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?