STACK #210 Apr 2022

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ISSUE 210 Apr ’22

STACK Issue 210 APRIL 2022 “You think your fancy new suit’s gonna save you?”

INSIDE: •THE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MANMOVIE! •THE NEXT GENERATION OF GHOSTBUSTERS

ISSUE 210

Apr ’22

ISSUE 210 Apr ’22

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GAMING

How to capture the perfect experience on camera INSIDE

Top Tech for Mother’s Day PLUS

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 210 APR 2022

MOVIES & TV 6 Take 5 8 Spider-Man: No Way Home 10 Ghostbusters: Afterlife 12 Jackass Forever 14 King Richard 16 The Addams Family 2 17 Wyrmwood: Apocalypse 18 New from Imprint Films 20 The 355

WELCOME

Weaving threads from past Spider-Man films into the webslinger’s latest big-screen adventure proved to be a Marvel masterstroke – Spider-Man: No Way Home is not only the ultimate Spidey movie, but it also currently holds sixth position on the all-time global box office chart,

22 Out This Month 24 New on 4K UHD GAMING 30 Take 5/Game Changers! 31 Fast Forward/Q5 32 LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 34 Nintendo Switch Sports 35 Take your racing to the next level! 36 Accessorise Now! 38 STACK Recommends 40 Out this month LIFE TECH 42 Intro 44-54 Capturing the experience on camera 56-62 Picking the right dash cam 64 The new Bose Soundlink Flex Bluetooth speaker 68 Fresh smartwatches arrive from Huawei 70-78 Our Mother’s Day Gift Guide 80 What’s new MUSIC FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 4-9 The Music Room: interviews with Confidence Man and more 10 STACK Record Club 12-13 Cover feature: Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me , 20th anniversary reissues 14 AlbumTales: Portishead’s Dummy (1994)

having grossed over US$1.8 billion. This one sees Peter Parker finally understanding the importance of that old adage, “with great power comes great responsibility.” It’s been 20 years since the release of Norah Jones’s first studio album, Come Away with Me , so what better time to look back at the story behind this seminal debut. We also shoot the breeze with Oz dance-angels Confidence Man and Isle of Wight oddballs Wet Leg, put Portishead’s Dummy on a pedestal, and take a fine-toothed comb to the first of Jack White’s releases this year. A guide to capturing that special experience on-camera is where Life Tech begins in April before we take a deep dive into dash cams and pull together some cracking tech gift ideas for Mother’s Day. And in games, we venture to a blocky galaxy far, far away in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga , get nostalgic for Wii as Nintendo Switch Sports hits, and rev up for Australian Grand Prix month with tips on how to take your racing gaming to the next level. 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

Social Media Manager Glenn Cochrane Production Manager Craig Patterson Correspondence STACK 33 Jessie Street, Richmond, VIC 3121

Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Bob Jones, Gill Pringle Contributors Bryget Chrisfield, Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira, Adam Colby, Bec Summer, Dan Nicholson, Alex Deutrom

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, 2022 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.

16 This Month at JB 17-18 Album reviews

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EXTRAS

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BEST-SELLERS in MARCH 2022

STACK’s ROVING REPORTER

What’s one of your all-time favourite movies, and why?

DVD

1 Dune (2021) 2 Venom: Let There Be Carnage 3 No Time to Die 4 The King’s Man 5 Eternals 6 Last Night in Soho 7 Doctor Who: Season 17 8 Batman: The Complete Series 9 Encanto 10 West Side Story (2021) 1 Dune (2021) 2 The King’s Man 3 Venom: Let There Be Carnage 4 No Time to Die 5 Eternals 6 Encanto 7 West Side Story (2021) 8 Boss Baby: Family Business 9 Brooklyn Nine-Nine: S8 10 Last Night in Soho BLU-RAY

As hard as it is to pick just one, I would have to go with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World . As someone who loves music, gaming and pop culture, it almost feels like this movie was made for me!

TAYLA LAPIC @ JB West Lakes, SA

What’s one of your all-time favouriteTV series, and why?

What’s the best thing about working at JB?

Broad City . This criminally underrated sitcom has made me laugh more than any other I’ve seen. Would have to be the best sitcom of the 2010s in my opinion. Definitely a must-watch!

Getting to know so many people from all walks of life and across all generations that I probably otherwise wouldn’t have!

What have you been watching lately that you would recommend?

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

With its recent DVD/Blu-ray re-release, I picked up a copy of Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence , which had been recommended to me many times. I love a film with a great soundtrack and Ryuichi Sakamoto doesn’t disappoint in this one, both as a composer and actor.

As a lifelong fan of The Simpsons , one of the fondest memories I have from my childhood is going to see The Simpsons Movie on the day of its release. All the hype surrounding the movie’s release is something I will never forget.

MOVIE FEATURE

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STACK ’S TOP 3

MOVIES

1. SPIDER-MAN 2 A rare sequel that’s better than the original, and featuring arguably the greatest villain in the cinematic Spider-Verse – Doc Ock, played to perfection by Alfred Molina. Still the best Spider-Man film to date, and one of the all- time best superhero/comic book movies.

2. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Weaving threads from all the

previous Spider-Man movies into the MCU version is a masterstroke. Many of the returning characters are better utilised here than in

their respective films, while others remind us just how great they were. 3. SPIDER-MAN Back before superhero movies were a thing, Sam

A veritable greatest hits package from the Sony and Marvel Spider-Verse that reintroduces old friends and foes, Spider-Man: NoWay Home might well be the ultimate Spider-Man movie. A fter Alfred Molina (Doc Ock) was spotted at an Atlanta restaurant while the oh-so-top-secret

Raimi delivered a dynamic live-action Spidey flick that remains a fine example of the genre – and a lot better than you remember it being. Tom Holland has since nailed the Peter Parker persona, making it easy to forget how good Tobey Maguire is in the title role.

Spider-Man: No Way Home was filming at nearby Pinewood Studios last year, Spidey fans took note, concluding that the new film might feature further former villains. With the news leaking just weeks ahead of the film’s global release, Sony Studios was alarmed. But did the early reveal hurt the box office? Absolutely not! Spider-Man: No Way Home has

multiverse, not everyone is a foe – notably former Spideys Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. The 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: No Way Home also sees the return of Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan, Tony Revolori’s Flash Thompson and J.K. Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson, the balding Oscar-winner quipping, “I’m glad to be yet again doing the new, less follicly-endowed version of J. Jonah Jameson. He’s a fun guy for audiences to identify with, the guy you love to hate.” Holland couldn’t help but geek out as the “secret cast” showed up on set. “As an actor and as a fan of Spider-Man, it was exciting to see them don their costumes again and get back into character,” he says. “It was also really exciting to see how Alfred was blown away by the advancement in technology and how these kinds of movies had changed. “When he made Spider- Man 2 , his arms were

• Spider-Man: No Way Home is out on Apr 13

as well as for his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and BF Ned (Jacob Batalon). “Spider-Man’s biggest superpower is Peter Parker, and that’s because of his humility,” argues Holland. “When that is at stake, his friends are at stake, his aunt is at stake, their lives have been ruined because of him, he knows he has to do something. “What I love – and this is a constant reminder of how young Peter is – is the naiveté of him going to Doctor Strange and saying, ‘Can you just make everyone forget who I am, is that something you can do?’ And that’s something only a kid would do.” Strange’s spell goes disastrously wrong, resulting in the re-emergence of dangerous foes from alternate universes, including Jamie

already taken close to US$2 billion worldwide, making it the sixth-highest grossing film of all time – and certainly the most successful film in Spider-Man history. With Peter Parker (Tom Holland) now in his final year of high school and the eyes of the world on him, it’s clear that No Way Home marks the final chapter in his coming-of-age trilogy. “In the previous films, Peter really has been the spider-boy, and this film is about him becoming the Spider-Man,” says Holland

who, at 25, was more than ready for Spidey graduation. “It’s about him growing up, stepping up to the plate, and making his own decisions as a full-blown Avenger. After Peter’s identity was revealed at the end of

puppets – he had four or five guys moving him around. This time, he was on a toothpick rig, which is a platform on a pole with a huge weight on the end. He can stand on the end and they can move him around. It was like seeing a kid in a candy shop.”

Foxx’s Electro, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, Rhys Ifans’ Lizard

2019’s Spider-Man: Far from Home , he asks Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help in restoring his secret,

and Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman, joined by Molina’s Doc Ock. But in this new

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busting,’” he laughs. “I don’t think my father ever expected me to come to him with a Ghostbusters story. We had

clearly gone on our own storytelling paths, and I thought of myself as an independent filmmaker.” Roughly ten years ago, Jason’s experience of being “the world’s first Ghostbusters fan” raised its spectral head, as he was struck with a vision of a very specific character. “It was a 12-year-old girl who finds a proton pack in a barn and, like many ideas I’ve had, I didn’t know why it just showed up,” he says. However, it was only after Harold Ramis’s death in 2014 that Jason suddenly knew who this girl was... she would be Egon Spengler’s granddaughter! "That was the story I wanted to tell – the story of a kid who finds this proton pack and discovers who she is, what her legacy is, and why she’s unique,” he says of McKenna Grace’s 12-year-old Phoebe

Director Jason Reitman follows his famous father, Ivan, into the world of ghostbusting and marshmallow men with new sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife . W ho ya gonna call… again? Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace prove they’re FAMILY BUSINESS

• Ghostbusters: Afterlife is out on Apr 6

ready to answer that call, facing down ghosts, ghouls and supernatural scares in Ghostbusters: Afterlife . Let’s just ignore Melissa McCarthy’s 2016 box office bomb (aside from the film’s one redeeming factor, Chris Hemsworth), because Afterlife is clearly the film that Ghostbusters fans really wanted.

who, unlike older brother Trevor, struggles to fit in anywhere. Phoebe takes after her grandfather in being a bit awkward while possessing a brilliant scientific mind, finding a bond with her new science teacher (Paul Rudd). There’s no doubt that Afterlife is a Jason Reitman Ghostbusters story, honouring the franchise that came before it while also pointing to the future. “I wanted to make a movie that was as much for my father as it was for my daughter; a generational story about a single mom with two kids who don’t know their identity and find out that they are quite special,” says Jason. “The script really made me cry the first time I read it. It captured the spirit and joyfulness of the first movie,” noted Ivan prior to the film’s

when his father brought him to the set of Ghostbusters in 1984. “I remember being on the top of Dana’s apartment building,” he recalls. “Before anyone knew what a terror dog was or what a proton pack was, I was watching a stunt man get pelted with shaving cream as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man exploded. I went home with a little piece of marshmallow man that sat on my shelf all the way through high school.” Consequently, the director couldn’t resist revisiting the Marshmallow Man in Afterlife – although perhaps that should read Marshmallow Men … Growing up in the family

A distant sequel to the 1984 original, Afterlife follows Coon’s single mum, the daughter of original Ghostbuster Egon Spengler (portrayed by the late Harold Ramis in the original and its 1989 sequel). Fresh out of options when she inherits her estranged father’s farm, she moves her kids (Wolfhard and Grace) to Oklahoma where they begin to unravel their family history and set about finishing their grandfather’s work, despite their mother’s reluctance. Combining franchise revival with nostalgia, the film is peppered with cameos from fan favourites, with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver all reprising their characters from the earlier films. Ghostbusters: Afterlife feels especially poignant given how it represents a passing of the torch from Ivan Reitman, who directed the original, to his son Jason, already an Oscar- nominated director with critically acclaimed films like Juno and Up in the Air . With Ivan serving as producer, the nostalgia value of Afterlife became bittersweet following his death, aged 75, in February of this year. Jason Reitman was just six years old

business, Jason was drawn to depict the comedy of intimate family relationships within his work, a very different style to his father’s often outrageous comedic approach in hit films like Kindergarten Cop and Twins . Thus, over the years, whenever Jason was asked if he would ever make a Ghostbusters movie, he’d poke at that difference wryly: “I think I said, ‘There would be no

release. “Jason had a real sense of where he wanted to go in bringing his vision to a big scale movie like Ghostbusters . To funnel a family story through the large, world-saving concept of Ghostbusters seemed like a good thing.”

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bit more and takes a little longer to heal, but I think everybody coped really well,” says Pontius. “I mean, Knoxville got a pretty bad head injury on this, and there's a bit where we all get knocked off a horse treadmill. I think I definitely

got a concussion on that one,” he laughs. “That was bad. It was worse than it looks.” With some of the original players deciding to skip this one, the opportunity arose to introduce new talent like Rachel Wolfson, Zach Holmes and Sean “Poopies” McInerney – each of whom bring young blood to the mix as well as their own levels of outrageousness. Whether it's big guy Zach belly flopping into a cactus bush, surfer dude Poopies kissing a rattlesnake, or Rachel taking multiple scorpion stings to the lips, the boundaries these newcomers push is truly eye watering. While the new gang is most welcome, Pontius does admit that the original crew is still very precious about their work. “We're all very competitive and when the idea of bringing on new people first came about we were like, ‘No, we don't want anybody else.’ But then we were open to the idea and we got together for test filming and they just fit in great. “Poopies just seemed like he was meant to be with us all along. He's so dimwitted,” he offers wryly, “in the best way. He's so funny and loveable, and he's up for anything. I think he has the smallest penis of the group, too.” Speaking of nether regions, we simply had to ask about the epic opening sequence, which has Chris's ‘most valuable asset’ painted green and wreaking Godzilla-like havoc on city streets. With an actual sculpted replica of the “Pontiusaurus” (his word, not ours) in his hand, he admits to it being pretty much the pride of his career. “It was so fun making that opener that this could be its own series. Hopefully Pontiusaurus becomes a real movie. It'd be expensive and dangerous, but I hope so.”

• Jackass Forever is out on April 20

You’re never too old to be a Jackass. STACK chats with Chris Pontius about reuniting the gang for Jackass Forever , and adding some bold new members. Words Glenn Cochrane I t's been 22 years since Jackass debuted on MTV and took the world by someone said, 'Wanna do another movie?' Everyone was like, ‘F– yeah!’” The Jackass guys not anticipating another

storm. Since then, viewers have been treated to – or perhaps assaulted by – a smorgasbord of idiocy and tomfoolery. Now middle-aged, most of the original cast members have returned for a fourth movie, Jackass Forever .

installment might sound like polite rhetoric for the sake of conversation, but Pontius is sincere when he says he didn’t see it coming. “I mean we've been asked constantly over the past 10 years,

Chris Pontius

During a recent Australian visit, Jackass star Chris Pontius – Party Boy himself – sat down to chat with STACK about the new movie and what it means to be a grown man doing childish stuff. “No one really hesitated,” he says of the initial invitation to return for a fourth film. “We have this group thread email that's been going for years, and it came as a total surprise when

‘When are you guys going to make another one?’ and we're like, ‘I don't know.’ So it was just awesome when the stars aligned, especially with [Johnny] Knoxville wanting to do it, because every time we've made a movie he's always said it was the last one. “But then everyone get's bored and it's so fun being together. Making these movies is pretty much the most fun thing that I've ever done in my life.” In theory, the guys

More footage was shot for Jackass Forever than any of the previous films, and Chris Pontius promises the forthcoming Jackass 4.5 will be massive. “4.5 is going to be a lot bigger than 3.5 and 2.5. It's presented in a different way and you also get a lot of behind-the-scenes footage. We have so much gross-out, so many pranks, so many stunts, and so much nudity that we had to pick and choose. And then there's stuff they just won't allow us to have in a theatrical cut that all has to go into the 4.5. It's going to be huge!”

Zach Holmes

should be slower off the mark and less agile with age, and yet as Jackass Forever reveals, they're still every bit as physical and tenacious. “Some said that stuff hits a little bit harder, hurts a little

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THE COACH IS KING

King Richard serves up a heart-warming biopic on the father and coach of tennis legends Venus and SerenaWilliams, withWill Smith’s ace performance a winner with the sisters. Words Gill Pringle V enus Williams tears up as she begins to talk about how much King Richard means to her and sister Serena.

Demi and Sanaya really acted like Serena and I – even when the cameras weren’t rolling, like holding hands… it was so sweet. And I’m just really proud of what everyone has accomplished. It’s pretty surreal to be honest. They really understood our family and portrayed us in a way that was really us, and I’m very proud of that,” she says. Serena agrees: “Honestly, no word describes it better than surreal. Just to see these incredible actresses and everyone behind it, just putting this all together. And then to have Will play our father, and the way he just embodied Richard Williams. It just took the whole film to a whole new level and it’s a brilliant piece of work.” King Richard recreates a famous TV interview with a then 15-year-old Venus, where Richard Williams snapped at the reporter for being discouraging. Smith recalls how he actually saw the interview back in the day. “That was twenty-something years ago, and I fell in

“I think it’s super-emotional. Every time I watch it, my eyes are just watering,” she tells STACK of this inspirational drama, covering the early years of the Williams sisters and how their father, Richard, coached them to become the No.1 and No.2 seeded players in the world. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green ( Monsters and Men ), the film outlines how, in a brazen 78-page plan, Richard Williams was determined to write his daughters into tennis history. For the film’s star and producer, Will Smith, the story of King Richard is a story of the impossible dream. “For the most part, we all have impossible dreams. We have things that we would do if we felt that they

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS As the head coach of high school football team, the Dillon Panthers, family man Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) won the hearts of his players – and viewers worldwide as one of the series' most enduringly popular characters.

were possible, things we would do if we believed,” he says. “The story of Richard and this family is largely the American Dream – there are very few places on Earth where Venus and Serena could happen. “At the core, this is about wanting to be the best versions of ourselves and sometimes, our circumstances may not

love with Richard Williams. So when the opportunity to be a part of this came up, that was the first thing I remembered. I knew I wanted to show a father protecting a daughter like that to the world,” he says. Isha Price, one of Serena and Venus’s three older sisters and a co-producer on the film, adds, “It was definitely a journey of wanting to tell the story of

COACH CARTER High school basketball coach Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) made headlines for locking his undefeated team out of the gym for poor academic performance.

line up with that, and it’s up to the strength of the human spirit to overpower circumstances. It’s wish fulfilment for all of us,” he adds. Co-starring Aunjanue Ellis ( If Beale Street Could Talk ) as the girls’ mother, Oracene “Brandy” Williams; Saniyya Sidney ( Hidden Figures ) as Venus; Demi Singleton as Serena and Jon Bernthal ( The Walking Dead ) as coach Rick Macci, it’s a beautiful ensemble cast who functioned very much as a family on set, according to Venus. “It was amazing to see … and how much

my dad… just getting people to understand who he was as a father and what he wanted to do, and how the family came together to be able to do that. “But it was important for me because I had a responsibility to my family. It wasn’t a singular thing. Everyone had a hand in wanting to get this story right and tell this real hero story of my dad and what he was able to do. But also understand the foundation that my mom actually was able to play, and make sure that the heart of the family was there.”

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN Washed up ballplayer Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) is recruited to coach the All-American Girls Baseball League of 1943, and initially treats the job as a joke before being won over by the indomitable spirit of his players.

• King Richard is out on Apr 6

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DID YOU KNOW? • The family’s first animated appearance was in 1972, guest starring in the third episode of The New Scooby- Doo Movies, Wednesday is Missing .

• The Addams Family 2 is out on Apr 6

pretty fun sights, and we get to see a whole lot of Cousin It, who is a fan favourite from the first one.” One of the fun things in The Addams Family 2 is Wednesday’s relationship with little brother Pugsley; she's constantly devising new ways to kill him. “I think my favourite scene is the Niagara Falls sequence with the voodoo doll,” laughs Moretz. “It’s just so funny. There’s something about the voodoo doll gag that always gets me. And the scene in the RV when she’s wrenching Pugsley and he’s screaming to his mom and Morticia is completely ignoring him.

• The 1973 animated sitcom series featured an 11-year-old Jodie Foster as the voice of Pugsley. live-action movie spawned a new animated series the following year, which ran for two seasons. • The success of the 1991

When the all-star voice cast of the 2019 animated film The Addams Family reunited for a spooky road trip sequel, Chloë Grace Moretz didn’t need to look any further than her own family to get into the spirit of The Addams Family 2 . Words Gill Pringle “W e loved going on road trips all the time,” recalls Chloë Grace Moretz, who Cousin It

“I can’t say that if I had a voodoo doll that I wouldn’t use it on my brothers,” she teases. Since their debut appearance in 1938 as a single-panel cartoon in The NewYorker , the Addams clan has spawned comic books, a popular TV sitcom, a musical, video games and two live-action films. Ask Moretz if she has any theories on the spooky family’s longevity and she’s clearly given it some thought. “I think the thing about them that audiences have always fallen in love with is the fact that this is a family that is so protective of one another. Their family bond is so intense that nothing can really break them. They can be whoever they want to be, they can be kooky, they can be weird, and it’s unabashed; the family support them no matter what. “And with them being on the darker, creepier and more macabre side of life, it allows people to be welcomed into that world without feeling scared. Because at the end of the day, it’s just funny and there is so much satire involved. “But I do think that it’s the

reprises her role of Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family 2 . “Growing up in Georgia, we were constantly driving to Florida because it was the closest beaches. We took so many family road trips down to Key West.” In The Addams Family 2 – starring Charlize Theron as Morticia, Oscar Isaac as Gomez, Javon Walton as Pugsley and Snoop Dogg as Cousin It – we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.” To reclaim their bond, the clan decide to cramWednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last miserable family vacation. Their adventure across America takes them out of their element and into hilarious run-ins with their iconic Cousin It, as well as many new kooky characters. “I think it’s really nice to be able to go on this road trip with the Addams family,” says Moretz. “I think we get to see so much more of the characters now that we already know them and have met them. We really get to see them interact on a personal level in a very cinematic way. “It really felt like a full film with intense

Wednesday

storylines – and some heavy subject matter with a family. It also deals with growing up and some of those coming-of-age storylines, and they navigate it in a really wonderful way. I think people will enjoy going on this discovery and this road trip with them. There’s some

family bond that has allowed it to stand the test of time. Everyone has felt a little odd at some time, so I think it’s a place that you can go to be odd and not feel like you are being ostracised for it.”

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SEEDING THE SEQUEL “Ironically the Wyrmwood: Apocalypse script is much closer to the first draft we wrote of the original film. The opening scene that you will see, it’s the post-title sequence. The title comes up and then we open with this man alone in an electrified enclosure with a fence around it, and all these zombies trying to get in. And he’s got a zombie that’s attached to and runs his BBQ, and he’s got a zombie tied up to a stake that he uses for boxing practice. It’s got a birdcage around its head so it doesn’t bite him. So that scene was written 12 years ago. That’s the first thing we wrote for Wyrmwood , then decided to keep it for a sequel instead, so this project was always meant to be something we could serialise.”

with a laugh, “so I don't know what I'm even talking about. This one is a bit more pro. This would be Mad Max 2 crossed with Dawn of the Dead , with a cyborg zombie thrown in just for good measure.” With our whistle wetted, we ask what became of the ill-fated Wyrmwood TV series continuation. “We did have a TV series

STACK chats with affable director Kiah Roache-Turner about his homegrown zombie sequel, Wyrmwood: Apocalypse . Words Glenn Cochrane W yrmwood: Road of the Dead was a little Aussie zombie

planned. After we made the first one I just wanted to try television, but it had to be good. If we can't make the greatest ever zombie television series then we don't want to do it. “So we wrote the pilot and a very detailed pitch bible and shopped it around. We went to LA and talked to a bunch of good

movie that came out of nowhere in 2014. Made on the smell of an oily rag, it took the popular walking dead horror sub-genre and slapped a coat of Mad Max onto it. The result was a badass, ultra-violent and highly stylised thrill ride that was frayed at the edges and incredibly gritty. With a total larrikin attitude, director Kiah Roache-Turner subverted an ever-weary genre, invigorating it with a new lore unto its own, and helped to usher in a new era of Ozploitation. Roache-Turner and his creative partner, brother Tristan, followed Wyrmwood with the retro-

• Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is out on Apr 20

companies and I realised quickly that a), the television world is very hard to crack and b), we weren't going to get a budget that I was confident with to be able to make it the best ever. But then I knew that if we made a film I could knock it out of the park, so we just went back to the idea of making a feature and I'm really glad we did.” With Wyrmwood Apocalypse hitting home entertainment formats on April 20, Kiah offers his unabashed thoughts on the film and what it means to him. “You get to the end of a thing and you kind of know if it kicks arse or not. I love the film. I've seen it 150 times now and I'm like, ‘This is fine, there's nothing wrong with it.’ If you

of Power Rangers through a gleeful stutter of excitement, he elaborates on his previous comparison. “The first one is like Mad Max 1 crossed with Dawn of the Dead – and to be clear, it's

centric sci-fi comedy Nekrotronic before putting the wheels in motion for a follow-up to their runaway debut hit. “I'm sure you'll love this one,” an exuberant Kiah tells STACK over Zoom. “If you're a Wyrmwood fan, it’s sort of bigger. It's got big clanging balls that the other one didn't have. Actually, you know what it is? It's Mad Max 1 and Mad Max 2 . Mad Max 1 is kind of creakier but it sets up the whole world. And Mad Max 2 is just like pedal to the metal… it's kind of similar with our thing, you know?” Kiah has an infectious enthusiasm for his new film, and horror movies in general, and like a kid trying to explain the latest episode

the George Romero Dawn of the Dead . When I made Wyrmwood , I didn't mind that it was a bit gritty and it was a little bit of a throwback to the old ‘70s exploitation movies. I really wanted it to feel like Evil Dead 2 with better lighting. “Actually Evil Dead 2 was pretty well lit,” he backtracks

make a film that you're proud of… you're 80 per cent there, ya know? So I'm pretty happy with what we've done.” As for a third installment, Kiah says he’s raring to go. “I'd love to make Wyrmwood 3 . I've already started jotting down ideas. As long as they keep letting me do it, I'll do it.”

DON'T MISS

17

MOVIE FEATURE

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The definitive edition of a British horror masterpiece, a Harlem shakedown and much Mafia mayhem comprise this month's Blu-ray bundle from the boutique label. Words Scott Hocking NEWFROM IMPRINT FILMS

Brotherhood (1968), in which the younger brother (Alex Cord) of an ageing Mafia don (Kirk Douglas) returns from Vietnam to start a new life, but is bound to join the family business. Predating The Godfather by four years, the plot follows a similar path to Francis Ford Coppola's classic, and this forgotten flick is now ready for reappraisal on Blu- ray. Extras include a new commentary by Cinema Retro Magazine publisher Lee Pfeiffer and film historian Tony Latino. Cutter'sWay (1981) sees a wounded Vietnam veteran, Alex Cutter (John Heard), and his slacker friend (Jeff Bridges) become involved in exposing the killer of a young girl. Suspecting a local tycoon is the culprit,

TheWicker Man (1973)

the desire to see justice served quickly becomes an overwhelming obsession for Cutter. With allusions to

Moby Dick , this character-driven crime-drama has been hailed by critics as an

T heWicker Man (1973) is both a dealing in folklore, ritual sacrifice and the occult that includes movies like Midsommar and The Witch . Investigating the disappearance of a young girl on a remote Scottish island, a devoutly Christian cop (Edward Woodward) is confronted by the pagan beliefs and rituals of the locals, led by the great Christopher Lee. Conjuring an unsettling atmosphere that's underscored by some catchy folk songs, director Robin Hardy's hugely influential cult classic exists in several different cuts – the UK Theatrical Version (87 mins), Director's Cut (102 mins) and Final Cut (95 mins) – and all three are collected in Imprint's deluxe 4-disc Blu-ray Limited Edition, along with the soundtrack on CD. There's a wealth of bonus content to explore, too, including two all-new audio commentaries and video essays, interviews, featurettes, and the 2001 documentaries Burnt Offering: The Cult of the Wicker Man and The Wicker Man Enigma . This stunning box set is the definitive home entertainment release to date. Featuring a killer title song by Bobby Womack, Across 110th Street (1972) gets down and dirty on the streets of Harlem, where a pair of mismatched NYPD officers (Yaphet Kotto and Anthony Quinn) must prevent a bloodbath following a botched attempt to rob the mob. A gritty crime thriller in masterpiece of British cinema and the granddaddy of "folk horror" – a sub-genre

American classic and makes a welcome return from video obscurity. Extras include a new introduction by Jeff Bridges, new video interview with screenwriter Jeffrey Alan Fiskin, two audio commentaries, isolated score track and trailer. Man on a Swing (1974) is an obscure thriller involving a small town police chief (Cliff Robertson) who is assisted in a murder investigation by a self-proclaimed psychic (Joel Grey) who knows more than he should about the crime, making him a prime suspect. Loosely based on a true crime case, this forgotten flick features a ferocious performance by Grey, and Imprint's edition includes a new commentary by film historian Daniel Kremer. An American-born Swedish oil-trader (William Holden) is blackmailed into becoming a spy for the Allies during World War II in The Counterfeit Traitor (1962). This inventive spy thriller from director George Seaton ( The Country Girl ) arrives on Blu-ray with a new audio commentary by Lee Pfeiffer and film historian Paul Scrabo, plus the 1989 documentary William Holden: Golden Boy .

