DVD | Murderball

Rating: M - Contains Offensive Language & Sexual Themes.
Duration: 85 mins.
Genre : Sport Documentary.
Director: Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro.
Release Date: Available now.

Murderball is extreme sports for quadriplegics. A full contact sport, it’s more commonly known as wheelchair rugby (Murderball was too hard to sell to corporate sponsors).

That’s right, it’s a full contact sport played in wheelchairs – specially constructed, toughened wheelchairs. It has to be seen, to be believed, and creates a fresh perspective on disability. It’s not long before you forget you’re watching a documentary that focuses on quadriplegics. Most of the guys are living independent lives, getting involved in the community through encouraging people in similar situations, and being ambassadors for their sport.

Being a sports documentary, there’s some serious rivalry – especially between Team USA and Team Canada – it’s more venomous than your typical New Zealand and Australia rivalry – these guys take it to a whole new personal level.

The story follows Team USA after their agonising loss to Canada in the 2000 Para-Olympics, as they re-group and focus on the 2004 Olympics. All aspects of their lives are portrayed, and there’s absolutely no room for pity – these guys are having the time of their lives doing stuff they never dreamed of.

Murderball is a fast paced adrenaline ride, with a great uplifting theme of overcoming life’s obstacles.

Food for thought
It’s easy to see disabled people – no matter the disability - as requiring our help, our pity. In reality what they need is our support and acceptance, as normal human beings.

DVD | To End All Wars

Rating: R16 - Depicts Graphic & Realistic War Scenes.
Duration: 120 mins.
Genre : Drama.
Actors: Kiefer Sutherland, Robert Carlyle, Mark Strong, James Cosmo, Ciaran McMenamin, Kimura Sakae, Masayuki Yui.
Release Date: Available now.

To End All Wars is based on Ernest Gordon’s accounts of what happened to him and his fellow Scottish Argyll’s after their surrender and imprisonment by the Japanese.

Mistreated, starved and forced to build the ‘Railroad of Death’, the mixture of Scottish and English prisoners have to endure both extreme physical and emotional hardship at the hands of the sadistic Japanese guards, who according to their culture, saw the prisoners as nothing more than disobedient animals.

It’s a side of World War Two that is often forgotten, with Hollywood’s preference for telling stories about the holocaust. Not that the holocaust isn’t a worthy story, but it seems that the Japanese hated the allied prisoners with as much vehemence as Hitler did the Jews.

The story is told powerfully through the eyes of three main characters; Ernest Gordon, a man who wanted to teach philosophy after the war, Major Ian Campbell who wants nothing more but to bring vehemence on the ‘Nips’ and the lone American, Lieutenant Tom Rigden who wants only to look out for number one.

How To End All Wars weaves the story through these there totally different individuals is sheer genius, and more than makes up for the lack of budget and some minor heavy-handed direction.

It’s worth noting that this is not an all-guns-blazing war story – in fact it has little if any real ‘war scenes’. It’s all about what happened to the men at the hands of their captors, and the decisions they made, and how these decisions determined who they became.

Through Gordon’s teaching of his fellow prisoners, with philosophy and the Bible, the men slowly changed their views of their captors (with the notable exception of Campbell) and their lives and work habits reflected this, and in the end their own humanity shamed the Japanese who left them be at the climatic stages of the war.

This is one of the most powerful and emotional movies that I have seen. It’s themes of sacrifice and forgiveness are the undeniable life force of this movie, and will force you to consider what the Bible truly means when It calls you to love your enemy.

Food for thought
It’s all to easy to wish bad things on people who have wronged you, but why not try the exact opposite?

NEWS | Lost Mysteries Revealed?

I'm sure you've heard by now about The Lost Experience, the viral puzzle campaign put together by the show's producers to feed the need of Lost fans during summer hiatus. They're currently in Phase 3 of the 5-phase program, which the producers now say will reveal the meaning behind the show's mysterious numbers (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42) before it ends. Much of the "Experience" revolves around a supposed independent investigation into The Hanso Foundation -- the company believed to be at the heart of all of the island's many mysteries. Here's a little recap of what's been revealed so far:

Alvar Hanso, founder of the Hanso Foundation, was a WWII arms dealer who made a fortune the dirty way and then created "The Hanso Foundation" to cover his past sins.

But THF seems to be just a cover for more dirty work. His current status is unknown.

In the 1800s, Hanso's grandfather was captain of a slave ship called The Black Rock.

The equator seems to be of great importance to THF... "An island near the equator" is mentioned repeatedly (Lost's island, perhaps?), as are "historic shipping lanes near the equator."

THF's ultimate goal seems to be "the extension of human life"
THF is involved in illegal experimentation of all kinds, around the globe. Evidence is mounting that the residents of Lost's island may be the latest subjects of these experiments.

The DHARMA Initiative is THF's most mysterious project, and all of its scientists disappeared 30 years ago.

THF is planning "something huge" called the Spider Protocol, which is related to "a mysterious island." Hints have also been dropped that THF might be involved in scientific research trying to predict the end of the world...

Source: Infuze

DVD | Night Watch

Rating: R16 - Contains Horror Scenes & Violence.
Duration: 119 mins.
Genre : Fantasy.
Actors: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Valery Zolotukhin, Maria Poroshina, Galina Tyunina, Victor Verzhbitsky.
Release Date: Available now.

Night Watch is the first in a trilogy based on Sergei Lukyanenko’s spectacular fantasy novels.

Yes, it’s a Russian movie, but it comes dubbed in English or if you, like me, prefer Russian with English subtitles you have that option as well. It’s a movie that fronts up with a serious challenge to Hollywood being the home of visually spectacular, seductively thrilling movies.

Like the Matrix did back in it’s day, Night Watch offers us an alternate reality – one in which the world is not only made up of the physical, but has a serious spiritual realm. And it’s in this spiritual mode that the real action takes place.

The first part of the trilogy focuses on Anton who, early on in the movie, dabbles in black magic in an effort to bring back his wife who left him for someone else – things don’t go to plan, but along the way he discovers that he’s one of the “others”.

Skip forward 12 years and he’s chosen the side of light, he’s part of the Night Watch, keeping an eye on the dark others, making sure that they adhere to the ancient truce. The rules are simple, when mere humans discover they are one of the “others” – they have a choice, which is to choose if they will join the dark or the light. Neither side is allowed to force them to choose – they can only use influence.

When an ancient prophecy is about to be fulfilled, and the balance of power could possibly soon be shifted to the dark side, the gloves come off. It’s up to Night Watch to protect the prophesied boy from the darkness, and encourage him to the light. But the dark others have been formulating a plan and there’s more than one player to contend with.

The world of Night Watch is one that is filled with endless possibilities, and with this being the first of three movies, all bets are off as to how this will end up. What is certain, is that the beautiful mix of visuals combined with an engrossing imaginative storyline and enough action to keep most adrenaline junkies on the edge of their seats, will make this trilogy a classic that threatens to make the Matrix look like a direct to video b-grade movie.

