Army of Z

Best 2011 Summer Movies You Must See

2011-06-21T13:38:00.002+01:00

by Ashyia Hill

Bad movies are in abundance this summer. Steer clear of duds like The Hangover Part II, I Am Number Four and The Green Lantern. They’re disappointing and sometimes confusing at best. Here are a few movies guaranteed to please the masses.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II

This is the last part of the Harry Potter movie series. The trailers make it clear that Voldemort or Harry dies. In fact, one of the trailers shows the body of a supporting character. While some HP movies are mediocre, it’s safe to say the series will end with a bang and a lot of tears.

In case you’ve forgotten, the dream team dropped out of school to save the world. They’re looking for the seven horcruxes to destroy and end Who He Must Not Be Named. Without a doubt, your local theater will be packed for weeks after the release. Look forward to July 14th... or a date when tickets are available to people who aren’t booking a week in advance.

2. Bridesmaids

For the comedy lovers, Bridesmaids might make your year. Don’t mistake it for a chick flick at first glance. Annie is a bankrupt baker that now works as a jewelry saleswoman and can barely pay rent. Her relationship with Ted (Mad Men actor Jon Hamm) isn’t going well either. On top of all her problems, she’s asked to be the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding.

Kristen Wiig plays the main character, a regular actor on television show Saturday Night Live. Her work on SNL is usually sub-par at best, but her talent shines in Bridesmaids. She knows how to make a scene unbearably awkward. The movie was well-written and well-cast, a perfect mix of subtle humor and, well, toilet jokes.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

The fourth installment of the Pirates franchise didn’t sit well with the critics. According to them, the plot was wishy-washy and the action scenes too numerous. However, the box office numbers prove that people can’t pass up Captain Jack Sparrow. In fact, 65% of movie-goers (not critics) who rated the movie on RottenTomatoes.com gave it a thumbs up.

Between the side plots and a quest for mermaid tears, yes, the story was quite weird. It’s much better than At World’s End, though, mostly because it wasn’t three hours long. Pirates of the Caribbean is like the latest Saw movie or yet another animated musical about princesses. You know you shouldn’t, but you can’t help yourself and end up secretly enjoying it.

4. Cars 2

No list is complete without a movie for the younger crowd. The sequel to Cars opens on June 24th. This movie focuses a bit more on the tow truck Mater voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. Mater and Lightning McQueen participate in an even bigger race, this time to determine the world’s fastest car.

The original Cars can’t compare to classics like Toy Story or even newbies like Toy Story 3. However, the animation was great and the story satisfying. Kids and adults alike laughed through the two hours and walked away with smile on their face.

What can we expect from Cars 2? A better story, concentration on funnier characters and, of course, even more stunning animation from Pixar.

5. Source Code

Source Code is here to appease the sci-fi fans. If you enjoyed the non-stop action of movies like Inception, you’ll probably enjoy Source Code. Critics give the movie mostly positive reviews, though some criticize the believability of the story.

A solider wakes up to discover that he’s on a mission to find a bomb before it goes off. Except he’s in another person’s body and must relive the last minutes of the other man’s life until completing the mission. He finds a beautiful but doomed distraction along the way.

Honestly, the best thing about Source Code is the action. The story is great and better than expected, but like with most action movies, it takes a backseat to explosions.

Ashyia Hill helps college students find the best credit card for students at CreditDonkey. She also loves film and theater. What summer movie are you looking forward to? Leave a comment below.

TV: Wonders of the Universe Review

2011-03-15T13:06:00.002Z

Reviewed by
Scott (obscurdbyclouds)
I first noticed Professor Brian Cox in the wonderful and hugely successful BBC science programme Wonders of the Solar System when it was shown last year. He has since returned to the BBC, co-presenting a live show with Dara O'Briain from Jodrell Bank called Stargazing Live, which was broadcast from the 5th January for one week. But his latest programme is a follow-up to the Wonders of the Solar System programme and is called Wonders of the Universe. I myself find this latest series to be just as satisfying to watch as the last one.

As a presenter, Professor Cox delivers his subject matter in an easy to understand and entertaining way, coupled with the feeling that here is a presenter that isn't just spouting information at the camera but is genuinely passionate about the subjects he talking about and more importantly, the viewers understanding of them too. As in the last series, the information presented gives us the viewer access to an understanding of how the Universe, including us, came to be, and the laws of physics to which we are bound by.

In the first episode of the new series titled Destiny, Professor Cox explored the nature of Time and its role in creating both the Universe and ourselves. A wonderful programme on its own which informed the viewer that not only do we live in the "Goldilocks Zone" which represents our planet’s distance from our Sun, but that we also live in a Goldilocks Zone as far as Time is concerned. In the second programme entitled Stardust, he explores the questions of “what are we?” And “where do we come from?” The programme as usual delivers hard facts. Those facts being what we are in terms of elements and from where those elements come from and how they are produced. He tells us that there are ninety-two elements found on our planet and those same elements are found across the entire Universe.

As well as the presenter delivering the material from relevant locations throughout the world, the programmes themselves use a balanced mix of both spectacular photographic and CGI imagery to present the source material, and with a decent soundtrack in the background the overall impression is of a programme that has been invested in hugely from beginning to end. The series itself represents a high point for me as far as BBC programming is concerned. And it is more than just something to watch on a Sunday night. I've been watching this on the BBC HD channel and recording it onto my HD box for further viewing. I would say to anyone who hasn't watched this yet that they are missing out on a fantastic programme that is a pleasure to watch and leaves you the viewer with the feeling that you have learned something new.

The next episode in this 4-part series is about gravity and can be caught on BBC HD and BBC 2 on Sunday 20th March at 9pm. The previous two episodes in the series are most likely to be found on the BBC iplayer.

Games: Killzone 3 Review

2011-03-10T21:38:00.007Z

Reviewed by Scott

(obscurdbyclouds)

I've had this game for a couple of weeks now and it’s about time for some thoughts on it...

I think it’s an improvement on the second game overall. While the gameplay isn't a million miles away from the Killzone 2, the graphics have been upgraded and look awesome. The single player seems shorter and easier than the Killzone 2 campaign but this is alright as you probably only bought this game to play online and you don't want a massive single player campaign to distract you.

I did enjoy the single player campaign though. It's pretty linear as you would expect - start from point A, battle through points B, C and D to arrive at point E and end of level. There is nothing hard or taxing about the single player option on Regular difficulty and completion was done in a couple of hours, which is good for me. You play as an ISA grunt and the weapons are exactly the same as Killzone 2, with one exception. On some of the levels you can take a gun which is on a mount and use that as your main weapon of choice. This is brilliant. The fun I had with them was spectacular and many a Helghast met their doom when I used those weapons.
Multiplayer is where everyone wants to be though and this can be hit and miss. The maps can be larger than the ones offered on Killzone 2, but annoyingly this doesn't matter. Everyone battles around the same tiny areas trying to capture or defend territory. And they are too small to offer any sort of team tactics. As soon as you spawn it's every man for himself and off we run to fulfil our own agenda. In the Warzone option for multiplayer again it's pretty much the same as Killzone 2, with defend/attack, assassinate/defend, bodycount etc... The added extra gameplay and little gem is the Operations option which displays your chosen cannon fodder character in a cut-scene at the start and end if you performed well. This however gets a little annoying after the twenty billionth time of watching them. The Operations mode meanwhile does allow for the use of tactics, but I have played some games where the opposition are happy to forget the objectives and simply camp out at your spawn point.
Levelling up during multiplayer allows you to upgrade your chosen class. Be it Tactician, Infiltrator, Medic Marksman or Engineer. You get to unlock points to spend every time you level up. So use those points wisely. I myself have unlocked the Tactician fully and found that after spending 3 unlock points to unlock the shotgun, that then lets me spend a further 2 unlock points to unlock a better machine gun. But I found that for me it wasn't really worth the hassle as I was getting along better with the original gun given to that class at the start.
Annoyingly the game won't let you play the campaign game co-operatively over the network or play the multiplayer-esque bot game with your mates, which would have made an excellent addition to the product on the whole.
In conclusion, this game is excellent but the multiplayer at the moment drags it down. It's just not up to scratch.

