4 all movie, tv and game buffs

Film Review: Clerks 2 (2006)

2006-09-25T12:08:00.000Z

The original 'Clerks' was released in 1994 and became a cult hit. Based partly on director Kevin Smith's own experience in woking in a video rental store, it explored the mediocre lives of a group of hangers on, working in, or hanging around the store. The film hinged on the conversations with the characters within, including many pop culture references, in amongst the crass and potentially offensive humour.

And so on to the sequel, which updates the lives of the characters who are now in their thirties, and working in, or hanging around Mooby's, a fast food joint. The humour is much the same as in the original, and that is fine if you are a fan of that film. If not, then you may not see the point of the film. 'Empire' magazine raved about the film, and promised much laughter. Jonathan Ross reviewed the film, and hates it, and everything that Kevin Smith has ever done. Both take the extreme and I fall somewhere in the middle. The film tries too hard to offend, especially if you are a Christian fundamentalist, or an animal rights campaigner (the film's most distasteful scene involving "animal erotica"), and becomes almost boring as a result. There are a few bright spots, mostly concerning new character Elias, a young, innocent 'Christian' staff member, who goes to length to tell others how God says it is okay to like the 'Transformers', and a debate over which is 'the' trilogy, the 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Star Wars', resulting in a customer throwing up, such is his intense passion for what he believes, that "only one ring shall rule them all". It is difficult to convey the humour in a few soundbites, but you will already know if you will like the film or not by your opinion of the original. There is more plot in this one, and an attempt at a love story if you can believe that (though the romance is highlighted against the backdrop of the already mentioned 'animal erotica'), and is slightly mawkish. Jonathan Ross was too harsh in his review of the film, but he isn't really a reliable film critic anyway (his overbearing love of all things Adam Sandler, is disturbingly near sighted), and the normally reliable 'Empire' do occasionally make mistakes (who can forget their four star 'Pearl Harbour' review). Make your own mind up, as this is guaranteed to be a love it or hate it Marmite movie.

In my opinion however.....

Review Score: 5/10

Xbox 360, how are you?

2006-08-30T10:08:00.000Z

Here we are, nearing September 2006, and in a couple of months the Xbox 360 will be a year old. Promising much in the way of next gen graphical prowess, and an innovative online service, it was in the frontline of the next gen console war. The PS3 isn't out until this November, and the Nintendo Wii out towards Christmas, maybe, and this will be crunch time for the 360. Has it really proven what it is capable of, and does the Sony PS3 in particular have anything to be afraid of? Is Microsoft going to win this round, or is Sony going to dominate the market share again? Well, who knows. Certainly Microsoft have got off to a good start, and Sony is being slated for the high cost of its machine. However the Sony fanboys have been waiting and making do with their PS2 until the newer machine arrived. Reports are that both consoles have similar technological power behind them, so should they have waited? I guess it's in software exclusivity deals, and Sony have the Final Fantasy brand, and Metal Gear Solid 4 to push sales. Microsoft have the all conquering shooter Halo 3, the support of Rare (who haven't relived their Goldeneye heyday, but we are still waiting), and Bioware, who did the excellent 'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' and 'Jade Empire' on the Xbox, and are releasing the innvoative rpg 'Mass Effect' on the 360. Aside from a few exclusive titles you can expect the same games released for both machines. So perhaps there was really no need to hold out for the PS3. Which I didn't! Despite the PS2 being the best selling console of the last gen battle, the Xbox was always the more powerful machine, and had the best exclusive games - 'Ninja Gaiden', 'Fable', the 'Oddworld' games, among others. So what if Sony had 'Metal Gear Solid 3? I had the utmost confidence in purchasing the Xbox 360 on launch day.

And what of the games lineup on the 360 so far? Considering that I do not have broadband, and have therefore not been able to partake in online gaming, and downloadable new content for my machine, I can only consider the line up of games for their offline content. Quite clearly the experience of online gaming is a consuming one, and will greatly expand the lifespan of many 360 games, long after I have consigned them to the second hand section in my local games store.
Still, here goes with my opinion on the games available so far...

At launch, the lineup was slightly underwhelming, and Rare's 'Perfect Dark Zero' and 'Kameo', the supposed highlights of the first wave of games, actually disappointed. PDZ suffered from last gen gameplay and a rubbish story, and fiddly first person controls. 'Kameo' was an okay adventure title, just a little simple, but graphically excellent. Just what you expect from a new machine. For me, the real highlights at launch were 'Call of Duty 2', which is an extremely immersive wartime shooter and 'Condemned', a genuinely chilling 3rd person survival horror. 'Project Gotham Racing 3' was great and apparently much better played online. And then there were the ports from last gen machines - 'King Kong', 'Gun', and 'Tony Hawks' which really were just ports, with little to distinguish them from their last gen counterparts. And that has been part of the problem with the 360. Because it is the only next gen machine on the market at the moment, some developers have been lazy, and just ported games over to the new machine. 'XMen 3' is another example, and that game was terrible to boot, which worsens the situation. 'Tomb Raider Legends' and 'Hitman: Blood Money' were better games, but only slightly improved graphically from last gen incarnations.

At the moment, the main highlights in the 360 catalogue are 'Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion' and 'Prey'. 'Oblivion' is the sequel to the previous Elder Scrolls title on the Xbox, 'Morrowind'. That title promised much in the way of adventuring in a free form expansive world, but suffered from hardware issues, resulting in long loading times, murky graphics and terrible slowdown. 'Oblivion' itself displays much of what you would expect from the 360. Bright, colourful graphics to bring the world to life, an intricate character set up, 100 plus hours of gameplay with miles of game world to explore, interact with, and become the kind of person you would like to be. It is possibly the best role playing game on the market right now, and certainly the prettiest, and biggest, and 360 exclusive. This is heaven for adventure game enthusiasts. 'Prey' on the other hand, is a fast paced, innovative first person shooter. Innovative in that offers a lot of new tricks, including walking up walls and onto ceilings to take aim on those below, and is a game that will certainly make you feel dizzy and slightly sick. Like 'Oblivion' this is grapically impressive and is one to show the Sony fanboys to let them know what they have been missing out on.

Other games of note, and which actually show some next gen oomoph, include 'Dead or Alive 4', 'Fight Night Round 3', 'Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter', 'Moto GP', 'Quake 4' and 'Table Tennis'. I would recommend any of these games, particularly 'Ghost Recon' for those who want a little strategy in their shooters. On the flipside, there are the games that have disappointed, offering little in next gen value, and these include 'Blazing Angels', 'Chromehounds', 'Dynasty Warriors 5' and 'Over G Fighters'. These are games that are hard to distinguish from last gen power. Avoid. You may also like to avoid the usual variety of sports games that have appeared on the 360. The Fifa games have offered nothing new, and EA have churned out the usuak NHL and NFL updates, as well as a disappointing Tiger Woods game. 'Top Spin 2' and 'Table Tennis' are surprisingly good fun however and are recommended.

So its been a mixed few months for the 360, and as the PS3 rears its shiny, blu ray enabled head, the games are going to get better. There is a lot to look forward to on the 360, and a lot more to the machine than a new Halo, and these include impressive zombie bashing game 'Dead Rising', adventure title 'Bioshock', survival horror 'Fear' and explosive shooter action in 'Gears of War'.

I am always tempted to pull my wallet out whenever a new console surfaces, but this time I am confident that the 360 will provide me with what I need. Should the PS3 emerge with some incredible exclusive titles then I may be tempted to buy the machine (should it come down in price) but for the moment I am proud of my 360, and look forward to the war to come, and am confident it will not be easily won.

Film Review: Stormbreaker (2006)

2006-08-18T08:47:00.000Z

It is very useful to have a job as 'Children's Worker', because it gives you the opportunity to see films that normally as an adult it would be frowned upon. I am referring of course to those films bracketted as kids or family films, and not necessarily films for 34 year old men. Over the years my job title has given me the opportunity to see 'George of the Jungle', 'Flubber', and '102 Dalmations'. Okay those films may not have been brilliant but the expectations were there. And the least said about 'Pokemon 2000' the better. So as I was running a holiday club over the summer it was the perfect opportunity to organise a cinema trip with the kids to see one film that I had actually looked forward to seeing. The concept of a teenage 'James Bond' type was an interesting one, and the trailer seemed to suggest some kick ass action with a serious edge, and not just some kiddie spy spoof with a daft sense of humour. The film is based on a series of novels by Anthony Horowitz, and what could be the beginning of a franchise to kick Harry Potter's magical bottom. Can this be the case...

Alex Pettyfer plays junior spy, Alex Rider, and does a good job of it too. If the film fails, he has the acting ability to keep going, and is not just a pretty face for the girls in the audience. Alex Rider's uncle played by Ewan Mcgregor, in an all too brief appearance, is killed in a road accident, and when Alex investigates this he discovers that his uncle was not the person he thought he was. He was in fact a spy, and when Alex discovers this, he finds also that he has been groomed throughout his childhood to follow in his uncle's footsteps. And so unlikely as it seems Alex joins MI6, run by the brilliant Bill Nighy, and begins his first mission, to uncover the meaning of the new 'Stormbreaker' computer that is being introduced to every school nationally. It is suspected that this super computer offers something more sinister than just Microsoft Word!

The film begins well with some great action and stunt work featuring a bicycle (possibly the greatest bicycle chase scene in cinema history!?). Alex then goes on to make fools of a group of baddies with nothing but a piece of rope. This is also well orchestrated. However things then take a slightly downward turn, the action peters out, the villains are introduced and are disappointingly cartoonish, led by a sleepwalking Mickey Rourke. At times it borders on the film that I didn't want it to be - a silly kiddie spoof - but occasional moments of flourish bring it back from there. And then the film ends, incredibly briefly, with a weak final battle with Rourke, and leaving me with the feeling that the film could have been so much better, and longer, lasting about 90 minutes when another half an hour could have stretched events out more effectively. Maybe the sequel will rectify this. If there is one! Another reason why the film should have been longer is because it meant I had a longer time after the film to try to entertain the children before their parents arrived, and more filmmakers should consider this when producing a film.

If the film had continued in the same way as the beginning half hour I may have awarded the film with a higher score. As it is......

Review Score: 6/10

Film Review: The Weather Man (2006)

2006-07-24T10:09:00.000Z

Sorry this isn't a film about John Kettley or Michael Fish, as interesting as such films would be...cough.. splutter. Actually I didn't think this film would be interesting at all, after viewing the slightly dull and vague trailer for it. And then the unthinkable happened, as it actually turned out to be one of the best films I have seen in ages; one of those rare times when it ends leaving me fully satisfied, and wanting to go out and buy it on dvd. Why, you are asking. What is it about this film that has left you so warm and sunny rather than slightly chilly in your northen hemisphere? What has blown over you causing your climate to change so rapidly, you are all asking. Well, aren't you??

Here goes..

Nicholas Cage is the weather man of the title, and while his career and pay check have risen considerably, his family life has deteriorated, and he now lives alone, seeing his kids on weekend, the usual story. He is also persecuted by the general public, regularly being assaulted with various thrown fast food (symbolic in a way which I won't spoil for you because you have to see the film). It is in the relationships with his family that the film excels. These are real people, with real problems, but is a story told with warmth and lots of humour. Michael Caine gives a brilliant performance as Cage's father (his best role since 'The Cider House Rules' retaining the same American accent). It is their relationship which affected me, and is a story familiar to most of us, a son trying to gain his father's approval, thinking he is failing, and yet not really, as the father is only trying to find ways in which to communicate his approval, and in turn thinking he is failing. Their relationship is beautifully done, and Caine terrifically underplays the role. The other relationship that marks the beauty of the film is Cage and his pubescent overweight teenage daughter, and how he tries to spend time with her in an effort to boost her esteem and to try and bond. He finds out that he doesn't need to try so hard, and that it is to the detriment of his relationship with his son, whom Cage thinks is fine (he's not). The character cage portrays is a man seeking for approval from a family he thinks he has failed, and torn between his need to relate to them and at the same time try to build a career which sometimes takes the priority.

I hear a yawn at the back, as you sit thinking the film sounds like a lot of other American relationship dramas, or a British realist piece, a la Mike Leigh or Ken Loach. My review might appear to be like the film's trailer, vague and slightly dull. It might not convince you to see it, but believe me, there is something there that transcends it from the ordinary. It's the warmth of character, the acting, the sharp humour, the emotion and the heartbreak, and the way in which we can relate to at least one of these finely written characters.

Gore Verbinski directs, his most recent film being 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2'. If you had asked me a month ago which of the films Iwould prefer to see, it would have definitely been the latter. In retrospect however, that film was bloated and disappointing, and 'The Weather Man' is one of the most intelligent and moving films I have seen in an age.

Recommended, whatever the weather!

Review Score: 9/10

Film Review: Superman Returns (2006)

2006-07-18T12:27:00.000Z

The 1978 film 'Superman' renewed interest in the superhero genre, which aside from the campy sixties Batman film and tv series, had been in decline since the death of tv's Superman, George Reeves. 'Superman' made a star of Christopher Reeve, previously an unknown, and really did make you feel that a man could fly. Sequels followed, and as is historically usual, declined in quality, until 'Superman IV' killed off the franchise, and with it the superhero genre once again, due to it being truly awful. During those ten years Spiderman and The Hulk came to our tv screens, with the latter being particularly successful, and then nothing. In 1989 Tim Burton successfully brought Batman to the screen, sticking with its gothic roots, but again, the sequels were not as well received. Others tried but were unsuccessful, with 'Captain America' and 'The Shadow' being two of a handful of comic book movies that failed to make any dent in the box office. All seemed lost for comic book fans like myself clamouring to see another decent superhero movie. And then Bryan Singer changed all that in 2000, with 'X Men', a faithful, respectful adaptation of the comic book, and the resurgence began in force, with the brilliant 'Spiderman', 'Spiderman 2', 'X Men 2', 'Batman Begins'; the decent 'Hellboy', 'Daredevil', 'X Men 3', 'Hulk', and the weak; 'Fantastic Four', 'Catwoman' and 'Elektra'.

As it was Bryan Singer who began the rise of the superhero movie again, it is only fitting that he bring that iconic hero, Superman back to the screen, and he does so with style. I feared the worst, only because most summer blockbusters fail to live up to expectation, but this proved my fears unfounded. This is the bar that other blockbuster movies are going to have to live up to, containing plenty of action and terrific special effects, as well as decent characterisation, and plenty of emotional subplot, as Superman returns to Earth after a 5 year hiatus, to find his beloved Lois Lane in love with another, and with a son in tow, who provides a fairly unsurprising plot twist. Kevin Spacey is Lex Luthor, and as Kevin Spacey can generally do no wrong, he does a brilliant turn here, at once witty and charming, and decidedly evil with it.

The film begins with the classic John Williams score, and contains unused footage of Marlon Brando, to connect it to the earlier classic. The film is a kind of sequel to 'Superman 2' as Singer quite rightly decided to forget in the existence of 'Superman 3 and4'. Beginning with a return to Smallville where our hero flashbacks to the early days of discovering his powers, it then swoops to Metropolis where Superman saves the day numerous times, including rescuing passengers (and Lois Lane) from a crashing aeroplane in one of the films major action sequences, and eventually battling against another of Lex Luthor's plans to take over the world. Bless his heart!

You will not be disappointed. Unlike the bloated 'Pirates...' (see below), this film deserves its long length, and hopefully you will savour every second. I had to go to the toilet at one point after fighting the need for well over an hour. Brandon Routh is sensational as Clark and Superman, and really does remind you physically and audibly of the great Christopher Reeve.
When this comes to dvd, it will soon become one of my most watched, along with the Spiderman movies and 'X Men 2'. Enjoy. Up up and away..................

Review Score: 9/10

Film Review: Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (2006)

2006-07-10T13:00:00.000Z

One of the most eagerly awaited films of the summer, it was with some anticipation that I went to see this film. The 'pirate' movie hasn't had a good time of it in recent years, with only the lamentable 'Pirates' and the average 'Cutthroat Island' worth mentioning. The original 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie in 2003 gave the genre a kick up the behind, with a rousing, entertaining movie, aided to a large degree by a fantastic performance by Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, the anti-hero of the piece.

This film reunites all the main players from the original film, and sends them all off on separate adventures before finally coming together for the 'climax' of the film. The villain of the piece this time is Davy Jones, a wonderful Bill Nighy, with a CGI face, and an assorted array of other fish like freaks as his entourage. There is also room for the Kraken, a terrific giant squid, which gets in the way of the search for treasure in Davy Jones' locker!

Like the original movie, there are many scenes of comic invention, swashbuckling derring do, yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum. However like the original, the film is bloated somewhat, and the pacing of the film is somewhat off, meaning that by the end of the film I was waiting for it to end, and to bring matters to a quick conclusion, rather than savouring the action, and the richness of
Depp's performance. The end of the film was slightly annoying, with a twist that no one would see coming, with good reason if you've seen the original film, and no real climax, setting things up for the third film due next summer.

There is much to enjoy in the film, including a hilarius 3 way sword fight on a water wheel that is rolling down a hill (!!), and a performance by Depp that must surely affirm his status as one of our best leading actors today. It is just a shame that the running time of 2 and a half hours contains a lot of padding, loose plot structure, and an anti climax.

The film is typical of the summer blockbuster; expensive, effects laden, yet slightly disappointing. I am a sucker for these types of films though, and my anticipation still remains high. 'The Da Vinci Code' bored me senseless, 'Mission Impossible 3' was pretty good but not the action blockbuster I expected, and 'X Men 3' pleasantly surprised after mediocre reviews elsewhere. Maybe 'Superman Returns' will quench my thirst for summer thrills.

Review Score: 7/10

Film Review: Tarnation (2004)

2006-07-05T12:54:00.000Z

From a very young age, Jonathan Caouette received a video camera, from which he began to film his childhood, acting in front of the camera, with monlogues in character and short films with friends. His fascination with film carried with him into his adult life, where he used his camera to document his life, and specifically the experiences of his mother. 'Tarnation' is a culmination of various strands of this footage. It is reportedly one of the cheapest documentary films ever made. The film creatively uses music and home movie footage, and is imaginatively and artistically used. Jonathan is not only a documentarian, but also an artist. But it is not the artistry that will stick with you when the film ends, it is Jonathan's life. The film still stays with me days after seeing it.

Films such as 'Capturing the Friedmans' and 'Tarnation' are all the more powerful for actual raw camera footage, telling real life stories up close and personal. 'Capturing the Friedman's' showed us a family torn apart by child abuse allegations, mostly told through the camera before and after the allegations took place. 'Big Brother' is reality television, and yet it is not 'reality'. It is people living in an artificial setup. The documentary film, particularly the stated films here, offer in your face, gut punching realism, with perhaps the occasional creative effort for dramatic effect from the protagonists. 'Tarnation' tells the story of Jonathan's harrowing early life, when he was moved into various foster homes, some of which were abusive. He was placed in foster homes because of his mother's mental illness. Her mental illness was caused by being given shock treatment when her parents admitted her into hospitals, thinking she was ill. Although a troubled young girl, she was unfairly treated and diagnosed, and she is a shadow of herself, her former life destroyed by the treatment she was given. Jonathan has footage of his mother as her life gradually deteriotated. He is accusing of his grandparents on camera, asking why they put her in hospital, and asking why they sometimes treated her with emotional neglect. Such footage is obviously uncomfortable, and the film can be extremely harrowing.

Despite the film's upsetting nature, it is required viewing. It left me thinking about my own life, family, and the injustice of man, how people's lives are ruined by callous mistakes, by medical institutions, and choices made by people beyond our control.

The film left me wanting to know more. I stumbled upon Jonathan's blog, though it hasn't been used for awhile. At the time of writing that, it seems his life was pretty stable, which is something you will be glad for after seeing the film.

Don't be put off by the film's depressing subject matter. The best movies, particularly when told in documentary format, are those that make you think, and challenge the very nature of your soul. This film goes someway to achieving that.

Review Score: 9/10

Film Review: X Men 3 (2006)

2006-05-31T13:46:00.000Z

Here we have what is reported to be the third in the trilogy of X Men films. There are plans however to continue the franchise with films centered around characters such as Magneto and Wolverine. Being a superhero fan, in comic book and in film, I would like to see a fourth X Men film, provided the filmmakers can provide the entertainment that they provided in this one. Brett Ratner may have been a surprising choice to take over where Bryan Singer started, but he brings a lot of fun to the franchise. Certain critics, including Mr 'ain't it cool' himself, Harry Knowles, have written harshly about the film, and its handling of certain characters and story lines in the film, including that of Phoenix, formerly Jean Gray and her terrifying mutation. Apparently certain storylines are handled differently to the comic book original. Maybe these are fair comments, and perhaps certain elements have been handled too simply, but then if this is the last in a trilogy, there must have been a need to tie up various plot strands, and this may explain the flaws that comic book fans have noticed. Ideally there would have been other films to elaborate and explore the characters and themes, but as this isn't guaranteed, I would prefer to be kind to the makers of this film, and to actually congratulate them on providing a film which in many ways is more fun than the previous films. New characters are introduced and others are taken away. Certain characters are killed off, perhaps surprisingly so. Others are 'cured'! This is the focus of the film - a cure has been found to return the mutants to normal life. Some want it, others, like Magneto and Professor X are opposed. This is the trigger to some pretty spectacular scenes of conflict - mutant against mutant and mutant against human.

I enjoyed the film, despite some of the critical response. The action is handled well and there is a lot of it. There is new depth to certain characters, and despite a critical reaction, I thought Jean Gray's transformation into Phoenix is handled well, and it also offers some emotional tension between the other characters, and their reaction to her. If this really is the final film in the series, then I am in no way left wanting. A comic book movie should be fun, and the film most certainly is. I'm sure that a lot of non comic book reading fans will be very happy with it. Those expecting a replica of the comic book franchise may be disappointed, but they should also realise that film is a different medium, and changes, provided they are not too drastic, should be expected. The only negative thing I have to say about the film is the acting 'talent' of Vinnie Jones, as Juggernaut. It really is appalling, and I am sure there are better people of equal physical presence to play such a part. Even the Rock would have sufficed. Thankfully the role is not a large one. Comic fans will grumble again as apparently Juggernaut is related to Professor X which is not mentioned at all in the film, but hey, stop grumbling.

An enjoyable piece of escapism. Highly recommended.

Review Score: 8/10

Film Review - The Da Vinci Code (2006)

2006-05-20T10:43:00.000Z

Let me get it straight right away. Yes, I am a Christian, and yes, Dan Brown's book and this film adaptation were always bound to offend. The mere fact that Mary Magdalene is discovered to be the Holy Grail, which is initially deciphered from Da Vinci's famous painting of the Last Supper, is rubbish, and unfounded. Why a lot of people have made a lot of fuss about this, and started to believe these notions, from a work of fiction, is ridiculous. However, as rubbish a concept it may be, I wanted to look at the film as just that, a film. I wanted to not let my religious sensiblilities detract from a possible exciting movie thriller, with code cracking, chase scenes, and links to the Knights Templar providing some mystery, and adventure. And yet...

...the film is terrible. Po faced. Boring. I actually fell asleep on occasion, such was my level of interest in what was going on. And for a film buff such as myself, falling asleep is sacrilege.
Tom Hanks is the professor caught up in the controversy surrounding the Da Vinci Code. Normally a fine actor, he is given little to do here except look serious and give so called historical monologues about the significance of his findings. He is assisted by the lovely Audrey Tatou who sleepwalks along with him. Ian Mckellan pops up as a 'kindly' friend, and Paul Bettany as a sinister albino monk. There is twist after twist, none of it particularly interesting or logical.

Ron Howard is a respected film director, although his films are slightly boring - 'Cinderella Man', 'A Beautiful Mind', and 'Far and Away' for example. 'Parenthood' is the only one of his movies that I would consider having in my dvd collection. And I certainly will not be buying 'The Da Vinci Code' when it finally stumbles onto the shelves.

A boring, unexciting film. Avoid.

Review Score: 2/10

Film Review: Final Fantasy Vll: Advent Children (2006)

2006-05-17T16:52:00.000Z

Another exception to the rule! A film, linked to a video game, that does not stink like a pair of UweBoll's (see below) socks! As I mentioned in the review of 'Silent Hill' below, most movies adapted from video games are mediocre, unless they are directed by Uwe Boll, in which case they suck big time! 'Silent Hill' proved to be an exception, and so too does this film, an expertly animated film which is a continuation of the Playstation game 'Final Fantasy V11'. The 'Final Fantasy' games, created by the talented folks at Squaresoft, are generally turn based role playing games, with intricate story lines, and some stunning graphical worlds, particularly in the CGI cut scenes. The film itself is like an extension of these cut scenes, with brilliant, almost life-like animation to pull you in to the story. The film succeeds too by surely pleasing the fans of the role playing game franchise. All of the mains characters from the game are present, Cloud, Barrett, Sephiroth, etc, in an epic battle to save the land of Midgar. Musically the film echoes the game, and there is even an amusing moment when the levelling up music used in the game appears in the film. This is something the fans will really appreciate. I played the original game, but gave up after many hours, due to not levelling my character up enough to destroy the big boss, Sephiroth. Call me a weakling if you like. I was delighted then when I saw that the dvd of the film contained a summary of the original game, using scenes directly from the game. I could finally see how it ended. This should also please those who have never played the game.

Squaresoft previously made another animated film under the 'Final Fantasy' banner, which was 'The Spirits Within'. This film was beautifully animated, but had virtually nothing to do with the role playing games, and angered a lot of the hardcore fanbase. The film shared some of the ecological philosophy behind the games, but little else. I actually enjoyed that film, but understand the frustration of those who went to see it expecting something more... well.. final fantasyish!!!

Still, fear not, this film is great, perfect for fans of the game, lovers of anime, and even those who like a bit of action, magic and swordplay. Time to level up!

Review Score: 8/10

Film Review - Silent Hill (2006)

2006-05-10T10:54:00.000Z

Being a big movie buff, as well as a lover of video games, my heart often sinks when Hollywood attempts to transform a game into a movie, and vice versa. The 'Tomb Raider' movies were bearable thanks to a reasonable performance by Angelina Jolie, but had little to do with the games. The same goes for the 'Resident Evil' movies, which in themselves were okay movies, but had only the faintest resemblance to the games on which they were based. Then there is film director Uwe Boll who is buying up the rights to various games such as 'House of the Dead', and 'Alone in the Dark', and through sheer directorial incompetence, is ruining the name of the fairly decent games on which they are based. A lot of modern games, due to the advancement in graphical abilty, have similar high production values to movies, with a strong sense of story, due to the involvement of Hollywood/comic book writers, and voice overs from Hollywood actors, and this is why it is a shame that certain films do not give justice to the game originals... until now.

'Silent Hill' is a breakthrough film - an adaptation of a video game that sticks reasonably closely to it's source material, right down to the haunting, melodius theme music. The games explored a town that seemed to exist in a hellish dimension, despite being part of the real world. Shrouded in mist, various characters throughout the game and its sequels stumbled across the town, often being called there through the disappearance of missing family members who themselves had gotten lost there. The film echoes this. Radha Mitchell's car crashes near the town and her daughter runs off into the Hell that is the town of Silent Hill. Once in the town, our heroine encounters many of the creatures that made the game famous, and genuinely scary. These include demon babies, mummified creatures with twisted faces, ghastly deformed nurses, and most scary of them all, Pyramid Head, a creature with a large sharpened blade and a pyramid for a head. That probably sounds laughable, but you wouldn't want to meet him. The film also throws in several locations that were prevalent in the game, eg, a school and a hospital, whose interiors are unnervingly similar to those in the game, right down to minute details. It is this attention to detail which is a stand out for the film.

The games had pretty deep and convoluted story lines regarding the history of the town, and the film does also. There is a significant reason why the little girl runs off into the town. I don't wish to spoil the film by giving away its secrets, but nothing is straightforward. Fans of the game should be very pleased with the film, and horror film fans will find much to satisfy their bloodlust. If only Uwe Boll would take note. His next projects are 'Dungeon Siege' and 'Far Cry', two excellent video games that he is about to rubbish. Thank goodness he is not involved with the 'Halo' movie.

Review Score: 8/10

TV Review: The top 5 tv right now!

2006-04-20T16:00:00.000Z

5. Medium

Patricia Arquette stars as Alison, the medium of the title, who each week helps the District Attorney's office solve crimes through her psychic abilities, usually through dreams relating to a current, future, or past case. It is possible you are thinking yeah yeah just another crime series with an ESP twist. Boring!! Well you would be wrong, thanks largely to some inventive writing which stretches a thin premise into some interesting areas, and the wonderful acting of Patricia Arquette who is most famous for portraying quirky, offbeat characters in films such as 'True Romance'. Despite her psychic abilities, her character in the tv series is one of the most normal I have seen her play. The series is occasionally let down by the odd weak story, but for the most part remains a chilling, and exciting piece of television.

