STACK #202 Aug 2021

First page Table of contents 1 Next page Last page

2021 ultimate guide to electric rideables, essential tech and great vinyl revival ideads for Father's Day, and more!

YOUR

TO FILM, TV, MUSIC, GAMING & LIFE TECH

ESSENTIAL GUIDE

.com.au

ISSUE 202 Aug ’21

STACK Issue 202 AUGUST 2021 “There are people out there. People worth saving.”

ISSUE 202 Aug ’21

STACK’s 2021 ULTIMATE GUIDE TO ELECTRIC RIDEABLES PLUS ESSENTIAL TECH FOR FATHER’S DAY

ISSUE 202

Aug ’21

INSIDE: PETER RABBIT 2 • THE SUICIDE SQUAD

Your MONTHLY GUIDE to the HOTTEST TECH at

IN-STORE AT

hot

YOUR MONTHLY GAMING GUIDE TO WHAT’S

WIN THE ULTIMATE ELECTRIC RIDEABLES FAMILY FUNPACK!

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE COMPETITION

“DELIGHTFUL” - Filmink

“LOTS OF FUN.” - The Spotlight Report

Very mild themes and violence

NEW TO 4K ULTRA HD TM , BLU-RAY TM & DVD AT AUGUST 4 WHILE STOCKS LAST

ISSUE 202 AUG

FILM & TV 6 Take 5 8 The Suicide Squad 10 Jungle Cruise 12 A Quiet Place Part II 14 Peter Rabbit 2 16 Voyagers 18 Those Who Wish Me Dead 20 Till Death 22 New from Imprint Films CONTENTS 24 Double Jeopardy 26 Out This Month 27 4K UHD 28 Father’s Day Gift Guide GAMING 32 Take 5/Game Changers 34 Fast Forward/Q5 36 Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut 48-52 Electric Bicycles 54-56 Electric Scooters 58-59 David Hyman, CEO of Unagi Electric Scooters 60-61 Evolve Skateboards 62-76 Father’s Day Gift Guide 78 What’s New at JB MUSIC FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 6-12 The Music Room: Interviews with Jungle, Tropical F-ck Storm, Shannon and the Clams and more 14-15 Cover story: Lorde of Light 18-19 STACK Record Club 20-21 AlbumTales: The White Stripes’ Get Behind Me Satan 38 EA Play Live 2021 40 Accessorise Now! 42 STACK Recommends 43 Out this month LIFE TECH 46 Intro

2021

WELCOME Writer-director John Krasinski never intended to make a sequel to his 2018 sleeper hit, A Quiet Place . But an opportunity to further explore the film’s silent and terrifying world proved hard to resist, leading to A Quiet Place Part II – a quality sequel with all the suspense and scares that made the original worth shouting about. And talking of sequels, Peter Rabbit 2 releases this month and the film’s animation director at Sydney’s Animal Logic reveals the challenges involved in crafting a bigger follow- up. In gaming, the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is coming to PS5 in August; we round-up all the news from the EA Play Live 2021 event; and bring you the latest gaming accessories hitting the shelves at JB. Electric rideables are quickly becoming a cost-effective alternative to the car in Australia, with more and more riders adopting this exciting mode of transport. Whether it’s an e-scooter, e-bike or e-skateboard, we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to rideables this month. And with Father’s Day fast approaching, if you’re searching for a pressie for that special person in your life, we’ve got all the best options in tech gifts covered. Our music cover celebrates the triumphant return of Kiwi songwriter Lorde, whose new album, Solar Power , is dropping later this month. And there are new albums from Don Was, Jungle and Shannon & The Clams, plus five more essential albums to add to your collection in the STACK Record Club. Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Film & TV Editor Scott Hocking Music Editor Zoë Radas Games & Online Editor Amy Flower Creative Director Gary Siewert Movies Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Music Consultant Mike Glynn

Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Bob Jones, Gill Pringle Contributors Anthony Horan, Glenn Cochrane, Bryget Chrisfield, Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira, Adam Colby,

Dan Nicholson, Alex Deutrom, Bec Summer, Nicholas Kennedy

Social Media Manager Imogene Lewis-Granland Production Manager Craig Patterson Correspondence STACK 33 Jessie Street, Richmond, VIC 3121

RATINGS GUIDE

Parental guidance recommended

Recommended for mature audiences

Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15smust beaccommpaniedby a parent or adult guardian

Restricted to 18 and over

General

Disclaimer STACK is published by Scribal Custom Pty Ltd (ACN 092 362 135). © Copyright Scribal Custom Pty Ltd, 2021 All rights reserved. All material appearing in this publication is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material or advertisement. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of Scribal Custom Pty Ltd. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of advertisements or information. Whilst care has been taken in the research and preparation of this publication, the publishers, writers or anyone else associated cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or hardship arising from the content contained herein or reliance therefrom, howsoever caused, and it remains your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any such content. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or the editor. By the very nature of this publication, things change daily and we cannot take responsibility for any changes or inaccuracies that occur subsequent to going to press.

