STACK NZ June 2016 Issue 74

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REVIEWS DVD&BD
DVD&BD
young mother (Brie Larson) and her 5-year-old son, Jack
acob Tremblay), live a cloistered existence in a garden shed
ith a skylight providing their only glimpse of the outside
orld. 'Room' is the only world young Jack has ever known –
s mother was abducted by a serial rapist and has been held
ptive in the shed ever since. But when the opportunity for
cape finally presents itself, their bid for freedom inevitably
mes with life-changing consequences. Room is a sensitive,
spenseful, and sometimes heartbreaking look at how such an
perience impacts the lives of the victims after they re-enter
society. Oscar winner Larson is terrific as the mother whose love for her son
sustains her through years of captivity and abuse. But she’s equally matched
by Tremblay, who invests Jack with both wide-eyed wonder and a troubled
countenance that hints at the psychological scars left by the ordeal. SH
Love knows no boundaries
ROOM
Release Date: 08/06/16 Format:
Danny Boyle's take on the late Apple CEO is certainly better
than the Ashton Kutcher film, but it still tells us remarkably little
about the man himself. Focusing on three key product launches
– the Macintosh in 1984, the doomed NeXT cube in 1988, and
the iMac in 1998 – what we do learn about Steve Jobs (Michael
Fassbender) in the chaotic lead-up to the presentations is that
he's an unpleasant guy who won't acknowledge his daughter
(who he thinks isn't his child) or the crucial input of tech
partner Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen). Steve Jobs does feature
knockout performances from Fassbender and Kate Winslet (as
Jobs's long suffering marketing exec), as well as some crackling dialogue from
screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, which echoes his script for The Social Network –
another portrait of a dysfunctional tech genius who changed the world but failed
to give credit where it's due. SH
Big Apple
STEVE JOBS
Release Date: 01/06/16 Format:
nybody who follows sports will have noticed that when a
layer gets concussed nowadays, it’s taken very seriously.
his is partially due to logic, but also very much because of
he work of gifted US forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu,
ho discovered severe brain damage in a retired footballer
ho was found dead at 50. This dramatised biography sees
ill Smith step into the shoes of Omalu, who determined
hat repeated blows to the bonce aren’t beneficial. He then
olstered his theory further by discovering three other
eceased NFL players with similar symptoms. However,
nobody was prepared to listen, in particular the most important player – the
NFL. But while many tried to discredit the good doctor, he had some important
people on his side. Playing the facts ball rather than ratcheting drama beyond
belief, this one’s for you, sports fans. AF
Where there's a Will...
CONCUSSION
Release Date: 15/06/16 Format:
lympus Has Fallen was a guilty pleasure – a Die Hard-lite
ction flick with Gerard Butler as a former Secret Service
an who singlehandedly takes down a North Korean
errorist cell that's invaded the White House. It was big,
rash and brutal, and the stakes were high. Now Butler’s
ack, this time accompanying the President (Aaron Eckhart)
n a trip to the British capital to attend the funeral of
he recently deceased PM, along with every other world
eader. Security is on high alert, so what could possibly go
rong? Everything! A cleverly conceived plot by a terrorist
mastermind unleashes mayhem on the city, leaving Butler and the Prez on
the run from an enemy who could be anyone, from the Palace Guard to
Scotland Yard’s finest. Which doesn’t say much for British security and MI6.
Big. Loud. Dumb. Fun. SH
The Butler did it
LONDON HAS FALLEN
Release Date: 22/06/16 Format: