Hi. I have been wanting to boost the quality of the sound I get when watching DVD / Blu-ray in the main room of my house via the Panasonic Blu-ray and the Samsung LCD. Well considering I was reluctant to shell out on an expensive home cinema system, I have gone for a very reasonably priced (around £70) 2.1 speaker system which is to be connected directly to my Blu-ray’s stereo jacks. I know, I still won’t be getting Blu-ray’s much celebrated 7.1 sound quality. But that does not concern me. I just want a bit more Oomph than I currently get from the Samsung’s rather basic built-in speakers.
Here’s a quick picture of what I have gone for. I’ll report back soon on what I think of it.
I loved the first Transformers movie, released to an unsuspecting cinema audience two years ago. It was a surprisingly effective action sci-fi yarn based on the Hasbro children’s toys that, while not taking itself too seriously, still felt like a proper pop-corn movie. Thanks in no short way to at-the-time new kid in town Shia LaBeouf and the commendable action credentials of director Michael Bay.
This admittedly very quick follow up has much the same cast, including Lebouf’ and his unlikely girlfriend Megan Fox (the one trick eye candy here – have no fear Winslett, Johansson – she’s no actress), and Michael Bay returning, albeit this time leaving his stabilizers off – as unlike the first film which had the sense to gradually build up to some jaw-dropping action set pieces, this movie is pretty much 2 and a half hours of explosions, robots, car chases and an overload of special effects. I loved the first film because it was paced just right. Pacing here is more akin to ‘throw everything at the screen and see what sticks’. Well I can tell you this – it gave me a headache, and with a weak story about a long lost weapon and an old enemy thought to be dead laying the smackdown against the Autobots on Earth … this can’t match the first film. Saying that the effects, if anything are even more astonishing, the action superbly realised, and the whole show does look the nuts. But I dunno, I was just hoping Michael Bay would have remembered the personality and character interaction that made the first Transformers stand out. A weak ’say you love me’ sub-plot between Shia & Megan does not count!! On a side note though, the Transformers did seem funnier (especially the ‘twins’ and that little jive-talking thing), but the Decepticons were almost side-lined this time around with much of the villainous showmanship blurring into one.
Still, as far as a trip to the cinema goes, this was still huge fun.
I know, I don’t watch that many comedies, and it’s not because I don’t like them … far from it. I’m just you might say, selective, or lazy. Anyway this light and fluffy comedy centres around a ditsy good-hearted playboy bunny girl who one day gets evicted from the Playboy mansion after receiving a letter from ‘Heff on her 27th birthday. Shocked and disappointed, having lived at the house all her life, said Bunny girl Shelley has seemingly nowhere else to go. That is until she wonders into a college campus and befriends a group of down on their luck students scared of being evicted from their own sorority house due to lack of pledges.
Fair enough this is a stupid story, but Anna Farris is excellent and totally likable as the fish out of water who sees a chance to turn her life around through these nerdy, hippie and goth dressed outsiders. Predictable for sure, but with plenty of charm, a great pop-rock soundtrack featuring the likes of Avril Lavigne and The Ting Tings. Emma Stone, who bares an uncanny resemblance to Lindsay Lohan is brilliantly funny, almost stealing the show, but obviously Farris is the real comedy talent here, as proved in the Scary Movie franchise, and this, her first self-produced outing shows she’s definetly got it.
For a Blu-ray this vibrant, colourful film suits the format perfectly and the soundtrack is a joy. Extras-wise we get some brief featurettes, deleted scenes and a music video, but nothing all that interesting, although it seems obvious the cast had a ball making the movie.
This is the big one. The film everyone has been talking about. I must admit though that even after all the hype surrounding it’s stunning victory at this years Academy Awards, the subject matter didn’t hit me with that ‘must see’ vibe. This follows the story of a young kid (Dev Patel) from the impoverished slums of India who has somehow found himself on the country’s version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, well on his way to winning the jackpot. Now what surprised me was the fact that this isn’t just a rags-to-riches cliche of a story where at first we watch said slums upbringing, leading to that fateful appearance on the show. But infact, the kid is already on the show and the film flashes back, bit by bit to how he got there, carefully drip-feeding the viewer information and back story – much more satisfying.
This is powerful, gritty and fascinating, part real-world expose, part love story, part thriller, and with a feel good ending that is built up to perfectly. Danny Boyles direction here never misses a beat, is intelligent and stylish but never looses the realism under such admittedly eye-catching production values. This is a beautifully filmed and edited movie, with some excellent choices of music and stunning Indian locales, both heart breaking and awe-inspiring. Dev Patel’s performance is assured, steely-eyed and confident, but very subtle at the same time, with actors playing younger versions of him handling the more intense moments. So then, this is a gripping and thought-provoking film made with care and a very professional eye, making it one Oscar winner worthy of the title.
Additionally, for anyone wondering about the Blu-ray, this is definitely one of the best pictures I have yet seen, with a strong soundtrack to accompany it, making it a guaranteed poster-boy for the format.
I know this isn’t exactly movie related, but I felt I must say something about the tragic death of music legend Michael Jackson. When first hearing the news, late night here in the UK, I was at first shocked and then in denial that such an icon was no longer with us. I was unable to comprehend it. It didn’t seem real. Then after watching some of the news footage, I began to accept but not entirely understand that the king of pop was dead.
This incredibly talented and very misunderstood man had a remarkable effect on me in my youth, especially during the eighties and early nineties. His music seemed so well put together with a professionalism few had seen since Elvis Presley, and such a comparison will surely be made in the coming weeks if not for years to come – his passing is definitely on the same level.
I am not ashamed to admit that it upset me, more this morning as the reality of the news sank in, and I played some of his music videos Smooth Criminal, Black or White, Thriller etc as a small tribute in my household. Just hearing him sing or seeing him dance (honestly, who else could move like him?) was a powerful moment, and it’s hard to believe we will never see his like again. Having passed on the eve of a 50 date tour of the UK is also a shame, as surely it would also have been a fitting end to a remarkable career. But then again, this is life, and it can be as cruel as it is wonderful.
So to close, I would like to think of Michael Jackson as probably the most unique and influential solo musician of our time, a controversial and mysterious figure who should be remembered for what he was, what we grew up loving him as, and that is one of the greatest entertainers of modern times.
Anyone who reads this blog regularly should know I have a soft spot for animated movies, especially those from Disney studio Pixar. This entry, although not from Pixar themselves, has the involvement of John Toy Story Lassiter as executive producer, and it shows … as this is a thoroughly entertaining and a dazzling treat for any fan of well made movies.
Bolt is a TV show dog who believes he has super powers as the shows producers keep him in a Truman Show world of action, bad guys and hidden cameras, and its not until he accidentally gets transported to the other side of America does he discover the real world and the real dangers. Teaming up with a street-wise cat by the name of Mittens and a hamster in a ball called Rhino who just happens to be Bolt’s biggest fan, Bolt must journey across the states and some how find a way back home. Yeah I know, it’s Buzz Lightyear all over again, but hell – it worked then, why not now?
Fit to bursting with adrenalin fueled action and some stunning imagery, not to mention faultless animation, this zips along beautifully, is heart-warming, feel good and surprisingly, laugh-out-loud funny thanks to the scene stealing hamster Rhino. As you can guess I thoroughly enjoyed it, and even the involvement of that manufactured pain-in-the-ass Miley Cyrus can’t ruin this movie’s unmistakable charm. Oh, and John Travolta is great as Bolt even if at first I didn’t realise it was his voice!
As a Blu-ray, it should go without saying that this is a stunning representation of the format, with the vivid colours and attention to detail really impressing. The movie is also presented in DTS-HD Master Audio and this is also a joy to the ears, with the action sequences particularly standing out. Extras are sparse for a film that has obviously had a lot of work put into it, with brief featurettes about the voice cast and the directors, but very little light shed on the actual animation process. And nobody needs a video duet between Travolta & Cyrus. There is a mildly diverting game included where you guide bolt with the remote, and the set also comes with the DVD version, which although not as stunning as the blu-ray, still looks the biz.
