STACK #167 Sept 2018

CINEMA

REVIEWS

BLACKKKLANSMAN RELEASED: Aug 16 DIRECTOR: Spike Lee CAST: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier RATING: MA15+

SCREENING IN SEPTEMBER 2018

Spike Lee's latest is an absolute must-see.

After tackling the racial divide in America with dramas such as Malcolm X and more comedic ventures like Do the Right Thing , Spike Lee fuses these genres to tell the bizarre, true- life story of African American detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) and his elaborate scheme to infiltrate a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. Stallworth’s grand ruse involves him forming a bond with local Klan members via phone calls, while his partner Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) acts as a physical representation, manifesting as an elusive new KKK member to gain intelligence on the Klan and their plans for white supremacy.

The sheer insanity of the plot makes for an entertaining film; it’s almost unthinkable that a man armed with a telephone could fool one of the most violent and feared organisations in America so easily. However, Lee is evidently aware of the absurdity of the situation and doesn’t miss the opportunity to poke fun at the foolishness and naivety of the Klan throughout the film. Moreover, BlacKkKlansman isn’t an unbiased exploration of this strange situation – it’s a deeply personal attack on this incredibly racist group. The somewhat light-hearted handling of the characters could easily have crossed the line into being confronting, were it not for fantastic performances from the cast. Washington and Driver have ample chemistry and an evident personal connection with the characters; it’s hard not to be fooled into thinking they are indeed two halves of the same Ron Stallworth. BlacKkKlansman ’s biggest strength is the expert balancing of the gravity of the Klan’s actions with the entertainment value. While the film provides plenty of laughs, Lee ensures you’ll leave the cinema with the ever-present racial divide at the forefront. Gage Pendergast The impressive feature debut of Australian twins Jonathan and Josh Baker – an expansion of their 2014 short film Bag Man (check it out on YouTube) – Kin mixes the bonds of brotherhood with road movie, coming-of-age drama, western, and sci-fi actioner. It's an ambitious mash-up of genres, although the film works best as a pursuit thriller. Shot with desaturated colours that give it a 1970s feel, Kin also resembles the small town crime thrillers of John Dahl, with a pinch of Near Dark , although any violence and adult content is reduced to a minimum in keeping with the film's appeal to a younger audience (e.g., a scene in a strip club doesn't feature any actual stripping). The casting is strong: Reynor and newcomer Truitt have great chemistry, Franco can play this kind of scumbag in his sleep nowadays, and Zoe Kravitz lends support as a stripper with a heart of gold. For the most part Kin delivers a stylish and unpredictable ride that will remind you of a lot of '80s movies, but could have benefitted from a bigger payoff when the final showdown arrives. Scott Hocking

The fourth Predator film (sans Aliens ) is a sequel, not a reboot, according to director Shane Black ( Iron Man III ). Regardless, we're pumped to see a new bunch of over-confident army dudes take on the dreadlocked alien hunters, who are apparently now stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. The hunt begins on Sept 13 . THE PREDATOR

A young tribesman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and his lone wolf buddy must learn to survive in a harsh prehistoric wilderness. This epic adventure from Albert Hughes ( The Book of Eli ) opens Sept 27 . ALPHA

RELEASED: Aug 30 DIRECTOR: Jonathan and Josh Baker CAST: Jack Reynor, Myles Truitt, James Franco RATING: M KIN

Brothers in arms.

An explosive shootout in a derelict Detroit building leaves a piece of evidence behind in the shape of an alien weapon of immense power, which is picked up by curious 14-year-old Eli (Myles Truitt). This big oblong ray gun becomes the perfect defence when Eli and his ex-con older brother (Jack Reynor) are forced to go on the run in order to escape a local criminal lowlife (James Franco) and his goons. Problem is, the weapon's use points its otherworldly owners to its location, with two soldiers in futuristic helmets joining the chase.

The Bigfoot legend is flipped, with Channing Tatum voicing a cute sasquatch who believes that humans are real, attracting derision from his peers. Follow his footsteps on Sept 20 . SMALLFOOT

Horror specialist Eli Roth defects to a family film with this adaptation of John Bellairs’ much-loved gothic children’s book, starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett. Ticking on Sept 20 . THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS

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