Coco: Blu Ray Review

Coco: Blu Ray Review

With its themes of family, remembrance and multi-culturalism, Pixar's latest is a timely reminder of the things that matter, all wrapped up in some truly incredible naturalistic visuals and coming-of-age story-telling.

It's the tale of Gonzalez's Miguel, a musical dreamer who's part of a family that's banished all music from their lives after one of their relatives had a musician other half who deserted them. Shaking off his destiny as a family shoe-maker, Miguel decides to borrow a guitar from Ernesto de La Cruz, the former town crooning legend and his idol.

But breaking into his tomb on Dia de la Muertos (Day of the Dead), Miguel finds himself trapped in the Land of the Dead. Tracking down his relatives, he discovers there's a way back, but time is running out.

With its gorgeous autumn hues, oranges and purples, and with a hint of darkness in its heart, Coco is a truly emotional experience.

Settling more for a slightly adult experience a la Kubo and The Two Strings and 2014's much under-appreciated The Book Of Life, Coco's rich blend of resonance is deftly and smartly executed.

With deep reverence to the Day of the Dead festival and some drama and conflict ripped from the pages of a Spanish telenovela, Coco's message of 'Grab it tight and make it come true' is one for the ages - and for all ages.

It may be that some of the music, for such an integral part of the film, doesn't exactly shine like it should, but Coco's heart is purely and squarely on its sleeve. Tapping into the memory aspect of the Day of the Dead tradition as well as a beautiful representation of what it all means, why it's so important without turning into a cultural tolerance lecture is a great move for Pixar.

But wisely, they don't forget the slapstick - from a street dog with a giant flapping tongue called Dante to a colourful flying tiger beast that stalks Miguel in the Land of the Dead, Pixar dabbles with the darker side of the festival and proffers hints that satiate. It may be some of the darker edges do frighten younger members of the audience, however.

Maybe skewing a little older is no bad thing for Coco - certainly, the emotions are rife later in the piece when talk of being forgotten by generations on earth as the last link is severed is devastating; and Miguel's great-grandma appears to be afflicted with dementia, furthering the tragedy of forgetting. Equally one sequence within involving the last link being cut is truly emotive and yet also inspiring - this is the line Coco treads with ease and aplomb.

Ultimately, though Coco's coming-of-age tale of tolerance and embracing your roots is a joyous and rich experience; it's one that throws in a buddy tale as well as giving you a baddie to hate on. Pixar needs to be commended for creating something different once again, and while the perks of doing so may be slightly lost and harder to come by for those seeking traditional animated fare, those willing to invest more into proceedings will find their rich reward thanks to an animated universe that, ironically, teems with life in the land of the dead.

In short, go loco for the unconventional Coco.

Dr Who Twice Upon A Time: Blu Ray Review

Dr Who Twice Upon A Time: Blu Ray Review

Aka Finally, Peter Capaldi's swansong.

With his regeneration repeatedly hinted at and almost cheapened in some ways, Capaldi's 12th Doctor farewell is an odd sort of an episode.

Having ended the last series by coming face to face with his first incarnation at the end of The Tenth Planet, Steven Moffat spins out a tale which embraces the past, draws a line under the present and looks to the future.

But it just feels so bland.

A threat that's not really a threat, a series of gags that aren't funny aimed at the First Doctor's 1960s based attitudes and a lack of real stakes makes this regeneration tale fall flat.

It's a shame because Capaldi's great; his final moments are heart-breakingly underplayed, imbued with gravitas and sadness. And there's a constant feeling that his Doctor never quite had the material to match.
Coupled with Pearl Mackie's return as Bill, and other nods from the past, there's something about Twice Upon a Time which feels like it just misses out where it should.

Creatively the team feels like it was painted into a corner - certainly Moffat's said he hadn't originally been asked to write this until it was realised the new showrunner and team wouldn't be in place.

And sadly it feels like it in parts - and yet, despite David Bradley reprising his An Adventure in Space and Time alter ego to great effect, the writing's not quite strong enough.

Certainly the ending where we welcome in the 13th Doctor feels like a new era is dawning and potential is there aplenty.

But ultimately, Twice Upon a Time doesn't hit the beats it should and is a different way to pass the torch to the new team.

Twin Peaks: The Return: Blu Ray Review

Twin Peaks: The Return: Blu Ray Review

It's no lie to say that Twin Peaks: The Return was one of the most anticipated TV event series of last year.

