STACK NZ Dec #58

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THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DVDs, GAMES &MUSIC

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ISSUE 58 DEC '14

Lucy • Best of 2014 • Downton Abbey

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Founder Nic Short Editor John Ferguson Contributors

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Issue 58 DECEMBER 2014

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

Extras pg 6-14

DVD&BD pg 15-42 Pg 16-17 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Drax to the max with Dave Bautista. Pg 18 LUCY Science fiction or science fact? Pg 22 DOLLY & EM Emily Mortimer Q&A. Pg 24 DOWNTON ABBEY Back in the Abbey habit. Pg 26 INBETWEENERS 2 Backpackers Down Under. Pg 28 HANNIBAL Food for thought with Mads Mikkelsen. Pg 32-38 REviews What’s hot in-store this December on DVD and Blu-ray. Pg 39 best of 2014 DVDs and Box Sets. Pg 20 BLACK SAILS Luke Arnold plays pirates.

GAMES pg 43-47

MUSIC From back pg 1-13

Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Production Manager Craig Patterson Social Media Manager Sally Carlier-Hull Contributors Graham Reid, Ricardo Kerr, Robin Martin, Judy Ewens, GarethThompson, Duncan Holland, Scott Hocking, Jonathan Alley, Zoë Radas, Doug Wallen, Ryan Huff, Emily Kelly, Simon Winkler, Chris Murray, Dan Rule, Denise Hylands, Bec Rowlands Correspondence 31B Bertram Street Warkworth Auckland 0910

Pg 6-8 News More JB Hi-Fi exclusives, new Thunderbirds, the expanding Marvel Universe, new Nintendo 3DS, ABCs of Death 2 . Pg 10 COMPETITIONS/ QUIZ Spandau Ballet prize pack, Arrow: The Complete Second Season , and more. Pg 12 STACK TECH Technology for the great outdoors this Summer. Pg 13 GAMES EXTRA Fave games of 2014. Pg 14 HOMEGROWN Taika Waititi

Pg 46 KINGDOM HEARTS Kingdom Hearts is the most eclectic video game series of all time. By rights, it shouldn’t exist, much less make sense.

Pg 2 JB Listener Summer festival fun. Pg 6-7 SOL3 MIO Have a very Mio Christmas.

All information believed correct at time of printing. All images used for promotional purposes only. Copyright of respective owners is acknowledged. © 2014 Scribal Custom Pty Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the written permission of the publisher. Further details read fine print

Pg 8 NICKELBACK The Canadian rockers return with No Fixed Address . Pg 10 WILCO Graham Reid on two decades of turmoil and great music . Pg 12 REVIEWS Wu-Tang Clan, Trust Punks, Smashing Pumpkins, TV On The Radio Pg 13 2014

RATINGS GUIDE

Graham Reid on interesting albums you may have missed.

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MORE EXCLUSIVE BLU-RAY FROM JB

Die Hard

NewAussie comedy and more iconic classics out this month.

D ecember’s line-up of JB Hi-Fi exclusives is headed up by the black comedy The Mule , which is loosely based on a true story about a man who is coerced into swallowing a bag of heroin to smuggle into Australia. Angus Sampson, who also serves as co-writer and co-director, plays the hapless drug mule, while the supporting cast includes Hugo Weaving, Saw co-creator Leigh Whannell (he also had a hand in the script) and Noni Hazlehurst. The Mule is out on DVD and Blu-ray on December 3. Meanwhile, on December 17, JB Hi-Fi has a host of new additions to its growing ‘Icons’ Blu-ray range. The line-up is headed up by the first (and best) Die Hard

movie, in which Bruce Willis faces off against scene- stealing Euro-villain Alan Rickman, the seminal Ridley Scott chiller Alien and Fight Club , the acclaimed adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s cult novel from David Fincher, which starred Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. The other new Blu-ray titles in the collection are the sci-fi favourites The DayThe Earth Stood Still and I, Robot , the action thrillers Taken and TheTransporter , and the horror mash-up Abraham Lincoln:Vampire Hunter . In addition, JB Hi-Fi also has a limited edition 3D version of the swords and sandals epic Hercules , which comes with a bonus disc.

The Mule

The cult supermarionation series rebooted byWeta offshoot. THUNDERBIRDS REIGNITED

T elevision New Zealand has confirmed the all new Thunderbids Are Go! – which has been produced by our own Pukeko Pictures and the UK network ITV – will be aired on TV2 in 2015; DVD details are still to be announced but with luck, a home entertainment release will follow soon after. The 26-episode series is based on Gerry

Anderson’s classic ‘60s series Thunderbirds , one of the most popular examples of his ground-breaking puppetry dubbed ‘supermarionation’; Thunderbirds also inspired a less-successful live action remake in 2004. The rebooted children’s show will be produced using a unique mixture of live-action model sets and CGI animation from Pukeko’s sister company Weta Workshop. The Thunderbirds Are Go! voice cast includes Rosamund Pike ( Gone Girl ) as Lady Penelope, British comedian Kayvan Novak ( Fonejacker ) as Brains, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster ( Game of Thrones ) as John Tracy. David Graham, who voiced Lady Penelope’s chauffeur Parker in the original show, will reprise the role for the new series. The series will follow the adventures of the Tracy family’s International Rescue organisation as they use their incredible crafts to undertake impossible missions across the globe.

