STACK NZ Mar #82

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CINEMA, DVDs, GAMES & MUSIC

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ISSUE 82 Mar ’17

Ed Sheeran • Doctor Strange • THE LEGO Batman Movie

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Issue 82 MARCH 2017

EXTRAS

• Manu Bennett in Death Race: 2050 ; The Shins. Pg 8 • Power Rangers , Nadia Reid, Ken Loach. Pg 9 • Competitions, quiz, STACK Social. Pg 10

FEATURES

CINEMA LEGO Batman Movie: STACK talks Batman's trademark growl and a bizarre social media backlash with Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis and Rosario Dawson. Pg 12-13 DVD Doctor Strange: Director Scott Derrickson talks about what goodies fans can expect from the DVD and Blu-ray. Pg 14-15 Nocturnal Animals: Jake Gyllenhaal on navigating the multi-layered storylines of Tom Ford’s psychological thriller. Pg 16 Hacksaw Ridge: Andrew Garfield sings the praises of all things Australian. Pg 18 GAMES The Legend Of Zelda: The wait is finally over for Breath Of The Wild . Pg 20-21 Nintendo Switch: Everything you need to know about Nintendo's new console. Pg 22 MUSIC Ed Sheeran: A special insight into the pop superstar's rise, courtesy of the music executive behind the talent, Tony Harlow. Pg 24-25 Elbow: Graham Reid considers the career of Guy Harvey's much hailed British band. Pg 26

Shooting has just begun on Avengers: InfinityWar, which will see the Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Strange join Iron Man and Co. WILL THIS BE MARVEL'S MIGHTIEST MOVIE YET?

" A vengers: Infinity War is the culmination of the entire cinematic universe that started in May 2008,” enthuses Marvel Entertainment chief Kevin Feige in a teaser featurette released last month. “What we always try to do at Marvel Studios is look at the big picture – how can things relate across movies and across years? It really is an unprecedented culmination of a series of films interlinked together.” Avengers: Infinity War , which will open in cinemas in May 2018, will see the fractured and divided superhero team facing their most dangerous threat yet from galactic tryant Thanos. Fortunately there is help at hand from Guardians Of The Galaxy ’s Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and Doctor

REVIEWS

Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose Marvel Cinematic Universe debut has just arrived on DVD and Blu-ray. Also making his Avengers debut in the new blockbuster will be the new Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War . Joe and Anthony Russo, who helmed the last two Captain America films, are behind the cameras again and believe Thanos is“the biggest, the best, the baddest villain that we’ve ever had”. In the meantime there are plenty of Marvel blockbusters to look forward to. Next month sees the cinema release of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, followed in July by Spider-Man: Homecoming, and to cap things off ,our own Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok will be in cinemas from October. On the home entertainment front, as well as Doctor Strange , March also sees the release of the second and final season of Agent Carte r, and the third instalment of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D .

DVD/Blu-ray Allied , Mr Robot: Season 2 , Office Christmas Party, Underworld: Blood Wars, Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Queen of Katwe, Bad Santa 2, Agent Carter: Season 2, and more Pg 27-31

GAMES Mass Effect Andromeda , Nier Automata Pg 32

MUSIC Alison Krauss, The Jesus And Mary Chain Pg 34

For more on Doctor Strange see pages 14-15.

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Manu Bennett takes a wild ride in Death Race 2050 . Words Gill Pringle DEATH RACER

A fter starring as Azog, king of the Orcs in the big-budget Hobbit trilogy, Kiwi actor Manu Bennett suspected that Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 might present a rather different opportunity. "I've never done comedy or satire and knew this would be a wild ride,” says Bennett, best known as gladiator Crixus on Spartacus and DC comic book character Slade Wilson in the TV action series Arrow . During his high school years in Newcastle, Australia, Bennett was involved in a tragic car accident that killed his mother and brother, leaving him in a coma for two weeks. And while he felt anxious about driving for years after, he says: “Its probably what set me on my path of acting because that tragedy interrupted my focus on academics. Instead I focused on the arts and that’s what got me through everything.” His Spartacus success would later banish his fear of the open road, splurging on a Hurst special edition Mustang in 2011 after moving to Los Angeles where he envisioned spending the next chapter of his life. Instead he immediately booked

Arrow , filmed in San Francisco. “I’ve got a radar jammer in my car so I drove there pretty fast. Let's say it gave me an advance taste of Death Race 2050, ” quips Bennett, who claims his own Mustang is very similar to the car Luke Goss drove in 2013’s Death Race: Inferno . “They’re virtually identical, only his was yellow and mine is gold. Mine also has Crixus painted on the back,” he boasts. “I think I got my courage up a bit more during the filming of Arrow because my character was meant to be very wealthy, so I asked the producers if I could have a Lamborghini. But when they said no, I went out and got one myself instead.” The actor was subsequently invited to the Texas Motor Speedway where he learned to drive cars at performance speed. “I ended up coming second out of 50 other people, so I figured I must have some skills.” When asked about working with the legendary Roger Corman, now 90-years-old and still going strong, he says, “When you say 90, it just doesn’t apply to him. I take that number and say: 90 years of experience. His work output is incredible, and he’s really sharp and lucid while I was umming and aahing. He’s an incredible human being and a living legend, so the chance to work alongside him was part of why I took the project in the first place.” Bennett plays racer Frankenstein in this updated version, which loosely reprises the themes of Corman’s 1975 original, Death Race 2000 , starring Sly Stallone and David Carradine. Only this time, the government-sponsored race is about culling the species from an overpopulated future world. Death Race 2050 , he cautions, is nothing like the Jason Statham/Luke Goss versions. “There’s been

