At Darren's World of Entertainment

Saturday, 10 August 2019

WWE Superstars Join BRAWLHALLA As Epic Crossovers in Special SummerSlam Themed In-Game Event

WWE Superstars Join Brawlhalla As Epic Crossovers in Special SummerSlam Themed In-Game Event

The WWE Superstar Epic Crossovers are available in Brawlhalla now

Today, Ubisoft announced that WWE Superstars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, and Xavier Woods have joined Brawlhalla as Epic Crossovers in a special SummerSlam themed in-game event beginning today through Tuesday, August 27.

The following WWE Superstar Epic Crossovers are available for 300 Mammoth coins each:

● Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is an Epic Crossover for Sentinel – Signature attacks include a flaming bull, lava, and magma rocks.

● John Cena is an Epic Crossover for Hattori – Signature attacks use the ring ropes, fog and camera flashes.

● Becky Lynch is an Epic Crossover for Gnash – Signature attacks include a giant green fire fist and a table to send her opponents flying.

● Xavier Woods is an Epic Crossover for Bodvar – Signature attacks include his tag team partners, Kofi Kingston and Big E from The New Day.

Click the image below to watch the announcement trailer

The new free game mode, Brawldown, includes a ring, breakable tables, and fun rope physics. WWE Superstar Epic Crossovers will still be available for purchase after the SummerSlam in-game event concludes.

Developed by Blue Mammoth, Brawlhalla is an epic free-to-play platform fighting game that brings players to the fight for glory in the halls of Valhalla. Choosing from over 40 unique characters, players can jump into single-player and co-op modes as well as online and local competitions. With more than 25 million players, Brawlhalla is available on PC, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X, and the Nintendo Switch™ system.

For more information on Brawlhalla, please visit: http://www.brawlhalla.com. For the latest news on Brawlhalla and all of Ubisoft’s games, visit Ubisoft News: https://news.ubisoft.com/

About WWEWWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG, family-friendly programming can be seen in more than 800 million homes worldwide in 28 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 180 countries. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

About Blue MammothFounded in 2009 and acquired by Ubisoft in 2018, Blue Mammoth Games is a development studio based in Atlanta, Georgia. The experienced team specializes in online multiplayer games with large player bases.

Blue Mammoth develops Brawlhalla, a Free-To-Play fighting game on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC and PlayStation 4. Brawlhalla has over twenty five million players, and is currently the most played fighting game on Steam.

Friday, 9 August 2019

NBA 2K20 - Make way for the WNBA

Next-up in NBA 2K20: Make Way for the WNBA

All 12 WNBA Teams and Players are Ready to Play on September 6

Sydney, August 9, 2019 – 2K has announced all 12 WNBA teams are making their debut inNBA® 2K20, the next iteration of the top-rated and top-selling NBA video game simulation series of the past 18 years*. Available in Play Now and Season modes, fans of the franchise will be able to take control of their favourite WNBA players for the first time and experience gameplay animations, play styles and visuals built exclusively around the women’s game.

To view the trailer click the image below

“Growing up, I always remembered watching male athletes on TV and playing as them in video games. Now, to have the WNBA be in the position we are and to have women featured prominently in NBA 2K20, we are allowing young girls and boys to have female athletes as role models,” said Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks forward. “The 2K team has done an amazing job of making sure to not just put women into the game playing men’s basketball, but I’ve seen first-hand the hard work they’re doing to make this as real and authentic as possible to women’s basketball. I’m proud to be a part of this team paving the way for the future.”

Many of the top WNBA superstars, like Parker and A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, have been scanned into NBA 2K20 earlier this year using our best-in-class motion capture technology to create the most realistic simulation on the market.

“For years, fans have requested the ability to play as some of their favourite WNBA stars,” said Jeff Thomas, SVP of Development, Visual Concepts. “We’ve been working with the WNBA and their top players to modify our basketball simulation engine to replicate the WNBA on-court experience. We’re excited to roll out this new feature in NBA 2K20 because we know how important the WNBA is to the world of basketball.”

All game modes featuring the WNBA will be available to play when NBA 2K20 is released worldwide on September 6, 2019.

Border: DVD Review

Riffing on the actual borders of a country and also the borders of what lengths humanity will go to, Swedish drama Border is a curio of a film, anchored by a tenacious lead.

