Up

Disney/Pixar's UP is magic. It stands head and shoulders above the rest as this year's best family film.

For several reasons last year's Wall-E failed to move me, Ratatouille didn't impress me as much as it seemed to everyone else, but Up ranks right up there with Finding Nemo and Monster's Inc. as one of my favourite Pixar films.

Up breaks the mould in terms of family entertainment as our hero and main character Carl Fredricksen is a grumpy, not particularly attractive old man. A beautiful montage takes us on a journey through Carl's life from age 8 where he meets his future bride Ellie, their courtship, marriage and happy life until her passing at a ripe old age.

Feeling disconnected from the world Carl decides to honour his promise to Ellie and take them on an adventure to South America. He attaches thousands of balloons to his house and lifts off. However it is not long until he discovers he is not alone - Russell, an eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer has come knocking on Carl's door looking to earn a merit badge for service to seniors and has inadvertently been caught up in the adventure.

The characters are fun, caricatures that aren't overcooked and the film provides glorious moments for them all. Carl, Russell, a mummy-bird Russell names Kevin and Dug the Dog (who can talk thanks to the invention of a handy electronic collar) set out on the biggest adventure of their lives with plenty of drama and slapstick comedy with warm glowing moments to warm the heart.

As of yet the film has only been screened here in 2D, but the animation was excellent and I can't wait to see how it looks in full Disney 3D. The colours are bright, the detail is flawless and the characters, props and scenery are impeccably designed.

This is the kind of film I wish Disney would make more of - humour, heart and brilliant characters. Fun for the whole family.

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4 Stars

Starlight Express

As this was my first viewing of Starlight Express I've decided that probably the fairest way to structure this review in two parts: part one as a review of the show itself and part two of the performance I attended. That way my status as a Starlight Express virgin won't reflect on the performers themselves.

I don't want to list my credentials, but I feel that I'm fairly well qualified to cast judgement on musicals.

The Show

The show tells the story of a boy's dream about an epic race between his toy trains. It's a classic tale of love, conflict and a plucky underdog.

Story wise I failed to find the magic. Yes I understand that it's about a child's imagination running wild, but I didn't feel the heart in the concept I had hoped for. It just felt absurd.

Too many characters are introduced in too short a time. The result? A massive ensemble of nameless soloists and a complete lack of any investment in any of them. By far the best character was that of Electra - the new model electric train who's over-the-top persona made for on-stage fun.

I didn't know any of the songs coming in and I didn't know any more when I left. The songs lack any memorable, hummable tune - no catch. The lyrics are middle-of-the-road at best. Not one of them has stuck with me and that's just not good enough from a Lloyd-Webber musical.

It's no Phantom, Joseph, Jesus Christ, Evita. Thanks to the magic of the movies I've been able to discover a few amazing musicals recently (Hairspray and Sweeney Todd for example) - so it's not just that I'm unwilling to expand my repertoire. Unfortunately the show is memorable only for it's mediocrity.

The Performance

Vector arena has been eviscerated for it's poor acoustics and I would like to think that it was this and not the performers that so underwhelmed me. Either way the net result is a very sub-par vocal and orchestral showing. The parts of Rusty and Electra has by far the strongest voices although the former had a nasty habit of sounding like a 12 year old girl.

The skating was fun. It added something to the show which the songs, story and singing did not. Much credit for this should go to the stunt skaters - professionals, I assume, who did not singing. The remaining attraction of the skating was more to do with half-fears (or perhaps hopes) that skaters would fall off the stage. Special mention goes to the hip-hop freighters.

I really don't know what to say beyond this. I'm at a loss to explain the show's success and hope like anything that Mama Mia! proves more entertaining when it graces our stages later in the year.

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1 Star

My Year Without Sex

My Year Without Sex is an Australian dramedy which screened at this year's NZ Film Festival.

I don't want to waste too many minutes typing this up - it's simply not worth it.

The comedy is forced when it comes at all, it provides few insights into the lives or hearts of our main characters and fails to move me or speak to me on any level. All in all you'd say that those were the three key things any drama-comedy meld would hope to achieve.

I'm willing to concede that IF you are a woman AND you are of a certain age AND you have had or are having marriage difficulties AND you have had health scares... you may like this film, but to me it was just a waste of celluloid.

Thank god for the company at the screening!

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1/2 Star

My Life In Ruins

No. Just no!

Actress Nia Vardalos is hoping lighting will strike twice with this comedy set in her native Greece. I say comedy... but the laughs were few and far between.

