After making a name from himself in the horror film genre, film director Adam Wingard is treading into uncharted territory with psychological thriller ‘The Guest’. While the filmmaker breaks free from the creepy, the starring actor Dan Stevens breaks free from the Crawley as he leaves behind his Downton reputation to become a slick-haired dangerous man of mystery. When soldier David Collins (Stevens) turns up at the door of the grieving Peterson family, struggling after the death of their son Caleb, he isn’t initially met with a warm welcome by all. Agreeing to stay for a couple of days, he extends a helping hand, sorting out their problems one-by-one. But why? While mother, father and son warm to David’s charms, Anna (Maika Monroe), the teenager daughter of the clan, has her suspicions over the true identity of their new houseguest and his seemingly selfless actions, but by the time she discovers his motives, will it be too late?
Category: DVD & Digital
Reviews of the latest UK DVD & Digital releases.
DVD review: The Inbetweeners 2
It’s usually a risk for popular television programmes to make the jump to the big screen but in 2011, The Inbetweeners made it look easy. Would a sequel have the same outcome or should they have quit while they were ahead? Three years later, but set only a matter of months after the predecessor, the boys are back for another outing. University life hasn’t been all that it was cracked up to be for Will (Simon Bird) and Simon (Joe Thomas), meanwhile Neil (Blake Harrison) is missing the friendly camaraderie, or the ‘epic bantz’ as he would put it. To escape what has become a mundane existence, the three decide to take a trip down under to visit their friend Jay (James Buckley), who is knee-deep in clunge as one of Sydney’s premier DJs…or so he says. With more immature gags than you could shake a knob at, this British comedy brings us more of the same.
As well as the humour, the key to the success of The Inbetweeners is how relatable the four central characters are, despite the cringeworthy situations they regularly find themselves in. Out of school, you would think it’d be a challenge to maintain this but by tapping into the travelling culture, and the snobbery around it, it is an intelligent step forward. Many of us lucky to be in our early-to-mid-twenties will be all too familiar with the pretentious, ‘spiritual’ types who take a gap year to find themselves, only to return and tell us about the amazing vibes that we wouldn’t really understand.
The writers clearly know their target audience and get this satire spot on, down to the last dreadlock. Will’s clashes with backpacker Ben provide highlights as they vie for the attention of Will’s old school friend Lucy. In terms of plot development, a lot is left to be desired as the story moves from one embarrassing set piece to the next, before spending a little longer in the outback than the scene deserved. While there are probably less big laughs than the first film, there are still a lot of chuckles, particularly down to the gormless idiot Neil who enjoys most of the best one-liners.
It’s the norm in teen-comedies for the actors to be older than the characters, and though this is no different, they have kept up a youthfulness to get away with it. All four are around a decade older than their alter-egos, yet the evident friendship off screen helps this come across on screen as they wind each other up with typical antics such as name-calling, nudging and announcing your pal as a paedophile at a children’s water park ride. Not all typical then, but undoubtedly the connection between the famous foursome is as close as ever, and actually offers up a few nearly touching moments as they share their tales of woe.
So what’s next for The Inbetweeners? Will we see them complete their transition to adulthood with marriages and kids like the American Pie lot, churning out countless unnecessary instalments and spin-offs? I sincerely hope not. If this is to be their last hurrah, they will bow out on a deserved high point. The latest effort is unlikely to bring an abundance of new fans aboard, but for us existing ones, it’s a must-see.
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DVD review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Three years ago, the long-running apes franchise underwent a series of tests, receiving a prequel injection to bring it into the modern day. The sequel to the prequel, set a decade later, is ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’. A simian flu virus born from scientific experimentation has spread across the globe, causing widespread destruction and the collapse of human civilisation. With earth’s resources running out, time is limited and man’s desperation threatens to lead to war with an army of apes who have formed an organised ‘ape not kill ape’ democracy since they were liberated by their leader Caesar, the key survivor from the original. Directed by Matt Reeves, this blockbuster is packed with action and stunning special effects but also has bags of intelligence, making it not only a hugely entertaining but thought-provoking follow up.
