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THEHOBBIT:THEBATTLEOFTHE FIVEARMIES and THEHOBBIT

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ISSUE61 APR'15

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Founder Nic Short Editor John Ferguson Contributors

Issue 61 APRIL 2015

Games Editor Paul Jones Creative Director Karl Lock DVD Consultant Jason Hewitt

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TheSaul ZaentzCompany d/b/aMiddle-earth Enterprises under license toNew LineProductions, Inc.All rights reserved. ©2015WarnerBros.Entertainment Inc.All rights reserved. Distributed by Roadshow Entertainment.

THEHOBBIT:THEBATTLEOFTHE FIVEARMIES and THEHOBBIT

NIGHT AT THEMUSEUM 3 • MORTAL KOMBAT X

EDITOR’S LETTER I ’ll be talking about The Hobbit films until I’m 90,” admits Martin Freeman ruefully, reflecting on the end of Peter Jackson’s second epic Tolkien saga. He may be right but we’re pleased that this month at least he has opened up in STACK about the making of the concluding installment The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies , which has just arrived at JB Hi-Fi, along with a new box set featuring all three Hobbit movies. In the interview, the affable star marvels over Jackson’s ability to juggle three films in his head at once and explains why he was both relieved and sad that the series was over. Elsewhere in the April edition of STACK, Robert Downey Jr. talks about returning as Iron Man in The Avengers: Age of Ultron , we profile upcoming DVD blockbusters like Big Hero 6 and Interstellar , and to celebrate the release of Mortal Kombat X, we’ve put together two pages of facts about the franchise . And in music, we chat to expat country star Marlon Williams and hold a snap quiz with this year’s Taite Music Prize nominees. Enjoy!

Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Production Manager Craig Patterson Social Media Manager Sally Carlier-Hull Contributors Graham Reid, Ricardo Kerr, Robin Martin,

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GALLIPOLI REMEMBERED

New mini-series plus a commemorative edition of the PeterWeir classic due this month on DVD and Blu-ray. A pril 25 marks the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, a

wings is Deadline Gallipoli , which explores the story from the point of view of war correspondents, including Rupert Murdoch’s father Keith. The starry cast includes

disastrously conceived World War 1 operation that resulted in heavy casualties for the Australian and New Zealand forces, but helped shape the ANZAC legend. The milestone has inspired a number of new TV productions about the campaign, the first of which arrives on DVD and Blu-ray this month. The seven- part mini-series Gallipoli features young Australian star Kodi Smit-McPhee, who plays a 17-year-old who lies about his age to join his brother (Harry Greenwood , Kokoda) in the ANZAC forces. The all-star cast also includes Lachy Hulme ( Howzat! Kerry Packer’sWar), Anthony Hayes ( Secrets & Lies ) and Tom Budge, plus familiar Kiwi faces like John Bach and Grant Bowler. Television New Zealand’s take on the campaign, WhenWe GoToWar, is due to begin airing this month, although DVD dates are still to be confirmed. Also waiting in the

SamWorthington, Bryan Brown, Charles Dance and Hugh Dancy; again DVD plans are still to announced. Meanwhile, a new commemorative edition of Peter Weir’s 1981 classic Gallipoli is also out this month. The epic drama cemented Mel Gibson’s star status and tells the story of two Australian soldiers caught up in the horror of the Turkish campaign. The standard DVD and Blu-ray editions feature a brand new HD master and a wealth of extras, and the film is also available as a collector’s set, which includes a leather journal and a ‘two up’ set. Other Gallipoli related DVDs to keep an eye out for this month include the Australian indie drama William Kelly’sWar and Gallipoli Submarine , a docu-drama about one of Australia’s first subs.

LOOK WHO’S BACK ON THE CATWALK?

BATMAN DELAYED AGAIN UK-based Rocksteady Games have announced that Batman: Arkham Knight has been delayed once more. “We’re a developer that hates to make any compromises, so we are sorry to say this means it’s going to be just a little bit longer until you can play the epic conclusion to the Arkham trilogy,” said game director Sefton Hill. The game was originally due for release late last year before slipping to June 3. It will now launch on June 24. Batman: Arkham Knight is the concluding part of the Arkham trilogy and will see Batman square up to Scarecrow, Penguin, Two-Face and a new villain created especially for the game. In further Batman news, IGN Italy has claimed that Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City are currently being remastered for release at the end of the year. The rumour didn’t include any word on whether Batman: Arkham Origins , the game developed by Warner Bros. Montreal, will be remastered too.

The world’s dumbest supermodels, Derek Zoolander and Hansel – otherwise known as Ben Stiller and OwenWilson – returned to the catwalk last month to announce

likes of Steve Coogan and Ricky Gervais.