Food for thought
Night Watch portrays a world in which there is an ongoing spiritual battle, with dark forces battling for control with the forces of light. Is this just the stuff of fairytales, or is there really a battle raging over our destiny?

PS2 | MicroMachines V4

Rating: G - Suitable for general audiences.
Genre : Racing.
Developer: Codemasters.
Release Date: 4th August.

The 4th instalment of the MicroMachines franchise is all about fun, and aimed squarely at the younger demographic. Don’t let this fool you however, as Micro Machines is fun for the whole family.

Basically you get to drive a miniature car around a racetrack made up of everyday items. You’ll soon be racing along roof gutters, kitchen bench tops and pool tables.

Graphically the game is as much fun as it is to play – the visuals are of the cartoon genre and help keep the whole feel fun. The driving mechanics are simple and easy to master, but the challenge lies in the ever-increasing difficulty of the tracks.

Of course it wouldn’t be MicroMachines if there weren’t upgrades scattered all over the track. But fear not, these aren’t the type of upgrades that give your opponents extra speed to beat you to the finish post. No, these upgrades include missiles for you to take out your opponents. Of course, your opponents can also get these upgrades on the track so don’t be surprised if you get chased by a car with a giant hammer thumping it’s way towards you!

With several game modes, from all out racing to beat the clock there’s plenty to keep you coming back for more.

Summary
An outrageously fun game for the whole family – the more players the merrier!

DVD | Munich

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 157 mins.
Genre : Drama.
Actors: Mathieu Kassovitz, Ciaran Hinds, Hanns Zischler, Eric Bana, Michael Lonsdale, Geoffrey Rush, Daniel Craig, Yvan Attal, Mathieu Amalric, Ayelet Zorer.
Release Date: Available now.

Munich is Steven Spielberg’s attempt at retelling the shady events that followed the Munich Olympic Games hostage disaster. He actually manages to keep the movie fairly unbiased for the most part, and delivers a compelling drama of a country out for revenge.

Of course revenge is often (if not always) a misguided adventure – violence only begets violence, and as the movie shows, one act of violent revenge only leads to the other ‘side’ taking it’s own violent revenge. Pretty soon the situation is out of control.

The movie’s central character is a Mossad agent who has sold his soul to Israel. In his eyes Israel can do on wrong. Thus he doesn’t hesitate when offered the assignment to assassinate 11 people believed to have been behind the Munich kidnapping. In reality, he soon discovers everything is not so cut and dry, and over the course of the movie starts to question the validity of what he is doing.

The movie plays out like a poorly designed roller coaster ride. It is punctuated with moments of sheer exhilarating action, but is troubled by long stretches where nothing seems to be happening. This may be an attempt by Spielberg to attach some reality to the situation – after all this is no Bond movie – and in reality much careful planning would have gone into each hit. But what Spielberg seems to forget is that the medium he chose to use to tell this story is film, and at a staggering 157 minutes, there should have been a bit more left on the editing room floor.

Along with moments of nothing there are some very poignant scenes were questions are raised, moral issues brought to the fore, and this helps redeem the movies lengthy meanderings.

All in all you have to approach this movie as a drama, and not the action movie the trailers seemed to be promoting.

Food for thought
The common response to violence is more violence, but is violence ever really justified?

NEWS | Trailer Update

More of an announcement of their existence then a proper movie trailer; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is showing a huge amount of promise, and looks set to be an animated-action-fest. Staying with animation, I mentioned Renaissance early in May this year, well there’s now and English language trailer for this futuristic movie that looks like a visual cross between Sin City and A Scanner Darkly. Finally a very interesting looking thriller called Children of Men starring Clive Owen and Julianne Moore in a world, a generation from now where all women have become barren, and society is about to implode.

DVD | Serenity

Rating: M - Contains Violence & Offensive Language.
Duration: 119 mins.
Genre : Sci-fi.
Actors: Alan Tudyk, Sean Maher, Adam Baldwin, Nathan Fillion, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Summer Glau, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin.
Release Date: Available now.

After having so much fun watching and falling in love with Firefly on DVD, I just had to go out and buy Serenity.

The movie shows just how good this series was, and begs the question as to why the TV show was cancelled before it had run it’s first season. Of course judging a TV series by it’s movie isn’t quite comparing apples with apples, but the first series was a ball, and with all the action and visual candy that was packed into the movie, I’m sure Joss Whedon would have found enough side stories to make Firefly have gone another couple of seasons.

In reality though, the cancellation forced Whedon to make the movie, and the fans are better off for it. We get most of our questions answered in a single sitting that propels us to an explosive and unexpected ending.

We get some back history on River, and get to see just what she’s made of, as well as being re-introduced to the nasty-nightmare-inducing Reavers.

All the main characters are there from the first movie, even if they’re not all on the ship, and the dastardly bounty hunter that made the final episode of Firefly so damn enjoyable is back, and nastier than ever.

There’s never a dull moment in this fast paced, visually stunning masterpiece. It’s well worth watching for both fans of Firefly and those that have yet to see Firefly.

Food for thought
According to the Shepherd, faith doesn’t have to be a religious thing. Faith is what will get you through the difficult times. Without faith in something you have nothing. Where is your faith placed?

DVD | Wallace & Gromit the curse of the Were-Rabbit

The people of the neighbourhood of West Wallaby are getting ready for the vegetable compation that is held every year at Tottington Hall. All of the people’s vegies are getting “looked after “ by “Anti-Pesto “, Wallace’s new invention. But it seems that even with “Anti-Pesto” looking after their vegetables, that there is not going to be a vegetable competition after all, on the account of a HUGE Were-Rabbit that “Anti-Pesto just cant catch. Victor Quartermaine, who wants to impress Lady Tottington, to get her hand in marriage ( and fortune ), so takes this as an chance to impress her more by killing the were-rabbit. Soon Lady Tottington has to consent, not knowing the consequences there might be.

This is a great movie and I would recommend it for 4 – 10 year olds.

Review by Hope

DVD | Domino

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 129 mins.
Genre : Action & Adventure.
Actors: Christopher Walken, Mena Suvari, Mickey Rourke, Lucy Liu, Keira Knightley.
Release Date: Available now.

If your standard fare action movie is popcorn for the brain, Domino is that multi-coloured, candy coated popcorn, washed down with copious amounts of Red Bull. Director Tony Scott takes us on a colour saturated, slow-motion-epileptic fit of a movie that shows us another side of Keira Knightly.

Keira plays bored rich kid gone bad in this adaptation of true events. Domino as she is known shuns her silver spoon life for that of the excitement and danger of a bounty hunter.

Teamed up with a couple of rough necks, her crew soon gets a name for themselves, and as luck would have it, a “reality TV” gig.

But all is not as it seems, especially not if you’re the viewer. Viewed through flashbacks, we start near the end, in what looks like a hyped up, predictable ending. But the ending as it turns out is anything but.