After a cliffhanger ending to the second series left fans screaming and set the standard for so many series that followed, let's be honest, Twin Peaks: The Return was never going to measure up.
Or was it?

What's emerged over these 18 episodes is a series of weirdness, inked through with Lynch's trademark desire to obfuscate and weave a web that takes time for the threads to pull together.

While it's great to see that creatively the master was allowed by the studio to enjoy a creative freedom, and with Lynch helming all 18 episodes, the issue with Twin Peaks: The Return is that it still makes for a frustrating and thrilling experience.

First viewing of the series, all broken up, didn't allow the rhythms to wash over; but a second viewing means bingeing can be done or parts can roll together like Lynch wanted to. He's said it's an 18 hour film, and while exposure may mess with your mind, one can't help but agree.
Kyle MacLachlan's versatility is easily on show, from his take on a possessed Cooper to a muted suburbanite whose life has fallen apart, there's no doubting his range.

But it's frustrating you have to wait till the end for the return of Agent Cooper.
And equally frustrating is how Lynch dispatches the show's greatest evil in some kind of Hulk ripoff.

Yet, with cameos from the past and characters that are paid homage and respect to (given their various deaths offscreen), there's something loving about this revivial,and a feeling that in any other's hands, it would have been ruined.

I can't get behind the lunatic ending that matches a cliffhanger and an iconic scream, but Twin Peaks: The Return remains as frustrating and as enjoyably divisive as it should be.

It's not one for non-fans and even the polarising nature of it has antagonised long-term fans, but you can't help admire Lynch's dazzling TV based  chutzpah.

Samurai Jack: Season 5: DVD Review

Samurai Jack: Season 5: DVD Review

Released by Madman Home Entertainment

It's impossible to overstate how loved Samurai Jack is.

As a piece of animation, its Samurai roots, and iconic etchings have a place in animation history.
As a piece of story-telling, one samurai's quest for revenge against a creature which has wronged him is a fairly simple and timeless kind of yarn.

But Samurai Jack's strength was always in the telling of the tale and the one man encountering others ethos which pervaded much of it.

This final season doesn't scrimp on any of the iconography and spends a lot of time wallowing in the man who has been broken by his place in it all. Jack is ruined by his failure to succeed in his quest - and when Aku's daughters are dispatched to end him once and for all, it appears tragedy is on the way.

But there are surprises in how the tale plays out, with Jack's story, as ever, never being a simple one.

Eleven years after the devastating climax, it's fair to say that parts of Samurai Jack: Season 5 don't quite match up, and while there's a resonance and emotional depth that creator Genndy Tartakovsky is going for, the beats fall slightly short.

However, the style of Samurai Jack: Season 5 is intense, familiar and eye-catching.

Quick edits, stylistic shots and some gorgeous palettes make the season stand out - and it's certainly leagues ahead of anything else, even if its ultimate resolution never meets the highs of the questions raised.

Ultimately, Samurai Jack: Season 5 rewards the long term viewer and brings the story to a predictable but well-travelled conclusion. It's still masterful and deeply watchable, even if parts of it feel familiar and compelling in equal measure.

New Video Series Reveals Details About Toy-Con Garage Mode For Nintendo Labo

New Video Series Reveals Details About Toy-Con Garage Mode For Nintendo Labo

NEW VIDEO SERIES REVEALS DETAILS ABOUT TOY-CON GARAGE MODE FOR NINTENDO LABO

New videos highlight how users can create exciting new experiences with Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Labo

6^th April 2018 – Nintendo revealed new details about Toy-Con Garage mode, an inventive feature included with the software in each Nintendo Labo kit for the Nintendo Switch console (sold separately). Toy-Con Garage introduces the basic principles of technology in a fun and accessible way, allowing Nintendo Labo users to combine various simple inputs and outputs to create new ways to play. You can watch Invent new ways to play with Toy-Con Garage – Episode 1 on the Nintendo Australia YouTube channel. Highlights from the video include the following:

• Toy-Con Garage mode includes different input and output selections*, called “nodes.” Input nodes include actions such as button presses or motions, while output nodes include reactions such as sound effects or vibrations. In addition, there are “middle nodes,” which allow users to select qualifiers such as counters and timers.
• For example, an input node could be gently shaking the Joy-Con controller, a middle node could be a certain number of times shaken, and an output node could trigger a sound effect or a blinking light when the two previous actions occur.
• By combining inputs and outputs with different Toy-Con projects, users may discover exciting results. They could steer the RC Car with the Fishing Rod, for example, or use the Motorbike as an instrument. Users can even invent their own Toy-Con creations using common materials from around their house!
• With a variety of input nodes, middle nodes and output nodes to choose from, users will have fun experimenting with simple conditional statements (i.e. if you do this, then that happens) to create new experiences.

