The Favourite: Film Review

The Favourite: Film Review

Cast: Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, Nicholas Hoult
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Building on the comic unease that's helped Yorgos Lanthimos carve a career and saw him hit a more mainstream audience with The Lobster, The Favourite emerges late in the year as both a potential award winner and best of the year, thanks to its delicious and devilish nastiness.

Set in the court of Queen Anne (Colman, delivering on multiple fronts and without ever missing a beat) in 18th Century England, it's a story of rivalry and a period piece that's clothed in black humour.
Anne is frail, and Lady Sarah (a curt and crisp Weisz) rules the country in her stead; but when her cousin Abigail (Stone) enters the court looking for work, Lady Sarah finds her world unsettled and the power dynamics changed forever.

The Favourite is a combination of a triptych of actors at their absolute pinnacle, dealing with material that's superlative.

Boiling down a microcosm of social interaction over a two hour period, filtering it through a prism of cutting dialogue and dynamics and then playing it out with gusto, The Favourite's acerbic touches make for greatly rewarding times in the cinema.

Lanthimos' use of fisheye lenses and whip-pan shots within the court are dizzying and exciting, a call to arms for how period movies could be presented.

But it's his actors who make this film what it is. From the fact all of the men within the film are varying degrees of buffoons to Olivia Colman's utterly compelling turn from the start, The Favourite is a delicacy worth devouring.

Balanced with off-kilter humour, and moments that drip with double meaning, Lanthimos builds an atmosphere of uncertainty from the frailties of humanity, picking at insecurities like scabs, and exposing the wounds below.

The central trio are more than worthy of praise, with the cameras lingering on moments that offer glimpses into what's bubbling deep below. This is more than a film that delights in the details, it's one which sees Stone, Weisz and Colman utterly deliver on their characters by offering so much with so little.

Colman in particular delivers a powerhouse performance of pain and conflict, as gout debilitates her and leaves her at the whims of those around her. But she has a fire too when provoked, and Lanthimos' desire to showcase it adds to the power. Stone and Weisz make for delicious sparring partners as the power dynamics shift, and the claws come out.

But The Favourite is more than a film exposing female insecurities and weaknesses; it's a portrait of strength under fire, and a towering movie that is commanding from beginning to end.

Spider-Man: Into The SpiderVerse: Film Review

Spider-Man: Into The SpiderVerse: Film Review

Vocal cast: Shameik Moore, Chris Pine, Jake Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Hailee Steinfeld, Kathryn Hahn, Mahershala Ali, Liev Schreiber
Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Another Spider-Man origin movie, I hear you cry?

Well, let's be honest, you've not seen a Spider-Man story like this slice of animation excellence.
Centring on Miles Morales, a mixed-race, relatively normal 13-year-old kid (voiced with heart by Shameik Moore) from Brooklyn, this computer animated tale spins a story when Morales is bit by a radioactive spider while underground with his uncle Aaron (Ali).

Things are further complicated for Morales when he sees Spider-Man killed by Kingpin (Schreiber) as an out-of-control experiment threatens Manhattan. As if that wasn't bad enough, Morales finds himself landed with another group of Spider-Men from different universes pulled into the conflict by Kingpin's quest...

If the multi-verse aspect of this film looks confusing, it's not. And to be frank, it's the least enticing part of Spider-Man: Into The SpiderVerse, a film which smashes the visual medium to pieces with originality and flair.

Using 3D animation on 2D backgrounds takes a little to get used to, but to anyone who's played anything from the Telltale Games back catalogue, the format and concept is very familiar.

Except what the directors also do is use the visuals and the tenets of comic books to induce a kind of sensory overload throughout. Visually, this film has style, and really does much to redefine the comic book animated movie genre, much like Batman: Mask of the Phantasm did years ago.

It starts with a voiceover saying "Let's do this one last time," a tacit nod to how often we've heard this story, but with clever twists, that same voiceover is given a thrilling new spin.

With meta touches and cheeky nods, as well as a heartfelt ode to Stan Lee, Spider-Man: Into The SpiderVerse may lose some of its emotional way in the final run, and may be a little long, but it's a thrilling reinvigoration of a story told a multiple amount of times, and a positively dazzling reinvention of how comic book movies should be translated to the big screen.

Searching: DVD Review

Searching: DVD Review

Searching taps into the digital world we live in and the price we pay for living online.

A solid and empathetic Cho stars as David Kim, whose life is changed when his daughter goes missing. As he tries desperately to track her down, with the help of a detective (Will and Grace star Debra Messing). he discovers he knows little to nothing about who his daughter really is...

Searching has a gimmick - it's a smart digital film thriller played out with everything unfolding via a computer screen. Admittedly, the contrivances come piled high in the back third of the film, threatening to topple the house of cards that's piled high, but there's a lot to digest beforehand.

Chaganty opens with a clever digital montage of the family, a reminder of how much we catalogue online these days, and how computers are so much about our memories as well as the RAM within. In many ways, it's a digitised version of the opening of Up, but for the Facebook generation.

If the gimmick is smartly executed by digital native Chaganty, it's also humanised by Cho's performance. Anchored with a turn that's both empathetic and gripping, Cho's desperation feels real as he plays off a screen and Face time conversations. The anguish etched on his face is never over-played, and he holds the story strongly.

Chaganty spins the thread as far as he can, but the back stages of the film feel like they have piled up the coincidences a little too highly, and while the smarter technical edges have reminiscences of Kristen Stewart's Personal Shopper, Searching always constantly feels gripping when it needs to.

An outlandish twist seals the deal for Searching, but that aside, the film's desire to provide an emotional rollercoaster for the large part works - it may not be perfect, but it's a thrilling tale of the lengths parents will go to and the cautionary fact we're all slowly becoming disconnected in a digital world.  

Ralph Breaks The Internet: Film Review

Ralph Breaks The Internet: Film Review

Vocal Cast: John C Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Bill Hader, Taraji P Henson, Alan Tudyk
Directors: Phil Johnston, Rich Moore

Mashing elements of The Emoji Movie and a riff on friendship, Ralph Breaks The Internet's deep dive into internet nostalgia, in truth, seems more aimed at an adult audience than kids enamoured with the sugar rush of Wreck-It Ralph.

When someone breaks the controller of the Sugar Rush arcade machine, Ralph and Vanellope spring into action to try and secure the part from eBay via the Internet. But the clock's ticking and the machine faces being permanently turned off.

It's not that Ralph Breaks The Internet is a bad film - in truth, its ode to friendship and the central relationship between Ralph and Vanellope means that it keeps you engaged and makes you forget that it was six years since the last one.

But it does feel shallow and episodic throughout, with a great deal of Disney product placement within. And to be honest, it does feel like the idea of parodying the internet has already been done in many ways with The Emoji Movie - leading to a feeling that mocking viral videos, memes and internet fads feels more tired than it should do.

Central to Ralph Breaks The Internet, is a 10 minute section involving the Disney princesses which led this reviewer to feeling majorly conflicted.

The bastardising of the Disney canon is fair enough, but it seems unnecessarily cheap to mock the princesses who have helped the company make so much money, and have left them so ingrained in our culture. It's almost as if the meta-touches are not needed here, and some targets should be off-limits.

The messages come thick and fast at the end of Ralph Breaks The Internet, and with no subtlety whatsoever, but given one takes on the male toxicity of the internet before devolving into a Stay Puft marshmallow man / King Kong showdown, it's a nice, albeit sledgehammered, touch about bullying and the darker side of the world.

Ultimately, Ralph Breaks The Internet is a solid time at the cinema, albeit a forgettable one.

Its ode to friendship and letting go is commendable, but obvious from the beginning, but to be honest, Reilly and Silverman overcome such lazy tropes and obvious touches with performances that have warmth and emotional depth.

They're cool to hang out with thanks to the nostalgia and some of the gags, but the novelty may be wearing off a little quicker than expected.

Leave No Trace: DVD Review

Leave No Trace: DVD Review

A strong piece about deep connection, a symbiotism and subsequent disconnection, Granik's follow up to Winter's Bone is mesmerising in its minimalism.

McKenzie and Foster play father and daughter, Tom and Will. We first encounter them walking through the woods, and it soon becomes clear that this is where they live - to outsiders, it's less than idyllic, but for this pair, who seem unnaturally close, it's perfection.

Certainly for Tom, it appears to be all she's known - but all that changes when she's accidentally seen one day by a passer-by and authorities are alerted.

The pair are picked up by social services, and it's here problems develop for the father and daughter.

To say more about the adaptation of Peter Rock's 2009 book My Abandonment is to spoil what unfurls - and certainly, there's more of an air of mystery in this piece that eats away at you as the film goes on.

Hints are dropped both in moments of dialogue but also in actions - primarily via Foster's edginess, and the decision not to reveal everything immediately. It's this pervasive sense of mystery which soaks through Leave No Trace's DNA which makes such a rewarding watch.

What Granik achieves is a feeling of capturing the margins of society in hints rather than direct exposition and action. Coupled with two naturalistic turns from Foster and McKenzie, the film's power lies in its stillness and its sense of connection.

Initially, everything seems fine between the father and daughter - and the film's suspicions are raised by societal obsessions over motivations of why they live in the woods. It's notable that everything that goes wrong in this is due to external circumstances and intrusions - and certainly Foster's performance of internalised pain and struggle is deeply affecting.

