The Alliance Française French Film Festival Announces 2017 Programme

The Alliance Française French Film Festival Announces 2017 Programme

The Alliance Française French Film Festival Announces 2017 Programme

The Alliance Française French Film Festival has announced the full 2017 programme, inviting audiences to experience one language, and a world of emotions.

“After months of preparation, viewing and selecting films, liaising with partners and much detailed planning, we are excited and happy to have arrived at the moment when we officially announce the full programme.

This year’s Festival is full of emotions: laughter, tears, suspense, excitement and entertainment. Much reflection lies ahead of us with 36 films presented over 6 weeks in 12 cities across New Zealand.

And all of this en français - bien sûr! Le cinéma — a great place to experience a culture, to learn a language, to travel the world and gain new understanding.” — Festival Director Dorothée Basel

With award-winning Festival titles, numerous female-directed features, and slapstick comedies, the 11th edition of the Alliance Française French Film Festival will feature some of France’s top stars and shine a light on up-and-coming talent. 

Having presented the International Premieres of some superb French jewels in the past, such as The Bélier Family and Rosalie Blum, 2017 is no exception, marking the world debut of writer-director Carine Tardieu’s wonderfully funny Just to be Sure (Ôtez-moi d’un doute). Starring François Damiens (The Bélier Family, AF FFF 2015) and Cécile de France (La Belle Saison, AF FFF 2016), the film leads the La Vie et L’Amour section of the programme.

Fans of classic French cinema will enjoy a fresh look at classic film genres with the Classics Remixed section, which pairs musical comedy The Umbrellas of Cherbourg with Julie and the Shoe Factory, and the film noir Le Doulos with Dark Diamond.

Featuring a line-up ripe with César Award nominees from Best Film (Slack Bay, From the Land of the Moon, In Bed with Victoria) and Best Actor (Nicolas Duvauchelle for A Decent Man, Fabrice Luchini for Slack Bay, Omar Sy for Monsieur Chocolat, Gaspard Ulliel for It’s Only the End of the World) to Best First Film (Dark Diamond by Arthur Harari), the 2017 Alliance Française French Film Festival is guaranteed to be a highlight in New Zealand’s cultural calendar.

The Alliance Française French Film Festival will run from 1 March - 12 April 2017 in 12 cities across New Zealand. For full programme information, including dates and venues, visit www.frenchfilmfestival.co.nz

Patriots Day: Film Review

Patriots Day: Film Review

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, JK Simmonds, John Goodman, Kevin Bacon
Director: Peter Berg

Teaming up for the third time proves to be a great deal of charm for director Peter Berg and star Mark Wahlberg.

After the gung-ho jingoism of Lone Survivor and the major  OSH incident at Deepwater Horizon, this duo's tapped into a rich vein of blue collar Middle America that's worth continuing to mine.

Patriots Day, starring Mark Wahlberg

This time around, it's back to April 15 2013 and the Boston Marathon that they head for a largely successful drama that recreates events both pre and post the bombing that shocked the world.

Proving once again adept at pulling together the minutiae of life and the everyday characters (a newly married young couple, a cop who's been injured and wants fully back on the job, the Chinese immigrant making good on life in the USA et al) to build momentum going into the event, Berg brilliantly sets the scene for what's about to unfurl with a controlled eye and a sense of impending terror.

As he spins a wide web of people caught up in what's about to happen, he refines the thread to a single line to follow Mark Wahlberg's lumpy Boston cop Tommy Saunders, a composite of many different characters of the day. Confined to the finish line and desperate to get back properly to the job, Saunders finds his world thrown into disarray when the bombs planted by the Tsarnaev brothers explode.

When the FBI moves in, battle lines are drawn between the local PD, the powers that be wanting to capture the criminals and the confusion and chaos that unfolds.

As previously mentioned, Patriots Day's strength comes from Berg's connection of the disparate strands and the docudrama style in which it plays out. Focussing more on the manhunt after the explosion (which comes 30 minutes into the film and shocks with its ordinariness), this restrained film spools with a suspense that's at times claustrophobic in its ordinariness. Shaky-cam footage of the scene, ground level cameras and real-life footage blend perfectly together to capture the horrific aftermath of the event and the bravura of the spirit of camaraderie that went on display.