The conflict simmers quietly for a while as we are welcomed into Caesar’s carefully constructed environment in the opening section of the film. We are introduced to his friends and his growing family, and simply marvel at the highly impressive CGI work on display as the apes learn the lingo and ride around on horses. It’s a while before we are confronted with a human face, which is unimportant due to the fact that the apes arguably have more character, each of the new characters stamping their own identities in the story and proving to be much more interesting than the humans.
The expected man vs. ape dynamic is implemented, triggered by fear of what harm the other race could do to their chances of survival, but this dynamic cleverly twists to become less straightforward when morals come into play. Very soon it’s man vs. ape, man vs. man, ape vs. ape and it’s difficult not to have ounce of sympathy for each and every one of them at one point or another, no matter how skewed their views become.
Andy Serkis is known for bringing big screen computer-generated creatures to life, highly thought of for his work as Gollum in Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth epics, and with Caesar, he puts in another astounding performance. Nods to his past are touching without being overcooked, and Serkis deserves heaps of credit for the portrayal. Likewise is Toby Kebbell, the man behind Caesar’s tortured adversary Koba; an ape with nothing but hatred for humans who lashes out when Caesar offers them a helping hand. The apes really do outshine the male counterparts, and while Jason Clarke and Gary Oldman aren’t bad in their roles, they ultimately fill the places necessary to carry the plot forward.
With good and bad on both sides, ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ refuses to offer up the easy choice between man and ape. Instead, we are asked to identify with both through the exploration of families, friendships, loyalties and perhaps most importantly fear. It’s a complex battle which is set to kick off in the next instalment. In terms of entertainment value alone, the apes reign supreme in this visually impressive picture. At the end of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, we had tracked a lovable chimp’s development to intelligent ape. Now he is a fully fledged hero. All hail Caesar.
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DVD review: 22 Jump Street
After the huge success of 21 Jump Street in 2012, it came as no surprise that developments were soon underway for a sequel. Would it live up to the original or will it be doomed to become yet another unimaginative paint-by-numbers comedy follow-up? In a way, both boxes are ticked but the self-awareness of repeating the formula cleverly causes the audience laugh at and with the film simultaneously. The first saw cop duo Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) go undercover in a high school to investigate a drug problem, based on a 1987 television series. This time around, they do the same, but in a college! Hardly a leap forward in plot development, as the writers and characters will be first to admit, but there are more than enough big laughs to make it work.
The budget thrown at a second go becomes a recurring joke and despite the gag, the stronger product value is evident in the film itself also. Proceedings open with a hilariously exhilarating chase sequence and a lot of fun has been had with the freedom of milking the profits of the predecessor. Flavours of other recent pictures of the same ilk are to be found, with the frat-pack humour of Bad Neighbours and a finale in Spring Breakers territory, so it seems the Apatow University alumni still don’t mind referencing the work of friends and collaborators. The directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, are known mainly for their work in animation, such as the Lego Movie, and this unrestricted manner lends a playfulness and creativity to their work. Inventive cuts and transitions often add to the amusement, juxtaposing the styles and statures of the leads, and a whacky split screen trip segment involving a fashionable new drug known as WHYPHY is among the highlights.
Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are both on spectacular form, as Tatum again adapts seamlessly into the improvisational approach to comedy that Hill is associated with. Their partnership, on paper, shouldn’t really be as natural as it appears on screen but you get the feeling that their friendship is genuine which helps the humour on its way. They are joined by a solid supporting cast including Ice Cube who is fantastic as crazed police chief, Dickson. The sub plots are typical but well judged, as are the cameos which get better continuously until the brilliant closing credits which carries the franchise longevity joke further than you could imagine. The magic of ’22 Jump Street’ is that it doesn’t try to be anything it’s not, and because of this, it doesn’t overreach. It already has a winning formula so simply repeats itself, and self-parodies with the wit needed to get away with it, making it the funniest in-joke of the year.
