FINAL FANTASY VII Rebirth | Out Now

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH AVAILABLE NOW ON PLAYSTATION®5

Critics Proclaim FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH “An Absolute Must-Play,” a “Masterpiece,” “One of the Best RPGs Ever Made”

The groundbreaking fantasy is reborn. FINAL FANTASY™ VII REBIRTH, the new chapter in the epic FINAL FANTASY VII remake project, is now available worldwide for the PlayStation®5 (PS5®) console. Having earned a Metacritic “Must-Play” award, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH has garnered over 50 perfect review scores from global gaming critics and has been heralded as an “Utterly massive RPG pushed to its limits” by VGC, “a rich lavish remake” by Eurogamer and “a RPG masterpiece” by GAMINGbible.

In FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, players take on the role of mercenary Cloud Strife and his comrades as they pursue legendary swordsman Sephiroth, a haunting figure from Cloud’s past bent on ruling the planet, across a vast and vibrant world rife with danger, adventure, joy and uncertainty. These unlikely heroes, including beloved, iconic characters Tifa, Barret, Aerith and Red XIII, join forces with new companions like the spirited ninja operative Yuffie and the wisecracking, feline-shaped robot Cait Sith. FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH delivers an unforgettable experience to players filled with unexpected twists, memorable characters, and jaw-dropping set pieces that longtime fans and newcomers can both enjoy.

“As the director of the original FINAL FANTASY VII, I feel very proud that we were able to introduce a whole new generation to role-playing games and show so many newcomers a wider world of storytelling. Today, I’m filled with the same sense of pride when I look at what our development team has accomplished with FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH. This adventure offers rich rewards to longtime fans while welcoming in newcomers to begin their FINAL FANTASY adventure here and experience a similar sense of wonder as they would have felt in 1997. I hope that both fans and those who have never played FINAL FANTASY before will enjoy this game.” -Yoshinori Kitase, Producer

“FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is a labor of love and our tribute to adventure – a massive world of compelling stories and our most ambitious game to date. Like those who first brought us the original FINAL FANTASY VII, we’ve reached for something that was never possible before today’s technology: a deeper portrayal of our main cast of friends, comrades and people of the Planet. By combining their powers in battle and strengthening their bonds through your choices, we hope you feel a powerful, connection with these characters and the world they inhabit.” -Naoki Hamaguchi, Director

“For many years, I wondered what a remake of FINAL FANTASY VII could look like. Above all else, I felt we would need to do justice to the characters and story that had become so beloved by fans around the world. FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH delivers on this vision and vastly expands upon the original title not only in the size of its world, but in the quiet moments shared by party members, where warmth, joy, sorrow and tenderness can be found. As they press on and forge deeper bonds en route to their ultimate fate, I hope you will open your heart to feel these feelings alongside them. As the second title in a trilogy, we’ve enjoyed hearing our fans’ feedback from the previous title and incorporating elements into FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH for a truly breathtaking follow-up. Thank you for playing our vision for a remake, in which the past is honored by the possibilities of the present to reimagine a story for future generations.” -Tetsuya Nomura, Creative Director

The FINAL FANTASY VII remake project began when FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE released in 2020 to universal acclaim from players and critics around the globe. After earning more than 20 perfect scores from media and being selected as a PlayStation® “Editor’s Choice” pick, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE became the highest-selling digital release on the PlayStation® platform in SQUARE ENIX’s history, exceeding more than 7 million shipments and digital sales worldwide since its release.

Players eager for more FINAL FANTASY VII content can download FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS, the hit mobile RPG that has been downloaded over 7.77 million times, through the App Store, Google Play or STEAM for free, and take part in a limited-time FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH crossover event within the game. As a part of this event, players can experience the infamous Mt. Nibel incident and receive various in-game bonuses. For more information, visit the official FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS social channels.

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is now available for the PS5® console. For more information, visit https://ffvii.square-enix-games.com/games/rebirth/

Iwájú: Review

Disney's latest animated series feels like one of the best things they've ever done, thanks to pacy, zippy episodes that bristle with heart and excitement.

Walt Disney Animation Studios has teamed up with Pan-African comic book entertainment company, Kugali, for an original animated series set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria that follows the story of Tola, a young girl from Lagos' more wealthy settings.

Essentially a coming-of-age tale that deals with child kidnappings, the growing advent of Afro-futurism in Lagos and a cultural divide, Iwájú's six episodes (that run between 17 and 23 minutes every other episode) prove to be engaging from the get-go.

Blessed with vibrant animation and colours as well as Nigerian voices and African cityscapes that evoke the dichotomy of its society, Iwájú's world-building and story happens at a pace that some may deem breakneck. But somehow it all feels natural, and engrossing.

It's also extremely family-friendly, thanks to a techno gizmo in the form of a lizard gifted to Tola to keep an eye on from her father. Opening moments set out Iwájú's stall as the world comes vividly to life - and while the six episodes will be compared continually to Marvel's Black Panther in terms of integration and technology, the way Iwájú covers the chasm between the classes and the perils facing future worlds is subtle and smartly delivered.

The six episode event series is worth investing - it's spread across roughly the time of a Disney movie, but never one does it feel its length, or sag.

Iwájú is streaming now on Disney+

Dune Part Two: Movie Review

Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Stellan Skarsgaard, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin

Director: Denis Villeneuve

The second part of director Denis Villeneuve's space opera take on Dune is an endurance in more ways than one.

But a visually stupendous one, make no mistake about that.

Continuing the adventures of Paul Atreides (Chalamet) as he joins the growing resistance fight on Arrakis with the Fremen tribe who are fighting back against the House of Harkonnen, Dune Part Two is more about spectacle than narrative.