modern interpretations of the film, but this isn’t like them. This is a Roger Corman film – a celebration of the ‘70s film with all the satire, humour and psychedelic vibe. It’s a very stylised B-film and all about sharing some popcorn and a few laughs with your mates.” Shooting Death Race 2050 in Lima, Peru, the city had a profound effect on Bennett. “Its a giant metropolis surrounded by jungle with no rules. I was in the favelas one day and saw someone get hit by a car and killed and people just threw a t-shirt on top of him and took pictures. It seemed like no big deal to anyone that this was a dead body. It was bizarre. “And in a way that’s kind of what Death Race is about – a desensitised society where life is hard and tough and you use drugs to fuel your emotional needs 'cause people are doing nothing but sitting on the couch watching TV."

Death Race 2050 is out now on DVD and Blu-ray.

JAMES MERCER: A ONE-MAN BAND Heartworms is the new album fromThe Shins – but like their others, it's pretty much a solo venture.

A fter shedding several bandmates James Mercer is creating new music again under The Shins moniker, with the release this month of Heartworms . But the truth he has always flown solo. “In the late ‘90s there were certain bands that weren’t really bands, it was just a guy in his bedroom,” Mercer explains. “There was just a revolving cast of characters and then the main dude. I guess I felt there was licence there for me to just create a band,

and it would be a recording project. It’s funny because it became really difficult to let those guys go – the perception was that we were The Shins, and in reality it was actually that I was The Shins. You can’t fight perception, you know.” The musician’s two daughters were the inspiration for one of Heartworms ' best cuts, the empowering and ever so sweetly delivered Name For You , which really is an anthem of reassurance and support for all girls and young

women. “I think that, looking back [on myself] as a young man, there’s a certain – what is the word? – enmity, that you feel towards the opposite sex. You get really frustrated, and it’s always such a problem in life. The culture out there is feeding you all this bullsh-t. So I think men can very easily slip into this sort of misogyny and they don’t realise it. I mean, I’ve seen it in myself." Zoë Radas

Heartworms by The Shins is out on March 10.

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NEWS EXTRAS

GO, GO POWER RANGERS! S inger turned actor Becky G. calls Power Rangers “a cool of the long-running ‘90s TV show, Becky G. plays Trini, aka The Yellow Ranger. “Trini is a badass, she says. and a credible teen dynamic. “It’s important for it to be real,” agrees Becky G. “These characters are dealing with issues that teenagers deal with. It’s genuine. It’s an imaginary world but there’s so much heart to it.” It's Morphin time - Becky G. talks about the big screen reboot of the kidsTV series. Words Scott Hocking

coming of age story" – albeit one in which the fate of the world rests on the shoulders of five teenaged superheroes that discover strength in unity, and consequently their own identities. It’s this journey of self-discovery that defines all five characters – ordinary high school kids who must become something extraordinary in order to defeat an alien threat and the villainous Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks). In this big screen reimagining

With its multicultural cast, Power Rangers celebrates

“She's a loner who's constantly moving around with her parents.

diversity, but not as a means of satisfying political correctness. “We all come from different cultures and backgrounds and

When she meets these other incredible people, they bring out the best in her.” Keeping things real was the mission statement for director Dean Israelite, whose previous film, Project Almanac , featured a young ensemble cast

that’s the story of our characters as well,” she confirms.

Power Rangers is in cinemas on March 23

BROKEN BRITAIN

Ken Loach on the award- winning , I, Daniel Blake .

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Ken Loach’s seminal debut Cathy Come Home – and the radical filmmaker's latest film I, Daniel Blake suggests things haven't gone much better for England's poor in the last five decades. “They are both stories of people whose lives are seriously damaged by the economic situation they’re in,” Loach agrees. “It’s been an idea we’ve returned to again and again but it’s particularly sharp in I, Daniel Blake . Certainly politically the world that this film shows is even more cruel than the world that Cathy was in.” I, Daniel Blake , which last month won the BAFTA for Best British Film, tells the story of the titular character (played by Dave Johns), who becomes mired in an uncaring bureaucratic system when he becomes jobless after a suffering a heart attack. Loach says: “If we look hard enough, we can all see the conscious cruelty at the heart of the state’s provision for those in desperate need and the use of bureaucracy, the intentional inefficiency of bureaucracy, as a political weapon: ‘This is what happens if you don’t work; if you don’t find work you will suffer’. The anger at that was the motive behind the film.” Adam Colby