Based on a short story by Let The Right One In's John Ajvide Lindqvist, it's the story of Tina, a misfit integrated into society, who literally has a nose for trouble, but who sits on the fringes of the outside world.

Working as a border agent, and with an ability to sniff out guilt on people, Tina's a loner, separated by her looks from others, and with a father whose spiralling illness and dementia is further heightening her feeling of separation.

However, one day when Tina sniffs out another like her at the border, she finds her world changed.

Border is an intriguing mix of supernatural edges and drama as well as an interesting look at identity.
Eva Melander imbues Tina and her overbite neanderthal look with a great deal of heart and hesitancy.

Sniffing the air, second guessing herself and also using a sixth sense to connect to animals around her, Tina is a character out of place, but Melander's portrayal of her is never anything less than a lost soul trapped in a world she appears at odds with.

Themes of identity and embracing your own imperfections sit alongside Border's darker grittier edges (the likes of which are sadly spoilers to discuss) but director Ali Abbasi keeps the mystery rattling along - but never at the cost of the "human" element.

While the back third of the film suffers a little from some of its reveals, the tenacious performance of Melander helps overcome some of the narrative foibles, added in by a series of writers (including Holiday's director Isabella Eklof) and expanding from the original story.

At its heart, Border is about the borders between light and dark; but equally, it's actually more about the borders of the self and identity.

It's one of the more genre audacious films in the festival and proffers an intriguing insight into another world - and our own humanity.

Gamescom 2019 Square Enix Showfloor Line up

MARVEL’S AVENGERS AND FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE

LEAD SQUARE ENIX’S GAMESCOM 2019 LINE-UP

Square Enix Ltd., today announced its massive line-up of games and activities making their way to gamescom in Cologne, Germany later this month. From the 20^th- 24^th August in Hall 9, visitors can dive in and enjoy playable demos for Marvel’s Avengers and FINAL FANTASY® VII REMAKE,the critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY® XIV Online, Trials of Mana™, as well as a playable demo for KINGDOM HEARTS III as seen in the release of the game earlier this year.

In a worldwide first, fans at Gamescom 2019 will play a hands-on demo for MARVEL’S AVENGERS! Gamers at the Square Enix booth will battle as Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor experiencing the preliminary incident of this original Avengers story, launching on the 15^th May 2020 simultaneously for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X, Stadia, and PC.

For the first time in Europe, visitors will experience the highly anticipated FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, with a hands-on demo showcasing the reimagining of the iconic original game that re-defined the RPG genre. Across 72 stations, show attendees will get their first look at the game before its release for the PlayStation®4 system on 3^rd March 2020.

Trials of Mana, the latest title in the revered Mana series and full remake of the RPG classic, will make its global debut at the show with a brand-new playable demo. Entirely rebuilt and revamped with action-RPG battle, levelling and skill systems as well as modern 3D graphics, attendees can check out an early section of the game, playing as just some of the memorable characters that the full game will offer when it launches in early 2020.

Critically-acclaimed MMORPG FINAL FANTASY XIV Online returns to gamescom, with a booth powered by Acer® latest Predator™ gaming hardware to maximise everyone’s gaming experience. Intense challenges, great prizes and an exclusive programme of stage shows with the makers of the game including Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida, and Main Scenario Writer and World Lore Creator Banri Oda will be taking place throughout the week, all culminating in a big cosplay competition on Friday 23^rd August. Finally, the largest FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Fan Gathering to ever take place in Germany is set to shake Cologne on the evening of Friday 23^rd August.

The SQUARE ENIX booth will also offer a sneak peek at merchandise prototypes for the upcoming FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, as well as an open demo space for visitors to try out the latest SQUARE ENIX PRODUCTS board games.

Life is Strange™ 2: Episode 4 ‘Faith’ debuts at gamescom 2019. Experience the trailer for the riveting next chapter in the Diaz brothers’ journey towards a new life in Mexico, as the story reaches its most thrilling and complex entry yet. The second season of the award-winning franchise from SQUARE ENIX External Studios and the Life is Strange team at DONTNOD Entertainment, continues on August 22^nd, 2019.