Character beats and nuanced storytelling are dropped in favour of visuals and world-building, showing Villeneuve is moving more towards silent film than anything heavy with dialogue or deep emotional resonance. 

Perhaps for the world of Dune that is no bad thing at all, but for those less ensconced in Frank Herbert's mind-bending book, Dune Part Two is nothing short of an at times tedious FX-fest filled with largely faceless characters or one note antagonists.

Rid of anything like a recap, the second film begins with the aftermath of a genocide and continues a very slow and inexorably languid pace toward no real kind of resolution; it is the very definition of a second set-up movie, coming on the back of a very successful first film that introduced strands before ending on no sign of conclusion. While that's no bad thing for those engaged in this world, it does mean the experience of the second film teeters dangerously close to frustration for casual audiences.

Yet there are some vicarious pleasures to be had by those just after spectacle. Villeneuve's penchant for visual mastery is well showcased here, with scenes of gravity-defying soldiers, stark monochromatic Gladiator-like conflicts and the all around fetishisation of stark imagery contributing to make Dune: Part Two a visual spectacle the likes of which are seldom seen - or indulged - on the big screen. A slippery snake-like Ferguson and a playfully comedic Bardem make for great bedfellows in their respective story arcs, with Ferguson's ascension into religious fervour delivering plenty of Oedipal undertones for future installments.

But there are equally frustrations within too - Dave Bautista's character, once integral to initial proceedings, is now reduced to a simply growling man unhappy at his lot; Zendaya's Chani character, almost pivotal in parts, is reduced to glowering in the back half of the film, her petulance and anger etched painfully across her face - and even Chalamet's Messianic yet somehow flat Paul Atreides appears to massively volte face in a rushed denouement to the 166 minute movie.

There's nothing new here said about religion, prophesies or false prophets; nothing new about colonisation and oppression or radicalisation - it's all well etched out in front of viewers, but reduced to complement a series of bursts of action and bombastic Hans Zimmer score.

Visually, Dune Part Two is an ocean of imagery, welcoming for audiences to drink in; but narratively, it is as dry and arid as the sand-dune laden wastelands of Arrakis. 

Whether that's enough for a third part to be commissioned isn't in doubt - and while the smorgasbord of FX, battles and bombast will likely pull in great audience numbers, unless the scope is widened for more emotional heft, the Dune franchise is in real danger of becoming an epic visual feast but an ongoing cinematic slog.

What's on Neon in March

Here's what's streaming on Neon in March.

The Regime (March 4)

The Regime is HBO's latest drama, featuring Kate Winslet as The Chancellor, the dictator of a fictional Middle European country. The series unfolds within the palace walls, capturing the intricate geopolitics as a modern European regime begins to unravel over the course of a year. 

With political complexities and Kate Winslet's compelling performance, The Regime offers a gripping exploration of power dynamics and the unravelling of a nation. 

Starring Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Martha Plimpton and Hugh Grant. 

Dark City: The Cleaner (March 4)

Christchurch is a proud city of beautiful parks and good homes, but there’s a darker side to this place. When we first meet Joe, he looks like one of the many fine citizens of Christchurch, but we soon find that while Joe is a cleaner at a police station by day, by night he has another line of work – as a serial killer who’s been dubbed The Christchurch Carver. 

When another woman is murdered, police suspect The Carver, but Joe knows it wasn’t him. As Joe sets out to find the copycat killer, he realises he is also being hunted, by an adversary who is more clever and even more dangerous than he is. A darkly funny thriller based on NZ writer Paul Cleeve's internationally best-selling novel. 

Starring Cohen Holloway, Chelsie Preston Crayford and Robbie Magasiva. 

Oppenheimer (March 22)

From iconic filmmaker Christopher Nolan, comes this biographical drama about the brilliant physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer’s role in the development of the atomic bomb and his pulse-pounding paradox of risking the world in order to save it . 

Starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Josh Hartnett, Florence Pugh and Rami Malek.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (March 10)

In the latest instalment of the epic Mission: Impossible franchise, Ethan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins where Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most. 

Asteroid City (March 15)

The year is 1955. Asteroid City is famous for its gigantic meteor crater and celestial observatory. This weekend astronomers are welcoming five science award-winning children to the Junior Stargazing Convention, but their celebration receives an unexpected visitor. While back east, the characters of Asteroid City are on-stage, preparing a play that is called “Asteroid City.” The newest cosmic, dazzlingly creative comedy, from acclaimed director Wes Anderson. 

Starring Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson and Jeffrey Wright. 

No Hard Feelings (March 20)

Maddie thinks she’s found the answer to her financial troubles when she finds a job listing placed by wealthy helicopter parents looking for someone to "date" their introverted son Percy, and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college. But awkward Percy proves to be more of a challenge than she expected, and time is running out before she loses it all. 

Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman. 

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League: PS5 Review

Designed by Rocksteady
Published by Warner Bros Games
Platform: PS5

Famed for their Batman: Arkham games, Rocksteady's more ramshackle approach to the Suicide Squad has annoyed many gamers and reviewers who feel this multiplayer shooter looter game should be more than it is.

But in truth, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's looser approach serves it well enough for what it wants to achieve.

It may be generic in parts, but much of what transpires in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League feels like a comic book writ large as the Task Force X combination of Harley Quinn, Boomerang, Deadshot and King Shark are all forced to work together to take out the Justice League after Brainiac possesses them all after an invasion in Metropolis.

It's a very simple game at heart, but with core mechanics that work well and with shooting and swinging through the air that feels fluid and chunky at times, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League really should embrace its simplicity a lot more for maximum effect. With elements that touch Sunset Overdrive's cartoony edges and an almost Overwatch approach to team playing, the game's less interested in the intricacy of the Arkham games and more content to simply let you loose in a world that's there for the smash and grabbing.