Sadly, the film also marks the final appearances of both Robin Williams – once again playing Teddy Roosevelt – and Mickey Rooney (retired security guard Gus), both of whom died after filming. Director Shaun Levy paid tribute to the actors for their contribution to the series. “I was Robin’s fan long before I became his director and I will be his fan long afterward as well,” he said. “Robin’s heart and humor shone through his performance as Teddy Roosevelt and as such, this character has always stood firmly at the soul of this franchise, something for which I

a belated sequel to the 2001 comedy hit Zoolander.

Stiller and Wilson made a surprise guest appearance

at the Valentino show at Paris Fashion Week, with Paramount Pictures later confirming that Zoolander 2 will be released in cinemas next February. Will Ferrell and Christine Taylor are also set to reprise their roles from the original in the sequel. In the meantime, the pair can be seen this month on DVD and Blu-ray in the third installment of the blockbuster Night at the Museum series. In Secrets of the Tomb , Larry (Stiller) is forced to travel to the British Museum to discover why the New York Natural History Museum’s exhibits are behaving rather strangely. Wilson is back as Jebediah, as are the

will be forever grateful. “Mickey always came to the set prepared, joyous and energetic. While it’s deeply sad to know this was Mickey’s last role, we take pride in that Mickey and his character Gus are a key part of the film. It was an honour to work with Mickey and he will be missed.” • See page 42 for more on Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb .

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Anime buffs are in for a treat with the release a deluxe box set devoted to the works of Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki. Due out on DVD and Blu-ray on April 15, The CollectedWorks Of Hayao Miyazaki brings together 11 of the Studio Ghibli co-founder’s best films, including the Oscar winning Spirited Away (2001) and his most recent movie TheWind Rises (2013). For more on anime, see page 40. Just in time for the cinema release of Pitch Perfect 2 comes a new sing-a-long version of the 2012 comedy smash. The ‘Aga-Awesome’ edition is available on DVD and Blu-ray, and allows you to follow the lyrics on screen and harmonise with The Bellas, all from the comfort of the couch. It is due in-store on April 8. Meanwhile, Pitch Perfect 2 reunites original stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow as The perfect sing-a-long

Bellas to compete in an international acapella competition no American team has ever won. It is due to open in cinemas next month.

kiwi zombie apocalypse! Splatter comedy I Survived A Zombie Holocust arrives next month. A nd in what is believed to be a New Zealand first, the splatter comedy is to get a simultaneous Meanwhile, this month sees the release of an Australian zombie flick that is also destined for cult classic status. In Wyrmwood, zombies invade the Australian Outback in a blood splattered cross between

DVD and cinema release in May. A hilarious throwback to Peter Jackson’s early low budget flicks, I Survived A Zombie Holocaust tells the story of a zombie horror film set being over-run by the real undead. It’s the first full-length feature from Guy Pigden and stars Mike Edwards (NothingTrivial), Andrew Laing (Outrageous Fortune) and Reanin Johannik (Shortland Street). The movie has already received reviews following its premiere at horror festivals overseas and is destined to become a Kiwi cult classic.

Mad Max and Night OfThe Living Dead. It is out on DVD and Blu-ray on April 15.

British songstress Florence + The Machine – AKA Florence Welch – returns on May 29 with her highly anticipated third album. How Big How Blue How Beautiful was produced mainly by Markus Dravs (Björk, Arcade Fire) who, according to Welch, is great at balancing the electronics with more organic instrumentation. “He’s good with big sounds,” she adds. “And l like big sounds. And he’s good with trumpets, and I knew I wanted a brass section on this record.”

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STACK SOCIAL Listening to you lot chatting and interacting with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is all kinds of awesome! Make sure you get involved and follow us on: STACK Magazine NZ @STACKMag stackmagazine

One Huge HALO Prize-pack up for grabs and 10 runner-up prizes! With JB Hi-Fi's release of Halo: Nightfall this month, we are offering STACK's Facebook community the opportunity to take home a Halo prize-pack, valued at over $1000 and including a SEIKO Sportura Kinetic Direct Drive and Halo: Nightfall Blu- ray, PLUS 10 runner-up prizes. HAIL HALO! Thanks to Anchor Bay and Seiko

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Five Nightcrawler Prize-packs Up For Grabs Pulse-pounding thriller Nightcrawler sees Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a slimy sociopath and common thief, turn ambulance chasing into a business. Head to stack.net.nz for your chance to win one of five prize-packs. Thanks to Madman Entertainment NZ

WIN a Copy of The Dead Lands on DVD Māori history is brought to life in this period action-adventure based on the traditional fighting art of Mau rākau. We have three to give away. Download the STACK App for your chance to win a copy.

WIN Mortal Kombat X on Your Choice of Platform! Fuelled by next-gen technology , Mortal Kombat X combines unparalleled, cinematic presentation with all new gameplay to deliver the most brutal Kombat experience ever – and we’ve got one to give away. Your choice of either Xbox One or PS4.

