The Great Wall trailer is here

The Great Wall trailer is here

Starring global superstar Matt Damon and directed by one of the most breathtaking visual stylists of our time, Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers), Legendary’s The Great Wall tells the story of an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world’s most iconic structure.  

The X Files: Season 10 Review

The X Files: Season 10 Review

Released by 20th Century Fox Home Ent

The latest season of The X Files comes 15 years after the last and represents a tour de force to those involved.

If you were ever touched by David Duchovny’s laconic FBI Agent Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s cooly detached FBI Agent Scully and their yin and yang partnership as they investigated all things unusual in the 90s, the 6 new episodes would practically have made you wet yourself in glee.

The hook with this season was never to dwell on the fine feeling generated by the nostalgia, but to bring a new generation of fans into the fold and to see it on its way to a new lease of life.

And to a degree, it manages that by saddling the delicate balance between using the show’s alien-centric mythology and stand alone eps in this 6 part outing. While the mythology eps remain a little murky and stuffed with their own self importance, (as well as an irritatingly open final ep that lands on a frustrating cliffhanger) the stand alone eps are equally as mixed too.

More effective is Kiwi Rhys Darby’s entering into the pantheon of the quirky X Files eps with Darin Morgan’s Were-monster ep that mixes both pathos and outlandish to good results. Home Again’s bizarre killer is a welcome diversion, but an ep that starts with 2 muslims bombing an art gallery feels oddly at evens with the show’s usual sensitivities.

But if anything, the limited event series benefits tremendously from Duchovny and Anderson’s chemistry and the show’s revitalised take on its own premise, which is both nostalgic and current.

The set comes with good solid extras that include a gag reel and a look back at the reboot, that further fuel the show’s love.

If there’s to be any criticism, it’s that 6 eps are too short in many ways – and that the 2 mythology eps would have been stronger over a longer run.

That said, the fact there’s even any extra episodes 15 years on from the end and 23 years after it first started is a small miracle.

The Truth is Still out there and it’s well worth diving back into.

Operation Avalanche: NZIFF Review

Operation Avalanche: NZIFF Review

A found footage film that proves the Moon Landing was fake may sound like a joke too far, but director / star Matt Johnson’s relentlessly inventive piece is nothing but a pure blast of cinephile love and an ode to the American space race.

In 1967, it’s the height of the Cold War, and there are concerns Russia’s going to beat America into space. At NASA, there’s an even deeper fear – that a mole has infiltrated their ranks and is stealing secrets.

Enter four undercover CIA agents (helmed by Matt Johnson’s goofball) who convince NASA to let them in under the pretense of filming a documentary about NASA – and who end up pitching the idea of a spoof Moon Landing film to ensure American interests win the day. To their surprise, the CIA says yes….

Endlessly clever and draped in 70s aesthetics with Super 8 footage and an infectious joie de vivre, Operation Avalanche is a film within a film conspiracy and it damn well knows it. But the meta doesn’t become so smart that it’s alienating – in fact, it’s anything but.

By taking the time to build character early on and set you a little off expectations by dishing out off-kilter moments and genuine laugh out loud moments at the geeky group as well as the premise that the CIA would allow a crew to blunder around filming, Operation Avalanche works incredibly well.

Unless you’re a diehard conspiracy theorist, you will love the flourishes in this gonzo film, and to be honest, nobody’s trying to convince you this found film footage is real but that’s not really the point of Operation Avalanche.

Effectively mining the special FX with ease and without obvious joins, there are authentic feeling moments which provoke marvel on a technical level – via Shepperton Studios and Stanley Kubrick. However, it’s not just these moments which stand out in Operation Avalanche.

Johnson’s created a group of likeable guys, spearheaded by his own giddy boy’s own chutzpah and it’s infectious. So much so that the final act of the film becomes a tensely filled nail biter of a finale creating as real a sense of terror as any decently done spinetingler of found footage horror can muster.

By never losing sight of the humanity in this space race shaggy dog story, Operation Avalanche is terribly evocative and effective. Clever and intelligently plotted within its layers within layers, it may be the smartest mass appeal found footage the New Zealand International Film Festival audience has seen.

Unless it proves to be true.

Jason Bourne: Film Review

Jason Bourne: Film Review

Cast: Matt Damon, Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones, Riz Ahmed, Julia Stiles, Vincent Cassel
Director: Paul Greengrass

Solid, yet formulaic and workman like, the latest Bourne is anything but spectacular.

In the latest non-essential part of the series, which unpicks all the neatly tied up threads of the series, Damon is a dogged Bourne, a machine-like automaton of assassination that's lacking any kind of real dialogue whatsoever.

When former comrade Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) finds Bourne and tells him there's more to his past than he actually realises, Jason Bourne is forced on to a quest to make those pay for the truth...

Nearly 10 years have passed since the The Bourne Ultimatum, and in a world where Wikileaks, Edward Snowden and security have become major issues, it feels like Jason Bourne does a token amount to address such things this time around.

