Evil Dead Burn: Movie Review

Cast: Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand, and Maude Davey.
Director: Sébastien Vaniček 

After the success of 2013's Evil Dead and Evil Dead Rise, the latest outing for the Deadites continues to follow the insidiously evil trend of burrowing under the surface.

This time, it follows Souheila Yacoub's Alice, a French wife whose husband Will is killed in a car crash after the pair of them row at a nightclub while out celebrating Will's brother Joseph's birthday. But when Alice attends the funeral and is forced to head back to her in-laws for the wake, their hostility begins to bubble to the surface, something exacerbated by the arrival of the Deadites in their home.

Evil Dead Burn is less interested in going for the subtle, crafting a family reunion from hell which spills over in blood and violence.

Vaniček isn't interested in holding back and while the opening sequence feels a little schlocky as a couple of people are dispatched while out on a fishing trip, it ties together the Evil Dead Rise threads that were left open before.

However, mixed in with the familiar ground-level cameras that hurtle through the woods, there's a vein of very black humour that elicits some unexpected laughs throughout - albeit dark ones that don't do much to alleviate the bloodletting that's unleashed on screen.

With a love of practical FX (apart from one sorely misjudged final sequence that feels like the Deadite version of Terminator 2: Judgement Day), Evil Dead Burn deserves plaudits for full committing to the horror bit, as it suddenly scales from 1 to 100 with little warning.

Key to all of this though is New Zealand actor Erroll Shand, whose grieving father is hiding some deep resentments that Deadites bring to the surface in a sickeningly shocking way. Shand more than delivers in this role, setting up a tragic arc that erupts at the very start of proceedings and which carries the film through to its extremes.

Yacoub's Alice has a more subtle approach to her domestic violence sub-plot and while Vaniček does as much as he can to keep that bubbling under, the movie itself doesn't feel like it does anything new with the issue in this particular context. And certainly the final sequences, while intended to give closure, weaken the drama that's unfolded for Alice.

Plus, a few character decisions make little sense overall, especially given what's been seen previously in the film - and it's a few moments like this which take viewers out of the intensity of what's unfurling.

That said, on the whole, Evil Dead Burn delivers a deliciously upsetting time at the movies, with sequences of horror guaranteed to have you squirming in your seat (all manner of limbs and orifices are assaulted), but its enduring tale of the horror and lies families tell each other is its strongest sell.

It's psychological terror at its worst, Evil Dead style.

The Invite: Movie Review

Cast: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penelope Cruz, Edward Norton
Director: Olivia Wilde

In a parallel to The Drama movie with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson earlier this year, The Invite's tale of a dinner party going awry once again lays bare the cracks in a relationship that has weathered many storms and somehow withered.

Rogen is Joe, a former musician who inherited his parents' New York apartment and works as a music teacher while his wife Angela (Wilde, also on directing duties) stays indoors all day. After another soul-destroying day, Joe comes home to be told by his wife the neighbours from upstairs, Pina and Hawk (Cruz and Norton) will be heading round for dinner shortly.

To say more about The Invite from this point on is to rob writer Rashida Jones and Will McCormack's story of some of its edges - even if it's obvious where it's going. 

There's a duality at play throughout the clearly-written-for-the-stage movie; Joe's unhappy at the continual noises of their neighbours' vociferous love-making, ("They're fucking like monsters," he bemoans) but seems almost curious and repulsed by what he discovers from them. And Angela's thrilled by the interest the soft-spoken Hawk shows in her renovations, as well as her.

There's a sharpness to the script and although a few moments don't quite hang together because a lot of the characterisation is done by broad strokes (a smash cut to Joe sitting unhappily after a montage of seeming happiness, Angela's attempts at ingratiating herself), most of The Invite lands with a horrifying universality of couples in their lives.

While there are some genuinely laugh-out-loud funny moments thanks to Rogen's Joe's reactions to various situations, there's an undercurrent of sadness running through this remake of the 2020 Spanish film, The People Upstairs.

Whether it's the bickering that begins the film that has a thinly veiled layer of nastiness to the barbs traded between Joe and Angela, or Joe's bad-mouthing of his wife to Pina in a secluded room, the unhappiness just seems to seep under the surface of this, pushing the marriage to the brink and begging you to watch a relationship crumble under years of not communicating.

