Hugh Jackman goes on a Japanese holiday to learn about the Samurai, fight Yakuza gangs, and battle ninjas in a quest for redemption.
Have I got the plot correct?
You can make your own mind up about the film after you go to your local cinema and enjoy the 130-odd minutes of a Japanese family feud interspersed with silky sword swinging action starring our favourite mutant.
I feel like I have so many more questions about The Wolverine after watching it than I did beforehand.
Of course we have Jackman reprising one of his most famous roles as the adamantium-infused hero Logan - better known as Wolverine, but that is the only character from the series to appear in this film (ignoring the mid-credits sequence).
He is an older Wolverine than what we are used to (even though he doesn't age), but more crucially he is a lot more embattled by inner demons. He is plagued by hallucinations of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen reprising her role from the three original X-Men films), and lives a hermit-like life.
It is the battle with inner demons that becomes the focal point of the film.
His inner battle is shown with countless visions or Jean Grey-interrupted dreams, and a physical battle with an inner demon-like device/creation continues to hammer the importance of his battle.
While this forms the main theme of the film, the plot itself leaves the United States of America as soon as possible, after Wolverine is asked by Yukio (Rila Fukushima) to accompany her to Japan to pay final respects to Ichiro Yashida (Haruhiko Yamanouchi), a man he saved in Nagasaki in World War II who is now on his death bed.
There he meets Yashida's granddaughter Mariko (played by Japanese model Tao Okamoto in her film debut), and protects her after her life becomes threatened due to her inheriting everything her grandfather owned.
Wolverine/Logan and Mariko grow closer as the film progresses, their relationship developing as they face whatever is thrown at them - including Wolverine's sudden morality.
Despite a fun action sequence inside, on the side, and on top of a bullet train, the first hour or so of the film could not go any slower.
It is supposed to be set after X-Men: The Last Stand, so one would assume we would pick up where we left off with the title character. Instead we're reintroduced to Wolverine almost from scratch, including the tired obligatory scene where our hero confronts a few men at a local bar.
Thankfully the pace picks up a bit in the second half, with one of the best sequences of the film shared between a fully fit Wolverine and Shingen Yashida (Mariko's father, played by Hiroyuki Sanada).
Svetlana Khodchenkova plays the role of mutant villain Viper well, but even she is eclipsed by Will Yun Lee's Kenuichio Harada. Harada is a childhood friend of Mariko and is head of the Black Ninja Clan, a group of ninjas sworn to protect the Yashida family. Lee's plays his part well - he doesn't overact the role, and he lets his skill with sword and bow do the talking.
Finally, the 3D option may be better left untouched. Sure it's great to watch the film and see the landscape have some depth, but it does not seem to add much to the viewing experience. It is as if it was released in 3D "just because they could", but all that does is lessen the product.
The Wolverine: 126 minutes (2013)
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Lockout
A science fiction film directed by Luc Besson - what could possibly go wrong?
That is not a sarcastic rhetorical question, I am actually quite the fan of Besson's work on The Fifth Element and, even though it isn't science fiction, Taken.
So forgive me for having some highish hopes for Lockout.
The story for Lockout is not a bad one.
In 2079, a CIA Agent named Snow (Guy Pearce) is arrested for the murder of undercover agent, and is threatened with incarceration in an orbiting maxiumum security prison (MS One) - which happens to be located in space and the prisoners serve their sentences in stasis.
The daughter of United States President Warnock Emilie (Maggie Grace) happens to be on board MS One where she is investigating claims the stasis is affecting the prisoners minds and causing dementia and psychopathy.
A psychopathic prisoner escapes custody after being brought in for questioning, then releases all prisoners in the facility. Snow is convinced to go in and save Emilie, and the rest of the film follows their fight out of the complex.
You probably missed Lockout when it was released, but the less you know about it the better.
The script is terrible, the jokes are bland and the path the story follows is quite predictable.
The only good thing is the performance by Pearce, who does a fantastic job with the tools he's been given.
Lockout: 95 minutes (2012)
That is not a sarcastic rhetorical question, I am actually quite the fan of Besson's work on The Fifth Element and, even though it isn't science fiction, Taken.
So forgive me for having some highish hopes for Lockout.
The story for Lockout is not a bad one.
In 2079, a CIA Agent named Snow (Guy Pearce) is arrested for the murder of undercover agent, and is threatened with incarceration in an orbiting maxiumum security prison (MS One) - which happens to be located in space and the prisoners serve their sentences in stasis.
The daughter of United States President Warnock Emilie (Maggie Grace) happens to be on board MS One where she is investigating claims the stasis is affecting the prisoners minds and causing dementia and psychopathy.
A psychopathic prisoner escapes custody after being brought in for questioning, then releases all prisoners in the facility. Snow is convinced to go in and save Emilie, and the rest of the film follows their fight out of the complex.
You probably missed Lockout when it was released, but the less you know about it the better.
The script is terrible, the jokes are bland and the path the story follows is quite predictable.
The only good thing is the performance by Pearce, who does a fantastic job with the tools he's been given.
Lockout: 95 minutes (2012)
Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim may not be the best film of 2013, but it's certainly one of the most enjoyable.
It is a spin on the popular alien invasion plot, but instead of them from coming space, the "kaijus" come from a portal located between two tectonic plates in the Pacific Ocean - hence the title. According to the dates used throughout the film they first appeared in 2013, and have continually assaulted coastal cities over a seven year period (most of the film is set in 2020).
The science fiction adventure pits Guillermo del Toro in the director's chair for the first time since Hellboy 2 in 2008, with Charlie Hunnam (Green Street Hooligans, Sons of Anarchy) taking on lead status as Raleigh Becket.
We meet Raleigh and brother Yance at the start of the film as two of a group of people that enjoy rock star profiles. They are Jaeger pilots, and together control the giant machines (Jaegers) designed to combat the kaijus. Pilots are linked to each other by neural links, sharing memories, experiences and feelings so they can control the Jaegers.
The brothers go out to stop the attack of a kaiju, but are soon overpowered. Yance is killed in the attack while they are still connected, while Raleigh spends the next five years working on the construction of a great wall the length of the Pacific coasts to keep the attacking kaiju out.