Across 110th Street (1972)

the tradition of The French Connection , this slick Harlem shakedown makes a welcome debut in HD along with two new audio commentaries, a new video interview with author Mikel J. Koven, and the 1990 documentary Anthony Quinn: An Original . The Mafia theme continues in The Don is Dead (1973), an energetic and ultra-violent thriller also starring Anthony Quinn, this time as notorious crime figure Don Angelo DiMorra, whose affair with a beautiful woman triggers a bloody gang war with a rival family. Directed by Richard Fleischer ( Soylent Green ), this brutal tale of betrayal, ambition and revenge also stars Frederick Forrest ( Apocalypse Now ) and comes to Blu-ray with a new commentary track by film historians Marc Edward Heuck and Glenn Erikson. There's more mobster mayhem in The

• The new Imprint range is out on April 27 for a limited time only (while stocks last).

18 APRIL 2022

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Spin-off of the long-running US soap opera Days of our Lives. World 1st on DVD!

Based on Philippa Gregory’s bestselling novels! The sequel to White Queen and The White Princess! World 1st for Complete Series Blu-ray!

Based on the Stephen King short story Jerusalem’s Lot. Starring Academy Award winning actor Adrien Brody (The Pianist) . World 1st on Blu-ray and DVD!

Every episode from Seasons 1 & 2 of the sizzling soap opera series starring Elizabeth Hurley . AUS 1st on DVD!

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This award-winning collector’s set features Seasons 11-12 in one boxset. Collections 1-6 also available!

The first 56 episodes of the hilarious sitcom starring Charlie Sheen .

Featuring an all-star cast including Rebecca Gibney, Erik Thomson, Michael Caton, Hugh Sheridan and Jessica Marais .

The TV series that Inspired Wentworth! Seasons 3 & 4 of the ground-breaking Australian soap opera.

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The beloved TV series now restored and remastered in this deluxe 51-disc Gift Set.

Relive Series 12 - 15 of the long-running British period drama. Series 1-11 also available!

The latest 2 films in the long-running Hallmark Mystery series based on the novels by Charlaine Harris!

The latest film in the long-running Hallmark series; from the writer of Touched By an Angel.

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1982 Western starring Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott . Directed by legendary Western filmmaker Andrew V. McLaglen.

Emmy Award winning production based on the book of the same name!

The ground breaking documentary about the author of Little House on the Prairie , Laura Ingalls Wilder .

The critically acclaimed documentary that follows the last living generation of German participants in Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich.

MOVIE FEATURE

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Revolutionary War, given how this real-life woman played such a pivotal role in George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring, helping to convey vital information about British troop movements to American generals. Centuries later, her groundbreaking accomplishments are not

• The 355 is out on Apr 6

forgotten; women working in intelligence today sometimes referring to one another as 355. Indeed, it proved to be the perfect title for a thriller that assembles a top-flight cadre of international actresses to portray intelligence and espionage specialists. Set in exotic locales including Paris, Shanghai, Marrakesh, London and Berlin, the story spotlights the

The 355 assembles a top-notch international cast of female stars for a globetrotting espionage thriller. Words Gill Pringle I nspired by female producers like Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron and

disparate talents of its eclectic mix of female characters, each a gifted specialist in some facet of spycraft, be it combat and field ops, cutting-edge tech, marksmanship or psychology. As a collective, they are smart, savvy, and when necessary, lethal. Chastain plays wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown, forced to join rival badass German agent Marie (Diane Kruger), teaming with former MI6 ally and computer specialist Khadijah (Lupita Nyong’O) and Colombian psychologist Graciela (Penelope Cruz) on a breakneck mission to retrieve a top-secret weapon that has fallen into mercenary hands – all the while staying one step ahead of a mysterious woman, Lin Mi Sheng (Fan Bingbing), who is tracking their every move. Only an actor confident in his own masculinity would be game to tackle these elite women warriors – namely the Winter Soldier himself, Sebastian Stan. “I had a great experience working with Jessica on The Martian ,” says Stan. “We stayed friends, and when she asked if I would consider playing the part of Nick in The 355 , I was so taken with that offer that I immediately said yes. And when I saw everyone else involved, it was a no-brainer. The film’s script was great: fun, entertaining, unpredictable, original and had great action, character development and plot twists.” On set, Chastain and Kruger enjoyed duking it out as their rivalry turns to friendship, going from fighting one another to taking down targets together.

Nicole Kidman, Jessica Chastain set up her own production house, Freckle Films, six years ago to make the sort of films that she wanted to see on the screen. Having produced – and starred in – 2020 action flick Ava and last year’s critically acclaimed The Eyes of Tammy Faye , The 355 is her most ambitious film so far. Assembling a group of fellow female A-listers to co-star with her in this fast- paced spy thriller, Chastain would be judged not only by the audience but also by her peers. The genesis of The 355 began at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017 when Chastain was serving on the jury. Posters all over town advertising upcoming action movies anchored by international male stars prompted her to wonder why, when there are so many respected actresses on the international stage, no one had thought to bring them together in a single film. Turning to writer-director-producer Simon

Jessica Chastain

Kinberg ( Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Deadpool ), whom she had previously worked with on The Martian , she found a like mind, quickly recruiting Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o and Fan Bingbing to join them in a sort of cooperative where everyone would share ownership over the film.

