At Darren's World of Entertainment - a movie, DVD and game review blog.
The latest movie and DVD reviews - plus game reviews as well. And cool stuff thrown in when I see it.
Cast: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor, Peter McDonald Director: John Carney
Director John Carney has always had music in his blood - and in his sights.
From 2007's smash hit Once about a busker who falls in love to 2013's Begin Again, the music industry's always been part of his writing. So it is with Power Ballad, a crowd-pleasing comedy that sets its sights on the corporatisation of music theft and also the melancholy that afflicts men in their lives.
A genial Paul Rudd is washed-up American singer Rick Power, a wedding singer in band The Bride and Groove. Delegated to performing covers for happy couples and with years on the road with the band, he's put aside his dreams of a rockstar life and pursuing that one true song for a life with his wife and daughter.
During a gig, he's asked to allow former boyband singer Danny Wilson (singer Nick Jonas, not really playing against type) to sing on stage with him. The pair bond and in a late-night jam session afterwards, they swap musical notes and songs.
Six months later, Danny has launched a solo career with a worldwide smash hit and basking in the glow of breaking out of his boyband past - but the only thing is it's with Rick's song. Depressed and desperate to prove that he deserves a co-credit, Rick goes against the advice of his family and heads to the US to track down Danny to get what's his.
Power Ballad is nothing short of a crowd-pleaser that hits the right note on all sides.
With wry observations about men getting older (needing to put on glasses to look at small print) and tapping into the maudlin ethos of what could have been, Power Ballad has some very on-the-nose observations to make about men of a certain age and how they act.
But more than that, it also raises the issue of copyright theft and giving people what they're owed. However, Carney's canny enough to wrap all of this up in a film that never loses any of its warmth or heart as it plays out.
It helps that Rudd is as affable as ever and while Jonas doesn't really rise above his own musical stylings, there's a thread of a feeling that he's trying to get his character to grapple with doing the right thing.
Power Ballad may lack the rawness of Once, but in making something that has such wide comedic appeal while not sidelining any of the wry moments that light up the screen, it emerges as unmissable fare.
The latest iteration of Samsung's flagship phones lineup is one of those pieces of tech that you'll either already be sold on or are a little wary of.
It's not entirely unfair to say that the Samsung Galaxy Ultra S26 has been radically changed for its latest release with it feeling like it's just minor tweaks that have been made on the Galaxy Ultra S25.
Perhaps most importantly, what emerges is a sense that Samsung is solidifying its place in the market with a brand that continues to impress, even if the price point stings a little during an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
With its rounded corners and its relatively lightweight feel (this year's model is a little heavier due to the use of aluminium in the case), the Samsung Galaxy Ultra impresses out of the box. Thanks to minimal sleek packaging, the company's not really messing around, with a USB-C charging cord, a Sim tray ejector and instructions making up the package.
And if you've already used a Galaxy phone before, the set-up process will once again be very familiar and easy to navigate. It's not to overstate this - or even understate it - but the ease with which you can be up and running within moments is still something that in today's marketplace impresses and also speaks to addressing how older generations use phones and get confused by technology. This way, they don't feel left behind.
It has to be said, that once again, without a cover to encase it, the camera forces the phone to sit at an angle when laid flat, something which is a bit of a personal bugbear for OCD users and one which forces you to consider scratching the beautiful AMOLED screen if you have to lay it on its front. It seems like a trivial niggle really, but the lack of cameras being built in continues to dog these phones and forces you to invest in high-end cases from the get-go.
Capturing and dealing with the glare of the beach.
Visually, there's little change on the phone's set up. Buttons down the side, SIM tray and little else keep the sides of the phone smooth and play to the perfectionist design edge that Samsung deploys with the kit. As mentioned, the rounded edges make the phone feel more premium and polished, a welcome touch.
The shot of the cat was taken at normal magnification, but teems with detail and clarity.
With a simple HUD and easy to navigate screens, Samsung's clearly gone for ensuring stability between generations and while it's deployed a Privacy Display to ensure that only you can read the screen while holding it straight on, there's nothing majorly radical in terms of how you use the phone.
Battery life feels like it's taken a bit of a hit this time around though.
Captured at normal magnification
When the phone's used for minimal amounts of time, it's consistent and solid. But the moment you start tinkering with it and playing around, the battery consumption increases and the power seems to drop quicker than you'd want. It managed around 13 hours on a full charge of moderate use - but the upside is that the phone charges pretty quickly, getting a full boost after about 90 minutes.
But quality is what matters and the Samsung Galaxy Ultra S26 delivers it in spades.
Its video playing on the wonderful AMOLED screen is crystal clear and offers excellent quality any time you choose to view. With a brightness that perks up the colours and solid Bluetooth and WiFi connection ensuring there's never any buffering, there's much to be said for watching on the small screen. (Although the superior Galaxy Fold offers a much wider viewing experience.)
And once again, the camera offers high quality photography in your hand - as well as a range of AI options and filters to fix up images. From remastering photos to removing shadows, to filters which brighten colours, the camera array on the back of the phone more or less makes up for the fact the phone doesn't sit flat.
Impressive magnification also helps as well, providing clarity in images that sometimes the eyes just can't match. Granted at extreme magnification, things begin to blur but the camera's optics provide more than enough bang for the buck - and with plenty of editing options after, it turns anyone into an expert. The chance to make video from your photos is also a fun one too - there's a long list of tinkering to be done with this phone and it's all enjoyable if you're someone who takes pride in their imagery. Samsung says it's improved the brightness on the lenses, allowing the apertures to let in more light. It's certainly something that's surprisingly effective during a sunny day on a beach, capturing both the glare of the sun but not overwhelming it at the same time.
Same photo as left, but 30x closer.
At the end of the day though, it's also a phone - and it has to be said, audio quality of calls is nothing short of crisp, clear and concise. The phone also pairs nicely with the Samsung Buds Pro 4 and offers a range of audio options as a reward for being in the ecosystem (read the Samsung Buds Pro 4 review here), so it pays to be a Samsung user.
Overall, it feels like the Samsung Galaxy Ultra S26 is the kind of Samsung experience you'd want for 2026.
It's hard not to recommend it over the S25, but users do need to beware the tweaks are more minimal than you'd expect for an annual release.
But in terms of what the tech does, what it offers and how it feels to use it daily, this is the kind of phone Samsung's hordes of Android users will want - sleek, polished performance that doesn't appear to diminish over time and keeps its fanbase one step ahead of the rest.
A brand-new God of War game has been revealed at the June State of Play showcase.
God of War Laufey focuses on Faye, who was Kratos' wife and who had died at the start of the recent God of War games.
Opening gameplay focussed on what happened next to Freya and the adventure she takes.
The series will also star The Boys' Jack Quaid and New Zealand's very own Perlina Lau.
Phranque, played by Jack Quaid, is a curious cosmic cube with an earnest disposition. He will do whatever it takes to protect his friends and the creatures of the Everywhen.
Rue, played by Perlina Lau, is the enchanted ribbon guardian tasked with keeping the devastatingly powerful sword in her care from falling into the wrong hands.
Together they will embark on a journey deep into the Everywhen that will pit them against a fantastic cast of gods and creatures from across mythology, as well as beings native to the Everywhen itself.
HBO Max has finally revealed its New Zealand pricing as it launches into the New Zealand market on June 16th.
The streamer will be the exclusive home of HBO’s biggest shows, including season three of HBO Original series House of the Dragon, which launches on June 22.
Standard and Premium plans available, with monthly and annual subscription options
Ad-free viewing experience on all plans
Special launch offer from $10.99 per month for the first 6 months, or $109.99 for the first year
Apple Pre-order and Google Pre-registration now live – visit hbomax.com for details
HBO Max has announced the plans, pricing and promotional offer information ahead of its launch in Aotearoa New Zealand on 16 June.
HBO Max will be the only place New Zealanders can catch new and returning HBO and Max Original series, including the third season of House of the Dragon, premiering 22 June, DC Studios’ Lanterns, premiering in August and the highly anticipated first season of the new HBO Original Harry Potter series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, debuting at Christmas.
At launch, local subscribers can enjoy Oscar®-winning movies, such as One Battle After Another and Sinners, culture-defining HBO and Max Originals like The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Euphoria and The Pitt, and movie collections from hit franchises such as Harry Potter and the DC Universe. Fan favourites, including Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Rick and Morty will also be on platform.
HBO Max will be available on ad-free Standard and Premium plans, with a special introductory promotional offer for customers who subscribe by 16 July 2026. The streaming service will also launch in the Cook Islands and Tokelau at the same time, with plans and pricing mirroring those in New Zealand.
HBO Max’s premium content can be enjoyed through an elevated streaming experience on multiple devices, with 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos available (on select plans and devices), and an easy to navigate interface including personalised recommendations, seamless search, genre rails and brand hubs.
In addition to accessibility features such as audio description, closed captioning, subtitles, screen readers and more, HBO Max also includes parental control features such as four age-appropriate kids’ profile options (up to age 5; ages 6+; ages 10+; ages 13+) and the option to apply Kid-Proof Exit, requiring a pin.
Standard Plan:
Launch price offer of $10.99 per month for the first six months, or $109.99 for the first year.
Regular price after the promotion will be $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year.
Users can stream content on 2 devices simultaneously.
Content will be available in Full HD 1080p resolution.
Plan allows for up to 30 downloads of available content to watch offline.
Ad-free viewing experience.
Premium Plan:
Launch price offer of $15.99 per month for the first six months, or $159.99 for the first year.
Regular price after the promotion will be $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year.
Provides the best consumer experience.
Users can stream content on up to 4 devices simultaneously.
Full HD or 4K resolution and with Dolby Atmos sound (as available).
Plan allows for up to 100 downloads of available content to watch offline. (Limits apply.)
Ad-free viewing experience.
Subscribers can stream HBO Max on phones, tablets, computers, TVs, streaming players and game consoles.
Apple Pre-order and Google Pre-registration is now open. Visit hbomax.com for further information and to sign up for news about HBO Max.
2026 Academy Award® Best Picture winner One Battle After Another will also be available from launch, making its SVOD debut in New Zealand
More brand-new content to come in 2026, including the highly anticipated HBO Original Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
The service will also become available in the Cook Islands and Tokelau.
HBO Max will be the only place New Zealanders can catch iconic HBO Originals, including the third season of House of the Dragon, landing on the service in June at the same time as its U.S. premiere.
Additional new HBO and Max Originals launching in the second half of 2026 include Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (from Larry David, produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground), Lanterns (from DC Studios), Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (from The Big Bang Theory universe), the fourth season of the hit period drama The Gilded Age, as well as the hugely anticipated eight-episode first season of the upcoming HBO Original “Harry Potter” series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the trailer of which recorded almost 300 million organic views within 48 hours of being released.
HBO Max subscribers enjoy exclusive access to HBO Originals such as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Euphoria, The Last of Us, The Wire, The White Lotus, Succession, The Penguin, Game of Thrones, DTF St. Louis, The Sopranos, Rooster, Girls, Sex and The City, Flight of the Conchords, Industry, Chernobyl and True Detective, as well as Max Originals including And Just Like That... and the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning The Pitt.
Audiences in New Zealand can sign up for updates at www.hbomax.com.
Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin Director: Travis Knight
The latest attempt to adapt Mattel's 1980s toy line and slightly campy animated TV series about Prince Adam of Eternia arrives on the big screen.
Starring The Sheep Detectives' Galitzine as Prince Adam, who's been trying to retrieve the sword of Power for the last 15 years after being trapped on Earth when Skeletor's forces invaded his homeland of Eternia.
Working as a HR representative in a dull company, Adam spends his days online, searching for the one thing he was asked to look after. When one day he's contacted by someone who's found the sword, he heads to collect it - only to run headlong into his past and future.
A little bloated in places perhaps, director Travis Knight and his team clearly have a lot of reverence for both the source material and the idea of tone in the film.
