STACK #139 May 2016

DVD & BD REVIEWS

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Black is back. ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK: SEASON 3

The truth is still out there. THE X-FILES: THE EVENT SERIES (2016)

Release Date: 18/05/16

Release Date: 25/05/16

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Initially pretty much the story of one privileged white chick and the horrors she faced upon landing in prison, Orange Is the New Black has since shifted its focus. Sure, Piper still pops up, now very much at home with the ways of what goes on within Litchfield Penitentiary’s walls, but there’s much more insight into the lives – both current and past – of the numerous other inmates we’ve met over the past two seasons. The third season features everything from the return of Piper’s ex, Alex, and Officer Bennett's dealing with his baby mama

The long awaited return of The X-Files kicks off in traditional style with a convoluted twist on the show's overriding mythology involving alien abductions and government conspiracies. Fortunately the mythos arc merely bookends the six episodes that comprise this "Event Series" (or more appropriately, Season X), allowing for some nostalgia-laden standalone stories like the brilliant Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-Monster , as well as mutant children and a creepy creation known as 'Trashman'. Creator Chris Carter is back at the helm

Daya, to the possibility that Litchfield will close, and the birth of a new enterprise involving used inmate intimates (eww!) Plus, of course, the usual dramas with drugs, fights, breakups, hook-ups and, erm, one prisoner’s knack for penning erotic sci-fi fiction. AF

along with many of the original writers and directors, while David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson slip back into their signature roles as though they've never been away. It may be too short a season, but a cliffhanger finale suggests the truth is still out there. More please! SH

TALES OF HALLOWEEN

KRAMPUS

MISCONDUCT

EXTRACTION

DVD&BD

Release Date: 11/05/16 Format:

Release Date: 05/05/16 Format:

Release Date: 04/05/16 Format:

Release Date: 04/05/16 Format:

This jam-packed horror anthology, featuring ten tales by eleven directors, is less scattershot than The ABCs of Death , but some of the segments still whiz by before they really have a chance to properly register. There's a lot to fit into 90 minutes. Neil Marshall's Bad Seed , involving a carnivorous jack-o'-lantern, and Dave Parker's Sweet Tooth are among the gory highlights you'll want to revisit. Other treats on offer for horror fans include numerous in-jokes and cameos from genre stars and filmmakers, including the welcome return of Adrienne Barbeau's DJ from The Fog . SH

You better watch out! Santa Claws is coming to town in this Christmas-themed scarefest that evokes the festive mayhem of Gremlins . When a young boy loses belief in the spirit of Christmas and rips up his letter to Santa, the fat guy's dark shadow – a demon known as Krampus – shows up, freezing the neighbourhood with a blizzard from hell and terrorising Toni Collette and Adam Scott). Featuring a memorable monster, sinister elves, demonic toys, and some terrific production design, Krampus is an early Christmas present for horror fans. SH the kid and his squabbling extended family (including

Anthony Hopkins represents the evil tendrils of big pharma in this law-soaked dramatic thriller. What, the presence of Sir Tone in dastardly unscrupulous mode isn’t enough for you?! Well, Josh Duhamel plays a young lawyer who gets caught up in drama between Hopkins’ (prescription) drug lord and one of the partners of his law firm, Al Pacino. Yes, that Al Pacino. Anyway, add the kidnapping of Hopkins’ trophy girlfriend, after she leaks some sensitive info to an ex (who happens to be our boy Josh), and the film noir- inspired scene is set for many an intriguing twist and turn. AF

Bruce Willis ventures into the exciting world of dentistry. OK, he doesn’t. Instead he dons his John McClane action vest once more, playing second fiddle to a not-so- action guy in Twilight ’s Kellan Lutz. Is he being groomed to take over the iconic white singlet? Anyway, Lutz is CIA operative Harry, who’s been rather coddled by his dad, also a CIA operative, who, you guessed it, is Bruce. But when the latter goes missing, daddy can’t object to him hitting the field, so Harry hops it from Prague back home to New Jersey, hoping to solve the mystery. Even if he’s not the star, a BDAF (Big Dumb Action Flick) with Bruce is always entertaining. Check it out. AF

MAY 2016

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