STACK #217 November 2022

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TO FILM, TV, MUSIC, GAMING & LIFE TECH

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ISSUE 217 NOV ’22

STACK Issue 217 NOVEMBER 2022 “This guy needs an ego check.”

ISSUE 217 NOV ’22

ISSUE 217 NOV ’22

SMARTENUP! Keeping your home safe and secure Smart entertaining for indoors and outdoors

INSIDE:

MUSIC

Credit: Luke Henery

Credit: Michelle Day

Credit: Ed Cooke

AUSMUSIC MONTH

Credit: Taylor Zannis

• SHOOTING TOP GUN: MAVERICK AT 37,000 FEET • YEP, WE TALK TO NOPE DIRECTOR JORDAN PEELE

Credit: Carlo Santone

Credit: Tony Mott

Credit: Georgia Wallace

Credit: Isaac Brown

Credit: Lawrence McCrab

Your MONTHLY GUIDE to the HOTTEST TECH at

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YOUR MONTHLY MUSIC GUIDE TO WHAT’S IN-STORE AT hot Credit: Kane Lehanneur

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 217 NOV

MOVIES & TV 6 Take 5 8 Top Gun: Maverick 10 Bullet Train

2022

WELCOME

12 Nope 14 Beast 16 The Enforcer 18 Nix 20 New from Imprint Films 22 Out this month 24-26 New on 4K UHD

Take home one of the year’s biggest and best blockbusters this November. Yes, after an interminable wait Top Gun: Maverick finally soared on to cinema screens and delivered everything we wanted from a sequel to the 1986 classic – from the truly exhilarating aerial sequences that set a new benchmark in filmmaking, to just the right amount of nostalgia. It kicks off a big month in movies that also includes the Brad Pitt action-thriller Bullet Train and the quirky new flick from director Jordan Peele, Nope . Smart homes in Australia are on

the rise, and putting cutting edge smart technology in-house is easier than you think. We look at how to set up a home security system and bring a smart touch to your indoor and outdoor entertaining. Some big releases hitting the decks in music include Dean Lewis’s The Hardest Love , Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Anthony Callea’s Forty Love , while gamers will be salivating at the prospect of God of War Ragnarök (the sequel to 2018’s God of War reboot) and the return of Sonic the Hedgehog in the open-world adventure, Sonic Frontiers . Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

LIFE TECH 30-52 Our smart home guide is here! 56 New smartphones from Motorola 58 Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds 60 What’s new MUSIC 64-70 The Music Room: Chats with Anthony Callea, Dean Lewis and more 72-73 Cover feature: A Pinch of the Bunch Leading Aus Music Month 74 AlbumTales: Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace (2020) 76 STACK Record Club

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

Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Gill Pringle, Bob Jones 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

Social Media Manager Glenn Cochrane Production Manager Craig Patterson Correspondence STACK editor@stack.com.au

78 This month at JB 80-82 Album reviews

GAMING FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 4 Take 5/Game Changers! 6 God of War Ragnarök 8 Sonic Frontiers 10 Just Dance 2023 Edition 12 STACK Recommends 14 Out this month

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.

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EXTRAS

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STACK’s ROVING REPORTER

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

I have so many, but the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Exorcist are two of my all time favourite films. There aren’t many horror films with such an overall sense of dread and despair as the original TCM. I think the matter of fact way it presents its brutal violence, as something that is commonplace, is far more disturbing and terrifying than constant jump scares or CGI effects.

1 Elvis 2 Thor: Love and Thunder 3 Yellowstone: Season 4 4 Jurassic World Dominion 5 Outlander: Season 6 6 Minions: The Rise of Gru 7 AFL Premiers 2022: Geelong 8 Where the Crawdads Sing 9 1883: Season 1 10 The Black Phone

TOM CORNWALL @ JB Melrose Park, SA

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

Breaking Bad , hands down. The acting and directing can’t be faulted, but it’s the writing that impresses me so much. The show isn’t afraid to get ugly, putting its characters into horrible, morally dubious situations without copping out or letting them off the hook. The characters are layered enough that you can root for them while hating them at the same time.

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What’s the best thing about working at JB?

Definitely the people. I’ve found that most people who work here have a shared passion for the things we sell, particularly in terms of music and movies. It makes for some lively discussions and debates.

What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend?

1 Elvis 2 Thor: Love and Thunder 3 Jurassic World Dominion 4 The Black Phone 5 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 6 My Hero Academia: World Heroes Mission 7 Minions: The Rise of Gru 8 Where the Crawdads Sing 9 1883: Season 1 10 Outlander: Season 6

Everything Everywhere All at Once is somehow sprawling and huge, but also incredibly intimate and heartfelt. It’s also one of the most ambitious, inventive and surprising films I’ve seen in a long time. And Better Call Saul ’s final season was every bit as unpredictable and tragic as I’d hoped. For a show that could have been a totally unnecessary spin-off of Breaking Bad, it managed to carve out its own identity and become something quieter and more character-driven than its predecessor, but arguably just as brilliant.

What’s a movie you saw as a child that has left a lasting impression on you? Seeing the original Star Wars for the first time during its theatrical re-release in 1997 changed my life. At age six it made me decide I wanted to write and direct films (before that point I didn’t even know what a director was). Seeing it also opened me up to a vast universe of stories that I still obsess over to this day.