How that impacts the audience will largely depend on where you are in your own life, but with Cruz, Rogen, Wilde and Norton delivering quality performances throughout, this really is one invite you can't afford to turn down.

Moana 2026: Movie Review

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Laga'aia, Frankie Adams, John Tui, Jemaine Clement, Rena Owen
Director: Thomas Kail

The 2026 live action version of the much-loved animated Disney film Moana has a lot to live up to.

Disney's plundering of its own back catalogue for live-action fare has had a hit and miss approach throughout the years. But such is the love for the original Moana which released a decade ago in 2016 that there's possibly enough affection to carry through a reimagining.

For those unaware of the story, it's the tale of young Moana (Laga'aia), a Polynesian girl, who answers the ocean’s call to restore the well-being of her island community of Motunui with tragedy facing them.

But on her journey, she comes across demi-god Maui (Johnson, reprising his much-loved role) and the pair of them are thrust into an adventure they'd never expected.

NZIFF 2026: Previewing what's ahead for the NZ Film Festival

The 2026 version of the New Zealand International Film Festival is back, kicking off in Auckland at the end of July before heading around various centres.

As usual, there's a smorgasbord of cinema ahead for cinephiles - including some of the big hitters from Cannes 2026.

Here's just some of what you can see - for more, visit nziff.co.nz

This year's opening night film is coming of age tale Big Girls Don't Cry.

Big Girls Don't Cry.

It’s the summer school holidays of 2006 and stormy 14-year-old Sid (Ani Palmer) is desperate to reinvent herself. She lives with her dad (Noah Taylor) and older sister (Tara Canton) in a rural town near Ōmaha, New Zealand, the usually-sleepy beach destination that, during the summer, brings an influx of holidaymakers — a fresh audience for Sid’s performance of her ideal self. 

Another centrepiece film is Lomu, the tale of Kiwi rugby legend Jonah Lomu.

Born in South Auckland as a first-generation Tongan and son of a minister, Jonah would transcend his humble beginnings and become rugby's first real international superstar.

However, it was his childhood in the Kingdom of Tonga that was his foundation, and the film brings looks at his formative years, with personal photos and videos, as well as interviews with his mum Hepi and brother John, to trace his origin story.

The big winner from Cannes, Fjord, also receives its New Zealand premiere.

Fjord

A divisive talking point at the festival even before it took its top award, Cristian Mungiu’s story of a conservative immigrant family under institutional suspicion is a barbed interrogation of liberal Nordic attitudes.

The Gheorghiu family have relocated from Romania, the homeland of the father Mihai (Sebastian Stan), to a village in Norway, where the mother Lisbet (Renate Reinsve) is from. The devout evangelical couple are soon questioning the move after they fall under the scrutiny of neighbours and care workers who suspect them of child abuse after their daughter turns up at school with bruises. 

The film draws on real-life custody cases that sparked intense international debate and protest over whether Norwegian child protection services were doing a model job in harm prevention, or whether intolerance cuts both ways and can be a blind spot for progressives.

The long-awaited Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, a sure-to-be cult classic for horror fans. 

American director Jane Schoenbrun's latest flick opened the prestigious Un Certain Regard section at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and went on to win the coveted Queer Palm.

A surreal meta-slasher that blends horror, romance and film-industry satire, the film stars Hannah Einbinder as a young filmmaker tasked with reviving the Camp Miasma franchise, and Gillian Annderson as the reclusive actress who played the ‘final girl’ in the original movie. Along the way, expect blood splatters galore, teenage horniness, and a killer wearing a ceiling vent mask. 

Stephen Graham's shocking The Good Boy also plays. It's a twisted tale of an obnoxious teen who’s taught some unconventional lessons and is not to be confused with Good Boy, the tale of a dog trying to save its owner from a haunting. Alpha is a pandemic dystopia from celebrated French body horror maestro Julia Ducournau, and Sydney’s neon-soaked queer underworld comes to light in Aussie crime thriller, Body Blow. 

The Good Boy

Also on the list so far, Indonesian horror-comedy Ghost in the Cell turns a prison block into a splatter fest, adult animation Jim Queen and the Quest for Chloroqueer pokes a stick at queer gym culture, and I Want Your Sex, the sizzling latest from indie director Gregg Araki, explores the dark side of the LA art world as a fresh-faced young intern is sucked into a wicked and murderous power game.