22 This Month at JB 24-26 Album reviews

JOIN STACK and enter at stack.com.au/competitions/rideables

THE ULTIMATE ELECTRIC RIDEABLES FAMILY FUNPACK! FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN PRIZE INCLUDES: a Segway Ninebot GoKart Complete kit (Includes Ninebot S Pro), a Benelli Bravo eBike and a Unagi Scooter Model One TOTAL VALUE $ 5,897 RRP

Important information: Each state and territory in Australia has a different set of rules and regulations pertaining to the usage of e-scooters, e-boards and e-bikes (including where e-scooters, e-boards and e-bikes can legally be used and whether these products need to be registered with the relevant road traffic authority). Any user of this product must ensure that they check and abide by their local by-laws and use responsibly. Ride with caution and always wear a helmet and protective gear when riding your e-scooter or e-bike.

ALREADY A MEMBER? Enter now and view full competition details at stack.com.au/competitions/rideables Terms and conditions apply at stack.com.au/terms-and-conditions

THIS MONTH at

EXTRAS

visit stack.com.au

DVD BEST-SELLERS for JULY 2021

STACK’s ROVING REPORTER

What’s your all-time favourite film and TV series, and why?

Avengers: Infinity War would probably be my all- time favourite movie, and also the first Conjuring film – it’s such a perfect horror movie. That was the one that got me into horror films and paranormal investigations and that sort of thing. TV series – New Girl is a great show! I really connected to the characters and I remember binge-watching the whole series.

RHYS PROSSER @ JB Midland Central, WA

1 Godzilla vs. Kong 2 Tom and Jerry 3 Nobody 4 Greenland 5 Great White 6 Zack Snyder’s Justice League 7 The Boys: S2 8 Supernatural: S15 9 Raya and the Last Dragon 10 Wonder Woman 1984

What’s the best thing about working in movies at JB?

What have you been watching lately that you would recommend?

I love seeing all the new movies, music and TV series that are coming in.

I’m watching DC Legends of Tomorrow – it’s an awesome show! I’m actually making a short online series of my own, based around time travel and different realities, and Legends of Tomorrow is about the same thing and has been very inspiring.

BLU-RAY BEST-SELLERS

Which film do you recall seeing as a child that had a lasting impact on you?

for JULY 2021

Not so much from when I was a kid, but a few years ago – Avengers: Infinity War . I remember exactly when I was there and what I was feeling when I first watched it. I’ve always loved superhero movies and that one had a huge impact on me.

1 Godzilla vs. Kong 2 Nobody

3 Zack Snyder’s Justice League 4 The Last Dance (Limited Edition) 5 The Boys: S2 6 Wonder Woman 1984 7 Tom and Jerry 8 His Dark Materials: S2 9 Great White 10 Batman: The Long Halloween, Part 1

Do you collect movies andTV shows?

I’ve had a big DVD and Blu-ray collection since I was really young. I have an addiction to buying stuff, I think. There’s nothing like owning physical media – I’ve got around 150–200 discs.

Visit https://www.jbhifi.com.au/pages/fast-and-furious-9 to enter and for full terms & conditions. Competition closes 11:59pm 29th August 2021 (AEST).

NEW TO DVD

AUGUST 11

WHILE STOCKS LAST

Mild themes, mild violence, scary scenes

Mature themes

S E A S O N 23

T H E C O L L E C T I O N

S E A S O N 24

T H E C O L L E C T I O N

NEW TO DVD

NEW TO BLU-RAY TM

AUGUST 25

WHILE STOCKS LAST

Mature themes, violence and coarse language

Coarse language

CINEMA FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

STACK gets the lowdown on The Suicide Squad reboot from director James Gunn and his cast. Words Gill Pringle

G uardians of the Galaxy director-writer James Gunn had a very clear vision of how to reboot the titular DC characters for The Suicide Squad , deftly separating it from David Ayer’s 2016 PG-13 Suicide Squad and prepping the audience for a very different ensemble of incarcerated supervillains in his new (US) R-rated version. Co-producer Peter Safran had no doubt that Gunn was the man for the job: “I remember the first time James pitched the idea and we learned that one of the primary characters would be a 200ft pink starfish. Once you get over that and you’ve bought in on the starfish, everything else is fair game,” he laughs. Given the green light to make the movie of his own fantastical imagination, Gunn set about ensuring that his own take on The Suicide

Boomerang, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag and Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller serve among the few holdovers from Ayer's original film, Gunn trawling for obscure DC comic book characters to flesh out his new iteration. “I knew I wanted to bring Harley and Boomer back, but there were other characters I also wanted to use. I literally plugged into Google, ‘Who is the dumbest supervillain of all time?’ and Polka-Dot Man always came up near the top, so being able to take a character like that and give him heart was fun for me. “I love rats, so Rat Catcher was an easy one. I wrote Bloodsport for Idris [Elba] because I wanted to work with him, so it didn’t matter who the character was, it was more like, ‘Let’s find a character obscure enough that we can build our own cinematic creation for

Squad would never be accused of being dull. “If it’s the same boring three-act structure every time, people will be bored. I felt a sense of magic and purpose and destiny the whole time we were making the movie,” he tells STACK . Gunn’s take on The Suicide Squad has already been described as hilarious, gory, unpredictable and completely insane, and STACK cannot disagree. Clearly the same can be said about this cast while shooting the film at Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios and on location in Panama. “This is a beautiful dysfunctional family,” says Alice Braga, who plays revolutionary leader Sol Soria, one of the few non super-powered cast members. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney’s

AUGUST 2021

jbhifi.com.au

FEATURE CINEMA

Idris Elba and director James Gunn

She’s either been very committed to Mr. J or just fresh out of a break-up with Mr. J, and James inserted a lot of funny potential love interests throughout the film, which don’t always end well, obviously,” she warns. Pitting John Cena’s

[which] makes for some unique moments,” says Cena, whose Peacemaker costume – featuring a pair of snug-fitting “tighty whities” – created much debate and hilarity on set. Casting Sly Stallone as King Shark was perhaps Gunn’s most audacious hire. Ask Stallone how he relates to his character, he says, “I like that he’s on a high-protein diet, it works for muscle definition. And I think he’s actually more intelligible than I am. He has less of a slur. “I’m a big fan of seafood but when I was offered this I thought, ‘Oh well, how do I pass on this?’ I would have preferred to play a grouper, but I’ll take what I can get,” he deadpans. Gunn talks us through how he baited the Rambo and Rocky star: “I called him and said, ‘Sly! I wrote this role for you!’ And he goes, ‘What is it?’ And I said, ‘It’s a really stupid shark!’” Stallone has the last word: “It’s great and I appreciate it. I owe you James. In the next Rambo, you’re the next victim, for sure.”

Peacemaker against Elba’s Bloodsport proved a genius move: “When you read the script, you see the natural rivalry between John and I and the natural dynamics of the whole team,” explains Elba. While both actors became fast friends on set, Cena revelled in their onscreen rivalry. “James cast a very wide net and everyone’s superhero personalities are distinctly

Idris,’” reveals Gunn, who has populated his movie with a host of forgotten DC characters including Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark, Nathan Fillion’s T.D.K and Mayling Ng’s Mongal. Marking her third outing

as Harley Quinn, Margot Robbie tells us, “I loved getting to play a Harley who is in the mindset of ‘single and ready to mingle’. I haven’t played that version of Harley before.

definable, except for Bloodsport and Peacemaker. They’re of the same skill set and that really fuels their one-upmanship. They both want to battle for that alpha position

FURTHER VIEWING

The Suicide Squad is in cinemas on August 5

CINEMA FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

takes tourists on cruises in his old boat, and very much like the ride at Disneyland, he tells stories and has set up all of these gimmicks to get money from the people on the cruise. “With Lily, we meet her in a sort of Indiana Jones-esque set piece, in which she steals something from the Society of Explorers in London. It’s an action-packed, comedy-filled piece. And that kind of sets the tone of both characters, and the audience gets the feeling that those two characters are going to meet and their personalities are going to clash,” explains the director best known for helming Liam Neeson action thrillers Unknown , Non-Stop , and The Commuter . Ask Blunt her favourite aspect of filming Jungle Cruise and she doesn’t miss a beat, replying, “Jack Whitehall”, who co-stars in the movie along with Edgar Ramirez, Jesse Plemons and Paul Giamatti. Meeting with Blunt and Johnson in Tyler Perry’s Studios in Atlanta, when STACK asks if the actors formed an instant connection, Blunt is busy replying the affirmative, only to turn around and catch Johnson silently nodding his head. “Dwayne, did you just shake your head?” she demands, taking him to task. With Blunt, in many respects, doing the heavy-lifting as Jungle Cruise ’s action heroine, she says she took the pressure off Johnson so he could, “Get fat instead of buff. He got so fat. He just let it all go,” she insists as her incredibly buff co-star doubles up with laughter. The couple are having so much fun taking the mickey out of each other, they almost forget to promote the film. Johnson finally gets back on point, telling us, “It was exciting for me to play this kind of role in this kind of film. And equally exciting that my friend here was able to take on this Indiana Jones kind of role. And especially as a woman.”

STACK caught up with playful duo Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, and director Jaume Collet-Serra, to discuss Disney’s new live-action adventure, Jungle Cruise . Words Gill Pringle

S pend even a few moments with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt and their crackling chemistry is undeniable. Blunt teases him mercilessly, while Johnson gives it right back. We are in Hepburn and Tracy territory here, or Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone , which Blunt cites as one of her all-time favourite movies, claiming to have watched it 45 times. She further taunts Johnson by revealing how the mighty tough guy that is The Rock is terrified of the jungle, pretending to forget his name and referring to him as “Dave.” Ask if there’s any romance between this adorable screen duo, she cracks, “Hey listen…You never know, right? I mean he wishes…” Blunt giggles as she describes Johnson as being the fourth choice for the role, writing begging letters to Disney, while in reality, Johnson was onboard from the very beginning, advocating for Blunt to be his leading lady. It’s surely the kind of chemistry that predicts smooth sailing at the box office for Jungle Cruise , the action-adventure film based on

Blunt agrees: “I think we both really fell in love with the dynamic between the characters because they are the antithesis of one another. And when they meet, inevitably, there’s going to be some fun chemistry, reminiscent of African Queen and Romancing the Stone , where you’ve got people who are just so polarised in their beliefs and who they are, where they come from,” she says. Collet-Serra was certainly impressed by Blunt’s willingness to rise to the challenge. “Lily was completely unafraid as a

Dwayne Johnson and director Juame Collet-Serra

character, and that was driven by Emily herself and her hunger to be in a movie like this,” he says. “She never thought that she could do all the stunts that she did, and she ended up doing all of them. “Emily enjoyed doing the action. She told me she had the best time doing this movie, because we gave her the playground and she could almost do everything that Lily could do. She really helped in developing the character and writing her own dialogue. Emily and Dwayne together were just amazing."

