STACK #139 May 2016

CINEMA REVIEWS

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ALSO SCREENING IN MAY

Apocalypse is the name of the very first mutant. It's also what this ancient, godlike being intends to bring upon the world. "Forget everything you think you know," Mystique tells her classmates, because school is out for the First Class, who must now prove worthy of the title X-Men. Younger versions of Storm, Cyclops, Angel and Nightcrawler join J.Law, Fassbender and a bald McAvoy on May 19 . X-MEN: APOCALYPSE

RELEASED: Now Showing DIRECTOR: Jeff Nichols CAST: Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst RATING: M

MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

S haring its title with the Lead Belly song, Midnight Special is the new film from indie auteur Jeff Nichols, who helmed the underrated Take Shelter (2011) and the overrated Mud (2012). You might recall that Creedence's cover of same song opened Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), which provides a good clue as to the nature of Nichols' latest – it's an homage to eighties' sci-fi films. This retro approach was recently seen in J.J. Abrams' Super 8 (2011), but where Abrams' film paid tribute to Joe Dante and Spielberg's E.T. , Nichols takes his cues from John Carpenter's Starman (1984) and Stephen King's Firestarter , or more specifically, road movies in which a preternaturally powered individual is pursued across the country by ruthless government agents, whilst attempting to reach a specific destination by a certain time. Midnight Special opens with what initially appears to be a child abduction, but is quickly revealed to be the liberation of eight-year-old Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) from a religious cult by his father (played by Nichols' regular Michael Shannon). The fundamentalists (who believe the boy to be a prophet) and the Feds begin a relentless pursuit of this strange child, who has an aversion to sunlight and the ability to send a satellite plummeting from orbit. It will take a father's profound love for his son, plus some help from a sympathetic NSA officer (Adam Driver), to enable Alton to fulfil his mysterious date with destiny. Nichols' films have always favoured family Retro sci-fi shines a light.

ties and a strong sense of Americana, and even with the genre twist, Midnight Special remains firmly entrenched in both. The focus is on the human element, with the special effects and sci-fi angle kept reasonably low key until a spectacular – and genuinely thrilling – final reveal. It's only a matter of time before Nichols is poached from the arthouse circuit to direct the next Star Wars or Jurassic sequel, and on the strength of Midnight Special that will probably be sooner rather than later. Scott Hocking

CINEMA

Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne's attempts to sell up are threatened by the arrival of Chloë Grace Moretz and her out of control sorority sisters. It's Zac Efron and his frat boys to the rescue on May 5 . BAD NEIGHBOURS 2

FURTHER VIEWING: Starman, Mud

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT

Is it too soon for a comedy like WTF? Tina Fey plays a war correspondent in Afghanistan, alongside Aussies Stephen Peacocke and Margot Robbie. Let's hope it's better than Rock the Kasbah . May 12 .

How exactly do you turn a smartphone gaming app into a feature film? Find out how – and why these birds are so angry – on April 7 . If this is a hit, can Candy Crush: The Movie be too far away? THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE

MAY 2016

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