Wahlberg excellently pulls together the everyman role once again, even if Tommy's clashes with the FBI seem a little orchestrated as the paean to policing and community plays out. But it's an unshowy performance from Wahlberg, although his composite character does somehow have the knack of showing up at all the key moments in the 100 plus hours after the event (something which possibly should have been jettisoned to inject a degree of more realism into the already volatile and gripping proceedings).

It's perhaps fair to say that some of the other characters within don't feel fully fleshed out and despite Berg's perhaps best intentions the Tsarnaev brothers never feel anything less than one dimensional from their watching bomb-making videos to their behaviour post bombing.

However, Patriots Day comes unstuck from its earnest intentions and solid presentation of timelines with a horrendously over-milked post-event sequence that interviews the victims of the event. It's almost as if the propaganda machine needs to pump to really galvanise the anger and showcase the courage on show.

With no disrespect to those caught up in the horrific events of April 2013, it's a wild directorial misstep for both Berg and the film (and other films are adopting this approach more readily, a kind of Hollywood coda to ladle on the true story syrup) that up until the end had been extraordinary in its showing of ordinariness in the face of overwhelming odds. This is fast becoming Hollywood's go-to denouement and it's not welcome or needed in the true story stakes - the film should be enough to satiate the story-telling and this should be confined to a DVD extra at best.

All things being even, Patriots Day remains a strongly and unexpectedly compelling watch despite this ending; from aerial shots showing the chaos and pandemonium post-event to the eerie calm of a city in lock-down, Berg's crafted an intriguing tale that borders on some jingoism and self-aggrandisement in the face of adversity.

But then, for a film titled Patriots Day and focussing on ordinary Americans, civic healing and the manhunt as the worst terrorist event played out post 9/11, what would you expect?

Ubisoft announces Wildlands - The companion feature documentary to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands

 Ubisoft announces Wildlands - The companion feature documentary to Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands

WELCOME TO THE WILDLANDS

UBISOFT ANNOUNCES ‘WILDLANDS’ – THE COMPANION FEATURE DOCUMENTARY TO TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON^® WILDLANDS, RELEASING MARCH 6, 2017

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — February 1, 2017 – Ubisoft has announced that it is working on a ground-breaking documentary, which is set to offer one of the most revealing insights to date into the drug trade in South America, and the battle to contain it. Scheduled to release on March 6, 2017, the feature length film, titled “Wildlands”, will showcase the real stories behind Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands’ fictional Bolivian setting. The documentary provides a fascinating insight and wider context to the inspirational themes in the videogame, further highlighting the incredible lengths that the Paris based development team has gone to in order to create a truly believable setting.

To view the trailer click the image below

This feature length documentary explores the real-life stories of key figures, who have been at the centre of the war on drugs from the past thirty years. Viewers will accompany narrator Rusty Young, author of New York Times best-seller, Marching Powder, as he meets the people, who have been involved in shaping the cocaine trade in South America, many of whom are telling their stories for the first time. Travelling from Bolivia, and up through to the United States, he will listen to the fascinating stories of characters from both sides of the law, from the coca farmers, through the drug supply chain, to the Special Forces soldiers fighting the war on drugs – to get a raw snapshot of drug trafficking and production in South America.

Developed in partnership with Chief Productions, Wildlands captures the stories of some of the most influential voices on the matter. For the very first time, these diverse characters are brought together to give a broad perspective on a global crisis. Bolivia, Colombia and North America form the landscape for this complex story of the battle between law enforcement and criminal organisations seeking to monopolise a multi-billion-dollar illegal industry.

Director, Colin Offland, described the process involved in gathering the compelling and visceral source material; “We spoke to the people who know the drug trade better than anyone else; iconic characters, from either side of the law, who have defined this continent’s notorious image. The war on drugs is a complex one and we give viewers unprecedented insight to the people who have shaped this landscape, enabling a better understanding of a global issue which affects us all.”

Wildlands introduces the compelling, unbelievable, and often devastating, life stories of a number of individuals, including - George Jung: The man known for hooking North America on cocaine, George Jung was a major player in the cocaine trade during the 70’s and 80’s and was immortalised by Johnny Depp in the movie ‘Blow’. Adam Newbold: A former Navy SEAL with over 20 years’ combat experience, Adam has worked throughout South America. Tomas McFadden: Reformed drug trafficker, and subject of “Marching Powder”, reveals the tricks of his trade, which saw him become a prolific smuggler, until the day he was arrested with 5kg of cocaine at La Paz airport – leading to a lengthy stay at the notorious San Pedro Prison.

