STACK #181 Nov 2019

FILM REVIEWS

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Eternally wild with the power to make every moment come alive. MYSTIFY: MICHAEL HUTCHENCE

The final quarter. the australian dream

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Release Date: 25/11/19

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Release Date: 20/11/19

Richard Lowenstein’s documentary on the INXS frontman opens with footage of the band performing in front of a giant, heaving stadium crowd in their heyday, and we’re instantly reminded of The Hutch Effect. As soon as Michael hit the stage (or anywhere, really) it was impossible to drag your eyes away from him. As one of the film’s many interview subjects/voices attests early on in the piece, Hutchence was a born rockstar just waiting for the songs that would propel

"Sport has a way of really capturing the essence of what's happening in society," notes Stan Grant, the writer of this documentary feature that reveals the ugly face of racism prevalent not just in the AFL, but Australian society in general. The Australian Dream is an unflinching account of the events that drove Adam Goodes – one of footy's most decorated players – into early retirement. When Goodes singled out a 13-year- old supporter for a racist slur, it created a media circus

him onto the world stage, and boy did he deliver with INXS! Mystify: Michael Hutchence is an oral history complemented by visual montages of rarely seen footage and scenes from intimate home movies, with audio commentary supplied by family members, managers, producers, friends, and ex-girlfriends (including Kylie Minogue). BC

and national debate that led to incendiary comments on social media and persistent booing from the crowd, ultimately sending him into a self-imposed exile. Featuring interviews with media commentators, fellow Indigenous players and other greats of the game, this is a powerful and sobering wake-up call that every Australian should see. SH

DOOM: ANNIHILATION

PALM BEACH

RABID

MA

Release Date: 13/11/19 Format:

Release Date: 13/11/19 Format:

Release Date: 27/11/19 Format:

Release Date: 13/11/19 Format:

The long-running first-person shooter game has all the elements for a cracking sci-fi horror romp, but the 2005 film adaptation (starring Dwayne Johnson, no less) didn't really hit the bullseye. The good news is that reboot Doom: Annihilation hews a lot closer to the source material, while also taking its cues from James Cameron's Aliens . A bunch of marines face off against demons and zombies on the Martian moon Phobos, where a portal to Hell has been opened. There's no Rock this time around, but the non-stop action, practical creature effects and abundant Easter eggs for gamers pretty much annihilate memories of the original. AC

The sun and surf of Sydney's exclusive enclave is the backdrop for this ensemble piece, and with a cast so well loved, it's as comfortable as sipping a glass of sparkling at sunset. In their youth, Frank (Bryan Brown), Leo (Sam Neill) and Billy (Richard E. Grant) were members of a band called The Pacific Sideburns. Their respective spouses are Charlotte (Greta Scacchi), Bridget (Jacqueline McKenzie) and Eva (Heather Mitchell). Gathering to celebrate Frank's 73rd birthday, the party turns rowdy when alcohol breaks down inhibitions and old stories resurface. Rachel Ward's assured direction and the quality cast make this Aussie Big Chill a must-see for baby boomers. AC

This bold remake of David Cronenberg's 1977 body-horror cult classic comes courtesy of Canadian filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska ( American Mary ). The story has been revised as a fashion house horror/ mad scientist tale, but the basic premise remains the same. Following a nasty motorcycle accident, dress designer Rose (Laura Vandervoort) undergoes an experimental skin graft process that leaves her with a vampiric organ in her armpit and a taste for blood. Her victims are infected with a mutant strain of rabies, which quickly spreads throughout Toronto. The Soskas pay cheeky homage to other Cronenberg films, while investing the character of Rose with a lot more depth. And the finale is truly bonkers. SH

Watching Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer ( The Help ) going over the top in a psycho role should be recommendation enough to check out this horror- thriller from the dependable Blumhouse stable. Spencer's kindly and lonely 'Ma' lurks outside liquor stores, buying booze for underage high schoolers and then luring them back to her place to party. But of course she has a sinister motive – Ma is intent on more than recapturing her lost youth, and Spencer deftly balances psychosis and pathos to create a memorable villain. Both creepy and campy, Ma delivers a wicked spin on the traditional slasher flick. AC

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NOVEMBER 2019

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