At Darren's World of Entertainment

Saturday, 9 July 2016

Newstalk ZB Review - The BFG, Ice Age Collision Course and Hail, Caesar!

This week, with Jack Tame, it was time to talk The BFG, Ice Age Collision Course and Hail, Caesar!

Take a listen below:

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-morning-with-jack-tame/audio/darren-bevan-the-bfg-ice-age-collision-course/

Zootopia: Blu Ray Review

Rating: PG
Released by Sony Home Ent

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, butZootopia 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 theZootopia 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:

Friday, 8 July 2016

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens: PS4 Review

Developed by TT Games
Platform: PS4

The LEGO Star Wars games have been nothing but charming.

And there's little the brick based gameplay can do to change the fact there's been nearly 20 LEGO games, so it's fair to say you know exactly what to expect - an adaptation of the source material mixed with gameplay that borders so far on cute, it's practically adorable.

Thankfully, Travellers Tales have added a few new things into LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens: to ensure the build doesn't feel quite as tired as it could.

It's, obviously, an adaptation of the JJ Abrams helmed Force Awakens film, that also bridges the gap between Return of The Jedi and includes all the new guys, such as BB8, Poe and Rey.

Switching between 12 levels of campaign, the game's MO still lies with the appeal to children - even though adults can still revel in the fun and games. There's kiddish humour and visual gags aplenty throughout, but there are also a couple of newer mechanics on show to ensure a degree of freshness.

Firstly, the multi-builds.

While LEGO's MO has always been to build to a plan, as a kid, one of the joys of LEGO was the fact that you could build anything with it, and didn't have to stick with one thing. Finally, Travellers Tales have adapted that philosophy and allow piles of bricks to construct two or three things consecutively, all of which enable the propulsion of the story. It's a great touch that taps the core of what LEGO is- and you'll need to utilise this to complete puzzles, so it becomes a necessity.

Secondly, the cover based shooting mechanic for battles has been brought in. Blasting away and targeting have added much to the game's simple shooter ethos and while it's initially tricky to master, once you have it becomes like a second nature to the game. It's an odd idea you'd need cover though, because the characters simply respawn wherever in the game, so it's never a do or die necessity.

While the animation and cut scenes are up to the usual standard and are voiced by the film's stars, it has to be said the mix is quite low, with some of the dialogue not standing out and being hard to hear. It's a shame, given the vocal talent involved that it doesn't shine as well as it could.

And there are bugs too - levels have been frozen out by glitches that have stopped characters from progressing; and one scene early on inside the Falcon simply stops with no choice but to reset from the start. It's a constant source of frustration.

Ultimately though, due to the scope and size of levels, this is perhaps the widest-ranging LEGO game yet. There's no such thing as a pick up and play ethos to this LEGO title, you need to devote time to it - from the hundreds of unlockable characters to the necessity to claim all the Gold Bricks to unlock further content, this is not a game to waste time with - it's a game to luxuriate in.

There's charm and humour aplenty in LEGO Star Wars: the Force Awakens - all the trademarks are here, and you'll enjoy it for the fact it's simply playable and enjoyable.

Win a GHOSTBUSTERS prize pack!

To celebrate the return of Ghostbusters in cinemas July 14th, we've got some prize packs to giveaway!

These contain a Ghostbusters T Shirt and a double pass to see the film at the cinema!

About Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters.

Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth.

This summer, they’re here to save the world!

Directed by: Paul Feig

Written by: Katie Dippold & Paul Feig

Based on the 1984 film "Ghostbusters" An Ivan Reitman Film

Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

Produced by: Ivan Reitman, Amy Pascal

Executive Producers:Paul Feig, Jessie Henderson, Dan Aykroyd, Tom Pollock, Joe Medjuck, Ali Bell, Michele Imperato Stabile

Cast:

Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams and Chris Hemsworth

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

Please include your name and address and good luck!

Competition closes July 14th and is exclusive to New Zealand only!