Even with the apparently personal level of this mission this time around, Bourne himself may pull no punches (as a Greece-Albanian fight club sequence demonstrates) but the script is lacking in any kind of real elements of either mystery or urgency.

Throwing in Riz Ahmed as the head of a Facebook style company for little reason other than to facilitate the finale is a missed opportunity; it's a disposable plot thread which dangles undernourished on the narrative vine. 

And unfortunately, despite the re-teaming of Greengrass and Damon to the series, there's much of Jason Bourne which feels similarly wanting and in parts, and sees the film fall into an entirely predictable rut of action and flashbacks.

Despite getting things underway with a simmering riot bubbling out of hand and a hunt for Bourne in Greece at the start, the story loses its impetus soon after as Matt Damon's scarred Jason Bourne walks from place to place, avoiding the bad guys. It's repetitive and hardly builds tension at all as Vincent Cassel's Asset tries to hunt him down at the behest of Tommy Lee Jones' hang-faced CIA director.

The action sequences are assured and measured, but never fully thrilling (with the exception of the aforementioned Greece sequence). Greengrass is more than competent in their execution, with his shaky cam and quick cuts pervading proceedings, but never threatening to derail them. It's a shame that the Vegas finale feels like a rote chase, with car-nage aplenty and muted thrills, rather than edge of your seat stuff.

Fortunately, the addition of Alicia Vikander as Heather Lee, an analyst whose motives are questionable gives the film a bit of spark and stoicism that it needs (as well as a puncture through the old boys club mentality that pervades Bourne). And Damon himself, looking aged and still capable of taking the physical workload, does great things, giving his character a wearied edge of someone lost in the world and trying to find his place within it.

But that's the thing with Jason Bourne; in among the talk of assets, chases, betrayals, fake outs and action, nothing ever feels fresh or enticing in the self imposed sense of seriousness and the idea of solely providing a blast of Bourne nostalgia. 

Fans of the series may get a kick out of the franchise's return, but that's possibly about it. (Also, the fact these former CIA assets don't quite know how to disguise themselves in crowds simply beggars belief...)

Ironically, for a film about an amnesiac assassin, the whole thing about Jason Bourne is that it's instantly forgettable the minutes the lights go up - it's formulaic where it should be fresh, and in parts, flat where it should burst with energy.

Play 5 New GTA Online: Cunning Stunts Races Today + New Vehicles, Bonuses and More

Play 5 New GTA Online: Cunning Stunts Races Today + New Vehicles, Bonuses and More

Play 5 New GTA Online: Cunning Stunts Races Today + New Vehicles, Bonuses and More

Today, five new Stunt Races join the roster of GTA Online: Cunning Stunts, taking you and your appetite for high-flying, daring, stunting action everywhere from the peaks of Mount Chiliad to the shores of Vespucci. And next week, the official launch of the Stunt Race Creator tool will harness the talents of the amazing Creator community to usher in a whole new era of player-made mayhem. Check out a brief overview of this week's new Stunt Races below, and read on for details on three new vehicles, this week's bonuses and more.

Chiliad (Super)
Mount Chiliad has inspired artists, hippies and death cults for generations, but until now it's offered precious little for the key Los Santos demographic: reckless Super car enthusiasts. All that changes with this towering Stunt Race over the iconic peak of San Andreas.

H200 (Sport)
After a long day in the office hoping the IT guy won't check your search history, there's nothing more invigorating than the touch of the ocean breeze and the smell of salt water as it washes over a race track and floods your engine. Stunt Race for Sports cars. Pro tip: bring your bikini bottoms.

Over the Bridge (Bike)
Sure, 2000cc superbikes weren't designed to spend this much time flying through the air above industrial docklands, but every step of evolutionary progress is tough on the pioneers. Jump-heavy Point to Point Stunt Race.

Vespucci (Super)
The Los Santos coastline is about so much more than golden sand, contaminated water and steroid abuse. It's also a perfect backdrop for laps of a winding Stunt Race where any mistake will send you and your million dollar Super car to the bottom of the sea. Hey, it beats the Ferris wheel.

The Wave (Bike)
Who said you have to venture out into the middle of the Pacific in a force ten gale to feel so seasick you want to die? That special inside-out feeling is available right here on this coastal Stunt Race for Bikes.

NEW VEHICLES: BRAVADO SPRUNK BUFFALO, MTL DUNE & VAPID CONTENDER
Three new vehicles, the Bravado Sprunk Buffalo, MTL Dune and Vapid Contender, have also been added to GTA Online today. Tackle Stunt Races with Sprunk guzzling pride in the branded livery-clad Buffalo, or dial up your friends at Pegasus to motor through the Blaine County off-road in the MTL Dune. The Contender offers formidable size and balanced suspension to tackle a variety of terrains - an asset for active Executives and VIPs.

PREMIUM RACE: H200 (Friday 7/29 - Sunday 7/31)
This weekend's Premium Race is the new "H200" Stunt Race for Sports class cars. Ante up and try to take down all comers in a mad dash for that GTA$100,000 top prize.