REID RELUCTANT TO BE PIGEONHOLED

N adia Reid’s sophomore album Preservation finds the acclaimed Kiwi singer-songwriter in a rockier mode. However, she insists that is not a case of trying to distance herself from the ‘folk’ tag she is usually associated with. “I don’t think about ‘genre’ at all when I am writing or recording,” Reid says. “I think when people reference me as a folk artist, it’s because these songs have storytelling qualities, and they are truthful. I don’t mind being called a folk singer, I like it. But I want to be able to push the boundaries as time goes on.” Nevertheless, she admits she has enjoyed experimenting with electric guitar on Preservation ,

which, like her debut, was recorded with Ben Edwards at his Sitting Room Studio in Lyttleton. “I write mostly on acoustic guitar but I play electric for some of the album, which is an exciting progression,” Reid says. “I’m about to buy an electric guitar and I feel excited. It opens up new sounds.” Reid is also looking forward to taking the album on the road in March. "For this tour in NZ, I am playing with a full band; it’s nice to honour the record like this, and play it the way it sounds on record." John Ferguson

I, Daniel Bake is out on DVD/Blu-ray on March 22.

Preservation by Nadia Reid is out on March 3.

09

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STACK SOCIAL

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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 What you've been loving on social this month:

The brand new console, valued at $549, has just arrived in JB stores and you could be wrapping your hands around your own Joy-Cons when you win one with STACK ! Head to stack.net.nz to enter. Thanks to Nintendo

NAB YOURSELF A COPY OF HORIZON ZERO DAWN ON PS4

HACKSAW RIDGE DVDs UP FOR GRABS

Mel Gibson returns to the director’s chair with the award- winning Hacksaw Ridge , in stores March 15. Thanks to Icon Film Distribution

You’ll be heading to the wilderness and battling robot dinosaurs with the huntress Aloy when you score Horizon Zero Dawn – out now – on PS4. Thanks to PlayStation New Zealand

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QUIZ

Q1 John Travolta, Cliff Robertson, Jack Nicholson, William Hurt and Gene Hackman – what's the character connection? Q2 Which actor has said of his experience on a 1989 movie, "I'm not talking about it and never will"? Q3 In what film does a black dog wear a William Shatner face mask? Q4 In which classic western, based on an Elmore Leonard story, did the leading male actor turn down the role of the stoic hero and played the villain instead? Q5 What famous movie director cast his teenage daughter in a

1969 melodrama, with her debut performance vilified by a host of film critics? Q6 Which tennis champion had a role in a John Wayne movie? Q7 In which movie does the lead character wake up each morning to the song "I Got You Babe"? Q8 Who was the first actor to deliver the now oft repeated line: "We could have made beautiful music together"? Q9 Which movie was based on

Joke of the day: My girlfriend left me because of my obsession with Linkin Park. But in the end, it doesn't even matter.

Happy Birthday Aretha Franklin born on March 25, 1942 #STACKBirthday

"Operation Mincemeat"? Q10 What is the "pet"

connection of film characters played by Katharine Hepburn, Virginia McKenna and Madonna?

STACK ’s Fave Movie Quote: Gordie: Do you think I'm weird? Chris: Definitely. Gordie: No man, seriously. Am I weird? Chris: Yeah, but so what?

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Everybody's weird. – Stand by Me (1986)

A7. Singin' in the Rain which was originally sung in A10. Killing Them Softly starring Brad Pitt

Psycho (1960) A9. Gore Vidal in Bob Roberts

of 1929. A8. Sam Loomis played by John Gavin in

The Hollywood Revue

(1972). A6. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

The Magnificent Seven Ride

Whilst LVC took on the role of Chris in

A4. Paths of Glory -"the paths of glory lead but to the grave" A5. Yul Brynner and Lee Van Cleef. Brynner took over Van Cleef's character Sabata in

(1970).

Adios Sabata

A3. Val Kilmer in The Island of Dr Moreau

(1998) A2. Michael Crichton

A1. The Thin Red Line

(1996)

Quiz Answers December 2016 (Issue 80) -

Founder Nic Short Editor-In-Chief Paul Jones Editor John Ferguson Creative Director Karl Lock DVD Consultant Jason Hewitt Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Production Manager Craig Patterson Social Media Manager Sally Carlier-Hull

Disclaimer

Correspondence PO Box 326 Warkworth Auckland 0941 Tel: +64 9 425 9995

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STACK is published by Scribal Custom Pty Ltd (ACN 092 362 135). © Scribal Custom Pty Ltd 2016 All rights reserved.

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Contributors Graham Reid, Scott Hocking, Judy Ewens, GarethThompson,Tim Mackrell, Zoë Radas, Gill Pringle, Alesha Kolbe, Amy Flower, Ryan Huff, Simon Lukic, Michael Dwyer, Chris Murray, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Adam Colby, Savannah Douglas

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CINEMA FEATURE

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“But I will say this: The other day, because I have this TV show, Baskets , my picture is on the side of a bus and my kid is at eye-level so he could see it from the back of the car, so I look in the rearview mirror to see what he’s doing, and he just looks at it, and he looks straight ahead and makes a long sighing noise. That’s all he did. No dialogue. He knew it was me and he just sighed like, ‘How long is this going to go on?’” Working closely with Animal Logic in Australia, Arnett often found himself Skyping with director Chris McKay in Sydney. “One day I was doing the Batman voice on a Saturday and they didn’t have school so they came with me, and McKay said they needed some kid voices and he’s like, 'Let’s record them'. And so I’m like, 'OK, do you guys want to do it?' And my 8-year-old doesn’t want the attention but my Abel, just as I’m asking him if he wants to do it, passes me and goes: 'Yeah just tell me what to say', and he got up on the seat and just waited. “So now they’re the voices of the orphans when Batman visits the orphanage, going ‘We love you!’.” Unimpressed, Galifianakis shrugs. “So there’s no nepotism in Hollywood…” The LEGO Batman filmmakers took their time choosing their BatGirl, with McKay saying he was drawn to Rosario Dawson because of her activism and girl power. Chatting with Dawson, she tells STACK how she dealt with bizarre social media hate following her casting. “People were like, she’s Latina, wait a second, Barbara Gordon’s supposed to have red hair! And I was like, guys, this is an animated movie voice-over, you’re going to be really shocked to see all the people who voice your favourite characters, they’re black, brown, Asian, you know. A woman does Bart’s voice, sorry to break it down for you! Get used to it.” None of the cast even had a glimpse at the vast scope of LEGO Batman ’s universe while voicing their roles. “Some of the stuff they put in it isn’t fully emphasised,” says Dawson. “It’s more Where’s Waldo-ish. It’s there in the background, and the more you watch it – and parents are going to have to watch it over and over again – you'll definitely catch more, like you’ll see Wonder Woman in it next time, dancing in Superman’s lair.” Ask Galifianakis if there’s a dream superhero he’d like to play, and he’s all over it. “If it had nothing to do with the Batman world, then Jesus Christ, for sure.” And which villain? “Same answer. Also Jesus Christ," he laughs, "depending on your preferred point of view. "The Joker is fun and villains are fun to play," he adds. "I’ve never played a bad guy before – not that I think this guy is a traditional bad guy, but I don’t think you can get any better than The Joker as far as a villain is concerned. But as far as a good guy goes – yeah, Jesus.”

BATMAN BLOCK BUSTER STACK talks Batman's trademark growl, bromance with The Joker and bizarre social media backlash with The LEGO Batman Movie 's Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis and Rosario Dawson. Words Gill Pringle

A fter Will Arnett debuted his gravelly Batman voice in 2014’s The LEGO Movie , he left both fans and filmmakers wanting more. “What was so special about Batman in the first movie is that he was selfish and egotistical, but still loveable in his own way,” says returning LEGO producer Dan Lin. “He has zero self- awareness; a total subversion of the superhero genre. We wanted to give him his own movie.” If Will Arnett’s spot-on delivery came as a surprise to many, then he argues that it’s all in the family.

deep,” Arnett replies as his co-star persists, “Did your parents feed you tarmac when you were a kid?” Arnett hits back with: “No, but for vitamins, we always had a steaming cup of crushed glass in the morning.” It’s little surprise they have an easy banter, given that Batman and The Joker share what can only be described as a bromance in the film, which, according to Galifianakis, was “conceived on that day. And then we continued having sex throughout the recording session.” Even if the Dark Knight

“My dad had a pretty deep voice so he’s always claimed that if anything happens to me, he could take over my career. By the way, I’m like: 'Thanks a lot! I’m your son! Your son is dead! Are you not worried about that!?” laughs

prefers to go it alone, he is reluctantly joined by Rosario Dawson’s Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon/Batgirl and adopted son Dick Grayson/Robin, voiced by Michael Cera. The LEGO Batman Movie also features an insane number of superheroes and villains, from Superman, The Riddler, Two-

I don't think you can get any better than The Joker as far as a villain is concerned

Arnett when STACK meets with him in Beverly Hills. “But ever since I hit puberty, my voice started to drop – along with everything else.” His inspiration, he says, is Michael

Face, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, to lesser known and downright un known baddies such as Calendar Man and The Condiment King. Look out, too, for villains from Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings alongside the Gremlins, Godzilla and even the Daleks – the latter referred to in the movie as “British robots”; Galifianakis claiming he’d never heard of Doctor Who prior to LEGO Batman . If either actor imagined that the film would earn them brownie points with their young kids, then think again. “When they hear me do the voice, they

Keaton’s Batman. “His growl wasn’t so deep or as dark as Christian Bale’s but it was very fresh. Keaton and Tim Burton started the idea that Batman talks like this,” says Arnett, slipping into his Batman voice. “That’s Michael Keaton man! And that’s what we’ve come to take for granted as The Batman. He came up with it. And at the same time, while he was Bruce Wayne, he was kind of playful and a bon vivant playboy. Michael Keaton is obviously an amazing actor and doesn’t get enough credit.” Arnett is joined by Zach Galifianakis, who voices Batman’s wannabe arch nemesis The Joker, and is likewise fascinated by Arnett’s voice, suggesting his throat must be a weird shape. “I don’t know. It's just always been raspy and

say: 'Can I have my iPad?'” offers Arnett, who has two young sons with ex-wife Amy Poehler. “I usually just get: 'You’re not my real dad,'” adds Galifianakis.