Equally, McKenzie's turn as Tom is something else. She manages to affect great subtle change in Tom's arc, and her journey feels like the full gamut has been reached by the end. However, her confusion, occasional fiery burns, and her strength are key traits to Tom, never once overplayed and ultimately deeply empathetic.

While the film's suffused in mystery, the bond is resolutely human and co-dependant in many ways.

"How important are their judgments" is a line uttered early on, but it's one which forms the mantra of what Granik's trying to achieve here - everything is viewed from other's perspective, the inner sanctity of Tom and Will's bond subject to repeated scrutiny, and due to this, ultimately Tom's own scrutiny comes into play, setting in motion a chain of usually normal events that feel loaded with sadness.

Along with the reflection of an America split and marginalised (as briefly glimpsed throughout), Granik's pared back direction and wondrous cinematography helps Leave No Trace gain its growing atmospheric sense of dread.

But yet, Granik is also wise enough to present those from the outside world who interact with the duo as normal people, blessed with both empathy and a desire to help - making their discord and disconnect even more heart-wrenching to endure and watch.

It's compelling in extremis, and executed with such naturalistic edges, that it almost feels intrusive to watch. Very much the antithesis to Captain Fantastic, and although endowed with similar themes, Leave No Trace has a quiet power from beginning to end.

It's wondrous to behold, with much of the apparent coming-of-age tale leaving lots to unpack long after the lights have gone up and Foster and McKenzie's performances have been marvelled at.

Win a copy of Christopher Robin

Win a copy of Christopher Robin

To celebrate the release of Christopher Robin, thanks to Walt Disney Pictures, and Sony Home Entertainment, you can win a copy.

About Christopher Robin

Beloved characters come out of the Hundred Acre Wood and into the city for this bighearted tale from Disney.

What to do when all-grown-up Christopher Robin loses his way? 

Winnie the Pooh and friends embark on a new adventure in which they remind him - and you - how to laugh again, for “sometimes doing nothing leads to the very best something.” 

Share the wonder and delight of this new film with your family.

Borderlands 2 VR out now on PlayStation VR

Borderlands 2 VR out now on PlayStation VR

Borderlands® 2 VR Out Now on PlayStation®VR

2K and Gearbox Software today announced that Borderlands® 2 VR is now available on PlayStation®VR, bringing the critically-acclaimed and genre-defining shooter-looter franchise to VR for the first time.

To view the trailer click the image below

Developed by Gearbox Software, Borderlands 2 VR brings the iconic world of Pandora to life like never before. Fans can virtually become a treasure-seeking Vault Hunter, grab 87 bazillion guns, and face off against the galaxy’s most charming psychopathic dictator, Handsome Jack, to free Pandora from the corrupt Hyperion Corporation.

Key features for Borderlands 2 VR on PS VR include:

• Virtually Step onto Pandora: Step into the boots of a treasure-seeking Vault Hunter armed with 87 bazillion possible guns on a quest to line your pockets with loot and free Pandora from Handsome Jack’s clutches. Blast bandits with real-world aiming, physically punch bullymongs in the mouth, find the perfect gun inside a life-sized treasure chest, and inspect your weapons from every angle. Catch-a-Ride and race across Pandora in first-person view, and experience the thrill of a psycho running toward you with grenade in-hand yelling, “Boom time!”

• Virtually Slow Time: Borderlands 2 VR includes new features unique to the VR experience to empower Vault Hunters in their fight against Handsome Jack. With Bad Ass Mega Fun Time (aka BAMF Time), players can use this new slow-mo ability to repel nearby enemies and literally slow the speed of the game temporarily to set up their next attack. In addition, with the option to Teleport, players can glide across Pandora as gracefully as Claptrap (if he had grace).

• Become a Virtual Vault Hunter: Take on the role of one of four playable classes – Siren, Commando, Gunzerker, and Assassin – each with unique combat styles and updated skills that leverage the new VR functionality, including the new BAMF Time ability. Whether crushing enemies with Maya’s Siren powers, calling in Sabre Turret reinforcements as Axton, feeling the heft of dual-wielded machine guns as Salvador, or swinging Zer0’s sword into an enemy’s back, Borderlands 2 VR immerses players like never before.

• Experience Virtual Improvements: For the first time ever, players can experience the sublime exhilaration of driving around Pandora in a first-person perspective – accelerating and steering with the joystick while aiming the vehicle’s weapons with the headset. With the use of the motion controllers and headset, players can interact with the menu systems in a new and intuitive way for the platform, easily navigating through the menus by pointing, clicking, dragging, and dropping. Players will also be able to choose their preferred movement style. Whether it’s the VR-popular pointed-teleportation approach or the classic direct movement style with joysticks, your experience should feel good for VR and true to form for classic Borderlands.

