since I irst sawThe Year My Voice Brokeback in
the ’80s, and I watched his career take off in
Australia throughout the ’90s. It seemed
international fame would soon be knocking but
it wasn’t to be, not until stand-out performances
in Beautiful Kate and Animal Kingdom brought
this gifted Aussie back onto people’s radars. I’m
so glad to see him getting the recognition and the
roles he deserves. Something I realised while
watching him in Rogue One: when he is on screen
you really can’t take your eyes off him, he just
has that way about him. From the superb
Bloodlines TV series, to smaller roles in the likes
of The Dark Knight Rises, it would seem we are
well and truly in the grip of the “Benaissance”.
PETER HORSMAN, TURNERS BEACH, TASMANIA
Benaissance... hey, that’s catchy. We were just
about to call it the Mendelsohnaissance but we got
carpal tunnel syndrome halfway through typing it.
YODA’S BIGGEST FAN
I picked up the December Empire Magazine
with great anticipation: not only was it sealed,
but it was all about Star Wars. I rushed home
all excited about reading some new and
interesting facts about my favorite movies.As i
tore open the sealed section, took note of the
posters and hurriedly licked through as I
looked to ind my favorite character, noted Han
Solo had received a large write up so mentally
noted that’s what I would read about Yoda. My
anticipation grew as I saw 2 pages dedicated to
Caravan of Courage: Yoda will have that and
more, I thought. Then one page from the end
there it was: 21 lines, some of which some was
not even correct. You stated Yoda was the
only representative of his species.
Well he’s not: during the Jedi
Council debate on whether to
allow Anakin Skywalker to be
trained on said council is one
Yaddle. She looks like Yoda
just with hair. I have
attached a picture for
you to see.
BRIAN, VIA EMAIL
Are you absolutely sure that’s
not just Yoda after going to the
Shane Warne Advanced Hair
Studio? It’s quite a magniicent
space-mullet. Yoda is the Danny McBride
of the Dagobah system! Fact.
SPINE QUOTE
HONOUR ROLESPINE
QUOTE
#
“Money and
women are the
reasons for most
mistakes in life.”THE FILM
Slumdog
Millionaire (2008)THE
CONNECTION
“Danny Boyle is
the director of
both Slumdog
Millionaire and
Trainspotting. Both
excellent!”THE WINNER
Belinda GrieveTHE REWARD
An Empire cap
for you! Send
answers to
empire@HOME ON THE RANCH
Over the last half-century I have lived in every
state of Australia except Victoria. I’ve generally
lived in the rural areas of each state and I have
never, never, never heard anyone use the word
‘ranch’. While I can’t vouch for Victoria, the
rest of us call them stations or properties, we
have cattle stations or cattle properties in
Australia. Could have kept it true blue when
reviewing Red Dog: True Blue.
ANN STUHT, HOBART, TAS
What have you got against Victoria?NO EXTRA STAR FOR TREK BEYOND: #
I implore you, take back that extra star you
gave Star Trek Beyond at Christopher Spencer’s
insistence in the January issue. Your review
and subsequent reasoning was on point. You
can’t put Idris Elba in a ilm and then cover up
his beautiful face for all but a few moments
and make his distinctive voice all-but
indecipherable. Stay strong, Empire, two stars
was a itting rating!
JESS LAYT, BONNYRIGG HEIGHTS, NSW
We can’t resist a good imploring. Just for you,
here’s a negative star: -★NO EXTRA STAR FOR TREK BEYOND: #
As a card-carrying Trekkie I was saddened
while reading Christopher Spencer’s letter to
ind that I actually couldn’t remember a thing
about the ilm. I conjured up characters faces in
a desperate attempt to remember scenes, a hint
of plot... nothing... not a sausage. So two stars
for a “middling drama ... no-one will remember
come next year” seems appropriate.
ANN STUHT, VIA EMAIL
Wait, you have a Trekkie card?SPOILED FOR CHOICE
On page thirty of Issue 190, by means of smart
referential humour, Empire inadvertently spoiled
the twist to one of the greatest ilms of the ’90s.
If and when I have children and show them the
classics, I would never dream of revealing the
signiicance of “Rosebud”, or the deadly mystery
within the walls of “Bates Motel”. However, in
this age of social media and internet leaks,
people seem to care less and less about the
unwritten clause of silence in the cinematic twist
contract. Is the twist still sacred?
DYLAN R, VIA EMAIL
Spoiler: Dylan is actually a ghost.er-
m.aUARY 201