Voice of Reason #9: The Ultimate Action Hero

James Bond? What a posh nonce. Jason Bourne? On your bike, mate. Ellen Ripley? Suck on an alien pod. You guys ain't got nothin' on John "Yipee-ki-yay motherfucker" McClane. With A Good Die To Die Hard hitting Australian cinema screens this weekend, we take a look at why John McClane is the baddest of asses in action cinema. 


Let's face it; John McClane is pretty much the ultimate bad ass of action cinema. If you put him in a cage fight with Bond, Bourne and Rambo, I wouldn't fancy their chances much against Mr. McClane; getting older and balder has only made him deadlier. Who can say the same thing for many other action heroes?

Not only is he a dedicated and honest husband, willing to subject himself to a pretty lame Christmas party with all of her co-workers in Los Angeles but he doesn't take any crap when said party heads south pretty quick.

When Alan Rickman's slimy and sneering terrorist Hans Gruber rocks up and starts to hold everyone hostage, McClane ain't the kind of guy to take it sitting down. Oh no. Instead, he goes all crazy on their asses and picks them off one by one like a Xenomorph hell-bent on celebrating Christmas without this kind of crap.

Saving the best until last, McClane finally ends the night by chucking Alan Rickman's slimy ass out a window on the building's 30th floor, only to watch his death unfold in glorious slow-motion. Ice cold.

And if we're honest, he has the best catchphrase going. Uttered with such a delicate blend of gleeful pleasure and sarcasm, McClane gets one up on Bond for simply having brilliant catch-phrases that don't sound horribly cheesy (We're looking at you, Roger Moore).

The guy doesn't even wear shoes; what you see as glass, he simply sees as fluffy carpet. He gets hurt, but keeps going. Cars, planes, and SUV's dangling down an elevator shaft; nothing fazes the guy. Add to this that in his time, he has had to repeatedly work during the Holiday season and you can see why McClane is such a trooper.

Face it people; John McClane is pretty badass. When it comes to it, he trumps them all. He's straight-up, determined and witty. Not to mention he's the life of any office party...

Disagree? Let me know what you think in the comments section below! Coming this week is my review of A Good Day to Die Hard as well as Rank the Films #3: Die Hard. 

Read More

Verdict: Community Season 1

Given that Community premièred on American TV back in 2009, it can be said that I have been a little slow on the uptake. Four years since the first season aired and I've only just stumbled across the show by chance after looking around for something new and interesting to watch; as it stands, I'm over the moon that I did and a little sad that I didn't sooner.

Senor Chang confronts Annie

Community is a real gem of a show that has gained something of a cult following in its three full seasons (the fourth season is currently airing in the US). The show follows a diverse group of students at a community college (the fictional Greendale, Colorado) as they navigate the perks and harsh truths of being a student.

Taking centre-stage is ex-lawyer, womaniser and narcissist Jeff (Joel McHale), a character who oozes enough charm and charisma to give Han Solo a (Kessel) run for his money. The original premise sees the focus set squarely on Jeff, his mission to get his law degree (for real this time) and leave this community college 'blip' behind him being the main plot strand of the season; however, it isn't long before the lead writers discover that the gold lies with aiming the focus at each and every member of the cast.

There's the uptight and 'cool' Britta (Gillian Jacobs) on whom Jeff's sights are firmly set. Then there's motherly and caring Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown), quirky and totally innocent Annie (Alison Brie), pop-culture obsessed and socially awkward Abed (Danny Pudi), high-school football hero Troy (Donald Glover) and the overtly racist and bigoted senior student, Pierce (Chevy Chase). Rounding out the cast is the group's borderline psychotic Spanish teacher Senor Chang (Ken Jeong); the simple fact that their Spanish teacher is Chinese is genius in itself.

It's an eclectic and varied ensemble of characters and thankfully, each are given their chance to develop and grow as the first season goes along. The character development across the first season leads some truly heart-warming and touching episodes; 'Interpretive Dance', 'The Art of Discourse', 'Romantic Expressionism' and 'Beginner Pottery' are all great episodes that show how Community connects with the audience emotionally.

Jeff and Britta in the study room

As the season goes on, it becomes increasingly hard to pick a single favourite character; for me, it swings between Troy and Abed for their silly antics ("Troy and Abed in the moooorning"), Annie for her adorableness and Shirley owing to her giggly laugh and "thinly veiled anger issues".


The lack of laughter track suits the show really well and it allows for the jokes to flow thick and fast; Community isn't the kind of show you can half-watch because you'll miss a hell of lot if you do. The reams of in-jokes, movie quotes, references and Abed being "meta" is fast-paced brilliance that'll leave you in stitches.