• Get Virtually Rich: Borderlands VR brings shoot-and-loot mechanics to VR with bazillions of procedurally-generated guns and gear, each with their own capabilities and modifiers. Procedurally-generated shields, grenades, relics, class mods, and more round out your Vault Hunter’s arsenal for maximum power and mayhem.

Borderlands 2 VR is rated MA 15+ and is single-player only. For more information, please visit the official Borderlands web site, follow Borderlands on Twitter and Instagram, and join the conversation using the hashtag #BL2VR. You can also become a fan ofBorderlands on Facebook, and subscribe to the Borderlands channel on YouTube.

Red Dead Online Beta Status Update

Red Dead Online Beta Status Update 

We'd once again like to acknowledge our incredible Red Dead Online community for their continued support, patience and detailed feedbackduring this beta period. Here are some new details on the latest updates to the Red Dead Online Beta, along with a few things to look forward to:

Title Update 1.05 has been released addressing general improvements to fix game stability, save data and to address exploits.

Gold Gift: As a thank you for your ongoing support, we are awarding everyone who has played from the Red Dead Online Beta launch through this Thursday, December 20^th with a gift of 15 additional gold bars. The awards will begin rolling out today and if you haven’t experienced the Red Dead Online Beta yet, play by Thursday, December 20^th for eligibility. All gold bar gifts should be delivered by Monday, December 24^th. Keep an eye out for an alert screen when entering the Red Dead Online Beta to confirm the gift.

Cash Gift: As an added thank you to players who pre-ordered Red Dead Redemption 2, and those who purchased either the Special or Ultimate Edition, we are awarding additional RDO$ gifts. These will be active starting Friday, December 21^st and are automatically added to your player’s balance the next time you play Red Dead Online during the Beta and permanently afterwards:

* Special Edition Owners: RDO$100
* Ultimate Edition Owners: RDO$1,000
* Everyone who pre-ordered: RDO$100 (in addition to Ultimate and Special Edition gifts)

Store: Is now accessible in-game. As always, if you experience any technical issues at all with any purchases, please head to http://support.rockstargames.com for help; and if you have any user experience issues or feedback to provide, please submit to thewww.reddeadonline.com/feedback website.

Upcoming Updates to the Red Dead Online Beta: We have been poring through incoming community input and suggestions and are working on updates for early 2019 to address many popular bits of feedback including some new anti-griefing measures in the works and other updates to improve gameplay balance. We are also working on lots of new features, modes and additional Red Dead Online gameplay content updates that we are very excited to share more about in the new year.

Thank you again to all Red Dead players worldwide for your amazing support and feedback contributions. Please stay tuned for more info in the coming weeks and months.

Kingdom Hearts III Final Battle Trailer

Kingdom Hearts III Final Battle Trailer

SORA AND FRIENDS PREPARE FOR THE FINAL BATTLE

New Trailer Sets the Events for KINGDOM HEARTS III

Launch on 29^th January 2019

SYDNEY, 18^th December 2018 – Sora and friends gather for the ultimate battle between light and darkness with today’s release of the latest KINGDOM HEARTS IIItrailer.

As unexpected events began to unfold in the Disney worlds at the hands of the enemy's dark ambitions, the heroic trio of Sora, Donald, and Goofy find adventures ahead, from aquatic battles in the world of Pirates of the Caribbean to dances with the townspeople in the Kingdom of Corona from Tangled. The new footage also showcases Stitch from Lilo and Stitch as a special “link” (summon), as well as cooking-themed Ratatouille Keyblade attacks.

Footage of Kairi wielding a Keyblade, as well as heartfelt conversations between members of Organization XIII, and glimpses of Sora’s Nobody all point to new pieces of the title’s storyline.

Music for the trailer featured excerpts of the brand-new original KINGDOM HEARTS III opening theme song, titled, “Face My Fears,” produced in collaboration with internationally renowned singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada, eight-time Grammy® Award winning artist Skrillex and acclaimed record producer Poo Bear. The song will be available on 18^th January 2019.

KINGDOM HEARTS III will be available for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and on Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X on 29^thJanuary 2019. For more information, visit http://www.kingdomhearts.com/

FINAL FANTASY XIV GETS FESTIVE AS THE STARLIGHT CELEBRATION 2018 KICKS OFF

FINAL FANTASY XIV GETS FESTIVE AS THE STARLIGHT CELEBRATION 2018 KICKS OFF

The Holiday-Themed Event Makes a Triumphant Return 

Sydney, 18th December 2018 – FINAL FANTASY® XIV Online players are today invited to give the world of Hydaelyn the gift of music with the return of the Starlight Celebration. The annual festive spectacular will be available for players to enjoy from today until Monday 31st December, with this year’s instalment encouraging characters to raise their voices in song!

