Journey's End: Film Review

Journey's End: Film Review

Cast: Sam Claflin, Paul Bettany, Asa Butterfield, Toby Hadoke, Robert Glenister
Director: Saul Dibb

Released in New Zealand in time for the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, Saul Dibb's adaptation of RC Sheriff's Journey's End is a harrowing and simple tale of British life in the trenches.

With a stalemate affecting World War I in the spring of 1918, the film's four day period takes in the grim surroundings of Saint-Quentin. As it begins, reality hangs heavily in the air around the trenches; soldiers are wearied by the efforts, fear rules the roost as the inevitable lies ahead and soldiers try to prepare for a push to win the war.

Into this mix comes Asa Butterfield's young Second Lieutenant Raleigh, who uses a family connection to end up on the front line - much to the horror of his friend, Captain Stanhope (Claflin, in a nuanced turn as the company leader).

With word coming from on high that there is to be a big push, the deadline to events on Thursday March 21st, 1918 hang dangerously close at hand, weighing closely on the mind of the borderline alcoholic Stanhope and his Number 2, Lieutenant Osbourne (a wonderfully cast Paul Bettany, who delivers empathy and growing horror with considerable calm and aplomb).

Journey's End is grim in parts.

Through claustrophobic close-ups in the trenches, through to an earthy muddy brown palette, Dibb's adaptation (the fifth of the play since 1928's first with Laurence Olivier) captures the horror of the war, the deteriorating mental strength of those facing catastrophe and death every day, and also the inanity of the conversations masking the truth of what's to come amid the tension.

While the film rarely transcends its play roots throughout visually, the power lies in the restraint and poignancy of the dialogue. Moments of discussion about the most yellow of soups, and the theft of tinned apricots hang next to a truly tear-jerking letter from Osbourne, lamenting the frailty of life, and the undelivered promise of youth caught in the conflict. It's powerful, damning stuff which is more evocative than any war scenes could create.

With a mournful cello OST punctuating the proceedings, Journey's End is a potent mix of humanity and horror, wonderfully acted by a restrained cast, and pulled together by a director aware of what's best needed to sell it.

It is, entirely without a doubt, thanks to one final set piece, a film that leaves you more grateful than you'd realise - and more profoundly moved than a fifth iteration of a piece deserves to.

Hearthstone welcomes 100 million players to the virtual tavern

Hearthstone welcomes 100 million players to the virtual tavern

Hearthstone welcomes 100 million players to the virtual tavern

A little over five years ago, a few Blizzard Entertainment developers were toiling away on a small passion project: Hearthstone^®, a free-to-play digital collectible card game at a time when such games were not front of mind for most. They based the game on the company’s Warcraft^® universe and polished every aspect—from the flash of the animations to the bombastic voice lines of the heroes—and launched it to critical acclaim globally in 2014. Today Blizzard announced that Hearthstone has hit the 100-million-player mark.

“Reaching 100 million players is a huge milestone for Hearthstone, but what matters to us even more is the fact that so many people around the world have embraced the spirit of the game,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “Whether at events like BlizzCon^® and Fireside Gatherings or just in tuning in to watch their favourite streamers, it’s been so inspiring to see millions of players and fans coming together, online and in real life, to participate in the Hearthstone community.”

A Different Kind of Mass Appeal

Hearthstone features a deceptively simple format in which players build digital card decks and duel each other head-to-head or play through one of several different card-based Solo Adventures. As a result of its charm and accessibility—as well as the corresponding entertainment and education provided by numerous talented community content creators—Hearthstone has consistently been a leading game on media platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

As a card-based game, Hearthstone is unlike any of the other games regularly in the top ranks on those platforms. In addition to its highly accessible card-vs.-card gameplay and the colourful personality that comes through its vibrant audio and visual elements, a major difference is that all player-to-player communication takes place through pre-generated voice lines tailored for each of the game’s playable heroes—all conveying warmth, positivity, and good-natured sportsmanship. This helps create a welcoming setting for all players, from beginners to seasoned veterans, and despite being a skill-based competitive experience, offers a change of pace from other competitive games. With separate chat functionality supported in Hearthstone across all PC and mobile platforms, it also makes it easier for players to engage socially on their own terms.

