Life on Mars

Rating: R16 - Contains Violence, Offensive Language & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 600 mins.
Genre: Television, Drama.
Actors: Philip Glenister, John Simm, Dean Andrews, Noreen Kershaw, Marshall Lancaster, Tony Marshall, Liz White.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
Remember the 1970s? Sam Tyler doesn't - he was only four at the time. Smart, savvy, sharp-suited detective Sam is at the top of his game. Then, after a near-fatal car accident, Sam finds himself mysteriously transported back to 1973…

The Reality
Trust the British to inject some much needed originality into the Television Cop Drama genre, and they’ve done it in style with Life On mars.

Struggling to accept that he has been mysteriously transported back to the early seventies, Sam quickly alienates himself to everyone but a lowly female cop. I say lowly because this is the seventies, and females were still relegated to the ‘nice bot of skirt’ mentality.

Figuring that he may as well get the job done while he figures out how to get back to his life in the naughties, Sam causes even more friction at work with his new fangled approach, and insistence on doing things right, for putting the truth ahead of forced confessions.

But his style, honesty and fresh approach starts to be seen as valuable to his new boss, who takes him under his wing, as they fight crime, the old fashioned way, finishing everyday at the local pub.

There’s much to love about Life on Mars, there’s the nostalgic look back at the seventies, a time when the PC brigade hadn’t sucked all the fun out of life, a time where there was still hope for the world. There are the lovable characters, an oddball assortment, that as individuals would drive you crazy, but together seem to just click.

Then there’s the storyline, as Sam’s old life keeps intersecting with his new life, and as he learns to accept where he is, and make the most of it.

Roll on season two.

Food for thought
It’s only through honest work that the truth comes to light.

Special Features (not reviewed)
• Take a Look at the Lawman: A 60-minute documentary covering the making of the programme
• Get Sykes: A 30-minute interview with the production designer
• Outtakes reel
• The Music of Life on Mars
• Audio commentaries on all episodes with cast and crew

Forza Motorsport 2

Rating: G - Suitable for general audiences.

Initial thoughts
The original Forza re-defined driving games. It bought the shiny graphics and exotic cars of PlayStation’s GranTurismo, and added realism, edge of your set action, and fun.
Graphically it was the best of the best, and playability was unmatched.

It seemed that the only thing to make it perfect would be some V8 Supercars style damage. But alas, all you could do was scrape paint. A minor point considering the complexity of the game and what Microsoft had managed to do.

So now we have the next-gen X-Box 360, and Forza 2. Initially not a lot looks different. The graphics are as you expect them to be – more lush, more detail, but possibly not mindblowingly awesome – at least in comparison to what we were expecting. The graphics were nice, and the play smooth, and that’s what counts.

So pretty much the same game, the tacks (as with all sequels of any decent driving game) feel slightly different, but the cars handle much the same – bone crushingly realistic, especially when you try and take a corner too fast – and it’s at this point that you notice that Microsoft have added so ‘removable parts’ to you beautiful shiny car.

What you may not notice is the attention to detail, especially to the technical side of things, now whilst driving you can call up you HUD, and get the Telemetry. For me, this is a little too much information, but luckily they still have the simple damage indicator and tire temp icons.

So if not that much has changed, why bother? Because it’s the best driving game on any console, period. It’s been improved upon on so many little ways, but it feels just like the original, which is a great achievement, you’ll as comfortable in Forza 2 as you were in Forza, its just that if you take the time to look around you’ll see a lot more detail, like the smoke coming from your bonnet after rear ending that car on the hairpin. Or the dust cloud billowing out behind you as you get a wheel slightly off track.

There’s not really much else to say, if you’ve driven the original, then you’ll gonna love part 2, if you’ve never played Forza, then you’re in for a mind blowing treat.

Now that I’ve played it a bit more
I think any downplaying of the graphic of Forza 2 were un-warrented. On reflection there is a heck of a lot more going on, the tracks aren’t just grey, but a mixture of surfaces depending on the track, and a whole lot of rubber. The attention to detail off track is amazing as well, with the entire area modelled right down to trucks parked row upon row on the infield of an American oval circuit.

