Trumbo DVD Review

Trumbo DVD Review

There's nothing Hollywood loves more than a tale about the wronged getting final justice.

So, coupled with the fact that this tale takes that and wraps it up in the past of one of its own, and you could see how Trumbo would be a shoo-in for awards season with its prestige veneer and stand-out performance by its lead.

Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston plays Dalton Trumbo, an American screen-writer and heavyweight of the industry in this biopic which follows Trumbo's ostracism from the Hollywood community because of his political beliefs.

In 1947, Trumbo was put on the Blacklist and ultimately jailed for his beliefs, before entering the Hollywood community again under a veil of secrecy.

Predominantly known for his comedy films like Austin Powers and Meet The Fockers, director Jay Roach heads down the traditional path for the genre, choosing to recreate a myriad of scenes and moments from Trumbo's life.

Consequently, the almost made for TV film occasionally feels like it's too choppy and frenetic with the areas it decides to land on; it's an odd idea and rather than simply concentrating on one particular time-span or thread, there are parts which feel massively underdeveloped and characters which go to waste. Chief among these is Trumbo's long-suffering wife Diane Lane, who simply shows to offer support before crumbling. Granted, by concentrating solely on the domestic stress of dealing with the idealistic approach to the Red Menace and Trumbo's exorcism the film would have felt over-blown, but there are plenty of dramatic fruits to be successfully mined here.

Thankfully, it's Cranston's actorly portrayal of the clearly witty and urbane Trumbo that helps propel the film along. He's clearly having a ball with his pronounced intonations delivering lines that are of a Noel Coward withering nature ("I'd say go on, but you will" just being one of the examples) He delivers the film's script with a dazzling theatricality that's called for that helps elevate the rather average ideas and execution from its own intentions.

There are moments when Trumbo becomes a film of characters and impersonations - chiefly Helen Mirren's harpie horrible Hedda Hopper and Dean O'Gorman's double-take Kirk Douglas - but it's in the execution of the spoken word and the recreation of the era that Trumbo excels. (Plus John Goodman's appearance adds a great deal of vim in the back as movie mogul Frank King, a peddler of B grade trash that Trumbo finds himself writing for)

Perhaps the criticism for this tale is that the choice of canvas is too wide and given the bath-dwelling Trumbo's a rich source for the plucking, it could have paid dividends in its final fight back against his vilification.

While Trumbo gained two Oscars writing under nom-de-plumes or selling the work to others as it was the right thing to do, the moment when he's welcomed back among his own, unfortunately lacks quite the emotional punch that it needs to resonate.

All in all though, Trumbo is a small triumph; had it chosen to hone in a little more on some key moments in his bath-dwelling life, it could have soared a lot higher than it actually does.

NZIFF Preview - Nuts!, Under The Sun, A Perfect Day, The Lure

NZIFF Preview - Nuts!, Under The Sun, A Perfect Day, The Lure

The pull of the New Zealand International Film Festival is just days away, and with it, the promise of good times out of the rain and inside the warmth of some of the nation's finest cinematic establishments.

And treats are certainly in store, as well as some of the more eye-popping elements currently on offer.

One of those slightly more out there propositions is Nuts!, the animated story of American entrepreneur J R Brinkley. Renowned for his ability to improve fertility by grafting goats' nuts to the scrotum, Brinkley became a populist hero and made his fame and fortune. But as ever, The Man didn't like it and came hunting for him.

Nuts!

It's hard not to root for Brinkley in this tale, and the mix of animation, stock footage and talking heads spin a great yarn as the story takes a deeper edge. There's pathos and misdirection as well as some sadder elements - if anything Nuts! has charm aplenty as the web is spun. Don't be too surprised if the simplicity of execution gets you wound up in the story and you find yourself feeling slightly aggrieved when this is over.

Equally aggrieving, but for distinctly other reasons, Under The Sun is a monumental expose of how North Korea's propaganda machine continues to rumble on.

Russian film-maker Vitaly Mansky travelled to Pyongyang to make a film about a school girl who was about to become a fully vested citizen, but what Mansky ends up capturing is a film about control and a peek behind the curtain look which is unlikely to do much to change many people's views about North Korea and its machinations.