In addition, Blizzard recently overhauled the “new-player experience” for the game, putting a bigger buffer between beginners and veterans—making it even easier for anyone to jump in and play. Blizzard is known for its polish and “easy to learn, hard to master” approach to game design, and Hearthstone is a shining example, with an introductory competitive experience that eases players into the fundamentals of the game and amply rewards them along the way.

Fireside Gatherings: Hearthstone Everywhere

To accentuate Hearthstone’s tavern vibe and encourage players to take the fun of the game out into the real world, Blizzard developed the global “Fireside Gathering” program, which enables “Innkeepers” to coordinate gaming get-togethers at their local restaurants, student centres, hobby shops, and actual taverns and pubs. Each month, an average of 2,655 Hearthstone Fireside Gatherings take place in cities around the world, from Boston to Beijing.

At these events, players hang out, enjoy the atmosphere and establishment, and battle each other on their mobile devices in a casual competition. Special prizes are often awarded, and friendships often develop. Another highlight is that Fireside Gatherings often feature pre-release parties for upcoming Hearthstone content expansions, giving attendees a first crack at playing the newest cards being added to the game. This year alone,more than 23,000 Fireside Gatherings have taken place, with many more scheduled in cities everywhere.

A Thank You to the Players

As a way of commemorating Hearthstone’s 100-million-player milestone and thanking players everywhere for bringing the game to life, Blizzard is holding a special in-game event from 8 through 11 November AEDT/NZDT. During the 100 Million Players Celebration event, players who log in to the game will receive a one-time reward of six free packs from the most recent expansion set, The Boomsday Project^™. In addition, players will be able to complete a series of “Celebrate the Players” event quests to earn up to 500 gold—which can be used to acquire card packs from any set in the game and participate in the Arena mode, a fun alternative form of competition in Hearthstone.

The Elder Scrolls: Legends FrostSpark Collection Available Now

The Elder Scrolls: Legends FrostSpark Collection Available Now

A new set of promotional cards is available right now for The Elder Scrolls: Legends! The FrostSpark Collection includes 11 new cards to collect that are sure to shake up the existing meta and provide some…unique interactions. 

Whether you run an orc deck or prefer a control playstyle, the FrostSpark Collection has you covered. Check out Bethesda.net for the details, including a breakdown of all 11 new cards.

Players can login to Legends now to claim the FrostSpark Collection for the price of 1,500 Gold or AUD $14.95 / NZD $15.95. 

The FrostSpark Premium Card Collection is available for AUD $29.95 / NZD $31.95 and includes three premium copies of each exclusive card. 

There’s never been a better time to play The Elder Scrolls: Legends as we creep nearer to Isle of Madness, featuring the Daedric Prince of Madness himself, Sheogorath!

Legendary game universes and esports superstars take centre stage at BlizzCon 2018

 Legendary game universes and esports superstars take centre stage at BlizzCon 2018

Legendary game universes and esports superstars take centre stage at BlizzCon 2018

At BlizzCon^® 2018, more than 40,000 gamers gathered to celebrate and be amongst the first to learn what’s coming next for their favourite Blizzard games, and to cheer on some of the top esports competitors in the world, with millions more tuning in online. For two days, the Anaheim Convention Center was packed with developer panels, friendly competition, and live entertainment as the Blizzard community learned about and went hands-on with new heroes, new content updates, and new games coming to the company’s stable of blockbuster franchises.

Attendees and viewers also witnessed the dramatic conclusions to numerous esports championships and exhibition-style competitions as they unfolded across multiple stages:

StarCraft^® II World Championship Series Global Finals

Winner: Joona “Serral” Sotala

History was made at BlizzCon 2018 with the first non-Korean to win a StarCraft global final in the franchise’s 20-year history. After winning all four WCS Circuit events in 2018, Finnish Zerg Serral completed his incredible run by defeating the South Korean Protoss Kim “Stats” Dae Yeob 4-2 in their best-of-seven final series.

Heroes of the Storm^® Global Championship Finals

Winning team: Gen. G

After Gen.G’s harrowing 4-3 victory over Team Dignitas in the Grand Finals of the Mid-Season Brawl earlier this year, Dignitas were granted another shot at the Korean kings of Heroes of the Storm. But Gen.G brought a slew of pocket strategies and drafts that helped them out-manoeuvre Dignitas at each point of contention. With their 3-0 victory in the Grand Finals, Gen.G became the first team to win back-to-back BlizzCons and remain the reigning HGC World Champions.

