The Simpsons Movie

Because of my role with FilmGuide I've been able to attend a number of media screenings of movies, the most recent of which was The Simpsons Movie.

The Simpsons Movie was an absolute ball, the funniest movie I have seen for some time. It starts off brilliantly, and keeps the odd ball laughs going for the entire movie, even throughout the closing credits. Yes, throughout. This isn't a lame movie like POTC that adds a cheesy scene at the end to 'reward' people who watch credits, it's a movie that continues through the entire credits. Go watch it today, and read Josh's review over at FilmGuide.

The down side with my working for FilmGuide of course is that I don't have as much time for this blog, but I promise to start regular posting again!

A Mighty Heart

Rating:
Duration: 100 mins.
Genre: Drama.
Actors: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi, Will Patton, Irfan Khan, Sajid Hasan, Aly Khan, Denis O'Hare.
Director: Michael Winterbottom.
Release Date: Selected dates during the NZFF, general release 18 October 2007.

Synopsis
On January 23, 2002, Mariane Pearl's world changed forever. Her husband Daniel, South Asia bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal, was researching a story on shoe bomber Richard Reid. The story drew them to Karachi where a go-between had promised access to an elusive source. As Danny left for the meeting, he told Mariane he might be late for dinner. He never returned…

The Reality
Being the opening film for the 2007 New Zealand Film Festival, A Mighty Heart was never going to be an action spectacular, despite the lead role going to Hollywood darling, Angelina Jolie.

Rather it’s a taught drama, paced brilliantly by both Winterbottom’s directing and Jolie’s grasp on her characters strengths, stamina and emotional character.

In fact one could possibly say it’s Angelina Jolie’s best performance to date.

Of course without the story line and the ensemble of supporting cast Jolie’s acting would have been for nought.

Frustratingly confusing at times, the storyline becomes a jumble of flash backs, imaginations and repetitive actions by the Pakistani police, but rather than inhibit the story telling, it illuminates perfectly the tangled web of lies, confusion, pride and inability that plagued the various groups represented, in their dire attempts to find out who has kidnapped Daniel Pearl.

Visually the movie is a mishmash of authentic news footage, home video style flashbacks and on the run, shoot-from-the-hip filming. In any other movie, this would be jarringly unacceptable, but in A Mighty Heart it only adds to the realness and frustrations felt by Mariane Pearl as she struggles to keep her head above water.

A brilliant, powerful, through provoking movie.

Food for thought
In reality, it all boils down to religious conviction, if we got rid of religion, the world would be at peace, right?

Invincible

Rating: PG - Contains Low Level Offensive Language.
Duration: 100 mins.
Genre: Drama, Sports.
Actors: Greg Kinnear, Kevin Conway, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Nouri, Michael Rispoli, Elizabeth Banks, Kirk Acevedo.
Director: Ericson Core.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
Inspiring sports movie starring Mark Wahlberg as a Philadelphia Eagles fan who lost his wife and his teaching job. He decides one day to show up for an open tryout for his favourite NFL team, only to see his wildest dreams come true…

The Reality
The first thing I noticed whilst watching Invincible was the colour. Everything seemed to be infused with the colour yellow. Yellow, normally associated with cowardice, was the flavour of this true story of an underdog who over came everything thrown at him, to live the dream.

But cowardice is not the theme of the movie, nor is it what yellow conjures up in this instance. Yellow is the colour of age, of authenticity. It’s used to make the film feel like you’re watching something from the 70’s. Of course the imagery and sound is crisp and clean, but the colour alone keeps you grounded in the 70’s and gives the story a genuine feel.

Being based on a true story, the feel is an important factor, and this alone turned the movie from a ‘oh well, lets watch this one’ to a ‘hey, this is looking interesting’ kind of movie that took my attention for the entire 100 minute run time.

Sure it’s predictable, and anyone with any knowledge of American Football probably knows the entire story, but it’s a great feel good movie that shows that nothing is impossible, so long as your give it your all, heart, body and soul.

It’s exactly what Mark Wahlberg seems to be doing as well as he creates a convincing figure in the role of Vince Papale, in what could have been just another play by the numbers Disney flick.

An inspirational tale for the whole family.

Food for thought
The only thing Vince’s wife left him was the phone and a note that proclaimed he’d never make anything of himself. It’s this note that Vince holds onto as he tries out, and makes the cut for the Eagles. But as well as spurring him on initially, it plays him like a cancerous disease, eating him alive on the inside. It’s not until he finally lets go of the note, and believes in himself that he is able to shine. Don’t hold on to cutting remarks from people who have no faith in you, instead focus on the one who created you, and believe in yourself.

