STACK #180 Oct 2019

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YOUR TO FILM, TV, GAMING & MUSIC ESSENTIAL GUIDE

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ISSUE 180

Oct ’19

STACK Issue 180 OCTOBER 2019

INSIDE SMART HOME ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

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TOY STORY 4 • CRAWL • ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP

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Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Film & TV Editor Scott Hocking Contributors

Issue 180 OCT 2019

Music Editor Zoë Radas Online Editor Amy Flower

Creative Director Gary Siewert DVD Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Music Consultant Mike Glynn Marketing Manager Fleur Parker

WELCOME

When was the last time you took the family to the cinema? When was the last time you took the family to the cinema on a regular basis? Fronting up on the weekend and buying four tickets plus requisite snacks is not for the faint-hearted. What was once a regular – and economically sound – pursuit for a rainy day is now something that requires careful financial planning. There are the big blockbusters that will always deserve to be viewed on a 30ft screen, but the reality for many of us is that a trip to the movies is now very much a luxury. But with changing times come changing habits: enter the home cinema. While certainly not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination, building a media room or space in the home for cinephiles or gamers is now a relatively cost effective and technically easy operation to undertake. It’s not just about the big TV (although that is important – the bigger the better if you ask us); sound and now lighting are essential components in the home entertainment experience. And where once an electrician would’ve been required to wire in a system, smart home technology has made installation – via a smart phone app – as easy as shouting “action!” Want to know more? Check out this month’s bumper smart home entertainment space feature that will help you kickstart your own immersive experience within the comfort of your own four walls. And with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare releasing at the end of the month, there’s never been a better time to get started. Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

Chief Contributors Bob Jones , Gill Pringle Contributors Glenn Cochrane, Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Bryget Chrisfield, Simon Winkler, Nathan Lawrence, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira, Adam Colby, Dan Nicholson, Alex Deutrom, Anthony Horan Social Media Manager Sally Carlier-Hull Production Manager Craig Patterson Correspondence STACK 33 Jessie Street, Richmond, VIC 3121

RATINGS GUIDE

Disclaimer STACK is published by Scribal Custom Pty Ltd (ACN 092 362 135). © Copyright Scribal Custom Pty Ltd, 2019 All rights reserved. All material appearing in this publication is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material or advertisement. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of Scribal Custom Pty Ltd. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of advertisements or information. Whilst care has been taken in the research and preparation of this publication, the publishers, writers or anyone else associated cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or hardship arising from the content contained herein or reliance therefrom, howsoever caused, and it remains your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any such content. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or the editor. By the very nature of this publication, things change daily and we cannot take responsibility for any changes or inaccuracies that occur subsequent to going to press.

The large print giveth, the small print taketh away. “Iwasmade to help a child, I don’t remember it being this hard.”

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Issue 180 OCT 2019

YOUR TO FILM, TV, GAMING&MUSIC ESSENTIALGUIDE

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ISSUE 180

GAMES

Oct ’19

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE COMPETITION SPIDER-MAN FANPACK WIN THE ULTIMATE STACK Issue 180 OCTOBER2019 “Don’t ever apologise for being the smartest one in the room.” INSIDE SMARTHOME ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

INSIDE SMARTHOME ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

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TOYSTORY4 • CRAWL • ZOMBIELAND:DOUBLE TAP

GHOSTRECONBREAKPOINT • THEOUTERWORLDS

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Extras Pages 10 / 18–19

FILM & TV Pages 20–38

Music Pages 39–61

Games Pages 1–25

41-48 INTERVIEWS + BULLETINS We chat new music with Liam Gallagher, City and Colour, Dyson Stringer Cloher, Ali Barter and more. 50-51 25 turning 25 This year, some of the most influential albums in music history reach the big quarter- century milestone. 55 MUSIC HISTORY: OCTOBER Billy flings fish, James ends his mish, and Sinead’s gig enrages the Communications Commish: here’s your calendar of notable music history events for October. 56 BREAKOUT BELTER: GRACE JONES Bryget Chrisfield explores a favourite record which spelled the lift-off to cultural stardom for an important act. This month: Grace Jones’ Nightclubbing . 58-60 ALBUM REVIEWS Babymetal, Steel Panther, Boy & Bear, Angel Olsen, The Highwomen, Nils Frahm and more.

10 EXTRAS Local hero Patrick Brammall dons his police uniform for the third and final season of Glitch . 18-19 BOB J Our resident film historian looks back at the Oscar-winning 1954 classic On the Waterfront .

20-21 spider-man: far from home Peter Parker discovers that great power now comes with even greater responsibility. 22 crawl Producers Sam Raimi and Craig Flores talk to STACK about their tense new survival-horror. 24 toy story 4 There’s a new addition to the gang, although he would argue that he’s not a toy at all... 26-32 REVIEWS Spider-Man: Far from Home, Toy Story 4, Annabelle Comes Home, Crawl, Yesterday, The Secret Life of Pets 2, Booksmart, Stuber, Chernobyl, The Haunting of Hill House, Wentworth: S7, Warrior: S1, Deadwood: The Movie, Five Bedrooms: S1. 34 4K all the way What’s new on UHD this month, including three from Marvel. 36 kid’s corner It’s Pixar on parade, with a bunch of animated favourites hitting the 4K UHD format. 37 HALLOWEEN HORRORS Stock up for Halloween night with JB’s Buy 2 Get 1 Free horror film promotion.

6 REGULARS This month, our roving reporter heads to JB Hi-Fi Westlakes, SA. 8-9 cod: modern warfare We’re totally pumped for the return of Modern Warfare. 10 GHOST RECON BREAKPOINT We go in deep with Breakpoint , Ubisoft’s latest entry in its enduring Ghost Recon series. 12 the outer worlds The Outer Worlds is shaping up to be a blinding game! 14-15 grid We’ve missed GRID, but now it’s time to get back behind the wheel. 16 WWE 2K20 Ready to rumble! 18-20 headsets Our guide to picking the perfect gaming headset. 22 oUT THIS MONTH Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, Ghostbusters, The Video Game Remastered, Medievil, Concrete Genie, The Outer Worlds, Grid, Luigi’s Mansion 3 24 STACK RECOMMENDS Control, Gears 5.

Cinema Pages 12–17

12-13 zombieland: double tap We tapped director Ruben Fleischer for details on his sequel to the 2009 cult comedy. 14 THE goldfinch Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer-winning best-seller comes to the screen, starring Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman and Sarah Paulson. 16 ready or not Up-and-coming Aussie star Samara Weaving kills it in this comedy-horror romp. 17 IN CINEMAS THIS MONTH Joker, Terminator: Dark Fate, Gemini Man, Hustlers, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Blinded by the Light .

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STACK ROVING REPORTER

DVD BEST-SELLERS for SEPTEMBER 2019

continues. “ Train to Busan and The Raid are popular titles, but a lot of people also like Hollywood and Marvel movies, as well as TV dramas, ABC and BBC. It’s a pretty good mix.” The store’s clientele like to have a physical copy in their hands, and Matt says that disc ownership is something people should keep up. “You can do a digital download, you can go to an online streaming service, but in the end, you don’t own it. It’s not yours. I definitely believe you should go out and get something if you enjoy it. Buy it, and it’s all yours.” Matt likes to get physical, too, and will definitely purchase a film or TV series that has replay value. “I’ve been collecting DVDs since

they first came out, and they slowly stack up. I’ve probably got over a thousand.” So what are some of his all-time favourite films? “Going back to when I was a child, I probably started off with Star Wars . I like thrillers like Seven and action flicks like The Raid . I’m not really into those disaster films. I like a story to be about the actual person or character; people play second fiddle to the storyline and special effects in disaster movies. I like a movie with common sense, a good script, acting and director.” And his favourite part of the job? “Talking to customers, spending time with my teammates, and the satisfaction of getting the job done.”

SHOP TALK

J B Hi-Fi’s Parramatta Westfield store is always crazy busy, and that’s just how media advisor Matthew Hull likes it. “We’re on the food court level so we get a lot of foot traffic,” he says, adding that Parramatta Westfield shoppers are hungry for more of Keanu Reeves as John Wick. “ John Wick 3 is going to be huge! It’s a great movie and a great series. “In Parramatta we have a large Indian population, so the World Movies section ticks over regularly,” he

1 Avengers: Endgame 2 Godzilla II: King of the Monsters 3 Detective Pikachu 4 Rocketman 5 Rocketman (JB Exclusive) 6 Supernatural: Season 14 7 The Hustle 8 NCIS: Season 16 9 Bohemian Rhapsody 10 Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 6

BLU-RAY BEST-SELLERS for SEPTEMBER 2019

1 Avengers: Endgame 2 Godzilla II: King of the Monsters 3 Bohemian Rhapsody 4 Rocketman (JB Exclusive) 5 Detective Pikachu 6 Rocketman 7 Aquaman 8 Avengers: Infinity War 9 Bumblebee 10 Venom

Matthew Hull and Keanu at JB ParramattaWestfield, NSW

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Coarse language

EXTRAS

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While Sean Moody may not be back anytime soon, this month Brammall reprises the role of police officer James Hayes in the third and final season of the acclaimed supernatural drama series Glitch . Set in the rural Victorian town of Yoorana, where the dead have returned to life – including Hayes’ wife Kate (Emma Booth) – the final season promises to change the rules governing the Risen and finally offer some definitive answers as to the nature of the phenomenon.

PATRICK BRAMMALL

C anberra-born Patrick Brammall is the kind of affable Aussie bloke you’d love to have a beer with. A familiar face on local television in shows like Offspring , Upper Middle Bogan and Glitch , Brammall completed three years of an arts/law degree before finding his true calling as an actor. Graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2001, his first role was in telemovie The Alice (2004) before doing what most young, good-looking, up-and-coming Aussie actors do – a stint on Home and Away . A slew of TV guest spots followed, but it was the role of loveable larrikin Sean Moody in the ABC comedy series A Moody

Christmas (2012), and spin-off The Moodys (2014), that led to him being stopped by strangers on the street, and taking home the AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy in 2013. “Let’s get a petition together and lobby the ABC to get A Moody Christmas happening again,” he says when STACK asks if we’ll ever see the character again? “I cannot tell you how many people come up to me and ask when it’s coming back. They love it. It’s an incredible legacy for just two seasons. I loved that show and I love that character. I’d give anything to play him again.”

Offspring

“It’s an incredible concept,” he says of the show’s premise. “It’s in the ‘resurrection genre’ but it isn’t zombies.

[ Glitch is] an incredible concept. It’s presented in a very real, grounded way and that’s what makes it work

It’s presented in a very real, grounded way and that’s what makes it work. We keep it happening in

real human terms, but there are supernatural storylines happening.” Having also spent time working in LA, Brammall says there’s no place like home. “I don’t want to be one of those actors

who goes to the States and stays there for a decade and then returns and says, ‘Hey, I’m back!’ Australians are suspicious of that. As great as the American industry is, and it’s massive, I’m not really interested in telling American stories. I want to tell Australian stories. I’ll never truly be part of that culture – it’s got to be home for me.”

Patrick Brammall and Emma Booth in Glitch

Glitch: Season 3 is out Oct 16

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Outrageously Entertaining” -Rolling Stone “

Kaitlyn Dever Beanie Feldstein

Getting Straight A’s. Giving Zero F’s.

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Strong crude sexual humour and coarse language

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“A SUSPENSEFUL THRILL RIDE”

“TERRI F ICALLY TENSE’ SCREEN DAILY

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A decade after Zombieland became a box office hit and cult classic, the lead cast –Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin – have reunited for the hilarious sequel Zombieland: DoubleTap , which sees our heroes travel through comic mayhem from theWhite House to the heartland. Words Gill Pringle

I n Zombieland: Double Tap , our four slayers must now face off against many new kinds of zombies that have evolved since the original movie, including some new human survivors. More than anything they must confront the growing pains of their own snarky makeshift family. In a small editing room tucked away on the backlot of Sony Studios in Culver City, Los Angeles, director Ruben Fleischer tells STACK what led him to reunite with Zombieland ’s original writers, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Naturally, the creative team wished to capitalise on the success of the original sooner rather than

reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting tough- guy [Woody Harrelson] trying to snag the last Twinkie, and a pair of sisters [Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin] trying to get to an amusement park. The unlikely quartet ultimately joined forces to traverse a zombie-filled America with just 30 rules to help them survive; pro-tips like “look in the back seat”, “double tap” and “avoid public restrooms”. Taking on the names of their birthplaces – Eisenberg’s Columbus and Harrelson’s Tallahassee, Stone’s Wichita and Breslin’s Little Rock – the foursome became a generation’s favourite zombie slayers. Today they have evolved. Presently camped out in the White House, Harrelson is antsy while Columbus and Wichita have been dating until the sisters decide to take off without them. Left to his own devices, Columbus wastes little time in finding a replacement in the shape of Zoey Deutch’s hilarious, pink-wearing, valley-speaking Madison, whom he meets in an abandoned mall. Introducing Rosario Dawson’s Nevada, Luke

‘ Zombieland was such a fun experience; people really liked that movie. It would be great to get that cast back together and go on another adventure’," he says. “And so, we started figuring out an idea for the movie. Rhett and Paul, who wrote the original, were busy doing Deadpool , so they served as executive producers and helped me come up with the story [with Dave Callaham]. Basically, it took four years of writing drafts to get to a place where we all felt confident to make the movie,” says Fleischer, who also took a break from zombie planning while directing Tom Hardy in last year’s Venom .

“The Zombieland cast was all really excited about doing a sequel, but they wanted to make sure that if we were going to do this, it had to be at least as good as the original.” The 2009 comedy-horror

Basically, it took four years of writing drafts to get to a place where we all felt confident to make the movie

later, but life got in the way. It was only after Fleischer completed directing Gangster Squad in 2013 that he began to seriously contemplate a sequel. “I was like,

began with a shy student (Jesse Eisenberg) trying to

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CINEMA

FEATURE

In Zombieland: Double Tap we see the White House far from its glory. This is not the first time.

Director Ruben Fleischer on the set withWoody Harrelson and LukeWilson

We establish at the beginning that there's a taxonomy of different zombies

INDEPENDENCE DAY Any sensible intergalactic invader wanting to bring us to our knees by blowing things up would go for the Empire State Building and the White House. Good thing they didn't touch the Sydney Opera House.

Him? and Dirty Grandpa . “Zoey has a totally different energy to the

Wilson’s Albuquerque and Thomas Middleditch’s Flagstaff to the sequel, Fleischer shakes his head when STACK quizzes him

original cast and it was fun to have a character that was stuck in 2009, Juicy Couture culture. She's so Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan of that era, so it's funny to think about somebody who for the past ten years has been living in that world as her reality,” Call it a rebound, it doesn’t take long for Columbus to ask her to join them at the White House, although the honeymoon doesn’t last long. Fearful for Little Rock and Wichita’s safety, the trio leave the safety of the White House, picking up the sisters’ trail in Memphis where they discover Elvis’s iconic Graceland home has been burned to the ground. On their way out of town, they spot The Beast parked outside The Hound Dog Hotel, where Dawson‘s Nevada has made her home. “I’ve been a fan of Rosario for so long and was really excited to work with her. Nevada is a huge Elvis fan, and a keeper of the flame of Elvis; a natural kindred spirit to Tallahassee, and potential love interest,” teases Fleischer. Certainly, the sequel has some additional rules and features new zombie varieties including Homers (dumb ones), Hawkings (smart ones) and Ninjas (sneaky ones). “We establish at the beginning of the film that there's a taxonomy of different zombies.” Working with such talent made Fleischer’s job easy. “It was really a joy every day because we were always finding new things and new ideas to elevate what was on the page. When you have such talented comedians, they bring so much to the table.” Just don’t expect any cameos fromTom Hardy. “ Venom is a self-contained work, that it just felt like these guys are in a different universe,” he says.

about persistent rumours Bill Murray will return, citing every director’s complaint that Murray doesn’t possess a cellphone and is almost impossible to reach.

He was particularly interested in exploring Breslin’s story arc, given that she was only 12 when they made the original. “Ten years have passed so Abigail’s Little Rock is now a woman. She's only lived with her small nuclear family, and wants to spread her wings and leave the nest, like any teenager. She wants to meet boys and friends her own age, which leads to an interesting plot point.” Borrowing fromTallahassee’s saying, ‘Go big, or go home’, the team particularly had fun in recreating the White House as their new base, where we see them celebrate Christmas. “They hang out in the Oval Office, decorated with stuff they've pilfered from the Smithsonian,” says Fleisher. Tallahassee also has a new ride, The Beast. “It’s based on President Obama's old presidential limo, which is this incredible bulletproof thing that the Secret Service dubbed 'The Beast', because it weighed eight tons, and it's just indestructible. He’s customised it into his own Mad Max, zombie killer machine. There's a little Twinkie on the front and bullhorns and a bulldozer. He's made it his own”. At least, he did, until the girls take off in it. “Naturally he’s sad the girls have split, but he's even more sad they took The Beast with them.” Deutch was a revelation. “She just blew my mind. I wasn't familiar with her prior to her audition, and she just came in with the Madison character fully realised. I think, in part, growing up in the Valley, she just channeled that Valley girl, Kardashian, Paris Hilton kind of thing,” he says of the actress best known for roles in Why

WHITE HOUSE DOWN 17 years after putting the House in peril in Independence Day , director Roland Emmerich returned for another swing, with cop Channing Tatum attempting to keep POTUS Jamie Foxx out of paramilitary hands.

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN Coincidence or conspiracy? Released earlier, but in the same year as White House Down, was another siege on Pennsylvania Avenue, this time by the North Koreans. Aaron Eckhart is the president, with Gerald Butler riding shotgun.

VICE Metaphorically speaking (if director Andy McKay is to be believed), no one did more to deface the White House and all it symbolises than Dick Cheney, vice president under George W. Bush. Through ruthlessness and rat cunning, Cheney would erode the democratic foundations of the institution. The end result being an executive structure beyond recognition.

Zombieland: Double Tap is in cinemas on Oct 17

CINEMA FEATURE

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soul at that point in his life. He feels like he’s been living a lie for a long time and gets wrapped up in selling fake antiques while hiding this masterpiece painting. He has so much regret that he wishes he could just show up at a museum and put it back on the wall. For me, personally, I had to find a way of getting there, and it was a big challenge.” In awe of Kidman, he says, “Nicole was like a mother and she really cared about me and gave me a lot of advice, which I was really happy about because you never know… Actually, I’m saying ‘you never know’, but so far I have been very lucky. Going from Jamie Foxx and Nicole, almost every big person I have worked with has been really nice. And I guess the reason they’ve been around for so long is because they are so nice.” Having grown up before the camera in It and Stranger Things , Wolfhard, 16, finds the story relatable. “The movie is all about losing things, losing people, how they come back in your life, how they leave. Obviously there’s a storyline and a timeline, but it’s almost like liquid and jumps around a lot, which I like.” For many filmmakers, The Goldfinch ’s almost 800-page multi-layered narrative might have been off-putting, although director John Crowley ( Brooklyn ) was on board after reading Peter Straughan’s adaptation. “In letting go of the linear structure and moving back and forth between the two time periods in Theo’s life, Peter gave us a cinematic way in. Hopefully you get the sense that this young man’s past sits on his shoulders. It’s never gone.” American Horror Story star Sarah Paulson is unaccustomed to playing second fiddle to anybody, yet she fought hard for the minor role of Theo’s cold-hearted stepmother, Xandra. “I knew I was not the director’s first choice so I got a spray-tan, put on a wig and brought props and cigarettes into my audition and spent an hour beforehand in my car screaming so my voice would be a little gravelly, like how she is written,” Paulson tells us when we meet at the Toronto International Film Festival. “I’m a devotee of all of Donna Tartt’s books but The Goldfinch really resonated. These are universal and such relatable themes about friendship and loss.” For Cummings, 26, working with Kidman was hugely emotional, having previously consulted with the actress’ psychologist father Antony Kidman, who passed away five years ago. “I was fourteen when I started my acting career after ‘loosely’ running away from home to America. I told my parents in the end and we did certain things to keep it safe. But, when I returned, I actually started seeing a psychologist and it was Nicole’s dad. So it was very surreal to meet with her and to find this real connection.”

GOLDEN BOY Based on DonnaTartt’s Pulitzer Prize winning best- selling novel, The Goldfinch , comes the much- anticipated film adaptation. Words Gill Pringle

I n The Goldfinch , a bombing at NewYork’s Metropolitan Museum of Art changes the course of 13-year-old Theo's life forever. His mother is killed in the tragedy, sending him on an odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, and even love. Throughout it all, he clings to one tangible piece of hope from that awful day… a painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch. The eponymous Goldfinch. A multi-generational story, Ansel Elgort plays the older Theo while Oakes Fegley ( Pete’s Dragon ) portrays the younger version. Stranger

Things ’ Finn Wolfhard is Theo’s childhood best friend Boris, while Aneurin Barnard ( Dunkirk ) takes on the older Boris. With up-and-coming Australian actress Ashleigh Cummings cast as the older version of Theo’s love interest, Pippa, our own Nicole Kidman miraculously plays Theo’s sometime guardian, Mrs Barbour, across all ages. A huge fan of the 2013 novel, Elgort tells STACK , “I read the book and was obsessed by it. Torturing yourself to play roles is sometimes

He feels like he’s been living a lie for a long time.

necessary to do our job, and I love being an actor. That’s why I wanted to do it. I don’t know if I want to do every role that feels like this because it was definitely painful at times,” says the actor who admits his girlfriend didn’t like him too much whilst he was making the film on location in NewYork, New Mexico and Amsterdam. “I starved myself, which sucked. I always felt bad and just tried to find whatever inner darkness I could, because he’s a real tortured

The Goldfinch is in cinemas now

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“We had to do stunt training for four weeks and I wore really long socks for two weeks, and then one day, I forgot. Luckily, Daniel and I were getting along by then. He's like, ‘Is that the Deathly Hallows?’ I was like, ‘It's not about you, okay? It's about J.K. Rowling.’" Having spent much of her young life traveling the world with her parents, by the time the family settled in Adelaide, Weaving was ready to follow the time-honoured actor’s rite of passage, honing her skills on Out of the Blue and Home and Away , coming to Hollywood’s attention with a small role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri . Certainly her uncle, Hugo Weaving, was an early influence. “I think I was 13 when I watched Priscilla, Queen of the Desert , and I was like, ‘Wait a minute…’ And then people were like, ‘You know you look like your uncle?’ And I was like, ‘How do you know who he is?’ So I was in my own bubble about how famous he is until I was old enough to watch his films, and he's amazing.” Praise Weaving for her remarkable screaming in Ready or Not , and she shies from the compliment. “It's definitely not as hard as singing, where you have to hit a note. But it is hard because you can't practice screaming; especially in a hotel room, because people will think something's going on. But I definitely wanted it to be a primal scream and more guttural than a shriek. Luckily, I scream like that.” Relocating to Los Angeles following

SHOTGUN WEDDING Hollywood’s hottest Aussie import since Margot Robbie, SamaraWeaving kills it in comedy-horror movie Ready or Not . Words Gill Pringle

S amara Weaving never expected to KO her co-star, Andie MacDowell, on their first scene together. “It was horrible,” cringes the gorgeous actress when STACK meets with her in West Hollywood. “We had to rehearse a stunt scene together and they gave me a foam brick with a plastic edge. And of course, when I clocked her, it got the plastic edge on her temple.” It’s not lost on Weaving that we’re talking about the iconic model-actress whose face is her fortune; the face of L’Oreal for 33 years. “We didn't know how cool Andie was going to be. We thought, ‘Is she going to freak out and quit, or is she going to fire me?’” she recalls. Fortunately for everyone, MacDowell turned out to be a rock star. “She was just like, ‘Get some ice on it, and let's do it again’. She was such a trooper.” Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olphin and Tyler Gillett, from a script written by Ryan Murphy and Guy Busick, Ready or Not ’s new bride Grace [Weaving] is forced by her wealthy, eccentric in-laws to play a deadly survival game on her wedding night. Having cut her chops in horror films The Babysitter and Mayhem , it was familiar territory for the actress. “I definitely brought my own ideas to Grace. I didn't want her to be a stereotypical damsel in distress. In the script, there's the idea that she was in and out of foster care so I figured she would know how to handle herself. She's

probably had to fight a couple of times. “So I wanted her to be quite logical and go from shock and fear into a

The Babysitter helped her get an edge, she says. “When you’re starting out, it’s important to be in the room and to be able to meet with directors and casting directors. Doing it over Skype or FaceTime, you're just afraid they'll forget you and go and meet someone in person.” Margot Robbie has helped make LA feel like home. “Our husbands met a while ago, and Margot loves to host things, so I go around there all the time. We had a fun Game of Thrones screening where we all got dressed up.”

determination and anger, which I think brings a lot of the comedic aspects into it,” says Weaving,

I didn't want her to be a stereotypical damsel in distress

Today she likens her ascending career to playing backgammon. “It's 70 per cent skill and the rest is luck.”

27, who will next be seen co-starring with Daniel Radcliffe in Guns Akimbo . She laughs as she describes how she hid her Deathly Hallows ankle tattoo from the Harry Potter star on set.

Ready or Not is in

cinemas Oct 24

OCTOBER 2019

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CINEMA

REVIEWS

SCREENING IN OCTOBER 2019

Critical reaction to writer-director Todd Phillips’ character study/origin story of Batman's arch nemesis has been mostly effusive, capped by the film recently receiving the Venice Film Festival’s coveted Golden Lion – and an eight-minute standing ovation! Joaquin Phoenix has also received raves – and Oscar mentions – for his intense portrayal of the iconic villain. Will this be a game-changer for the Batman universe like Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy? Find out on Oct 3 . JOKER

With Deadpool director Tim Miller at the helm and Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong and producer James Cameron all returning to the franchise, hopes are high that Dark Fate will be the legit Terminator sequel we've been wanting. The sixth in the series doesn’t acknowledge the much-maligned sequels that followed Cameron’s movies; the focus here is on what happened to Sarah Connor following the events of T2: Judgement Day . She'll be back on Oct 31 . TERMINATOR: DARK FATE

gemini man

hustlers

maleficent: mistress of evil

blinded by the light

There's double trouble for Will Smith in this sci-fi actioner from director Ang Lee ( Life of Pi ). Smith plays a hitman facing off against a younger clone of himself that knows how he thinks and anticipates his every move before he makes it. Also starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong, Gemini Man is co-scripted by Game of Thrones writer David Benioff. Smith vs. Smith on Oct 10 .

Inspired by a viral article from New York Magazine , Hustlers follows a troupe of former strip club employees – including Jennifer Lopez, as you've never seen her before – who pool their resources in order to strike back at a bunch of slimy Wall Street clients. Having received high praise at TIFF, there's already Oscar buzz in the air for J.Lo's performance (seriously). The showgirls strike back on Oct 10 .

Angelina Jolie returns as the titular evil fairy in this sequel to the 2014 Disney film. Mistress of Evil is set several years after the first film and “continues to explore the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen, as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within.” Casting a dark spell on Oct 17 .

Based on the memoirs of writer Sarfraz Manzoor, Viveik Kalra plays a Pakistani teenager whose world is rocked by the music of Bruce Springsteen. Growing up in 1987 in Luton, a working-class town north of London, during the austere days of Margaret Thatcher’s Britain, he learns to live life, understand his family, and find his own voice through the music of The Boss. Cut loose like a deuce on Oct 24 .

EXTRAS FEATURE

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Onthe Waterfront

Lee J. Cobb as racketeer boss Johnny Friendly

Directed by Elia Kazan 1954

Mob, corrupt union leaders and the shipping companies – all greasing the palms of local New York politicos. Johnson's heroic series pulled no punches describing in detail bribery, beatings, thievery, kickbacks, extortion and the brutal murder of the longshoremen hiring boss Andy Hintz, who was executed for refusing to let the Mob muscle in on his pier. This unholy trinity controlled the lives of all the employed longshoremen and stevedores by enforcing the law of D'n D (Deaf and Dumb) – to talk was to rat and to rat was to stand exposed and unprotected, which would inevitably result in violent retribution. Hollywood screenwriter Budd Schulberg had already taken on organised crime in his novel The Harder They Fall, which dealt with the then endemic boxing rackets. He was convinced that Johnson's waterfront expose was fertile material for a ground-breaking movie. Director Elia Kazan agreed with Schulberg and work began on a script. When the first draft of a screenplay was completed, Kazan made the rounds of all the major film studios. Hollywood was a capitalist organisation and during its early years had been extremely anti-union. This had led to a firm belief by the movie moguls that trade unionism and labour organisations were dangerous fields to tread for motion picture subjects. Furthermore, this was 1953, the height of anti-communist hysteria in America, and financing a movie seen as a justification for informants was deemed far too controversial for the studios. Consequently, every single studio rejected Kazan and Schulburg's proposed movie story outright. With the project totally snubbed, it was eventually rescued by maverick independent film producer Sam Spiegel, who not only agreed to finance the production but also struck a distribution deal with the New York office of Columbia Pictures. Kazan wanted his protégé, the pioneering method actor Marlon Brando, for the lead role but Brando turned the part down. Spiegel then suggested Frank Sinatra, primarily because the movie would be shot in and around the waterfronts of Hoboken, New Jersey – Sinatra's hometown. According to Sinatra, he had "a handshake deal" but no formally-signed contract. Consequently, he was furious when he heard that Brando

N ot only was On the Waterfront an important American film it was also a game- changer for Hollywood. The early 1950s had begun to see the gradual disintegration of the studio system that had served Hollywood well for three decades. The rapid expansion of television sets in every American home vastly depressed Hollywood both financially and spiritually. Hampered by a strict moral

Production Code since 1930, the major film studios had by and large aimed their productions at an all-age audience from six to sixty. This was demonstrated in the main core of its films to a commitment to family-friendly subjects invariably with happy endings. But following WWII, American culture and attitudes had changed significantly. Cinemagoers began to ask themselves why should they have to pay to see such movie stories when there was now an abundance of similar shows beamed into their parlours every evening? The continual decline in audiences – which caused hundreds of cinemas to close across the US – made the production of a high volume of movies inefficient. Subsequently, it was no longer economical for the major film studios to maintain the now old-fashioned factory- like studio system. However, the collapse of the system generated the rise of the independent film producer who, unlike the old movie moguls, would challenge the Production Code head-on by financing movies with more hard-hitting adult themes. This was the background of the independent production On the Waterfront . The idea for the film began with an exposé series written in 1948 for The New York Sun by reporter Malcolm Johnson, which won him a Pulitzer Prize. The

New York commercial waterfront was a cesspool of corruption and violence run by the Mob. Brooklyn-based Albert Anastasia, who came up through the mafia as the top enforcer of Murder Incorporated, was the boss of bosses of the eastern seaboard crime fiefdom. It was a three-way criminal collusion of the Fact: The demands of the Production Code for each movie were not mandatory but many theatres would not show a film that didn't bear the Production Seal. The adverse publicity that followed would invariably bring out every advocacy group to boycott the film. As a consequence, movie executives routinely caved in to the Code's demands.

Karl Malden, Marlon Brando and Eva Marie Saint in a scene from the film

OCTOBER 2019

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had changed his mind and was now cast for the lead. Sinatra filed a lawsuit against Spiegel which was later settled out of court. The plot of the film revolves around Terry Malloy (Brando), a likeable loafer who had an unsuccessful career as a boxer. He hangs around NYC's docks carrying out favours for union boss-racketeer Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). Following one of Friendly's orders, he realises too late that he was used to set up an uncooperative docker to be murdered. His guilt is compounded when he meets the dead man's sister, Edie (Eva Marie Saint). Unaware of Terry's involvement in the act, she and Father Barry (Karl Malden), a tough- minded waterfront priest, ask him to help them to bring the racketeers to justice. He tells them that if he talks his life wouldn't be worth a plug nickel. One of the racketeers is Terry's older brother Charley (Rod Steiger), a crooked lawyer working for the Mob. Friendly instructs Charley to see to it that his kid brother keeps his mouth shut or else. This leads to the movie's iconic scene of the two brothers meeting in the back of a taxi-cab. As they talk, Terry begins to see things more clearly than before and suddenly realises the true character of Charley, who had consciously manipulated him into losing his crucial boxing match years earlier. Brando now delivers his famous lines of DID YOU KNOW?: In 1952 both Kazan and Schulberg gave testimony before the House Un-American Activities (HUAC), in which they had named former movie associates as members of the Communist Party – although most of them were no longer members. Heavily criticised by many in Hollywood, On the Waterfront has been interpreted as justifying Kazan and Schulberg's cooperation with HUAC.

Fact: Brando's first Oscar nomination for A Streetcar Named Desire (also directed by Elia Kazan) marked the first of his four consecutive nominations for Best Actor (1951-54). A record he held for over 20 years until matched by Al Pacino.

Director Elia Kazan and Marlon Brando on location in Hoboken NJ

himself on the witness stand, clearly implies that it is far from being the end of high-level racketeering on the docks. On the Waterfront is a skilful piece of American film drama. It is Kazan at the peak of his career, at a time when he was most

agony and regret: "You was my brother Charley, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am. It was you Charley". A now thoroughly chastened Charley passes Terry a hand-gun telling him, "Here take it – you'll need Four of the eight Oscar winners for On theWaterfront : Bud Schulberg (Best Screenplay), Elia Kazan (Best Director), Boris Kaufman (Best Cinematography), and Richard Day (Best Art Direction)

capable of getting significant and compelling performances from his main cast of actors (who had all studied at Kazan's prestigious Actors Studio in New York) – especially Marlon Brando's ingenious and electrifying portrayal of Terry Malloy. His anguished interpretation of a passive dockworker, who transforms himself into a crusader against mob-controlled trade union tyranny, elevated Brando from a gifted newcomer to the most important actor in motion pictures. The movie was a critical and commercial success and received Fact: Elia Kazan admitted to being extremely nervous whilst filming on location near mafia operated businesses and hangouts. Local racketeers connected to the Mob were constantly watching the production and occasionally intimidating the cast and crew. When Kazan was nearly beaten up by one of the hoodlums, he employed an armed bodyguard for the rest of the location shoot. twelve Academy Award nominations. In a rare breakthrough for an independent production, it amassed five acting nominations and was the first ever to boast three nominees in the same category. Rod Steiger, Lee J. Cobb and Karl Malden were all nominated for Best Supporting Actor, which unfortunately split their votes. However, the film won a total of eight Oscars including ones for Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Elia Kazan, Bud Schulberg and Sam Spiegel.

it". Friendly has Charley murdered and his body is hung up in an alley as a warning to Terry. After finding his dead brother, Terry sets out to shoot Friendly, but Father Barry convinces him to fight Friendly by testifying against him in court. Terry's testimony will spell the end of Johnny Friendly. However, a brief scene in which an affluent looking man watches the hearings on television and switches it off when Friendly makes a fool of

The iconic taxi-cab scene with Rod Steiger and Marlon Brando

Join STACK ’s resident filmhistorian Bob J and our community of cinema buffs to have your say eachmonth in ' Bob J’s Classic Movie Club ' Facebook group.

FILM FEATURE

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The events of Avengers: Endgame irrevocably changed the universe as Marvel’s heroes know it, and in Spider-Man: Far from Home , Peter Parker discovers that great power now comes with even greater responsibility.

“T his next Spider-Man adventure takes place soon after and fits right in to the events of Avengers: Endgame ,” says producer Kevin Feige. “Peter and the world are dealing with the loss of Iron Man, and Peter just wants to take a break to be a regular teenager. But Spider-Man can’t be a regular teenager – he has responsibilities toward the world, especially now. So when Nick Fury tracks him down on his summer vacation to deal with a new threat, that’s what Peter will have to face – is he ready to step up?” Summer vacation aside, the world of Spider-Man Far from Home is very different from the one depicted in 2017’s Spider-Man:

No matter where Peter finds himself, he belongs in the Spider-Man suit

OCTOBER 2019

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MR. MYSTERIO

When an elemental water monster emerges from the canals in Venice to wreak havoc and spoil Peter Parker’s European vacation, a mysterious Dr. Strange-like newcomer in a cape and goldfish bowl helmet suddenly shows up to save the city. He’s Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, who claims to come from a parallel Earth and is hellbent on revenge against the Elementals who destroyed his world and have now migrated to ours. “Mysterio is a fascinating villain in the comics, so depicting him here as a hero is definitely something we haven’t seen before,” says director JonWatts. “The idea of Spider-Man, Mysterio, and Nick Fury teaming up to take on this global menace was really exciting to us.” On casting Jake Gyllenhaal as the Spider-Verse’s new hero, Watts says, “We needed someone who could easily slip into the role of a superhero and, possibly, the world’s next lead Avenger. We knew Jake could carry that weighty responsibility.” The director adds that he wanted to depict Beck as a friend and a “cool uncle” to Peter. “Beck, who feels like a stranger in a strange land, sees Peter as a potential ally and teammate. At the same time, Beck realises that Peter is also a dorky teen who’d rather be on this big field trip and vacation than save the world.”

Director JohnWatts withTom Holland

Homecoming . Reversing Thanos’s snap, which had turned half the universe to dust, cost Tony Stark his life while saving billions

never before seen in a Spider-Man movie. It’s the complete package.” Mirroring the challenge Peter faces in his new role as an Avenger, Watts and everyone

of others – including Peter Parker, who now wants to return to his life as a normal high schooler. “In the previous film,

connected with the film felt a huge responsibility to do right by the character and to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. “We hope we’ve delivered something that’s fun, exciting and moving and gives audiences something they haven’t experienced

It’s funny, joyful, epic and emotional... the complete package

Spider-Man: Homecoming , Peter wanted the life of an adult, but now he wants to hang onto his youth,” says returning director Jon Watts. “This film is about the world telling him, ‘It’s time for you to step up.’ Everyone is looking for a new superhero and saviour – the next Tony Stark. Tony seemed to have chosen Peter, but the world doesn’t realise he’s a 16-year-old.” “Peter definitely wants to be a regular teenager again,” confirms star Tom Holland. “He can’t wait to take a break and go on a vacation with his friends. But he soon realises that deep down he always knew – that, no matter where Peter finds himself, he belongs in the Spider-Man suit.” Recapturing the freewheeling teen spirit of Homecoming , Far from Home delivers on its title, taking Peter/Spider-Man out of his comfort zone to Venice and Prague, where he must once again save his friends –and the world – from a monstrous threat, and overcome his internal struggle to become an Avengers-level hero. “ Spider-Man: Far From Home is about coming to terms with what you must do – and that moment in life where you choose the person you’re going to be,” says producer Amy Pascal. “It’s funny, joyful, epic and emotional – a gigantic action movie where you experience Peter doing things you’ve

before,” says the director. “ Spider-Man: Homecoming was about Peter showing the world what he could do, and that’s how Tom and I felt about our work on it. Spider-Man: From Home is about the world asking Spider-Man, ‘What’s next?’ and to have him step up and prove himself, just like Tom and I knew we had to step up and deliver with the film.” Holland concludes that while Far From Home is more fun than Homecoming , the stakes are much higher and it’s more personal this

• Spider-Man: Far from Home is out on Oct 23

time. “With this film, we’re going bigger, but there’s always a character or story- based reason for the heightened scale and stakes. It’s bigger and better in every way possible.”

F U R T H E R V I E W I N G . . .

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