryan's brother Mike comes to visit, he discovers a box of video tapes and a camera discarded in a corner...

Not long after this discovery and discovering that the camera can somehow see otherworldly things, strange hauntings and noises start to plague them all as a demonic creature makes its presence felt (under the Christmas tree).

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension does little to fully wrap up the franchise, even though it offers some answers as to why the Midwives coven's been floating around for these past stories - but fails to fully wrap up Katie's story (a potentially loose end for when financial panic hits).

The film's MO is much the same as the others with bumps, jump scares and jolts stirring the pot up. But with the addition of the 3D, the film has chosen to employ some occasionally effective, but at the same time some unoriginal things-flying-at-the-screen scares. 
For the most part thisNightmare before Christmas doesn't need the 3D and it's mostly turned off until the night time, when the ghostly goings on begin but when wearing the dark glasses makes the viewing experience even more murky. There are a few effective jump scares as the family begins being menaced by what effectively is the Venom goo from Spider-man 3 but they are mainly of the flying at the camera variety. And it taps into a basic primal fear that suburbia relishes - parents who can't fully protect their children from evil, a deeply rich vein that will unsettle all.

And it's a shame certainly in chief for its final sequence that strays into such OTT territory that the film's reasonably effective work at building atmosphere and sustaining the creeps but not deviating from the formula (which is not necessarily a good thing, given how much of a rehash it all is).

However, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension is a frustrating experience because of the protagonists' behaviour and the editing of the film. Not once do the characters check the footage they've taken through the night, they know their daughter is being haunted but persist in letting her sleep alone and they make stupid decisions, even though little happens around the house. 

Why they don't let others use the camera to show the activity to them is beyond understanding.

The frat boy hijinks of the start when Mike shows fizzle out giving the film an uneven tone and an entirely predictable riff on the Exorcism and Poltergeist takes place. Equally, when moments happen in the film, they cut off halfway through, leaving a feeling of a conclusion of events sorely wanting.

The biggest disappointment of Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension though is how it wraps things up. There are no spoilers here, but given the Coven's ultimate plan is revealed, quite why it needed 5 other films to tease it is beyond belief and the fact that Katie Featherston's Katie is not in it when she proved so incremental at the beginning and was a loose end is nigh on irritating.

Ultimately, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension is an entirely weak ending to the series, a creatively bereft film that scorns those who've been along for the ride from the start.

Despite a few creative moments here and there that transcend the plot's ideas, it's narratively empty, a film that rehashes both the best and worst of what's gone before and offers no new ground and relies on 3D to give it a USP that's not compelling or exciting. It's clear more is coming (so many loose ends) but really, this found footage franchise needs to be lost and buried for good now.

Rating:

HITMAN - Elusive target 2 is incoming

HITMAN - Elusive target 2 is incoming

                                                                                 

Second Elusive Target “The Congressman” due this Friday 27^th of May

SYDNEY, 23^RD May 2016 - Following the success of the first Elusive Target, the next unsuspecting Elusive Target is getting ready to meet his fate this Friday 27^th May.

Players will need to locate the elusive “Congressman” on a visit to sunny Sapienza*. Can more than 53% of players succeed this time? How many will be Silent Assassins? Only time will tell.

Elusive Targets are specially crafted, unique targets which are available in game for a limited time only. Together with Escalation Contracts and Featured Contracts, they form part of the regular weekly live content available in HITMAN in-between new episodes.

Five completed Elusive Targets will unlock the Hitman: Absolution suit in game for players, ten will unlock the Hitman: Blood Money suit and additional completions will unlock more suit variations.

Elusive Targets come with particular rules:

·         An Elusive Target is a once in a lifetime experience

·         They are available for a limited time only in game

·         Intel on the target will be limited

·         They will not appear in instinct mode, or the mini map and their locations will not be revealed to you – you’ll have to go and find them

·         Your target can only die once

·         If you die during the mission, that’s it

·         When the time runs out, they are gone for good

·         If you fail, there are no second chances

HITMAN is available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.

(*This Elusive Target is only available for a limited period of time and only to players that own the Sapienza location. To be clear, the Sapienza location is not included in the Intro Pack. If you do not own the Sapienza location already, but wish to experience this Elusive Target, you should either unlock all locations by purchasing the Upgrade Pack or purchase the Sapienza location separately.)

Related Links: hitman.com  / facebook.com/hitman  / twitter.com/hitman  / reddit.com/r/hitman

Hitman - First Elusive Target results:

Second Elusive Target:

The Lobster: DVD Review

The Lobster: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

The Lobster is  a darkly surreal and yet drily dystopian flick about coupledom, and how society views those who are alone.

From Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) in his first English language outing, The Lobster is set in an alternate world where single people are forced to find a partner within 45 days or face being turned into an animal of their choice and released into the wild.

A pudgy and moustachioed Colin Farrell is David, who's just divorced from his wife and is sent from the city to the hotel where he must try to find love. His solitary companion in this confine is his border-collie dog, formerly his brother - and the collection of others unable to grasp Cupid's arrow to their heart.

Inside this hotel, run with straight faced gusto by the manager (played by Broadchurch star Olivia Colman), are others looking included in their number are the likes of Ben Whishaw, Jessica Barden, John C Reilly and Ashley Jensen. The singles are also given a chance to hunt groups of Loners (run by Lea Seydoux's character and made up of the likes of Michael Smiley and Rachel Weisz) who've escaped the hotel and live in the woods; each capture subsequently earns the members an extra day before animalisation....

The English language film from the Greek director of Dogtooth is nothing short of incredible; incredibly surreal, incredibly dark, incredibly sad and incredibly funny. 

Delivered with such deadpan and emotionless dialogue, The Lobster could only work in English and with recognisable actors - it seems any other incarnation of the film would feel too black and too dark to cope with.

Lanthimos' creation of the world works best within the confines of the hotel (whose decor and activities are likely to provoke memories of horrific family holidays for some); it's perhaps less successful when it heads into the woods and starts to become a little aimless, lacking perhaps the vicious satire that's preceded. 

But skewing the conventions of romance (yet perversely embracing them), and slyly commenting on life in couples (any bickering people who are coupled up will be given children to try and quell any potential discord), Lanthimos has created something unique that occasionally defies description. And yet, in among the blackest of night humour, there's such a vein of sadness within that remains hard to shake long after the film has finished. Nowhere is this more evident than with Ashley Jensen's character, a biscuit obsessed pudge of a woman whose sexual proclivities are detailed to Farrell's David with such dead eyes as she tries in desperation to couple up with him, that it's nothing short of utterly heartbreaking.

There's no doubting that The Lobster's scathing and scabrous social critique and satirical edge hits the mark throughout and this cruel black comedy remains a troubling crowd-pleaser (what does it tell us about ourselves when we laugh out of nerves, awkwardness or perhaps recognition at what passes on the screen?). For those well versed in British satire, it almost feels like the kind of flick Chris Morris might spew forth from his demented imagination - and it's perhaps no coincidence that the film is blessed with such a British cast.

What The Lobster says about the human condition and the continuing insistence by society to view couples as the only valid humans and contributions is utterly depressing; what Lanthimos has managed to do is to turn that very dark outcome into something utterly unmissable and something savagely unsettling; The Lobster is a guaranteed talking point - and some of the truths you potentially uncover or associate with may say more about you than perhaps you feel comfortable to accept. 

Newstalk ZB Review - Reviewing X Men Apocalypse, Where To Invade Next and Joy

Newstalk ZB Review - Reviewing X Men Apocalypse, Where To Invade Next and Joy

This week on ZB with Jack Tame, live out of NYC, I took a look at the new X Men film, Michael Moore's latest doco, Where To Invade Next and Jennifer Lawrence's Joy.

Take a listen below

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-mornings-with-jack-tame/audio/darren-bevan-x-men-where-to-invade-next/

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-mornings-with-jack-tame/audio/darren-bevan-x-men-where-to-invade-next/

Freeheld DVD Review

Freeheld DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

Mixing in disease of the week tele-movie sensibilities, based on a true story vibes with the lightning rod of equal rights gives Freeheld the kind of material that usually brings awards and nominations banging on the door.

Moore stars as Hester, a hard-bitten detective in New Jersey, who's been on the force getting results for most of her life. But she's always been overshadowed and passed over for the work she has done in favour of her partner Dane Wells ( a terrifically stoic and centred Shannon) - even if he does insist on sharing credit where credit's due.

However, when Hester meets a coquettish yet confident Stacie (Page in a strong supporting role), the two end up in a relationship that faces the hardest of tests when Hester gets terminally ill and the state refuses to recognise Stacie's status, meaning none of Hester's pension benefits will pass to her when she dies.

Determined to right the wrong, Hester faces a race against time and against society to ensure equality for Stacie...

Julianne Moore provides another facet of her role from Oscar-winning Still Alice, but manages to imbue her initially guarded detective Laurel Hester with the kind of dignity she's rapidly becoming known for with these types of roles. Complete with gradual physical degradation, Hester remains resolute, a figure fighting for equality rather than a poster girl for gay marriage. Equally, Page manages a softer touch with Stacie, a steady if unshowy presence throughout - and she slightly withers away in the back half of the film.

The relationship between the cops ofMichael Shannon and Moore feels realistic and adds a level-headed approach which is welcome. Granted, there are the usual tropes of your button-pushing weepie (montages set to twinkling piano music) but director Sollett just manages to keep it reigned in and more dignified throughout. And that's even despite the addition of flamboyant lawyer and gay marriage crusader Steven Goldstein (Carell who's clearly there to lighten to mood while never detracting from the seriousness of the situation as well as presenting some conflict to Hester and Stacie who just want a quiet life, rather than to be thrust into the limelight).

Less successful are the hints of tension over Hester's insistence on denying Stacie's true place in her life through fears of prejudice - these are carefully seeded very early on but then brutally skirted over in favour of the main storyline and the ailing predicament, which seems part of Freeheld's MO to avoid the cliches of such relationship films and frustrate and delight in equal measure. Also, Hollywood's predilection du jour for true stories continues with final title screens initially replaced with images of those involved, as if to ram home the point and emphasise the facts.

Empowering but occasionally over-milked, Freeheld may push some of the emotional buttons and sporadically hold you at arm's length as it negotiates weepie with justice, but it's to be commended for telling an inspiring story of discrimination, even if it guides the audience through and tells them how to feel rather than that side of it growing organically.

Rating:

Battleborn DLC announced

Battleborn DLC announced

2K and Gearbox Software announced this morning that Alani, the first of five new free playable characters for Battleborn will release on May 31^st on all platforms and May 24^th for both Season Pass holders and PlayStation 4 Open Beta participants. Additionally, Gearbox and 2K are hosting a Battleborn Double XP event, running from Friday, May 20^th to Wednesday, May 25^th, for players to earn twice the experience points from all Story Mode episodes and Competitive Multiplayer matches.

First discussed in detail at Gearbox Software’s panel during PAX East, Alani is a member of the Eldrid faction who was raised as a healer but forced to be a warrior, and is all that remains of her order after Rendain’s Jennerit Imperium stole the oceans from her world. As a warrior from a planet with vast seas, Alani’s attacks and abilities revolve around her power to control water to dish out pain, or heal her fellow Battleborn. At PAX East, Gearbox also teased what the other free post-launch DLC characters might look like – that image is included in the asset download link below. More details on the next DLC hero (the 27^th) will be coming soon.

For full details on Alani’s release and Double XP Event, please see the official blog post announcement here.

Battleborn is rated ‘M’ in Australia and New Zealand and is available worldwide on PS4, Xbox One and PC.