Thursday, 8 August 2019

Booksmart: Film Review

Cast:Beanie Fedelstein, Kaitlyn Denver, Jessica Williams, Jason Sudeikis
Director: Olivia Wilde

Proving the girls can do it just as well as the boys (and even better), and staying remarkably fresh and vibrant from beginning to end pays great dividends for Olivia Wilde's Booksmart.

It's the story of Beanie Fedelstein's Molly and Kaitlyn Denver's Amy, two high school pals, who've nerded it up their entire time through high school to get to the colleges they wanted.

But upon discovering the lower achievers have also got into impressive colleges, Molly has a meltdown, fearing they've wasted their lives. So determined to cut loose at the end of year party, the duo decide tonight's the night.

However, the one big problem is they don't know where the party is....

It's tempting to categorise Booksmart as the female Superbad, but in truth, it's a lazy comparison.

Whereas McLovin et al set the tone for the genre, the one-last-blast-before-we-quit-high-school genre has been done to death.

Yet Booksmart, thanks to some impressive comedic performances, a zing of direction and a pumping soundtrack that boosts the energy levels throughout, barely falters at all.

Fresh without ever pandering, inventive without ever being cheap and just damn funny, the coming-of-age comedy gets the female touch - and even outdoes most of its competitors. (A drug trip is so excellently inventive, it genuinely surprises.)

Women leads that are relatable, people of colour and backgrounds all over the place and nary a male in sight makes Booksmart one of the genuine glass ceiling smashing comedies out there - without ever deliberately setting out to be "woke" or conform to a feminist agenda. It's in its own league, and as genuine to its protagonists and supporting characters as it should be.

Sure, there's the usual high school message about being true to yourself and suffering self-sabotaging, but thanks to its great leads' chemistry and comic timing, Booksmart is a whipsmart high school comedy that raises the bar substantially.

Long Shot: Blu Ray Review

Imagine a wish-fulfillment West Wing romcom, set in the Seth Rogen Cinematic Stoner Universe that's mixed with heart and humour - and highs.

That in a nutshell is what Long Shot is.

Rogen stars as principled, but out-of-work journalist Fred Flarsky, who bumps into his former babysitter-turned-US-Secretary-of-State Charlotte Field (Theron) by accident at a party.

With a friendship rekindled, and with Field deciding to run for the presidency, Flarsky's recruited to the team as a speech-writer, much to the chagrin of Field's closest aides...

A little too long at two hours, Long Shot is a film which combines the usual Rogen stoner antics and outrageous crass moments and pairs them up with the kind of romantic elements previously seen before in many odd couple movies.

But whereas Rogen usually dials up the schlubby elements in his films, it's pleasing to note that in Flarsky's interactions with Field, rather than with his bros, there's a genuine warmth and feeling of an old relationship floating around. It helps build a plausibility for a romance that frankly is the classic out-of-your-league kind of material.

The film's other great strength is Theron.

Displaying an empathy and delivering many quips, Theron's the beating heart of Long Shot, a portrait of a woman who has it all, but whose inevitable path to romance is not to her character's detriment.

There's something of a Notting Hill style romance in here as well, but sparked through with R18 edges. Skarsgard trades well on a parody of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, one who has looks but little else behind the eyes and toothy grin.

It's not to say that Long Shot doesn't misfire from time to time - but it does so while dispensing some strong unexpected laughs during proceedings.

Occasionally, a tonal shift into drama is delivered with a cinematic whiplash that's hard to shake and the whole thing could easily lose some 20 minutes of its meandering in the final strait, but overall, the heart of Long Shot is hard to deny.

It may be a riff on the odd matched romcoms of the 80s, but given its commitment to two likeable leads and a few sentimental edges which benefit from a sharpness, Long Shot proves to be a deeply enjoyable movie to shake us all out of a mid-winter malaise.

Origin Access Adds To 192+ Games With Warhammer: Chaosbane, Vampyr & More!

“This month, we’re adding a handful of great games to the growing list of over 192 titles that cover a medley of genres and playstyles. We have a new entry from the storied Warhammer franchise, the debut of our most member-requested title, Vampyr, and a number of indie hits from Team17.