If you weren’t lucky enough to get tickets to Nick Cave’s solo New Zealand shows, console yourselves instead with the documentary 20,000 Days On Earth , which is out on DVD and Blu-ray this month. The offbeat portrait of the iconic artist features contributions from a diverse array of friends and collaborators, including Kylie Minogue, Ray Winstone, Warren Ellis and Blixa Bargeld, along with interviews with the great man himself. The movie premiered at this year’s film festival but the DVD/BD includes more than 50 minutes of extras, including a performance by Nick and Kylie of their hit Where the Wild Roses Grow . 20,000 Days On Earth is out on DVD and Blu-ray on December 3

DECEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

DWAYNE JOHNSON A BRETT RATNER FILM

OWN IT ON BLU-RAY™ 3D BLU-RAY™ & DVD DECEMBER 17

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COUNTRY CALENDAR

The Brokenwood Mysteries

Guardians OfThe Galaxy

MARVEL AT THE MARVEL LINE-UP South Pacific Pictures and Prime Television are still awaiting confirmation on funding for a second season of The Brokenwood Mysteries , but both are keen to make more episodes. In the meantime, fans of the series will be able to revisit the first four standalone telefeatures when the first season is released on DVD this month. Marvel maps out its cinema universe for the next five years.

The Brokenwood Mysteries is the first homegrown whodunit series in yonks and stars Neill Rea ( Go Girls ) as an eccentric big city policeman DI Mike Shepherd who takes a new job in the seemingly sleepy small country town of the title. Fern Sutherland ( The Almighty Johnsons ) plays his sidekick Detective Kristin Sims, while other regulars include Miriama McDowell ( The Dark Horse ), Pana Hema Taylor ( The Dead Lands ) and Nic Sampson ( Step Dave ). Incidentally, The Brokenwood Mysteries also features a fab soundtrack featuring some of our best alt country musicians – in the show, Shepherd is a huge country music fan. Among those who feature prominently in the series are Tami Neilson, who recently won this year’s Silver Scroll for Walk (Back to Your Arms) from her album Dynamite , and Delaney Davidson, who is currently on tour promoting his latest album Swim Down Low .

T his month sees the DVD and Blu-ray release of the latest addition to its blockbuster comic book collection, Guardians Of The Galaxy , and Marvel has just announced that a sequel will now arrive in cinemas in May 2017. However, there is heaps more marvellous Marvel stuff to come before that. As previously announced, the next biggie will be Avengers: Age Of Ultron , which will reunite Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc to take on the notorious super-villain (played by James Spader). It is due on the big screen next May and will be followed in July by Ant-Man , which will star Paul Rudd as one of the lesser known Marvel superheroes. 2016 will see another new Marvel hero on the big screen in the shape of Doctor Strange , with Benedict Cumberbatch rumoured to be in the frame to play the crime-fighting neuro- surgeon. Iron Man and Captain America will also return, but this time as adversaries in Captain America: Civil War , which will also introduce the Black Panther, who will be played by Chadwick Boseman ( Get On Up ). The latter will get a solo screen adventure in 2017, along with the third Thor movie, Ragnarok , and the aforementioned Guardians Of The Galaxy sequel. 2018, meanwhile, brings the release of

Ant-Man

Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1 , in which the superhero team face their most dangerous adversary yet, Thanos. Part 2 has been earmarked for 2019, but before that, fans can look forward to the first standalone movie devoted to a superheroine, Captain Marvel – aka Carol Danvers – plus Inhumans , another of Marvel’s more obscure superhero teams. With new movies also in the works from other Marvel franchises such as X-Men , Spider- Man and Fantastic Four – not too mention a

swag of new DC movies – comic books look set to dominate the big screen for the next five years. Guardians Of The Galaxy is out on December 3 and is available as an exclusive Steelbook edition from JB Hi-Fi.

Tami Neilson

DECEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

A F I L M B Y J A M E S N A P I E R R O B E R T S O N P R O D U C E D B Y T O M H E R N

Helen M I R R E N

Om P U R I

Manish DAYA L

Charlotte L E B ON

BRAVERY I S CONTAGIOUS

F R O M T H E A W A R D - W I N N I N G D I R E C T O R O F

‘‘ C H O C O L A T ’’

B A S E D O N T H E B E L O V E D , B E S T - S E L L I N G N O V E L

“ One of the greatest NZ films of all time ” DAN SLEVIN, NATIONAL RADIO NZ HERALD

YOURS TO OWN DECEMBER 10 TH

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A revamped 3DS in two different sizes is now available in-store - just in time for Christmas. NINTENDO new3ds Lands at jb

N intendo is renowned for revamping its hardware during a lifecycle, and now it’s the 3DS’s time. Called the New Nintendo 3DS, the handheld comes in two sizes; standard and XL. Just about every physical part has been repositioned, but the most significant feature off the bat is the addition of a second analogue stick – wave goodbye to the cumbersome Circle Pad Pro. In a nice little aesthetic touch, the four face buttons have been coloured to mimic the SNES controller, and two extra shoulder buttons have been added. Nintendo

has also fixed the issue of gamers having to be positioned correctly to benefit from the 3D effect on the original 3DS, by designing a system that uses the in-built cameras to track your head position – move your noggin from side to side, and behold: the 3D can still be experienced. Taking full advantage of the upcoming range of amiibo interactive figures, the units will also include an NFC reader. The New 3DS, available in white, and New 3DS XL, available in metallic blue and metallic black, are available now; just in time for Christmas.

