The Meg: Film Review

The Meg: Film Review

Cast: Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Cliff Curtis
Director: Jon Turteltaub

The shark film is an easy hit genre.

In this latest, which is frankly more suited to a Syfy TV slot than a big screen release (and even that's being generous), Jason Statham is Jonas Taylor, a former diver whose life is haunted by a decision to leave some former crew members to die to save others. (Classic Kobayashi Maru type stuff.)

Retired from diving, Taylor's called back in when an exploration beneath the seabed goes awry and his ex-wife is trapped. Taking part in the rescue and still believing a massive creature lurked below despite everyone's contrary protestations, Taylor and his team inadvertently provides a chance for a megalodon shark to escape his surroundings.

Now with humanity on the lunch menu, it's a race against time to rid the seas of the shark.

The Meg is not smart enough to realise its trash concept and embrace it.

And while this shark tale hits every cliche with barely any relish, parts of its execution are brilliantly realised.

From the smart looking techno futuristic seabase to the submersibles, the design side of The Meg is wonderfully brought to life. And it's populated by some standout turns - primarily Cliff Curtis' de facto base leader Mac, whose grounded performance makes him the mate you'd want to call on in any given situation.

There are times when Statham plays it a little too close to zany, delivering his cornball dialogue with a little too much gusto. It would have been wiser to have played up the redemption angle of this character, mixing it in with kind of haunted turns those obsessed with either sharks or whales deliver (Jaws, Moby Dick et al), but Statham isn't too far taxed from his usual MO.

Disappointingly, Bingbing Li's scientist goes from strong model to weak-kneed at the sight of Statham's Taylor when he shows up, and it's poor scripting at best. Equally some of the final scenes where the shark menaces a bay full of foreigners, the racial stereotyping is dangerously close to offensive. It's very much like those are pandering to the Chinese box office, without writing for them.

The shark's execution is nicely done, and there are some reasonable action sequences early on (Taylor being hauled through the water with a rope and the creature snapping at its heels being one of the best), but Turteltaub doesn't really deliver anything other than rote shark action, a tacit admission and nod to what's expected, but nothing more.

Ultimately, The Meg, unfortunately, bites. Its cliched codswallop, along with an at times overly familiar and tedious story, doesn't do much to deliver any kind of originality to the genre - and the suspense and emotional pull when people are dispatched are solely missing.

This is one shark tale which sadly, is like a fish out of water, floundering for its life.

I Feel Pretty: Blu Ray Review

I Feel Pretty: Blu Ray Review

You can see what Amy Schumer's self-image I Feel Pretty is trying to do.

A wannabe self-empowerment piece about what lies beneath and how inner beauty and confidence comes from within appears to have noble aims - especially in the ever-growing feminist empowerment times we live in.

But what emerges from the flat, occasionally tedious and definitely overlong I Feel Pretty is a sinking feeling that denying Schumer that bite which helped her skewer perceptions in her comedy show for a downpat traditional rom-com was a seriously bad move and showed those involved had little to no courage of their own convictions.

Schumer plays everywoman Renee, who dreams of working at fashion magazine Lily LeClaire, but who currently resides in their off-site basement in their IT department. Depressed by models which inhabit the gym and a desire to try and change her outward appearance, Renee joins a spin cycle class.

However, after an accident sees her bump her head, she recovers and catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror post-workout wallop, believes herself to be truly beautiful and utterly unbeatable. Imbued with a new-found confidence, Renee sets out for a receptionist job at Lily LeClaire - however, her journey takes an unexpected turn when her self-confidence and forthright opinions are noticed by LeClaire's CEO, Avery (Williams, in a wispy, ethereal and high-pitched Monroe voice).

There are moments to admire in I Feel Pretty.

Certainly, Schumer's relatability to the audience, and the fact she's never shy about showing off a podgy stomach wrapped highly in Spanx and lacking in self-worth proves to be a welcome tonic. Certainly, an early scene where she looks despondently in the mirror at her out of shape form and tears up will hit many a chord.

But where I Feel Pretty goes awry is in its mixed message. (And its potential squandering of the fact that Renee's post-knock change of heart is clearly a breakdown, triggered by depression).

It aims to subvert, telling the world that not everyone at a fashion magazine has to be a supermodel, or that not every guy is the perfect chiselled jaw. It aims to celebrate the nice persona in a time when nice is being ignored and crushed. These are admirable traits - and certainly, Renee's final speech of who we are would clearly have many women punching the sky in relief - were it not for the fact it's part of a make-up product launch.