Alongside these individuals, Wildlands introduces traffickers, smugglers, money launderers, informants and law enforcers that shape the complex jigsaw forming the criminal underworld profiteering from this thriving industry and those seeking to defeat it.

Geoffroy Sardin, Senior Vice President - Sales & Marketing at Ubisoft said, “Wildlands is a thought-provoking depiction of this complex issue. This subject matter has accumulated huge global interest and we believe that, as a companion to Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, we take gamers and viewers of Wildlands on a journey of discovery of an issue that continues to grip and fascinate global audiences.”

Developed by Ubisoft Paris*, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, the latest instalment in the critically acclaimed franchise, is a tactical military themed shooter videogame set in a massive and stunningly rendered open-world set in a near-future vision of Bolivia.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands will be available on March 7th 2017 for Microsoft Xbox One, PlayStation®4 entertainment system and Windows PC.

Return to Morrowind in a New Chapter of The Elder Scrolls Online!

Return to Morrowind in a New Chapter of The Elder Scrolls Online!

Today Bethesda Softworks announced The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind, the next Chapter of ZeniMax Online Studios’ award-winning online RPG, The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). This new adventure will return Elder Scrolls fans to the legendary island of Vvardenfell, the same iconic environment featured in Bethesda Game Studios’ genre-defining open world RPG, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

Introducing an enormous new zone, a new player class, more than 30 hours of main story content, a new Trial, and a new three-team, 4v4v4 PvP mode, The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will be the biggest addition to The Elder Scrolls Online yet, offering a new adventure for ESO veterans as well as a fresh Elder Scrolls saga for players new to the game.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will release globally for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 6, 2017.  The game is now available for pre-order for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. To learn more and pre-order the game, please visit www.ElderScrollsOnline.com.

