Posted by Simon Rowson in DVD on May 31, 2011 | No Comments

DVD Review: Red Hill

DVD Review: Red Hill
The script might fall afoul of the odd cliché now and then, but Red Hill is a pulpy B-Movie of the highest calibre, deftly blending genre thrills with impeccable style. Aussie director Patrick Hughes is a filmmaking talent to watch out for, and his debut western revenge movie is an impressive cult movie gem...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Books on May 29, 2011 | 1 Comment

Book Review: ‘Forgotten’ by Cat Patrick

I started reading Forgotten in bed expecting to skim through a chapter before falling asleep. Four hours later, it was 5am and I was on the last few pages. It’s a gripping, unputdownable read, and Cat Patrick dishes out the perfect balance of intrigue, drama and romance with a breezy, delicate prose....
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Blu-Ray on May 27, 2011 | No Comments

Blu-Review: Just Go With It

Blu-Review: Just Go With It
Too lazy and humourless to work as a farce and too overlong, predictable and joyless to work as a breezy romance, Just Go With It is nothing more than a slap-dash rom-com bereft of sense, charm or laughs. Don’t just go with it; just go watch a better film...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Blu-Ray on May 24, 2011 | No Comments

Blu-Review: Love and Other Drugs

Blu-Review: Love and Other Drugs
Even though it doesn’t follow through in the last act, for the most part it’s a touching, intelligent and charming cut above the usual schmaltzy rom-com fare. Love and Other Drugs is sharp, sexy and witty, and with a smart script, well-developed characters and two great leads with chemistry to...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Video Games on May 20, 2011 | No Comments

PS3 Review: Sniper: Ghost Warrior

PS3 Review: Sniper: Ghost Warrior
While it falls apart to a large degree when it strays from the up-on-high sniping set-pieces, when it plays to its strengths, it’s a tremendously fun game with some great, tense action and well-tuned gameplay mechanics. Thankfully there’s plenty of that to be found, leaving Sniper: Ghost Warrior...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Video Games on May 19, 2011 | No Comments

PS3 Review: No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise

PS3 Review: No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise
The level of inspired, utterly bizarre and completely priceless lunacy that pumps through the caffeinated, pop-culture-infused bloodstream of Suda51 and Grasshopper’s GTA-with-lightsabers game could only come from the beautifully off-kilter Land of the Rising Sun. Imagine a game sibling of SEGA’s...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Video Games on May 18, 2011 | 2 Comments

PS3 Review: SBK 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship

PS3 Review: SBK 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship
Though it’s certainly a game that offers no hand-holding and poses a steep initial learning curve for those new to the series, SBK 2011 undoubtedly rewards that investment with some of the most satisfying, realistic handling and thrilling, rewarding gameplay you’ll find in a motorbike racing game...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Blu-Ray on May 17, 2011 | No Comments

Blu-Review: Black Swan

Blu-Review: Black Swan
Merging high art with pulp horror is a task that few filmmakers could pull off this beautifully, yet Aronofsky manages it masterfully. Black Swan is a mesmerising movie, and whether your tastes skew towards unsettling horror movies or the Bolshoi ballet, there’ll undoubtedly be some part of Black Swan...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in Blu-Ray on May 13, 2011 | No Comments

Blu-Review: I Saw The Devil

Blu-Review: I Saw The Devil
Jee-woon’s darkly comic revenge-horror showcases excellent performances, pitch-black comedy and deliriously inventive filmmaking. It’s chillingly atmospheric and certainly gruesomely violent, but if you’ve got a strong stomach, then it’s a must-see...
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Posted by Simon Rowson in DVD on May 11, 2011 | No Comments

DVD Review: Blue Valentine

DVD Review: Blue Valentine
While it’s not always a pleasant experience, it is a genuine one, and director Derek Cianfrance casts a raw and unflinchingly realistic eye on the relationships that just don’t work out, offering a sometimes beautiful, often sad and always powerful counterpoint to the happy endings we’ve...
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