STACK #211 May 2022

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TO MOVIES, TV, MUSIC, GAMING & TECH

ESSENTIAL GUIDE

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ISSUE 211 May ’22

STACK Issue 211 MAY 2022 “Nuns. Why is it always nuns?”

INSIDE: • UNCHARTED – FROMGAME TO SCREEN • JENNIFER LOPEZ CHATSWITH STACK

ISSUE 211 May ’22

GAMING

MUSIC

ISSUE 211 May ’22

HARRY STYLES Harry’s House

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 211 MAY

MOVIES & TV 6 Take 5 8 Downton Abbey: A New Era 10 Uncharted 12 Marry Me 14 Blacklight 16 Turning Red 18 New from Imprint Films 20 The Warriors

2022

WELCOME

A movie adaptation of Uncharted , the hit PlayStation game franchise, has been in development since 2008. But the interminable waiting is finally over, with Tom Holland starring as protagonist Nathan Drake in an all-new origin story. Video game movies tend to be a maligned genre, but this one has got it right, grossing over $300 million to date at the global box office and now poised to thrill fans and newcomers at home. Reconnecting with the latest technology is a real eye- opener when you’ve been out of the buying cycle for a few years, and like any new electronic consumer device, TVs have become

22 Out This Month 23 New on 4K UHD GAMING 26 Take 5/Game Changers! 28 Fast Forward/Q5 30 Alienware Aurora R13 32 Accessorise Now! 33 STACK Recommends 34 Out This Month MUSIC 38-44 The Music Room: features on Florence + the Machine, Arcade Fire and more 46-47 Harry Styles’ Harry’s House 48-49 STACK Record Club 50 AlbumTales: Arctic Monkeys’ AM (2013) 52 This Month at JB 54-56 Album reviews LIFE TECH FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 4 Intro 06-16 STACK ’s ultimate guide to buying a TV 18-20 Samsung’s TV range for 2022 28 TCL’s TV range for 2022 30 Fetch and Chromecast 32 Need your TV installed? JB has it covered! 34-36 The best new soundbars for your TV 38 We look at Oppo’s Find X5 40 The EcoVacs Deebot Omni 1 and Breville’s new AquaStation water purifier 22 Sony’s TV range for 2022 24 LG’s TV range for 2022 26 Hisense’s TV range for 2022

increasingly smarter – and the advancements in picture quality are also truly astounding. In this issue we look at the best new TVs of 2022, outlining the essential features to make your buying decision easier. Continuing the tech trend into games, we lift the lid on the all- powerful Alienware Aurora R13 gaming desktop tower. And finally, in music, Harry Styles leads the charge with our cover story about the gorgeous new album, Harry’s House . There are also new releases from Florence + the Machine, Arcade Fire and Daniel Johns, and Record Club is in session with a pile of excellent classics to consider; muse over some of the most elaborate record packaging in history. 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.

42 What’s New at JB Hi-Fi

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BEST-SELLERS in APRIL 2022

STACK’s ROVING REPORTER

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

DVD

It’d have to be The Big Short . It manages to delve into the inner workings of why most of the world’s major economies were so close to the point of collapse and explain it in a way that just about anyone will be able to understand, and how a few savvy financiers saw the warning signs years away.

1 Spider-Man:

BLU-RAY No Way Home 2 Ghostbusters: Afterlife 3 Dune (2021) 4 Scream (2022) 5 Sing 2 6 No Time to Die 7 Death on the Nile (2022) 8 Venom: Let There Be Carnage No Way Home 2 Ghostbusters: Afterlife 3 Sing 2 4 Scream (2022) 5 Dune (2021) 6 The Matrix Resurrections 7 Death on the Nile (2022) 8 No Time to Die 9 King Richard 10 House of Gucci 1 Spider-Man:

JACK SPARBIER @ JB Elizabeth, SA

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

The Simpsons ! Over 33 seasons it’s managed to keep me laughing, and the witty humour that it incorporates as well as its ability to deal with hot issues in a real way has just been amazing (plus everyone remembers watching it at 6:00pm on Channel 10).

What’s the best thing about working at JB?

The opportunities! There’s always room for growth at JB, and our managers support us growing at every stage.

What have you been watching lately that you would recommend?

Inventing Anna had me hooked from the first episode. It showed how a fraudster pretending to be a German heiress was able to swindle her way through NewYork’s elite, and just how close she came to reaching her end goal. It kept me on the edge of my seat, seeing how far she went!

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

An absolute classic, Mean Girls . Nobody wanted to grow up to be like Regina George.

9 Eternals 10 Encanto

There’s more than meets the eye this month with the new Hasbro Transformers range hitting JB Hi-Fi on May 12.

