STACK #167 Sept 2018

DVD & BD REVIEWS

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Life on the Edge(rton). GRINGO

Is she or isn't she? UNSANE

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Nash Edgerton (who gave us the cool Aussie flick The Square ) is back in the director’s chair for Gringo . And his brother, Joel, is among an impressive cast that includes Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Amanda Seyfried, Thandie Newton, Sharlto Copley, Harry Treadaway, Paris Jackson and Alan Ruck. The film sees pharmaceutical exec Harold Soyinka (Oyelowo) travelling to Mexico, where he winds up dealing with local drug lords, a black-ops mercenary, and dodgy

For his second feature post “retirement”, Steven Soderbergh returns to territory he explored in Side Effects , albeit this time armed with an iPhone. That’s right: Unsane was shot using a smartphone, and the low- fi, grungy grindhouse look enhances this often disturbing psych ward thriller. Sawyer Valentini (Claire Foy, a long way from the regal poise of The Crown ) has relocated to Boston to escape a stalker. An attempt to enrol in a victim support group sees her promptly institutionalised

business colleagues back home. Harold has two choices – sink, or swim. Add Joel Edgerton and Theron as his shady bosses, medical marijuana pills, a cartel kingpin who worships The Beatles, and a $5 million ransom, and the result is a wild and blackly comic south-of-the- border romp packed with action and intrigue. AF (See page 22)

and convinced that her stalker is one of the orderlies. Has he contrived to have her committed, or is the whole thing a paranoid delusion? A B-movie made by an A-grade director and anchored by Foy’s manic performance, Unsane works as both psychological thriller and psycho horror, even if some of the plot devices feel a bit too convenient. SH (See page 28)

SUPER TROOPERS 2

7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE

NARCOS: SEASON 3

SUPERNATURAL: SEASON 13

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Release Date: 05/09/18 Format:

It's been 17 years since we last saw the troopers who put the 'high' into Highway Patrol. Thanks to crowdfunding and the generosity of fans, the Broken Lizard troupe have reunited for a sequel to the cult comedy, which naturally delivers more stoner hijinks. Having since been demoted to civilian status, the troopers are enlisted to enforce the law during a border dispute between the US and Canada. Expect lots of gags at the expense of Canadians, celebrity cameos, and testicular abuse. Brian Cox is back as Captain O'Hagan, and original Wonder Woman Lynda Carter also joins in the fun. If you loved the 2001 original, you're bound to get a real buzz out of Super Troopers 2 . AC

A dramatisation of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France airliner en route from Tel Aviv to Paris by Palestinian and German revolutionaries, this thriller also covers the subsequent rescue mission. The focus is firmly on German pair Wilfried Böse (Daniel Brühl) and Brigitte Kuhlmann (Rosamund Pike), who hope to secure the freedom of prisoners held in Israel. There's plenty of tension in the staging of the hijack, with the involvement of the Ugandan government and its ruler, Idi Amin (Nonso Anozie). A clash of plans between Israeli president Yitzhak Rabin (Lior Ashkenzai) and defence minister Shimon Peres (Eddie Marsan) adds further to the high stakes drama. AC

Succession planning can be a brutal affair. Narcos began as a chronicle of the Madellin Cartel; led by Pablo Escobar, his gang established and dominated the smuggling of cocaine into the United States. Following his demise at the end of season two, the equally ruthless Cali Cartel rises up to fill the vacuum. Where Escobar attempted to craft an image as benefactor to his homeland, this new breed of criminal take a different route. They care not for their public image and have learned from the missteps of Escobar, making the Cali Cartel an even more formidable beast. Pedro Pascal steps up as the lead law enforcement officer, who must form a bold new plan to break the cartel. Gripping true-crime viewing. AC

Luck has nothing to do with the fact that Supernatural is now in its 13th year. The show's ability to remain creatively fresh and the brotherly chemistry between stars Jared Padelecki and Jensen Ackles are key to its longevity. This season the Winchester boys take Lucifer's son Jack under their wing, while Asmodeus steps into the role vacated by the late Crowley. There are trips to an alternate reality, Tombstone, and the animated world of Scooby-Doo, as well as a few surprise resurrections (no one stays dead in the world of Supernatural ) and more of Mark Pellegrino's louche Lucifer. Carry on wayward sons... SH

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SEPTEMBER 2018

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