Origin Access Premier exclusively adds Warhammer: Chaosbane Magnus Edition, the first hack-and-slash entry in the renowned Warhammer franchise, with an emphasis on action-packed co-op play (and humour). Choose a hero from four character classes and prepare for epic battles wielding some of the most powerful artefacts of the Old World. Additionally, Premier members can experience the Magnus Edition, which comes with a gold boost, unique character emotes, unique character pets, a fragment boost, and the season pass.

Origin Access Basic and Premier members can jump into one of the most requested and best action games of 2018,Vampyr. Play as newly-turned Vampyr, Dr. Jonathan Reid, where you must either find a cure to save the city’s flu-ravaged citizens or feed on those you vowed to heal. An indie buffet arrives as Team17 hits like Overcooked, The Escapist, Mugsters, and Yoku’s Island Express enter The Vault. Cook gourmet dishes under high pressure with your friends in Overcooked, or pinball yourself across the visually stunning world of Yoku’s Island Express. Additionally, indie darling Dear Esther and strategic adventure game Renowned Explorers: International Society join the growing list of available games.

In case you missed it, highlights from July’s drop included a number of new titles for Origin Access Premier members to enjoy:

Madden NFL 20 – players become the face of their favourite franchise in an all-new single-player campaign, unlock new zone abilities across 50 players at launch, or build their dream roster in My Ultimate Team™
Sea of Solitude – a poignant tale of loneliness, loss, and how fears can manifest as monsters, players can set sail across a beautiful and evolving world, where nothing is quite what it seems
A Plague Tale: Innocence – one of the highest-rated AA titles of the year, this immersive story-writer adventure follows a young heroine and her brother as they struggle to survive against overwhelming odds
Moonlighter – for both Basic and Premier members, this action-RPG with rogue-lite elements follows the everyday routines of an adventurous shopkeeper who dreams of becoming a hero

Next month we’ll share a whole new set of games that will be joining the subscription in September across both the Premier and Basic tiers. Origin Access Basic membership lets PC players take full advantage of an ever-evolving collection of games and 10-hour Play First Trials for new and upcoming EA games days before release. Origin Access Premier members enjoy everything Basic has to offer plus get unlimited play of new EA games on PC first, the full games not just a trial, as long as they are a member. To learn more, visit https://www.origin.com/store/origin-access.“

Win Dumbo

To celebrate the release of Dumbo from Disney, Sony Home Entertainment is giving you the chance to win a copy!

About Dumbo

From Disney and visionary director Tim Burton, the all-new grand live-action adventure “Dumbo” expands on the beloved classic story where differences are celebrated, family is cherished and dreams take flight.

Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus.

But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland.

Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Eva Green), until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets.
All you have to do is email your details and the word DUMBO!

Email now to darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com
Or CLICK HERE NOW

Wednesday, 7 August 2019

The Chaperone: DVD Review

With touches of a script from Downton Abbey's Julian Fellowes and adapted from a book by Laura Moriarty, The Chaperone is a classy affair.

Set in 1922, when the teenaged Louise Brooks (Richardson, in another impressive performance) was given the chance to go to dance school in New York, The Chaperone's more the story of McGovern's Norma.

Norma is a Wichita native, who yearns to spread her wings. So when she sees the opportunity to accompany Brooks to the big apple, she seizes on the chance. Along the way, there is rediscovery and also challenges for both.

The Chaperone may tread a familiar path in terms of coming-of-age films and social mores, but what it offers up is a chance to revel in the brevity of Richardson's precocious turn as the sparkling Brooks and stay for the more nuanced subtle journey of McGovern's Norma.

The trouble is the film's more obsessed with Norma's story, than Brooks herself.

It's not that McGovern doesn't deliver in a somewhat starched story, but more that it feels like something aimed at the older crowd, rather than a younger generation steeped in the Downton world.

The period detail is wonderfully evocative, and there's much to admire in the visualisation of the Jazz age, but there's a dialled down feel to The Chaperone which suggests a more buttoned up affair than is narratively worth investing in.

Ultimately, The Chaperone walks you through a period of history and a story, rather than letting you experience it. It's not a fatal flaw, granted, but it is one which stops the familiar tropes from soaring and hitting an emotional level you'd want to be more fully engaged.