Why you might ask would you bother – well because you do notice, and its these little things that on reflection make you realise just how much better the graphical grunt is on the 360.

The other nice improvement is the AI. The computer cars are a lot more imperfect in their driving, and at time down right aggressive. From time to time you hear the distinctive noise of colliding metal and two cars behind you fight for the corner. Computer cars will continue racing on with smoke belching from their engines. No one is the perfect driver in Forza 2, and it’s refreshing.

Longevity
Forza is a huge game, with so many options in customisation of your cars alone, add to that the many different race options available and you have a challenging game that will take you a while to unlock everything on offer.

X-Box Live
The arrival of Forza 2 coincided with the arrival of broadband in my home, which meant one thing, I was going to hook up the 360 to Live and see how I fared against real people. I was worried that New Zealand’s under performing broadband speeds would make the game laggy and un-enjoyable. It didn’t. 95% of the time everything was smooth, with the only problem being the other players.

It could be the curse of our time zone but there were precious few options when it came to playing with other people online (No, I have no Live ‘friends’) and those who did want to play with me seemed intent on shunting me off the road at every opportunity.

A Scanner Darkly

Rating: R13 - Contains Drug Use & Offensive Language.
Duration: 100 mins.
Genre: Animated, Sci-fi, Thriller.
Actors: Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson, Robert Downey, Rory Cochrane.
Director: Richard Linklater.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
Working as an undercover cop in a world where almost everyone is addicted to Substance D - which produces split personalities in its users - Fred Arctor (Reeves) sets up an elaborate sting to nab a notorious drug runner named Bob. But little does Fred know that "Bob" is… his alter ego.

The Reality
Richard Linklater might not be a familiar name for most people, but for anyone who recognises the genius of Before Sunset, Before Sunrise and TAPE, and the artistic merits of Waking Life, the name Linklater means only one thing; it’s going to be an interesting, thoughtfully and passionately made movie.

The choice to use Philip K. Dick’s book of the same name as the source for a movie is natural, his books always make for good cinema, the decision to go back and reinvent a better form of rotoscoping than was used for Waking Life is a little more interesting.

By going the rotoscoping road, it’s almost as if Linklater is saying ‘stuff you Hollywood’ as it’s not only going against the grain for the genre, but it’s also sentencing the movie to a niche audience and therefore less profit.

But for any Linklater fan, indeed for any movie going with an open mind and an eye for the creative, it’s pure genious.

Then of course there’s the subject matter.

Paranoia, greed and addiction are the main themes of this movie, and the trippy quality that rotoscoping adds to an animated movie help to increase the feeling that the viewer is held captive by the same drug infected world where the story takes place.

Substance D is the problem, at least on the surface. Everyone is addicted to it, and it’s major side effect – it gives the user a split personality – sets up the unique storyline. Fred Arctor is an undercover cop, determined to bring down a notorious drug runner known as Bob. The only problem is that unbeknownst to Fred, Bob is actually his alter ego. As I said, everyone is addicted to Substance D.

If that’s not enough of a twisted plot, then get ready for the greed and corruption, that bring about some major plot twists that I’m not about to mention here.

Suffice to say that A Scanner Darkly is a highly original anti-drug thriller. It’s not going to set the world on fire and help solve the problem. It will however make you think, keep you entertained for the whole 100 minute run time, and give you an appreciation for the non-Hollywood school of film making.

Food for thought
Which is worse, the cure or the disease?

Special Features:
• Commentary by screenwriter/director Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves, Isa Dick Hackett (daughter of Phillip K. Dick), producer Tommy Pallotta and Phillip K. Dick historian Jonathan Lethem
• One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming A Scanner Darkly
• The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales
• Theatrical Trailer

I watched enough of the commentary to know that A Scanner Darkly is staying on my shelf for a revisiting in the near future to watch gain with the commentary – it’s almost an essential with a movie such as this. The behind the scenes documentary looking at the process of making the movie, is also a must look.

