Win Supernatural: The Anime Series
Preview by Jack Foley
THE first-ever live-action television series to be re-imagined as an anime series, Supernatural: The Anime Series brings a whole new dimension to the internationally acclaimed hit TV phenomenon.
Made with the blessing and creative input of the original show’s creator, Eric Kripke, and featuring the vocal talents of the live-action series stars, this animated series brilliantly covers the events of the first two seasons of Supernatural by recreating many of the original episodes while also introducing a whole batch of brand new material that explores the Winchesters’ previously unseen childhoods and expanding upon the stories of several secondary characters.
Supernatural: The Anime Series is co-directed by Atsuko Ishizuka (Aoi Bungaku; Top Secret – The Revelation; NANA; MONSTER) and Shigeyuki Miya (Lupin III; Blade; Bleach; High School Of The Dead).
Synopsis
Having lost their mother, Mary, under mysterious paranormal circumstances at an early age, young Sam and Dean Winchester are raised by their father, who, driven by revenge, becomes an obsessive hunter and destroyer of supernatural creatures and entities.
Years later, when their father mysteriously disappears and Sam’s girlfriend is killed in similar circumstances as their mother, the Winchester brothers follow in their father’s footsteps, travelling the back-roads, highways and byways of America in search of answers and vengeance.
It is a journey that brings them face-to-face with unimaginable horrors, from demons and vampires to ghosts and shape-shifters, unites them with loyal allies and reveals their eventual and totally unexpected destinies.
Supernatural: The Anime Series is available on DVD from May 27, 2013 – but courtesy of Warner Bros we have one box set to give away (see below)!
Win Supernatural: The Anime Series on DVD
To celebrate the release of Supernatural: The Anime Series on DVD on May 27, 2013, IndieLondon is offering readers the chance to win 1 box set. Simply answer the following question…
Q. Name one of the two co-directors of Supernatural: The Anime Series…
Simply send the answer to Supernatural: The Anime Series competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Win GANGSTER SQUAD on Blu-ray – available to own 27th May
Compiled by Jack Foley
TO celebrate the release of Gangster Squad on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download on May 27, we are giving you the chance to win a copy on DVD.
Pre-order your copy here
An all action, witty and stylish retelling based on true events, Gangster Squad follows a team of off the book cops as they band together to bring down a ruthless mob boss — by any means necessary.
The film stars Oscar® nominees Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling, Academy Award® winner Sean Penn and Emma Stone.
Watch the trailer:
For your chance of winning, just answer the following question:
Q. Which film have Gangster Squad pair Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone previously appeared in?
A) Like Crazy
B) Crazy Heart
C) Crazy, Stupid, Love
Simply send the answer to Gangster Squad competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Join the Squad at Facebook
Gangster Squad is available to own on DVD & Blu-ray on May 27 and Digital Download from May 13, 2013.
© 2013 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.
Django Unchained - DVD Review
Review by Rob Carnevale
QUENTIN Tarantino’s Django Unchained has, in true spaghetti western form, elements that are good, bad and ugly.
The good is often really good and places the film on a par with the director’s very best work, the bad relates to the film’s self indulgence and the ugly comes in the form of the violence, which is often unpleasant and extreme.
Considered as a whole, the film offers an enjoyable ride if you can stomach some of its excesses.
When initially conceived, Django Unchained began life as a straight forward spaghetti western homage that derived a lot of its style from the likes of Sergio Leone and, more especially, Sergio Corbucci (of original Django fame).
But over the course of Tarantino’s research it also became a brutal expose of just how extreme slavery was.
The story, though, owes as much to Kill Bill as anything else, emerging as another tale of revenge that’s served blood red and dead cold.
Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave who has been separated from his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), but who is plucked from a life of servitude by a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) to help him find and kill a trio of outlaw brothers.
Django proves such a useful ally, however, that King makes him a partner and agrees to help him find and rescue Broomhilda from ruthless plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). The two men subsequently hatch an elaborate plan designed to deceive Candy into parting ways with Broomhilda.
The ensuing film plays out in epic form and is as verbose in places as you’d expect from Tarantino and every bit as revisionist, historically, as his last film, Inglourious Basterds.
And yet for all its lengthy exchanges between characters, Django himself remains something of an enigma (presumably in a nod to the strong, silent Eastwood type) with the more showier roles going to Waltz and DiCaprio. It’s one of several shortcomings.