You've seen this before. SO many times, but this version lacked any of the charm and warmth that many of its contemporaries have. Stale, predictable and a waste of an hour and a half.

The one saving grace was Richard Dreyfuss - it's just nice to see him on the screen again.

Certainly no Big Fat Greek Wedding.

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1 Star

Coco Avant Chanel

Audrey Tautou is Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel what more needs to be said?!

The actress best known for her roles in Amélie and A Very Long Engagement (forgetting for a second about The Da Vinci Code) is mesmerising. Charming, funny, beautiful... I have no idea if she was anything like Coco Chanel but she manages to capture the spirit of what Chanel has always stood for.

The film other than it's lead actress is enjoyable. It's set in France, it's a period piece, it has great humour, but it lacks some momentum and at times dragged and lost its way.

Coco Before Chanel contains very little of the fashion it's namesake is best remembered for. Hardly surprising given the title of the film, but sad nonetheless.

I would recommend the film, but not over An Education which also features in this years festival and releases shortly after Coco.

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3 Stars

Adventureland

My run of excellent films at the New Zealand Film Festival continues with Adventureland - almost a cross between Superbad (the previous project of Greg Mottola) and Almost Famous.

I was offered tickets to Adventureland very last minute by a friend so I went in a little cold; sure I'd head that it was by the writer/director of Superbad, but what was his next film doing in the festival!?

Yes the film is that familiar blend of filth, smut and humour but it's also got a lot of heart and warmth and despite my best efforts to write it off as more of the same, I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear for the whole film.

Jesse Eisenberg is a perfect everyman - awkward and charming and much to my surprise Kristen Stewart was very easy to fall in love with along with our bumbling romantic lead. Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader and an excellent support cast make every character a gem.

This admission may set me up for a whole lot of grief - but I want the soundtrack! It's an embarrassment of riches from the 1980's including Falco's Amadeus and swathes of Lou Reed. Hideous and perfect!

I didn't want to like Adventureland, but what choice did I have?! It's hilarious and tender.

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4 1/2 Stars

In The Loop

In The Loop is the spin-off film from the BBC's hilarious series The Thick of It which I've likened to friends as a beautiful collision of The Office (the British one obviously) and Yes [Prime] Minister.

The Thick of It has, for a little while now, been the gem that I could pull out when breaking into the recommendations competition with fellow lovers of British comedy. While I'll admit that I'm a little sad to lose the series into 'mainstream' there are also a few other points that didn't sit right with me.

I really enjoyed the film, I want to say that before any criticism - it's great, it's very funny, it's just not the TV series.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing for me was the disappearance of most of the characters we'd known from the series. We lost the minister when the Christmas specials came around so I was fine with that, just as I was very pleased indeed to see the brilliant Peter Capaldi return as foul-mouthed spinman Malcolm Tucker. What I think irked me was the retention of Chris Addison and other supporting cast from the series, but as different characters. It disrupted my ability and willingness to delve into the world of the movie when the same actors were interacting but with only one playing the same character they had in the past.

Audiences (if they're anything like me anyway) may have some trouble figuring out where the plot is headed as the film takes some time to get going. Once it does though we're in familiar territory watching the political wheelings and dealings, this time on a global scale.

Hesitantly I'll also level the complaint the the film "sold out" a little (and I do mean a little) and lost it's niche edge to cater for the mass audience a movie must. Inevitable I suppose. And yes it was a little more American than a good British comedy should have been.

In The Loop was a good film and I would certainly not turn people away from watching it. I enjoyed the whole thing, albeit with certain pangs of loss from the series.

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3 1/2 Stars

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Number 6)

If I had to summarise the latest installment in the Harry Potter juggernaut in one, succinct word... snore!

I know I'm in a minority here in not praising the film, but when it finished I walked out thinking that I couldn't wait for the final two installments, but also that I could quite easily have skipped this one and not missed a thing.

It isn't that the film isn't enjoyable, but nothing happens! The story just doesn't contain a plot. We get to see some great acting from Alan Rickman, from Maggie Smith and even some enjoyable turns from the impish Daniel Radcliffe, but it isn't enough to account for two hours of my time.

My final verdict - a fine watch, but only on DVD.

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3 Stars

Humpday

It isn't hard to imagine what the inevitable porn-knock-off of this film will be called. It, much like the concept of the story, would need only minor tweaks to make it big in x-rated world. The predictabilities however end there.

This funny, sharp-witted comedy is festival gold. Accessible enough to be embraced by a mainstream audience but with enough craft in it's construction to satisfy the festival crowds and scratch the arthouse itches one has.

Essentially the story is this: Ben and Anna are contentedly living their married life complete with white picket fences. The inevitable planning for children has begun. The unannounced 2am arrival of old college friend Andrew starts Ben questioning his buttoned down life. While at a party, the severely drug and alcohol impaired due joke about starring in a film together to enter into a local pornography festival. The elephant in the room is brought up the next day, but instead of laughing the issue off, their male egos force a stale-mate and plans are made.

The characters are all well rounded and come across as genuine and likable (no mean feat when you consider that the entire film as been improvised based solely on pre-production workshops). The dialogue is witty and very well timed along with some rather pregnant pauses that sent waves of laugher through the audience.

The thinking man's Bruno might be how I will describe this to friends. Genuinely funny, entirely improvised around character development, and challenging sexual pigeonholes as well as the fate of the individual in a relationship.

Awkward Turtle is the phrase of the moment for a friend and I and that is what this film did so well. Lots and lots of wonderful awkward turtles. This is the cringe I love to love.

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4 Stars

Bright Star

I'm going to keep this simple: Bright Star is an excellent film. If you have the chance to watch it - do!

Beautifully shot, wonderfully acted, superb performances and set perfectly with costumes, locations, sets etc that are spot on the money, Jane Camption's Bright Star is a triumph. Filled with humour and poetry, one cannot help but fall in love with this version of love - pure and uncomplicated by modern concerns.

If you have ever enjoyed a Jane Austin adaptation, or are a fan of period drama, or have heard the name BBC mentioned in an even minorly positive context you should watch this film. It is everything that is lovely about British drama.

I have not yet had the opportunity to view this years Palm d'or winner from Cannes, but would not have been surprised if Bright Star had been named in it's place as winner, as indeed so many critics had tipped it to. It's two hours of dramatic wonder.

This may sound like an emotive gushing review, but it's been over 24 hours since my viewing and I cannot stop thinking about it. If you don't watch this film and find yourself longing to read Keats, visit Britain or better yet find yourself a poet of your own to love, I don't want to hear from you.

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4 1/2 Stars

The Brave Don't Run - Midnight Youth

Recently I was at a small acoustic gig that Midnight Youth frontmen (singer Jeremy Redmore and guitarist Simon Oscroft) put on for a magazine they’d been featured in. Immediately following that I put out the call – I had to have the album.

Sure I’d heard their singles The Letter and All On Our Own all over the radio, but to be honest... I’d just dismissed them as poppy commercial tosh! But Redmore can sing - man he can sing! And many of the songs off their debut release The Brave Don’t Run are not only catchy but well written.

The album starts strongly with Cavalry, an up-beat rocker on an otherwise pretty pop album and the track from which the album takes its name. The two singles so far are catchy, fun sing-a-long numbers, but the real gems for me in the album are Dead Flowers and Golden Love.

Dead Flowers is a song that I can’t help but stop and listen to when it comes on. Up-tempo, guitar driven and a catchy chorus with harmonies that force me to sing along with them. The kind of music that you will inevitably get caught clapping along to when waiting at the traffic lights.

Golden Love is a ballad through and through but a good one. Backed by Oscroft on acoustic guitar, it’s on this track that Redmore gets the chance to really use his voice. The soaring vocal line shows us his range and the near-whispered finishes to lines bring out the smokey quality he seems to find quite naturally.

Anyone who’s heard the album may be a little surprised that I’m going to mention Benjamin. It’s probably no one’s favourite, but it stood out for me because of its quirkiness. A rambling melody and sparse, staccato backing equipped with brass a lord knows what other noises thrown in reminded me of some Ben Folds songs and seemed vaguely reminiscent of a young Beatles just playing around in the studio.

It’s not the greatest album I’ve ever heard, but one that certainly shows promise and is one that I'll hang on to. For those of you who like the singles you hear on the radio, this album will offer you more of the same enjoyment. If you’ve been prepared to write Midnight Youth off as commercial flash-in-the-pan-ism, I urge you to give the album a listen. You might be surprised at how musical it really is. It certainly surprised me.

An introduction

So after much thought and contemplation I have decided that... OK this is not true at all! For no apparently reason other than to satisfy my egotistical desire to have my say I will now be blogging on music, movies, shows, games and basically anything else I like.

I'm in a position where I get a lot of opportunities to see a whole bunch of stuff so I thought I'd throw an opinion out there. I'll generally be doing reviews but may also throw in a random thought or two about life just for good measure! Enjoy!