“It was important for me to make a film where we had actresses not just for hire but to have ownership over their work – and that decisions wouldn’t be made by the

people in some office in LA. They would actually be made by the creatives on set,” explains Chastain. The film’s unusual title is an homage to an enigmatic female spy known only by her code-name, 355. Her identity has been described as the last remaining mystery of the American

“Jessica’s one of her generation’s best actresses,” says Kruger. “She brings such thoughtfulness to every role she’s ever portrayed, and Mace is no different. She has brought an amazing amount of depth and sensitivity into her character. She’s tough as nails yet soft and vulnerable.”

FURTHER VIEWING

20 APRIL 2022

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NEW TO BLU-RAY TM AND DVD AT APRIL 20

BONUS FEATURES INCLUDING ALTERNATE ENDING & DELETED SCENES

WHILE STOCKS LAST Academy Award ® is the registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. © 2021 Focus Features LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Mature themes and coarse language

NEW TO BLU-RAY TM AND DVD AT APRIL 6

Mild themes, animated violence, crude humour and coarse language

WHILE STOCKS LAST © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MOVIES & TV PREVIEWS

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OUT THIS MONTH APRIL

MOVIES & TV SHOWS

DEATH ON THE NILE Kenneth Branagh returns to the role of moustachioed sleuth Hercule Poirot in his second Agatha Christie adaptation as

BELFAST Director Kenneth Branagh gets personal with this semi-biographical film that chronicles the life of a working class Protestant family

director. Previously adapted in 1978, it's a dazzling mystery- thriller about the deadly

living in the titular city during ‘The Troubles’ of Northern Ireland in the late 1960s. Shot in black and white and punctuated by a nostalgic Van Morrison soundtrack, this poignant coming-of-age drama is exceptional

consequences triggered by obsessive love, with Poirot’s Egyptian vacation aboard a luxury river steamer turning into a search for a murderer.

storytelling that packs a considerable punch.

THRILLER

DRAMA

OUT NOW

20/4/22

THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE Jessica Chastain undergoes a startling makeup transformation for this biopic of Tammy Faye Bakker. Tammy and her husband, Jim (Andrew Garfield), were popular American televangelists

RED ROCKET A former adult movie star in real life, Simon Rex is perfectly cast as the protagonist of this audacious indie gem from writer-

director Sean Baker ( The Florida Project , Tangerine ). Rex gives a magnetic performance in this darkly funny portrait of a uniquely American hustler, who is forced to return to his small Texan

during the '80s, who hit the headlines for all the wrong

reasons. A comedic dramatisation of their fall from grace, this is a must-see for fans of true-life American eccentrics.

hometown when he runs out of options.

DRAMA

DRAMA

OUT NOW

6/4/22

THE HANDMAID'S TALE: SEASON 4 After three seasons of circular plotting, viewers could be forgiven for thinking this gruelling continuation of Margaret Atwood's novel had

CHUCKY: SEASON 1 The iconic killer doll from the Child's Play movies slices his way onto TV in this new series created by Don Mancini, who penned the

become stuck on permanent repeat. The good news is that season four gets things back on track. Following the daring rescue of 86 children, June continues her crusade against the brutal theocracy of Gilead,

original film and its slew of sequels. After a vintage Chucky doll turns up at a suburban yard sale, an idyllic American town is rocked by a series of horrifying murders... A "coming-of- rage" story, fans of the films will be

inciting rebellion among her fellow handmaids.

thrilled by the return of several beloved characters.

TV DRAMA

TV HORROR

6/4/22

13/4/22

PROJECT GEMINI A unique terraforming device goes missing following its launch, and a mysterious signal is received from a remote and uncharted planet. An expedition is dispatched

GASOLINE ALLEY Another month, another Bruce Willis action flick! This time around, Bruce plays a homicide detective investigating a triple murder with partner Luke Wilson.

to investigate the source of the signal, only to find a forbidding world inhabited by something... alien. A slick sci-fi thriller in the tradition of Prometheus , fans of

Joining forces with the prime suspect – a rockabilly boss-type named Jimmy Jayne (Devon Sawa), who insists he has been framed – the trio embark on a

the genre will find plenty to enjoy here.

dangerous mission to expose the real killer.

SCI-FI

ACTION

13/4/22

6/4/22

DEMON SLAYER: THE MOVIE – MUGEN TRAIN This dazzling feature-length spin-off from anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba is the highest grossing film

JOSEE, THE TIGER AND THE FISH This beautifully rendered anime feature from director Kotaro Tamura ( Noragami ) chronicles the unlikely bond formed between two strangers, whose

to date in Japan. We rejoin Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke and Nezuko immediately following the conclusion of season one, jumping aboard the Mugen train to meet the flame pillar and discovering a mystery involving missing passengers...

worlds collide in a twist of fate. A sweet, romantic drama for anime fans with a sentimental side, this first pressing 3-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo set includes the original soundtrack on CD.

ANIME

ANIME

6/4/22

6/4/22

22 APRIL 2022

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