A NEW ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER FOR EVERYONE The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind redefines the traditional MMO expansion by delivering vast new content and features that are equally accessible and fun for both existing and new ESO players. · New Players: New players can jump into The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind and start a new character without having to complete any previous ESO content. And, since the original ESO game is included with The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind, new players will have instant access to hundreds of hours of additional adventures throughout Tamriel. · Existing Players: ESO veterans will be able to upgrade and immediately journey to Vvardenfell to start the new epic adventure. With the power of October’s One Tamriel update, existing players will find level-appropriate content from the moment they step onto the island of Vvardenfell, regardless of level. Existing players can also choose to create a new character and begin anew. · Haven’t played ESO in a while? The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind is a great chance to jump back in with your existing characters, or with a completely new one. Because ESO has no required subscription, you can just reinstall the game, log in, and start playing again. RETURN TO MORROWIND Vvardenfell is the largest zone added to The Elder Scrolls Online since launch and utilizes the same geographic footprint as The Elder Scrolls III, including all key points of interest from the classic game. Players will embark on a dangerous journey through legendary locales in Vvardenfell, 700 years before the events of The Elder Scrolls III, from the docks of Seyda Neen, to the volcanic Ashlands, to dense, mushroom-filled forests, and through the glory of Vivec City, still under construction in this time period. NEW CLASS – THE WARDEN Players will harness nature-based magic to master the powerful new character class - The Warden. The Warden is the first new class since launch of ESO and true to ESO and the Elder Scrolls franchise, the player will have the freedom to select from a number of abilities that enable a variety of play styles. The Warden also introduces a devastating new combat ally – the War Bear – a ferocious fighter will stay by the Warden’s side through the most intense battles. AN INCREDIBLE ELDER SCROLLS STORY Set roughly 700 years prior to the events of The Elder Scrolls III, The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will take gamers on a sweeping adventure through the legendary Vvardenfell, featuring iconic locations, characters, and storylines that will instill nostalgia with longtime Elder Scrolls fans and extend ESO’s narrative into a new chapter. Morrowind is in dire peril and it’s up to player heroes to help Vivec, the legendary warrior-poet and Guardian of Vvardenfell, solve the mystery of his mysterious illness, regain his strength – and save the world from ultimate destruction. NEW PvP MODE -- BATTLEGROUNDS The Elder Scrolls Online is renowned for open world PvP battles, pitting hundreds of players in a massive battle for supremacy in Cyrodiil. The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will introduce a new PvP mode – Battlegrounds – intense 4v4v4 battles in arena-like environments. Players take the battle to the Ashlands to claim their place among the fiercest and most accomplished combat veterans in Tamriel. RELEASE AND VERSION DETAILS; PRE-ORDER BONUSES The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will release globally for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 6, 2017. The game is now available for pre-order on all platforms. Please visit www.ElderScrollsOnline.com for more information. Editions available include: · Physical Standard Edition (AUD$99.95 / NZD$119.99 on PS4 and Xbox One and AUD$89.95 / NZD$99.99 on PC):Includes The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind as well as The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. · Upgrade Edition (AUD$59.95 / NZD$69.95): Existing players can upgrade their current game to unlock the new The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind content. · Digital Collector’s Edition (AUD$114.95 / NZD$139.95): A special collection of in-game bonuses are available through the Digital Collector’s Edition, including: o Collector’s Edition Grey Bear – An exclusive grey War Bear for use while playing as the Warden. o Armored War Horse – Players can charge into battle atop this steed clad in armor fashioned with ancient Dwarven plate. o Dwarven Spider Pet – A personal Dwarven Spider is ready for adventure through Vvardenfell. o Morag Tong Converter – Players can flaunt their commitment to the assassins by customizing their gear with the distinct style of the Morag Tong. o Character Emotes – Celebrate victory in the battlegrounds with this bundle of exclusive emotes. Includes all in-game rewards contained in the Pre-Order Bonus “Discovery Pack.” Includes The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. · Digital Collector’s Upgrade (AUD$99.95 / NZD$119.95): Existing players who only need an upgrade can grab all the digital goodies from the Digital Collector’s Edition with the Digital Collector’s Upgrade. · Physical Collector’s Edition (AUD$139.95 / NZD $149.99)The ultimate fan of The Elder Scrolls Online can grab the Collector’s Edition, which contains everything included in the Digital Collector’s Edition, as well as: Dwarven Colossus Statue – Recreated with the help of sacred Dwarven texts, this 12” tall replica of the Colossus that starred in the announcement trailer stands ready to defend treasures. Naryu’s Journal – A full-color, large-format book chronicling Morag Tong assassin Naryu’s pursuit of a conspiracy across Tamriel. Illustrated with a broad array of concept art. Map of Morrowind – Players can chart adventures throughout Vvardenfell with this handy map at their side. Exclusive Game Case – A limited edition metallic case bearing the marks of Vivec and the Tribunal. Includes all in-game rewards contained in the Pre-Order Bonus “Discovery Pack.” Includes The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. · PRE-ORDER BONUS -- THE DISCOVERY PACK: Fans who pre-order The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind will be rewarded with a collection of exclusive in-game bonuses, including: o Exclusive Warden Costume – An exclusive costume available for all classes that matches the Warden’s outfit as seen in the announcement trailer. o Dwarven War Dog Pet – A unique armored non-combat in-game pet. o Treasure Maps – Maps detailing the location of Vvardenfell’s greatest rewards. o Dwarven Crown Crate – A special Crown Crate with a chance to contain Dwarven-themed mounts, pets, costumes, and more. o Experience Scrolls – Advance through Vvardenfell gaining 50% more experience points for two hours.

FINAL FANTASY 30th Anniversary Announcement

FINAL FANTASY 30th Anniversary Announcement

SQUARE ENIX KICKS OFF

FINAL FANTASY 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

SYDNEY, 1^ST February 2017 –  At today’s official FINAL FANTASY® 30th Anniversary Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, Square Enix Ltd., commenced a year-long celebration for the franchise’s 30-year legacy, revealing new details, art and videos surrounding some of the franchise’s most anticipated games, including FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, FINAL FANTASY XV, and FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE.

During the opening ceremony announcements were made by some very special guests, including, Shinji Hashimoto (Square Enix Executive Officer, FINAL FANTASY Brand Manager), who presented information about future new content in the series as below;

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

Brand-new key art for the highly anticipated FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE was unveiled, depicting the game’s protagonist and mercenary Cloud and his iconic Buster Sword set to the background of Midgar, base of the Shinra Electric Power Company.

FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE

European players can look forward to returning to the world of Ivalice in FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE on 11^th July 2017 for the Playstation®4 computer entertainment system. The visual and audio remaster of series classic FINAL FANTASY XII will feature a job character progression system for the first time in the West. New key art from famed character designer and artist Akihiko Yoshida was also revealed, featuring the main cast of the game including Ashe, Balthier, Fran and Vaan.

FINAL FANTASY XV: Episode Gladio DLC

The first sneak peek at some of the upcoming DLC for FINAL FANTASY XV was showcased on-stage, highlighting the brand-new perspective players will experience in the coming months. The FINAL FANTASY XV Booster Pack (Free Version) and FINAL FANTASY XV Booster Pack + are scheduled for release on 21st February, and will be available for all players or Season Pass holders, respectively. The DLC content will include powerful items such as the invincible outfit, “Magitek Exosuit” that give players an advantage during battles.

FINAL FANTASY XV Episode Gladiolus releases on 28^th March, and will be available to players who purchased the Premium Edition or Season Pass and can also be purchased separately via the Xbox Marketplace or the PlayStation®Store. Through this DLC, players can enjoy an episode depicted from Gladio’s perspective. Gilgamesh, one of the franchise’s fan-favourite characters will also be making an appearance in the episode. 

FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS

FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS, the full-scale FINAL FANTASY adventure for mobile devices which has achieved over 20 million downloads worldwide, recently began a spectacular in-game collaboration event with internationally renowned artist and actress Ariana Grande. All players will be able to acquire “Dangerous Ariana,” the Ariana Grande-inspired character exclusively designed for FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS until the 2^nd of February by completing the first stage of the special in-game event, "Dangerous Woman Tour."

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY, the critically acclaimed mobile RPG adventure will be making its way to STEAM next month on 6^th February. MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY offers an all-new RPG adventure featuring a deep story, stunning visuals, in-depth character customisation and a refined turn-based RPG battle system. To celebrate over 10 million registered users worldwide, and the FINAL FANTASY VII 20^th anniversary, various in-game bonuses and a special FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE collaboration event will begin on 7^th February for a limited time.

About FINAL FANTASY

Since the release of FINAL FANTASY in 1987, this unique RPG series continues to showcase the spectacular visuals, highly imaginative worlds and rich stories leading the industry and earning the highest accolades from users around the world. Titles of the series have sold over 130 million units worldwide.

Embrace:DVD Review

Embrace:DVD Review

Much like fellow Aussie Damon Gameau and his quest against the undeclared sugars in our diet, Body Positive movement founder Taryn Brumfitt is hoping to make a change.

With this brisk energetic documentary, Brumfitt's desire to shake up the way we see ourselves first and foremost won't come as a surprise to many who feel the fashion industry and society itself is in need of a change.

They say every picture is worth a 1000 words, and in Brumfitt's case, it was a picture that sparked a 1000 stories - predominantly to her in-box. Posting a non-traditional after image of her body after having had three kids and placing it side-by-side a picture of her winning a body building competition before, her social media was inundated with positivity - and negativity.

And deciding last minute to reject a cosmetic procedure over worrying what message that would send to her young family, Brumfitt decided to do something more positive.

With crowd-funding involved, Brumfitt decided there was something further to explore here and it was time to take on the perception of women in the western world - and more importantly,  empower those looking in the mirror that there's nothing wrong with what they see.

Complete with her red-rimmed glasses and bubbly effervescence, Brumfitt's world trip sees her frankness and openness charm, and she never steers into overt lecturing, preferring instead to let people speak for themselves and consequently inspire her audience.

There's no denying there will be relative whoops of delight when she places all her societally perceived flaws on display with a frank openness that's hard to disparage or mock. In among decrying that she had nipples the size of dinner plates and seeing a cosmetic surgeon claim her body could be enhanced in certain ways when there's nothing inherently wrong with it, Brumfitt's honesty and universal relatability will win over an audience.

The pacy doco may lack some commentary or riposte from the fashion industry it so readily looks to accuse (much like Gameau's That Sugar Film lacked any official response) but given its crowd-funding nature and its inherent positive desire to inspire women and everyday people, it seems only right that the stories and screen time is devoted to those who make up our society rather than those who photoshop it into oblivion dishing out excuses as to why it's valid.

While talking to the likes of celebs Ricki Lake, Amanda de Cadenet to model Stefania Ferrario all have merit, the true strength of the doco comes from time spent with Turia Pitt whose life was changed by a marathon and a bush fire that ravaged her looks and a skinny gaunt girl called Tina, whose tearful declarations will do more to force anger over perpetuating the stereotypes.

Peppered with vox pops over flaws from everyday people further fuels the fire that many are unnecessarily unhappy with their self-worth in a society obsessed with celebs and selfies. Brumfitt doesn't need to over-egg this pudding, the evidence in the body image debate is already overwhelming based on her meet and greets throughout.