Special Features (not reviewed)
• Becoming Invincible: The Story of Vince Papale
• Audio Commentaries

Shadowrun

Rating: R16 - Restricted to persons 16 years and over.
Console: Xbox 360

Initial thoughts
Microsoft’s Shadowrun sought to unite Xbox 360 console gamers with Microsoft Vista computer gamers in the first game to be able to be played by both different pieces of hardware in the same game. This in itself is an interesting feat and worthy achievement all on it’s own. However one could argue that it’s only self serving as in only unties Microsoft controlled players with, um, well, Microsoft controlled players. One could also argue that with something in the region of 7 Million online players, Xbox live doesn’t really need computer gamers invading its turf.

So just what is Shadowrun? Apparently it’s based on a 1989 pen-and-paper RPG and essentially has been given a Counter Strike makeover to bring it into the 21st century.

Sadly that just about sums it up.

After some training levels, that help you come to grips with some of the unique attributes you can give your character (walking through walls anyone?) it’s onto the game-play.

What? No single player campaign? Just the ability to play against (and with) bots? Now that’s not a very deep concept. With the enticing subject of an ongoing battle for control of some magical artefacts, I was expecting a campaign where my magical abilities depended on gaining control of the artefacts as the game progressed.

Sadly what could have been a fast paced single player game with on-line playability, shrunk into an online only game.

Now that I’ve played it a bit more
Fortunately I’ve got a one month trial on Xbox Live and was able to play online. It certainly shows it’s true colours online, and as such is a strong game with many unique features.

Graphically it’s impressive, though parents be warned – this is an adult game, as there is blood galore. It is after all a first person shooter at heart, and the name of the game is to destroy your opponent’s team in any manner possible.

Longevity
Sadly Shadowrun just didn’t cut it for me personally in the long run. I’ve played a fair bit of Call of Duty 3 since getting Xbox Live, and the ability to re-spawn means that the games are longer and there is less waiting around watching the games finish. Of course to be honest, I’d always choose a World War Two FPS shooter over anything futuristic, so with that in mind, I’ll say that Shadowrun is a great game to keep your skills sharp whilst you wait fro Halo 3 to hit the stores.

Flags of our Fathers

Rating: R15 - Depicts Graphic & Realistic War Scenes.
Duration: 132 mins.
Genre: War.
Actors: Jesse Bradford, Paul Walker, Ryan Phillippe, Neal McDonough, Jamie Bell, Robert Patrick, Adam Beach, John Benjamin Hickey, John Slattery.
Director: Clint Eastwood.
Release Date: Available Now.

Synopsis
Based on the book of the same name, Flags of our Fathers reconstructs the events that preceded and followed the infamous photograph taken on Iwo Jima that came to symbolize the U.S. troops' triumph and America's indestructible spirit.

The Reality
Flags of our Fathers is an interesting movie. Interesting as it does not sit happily in the standard war movie genre. In an approach that almost causes too much confusion for it’s own good, the story is told through a series of multi-level flash backs, from the training, to the assault on Iwo Jima, through the Seventh War Bond Tour right too the present day.

It’s certainly more of a movie for history buffs than straight out war movie fans, as a lot of the focus is on three individuals who are basically forced to become heroes and tour the US selling War Bonds.

We get to see just how these three men became the focus of the whole country, and how the war, combined with this instant hero-dom, along with their own value systems, plagued each of them in different ways.

The movie shows how a culture celebrates the heroes (living) whilst not wanting anything to do with those that payed the ultimate price.

By the end of the movie, the confusing layers of flashbacks have all but been forgotten as we have gotten used to the technique and realise their necessity. We are left now to dwell on the events that took place, and reflect on their meaning in the fresh light of what we have seen.

Visually Flags is spectacular, far better than Saving Private Ryan, and just as gruesomely realistic, whilst being desolate and uninspiring at the same time – though only because the landscape of Iwo Jima was desolate and moonscape like.

As a complete package, it has its flaws, but despite it’s very different approach, will sit amongst the top ten war movies of all time.

Food for thought
Do you fight for your life or for the truth?

Special Features (not reviewed)
• An Introduction by Clint Eastwood
• Words on the Page - Clint Eastwood along with screenwriters Paul Haggis, William Broyles and writer James Bradley discuss the creation of the book and the adaptation of the script, along with the challenges and victories each possessed.
• Six Brave Men - Clint Eastwood and the key cast members introduce us to the real- life characters portrayed in the film; including their roles in the historic events and their relationships to one another.
• The Making of an Epic - Led by Clint Eastwood, we take an inside look at the creation of the film with many of the key players involve d, including the production design with Henry Bumstead; the photography with Tom Stern; editorial with Joel Cox; and the rest of the team that brought this epic film together.
• Raising the Flag - Clint Eastwood and key cast members discuss reenacting the historic flag-raising on Iwo Jima.
• Visual Effects - The visual effects team (including visual effects supervisor Michael Owens, and Julian Levi and Mathew Butler of Digital Domain) discusses the approach and creation of the “invisible” digital effects in the film, including before and after examples, as well as the various steps taken to realize them.
• Looking into the Past - A documentary, real- life look at the battle, the two flag raisings at Iwo Jima and the resulting bond tour, using historical footage and newsreels.
• Theatrical Trailer