Under The Shadow: Film Review

Under The Shadow: Film Review

Tapping into both childhood fears and mining a rich social setting proves to be fertile ground inBabak Anvari's psychological terror Under the Shadow.

Set in the Iran /Iraq war and using the genre conventions of a haunted house /superstitious myth, it's the story of Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). Shideh has been fighting against the patriarchal society to get back to her studies as a doctor, but losing the fight, she's forced to take control of the household when her doctor husband is posted at a facility near the front line on military service.

But as the shadow of the war creeps closer to Shideh's Tehran apartment and the bombings come closer, she refuses to move out. And things get worse when her young daughter starts to believe they're being haunted by a Djinn....

As a first foray into the horror genre, writer / director Babak Anvari's Under The Shadow both simultaneously embraces the tropes of the genre and gives them a new spin, creating something that feels fresh and exciting. The slow burn of the set up allows you to really engage with Shideh's struggle, and then when Dorsa starts to feel threatened, the atmospherics are simply ramped up another notch. (Granted the idea of a kid under threat is perhaps where the film's creepiness really begins to kick in).

Anvari's embracing of autobiographical elements has clearly enhanced the look and feel of the film, but it's Rashidi as the feminist hero and first time child actor Manshadi who really propel proceedings into the stratosphere. Their interaction and the sneaking feeling that Shideh is losing it are nicely set up and in the initial part of the film the seesawing between who is right and who is wrong veers so clearly back and forth that you're never quite sure if the Djinn concept is anything other than in both of their heads.

Mining the rich vein of paranoia and foreboding with the war in the background and the shredding of nerves works wonders for the audience participation and engagement with Under The Shadow. 

This is not a CGI driven shock fest, but an introduction of a new take on the genre that feels fresh, exciting and could potentially have legs for others to take over; it feels like even by saying so little, the mythology is deeply set up in this film - and the ending offers up the potential for more. The fact its societal setting says much gives a disquiet and insight that adds much to proceedings.

Original, slow burning and psychologically deft, the unsettling Under the Shadow is a clever take on its genre and it's one not to be missed.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: Blu Ray Review

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Ent

That Tina Fey is the major revelation as an actor is perhaps the best takeaway of the slightly ramshackle Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Based on The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan, the war memoirs of Kim Baker, and from the directors of Crazy, Stupid Love, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is all about subverting the norms and expectations of the conventional war pic.

And it works to varying degrees.

Fey stars as Baker, a dissatisfied reporter stuck in a dead-end job and determined to turn things around. On a whim, she signs up to cover the conflict in Afghanistan in 2002, full of journalistic bluster and self-doubt.

However, when she gets to Afghanistan, she finds the Kabul atmosphere somewhat hedonistic as the embedded journalists there live life to the large, stuck in the mundanity of war time gallows humour and of a conflict that's already on the wane in the news cycle.

Initially awkward, Baker strikes up a friendship with fellow female reporter Tanya Vanderpoel (Robbie) and the pair work their way through the daily routine. But, as ever in wartime, there are casualties - both of the heart and of the human kind.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is an odd affair, a kind of dramedy that relies more on wry writing and a powerhouse delivery from Fey to see it through, rather than a stereotypical war movie with a comedy actress inserted in.

If your perception of Fey is solely as a comedic performer, the more restrained edges she brings to Kim Baker will be a welcome shock to your system, proving she has more than the dramatic chops needed to pull off the nuances necessary.

If Fey is impressive though, Girls' star Christopher Abbott eclipses what she does as Fahim, the native helper and guide to Baker. His is a turn of rare complexity, of understatement and one of the stand-outs of the film. And in an ensemble cast that numbers Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina and Margot Robbie, that is quite the feat.

By necessity, as the story has to cover several years worth of material, it jumps around a lot. Consequently though and unfortunately, it means some of the emotional heft of life within the self-coined "Kabubble" doesn't quite hit as perhaps it should or indeed could.

Some scenes hang together and then disappear, which is a shame because the rough and ready nature of how it's shot gives this unconventional wartime tale the sheen and grit it needs. This is no typical war story and it doesn't play out like you'd expect from the likes of Good Morning, Vietnam. You know a dramatic event is coming at some point, and unfortunately, in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, when it does show, the rushed conflict and sudden tonal whiplash of the final act jars a little (a rivalry, a kidnapping), leaving a feeling of contrivance rather than a deeper emotional immersing in events.

A bit more focus in some places and some slightly more fleshed out dramatic seeding would have greatly improved the at times satirical Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

All that said though, this is a film where both Fey and Abbott rise high above the material; they deliver human performances and elevate the slightly rougher edges of the jumpy story to leave you feeling that this is a tale whose complexities would have been better served with a more singular focus, but whose journey has delivered up two of the strongest acting surprises of the year. 

X-Men Apocalypse: Blu Ray Review

X-Men Apocalypse: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by 20th Century Fox Home Ent


It's back into X-territory for the latest outing in the mutant franchise.

This time around, ten years after the events of Days of Future Past the mutants of Charles Xavier (MacAvoy) are forced into action when the First Mutant Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) is re-awakened. Intent on destroying the world and unleashing chaos, Xavier's problems are further compounded when Magneto (Fassbender) joins Apocalypse's team...

That the latest X Men film feels a misfire is more a script issue rather than any kind of fault in its execution.

Granted, there's plenty of at times impressive CGI destruction to behold as Apocalypse and Magneto join forces to raze civilisation, but the script's lack of singular focus or clear vision means parts feel muddled and overly saggy without any real reason.

It may be that part of the story's rehash of how a mutant comes to be (in this case, Scott Summers, played by Mud's Tye Sheridan) feels so familiar having been explored before. Other characters in the film such as Angel, Storm and Psylocke have good opening sequences and introductions before falling away into narrative obscurity.

It's symptomatic of so much being juggled but yet nothing being fully fleshed out in X Men Apocalypse, that it leaves the whole thing feeling relatively soulless and without any real sense of jeopardy.

It's a shame because the opening in Egypt feels like a mutant version of the start of The Mummybut gives the film a sense of scale and threat that's lacking elsewhere. 

The problem comes that Apocalypse is a bit of a weaker villain for the piece, preferring to be an enabler of those recruited to his Four Horsemen gang, rather than an actual menace worthy of the series and of the tease that was proffered up at the end of Days of Future Past. Isaac does as much as he can under the blue prosthetics but he's saddled with scenes that simply find him in the action scowling and grumbling, rather than bringing a level of fear that the so-called First Mutant should evoke.

For the sixth film in this revamped series, the latest X-Men curiously defers all the personal interplay that helped lift the previous films in favour of over-egging the pudding. 

Curiously, the best moments of Apocalypse involve Fassbender's sense of tragedy as Erik is forced to abandon his living under cover and working in a steel-works - but even this emotional resonance is ultimately undercut by the ongoing tedium of the ideological battle between Xavier and Erik over their philosophical outlook on life. It's a thread that's repeatedly been explored before and one which finds nothing new added this time around.

Of the younger generation, Evan Peters once again excels as Quicksilver, with his central action piece of rescuing everyone from an exploding building being a visual highlight (even if it is a riff on his previous cinematic appearance) and Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner presents an intriguingly subdued take on Jean Grey, with more pent-up yet somehow repressed psychological damage being the order of the day.

Unfortunately though, with the over-stuffing of the cast, the film's younger generation don't exactly excel - despite all their efforts (Kodi Smit-McPhee's Nightcrawler is a nice take on the Alan Cummings'  much loved mutant) the script confines them to the sidelines or to a pointless excursion to Stryker's hideout and Weapon X, purely for fan service.

Equally, the Apocalypse group (who look like a bad 80s rock band) fall away in the wash. The Newsroom's Olivia Munn makes an initial impression as Psylocke before narratively she is eclipsed. 

It's symptomatic of the wider issues of X-Men Apocalypse, a film which is more concerned with rote CGI destruction (which is visually impressive to start off with, before repeatedly used) than character. If this series needs anything urgently with a 90s set outing planned, it's an injection of heart, soul and humanity, rather than a reliance on FX. 

If it doesn't go back to basics, concentrates on the core elements of the series and delivers a genuinely threatening villain or situation that doesn't feel contrived very soon, the X-Men franchise runs a risk of becoming cinematically and thematically alienated.

NewsTalk ZB Review - Inferno, My Scientology Movie and The Conjuring 2

NewsTalk ZB Review - Inferno, My Scientology Movie and The Conjuring 2

This week on NewsTalk ZB with Jack Tame, I caught up with Jack Tame to discuss Tom Hanks in Inferno, Louis Theroux's My Scientology Movie and The Conjuring 2.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-morning-with-jack-tame/audio/darren-bevan-inferno-my-scientology-movie/

The Conjuring 2: DVD Review

The Conjuring 2: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

Mining the source material of the Warrens' many investigations and combining it with the masterful direction of Insidious horror meister James Wan prove to be an intoxicating mix in The Conjuring 2.

Swathed in drab British 70s decor makes the recollection of the Enfield Haunting an unsettling and tautly directed horror that plays on primal fears and sees Wan dictating to his audience when and how to react.

Loosely the film starts off with Ed and Lorraine Warren (Wilson and Farmiga respectively reprising their roles from 3 years ago) concluding their investigation into a haunting in Amityville.
With Lorraine seriously spooked by a demon and Ed irritated at the scepticism and mockery they face, the duo decide to step back from the limelight.

However, on the other side of the world, in a council house on a London road, something deeply unsettling is manifesting with a single mom (Frances O'Connor) and her brood being haunted by something malevolent.

The Conjuring 2 is a terrifically taut and spookily executed horror piece, which uses some jump scares and long drawn-out scenes to great effect to make this a sequel that improves on the 2013 version.

If the Warrens are largely confined to the sidelines for great parts and only used in the second act in some cheesier moments (including drawing a relatively long bow connection to the two cases), Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga don't let it show with performances which render the main duo's earnestness and beacon of Christian hope both empathetic and likeable, even if the script doesn't quite serve them as well as it could. 

Despite bizarrely concentrating on the romance and relationship of the duo, Lorraine's very threatened existence and portentous visions give the film a tangible edge of danger and contribute to one of the very best scenes of the film, set inside a study.

But it's more than Dick van Dyke demons which haunt Enfield that provide the inevitable scares and relative dread of the chilly oppressive atmosphere.  (Even if the kids in jeopardy are blessed with some luv-a-duck accents). Granted, there are elements of The Exorcist and a lot of visuals from the Insidious series within, but there's a very palpable sense of dread that Wan draws from the suburban surroundings of a well executed house (complete with 70s trappings of David Soul posters on the bedrooms) and the way the cameras follow elements around, causing you to second guess when the shocks are coming.
Wan's clever drawing out of tension and ultimate measured and paced execution leads to some terrific edge of your seat stuff and a sequence with a painting that's on it's way to becoming a classic. Suspense and dread are the name of the game - even if in the finale everything is thrown at it when perhaps more would have been less. (And a post 2 hour run time seems a little excessive in the final mix).

This time, the Warrens feel less central to the proceedings bizarrely, given Wan concerns a lot of his time with the goings on in the Enfield house. It's a prescient move though, given the greatest elements of horror come from the age old trope of kids in jeopardy and this film knows how to milk that for maximum claustrophobic effect.

Unfortunately, those outside of proceedings seem surplus to dramatic requirements. The rest of the kids show up only to allow for further jeopardy, the mum seems to exist to dispatch only back-story given her husband's non-appearance on the scene, and other members of the Warrens' investigation team offer tantalising hints of what fractures could have been offered with differing points of view.

Ultimately though, The Conjuring 2 is a rare beast; a horror sequel that doesn't rely on cheap thrills and wanton audience manipulation to achieve its final aim. 

It's a tense and creepy old school film that benefits greatly from a restrained approach and which leaves you feeling deeply unsettled throughout, even if some of the dramatic measures to get there take a large leap of faith.

Dishonored 2 | New Gameplay Video – Emily and Corvo’s Daring Escapes

Dishonored 2 | New Gameplay Video – Emily and Corvo’s Daring Escapes

We’ve just released a new gameplay video for Dishonored 2 titled, ‘Daring Escapes’. Watch as both Emily Kaldwin and Corvo Attano showcase a few of the seemingly limitless creative combinations of their supernatural abilities, weapons and gadgets to escape from the Royal Conservatory.  

Reprise your role as a supernatural assassin in Dishonored 2, the next chapter in the award-winning Dishonored saga by Arkane Studios, set to launch worldwide on November 11, 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Delilah, a mad witch armed with powerful black magic, has seized the throne from Empress Emily Kaldwin, leaving the fate of the Isles hanging in the balance. As either Emily Kaldwin or Corvo Attano, travel beyond the legendary streets of Dunwall to Karnaca – a once-dazzling coastal city that holds the key to restoring Emily to power. Armed with the mark of the Outsider and powerful new supernatural abilities, hunt down your enemies and forever alter the fate of the Empire.

Will you choose to play as Empress Emily Kaldwin or her father, the royal protector Corvo Attano? Will you make your way through the game unseen, make full use of its brutal combat system, or use a blend of both? How will you combine your character’s unique set of abilities, weapons and gadgets to eliminate your enemies?

Anyone who pre-orders Dishonored 2 will be able to play the game a day early before the official worldwide release, and will receive a copy of Dishonored: Definitive Edition.

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Out Now

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Out Now

Video Game and Entertainment Icon Celebrates Two Decades of Adventures in Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration

The Ultimate Rise of the Tomb Raider Experience Features New Story Chapter, New Co-Op Endurance Gameplay, Limited Edition Art Book, and In-Game Content Honoring

Classic Lara Croft Games

SYDNEY, 12^TH October 2016 – Square Enix®, Crystal Dynamics®, and Nixxes Software announce that Rise of the Tomb Raider®: 20 Year Celebration™ is now available for the PlayStation®4. In addition, the new content will be available for Xbox One and PC Season Pass owners. In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara becomes more than a survivor, and embarks on her first Tomb Raiding expedition in search of the secret of immortality. She’ll explore a vast and hostile world, engage in guerilla combat, and discover deadly tombs.

Watch the launch trailer for Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration at https://youtu.be/4B9alWaq95Y. An Infographic for the Year of Tomb Raider is also now available to view at: TombRaider.com

“Tomb Raider is one of Square Enix’s crowning achievements, and I am proud of the many adventures we’ve taken with Lara Croft over the years, particularly with Rise of the Tomb Raider,” said Yosuke Matsuda, president and representative director of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. “We plan to continue Lara’s enduring legacy by exploring new and innovative ways for players to experience her character and story.”

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is the most comprehensive version of the award-winning experience, and includes Rise of the Tomb Raider, along with a host of completely new content such as the new story chapter “Blood Ties,” “Lara’s Nightmare” zombie combat mode, PlayStation® VR support for “Blood Ties,” co-op Endurance gameplay, an “Extreme Survivor” difficulty, five classic Lara skins, and an outfit and weapon inspired by TR III. It also includes all of the previously released downloadable content such as the critically acclaimed “Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch,” “Cold Darkness Awakened,” 12 outfits, seven weapons, multiple Expedition Card packs, and more.

“Our development team has crafted the ultimate package in Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration,” said Scot Amos, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “The game and all of the new additions delivers something for every gamer with an epic single-player story, survival co-op action, and a fully immersive virtual reality story chapter.”

After uncovering an ancient mystery, Lara must explore the most treacherous and remote regions of Siberia to find the secret of immortality before a ruthless organization known as Trinity beats her to it. Faced with the mysterious Remnant leader Jacob, the constant threats of Trinity's leader Konstantin, and driven by her Father’s unfinished legacy, Lara must become the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.

“Being a part of Tomb Raider history has been such an honor for the team,” said Ron Rosenberg, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “We’re excited to share this journey with our fans, in what has become the Year of Tomb Raider.”

Since her first appearance in 1996 in the original Tomb Raider from Core® Design, Lara Croft® has trekked more than 25 countries and revolutionized the way the gaming community perceives lead characters in video games. Lara is an intrepid, empowered adventurer who must rely on her skills and intelligence not only to unravel ancient mysteries but also to survive in the most treacherous environments.

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is now available in all major retail stores across Australia & New Zealand. As a special launch week bonus, Square Enix is awarding everyone who logs in and plays Rise of the Tomb Raider on any available platform with a bonus 100,000 in-game credits, with which players can purchase Expedition Cards to be used in a variety of replay modes.

To date, the critically acclaimed Rise of the Tomb Raider has received more than 85 “Best of” nominations, winning more than 30 awards.