DVD review: Power Rangers

April 17, 2017July 9, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

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As modern cinema continues to churn out reboots, remakes and superhero movies, it was inevitable that we would see the Power Rangers reintroduction to the big screen. Adapting the 90s kid’s television series this time around is Dean Israelite, with his second feature in the director’s chair. The plot follows a motley crue of societal outcasts who develop superpowers after a near death experience. Jason (Dacre Montgomery), Billy (RJ Cyler), Kimberly (Naomi Scott), Zack (Ludi Lin) and Trini (Becky G) are led to discover that they will become the next Power Rangers, and with the help of their mentor Zordon (Bryan Cranston) and his robotic assistant Alpha 5 (Bill Hader), they must come together to foil the wicked plans of their nemesis Rita (Elizabeth Banks) to save Angel Grove from destruction.

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DVD review: Ghost in the Shell

April 6, 2017July 11, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

Of all the arts, anime arguably has one of the largest cult followings so news that one of its quintessential pieces was to be adapted into a live-action picture was met with bated breath by much of the fan-base. Stepping up to the plate to direct science-fiction fable Ghost in the Shell is Rupert Sanders with what is just his second feature. Set in a vibrant dystopian future, the story centres around Major Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson) who, after narrowly surviving a terrorist attack, has her brain inserted into a robotic body with powerful cybernetic enhancements. Designed to become a crime-fighting soldier by intelligence firm Hanka Robotics, she is assigned to track down and kill a mysterious hacker known only as Kuze (Michael Pitt) who has been infiltrating the company’s systems.

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DVD review: Life

April 3, 2017July 11, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

After proving to be more than capable in a number of different genres, Swedish director Daniel Espinosa delves into challenging sci-fi horror territory with Life. The story follows the studies of scientists aboard the International Space Station, on an explorative mission to find life on Mars. Led by Russian commander Katerina Golovkina (Olga Dihovichnaya), the crew consists of Dr David Jordan (Jake Gyllenhaal), pilot Rory (Ryan Reynolds), quarantine officer Miranda (Rebecca Ferguson), engineer Sho (Hiroyuki Sanada) and biologist Hugh (Ariyon Bakare). The team are initially delighted by their groundbreaking discovery of a living organism, which is later named Calvin, but are soon put in danger when it rapidly grows outwith their control.

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DVD review: Get Out

March 29, 2017October 27, 2024 Garry Arnot4 Comments

When films are described and discussed, we have a tendency to pigeonhole them into categories, grouping those of similar style or genre together. Every now and then, projects come along that are so refreshingly original that it proves to be more challenging to pin them down in this way, and that is definitely the case with Get Out. Written and directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Jordan Peele, the story centres around Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young African-American man who is invited by his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) to spend the weekend at her parents’ house. Despite his reservations that he may be treated differently because of the colour of his skin, he arrives at the suburban country home of surgeon Dean (Bradley Whitford) and psychiatrist Missy (Catherine Keener), where he is introduced to their black servants.

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DVD review: Free Fire

March 14, 2017July 11, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

We’ve come to expect the unexpected from the eclectic films of indie filmmaker Ben Wheatley, as his rule-defying style can twist and mould genre conventions to fit his dark directorial visions. His latest project, which he co-wrote with his wife Amy Jump, is 70s crime caper Free Fire. The action unfolds over just one night in a derelict umbrella warehouse in Boston, Massachusetts. When business associates Chris (Cillian Murphy) and Frank (Michael Smiley) team up with facilitator Justine (Brie Larson) for a dodgy deal with Vernon (Sharlto Copley), Ord (Armie Hammer) and their squad of gun-runners, the tension is palpable. Not even so-called allies fully trust one another, let alone enemies so when an argument breaks out, a brutal shoot-out ensues.

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DVD review: Lady Macbeth

March 9, 2017July 11, 2019 Garry Arnot1 Comment

William Oldroyd’s creative background lies in the theatre, and in what is just his second film as director, he takes on the challenge of adapting Nikolai Leskov’s novella Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District into a British period drama. Simply shortening the title to Lady Macbeth, the plot follows young bride Katherine (Florence Pugh) who is forced into a loveless, violent marriage with Alexander (Paul Hilton). Trapped in the huge house she was bought with, she rebels against her wicked father-in-law Boris (Christopher Fairbank) and his rules when she embarks on a passionate affair with stable-boy Sebastian (Cosmo Jarvis), and goes to great lengths to escape the existence that has befallen her.

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DVD review: Personal Shopper

February 25, 2017July 22, 2019 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

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Following on from the critical acclaim of his previous feature Clouds of Sils Maria, the French writer and director Olivier Assayas reunites with actress Kristen Stewart for psychological thriller Personal Shopper. Set in Paris’ fashion underworld, Maureen Cartwright (Stewart) scoots around the city in her Vespa, picking up glamorous items of clothing and jewellery for Kyra (Nora von Waldstätten), her materialistic model client. She is also a medium, grieving the recent sudden death of her twin brother and awaiting a sign from beyond the grave.

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DVD review: Moonlight

February 21, 2017August 25, 2021 Garry Arnot2 Comments

Film narratives can often be broken down into what is known as the three-act-structure, split into the setup, confrontation and resolution, or more commonly the beginning, middle and end. In what is just his second feature, based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, writer and director Barry Jenkins implements this storytelling composition in a very definitive way.

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DVD review: The Lego Batman Movie

February 16, 2017March 10, 2022 Garry ArnotLeave a comment

After the huge success of 2004’s Lego Movie written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the foundations were laid for a lucrative brick-built franchise. The pair return to produce the spin-off which focuses on the caped crusader voiced again by Will Arnett. With the directorial duties picked up by Chris McKay, the story sees Bruce Wayne adopt excitable orphan Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) after some encouragement from his loyal butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) to hang up his cape and cowl for good. However, when his arch-nemesis The Joker (Zach Galifianiakis) hatches a wicked plan that coincides with the appointment of new commissioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), he must take action to protect Gotham City from a gang of super-villains.

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