The screenplay for this film is not exactly an Academy Award-winner, but the film's fight sequences are fantastic, even if del Toro over-indulges in destroying every city he can lays his eyes on.
I was not overly sold on supporting characters Dr. Newton Geiszler (Charlie Day) and Dr. Hermann Gottlieb (Burn Gorman), who I did not think added too much to the story at all. Sure they were written into the script to give us a more scientific understanding of the kaiju (and how can you defeat aliens with science?), but their fast-talking presences were simply bizarre. Ron Perlmann's cameo as Hannibal Chau adds some more laughs to the film, including his post-credits sequence.
Idris Elba steals the show as Stacker Pentecost, the tough, battle-hardened African-American commanding officer. Elba gets all the one-liners, including an Independence Day-esque speech which you may recognise from the commercials ("Today, we cancel the apocalypse!"). Rinku Kikuchi performs brilliantly as Mako Miri, who becomes Raleigh's partner in the Jaeger Gipsy Dancer.
My biggest gripe with the film is nothing to do with the story, instead it's the casting of an American and an Englishman as the Australian Jaegar's crew.
No disrespect to Robert Kazinsky and Max Martini, but they pull off potentially the worst Australian accents I have ever heard. Sure they play their roles well, but if you want an Australian crew for the Australian Jaeger, consider a pair of Australian actors.
If you're a fan of the Michael Bay-produced Transformers series, kaiju films and stories (like Godzilla) or of science fiction in general, you'll love Pacific Rim.
Pacific Rim: 132 minutes (2013)
It is a spin on the popular alien invasion plot, but instead of them from coming space, the "kaijus" come from a portal located between two tectonic plates in the Pacific Ocean - hence the title. According to the dates used throughout the film they first appeared in 2013, and have continually assaulted coastal cities over a seven year period (most of the film is set in 2020).
The science fiction adventure pits Guillermo del Toro in the director's chair for the first time since Hellboy 2 in 2008, with Charlie Hunnam (Green Street Hooligans, Sons of Anarchy) taking on lead status as Raleigh Becket.
We meet Raleigh and brother Yance at the start of the film as two of a group of people that enjoy rock star profiles. They are Jaeger pilots, and together control the giant machines (Jaegers) designed to combat the kaijus. Pilots are linked to each other by neural links, sharing memories, experiences and feelings so they can control the Jaegers.
The brothers go out to stop the attack of a kaiju, but are soon overpowered. Yance is killed in the attack while they are still connected, while Raleigh spends the next five years working on the construction of a great wall the length of the Pacific coasts to keep the attacking kaiju out.
The screenplay for this film is not exactly an Academy Award-winner, but the film's fight sequences are fantastic, even if del Toro over-indulges in destroying every city he can lays his eyes on.
I was not overly sold on supporting characters Dr. Newton Geiszler (Charlie Day) and Dr. Hermann Gottlieb (Burn Gorman), who I did not think added too much to the story at all. Sure they were written into the script to give us a more scientific understanding of the kaiju (and how can you defeat aliens with science?), but their fast-talking presences were simply bizarre. Ron Perlmann's cameo as Hannibal Chau adds some more laughs to the film, including his post-credits sequence.
Idris Elba steals the show as Stacker Pentecost, the tough, battle-hardened African-American commanding officer. Elba gets all the one-liners, including an Independence Day-esque speech which you may recognise from the commercials ("Today, we cancel the apocalypse!"). Rinku Kikuchi performs brilliantly as Mako Miri, who becomes Raleigh's partner in the Jaeger Gipsy Dancer.
My biggest gripe with the film is nothing to do with the story, instead it's the casting of an American and an Englishman as the Australian Jaegar's crew.
No disrespect to Robert Kazinsky and Max Martini, but they pull off potentially the worst Australian accents I have ever heard. Sure they play their roles well, but if you want an Australian crew for the Australian Jaeger, consider a pair of Australian actors.
If you're a fan of the Michael Bay-produced Transformers series, kaiju films and stories (like Godzilla) or of science fiction in general, you'll love Pacific Rim.
Pacific Rim: 132 minutes (2013)
Monday, July 15, 2013
Mutant Chronicles
You know you're up shit creek when you have Ron Perlman in the starring role.
Now don't get me wrong, Perlman is one of my film heroes. Whenever there's a film with him in it I know it's going to be awesome - even if it's in a bad way.
Mutant Chronicles takes the cake.
There are "bad but so good" films, and there are "no seriously shithouse" bad films. Mutant Chronicles is of the latter.
Going for $6.98 at JB Hi-Fi Coffs Harbour I shouldn't have been surprised, and I remember mentioning at the time it was going to be bad but I was still keen.
But just how bad wasn't a reality until I sat through it.
The budget must've been sent on swords, green screen and software, as the severely lacked in every other department. The only relatively good part of the film was the idea behind the plot.
Mutant Chronicles is set in 2707 after humans have exhausted the Earth's natural resources. The human population split into five corporation-led factions who fight over whatever is left. Now, there was an ancient battle between humans and mutants which the humans won, sealing the mutants beneath the surface of the planet. That gets us to the start.
You can predict what happens.
Two warring factions are fighting somewhere (they never say) and reopen the seal, releasing the mutants who then over-run human settlements. A "fellowship" of human representatives from each faction go down to the mutant stronghold where they seek to shut down the machine which is turning captured humans into the mutants.
The script is terrible, with too many poorly executed, non-funny jokes, while the representation of blood is comical. It's as if they've added it in paint on a Windows Me computer or something, it's terrible.
I love a bad film every now and again, and I usually get a ripper of a laugh out of them, but you'd probably want to avoid Mutant Chronicles like the plague.
Thank Christ the film only went 105 minutes instead of the 200+ it had advertised on the cover.
Mutant Chronicles: 111 minutes (2008)
Now don't get me wrong, Perlman is one of my film heroes. Whenever there's a film with him in it I know it's going to be awesome - even if it's in a bad way.
Mutant Chronicles takes the cake.
There are "bad but so good" films, and there are "no seriously shithouse" bad films. Mutant Chronicles is of the latter.