One suspects as far as Brumfitt's concerned, even the spark of discussion is a major win for what's important - and Brumfitt's authenticity and entry into the body movement debate may grow the swelling feeling of getting back to what matters in life and not buying into what the social media obsessed world says is important. Presented in non-didactic fashion and with a pace that's energetic rather than lecturing, it's easy to see why it's helping galvanise the body image debate.

There's no denying that Embrace is a rallying cry, a genial non-polemic call from the floor to remember what's actually important in life, and to self-worth. If it inspires an epiphany in anyone viewing or sparks a conversation over perception, then that's no small victory whatsoever. 

Rainbow Six Siege - Operation Velvet Shell available Feb 7

Rainbow Six Siege - Operation Velvet Shell available Feb 7

TOM CLANCY’S RAINBOW SIX^® SIEGE ANNOUNCES OPERATION VELVET SHELL AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 7^th

Operation Velvet Shell, the first major content update for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Year 2 will be available on February 7 for Xbox One, Sony PlayStation and Windows PC.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Year 2 content seeks to enrich the Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege community experience with two new operators and “Coastline,” a vivid new multiplayer map available in both PVP and PVE.  In Operation Velvet Shell, the Coastline map is set on the rocky shores of Ibiza in Spain, where two Operators of the Spanish Grupo Especial de Operaciones (G.E.O.) have to safeguard the perimeter of a famous nightclub.

Additional details on the content of Operation Velvet Shell will be unveiled during the Six Invitational, which will include the first live demo of the new Spanish CTU.

Free Weekend

For the first time on all consoles Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege will be available for free from February 2-5. Players can join the strong Rainbow Six Siege community on PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC.

The full details and timing of the free weekend are available via the following link: www.rainbow6.com/freeweekend

HITMAN’s Steelbook edition detailed in new video

HITMAN’s Steelbook edition detailed in new video 

With today’s launch of The Complete First Season for HITMAN, a video detailing what’s in the SteelBook Edition disc release for HITMAN is now available to view here:

 Become the Master Assassin in this intense spy-thriller story. As Agent 47 you perform contract hits on powerful, high-profile targets in exotic locations around the world, from Paris, Italy and Morocco to Bangkok, the USA and Japan in this creative stealth action game.

Gameplay focuses on taking out targets in huge and intricate sandbox levels with complete freedom of approach.

Where to go, when to strike and who to kill - it is all up to you. HITMAN The Complete First Season is now available on disc across Australia & New Zealand for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft.

 

Peter Capaldi leaving Doctor Who

Peter Capaldi leaving Doctor Who

The Twelfth Doctor is leaving at the end of Series 10 of new Doctor Who.

Talking on BBC Radio 2, he's revealed he's leaving this year. He'd been asked to stay on but has said that he felt 3 years in the job is enough for him. Confirming that he'll leave at the end of the year with Steven Moffat, he's said there's never been anything more special to him.

But he also revealed he's keen to work on other jobs  as well and that he feels it's time to move on.

He's revealed his regeneration scene has not yet been filmed. His last episode will be Christmas Day 2017.

Doctor Who will return to BBC1 on April 15th.

London Road: DVD Review

London Road: DVD Review

Released by Vendetta Films

You wouldn't have thought that England's worst serial killer would have been fertile ground for a musical.

But then to be frank, London Road is not like anything you've ever seen before.

Mixing archive interviews, as performed by its acting talent and set to music, it's a slightly uneasy and weird movie experience that almost defies convention and explanation. It's the story of the residents of London Road in Ipswich in 2006, whose lives were changed when working girls started on their streets.

Unhappy at the prostitutes, the residents were even more perturbed to hear that five of them were killed and terrified to learn that the killer was one Steven Wright, who lived in London Road.

London Road was a successful musical, written by Alecky Blythe and directed by Rufus Norris, who's taken on this production and is probably the best person to have done so, being as au fait as he is with the verbatim theatre.

It's a clever device to take hooks and comments from interviews with the residents and turn them into lyrics with their speech patterns mimicked in the performance of the actors. But the slight issue with it on the big screen is that while the gimmick is clever, smart and original, it soon wears thin as it continues to play out.

