I, Object: Movie Review

Cast: Bentley Storteboom, Skywalker Hughes, Karl Urban, Anna Faris, Ethan Hawke, Jemaine Clement

Director: Andrew Niccol

For a director who's dealt in Eugenics and digitally created actresses, Andrew Niccol's self-written I,Object marks a distinctly retro movie, reminiscent of the kind of gentle family fare that used to play on Sunday afternoons on the BBC back in the 1980s.

This whimsical tale is the story of Tom (Storteboom, subtle and sweet), a 10-year-old kid who's still grieving the loss of his father and who appears to horde everyday objects, much to the annoyance of his stepfather Frank (a gloweringly monstrous Urban, barely seen in full view during the film).

Unable to connect with other kids and bullied because he talks to himself, Tom has a condition - Pareidolia, wherein he sees faces in normal objects. From a talking grater to a speaking bag via his father's beloved clock Benny (voiced by Hawke, who's the film's narrator), Tom has created his own world to help him cope.

But when he meets Allie (Hughes) who shares his condition, the two form a bond - however, the adults in their lives soon determine both need help from other sources.

A cautionary tale about growing up, it would be easy to posit that I, Object shares similar DNA with Toy Story (even down to one terrifying furnace sequence). But unlike Toy Story, there's a whimsy coursing through Niccol's film that plays toward the innocence of a child and the fear of growing up.

While Niccol has stuffed his story with some terribly crowbarred puns, the script's commitment to the fantastical edges and the grounded heart helps it greatly, bringing a story of grief to life in ways that you'd least expect.

While Clement adds a kind of deadpan humour to his soda can who yearns for reincarnation as part of an aeroplane, Hawke brings a wistfulness to Benny, a clock whose years have brought him wisdom that he hopes to pass on to Tom as he guides him.

It all sounds fantastical - and in many ways, it is - but I, Object's heart lies in its innocence and the ability to see everything in the world as something wonderful. Thanks to its canny effects and its gentle touch, don't be surprised if you end up looking at plugs or many other household objects in different ways after you've seen it.

Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced sells 3 million in one week

Vantage Studios, a Ubisoft company, announced more than 3 million copies sold in a week for Assassin’s Creed™ Black Flag Resynced, the latest installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, released on July 9. 

The game started strong with 2 million copies sold on day 1 and this new milestone confirms the momentum. Following positive reception from critics at launch, player feedback has been increasingly positive with Steam user reviews improving to Very Positive, showing strengthened player sentiment thanks to responsive post-launch support. 

This includes quality-of-life updates and bug fixes, as well as the recent announcement of the highly requested New Game+ mode, further enhancing replayability for the most dedicated players. 

A testament to Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, originally released in 2013, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, led by Ubisoft Singapore*, is a faithful remake rebuilt from the ground up and powered by the latest Anvil engine. 

READ THE REVIEW OF ASSASSIN'S CREED BLACK FLAF RESYNCED HERE

The game features stunning updated visuals and enriched gameplay, including parry‑driven combat, improved stealth and parkour, deeper naval mechanics, and new narrative content.  

Set during the Golden Age of Piracy, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced invites players to sail the Caribbean as Edward Kenway, a rebellious pirate captain drawn into the centuries-old conflict between Assassins and Templars. As Edward pursues glory and fortune, he crosses paths with legendary figures such as Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack, while the fate of everything the pirates have built hangs in the balance. 

The game is available on Ubisoft+**, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, as well as Windows PC through the Ubisoft Store, Steam (Steam Deck verified) and the Epic Games Store.  

Battlefield 6 joins forces with Top Gun

Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studios revealed the franchise's largest seasonal update to date with Naval Warfare, new content, and a meticulously crafted knockout Top Gun crossover experience in partnership with Paramount Games Studio.

Key Details:

Season 4 kicks off on July 21 with Phase 1 (Pacific Front) introducing the biggest map in Battlefield 6 yet, Tsuru Reef

Phase 2 (Top Gun) debuts on August 18th with Battlefield and Top Gun’s collaboration content alongside a reimagining of one of Battlefield’s classic maps, Wake Island

The final phase of Season 4 (Tidal Strike) releases on September 15

Battlefield Debuts First-Ever Entertainment Collaboration with Paramount's Record-Breaking Franchise, Featuring All-Star Talent from Top Gun: Maverick for Battlefield 6 and REDSEC

Sydney, Australia. (July 18, 2026) – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and Battlefield Studios today revealed a first look at Battlefield 6™ and Battlefield REDSEC, delivering the franchise's largest seasonal update to date with Naval Warfare, new content, and a meticulously crafted knockout Top Gun crossover experience in partnership with Paramount Games Studio. The update will include the F-18/Super Hornet and iconic F-14 Tomcat, fan-favourite characters from Top Gun, as well as two new modes inspired by the franchise’s iconic aerial combat.

Three characters from Top Gun come to life in-game, fully voiced by their original performers: Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), Lt. Robert “Bob” Floyd (Lewis Pullman), Adm. Solomon “Warlock” Bates (Charles Parnell), with Top Gun-inspired character skins and cosmetics available in-game.

“It's a huge honour to appear in a long-running franchise like Battlefield with its millions of fans, and talented people working on it,” said Miles Teller. “And with Top Gun, it's like two titans meeting.”

“I’ll actually be the one giving orders in-game, which I love,” said Charles Parnell, “If it’s my voice that pushes players on to clutch a win, that’s awesome.”

Carrier Strike is a new Battlefield 6 mode debuting during this collaboration that pits naval, air, and ground forces against one another as teams seek to destroy the enemy aircraft carrier in a showdown creating an incredible blending of Battlefield and Top Gun’s defining characteristics.

“Battlefield is very intense, whether you're in the sky or on the ground or fighting in the sea, “ said Lewis Pullman, “In that way, it’s a perfect pairing with Top Gun.”

Players can also jump into a new Gauntlet mission for Battlefield REDSEC, a jets-only combat mission set on a reworked version of Tsuru Reef, where they compete to be the best of the best. 

“Jets. Adrenaline. The drive to be the best. Battlefield’s unmatched sense of scale is the perfect way to bring Top Gun’s iconic and cinematic aerial combat to life.” says Ryan McArthur, Executive Producer. “We can’t wait for our players to experience the update when it hits on August 18 but our collaboration is also just a piece of Battlefield 6’s biggest season yet.”

Season 4 officially kicks off on July 21 with Phase 1 (Pacific Front) introducing the biggest map in Battlefield 6 yet, Tsuru Reef. This massive Pacific theater battleground features vast air and sea spaces as well as naval aircraft carriers with operational flight decks, and the introduction of our new Dynamic Wave System. This system adds a new dimension to ocean combat, where waves affect boat movement, player aim, and line of sight, allowing players to strategically ambush, flank, and use as cover in firefights.

Phase 2 (Top Gun) debuts on August 18th with Battlefield and Top Gun’s collaboration content alongside a reimagining of one of Battlefield’s classic maps, Wake Island. The final phase of Season 4 (Tidal Strike) releases on September 15 and includes a collection event offering rewards for those who complete naval-based contracts and challenges.

“When Battlefield 6 launched, it had a strong core of content that we’ve grown over time, using feedback from the community to make the game even better,” says Byron Beede, General Manager of Battlefield. “With the addition of Naval Warfare, our Top Gun collaboration, our largest map, and so much more, Season 4 is our biggest update yet and is the perfect opportunity for players old and new to dive in.”

Season 4 will also see the release of several eagerly anticipated updates to the game. Battlefield Studios is rolling out a series of quality-of-life updates, with Spectator Mode and the Portal Custom Lobby launching this season.

Visit us on Battlefield.com. Join the official Battlefield community channels over at discord.gg/Battlefield. Follow us on @Battlefield to stay informed on the latest updates, and @BattlefieldCom for the rollout of live updates.

Mortal Kombat II to stream on HBO Max from July 24 

New Line Cinema’s Mortal Kombat II will make its global streaming debut on Friday, 24 July, only on HBO Max. 

Mortal Kombat II stars Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim and Hiroyuki Sanada. 

The film will feature the fan favourite champions, as well as Johnny Cage, pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders. 

The film is directed by Simon McQuoid and written by Jeremy Slater, based on the video game created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The film is produced by Todd Garner, E. Bennett Walsh, James Wan, Toby Emmerich and Simon McQuoid, and executive produced by Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Jeremy Slater, Ed Boon and Lawrence Kasanoff.  