Books: Full Stars, No Dark by Stephen King Review

2011-03-10T12:07:00.000Z

Reviewed by Claire (Hindsy)

I don’t think I have to tell anyone who knows me that I’m a massive Stephen King fan. So it pains me to say that I found a few of his more recent offerings disappointing to say the least. Was there really any need for Blaze? And don’t get me started on Just After Sunset…

So with trepidation I sat down with Full Stars, No Dark, and was pleasantly surprised (in part) by what I found. Containing four short stories, these are tales of dark acts committed by relatively ‘normal’ people.

1922 is where we start. We are introduced to Wilf James, his wife Arlette and his 14 year old son Henry. The James’ live on a farm surrounded by land inherited from Arlette’s father. In a nut shell, she wants to sell up and move and he doesn’t. What follows is a rather creepy tale told from Wilf’s point of view, chronicling events starting when he kills his wife, and ending with his own tortured recollection of the years that follow. This is a return to form for King. Although the story starts off slow, you immediately get the feeling that it’s building to something better. Once the idea of murder is voiced, the chill factor sets in. This is a creepy little story that may just keep you awake at night.
Next we meet Big Driver. A young novelist, Tess, attends a talk in a small town but encounters a violent rapist on her way home. A simple premise for a story, but again one which causes chills when reading. What should really be a story from a series of crime based shorts, it is the imagined voice of Tess’s Tom-Tom SatNav machine, appropriately named ‘Tom’, that offers the shift towards the horror genre. That and the hideous descriptions of the attack in this story are more evidence of a good return to form for King.
So far, so good. Two down and two to go.
And then we hit Fair Extension. For anyone who reads King, the area around Derry’s ‘Harris Extension’ should be familiar. Derry itself was the setting for IT, Dreamcatcher and Insomnia, the latter being set mainly around the Harris Extension. For me, any story which drops the reader into the familiar world of Derry has to be good. But unfortunately, this isn’t. For a story that stretches to just 25 pages, I can’t help but think why bother including it? Reading Fair Extension, I’m reminded of both Thinner and the short story The Man in the Black Suit (taken from Everything’s Eventual). But it's simply a story of a man selling his soul to the devil. A story which has been done before; and more effectively many times over if I’m honest. In my opinion, it brings nothing new to the collection.
And finally, we are told the story of Darcy Anderson, who is happily married to a man who spends a lot of time away on ‘business’. Darcy makes an unexpected discovery in her garage when she searches for batteries and what follows is a pretty predictable tale. A Good Marriage is bland, unsurprising and although readable, a disappointment.
Stephen King seemed to be back on track with some of his recent books. Cell and Lisey’s Story were both chilling novels that gave me nightmares. Unfortunately, I can’t bring myself to say the same for Full Dark, No Stars. This is a shame as the first half makes for good reading. But it’s the second half that lets it down.
For anyone heading away on holiday who has a few hours on a plane to kill, then I’d say buy this. Just ensure it’s purchased from the bargain bin at the airport rather than paying full price for what I feel amounts to a half hearted attempt at a complete collection.

Movies: Alice In Wonderland Blu-Ray Review

2011-03-10T09:56:00.000Z

Reviewed by Chris (hobbes)

I’m a huge fan of both books so I was excited to find out this was getting a Blu-ray release.

First off, being a Disney release you know the picture and sound quality are going to be exceptional. And again with this movie it's no different. The colours are vibrant throughout and all the speakers are given a great workout.

However it's not all good. The movie itself is rather lacklustre and is more a series of scenes than a coherent story (I know the book isn't 100% cohesive but it at least has the semblance of a story at its very core). The problem seems to lie with the fact it has tried to condense both Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass into a 75 minute movie which just doesn't work. Even with its short running time the movie still seems to drag on in some scenes and I found myself checking how long was left more than once. None of the characters are very memorable, they just don't have enough screen time as too much is crammed in and the character of Alice isn't interesting enough to carry the movie. Add in some truly forgettable songs and you have (for once) a Disney Blu-ray I can't recommend.
The best part of this disc was the trailer for The Incredibles which is due out this year.

Movies: Due Date Review

2011-03-01T11:42:00.002Z

Reviewed by David (dalekmofo)

Robert Downey Jr. has said he’d be happy to just keep playing Sherlock Holmes and Iron Man for the rest of his career. While the thought of a string of movies featuring Conan Doyle’s celebrated sleuth and Marvel’s armoured superhero is extremely tantalising, it’s still good to see him utilising his particular talents in something a little different. Although he’s picked something of an oddity with director Todd (The Hangover) Phillips’ Due Date.
Downey plays Peter Highman, an uptight architect on his way home from Atlanta to LA to be with his pregnant wife (Michelle Monaghan) who is about to have their first child. As soon as he reaches the airport he immediately falls foul of Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis), a weirdy beardy wannabe actor on his way to Hollywood with his French bulldog in tow. After a car is wrecked and bags mixed up, our conflicted pair end up in an inappropriate post-9/11 discussion on the plane and are subsequently ejected and put on the No Fly List. With no wallet and no money, Peter reluctantly accepts Ethan’s offer to drive him to LA. And, as Ethan’s father would say, it’s all uphill from there.
We’ve seen the road movie done a hundred times before and done better in films like Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Midnight Run. Due Date is more like the former with all the added accoutrements of the modern comedy, such as sudden violence and gross-out humour including a masturbating dog. But the chemistry between the central pair never quite ignites. And you don’t feel that Peter and Ethan have grown or learned anything significant by the end of their journey. In fact, there’s quite a nasty streak running through the film and it’s hard to really care about the predicament of either of the characters. But there’s still a lot of fun to be had along the way including an (accidental) detour to Mexico (“I thought it said Texaco”) and an excellent cameo from Danny McBride.
In the end though, it’s Downey’s movie. He holds his own like a pro and makes the most of an unsympathetic part, refusing to be upstaged by a comedy slob or a bat-faced dog. Here’s hoping he continues to explore other roles away from Baker Street and crime-fighting millionaires.