Head here for more shenanigans...

STACK 's Top Tip: Get to the front of the stage at a gig by dancing through the crowd: no one will know your plan – close your eyes for extra authenticity as you shimmy and shake past unsuspecting audience members. #JokeOfTheDay I saw that show, 50 Things to Do Before You Die . I would have thought the obvious one was "Shout For Help". - Jimmy Carr

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Happy Birthday David Tennant (April 18)

Tell us what you'd give David Tennant for his Birthday. #STACKBirthday

in

W

Q1 Antonio Moreno, Jeff Chandler, Michael Keep and John Hodiak. What's the link? Q2 This 2010 speculative mystery drama was based on the real-life disappearance of the wife of a New York property tycoon. Title please. Q3 In 1977 this actor portrayed an Australian lawyer who defends a group of aborigines accused of murder. Name him? Q4 Who once described his magnum

Q8 A mobster spots a chance to cash in on the rivalry between two gangs in a dusty Texas border town. Title of this 1996 movie please. Q9 Ginger Rogers & Debbie Reynolds played the same key role in different versions of the same story. Name the titles of both films Q10 What links Bradley Cooper to Richard Dreyfuss (once), Kevin Spacey (once) and Christian Bale (twice)?

opus thus: "I was trying to tell a simple story of bad men in changing times"? Q5 This actress made her US screen debut playing a glamorous gypsy dancer in a classic film directed by William Dieterle. Who was she? Q6 Who in 1980 directed a comedy that was a homage to Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 ? Q7 Name the 1960s pop star who portrayed a movie character that emptied a German town of all its rats.

QUIZ

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A10. Sylvester Stallone: Rambo: Last Blood

A8. The Seventh Victim (1943) A9. Dustin Hoffman in Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?

A7. Black Horse Canyon

A6. Peggy Lee; Si & Am the Siamese cats in

The Lady and the Tramp.

A5. Machine Gun Preacher

(1960) A3. Clueless A4. They have all received Oscar nominations for playing priests onscreen.

(1965) A2. The League of Gentlemen

A1. Sydney J. Furie - The Ipcress File

(2011)

Quiz Answers March 2015 (Issue 60) -

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CUT TO THE CHASE Buckle up! Fast & Furious 7 is not the only tricked-up beast taking us on a chase at the movies.

Fast & Furious 7

Autobahn Not only can the striking Nicholas Hoult be seen in Mad Max: Fury Road , he's also the wheelman trying to outrun Ben Kingsley's thugs on the no limits Munich highways. Out: Oct 2015. Spectre Monica Belluci and Daniel Craig won't be the only fine forms gracing this latest Bond installment, with a stunning new Aston Martin developed exclusively for Spectre , and put through its paces on the streets of Rome. Out: November 2015.

Fast & Furious 7 Production came to a screeching halt following the tragic death of Paul Walker in 2013. The plot's been rerouted with the help of horror maestro James Wan ( The Conjuring ), and big things are anticipated for its April 2 multiplex release, as Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham No roads. No highway. Just desert, as Tom Hardy and a tribe led by Charlize Theron battle for survival. Though not shot in Australia, the fourth in George Miller's Mad Max franchise promises to take post-apocalyptic motorised mayhem to an unprecedented new level. Out: May 14. Entourage When you make it in Hollywood you need the ride to go with it. And when you finance a feature with gangster money, you better not blow the budget. It's not just the fans that Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his crew are trying to outrun, as this much-loved series leaps onto the big screen. Out: June 4. and Vin Diesel put pedal to the metal. Mad Max: Fury Road

Hot Pursuit A buddy comedy with women firmly in the driver's seat. Directed by Anne Fletcher ( 27 Dresses ), Sofia Vergara is a mobster's widow turned star witness, and Reese Witherspoon the bumbling police officer protecting her from hitmen, crooked cops and certain death. Out: June 11. Jurassic World

Who thought of making touring vehicles for a prehistoric park out of domed glass. Haven't they heard what happened in Jurassic Park ? Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard had better look up. Out: June 11

Brand newAston Martin for Spectre

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice This is the heavyweight superhero match up we can't wait for. Sure, questions about Ben Affleck as Batman remain to be answered but one thing's for sure, with Henry Cavill's Superman giving chase, Batman will be needing his Batmobile big time. Out: May 5 2016.

JurassicWorld

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

For more on what's coming to the cinemas, see pages 14-15 and 38-39

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Mad Max: Fury Road

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THE WOMBATS Do the Glitterbug!

CINEMA, DVDs, GAMES & MUSIC

CINEMA

interview

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ACTION MAN

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interview

CINEMA

Iron Man 3

The Avengers

Avengers: Age of Ultron

In recent years, ROBERT DOWNEY JR. has become the poster boy for a franchise which boasts the third highest performing box-office hit of all time, The Avengers . His portrayal of comic book favourite Iron Man in Marvel's wildly successful movies has helped the actor, 49, propel himself back to Hollywood's forefront, where he was listed as the highest-paid actor by Forbes in 2013 following years in the addiction wilderness, overcoming drug and alcohol problems.