With a Red Bull infused pace, domino keeps you glued for just over two hours, with a mixture of rich visuals, plenty of music, and an endless supply of action.

Word of warning for the tame of heart, the language and violence is as colourful as the over saturated hues of this rampant montage, and it will offend some people.

Food for thought
Bored with life, Domino looks for an escape in the hazy life of a Bounty Hunter, but in the end she finds her redemption in the life of another. Are you living a life worth dying for, or are you just along for the ride?

TRIVIA | Johnny Depp

With everyone’s favourite pirate making a killing at the box office I though it would be fun to see what other movies Depp’s camp character could have killed if he’d taken the part…

Hulk
Considered to play Bruce Banner.
I can’t see Depp in this role, but then the movie sucked and Depp could have turned it into a slapstick comedy…

Indecent Proposal
Depp was considered for the lead role of David (Woody)
Actor who got the part: Woody Harrelson
Hmmmm, nope, never would have worked!

The Matrix
According to an interview with Matrix composer Don Davis, Johnny Depp was the Wachowskis' first choice for Neo.
Actor who got the part: Keanu Reeves
So Keanu gets a lot of flack for his wooden acting, but who else could have nailed Neo? Certainly not Depp.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Depp was considered to play John Smith.
Actor who got the part: Brad Pitt
Hmmmm, Depp as a serious action star, nooooo.

Titanic
Was considered for the role of Jack.
Actor who got the part: Leonardo Dicaprio
As much as I hate Dicaprio, I just can’t see Depp getting his sea legs in this movie!

NEWS | Saw 3 Poster

I'm undecided on the latest poster, I still like the first poster.

:o) | Calvin & Hobbes

DVD | Brokeback Mountain

Rating: M - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 108 mins.
Genre : Romantic Drama.
Actors: Heath Ledger, Randy Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anna Faris, Linda Cardellini, Anne Hathaway.
Release Date: Available now.

Here I was thinking that Brokeback Mountain was a movie that had a storyline that could be perceived as gay, like David and Jonathan of Biblical fame. But no, I was way off the mark with this one. It is a gay cowboy movie. No subtlety here. No real storyline either. Brokeback is a movie than meanders with no real direction for over two hours.

Ok, so there may have been a storyline – a contemporary love story. A pseudo “Romeo and Juliet”. A doomed relationship that just wouldn’t let go. It just didn’t start off well for me. And it’s not that it’s a gay love story either. The beginning of their relationship just didn’t gel for me – it seemed too contrived. The sex seemed more like the ice-breaker for the relationship, where as the relationship should come first, right?

It may have also been the whole cowboy thing that made it difficult for me – I mean is life really that un-eventful for cowboys? And the time line was hard to follow. One scene it would be the next day, and the next scene was four years later. The only clues seemed to be different hairstyles and facial hair patterns.

There were two things that did stand out for me, however, the first being the amazingly stunning scenery of Brokeback Mountain. The other being the need that a daughter has for her fathers love. This was truly inspiring for me, being a father to three girls.

Food for thought
What would you do if you walked away from your true love and found love elsewhere, only to find out that you could only be whole with your first true love?

NEWS | Depp Rules

After three weeks of release, Johnny Depp and his Pirates of the Caribbean continue to rule all that is box-office with another $35M added to its grand total, which is now closing in on $325M. It recently broke another record of the film to reach the $300M mark the fastest. It was able to do it in 16 days, which beat the old record held by horrible Revenge of the Sith, which was 17 days. In case you were wondering, the original Pirates made only $305M, which the sequel has already blasted past.

NEWS | Craig Back for Bond

Bond franchise producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are apparently very happy with the result of slapping a martini in Daniel Craig's one hand and a gun in the other for CASINO ROYALE because they have confirmed that the star will be returning as Agent 007 for the tentatively titled BOND 22, for which NOTTING HILL director Roger Mitchell is still in negotations. The project would be a reunion for Craig and Mitchell after 2004's thriller ENDURING LOVE. About the next movie, Wilson and Broccoli say, "As we wrap production on 'Casino Royale,' we couldn't be more excited about the direction the franchise is heading with Daniel Craig," which they describe as "darker and edgier". Keep in mind that this next bond movie, which already has a release date of May 2, 2008 (going against IRON MAN), will reportedly be an original one not from the novels, à la GOLDENEYE. CASINO ROYALE opens November 17th.

DVD | Wolf Creek

Rating: R18 - Contains Sadistic Violence, Sexual Themes & Offensive Language.
Duration: 94 mins.
Genre : Horror.
Actors: Nathan Phillips, John Jarratt, Kestie Morassi, Cassandra Magrath.
Release Date: Available now.

What happens when 3 backpackers breakdown in a remote outback location? A friendly bushman by the name Mick comes to their help, of course.

But not all is, as it seems, in this disturbing fictional tale inspired by Australia’s ‘Backpack Killer’ in the 1990’s.

The first half of the movie is pretty ho hum – it’s one big build up to the gritty, emotionally charged horror climax, where we get to see into the eyes of a cold blooded killer with no sense of reality or fear of being discovered.

First time director Greg McLean, manages to pull one out of the bag by creating not only a movie that impressed Quentin Tarantino, but also one that is visually as stunning as a tourist advert.

Of course the scenic beauty takes a back seat once the killing begins – it’s at this point that our Crocodile Dundee figure Mick, takes Australian cinema to new highs (or lows, depending on who you are).

If you’re in the slightest bit squeamish, stay clear of Wolf Creek. But if you like to spend your movie watching time hovering on the edge of terror, then this is for you.

Food for thought
Movies rely on an emotional response for viewer enjoyment. Is fear an appropriate emotional tool for entertainment?

DVD | Dirty War

Rating: M - Contains Violence & Offensive Language.
Duration: 90 mins.
Genre : Action Sci-Fi.
Actors: Ewan Stewart, Martin Savage, Murray Corrigan, William El-Gardi, Amar Hussain.
Release Date: Available now.

Dirty War looks at the scenario that is most feared in our post 9-11 world: a terrorist cell making and detonating dirty bombs in a major western city. This being a British flick, that city is of course London.

The movie kicks off with a large-scale training operation that is more of a publicity stunt for the government – but what it does show us, the viewer, is that London is woefully ill prepared for such an attack.

With an emphasis of realism, the tension builds up slowly as we follow several lines of the story; from the terrorists, the government, firemen and others involved in the protection of London. It’s a pretty comprehensive approach, and makes it clear how easy something like this would ultimately be, with luck being the major factor in preventing terrorist activities.

The gritty backdrop of London is ideal for such a drama, and as the pace ramps up you’ll be edging towards the TV desperate to see what happens.

With all the hard work put into this movie, the meticulous build up and attention to detail, it’s a pity that the whole thing seems to fall over in it’s climatic stages, with the whole production running out of steam and credibility in its conclusion.

Food for thought
Religious fanatics are the terrorists in this movie, and they use their belief in god as justification for their actions. Has religion become too dangerous for modern society to tolerate?

DVD | Jarhead

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 124 mins.
Genre : Military Drama.
Actors: Dennis Haysbert, Chris Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jacob Vargas, Peter Sarsgaard, Katherine Randolph.
Release Date: Available now.

Jarhead is the story of Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) who joined the Marines because he ‘got lost on the way to college’. We follow as he goes from regret and despair to finding his place in the marines as a sniper.

Then the first Gulf War breaks out, and it’s off to the desert. But the war doesn’t happen, well at least not for a couple of hundred days. Swofford’s life (and the life of his fellow marines) becomes a pointless monotony to the point of absurd. We see what happens as these men, dehumanised through training to become ruthless killing machines, are given nothing to do, bar play football in chemical suits for the media.

When the war does come to them, it’s over so quickly that they don’t even get to fire a single shot.

And if you think that Swofford would have found the whole uneventful time an utter waste of his life, you’ll be commiserating with him as you contemplate what you could have done with the past 124 minutes of yours.

This was (as far as I can remember) supposed to be a black comedy. There were some very funny moments, but for the most part the movie was long and uneventful. Sure the scenery was at time spectacular – the burning oil fields were a visual treat – but the journey was far too dull to be worth the ticket price.

Maybe I was missing the subtleties of an anti-war message?

One thing you absolutely have to do (if you do rent jarhead) is check out Swoff's Fantasies, part of the special features. Why these were not in the film I don’t know – it would have made the whole affair a whole lot funnier.

One thing to beware of though, if you have an aversion to the f-word, stay clear of Jarhead – the marines have few adjectives outside of the f-word, and use it to the point of banality.

Food for thought
Innocent people always get killed in war – how do we justify supporting war when we know innocent lives will have to be sacrificed?

PS2 | Hitman: Blood Money

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence.
Duration: N/A
Genre : Action, Third Person.
Actors: N/A
Release Date: Available now.

I played the first instalment of Hitman years back on a PC, so I figured I knew what to do. But this instalment seems different. The front end feels more like Rainbow Six with the mission briefing and gun selection.

You’re being paid for your services, so take note of the briefings and arm your self accordingly. You have a range of weaponry, much of it customisable, along with assorted nasties that will enable you to sneak up and do silent kills.

You see, this game is also part Splinter Cell, you’ll get paid more for doing the job right – and that means doing it without anyone noticing you, and with the hit (or hits) looking like accidents.

The game is suitable challenging, without being too hard to be fun. The challenges are paced out, and even though silent assassin is your aim, all guns blazing can also get the job done – though not on every level!

Graphically the game is beautiful, though at times the age of the PS2 does show, and this combined with atmospheric music makes for an overall great experience.

Hitman: Blood Money is rated R16, and that’s mainly due the graphic violence, perpetrated by yourself. This is definitely not one for the kids.

Food for thought
You’re a paid killer, but you only take jobs when the people ‘deserve’ what’s coming to them. Do some people really deserve to die more than others? Or is this just an excuse to help you sleep at night?

DVD | Syriana

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence & Offensive Language.
Duration: 122 Minutes.
Genre : Political Drama.
Actors: Christopher Plummer, Chris Cooper, Jeffrey Wright, Matt Damon, William Hurt, George Clooney, Amanda Peet, Tim Blake Nelson, Alexander Siddig.
Release Date: Available now.

Syriana is a fictional movie based on former CIA man Robert Baer’s book, See No Evil. It’s a tricky movie to get into, as the story tends to jump all over the place, following multiple streams of story line. After a while however you start to see the big picture and the movie gets interesting.

Basically it’s a political statement about oil, big money, politics and some very murky dealings. It’s gritty and real, but tends not to take any political sides. Having said that, American, especially politics and big business come in for a lashing.

Someone in the special features made an interesting comment – they said that there were no real bad people in the movie – referring to traditional stories that have good vs evil – and that everyone is intrinsically good, because they believe they are doing the right thing. Personally I think that’s a load of crock. I’d say that there are very few (if any) good people in this movie. It’s all about back room meetings, secret deals and the desire to pervert justice or democracy in the pursuit of personal gain.

Syriana is about a giant beast that is addicted to a drug that it has no control over, and it’s efforts to control the distribution of the drug. It’s about the lengths that giant go to, to force control.

It’s also about what happens to the population of countries caught in this invisible struggle, and how easy it is for fanatical groups to inspire these people to rise up and take action.

An easy film to watch this isn’t, but it is a revealing one. It has some outstanding performances, from actors used to being the star, but taking second place to the story.

The movie is paced quite well, with a slow start, enabling you to come to grips with the complexity of the various threads, which builds on itself to an explosive conclusion.

Food for thought
Petrol. It’s something we’re all addicted to whether we admit it or not. The way it controls our lives is not healthy, but is there anything we can (or want) to do about it?

DVD | Population 436

Rating: M - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 89 Minutes.
Genre : Horror
Actors: Jeremy Sisto, Cory Cassidy, Fred Durst, Leigh Enns, David Ames, Gavin Polone.
Release Date: Available now.

Population 436 opens up with some very cheesy b-grade style, and then after a fiery explosion you get to see who’s in the movie. The only two recognisable names are Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under) and Fred Durst. The fact that Fred Durst is one of the key actors should have been warning enough, but I watched on anyway.

The basic story goes like this; the idyllic town of Rockwell Falls has had a steady population of exactly 436 for over a hundred years. This seems somewhat odd to the government, so they send down a census investigator. Only problem is, that as soon as he crosses the town boundary he hits the mother of all potholes and blows out two of his tires. The local cop gives him a lift into town and finds him a place to stay for the night.

Trouble is, no one ever leaves this town alive, and the census investigator soon finds out that under the surface, Rockwell Falls is far form Idyllic.

The movie manages to stay pretty cheesy and predictable for it’s entire 89 minutes, but for some strange reason draws you into it’s tangled web. Much like the town, you seem unable to leave until the final credits roll.

There’s action and twists enough to keep you entertained, on one of the most surprising ‘what the’ moments that you’re likely to see. The movie comes nicely together with a great little twist. How ever I would recommend watching the alterative ending and making up your own mind on how the movie ends.

Food for thought
Sometimes we get so focused on making life better for our selves that we don’t realise that life is passing us by. Are you missing out on life in order to ‘make your life better’?

DVD | Shop Girl

Rating: M - Contains Sexual Reference.
Duration: 100 mins.
Genre : Romantic Drama.
Actors: Steve Martin, Rebecca Pidgeon, Claire Danes, Frances Conroy, Jason Schwartzman, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Samuel Bottoms.
Release Date: Available now.

Shop Girl is an adaptation of a novella by Steve Martin that looks at the dynamics of a love triangle between a bored salesgirl, a wealthy (older, much older) businessman and a slacker of a young man.

The screenplay was adapted by Steve Martin, who also takes the lead role, and is the narrator, which to be honest, makes for a very disturbing combination.