And there are also some films for the young-at-heart, as well as the younger members of the audience.

Kiri and Lou Go Raaa!

After seven years of friendship captured across 104 episodes, Kiri and Lou Go Raaa! takes us back to the very beginning, telling the story of how Kiri, a feisty little dinosaur, and Lou, a gentle and sensitive ‘palorchecie’, became the unlikeliest of best friends – in their biggest adventure yet.  

Featuring the voices of Jemaine Clement and Olivia Tennet, with music by Don McGlashan, Kiri and Lou is quietly one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most successful franchises. From Nickelodeon to the BBC, the series has broken into children’s programming lineups alongside shows like Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and Bluey, picking up a BAFTA nomination along the way.  

Murray Ball's iconic Footrot Flats gets a 40th anniversary outing.

40 years ago, New Zealand’s most loved cartoon strip was adapted into our first-ever animated feature and the result broke the box office and captured the hearts of a far more innocent nation.

The 4K remaster is set in the fictional rural town of Raupo, Ball’s film (from a script he co-penned with fellow cartoonist Tom Scott) focuses on establishing the origins of fan-favourite characters Dog and Wal’, along with a host of other recurring characters from the cartoon strips, including nature-loving neighbour Cooch Windgrass, farmhand Rangi, Wal’s niece Pongo, the villainous Murphy’s from an adjacent farm and of course Dog’s animal companions – love interest Jess, Major the pigdog, and Horse (Wal’s seemingly indestructible cat.)

There are also a raft of international and local guests attending the event.

International guests

Abinash Bikram Shah

Director of Elephants in the Fog

Screenings:

Auckland – Sunday 9 August, 3:45 p.m. at Academy Cinemas

Christchurch – Wednesday 12 August, 5:45 p.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bernhardt)

Christchurch – Thursday 13 August, 10:00 a.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bardot)

Wellington – Friday 14 August, 6:00 p.m. at Massey University National Academy of Screen Arts Cinema

Wellington – Saturday 15 August, 3:55 p.m. at Light House Cinema Cuba

James J. Robinson

Director of First Light

Screenings:

Auckland – Thursday 6 August, 1:15 p.m. at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket

Auckland – Friday 7 August, 6:00 p.m. at Academy Cinemas

Sophie Hyde

Director of Jimpa

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 1 August 2:45 p.m. at The Civic

Auckland – Sunday 2 August, 1:15 p.m. at Bridgeway

Kai Stänicke

Director of Trial of Hein

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 8 August, 6:00 p.m. at Academy Cinemas

Christchurch – Thursday 13 August, 6:00 p.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bernhardt)

Christchurch – Friday 14 August, 10:30 a.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bardot)

Wellington – Saturday 15 August, 5:30 p.m. at Massey University National Academy of Screen Arts Cinema

Wellington – Sunday 16 August, 8:15 p.m. at Light House Cinema Cuba

Warwick Thornton

Director of Wolfram

Screenings:

Auckland – Thursday 30 July, 6:30 p.m. at The Civic

Auckland – Friday 31 July, 11:00 a.m. at Academy Cinemas

New Zealand guests

Gwen Isaac

Director of Be Merry

Screenings:

Auckland – Sunday 2 August, 10:00 a.m. at SkyCity Theatre

Wellington – Saturday 22 August, 3:30 p.m. at Massey University National Academy of Screen Arts Cinema

Wellington – Sunday 23 August, 12:30 p.m. at Light House Cinema Petone

Paloma Schneideman

Director of Big Girls Don’t Cry

Screenings:

Auckland – Wednesday 29 July, 7:00 p.m. at The Civic

Auckland – Friday 31 July, 3:45 p.m. at Academy Cinemas

Christchurch – Thursday 6 August, 7:00 p.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bernhardt)

Christchurch – Thursday 6 August, 7:30 p.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bardot)

Wellington – Wednesday 12 August, 7:00 p.m. at The Embassy

Wellington – Thursday 13 August, 4:00 p.m. at Light House Cinema Cuba

Dunedin – Friday 14 August, 7:00 p.m. at Regent Theatre

Pietra Brettkelly and The Critics

Directors of Crocodile

Screenings:

Auckland – Sunday 2 August, 6:15 p.m. at SkyCity Theatre

Wellington – Monday 24 August, 6:15 p.m. at The Embassy

Wellington – Tuesday 25 August, 4:00 p.m. at Light House Cinema Cuba

Pat Cox

Producer of Footrot Flats: The Dog’s Tale

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 1 August, 6:30 p.m. at SkyCity Theatre

Kieran Charnock and Jonathan Watt

Directors of In Search of My Moehau

Screenings:

Auckland – Friday 31 July, 9:00 p.m. at Hollywood Avondale

Wellington – Thursday 20 August, 8:00 p.m. at Massey University National Academy of Screen Arts Cinema

Masterton – Wednesday 9 September, 8:00 p.m. at The Screening Room

Harry Sinclair

Director of Kiri and Lou Go Raaa!

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 8 August, 10:00 a.m. at The Civic

Wellington – Saturday 15 August, 10:00 a.m. at The Embassy

Christchurch – Sunday 23 August, 10:30 a.m. at the Isaac Theatre Royal

Gerd Pohlmann

Director of Last Man Standing

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 1 August, 3:30 p.m. at SkyCity Theatre

Christchurch – Friday 14 August, 2:00 p.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bernhardt)

Christchurch – Saturday 15 August, 3:00 p.m. at Jack Mann Theatre

Wellington – Sunday 16 August, 2:15 p.m. at The Embassy

Wellington – Monday 17 August, 10:30 a.m. at Light House Cinema Petone

Vea Mafile’o

Director of Lomu

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 1 August, 5:30 p.m. at The Civic

Wellington - Saturday 15 August, 5:45 p.m. at The Embassy

Sean Wallace and Jordan Mark Windsor known as THUNDERLIPS

Directors of Mum, I’m Alien Pregnant

Screenings:

Auckland – Friday 7 August, 8:45 p.m. at The Civic

Wellington – Friday 21 August, 8:15 p.m. at The Embassy

Mark Papalii

Director of My Humble Friend, Fonoti Pati Umaga

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 1 August, 10:00 a.m. at SkyCity Theatre

Wellington – Saturday 15 August, 3:00 p.m. at Massey University National Academy of Screen Arts Cinema

Peter Terry

Producer of Nambassa Festival

Screenings:

Auckland – Sunday 2 August, 9:00 p.m. at SkyCity Theatre

Robert Sarkies

Director of Out of the Blue

Screenings:

Auckland – Friday 31 July, 6:15 p.m. at Hollywood Avondale

Dunedin – Sunday 16 August, 7:30 p.m. at Regent Theatre

Wellington – Monday 17 August, 8:30 p.m. at The Embassy

Conor Bowden

Director of The Ungrateful Tenant

Screenings:

Auckland – Thursday 30 July, 7:00 p.m. at Hollywood Avondale

Wellington – Friday 21 August, 6:15 p.m. at Roxy Cinemas

Ryan Alexander Lloyd

Director of Uncle

Screenings:

Auckland – Saturday 1 August, 8:45 p.m. at SkyCity Theatre

Christchurch – Tuesday 18 August, 5:45 p.m. at Lumière Cinemas (Bernhardt)

Wellington – Wednesday 19 August, 6:15 p.m. at Massey University National Academy of Screen Arts Cinema

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, Brie Larson
Director: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic

The sequel to The Super Mario Bros Movie from 2023 is finally here.

One of the biggest animated films of all times in terms of box office gross, the latest has a lot riding on it. Once again, Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt appears as Mario and Charlie Day is the mustachioed brother Luigi.

When Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) is kidnapped by Bowser Jr (Safdie) and whisked away to the Space Junk Galaxy, Princess Peach (Joy), Mario and Luigi - along with newcomer Yoshi (Glover) and the shrunken original Bowser (Black) head off to rescue her - and for Bowser to reunite with his son.

There's very little that really happens in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a film that seems to exist to expand the Mario universe and to pay homage to some of the Mario nostalgia.

In fairness, a few of those "remember this?" heavy moments land pretty well, and there's a nice robot riff on Zootopia's sloth DMV workers, but much of this feels like soulless frenetic box-ticking for Nintendo fans.