With excellent voice work across the core crew, Suicide Squad does much to immerse players in the world - even if occasionally the game's graphics don't quite come up to par (static frizzes on Harley's face being the chief offender here). Solid cutscenes work help build where the gameplay doesn't.

It is fair to say that a lot of the gameplay becomes repetitive in terms of its simply being a shooter, the main antiheroes all share similar gameplay mechanics making them wildly interchangeable and also that the enemies are a fairly amorphous bunch that don't really stand out - but for a game that's all about fun and personality, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League has it when it counts.

There's a brashness to Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League - and whether that's enough for those who want to pick up and play disposably is another matter. It's playable enough - just if you don't look too deep into what's going on around you on screen.

Shogun: TV Review

Shōgun: TV Review

Disney+'s epic new series is the kind of show you either surrender to or take against.

Based on James Clavell's 1975 historical fiction, and a stark step away from the 1980s limited series which starred Richard Chamberlain, the 2024 version of Shōgun is a measured, considered affair, whose pace in the back half may completely frustrate those who've not given in.

Meshing the kind of sensibilities that made Game of Thrones such a hit (political posturing, love, war, conflict, a bit of violence), Shōgun follows the story of John Blackthorne (Lady MacBeth's Cosmo Jarvis, with a penchant for a lot of shouting throughout) as he washes up in the year 1600 with feudal Japan falling apart at the seams.

With his ship laden with cannon and weapons, Blackthorne could hold the key to the power vacuum that's emerged in the country - but viewed as a barbarian, he is sidelined, locked up and generally held at arm's distance.

Despite a council of regents being set up to deal with each other, Lord Yoshii Toranaga (producer Hiroyuki Sanada) has fallen out with the others, and faces the possibility of conflict and the threat of impeachment. 

Throw into that mix, Toranaga's translator Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai, masterful in a role that requires her to play all levels of the emotional gamut) and the political pot is ready to be stirred in ways that will pay dramatic heft.

Yet, Shōgun is less interested in a speedy resolution to events unfolding; its keys to success lie in its world-building, its investment in characters and its utterly gorgeous period visuals. It is a struggle for survival story for all three of the main characters, but when the threads come together, it works both compellingly and beautifully for viewers to behold.

But there is a lot that feels like it could be excised from the 8 episodes which were viewed; after the fifth episode, much begins to feel like padding more than plotting, and in truth, Jarvis' penchant for bellowing lines as the barbarian of proceedings really begins to grate the longer time spent with him.

Despite its failings, Shōgun reveals some rich rewards. Sanada is both venerable and imbued with gravitas as the story plays out, a calm force that shows much going on beneath the understated performance. Equally, Sawai's peaceful turn shows inner conflict with just a few brief passive flickers on her face.

Much needs to be applauded of the making of this series a multi-language affair. Rather than Anglicising all of it, with native Japanese speakers and subtitles splayed throughout, Shōgun feels like a testament to its world, rather than a hat tip. It looks cinematic as well, and the embracing of traditions makes much of the world-building incredibly successful and immersive.

While Shōgun falters on its central romance and some moments teeter dangerously close to narrative stereotyping, this is a series to enjoy, at times endure and at others, let it envelop you.

Shogun premieres on Disney+ from February 27 with two episodes, before shifting to weekly releases. 8 out of 10 episodes of the first series of the show were previewed here for review.

Drive-Away Dolls: Movie Review

Cast: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp, Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal

Director: Ethan Coen

Ethan Coen's latest, a bawdy and brash road trip movie, is a film that, thanks to its appealing messiness, will test your limits in more ways than one.

Despite only mustering a brisk 84 minutes in length, large swathes of this odd couple LGBT comedy road trip feel padded out filled by unnecessary quirks and visuals by a director who's a little unsure of what he wants to do.

Qualley and Viswanathan star as flatmates Jamie and Marian. Polar opposites - Jamie is a fast talking and fast and loose woman about town and Marian an uptight celibate - the pair find themselves on a road trip to Tallahassee to drop off a car.

But by confusion, they end up picking up a car that contains a very precious cargo - a suitcase with mysterious contents - and also pick up a pair of desperate thugs keen to get the case first.

Both are running from something - Jamie, a break up with Sukie her policewoman girlfriend and Marian, on the run from the tedium of daily life and desperate for a change of scene.  Yet Coen doesn't quite seem to know what to do with them, frequently filling escalating screwball proceedings with occasionally lingering shots of women or using Qualley's star-making turn and accent to enliven what transpires.

As with any Coen film, there are a number of quirky characters, who range from dim-witted to being overly precise with words - this is a world of extremes where misunderstandings are prevalent and contrived for the plot. But despite the excellent chemistry between Qualley and Viswanathan, there are too many moments when the story's freewheeling feels like it's overplayed and overcooked; yet bizarrely, there are parts when thanks to numerous cameos and distractions, much of it feels undercooked. It's rooted in the 90s in many way, and even the obsession with the case channels Pulp Fiction in more ways than one.

Yet, Drive-Away Dolls is a film of opposites in many ways, but while it's to be commended for presenting the kind of movie where the women are playing as freely as their male counterparts often do in the genre, you can't help but feeling Ethan Coen's storytelling prowess isn't nearly as strong here as it should - or could - have been.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth: PS5 Review

Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Published by SEGA
Platform: PS5

The ninth entrant into the Like A Dragon series may seem like an inpenetrable entrance point for those who've never touched the world, but thanks to its ease of accessibility, the latest game proves to be a solid jumping on point for all.

The newest Yakuza episode sees you taking control of Ichiban Kasuga as he tries to help out others looking to get out of the Yakuza world. But while the game begins in Japan, it soon switches to a Hawaii locale as a seemingly long lost biological family member comes to the fore.