The story focuses around Mirabelle Buttersfield (Claire Danes) who has moved to the big city to find herself, and is now stuck in a boring job at the glove counter as Saks. One night at the Laundromat she meets Jeremy Kraft (Jason Schwartzman) and sparks up a relationship seemingly more out of a desire to know someone, rather than anything remotely close to love.

Then Ray Porter (Steve Martin) comes on the scene, the older man, who woos her with his money and lifestyle.

Of course Mirabelle falls for Ray, but Ray, well he’s only interested in having a non-committal temporary relationship. And what about Jeremy?

Calling Shop Girl a romantic drama is stretching the truth on both points, as the romance is contorted at best, and the drama must be hidden below the surface. What is left is a ponderingly slow look at the pitfalls of supposed modern romance.

Food for thought
Lonely and single can be a scary place in our modern image controlled society, but is finding a companion really the answer?

DVD | The Cave

Rating: M - Contains Violence & Offensive Language.
Duration: 93 mins.
Genre : Action Adventure
Actors: Cole Hauser, Morris Chestnut, Eddie Cibrian, Rick Ravanello, Marcel Lures, Kieran Darcy-Smith.
Release Date: Available now.

Third Watch’s Jimmy Doherty and Lost’s Jin Kwon are two of the players in this adrenaline pumping action adventure.

They form part of a team of cave divers who are called in to explore a huge cave system uncovered in the Carpathia Mountains in Romania. Another member of the team is Dr Nicolai. Though spelt slightly differently from Jenkins’s and La Haye’s evil nemesis, many Western Christians who have even a slight knowledge of the Left Behind series will be wondering just who wrote this film. Add to that an ancient church and the Knights Templar, and you’ll be wondering if you didn’t accidentally rent a religious movie.

But fear not, this is no religious preach-athon, in fact you could almost say that there is something evil in the water, and it doesn’t take long for the thrills to kick in and the body count to rise.

Though the cheese factor does rise it’s head from time to time, The Cave is at the top of it’s genre and doesn’t let up until the very end.

After the cavers drop into the cave and find a suitable first base, something goes terribly wrong. A cave in and the loss of a team member ensure that we know all is not well. But just how not well, we’re not sure.

Stealing from several movies in its gene pool, The Cave is reminiscent of Aliens, AVP and Doom with one exception. The cavers are largely un-armed and totally unprepared for what they are about to face.

The scenery is totally stunning, and the murky cave system lends itself to the heart pumping tension that infiltrates every pore of this movie like an army of parasites. Once it gets into top gear, a little way into the movie, the pace doesn’t let up. It’s a thrill ride that will please any adrenaline junkie.

Food for thought
The cave features a band of adrenaline junkies who live life on the edge, waiting for the next big thrill. What’s the focus of your life? What are you living for? Will it give you the strength you need to face the storms of life?

DVD | Look Both Ways

Rating: M - Contains Adult Themes.
Duration: 100 mins.
Genre : Australian Drama.
Actors: Lisa Flanagan, Justine Clarke, William McInnes, Andrew S. Gilbert, Daniella Farinacci, Anthony Hayes, Maggie Dence.
Release Date: Available now.

Look Both Ways is an imaginative anti-romantic/anti-comedy focussing on an unlikely couple.

Meryl has a vivid imagination, and visualises disaster coming from every direction; train crashes, man-eating sharks, baby-eating killer whales. Nick has just found out his body is riddled with cancer. The doctor won’t tell him how long he has to live, and it’s Friday.

They meet at the scene of a fatal train crash, and meet again the next day. Soon they discover they each have something the other needs, though they’re not sure what.

Possibly it’s their rampant imagination – Nick's is now working overtime focussing on death – his death – and the spread of cancer attacking his body. Or is it their infatuation with the subject of death?

What ever it is, it isn’t going to be an easy journey; but it is a rewarding one, as is the movie.

With the lives of people around them intersecting, there’s plenty of variety. The scenery is fairly focussed on the theme of trains and stilted urban growth – possibly a metaphor for the possibilities that the future may hold?

It’s not the fastest moving film, and in some places almost stalls, but it is an imaginative, compelling human drama, that will give you something to think about.

Food for thought
How we view the world is up to us, we can be positive or negative and as such, will influence us on who we are. How would you feel if you knew your time left was short?

NEWS | Poseidon Sails onto DVD

Poseidon is set to release on DVD in NZ on September 27th. No word on the details, but Poseidon pretty much sank at the box office only just making enough money to cover the production costs. Will the DVD release refloat the downed flick?

Synopsis: When a rogue wave capsizes a luxury cruise ship in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, a small group of survivors find themselves unlikely allies in a battle for their lives. As the unstable vessel rapidly floods with water, they face unimaginable odds and life-altering decisions in their desperate fight to the surface.

DVD | Sometimes In April

Rating: M - Contains Violence & Offensive Language.
Duration: 140 mins.
Genre : Drama.
Actors: Noah Emmerich, Idris Elba, Arthur Yuhi Abia, Andrew Benon, Charles Bwanika, Oris Erhuero.
Release Date: Available now.

Sometimes In April is an HBO dramatisation of the 1994 Rwandan massacre. Some may think of this as the poor cousin to the movie Hotel Rwanda, but they would be wrong. Granted, there were no big names in April, and it was not as polished as Hotel Rwanda, but it was far more encompassing in its portrayal of what happened.

Rather than focussing on the heroics of one man, April looks at the story of two brothers, but seems to draw on the whole situation, rather than keeping the attention on any one person or place.

Filmed primarily in Rwanda, April revisits some of the locations focused on in the movie, making for a poignant retelling, and adding some authenticity.

Instead of focussing only on the past, April weaves the story through flashbacks, as both brothers have to come to terms with choices they made 12 years ago. This adds to the tension, and keeps the movie moving along.

For such a long movie, it never seems to slow down, without really setting a blazing pace. It’s a movie that, rather than focussing on the action, gets it’s pace for the sheer amount of emotional turmoil that the viewer is presented with.

This is by no means, an entertaining movie in the real sense of the word, it is however compelling. Beautifully filmed, in various locations and situations, many of the scenes will disturb you – if they don’t, you should be worried about your emotional state.

The movie also points the finger at the West’s inability to act, or even a lack of desire to do anything. We hear of Kurt Cobain’s death on the radio, and see American diplomats posturing to avoid sending American ‘boys’ into another Mogadishu. We see very few sympathetic Western ears.

You may think that this is nothing more than a depressing movie with no redemptive purpose, but you’d be wrong. April sheds light on some amazing situations, where friends make truly sacrificial choices.

Food for thought
Racial hatred brought on by years of simmering un-forgiveness is what bought the once Christian nation of Rwanda to its knees. Is there anything simmering below the surface in your life that needs attention before it erupts into something bigger?

NEWS | Film Guide

You may have noticed that I’ve been formatting my reviews a little differently recently, and that I’ve been reviewing a few more DVDs, and being a little bit more regular about it. This is mainly due to me being asked to review for film guide (filmguide.co.nz), a New Zealand website for movie lovers.