ALPHABETICAL DISORDER New horror anthology from Housebound producer Ant Timpson.

T he ABCs Of Death 2 , which is out on DVD and Blu-ray this month, is the blood-splattered sequel to the 2012 cult horror anthology, which was made up of 26 short films about death from rising indie stars of the global horror scene. The new film has once again been produced by US-based Tim League and Ant Timpson, the Kiwi horror aficionado and creator of the Incredibly Strange Film Festival. The contributing directors this time include Canadian twins Jen & Sylvia Soska, best known for the cult classic American

ABCs Of Death 2

Mary , Julian Barratt (pictured, right) from the cult British comedy series The Mighty Boosh and Larry Fessenden, a US actor, writer and filmmaker, whose credits include Stake Land , The Innkeepers , You’re Next and the upcoming remake of The Orphanage . Timpson says the film is not as “taboo-busting” as the first, which ran into censorship problems overseas, but he believes that the overall quality is higher and the variety of films even more diverse. As well as the ABCs Of Death , Timpson co-produced the acclaimed Kiwi horror flick

Tickets are now on sale for a new live production based on the phenomenally popular IrishTV comedy show Mrs Brown’s Boys . Good Mourning Mrs Brown features Brendan O’Carroll and the other stars of theTV show, and will be staged on March 26-27 at Auckland’s Vector Arena. In the meantime, fans can look forward to two new DVDs from the dysfunctional Irish family: as well as their big screen adventure Mrs Brown’s Boys: D’Movie , this month will see the release of More Christmas Crackers , which is made up of two festiveTV specials.

Housebound , which also makes its DVD debut this month. Directed by first-timer Gerard Johnstone, the horror comedy tells the story of a young woman trapped in her old haunted family house because she is on home detention.

ABCs Of Death 2 is out on December 31; Housebound is reviewed on page 36.

Housebound

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COMPS & QUIZ For details on how to enter competitions, head online to www.stack.net.nz

Ten Brilliant Spandau Ballet Prize-packs up for Grabs, including a poster signed by the band! Spandau Ballet: Soul Boys of the Western World is not just a story about a band, it’s a journey through the 1980s and beyond. To celebrate the release, we have ten signed posters and the movie to giveaway. Head to STACK Magazine NZ on Facebook for your chance to WIN Thanks to Madman Entertainment

Awesome Arrow: Season 2 Giveaway Can justice find its target in this exciting, 23-episode Season Two? Or will all fall before the fury of Deathstroke? Find out when you win a copy of Arrow: Season 2 on DVD. Thanks to Universal Sony

Got something to say?

The best will win $ 25 JB Hi-Fi Vouchers! Q4 What aspect of the Oscar statuette struck female screenwriter Frances Marion as being symbolic of the movie business? Q5 Which Ingmar Bergman Swedish drama was revamped as an American exploitation horror movie? Q6 Which actor has featured in three movies – in 1987, 1997 and 2014 – which were all based on true Mafia incidents?

What are you waiting for? Enter at stack.net.nz

If you fancy yourself as a writer, or want to share your thoughts on a DVD/Blu-ray, game or CD, then post your own reviews online for any title on the STACK website!

Q7 What 2009 film was based on a well crafted six-part BBC television series? Q8 Which classic movie features a young ballerina giving an army officer her lucky charm, which he keeps on his person long after her death? Q9 The lead character in this film actually eats a real, live cockroach. Name the actor and the movie. Q10 Who danced the “Girl Hunt Ballet” in 1953?

Q1 Who said “I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked me for my autograph”? Q2 Who directed a 2001 noir homage that concerns a mild mannered barber driven to distraction and blackmail by his drunkard wife? Q3 This 2013 action comedy was pretty much lifted from an old Don Siegel movie. Name the titles of both films.

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A10. Because the actor Gert Frobe, who played the villain Goldfinger, was once a member of the Nazi party.

A9. Martin Scorsese

A8. Colin Farrell

A7. The Boat That Rocked

A6. John Travolta

A5. American Beauty

A4. Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn

A3. Happy Gilmore starring Adam Sandler

Marnie A2. The Three Faces of Eve (1957) starring Joanne Woodward

A1. Alfred Hitchcock-

Quiz Answers November 2014 (Issue 121) -

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AVAILABLE ON DVD DECEMBER 3

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SEASON 2

SEASON FOURTEEN

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ & DVD DECEMBER 10 EMBRACE THE MADNESS

AVAILABLE ON DVD DECEMBER 10

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TECH

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HERECOMES the SUMMER

Don’t miss a moment with the Nikon D5200 This is an excellent all-rounder and perfect for those first dabbling into DSLRs. Despite being an entry level DSLR, the D5200 inherits features typical in Nikon’s high-end cameras. For starters it has a 24-megapixel camera with a CMOS sensor, and an impressive 39-point Auto Focus system with 9 cross type sensors at the centre. It also boasts a high ISO range and fast continuous shooting, up to 5 frames per second, which is perfect for capturing action shots and kids on the go. Budding videographers will enjoy Full HD video mode and a 3-inch rotating LCD screen for shooting from different angles. There’s a stereo mic situated at

It’s time to peel off the layers and head outside - here’s our tech selections to help you enjoy the great outdoors.

the front of the camera and a 3.5mm jack as well. Wireless connectivity is possible with an optional adapter that lets you share photos and videos to Android or Apple devices.

