Monday 31 August 2015

Cinderella

The first movie I ever saw in the cinema was Beauty and the Beast, the 1991 Disney classic. I was 6 at the time, and though a lot of memories from way back then have become clouded over time, that first viewing of Beauty and the Beast is forever burnt into my brain. So it goes without saying that I have a great love for Disney. That said, after the period known as the “Disney Renaissance” (1989-1999), there weren't many Disney projects that grabbed me, perhaps apart from Tangled. But this latest release appeared to be Disney trying to get back to their roots, and though it's completely live-action and not animated, it has the same magic, grace and sense of wonder that Disney's best creations still seem to hold today.


Directed by the always amazing Kenneth Branagh and out now on Blu-Ray and DVD comes Cinderella, a superb re-retelling of the classic fairy tale story. Though any adaptation will always be intrinsically based upon the original source material, this incarnation is essentially a live-action remake of the 1950 Disney animated film of the same name. Chances are you probably know the story inside out, but Cinderella centres around the life of Ella, a kind hearted girl who, after her mother dies, eventually finds herself living with her step-family. Her father married a new woman, and after Ella's father passes away (I know, she has terrible luck!), her new step-mother and step-sisters turn on her. Forcing her to do menial tasks throughout the house and wait on them hand and foot, Ella lives a life of sadness. That is until, after getting out of the house for a few hours, she meets a dashing prince. This all accumulates with the widely known story of Cinderella. From the fairy godmother, the magic, the mice, the ball and the shoe that fits... it's all here.


In recent years we've seen various films take fairy tales and twist them into something dark, grim and ultimately for a more “mature audience”. From Hansel and Gretal: Witch Hunters, Jack the Giant Killer to Snow White and the Huntsman, it seems like no one is content on presenting a fairy tale the way Disney did back in the day. Cinderella gets back to basics, and creates a heart warming, pleasant and lovely tale. The best part about Cinderella are its visuals. Though CGI is used at various points during the film, there isn't an over abundance of it. Outside of a number of exterior shots and of course the scenes in which magic is used by the fairy godmother, Cinderella looks and feels very grounded. What's even better is, especially compared to more recent “mature” takes on fairy tales, Cinderella is very colourful and lavishly designed. From the set of the iconic ballroom, the beautiful costumes used throughout the film to the overall feel of the world, Cinderella looks incredible. Though it could have gone down the route of an overuse of CGI, the film makers have clearly realised that less is more.

However, a film is nothing without a strong backbone of actors, and thankfully that's another area in which Cinderella excels. From names like Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter, Cinderella's cast is genuinely impressive both in terms of drama and comedy. There are a few stand out performances, but Cate Blanchett and Lily James steal the show, playing Lady Tremaine and Ella respectively. I never thought I'd see Cate Blanchett play such a hateful, sour and bitchy character so well (considering she's Galadriel!), but here she's absolutely brilliant. The same goes for Lily James, and she plays Ella through an entire spectrum of emotions. From elating joys to crushing loneliness, James throws herself into the role which could have been mishandled so easily. Like I said, everyone is pretty great, and with the visuals backing them up, the performances here across the board are impressive.


Overall Cinderella is a very lovely film. Chances are you already know how it ends, but it's a brand new vision of a previously travelled journey. There's some new and old here, but one thing that remains is its heart. It's a worthy adaptation/remake and one that you'll walk away from with a smile on your face. Lovely.

Cinderella nicely fits a 5/5.

★★★★★

Denis Murphy
Cinderella at CeX


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Sunday 30 August 2015

CeX enters the e-sports arena!

Are you an e-sports aficionado? Would you rather watch CS:GO, DOTA and LoL instead of, pfff, “real sports”? If so make sure you tune into Insomnia 55’s CS:GO tournament to watch the debut of Team CeX, our brand new e-sports team!


We’ve picked 5 talented gamers from countries with a CeX presence to represent everyone’s favourite red recycler and are excited to introduce them to you now:

Andrew "resu" Robson

Henry "chronic" Thornton

Andrew "Andrew" Thursfield

Victor "mvick" Meulendijks

Jonathan "Sheekey" Sheekey

And providing support, Martin "Viper" Smith.

Interested in representing Team CeX in your favourite competitive game? Get in contact with us and let us know.


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CeX @ MCM Dublin Comic Con 2015


Yup folks, we’re coming to MCM Ireland Comic Con 2015! You can drop by to say “Hi!”, check out our treasure trove of goodies, and of course buy, sell & exchange to your heart's content on the 29th and 30th August. Watch our live video stream below or check out our photo feed of cosplay aficionados who've visited our store. Vote for your favourites on the CeX Facebook page by liking and the top 3 will win a €250, €150 or €50 voucher! You can also see what's happening via our Instagram feed and Twitter.



Held at RDS Ballsbridge Dublin, MCM Ireland Comic Con is Ireland's biggest festival of popular culture and all things delightfully nerdy. It's the perfect place to indulge your inner geek!



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The Water Diviner

Back in 2012, Russell Crowe announced he would be directing a biopic of cult comedian Bill Hicks – one of my personal heroes. I was very excited at this prospect as I’m sure a lot of you dear readers are. Who doesn’t love Bill Hicks? But 3 years on, we have been given no update on this production. I don’t know if it’s still even happening. So, Mr. Crowe…If you’re not going to make us our Bill Hicks film what have you made us instead? Something just as good, I hope…


Directed by Russell Crowe and out now on Blu-Ray & DVD comes The Water Diviner. If you’re wondering where this film has come from, it’s understandable. The film was pulled from most UK cinemas after a week or two. Whether this is due to lack of interest or the controversy (which we shall discuss later), I couldn’t say. But it certainly didn’t get as big a release as Crowe’s films usually get. In The Water Diviner, Crowe stars in the lead role as Joshua Connor, an Australian farmer who embarks on an adventure to Turkey in search of his 3 sons who served in the Battle of Gallipolli and are presumed dead. Claiming to be based on a true story, it’s a rather unoriginal historical drama. So, with the plot being not much to talk about…is there anything else to talk about, with a story-driven film like this?

