STACK #148 Feb 2017

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Contributors

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Film & DVD Editor Scott Hocking

Music Editor Zoë Radas StaffWriter Alesha Kolbe Creative Directors Justin Buxton, Michelle Black DVD Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Andre Eivik Music Consultants Mike Glynn, Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Bob Jones , Amy Flower, John Ferguson Contributors Savannah Douglas, Graham Reid, Gill Pringle, Michael Dwyer, Jeff Jenkins, Emily Kelly, Simon Lukic, Chris Murray, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Adam Colby Social Media Manager Sally Carlier-Hull Photographer Chip Mooney Production Manager Craig Patterson Accounts Coordinator Tracy Kingman

Issue 148 FEBRUARY 2017

WELCOME There’s a nice synergy between this month’s STACK cover and the February 2016 issue, Sicario , in that both showcase films by Denis Villeneuve. This French-Canadian director with a reputation for moody thrillers – Incendies , Prisoners , Enemy – has managed to transition to the Hollywood mainstream without compromising his signature style and artistic vision. No small feat. With Arrival, an eerie and poignant account of humanity’s first contact with an alien species, he eschews the CGI overload that has become the default for this sci-fi staple, delivering instead an emotionally rich and contemplative drama on the nature of language and memory. (For more conventional examples of alien visitations, check out our Beginner’s Guide on page 34.) Nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture and Director, Arrival would be a strong contender to take out both were it not for musical juggernaut La La Land , which has dominated the awards season to date and is now poised to scoop the Oscars with 14 nominations. Tipping the winners has always been a matter of head or heart, and after much agonising we’ve made our predictions on page 10. Here’s hoping it’s not a one horse race. Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

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