Lanterns: Talking inspiration and the long-term Green Lantern plan

The new drama Lanterns, starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, sees a more human approach to the intergalactic space cops, with Pierre's John Stewart being trained by Chandler's Hal Jordan as a possible successor to the Green Ring.

At a press conference in Beverly Hills, just prior to the show's launch, the cast and creative crew of the series sat down to discuss the show's inspiration, its future and why older superheroes need their time in the sun.

Kyle and Aaron, I want to start with you. The dynamic between Hal and John really roots the premiere and roots the story, and immediately we can really delight in the humour and the charm between them, but we also feel this tension and conflict. For each of you, what was most important to establish right away, from the word go in the first hour of the series, about how your character sees himself, but also how he sees the other person?

Kyle Chandler: To break it down, at the very beginning, I don’t remember exactly what thoughts I had on how to do everything that you just asked me to do. But the first thing that we did was to get to know each other on the set and to get to know all the other people on the set. 

And because it all takes a certain tone eventually that really- there’s certain things outside of what the actor wants to do that guide performance and everything. But, I mean, obviously, you know, once Aaron and I got to work together, it was very quick. And along with James Hawes and Chris Mundy behind the monitor and working the cameras and sharing with us what they wanted, not what they were thinking, it became obvious really quickly that there was going to be a very cool collaborative process which freed us up. 

They were more than willing, I think, to let us make mistakes and to find our way so everyone could find something. Because of that, it didn’t take long for Aaron and I to find a spot where, oh, okay, that’s you, that’s me, that’s my character, that’s your character. And then we started playing back and forth. 

All the rest of it fell into place, it’s all in the writing. I mean, it’s not too hard to figure out that Hal has a competitor here and he doesn’t want to admit it, but, you know, he’s getting a little older and things are happening, all those things that go on. You start thinking about deeper into the character and, you know, like, he’s pretty dark pathology, this dude. You know, this guy’s got kind of can speak for himself, but kind of a weird childhood. All those things start falling in place, but they fell in place because of a lot of the help and a lot of the work we all did together and that freedom of just doing what we’re doing and enjoying what we’re doing.

Aaron Pierre: I would say that the first thing that we wanted to establish was, as Kyle articulated beautifully, safety. We wanted to establish a safety within our partnership and dynamic and that extended way beyond us as well. We wanted to establish that with the entire team, the entire family who were pouring themselves into this to make it the best version of itself. 

I think that is so important and it is so critical, because once safety is established, then you feel an ease, and you feel at liberty to explore, try things, and eventually you’re going to get to the greatest place it can be because you feel free enough to get it wrong and fall forward. Kyle and I did a lot of falling forwards. 

Chris hates compliments, but I’m going to give him one. To have Chris, you know, there every day and just allow us to, as Kyle says, the magic was already on the page. It was already there, but they knew we were always going to get from point A to point B, but how we got there, nobody knew. Nobody knew. Even when we’re five months into a six-month shoot, it’s just the nature of Kyle and me. We like to improvise. We like to try things. We like to never derail the story, but we like to surprise each other. And they permitted us freedom and liberty to do that. And that’s where some of the most beautiful moments are derived from that feeling of safety and freedom.

One of the things I love about what you’re both describing is that it sounds like it was okay if you felt afraid, but maybe you didn’t have to feel afraid. And that gets us to Damon Something I wanted to ask you, because I think your work, your shows over the years have been so indelible to so many people because of the way that you use the genre lens to parse and examine aspects of humanity. And this show, these characters, this dynamic, it’s very rooted in several different aspects of that, but including, obviously, that question of, are you afraid? And, this question of which path to the ring is more noble, more worthy, more valid, right? Being chosen or having to earn it, having to work for it. There’s a little man of science/man of faith there, I think. I’m curious about which aspect of how we function, not just as heroes, but as people, as human beings, drew you to wanting to explore these characters and to this adaptation.

Damon Lindelof: Thanks for asking that. I mean, I think that anytime you’re working on, on something that isn’t original, something that you’re inheriting, you either lean in or you or you lean out. And for me, I had heard that Tom King had ideated this Green Lanterns idea that was being called Lanterns that was being described as a true detective, a story set on Earth, which immediately I was sort of like, oh, they’re space cops, so that sounds cool. 

But more importantly, it’s going to be about the two of them. And then my brain, you know, my middle-aged brain is sort of going like, I’m now at a point in my career where I’m in my 50s and I’m still showrunning but starting to feel like it’s time for me to give up the ring, but I don’t want to let it go.

