Show Me Shorts Film Festival 2016 Programme announced

Show Me Shorts Film Festival 2016 Programme announced

New Zealand’s leading international short film festival, Show Me Shorts, has announced the full programme of short films in the 2016 line-up. The 11^th edition of New Zealand’s pre-eminent short film festival will showcase 47 superb short films from New Zealand and around the world, at more than 20 cinemas nationwide from 1 October.

Show Me Shorts received 1,500 submissions from more than 60 countries this year – a massive 50% increase on 2015. The final selection includes 19 New Zealand short films, 23 international short films and five local music videos.

Show Me Shorts will host ten world premieres and twenty-four New Zealand premieres during the festival.

NZ musician-turned-director Joe Lonie’s Shout at the Ground is having its world premiere in the 2016 Show Me Shorts. This raucous road-trip ‘vom-com’ follows a rock band on tour, racing to the ferry crossing, while they deconstruct a heist that robbed them of the door-take from their gig.

Award-winning animation director James Cunningham's new family-friendly film, Kitten Witch will also make its debut outing. Other New Zealand-made world premieres include: Break in the Weather, starring Aidee Walker and Peter Elliot; dramatic thriller Long Time Coming by Tom Augustine; a dramatisation of a true story, Eight Years Later, by Andrew R. Blackman; the tense, shocking Fract by Georgina Bloomfield; and Unfaithful by Lucy Timmins.

International filmmakers choosing Show Me Shorts for their world premiere include Iranian director Adnan Zandi with Butterflies; American director Tom Teller, whose ambitious sci-fi film, Icarus is set on Mars; and Fabricated - a dystopian animation set in an incredibly detailed world that took ten years in the making!

Show Me Shorts is delighted to have secured the New Zealand premiere of UK director Daniel Mulloy’s award-winning Home - a sensitive, layered and complex exploration of the breakdown and rebuilding of trust and love amid the trauma of war and migration. This role-reversing portrait of an English family heading out on what appears to be a holiday is both timely and intimate.

A German comedy is among the international films making their New Zealand debut in the 2016 Show Me Shorts. The Bathtub by Tim Ellrich dives into nostalgia and hilarity as three brothers attempt to re-create a childhood photo for their mother.

                          

Seide, directed by Elnura Osmonalivea of Kyrgyzstan, comes to NZ after screening at high profile international festivals such as Venice and Sundance. It showcases the breathtaking beauty of Kyrgyzstan’s snowy mountains, only just eclipsed by a powerful performance as a girl tries to avoid her arranged marriage.

The films and music videos have been divided into six categories, that each contain around eight short films united by a common theme. The session titles are:

●        Secrets and Lies

●        Heartstrings

●        My Generation

●        Homeland

●        He Tangata

●        Bump in the Night

The 2016 festival will not only screen in cinemas nationwide from Kaitaia to Stewart Island. For the first time, the Show Me Shorts circuit also includes Scott Base in Antarctica thanks to collaboration with Antarctica New Zealand.

 “Antarctica New Zealand is very excited to be part of the Show Me Shorts Film Festival programme in 2016,” says Jeanine Foster, General Manager Communications, Antarctica New Zealand.

“The team at Scott Base are grateful for the opportunity to be part of it all. Despite being one of the most isolated locations in the world, Scott Base has hosted many aspiring short film makers over the past 60 years. But we’ve never be fortunate enough to have a whole film festival available to the staff and scientists working on the New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme – so from all of us at Antarctica New Zealand – thanks!”

All of the films and music videos will compete for a range of awards and prizes (valued at more than $35,000) to be presented at the Auckland Opening Night and Awards Ceremony at The Civic on 1 October. As New Zealand’s first Academy Awards-accredited film festival, the winners of the Lightbox Best Film Award and the Best International Film Award will become qualified to enter the Academy Awards®.

Full programme information and details about the films is now live here: http://www.showmeshorts.co.nz/programme/

BATMAN - The Telltale Series - Episode Two: Children of Arkham' Out Now - Cast Interview

BATMAN - The Telltale Series - Episode Two: Children of Arkham' Out Now - Cast Interview