Going for $6.98 at JB Hi-Fi Coffs Harbour I shouldn't have been surprised, and I remember mentioning at the time it was going to be bad but I was still keen.
But just how bad wasn't a reality until I sat through it.
The budget must've been sent on swords, green screen and software, as the severely lacked in every other department. The only relatively good part of the film was the idea behind the plot.
Mutant Chronicles is set in 2707 after humans have exhausted the Earth's natural resources. The human population split into five corporation-led factions who fight over whatever is left. Now, there was an ancient battle between humans and mutants which the humans won, sealing the mutants beneath the surface of the planet. That gets us to the start.
You can predict what happens.
Two warring factions are fighting somewhere (they never say) and reopen the seal, releasing the mutants who then over-run human settlements. A "fellowship" of human representatives from each faction go down to the mutant stronghold where they seek to shut down the machine which is turning captured humans into the mutants.
The script is terrible, with too many poorly executed, non-funny jokes, while the representation of blood is comical. It's as if they've added it in paint on a Windows Me computer or something, it's terrible.
I love a bad film every now and again, and I usually get a ripper of a laugh out of them, but you'd probably want to avoid Mutant Chronicles like the plague.
Thank Christ the film only went 105 minutes instead of the 200+ it had advertised on the cover.
Mutant Chronicles: 111 minutes (2008)
Mercury Rising
The premise of Mercury Rising is a unique one to say the least.
A top-secret United States government code called Mercury - which happens to be uncrackable by any computer on the planet - is hidden inside a common puzzle book. It remains hidden for some time until a nine year old autistic boy named Simon Lynch (Miko Hughes) cracks it - sending the NSA into damage control.
We are introduced to Special Agent Art Jeffries (Bruce Willis) as one of a group of bank robbers in the middle of a heist. He's protecting an 11 year old named James, who was dragged into the situation by bank robber Edgar. Jeffries begs his superiors for more time to resolve the situation, but just as he finds a peaceful solution, the FBI task force storms the building and kills both Edgar and James.
Lt Colonel Nick Kudrow (Alec Baldwin) despatches assassins to eliminate Simon and his parents, who he sees as a grave liability to security.
The assassin (Peter Burrell, played by Lindsey Lee Ginter) gets two thirds of his job done, but leaves the house before eliminating Simon due to approaching sirens. Jeffries is sent to investigate what is believed to be a murder-suicide at the Lynch premises, but finds Simon hiding in a closet.
Jeffries and Simon grow closer together as the film progresses, and they are joined by a woman named Staceey Siebring (Kim Dickens) at a coffee shop. All the while Jeffries gets help from fellow agent Tommy Jordan (Chi McBride), who knows Jeffries is not guilty of an assumed crime (the warrant of which was sent out by Kudrow).
It is an interesting film with a predictable end, and it follows a somewhat predictable path. The fact Simon is autistic gives the plot another branch to explore, as Jeffries encounters several problems associated with the condition along the way (need for routine for example). One thing I didn't understand was the need for Simon to walk around with his eyes looking up to the sky or an angle the whole time. Whether I don't know enough about autism to comment, that was the belief at the time, or it was just a way for the director to show he "was not normal" I'm not sure. It didn't seem right though.
In terms of the rest of it, it's pretty much what I expect a normal Bruce Willis film to be like. He gets to kill some bad guys but be the most human and he'll almost certainly knock off his one of the major villains, while the other villain perishes in spectacular fashion. Classic Willis.
Mercury Rising: 111 minutes (1998)
A top-secret United States government code called Mercury - which happens to be uncrackable by any computer on the planet - is hidden inside a common puzzle book. It remains hidden for some time until a nine year old autistic boy named Simon Lynch (Miko Hughes) cracks it - sending the NSA into damage control.
We are introduced to Special Agent Art Jeffries (Bruce Willis) as one of a group of bank robbers in the middle of a heist. He's protecting an 11 year old named James, who was dragged into the situation by bank robber Edgar. Jeffries begs his superiors for more time to resolve the situation, but just as he finds a peaceful solution, the FBI task force storms the building and kills both Edgar and James.
Lt Colonel Nick Kudrow (Alec Baldwin) despatches assassins to eliminate Simon and his parents, who he sees as a grave liability to security.
The assassin (Peter Burrell, played by Lindsey Lee Ginter) gets two thirds of his job done, but leaves the house before eliminating Simon due to approaching sirens. Jeffries is sent to investigate what is believed to be a murder-suicide at the Lynch premises, but finds Simon hiding in a closet.
Jeffries and Simon grow closer together as the film progresses, and they are joined by a woman named Staceey Siebring (Kim Dickens) at a coffee shop. All the while Jeffries gets help from fellow agent Tommy Jordan (Chi McBride), who knows Jeffries is not guilty of an assumed crime (the warrant of which was sent out by Kudrow).
It is an interesting film with a predictable end, and it follows a somewhat predictable path. The fact Simon is autistic gives the plot another branch to explore, as Jeffries encounters several problems associated with the condition along the way (need for routine for example). One thing I didn't understand was the need for Simon to walk around with his eyes looking up to the sky or an angle the whole time. Whether I don't know enough about autism to comment, that was the belief at the time, or it was just a way for the director to show he "was not normal" I'm not sure. It didn't seem right though.
In terms of the rest of it, it's pretty much what I expect a normal Bruce Willis film to be like. He gets to kill some bad guys but be the most human and he'll almost certainly knock off his one of the major villains, while the other villain perishes in spectacular fashion. Classic Willis.
Mercury Rising: 111 minutes (1998)
Tuesday, July 09, 2013
The Lone Ranger
Gore Verbinski's "The Lone Ranger" has been savaged by critics.
Before my viewing at Grafton's Saraton Theatre on Tuesday night, I had read a review that called it "a train wreck", and heard another commentator say it's score of "25% on film review website Rotten Tomatoes was generous".
For some part I can see exactly where they are coming from.
A large percentage of the jokes are quite tacky and some aren't even funny. The composition of the film's plot with several interruptions of an ageing Tonto (Johnny Depp) retelling parts of the story to a young boy who idolises "The Lone Ranger" is unneeded, adds minimal and merely serves to break up what could be a fun action adventure ride.