Thursday, 7 July 2016

Love and Friendship: Film Review

Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Chloe Sevigny, Stephen Fry, Tom Bennett
Director: Whit Stilman

There can be no denying that Whit Stilman's Love and Friendship is a dizzying take on the meshing of an Austen novella, first published back in 1871.

Occasionally aloof and wrapped up in its own whimsical way with prose and the machinations of Beckinsale's Lady Susan, this piece is a pacy comedy mocking manners and cocking a snook at stuffy period pieces of the time, while still enjoying the trappings of such tropes of the genre.

For the period comedy, it’s off to the 1790s and to the world of “most accomplished flirt” and recently widowed Lady Susan Vernon (a good Beckinsale, revelling in the wicked ways of the word and general dispatches of disdain) whose desires to find a husband for herself and her daughter consume her daily interactions.

And that’s really rather it for the plot of Love and Friendship, a film that’s more concerned with a once over-lightly approach to many of its characters – and an approach which bizarrely suits Stillman’s execution rather masterfully.

Employing the actors to stand directly facing the camera while posing and posting sarcastic text on the screen is one of the more bravura touches of the piece, simultaneously acknowledging the source material and also negating the need for expositionary introductions that would waste time in an already slim and taut running time.

Beckinsale excels in the role and demonstrates a lighter touch which has hitherto been unexplored and could see her destined for awards season if some are to be believed. While her Lady Susan moves from one portion of the chess board of life to another, it’s clear she has her intentions in focus, even if sometimes, the script demands more from the audience. This is not a film which stops to let you catch up or stoops to pander to the common denominator. And it’s also not a film that has a traditional Austen heroine, with Beckinsale’s Lady Susan having more in common with Clueless than other period fare.

If Beckinsale impresses, it’s clearly Tom Bennett as the blithering fool Sir James Martin who steals the comic limelight. His rambling and delight at the simplest of things suggests a naïvete that borders on idiot and is reminiscent of Hugh Laurie’s bumbling in Blackadder. However, his introduction comes at a great point for the film which begins to feel lost to anyone thanks to lighter characters and brief dalliances with them. And certainly his belief that there are 12 commandments is a delight to watch as he struggles with the idea that it could be anything different.

Perhaps though the lack of stronger male characters gives this piece a feminist watch that’s har d to escape and yet also delightful to revel in. This is a world where the women conduct the affairs and twirl around society with the men struggling to keep up – on this front, Stillman’s embracing cameras and sweeping dialogue shots do much to keep the viewer engaged.

Ultimately, Love and Friendship is a film of froth; a light adaptation that is a dizzying but slightly sophisticated affair, a film that revels in language and character and one that's grounded by a performance from Kate Beckinsale that will have you thinking twice about what she's done before.

Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: Film Review

Cast: Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza
Director: Jake Szymanski

Loosely based on the antics of real-life brothers Dave and Mike Stangle, who placed an online ad in Craigslist, this raunchy comedy knows exactly what it wants to do - and manages to achieve it without any level of class or originality.

Wedding Crashers for the next generation it may aspire to be - but be assured, it ain't.

Efron (straight-laced) and Devine (hyperactive, bordering on severely irritating) are Dave and Mike respectively, who have a habit of boorish behaviour and going too far damaging family celebrations. With their younger sister's marriage on the horizon, Mike and Dave are ordered to get respectable dates to the big day, to ensure everything goes to plan.

So placing an online ad, the duo meets plenty of prospective plus ones. But striking out, they come across Alice and Tatiana (Kendrick playing ditzy and Plaza playing trademark deadpan with an edge of sassiness) who appear on the surface to be nice safe girls.

However, it turns out the girls are even worse than the boys....will the big day go ahead?

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is the kind of raunchy, crass, brain-dead frat boy party antics flick that is the very definition of leaving your brain at the door and ensuring you have a skinful before you sit down to watch it.

It also comes with the caveat that you have to be puerile in your acceptance and outlook as well to fully appreciate and get on board with the humour.

While Efron and Kendrick downplay their respective roles after initially ratcheting up the goofy unlikeable factor early on, Devine threatens to derail the whole thing with an OTT turn that borders on severely irritating thanks to gurning, screeching and generally being as dumb as is humanly possible.