With huge maps in Japan and an even bigger one in Hawaii, there is no denying there's plenty to do in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - and plenty that will frustrate if you're not really in the mood or in a financial position to walk everywhere. But while initially it all appears a little overwhelming, it soon becomes clear the game is about rewarding as much as you want to put in.

Essentially a turn-based game that relies on a bit of strategy and forethought, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is undoubtedly the kind of game that it's easy to immerse and lose yourself in. Combat relies on special skills, which work on button choices and allows for street objects to be used as weapons - realistic touches like this make the game feel like it's vibrant and alive rather than simply being part of its static environment.

With mountains of story to get through initially, some of the text-based dialogue may seem like a bit of a bind, and in parts, the game feels like a little of a grind before it truly finds its momentum. But bearing with it pays dividends, as you get to wander around a world that has been set up for free-roaming and which benefits greatly from it with NPCs, mini-games and locales that positively sing and vibe with the game.

From photography shoots, delivery missions, escape missions, memory games, quick-time events, there's much to do if you don't feel like diving into the resonant main storyline.

Ultimately, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth may be the ninth entrant into the series, but with a realistic real life sensibility it shows the series is in very rude health.

What's on Prime Video in March

One of the most highly-anticipated movies of the year, Road House, lands on Prime Video this month. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as an ex-UFC fighter trying to escape his dark past (and his penchant for violence) in this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the 80s cult classic which also stars Post Malone and Conor McGregor in his acting debut. 

Zac Efron and John Cena team up in hilarious new comedy Ricky Stanicky. Three childhood friends create an imaginary friend giving them an out to go wild, however things get sticky when real-life Ricky is introduced! 

March sees Jeff Daniels in American Rust: Broken Justice exploring a whole new storyline in its new home, Prime Video; George Clooney directed sports drama, The Boys In A Boat is a true story of the underdogs finding the spotlight; Invincible returns with new episodes but the same amazing star-filled line-up including Sandra Oh, Seth Rogan and J.K. Simmons; an intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo in Frida; wedding bells seem vaguely familiar in Beautiful Wedding, the follow up to Beautiful Disaster starring Dylan Sprouse and Virginia Gardner.

ROAD HOUSE

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 21 MARCH

Road House stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Dalton, an ex-UFC fighter trying to escape his dark past and his penchant for violence, in this adrenaline-fueled actioner. Dalton is barely scraping by on the reputation that still precedes him when he is spotted by Frankie (Jessica Williams), owner of a roadhouse in the Florida Keys. She hires him to be her new bouncer in hopes of stopping a violent gang, working for crime boss Brandt (Billy Magnussen), from destroying her beloved bar. Even five to one, Brandt’s crew is no match for Dalton’s skills. But the stakes get higher with the arrival of ruthless gun-for-hire, Knox (Conor McGregor). As the brutal brawls and bloodshed escalate, the tropical Keys prove more dangerous than anything Dalton ever faced in the Octagon. Also starring Daniela Melchior, Joaquim De Almeida, Lukas Gage.

Road House stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor McGregor, Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Joaquim de Almeida, Lukas Gage, Arturo Castro, B.K. Cannon, Beau Knapp, Darren Barnet, Dominique Columbus, Bob Menery, Catfish Jean, Kevin Carroll, Travis Van Winkle, Hannah Lanier as well as Austin Richard Post aka Post Malone.

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RICKY STANICKY

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 7 MARCH

When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble! Twenty years after creating this ‘friend,’ Dean, JT, and Wes (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler) still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. When their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the guilty trio decide to hire washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator "Rock Hard" Rod (John Cena) to bring him to life. But when Rod takes his role of a lifetime too far, they begin to wish they’d never invented Ricky in the first place.

Ricky Stanicky stars Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, Lex Scott Davis, Anja Savcic, Jeff Ross, William H. Macy and John Cena.



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AMERICAN RUST: BROKEN JUSTICE 

SEASON 2 AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM THURSDAY 28 MARCH

Four months after the shoot-out in West Virginia, Del has returned to the Pittsburgh P.D. while the folks in Buell try to get their lives back on track. Del and his new work partner Angela, are assigned a high-profile bombing case that proves to be quite complex. Del finds himself back in the folds of The Brotherhood and he struggles to find the balance between his life in Pittsburgh and his life/ relationship with Grace back in Buell. Billy accepts a settlement for his injuries from his time in prison and he decides to try to move forward with his life. Billy uses the money from the settlement to buy Grace the property they lived on. Grace uses this land to give herself new economic/ work opportunities. Meanwhile, Billy and Lee try to figure out their relationship with each other as they navigate their own futures. Lee has taken a job working as a paralegal at a law firm in Pittsburgh. Billy decides to move in with Isaac and Lee and Isaac helps Billy get back into shape. Isaac has decided to make a life for himself in Buell and is working for Landwill Energy. Isaac has fully embraced his sexuality and pursues new romantic situations. Virgil is still up to his old ways but finds a way to get money from Grace so he can pursue a new business opportunity. Steve Park has taken over for Del as the Chief of Police in Buell and is determined to take Del down and prove his connection to the crimes that happened in West Virginia. The town of Buell is rocked by more murders that creates chaos in the lives of all of its residents.

American Rust: Broken Justice stars Jeff Daniels, Maura Tierney,  David Alvarez, Alex Neustaedter, Julie Mayorga, Mark Pellegrino, Kyle Beltran and  Luna Lauren Velez.



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THE BOYS IN THE BOAT

AVAILABLE FROM FRIDAY 29 MARCH

The Boys in the Boat is a sports drama based on the #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction novel written by Daniel James Brown. The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. This inspirational true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world. 

The Boys In The Boat stars Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner, James Wolk, Chris Diamantopoulos, Jack Mulhern, Sam Strike, Thomas Elms and Luke Slattery. 

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INVINCIBLE SEASON 2 PART 2 

NEW EPISODES AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM THURSDAY 14 MARCH

Based on the groundbreaking comic book by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, the story revolves around 18-year-old Mark Grayson, who’s just like every other guy his age—except his father is (or was) the most powerful superhero on the planet. Still reeling from Nolan’s betrayal in Season One, Mark struggles to rebuild his life as he faces a host of new threats, all while battling his greatest fear - that he might become his father without even knowing it. 

Invincible Season Two stars Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, Zazie Beetz, Grey DeLisle, Chris Diamantopoulos, Walton Goggins, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Mantzoukas, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Kevin Michael Richardson, Seth Rogen and J.K. Simmons.

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FRIDA 

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 14 MARCH

An intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo, FRIDA is told through her own words for the very first time, drawn from her famed illustrated diary, revealing letters, essays, and candid print interviews — and brought vividly to life by lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork. The feature film directorial debut of acclaimed editor Carla Gutiérrez (RBG, La Corona), FRIDA posits a striking context as to why the artist – and her art -- remains as powerful as ever. Covering more than 40 years of her life, the filmmakers received unrestricted access to research materials, much never shown to the general public before. What is extraordinary about Kahlo's life and art is how her images would galvanize multiple generations of admirers worldwide, doing more than solidifying her status as a modern artist of timeless import. An intensive journey spanning two years, Gutiérrez and her formidable team of artisans, most of whom are women and proudly Latine, gathered together to craft a singular cinematic experience that could be no ordinary art history lesson. A living portrait emboldened by the magical realism befitting Kahlo's remarkable life emerges. Yet, her voice ultimately stands supreme, a complex and powerful sound of a multitude of Fridas: fearless, seductive, defiant, vulnerable, raucous, and wonderfully alive.

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BEAUTIFUL WEDDING

AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY 1 MARCH

Picking up where Beautiful Disaster left off, Abby and Travis wake up after a crazy night in Vegas as accidental newlyweds. With their best friends in tow and Abby's six-figure poker winnings, they travel to Mexico, where they can enjoy a wild, lavish honeymoon. But as chaos follows "Trabby" at every turn, they must decide if they belong together -- or if this marriage is another disaster waiting to happen.

Beautiful Wedding stars Dylan Sprouse, Virginia Gardner, Austin North, Libe Barer and Rob Estes



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DAVEY & JONESIE’S LOCKER 

SEASON 1 AVAILABLE FROM THURSDAY 22 MARCH

The series follows Davey and Jonesie, two lovably eccentric best friends who have always felt out of step with their peers and the banal backdrop of their high school existence. So, when they discover their locker is actually a portal to the multiverse, they’re more than ready to escape their teenage prison of mediocrity in favor of new horizons. But the joke is on them when they only end up in bizarre, alternate versions of their high school, surrounded by offbeat versions of their classmates. Fortunately, these audacious and creative besties are ready to make the most of this vacation from reality by leaving their mark on every universe they visit…even if it means choosing interdimensional chaos while they’re at it. Worth it for the vibes.

Davey & Jonesie’s Locker stars Veronika Slowikowska, Jaelynn Thora Brooks, Dan Beirne, Emily Piggford, Nikko Angelo Hinayo, Erika Swayze and Sydney Topliffe.



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BEACON 23

AVAILABLE FROM FRIDAY 15 MARCH

In the farthest reaches of the Milky Way, a government agent and a stoic ex-military man find themselves trapped inside a beacon that serves as a lighthouse for intergalactic travelers.

Beacon 23  stars Lena Heady, Stephan James, Wade Bogert-O’Brien, Natasha Mumba, Stephen Root, Eric Lange and Jess Salgueiro. 



MARCH 2024 TOP PICKS:

CHICAGO PD S5-S6 (TV) 1/03/24

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT S19-S20 (TV) 1/03/24

JAQUE MATE (MOVIE) 1/03/24

RICKY STANICKY (MOVIE) 7/03/24

BEAUTIFUL WEDDING (MOVIE) 8/03/24

KING OF KILLERS (11/03/24

FRIDA: A SELF PORTRAIT (MOVIE) 14/03/24

INVINCIBLE S2 (New Episodes) (TV) 14/03/24

BEACON 23 S1 (TV) 15/03/24

DAVEY & JONESIE'S LOCKER S1  (TV) 22/03/24

MY LOVELY YOKAI GIRLFRIEND S1 (TV) 22/03/24

OPERATION VALENTINE (MOVIE) 22/03/24

OURIKA S1 (TV) 28/03/24

ROAD HOUSE (MOVIE) 21/03/24

TIG NOTARO: HELLO AGAIN S1 (TV) 26/03/24

THE BAXTER S1-S3 (TV) 28/03/24

HOPE ON THE STREET S1 (TV) 28/03/24

AMERICAN RUST: BROKEN JUSTICE S2 (TV) 28/03/24

THE BOYS IN THE BOAT (MOVIE) 29/03/24

What's on Shudder in March

Here's everything that's streaming on Shudder in March.

In Malum, a rookie police officer willingly takes the last shift at a newly decommissioned police station in an attempt to uncover the mysterious connection between her father’s death and a vicious cult. Starring Jessica Sula (Skins), Monroe Cline (Don’t Worry Darling) and Natalie Victoria (Last Shift). Film premieres exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ on Monday 18 March

Malum  

Streaming Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ 

Film Premieres Monday 18 March 

A rookie police officer willingly takes the last shift at a newly decommissioned police station in an attempt to uncover the mysterious connection between her father’s death and a vicious cult. Starring Jessica Sula, Monroe Cline and Natalie Victoria. 

Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism  

Streaming on Shudder and AMC+ 

Film Premieres Friday 1 March

Lara is a woman tormented, torn between science and faith.  Her husband pushes her to seek treatment from a congregation of zealots, and a ruthless exorcist tries to save her soul by putting an innocent woman through hell. Starring  Georgia Eyers, Dan Ewing and Tim Pocock. 

God is a Bullet 

Streaming on Shudder and AMC+ 

Film Premieres Monday 4 March 

Taking matters into his own hands, Detective Bob Hightower  tries to infiltrate an evil cult to save his kidnapped daughter and avenge the murder of his wife. Starring Maika Monroe, Nikolaj  Coster-Waldau and Karl Glusman.

NEW ADDITIONS TO SHUDDER’S FILM LIBRARY 

March 4 

The Hitcher 

A young man who escapes the clutches of a murderous hitchhiker is subsequently stalked by the  hitcher and framed for his crimes.  

March 11 

First Contact 

Two estranged siblings go to their late scientist father’s farmhouse to make sense of his incomplete  work. They soon discover an evil entity, buried in time and space for millions of years, has been  released and begun wreaking havoc.  

Depraved 

A disillusioned field surgeon suffering from PTSD makes a man out of body parts and brings him to  life in a Brooklyn loft.  

Sympathy for the Devil 

After being forced to drive a mysterious passenger at gunpoint, a man finds himself in a high-stakes  game of cat and mouse where it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems.  

March 18 

The Third Saturday in October 

When a psycho goes on a murderous rampage after surviving a botched execution, only two  survivors of his initial attack can stop him. 

The Third Saturday in October Part V 

Follow an implacable killer as he stalks and butchers the occupants of houses across the stretch of  one lone country road while the residents prepare to watch a yearly college football bout.  

March 25 

Good Boy 

Christian – a millionaire heir, meets Sigrid – a young student, on a dating app. They hit it off quickly  but there’s just one problem: Christian lives with Frank, a man who dresses up and constantly acts  like a dog.  

The Accursed 

Elly is asked by a family friend to look after an elderly woman living in a remote cabin for a few days.  She agrees, but soon discovers there is a demon hiding in the woman, just waiting to break free.

EO: DVD Review

It starts with a pulsating red flashing light and ends with a shock, and everything in between of EO's journey through life seems designed to provide nightmare fuel to anyone who cares anything about animals.

Director Jerzy Skolimowski's story is one of simplicity, of innocence snatched and of the horrors inflicted on others - some will see religious allegories in this story, some will find beauty in the moments that show a donkey seemingly remembering the love it felt from its first owner.

In truth, Eo is somewhat of an ethereal experience in places as sound and visuals collide together to seemingly inconsequential effect early on, but as the story pieces itself together of a donkey going through life, it comes together in a haunting tableaux that's likely to provoke discussion after the cinema's lights go up.

Slices of life crash into memories from Eo, and at times, Skolimowski's film feels like the kind of thing a Disney or CGI animator could anthropomorphise to devastating effect. But Skolimowski convinces the audience to invest in Eo, with early shots of a grey melancholy looking donkey staring directly in the camera.

In many ways, the donkey is but an audience vessel, seeing everything good and bad that mankind has to offer - and as such, the journey may prove to be harder to bear for some than others.

The overriding effect is one of an innocent troubled by others - from the POV beating by skinheads to standing on a walkway near a dam, the film reaches levels of emotional pain that are at times difficult to bear.

It's hard to discuss EO without raising the pain of its ending, but by the time it comes, you may find yourself exhausted by the denouement as you realise how much has been invested in Eo's story and by how little has been done to turn the film into a mawkishly sentimental piece.

With carefully constructed imagery and compelling cinematography, Eo is a film that will haunt and appall in equal measures.

Scrapper: DVD Review

Cast: Lola Campbell, Harris Dickinson

Director: Charlotte Regan

A curious mix of the quirky and the heartfelt, Charlotte Regan's Scrapper concerns itself with the tale of a 12-year-old girl whose mum has died and whose father has been AWOL for a long time.

A precocious and impressively confident Campbell plays Georgie, who's somehow managed to convince the social services she's living with her uncle Winston Churchill after the death of her only parent - so she doesn't need any intervention from anyone.

Spending her days robbing bikes from the locals and selling them on, Georgie lives in a haze of self-belief, a situation necessitated by her own solitude. But it's shaken one day when her father Jason (Triangle of Sadness's Dickinson) returns out of the blue.

There is a scrappy vibe to Scrapper, a film that starts off with such energy and vitality as well as extreme confidence but which settles into a more familiar vibe once Georgie's dad shows up.

Beginning with bluster and slicing in quirky to camera mockumentary-style interviews and soundbites from those who swing into Georgie's orbit, Regan sets up a novelty of quirk that threatens to burst the proceedings of the more traditional kitchen sink drama that this is clearly drawn from.

But while that will annoy some, it's a clever way to force you into empathising for Georgie, the little scrapper who's fighting her way through life.

Equally though, Dickinson's Jason is scrapping his way through as well - and the pair make for good bedfellows as they struggle to find a groove for a potential relationship. It's essentially a story about a too-young father finally facing up to his responsibilities and Dickinson, with his angular frame and blonded out locks, makes a compelling case.

Granted there's a predictability to where this story will go, and while Campbell's impudent and cheeky way with one-liners masks a vulnerability to her character, there's never any real doubt what the conclusion will be.

With connection being the main thrust of this piece, Scrapper just about emerges victorious from the melange of medleys and familiarities, but it's largely due to Campbell and Dickinson who make diamonds from the occasional coals the script fires their way.

