STACK #242 December 2024

YOUR

TO MOVIES, TV, MUSIC, GAMING & TECH

ESSENTIAL GUIDE

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ISSUE 242 DEC ’24

STACK Issue 242 DECEMBER 2024 “Long distance relationships can be difficult, especially when one of you is dead.” © 2024 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 242 DEC 2024

MOVIES & TV 6 Intro/Take 5/Filmmaker’s Signature/On the Radar/In Development/Bob J’s Film Buff Bafflers 7 Merch of the month/Charts/Socials 8 Cinema: Kraven the Hunter + Sonic the Hedgehog 3 10 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice : The 'Juice is loose 12 Aussie pilgrim: The Way, My Way 14 Out of this world: Transformers One 15 Into the wild: The Wild Robot 16 Silent treatment: Speak No Evil 18 Remembering Rosemary's Baby 19 Hell of a guy: Hellboy: The Crooked Man 20 Aussie battlers: Kid Snow 22 Survival mode: Latency 23 Bob J: Born to be wild - Easy Rider 24 New from Imprint Films 26 New to 4K 27 Out this month 28 The latest anime + board games MUSIC 30 My first album/ STACK Exchange 32 New records from The National and Nickelback 34 The Last Dinner Party are back, and the venerable Tim Rogers talks about his latest collaboration 36 “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” etc - some Christmas albums for your consideration 40-41 New music coming to JB this month 44 Four greatest hits albums for under the tree GAMING 46 Take 5/Chart/Q5 48 I ndiana Jones and the Great Circle Q+A 50 Black Myth: Wukong 52 A triple hit of Resident Evil 54 New PlayStation 5 accessory colours 56 Razer Basilisk V3 Pro + Barracuda X Chroma 58-60 Pick your PC gaming rig 62 Multiplayer holiday fun 64 Out this month/Fast Forward/Wham, bam, game exam! TECH FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 3 Tech tips and editor’s pick 4-22 STACK ’s Summer Special – Cool tech for your summer break 24-26 Meet the HP Envy x360 laptop 28 The Ryze of the smart ring 30 Protect your digital assets with the Ledger Stax 32 Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar + Sub 4 review 34 New tech at JB this month

WELCOME

When Beetlejuice first hit theatres back in 1988, director Tim Burton only had one prior feature to his credit (1985’s Pee Wee’s Big Adventure ) and the term “Burtonesque” had yet to be coined. Audiences were left bemused and entertained by this madcap afterlife comedy’s gothic visual style and macabre humour, and quickly fell in love with Michael Keaton’s central performance as “the ghost with the most”, resulting in a major box office hit. Over the next three decades, plans for a sequel were discussed and discarded until the project was revived in 2022 with Burton, Keaton, and original cast members Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara onboard for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice . The story reunites the Deetz family with the mischievous spook 36 years later, when Lydia’s teenage daughter, Astrid (played by Wednesday ’s Jenna Ortega), accidentally reopens the portal to the afterlife. So, was Beetlejuice Beetlejuice worth the long wait? Absolutely! Not only does Keaton slip back into character like he’s never been away, the movie also marks a welcome return to form for Burton, who had lost his kooky mojo after a series of box office flops. After 36 years and classics like Edward Scissorhands, Mars Attacks!, and Ed Wood , viewers know exactly what to expect from a Tim Burton film, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is indeed wonderfully Burtonesque, boasting all the gothic trappings and irreverence that made the original a cult classic and cemented the director’s signature style. This month, the ‘juice is loose on home entertainment formats, and fans and newcomers alike are advised to pick up a copy. “It’s showtime” again! Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

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Social Media Manager Glenn Cochrane Production Manager Craig Patterson Correspondence STACK editor@stack.com.au

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Tech Editor Scott Hocking

Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Gill Pringle, Bob Jones Contributors Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira, Bec Summer, Dan Nicholson, Michael Irving, Jacqui Picone, Stuart Coupe, Trista McConville, Chris Mobbs, Michael Caverzan, James O’Connor

Games & Online Editor Amy Flower Movie & TV Editor Glenn Cochrane Creative Director Gary Siewert Movies Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Music Consultant Mike Glynn

RATINGS GUIDE

Parental guidance recommended

Recommended for mature audiences

Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15s must be accommpanied by a parent or adult guardian

Restricted to 18 and over

General

Disclaimer STACK is published by Scribal Custom Pty Ltd (ACN 092 362 135). © Copyright Scribal Custom Pty Ltd, 2024 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.

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Summary of Terms and Conditions: For full terms and conditions, please visit https://www.jbhifi.com.au/blogs/competitions/jb-hi-fi-perks-sony audio. JB Hi-Fi Perks members who are Australian residents may enter. The Promoter is JB Hi-Fi Group Pty Ltd (ABN 37 093 114 286) of Podium Level, 60 City Road, Southbank VIC 3006 (“Promoter”). Entrants must login to their JB Hi Fi Perks account (or alternatively join JB Hi-Fi Perks and login) and enter on the competition page. Entrants must remain a JB Hi-Fi Perks member until the date the competition is drawn. The competition commences on 1/12/24 at 12:00 AM and closes 31/12/24 at 11:59 PM. The winners will be the best valid entry as judged by the judging panel, having regard to skill, creativity, and originality, at the Promoter’s Premises on 9/01/2025 at 11:00 AM. The total number of competition winners in this competition is four. The winners will be notified by email and their names will be published online on our winners page for 90 days from the date of verification of the winner. Only one entry per person will be permitted. Total prize value is up to $2682 (including GST), as at 1/12/24.

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TIM BURTON

Director Tim Burton has carved a unique niche in Hollywood for four decades, creating dark, peculiar, and delightfully quirky characters and worlds. This month, the celebrated master of the macabre returns to the movie that launched his career, Beetlejuice . So, let’s explore some of his signature trademarks. A gothic perspective It goes without saying that Tim Burton’s work is inseparable from dark, gothic perspectives. While this style permeates his entire catalogue, it’s especially evident in Batman, Batman Returns, Sleepy Hollow, and Sweeney Todd - all of which lean heavily into his ghoulish outlook and sensibilities. Outcasts and outsiders Name any Tim Burton movie, and you’ll find a misfit at its heart. Likely reflecting his own insecurities, Burton often focuses on characters who are alienated or misunderstood - from Lydia in Beetlejuice to Edward Scissorhands, Bruce Wayne, Pee-wee Herman, and more. Through them, he explores themes of identity, individuality and loneliness. Expressionism An artist before becoming a filmmaker, Tim Burton’s work is deeply influenced by Expressionist artists like Salvador Dalí and Mario Bava. The deliberate imperfections in his production designs create a dreamlike quality, imbuing his stories with a surreal, fairytale aesthetic.

DECEMBER

Army of Darkness (aka Evil Dead III ). An absolute treasure of the genre, bringing slapstick and horror together perfectly. Perhaps a little too awesome for a young kid though, it definitely left an impression. What’s one of your all-time favourite films, and why? Gremlins ! The perfect amount of wonder and whimsy all wrapped together in a quirky, monstrous little package. It’s on my Christmas watch list every year. What’s one of your all-time favourite TV series, and why? I think Buffy easily comes in at the top of my list. Such a great show, and an awesome bit of nostalgia from some golden years of goofy good-time TV. What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend? Lately, I’ve been really into Succession and it’s an absolute ripper of a show. All the drama and political intrigue you could ask for carried by some unreal performances - a must-watch.

’ s ROVING REPORTER

CARL FOREMAN @ JB Tuggeranong, ACT

On The Radar

What’s the best thing about working at JB? The people. In my years at JB I’ve been able to be a part of so many great teams full of awesome people, getting to bring the best I can to those teams is always rewarding!

2025 kicks off with a bang as a slew of major films hit physical media, including the highly

anticipated horror sequel Smile 2 , the buzzworthy Joker: Folie à Deux , and Tom Hardy’s return in Venom: The Last Dance . Also on the radar are Francis Ford Coppola’s polarising Megalopolis and Kate Winslet’s WWII biopic Lee , making for an epic new year.

What’s a movie you saw as a child that has left a lasting impression on you?

QUIZ

child star played the little girl character in the original Miracle on 34th Street (1947)? Q4 In which film did the song White Christmas first appear? Q5 Which 1987 movie has a shootout in a Christmas tree lot? Q6 Which popular Christmas song was composed by a singing cowboy actor in 1947? Q7 What toy are

the fathers fighting over in Jingle All the Way (1996)? Q8 Which festive song features in the 1944 movie Meet Me in St Louis ? Q9 What is the highest grossing Christmas movie? Q10 The 1982 animated film The Snowman is wordless, except for which song?

PRE-ORDER NOW IN DEVELOPMENT

Q1 Who is the film Joyeux Noel (2005) dedicated to? Q2 Which British actor played Santa Claus in the 1994 remake of A Miracle on 34th Street ? Q3 And which Hollywood

News of a new entry in The Fly series is generating significant buzz among horror fans, especially with confirmation that the project will not be a remake but will exist within the same universe as the 1986 David Cronenberg film and its 1989 sequel. While story details remain under wraps, the current popularity of horror legacy sequels and elevated horror offers hope for a

genuine evolution of the iconic franchise, which began with the 1958 original and its two sequels. Director Nikyatu Jusu ( Nanny ) is attached to helm the film, and is also set to direct a sequel to Night of the Living Dead, and a feature-length adaptation of her short vampire film Suicide by Sunlight .

NOVEMBER 2024 (Issue 241) ANSWERS - A1. Midnight Cowboy (1969) A2. Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker A3. Michael Landon A4. Stay Away Joe (1968) A5. Annie Get Your Gun (1950) A6. The late James Earl Jones in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger A7. The Bond author Ian Fleming A8. The Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967) A9. John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) in Rambo: First Blood Part Two A10. Cimarron (1931), Dances with Wolves (1990), and Unforgiven (1992)

6 DECEMBER 2024

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THIS MONTH at

EXTRAS

The Nightmare Before Christmas - Jack Christmas Ornament

STACK SOCIAL

Join us on social media and stay updated with the latest news, reviews, and monthly competitions. See exclusive unboxing videos, the newest movie trailers, gameplay videos, and red carpet pics from film premieres. Make sure you get involved and follow us on: STACK Magazine stackmagazine @stackmag @STACKMag STACKPresents What you've been loving on socials this month: November marked Hello Kitty’s 50th birthday, and to celebrate, we took a trip down memory lane to explore five decades of the beloved pop culture icon. You may have seen our article in the last issue or caught it online. Either way, there was no shortage of Kitty love!

