STACK #247 May 2025

MOVIE FEATURE

visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

GENRE: Adventure family RUN TIME: 1h 25m

GO WITH THE FLOW : A VOICELESS FILM WITH A LOT TO SAY

In a hotly contested race for animated Oscar glory, the Latvian film Flow struck gold, triumphing over major studio productions with its uniquely voiceless odyssey. “W e looked at a lot of cat and dog videos and went to the zoo and studied animals.” explains director Gints

way, we can express things that can only be done in cinema by telling the story with the camera and lights and also make sure that the animals behave like animals, which I find hasn't been used as much in animation," he says when STACK met him in Los Angeles prior to Oscar fever, which would pit Flow against animation heavy hitters like The Wild Robot, Memoir of a Snail, and Wallace & Gromit . “Since we can't have them speaking, we had to make sure that each of the animals have enough time and attention, but they're also kind of supporting the cat's journey. So, the goal is to kind of keep it as simple as possible, which can be really hard,” he says. Flow isn’t your typical blockbuster. It’s a visually stunning, almost meditative animated movie that is more about the vibe, the rhythm, and the emotions it evokes. “I feel like we've seen stories like this from a human point of view, but not really from an animal point of view, and that makes it a lot more emotional. I think we care more about animals sometimes more than people.” Gill Pringle

• Flow is out May 28

Zilbalodis. “I've had cats and dogs, so I knew them pretty well. We studied everything and everything is done by hand.” The film follows a courageous cat, capybara, lemur, bird, and dog after their homes are devastated by a great flood. “I wanted to make a film without dialogue. I think, in this

FUN FACT

Flow is the first independent animated film to win an Academy Award for 'Best Animated Film'. The entire movie was made using free and open software.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

The Wild Robot, Robot Dreams, A Bug’s Life

GENRE: TV sci-fi RUN TIME: Season

SPICE WORLD - DUNE PROPHECY Featuring Australia's own Travis Fimmel, Dune: Prophecy enriches Frank Herbert’s Dune mythos by shedding light on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, the enigmatic sisterhood known for their political influence and unique abilities.

S et 10,000 years before the rise of Paul Atreides, this six-part prequel centres on Valya and Tula Harkonnen, two formidable sisters who strive to restore their family’s honour, establishing the foundations of the Bene Gesserit. In the role of older sister Valya, Emily Watson oversees the powerful sisterhood, all of whom undergo intense physical and mental training to obtain superhuman abilities. “It's like, we can plant stories.

quiet ones,” she teases. But it’s not just the women who get to be wicked, Fimmel portrays a warrior with a mysterious past, while Mark Strong plays a political figure navigating the treacherous waters of the Imperium’s hierarchy. “I think he has a moral compass, but he feels justified in some of the

• Dune Prophecy - Season 1 is out May 14

in exploring the intricate dynamics of power, politics, and prophecy. In playing Valya’s younger sister Tula, a Reverend Mother in the Bene Gesserit, Olivia Williams says, “I think the secret to playing a younger sister - when your older sister has occupied the full sound and fury position - is you internalise and keep your rage inside and keep it quiet. But, you know, watch out for the

Fun fact Emily Watson and Olivia Williams have been close friends since performing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre over 20 years ago. Dune: Prophecy is their first time working together since.

stuff that he does - in his history and the anger and the heartbreak that he has,” says Fimmel, who plays Desmond Hart. “He feels very justified in hurting people. But, at the same time, when he does hurt these people, it also hurts him very badly, physically and mentally. So, it kind of turns him on. But it's a fun character to play, and all the characters have their own voice. They’ve all got hidden agendas - and I just think I'm very lucky to be a part of it.” Gill Pringle

We can make people think they're in charge when we're in charge, or we can diminish their power. We can fake attacks. We can do all kinds of things that will change the balance of power. And that has such parallels in how the political spectrum operates today, and I find that fascinating,” says Watson, who relished her role

ADD SOME SPICE TO YOUR COLLECTION:

Frank Herbert’s Dune Collection, David Lynch’s Dune, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune & Dune Part Two

22 MAY 2025

jbhifi.com.au