The Water Diviner is a visually beautiful film – the final film of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Andrew Lesnie – and is darn wonderful to look at. This is helped by an immensely high quality production; costume, sets and shooting locations are all superb. But unfortunately, the film itself is a rather underwhelming piece. It feels like a bit of a case of style over substance. As discussed the narrative is all a little predictable and unoriginal – right down to the cliché romance with Olga Kurylenko’s Ayshe thrown in for no real reason. It doesn’t feel like anything new or interesting, and fails to draw you into its story. And yet this isn’t the main issue I had with The Water Diviner. No, the main issue I had is that this film certainly lives up to its marketing as effectively being Russell Crowe: The Movie. Directing and starring in the lead role, Crowe is clearly loving every minute of his own company here. Hell, in his first scene he strips down to a vest and gets himself all sweaty digging a well, before going home for a little shower scene, just in case you missed his GUNS a few minutes earlier. 

The Water Diviner is Crowe’s directorial debut, so it’s only natural he’ll take any opportunity to attempt to re-establish himself as a bit of heartthrob. It’s certainly not an opportunity he’ll get if he decides to star in the potential Bill Hicks biopic he’s working on. But his involvement in the film has invited other more political controversy. A Facebook page, currently standing at BLAHBLAHBLAH likes, is still going strong under the name ‘Protest and Boycott The Water Diviner’. For those unfamiliar with the controversy, it goes a little something like this. Descendants of the victims of the Greek, Armenian and Assyrian genocides were outraged at the portrayal of the Turks as victims, despite the film being set at the time they were committing genocidal atrocities. This distortion of historical fact resulted in a protest letter campaign which claimed the film to be ‘…a distortion of history that only serves to appease Turkey and its continued agenda of genocide denial’. In particular, there is no mention whatsoever to the Armenian genocide – and yet, Russell Crowe and Warner Brothers released the film on the 24th of April. Why is this significant? The 24th of April is the exact day Armenians commemorate the genocide. It’s not my place to say whether this is a coincidence or not, but you can understand why some see the film as controversial.

In conclusion, The Water Diviner feels like nothing more than an ego trip for an ageing heartthrob desperate to be the hero once again. He’s decent enough in the lead role but is a bit wobbly behind the camera, and his potential hidden political agenda and the film’s controversy distract even more from the already mediocre film.

The Water Diviner earns 2/5 for visuals and production, but the film’s many short-comings stop it from earning any more.

★★☆☆☆

Sam Love



The Water Diviner at CeX


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Saturday 29 August 2015

Run All Night

Back in 2008, Liam Neeson gave us a new way to see him. With the words ‘I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills…’, we had a new reason to love him. He had become a bad-ass. Taken was a terrible film but a fantastic vehicle for Liam Neeson to kick the shit out of some nasty bastards and just generally be awesome. But over the following years, this formula was repeated to the point that it became tired and repetitive. With the Taken sequels and films like Unknown, The Grey and Non-Stop, Neeson became a parody of himself. And it’s not showing any signs of stopping.


From the director of Unknown and Non-Stop, Jaume Collet-Serra, comes another predictable thriller for Liam’s résumé; Run All Night, out now on Blu-Ray and DVD. Neeson plays a bitter drunken ex-mob enforcer named Jimmy "The Gravedigger" Conlon who has one night to figure out where his loyalties lie – to his estranged son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) or his old friend and employer (Ed Harris) who wants Mike dead. Throw in a scary bespectacled contract killer named Price (Common) and lots of gunfights and car-chases, and you have Run All Night


Now, let’s not kid ourselves. Run All Night is no t a good film. It’s not an original film. But we all know why we’re here. We’re here for Liam. As long as we keep paying to watch these films, I’m sure Liam Neeson will continue to make them. To review Run All Night is to review any of his films of the past 5 years, because they’re all the same bloody film. Like John Grisham novels or episodes of The A-Team, the formula works so why change it? People don’t seem to care that it’s the same thing each time so why put any effort in, right? Like all of Neeson’s characters, Jimmy is haunted by his past. The film even opens with the cliché narration “I’ve done some terrible things in my life”. But that’s fairly irrelevant, like with all of his characters. It’s just a weak attempt to inject some drama and depth to an otherwise bland and unoriginal character. I’m not knocking Liam; he’s a great actor and he gives more life to these characters than anyone else could. But they’re still not interesting or original characters. Taken, Unknown, Non-Stop, The Grey…He plays the same bloke in all of them.

As such, it’s up to the supporting cast to make this more than just another ‘Liam Neeson with a gun’ film. Do they manage? Well, Ed Harris tries his bloody best in a performance that is far better than this film deserves. Joel Kinnaman is decent as Jimmy’s estranged and hunted son and Common is rather good as hitman Price. But still, the film cannot escape the Liam Neeson curse of being a predictable and wholly unoriginal 2 hours. The film is stylish, sure. The visuals are slick and bleak in equal measure, presenting the seedy side of New York City with great panache. But sometimes that isn’t enough. This is a case of style over substance. Infact, it’s a case of Liam Neeson over style over substance.


Run All Night does absolutely nothing to stand out from the pack of Neeson thrillers of recent years, and is an instantly forgettable film. It’s a moderately entertaining couple of hours if you have nothing else to do and want to switch your mind off for a bit, but if you’re looking for anything with depth and substance then you’re in the wrong place. Run All Night is the epitome of generic, cliché-ridden mediocrity.

Run All Night is, predictably, a load of shite. 2/5.

★★☆☆☆


Sam Love


Run All Night at CeX


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Friday 28 August 2015

Wayward Pines

When I first heard about Wayward Pines, all I heard was the comparisons to Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks is one of my favourite shows of all time, and I was worried that this was just going to be some desperate imitation filled with the same quirky characters and surreal delivery – even the title is similar. After many people made these comments, M. Night Shyamalan (executive producer) said, "I think when it's all said and done, it has nothing to do with Twin Peaks." But later, in January 2015, Shyamalan acknowledged that the series is somewhat inspired, especially as the author of the source material has expressed his admiration of Twin Peaks. But I still gave it a go. And you know what? After the first episode, I was completely hooked. This show is like an addiction – and what better time to binge all 10 episodes than now. And thankfully, it is not a desperate Twin Peaks clone.


Wayward Pines, out now on DVD only, is developed for television by Blake Crouch who adapts his own trilogy of novels Pines, Wayward & The Last Town for the screen. M. Night Shyamalan directs the first episode and executively produces the entire series, with a variety of directors handling episodes 2 through 10. Wayward Pines stars Matt Dillon as Ethan Burke, a U.S. Secret Service agent investigating the disappearance of two fellow agents in the mysterious small town of Wayward Pines. Ethan awakens from a car accident unable to contact the outside world, and unable to leave. The inhabitants of Wayward Pines are under constant surveillance by cameras and microphones, and held by a strict set of rules enforced by Sheriff Arnold Pope (Terrence Howard), with any attempt to escape punished by public execution. New residents come and go but it seems the only escape is death – made all the more worrying when Ethan’s wife and son turn up in town by bizarre circumstances. As time goes on, Ethan discovers the harsh truths of this town and has to make increasingly difficult decisions, to protect himself and his family. So already, the Twin Peaks comparisons are looking unfounded, don’t you think? Yes, Wayward Pines has more in common with The Truman Show, with its Orwellian surveillance and inescapable town. I suppose with a title like Wayward Pines and the setting of an unusual small town, comparisons are inevitable. But I can confidently say that this stands firmly on its own as a unique and thrilling series. 


The pacing is relentlessly fast and full of surprises in every episode. By the end of episode 3, I thought to myself “Where can this show go from here? It seems like they’re revealing too much too fast!” after the many twists of the opening episodes. But then - and this happens several times - you’re thrown a curveball which changes everything. When you think you know what’s going on in Wayward Pines, you probably don’t. I don’t want to reveal anything about where the story goes but believe me when I say it’s one of the most original and unpredictable shows I’ve seen in a while – especially when you consider the arguably intentionally misleading marketing. If you’re in the loop with current television, you may have noticed that the finale didn’t go down very well with audiences. Some thought it was anti-climactic and underwhelming, or too ambiguous. For me, the ending was perfect – made even better by repeat viewings, which this show encourages and welcomes. Whilst some shows don’t have a lot of replay value, Wayward Pines almost requires it.

Wayward Pines has a superb cast. Matt Dillon is great, in his finest role yet – as Ethan, we spend the entire series at his side and share in all of his emotions; anger, fear, sadness and confusion. But the show is an ensemble piece, with some terrific turns from faces both familiar and unfamiliar. Toby Jones is on typically incredible form as Dr. Jenkins, Oscar-winner Melissa Leo is extremely unsettling as the town nurse and Terrence Howard brings some understated scares of his own as the psychopathic Sheriff Pope. Juliette Lewis is great too as bartender Beverly and Carla Gugino is fantastic as Ethan’s former lover Kate – who has also ended up a resident of the unusual town.


Wayward Pines is a hard series to review. Because of the many twists and turns and genre changes, it’s difficult to talk about without giving anything away. But if you have 40 minutes free to watch the first episode, do it. You’ll be hooked from then on. Wayward Pines is one of the most thrilling, shocking, addictive and entertaining new shows of the last few years. And as it wraps up in just one 10-episode season, it isn’t a huge commitment to watch.

Wayward Pines is one of the strongest mystery thrillers I’ve ever seen, and earns a solid 5/5.

★★★★★

Sam Love


Wayward Pines at CeX


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Thursday 27 August 2015

Garfield Kart

Sometimes I love playing mindless first-person shooters, while other times I like playing in-depth JRPGs. It all depends on the mood I'm in, really. Like an avid movie fan, being a gamer means I can play my way through a huge range of games genres. Sometimes they can be fantastic, while other times that can be pretty disappointing. However, regardless of the quality I'm always just happy to play something- anything- new. But there are exceptions. You see, sometimes I love playing mindless first-person shooters, but I have never ever wanted to play an iOS port of a shitty game on the 3DS. But it happened. Yep.


Developed by Anuman Interactive and out now on Nintendo 3DS comes Garfield Kart, a game so bloody bad that playing it for too long would literally melt your face off, you know, like the Ark of the Covenant did to the Nazi's at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Yes, Garfield Kart could essentially wipe out all who come into contact with it- so be warned. Based off the comic strip character created by Jim Davis back in 1978, the game basically uses all of the characters Garfield fans will recognise. There's no story here, and while that's all well and good and kind of expected for a racing game like this, there isn't much of anything else either. Gameplay is terrible, graphics are appalling and it's a giant waste of money.


The first thing that jumps out at you when you first start Garfield Kart are its awful graphics. Considering this game was first released on mobile platforms back in 2013, you might assume that Anuman Interactive would have beefed up the visuals for the 3DS, right? Wrong. Graphics are clunky, uninspired, bland, literally look like an old PS1 game from 1998 and, believe it or not, look worse than what can be seen in the mobile version. Yes, somehow Anuman Interactive managed to make a pretty generic mobile game look worse on the 3DS. Figure that one out. Apart from the character designs and overall nice colourful feel to the game (which effectively where created by and inspired by Jim Davis' comic), visuals are a complete and utter let-down. This disappointment even extends to navigating the game menus too, all of which are done through the touchscreen. Simply put, it all comes across like the developers are treating this 3DS version of Garfield Kart like a mobile game during the menus, but once it cuts to gameplay you need to switch to the buttons. It's ill conceived, lazy and just plain stupid.

Then once you've gotten past that bullshit you'll soon realize that Garfield Kart doesn't have a multiplayer mode. Yep, despite the mobile version having both online and local play multiplayer options, this 3DS version has no multiplayer options whatsoever. Though I didn't play much of the mobile version, the online play did help to add a bit of life into an other wise dead game. Without it everything feels empty, lifeless and boring. There are four main cups to win in Garfield Kart, and throughout each one gameplay feels the exact same, even with there being different tracks available. This level of similarity even extends to the characters and karts you end up racing as. Though at the start you can't really choose many characters, once you've unlocked them all it becomes clear that there isn't much of a difference between them. When it comes to gameplay, graphics, levels and karts, it's an understatement to call Garfield Kart an abomination.


