Alien: Earth: First details revealed

Disney+ unveiled the new key art and teaser for the highly anticipated Original series, FX’s “Alien: Earth” from creator Noah Hawley. “Alien: Earth” is set to stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2025 in New Zealand.

When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in the sci-fi horror series “Alien: Earth.” As members of the crash recovery crew search for survivors among the wreckage, they encounter mysterious predatory life forms more terrifying than they could have ever imagined. With this new threat unlocked, the search crew must fight for survival and what they choose to do with this discovery could change planet Earth as they know it.

 
Lead by Sydney Chandler, the series showcases an expansive international cast which includes Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille and Moe Bar-El.

Robust parental controls ensure that Disney+ remains a suitable viewing experience for everyone in the family. Subscribers can set access limits on mature content and create PIN-protected profiles alongside the already existing Junior Mode profiles to give parents and guardians peace of mind.

What's on Disney+ in December

Here's what's streaming on Disney+ in December.

Dream Productions (December 11)

Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new series “Dream Productions” returns to Riley’s mind, where dreams really do come true—every night, on time and on budget. Check out the new trailer, images and key art, which are available to download and share. Taking place in between the events of “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2,” all four episodes of the limited series come to the streamer beginning Dec. 11, 2024. Riley is growing up and when her memories need some extra processing, Joy and the rest of the Core Emotions send them to Dream Productions. Acclaimed director Paula Persimmon (voice of Paula Pell) faces a nightmare of her own: Trying to create the next hit dream after being paired up with Xeni (voice of Richard Ayoade), a smug daydream director looking to step up into the big leagues of night dreams.

Also featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ally Maki, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith, the hilarious, mockumentary-style series is written and directed by Mike Jones and produced by Jaclyn Simon. Featuring score by composer Nami Melumad.

What's on Netflix in December

Here's everything streaming on Netflix in December.

SQUID GAME: SEASON 2

Premieres on December 26, 2024 

Heralding the return of the worldwide hit, a new chapter unfolds as Gi-hun comes back with an agenda, having given up on leaving for the US.

Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, Gong Yoo, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, Jo Yu-ri, Won Ji-an

Country of Origin: South Korea

A NONSENSE CHRISTMAS WITH SABRINA CARPENTER

Premieres on December 6, 2024 

Pop icon Sabrina Carpenter jingles all the bells in her first-ever variety music special full of Christmas hits, unexpected duets and comedic cameos.

Starring: Sabrina Carpenter

BLACK DOVES

Premieres on December 5, 2024 

When a spy posing as a politician's wife learns her lover has been murdered, an old assassin friend joins her on a quest for truth — and vengeance.

Starring: Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw, Sarah Lancashire, Andrew Buchan, Adeel Akhtar, Tracey Ullman

PAPER DOLLS: SEASON 1

Premieres on December 1, 2024 

In 1999, an all-girl pop group formed on reality TV navigates intense infighting and corporate control for a shot at stardom.

Starring: Emalia, Miah Madden, Courtney Clarke, Naomi Sequeira, Courtney Monsma, Emma Booth, Thomas Cocquerel, Ditch Davey

CHURCHILL AT WAR

Premieres on December 4, 2024 

This captivating docuseries examines Winston Churchill's pivotal role in World War II and the formative events that made him an ideal leader for the era.

THAT CHRISTMAS

Premieres on December 4, 2024 

It's an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone's plans — including Santa's.

Starring: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienne Sayer, Jack Wisniewski

QUEER EYE: SEASON 9

Premieres on December 11, 2024 

The Fab Five welcome a new member as they head to Vegas to transform more inspiring heroes with makeovers that dazzle like the neon-lit Strip.

Starring: Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Karamo Brown

DUNE: PART TWO

Premieres on December 12, 2024 

Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen to seek revenge against those who destroyed his family, leading to a struggle for power and spice.

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård

NO GOOD DEED

Premieres on December 12, 2024 

The sale of Paul and Lydia's picture-perfect LA home forces them to face painful family secrets — and hide them from prying eyes and cutthroat buyers.

Starring: Lisa Kudrow, Ray Romano, Linda Cardellini, Abbi Jacobson, Matt Rogers, Luke Wilson

CARRY-ON

Premieres on December 13, 2024 

An airport security agent races to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous item slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.

Starring: Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Sinqua Walls, Logan Marshall-Green, Theo Rossi, Josh Brener, Dean Norris, Tonatiuh, Curtiss Cook, Joe Williamson, Gil Perez-Abraham

VIRGIN RIVER: SEASON 6

Premieres on December 19, 2024 

New beginnings, uncovered secrets and second thoughts: As Mel and Jack prepare for the wedding, they learn more about each other — and their loved ones.

Starring: Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Tim Matheson, Annette O’Toole, Colin Lawrence, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Zibby Allen, Sarah Dugdale, Marco Grazzini

NFL ON BOXING DAY: BALTIMORE RAVENS VS. HOUSTON TEXANS FT BEYONCÉ HALFTIME SHOW

LIVE on December 26, 2024 @ 8:30AM AEDT 

The Baltimore Ravens face the Houston Texans in the second of two NFL matchups, after the Kansas City Chiefs play the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The NFL games featuring Beyoncé’s performance will be available to Netflix’s 283 million members on December 26.

What's streaming on Shudder in December

Here's everything streaming on Shudder in December.

The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula – Shudder Original Series

Season Finale Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Tuesday 3 December

Who will be the winner of the coveted Dragula crown and take home the $100,000 grand prize? Dubbed “Season 666,” the next chapter of Emmy-nominated The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula is the most ambitious and terrifying yet, with world-renowned actors and directors joining the judges' panel, raising the stakes to hellish new heights. Every episode promises spine-chilling, extreme physical feats that will push the cast of drag superstars to confront their darkest fears.

The Creep Tapes – Shudder Original Series

Season Finale Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Friday 13 December

From writers and executive producers Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice, The Creep Tapes continues to unravel the mind of a secluded serial killer who lures videographers into his world with the promise of a paid job documenting his life. Unfortunately, as the tape rolls, the killer’s questionable intentions surface with his increasingly odd behaviour and the victims will learn they may have made a deadly mistake.

Joe Bob Christmas Carnage – Shudder Original Special

Special Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Sunday 15 December

Snow is falling and the bodies are piling up for Joe Bob's Christmas Carnage, when Joe Bob and Darcy host a holiday horror flick featuring so much bloodshed that Santa will think twice before coming down this chimney.

Just Joe Bob – Shudder Original Series

Binge Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Friday 13 December

All the rants, raves and reviews you can handle... without the movies. Gather ‘round with Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy for segments and commentary from Seasons 4 and 5 of The Last Drive-In, along with specials: Goultide Get-Together, Creepy Christmas, Haunted Halloween Hangout, Heartbreak Trailer Park, Helloween, Very Violent Valentine, Vicious Vegas Valentine and A Tribute to Roger Corman.

Horror’s Greatest – Shudder Original Series

Series 2 Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Tuesday 31 December

A deep dive into everything we love about horror -- from fresh looks at classics to unearthing scores of hidden gems, this series has something for every fright film enthusiast. A gallery of ghoulish pros, including actors, directors, writers, composers, and special effects artists, draw on their unique knowledge to answer the big questions: What are the must-see films in horror’s many sub-genres? What’s the appeal of horror tropes, and how do today’s filmmakers subvert our expectations?

What shape does horror take in countries outside of the United States? The answers encompass the breadth of the nightmares we watch for our entertainment.

The Haunted Season: To Fire You Come At Last

Film Premieres on Shudder and AMC+ Sunday 1 December

In rural 17th-century England, a group of men gathers to carry a coffin to the graveyard for burial. Much ancient folklore and superstition surround the pathway to the church, and several members of the party are afraid to walk it after dark. The grieving father promises to double their wages if they make the frightening journey.

What's on Prime Video in December

Here's everything that's streaming on Prime Video in December.

Things are getting sticky this December! Inspired by the true story of the “Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist”, The Sticky follows tough maple syrup farmer, Ruth Landry (Margo Martindale) as she turns to crime to save everything she loves. Along for the ride is a hot-tempered Bostonian mobster (Chris Diamantopoulos), and a mild-mannered French-Canadian security guard (Guillaume Cyr). What could go wrong?