Quite often the film seems to become a little caught up in its own wordiness, slowing right down once it arrives on Candie’s plantation (Candie-Land) and also seeming content to let certain actors showboat.
Samuel L Jackson’s head slave, Stephen, for instance, is a genuinely vile creation but at his most effective when being quietly persuasive or threatening. Tarantino, however, can’t help but indulge the actor’s penchant for verbal fireworks and affords him several moments to hit the tempos of his Pulp Fiction persona.
Such moments hint at a lack of self discipline on Tarantino’s part, however, and extend to giving himself a cameo for a late scene that arguably shouldn’t even have existed (as fun as it plays out).
Another failing is the film’s slavish addiction to violence, which is sometimes difficult to stomach and which makes Sam Peckinpah’s Wild Bunch look positively tame by comparison. Tarantino may well argue that scenes involving the abuse of slaves (from whippings to death by hammer blow) serve to underline the horror of what really took place (and worse) but while effective in doing so, his desire to offer up buckets of blood even during the gunfights (in which bodies frequently explode) cheapens it too. Again, Tarantino seems to want to have his cake and eat it.
That he almost gets away with it is evidence that there’s still so much to recommend in Django that demands repeat viewing.
The central partnership between Waltz and Foxx is great, DiCaprio provides a terrific villain (a horrific faux European socialite), Don Johnson contributes a memorable segment as another plantation owner, Big Daddy, whose attempts to form a lynch mob err towards the Mel Brooks slapstick of Blazing Saddles, and there are show-stopping contributions from the likes of Walton Goggins, James Remar and the original Django himself, Franco Nero.
As violent as the film is, Tarantino also knows how to deliver a rousing set piece (and there are several that are really cool), while his soundtrack (which mixes Morricone with rap) is first class.
Overall, then, Django Unchained succeeds as another Tarantino romp – not quite a classic but a film with classic moments that’s brimming with the director’s trademark excess.
Certificate: 18
Running time: 165mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Trouble With The Curve - DVD Review
Review by Rob Carnevale
CLINT Eastwood made a lot of fans’ days when he opted to come out of self imposed ‘acting retirement’ to star in family drama Trouble With The Curve and he duly rewards them with another fine performance.
A tale of father-daughter reconciliation set against the backdrop of professional baseball, the film is an enjoyably flawed experience that also boasts a typically strong performance from Amy Adams.
Eastwood plays Gus, a veteran baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves, whose career is threatened by failing eyesight and new ideas within the game.
A trip to the Carolinas to check out a hot prospect offers a final chance to prove his worth, and finds Gus’s estranged daughter Mickey (Adams) tagging along for support and the chance to atone for past failures even though it may also put Mickey’s career at risk too.
Directed by long-time Eastwood assistant Robert Lorenz, Trouble With The Curve is at its best when concentrating on the central relationship between Eastwood and Adams, who excel in each other’s company.
It’s here that Randy Brown’s screenplay is at its most rewarding and affecting, throwing in some astute observations on family dysfunction and old age as well as affording Eastwood the chance to tap into his sensitive side.
He’s great when playing gnarly, too, a moment never more satisfying than when he orders a cheque in a manner that would make Dirty Harry proud.
Elsewhere, the baseball storyline holds some interest, particularly in an anti-“Moneyball”:/Film-Review/moneyball-review kind of way, while a romance between Mickey and a young talent scout (Justin Timberlake) is nicely played.
Problems exist in the predictable nature of the storytelling, the lack of any real dramatic curveballs and an ending that errs towards the hopelessly sentimental and groan inducing.
It’s easy to forgive these flaws, however, given the great pleasure in seeing Eastwood back on-screen and on-form and playing so well with Adams.
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 111mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Playing For Keeps - DVD Review
Review by Rob Carnevale
GERARD Butler plays an ex-footballer looking for a second chance in romantic comedy-drama Playing For Keeps but audiences may well be crying foul over the film that results.
Far from offering a feel-good tale of redemption, as doubtless envisaged by Butler and director Gabriele (The Pursuit of Happyness) Muccino, this feels contrived and overly sentimental, while struggling to deliver a central character worth rooting for.
