STACK NZ Dec #69

REVIEWS

DVD & BD

Size isn’t everything ANT-MAN

Release Date: 02/12/15 Format:

TOP HITS

BD ONLY EXTRAS

Making Of An Ant-Sized Heist: A How To Guide Let’s Go To The Macroverse WHIH News Front Gag reel

Deleted scenes Commentaries

DID YOU KNOW...

After the apocalyptic scenarios of the Avengers movies, the introduction of Marvel’s tiniest superhero provides a welcome change of pace. Although boasting plenty of thrilling spectacle, there is a pleasingly down-to-earth feel to the film that brings to a close Phase 2 of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Much of that is down to the

British director Edgar Wright – a big fan of the comic – first pitched a screen version to Marvel back in 2003. Wright was to have directed this film, but dropped out in 2014 because of “creative differences” New director Peyton Reed went back to a book from his childhood, The World Of Insects , for inspiration for the scenes involving ants.

everyman charm of Paul Rudd, who plays the unlikely hero Scott Lang, a Robin Hood-esque burglar who gets more than he bargained for when he steals a strange costume from the home of a reclusive scientist. It turns out the suit, which allows the wearer to shrink to the size of an ant, is the invention of former S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who fell out

with the organisation over their plans to militarise it. However, Pym’s protégé Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) has no such qualms and having now succeeded in developing his own version of the suit, it falls to a reluctant Scott to embrace his inner hero and help Pym and daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) prevent Cross from launching his Yellowjacket programme.

FURTHER VIEWING

Guardians Of The Galaxy

Playing for the planet PIXELS

Release Date: 16/12/15 Format:

TOP HITS

DVD & BD Q*Bert EXTRAS

Dojo Quest “Game On” Music Video by Waka Flocka Flame ft. Good Charlotte The Creator of the Machine The Space Invader Pac-Man Donkey Kong Centipede Galaga Denis Akiyama plays a fictionalised version of Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani, but the real Iwatani also appears in the film as an arcade repairman. Iwatani did not portray himself because he doesn’t speak English.

BD ONLY

A NASA probe launched back in the ‘80s, containing a record of the popular culture of the time, is interpreted as an act of war by an alien race, who proceed to attack our world in the guise of classic video game characters like Frogger, Centipede and Pac-man. The Earth’s only hope lies with a trio of former championship gamers, played by Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage

DID YOU KNOW...

Island ’s Tattoo, Max Headroom, and Lucky Star- era Madonna to deliver the aliens’ demands. Directed by Chris Columbus ( Harry Potter , Mrs. Doubtfire ), Pixels is a great idea that’s executed with a Ghostbusters -like vibe and top notch visual effects (the Donkey Kong finale is a blast). But why oh why did it also have to be an Adam Sandler film?

and Josh Gad. Fortysomethings who fondly remember feeding 20 cent coins into arcade games like Galaga, Donkey Kong and Pac-man will get a warm rush of nostalgia from Pixels . However, current generation gamers will probably miss a lot of the in-jokes and ‘80s references, not least the inspired use of Fantasy

FURTHER VIEWING

Wreck It Ralph

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