• The LEGO Batman Movie is in cinemas on April 6

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Director Scott Derrickson takes us through what goodies fans can expect from the home entertainment release of the latest Marvel blockbuster, Doctor Strange . Words Adam Colby

hen you put Doctor Strange into your DVD or Blu-ray player, make sure that your remote is nearby: searching for easter eggs and hidden messages is a tradition in films in Marvel’s Cinema Universe, and director Scott Derrickson is confident that fans will be constantly hitting

not going to see on the first or even second viewing – and that was deliberate. I wanted those visual effect scenes to be so dense that you would want to see them again. Not for box office reasons, but because it’s quite a lot to take in the first time.” Doctor Strange tells the story of the titular surgeon (Benedict

the pause button with the latest superhero blockbuster. “Fans will find

I wanted those visual effects scenes to be so dense that you would want to see them again

Cumberbatch), whose life is changed forever after a car accident renders his hands useless. When traditional medicine fails him, he

that they can pause the movie and look closely at most of the visual effects sequences because there is a lot of information on the screen,” he explains. “There is a lot of detail in things that you’re

travels to the remote Kamar-Taj in search of a cure, but instead discovers the mystical arts and becomes a powerful sorcerer battling dark forces. The Blu-ray edition features more than 80 minutes of exclusive bonus material, including deleted scenes. However, Derrickson maintains that the film hasn’t changed too much from his first edit. “ Doctor Strange was never a long movie,” he says. “The first cut was only 15 minutes longer than the final cut, which I think was two hours and 10 minutes. There were only three wholesale scenes that were cut; it was mostly trimming stuff down. “The surprising part of the process is that what shrunk most were the set-pieces. There is not a lot of action in the movie in terms of quantity, truthfully. If you measure out the action scenes in this, I’ll bet there’s less action in this movie than any other Marvel movie, but it doesn’t feel like that because the action is so demanding to watch. When something is so

Tilda Swinton and Benadict Cumberbatch playing with fire

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FEATURE DVD&BD

Making his comic book movie debut as the eponymous neurosurgeon who is drawn into the world of the mystic arts, the actor has nothing but praise for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “Marvel is an extraordinary family to be a part of,” he says. “They do things just brilliantly and they never stop trying to get better and better with every film. It can be anything from the level of detail of the costume, to line changes or entire scenes being rewritten or reshot… they’re so bold, and look at where it gets them. It’s extraordinary." When it came to playing a Marvel hero unlike any other, Cumberbatch remained pragmatic. “If you go into the film to fulfil expectations, you’re going to fall flat on your face. You have to manage them somehow. It’s an iconic role, like Sherlock, so there’s a certain amount of ‘this is how it has to be’, but also being able to interpret it and make it your own. It’s a wonderful character and the origin story is kick- ass. The amount of arc I had to play in that film, it’s a dream project." Cumberbatch adds that the character, although originating in the 1970s, is very much a hero for our time. “What works with Strange is we’re living in an era that’s defined by technology – a binary, logical universe. People are becoming isolated by very strong creative beliefs, and if anything, the message of the film is to free yourself to alternatives. Believe that there are answers that are not about what you think, but what others think as well. It’s about belonging rather than excluding. “There’s a strong philosophy behind the film. It’s not just, ‘oh here’s a character from the ‘70s, here’s some eastern mysticism banging up against western science. It runs much deeper than that.” reveal about the secrecy- shrouded fourth season, the conversation turned to Doctor Strange . STACK caught up with Benedict Cumberbatch at San Diego Comic-Con last year to talk Sherlock . But when it quickly became apparent there wasn’t a lot he could

Us From Evil , he has long been a fan of this particular Marvel superhero. “I’ve always loved the Doctor Strange comics. In the comic book universe, Doctor Strange was a psychedelic, spiritual, weird breath of fresh air that came in and expanded the limits of comic book visuals, ideas and characters. I wanted to make a movie that did the same thing to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” So what scenes in the finished movie most stood out for Derrickson?

visually demanding, the audience can only take so much of it.” Among the deleted scenes were a number featuring the film’s main baddie, Kaecilius, played by Mads Mikkelsen. “One of them was a first meeting where Kaecilius kills one of the zealots and it just was too arch,” Derrickson says. “We ended up taking it out because the movie played better without it, but it’s not a bad scene.” Although the filmmaker is best known for horror flicks such as Sinister and Deliver

In the comic book universe, Doctor Strange was a psychedelic, spiritual, weird breath of fresh air... I wanted to make a movie that did the same thing to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

“I think the two most magical moments were the first and last

scenes that Benedict worked on with Tilda [Swinton, who plays the Ancient One], and the apartment scene with Benedict and Rachel [McAdams, who plays Christine Palmer]. The scene when Strange meets the Ancient One was incredible to see come to life. This was the first time I saw Tilda being the Ancient One and it was amazing. They were both incredible in that scene.  “The fight scene in the apartment between Christine and Strange stands out because it’s such an intense scene. Every time that scene comes on, I suddenly feel like I’m in a gritty little indie movie! There’s so much human drama in the way Benedict explodes at her in

such a horrible way, and it’s all rooted in real pain. When you’re on set and you’re watching actors of that calibre do things like that, it’s sublime.”

