Young Victoria

By now that beautiful purple artwork should have caught your attention in the cinema. Emily Blunt's profile on proud display in its regal fineness.

The film opens at the coronation of Queen Victoria. She is seated serenely on her coronation throne atop the Stone of Scone, orb and sceptre in hand. Zadok the Priest suddenly reveals itself, bursting out from the soundtrack. We know where and when we are. Flash back one year and a young Victoria (see what I did there?) is refusing to sign away her right to rule to her mother and her manipulative estate manager.

From here we follow Victoria as her journey to the throne and beyond wends its way. It's an interesting story filled with some historical points of note, however it's around Victoria's burgeoning love with Albert that the film centres.

Emily Blunt is charming, delicate and strong as Victoria, Rupert Friend is also excellent as Albert and Miranda Richardson perfect as the naive mother and Duchess of Kent. Paul Bettany is a superb Lord Melbourne - charming, witty and earnest - but I would be remiss if I didn't mention Jim Broadbent who is hilarious as the failing old King William.

It really should go without saying that the costumes and settings are very fine indeed - the film is an excellent example of a period piece that's completely accessible. Some of the finer points of history have, I'm sure, been set aside in favour of a love story, however this is a film that will appeal to us oldies who love a good royal drama and also us youngsters who are suckers for a story of true love.

A lovely way to spend an evening.

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4 Stars

The Orphan

Orphan hits NZ cinemas on Thursday 27th August and probably won't set the world on fire either at the box office or for fans of the horror/thriller genres.

For those of you that haven't seen one of these films before let me outline the plot(s):

Happy couple/family/individual decide to add to their lives and a young girl comes into the picture. Said young girl seems oddly mature for her age and adjusts quickly to her new situation. For a while at least, everything seems to have worked out for the best. Then, unexpectedly, the parent (usually the mother) starts to notice some things are just not quite right. Her protests are ignored because of past problems involving drinking, the loss of a child or some other reason that kills off their credibility. Insert false climaxes, a few shocks and a twist revealing the child as evil. The doubted parent is proved to be right in their accusations and despite some minor loss of life, all is once again right with the world.

(feel free to recycle this for future films of a similar nature)

The strength of the film is that it has a good twist, despite being pick-able in the lead up. For the rest of it I'm afraid it's all very much of a muchness and can't be said to be any better than Case 39 which hit cinemas two weeks ago.

The weakness is that it seems long. I mean loooooooooooong. I felt every minute that I was in the cinema and my mind wandered on several occasions. The climaxes were a little too easy to pick as false or genuine, but there was some decent gore for those of us with desensitised minds.

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1 1/2 Stars

La Roux - La Roux

I was somewhere in between Wellington and Dunedin, being hauled through the air by a twin-propellered relic which may have been found in the Wright Brothers' garage, previously discarded as impractical. This was the setting in which I was to listen to La Roux's self titled album.

Not unlike my bi-plane, La Roux is an album that achieves momentum thanks solely to two drivers; the singles 'In for the Kill' and 'Bulletproof'. Both of these are fun catchy numbers you've no doubt heard on the radio.

The rest of the album tries desperately to achieve the same sing-ability in vain. Every song is the same and every song is forgettable.

Sure the words change, but each lyric is as bland as the last.

Sure the drum beat changes, but any song could be... well any song in the world!

Sure the tune changes, but you'd have to jerk awake from the faux-pop induced coma you've lapsed into to notice any difference.

Painful drum machines and desperate synthesisers. Love the singles, couldn't listen to the album one more time.

My only hope is that this album is removed from circulation before my trusty old Wright-Boeing 1-Series.

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1 Star

Music for Men - The Gossip

Why do I like this album?! I shouldn't because traditionally it's really not my thing, but I do. I really do. After days of speculation the only reason I can think of is that Music for Men is funky.

It's fun! In many ways the album reminds me of listening to the Scissor Sister's first album or Mika's brilliant debut because it's peppered with references to various decades gone by. Some high points would be such lyrics as "I heard it through the bass line", a melodic line mirroring "I was made for loving you baby you were made for loving me" and the opening to the single Heavy Cross could well be taken from Edge of Seventeen!

My first thought on singer Beth Ditto was that she yells the whole time. A couple of listens later however, I'd completely changed my mind... well perhaps not changed it, but I now LIKED the voice. It's amazing! A little bit Stevie Nicks, a little bit Janis Joplin, a whole lot awesome!

My picks off the album: Love Long Distance, Heavy Cross, Pop Goes the World, Vertical Limit, For Keeps, 2012 (yes there are a few on here aren't there?!).

Fun, funky songs with a strong 80's influence that push all the right buttons and will have you bobbing your head in appreciation. I'm still no closer to nailing down the reasons why I like this album and don't like others of a similar genre, but why not give it a nudge?

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4 1/2 Stars

District 9

High expectations always scare the living bejebus out of me, but District 9 is compelling cinema and one of the front runners for best film of the year.

Based on director Neill Blomkamp's short film "Alive in Joberg" (all six and a half minutes of which you can see here) District 9 is sci-fi at it's best. When an alien space ship appears and breaks down over Johannesburg, its 1m+ crew are transported from the stalled craft and housed in medical camps in the city. These camps quickly become slums and the inhabitants are fenced in. A private security firm is contracted to move the "prawns" to a new camp established 200km from the city but something goes wrong.

Essentially the story of apartheid South Africa (but with aliens), District 9 has an unknown writer, an unknown director and an unknown star. What it does have however, is Peter Jackson, who found Blomkamp's short film, thought the young chap had talent and put him to work on the now-defunct Halo project. When that fell over, plan B came into effect. Thank god it did!

The film is utterly unindulgent in any way. Made on a shoe-string budget but matching the scale and scope of a Hollywood epic. It manages to build momentum and intensity throughout and you really begin to feel for the themes, if not the characters.

Possibly the most impressive aspect of the film is how it employs amazing graphics and animation in the most off-hand, non-showy way, integrating them into the film as real life characters would appear and not making show pieces of them.

Quick summary: Great concept, great story, great graphics, great fun!

District 9 ends set up for a sequel. Fans may demand it, but integrity would dictate it shouldn't happen.

Blomkamp is clearly a man of talent and a good find. Personally I'm still hanging out for PJ's next project.

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4 1/2 Stars

Sunshine Cleaning

Despite being billed as the next next next next next next next Little Miss Sunshine, Sunshine Cleaning is not. It is entirely enjoyable and the reasons that the comparisons have been drawn are all obvious but it lacks any of the magic, the charm that the former surprised us with.

Amy Adams turns in yet another compelling performance as Rose Lorkowski a single mother who's having the point made that life just ain't fair. In order to raise some extra money so she can send her son to a private school, Rose starts a business with her unreliable (and recently fired) sister Norah (Emily Blunt) cleaning up crime scenes after the bodies have been removed. Her father Joe (played by Alan Arkin) is off chasing his own money making schemes attempting to wheel and deal his way through life.

Easily the greatest strengths of the film are the performances that Adams and Blunt turn in. Arkin has some nice scenes, but simply not enough of them and the result is the lasting impression that he has been underutilised.

The story has been criticised for being too predictable, and it is that, but the bigger failing is in the film's inability to deliver enough sweet in the bitter-sweet genre it attempts to occupy. There are laugh out loud moments, but not enough of them and ultimately the strings begin to show when the closing credits roll to the tune of Spirit in the Sky - a cheap trick to make the audience leave with a smile on their faces.

Pleasant, but unremarkable.

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3 Stars

Alice by the Moon - The Checks

I was completely unaware of The Checks' first album Hunting Whales. In fact I was completely unaware of the band completely until an invitation to their ZM Live Lounge set during NZ Music Month. A quick look at the band's website quickly convinced me of their pedigree - they've opened for such big names as REM and The Killers - and I quickly signed up to come along.

Well... so good was that gig that I quickly acquired the album.

The second album is always said to be the tricky one, and if that's true I cannot wait to go and discover their original offering. The album is blues-rock driven and completely compelling - it won't be leaving my car rotation for weeks!

Highlights include:

• You and Me - A catchy rock song lamenting the inevitable attraction to the bad girl [or boy!]
• Crows - Starting with a grungy guitar riff it just grows! Much heavier than the previous track, Crows has a brilliant chorus with awesome harmonies that you'll be caught singing at the lights.
• Ballroom Baby - Again kicking off with a great guitar lick, this track gives singer Edward Knowles a chance to show a softer side to his voice and also his range.
• Back of the Restaurant - Solo bass guitar starts us off once more (seeing a pattern here?) and Knowles' vocals switch easily from soft to hard. Queen-like vocal harmonies from the other band members compliment yet another catchy tune.
  *It's worth noting at this stage that these are four of the first five tracks on the album!*

Given the four tracks above that I'm picking as some highlights are all within the first five tracks on the album, I'm going to give up at this point and tell you that every track is solid! Well honed harmonies, vocal work, guitar and drums, as well as some damned fine (and catchy) tunes are everywhere throughout this album. (Any Man Here Will Run You In, Till the Dance is Over and Holy My Head are other favourites).

Some elements brought a few comparisons to mind including The Beatles, Jet, Franz Ferdinand and Midnight Might though while the later would fall closer to pop, The Checks definitely spill into the rock category.

One of the best albums of the year to date. Just you try and stop me from Hunting Whales!

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5 Stars

Public Enemies

John Dillinger lives again in Michael Mann's 1930's gangster flick.

Never having been much of a fan of the director, but a big believer in stars Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard, I was a little unsure exactly what to expect going into this.

The major criticism I have is his use of digital film. I do understand that it's the way of the future. I do understand that Mann wanted the film to be so real that one is transported back to the era and can practically smell the gunpowder. I don't however feel that the digital filming added anything to the film. Quite the opposite in fact. I found the digital hard to watch and quite jarring. It took me out of the moment.

Aside from that I found the film to be excellent. The story and script are compelling, the action spine chilling and the performances all very very fine. I've heard Oscar rumours swirling around Depp and it's fair to say that this is the film in which he once again proves he can indeed act.

There is some romance and the 1930's costumes and scenery for the ladies, and some action and shoot 'em up hair raisers for the gents. Well worth the price of admission.

Now I'm off to buy a fedora!

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4 Stars

God of Carnage @ The Maidment (ATC)

The men rule the roost in this domestic comedy/social horror which runs for one more week at Auckland's Maidment Theatre. Both Peter Elliot demonstrates superb comic timing and, though I'm never one to celebrate the replacement of Craig Parker, Dave Fane is also superb. Behind every great man there is said to be a great woman and this is also true when it comes to the performances of Miranda Harcourt and Hera Dunleavy.

This is the show for anyone who's ever wanted to break the ranks of etiquette and hurl abuse (or indeed any nearby nick-knack) at another. God of Carnage begins with the two couples meeting to discuss a fight their two boys have recently had and they agree...for the most part. Spiraling out of control the play delivers line after line that will make you gasp and laugh both at the same time.

The writing is what gives it it's strength and the show is beautiful to watch; a dance where sides agree, take a few twirls, and then fracture forcing a change of partners. From united married couples, to masochist-feminist face-offs, to cheeky threesomes with a long individual fighting the good fight - allegiances, opinions and seating arrangements are forever changing.

I would recommend the play to anyone after a fun night out at the theatre. A little to think about, but a whole lot to enjoy!

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4 Stars