Spring into shape with the Fitbit Flex

Not quite ready to reveal all on the beach? Get cracking with an activity tracker. The Fitbit Flex is a great motivator, helping you to be more aware of how active you are and where there’s room for improvement. It’s comfortable and light enough to wear day and night to measure activity across a 24-hour period; a gentle vibration offers a nice wakeup call in the morning. It’s super simple to use. Five small LED lights on the strap indicate what you’ve achieved against a programmable goal: one light is lit each time you reach 20 per cent of your goal. Then, using the mobile app or on Fitbit’s website, you can calculate calories burned against calories consumed, and factor in other activities such as swimming.

Marley Chant Bluetooth Portable Speaker

Sync your iPhone 6 to this little gem of a Bluetooth speaker and you and your mates can listen to sounds wherever you want; it also doubles as a speakerphone with a built-in mic.

The Marley Chant’s custom canvas carry bag encases a 2-inch speaker, complete with a bamboo trim. It’s stubbie-holder sized: about 4 inches tall, 3.4 inches across, and has a built-in battery that is

iPhone 6 Take the game on the go with one of Apple’s recently released smartphones, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Both are a leap in screen size, 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, respectively; both are thinner, smoothed edged and have sharper screens. Clearly, they’re more than just bread- and-butter phones; they’re reaching phablet status (especially the Plus), which makes

rechargeable via mini-USB (6-hour life). It’s a small speaker, so you won’t be bringing the house down with sound, but it’s perfect for listening at the beach or on the BBQ deck.

them winners for video streaming a summer of sport wherever you are.

DECEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

FEATURE

GAMES

STACK’s

Not so much a definitive ‘best of’ list as a compilation of the games we have enjoyed and spent the most time with this year. And of course our game of the year – never an easy decision.

GTA V Yes, it looks absolutely fabulous, but it’s all about the first-person mode here and that’s

PES 2015 Utilising the powerful FOX Engine, the game’s debut on the new- generation of console hardware is an exciting glimpse of what’s to come.

Forza Horizon 2 It’s big, it’s bold and it’s beautiful. Turn 10’s unmissable racer should be a required purchase for any new Xbox One owner.

Titanfall Titanfall comes with an incredibly talented

development team behind it – and that pedigree shows. The game is one of the best multiplayer shooters you’re likely to play in 2014.

worth the price of admission alone.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Borrowing the best from others while carving out its own identity, Shadow of

Halo The Master Chief Collection Whether you’re coming to the series as a

Mario Kart 8 Leading the way with this year’s Wii U releases is Mario Kart 8 , a game that superlatively blends tradition with innovation. This is the

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Dragon Age: Inquisition is a visual tour de force, complemented by an enthralling story and engrossing gameplay. It’s the Dragon Age

new player or you’re keen to see what your favourite Halo titles look like with new-gen gloss, you won’t be disappointed.

Mordor is unique – it’s a game set in Middle-earth that is actually good.

kart racer to own.

game we’ve been asking for.

Destiny Bungie’s ambitious vision for a new

Dark Souls II For gamers who like a challenge, the Souls series will push you to the limit. From Software’s Dark Souls II , a superb follow-up to the brilliant Dark Souls , is no exception.

Super Smash Bros. 3DS

Wolfenstein: The New Order For a lesson in franchise reinvention, look no further than MachineGames’

franchise unfurled its wings in September. And we flocked to it like moths to a lamp – with very good reason.

We filed this before we could sample Smash on the Wii U, but the game on 3DS is simply a

must. Not a reinvention of the wheel, just a solid game that adds first-rate content to well-honed formula.

Wolfenstein: The New Order . Furnished with a strong story, this shooter is fun from the very first squeeze of the trigger.

Alien: Isolation The Creative

Watch_Dogs After a number of delays, Ubisoft’s Watch_Dogs has

Assembly’s faithful recreation of Ridley Scott’s Alien aesthetic is just part of a harrowing survival- horror experience that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Far Cry 4 Swapping the

tropical beach for the Himalayas, Far Cry 4 is a true open-world experience that allows players to dictate the game they want to play. Real estate agents would call this ‘the entertainer’.

opened the door to a new franchise for the French publisher. A compelling action-adventure title where just about everything can be hacked.

Bayonetta 2 Always a big fan of the original Bayonetta , we knew this sequel was special after spending a little time with it at E3 this year. Directed by Devil May Cry series progenitor Hideki Kamya, Bayonetta 2 sticks to the adage of if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Instead, enhancements have been applied that, for the most part, work extremely well. Sporting a new shorter haircut, Bayonetta’s lethal balletic battle combos remain as spellbinding as the original. There’s more colour this time around and it explodes in your face like a letter bomb. The intense and invigorating gameplay delivers relentless and uncompromising slabs of absurdity – it is undoubtedly the best fun we’ve had with a video game all year. Bayonetta 2 isn’t just an accomplished follow-up, it’s an entertainment blockbuster that will feed your gaming desires from kick-off to the final whistle.