TV: The Office: Series Five Review

2011-02-28T13:31:00.003Z

Reviewed by David (dalekmofo)

The first season of the American adaptation of Ricky Gervais’ magnum opus The Office may have been a pale imitation of the original, but it got by due to the odd original twist on the material and the performances of the ensemble cast, who imbued their characters with enough endearing eccentric quirks to make another season viable and welcome. And it was in its second year that the show really started to excel, step out of the shadow of its parent and become an outright classic in itself.
While Gervais may have called it a day on the British version after two seasons and two Christmas specials, the antics of the employees of Pennsylvanian paper company Dunder Mifflin have now been on our screens for an impressive six years (soon to be seven). Season Five, just released in the UK on DVD, may see the show take a slight dip in terms of quality, but it certainly doesn’t appear to be running out of comedic steam. It continues to delight the dedicated fan and casual viewer alike.
If you’ve been wondering how manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) has managed to survive in his position for so long with his rather unique approach to running an office and handling staff, or his “family” as he likes to call them, then there’s a lot to reward you this year as he’s finally brought to bear when he clashes with the new by-the-book District Manager. Michael being Michael reacts childishly to the threat to his ego brought about by the new regime and particularly when a party (which would have included life-size ice sculpture of him) is cancelled. In a surprise move, he quits to form the dubiously successful Michael Scott Paper Company in the basement with long suffering secretary Pam and former temp/disgraced manager Ryan. Meanwhile Pam and Jim’s romance continues to develop while the love triangle between a capella enthusiast Andy, puritan Angela and beet-farming weapons maniac Dwight (the forever genius Rainn Wilson) finally comes to a head.
Over the 26 episodes, it could be argued that the overarching storyline doesn’t quite gel. And certain payoffs can’t quite live up to expectations. The final duel between Andy (with anger management issues) and Dwight (with an office stash of throwing knives and a crossbow) being one such example. Each time the writers opt for the low-key conclusion. Perhaps in an effort to keep it real within the fake documentary format. But you can’t help feeling short-changed. Still, this is a minor gripe when the show continues to maintain the constant barrage of subtle comedy and laugh-out-loud moments. Blink at your own peril as you’re likely to miss something. This is certainly one show that rewards frequent re-viewing.
Of course, your enjoyment of the show may depend on how much you admire the comedy stylings of Steve Carell. Who takes front and centre this season even more so than usual. He’s on top form again. But occasionally you wish he’d rein it in just a little when he crosses over the line of credibility. Still, it’s hard to imagine how the show is going to continue without his presence after the seventh season…
If you’ve never seen this show because you’re put off by US versions of British shows, try to forget the Men Behaving Badly and Fawlty Towers affronts and pick this up. We’d recommend you start from the beginning with the also-available The Ultimate Package (Seasons 1-5). Unlike The Michael Scott Paper Company, it’s well worth an investment.

Movies: Winter's Bone Review

2011-02-20T21:37:00.008Z

Reviewed by David (dalekmofo)

The works of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler defined the hardboiled detective story. Their tales of tenacious detectives doggedly pursuing criminals via a web of intrigue and wrong-doing, woven by dangerous woman with deadly agendas, have enthralled since the 1930s and have had a major influence on film.
While we can always enjoy eternal classics of the genre like The Maltese Falcon or The Big Sleep, over the years the gumshoe oeuvre has also been mixed adeptly with other cinematic staples such as sci-fi (Blade Runner, Dark City), comedy (The Big Lebowski) and even the high school teen flick (Brick). Now it’s the turn of the backwoods thriller made (in)famous by the likes of Deliverance and Southern Comfort. Adapting from “country noir” author Daniel Woodrell’s novel Winter's Bone, director Debra Granik has produced an immersive trip into the heartland of America and along the way has found a new star in the shape of Jennifer Lawrence.
The opening scenes set the tone well. Set in the poverty-stricken Ozarks, Lawrence plays Ree, a seventeen year old girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders, living in a landscape of wooden shacks and twisted woods. A soundscape of barking dogs and hunter’s gunshots in the near distance. As she looks around her school, it appears her future options are limited - motherhood or a life in the army. It’s revealed later that Ree would prefer the latter. But she’s not going anywhere. She’s got a catatonic mother and a younger brother and sister to look after. She needs to teach them how to be self-sufficient, to make stag stew and kill squirrels so that they can survive if anything happens to her. The hungry, chained dog in the yard is symbolic of her whole existence.
When the local sheriff (Garret Dillahunt) comes calling she looks terrified. And justifiably so. Not only does the local community shun any contact with the law, and frown on anyone caught speaking to them, but he’s the bringer of bad news. Ree’s father, a drug dealer, has put their home up as guarantee against his bail bond. And if he doesn’t show up at court they’ll lose everything. Fearing the worst, Ree sets off to investigate her father’s whereabouts, digging deeper and deeper into the truth, or as close a she can get to it at least, through relatives and criminal connections of her erstwhile parent. And these people don’t take too kindly to her snooping. So it’s lucky that her uncle Teardrop (an electric John Hawkes) is on hand to help when the going gets rough. And maybe in return she can teach him the importance of family…
The film is a slow burner. Don’t be expecting shoot-outs or even a tidy denouement. But its impossible not to be drawn in and the acting is absolutely top-notch. It’s Lawrence who shines the most. She’s quietly expressive. Speaking a thousand words with a furrowed brow or a simple look. Like the film’s landscape she appears cold but is full of character. It's an amazing performance. It’s only too clear why even Spielberg has taken notice.
If you’re a fan of intense dramas, detective thrillers just or enjoy great cinema, I can’t recommend this film enough. A darkly beautiful experience.

Games: Gran Turismo 5 Review

2011-02-15T14:00:00.005Z

Reviewed by Scott (obscurdbyclouds)

Out Now

I have to say that the finished product was not worth the wait. Graphically it’s much the same as the last one. And there's not much change in the cars or the tracks for that matter. The latter point is particularly annoying.

The cars are split into two categories, standard and premium. What this means is the standard cars are represented much the same as they used to be graphically and the premium cars are represented slightly better - with an extra view of inside the car to drive from - whoopee! (that was sarcastic). The main difference for me this time is the fact that the cars you earn after winning an event turn out to be rather poor most of the time. This means I now have a garage full of cars I will NEVER drive!
In addition, the B-Spec mode has to be the most frustrating gameplay in the history of gaming. Here you get to manage a computer driver, selecting races and cars for him to compete in. Sounds fun. And it is. But not without its annoyances. For instance, the driver tends to be pretty shit at driving. It's frustrating to watch your driver in a race event when you have selected a car that out performs the others by 200bhp only for him to drive it like a Muppet! In races were your driver is winning by a country mile, he slows up and lets the opposition catch him!
It is a better game than I have mentioned and I am merely nitpicking on some things. It’s still a fun racing game that will bring enjoyment when playing. And when you make your first supercar purchase the feeling is great.
In the end, it's a racing game and gets as exciting as racing games get without adding guns and rockets and oil traps and jumps and... well, you get the idea.
I give it 7 out of 10.

Movies: Resident Evil: Afterlife Blu-ray Review

2011-02-10T11:49:00.006Z

Reviewed by David (dalekmofo)