I t is a redemption story Stan Lee and co. would be proud to have written themselves, and with the much anticipated Avengers sequel set to take theatres by storm this April, Downey's rise shows no sign of slowing. “It's a life comeback!” the actor says of his turnaround. “I love the metaphor of the Phoenix. I soared high when I first started making my mark as an actor and then I crashed and burned only to rise again.” In addition to his starring role as Iron Man in the standalone trilogy before The Avengers , Robert's renaissance began with films such as Sherlock Holmes , Zodiac and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang . “The only thing that would ruin things is if I crashed and burned again,” he says of his recent success. “But I'm too proud of my family and what we have together to let that happen.” His role as billionaire playboy meets superhero, Tony Stark/Iron Man, is one he credits with getting his name back into the upper echelons of Hollywood's elite. “There’s no denying that Iron Man has put me in a position to many other things,” he says of the role. The devoted father of three says that upon seeing friend Johnny Depp succeed in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, he wanted his children to see their father in a similar role. “I hoped it would be the kind of movie you can take your kid to and explore the comic-book hero genre with a mix of escapism and intelligence. I’m also proud of the fact that

better man because of my commitment to taking this journey together with her.” 2015 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years in Downey Jr.'s career to date, he is a man at peace with his past, present and future at last. “I’ve reached a point where I know I can live this way, and I am deeply grateful for everything I have today,” he admits. With Iron Man signed up for a further Avengers film, the amazing turnaround in Robert Downey Jr.'s life is complete.

I’m a leading man who can do major blockbusters and be that Harrison Ford kind of guy. It’s not a bad place to be,” he confesses. A well as his two sons, Indio and Exton, Robert and his wife, producer Susan whom he married in 2005, recently had a baby daughter, Avri. With his stock at an all-time high, how does Downey Jr. find time to be a father and husband in amongst saving the world on screen? “I've slowed things down a bit but I enjoy working and I know that work is the best form of therapy for me,” Robert admits. “Susan has given me a structure for living and we love each other as much as any couple can be in love. We take that responsibility seriously and I’ve become a I'm proud of the fact that I'm a leading man who can do major blockbusters...

Avengers: Age of Ultron is in cinemas on April 23

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MARTIN FREEMAN's incredible journey as Bilbo Baggins comes to an end in The Hobbit:The Battle of the Five Armies.

How has your life changed over these years, with Sherlock, Fargo and The Hobbit films all proving so successful? MARTIN FREEMAN: Those things have definitely altogether made a real change and a lovely change—I welcome it, of course. I genuinely feel very lucky to have all these plates spinning at once. It’s fantastic. It’s more than you can hope for. So, yeah, my life has changed. It’s more busy. Occasionally, yeah. I did my time with people shouting “Tim” [from The Office ] for a few years. So there’s a bit of that, but it changed quite a long time ago from character names to Martin Freeman, which I was happy about.Yeah, there’s a lot of that, I suppose. Do people shout “Bilbo” at you in the street?

Does Bilbo stay with you as a role? It doesn’t particularly stay with you, but you always keep part of your head open to it. I did ADR a couple of weeks ago, the last bit of voice-looping that I will ever do on The Hobbit movies. So, you have to psychologically and emotionally remember where you were. If someone put a gun at my head and said, ‘Inhabit Bilbo now’, I would physically, ticks-wise and gesture- wise, know what to do. But I don’t think I carry him around. I don’t feel that with any character I’ve played. Is it strange for you that your Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch plays the dragon, Smaug? Well, it is and it isn’t. I think he’s good casting. Whether we had done Sherlock or not, I think he’d be good casting for that part. It didn’t feel that strange. Again, truthfully, it felt like, ‘It seems to be following us around, this screen relationship.’ But I didn’t see him the whole time we did it. Even my bits, I wasn’t even working with his voice. I was just working with someone reading his lines. So, in truth, it didn’t feel that odd, but when you step back from it, it’s another thing people will hang on us together. Like, ‘They’re a couple in this as well.’ In that sense, it’s quite odd.

What do you think Peter Jackson’s greatest skills are as a director?

