STACK #144 Oct 2016

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DVD&BD REVIEWS

The storm is coming... VIKINGS: SEASON 4, Volume 1

The Book of the Dead reopened. ASH VS. EVIL DEAD: SEASON 1

Release Date: 12/10/16

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Release Date: 26/10/16

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The good news is this might be the best season of Vikings yet. The even better news is that it's a split season, with a further 10 episodes due to air before the end of the year. Volume One picks up after the attack on Paris that left Ragnar wounded and hellbent on punishing Floki for an unforgivable betrayal. Meanwhile in France, Rollo is settling into his new life as a nobleman, learning the local lingo and customs and getting friendly with Princess Gisla. Lagertha finds her earldom threatened, Bjorn ventures into the wilderness

This TV series continuation of Sam Raimi's horror cult classic is every bit as groovy as the movie trilogy. It helps to have the original team back on board, with the great Bruce Campbell reprising his signature role as the clueless Deadite slayer, and Raimi directing the pilot episode. When the middle-aged Ash's bumbling once again unleashes the demons from the Book of the Dead, he must team up with workmate Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) to stop the Evil Dead in the only way he knows how: through the act of

to find himself and wrestle a bear ( Revenant style), and the stage is set for a spectacular showdown between Ragnar and his treacherous brother. Game of Thrones gets all the Emmys, but Vikings is every bit as good. If you're not watching it, you should be. SH (See page 26)

bodily dismemberment. Yes, just because it's a TV series doesn't mean it skimps on the splatter that the fans love and expect. And if you need further recommendation, Lucy Lawless is lurking on the sidelines as a mysterious figure who may be friend or foe. SH (See page 30)

THE CODE: SEASON 2

BANSHEE: SEASON 4

LIMITLESS: SEASON 1

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL

Release Date: 12/10/16 Format:

Release Date: 05/10/16 Format:

Release Date: 29/09/16 Format:

Release Date: 06/10/16 Format:

The first series of Aussie cyber- thriller The Code surprised many with its ability to take the best of Scandinavian-styled TV fare like The Bridge and The Killing and bring it to the sunnier climes of Canberra and Broken Hill. Giving us many threads to follow in its first outing – all stemming from a car crash, a secret research project and two nosy brothers in journo Ned and his hacker brother Jesse – we kick into series two with a murder in West Papua. Then there’s a call to our guys from the Feds, a kidnapping, trust issues and... Look, this is top Aussie drama, so trust us and just tune in! AF

Lucas Hood, we barely knew you. This cracking crime series featuring the aforementioned ex-con (Antony Starr), who managed to masquerade as Banshee's sheriff for four years, wraps up in bone-crunching style. There's a satanic serial killer on the loose, who has taken the life of somebody close to Hood. When meth-smoking FBI agent Eliza Dushku ( Buffy ) arrives in town, it's not so much a question of whether she'll find the killer as how long before she sleeps with Hood! There's a lot of ground to cover in just 8-episodes, but Banshee concludes on a satisfying (and of course bloody) note, with no loose ends. SH

A bloke pops a pill that gives him access to his every brain cell, letting him accomplish incredible things. Sound familiar? Yep, it’s what happened in the movie of the same name. In this TV remix, Braddles Cooper is busy going political (although he pops by to say hello). Our main man is 28-year-old Brian Finch ( Greek ’s Jake McDorman), who’s rudderless until he pops miracle pill NZT, given to him by an old pal. Newfound clarity leads to a consultancy gig with the FBI, and a “handler” in Rebecca Harris ( Dexter ’s Jennifer Carpenter, sans potty mouth). Limitless delivers classic buddy cop formula that’s high on intrigue. AF

Lady Gaga joins the cast for season five and won an Emmy for her performance as a seductive, vampire Countess! While this might sound as crazy as the events that transpire on AHS , the pop queen is actually pretty good as the mother monster lurking at the heart of a gothic L.A. hotel that's filled with the damned souls of those who checked in, but never checked out. All the regular cast are back, sans Jessica Lange, with Denis O'Hare stealing this season as the hotel's transgender bartender, Liz Taylor (see page 32). This uncut, R-rated version restores all the gore and perversion that was snipped for broadcast, including a now notorious scene from the first episode. SH

OCTOBER 2016

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