Darkmatters Review: Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim (12a)

Dir. Guillermo del Toro

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“Today at the edge of our hope, at the end of our time. We have chosen to believe in each other! Today we face the monsters that are at our door, today we are cancelling the apocalypse!”

Be afraid - in the near future, giant monsters known as ‘Kaijus’ rise from a portal / breach beneath the Pacific Ocean and start to decimate our cities – killing millions… In order to combat these Godzilla-like monsters, we humans create a new type of weapon: massive, piloted battle robots called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are bound in a neural link which lets them share the mental strain which would otherwise overwhelm a single human mind.

"think Transformers - but cooler"

The Jaeger program under the command of Stacker Pentecost (Idris ‘Luther’ Elba) looks like might just work as we take the fight to the monsters – redressing the balance of power but as new Kaiju begin to adapt and we start losing Jaegers at an alarming rate, earth’s leaders decide to divert funding into building "Wall of Life" to try and keep the monsters at bay.

Director Guillermo ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ del Toro takes on Michael ‘Transformers’ Bay at his own game here and comes away victorious with a totally epic, big budget blockbuster that sees some of the best special effects ever committed to screen used to bring the action to edge-of-your-seat life. There were moments when I couldn’t help watching my 12-year-old son’s reaction to the on screen fights – he was wide-eyed and completely captivated to the point where he as was making punching motions urging on the heroic Jaegers. “That was awesome” he told afterwards and I have to agree!?

"Gypsy Danger - sounds like a warning about travellers but is actually a cool mech"

The brave Jaeger pilots include Raleigh Becket (Charlie ‘Byker Grove’ Hunnam) – a washed-up former pilot called out of retirement by the Pan Pacific Defense Corps, he has to team up with Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) – who was rescued from the Kaju that killed her parents as a young girl. There are also a Russian team and a hotshot Australian team (who are obviously better at giant mech piloting than playing cricket!?)…

"co-pilot of choice"

Some of the scenes are wonderful homages to anime and classic Japanese monster or mech films from ages past - there is a real respect for the material and an infectious sense of joy at work behind this movie.

With the complete annihilation of the human race at stake, the few final Jaegers are marshalled in a daring attempt to get a nuclear warhead into the breach and stop the Kaijus once and for all. And you’ll be cheering them all the way as Pacific Rim delivers a megaton thrill-ride that demands your attention on the big screen!


Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 - Go big or go extinct)...

Awesomeness öööö – this is Transformers with real emotional resonance!

Laughs öö –  a few laughs

Horror öö – The Kaijus are a bit Cthulhu

Babes ööö – Rinko Kikuchi is cute

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö – stand firm in the face of monsters!

"Rinko Kikuchi - could kick your butt"

The Summer of PSVITA Shooters!

Summer Stress Relief - with lots of guns in your pocket (PSVITA)

Reviews by Matt Adcock

Whilst we wait for the almighty PS4 (which will give you unlimited reasons to fire up the PSVITA and play all the lovely new games remotely and was recently picked by speedy Usain Bolt as the next gen console of choice: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/122175-usain-bolt-on-ps4-vs-xbox-one-ps4-i-m-a-ps-fan ) - there are some great new downloadable shooters now available to keep you playing through the summer...

Hotline Miami 

Fresh from massive accolades on the PC, this fresh blast of destructive murder-em-up is now on the PSVita (and a cross buy bonus you get PS3 version too).

Imagine A more frantic, arcade style Grand Theft Auto (like the original top down 16bit graphic look) and boost it with a compulsive gameplay that will have you hooked for hours... The controls on Vita/PS3 work a treat - I'm a sucker for twin stick shooters - so unless untold levels of pixelated bloodshed upsets you, and the plotline does question an interesting 'are you serial killer or hero' line - Hotline Miami is the very definition of 'must play'...

