STACK #163 May 2018

DVD & BD

REVIEWS

Don't miss the climax. FIFTY SHADES FREED

Fear comes home. INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY

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Release Date: 09/05/18

Format:

Release Date: 09/05/18

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes… Champs-Élysées bicycling, dangerous Audi driving, and Mr. Grey serenading his new wife at a grand piano. There’s also a diabolical madman intent on kidnapping. While the final film in the Fifty Shades trilogy will satisfy those into the “playroom” scenes, the story focuses on the plot of Ana’s maniac ex-boss, who has some fiendish plans (and free run of the red eyeliner). Director James Foley understands the Fifty Shades

The fourth chapter in the horror franchise puts resident psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) front and centre in what amounts to an origin story set just prior to the events of the first film. Elise is drawn back to her hometown where an entity she summoned as a child is still haunting the family home, and the new owner naturally wants rid of it. Uncovering more than just a haunting, she must confront the demons of her past, along with her estranged brother. The Last Key ‘s focus on Shaye’s character is a major

fanbase is over any beating around the bush, so the sex scenes are shorter but far more potent, and more screen time is given to Ana’s satisfying smackdowns of flirtatious somebodies. There’s also a hammy spotlight on the thriller elements, including a car chase and a knife-to- neck struggle in the Grey penthouse. ZR (See page 30)

plus after a couple of lackluster sequels, and director Adam Robitel (who helmed creepy found-footage horror The Taking of Deborah Logan ) sustains a sinister atmosphere throughout. Fans can expect ample jump scares, dark basements wreathed in dry ice, and some welcome comic relief from Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson's ghost hunters. SH

GUNPOWDER

MOM AND DAD

DEEP BLUE SEA 2

TIN STAR: SERIES 1

Release Date: 16/05/18 Format:

Release Date: 23/05/18 Format:

Release Date: 16/05/18 Format:

Release Date: 23/05/18 Format:

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington leads this historical miniseries about the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He portrays Robert Catesby, a Catholic who resolves to avenge the persecution of his faith by the Protestant King of England, James I. Comic and sci-fi fans may be familiar with the name Guy Fawkes from 2005's V for Vendetta , and here, the infamous revolutionary is portrayed by Brit Tom Cullen ( Knightfall ). Beyond Catesby and Fawkes, this gripping three-part drama highlights the supporting players and events in this dark yet pivotal part of British history. A provoking tale of what pushes people over the edge, Gunpowder is, dare we say it, a cracker! AC

If a demented Nicolas Cage armed with a sledgehammer and singing "The Hokey Pokey" is not enough to tempt you, consider that he's teamed with the blackly funny Selma Blair in this thrill ride though the 'burbs. The couple are introduced as loving parents to teenager Anne Winters and younger brother Zachary Arthur, before they fall victim to a mysterious "mass hysteria" that incites murderous behaviour in ordinary mums and dads. Self-aware director Brian Taylor ( Crank ) strikes all the right notes, combining deliciously dark humour and jump scares with the concept of navigating family life being a special hell in itself. AC

This belated sequel to the shark- infested 1999 horror-thriller finds scientists once again messing with Mother Nature in an underwater

Seeking to leave some deep trauma behind in his home of London, JimWorth (Tim Roth) uproots his family to take on the post of chief law officer in the quiet town of Little Big Bear, situated in the magnificent Canadian Rockies. Any notion that he can simply spend his time fishing is upended when an oil refinery opens close by, and its representative, Elizabeth Bradshaw ( Mad Men 's Christina Hendricks), is determined its operation goes smoothly, even if that means laws are broken in the process. Mix in Jim's shady past that's still haunting him and a mounting bodycount, and the result is a series fans of Fargo will enjoy. AC

lab. This time it's aggressive bull sharks being harvested for antibodies to cure human

diseases, and if you've seen the first film, you'll already know that's a really bad idea. So is altering the genetic structure of their brains to make them smarter – and sticking your arm deep inside a shark's open mouth. Michael Beach channels Samuel L. Jackson as the pharmaceutical billionaire running the top secret project, which also includes remote control sharks! Every bit as bloody and bonkers as the original. AC

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