STACK Jun #128

54 / 108

054 JUNE 2015 JB Hi-Fi
Former Neighbours regular Margot Robbie has
suddenly become of one Australia's hottest exports
to Hollywood. Having memorably upstaged Leonardo
DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie now
teams up with Will Smith in the most enjoyable con-
artist caper to come along since American Hustle.
Smith is a master trickster who mentors the rookie
Robbie in the art of the con, using the magician's
trick of diverting the mark's focus away from the
fact that they're pocketing his expensive watch. But
he quickly discovers he may have met his match. This is a terrific
showcase for the gorgeous Robbie and a solid comeback vehicle
for Smith; their onscreen chemistry is worth a dozen rom-coms.
Heist thrillers are rarely as slick and focused as Focus.
The con is on.
FOCUS
This is the irreverent comedy
that upset North Korea and left
Sony reeling after confidential
emails were (allegedly) hacked in
retaliation. So was it worth all that
fuss? Probably not. This is one of
Seth Rogen and James Franco
minor efforts – fun, but not quite
in the same league as their more
inspired This Is the End. Franco is
the host of a tabloid TV news show
produced by Rogen, which lands
an exclusive interview with North
Korean President Kim (Randall
Park). The pair are then co-opted by
the CIA to assassinate him, but the
mission is blown off course when
Franco becomes best buddies with
the dictator, who turns out to be a
big Katy Perry fan.
THE INTERVIEW
Release Date:
11/06/15
Format:
If you're watching Ryan Gosling's
debut as writer-director because
you thought he was hot in The
Notebook, you're going to hate
Lost River. But if you're a fan of the
films of David Lynch, Dario Argento,
Terrence Malick and Nicolas Winding
Refn, you'll find plenty to enjoy
in this American Gothic fable that
pays undisguised homage to the
aforementioned filmmakers – Gosling
has good taste, at least. Set in the
small town of the title, which is
overflowing with Lynchian weirdness,
Gosling's film is visually interesting
if narratively perplexing. The eclectic
cast – Christina Hendricks, Ben
Mendelsohn, Matt Smith and horror
queen Barbara Steele – adds to its
obvious cult movie appeal.
LOST RIVER
Release Date:
17/06/15
Format:
Release Date: 17/06/15 Format:
Australian director Robert Connolly, who usually
helms serious fare like The Bank and Balibo, takes
a detour into family-friendly entertainment with this
whimsical and – dare we say – uplifting kids' film set
in the competitive world of paper plane making. Yes,
there is such a thing. Likeable Ed Oxenbould plays a
12-year-old living in outback WA, whose prowess in the
art of paper aviation sees him bound for the Aussie
championships in Sydney, and then off to Japan for the
international competition. With a quality Australian cast
onboard, including Sam Worthington, Deborah Mailman and David
Wenham, and a message about the importance of family and standing
up to bullies, Paper Planes was a rare homegrown hit at the local box
office and perfect school holiday viewing on DVD.
If at first you don't succeed, fly, fly again.
PAPER PLANES
Johnny Depp twirls an oversized
moustache, adopts a posh British
accent, and channels Austin
Powers as Charlie Mortdecai,
an art dealer, Lord and trickster
enlisted by MI5 agent Ewan
McGregor to locate a stolen
painting that may hold a clue to
the whereabouts of hidden Nazi
gold. This globetrotting caper-
comedy endeavours to capture
the madcap spirit of the Pink
Panther films, and Depp diehards
need no recommendation to
check it out. But for the rest, the
laughs are largely dependent
upon how funny you find Depp's
terrible 'tache – a running gag
that quickly runs out of breath.
Oh behave!
MORTDECAI
elease Date:
3/06/15
ormat:
The kind of cookie-cutter psycho-
thriller that was popular in the
'90s (Single White Female, Fear,
The Crush), The Boy Next Door
is an unashamedly corny yet
guiltily enjoyable blast from the
past. Handsome stranger Ryan
Guzman enters the life of Jennifer
Lopez, whose marriage is on the
rocks. Before the half-hour mark
he's already seduced her and
taught her bullied teenage son to
stand up for himself. But when
she rejects his further advances,
things turn predictably nasty.
and Step Up hunk Guzman
give this huge appeal for teens,
who will enjoy the racy sex
scenes and fail to notice the
blatant lack of originality.
THE BOY NEXT
DOOR
Release Date:
11/06/15
Format:
Release Date: 24/06/15 Format:
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