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Ted 2 – Extended Edition (Blu-ray Review)

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ted-2-slideStarring: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Barth, Giovanni Ribisi
Directed By: Seth MacFarlane
Running Time: 121 mins
BBFC Certificate: 15
UK Release Date: November 23rd 2015 (UK)

Our Score

Even the makers of 2012’s Ted are unlikely to have expected it to gross $550 million around the world. It ensured Universal was keen to make a sequel, although it has to be said this follow-up wasn’t half as successful, taking $212 million around the world. Not a bad number but nothing like the first.

This time around Mila Kunis is nowhere to be seen, as she and Mark Wahlberg’s John Bennett have gotten a divorce, leaving him completely lacking on confidence around women. Ted meanwhile seems to be having better luck, as he’s marrying the bold and brassy Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth). [Read more…]

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Hot Pursuit (Blu-ray Review)

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Hot-Pursuit-review-slideStarring: Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, Matthew Del Negro, Robert Kazinsky, Michael Mosley
Directed By: Anne Fletcher
Running Time: 87 mins
BBFC Certificate: 12
UK Release Date: November 23rd 2015 (UK)

Our Score

Hot Pursuit must have seemed like a slam dunk. Get two popular actresses who’ve had comedy success, give them a script that’s a little similar to The Heat and bring in a director who had a big hit with The Proposal. However, the resulting movie flopped at the cinemas and has an abysmally low rating of 7% on Rotten Tomatoes.

To be fair to it though, it’s not as dreadful as that might suggest. You can almost feel the critics reacting to the fact it all very forced – a movie that from the ground up feels cynically contrived to pander to the audience and as a result ends up lacking real heart. However, everyone involved is obviously extremely keen to please, rather like an overly keen party host, where you can appreciate the effort even if you wish they wouldn’t try so hard. [Read more…]

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Minions (Blu-ray Review)

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minions-review-slideStarring: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Jennifer Saunders
Directed By: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin
Running Time: 91 mins
BBFC Certificate: U
UK Release Date: November 16th 2015 (UK)

Our Score

I severely doubt that when the creators of Despicable Me came up with the Minions as a bit of comic relief they ever thought they would become the phenomenon they have. Indeed, you could be forgiven if you’d forgotten those films were about Gru, due to the massive wave of Minions merchandise in the shops, and now a spin-off movie that has massively eclipsed its predecessors, becoming only the third animated film ever to gross more than a billion at cinemas worldwide.

The film takes us back to the origins of the little yellow creatures, who have been look for the evilest boss to follow around for millions of years, from prehistoric fish to the T-rex. However, the last few hundred years have been tough, with the Minions losing all their masters and retreating from the world and hiding away at the South Pole. [Read more…]

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Steve Jobs (Cinema Review)

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steve-jobs-slideStarring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels
Directed By: Danny Boyle
Running Time: 122 Minutes
UK Certificate: 15
UK Release Date: 13th November 2015

Comparable with the iPhone it seems that were are getting a new biopic of Apple’s late founder every few years, which is slightly bigger (and hopefully better) than what came before it. Ultimately though, it’s composed of tried and tested components making the finished piece unoriginal yet appealing to a demographic who takes comfort in being part of a brand and consuming what they have already experienced in a slightly different package.

In 2013 it was Ashton Kutcher playing Steve Jobs, this year it’s Michael Fassbender, and in 2017 I predict Daniel Day-Lewis taking the mantle in a 3 part epic directed by Gus Van Sant (not really).

But however the man is portrayed on screen there is no denying that Steve Jobs was incredibly influential and has left a lasting legacy on this planet through Apple’s consumer products, investment in companies such as Pixar and donating computers to schools around the world. [Read more…]

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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (Cinema Review)

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mockingjay-part-2-review-slide
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore
Director: Francis Lawrence
Running Time: 127 mins
UK Certificate: 12A
UK Release Date: November 19th 2015

Here we have the end of a franchise that initially I didn’t think I would like, but which I have been impressed with over the years. Yet another teen book sensation transitioned onto the big screen, and on the surface The Hunger Games (2012) seemed like a tween rip-off of the excellent Battle Royal (2000). However, it was so much more than what I was expecting and its sequel Catching Fire (2013) is one of those rare sequels that is better than its predecessor.

As Hollywood trends seem fit, the third and final book, Mockingjay, was split into two movies a la Harry Potter, Divergent and Twilight. But this trend generates more money for the studio and the audience gets more time with the characters and story that they love. Everyone (in theory) wins, although with Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) the audience was left hungry for more (pun intended). [Read more…]

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Terminator Genisys (DVD Review)

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terminator-genisys-slideStarring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Dayo Okeniyi
Directed By: Alan Taylor
Running Time: 126 mins
Certificate: 12
UK Release Date: November 2nd 2015 (UK)

Our Score

Having spent $10s of millions on buying the Terminator franchise, the backers of Genisys had a lot riding on the movie. The film was planned as the first part of a new trilogy, although it seemed that was in major doubt after it only made $89 million at the US box office. However worldwide it did much better, grossing $440 million overall. As a result we’re likely to see more Terminating, even if the original plans change.

It’s both a continuation and semi-reboot, with Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) sent back in time to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) from an evil Terminator (a CGI’d young Arnold Schwarzenegger), but once there it turns out events have changed since the first time we saw things, as Sarah is well aware of what’s going on, as she’s been protected by her own Terminator, which she calls Pops (a non CGI, aging Arnie), since she was a child. [Read more…]

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