Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection: XBox One Review

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection: XBox One Review

Platform: XBox One

Released by Capcom

It's back.

The smackdown to end all smackdowns is back, and with a package that comprises 12 Street Fighter arcade ports, it's a trip down memory lane which will KO you with its nostalgia.

From the likes of Street Fighter, via Street Fighter II: Champion Edition to Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact, there are more than enough games to keep you and your mates amused in front of the console.

The games are fairly simple ports, which don't mess with the formula, but Capcom's thrown in a few new features and options.

From a stronger Training Mode to the chance to explore early game design documents, the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection aims to be completist, and while the play is as frustrating as button mashers ever were, there's also the feeling that this is a great fun experience that proved to be so popular in the arcades for obvious reasons.

Sure, there's a few of them which are missing, but the preservation work and the 2D fighting game nature means that the chance to sit down and wallow in the past is high and welcome.

It's also interesting to see how the games evolved in their playability as developers explored the full potential of what the machines could do - and there's certainly a feeling of leaps and bounds from Street Fighter I to Street Fighter III.

All in all, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is worth owning; its lower cost and the fact that it's 12 games deep, mean value for money - sure, there's some repetition in the beat them up formula, but as a gaming document to preserve the past, it's sort of second to none.

Win A Quiet Place on Blu-Ray

Win A Quiet Place on Blu-Ray

To celebrate the release of A Quiet Place on July 11th, I've got copies to give away thanks to Universal!

About A QUIET PLACE

In the modern horror thriller A Quiet Place, a family of four must navigate their lives in silence after mysterious creatures that hunt by sound threaten their survival. If they hear you, they hunt you.

DVD Special Features
• Creating the Quiet – Director John Krasinski gives you a behind the scenes look at A Quiet Place

Blu-rayTM Special Features
• Creating the Quiet – Director John Krasinski gives you a behind the scenes look at A Quiet
Place
• The Sound of Darkness – Creating the sound of a silent world
• A Reason for Silence – The art of unforgettable visual effects

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

Please label your entry QUIET

Competition closes August 1st

A Quiet Place: Blu Ray Review

A Quiet Place: Blu Ray Review

Channeling elements of It Comes At Night, Signs, 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Last Of Us and elements of Invaders From Mars to name but a few others, A Quiet Place's sensibilities lie within their intimacies.

Real life husband and wife Krasinski and Blunt play a married couple, living in a world blighted by an invasion, the details of which are scattered briefly like narrative breadcrumbs here and there.

Joining the film at Day 89 of this invasion, we're thrust into their world - a father and mother trying to protect their children from creatures which pick off their victims when they make sound.

Starting off in a deserted supermarket, with visual elements of The Last Of Us on display, this is a deserted world, one where insularity helps ensure safety.

However, after a shocking incident, the family finds it has to pull together in the wake of devastation and a seeming never end to what has been unleashed.

It's unfair to review A Quiet Place by spoiling it for others, depriving of the shocks and spills so rarely experienced at the movies these days.

Loosely speaking, the film works best in its own bubble of innocence; it's a story about family, about the sacrifices and lengths family have to go to protect each other. In a wider, broader sense, some could see it as an allegory into the world today, and politics in general.

But what's orchestrated by Krasinski throughout is, largely, terrifically taut, true to the genre and yet willing to shape it as its own.

A few quibbles of logic hit parts of the set pieces, yet above all, A Quiet Place manages to grip and terrify in the right measure.

It helps that a good starting portion of the film is silent, leading to sign language and subtitles becoming common place - something which Edgar Wright's Baby Driver managed to mainstream to great narrative effect.

However, what the subtitles do here convey an atmosphere of rebellion, of frustration and of familial love - in among the terror that any second something could strike.

Wisely, Krasinski and his writers decide early on to reveal the creatures terrorising the world, rather than play coy, abuse lighting and employ cheap cutaways to lessen the peril.

The result is that it's actually engaging and in parts unsettling.
More compellingly, it feels fresh throughout - even though some of the logical leaps and lapses stand out a little more because of this.

Certainly, a sequence involving a bathtub, Blunt, a creature and an impending baby leads to some real edge of the seat stuff that is amongst some of the best orchestrated of the year so far.

Long sweeping shots within frames, an at-times heart-thumping soundtrack and a desire to keep things on a smaller more personal scale make A Quiet Place such a rollercoaster ride of thrills.

Terrifically entertaining, suspenseful, and above all fresh, A Quiet Place rallies a cry for intimate originality in film which has long been muted by bloated blockbusters and tiresome, unfulfilling sequels. 

Wellington Paranormal: TV Review

Wellington Paranormal: TV Review

It's the show that's been a fair few years in the making from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, and their New Zealand Documentary Board.

Spun off from What We Do in The Shadows, Wellington Paranormal's mix of mockumentary stylings of Cops and also NZ homebred hit Police Ten 7 gets off to a promising start, with the return of two police officers briefly glimpsed in the orignal film.

Mark Minogue and Karen O'Leary play hapless officers Minogue and O'Leary, who find the start of their shift is impacted by the discovery of a girl projectile vomiting in one of Wellington's most infamous streets.

This is less Hill Street Blues though, more a Hell Street Blues if you will, as they dig deeper in after being co-opted by Sergeant Maaka, played by the Modern Māori Quartet's Maaka Pohatu.

He's the boss of the top-secret Wellington Police Paranormal Unit and who's been looking at the odd for years - though has been dismissed. (To be fair, one of O'Leary's early musings is that Maaka's so-called UFO photo is actually a hubcap).

But things take a turn as the case develops.

Wellington Paranormal's first episode riffs on The Exorcist in terms of story, and also with a famous line coming from the most unexpected of sources (one of the episode's delights).

It's also got that mix of The X-Files creature of the week feel too - and the title sequence feels like a more upbeat rendition of Mark Snow's infamous theme.

And while deadpan and ad-libbing appear to be the show's MO, it's wisely not abandoned its horror elements as well, with some impressive jump scares and a commitment to the mythical elements nicely sown liberally in.

Its lead pair is laconic and laid back and director Jemaine Clement encouraged them to adlib during filming, and it shows - in a good way.

It's tricky to mix genuine scares and humour, but Wellington Paranormal's first ep does it well and there's a lot of buzz abroad about the show, so it does have potential. Clement's clearly got an eye for the humorous behind the camera, as well as the flow for the show, ensuring the drama is never second place to the obvious humour.

A minor nitpick for me is the two leads referencing Mulder and Scully, which is why it's sometimes hard not to believe they know what was going on, but it'll be interesting to see how this develops as the six episodes play out. And it'll be intriguing to see if the gag runs out - it works well for 30 minute slices, but extended exposure to this could count against it.

Nicely paced, with sight gags never being put aside for the supernatural, and with some riffs on Buffy's Hellmouth, Wellington Paranormal offers up a lot in terms of proffering some universal humour, as well as the ability to satiate the local audiences.

Smartly delivered, and kookily clever, Wellington Paranormal could soon be the cult comedy TV hit that New Zealand's been dying to deliver for years.

Edie: Film Review

Edie: Film Review

Cast: Sheila Hancock, Kevin Guthrie
Director: Simon Hunter

Less Reese Witherspoon's Wild, more a tame film that pulls no surprises, Sheila Hancock's Edie is a woman with a mission late in life.

Freed from the shackles of an abusive marriage that imploded into a stroke for her husband that imprisoned them both for 30 years and with a care home beckoning for her future, Edie decides on a whim to tackle a Scottish mountain climb.

With the cry of "Never too late for you, Edie" ringing in her ears, and with memories of a mountain promise made to her by her late father, Edie goes AWOL (with scant follow through from her daughter) to the Highlands.

After bumping into Guthrie's Johnny, Edie's conned into getting training from his so-called camping ways to tackle the journey...

Edie is predictable fare, that treads a familiar path to redemption without any flashiness or surprises.
It's in its subtlety that it works best, and with a twinkling performance from Hancock, and a genuinely empathetic grounded turn from Guthrie, the film's Odd Couple vibe of lost souls tends to work best early on.

Edie's determined to cast the shackles of the shadow of her past life off and climb both the literal and metaphorical mountain dragging her down. Equally, Johnny's uncertainty over being stuck in a small town, shackled to a partner's business plan, threatens to overwhelm his future and hold him back in much the same way as Edie's abusive husband did.

It's here that Edie stumbles really - its desire to repeatedly and unsubtly beat home parts of its message mean that - coupled with endless use of slow mo towards the end - the film becomes mired in sentiment and treats its audience with less respect. Along with the fact that logic and some key plot threads are just left dangling, this is never anything but Edie and Johnny's friendship, set to the backdrop of what appears to be shameless tourism video promotion for the rolling vistas of bonnie Scotland.

But in among the battle of unnecessary wills and heads being butted testing boundaries, Hancock and Guthrie quietly impress, imbuing the film with a resonance of a less-is-more execution.

