STACK NZ Sep #66

DVD & BD

REVIEWS

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Preaching to the choir BOYCHOIR

Testament Of Youth This classy new film adaptation of feminist and pacifist Vera Brittan’s seminal First World War memoir makes for a melancholic companion piece to the recent TV dramas Anzac Girls and The Crimson Field . Alicia Vikander and Kit Harington are excellent the doomed lovers, and first-time director James Kent subtly conveys the heartbreak and growing disillusionment about the horrors of the war. OUT: 02/09/155 Child 44 Tom Rob Smith’s bestseller of the same name was a fascinating blend of political thriller and police procedural set against the bleak backdrop of Stalinist Russia. Sadly, director Daniel Espinosa doesn’t succeed quite so well in melding those two elements in this occasionally stodgy screen adaptation. However, a suitably intense turn from Tom Hardy as a cop hunting a serial killer who preys on small children makes it worth a look. OUT: 23/09/15 Kill Me Three Times Simon Pegg enjoys himself immensely in this Australian black comedy, playing a hitman hired to kill an unfaithful wife, who is amused to discover that someone looks to have beaten him to the task. Told in flashback from the perspective of the various protagonists, the multiple murder plots of the scheming residents of the sleepy backwater are revealed in gruesomely entertaining fashion by director Kriv Stenders ( Red Dog ). OUT: 09/09/15 BIG GAME Finnish director Jalmari Helander made his name with cult horror Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale and this similarly oddball adventure reunites him with the young star of that film Onni Tommila. This one’s a little more family-friendly, as Tommila comes to the aid of US president Samuel L Jackson, who's being hunted in the wilderness by his crooked bodyguard (Ray Stevenson) and a crazy sheik out for a new trophy for his mantelpiece. OUT: 10/09/15 Careful What You Wish For Basic Instinct , Disney Channel style? Not quite, but Nick Jonas tackles his most adult role to date in this mildly steamy throwback to the erotic thrillers of the ‘90s. The tween idol plays a shy teenager on summer vacation with his parents who begins an affair with Isabel Lucas, the abused trophy wife of a boorish millionaire neighbour (Dermot Mulroney). A must for Jonas fans curious to see him in more grown-up fare. OUT: 23/09/15 Into The Grizzly Maze This man vs. nature flick isn't as much fun as its 1976 antecedent Grizzly , but it does serve up a big-name cast (James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Billy Bob Thornton, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn) as potential prey for a (mostly) real bear in the Alaskan wilderness; production values are slick and locations spectacular. And did we mention it's grisly as well as grizzly? OUT: 10/09/15

Release Date: 02/09/15

Format:

The preppy privilege of Dead Poet’s Society and S cent of a Woman provides the backdrop to this classic underdog story about a trailer trash Texan named Stet (Garrett Wareing) who gets the chance to attend the prestigious National Boychoir Academy. When his mother dies in a car accident, the raw but prodigiously talented youngster lands a place at the snooty school, thanks to efforts of a sympathetic teacher (Debra Winger) and his wealthy father (Josh Lucas), who wants his unwanted love child out of sight and out of mind. However Stet not only struggles to

fit in with his posh classmates; he faces an uphill battle to win over jaded choirmaster Dustin Hoffman, who is desperate to land a prestigious New York concert before hanging up his baton. The uplifing themes – together with the angelic singing – make this a must for fans of films like Billy Elliott .

Crime and corruption heat up A MOST VIOLENT YEAR

Release Date: 16/09/15

Format:

Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is a heating-oil company boss; an essentially honest man chasing the American Dream in New York City, 1981. While attempting to close the deal on his new waterfront depot, he's pressured by the D.A., the bank and his competitors, and things edge closer to boiling point when his trucks start getting hijacked and his drivers are forced to take up arms. The always fantastic Jessica Chastain is in top form as his ruthless wife, whose mob connections could come in handy when the inevitable turf war finally erupts. The third film from director J.C. Chandor

( Margin Call , All Is Lost ) evokes those '70s crime thrillers that usually featured Pacino or De Niro, and also shares a lot in common with more recent gritty slow-burners like Out of the Furnace and The Yards , both in style and substance. Highly recommended.

SEPTEMBER 2015

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