Despite some incredible animation here, there's certainly not the emotional edge you'd be expecting and despite the two Princesses looking like Elsa and Anna from Frozen, there's no real feeling of history here at all. It's a disappointment to say the least and it all ends up feeling distinctly "meh" rather than "Mario".

Dune: Awakening details revealed

Funcom Releases Dune: Awakening Console Deep Dive, Announces Physical Edition

With console launch on September 22^nd, Funcom teams up with Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe and Solutions 2 GO Inc. to put the PlayStation 5 release of Dune: Awakening on shelves – yes, with a disc inside

 

Developer and publisher Funcom® has released a new video that dives into the topic of just what players can expect when Dune: Awakening finally releases on PlayStation 5 and XBOX on September 22^nd, including single-player, scalable difficulty and game customization, an epic story finale, and more. 

Already out on PC, Dune: Awakening is an Open World Survival game inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune and Denis Villeneuve and Legendary Entertainment’s blockbuster franchise. The PlayStation 5 version will be available in Physical version in retail stores across Australia and New Zealand.

 

Funcom is also excited to announce that the PlayStation 5 version of Dune: Awakening will be available as a physical edition from September 22^nd. The studio is teaming up with Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe for a retail release across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and with Solutions 2 GO Inc. for North and South America. The game will also be released in retail in Japan, with a publisher to be announced later.

“September 22^nd isn’t just putting the game on consoles. It’s a major milestone for us, the second launch of Dune: Awakening across PC, PlayStation 5, and XBOX,” said Funcom CEO Rui Casais. “For more than a year now we have expanded and enhanced Dune: Awakening on PC and all these additions, as well as several new ones, will be available on all platforms on day one. This is the best version of Dune: Awakening yet and we’re excited to open it up to a much larger audience across platforms. Teaming up with strong partners around the world to put it on shelves everywhere is another great way for us to bring more survivors to the dangerous sands of Arrakis.”

The digital PlayStation 5 and XBOX versions of Dune: Awakening have been available for pre-order on the PlayStation Store and XBOX Store since June 2^nd. Starting today, you can also pre-order the physical PlayStation 5 version from select retailers including Amazon, GameStop, EB Games, and more. In Japan, the game is expected to release in October, with pre-orders commencing soon.

With the third installment in Denis Villeneuve’s epic Dune saga will hit theatres on December 18^th, the physical PlayStation 5 edition is also the perfect holiday gift for Dune fans everywhere. 

 

Console editions and pre-order incentives:

• Physical: PlayStation 5 base game edition. For a limited time only, it includes the exclusive Terrarium of Muad’Dib that you can place in your base and a global color swatch.
• Digital: Base game, Deluxe Edition, and Ultimate Edition available on PlayStation Store and XBOX Store. Pre-ordering any edition includes the Terrarium of Muad’Dib and the global color swatch, and pre-ordering Deluxe or Ultimate also provides a 5-day head start. The Deluxe and Ultimate Edition includes a slew of in-game content including DLCs, armor, and building pieces.

 

Highlights of what’s coming with the September release:

• Console: Same experience as on PC, with controls and UI optimized for console. 60fps target for both PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X (Performance Mode).
• Single-player: The full game can now be played entirely in single-player, with scalable difficulty and a wide range of gameplay customization settings.
• Story complete: The grand finale of Book One, offering a dramatic conclusion to Dune: Awakening’s cinematic storyline. Play it from start to finish.
• Scalable difficulty: Tweak everything from harvesting rates to experience gain and combat difficulty. In single-player and private servers, you’re in control.

New players on PC and console will also get to enjoy all the additions and improvements that have been rolled out on PC since launch, including fully optional PvP, a bigger and better late game loop, new content including new locations and missions, and countless quality of life improvements.

 

For a full overview of everything coming in the September release, and what has been added and improved since PC launch, please check out DuneAwakening.com.

At its core, Dune: Awakening is an Open World Survival game, where you must rise from survival to greatness through exploration, combat, crafting, and building. But it’s also so much more, incorporating an epic, cinematic storyline, adventure and RPG mechanics, and several ways to play whether it’s in single-player, on a private or self-hosted server with friends, or in large-scale multiplayer on official servers. How you play is up to you.