Whether it's getting a cameo from Dolph Lundgren, setting up the return of another character in the credits, inserting the 4 Non Blondes song which became a He-Man meme or playing on the fact most of the episodes of the 80s animated show ended with the characters laughing, there's enough here to satiate fans of the source material.
It's not entirely a nostalgia-fest though, with Knight doing much to try and shoehorn in the kind of goofy humour Guardians of the Galaxy made the sci-fi genre more accessible for. It has to be said it's not all entirely perfect, and occasionally the tone seems at odds with the seriousness of what's on screen and some of the CGI effects don't land as they should.
But it holds aces in Galitzine's wonderfully game performance as the himbo and also Leto's maniacal Skeletor (who occasionally sounds like Stewie from Family Guy for some reason). Their performances hold together the proceedings which do sag a little in the middle and which in truth could have benefited from an expeditious edit.
Whether it's enough to warrant a sequel is debatable, but for an unapologetic popcorn blockbuster in the middle of the season, it's broad enough to be better than it ever hoped to be.
Samsung's latest Galaxy Buds are perhaps some of the most professional and impressive pieces of kit in the marketplace.
But more than that, for users, they represent a quality of sound and a precision design that makes wearing them a real pleasure.
While the Buds 4 Pro offer little in terms of groundbreaking features compared to previous generations, what they do is maintain the company's space in a rapidly growing crowded market and even set a precedent for continued quality - even if the best features are locked inside Samsung's eco-system.
While it's disappointing that there's no USB-C charging cable inside the box (part of a industry-wide push to cut down on e-waste), the package itself is a pretty compelling, albeit minimalist, one. With just the charging case, the Buds themselves and a couple of different-sized silicon-made eartips, there's little in the packaging to suggest bloat or arrogance of propaganda from Samsung. (Though you could argue a lack of protection of the outside case leaves it prone to scratches.)
It's almost as if they simply want the product to speak for itself.
And it has to be said, that's something it does exceptionally well. From sleek stems and a minimalist black aesthetic, the Buds 4 Pro represent the pinnacle of good-looking tech - but more than that, they offer a comfort fit that doesn't cause issues for hours within ears. If that sounds like a silly statement, it's worth noting that not all earbuds fit snugly within the ear canal and consequently can make the wearing and handling of them more of a trial than needs be.
While connecting them to either a laptop or phone caused a few issues initially (you have to open the case, hold down a button at the back to send into pairing mode, something that wasn't the easiest to do), the quick Bluetooth connection means the Buds 4 Pro are pretty much up and running as soon as you are - and then, it's all go from there.
With a rich sound that has a decent amount of bass, overall the Buds 4 Pro deliver consistently good output for those wanting to simply listen to music. Call quality's solid, if not spectacular too, with occasional recipients sometimes sounding somewhat tinny. But it's worth noting that it's audible and clear and crisp.
ANC for the Buds 4 Pro is solid, but at only 6 hours of battery life when it's turned on, there's a feeling that there are better longer-running pieces of kit out there. But it does well to block out some of the extraneous environmental noise to ensure you can keep on track.
Keeping them within Samsung's eco-system feels a little like a tough recommendation, given that the higher end phones offer plenty of customisable options, be it tweaking the ANC or enabling the Pinch controls and Head Gestures to answer or reject calls. It's a nice touch, and a welcome one, but you'll need the latest range of phones to get all of this out of the Wearable App - which for Samsung fans is probably no big deal.
Where the Buds 4 Pro seem to work best - for this user particularly - is in the controlling of tinnitus sounds. Keeping them nestled in the ears for a few hours while listening to music, there wasn't quite the heady whooshing rush noise within the ears that sometimes over the ear cups manage to deal with. It's a welcome surprise, and while Earbuds in general don't seem to be tackling that issue yet, the fact it's been able to minimise it has been an extremely welcome one.
All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro offer premium quality, clarity of audio and a comfort fit that makes them pleasurable and beneficial to own.
