STACK NZ Mar #71

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REVIEWS DVD & BD

A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. GAME OF THRONES: COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON

When civilisation ends, it ends fast FEAR THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 1

Release Date: 16/03/16

Release Date: 02/03/16

Format:

Season 5 of the fabulous fantasy saga blends events from books four and five of A Song of Ice and Fire , finally bringing readers and viewers into synch. And given George isn’t likely to complete book six for another year or more, the show is now playing its own game. Moreover, rather than introduce the myriad new characters, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss use the players they already have, and while this might upset book purists, it mostly works well. In a nutshell, Stannis takes charge at the Wall, where Jon Snow has been promoted to commander; Arya

This prequel spin-off series focuses on the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse that sent Rick Grimes and his Atlanta group on the hard road to survival. It begins innocuously in a church in Los Angeles, where drug-addicted teenager Nick (Frank Dillane) awakens to discover his girlfriend has developed a taste for human flesh. A short season of six episodes introduces us to a new bunch of characters – headed up by our own Cliff Curtis and Kim Dickens – most of whom aren't particularly likeable, with the focus on a dysfunctional family. Moreover, the zombie factor is

arrives in Braavos to train as a faceless assassin; Sansa becomes betrothed to the sadistic Ramsay Bolton; the Sons of the Harpy threaten Daenerys’ hold on Meereen; and Cersei’s schemes spectacularly backfire. And there’s also a cliffhanger finale that leaves blood on snow... SH

downplayed in favour of the military's involvement in enforcing martial law. Fear the Walking Dead has a ways to go before it hits the heights of its sibling series, but watching the end of the world as we know it still holds an irresistible appeal. SH

DVD&BD

Absolutely Anything

FREEHELD

No Escape

The Program

Release Date: 23/03/16 Format:

Release Date: 16/03/16 Format:

Imagine being able to do or have anything you desire. It’s a well-worn set-up, but Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones has oodles of fun with it in Absolutely Anything , as does Simon Pegg. A collective of space snobs calling themselves the ‘Intergalactic Council of Superior Beings’ (as complete a Python reunion as is possible, even if in voice only) are cruising for planets to destroy. Earth’s next, but they have to give targets a chance to prove that they’ll use granted omnipotent powers for good. Neil Clarke (Pegg) is our guy, who’s helped by his dog Dennis (voiced with glee by Robin Williams). Absolutely Anything is charming, offbeat, and delightfully British. AF

Sympathetically directed and played, this worthy yet touching true story shines a light on an important chapter in the US battle for equal rights for same sex partners. Julianne Moore plays a long-serving detective in small seaside community who is struck down with terminal cancer, but is told by the deeply conservative local council that her new partner, Ellen Page, will not be eligible for her police pension if she dies. Michael Shannon – for once playing a fairly ordinary sort of chap – is her supportive cop partner, while Steve Carell provides the camp as the colourful gay rights' activist who takes up thier cause. JF

Jack Dwyer (Owen Wilson, hanging up his laughing gear to exercise his inner action hero) has precious little to grumble about. He has a loving wife (Lake Bell), two sweet kids and a decent job. But when the chance to head up his company’s new Southeast Asia plant arises, he jumps at it. Soon after arriving, however, things don’t seem quite right. They’ve actually lobbed in the midst of a violent coup, whereby armed rebels are hunting down foreigners then playing judge, jury and executioner. With the help of a mysterious Brit (Pierce Brosnan), Jack must get his family to the US Embassy while they’re alive, rather than in body bags. AF

Cyclist Lance Armstrong was a hero to millions. As if winning the Tour de France seven times in a row wasn’t enough, he did it after beating cancer. He seemed invincible – and of course now we all know why, as he was hoovering performance-enhancing drugs. Before this revelation shocked the world, Irish sports journo David Walsh (Chris O’Dowd) thought that something was rotten in Denmark (or indeed wherever Armstrong, played with conviction here by Ben Foster, competed), and set out to uncover what he believed to be the truth. While we know the basic story, director Stephen Frears brings tension and drama to his telling of this cheat’s tale. AF

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