I was always amazed at his ability to keep three films in his head at once, and juggle those, and know where that was going to go and what was needed five scenes down the line, that he’s doing this little punch-in for, and this cut-away is going to mean something four hours away… it’s hard to describe but he’s keeping that whole universe in his head. It’s a huge undertaking, a massive undertaking. Obviously he’s got help. Jabez Olssen is a fantastic editor but Pete is a fantastic editor too.That’s what amazed me about him. On a human level, he was surviving on very little sleep, and a lot of stress. Outwardly, he seemed to cope with it very, very well. So, in a way, the things I was most impressed about him were human things. Not necessarily director- related. How are you not having a nervous breakdown? Have you stayed in touch regularly? Yeah, we have the odd e-mail. But we’re not best mates. Apart from anything, we live too far away. I care about him. I like him. I think he’s a decent person. Were there stand-out scenes in The Hobbit:The Battle of the Five Armies that you loved to shoot? I had a nice scene with James Nesbitt as Bofur on the battlements. I liked the fighting. I liked doing that. I hadn’t done much professionally, though at drama school I was always quite good at stage-fighting. Unless you are an action person—and I’m not exactly one of those—you don’t tend to do loads of it anyway. But I had a very good team of stunt-doubles, and my stunt- double was fantastic. But the understanding was always: when I could do it, I would do it. Where it was possible for me to do it, without insurance going mad or running the risk of injuring myself and being out for a

I suddenly realised I've spent a good chunk of my life with these mad people. And I did get a bit emotional [on the last day]

• The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies is out now

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week, I wanted as much of it as possible to be me on screen as Bilbo.

is not, ‘Isn’t everything brilliant?’ That’s not my natural state. I very easily go towards darkness, I suppose, and certainly as an actor I find myself slipping over there until someone says, ‘Stop it.’ I like humour. I like being funny. I like playing joy. But I don’t like two- dimensional anything. Like people who say, ‘I’m playing angry so I’ll be grumpy for the entire thing.’ It’s just not true. Basically, if you’re going for truth, everyone—from me to you—spends time being grumpy and sad and joyful and happy and funny. Everybody. I think that’s part of your job as an actor to reflect that, and obviously the stuff that Bilbo goes through… there will be darkness there, definitely, especially for someone who has come from where he’s come from. It will be horrifying what he goes through, and I enjoy exploring that stuff. Sometimes I think if it’s not written, I’ll put it in anyway, because it’s more interesting to play. But it is written in this because they spent a lot of time and effort making sure it was layered. I will always want to put those things in anyway, otherwise I won’t believe it. How was the final day of the shoot? How did you feel? I was relieved and sad. It surprised me. I’m very emotional and sentimental about lots of things, but I’m not very emotional about finishing work. I like finishing jobs always. It’s certainly not a mark of whether I’m enjoying it or not. Every job I’ve loved

Presumably Bilbo doesn’t have to be the most accomplished fighter anyway? No, he doesn’t. He never turns into a warrior as such, but he definitely turns into a scrapper. By the end of it, he’s very handy to the cause. He’s getting stuck in.

He’s no longer the timid character he begins as?

No, and that would be so tedious to watch and to play. If I was only being a wide-eyed Hobbit forever, that would be boring. And the good thing about the story, is that this is never what it was. He went from innocence to experience. What is his biggest test in this final film? He’s already faced the dragon… He has faced the dragon. Without giving anything away, I would say his greatest challenge is playing the Kofi Annan role and trying to keep the peace, trying to somehow avoid there being this massive, apocalyptic battle. It’s his way of trying to neutralise that—that’s his biggest challenge. You’re fantastic at playing dark figures. Did you want to show that of Bilbo? Yeah. Of course, it intrinsically would be there. If Bilbo is watching his friend suffer, you can’t do that in a cute Hobbit-y ingénue way. It would be terrible if you did, so you’re led by your reaction. I’m not morose. I don’t think I’m a dark person but my natural state

I’ve been delighted to finish. Because that’s reality. If somebody said, ‘You’re going to be Bilbo for the rest of your life’, that would be a nightmare. But on the last day, the last bit of filming was with Richard Armitage and Graham McTavish, who plays Dwalin, and I was leaving just before they were.They had a bit more to do, and Graham said, ‘It’s been lovely working with you, mate’, and he had a catch in his voice and he started to go, and I thought, ‘Oh, I’m gonna go here as well’. And I hadn’t felt that in two years. But I suddenly realised I’ve spent a good chunk of my life with these mad people. And I did get a bit emotional.This has been a huge part of our lives, both while we were doing it and while we were not doing it. I’ll be talking aboutThe Hobbit films until I’m 90. It’s never going to go. But that last day, I was relieved and surprisingly choked up.

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MAPS TO THE STARS

Matthew McConaughey's career renaissance blasts off beyond the stratosphere in Christopher Nolan's science fiction epic INTERSTELLAR .