Johnny Depp's performance as Tonto has copped a bit of flak of sensitive and cultural grounds, but I see it more as an almost identical portrayal to how he is Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
But maybe we are all being a little bit too serious.
After all, it is technically a Disney film.
If you look at it from that point of view - as I did after the first few sequences - you can have a lot of fun with the film.
The Lone Ranger is a fun western film, featuring the typical "western" themes of cowboys, outlaws, murder and revenge, watered down and injected with a lot of humour to make it accessible to kids.
Armie Hammer's John Reid is returning home to Texas via the uncompleted Transcontinental Railway when it is attacked and hijacked by Butch Cavendish's gang. Cavendish (William Fichtner) is being transported in the train as a prisoner with Tonto, with both set to hang face punishment for their crimes. A derailment and arrest later, Reid is enlisted to join the Texas Rangers by older brother Dan, who then set out with six other rangers to bring Cavendish to justice.
It is after this Reid takes on the persona of The Lone Ranger, joining Tonto as they seek revenge for a lifetime of pain caused by Cavendish.
Let yourself become fully immersed in the story and in Armie Hammer's portrayal of The Lone Ranger and you will find yourself having a good belly laugh at his noble white steed Silver's antics.
The Lone Ranger is as fun a ride as you let it be.
The Lone Rangers: 149 minutes (2013)
Before my viewing at Grafton's Saraton Theatre on Tuesday night, I had read a review that called it "a train wreck", and heard another commentator say it's score of "25% on film review website Rotten Tomatoes was generous".
For some part I can see exactly where they are coming from.
A large percentage of the jokes are quite tacky and some aren't even funny. The composition of the film's plot with several interruptions of an ageing Tonto (Johnny Depp) retelling parts of the story to a young boy who idolises "The Lone Ranger" is unneeded, adds minimal and merely serves to break up what could be a fun action adventure ride.
Johnny Depp's performance as Tonto has copped a bit of flak of sensitive and cultural grounds, but I see it more as an almost identical portrayal to how he is Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
But maybe we are all being a little bit too serious.
After all, it is technically a Disney film.
If you look at it from that point of view - as I did after the first few sequences - you can have a lot of fun with the film.
The Lone Ranger is a fun western film, featuring the typical "western" themes of cowboys, outlaws, murder and revenge, watered down and injected with a lot of humour to make it accessible to kids.
Armie Hammer's John Reid is returning home to Texas via the uncompleted Transcontinental Railway when it is attacked and hijacked by Butch Cavendish's gang. Cavendish (William Fichtner) is being transported in the train as a prisoner with Tonto, with both set to hang face punishment for their crimes. A derailment and arrest later, Reid is enlisted to join the Texas Rangers by older brother Dan, who then set out with six other rangers to bring Cavendish to justice.
It is after this Reid takes on the persona of The Lone Ranger, joining Tonto as they seek revenge for a lifetime of pain caused by Cavendish.
Let yourself become fully immersed in the story and in Armie Hammer's portrayal of The Lone Ranger and you will find yourself having a good belly laugh at his noble white steed Silver's antics.
The Lone Ranger is as fun a ride as you let it be.
The Lone Rangers: 149 minutes (2013)
Friday, July 05, 2013
Defence leads Queensland Rangers to memorable victory
When it comes to defence, Queensland do it best.
It is a part of the game that Queenslanders pride themselves
on, the famous Maroon wall that stops anything Blue in its tracks.
Queensland Rangers proved it again at Lismore’s Oakes Oval,
running in five tries to register a 24-12 win over the New South Wales Ron
Massey Cup representative team.
The game itself was an absolute cracker.
New South Wales controlled the early stages of the game and
scored first through centre Cecil Mackenzie.
Queensland stood their ground and repelled further attacking
raids, building up a defensive effort the 17 Maroons will remember for some
time.
They took a 10-6 lead into half time, before producing arguably
the best defensive effort displayed by a Queensland Rangers team in recent memory.
The Ron Massey Cup team were camped in their attacking
third, pounding the line and coming within inches on several occasions. The Maroons
held them out for what seemed like an eternity, and you could sense all they
needed was an opportunity.
A sniff came in 50th minute when they forced an
error and earned a penalty to march downfield. They worked their way up to
within 10m of the try line, before a cross field kick on the last found a
flying Justin Castellaro in the right corner.
In the blink of an eye Castellaro doubled his haul, setting
up a memorable victory for the men north of the border.
Coach Paul Lowe
agreed Quensland built their win on the defense, saying the extra work during
camp paid off.
“We worked on our defence during camp and they showed it
tonight,” Lowe said.
“They were outstanding all night. Shaun Maloney was
monstrous up front. He made every hit up count. The boys were brilliant right
across the park, especially in defence.
“Justin has Queensland Cup written all over him. He was
great tonight but he was all week. He brought enthusiasm to every task we set
him.
“Mitch Seri and Jody Henry’s kicking games were outstanding.
They controlled the game with their
kicking.”
Players to watch
Ron Massey Cup Rep
Cecil Mackenzie (Wentworthville): Best in a beaten lot. Great footwork to score crucial tries in heavy traffic. Solid defence.
Aaron Fluke (Wentworthville): Never gave up on searching for the win. Wasn't helped when halves partner Jake Fitzpatrick was sin binned. Gallant effort.
Francis Tuigamala (Wentworthville): Handful for defence when on ground and hits like a ton of bricks. Poor temper got better of him. Damaging ball runner and makes a lot of metres.
Queensland Rangers
Justin Castellaro (Northern): Can score a try from nothing. Safe under the high ball, great vertical leap, handful for defence.
Shaun Maloney (Poinsettias): Front-rower from years past. Displayed complete disregard for personal safety in bringing ball back from kickoff for huge gain. Hits as hard in attack as he does defence.
Jody Henry and Mitch Seri (Poinsettias and Northern): Had the ball on a string and dictated terms through superior kicking games. Got Qld back on front foot with pinpoint kicks. Set up several tries. Great combination.
