STACK #186 Apr 2020

FILM REVIEWS

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SPIES IN DISGUISE

MY SPY

LITTLE WOMEN

VFW

Release Date: 01/04/20 Format:

Release Date: 15/04/20 Format:

Release Date: 22/04/20 Format:

Release Date: 01/01/20 Format:

When we say that Will Smith is super fly, we mean it – he goes from suave human to, well, rather dorky bird in this cool new animated feature from the team that brought us the Ice Age movies. And what better cover for a human master spy than masquerading as a pigeon? That’s the thinking of gadget guru (don’t mention the ‘Q’ letter) Walter Beckett (voiced by Tom Holland). Smith’s character Lance Sterling doesn’t necessarily agree, but must quickly learn to find his wings. If Smith and Holland aren’t impressive enough names for an animated feature voice cast, it also boasts Karen Gillan, DJ Khaled, Rashida Jones, Ben Mendelsohn and Masi Oka. AF

It's that time again, when a hulking action man is paired up with a precocious youngster and hilarity ensues (see also The Pacifier and Tooth Fairy ). Dave Bautista – the guy we know as Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy – plays a tough CIA operative who’s on his last chance in the gig. While on an undercover mission, he’s sprung by a smarty- pants nine-year-old girl (Chloe Coleman), who essentially holds him to ransom. She’ll keep her mouth shut about his spying on her family, if he teaches her the spy trade. Think Spy Kids meets Central Intelligence and you'll have a pretty good idea of what you're in for with this amiable family comedy. BS

Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, Little Women, has been adapted time and again throughout the years. This latest version of the story of the March sisters and their resoluteness in finding their place within a man's world is helmed by Ladybird director Greta Gerwig, who has rearranged the original story's structure and added a strong focus on themes which are contemporaneously topical. Featuring an all-star cast including Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep and Laura Dern, fans of the previous screen adaptations will want to check out in this quality reimagination, which is fresh and vibrant, and entirely delightful. BS

Assault on Precinct 13 meets Night of the Living Dea d in this neon – and gore – drenched actioner from director Joe Begos. A group of Veterans of Foreign Wars (yep, that's what the title means) must once again go into battle when a drug dealer and his gang of mutant punks invade their favourite bar. An adrenaline- infused and insanely violent throwback to the grindhouse era, VFW is fully loaded with a cast of genre veterans including Stephen Lang ( Don't Breathe ), William Sadler ( Die Hard 2 ) and Fred Williamson ( From Dusk Till Dawn ). The Blu-ray edition includes Begos' previous film, Bliss , for a truly deranged double feature. AC