STACK Aug #154

REVIEWS DVD&BD

The hunt is on. NARCOS: SEASON 2

A perfect life is a perfect lie. BIG LITTLE LIES

Release Date: 30/08/17

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Release Date: 02/08/17

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Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) has escaped from prison and is on the run, hellbent on vengeance, rebuilding his drug empire, and staying one step ahead of his rivals and DEA agents Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) and Javier Peña (Pedro Pascal). Season two also introduces Limon (Leynar Gomez), a Medellín cab driver recruited to chauffeur Escobar, who gets his own story arc. The Colombian cocaine kingpin's rise in season one was a slow burn that laid lots of groundwork. His fall makes for a more dynamic and

One of the most talked about shows of 2017 boasts a stellar cast, even by HBO's lofty standards. Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Shailene Woodley play upper middle class moms in Monterey, California, whose seemingly idyllic lifestyles mask ennui and high stress levels that ultimately lead to murder. Dangerous housewives, not deperate ones. Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty (which is set in Sydney), screenwriter David E. Kelley ( The Practice, Ally McBeal ) weaves the mystery of whodunit? into a

character-focused season, with Moura's nuanced portrayal once again the highlight. With its documentary style and captivating subject matter, Narcos is must-see TV, and given we know how Escobar's reign of terror ends, this would appear to be the last hurrah. AC

seven-episode suburban melodrama focused on female relationships and the illusion of perfection. Conceived as a standalone miniseries, Big Little Lies has proven so popular that the pressure is on for a second season – even the cast are pushing for it! SH

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING

COLOSSAL

A DOG'S PURPOSE

PORK PIE

Release Date: 23/08/17 Format:

Release Date: 30/08/17 Format:

Release Date: 09/08/17 Format:

Release Date: 16/08/17 Format:

The kind of movie your grandmother will love, The

Those bemoaning the lack of originality in today's movies are advised to check out this genre hybrid, in which Anne Hathaway unwittingly wreaks havoc on Seoul using a kaiju-like monster that she controls whilst drunk. Seriously! Upon realising her boozy behaviour and beastly party trick is creating mass destruction, she attempts to set things right. But somebody in town is intent on luring her back to her alcoholic ways. This all might sound like a recipe for disaster, but Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo ( Timecrimes , Open Windows ) manages to pull it off with impressive special effects and committed prformances from Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis. SD

What exactly is a dog’s purpose in this world? Eat, sleep, chase cats, and go for walks? This particular movie dog isn’t sure. The film follows the soul of a reincarnated pooch through a confusion of new breeds, genders and owners, as he attempts to discover the answer. Starting out as Bailey the Golden Retriever in the 1960s, the dog's enduring spirit eventually moves on to Ellie the German Shepherd, then Tino the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and so on and so forth. A Dog’s Purpose is essentially a canine take on a Nicholas Sparks' film, which mean emotions will be manipulated and tears will be shed. Plus, you get five dog tales for the price of one. SD

This reboot of 1980 Kiwi classic Goodbye Pork Pie is a zippy action comedy that delivers plenty of the requisite vehicular mayhem, and also gets to showcase the stunning New Zealand landscape. Dean O’Gorman and James Rolleston make for an engaging double act as the mismatched duo who end up on the run from the cops in a stolen mini, as the former seeks to get to Invercargill to win back the love of his life (Antonia Prebble). Young Aussie star Ashleigh Cummings is equally good as the feisty young activist they hook up with, while winning cameos from a host of familiar New Zealand actors adds to the fun. AC

Sense of an Ending involves a retired camera store owner (Jim Broadbent) who receives a letter that sets in motion a series of flashbacks to a love triangle from his college days, which ended badly. Moreover, he discovers possession of a diary that could reveal past truths. A thoughtful drama on selective memory, adapted from the acclaimed novel by Julian Barnes, the message of the film is succinctly summed up by Broadbent's character: "What you end up remembering isn't always what you actually witnessed." AC that ex-girlfriend Veronica (Charlotte Rampling) is in

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21/7/17 2:03 pm