It's unlikely that Edie will trouble either box offices or end of year lists, but it does offer an older audience a viewpoint seldom seen - of life after marriage, and in the twilight years. It's here that Hunter's film packs a quiet power - but had those in charge pulled back and removed some of the padding, the inter-generational friendship story could have flourished more than it comes close to hinting at.

Ideal Home: Film Review

Ideal Home: Film Review

Cast: Steve Coogan, Paul Rudd, Jack Gore, Kate Walsh
Director: Andrew Fleming

An intriguing look at what family means in the 21st Century, Andrew Fleming's Ideal Home can be summed up by its last line.

Exhausted and perhaps a touch exasperated after all that comes to pass, Paul Rudd's character Paul can be heard flippantly shouting - "Oh great,a f***ing rainbow", before the credits roll, bringing up shots of same sex couples and their offspring.

It's a meshing of tones that never quite fully gels for Ideal Home, with the story of how bickering gay couple Erasmus (Coogan, in a flamboyant and camp mode) and Paul (Rudd, the relative centre and expert of the withering put down) end up with 10 year old Bill.

Jack Gore's Bill's told to go live with his grandfather Erasmus when the police bust his father in a motel - with tragedy in Bill's past, and with Erasmus not talking to his son, things are off to a tough start when he shows up unexpectedly.

Initially pushing back on the lack of boundaries set by Erasmus who caves to Bill's demands, Paul's more resistant, after initially not wanting a child in their relationship.

But as these films are wont to do, a bond between the three grows, and Erasmus and Paul learn from Bill being part of their life.

That's the thing with Ideal Home, it's not a new concept and it wears some of that influence without shame on its occasionally laugh-out-loud funny journey.

As mentioned previously, Rudd is the stand out here - as opposed to Coogan's somewhat flighty and flamboyant monster Erasmus. With a heart and humanity, Rudd anchors Paul as the centre of the family, while never losing out the chance to toss off a throwaway line when it's needed.

Unfortunately, Ideal Home unravels a little in its third and final act as a series of narrative speed bumps are introduced for nothing more than dramatic purpose, leading to the resolution feeling rushed and a little disjointed. Certainly the emotional edge that's meant to be inserted by proceedings feels a little flawed, despite everyone's efforts to the contrary.

Equally, some of Bill's initial antagonisms over living with Erasmus and Paul are glossed over, having been hinted at early on - and the social worker intervention (from Alison Pill's character) is put on the back burner in favour of some sight gags.

It's this uneasy mix of uncertainty which slightly cripples Ideal Home, and which thwarts its noble intentions and which means ultimately, in the final strait, the film fumbles its premise and promise.

F1 2018 - Career Developer Diary 1

F1 2018 - Career Developer Diary 1

SPEAK TO THE PRESS AND MAKE HEADLINES IN F1® 2018

NEW DEVELOPER DIARY DETAILS IMMERSIVE CAREER MODE

SYDNEY, 6^th July 2018 - Codemasters® has today released the first of a four part series of developer diaries for F1® 2018, the official videogame of the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, which reveals how you can ‘Make Headlines’ both on and off the track. New, time-pressured press interviews at key moments throughout your career will put you in the spotlight and immerse you into the world of F1 more than ever before.

The new developer diary, available to view now, details how your interactions with Claire, the new reporter character in F1 2018, will shape the way in which you are seen in the sport and directly affect your career. Will you choose to exhibit showmanship or sportsmanship? Your answers can increase/decrease the motivation within departments in your own team, altering the price or reliability of upgrades, as well as any offers you might receive from rival teams.

“The media are going to play a huge part in the player’s career,” commented F1 2018’s Game Director, Lee Mather. “It's super important for a driver to not just be skilled on track. It's all about being the complete package. The player is going to need to consider how their answers impact the morale of their team and also how other teams in the paddock perceive them.

Lee continued: “Certain teams may like to see a driver who is a great sportsman: demure and calm in front of the press, even under high-pressure situations, while others may want a driver who is more of a showman who can create buzz.”

The answers available to you will develop over time as your character becomes better known within F1. The interviews will take place in new locations in the Paddock and in front of the team and scrutineering garages.

There are further improvements within the career mode. You now have more control over your destiny and can approach rival teams about a potential move, including the opportunity to switch within the season. You also have the opportunity to select your own championship rival.

Details of further enhancements to the career mode will be unveiled in part two of the developer diary series.

F1 2018 will release onto PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (via Steam) worldwide on Friday 24^th August 2018. Features all of the official teams, the drivers and all 21 circuits of the thrilling 2018 season, this year sees the return of the French and German Grand Prix™ to the calendar meaning that you can now race at Circuit Paul Ricard and the Hockenheimring