Disney’s oldest and most iconic ride – designed by Walt Disney himself! Set in the early 1990s in the Amazon jungle, Frank and Lily are as much opposites as the well-bred British Mary Poppins star and the former WWF wrestler and action star are in real life. And of course we all know how opposites attract. Director Jaume Collet-Serra sets up the action for us: “We meet the skipper, Frank Wolff, on an Amazon River jungle cruise. Basically, he

Jungle Cruise is in cinemas now

jbhifi.com.au

10 AUGUST 2021

SEASON 10

I NCLUDES BONUS CONTENT

SEASON 1 -10 DVD BOXSET AVA I LABL E

NEW TO BLU-RAY TM & DVD AT AUGUST 25

WHILE STOCKS LAST

High impact horror violence, blood and gore

FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER DICK WOLF

S E A S O N N I N E

SEASON 4

NEW TO DVD AT

AUGUST 25

NEW TO DVD AT

AUGUST 25

WHILE STOCKS LAST

Strong themes, medical procedures and violence

Check the Classification

FILM FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

“The idea was about extending the metaphor of parenthood to see how far you could take it exploring that natural evolution that happens when your kids leave the safety of home to go out into the world. “There’s so much more to

experience beyond the farm,” he adds. “But even though we’re greatly expanding the world and the scale of the story, the

• A Quiet Place Part II is out on Aug 11

intimacy comes from the fact that the rules remain the same. It was very creatively exciting for us to have this

When he began working on A Quiet Place in 2017, writer- director John Krasinski never imagined the film would resonate so profoundly with audiences and that two years later, he would begin production on a sequel. Words Adam Colby S et in the aftermath of an invasion by blind alien monsters that zero in on any living creature that makes a sound, A Quiet BEYOND THE SILENCE Director John Krasinski

chance to create much bigger set pieces that still feel true to the story and to the Abbott family’s inner experiences. “I always knew that by putting the sight of fires in the distance in A Quiet Place , I was hinting that there were other survivors. But I never thought I’d get the opportunity to explore who they were and build out this world. Then, once I started, it all seemed to fall into place organically.” Following the phenomenal popularity of the first film, Krasinski had the audience front of mind when crafting the sequel. “It’s not that I was going to be swayed to compromise anything for the viewers, it’s more that I felt beholden to make a movie that deserved the level of respect they had already given to us,” he explains. “I really wanted this

Place took this simple premise and transformed it into a tense and terrifying exercise in sustained suspense, focusing on a family who have managed to survive by creating a silent sanctuary in a secluded farmhouse. “Initially, I had no intention of doing a sequel to the film,” says John Krasinski. “The story was never designed to be a franchise. But the power of the world we created became the draw to delve into it further, to see where it might lead the Abbotts as a family.” A Quiet Place Part II , like all good sequels, plays as a direct continuation of the story, picking up the action mere seconds after the conclusion of the first film and then expanding upon the established milieu and its rules, as the Abbott family leave their rural refuge for the big, wide, post-apocalyptic world in search of other survivors. “That felt like an unbelievable way to continue this story,” says producer Andrew Form. “You have a mom, a tiny baby and two children – and for the first time they have to leave this protective world that Lee created to keep his family safe.” The most important aspect for Krasinski was that the sequel echo its predecessor as a visceral, sensory experience while advancing the Abbott family’s emotional journey. “After the success of A Quiet Place , I

Xxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxx xx

movie to say to our audience, ‘Thank you for going along with us on this intimate journey, and now we’ll continue that journey for you.’” He was also thrilled to return to familiar ground with the Abbott family and further shake up their world, pushing them to the next edge and watching the characters rise to the challenge. “The first film was just a small slice of what's possible in this world,” says Krasinski. “This chapter has everything you loved about the first one, but every step that Evelyn [Emily Blunt] and her children take is new to them, new to us, and that

knew there would be interest in another one, but I wanted no part of something that had the wrong intentions or didn’t feel organic. So, I was OK with another writer and director taking over. And yet, I had the beginnings of an idea in my head,” recalls Krasinski.

much more treacherous. The Abbotts have lost all their tricks for staying alive that were at the center of the first story, and for the first time since this started, they have to rely on others. It’s an even scarier time in their lives, but it’s an exhilarating journey.”

ALSO AVAILABLE

12 AUGUST 2021

jbhifi.com.au

PREMIERE AT HOME MOREMOVIES STRAIGHT TOTHE COMFORTOF YOUR COUCH!

A crew of astronauts on a multi- generational mission descend into paranoia and madness, not knowing what is real or not.

RELEASE DATE: August 4 CAST: Lily-Rose Depp, Tye Sheridan & Fionn Whitehead

In the mood for a STYLISH SCI-FI THRILLER

A rare family night for Jay takes a brutal twist when he awakens in a basement with three other prisoners. RELEASE DATE: August 11 CAST: Richard Brake, Bart Edwards & Harry Jarvis In the mood for a CAPTIVITY& SURVIVAL THRILLER Paul Hogan is reluctantly thrust back into the spotlight as he desperately attempts to restore his sullied reputation on the eve of being knighted. RELEASE DATE: August 11 CAST: Paul Hogan, John Cleese & Olivia Newton-John Inthemoodfora MODERNISEDAUSTRALIAN COMEDYCLASSIC

The true story of one young white Southerner in the Summer of 1961, caught in a place and time where he had to choose which side he was on. RELEASE DATE: August 25 CAST: Lucy Hale, Lucas Till & Lex Scott Davis In the mood for a HISTORIC BIOGRAPHY When a vigilante border patrol turns fatal, a man flees on horseback to Mexico, seeking forgiveness from the victim’s father. RELEASE DATE: August 4 CAST: George Lopez, Andie MacDowell & Jake Allyn Inthemoodforan ACTION-PACKEDADVENTURE

AVAILABLE AT

WHILE STOCKS LAST

FILM FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

• Peter Rabbit 2 is out Aug 4

Peter Rabbit 2 is certainly bigger, shifting the action from Mr. McGregor’s garden to the streets of Gloucester, where Peter and his pals create all sorts of mischief. Taking the gang into an urban environment, staging a boisterous brawl at a wedding, and creating a host of new characters were just some of the complex creative challenges for Pickard and the Animal Logic team. “Everything was bigger! With

the first one there were a few set pieces where there was a lot of interaction and the complexity rose, like the fight with McGregor in the conservatory. On the sequel, it sort of started with the wedding fight, which was huge. Pretty much the whole cast of digital animals was fighting with the humans, landing on their backs and getting thrown around. Peter kicks McGregor in the face, which was a super-hard shot to capture. And it didn’t really stop – the film just kept going and going, and so did the complexity. “ Peter Rabbit 2 was challenging for a number of reasons,” he continues. “The sheer number of characters onscreen, the amount of interaction shots, and combining the world of the Peter Rabbit characters with the new characters; it just added up. There were very few shots on the animation side where you could actually catch your breath, so it was an exciting challenge.” One of the major set pieces in the sequel sees Peter and his furry family creating havoc at a busy farmers market as they attempt to pilfer the produce, a sequence Pickard says was among the most complicated to realise. “The path the animals took through all the stalls, taking out the various farmers – there were so many little gags that had to happen. It was very complex and there was a lot of planning in advance to make all of these things work.” Just like the first film, certain Sydney locations ingeniously doubled for England, like the market set created in an old hospital. “It had a really beautiful sandstone façade around a central area,” recalls Pickard, “which worked perfectly for the set of the farmers market. “The first film was primarily shot at Centennial Park – a beautiful set with a planted garden and cottages built. And at the end of Peter Rabbit it all got torn down and they had to rebuild it exactly the same, which was incredible. And spooky – it was like returning to an old house that you knew. “What we did note on the second film was that we’d need to shoot from lots of different angles, so a lot more of the house was completed and the garden was bigger. The production values on the sequel are a lot grander.”

Yesterday the garden, today the world. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway takes Beatrix Potter’s iconic characters out of their rural comfort zone and into the big city. And once again our very own Sydney-based animation studio, Animal Logic, brings them to vivid life. Animation Director Simon Pickard talks to STACK about the challenges in crafting a bigger sequel. Words Scott Hocking

A nimal Logic did such an incredible job bringing Beatrix Potter’s beloved characters to animated life in 2018’s Peter Rabbit , it was only logical that they were back onboard for the sequel, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway .

Rabbit 2 . So, a lot of the key creative team was the same. “We had this

ALSO AVAILABLE

great starting point, I guess. We knew Will and we knew what he wanted, and we knew the

Simon Pickard

“That was something Will Gluck [director] was pretty clear on when coming back to do the sequel. A lot of directors like having a core team around them that they know and trust,” Animation Director Simon Pickard tells STACK . “We had to build that trust with Will on the first film; we got to a good place with him by the end of Peter Rabbit and he was keen to carry that relationship on for Peter

characters as well. It was a good place to be. “The team got a lot bigger on the second one,” he adds. “On the first film there were 50-60 animators, and on this one it was mid-80s, which is a big team; eight separate teams all working on different scenes at once. It was a lot more challenging and a bigger film to manage, so it was great that we had that grounding from the first film.”

See more from Animal Logic on the VFX of Peter Rabbit 2 at stack.com.au

14 AUGUST 2021

jbhifi.com.au

“EXHILARATING WITHOUT A SINGLE WASTED MOMENT.”

- Johnny Oleksinski, NEW YORK POST

NEW TO BLU-RAY TM & DVD AT AUGUST 11

Strong themes, violence and coarse language

WHILE STOCKS LAST

NEW TO BLU-RAY TM & DVD AT AUGUST 25

WHILE STOCKS LAST

High impact violence, blood and gore

FILM FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

perspective on your own life, seeing the Earth from that distance.” Talking about his intriguing script, he says, “I didn’t write it to be a version of Lord of the Flies but once I got through a draft, I realised that some of the scenes were undeniable. At that point I could have either run away from that and removed all those Lord of the Flies connections, or I could lean into it. So, I decided to lean into it because I loved the book. I thought it was an important cultural reference for the movie,” explains Burger, no stranger to working with young casts having directed Divergent . “I had the idea for this a while before I did Divergent so, in a way, that was probably one of the reasons I did that film because I was interested in the idea of young people in these crisis situations.” His original idea for Voyagers was quite simple: “I built the story about young people confined on a spacecraft. Who are they and why are they there? And then I thought about these ideas of artificial insemination and if we want to get to this distant planet, who would be willing to go on this one-way trip? So, I thought of these young people as the first generation of a multi-generational journey to the unknown.” As father to a 19 and 22-year-old, Burger looked no further than home to get inside the mindset. “It’s a constant consultation with them and I learn so much from them and what they’re going through and how they evolve; what choices they make under certain kinds of pressure. It’s a case study in and of itself.” On set, he describes himself as a “lenient father” to his cast. “I give them a long leash because I want to see what they’re going to come up with. I’m very specific about what the scene is, so I nudge them into place and then let them run.” In the film’s earlier scenes, his task was much more difficult, as the young cast must appear emotionally stilted, almost autonomic. “It was hard work to take that youthful vitality out of them,” says Burger, who had his cast do meditation sessions where they learned to become still and quieten their energy. Launching his career directing commercials, Burger – who went on to direct Limitless , The Illusionist and The Upside – found himself in

• Voyagers is out on Aug 4

Writer-director Neil Burger discusses his new young adult sci-fi thriller, Voyagers , with STACK . Words Gill Pringle

E nlisting the cream of Fionn Whitehead ( Dunkirk ), Tye Sheridan ( Ready Player One ) and Isaac Hempstead Wright ( Game of Thrones ) amongst many others – writer-director Neil Burger blasted off with his cast for a once-in-a- lifetime experience in his new sci-fi thriller, Voyagers . With the future of the human race at stake, this crew of young men and women, bred for intelligence and obedience, embark Hollywood’s young talent – Lily-Rose Depp ( The King ),

Director Neil Burger andTye Sheridan on set

power, and the thrilling euphoria that goes with that experience.” A kind of Lord of the Flies in space, Burger spent months prepping his starkly visual set, all of the scenes taking place onboard a spacecraft bound for a new planet, even visiting Elon Musk’s SpaceX factory for inspiration. “We were allowed to hang out with the engineers and see what they were working on, literally designing and manufacturing the

on an expedition to colonise a distant planet. But when they uncover disturbing secrets about the mission, they defy their training and begin to explore their most primitive natures. As life on the ship descends into chaos, they’re consumed by fear, lust, and the insatiable hunger for power. “It’s about human nature in a vacuum – who we are at our core,” Burger tells STACK . “And about a group of extraordinary young people waking up to sensual desires, to freedom, to

rockets. It was impressive and so interesting to learn about next generation propulsion and space habitats,” says Burger, who longs to visit space. “It would be very powerful to have that

the employ of one of the pioneers of space exploration fantasy, Ridley Scott. The irony is not lost on him that he is now helming his own space thriller, but unfortunately, he never got to discuss the genre with Scott. “I was working at the company he owned but Ridley was doing

his own work, so he wasn’t around that often. Obviously, he is incredible and a massive influence.”

FURTHER VIEWING

16 AUGUST 2021

jbhifi.com.au

BONUS FEATURES • FINDING YOUR SPIRIT • DELETED SCENES • SING-ALONG VIDEOS • AND MORE • SNACK TIME - S’MORES

NEW TO BLU-RAY TM & DVD

NEW TO DVD

AUGUST 25

AUGUST 11

WHILE STOCKS LAST

Coarse language

Mild themes, mild violence, scary scenes

B A S E D O N I N C R E D I B L E T R U E E V E N T S

TONI COLLETTE DAMIAN LEWIS

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHAMPION

“TONI COLLETTE IS ALL HEART ” WOMAN

NEW TO DVD

AUGUST 4

NEW TO DVD

AUGUST 11

WHILE STOCKS LAST

Mature themes and violence

Mild themes and coarse languge

FILM FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

lot of intensity and colour to this film. “It’s a tough role, so if you get a kid that’s too young and too emotional, who can’t handle me, as Hannah, messing with him and swearing at him and pushing him, then it’s brutal. Everything that we do to him in the course of the film would be too much. “On the other hand,” she continues, “if you get a kid who’s too confident or cool or cocky or polished, it’s not as emotional for the audience. Finn was right in the middle, and he just walked in and that was it. “Finn is a very robust child and he can access his emotions. It’s clear that he’s going to have a career, he is so professional. I think people will really respond to him in this film and feel for him and care about his character.” While Little’s Connor is traumatised

STACK caught up with the stars of the blazing new action-thriller ThoseWhoWish Me Dead , Angelina Jolie and Finn Little. Words Gill Pringle

A t the age of 15, Brisbane actor Finn Little has already chalked up a fair share of celebrity co-stars after making his film debut three years earlier alongside Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush and Jai Courtney in the Storm Boy remake. However, starring opposite Angelina Jolie in Taylor Sheridan’s tense action-thriller, Those Who Wish Me Dead , was something else altogether. Sharing most of his scenes with Jolie, Little wasn’t sure what to expect when he

immediately get into her role of Hannah, who is a very different person. Hannah is not a motherly figure,” he says of Jolie’s character, a highly-skilled “smokejumper”, still haunted by her failure to save three lives from a fire. No stranger to the action- thriller genre with her roles in Salt , Wanted and Mr & Mrs Smith , Jolie trained hard to play this elite firefighter. Often thought of as the “special forces” of firefighting, smokejumpers are specially trained wildland firefighters who provide an initial attack response on remote wildland

