Starring:Iddo Goldberg, Deborah Francois, Fernando Tielve Genre: Drama IMDb:Unmade Beds Released: July, 2009 NZFF (New Zealand)

For the first half of this movie, I was intrigued. I felt genuinely interested in finding out all about Axl and his life of reckless debauchery in the underground scene of London town. But somewhere along the way I got side-tracked and things seemed a little hazy. Random events ocurring in the lives of both Axl and Vera became intertwined. It was no longer a clear cut path and the Unmade Beds became a mish-mash of imagery – broken glimpses of two lives thrust together by chance.

I don’t like messy storylines. Watching Unmade Beds began as if a painter was about to embark on creating a masterpiece with a blank sheet of canvas. But it soon became a collage of messy images, alot of which seemed unsubstantial. I did however enjoy the part of Axl’s story as he tried desperately to piece together aspects of his life after locating his father. This gave the character of Axl some backbone, something deeper than drugs, orgies and dancing to crappy music.

Maybe I’m just not made for art-house movies. None-the-less the acting talent of our two main characters Vera and Axl (Deborah Francois and Fernando Tielve) is undeniable. Diary of a Call Girl’s Iddo Goldberg is also worth a mention – he’s just great.

Image via Vimooz

Starring: Josh Stewart, Juan Fernandez Genre: Horror/Thriller IMDb: The Collector Released: August 12, 2010 (New Zealand)

It seems kinda strange reviewing a movie that has already been released on DVD in other countries. If I was a true follower of horror/thriller’s, I probably would have ordered my copy via Amazon some time ago.  Grossing a cool 7.7 million USD at the box office would indicate this movie didn’t do so badly.

I wouldn’t exactly call myself the ‘squeamish’ type but The Collector definitely had me squirming a little in my seat, particularly during some of the more graphically depicted scenes (of which there are many). The movie begins with ex-con Arkin (played extremely well by Josh Stewart) who is trying desperately to help his wife recover enough money to pay off a loan shark. In order to do this, he resorts to his skills in burglary and theft to get the money, pushing his partner to pay up before the midnight deadline. The house he has been casing for the last few weeks will be abandoned with the family out of town on a vacation. Everything seems perfect.

As he is attemping to break into the family’s safe, he hears screams coming through the air-con vent and runs for cover. Arkin eventually discovers that he has stumbled on a psychotic killer who is holding the family members hostage and torturing them in painful and horrific ways. The villian (The Collector) also seems to be highly adept at setting traps for his victims, traps that are ingeniously set up all around the house created for one purpose – to kill or at the very least, maim.

I wasn’t really a huge fan of the Saw series of films. I liked the first one but lost interest shortly after that and never saw any beyond the second movie. I was expecting more of the same with The Collector but found myself surprisingly attentive and at times, even a little disturbed by the outright gore (disembowelment anyone?) It has been a long time since I’ve seen a horror movie that actually made me feel uncomfortable.

I pay homage to the soundtrack as much as I do the direction and acting (which was fantastic, in particular Josh Stewart and Juan Fernandez). The music delivered an intensity to the scenes that pushed emotions that much further into the extreme than I expected, and that can only be a good thing for a horror movie to achieve.

If you like horror, you should do your best to catch this at the movies – and if you’re a fan of hard-driven beats, you might want to check out the movie soundtrack as well.

Starring: Adrian Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo Genre: Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller IMDb: Predators 2010 Released: July 8, 2010 (New Zealand)

SPOILER ALERT – There are spoilers herein, consider yourself warned!

The one thing you need to know before seeing this movie is that it’s not a sequel to any other movie associated with Predator. So essentially it’s a new storyline with new characters and vision from Nimrod Antal and the script writers.

In the previous Predator movie, commando and all-round tough guy ‘Dutch’ (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) adventured (and was eventually hunted) in the swaggering Amazonian heat with his tough-as-nails compadre’s. This time around it’s a group of complete strangers who seem to have one thing in common – they’re all predatory in their own right – all except one. Now, I dunno about you but if I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of killers and only my gun to keep me company, I wouldn’t be too trusting of anyone or anything. As it turns out, being marooned and left for dead in an unfamiliar environment is less appealing to our band of killers than working together as a group. They venture forth into the unknown, temporarily putting their trust issues (and kill-or-be-killed instincts) on hold.