Late Night: Film Review

Cast: Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, John Lithgow, Hugh Dancy, Denis O'Hare, Ike Barinholtz
Director: Nisha Ganatra

Aiming to smash the glass ceiling, but ending up more just politely tapping on it, Mindy Kaling's comedy Late Night will feel familiar to fans of the vitriolic Larry Sanders Show from the 1990s.

In Late Night, Kaling plays Molly Patel, a plant worker who ends up being a diversity hire on Emma Thompson's Katherine Newbury's late night show. Newbury is a legend, and has been on the circuit for years, but the show's on the wane, with viral clips and interviews with YouTube stars punishing them in the ratings.

So when the head of the network (Amy Ryan) decides to move Newbury along in favour of a newer foul-mouthed host (Barinholtz), Molly is caught up in the last great offensive to keep ratings high.

Essentially a romantic comedy with a side of showbiz and a dash of social commentary, Late Night treads the boards of familiarity with such geniality it's hard to fully hate it.

But the film lacks a punch that would translate to some interesting barbs and commentary on women in the workplace and women on TV. It feels like Kaling's written sadly from reality, but is a little too frightened to make the commentary needed to help it land in ways which would give it its power.

There's an underdeveloped romance sideplot, which swipes at MeToo, and a sweet relationship between Thompson and Lithgow that brims with reality and depth.

Yet it's not enough to make Late Night feel anything other than undercooked at times.

Thankfully, Thompson makes great fist of her barbed and occasionally bitter Newbury. You can see where it's coming from a mile off, but the joy of seeing an older woman in a lead in this is clearly what Kaling wanted for the film, and the fact the reality of late night TV in the US is scarcely inhabited by women speaks volumes.

Kaling plays on her innate likeability repeatedly, and the result is a fair film that offers some laughs - it's just with a sharper eye for the targets and a few wittier barbs, it could have been unstoppable.

Win Daffodils

To celebrate the release of Daffodils, thanks to Sony Home Entertainment, you can win a copy!

About Daffodils

DAFFODILS is a heart-aching drama of a quintessential New Zealand marriage.

Told with iconic New Zealand music. we follow the bittersweet nuances of a couple’s life, expressed with contemporary re-imaginings of iconic hit songs of New Zealand artists.

They include Crowded House, Bic Runga and Dave Dobbyn.

All you have to do is email your details and the word DAFFODILS!

Email now to darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com
Or CLICK HERE NOW

Tuesday, 6 August 2019

WWE 2K20 - Becky Lynch & Roman Reigns on cover

“Step Inside” WWE® 2K20 and Experience Franchise Firsts with Cover Superstars Becky Lynch® and Roman Reigns™

Women’s Evolution inspired 2K Showcase, diversified MyCAREER experience, streamlined controls and debut of WWE 2K20 Originals headline initial product features reveal

Sydney, Australia – August 6, 2019 – 2K has announced current Raw® Women’s Champion Becky Lynch® and WWE Superstar Roman Reigns™ as the cover Superstars for WWE® 2K20, the forthcoming release in the flagship WWE video game franchise. Lynch and Reigns will serve as ambassadors for WWE 2K20’s worldwide marketing campaign – “Step Inside” – which invites players to enter the world of WWE and face a variety of new and exciting challenges in the virtual ring. WWE 2K20 is currently scheduled for worldwide release on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X and Windows PC. Players who purchase the WWE 2K20 Deluxe Edition or Collector’s Edition will receive in-game bonuses, including playable Superstars Chyna, Hulk Hogan, Mankind and The Rock®, in addition to the Standard Edition game.

To view the trailer click the image below

“My career has been about breaking barriers and doing what nobody else has done before. Being the first female Superstar on the cover of a WWE 2K video game is no exception,” said Becky Lynch.

“As a gamer myself, being on the cover of WWE 2K20 alongside ‘The Man’ Becky Lynch and joining the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena is a huge career and personal milestone for me,” said Roman Reigns.

WWE 2K20, in direct response to fan feedback, will include several franchise firsts alongside streamlined gameplay and a variety of popular modes. The story-driven, objective-based 2K Showcase: The Women’s Evolution will follow the careers of the Four Horsewomen – Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley®, Charlotte Flair® and Sasha Banks®. Controls will be streamlined to allow new players to jump into the game more easily, while experienced players will still enjoy a challenge.