On the whole, it is hard to pick apart some of the weaknesses in the first season of Community. A couple of episodes, such as 'English as a Second Language' stick out as being not as good as the rest,  but are by no means terrible. On the whole however, the whole season is fantastic; there isn't a single episode that will fail to make you laugh to some degree.

If haven't gotten onto watching Community, then you should. Grab hold a copy of Season 1 now and get onto it! It is easily one of the funniest shows on television!

Read More

Film Review: Oz - The Great and Powerful

We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz in this enchanting Disney adventure by Sam Raimi, director of the Spiderman trilogy. 


Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is a womanising and manipulative magician whose travelling circus act fails to win over audiences when they discover his on-stage antics are simply an illusion. After fleeing from a fight with a disgruntled partner of an ex-lover in his hot-air balloon, Oscar finds himself whisked away to a far off land through a ferocious twister.

He wakes up to find himself surrounded by sprites, munchkins and monkeys that can fly. This is Oz, home to a terrific trifecta of witches; the naive Theodora (Mila Kunis), the vampish Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and the wholesome Glinda (Michelle Williams).

In paying homage to the 1939 original, director Sam Raimi is treading on thin ice. Few films are as cherished and unblemished as The Wizard of Oz; ruining such a classic would be sacrilege as well as career suicide for all of those involved. Fortunately, Oz - The Great and Powerful is not a disaster at all, albeit not an wholly successful venture.

First off, James Franco is a little sketchy in the lead role; he starts off all swagger and charm as the womanising circus magician who finds himself proclaimed king and saviour of a kingdom. He's a charming but unlikeable character; it's hard to side with him as he sweeps Mila Kunis' Theodora off her feet only to leave her behind without a backward glance.

He's also a little shaky in the film's final third when Oz (as his friends know him by) is thrust to foreground of a battle to retake Emerald City from the Wicked Witches. Franco's highpoint are his scenes with Finley (Zach Braff) and China Girl (Joey King) which were both touching and funny.

The film's main strong point is its three leading ladies, Kunis, Weisz and Williams. Each have their moments to shine and neither disappoints. Kunis is, as always, attractive and likeable (at least until the halfway point), Weisz relishes her chance to get all mad-witch-bitch on our asses and Williams is enchanting as the Good Witch.

Raimi sets his targets firmly on the look and feel of Tim Burton's massively successful Alice in Wonderland by drenching Oz in luscious visuals that pop from the screen; the Emerald City looks like a fairytale Gotham whilst the cacophony of vivid reds, jades and yellows that adorn flowers, trees and brick roads alike are a real visual treat. It can feel a little CG heavy at times however, sequences like the one in the image above where Oz and Glinda travel by bubble looking a little too fantastical.

On the whole, Oz - The Great and Powerful is a good, but not great, family fantasy adventure that will draw younger audiences to the land of Oz for the first time. It's light and fresh take on the tale will fit right in with family audiences. It may not captivate older audiences that grew up with the original and only the test of time will show its true worth

I give Oz - The Great and Powerful: 6/10

Read More

60 Second Film Reviews #2

A round-up of some of the most recent films that I've seen on both the silver screen and at home, 60 Second Film Reviews is a new feature that gives you the low-down on a film without the waffle. This month, we have Wreck-It Ralph, The Woman In Black, The Inbetweeners Movie and Cloud Atlas.

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Wreck-It Ralph was a great surprise; a unique blend of kiddy humour and gaming references that older audiences will appreciate. It's certainly a film that strives to do something different.

Imagination abound has clearly been poured into the each of the in-game world's in Wreck-It Ralph.  The delectable visuals literally bounce out of the screen (the battle-bruised and bug-infested world of Hero's Duty, the colourful, candy-coated colours of Sugar Rush) give the film its own distinctive look and feel.

With a protagonist that isn't a goody-two shoes ("I am bad and that is good. I will never be good and that's not bad"), Wreck-It Ralph carries an heart-warming message of acceptance that'll please the kiddywinks.

Whilst it doesn't stand head and shoulders above other recent animations (Pixar's Brave and Dreamworks' Rise of the Guardians have the edge there), Wreck-It Ralph is a solid effort from Disney and it shows that the studio isn't afraid to try something a little new.

I give Wreck-It Ralph: 7/10

The Woman In Black (2012)

Moving on from a certain-wizard-franchise-that-must-not-be-named, Daniel Radcliffe stars in this genuinely chilling horror, The Woman In Black. Although it may be a little formulaic for die-hard horror fans, The Woman In Black was a seriously terrifying thriller/horror that will provide genre amateurs like myself with some genuine jump scares and nightmares for days.

It was great to see Radcliffe in a role outside of Harry Potter and he I thought that he carried the film on his shoulders well; He was convincing as both a widow and a father, his last outing as his magical alter-ego already feeling like an age ago.

The Woman In Black is really Radcliffe's show however, with there being only a couple of other characters to propel the story forwards. Also, the ending was a bit of a downer and I felt it could have been handled better.

I give The Woman In Black: 6/10

The Inbetweeners Movie (2011)

A fitting send off for both the cast and the fans, The Inbetweeners Movie is good enough to disprove anyone who says TV shows can't spawn successful films. In fact, with talk of sequel still circulating, there could even be a franchise in the works. 

Anyway, set a year after the end of the show's third and final season, The Inbetweeners Movie picks up where the four lads, Will (Simon Bird), Simon (Joe Thomas), Neil (Blake Harrison) and Jay (James Buckley) are off to the Greek island of Malia for two weeks of alcohol, girls and sun. 

Where this film excels is in its ability to not feel like a dragged out episode of the TV show. The longer run time doesn't harm the casts ability to extract hilarity from the script or add the occasional dash of heart. Whilst there is evidence of character development here, this being The Inbetweeners, the film doesn't take itself too seriously and it also avoids using any predictable romantic/comedy plot clichés near the end. 

I give The Inbetweeners Movie: 8/10

Cloud Atlas (2013)

An adaptation of David Mitchell's multi-stranded novel so ambitious it took three directors to film it all, The Wachowski's and Tom Tykwer's Cloud Atlas is an impressive piece of visually striking film-making that manages to fall a little short of classic status. 

Cloud Atlas tells the story of one soul that is spread across six past, present and future historical eras that are all interconnected with one another across time. Starring Tom Hanks, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Ben Whishaw and many more, the film certainly boasts an impressive ensemble cast that all appear in various guises across the six plot strands (spotting each actor/actress in each story can be turned into a fun drinking game!), but the multiple plots and locales means that Cloud Atlas loses track of its original notion of everything being interconnected. Sometimes, the plot points that connect the dots can feel forced or too briefly touched upon to really make an impact.

The films biggest plus point is the acting; there really isn't any single weak link in its cast. Another plus point is the luscious visuals and settings, the depictions of the futuristic Neo-Seoul and Hawaii being the most eye-catching.

I give Cloud Atlas: 6/10

Read More

Voice of Reason #8: In-Flight Films

Okay, so a recent flight across Australia got me thinking; what is the best kind of film to watch in-transit? Airlines often populate their in-flight entertainment systems with a miniature digital library of cinematic treats, with my last flight offering everything from the thrilling and often satirical Argo to the cutesy and family-friendly Mr. Poppers' Penguins.

So what to choose? With so much on offer, it can feel overwhelming trying to whittle it down. You weigh each option up carefully, not wanting mess up such a crucial decision. Before you know it, you've spent so long trying to choose that the plane is now landing and you've missed your chance. Bummer!

So anyway, here we have a few ground rules (or should that be sky rules?) on what not to pick next time you are trapped inside a tightly packed metal tube with hundreds of complete strangers and you need to find a way to pass the time.

1. Anything that'll make you jump. Turbulence may be one thing, but a jump scare from the latest Paranormal Activity flick will definitely send that packet of peanuts or can of Coke you opened raining down on your fellow passengers. You don't want this.
2. Anything scary. Remember, at some point in the next 600 hours of flying, you might want to get some shut eye. This isn't going to happen if you decide to tune into Nightmare on Elm Street; you'll end up calling for the air hostess to make you a warm glass of milk and soothe your brow whilst you mumble something about the Freddy Kruger trying to kill you.
3. Anything that involves planes. Not Airplane!, not Flightplan, not Snakes on a Plane, not Die Hard 2 and definitely, absolutely not Flight. Unless you really relish the idea of reaching for the sick bag and reacquainting yourself with that bagel you just had in the terminal.
4. Something that'll get you judged. You might be trapped on a plane for seeming eternity, but there are better ways to pass the time than watching Tinkerbell: Secret of the Wings. The only thing you'll be getting out of that will be odd glances from the people sat next to you.
5. Anything that is too funny. What? No comedies? Not if your the kind of person that laughs so loud the captain will be able to hear you. Cue angry stares from two old ladies you just jolted awake. Thanks a lot Simon Pegg.
6. Something that'll get you in the *ahem* mood. Remember your surroundings. You don't want to be be caught in the awkward situation where the air hostess leans in on you watching a particularly steamy sex scene that involves lots of jiggling.
7. Transformers. This one has nothing to do with being on a plane, you should just avoid the Transformers films altogether. They're crap. You have been warned. 

