NWA & Eazy-E: The Kings of Compton

With F. Gary Gray’s phenomenal biopic Straight Outta Compton taking the world by storm and grossing hundreds of millions of dollars, it was only natural that someone was going to slap something together to cash in on some of that sweet action. Directors Mike Corbera and Andre Relis clearly had this idea with NWA & Eazy-E: The Kings of Compton, a rather amateur and rushed production that serves as a companion to Straight Outta Compton but can’t really be truly enjoyed as its own film. Out now on DVD, I kinda feel like it should’ve just been a special feature on the Straight Outta Compton release…

The film tells the band’s entire story, and as the title suggests, has something of a focus on Eric Wright, the man we know and love as Eazy-E. Most importantly, it does feature contributions from the entire band although it’s debatable which (if any) were filmed for this documentary and which are just archive interviews – something which is most noticeable with the clearly dated interviews with the more successful faces like Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. The interviews clearly shot for the film are with people you’ve never heard of, whose stories you have to take at face value. Claiming to be ‘friends’ or ‘bodyguards’ of the legends, I guess we have to just believe everything we hear is true! But then I’ve always been a sceptic with these things - if you’re the right age and from the right part of the world, you could make anything up to appear on one of these cheaply made little films.

But the biggest issue with The Kings of Compton was the fact it is clearly unauthorised and thus doesn’t have access to the band’s music. Instead, the film has an almost constant soundtrack of instrumental generic hip-hop beats that you could probably find on some royalty free music website. For a documentary about one of the most famous bands of their genre, it seems like a HUGE part is missing when we don’t actually hear any of their work. The anecdotes still entertain, though – whether you believe them or not – and the true love and admiration for Eazy-E is felt in spades. And what interviews we do see with original members like Ice Cube and Dr. Dre are really interesting for a fan. But that’s not enough.

On the technical side of things, the low budget and presumably rushed nature of the film comes into play. The interviewees’ talking heads are rather poorly chopped and pasted onto more relevant backdrops, which is hugely distracting in some instances. And the pacing itself is a bit uncomfortable, made all the more irritating by the frequently repeated shit music. It’s hard to explain why The Kings of Compton is so underwhelming, other than the fact it just feels cheap and feels rushed. You can’t describe why but you’ll pick up on it. And you’ll be as disappointed as me – because the only reason you’d be watching this, is if you were a fan or someone who enjoyed the biopic film.

I can only assume The Kings of Compton came about because Straight Outta Compton was doing very well and someone thought “blimey, let’s get in on that!” and shat out a documentary in a couple of weeks. But this is the film’s downfall. As a fan of NWA, I was looking forward to this documentary and excited to see the true events I’d seen unfold in Straight Outta Compton. And I guess I got a bit of that with The Kings of Compton. But I’m also a fan of documentaries in general and couldn’t enjoy this poorly put-together rush job. If Universal Studios had teamed up with the folks behind this film and made an official companion piece of Straight Outta Compton, perhaps it would’ve been great. But as it stands, it’s an uncomfortable watch and one that just feels like a big missed opportunity.

NWA & Eazy-E: The Kings of Compton is an extremely disappointing 80 minutes that will just make you want to watch Straight Outta Compton again. 2/5.

★★☆☆☆

Sam Love

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Sebastién Loeb Rally Evo

Developed by Milestone S.r.l and out now for PS4, Xbox One, and PC comes Sebastién Loeb Rally Evo. At last, the current gen Frenchman simulator we've all been waiting for! If you like prancing around the house, affecting a French accent in the obnoxious and insensitive way that the British are unmatched at and saying things like “oh look at me, I like ze baguettes and ze onions”, then you might be interested in this. If this is an accurate description of you then please don't talk to me though – you sound like a bit of a racist prick.

The 'Frenchman simulator' thing wasn't (just) an excuse for a cheap and questionable joke. Whereas the vast majority of sports games with a team or celebrity name stapled onto them wouldn't be any different without, that's not the case here. Of course, there's the familiar claim that Sebastién Loeb himself helped design the game to ensure that it's as realistic as possible. We'll never know how much involvement Monsieur Loeb truly had, but it's certainly accurate to say that this is usually a pretty unforgiving racer. For example, the press release goes to pains to explain that other, (presumably) lesser rally games artificially widen the tracks. I know, right? Tweaking the roads so that things are a little more comfortable for players? Utter bastards!

The claim is, naturally, that the tracks and car handling are as close to the real thing as is humanly possible. I'll reluctantly admit that I have participated in very few professional rally races, so I'll basically take their word for it. Some very important boxes are ticked, though. For one thing, there's an immediately noticeable difference between cars, though this tends to be in terms of power rather than handling. There's a variety of road surfaces you'll find yourself driving over too, sometimes more than one in the same track, and the impact they have on your car is enormous. Dry tarmac? Pah! Bring it on! The likes of icy roads, gravel, and snow will however have you reassessing your skill level very quickly.

One thing that will probably strike you on your first session is the graphical quality. It's not bad – not really – but, well... if Forza 6 is a high class call girl, Sebastién Loeb Rally Evo is a strumpet who does special favours in exchange for a pack of Benson and Hedges. In a weird kind of way that adds to the rough and dirty atmosphere of the rally driving, and only for two brief moments in cockpit view did I experience any kind of frame rate issues.

As well as a career mode with the aim of eventually joining Loeb himself, there are a series of events where you replicate notable moments in Loeb's real-world career, each time assigning you a specific car and track accordingly. It's a neat idea, and you're even given a specific objective to match. Most of the time this basically just means 'win' but in one event, for example, you must win and attain a top speed of at least 100mph.

It's not all roses and sunshine. I played this before release, and literally nobody was playing online, so I can't comment on that. This is unfortunately often a sign that things won't be much better when the game releases – but who knows? Then there's the now-obligatory rewind feature, both a blessing and a curse. It's a godsend for those who find rally games challenging at the best of times (which this is even with all assists on), but the limits placed on the regularity and length of its use can on rare occasion render it useless. Worse yet, I twice somehow managed to crash in such a way that my car was stuck on its side and the game wouldn't reset me to track and the rewind feature wouldn't go back far enough. But then, that sort of thing does seem to happen to me.

