STACK #244 February 2025

MOVIE & TV FEATURE

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LAYING DOWN THE PIECES GENRE: Documentary RUN TIME: 1h 34m

Pop megastar Pharrell Williams had long resisted offers for a career-spanning documentary - until director Morgan Neville assured him it could be done entirely on his terms.Williams’ response? “Let it be LEGO!”

When Warner Bros. Pictures let the rights to LEGO-based films lapse after The LEGO Movie 2 underperformed at the box office, Universal Pictures quickly seized the opportunity, securing a five-year deal for future LEGO projects. While developing Piece by Piece , Pharrell Williams and Morgan Neville worked closely with The LEGO Group to ensure culturally accurate hairpieces and skin tones for each character. LEGO also designed brand-new pieces for boomboxes, turntables, and other musical equipment as part of this process.

A nd so, Piece by Piece was born - a vibrant, full-blown musical odyssey where some of music’s biggest names appear as LEGO minifigures. Joining Williams are Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Missy Elliott, and Busta Rhymes, among others, all brought to life in animated brick form. Packed with chart-topping hits from throughout Williams’ career, Piece by Piece takes viewers on an energetic and unapologetic journey - from his humble beginnings as a high schooler in Virginia Beach alongside lifelong friend Chad Hugo, to the formation of The Neptunes, their reign as in-demand producers crafting number one hits, the creation of their rock/hip-hop band

N.E.R.D., and Williams’ eventual rise as a solo star. Piece by Piece is a documentary like no other and, best of all, Williams chose to keep it clean. Aside from one very subtle - and very funny - Snoop Dogg related drug reference involving “PG Spray” the film is family friendly. As well as telling

his story so that his kids can enjoy it, Williams wanted to make it as accessible as possible. The result is one of the year’s most infectious movie experiences, and one that’s perfect for putting home cinema sound systems to the ultimate test. If you’re not physically feeling the music then you’re not listening to it. Glenn Cochrane

• Piece by Piece is out Feb 26

MUSIC BY

Pharrell Williams, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Daft Punk, Justin Timberlake

GENRE: TV series RUN TIME: 1h

THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON THE BOOK OF CAROL Hollywood special effects guru and cult icon Greg Nicotero, showrunner of Creepshow , directs the first episode of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon -The Book of Carol , marking his return to the Walking Dead franchise, having directed 37 episodes across various series. The Walking Dead RELEASE TIMELINE FOR BEGINNERS

The Walking Dead (2010-2022) Fear the Walking Dead (2015-2023) The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020-2021) Tales of The Walking Dead (2022) The Walking Dead: Dead City (2022) The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023-Present) The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024)

T he Book of Carol is the second season of Daryl Dixon , the fifth Walking Dead spin-off series. In the first season, Norman Reedus’ character, Daryl, washed up in France several years after the events of the original series, determined to return to America. This new season follows his continued quest to get home. Fans of The Walking Dead are in for a treat with The Book of Carol , which reunites Daryl with the beloved character Carol Peletier, played by Melissa McBride, who had a brief flashback appearance in the first season. Reedus and McBride are the only two cast members to appear in every season of the original series. The Book of Carol is divided into two parts: the first focuses on Daryl’s efforts to protect The Nest, a sanctuary for survivors, while the second follows Carol’s journey from the USA to France to reunite with Daryl. The series’ structure has been praised by critics, with Melissa McBride’s return as Carol offering long

• The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - The Book of Carol is out Feb 19

time fans a deeper emotional storyline. Speaking at New York Comic Con, Nicatero reflected on the legacy of The Walking Dead . “We have to remember one thing. The Walking Dead has been on for almost 15 years. It’s been really exciting to have the fans be with us for so long and love these characters that we’re so in love with, and to realise what an amazing journey we’ve been on.” Glenn Cochrane

Daryl Dixon has been renewed for a third season, which will take place in Spain.

30 FEBRUARY 2025

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