Read More

Film Review: Side Effects

Rooney Mara in Side Effects

Jude Law, Rooney Mara and Catherine Zeta-Jones star in Side Effects, an intelligent and haunting thriller from director Steven Soderbergh.


Emily (Rooney Mara) had it all. A husband, a great job and a life to be proud of. When the rug is ripped from underneath her and her husband Martin (Channing Tatum) is sent to prison, her downward spiral with numerous prescription drugs begins. With a cloud of depression hanging over her, Emily turns to psychiatrist Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) for help. And this is where it gets interesting...

For obvious reasons, continuing on with a synopsis of Side Effects would greatly ruin the shock and surprise of the film's numerous twists and turns, each one more sinister and surprising than the last. This film draws you in and gets you hooked, feeding you just enough information to keep you tantalised from start to finish.

First of all, the script and pacing is spot on. The film swings between drawn out periods of tension followed by rapid, sporadic bursts of drama that cause the plot to veer this way and the next. The acting here is also top-notch. For me, the real stand-out performance came from Jude Law's character Dr. Jonathan Banks. Whilst I've seen plenty of Law in other films, his performance here really made me sit up and take notice.

The same praise can be afforded the film's other lead Rooney Mara, gloomy and tortured to begin with but something very different and unexpected come the end. Likewise, Catherine Zeta-Jones' sultry performance as Dr. Siebert starts in one place but ends in another, her firm gaze and stilettos injecting a dose sexiness and tenacity into the mixture throughout.

The end verdict is that Side Effects is a surprisingly effective and complex psychological thriller that messes with your head as much as any pill could. An early contender for My Top 5 Films of 2013, it's wonderfully smart, stylishly shot as well as dark, brilliantly acted and thought-provoking. Just as Soderbergh did with Contagion, Side Effects makes you stop and think about our frenzied pill-popping culture. If there's one thing you'll take from Side Effects it is this; always read the label.

I give Side Effects: 8/10

Read More

CJ Says #1: Classic Book Covers vs. Film Book Covers

Classic cover

Picture this: you see a soon-to-be-released-in-cinemas film is based on a book. For argument’s sake, let’s say it’s Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. You think, “I like reading the book before I see the film”. You recently read Life of Pi and re-read The Hobbitin preparation for the films. So your train of thought chugs along until it reaches its station: “I’ll buy Cloud Atlas to read before the film”.

Film cover

Now imagine yourself walking into your local bookshop. Let’s say that bookshop is called Dymocks. You walk in with one mission in mind: find Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. And lo and behold, with the movie around the corner, you find it. But it’s not what you expect.

In honour of the up and coming motion picture/ blockbuster coming to a cinema near you, every single copy of the book is covered in images from the film. And I mean every last copy in the entire shopping centre. Not just Dymocks, but everywhere else that sells books as well.

Imagine your disappointment. You don’t want a DVD cover on your book; you want a book cover on your book. The cover that came before the movie, because this book was around before the movie version needed promoting. What happened to all the classic covers?

And it gets worse: it will take two to four weeks to order it in. Did I mention you really wanted this book in the next few days for an aeroplane trip you had planned? Two weeks is simply unacceptable.

So you go home, defeated. What else can you do? You try www.fishpond.com.au. There is the classic cover, on your computer/laptop screen. Just as you thought, it looks infinitely better than the film cover version: there are no moody profile shots of Tom Hanks and Halle Berry adorning this cover, just the original, proper copy before a Hollywood adaptation was even thought of.  Add to cart, and check shipping. Typically, it will take anywhere between two to four weeks.

The situation is hopeless. All you’re left with is an unspent $20 note, a feeling of betrayal, and a computer/laptop with one extra dent in it than before.

Why can’t they just sell the classic cover when you want it? Why do they insist on shoving those movie images down your throat? Yes, if the book is enjoyable and the reviews are positive, you will see the film or buy the DVD. You don’t need that much convincing! Is a classic cover to the book you’d like to read on a plane within the next week too much to ask for?

Unfortunately there is only one solution to the problem: fold and order the book. In the meantime, you’ll have to read something else. And quietly loathe inside whoever makes the decision to suspend all classic covers on a book in the months leading up to the film adaptation. 

Read More