So online is a complete unknown at time of writing, there are minor technical issues, and on top of that some car design and track combos make playing in cockpit view impractical. And yet... it kept me coming back for more.

It's unforgiving, but rally rather good. 3/5.

★★★☆☆

Luke Kemp

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Detectorists: Series 2

In October 2014, a new comedy-drama series called Detectorists aired its first episode on BBC Four. Directed and written by Mackenzie Crook, the show revolved around the lives, loves and metal-detecting ambitions of Andy (Crook) and Lance (Toby Jones) in the fictional town of Danebury. Throughout the first 6-episode series, Detectorists was met with extremely positive reviews from both UK and US media outlets. Understandable really, as it was one of the finest new shows of the year – a truly beautiful, funny and touching piece of work. This October, Detectorists returned for a second series. Does it suffer the age-old ‘disappointing second series’ curse, or is it even better than the first? 

Out now on DVD as an individual release as well as part of a boxset with the first series, Detectorists: Series Two is really just more of the same. And that is in no way a bad thing. Picking up one year on from the end of the first series, we re-join our ‘heroes’ in their same little world. Becky’s baby, Stan, has been born. But other than that, nothing else seems different. Andy and Lance continue to search the beautiful country landscapes for gold while, as Lance puts it, ‘talking bollocks’. Their peaceful little existence is undisturbed. That is until a young German man named Peter arrives in Danebury looking for the Danebury Metal Detecting Club’s help in finding a crashed WWII bomber plane – he claims, the burial site of his grandfather. But there’s something not right about him…

Series Two feels slightly different to the first in that it has more subplots, and we spend more time away from Andy & Lance. There’s Sophie (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) and her budding friendship/romance with Peter (Daniel Donskoy), there’s the case of the Mayor’s missing Chain of Office with Russell (Pearce Quigley) and Hugh (Divian Ladwa), and there’s more of ‘Simon’ (Paul Casar) and ‘Garfunkel’ (Simon Farnaby). And of course, there is the mystery of Peter’s motives of why he truly wants to find the crashed WWII plane. Some of these sub-plots are a bit tedious – the Mayor story-line seems a little out-of-place in its immature nature, while Peter’s foul intentions are somewhat predictable. But at the show’s heart, Andy and Lance remain – with a new set of problems for them to discuss, as the series progresses. Lance meets his long-lost daughter Kate and attempts to build a relationship with her, while Andy’s marriage is struggling through living with the new baby and Becky’s desire to move to Botswana. But alongside these issues, Andy and Lance still find time to discuss issues greater than love and life, like metals and “last night’s University Challenge”.

Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter what Detectorists’ story is. Like with the first series, the show’s true charm lies in its subtle low-key humour and heart. Detectorists continues to avoid painting a nasty picture of the enthusiasts and hobbyists it depicts, but instead shows their mundane existence with gentle affection and love. This is complimented perfectly by the stunningly beautiful rural cinematography and a gorgeous soundtrack from returning musician Johnny Flynn, who brings back that wonderful theme song along with his gently understated folk score. Yes, Detectorists is a show of immense beauty that put a tear in my eye on several occasions through its poignancy – particularly a heart-warmingly special moment in the closing moments of the series. A hard feat to achieve at the best of times, and to achieve it in an understated show about metal detectorists is nothing short of genius. While the friendship of Andy and Lance is never explicitly explained or thrown in your face, it’s always felt thanks to a pair of incredible performances from Crook and Jones. Their chemistry is as perfect as ever, and thanks to impeccable writing from Crook, I could spend hours just watching them talk. Crook’s acting often leaves a bit to be desired – especially alongside the brilliant Jones – but this isn’t a major issue. His deadpan, quiet delivery often adds to the show’s beautiful mundanity, so perhaps it’s intentional.

Detectorists truly is a modern masterpiece, and will be a future classic without a shadow of a doubt. It’s a truly gorgeous series that I cannot praise enough, and although this second series might not quite reach the immense highs of the first, it’s still near-perfect television. The only reason I can fathom for this is that when Detectorists came along last year, nobody knew what to expect. But now, having seen the flawless first series, there’s a certain sense of expectation with this follow-up. But even its lowest points are a hell of a lot better than most of the stuff on television today. It’s a beautiful and funny show that continues to bring something new to television, which nowadays is a rare treat indeed.

Detectorists: Series Two is a near-perfect second series in what is quickly becoming one of my favourite comedy shows of all time. 4/5.

★★★★☆

Sam Love

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Rock Band 4

Get ready to put on your favourite man-liner (man eyeliner), squeeze into those leather chaps, and touch an electrical current to get your hair standing nicely because my band, The Bollockers, are back! Except, it’s all plastic instruments and it’s me just standing around shouting to my friends: “Guys, you wanna play the new Rock Band?” while they scoff at me.  

Out now for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 comes Rock Band 4 from developers Harmonix. Despite its absence for half a decade, virtually nothing has changed since Rock Band 3; In fact, there’s less to Rock Band 4 than its predecessor simply in the fact that they keyboard is no longer used for the set list in Rock Band 4. Apart from that and the lack of pro modes, nothing has really changed. But it also proves that absence makes the heart grow fonder. The thoughts of picking up a plastic guitar and playing songs when the new generation came along two years ago would have generated a large, audible sigh. Now? It was pretty great.

The trump card Rock Band 4 has though is its legacy. If you carried over previous games’ set lists to the next game last time around, or if you bought a bunch of songs, they’re all here, thousands of them! This means if you were a fan of previous games, you have a ton of content here to enjoy.