MAY 2022

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6

CINEMA FEATURE

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and I think they really understand each

other in a way that perhaps the rest of the society they find themselves in doesn’t,” explains Middleton. “That has bonded them together

DON'T MISS!

and they are now thinking about how to fit into a more upper-class context and where that sits in this new, progressive world.” “It felt justified, actually," adds Leech. "I think Tom finally got his just rewards really, because he’s been kind of sad and so helpful to other people to find happiness, and so it’s lucky that Tom finally did." Discussing his long-brewing romance with Raquel Cassidy’s Baxter, Kevin Doyle (Mr Molesley) says, “Their relationship is sort of glacial in its progress. I think they are two very careful people. You get the impression there are very small incremental steps towards some kind of fulfillment.” Cassidy can’t help but laugh at Doyle’s characterisation of their courtship. "I don't think Miss Baxter gets that impression. I think she thinks those incremental steps are going backwards half the time. “In terms of their relationship, she has to wait for Mr Molesley to make the move

Love is in the air at Downton Abbey, and also the French Riviera, in Downton Abbey: A New Era – possibly the most romantic take on the upstairs-downstairs antics of the aristocratic family, beloved for 12 years on both small and big screens. Words Gill Pringle B eginning with the wedding of former chauffeur Tom Branson to governess Lucy Smith, Downton A NEW ERA BEGINS…

because she is still a woman of her time, and also he would capsize if she were to say, ‘Go on Joseph, let's do this.’ He would literally melt in front of her eyes, so she has to be mindful of that and wait… she loves him and can love him from a distance – if that's her plight.” As long-suffering Barrow, Robert James Collier hints at his own possible happy ending when the cast talks to STACK . “You never know what life throws at you, but this is definitely the most stable we've seen Thomas and he develops a relationship with someone and, for once, he's not guarded.” The cast hopes that audiences

Abbey: A New Era goes on to affirm several existing relationships as well as revealing a long-hidden past love and hinting at a future romance which was never thought possible. Directed by Simon Curtis from a script by award-winning Downton creator Julian Fellowes, everybody involved hopes this nostalgic confection will tempt audiences back into the cinemas for a feast of romance and beauty. Set in 1928, it’s no secret that in this new iteration, Downton Abbey, groaning beneath the weight of debts and disrepair, opens its doors to a film crew from the silent era, ushering in new characters – Laura Haddock and Dominic West as impossibly glamorous movie stars and Hugh Dancy as the film’s director, Jack Barber.

Allen Leech asTom and Tuppence Middleton as Lucy

With her husband overseas, Michelle Dockery’s Lady Mary becomes very involved in this movie – perhaps a little too involved. “Sometimes it's about how much subtext you play and finding a balance of, is there a little flirtation there? How far do we go? But Julian writes it so brilliantly, so it's all there in the script,” teases Dockery. Even Dame Maggie Smith’s ever acerbic dowager, Violet Crawley, gets a little romantic action in this new film, although to say more would be a plot spoiler… If the last Downton film saw Lady Sibyl’s Irish widowed husband and former chauffeur, Tom Branson (Allen Leech), finally enjoying love again with Tuppence Middleton’s Lucy Smith then, at the outset of this new film, we join them at their wedding. “They both came from humble beginnings

will be surprised by these new twists of fate for Downton’s occupants, both upstairs and downstairs. “As usual, Julian surprises us with new facets to these characters,” says Doyle. “It’s a delightful, lovely storyline. I'm always amazed at how Julian is able to give every one of the 20 odd characters such a rich storyline within two hours. It's a hell of a skill. He's always managed to do that over the series, but that's over ten episodes normally a year – to be able to do that over two hours is extraordinary,” he adds. Dockery agrees, “I think the timing is good. I think that Downton has always been a sort of escapism for audiences and it's such an uplifting film.”

Downton Abbey: A New Era is in cinemas now

MAY 2022

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8

PREMIERE AT HOME MOREMOVIES STRAIGHT TOTHE COMFORTOF YOUR COUCH!

When his sister asks him to look after her son, a radio journalist embarks on a cross-country trip with his energetic nephew to show him life away from Los Angeles. RELEASE DATE 4 May

CAST Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann & Woody Norman In the mood for an EMOTIONAL BLACK &WHITE DRAMA

Two best friends and roommates are terrified by the vengeful spirits dwelling in their apartment. Based on the novel published by Kobunsha and written by Kamon Nanami. RELEASE DATE 4 May CAST Francesca Xuereb, Viktoria Vinyarska & Eric Wiegand In themood for a DEMONIC HORROR FILM

Sparks fly between an uptight English writer and a Spanish translator who rewrote his failed book into an erotic novel. RELEASE DATE 4 May CAST Sam Claflin, Verónica Echegui & Fernando Becerril In themood for a QUIRKY ROM-COM

Too self-conscious to woo Roxanne himself, wordsmith Cyrano de Bergerac helps young Christian nab her heart through love letters. Release date 4 May Cast Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett & Kelvin Harrison Jr In themood for a MUSICAL DRAMA

Back at home, senior New York Times editor Dana Canedy revisits the story of her unlikely, life- altering relationship with King and his enduring devotion to her and their child. A sweeping account of a once-in-a-lifetime love, the film is a powerful reminder of the importance of family. Release date 4 May Cast Michael B. Jordan, Chanté Adams & Jalon Christian In themood for a ROMANTIC DRAMA

Forced to live underground after an apocalypse, a boy decides to venture out of his colony in order to reunite with his girlfriend. Release date 4 May Cast Dylan O’Brien, Jessica Henwick & Michael Rooker In themood for a POST-APOCALYPTIC COMEDY

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MOVIE FEATURE

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DID YOU KNOW?

“ Uncharted truly captures all of the magic of what I love about film,” he says. “That kind of movie gave me a passion for history and antiquity – I even went to college thinking I was going to be an archaeologist. As soon as I read this script, it captured that magical quality of escapist adventure.” In taking the helm of Uncharted , Fleischer had a big advantage in that the video games are very cinematic and the perfect material for fashioning a visually spectacular adventure film. “The great thing about having the games as source material to base the film upon is that the tone is so well- established,” he says. “The

Development of an Uncharted movie began back in 2008, with actor Nathan Fillion lobbying for the role of Nathan Drake and a revolving door of directors – David O. Russell, Shawn Levy, Neil Burger, Dan Trachtenberg and Travis Knight – attached to the project over the years.

humour, the relationship – there was a template to follow. But when you’re making a film and not a video game, you have to make it your own. It was really important to distinguish our story from the games, to show a different aspect of it. For any fan of the games who’s had the experience of playing it – viscerally immersed in it – I wanted to give them a movie that worked as a film first.” Star Tom Holland was first introduced to the game franchise in 2016, and became an instant fan. “I was shooting Spider-Man: Homecoming , and one of the benefits of working with Sony is they outfitted all of our trailers with the newest PlayStation,” he recalls. “One of the games they gave us was Uncharted 4 , so between setups, my best mate Harrison and I would be playing. We played the game backwards – once we fell in love with the fourth, we bought the other games and caught up.” Unlike many video game adaptations that rely on an over-abundance of CGI effects, Holland reveals that, wherever possible, Uncharted was shot in real locations and on practical sets. “Movies aren’t really made like this anymore,” he observes. “When you make these big, big action movies, you’re just acting on a blue screen. For this movie, Ruben was adamant that it needed a tangible feeling that we were in real places, so he pushed for real sets. The crypt and church were both built. The boats are real – we had interior, exterior, and an outside exterior on a gimbal to simulate that the boats were flying. We pushed the boundaries of what we could do with practical sets.” To further ground the film in reality, Fleischer put the athletic Holland in the thick of the action as much as possible. “The video games set the bar so high with the action that we felt we had to deliver on the same scale,” Fleischer explains. “I love seeing the actors’ faces in the middle of the action, so that you can see it’s really them and they’re really in that place doing this. We pushed ourselves to meet that level, and credit goes to Tom Holland, who put his body on the line to achieve it.”

Based on the hit PlayStation game franchise, Uncharted goes back to the beginning to tell the origin story of protagonist Nathan Drake. FROM GAME TO SCREEN

O ffering a fresh experience for fans of the games and newcomers alike, Uncharted fills a gap in the games’ narrative, exploring an earlier time period where treasure hunters Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) and Victor ‘Sully’ Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) first joined forces. Drake is introduced in the movie as a bartender and street-smart thief, who is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Sully to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago. What begins as a heist scenario quickly becomes a globetrotting race to reach the treasure before ruthless billionaire Moncada (Antonio Banderas) – and perhaps even locate Nate’s long-lost brother… “This is a story that has never been

told,” says producer Alex Gartner. “For an audience who have never played the games, it’s an origin story of this key relationship. For fans of the games that are already familiar with the characters and the stories told within the games, they get something new, something to learn, something to explore that they haven’t had a chance to explore before. For everyone, it’s a new adventure.” Director Ruben Fleischer ( Venom , Zombieland ) had dreamed of making a treasure-hunt adventure movie since he was a kid, and

couldn’t believe his luck when he was asked to be a part of Uncharted .

• Uncharted is out on May 11

MarkWahlberg andTom Holland

10 MAY 2022

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MOVIE FEATURE

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The voluminous rose-gold wedding dress worn by JLo’s character is almost a supporting player itself. “To find a dress for Jennifer that is almost as big a presence as she is was a challenge,” says costume designer Caroline Duncan. “We wanted to find a dress that was larger-than-life, really romantic, but also couture – not a dress that anyone has ever seen the likes of.” “The dress was a knockout but very uncomfortable for me to wear on the four days that we shot those scenes,” recalls Lopez. “It was so tight on me!”

Art imitates life for Jennifer Lopez in the new romantic-comedy, Marry Me . Words Gill Pringle

P laying a famous pop star whose high- profile engagement explodes in a very public way was the toughest role of Jennifer Lopez’s career. No stranger to such a scenario, Lopez’s own engagement to Ben Affleck in 2002 lasted but a year before likewise imploding, although the former sweethearts have since rekindled their romance and recently announced their second engagement on Instagram. In a case of art echoing life, the multi- hyphenate actress and singer says of her role as pop diva Kat Valdez in Marry Me , “It was about baring my soul in every moment. It was more uncomfortable than playing a character that is nothing like you, because I brought experience into a world in a way that I’ve never had to before.”

playing out in the unforgiving spotlight of social media, Lopez understands the trope. “This wasn’t a role where I had to research what it was like to be a famous recording artist who does branding and all of this. I think the difficult part was the meta part – the idea of showing what it’s really like inside my bedroom when something goes wrong and you suffer a heartbreak like this in front of the whole world, and the media kind of goes to town on you,” she says of her Kat Valdez alter-ego who, in an effort to save face, spontaneously marries Owen Wilson’s high school math teacher, Charlie, before a multi-million global audience. “I wanted to unearth the story and understand it and poke fun at it in that way, and what that really feels like. There were a lot of moments where I was able to bring a truth to the character and the emotional life that was really authentic.”

the role of social media in projecting a public persona. “It used to be just the tabloids or the press and now its social media as well, which can be just as – if not more – anxiety provoking for people in the public eye. But I think that’s what makes this film also a little bit more modern, in that you have that element of exploring what it’s like to have that heartbreak and huge embarrassment in front of the world and how it travels so quickly. “Navigating that as a person in the public eye can be tricky, especially when difficult things happen in your life, like Kat suffers in the beginning of this movie, which I don’t wish on anybody,” she adds, speaking from bitter personal experience. In Marry Me , Lopez’s character is engaged to Latin sensation “Bastian”, portrayed by Colombian superstar Maluma ( Encanto ). But when she discovers, just seconds before her

Lopez has learned the hard way how to survive in the public eye. “You have to stay focused on who you really are rather than on how the public views you,” she tells STACK . “Kat never forgets she was a little girl growing up with a dream. It’s the same for me. Remembering where I came from has always kept me grounded. I don’t feel any different... I’m still the same person, but I’m just doing these things with my life and it has expanded and grown. Still, there’s a human being there.” With Kat’s humiliation

With some 194 million Instagram followers, Lopez fully understands

wedding, that he has been unfaithful to her, the façade and the fantasy of her life disintegrates around her. “In one second, everything changes, and it all falls apart,” she says. “Kat blames herself for not seeing the truth, but also makes a spontaneous choice to marry somebody else in the audience. That’s how she meets Charlie. With that, her life completely changes, as it does when you meet someone who sees you for who you are.”

• Marry Me is out on May 4

12 MAY 2022

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MOVIE FEATURE

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friend and he has a big heart. He’s not just the tough guy, and I wanted to show the poetic, alternate side of Travis Block, and that side of Liam as well. Block is trying to be a better man, the guy he wishes he would have been when he was younger,” he adds. As Block, Neeson delivers his lines in that unmistakable gruff trans-Atlantic Irish accent, and we can’t help but ask Williams whether the accent is entirely plausible for an ex-US military operative. “He’s doing the Liam Neeson accent,” he laughs. “We actually had a conversation about it on The Honest Thief and he says audiences expect this accent from him.” A recognisable face from more than

TAKEN Neeson plays a retired CIA operative, who must use his “special set

of skills” to rescue his kidnapped daughter.

COLD PURSUIT Neeson plays a snowplough driver, who

Director MarkWilliams chats to STACK about helming the new Liam Neeson action-thriller, Blacklight , during lockdown conditions Down Under. Words Gill Pringle L iam Neeson was more than happy to quarantine for

turns vigilante after his son is murdered by a drug cartel. THE ICE ROAD Neeson plays an ice road trucker, who is recruited

legendary Aussie stuntman, Guy Norris ( Mad Max: Fury Road ). “ Blacklight is a great ride, rooted in the ideas of family, loyalty, truth, and the idea of betrayal,” says Neeson. “It has some wonderful action sequences that come out of what’s been happening between the characters. The action is never gratuitous and it’s driven by the story, which is very gripping.” Having previously worked with Neeson on The Honest Thief , Williams knew the actor wouldn’t be interested in reprising something close to

two weeks in Australia, ready to shoot action- thriller Blacklight , one of the first films to go into production after the start of the pandemic. If it’s hard to imagine the veteran tough guy actor staying in one of the infamous quarantine hotels, then Blacklight ’s producer/co-writer/director Mark Williams unwittingly served as Neeson’s “guinea pig”. “I quarantined first in a small hotel room, after which we figured out how

to assist in the rescue of a group of trapped miners.

a hundred movies, naturally it was impossible for Neeson to get around Victoria unnoticed. “Liam can go out but he’s always recognised, so I think it makes him feel a little uncomfortable at times when he’s just trying to have a meal. It definitely limits his time out. But he did go off and pet the koalas and do all that fun stuff,” says Williams.

Director MarkWilliams on set with Liam Neeson. Photo credit Ben King

Liam wouldn’t have to stay in a crap place,” he tells STACK . “So he had a nice apartment, where he spent a lot of time reading. I think he actually enjoyed it a little bit, on his own, doing his own thing. When he got out, he was smiling, so I’m happy it worked out that way.” In fact, quarantine proved a boom for Blacklight ’s production. “All the actors used that time wisely and certainly they all came in knowing their lines. I think Liam was doing some of the fight- training over Zoom, so it wasn’t

his role in the Taken trilogy. “Liam often talks about Taken on set. He knows those movies very well and doesn’t want to repeat himself, so I wanted this to be different and to really push the envelope for him. “I was going for a broken character who wasn’t the same guy from Taken . He has his own issues and his own guilt from the past and I wanted a way to show it.” In Blacklight , Neeson plays Travis Block, a

freelance government “fixer” working for his old Vietnam buddy, who is now director of the FBI. Plagued with OCD issues, Block questions the morality of his work and hopes to retire and get out of this dubious line of business,

completed wasted, that’s for sure,” says Williams, co-creator of award- winning drama Ozark ,who partnered with Melbourne producer Paul Currie for Blacklight . Shot during the first year of pandemic lockdowns in Melbourne and Canberra (doubling for Washington, D.C.), Williams and his team worked to make several exciting car chase scenes –

but of course it’s not that easy… “Liam loved the OCD stuff and wanted to do more. I just felt it gave a layer to the character, which was a little more interesting and human,” explains Williams. “I’m lucky to call Liam a good

• Blacklight is out on May 18

involving a garbage truck and a Porsche – utilising the skills of

14 MAY 2022

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back into a human girl is to take deep breaths, calm herself down and control her emotions. It’s kind of like the Incredible Hulk, but cuter!” A mother-daughter relationship is at the centre of Turning Red – a theme that’s very close to the heart of the filmmaker who previously gave us the adorable 2018 Oscar-winning short Bao . That was the tale of a male dumpling – simply because Shi felt the story of a daughter would require a lot more screen time than a short film offered. “I said it would take a whole feature to unpack the mother-

daughter relationship,” she says. “It was actually a big motivating factor in my pitch for Turning Red . It’s never black and white. At the beginning of the movie, Mei genuinely loves her relationship with her mom, but she’s being pulled in new directions – as everyone her age is. It’s a time of big changes.” The mother in question, Ming Lee (voiced by Sandra Oh), is a proud wife, devoted mother and hard worker, and always a picture of elegance. “Ming is a compilation of all of the very

Director Domee Shi melds a mother-daughter relationship, adolescent angst, a boy band and a big red panda in Pixar’s all-new family feature, Turning Red . P ixar’s Turning Red is the tale

strong and awesome Asian women in my life,” says Shi. “Ming can be intense, but all of the crazy stuff she does is motivated by her love for her daughter.” With Turning Red being the tale of a teenaged girl set in the early 2000s, two words were deemed necessary by Shi: “boy band”. 4*Town is said boy band du jour, who inexplicably number five members – something that leaves space for a fun aside from one of the older generation characters. “They represent that one band – that one song we all heard at her age that transformed us,” says Shi. “They’re Mei’s first crush, her first obsession. This passion for 4*Town is really her first dip into adolescence. We needed Mei to be obsessed with something

of a confident, slightly dorky 13-year-old named Meilin Lee (voiced by newcomer Rosalie Chiang), who has a bit of a big red panda problem. When Meilin begins to mysteriously transform into a giant, hyper-emotional red panda at the most inconvenient of times, it has quite the effect on her social life – and her life in general. But she quickly adapts to the unusual situation. Panda aside, the character was inspired somewhat by the adolescent life of director Meilin Shi. “She’s spunky, confident, nerdy, passionate, weird and a little bit

wanted to show that with Mei.” The red panda version of Mei is the same Mei that her friends and family know and love, just eight-feet tall and rather klutzy – and impossibly cute, to boot! There’s more to the story, though, than just a fun tale of a girl who turns into a

that her mom would not approve of. Boy bands were the first step into the world of boys for a lot of girls that age. The guys were all super pretty, polished, soft and loving, and they had a way of bringing girls and their besties together. Plus, I thought it’d be really cool to create an animated boy band.” Three songs were created for Turning Red , mining that classic boy band sound. The hit machine team of Billie Eilish and brother Finneas were drafted in. “The first one is the hit that everybody knows,” says Shi. “Then there’s the earnest, heart-on-your- sleeve power ballad. The third is the party showstopper – the fun, energetic song. We knew if we had those three songs, we could use them throughout the movie.”

snooty,” says Shi. “When I was her age, I was Mei. I was writing Harry Potter fan fiction, passionately drawing fan art. I had a secret sketchbook that my parents did not know about. Now that I’m grown, I know so many amazing women who all had nerdy beginnings. I just

panda when she gets emotional. “We’re basically using the red panda as an adorable metaphor for the very unadorable phenomenon of puberty,” explains Shi. “I really wanted to explore the conflicts of a young teen girl, how she’s torn between being a good daughter and embracing her true messy self. One minute, everything’s perfect, and then, just like with all of us, all of a sudden there’s terror everywhere. She’s way taller, hungrier and more emotional. She’s, in fact, turned into a giant red panda, and the only way to turn

• Turning Red is out now

16 MAY 2022

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BRUCE WILLIS

KEVIN DILLON

AND FRANK GRILLO

12 HOURS. 2 MILLION DOLLARS. 1 TEAM. YOURS TO OWN ON BLU-RAY & DVD MAY 4

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The boutique Blu-ray label comes out to play in May with directorWalter Hill's '70s street-gang classic, a collection of '90s neo-noir thrillers, and more... Words Scott Hocking NEWFROM IMPRINT FILMS

new interviews with Patric, Zanuck and author KimWozencraft, and more. Best friends Demi Moore and Glenne Headly become murder suspects in Mortal Thoughts (1992), following the killing of Headly's abusive husband (a chilling Bruce Willis). This downbeat thriller unfolds via flashbacks as detective Harvey Keitel attempts to discover whodunit. Extras TBC. One False Move (1992) is a potent small town neo-noir in which a trio of criminals on the run (including Billy Bob Thornton in his breakout role) wind up in rural Arkansas, where Bill Paxton's sheriff is waiting for them. Extras TBC. A 30-year-old murder returns to haunt lovers Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan in Flesh and Bone (1993), a film-noir homage written and directed by Steve Kloves (who scripted the Harry Potter films). Extras include a new commentary by Kloves and new interviews with the film's production designer and editor. Rounding out the Neo-Noir Collection is Twilight (1998), a gripping whodunit with '40s noir tropes. Paul Newman plays a weary private eye caught up in a unsolved murder mystery, and is backed up by an all-star cast including Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman, James Garner and Reese Witherspoon. Extras include two audio commentaries and new interviews. Bloody Sunday (2002) dramatises

TheWarriors (1979)