BATMAN - The Telltale Series - Episode 2: Children of Arkham' Now Available

Citizens of Gotham City, Today we can announce that BATMAN - The Telltale Series - Episode 2: Children of Arkham is now available for download on PC/Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. We'll be announcing release dates for additional platforms later this month. In today's all-new behind the scenes video, hear from Troy Baker (Bruce Wayne/Batman), Laura Bailey (Selina Kyle/Catwoman) and Travis Willingham(Harvey Dent) on their creative process in bringing these iconic characters to life with a fresh spin, as well as the exciting and challenging experience of performing in an interactive narrative.  In Episode Two, with Gotham City's first family mired in corruption, and an old friend now a dangerous adversary, the life of the Dark Knight is turned upside down. What was Thomas Wayne entangled in, and why was he killed? Determined to learn the truth about his father, Bruce sets out to question those involved in Gotham's criminal past. But which mask will he wear - The billionaire, or the bat? Huge decisions will forever change the Batman and the lives of those around him, as he meets the Children of Arkham. In their 9 out of 10 review of Episode Two, Game Informer said the chapter is,"dark, and is loaded with shocking moments and riveting character twists" also calling it, "one of Telltale's best efforts yet."  IGN.com said, "The way Children of Arkham's story confounds my expectations of events as a long-time Bat-fan is its most alluring quality," also saying that the episode, "continues to build an engaging Dark Knight story in a unique and uncharted version of the D.C. legend's universe." The series is also available to purchase at retailers now as a special Season Pass Disc, which includes the first of five episodes in the season, and grants access to the subsequent four episodes as they become available for download via online updates.  Rendered to look like a living, breathing comic book, Telltale's vision of Batman features an award-winning cast of talent, including Troy Baker in the role of Bruce Wayne, Travis Willingham as Harvey Dent, Erin Yvette as Vicki Vale, Enn Reitel as Alfred Pennyworth, Murphy Guyer as Lieutenant James Gordon,Richard McGonagle as Carmine Falcone, Jason Spisak as Oswald Cobblepot,and Laura Bailey as Selina Kyle. Additional cast and characters will be revealed as the season progresses. BATMAN - The Telltale Series Episode 2: Children of Arkham is rated M (Mature) for Violence, Blood, and Drug References by the ESRB. Future content in the season is yet to be rated by the ESRB. The series is published by Telltale Games in partnership with Warner Bros.  For more information on Telltale Games, and more news surrounding the series, visit the official website, Facebook, and follow Telltale Games on Twitter@TelltaleGames.

Birthdays the Beginning comes to PS4

Birthdays the Beginning comes to PS4

BIRTHDAYS THE BEGINNING COMES TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND IN EARLY 2017 FOR PS4!

NIS America is happy to officially announce that Birthdays the Beginning will be coming to North America and Europe in early 2017 for PlayStation®4 and Steam (Windows) as a physical and digital release! The game will contain in-game text in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

About the game:

From the creator of Harvest Moon, Mr. Yasuhiro Wada (TOYBOX Inc.), comes Birthdays the Beginning: a new sandbox game in which players create cube-shaped worlds that give rise to diverse and unique lifeforms. With careful experimentation, players can shape the geography and alter the temperature of each world to create the conditions for life and witness the birth of an entire ecosystem!

Key Features:

A World All Your Own – Create any world you can imagine! From staggering mountains and sprawling forests to a deep sea dotted with islands, there’s no limit to your creations.

Life from the Beginning – Discover the history of everything as you foster life of all shapes and sizes – from single-celled organisms to complex multicellular life, including plants, mammals, dinosaurs, and more!

Cultivate Your Imagination – Imagine, Experiment, Create! Shape your planet and decide how plant and animal life evolves. No two planets will ever be truly alike.

God Wars Future Past coming to PS4

God Wars Future Past coming to PS4

GOD WARS FUTURE PAST TO HIT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND IN EARLY 2017 FOR PS4™ AND PS VITA!

NIS America is excited to announce that the tactical RPG GOD WARS Future Past will be coming to North America and Europe in early 2017 on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®Vita as a physical and digital release!

GOD WARS Future Past is a tactical RPG that explores the untold history of Japan through folklore and tactical combat. Gamers will experience the traditional stories of Japan’s origin through the lens of three warring nations, with a massive expanse of tactical options to develop their strategies from including a myriad of character classes and equipment within innovative and challenging stages.

About the story:

A long time ago, there was a beautiful land made up of three nations: Fuji, Izumo, and Hyuga. This land was called Mizuho. The people of Mizuho disliked conflict, honored their ancestral spirits, and lived in harmony with nature. However, over time, they began cultivating crops, forging and using metal, fighting wars, destroying nature, and neglecting to honor their ancestral spirits.

In the meantime, various locations in Mizuho suffered from natural disasters like flooding, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In order to stop a destructive eruption, the Queen of Mizuho, Tsukuyomi, sacrificed her beloved daughter Sakuya to the mountain, confined her other daughter Kaguya within a bamboo seal in case of future disasters, and then disappeared. 13 years later, Princess Kaguya has grown into a beautiful woman and her childhood friend, Kintaro, saves her during a riot. She rises against her "fate to be a sacrifice," and in order to follow her own path, they both escape from Fuji and journey across Mizuho to discover the truth behind Tsukuyomi's decision.

Key Features:

A tale steeped in Japanese tradition – Step into Japan as you have never before seen it, and discover the wonder has that captivated orators, storytellers, and generations of people. Discover their stories, and meet the Myriad gods.

A wealth of customization and tactics – Customize 14 playable characters from more than 30 classes with 400+ skills and more than 250 unique pieces of equipment as you mold your party to face each new challenge.

Visuals from another age – Inspired by traditional Japanese ink painting and wood carving art, the artwork of GOD WARS will transport players to an age filled with mythology and wonder.

Look out for more information on God Wars Fture Past shortly!

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Beta announced for PlayStation 4

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Beta announced for PlayStation 4

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Beta announced for PlayStation 4

We have great news for all the Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 fans: you will be able to play the game before its release on PS4!

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 will have two Beta phases:

• A closed beta from October 8^th to October 10^th
• An open beta from October 14^th to October 17^th

How will you be able to access the Closed Beta?

All players who preordered Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 digitally (on the PS Store) will be able to access the Closed and Open Beta.

Some codes will also be distributed in various ways, so keep an eye out!

How will you be able to access the Open Beta?

All players on PlayStation 4 will be able to play in the Open Beta, just be sure to have a PSN Account ready!

What will be the exact opening times of the betas?

The closed beta will open at 9 am UK Time/10am CEST on October 8^th and will close on October 10^th at 9 am UK Time/10am CEST. The beta will be downloadable one day in advance on October 7^th at 9 am UK Time/10am CEST.

The open beta will open at 9 am UK Time/10am CEST on October 14^th and will close on October 17^th at 9 am UK Time/10am CEST. The beta will be downloadable one day in advance on October 13^th at 9 am UK time/10am CEST.

Be ready to take part in the tournaments to show the world that you are the best Time Patroller! All players who participate in the Beta will also receive a small gift when the game is released!

Sniper Elite 4 | First Gameplay Trailer & Target Führer Teaser

Sniper Elite 4 | First Gameplay Trailer & Target Führer Teaser

Sniper Elite 4

GDE and Rebellion are pleased to announce the Sniper Elite 4 pre-order bonus’ TARGET FÜHRER and CAMOFLAUGE RIFLES SKIN PACK.  This will be included in any pre-order box of Sniper Elite 4.

The debut gameplay trailer for SNIPER ELITE 4 is here and its ending has a twist in the tail – a teaser for TARGET FÜHRER, an extra campaign mission FREE to players who pre-order on any format!

With a brutal mix of stealth and bullet-pumping action set against gorgeous Italian backdrops, the first SNIPER ELITE 4 gameplay trailer showcases just some of the many additions and improvements coming to the most anticipated WW2 shooter of this gaming generation.

In TARGET FÜHRER, players will once again set their sights on history’s most notorious tyrant in a forgotten corner of the Mediterranean where a secret Nazi U-boat facility threatens Allied shipping. When agent Karl Fairburne attempts to assassinate the base’s Commander, he finds his target already dead, executed in person by a shadowy visitor. Karl’s mission has changed: TARGET FÜHRER! Players must destroy the imposing U-boat base and take down Hitler in as many ways as they can in this replayable campaign mission for 1-2 players. SNIPER ELITE 4 is now available for order at retail on PlayStation 4, and Xbox One All pre-orders will receive the TARGET FÜHRER campaign mission and CAMO RIFLES SKIN PACK which includes detailed camouflaged sleeves for the game’s seven iconic WW2 rifles.

 

Kung Fu Panda 3: DVD Review

Kung Fu Panda 3: DVD Review

Battling both demons external and internal, Po's return in Kung Fu Panda 3 is a frenetic family filled blast of pure cinematic animated joy.

This time around, the Jack Black voiced cuddly panda is on a quest to answer the age old question of "Who am I?" when he is appointed teacher by master Che Fu.

However, his existential crisis is threatened with being derailed when two events occur - the return of his father, voiced with warmth by Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston, and the arrival of JK Simmons' baddie Kai, a Kratos-like double blade wielding creature from the spirit world who's chi- stealing ways are a remnant of a 500 year old fight with master Ugwe.

So with Po's universe literally and figuratively about to be torn apart, the fight is on - but in true dumb skull panda fashion.

There's a heart and warmth to Kung Fu Panda 3 that's there from the start and leaps out from the screen as it mixes the story with some truly astounding animation, that blends its Eastern influences with ease.

Coupled with Po's trademark loveable dim-wittedness, the film makes great fist of its animation and its mystical trappings to weave together a story that wraps up all the threads and feels as rounded as the bear's belly, filled with dumplings.

While the original gang is sidelined a little by the threat of Kai and Po's heading out on his own, the frenzied pace of the film never stops. In fact, its unrelenting pace at the start grows near wearisome but will be adored by ADHD kids fed on a continual diet of quick cut zaniness as the story moves breakneck speed to where it needs to.

After about 40 minutes,King Fu Panda 3 slows and the result of doing so is welcome (even if some of the emotional heft of a reunion with pops  is lacking) as well as visually resounding.

With its message of two fathers being pertinent in this day and age of broken families and its resolve of we can make the difference together, Kung Fu Panda 3 delivers the requisite learnings to its family friendly audience without too much of a lecturing.

Complete with some truly impressive animation that blends greens, yellows and other hues from its palette to its Eastern mythological trappings, Kung Fu Panda 3 shows the franchise is in rude health, and is showing no sign of losing any of the creative resolve or charm of its central character as time goes on.

Rating: