It: Welcome to Derry: Season 1 Blu Ray Review

The kids are not alright in this latest TV outing for Stephen King's Pennywise.

It's back to Derry and a world where racism is just below the surface, the nuclear arms race is underway and the children are being killed by monsters. So just your average middle America in many ways.

But whereas the It movies focused more on the generations terrified by Pennywise the malevolent clown, this latest deems it necessary to fully traumatise the children with repeated terrors. However, in the background, there's a story about airmen and a local US airbase which has a mission seemingly connected to what's going on in Derry.

It's fair to say that some of the gore early on in the season doesn't match the human horrors that play out - a pre-titles sequence for episode one is much stronger until the gore shows up and deeply upsetting without over emphasising the horror elements.

There's a psychological terror at play here that's more effective than some borderline campy visuals that feel in keeping with the 1980s Tim Cutty series of Pennywise. And there's some truly unsettling ideas of institutionalising children, where adults think the kids are natural liars - a story of innocence lost is infinitely more effective than some carnival-level OTT imagery. 

The old saying goes there's nothing to fear, but fear itself - and certainly that side of the story proves to be potent material in the third episode of the series, with more of a clearer picture emerging of what's actually going on and where the story is going.

Certainly with occasional jump scares, It: Welcome To Derry knows what it wants to achieve. But when it steers away from the carny schlock elements, there's a very intriguing expansion of the Pennywise universe. And it's in these moments that the series gives itself the validation that's needed.  All the elements do coalesce in time, but It: Welcome To Derry requires a bit of an investment to guide you through. And that's a lot to ask for a show that hides it's familiar face for much of the season.

To say it's a slow burn is an understatement, but if you give it time and be patient, It: Welcome To Derry will give you nightmares for weeks to come. If you can get past the comedic horrors that are played for chills, but raise titters.

It: Welcome To Derry premieres on Neon on October 27.

What's on Neon in July

Here's everything that's streaming on Neon in July 2026.

The Westies S1 (July 14)

In 1980s Hell’s Kitchen, the Westies crime syndicate profits from the Javitz Center construction. Though vastly outnumbered by Italian mafia, their brutality earns them a share. Generational tensions rise as FBI probes deepen. From the creator of Narcos. 

Stars: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), Titus Welliver (Bosch), Tom Brittney (Grantchester), Jessica Frances Dukes (Ozark)

The Last Moa (July 10)

Thought to be extinct for centuries, Moa is the last of her kind. Ambitious trapper Ted will stop at nothing to capture her for fortune and glory, while Moa’s fiercely loyal guardian Kiwi will do anything to keep her safe. The Last Moa is a funny, fast-paced animated comedy for kids and families. A Sky New Zealand Originals. Made with the support of NZ On Air. 

Crookhaven S1 (July 1)

A young pickpocket is recruited to study at Crookhaven – a secret school for crooks where promising young thieves hone their deceptive skills to use them for good. 

Based on the best-selling book series by J.J Arcanjo. 

Stars: Lucas Leach, Carmel Laniado, Dougray Scott

Make That Movie (July 2)

In this British absurdist comedy mockumentary, Australian comedian Sam Campbell (Bloods, Taskmaster) plays a fictionalised version of himself, as a film director who scours the country for everyday people who have an idea for a feature film. 

Sam and his team then race against the clock as they attempt to transform the idea into a film in just three days.

Also stars: Lara Ricote (Break Clause), Aaron Chen (Fisk), Helen Bauer (Am I Being Unreasonable?), and David Hargreaves (This Country) 

Born to Bowl (July 15)

Born To Bowl takes viewers inside the colourful world of professional bowling, chronicling five stars of the sport – Kyle Troup, Anthony Simonsen, EJ Tackett, Cameron Crow, and Jason Belmonte – as they chase glory, respect, and much needed prize money on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. Executive produced by Ben Stiller.

JULY TV CONTENT

BY DATE

01 South Park S8

01 Twin Peaks S1-2

01 Crookhaven S1

01 Ready steady wiggles S8

01 Rugrats S6

02 Make That Movie

03 Friday Night Lights S1-5

07 Frasier S5-11

08 Madam Secretary S1-6

09 Jujutsu Kaisen S3

10 A Discovery of Witches S1-3

10 The Last Moa

12 Art Detectives 

12 Silent Witness S28

14 The Westies 

14 Grace: A prayer for Peace

14 Thom Browne The Man Who Tailors Dream

14 It was Fifty Years Ago Today

15 Born to Bowl

16 FBI S1-5

17 Mr Robot S1-4

19 Providence Falls S1

23 Prime Suspect S1-7

27 Saint Pierre S2

MOVIES

The Drama (July 31)

A happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week off the rails. 

Stars: Zendaya (Spider-Man series), Robert Pattinson 

If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You (July 3)

On the verge of a mental breakdown, Linda navigates her child’s mysterious illness, an absent husband, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. 

Stars: Academy Award nominee for Best Actress - Rose Byrne (28 Days Later), Conan O’Brien (Late Night with Conan O’Brien) 

I Swear (July 31)

The powerful true story of Tourette syndrome  campaigner John Davidson. Diagnosed as a teen in  1980s Scotland, he struggled with a condition that  few understood. BAFTA Award-winning for Best  Leading Actor and Best Casting.  

Stars: Robert Aramayo (The Lord of the Rings: The  Rings of Power), Maxine Peake  (Shameless)

01 Shiva Baby

02 The Hunger Games

02 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

02 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

02 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

03 If I Had LEgs, I'd Kick You

04 Neighborhood Watch

05 Die Hart 2: Die Harter

05 Drive

05 Havoc

05 Monster

05 Running Scared

05 The Upside of Anger

05 A Working Man

06 The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

07 Spider-Man: Homecoming

07 Spider-Man: Far From Home

07 Spider-Man: No Way Home

08 Sylvanian Families the Movie: A Gift from Freya

10 Ricky Stanicky

12 The Idea of You

14 Night of the Zoopocalypse

15 The Underdoggs

15 De Palma

15 Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind

15 Upgraded

16 Bike Heist

17 The Amateur

18 Bad Man

22 A Different Man

23 Sorry, Baby

24 Faster

24 Addition

25 Saipan

26 Love Lies Bleeding

27 Four Mothers

28 Funny Birds

29 Among Wolves

30 The Man In the White Van

31 I Swear

31 Solo Mio

31 The Drama

Grand Theft Auto VI: Rockstar releases pre-orders, cover art

After months of frenzied anticipation online, Rockstar Games has finally revealed its first-look at Grand Theft Auto VI's cover art and details of pre-orders.

The game will be available to pre-order from June 25.

Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.

Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI will officially begin on June 25 on digital storefronts and at other select retailers.

Check out the official cover art, also available as downloadable artwork at https://t.co/XPwC8URCQ4 pic.twitter.com/pRVXk4eyDQ

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) June 18, 2026

Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI will officially begin on June 25 on digital storefronts and at other select retailers.

Check out the official cover art, also available as downloadable artwork at https://t.co/XPwC8URCQ4 pic.twitter.com/pRVXk4eyDQ

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) June 18, 2026

Livestream: Celebration of Dame Jools Topp's life

New Zealand will come together today to celebrate the life of Dame Jools Topp, who died from breast cancer on May 23, 2026, aged 68.

Streaming 2pm, Friday 19 June: The Celebration of Dame Jools Topp brings together whānau, friends, fellow artists, fans and the wider community to honour Dame Jools' life and contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Rugrats: Retro Rewind: PS5 Review

Developed by Mighty Rabbit Studio
Published by Limited Run Games
Platform: PS5

How you will feel about Rugrats: Retro Rewind will largely depend on how you feel generally about the Rugrats themselves.

Because, to be frank, even though this collects together six games, the quality of them visually is something that's really going to be make or break for any modern-day console user.

Bundling together games from across providers and platforms may be a nice touch in terms of archiving, but when it comes to actually playing them, it has to be said the Rugrats: Retro Rewind collection really makes you feel like you're back in the PS1 era.

Getting to wander through oversized environments and looking at them through child's eyes may only be something that'll get you so far with this. With sluggish controls, weaker camera angles and mind-melting visuals, the games offer varying quality returns and may certainly leave you feeling like you're not enjoying your time in the world.

As with all of these collections, the ability to rewind and use save points make for a smoother experience, especially where the games begin to feel repetitive and a little harsh.

All in all, even nostalgia can only get you so far with titles like this and while people loved the Rugrats, they may find their affections and memories severely tested by the games within.

The titles included in this collection are:

Rugrats: Search for Reptar (PSOne) Rugrats: Studio Tour (PSOne) Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (PC, PSOne, N64) Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (Game Boy Colour) The Rugrats Movie (Game Boy, Game Boy Colour) Rugrats: Time Travellers (Game Boy, Game Boy Colour) Rugrats: Castle Capers (Game Boy Advance)

Hoppers: Disney+ Movie Review

Cast: Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco
Director: Daniel Chong

For those worried Pixar's animation arm has lost its way, Hoppers is the perfect rejoinder to such complaints.

Funny, random and emotionally scary when it wants and needs to be, this tale of all living together and trusting crosses both generations and species. It's the story of Mabel Tanaka (Curda), a young eco-warrior in training who starts the film jail-breaking animals kept in school classroom cages during term time and ends with her sitting atop a rock with a beaver.

When the mayor of Beaverton Jerry (Jon Hamm) decides to build a flyover across Mabel's beloved glade where she grew up with her grandma, she decides to spring into action. Upon learning that all it takes to make the area decreed a nature reserve is a beaver, Mabel sets about to achieve what she believes is a simple goal.

However, she soon finds herself part of the animal kingdom after her consciousness is transported into a robot beaver...

Wildly inventive, deeply heartfelt and above all, completely engaging and joyous, Hoppers is a madcap adventure that is Pixar at its very best. With characters feeling rounded as well as grounded, and the emotional journey a complex and well-executed one, what emerges from it is a story that's genuinely laugh-out-loud funny as well as affecting when it needs to be.

But it's also not afraid to take some swerves into genre territory too, mixing in Fly-like body horror and sci-fi tropes as it all plays out.

The end result is that Hoppers, with its wild array of characters, manages to juggle action sequences and character moments with real aplomb - and never losing sight of any of the basics along the way. From the stand-out creation of the natural world where everything feels aligned to the empathy of loving all creatures, foibles and all, there's just something cohesive here that's utterly charming and exquisitely clever when it needs to be.

However, what's most impressive about Hoppers is the ease with which it manages all of these elements, and leaves you wanting more of the world it's created. It's inevitable there'll be spinoffs here - and quite frankly, they'd be unbelievably welcome.