READ THE LANTERNS SEASON ONE REVIEW HERE

That idea really captivated me. But the answer to your question is always like some sort of fundamental question of why do we keep telling stories about superheroes? Why should I care about space cops? And the answer is kind of embedded in what Kyle and Aaron were just talking about, which is this kind of idea of like, well, they’re human beings first before they even put on the rings. And so that kind of idea of how do you use this as a vessel of relatability, because we’re going to be inviting these characters into our homes on a Sunday night, and although we’re experiencing through this screen, why are we supposed to care about them? And then when I heard that Chris was going to be running the show, I was just a huge fan of Ozark. And I had heard that he had just done True Detective: Night Country, which I hadn’t seen yet. And then we went out for breakfast, and he was just approaching it from sort of a point of view of like, yeah, I’m interested in Green Lanterns, I don’t know much about that, I’m not really a sci-fi guy. So, I was like, why is this guy, you know, interested? I want to get on that train.

But I feel like it was just such a relief to not have to be running the show, to be in service of this larger thing that at first was Green Lanterns and then was secondarily Chris’s vision and then getting to work with Tom and this amazing group of writers. And then I sort of segued off onto another project right around the time that they were going into production, so I have huge FOMO about not getting to have been on the set and all that, but now here it is and we’re launching it, and so I am just immensely proud of the result.

The idea of Rushville and Nebraska emerged very quickly as locations which when well-rendered can be a character in its own right. And the fact that Lanterns is very grounded, very rooted in, not just a sense of place, but a very earthbound place. You know, you can feel the dust in your lungs when you’re watching the premiere. But Lanterns is inherently cosmic and vast and sweeping. So, Tom and Chris, like, in terms of the collaborative process, but also just in terms of figuring out how to achieve the right calibration and alchemy and balance in the show, how did you think about those elements in conversation with each other and ultimately ones that could enhance each other and what Lanterns can do at its best?

Chris Mundy: I mean, I’ll start and Tom can jump. But I mean, I think with anything, you introduce something, you get people to understand it, and then you add, you know what I mean? And for us, it was grounding emotionally in John and then immediately in Hal and John’s relationship, and then in that sense of place. And even the way we used, like, the constructs, the first time there’s a construct used, it’s Hal doing a 20-dollar bill to play a song over and over again, you know?  And then, John is lighting a cigarette with it, and then it’s a bottle opener, cause we’re just like, oh, this is part of our world. But we’re also in this small town where hopefully, I’m so glad it’s like, yeah, it feels dusty and real. So then by the end of the episode, there’s a bigger construct. And then by the next episode, there’s more. It’s just like, are you accepting this reality? Are you accepting these people as real people with this weird job of being a space cop, but they also still have to wake up as themselves? (00:29:08) And then you layer. You know, that’s the way I thought it and we’ve all sort of thought about it together. But the good thing about, you know, me and Damon and Tom from the beginning, we all come from this from a slightly different angle. And so hopefully that where we hit in the middle, it touches a lot of different ideas.

Tom King: I’ll talk about the dust first, then go to Rushville. I think with superheroes, having sort of lived in the superhero moment for almost 25 years now of them being a pop culture, that the powers and the incredible and the amazing of it all can just be noise on top of noise where you don’t even hear it anymore. For the simple fact that there’s no scale, you’re looking at a picture without something to compare it to. And, you know, it’s like looking at Lawrence of Arabia. 

If you just look at the desert, it’s nothing, but if you look at Omar Sharif on that one camel coming across it, suddenly it becomes vast and big and amazing. And so, to make a show where we can show why the powers are important because we build the scale of the real and so they explode like the dragons do in Game of Thrones instead of just being lost among the chaos of it, was the idea of putting it in Nebraska, a place where they would really stand out. And just the location of Rushville. I’m a city kid. 

I grew up in Los Angeles here, and live now in Washington, DC. But as a little kid, my grandmother was from a small town, Rushville, Nebraska, in the panhandle of Nebraska, closer to South Dakota than it is to the rest of the world. And literally, you know, I’m raised by a single mother and like a lot of people, you’re half-raised by your grandmother. And she would just tell me stories of this little town. And I’m from Los Angeles, it is just endless. And here was a town that, like she rode a horse to school and there were three people in the schoolhouse and they all knew each other. And to me, that was an alien planet, thinking of it that way. And so, when we first started thinking about this show and people going to an alien planet that, I don’t know, it appealed to me on that level. And just to put a little bit,my grandmother was just a wonderful person, just to put a little bit of her magic in the show is where Rushville came from.

We kind of have a preconceived notion about superheroes, that they’re youthful, you know, that they’re teenagers or 20s or 30s, and all of a sudden now, and especially with Spider Man, the Spider Noir thing, that we’re starting to see them age up a little bit. So I’m wondering maybe Kyle and the creators could talk about that, that presenting somebody in their 50s who’s a superhero and what that represents and how that kind of changes the dynamic.

Kyle Chandler: First of all, I take umbrage to your question! (laughs) It’s a great opportunity. I mean, as far as I’m concerned, when got this, I was like, "Oh wow, really? I’m going to be a superhero? Me?" But it was a great advantage, because there are things with your older years that come to you that you get to, in a project like this, you get to use them. You know, it’s like being married for 20 years and you’re playing a husband who’s got two kids and it’s 20 years and there’s things you know that no one else is going to know. And so that’s a lot of fun and, there’s a lot of humor in getting older and there’s a lot of humor in this show. It’s just, you get to play out so many things. It’s important, I guess in a way too, it’s really important to show older people’s lives and this young culture that we’ve got going on. I mean, there’s a little bit of goodness and some wisdom and some of that.

Kelly, I want to ask you about Sheriff Kerry. We see in the premiere how many people are just in thrall to Hal’s charm, right? And who can blame them? But Sheriff Kerry is not one of them. She just thinks that the only thing that he is more full of than himself is shit. And it’s very amusing, but I think it also, like, points toward a deeper reserve, about not just Hal, but the world, that there is something very watchful in her shrewdness when she says something like, he’s not afraid, he’s lonely.So what can you tell us about Sheriff Kerry’s skeptical eye and skeptical mind and what is informing that?

Kelly MacDonald: As far as her view of Hal Jordan, I think she can see through him right away. And in a way, I think he does her as well. So, there’s this sort of magic from the get-go almost, even if they’re not- like he’s looking at her entirely and she’s sort of looking at the football field and not, before you even see her, you hear her on the walkie-talkie. 

 And she’s aware of their presence, I don’t know, I just kind loved that about her when I was sent the script that she’s very bolshie and no-nonsense and swears a bit, I think, from what I remember. And, yeah, it’s all fun. That’s really fun stuff. Plus, I also want to say, I’ve got this real thing for Americana and anything vaguely cowboy. 

I’ve got far too many pairs of cowboy boots in my wardrobe in Glasgow. It makes no sense. And so playing her was, like, completely thrilling. I’m so okay about not being a superhero myself cause I was the one that had the costume. I had a badge. I had a massive hat, Yosemite Sam style, and bespoke cowboy boots. I mean, it couldn’t have been better for me, so thank you.

Aaron, Science fiction has always helped us imagine a better future. And for many Black fans, John Stewart has been part of that future for decades. What do you hope his story says to longtime fans, but also to those meeting him for the first time?

Aaron Pierre: That’s a beautiful question. Thank you very much for submitting that. I don’t think we have enough time for me to get into that answer to the depth that I would ideally like to. 

But I think, just to sort of, you know, try and consolidate it as it were, I think that one of my favorite things about John Stewart and how he’s detailed and how he is written and shared with audiences is the truth and the honesty, that is present within him and how he is just so immensely complex. But just like we all are, I think John has just an abundant number of access points to audience members. (00:37:40) I think he is somebody who is somebody who allows us to feel seen. He is somebody who allows us to feel heard, understood, comprehended, respected, and it’s an immense privilege and joy to have been given the opportunity to portray him in the first live-action version. The enormity of that gift is not lost on me. It’s not missed on me. I’m filled with gratitude. 

And from the very moment that I knew I had the opportunity, I poured myself into it and continued to through pre-production, production itself, and even post-production beyond the point of filming it. I’m still, you know, ruminating on should we be gifted the opportunity to continue this journey, how I can excavate further, how I can go even deeper. 

I did an immense amount of personal research, before portraying John Stewart, but there is a point with every character that you portray, as is the case with every character I have portrayed, that you have to then bring a level of yourself and your truth to the portrayal, because otherwise it’s not authentic, and otherwise there is no opportunity for audiences to resonate with you because you are simply copying and pasting.

So it was a joy to also allow myself to be vulnerable enough with the support of everybody here to bring my heart and my soul and my experiences to this. I feel very seen when I read John. John to me is somebody who is a raging sea internally. 

You know, externally he’s a gentleman, he’s precise, he’s accurate, he’s intentional, he’s clean.  But internally, he’s a raging sea, he’s a tornado, he’s a volcano, and I give the analogy of, you know, going to someone’s house and it’s spotless, but you find that one room that they shoved everything in and it’s hell in there. I’ve had, you know, you know, this is not therapy, so I won’t get into myself, but I’ve had my fair share of learning to master my sober mind and learning to navigate my experiences as somebody who does feel things very heavily and deeply. So I feel very seen by John and I’m ready to do this till the wheels fall off, to be honest with you.

Poorna and Garret. I have a question for you both. It is quite a premiere for your characters and one of the things that I love is that right away it’s established that they both go for what they want. Sex in a truck with John or, blackmailing via bail money, the Lanterns to come over for a barbecue—you know, to each their own. But also, they’re shrouded in mystery, so there’s this interesting dichotomy, this dissonance of what is stated very clearly—the boldness, the frankness, and then what is not available for us yet to understand and see. You know, there’s a literal NDA that is invoked in the plot of the premiere. There are questions right away from Hal and from John about what’s going on in this marriage. So how did you - what felt key in terms of when you’re deciding what to hold close to the vest and what you are allowing your character to show as a real declaration of intent, both individually for Zoe and for Macon but also inside of this family unit? Poorna, you want to start?

Poorna Jagannathan: Yeah, it’s a great question. I think that, you know, this is—correct me if I’m wrong—but it’s a- it’s a whodunit, right? It’s a bit of a- a murder mystery, but actually it’s a very profound dissertation on power.  And that is also the case with Zoe and William Macon. It ibecomes very clear pretty early on that both of us with Sheriff Kane and we want to maintain the town’s power and we become a foil for the Green Lanterns in a certain way, you know? So, the exploration of this character is, first of all, she sees John and there’s an instant affinity.  We’re probably the two people of colour in a very, very white town, right? So, there’s an instant connection, instant curiosity that- that happens. But, you know, as it unfolds, it’s really exploring different power dynamics of different people and it’s very mysterious indeed. Garret?

Garret Dillahunt: I don’t know what to add to that. That was beautiful, Poorna. I think that’s a good point. You know, there’s nothing better than great writing. You know, it just does so much of our work for us, and baked into it, like Poorna said, is this weird power dynamic even between us. I think there’s a lot of stereotypes that could have been applied, certainly to my character, and he seems open to all kinds of things that you wouldn’t suspect he would be, a guy who lives in this area and does what he does and seems to be pretty, you know, powerful in this small pond. And I love that their relationship, that it seems kind of free and easy. I guess I can’t talk about much past one, but it is a pleasure to play and I’m sure grateful to be here. 

I just want to take this opportunity to say, , walking onto this set, that you all put together, the script was something. But, you know, I’d never met Kyle before. I feel like I’ve known him for about 30 years now, we just got along great. 

And this young man here, Aaron, I don’t know, I hope you’ve seen some of his other work, but I know we’re just scratching the surface. You should know I was on with Alexa Fogel the other day, who put this thing together, and she also went and saw Aaron on stage in London playing in Cuckoo’s Nest, and she was so floored. She was like, I’ve never seen him like that, I’ve never, I didn’t know he could do that, he was completely different than what you see here.  And I think you’re going to see this face for John Stewart for years to come. It’s just I think they were waiting, I think Green Lantern was waiting for him. But it’s just a great group and I’m so thankful to you all for welcoming us so completely and giving us these great characters to play.

Lanterns has been described as a grounded mystery as much as a superhero series. Was there a particular film, TV show, or genre that influenced the tone you were aiming for? (00:49:01) And that question was addressed specifically to Chris, Tom, and Damon, so we can start with you all from a creative perspective. Was there something—you know, True Detective was obviously already invoked—that you all were seeking to channel, or just reference most directly? Was there someone or something from a film or show or story that you particularly love or felt was resonant here that you tried to bring into your performance?

Chris Mundy: Yeah, we talked about a lot of different things, you know, over the course of it. We talked about No Country for Old Men quite a bit just cause of the backdrop. Kelly’s like in…

Kelly MacDonald: Oh, really? Good.

Chris Mundy: Yeah, Kelly and Garrett are actually both in it, which is weird ’cause we were talking about before we were lucky enough to get them. But just in terms of geography and sense of just pressure, it  just keeps going and going and going. But then we also talked about things as not obscure exactly, but, like, things like Midnight Run, which is like there’s a relationship with Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in that where they’re kind of on the same path together even though one’s being escorted as a prisoner. 

It’s the banter is always funny and yet the stakes are always real, you know. And we were always trying to figure out what line we could get up to in terms of the funny thing where it just didn’t become, like, empty calories. So, it was like those two - there were a bunch. I mean, we talked about Ghost in the room, so I mean, there’s times, like we went far afield. We talked about rom-coms, ’cause in a way it’s a strangely, like, Hal and John kind of start apart, fall in love, fall apart again, you know what I mean? 

It’s like, we had a lot of free time in the room when we were starting, so we went very far afield. But those other ones were really the touchstones at the beginning.

Tom King: I’m going to go with nerdy references ’cause I’m the nerd, So, just to go back to the comics, the comics of it all, andthe sort of the original creation of John Stewart by two guys named Neal Adams and Denny O’Neil who are unfortunately my friends back in the day. And especially Neal Adams, who’s sort of the core creator, and for people who don’t know Neal, he’s one of the GOAT artists in comics, but besides that, he was a true rebel, like the guy who’s like, we need healthcare, we need to get paid. He turned the turned the tables over and said, we’re looking at this industry all wrong, let’s do it different. And that’s the spirit he brought when he created John Stewart, and from that first issue when he goes in there and Hal’s like, you got to wear a mask, you know, you’re just my replacement, you’re nothing, that’s all in that first issue. And John just won’t take the world the way it’s given to him the same way Neal wouldn’t take the world the way it’s given to him and he’s throwing over tables saying, I’m not wearing a mask, I know who I am—I’m something different than you and I might be something better than you. And so that all sort of went back to the comics and to those original creators who so inspired me.

Damon Lindelof: Yeah, I echo everything that Chris and Tom just said and I think that also the show at times felt like Western. More like a classic sort of 1950s or 1940s. There are these archetypal kind of, like, John Wayne-like ideas that are built into it and constructs around manhood that I think that both Hal and John inherited from their dads or the culture in which they were raised. 

I think that obviously we process these sort of mythic stories, like, through fathers and sons and I think that a lot of the time superheroes, you know, Superman’s parents, you know, died on Krypton or Batman’s parents were murdered when he was a little boy.  But the idea that, whether it’s that trauma, what were you taught, what are you trying to figure out on your own, we did talk a lot about, like, father and son stories because John and Hal are not quite father and son. They’re more akin to brothers, at least that’s the way that it reads sometimes. 

But they’re both processing this very complicated relationship with their own dads in partnership with one another, and so I think there was a wide range in terms of all those conversations, there’s no rings, there’s no aliens, there’s no space, there’s no there’s no Guardians.  Then you layer all that stuff in and you make that the science- the genre stuff support those ideas.

Poorna Jagannathan: And on to Damon’s point, I’m not a comic book you know, I don’t engage in the genre and haven’t for many years. And so, this show is so faithful and so delightful for people who are, but it’s such an invitation for people like me who are not exposed to this.  An invitation to step into the genre because it is so intensely relatable and so human.

Anyone else want to share any influences that you or references that you brought in? Is it time to talk about Coach Taylor, you know Kyle? A lot of football. A lot of football here.

Kyle Chandler: I was daydreaming, I’m sorry. (Laughs) I was just going to say, it’s all kind of boils down in my mind, it’s really good storytelling.It just really is and that’s why it’s, among other things that we’ve talked about, that’s the main reason it’s going to be, you know. It’s good storytelling. Good people in the writers’ room and all that. They mixed up a good group.

Many of you have done long TV shows for multiple seasons. Watching Lanterns, each of them feels a small movie, which is great. Do you have that in mind as well that you want to make sure, even if you all love the work, that’s not going to go on for 10 years, but do you know exactly where you want to land without stretching the stories?

Damon Lindelof: Yeah, I can speak from personal experience, in terms of what it was like on something like Lost where we didn’t, you know, we had to aggressively fight for an end date as early as when the show premiered. For a show that had a mystery engine, the audience was saying when are you going to tell us what the fuck is going on here? 

And we’re like, we really want to, but once we start answering mysteries, the show was coming down the hill, it’s closer to the end. So I think that then ultimately migrating towards something like Watchmen, which was a limited series and we knew it was just going to be those nine episodes, and although you’re inside of a legacy story that goes all the way back to the 1980s and you’re trying to continue it, you want a message to the audience that this is complete. 

I think that Chris’s vision for Lanterns was the perfect hybrid of both those things where essentially, he said, I want to tell a complete story. 

We’re going to a mystery, and then, more importantly, we’re going to have a relationship story between these two guys that feels resolved at the end of the story that we’re telling, but we want the audience to be really hungry for more when it ends. And that felt like such a cool way to sort of thread the needle, and I think to Chris, to Chris’s credit and the credit of everyone here and the incredible crew around the show, we’ve accomplished that. I think that it feels like it was a really good meal but a couple of hours after you’ve consumed it, you’re going to say, I think I want to spend some more time in that world.

New episodes of Lanterns premiere Mondays on HBO Max.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Review

Yes, it's that time once again when the phone giants reach into their creative sacks and pull out a new piece of kit for us all to lament the fact we didn't know we needed an upgrade until we saw it.

The latest contender for the hearts and wallets prior to Christmas is the rather delightfully compact Samsung Galaxy Fold 8, a passport-sized piece of tech that feels like the foldable is upping its game.

Chiefly boasting an upgrade in battery life and also the fact you can't really make out the fold in its midway section, the Galaxy Fold 8 feels like the first foldable that's sturdy enough to take anything on you want to put it through.

What chiefly works about this is its compact nature. Fitting easily into the pocket or inside a jacket when out and about, the phone's desire to be sleek and slender means it doesn't stick out (aside from the camera, about which more later). Clocking in at around 201g, (unlike the 215g Fold 8 Ultra and 214g S26 Ultra), it also feels like it's not anything cumbersome in terms of weight. 