D irector Walter Hill's 1979 cult classic, The Warriors , comes out to play in May in an all-new limited edition Blu-ray set that includes the original theatrical cut and the 2005 Director's Cut, along with a plethora of new bonus features. This violent and eminently quotable urban action flick sees

Rush (1991)

Hardboiled detectives, femme fatales and multiple twists and turns – the shadowy world of modern film noir is given the deluxe treatment in the After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection One , which brings six underrated '90s crime gems to Blu-ray. Chronologically, the set kicks

the real-life massacre of 13 civilians during an Irish protest march on January 30, 1972, and is shot with documentary- like verisimilitude by director Paul

the eponymous street gang framed for the murder of a charismatic kingpin, making them an enemy of every rival gang in New York City. The Warriors must subsequently

Greengrass ( United 93 ). Extras include two audio commentaries, featurettes, and cast and crew interviews. And finally this month, the sins of the past resurface to threaten the election chances of a female US veep candidate (Joan Allen) in the political drama The Contender (2000), which also stars Gary Oldman, Christian Slater and Jeff Bridges as the POTUS. Extras include audio commentary, deleted scenes, cast interviews and more.

fight their way through the 100,000 strong "armies of the night" to reach their home turf of Coney Island. Shot with a comic book sensibility and driven by a pulsing synth score, The Warriors has left a sizeable pop culture footprint in the decades since its release. Each version of the film is presented on its own disc with bonus features. The Director's Cut features an introduction by Hill, new audio commentary by historian Chris Poggiali and former Fangoria editor Michael Gingold, and four featurettes, while the UK Theatrical Cut has a new commentary by film critic Walter Chaw and new interviews with actors James Remar, David Patrick Kelly, Dorsey Wright, and composer Barry De Vorzon.

off with After Dark My Sweet (1990), a sizzling thriller based on the novel by Jim Thompson and directed by James Foley ( At Close Range ). Jason Patric plays an ex-boxer who hooks up with a widow (Rachel Ward) and gets roped into a kidnapping scheme by her creepy uncle (Bruce Dern). Extras include two new audio commentaries and new interviews with Patric, Dern, and Thompson expert Robert Polito. Jason Patric also stars in Rush (1991) alongside the great Jennifer Jason Leigh; the pair playing undercover narcotics cops who become addicts themselves. This grim neo-noir is based on a true life Texas PD scandal in 1979 and comes to Blu- ray with commentary by director Lili Fini Zanuck,

• The new Imprint range is out on May 25 for a limited time only (while stocks last).

18 MAY 2022

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MOVIE FEATURE

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intends to confront the Warriors and eliminate any proof of his crime. The Rogues pursue the Warriors in a graffiti-covered hearse, crawling

slowly behind them. From inside, Luther begins taunting them in an unforgettable sequence that sees him singing, “Warriors, come out to play,” while rhythmically clinking beer bottles on the end of his fingers. Director Walter Hill outlined the scene’s conception during a podcast with Marc Maron. “I have to give him [David Kelly Patrick] the credit for that. I said, ‘Think of something to say. I don’t care, sing to them if you want, but let them know of your presence and taunt them’,” said Hill.

Walter Hill, director of TheWarriors , talks about creating a classic moment in the 1979 cult movie. Words Paul Jones W alter Hill’s stylish, dystopian story of a gang wrongly accused of murder and

“Then I went over to the camera we were getting ready for the next shot, and I saw him in the corner of my eye jump out of the car, and he ran under the pier where he grabbed some old beer bottles from the trash and ran back into the car.” Hill continues: “I’m like, ‘OK, let’s rehearse once more, and then we’ll shoot. Action.’ And then he does the clink, clink and I thought, this is what a real director is about – you don’t get in the middle of this, you just shoot it. “In a way, it’s what directors do; it’s what actors do, and he deserves the lion’s share of the credit. But at the same time, I created an opportunity and I was open to something that wasn’t in the script, so I give myself 20 per cent on that.”

forced to fight their way home across a ruthless, neon-lit underworld of street gang crime is a bona fide cult classic. Savage gangs from every corner of NewYork City join the hunt for the Warriors, searching a desolate urban nightscape that’s superbly captured by cinematographer Andrew Laszlo. Barry De Vorzon’s accompanying score of whirling synths and phaser- drenched guitars only adds to the palpable sense of impending menace, and the relentless action – where grit, determination, knuckles, and baseball bats largely replace guns – is masterfully sustained over a taut 93-minute running time. The script, adapted from the 1965 Sol Yurick novel by Hill and David Shaber, brings together a menagerie of colourful characters, distinctive gangs, and unforgettable dialogue that is still regularly quoted some 43 years later. The most memorable quote comes from an iconic scene at the conclusion of The Warriors . [Spoiler alert] Framed for killing the Gramercy

• The Warriors is out on May 25

Riff’s gang boss, Cyrus (the head of the biggest gang in NewYork), the dishevelled and exhausted remaining Warriors finally make it back to their home base of Coney Island. But waiting for them as they alight from the train at dawn are the real perpetrators of the crime, the Rogues, headed up by deranged gang boss Luther (David Patrick Kelly). Luther had pulled the trigger that killed Cyrus and

During the park fight sequence with the Baseball Furies, Michael Beck, who plays the calm Warriors’ temporary boss, Swan, attacks a member of the Furies with a baseball bat. However, he hit the stuntman so hard with the bat prop that he broke three of his ribs.