The Nightmare Before Christmas - 3D Jack Moulded Head Mug

Gremlins - Singing and Dancing Gizmo

Hello Kitty Christmas Ornament

Star Wars - Death Star Ornament

Winnie the Pooh - Eeyore Christmas Ornament

Gingerbread Man Christmas Ornament

The Nightmare Before Christmas - 3D Sally Moulded Head Mug

Love Actually - Monopoly

The Grinch - Cluedo

Elf - Family Bingo

Seinfeld - Festivus Board Game

DUMB & DUMBER Can you believe Dumb & Dumber is 30 years old? This now iconic comedy from the Farrelly Brothers, starring Jim Carrey, revolutionised the genre with its blend of absurd and lowbrow humour, solidifying its cast and creators as Hollywood royalty. Co-starring Jeff Daniels and Lauren Holly, the film inspired a new generation of comedy directors, countless imitators, and a loyal fanbase. The movie’s enduring popularity even led to a sequel in 2014.

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Joke of the day: I have an inferiority complex, but it’s not a very good one.

CHARTS

A happy birthday to FINN WOLFHARD who turns 22 on December 23 From awkward, scrawny teen to Hollywood hotshot, Finn

DVD BEST-SELLERS in NOVEMBER 2024

BLU-RAY BEST-SELLERS in NOVEMBER 2024

4K UHD BEST-SELLERS in NOVEMBER 2024

Wolfhard’s rise has been a whirlwind. He first caught

audiences’ attention in the hit sci-fi horror series Stranger Things , and

1 TWISTERS 2 YELLOWSTONE: SEASON 5 PART 1 3 BORDERLANDS 4 TRAP 5 IT ENDS WITH US 6 CHICAGO FIRE: SEASON 12 7 THE CROW (2024) 8 A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

1 TWISTERS 2 BORDERLANDS 3 ARCANE: SEASON 1 4 DUNE: PART TWO 5 TRAP 6 FURIOSA 7 THE CROW (2024) 8 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 9 WORLD WAR Z 10 TO CATCH A THIEF (1955)

1 TWISTERS 2 BORDERLANDS 3 YELLOWSTONE: SEASON 5 PART 1 4 HALO: SEASON 2 5 TRAP

he has since starred in films such as Ghostbusters: Afterlife , Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, IT Chapters One and Two , and Saturday Night . With so much accomplished so early in his career, he’s undoubtedly on track to become a future A-list star.

Photo credit: Marion Curtis

6 DUNE: PART TWO 7 THE CROW (2024) 8 FURIOSA

9 A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE 10 SHOGUN (1980) : SEASON 1

9 HALO: SEASON 2 10 DESPICABLE ME 4

STACK ’s fave celebrity quote: “A day without sunshine is like, you know, night” - Steve Martin

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CINEMA FEATURE

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T herefore the third instalment of the hit Sonic movie franchise sees the trio form an unlikely alliance with Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet. Fans can’t wait to see what Keanu Reeves does with Shadow - one of Sonic’s most complex and mysterious rivals from the games where he’s known for his dark personality and incredible powers, making him a major challenge for Sonic. Adding him into the movie series opens up exciting possibilities for a deeper, more dramatic storyline - and yes, this being Reeves, of course it involves firearms and an awesome custom-made motorbike. After the success of Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) - which brought Sonic,Tails, and Knuckles together - the trio must face a powerful and mysterious new adversary in Shadow the Hedgehog. Words Gill Pringle SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3

U nlike most villains, he doesn’t want wealth or power. Instead, he’s driven by a primal obsession: to be the best hunter in the world, and that includes taking down Spider-Man as his ultimate prize. Kraven is a master tracker, hand-to-hand fighter, and survivalist. With enhanced physical abilities - thanks to a special serum that gives him the strength, speed, and endurance of a superhuman - he sees himself as a predator at the top of the food chain. Intended as the sixth film in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU), the R-rated [US rating] action film stars Aaron Taylor Johnson in the title role, with our own Russell Crowe portraying Kraven’s estranged father, Nikolai Kravinoff, a ruthless crime lord. One of the things that sets Kraven apart is his code of honour. He’s not a typical villain - he doesn’t even see himself as a bad guy. To him, hunting Spider-Man isn’t about malice, it’s about proving his strength and skill. In his mind, he’s adhering to a personal standard of warrior nobility, which means he doesn’t use guns or high-tech gadgets. One of the most famous comic book stories featuring Kraven is Kraven’s Last Hunt , a dark tale where he actually defeats Spider-Man and temporarily takes on his identity. It’s one of the few stories that show a villain actually achieving their goal, which is rare in superhero comics. In the end, Kraven realises that he’s proven all he needs to and lets Spider-Man live, but the victory leaves him feeling empty. This moment cements Kraven as more than just a villain - he’s a complex character haunted by his obsession. His blend of honour, obsession, and tragedy makes him one of the most memorable foes in Spider-Man’s world. Kraven the Hunter - aka Sergei Kravinoff - is one of Spider-Man’s most intense and unique foes. Words Gill Pringle KRAVEN THE HUNTER

Fans are already speculating as to how Shadow will be portrayed and whether we’ll see more of his origin story, such as his connection to Dr. Robotnik and the secret government experiment, “Project Shadow”, that created him, resulting in Shadow’s quest for revenge. Another cool thing about Sonic 3 is the dynamic between the characters. Now that Knuckles is more established, there’s a lot of potential for fun, especially since he brings that tough, no-nonsense vibe that can clash with Sonic’s more laid-back, adventurous personality. And with Tails in the mix, we will see even more teamwork and humour. With each Sonic movie, the visual effects and animation keep improving, so we can expect top-notch CGI, especially with action-packed scenes involving Shadow with his dramatic black and red stripes and ability to teleport. Director Jeff Fowler was impressed upon his first meeting with Reeves, discovering how he had done all of his homework on Shadow in his desire to create a "fan-faithful" rendition of the character in this thrilling new film, which draws inspiration from the video game Sonic Adventure 2 .

Kraven the Hunter is in cinemas December 12.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in cinemas December 26.