In addition, WWE 2K20 players will be able to compete as both male and female Superstars in MyCAREER and Mixed Tag matches, while last year’s popular WWE Towers returns with exciting new challenges, including a story-driven Tower centered around the career of Roman Reigns.

The game will also introduce a new service model – WWE 2K20 Originals – set to deliver a wealth of 2K Showcase add-on content for player exploration beyond the game’s initial launch. Each of the WWE 2K20 Originals will present a new playable world and its own unique theme, with more details to be announced in the coming months. WWE 2K20 Originalsis downloadable content that may require additional purchase.

“Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns embody passion, determination and perseverance, and they’re both major game changers within the larger WWE landscape,” said Chris Snyder, Vice President of Marketing for 2K. “They are the spirit ofWWE 2K20, which is going to introduce changes requested by our fans. They asked for female-driven MyCAREER and 2K Showcase offerings, and we’re giving them just that, as well as streamlined controls and our brand new WWE 2K20Originals. We can’t wait to reveal more details soon.”

To view the Xavier Woods Dev Diary click the image below

In addition, 2K today announced details surrounding WWE 2K20 premium product offerings:

About the WWE 2K20 Deluxe Edition

Players who purchase the WWE 2K20 Deluxe Edition, available in both physical and digital varieties at participating retailers, will receive in-game bonuses for the PS4™ system, Xbox One and Windows PC. Offering more than 35% in savings, the WWE 2K20 Deluxe Edition includes the following items:

Copy of WWE 2K20 video game with Deluxe Edition packaging;
Accelerator - Take control of your WWE 2K20 experience with the Accelerator. Players can gain access to all unlockable content available at launch via the game’s Purchasable section and take full control of the overall rankings and attribute levels of all playable characters;
Kickstart - Get a leg up in your MyCAREER by unlocking and boosting your MyPLAYER ratings and attributes with 25 additional Attribute Points and 8 Additional Skill Points. Plus, get a 25,000 VC starting bonus to unlock more Superstar parts, Moves and more! In addition to this, start with all Boost Slots unlocked plus 15 free Boosts, 2,000 free Tokens and 400 free Deluxe Tokens;
Complete set of WWE 2K20 Originals content packages (more details to be announced);
Additional bonus digital content, including playable Superstars Chyna™, in her first WWE 2K appearance, Hulk Hogan, “$500 Shirt” The Rock®, and Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection Mankind™ (more details to be announced);
WWE SuperCard Limited Edition Cards (included with physical versions only).

About the WWE 2K20 Collector’s Edition

Players who purchase the WWE 2K20 Collector’s Edition at participating retailers will also receive in-game bonuses for the PS4™ system and Xbox One. Offering more than 40% in savings, the WWE 2K20 Collector’s Edition is available in physical format only, features a 20^th Anniversary of SmackDown theme and includes the following items:

Copy of WWE 2K20 video game with Collector’s Edition packaging;

Accelerator - Take control of your WWE 2K20 experience with the Accelerator. Players can gain access to all unlockable content available at launch via the game’s Purchasable section and take full control of the overall rankings and attribute levels of all playable characters;
Kickstart - Get a leg up in your MyCAREER by unlocking and boosting your MyPLAYER ratings and attributes with 25 additional Attribute Points and 8 Additional Skill Points. Plus, get a 25,000 VC starting bonus to unlock more Superstar parts, Moves and more! In addition to this, start with all Boost Slots unlocked plus 15 free Boosts, 2,000 free Tokens and 400 free Deluxe Tokens;
Complete set of WWE 2K20 Originals content packages (more details to be announced);
Additional bonus digital content, including playable Superstars Chyna™, in her first WWE 2K appearance, Hulk Hogan, “$500 Shirt” The Rock®, and Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection Mankind™ (more details to be announced);
Physical collectibles including:

Exclusive WWE SmackDown! Ring Skirt Relic Piece (2002-2008)
Limited Edition WWE SmackDown! Legend Autographed Plaque (Kurt Angle™, Rey Mysterio® or Edge®)

WWE SuperCard Limited Edition Cards.

Win King Of Thieves

To celebrate the release of Michael Caine's latest, King Of Thieves, on home release and thanks to Sony Home Entertainment, you can win a copy!

