STACK NZ Dec #69

REVIEWS

CINEMA

ALSO SCREENING IN DECEMBER

The latest franchise reboot in a year full of franchise reboots is J.J. Abrams' continuation of a sci-fi series that began way back in 1977. Will J.J.'s take on a galaxy far, far away be a force to be reckoned with, or a phantom menace? Either way, it'll be the biggest movie of 2015 and will surely knock Jurassic World from the No. 3 all-time box office position. But can it sink Titanic, or topple Avatar and claim the top spot? Over the wait is, on Dec 17 . STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

RELEASED: Dec 3 DIRECTOR: Ron Howard CAST: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson RATING: M

Ritchie Cunningham hunts his very own white whale with his 'tick every box' adaptation of the true events in 1820 that inspired the literary classic Moby Dick .

A young apatosaurus befriends a caveboy in the latest animated adventure from Pixar. Ok, so it's not prehistorically accurate, but it is more family-friendly than its Jurassic kin. Dec 26 . THE GOOD DINOSAUR

O scar-bait doesn’t get any more by-the- book than this salty adventure by all- purpose director Ron Howard. Based on true events, this epic tale follows 19th century whaling vessel The Essex (a time when crude oil was yet to be discovered), which embarks on another flammable gold nectar whale-oil mission via plundering the innards of Earth’s biggest mammals with the most intimate and dangerous methods one could imagine; that is until one ghost-like behemoth simply says "no", and turns against them with horrific consequences. It's told in bookended hindsight, with author Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) consulting the lone survivor of the ill-fated journey (in the shape of Brendan Gleeson), and interspersed with the actual events aboard The Essex with Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy and Benjamin Walker as the reluctant lower-class first mate, best mate, and privileged ‘no mates’ captain, respectively. With tension mounting and macho ‘watch this, I’m better than you!’ style decision making pretty much stuffing up the lives of everyone, our whalers soon find nature cares little for the trivia of men; and life is fragile, lawless and futile in the face of certain, lonely and isolated death. It’s a gritty, water-in-your-face, man-versus- nature, boat-versus-storm, man-eats-man style affair that while unfolding with grace, extreme production values and genuine beauty, still reeks of clichéd safety amongst the impossibly flawless visuals and atmosphere. All performances are top notch – Howard

has always been a great director of actors – but the script and edge of your seat narrative opportunities lack real dramatic revelation. This is a blue-rinse dream spectacle that reminds discerning audiences just how amazing, unforgettable and engrossing John Huston’s original Moby Dick , Roger Donaldson’s The Bounty, and (to a slightly lesser extent) Peter Weir’s Master and Commander all were. They provided far more stimuli for the memory and soul of the viewer, rather than simply dazzle with the best visuals money can buy. Chris Murray

Tis the night before Christmas and Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie are hitting the town for their annual night of festive debauchery. The party starts on Dec 3 . THE NIGHT BEFORE

FURTHER VIEWING: Moby Dick ( 1956) , Orca

At last! It's been four long years since we saw a bit of 'munk madness on the big screen, and now Alvin and the gang are back, hitting the road to prevent Dave from proposing to his new girlfriend. Hilarity ensues on Dec 26 . ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP

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