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TONY SCOTT’S LEGACY “His shoes are impossible to fill,” says Joesph Kosinski of original Top Gun director, Tony Scott. “He created the Top Gun look, the Top Gun style. So, when we all approached it, Tom and I both agreed that we didn’t want to do the cover band version of Top Gun . It couldn’t be a parody or a rip-off. It had to feel like it was in the Top Gun universe, but at the same time we had to forge our own aesthetic.”

Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski was determined to shoot the dynamic action sequences for real. But filming at 37,000 feet presented a major challenge requiring enormous preparation and coordination. J oseph Kosinski was 12 years old when he first saw the original Top Gun , but the experience never left him. He began building radio-controlled INTOTHE DANGERZONE

capture it appropriately, then it’s a waste of everybody’s time,” he says. “So, we worked with Sony to develop a new prototype camera that would be small enough to fit in the cockpit and capture the scale of image – an IMAX-quality image – at the same time. “And we didn’t fit one camera

• Top Gun: Maverick is out on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on Nov 2

in there, we figured out a way to fit six cameras in the cockpit. That required a lot of coordination with the Navy, and their engineering department, to make sure it could be done safely – because if the pilot needs to eject, the cameras cannot interfere with any of the ejection process. “Also, the cameras need to be able to handle 600-mile-per-hour speeds, eight G’s of load and 37,000 feet of altitude. The physical conditions are extreme. “Coordinating these aerial sequences is like three-dimensional chess at 600 miles per hour,” he continues. “The amount of prep and coordination was tremendous. We would shoot 14 hours and only maybe get a minute of usable material. It was a very slow, methodical marathon to get this footage. But it does create an image that you can’t replicate using any amount of visual effects, because you’re seeing

model airplanes, and would later go on to study aerospace engineering at Stanford University. As the director of Top Gun: Maverick , he’s now in the cockpit of his own full-size plane, and it feels very much like home. “In some ways, Top Gun: Maverick is me coming back around to my first interest, aviation,” he says. “Because in order to make this movie, you have to really want to get into the details of aviation, to figure out how we made it, the way we made it.” Upon reading a script developed by producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Kosinski’s biggest

Director Joseph Kosinski

shoot the action for real, reflecting the actor’s own dedication to doing his own stunts. “One of the things I talked to him about was shooting it for real, because I thought that we actually could . I felt that the technology existed to capture the experience of being in a fighter jet for real, which they weren’t even able to do on the first Top Gun . I think that resonated with him, and it became our mantra throughout the whole film: ‘Anything we can possibly get for real, let’s shoot it for real.’

question was, what would be the “emotional spine” of the movie? “What was not in the script that I read was this notion of Maverick’s reconnection with Goose’s son [played by Miles Teller]. That felt, to me, like

Shooting authentic aerial sequences with the actors presented Kosinski and his director of photography, Claudio Miranda, with the initial challenge of determining how to actually do it. “[We] had to

the forces on the actors’ bodies. It’s something you just can’t act. You feel the reality of it. So, it’s worth the pain. “The fact that we were Top Gun allowed us to do a lot of this with the Navy, because the people who are in charge of the Navy now are the same guys who were watching the movie in 1986 and joining up. So, we had that going for us.”

the heart of this story. And for Tom [Cruise], it always comes down to emotion. If he can find that emotional hook into a film, that’s going to be key to him signing on.” Also key to convincing Cruise to return to his iconic role was the practical nature of the filmmaking; Kosinki’s determination to

figure out how to film this because it’s great to get people up there, but if you can’t

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ACTION MAN Check out more from David Leitch

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Words Gill Pringle B ased on Kotaro Isaka’s 2010 as a reluctant assassin whose latest mission puts him onboard the titular vehicle in Japan, which is packed with fellow baddies variously portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, Joey King, Zazie Beetz, Brian Tyree Henry, and Andrew Koji. Produced by Leitch’s 87North ultra-violent action-thrillers, directing Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde and also producing John Wick , Nobody , and upcoming festive thriller Violent Night . As Pitt’s former stuntman, there’s very little Leitch doesn’t know about his leading man’s capabilities. “Brad is an incredibly physically talented actor and he can pull off a lot of stuff. He’s the first one to jump in there and really deliver as good as it gets in an action sequence. And the only time I ever really had to do anything for Brad, in all of those years as a stunt performer, was if it was really going to hurt – and then I had to do it!” he laughs. Wearing a nerdy bucket hat, Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs have gone off the rails. Fate, however, has other plans, as Ladybug's latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, novel Maria Beetle , the action thriller Bullet Train stars Brad Pitt Productions, the director has spearheaded the current rise in

