STACK #150 Apr 2017

DVD&BD REVIEWS

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We are all connected... COLLATERAL BEAUTY

Would you like fries with that? THE FOUNDER

Release Date: 26/04/17

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Release Date: 12/04/17

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“Love, time, death. These three things connect every single human being on Earth. We long for love, we wish we had more time, and we fear death.” Words from advertising company honcho Howard (Will Smith) before his world turns turtle with the tragic loss of his young daughter. Retreating from life, his shell haunts the office, spiritlessly constructing elaborate domino- toppling creations. He pens missives to love, fear and death, while his business partners – Whit (Edward Norton), Claire (Kate Winslet) and Simon (Michael Peña)

You’ve likely never considered the history of McDonald’s while scarfing down a Big Mac. ‘Maccas’ has become omnipresent, serving some 68 million customers daily in 120 countries across approximately 37,000 outlets – that’s a lot of buns, fries and shakes. McDonald’s had humble beginnings though, as brothers Richard and Maurice ‘Mac’ McDonald started a small burger joint which they reinvented via automation for speedy service in 1948. Cue the arrival of struggling mixer salesman Ray Kroc, curious as to the brothers’ large order of his product and

– need him back. So, they hire actors to portray the three concepts he’s mail-bombing, and a private dick to film the results. But are they trying to snap him out of his fugue, or just snap him? Unashamedly sentimental, Collateral Beauty boasts a cracking cast and plentiful triggers for weepie worshippers. We do miss Will’s smile though. AF

the rest is, well, history. Michael Keaton delivers substantial sleaze as Kroc, who enlarges the brothers’ (John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman) vision exponentially, first with franchises to other US states, and then overseas, before elbowing them out of their creation completely. Equally spellbinding and sordid, file The Founder under ‘McGekko’. AF

They're gonna kick your ass and get away with it! WAR ON EVERYONE

They're the voice. SING

Release Date: 19/04/17

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Release Date: OUT NOW

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After his drama Calvary , writer-director John Michael McDonagh revisits the buddy cop comedy territory of The Guard . Sort of. There are more accents than a heavy metal t-shirt shop as Alexander Skarsgård and Michael Peña hit our screens – explosions and all – as Monroe and Bolaño, two corrupt New Mexico police officers. It’s bad cop/bad cop as both of these guys are in it for all the booty they can boost, shaking down, framing and otherwise giving every con they encounter a bad time. It’s crappy enough that they’re on their last

There’s no false advertising in this latest from Minions peeps Illumination, as numerous anthropomorphic creatures stretch their vocal chords hoping to win $100,000. However, financially bereft – yet eternally optimistic – theatre owner Buster Moon (a koala that sounds like Matthew McConaughey) meant to offer a mere $1,000, but one typo later... Anyway, he sees an opportunity to save his beloved theatre, and we’re treated to everything from prawns getting their Beyonce on to a gorilla with built-in Auto-Tune and something that

chance after numerous bribery and corruption charges, but then they meet their baddie match... With its double-meaning title – beyond the protagonists the humour here is sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and obviously designed to offend – War on Everyone won’t appeal to all, but if you’ve torched the PC bandwagon you’ll revel in it. AF

cracks us up every time: a snail perched atop a microphone letting rip Christopher Cross’ AOR wail-fest ‘Ride Like the Wind’. Will everything turn out much like it did for The Muppets in their eponymous flick with a tres similar plot? Maybe sometimes you just need a little song. Unless you’re the King of Monty Python’s Swamp Castle, natch. AF

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APRIL 2017

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