"Hotline Miami 2 already in production"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö - hand held shoot / stealth perfection

Velocity Ultra 

Old school vertical space shooting is given a new lease of life on the PSVITA - jump aboard your 'Quarp' Jet which comes packing a nice range of weapons and a superb teleport ability.

Battle through 50 levels, racing against the clock whist picking up survivors and generally laying down some impressive firepower. Much like in Hotline Miami, beating a level sees you graded on your performance, and hence given an unlimited incentive to try and do it again - just better!

"space travel in your hands"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - incredible space shooting fun

OMG HD Zombies!

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Play out your own World War Z - destroying Zombie games with a sniper rifle and watching the insane chain reaction of explosions that results. OMG HD Zombies is a superb blend of puzzle and action.

There are lots of levels of Zombies to take out across Redfield City - different zombies have various ways of dying - some explode, others run and wail, some will have their brains shoot out and hit others - it's a tactically wonderful challenge that demands repeat plays!

"super stylish minimal visuals"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
ööööö - best zombie destruction you can buy

Total Recoil

 If you ever played the Arcade Machine classic 'Heavy Barrel' (man I spent SO much time on that as a kid) you'll have some idea of what Total Recoil brings to the PSVITA. Armed to the teeth, you're a soldier on an oil rig / jungle / airfield full of baddies - collecting coin and weapons and destroying explosive barrels and the waves of enemies. The levels are nicely devised, perfect short bursts of carnage, ending in a boss battle... There is a lot of upgrading to be done - so completing all the objectives is important - and grinding previously-played levels is a key way to improve. You can use the coins to buy new weapons and upgrade them. There are even Call of Duty killstreak rewards with air strike or turrets to swing the battle in your favour. Total Recoil is an absolute blast, it's fun, looks good and delivers on all counts.

"destroy it all!"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:
öööö - epic twin stick battle carnage 

"don't forget the Wip3out either..."

Darkmatters Review: Now You See Me

Now You See Me (12a)

Dir. Louis Leterrier

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“First rule of magic: always be the smartest person in the room.”

What if four street magicians – each with their own set of skills came together to form a ‘super group’ called The Four Horsemen -performing jaw-dropping impossible crimes as part of their show? And rather than keeping the money for themselves – they rain it down on the audience, becoming very very popular in the process!

The team are: Hotshot rising star J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), his former assistant turned escape artist Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), con artist Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), and mentalist Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson). They each get a mysterious invitation from a multi-millionaire insurance guru Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine) who offers to bankroll the Horsemen on a national series of high-profile gigs.

"the new UK bondage diving team practice session?"

Up against them are a joint FBI and Interpol team headed up by Agents Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and Alma Dray (Mélanie Laurent) plus professional magic debunker Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman).

But with the Horsemen seemingly able to pull off incredible feats of teleportation, mind control and other unfeasible acts – is this just a clever use of power of deception – or are there more arcane forces at work?

"4 amazing magicians. 3 impossible heists. 1 billion dollars. This is no illusion."

The magic is the main star of this show – thanks in no small amount to the wonder of CGI special effects, these guys can pull of tricks that would make Derren Brown and Dynamo jealous… Director Louis ‘The Transporter’ Leterrier delivers a fast paced and fun magical spin on the heist-em-up and he adds some cool more traditional action scenes including a nail biting car chase to the mix.

"look at the size of my bubbles"

Quite why the four magicians are prepared to risk everything by committing such audacious crimes in the full gaze of the public eye is at the crux of the film. Could it be that a fabled secret society of magicians called "The Eye" are somehow involved – and how does the death of magician 18 years ago fit into the crimes being carried out?

Now You See Me works for a wide range of audiences too – I took my sons aged 12 and 16 who were both impressed with the razzle-dazzle / sleight of hand on show. It might not go down in the cinematic annuals as a classic but if you want a disposable whiz-bang big scale magic show / crime caper – catch it before it disappears from your local cinema…

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - Look closely, because the closer you think you are, the less you will actually see)...

Awesomeness öööö – big screen magic delivers

Laughs ööö –  some comic touches

Horror ö – more tense than grim

Babes ööö – Fisher is still hot

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – don't believe everything you see

"Isla magician assistant"

Darkmatters Review: The Internship

The Internship (12a)

Dir. Shawn Levy

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

"We’re looking at some sort of mental “Hunger Games” against a bunch of genius kids for just a handful of jobs."

It's tough out there trying to find good job at the moment – and harder still if you’re not a hotshot young graduate… So meet Billy (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Owen Wilson) old school salesmen whose careers have been cut short by the fact that ‘everyone buys online’. In a bid to prove they are not obsolete, they defy the odds by talking their way into a coveted internship at high tech Google HQ…

Can these ex ‘Wedding Crashers’ cut through the battalion of brilliant college students and bag the job against some of the most elite, tech-savvy young geniuses?

"big brother is watching"

Director Shawn Levy brings a lot of funnies to this warm-hearted buddy comedy which takes place mostly inside Google's Silicon Valley headquarters – and which serves as a pretty awesome advert for the company in the process!?

Vaughn and Wilson deliver convincing chemistry as the pair of lifelong pals and their rapport is infectious, plus the material really works in their favour as the film charts the divide between Billy and Nick and their younger teammates.

Interested in an internship at Google – here’s a few questions to try (just answer yes or no):

Having a drink with you boss?

Taking food home from work?

Dating a co-worker?

If you answer ‘yes’ (as Billy and Nick do) to any of the questions – you might not have the ‘Googliness’ which the company is looking for. But maybe the older guys are exactly what Google need to combat the rampant uptightness?

"Yes they play 'real life' Quidditch!"

Packed with 80’s film references and a solid work ethic ethos – The Internship is a rare gem of a comedy that is really funny and doesn’t have to swear or be overly crude all the time…

This is an Internship you really should apply for!



Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - Nothing ruins a party like the end of the world!)...

Awesomeness öööö – funny and joyful scenes abound

Laughs öööö –  good times

Horror ö – not too nasty

Babes ööö – Byrne as the teacher who pole dances is just wow

Spiritual Enlightenment öööö – generations can resource each other

WIN INTERNSHIP STUFF!!

Enter the Darkmatters competition here



Check The Internship facebook page here

Rose Byrne

Darkmatters The Internship - COMPETITION

Darkmatters The INTERNSHIP competition...

Matt Adcock wants to help you find work - or at least win cool stuff!?

"this could be yours!"

How to enter: simply email cleric20@outlook.com with your perfect Internship - winners will be drawn at the editor's discretion on 12 July!!

Mini table tennis sets, USB sticks (Rubick's Cube style), Internship bags and t-shirts to be won!!

Better answers = more goodies!!



Be sure to check the Darkmatters review of The Internship too... HERE

" We’re looking at some sort of mental “Hunger Games” against 

 a bunch of genius kids for just a handful of jobs."

Darkmatters Review: This Is The End

This Is The End (15)

Dirs. Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“This is no dream! This is really happening!”

What would happen if the Biblical apocalypse hit exactly whilst a bunch of Hollywood actors were in the middle of a crazy drug n alcohol fuelled party?

Would any of them be ‘raptured’ and what about those left to confront the grim end of days after the good souls had been whisked off to heaven? As the title of the film says – This Is The End!?

This is the fun scenario played out by with Jay ‘Tropic Thunder’ Baruchel visiting his best friend Seth ‘Superbad’ Rogen in L.A. Seth want’s Jay to get to know his ‘new’ L.A. pals who include James ‘Spring Breakers’ Franco, Jonah ‘ 21 Jump Street’ Hill, Danny ’30 Minutes or Less’ McBride and Craig ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ Robinson.

"The rapture!?"

I should point out the all the actors in the film play ‘themselves’ in a kind of mockumentory style and it is a blast to see them riffing off each other –breaking the 4th Wall with lines like: “we act so hard but we’re really really not… it’s just acting!?”

So in the face of imminent death and destruction, the actors squabble and generally go to pieces which is highly entertaining watch. As per so many recent movie comedies the dialogue is extremely profane and the comedy often vulgar but the spin of seeing the actors supposedly being ‘themselves’ makes up for the off colour material. Also the plotline is ripped straight from the Bible’s book of Revelation where the moral driven home is ‘treat each other well if you want to be saved’ – so there is much to ponder amoungst the laughs.

The big budget special effects include some gross out gore, massive flaming sink holes and a scary giant demon which prove just some of the trials for the juvenile pals. A highlight that you may have seen in the trailer is when Emma ‘Harry Potter films’ Watson manages to rob the buddies single handedly…

"bad things come for those 'left behind'"

There are a ton of cameos too with people like Michael ‘Scott Pilgrim’ Cera, Paul ‘Anchorman’ Rudd, Christopher ‘Kick Ass’ Mintz-Plasse, Rihanna and a superb against type Channing ‘GI Joe’ Tatum all popping up for their moments of spoofing it up.

This Is The End is a wild, wacky comedy ride that will gross you out, make you laugh out loud and even cause you to contemplate turning to God – not many summer comedies can boast that.

"Don't mess with Hermione!"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - Nothing ruins a party like the end of the world!)...

Awesomeness ööö – some

Laughs öööö –  very funny

Horror ööö – bit grim in places

Babes öö – some

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – choose GOD

"Miss Watson - wanted for stealing stuff!"

Darkmatters Review: World War Z

World War Z (15)

Dir. Marc Forster

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (Another version of this review can read at the Buckingham Advertiser)

“Life as we know it will come to an end in 90 days. It’s on us to change that…”

Zombies are hot property this year with the pleasing zom-rom Warm Bodies, undead cop thrills in R.I.P.D and The Returned bringing quality zombie mystery to TV along with the continuingly excellent Walking Dead. But for sheer large scale, big screen undead action we have World War Z.

Based on the novel by Max Brooks, Brad Pitt plays United Nations employee Gerry Lane, who must save humanity virtually single-handed in the face of a pandemic zombie uprising.

"The queue for PlayStation 4 got out of hand"

We’re thrown straight in to a seemingly normal day in Philadelphia – Lane is on a family trip with his wife, Karin (Mirielle ‘Gangster Squad’ Enos), and daughters Constance (Sterling Jerins) and Rachel (Abigail Hargrove). But before you can say ‘this is bit dull’ the Lanes are up to their necks in biting crazed zombies – and the fuse is lit for the rest of the film.

Whilst his family bunks up on a military vessel, Lane is dispatched to globetrot from South Korea to Jerusalem and erm, South Wales in order to track down where the zombie virus originated.

The zombies of World War Z aren’t your general shuffling brain hungry menace – these are twitching, sprinting, gnashing terrors who are attracted to sound and who turn normal people to their undead ranks in just seconds after being bitten.

"Luton, UK on a good day"

There are some great stand out scenes of mass zombies overrunning cities and a genuine sense of threat to everyone in the story – except Lane… The biggest problem of World War Z is that Pitt is so much the star here that you never for a moment really think he’s going to die. So whilst he ineptly bumbles around the film's re-shot climactic sequence in a Cardiff World Health Organisation HQ, making noise by dropping cans of product placed Mountain Dew, there isn’t the required tension because – well it’s Brad and he’s obviously going to make to potentially star in any sequel. He is lovely though with his flowing blonde locks.

"Going through hell"

So World War Z’s tinkering with the plot and star focus won’t please fans of the book but it does provide a good-looking big screen zombie-em-up and ranks in the middle of 2013’s summer blockbusters below Man of Steel but well above After Earth.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2

(3.5 - Brad will save us in style!)...