It's great to see Kendrick playing off type, and Plaza clearly has a deadpan blast, but none of these are unforgettable characters and while the bro-ing of all of them (is the female equivalent a bra-mance?) is a nice touch in terms of ladies can do it too, the whole thing feels dumber than a bag of spanners.

There's a kernel of a nice story waiting in the wings (one laments late on in the piece as the inevitable schmaltz sets in that they thought they were destined for great things but have never achieved anything) but it's sacrificed in favour of some relatively forgettable set pieces that linger as long as the lights are down in the cinema, before disappearing in the haze of reality.

Vulgarity is the order of the day and Szymanski never sets his sights above that, but what would you expect from the writers of the Bad Neighbours series? However, there are arguments that it doesn't go far enough.

There's an over-riding sense of repetition to get the point across, and while Kumail Nanjiani of Silicon Valley delivers some of the best moments of the film in a brief cameo, the obligatory out-takes show more fun was being had than what was being recorded.

All in all, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates does exactly what you'd expect.

But if you're looking for something that will be added to the pantheon of R-rated films like Bridesmaids and The Hangover for the millennials, this is totally forgettable, utterly disposable and ultimately a dimwit escapade that goes nowhere fast but will sadly satiate a portion of the box office audience.

(Oh, and is it now obligatory in any Zac Efron film that he needs to remove his shirt?)

Ice Age: Collision Course: Film Review

Vocal cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Adam Devine, Simon Pegg, Nick Offerman, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa Rauch, Queen Latifah
Director: Mike Thurmeier, Galen T Chu

There's a moment in the fifth Ice Age movie (yup, not a typo) where woolly mammoth Manny asks "Did I hit my head? What's happening here?".

It's a question that many will face in this latest instalment of the admittedly gorgeously animated tale of the three friends Sid, Manny and Diego (Leguizamo, Romano and Leary respectively).

This time around, the gang's facing extinction after an asteroid meteor is set on a collision course with Earth by Scrat who's up in space still trying to get that elusive acorn. (This time around, Scrat is a propeller of opportunistic plot, rather than a great lunatic aside). With Buck (a brilliant Simon Pegg) along for the ride, the group tries to work on a plan to prevent the inevitable happening and stop them all being wiped out.

But for Manny, there's more terrifying prospect - losing his daughter to perky newcomer Julian (Pitch Perfect and Modern Family star Adam Devine) who's about to marry her....

It's churlish to suggest Ice Age: Collision Course adheres to the law of diminishing returns because to be frank, with its silly puns and zany antics of both Scrat and Buck, there's lots for the younger kids to engage with and keep amused during the upcoming school holidays.

However, any semblance of logic or consistency of narrative's been abandoned this time around for ACME style silliness that defies belief and throws everything at the screen to service anyone who's ever been in previous Ice Age movies.

Despite some clever insertions and throwaway references to 2001, Cocoon and The Planet of The Apes denouement, as well as Neil de Grasse Tyson, Ice Age Collision Course jettisons any kind of smarts for a series of loosely connected moments.

Chief offender among these is Scrat, whose antics up until now, have proven fertile ground for interludes that have been separate to the movie's actual goings on. This time, with Scrat in space, firing around beams that rocket into planets like snooker cues, the charm wears quickly thin. That's not to say that his shenanigans aren't amusing, more that they don't really do much except perfunctorily propel the narrative.

Back on Earth isn't much better either, with far too many characters to be serviced and a narrative that's too cluttered by far. Poor Diego gets badly sidelined with little to except a piecemeal plot involving kids, and even Manny's plight and enforced message of accepting growing up feels a little weary and hoary as the film goes on.

It's perhaps a good sign though the Blue Sky animation work is excellent, with sequences feeling fresher than the plot they're servicing and CGI work that brings depth to all elements of Manny et al's world.

Ultimately, the kids may enjoy the more out there elements of the story of Ice Age Collision Course, and the film was clearly never going to fulfil its potential extinction storyline, but Ice Age Collision Course's story is severely lacking.