Therein, though lies the problem:  It just feels like threading the same old notes again. While that feels great for a time, it isn’t long before you realise why you stopped playing them in the first place; a fun thing to take out at parties but ultimately an expensive party trick. Thankfully though, most Guitar Hero and Rock Band instruments can be simply set up and be used in Rock Band 4. While it’s a simple plug and play for PlayStation 4, the Xbox One requires an adapter that is sold at a premium meaning you’re expected to pay a little bit more on Xbox One.

Rock Band 4 is very much a game that has the series stripped back down to its essentials. Gone are pro modes and the keyboard instrument and it’s just all about the guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. The set list available in Rock Band 4 fares on the weaker side. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not inherently bad songs but they’re also not the list you’ll see and get amped to play one after another. There are definitely some massive names to be found including R.E.M., Queens of the Stone Age, Ozzy Osbourne and more but they aren’t exactly their biggest hitters. You’ll be relying on the thousands of downloadable tracks to keep the party going.

The career mode is interesting, even if it can feel a little bare. Rather than start off in a dive-bar, and slowly build up the band’s popularity, the career plays out more like an RPG as you make choices as to what’s more important to your band: money or popularity. It’s an interesting take but the set list included isn’t strong enough to make it an essential play. It’s nice to have something to explore the varied set list.

Rock Band 4 is very much aimed to bring back in the old crowd that miss playing on plastic instruments. It doesn’t change things up much at all but to be fair it was a formula that proved very successful. It’s very much a game made for those pining for more and that’s exactly what they’ve got. We may never see a Rock Band 5 and that’s fine because Rock Band 4 feels more than just a game, it’s a platform that will continue to grow and expand.

Rock out with your plastic instrument out 3/5.

★★★☆☆

Jason Redmond

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45 Years

On the 8th of January this year, the BAFTA nominations were announced. As usual, film enthusiasts around the country were quick to debate those who were chosen and express their anger at those who were snubbed. This year, it seems the majority of people were particularly shocked and disgusted by the omission of 45 Years’ Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling in the acting categories, while the film itself was only nominated in the Outstanding British Film category. With the film earning more awards and nominations in other areas – including the Oscars - to this day, is 45 Years deserving of this praise? Or was it right of BAFTA to snub it so savagely?

Directed by Andrew Haigh and based on David Constantine’s short story In Another Country, 45 Years, out now on Blu-Ray and DVD, is an unusual film in that nothing really happens in the conventional sense – we follow Kate Mercer (Rampling) and her husband Geoff (Courtenay) over a week as they prepare for their 45th anniversary party. But when shattering news arrives from the Swiss authorities – Geoff’s ex-girlfriend Katya who he lost in an Alpine crevasse 50 years earlier had been discovered, her body perfectly preserved – a wedge is driven between the old couple as Geoff begins thinking a little too much about what could’ve been if he had never lost ‘his’ Katya. There are no big set-pieces, no action, not a lot of music – 45 Years is an extraordinarily slow, quiet and understated study of marriage. This put a lot of people off. But if you go in knowing what to expect, you will find a lot to like.

Firstly, the two performances are phenomenal. A lot has been said about Rampling and yes, she is excellent. She portrays an increasing sadness, confusion and embarrassment that many actresses couldn’t and is extremely deserving of the accolades she has received, including an Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category. But it is Courtenay who steals the film and has had nowhere near enough credit for his performance as Geoff. His growing obsession and distraction throughout the film is impeccably performed and, for me, truly made the film work. But I suppose this is a film of two halves, and one character simply wouldn’t work without the other. They’re both incredible. I’d just like to see Courtenay pick up a few more awards and nominations for his work, I mean what makes Rampling deserving of an Oscar nod and not him? Grrrr. Anyway, the pair have an amazing chemistry that makes the characters’ 45 years together stunningly believable. The natural performances make the film almost feel like a documentary.

The film is a visual feast too, although the beauty of the film’s look comes from a certain relatable mundanity of life. Long, bleak shots of the rural countryside of England and the naturally lit interior of Kate and Geoff’s messy home make for a very real experience. And, with the quiet dialogue and (on the surface) uneventful screenplay, this adds to the film’s deceivingly simple feel. But as I said, this did put a lot of people off and I can’t stress enough that 45 Years is not one for action-lovers or mainstream cinema escapists. No, 45 Years is cinema as an art form. It’s a thinking persons’ film.

45 Years is many things. But for me, it was a thought-provoking experience. It asked a lot of deep questions about love, and how long it can truly last. The dilemmas of the characters are left open in a sense – and you can give the story your own ending, based on how you would act. It’s almost a mirror onto its audience, asking you to assess your love life and any secrets you may have. Two incredible performances give this film the opportunity to excel and excel it does. 45 Years is one of the finest British films in years, and certainly is deserving of the hype. Bravo, to all concerned. Don’t let BAFTA’s snubs get you down, they’re a bunch of bloody idiots!

45 Years is deserving of 45 stars, but for now I’ll just settle for 5/5.

★★★★★

Sam Love

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And Then There Were None

There have been many screen adaptations of Agatha Christie’s 1939 novel And Then There Were None, originally published in the UK under a different and now rather politically incorrect title. It is Christie’s best-selling novel with over 100 million copies sold – also making it the best-selling mystery novel of all time, as well as one of the best-selling books in literary history. It is widely considered a masterpiece. But when it was initially adapted for the stage, the novel’s powerfully bleak ending was changed to a more upbeat one – an ending that carried over into the majority of the screen productions, too.

However, BBC’s And Then There Were None, out now on DVD, proved to be the first English-language adaptation to use the novel’s original ending. Now despite the book being released 76 years ago, I will not reveal any spoilers in this article just in case you haven’t read or seen the story before. But I will say that And Then There Were None is one of the darkest productions on British television in years. And it’s bloody brilliant.