Under The Sun

The rub with this film is the breakdown between the filmmaker and those allowing them to do the filming - shots reveal officials fussing over takes and asking them to say something more positive or re-do shots. It's heartbreaking in many ways, because the anti-Japanese sentiments, the way the children are brought up and the continual cycle of manipulation is all caught so matter of fact by Mansky's camera. Shots of routines, workouts, bleak winter days and children fidgeting nervously with their hands and fingers while extolling propaganda in class give the whole thing a downbeat sheen.

There can't be many who didn't suspect life in North Korea was like this, but as we revel in day-to-day freedoms that we take for granted, the prompt from one official to get the child to "say something cheerful" is a depressing note - mainly for the children's future who have to be brought up in this world.

Staying in a world that's been hit by problems, A Perfect Day's aiming for black humour in the Bosnian conflict.

A Perfect Day

The Spanish film features Benicio del Toro and Tim Robbins as part of a group of aid workers trying to move a corpse from a well in a conflict zone. It's an easy task in theory - take out the thing that's corrupting the surrounding well-being of the people (an allegory not lost on the viewers) but the amount of red-tape and problems it poses for del Toro's Mambru and Robbins' B would be funny if they weren't so ludicrous.

Fortunately, director Fernando Leon de Aranoa mines the gallows humour to reasonably exasperating effect throughout; and while the idea that Olga Kurylenko's top ranking aid official would head out among them stretches credibility somewhat, the flashes of the horrors of war that are interspersed throughout ground the film in a horrific reality that never quite goes away.

The one day to go storyline for del Toro's Mambru may have been done before with the likes of M*A*S*H but not once does A Perfect Day's sedentary pace through conflict lose any of its resonance as it seeks not to lecture but to present a sobering reality that aid workers have to face.

The Lure

Sobering reality is perhaps the last thing on the mind of The Lure, a veritable melange of the deranged, body horror, love story and pop video all meshed into one fever dream of lurid trashiness.

When aquatic sirens Silver and Golden are discovered at a water's edge, they're immediately shipped out into a sleazy club that's every bit the salacious joint you'd expect in the Incredibly Strange section (even if it does channel Lynchian elements of the Black Lodge in parts).

When one mermaid falls for the guitar player in their band, all hell threatens to break loose in this Polish first time filmmaker's quest for infamy.  The Lure may slightly struggle to piece it all together in the final strait, but with committed performances, a soundtrack and a chutzpah that deserves commendation for presenting large swathes of dialogue as choreographed pop songs, there's lots to admire in the enticing fishy tale The Lure.

Life, Animated: NZFF Review

Life, Animated: NZFF Review

If Disney Pixar's latest Finding Dory is a parable about living with disability, Life, Animated is a tale of how Disney helped one family and their son rise above their debilitating problem.

Director Roger Ross Williams has already snagged a Sundance directing prize for the doco about Owen Suskind and it's not hard to see why.

Meshing animation, Disney favourites and fly-on-the-wall aesthetics, it's the tale of 23 year old Owen Suskind who at 3 years old stopping talking and being able to form sentences, muttering only gibberish to his family and leaving them in heartbreak.

Diagnosed with regressive autism, Owen's parents Ron and Cornelia despaired as they lived in a world which didn't have the insights we do today and struggled to find a way to connect back to the son who early footage shows was just a normal kid.

But Owen's way back to the world and his parents' way to meet him was through a chance discovery of what Disney's animated films had given him... and it's here that a Life, Animated review veers too closely into spoilers to deprive you of some of the uplifting moments and lows that ensue.

What Ross Williams has done has helped shed light on a moving story of both those living with autism and those around them - but without sugar coating any of it. Based on father Ron's book, we see the pain of the parents (the line where his father decries the fact that his son simply disappeared is heartbreaking of itself), the anguish of the brother who will have to assume the mantle of protector and we witness the joie de vivre of Owen as he negotiates his life and touches of TV series The Undateables.

Meshing family footage and candid honesty as well as some beautiful animation from Mathieu Betard and Olivier Lescot, Life Animated is nothing short of heartwarming but never manipulative.

Providing a glimpse into the world of autism from Owen the subject itself, this is a coming of age story that revels for the most part in restraint. There can be no denial the final scenes leave you empowered (as a moment from the Lion King rams home the point), but it's the wonder of Owen and the simplicity of Ross Williams' construction of the piece that make you marvel.

If Ron Suskind's book Life Animated is the number 1 special needs biography, it's fair to say that this feel-good piece will bring the subject to a wider audience and will succeed in sending crowds off into the cold nights with a warm undeniable glow.

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!