If this is the cinematic extinction of the gang, its exit, based on this entry alone, won't be mourned.

Red Dead Redemption on Xbox One Backward Compatibility Coming Friday, July 8th

http://media.rockstargames.com/rockstargames/img/global/news/upload/actual_1467740579.jpg

Today we're happy to announce that Red Dead Redemption will be released as part of Microsoft’s Xbox One Backward Compatibility program this coming Friday, July 8th.

Starting on Friday, every Red Dead Redemption Xbox 360 owner will be able to play the game directly on their Xbox One, regardless of which version of the game they own (Red Dead Redemption, Undead Nightmare and Red Dead Redemption: Game of the Year Edition). And for those who have yet to experience it, the game will be available to purchase on Friday from the Games Store on Xbox One.

Stay tuned to the Newswire for more details

Swiss Army Man: NZIFF Film Review

Swiss Army Man: Film Review

Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Director: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

"People don't like other people's farts".

It's this line which will sum up the polarising but utterly beautiful Swiss Army Man, the story of Paul Dano's Hank, a man who's stranded on an island with no hope. Setting up a noose to relieve him of his own life, Hank's life changes when he spots another person washed up on the beach.

This is Manny (Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe) - but the problem is Manny is a corpse.

Well, a farting corpse - that Hank saddles up and rides off the island like a jetski. But the pair end up lost in the woods and Hank struggles to freedom, while reflecting on his life.

Mixing the profound and the puerile, Swiss Army Man is like nothing else at the movies at the moment. (And is potentially why people walked out at screenings at Sundance).

A meditation on life and love that's occasionally punctuated by flatulence at the start, Swiss Army Man is actually an incredibly moving piece that may or may not be told by an unreliable narrator. Whether it is a descent into madness and sanity or a realistic story remains deeply in question once the film's ended, but what's clear is that the directors have crafted a flick that's as visually engaging and crammed with original visual ideas as anything from Michel Gondry.

Surreal in parts, and laugh out loud humorous, with an ethereal soundtrack that builds on loops and riffs on meditations of love, as well as human connections, both Dano and Radcliffe are incredible in a kind of Pinteresque Godot type survival story that crosses Castaway and Wilson.

It could do to lose some of the more bottom obsessed moments, but equally some of the earlier scenes with the farting bizarrely add to a level of humour that transcends the childish. And there's a profundity throughout that's ultimately quite moving.

Mixing spirituality, existentialism and life, the fresh and utterly original Swiss Army Man is a hallucinatory and melancholy trip that's worth taking. It's an affecting and tragic film that speaks to loneliness and reeks of the sincerity of co-dependancy of the human condition.

Tuesday, 5 July 2016

Animation Now! Q&A with director Malcolm Turner

This year's New Zealand International Film Festival is also going to be the springboard for animation.

With the announcement of Animation Now!, New Zealand’s own dedicated festival of animation as part of NZIFF in Auckland.

Its programmer is Malcolm Turner, who for 20 years, has been providing NZIFF with a popular survey programme of ‘year’s best’ animated shorts titles: Animation Now.

The launch of the new Animation Now! Festival in Auckland seems like a canny move. Why has this taken so long?
It's something we've talked about internally for quite a while. There have been a number of things that have conspired against pushing the "go" button until now - mostly 'boring' things such as venue issues, timetabling issues and things like have been the headwinds facing launching the festival. But the substantial increase in the number of entries (over 4,000 this year) and the rapid simplification of the technologies relating to screening material have been among the 'push' factors that encouraged us to create the Animation Now! Festival this year

Animation at NZIFF is perhaps one of the truly universal experiences for all ages, does that give you a feeling that you can be bolder with some of your selections for this mini curated event?
Probably the main thing that allows us to enlarge (or to make more bold) the programming now that we have a festival structure to use is all that extra 'real estate'. There is only so much that can go into a single program but by launching the Animation Now! Festival we not only have a lot more room for more films, we have a structure that allows us to explore themes, genres and styles in a lot more depth.