assassin and “twin” brother to Tyree Henry’s Lemon. “We all went to work and decided that we were just lucky to be there and doing this thing. And that was the mentality, with Brad cracking jokes. Bad Bunny came on and was a big sport, so brilliant when you see him, and I think this was his first movie. So big kudos to Bad Bunny, because he really came on and brought the sauce for sure, man,” he says of the Puerto Rican rapper whose real name is Benito A. Martinez Ocasio. “Sometimes I’d turn up and there were some secret cameos going on that we would find out on the day, and then you'd be opposite some great actors that have come on for just the day. And that's because David Leitch has a list of actors he's worked with, and so has Brad, and it's those kinds of friendships that were brilliant. “So it was kind of exciting, being an actor getting to play with all these other great actors who were just hanging around in Hollywood in a lockdown and had nothing else to do but step on and have a good time,” he adds. For Leitch, Bullet Train provided the opportunity to direct a movie that was unlike any other. “I was attracted to how bold and original it is, and that’s the kind of movie I like to make,” he says. “It has a tone of relentless fun and snappy dialogue. But the most important thing to me was that it had well-defined characters that gave the actors a lot to chew on. It’s a fun action-thriller with crazy, bombastic characters – and it’s a meditation on fate."

yet conflicting, objectives – on the world's fastest train. “Ladybug is going through an existential crisis,” says Pitt. “Too many of his recent jobs have gone sideways and he’s starting to think that the one thing all of those jobs have had in common is him. He thinks he’s brought bad luck to every aspect of his life – it’s affected his work, and he’s trying

• Bullet Train is out on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on Nov 9

to find a way to turn it around through peaceful resolution.” All of the actors found an instant rapport, charmed by Zak Olkewicz’s fast paced and witty script. “Every day you just never really knew what you were gonna get, but you knew you're gonna have a laugh,” says Taylor-Johnson, who portrays Tangerine, an experienced British

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Check out more from Jordan Peele

Writer-director Jordan Peele takes on the big summer event movie with his UFO horror film, Nope . Words Gill Pringle WATCH THE SKIES

both an exploration and critique of filmmaking and film industry itself. “I set out to design something that criticised what we do as much as it honours it.” Starring Daniel Kaluuya ( Get Out ) and Keke Palmer as siblings, and Steven Yeun as a former child star, these three inhabitants of a lonely stretch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery. Kaluuya’s OJ is the moral

centre of the film. The sudden and mysterious death of his famous father has left him struggling to run the family ranch, which trains horses for film and TV productions. And when his sister Emerald (Palmer) returns, some old tensions begin to surface… Peele hopes that the movie is a fun and entertaining ride. “ Nope was written in 2020 during the pandemic,” he says. “It was this crazy time. In a lot of ways, the film is a reflection of all the horrors that happened that year and are still happening. In a way, this film was my escape from the day to day and what I want to offer the audience is an escape from As for the title, he says, " Nope means a lot of things. I always love to get into the head of my audience. And I feel like there’s a lot of people that don’t want to see a horror movie theirs.”

F ew folk have done more than writer-director Jordan Peele, whose latest film Nope builds on a unique vision first established by his breakout movie Get Out in 2017. then Us in 2019. Not content with resting on his horror laurels, Peele was eager to expand by tackling the granddaddy of genre movies: the summer event film. “ Nope is of a bigger scope than any story I’ve ever tried to tell,” he tells STACK . One particular sub-genre of summer event films he felt was ripe for reinvention was the UFO movie. “I had this idea of making the Great to disrupt and reinvent the horror genre in recent years

alien civilisation. But what if the truth is a lot simpler and darker than we could ever imagine?” he asks. Both a dark sci-fi nightmare and complex social thriller, Nope also unpacks the seeds of violence, risk and opportunism that are inseparable from the romanticised history of the American West and, indeed, from show business itself. “The DNA of the movie has this big question about the human addiction to spectacle,” poses Peele. “And what happens when money

American UFO movie – a flying saucer horror film. And not only a flying saucer horror film, but really, the quintessential one. It’s a difficult genre and hard to pull off because it’s got this huge canvas that you have to take into account – the sky. “ Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a huge influence of mine in its scope and in its vision, but more than anything, in Steven Spielberg's ability to make us feel like we’re in the presence of something from another world. That immersive experience was something I desperately wanted to chase as well. “Within that genre, though, we often apply all these wonderful qualities to some advanced

and don’t want to see something that dark. Nope is an invitation to them, to sort of say, ‘Hey, I see you, and this movie will be scary, but at the very least, I’m bringing you in. I’m acknowledging you have a place in this genre.’ "And also because Black people have some pretty simple rules, and there’s just certain things that are just going to make us go, ’Nope! Done! Out! I’m gone!’”

• Nope is out on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on Nov 9

becomes involved is that there’s this massive exploitation of what should be pure and what should be natural.” Moreover, he argues that Nope serves as

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Check out more from director Baltasar Kormákur

