STACK #161 Mar 2018

DVD & BD REVIEWS

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Everyone is a suspect. MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Is your heart in the right place? THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER

Format:

Release Date: 21/03/18

Format:

Release Date: 21/03/18

First published in 1934, Murder on the Orient Express is one of the most popular works from the grand Dame of crime fiction, Agatha Christie. Previously adapted in 1974 by Sidney Lumet, this labyrinthine tale of mystery and murder aboard a luxury train has been reimagined by Kenneth Branagh for a modern audience. He also plays Belgian super sleuth Hercule Poirot, who must solve the mystery of how an American art dealer was stabbed to death in a locked cabin. With only a handful of clues and over a dozen suspects, Poirot's incredible powers of deduction are put to

Colin Farrell plays cardiologist Steven Murphy, whose wife (Nicole Kidman at her frosty best) and children are unaware of his association with an intense teenager named Martin (Barry Keoghan). Although not sexual, the relationship between the two is disturbing, and when the true nature of their bond is revealed, it will have a devastating impact on Steven’s family. Those who have seen The Lobster will already know that Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has the ability to make the absurd feel disconcerting. His signature use of stilted dialogue, deadpan performances

the test. Branagh’s take on this classic whodunit is wonderfully cinematic and delighfully old fashioned, featuring the kind of starry cast that populated the Christie films of the '70s and '80s. Suspects include Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer and Willem Dafoe. And yes, there is butler! SH

and frank sexuality conjures a mounting sense of unease that often teeters into black comedy. Sharing the cold, formal style of Under the Skin and Eyes Wide Shut , this meditation on guilt, atonement and sacrifice is a bizarre and brilliant nightmare that will restore your faith in filmmaking as an art form. SH

ONLY THE BRAVE

THE RECALL

BETTER WATCH OUT

AMITYVILLE: THE AWAKENING

Release Date: 07/03/18 Format:

Release Date: 14/03/18 Format:

Release Date: 28/03/18 Format:

Release Date: 07/03/18 Format:

A stirring account of the real-life heroes who put their lives on the line battling wildfires, Only the Brave is a disaster movie with a dramatic edge that's analogous to a combat film. The Granite Mountain Hotshots are an elite team of Arizona firefighters who are stationed on the front line and engaging the fire directly. After a rundown of the recruitment and training process, the film focuses on the Hotshots' involvement in fighting the devastating Yarrell Hill Fire of 2013. Spectacularly shot and emotionally resonant, this worthy companion to Backdraft boasts a fine cast including Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Connelly, and Miles Teller as a new recruit. AC

Wesley Snipes headlines this atmospheric mash-up of cabin in the woods horror and alien invasion flick. A group of teenagers (including Breaking Bad 's RJ Mitte) have their weekend getaway ruined when mysterious cloud formations roll in, heralding the arrival of alien craft. Fortunately, local hunter Snipes has had prior experience with the creatures and is their best hope of survival. It's nothing you haven't seen before – sci-fi fans will recognise the similarities to Fire in the Sky and Without Warning – but for the most part, The Recall does an effective job of generating creepy thrills. And Snipes doesn't hold back in the OTT department. AC

Home Alone meets any home invasion thriller you care to mention in this energetic and macabre horror-comedy that captures the spirit of the '80s, along with the spirit of Christmas. Luke (Levi Miller), his best mate (Ed Oxenbould), and the babysitter (Olivia DeJonge) find themselves trapped and fighting for their life on Christmas Eve, after someone who isn't Santa comes calling. What starts as a festive pre-teen comedy quickly morphs into something darker thanks to a killer twist you probably won't see coming. Shot in Australia with lots of fake snow, this belated Christmas gift is poised to become a yuletide-viewing staple. SH

You'd think that after 14 films nobody would be game to live in the Amityville house, but that doesn't stop widow Jennifer Jason Leigh (adding some class) from moving in with her emo daughter (Bella Thorne) and comatose son (Cameron Monaghan). It's not long before the resident evil announces its presence with murderous messages and swarms of flies – if you've seen one Amityville movie, you know the drill. This attempt to reboot a franchise that never really went away is better than many of its direct-to- video predecessors, albeit overly reliant on the noisy jump scares that now haunt the genre. SH

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MARCH 2018

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