The love story of Noah and Nick continues in Culpa Tuya (Your Fault), the second instalment of the hugely popular Culpables trilogy.  On top of the changes that work and college bring, the couple faces the surprise appearances of a revenge-seeking ex-girlfriend and Nick’s mother. With all this against them, their love may prove not so unbreakable after all…

Liam Neeson plays an ageing gangster with unfinished business in Absolution; get quizzy with Colin Jost in brand-new game show Pop Culture Jeopardy!; and celebrate the world of games and gamers in the star-studded anthology series Secret Level featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart and Keanu Reeves.

Celebrate the Christmas season with a collection of great films, old and new! New release, Jack in Time for Christmas sees a stranded Jack Whitehall attempt to travel from the USA to the UK in just four days, to make it back in time for Christmas, with some help from the likes of Michael Bublé, Dave Bautista, Rebel Wilson and Jimmy Fallon. 

Prime Video has an array of Christmas content to catch up on. For a little holiday romance, check out Something From Tiffany’s or treat yourself to a movie night with a double screening of Your Christmas or Mine? and Your Christmas or Mine 2. 

Prefer your more unconventional Christmas movies? Revisit EXMas where exes Graham and Ali find themselves unexpectedly spending the holiday season together. If you want something for the whole family, you can’t go wrong with the peculiar tale of a bizarre elf and a quiet young boy in  Elf Me. If you want something decidedly not for the whole family, Violent Night is for you.

On November 13, Prime Video Store launched in New Zealand. Thousands of movies, including new releases and blockbusters, are available for customers to rent or buy. Prime Video Store does not require a Prime Video subscription, allowing anyone to create an account on primevideo.com and the Prime Video app.

THE STICKY

AVAILABLE FROM FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER

The Sticky, inspired by the true story dubbed the "Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist" is from showrunners Ed Herro and Brian Donovan and follows Ruth Landry (three-time Emmy winner Margo Martindale), a tough, middle-aged maple syrup farmer who turns to crime when the bureaucratic authorities threaten to take away everything she loves. She teams up with the hot-tempered Bostonian mobster (Chris Diamantopoulos), and a mild-mannered French-Canadian security guard (Guillaume Cyr) to carry out a multi-million dollar heist on Quebec’s maple syrup surplus. Oscar and Emmy winner Jamie Lee Curtis also appears as a guest star in the series in addition to executive producing.

The Sticky stars Margo Martindale, Chris Diamantopoulos, Guillaume Cyr and Jamie Lee Curtis.

CULPA TUYA (YOUR FAULT)

AVAILABLE FROM FRIDAY 27 DECEMBER

In this sequel to 2023 global hit Spanish Original, Culpa Mia (My Fault), the love between Noah and Nick seems unbreakable, despite the manoeuvres of their parents to break them up. But his job and her entry into college open their lives to new relationships. The appearance of a revenge-seeking ex-girlfriend and Nick's mother with unclear intentions will shake the foundations not only of their relationship, but of the Leister family itself. When so many people are out to destroy a love story, can it really end well?

Culpa Tuya (Your Fault) stars Nicole Wallace, Gabriel Guevara, Marta Hazas, Iván Sánchez, Eva Ruiz, Víctor Varona, Goya Toledo, Gabriela Andrada, Álex Béjar, Javier Morgade, Felipe Londoño and Fran Morcillo.

SECRET LEVEL

AVAILABLE FROM TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER

Secret Level is a new adult-animated anthology series featuring original stories set within the worlds of some of the world’s most beloved video games. From the creative minds behind LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS, each of the episodes is a celebration of games and gamers. The series showcases a star studded cast from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Keanu Reeves, to Kevin Hart, Temuera Morrison and more.

Secret Level stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, Temuera Morrison, Ariana Greenblatt, Heaven Hart, Emily Swallow, Gabriel Luna, Ricky Whittle, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Merle Dandridge, Claudia Doumit, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Clive Standen, Laura Bailey and Michael Beach.

ABSOLUTION

AVAILABLE FROM TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER

An ageing Boston gangster (Liam Neeson) attempts to reconnect with his family and rectify the mistakes in his past, but the criminal underworld won't loosen their grip willingly.

Absolution stars Liam Neeson, Ron Perlman, Frankie Shaw and more.

