STACK NZ Aug #76

REVIEWS DVD & BD

Punk is dead GREEN ROOM

Mirren's moral minefield EYE IN THE SKY

Release Date: 17/08/16

Format:

Release Date: 10/08/16

Format:

When Patrick Stewart is playing the villain, and reportedly had to put the script down whilst reading due to its nasty content, you know you need to see this. A punk band called The Ain't Rights discover something ain't quite right when they take an impromptu gig at a seedy Oregon dive. A neo-Nazi crowd and the discovery of a corpse lead to a terrifying game of cat and mouse between the band and the venue's ruthless owner (Stewart) and his goons. Writer- director Jeremy Saulnier follows his acclaimed 2013

When high-tech surveillance uncovers an Al-Shabaab terrorist cell prepping suicide vests in a Nairobi safe house, the opportunity to eliminate them with a missile strike must be taken. But a young girl selling bread in the vicinity creates a moral dilemma for supervising British Colonel Katherine Powell (a steely Helen Mirren) and US drone pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) – can one civilian casualty be justified in order to prevent even greater loss of life? Gavin Hood's topical and gripping thriller reveals the

indie film Blue Ruin with this nail-biting and brutal horrror-thriller, which is liberally peppered with black humour and graphic violence. It's also one of the last screen appearances of late star Anton Yelchin, who plays a bassist with a taste for retribution. Highly recommended. SH

political wrangling involved in sanctioning a drone strike (collateral damage assessments and second guessing), and more pertinently, the agonising decisions facing those who fight the War on Terror by remote control. Highly recommended. SH

DVD&BD

A New England folk tale THE WITCH

Who will have the last laugh? BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE

Release Date: 10/08/16

Format:

Release Date: 03/08/16

Format:

In 17th century New England, a Puritan family are banished from their village to a remote farm on the edge of an ominous looking forest. Isolation is the least of their concerns when their newborn baby is mysteriously snatched, corn crops rot, goat's milk turns bloody, and suspicion of witchcraft falls upon the oldest daughter. An authentic and nightmarish descent into the olde worlde, complete with archaic language and meticulous attention to period detail, The Witch is a slow burner that doesn't depend on

Of all Batman’s nemeses, The Joker ranks as numero uno. In the animated world, Mark Hamill (yes, Luke Skywalker) has been The Joker voice of choice, and he’s at his manic best in this take on the celebrated 1988 Batman graphic novel from Alan Moore and illustrator Brian Bolland. Adhering closely to the source in both story and look, The Killing Joke sees Batman’s arch enemy kidnapping Commissioner Gordon, aiming to prove that it just takes one really crappy day to induce madness.

cheap scares to raise hackles. A palpable sense of dread radiates from every frame – even a rabbit can appear sinister. This disturbing look at religious fervour and the gradual disintegration of a family is an early contender for the year's best horror film . SH

Batman’s on the case, of course, but there’s a bigger picture, wherein The Joker challenges Batman’s very view of what he is and does. This is gripping and violent stuff, whether you’ve experienced the comic or not. AF

25