STACK Jul #129

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054 JULY 2015 JB Hi-Fi
espite being a lavish, big budget fantasy adventure
ith lots of CGI monsters and A-list actors, Seventh Son
sn't exactly The Lord of the Rings. But if you enjoyed
he Clash of the Titans remake, you'll find plenty to like
ere. One of the highlights is Jeff Bridges' bonkers
erformance as witch hunter (or "spook") Master
regory – imagine the bastard child of The Dude and
andalf and you'll understand where he's coming from.
regory loses his young apprentice (GoT's Kit Harington)
arly on, and his new recruit must be a seventh son
(enter Ben Barnes). Together they take on the witch queen Mother
Malkin (a strangely subdued Julianne Moore) and her minions, who can
shapeshift into dragons in the blink of an eye. Seventh Son is big on
spectacular FX, light on plot. Just sit back and enjoy the eye candy.
When darkness falls, the son will rise.
SEVENTH SON
Release Date: 16/07/15 Format:
As a British soldier separated from his unit and
trapped in enemy territory – a wartorn Belfast
neighbourhood controlled by the IRA – Jack O'Connell
once again shows us why he's one of today's most
exciting young stars. Kudos must also go to first-
time feature director Yann Demange, who conjures a
volatile atmosphere where sudden death can result
from turning a street corner or entering the local pub.
Set during the most turbulent year of the conflict with
Northern Ireland (1971, of course) and sidelining the
politics that usually drive films about the IRA, this cracking thriller is
an extended game of cat and mouse, with O'Connell attempting to
stay one step ahead of the enemy, unaware of whom he can trust,
and uncertain as to whether he'll be rescued. Gripping stuff.
Behind enemy lines.
'71
Release Date: 22/07/15 Format:
Home is supposedly where the heart is, and this
animated adventure has lots of it. A colourful and
cowardly alien invader named Oh arrives on Earth,
befriends a lonely young girl, and learns what it
means to be human. But before you can say "phone
home", remember that this is an invasion, albeit
a benevolent one, where the occupation of our
planet involves shipping the current inhabitants off
to an Australian fun park. There's also the threat
of the Gorg looming, who are in pursuit of Oh and
have more destructive tendencies. Popsters Rhianna and are
amongst the cast contributing vocal work, and with Oh voiced
by the unmistakable Jim Parsons, you could shut your eyes and
imagine you're watching a bizarro episode of The Big Bang Theory.
There's no place like it!
HOME
Release Date: 08/07/15 Format:
he Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was a surprise smash
it in 2011, and proved that the grey market was an
ntapped source of box office revenue. No surprise
en that this sequel exists, and the premise of a
io of Britain's finest veteran actors – Maggie Smith,
ill Nighy, Judi Dench – retiring to India is a winner
nce again. This time around the elderly ensemble
nd themselves assimilated into the hustle and
ustle of Jaipur, with Smith co-managing the hotel,
ighy working as a tour guide, and Dench as a fabric
merchant – so much for a quiet retirement. Throw in Richard Gere as
a possible hotel inspector (hello Fawlty Towers) and a couple of big
Bollywood production numbers, and all boxes are sufficiently ticked.
A charming follow-up that's second best in name only.
British India.
THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
Release Date: 22/07/15 Format:
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