World of Warcraft^® Arena World Championship

Winning team:  Method Orange

After fighting their way through a stacked 12-team double-elimination bracket, North American squad Method Orange won the World of Warcraft Arena World Championship Grand Finals 4-0 over fellow North American competitors The Gosu Crew. The win is particularly sweet for Method Orange’s Charles “cdew” Dewland, a new father who first competed at BlizzCon in 2014.

World of Warcraft^® Mythic Dungeon Invitational All-Stars

Winning team:  Free Marsy

The top four teams from the World of Warcraft Mythic Dungeon Invitational (MDI) Global Finals were invited to compete on stage at BlizzCon, but there was only room for one winner—Free Marsy from Australia. After underperforming at the Global Finals in June, the 2017 inaugural MDI Champions came roaring back in Anaheim, dying all of twice across four maps on their road to total dungeon domination.
Overwatch^® World Cup

Winning nation: South Korea

If there was any doubt about which country reigns supreme in Overwatch, South Korea put it to rest, again. The Koreans notched an Overwatch World Cup three-peat, dispatching China 4-0 in the gold-medal match. South Korea’s Seong-Hyun “Jjonak” Bang was named T-Mobile^™ MVP after racking up more eliminations, and at a faster rate, than any other support player throughout the entire tournament. In the bronze-medal match it was Canada dispatching the United Kingdom.

Hearthstone^® Global Games

Winning team: China

Forty-eight four-person national teams embarked this summer on their 2018 Hearthstone Global Games (HGG) journey, battling for eight coveted playoff slots at BlizzCon. Team China, comprised of Gao “Leaoh” Yang, Zheng “OmegaZero” Lin, Zhang “YouLove” Lichen, and He “Trunks” Huan, triumphed with a clean 3-0 win over a surging Brazil in the Grand Finals. Said Trunks, “This is my first trophy at a global tournament ever, and this also proves how good Chinese Hearthstone is!”

StarCraft: Remastered Show Match: KSL vs. ASL

Winner: Jung “Rain” Yoon

The champions of Korea StarCraft League (KSL) Season 1 and Afreeca Starleague (ASL) Season Five—Kim “Last” Sung Hyun and Jung “Rain” Yoon, respectively—were invited to compete in a best-of-five series at BlizzCon. The Protoss Rain, who last appeared on a BlizzCon stage in 2015, defeated the Terran Last 3-1 to secure his first BlizzCon trophy ever. Said Last, “Brood War^® is really popular in Korea, but it’s awesome to see that there are fans here, too!”

In addition to all the epic esports action, Blizzard had several major game highlights during the show, including:

Diablo^®

•         Diablo Immortal^™ – Blizzard announced an authentic Diablo experience for mobile devices with Diablo Immortal, a mobile MMO action-RPG that presents a new chapter in the globally acclaimed series.

•         Diablo III: Eternal Collection^™ now available – Nintendo Switch owners can now get their gauntlets on Diablo III: Eternal Collection, combining all the content from Diablo III, the Reaper of Souls^® expansion, and the Rise of the Necromancer^™ pack.

Warcraft^® III Reforged

•         Warcraft III: Reforged – Experience this beloved real-time strategy game like never before. All-new art and animations, 62 single-player missions, a refreshed user interface, an overhauled World Editor, full Battle.net^® integration, and more await in this timeless classic—coming in 2019.

World of Warcraft

•         Tides of Vengeance – The war between the Horde and the Alliance reaches a crucial turning point in Tides of Vengeance, the upcoming first major content update for the Battle for Azeroth^® expansion coming the week of 10 December that will bring the Battle of Dazar’alor raid, the Battle for Darkshore warfront, and more.

•         Watch the “Lost Honour” cinematic.

•         WoW^® Classic – BlizzCon attendees got to test an early build of WoW Classic on the show floor. Attendees and Virtual Ticket holders can access the BlizzCon WoW Classic Demo from home until 4 a.m. AEDT / 6 a.m. NZDT on 9 November. WoW Classic will launch Winter 2019, and will be included with a World of Warcraft subscription.

•         Adopt Whomper and Support Code.org – A new in-game pet and plushie—Whomper, the playful baby yeti—is now available for purchase, with proceeds going to benefit Code.org—a nonprofit dedicated to expanding computer science education in schools and increasing participation by women and minorities.