What's your favourite of the films you've programmed and why?
Well, I love them all of course. But "The Sparrows Flight" is a film that really synchronises with my passion for animation as an artform - apart from being a wonderful film in its own right, it is a kind of encyclopedia of animation styles and techniques complete with a built in hand guide for how they work. And "Velodrool" is pure animation magic - it's absolutely a grade A textbook example of the unique properties of animation.

Blind Vaysha (Trailer) from NFB/marketing on Vimeo.

Blind Vaysha and Go to City ELE were 2 of the best I saw at the launch event you put on, but equally two of the most diverse in execution - how hard is it to juggle such polar opposites?
Well, it's much easier now that we have the Animation Now! Festival structure to work with. But even so, the beauty of short films is exactly that - they're short .... the start, they run and they end. It's reasonably easy to fit a roster of fairly diverse films into even a single programme, the real trick is finding a sympathetic (or provocative) screening order that helps the programme become more than the sum of its parts.

How is the animation section faring globally - was it difficult to curate down into programmes and selections?
Globally auteur/independent animation is booming. As I mentioned early we had over 4,000 entries to contend with. Curating them into programs is a process that becomes more difficult as you go. Ultimately we are not programming a specific number of films but are working to a definitive number - being the number of minutes of screen time. Typically each program is about 75'00 long and the hardest part is always getting any given program down to that number. I find the pain usually sets in around about the 150'00 minute mark. It's usually not too bad up until then but trimming off the last hour and a bit always leaves great work off the list.
A COAT MADE DARK- Trailer from Damien Byrne on Vimeo.

Star Trek Beyond goes boldly for KidsCan...

KIDSCAN AND KARL URBAN PARTNER WITH PARAMOUNT PICTURES NZ FOR EXCLUSIVE ADVANCED SCREENING OF STAR TREK: BEYOND

Today, we are beyond excited to announce that Auckland Star Trek fans have an opportunity to be amongst the first in the world to see the highly anticipated next instalment in the globally popular franchise, Star Trek: Beyond.

Thanks to a partnership between KidsCan NZ and Paramount Pictures, as well as support from Karl Urban and Event Cinemas Broadway, there will be an exclusive early screening of Star Trek: Beyond - the first public screening in New Zealand, and one of the first in the world.

All proceeds from ticket sales for the screening will go directly to KidsCan, to aid its important, on-going mission to provide food, clothing and basic healthcare in schools to allow disadvantaged Kiwi kids to reach their full potential.

The screening has come together with support from star of the film and long-time KidsCan ambassador Karl Urban. KidsCan CEO Julie Chapman says, “Karl’s been supporting us since 2009 and we’re incredibly grateful that he continues to be so generous. We see him as a great role model for the children we support.”

STAR TREK: BEYOND – Special Advanced Screening

Sunday 17th July, 6.30pm

Event Cinemas Broadway

Tickets available now: www.kidscan.org.nz/star-trek-beyond

Star Trek: Beyond releases to the public on Wednesday 20th July.

BioShock The Collection will arrive on....

It’s been nine years since Irrational Games and 2K pulled you to terrifying depths in the underwater city of Rapture with BioShock, five years since your return to Rapture in BioShock 2, and three years since you skyhooked across the floating city of Columbia in BioShock Infinite. For the first time, fans of the BioShock franchise can experience all three award-winning adventures remastered for current-gen consoles and digital PC. The moment you’ve been waiting for is here - BioShock: The Collection will launch on September 15 in Australia and New Zealand.

Working with Blind Squirrel Games, 2K remastered BioShock and BioShock 2 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC and BioShock Infinite for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, making them look better than ever. BioShock: The Collection brings the three titles together, complete with all single-player DLC as well as a never-before-seen video series, “Director’s Commentary: Imagining BioShock,” which includes insights from Ken Levine.

HITMAN - Fifth Elusive target now live

THE FIFTH HITMAN ELUSIVE TARGET IS LIVE NOW

SYDNEY, 4^th July 2016 - The fifth Elusive Target, The Gunrunner is live in Marrakesh across all platforms. A briefing video is available online and in-game to help players determine the approximate location of the target. Players will need to own HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh in order to access this content.