And given the phone packs in a fair punch of features, the fact it weighs so little is a testament to its development. The aluminium frame also feels sturdy enough to deal with anything life will throw at it (with the caveat the device was only used for 2 weeks and not hurled around) and seems durable enough to withstand plenty of unfolding too thanks to the Flex Titanium technology.

In terms of slimness, the Fold 8's passport nature is enough to ensure that it doesn't stand out, but once again, the jutting out of the camera on the back means it doesn't sit flush on its back, which continues to be an annoyance and if placed on its front, risks the danger of scratching a truly beautiful AMOLED screen. It's a quandary that Samsung can't seem to get right, no matter what development perks they bring - and throwing it all in a case risks sacrificing some of the slimness the device offers.

Talking of the displays, the AMOLED screens are just beautiful, front and inside. Running 1248 x 1972 pixels, 120Hz, 16:10 aspect ratio means the phone's crystal-clear display shines if you choose to do everything on the front screen, rather than opening up the phone for a bigger display. Perhaps the only downside is how quickly the front can get fingermarks all over it, with smudges evident from just days of use. A small price to pay, but one worthy of note.

Equally, unfolding the Fold 8 into a more mini tablet proves to offer a superlative user experience. Whether it's viewing web pages, watching video or using a split-screen version to run different tabs, the 7.6-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 1848 x 2448 pixels, 120Hz, 4:3 aspect ratio shines, in no part due to the 3,000 nits brightness. It's been a pleasure watching videos on various platforms and even reading comics online with their vibrant colours shining through. Not once has the brightness needed adjusting and even if the phone's turned sideways, the screen quickly and cleverly adapts to the changes.

A big perk of the inner display is also just how unnoticeable the fold is. It seems like a crazy thing to note, given you know it's there, but after previous iterations of the Fold phones suffered because of the crease down the middle, the fact it's barely noticeable is a big win for Samsung here and will prove to be a boon for many consumers as well. Coupled with a drop in the reflectivity, this is a device whose imagery works well no matter what the brightness outside is - meaning it's a lot more use if you're on-the-go.

The camera delivers clear colours.

In terms of battery life, Samsung's also knocked it out of the park. 

In testing and regular use, the battery life has easily lasted a day and with minimal use managed to coast through 3 days before even needing a top-up. A quick charge on the USB-C cable was sufficient enough to see it through as well, though the phone worked better on a full charge, rather than a quick hit.

Perhaps the only downside of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 that's been noticed during testing was making a call to a local radio station for an on-air piece. It's here that the quality of the line dropped and dipped, despite being on 5G, meaning the slot had to be terminated due to dropout. Massively disappointing at the time, it has to be said that fault's not been replicated on any other calls, which have sounded clear and crisp.

In terms of the camera, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 may be missing a telephoto lens and may lose some of the picture quality when zooming in, but it delivers a quality that most users will be completely happy with. Colours are vibrant and clear and even with the zoom into the inside of a tree, the clarity of the leaves and the branches don't suffer the closer you get. 

There's perhaps some worry about the use of AI to modify pictures (no more than other AI providers) and given you can add things in and remove others with the Galaxy AI suite of tools, the ability to deceive others' eyes is high - but the general desire to improve photos, remove unwanted people and enhance the quality of the imagery is something that Samsung continues to deliver well.

Taken at night, but you'd never know.

But all up, given the Galaxy Z Fold 8's strong performance and durability, users will be extremely happy with the 2026 Foldable experience. There's no denying the price stings a little, given how high it retails at over $3,000, but what stands out about the Z Fold 8 is how future-proof it feels and more of an investment in a phone - and tablet experience - that will last rather than fade away.

Now if they could just sort the sticking out camera on the back.....

Galaxy Z Fold 8 specifications:

Inner display: 7.6-inch inner and 5.5-inch outer AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset
Colours: Lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio
Dimensions: 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm unfolded / 1123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7 mm unfolded
Weight: 201 grams
RAM: 12GB to 16GB RAM
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Battery: 4,800mAh battery
Charging: 45W wired, 20W wireless
Cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie camera

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is available now to buy.

Tony: Movie Review

Cast: Dominic Sessa, Antonio Banderas, Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall
Director: Matt Johnson

In truth, Nirvanna The Band The Movie star Matt Johnson's film about Anthony Bourdain could be any film about one summer and the coming of age of an arrogant youth, cocksure in life, rather than a tale of the renowned food writer Anthony Bourdain.

And while that's no bad thing in many ways, the idea this is to educate about the culinary star that emerged seems somewhat disingenuous to the film's original intentions of basing a tale on the time Bourdain spent working in Massachussets that formed part of his Kitchen Confidential memoir.

Set in 1975's hazy, lazy American summer, Bourdain (The Holdovers star Sessa, channeling a Bittersweet Symphony's Richard Ashcroft in look, gait and sullen attitude) has convinced everyone - including himself - that he's about to take a scholarship and become a writer.

