Good Vibrations - Reviewed

 Once again thanks to the people at Flicks.co.nz I got the opportunity to see Good Vibrations before it's New Zealand run.

 Although release in 2012, Good Vibrations finally makes it to theatres in New Zealand soon... But it was worth the wait.

  I usually don't like biopics where the subject is still alive, as they seem so inconclusive, but Good Vibrations is probably the exception to this rule. Terri Hooley (played by Richard Dormer), for all his flaws and failings is a man on his own mission, and still is. Despite the war torn backdrop of 1970's Ireland during Operation Banner, the film is for the most part a light hearted look at the rise and fall and rise and fall... And rise and fall of Terri Hooley who just wanted to run a record store and record label releasing music he thought the world should hear, and he did this. But where most would define success by profit, he did it all to make himself happy and seemingly for the experience.

  Often you find yourself rooting for Hooley, even when you know he's potentially endangering or just plain ignoring his wife,  Ruth played by Jodie Whittaker, while he aided in the development of the Irish punk scene. This scene is what saw the rise of the band The Undertones (John Peel cited their track Teenage Kicks as his favourite song of all time and his coffin was even carried out to it at his funeral).

  Peppered with great music, humour and a good dose of history, Good Vibrations is not just a music movie or biographical film, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable time capsule and inspirational glimpse into a can do attitude with a redefinition of the word “success”.

  I suspect it’ll only have a short run in New Zealand so go see it if you get the chance, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Watch the trailer here:

The Undertones - Teenage Kicks

A Million Ways to Die in the West - Reviewed

  I won advanced screening tickets to see Seth MacFarlane's new film, A Million Ways to Die in the West tonight. The trailer showed great promise, but sadly the film didn't quite deliver what I was anticipating.

  The majority of the larger laughs are to be seen in the full trailer, and although there are some more laughs to be had they just aren't strong or frequent enough to sustain. Don't get me wrong, it's an enjoyable film, but it's a poor follow up to Ted, which constantly stepped over the line of humour and bad taste just enough to keep the laughs flowing.

  Many of the comedic moments are Genital/Fart/Bowel movement jokes or inconceivable and unforeseen death scenes, but these are sparse and occasional. There are a few surprises with a bounty of blink and you miss them cameos, one of which was a great nod to another film (which I won't divulge). And as with most films these days, there is a post credits scene (with continued cameo).

  I spent much of the film shuffling in my seat awaiting the next joke, and sometimes was left a little empty by what was on offer. In fact most of the promotion for this film makes reference to Ted which forces me to constantly use that as a benchmark, but this was just a poor cousin attempt and doesn't peer up. Where MacFarlane was brilliant off-screen as Ted, as Albert he just seemed to be scrambling for more on-screen face time and appears in almost every scene.

  Overall, it's a more story driven film than you'd expect, once you get past the initial, almost piece to camera of MacFarlane, rants on possible ways to die in the west (while half expecting him to wink at the camera) as he continues to announce deaths pre or post occurrence. By the end of the film you realise it's not going to be another Ted and is actually a Rom-Com set in the Wild Frontier with regular reference to popular modern day culture. Stand out performances by Charlize Theron who does well to not force her scenes and lets them flow naturally, Sarah Silverman with her characters candid approach to her job vs. her Religion and Giovanni Ribisi who just does creepy or weird so very well. However Seth MacFarlane and Neil Patrick Harris, for the majority of the film, are poorly cast and never quite gel with their characters, scenes or surroundings.