Tomb Raider: First look

Tomb Raider: First look

Here's your first full trailer for Tomb Raider starring Alicia Vikander


The first look images for TOMB RAIDER are here.

About TOMB RAIDER
Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.

Going explicitly against his final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind in search of her dad’s last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous. Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who—against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit—must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, “Tomb Raider” is the story that will set a young and resolute Lara Croft on a path toward becoming a global hero. The film stars Oscar winner Alicia Vikander (“Ex Machina,” “The Danish Girl”) in the lead role, under the direction of Roar Uthaug (“The Wave”), with Oscar-winner Graham King (“The Departed”) producing under his GK Films banner. The film’s production began on the heels of the 20th anniversary of the wildly popular videogame franchise from Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal.

“Tomb Raider” also stars Dominic West (“Money Monster,” “300”), Walton Goggins (“The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained”) and Daniel Wu (AMC’s “Into the Badlands”).
Shooting on location in South Africa and the UK, Uthaug directs from a script by Geneva Robertson-Dworet. The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography George Richmond (“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”); production designer Gary Freeman (“Maleficent”); Oscar-nominated editor Stuart Baird (“Skyfall,” “Gorillas in the Mist”); and costume designer Tim Wonsik (key costumer, “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”).

DIRECTOR ROAR UTHAUG (The Wave)
"Being a longtime fan of the game, it’s important to me to honor the Lara Croft legacy and capture that spirit. It’s great to know that there’s such a passionate global fan base for Lara and her world, and our commitment to that will be evident in our movie. What’s different about this “Tomb Raider” movie is that it’s an origin story for the big screen, focusing not only on Lara’s strength and physical accomplishments but her humanity. We see Lara as a young woman, smart and capable but largely unfocused, and follow her on a dangerous journey that will push her to her limits in every sense, and allow her to hone the skills she needs to ultimately become who she was meant to be. As Lara Croft, Alicia Vikander is brilliant. She brings great depth to a complex role that is both physically and emotionally demanding. We hope this film will delight fans around the world and add another intriguing chapter to the Tomb Raider story."

PRODUCER GRAHAM KING (The Departed, Blood Diamond)
"I’m excited to be a part of this new Tomb Raider story, which introduces the origins of Lara Croft and delves into the humanity of this character. Alicia Vikander is a gifted actress that brings so much to this role. Our director, Roar Uthaug is extremely passionate and has an eye for scale as well as gritty realism. It’s been a wonderful experience shooting in various locations around South Africa and we hope that using these actual locations will give a grounded sense of reality. It’s our goal to make a film that will not only delight fans but enthrall a world-wide audience."

TOMB RAIDER releases in New Zealand cinemas in 2018. 

Kedi - Film Review

Kedi - Film Review

Cast: Cats, Istanbul vistas, People
Director: Ceyda Torun

It's perhaps no surprise that a documentary about cats is as fluffy as one of the feline's tails.

But it's also perhaps no surprise that this gentle doco is as amiable and as universal as they come.

Against the backdrop of Istanbul's streets, so beautifully captured and brought to life on the big screen, Kedi follows seven different cats with distinct personalities and a grip on the people who inhabit the streets and live their daily humdrum lives.

With Torun running a street level rig, the film follows the pussies as they weave their way in and out of people's lives, shopfronts and cajole them to feed them.
There's no ground-breaking reason for Kedi to exist; it's simply a case of documenting life on the streets.

However, what emerges from the cod-philosophising of the nameless faces that extol the virtues of the rampant animals running amok in a friendly way, is a sense of community and a sense of belonging that these critters engender.

Despite the odd hyperbole spun by some of the anthropomorphizing and projecting tendencies of the commenters (one woman draws a long bow between how the female cats stand strong and upright in their dignity, whereas women of their religion are cowed and oppressed and that she "doesn't see elegance in women like that anymore"), what starts to emerge is a city with a tremendous sense of heart above all else.

As is mentioned early on, the cats have been there for thousands of years, and have seen empires grow and fall; they are as timeless in the fabric of the city as those who look after them.
From the baker who has an open tab at the vets to help to the sailor who feels duty bound to hand rear a litter of kittens whose mother has disappeared, this is the milk of human kindness writ large on the screen. Along with furry feline interactions - whether it's cat looking like it's been caught on camera stealing fish or another staring photogenically down the lens, there's something for all animal lovers here, though the more hardened cinema-goer may find parts of their own fur bristling as time goes on.

Slow-mo close-ups will look radiant upon the big screen and the film-makers in their gentle touches do nothing more than desire to elicit a sympathetic "Aww" from those subjected to this endless parade of cute.

Unlike the viciousness of former fest outing White God's canine uprising, Kedi has a soothing tone and deceptively simple ambitions to fulfill which it hits with relative ease throughout; it aims to showcase a city awash in humanity, with a co-existence of cats and their masters, basking in the glow of simpler times.