20 MAY 2022

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OUT MAY 18

OUT MAY 25

OUT MAY 18

OUT MAY 18

The hit new series starring Aidan Turner as Leonard Di Vinci!

Brand-new horror anthology series based upon on the North American Lake Monsters: Stories by Nathan Ballingrud.

Popular Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series starring Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha that includes 3 brand-new suspenseful mysteries.

From groundbreaking documentarian KEN BURNS! Available on Blu-ray and DVD!

MOVIES & TV SHOWS OUT THIS MONTH MAY MOVIES & TV PREVIEWS visit stack.com.au

SPENCER Spencer chronicles the Royal Christmas of 1991, unfolding over three days at Sandringham Castle. Diana is late to arrive and reluctant to participate in family

MOONFALL When a mysterious force sends the moon hurtling on a collision course with Earth, astronauts Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson

embark on a dangerous mission to save the planet. Combining elements of Armageddon and The Core , Moonfall is the kind of cheesy fun and pure spectacle we've come to expect from the master of disaster, director Roland Emmerich ( Independence Day ).

traditions and the routines of the holiday... Kristen Stewart delivers an Oscar-nominated performance as Diana in this bleak, psychological character study that's far removed from the royal drama of The Crown .

DRAMA

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SCI-FI

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WITHOUT REMORSE Based on Tom Clancy’s 1993 novel of the same name, this tough and propulsive military actionfest will thrill the author's legion of fans. Michael B. Jordan ( Black Panther ) plays US Navy SEAL

CYRANO Edmond Rostand’s charming and poignant 1897 play, Cyrano de Bergerac (previously adapted as Steve Martin’s superb Roxanne ), has now been reimagined as a musical

by director Joe Wright ( Darkest Hour ). Peter Dinklage ( Game of Thrones ) stars as the eponymous lovelorn wordsmith, while Haley Bennett ( The Magnificent Seven )

John Clark (a character that also appears in the Jack Ryan books), who uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice

for the murder of his pregnant wife.

plays the object of his desire, Roxanne.

ACTION

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DRAMA

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TURNING RED Pixar's latest feature is the wild story of a confident teenager who one day changes into a giant red panda, which keeps happening whenever she's

DOOM PATROL: SEASON 3 The craziest superhero series you've probably never seen gets its mojo back, returning to the off-the-wall anarchy and black humour that went AWOL in season two. After resolving

excited or stressed. And with an overprotective mother always hovering, it happens a lot... The voice cast features Sandra Oh, with newcomer Rosalie Chiang as the pandarific star of the show, Mei Lee.

the Candlemaker cliffhanger, the DC superhero team must confront the time-hopping Madame Rouge (Michelle Gomez), the alien twosome Garguax, and the Dead Boy Detectives, while struggling with their own personal issues.

ANIMATED

OUT NOW

TV ACTION

25/5/22

A DAY TO DIE Bruce Willis has sadly retired from acting, but the good news is he still has a swag of B-movies in the bank that are yet to be released. A Day to Die casts him as a corrupt cop with underworld contacts

LOVE AND MONSTERS Resembling a cross between Zombieland and a Godzilla movie, this fun-filled creature feature (shot in Queensland) follows

Dylan O’Brien ( Maze Runner ) as he attempts to find his former high school girlfriend (Jessica Henwick) in a post-apocalyptic world that's teeming with giant mutant monsters, created by an attempt to stop an asteroid colliding with Earth.

that have kidnapped the wife of a former government operative, who calls on his old comrades to help rescue her. Action heavyweight

Frank Grillo and Entourage 's Kevin Dillon co-star.

ACTION

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SCI-FI

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C'MON C'MON Joaquin Phoenix plays a radio journalist who forges a transformational relationship with his young nephew (Woody

PANAMA Crank director Mark Neveldine brings his signature hyperactive style to this action-thriller inspired by true events. Cole Hauser

Norman) when the pair embark on a cross-country trip across the US. Shot in black and white, this moving drama from writer-director Mike Mills ( Beginners ) explores the connections between adults

plays an ex-marine sent on a black ops mission to Panama by his former commander (Mel Gibson), where he becomes involved with the US invasion of Panama and learns the true

and children, the past and the future.

nature of political power...

DRAMA

4/5/22

ACTION

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22 MAY 2022

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HIGHLIGHTS 4K UHD

4K UHD BEST-SELLERS for APRIL 2022

THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK CLASSICS COLLECTION II F ollowing the quadruple whammy of DISC OF THE MONTH

young Shirley MacLaine in a whodunit tale of a murder for which everybody feels responsible. This one features a 32-minute making-of and production photos. Marnie is the tale of a business owner (Sean Connery) who believes that he can be the saviour of the titular liar and thief (Tippi Hedren). Extras fans will love archival materials and a 59-minute making-of. The last film that Hitchcock completed, Family Plot , also had a lighter tone in its tale of a con artist and her beau versus a pair of kidnappers. Storyboards, production photos and the 49-minute making-of, Plotting Family Plot, complete the package. Out May 11

such bonus features as galleries, storyboards and a 36-minute making-of. Noir-tinged thriller Shadow of a Doubt – which Hitchcock claimed was his favourite of all his works – is the tale of a teenager who suspects that her uncle may in fact be a serial killer. Extras include a 35-minute making-of and various production materials. The Trouble with Harry not only showcased Hitchcock’s lighter side, it also introduced the world to a