Usually musicals work best when they hook into a few fully formed characters, giving the audience an insight and an opening into what the character's feeling. Unfortunately, London Road doesn't quite manage the same hook, with most of the residents emerging as an amorphous blob hard to differentiate from the others. But, in turning these residents into a Greek Chorus aimed at driving the exposition, the play is tremendously successful and admittedly, provides some surprise efforts at earworms. The way the music turns news bulletins, news reporters and expressions of fear and paranoia into onscreen ditties is wildly deft and comes out of nowhere.

Colman is perhaps the biggest name here to foreign audiences - with Tom Hardy getting a cameo as a cab driver singing in a falsetto and protesting that just because he knows about serial killers doesn't necessarily make him one.

If anything, London Road is to be applauded for its inventiveness - but its transition to the big screen represents something that's not quite worked or harnessed the livewire nature of a show. As the credits roll, the replaying of the actual interview soundbites is an unnecessary touch, a tacit moment of bragging which is unwarranted and destroys some of the cleverness of what's lyrically transpired.

Chalk London Road up to an interesting experiment; its story may not be enough to drive you along, but its surprising route to its final destination is a challenge to traditional musicals.

The Girl On The Train: Blu Ray Review

The Girl On The Train: Blu Ray Review

Released by Universal Home Ent

Paula Hawkins' much loved novel is a dark and disturbing psychological piece.

And thanks to Emily Blunt's impressive performance, the book's unreliable narrative has been turned into a compulsive and uncomfortable thriller, that grips in its own sickening ways as the onion unpeels back and reveals its layers.

Blunt plays Rachel Watson, a divorcee who believes she sees something when Haley Bennett's Megan Hipwell goes missing. But the investigation headed up by Allison Janney's Officer Riley proffers up more than a simple case of a missing person...

Half of the thrill of The Girl On The Train's unfurling is in the not knowing - and having not read the source material, the twists and turns are well-paced and backed by a powerful Blunt performance (though given its apparent faithfulness to the book those who've read it may not be as taken by the reveals).

Tapping into a world of uneasy voyeurism, of a woman wronged and suspicion, depression and paranoia, Blunt delivers a powerhouse performance of a woman whose life is on the edge and in freefall that lifts the material from a degree of predictability (With only a few players in the cross-hairs of suspicion, The Girl On The Train's ultimate reveal is no surprise to anyone au fait with such thrillers - though potentially, the mystery here is not the main point of the film).

From her downbeat look, to her dulled by alcohol acting, this is a nervy turn that sees the audience siding with and against her as it plays out. Flashes and flashbacks flesh out the proceedings as the split narrative kicks in, but central to it all is Blunt, and she damn well earns your attention and acting adulation as it plays out. And Blunt's smart enough to never overplay the woman wronged role or overplay the alcoholism elements - it's a precise performance and one that's nuanced enough to not rely on the over-acting to ensure your attention.

Equally impressive is Bennett, a woman whose star is clearly on the ascent.

From a hard-edged turn as Megan, the slow-lilting fractured edges of the narrative tease out a different backstory than perhaps one was expecting for this nanny and Bennett does her all to bring the role to life. Without giving much away, it could be easy to make this role a one-dimensional caricature, but Bennett imbues the character with both damaged edges and realism and consequently, shifting allegiances and loyalties flip duly as the narrative plays out.
Everyone's damaged in this distorted and disjointed timeline and narrative, but that shifting perspective and reveals over pasts / coincidences and tragedies are excellently handled by Taylor in the directorial chair. Juggling the pieces of a brutal puzzle well, the final result is sickeningly compelling.

The Girl On The Train may very much be a spiritual sibling to the darkness of Gone Girl, but thanks to its disorienting unpeeling of what lies beneath the surface, it's a tremendously unsettling ride that's worth buying a ticket for. 

Blood Father: DVD Review

Blood Father: DVD Review

Sparsity and brevity prove to be useful bedfellows in French director Francois Richet's stripped back action movie, Blood Father.

But they're nothing without wearied Mel Gibson's trailer park living, hard tattooing, former Nazi enforcer Link who delivers a ferocious turn in this pared back straight to video piece that lacks the narrative to compellingly drive it through.

With unleashed fury that's redolent of a 70s actioner, the Mad Max we all know and loved before that meltdown comes simmering to the fore again, and quite frankly, it's a welcome return to form.

And it's greatly needed too, because Gibson's spikiness and untamed rage is about the only thing to pull Blood Father kicking and dragging out of the hoary old cliches that fail to ignite within.