*This Elusive Target is available for 72 hours only

Elusive Targets are part of the live content being published for HITMAN in-between episodes and represent a new game mode debuting for players. They are not going to be easy but if you can prove yourself, you’ll earn in-game rewards for completing multiple Elusive Target contracts, such as signature suits from previous Hitman games. You will receive the first reward for successfully completing 5 Elusive Target contracts.

The Elusive Targets are specially crafted, unique targets, which 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

• Plan accordingly before you engage your target

• 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

Don’t miss.

Monday, 4 July 2016

Green Room: NZIFF Film Review

Cast: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Patrick Stewart, Macon Blair, Alia Shawkat

Director: Jeremy Saulnier

Rendered more poignant due to the untimely passing of star Anton Yelchin, Green Room is likely to benefit from a wave of interest.

But instead of mawkish curiosity, what you should get from this tautly claustrophobic thriller is a sense of purposeful execution from Blue Ruin director Saulnier.

Yelchin is Pat, one of the members of a punk band The Ain’t Rights; currently on tour through the less salubrious parts of the Pacific Northwest, the gang lose out on a gig from a friend. However, when they get booked into a venue in the woods, desperate for cash to fuel their trip home, they take it.

Upon arrival, the group finds their audience are a bunch of neo-Nazi thugs. Bizarrely though, their set goes well and about to head off, the Ain’t Rights stumble into a murder scene and everything flips.

With the thugs desperate to ensure the group doesn’t escape, and the group desperate to survive, a terrifying game of cat and mouse survival begins…

Saulnier’s follow up to Blue Ruin is nothing short of thrilling and masterfully executed.

Making great fist of the small location and the choking nature of the black-walled club and its backrooms, as well as an atmosphere of unease, Green Room knows what it wants to do and does it well.

Choking and suffocating every drop of tension from the dread proceedings, and also never veering into exploitative sleazy territory, the film’s MO is one of a supreme pressure cooker. There’s little characterisation on show other than a brief conversation about which artists the band would choose for their Desert Island Discs, but it matters not one jot.

Within the confines of the club, and the calm measured and menacing performances of Patrick Stewart as the club owner and Macon Blair as the man on duty, the film’s more a quiet piece with moments of shocks and jolts to shake you asunder.

Yelchin’s ease of presence makes him immediately a hero you back, and Poots’ spiky potential victim has an edge that doesn’t ever thaw (her final line to her Fright Night co-actor is typical of the film) as the scenario plays out.

Stewart’s calm is disarming and those writing the piece are smart enough to know the menace comes from the brooding and clinical delivery of the club owner’s methods of thinking; equally, the fact none of the bad guys are caricatures but are readily recognisable is a smart move, indicative of

Saulnier’s desire to set this in a sickening world that we all potentially live in, with an underbelly simply waiting for provocation.

Saulnier’s direction is smart, giving the whole thing an oppressive edge that’s gloomily lit and a thriller that’s as chilling as it is engaging. By never fully giving a complete picture of life outside the green room where the group’s initially trapped, Saulnier deals out a palpable atmosphere of sickening dread, which threatens to explode asunder, but thankfully never does.

All in all, Green Room is a pulse-pounding thrill ride that eschews what you’d expect of it; cleanly executed and subtly underplayed in parts, it’s nothing short of a compelling film that deals masterfully in atmosphere and smartly in measured drama.

Sunday, 3 July 2016

Grimsby: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

2012 marked the last time we saw provocateur Sacha Baron Cohen attempting to push the envelope with The Dictator.

So he's back with another character and more of a spy action comedy film than a mockumentary in the style of Borat or Bruno.

This time, Baron Cohen is taking on the North of England but also hinting at a softer more sentimental style with his story of Nobby (Baron Cohen) and Sebastian (Mark Strong, surprisingly game and willing to debase himself), who've been separated for 28 years.