The inherent problem with the overlong I Feel Pretty is that it's never quite strong enough to dance to its own tune, selling a message that's been told a million times before - and a million times more cleverly. (Any Disney princess movie manages to hit similar highs).

But, as mentioned earlier, the most disappointing thing about I Feel Pretty is crushing and suppressing Amy's acerbic take on life. If she'd been at the script, there would have been a chance of a few more vicious body blows being landed on both the patriarchy and perception.

As it is, I Feel Pretty is content to simply deliver a few paltry light taps to societal perceptions, and proffer some hints at subversion. 

Isle of Dogs: Blu Ray Review

Isle of Dogs: Blu Ray Review

Propaganda, genocide, Japanese homage, accusations levelled of cultural appropriation and a white saviour - Wes Anderson's latest quirk fest, the stop animation Isle of Dogs, certainly has it all.

Set on Trash Island off the coast of Japan, it centres on a colony of canines, cut from their owner's lives at the behest of Prime Minister Kobayashi (Nomura) after an outbreak of dog flu and snout fever. Ripped from civilisation and living a little like Lord of The Flies with pockets of rabid ruffians looking for food, a group of four dogs one day see a visitor come to the island.

This is the little pilot, a boy looking simply for his lost pooch.

Taking the boy under their collective wings, the dogs, along with stray interloper Chief (Cranston, rich and gravelly), set out to find the Little Pilot's long lost pal - as a conspiracy on the mainland develops under Kobayashi's watch.

As stop animation and as a follow up to the stirling work done in Fantastic Mr Fox, West Anderson's latest is really second to none in the animation stakes, with everything painted through with the typical Anderson whimsy and quirk.

It's also second to none in the hipster quirk stakes as well - and towards the end, the light  fancy edges threaten to cloy and choke rather than assume the desired effect. Plus, there's a very sudden about face for one of the main characters which comes from nowhere and tonally jars.

But in terms of engaging a quest and Samurai element to the proceedings, the group's search certainly feels formed and is intriguing enough - even if it feels like little happens and they simply trudge from one element to the next, leading to a meandering feeling.

That's perhaps the joy of what Anderson's committed to the screen here - it feels slight, and light, with rafts of once over lightly, rather than big emotional heft - which may rankle some viewers.

However, with Chief's back story and the homage to Japan and its culture, Isle of Dogs is as traditional a animal adventure as anything Disney has put out - even if there are a few darker elements.

The one majorly troubling part of the story is the way that Little Pilot gets sidelined later on in favour of Greta Gerwig's white saviour Tracey who breaks open the conspiracy. It's hard to justify this, or whether it's a sly subversion of the dumb American cracking open the whole plot that's within (this may be granting Anderson a little too much space).

It feels like a misfire in a film that works to incorporate its cultural elements into the symmetry and tapestry of its film (although this has seen the film have criticisms levelled at it) and really does stick out like a sore thumb.

Ultimately though, Isle of Dogs, while it threatens to collapse under the weight of the quirk and times of occasional tedium it's created, is a film that nearly hits some of Fantastic Mr Fox's animated, but not heart, highs. It may lack the spontaneity and chaos of the previous entry, and some of the lighter touches (certainly, when it does cut loose it's a lot more fun and engaging), but it's definitely proof that stop-animation isn't a dying art form - and one that deserves to be seen on the screen.

Win a double pass to see Slender Man

Win a double pass to see Slender Man

To celebrate the release of Slender Man in cinemas August 23rd, you can win a double pass!

About Slender Man

In a small town in Massachusetts, a group of friends, fascinated by the internet lore of the Slender Man, attempt to prove that he doesn’t actually exist… until one of them mysteriously goes missing.


Slender Man is in cinemas August 23rd

To win all you have to do is email your details and the word SLENDER to this address: darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com or CLICK HERE NOW!

Competition closes August 23rd!

Mary and The Witch's Flower: DVD Review

Mary and The Witch's Flower: DVD Review

Likely to appeal to those who felt Harry Potter was too male-led, Mary and The Witch's Flower's the first film from the Japanese Studio Ponoc.

It's the story of Mary, a young girl who's finding life in the countryside a little dull while she waits for her parents to move across to be with her. On the cusp of starting school, one day Mary heads into the nearby woods following a cat - despite her great aunt Mary's insistence on staying away from the woods.