Players to watch
Ron Massey Cup Rep
Cecil Mackenzie (Wentworthville): Best in a beaten lot. Great footwork to score crucial tries in heavy traffic. Solid defence.
Aaron Fluke (Wentworthville): Never gave up on searching for the win. Wasn't helped when halves partner Jake Fitzpatrick was sin binned. Gallant effort.
Francis Tuigamala (Wentworthville): Handful for defence when on ground and hits like a ton of bricks. Poor temper got better of him. Damaging ball runner and makes a lot of metres.
Queensland Rangers
Justin Castellaro (Northern): Can score a try from nothing. Safe under the high ball, great vertical leap, handful for defence.
Shaun Maloney (Poinsettias): Front-rower from years past. Displayed complete disregard for personal safety in bringing ball back from kickoff for huge gain. Hits as hard in attack as he does defence.
Jody Henry and Mitch Seri (Poinsettias and Northern): Had the ball on a string and dictated terms through superior kicking games. Got Qld back on front foot with pinpoint kicks. Set up several tries. Great combination.
QUEENSLAND RANGERS 24 (Castellaro 2, Templemen, Maloney,
Cooke tries; Seri, Joass goals) def NSW Ron Massey Rep Team 12 (Mackenzie 2
tries; Fluke 2 goals) at Oakes Oval, Lismore.
Queensland wall stands tall to repel Country
Queensland Maroons under-18s ran roughshod over Country New South
Wales to win 24-8 in a dominant display at Lismore’s Oakes Oval.
A tense clash saw the game halted twice for fighting in the
first half as Queensland took a 10-4 advantage to the break thanks to tries to
Tim Wolens and Chris Law. Kyle Laybutt kicked one goal.
The game continued in physical fashion in the second half
with plenty of heavy hits, solid defence and a typical backs to the wall effort
of which Queenslanders would be proud.
Queensland was left with 12 men on the field shortly after
the break as Country took the ascendency.
They conceded one try through Country winger Zac Leonard,
but managed to hold out in a period coaches and managers agreed won them the
match.
“I thought our defence was strong the whole game but those
10 minutes were brilliant,” coach Steve Sheppard said.
“It was pretty tough going in patches and the middle of the
ground was pretty heavy. The boys kept up their efforts and did us proud.”
Manager Darryl Swan agreed.
“That defensive effort won us the game,” Swan said.
“They were down to 12 players but they stayed strong and
showed real guts to hold Country at bay.”
Hooker Chris Law was a standout for Queensland,
orchestrating the attack from dummy half and nabbing a try for himself.
“He was great,” Sheppard said.
“I think Timmy Wolens was brilliant as well. He did some
really good things all game. Bradyn Torpy had a great game as well but I think
we had 17 positive contributions tonight.”
Players to watch
Country NSW:
Jayden Connors (Tingha): Pocket rocket at the back. All class. Plenty of speed and stood tall in well beaten team.
Kirren Roughly (Milton Ulladulla): Big step and proved handful for defence in centre. Made plenty of metres when given ball in space. Good defence.
Qld Maroons:
Kyle Laybutt (Central): Controlled Queensland's attack with poise beyond his years. Plenty more development to come. Exciting prospect.
Josh Beehag (Redcliffe): Outstanding at the back. Defused attacking kicks with ease. Kept popping up in support.
Chris Law and Jack Brock (Townsville): Hooker and prop respectively. Law orchestrated attack and gave halves great service. Pinched plenty of metres. Brock extremely strong up the centre of the park.
Tim Wolens (Gold Coast White): Very strong kid with big future. Must have been close second for man of the match. Heaps of metres, very aggressive and strong defence.
Players to watch
Country NSW:
Jayden Connors (Tingha): Pocket rocket at the back. All class. Plenty of speed and stood tall in well beaten team.
Kirren Roughly (Milton Ulladulla): Big step and proved handful for defence in centre. Made plenty of metres when given ball in space. Good defence.
Qld Maroons:
Kyle Laybutt (Central): Controlled Queensland's attack with poise beyond his years. Plenty more development to come. Exciting prospect.
Josh Beehag (Redcliffe): Outstanding at the back. Defused attacking kicks with ease. Kept popping up in support.
Chris Law and Jack Brock (Townsville): Hooker and prop respectively. Law orchestrated attack and gave halves great service. Pinched plenty of metres. Brock extremely strong up the centre of the park.
Tim Wolens (Gold Coast White): Very strong kid with big future. Must have been close second for man of the match. Heaps of metres, very aggressive and strong defence.
QUEENSLAND 24 (Hargreaves, Perry, Wolens, Law, Brock tries;
Laybutt 2 goals) def COUNTRY NEW SOUTH WALES 8 (Roughly, Leonard tries) at
Lismore’s Oakes Oval.
Queensland claim victory in Country clash
A second half shut-out paved the way to victory for
Queensland Maroons under-16 team as they overcame New South Wales Country 22-8
at Lismore’s Oakes Oval.
Country five-eighth Jayden Ehsman put his team in a strong
position at half time after a try and two goals, with a Tristan Hope try
narrowing the half time gap to 8-4.
A few words from coach Craig Grauf at half time stirred
Queensland into action, piling on three converted tries to set up the winning
margin.
“I wish we would’ve won by more actually,” Grauf said at
full time.
“We kept them in the game but the boys’ effort in defence
kept us going well.
“I think we showed we had a bit more footy in us but we let
ourselves down a few times. The boys are just that next level down in their
development; just that extra metre and a half of effort from where they need to
be for higher footy.”
Queensland had their fair share of quality performers, with
five eighth Joshua Faiud and man of the match Bernard Lewis putting in a strong
performance at fullback.
Unheralded replacement hooker Aaron Ulai shone from the
bench, while Cameron Torpy drew praise from Grauf.
“Josh was fantastic. He had a lot of responsibility playing
five-eighth and captaining the team but he stood up and showed he could do it,”
Grauf said.
“Cameron lifted the side really well. He was only supposed
to play on the edge but he slotted into the forwards and made plenty of metres.
“Wes Mooka caused them trouble all night and Aaron was
fantastic.”
