STACK #219 January 2023

FEATURE MOVIE

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE Michelle Yeoh is hurled into a multiverse of madness in this wild, layered, and astronomically complex fantasy from the creators of the barmy Swiss Army Man . One of the most original and mind-bending films of 2022 (or any other year), this sleeper hit will challenge, invigorate, and excite adventurous viewers – all at once. LICORICE PIZZA Best described as a blend of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Dazed and Confused , writer director Paul Thomas Anderson’s wonderful new feature is a slice of movie magic that follows the blossoming romance between a bored 25-year old woman (Alana Haim) and an eager teenager (Cooper Hoffman) in the San Fernando Valley in 1973. THE BLACK PHONE 2022 was a banner year for horror, and this creepy and compelling tale from director Scott Derrickson is easily the pick of the bunch. Imagine a combination of Stranger Things and The Lovely Bones , with a dash of The Silence of the Lambs , and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect from this hugely rewarding horror flick. THE NORTHMAN The latest film from director Robert Eggers ( The Witch ) retells Shakespeare's Hamlet from an Icelandic Viking perspective. Featuring a ferocious performance by Alexander Skarsgård as the nobleman seeking revenge for the murder of his father, The Northman stands apart from other Viking tales with a style that’s unique and a sentiment that’s wholeheartedly nihilistic. THE BATMAN The iconic DC hero is reinvigorated in a gritty Gotham crime procedural that sees Robert Pattinson’s brooding Batman on the trail of Paul Dano’s scene-stealing Riddler. Returning the character to his roots as a super sleuth, writer director Matt Reeves creates a striking homage to film noir that’s easily the ‘Darkest Knight’ to date. NIGHTMARE ALLEY Director Guillermo del Toro’s film noir homage is a grim and sumptuous carnival of dark desires that charts a down-and-out con artist’s transformation into a master manipulator who believes he can outwit fate. Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett lead a stellar cast in what is arguably del Toro’s best film since Pan’s Labyrinth .

THE 10 BEST MOVIES OF 2022

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TOP GUN: MAVERICK The most exhilarating and immersive movie experience of 2022, as well as one of the best sequels of all time. Tom Cruise is back in the cockpit for a thrilling new mission that deftly captures the spirit of the 1986 original, and sets a new benchmark for shooting aerial action. Weaving threads and characters from all the previous Spider-Man movies into one big blockbuster event, this greatest hits package is the ultimate Spidey adventure to date and the best Marvel movie of 2022. Many of the returning characters are better utilised here than in their respective films, while others remind us just how great they were. DUNE Visionary director Denis Villeneuve adapts Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel as a two-part saga that's as immense and visually astonishing as the universe it depicts. The battle to control the planet Arrakis and its precious ‘spice’ unfolds on a grand scale in this first chapter, with perfect casting and a more accessible narrative than David Lynch’s 1986 attempt. ELVIS Baz Lurhmann’s biopic on Elvis Presley is, predictably, a big and stylish extravaganza; the music is infectious and the majesty of the production is seductive. A kaleidoscopic musical odyssey that propels the King along a path to pop culture immortality, it’s a wildly entertaining ride from start to finish, anchored by a mesmerising portrayal by Austin Butler. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

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