Finding some strange flowers and a broomstick that comes to life, Mary is whisked above the clouds to a magical school, Endor College, where she's welcomed as the latest witch apprentice.

But Mary's flower discovery puts her in peril and at odds with those running the college - as well as discovering a threat to all life.

It's fair to say that Mary and The Witch's Flower wears its Potter influence deep on its sleeve.

Whilst it may lack some of the warmth and emotion of the Potter series (there's not as much heart on display here sadly), the central story of Mary, with her outcast red hair and quirky ways, will give some girls a heroine they need.

However, Mary's prone to pratfalls, to mess ups and to bursting into tears which weakens the argument a little and disappoints.

In terms of the animation it's perfectly fine, but for a new studio, it unfortunately lacks the wow factor to help them set out their stall with their debut feature.

The backdrops are nicely painted and tend to fade into the background rather than stand out, and while there are some well-executed set pieces, there's little which truly jumps from the screen.

If anything, the copy of the Hogwarts style school is solidly executed - from a menagerie of creatures and critters to a Scottish groundskeeper, there's a lot here that feels familiar. And, because of that, it's a shame as Mary and The Witch's Flower has some real potential to cast some magic.

As it is, it's a fairly enchanting sort of tale for 90 minutes, but its bucolic edges and Potter-familiarity (as well as dashes of Howl's Moving Castle) prevent it from truly weaving a magic spell.

Dragon Quest XI: DQVII Costume Announcement

Dragon Quest XI: DQVII Costume Announcement

RELIVE YOUR MEMORIES OF DRAGON QUEST VIII

IN THE UPCOMING DRAGON QUEST XI

DRAGON QUEST VIII Costume Available from Launch for all DRAGON QUEST XI Players

SYDNEY, 10^th August 2018 – In celebration of the upcoming release of DRAGON QUEST® XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age™ on 4^th September, Square Enix Ltd., today release brand-new screenshots and gameplay footage showcasing a special DRAGON QUEST VIII costume which will be available to all players at launch.

The DRAGON QUEST VIII Trodain Bandana and Trodain Togs will be available in all DRAGON QUEST XI players’ inventories from launch and can be equipped to the Luminary character to boost defensive stats in the early portion of the game. Players are also provided with a recipe book “Trodain’s Top Trends”, which includes details on how to improve the stats of the special costume in the later stages of the game.

F1 2018 - Dev Diary 3: Car Simulation

F1 2018 - Dev Diary 3: Car Simulation

 

F1® 2018 – More Than Just A Game

Latest Developer Diary Focuses On The Most Authentic F1 Car Simulation yet

SYDNEY, 10^th August 2018 - Codemasters® has today released the third part in a series of developer diaries for F1® 2018, the official videogame of the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, detailing how the new game boasts the most authentic F1® car handling simulation ever seen in the franchise.

The third of the four part series, which is available to watch now at www.youtube.com/formula1game, reveals that F1® 2018’s car simulation and handling has significantly advanced this year, with revamped suspension and chassis physics, the addition of real world F1® data for unprecedented accuracy, new “tyre carcass” temperature for the first time, as well as manual deployment of the ERS system. The ultimate result of these enhancements is that the gamer can experience the pure sensation of the tyres tearing into the track surface, and therefore giving a realistic and relatable feeling of grip, under all wear, compounds and weather conditions.

“I believe F1® 2018 is a massive step up, because we’ve introduced so many more simulation aspects that I believe will be very well received by all the players,” commented David Greco, Senior Car Handling Designer on F1® 2018. “To choose which one is the most important and advanced is quite hard, but I would probably say it is the expanded system which enables us to simulate the tyre temperature more realistically than we have ever done before.”

He continued: “This year, the way the car feels, with the ‘Force Feedback’, and how it all works together, we are very close to what I want from a simulator. In over 20 years of my career between sim racing and real motorsport, I have always come across questions like: ‘one title is more simulator than another title, because it’s very difficult to drive?’ With my real motorsport experience, I can say that real racing cars are made to have a lot of grip. To me, a simulator is not how easy it is to drive or how easy to make it spin. To me, a simulation is how many real-life, physical components we simulate, and especially this year, there are not many features that I can think of that we don’t simulate. To just call it a game to me is not enough anymore.”

F1® 2018 features all the official teams, the drivers and all 21 circuits of the thrilling 2018 season, including Circuit Paul Ricard and the Hockenheimring. As well as the current season’s offerings the game includes 20 iconic cars from the history of the sport. 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.