STACK #124 Feb 2016

DVD&BD

REVIEWS

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12 years in the making. BOYHOOD

Family law. THE JUDGE

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Release Date: 26/02/15

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Release Date: 11/02/15

DRAMA

Watching a character grow up on screen is not uncommon on television, whether it be soap operas or long-form dramas like Mad Men or The Sopranos . But it’s not something that would seem to be possible for a feature film… until now. The new film from indie icon Richard Linklater ( Dazed & Confused ) was shot over a 12-year period and charts a young boy’s progress from a six-year- old to late adolescence. Ellar Coltrane is a revelation as the kid who literally comes of age on screen, and he is well supported by Linklater regular Ethan Hawke and Patricia

Robert Downey Jr. takes a break from big budget action heroics for this more intimate legal drama, the first from his new production company. He plays Hank Palmer, a brilliant but arrogant lawyer who reluctantly returns to his small-town family home for the funeral of his mother. Hank has long been estranged from his father Joseph (Robert Duvall), a flinty local judge who pretty much treats his kids as if they are appearing before him in the courtroom. When the judge is arrested for the hit and run killing of a recently released murderer he had sent to prison, Hank insists on

Arquette as his estranged parents; incidentally his sister is played by the director’s own daughter, Lorelei. By focusing on the ordinariness of life, Linklater has fashioned an enthralling and utterly believable family saga – forget reality TV, this is the real deal. • See page 44

representing him, but cannot understand why his father seems intent on sabotaging his defence. More a family drama than a legal thriller, The Judge will nevertheless go down a treat with John Grisham fans, with Downey Jr. and Duvall making for a formidable double act. • See page 46

Victorian horror story. PENNY DREADFUL: SEASON ONE

A touch of Frost. DOCTOR WHO: LAST CHRISTMAS

Release Date: 04/02/15

Release Date: 28/01/15

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TELEVISION

Calling a show Penny Dreadful (in homage to the British pulp publications of the 19th century) leaves it wide open to critics' double entendres should it fail to deliver. Fortunately this gothic horror series, created by screenwriter John Logan ( Gladiator , Skyfall ), will satisfy those looking for more high quality genre TV. The setting is Victorian London, where explorer Timothy Dalton is searching for his missing daughter with the assistance of a medium (Eva Green), an American gunslinger (Josh Hartnett) and a doctor named Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway). Vampires,

Peter Capaldi's first festive outing is one of the best Doctor Who Christmas specials in years – and surprisingly, the first time the Doctor has encountered Santa Claus (a perfectly cast Nick Frost) in the show's 50-plus years. Last Christmas is essentially a 'base under siege' episode (a Who staple), in which the Doctor and Clara arrive at an arctic outpost where the crew have uncovered something alien. It's also an uncharacteristically creepy Christmas special, borrowing from Alien , The Thing and A Nightmare on

demons and other classic horror characters make guest appearances. So if you're after a stylish series that combines elements of Supernatural and American Horror Story , with an adult approach, a quality cast and impeccable production design, then spend a penny on this one.

Elm Street , but the whimsical presence of the fat man and his elves ensures younger viewers won't be too spooked. Moreover, if you think Santa meeting the Doctor is a bit cheesy, his presence makes perfect sense once the central mystery is revealed. • See page 48

FEBRUARY 2015 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.com.au

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