4K treats in Psycho , Rear Window , The Birds and Vertigo , Universal have returned to their archives to deliver us another batch of classic Hitchcock. Five movies feature – Saboteur (1942), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), The Trouble with Harry (1955), Marnie (1964) and Family Plot (1976) – and all have been treated to native 4K restorations with HDR, to give us the best visual presentation that we’ve yet seen of these classic flicks. Sonically, all come with DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mixes, as well as purist-friendly mono tracks. Saboteur , starring Robert Cummings as a man fighting to clear his name of, you guessed it, sabotage, also includes

1 Spider-Man:

No Way Home 2 Ghostbusters: Afterlife

3 Dune (2021) 4 The Matrix

Resurrections 5 Scream (2022) 6 Death on the Nile (2022)

7 No Time to Die 8 Ghostbusters Triple Pack 9 Spider-Man Trilogy 10 Eternals

WHAT’S ON THE WAY?

You likely have a fair idea as to which big recent movies to expect in coming months on 4K Ultra HD, but what about some of the classic back catalogue? Release schedules can shift about a bit, but currently in Australia we’re looking at Beverly Hills Cop II and The

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN

Untouchables in June – two very different films, but both great in their own ways. July has Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye anthology as well as Doctor Who and the Daleks pencilled in, while August is currently looking like a wild time for collectors, with everything from Steven Spielberg’s 1971 thriller Duel and Arnie in Red Sonja , to later fare such as Karl Urban in Doom , Alex Garland’s Ex-Machina , and all the wild fun of Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass .

Gene Kelly’s much-loved romantic musical masterpiece – considered by many to be one of the best ever examples of its kind – celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, and it’s partying it up big time on 4K Ultra HD. The image comes to us in native 4K, complete with HDR enhancement. All of the glorious audio will give us options, with

a choice between new school DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and old school restored, lossless mono. Extras will include a commentary and a 2012 documentary. Out May 4

XX

ISSUE 211 May ’22

GAMING

YOUR MONTHLY GAMING GUIDE TO WHAT’S

IN-STORE AT

hot

GAMING FEATURE

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STACK’s ROVING REPORTER

BEST SELLERS at

What’s your all-time favourite game series?

Diablo - Diablo II was the game that got me into PC gaming. Also, Counter-Strike 1.6 for the ungodly amount of time I spent playing throughout high school instead of studying!

APRIL 2021

MARTY MEYNELL @ JB Hi-Fi Queen Adelaide Building, Brisbane QLD

1 LEGO STAR WARS:

THE SKYWALKER SAGA

What have you been playing lately?

2 NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS

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

I’m still jamming Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege with mates almost every night. Aside from those, I’ve been enjoying the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PS5 and Mario Golf Super Rush on the Switch.

Getting to talk to all the interesting people that come wandering in through our doors about something that’s a shared passion among so many people from all walks of life.

3 KIRBY AND THE

FORGOTTEN LAND

4 ELDEN RING

5 MARIO KART 8 DELUXE

What’s your earliest video gaming memory?

What would be your desert island console?

6 POKÉMON LEGENDS: ARCEUS

Waking up Christmas morning in 1993 to unwrap a Super Nintendo and losing my mind with excitement! It even came with the Super Scope!

I would have to say my Switch, since it’s the only thing with a battery in it! But if there’s electricity then it would be my PC.

7 GRAN TURISMO 7

8 ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS

Minecraft Torch Light

Pac-Man Icons Light

9 HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST

PlayStation Icons Light

Minecraft Icons Metal

10 MARIO PARTY SUPERSTARS

Xbox Logo Light

Water Bottle

GAME CHANGERS! A YEAR IN GAMING Nintendo set up shop properly in Australia, unleashing a killer platformer while they were at it, Japan got new hardware from SEGA and Sony, and a franchise that would become an enduring gaming ode to car culture hit the starting line… 1994

Before 1994 ended, Japan saw the release of two hot new “fifth-gen” consoles – console masters SEGA’s Saturn, and Sony’s first entry in the space, the PlayStation. Both had red hot launch arcade conversions, Virtua Fighter and Ridge Racer , respectively, and both companies were up for a ding-dong battle. However, while sales of the Saturn went gangbusters in Japan – it remains SEGA’s best-selling console ever there – the same couldn’t be said for its later overseas launch, where PlayStation basically kicked it to the kerb with slicker marketing, and more in-demand games.

By 1994, the world had played a lot of platform games, and not much had changed in them save for slight improvements in their still very 2D graphics. British developers Rare had a plan to bring new life to the genre, and their Super Nintendo exclusive Donkey Kong Country was the conduit. While still essentially a 2D platformer, it was Rare’s use of pre-rendered 3D graphics that prompted reviewers and gamers to stumble for descriptive superlatives. That the game was supremely playable beyond how good it looked also helped quite a bit.

Eight years after the movie Top Gun , Electronic Arts felt the need, The Need for Speed , as a

title that might help the struggling 3DO console move more

units. Complete with a Road &Track magazine license, the game showed respect to car addicts everywhere, with as much emphasis on realistic sound and handling, plus TV magazine-styled video presentation, as there was on allowing petrolheads to race the eight included automotive dream machines on three courses. Many in the series followed, the last (so far) being the 24th iteration, 2019’s Need for Speed Heat .

26 MAY 2022

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