Well this is a simple set up. A young married couple become stranded in an isolated hotel room and discover that hidden cameras are filming their every move. They soon come to realise that unless they escape they will become the next victims of a snuff film. This cliched plot is rescued (slightly) by the presence of Kate Beckinsale and Luke Wilson, offering at least some decent acting in amidst the no-brain script. The creepy murderers hell bent on keeping Kate and Luke captive, are one-note scum bags with the exception of Frank Whaley, who you may remember as the nervous kid who John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson execute in the hotel room in Pulp Fiction … and is boo-hiss evil here.
Sadly though this is glossy, hollywood thrills with very little personality, some gripping, nail-biting moments but not much else. The footage of the snuff films that Kate & Luke discover are quite disturbing, but not as powerfully done as perhaps 8mm or especially that scene in Henry Portrait Of A Killer. So to close, watch this if you like the actors and the premise, but don’t expect to be telling your friends about it the following day. Perhaps I should have realised when the director’s first name is ‘Nimrod’.
Hey guys, check out my brand new PC. I will be receiving delivery of this cool looking Windows Vista PC on Monday all being well, so will report back on it then. For now, here’s the specs and a picture.
Well, here we are again … another French horror that left a nasty taste in my mouth. Is it something I can recommend? Well let’s see shall we?
Sarah (Alysson Paradis) is a heavily pregnant woman who four months previous survived a horrific car crash that claimed the life of her fiancé. Now alone on Christmas Eve and ready to give birth on Christmas Day, she’s a bewildered, lonely young woman who feels she’s just going through the motions and her life has little meaning anymore … even her love of photography feels empty. Enter onto the scene a weird stranger (Beatrice Dalle) who arrives late at night and demands to be let into the house. So sets fourth an unrelenting battle for survival as an obviously demented woman attempts to kill Sarah and take her unborn baby.
This is a disturbing premise for sure, especially for anyone with a child on the way, so I’d recommend severe caution if sitting down to watch this very nasty and blood-soaked film. The gory murders are unflinching and graphic, with an intensity to them due to the dark and claustrophobic setting, where many scenes are almost in total darkness. Now as a fan of extreme horror this certainly delivers as far as subject and gore are concerned, but lacks some of the finesse of similar movies, and although it’s obvious the director(s) are trying hard to ramp up the tension with music and sound effects, their efforts just aren’t as well implemented as some of his rivals.
Overall though this is an entertaining and sick showcase for foreign horror, even if there are better titles out there.
Well what can I say here? Lets begin by my thoughts on the Terminator franchise. The first is a genre defining thriller that set the bar for chase movies. The follow up is one of the most well executed, jaw-dropping action movies ever made. The belated third film certainly has its moments, and hey, a naked Kristana Loken in place of Michael Biehn or Arnie’s naked butt is gonna be a keeper every time. But let’s be honest here. T2 wrapped up things so well, I don’t think for a second director and series creator James Cameron envisaged further sequels, and therefore I am always left wondering how on earth the war against the machines is still playing out, than for any other reason than a money making scheme?
So here we are with the latest entry. Arnie is out of the picture this time round, and the setting is the near-future apocalypse of a desert landscape and rebel resistance headed by John Connor (Christian Bale). This time we have a mysterious drifter seeming from the past (Sam Worthngton), who befriends a young Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn’s character in the first film, and future father of John Conner … please try and keep up). Meanwhile John himself is searching for Kyle after discovering that Skynet have his future father targeted, and he therefore must rescue him and keep him safe if he himself is ever to exist and eventually save the day.
This is convoluted stuff that seemingly relies on the viewer having a cast-iron memory of the previous films, no easy task when they were complicated enough to begin with, and Bale although looking the part adds very little to an iconic character that Edward Furlong didn’t deliver much better in T2. Thankfully new hot-property Sam Worthington lends some emotional weight to proceedings and pretty much steals the show. Director McG handles the brilliantly realised action with style & panache, and is definitely an action director to watch, coming fresh off his fun but brainless Charlie’s Angels movies into something, that at least on the surface has more depth. I say on the surface, as there are some majorly stupid plot developments here, especially Skynet’s ridiculous plan to capture Kyle when killing him would much more easily solve their problems with Connor (but then again, we wouldn’t have a film, would we?). Yet we do have some great tongue-in-cheek references to the earlier films that made me smile, and it ticks along at a cracking pace that even if this does feel pointless as far as the whole Terminator mythos is concerned … it remains great entertainment.