Kedi may not be cinematic catnip to the likes of Gareth Morgan, but there's a strong case to say that any animal lover or family seeking a gentle outing will be entranced by the warmth of this microcosm of furry life. 

The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Film Review

The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Film Review

Vocal cast: Jackie Chan, Dave Franco, Fred Armisen, Zach Woods, Kumail Nanjiani, Justin Theroux
Director: Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher

Those unfamiliar with the Lego Ninjago World aren't likely to be too left behind with this film that pushes the blocky zaniness as much as it pushes the paternal message.

While the Lego movie and Lego Batman movie concentrated largely on the zanier antics, this latest follows the Ninjago team as they continue to fight Lord Garmadon (Theroux) who's determined to conquer their metropolis.

Standing in their way of doing this though, is Lloyd (Franco), aka the Green Ninja, whose life has been ruined by Garmadon in more ways than one - because Garmadon is his father.

When the threat becomes too real, Lloyd, along with fellow ninjas and their grand Master Wu (Jackie Chan) are forced on a quest to try and save the city from the ultimate weapon.

Whereas the prior Lego movies have offered strong stories with doses of zaniness, it has to be said The LEGO Ninjago Movie doesn't differ too much from the formula, treads a lot of familiar ground and consequently does offer up a film of diminishing returns, feeling like the weaker of the recent releases in terms of story ideas, but not pace.

That's not to say its target youngster audience won't enjoy the story and the animation, but the attempts to shoehorn in the message veer dangerously close to brow-beating and crowbarring it in as the film heads towards its conclusion.

The story-within-a-story premise works well and Chan's certainly got the heart to carry it off, but in between the humiliations for Lloyd as he deals with his past and the fact everyone knows his dad is the Worst Guy Ever, there's a feeling perhaps that some of the story's nowhere near as strong as it could be to carry the film through its run time.

Elements of Joe Vs The Volcano creep in toward the end as the sentimental starts to edge in, and the meta touches this time around are kept to a minimum, giving the feeling the film is overall fine, but lacks some of the edge that was pioneered by 2014's Lego Movie under the helmsmanship of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

With school holidays on the way, it's not that The LEGO Ninjago Movie is a weaker prospect at all, merely a feeling that adults in the audience may feel a little restless while the younger ones enjoy what's transpiring. L-loyd (as his father continually refers to him as) needs to bring a few more l-laughs to the table for the film to have been able to hit all levels.

There's nothing inherently wrong with The LEGO Ninjago Movie, it offers solid blocks of fun here and there and the dad bonding message is a good one to hammer home.

But it has to be said, despite the strong single narrative of Lloyd and his dad Garmadon and when compared to previous blocky outings, it feels like there's unfortunately little else fleshing out the story to make it a truly transcendant experience.

The Emoji Movie: Film Review

The Emoji Movie: Film Review

Voice cast: TJ Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Steven Wright, Maya Rudolph
Director: Tony Leondis

In theory, it's easy to understand why The Emoji Movie has been hailed as the second cimematic coming of the Anti-Christ.

Set inside a smart phone and with a plethora of product placement (Spotify, Katy Perry, Instagram) it's fair to say that perhaps the film's vision is more on the merchandise than the execution of the story.

Talking of which, The Emoji Movie centres on Meh emoji Gene (voiced with usual laconic deadpan by former Silicon Valley star TJ Miller) who's eager to impress on the first day on the job.

Gene is one of those who lives in Textopolis, a digital city inside their user Alex's phone. Despite being pigeonholed as a Meh, he can make plenty of other faces and frequently does so.

But by breaking out his panicked faces when Alex chooses to send his crush an emoji, Gene threatens the future of Textopolis as Alex plans to wipe his phone.

Facing persecution as a malfunction by the ruthless smiler icon (Rudolph), Gene begins a journey of discovery across the phone to ensure his future survival.

It's easy to be cynical about The Emoji Movie, a corporate by-the-numbers animation that reeks more of potential downloads than sizzling script or witty moments.

In fairness, it's actually a solid animation that squanders both its Inside Out bastardisation and its chance to mock and meta-comment on its premise.

However, there are a few moments which garner laughs.

From the mocking the elderly emoticons to ripping in to Facebook's popularity algorithm, there are some moments which really engender you to the film, but ultimately leave you wishing it could have been much more subversive than it actually is.

But that's the problem with The Emoji Movie - its tone is so bland that despite the solid animated work and the great voice cast (James Corden as the formerly popular Hi-5 emoji brings much energy and chutzpah to the digital table and it's a thrill to hear Steven Wright's weary tones on the screen as Gene's father), nothing ever really soars as it should and many scenes end in flatness.

Piling on product placement like Candy Crush and Just Dance does nothing to endear the film too - and while youngsters may get a sugar rush from the overload of products and apps that they force their parents to buy, it's hard to justify any reaction other than that of Gene's stock and trade to the Emoji Movie.

Meh.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – “No More Nazis!” Gameplay Trailer 2

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – “No More Nazis!” Gameplay Trailer 2

We’ve just released a new gameplay trailer for Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.