Players to watch
Country NSW
Jayden Ehsman (Glenn Innes): No secret why he scored all of Country's points. Directed attack and always there in support. Performed well behind beaten forward pack.
Queensland Maroons
Joshua Faiud (SEQ): My man of the match. Was in everything. Created many opportunities. Scored a try. Big future.
Keenan Yorston (SEQ): Qld always have a sensational centre. Yorston could've finished with four if he grounded all opps. Amazing speed and footwork, untouchable in heavy traffic. Slippery.
Bernard Lewis (Marlins): Safe as a bank at the back. Turned defence into attack. Good positioning in defence.
Aaron Ulai (SEQ): Plucked from Brisbane Second Division as replacement hooker. Broke tackles with ease, provided good service for halves. Give him an inch he'll take a mile.
Players to watch
Country NSW
Jayden Ehsman (Glenn Innes): No secret why he scored all of Country's points. Directed attack and always there in support. Performed well behind beaten forward pack.
Queensland Maroons
Joshua Faiud (SEQ): My man of the match. Was in everything. Created many opportunities. Scored a try. Big future.
Keenan Yorston (SEQ): Qld always have a sensational centre. Yorston could've finished with four if he grounded all opps. Amazing speed and footwork, untouchable in heavy traffic. Slippery.
Bernard Lewis (Marlins): Safe as a bank at the back. Turned defence into attack. Good positioning in defence.
Aaron Ulai (SEQ): Plucked from Brisbane Second Division as replacement hooker. Broke tackles with ease, provided good service for halves. Give him an inch he'll take a mile.
QUEENSLAND 22 (Yorston, Fauid, Hope, Uluiviti tries; Herbert
2, Faiud goals) def NSW Country (Ehsman try; 2 goals) at Oakes Oval, Lismore.
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Green Street Hooligans
An in depth exploration of the brutal reality behind football club firms, and the consequences of knowing "when to stand your ground, and when to walk away".
Green Street Hooligans stars Elijah Wood (Frodo in Lord of the Rings - yes it's weird seeing him in this) as Matt Buckner, a journalism student at Harvard who has just been expelled after cocaine was found in his room. We immediately find out he's covered for his roommate Jeremy Van Holden (Terence Jay),who is from a powerful family and paid Buckner $10,000 to take the fall.
Buckner decides to up and leave, flying to Britain to stay with his sister Shannon (Claire Forlani), her husband Steve Dunham (Marc Warren) and son Ben (James Allison). There he meets Steve's brother Pete (Charlie Hunnam - who later stars in Sons of Anarchy) who happens to run West Ham United firm called the Green Street Elites or GSE (essentially hooligans).
Pete doesn't have any time for Buckner in the beginning, but accepts the "Yank" after getting to know him and eventually bringing him into his closer group of friends at the GSE - one of whom (Bovver - Leo Gregory) doesn't want anything to do with him.
The group go to a game at Upton Park between West Ham and Birmingham, before deciding to fight some Birmingham fans. Buckner chooses not to take part in any shenanigans, opting to walk home alone. Trouble catches up with him however when he set upon by three Birmingham fans. Pete and his GSE mates arrive with perfect timing, saving Buckner from a Chelsea Grin (Google it) as they were on their way to another larger fight.
The major parts of the story centre around the mythical Major character, founder of GSE and a revered legend amongst the GSE faithful. Their rivalry with Milwall's firm, run by Tommy Hatcher (Geoff Bell) is revealed by Pete, with fate dictating the two teams will meet in the FA Cup.
Green Street Hooligans isn't just another gang story. It's not a film about sport.
It is a brutal look at the lives of people involved in these firms, which I have no doubt exist around the world. There are some seriously strong messages to take home from the film, the most prominent being to know "when to stand and fight, and when to walk away" which is quoted in the film.
Green Street Hooligans: 109 minutes (2005)
Green Street Hooligans stars Elijah Wood (Frodo in Lord of the Rings - yes it's weird seeing him in this) as Matt Buckner, a journalism student at Harvard who has just been expelled after cocaine was found in his room. We immediately find out he's covered for his roommate Jeremy Van Holden (Terence Jay),who is from a powerful family and paid Buckner $10,000 to take the fall.
Buckner decides to up and leave, flying to Britain to stay with his sister Shannon (Claire Forlani), her husband Steve Dunham (Marc Warren) and son Ben (James Allison). There he meets Steve's brother Pete (Charlie Hunnam - who later stars in Sons of Anarchy) who happens to run West Ham United firm called the Green Street Elites or GSE (essentially hooligans).
Pete doesn't have any time for Buckner in the beginning, but accepts the "Yank" after getting to know him and eventually bringing him into his closer group of friends at the GSE - one of whom (Bovver - Leo Gregory) doesn't want anything to do with him.
The group go to a game at Upton Park between West Ham and Birmingham, before deciding to fight some Birmingham fans. Buckner chooses not to take part in any shenanigans, opting to walk home alone. Trouble catches up with him however when he set upon by three Birmingham fans. Pete and his GSE mates arrive with perfect timing, saving Buckner from a Chelsea Grin (Google it) as they were on their way to another larger fight.
The major parts of the story centre around the mythical Major character, founder of GSE and a revered legend amongst the GSE faithful. Their rivalry with Milwall's firm, run by Tommy Hatcher (Geoff Bell) is revealed by Pete, with fate dictating the two teams will meet in the FA Cup.
Green Street Hooligans isn't just another gang story. It's not a film about sport.
It is a brutal look at the lives of people involved in these firms, which I have no doubt exist around the world. There are some seriously strong messages to take home from the film, the most prominent being to know "when to stand and fight, and when to walk away" which is quoted in the film.
Green Street Hooligans: 109 minutes (2005)
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Man of Steel
Superheroes are being given new life through the current Hollywood obsession of reboots. What is old is new again, and the stories that have been told a hundred times over are being reborn and reimagined.
It is as if nothing is sacred. And after the glorious success that was the Christopher Nolan-led reboot of Batman, it is easy to see why.
Nolan takes his brilliant mind to the story of another much-loved and cherished superhero in Man of Steel.
