STACK #138 Apr 2016

EXTRAS NEWS

visit stack.net.au

FLIGHT CONTROL

Spotlight

OSCAR WINNERS GET A MAY DATE T he 88th Annual Academy Awards were preceded by much hype, 2020. Taken alone this pledge may sound impressive, but when the LA Times reports that black Americans account for

Bebop 2

D rones have become

ubiquitous these days, and chances are if you like

of nights itself. "Man, I counted at least 15 black people on that monitor. I’m here at the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards." And no subject was taboo: "This year, in the In Memoriam package, it’s just going to be black people that were shot by the cops on their way to the movies," Rock ranted. All this has not gone unnoticed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organisation behind the Oscars. Its board of governors are keen to be seen doing something and have committed to doubling the number of women and minorities in the Academy by

tech, you’ve probably thought about owning one. Why, you might ask? Well, beyond the hard to control el cheapo Christmas present that you ended up losing over the fence on Boxing Day, there are a number of applications for which a drone proves invaluable. The first of course is pleasure, and the excitement of launching a drone skyward and sending it just about anywhere you want to. Photographers are finding that learning how to fly a drone is giving them the edge over the

over Leonardo DiCaprio's fourth Best Actor nomination, this time for The Revenant . However, in the long term this year's Oscars will be remembered for the #OscarsSoWhite backlash. Though Will Smith may have felt jilted over Concussion , it's the omission of Ryan Coogler for Best Director, and Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor in Creed that is most glaring. Remarkably, host Chris Rock was the right man at the right time to deliver a withering and furiously funny summary on the state of events – on the night

only 2 per cent of the Academy, doubling the number is still not a significant representation of an organisation that on current count is 94 per cent white, as well as 77 per cent male. That being said, the nominated films didn't shy away from some powerful and provocative subjects, notably Best Picture winner Spotlight and its exposé on the Catholic church; The Danish Girl with its transgender theme; and Room, in which Best Actress winner Brie Larson readjusts to life following years in captivity.

EXTRAS

Xiro Xplorer

MAY 4: SPOTLIGHT WINNER OF 2 OSCARS: BEST MOTION PICTURE OFTHEYEAR, BESTWRITING, ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY The true story of the groundbreaking Boston Globe investigation into the Catholic church, with reverberations still being felt the world over. MAY 25: THE HATEFUL EIGHT WINNER FOR BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Quentin Tarantino's eighth movie is his best (and bloodiest) film since Kill Bill. Vol. 1 , and his inspired decision to engage legendary composer Ennio Morricone has paid off, with the maestro receiving his first Oscar for Original Score.

MAY 18: THE REVENANT WINNER OF 3 OSCARS: BEST ACTOR,

competition in being able to shoot weddings from above, or providing prospective house sellers with an aerial shot of their property. And at the higher end, while these tend to be purpose-built units, drone racing is growing in popularity. Prices differ depending on what you want to use it for, but if you’re fascinated with drones and are looking to get into the market, or indeed upgrading, JB Hi-Fi are running an extensive drone sale in April. You can pick up a Bebop 2 with flight controller for $1299, a Xiro Xplorer with GoPro Gimball and backpack for $1199, or the Drone Delta – also complete with GoPro Gimball – for just $799.

BEST DIRECTING, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Leonardo's Oscar triumph is certain to be a sumptuous High- Def experience with its Oscar-winning Cinematography – the third Academy Award for DOP Emmanuel Lubezki, a longtime collaborator with director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who also picked up his second gold statuette in as many years. MAY 26: THE DANISH GIRL WINNER FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Based on actual events, The Danish Girl is a love story which happens to involve one of the first cases of gender reassignment surgery. Alicia Vikander picked up the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance as the wife of transgender trailblazer Eddie Redmayne.

JUNE 1: ROOM WINNER FOR BEST ACTRESS Slipping in on the 1st of June is Room , which features Best

OUT NOW: Other Oscar winners you can check out on DVD and Blu-ray right now include Bridge of Spies , which features Best Supporting Actor winner Mark Rylance; Inside Out , winner for Best Animated Feature Film; and the chilling sci-fi thriller Ex Machina , which won Best Visual Effects. And of course, don't forget the triumph of local hero George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road , which received a record-breaking swag of six Oscars including Film Editing, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing and Production Design.

Actress Brie Larson in a harrowing performance as a mother trying to bring up a young child while isolated from the rest of the world.

Drone Delta with Go Pro Gimbal

APRIL 2016

10

jbhifi.com.au