Mortal Kombat II debuts Friday 24 July, only on HBO Max.

What's on HBO Max in August

Here's everything that's streaming on HBO Max in August 2026.

Monsters of God (August 7)

The HBO Original five-part documentary series Monsters of God, directed by Emmy® Award-nominated filmmaker Eric Goode (HBO’s Chimp Crazy, Tiger King), debuts Friday, 7 August, only on HBO Max. Subsequent episodes will debut Fridays at the same time. The series had its world premiere at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival where it won the TV Premiere Audience Award. 

Filmmaker Eric Goode follows his first love – reptiles – into the dark and gonzo underworld of exotic animal smuggling. In this global network, everyone is chasing the ultimate prize, whether it be owning the rarest of species, claiming the biggest fortunes or taking down the most elusive criminals. The billion-dollar criminal enterprise is fuelled by extreme obsession for these creatures, driving many to push the boundaries of laws and environmental ethics. As he digs deeper, Goode uncovers a labyrinth of outlaw traffickers, bombastic collectors and the dogged law enforcement agents on their tails.

Unfolding over decades, Monsters of God traces the evolution of the reptile trade as it skirts the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and grows into a secretive, high-stakes world of backroom dealings and fanatical collectors. With unprecedented access to the major players, from traffickers to animal enthusiasts to federal agents, Goode unravels a web of larger-than-life characters who run a complex international crime ring. A thrilling exposé of a hidden underworld, Monsters of God warns of the devastating impact of the insatiable desire for the forbidden, and how this mad obsession is pushing some species to the brink of extinction.

Featured participants include reptile dealers, Tommy Crutchfield, Hank Molt, Anson Wong, Ray and Mike Van Nostrand, Mario Tabraue and Beau Lee Lewis; author, Bryan Christy; former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents; reptile collectors; federal prosecutors; customs agents; reptile handlers; former DEA agent, Larry Loveless; zoo officials; snake breeders; and investigative journalist, Steve Chao.

Scream 7: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Neve Campbell, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, David Arquette, Roger L. Jackson, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O’Connor, Sam Rechner, Mark Consuelos, Tim Simons, Matthew Lillard, Joel McHale, Courteney Cox
Director: Kevin Williamson

The latest entrant in the Scream slasher series goes back to its roots.

When Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott thinks she has it all, a new life in a new town, she's shocked to once again receive a taunting call from serial killer Ghostface.

But this time, it's personal with Sidney's daughter is the one being threatened... 

Formulaic suspense, fake-outs, OTT deaths, masked killers and a general malaise pervades much of the latest Scream film, the first to see Neve Campbell return as Final Girl Sidney Prescott after she sat out the prior film.

But this Scream feels more like a whimper with the idea of Sidney taking on a new life as a suburban mom to growingly rebellious teen daughter Tatum (Isabel May) feeling like it's wasted, rather than built upon.

With original scribe Kevin Williamson back and behind the camera, as well as Campbell, you'd expect a meta-film that is full of clever twists and turns. Instead, as Sidney once again battles Ghostface, what emerges is a film that's content to make comments about how Sidney was wise to sit out the events of New York and less interested in advancing or reshaping the genre.

It starts with a pre-titles sequence set in the original Woodsboro house that's now visitable by tourists (Scare BnB, anyone?) but it's limp and obvious in its execution(s).

Messing with the idea that Matthew Lillard's Stu has returned to kill again and dabbling with the idea of deepfakes and AI, Scream 7 had real potential to ensure it was going to be killer. Instead, what emerges is largely filler, that takes nearly 2 hours to play out and has a deeply unsatisfying reveal of the final reasons for the stab-fest.

Campbell's stoic enough and it's good to see her having gone through the transition to becoming more proactive. Cox has a great entrance and little else, and the film's obsession with leaning into examining why everyone could be a suspect leaves you distinctly feeling that all of this has been done before - and better.

The whole thing lacks a freshness and feels like the franchise has fallen foul of itself (the very idea that a rewrite cost $500,000 after Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega dropped out is laughable given how poor it is).

If anything, while box office will probably guarantee a return, creatively, this franchise is done - it's time to stick a knife in its heart and end it for good.