BONUSES: DOUBLE GTA$ & RP PLAYLIST, FREE GOLD JUMPSUIT & MORE
From Wednesday July 27th through Friday July 29th, ALL Stunts Series Races will dish out Double GTA$ and RP. In addition to being accessible from the pink Stunt Series blips on the map, you can jump into the Stunt Series directly right on the GTAV loading screen. High rollers, keep an eye out for a Premium Race this weekend, where you can ante up and try to take down all comers in a mad dash for that GTA$100,000 top prize.

You can add to your racing wardrobe this week with the flamboyant Gold Jumpsuit, available just by logging in to GTA Online at any point between now and Monday, August 1st. Add some color to your fleet with 20% off all vehicle Resprays and Neons. And for those who like to grab sustained air-based transportation, the Buckingham Nimbus Jet and Volatus helicopter are both 30% off at Elitás Travel. 

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 launch on Playstation®4 and Xbox One

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 launch on Playstation®4 and Xbox One

Super Hero action RPGs also return to Steam for Windows PC

Activision Publishing, Inc., in collaboration with Marvel Entertainment, is this week making the classic Super Hero action RPGs Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 available digitally on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One for the first time, as well as once more on Windows PC via Steam. The pair of critically praised titles can be purchased separately or together in the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Bundle today via the PlayStation®Store and Steam, and on July 28 through the Xbox Games Store.

Featuring a cast of over 22 playable characters, the first Marvel: Ultimate Alliance lets players create their own teams of heroes from the Marvel Universe, or recreate their favourite existing ones, like the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four and more. Experience a story starring more than 140 legendary characters, including Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, Loki, Wolverine, Doctor Doom, Ultron and many others. Customise and upgrade these mighty squads of champions to unleash upon the single-player campaign, or in cooperative and competitive online and local multiplayer for up to four players.

Set within the climactic events of Marvel Comics’ Civil War story arc, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 throws players into the struggle for or against the infamous Superhuman Registration Act. The missions, challenges, and threats players face are affected by which side of the conflict they choose. Like its predecessor, the game lets players assemble and level up their own Marvel Universe dream teams from over 24 playable characters, each with specialised abilities that can be combined for amazing results. Play alone in single-player, or battle together in online and local co-op with up to four friends.

Both Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 are rated M (moderate violence).

KONAMI and FC Barcelona announce three-year agreement as PES 2017 publisher becomes Premium Partner of Catalan giants

KONAMI and FC Barcelona announce three-year agreement as PES 2017 publisher becomes Premium Partner of Catalan giants

KONAMI and FC Barcelona announce three-year agreement as PES 2017 publisher becomes Premium Partner of Catalan giants

                                   

Sydney, 27^th July - Konami Digital Entertainment B.V., creator of the award-winning PES series of football simulations, has announced a top-level partnership with FC Barcelona, the first of its kind for a video game publisher.

"This is a real statement of intent for us,” explained Tomotada Tashiro, President of Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. “By working closely with a team of Barcelona’s stature we can introduce the PES series to a huge global fan base. This partnership will deliver access to the very best players in the modern game and to one of the world’s most respected and ambitious clubs. The PESseries is famed for its realism and control, so the fit between such a skilled team and a game that celebrates such ability is perfect.”

KONAMI and FC Barcelona has entered a Premium Partner agreement, which will see KONAMI granted extensive access to the club’s stars and have a visible presence within the match day experience. KONAMI will have a prominent advertising presence within and around the club’s Camp Nou stadium, and will also receive exclusive rights to recreate FC Barcelona’s legendary home within its PES titles, starting with PES 2017 and within all related PES-branded releases, including mobile titles.

“We are delighted to have signed this agreement with KONAMI, who is now an official Premium Partner of the Club" added Manel Arroyo, FC Barcelona Vice-President of Marketing and Communications. "KONAMI is a strategic partner that will allow us to bring FC Barcelona to millions of users of its game. We hope to see the club, the players and Camp Nou, perfectly recreated in the next and future versions of the PES series."

FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 in Barcelona, Catalonia. The team is widely known to fans by their nickname ‘Barca’, and since their formation has won the UEFA Champions League five times, the Spanish League 24 times, and many other honours. FC Barcelona is one of the best-supported clubs in the world, with almost 145,000 Socios, (members) and the top sport club on social media, with nearly 250 million followers. FC Barcelona will also be represented faithfully within the series, with KONAMI’s proprietary Team ID and Player ID systems used to ensure the PES side perfectly reflects the overall and individual playing styles of the Catalan side and its many stars. The club’s famed ’offensive, playing style will be fully implemented, as will the club anthem ’Himno‘. Konami will also be using advanced 3D photo-scanning techniques to implement the faces and expressions of key players, and will also release in-game versions of the club’s historical kits for use in the games. There will also be special promotions within its hugely popular myClub mode that will allow fans to add Barca stars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr and Luis Suarez to their home-grown squads. In addition PES 2017 will include FCB Legends also available in myClub.