JACK IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

AVAILABLE FROM TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER

In this hilariously festive adventure, Jack Whitehall finds himself stranded in the USA with just four days to make it back to the UK for Christmas. With time ticking away, Jack embarks on an incredible and, some would say, implausible journey involving planes, trains, huskies, and bobsleighs.  Along the way, some of his famous friends join the fun, lending a hand (or hoof!) as Jack navigates the chaos of Christmas and tries to make it home in time.

Part scripted comedy, part unscripted travelogue, Jack is joined by Michael Bublé, Dave Bautista, Rebel Wilson, Jimmy Fallon, Daisy May Cooper, and Tom Davis, who, together with Jack’s unmistakable British wit, deliver a sparkling international cast set to deliver heaps of laughter. Will Jack make it home in time to hang his stocking, or will he be spending the holidays in the doghouse?

Jack in Time for Christmas stars Jack Whitehall, Michael Bublé, Dave Bautista, Rebel Wilson, Jimmy Fallon, Daisy May Cooper, and Tom Davis.

POP CULTURE JEOPARDY!

AVAILABLE FROM WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER

Hosted by Colin Jost, Pop Culture Jeopardy! is a brand-new twist on the classic quiz show’s “answer-and-question” format that combines the academic rigour of Jeopardy! with the excitement and unpredictability of pop culture. Contestants, playing in teams of three, will need to be experts in categories from Alternative Rock to The Avengers; Broadway to MMA; Gen Z to Zendaya as they compete in a tournament-style event for the grand prize of $300,000 and ultimate bragging rights.

Pop Culture Jeopardy! is hosted by Colin Jost.

BANDISH BANDITS

SEASON TWO AVAILABLE FROM FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER

The new season of musical drama Bandish Bandits continues its journey, artfully blending the intricate ragas, talas, and bandishes of Indian classical music with the bold, electrifying beats of modern rock and pop. The lead characters, Radhe and Tamanna, now face off against each other in the quest for acceptance and glory. The narrative delves deeper into family legacy and brings in themes of individuality, empowerment, and the balance between old and new to the forefront, as each character discovers and embraces their true self.

Bandish Bandits Season Two stars Shreya Chaudhry, Ritwik Bhowmik, Sheeba Chaddha,and Rajesh Tailang.

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

AVAILABLE FROM THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER

In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started - the iconic New York City firehouse - to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who've developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire stars Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace and Kumail Nanjiani. 

CHRISTMAS MOVIES TO CATCH UP ON

YOUR CHRISTMAS OR MINE?

AVAILABLE NOW

Students Hayley and James are young and in love. After saying goodbye for Christmas at a London train station, they both make the same mad split-second decision to swap trains and surprise each other. Passing each other in the station, they are completely unaware that they have just swapped Christmases. Hayley arrives at a vast mansion in a small village in the Gloucester countryside to find a place where Christmas does not exist, whilst James heads north to a small semi-detached in Macclesfield and steps into the warm and chaotic pandemonium that only a large family Christmas can bring. When the entire country is blanketed in the biggest snowfall on record, our star-crossed lovers are trapped at the most manic time of the year. Christmas traditions are turned on their head, secrets are revealed, and family truths are told with hilarious consequences. The couple realise that there is an awful lot they don’t know about each other. Will they be able to swap back in time for Christmas Day? And will Hayley and James’ fledgling relationship make it through to the New Year?

Your Christmas or Mine? stars Asa Butterfield, Cora Kirk, Jim O’Hanlon, Alex Jennings, Harriet Walter, Daniel Mays, David Bradley, Angela Griffin, Natalie Gumede, Lucien Laviscount and Ram John Holder.

YOUR CHRISTMAS OR MINE 2

AVAILABLE NOW

It’s the most wonderful time of the year … but will it be for James and Hayley? James’ father has invited the Taylors to spend Christmas in a luxury ski resort in the Austrian Alps, so they can meet his new American girlfriend. However, Hayley’s dad Geoff insisted on handling his family’s side of the booking and something clearly got lost in translation. After a mix-up with transport at the airport, the two tribes end up at each other’s accommodations, on different sides of a valley and opposite ends of the Tripadvisor ratings scale. Can Hayley and James' relationship survive another turbulent family Christmas, or has their future together gone off-piste?