An Ishgardian choral performance is running into a few troubles when it comes to finding singers. With time running out and options looking scarce, will players manage to rise to the occasion?

Rewards for participating in the event include:

• Choir Costume – a hat, robe and shoes will all be awarded for completing the quest.
• Silver Starlight Sentinel – decorate your home with this noble conifer.
• Starlight Donuts – festive tabletop treats, because nothing says celebration like a food coma.
• Evercold Starlight Snowman – a frozen friend that won’t melt away to decorate your home with.
• Opened Twinkleboxes - The detritus of many happy Starlight Celebration surprises.
• Starlight, Starbright Orchestrion Roll – to help you feel festive all the year round.

If that wasn’t enough excitement, the end of the week will see brand new details about the upcoming Patch 4.5: Requiem for Heroes revealed in the next instalment of Letter from the Producer LIVE. Set to take place on Friday 21st December at 11am GMT, viewers will get lots of new information as well as their first look at the trailer for the upcoming content.

Shadowbringers Logo

Announced last month, new expansion Shadowbringers will bring an abundance of new content when it releases in Summer 2019, including a new player race, multiple new jobs, an increased level cap up, sprawling new areas, adjustments to the battle system, as well as a variety of new battle, crafter and gatherer content. 

More information on Shadowbringers will be shared at the Paris Fan Festival event on 2nd – 3rd February, 2019, as well as during the Tokyo Fan Festival, scheduled for 23rd – 24th March, 2019. All Fan Festival events will be streamed free of charge on the official FINAL FANTASY XIV Twitch channel: https://www.twitch.tv/finalfantasyxiv

With more than fourteen million players globally, FINAL FANTASY XIV continues to deliver on the promise of bringing the best of the FINAL FANTASY experience to the online realm. The MMO recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, continuing to usher in new adventurers to the ever-growing game world.

Related Links

Shadowbringers Teaser Site: http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/shadowbringers/

The Lodestone®: http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIV 

Official Twitter: @FF_XIV_EN

Ubisoft Celebrates The 20th Anniversary Of The ANNO Franchise

Ubisoft Celebrates The 20th Anniversary Of The ANNO Franchise

UBISOFT CELEBRATES THE 20^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANNO FRANCHISE

Play Anno 1602 for Free at Christmas and Pre-register to Play the Closed Beta for Anno 1800 Starting January 31

SYDNEY, Australia — December 18, 2018 — Today, Ubisoft announced that Anno 1602: Creation of a New World will be available for free starting today, December 18 to December 22 on Windows PC. To celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the famous City-Building video game series, players will be able to discover or rediscover this flagship episode where they will be able to create a realistic and vivid world entirely based on their imagination. In addition, Ubisoft announced that the registration for the Closed Beta of Anno 1800 is now open, registered players will be able to play the game from January 31 to February 4 on Windows PC.

For the 20^th Anniversary of the Anno franchise players can play Anno 1602: Creation of a New World, originally released in 1998, for free. The game is set in the Early Modern period of history and invites players to discover an island world, to colonise and expand it and to trade with other islands – along with protecting it against potential enemies. First of a long series of a successful city-building video games, Anno 1602 was a genre pioneer 20 years ago. Starting today, players can download the game on their Uplay account for free until December 22.

Moreover, players can now register to play the Closed Beta of Anno 1800 from January 31 to February 4*. Anno 1800 combines beloved features from 20 years of Anno history, delivering a rich city-building experience, including a story-based campaign, a highly customisable sandbox mode, and the classic Anno multiplayer experience. Anno 1800 will see the return of highly requested features such as individual AI opponents, shippable trade goods, randomly generated maps, multi-session gameplay, items and more.

To register for the Closed Beta click here: https://www.anno-union.com/register/ 

For more than a year, Anno 1800 has invited players to take part in the creation and the development of the game by giving feedback through the Anno Union. So far, more than 100 blogs have been published, 10,000 comments posted and 4 community contests organised. This collaboration between players and the studio enables the development team to shape the game and add requested community features.

Anno 1800 will be released worldwide on February 26, 2019 on Windows PC. Players who pre-order Anno 1800 will receive the Imperial Pack containing extra content for the game. Digital Deluxe and Pioneers Editions owners will have access to exclusive content including the Anarchist character**

To download Anno 1602 for free during the offer period, please visit: https://register.ubisoft.com/anno-1602-giveaway

Vice: Film Review

Vice: Film Review

Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell
Director: Adam McKay

Employing some of the same irreverent touches as The Big Short did in its quest to explain the financial meltdown, Vice's Golden Globe nominated biopic purports to look at the rise to power of Dick Cheney.

"Or as true as it can be," as a title card shows early on.