All in all a tidy single disc package.

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia

Rating: PG.
Duration: 95 mins.
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy.
Actors: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Robert Patrick.
Director: Gabor Csupo.
Release Date: 14 June 2007.

Synopsis
Bullied school kid Jesse Aaron befriends new girl Leslie Burke. An attraction between outsiders, their friendship feeds on her words and his pictures; together they create an imaginary kingdom in the woods behind their homes …

The Reality
Bridge to Terabithia is based on the Katherine Paterson book. Filmed in Auckland with special effects by Weta Workshop, it’s certainly a children’s classic that should find a home in the hearts of many kiwis.

But a children’s movie it is, and going to children’s movies always fills me with the dread of bad acting and cheesy scripts. Fortunately Terabithia turned out to be an enjoyable, engrossing movie experience for my entire family.

Sure, it’s got a swag load of predictability and clichés, but the casting was great, acting believable and the special effects, well, they were done by Weta, what more needs to be said?

Terabithia’s strength is in that of children’s imaginations, and the film actively encourages the viewer to embrace that, which can only be found in dreams. In short it encourages kids to be kids. In one scene Leslie tells her teacher that she doesn’t have a television at home because her father believes that TV only makes you dumb. In lieu of television, Leslie has grown up having to rely on her own fantasy world to entertain herself.

So if you want an infusion of imagination into your life, take the family to the land of Terabithia, you won’t look back!

Food for thought
Imagination is a gift, if we don’t use it, we insult the giver of the gift.

Invisible Waves

Rating: M - Contains Violence & Offensive Language.
Duration: 116 mins.
Genre: Foreign.
Actors: Eric Tsang, Gang Hye Jung, Asano Tadanobu, Maria Cordero, Toon Hiranyasup, Ken Mitsuishi.
Director: Pen-ek Ratanaruang.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
Kyoji is having an affair with Seiko, his boss’s wife. His boss, Wiwat, discovers the affair and forces Kyoji to kill his wife, and then sends him on a holiday to Thailand whilst everything at home settles down.…

The Reality
Ok, so totally weird movie that seems to keep you hooked by constantly making you think ‘what the?’

It starts off very intriguing with the boss’s wife coming over for a romantic dinner, and more. But the dinner doesn’t go as planned as Kyoji seems distracted, and we’re not sure why.

A few scenes later we find Kyoji dragging her lifeless body across the floor, but we’re not sure what has just transpired.

Move on to Kyoji being sent on a cruise to Thailand to hide out whilst everything settles down, but hold on, some one seems to be following him.

On the cruise ship nothing seems to be going right for Kyoji, and you start to think that maybe this is all a dream. Then we arrive in Thailand and things go from bad to worse for Kyoji.

As a movie there’s not much to praise about Making Waves, it seems to drift lifeless on and ocean, much like a stricken yacht. Its direction tussled by the waves beneath it.

But venture beneath the surface and you see the genius of the title; its all about cause and effect. Kyoji’s life is now controlled by the invisible waves of his actions, that all began with his illicite affair.

Kyoji soon begins to come to this realisation, and at one point if given the chance to take back control of his own destiny, but can Kyoji break free from the pull of the waves?

Food for thought
Our actions always have consequences beyond what we can initially see.

Special Features (not reviewed)
• Making of.
• Cast and crew interviews.
• Trailers.

A Good Year

Rating: M - Contains Offensive Language.
Duration: 112 mins.
Genre: Drama.
Actors: Russell Crowe, Albert Finney, Tom Hollander, Abbie Cornish, Richard Coyle, Freddie Highmore, Archie Panjabi, Giannina Facio.
Director: Ridley Scott.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
Highly successful investment expert, Max Skinner, inherits the vineyard of his childhood when his estranged uncle dies. Intending to sell the vineyard as quickly as possible, he takes leave to visit and sort out the legal requirements, but along the way rediscovers the magic of his childhood…

The Reality
A Good Year in reality is light fluff, with no real substance. It’s a predictable if somewhat charming, occasionally funny drama.