But when Sebastian, who's now working for MI6, finds his cover blown by his England tattoo-sporting football shirt-wearing brother as he tries to foil an assassination, he's forced on the run and to co-opt his brother Nobby into helping stop the murder of WorldCure (played by Penelope Cruz).

If Bruno and Borat had the ability to shock and provoke, Grimsby is a tamer affair, a sort of spy caper that is more obsessed with the puerile and promotes gay panic with wild abandon.

And yet by entrusting the proceedings to Now You Can See director Louis Leterrier, what emerges is a slick, pacy piece that doesn't stay still long enough for you to pick fault with its sub par-Kingsman leanings.

Emerging as a kind of knob and AIDS-obsessed spiritual successor to Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig's Spy, Grimsby is doused with Baron Cohen's DNA and a Viz style anal fixation that's cyclical with the beginning leading you by the hand to its closing crowd capper.

However, despite appearing to be mocking the Northern scum of the hive of council flat dwelling working classes, Grimsby is doused in a blanket of sentiment that's as gooey as Baron Cohen has ever got.

Fear not though, there are the usual scatological minings of proceedings that you would expect and Baron Cohen unwelcomely revives HIV and AIDS jokes with nothing more than a reason to offend. This is not smart satire by any stretch of the imagination and there's a guarantee you won't feel good for for laughing at what transpires.

There's an obvious topical reference or two that pokes fun at the US elections, and one sequenceset in South Africa will see you either on its side or wondering how much lower the bar can go.

Character is lacking; no one emerges as fully rounded and is there simply to debase themselves in one way or another.

Strong deserves some accolade for playing it straight before giving into the lunacy of proceedings and even strengthens the case for an older spy franchise with him as the lead.

And Leterrier deserves some kudos for the initial POV action pieces which echo Hardcore Henry and many FPS video games. His zip and fast pace propels everything along nicely too, though it's fair to admit the 84 mins starts to feel stretched thin as time wears on.

Ultimately, in among the Liam Gallagher mocking swagger and the butthole obsession that tends to low hanging fruit, Grimsby is a puerile film that occasionally produces some unexpected laughs. It's not art, but to be frank, it never professes to be and gleefully and perversely soldiers on its mission to attempt to offend as well as riff on the spy/ mismatched buddy genre that's proven so fruitful in the past. Though admittedly, it's more Bourne Stupid, than Bourne Supremacy.

Rating:

Newstalk ZB Review - Tarzan, Central Intelligence, Sing Street

This week with Jack Tame, talking a number of new releases: Legend of Tarzan (starring Alexander Skarsgard's abs), Central Intelligence (The Rock with a fanny pack), and Sing Steet (coming of age with Duran Duran).

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-morning-with-jack-tame/audio/darren-bevan-tarzan-central-intelligence-sing-street/

Saturday, 2 July 2016

Just Cause 3: Mech Land Assault PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Released by Square Enix

The second DLC from Just Cause 3 delivers the usual amount of destructive ACME styled mayhem you've come to expect from the series.

In Just Cause 3: Mech Land Assault, the heat is back on Rico Rodriguez to help free prisoners taken by new threat The Black Hand on a new island in Medici. Lacrima, with all its woods, trees and smashable bridges is the new home of chaos and destruction as you take on this military group.

And it's a little harder than the previous expansion - thanks to the military being a bit more onto it with Bavarium weapon equipped drones, assaults can see you taken down in moments. Thankfully though, there are some handy mech machines to help you in your quest to destroy.

Liberating provinces is the name of the game again, and freeing prisoners. It all follows a pattern; lead an assault on a compound, free the prisoners, help them hold their ground. But it adds an extra element to the liberation mechanic which drags out more of the gameplay.

Thankfully, the mechs can make the difference. Equipped with some fairly strong armour, some powerful weaponry and a force weapon that picks up items, people and equipment and hurls it into the distance, there's plenty of firepower to wield here, even if your wanted level rises to the highest echelons a lot quicker.

With a push and pull mechanic and heaps of destructive chaos that needs a bit more planning rather than simply running in and blasting, Just Cause 3: Mech Land Assault DLC is the usual leave your brain at the door style gaming. But as that's what so loveable about Just Cause 3, that's no bad thing.

