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ISSUE 218 DEC ’22

STACK Issue 218 DECEMBER 2022 “You are the king, but I do not envy you.”

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ISSUE 218 DEC ’22

INSIDE:

ISSUE 218 DEC ’22

TECHTACULAR CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

MUSIC

FIRE AND BLOOD IN THE HOUSE OF THE DRAGON DIRECTOR BRETT MORGEN ON HIS DAVID BOWIE DOCO, MOONAGE DAYDREAM

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 218 DEC

MOVIES & TV 6 Take 5 8 Violent Night

2022

10 Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile 12 House of the Dragon 14 Moonage Daydream 16 Mad God 18 Smile 20 Bodies Bodies Bodies 22 New from Imprint Films 24 Out this month 25 New on 4K UHD 26 Movie &TV gift guide LIFE TECH 28 Intro

WELCOME

How would you describe your approach to Christmas shopping? Are you a last minute dasher? A deal seeker? An early bird planner? Whatever your style, choosing that perfect gift can present a Herculean challenge. To help with such an undertaking, we’ve pulled together some gift ideas in movies, games, and music. We go even further this month in tech by collating a whopping 100 top picks for the technology lovers in your life – there’s something for everyone. Elsewhere in December, a spin-off series to Game of Thrones was inevitable, and the much anticipated prequel House of the Dragon is finally here. Set 200 years prior to the events of GoT , it’s just as complex and gripping as its phenomenal predecessor and will captivate newcomers and diehard fans alike. And in movies this month, don’t miss director Brett Morgen’s unique David Bowie documentary, Moonage Daydream . The final crop of games for 2022 certainly doesn’t disappoint. Along with Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet , the space survival horror-fest The Callisto Protocol , Marvel’s Midnight Suns , and Need for Speed Unbound are all set to make a mark. And in music, we’ve got festive releases from Jimmy Barnes and Backstreet Boys, and we review the latest from Leftfield, Felix Riebl, and Flowertruck. Finally, we’d like to wish our readers a very Merry Christmas and a stonking 2023! Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

30-42 The ultimate tech gift guide for 2022 44 Three home security cameras from Swann 46 We review the Dell G15 15.6” FHD Gaming Laptop 48 We check out Netgear’s gargantuan Orbi RBKE963 Quad-band router 50 You probably need this Philips Sneaker Cleaner in your life 52 New projectors from Philips to suit all needs and budgets 54 What’s new MUSIC 60 Merry musical gift ideas 66-67 Cover feature: Hark! The Aussie angels sing 70-71 AlbumTales: Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas (1994) 74 STACK Record Club 76 This month at JB 78-79 Album reviews GAMING FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 3 Take 5/Game Changers! 4 Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet 6 The Callisto Protocol

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Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Film & TV Editor Scott Hocking Music Editor Zoë Radas Games & Online Editor Amy Flower Creative Director Gary Siewert Movies Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Music Consultant Mike Glynn

Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Gill Pringle, Bob Jones Contributors Bryget Chrisfield, Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira, Adam Colby, Bec Summer, Dan Nicholson, Alex Deutrom

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

RATINGS GUIDE

Parental guidance recommended

Recommended for mature audiences

Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15smust beaccommpaniedby a parent or adult guardian

Restricted to 18 and over

General

8-9 Marvel’s Midnight Suns 10 Need for Speed Unbound 12 STACK Recommends 14 Out this month 16-18 Accessorise Now! The Christmas Special 20 Fast Forward/Q5

Disclaimer STACK is published by Scribal Custom Pty Ltd (ACN 092 362 135). © Copyright Scribal Custom Pty Ltd, 2022 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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THIS MONTH at

EXTRAS

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DVD BEST-SELLERS in NOVEMBER 2022

STACK’s ROVING REPORTER

1 Top Gun: Maverick 2 Elvis 3 Bullet Train 4 Where the Crawdads Sing 5 Yellowstone: Season 4 6 Jurassic World Dominion 7 The Black Phone 8 Thor: Love and Thunder 9 NCIS: Season 19 10 NCIS Los Angeles: Season 13

What’s one of your all-time favourite films, and why?

JOELTHEAKSTONE @ JB Craigieburn, VIC

Con Air . Cheesy one-liners, over-the-top action scenes and the legend himself, Nicolas Cage – what’s not to love? This is ‘90s action at its best and I’m all here for it!

What’s the best thing about working at JB?

What’s one of your all-time favourite TV series, and why?

BLU-RAY BEST-SELLERS in NOVEMBER 2022

Getting the chance to work alongside some pretty awesome people. I’ve made some good friends since I’ve been here and enjoyed every moment with them since.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia . If you’ve got a messed up sense of humour and love Danny DeVito, then this is the show for you. With a strong cast of characters and quotable dialogue, it continues to surprise me even after all these years.