Cutting back and forth early on, McKay chooses to start Cheney's life off as he's arrested for a DUI on a dirt road, before moving quickly to underground in the White House as the 9/11 terror attacks take place.

It's here that Cheney's rise to power as the silent man becomes clear - he knows when to take an opportunity when it's presented.

McKay constructs a biopic which loops back and forth through Cheney's life with a vim and vigour that's initially compulsive, but ultimately settles into a degree of whiplash that keeps you engaged, but follows the non-linear approach to the story.

Bale goes method as Cheney, and ultimately settles somewhere in between his usual drawl and a Batman style growl for Cheney; but while much of his performance will be commented on because of the physicality, there's a lot going on in the eyes which gives plenty of insight into Cheney.

It has to be said McKay may let some bias against Cheney show, and there are definitely parallels drawn between worries over constitutional changes made then and potential for the current incumbent to do much the same, but Vice never loses some of the fire and outrage it's got bubbling away.

A completely irreverent credits scene 50 minutes in shows how McKay is determined to unsettle audiences, before further damning Cheney and his career choices.

Carell is impressive as Donald Rumsfeld early on, but fades into insignificance once the narrative settles on a tone. Adams impresses as Cheney's wife, proving the adage behind every man to be true, but she also brings some welcome subtlety to proceedings which ultimately end up outraging more as the film progresses.

There's a seething anger in Vice, a sign of contempt for those who ride roughshod over US politics and abuse the system to their own advantage - it's a story whose themes have been told time and time again, but McKay definitely brings his own agenda to proceedings; that's not to minimise the outrage, but when there are more restrained touches, Vice soars, even if it is aiming for awards.

McQueen: DVD Review

McQueen: DVD Review

Fashion films get a thrilling makeover with McQueen, detailing the rise and inevitable fall of Lee Alexander McQueen, the British designer who set the world alight and then burnt too brightly.

Using access to those close to McQueen, and eschewing the usual talking heads, Bonhote and Ettedgui open up the world of fashion to those who are usually turned off by such matters, and do more than enough to satiate those who adore the genre.

Utilising footage from McQueen's early thrilling shows, cataloguing the chaos caused by the catwalk's upturning and reinvention, the biopic builds an intriguing look at what sent such ripples through the world. But it's also smart enough to spend a bit of time building up to this, using home video footage of McQueen's childhood days as well.

It helps that Bonhote and Ettedgui give the film a pace that's compelling, but never too breathless that it strangles the flow of what's unfolding. It also benefits greatly from access that pieces together an intimate portrait of an artist, what fuels them and how that fuel is manifested in their own work.

Admittedly, there are the usual hyperbolic bon mots such as "You can't teach talent", but in among the usual trappings of a character destined for tragedy, there's also a lot to enjoy in McQueen, principally the catwalk shows, given new credence and insight by McQueen's reasoning for them - and from those who worked on them.

But the directors know just talking about fashion is akin to cinematically showing paint dry, so lavish McQueen with electrifying catwalk performances. Interestingly, the film, much like McQueen reaches a nadir and descent after he's taken in by the major fashion houses and in the final 40 minutes, the doco takes a turn to more dirge-like tendencies as the drugs and depression sets in and it builds toward the final act of tragedy.

It may be a little overlong towards the end, and the sense of melancholy a little stifling in among the eulogising for the tortured tragic talent, but McQueen is, for the large part, a soaring film that makes its subject and subject matter accessible to all, imbuing any who watch it with great insights into the hero of yob couture as much as it plays into the psyche of the talent. 

Ponyo: 10th Anniversary Edition: Review

Ponyo: 10th Anniversary Edition: Review

From the renowned animation stable of Studio Ghibli, comes Ponyo.
Or to give it its full title - Ponyo on a Cliff By The Sea.

A 5-year-old boy, Sosuke adopts a goldfish (the titular Ponyo)when she emerges from the sea one day having escaped from her father, the king of the ocean.

However their friendship is torn apart as quickly as it's begun after the seas reclaim her.

But Ponyo works a way out to become human and return to her friend - yet, her desire could signal the end of the world. 

Studio Ghibli animation is always a delight - and this latest offering from the stable of Hayao Miyazaki is no exception. 

It's a truly enchanting tale - based on the Little Mermaid clearly; but Ponyo is sweet and quite beautifully animated with traditional drawings as opposed to the computer animation so prevalent in today's cinematic world. 

The backgrounds are pencilled and the characters are animated - in many ways Ponyo is simplistic and childish - in a good way - as it makes it accessible to all. 

In fact the children in the audience were completely entranced by the vivid animation and beautiful orchestral score as they sat spellbound. It's a gorgeous world which has been created - one which shows man and nature at balance and in harmony. 