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DVD review: An Alternative Reality: The Football Manager Documentary
A film about a computer game in which you manage a football club might seem like a strange concept but when said game is so integrated in the sport’s language and culture across the globe, it is more than justified. It changed the way fans talk about football and I, like many others – some featured as the talking heads of this insightful documentary – lost hours upon hours of my life to choosing tactics, wages, formations and more for a virtual squad of players. The game has a knack of pulling you in to the point that it nearly takes over everything else. ‘An Alternative Reality’ examines it in great detail, documenting its humble origins through to its current status, finding a satisfyingly healthy balance between being both fun and informative.
Fans of the game are full of anecdotes, and talk passionately about past glories and near misses. We also like to reminisce over the must-have midfield marvels such as Mark Kerr and Renato. An amusing extremist trend has emerged which involves comically suiting up for those all important cup final days. It is this aspect of the film that provides the most entertainment as from musicians such as Jon McClure and Paolo Nutini to players and coaches, everyone has their fond memories. Ex-Cardiff City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær was an avid enthusiast back in his glorious Man United days and used to battle it out with Jordi Cruyff on their many away trips. After this film, you’ll find yourself recalling your own beloved eleven or feeling right in the mood to create new memories as soon as you get the chance.
On a more serious note, the technology and vast research behind the database is discussed at length as well as how the graphics have been improved and enhanced. These sections occasionally verge into dull territory but for die-hard stats fans there is a lot of data to get excited about. Listening to the founding brothers Paul and Oliver Collyer talk about the game alongside studio director Miles Jacobson is fascinating and it is evident that real passion for football as well as the loyal fan base has driven the game forward. Interestingly, Jacobson described the bizarre wonder-kids that never amounted to anything in real life as ‘glitches’ in the abnormally accurate engine but for super-fans, these were gems to behold. In recent times, the developers Sports Interactive have become involved with the real game, allowing clubs to take advantage of the colossal database and precise filters to discover the players with the correct attributes to slot in to vacant positions.
One of the most decorated managers in football history, Bill Shankly famously said ‘Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that’. It is this dedication towards the ‘beautiful game’ that brings supporters together, and a very similar sense of adulation echoes throughout this funny and enlightening cult film. Whether your old favourite side used wingbacks, a playmaker, a false nine or you preferred the classic 4-4-2, prepare to dust off your disc and go back to the drawing board to become addicted all over again…
DVD review: The Fault in our Stars
A tear jerking twist on the young adult trend, The Fault in our Stars, directed by Josh Boone, is a love story which takes place in horrible circumstances. Based on the novel by acclaimed novelist John Green, the film stars Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace Lancaster, a cynical sixteen year old suffering from terminal thyroid cancer. After reluctantly attending a support group in order to please her parents, she meets and subsequently begins a relationship with teenage Augustus Waters, played by Ansel Engort, who is recovering from bone cancer after having his leg amputated. The same themes are explored as your ordinary teen romantic comedy, but with an underlying sadness as a black cloud looms over the star crossed lovers.
The girl-meets-boy element of the plot stays very much within our expectations, with subtle glances, long awaited text messages, the awkward meeting of the parents and terrible dialogue. Comic book-esque speech bubbles are used to represent the iMessages exchanged in an attempt to appear fresh and modern, but I felt it left it looking a little Nickelodeon. John Green wrote his book through Hazel’s perspective and her character is very well written. She is complex, funny, and translates credibly on screen as a sympathetic protagonist. Her narration provides a fascinating insight into her thoughts as she battles her demons. Augustus on the other hand is designed to be arrogant and cocky on first impression, before melting hearts with his profound wit and charm. Personally, I found him irritating, immature and his sense of humour was painfully out of date.
Hazel and Augustus share an interest in a fictional book called An Imperial Affliction by mysterious author Peter van Houten, as they can both identify strongly with his lead. This provides an interesting subplot where they seek out van Houten, who lives in Amsterdam in recluse, in search of answers to some unfinished questions. The city serves as a beautiful backdrop as the couple enjoy a weekend adventure to track down their inspiration. Willem Dafoe portrays the alcoholic writer and gives a shockingly strong performance, as his warped outlook on life highlights the harsh realities of Hazel’s grim situation.