Russell Crowe plays the part of Max Skinner, an investment expert who plays hard and fast and is at the top of his game. He likes to live in the fast lane, and settling down isn’t in his plans.

So when his estranged uncle dies and leaves him the French Villa and Vineyard where he spent most of his childhood, only one thing comes to mind: how much can I get for it.

Of course to sell it he has to take a – gasp – holiday and re-visit the Villa and sort through the legal procedures.

As predictable as they come, not everything goes according to plan and Max starts a gradual change in his outlook on life.

It’s pretty much movies – and acting – by the numbers, but does make for an easy, enjoyable night on the couch.

Food for thought
Is it time you re-visited your childhood?

Special Features
• Audio commentary with director Ridley Scott and Marc Klein
• Behind the scenes
• Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe Promo
• Music videos

There’s not much in the special features, the Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe Promo is nothing short of a cheesy infomercial for the movie, the commentary plays like two men discussing their conquests, and the music video’s are all of Russ and his band.

The West Wing Season Six

Rating: PG - Contains Adult Themes.
Duration: 910 mins.
Genre: Television, Drama.
Actors: Allison Janney, Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, John Spencer, Richard Schiff, Stockard Channing, Joshua Malina.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
The West Wing provides a glimpse into presidential politics in the US capital as it tells the stories of the members of a fictional presidential administration. These interesting characters have humour and dedication that touches the heart while the politics that they discuss touch on everyday life…

The Reality
Season Six hits the ground running as we follow on from the Season Five cliff-hanger. Colin and Josh stay at Donna’s bedside, whist the Bartlet administration struggles over what kind of a response is appropriate.

But in reality this is all just high-tension candyfloss, a transition between the two seasons, just enough of a high octane hit to get you drawn back into the series.

Not that any long time fan would need an excuse to get back into the West Wing, especially as fans are only all too aware that Jed Bartlett has little over a year before he has to step down, and the series as a whole will have to face a serious dilemma.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Season Six is probably one of the most unique since the whole concept of the West Wing as thrust upon us many years ago. It’s time for massive change as new presidential hopefuls rise up, as the country gears up for a year of campaigning. Well known and loved members of the Bartlet team will have to make some tough choices as the focus gets split between Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlet, and Presidential hopefuls played by Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda.

But as the Bartlet team fractures and changes, the President still has a country to run, and politics to play.

All in all, Season Six is probably one of the most diverse and interesting so far, and only sets fans up for a roller coaster ride in Season Seven.

But what is it that makes the West Wing so compelling. What gives it its legs to lead it into a seventh season? Possibly it’s the intrigue of the behind the doors working of the White House, the great story writing and lovable characters. Perhaps it’s also the fact that the writers never go down the usual TV series trap of rampant relationships and sex between the key characters, and this is something that I believe makes for series that resonates with authenticity.

Food for thought
Jed Bartlet is surrounded by advisors to keep him honest, who keeps you honest?

Special Features
None

Keane

Rating: R16 - Contains Drug Use & Sex Scenes.
Duration: 90 mins.
Genre: Psychological, Thriller.
Actors: Damian Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Stephen Henderson, Tina Holmes, Amy Ryan.
Director: Lodge Kerrigan.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
After losing his daughter at a bus terminal, distraught New York father William Keane’s life spirals out of control. Using drugs and alcohol to numb the pain, Keane’s life is on a downward spiral into the darkness of mental instability. Then he befriends Lynn Bedik and her 7-year-old daughter, Kira and suddenly his life has purpose again…

The Reality
Damian Lewis, made famous through the Band of Brothers TV series, seems a little out of place. With my fanatical Band of Brothers viewings, I can only see him as Dick Winters.