Friday, 1 July 2016

The BFG: Film Review

Cast: Mark Rylance, Jemaine Clement, Ruby Barnhill, Bill Hader, Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall
Director: Steven Spielberg

Back in 1982, Roald Dahl changed the landscape of kids' books with the release of The BFG.

Along with Quentin Blake's distinctive drawings, the 208 page book went on to sell 37 million copies and seal itself into the world's collective psyche.

The film version doesn't deviate too far from the original storyline, telling of 10 year old orphan Sophie (newcomer Barnhill) and her chance encounter with the Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance) after she sees him one night.

Scooping her up and taking her to Giant Country to avoid being revealed, the pair form a friendship - but Sophie's in danger with other Giants of the land sniffing her out and threatening to snuff her out. Because it turns out that a series of abductions in London are all at the hands of the Giants....

The BFG is a refreshingly wondrous and lovely piece of old school film.

Which is both its strength and bizarrely, its weakness.

Spielberg's eye for visuals is indulged in this Harry Potter-esque human beans flick, that keeps the original nonsense Jar Jar Binks style language that so perpetuated the book as it dawdles on its way to its final destination. The sequence where The BFG takes Sophie out to grab dreams is truly magical, and reminiscent of the flying lights in Close Encounters. Spielberg still has an eye for the mysterious, and shrouds part of this sequence in a mist and executes it in shadows, giving it a dream-like quality that's hard to ignore.

Equally, the execution of Rylance as Quentin Blake's BFG is nothing short of eye-popping CGI wizardry, thanks to Joe Letteri and his WETA cohorts.

A mix of Rylance's features and Blake's distinctive strokes gives the character the warmth, sadness and geniality that's so inherent within, and the expressive features and subtle touches from a heartfelt Rylance convey plenty of emotion and give life to a character which has so enraptured so many.

Perhaps a slightly weaker link though is first time actor Ruby Barnhill, who comes off as a mix of both precocious and and ever so slightly irritating. She's a few directions short of pantomime at the best of times but eventually settles down into the role - even if Spielberg's determined in the final stretch to purvey a parody of a monarchy England with pomp and ceremony that was so prevalent in the 1980s. (Though admittedly there are long swathes of just talking and bonding between the BFG and Sophie in Giant Country that the story could be accused of dawdling in its slightly overlong run-time).

It's true to the book (aside from the giant invasion) so is in keeping with Dahl's original take on it all, but in the final third of the film, the intrusions of the real world prove to be more of a distraction than anything.

The evil giants, led by Jemaine Clement's Fleshlumpeater, are a mixed bag.

While the digital execution of Fleshlumpeater looks like a cross between Austin Powers' Fat Bastard and a Warcraft Orc, Clement's Ali G style London intonations give it a comically threatening edge that feel like a gangster's taken on Dungeons and Dragons. The rest of the clan aren't so well fleshed out and ultimately never feel like a threat at all (particularly given that they're deemed to be so dangerous).

There's no real danger in The BFG; it's a genuinely lovely family film that feels very much of yesteryear and its failings as a story are predominantly led by the source material.

There's something nostalgic and familiar about The BFG and something comforting about Spielberg's execution of it - whether it proves to be box office gold though in a changed landscape remains to be seen.

Win a Star Trek - Beyond prize pack

"Star Trek Beyond," the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns.

This time around with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew.

In “Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

Starring Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Sofia Boutella, Idris Elba

Star Trek Beyond hits cinemas July 20th

To celebrate the release of Star Trek Beyond, I've got double passes and a light up pen to giveaway!

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

Please include your name and address and good luck!

Competition closes July 20th.

Win a double pass to see Disney's THE BFG

To celebrate the release of The BFG in cinemas July 7th, I've got passes to giveaway to the BFG!

About The BFG

The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part.

Giants like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle.

Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, has many questions.

The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams. Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows, but Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome.

Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.

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

Please include your name and address and good luck!

Competition closes July 7th.