You may be familiar with the premise, as it’s something that many contemporary thrillers have taken inspiration from – and if you haven’t seen any of those, you may’ve seen it spoofed in Family Guy and the iconic 80s comedy Clue. When a group of people are lured to an isolated island under different pretexts – offers of employment, holiday, to meet with friends, etc. – they think nothing of it. But as shortly after arriving, they are all played a gramophone recording charging them with ‘crimes’ they’ve committed in the past…and they realise they’ve been brought to the island to pay for their actions. They soon discover they’re the only people on the island and cannot escape due to being totally cut-off from the world, and as they’re murdered one-by-one they begin to realise they can’t trust each other, for the killer may be among them. Sound familiar? There are elements of this iconic story in many films and TV shows – hell, you could even argue Saw is inspired by it. But even if you know the story back-to-front and are aware who the killer is from reading the book or seeing another adaptation in the past, there’s still a lot to like here.

First, the cast is truly stellar across the board. While the characters themselves a rather cliché now – an old general (Sam Neill), a retired judge (Charles Dance), a detective (Burn Gorman), a creepy butler (Noah Taylor) and a dashing young gent (Aidan Turner) to name but a few – the talent bring immense depth and believability to these characters that make you constantly question the identity of the killer – even if like me, you know who ‘dun it’ from a previous knowledge of the work. This is truly a testament to the incredible performances with particular praise for Dance, and Toby Stephens as Doctor Armstrong. And you have to remember that although certain elements of it are predictable now – smart viewers who are new to the tale might see the twists coming – you have to remember that this was written 76 years ago, when such twists were far less common and far more shocking.

The greatest performance here is that of the location. While I’m sure And Then There Were None works stunningly well on stage, as most of Christie’s works do, there’s something about seeing the island and the surrounding endless ocean that creates a greater sense of isolation and dread than any theatre ever could. While the moody establishing shots of the island accompanied by loud, creepy music did become tiring, they still packed a punch. Powerfully dark cinematography throughout only heightened the sense of confusion, culminating in an incredible ‘party’ sequence that perfectly represented the psyches of the remaining guests, swallowed up by paranoia and fear. And the small cast of characters and majority of time being spent in the various rooms of the creepy mansion made for a rather theatrical feel anyway, especially as the narrative is so dialogue driven. But as the original novel is less than 300 pages long, dragging it out to 3 hour-long parts did allow room for a little bit of filler here and there – particularly in the slow first episode. This is the show’s only issue.

The production itself is stunning. Sets and costume are incredibly era-authentic, while the foreboding opening credits and dread-filled score created an extremely uncomfortable feeling throughout. While all the hallmarks of your generic big old house murder mysteries are there, they are of such a high quality that it feels fresh – like something you’ve never seen before. Occasionally the delivery of the narrative veered slightly into pretension due to this immense quality, but this doesn’t remain a problem once you let yourself become absorbed by the tale. And Then There Were None is one of the strongest BBC productions in years, as well as the best adaptation of Christie’s iconic masterpiece.

A flawless set of performances and excellent locations make this a hauntingly beautiful piece of work. And Then There Were None earn a damn fine 4/5.

★★★★☆

Sam Love

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Family Guy – Season 15

Another year, another season of Family Guy. Growing up, I loved Family Guy. I won’t deny that. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve become less and less amused by it. Out now on DVD comes Season 15, although technically, it is Season 13 – due to the way seasons are split in the UK, we’ve had more individual DVD releases than seasons and it’s gone wrong somewhere along the way. It’s all a bit confusing. In any case, this Season 15 release is technically Season 13. The simplest way to review this is by saying that if you like Family Guy, you’ll enjoy it. It’s just more of the same. However, there is one thing that makes this season stand out as one of the most historic and important.

After much planning, Fox delivered a huge announcement in July 2013 – Family Guy and The Simpsons were going to have a crossover episode. It would be an extended hour-long special, and would finally give fans what they wanted – Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane said it would be “really about the character interaction. People want to see Peter interact with Homer. They want to see Bart interact with Stewie. In a way, the story in a crossover episode, while it has to be there, is never quite as important as how the characters interact with each other”. Hype built, and on September 28th 2014 the episode aired to 8.45 million people. But it was met with a far less warm reaction than expected. The episode, entitled The Simpsons Guy, was more Family Guy than Simpsons – obviously, being part of the Family Guy season as opposed to The Simpsons. This in itself was a problem for many. 

The episode was written by Family Guy’s writers and so lacked elements of Simpsons humour, while the over-the-top Family Guy humour in a Simpsons world felt uncomfortable and just didn’t work. There were some moderately smart jokes – the argument between Peter and Homer about their show’s beers was a clear statement on the argument between the shows themselves, and it felt fresh to see them debating it themselves. But this culminated in an uncomfortably long and unfunny fight sequence which, along with a completely out-of-place erotic carwash sequence, were the episode’s low points. The Simpsons is a show that has succeeded without shock value, so to see these characters involved in violence and rape jokes felt completely out-of-character and ridiculous. Critics panned the episode and The A.V. Club named it in their ‘Worst TV of 2014’ list.

So, aside from this episode, is there much else to report? Not really. Family Guy is a show that has succeeded on standalone episodes with no overarching plot, so there’s nothing here that feels any different to previous seasons. It’s the same childish humour, the same animation, the same ‘cutaway jokes’, the same endless references (some of which are lost on UK audiences), and the same inappropriate pushing of boundaries. If you like the idea of Stewie becoming pregnant with Brian’s baby, Meg becoming a foot-fetish model, Peter becoming Liam Neeson’s servant and Jesus admitting he’s a virgin to try and get Lois to pity-f**k him, then you’ll love this season. Seth MacFarlane is a man who finds what his audience likes, and doesn’t change his formula when he knows it is working. Just look at Ted 2. It’s just more of the same after the first Ted. And his A Million Ways To Die In The West? Well, that was just ‘Family Guy in the West’. This is the best way to explain each passing season of Family Guy. Nothing changes. Because MacFarlane knows the fans will eat it out of his hand. But from what I’m hearing, even the most loyal fans are losing patience with the show.