Out Now

The original Resident Evil movie may have been sniffed at by critics back when it was originally released, but on the whole it surpassed expectations and adapted the hugely popular undead bothering gaming title with aplomb. While also delivering a rollercoaster zombie movie in its own right. Justice prevailed and it rightfully went on to become a cherished cult favourite for post-pub viewing.
The law of diminishing returns may have applied to the next two sequels but they still managed to be hugely entertaining popcorn munchers for any fan of the genre. Even if they couldn’t manage the heady heights of a Romero, or even a Snyder remake of a Romero, there was still plenty of quivering nuggets to be found amongst the offal.
And so the producers of the franchise seemed to think there was enough life left in the adventures of Milla Jovovich’s twin gun wielding heroine Alice to limp onto a fourth instalment. And unfortunately this is when the stink really starts to set in.
Original director Paul W.S. Anderson is back. But they needn’t have bothered. Resident Evil: Afterlife is so far removed from the original film it could belong to a different series. It starts stylishly enough, with a slow-mo title sequence set in Japan reminiscent of a Tatu video (remember them?). But we’re soon flung into a Bond movie opening setpiece which feels designed solely to wipe away the tantalising setup from the closing moments of the previous instalment and restore Alice to her pre-superpower days (not that you’d notice as she’s soon throwing herself off roofs and swinging on wires while firing machine guns again). It’s a mission statement for the rest of the film - heavy on CGI and short on thrills. And makes the serious misstep of introducing evil corporation Umbrella chairman Wesker as the primary villain. Not only have they recast the part with an actor so bad that you just want to kick the TV in whenever he appears, but the zombies then become criminally sidelined to supporting threats in their own movie.
Thankfully he clears off for a while to spare your television a boot to the screen whilst Alice seeks refuge in a derelict prison with a bunch of cardboard cutout survivors of the zombie apocalypse. It here that the movie threatens to be exciting. But it falls apart when it degenerates into the old horror movie stable of stupid people doing stupid things. Even after one character mentions that they can hear noises in the walls, no one seems to care too much about the huge hole in the shower room floor. Although this does lead to the film’s one brilliant sequence as the Alice and the towering and terrifying Reaper, making an unexplained surprise cameo from the games, battle it out. But it’s too little too late. And as the film drags towards an ending with unfortunate echoes of The Matrix sequels, you might smack your head in despair when it ends on yet another “teaser” for a fifth instalment.
One thing to recommend the purchase of the film is that its an excellent advertisement for Blu-ray. The colours are crystal sharp and glorious. It's also available to buy in the 3D format. This reviewer hasn’t seen this version but can’t imagine it would add anything extra to the experience. While I enjoy the odd movie once in a while where you can just switch your brain off, kick back and enjoy the nonsense, this is simply a ridiculous cartoon of a movie made for adolescents to watch when their gaming consoles are in for repair. Avoid like the (zombie) plague.

Movies: Bambi Blu-ray Review

2011-02-09T12:14:00.006Z

Reviewed by Chris (hobbes)

Out Now

Released way back in 1942, everyone obviously now knows about Bambi's mum. But the rest of the film is often forgotten. Essentially a coming of age tale, the movie starts with his birth and then follows him through the loss of his mother to his eventual maturity and ending with the birth of his own family as he claims his place as the Prince of the Forest.
The rest of the animals are very strong with Thumper the obvious standout (although I'd have to say Flower was my favourite). And there is no denying the movie goes all out in the cuteness stakes. Especially in the first half of the movie when the main characters are still young and particularly when young Bambi first learns to walk and then later on when he and Thumper are playing on the ice.
The animation is stunning and on blu-ray it’s simply jaw-dropping. I think by now it’s obvious that Disney is the best company with blu-ray releases. Every one of their classic animations have been 5/5 for picture quality. The surround sound is kept to a minimum with the rear speakers only really coming into effect during the "April Showers" and then again near the end while the forest is on fire. But even then you feel completely immersed in the movie. So the sound quality is a solid 4.5/5.
As with all the animated Disney movies I'd highly recommend this.

Toy Story 3 Blu-ray Review

2011-01-31T17:25:00.015Z

Reviewed by Chris (hobbes)

Out now

Let me start by saying I loved the first two movies in the series so I had high hopes for this and wasn't disappointed. The final entry cements its place, in my opinion, as the best movie trilogy out there. Granted, it’s not flawless, but every other trilogy is let down by at least one weak movie (all usually part three).
The movie starts with Andy grown up, moving to college and leaving Woody, Buzz and the gang unsure of their futures. After a mix up, the toys end up at Sunnyside Nursery (run by Lotso the strawberry-scented bear) and are promised to always have new owners to play with them. So life seems pretty good. However, Woody being Woody, just wants to get back to Andy to make sure he is OK. And so he leaves Buzz et al and tries to get home. I can't mention Sunnyside without singling out the best new character introduced in part three... Ken. Voiced superbly by Michael Keaton, he steals almost every scene he is in. And the fashion show montage is one of the many highlights of the movie.
Without going into too much detail, things aren't as good as they seem for the gang and they soon have to plan an escape from Sunnyside, which involves a scene with Mr Potato Head and a tortilla which still makes me laugh just thinking about it. And the trash compactor scene is genuinely moving as the toys head towards an inferno unsure of their fates…
Having grown up with these characters the ending is tear inducing and pretty much perfect in every way allowing a natural feel for everyone involved.
The Blu-ray as expected from Pixar is exceptional, picture and audio quality is 10/10 with lots of extras. The best one being Night and Day, the short that was shown in the cinema before the main movie. It’s a technical masterpiece and may be the best short Pixar have done. Mainly silent it shows two 2-d characters (Night and Day) and using 3-d animation it uses things seen during those times to show emotions, it explores prejudice and a fear of the unknown and although the message is kind of shoehorned in it still just works. I'm a sucker for Pixar and own all the movies they have done and can safely say Toy Story 3 should be in everyone’s Blu-ray collection.

Movies: Friday the 13th

2009-08-28T14:58:00.014+01:00

Reviewed by invaderspiff

Out now DVD/Blu-ray

Friday the 13th is one of the most iconic and classic horror films of all time. It went on to give us several sequels, each varying in quality, but they also gave us Jason Voorhees - the hockey mask wearing, machete wielding psycho killer who stalks young teens in the woods and slaughters them without mercy. Jason was a young boy who drowned and "died" at Camp Crystal Lake summer camp when the teenage camp workers were too busy bumping nasties to be keeping an eye on him!

As most people SHOULD know, the original Friday the 13th didn’t actually feature Jason as the killer but instead had his dear old mom running around killing off immoral teenagers who she blamed for the death of her son... until she was beheaded at the end of the movie. It wasn’t until Part 2 that we got to see Jason take the stage. All grown up and pissed off at the death of his mother. Even then he wore a sack over his head and didn’t get the iconic demonic sportswear look until Part 3. But from that point on there was no going back. And along wit the most popular horror films from back in the day like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and the upcoming Nightmare On Elm Street and Hellraiser, it has now been "rebooted". All the classic nasties are coming back in a big, big way...
So I am pleased to say that I was delighted with Friday the 13th on Blu-ray! I was very sceptical about the reboot as the Jason films had become something of a joke over the past few years. Take Jason X for example (Jason in space!). Bad, bad, bad movie. Aaaaaanyway. This film is actually a mix of the first four Friday the 13th movies and has some nice references to past films (even if it is simply certain items or props from the old films glimpsed in Jason’s lair).

The film stays true to the source material and starts off with a flashback showing what would be the very end of the original Friday the 13th, with Jason’s mother being beheaded as we catch a glimpse of a deformed young boy watching from the woods. So... Jason didn’t die after all and witnessed the murder of his own mother. Cut to the present day and a bunch of fun loving youngsters are out looking for a crop of marijuana that they heard about from a friend of a friend which just happens to grow next to Camp Crystal Lake... Bunch of teens? Check. Drug reference? Check. Alcohol consumption? Check. Getting jiggy with it while camping? Check. You've got the classic formula for being murdered in a horror film. I won’t go in to any further plot details but it does have a few twists and turns.
Now to the big guy himself. Jason is one tough S.O.A.B. As we saw from the flashback at the start, he survived the drowning and witnessed his mother’s death and then spent the next 20-30 or more years growing up alone in the abandoned camp, deformed and twisted. Jason covers his deformed features with a sack, just like his first appearance in the series, but it isn’t long until he finds and adopts his familiar hockey mask. Plus he carries a HUGE machete (the same one used to kill his mother). Jason is huge, freakishly strong and a force of nature. Not only is he relentless in his hunting and killing but he also sets traps around the woods to snare his victims. He's still silent and never makes a sound, but the one big character change is that Jason can now run! I always liked how characters like Michael Myers and Jason never ran and just calmly walked after their prey and somehow always managed to catch them. It was creepy. So I was upset when I heard that Jason was now able to run and I thought it would ruin the character and tone of the film. But I was wrong. Seeing this absolute beast thundering after someone through the trees is terrifying. You want to scream at the TV and urge the character on! RUN! RUUUUUN!!! HES BEHIND YOU!!!! It really is quite intense.
The deaths in Friday the 13th are varied and entertaining and the atmosphere through most of the film is TENSE. Very, very tense. And in Blu-ray it looks RIDONCULOUS. Camp Crystal Lake looks like a beautiful place to spend the summer. But at night it looks like something from a nightmare. The flickering shadows from campfires and the odd glimpse of light from Jason’s eyes within his mask or glinting along his machete is chilling. I think Blu-ray was made for horror movies because of the blood but that’s just my opinion.
If you are a fan of the original series then you can’t miss this. For a reboot of the franchise it does a fantastic job and still manages to feel like a proper Friday the 13th movie. Watching this made me feel like a kid again and its good to see some people still have the balls to make a proper old school horror movie.
Get the lights switched off, grab a beer (or beverage of choice) and get the volume up high... it's time to go back to camp.