Overwatch

•         Ashe – A new hero, the notorious gunslinging outlaw Ashe, will soon be joining the roster of Overwatch, Blizzard’s widely acclaimed team-based shooter.

•         McCree Animated Short – A new Overwatch animated short was revealed during the ceremony—in “Reunion,” McCree runs into his old friend, Ashe.

Hearthstone

•         Rastakhan's Rumble^™ – A new Hearthstone expansion, launching 5 December AEDT/NZDT, pits players against the finest troll gladiators Azeroth can muster. Step into Gurubashi Arena and fight for glory with 135 brutal new cards, including Wild Gods that have manifested in the form of nine new Legendary Loa minions.

•         Rumble Run – In the single-player mode for Rastakhan’s Rumble, Rumble Run, compete for glory before cheering crowds in a no-holds-barred throwdown in the Gurubashi Arena. Players will choose a troll champion and climb the ranks in this gladiatorial contest to be crowned champion. Rumble Run is free for all players; no pre-built decks are required for entry.

•         Pre-Purchase Now Available – Eager combatants can pre-purchase Rastakhan’s Rumble card packs via two bundles: a 17-pack Challenger’s Bundle, which includes the Ready to Rumble! card back, and the 50-pack Rumble Bundle, which includes the King Rastakhan Shaman Hero and the Ready to Rumble! card back. These bundles are available on any platform from $26.95 AUD/$31.99 NZD and $66.95 AUD/$79.99 NZD respectively—one of each can be purchased per account.

Heroes of the Storm

•         New Hero: Orphea – The first-ever Nexus-born Hero—Orphea, heir of Raven Court and daughter of the nefarious Raven Lord—is an approachable ranged Assassin with a high skill cap who rewards opportunistic plays. BlizzCon attendees and Virtual Ticket holders will get Orphea free when she makes her way to the Nexus in Blizzard’s fast-paced MOBA later this month.

•         Match-Quality Updates and Community Content – The 2019 gameplay update is coming to Heroes of the Storm with the goal of making games feel closer and more competitive, including exciting new changes to the experience system and matchmaking. The Heroes of the Storm team is also paying homage to some of the community’s most hotly requested items by adding skins like Janitor Leoric, the Kevin Johnson aka Cloaken announcer, and more.

StarCraft II

•         Zeratul – Prepare to strike from the shadows with the next Commander for StarCraft II’s popular Co-Op mode: Zeratul, the renowned Dark Templar prophet. By collecting powerful artefacts, Zeratul unlocks new capabilities and the ability to customise his global top bar abilities.

•         Warchest/Twitch – For the first time ever, the War Chest will integrate directly with Twitch to reward players for watching StarCraft II. Players can unlock exciting in-game content such as player portraits, sprays, emoticons, banners, and for the first time ever, building skins. Learn more.

Gurrumul: DVD Review

Gurrumul: DVD Review

Some may not be familiar with Australian musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, but this doco may look to change some of that.

Paul Damien Williams' piece follows the history of the Australian artist, whose use of soulful Aborigine tunes and definitive voice captivated a generation back in 2008.

Mixing Indigenous languages and simple music, Gurrumul's success was guaranteed, but what came with it was something more than perhaps blind musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu actually wanted.

Williams' piece is somewhat confined by the fact that the reclusive Gurrumul was no fan of talking to the media - not out of arrogance or indignance, as an early interview shows, but more out of discomfort.

Despite being gently persuaded to try and engage, Gurrumul stands his ground, preferring to let the music speak for itself, and partly staying true to his reclusive nature. It hampers what Williams may have set out to do, but what it does do, as it's forced in another direction is to promote the enigma and mystery of Gurrumul.

Fans include the likes of Sting, Elton John and Bjork - none of whom are included here, as Williams doesn't wish to pursue a hagiography of the man.

Equally, even though Gurrumul was photographed with the likes of Obama and was a star at the Australian music awards, Williams' piece reveals the pain he felt over being about to break the American market, and the disconnect the idea of fame offered compared to his Indigenous roots.

It's this touch which allows Williams to show more of Gurrumul's background, his life on Elcho Island and why his sense of community and connection to the land was more important than the possibility of fame.

The end result is humbling and while it may be frustrating to some given how the usual biographical documentaries handle their subjects, this spiritual piece talks of tolerance, tradition and offers treats.

Eye-opening in some ways, and a window into another cultural world, Gurrumul insight into cultures is its sole MO, with the music and life of the man very much being a much needed and intriguing extra insight. 

The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: DVD Review

The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: DVD Review

Released by Madman Home Ent

Over 22 madcap minutes, the sketch show silliness turns its attention to the AMC series The Walking Dead.

Using the real cast members and some licensed tomfoolery benefits the parade of sketches quite well. as it rolls along key moments from the first seven years and pushes them through the parody prism.

The good thing about The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special is that if you're not chuckling at one sketch, they end pretty quickly. Gathering the talent to voice the characters is also a great touch, be it Jeffrey Dean Morgan revealing how Negan got his red scarf, or Rick Grimes's Andrew Lincoln just sending up his seriousness, it works well.

To be fair, if you're not a fan of the show, it'll go over your heard, but frankly, if that's the case, you really shouldn't be watching this anyway.

Whilst it's only 22 minutes long, and makes you question if it's fully worth it, there are enough hearty laughs for fans of the Robert Kirkman Walking Dead comics to amuse.

It's better than a visit from Lucille, put it that way.

Diablo III Eternal Collection available now for Nintendo Switch

Diablo III Eternal Collection available now for Nintendo Switch

DIABLO^® III ETERNAL COLLECTION^™ AVAILABLE NOW FOR NINTENDO SWITCH^™

The definitive edition of Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed action RPG includes all the features and content from every expansion and update

Sanctuary’s newest heroes can join the fight in style with the Nintendo Switch Diablo III Eternal Collection Bundle, and amass vast riches with the help of the Treasure Goblin amiibo

SYDNEY, Australia—3 November, 2018—The minions of Hell have never been stronger, but reinforcements have arrived! Blizzard Entertainment announced today that Diablo III® Eternal Collection™ is available now for Nintendo Switch, enlisting a new legion of heroes into the eternal struggle against the Burning Hells.

The Eternal Collection includes every feature, refinement, and upgrade added to Diablo III to date, including the critically acclaimed Reaper of Souls® expansion, and last year’s Rise of the Necromancer™ pack, as well as platform-exclusive bonus items such as a cosmetic armour set inspired by Ganondorf, the iconic villain from The Legend of Zelda series. With a five-act story campaign that spans the deadly world of Sanctuary, an endlessly playable Adventure Mode, and seven powerful classes to master, Diablo III Eternal Collection is the perfect all-in-one package for novice demon-slayers, and veterans eager to cleanse Sanctuary on the go.

“The Eternal Collection delivers everything Diablo III has to offer to Nintendo Switch players, and the great conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells is now in their hands,” said J. Allen Brack, President of Blizzard Entertainment. “We look forward to sharing all of the challenges, adventures, and sweet, sweet loot with our newest allies in Sanctuary.”

Players looking to commemorate the arrival of the Lord of Terror to Nintendo’s newest system also have the option of purchasing the Nintendo Switch Diablo III Eternal Collection Bundle—forged specifically for Sanctuary’s newest heroes and styled to evoke the dark visage of the Lord of Terror. Available starting today, the bundle includes a Diablo III-themed Nintendo Switch system and dock, a Diablo III-edition carrying case, and a download code for Diablo III Eternal Collection.

Heroes hoping for an edge in their crusades will want to take advantage of Diablo III Eternal Collection’s amiibo^™ support—and seize a Treasure Goblin amiibo, available in December. Scanning the Treasure Goblin amiibo opens a portal toGreed’s Domain, the mythical Treasure Realm replete with riches and guarded by the Baroness herself. In addition, players can scan any available amiibo figure once per day to spawn packs of powerful Champion monsters to battle for experience and loot.

Diablo III Eternal Collection has been honed for the Nintendo Switch system, affording players full access to its deep, rewarding gameplay whether they use a Joy-Con or a Pro Controller. The full suite of multiplayer options guarantees that friends can always play together anytime and anywhere. Up to four players can link their consoles wirelessly, connect through the Nintendo Switch Online service, or share a screen on a single Nintendo Switch system.

Diablo III Eternal Collection for Nintendo Switch is available at retail stores everywhere and digitally through the Nintendo eShop at RRP $89.95 AUD / $99.99 NZD. For more information, visit Nintendo’s Australian or New Zealand product pages.