STACK Magazine April 2015 Issue 126

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APRIL 2015 JB Hi-Fi
050
Harry Potter producer David
Heyman has brought Michael
Bond’s beloved children’s book
character – a Peruvian bear who
relocates to the London home
of the Brown family – to the big
screen with bucketloads of charm
and quintessential Englishness
intact. This fantastic-looking,
sweet-natured family film is the
cinematic equivalent of a hot cup
of Horlicks on a cold winter’s night,
and doesn’t clobber you with its central message: “the
greatest adventure is finding where you belong”. The best
of British cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters and
Jim Broadbent, alongside Nicole Kidman, who hams it
up as the Cruella de Vil-like taxidermist villain. Heyman’s
involvement ensures a Potter-like feel to the production,
and the numerous slapstick set-pieces showcase some
truly creative cinematography. Most importantly though, its
ursine star, with his signature red hat, duffel coat and love
of marmalade, is a cute and cuddly CGI creation (politely
voiced by Ben Wishaw) and definitely not the creepy
critter seen lurking in a series of Internet memes that
photoshopped him into famous horror movie scenes.
There’s a bear in there.
PADDINGTON
Kowalski – analysis? This film
is pretty flippin’ awesome.
Everyone’s favourite quartet of
penguins from DreamWorks’
Madagascar get their own spin-
off feature which follows their
story from the very beginning.
Skipper (Tom McGrath),
Kowalski (Chris Miller), Private
(Christopher Knights) and Rico
(Conrad Vernon) reunite and fight
to save penguin-kind around the
world from evil cephalopod Dave (John Malkovich). As
expected, POM is rife with humour for both the young
and old(er). With puns like “Nicolas! Cage them!” and
“Hugh! Jack! Man the battle stations!” you’ll be left
in fits of giggles while your children get lost in the
wonders of the exquisite animation. Even those who
aren’t fans of the Madagascar franchise will enjoy this;
however, if you did love the previous films, Penguins
of Madagascar will only heighten your appreciation of
these tuxedo-wearing birds. Riding the tailcoats of that
other successful penguin movie Happy Feet, these
small black flappy critters can’t get any cuter.
Happy feet that like to move it, move it.
PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR
DVD & BD
Meet the Characters
When a Bear Comes to Stay
From Page to Screen
Gallery
101 Dalmatians
Despite being a keen animal
lover, Nicole Kidman took a
taxidermy class to prepare
herself for her role.
The character of Paddington
Bear is based on a lone
teddy bear, noticed by author
Michael Bond on a shelf in a
London store near Paddington
Station on Christmas Eve 1956.
Originally, author Michael Bond
was nervous about the project
of turning his character into a
live action feature. However,
he was convinced after seeing
half a minute of test footage.
EXTRAS
DID YOU KNOW...
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date: 09/04/15
Format:
DVD & BD
Cheezy Dibbles Ad
Image Gallery
BD ONLY
Top Secret Guide to Becoming
an Elite Agent
“He is Dave” Music Video
Flipper Slap Shake Waddle
and Roll
“Celebrate” Music Video by Pitbull
Do the Penguin Shake with Witch
Madagascar Mash Up
Happy Feet
Benedict Cumberbatch, who
voices Classified, cannot
pronounce “penguins”
correctly. Instead, he says
“pengwings”.
EXTRAS
DID YOU KNOW...
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date: 29/04/15
Format: TOP
HITS
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HITS
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