STACK #144 Oct 2016

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DVD&BD REVIEWS

A little Hart and a big Johnson. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

Lord of the abs. THE LEGEND OF TARZAN

Release Date: 05/10/16

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Release Date: 19/10/16

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Dwayne as rock hard CIA agent Bob Stone? Yeah, predictable casting. But add a fanny pack plus a love of unicorns and Molly Ringwald? That’s just part of the fun of Central Intelligence , which starts with Bob – or Robbie Weirdicht as he was then – as a chubby, bullied kid. Meanwhile, Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) was the guy most likely to succeed. Anyway, 20 years later Calvin’s an accountant, and we know Bob’s situation. With a school reunion impending, the two meet, and Calvin’s yawn-worthy life is about to go all Rubik’s Cube. Bob

If Edgar Rice Burroughs had a dollar for every movie based on his creation Tarzan then, um, he’d still be dead (and long may he rest in peace). Seriously though, they number over 50, yet this latest one still adds to the impressive legacy and legend – and boy is it adventure- packed! The bloke formerly known as Tarzan (Alexander

Skarsgård) now lives in London with Jane (Margot Robbie) under his birth name of John Clayton III. All’s rather fine and decidedly dandy, until an old enemy demands a swap – diamonds needed to keep Belgium’s economy afloat in exchange for Tarzan. King Leopold subsequently issues an invite for the couple to visit the Congo, which they decline. But when a US envoy reveals he suspects Congolese slavery, it’s time for Tarzan and Jane to revisit their swinging old hangout. AF

needs a numbers guy for a case, but there aren’t just bad guys after him. Johnson’s a lovable lug who makes any flick better. Teaming him with Hart was genius, and Central Intelligence is a darn good action comedy. But not Sixteen Candles good, duh! AF

One small step. One giant mess. ICE AGE 5: COLLISION COURSE

Be afraid of the dark. LIGHTS OUT

Release Date: 26/10/16

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Release Date: 26/10/16

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That Scrat and his blasted acorns! While trying to bury his latest conquest he activates an abandoned alien craft and ends up hurtling into the cosmos. Hey, at least we’ll finally be safe from his propensity for causing havoc, right? Wrong! His intergalactic shenanigans inadvertently send asteroids hurtling straight towards – you guessed it – Earth. Naturally our ever-growing herd, led by Manny, Diego and Sid, are clueless as to what they’ll soon be in for, as they deal with everyday dramas from the genuine to the

Swedish director David F. Sandberg has turned his simple but scary YouTube video into a feature (produced by The Conjuring 's James Wan), and it's a pretty impressive debut that doesn't rely solely on the jump- scare premise of the viral short. There are shades of The Babadook in this tale of a depressed mother (Maria Bello), a frightened young boy (Gabriel Bateman), and a sinister black apparition that's only visible in the darkness – and creeps closer whenever the lights are flicked on and off. The dysfunctional family dynamic

stupid (you can guess who’s responsible for the latter). Then some asteroids hit, and the herd are lucky to escape. Weasel Buck believes a stone pillar has the answer – to save Earth they need to visit the site of a previous asteroid hit. Cue one event-filled ‘road’ trip! AF

adds depth to this brisk frightener, as does the intriguing backstory surrounding the entity's existence. Bello and Teresa Palmer are solid as the estranged mother and daughter, and the suspense and shocks sustained throughout. One to watch with the lights blazing. SH

OCTOBER 2016

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