The film follows the fortunes of George (Butler), a former Celtic and Liverpool great, whose career is cut short by injury and who finds his life at a crossroads.
Relocating to Virgina in an attempt to re-connect with his soon-to-be re-married ex-wife, Staxie (Jessica Biel) and son, Lewis (Noah Lomax), George subsequetly starts coaching his son’s Little League soccer team but finds himself the object of desire for several of the town’s desperate housewives (including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman and Judy Greer), all of whom complicate his ultimate goal.
Engaging cast aside, Playing For Keeps – which is inspired by screenwriter Robbie Fox’s own experiences of coaching Little League – offers very little to recommend it.
George, in particular, does very little to warrant our sympathy, while attempts to add complexity by having Biel’s Stacie about to be married to another man (James Tupper) amount to nothing given the poorly sketched nature of that character.
Admittedly, Butler fares better when sharing scenes with his son, well played by Lomax, and there are one or two genuinely affecting scenes between the two of them.
But attempts to add some spice by having George become a sex object for several other housewives are also poorly handled – lacking in edge or raunch and diminishing the talents of the women involved (all of whom emerge as overly pathetic and needy, surely a retrograde step).
Had the film taken a few more risks, been less predictable and offered a more convincing mix of comedy and drama then Playing For Keeps could have emerged as a guilty pleasure.
But in current form, it’s a disappointing waste of talent that feels more like a wish fulfilment fantasy for its leading man. The film subsequently deserves to be shown the red card by viewers.
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 105mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
The Sessions - DVD Review
Review by Rob Carnevale
TAKEN at face value The Sessions isn’t an easy attraction given it’s difficult, even uncomfortable story.
But thanks to some sensitive direction and some tremendous performances it emerges as an empowering piece of cinema that amuses and inspires even if it does still leave you sitting awkwardly at times.
Based on a true story, the film follows the fortunes of a man named Mark (John Hawkes), a 38-year-old who has been confined to an iron lung since contracting polio at the age of six. Up until this point, though, Mark has been able to lead a reasonably fulfilling life as a poet and writer until his latest assignment on sex and disability forces him to confront his own sexual desires.
Hence, with the blessing of his friend and priest (William H Macy) Mark engages a sex surrogate named Cheryl (Helen Hunt) whose services are limited to six sessions and who will help him make the transition to sexual activity.
Ben Lewin’s film is actually based upon the autobiographical writings of Mark O’Brien and is all the more remarkable for it given its basis in truth.
But it would equally have been a difficult film to get wrong given its potential for mis-managing the comedy as well as the sex and nudity.
By taking a bold approach to both, however, Lewin has delivered a fearless piece of work that isn’t afraid to confront the emotional and physical complexities of what’s at play but which also isn’t afraid to make you laugh with the characters rather than at their expense.
It’s a very human piece of work that places character at the forefront. Hawkes is amazing, offsetting charisma with insecurity, while Hunt is fearless, tapping into the conflicted emotions she eventually feels in authentic, unshowy fashion.
You could argue that the film does her a disservice by making her the only one of the two to appear completely nude but Lewin may well argue that this speaks more to the attitudes of their respective characters to it.
William H Macy also deserves credit for the portrayal of the priest, a similarly conflicted man in many ways given the implications of his own religious oath, but someone who is able to consistently be upbeat and encouraging to his friend while only hinting at any angst with a sly look of despair.
At a time when disability awareness and rights are more in the news than ever, The Sessions further deserves praise for shining a spotlight on another little known story of triumph over adversity.
It’s a charming, even poignant film that does inspire and which looks certain to feature prominently in the upcoming awards season.
Certificate: 15
Running time: 97mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Vehicle 19 - DVD Review
Review by Rob Carnevale
FROM its preposterous premise to its lethargic execution, Mukunda Michael Dewil’s Vehicle 19 is a travesty from start to finish.
The premise finds a reckless American ex-con named Michael Woods (Paul Walker) arriving in Johannesburg to try and patch things up with his girlfriend only to immediately get himself involved in a mix up at the car rental company that sees him being given the wrong car.
When he finds a silenced gun and a hostage hidden in the back, Michael soon realises he’s back in trouble with the whole of the city police force in hot pursuit.
The main hook for the film, aside from seeing Walker back behind the wheel of a vehicle that’s not Fast & Furious related, is that the whole film takes place inside a car.