Awesomeness ööö – not tons of action but some good stuff

Laughs ö – not very funny

Horror ööö – some horrorific bits but not really a 'horror' film

Babes öö – shaved headed Daniella Kertesz

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – did we wipe ourselves out?

"my fav poster"

Darkmatters Review: Man of Steel

Man of Steel (12a)

Dir. Zack Snyder

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@cleric20)

What if a film dreamed of becoming something other than what society had intended? What if a filmmaker aspired to something greater? The result would be a fantastic cinematic experience – it could be ‘super’ in every sense… Man of Steel is that film…

"inter galactic saviour"

This big budget, Dark Knight influenced Superman reboot, carries the hopes and dreams of all DC comic book fans on its muscled shoulders. For if this falters, the chances are we will never see a full blown ‘Avengers like’ Justice League film with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash et al...

Warner Brothers have entrusted this super-project to Zack ‘Watchmen’ Snyder, who embraces the well-trodden story of Kal-El / Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) – the good-hearted alien from Krypton who becomes the champion of Earth.

"alien inspiration"

Plot wise Man of Steel plays it safe, mixing reverence for the origin tale and infusing it with a high level of CGI kick-ass action. The enemy here is General Zod (Michael Shannon) and his minions – all criminal refugees from the doomed world of Krypton who have decided to take over Earth. Shannon has a blast as the snarling super-baddie who is every bit the match for our red caped reluctant saviour. Indeed Man of Steel flies highest and delivers most when the battle lines are drawn and the super smack down kicks off.

That isn’t to say that the emotional core of the film isn’t great to witness too – Kevin Costner is on top form as Clark’s adoptive father Jonathan Kent, ably backed up by Diane Lane as his wife Martha. Their real parental love for their other-worldly son is touching and feels strong, it helps anchor the sci-fi epicness and large scale destruction wrought by the duelling super beings – that rivals flicks like Transformers for sheer spectacle.

"and who's army?"

If anything loses out in this new reworking it is the funny bumbling alter ego Clark Kent that Christopher Reeve did so well. Man of Steels Clark is more of a brooding hunky drifter like Wolverine rather than the loveable Mr Bean-esq loser from the 1978 film. The love story elements are pared back too (especially in relation to the overly reflective 2006 Superman Returns).

Man of Steel is the Superman film I’ve been waiting for ever since I used to tuck a red towel into the back of my shirt collar as a 6-year-old. You’ll believe man can fly again and you’ll want to see more!

"baddie Zod"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 - Man of Steel delivers )...

Awesomeness öööö – jaw dropping endorphin rush action

Laughs ö – hardly any mirth

Horror öö – limited horror but some nasty threat

Babes öö – Amy Adams is Louis

Spiritual Enlightenment öööö – heavy Christ imagery

"fan inspired Girl of Steel?"

Darkmatters Review: Byzantuim

Byzantuim (15)

Dir. Neil Jordan

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Byzantium (bih-zan-tee-uhm) was the ancient Greek city on the site that later became Constantinople (modern Istanbul). It was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 657 BC... But that has nothing much to do with this movie.

This Byzantium is the name of a hotel in this dark fantasy thriller directed by Neil 'A Company of Wolves' Jordan starring Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton and Jonny Lee Miller.

"Bright lights... dark hearts..."

It's an unhappy tale of a mother Clara (Arterton) and daughter Eleanor (Ronan) who are both vampires - living the blood sucking immortal lives of the undead - feeding on the living and always on the run from some nasty big bad boss vampires who don't believe that female vampires should exist...

The bloody story finds the two vamps end up in a run-down hotel on the English coast but their story begins during the Napoleonic Wars and stretches through time - thanks to some useful flashbacks.

Enter Noel (Daniel Mays) who has just inherited the Byzantium Hotel, a once-thriving inn that has fallen into a sad state of disrepair. Before you can say 'she's only after your blood', Clara has turned The Byzantium into a brothel where she and her young companion can quench their thirst for human blood, make money and keep out of the way of the mean women hating vampires.

"Mount Doom -ish"

Things get a bit complicated when Eleanor falls for local lad Frank (Caleb Landry Jones), a young waiter who has a life threatening disease... Can a mortal and a vampire find a Twilight-ish love?

Also there is the fact that Eleanor is prone to writing her extraordinary life story down and chucking the pages away for anyone to find... And when she writes it up as an essay for a teacher - things go even more pear shaped...

Will the two succubi live in peace or is their destiny to die at the hands / swords of the hunters?

Arterton looks great throughout and gives good sexy vamp - in nice contrast to Ronan who is modest and innocent (despite being a 200 year old vampire who suffered abuse as a child).

The themes of love, eternal life, power and isolation are well worked and overall Byzantuim delivers a thought provoking and engaging watch...

"Even Vampires have to pay the bills"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2 

(3.5 - Fangs for the memories!? )

Awesomeness ööö – gets freaky in style

Laughs öö – dark laughter of the bleakest kind

Horror öööö – bloodshed and horror to be found

Babes öööö –  Yes Gemma Arterton

Spiritual Enlightenment ö – limited

"Arterton de-vamped"

Darkmatters Review: After Earth

After Earth (12a)

Dir. M. Night Shyamalan

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (read another version of this review at The Luton News or Milton Keynes Citizen)

“Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.”

We all have a choice... So do you choose to brave the danger and see this big budget sci-fi adventure starring Will Smith without fear, even though it’s getting pretty terrible reviews across the board?

Or do you give in to fear and not see what happens when a megastar actor gets a studio to make a film based on his own short story, when his only real writing credit before was an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?

If you're planning to see After Earth, your expectations should be set to ‘low’ – sure Will Smith is always watchable and the special effects bring an authentically futuristic vibe, but this is no classic and certainly doesn’t challenge Star Trek Into Darkness or Oblivion for the title of 2013’s best sci-fi. In fact I'm more excited right now for Neill 'District 9' Blomkamp's Elysium but hey...

The main problem is that the plot is entirely predictable and only of limited excitement.

"we left... the cinema for a reason?"

On a space mission, young Kitai Raige (Jaden ‘Karate Kid remake’ Smith) and his father Cypher (er, his father Will Smith) crash land on a future Earth, a millennium after we wrecked the planet so badly that we had to leave and find another home.

Cypher is crippled in the crash and their rescue beacon is broken, so Kitai must embark on a perilous journey – everything on Earth has evolved to kill humans, which is a tad unfortunate as there aren’t any left in the ecosystem – to find the spare signal, which is 100km away.

So we have a real life father and son front and centre for most of the film and we’re asked to be worried about whether the boy will survive his quest and save his dad. Hhhmmmm let's take a wild guess...

I won’t drop any plot spoilers but you can probably guess the ending within minutes of the start.

Director M. Night ‘Sixth Sense’ Shyamalan (who could really use a return for form after his various miss-fires) throws various CGI perils at young Jaden, which include some nasty baboons, a mutant eagle-like bird and a very ugly alien predator that can smell fear.

Global warming is rampant, too, meaning that every night the surface of the planet freezes over to provide yet another threat for our budding hero, while at the same time ticking the laboured eco message box.

"pray they don't make a sequel"

After Earth is undeniably an ego-powered star vehicle for the Smith family and it is passable entertainment.

But given the resources involved, there’s no denying that it should have been so much more.
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öö1/2

(2.5 - big Willie style is lacking )...

Awesomeness ööö – good in parts

Laughs ö –  not very funny

Horror ööö – ugly alien is scary and likes arranging dead people on trees!?

Babes öö – Zoë Kravitz a little but limited unless you count Jaden too

Spiritual Enlightenment öö – move along dad

"Daughter of legend Lenny - doing, well drinking - Coke"