However, when he doesn't get the gig, he decides to follow his high-school crush Nancy (CODA star Jones) to her summer vacation and attempt to win her over. But when he turns up in Cape Cod and finds she's already seeing someone, he's determined to not let the lie defeat him and by mistake, ends up working in the kitchen run by an unnamed chef (Banderas, superb in the mentor role).

There's a scrappy vibe to Tony that's breezily contagious, despite the film hitting every single genre trope you'd expect. 

Director Matt Johnson delivers little more than a hang-out film that works its easy charms as he stirs the dramatic pot to familiar results. The movie may begin with a Bourdain quote stating how arrogant he was, but it could be anyone's story, any boy looking to follow a dream and his own arrogant self-belief before it comes cascading down in front of them and they face a choice to forge on or seek redemption.

Sessa is eminently watchable as the conceited Bourdain, a boy who's lying to others with ease and almost convincing himself with the lie as well. Hunched over and with a perma-scowl on his face, he's not the easiest of protagonists to love, but Johnson keeps the story just on the right side of the ledger.

It's thanks chiefly to the punkish energy of Tuner star Leo Woodall as sleazy commis chef Sal that the film finds its groove - and its humour - early on in the proceedings and the pair forms a double act that spreads all the joy in the movie's first half. When Sal leaves, the film's energy noticeably dips and it shifts into its second phase, ably led by Banderas' chef who becomes a mentor to Bourdain and also a surrogate father.

The film's content to bubble throughout, simmering and hitting the moments it needs and while it feels like Johnson's not keen to do anything radically different with the story, it does make for a universally themed film that's enjoyable to watch but not one which does much to enhance the Bourdain legacy.

Like any good hangout film, Tony leaves you with a feeling of your own past summers, misadventures and memories of good times with those who come in and out of your life - it's a mellow recipe of comedy and heart that may just catch you off-guard.

Lanterns: Review

The DC Universe heads into newer territory with the latest TV spinoff series.

Whereas Peacemaker had a more irreverent tone and a distinctly violent edge among the darker moments, the new series from the James Gunn stable goes back to the HBO roots that's been so ingrained in one of its most successful series.

There's no mistaking True Detective's DNA all over this 8-episode series, seven of which were made available for review - but it's worth noting that many of the show's surprises and sizeable shocks are being kept under wraps until after airing.

Loosely, Lanterns, at its very core, is about nature versus nurture, power versus responsibility, age versus experience and a simple odd couple dynamic that has an uncanny knack of getting under your skin.

A terrifically charismatic Kyle Chandler plays Hal Jordan, the first human to be selected as a Green Lantern and who's less than happy to be saddled with a rookie and former army man John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) at the request of the Guardians.

Unimpressed that he has to train someone and reticent to acknowledge the fact he's ageing out, their nascent partnership is put to the test early on after a death in Rushville, Nebraska. Whereas Jordan's gut leads him to suspects aliens, Stewart's calmer approach to the situation follows a more forensic and methodical approach to the crime which is being guarded by local police, headed by Kelly MacDonald's Sheriff Kerry (who comes into her own later on in the series).

However, as the pair investigates, they find themselves faced with something bigger than themselves and must grapple with the inner truths they've kept hidden and the insecurities and conflicts they don't want rising to the surface.

The very definition of a slow-burn, Lanterns is an exercise in character study, rather than superhero bombast. The conflict arises from a more human place and consequently the show keeps a more grounded approach which takes its time to yield its rewards.

While Chandler has the ease and charm from the start, Pierre's more calculated and careful performance as Stewart may take a little more time to warm upto - but he delivers a constructed pitch that makes his superhero TV debut one of the more engaging of the year as he grapples with his inner demons, the fact he's been selected by other forces for the Lantern role rather than the traditional route of the ring choosing its successor.

As a result, Lanterns initially begins as a back-and-forth exercise between the duo, revelling in their clashing ideologies and approaches - the friction provides most of the frisson of engagement throughout as the show navigates elements of mystery, Yellowstone's ranches and Sicario's compound of dread.

There's much to be said about Lanterns that can't be divulged this early on, but suffice to say the show's bound by its earthbound intentions, but occasionally looks to the skies for further inspiration.

It's also a show that benefits from the weekly viewing experience - this is not a series to race through for completion's sake, nor is it one that's filled with the kind of humour Peacemaker brought to the screen. That's not to say there aren't lighter moments here, but paying careful attention to the threads delivers its own rewards.

However, that is both the show's strength and may prove to be its Achilles' Heel. 

Some may find Lanterns a little too po-faced at times, steeped in a kind of serious malaise that can be near impenetrable. Thankfully Chandler remains as eminently watchable as he ever has, and the script knows when things need to be pulled back and a dose of humanity added.

