The Big Short: DVD Review

The Big Short: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent


It seems like the housing crisis and crash is Hollywood's topic du jour.

With the searing 99 Homes not far behind in the cinematic window, the director of Anchorman brings us the true story of what happened when four outsiders predicted the housing bubble bursting in the mid-2000s and used it to their advantage and to expose the banks' stupidity.

The first to see the flaw is Dr Michael Burry (Christian Bale), a Mastodon loving, bare-footed analyst who works for Scion Capital; but his plan to bet against the banks provides a few ripples thanks to a wrong number call to Steve Carell's Mark Baum. His group begin to make some enquiries and start to see Burry's idea has some legs and decide to buy in as well.

Based on The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis, Adam McKay's film isn't afraid to engross you in the technical babble and the small print of the credit default swaps that precipitated the downfall.

It's also not afraid to realise that it's quite a dry and serious subject and so has its director use various conventions to shatter through the tedium. Chief among these is Ryan Gosling's character Jared Vennett whose breaking of the fourth wall invites an audience in and plays to the film's cocking a snook MO at the stuffiness of its material. Equally, when the story's about to get to some crucially excruciating techno-babble, McKay isn't afraid to cut away to the likes of Selena Gomez and Margot Robbie in a bubble-bath to provide the necessary explanations. It's a clever narrative touch that veers on being a little too smart early on and borders on treating its subject with irreverence, but McKay is fully aware that these moves ensure an audience pays attention to an ongoing issue that's still a problem.

Of the main cast, it's really only Carell as Mark Baum (who's based on Steve Eisman) who feels like they have an emotional connection for you to latch on to. Troubled by the suicide of his brother, and wrapped tighter than a coil in his anger and arrogance, Baum is the only one who feels like a real character and the only one to express an unease at the implications of their benefiting from the banks.

It's a fascinating edge that could have done with a little more exploration, given that the others are essentially anti-heroes who are truly more one dimensional cut-outs populating the picture.

There's an irony in the ever-so-slightly-overlong The Big Short over the way these guys rorted the system that was up for exposure and there are lessons to be learned, but perhaps the biggest message from this almost flashy stylish docu-drama is how much Adam McKay's underplayed his directorial hand. His execution of this film and its ensemble cast will ensure the message of concern over the banks and the housing bubble will get through to the masses - even if it occasionally teeters into didactic but well-needed territory.

Rating:

HITMAN - Next Sarajevo Six Target

HITMAN - Next Sarajevo Six Target

SYDNEY, 27^TH May 2016 - The third Sarajevo Six target will be available with HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh.

Your target is Walter Menard, a veteran of the paramilitary SIGMA UNIT active during the Yugoslav War of the 90s. Your target has currently been tasked with handling the evacuation of rogue banker Claus Strandberg in Marrakesh.

Watch the HITMAN – The Sarajevo Six (Target #3) trailer at: https://youtu.be/cbLUXwyiOtc

PS4 players get exclusive access to The Sarajevo Six. These are six bonus contracts that tell a self-contained side-story revolving around former members of a paramilitary unit called CICADA. Agent 47 will travel the world in pursuit of his targets, with one bonus contract available in each location from the game.

The launch date for HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh will be on May 31, 2016. Visit hitman.com for more information.

PROJECT CARS - 'Inspired to Drive, The Nicholas Hamilton Story'

PROJECT CARS - 'Inspired to Drive, The Nicholas Hamilton Story'

DISCOVER “INSPIRED TO DRIVE – THE NICOLAS HAMILTON STORY”

IN A NEW PROJECT CARS SHORT FILM

SYDNEY, 27^TH May 2016 - Nicolas Hamilton – consultant at Slightly Mad Studios – today tells his story in a short film called “Inspired to Drive – The Nicolas Hamilton Story”. With his ability to mix sim game and real life experiences, Nicolas Hamilton worked on PROJECT CARS to help define the cars' handling and physics. Training for years on a simulator, he allowed nothing to stand in the way of achieving his dream. His remarkable success is why Nicolas Hamilton is driven to inspire us all.

New Star Ocean trailers

New Star Ocean trailers

NEW TRAILERS FOR STAR OCEAN: INTEGRITY AND FAITHLESSNESS

INTRODUCE NEW CHARACTERS AND SHOWCASE GAME SYSTEM

SYDNEY 26^TH May 2016 –   Square Enix Ltd., today revealed a selection a trailers to further introduce fans to the universe of STAR OCEAN®: Integrity and Faithlessness™. The new character spotlight videos feature all-new footage introducing the characters Anne and Emmerson, a pair of travellers who join Fidel on his quest to protect Relia, and the Kingdom of Trei’kur, a desolate wasteland country currently at war with Fidel’s home country of Resulia.

To watch the new character trailers now, visit: Anne – https://youtu.be/7CPXXrYoZA0 / Emmerson – https://youtu.be/ygzoG5Kk794

A brand new gameplay trailer also showcases a variety of gameplay systems both new and familiar to the STAR OCEAN series, including;

·         “Item Creation,” a recipe based system

·         “Synthesis,” a way for players to obtain extremely rare gear

·         “Private Actions,” a system which allows players to learn more about the characters and ultimately affecting the type of ending they will receive

NZFF Reveal more musical titles

NZFF Reveal more musical titles

Miss Sharon Jones! Leads Our 2016 Music Programme This week we are delighted to reveal five music-themed films as part of our 2016 NZIFF sneaks. The line-up celebrates the best in the world of music from an R&B Queen, to the 60s’ most avant-garde rocker, to a soundstage in Buenos Aires, travelling the world with Yo-Yo Ma, and on to an audition for an outback choir. If you're looking for something a little darker, our Incredibly Strange sneaks are sure to pique your interest... We’ll continue to bring you further sneaks in the coming weeks. The full programme will be revealed at 7pm on Monday 20 June with tickets on sale from Friday 24 June.

Miss Sharon Jones! Academy Award-winning documentary maker Barbara Kopple delivers definitive proof, from show-stopping testimony in a small South Carolina church to Manhattan’s Beacon Theatre, that nobody raises the roof like Sharon Jones. “The narrative arc of the film is the diminutive (‘four foot 11 and a quarter’) singer’s more than year-long battle with cancer – and her return to performing. But by lavishing huge helpings of Jones’ music and explosive performances on what is a very intimate portrait, the two-time Oscar-winning [Barbara] Kopple keeps the doco from ever becoming maudlin, or predictable, or from even slowing down.” — John Anderson, Indiewire

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in his Own Words Director Thorsten Schütte’s doco splices together performance and interview footage of the ever-articulate rock star (and talk-show guest) Frank Zappa to recount the story of his defiantly non-conformist musical journey. “A compelling gateway documentary that should absorb both fans and novices alike.” — Leslie Felperin, Hollywood Reporter

Argentina Carlos Saura, the Spanish director of such classics as Flamenco, Tango and Blood Wedding, mounts a dazzling showcase for the leading contemporary performers of traditional Argentinian music and dance. “Lyrical and moving, Argentina is also a glorious reminder that every film should be a passion project.” — Vancouver International Film Festival

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble On a quest to uncover Leonard Bernstein’s ‘universal language of music’, renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma travels the old ‘Silk Road’ with virtuoso musicians from diverse instrumental traditions to collaborate on rousing new musical explorations. “The intersection of cultures is where new things emerge.” — Yo-Yo Ma

Wide Open Sky In this charming documentary from Lisa Nicol, gifted teacher and musician Michelle Leonard travels to under-resourced outback NSW, auditioning children then schooling the chosen 130 to perform in the annual Moorambilla Voices choir. “This down-to-earth crowd pleaser is a terrific antidote to the razzle-dazzle hype of TV talent shows.” — Richard Kuipers, Variety

Incredibly Strange NZIFF Sneaks From the sleazily decadent clubs of 1980's Warsaw to the back room of a backwoods bar in Orgeon, our Incredibly Strange sneaks are just a taste of what's ahead in Ant Timpson's programme. The Lure (Córki dancingu) Directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska This bizarre, sublimely surreal Polish vampire-mermaid musical about two sibling sirens who lure their prey from the stage of a trashy nightclub is a one of a kind cult movie. Green Room Directed by Jeremy Saulnier Punk rockers and skinheads clash in this intense, darkly humorous game of cat-and-mouse, from the director of bracing indie thriller Blue Ruin.