Ponyo has a pure heart and joy about her - even when a tsunami threatens to engulf a town, the visual of Ponyo, in her human form, skipping over the waves brings a smile to your face. 

A work of pure fantasy and one which shows there's plenty of life left in Studio Ghibli, Ponyo is a magical dizzying treat with gorgeously sumptuous visuals and sounds for all ages. 

And equally, the Ponyo: 10th Anniversary Edition doesn't disappoint either pulling together some wondrous art collections, collector's coin and exclusive postcards.
These are the game-changer for how anniversary sets should be done, including fully rendered character and background drawings, paintings and cel images - a truly wondrous window into the world of Studio Ghibli.

Ethel & Ernest: DVD Review

Ethel & Ernest: DVD Review

The ordinary story of two ordinary people told in an ordinary fashion renders Roger Mainwood's animation Ethel & Ernest extraordinary.

Based on Raymond "The Snowman" Briggs' graphic novel and paean to his parents, Ethel & Ernest is the evocative and charmingly animated tale of a couple and to them, is set the backdrop of life.

Tracking through social times (the rise of Hitler, the advent of TV), but using them more as background, this is the story of two people whose lives simply carry on the business of being.

Ernest, a milkman, and Ethel, a former maid (both voiced with warmth by Jim Broadbent and Brenda Blethyn) meet, fall in love and get on with the business of life without any distractions.

Thus it is with Mainwood's film that it ends up being a salutation to the common man and woman, an ode to every grandparent who has ever lived and a thoroughly charmingly old school animated treat.

It's gentle when it needs to be and sad when it's required. Certainly the end sequence is both utterly devastating and yet entirely realistic in its portrayal of the march of life.

It's because of this that Ethel & Ernest is so compellingly charming and wrapped in warmth. It's essentially like watching the life story of your grandparents writ large. And while parts of the film feel episodic in nature and it fades to black a little too often, this novella of life can't be denied.

From its gently familiar banter and the needling of a generation that weren't troubled by millennial concerns, there's a wistfulness around this which makes it feel familiar and comforting.

At its heart, Ethel & Ernest may be a gentle social document of the times Raymond Briggs' parents lived in, but it's painted with such universality and heart that it's hard to leave the cinema at the end with a dry eye. 

Wellington Paranormal: Series 1: DVD Review

Wellington Paranormal: Series 1: DVD 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 iis 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 is the cult comedy TV hit that New Zealand's been dying to deliver for years. 

Destiny 2: The Dawning is back!

Destiny 2: The Dawning is back!

Eva Levante is back in the Tower and this year her oven is roaring to life with baked goods to share. All players of Destiny 2 are invited to join the celebration by going out into the world, gathering ingredients, defeating enemies and completing various activities. The Dawning returns the spirit of togetherness back to the Tower, starting December 12^th, 2018 at 6AM NZDT. ⠀

Available now to all Destiny 2 players from December 12 - January 2.

🎵Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the Tower, snow is glistening

The Dawning is here,
Spreading holiday cheer

Riding through a winter wonderland🎵

The Dawning has arrived. ❄ pic.twitter.com/s6ZVax9Kei

— Destiny The Game (@DestinyTheGame) December 11, 2018

Seasonal event for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 begins now

Seasonal event for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 begins now

Good afternoon,

The new community celebration and seasonal event for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 begins now on PlayStation®4, with other platforms to follow. Titled Operation Absolute Zero, the content drop delivers new content and game updates across all modes, including a new Specialist, new Blackout map location and vehicle, a special holiday-themed event, personalisation items and accessories, new gear and much more.

In addition to the Operation Absolute Zero free content, owners of the Black Ops Pass gain access to their first drop of content, available first on PlayStation®4.

The Black Ops Pass is included in the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Digital Deluxe Enhanced Edition, the Pro Edition, and the Mystery Box Edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and can also be purchased standalone digitally or at participating retailers.

NEW SEASON OF CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 4 CONTENT BEGINS TODAY  WITH OPERATION ABSOLUTE ZERO

Available First on PlayStation®4, First Post-Launch Release Delivers Free New Content Drop Across Multiplayer, Blackout and Zombies Modes, Includes Massive Addition of Personalisation Items, Gear and Map Updates

Limited-Time December Event Also Brings Additional Holiday-Themed Items

Black Ops Pass Owners Gain Access to Two New Multiplayer Maps, New Blackout Character Reaper and New Zombies Experience “Dead of the Night” Starring Kiefer Sutherland, Helena Bonham Carter, Charles Dance and Brian Blessed

Dec. 13, 2018 – The new community celebration and seasonal event for Call of DutyÒ: Black Ops 4 begins now on PlayStation®4, with other platforms to follow. Titled Operation Absolute Zero, the content drop delivers new content and game updates across all modes, including a new Specialist, new Blackout map location and vehicle, a special holiday-themed event, personalisation items and accessories, new gear and much more.

