Scoob!: DVD Review

The Hanna Barbera cinematic universe fires its opening salvo with the reimagining of Scooby Doo for a 2020 audience - mixing in some Avengers' style elements with some old school nostalgia sure to delight fans.

In this latest, Norville "Shaggy" Rogers befriends lonely mutt, Scooby, founding a friendship on food and hijinks. After a casual Halloween meeting with Fred, Velma and Daphne and an unmasking of a ghost, the gang forms Mystery Inc, deadset on solving mysteries.

However, when Scooby and Shaggy are ostracised after a business deal from Simon Cowell excludes them, they find themselves caught up in Dick Dastardly's quest to open the Underworld...

While Scoob has some great nostalgia for those brought up on the show, it does move massively away from its mystery roots in favour of an Avengers-style adventure.

At times, that's no bad thing, but given that Cervone's peppered the film with hints of the past - from a pitch perfect recreation of the original titles to cameos from other Hanna Barbera characters - there's an occasionally disjointed feel to the proceedings.

Younger fans may be more amused by the animated antics than older ones, given the film's propensity for silliness and catchphrase moments. Some of the clearly winking jokes about Avengers fall a little flat, if truth be told.

Odd pop culture references feel a little out of place, and will age quickly, but there's no denying Scoob! wants to be a good shaggy dog film - whether that's enough for this origin tale to guarantee its future is questionable at best.

However, for a blast of fun during the school holidays and indoors thanks to Covid-19, Scoob! proves diverting enough for the younger end of the audience.

The Painter and The Thief: Movie Review

Director: Benjamin Ree

Director Benjamin Ree's The Painter and The Thief has a delicious premise.

When Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova has two of her paintings stolen in an apparently random crime, CCTV leads police to track down the thieves and put them on trial.

But despite the pieces being two of her most important works, Barbora finds herself fascinated by the man who stole them and approaches him in court, wanting to learn why. Soon-to-be-convicted thief and drug addict Karl-Bertil has a simple answer - and one that proves to be as devastating and enticing as it could be - "Because they were beautiful."

An unlikely friendship forms between the pair, leading Barbora deep into places she'd believed forgotten and delivering Karl-Bertil a redemption he believed he'd always been denied.

Ree's The Painter and the Thief is a compelling dalliance with darkness.

Delivered a third act twist, the movie is as much about the artist muse relationship as it is a tale of humanity and obsession. And in one early sequence alone, the film delivers a powerful emotionally raw moment that no actor could easily bring to the surface.

If perhaps Ree is to be faulted, it's in the lack of exploration over the consequences of Barbora's friendship on her current relationship, and Ree doesn't seem interested as much in anyone other than the central pair.

However, there are touching moments as each are sucked into their respective orbits, and two apparently damaged people collide. It's a fascinating and electric journey, that delivers a powerful emotional catharsis just as the energy levels begin to massively flag.

The unexpected friendship is the reason to tag along for this ride, and while a lack of any definitive conclusion proves frustrating for what's transpired, Ree's The Painter and the Thief concerns itself more about the realities of friendships, the ups and downs of life and the highs and lows of consequences.

The Painter and the Thief will have its New Zealand premiere as part of Sunday’s Doc Edge at the Civic event in Auckland on November 22.

The Man On The Island: Movie Review

Director: Simon Mark-Brown

Director Simon Mark-Brown's documentary concerns itself with its subject - but it's sometimes to the detriment of what should be a wider lens.

Taking in the island of Rakino, in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, with its population of 20 people, Brown decides the focus of his piece should be the pontifications of Colin Maclaren, a 77-year old former mainlander who moved to the island some 30 years ago.

Dismissive of Auckland's hum and drum of life, yet shackled to the need to use the shops there, Maclaren is less an enigma to be frank, and more a man taking every opportunity to grandstand on subjects without any challenging from its director.

That's not to say that Maclaren is not a man without merit, more that the focus of this documentary appears to be less interested in pursuing a fully-rounded picture of its subject, and more in the thrall of one man and his opinions.

Not once does Brown refer - or defer - to others to explain why Maclaren requires such time in the spotlight; his story is of interest, but it's up to others to provide colour into the quirk and the man who's become the island's recluse.

Impressive drone shots and cinematography capture the beauty of Rakino and entice viewers into understanding why an island paradise would leave so many so enamoured. It's here Brown's eye for simplicity shines.

But in Maclaren, he's found a subject whose philosophies aren't out of place with a Covid-infected world, but whose raison d'etre is nothing more than self-imposed. Many moments find insights into Maclaren wanting - from no clue over where he gains money from for trips to Auckland to an apparent fight with Auckland council over weeds going unexplored.

There's much to be made of The Man On The Island - but this documentary, while stunning to view, is shallow in its examinations and frustrating as a viewing experience.

The Man on the Island will have its world premiere as part of Sunday’s Doc Edge at the Civic event in Auckland before embarking on a limited run nationwide from November 26.

Win a Six60 Till The Lights Go Out Prize pack 

To celebrate the release of Six60 Till The Lights Go Out in cinemas November 26, you can win a prize pack thanks to StudioCanal NZ!