4. Green Wing

I consider myself as having a sharp and quirky sense of humour, which is why a lot of television and film comedy makes me cringe rather than smile. There are exceptions, and this is one of them. Set in a hospital, the series tells of the misadventure of a variey of medical staff, a comedy 'Casualty' as it were. Except its nothing like the depressing piece of pap that 'Casualty' is. In fact you rarely ever see the characters in 'Green Wing' interacting with any patients. It is all about their relationships to each other, in a character, not romantic sense, though there is a bit of that (just a little). It is a supremely crafted and hyper-silly comedy, with characters doing incredibly stupid things, including Dr Statham, a pompous, uptight nitwit, brilliantly played by Mark Heap (previously brilliant in 'Spaced'), who gets himself into all manner of awkward situations, from playing table tennis with a patient in a coma, to trying to get revenge on his ex girlfriend by sending her a parcel of flies. What? This is insane, you are saying. And you are right. It is insanely brilliant. It cannot be summed up in words, and the action on screen plays much louder. Needles to say however if your sense of humour is limited only to 'Last of the Summer Wine' and the works of 'Little and Large' then this is probably wasted on you.

3. Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David, comedy genius. Again a comedy exception to the norm that genuinely makes me laugh out loud. Larry David is one of the co creators of Seinfeld, which I have never seen. He also directed a crap film called 'Sour Grapes', which I won't hold against him.

In this sitcom, Larry David basically plays himself, though I am sure a largely exaggerated one, in situations that are apparently part improvised. The comedy comes through the awkward situations that Larry gets himself into, in even the simplest events, as buying his wife a new ring, going to a meal with friends, and seeing his gp. Invariably everything falls apart and we see Larry squirm, and vent, and shame facedly leave whatever situation has befallen him. I can hear your thoughts now, it's just another sitcom - it's an American 'Terry and June'; etc. etc. It's not. It has more in common with the Ricky Gervais classic 'The Office', in its awkward situational humour. Gervais himself is a massive fan of Larry David, and even if you don't heed my word, Gervais is a fan and you need no further recommendation. See it!

2. Desperate Housewives

The tales of several housewives living in middle class suburbia on Wisteria Lane. My sister recently asked me why I watched it. I am a man after all. And on the surface this American show does sound as if its for soap fixated women; people who love such dross as 'Dallas', 'Falcon Crest', and 'Dynasty'. It's not however.

In a summary there would appear to be the makings of a soap opera. In reality, it's a sharply written, funny, and sometimes moving account of what goes on behind those white picket fences and beautifully mown lawns. We have the flirty housewife; the bossy, obsessively clean housewife; the housewife holding down a career while looking after her troublesome children; and the emotionally insecure, unlucky in love housewife. As well as the ladies, there are the husbands, lovers, murderous pharmacists, captive children in the basement, and a narration from a character who killed herself in the very first episode (because of her own forbidden secrets). This show is great. Beneficial if you have watched it from the beginning, due to the intricate lives each housewife has led, with numerous subplots in murder, extortion, and revenge. You will also warm to each character quicker when you know the backgrounds to each, and genuinely care about what happens to them, at the same time as revelling in the mishaps that befall them. This is not a soap. It is sometimes as surreal as 'Green Wing' in a far more subtle way. I am not a woman, and I don't particularly like soaps, and therefore believe that this show is for anyone, especially those who like humour and drama to have a cuttingly dark edge. Best enjoyed with a glass of wine and some turkish delight. Enjoy!

1. Doctor Who

When it was revealed that Doctor Who was coming back to television after a break for over a decade, I can imagine people being split into two divisions. Those who hated the Doctor Who of old with its wobbly sets, and ludicrous monsters. And those who loved the Doctor Who of old, despite the wobbly sets and ever more ludicrous monsters, sympathetic to the creators working within a small budget. I obviously fall into the latter category. Like many Whovians (Doctor Who fans), I have my particularly favourite Doctor. For myself, it was Tom Baker, with his trademark hat and scarf, and penchant for jelly babies. The longest running Doctor, Baker was full of quirky characteristics which displayed the other worldness that the Doctor needed. When he finally regenerated into Peter Davidson, after being pushed off a tower by the evil Master, I remember shedding a tear. Doctor Who would never be the same again. And it wasn't, though I still enjoyed it, even when Bonnie Langford became a companion of the 7th Doctor, Sylvester McCoy. BBC executive producer Michael Grade finally had his way in the late eighties, and convinced others that Doctor Who was losing ratings and should therefore be cancelled. He did this by putting the programme up against Coronation Street. The cretin, and so Doctor Who ended, making a brief comeback as an American tv movie with Paul Mcgann (which was pretty good), and then returning last year, with new Doctor Christopher Eccleston, a much larger budget, and some great special effects. It was brilliant. A Whovian's wet dream, topped off with appearances from old enemies the Daleks. Thankfully it was a critical and commercial success as a new series was commissioned, this time with David Tennant taking over the role, after Eccleston denied a second series, afraid of being typecast. Again, the series could collapse and die if Tennant does not pull this off, but it seems that will not happen, with a third series already commissioned, such is the confidence of the BBC. Eccleston was a brilliant, cheeky chappie one minute, and dark, and deep the next. Tennant continues the mantle, making the character his own, becoming a warmer Doctor than Eccleston's, though a no less dark and dangerous one when needed to be. And rejoice! Not only does the new series mark a return for the Cybermen, but also old companions Sarah Jane and K9. What a stroke of genius, and again a special treat for long serving fans. I have never been excited about another television programme in the same way, and so this has to be my number one programme of the moment.