STACK chats with Idris Elba about taking on a lion’s share of the action in the new thriller, Beast . Words Gill Pringle B east sees Idris Elba BATTLING THE BEAST

big floppy head trying to beat you and you’re pretending it’s a lion,” he laughs. Shot on the pride lands of Limpopo and Northern Cape, Elba arrived directly from filming Three Thousand Years of Longing in Australia, plunging into an extensive rehearsal process. But filming Beast for real was a lot tougher. “It was even more difficult because it was really hot, and we had to wait for certain light. I had a body harness and prosthetics and blood – it was a real job. “The biggest challenges were just figuring out and calibrating the level of fear, because this is a man that doesn’t fight; he can’t fight, let alone fight a lion. “There’s this moment where I punch the lion, and I’m just looking at that and thinking, ‘I’m not sure how this guy’s gonna punch a lion?’ No one punches a lion, you know? And I just had to make that believable.” Elba surely did his homework on lions. “If this is not an action hero guy, then this is also not a beast. This is an animal that has been thrown into this predicament by human beings, which is based on some realities in that part of the world. “It was important that we didn’t villainise the animal. Lions don’t attack human beings often, but in this scenario we figured out what would be the likely case study that would make this lone lion do that. There’s always a danger of laying on a message too thick, but I think we calibrated it so it didn’t feel that way.”

tackling a ferocious rogue lion, but don’t expect him to pull off any superhero moves a la The Suicide Squad . “This character is definitely not an action hero. He doesn’t even hold a gun well,” Elba tells STACK of portraying Nate Samuels, a doctor and divorced dad who must battle the savage lion to protect his two teenaged daughters. “He’s just a guy who’s in a

really terrible situation. And that was appealing to me. It wasn’t a difficult role to get into; I’ve never been chased by a lion so I’d probably be exactly like Nate in real life, if that was the case,” he admits. “It was exciting for me to portray a character that doesn’t have some of the tropes of the action heroes that we all see in films, and he was vulnerable, for sure. He’s vulnerable in a sense of his parenting and relationship with his children, but also this whole scenario that they find themselves in,” says Elba, who bonded so well with screen daughters Leah Jeffries and Iyana Halley that the two girls today refer to him as their godfather. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur ( Everest ), Elba’s Nate brings his girls on an emotional trip to South Africa to visit their late mother’s former home. Now overrun by poaching gangs, they have the protection of Nate’s old pal

Leah Jeffries and Idris Elba

and game reserve manager, Martin, portrayed by Sharlto Copley ( District 9 ). Kormákur and Elba had been searching for a project to do together for a long time. Once he signed on, Kormákur went to great lengths to protect his leading man, utilising CGI technology for all the close-up lion scenes. Fighting an imaginary beast was certainly something new for Elba. “I’ve fought in other movies with swords and weapons and against things that aren’t there. But this was a physical being, an animal that was literally ripping me apart, that wasn’t there. So you’re like, how fearful can you be when you’ve got a guy in a grey suit and a

• Beast is out on Blu-ray and DVD on Nov 30

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ENCOUNTERING THE EXPENDABLES “I was still editing in Greece for a few months, and I was in the Hyatt and the entire production crew for Expendables 4 moved in,” Hughes fondly recalls. “Suddenly all these people come flooding in – and I'm still a kid in Disneyland – and all of a sudden I'm walking past 50 Cent. I was like, ‘You're kidding me! So I had to go and grab a little selfie with him. I was unashamed. I was like, 'Bro, I'm a massive fan, thanks.”

Torn from the same page as JohnWick and Man on Fire , The Enforcer is an unassuming action movie starring Antonio Banderas. First-time Aussie director Richard Hughes tells STACK how he landed the gig. Words Glenn Cochrane T he Enforcer ’s title character (played by Antonio Banderas) puts his career, and life, on the line to help a teenage girl FROM TRUCKING TO HOLLYWOOD

“I had a feeling something good was happening, because nothing good had

happened in over a year. And he says [down the phone], ‘Do you want to direct an action movie with Antonio Banderas? We're shooting in five weeks.’ “I was like, 'Ahhh, yeah, what's the script?’ And he sent it to me, and then I drove down to Melbourne that night. I had to make some changes to it. It was a cool script, but it was a little bit dated. It was written like fifteen years ago.” The original Enforcer script was written by Hollywood scribe W. Peter Iliff, who gave the world Point Break , Patriot Games and Varsity Blues , amongst others. “ Point Break , how big can you get?” Hughes says with astonishment when we ask about Iliff's involvement. “A titan! He sent me a lovely email saying that he wrote the screenplay 15 years ago and had been trying to get it up and going. He even said to me, ‘Man, I watched your short films online and I loved them.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is Peter Iliff!’ It was an absolute honour to take it off his hands.” Hughes also relished the thought of working with Antonio Banderas. “I did wonder what he would be like. I assumed everyone goes up to him saying, 'Desperado, Desperado,’ he laughs. “And when I had dinner with him he told me that they made Desperado on a budget of $300,000, and people who were shot in that movie were shot multiple times. They put wigs on them and used different angles. “So everyone's sort of been on the same journey, and it was great to hear that from him. But he's one of the kindest, nicest people in the industry that I've met. He's a class act and he puts so much passion into it. He also had a lot of patience with me, understanding that it was my first feature film.”

escape from his boss's nefarious cybersex traffic operation. It’s a highly stylised and pulse-pounding action-thriller from Millennium Media, the company responsible for hits like The Expendables , Rambo and The Hitman's Bodyguard , amongst others. Thanks to his older and more established brother, Patrick Hughes (director of The Expendables 3 and The Man fromToronto ), as well as building his reputation as a scriptwriter, Richard Hughes formed a relationship with the people at Millennium. Speaking with STACK over Zoom, he recalls the moment when his world changed.

