www.LocalMedia.com.au
Wednesday, October 9, 2019 - Page 53
Magazine
Movies, DVDs with Jim Sherlock, Aaron Rourke What’s Hot and What’s Not in Blu-Rays and DVDs FILM: CHERNOBYL: Genre: Drama/History/Thriller. Cast: Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard, Jessie Buckley, Emily Watson. Year: 2019. Rating: MA15+ Length: 5 Hours 30 Minutes/5 Parts. Stars: ***** Review: In April 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in Russia becomes the world's worst man-made nuclear catastrophe, and this follows the Government lies and cover-ups, the political and global turmoil, and the stories of the men and women who tried to contain the disaster, as well as those who gave their lives preventing a subsequent and unthinkably worst disaster. Epic five part multi-award-winning series is as good as it gets, a gripping, utterly compelling, heartbreaking and overwhelmingly haunting viewing experience that excels on every emotional level, a powerful and unrelenting series that deservedly ranks atop of other epic series as "Game of Thrones" and "Band of Brothers," and rating higher than such cinematic counterparts as "The Godfather" and "The Shawshank Redemption." Driven by an astonishingly accurate and no-holds-barred screenplay by Craig Mazin and respectfully taut and flawless direction by Johan Renck, the stellar cast are all right at the top of their game, headed by Jared Harris as Valery Legasov, the deputy director of the Kurchatov Institute brought in to aid cleanup efforts, Stellan Skarsgård as Boris Shcherbina, the Council of Ministers' deputy chairman, Emily Watson as nuclear physicist Ulana Khomyuk, and Jessie Buckley as the tormented wife of an ill-fated first responding fire-fighter. Filmed in and around at an identical decommissioned 'Chernobyl' sister nuclear plant, and winner of eight Emmy Awards including Outstanding Limited Series, Direction, Writing, Cinematography, Editing, Production Design and Music Score, they all combine to present a terrifyingly real, intensely atmospheric, startlingly moving and devastatingly candid portrait of a disaster that came so close to changing the world forever, and proves beyond any doubt that true horror is far from fiction. UNMISSABLE! FILM: TOLKIEN: Genre: Biography/Drama/war. Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney, Derek Jacobi. Year: 2019. Rating: M. Length: 112 Minutes. Stars: **j Review: Explores the formative years of the orphaned author J.R.R (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school, and takes him into the trenches of World War I, which threatens to tear the "fellowship" apart, all experiences would inspire Tolkien to write legendary Middle-Earth novels. Very well made biopic has lots to offer, brimming with beautifully luscious depth of cinematography, striking period detail, production and costume design, impressive WW1 Battle of the Somme reenactments, but sadly falls well short in reaching out beyond the traditional frame of the romantic-biopic into a world it so desperately and earnestly tries to achieve. The cast are all commendable in their respective roles, all delivering with solid conviction, beginning with Nicholas Hoult as J.R.R. Tolkien, Lily Collins as Edith Bratt, his lifelong love and later wife, Harry Gilby as the young J.R.R. Tolkien, veteran actor Colm Meaney as Father Francis Morgan, Tolkien's guardian and father figure, and most notably, a small but standout turn by veteran actor Derek Jacobi as English philologist, Prof. Joseph Wright, who was a major influence on Tolkien during his university years. One line in the screenplay by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford states: "I'm surprised you expect us to believe a single word you say, Tolkien," so one can only wonder how believable the screenplay is as a whole, and which I believe should have covered his later years and the creation of LOTR with flashbacks to his school days and the war. Well executed ghostly [Easter Egg] flashes of "The Lord of the Rings" characters are briefly touched upon throughout the battle scenes, however, if you are looking for a full on "Lord of the Rings" or "The Hobbit" origin story fans may be more than disappointed, because all else is of a highly idealistic, romanticized and fictionalized nature, a "Dead Poets Society" meets "Goodbye Christopher Robin" effort that leaves one unfulfilled and yearning for more, but nonetheless, it remains enjoyable enough on its own merits, and will hopefully inspire to search out more on this remarkable man.