So the premise is a bunch of criminals, ex-military types and a doctor are all stuck on a mysterious planet without any idea why. Adrian Brody makes his move early on as the ‘Alpha’ male and while he does an adequate job, he’s really nothing like the character Arnie represented in Predator. It’s difficult not to make comparisons afterall, Predator had to be one of my favourite action movies of the 80s.

Probably the weirdest casting call in this is Laurence Fishburne’s character who seems something of an erratic and misplaced individual. While the interlude provided by his appearance half-way through the movie is somewhat unexpected and entertaining to a point, again, it just didn’t seem to sit right with me and almost interferred entirely with the flow of the film. Almost.

Topher Grace’s character as the elusive and all-knowing ‘Doctor’ is an enigma and probably the one character that should have been fleshed out alot more than he was. Topher carried his character off very well and it’s a pity he didn’t get really interesting until the very end.

The Predators however were seriously just as awesome as I remember from the original if not even more menacing. I have to credit Nimrod Antal and the special effects/creative team here because there are some very well directed action sequences that keep the movie moving at a frantically delicious pace. The ‘Dog’ scene is a particularly exquisite action sequence which had me all tensed up in my seat!

Antal did a pretty good job of creating something literally out of nothing, blending some of the old with alot of the new and creating something fresh for us to fear all over again. It isn’t easy to do considering the history and cult following the Predator franchise has had over the years. I think Antal did the best anyone could without using someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger to carry the project forward.

Image via dietrichthrall

PCR’s rating:

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner. Genre: Action/Romance/Drama IMDb: Twilight: Eclipse Released: July 1st, 2010 (New Zealand)

If you’ve read the books then you won’t need any introduction to the three main roles in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series so we’ll cut to the chase. The third movie was really a bit of a snore-fest (and that’s coming from a fan!) because I’m pretty much over the whole shirtless Jacob and sparkly-skinned Edward thing (actually, I was never really a fan of either of those aspects of the movies). In fact, the storyline seemed something of a paper-thin, watered-down version of the book so in other words – lacklustre and pretty awful.

The only redeeming feature that Eclipse held for me was the great special effects work and the action sequences which were exceptionally well-done. And what really ruined it for me was the fact that I really enjoyed reading Eclipse and actually think it’s one of the best books in the series. The movie however, does nothing for it.

So if you’re a fan, you’re likely to be a little disappointed (unless you’re one of the devout fanatics who drool at the very sound of RPatz’s voice), and if you’ve never read the books then you’re going to miss out on alot. I know that books really can’t be entirely adapted for film but honestly, there’s alot that the movie didn’t capture – and things that I thought were over-accentuated and just plain cheesy.

Yes – people WILL get sick of seeing Jacob running around without a shirt on (as cut and healthy-looking as he is) and yes, people will get sick of the drooly, love-scenes between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart that lack any sort of REAL chemistry. I’m pretty sure that if any genuine feelings between the two actors existed, their on-screen love connections would be just a little more impassioned. Actually, just thinking about that, their on-screen chemistry was off the chart in the first movie. Maybe that’s because back then, there was something real, however minute it may have been. But whatever it was, it’s not there any more. Now they really are just actors pretending to be in love for a pay cheque and doing a very poor job of it.

I’ll finish what I started and see the other two movies only because I like to finish things. But I’m hoping that the script writer will actually do a better job for the last two movies because Eclipse was definitely eclipsed alright – eclipsed by the dollar signs floating around in the Hollywood air… oh yeah, and one last thing – the wigs the cast wore – they were terrible!

PCR Rating:

Starring: Rain, Naomie Harris. Genre: Action/Martial Arts/Drama IMDb: Ninja Assassin Released: June, 2010 (New Zealand)

When the main actor in a movie’s first name is ‘Rain’, you might be forgiven for being just a tad dubious about the movie’s content. And honestly, when I first saw Ninja Assassin on the shelves at my local DVD store, I wasn’t jumping at the chance to watch it, which is kinda odd for me considering I love martial arts movies. The fact that Rain is actually a rock star in Korea and not really a serious actor didn’t help much either.

And my hunch was almost just about right. Rain’s acting ability is clearly something you really, really have to look for (with a microscope). Acting alongside Naomie Harris probably didn’t make things any easier for him considering Naomie is a seasoned actress and also one of my favourite Brit actresses (she was fantastic in 28 Days Later). But where Rain may have failed in the delivering of his lines department, he surely made up for it in spades in the action scenes and came across as something of quite a natural.

The Wachowski brothers along with Joel Silver were on production for Ninja Assassin and being the huge Matrix fan that I am, I try to look out for projects these chaps are associated to. I wouldn’t go so far as to say Ninja Assassin will make it into their top five movie projects but the martial arts sequences were actually pretty kick-ass. The only thing I couldn’t quite get a handle on was all the blood – I mean so much blood that any value the martial arts scenes may have had were unceremoniously buried under a sea of slurpy, messy, red stuff. Kinda fail.

However, all was redeemed when legendary Sho Kosugi took his place in front of the camera. I’m sorry but Sho F**CKIN Kosugi!!!!! This guy was a legend back in the day and ANY movie about ninja isn’t a movie without him in it. Yes, as you can guess, I’m a huge fan of Sho’s. I’ve seen all his movies and think he’s brilliant, even at the ripe old age of 62. His onstage presence is just so kick-ass and if you don’t believe me, try watching some of his earlier ninja movies – I recommend Enter the Ninja or Revenge of the Ninja.

So overall – Rain needs more acting lessons but kicks ass just fine and the director needs to understand that spraying everyone in the immediate area with fake blood until they’re drenched will over-shadow anything good a movie has to offer. Well almost anything – Sho Kosugi gives this movie serious brownie point cred.

PCR Rating:

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz. Genre: Comedy/Action IMDb: Knight and Day (2010) NZ Release Date: July 15th, 2010

I wouldn’t exactly call myself a Tom Cruise fan but there’s no denying the guy can act. I’ve enjoyed quite a few of his movies but was never really a fan of his Mission Impossible days. That said, Knight and Day is Cruise doing what he does best – looking cool, calm and collect and in pretty good nick for a guy getting on in years. It’s amazing what good living (and scientology) can do for you.

I am however,  a huge fan of Len Grossman, Cruise’s alter-ego who is over-the-top funny and in-your-face. My type of character. If only Cruise would do more of this type of thing – he’s definitely got a funny bone hidden somewhere deep down – perfect for his latest blockbuster, Knight and Day.

Cruise and Diaz are both great in this movie which delivers a some-what humorous look at the ‘spy-gone-rogue’ type of scenario with Diaz finding her character passing out at the most inappropriate moments. Their on-screen chemistry is cheeky, playful and almost sincere and Diaz’s ‘girl-next-door’ sense of humour doesn’t go astray and in fact, shows off all of her comedic strengths as an actress.

It’s a very different type of movie to what you’d be expecting if you were thinking more Mission Impossible but it does have its over-the-top action moments, just to keep those thrill-seekers amongst the crowd happy (the motorbike chase is particularly cool).

Knight and Day is distributed by Fox in New Zealand and will be in theatres on July, 15th.

PCR Rating:

Today’s visit to my local DVD store took me around 10 minutes. That’s actually a long time for me. I can usually spend less than five minutes in the store and know what I want (usually New Releases) – assuming I haven’t seen it at the movies first. But I’m happy to spend longer in the store if it means finding little gems like ‘After Sex’.

The movie is about what happens after the hanky panky (just as the title suggests). And it’s filmed so well that I found myself all over the place emotionally watching it. The movie is split up into short sequences between eight different couples – different people with different needs and sexual orientation. Pretty much everything’s covered – the gay couples (both male and female), the straight couples, the swingers, the cheaters, the virgins having sex for the first time and the one night stands. And not only is the script great but the cast will blow you away – Mila Kunis (from That 70s Show) and Zoe Saldana (pre-Avatar), Taryn Manning, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Jane Seymour even does a small bit.

The opening sequence was particularly powerful because the exchange between the two characters resonated with me on so many levels. When movie dialogue makes a connection to you, you know you’ve got a winner. The individual performances are also stellar; Zoe Saldana and Mila Kunis are particularly great as are Emmanuelle Chriqui (as the cheating ex-girlfriend) and Taryn Manning (as the actress that fools her date into thinking she’s an incest-loving escort from Arkansas).

Movies like ‘He’s Just Not that Into You’ might be fun to watch and may have some big names fronting for the camera, but when it comes down to it, it’s always about sex and ‘After Sex’ deals with this straight-up without all the BS inbetween.

PCR’s Rating: 5/5

It’s a crying shame when you find gems like ‘The Poker House’ hidden away in the new release section down the back of your local video store. A shame because little indy projects like this one should get a whole lot more exposure and publicity than they do, especially when they’re directed by a reasonably well-known Hollywood actress.

Lori Petty’s (Tankgirl, Point Break) directorial debut is a ‘based on a true-story’ kinda deal about a 14-year old girl named ‘Agnes’ (played by Jennifer Lawrence) who lives a life pretty akin to something out of a freakshow. Her mother is a drug addicted prostitute (played fantastically by Selma Blair) bound to a pimp who runs their household like the local five and dime (except his wares are women). Surrounded by a maelstrom of disconnected humanity, Agnes is forced to be the mother figure for her two younger sisters, Bee and Chloe. So much living to do for such a young soul full of promise, intensity and life. You can’t help but feel for Agnes as she fumbles through school with straight A’s, holds down two jobs, one of which sees her writing poetry for the local rag and juggles her responsibilities as a star Basketball player on her high school team.

As each new day of her life unfolds like pages in one of her text books, we come to understand that Agnes knows what the future holds and isn’t afraid to grab hold of it, even at the risk of losing everything. One particularly tragic event forces mother and daughter to make painful choices and we finally see Agnes leave The Poker House with her two sisters in-tow.

If you’re not one for reading the synopsis’ on DVD covers, ‘The Poker House’ is based on Lori Petty’s life as she grew up in a small town in Iowa. It’s powerful and sobering and will make you sit up and take notice. Jennifer Lawrence won the award for ‘Outstanding Performance’ at the Los Angeles Film Festival for her portrayal of the young Lori Petty.

If you thought ‘Precious’ was good, you’ll absolutely love ‘The Poker House’ and in my opinion, this movie is far superior.

PCR’s Rating: At the very least you should rent this title.

Madman provide some of the most compelling and interesting dvds but also provide the best selection of anime in New Zealand. Blade of the Immortal is definitely a title worth checking out if you’re a fan of storylines set in the fuedal era in Japan.

As a rule, I haven’t reviewed alot of anime or manga titles here at PCR. I’ve decided to include good anime and manga titles on the site if I’m lucky enough to come across copies for review.

Blade of the Immortal is a story about a lone Samurai named Manji who is cursed with the ability to avoid being wounded. The only thing that can kill him is a very rare poison. He was cursed because of past deeds that resulted in the death of 100 Samurai and is persuaded (by the death of his sister) to seek an end to the curse. Thus begins the story of Manji’s journey to discover a cure for his curse.

Although one would think that being ‘cursed’ with the ability to avoid being wounded as a Samurai would be more like a blessing than a curse. Traditionally, it’s also a Samurai’s calling in life to die in battle with honour which of course is impossible if you’re cursed with not being able to die.

Blade of the Immortal is a moving story of one man’s struggle with his past mistakes and dealing with the price he has to pay for making the wrong choices. With the wonderful cinematic and animation work from Production I.G, Manji’s story is adapted brilliantly from the original manga by Hiroaki Samura.

The beautiful collector’s edition box set is also a must-have if you’re a fan and is the perfect way to collect the entire volume.

PCR’s Rating – 4/5

This month has been a great month for good comedy flicks. And when I say ‘good’ I mean movies that feature a really talented cast, a hip and funny storyline and fantastic dialogue. The worst type of comedy is one that doesn’t deliver the funny’s when you expect (afterall, a comedy is supposed to make you laugh, right?) and drags on without anything interesting happening. Hot Tub Time Machine gets big ticks in almost every area.

My only reservation about HTTM resides with the script – it’s a very out there concept so you’ve really got to be onboard with the idea of a hot tub that has the power to transport its occupants to another time dimension but hey, Dr Who does it in a telephone box so…

The casting however is awesome with John Cusack (who seems to be making a huge come-back lately after disaster flick 2012 and now this) nailing it in every way in his role as Adam, the unlikely ‘leader’ of a group of friends that have grown apart. I thoroughly enjoyed the upbeat flow of the movie. John Cusack’s uncanny ability to mix comedy with an edge of seriousness was one of the reasons why I enjoyed this movie so much.

If you’re thinking of taking kids be aware that Hot Tub Time Machine deals with adult issues of drug taking, alcohol consumption, sex and also contains excessive amounts of swearing (which really added to the atmosphere of the movie). So it’s not really a family flick unless of course, you’re OK with your youngsters being exposed to this sort of thing. However, if you meet the age restriction (which is R16 in New Zealand) then you’re good to go!

Hot Tub Time Machine releases in New Zealand on April 22nd, 2010.

PCR Rating - 3.5/5