“I was driving trucks just to pay the rent at that stage,” he recalls of the pandemic. “I had kept in contact with the studio head, Yariv Lerner, and he called me up one day. I was camping in Wye River and I got a message from him saying, ‘Hey, can you get to some reception?’ So I went onto the Lorne pier,” he laughs.

• The Enforcer is out on DVD on Nov 2

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SHARK SCHLOCK There's no denying the success of the Sharknado franchise, and although the movies are ridiculed by more cultured moviegoers, Anthony C. Ferrante is immensely proud of the series. “Love it or hate it, people are going to make fun of the fact that Nix is from the director of Sharknado . But we made a global franchise! Those were $200 million movies that we made for two or three million dollars, tops. They were hard to put together and it was crazy what we managed to pull off in those films.”

and then COVID hit when we were about ready to shoot,” he says. “So I tabled it and redeveloped the movie. And during that time we started realising that we needed to dig deeper and needed to try harder to make something that resonated more. “We talked about stuff that was happening with our families, and we watched people deal with grief and addiction, and we thought, ‘What if we

Sharknado director Anthony C. Ferrante gets serious and scary with his new horror movie, Nix . Words Glenn Cochrane

did something that people weren't expecting?’ “I did a little research and dug around for a really good mythology and I came across the Nyx, or the Nøkken, or Nixie, which is a folklore creature that appears as half a face in the water.

And I was just haunted by that image and fascinated by it. “The mythology of the Nyx beyond that is a water fairy,” he adds with amusement. “It's not that interesting, but the other thing that intrigued me was the way that ‘nix’ in German means 'nothing'.” Ferrante is also acutely aware that Nix marks a return to themes that he’s explored in his previous work. “There's kind of a trilogy of films going on in my filmography. My first film was Boo , and there's a

A nthony C. Ferrante is the guy who gave us the Sharknado movies. Yet despite being an undisputed master of schlock, he’s also a seasoned filmmaker whose body of work encompasses an impressive array of genres. His latest film, Nix , is a complex horror story that incorporates mythology, psychological trauma, and the

unrelenting pain of grief. To say it’s far removed from the B-movie exploits of Sharknado is an understatement, and those who wish to pigeonhole him as a director of schlock would be very much mistaken. Chatting with STACK over Zoom, Ferrante admits he’s always been a horror guy. “I love horror. In fact, my first few films were very horror-driven until I did Sharknado and went totally bat-crap crazy,” he says wryly. “But I had been looking for a long time for a film that we could do that had a little bit more meaning behind it, and a little more depth.” That film is Nix , which tells of a family's tragedy while on vacation at a lake, and explores the aftermath of loss, as they are haunted by the events decades later.

Steeped in Germanic folklore, the exploration of psychological trauma is as powerful as it is scary. Ferrante offers up a horrific experience that, while being a monster movie, is also firmly grounded in humanity. As with so many movies of the past few years, Nix was a product of the global pandemic, and although work had commenced prior to the outbreak, its impact on the story was immediate. “Originally it was a different mythology,

thriller I did called Forgotten Evil , and now Nix – they kind of all deal with the mindscape. And I think that I kind of perfected it with this movie in particular, and it definitely takes you on a mind journey.” He also facetiously offers his own comparison to further illustrate the story. “I describe it as Ordinary People

• Nix out on DVD Nov 9

meets Videodrome .” Adding with a gleeful smirk, “At its core it's an indie family drama with horrific elements to it.”

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MOVIE FEATURE

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SCHOOLTIES (1992)

DISTANTTHUNDER (1988) John Lithgow plays a Vietnam War veteran in this drama exploring the impact of PTSD. Having retreated from society and his family to live in the wilderness with a group of fellow "bush vets", his reclusive lifestyle is rocked by a reunion with his estranged son (Ralph Macchio) after 15 years. Diane Lane) form a wildly successful punk band before inevitably succumbing to the pitfalls of the music biz. This obscure cult film has been rescued from the video vault and is now poised to find a new fanbase on Blu-ray. Nominated for four Oscars, including 'Best Director' (Fernando Meirelles) and 'Adapted Screenplay', this harrowing true story of crime and redemption is set in the violent world of Rio de Janeiro's notorious slum district, where a young boy aspires to a better life as a photographer. This coming-of-age drama features Brendan Fraser in an early role as a Jewish student at an exclusive school. A star athlete popular with his peers and the girls, his future course is changed when antisemitism raises its ugly head. Look out for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in supporting roles. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,THE FABULOUS STAINS (1982) A trio of misfit teenage girls (led by a young CITY OF GOD (2002)

A new box of neo-noir thrillers, the films of director Roland Joffé, and some retro BritishTV leads a bumper Blu-ray bundle this month. Words Scott Hocking

Blue Steel (1990)

I mprint's first collection of neo-noir cinema was a box full of deliciously dark crime thrillers. For the second volume, the label has selected an equally eclectic range of underrated and forgotten films from acclaimed directors the likes of Kathryn Bigelow, Mike Figgis, Joe Carnahan and James Gray. This new seven-disc hardbox set also includes an 80-page companion booklet. Corrupt cops, gangsters, psychopaths and blue

include an audio commentary by Reno and Cassel, a documentary and featurettes. TheWay of the Gun (2000) marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie ( The Usual Suspects ). This stylish, Tarantino-inspired crime caper stars Ryan Phillippe and Benicio Del Toro as a pair of no good drifters who kidnap a pregnant surrogate mother (Juliette Lewis) for ransom, inciting the wrath of a gangster determined to rescue her whatever

collar criminals populate After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Two , which kicks off chronologically with Point

the cost. Extras include three audio commentaries and cast interviews. Set amongst the bleak environs of New York City's rail yards, The Yards (2000) is director James Gray's ode to blue-collar crime. Mark Wahlberg plays an

DIRECTED BY ROLAND JOFFE This six-disc hardbox edition collects four features from the visionary filmmaker along with a swag of bonus content including audio commentaries, featurettes and documentaries. Oscar-winner The Killing Fields (1984) is set in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime; South American epic The Mission (1986) is much loved for Ennio Morricone's iconic score; historical drama Fat Man and Little Boy (1988) explores the Manhattan Project; and Patrick Swayze journeys to India in City of Joy (1992).

Break director Kathryn Bigelow's underrated and relentless cop thriller Blue Steel (1990), making a welcome debut

on Blu-ray. Jamie Lee Curtis stars as a rookie cop who is drawn into a dangerous game of cat-and mouse with an obsessed madman (Ron Silver). Extras TBC. As the title suggests, police corruption is the focus of Internal Affairs (1990), directed by Mike Figgis ( Leaving Las Vegas ) and starring Richard Gere as a decorated LAPD officer who's rotten to the core and under investigation by IA agent Andy Garcia. Extras include new interviews with the director, screenwriter and co-composer. Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz ( La Haine ), The Crimson Rivers (2000) is a grisly serial killer thriller in the tradition of Seven . Jean Reno ( Leon: The Professional ) plays a criminologist on the trail of a serial killer in the French Alps, who joins forces with a young cop (Vincent Cassel) investigating a possibly related crime in a nearby village. Extras

ex-con trying to go straight, only to be lured into corrupt business dealings by his

uncle (James Caan) and cousin (Joaquin Phoenix). Charlize Theron, Faye Dunaway and Ellen Burstyn round out a stellar supporting cast. Extras include the Director's Cut, new interviews, director commentary, deleted scenes and featurettes. A companion piece of sorts to Collection One's Rush , Narc (2002) sees Jason Patric as a suspended undercover narcotics cop who winds up back on the beat with a rogue partner (Ray Liotta) to investigate the murder of a young officer. Featuring knockout performances by the two leads and directed with style to burn by Joe Carnahan ( Smokin' Aces ), this cracking cop thriller is ripe for rediscovery on Blu-ray. Extras include audio commentary, featurettes and cast interviews.

THE AVENGERS:THE EMMA PEEL COLLECTION (1965–1967) The third volume in the Imprint TV range resurrects the swinging sixties' British cult series starring the great Diana Rigg as super spy Emma Peel. This 16-disc Blu-ray set collects every episode featuring the iconic character, along with new and vintage bonus content.

• The new Imprint range is out on November 30 for a limited time only (while stocks last).

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Worldwide first on Blu-ray! A classic uplifting, heartwarming film starring Award-winning actress Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct) and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files).

The world’s biggest dance film on 4K and Blu-ray, in a brand new SteelBook and 3D lenticular hardcase, to celebrate the 35th Anniversary! 1500 copies only.

Finally on 4K! INCLUDES BOTH THEATRICAL AND EXTENDED VERSIONS. The soul stirring comedy classic starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd , with Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Cab Calloway .

Worldwide first on Blu-ray for this complete collection of all nine feature-length mysteries starring Tom Selleck !

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The 13-episode horror series developed by iconic writer Stephen King , based on The Kingdom by Lars von Trier.

All 8 episodes of the historical mini series starring Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) in high-definition.

Hit Italian drama series based on the best-selling novel series by Elena Ferrante.

Oh! What a Carry On. The first four original Carry On… films on Blu-ray for the first time in Australia!

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Every episode of the steamy spin-off of Beverly Hills 90210 , from the creator of Sex and the City. Nominated for five Golden Globe awards!

Four more sweeping epics: A Night To Remember, Damn The Defiant!, The Long Ships and The Nelson Affair.

Three heart-warming films from the Hallmark Channel. First time on DVD in Australia!

More romantic Christmas Collections direct from Hallmark Channel - just in time for Christmas!

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Stuff your stocking with three romantic Christmas tales, starring Candace Cameron Bure, Rachel Boston and Marisol Nichols.

Christmas is just around the corner... These romantic films are full of festive spirit: a perfect gift for mum!

Candace Cameron Bure stars in Christmas Under Wraps, one of three romantic and heartwarming films in this Hallmark collection.

Emily Osment (Hannah Montana) made her Hallmark debut in Christmas Wonderland - now on DVD for the first time in Australia!

MOVIES & TV PREVIEWS

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MOVIES & TV SHOWS OUT THIS MONTH NOVEMBER ORPHAN: FIRST KILL

THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING This wild fantasy-adventure from director George Miller ( Mad Max: Fury Road ) stars Tilda Swinton as an academic who

Orphan (2009) was the Omen -like tale of an evil little girl who unleashes hell on her unsuspecting adoptive family. Now, 13 years later, the malevolent Esther

encounters a magical Djinn (Idris Elba) in Istanbul, and is offered three wishes in exchange for his freedom. Initially sceptical, she is soon beguiled by the genie's fantastical stories of his past, and

(Isabelle Fuhrman) returns in a prequel to terrorise another unsuspecting American family, after escaping from a psychiatric facility. This gory and mischievous origin story certainly delivers the goods for horror fans.

makes a wish that surprises them both.

HORROR

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FANTASY

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WESTWORLD: SEASON 4 "Have you ever questioned the nature of reality?" It's a question that has driven the narrative of this mind-bending sci-fi series

DOCTOR WHO: THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN This long lost classic adventure from the Patrick Troughton era returns in an animated recreation synced to the original TV soundtrack, along with the surviving episode two. The Doctor and his companions, Jamie

over the course of four seasons. Set in a future New York seven years after the shutdown of the super-AI Rehoboam, the human race is given another chance by Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood), but can humans and Hosts survive in this new world?

and Victoria, arrive at a Tibetan monastery in 1935, which has been taken over by a sinister alien intelligence and its furry robotic servants – the Yeti.

TV SCI-FI

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TV SCI-FI

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THE WHEEL OF TIME: SEASON 1 Based on the epic fantasy series by Robert Jordan, this lavish and ambitious adaptation follows a noblewoman named Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), who's invested with elemental magic and

COBRA KAI: SEASON 4 The Miyagi-verse of The Karate Kid continues to expand in the fourth season of the hit martial arts series, which sees the

Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang dojos teaming up in order to take down Cobra Kai at the All Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament. Will Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny (William Zabka) finally make peace

searching for the reincarnation of the Dragon Reborn, who can save her world from an ancient evil – or destroy it. A rich dose of world building that will please fans of The Lord of the Rings .

and unite against mutual foe John Kreese?

TV FANTASY

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TV DRAMA

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EUPHORIA: SEASONS 1–2 This Emmy-winning HBO drama series takes a no holds barred dive into the world of sex, drugs and high school. Zendaya plays a recovering addict and serves as

THE INVITATION Having appeared in Game of Thrones , Nathalie Emmanuel should know better than to accept an invitation to a wedding.

These nuptials take place in a swank English country estate where a gothic conspiracy is afoot. Seduced by the aristocratic

our guide through the thorny issues confronting modern teens, in a show

that doesn't flinch from the more explicit and unsavoury moments. More Skins than Degrassi High , both seasons are rounded up here, and a third is on the way.

host (Thomas Doherty), she's soon thrust into a nightmare of survival as twisted family secrets are revealed.

TV DRAMA

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HORROR

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AVAILABLE AT FROM NOVEMBER 2 © 2022 Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Australia Pty Limited. All Rights Reserved.

4K UHD HIGHLIGHTS

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4K UHD BEST-SELLERS for OCTOBER 2022

THE BLUES BROTHERS “We’re on a mission from God.” It’s now become one of DISC OF THE MONTH

footage? Yes, the original movie was considered too long by the studio, so 15 minutes were cut. Now restored – but you can watch the original version if you wish – they help some things, like the Bluesmobile’s incredible abilities, make a bit more sense. Audio, too, has been given the deluxe treatment, with a wild DTS:X mix that allows the music to truly shine, with all the bass oomph that it should have, and balanced perfectly with dialogue. Fans of extras can get into a

the all-time classic quotable lines, from a movie that had a troubled gestation and birth but has gone on to entertain millions worldwide. Starring Saturday Night Live ‘s Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, in an extended outing for their characters from that show, a who’s-who of American rhythm and blues was recruited. From big names in The Blues Brothers Band to guests such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and James Brown, its soundtrack remains legendary to this day. When that was blended with killer comedy and action – The Blues Brothers held the record for most cars totalled in the one feature for many years – a cult classic was born. Finally, Australia gets to experience the mega blues trip on 4K Ultra HD, via a native 4K presentation with HDR enhancement that was created from the original film negative – extra footage and all. Extra

1 Elvis 2 Thor: Love and Thunder 3 The Lost Boys 4 Poltergeist 5 Heat 6 Jurassic World Dominion 7 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 8 Lightyear 9 The Batman 10 Giant

nearly one hour long making-of, a couple of featurettes, and a theatrical trailer. So, grab the disc and four fried chickens and a Coke, then don those Ray-Bans and shake a tailfeather to The Blues Brothers like you never have before. Out Nov 23

SCREAM I scream, you scream,

SCREAM 2 Do you like scary sequels? Set two years after the events of the first film, old Ghostface is back in Woodsboro terrorising Neve Campbell and the gang again in a solid sequel that pokes fun at the rules of – you guessed it – horror movie

HIGHLANDER There can be only one! The cult Russell Mulcahy directed, Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert starring tale joins StudioCanal’s excellent Classics Remastered series. The

we all scream for classic Scream ! Wes Craven’s original 1996 scarefest, which introduced us to iconic killer Ghostface and

kickstarted a franchise, returns in a native 4K transfer with Dolby Vision enhancement, accompanied by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

story’s legendary journey is set to look just as legendary on our screens, with a native 4K restoration plus Dolby Vision enhancement and a boisterous DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound mix. Two classic audio commentaries lead the extras, along with a selection of brand new interviews and featurettes. Out Nov 30

sequels. This one also features a native 4K transfer with Dolby Vision and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, along with an audio commentary featuring Wes Craven, producer Marianne Maddalena and editor Patrick Lussier. Out Nov 9

track. There’s a bunch of bonus stuff, too – a new retrospective documentary, director and writer audio commentary, production featurette, and a Q&A with cast and crew. Out Nov 9

24 NOVEMBER 2022

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NEW TO BUY ON 4K U L T RA HD™ NOVEMBER 30

NEW TO BUY ON 4K U L T RA HD™ NOVEMBER 2

*while stocks last

4K UHD HIGHLIGHTS

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continued

CASABLANCA Here’s looking at you, kid – in finer detail than ever before! The legendary Bogart/ Bergman love story is making the leap to 4K Ultra HD, with a stunning new restoration that’s been painstakingly repaired, with HDR added for extra visual oomph.

DIRTY DANCING Nobody puts baby in a

THE RUNNING MAN It’s time to start running! It’s a classic dose of Arnie Schwarzenegger in this 1980s action spectacular that’s loosely based on a Stephen King (well OK, Richard Bachman) novel of the same name. We can look

corner, but fans of this 1980s classic will be wanting to put this limited collector’s edition on their shelves! Housed in a special steelbook with a lenticular cover, a 4K disc will feature the movie, and

As is fitting for such a classic, the original mono soundtrack will feature, having also undergone a full restoration. Features fans can look forward to three commentaries, several documentaries, and even deleted scenes and outtakes. Out Nov 30

it’s really been given the treatment with a native, Dolby Vision-enhanced picture for the eyes, plus Dolby Atmos sound for the ears. There’ll also be two audio commentaries, while two bonus Blu-rays will deliver over six hours of additional fan service. Out Nov 16

forward to taking in all the action via a native 4K transfer featuring added Dolby Vision support, accompanied by a classic DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 audio track. If you’re big into extras, then two audio commentaries (and more) should satisfy that particular lust. Out Nov 9

RAW DEAL StudioCanal’s brilliant

8 MILE Wow, it’s already 20 years since Eminem’s semi autobiographical movie review hit our screens. To celebrate this milestone, it’s making its debut on the 4K Ultra HD format in remastered style, and you’ll be able to lose yourself

E.T. THE EXTRA -TERRESTRIAL 40TH ANNIVERSARY The loveable squishy little alien guy makes his return to the 4K format in a new 40th anniversary release, that’s coming complete with more than 45 minutes of shiny new extra features. These

programme of remastering movies that not everybody considers classics, but have massive fanbases, continues apace, with another exciting dose of Arnie. The 1986 action-crime-thriller mafia infiltration blast from director

John Irvin has been given their full-on native 4K remastering treatment just this year, with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound. Lovers of extras will be happy to hear that the release will include a couple of featurettes and trailers. Out Nov 9

in its HDR enhancement and wicked DTS:X soundtrack that features Eminem, 50 Cent, Macy Gray, Gang Starr and more. Bonus feature inclusions are set to number a making-of, some exclusive rap battles, and the Superman music video. Out Nov 30

will include a retrospective of the movie and its legacy, plus Spielberg looking back at his creation four decades later. A native 4K transfer with DTS:X sound, the limited-edition package will also include a poster, script excerpts booklet, and postcards. Out Nov 2

COMING SOON

THE POLAR EXPRESS If Elf isn’t your bag, then maybe the more traditionally styled animated tale of The Polar Express will be your ticket to seasonal fun this year? Heading our way on 4K with HDR making those lights and darks look all the

ELF Everybody has a favourite Christmas movie, and for many it’s this modern-day Will Ferrell classic. The tale of a child who’s accidentally raised as one of Father Christmas’s elves and is searching to find his true identity is set to hit our

If you’re thinking, “That’s got to be it for top 4K Ultra HD releases for the year” then hold that thought as yes, wait, there’s more! One more blast of classic catalogue releases is set for December 7, and they’re big ones. First up is arguably Quentin Tarantino’s greatest work in Pulp Fiction . Then there’s Cameron Crowe’s brilliant semi-autobiographical rock ‘n’ roll road movie Almost Famous . For drama of a different kind, Roman Polanski’s triple Oscar-winning The Pianist is set to arrive on 4K and, finally, something literally big, in the 1976 movie outing of great ape King Kong .

screens via a new 4K remaster with HDR, coupled with DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio. Two audio commentaries plus deleted and alternate scenes, a bunch of featurettes and even some Elf karaoke are amongst the bonus pressies for fans. Out Nov 2

more appealing, and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 in the sound department, this tale of a young boy’s wavering belief in the jolly, white-bearded bloke, based on Chris Van Allsburg’s book, is sure to delight on the best home video format that there is. Out Nov 2

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