• Doctor Strange is out on March 1

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What’s real and what’s not – four other films where fact and fiction become blurred. STORIES WITHIN STORIES

ANIMAL INSTINCT Jake Gyllenhaal on navigating the multi- layered storylines of Tom Ford’s acclaimed psychological thriller, Nocturnal Animals . Words Adam Colby

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (1988) In Terry Gilliam’s dazzling fantasy, an old man interrupts a stage production about the adventures of Baron Munchausen, claiming to be the dashing aristocrat himself. He proceeds to set the record straight – is it all in his mind or is he the real deal?

J ake Gyllenaal likes to see himself as a man of action, so one of the biggest challenges for him in Nocturnal Animals was playing a passive character. “This movie was a

journey for me, and a difficult one, because he’s a character that doesn’t act initially. He does ‘act’ in that he’s pretty much a deer in the headlights, but he doesn’t know his physical self, he does not believe in using a gun or violence at all, so he doesn’t really know how to protect his family. "I had just come off of a number of films where I was really expressing myself physically. So, I really tried to whittle myself down physically, if that makes sense. I really tried to find the weaknesses in myself and try to be curious about them, those moments in which I wouldn’t speak my mind, or I would hesitate.” Ever the perfectionist, Gyllenhaal relished the preparation involved in preparing for such a complicated role. “The thing I love most of all is the preparation, the time before you even begin shooting,” he says. “It’s my favourite time. I guess people would call it the ‘rehearsal period’ if you’re doing a play, but in movies you usually just have your alone time – whether you’re exploring the world in the character you’re going to create, or meeting people that do the same job, or experiencing some experience that they may in the movie. I take

unrequited sense of it, and the violence that heartbreak causes internally. “We all spend most of our lives

Mulholland Drive (2001) David Lynch is the master when it comes to multi-layered storylines and this splendidly bonkers concoction is one of his best. Naomi Watts is the aspiring actress who comes to the aid of a woman (Laura Harring) suffering from amnesia, only to begin to question her own grip on reality.

doing our best to present something to the outside world. We don’t want to put all of our feelings on other people, we don’t want to have to make other people go through the pain that we might be experiencing.

Tom Ford

difficult one for me because it was one about ‘non-action’, which meant resisting all of my normal instincts,” the US actor admits. “I’m a very physical person – in my own self and in terms of creating characters. It’s a very important part of what I do, but in this film, I couldn’t use any of that. I had my hands tied behind my back, sitting there, incapable of doing what I would normally want to do.” To complicate matters further, in Tom Ford’s multi-layered drama, Gyllenhaal actually plays two characters: the aspiring author Edward, who has just sent a copy of his novel to his ex-wife Susan (Amy Adams), and Tony, the lead protagonist in the book, whose story also unfolds on screen in the mind of Susan. It’s a dark and twisted tale, and Gyllenhaal was hooked as soon as he read the script. “I remember reading it starting at night, actually, and it was probably one of the best scripts I had ever read,” he recalls. “To me, this was a story about love – love lost, the

It was probably one of the best scripts I had ever read

Adaptation (2002) In the weird and wonderful world of writer Charlie Kaufman nothing is ever what it seems. In Spike Jonze’s witty surreal meta-tale, Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalised version of Kaufman, whose attempt to adapt a bestseller for the screen is hampered by the arrival of his brother Donald (also played by Cage).

"Amy’s character presents that outside world, that projection she wants to put out there. The book and the story of the book is the internal world, the internal heartbreak of the relationship, and what she sees she’s done to someone else. That’s what was so moving about the screenplay.” Nevertheless, coming off the back of physical roles in Everest and Southpaw , Gyllenhaal

The Singing Detective (2003) This musical fantasy isn’t in the same league as Dennis Potter’s original BBC masterpiece, but Robert Downey Jr. is terrific as the pulp crime writer who ends up drifting in and out of the noirish world of his private eye hero while in hospital.

that with me and it never goes away, along with the friendships that I make along the way. “

knew he would have dial things down for Nocturnal Animals .