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Taika Waititi

It began life as a short film but was it always the intention to turn it into a full length feature? Yes.The short film was just to see whether the idea would even work… I think I just gave away that this is a fake documentary. Did the fact that Jemaine co-wrote and co- directed the film take some of the pressure off when it came to making the movie? Yes, we shared the responsibilities. But mainly it was good to have another person on set who didn’t know what they were doing, which was about 95 percent of the shoot for both of us. How did you come to cast Jonathan Brugh? And do you think this will be a breakout performance for him overseas? Jonathan has been a big inspiration for both Jemaine and I, but also many other comedians in NZ. He was very influential on us when we first entered the scene in the ‘90s. I hope this is a breakout role for him, yes. How much of the movie was improvised? About 95%. We scripted the entire thing but in the end we wanted it to feel more realistic so we got the actors to make everything up. We imagine it must have been a lot of fun to shoot? It’s always nice to have a job where you’re working with your friends and spending most of your day laughing. How much film did you end up shooting – and any plans for an extended version? We came away with about 130 hours of

footage which we then had to cut down to 84 minutes.That process took about 14 months. We’re including over two hours of extra footage on the DVD. What would be your top three vampire movies of all time? The Lost Boys, Dracula – the Coppola film – and Let the Right One In . I’ll also add The Hunger because it was one of the first ones I saw as a kid. Any plans for a sequel?There has been some speculation about a werewolves movie… We are planning a couple of different spin-offTV and film projects but nothing is confirmed. We want to follow the werewolves and explore that group of monsters. And possibly follow the two cops from the film, O’Leary and Minogue. What’s next for you; are there any other projects you can talk about at the moment? It’s impossible to know what your next project is going to be - there are many factors involved. I’m always writing so I have at least five different scripts that can be made. Next year will be very busy: Jemaine and I are writing a pilot to shoot in America and I am also trying to make two features. One is based on a Barry Crump book, the other is based on a friend’s play. What’s the last DVD you bought? I used to spend all my money on DVDs but then once I started working regularly, I ended up being too busy to even go shopping. Nowadays I get given a lot of DVDs, especially screeners of all the Oscar and Golden Globe

Writer, director and performerTaika Waititi has been behind some of New Zealand’s best known and most successful movies. He started out as an actor, earning an NZ FilmAward nomination for his performance in Scarfies , and was also one half of the comedy duo Humourbeasts with Jemaine Clements. His first short film Two Cars, One Night (2003) earned an Oscar nomination and he made his feature length debut with Eagle vs Shark (2007).Waititi followed that with Boy (2010), which has gone on to become the most successful New Zealand film of all time. His latest film, the horror comedy What We Do InThe Shadows , finds him reunited with his old pal Clement.

In the unlikely event someone hasn’t heard of WhatWe Do InThe Shadows , tell us what it is about? It is an unflinching documentary following a group of Wellington-based vampires. Some people say it’s really funny but it’s actually quite serious. People need to know the truth about vampires.

entries which is great because that’s how I catch up on all the latest films. I can’t remember the last title I got - I think it might be that Polish film called Ida.

What We Do In The

Shadows is out now on DVD

DECEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

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Black Sails • Inbetweeners 2 • Hannibal LUCY

YOUR MONTHLY DVD & BD GUIDE TO WHAT’S IN-STORE HOT

DVD&BD FEATURE

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WWE icon Dave Bautista talks about his big Hollywood breakthrough role in GUARDIANS OFTHE GALAXY, playing Drax, a quietly-spoken but brutish warrior obsessed with avenging the death of his wife and child.

What were the big physical challenges for you on Guardians Of The Galaxy ? DAVE BAUTISTA : I didn’t actually find it physically super- challenging, to be honest. It was so much fun, man. I don’t want to make it seem like it was a simple project because it wasn’t that by any means, but I didn’t wake up in the morning thinking “Goddammit, I’ve gotta go to work.” I was happy and excited. It’s hard to say it was challenging because it was such a good time.

How was Guardians director James Gunn to work with? He had such a clear vision and he made it super-simple. You always knew exactly what he wanted. I learned from Zoe [Saldana] to ask a lot of questions. As I say, I’m usually very quiet and I don’t say much, but I learned to start thinking of things from different angles and different peoples’ perspectives and to ask questions that made

How did you deal with the long hours in the make-up chair?

total sense to put you in the mood. James always had an answer.

I became this big, menacing physical stature of a man but

I just zoned-out, but I’m usually a pretty quiet person. I know that’s a really boring answer but it’s true. It wasn’t as bad as people might think because it was kind of like hanging out with your friends for a few hours, just talking, and the time flies by. It was more of a chore taking the make-up off – getting gunk out of your ears and your nose. You’ve said you can relate to the character of Drax. Can you explain that a little further? Your first assumption with Drax is that he’s just this one-note, stereotypical warrior who looks menacing and scary, but the way I approached him is as a father and a husband who’s really suffering from a lot of

Given yourWWE background, did your fellow cast members look to you for advice on falling without hurting themselves etc? Actually, it was so different from anything I’d ever done that I put myself in the student role. What they do in films is so different; it seems so much more precise and it’s working towards camera angles whereas in wrestling it’s physical improvisation and the cameras are moving to suit us, you know? We’re not working for the cameras; we’re working for a live audience, so it’s really different. There were things I wasn’t qualified to do, like a lot of the big stunts. I didn’t feel safe doing those.

internally I’m still kind of insecure: [Laughs] warm, fuzzy and gooey.

heartbreak. He channels his heartbreak into revenge. I can relate to him because I’m not the person I appear to be at first glance. It’s kind of a double-edged sword for me because I actually look this way as a result of the way I am internally. I spent my whole life being very shy and introverted and I kind of found my release and therapy in the gym. I became this big, menacing physical stature of a man but internally I’m still kind of insecure: [Laughs] warm, fuzzy and gooey.

DECEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

Meetthe four other Guardians ofthe Galaxy.

Gamora Played by Zoe Saldana Saldana already had plenty of otherworld experience, from her starring roles as Neytiri in James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar and as Uhura in the rebooted StarWars . A deadly green-skinned assassin, she is the daughter of the evilThanos but really has a heart of gold and plays an important role in making the others see that they must do something collectively about stopping planets of people from dying at the hands of the main baddie Ronan. “As a woman who grew up loving action movies, I have always longed to see more female characters in action roles,” she says. “Women don’t have to be the damsels in distress.They can do a Marvel movie and play a badass character if they’re willing to put the work in.”

Peter Quill Played by Chris Pratt Rogue-ish Quill is the leader of the Guardians, a space adventurer who was abducted from Earth at the age of nine by alien outlaws. “He’s very much a kid at heart,” says Pratt. “He’s never known his father, he’s sucked away into space just as his mother dies. He has spent all his life being told to toughen up and has a false sense of bravado as a result. But deep down he is lonely, and while he’s a guy traveling in space getting to do whatever he wants, he misses his family, his community, and through the course of the story he learns to care again and that there’s more to life than just taking and doing exactly what you want.”

Was there a defining moment when you decided you wanted to try acting? I’d done a few bits and pieces, some TV stuff, when I was with the WWE but still I had no interest in pursuing acting. Then I did a cameo in a movie which was not a great movie; it was called The Wrong Side Of Town and I did a cameo in it as a favor for a friend. I went to shoot it on the first day and I realized how bad I was at acting. I thought it would be easy, for some reason, but I could feel how horrible I was. I was a little bit embarrassed. But I usually find that I want to pursue things that I’m terrible at because it’s a challenge for me. It was a defining moment because I realized I sucked as an actor.

Guardians Of The Galaxy is out on DVD and Blu-ray on December 3

Groot Voiced by Vin Diesel

Grood is an advanced humanoid tree creature, who can only say one thing:“I am Groot”. Diesel admits that Groot’s one line of dialogue sold him on the character. “How they were able to reinforce the theme, the meaning and the message of the whole movie in one line of character dialogue impressed me,” he says. “And how that line translates in the third act is really going to be something that allows the audience to feel like they are part of this world and understand the stakes and what the characters are going through.”

Rocket Voiced by Bradley Cooper Rocket is a genetically altered, cybernetically enhanced talking raccoon. Director James Gunn says it was Cooper’s ability to switch between comedy and drama that made him the perfect choice to provide his voice. “The whole process is so new to me,” admits Cooper. “It’s like an education every time and it’s interesting.There’s a lot of humour and a lot of heart in this movie.”

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that we have hundreds of billions of cells that communicate with one another,” Besson explains. “Apparently, each cell sends out something like 1,000 signals per second. The Web is nothing compared to that. It took me a few years to find the right balance between what is real and what is fantasy.” In order to better understand the enigma that is the human brain, Besson consulted world- renowned neurologist and cell biologist Yves Agrid. “When Luc told me about the screenplay, I found it extraordinary,” Agrid recalls. “Still, I had to rein in his creativity a bit with facts, which was easy in the end, because he understands everything so quickly.” Agrid also notes that despite the wild premise and fantastical nature of the film, Lucy is very much anchored in scientific fact. “For instance, Lucy deals with the number of cells in the brain, the number of signals per second produced by one cell, etc,” he explains. “By taking advantage of all these figures, Luc implements a fascinating dynamic throughout the film. Of course, the more Lucy advances through the movie, the more the story becomes fictional, which I find extremely robust. When you see the film, you believe it. It grabs you because it’s grounded, to some extent, in reality.” Besson adds: “There’s a combination of factors that make this possible, involving really bad people and a new kind of drug. Well, it’s not exactly a drug; it’s a natural substance that pregnant women produce in the sixth week of natal development called CPH4. I came up with this idea, which according to some doctors I spoke with, is not entirely illogical. “At some point, when you open up the capacity of your brain, if you can access 20 per cent, you can open 30 per cent. When you reach 30 per cent, you can open 40 per cent and so on. It’s a domino effect. So Lucy is colonising her own brain, and she can’t stop it. She doesn’t want it, and she doesn’t even know what to do with it.” As to what happens when 100 per cent of the brain is accessed, you’ll have to see the movie, and Besson hopes that the experience will stimulate our own grey matter. “I want people

MIND OVER MATTER Writer-director Luc Besson claims his wild new sci-fi action-thriller LUCY has its basis in science fact. F rench filmmaker Luc

result is not so much the ultimate high as a higher state of being – ramping up her brain function and unlocking previously dormant superpowers and abilities. Lucy isn’t just another superhero film, however, but rather an existential exploration of the untapped powers of the human mind, and what would happen if we could utilise 100 per cent of our brainpower. The concept had been percolating in Besson’s

Besson established his reputation as a

visual stylist with films like La Femme Nikita and The Fifth Element . But lately he’s been largely content with writing and producing slick action franchises like The Transporter and Taken . His new film, Lucy , sees him return to the director’s chair to deliver an exhilarating action-thriller that combines his past experience with both sci-fi and femme fatales.