You can of course read all of my reviews right here, they will be no different to what I’m posting on film guide, but you really should take a look at film guide, as they have additional features that my lowly blog can’t supply.

Being a ‘film’ website, they’ll be looking at all the latest movies such as Pirates and Superman, as well as what’s on at the film festival, you’ll be able to comment on the reviews and they have a forum going.

So go check it out, but remember who sent you!

DVD | Firefly

Rating: M - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Sex Scenes.
Duration: Aprox 45 mins per episode.
Genre : Television Sci-fi.
Actors: Alan Tudyk, Sean Maher, Adam Baldwin, Nathan Fillion, Ron Glass, Summer Glau, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin.
Release Date: Available now.

I’ve never been a fan of Joss Whedon’s material – Buffy and Angel never did appeal to me, but then if I’m being honest, I don’t think I would have gotten into Firefly either. As with Lost, the first couple of episodes really didn’t grab me, but then I got into it. I fell in love with the characters and the whole (slightly cheesy) futuristic-space-western feel of the series. It seemed in the end like it was sheer brilliance. The multifarious (yes, I used a thesaurus for that word) crew helps keep the whole series interesting. I mean where else would you get a crew that consists of a group of smugglers, a ‘companion’ a ‘shepherd’, and a doctor and his genius sister on the run form the law?

The series had a lot going for it – a storyline that could go for a number of seasons (if Fox hadn’t canned it before the first season was over), an underdog storyline that runs through the series, and the aforementioned crew, who don’t always get on with each other, but manage to learn from each other through adversity and fortune.

Stylistically and visually Firefly was a treat – the rust bucket named Serenity, was loved by its crew, despite being an obsolete spacecraft – they knew the potential she still held. The sets were lovingly detailed, and the whole feel was a surreal mix of old and new, rusty decay and shiny anaesthetic.

Pace wise, as I implied before, the first couple of episodes were ho-hum, but as you got into the series, it became addictive, and the action started to heat up, climaxing in a final episode that had you desperate for more.

Candy for the brain as it was, Firefly gave a little more than just a sugary high, it was a place that we could all relate to, in part, and feel accepted and safe. It had some great nuggets of wisdom, and explored more than one modern misconception.

Food for thought
The crew of Serenity were a mix that included a prostitute and a Preacher. Both struggled with the existence of each other, but in the end realised that they were both feeling ill at ease, only because of there pre-conceptions of what they though the other person thought of them. Jesus tended to mix with people that made everyone else feel uneasy. Is there anyone you try to avoid because they aren’t the type of person who you feel like you should associate with? Why is that? And who made up these social rules anyway?

NEWS | Pirate Smash!

Despite most critics splitting on whether or not Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was worth its weight in cinematic gold, actual (US) consumers decided that they definitely wanted to see this movie over the past weekend, even more so than any other movie in the history of film! That's right, with over US$132M in grosses, Pirates 2 beat Spider-Man's box-office weekend record of US$115M by a hefty amount, and even crushed the single-day record at the box-office, which was previously held by the terrible Revenge Of The Sith with US$50M, when it scored over US$55M on Friday alone.

DVD | Just Like Heaven

Rating: M - Contains Sexual References.
Duration: 91 mins.
Genre : Drama.
Actors: Mark Ruffalo, Reese Witherspoon, Rosalind Chao, Jon Heder.
Release Date: Available now.

Just Like Heaven is a darling of a romantic comedy. It starts off focussing on Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon) a Doctor who’s just been given a permanent post at the Hospital where she works. On the way to her sister’s place for a blind date, she is involved in a head on smash with a large truck.

Cut to David (Mark Ruffalo) still brooding over the death of his wife some time ago, and looking for a fresh start and a new apartment. It seems like fate has a particular apartment in mind. Shortly after moving in, David meets Elizabeth, in his new apartment, and she is quite adamant that it is her apartment. Trouble is she can’t seem to get a hold of anything – it’s like she’s not really there.

And that’s because she’s not!

The Elizabeth that only David can see and hear is actually Elizabeth’s wandering spirit. You see, Elizabeth is in a coma after the accident, and her spirit needs to set a few things right, so she enlists David’s help.

This is a warmly funny romantic comedy with plenty of laughs, and enough warm fuzzies to keep you smiling – and rooting for the two to get together, on a more permanent basis.

As with most romantic movies, Just Like Heaven doesn’t move at a blistering pace, it’s more of a relaxed journey. Visually there’s nothing out of the ordinary – but that too suits the genre.

If you’re looking for a great night in with your significant other and a light romantic comedy, Just Like heaven is for you.

Food for thought
Do you believe in true love? What about the possibility that there is just one person in the world, perfect for you?

NEWS | TVNZ Sucks

Yeah I know what you’re all saying: ‘tell us something we don’t know!’

But I’ve just been watching The Birds – it was on after we finished watching Bee Season. I wasn’t really interested, but finally feel into its spell, and if nothing else wanted to find out what was making those birds go all psycho. So we were entering the climax, the final 15 minutes of the movie and some twat at TVNZ flips the switch and we get BBC World.

Some idiot goes home 15 minutes early and I’m never gonna know what made the birds turn kamikaze – cheers TVNZ.

DVD | Bee Season

Rating: M - Contains Offensive Language.
Duration: 104 mins.
Genre : Drama.
Actors: Kate Bosworth, Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Max Minghella, Flora Cross.
Release Date: Available now.

Bee Season is an intriguing movie – more a retrospective piece than an entertaining story. It’s also totally misleading in its intentions. Wrapped up in a story of a gifted girl who is trying to please her overbearing father is a story of religious totalitarianism.

Now you’re gonna have to excuse me as I’m pretty much going to cover the main themes and conclusions of the movie, and may or may not spoil the movie if you haven’t seen it yet. You have been warned!

The father (Richard Gere) is a Kabbalistic figurehead, a Jewish teacher whose thesis looked at the Jewish Mystical theory of Tikkun Olam – a theory that believes that the universe is broken – fractured into many pieces – and it’s through our good works that we can bring it back together. His thesis also looked into the power of words and a specific way through words to be able to come into a tangible presence with God. Unfortunately the father could never achieve his own spiritual nirvana and sees in his gifted daughter a vessel of achieve his mystical dreams.

But it’s not just his daughter who he’s using for his own gain – his theories have given his wife such false hope of bringing her dead parents back, that she’s become a kleptomaniac, sneaking into peoples houses and stealing shiny knick-knacks and hanging them in her rented storage place in an effort to archive pure light – and presumably bring back her parents.

The son, who was boy wonder until his younger sister’s gift was exposed, has been relegated from his fathers love, and seeks spiritual nourishment through a chance encounter with a Hare Krishna girl. After finding nothing in his fathers failed religion he finds comfort, but this only leads to stress within the family.

When the mother gets arrested and put into a mental hospital just before the Spelling Bee Nationals, the dysfunctional family is pushed to the limits. During the final, the daughter realises her role in Tikkun Olam is to fail, in an attempt to bring order back into the universe and to her family.

This is a very fragmented movie, which is both confusing and applicable – the movie wants us to believe that we are all fractured individuals in a fractured universe, and that we can all achieve our own http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.bold.gifnirvana if we can only put the pieces together again.

It’s not the most entertaining of movies, as I’ve said, it’s fractured and confusing – the pace is at times ponderous, and the only real moments of tension are predictable and infrequent. The best part of the entire movie is how the visual representation of seeing words is portrayed through the mind of the daughter – this is sheer genius – but it’s a little to late to save the movie.

Food for thought
One of the themes of the movie is the power of words – that you can see the entire universe through words. Do words really have such power?

NEWS | Lost: The Movie

Rumours are surfacing that there might be a Lost movie in the works. Fortunately the rumours come from a shaky source.

Basically the rumour goes like this: The show would run for 4 to 5 seasons tops, and finish with a movie.

Now I’m hoping this is a load of bull as I don’t think Lost can really go more than another season (I mean the second season my be heating up now, but it lost the plot in the middle becoming nothing more than filler material).

And having the series end in a movie is nothing less than a shameless cash cow.

Thankfully the show’s creator, JJ Abrams has mentioned that he ‘honestly doesn't know what else they would do [in a movie]’.

DVD | Doom

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Horror.
Duration: 108 mins.
Genre : Action Sci-Fi.
Actors: The Rock, Rosamund Pike, Karl Urban, Razaaq Adoti, Richard Brake.
Release Date: Available now.

Doom is the latest entry into the over crowded video game to movie genre. Why you may be asking, do we need another video game based movie? Because Doom is the ‘original’ video game. Well, maybe not, but it did re-define what video games were.

Enough of the history, this is a movie review, so lets talk about the movie. Doom follows the premise of the game, and probably doesn’t stray far away from its roots. The basic overview is this – scientists on Mars have made a discovery, and in doing so have opened the gates of hell. More figurative than literal, they’ve discovered a genetic mutation that looks into your soul and decides if you’re inherently good or evil. If you’re evil, it can use you.

Put simply, the Mars research facility has been put on lock down as genetically mutated spawn-of-the-devil monsters wreak havoc. But in a move similar to Aliens, a corporation owns the works that’s being done and the marines are sent into on a search and destroy, and recover mission. That is recovering the research material.

The movie starts off pretty damn slow for what was promised to be an edge of your seats action thriller, but don’t let this lull you into a false sense of security, because pretty soon you’re gonna be on the edge of your seat, or hiding behind it.

It’s cheesy in places – hey it stars the Rock – but not to a degree that it spoils the gun blazing action. Ill prepared for what they are about to encounter the marines get picked off one by one, until half of them are gone, and they start to realise what they’re up against.

Visually Doom is a feast for the eyes, with an industrial feel perfect for what you expect of a Mars based research facility. The special effects are great, with the monsters and gore adding to the freak-me-out factor and the atmospheric sound helps ramp up your blood pressure.

Director Andrzej Bartkowiak even goes so far as to give the movie the video game touch in one segment where local boy Karl Urban goes on a rampage, first person shooter style.

The pace is blazing once started and never seems to let up, with things going from bad to worse and them some. The story line twists and turns with some predictability, but still managed to hold a few surprises.

If you’re into a visual feast of head-exploding-bullet-laden action, with little in the way of believability (if you decide to stop and think about it) then Doom is your cup of over caffeinated coffee.

Food for thought
Genetically mutated monsters sounds a bit far fetched doesn’t it? But is it? We’re already experimenting in genetic modification, cloning and other scientific discoveries, all in the name of progress, but how far, is too far?

DVD | The Visitation

Rating: M - Contains Violence & Horror.
Duration: 99 mins.
Genre : Thriller.
Actors: Edward Furlong, Richard Tyson, Randy Travis, Kelly Lynch, Martin Donovan.
Release Date: Available now.

I think that it’s only fair that I state my view on Christian movies up-front. As a whole they are very cheesy, badly filmed and terribly acted. There’s been a few exceptions of recent, most notably The Passion Of Christ and Luther. Whilst The Visitation doesn’t quite stand in the same league as the aforementioned movies, it is probably the best fictional Christian movie I have ever seen.

Loosely based on Frank Peretti’s novel of the same name, The Visitation is set in the town of Antioch. There’s strange goings on of recent days, with strange visitors promising ‘He is coming’, people getting miraculously healed and seeing images of Jesus in their showers and the clouds.

And then a charismatic stranger turns up in town, healing people and proclaiming love. Is this stranger the Messiah or something more sinister? The local church leaders can’t seem to agree, and the only one seeing sense is the towns ex-minister, a man of God no more, after his wife was murdered in a satanic ritual years ago.

The main actors are in the most part convincing, though the Messiah figure reminds me of a Michael Jackson rendition of Christ! The main failing in the acting department is the same curse that all Christian movies seem to suffer from: no matter how mad, how angry and full of fury, no one, not even the baddies swear or blaspheme. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to support the use of bad language, but the movie quickly loses any credibility at this point.

The pace of the movie is quite good, with some very tense scenes. The cinematography quite good, with some interesting angles being used, though there is a tendency to overuse some clichéd techniques.

The movie is rated M, and this should be carefully considered. Just because this is a Christian movie doesn’t mean it is suitable for the whole family.

Food for thought
How solid is your faith? Would you be taken in by someone who uses signs and wonders to woo his audience, or would you look deeper before jumping into the Kool-aid?

QUIZ | What Movie Am I?

Some Russian dude has created a series of illustrations depicting scenes from popular movies, drawn to look like Russian folk art. Some of the movies are easy to spot (no prizes for guessing the movie in the illustration above) but some are a bit too unfamiliar for me… it’s all good fun, go have a look.

TRIVIA | Nicolas Cage Movies You’ll Be Glad You Didn’t See!

According to notstarring.com, Nicolas Cage turned down some great roles, of course if he hadn’t, these movies would have sucked…

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Nicolas Cage was considered to play Willy Wonka.
Actor who got the part: Johnny Depp

Constantine
Nicolas Cage was set to play John Constantine at one time.
Actor who got the part: Keanu Reeves

The Life of David Gale
Cage was considered for the role of David Gale.
Actor who got the part: Kevin Spacey

Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Nicolas Cage turned down the role of Sands.
Actor who got the part: Johnny Depp

Spider-Man
Cage was offered the role of the Green Goblin.
Actor who got the part: Willem Dafoe

Superman Returns
When the film first entered pre-production (mid 1990's) Nicolas Cage was considered for the part of Superman.
Actor who got the part: Brandon Routh

The Thin Red Line
Nicolas Cage was considered for the role of Gordon Tall.
Actor who got the part: Nick Nolte

DVD | Bomb The System

Rating: M - Contains violence, offensive language and drug use.
Duration: 93 mins
Genre : Action, Drama.
Actors: Mark Webber, Gano Grills, Jade Yorker.
Release Date: Available now.

Bomb: to create graffiti. System: something designed to control us.

Bomb the System is one person’s dramatic views of the heroic life of a writer/bomber/graffiti artist. It’s an interesting story, if somewhat over glamorised.

The story essentially follows the late night antics of Anthony (Mark Webber) who goes by the tag name ‘blest’ and his small crew as they seek out a place for themselves in the streets of New York City.

Shot mostly at night, with a grainy film and some very nicely saturated colours give the whole film an edgy, dangerous feel. Outside of the heroic, party scene that is portrayed in this movie, the message is one that this lifestyle is not one for the fainthearted.

Graffiti as an art-form and as a political statement are issues both looked at, with the inclusion of s sub plot when Blest hooks up with politically focussed Alex, who falls for him and want’s him to join her crew, adorning New York is politically – anti-consumerism – motivated posters and stencils.

It’s through this and Blest’s desire to legitimise his work that try to lend a human angle to the story, and helps raise a few more themes to mull over. What causes people to lurk around in the shadows, seeking recognition through their art? Are we pre-programmed by our peers to become what we become? Is there really any hope for someone stuck in an addictive habit?

Bomb is located in the action/drama genre, and sits there with ease. It’s not a rampaging, guns blazing type of action, but it does move at a predatory pace. It’s also worth noting that I got this DVD thinking it would be more a documentary style in the vein of Rash, and is probably a movie that would appeal more to people with an interest in the New York Graff scene.


Food for thought
For many people, graffiti is nothing less than vandalism. With the tagging that goes on around my neighbourhood, I’d have to agree. But then I take the train into the city, and along the way, on the backs of industrial buildings that no one ever gets to see (except the train commuters) is some of the best modern art you’re likely to see. This combined with the political stencilling of people like Banksy elevate graffiti to both an art form and a legitimate political protest. Or does it?

NEWS | Film Guide

Film Guide is now up and running - on it you'll find my DVD reviews along movie reviews from other people. It's new, so there's not a lot there quite yet, but it will be regularaly updated!

DVD | Warm Springs

Rating: PG - Contains Low Level Offensive Language.
Duration: 120 mins
Genre : Political Drama. Biography
Actors: David Paymer, Tim Blake Nelson, Kenneth Branagh, Andrew Davoli, Cynthia Nixon, Matt Malloy.
Release Date: Available now.

Warm Springs is a dramatisation of a period of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s life. It’s a lesser-known period of his life, and makes for an interesting story, but I think it needs to be stressed that this is all it is. I was lead to believe (through the promotional material) that this was going to be the story of his life, his whole life. It isn’t.

Fortunately it is a compelling drama. It essentially starts as Roosevelt is getting into politics, and being groomed for the big league, but then disaster strikes and Polio reduces Roosevelt to a cripple who can’t walk. He seeks solace in solitude and the bottle, but one day, when a glimmer of hope is offered he slowly comes out of his shell.

It’s not an easy battle, as Roosevelt has to deal with his own prejudices as well as those of the people around him.

It’s not all about Roosevelt either. His wife turned out to be a powerful influence in his life, and stood by him unwaveringly throughout it all.

Created by HBO, this could be classified as ‘made for TV’, but any one who’s seen much of HBO’s work will know that they strive for quality is both story and production. Warm Springs is an interesting look at a defining time in Roosevelt’s life. It’s full of struggle, compassion and determination. It has plenty of emotion and even a few laughs.

The pace of the flim may not be much, but this is a drama rather than an action flick, so this is one for a quite, contemplative night in.


Food for thought
Warm Springs deals with prejudices and physical impairment. What would be your reaction if you had paid to have a nice relaxing time at the local hot pools, only to find out that it was also being used as a treatment centre for ‘cripples’?

DVD | Rumour Has It

Rating: M - Contains Sexual References
Duration: 96 mins
Genre : Romantic Comedy
Actors: Mark Ruffalo, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine, Mena Suvari, Richard Jenkins, Jennifer Aniston.
Release Date: Available now.

Sarah (Jennifer Aniston) is on her way to her sisters wedding with her fiancé Jeff (Mark Ruffalo). It’s not a trip she’s been looking forward to as she just doesn’t jell with her family – that and she’s not sure if she’s made the right decision when she said ‘yes’ to Jeff.

Her paranoid character trips into overdrive during wedding preparations when she gets it in her head that her Grandmother (overplayed by Shirley MacLaine) and her recently departed mother were the basis for the book and movie ‘The Graduate’.

Of course once the wedding is over, Sarah insists on going on a solo road trip to discover if a certain older man (Kevin Costner) can reveal the truth, in the process putting her relationship in jeopardy and healing some other relationships.

Classed as a romantic comedy, Rumour Has It sits rather uncomfortably, as the humour is either very subtle, or doesn’t make enough appearances, and the plot is far too complex for a true romantic story. Of course the ending is predictable, but the journey far to ambiguous to traditional romantics.

Having said that it does make for an interesting look at the dynamics of modern relational life and the problematic issues of family secrets. It also, as with most romantic comedies offers up a couple of scenes of reconciliation and forgiveness.


Food for thought
It’s easy to fall into the same trap as your parents, especially if they haven’t told you about a particular trap they fell into! Is Honesty the best policy?, or are their certain secrets that should be kept under wraps?

DVD | Severed

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Horror.
Duration: 96 mins
Genre : Zombie
Actors: JR Bourne, Sage Brocklebank, Paul Campbell, Patrick Gallagher, Colin Lawrence
Release Date: Available now.

In a far, far away land (America) a greedy corporation decides to try a little bit of genetic engineering to help increase logging yields in one of it’s forests. Trouble is, when you try and play God without having the divine and all knowing mind of God, things will go wrong.

Add to the mix some environmentalists, who decide to sabotage your operation and you have a whole can of potential zombie whoop-ass.

It’s all pretty quiet until a woodsman gets cut while cutting down an ‘infected’ tree – as his workmates run to his aid he turns feral and eats them. Such is life.

Severed tries to be something along the lines of Dawn of the Dead meets Blair Witch Project with an environmental conscience, but fails in it’s efforts and ends up being an over the top splatter fest with more spurting blood than a classic Japanese Samurai flick.

As hordes of the undead stumble through the forest, the movie strains to find reason for a plot, as we get taken on a survival horror where more and more survivors turn up just to increase the length of the movie into something more than a 30 minute short.

If B-Grade is your thing, bad acting and buckets of red stuff your diet, then Severed is your movie. If you have a little taste in zombie flicks, stick with the modern classics such as 28 Days Later and leave this one to decompose.

Food for thought
Just as the movie was a struggle to watch, coming up with some redemptive thoughts is too. But one thing you can chew on is how would you act in the same situation? There are two roads you can travel: selfish self-preservation, or selfless compassion for you fellow survivors. Which road would you choose?