All of the supporting players have depth too. From MacDonald's Sheriff who finds herself caught between two worlds to Garrett Dillahunt's mysterious ranch owner who has plenty to hide, there's enough to grasp onto here and payoffs that feel rewarding.

Ultimately, Lanterns rewards patience and care - and while the finale's been withheld from reviewers so it remains to be seen if it sticks the landing, the central duo make the journey and its twists more than worth the ride itself.

Episodes 1-7 of Lanterns were watched for the purpose of this review.

Lanterns streams on HBO Max from August 17, with new episodes releasing weekly.

The first 5 minutes of #Lanterns is here to watch now, just as the ring has willed it. ⁰#Lanterns premieres this Sunday at 9pm on @hbomax. @DCOfficial pic.twitter.com/AdvHbpLR61

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 13, 2026

What's on Disney+ in September

Here's everything that's streaming on Disney+ in September 2026.

American Horror Story Season 13 (September 25)

The 13th season of the popular horror anthology series will include the return of fan-favourite characters including Constance Langdon, Cordelia Goode, Madison Montgomery, Marie Laveau, Rubber Man, Twisty the Clown, Kai Anderson among other surprises. All previous seasons of FX’s “American Horror Story” are currently streaming on Disney+ in New Zealand.

“AHS: 13,” featuring 13 half-hour episodes, will premiere Friday, September 25 exclusively on Disney+. Premiere week and week two will each feature three episodes, followed by a pair of episodes each following Friday leading up to the 13th and final episode on October 30, just in time for Halloween.

The 13th installment stars Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, Leslie Grossman, Joey Pollari and Jessica Lange. The epic cast also features Avantika, Jamie Brewer, Elle Chapman, Berto Colon, Alex Consani, Frances Conroy, Mat Fraser, Seth Gabel, Orlando Jones, Paul Anthony Kelly, John Carroll Lynch, Tig Notaro, Madelaine Petsch, Fedor Steer, Mena Suvari, Zach Villa, John Waters and more.

FX’s “American Horror Story,” the global phenomenon that has garnered more than 100 Emmy nominations since its launch in 2011, returns for an unrivaled 13th installment that will do justice to everyone’s most feared number. Bringing together an all-star cast, many of whom are reprising fan favorite roles, “AHS: 13” continues to build on the anthology’s decades-long legacy that has been streamed more than 700 million hours across the globe and spawned a legion of dedicated fans. Created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, “American Horror Story” has redefined the genre with various installments featuring a creepy murder house, a coven of witches, a traveling freak show, a haunted hotel and the apocalypse itself. Which iconic horrors will return to haunt the hallowed halls of 13 and what new terrors await? Light your candles, draw your pentagrams and prepare for a supreme surprise.

Logitech G316 X Wired Keyboard: Review

There's no denying that the keyboard market is becoming somewhat crowded, with new releases feeling like they're announced every couple of months.

One month, it's a wireless keyboard, then the next, it's a wired one. The churn is continual, but it's all in the pursuit of ensuring that gamers and users get the most out of the tech and the propositions they present.

The latest, the Logitech G316 X, which retails around the $225 mark, is a wired keyboard that lives within the realm of wanting to make plenty of noise with the satisfying clack of keys once you've bashed on them and the comfort of knowing that the battery is never going to run out, thanks to its wired nature.

Logitech's G3 series has already created a solid ecosystem, both for casual users and hardcore gamers.

The latest keyboard may not really massively change that marketing space, but it does offer a sensible reason to stay within it.

With a solid, quality sturdy build, the keyboard feels like it can do the job it needs to do for a prolonged amount of time and yet offers a touch of contemporary quality with its look. With swappable keys and a slightly out-there volume button, there's the occasional feeling that developers have gone a little haywire to ensure there's something that helps it stand out on the shelves.

But that's not really a necessity here, given how responsive the keys are to touch. Sure, there's no trigger effect like some others have offered, but along with a solid response time, the keyboard does much to ensure that users get what they need from it. 

Along with the Game Mode Switch which prevents you inadvertently bashing the keys during a session, the keyboard certainly knows what it wants to do. (It helps there's a quirky joystick graphic for the button to be pressed.) Use of the G Hub app's important here too, another sign that Logitech itself is keeping everything in its own ecosystem, because the app will allow you to disable certain keys, something which becomes more of a priority during any prolonged gaming session.

Plus, within the app, you can adjust the range of the keyboard's polling rate and its RGB behaviour. Once again, the app continues to be easy to navigate and doesn't feel too much like it's aimed only at professionals.

Along with RGB light straps and the defining clack of the keys, the Logitech G316 X Wired Keyboard does feel like it's a perfect mid-range budget option. Though there's an occasional stiffness typing with the keys in a normal daily environment and it's not entirely clear whether someone would want to use this for an office job, Logitech's G3 suite of hardware certainly hits its core market and delivers exactly what they'd want and need.