Writer-director Luc Besson

Scarlett Johansson plays the title character, an “average girl” vacationing in Taiwan who is duped into becoming a drug mule for ruthless gangster Mr. Jang (played by original Oldboy , Choi Min-Sik). But when the package of blue crystals that’s been surgically implanted in her abdomen bursts and floods her system, the

own brain for a decade. Fascinated by the possibilities of such a scenario, he was determined to thoroughly research the subject to ensure that Lucy’s transformation was grounded in scientific fact. “After I met with a few scientists, I was amazed by what they told me: about the fact

to come out of the film and say, ‘Oh my God! I’d love to find out more about the brain and intelligence’, and then go online to learn more about it.”

• Lucy is out on Dec 17

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Taking on the role of a young, brassy, artfully sneaky Long John Silver, Aussie actor LukeArnold has found his stride. He spoke with Zoë Radas about earthy new pirate series BLACK SAILS.

L uke Arnold’s first foray into the filmworld came via a community theatre production of Romeo and Juliet ; his sword fighting and fencing instructor recognised the 17-year-old’s enthusiasm and asked him to help out in a much larger production. “[My instructor] got a job on [2003’s] Peter Pan, ” Arnold explains. “He brought me down to check out the set, and by the end of the day I had a full time job for the next 10 months.” That job was anAssistant Swordsmith, andArnold coached the young actors on set (including Jeremy Sumpter, who played the titular role) whilst learning “how a film set works, how it was all done.” While those skills certainly helpArnold’s portrayal of the resourceful and cocky seaman John Silver in Black Sails , a certain kind of ‘functional fitness’ is also required for the character’s realistic portrayal. John Silver is ripped: not because he goes to the gym, but because he lives an intensely physical life and doesn’t eat a modern, fatty diet. “There’s a lot of pull-ups, push-ups and things that are body weight oriented, which definitely serves all the rope climbing which we do in the show,”

garnered much positive attention for its use of traditional, historic instruments such as the hurdy gurdy – a stringed device that looks a little like a violin, and produces sound when the player turns a hand-crank. “Definitely with our show, it’s great to have someone who also understands the specificity of making music that not just suits the show, but feels authentically part of that time. I think we couldn’t have had a better score for our show than what Bear’s come up with.” In looking at the source material for Black Sails – Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel Treasure Island – it’s fascinating to see howmany pirate tropes and clichés have come from just that one work of fiction, and howmany of those were John Silver’s (such as the parrot on the shoulder, and the missing leg – although Silver didn’t have a peg leg, but a crutch which he “managed with wonderful dexterity”). As the series is set 20 years before Treasure Island , it’s possible we might see how Silver morphed from a young able-bodied seaman into the cunning creature we know from Stevenson’s novel. “I’m sure there are definitely plans for it with the writers,” Arnold hedges, “but you want to earn those big moments.We’re hoping to get to do the show long enough where you can really start linking Black Sails to Treasure Island . But you don’t want to get too caught up in the beginning; it’s about defining our own universe, and we’ve got a long way to go.” As John Silver is a character who is already incredibly well known, and Michael Hutchence’s life was so thoroughly documented, Arnold does hope to next tackle a character whose tale isn’t already part of popular culture. “Absolutely,” he says warmly. “I seem to have come off pretty well, really; it’s kind of scary when you play a character that people already have an expectation for. And from the moment you get cast, people have the potential to

Arnold explains. “The gym that we train at in SouthAfrica [utilises] the training methods used for 300 , and the latest Superman. It’s just horrible stuff, which eventually you learn to love.” He does admit that the physical side can become addictive: “In season one we got very obsessed with this whole side of things, and I think we felt we’d taken it too far,” he says. “It’s always easy to get obsessed with those kinds of physical changes, but as the show’s gone on we definitely allow ourselves a few more desserts than we did in season one.” Coupled with his portrayal of Australian musician Michael Hutchence in the INXS telemovie NeverTear Us Apart , and his obvious love of Australian music (he mentions Nick Cave as being among his favourite artists), Arnold recently took delight in joining Black Sails composer Bear McCreary (whoseTV themes include The Walking Dead and DaVinci’s Demons ) during the recording of the season two soundtrack. “I love music of all kinds, and Bear is just a legend,” Arnold beams. “When [ Black Sails ] was first launched at Comic-Con last year... I met Bear for the first time. He invited me to come and see what they were doing in the studio. I only play a little bit of music myself but I have huge admiration for people who do. It was great to go in there and see the whole process. I mean, he’s a master.” The music for Black Sails was nominated for an Emmy earlier this year, and has

already knock you down from that point. So it would be nice not to push my luck, and play a role next that is completely new and original and doesn’t have that pressure.”

Black Sails: Season One is out on November 26

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EMILY MORTIMER – best known for her role in The Newsroom – relished the chance to write and star with her real life best friend, comedienne Dolly Wells, in the TV series DOLLY & EM , a semi-improvised comedy that explores what happens when an English actress hires her childhood friend to be her personal assistant. Best of Friends

Have you enjoyed your Dolly & Em experience?

