STACK NZ Jan/Feb Summer Edition Issue 70

24 / 32

Also released...
Miss You Already
Make sure you have plenty of hankies on hand because this
is a full-blooded weepie. Set in London, Drew Barrymore and
Toni Collette play BFFs whose friendship comes under strain
when the latter is diagnosed with cancer; Paddy Considine
and Dominic Cooper are their respective partners, while
Jacqueline Bisset enjoys herself as Collette's actress mum.
Essential viewing for fans of Beaches. OUT: 17/02/16
THE VISIT
After arriving with a bang in 1999 with The Sixth Sense, M.
Night Shyamalan rapidly ran out of viewer goodwill with
subsequent films featuring ridiculous plots and tiresome twist
endings. But we can finally cut him some slack because The Visit
is actually a pretty enjoyable little thriller – yes, with a twist –
that makes good use of the found-footage device. A dark fairy
tale that's played more for laughs than scares. OUT: 03/02/16
The Transporter Refuelled
Ed Skrein (Game of Thrones) takes over from Jason Statham as
courier Frank Martin and although he lacks the physical presence
and charisma of the Stath, the sleeker new model proves equally
adept at nimble martial arts moves and spectacular action. The
plot plays second fiddle to the slickly shot and gravity-defying
set-pieces, which require the same suspension of disbelief as
the Fast & Furious films. Dumb but fun. OUT: 27/01/16
Bone Tomahawk
Horror-westerns are something of a rarity, and good ones even
more so. But this impressive debut feature from writer-director
S. Craig Zahler is an example of how to successfully blend
the genres. When the wife of a landowner (Patrick Wilson) is
abducted by a tribe of inbred feral savages, the local sheriff
(Kurt Russell) leads a rescue party on a five-day ride into
the ominously named Valley of the Starving Man. Think The
Searchers meets The Hills Have Eyes. OUT: 20/01/16
Irrational Man
Woody Allen's latest sees Joaquin Phoenix plagued by the
director's trademark neuroses (in addition to impotence and
alcoholism) as burnt out philosophy professor Abe Lucas, whose
reputation nevertheless attracts the interest of married colleague
Parker Posey and undergrad Emma Stone. Allen juggles it all
with his usual flair, although you can't help wondering how the
Coen brothers would have done it. OUT: 20/01/16
Sinister 2
Mr. Boogie is back! Also known as Buhguul, this pagan entity
that feeds on the corruption of innocence made life hell for Ethan
Hawke and family in 2012's Sinister, and is now stalking single
mum Shannyn Sossamon and her twin boys. Scott Derrickson
returns as writer and producer for this sequel, which rehashes
the, well, sinister occurrences of the first film and adds a group
of ghostly children. Creepy stuff. OUT: 20/01/16
Lovely nuanced performances from its two stars, Ben
Kingsley and Patricia Clarkson, make this charming,
touching drama a joy to watch. Clarkson plays New York
book critic Wendy, whose husband of 21 years leaves
her for a younger woman. In an attempt to become more
self-sufficient, Wendy decides to learn to drive and takes
lessons with Sikh instructor Darwan (Ben Kingsley). The
pair are worlds apart: he is an Indian immigrant, who
holds on to the values of his faith, while she’s a native
New Yorker struggling to find her feet again after her
philandering husband’s latest betrayal. Nevertheless, over the course of
their lessons, a friendship develops between the odd couple, but just
when you think you know where the film is going, it makes an unexpected
detour from the obvious, which keeps you guessing where it will go next.
Life lessons
LEARNING TO DRIVE
Release Date: 11/02/16 Format:
Anne Hathaway plays the CEO of a burgeoning online
shopping site, who struggles with the pressures of
simultaneously growing a business and raising a family.
Her second-in-command suggests she consider the
appointment of an external CEO to make life less
stressful – enter senior citizen/intern Robert De Niro,
who's assigned to work closely with Hathaway and
quickly becomes the father figure she apparently (and
desperately) needed. The chemistry between De Niro
and Hathaway is the real reason to check out The Intern
– the veteran actor's portrayal of the wise old widower who’s seen
it all before serves as the perfect counterpoint to her overwhelmed
businesswoman, who won’t admit she’s in too deep; when one pushes,
the other pulls.
Experience never gets old
THE INTERN
Release Date: 10/02/16 Format:
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