Movies: Coraline

2009-08-19T22:32:00.010+01:00

Reviewed by hobbes

Out now on DVD/Blu-ray (Import Only)

Having stolen the book from Spiff ages ago, I was a bit apprehensive of seeing this movie. But after reading a few favourable reviews I imported it and I have to say I'm very impressed.

The movie revolves around main character Coraline who has just moved into a new house with some eccentric neighbours - two retired actresses and a Russian gymnast/mouse circus ringmaster. While her parents are busy working, she goes off to explore and soon finds a small door hidden behind some wallpaper. After opening it, she discovers the door leads nowhere as it has been bricked-up. Disappointed she goes to bed. Then in her sleep some white mice get her to follow them through the door where she meets her other mother - a copy of her own mother but with button eyes. The other mother is very loving and caring at the start but soon things take a nasty twist as the this mother wants Coraline to stay in the other world forever so she has someone to love (or eat, its never made clear). All she needs to do is have buttons sewn where her eyes are. Unsurprisingly, Coraline rejects this offer and goes home where she discovers her real parents have been kidnapped and with the help of some ghost kids and a cat... well, you can work out what happens next.

Not to take anything away from the movie but there are no plot twists or surprises here. It can be quite frightening though and if you have younger kids it might be best to watch it first and see if you think they could handle some of the later scenes.
The movie is based on Neil Gaiman's book of the same title and while a lot has stayed the same, a lot has changed. The introduction of a new character being the boldest move. That being said though, the new character is fine and there isn't enough to really spoil anything. Although the ending has been changed a little to fit him in. As I said, as a fan of the book I was worried. But they have done a good job keeping its spirit. Die-hard fans of the book may disagree though.
The movie is done in stop-motion and is lovingly detailed with every shot looking perfect as is expected with animation on Blu-ray these days (well in 2D anyway). Ah yes, the movie was the first stop-motion film shot in 3D and that version is included on the Blu-ray. While it is more of a novelty to see it like this it is nonetheless well worth a watch. Although it suffers from ghosting and subdued colours and the old green/red glasses are really uncomfortable, especially over normal specs.
Like my Let The Right One In review, I would highly recommend both the book and the movie to everyone.

Games: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

2009-08-09T02:54:00.012+01:00

Reviewed by hobbes

Out Now

Having been a fan of golf games since the mighty PGA Tour games on the Megadrive, I was always intrigued by golf games on the Wii but never had enough room to have a full swing. So after throwing some stuff out, I bought Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (with motion+).
I know the Wii takes a lot of abuse for not having a lot of games on it. And most of them are shovelware or mini game compilations. But when it comes to sports games, the Wii is head and shoulders above other consoles. From Madden when the Wii first came out to Pro Evo last year, sports games take the motion controls and really make them work in the game. Not always perfectly, but throwing a pass is way more satisfying than just pressing a button.
This bring me onto Tiger, the Wiimote was made for games like this and with the motion+ add on its pretty much perfection. The game tracks your backswing, downswing and even your draw and fade (unfortunately for me since I spend most of my time in the trees because of it). I haven't noticed any fault in the motion control yet. Every swing is fluid and the character onscreen replicates your swing almost exactly. Well, the animation might be different but the speed and accuracy are exact. So much so that a lot of people have said that they put a golf ball on the floor to aim and barely look at the screen.
Due to the accuracy of the motion+, I have yet to shoot under par, so the game is definitely not easy. Although you can lower the difficulty so you can just "grip it and rip it" and not worry about drawing or fading so every drive will go straight. But where is the fun in that? Putting is also a real challenge, with the weight of the swing being really important. So a lot of putts will come up short or go shooting way past the hole the first few rounds until you get the hang of it.
My favourtie feature is a Wii exclusive - disc golf. It's as it sounds. You go round the course using a frisbee instead of clubs and a ball. It may sound dull but it's a whole lot of fun. Again all the controls feel spot on so playing the game is a simple as throwing a frisbee. If you are used to throwing a frisbee into the wind, over a cliff and then through some trees.
So while the Wii might suffer from more rubbish than the other consoles, when companies get it right it makes having the little white box worthwhile.

Movies: Let The Right One In

2009-08-08T00:00:00.016+01:00

Reviewed by hobbes

Out now on DVD/Blu-ray

I had heard good things about this film so decided to buy the Blu-ray version on Monday. I've already watched it twice and bought the book. Yes, it's that good.
The movie is sold as a vampire movie, when in fact, the vampire element is just one of the character details. Oskar is bullied. Eli is a vampire. No big deal is made out of it. It's just what she is. So if you are expecting Blade or The Lost Boys you'll be disappointed.
The premise is pretty much a love story between two young kids (well, one young kid. Eli is actually over 200 years old). There are elements of loneliness and isolation and some strong scenes of bullying. The young couple are as similar as they are different. With Eli being almost a manifestation of Oskar's anger and aggression towards his bullys. While Oskar is Eli's more human side. They share the common bond of being alone and this is what brings them together...

There are a few violent scenes and although the CG isn't great, the one with the cats will haunt a few people. A lot of the more graphic things from the book have been taken out - paedophilia and attempted rape being two of them. It doesn't detract too much from the movie. Although I've heard of a few people being confused with Eli's relationship with Hakan (her "carer"). In the book he is obsessed with Eli and gets blood for her in exchange for being allowed to sleep next to her or to touch her, while in the movie the undercurrent is there but he could easily just be mistaken for a sort of useless father figure. Hakan is almost written out of the movie and has a far greater part to play in the book. Although having read it, you can see why they choose not to film those scenes (a zombie paedophile wouldn't really have fit in with the tone of the movie).
My only comment on the Blu-ray is that it looks and sounds stunning.
An absolute masterpiece in both book and movie form (although the book may be a little too graphic sometimes for everyones taste). I really couldn't recommend this any higher.

