STACK Feb Issue 124

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he run of faith-based films continues. Noah and
xodus: Gods and Kings were both Old Testament tales,
ut The Remaining has been ripped from the Book of
evelation in the New. Moreover, it's been designed
s a horror flick with a teen audience in mind, while
till maintaining an appeal for the converted. Following
he Rapture – the moment prior to Judgement Day in
hich Christian souls are taken up to Heaven – those
eft behind find themselves under siege from demons
lurking in the streets. The generic characters fail to
register but there are some effective scares to be found, and the chaos
that ensues in the aftermath of the Rapture sustains the tension.
Biblical apocalypses are a rarity these days (anyone remember The
Seventh Sign?) and that alone makes The Remaining worth a look.
Left behind.
THE REMAINING
Teen Wolf meets True Blood when high school football
star Cayden (Lucas Till, X-Men: First Class) develops
super strength and animal aggression that leaves his
adoptive parents dead and him on the run in search
of answers. He finds them in the mountain town
of Lupine Ridge (whose name is a dead giveaway),
home to a werewolf pack ruled by alpha wolf Connor
Slaughter (Jason Momoa, Game of Thrones), whose
leadership is threatened by Cayden's arrival. Written
and directed by Watchmen/X-Men screenwriter
David Hayter, Wolves is a teen movie in horror clothing, but has little
in common with The Twilight Saga (that's either a plus or a minus).
Momoa's ample screen presence is put to good use, and genre
veteran Stephen McHattie also makes a welcome appearance.
Unleash the beast.
WOLVES
054
visit REVIEWS DVD&BD
Format: Release Date: 12/02/15 Format: Release Date: 04/02/15
FEBRUARY 2015 JB Hi-Fi
The creepy titular doll that had a supporting role in
James Wan’s 2013 hit The Conjuring gets its own spin-
off-cum-prequel in this moderately scary spookfest.
The setting this time is LA in the late ‘60s, where
newlyweds Ward Horton and Annabelle Wallis are
expecting their first child. Wallis is a doll collector
and is delighted when her husband buys her the rare
Annabelle doll she has been searching for. However,
after a violent home invasion by two members of a
Manson-like cult, she begins to wonder if the doll has
become possessed by an evil spirit. Director John Leonetti, who worked
on both The Conjuring and Wan's other horror franchise Insidious, serves
up plenty of jumps and frights, although it must be said these now
ubiquitous haunted house flicks are becoming a little too predictable.
Hello dolly.
ANNABELLE
There's a hint of The Human Centipede in Kevin
Smith's new film, a horror-comedy-cum-monster-
movie about a podcaster (Justin Long) who gets
turned into a walrus by an insane old geezer (Michael
Parks). Having recently left Jay and Silent Bob behind
for edgier fare like Red State, Tusk finds Smith back
in a playful mood – what transpires is ridiculous,
disturbing, grotesque and hilarious (often all at the
same time) – and easily ranks amongst his best
work outside the View Askewniverse. Parks and
(an uncredited) Johnny Depp, the latter as a Quebec detective, are
fantastic in their loopy roles, revelling in dialogue Tarantino might wish
he'd written. And yes, the titular Fleetwood Mac song is put to truly
bizarre use. Completely insane and highly recommended.
I am the walrus.
TUSK
HORROR
Format: Release Date:11/02/15 Format: Release Date: 12/02/15
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