But Lewis does an admirable job of Keane, a man who seems like he has mild autism, as well as a life spiralling out of control. As a vignette of mental instability following a traumatic loss, Keane does a great job. The movie is riveting.

Riveting up to a point. Unfortunately after a while, you’re left wondering if this is all the movie has to offer, and like the recent 2:37 the final scenes of the movie nearly save it from being an abysmal waste of time, but for most people this will be too little, way to late.

On one level it’s hard to say where the movie goes wrong, as subconsciously we know that this is true to life, this is what does happen, but then maybe that’s just it. Our voyeuristic tendencies want to be titillated, teased and entertained. Keane on the other hand wants to reveal the mundane life of one who has lost everything, and doesn’t seem to be able to find the way back.

Or possibly want to.

There’s a good chance that I’ve missed some subtle subplot, that further viewings would uncover, but Keane doesn’t really jump out and grab me, screaming ‘watch me again, fool!’ and as such, will just collect dust on my shelf.

Food for thought
Is loosing everything the end, or just a new beginning?

Special Features:
None.

Blood Diamond

Rating: R16 - Depicts Graphic & Realistic War Scenes.
Duration: 143 mins.
Genre: Action & Adventure.
Actors: Michael Sheen, Jennifer Connelly, Arnold Vosloo, Djimon Hounsou, Jimi Mistry, Stephen Collins, Leonardo DiCaprio, Basil Wallace, Marius Weyers, Ato Essandoh, Kasigo Kuypers.
Director: Edward Zwick.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
Set during Sierra Leone's bloody civil war in 1999, the paths of Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler and Solomon, a local fisherman cross and Danny sees a quick way to early retirement…

The Reality
Blood Diamond is one of those rare movies that does three things. It entertains you, makes you think about what’s going on and challenges you to change the way you live.

Some people might come away from the movie and question how such a violent movie could ever be called entertainment, but they’d be missing the point; movies are entertainment, it’s up to us (primarily) or the directors (rarely) to make something more out of the movie experience.

With Blood Diamond even the most cynical movie goer will realise that something is wrong with the way the world operates after witnessing the brutality of this fictional tale of Solomon and his journey to find his son.

During Sierra Leone's civil war, the RUF (Revolution United Front, the rebel army) decided that because the Government was going to allow the people to use their right hand to vote, they would go from village to village, killing people or cutting off their right hands.

Solomon and his family are lucky, he manages to help his family escape but is captured himself, but because he is a fisherman, his strong physique makes him useful to the rebels, and they force him to work in a diamond mine.

One day he finds and incredibly rare and valuable blood diamond and miraculously manages to hide it.

What he doesn’t know however is that on their journey to the refugee camps, his wife and daughter get separated from their only son, who is grabbed by the rebels and inducted into their child army.

When government forces attack the mining camp, Solomon is captured and put in prison where he meets up with Danny, who promises to help him find his family in return for the location of the Blood Diamond.

The problem is its people like Danny who are helping the rebels, through smuggling arms for diamonds. The rebels use the diamonds to buy guns then steals the children to fight for their cause.

It’s a vicious circle, without the diamonds, the conflict may never have started, but Sierra Leone would be a poor country.

Blood Diamond manages to show with extreme clarity the destructive nature of greed, on all levels. Though without wanting to give away too much, the movie does offer up a decent serving of hope by the end of the story.

Food for thought
Who’s paying for your easy life?

Special Features:
• Director’s Commentary
• Theatrical Trailer
• Blood on the Stone (50m) – Follow the path of a diamond from the ground to the store.
• Becoming Archer – A profile of Leonardo DiCaprio and how he trained for the war.
• Journalism on the Front Line – Jennifer Connelly on Women Journalists at war.
• Inside the Siege of Freetown (– See how Ed Zwick tackled the pivotal scene.
• Music Video, “Shine On Em” by Nas

I’ve yet to watch all of the special features on this two disc special edition, but I can say that one you have to watch is Blood on the Stone, a budget documentary that goes to Sierra Leone to see if anything really has changed in the world of illegal diamonds.