Not only but also...

It wasn't difficult making my choices, but special mention goes to 'Smallville' which has became less of a superhero soap in recent weeks, and more of the classic superhero serials of old; 'Lost' which is about to enter its second series, a mind bending jungle survival drama with unusual twists and cliffhanger moments; 'Nighty Night', a dark twisted black comedy about Jill, a sociopath with no morals whatsoever; and 'Revelations', a 6 part American thriller about the end times, the Apocalypse, and a fight between good and evil - hogwash, and Biblically suspect, but enjoyable all the same.

Film Review: Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Wererabbit (2006)

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I need to begin by saying that I was never a particular fan of Aardman Animations film shorts, featuring Wallace and Gromit. The animation was always brilliant, painstakingly handcrafted by the creators of Morph; pure plasticine brilliance. The trouble with the shorts however is that I never found them particularly funny. And the same is true here.

The Wererabbit is causing havoc in the little village of Toddington, eating the vegetable crops of the villages' residents. It couldn't happen at a worst time due to the annual fayre happening a few days away, with a special prize for the biggest vegetable. Calamity! Luckily Wallace and Gromit are here to save the day. Hopefully!

Aside from Peter Sallis as the voice of Wallace, we also have Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Liz Smith, and Peter Kay offering voice support. Despite this fine pedigree, the finest character creation is Gromit, who never speaks, but whose face pulls off some fine expressions within his limited face palette. The film also pays homage to the Hammer horror films of the 1950's and 60's, as well as King Kong towards the film's climax. This is all fine, and despite not being a fan of the original short's, I did have high expectations for this, considering that it did win the Oscar for best animated film, and most impressively gaining 5 stars from my beloved 'Empire' magazine. Well everyone gets it wrong sometime, even 'Empire' who once granted 'Pearl Harbour' with 4 stars at its cinema release. For fans of Wallace and Gromit, I am sure that they will be in plasticine heaven with this. For myself I felt it was ok, but a film that I will rarely if ever watch again, just like the shorts. "Nice cheese Gromit" Wallace is prone to saying. Well I don't like cheese Wallace, and this film isn't to my taste either. However for the film's technical accomplishments and occasional smile, I shall rate the film...

Review Score: 7/10

Film Review: Supernova (2000)

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And for my first review, we have 'Supernova', a sci-fi thriller starring James Spader and Angela Basset. It was directed by Walter Hill, not that you would know this from the credits, as he had his name removed.

As a fan of all things sci-fi, I wanted to see this film when I saw it in the tv schedules, although I was already partly aware of it's reputation for being a bit rubbish. Never one to be put off though - hey I thoroughly enjoyed 'Charlie's Angels' and its sequel despite rubbish reviews - I sat down to watch.

The movie begins with some reasonable special effects of an outside view of a spacecraft drifting through space. It moves on to the interior where we discover that James Spader's character is trying to ingratiate himself to the crew, as he is a new member of this motley collection of travellers. Then... oh why bother explaining what happens next. The film is terrible. Really. On a par with that other sci-fi debacle, 'Battlefield Earth'. And the latter film might actually rise above this a little with an original (though rubbish plot). This film however becomes 'Scream' in space, when the crew pick up another passenger who for reasons too boring to explain is a psycho. People die. There is a final face off. Somebody wins. The film ends. Hoorah!

I'm not entirely sure of the reasons why Walter Hill took his name off the credits, though I could guess. Shambolic script and atrocious acting all add up to a pointless movie. It even contains characters whose only reason for being there is to give the film a bit of nudity, and to be killed off in a horrible, and vacuous way.

So not much to enjoy then.

Review Score: 3/1o

Welcome

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Welcome to my book of cool stuff -a true successor to Harry Knowles, and his Ain't It Cool website. Of course Harry may disagree with that, and to avoid being sued by Harry, your site is probably infinitely cooler Harry, but we will let our readers decide.

This is a blog for all I find cool in the world of movies, games and tv. And a chance to vent my anger at all the crap as well. Uwe Boll, my vendetta towards you starts here.

Have fun. Enjoy reading.

I love you. Well, maybe not you at the back, but everyone else, I really do. No really I do. Even the unbelievers!