Only The Brave: Film Review

Only The Brave: Film Review

Cast: Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, James Badge Dale, Taylor Kitsch, Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Connelly, Andie MacDowell

Director: Jospeh Kosinski

In many ways, lots of Only The Brave shouldn't work.

It's cliched as hell from the dialogue to the direction, it suffers from Hollywood's strangulating true story codas where the real images are plastered over the screen moments after it ends in a music montage, and its story is entirely tragic and predictable even if you don't know the Granite Mountain Hotshots tale.

And yet, Only The Brave still somehow manages to be quite moving and earnest as it lumbers to its disastrous denouement.

It's largely thanks to a genuine performance from Josh Brolin, as the leader, Eric Marsh, of a municipal group of firefighters in Arizona who desperately want to be verified so they can be part of the fire season rotation.

Miles Teller plays junkie Brendan McDonough whose redemption arc begins after he ends up jailed and high and a first-time father. Deciding to turn his life around, he approaches Brolin's  Eric to see if he can join the team.

So far, so cliched.

And if you add to that, the fact that Brendan doesn't gel with the team - notably Kitsch's Mac, plus the clash of families and their men in danger and whether it's worth it, you can feel the hoary old tropes burning as hot as the flames on the screen.

Yet, due to an earnest and compassionate turn from Brolin, the flames are less about fire-fighting and more about kindling the flames of bromance as this two-and-a-quarter hour ode to fallen heroes unspools unshowingly and with heart-on-sleeve.

But with the central relationships feeling real, and the dynamics successfully explored and barely exploited, Kosinski's solid, never spectacular, direction somehow means that Only The Brave creeps under your skin as it moves to its inevitable end.

The universal appeal of the main members of the cast and anchored by Brolin's prophet-like turn, the tragedy bites hard at the end when it comes as it must.

Sure some of the dialogue is a bit lacksadaisical and some of the women suffer appalling characterisation (with the exception of Jennifer Connelly as Marsh's wife) but the heart of Only The Brave means it lingers long after the film's finished (even if the deliberately cynical coda cloys at you).

The low-key reverence in which the film holds its fallen is evident at the end, but the perfectly-paced journey via the mens' sincerity means that Only The Brave gives you relatability and some truly gut-wrenching moments of moving pain when it all ends.

Against all the odds, and with everything screaming unoriginality in this tale, Only The Brave manages to make you care terrifically about those caught up in this Arizona nightmare - it's the film's smartest strength and its strongest reminder of the power of the ordinary man.

Win a double pass to see Professor Marston and The Wonder Women at the cinema

Win a double pass to see Professor Marston and The Wonder Women at the cinema

The true story of the unconventional life of Dr. William Marston, the Harvard psychologist who invented the modern lie detector test and created the character of Wonder Woman in 1941.  

Marston was in a polyamorous relationship with his wife Elizabeth, also a psychologist and inventor, and Olive Byrne, a former student.  

Wonder Woman was a powerful role model, representing feminist ideals shared by Elizabeth and Olive.  

But the comic lead to controversy that would impact the three lovers for the rest of their lives.

Professor Marston and The Wonder Women is in cinemas in 4 main centres – Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Starring Luke Evans and Rebecca Hall and Bella Heathcote.

Professor Marston and The Wonder Women releases 16th November.

To win a double pass, all you have to do is email  your details to this  address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Include your name and address and title your email MADAME!
Competition closes November 16th

Win a copy of Baby Driver

Win a copy of Baby Driver

Baby Driver is a 2017 action film written and directed by Edgar Wright. 

It stars Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Eiza González, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, and Jon Bernthal.

The plot follows Baby, a young getaway driver, who is coerced into working for a kingpin.

Baby Driver was co-produced by Working Title Films and Big Talk Productions, and was distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures and by TriStar Pictures in the US, while the independent studio Media Rights Capital provided archive footage possession for the film's US release. 

It premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2017, and was released theatrically on June 28, 2017. 

The film received critical acclaim and has grossed over $118 million worldwide.

“An awe-inspiring piece of filmmaking from Edgar Wright that plays out as a musical through the lens of an action thriller. Sweet, funny and utterly original — you won’t see a film like it this year.”- Empire

' To win a copy, all you have to do is email  your details to this  address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Include your name and address and title your email BABY DRIVER!
Competition closes November 23RD

Win a copy of Cars 3 on DVD

Win a copy of Cars 3 on DVD

Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. 

To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician, Cruz Ramirez (voice of Cristela Alonzo), with her own plan to win, plus inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns. 

Proving that #95 isn't through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing's biggest stage! 

To win a copy, all you have to do is email  your details to this  address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Include your name and address and title your email CARS 3!
Competition closes November 23rd

Win a double pass to see Daddy's Home 2 at the movies

Win a double pass to see Daddy's Home 2 at the movies

In the sequel to the 2015 global smash, father and stepfather, Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) and Brad (Will Ferrell) have joined forces to provide their kids with the perfect Christmas.

Their newfound partnership is put to the test when Dusty’s old-school, macho Dad (Mel Gibson) and Brad’s ultra-affectionate and emotional Dad (John Lithgow) arrive just in time to throw the holiday into complete chaos.

Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, John Cena, John Lithgow & Mel Gibson

To celebrate the release of Daddy's Home 2 at the movies from November 23rd, you can win a double pass!

Daddy's Home 2 is rated M

To win a double pass, all you have to do is email  your details to this  address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Include your name and address and title your email DADDY!
Competition closes November 23rd

Jigsaw: Film Review

Jigsaw: Film Review

Cast: Callum Keith Rennie, Matt Passmore, Laura Vandervoort, Tobin Bell
Director: The Spierig Brothers

Seven years after the last outing for the slightly insane and warped logic of John Kramer, the Saw series returns with an attempt to dust off the legacy and restart the whole thing as we get asked to play a game again.

This time around, and once again treading familiar ground, Daybreakers and Predestination directors The Spierig Brothers bring their take to the grubby grimy series.

A group of apparently unconnected people, five in number, wake up inside a barn, with Ned Kelly-esque buckets on their head and chained to a wall. As the chains fire up, they're headed towards buzzsaws whirring violently away. Suddenly, the voice of John Kramer offers them a chance to redeem themselves....

Elsewhere with the discovery of the bodies, a group of detectives begin a quest to try and save them before it's too late.

With its truth will set you free ethos and its emphasis a little more on redemption, Jigsaw goes back to the series' roots in some ways, as the twisted games play out.

It's good to see that rather than simply concentrating on the torture porn, Jigsaw presents a course of logic that at least makes some sense to the reason why Jigsaw came to be - rather than simply imperil people for no real reason.

The problem is that due to lack of any reason to care about the five placed in danger and a distinct lack of tension makes Jigsaw difficult to invest in; the traps this time feel rote and lack a degree of deviousness that previous installments had going for them.

A lot of time is spent in a medical lab as well, giving this a feel of CSI: Saw rather than anything else. And despite a twist at the end (unsurprisingly), Jigsaw feels slightly redundant if it's trying to reboot the franchise and kick it all off again.

Ultimately, like most Jigsaws over time, this one is missing a few pieces, meaning that the final product feels unfinished and only hints at what could have been.

Win a copy of Spider-man Homecoming!

Win a copy of Spider-man Homecoming!

To celebrate the release of  Spiderman: Homecoming out on October 11(Blu-Ray & DVD), you can win a copy here!

About Spider-man Homecoming

Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May.

Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man.

He also tries to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighbourhood superhero.

Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.

To win a copy thanks to the Sony team, all you have to do is email  your details to this  address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Include your name and address and title your email SPIDEY!
Competition closes November 20th