STACK #186 Apr 2020

FILM REVIEWS

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Close encounters of the furred kind. SHAUN THE SHEEP: FARMAGEDDON

He's not just a people person. DOLITTLE

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Release Date: 22/04/20

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Release Date: 29/04/20

Strange things are afoot in the town of Mossingham with the arrival of a UFO, complete with alien visitor. After a spot of pizza mystery, Shaun the Sheep encounters the interstellar visitor, and both being mischievous types, they hit it off immediately. Shaun’s boss The Farmer wants to make a buck off alien fever by opening a shonky theme park, and it’s up to Shaun to help the alien youngster evade the Ministry for Alien Detection (MAD) and

This reimagining of the classic Hugh Lofting character sees Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.) become a hermit following the death of his wife, with only his menagerie of exotic animals for company. But when the young queen falls seriously ill, he’s forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure. Downey Jr.’s weird Welsh accent makes him sound like a camp Tom Jones, so it’s the animals that get all the best lines – as they should, considering the stellar voice cast boasts the likes of Emma Thompson, Octavia Spencer, Rami Malek, John Cena, Marion Cotillard, Tom Holland and Ralph Fiennes. Playing like a collision between Pirates of the Caribbean and Night at the Museum , Dolittle is a good-hearted romp for those after a genuinely family-friendly flick. AF

get back home to her family. With nods to classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey , Close Encounters and Doctor Who , Farmageddon delivers a premature crash course in sci-fi for the kids, along with superb, warm-hearted storytelling. Aardman have crafted yet another animated gem that, dare we say it, raises the baa. AF