What was your reaction when you first read the script? MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY: “Wow. This is enormous – wait, how did that work again?” I really like this guy Cooper, a pilot, a father. I like how intimate this story is in the midst of this massive, epic scope and scale. When you met with Christopher Nolan, did he present anything to you, in terms of the movie? Well, I knew his previous work. I could tell this was a very personal story he was going to tell. In our

The wind was blowing that hard. The masks were fogging up. It was wet. It was cold. It was unknown. We felt like we were definitely walking on pieces of the Earth that I'm pretty sure nobody else has ever walked on. So you can behave and react to the elements naturally. Less acting. The other actors in this film are stellar. Can you talk about working with Michael Caine and Anne Hathaway? Well, what I've learned is that the people that are the best at

Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and David Oyelowo

The story at the core is about family.What is it about that that speaks to you? I mean, you are a father, a husband. It's universal. Yeah. This is a father/daughter relationship that it's based on. And then that relationship is the emotional hook of the film that makes you care about the journey. Makes you care about this expansive place that we're going out and journeying into. This unknown. That journey, that adventure doesn’t mean there's much unless you're emotionally invested in it on an intimate level. And I think [Nolan] very successfully pulled that off. And he was inherent to it. It was the most important thing to him. And in the movie the stakes are really high for the journey. As high as they can get. Yes. In your travels through “space” you traveled to Iceland to film some of those scenes.What was it like to film on location like that? Yeah. Well as an actor you get to just behave. You don't have to use your imagination to conjure up, "Well, this is what I would be feeling." I just sit there, be present, look around, and it is as dangerous as it felt.

what they do in our business, they don't really have a magic trick. They just do the simple things really, really well. Michael would just hit it. And he had a great sense of humor. And he would just hit the scene. Just do it, first take. It's fine with you. He got it. Anne could recalibrate. I was most impressed with her sensing courage to give variations because she could do the scene wonderfully, but never go back and repeat that. And not everyone does that, who will give you a variation. Sometimes we go, "Oh, I got that right. I'm going to try and do this one even more true, or I'm going to try and do that again." She never went back and tried to repeat anything. The film involves some serious subject matter; is the mood on set equally serious, or is it more fun to liven up the downtime? Nah. It matters what the scene is. And most of the time it was serious. And that's the fun of it. I don't really enjoy popping out and trying to make it all light. If there's a lighter scene, I'll be a lot more talkative off the set. But I usually somewhat act like the tone of where my character is on that day. I'm not acting exactly like Cooper while I'm having lunch, but tonally I'm near where I need to be that day.

first meeting, we didn't talk about the film at all. We just talked to each other. Talked about being fathers. Talked about being the same age. Talked about where we were from, how we grew up, who we were as men. That's really all our first meeting was about. And then I read the script. And then the combination and it was enough for me and it was enough for him obviously. Yeah.

• Interstellar is out on April 8

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In new emotive drama The Water Diviner , first-time director Russell Crowe brought an embracing sort of inspiration to his actors rather than spoon-feeding them, says Melbourne actor Ryan Corr. He spoke to Zoë Radas about his experience. Ryan Corr (left) with Russell Crowe in The Water Diviner . CORR CROWE OF THE

as an Aussie schoolkid, and how it evolved as he grew up, will sound familiar to many of us. “I think they taught us a little bit about Gallipoli in Australian History, maybe for a term or something. But, to be honest, not really enough of it,” he says. “We’re up to the 100th year anniversary, so of course it’s on the tips of everyone’s tongues… time dilutes it a bit, for want of a better word. Although the way that we go to war now… the conflict’s the same, and the effect it has on families – mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers, sons, everything like that – remains the same. And what soldiers sacrifice. I know what it is to have a sibling, I know what it is to lose someone, and we can only do our

A fter a potent boost to his early career in the form of the 2011 Heath Ledger Scholarship, then 23-year-old Aussie actor Ryan Corr bent his steps away from his five-year stint on soap Packed to the Rafters . Following an appearance in Wolf Creek 2 and now aged 26, Corr was cast as one of the three lost sons to Russell Crowe’s farmer father in beautiful Gallipoli-themed drama The Water Diviner . Corr’s admiration for his director Crowe is salient; his comments about the film are full of reflections on how the veteran actor approached the task of simultaneously donning 'leading actor' and 'debut director'

If ever there was anyone born to be a director, it's Russell. He's a leader.

caps. “I have to say, never was it jarring,” Corr says. “I mean, if ever there was anyone born to be a director, it’s Russell. He’s a leader. He really takes flight when he’s in that position.” Prior to immersing himself in Crowe’s particular methods of research, Corr’s understanding of the ANZAC legend and spirit

