STACK #152 Jun 2017

CINEMA REVIEWS

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CHURCHILL

RELEASED: June 8 DIRECTOR: Jonathan Teplitzky CAST: Brian Cox, Natasha Richardson, John Slattery RATING: M The first of two films out this year to focus on the iconic, cigar-puffing British PM and his historical wartime achievements, Churchill features a knockout performance by the great Brian Cox in a role he was born to play. Assuredly directed by Australian Jonathan Teplitzky ( The Railway Man ), Churchill adopts a similar approach to its subject as the recent Jackie , offering an intensely intimate character study that observes its larger than life subject during a time of crisis – in this case the countdown to the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. The film reveals the vulnerable – and very human – side of the legendary British leader, who is wracked by personal angst and guilt over the loss of life on the beaches at Gallipoli and fearful of repeating past mistakes. Even knowing the outcome, there's still an element of suspense due to Churchill's own gnawing doubt over the campaign's success. Moreover, behind every great PM is his wife, and the scenes he shares with Clementine (a terrific Miranda Richardson) add further resonance to this remarkably personal insight into a very public figure. Beautifully shot and impeccably acted, this revealing and absorbing World War II drama will leave you with a newfound understanding and appreciation of the great Winston and his indelible role in "the field of human conflict", and a sense that Cox's performance will be a hard act to follow for Gary Oldman in the forthcoming The Darkest Hour . Scott Hocking KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD RELEASED: Now Showing DIRECTOR: Guy Ritchie CAST: Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Djimon Hounsou RATING: M Since when did the Arthur legend feature colossal elephants attacking Camelot? When it's been reimagined – no, make that bastardized – by Guy Ritchie. The foundations of the classic medieval tale are there, but this is not just a case of Lock, Stock, and a Bloody Big Sword. Ritchie puts it in a Nutribullet along with Lord of the Rings , Game of Thrones, Snatch, The Sword and the Sorcerer and Monty Python and the Holy Grail and then throws it at the screen to see what sticks. Yep, it's as messy as it sounds. In Ritchie's take, Arthur grows up in the city of Londinium as a streetwise geezer (Charlie Hunnam). With Camelot ruled by the evil Vortigern (Jude Law), Arthur draws the legendary sword Excalibur from the stone and rallies his likely lads to reclaim the kingdom. The film begins promisingly as a kind of alternate universe/grotesque fantasy version of the Arthur story, but quickly descends into a chaos of incoherence, CGI that makes Marvel movies look restrained, flashbacks within montages within visions, and the circular chatter that's Ritchie's trademark. It's as wildly uneven as Charlie Hunnam's accent, and interest quickly wanes. If you keep your expectations low, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword can be enjoyed on the same batsh-t crazy level as last year's big budget fantasy folly Gods of Egypt . But if you haven't seen a Guy Ritchie film since RocknRolla , you may want to keep it that way. Scott Hocking

RELEASED: Now Showing DIRECTORS: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg CAST: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush RATING: M

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

The Poseidon adventure.

T he Pirates of the Caribbean series – which began back in 2003, mind you – is now up to its fifth instalment with Dead Men Tell No Tales (AKA Salazar's Revenge ). This time, we're following the story of fan-favourite Will Turner's (Orlando Bloom) son, Henry (Brenton Thwaites). All his life, he's been trying to break the curse that condemns his father to the seas, and the only way to do that is through securing the Trident of Poseidon. When the ship he's aboard is set upon by Spanish Sea Captain Armando Salazar (Javier Bardem) and his men, Henry is the sole survivor and charged with delivering a message – death is coming for Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). Meanwhile, Carina (Kaya Scodelario) is on trial for witchcraft (which is actually just astronomy) and holds the only map to the Trident. Sparrow, on death row after being arrested for robbing a bank, is due to be executed on the same day. As fate would

before it, looks to be going down a path skewed more towards VFX and 'wow factor' than story, and suffers in some places, hindered especially by Depp's 'drunken uncle' portrayal of Sparrow for a fair chunk of the film. That said, Dead Men Tell No Tales is very much a Pirates of the Caribbean film. It's got sea warfare, treasure, a few kick-arse swordfights, and even a decent appearance from Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and the Flying Dutchman, all of which serve as pleasant distractions from some of the film's more ridiculous moments. Aussie Thwaites is an endearing addition to the cast and nicely complemented by Scodelario – the pair (along with Depp) have a great chemistry, making for a rollicking Pirates adventure that's certainly not the worst instalment in the franchise (that honour goes to On Stranger Tides ). You even find out where Jack Sparrow earned his name... hang on, shouldn't there be a Captain in there somewhere? Alesha Kolbe

RATING KEY: Wow! Good Not bad Meh Woof!

have it, Henry rescues them both, and with the help of Jack, his ship and his crew, sets out to find the artifact and save Will – while outrunning Salazar and his men, of course. The Pirates franchise, like Fast and Furious

JUNE 2017

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