Rourke’s Reviews Gemini Man ■ (M). 117 minutes. Opens in cinemas October 10, including sessions in 4K 3D+. A long-gestating project that has been kicking around since the mid90's (with the late Tony Scott originally attached), Gemini Man is the perfect example of considerable skill and effort being heaped upon a script that is utterly worthless, cancelling out some impressively staged action scenes. Will Smith plays Henry Brogan, a veteran assassin who wants to retire after gaining a conscious. His government agency boss (Brit Ralph Brown, sporting an unconvincing American accent) seemingly okays Brogan's decision, but Henry is soon under attack from numerous assailants, who want to put the seasoned pro out of commission. One of these young operatives bears a striking resemblance to Henry, and with the help of agent Danny Zakarweski (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and ex-colleague Jack Willis (Benedict Wong), he will find his answers from bureau bigwig Clay Verris (Clive Owen). Two-time Oscar winner Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Life Of Pi) does his best to try and infuse the third-rate material with energy and excitement, but the risible dialogue, derivative, by-the-numbers plot and idiotic characters forever undercut his endeavours, which is a pity, as he, along with Academy Award winning Aussie cinematographer Dion Beebe (Memoirs Of A Geisha, Collateral), conjure up some astounding action set-pieces (the highlight being a hair-raising motorbike chase). Shot in the same 4K 3D process that Lee used for Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk in 2016 (but almost no cinema could project), it is a startlingly immersive viewing experience, with incredible depth and closeness, but the drawback is that the high-frame rate clarity makes it look too much like digital video. Smith is again a dull, one-note presence, which is exacerbated by the fact he plays multiple roles, while talented performers such as Winstead, Wong (who does provide some amusing moments) and Owen are wasted. Gemini Man delivers some technical delights from a renowned director who certainly wants to push the medium forward, but it is all undone by the simple fact that he and the producers decided to settle on an extraordinarily poor script. RATING - **
Hustlers ■ (MA). 110 minutes. Opens in cinemas October 10. What could be flippantly de-
scribed as a female Goodfellas, this muddled drama (inspired by the New York Magazine article by Jessica Pressler) flounders in almost every possible way, ruining what could have been an involving, insightful look at a particular world during a volatile time. Starting in 2007, Destiny (Constance Wu) begins work at a ritzy NY strip club to pay the bills, the same reason why so many of the women there decide to enter the largely male-run industry. When the GFC hits in 2008, the clientele, who were mainly aggressive Wall Street types, disappear, so veteran dancer Ramona (Jennifer Lopez), along with Destiny and some other colleagues, band together to give these men a taste of their own medicine. The foundation is there to explore and examine gender equality and respect, as well as human nature in general, but the script by writer/director Lorene Scafaria (who gave us the terrific Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World in 2012) is frustratingly underwritten, never going below the surface of the multiple characters who fill the landscape, concentrating instead on tiresome plot exposition and over-choreographed poledancing sequences (many of the supporting players are sadly nothing more than a name and costume). Even the reporter interview/ flashback structure is hackneyed and awkwardly executed. Lopez seems more interested in letting us know she exercised and trained for the club sequences than actually getting under Ramona's skin, while Wu fails to capitalise on her winning performance in the box-office smash Crazy Rich Asians. Hustlers could have been provocative and relevant, but is instead hollow and forgettable. RATING - **
Penguin Highway ■ (PG). 119 minutes. Available on Blu-ray October 9. The first film from Studio Colorido, formed by some artists who worked at Studio Ghibli, this is a heart-warming fantasy/drama that maintains interest while offering gorgeous, first-rate animation. A 10-year-old boy, fascinated by the art of science, teams up with two other classmates to investigate the strange appearance of penguins in their area, and who are able to disappear in equally odd fashion. ing imaginative fantasy along with some worthy, real-world messages. RATING - **** - Aaron Rourke
Top 10 Lists OCTOBER 6-12 THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. RIDE LIKE A GIRL. 2. DOWNTON ABBEY. 3. AD ASTRA. 4. ABOMINABLE. 5. THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2. 6. GOOD BOYS. 7. DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD. 8. SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. 9. IT: CHAPTER 2. 10. RAMBO: LAST BLOOD. NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: OCTOBER 3: BIRDS OF PASSAGE, PAW PATROL: READY RACE RESCUE, JOKER. OCTOBER 10: GEMINI MAN, HUSTLERS, THE SKY IS PINK, WORKING WOMAN RASCAL DOES NOT DREAM OF A DREAMING GIRL. THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. CHERNOBYL [Drama/Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard, Emily Watson, Jessie Buckley]. 2. MIB: MEN IN BLACK INTERNATIONAL [Action/Tessa Thompson, Chris Hemsworth]. 3. TOLKIEN [Drama/Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins]. 4. X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX [Sci-Fi/Action/ Adventure/James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence]. 5. JOHN WICK: Chapter 3 - Parabellum [Action/Thriller/Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane]. 6. ALADDIN [Adventure/Comedy/Fantasy/ Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari]. 7. AFTER [Drama/Romance/Selma Blair, Hero Fiennes Tiffin]. 8. APOCALYPSE NOW: FINAL CUT [Action/ War/Marlon Brando/Martin Sheen]. 9. GODZILLA: King of the Monsters [Action/Fantasy/Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga]. Also: RED JOAN, WILD ROSE, CHILD'S PLAY, THE BEST OF ENEMIES, AVENGERS: END GAME, PETERLOO, THE HUSTLE, HIGH LIFE, ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, THE CHAPARONE. NEW HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK: TOY STORY 4 [Animated/Family/Adventure/Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie P otts]. EVERYBODY KNOWS [Drama/Mystery/ Thriller/Penelope Cruz, Jarviar Bardem]. DEADWOOD: The Movie [Western/Action/ Drama/Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane]. ANNABELLE COMES HOME [Horror/Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mckenna Grace]. DVD AND/OR BLU-RAY NEW & RE-RELEASE CLASSIC MOVIES HIGHLIGHTS: TOY STORY Quadrilogy [Family/Animated/ Adventure/Tom Hanks, Tim Allen]. BLUE VELVET [Drama/Mystery/Thriller/ Dennis Hopper, Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini]. NEW RELEASE TELEVISION, DOCUMENTARY AND MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS: TRAVELERS: Season 2. DEADWOOD: The Movie. THE SON: Series 2. THE ROCKFORD FILES: The Complete Box Set. REMINGTON STEELE: The Complete Collection.
DVD COLLECTION: Specialising in Classic and Hard to Find Movies, and Latest Releases Classics, Comedy, TV, Drama, Thriller, Action, Music, Adventure, Cult Classics, Horror, Documentary. All Genres for All Tastes - Box Sets and Limited Editions Collections SHOP 43, THE WALK ARCADE, BOURKE STREET, MELBOURNE. PH: 9654 3825. HOURS: Mon-Thurs 10am to 6pm. Friday: 10am to 7m. Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 5pm.