HITMAN: Episode 3 Marrakesh launch date is.....

HITMAN: Episode 3 Marrakesh launch date is.....

HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh Launches next week on May 31

SYDNEY, 26^TH May 2016 - Io-Interactive is delighted to announce that the launch date for HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh will be on May 31, 2016.

The mission titled: ‘A Gilded Cage’ enlists Agent 47 to take out two targets, private investment banker Claus Strandberg and Army General Reza Zaydan.

In a city teaming with life on the brink of a full-scale riot, these are the moments before a coup d’état, where the visible military presence exacerbates a situation where tensions are running high. 

Bustling Berber markets, alleyways crammed with stalls and shops, a clinical Swedish consulate and shaded rooftop terraces are just some of the areas that players can explore in Marrakesh.

HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh will present players with a range of new in-game Challenges and Opportunities that will keep them busy along with an entirely new setting for Escalation Contracts and Elusive Targets.

HITMAN started with a Prologue and Paris location in March, Episode 2: Sapienza in April and now Episode 3: Marrakesh on May 31. From here HITMAN will deliver regular content updates, including three additional locations; Thailand, the United States and the season finale in Japan later in 2016.

Episode 3: Marrakesh is FREE as part of the Full Experience Pack. Owners of the Intro Pack can choose either the Upgrade Pack, which will then include all of this year’s content as it’s released including  live and bonus content - or choose to purchase the location individually.

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.

Joy: DVD Review

Joy: DVD Review

Released by 20th Century Fox Home Ent

David O Russell reteams with his Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle dream team to breathe some life in to the story of Joy Mangano, who invented the Miracle Mop.

However, in bringing this biopic to life, he manages to some how pull together a story that doesn't quite fly like it should.

Lawrence (a little too young to play Mangano, but still on crackling form) is Joy, a woman whose life is a whirlwind of domestic chaos. Thanks to an ex living in the basement (Ramirez), a father who's just moved back in (De Niro) and a bed-bound mother (Madsen) who's addicted to soaps, she barely has a moment to herself.

But when she hits inspiration one day while cleaning up spilt wine glasses on a boat, she decides it's her moment to shine and designs a self wringing mop.

However, she faces a fight to get people to believe in both it or her...

Joy is a mixed film that bundles family dysfunction into an easy to swallow pill and cleans it up round the edges, forgetting to make this journey feel like one of extreme catharsis as it reaches the end.

Lawrence feels slightly miscast, almost a little too young to hit the straps she needs to as Mangano through the decades (even if the film feels like it takes place over a time period of a week), which is a surprise; it's not to detract from her performance, which is the one constant of Joy and certainly stands out from those around her. And it doesn't help that Russell goes heavy on the imagery with Mangano actually doing DIY around the home, while mentally doing DIY for her family. There's no subtlety in this rags to riches story and it's a damn shame because of it.

It's predominantly Russell's direction and the script which are the main reasons it never fully rises above its intentions. There's too much of an almost farcical approach to proceedings and when it comes time to inject the drama into the moment, it never quite fully catches like it should.

The sequences where Mangano heads to the fledgling QVC studios and makes a pitch to Bradley Cooper's Neil Walker and the subsequent scenes where Mangano sells her mop on screen are really where the film briefly stutters into life. The excitement of the new format, of the TV pitch, the fervour of the orders coming in as the camera circles around Walker is electrifying; but nowhere else in the movie does Russell ensure that this lightning strikes twice.

Interestingly, the potential for drama comes in the final stages of the film with Mangano heading up her own empire and finding others heading to her with ideas. It would have been a smarter move to see her having to balance the attitude she has of "I can't accept your answer and I won't" and "I don't need a prince" when facing business ideas from others. As it is, Russell settles for a saccharine "You can have it all" attitude that sticks in the craw with dramatic platitudes and cliches as Mangano lops her hair off to demonstrate her own turning point and self-reinvention.

Ultimately, Joy gets by on the strength of Lawrence alone; and while she does feel miscast, her presence on screen helps the film out of its own predicament. It lacks the catharsis that you'd perhaps expect and instead produces a more muted film that doesn't inspire as much as it should given the stellar talent involved.