The gameplay itself is generic at its heart, and simply ticks off the basics when it comes to karting games. You'll zip around the track, pick up items to either give you a boost or fire at other drivers and occasional hit pads on the track that speed you up. With no shadow under your kart you'll feel like you're hovering over the ground, and this, for me, was the final straw. I felt disconnected from the f*cking track while playing a racing game, man. They had one job and they failed. Garfield Kart is beyond tedious and barely managed to pull any joy out of me. I need to lie down now.

Garfield Kart crashes and burns. 1/5.
★☆☆☆☆

Denis Murphy 

Garfield Kart at CeX


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Wednesday 26 August 2015

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water

It was a rainy day in Wales. I was out on a little trip with my girlfriend, and as one thing led to another we ended up in the town of Towyn, getting thoroughly drenched by the cruel weather. Stumbling upon a delightful little cinema, we ended up watching The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water…Partly out of choice, but mostly as an escape from the rain. We weren’t expecting much from it but hey, it was shelter and warmth. Excluding parents, we were by far the oldest people in the screening – it felt like we’d turned up at a child’s birthday party by mistake. But after the lights dimmed and the children silenced, imagine our surprise when we spent the next 90 minutes having as good a time as the many children in attendance, laughing at the bizarre adventure. We felt ashamed of ourselves afterwards, obviously…


Directed by Paul Tibbit, long time writer/director in the SpongeBob world, comes the much anticipated ‘sequel’ to The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie - Sponge out of Water, which is out now on DVD, Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray 3D. Before we talk about the plot, the first thing I feel like I should point out is how badly this film was marketed. The posters, trailers and merchandising – and now DVD and Blu-Ray covers – focus far too heavily on the new animation and real-world sequence in the film. Yes, that bit is in the film, obviously. But it’s just the climax; the final battle if you will. Up until then, the film is entirely delivered in old-school animation. I know a lot of people were anxious about that, but there’s no need to worry! And, credit where credit is due, the new animation isn’t that bad. Sure, it felt a little...dare I say; mainstream….to use this approach. It was a little too Alvin & The Chipmunks to have these characters interact with humans. But, like I said, it’s not for long. DON’T PANIC. Breathe. Relax.



So, what’s Sponge out of Water about? If you don’t know anything about the characters (you must be living under a rock, like Patrick!) do not worry, you can rest assured there is brief exposition at the start of the film to tell you all about the inhabitants of Bikini Bottom – but for the good of keeping this review brief, I’m going to assume you have knowledge of ol’ SquarePants and his friends. Sponge out of Water tells the story of a diabolical pirate above the sea (Antonio Banderas, trying far too hard) stealing the secret Krabby Patty formula, and SpongeBob and his nemesis Plankton finally teaming up in order to get it back with the help of Patrick, Squidward, Sandy and Mr Krabs. Story-wise, it suffers from most television adaptations in that it just feels like a stretched out episode. But hey, that’s all you need with these characters. It’s hard to knock Sponge out of Water too much. Sure it’s ridiculous and, for many, rather annoying. But if you get the humour and like it, then you’ll love the film. And at the end of the day, Sponge out of Water is for the kids – and judging by the children of Towyn’s reaction, they bloody loved it. It’s colourful, it’s silly, it’s simple and it’s fun. It isn’t a piece that film students will analyse alongside The Godfather in many years’ time. But it isn’t trying to be. Too many film critics slam films like this for silly reasons, when I’m sure its intended young audience couldn’t find one thing wrong with it.


In conclusion, Sponge out of Water isn’t trying to win over any newcomers or people who actively dislike SpongeBob SquarePants. It’s purely here to delight the wide range of existing fans of all ages and if you’re one of them, you’ll be delighted with the results.

Sponge out of Water is a daft bit of fun for all ages and earns an absorbent 4/5.

★★★★☆

Sam Love 


The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water at CeX


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Tuesday 25 August 2015

Get Hard

Prepare to feel old – Elf was released 12 years ago. The first Anchorman was 11 years ago. Back in the early 2000s, Ferrell was a comedic force to be reckoned with. But now, he feels a little past his prime and maybe even a little desperate. In recent years, he’s continued to disappoint – particularly in the underwhelming Anchorman 2. His latest, Get Hard, is out now on DVD & Blu-Ray. Is it a return to form, or is it a continuation of his downward spiral?


Directed by Etan Cohen (not to be confused with Ethan Coen, of the Coen Brothers), Get Hard tells the story of millionaire James King (Ferrell). When he’s jailed for fraud and bound for the violent San Quentin prison, he turns to his car-washer Darnell (Kevin Hart, Ride Along) to prep him to go behind bars. But as James continues to plead his innocence, Darnell begins to believe his story and together they set out to clear his name. Plot-wise, Get Hard is nothing to write home about. Like all comedies of this sort, the appeal is the inappropriate humour. But Get Hard can’t really decide if it wants a plot or not. The prison prep sequences – in which Darnell attempts to teach James how to fight, talk smack and assert himself – take up a huge majority of the runtime, with very little focus placed on any story during these silly, drawn-out scenes. It’s unusual then when bits of the story are introduced and twists and attempts at tension are forcefully shoehorned in. Where recent comedies like Horrible Bosses are 50% comedy, 50% coherent plot – Get Hard felt more like 75% comedy and 25% plot. This balance didn’t work for me. Once the prison training stuff is over (finally), it becomes a strange buddy comedy that climaxes with a Mexican stand-off on a yacht. As such, Get Hard is almost like two films in one. 


For me, Get Hard feels like a bad remake of a Richard Pryor & Gene Wilder film that never happened. The inappropriate homosexuality and race jokes would’ve worked coming out of their mouths in the 1970s but from Ferrell and Hart, it feels very forced and uncomfortable. Sure, a few jokes hit and got a laugh. But for every 1 laugh, there were 10 sighs. Kevin Hart is on decent enough form here and is continuing to earn a reputation in contemporary Hollywood comedy, but Ferrell is really showing his age and declining relevance. Maybe even if Ferrell had made this back in his glory days in the early 2000s it would’ve been okay, but now he’s getting too old for this shit. With the exception of Anchorman 2, his Anchorman co-star Steve Carell has been tackling more challenging work of late – Foxcatcher in particular was astoundingly good – but Ferrell seems adamant that he isn’t going to grow up. Now I’m not a bitter old cynic, I’m all for some childish inappropriate laughs, but here…here, it didn’t work. Ferrell could easily do something dark and quiet like Carell if he put his mind to it. But no, there’s dick jokes out there and someone has to tell them…Still, audiences are evidently continuing to eat it up, as Get Hard grossed over $105million. I guess the problem doesn’t lie with Ferrell. It lies with the bloody audiences who keep supporting this kind of shite.


Get Hard is another disappointing effort from Ferrell almost saved by a watchable Hart. But on the whole, it’s another instantly forgettable film in an ever-growing list of modern American comedy films with no life ahead of it. Let’s just hope it doesn’t continue the trend of bad film, even worse sequel. It doesn’t need one. It can’t even justify its own existence, let alone a second!

Get Hard goes to bad movie jail – the sentence? Life imprisonment. 2/5.

★★☆☆☆

Sam Love


Get Hard at CeX


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Monday 24 August 2015

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

If you're someone who's into true crime, you'll know that throughout the bloody history of serial killers, the vast majority of them were caught in the end. Whether they served a life in prison, met their deaths through the legal system or were eventually caught prior to a natural death, it's something of a rarity for a serial killer to have never been found out. The big unsolved serial killer case that comes to mind is the Zodiac murders of course, but the Phantom Killer who plagued Texarkana in 1940's is just as chilling. The Town That Dreaded Sundown plays into this.


Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and out now on Blu-Ray and DVD comes The Town That Dreaded Sundown, a fun and frightening horror flick. The Town That Dreaded Sundown is both a king of remake and a sequel to the original 1976 The Town That Dreaded Sundown, which was directed by Charles B. Pierce. The original film was a dramatisation of the murders that happened around Texarkana in the 40's, whereas this latest version is set within a world in which that original film is common knowledge. In fact, in this film the original film is so well known that it's shown every year in the same area in which the murders happened. Whereas art once imitated life, this time life imitates art, as the murders being to happen again, and the latest killing spree is purely because of how widely known the original film is. So it's kind of a meta-sequel, I guess?


The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a very respectable horror film. It doesn't astound, but considering it's very closely tied to its 1976 iconic namesake, it could have been awful. The cast here is pretty solid, with most of the responsibility being shouldered by Addison Timlin. Timlin plays the role of Jami, a girl who (kind of) witnesses the murder of her boyfriend at the hands of the Phantom Killer. She's spared by the killer and he leaves her with the chilling and confusing words, "This is for Mary. Make them remember". Who Mary is and why the killer wants people to remember her becomes clear near the end, and it's all heavily tied into the creation of the original film. Timlin plays Jami with both an aura of strength and vulnerability behind her, but she certainly doesn't come across as a typical damsel in distress. She's strong willed but- like anyone else would be- is helpless when confronted by the killer that's alluding the police, and claims to be the same perpetrator from the original murders.

Though the cinematography leaves something to be desired (hello dark rooms lit by garish primary colours!), the atmosphere that's built throughout The Town That Dreaded Sundown is pretty great. It's all nicely capped off by the murders themselves, and while they certainly don't reach the disturbing heights of the kills in 2007's Zodiac, the kills here essentially fall in line with what happened in the original film. With the killer clearly trying to emulate that film, for some viewers certain scenes may look familiar but usually have a different twist. What I took away from The Town That Dreaded Sundown was the fact that while it wasn't a stellar film by any means, it's lead actress, chilling atmosphere and its great way of including the original film into its story made it a worthwhile horror flick.


Every single week I find myself trying to work out what to review next for CeX. Though there's always an endless slew of films released on DVD and Blu-Ray every week, the amount of those which are horror films just boggles the mind. Horror films are a dime a dozen nowadays, and its because of this that chances are around 10% of them are good. With most being complete and utter trash, it's always nice to find one that's watchable, and The Town That Dreaded Sundown is very watchable. It's not spectacular and often relies of jump-scares, but it's nicely builds up tension until it's satisfying reveal as to who the killer is. It isn't just some cheap remake of the original film, but instead it plays upon the influence that film had and in doing so makes the horror a little more real.

The Town That Dreaded Sundown isn't perfect, but better than most modern horror flicks. 4/5.

★★★★☆

Denis Murphy


The Town That Dreaded Sundown at CeX


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Sunday 23 August 2015

Robot Overlords

Everybody loves an invasion film. Whether it be zombies, aliens, machines or some weird hybrid of the 3 – we eat it up. The Mist, War of the Worlds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Mars Attacks are just a handful of a genre that is simply bursting with classics. Writers Jon Wright and Mark Stay realised something. There’s not a huge amount in this genre for a younger audience. What did they do? They wrote Robot Overlords.


One half of the writing team, Wright, directs Robot Overlords, out now on DVD & Blu-Ray. After big robots invaded Earth, an 11 day war ensued – and the robots won. Earth has been completely conquered by these mechanical bastards from a distant galaxy, and any human survivors are confined to their houses wearing electronic implants, risking incineration by robot sentries if they venture outside. It’s all a little cliché, right? Throw in some young heroes and family drama and, evidently, that’s all you need to fill up the 85 minute run time. It’s not a film that anyone is going to watch for the plot. The young target audience will delight in seeing the robots, while the older audience will most likely sleep through it while their kids enjoy themselves. When I review a film aimed at a younger audience, I usually let the child inside me watch the film and assess whether the film succeeds in entertaining its target viewer. But with this, I can’t even find much to recommend for the younger crowd.


Firstly, Robot Overlords feels like it was made for TV. If this was a TV movie then that would arguably be okay, but Robot Overlords is masquerading as a theatrical film – even having a cinema release back in March. But with its mediocre special effects and general low budget feel, it would not feel out of place on the Syfy Channel beside Sharknado. Sometimes this is a good thing – hell, most of the films produced by The Asylum have become (unintentional) comedy classics – but Robot Overlords feels like it’s really trying, and it’s just bloody uncomfortable to watch. The most uncomfortable thing about it? The Academy Award-winning Sir Ben Kingsley being involved. Gillian Anderson appearing in the film is one thing, but Kingsley?! You’re a classically trained thespian! I was willing to forgive you for Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb and Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse but this….this is too much. I’m not angry with you, Sir Ben. I’m just disappointed.

Robot Overlords is quite forcefully aimed at younger viewers, to the point where I couldn’t even begin to enjoy it. The juvenile use of mild language (a character exclaims “Oh tits!” in one of the many robot attack sequences) and general lack of any serious threat just made it feel a little too family-friendly for a film of this nature – when I watch an invasion film, even if the invaders say “we mean you no harm”, I expect to see shit kick off and people die. I’m only human! But this was just far too tame. Like a recent episode of Doctor Who, it all felt a bit BBC and a bit too clean cut.


In conclusion, Robot Overlords really tries. And I don’t know, maybe the younger audience will enjoy it. But the child in me – who isn’t a complete cynic, he enjoyed the recent SpongeBob movie – just could not get on with this at all. It is one big exercise in mediocrity; the acting, writing, special effects, editing and, well, everything…it just felt desperate. Robot Overlords had a reported budget of $20 million. It doesn’t show. If this figure is correct, I can think of a hell of a lot of places that money could’ve gone to better use. I shall wipe this viewing experience from my memory, as I’m sure a majority of those involved will. And Sir Ben Kingsley, I can’t stay mad at you...You are forgiven.

Robot Overlords earns 1/5 for effort alone, but the poor execution stops it from getting any more.

★☆☆☆☆

Sam Love


Robot Overlords at CeX


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Saturday 22 August 2015

Hell on Wheels: Season 4

Hell on Wheels is a show that very few people in the UK seem to be aware of. Despite the DVD covers doing their best to market the show as being ‘From the makers of The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad’ (meaning it’s an AMC production), few people have taken notice. It isn’t broadcast on a particularly popular channel here, and hasn’t even been deemed popular enough to warrant Blu-Ray releases like it has in the US. Westerns have never been hugely popular here – even HBO’s incredible series Deadwood isn’t exactly well known here. So, I gave Hell on Wheels a go last year, not really knowing what to expect. I bloody loved it. Now airing the first half of its fifth and final season in the US, Season 4 is out now on DVD. 


If you’ve never watched Hell on Wheels (which is likely), then it goes without saying you need to start at the beginning. Seasons 1 through 3 are all available on DVD here in the UK, and now Season 4 joins them. Hell on Wheels tells the story of former soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), following the track of a band of Union soldiers who killed his wife. This quest for revenge brings him to the middle of one of the biggest projects in US history, the building of the transcontinental railroad. As cover, he stays to work on the railroad construction crew under the cunning Thomas Durant (Colm Meaney), creating both friends and enemies in one of the most tumultuous times in US history. This is not just your standard cowboys and Indians adventure, it is a historical epic with action, drama, tension, romance, politics, business and even a few laughs along the way. It is also one of the best shows on television today.


The 13 episodes of Hell on Wheels: Season 4 are brought to us from a variety of writers and directors, as with most television shows. Picking up where Season 3 left off, we re-join our hero Cullen Bohannon as a virtual prisoner to ‘Bishop Dutson’, the latest alias of his enemy Thor ‘The Swede’ Gundersen (the ever-phenomenal Christopher Heyerdahl). Back on the railroad, Thomas Durant is trying to keep the construction moving without Bohannon’s help, despite the impending arrival of a government who aim to seize his town and railroad. It’s a strong season for plot – the relationship between Bohannon and ‘The Swede’, one of the finest points of the show for me, is the best it’s ever been here. And the story is progressing finely on the railroad side too, despite the actual construction of the railroad being background to the human dramas unfolding in the foreground. But this is not an issue. Look at The Walking Dead – some episodes have no undead shenanigans, but heaps of drama. That show has been described as ‘a soap opera with zombies’. Well, Hell on Wheels might be a soap opera with cowboys & trains, but it’s a damn good one.

The entire cast are on fine form again, from Anson Mount’s superb lead role as Cullen Bohannon to the entire supporting cast. But for me, the finest performance this season is the stunning Christopher Heyerdahl as ‘The Swede’ – the layers to his performance are just incredible. Heyerdahl, a Canadian actor, is playing a Norwegian character (despite his nickname), pretending to be an American Mormon. And he’s the most believable character in the show. Colm Meaney is also as fantastic as ever as the slimy Thomas Durant, while a familiar face from the first 3 seasons returns to be at the centre of one of the most powerful and moving episodes of television I’ve seen in a very long time. Visually the show is fantastic, despite occasionally underwhelming CGI – not a problem though as it is so seldom used. The costume design is phenomenal, the music is excellent and the story is as good as ever. There’s nothing bad I can say about Hell on Wheels. It is one of the most underrated and underwatched shows I know of – and it deserves your attention.


Hell on Wheels is the best show that you’re not watching. The series has grown in quality consistently with every season and from what I’ve seen of the fifth and final season so far, it will be going out on a very strong note. The show ends next year, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch up and no excuses. If you’re up to date on Hell on Wheels then you know Season 4 is a brilliant season and one for your collection. If you’re new to it, I can’t recommend starting it enough. Get on it.

Hell on Wheels: Season 4 continues the show’s rise in quality and sets the scene for a fantastic final season. 5/5.

★★★★★

Sam Love


Hell on Wheels: Season 4 at CeX


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Friday 21 August 2015

While We’re Young

Ah, to be young and free. Something a lot of us take for granted. I’ve heard many people talking about wanting to skip youth, for various reasons. Even The Beach Boys sang ‘wouldn’t it be nice if we were older, and we wouldn’t have to wait so long’. But being young is a great thing and something that many people miss in their later years. That is the premise of Noah Baumbach’s latest little comedy drama While We’re Young, out now on DVD & Blu-Ray. Is it another jewel in his independent cinema crown, or one to ignore?


Ben Stiller and director Noah Baumbach reunite here after 2010’s Greenberg and deliver another solid independent comedy drama. The film centres on a documentary filmmaker named Josh (Ben Stiller) and his wife Cornelia (Naomi Watts), whose lives are completely changed when they begin spending time with young, hipster couple Jamie & Darby (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried). But as Josh and Cornelia start reliving their youth with their new friends, they push their old friends away and realise being young again maybe isn’t all it’s cracked up to be - if you grow older the right way. Whilst critics loved While We’re Young, I’ve noticed online that a lot of the audience seemed to hate it. At the time of writing this article, the Amazon Customer Reviews average stands at 2.5 stars. From skimming through the comments, it seems the general consensus is that the film ‘unoriginal’, ‘not funny’, ‘uneventful’, ‘boring’ and ‘just a load of rubbish’. Granted, While We’re Young is a slow and understated piece. It’s an independent comedy from Noah Baumbach – if you’re up to date with your film directors, you know where you stand with Baumbach and his films. But if you don’t, and you just see Ben Stiller’s mug on the cover and critic comments that state the film is ‘supercharged entertainment with a laugh-line-per-minute’, I can see how you could easily be misled. 


I’ll sound like one of the film’s hipster characters saying this, but While We’re Young is not a mainstream film. Ben Stiller fans – don’t expect any silly Zoolander or Dodgeball style laughs. The ‘jokes’ here aren’t in your face; they’re witty observations of today’s society. The film is staggeringly well-observed study of our culture, more than anything else. Phones, Facebook, hipsters…A lot of relatable concepts are covered here in a humorous but quiet way. As hipster couple Jamie & Darby, Driver and Seyfried are probably the high point of the film in terms of character, with instantly recognisable subtle hipster traits that everyone who’s ever known a hipster will be able to laugh at. Despite being so unlikeable (unless you like hipsters, for whatever reason), these characters are stunningly well acted. Stiller and Watts deliver fine performances too though, albeit rather gentle and understated. This is where I think Stiller shines. He’s always been better in these roles.

But even with While We’re Young’s strong points in consideration, the film is nothing special or original. It all feels a little empty and unnecessary and, once it’s over, it is instantly forgotten. But if the hipster epidemic ends and, I know this is wishful thinking, we all become a little less dependent on our phones – then While We’re Young will serve as a fascinating time capsule of this period in history. Perhaps like 1960s Mods n’ Rockers and 1980s punks, 2010s hipsters will soon be a thing of the past. Let’s hope.


In conclusion, While We’re Young is another solid and understated piece for Noah Baumbach’s filmography. Packed with fine performances and well-observed characters, there’s enough here to recommend. But it’s nothing too special, and as such it is instantly forgettable. But if you find yourself with nothing better to do, and you like understated indie comedy, then I’m sure you’ll have a pleasant 90 minutes with this one.

While We’re Young earns a down-the-middle 3/5.

★★★☆☆

Sam Love


While We’re Young at CeX


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Thursday 20 August 2015

Rare Replay

I've always been a fan of Rare, the UK based developer that has undeniably created some of the best gaming experiences of all time. Though they've always been a beacon of creativity and genius, their  7 year partnership with Nintendo helped solidify just how special they truly were. That said, since they latched onto Microsoft in 2002, they've very clearly lost the spark of invention that was once within them. Since Microsoft quite literally decimated what was once an incredible developer, they've now been regulated to creating Kinect titles. However, with the upcoming Sea of Thieves looking promising, Rare just might be on track in terms of output. With this latest compilation of some of their greatest works, it stands as a stark reminder of once was... and what might be again.


Developed by Rare and out now on Xbox One comes Rare Replay, one of the best gaming compilations of all time. Since being founded by Tim and Chris Stamper in 1985, Rare has developed games for a whole slew of consoles, the best of which are included here. However, before we get into what marvels you can jump into in Rare Replay, there are a few great Rare games that sadly didn't make the cut because of certain legalities. The two big games that everyone wanted to be included on the compilation which aren't are Goldeneye 64 and Donkey Kong Country. It's a shame that two of the best games Rare has created aren't here, but all of that aside, there's enough here for hours upon hours of gameplay.


There are 30 games within Rare Replay, and though everyone has an opinion on what should and shouldn't have been included, there's a lovely range of classics to play. From the early Rare games such as Jetpac, Atic Atac, Underwurlde and Slalom, to more recent titles like Viva Piñata, Perfect Dark Zero and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Rare Replay covers the length and breath of 25 years worth of Rare titles. However chances are, like 99% of gamers out there, you're most interested in the Nintendo era of Rare games available, and with classics such as Killer Instinct Gold, Blast Corps, Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, Perfect Dark and Conker's Bad Fur Day here, Rare Replay has nailed it in terms of titles. The best part about all of the titles here is the fact that they completely stay intact. Far too often do these re-releases ans compilations suffer from updates in graphics, tweaks and general George Lucas style changes. Outside of the fact that you can now use save states and even reverse time in certain games, Rare Replay keeps the games exactly how you remembered them. I won't bore you with reviewing every title here, but apart from a few clunkers like Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo, the amount of choice, genius and fun here is staggering.


Outside of the games available there's also a few extras to enjoy, and Rare Replay does this superbly. There's a few short documentaries to watch which chronicle the creation of certain games within the compilation, as well as the ability to listen to previously unreleased Rare-related music and a chance to take a peek at unseen concept art. With these fantastic extras serving as a side dish next to the meal that are the 30 available games, it all comes together to make Rare Replay an awesome and unforgettable experience. Granted there are some frame-rate issues with the more modern games (I don't know why though, as the originals were fine), but those small issues aside, Rare Replay is well worth looking into. Oh and yeah, this shits got Battletoads dude. Yup.

Rare Replay shows everyone else how a gaming compilation should be done. 5/5.

★★★★★

Denis Murphy


Rare Replay at CeX


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Wednesday 19 August 2015

Hyena

Everyone loves a good crime film. And sometimes, nobody does it better than the Brits. From golden oldies like The Long Good Friday and Get Carter to modern classics like Sexy Beast and Snatch, we know how it’s done. But in recent years with efforts like Welcome to the Punch and RocknRolla failing to bring anything fresh to the table, it looked like we were losing our touch. Look out, folks. There’s a new British crime thriller on the prowl, and it is here to remind us all how it’s done.