The film is at its most powerful though when dealing with the Lancaster family dynamic, and scenes between mother and daughter are touching, despite the score being heavily engineered throughout to make audiences weep. Laura Dern puts in a highly experienced turn as her mother, trying to cope with the fact that her daughter will be taken away before her time. Woodley impresses and commands the film with ease, asserting herself as an actress in high demand off the back of her leading role in Divergent. Her performance alone makes the film worth seeing if you don’t mind having your heartstrings tugged to the point that they nearly break.
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DVD review: The Anomaly
Noel Clarke must be one of the busiest men currently working in British cinema. If his time isn’t taken up working on his own projects, he’s appearing in blockbusters or hit television shows. His actor-turned-film-maker story is inspiring and his ambition is admirable. In his third feature in the director’s chair, he steps out of his grimy comfort zone for sci-fi action thriller ‘The Anomaly’. As well as directing and co-producing, Clarke stars as Ryan, an ex-soldier who becomes subject to a bizarre scientific experiment. After waking up in the back of a van, he finds that he is only consciously himself for approximately ten minutes before his body is taken over and he loses control. He then awakens again, having missed out whole chunks of time and finding himself in an array of different scenarios. If this all sounds a little confusing, that’s because it is.
The story is initially set in the futuristic cities of London and New York full of flying advertising and shiny things but without the budget and production skills of finer ultramodern adventures, the future has never looked so dated. In between the time hops are clunky fight sequences involving Russian gangsters and the like, where Ryan, against the odds, punches and kicks himself out of bother. These scenes are shot at a distracting pace, sped up and then slowed right down for the big hits, like the finishing moves in nineties videogame Tekken. It’s like watching The Raid on hallucinogens. A romantic subplot slides in where he befriends a hooker who quickly develops deft gunmanship and athleticism. Both having suffered a raw loss in their lives, they form an alliance to overturn the criminal exercise cooked up by a father and son partnership who seemingly want to take control of everyone in the world, but for no apparent reason.
Throughout the repetitive structure, Noel Clarke’s acting performance is frustratingly one-dimensional. He perfects a look of bemusement every time he wakes up somewhere different, despite the fact that it has happened time and time again. Before long, he figures out the ploy against him, involving Brian Cox, the father of the father and son villainous duo, wired up in a glass bubble and attempts to outsmart his foes. The son, played by Ian Somerhalder, is effective as a smarmy know-it-all in a suit, acting tough but ultimately wanting to please his father. He crops up in the various situations, serving as the stereotypical baddie.
Overstretching it in terms of the complicated plotting, ‘The Anomaly’ struggles to achieve the same authenticity that the director’s previous features have had. The dialogue is very clichéd and lacks punch, perhaps because Clarke himself was not on writing duties this time around. To see a change in focus from expectations is refreshing, if flawed, and results in little more than forgettable popcorn fodder. Hopefully a return to his excellent urban crime background will right this wrong.
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DVD review: Godzilla
2014 marks another year filled with reboots and sequels, many unwanted and frankly unnecessary but Godzilla’s return to the big screen has been met with only intrigue and excitement. The trailers have teased and the hype has quickly became monumental but would this new imagining of the classic fable rid all memory of Roland Emmerich’s nineties interpretation, which is widely regarded as a misfire? The director this time is the relatively inexperienced Gareth Edwards, who gained widespread recognition after his low-budget hit Monsters. With the big budget he now has at his disposal, he has assembled an all star ensemble including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston who all ultimately play second fiddle to the stunning CGI on show and the Godzilla himself, of course.
Respectful to the origins of the story, Gareth Edwards chooses to build around his characters and story first, and really makes us wait for the monster reveal. The plot revolves around the Brody family, headed by former nuclear plant worker Joe who has a conspiracy theory linked with what appeared to be a natural disaster at his place of work fifteen years previously. His son Ford, an explosives expert, hesitantly decides to take notice of his father’s claims, flying to Japan to meet him, and they become embroiled in a fight for survival whilst doting wife Elle is left in San Francisco keeping up with the developments via breaking news bulletins.
The human element of the film slow burns into insignificance, falling to the waste side as it is belittled by the colossal beasts around it. When a Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism, or a MUTO as it’s referred to, becomes free to roam in big city, the real spectacle begins. The pterodactyl-like creature is visually impressive and once we see a boss fight collision in the brilliantly choreographed final act, it is an aesthetic feast as well as a marvel in sound design. See this in on the largest screen possible and it’ll be worth it for the roar-off alone! Sentiment shines through in the eponymous monster, almost humanising Godzilla and really fleshing out his character despite the unfortunately concise screen time he is given. This signifies a tip of the hat in homage to the historical background of the pop culture icon.
As far as the acting goes, the big name cast unsurprisingly struggle to leave a lasting impact in the shadows of the giants. Cranston is solid enough, as is Elizabeth Olsen with what material they have to work with. Taylor-Johnson has bulked up but where muscle has been added, fun and emotion have passed to make way to create a rather emotionless hero and I struggled to connect with his personal circumstances. Members of the supporting cast feel even more meaningless, with David Strathairn and Sally Hawkins criminally underused. Ken Watanabe serves the purpose to deliver the scientist’s ‘we call him Godzilla’ line that fan-boys will be waiting for but does very little else other than perfecting a horrified expression in reaction to the carnage that ensues before him.
As an action piece, Godzilla is a remarkable technical achievement, and is as thrilling and entertaining as you would expect from a modern adaptation. It sadly falls down a few plotholes and lacks a powerhouse performance to lift the human aspect. Despite this, Gareth Edwards has furthered his reputation as a filmmaker and given the project a sense of intelligence as well as having the sensational set-pieces. The legend has a new lease of life, and with a sequel in the pipeline, this could be the start of an exciting new series of monster movies.
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DVD review: Cold in July
Laden with neon, synth and mullets, Jim Mickle’s latest film ‘Cold in July’ is a stylish throwback to the eighties, adapted from a novel of the same name by Joe R. Lansdale. Michael C. Hall, who is known for playing cool serial killer Dexter, stars as Richard Dane, an honest family man who confronts a house intruder in the opening scene. The suspenseful start sets up an interesting premise, as threatening criminal Ben (Sam Shepard) begins to torment Richard and his loved ones. This raises questions around carrying a firearm for protection in the home, and the consequences that this form of self defence can present. This slow-burning thriller is full of potential but descends into ridiculousness, as the directorial vision becomes somewhat blurred.
Starting with a Cape Fear atmosphere, with Sam Shepard in the haunting Max Cady type role, before turning into something more along the lines of Dukes of Hazzard, writer director Mickle has very clear, if mismatched, influences for this project. Jeff Grace’s electronic score has strong flavours of the work of Cliff Martinez, who provided the sounds for Drive and Only God Forgives. Comparisons aside, the story has pacing issues and takes too long to get anywhere. Around halfway, an unorthodox investigator Jim Bob Luke, played brilliantly by Don Johnson, is added to the fray and certainly brings with him a much needed dose of adrenaline. His snappy sense of humour distracts from the shoddy character development but after a while, it becomes hard to see the motives in any of the protagonists as they join forces to bring down an snuff-video operation.
‘Cold in July’ is not without its strong points, and is very successful at building tension. I can’t remember being as gripped as I was watching the first couple of scenes. The performances are suitably solid also, with each of the three big names bringing another dimension. The problem is that the elements that their characters provide feel as though they belong in three separate films. Somewhere the recipe turns sour. The inventive and attractive cinematography will only hold the attention of the audience for so long but ultimately, the unnerving chill becomes an irritating draught.
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DVD review: Two Days, One Night (Deux Jours, une nuit)
Film is often celebrated for the sense of escapism it provides, the enclosed darkened rooms of the cinema proving a welcomed distraction from the outside world. In comparison to this theory, the Belgian directing brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne are known for their naturalistic style, presenting real life issues on the cinematic stage. Their latest effort, ‘Two Days, One Night’ highlights the problems within the social economic system not only in the small French town in which it is set, but globally. Marion Cotillard stars as the depression stricken mother Sandra who returns to work after a leave of absence at a solar panel plant to find that her colleagues have chosen to accept a bonus instead of her keeping her minimum wage job. She has the weekend, as the title suggests, to overturn the vote, approaching them one by one in a desperate plea to save her livelihood.
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