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It’s clear that the way Crowe encouraged this approach – sowing the seeds and then inviting his actors to nourish them – rings significantly in Corr’s mind. “He’s had that [style] his whole career, I think, and it’s a huge part of the reason for his success,” he says. “He’s an incredibly driven, incredibly hard working individual. It’s not just the background research for the role but physically what he does to his body and that

best job to prepare and relate it to things that we do know, and then take on the responsibility of playing one of these soldiers, one of these people that lost their life.” Crowe had a huge hand in the preparation stakes, taking Corr and his co-stars to his farm where he invited students of Political Science to give lectures, while also sharing photographs and other documents. But Corr had some personal

history at his disposal as well. “I’ve got some friends who are soldiers, so I [looked to them] in understanding that camaraderie, and the training, and how you very much rely on the mateship. Also, my grandfather’s father was a major in the war, so I went and picked my grandfather’s

commitment – he does it for every role.” The praise which the film has received regarding its even-handedness and the manner in which it embraces the Turkish perspective is something Corr also feels is a definite Crowe design. “He’s very well versed in history, particularly with wars,” the actor says. “He seems to collect memorabilia and be that sort of person who is interested in delving into the past. He’s a bit like a walking encyclopedia, so I think it’s interesting that he chose this for his first project, and to do it not just as some big patriotic tale.” Corr acknowledges the way Crowe’s dual duties overlapped, but it sounds as if there were more benefits than drawbacks in the ensuing work practice. “For me, directing is being able to answer thousands and thousands and thousands of questions,” he says. “And he was very good at that – being able to negotiate and work through all the questions that were coming from the crew and the camera, and setting up his shots, and also being available to us [actors]. It’s a pretty big task. I think it’s just years of experience, and the fact that he’s worked with some of the greats, that’s made it such a fluent process. It’s an interesting dynamic – he was in it with us.”

brains and raked up all these old medals and searched my family history,” he explains.

• The Water Diviner is out on April 24

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NIGHTCRAWLing When Dan Gilroy first heard about the murky, nocturnal world of freelance news reporters – theTV version of paparazzi who are armed with video cameras and nicknamed ‘nightcrawlers’ – who race to the scene of murders, car crashes and fires to film footage for news programmes, he knew instinctively that it was fertile ground for a film.

A few years ago I heard

that they’re filming become the lead stories on local Los Angeles news, so if there’s a demand to watch this, who am I to judge them? Or to say what they’re doing is wrong?  “Obviously Lou’s character crosses the line at certain points and drifts into a world that’s amoral, but I never wanted to portray them or the news media or even Lou’s character in that way.  “I never wanted to put a moral label on it and say, ‘This is wrong.’ I think once a filmmaker applies immorality to something it stops the viewers from being able to make a decision for themselves. 

about these people called ‘nightcrawlers’, who’d

drive around Los Angeles at night at 100mph with these scanners going. Just as a screenwriter, I thought, ‘That’s a really interesting world,’ but I didn’t exactly know what to do with it,” says Dan Gilroy.  “It was part of an idea. For me, ideas come piecemeal; they don’t come fully formed, and I didn’t know what to do with it until I thought of the character to plug into it, which was Lou.  “Once that character plugged into the world, it was like two parts of an atom that fit together, and suddenly

“We wanted to create as realistic a portrayal as possible of this little niche

it just made total sense to me and I knew what I wanted to do with the world and the character.” The result is Nightcrawler and the central, unforgettable character is Lou (played brilliantly by Jake Gyllenhaal), an ambitious young man who wants to succeed and live the American dream – even if it means filming other people’s nightmares.   When Lou chances across a freeway accident and sees a veteran nightcrawler, Joe Loder (Bill Paxton), filming the police attempts to rescue the trapped and injured driver, he’s intrigued

We wanted to create as realistic a portrayal as possible of this little niche market...

market and the Los Angeles media world and let people decide for themselves who the villain is and what the issues are.” Working with Gyllenhaal was an “intense” and deeply rewarding collaboration, Gilroy says. The actor lost 30lbs to play the role because he wanted Lou to have a gaunt, hungry look as befitting a down at heel drifter who is desperate to succeed.  “[Jake] respected the script and not one word got changed. He approached it like a play, so I was extraordinarily happy to work with him because he respected the work, and I wanted to respect his ability to come in and breathe life into it in a way that I was not capable of. As an example, the weight loss – that was Jake’s idea.” He wrote the part of Nina Romina, theTV news boss who encourages Lou to bring her more and more exclusive, edgy footage, with his wife, actress Rene Russo, in mind. “I wrote the part for her because I always saw Nina as somebody who had a really tough exterior. Just like we were always trying to find the human side of Lou; I always wanted to find the human side of Nina."  Nightcrawler marks Gilroy’s debut as a director. His previous credits as a writer include Freejack , The Fall , Two for the Money , Real Steel and The Bourne Legacy .

three girls had been ejected from a car after hitting a wall head on. I’ve got to be honest: I don’t think I’ll ever get that image out of my head.  “I think Jake and Robert and I were rather stunned, watching it, but the gentleman who filmed it very professionally got out of the car, shot the footage, edited the footage within five minutes, downloaded it, and sold it to a number of television stations. 

and fascinated. He quizzes Loder about how much he makes from selling the footage to the local news channels and immediately decides that he’s found his calling. Lou steals a bicycle and exchanges it for a video camera and sets out to become a nightcrawler. Before filming, Gilroy,

