The Five Year Engagement DVD Review

Releases: September 2012

Rating: M – Contains Sex scenes & offensive language

Duration: 126 minutes 

Genre:  Comedy

Starring: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt and Chris Pratt

Director: Nicholas Stoller (Get Him To The Greek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

Reviewer: Jon E Clist 

The Premise>> Exactly one year after Tom Solomon meets Violet Barnes, he surprises her with a ring. By all accounts, Tom and Violet are destined for their happily ever after. However, this engaged couple just keep getting tripped up on the long walk down the aisle.

The Review>> Jason Segal has certainly become one of the go to guys for comedy these days. Of course despite his foray into family comedy with The Muppets, he is generally better known for the slightly more adult in nature funny films. He now finds himself back where we recognize and even love him here in The Five Year Engagement. Yes that does mean that there are some edgy comedy focusing on sexuality, food and hunting.

Of course I must say that Emily Blunt is certainly becoming the go to girl at the moment. While she has just hit our screens in this film, she will soon continue the momentum by joining Ewan McGregor in the Screen adaptation of the best-selling book Salmon Fishing In Yemen. She exudes a wonderful beauty and yet it is joined by a realism. For the most part her characters feel like someone that you know. Someone who is accessible rather than some above up all celebrity. Which adds a lovely dynamic in this movie. Of course that fits in perfectly with the rest of the cast. They are all actors who come across as people just like us, facing stuff that we face too.

Of course this isn’t the first time that we have seen Segal and Blunt in the same film together, they previously played romantic interests in Gulliver’s Travels and also both appeared in The Muppets. At first glance I think we’d all probably question whether these two leads actually have potential for onscreen chemistry. One seems like a classy English young lady and the other a bit of an American buffoon. However, once you start seeing them interact on screen, the chemistry is good and it’s a very real type of magic.

Of course the thing that often makes or breaks these sorts of films is the best friends of the main couple. In this case Community’s Alison Brie is brilliant and her English accent is really good. In order to fine-tune her character Suzie’s British accent, Alison Brie listened to recordings of readings provided by her British co-star Emily Blunt. As you would expect Parks and Recreation’s Chris Pratt is so funny in his usual slightly naive best friend role.

The jokes are great and there are plenty of them, while the relationships in general seem real and believable. Of course when you add in Rhys Ifans as the somewhat super sleazy senior professor and you have some lovely dynamics happening on screen. I think my favourite joke in the film references Michael Jordon on the toilet and is hilarious.

The Verdict>> A good solid romantic comedy with lots of funny and emotionally realistic moments.

Some extra bits to know about the film and to look out for>> Jason Segel and Emily Blunt previously played romantic interests in Gulliver’s Travels. They also both appeared in The Muppets.

In early trailers for the movie, just before Emily Blunt is shot in the leg with a cross bow, you hear the little girl say “I’m Pocahontus.” In later trailers it is changed to “I’m Katniss.”

Street Dance 2 DVD Review

Releases: September 2012

Rating: PG Contains Sexual References

Duration: 85 minutes 

Genre:  Dance Drama

Starring: George Sampson, Sofia Boutella and Falk Hentschel

Director: Max Giwa, Dania Pasquini (StreetDance)

Reviewer: Jodie Clist 

The Premise>> When top street dancer Ash (Falk Hentschel) is humiliated and laughed off stage by American crew Invincible, he sets off to gather the best dancers from around the world to take them on – with a dance style they weren’t expecting. With landmark locations, a spectacular fusion of dance styles and an unparalleled vibrancy, the sequel to StreetDance sees our hero fall in love with a beautiful salsa dancer as he discovers the magic, power and passion of dancing for the ultimate global dance off.

The Review>> In its purest form, this is a dance movie; therefore, I’m not going to say anything much about the plot, the acting or the characters.  After all, these things were, to me, really quite secondary to the phenomenal dancing that steals almost every scene in this movie. 

The mix of street hip hop and Latin/Salsa literally sizzles off the screen and the kick-ass sound track drives relentlessly in the background to get your feet itching to move to the beat.

These dancers really are incredibly talented and even more vivid and intense in 3D!

The Verdict>> Looking for a raw and funky dance extravaganza, an awesome sound track, and some passionate Latin sizzle, look no further. 

Man On A Ledge DVD Review

Releases: September 2012

Rating: M – Contains violence and offensive language

Duration: 102 minutes 

Genre:  Thriller

Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, Kyra Sedgwick, Anthony Mackie, Edward Burns

Director: Asger Leth (Ghosts of Cité Soleil)

Reviewer: Jodie Clist 

The Premise>> Nick Cassidy makes a desperate and life-threatening move to prove his innocence after he is framed for the theft of a rare, prized diamond. Recently escaped from prison and with nowhere else to go, Nick climbs onto the ledge of a towering skyscraper, inviting the eyes of New York City to anxiously watch as one wrong step could mean plunging to his death. But as one female police negotiator soon learns, Nick’s daredevil stunt, captivating the eyes of the public and media, masks a dangerous ploy to reveal the truth about his tarnished name.

The Review>>  In this heist/thriller, Worthington gives a good performance as a man desperate enough to try anything to prove his innocence – even stand on a ledge above New York City.  As the plot unfolds piece by piece, the audience quickly realises that not all is as it seems and the story, while not grippingly thrilling, kept me engaged enough that there were “on the edge of my seat” moments, and some good twists and turns in the effort to reveal the truth.

It’s always great to see Ed Harris on the big screen as he really knows how to sell the audience on his character; a ruthless, calculating man of power who will stop at nothing to protect his empire.

There are even a few elements of humour injected throughout; just enough to lull you into a false sense of security before revealing yet another layer of subterfuge which lands you right back on the edge of your seat.

The Verdict>>  A good heist/thriller with enough action and twists to keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat. Perhaps one for a boys night out as opposed to date night.

Some extra bits to know about the film and to look out for>> Amy Adams was considered for the role of Lydia.

Det. Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) helps Nick (Sam Worthington), a wrongfully convicted man who escapes from prison to prove his innocence. In ‘The Next Three Days’, Banks played a character who is wrongfully convicted and escapes from prison.

The Pirates: Band of Misfits DVD Review

Releases: September  2012

Rating: G

Duration: 88 minutes 

Genre:  Family Animation

Starring: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Piven

Director: Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt (Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit)

Reviewer: Jon E Clist 

The Premise>> After years of humiliation and failed attempts to win the coveted Pirate of the Year Award, Pirate Captain and his oddball crew take on the cream of the pirating crop – Black Bellamy, Peg Leg Hastings and Cutlass Liz – in a race to pillage the most booty. They soon cross paths with lovelorn scientist Charles Darwin, who persuades the Captain that the crew’s prized ‘parrot’, Polly, could be the answer to the ‘untold riches’ they are searching for. Their adventure takes them to Victorian London where they meet Darwin’s sidekick ‘man-panzee’ Mister Bobo, and the notorious pirate-hating Queen Victoria herself. It soon unfolds that Darwin’s motives for helping the crew are not what they seem, and the Queen has an evil hidden agenda of her own. The Pirate Captain must choose between basking in the glory of being crowned Pirate of the Year, or staying faithful to his trusted crew.

The Review>> So the team from Ardman animation are back with some more stop motion goodness. I am a big fan of the work that they have done in the past with the Wallace and Gromit franchise. Not only visually awesome but also the slightly more clever style of british comedy. More than just set up and punchline, cleverly deep wit is spread throughout these wonderfully lovable animated films.

The Pirates is no exception to this awesome legacy from Nick Park and the Team. The laughs abound and even more than what you see in the trailers. So often with family oriented comedies, most of the funny jokes seem to be squashed into the two and a half minutes trailers, so when you see the movie you can see the jokes coming and it’s more about guessing what order in which they will be unfurled. However here you will find a lot more laughs and the ones in the trailers aren’t the best of the crop either.

For the most part, the vocal talent shines brightly and delivers a brilliant cast performance. Although I have to say that I personally think that Hugh Grant was the best choice for the lead role. His lack of animated voicing experience comes across with a somewhat lackluster performance that seems to be missing a little of the over the top type execution that you expect from this style of film.  I am not sure if part of it for me was that when I first heard of this film I thought the lead was being done by Hugh Laurie. I think once you see this film you will likely agree with me that Laurie would probably have done a better job.

That being said, overall this was a very funny film that fits well for all ages. A little of something for everyone is what you will find here. (Whoops, slipped into Yoda talking like.. hmmm).

The Verdict>> A lot of family friendly film fun for everyone.

Some extra bits to know about the film and to look out for>> The film is primarily stop-motion animation, but computer-generated animation was used for much of the scenery (the sky and sea primarily).

The film is based on Gideon Defoe’s novels ‘The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists’ (the Pirates encounter Darwin and Bobo) and ‘The Pirates! in an Adventure with Whaling’ (the Pirates face off against Cutlass Liz).