Perhaps mistakenly, therefore, you’d imagine that the ensuing film would play out at high speed with one or two decent car chases thrown in for good measure and the propsect of B-movie cult appeal looming large on the horizon.
Alas, Dewil’s direction is too pedestrian for that and there are long moments when the film does nothing while the clueless Walker attempts to work out his predicament without ever resorting to the most obvious or common sense approach.
As a result, the innumerable plot holes become all the more glaring (and annoying), while the film’s inability to poke fun at its own absurdity also counts against it.
Walker makes for a bland presence, there’s little in the way of solid support due to the brevity of the screen-time afforded to anyone else (his hostage or chief nemesis included) and nothing in the way of ingenuity of direction, save for the occasional distraction provided by the eye-catching South African backdrop.
But the final puncture in this film’s forward momentum is the lack of a decent car chase – for a film set in a moving vehicle for most of the time, that’s just plain unforgivable.
Certificate: 15
Running time: 82mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Gone In 60 Seconds (1974) - Preview & trailer
Preview by Jack Foley
THE original Gone In 60 Seconds is the inspiration behind the 2000 Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie smash-hit, here for the first time in the UK on Blu-Ray!
The godfather of all great car chase movies, Gone In 60 Seconds follows top car thief Pace (played by director H.B. Halicki) and his crew as they find themselves entangled in a drug smuggling plot. Caught in the underworld of stealing and selling on sought after vehicles, Pace must lead his guys to freedom as they are chased ruthlessly by the police.
This fast and furious high-speed hunt heats up resulting in the finale of cinemas’ greatest, and longest, ever car chase with the immense destruction of an incredible 93 vehicles over 40 blistering minutes.
Gone In 60 Seconds, the movie that started the engines of all great high octane action films and will be available on DVD & Blu-ray on May 20. 2013.
Extras include the documentary, Life & Times of H.B Halicki (45mins), Denice Halicki Intro (2mins 46secs) Interview (9mins 6 secs), Interviews; Lee Lacocca, Parnelli Jones, JC Agajain & Bobby Ore), Car Crash King featurette – The Junkman (13mins) & Deadline Auto Theft (10mins) and trailers.
Watch ther trailer:
Win Side By Side on DVD
Preview by Jack Foley
JOIN Keanu Reeves for a fascinating, behind-the-scenes tour of the past, present and future of filmmaking and into a master class on the magic of movies.
The critically-acclaimed Side By Side is released on DVD on Monday, May 13, 2013, by Axiom Films.
For over 100 years, photo chemical film has been the standard format used to capture, develop, project and store movie images. Now, digital technology is challenging film’s place as the gold standard for quality and longevity.
With the aid of some of the some of the world’s most talented filmmakers and technicians – including James Cameron, David Fincher, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, and many more – Side By Side dares to pose the ultimate question: is film dead, and if so, what’s the future?
Side By Side, directed by Chris Kenneally, will enthral anyone who has a deep love of cinema.
Win Side By Side on DVD
To celebrate the release of Side By Side on DVD on May 13, 2013, IndieLondon is offering readers the chance to win 1 of 3 copies on DVD. Simply answer the following question…
Q. Who directs Side By Side?
Simply send the answer to Side By Side competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Handgun - Preview
Preview by Jack Foley
KAREN Young (Birdy, Heat) gives a powerfully intense performance as a victim of sexual violence who turns vigilante in this female revenge thriller, Handgun (18).
Written, produced and directed by British film veteran Tony Garnett, it is available on DVD as a new transfer in its correct cinema aspect ratio for the first time in the UK on May 20, 2013.
With one broken relationship still fresh in her mind, Kathleen Sullivan (Karen Young) is in no mood to take on a new boyfriend. But macho Larry (Clayton Day) will not tolerate sexual rebuffs; rape is his means of exercising what he regards as a male prerogative.
Consumed by anger and hungry for vengeance, how will Kathleen reclaim her freedom and peace of mind?
Win Handgun on DVD
To celebrate the release of revenge thriller Handgun on DVD on May 20, 2013, IndieLondon is offering readers the chance to win 1 copy. Simply answer the following question…
Q. Who directs Handgun?
Simply send the answer to Handgun competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Certificate: 18
Running time: 99mins
UK DVD Release: May 20, 2013
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Win Supernatural: The Anime Series · 2 days ago by
THE first-ever live-action television series to be re-imagined as an anime series, Supernatural: The Anime Series brings a whole new dimension to the internationally acclaimed hit TV phenomenon.
Made with the blessing and creative input of the original show’s creator, Eric Kripke, and featuring the vocal talents of the live-action series stars, this animated series brilliantly covers the events of the first two seasons of Supernatural by recreating many of the original episodes while also introducing a whole batch of brand new material that explores the Winchesters’ previously unseen childhoods and expanding upon the stories of several secondary characters.
Supernatural: The Anime Series is co-directed by Atsuko Ishizuka (Aoi Bungaku; Top Secret – The Revelation; NANA; MONSTER) and Shigeyuki Miya (Lupin III; Blade; Bleach; High School Of The Dead).
Synopsis
Having lost their mother, Mary, under mysterious paranormal circumstances at an early age, young Sam and Dean Winchester are raised by their father, who, driven by revenge, becomes an obsessive hunter and destroyer of supernatural creatures and entities.
Years later, when their father mysteriously disappears and Sam’s girlfriend is killed in similar circumstances as their mother, the Winchester brothers follow in their father’s footsteps, travelling the back-roads, highways and byways of America in search of answers and vengeance.
It is a journey that brings them face-to-face with unimaginable horrors, from demons and vampires to ghosts and shape-shifters, unites them with loyal allies and reveals their eventual and totally unexpected destinies.
Supernatural: The Anime Series is available on DVD from May 27, 2013 – but courtesy of Warner Bros we have one box set to give away (see below)!
Win Supernatural: The Anime Series on DVD
To celebrate the release of Supernatural: The Anime Series on DVD on May 27, 2013, IndieLondon is offering readers the chance to win 1 box set. Simply answer the following question…
Q. Name one of the two co-directors of Supernatural: The Anime Series…
Simply send the answer to Supernatural: The Anime Series competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Win GANGSTER SQUAD on Blu-ray – available to own 27th May · 2 days ago by
TO celebrate the release of Gangster Squad on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download on May 27, we are giving you the chance to win a copy on DVD.
Pre-order your copy here
An all action, witty and stylish retelling based on true events, Gangster Squad follows a team of off the book cops as they band together to bring down a ruthless mob boss — by any means necessary.
The film stars Oscar® nominees Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling, Academy Award® winner Sean Penn and Emma Stone.
Watch the trailer:
For your chance of winning, just answer the following question:
Q. Which film have Gangster Squad pair Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone previously appeared in?
A) Like Crazy
B) Crazy Heart
C) Crazy, Stupid, Love
Simply send the answer to Gangster Squad competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Join the Squad at Facebook
Gangster Squad is available to own on DVD & Blu-ray on May 27 and Digital Download from May 13, 2013.
© 2013 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.
Django Unchained - DVD Review · 2 days ago by
QUENTIN Tarantino’s Django Unchained has, in true spaghetti western form, elements that are good, bad and ugly.
The good is often really good and places the film on a par with the director’s very best work, the bad relates to the film’s self indulgence and the ugly comes in the form of the violence, which is often unpleasant and extreme.
Considered as a whole, the film offers an enjoyable ride if you can stomach some of its excesses.
When initially conceived, Django Unchained began life as a straight forward spaghetti western homage that derived a lot of its style from the likes of Sergio Leone and, more especially, Sergio Corbucci (of original Django fame).
But over the course of Tarantino’s research it also became a brutal expose of just how extreme slavery was.
The story, though, owes as much to Kill Bill as anything else, emerging as another tale of revenge that’s served blood red and dead cold.
Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave who has been separated from his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), but who is plucked from a life of servitude by a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) to help him find and kill a trio of outlaw brothers.
Django proves such a useful ally, however, that King makes him a partner and agrees to help him find and rescue Broomhilda from ruthless plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). The two men subsequently hatch an elaborate plan designed to deceive Candy into parting ways with Broomhilda.
The ensuing film plays out in epic form and is as verbose in places as you’d expect from Tarantino and every bit as revisionist, historically, as his last film, Inglourious Basterds.
And yet for all its lengthy exchanges between characters, Django himself remains something of an enigma (presumably in a nod to the strong, silent Eastwood type) with the more showier roles going to Waltz and DiCaprio. It’s one of several shortcomings.
Quite often the film seems to become a little caught up in its own wordiness, slowing right down once it arrives on Candie’s plantation (Candie-Land) and also seeming content to let certain actors showboat.
Samuel L Jackson’s head slave, Stephen, for instance, is a genuinely vile creation but at his most effective when being quietly persuasive or threatening. Tarantino, however, can’t help but indulge the actor’s penchant for verbal fireworks and affords him several moments to hit the tempos of his Pulp Fiction persona.
Such moments hint at a lack of self discipline on Tarantino’s part, however, and extend to giving himself a cameo for a late scene that arguably shouldn’t even have existed (as fun as it plays out).
Another failing is the film’s slavish addiction to violence, which is sometimes difficult to stomach and which makes Sam Peckinpah’s Wild Bunch look positively tame by comparison. Tarantino may well argue that scenes involving the abuse of slaves (from whippings to death by hammer blow) serve to underline the horror of what really took place (and worse) but while effective in doing so, his desire to offer up buckets of blood even during the gunfights (in which bodies frequently explode) cheapens it too. Again, Tarantino seems to want to have his cake and eat it.
That he almost gets away with it is evidence that there’s still so much to recommend in Django that demands repeat viewing.
The central partnership between Waltz and Foxx is great, DiCaprio provides a terrific villain (a horrific faux European socialite), Don Johnson contributes a memorable segment as another plantation owner, Big Daddy, whose attempts to form a lynch mob err towards the Mel Brooks slapstick of Blazing Saddles, and there are show-stopping contributions from the likes of Walton Goggins, James Remar and the original Django himself, Franco Nero.
As violent as the film is, Tarantino also knows how to deliver a rousing set piece (and there are several that are really cool), while his soundtrack (which mixes Morricone with rap) is first class.
Overall, then, Django Unchained succeeds as another Tarantino romp – not quite a classic but a film with classic moments that’s brimming with the director’s trademark excess.
Certificate: 18
Running time: 165mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Trouble With The Curve - DVD Review · 2 days ago by
CLINT Eastwood made a lot of fans’ days when he opted to come out of self imposed ‘acting retirement’ to star in family drama Trouble With The Curve and he duly rewards them with another fine performance.
A tale of father-daughter reconciliation set against the backdrop of professional baseball, the film is an enjoyably flawed experience that also boasts a typically strong performance from Amy Adams.
Eastwood plays Gus, a veteran baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves, whose career is threatened by failing eyesight and new ideas within the game.
A trip to the Carolinas to check out a hot prospect offers a final chance to prove his worth, and finds Gus’s estranged daughter Mickey (Adams) tagging along for support and the chance to atone for past failures even though it may also put Mickey’s career at risk too.
Directed by long-time Eastwood assistant Robert Lorenz, Trouble With The Curve is at its best when concentrating on the central relationship between Eastwood and Adams, who excel in each other’s company.
It’s here that Randy Brown’s screenplay is at its most rewarding and affecting, throwing in some astute observations on family dysfunction and old age as well as affording Eastwood the chance to tap into his sensitive side.
He’s great when playing gnarly, too, a moment never more satisfying than when he orders a cheque in a manner that would make Dirty Harry proud.
Elsewhere, the baseball storyline holds some interest, particularly in an anti-“Moneyball”:/Film-Review/moneyball-review kind of way, while a romance between Mickey and a young talent scout (Justin Timberlake) is nicely played.
Problems exist in the predictable nature of the storytelling, the lack of any real dramatic curveballs and an ending that errs towards the hopelessly sentimental and groan inducing.
It’s easy to forgive these flaws, however, given the great pleasure in seeing Eastwood back on-screen and on-form and playing so well with Adams.
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 111mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Playing For Keeps - DVD Review · 2 days ago by
GERARD Butler plays an ex-footballer looking for a second chance in romantic comedy-drama Playing For Keeps but audiences may well be crying foul over the film that results.
Far from offering a feel-good tale of redemption, as doubtless envisaged by Butler and director Gabriele (The Pursuit of Happyness) Muccino, this feels contrived and overly sentimental, while struggling to deliver a central character worth rooting for.
The film follows the fortunes of George (Butler), a former Celtic and Liverpool great, whose career is cut short by injury and who finds his life at a crossroads.
Relocating to Virgina in an attempt to re-connect with his soon-to-be re-married ex-wife, Staxie (Jessica Biel) and son, Lewis (Noah Lomax), George subsequetly starts coaching his son’s Little League soccer team but finds himself the object of desire for several of the town’s desperate housewives (including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman and Judy Greer), all of whom complicate his ultimate goal.
Engaging cast aside, Playing For Keeps – which is inspired by screenwriter Robbie Fox’s own experiences of coaching Little League – offers very little to recommend it.
George, in particular, does very little to warrant our sympathy, while attempts to add complexity by having Biel’s Stacie about to be married to another man (James Tupper) amount to nothing given the poorly sketched nature of that character.
Admittedly, Butler fares better when sharing scenes with his son, well played by Lomax, and there are one or two genuinely affecting scenes between the two of them.
But attempts to add some spice by having George become a sex object for several other housewives are also poorly handled – lacking in edge or raunch and diminishing the talents of the women involved (all of whom emerge as overly pathetic and needy, surely a retrograde step).
Had the film taken a few more risks, been less predictable and offered a more convincing mix of comedy and drama then Playing For Keeps could have emerged as a guilty pleasure.
But in current form, it’s a disappointing waste of talent that feels more like a wish fulfilment fantasy for its leading man. The film subsequently deserves to be shown the red card by viewers.
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 105mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
The Sessions - DVD Review · 2 days ago by
TAKEN at face value The Sessions isn’t an easy attraction given it’s difficult, even uncomfortable story.
But thanks to some sensitive direction and some tremendous performances it emerges as an empowering piece of cinema that amuses and inspires even if it does still leave you sitting awkwardly at times.
Based on a true story, the film follows the fortunes of a man named Mark (John Hawkes), a 38-year-old who has been confined to an iron lung since contracting polio at the age of six. Up until this point, though, Mark has been able to lead a reasonably fulfilling life as a poet and writer until his latest assignment on sex and disability forces him to confront his own sexual desires.
Hence, with the blessing of his friend and priest (William H Macy) Mark engages a sex surrogate named Cheryl (Helen Hunt) whose services are limited to six sessions and who will help him make the transition to sexual activity.
Ben Lewin’s film is actually based upon the autobiographical writings of Mark O’Brien and is all the more remarkable for it given its basis in truth.
But it would equally have been a difficult film to get wrong given its potential for mis-managing the comedy as well as the sex and nudity.
By taking a bold approach to both, however, Lewin has delivered a fearless piece of work that isn’t afraid to confront the emotional and physical complexities of what’s at play but which also isn’t afraid to make you laugh with the characters rather than at their expense.
It’s a very human piece of work that places character at the forefront. Hawkes is amazing, offsetting charisma with insecurity, while Hunt is fearless, tapping into the conflicted emotions she eventually feels in authentic, unshowy fashion.
You could argue that the film does her a disservice by making her the only one of the two to appear completely nude but Lewin may well argue that this speaks more to the attitudes of their respective characters to it.
William H Macy also deserves credit for the portrayal of the priest, a similarly conflicted man in many ways given the implications of his own religious oath, but someone who is able to consistently be upbeat and encouraging to his friend while only hinting at any angst with a sly look of despair.
At a time when disability awareness and rights are more in the news than ever, The Sessions further deserves praise for shining a spotlight on another little known story of triumph over adversity.
It’s a charming, even poignant film that does inspire and which looks certain to feature prominently in the upcoming awards season.
Certificate: 15
Running time: 97mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Vehicle 19 - DVD Review · 2 days ago by
FROM its preposterous premise to its lethargic execution, Mukunda Michael Dewil’s Vehicle 19 is a travesty from start to finish.
The premise finds a reckless American ex-con named Michael Woods (Paul Walker) arriving in Johannesburg to try and patch things up with his girlfriend only to immediately get himself involved in a mix up at the car rental company that sees him being given the wrong car.
When he finds a silenced gun and a hostage hidden in the back, Michael soon realises he’s back in trouble with the whole of the city police force in hot pursuit.
The main hook for the film, aside from seeing Walker back behind the wheel of a vehicle that’s not Fast & Furious related, is that the whole film takes place inside a car.
Perhaps mistakenly, therefore, you’d imagine that the ensuing film would play out at high speed with one or two decent car chases thrown in for good measure and the propsect of B-movie cult appeal looming large on the horizon.
Alas, Dewil’s direction is too pedestrian for that and there are long moments when the film does nothing while the clueless Walker attempts to work out his predicament without ever resorting to the most obvious or common sense approach.
As a result, the innumerable plot holes become all the more glaring (and annoying), while the film’s inability to poke fun at its own absurdity also counts against it.
Walker makes for a bland presence, there’s little in the way of solid support due to the brevity of the screen-time afforded to anyone else (his hostage or chief nemesis included) and nothing in the way of ingenuity of direction, save for the occasional distraction provided by the eye-catching South African backdrop.
But the final puncture in this film’s forward momentum is the lack of a decent car chase – for a film set in a moving vehicle for most of the time, that’s just plain unforgivable.
Certificate: 15
Running time: 82mins
UK Blu-ray & DVD Release: May 20, 2013
Gone In 60 Seconds (1974) - Preview & trailer · 2 days ago by
THE original Gone In 60 Seconds is the inspiration behind the 2000 Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie smash-hit, here for the first time in the UK on Blu-Ray!
The godfather of all great car chase movies, Gone In 60 Seconds follows top car thief Pace (played by director H.B. Halicki) and his crew as they find themselves entangled in a drug smuggling plot. Caught in the underworld of stealing and selling on sought after vehicles, Pace must lead his guys to freedom as they are chased ruthlessly by the police.
This fast and furious high-speed hunt heats up resulting in the finale of cinemas’ greatest, and longest, ever car chase with the immense destruction of an incredible 93 vehicles over 40 blistering minutes.
Gone In 60 Seconds, the movie that started the engines of all great high octane action films and will be available on DVD & Blu-ray on May 20. 2013.
Extras include the documentary, Life & Times of H.B Halicki (45mins), Denice Halicki Intro (2mins 46secs) Interview (9mins 6 secs), Interviews; Lee Lacocca, Parnelli Jones, JC Agajain & Bobby Ore), Car Crash King featurette – The Junkman (13mins) & Deadline Auto Theft (10mins) and trailers.
Watch ther trailer:
Win Side By Side on DVD · 2 days ago by
JOIN Keanu Reeves for a fascinating, behind-the-scenes tour of the past, present and future of filmmaking and into a master class on the magic of movies.
The critically-acclaimed Side By Side is released on DVD on Monday, May 13, 2013, by Axiom Films.
For over 100 years, photo chemical film has been the standard format used to capture, develop, project and store movie images. Now, digital technology is challenging film’s place as the gold standard for quality and longevity.
With the aid of some of the some of the world’s most talented filmmakers and technicians – including James Cameron, David Fincher, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, and many more – Side By Side dares to pose the ultimate question: is film dead, and if so, what’s the future?
Side By Side, directed by Chris Kenneally, will enthral anyone who has a deep love of cinema.
Win Side By Side on DVD
To celebrate the release of Side By Side on DVD on May 13, 2013, IndieLondon is offering readers the chance to win 1 of 3 copies on DVD. Simply answer the following question…
Q. Who directs Side By Side?
Simply send the answer to Side By Side competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Handgun - Preview · 2 days ago by
KAREN Young (Birdy, Heat) gives a powerfully intense performance as a victim of sexual violence who turns vigilante in this female revenge thriller, Handgun (18).
Written, produced and directed by British film veteran Tony Garnett, it is available on DVD as a new transfer in its correct cinema aspect ratio for the first time in the UK on May 20, 2013.
With one broken relationship still fresh in her mind, Kathleen Sullivan (Karen Young) is in no mood to take on a new boyfriend. But macho Larry (Clayton Day) will not tolerate sexual rebuffs; rape is his means of exercising what he regards as a male prerogative.
Consumed by anger and hungry for vengeance, how will Kathleen reclaim her freedom and peace of mind?
Win Handgun on DVD
To celebrate the release of revenge thriller Handgun on DVD on May 20, 2013, IndieLondon is offering readers the chance to win 1 copy. Simply answer the following question…
Q. Who directs Handgun?
Simply send the answer to Handgun competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email
Certificate: 18
Running time: 99mins
UK DVD Release: May 20, 2013