STACK NZ Mar #60

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MARCH 2015 JB Hi-Fi
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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay
– Part 1 departs from the arena
spectacle of the previous films for
its grim, downbeat finale. Following
her rescue from the rubble of
the 75th Hunger Games, Katniss
Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence)
finds herself in the subterranean
and secretive District 13, whose
President (Julianne Moore)
convinces her to become the
“Mockingjay” – the face of the
uprising against the oppressive Capitol. Whilst shooting
propaganda videos that will fan the flames of rebellion
within the Districts, Katniss discovers that fellow gamer
Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) has been captured, tortured and
turned into a puppet for the Capitol. Consequently, Katniss
becomes torn between her new role as a revolutionary and
rescuing Peeta. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
is hard to judge as a standalone film – it’s all set-up for the
revolution to come. And while some fans might feel a bit
shortchanged by the trend of splitting final books into two
movies, at least the conclusion is less a cliffhanger than
a momentary pause to regroup, take stock – and a deep
breath – before the final showdown.
It’s no longer a game
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1
“We come to it at last. The great
battle of our time.” Hang on, that
was in The Return of the King ,
but Gandalf’s ominous declaration
also applies to the spectacular
final chapter in The Hobbit
trilogy. With the dragon Smaug
having taken flight, the treasure
trove beneath The Lonely
Mountain is suddenly up for
grabs, but greedy dwarf Thorin
Oakenshield won’t part with a
single coin. Consequently, dwarves, elves, men, orcs,
trolls, and even giant bats, clash in the titular conflict,
which occupies a majority of the movie’s surprisingly
lean 144 minute running time (it’s the shortest film in
Jackson’s Tolkien six-pack – at least until the inevitable
extended edition). While our favourite chapter remains
The Desolation of Smaug, The Battle of the Five
Armies delivers a rousing and satisfying conclusion to a
trilogy that never should have been a trilogy. Jackson’s
expanded prequel series was never going to match his
mighty and groundbreaking The Lord of the Rings, but
ultimately, it’s no Phantom Menace either. Let the back-
to-back Hobbit film marathons commence.
Middle-earth melee
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
DVD & BD
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentary with
Director Francis Lawrence &
Producer Nina Jacobson
Songs of Rebellion: Lorde on
Curating the Soundtrack
Lorde’s Yellow Flicker Beat
Music Video
BD ONLY
‘The Mockingjay Lives: The
Making of MJ1’ 8-part feature-
length documentary
‘Straight from the Heart: A
Tribute to Philip Seymour
Hoffman’
JB Hi-Fi Exclusive
Special Edition Blu-ray with
Exclusive Special Features
Rubble and Ashes
Utilitarian Chic
The Propos Team
Combat Zone
Divergent
EXTRAS
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date: 18/03/15
Format:
DVD & BD
New Zealand: Home of Middle
Earth - Part 3
Teaser and Theatrical Trailer
JB Hi-Fi EXCLUSIVE
Limited Edition Blu-ray
Steelbook
The Lord of the Rings
In the book, the whole Battle
of the Five Armies takes place
in just one chapter – and is
described to the reader after
the fact. While in the film, the
battle takes up nearly half of
the running time.
Peter Jackson confirmed that
principal photography on the
movies had finished after 266
days. The exact same amount of
days as The Lord of the Rings.
EXTRAS
DID YOU KNOW...
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date: 26/03/15
Format: TOP
HITS
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