The voice-actors are all on their same good form, while Liam Neeson shines as the best cameo voice actor of the season who seemed to have a ball with the ridiculous material. And after roles in Ted 2 and A Million Ways To Die In The West, he’s clearly made a friend out of MacFarlane. There are some funny jokes scattered across the series, but there’s not enough. A good episode made me laugh once or twice at best, but for the rest of the time I was left with a vacant face and a vacant mind. Maybe I’m just too old for Family Guy now. I’m sure the 13-year old fans out there are still loving it. But in today’s world with such sharp, smart comedy available to us, we’re running out of space for this shit.

Family Guy – Season 15 is a mediocre season of a show that seems to be on its way out. 2/5.

★★☆☆☆

Sam Love

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Vacation

In 1983, one of my favourite comedy films of all time was released. National Lampoon’s Vacation, based on John Hughes’ short story Vacation ’58 that appeared in National Lampoon Magazine, was hugely successful critically and financially - and so rather predictably started a franchise. National Lampoon’s European Vacation and my annual festive-favourite National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation followed, before losing the National Lampoon label for the weaker fourth film Vegas Vacation in 1997. The films followed the misadventures of the Griswold family, as they attempted to enjoy their holidays through continual disasters and increasingly embarrassing predicaments. Now, 18 years since the last film, director/writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein bring us a new chapter in the franchise – released in cinemas 32 years to the day after the first film. I wish they hadn’t bothered…

Out now on DVD and Blu-Ray comes Vacation, a total disaster of a film that doesn’t seem to know what it is. Is it a remake, a reboot or a sequel? It’s all of the above – at least, it likes to think it is. Set in the same universe as the original films, we follow the now grown-up Rusty (Ed Helms) who, in an effort to repair his estranged marriage with Debbie (Christina Applegate), decides to take her and the kids on a road-trip to Walley World. The fans among you reading this article will remember that this is the vacation the family took in the first film. This is where the remake side of things comes into it. Lots of scenes, jokes and overall characterisation seems lifted from the original here. But Rusty’s motivation to take this trip involves looking at old family photos from the first films, and a cameo from original stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo towards the end of the film reprising their roles as Rusty’s parents Clark & Ellen show us this is a sequel. But one could also argue this is a reboot, breathing life into a dormant franchise with a new cast. Whatever it is, it doesn’t work. At all.

The main issue with Vacation, as it is trying to be a comedy, is how many of the jokes fall flat. The humour here is as dumbed down and juvenile as you can get – the sort of jokes that seem written by 13-year old boys at a sleepover, off their heads on Coca Cola and crisps. I think I pulled a muscle in my face due to all of the cringing. But this isn’t the good sort of Alan Partridge-enduced cringing. This is the “this is one of the worst films I’ve ever seen” cringing. And it makes for a painful viewing experience. The entire cast are on hugely unlikeable form due to this weak material and it’s just upsetting to see. I’ve always had a soft spot for Ed Helms, he was the highlight of The Hangover films for me and one of the strongest characters in The Office. But here, I shook my head in disappointment as he uttered some of the most poorly-written ‘comedy’ dialogue I’ve heard in years, often in a blatant (and awful) impression of Chevy Chase’s Clark from the original films. The two kids (Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins, 2 of the silliest names in Hollywood) are nothing special and painfully uncomfortable appearances from Chris Hemsworth, Leslie Mann and Charlie Day bring nothing good to this terrible film.

There were some mildly entertaining moments purely from a fan’s perspective, as there are references to the earlier films – the original Holiday Road theme song, an appearance from the original film’s car, etc. - but on the whole these scenes just made me sad. And this sums up the film. Seeing the old, overweight Chevy Chase reprising his legendary role of Clark just made me emotional. I wasn’t around when the original film came out, but I watched it a hell of a lot in my early teenage years. And now, seeing him effectively pass the torch to a much weaker and less entertaining lead…I’m not prepared to see that. Remember the fear, sadness and anger we had in our hearts when we thought Shia LaBeouf was going to take over the role of Indiana Jones? That is what this feels like.

I wasn’t expecting a lot from this. Like I said, the original films are near and dear to my heart and I knew this reboot/remake/sequel/whatever-the-f**k-it-is would never come close to it. But it turned out a whole lot worse than I could’ve ever imagined, and if this is the end of the Vacation series then what a horribly sad way to close the book. Vacation is exactly why I hate remakes and reboots. It’s an embarrassingly unfunny and painfully unnecessary piece of shit that only serves to make the fans sad. It’s one of modern comedy’s darkest hours, but on the bright side, it will be forgotten quicker than you can say...wait, what was I talking about?

Vacation is a trip you don’t want to take. Avoid at all costs. Watch the originals. 1/5.

★☆☆☆☆

Sam Love

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The Who - Live in Hyde Park

“I’ve looked at early photos. You can look at the clothes, you can look at all those things, but it’s more to do with the eyes. There’s an attitude there. We still maintain that today.” –Roger Daltrey
On June 26th 2015, The Who took the stage in London’s Hyde Park in front of a 50,000-strong crowd as part of their 50th anniversary tour, The Who Hits 50. Despite only 2 original members remaining (bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon shuffled off this mortal coil in 2002 and 1978 respectively), vocalist Roger Daltrey says “I really do feel we are on top of our game now. This is a good as it’s ever been”. He’s right. 

Out now on DVD & Blu-Ray in a variety of editions issued with CDs and LPs, The Who – Live in Hyde Park is an absolutely stunning show to behold. Shot in a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio, this is more than just a filmed concert. This is a concert film. As the band perform a long set-list of some of their best ever songs, the sun sets over Hyde Park in such a way that could arguably reflect The Who themselves. As they get ready to start the next leg of their Hits 50 tour in the new year, The Who’s ‘long goodbye’ continues but the end is in sight. In the past year, Daltrey has had to cancel multiple dates due to his failing voice. But at 71 years old, it’s incredible that he’s able to do the amount of shows he is. Guitarist and writer Pete Townshend, at 70, still plays like a God but doesn’t throw himself around the stage and leap into the air as he pounds out some noise with his famous windmill move. It sure is inspiring and even moving to see these men still performing with such passion and mod angst, but you can’t help but think that one of these days you’ll switch on the news and see ‘Iconic rock band The Who announce end to performing’. 

But until that day, we can continue to enjoy one of the greatest live bands in music. Yes, Entwistle and Moon’s presence is missed. There’s no getting around that. But Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr and godson of Keith Moon, is a formidable drummer. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing two of The Who’s Hits 50 dates including their phenomenal Royal Albert Hall performance, and I couldn’t help but smile when I overheard an old cockney chap leaving the venue say to his friend “if those drums had been any louder, you’d think it was Moonie playing!”. As for the bass, Pino Palladino fills Entwistle’s shoes with respect and faithfulness, particularly in the iconic My Generation. The whole band is on fire here, but nobody more than Daltrey and Townshend themselves. Daltrey’s voice drops in quality a little occasionally but at his age, it’s a miracle he’s still willing to sing for us. And for the majority of the time, he’s incredible. Singing powerful numbers like Love Reign O’er Me, Won’t Get Fooled Again and Bargain, you can close your eyes and see the Roger Daltrey from the 1960s and 1970s. There’s something sweet about hearing him roar out “I hope I die before I get old” during My Generation now.

Live at Hyde Park is a fantastic performance, and likely to be the last fully recorded concert of The Who. Sat next to their Live at Kilburn and Live at the Isle of Wight recorded shows, it’s a piece we’re lucky to have forever safe for years to come. It brings me joy to know that in many years time, when we’ve all passed on and our children’s children are learning about music history, they can watch a show like this. There’s more to this film than just the music. Between some songs, we’re shown short interviews with Daltrey & Townshend, aswell as Iggy Pop and Paul Weller, briefly discussing the power of the music. Thankfully, this is never intrusive – some concert films insist on putting this over the music. Not here. Visually and sonically, Live at Hyde Park is breath-taking. The 16:9 aesthetic is beautiful, and the sound mix is phenomenal. Played through surround sound speakers on Blu-Ray, prepare to have eargasms as The Who flawlessly perform some of their best songs in your living room.

In conclusion, Live at Hyde Park is one of the finest concert films available and a perfect souvenir for the Hits 50 tour. If you get a chance to see them before it’s too late, GO. It’ll be one of the best nights of your life. Over the end credits of this film, we see Iggy Pop perform an acoustic version of My Generation. As he finishes this gentle and touching tribute, he softly says “Hail The Who.” Indeed.

The Who – Live at Hyde Park is a beautifully shot film of one of music’s greatest bands on top of their game. Long live rock. 5/5.

Set list – I Can’t Explain/Who Are You/The Kids Are Alright/Pictures of Lily/I Can See For Miles/My Generation/Behind Blue Eyes/Bargain/Join Together/You Better You Bet/I’m One/Love Reign O’er Me/Eminence Front/Amazing Journey/Overture/Sparks/Pinball Wizard/See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You/Baba O’Riley/Won’t Get Fooled Again

★★★★★

Sam Love

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Peep Show: Series 9

In 2010, cult-favourite Peep Show became the longest-running comedy series in Channel 4’s history. Following the painfully but hilariously mundane lives of dysfunctional friends Mark (David Mitchell) and Jeremy (Robert Webb) through point-of-view camerawork with their thoughts heard as voiceover, the show was extremely well-observed, relatable and consistently brilliant. In September 2013, Channel 4 made an upsetting but understandable announcement – the show’s 9th season would be its last. After airing through November and December of 2015, Peep Show: Series 9 is out now on DVD. Does it end on a strong note?

After series 8’s love-triangle ending, time has not healed the rift between Mark and Jeremy. With Jeremy now living with Super-Hans (Matt King) and Mark having a new flat-mate (Tim Key), it looks like the Peep Show we know and love is over. The friends are now almost enemies and the dynamic has changed. But this doesn’t last long. By the end of the episode, Jeremy is living with Mark once again and we embark on another series that doesn’t have much of a feeling of finality to it. 

There are some extremely funny moments of social awkwardness and cynical observation – the traits we love Peep Show for – but on the whole, there’s nothing here that feels like it will stand out as one of the stronger seasons years down the line. After announcing this season in 2013 and finally airing it in 2015, there was a certain hype and level of expectation – especially knowing it was the final season right from the get-go. And while this expectation was met, it was not exceeded. A lot of people have dropped in and out of Peep Show over the years but I’ve been a devout fan for a long time. While I confess I wasn’t there at the very beginning, I’ve been loyal ever since jumping in around series 2 or 3. This is what makes the disappointment all the harder. The plots are predictable and don’t feel like anything we haven’t seen before in earlier seasons – the only major difference being Jeremy now has a boyfriend and being quite openly homosexual, or at least bisexual, around Mark. To quote Seinfeld, “not that there’s anything wrong with that!”.

But it is the ending that gives me the most mixed feelings – even now, weeks after I saw it. Without giving anything away, Peep Show’s ending is arguably the only ending it could be. Nothingness. We leave our characters almost exactly as we met them, destined for a life of mediocrity and emptiness. But although on the one hand this seems fitting, on the other it feels like a rather weak ending. I can’t think what I would’ve liked more – be it a character death, some big twist or even a happy ending – but there’s something about this ending that didn’t feel like an ending at all. I still don’t feel like I’ve said goodbye to the show, or that it won’t be back again next year. Nothing about it felt conclusive. There was no closure. Yes, Mark and Jeremy don’t deserve happiness. But they deserve an ending to their show, after 9 seasons.

To conclude, Peep Show is one of the all-time best British comedies and a personal favourite of mine but even weeks after this final series finished airing, I still don’t feel like it had anything to make it feel like a final hoorah. While it was funny, it wasn’t anywhere near as funny as the show was at its peak – and a somewhat “is that it?” after-taste to the final episode left me confused and underwhelmed. But at the end of the day, even weak Peep Show is better than most of the stuff on television today, and Series 9 is historic. It’s the end of an era. I’ve spent many years laughing at this brilliant show and the ending, disappointing or not, made me emotional. Just typing these words feels strange. And even with other brilliant British television cropping up these days like the beautiful Detectorists, there will never be another Peep Show. Goodbye, Mark and Jeremy. Thanks for everything.

Peep Show: Series 9 isn’t an explosive or particularly exciting conclusion, but then again, was it ever going to be for these mundane characters? 4/5.

★★★★☆

Sam Love

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Thank you for donating over £10,000 in Q4 2015!

We’d like to thank all of you for your generous in-store and online donations to our charity partners and let you know that in Q4 of 2015, you all managed to donate approximate £6,000 for Help for Heroes and £5,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Every donation helps to change the lives of those supported.

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Guitar Hero Live

Rather than conform to what’s expected, Guitar Hero’s return is like that kid that just has to have the black hair with the red mohawk just to stand out in class. When that didn’t shock anymore and his ginger roots began to show, he shaved the black out of the sides and coloured the top black to create one of the most hideous colour combinations ever, just to say it was different than what’s expected. Not that I knew that kid, I would have punched him in the gut if I had, but Guitar Hero Live is like him, standing out against the current rather than easily phoning it in. Guitar Hero Live is a culmination of mixed ideas and attempted innovation in a long-believed dead genre and honestly its equal parts a resounding success and disappointingly underwhelming.

Out now for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 comes Guitar Hero Live which is essentially broken into two main modes: Live and TV. They say fortune favours the brave and the Live mode is certainly brave. Its execution is also pointless and cringeworthy. Rather than have video game graphics play in the background while you hit the notes on the highway, everything is shot in live-action. As you play a song, the video plays and it reacts to how well you’re playing. If you hit every note perfectly, you are a rock god as your bandmates and crowd give you canned, forced smiles and cheering that’s hard to notice just how inauthentic it all looks. Play badly and you’re left to hear jeers and boos from the crowd and unhappy bandmates. The problem is that there is no in between. You are either a rock god or a gobshite.

The controller also strays from the path with a brand new six button layout that features three on top and three below it to imitate a more realistic feel with power chords as you play. It simply being different certainly makes it feel fresh. It also means a couple of songs of fumbling about is back as you get acclimated to the new layout. From someone who’s played guitar for over 10 years now, it feels more natural and authentic to the real thing, well, as authentic as 6 plastic buttons can feel.

The Live portion of the game is bitterly disappointing, but the game is completely redeemed by the TV mode. This mode is essentially a streaming service that allows you to play along with essentially music stations as they feature hundreds of songs across multiple genres. You may not be able to buy any of these games but you can pay to play whatever song you want or simply stream some great songs in the hope the ones you want will come on. The “paying” part can be both real money or by the credits earned by simply playing on one of the channels for some time. It’s not perfect simply by the fact that you can’t buy the right to own and download a song but it’s a sacrifice that’s worth it for the mode that’s created.

The setlist on GHTV fares much better than the one in the Live mode. Live mode features mostly songs from the last five years and side more on the pop side of things. TV features more classic and good rock songs but still expect the pop songs to be found in the +200 songs available.

Ambitious, daring, different, unusual, cringe-inducing, and eventually it becomes pretty good again. It’s the true definition of hit and miss but at least they tried to give fans of the genre a new experience. I still can’t get those cheese-riddled faces smile at me while playing. I don’t hit people but if I ever met them I would have to ask them to explain themselves to me first before I cast my fist of judgement.

Guitar Hero Live is alive and trying something different 3/5.

★★★☆☆

Jason Redmond

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Straight Outta Compton

“You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.”

And with these words, one of the most influential and seminal records of all time begins. The album is Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A, a hip hop group from Compton, California. Released in 1989, the album was hugely controversial with songs glorifying drugs and crime, as well as the authorities-bashing F**k tha Police. It got to the point where N.W.A were banned from many radio stations and often had to perform with police present - ready to stop their shows at any second. But there’s more to N.W.A than you might think. Nowadays, many will dismiss them as just being chavvy rappers with no artistic merit or cultural relevance. But F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta Compton, out now on DVD & Blu-Ray, aims to change that.

 In terms of delivery, Straight Outta Compton is a fairly typical rags-to-riches biopic. It is much more than that. We meet our heroes living in crime-ridden poverty, as both the racist police department and local gangs rule the streets. Expressing their anger at this world through lyrics, “Ice Cube” joins up with “Eazy-E”, “MC Ren”, “DJ Yella” and of course “Dr Dre” to form the now infamous band. At two and a half hours, or almost 3 if you’re watching the director’s cut, Straight Outta Compton covers a lot of ground. We start in 1986 and finish up in 1996, and you really feel this time pass – in a good way. Most films cop out and stick a “(x) YEARS LATER” subtitle here, there and everywhere, skipping huge chunks of time. But here, you feel like you’re seeing everything. And yet the film still flies by. When the characters are looking back at the end of the epic 3 hours, you truly feel like you’re looking back with them and that you’ve been on this huge journey. It feels more like a series than a film.

This is down to a number of factors. Firstly, the cast are phenomenal – something that makes or breaks any biopic. Ice Cube’s son portrays his father here, so of course has an advantage where voice and appearance is concerned – it’s an often uncanny resemblance, and a damn good performance. But Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge and Neil Brown Jr make up N.W.A with almost equal resemblance and certainly equally powerful performances. Hawkins and Mitchell, playing Dr Dre and Eazy-E respectively, are particularly impressive. The passion these actors portray in their roles makes the story that more inspiring and believable, and I often felt I was watching a documentary they’re that good. Outside of the band, there aren’t a huge amount of characters. The great Paul Giamatti, recently seen playing a twat in the music world in Love & Mercy, plays another twat in the music world here as Jerry Heller, N.W.A’s somewhat shifty manager.

