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

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

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:

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens: PS4 Review

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!

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

Ghostbusters hits cinemas 14 July  ©2016 Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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!

Love and Friendship: Film Review

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.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: Film Review

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

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.