Directed by Gerard Johnson and out now on DVD only; Hyena is more than just your generic run-of-the-mill police corruption thriller. Sure, it might look unoriginal on paper - corrupt London cop Michael Logan tries to shut down an Albanian crime ring before his own illegal activities are discovered – but this is an extremely fresh take on the genre. Peter Ferdinando, cousin of director Johnson, is absolutely phenomenal in the lead role of Michael Logan – portraying a deeply troubled man trying to keep his head above water as his illicit past catches up on him. Of course, he’s a bit of a shit, but deep down he is a decent man who has made mistakes. Ferdinando, reteaming with Johnson after 2009’s Tony, is a criminally underrated actor and shows us here that he’s a force to be reckoned with. The film completely and utterly belongs to him, and one feels will be looked back on in many years as the film that truly introduced us to the next big actor in British film.


The supporting cast are excellent too, with British crime favourite Stephen Graham and Kill List’s Neil Maskell being the other highlights. But the best member of the supporting cast? The living, breathing London itself. Never has London ‘played itself’ so grittily, seedily and dirtily. Shot entirely on location, Hyena probably isn’t the sort of film the city’s tourism societies will be endorsing. I love London - Samuel Johnson said ‘when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford’ – but watching Hyena, I’m not in any rush to jump on the next train there! That being said, the film is one of the most visually stunning films I’ve seen in a very long time. From the dirty, wet streets to the cramped and dark pubs; Hyena is a film you can’t look away from. All the more shocking then, when the brutal violence or visceral sexual violence takes you by surprise and almost forces you to watch. No, this is not a film for the faint-hearted. Very strong language, violence and sex are littered throughout creating a viewing experience that just feels dirty in itself. But therein lies the skill of the filmmaking – you feel part of these characters’ world and, like them, you just want to get out. But it isn’t that easy.

The pacing of the film is relentless too; as Michael’s world spirals out of control and the bodies pile up, the film flies by in an almost aggressive manner – helped by a superb atmospheric score by TheThe. With several unexpected twists along the way, Hyena stands out as an extremely original piece of work. But some people have criticised this – the ending in particular, which I won’t spoil, has been the subject of both praise and hate from a quick look on the IMDb message boards. Incidentally, Col Needham - founder and CEO of IMDb – included Hyena among his favourite films of 2014. But for me, the ending was perfect – as was the 100 minutes that preceded it.


In conclusion, Hyena is a difficult film to watch. It is uncompromising in its bloody violence, strong language, drug use and sexual content. But if you can stomach all of that, you are in for a hell of a ride. Hyena is one of the strongest British films of recent years and if I was to re-do my Best of 21st Century British Alternative Cinema article I did for the CeX blog a few months back, Hyena would be included without a shadow of a doubt.

Hyena is one of the most visceral film experiences I’ve had in recent months, but one of the best. 5/5


★★★★★


Sam Love


Hyena at CeX


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Tuesday 18 August 2015

Home

You know where you stand with Disney films. 9 times out of 10, you know from the offset that a Disney film will be of immense quality. But with non-Disney animated films like this, they can go either way. Most are just painfully drawn out franchises like Madagascar, Shrek and Ice Age, with very few quality exceptions like How To Train Your Dragon and The Lego Movie. So, with this in mind, where does Home stand? A fresh and original effort, or just another shit Disney wannabe?


Directed by Tim Johnson and brought to us by Dreamworks Animation and out now on Blu-Ray and DVD comes Home, the story of alien race known as the Boov. When they overtake the Earth, one young human girl (Rihanna) evades the aliens and goes on the run, looking for her mother who didn’t escape the Boov. But as she gets close to the clumsy and unpopular Boov known as Oh (Jim Parsons), she realises these misunderstood aliens aren’t so bad after all. There’s a bit more to the story, but let’s not kid ourselves – it doesn’t matter what the story is. Films like this succeed or fail on animation, humour and heart. Home falls somewhere in the middle of success and failure. For those interested, the story is based upon Adam Rex’s children’s book The True Meaning of Smekday.


The voice acting is decent, despite a rather sub par cast. Everyone in it seems like they’re not really that relevant anymore, but they all bring enough to the table. However, The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons puts a little too much Sheldon into his portrayal of Oh. Great for fans of his, but for people like me it got rather tedious. Still, he was nowhere near as bad as I expected him to be and actually made me chuckle a few times, so I suppose I mustn’t be too critical! Rihanna was an odd choice for the character of Tip, and seemed like an excuse to play her songs in EVERY. BLOODY. SCENE. The soundtrack was rather painful – and to think the character of Tip had the audacity to say how bad Boov music is. Steve Martin (oh, I forgot he was still alive) puts a little too much effort in as Captain Smek; leader of the Boov race, and Breaking Bad’s Matt L. Jones basically reprises his role as Badger here as Boov Kyle. Throw in Jennifer Lopez as Tip’s mum, and you’ve got your voice cast. See what I mean about them not being that relevant anymore?

But voice acting aside, I was about ready to hate Home within the first 10 minutes. I don’t know why, but something about it bugged me. Maybe it was Jim Parsons (I’ve never been a fan of The Big Bang Theory – sorry), maybe it was the mediocre animation, maybe it was the childish feel. But something irritated me. Surprisingly, this passed! Home is not a bad little animated film. A simple and entertaining narrative, some good characters, some good laughs. You can’t really ask for more. I’ll be honest - Home feels slightly more aimed at a younger audience than other animated films, and quite frankly I cannot recommend it enough to younger viewers. Delightfully colourful, simple and funny; there’s a lot to like in Home for a young’un. 15 years ago, I would have absolutely loved it. But otherwise, you need to be in touch with your inner child to enjoy this one. There’s not a huge amount in it for the older viewers as you might find in Disney, by way of intellectual gags or narrative.


So in conclusion, is it worth making yourself at home with this one? If you want a colourgasm and a few laughs, or if you’re 6 years old, then absolutely. But if you’re a bitter old sod (or someone with taste who appreciates the finer things) then you’d probably be better off spending your time on other things. Citizen Kane this ain’t, folks. But at the end of the day, Home is aimed at youngsters and they’ll bloody love it.

As such, this one gets a solid 3/5. Home, sweet Home.

★★★★☆

Sam Love


Home at CeX


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