Two more videos are also available, revealing new information about Toy-Con Garage mode: 

• See how to turn the RC Car into an RC Tank in Invent new ways to play with Toy-Con Garage – Episode 2
• Take an in-depth look at Toy-Con Garage mode and see how players can transform their Nintendo Switch into a rubber band guitar in Invent new ways to play with Toy-Con Garage – Episode 3

Nintendo Labo is a new line of interactive make, play and discover experiences designed to inspire creative minds and playful hearts alike. Together with the Nintendo Switch console, the Nintendo Labo kits provide the tools and technology to make fun DIY creations, play games with your creations, and discover how Nintendo Switch technology shapes ideas into reality**.

Nintendo Labo launches in Australia and New Zealand on 20^th April with two kits: the Variety Kit (SRP AU$99.95) and the Robot Kit (SRP AU$119.95). Both kits include everything you need to assemble your Toy-Con creations, including the building materials and relevant Nintendo Switch software.

Peter Rabbit: Film Review

Peter Rabbit: Film Review

Cast: James Corden, Domnhall Gleeson, Rose Byrne, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki
Director: Will Gluck

The 2018 Peter Rabbit is a rapscallion, a cocky self-aware bunny who believes he is entitled to plunder from old man McGregor's garden in whatever manner he chooses.

However when the old boy pops his clogs (Ta Ta then, gruff Sam Neill barely in it), Peter thinks he's won.

But, as they say Peter has another think coming, when young man McGregor (Gleeson, tremendously game) shows up on the land.

Will Gluck's Peter Rabbit has energy to spare early on with the bounding battle of wits in the garden a cleverly engaging opening.

But as the film goes on and ensconces itself in a coat of cuteness and sentiment, it seems to adhere to the rules of a jealous threesome as Peter becomes angered by young McGregor's pursuit of kindly neighbour Bea (Byrne in a sort of perky thankless role).

What emerges is a curious mix of Home Alone cum rom-com as a series of silly gags and pratfalls take the place of any winsome interplay.

It works fine for those of a younger age with the charisma resorting solely to an over use of electrocution gags at one point to amuse.

But there's little beyond this for an older audience who may have been entranced by Potter's tales.

In fact as the animal anarchy rules supreme, it becomes clear that Peter Rabbit is more concerned with being here for a shallow amiable time rather than a reverence for its own material  - despite the wondrous and adept use of hand drawn illustrations throughout the CGI cartoonery..

It may be a Peter Rabbit for the times thanks to Corden's rambunctious tones and the script's fripperies, but sadly, it's not a Peter Rabbit for the ages.

Prepare to Join the Battle for Azeroth—New World of Warcraft Expansion Arrives 14 August

Prepare to Join the Battle for Azeroth—New World of Warcraft Expansion Arrives 14 August

PREPARE TO JOIN THE BATTLE FOR AZEROTH™—NEW WORLD OF WARCRAFT^®EXPANSION ARRIVES 14 AUGUST

The Horde and the Alliance clash for ultimate control of their world in the next chapter of Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing saga

Journey to the continents of Kul Tiras and Zandalar, recruit new Allied Races, explore uncharted territory in Island Expeditions, represent your faction on the Warfront, and more

Pre-purchase Battle for Azeroth and explore the contents of the Collector’s Edition now at www.worldofwarcraft.com/battleforazeroth

SYDNEY, Australia—6 April, 2018—Azeroth reels in the wake of the Legion’s devastating assault, and the emergence of a powerful new resource—Azerite, lifeblood of the wounded planet—has brought the Alliance and the Horde to the brink of war. Beginning 14 August World of Warcraft^® players will take up their faction’s cause in the ultimate fight for control of their world with the launch of Battle for Azeroth^™, the seventh expansion for Blizzard Entertainment’s internationally acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

Heroes of both factions can make their own war preparations now by pre-purchasing Battle for Azeroth at www.worldofwarcraft.com/battleforazeroth. In addition to gaining a level-110 character boost to use immediately, players who pre-purchase can begin their journey to recruit the first four of the expansion’s new Allied Races, including the valiant Lightforged draenei on the Alliance and ancient Nightborne on the Horde.^†

“In Battle for Azeroth, the stakes for the Alliance and the Horde are incredibly high, and a player’s faction will have a more meaningful impact on their experience than in any World of Warcraft expansion to date,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Whether they’re journeying to unexplored lands to recruit allies or fighting to secure war resources, players will redefine what it truly means to be ‘For the Horde’ or ‘For the Alliance’ when the expansion arrives this August.”

