STACK #162 April 2018

CINEMA

REVIEWS

LOVE, SIMON RELEASED: Mar 29 DIRECTOR: Greg Berlanti CAST: Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Katherine Langford RATING: M

ALSO SCREENING IN APRIL

He's done keeping his story straight.

Simon (Nick Robinson) wants you to know he’s just like you. He does the same kind of stuff with his friends, enjoys the same out of school activities, and has most of the same problems. There’s just one difference – he’s gay. Aside from keeping this a secret, his life is wonderful. His parents (Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel) are both super supportive, and his little sister Nora (Talitha Bateman) is an aspiring chef. He’s been friends with Leah (Katherine Langford) and Nick (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) since pre-school, and has recently become close mates with a new girl

at school, Abby (Alexandra Shipp). Simon's world is turned upside-down when a post appears on the school gossip site. A closeted gay kid has come out – without revealing his true identity – and Simon finally feels as though someone gets what he’s going through. How does he tell his parents, or his friends? When should he do it, and how? Love, Simon let’s you partake on this journey alongside him, but it’s not all about his sexuality. The film (based on the novel Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli) is a romantic comedy that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their sexual preferences or identity. The core friend group of Robinson, Langford, Lendeborg and Shipp have indisputable chemistry, drawing you back to your youth and all the dilemmas of chasing love. Whether you’re struggling to come out to your friends and family, or struggling with other problems, Love, Simon is inspiring and true to life. Nick Robinson establishes himself as a viable new leading man, and a perfect soundtrack cements the film as the equivalent of a John Green novel directed by John Hughes. Alesha Kolbe Idris Elba’s character from the original – is enlisted to train the cadets alongside former buddy turned rival, Lambert (Scott Eastwood). After a rogue Jaeger runs amok in Sydney and multiple breaches re-open, the PPDC have a double threat to deal with – and it appears someone is splicing Jaeger and Kaiju technology to create a deadly new weapon. Much of Uprising is concerned with the PPDC and its new Jaeger program – there are shades of Ender’s Game in the training of kids as Jaeger pilots – and the Kaiju don’t actually show up until the halfway mark. DeKnight keeps the action coming at a rapid pace and stages a spectacular Kaiju attack on Tokyo that’s all the more impressive in that it’s shot in broad daylight, with the VFX holding up to prolonged scrutiny. Moreover, bringing the Kaiju home to Japan will put a smile on the face of Toho monster fans, and subtly sets up a future crossover with Godzilla and the MonsterVerse. The Pacific Rim films are basically a cinematic toy box in which giant robots bash up giant monsters, and on that level, Uprising mostly delivers. And we’ll take another Pacific Rim over Transformers any day, even one that’s missing the del Toro touch. Scott Hocking

The Avengers ensemble is keeping the world safe from the ravages of big bads, but then along comes intergalactic despot Thanos. His plan is to mess with reality by gathering all six Infinity Stones, while the Avengers’ plan is to, well, stop him. This mega Marvel movie also features Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, the Guardians, and pretty much everyone else from the MCU (including Stan Lee). Opens April 25. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

RELEASED: Mar 22 DIRECTOR: Steven S. DeKnight CAST: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny RATING: M PACIFIC RIM UPRISING

Wes Anderson’s new film is a stop-motion animated tale about exiled canines and the 12-year-old who sets out to find his beloved pooch. Expect a pedigree voice cast and much Anderson whimsy. Off the leash on April 12. ISLE OF DOGS

It should come as no surprise that Pacific Rim Uprising isn’t as good as the Guillermo del Toro original. That’s not to say that new director Steven S. DeKnight (who gave us TV’s Spartacus and Daredevil ) hasn’t done a solid job expanding the universe and bringing something new to it, especially for a first feature. It’s no Jaeger bomb, it just lacks the creative spark and sense of awe that GDT would bring. Set ten years after the closure of The Breach, the sequel predominantly focuses on the Pan Pacific Defence Corp, who are prepping a new generation of Jaeger pilots should the monstrous Kaiju ever return. Jake Penetecost (John Boyega) – the son of This sequel is no Jaeger bomb.

The 1986 video game of the same name has now been turned into a Dwayne Johnson action/ disaster movie. The big guy faces off against a trio of oversized creatures on April 12. RAMPAGE

The latest from the Blumhouse of horror takes the age-old party game and makes it deadly, with a college student haunted by a supernatural presence after playing. Dare to see it on April 12 . TRUTH OR DARE

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