TV: Psychoville

2009-07-24T12:14:00.009+01:00

Reviewed by dalekmofo

(BBC2, Thursdays, 10pm)

After following the “special stuff” of the first two series with a never-darker Christmas Special, a weak third series and a feature film that practically no one watched, The League of Gentlemen wisely decided to give the denizens of Royston Vasey a rest for a while and seemed happy to develop their writing skills in separate projects and appear in other people’s work. But now one half of the comedy team – Reese Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton - have returned with a new show. And what better way to utilise their particular brand of comedy that can equally amuse, terrify, revolt and make you think at the same time than a horror-spoof with a murder mystery plot?
Once again discovering their talent to create an impressive assortment of grotesque and hilarious characters, the terrible twosome’s comedy thriller Psychoville revolves around five very different and seemingly unconnected people scattered across Britain, who it soon transpires are mysteriously linked by a trenchcoated blackmailer sending them a series of portentous letters starting with the simple threat “I know what you did”.
While Shearsmith and Pemberton play a staggering amount of roles, they’ve recruited additional partners in crime, such as Dawn French as a maniacal midwife, to fill out the cast. And as a result, the dark and intriguing story feels more pleasingly epic and satisfying than anything they’ve attempted before. It successfully hits all the right horror and comedy buttons in the correct order and further more, is clearly not afraid to flirt with some very, very dark underpinnings. Each character is deftly and possessively portrayed to the point where there’s rarely a weak moment as each finely crafted scene jumps from one human monster to the other. There’s the pantomime midget with psychic powers and unsavoury designs on Snow White, the blind toy collector that lives in a spooky mansion waiting on mail from NASA and Shearmith’s Mr Jelly, raising the ghost of Papa Lazarou, as a clown-for-hire who would give Stephen King’s IT a run for his money in the horror stakes (he even drives a car adorned with the slogan “Keeps Kids Quiet”). While Dawn French draws surreptitiously on Kathy Bates’ nice but nasty turn from Misery to bring sympathy and scares to a part that could easily have appeared underwritten. Yet while these characters entertain in their own spine-chilling way, it’s the amateur serial killers Maureen Sowerbutt and her man-child son David that steal the show. It’s with these characters that the writers really demonstrate the fact that they’re not afraid to still experiment, and honour their stagebound leanings, with an ambitious fourth episode shot in one continuous take (or was it two?).
The penultimate episode may have necessarily sacrificed comedy for scares as the characters started to come together for the big finale at a fateful mental hospital, but it left viewers on a cliff-edge wondering just how it’s all going come to its nasty end.
Probably the best comedy of the year so far.

Games: Fight Night Round 4

2009-07-22T14:02:00.007+01:00

Reviewed by hobbes

After the initial goodness of the UFC game, it pretty much killed itself with cheap AI, which meant that moving up in difficulty was an exercise in torture. You won four rounds only to be hit once and KO’d. Which brings me on to Fight Night - no cheap knockouts, no cheap AI and if you keep to fighting the CPU, and if you are skilled, you will genuinely win a lot of fights. I'll get onto punch spamming later...

The single player mode, Legacy mode, is exactly what you'd expect from a boxing game. You create a future legend and work him through the ranks to eventually become (hopefully) the greatest of all time. Where this shines in relation to the UFC game is that it allows you to move up in weight class after you reach a certain level (obviously if you are a heavyweight you can't move up). Depending on the difficulty, level fights can range from 1st round knockouts at the start to 12 rounds of clever boxing to try and win on points. They have tried to add the UFC type email system but it’s totally useless and can just be ignored as none of the messages are of any importance.

A clever feature of the fights is the corner between rounds; you are given point to spend on health, stamina and to repair damage done. The clever bit is you get more points depending on how well you are fighting. So you might go in and throw wild punches and win a round but you'll only get 20 points to spend in the corner whereas if you box clever, pick your punches and land a higher percentage, then you get more points to spend, making you have the advantage in latter rounds. This however leads me to the huge flaw this game has, and I have to say all games, – stamina. Why is it so hard to get right? There are a lot of complaints online about "punch spamming", which is basically someone just flicking the thumbstick (no button controls yet) as fast as they can and not allowing the other person to box. This would be OK if that boxer’s stamina wore down since they are throwing hundreds of punches a round. Sadly though it doesn't. For some reason, landing a punch cleanly doesn't seem to detract from the stamina. Why not block? I hear you say. Well, EA have implemented a block limit. If you block too much the bar wears down and punches can get through. And this bar goes down way quicker than the punch spammer’s stamina bar.

The punch spamming is only an issue online or against family (grrr) as most of the CPU fighters will box as their real life counterparts did. Ali will pick you off with jabs or dodge and weave making you expend stamina whilst Tyson will work inside and hit you with short hard uppercuts, which is great as you have to differ your style for different boxers.

Apart from the complaint about the punch spamming, and that’s more because I'm a bad loser, then its easy to say that this is the Manny Pacquiao to the UFC's Ricky Hatton. Yes, the gulf in class is that big. The boxers all look great, the frame rate is smooth and best of all, at least against the computer, the game is fair.

Games: Prototype

2009-07-22T14:00:00.001+01:00

Reviewed by invaderspiff

Prototype's main character is Alex Mercer, a man who wakes up in the morgue in the basement of GENTEK with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Alex escapes after a confrontation with a group of armed soldiers and sets out to recover his memory and find out what is going on... But he soon discovers he has several strange new abilities such as "shapeshifting", as well as increased speed and strength. Able to switch into several forms and alter his body in combat to create weapons or defensive shields, he can turn his hands into massive clubs to smash and destroy or grow huge razor sharp claws to tear people in half. Alex is also able to "consume" people and can gain their memories, skills and can even mimic their appearance. With no memory and strange new powers, he must hunt and consume those related to the conspiracy in order to uncover the truth about himself and the mysterious virus that has infected the city.
The game plays like a cross between Spiderman, the Hulk and Grand Theft Auto. Its a 3rd person affair set in New York City and Alex’s superhuman speed and strength allows him to leap tall buildings in a single bound, run up walls, climb, slide and eventually glide all over the place to get around. The game has a map featuring various icons pointing out new missions and modes that can be selected and played as you choose. You can either follow the main missions in the story mode or you can do the race challenges and mini-events on the map. If you’re not in the mood for that then you can simply go nuts and do what you want! Jump off the tallest building you can find, go on a rampage through the streets consuming people or ripping them all to shreds, pick up cars and throw them etc. Yes, it’s a sandbox much like GTA, Crackdown or Mercenaries.
Combat is fun. You’re able to pick people up and throw them for miles, punch kick and smash them to a pulp or morph your body into various forms for further carnage. Turn your arm into a huge claw, spear-tipped whip or even a giant blade to hack and slash your way downtown. And of course you still have access to firearms if you want them - pick up rifles and rocket launchers if you feel like it. And if you really need some hardware, hijack a tank and go nuts buddy.
Some missions will involve stealth elements which are also entertaining and missions can be approached in several ways. Walk in guns blazing? Sure, go ahead, but it’s going to be tough. Infiltrate an enemy compound from the air? Sure, leap off a skyscraper and land from out of nowhere and start tearing it up. Want to walk peacefully in the front door? Find someone with security clearance and abduct them. Simply run past at speed, grab them by the face, sprint up the side of a building before anyone sees you and then go all Venom on their ass and consume/absorb them. Morph into their likeness and stroll past the guards whistling a merry tune. And not only will you be fighting soldiers, but you'll also be fighting off the infected civilians of the city and some pretty horrible and huge mutant beasties, as well as dodging strike teams and evading/blowing up helicopters.
As you go through the missions, kill enemies and complete objectives, you will be awarded points to spend on upgrades and new moves so you can continually add to your list of powers and abilities. It’s a nice touch as it updates the gameplay.
Graphics aren’t the best around but it still looks good and seeing bodies ripped in half and blood spraying the streets it always satisfying. The game has many destructive elements so you will constantly see cars exploding, buildings crumbling, glass shattering etc. The one thing I will say is that the environment does feel quite hollow and sometimes just comes across as a bunch of blocks set up to jump around on instead of a living breathing city.
If you’re looking for something fun to play for a while then I would say give it a go. It’s basically VENOM: The Videogame without the Marvel licence. Follow the main story or play the bonus missions or even jump and climb around collecting the hidden orbs placed around the city. But like all sandbox games it does get a little tired. The game could also be considered a little too easy. But I think that’s because the character of Alex is just too damn powerful. It’s a joy to feel like a god but even gods want a challenge.
Fun for casual gaming and a spot of violence and destruction.