• Nocturnal Animals is out on March 1

“It was an interesting

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exciting way, and it’s never boring. He’s like Desmond in a strange way; he’s got this real innocence and purity; you know exactly what he’s feeling at all times. He’s just so sincere, and passionate, and it’s this infectious thing, and I think it’s been a very happy shoot for the entire crew because everything trickles down from the top.” “And of course, having someone who’s such a great actor with their eyes on you just makes you feel so safe. It’s not really an actor’s medium film, you know, it’s really a director’s medium. So that feeling of being able to give yourself entirely to your director is really important.” Garfield is equally full of praise for his Australian co-stars, who include Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer, Luke Bracey and Sam Worthington. Weaving plays his character’s “incredibly damaged, bruised, and scary father”, but Garfield was delighted to discover that off camera, the Aussie star was “like a clown in the most wonderful way – so funny and playful”. The camaraderie that developed between himself and the actors really made this job for me,” he says. “The boys in the barracks, they’re all such incredible actors in their own rights, and there’s some beautiful scenes with Luke. And then the other boys like Jake Warner, Ben Mingay, Ben O’Toole, and Firass [Dirani], they really made this experience rich but also really fun. I think we all needed to keep each other light and joyous, and, you know, the Aussie lads are good at that!” Despite the fun of the shoot, Hacksaw Ridge carries a serious message and Garfield hopes audiences will be similarly inspired by what is an incredible true story of courage and faith. “I think it’s going to be impossible not to be touched by it because Desmond Doss is impossible not to be moved and totally awestruck by,” he playing fellow marines was another highlight. “The boys

From director Mel Gibson to the local cast and crew, Hacksaw Ridge star Andrew Garfield has nothing but praise for Australia. PACIFIST PACIFIC

H e’s a rising young British star playing an American marine in a Second World War epic set in the Pacific. But for Andrew Garfield, it was the Australian component of the movie that made it so special. “I’ve loved it, it really felt like an extension of home,” the star enthuses of his time in Australia. “The crew here is really something. So unpretentious, so hardworking, and there’s no such thing as a hierarchy. It’s a company and it’s a real community effort.

You don’t often get that in films, you find it more often in theatre in my experience. But

when you find a real sense of camaraderie and community on a film set, you can’t get better than that.” Hacksaw Ridge tells the true story of Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the American Medal of Honor for his bravery during one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War on the Island of Okinawa in the Pacific. Garfield was immediately attracted by the inspirational story and had no hesitation in signing up for the film. “It was a compelling script and a compelling person to go on a journey with,” he explains. “There’s something about a person following the beat of their

own drum. No matter what the resistance to that will be by the society he finds himself in, or she finds herself in, he sticks to his principles and his inner voice.” Another big drawcard was the opportunity to work with Mel Gibson, whose work both in front of and behind the camera Garfield had long admired. He admits that he had to pinch himself to believe that he was getting the chance to work with such a Hollywood icon. “A real highlight for me of my short time being an actor so far is working with Mel as a director,” Garfield says. “He just tells a story in such a beautiful, compelling and

The Maeda Escarpment – known as Hacksaw Ridge for its sawed-off appearance – stood in the way of the 77th and 96th Infantry divisions’ advancement in the spring of 1945. HACKSAW FACTS

The number of lives Desmond Doss saved is debatable – he estimated it to be 50, while the military put it closer to 100. 75 was the figure finally settled upon.

says. “So I hope that people get to know someone who could potentially be an inspiration for their lives.”

• Hacksaw Ridge is out on March 15

Severe damage to his arm prevented Doss from continuing his career in carpentry following the war.

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it’s up to the player how the game progresses. This is not just about the story or fighting the enemies. Players have the freedom to engage in various activities such as hunting, cooking, and searching for things in vast areas. This is something that has been emphasised in our past PR activities. We placed a Super Bowl TV commercial in the US, which is notorious for its extremely high viewer rating, in order to appeal to those who are not familiar with the Zelda series. Given Breath of theWild ’s four-year development cycle from announcement to release, how discernibly different is the finished game compared to the blueprint at conception?What are the major changes? There haven’t been any big changes in the concept or the main gameplay since the initial stage. A few minor details in the game control were revised at one stage, when we decided to launch the title for Nintendo Switch and Wii U at the same time. The changes were required simply to make sure that the gaming experience would be consistent across the two types of hardware. The content and plans did not change at all. Breath of theWild has been referred to by Shigeru Miyamoto as an 'open-air' game as opposed to 'open-world' – what are the significant differences between these terms? “Open-world” is a general phrase that describes the kind of game, but the phrase “open-air” specifically describes this game. Open-air is a phrase that we initially started using to describe the style of the graphics. The producer, Eiji Aonuma, said it referred to the ‘background music that blends in with the sounds of nature’ and ‘the style of adventure that this title offers, such as climbing to a high place and diving through the sky with a parasail’. Eventually the team started using the phrase to describe the actual game. At what stage during development did the Switch become part of the conversation, and when did the integration actually commence? It was around last spring, once the production of the Wii U version was pretty much complete. This title was initially being developed for Wii U. It was decided later on that this will launch around the same time as Nintendo Switch. We decided to develop the game for both Nintendo Switch and Wii U because it allows more players to experience the game at the same time. So stopping the development of the Wii U version was never considered. Did you ever consider cancelling theWii U version?

Zelda fans have been patiently awaiting the release of The Legend of Zelda : Breath of theWild for four long years.Whether you intend to play it onWii U or the Nintendo's new console, Switch, the game is in-store right now.We spoke with the director of Breath of the Wild, Hidemaro Fujibayashi. INTO THE WILD

each title as well. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been designed to fully utilise the features of Wii U and Nintendo Switch for a seamless gameplay that allows the players to explore wherever they want to go. Especially, Nintendo Switch comes with the wonderful feature of portability, so I hope our customers will enjoy being able to take the device off the dock and play it anywhere, anytime. While Zelda fans were probably onboard at the January 2013 reveal announcement, what is the key to appealing to an audience less familiar with the franchise? We believe it is important to use every opportunity possible to convey to the audience what is great about this game. One of the characteristics of this title is that

What makes the Zelda series timeless? In 2016, we celebrated the 30th anniversary since the launch of the first ever Zelda title in Japan. This is something we were able to achieve all because of our Zelda fans, who continued to play and support Zelda

Hidemaro Fujibayashi

games all this time. Thank you very much. One of the main ideas that has been our focus throughout the series is the ‘growth of the main character’. The game takes place in a fantasy world, but by incorporating various events that could happen in real life, the players experience a realistic simulation. This is something that could only be experienced with this series, and that’s why our fans love it. The Zelda series has occasionally focused on providing the game experience that is unique to the features of the hardware for

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the global numbers game ZELDA

there a cultural difference in the value of eating between Japan and the west? The word ‘Wild’ is in the subtitle and ‘survival’ is one of the main concepts of this game. We thought this would be an unprecedented Zelda title if players could have a lot of

One of the characteristics of this title is that it's up to the player how the game progresses

freedom, and even find their own way of recovering the hearts on this vast land. One of the developmental directions was breaking conventions. I don’t think there are any cultural differences in the way

1 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess 8.3 million 2 The Legend of Zelda:

Aside from graphical upgrades, what does a

‘eating’ is perceived by Japanese and western cultures. When you’re hungry, you want to have a delicious

more high-powered console bring to the Zelda experience? The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the

meal, and that should be the same for everyone. We consulted the American team and the European team to help us understand the kind of food that is appreciated in other countries. They checked the images of the food as we developed. Please look forward to seeing which kinds of meals appear in the game. What's the secret to a good Zelda puzzle? I think interesting puzzles can be designed based on experiments that you would have done in science class as a child. I don’t know if you learn the same things in other countries, but we grew up doing experiments with magnets, fire, ice, etc. It’s best to base the puzzles on something that anyone could understand. Much has been made of the enormous size of Breath of theWild . Can you talk about some of the challenges involved in creating a Zelda game of such unprecedented scale? How do you keep players focused in an open-world game of this magnitude? We really had to think about how to ensure a balance in the degree of details in the game experience. You may think we would have to include a whole lot of things and various eye-catching landscape features to keep things interesting in such vast space. However, we maintained a good balance in the level of details. The entire production team played the actual game many times to ensure a smooth, balanced gameplay. We were all very careful in understanding what exactly we were creating, and what had to be done next in order to make the game even better. There are areas where we want you to view from afar, areas where we want you to search, areas that appear dodgy… we

Wild can be played for a very long time. You could spend a lot of time searching a particular section of a massive area. I believe it is great that you could take the game with you anywhere. There are various games, including little five- minute ones as well as dungeon captures that you would want to sit back and work on for some time. There are different ways to enjoy the game at all times, in any way you like. I can’t tell you in too much detail because I don’t want to give away anything… but my favourite is a warrior that has a lot to do with the story of the Gerudo People. He is a dignified and sophisticated character. You will know which one I’m talking about once you come across the character in the game. Who is your favourite character addition to Breath of theWild ?

Ocarina of Time 7.6 million 3

The Legend of Zelda 6.5 million units 4 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 4.6 million 5 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword 3.6 million 6 The Legend of Zelda:

Eating in games isn't uncommon – what led to its implementation in Breath of theWild ? Is

Majora’s Mask 3.6 million 7

designed the landscaping, tricks and placement of enemies in each of these areas so that players could instinctively work out what to do. We look forward

The Legend of Zelda: A Link BetweenWorlds 2.9 million

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is out now

to having you play the game and sense the messages hidden in our design.

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Masquerading as the mysterious NX for a while, last year Nintendo lifted the veil on their latest home entertainment console – the Switch .This month, it’s finally available in-store – here’s what you can expect to find.

The Switch console itself can be removed from the dock and function as a completely separate entity – pretty cool, right?

A crisp 6.2” touchscreen (when it’s not docked).

Two cute little Joy-Cons (either Grey or Neon Blue/ Red) attach to both sides of the console or can be joined together with a Joy- Con Grip.

Amiibo compatibility is featured in the right Joy-Con, meaning all those figurines you’ve collected over the years won’t be going to waste.

The Switch can be played in one of three modes: Standard TV mode, Tabletop Mode (with the console featuring

a kick-stand), and Handheld Mode.

There are heaps of different accessories available, including a pouch for the console, car chargers, different coloured Joy-Cons, and even a Pro Controller that looks more like your standard console controller.

USB Type-C connection for charging.

The battery life will vary depending on what you’re playing – as an example, you’ll get around three hours on Breath of the Wild from a full charge.

32GB of internal memory is included, with a microSD card slot available for anything you can’t fit on the console.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, 1-2-Switch,

Super Bomberman R, Just Dance 2017, Skylanders Imaginator s

Super Mario Odyssey,

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, Splatoon 2, Snipperclips

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