STACK #255 January 2026

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PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON

Once a rising Hollywood hotshot, Paul Thomas Anderson is now one of cinema’s most respected auteurs. From Boogie Nights to There Will Be Blood and Licorice Pizza , his 30-year career has delivered complex, thought provoking films that bridge indie and mainstream sensibilities. With One Battle After Another releasing this month, here are three of his From his debut Hard Eight , Anderson has filled his films with rich, all-star ensembles. Frequent collaborators include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Luis Guzmán, Julianne Moore, and William H. Macy. Existential dilemmas Whether it’s Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights , Barry Egan in Punch-Drunk Love , or Officer Jim Kurring in Magnolia , Anderson’s characters regularly confront difficult moral tests, navigating social pressures and deeply personal dilemmas. Soundtracks One of the most infectious elements of a Paul Thomas Anderson film is its soundtrack. Often filled with memorable pop tracks, his films use music to ground viewers and provide an accessible entry point into his otherwise complex storytelling. signature trademarks... Large ensemble casts

JANUARY

Growing up with no father figure, the South Korean movie Miracle in Cell No. 7 has been one of my inspirations. This movie tackles injustice and how life can be unfair sometimes. It also taught me how to give back to my family and friends who shaped me as a person. What’s one of your all-time favourite movies, and why? Hacksaw Ridge is one of the best movies of all time. This movie teaches us that violence is not always the right answer for war. The pacifist Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) also taught us not to give up on our colleagues no matter how tough the situation is. What’s one of your all-time favourite TV series, and why? Lucifer is one of my all-time favourites. Being an urban fantasy, this series also tackles drama, romance, comedy, etc. It also has good character developments which enhances the series the further you are in. If you like angels and demons, it’s a must. What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend? I have been watching The Last of Us recently. This TV series has some of the most unique zombies I’ve seen. I just love how Joel and Ellie survive out in the wild and seeing how Joel becomes a father figure for Ellie deeper in the series touches my heart. Full of action and some romance.

’ s ROVING REPORTER

ADRIANNE LACANILAO @ JB Woden, ACT

FUN FACT

What’s the best thing about working at JB? The culture and people. You meet different kinds of people from all walks of life. The exact moment when you give the right JB solution to the customer and they become a raving fan is one of the highlights.

Paul Thomas Anderson acted

as an understudy to Robert Altman on A Prairie Home Companion (2006) due to Altman’s age and health

What’s a movie you saw as a child that has left a lasting impression on you?

QUIZ

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Hitchcock originally cast for the lead in Vertigo , but after becoming pregnant subsequently lost the part to Kim Novak? Q4 Name the actor whose last film in 1964 was based on an Ernest Hemingway story that cast him in the only violent role of his whole movie career? Q5 Which ill-starred, ill-received movie made Al Pacino retreat from movies for four years? Q6 Which exemplary movie opens with a one

armed man getting off a train that has arrived in a small California desert town? Q7 Which 1952 classic horror movie was remade 30 years later? Q8 Who, in 1998, won the Golden Raspberry Award (known as The Razzies) as the worst picture of 1997? Q9 Which 1978 movie had the working title The Baby Sitter Murders Q10 Which western featured Ward Bond as Captain Samuel Clayton of the Texas Rangers?

Gremlins 3 Aside from The Goonies 2 , Gremlins 3 has long been Hollywood’s most on-and-off again sequel, repeatedly teetering on the edge of being greenlit over the decades. Now the project has officially received the IN DEVELOPMENT go-ahead and is set for a November 2027 release. Following the success of the recent animated series, Gremlins 3 is being produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by original writer Chris Columbus, known for classics like Home Alone , Mrs. Doubtfire , and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone . There is no word yet on the story, casting, or whether original director Joe Dante will be involved.

Q1 What was John Wayne’s first movie in Cinemascope? Q2 The actor who played the father of James Dean’s character in Rebel Without a Cause was also the voice of which cartoon character? Q3 Which actress had

DECEMBER 2025 (Issue 254) ANSWERS - A1. The child actress Shirley Temple A2. Edmund Gwenn for his role in Miracle on 34th Street (1947) A3. 3 Godfathers (1948) directed by John Ford A4. Santa’s Slay (2005) A5. Because her father died when he fell down the chimney pretending to be Santa Claus A6. A chain-smoking cab driver A7. We’re No Angels A8. Bridget Jones’s Diary A9. Michael Caine A10. Die Hard

JANUARY 2026

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