DECEMBER 2024

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MOVIE FEATURE

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Starting out as an animator at Disney, working on films like The Fox and the Hound and Tron , it didn’t take long for Burton’s unique, gothic touch to stand out. QUIRKY VISIONS

Michael Keaton (left)

original co-stars Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara. Ryder plays Lydia Deetz, the former goth teenager who was almost forced to marry Betelgeuse, but now hosts her own TV show, Ghost House with Lydia Deetz . She is also now a mother of a teenage daughter Astrid, charmingly played by Wednesday star Jenna Ortega.

Jenna Ortega andTim Burton

After a couple of short films, he hit the big time with Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure in 1985, an oddball comedy that introduced his unusual approach to storytelling. His breakout moment really came with Beetlejuice (1988), its unique blending of humour with the supernatural proving to have a mass appeal. Following that, he put his handprint on the Batman franchise with Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), turning Gotham City into a brooding, atmospheric world that totally redefined superhero movies. Burton’s visual style - dark, surreal, and a little twisted - became even more distinct in movies like Edward Scissorhands (1990) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), the latter being directed by Henry Selick, who brought Burton’s vision to life. As his career progressed, he continued exploring stories that were both haunting and heartfelt, like Big Fish (2003) and Corpse Bride (2005). Working frequently with Johnny Depp, Christopher Lee, and Helena Bonham Carter, building a “Burton-esque” ensemble. Though his more recent films have received mixed reviews, Burton, 66, remains a true visionary - an artist who has turned his unique, quirky perspective into a genre of its own. He has always enjoyed working with his love interests, firstly with girlfriend Lisa Marie in Ed Wood , Mars Attacks! , Sleepy Hollow, and Planet of the Apes, then later with fiancée Helena Bonham Carter, whom he cast in Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Dark Shadows, and Alice in Wonderland .

With the threat of Betelgeuse returning to haunt her, Lydia struggles with the fallout from the end of her marriage to Justin Theroux’s Rory, while dealing with her moody daughter. “I think there was a lot of Astrid’s teen angst that happened without Lydia being fully present for it. So, she’s dealing with the guilt of that. She’s also feeling somewhat responsible for the end of her marriage and trying to love her daughter, trying to be a mother to her, says Ryder, 53. “There’s a lot going on. I really understood Astrid’s point of view, probably because I had played the daughter. But what Jenna’s done is remarkable, because she’s not Lydia. She really created her own very unique character. I still see her very much as Lydia’s daughter and she’s inherited a lot of stuff, but Jenna really created her own thing, which I really admired,” says the Stranger Things actress, who is joined by newcomers Willem Dafoe and Arthur Conti.

Tim Burton returns to the Beetlejuice universe with the much-anticipated sequel to his 1988 cult classic, resurrecting the original cast for a spooktacular, spine-tingling adventure that’s sure to raise the dead! Words Gill Pringle “I was nervous, really nervous,” says Michael Keaton, recalling his trepidation at returning to his title role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice , a sequel to Tim Burton’s hit 1988 gothic dark comedy, Beetlejuice . “Because the choice that I made, that was a big leap. It was a risky move that happened to have worked. So then, you think, ‘Oh geez, can I pull that off again after all these years?’ I think there was way more pressure on this one - we didn’t really want to mess this up. I was very nervous about it but we hope we got there. I think we did,” argues the 73 year old. The movie has him reuniting with his

For Burton himself, he wasn’t sure about making a sequel, “There have been different ideas over the years, but nothing for me really clicked. And so, all this time goes by, 35 years, and what really got me interested and excited is... life. “It’s like, what happened to the Deetz family? You know, it’s 35 years later, what happened to Lydia, this interesting teenager? And so you start to use your own life experience: you’re an interesting teenager. What happens when you become an adult? Do you have

children? What are your relationships like? What have you become? It was quite emotional for me to revisit these characters,”

• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is out Dec 4

Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder

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10 DECEMBER 2024

MOVIE FEATURE

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Bill Bennett is one of Australia's most respected directors. With a career spanning four decades, his films include In a Savage Land (1999), Kiss or Kill (1997), and Spider & Rose (1994). Words Glenn Cochrane AUSSIE PILGRIM

Bill Bennett (left) with Chris Haywood

Way

Bill BennetT’s

If you’re experiencing a sense of deja vu, it may be because of Emilio Estevez's similarly themed El Camino film The Way (2010). But you can rest assured that Bennett's film is not connected to it, and tells a very different story. Every pilgrim who undertakes the long trek has their own personal reasons for doing so, and what they take from the experience is for them alone. That sentiment can be applied to both of these films, and Bennett's own motivation speaks for itself. “I had not seen The Way ,” he admits of his initial pilgrimage. “I didn't want my Camino to be influenced by anything in any way, and by that particular film. And, in fact, I didn't see The Way until after I had written the book, for the same reason. And so the title of the film wasn't influenced by that film at all.” Referring to Camino's actual nickname, he adds, “The Way is called The Way and I decided to call it The Way, My Way , because in the book it was a very personal approach. And instead of the book being a geographical memoir about a walk, I wanted it to be an internal and metaphysical type of memoir.”

O ver the years, he has directed films of various scales, working with actors such as Eric Bana, Burt Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, Rufus Sewell, and Frances O’Connor, among others. Now, comes his most personal project yet, The Way, My Way , starring Chris Haywood, adapted from his own best-selling memoir. Chatting with STACK , Bennett talks about his life-changing pilgrimage along the El Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James. This pilgrimage spans 800 kilometres in northwest Spain, leading to the shrine of James the Great. ”In 2013 I walked the Camino de Santiago. It was tough for me. I had a lot of trouble with my knee,” he explains, adding with amusement, ”I got to Santiago and I was expecting some kind of epiphany as to why I’d done this walk and put myself through so much pain. ”That epiphany never came, so I came back to Australia and I decided to write a book, basically to try and find closure.

Chris Haywood

personal realisations along the way. ”Chris was also in Kiss or Kill and nominated for a ’Best Supporting Actor’ AFI award and we’ve maintained a

professional working relationship. The thing about Chris is that he’s a very subtle actor and he doesn’t make a very big show of the process he goes through. But my goodness, he’s clever.” Given the nature of the Camino trail, Bennett describes shooting at various marker

• The Way, My Way is out Dec 6

points along the way and the challenges of depicting the geography accurately. ”We traversed the Camino three times through the making of the film. And that was because of availability of

And really, in a sense, to complete my walk. I never had any intention of doing a film, and in a way writing the book did sort of complete the walk for me.” The film features Haywood as Bill, an ageing filmmaker driven by reasons unknown to undertake a perilous journey. His wife, portrayed by Bennett’s real-life wife, actress Jennifer Cluff, is apprehensive due to his age, health, and stubbornness, but despite these challenges, Bill forms friendships and comes to some profound

The Way, My Way (Original Movie Soundtrack) is also available.

actors and stuff like that. One of the things that was really important for me was that I kept the geography absolutely accurate. Because I knew that this film would be scrutinised by die-hards of the Camino,” he laughs. ”But they’ve given it their tick of approval, which is really pleasing.”

12 DECEMBER 2024

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MOVIE FEATURE

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KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS

After putting his heart into voicing young Optimus Prime, Chris Hemsworth laughed as he shared that his twin sons actually preferred Bumblebee after watching the movie. Words Gill Pringle ”I kept saying, ’Did you enjoy the film?’ And they’d say, ’Yeah, loved it. Pretty cool characters’. ’Yeah, Optimus Prime do you like that?’ And they said ’Bumblebee’. ’But Optimus Prime was cool,’ I said. And they said ’No, Bumblebee is my favourite,’” he said, grinning while shaking his head. ”So, it kind of humbles you right? It’s very humbling. Kids have a habit of doing that,” says the charismatic actor who has a 12-year-old daughter India and 10-year-old twins Tristan and Sasha with actress wife Elsa Pataky. But even Hemsworth, 41, agrees that Keegan-Michael Key’s Bumblebee is hilarious in this new film. ”I think what’s so surprising and enjoyable watching that character [Bumblebee] was we hadn’t ever heard him speak before. There’s such a wild sense of humour, such spontaneity, such fun…” ”It was such a cool thing, because everyone’s playing a different instrument and each character holds a different place in the film. And I just really enjoyed Bumblebee’s

Paramount Pictures’ initial reveal of Transformers One was literally out of this world.They attached a flat screen monitor to a module and live-streamed its assent to space, broadcasting the first-look trailer from 125,000 feet above Earth. Words Glenn Cochrane ”I t’s as close to Cybertron as we could get,” says director Josh Cooley of the studio’s usually a 3D fan, but I was blown away by how well it worked for this film.”

A big movie calls for a big cast, and lead actors don’t get much bigger than Chris Hemsworth, who plays a young Optimus Prime. ”The casting of Orion Pax was something that kept me up at night,” Cooley says of the casting

method of promotion. ”When I heard about it, I was like ’Oh, that’s fantastic!’ ”From the beginning, it was always an origin story,” he explains of the movie’s development.

Director Josh Cooley

”It was always Orion Pax and D-16 and why they became sworn enemies. There’s always been a lot of Transformers movies and cartoons, but this is a part of the story and

process. ”Knowing that this character

DYK?

enthusiasm, because what our characters are going through is quite dense and heavy, and it’s telling its own story. So, Bumblebee was a wonderful comic relief”.

eventually becomes Optimus

In the original toy line, the gold paint on Transformers

Prime, who has such an iconic voice, I didn’t want

figurines would often flake off. Rather than admitting a product defect, Hasbro incorporated it into the storyline, giving the characters a disease called ”Gold Plastic Syndrome.” (GPS).

the lore that’s never been told before. Also, being purely set on Cybertron, I thought that was really cool, too.” The movie takes us to the planet Cybertron, where we get to see the relationship between Orion Pax and D-16, the brothers in arms

anybody trying to force it to that position. It had to feel natural. So, when I heard Chris, I thought, ’Oh, there could be something there,’ and

we chatted and talked about Orion Pax’s arc as a character throughout this film, and how it can start heading towards Optimus Prime at the end. ”When

thoughtful about everything, and he’s great at having conversations about how to approach the character and how to keep the character with a young feel.

who would become the ultimate rivals, Optimus Prime and Megatron. ”We have a totally new look for Transformers here. We were very, very inspired by the original G1, which were fantastic designs that

”The character is a little bit careless and then has somewhere to go, so they

can eventually accept the responsibility of

• Transformers One is out Dec 18

I really wanted to bring to the big screen. And the look of the film,” he adds with a sense of awe. ”ILM did our animation, and they’re just killing it. It looks really cool and the 3D, as well, looks amazing. I’m not

we started doing the recording session, I got literal goosebumps and chills. It just felt right. He’s amazing. He’s super

becoming a leader. I’m just thrilled with what he did, and I couldn’t have made this without him.”

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FEATURE MOVIE

“There was just something about it that appealed to me,

and as I read the book I realised that it was a good fit for me. The funny thing is that I mentioned to my daughter that I was going to be working on this and she said, 'I read that book' and she pulled it out immediately. And I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I do remember now, that a couple of years prior she had read it at school. And that's really not unusual. It's common for kids in the United States to have The Wild Robot as part of their curriculum.” The moment we saw the movie we were struck by its textures. There was something almost tangible about the elements, though not being technically adept with animation lingo, we couldn't quite articulate what caught our attention. Thankfully, Sanders knew exactly what we meant and offered insight into the process. “That's one of the most extraordinary stories behind the making of the movie,” he says, fully comprehending our curiosity. “I knew from the very beginning that the only way this movie would really work is if we had a tangible feeling of a piece of high technology that was lost in the forest. It couldn't be business as usual with the CG look that we've all become very habituated to. “In any animated film, what you're seeing onscreen I guarantee represents the very outer edge of that studio's technology, and what we've been fighting from the very beginning with CG is the computerised look that keeps

The long-awaited movie adaptation of Peter Brown's beloved book The Wild Robot sends our imagination into a spin with its unique design and lifelike wonders. Words Glenn Cochrane

T he man behind the movie is director Chris Sanders, known for his previous work on The Call of the Wild (2020), The Croods (2013), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), and Lilo & Stitch (2002). It would be an understatement

very next thing I would be doing,” he tells us, explaining his movements following his time on The Call of the Wild . “I dropped into DreamWorks and they showed me all the different things that were in development at the time. They laid them all out on a table in front of me and they gave me a very brief description of what each one was about, and the

Director Chris Sanders

to say that he has his finger on the pulse of animation, and we caught up with him to suss out what The Wild Robot is all about, how it came to be, and what to expect. “You know, I was looking around for the

moment they said that this one was about a robot lost in the wilderness, I was like, 'That's the one I want to do.” Based on the popular book series of the same name by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot is an epic adventure that follows the journey of a robot - ROZZUM unit 7134, or “Roz” for short - that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building

things from looking organic. And, the fact is, that's what it has been now for decades. We were just so incredibly fortunate with The Wild Robot that we were at a point where DreamWorks had finally gotten away from that CG look, if you will, with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and The Bad Guys , it actually looked like a moving illustration. “With The Wild Robot , we knew that we had to go way beyond that even. When we start these projects we have some very talented painters and they do these exploratory

relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.

paintings which are loose and they're very gorgeous. They're soft and they're watery, and I posed the question, 'Could our finished film look identical to those exploratory paintings?' And Raymond Ziback [production designer] and his team actually got there. They pushed the technology

• The Wild Robot is out Dec 18

to the next step.”

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James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi

he explains, describing people who are unable to break character. “But I've worked with some brilliant actors, James being amongst them, and Fassbender and others, and they want to be loose. Because it's exhausting to be continually in that headspace.” On the topic of James McAvoy, we asked whether he was the first choice for playing the villainous Paddy, and if his mesmerising performance in M. Night Shyamalan's Split influenced his casting. “He was 100% my first choice. I'd seen Split and loved him in it, but it was his earlier movie called Filth , based on the Irvine Welsh book, where the character is so reprehensible, but he somehow finds some sympathy, and in lesser hands, the character would have just been a d-ck. That's the one for me that really made me say, 'It's got to be McAvoy. McAvoy or bust!” Like so many recent horror movies, the film was produced by Blumhouse Productions, and Watkins' take on their involvement echoes what so many others have told us before him. “They were great to work with. It was the conversation I had with them initially when they said, 'What we do is support filmmakers,' and they kind of knew what I wanted to do with it. “I'll give you a good example,” he pivots, while explaining the company's investment in creatives. “So, when my editor Jon Harris and I showed them the first edit, we thought it was good, but we thought, 'OK, we're showing this to the Americans', as we would say, so we put some genre music on it in places where it was a bit slow. "We didn't think it needed it, but being an American

Speak No Evil is an English remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name, and anyone familiar with the original will know exactly how intensely disturbing it is. Words Glenn Cochrane A s with all remakes, there's trepidation that comes with it, as audiences can be sceptical of redoing

something that worked perfectly to begin with. In this instance, those concerns can be put aside because the film is directed by Englishman James Watkins, who's no stranger to this kind of material, having earned praise for his traumatising 2008 film Eden Lake . The story follows an American couple, portrayed by Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy, who befriend a British family while on holiday in Italy and reluctantly accept an invitation to visit the family's country estate in the UK. Their visit takes a sinister turn, however, when they discover that their new friends, played by James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi, are not who they claim to be. Our American couple is suddenly plunged into a nightmarish whirlwind of mind games and violence. We caught up with Watkins to discuss the new film, and kicked things off by suggesting that it's a worthy companion to Eden Lake . “It's great you say that, because I wanted to go back to that kind of world,” he says with gratitude. “That genre, a sort of social horror where it's not just jump scares, it's thrills, and a horror that explores the anxiety we all have about the world in which we live. And I thought that was a great space to scratch away at and explore.”

James McAvoy with director James Watkins

production we thought more is more, but Blumhouse were like, 'Why did you put that sh-tty music on it?' and I said, 'It's for you guys!' and they said, 'Come on, you know us better than that.' So they were great in that way.

James McAvoy is one of the great actors of his generation, yet he remains somewhat unsung. His remarkable performances in films like Split (2016) and My Son (2021) have showcased his unique, chameleon like talent. In Speak No Evil , he pushes his limits to new extremes, delivering one of the most terrifying characters in recent memory. Given the depths of depravity the film goes to while involving children amongst the cast, we were curious to know whether McAvoy was able to snap in and out of character easily or whether

• Speak No Evil is out Dec 4

he was more of a method actor. “Oh, like, in a moment!” says

Watkins. “There are some actors who are always in,”

DYK?

In the early 2000s, James McAvoy was roommates in London with Tom Ellis ( Lucifer )

and Aussie actor Jesse Spencer ( Neighbours, Chicago Fire ).

Alix West Lefler, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy

Xxxxxx

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REMEMBERING ROSEMARY’S BABY With the release of the Rosemary's Baby prequel Apartment 7A now available to own, we thought it the perfect opportunity to revisit Roman Polanski's seminal classic, recently treated to a stunning new 4K restoration. Words Bob J

The Curse of Rosemary’s Baby Rosemary’s Baby has been voted as one of the most cursed movies of all time. • During filming Mia Farrow was unexpectedly served divorce papers by her then husband Frank Sinatra causing composer and close friend of Polanski’s - Krzysztof Komeda - died following an accidental fall in Warsaw. • The producer of the movie William Castle almost died during an operation to remove painful gallstones that he was suddenly afflicted with. • Most infamously, that same year Polanski’s pregnant wife Sharon Tate and four friends were murdered by the Manson family, their ritualistic killing spree prompted by the Beatles 1968 song Helter Skelter . • In 1980 ex-Beatle member John Lennon was murdered outside the Dakota building where he lived in New York her to collapse on set. • A year later the film’s

inexperienced in the Hollywood system, was completely unaware that he could alter any of the novel’s text to suit his film. Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and her husband Guy (John Cassavetes) are an ambitious young couple who move into an apartment in a large New York tenement block. Rosemary’s old friend Hutch tells her the building was once the site of a witchcraft cult. Rosemary soon becomes agitated and frightened of a tranche of ambiguous and sinister-looking aged characters who live in the same building. The basic theme then becomes whether Rosemary is unknowingly prostituted by her husband to a Satanist group in exchange for him having a sparkling career as an actor. Whilst heavily drugged during a naked ritual, Rosemary firmly believes Satan himself has impregnated her. But is she just hallucinating, which her doctor refers to as pregnancy hysteria? The most important ingredient of this outstanding horror movie is not the usual blood and gore but the sheer terror that exists in Rosemary’s fragile mind believing that she is about to give birth to the Antichrist. Polanski’s astute and skilful direction slowly builds on that terror, scene by scene, all the way through to an unusual yet frightening climax. Regardless of whether audiences buy into the supernatural or the psychological explanation, Polanski’s film remains one of the most paranoid dramas ever put on celluloid.

S chlockmeister moviemaker William Castle instinctively knew he had a hit on his hands when he bought the rights to Rosemary’s Baby - a novel written by Ira Levin. The theme of the book dwelt on the subject of modern-day Satanism and the occult. Castle approached Paramount production chief Robert Evans requesting studio finance to turn the book into another of his quirky low-budget horror movies. Evans read the advanced copy of Levin’s thriller novel and immediately agreed to put up the money but on one condition, although he would allow Castle to

films, Repulsion (1965) and Cul De-Sac (1966), had been directed by the young Polish-French filmmaker Roman Polanski, and the subjects of both movies had caused shock waves amongst the auteur filmmaker elite in Europe. Following the private screening of both films, Paramount Studios invited Polanski to Director Roman Polanski (L) and Mia Farrow (R)

America with an offer to direct his first Hollywood movie. The Rosemary’s Baby shooting script Polanski wrote is considered the most faithful adaptation of a novel ever written for the screen. Whole sections of dialogue, colour schemes, even the clothes the characters wear, etc, are exactly as described in the book. This was primarily because Polanski,

produce the movie, he did not want him to direct it. Evans instinctively knew that the movie version of Rosemary’s Baby was going to need a much more sophisticated filmmaker than Castle, and Evans already had a certain new director in mind. Two foreign

and where the majority of Rosemary’s Baby had been filmed.

DYK?

A made-for-television sequel, Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby , was released in 1976. It follows Rosemary’s now-adult son as he struggles to resist his evil birthright.

Available now

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MADE IN HELL

Hellboy debuted in Mike Mignola’s dark, gothic comic series in 1993, and was brought to the big screen by Guillermo del Toro in 2004 and 2008, with Ron Perlman in the title role. Perlman also voiced Hellboy in the animated films Sword of Storms (2006) and Blood and Iron (2007). In Neil Marshall’s 2019 reboot, David Harbour took on the iconic antihero, followed by Jack Kesy in the latest adaptation, directed by Brian Taylor ( Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, 2011 ).

HELLBOYS IN FILM

Hellboy is back! After the lukewarm reception of the 2019 reboot, Crank director Brian Taylor has taken the reins, adapting the 2008 comic series The Crooked Man , and giving the character a fresh look with a touch of humility. Words Glenn Cochrane

Ron Perlman

T he new guy is Jack Kesy, an actor who’s appeared in movies like Baywatch (2017), 12 Strong (2018), and Deadpool 2 (2018). ”I was a kid from the street,” Kesy explains during casual banter while chatting with STACK recently. ”In my teens and early 20s, I was in

I'd seen Ron Perlman’s years ago, so it was all kind of faded and vague. Ron knocked it out of the park. ”And the thing is, the blueprint is done for you. It’s a collaborative team effort. I’m not making the hair, and I’m not making the prosthetics. So, I’m a little more like a cog in the

David Harbour

Jack Kesy

and out of jail, rolling around like a madman, you know? Then acting, plays, and all that stuff rescued me - as corny as that sounds. It really did. It gave me purpose and self-esteem, and it kind of took me out of the mud.” From the mud to a rapidly rising career, Kesy has now stepped into the shoes of one of cinema’s most iconic comic book characters. He becomes the third actor to portray Mike Mignola’s lovable antihero, following David Harbour and Ron Perlman. Kesy admits that he had both of them in mind when taking on the role.

system, so to speak. It’s definitely a team sport with this”. You might expect that casting a new Hellboy would require a long and arduous audition process and countless costume and makeup tests, but in the case of

instalments, with the story set in 1950s Appalachia, where Hellboy and co. face off against a bewitched community and a demonic figure called the Crooked Man. For fans of the movie series, this latest entry will require a reset of expectations, but for comic book fans, it might be the most accurate and organic adaptation yet. ”I was excited that it’s grounded,” Kesy explains, describing his initial reaction to the script. ”It’s a little more independent instead of – in Brian Taylor’s words – ’a space opera’.

• Hellboy: The Crooked Man is out Dec 11

The Crooked Man , the makers had their eye on the prize from the outset. ”It came out of leftfield, man,” says Kesy, as if still in a state of disbelief. ”I always

Jack Kesy in 12 Strong

And on set we were able to lean into the human element of the character, the younger element. I’m all about that. I like it when it’s stripped down and raw. ”I felt comfortable reading the script and said, ’I can make this my own.’ For me, the guy is close to home. I find him very relatable, aside from the fact that he looks like a supernatural maniac. But soulfully, intimately, emotionally, intellectually, I can relate to it, thankfully.”

”It’s the first thing that popped into my mind subconsciously. I didn’t watch David Harbour’s film until after the fact and out of curiosity. And

say that anything good, extremely good, or extremely bad just comes out of nowhere,” he continues with amusement. ”I got the call from the producer,

he’s a big fan, and we got along really well. He thinks that I’m just the guy for it. And I said ’OK’, and I put some stuff on tape,

and they said, ’Dude, you f-cking knocked that sh-t out of the park. You’re our guy!’” The film itself is unlike any of the previous

Jack Kesy and Jefferson White

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Although travelling tent boxing shows are a thing of the past, their legacy still resonates across rural and outback Australia. Starting in the early 20th century, these shows crisscrossed the country to entertain bush communities - farmers, cattlemen, and others whose days were spent in hard labour and evenings at the pub sinking cold ones. Tent boxing thrived especially during the Depression, providing both employment and escapism. Over the decades, it became synonymous with Australian working class culture. However, the scene declined in the 1970s as safety regulations gained prominence in workplaces across the country.

Paul Goldman has made movies like Australian Rules , Suburban Mayhem , and last year's brilliant rockumentary Ego:The Michael Gudinski Story . His latest film, Kid Snow , is a tribute to a bygone era, written by local screen icon John Brumpton. Words Glenn Cochrane

”M ost people would know John as an esteemed actor,” says Goldman when sitting down to chat with STACK . ”He is, indeed, also a screenwriter. He spent some time in his life travelling with a tent boxing troupe, and so his original script was written from personal experiences.” Set in the 1970s, Kid Snow

original screenplay. The attraction for me was that it was authentic. I loved the epic nature of the

storytelling, I loved the fact that there were going to be so many characters to juggle, which is not something I had done in the past. I love the relationships, I love the landscape, and I was aware of tent boxing and the wonderful mythology surrounding it and I think that it’s a very colourful part of Australian folklore.”

legend of the travelling boxing scene, who ran Roy Bell’s Tent and Roy Bell’s Touring Stadium for decades. ”Michael was related to Roy Bell by marriage, and I found out that just outside of Dubbo at a place called Tullamore, Michael had Roy Bell’s hundred-year-old tent wrapped up. We had always worried about reproducing that tent, because we’d seen the rich archive of photos of boxing tents, and I’d read the memoirs and talked to people who’d been there. ”So, I flew to Dubbo and drove out to Michael’s place, and he pulled Roy Bell’s tent out of mothballs - one hundred years old - and he put it up for me, and it was like stepping back in time. You know, we’re talking about a boxing tent that had travelled all around Australia that was soaked in beer, blood, and dung.” Having such an integral set piece bringing a tangible sense of history to the film, it was a tall order for the production designer to ensure that the rest of the setting matched organically. ”The production designer on this film has done the most extraordinary job. I think it’s one of the most beautiful pieces of production design in a recent Australian film that I’ve seen.”

Dirctor Paul Goldman

is a sports drama that follows two Irish brothers running a travelling tent boxing business during a time when such attractions were losing their appeal. Their already strained relationship faces new challenges when a young single mother and her son join the troupe, adding a striptease sideshow to attract fresh audiences. The film stars British actors Billy Howle ( On Chesil Beach ) and Tom Bateman ( Thirteen Lives ), alongside Australian actress Phoebe Tonkin ( Babylon ). Supporting roles are played by Robert Taylor ( Longmire ), Nathan Phillips ( These Final Hours ), and Mark Coles Smith ( Mystery Road: Origin ). ”I came to the project after one of the producers optioned John’s

PhoebeTonkin and Billy Howie

Kid Snow has a timeless quality. Although set in the 1970s, its rugged, dust-swept atmosphere feels like it could easily belong to the 1930s. The film’s classic cinematic look is a testament

• Kid Snow is out Dec 11

not only to production designer Clayton Jauncey, but also to one standout set piece: the tent. ”Once we started production, we accidentally met Michael Karaitiana,” explains Goldman, referring to his fortuitous encounter with the Australian boxing icon. ”Michael appears in the film and is related to Roy Bell,” he adds, referencing another

Tom Bateman

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