Have you learned anything that you didn’t previously know about Dolly during this process? There are things that I already knew that I’m not sure she knew about herself. I knew how brilliant she is and how hilarious, clever and original she is. I don’t know anyone whose mind works like hers. When I’m with Dolly, I laugh harder than I ever do, she’s really funny. She never thought of herself as an artist, but she’s become a great comedy actress. In the time I’ve been writing with her, I think she’s learning that she is an artist as well. She doesn’t totally believe it yet, but I can feel her starting to understand. Is there anything you want viewers to take away from watching the series? We’re being honest about friendships and how difficult it can be to understand life. Doll and I didn’t want to dictate who the audience’s sympathy should lie with, so neither of us are bad people, we just put ourselves in an awful situation where we can both behave rather badly.You should, hopefully, be able to sympathise with both and be irritated by both at times as well.That’s a very important thing about friendships, and life. There aren’t good people and bad people, we’re all good and bad and messy.

EMILY MORTIMER: So far, it has been, touch wood, amazing. It has been a total antidote to all the stresses and strains of normal life.What has been so great is that it’s been an escape and yet we’ve managed to bring our families with us. We’ve been able to take our whole lives with us and make them a part of it. Our husbands and children are here, then we have family and friends on the crew. It’s so cool to be on this adventure together. It has been magical. What has it been like to work with your best friend? Doll and I have been collaborating and working together off camera for many years, trying to write something with it never coming together. So we’d gone through the whole learning curve of what it is to work with your best friend before we arrived here. Between us, we’ve had four children in the time it’s taken us to write this: For a long time, I think our husbands thought it was just an excuse to run up extortionate phone bills across the Atlantic and get on planes to visit each other as often as possible! But I think we were learning what we were interested in and how to work and write together.We had this idea very recently, and it’s amazing how when you suddenly get a good idea you realise how rubbish all your others were.This was so easy by comparison.

Doll and I have been collaborating and working together off camera for many years

You’re playing alternate versions of yourselves in the series. Have you approached these roles like any other or has it been different? It has been different in that I’ve done much less work than I would normally do in preparation for a role.The genesis of the story was in my trailer on the set of The Newsroom, where we filmed a pilot on the fly, guerrilla style. I was working in LA and we were very kindly given permission to shoot on set for half a day and we shot in the house I was really staying in.When we were filming in my trailer, I was throwing water on Dolly’s face for a crying scene before having to go out and film The Newsroom and we were pissing ourselves laughing. It was just fun. It was just me being me and acting on my wits, and it was weirdly easy because I know what I’m like and what Dolly’s like and I know how we talk to each other.We did put time into thinking about the story and how the scenes would work, but flying by the seat of my pants is how I’ve gone about preparing for this.

Dolly & Em Season 5 is out Dec 4

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The cast of DOWNTON ABBEY give Judy Ewens the lowdown on what happens when the stately home opens its doors for a fifth series.

T he magic of Downton Abbey is that each series leaves us wanting more so, hurrah and three cheers, the latest series arrives on DVD and Blu-ray this month. And it is worth the wait.The new series sticks to the show’s winning formula of dramatic goings-on above and below stairs, against a meticulous period backdrop, with a sprinkling of guest stars, and Dame Maggie Smith delivering withering put-downs. But not everything

actress, meanwhile, is delighted that Mary has regained her acerbic wit, which she uses to spiteful effect on her downtrodden sister Edith. Poor Edith (Laura Carmichael) is in a world of private pain. After the love of her life, Charles, disappeared in Germany and she found out she was pregnant, she had little choice but to have the baby abroad in secret. However, she was unable to part with her daughter who is now being brought up by a local tenant farmer and his wife. Edith, though, is in despair at having her child nearby and not being able to raise her. “Even with the money and the

Xxxxx

is the same. It is now 1924 and the winds of change are blowing through

Britain. Heavens above, there is even a Labour government, which does not go down well with Downton’s owner, Robert, the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville).

power and the title, there’s no escaping the pain of having to give up your chlld,” says Carmichael. “You can’t buy your way out of this situation.” Not that life is any easier for those downstairs. Last series’ shocking rape of lady’s maid Anna (Joanna Froggatt) by visiting valet Green comes back to haunt her and her husband Bates (Brendan Coyle) when the police start looking into Green’s death. Did Bates push Green under the wheels of a London bus to avenge his wife’s rape? One person who knows is Coyle. “All I get in the street is, ‘Did he do it?’

Robert faces his worst nightmare in the shape of fiercely socialist local schoolteacher Sarah Bunting who is drawn to Robert’s widowed son- in-lawTom Branson. She is opposed to everything Robert stands for and is not afraid to say so, which makes dinners at Downton rather fiery affairs! “It has been fun to play Robert’s outright loathing of this annoying woman,” says Bonneville. “It’s partly that she’s left wing, but mainly she’s just bloody rude.” Whatever Robert thinks of the firebrand teacher, she re-awakens old feelings in socialistTom. As she challenges why he continues to live with a family of aristocrats, he begins to question where his future lies. He is not the only one with decisions to make. Widowed Lady Mary (Michelle

The new series sticks to the show’s winning formula of dramatic goings-on above and below stairs

Dockery), has turned a corner in her grief, and is ready to love again. But who will she choose – the eminently suitable Lord Gillingham or government worker Charles Blake? “It’s not a decision she wants to make quickly,” explains Dockery. “Whichever man she chooses will have to take on the responsibility of Downton and she also has her son George to consider.”The

And, yes, I do know whether he did it!” says Coyle chuckling. The actor knows the secret is safe with him, which is just how we like it.

Downton Abbey is out Dec 10

DECEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

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