Clothing: wakeuptimetodie.co.uk

2009-07-15T22:55:00.004+01:00

Reviewed by dalekmofo

Now and again, we like to recommend ways for you to wear your geek heart on your sleeve. Or rather, your chest. And the latest clothing site we think worthy of your attention is wakeuptimetodie.co.uk. They offer a great selection of 100% cotton t-shirts emblazoned with a variety of designs inspired by everyone's favourite cult movies from Ghostbusters to The Running Man. They even embrace little-remembered classics such as The Last Starfighter, yet are ostensibly not afraid to explore more modern works of genius such as Anchorman with their excellent Sex Panther tee. As a bonus, they even offer free delivery to anywhere in the mainland UK.

We showed their website to AOZ forum member and Blade Runner enthusiast Bella Berretta and she said "I'm loving the Beetlejuice one, and the Blade Runner ones are cracking. I think I need pretty much all of them!" Although she did lament the lack of woman's sizes. At the time of this article, they only stock men's sizes (S-XL) but plan to offer ladyfit t-shirts in the future.

An excellent alternative to the crudely designed and poor quality retro tees currently available in High Street stores, we suggest you check out the site and see if there's anything that makes you go "ooh". And as per usual when we review a clothing website, we'll order whichever particular design tickles our inner nerd and hope to update you on the service and quality of the product when it arrives...

Finally, we just have to say that we love the company's name. And while we're on the subject, yes we agree that there's nothing worse than having an itch you can never scratch...

Events: Doctor Who Exhibition

2009-07-15T13:46:00.034+01:00

Reviewed by dalekmofo

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, 28th March 2009 - 4th January 2010

This review is long overdue. As a self-confessed Doctor Who nut, I had intended to visit this exhibition on it's opening weekend in the hope that a few members of the cast may be present, only to find it had sold out. Apparently, neither David Tennant, John Barrowman or anyone else turned up. Probably because it wasn't worth their while. And sadly it probably won't be worth yours either.

On finding the exhibition appropriately tucked away in the lower levels of the impressively refurbished museum, it appeared initially promising with a full sized TARDIS prop (it's still too big) on display at the entrance alongside Tennent's blue pinstripe suit (although they've stuck one of those creepy talking heads visual displays on it). As we queued in eager anticipation, an actor in the full regalia of a clockwork android from the excellent The Girl in the Fireplace episode strode up and proceeded to give my other half the willies. Thanks to that little bit of creepiness, we entered suitably prepared, expecting a fascinating experience that sadly wasn't delivered.

As you begin your tour, immediately you're flung into the opening episode of the revived series as the sinister Autons line a department store basement set. However, the dummies heads then begin to pop up in such a pathetic manner that's it's instantly reminsicient of a cheap ghost train ride. I actually thought for a second that there was something wrong with the mechanics. Further in, there's a sizeable collection of costumes alongside various props and displays featuring the show's iconic monsters. It's the finely crafted costumes that make up the bulk of the displays. But while it was nice to see Tennant's trademark coat, it's maybe a step too far to stick his trainers in a glass-case and expect people to be impressed. It was great to see the most under-rated (and my personal favourite) companion Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) represented with her red leather jacket, but what was the point in displaying Catherine Tate's business suit? As my other half accurately pointed out, it "could just be from any Next store!". Oh, and you get to see Kylie's maid outfit from Voyage of the Damned not once, but twice! Oh, lucky us. But at least we did learn that, judging by the boots, she has very small feet. Fascinating stuff.

If you're not exactly a big fan and don't instantly recognise everything in the exhibition, then the displays are helpfully labelled with very cheap plaques. Meanwhile, clips of the show are repeated in the background until they begin to become irritating. There are also mystery boxes scattered around for you to reach inside, Flash Gordon style, and guess the prop. But these are so shoddily constructed and dull that they're best ignored.

It's not a total washout though. The Cybermen display is simply constructed but admittedly awesome. While the always popular Daleks are well represented with three models. They're so impressive that you can't help thinking that perhaps the intergalactic pepperpots might actually be fairly terrifying if you were to have the misfortune to meet a real one. Although, even this effect is soon tainted when you realise the simulated laser for one model doesn't work properly. Also, the Dalek Emperor model from Series 1 is strangely sectioned off behind a wall and only visible through a tiny peephole. However, the terrifying Stone Angel from Blink was chillingly impressive and would make a delightful display for anyone's garden.

If the big kid inside you likes to press the buttons that activate the displays at these things you'd best leave them behind at home. Most interactive controls are swamped with endless waves of hyperactive rugrats, as are the suitably claustrophic but restrictive passageways. We suggest you do not go at the height of the afternoon. While we were there, we had to suffer a mother attempting to give her sugar-filled offspring very loud and supposedly insightful descriptions of the displays, despite not being able to remember things like Peter Kay's name. Doctor Who brings out the irritating geek in a lot of people it seems...

The press states that the exhibition "features props, costumes and monster characters from the long running television series". However, if you've been a longterm fan of the series in all its incarnations, particularly before it's revival in 2005, you can forget about seeing anything from its rich past. This is purely a Russell T. Davies era affair. Any newcomer accidentally wandering in would be forgiven for thinking the show hadn't existed for over forty years previously. Unless they were foolish enough to buy the overpriced and badly written guide which gives a (very) potted history of the programme since it's beginnings.

In conclusion, the Doctor Who Exhibition comes nowhere close to meeting the standards of the recent Star Trek, Star Wars and James Bond exhibitions we've been treated to in Glasgow and Edinburgh in recent years. And at £7.50 a ticket it's utter daylight robbery. In fact, if the proceeds of this debacle weren't going towards paying for the full 13-episode series of Who next year, I'd be almost tempted to claim a free month on my TV licence. And to top it all, as we left, a fat, short bald man dressed as a UNIT soldier wandered around outside and instead of attempting to give off an impressive air of military might and authority, he thought it was more appropriate to peruse the shelves of the giftshop. It was kind of indicative of the whole sorry affair. Not recommended.

TV: That Mitchell And Webb Look

2009-07-14T11:00:00.003+01:00

Reviewed by dalekmofo

(BBC2, Thursdays, 9:30pm)
The more cynical amongst us may think that after the success of the infinitely brilliant Peep Show (two more seasons are planned – yay!), comedians Mitchell and Webb would be happy to simply rest on their laurels and continue to produce the further adventures of the eternal flatmates Mark and Jeremy. But thankfully they keep returning to their sketch show roots to create some of the most original and endearing comedy currently on television.
As we near the end of the third season of That Mitchell and Webb Look, the duo appear to have now really hit their stride when it comes to rip-tickling vignettes. Even though, like any sketch show, it’s inevitably a very hit and miss affair (they even comment on this themselves in one self-referential skit), every episode has a large number of inspired moments. Highlights include the hard-to-please dying man who wants to re-enact Die Hard before he pops, the sinister post-apocalyptic quiz show The Quiz Broadcast and 70s sitcom pastiche Get Me Hennimore (which sadly eventually suffers from Fast Show fatigue when the outcome becomes obvious from week to week). There’s also an escalating and completely off-the-wall Queen Victoria sketch may have you in fits while wondering just how the come up with this stuff. And supertramp Sir Digby Chicken Caesar continues to amuse even if he's not always laugh-out-loud funny. On the downside, sorry if you're a fan, but the snooker commentators are a comedy vacuum.