“Now, the gentleman who does this, I don’t judge him, and actually he’s become a friend of mine. He and the other people who do this very much see themselves as providing a service, and they legitimately are providing

Gyllenhaal and director of photography Robert Elswit, spent time with real nightcrawlers on the streets of Los Angeles after dark. It provided invaluable insight into the world they were about to portray. “It was bloodcurdling,” he says. “The first call we went to was a horrific car crash in which

a service. In their minds the stories

• Nightcrawler is out April 9

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Jamie Chung talks about providing the voice of fledgling superhero Go GoTomago in the latest animated Disney blockbuster Big Hero 6 .

Tell us a little bit about Big Hero 6 . JAMIE CHUNG: Big Hero 6 follows the story of a group of friends who join together to solve a huge mystery. At the heart of the story is a big, white, inflatable medical robot named Baymax and a kid called Hiro. Baymax is the most loveable robot you’ll ever meet! The movie is filled with crazy gadgets and gizmos.What are your favorites? The purse is amazing! It reminds me of Penny’s book from Inspector Gadget . How many recording sessions did you have for the movie? I worked on the movie for about a year and I used to do one or two sessions every month. The longest session was six hours long, but most of them are much

What would you do if you were a superhero for the day? For the sake of the drought in California, I would love the power to control the weather. I would make it rain a lot. We’d sort out the drought in no time. Why should we watch Big Hero 6 ? Big Hero 6 is a story about family and it’s a story about friendship – but the movie is action

>>>> FUN FACTS <<<< Artists looked to cowboy icons like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Gary Cooper while developing Go Go Tomago’s look and personality; speed skaters provided the template for her movement. Like the lead character Hiro he provides the voice for, Ryan Potter was obsessed with building robots as a kid. “I was 9 or 10 when I got a robotics kit,” he says. “I absolutely love science.” Genesis Rodriguez, who lends her voice to fellow super hero Honey Lemon, was also a robotics fan at school. “I was a welder,” she says. “So I made sure my welding was just perfect and very aesthetically pleasing as well. People didn’t expect us to be so good. That was the beauty of it. We were just this bright group of girls who had an idea, executed it and beat the guys.”

packed and it’s got a lot of heart, so there’s something for everyone. It’s hilarious, too. It’s awesome!

shorter than that. I’m sure it’s different for Scott Adsit and Ryan Potter, who play Baymax and Hiro. They had a lot more lines than us. Who are your biggest heroes? Who is my biggest hero? This sounds so cliché, but it’s definitely my mom – especially in terms of sacrifices and selflessness.

Big Hero 6 is out on DVD and Blu-rayApril 1

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GAMES

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To celebrate the release of Mortal Kombat X this month, we've thrown together a fun Mortal Kombat two-pager that you will either find mildly entertaining, or if you don't know the franchise, it will positively bore the arse off of you.

1 Work began on Mortal Kombat in 1991. The intention was to base a game on Jean- Claude Van Damme, with the Belgian actor in the starring role. 2 There were only four members in the original development team. Ed Boon did the programming, John Tobias and John Vogel handled the graphics, while Dan Forden was responsible for the sound. 3 Mortal Kombat was completed in only eight months.

4 Before they settled on Mortal Kombat , early names for the game included Dragon Attack, Fatality, Death Blow and Kumite . 5 Inspiration for the game came from Tsui Hark's Zu Warriors and The Swordsman , and John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China. 6 While heavily influenced by Street Fighter 2 , the devs implemented the use

of digitised actors for characters instead of animations. The point of difference on release was startling. 7 The digitised characters were initially played by the developers' friends and families. This progressed to Chicago- based actors. 8 Mortal Kombat was first unleashed to arcades in 1992. 9 Kung Lao's hat is modelled off Oddjob in Goldfinger (1964). 10 When ported to Super Nintendo Entertainment

11 The original Mortal Kombat was instrumental in the establishment of the Entertainment Software Rating Board in the US. Along with Time Killers and Night Trap , the game also prompted the Australian government to establish the Commonwealth Classification Act on March 1, 1995. In 2011, the rebooted Mortal Kombat was also refused classification but later achieved an R18+ rating when Warner Interactive appealed the decision. 12 Despite the questionable quality of the film adaptation, Mortal Kombat still took $122 million at the box office in 1995. 13 The soundtrack to the film went platinum in just two weeks. 14 The role of Johnny Cage was originally given to Brandon Lee, prior to his death while filming The Crow (1994). 15 Before a scheduling clash prevented it, director Steven Spielberg, a fan of the

System, the gore was censored and many of the fatalities were removed to become 'finishing moves'. SEGA opted to tone down its version too, although by entering the cheat code “ABACABB”, the gore was unlocked.

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