The Nazis have taken over America. They've turned Manhattan into a wasteland. 

They’ve walled off New Orleans and are systematically purging the city, burning people and homes to the ground. And they brazenly walk the streets of small-town USA – going where they want, taking what they want and behaving however they please. But this is not BJ Blazkowicz’s America. 

The United States will never be broken – especially with BJ on the job, rallying the Resistance and igniting a revolution. Watch the Resistance rise up to strike fear in the Nazis in the latest trailer for Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, the highly-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed first-person shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order, will be available worldwide on October 27, 2017 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle: Film Review

Kingsman: The Golden Circle: Film Review

Cast: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Channing Tatum, Julianne Moore, Pedro Pascal, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges
Director: Matthew Vaughn

If the first Kingsman movie was a scrappy, yet amiable, wish fulfillment piece about a working class oik who's inducted into the spy world and saves the day, then the sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a bloated, blustering bombastic pastiche spy movie that almost squanders the love you had for the first.

This time around, Eggsy (a charming yet still ruffian round the edges Taron Egerton) is back and facing more peril after the secret Kingsman organisation he works for is blown off the face of the earth by a Martha Stewart 50s-loving drug lord Poppy (a strong turn from Julianne Moore, who pitches the film more on welcome eccentric villainy than ham).

Forced to team up with the US branch, the Statesman, and with a surprise face back from the past, Eggsy and Merlin (the ever reliable and impressive Mark Strong) look to tackle the threat.

Over-long and with a midway lag that very nearly derails proceedings, Kingsman: The Golden Circle feels more like a mix of elements rather than the rip-roaring narrative success the first film was.

While Egerton's rougher edges and charm add elements of charisma, the decision to pair them up with American counterparts leaves a little to be desired, given the film's refusal to do much more with it than initially flirt with the idea.

It's a shame, because Channing Tatum's cowboy Agent Tequila has some real comedic and dramatic potential for the movie - but he's sidelined early on in a move which makes you wonder if someone didn't add the budget up correctly and couldn't cover his fee. (Mind you, all the American counterparts barely register longer than a few moments of screen time.)

Thankfully Pedro Pascal (Narcos) steps in nicely as Agent Whiskey and adds a frisson of charisma that's needed - but bizarrely, the US UK relations side of Kingsman: The Golden Circle feels like a goldmine sadly left undiscovered.

As the film kicks off with its bloodless CGI-charged chase antics, it's clear bluster is the order of the day, and while the overly frenetic and quick blitz editing in the fight sequences impress, they're barely a patch away from what was rolled out during the Kingsman: The Secret Service film.

In truth, parts of Kingsman: The Golden Circle feel like a go-around and do over of the first, so if you enjoyed the puerile hyper-violent edges of the first one, it's more than likely there's plenty to enjoy here.

It's very much a case of more-is-more with Vaughn piling on the pedal and focussing less on the character more on the action.

A mountain sequence is redolent of The Spy Who Loved Me and the globe-trotting antics feel piled on, and while the overload is threatening at times, there are moments and characters within that work extremely well.

Moore makes for a good villainess, Strong is debonair any time he appears oozing charm with ease, Pascal's lasso-wielding cowboy contrasts nicely with the stiff British upper lip and Firth's dialled down turn adds an edge but strangely feels narratively robbed of any kind of need for inclusion.

(Not so for Elton John, whose appearance initially is an amusing punchline to a gag no-one expected, but whose foul-mouthed tirades irritate the more screen time he's given.)

At times, it feels like the kind of Bond film that Alan Partridge would make - stuffed full of elements, smut and action, a no-place-for-women other than as objects vibe and with less judicious editing than is necessary to guarantee a tight lean experience.

Ultimately, Kingsman: The Golden Circle has moments of exhiliration, but feels a little too in love with itself to remain objective enough to know when to stop.

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT - Noctis Announcement

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT - Noctis Announcement

FINAL FANTASY XV’S NOCTIS JOINS THE ROSTER OF FIGHTERS IN DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY NT

New Battle rules and Colossal Team Battles against Iconic Summons Also Revealed

SYDNEY, 20^th September 2017 – Square Enix Ltd., announced today that Crown Prince Noctis readies his powerful attacks as the latest combatant in DISSIDIA® FINAL FANTASY® NT, the exciting new team-based brawler developed in partnership with veteran fighting game studio, Team NINJA from KOEI TECMO GAMES. Noctis joins a line-up of more than 20 heroes and villains from the FINAL FANTASY series’ 30-year history.

Revealed at the 2017 PlayStation® Press Conference in Japan, a new trailer features Noctis defeating enemies with familiar attacks and his iconic arsenal of weapons. The trailer also highlights colossal battles against iconic summons and details why the heroes must fight to save the world of Dissidia. Also revealed were new battle rules, offering players a variety of challenges, as well as a newly refined HUD.