“Operation Absolute Zero is a giant community celebration and the next wave in our commitment to make Black Ops 4 the most supported game in our studio’s history,” said Dan Bunting, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “We’re bringing a ton of new content for the entire community to enjoy with Operation Absolute Zero, and we’re also delivering updates to the game across the board that are directly inspired by community feedback that we’ve received since the game’s launch.”

“For Blackout, we knew that regular post-launch updates would be essential to keep the game world alive and evolving,” said Mark Gordon, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “Since the start of the beta in September, we have continuously used a combination of in-game telemetry and player feedback to help balance the gameplay experience and maintain the fun. In Operation Absolute Zero, we are making some changes to Blackout that we know fans will enjoy, including a brand new destination, and the map’s first new vehicle, which is an armoured ground vehicle with a turret machine gun. We are excited to go on this journey with our community – this is all just the beginning.”

Operation Absolute Zero includes an exhaustive list of free, new content, including:

• New Specialist – Players can reprogram the flow of combat with Zero, a new Specialist available in both Multiplayer and Blackout modes. Zero can disrupt and distract enemies with powerful hacking, altering the flow of battle.
• New Black Market Gear – Operation Absolute Zero brings a brand-new Assault Rifle and fast-firing SMG to the Black Market which players can unlock by playing through Contraband Tiers. Plus, fans can collect new tactical outfits, personalisation accessories, new characters to use in Blackout, and special gift-wrapped melee weapons – all in time for the holidays.
• New Blackout Location and Updates – Hijacked is the newest destination in Blackout, inspired by the intense classic multiplayer map from Call of DutyÒ: Black Ops II. Fans can loot the luxury yacht to gear up for a firefight and battle opponents on their way to the final circle. Also, players can hop into a new armoured vehicle called the ARAV once they’re back on dry land and eliminate enemies with its turret-mounted machine gun.
• New Festive Holiday Event – After Operation Absolute Zero arrives, the holidays will come to Blackout with special event tiers of seasonal items to unlock, thematic map decorations, and even throwable snowballs in Blackout that allow players to mount a festive assault on their enemies.
• New Zombies Features – Daily Callings provide new gameplay challenges that reward Zombies players with bonus XP and Nebulium Plasma upon completion, the Black Ops Authenticity Stamp system gives players the ability to verify and share the results of their game online with a personalised code generated at the end of each match, along with Daily Tier Skips for Zombies, which allow players to earn Black Market Tier progression bonuses by playing Zombies each day.

In addition to the Operation Absolute Zero free content, owners of the Black Ops Pass gain access to their first drop of content, available first on PlayStation®4:

• New Multiplayer Map, Elevation – A medium-sized map set in a cliffside town in the mountains of Nepal, Elevation features winding streets that snake around vertical positions where players will battle it out through close-quarter interiors and tight alleyways.
• New Multiplayer Map, Madagascar – A larger map set on a rural plateau in Madagascar, the town sits atop a hill where a medical-relief convoy that has been ambushed, and it is surrounded by flanking routes with diverse, natural environments and powerful cover for players trying to dominate the hill.
• New Zombies Experience, Dead of the Night – This all-new undead experience is set in 1912 and drops players into a lavish estate owned by the famed relic-hunter Alistair Rhodes, where they’ll step into the role of a new set of characters. As the unlikely crew of heroes bands together, they’ll equip all-new weapons to fight the mysterious force that has taken over the party. Players will also take on a variety of Zombies, including new enemies such as vampires and werewolves, and much more, to survive the nightmarish evening. Dead of the Night stars an iconic cast of actors who lend their voice and likeness to the game: Madame Mirela (Helena Bonham Carter), Gideon Jones (Kiefer Sutherland), “The Brigadier” (Brian Blessed) and the Butler, Godfrey (Charles Dance).
• New Blackout Character, Reaper – Owners of the Black Ops Pass get instant access to the cyborg mercenary Reaper, a fan-favourite Specialist character from Black Ops III, now coming to Blackout.

The Black Ops Pass* is included in the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Digital Deluxe Enhanced Edition, the Pro Edition, and the Mystery Box Edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and can also be purchased standalone digitally or at participating retailers.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is published by Activision and developed by Treyarch with additional development support from Raven Software and PC development with Beenox. For the latest intel check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty and follow @CallofDuty and @Treyarch on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  The game is rated R16 (Violence & Horror).

*Black Ops Pass (BOP) content is not final, is subject to change, and may not include all downloadable content available for the game.  BOP content may not be available in all countries, and pricing and release dates may vary by platform. BOP content should be downloaded from the in-game store only; do not purchase separately, or you will be charged again.  BOP content may be sold separately.