Doc Edge NZ 2026: 28 world premieres for upcoming event
The Oscar qualifying Doc Edge Festival has announced its full 2026 programme, unveiling a bold line-up of documentary films and immersive storytelling from Aotearoa and around the world that confront, challenge, and connect audiences through urgent, real-world stories.
This year’s festival features an unmissable and genre-defying line-up which includes 49 feature films, 26 short films, and 12 immersive projects. Running from 24 June to 10 August, the programme spans global issues, powerful local voices, and deeply human stories across screenings, exhibitions, and events in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and nationwide via the Virtual Cinema.
The 2026 programme includes 28 world premieres across film and immersive storytelling, including 14 New Zealand world premieres alongside international premieres from Germany, Thailand, Czechia, Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Among them are 10 feature films, 13 short films, and 5 immersive projects making their world premiere at the festival.
This year’s festival traverses stories of whānau, resistance, conflict, environmental collapse, creativity, Indigenous knowledge, survival, music, and human connection through work from both emerging voices and internationally acclaimed filmmakers. The festival also includes a special French focus supported by Institut Français and the Embassy of France in New Zealand, featuring films including the acclaimed Inside Gaza and Collapse alongside Cagnat, Drawing or Nothing (Cagnat, le dessin sinon rien) and If You Don’t Like It,Look Away (Au bain des dames).
The World Press Photo & Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition 2026 and the Doc Edge festival hub will take over the Smith & Caughey building in central Auckland from 24 June, transforming the iconic space into a major new home for documentary storytelling in Aotearoa. The ticketed exhibition will bring internationally acclaimed photojournalism and cutting edge immersive works together under one roof for the first time in New Zealand, while also serving as a central gathering place for festival audiences, filmmakers and industry guests throughout the festival. More info here.
Auckland screenings this year will take place at The Capitol Cinema alongside new venue partner Takapuna Beachside Cinemas from 24 June to 12 July. Wellington screenings return to The Roxy Cinema from 15 – 26 July, while Christchurch audiences can attend screenings at Jack Mann Theatre at the University of Canterbury from 31 July to 2 August.
Doc Edge Industry returns to Auckland from 29 June to 1 July, with filmmakers and documentary professionals from around the world converging in the city for a programme of pitching sessions, industry talks, networking events, and market opportunities.
The Doc Edge Awards will take place on 1 July in Auckland. Joining the already announced premiere films are these newly announced World Premieres:
FEATHER STRENGTH Dir. Jon Earle | New Zealand, Netherlands | World Premiere Created over more than a decade, featherStrength is an intimate film about caregiving, endurance, and family life. Filmed largely by director Jon Earle himself, the film follows the realities of raising his daughter with profound developmental disabilities and the emotional, physical, and financial pressures that reshape his family’s life.
RANGINUI: CALL OF THE ICE Dir. Julia Sartorio | New Zealand | World Premiere Set against the darkness and isolation of Antarctica in winter, the film follows Māori astronomer Rangi Matamua and language expert Mataia Keepa as science and mātauranga Māori meet on one of the most extreme landscapes on Earth. As storms close in and conditions shift around them, the pair navigate a frozen world shaped by ice, stars, survival, and ancestral knowledge.
FIRST CUTS ARE THE DEEPEST Dirs. Sopawan Boonnimitra, Peerachai Kerdsint | Thailand | World Premiere Filmed over six years, the film follows three children navigating very different corners of Thailand’s education system. From a religious boarding school in the deep South to an overcrowded classroom in Bangkok, the film captures the quiet moments, friendships, and pressures that shape them as they grow up.
Additional New Zealand World Premiere shorts include:
Digital Traditions: Kastom Keeper
Gloria
Good Kunst
The Weight of the World
Student Army
Race Be Run
Girls' Flight Out
Jacqueline Fahey: From Where I'm Looking
Stoats' Last Stand
Additional International World Premiere shorts include:
Tied with the Tides · Singapore
The Bookstore That Never Sleeps · Canada
The Place Where Memories Hide · United Kingdom
Other New Zealand films screening in this year’s programme include The War Below: Restoring Hope in the Solomon Islands and a special screening of NZ Wars: Stories of Waerenga a Hika.
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