In the vein of the best comedy, there's a lot of intelligence in amongst the yuks and the show thrives on the obvious friendship in the double-act , transcending their geek/cool facade that the Apple ads tapped into so well. Robert Webb may remain at first glance an unconvincing comedian, but he produces moments of amusement with his dumb yet petulant shtick and carries off the straight and bizarre characters with aplomb. Meanwhile, despite his distinct features, the new slimline David Mitchell is an outright comedy chameleon, channelled brilliantly through a series of well-chosen wigs. He remains endlessly likeable.
If you haven’t seen it yet, REMAIN INDOORS this Thursday, munch on some Cressps, wash them down with some tasty Glucozade Port and see what you've been missing. Outright comedy genius.

TV: Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Episode 5

2009-07-11T14:14:00.016+01:00

Reviewed by dalekmofo

Over the course of our Torchwood: Children of Earth reviews, we've frequently noted just how brilliantly the programme's makers have continually managed to pull the rug from under our feet. Well, they've managed it again. By producing a thoroughly disappointing conclusion to the series.
Day Five starts well with Gwen performing a chilling monologue to camera, seemingly to leave behind a record of how the world came to its sorry end, as the government puts into action its plans to hand over the children of the planet to the 456. But almost immediately, it becomes very apparent that this episode simply cannot maintain the high standards set by the predecessors. The stakes were set so high that the plot seems to have painted itself into a corner. And instead of a satisfying battle to defeat the alien threat, we’re faced with several depressing scenes of government heavy-handedness. The sights of soldiers kicking in doors and abducting the nation’s children are admittedly harrowing, but they go on for so long that you may end up with one eye on the clock and wondering how they’re going to satisfyingly tie it all up before the end.

Finally the solution does come. But blink and you might miss the reasoning behind it. Judging by this and some of his previous Doctor Who episodes, writer Russell T. Davies seems to believe that a cop-out solution is completely acceptable as long as there's a character sacrifice to cover over the cracks with some pathos. It's a technique that's getting very old. And this time it basically amounts to a huge leap in logic, some mumbled technobabble and buttons getting frantically pressed. It's all edited so sharply that it flies by in attempt to disguise just how shoddy it all is. And worst of all, the look on the face of RTD’s latest sacrificial lamb comes across as comical when it should be heartbreaking. But at least it’s not Kylie driving to her death on a forklift…
The supporting cast have been one of the strongest elements in the miniseries. And despite the creakiness of this episode, there is real drama to be had as Frobisher realises the full consequences of his involvement in the conspiracy for himself and his family, although you can’t help wonder why he didn’t just try to pack them all off in the family saloon first before taking such drastic steps to resolve the problem. And unfortunately there's hardly anything to be seen of Lois. She’s criminally sidelined and left to rot while shouting through the doors of a prison cell. Finally, while the revelation of Jack having a daughter was a nice touch, her inclusion now seems simply functionary for a plot development that’s honestly hard to care about.
At the end, a distraught and world-weary Jack flies up into the heavens in a obvious lead into a forthcoming Doctor Who story. And it’s a big possibility that we may have seen the last of Torchwood. On the strength of the first four episodes of Children of Earth this would be a very bad thing. Although it would be nice to see a return to the full 13-episode series format as the miniseries was ultimately an effective yet restrictive viewing experience. The programme and its viewers deserve more. And we hope they’ll be back next year to save the day in a more satisfying fashion.

TV: Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Episode 4

2009-07-09T23:17:00.010+01:00

Reviewed by dalekmofo
It's the penultimate episode and we're running out of ways to say just how brilliant the new series of Torchwood has been. So far the makers have finely crafted a palpable sense of atmosphere and dread backed up by some excellent writing. But whenever you get comfortable and think they’ll just carry on in this rather wonderful groove they manage to throw in an unexpected curveball that knocks you off balance.
With Day Four we pick up again from exactly where we left of with the government reeling from the shocking alien ultimatum at the end of the previous episode. As the ministers adjourn to decide on a course of action and discuss the moral, ethical, social and political fallout of any action they take to appease the 456, they seem to be convinced that there's basically only one option - surrender. But thanks to Lois they're also unaware that they're being watched by Torchwood. And Jack and the gang think there's a different solution to the problem. As they proceed to manoeuvre events so that Jack can finally come face to face with the alien ambassador, it seems that the day may yet be saved. But it all doesn't go according to plan. And there are terrible consequences that may leave you stunned.
As a set-up to the finale, Day Four is extremely effective. Just how they going to get out of this situation is something that has to been seen. But it also works well in the context of a stand alone episode. The debates by the government who feel they have to make a terrible decision by necessity are absolutely fascinating and topically disturbing. While the latest revelations from the 456 are equally so. With so much at stake in the plot, the entire cast discover a whole new level to their performances and there’s even a nice cameo from Nicholas Briggs (the voice of the Daleks and Cybermen) to keep us Doctor Who fans happy.
Watching these episodes it’s amazing to see just how far TV sci-fi has come in the UK since the dark days when all we had was Star Trek: The Next Generation to keep us entertained. Back then, the complete televisual revival of Doctor Who seemed like a very far off possibility, never mind a spin-off show that breaks every convention and thrills us to the bone. At this rate, the final episode if going to be a bittersweet experience.

TV: Torchwood: Children Of Earth - Episode 3

2009-07-09T12:20:00.005+01:00

Reviewed by dalekmofo
In this day and age of tawdry Reality TV and endless cookery programmes, it’s great to see that the big flashing box can still provide the occasional piece of top drawer entertainment. Channel 4’s Dead Set, which effectively tapped the Reality TV zeitgeist and envisioned how the denizens of the Big Brother house would handle a zombie apocalypse, ran for five consecutive nights and not only proved to be essential must-see TV but also managed to become an extremely welcome addition to the undead genre. The similarly formatted Children of Earth not only follows boldly in its footsteps but may also surpass it in terms of quality owing to its larger scope. And it doesn’t even feature a fat man shitting in a bucket.
We reach the half-way point with Day Three. And while the previous episode focused on character predicament, this time we’re in X-Files territory as the alien abduction and conspiracy plot comes to the forefront. Following the reunited Torchwood team (and Rhys) using their resourcefulness to get back in the game and construct a makeshift new Hub, the villainous 456 finally arrive in the centre of London through a pillar of flame and proceed to start vomiting all over their government made home-from-home. It’s here that Peter Capaldi gets to flex his acting chops as Frobisher faces off with the visitor in the tense close-encounter scenes which form the bulk of the episode. There’s a spine tingling chill factor to the voice of the alien and what it wants from the planet. But regrettably, due to the protracted conversational style and some awkward moments featuring the disgruntled US military, the script feels suspiciously constructed to draw out the running time as opposed to building tension. And despite the glimpses of the alien through its poisonous atmosphere coming across as effective; it’s hard not to think there’s just a big rubber chicken in there.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s a touching scene with Ianto as he realises his time with Jack is limited and decides to handle it with refreshing optimism, while elsewhere Jack’s daughter surprises everyone by demonstrating she’s definitely a chip of the old block of cheese. Cush Jumbo as Lois continues to impress as she takes on new espionage duties the PA job description certainly wouldn’t have mentioned. And finally, although Paul Copley’s gibbering loony act is starting to wear a little thin, his troubled Clement does eventually reveal an unexpected twist worthy of the darkest moments of Joss Whedon’s Angel.
It’s fair to say there are some momentary dips in momentum then. And you may find your interest starting to waiver just ever so slightly. However, Season Three of Torchwood remains pretty solid barnstorming stuff and a high mark for the show itself. And the word is that Day Three is just the calm before the storm of the final two eagerly-awaited episodes…