Each prize pack includes 1x SIX60 T-shirt, 1x SIX60 CD and 1x Double Pass to see  Six60 Till The Lights Go Out in cinemas!

About Six60 Till The Lights Go Out 

In 2019, SIX60 defied all convention when they attempted to be the first-ever New Zealand band to headline a concert at Western Springs Stadium. 

Alongside jaw-dropping coverage of their record-breaking concert is never seen before archival footage of Matiu Walters, Ji Fraser, Eli Paewai, Marlon Gerbes and Chris Mac on the extraordinary road they’ve taken to achieve a power of an appeal unseen in Aotearoa.

In cinemas November 26!

HOW TO WIN

All you have to do is email your details and the word SIX60!

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

The British film festival is here - these are the best trailers to watch

Good news for Pommie film-loving fans.

The British film festival is here, starting in Auckland and heading around the country.

The event runs from 19 - 29 Nov in Auckland and Wellington,  from 2 - 13 Dec in Tauranga and from 26 Nov - 6 Dec around the rest of the country.

These are the best British Film festival trailers to watch of the event

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM BOB

MISBEHAVIOUR

SUMMERLAND

A CALL TO SPY

DATING AMBER

THE RACER

FLASH GORDON

The British Film Festival will run in 12 city centres and in 19 cinemas across the country. The following cinemas are part of the festival, so check your local and see if they're playing the films you want!

Auckland

 The Bridgeway Cinema, Monterey Howick, Monterey Takapuna, The Capitol, Lido

Auckland

Wellington

 The Penthouse, Light House Petone, Monterey Upper Hutt

Christchurch

 Academy Gold, Lumière Cinemas

Dunedin

 Rialto Dunedin

Kerikeri

 Cathay Cinemas

Tauranga

 Rialto Tauranga

Hamilton

 Lido Hamilton

Palmerston North

 EVENT Palmerston North, Focal Point Fielding

Hawke’s Bay

 EVENT Havelock North

New Plymouth

 EVENT New Plymouth

Nelson

 State Nelson

Blenheim

 EVENT Blenheim

New Night City Wire showcases Johnny Silverhand, gameplay, and featurettes for Cyberpunk 2077

New Night City Wire showcases Johnny Silverhand, gameplay, and featurettes for Cyberpunk 2077!

 

CD PROJEKT RED today released new videos for Cyberpunk 2077, including a new trailer focusing on the legendary rockerboy played by Keanu Reeves, as well as gameplay and behind the scenes footage, all part of the latest episode of Night City Wire.

 

Night City Wire : 

The show started with the reveal of an action-packed trailer focusing on Johnny Silverhand and the unique connection he shares with the game’s protagonist, V. This was followed up by a behind-the-scenes video with Keanu Reeves talking about his transformation into Night City’s iconic rebel rockerboy, with a look at voice and motion capture recording sessions.

 

JohnnySilverhand: 

 

In Score and Music, Marcin Przybyłowicz (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), P.T. Adamczyk (GWENT: The Witcher Card Game, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales), and Paul Leonard-Morgan (Dredd, Limitless, Battlefield: Hardline), together with collaborating musicians, talk about crafting atmospheric original music for the upcoming video game.

 

Score and Music

 

Gamers looking to get into the mood for Cyberpunk 2077 can now also check out the freshly released Original Score EP, featuring 6 tracks for a total of 22 minutes listening time. The EP is available now on a selection of popular digital music streaming and distribution platforms.

 

Next, with JALI the episode turned its focus to the innovative technological solution used in Cyberpunk 2077 to power facial expressions and lip sync for characters in the game. The video provides insight into how JALI makes performances immersively realistic across 11 fully localized languages.

 

Jali Trailer:

 

Just before the show ended, the Official Gameplay Trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 made its debut. Over 5 minutes long, the feature highlights an assortment of aspects of the open world, action-adventure story players will be engaging in upon launch, complimented with never-before-scene footage showcasing the experiences awaiting in the dark future.

 

Cyberpunk 2077 will release December 10th, 2020, for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. 

The game will also be playable on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles. 

At a later date, a free upgrade to Cyberpunk 2077, taking full advantage of next-gen hardware, will become available for owners of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions respectively.

Gameplay trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 released

There are just weeks to go until Cyberpunk 2077 from CD Projekt Red is released.

And to celebrate the launch on December 10, a new gameplay trailer has dropped.

CD PROJEKT RED released today a new video for Cyberpunk 2077, offering gamers the latest look at gameplay and numerous aspects of the experience from the soon-to-be-released title.

 

The video features over 5 minutes of in-game footage thrusting gamers deep into the most dangerous megalopolis of the year 2077 — Night City. 

Never-before-seen interactions and action scenes are shown, revealing details about the story, as well as characters — including their backgrounds and motivations. In addition to discussing the primary objective of the game’s protagonist, the up and coming cyber-enhanced mercenary going by the name V, part of the trailer is also devoted to giving players a fresh glimpse into character development and some of the side activities they will be able to indulge in.

  

Cyberpunk 2077 will release December 10th, 2020, for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The game will also be playable on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles. At a later date, a free upgrade to Cyberpunk 2077, taking full advantage of next-gen hardware, will become available for owners of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions respectively.