1 Top Gun: Maverick 2 Bullet Train 3 Elvis 4 The Batman

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

The Star Wars prequels. These are the films that made me into the Star Wars fan I am today, and I’m thankful because of it! With memorable (and sometimes corny) dialogue and visually epic action sequences, these films will forever hold a special place with me. Even after all these years I can still recite nearly every line from this trilogy.

What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend?

5 Jurassic World Dominion 6 Thor: Love and Thunder 7 Doctor Who: The Abominable Snowmen 8 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 9 The Black Phone 10 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Atlanta . I just caught up on the third season and it’s still as good as I remember it! Donald Glover and the rest of the crew still knock it out of the park with each episode.

Harry Potter Chess Set

Stranger Things Monopoly

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Christmas Vacation Card Scramble

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CINEMA FEATURE

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Die Hard is a Christmas movie STACK asked director Tommy Wirkola to name his favourite Christmas movie. “ Die Hard obviously,” he replies, explaining how when he first received Violent Night ’s script, it was pitched as basically ‘ Die Hard without Bruce Willis’. “ Die Hard really had a lot of heart,

which is what I wanted to do with [ Violent Night ]. Like yes, we can go as crazy as we want with the action and the humour and the gore, but it doesn’t work unless we have a heart, and I really want this to feel like a Christmas movie.”

Wanting a villain tough enough to face-off against David Harbour’s jaded Santa in the Christmas action comedy Violent Night , producer David Leitch looked no further than comic veteran John Leguizamo. Words Gill Pringle H aving already demonstrated his ability to whip between evil and funny in two John YOU BETTER WATCH OUT!

recalls. “My initial response was, ‘What are you talking about?’ But then the filmmakers called me up and told me the general idea, and it sounded so hilarious, fresh and different. “When they sent me the script, I got really into it but, in my mind, it was still a big risk because it was like two movies smashed into one. That’s what was so unique about it. “So, when I started the script, I didn’t think it could work, but by the end, I was choked up and thought it was really beautiful. It was a great script that we made better as we got into it,” adds Harbour, whose surly Santa is at a crossroads. Suffering an existential crisis, he’s lost his Christmas spirit,

ready to hang up his boots in the belief that Christmas has been overtaken by consumerism and greed. Then he comes down the chimney of this besieged mansion and realises a little girl and her family are in danger. We soon learn that, before Santa donned the jolly red suit and hitched up the reindeer, he had a very different life, a history that’s about to make him the ideal protector for this exact moment. “Santa was a greedy, violent Norwegian Viking who travelled the Scandinavian countries in

Wick movies, David Leitch knew John Leguizamo would bring both the merry and the menace to his merciless mercenary, code-named Scrooge. Better yet, Leguizamo is a legendary improviser, credited for adding his own memorable lines to Violent Night , cracking up the cast as he reworked the script. “Mine were like ‘Bah humbug motherf–er’, and the song ‘Violent Night, Gory Night…’,” Leguizamo tells STACK . Portraying the leader of a gang of robbers who break into a wealthy family's compound on Christmas

David Harbour and John Leguizamo

search of treasure, killing anyone who got in his way,” explains Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola. “But when we meet him in the film, he hasn’t thought about that life or been close to that life for hundreds of years, but over the course of the events of the film, he’s forced to put some of his skills from the past into practice.” One thing is certain – you don’t want to get on the wrong side of this badass Santa!

“You can't just jump out there and do these things, so I was training six hours a day with JoJo, doing the big fight scene over and over again till I look like a real assassin – and David, is 6’ 3” and younger than me, and he gained like 100 pounds for the role. “So I asked JoJo, ‘Make me look better than him, because it's not going to be easy to fight the big guy’,” he laughs. Fresh from his success in the Stranger Things series, Harbour was initially unsure about the role. “I first heard the pitch from my agent, who told me, ‘It’s a violent Santa Claus movie,’” he

Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, Scrooge’s team is unprepared for a formidable festive foe – a Santa Claus who handily demonstrates why this Nick is no saint. At 5’ 8”, Leguizamo immediately knew he’d need to get into fighting shape if he was going to prove a worthy adversary to David Harbour’s hulking Santa. “David Leitch is one of the great stunt coordinators, directors and producers of all time, especially of action movies. And he hired one of the greatest stunt coordinators, Jonathan ‘JoJo’ Eusebio, and we worked meticulously for a month before we shot,” says Leguizamo.

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CINEMA FEATURE

SHAWN SINGS For Shawn Mendes, bringing the crocodile to vocal life was easy, describing the loveable croc as a character driven by love. “He just wants to have a family, a home, and feel connected to people, and love is the reason I sing, too. I sing when I feel comfortable, when I feel accepted. I relate to him a lot,” says Mendes. “Although hearing your own voice come out of an animated crocodile can be a bit of an out of-body experience,” he laughs.

became the biggest Shawn fan ever after he started to listen to his entire library. His kids shamed him about who Shawn was, and so by the time they met, they were so versed in each other. Shawn was really excited to meet Javier, but Javier was like a super fan out of nowhere!” An old-fashioned musical, the story revolves around the Primm family, who move to New York where their young son, Josh, struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. But everything changes when Josh discovers Lyle – a singing crocodile who loves baths, caviar and

STACK chats with the directors of the snappy new musical comedy, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile . Words Gill Pringle

great music – living in the attic of their new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbour Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), the Primms must band together with Lyle’s owner, Hector, to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places – and there’s nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality. “Javier actually started his career in musicals and also was a comedian early on, so he's able to do all these moves and these flavours,

O ne of the more surreal moments in Javier Bardem’s Oscar winning career must surely be performing a show tune with an animated green crocodile. So much so, it took six meetings before he agreed to dip his toes into this sweet, snappy comedy, starring pop singer Shawn Mendes as the voice behind the eponymous singing croc. Based on the best-selling book series by Bernard Waber, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile stars

Bardem as down-on-his-luck showman Hector P. Valenti, alongside Constance Wu and Scoot McNairy as Mr. and Mrs. Primm, and Winslow Fegley as their son. “I think Javier was concerned that he didn't want to have to be the funniest thing in every

but he hadn't done those in a long time. And I think he was interested in showing the world this other side of himself. He's a family person. He's very warm, very funny, and also very musical,” says co-director Josh Gordon. And there’s no better way to make a musical distinctive than to call upon the songwriting talents of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar, Tony and Grammy Award-winning songwriters behind La La Land and The Greatest Showman . “They're doing something that really hasn't been in the movies for a while, which is to write towering new works for the movies of musical theatre, and bringing music into movies in a unique, specific way,” says Speck.

scene,” says Will Speck, who co-directed this delicious confection with Josh Gordon. “We kept saying, ‘Actually, you're the centre of the movie, and the movie in many ways revolves around your heft’. And he is funny in the movie, but he's not an overtly comedic character. “That was the biggest challenge, but then Javier asked, ‘Who is Javier Bardem as Hector P. Valenti

Shawn Mendes?’ So we explained who he was, and he called home to Penelope [Cruz] and the kids and they went crazy because they love Shawn so much. “And then Javier

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is in cinemas from December 26

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IN DA HOUSE The Lannisters, Arryns and Starks are some of the familiar ruling houses during this period in Westerosi history, along with some powerful new Targaryen allies that were unseen in Game of Thrones . House Valeryon This wealthy seafaring house rules the island of Driftmark and is led by Corlys Velaryon (played by Steve Toussaint) – aka the Sea Snake – who commands a formidable navy and is married to Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best).

How do you follow up a global phenomenon like Game of Thrones ?With an equally complex and epic prequel series called House of the Dragon . Let’s take a look at how it stacks up against its mighty parent show. Words Scott Hocking FIRE AND BLOOD

House Hightower This old and noble house favours trade over warfare. Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) is Hand to King Viserys I and his daughter is Queen Alicent (Emily Carey), whose son Aegon is one of the rightful heirs to the Iron Throne.

A Game of Thrones spin-off series was inevitable. Possibilities were already being pitched at HBO back in 2015, with the green light given in late 2019 for a prequel series based on author George R.R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood . But unlike the multi-novel series that spawned GoT , this doorstop-sized single volume is written in the style of a textbook, detailing the history of House Targaryen in the fantasy realm of Westeros. And the good news is there’s plenty of material to be mined for multiple seasons of the new GoT prequel series, House of the Dragon . These platinum blonde dragon riders were one of the most incendiary (in both senses of the word) houses in Westeros, and HotD charts the beginning of their downfall. Set almost 200 years prior to the events of GoT , the first season chronicles the events that will ultimately lead to a civil war known as the

‘Dance of the Dragons’. King Viserys I (nicely played by Paddy Considine) sits on the Iron Throne, and once again it’s a hotly contested seat. The primary theme here is succession, and the king’s bold decision to name his daughter, the Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), as his heir – the first woman to receive the honour – can only result in, you guessed it, fire and blood. Those who have never watched an episode of GoT can comfortably dive into this independent spin-off, while longtime fans will enjoy all the connections and Easter eggs that are scattered throughout the ten episodes. It’s worth noting, however, that with the focus on House Targaryen, all those blonde wigs and similar character names might have

see new actors playing some of the younger regulars. And where GoT didn’t hold back in its depiction of graphic violence, HoTD is a little more restrained, which is good news for squeamish viewers. That’s not to say that there aren’t a few jaw-dropping gruesome moments, however, including several very bloody birth scenes. There’s a lot to take in, and a lot to like about

you struggling at first to sort Rhaenyra from Rhaenys and Aemond from Aegon. While it’s difficult not to immediately compare HotD to GoT , diehard devotees will enjoy it a whole lot more by putting comparisons aside and accepting that this Dragon is a different beast. There’s no despicable villain like Joffrey or Ramsay to hiss at, and while Matt Smith’s ‘Rogue Prince’ Daemon Targaryen fills this role at first, you’ll soon find yourself rooting for him. And with the events of the first season spanning a time period of about two decades, expect to suddenly

House of the Dragon once it gets going. Welcoming fans back to familiar landmarks like King’s Landing and Dragonstone, and introducing newcomers to the fantasy world-building genius of George R. R. Martin, it’s a worthy successor steeped in the kind of conflict, betrayal and politicking that made Game of Thrones so gripping.

• House of the Dragon : S1 is out on Dec 21

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immediately hit the brakes and called his estate. I told them what I was interested in doing, and they pretty much handed me the keys and said, ‘good luck’.” Access to Bowie's personal archives – let alone unlimited access – is an incredible privilege. Since his death in 2016, his family have rejected numerous offers to adapt his story. With this in mind, we ask Morgen what ground rules were established? “The only

DID YOU KNOW? Brett Morgen spent four years

assembling Moonage Daydream and another 18 months designing the soundscape, animations and colour palette. Bowie’s long-time collaborator, friend, and music producer Tony Visconti and Academy Award-winning sound mixer Paul Massey ( Bohemian Rhapsody ) remixed and translated Bowie’s original stems for presentation in Dolby Atmos, 7.1 and 5.1 audio.

thing I was told during the initial meeting was that David was not here to authorise the film. So it was never going to be David Bowie on David Bowie, it would always be Brett Morgen on David Bowie. And I needed to embrace that. But that was it. Those were the only instructions I was given.” The result is a movie that demands the viewer's presence more so than their attention. Moonage Daydream presents a kaleidoscopic journey of sight and sound, with colours and musings splashed across the screen in a chaotic yet keenly orchestrated fashion. It’s not so much a step-by-step account of Bowie's life, but rather an explosion of the man's emotions as expressed by Bowie himself through countless narrations, interviews and personal journals he had recorded over the decades. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the film is how it exposes the man behind the myth, whose own insecurities inform a new perspective. And, in turn, it holds a mirror to the viewer and lets them relate to an icon like no movie has done before. “The idea of the film, and the idea of Bowie, is that unlike most artists, Bowie consciously presented himself as a mirror to reflect back to us ideas and thoughts about our own lives,” explains Morgen. “Like, Bowie doesn't exist per se. It's

STACK chats with documentary filmmaker Brett Morgen about his new feature Moonage Daydream , a cinematic musical odyssey of David Bowie. Words Glenn Cochrane

Now, with the proverbial keys to the Bowie vault, he has created the ultimate interpretation of the British singer-songwriter. “This is the first film I have spearheaded from the beginning,” Morgen tells STACK . “Before I knew I was doing a film on David Bowie, I had created this form that I had wanted to explore called the IMAX Music Experience. “The idea was that I would make a series of films based on some of the biggest acts in the world – acts that are so well known that we don't need their biography.” Beginning with Bowie, Morgen’s intentions are to create cinematic

“Don't you wonder sometimes about sound and vision?” Those immortal David Bowie lyrics ring true in Moonage Daydream , the new musical odyssey that explores the legend of the late, great music icon, and the first film to be fully sanctioned by his family. Documentary filmmaker Brett Morgen has made a name for himself with award-winning features like The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002), about the life and times of Hollywood producer Bob Evans, and Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015), which took a deep dive into the life of Kurt Cobain.

spaces to experience and appreciate the subject’s art in a way that is both overwhelming and intimate. In the case of Moonage Daydream , the result is a prodigious sensory overload, and Morgen explains why he chose Bowie for this first venture into this new concept. “I was going down the road with several artists when Bowie passed, and I

a canvas, and the film embraced that and is

designed so that it's not a film about David Jones, who was born on January 8, 1947. It's a film about you, the viewer. “And one can say this about any art, but this piece of art was consciously constructed to be a biography about you, not David Jones.”

• Moonage Daydream is out on Dec 7

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On working with director Paul Verhoeven “Paul Verhoeven was really a mentor to me; we had the same world view,” says Tippett. “We would talk philosophically and considered ourselves as existential Buddhists,” he adds whimsically. “I like where Paul’s mind went. He’s an artist and he doesn’t care if his films make money, and they’re all one of a kind. Starship Troopers , I had the most fun on that, and RoboCop .”

STACK chats with special effects master Phil Tippett about his long-gestating dream project, the experimental and nightmarish animated film Mad God . Words Glenn Cochrane I f you’ve seen Jurassic Park , RoboCop , Starship Troopers or (ahem) Star Wars , then you’ll be familiar with the work of special effects wizard Phil Tippett, the man whose stop motion animation raised the bar within the film industry and set a new standard. In 1980, Tippett created a new technology production process. This magnum opus is a nightmarish vision – a stop motion odyssey devoid of dialogue and abundant in horrors. STACK caught up with Tippett and picked his brain about Mad God in an attempt to wrap our own feeble minds around his gluttony for the grotesque.

StarshipTroopers

the 20-year evolution, Tippett sheds further light on why it took so long. “The computer graphic revolution hit and that occupied all of my time. I had to go to production meetings and be on the set, and then had lengthy post-production times [on many projects]. But in the evenings or on the weekends, or if I was on location, I would draw storyboards and creature designs. “I did that for 20 years along with reading Freud, Jung, and Milton and Dante,” he adds with a wry smile, “and books on archaeology, palaeontology and human evolution.” Such influences are undeniable, with the world of Mad God being one of hellish fire and brimstone that’s occupied by mutants and other ghastly creatures. Telling the story of an assassin descending upon a city in a state of decay, Tippett’s fantasy is a tapestry of the macabre. Grotesque alchemy abounds at every turn, and in place of a comprehensive narrative is an overall expression. The film is a mood piece and a series of thoughts, some biblical and others philosophical. On this, Tippett is amused at the different responses that the film has garnered from around the world. “There’s definitely a religious side to it, but it’s definitely not Christian. And many – if not most – of the European interviewers were really aware of the biblical context. They noticed Dante and Milton, but in the United States that never happens,” adding with a laugh, “we’re not educated over here.”

called Go-Motion – an evolution of stop motion – that incorporates motion blur into the animation, giving the images fluidity and a greater augmentation with the live action surrounding them. The first example of this method was in The Empire Strikes Back , and it’s a technique that has been used in countless films since. The arrival of CGI in the 1990s sawTippett’s career shift from the craft he held close to his heart into a new era of digital animation, with films like Jurassic Park , Tremors and Starship Troopers adding to his long list of credits. His latest film is Mad God , a labour of love, which arrives after a long and arduous 30-year

When we offer the compliment that Mad God was brain food to us, his response is swift and puckish: “I think you mean brain DAMAGED food!” Casting his mind back to the late ’80s, Tippett explains how the seed of the film first came to him, and what led to it being a decades-long endeavour. “It was 1987 after we finished RoboCop 2 that we started, but it all began before that, years earlier, when I was trying to figure out a movie to make. “What I ended up with was kind of like a Mobius or Richard Corbin kind of a thing, and at the end of

the day, I just didn’t like it. So I started working on this thing that I didn’t know what it was, doing drawings and watercolours. Then eventually, after we shot about three minutes worth, it turned into 20 years.” From those initial concept drawings to

• Mad God is out on Dec 7

16 DECEMBER 2022

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FUN FACTS Smile is the most successful horror film of 2022 to date, having grossed US$210 million at the global box office. The movie is based on Parker Finn’s 2020 short film, Laura Hasn’t Slept . Its star, Caitlin Stasey, also appears in Smile . Smile was originally titled “Something’s Wrong with Rose”.

scary movie fan, so I gained an appreciation for them early on, and I still like them a lot,” she says. While Gallner insists that nothing truly spooky happened on Smile ’s New Jersey set – beyond all the gore and special effects – he does recall being scared out of his wits while making The Haunting in Connecticut with Virginia Madsen some 13 years ago. ”We were all staying in a super haunted hotel in Connecticut, and a lot of weird stuff happened to me in that hotel,” he recalls. ”Like, one night I was asleep and jumped up out of bed because the room got super cold and I felt somebody slide up against my body. Or I was lying down, and I could feel something just go underneath the bed. ”Another time I thought my phone rang and I picked it up and said hello. And then I heard ‘hello' off in a different part of my room, and there was nobody actually on my phone,” he adds. Oddly enough, Gallner says he never went screaming down to the hotel lobby. ”I know it sounds crazy, but it

Veronica Mars and Smallville stalwart Kyle Gallner certainly had the grin wiped off his face when starring in Parker Finn’s chilling psychological horror film, Smile . Words Gill Pringle ”A ll horror films can be gruelling, although Sosie did the hardest work,”

Kyle Gallner tells STACK , referring to his Smile co-star Sosie Bacon, the daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick. Bacon plays therapist Dr. Rose Cotter, who, after witnessing the bizarre suicide of a patient, goes through increasingly disturbing and daunting experiences, leading her to believe that she's experiencing something supernatural. ”Sosie was put through the

never felt hostile. It felt more like whatever was there just wanted to be noticed. I was so tired and beat from filming every day that I would walk into my hotel room at night and just be like, 'I need to sleep, please just leave me alone tonight’. And then nothing would happen, or it would stop." A lifelong horror fan, Smile director Parker Finn believes one of the prerequisites of the genre is characters worth caring about. ”The scariest movies are the ones that work first as dramatic stories, so my goal was to create a great lead character – because if you’re invested in her, you’ll be invested in her plight,” he explains. ”Then you can start layering in shocking moments that strike at the core of what the audience is afraid of, and find ways to pull the rug out from under them and subvert their expectations in terrifying ways.”

wringer on this movie, and she worked her butt off. I kind of just popped in and out and had fun hanging out with her,” says Gallner, who plays a sceptical police detective and Dr. Cotter’s former boyfriend. While Bacon received acclaim for her supporting roles in TV series Mare of Easttown and 13 Reasons Why , Smile represents the biggest role of her career to date. ”Truthfully, I wasn’t fully aware of how much this part would wear on me when I began the movie,” she says. ”It’s physically demanding, because your body doesn’t understand the difference between acting and real life. But honestly, I don’t know that anything can prepare you for an experience like Smile .”

Sosie Bacon and Kyle Gallner

Bacon describes the movie as an intense psychological horror film told through the eyes of a character that you can’t help but root for. ”I play a woman who’s been coping with a lot of pain in her life, and after witnessing a violent incident at work, she’s forced to confront a supernatural threat that fixates on her. It’s visually striking and it will absolutely freak you out!” Cinematic terror is something of a family business for Bacon, her father having appeared in several iconic genre films including Stir of Echoes , Flatliners , and Friday the 13th . ”My dad is a big

• Smile is out on Dec 14

18 DECEMBER 2022

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OUT 14 DEC

The world’s biggest dance film on 4K, in a brand new SteelBook and 3D lenticular hardcase, to celebrate the 35th Anniversary! 2000 copies only.

4K & Blu-ray SteelBook, housed in a 3D lenticular hardcase and featuring a special 44 page collector’s booklet. 2000 copies only.

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OUT 7 DEC

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Finally on 4K! INCLUDES BOTH THEATRICAL AND EXTENDED VERSIONS. The soul-stirring comedy classic starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd , with Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Cab Calloway .

Australian first on 4K featuring an iconic Grammy Award winning soundtrack: Elton John, Davie Bowie and Simon & Garfunkel .

On DVD in Australia for the first time! All 3 films of the mystery series starring Danica McKellar and Victor Webster .

Real-life couple Alexa PenaVega and Carlos PenaVega team up for 3 thrilling mysteries!

OUT 7 DEC

OUT 7 DEC

OUT 7 DEC

OUT 7 DEC

Based on the book of the same name by Roberto Saviano! Includes the prequel film ‘The Immortal’.

The hit Hallmark series comes together in one 15-disc Definitive Edition set! Includes every episode and TV film.

All 104 episodes of the sixth and final year together for the first time ever on DVD! Featuring Rowena Wallace’s return to the series.

Based on the bestselling mystery novel series from author Charlaine Harris , starring Candace Cameron Bure.

MOVIE FEATURE

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SPOOK HOUSE The young cast describes location filming as being every bit as creepy as the events in the movie. “The house was very much alive with insects and rodents, with actual weather conditions outside of the ones we were creating. And it was freezing,” recalls Myha’la Herrold. “It was good though – perfect for the movie.” “There was also a miniature train set in the basement, which was weird,” adds Maria Bakalova. “And none of the bathrooms worked!”

KILLER PARTY

present yourself online in this specific way. And the result is that we don't have relationships that are as deep or as meaningful, or maybe are based upon a sort of judgement,” she adds. “So this story is really about a group of people whose relationships function that way and, when sh–t hits the fan, they don't have much to lean back on because they haven't learned the skill of actually cultivating meaningful relationships.” At the centre of the story is Pete Davidson’s David, the cocky host whose absent parents own the McMansion where the bacchanalian gathering plays out. "David has the use of this big house, and his friends don’t really like him – they just use him for the party pad,” says Davidson. “As the night goes on, his relationship with his sweet but very confused girlfriend becomes increasingly volatile.” As the lone 40-something in this youthful group, Lee Pace is sanguine. "Well, I don't think a movie is gonna get people to put down their cell phones, but it maybe will give them a little bit of perspective with how much they look at their phones,” he argues. “I really hope people have a good time. The satire elements of this movie when it comes to Gen Z are, I think, really intended to say, let's all have laugh at ourselves a little bit. I think a really good way to land a message is to laugh together.” “I was interested in the dynamic

Gen Z is under attack in the quirky horror comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies . STACK caught up with director Halina Reijn and the cast. Words Gill Pringle

W hen a group of rich 20-somethings plan a boozy hurricane party at a remote family mansion, what could possibly go wrong? Set over a 24-hour period, on a dark and stormy night these bored, privileged and totally incompatible friends play a party game called ‘Bodies, Bodies, Bodies’ – a twisty take on Murder in the Dark – resulting in bloody consequences. A fresh and funny look at backstabbing and fake friends, Dutch director Halina Reijn brings new blood to the Gen Z market with her horror-comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies , starring Pete Davidson, Amandla Stenberg, Lee Pace, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, and Rachel Sennott. “I wanted to create something about human behaviour and toxic love,” Reijn says of her darkly comedic take on a social media obsessed youth. “Because of all those screens we live with now, we’re afraid of intimacy, too, and we’re not really in the moment and we’re not looking at what’s going on. So, this film might be seen as a cautionary tale of what will happen if you don’t stop to reflect,” adds the director whose slasher flick marks her English-language film debut.

Already a spokesperson for her generation, actor-activist Amandla Stenberg immediately responded to the film's satirical stance. “I think the movie is relevant because it speaks to these issues in a very authentic way,” she says. “The specific culture that we're living in now, which is a new culture; a new culture of internalising an immense amount of information very quickly, of constructing our relationships through the lens of social media, of having our entire lives dictated by this new kind of social order that no rules exist for yet. “And so this leads to elements of our culture that are run rampant. You know, the culture of accountability, which has turned into cancel culture; the culture of feeling like you have to

of this friend group because it examines the way people stay in toxic friendships,” says Rachel Sennott. “They hold stuff down until everything surfaces with a vengeance. The writing felt very true to my generation.”

False and fickle, viewers will have no problem relishing this

crowd’s comeuppance as the party descends into paranoia, hysteria and bloodshed, and the bodies, bodies, bodies pile up.

• Bodies Bodies Bodies is out on Dec 7

20 DECEMBER 2022

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TR IUMPH RELIVE THE

EVERY MARK, EVERY GOAL, EVERY HIGHLIGHT. A MUST-HAVE FOR EVERY GEELONG CATS SUPPORTER. 2022 PREMIERS

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A Sam Peckinpah classic leads this month's Blu-ray bundle, and Imprint enters the 4K arena with an old favourite. Words Bob Jones & Scott Hocking

firmly establish the intimate and implicit bond of the two friends' relationship. However, the next scene – shot in slow motion – delivers a shock. Hansen suddenly turns rogue, casually killing their political refugee and then betraying Locken by shooting him in the knee and elbow, virtually maiming him as he calmly declares, "You have just been retired Mike, enjoy it.” ComTeg chiefs' initial reaction is fairly cold hearted; simply offering Mike a retirement plan. He swiftly turns it down, determined instead to return to the organisation and bring in his double-crossing former partner. But first Locken faces months of painful physical rehabilitation, undertaking rigorous training via martial arts and jogging to regain the special skills he once commanded, and learning to wield a walking cane as a lethal weapon. He eventually aligns himself with two former ComTeg employees – the seriously messed up "psycho" gunman Jerome Miller (played by the brilliant Bo Hopkins), and Mac (Burt Young) as their wheelman. Locken and his new team now set out to track down Hansen, only to find that betrayal and treachery extends much further than just his ex-partner. Peckinpah was strictly forbidden by the studio producers to make any changes whatsoever to the script, which naturally infuriated him. This resulted in a few scenes that could have been better paced and just seem to lack Sam's sardonic humour. But the main action set pieces – a Chinatown shootout, a dockland siege, and the excellent US Navy ship graveyard finale – are amongst the best Peckinpah ever shot. His fast cutting and slow motion montages of sword wielding ninjas falling from great heights are further glimpses of the director’s unconventional genius, which makes The Killer Elite essential viewing for his multitude of fans. Imprint brings The Killer Elite to Blu-ray in a deluxe limited two-disc hardbox edition that includes both the Original Version and Alternative Theatrical Cut, along with a wealth of bonus content: audio commentaries, interviews, featurettes, and image galleries. Bob J

The Killer Elite (1975)

F ollowing the critical and box-office failures of both Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974), director Sam Peckinpah desperately needed a hit to get his career back on track. It was United Artists who offered him an espionage potboiler with umpteen shootouts, a high body count, and various interesting characters. Titled The Killer Elite , the movie is essentially a political thriller that exploited the post Watergate climate when the American population became extremely suspicious of their government and the CIA. The movie features a first-rate cast headed by James Caan and Robert Duvall, who portray elite contract assassins Mike Locken and George Hansen, respectively. They both work for ComTeg, a privately run secret service based in San Francisco, which undertakes the black ops that the CIA won’t touch.

The explosive opening scene – in which they destroy a building as they escort one of their political charges to safety – is pure Peckinpah, with critically revered subsequent scenes that

22 DECEMBER 2022

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FEATURE MOVIE

THEWAR OFTHEWORLDS (1953) – 4K UHD Imprint revisits their inaugural release from 2020 for the label's very first 4K UHD + Blu-ray steelbook, which comes beautifully packaged in a 3D lenticular hardcase along with a

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED (1975)

BURN! (1969) In this powerful tale of

colonialism and insurrection, Marlon Brando plays a British mercenary who is sent to incite a slave rebellion on a Caribbean island under

Based on author Jack Higgins' best-selling novel, this thrilling World War II adventure features an all-star cast including Michael Caine, Robert Duvall,

Portuguese rule. This two-disc set includes both the English Export Cut and Restored Director's Version (in Italian with English subtitles), plus a new audio commentary, video essay, interview, and featurette.

44-page collector's booklet. Featuring a 4K scan from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, this '50s sci-fi masterpiece has never looked and sounded so good! Available Dec 14

Donald Pleasance, and Jenny Agutter. This two-disc edition presents the Original Theatrical and Extended Version of the film, along with all-new and vintage bonus material.

FEAR ISTHE KEY (1972)

PORK CHOP HILL (1959)

A RAGETO LIVE (1965) Suzanne Pleshette delivers a knockout performance as an amorous heiress, whose promiscuous behaviour threatens to ruin the reputation of her influential

When his family is killed in a plane crash, an underwater salvage expert (Barry Newman) conceives an elaborate scheme to bring those responsible to justice. Based on the best-seller

Based on historical events during the Korean War in 1953, Gregory Peck stars as a US lieutenant on a mission to recapture the title location from Chinese forces. Extras include a new audio

by Alistair MacLean, this cracking thriller makes its worldwide Blu-ray debut from a 4K scan in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

commentary by film historians Steven Jay Rubin and Steve Mitchell, and the 1988 documentary Gregory Peck: His Own Man .

family. Extras include a new audio commentary and an interview with film historian Neil Sinyard on the career of Suzanne Pleshette.

• The new Imprint range is out on December 28 for a limited time only (while stocks last)

21

MOVIES & TV SHOWS OUT THIS MONTH DECEMBER MOVIES & TV PREVIEWS visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK Resembling a collision of Kung Fu Panda and the classic Underdog series, Samuel L. Jackson voices a faded samurai

DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS This one's from the local animation team at Animal Logic and boasts a super voice cast that includes Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate

roped into training the titular hound (Michael Cera), who must defend a town full of cats against a ruthless villain. There’s just one problem… cats hate dogs! Listen up for Ricky Gervais, Mel Brooks, George Takei

McKinnon, and Keanu Reeves (as Batman!). When Superman and the Justice League are kidnapped, it’s up to the Man of Steel’s pooch, Krypto, to mount a rescue mission. But first he must convince a shelter

and Michelle Yeoh amongst the killer voice cast.

pack to master their own newfound super-powers.

ANIMATED

7/12/22

ANIMATED

7/12/22

FALL In this white-knuckle thriller, two female thrillseekers find themselves stranded atop a decommissioned TV antenna in the middle of the Californian desert, after the rickety ladder gives

AMSTERDAM Director David O. Russell's star-powered whodunit presents an offbeat interpretation of the very real ‘Business Plot’ political

scandal of 1933 – a scheme to overthrow President Franklin Roosevelt and install a dictator. Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington play three friends who must evade an assortment of hitmen to prove a conspiracy is afoot.

way. What follows is a tense and effective survival thriller that taps into the primal fear of heights and mercilessly manipulates viewers' agoraphobic anxieties. Hold on to the edge of your seat!

THRILLER

7/12/22

DRAMA

7/12/22

HALO: SEASON 1 The United Nations Space Command is at war with the sinister alien Covenant, and an ancient artifact could hold the key

BETTER CALL SAUL: SEASON 6 The Breaking Bad spin-off that's every bit as good as its predecessor finally comes to a close, filling in the missing links between Bob

to humanity's survival – or its destruction. Based on the phenomenal video game franchise,

Odenkirk’s Jimmy McGill, Saul Goodman, and Gene Takovic. The stakes are high, with a scam to humiliate Howard Hamlin and a vengeful Lalo Salamanca on the loose. Will Gene's real identity be discovered, and what will happen to Kim? Must-see TV!

this big budget TV adaptation exists separate from the games' timeline and is a cracking space opera that will thrill both gamers and sci-fi fans alike.

TV SCI-FI

7/12/22

TV DRAMA

7/12/22

STAR TREK DISCOVERY: SEASON 4 Following a time jump to the 32nd century and a somewhat lacklustre third season, Discovery gets back up to warp speed with a thrilling return that feels like traditional Trek. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green)

DOCTOR WHO: THE POWER OF THE DOCTOR Following a polarising period in the TARDIS, 13th Doctor Jodie Whittaker bows out in spectacular style in a feature-length special

episode that pits her against the Master, Daleks, and Cybermen. This nostalgic tribute to the series'

is in the captain's chair as the Federation faces a unique and deadly new alien threat – Species 10-C – with the destruction of Earth on its agenda.

long history also packs in past companions and Doctors, as well as a major surprise at the end that will leave Whovians excited for who comes next...

TV SCI-FI

7/12/22

TV SCI-FI

7/12/22

CROC! Crocodiles aren't native to England, but that hasn't stopped the makers of this barmy British creature feature from letting one loose

THE LAST MANHUNT Jason Momoa produces, co-writes and stars in this period western adventure based on the tragic true story of an outlaw named Willie Boy. When Willie (Martin Sensmeier)

to terrorise a wedding at a rural estate in Hampshire. If that's not reason alone to check out Croc! , this schlockbuster moves at a brisk pace with the CGI reptile kept well fed. It's enormous fun and fully

accidentally shoots and kills the father of his Native American girlfriend, the two lovers flee into the Mojave Desert where they are pursued by an armed posse and Momoa's fearsome bounty hunter.

deserving of that exclamation mark in the title!

HORROR

14/12/22

WESTERN

7/12/22

24 DECEMBER 2022

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