Loosely, when estranged daughter Lydia (Moriarty, who goes from unsure gangster moll to trembling terrified child within seconds) contacts ex-con and father Link for money, the duo are pulled into a fight for survival with drug cartels and killers on their tail.

Blood Father's taut action scenes punctuate a script that's lacking on all fronts in anything other than building up to the pot boiling and consequent bubbling over of Link.

It doesn't help that dialogue at the start feels unnatural and the so called rift between daddy and daughter heads more towards the forced and unrealistic. Moriarty's turn eventually succumbs to the inevitable lost father schtick that Link gives into, but even when the action starts, there's a feeling of relief that the end is near.

Narratively, as a small indie with some meta elements (you can't help but read into Link's dialogue and its allusions to Gibson's Hollywood redemption), it just about succeeds. But without Gibson's return to form, nuanced turn and some tautly executed fight sequences, Blood Father is nothing but hoary old cliches piled atop each other and which fail to ignite.

It doesn't help that the film desire to throw in a tattooed Terminator Sicario soldier whose skill set is uneven when the story needs it but lethal when it doesn't; equally, the great character set up of William H Macy as Link's sponsor is squandered later on. But not every supporting player is up to the mark, and as the film progresses, it's clearly Mel's joint above all.

But then, Francois-Richet manages to throw in some stronger character moments in the 85 minute run time and leave you with the feeling that the film would have been richer for more of them rather than resort to overt symbolism (such as a Lost Soul tattoo on Link's arm).

Ultimately Blood Father wins as Gibson demonstrates once again his old fire - it's a searing turn and return to angry old Mel that proved so caustic a cinematic tonic so long ago and is so welcome once again. 

The Avengers project is coming

The Avengers project is coming

Square Enix and Marvel are teaming up.

The developers behind Tomb Raider and Deus Ex are bringing us some form of Marvel Avengers game.

Featuring a completely original story, it will introduce a universe gamers can play in for years to come. More details on The Avengers project and other games will be announced in 2018



More below

Original Blockbuster Games in Development at Award-Winning Square Enix Studios

Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montréal

SYDNEY, January 27, 2017 – Marvel Entertainment and SQUARE ENIX® today announced a new multi-year, multi-game licensing agreement to develop and publish original games based on beloved Marvel Super Heroes, beginning with The Avengers. This newly established partnership pairs the creative minds at Marvel and Square Enix for one of the most powerful alliances in interactive entertainment. The first blockbuster game is being crafted by Crystal Dynamics®, developers of the award winning TOMB RAIDER® series, in collaboration with Eidos-Montréal, the home of the critically acclaimed and award-winning DEUS EX game series.

The Avengers project is being designed for gamers worldwide and will be packed with all the characters, environments, and iconic moments that have thrilled longtime fans of the franchise. Featuring a completely original story, it will introduce a universe gamers can play in for years to come. More details on The Avengers project and other games will be announced in 2018.

The world premiere teaser trailer of The Avengers project can be seen here.

“By partnering with Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montréal, we are now working with two of the industry’s most talented and respected game development studios to bring Marvel stories to life in ways our fans have never experienced,“ said Jay Ong, Senior Vice President, Games & Innovation, Marvel Entertainment. “The Avengers project is a perfect example of how Marvel is making games a key part of the landscape for Marvel storytelling, alongside comics, television and film. We can only do this by matching our greatest Super Heroes with the world’s top developers, such as the creative minds at Square Enix.”

“Marvel’s diverse, innovative universe has created millions of longtime fans, including all of us,” said Phil Rogers, CEO, Square Enix Americas and Europe. “It’s exciting to bring together Square Enix’s award-winning development studios with Marvel’s extraordinary storytellers to establish a new entertainment powerhouse.  This collaboration of passion and talent will craft epic, imaginative experiences allowing gamers to live out their Super Hero dreams like never before.”

Crystal Dynamics is the studio behind the critically acclaimed and world-famous TOMB RAIDER franchise, which has sold over 48 million copies worldwide. With over 30 video game titles released and hundreds of awards, the heroine Lara Croft has been a cultural icon for 20 years and has made an indelible mark on virtually every facet of entertainment. The most recent release, Rise of the Tomb Raider®, has received over 100 awards and nominations and is one of the highest rated games on next generation systems.

Eidos-Montréal is the award-winning studio behind the relaunch of the DEUS EX series. In 2011, the studio made its mark with the critically acclaimed Deus Ex: Human Revolution®. Its sequel, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided™, was released in 2016 and received more than 100 awards and nominations.