STACK #232 February 2024

CONTENTS

ISSUE 232 FEB 2024

TECH 6-7 Samsung Unwrapped 8-22 It’s time for back to uni 24-30 Hot tips to greenlight your content creation ambition 32-36 Set up your own movie club at uni 38-43 CES 2024 44 What’s new in tech at JB Hi-Fi MOVIES & TV FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 3 Intro /Take 5/Filmmaker's Signature/On the Radar/In Development/Bob J's quiz 4 Merch of the month/Charts/Socials 5 Magic: The Gathering 6 Force of Nature: The Dry 2 / Madame Web 7 Freelance 8-9 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes 10 Five Nights at Freddy's 12 Silent Night 13 After Everything 14 Revisiting Rio Bravo 16 New from Imprint 18 Out this month MUSIC 24-29 The Music Room: Middle Kids, Mick Mars, The Smile, and more 30 Vital Vinyl 31 Second Spin 32-33 Cover feature: Jessica Mauboy 34 Album reviews 36 This month at JB GAMING 38 Take 5/Merch of the Month/Game Changers! 40-42 Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League 44 Mario vs. Donkey Kong 46 PlayStation Portal 48 The PS5 faceoff: OG vs. Slim 50 Out this month/ Wham, bam, game exam! 52 STACK recommends 54 Fast Forward/Q5

WELCOME

We’ve grown accustomed to annual pomp and ceremony showcases from the leading smartphone brands. Journalists from across the globe are jetted into exclusive reveal events, hopeful that whatever is hidden behind the huge black velvet curtains will inspire the previews they’re about to write. But we’re a cynical lot, and that level of anticipation is rarely fulfilled. However, last month’s Samsung Unpacked did produce some genuine interest with the announcement of the new Samsung Galaxy S24 range. Features like the introduction of Galaxy AI (AI on Samsung S24 range devices is free until the end of 2025) occupied the column inches, and rightly so. The Samsung S24 is our cover this month, and you can read about the myriad new features in this issue. From a home entertainment perspective, our coverage in our second issue of the year doesn’t disappoint. Heading up movies, the Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes leads the way, while in games, we look at the new PlayStation Portal, a handheld extension of the PS5 that you can play anywhere in the house. Finally, in music, Jessica Mauboy brings fresh tunes to the table with her new long player, Yours Forever . Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

jbhifi.com.au/stack

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Tech Editor Scott Hocking Music Editor Zoë Radas

Music Consultant Mike Glynn Marketing Manager Fleur Parker

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

Chief Contributors Gill Pringle, Bob Jones Contributors Bryget Chrisfield, Jeff Jenkins,

Games & Online Editor Amy Flower Movie & TV Editor Glenn Cochrane Creative Director Gary Siewert Movies Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando

Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira, Adam Colby, Bec Summer, Dan Nicholson, Alex Deutrom, Michael Irving, Jacqui Picone

RATINGS GUIDE

Parental guidance recommended

Recommended for mature audiences

Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15s must be accommpanied by 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, 2024 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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