He developed the story for Superman's reboot with David S Goyer, who seek to give new life to the DC Comics character after a poorly received (according to Warner Bros.) showing in Superman Returns.
A hulking Henry Cavill does a fantastic job in the title role, with Amy Adams playing love interest Lois Lane and Michael Shannon as General Zod. Star power is littered across the supporting roles, with appearances from Russell Crowe, Lawrence Fishbourne, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane.
The film walks us through the birth the Superman legend, with the beginning of Man of Steel set on a rapidly dying Krypton. Crowe plays Jor-El, the father of Kal-El (Superman/Clark Kent's REAL name), who delivers the first natural Krypton birth in "thousands of years". General Zod (Shannon) and his loyal followers seek to take power from the ruling council, and do so by force as Jor-El escapes to "free" his child. Jor-El infuses Kal-El's cells with the genetic codex of all Kryptonians, before launching his son in a spacecraft headed for Earth.
Meanwhile, General Zod is captured by the ruling council and banished to the Phantom Zone. Their imprisonment is short-lived however, after Krypton is destroyed.
We follow Kal-El/Clark Kent's upbringing through a series of flashbacks, jumping between different phases of his life as his mythology his built before our eyes. His relationship with Lane develops, as does the threat to Earth from a revengeful General Zod and his followers. His plot to turn Earth into a "new Krypton" is as evil genius as a plan can come, and Kal-El/Superman is the only one who can stop him.
A few of my friends/colleagues have been raving about Man of Steel but I'm not sure if I sit in their corner.
Having only seen the original Superman film some time ago and never ventured into any of the other films or television series, I am pretty much completely new to the franchise.
Don't get me wrong it was a great film, but at 143 minutes Man of Steel is a bit too lengthy and a tad too repetitive for my liking. I think the filmmakers did a fantastic job in reimagining Superman and giving the character a new lease on life if you will, but how often - and for how long - must we sit through long, repetitive fight sequences. We get it - he meets his match (as heroes usually do) and has to think outside the square (or beliefs) to defeat his adversary.
I don't have the correct formula and I'll be damned if I tell Christopher Nolan how to do his job, but I can only imagine a sequel will be coming, and it will hit the mark much better than Man of Steel did.
Man of Steel: 143 minutes (2013)
It is as if nothing is sacred. And after the glorious success that was the Christopher Nolan-led reboot of Batman, it is easy to see why.
Nolan takes his brilliant mind to the story of another much-loved and cherished superhero in Man of Steel.
He developed the story for Superman's reboot with David S Goyer, who seek to give new life to the DC Comics character after a poorly received (according to Warner Bros.) showing in Superman Returns.
A hulking Henry Cavill does a fantastic job in the title role, with Amy Adams playing love interest Lois Lane and Michael Shannon as General Zod. Star power is littered across the supporting roles, with appearances from Russell Crowe, Lawrence Fishbourne, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane.
The film walks us through the birth the Superman legend, with the beginning of Man of Steel set on a rapidly dying Krypton. Crowe plays Jor-El, the father of Kal-El (Superman/Clark Kent's REAL name), who delivers the first natural Krypton birth in "thousands of years". General Zod (Shannon) and his loyal followers seek to take power from the ruling council, and do so by force as Jor-El escapes to "free" his child. Jor-El infuses Kal-El's cells with the genetic codex of all Kryptonians, before launching his son in a spacecraft headed for Earth.
Meanwhile, General Zod is captured by the ruling council and banished to the Phantom Zone. Their imprisonment is short-lived however, after Krypton is destroyed.
We follow Kal-El/Clark Kent's upbringing through a series of flashbacks, jumping between different phases of his life as his mythology his built before our eyes. His relationship with Lane develops, as does the threat to Earth from a revengeful General Zod and his followers. His plot to turn Earth into a "new Krypton" is as evil genius as a plan can come, and Kal-El/Superman is the only one who can stop him.
A few of my friends/colleagues have been raving about Man of Steel but I'm not sure if I sit in their corner.
Having only seen the original Superman film some time ago and never ventured into any of the other films or television series, I am pretty much completely new to the franchise.
Don't get me wrong it was a great film, but at 143 minutes Man of Steel is a bit too lengthy and a tad too repetitive for my liking. I think the filmmakers did a fantastic job in reimagining Superman and giving the character a new lease on life if you will, but how often - and for how long - must we sit through long, repetitive fight sequences. We get it - he meets his match (as heroes usually do) and has to think outside the square (or beliefs) to defeat his adversary.
I don't have the correct formula and I'll be damned if I tell Christopher Nolan how to do his job, but I can only imagine a sequel will be coming, and it will hit the mark much better than Man of Steel did.
Man of Steel: 143 minutes (2013)
Monday, July 01, 2013
Unknown
I swear I've seen a film like Unknown before but I just can't quite put my finger on it.
Liam Neeson stars as Dr Martin Harris, a biotechnologist who has flown to Berlin for an international summit. When he arrives at a hotel with wife Liz (January Jones), he realises he let his briefcase at the airport and jumps in a cab, driven by Gina (Diane Kruger) to get it. The cab crashes on the way to the airport, plunging into a river and knocking Harris out immediately.
When he awakens at a hospital after four days in a coma, Harris discovers another man with his wife. Furthermore, she doesn't remember who he is.
The rest of the film centres on Harris trying to reclaim his identity, with a few large twists thrown in along the way.
I was generally surprised by the film. It is clearly not an original idea, and I'm sure there are umpteen holes in the plot if you search hard enough.
Neeson shows why he is one of the busiest actors in the business, while Kruger proves to be more than handy in support.
Worth a watch, but you've probably seen it done better before.
Liam Neeson stars as Dr Martin Harris, a biotechnologist who has flown to Berlin for an international summit. When he arrives at a hotel with wife Liz (January Jones), he realises he let his briefcase at the airport and jumps in a cab, driven by Gina (Diane Kruger) to get it. The cab crashes on the way to the airport, plunging into a river and knocking Harris out immediately.
When he awakens at a hospital after four days in a coma, Harris discovers another man with his wife. Furthermore, she doesn't remember who he is.
The rest of the film centres on Harris trying to reclaim his identity, with a few large twists thrown in along the way.
I was generally surprised by the film. It is clearly not an original idea, and I'm sure there are umpteen holes in the plot if you search hard enough.
Neeson shows why he is one of the busiest actors in the business, while Kruger proves to be more than handy in support.
Worth a watch, but you've probably seen it done better before.
The Tunnel
The Tunnel was an unexpected score.
I was trawling the shelves of Big W's DVD aisles (as I do) and came across this Australian film. It painted itself as a horror flick, with most of the action taking place in the disused train tunnels under Sydney. The Tunnel is also the first film produced under the $135k project, where people bought individual frames in an effort to raise funds for its production.
The plot revolves around a decision made the New South Wales government in 2007 to scrap a plan which utilised the water in disused underground train tunnels under Sydney. A few rumours about government coverups and a few urban legends thrown in for good measure perks the interest of investigative journalist Natasha Warner (Bel Delia), and the film follows her (and her crew's) investigation.
The film is presented in a documentary form, with Warner and cameraman Steve Miller (Steve Davis) telling their version of events.
Warner recounts an interview with a homeless man who lived in the tunnels, and she decides to go down for a look after he reacts very poorly to questions about other homeless people who had gone missing.
Despite initial thoughts the film was tacky and unenjoyable, those fears were soon put to rest. In fact, by the end of the film I was beggin for more.
The use of footage shot by the "crew" adds a whole new dimension to the film, as the four have only their equipment to keep them alive. There are some scenes that cause the hairs on the back of the neck to stand on end, and the film does not take any steps back.
A severely underrated and unknown film that is a welcome addition to any fan of films made or set in Australia, or the wider horror fraternity.
The Tunnel: 90 minutes (2011)
I was trawling the shelves of Big W's DVD aisles (as I do) and came across this Australian film. It painted itself as a horror flick, with most of the action taking place in the disused train tunnels under Sydney. The Tunnel is also the first film produced under the $135k project, where people bought individual frames in an effort to raise funds for its production.
The plot revolves around a decision made the New South Wales government in 2007 to scrap a plan which utilised the water in disused underground train tunnels under Sydney. A few rumours about government coverups and a few urban legends thrown in for good measure perks the interest of investigative journalist Natasha Warner (Bel Delia), and the film follows her (and her crew's) investigation.
The film is presented in a documentary form, with Warner and cameraman Steve Miller (Steve Davis) telling their version of events.
Warner recounts an interview with a homeless man who lived in the tunnels, and she decides to go down for a look after he reacts very poorly to questions about other homeless people who had gone missing.
Despite initial thoughts the film was tacky and unenjoyable, those fears were soon put to rest. In fact, by the end of the film I was beggin for more.
The use of footage shot by the "crew" adds a whole new dimension to the film, as the four have only their equipment to keep them alive. There are some scenes that cause the hairs on the back of the neck to stand on end, and the film does not take any steps back.
A severely underrated and unknown film that is a welcome addition to any fan of films made or set in Australia, or the wider horror fraternity.
The Tunnel: 90 minutes (2011)
The Dish
Another classic Australian comedy.
The Dish tells the story of the man landing on the moon in 1969, with a primary focus on the major role played by the tiny Australian country town of Parkes. It stars Sam Neill in the title role of Cliff Buxton, who is one of three engineers/scientists working in the radio telescope station.
The small team, with the help of NASA representative Al Burnett (Patrick Warburton), are tasked with tracking Apollo 11 and receiving signals in the Southern Hermisphere. They have to deal with a range of problems that come up in the lead up to the landing, the most major being a power outage that wiped the computer's memory.
I approached the film as a sappy, drama type film but it is anything but. The crisp Aussie humour is on full display, with terrific one-liners Ross Mitchell (Kevin Harrington) and Glen Latham (Tom Long). The story is packaged brilliantly, and the vast array of personalities in Parkes allows for comical exchanges throughout the whole film.
It is a must-see.
The Dish: 101 minutes (2000)
The Dish tells the story of the man landing on the moon in 1969, with a primary focus on the major role played by the tiny Australian country town of Parkes. It stars Sam Neill in the title role of Cliff Buxton, who is one of three engineers/scientists working in the radio telescope station.
The small team, with the help of NASA representative Al Burnett (Patrick Warburton), are tasked with tracking Apollo 11 and receiving signals in the Southern Hermisphere. They have to deal with a range of problems that come up in the lead up to the landing, the most major being a power outage that wiped the computer's memory.
I approached the film as a sappy, drama type film but it is anything but. The crisp Aussie humour is on full display, with terrific one-liners Ross Mitchell (Kevin Harrington) and Glen Latham (Tom Long). The story is packaged brilliantly, and the vast array of personalities in Parkes allows for comical exchanges throughout the whole film.
It is a must-see.
The Dish: 101 minutes (2000)
Attack on Leningrad
The siege of Leningrad is one of the most memorable conflicts from World War II. It lasted just under two and a half years, and caused thousands upon thousands of deaths.
Attack of Leningrad is a 2009 foreign language film set during this period, and follows a foreign journalist by the name of Kate Davies (Mira Sorvino). She is one of a group of foreign journalists visiting Leningrad, but she is presumed missing and does not make it to the plane evacuating the group. She is left behind in the city, forced to find a way to survive amidst the chaos.
Attack of Leningrad is a harrowing look at the conditions people had to adapt to during the siege. The reality of the survivors' severe malnourishment is catalogued through public service announcements during the film.
It's worth a look.
Attack on Leningard: 110 minutes (2009).
Attack of Leningrad is a 2009 foreign language film set during this period, and follows a foreign journalist by the name of Kate Davies (Mira Sorvino). She is one of a group of foreign journalists visiting Leningrad, but she is presumed missing and does not make it to the plane evacuating the group. She is left behind in the city, forced to find a way to survive amidst the chaos.
Attack of Leningrad is a harrowing look at the conditions people had to adapt to during the siege. The reality of the survivors' severe malnourishment is catalogued through public service announcements during the film.
It's worth a look.
Attack on Leningard: 110 minutes (2009).
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