Battle for Azeroth – Standard, Digital Deluxe, and Collector’s Editions

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth will be available in both a standard edition (physical and digital versions available; RRP $69.95 AUD) and Digital Deluxe Edition ($94.95 AUD). The latter contains an arsenal of in-game bonuses for a variety of Blizzard games, including the Seabraid Stallion (Alliance) mount, Gilded Ravasaur (Horde) mount, and Tottle the Baby Tortollan pet for World of Warcraft; an “Azeroth Is Burning” card back for Hearthstone^®; a Primal Flamesaber mount in Heroes of the Storm^®; Horde and Alliance sprays for StarCraft^® II; and a collection of faction-themed extras for Overwatch^®.

Battle for Azeroth will also be available in a retail-exclusive Collector’s Edition (RRP $144.95 AUD). In addition to the in-game items from the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Collector’s Edition contains an array of loot to fuel players’ faction pride, including:

• Horde & Alliance Double-Sided Mark of Allegiance: Declare your allegiance with this hefty two-sided emblem (stand included). Place it on your desk or shelf and proclaim your chosen faction to the world.
• Hardcover Double-Sided Book: Elegy & A Good War: This limited-edition hardback collects two new World of Warcraft novellas depicting the Burning of Teldrassil from the points of view of the Alliance and the Horde. Each story includes original artwork exclusive to this edition.^†† Written by Christie Golden and Robert Brooks.
• Battle for Azeroth Digital Soundtrack: Each Collector’s Edition contains a key to download the stirring orchestral pieces from the expansion’s soundtrack—the perfect mood music for laying siege to your enemies. 

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Collector’s Edition is available for preorder now. Supplies are limited; players should check with their local retailer for preorder details and availability. For players who have already pre-purchased a digital edition of the expansion and wish to upgrade to the Collector’s Edition at launch, Blizzard will credit their account Blizzard Balance in the amount of their original purchase if they redeem their Collector’s Edition key before 31 December, 2018. For additional details, visit www.worldofwarcraft.com.

In addition, starting today, anyone interested in joining the fight with the next expansion can pre-purchase Battle for Azeroth digitally through the Blizzard Shop and receive the current expansion, Legion^™, for free. This bundle also includes a level-110 character boost, making it a perfect jumping-on point for new and returning players.

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Features

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth includes new features and content that will put heroes’ fortitude and dedication to their faction to the test. In this expansion, players will be called upon to:

• Explore Two Fabled Kingdoms: As a champion of the Horde, travel to the empire of Zandalar to persuade the trolls to lend their naval might. As a defender of the Alliance, venture to the seafaring kingdom of Kul Tiras, home of Jaina Proudmoore, and rally its inhabitants to fight for your cause.
• Recruit Allied Races: Take a new form for your adventures as several new playable Allied Races, each with unique racial abilities. Earn the favour of the Highmountain tauren, Void elves, Dark Iron dwarves, and others to create a new character of that race and add their strength to your faction.
• Plunder the Islands of the Great Sea: Set out on Island Expeditions and conquer an ever-changing array of enemies, environments, and objectives. Battle in groups of three as you race against cunning rival intruders—or enemy players—to collect each island’s resources and fuel the war effort.
• Charge Into a Warfront: Fight on the battlefields of a large-scale, 20-player cooperative Warfront to claim a key strategic location. Capture resources to build your faction’s forces, lead the charge as your troops lay siege to objectives, and fight the enemy commander to claim victory in this new mode inspired by classic Warcraft real-time strategy–game battles.
• Infuse Your Armour with Titanic Might: Seek out Azerite, an invaluable new resource that has emerged in the Burning Legion’s wake. Imbue the Heart of Azeroth—a legendary neck piece entrusted to each hero by Magni Bronzebeard—with Azerite to customise your armour with new powers and traits.
• Battle to Level 120: Trace the corruption of the Blood God to the Underrot, unearth the secrets of a lost titan vault, escape from the Drust Realm of the Dead, and more as you quest through 10 new levels—then continue to grow in power through new World Quests, raids, dungeons, and more.

To learn more about World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, visit the expansion’s official website at www.worldofwarcraft.com/battleforazeroth.