• Those Who Wish Me Dead is out on Aug 11

by recent experiences, the actor relished the scenes of pure action. “We had some really great stunts with swimming and stuff. I loved every scene with Angelina and it just got more and more exciting. I think the most fun was jumping off the fire tower. The stuntmen built this massive rig and I jumped on top of her and we slid down this rope, which was a great thrill.” “My instinct with children is to listen,” says Jolie, “but Hannah doesn’t have any children and really doesn’t have any maternal instincts. She swears too much, she says inappropriate things; she’s perhaps the worst person to end up with a child. To put a person like that with a kid who needs her to save him… She has no faith in herself that she can do that, so throughout the film, she is forced to stay alive because of him. Connor and Hannah have to go through the fire, both emotionally and practically, if they have any chance of coming

flew to Montana to shoot this fast- paced flick about a boy on the run from relentless hitmen, trapped in a forest wildfire with nowhere to turn. But Jolie, herself a mum, immediately put him at ease. “I didn’t know what to expect but she’s actually really fun and humble and nice,”

fires. They are inserted at the site of the fire by parachute and, in addition to performing the initial attack on wildfires, often provide leadership for extended attacks on wildfires. Impressed by her young co-star, Jolie says, “Finn plays Connor, the kid at the centre of our film, who is traumatised and alone

Little tells STACK from his home in Brisbane. “She’s a great screen partner and we had some great times together.” If Jolie was like a

and ends up with Hannah. Connor and Hannah are a very strange pair. You put these two damaged

people together, with the sense of urgency as

mother to him on set then as soon as the cameras started rolling, it was very different. “She would

things happen, and that adds a

out the other side together. But Taylor [Sheridan] gave me significant direction to stop mothering and be tough,” she laughs.

Xxxxxx

FURTHER VIEWING

18 AUGUST 2021

jbhifi.com.au

FILM FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

the paper until you’re on the set and she’s chained to a real stuntman. We actually had a dummy built but it just didn’t look realistic at all, the way she was moving it and everything. We ended up relying on a stuntman, so unfortunately that meant she was dragging a real person around for the whole movie,” laughs Dale. “You know she really embraced it. I think I went in expecting a little bit more pushback from her, and the stuntman having to be pulled along all these different surfaces half naked.” With the dead husband’s body being a pivotal part of the story, Dale elaborates further on the concept, giving credit to the degree of commitment given by those involved. “I just can’t believe how incredible they were. They just embraced it. The way they actually commit themselves to each stunt – there’s a sequence where he falls down the stairs and he goes tumbling down, and to me it was incredible because he has to fight every urge in his body not to tense up, and to stay dead for the whole roll down there. I don’t know how he did it, but he nailed it!” Co-starring as a mysterious criminal who arrives at the lake house is Aussie actor Callan Mulvey ( Avengers: Endgame ), whose

FOX-TRAP Things get nasty for Megan Fox in the chilling new thriller Till Death . Australian filmmaker S.K. Dale chats with STACK about the physical challenges faced by his star during production. Words Glenn Cochrane

own personal story of an infamous car accident in 2003 (which led to him losing an eye and suffering facial scars) played into his character, adding fortuitous authenticity to the role. As it was, the script had always featured his character with a missing eye, as Dale explains. “Yeah it was always in the story and it was one of those things that, I think, having him come onboard added a sense of reality to it.” Moreover, Dale recalls a particularly terrifying moment towards the end of production when a scene required Mulvey to be stabbed in the other eye. “I will say that one of the most intense things to direct was the sequence under the water where we have someone stabbing him in the eye. And that was scary because he said to me, ‘I’ve only got one left so let’s get this right!’” he laughs. “When it happened, the way he was screaming underwater, I thought we had really damaged his eye and I jumped out of my chair and ran over to the water tank. And he came swimming up and said, ‘That felt a bit fake didn’t it?’ I said, ‘Actually, I legitimately thought we had blinded you’, so I was really happy with that performance.”

T ill Death is a chiller in every sense of the term. Set predominantly beside a frozen lake in the midst of winter, it tells the story of an unhappy wife (Megan Fox) whose marriage is on the rocks. Blindfolded by her husband (Eoin Macken) and driven to their lake house, the scene is set for a romantic rekindling. However, following a night of passion she wakes up handcuffed to her husband, who shoots himself in the head, leaving her tethered to his corpse, trapped and unable to escape… Cue an elaborate set-up, bad guys and a sophisticated revenge plot, and it’s safe to say that there is more than meets the eye to this taught and gripping thriller, the feature debut of Aussie filmmaker S.K. Dale.

Callan Mulvey

Xxxxx xxx xxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxx xx

how we were going to execute it.” With the degree of macabre and dark humour you’d find in an Alfred Hitchcock film or a Stephen King story, it could be argued that Till Death serves as an allegory for marriage. And with a wry sense of humour, Dale has Megan Fox caked in blood and shackled to a lifeless body for the entire duration of the film, resulting in one of the most unique and physically demanding performances of the year. “The physicality of this role… you don’t really think about it on

Speaking with STACK , Dale reflects on the film’s origins and how the script was part of a Hollywood shortlist. “Jason Carvey wrote the screenplay and it actually made the ‘Blood List’ in America, which is the black list they have for the best unproduced screenplays for horror films. And the production company saw it, picked it up, and then started searching for a director. “I think they were searching for about a year until I got on the phone with them and we just had the same idea about what the film was and the tone, and the visuals and

• Till Death is out on Aug 4

20 AUGUST 2021

jbhifi.com.au

“a thoroughly engrossing edge-of-your-seat experience” ROGEREBERT.COM

“refreshingly twisted” BLU-RAY.COM

ON BLU-RAY & DVD AUGUST 4 AT

While stocks last.

FROM TH E D I RECTOR OF ROGUE

PHILIP WINCHESTER

REBECCA ROMIJN

JERRY 0’CONNELL

ON BLU-RAY & DVD AUGUST 4 AT

While stocks last.

ON DVD AUGUST 4 AT

While stocks last.

FILM FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

One of David Lynch's most elusive films gets a special edition release from the boutique Blu-ray label this month, along with classics from directors Terrence Malick and Gus Van Sant. Words Scott Hocking NEWFROM IMPRINT FILMS

featurettes, and ' Chinese Box Home Movies' featurette. Jack Nicholson goes for broke in As Good As It Gets (1997), playing neurotic romance writer Melvin Udall, whose obnoxious demeanour softens when his neighbour (Greg Kinnear) is hospitialised and requires a dog- sitter, and a budding relationship develops with a waitress (an Oscar-winning Helen Hunt). Director James L. Brooks ( Terms of Endearment ) deftly orchestrates the interplay between these three characters, but the film ultimately belongs to Jack, who claimed the Best Actor Oscar for his ferocious performance. Extras include audio commentary by Brooks and the cast, featurette, visual essay and isolated score. Revered filmmaker Terrence Malick ( The Tree of Life ) delivers a measured, poetic and intricate drama in his 1978 masterpiece, its wealthy owner of his fortune. Renowned for its Oscar-winning cinematography, the Blu-ray features a stunning HD restoration supervised by the director, and extras include an audio commentary by film scholar Adrian Martin, featurettes, and a visual essay. Double Jeopardy (1999) teams Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones in a slick crime- thriller predicated on the legal loophole of the title, which prohibits someone from being prosecuted twice for the same crime. Check out our interview with Australian director Bruce Beresford on page 24 for more. • The new Imprint range will be available with slipcases and unique artwork for a limited time only (while stocks last) on August 25 PRE-ORDER NOW Days of Heaven . Richard Gere and Brooke Adams play an outlaw couple who take a job on a farm and hatch a plan to relieve

local Blu-ray from a restored 4K master and extras include a new audio commentary by film critic Peter Tonguette, new producer and editor featurettes, a visual essay, and featurettes on the production design and score. One of the hot indie films of the late eighties, Drugstore Cowboy (1989) saw Matt Dillon shed his teen heartthrob image to play a junkie who robs drugstores with his dysfunctional clan of fellow addicts. When tragedy strikes

The Straight Story (1999)

A rarity on local home The Straight Story (1999) is one of director David Lynch's most atypical and accessible films – don't go into this one expecting the entertainment formats for the last two decades,

the group, it provides the catalyst he needs to give it all up. Directed by Gus Van Sant ( Good Will Hunting ), this is

a gritty look at the highs and lows of drug abuse as well as a blackly humorous road movie. Dillon

requisite weirdness synonymous with the cult filmmaker. This charming dramatisation of true events follows eccentric old timer Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) on a 350-mile cross-country journey through America's midwest to reconcile with his estranged –

is backed up by a strong supporting cast including Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham, and Naked Lunch author William S. Burroughs. Extras include a vintage making-of documentary; new featurettes on

and gravely ill – brother (Harry Dean Stanton). What makes this a good fit for Lynch is that Alvin makes the long trip on a ride-on lawnmower, dispensing wit and wisdom to those he encounters along the way. The film makes its welcome debut on

the film's director, composer and writer; and a visual essay by filmmaker Chris O' Neill.

Set against the turbulent backdrop of Hong Kong's transition from British rule to the People's Republic of China, Chinese Box (1997) follows the romance

Drugstore Cowboy (1989)

between a British journalist (Jeremy Irons) and a bartender (Gong Li) who is engaged to a wealthy businessman (Michael Hui). Directed by Wayne Wang ( The Joy Luck Club ), it's both a powerful political allegory and character-driven drama that captures a pivotal moment in history. The Blu- ray features a new 2K restoration and extras include an audio commentary by Wayne Wang and critic Roger Garcia, new director and composer

22 AUGUST 2021

jbhifi.com.au

OUT AUG 18

Including all 6 seasons plus 5 made-for TV movies.

From the Producers of Walking With Dinosaurs

This Complete DVD Collection includes exclusive Bonus Blu-ray disc featuring the pilot episode!

The Cult Series that inspired the X Files.

OUT AUG 18

OUT AUG 4

OUT AUG 18

OUT AUG 4

This collector’s set features episodes 533 to 666 across 34 discs.

Featuring the first 59 episodes plus the unaired Pilot.

Produced by the ABC, this 2-part miniseries stars Richard Roxburgh.

Produced by John Edwards (Offspring) and Mimi Butler (Paper Giants).

OUT AUG 18

OUT AUG 4

Five maritime themed films from the golden age of Hollywood.

From the universe of the Jerry Bruckheimer Bad Boys franchise.

4 more thrilling films from Hollywood legend Alan Ladd .

6 Disc set with 5 of the films never before released in Australia!

OUT AUG 25

OUT AUG 4

Digitally restored from the original 35mm elements with new Special Features.

Seasons 1-5 + exclusive audio commentaries with George Cole and producers!

This Collection brings together all 4 digitally restored series, original pilot REGAN , and the 2 big-screen feature films Sweeney! and Sweeney 2.

All 73 episodes of the BBC series plus 2 feature-length Christmas Specials!

Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109

Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs