The odd combo of Nintendo and Sega superstars and an officially licensed game sort of worked with last years Mario & Sonic Olympics title: it was fun, oddly fresh and supremely accessible. Anyone expecting anything remotely different with the Olympic Winter Games sequel will be disappointed but why mess with a format that sold more than 10million copies the first time around? Events are split into traditional snow and ice games and dream events, which see you ski-jumping through Super Mario Galaxy environments and Sonics Green Hill Zone, for example. There are also a few mini-games and an absolutely enormous amount of Mario and Sonic collectables to find. Unfortunately, many of the games arent that engaging, requiring just a simple wag of the Wiimote or a tired waggle of the Nunchuck while the game does most of the work for you. Curling and hockey probably offer the most fun of the events on offer, and it does all look quite pretty. Nathan Drakes first outing in Uncharted: Drakes Fortune was surprisingly assured, introducing a new videogame action with ease and style. The film-like narrative and production values imagine a virtual Indiana Jones are present and correct in the excellent sequel (pictured), while the third- person platforming and shooting have been overhauled to offer a much more satisfying gaming experience. This time out, Drake is globetrotting rather than stuck to a single location, allowing the design team to really let loose with some of the most achingly beautiful vistas ever committed to videogame. The plot, revolving around an artefact and a mystical Himalayan valley, is generic but never seems corny, thanks mostly to the excellent voice acting and script. Missions play out well and the game is relatively long, while shooting and moving are slick. It does all get a bit repetitive by the end but mostly its a lot of fun and with a lot of multiplayer action thrown in this time, it offers considerable value. The PS3 needs more exclusive gems like this. After being stitched up by an office rival, Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is cursed by a crazy gypsy woman right at her work desk. Hilarity, for us, not for Christine, ensues as shes afflicted by a series of delightfully realised gross-out horror effects. Poor old Lohman seems to be getting her face covered in puke, blood, insects or some form of pus every five minutes. Hoho! Written and directed by Evil Dead mastermind Sam Raimi, Drag Me To Hell is a brilliantly- crafted horror film. There are the usual gratuitous jumps, a really fine assortment of stomach-turning special effects and, most importantly, a decent story with a moral dilemma at its heart. Does Brown deserve everything thats coming her way (ie, eternal damnation) or should she be let off the hook for making a morally wrong decision just to get ahead in the work place? A conundrum! Which, sensibly, isnt rammed down our throats. Theres no time for hand wringing when there are goats to be slaughtered and evil gypsy women Irelands best dining guide as reviewed by you Bec ome a mem ber ww w.menupage s.ie Eat Out 4 Free! Make every meal a great one...y ...look before you book With over 50,000 restaurant reviews on MenuPages.ie, from all over Ireland, you can be sure your steak wont be tough as old boots! Avoid that dinner disaster and log onto MenuPages.ie today town Not on the retreat: Vaughn continues to be a big box office draw in a long time, your confidence is shaken. You go to a pub, you see a girl, how do you go up to someone you dont know? And when studio heads passed the film off as mean-spirited... We were like, What are you talking about, thats what life is, thats how guys are! We never thought past the moment, we were truly saying lets do the best job that we can telling a story. Heres hoping that Vaughn will channel that pioneering spirit for his next project because when hes good, hes money baby. Couples Retreat is in cinemas now GIG Devon Sproule STATE OF PLAY Games reviews with Steven Fox Contentment is bittersweet for many songwriters, ranking far below the likes of anger or lust in terms of inspiration. However, its a source that Virginian chanteuse Devon Sproule has mined to considerable effect. Occupying territory somewhere between the dusty mountain music of Gillian Welch and the hypnotic folk of Joanna Newsom, Sproules records paint a delightfully detailed picture of her life. Her last LP, Keep Your Silver Shined, examined her wedding to guitarist and co-writer Paul Curreri over a jazzy backdrop, while latest album Dont Hurry For Heaven! looks at how life on the road can disrupt a happy home. Shes even got a song called Lets Go Out, about a bored evening at home with nothing in the cupboards for tea. In other hands, such seemingly middling concerns could seem smug or even ignorant, but Sproules charming, slightly off-kilter voice and infectious on-stage presence mean she comes across as warm, rather than in any way annoying. She might never be as vital or engaging as Welch or Lucinda Williams but there is something gently captivating about her tales of domestic bliss. Aaron Lavery Tonight, CrawDaddy, The Pod, Harcourt Street D2, 8pm, 12 to 15. Tel: 0818 719 300. www.devonsproule.com Tuesday, October 27, 2009 metrolife 13 Drag Me To Hell Lions Gate Home Entertainment Distributor, 15, 22 Given the non- stop volume of films now released and the rise of tent pole blockbusters, the term sleeper hit has become almost as defunct as now available on VHS. So its testament to the universal appeal of this latest mini-triumph by Claire Denis (Beau Travail, Vendredi Soir), that it quietly enjoyed multi-month runs this year. Its a beautifully observed relationship study of a widowed, train-driving father (Alex Descas) who lives with his student daughter (Mati Diop) in a safe, happy, loving cocoon. They both know she should spread her wings, but are delaying the day. The exquisitely eloquent script is coupled with a tender, folky score by Deniss long-term collaborators, The Tindersticks. Deniss lingering lens is always looking, but she encourages us to do the seeing. Slow-paced and elegant, it warms less like a shot of rum, than a glass of the finest cognac. Extras: director interview; trailer. LI-Z Dreamworks (Shrek, Kung Fu Panda) produce the most lovable collection of animated freaks since Monsters Inc here. Reese Witherspoon heads up Team Monster as the voice of Susan Murphy, aka Ginormica, after an untimely encounter with a radioactive meteorite transforms her into a platinum- haired giant. Whisked away to a secret government facility, she meets other oddities, the Missing Link (Will Arnett), dim blob B.O.B (Seth Rogen), bug-headed scientist Dr Cockroach (Hugh Laurie, brilliant) and Insectosaurus. Then when the evil alien owner of the meteorite plots an invasion to get it back, the motley crew of misfits are released to help save the world. The simple but funny tale has spot-on vocal casting and keeps all ages entertained with a combination of giggles for the younger viewers and subtle double entendres for the adults. Extras: Modern Monster Movie- Making and The Tech Of Monsters Vs Aliens documentaries, film-makers commentary and deleted scenes. Damian Tully-Pointon Staying In DVD Reviews 35 Shots Of Rum New Wave Films, 12, 22 Monsters Vs Aliens Paramount, PG, 22 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves PS3, 58 Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games Wii, 45 (also available on DS, 34) projectile-puking mucus and maggots to be dealt with. A must- see for any horror fan. A triumph. Extras: production diary. Larushka Ivan-Zadeh index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html