Your Christmas Or Mine 2 stars Asa Butterfield, Cora Kirk, Alex Jennings, Angela Griffin, Daniel Mays, Jane Krakowski, Rhea Norwood and David Bradley.

SOMETHING FROM TIFFANY’S

AVAILABLE NOW

Nothing compares to the magic and excitement of the holidays in New York City, where the streets blaze with lights, windows dazzle and a special box from Tiffany could change the course of a person’s life. Or several lives. Rachel and Gary (Zoey Deutch, Ray Nicholson) are happy enough but not quite ready for that big commitment. Ethan and Vanessa (Kendrick Smith Sampson, Shay Mitchell), the perfect picture, are just about to make it official. When a simple mix-up of gifts causes all of their paths to cross, it sets off a series of twists and unexpected discoveries that lead them where they’re truly meant to be. Because love – like life – is full of surprises, in the holiday romance Something from Tiffany’s.

Something From Tiffany’s stars Zoey Deutch, Kendrick Smith Sampson, Ray Nicholson, Shay Mitchell, Leah Jeffries and Jojo T. Gibbs.

EXMAS

AVAILABLE NOW

When Graham decides to surprise his family by travelling home for Christmas, he is shocked to discover them already celebrating with an unexpected guest of honour, his ex-fiancée, Ali. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day and who must go. Let the holiday chaos begin!

EXMas stars Leighton Meester, Robbie Amell, Michael Hitchcock, Kathryn Greenwood, Veronika Slowikowska and Steven Huy.

ELF ME

AVAILABLE NOW

Trip is an unconventional elf. As Santa's helper, he seems to succeed only in building bizarre weapons rather than toys. Fate will lead him to meet Elia, a shy and unconventional boy pursued by a gang of bullies. The two will help each other and together discover the value of friendship.

Elf Me stars Lillo, Federico Ielapi, Anna Foglietta, Giorgio Pasotti, Caterina Guzzanti, Claudio Santamaria, Vincenzo Sebastiani, Giulietta Rebeggiani, Francesco Liso, Linda Zampaglione, Orlando Mazza, Cosimo Mazza and Fabio Rovazzi.

NEW MOVIES TO RENT OR BUY

HERETIC 

COMING SOON TO RENT OR BUY

Two young missionaries become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed. Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive.

Heretic stars Hugh Grant, Sophia Thatcher, Chloe East.

DECEMBER 2024 TOP PICKS:

RENT OR BUY

HERETIC (MOVIE) COMING SOON TO RENT OR BUY

AVAILABLE ON PRIME VIDEO

LOVE ACTUALLY (MOVIE) 1/12/2024

DR SEUSS’ THE GRINCH (MOVIE) 1/12/24

ABSOLUTION (MOVIE) 3/12/2024

JACK IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS (MOVIE) 3/12/2024

POP CULTURE JEOPARDY! (SERIES) 4/12/2024

DR SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (MOVIE) 4/12/2024

LA VIRGEN ROJA (MOVIE) 5/12/24

THE STICKY (SERIES) 6/12/24

SECRET LEVEL (SERIES) 10/12/2024

BANDISH BANDITS S2 (SERIES) 13/12/2024

KANGUVA (MOVIE) 13/12/2024

CHIEFSAHOLIC: A WOLF IN CHIEFS CLOTHING (MOVIE) 17/12/24

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (MOVIE) 19/12/2024 

CULPA TUYA (YOUR FAULT) (MOVIE) 27/12/24

SINGHAM AGAIN (MOVIE) 27/12/2024

VIOLENT NIGHT (MOVIE) AVAILABLE NOW

ELF ME (MOVIE) AVAILABLE NOW

EXMAS (MOVIE) AVAILABLE NOW

SOMETHING FROM TIFFANY’S (MOVIE) AVAILABLE NOW

YOUR CHRISTMAS OR MINE? (MOVIE) AVAILABLE NOW

YOUR CHRISTMAS OR MINE 2 (MOVIE) AVAILABLE NOW

Red One: Movie Review

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, JK Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Liu, Nick Kroll
Director: Jake Kasdan

There's a kernel of a great idea and concept in Red One, a film about the kidnapping of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

It has potential for a perennial Christmas Odd Couple film, but what permeates much of a bloated runtime is a lot of dark and dour CGI that never quite hits the mark.

Johnson plays the wearied bodyguard Cal, the head of security for Red One (AKA Santa AKA JK Simmons). On the eve of his retirement because he can't see the good in people anymore, Cal finds himself paired off with the world's number one tracker and perennial naughty list inhabiter, The Wolf aka Jack O'Malley (Evans, in a flatly humorous role) as they try and save Christmas - while working out who is behind the snatching.

While having a lot of potential as a festive film, Kasdan drapes proceedings in so much visual darkness, dour tones and a lot of ropey CGI. The end result means what could have been a frothy odd couple dramedy, complete with two leads who usually radiate charisma, is little more than a snoozefest that squanders its high concept.

Johnson is dialled down gruffness - with an obvious arc of a cynic being once again turned into a believer - and Evans is a wearied disbeliever whose journey is also obviously signposted. But whereas the two could have had frothy chemistry, most moments between the pair (other than toward the end) feel flat and uninspired.

It's a shame because the world-building and the Christmas backstory sets up several intriguing propositions and potential for enough mythos to propel any further stories and ideas. Bringing in the Krampus story and the idea of the world being swamped in naughtiness are good solid ideas, but here in Kasdan's hands, they feel limp, unexplored and unnecessarily dour.

Sadly, this Christmas tale lacks any of the magic you'd expect of a film entrant this time of year - complete with any lacking stand-out sequences, it's incredibly flat and while not entirely without some charm and potential, Red One feels like it could have placed just a little bit more under the cinematic Christmas tree.

Wicked: Part One: Movie Review

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh
Director: Jon M Chu

There's a scene early on in Jon M Chu's audacious staging of Wicked where his professor character Dr Dillamond, a talking goat, denounces one of the student's assignments as being little more than "form over content."

In some ways, that could be applied to the first part of the adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's musical, a film that's largely about setting up a payoff that won't come until November 2025.

A breathtakingly impressive Erivo stars as the green-skinned outcast Elphaba, who lives in the land of Oz and is destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Determined to meet the Wizard of Oz (Goldblum, in an eccentric and whimsical performance), she enrols at Shiz University. 

But appalled at her treatment by the powers that be, blonde-haired mean girl Glinda (Grande, a natural at the comedy airhead routine needed by the Good Witch) tries to ostracise her. However, when the pair actually form a friendship, they find they have more in common as a dark conspiracy swirls around Oz itself.

While the film is largely a great deal of style over substance, set in a derivative version of a Hogwarts-style university complete with talking animals and nods to the Wizard of Oz and what's to come, the incredible costumes and look and feel of the musical is actually astounding to behold.

Covering only the musical's first act, a colourful array of props and scenes litter proceedings, with various songs peppered throughout. It does fall to mention that unfortunately, unless you're a fan of the original musical, many of the numbers are lost to the memory the moment the lights go up.

The central narrative of how wickedness happens is a soft one in many ways, a chance to revamp a story that's previously been doused in evil and all the better for it. But with horrifying imagery such as how the flying monkeys got their wings and emotional betrayal at its heart, most of what transpires in Wicked: Part One is infinitely more enjoyable than you'd come to expect.

Both Erivo and Grande excel, and while the whole gimmick of singing live during filming is fairly tame given both have live music backgrounds, there's no doubting their chutzpah and delivery whatsoever. Taking the traits of a musical that panders to audience knowledge and laughs (from a few knowing cameos to Grande's continual Glinda hair toss routine), the film does much to ingratiate itself in those who aren't familiar with the source material.

Yet at its heart, the film belongs solely to those behind the camera. From visions of bursting colour and exquisitely choreographed and clear scenes of crowds, Chu's eye for what transpires as spectacle is hard to deny - and deserves plenty of praise.

In hindsight, while Wicked: Part One does little in terms of strong narrative and character depth, what it achieves within its genre is completely impressive. It remains to be seen whether the second act is as good as the first's bum-numbing 2hr 40 minutes, but it'd be Wicked to dismiss this film's execution as anything but a triumph within its class.