About King of Thieves

One high security vault.

Millions up for grabs.

One hell of a retirement fund.

A true crime film about a crew of retired crooks who pull off a major heist in London's jewelry district.

What starts off as their last criminal hurrah quickly turns into a brutal nightmare due to greed.

Based on infamous true events.

All you have to do is email your details and the word KING!

Email now to darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com
Or CLICK HERE NOW

Monday, 5 August 2019

Midsommar: NZIFF Review

Director Ari Aster's next project after Hereditary is a descent into a psychological freefall, rather than an out-and-out freakout fest.

The ever wonderful Florence Pugh stars as Dani and Jack Reynor stars as Christian, her feckless boyfriend. When something happens to Dani (an event best left unspoiled, thanks to the pre-titles play out of dread), the pair try to get back on track.

Invited by Christian to tag along to a trip to a commune in Sweden where he and a handful of mates are heading for research, Dani finds her uncertainty in their relationship escalating.

It's exacerbated by the pagan rituals and lifestyle of those at the Swedish midsummer festival in Hälsingland .... but there's more going on than any of them realise.

If Hereditary was psychological terror, then Midsommar is the break-up album.

A sprawling, slow-moving descent that's in no rush to unveil its hand, the film's commitment to unsettling can be interpreted in many ways.

Whether it's a take on Americans crashing European ways of life and disrupting cultural matters, or simply a feeling of off-kilter unusual behaviours, Midsommar's desire to unnerve is there from the start - and carefully telegraphed.

Artfully executed by Aster, and beautifully choreographed by DP Pawel Pogorzelski, and blessed with a turn of frailty and subtlety by Pugh as she negotiates extreme trauma, Midsommar is more about the horrors of human behaviours than the appearance of the supernatural and what it can entail.

There are lashings of humour throughout, but as the crescendo of the creepy builds, there's more a sense of uncertainty rippling through this Wicker Man / League of Gentlemen hybrid folk horror and bucolic beastliness.

The horror comes in the consequences, and the reality of what's next - and while the conclusion may infuriate some and feel derivative to others, what Aster's done is essentially cycle back to the beginning's themes.

Midsommar is less a dream, but even less a nightmare - it's a waking breathing feeling of insomnia, and it's stiflingly good because of it.

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary: NZIFF Review

It's hard to consider what should be said about The Amazing Johnathan Documentary, given that most of the twists and turns of director Ben Berman's doco are best experienced unspoiled.

Suffice to say this meta-piece looks at what next for The Amazing Johnathan, a comedy magic act from the US aka Johnathan Szeles after he's diagnosed with a fatal heart condition and given one year to live.

Three years later, Szeles is still around and contemplating a return to the scene....

The Amazing Johnathan Documentary is a perplexing twisty doco that keeps one-upping itself when it comes to reveals.

At its heart, it's really about two men who are trying to find their way through something - Szeles for his own mortality and Berman for what kind of doco maker he wants to be.

But for the audience, it's also about finding their way through something because every time you think you may know what's coming, you're wrongfooted. Berman's crafted something that like a magic trick, has you wondering what's next and what the truth and the illusion ultimately is.

The meta touches work nicely, and the construction of this riddle is nicely crafted - but if you're expecting to emerge from The Amazing Johnathan Documentary with answers all neatly put in place, you may want to reassess your expectations.

Sunday, 4 August 2019

Sorry We Missed You: NZIFF Review

Ken Loach's latest piece of socially shocking miserabilism in the UK is a savage indictment of how the everyday family is being beaten down by those abusing the system.

And yet, in among the blood-boiling moments of Sorry We Missed You, Loach displays elements of everyday love and compassion along with humour that helps you along the 100 minutes of what plays out.

Kris Hitchen plays Rikki, the head of a family who is scrabbling day to day to make ends meet. Taking the chance to become a franchisee of a delivery company, Rikki finds himself part of a contract that serves the masters better than it does the servants.

Coupled with the fact his wife Abby (Debbie Honeywood) is working 14 hours a day as a carer, the pair is left hardly any time for their two children.

Stretched as thinly as it will go, something is likely to snap in Rikki and Abby's lives...

Clothed in savage condemnation of the zero hours' slavery, Loach's film promotes a growing sense of depression, as well as a sense of latent activism in the audience.

But it's the realism here, and the intimate relatability that gives Loach his power in this film - a growing sense of desperation from both Hitchen and Honeywood creates an aching, gnawing sense of disillusionment as events threaten to swallow them up.

There's nothing here that's played for easy drama, merely a growing sense of a maelstrom about to encompass the everyday family. And because of that it's even more horrifying to behold.

There's an anger in Sorry We Missed You, but Loach is restrained enough a director to realise that simply playing out events will get the required results in the audience. It's horrifically affective and affecting - ultimately, Sorry We Missed You is one social drama not ignore - both on screen and off it.

Maiden: NZIFF Review

Director Alex Holmes' crowd-pleasing tale of the battle of the sexes and the triumph of women breaking through in the traditional male sport of the sailing is a triumph from beginning to end - even if it doesn't break the mould in terms of presenting a documentary.

Using archival footage from the Whitbread Round the World Race from the 1989-1990 race, Holmes threads together a tale of how Tracy Edwards' determination changed the face of the race, as well as the perception of a generation.

In the 80s, racing was the sole guardianship of men; but Edwards had a fire for being a sailor, even if the media and the sport had other thoughts. Initially starting off in a kitchen (the sexism outrage is palpable throughout), Edwards soon realised the only way to be taken seriously was to get her own crew and her own ship.

But even though every step of the way was problematic for Edwards, Holmes threads together a stirring tale that creates a crescendo of inspiration that soon becomes a tidal wave of empowerment.

Whether it's using the dry wit of those interviewed or footage where various sexist commentators are laid bare, Holmes' tale never stops short of thrilling. When stripped down to its bones, Maiden is the classic sporting tale of the underdog, but what it delivers more of, is a rousing call for change at the time, and a celebration of what Edwards and her crew managed.

However, Maiden is never preachy, and it wisely shows Edwards in her flaws - but throughout the disasters, it's the determination which shines through. Don't be surprised if you leave Maiden feeling inspired to make a change - or embarrassed at what we used to be.

Saturday, 3 August 2019

Herbs: Songs of Freedom: NZIFF Review

Much like Tearepa Kahi's Poi E documentary did, Herbs: Songs of Freedom looks to pitch New Zealand of your youth against the socioeconomic backdrop of the reggae freedom fighters, Herbs.

Taking in the politics of the 80s in Bastion Point, against a background of a reforming Herbs, some four decades after they began, Kahi's doco has geniality written through as much as it has L&P coursing through its veins.

That is to say, initially, this is a nostalgia blast in some ways, a film that makes you remember those glorious never-ending summers and sets out an OST to your youth that hits you where it should.

However, more than just context, some flashy graphics (a neon coloured tape illustration is just one of the wonderful images that Kahi drops on to the screen) and some gorgeously shot images from Auckland's Harbour Bridge, is what's needed for Herbs: Songs of Freedom.

And for a large part, the doco fulfills that remit, capturing the intimate moments of the band then and now coming back together, seizing on moments from within the rehearsal hall and detailing how the band came to prominence when Stevie Wonder wouldn't play Western Springs in the 70s as a deluge blew in.

Yet, despite the vim and vigour of the start of the piece, the doco frustratingly fails to capture some of the more interesting narrative threads available. Hints of a bust up and some sour grapes that befell members of the band are alluded to, and not expanded upon. (Though it must be said that Kahi teases details out of various members, chiefly Dilworth Karaka, as if this is some great musical stoush the whole world already knew of.)

The final 30 minutes of the film drift into discord as well, turning the proceedings into Auckland's reunion concert and providing some incredible musical moments, but leaving you feeling like the doco's run out of things to say, but equally leaving you feeling extremely grateful for the music, and for the timelessness of the performers.

Ultimately, Herbs: Songs of Freedom does much to capture the zeitgeist of 80s New Zealand and once again demonstrates Kahi's heartland approach is a voice much needed in the film-making community.

But frustratingly the doco's overall feeling is one of could have been, and one which lacks the full coherence demonstrated by Poi E: The Story of Our Song.

That said it is one which will leave you tapping your toes in the aisle for two thirds of its generous heart.