A dear friend of mine once said that he didn’t have a specific genre of music he liked, but rather that he could listen to anything if he could hear the passion in the performers. That passion is something N.W.A delivered in spades, and something that is really the main theme of Straight Outta Compton. The band started from nothing and stood up for the things they believed in. Their violent lyrics and aggression, at least in their debut album from which this biopic gets its name, had purpose. It wasn’t just for the sake of it, it was to make a point. And it certainly made one, being widely considered a pioneering and ground-breaking piece of work that had an enormous impact on the US, while still to this day being the hip hop record. Unfortunately, they still have a name for themselves as being ‘gangsta thugs’ but music/culture historians and people with brains can see they’re much more than that.

Straight Outta Compton is lucky in that it had the permission to use the band’s original music, lending a huge amount of authenticity to the tale. Many music biopics – recently, the Hendrix biopic All Is By My Side – aren’t granted this privilege. But with Ice Cube and Dr Dre producing this film, you can expect to hear all of the tunes you love (or hate, depending on who you are). And don’t worry, Ice Cube and Dr Dre’s involvement doesn’t make this a love letter to themselves. The film doesn’t shy away from the darker sides of the story and often paint unflattering pictures of themselves. Very impressive.

In conclusion, Straight Outta Compton is an incredible piece of work. Far better than I think the entire world was expecting, really. Initially dismissed as being a thuggy tale for wannabe gangstas, the film found itself on the receiving end of critical acclaim, huge box office success and award nominations. This is an important film because many of the racial hatred themes are still rife, but also an inspiring and timeless film about the power of music and the strength of passion. It was one of the best films of 2015, and now you can own it. You lucky people.

Straight Outta Compton is a phenomenal film, and one that is truly deserving of a perfect 5/5.

★★★★★

Sam Love

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Absolutely Anything

When Absolutely Anything was announced, people pricked up their ears and were understandably quite excited. Sure, it’s not an original premise – it’s basically a British Bruce Almighty. But with a stellar comical cast including Simon Pegg, Eddie Izzard, Robin Williams and the surviving members of Monty Python, not to mention Terry Jones at the helm, Absolutely Anything did seem promising. But on the 14th of August, it was released…to dreadful reviews. Currently standing at 9% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, is Absolutely Anything really as bad as everyone says? Warning: this review may contain angry ranting…

Out now on DVD & Blu-Ray, Absolutely Anything tells the story of Neil Clarke (Simon Pegg), a disillusioned schoolteacher and average loser. When a group of aliens (voiced by the surviving Pythons) bestow upon him the ability to do absolutely anything he wants - so they can determine whether the human race can be good, and whether or not Earth should be obliterated - he struggles to deal with his new-found powers. From the cast alone, you can probably assume the comical turns this narrative takes. Well, Terry Jones clearly thinks it’s comical. But it isn’t. With a premise like this, the filmmaker could do absolutely anything. Nothing is off limits. It could be hilarious. But unfortunately, Jones wastes any potential the film has by making it an instantly forgettable load of old shit filled with predictable and juvenile humour and an abysmal narrative.

I’ll start with the very few positives. Robin Williams, in his last ever role, arguably steals the show as Dennis the dog – Neil’s pet, whom he gives a voice with his powers. Despite being wholly predictable and completely unoriginal, there is some well-observed humour here regarding a dog’s constant desire for affection and praise, while living to serve his ‘master’. Yes, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before – Disney/Pixar’s Up did it much better with Dug. But as a dog-lover, it got a chuckle or two out of this reviewer. The only chuckles this film gave me. Other than Williams, I could spend a bit of time telling you that Simon Pegg did his best with the material he was given, or I could even stretch to say that the film’s cinematography was decent, or the premise brought some satire, or some bollocks like that. But unfortunately, the film’s countless flaws make it difficult to give Absolutely Anything any praise. Shall we get into the nitty-gritty? That’s what you want, isn’t it?

Firstly, the humour was ridiculously dumbed-down and childish from the outset. In the first 20 minutes, we have a cringe-worthy early sequence involving anthropomorphic dog shit skipping around Pegg’s apartment. If that’s the sort of thing you find funny, you’ll love Absolutely Anything. Oh look, Simon Pegg is using his power to get ‘a massive dick’ which is so heavy, he falls over. Isn’t that just hilarious? He asks for ‘a great body’ but doesn’t specify gender, so ends up with a pair of tits! Oh my, how do they come up with this? It’s genius! No, it’s not, because I’m not 12 years old. The jokes throughout just made shake my head, both at the cast for being involved, and at the prospect that anyone might find this amusing. 

The next issue was the narrative. In a film like this, all we need is 80 minutes of a normal bloke twatting around with his powers, causing a few problems and learning his lesson. Maybe a little romance in there somewhere is acceptable. But no, Terry Jones rammed so much shit into this awful film, there isn’t enough time to develop any of it. The main offender here is Rob Riggle, one of the most annoying ‘comedy’ actors working today. Basically, Pegg’s character is in love with his neighbour Catherine (Kate Beckinsale) – but Catherine’s ex-boyfriend, the boisterous American soldier Grant (Riggle), is stalking her. One thing leads to another, he learns of Pegg’s power, takes him hostage and forces him to make ridiculous things happen like “All Englishmen must have big pointy ears and webbed feet”. It’s making me angry just typing this. F***ing ridiculous. You know what? I don’t want to spend much more time talking about this and I’m sure you don’t want to read about it. To summarise my remaining points, the CGI was shite, some sub-plots and cast-members are criminally underused and rushed, and the awful narrative/strange pacing/short length just make it feel like one, long, bad sketch in a bad TV show.

To conclude, Absolutely Anything is absolutely awful. Just dire. An insult to comedy and a slap in the face to cinema. It’s a poorly written mess. Douglas Adams, the great man behind The  Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, apparently looked over the script before he died and, according to Terry Jones, said ‘Dennis the dog’s scenes were the funniest’. That’s his polite way of saying ‘Dennis the dog’s scenes are the only scenes in this script that are remotely entertaining’. Everyone involved in this disaster should be ashamed of themselves.

Absolutely Anything is the worst ‘comedy’ film in years. 1/5

★☆☆☆☆

Sam Love

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