Bob Marley: One Love Movie Review

Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Nuance is not in abundance in director Reinaldo Marcus Green's Bob Marley movie, a film that's more about a vibe and feeling than depth and motivation.

Blessed with a blistering soundtrack and musical moments that spring to life, as well as a central performance that shows flashes of excellence, this take on Marley's desire to reunite the Jamaica of the 1970s while dealing with the after effects of an attempted assassination finds a groove, but never really quite capitalises on it.

With odd flashbacks providing some fleshing out of both Bob and wife Rita's characters, the screenplay settles on rote and formulaic when it has chances to soar. At times, it feels like a hangout movie that's occasionally injected with some urgency; a visit to London shows the punk energy of the Clash as well as riots in 1970s London. 

But those moments are few and far in between with some late act tensions being injected into proceedings to instil some drama. Yet they don't quite land with any of the heft that's needed.

That said, Lynch and Ben-Adir make for eminently watchable leads; Ben-Adir brings the charisma of Marley to the screen and Lynch turns what could easily have been a one-note thorn in his side wife into something more, elevating her brief moments on screen.

Ultimately, Bob Marley: One Love may try to capitalise on Marley's legacy, but it lacks an urgency to turn it into something timely, and almost nervous to do something more with the conflicts that were drizzled through his life and the time period the movie chooses to zero in on.

It is too by-the-numbers and does lack the get up, stand up that would have helped it soar, but for many Bob Marley: One Love may be the chilled out biography they're wanting.

Madame Web: Movie Review

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O'Connor, Tahir Rahim, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott
Director: S J Clarkson

It had real potential - there's no denying that was the case for this spin-off set within the Spider-Man Universe.

But what emerges from Madame Web's web of utterly muddled catastrophe is something akin to near incoherent at times thanks to director SJ Clarkson's relative incompetence at helming many of the required action scenes with anything approaching clarity.

Johnson is Cassie, a paramedic with mom issues who works with a Ben Parker (but who has no reference to Peter throughout) and who suffers a near death experience that allows her the power of clairvoyance. So when she sees three teenage girls targeted by a maniac killer in a suit, she sets out to change the future and save the day.

Parts of Madame Web hint at what could have been - flashes of clever FX show the power and mystery of the web, but most of what emerges from SJ Clarkson's interpretation of a standalone story in a standalone universe is reduced to rote dialogue, near unwatchable action sequences and an over-reliance on flash forward moments right before they play out.

It helps little that Johnson seems to be continually disconnected from everything around her, with moments feeling like she simply wrapped a scene and asked someone to fix it in post production. Her fellow charges rarely emerge as fully-developed characters either, feeling more like perceptions of what young women should be.

Sweeney looks comatose at times and of the trio, the soon-to-be-star of The Last Of Us II TV series Merced is perhaps the only one who retains some dignity and brings some zing to the screen.

"I can't pretend to understand what's going on here," one character opines in the film's final third and it's possibly at this stage most of the audience will check out too, even if most of the characters spend most of their time dumping heavy exposition on screen. It does feel like large sections of the film were written by a dialogue AI as well.

Ironically rather than feeling like a Spider-Man film or one set in its world, its final moments evoke the TV series Birds of Prey and hint at frustrations with what could have been or what could - but never will - be.

It may mix coming-of-age with thriller, but unfortunately Clarkson, along with a clutch of screen writers, don't handle any of the tones well and the muted, messy film ultimately feels like a clunking disaster. It will win awards admittedly - but those are likely to be of the Razzie kind when the 2025 nominees are announced.

May December: Movie Review

Cast: Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, Charles Melton
Director: Todd Haynes

More an intriguing portrait of what happens after the headlines go away, director Todd Haynes' May December sees Natalie Portman's wannabe actor Elizabeth Berry shadowing Julianne Moore's Gracie Atherton-Yoo.

Gracie hit the headlines when she had an affair with an adolescent schoolboy and subsequently married him - now with a film about to be made over the scandal some two decades later, uncomfortable moments are resurfaced in this genial movie that takes a little while to find its audience.

There are more meta touches in this movie which touches on the US' desire for scandal, even decades after the headlines have hit; early on Gracie is sent a box with faeces in, a shocking delivery, but given the fact it's happened for years, Moore's character is blase about it happening.

There's a precision to May December, from Haynes' fashioning of a story to a script that somehow works despite some glaring omissions (why does Grace never ask about her time in jail being chief among those) - but it derives its pleasures from the Portman-Moore pairing which centres this drama, rather than overshadowing it.

Chiefly, as Portman's character becomes closer to the subjects she is studying, one gets the feeling the lines are being blurred thanks to the script and its subtleties. Less so with the soundtrack throughout which intrudes and whose over-hyped piano moments verge on the OTT threatening to take viewers out of the moment.

It may be about the horrors beneath in life and within the mundane, but May December's chief strength lies in its vagueries - it feels incomplete in parts, and seems to be making a commentary on life in general.

It afford no easy answers as it plays out (and nor should it) but for those willing to give in to its somewhat obtuse moments, May December offers vicarious pleasures throughout.

What's on Disney+ in March

Here's everything streaming on Disney+ in March.

Renegade Nell (March 29)

“Renegade Nell” will premiere all episodes on March 29, 2024, exclusively on Disney+. The eight-part Original series is written and created by BAFTA-award-winning writer Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley) with lead director Ben Taylor (Sex Education). 

Nell Jackson, a quick-witted and courageous young woman, finds herself framed for murder and unexpectedly becomes the most notorious outlaw in 18th-century England. But when a magical spirit called Billy Blind appears, Nell realizes her destiny is bigger than she ever imagined.

“Renegade Nell” stars Louisa Harland (Derry Girls) in the leading role of “Nell Jackson” with Frank Dillane as “Charles Devereux”, Alice Kremelberg as “Sofia Wilmot”, Ényì Okoronkwo as “Rasselas”, Jake Dunn as “Thomas Blancheford”, Bo Bragason as “Roxy Trotter”, Florence Keen as “George Trotter”, with Nick Mohammed as “Billy Blind”, Joely Richardson as “Lady Eularia Moggerhangar” and Adrian Lester as “Robert Hennessey, Earl of Poynton”. Pip Torrens as “Lord Blancheford” and Craig Parkinson as “Sam Trotter” also star.

“Renegade Nell” is produced by Lookout Point. Executive Producers are Sally Wainwright, Ben Taylor, Faith Penhale, Will Johnston and Louise Mutter for Lookout Point, and Johanna Devereaux for Disney+. Amanda Brotchie (Gentleman Jack) and MJ Delaney (Ted Lasso) also direct episodes. Jon Jennings is Series Producer and Stella Merz is Producer.

Taylor Swift - The Eras Tour (March 15)

“Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version),” which is the concert film in its entirety for the first time and includes the song “cardigan” and four additional acoustic songs, will make its streaming debut on March 15, 2024, exclusively on Disney+. 

The history-making, cinematic experience from 14-time GRAMMY®-winning artist, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” directed by Sam Wrench, grossed more than $260 million worldwide at the global box office, making it the top selling concert film of all-time.

Poor Things (March 7)

Coming off 11 Academy Award® nominations including Best Picture and 5 BAFTA Award wins (Best Actress, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair, and Special Visual Effects), today Disney+ announced that “Poor Things” will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ in New Zealand on March 7.

From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

Based on the book by Alasdair Gray, the screenplay was written by Tony McNamara, making this the second collaboration between Lanthimos and McNamara (“The Favourite”). The movie was produced by Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Emma Stone.

28 March

Grey’s Anatomy: Season 20

Premiere

This season, Jessica Capshaw will return as a guest star to reprise her role as the beloved Dr. Arizona Robbins, and Alex Landi will return as Dr. Nico Kim. Meanwhile, Natalie Morales heads to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as Monica Beltran, a pediatric surgeon whose pragmatism and level-headedness have made her one of the best in her field. Her willingness to push boundaries can be admirable and aggravating, but it’s always aimed at providing top-quality care to her patients. Freddy Miyares joins the cast in a recurring role as Dorian, an intelligent, warm and likable patient who is involved in a serious accident and is struggling with his future.

20 March

X-Men ‘97

Disney+ Original Series Premiere

"X-Men '97" revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.

6 March

Extraordinary: Season 2

Star Original Series Premiere

After the surprise revelations at the climax of Season One, the gang find themselves poised for their best attempts at being proper adults. Jen finally enrols at the clinic, determined to take her journey to find her power seriously. She is embarking on a proper relationship with Jizzlord, and they’re trying their best at going steady, but not without hiccups. Having searched long and hard for his old life, Jizzlord’s past finally catches up with him. Jen and Jizz also struggle to find space for their relationship in the fallout of Carrie and Kash’s breakup. Carrie and Kash are still living in the flat and trying to be super mature and dignified but are learning the hard way that the “clean break” might just be a myth.

29 March

Madu

Disney+ Original Premiere

From practicing barefoot on the streets of Lagos to performing on stage in England, "Madu" follows 12-year-old Anthony Madu as he leaves his home in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world, Elmhurst Ballet School. Anthony, who has barely been out of his neighbourhood in Lagos, finds himself thrust into a foreign new world where his wildest dream is suddenly within reach. His journey is a story of courage, growth, extraordinary obstacles, an unexpected complication that threatens his dreams, and, ultimately, his search for belonging. A rich tapestry told across continents, "Madu" is an immersive and emotional film that will resonate with us all.

5 March

Queens

Disney+ Series Premiere

In six remote and beautiful places on our planet are queendoms run by the most powerful leaders in the animal world. These queens are sisters, single mothers, grandmothers. ‘Queens’ tells their stories of resilience, strength, love and loss for the first time. A final episode celebrates the women going to great lengths to document and protect our animal queens.

What's on Netflix in March

Here's everything streaming on Netflix in March

The Gentlemen (March 7)

Theo James, Giancarlo Esposito, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Vinnie Jones, Joely Richardson all star in The Gentlemen, a Guy Ritchie series.

What's on Netflix in April

Here's everything streaming on Netflix in April

Scoop (April 5)

Inspired by Prince Andrew's infamous Newsnight interview comes a new film starring Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper and Rufus Sewell. 

The Exorcist: Believer: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Leslie Odom Jr, Anne Dowd, Ellen Burstyn, Lidya Jewett, Olivia O'Neill
Director: David Gordon Green

The Exorcist: Believer had potential.

A truly frightening trailer that upped the demonic edges as two young girls were seemingly possessed after going missing had all the signs of making a Hallowe'en classic. But despite initially riffing on some of the Exorcist's original themes and imagery (dogs fighting in the sun), David Gordon Green's wannabe movie disappears in a puff of disappointment rather than becoming a classic.

When friends Angela and Katherine disappear and then reappear three days later 30 miles from where they were last seen, it soon becomes clear that their families are dealing with more than just a missing persons's case.

Especially when the girls start to display signs of possession.

The Exorcist: Believer wants desperately to be the next start for the Exorcist franchise, but based on this opener of the planned three films, it's on a highway to hell before it's even begun.

While its opening in Haiti toys with cliche, its 13 years later sequences that kickstart the film feel very much like a nod to the horror opening of The Black Phone in that children go missing, people are terrified and no one really knows what's ahead.

But while The Exorcist: Believer has an intriguing anti-Catholic message throughout, preferring to lean heavily into the people banding together can do anything mantra, it really does little new with the idea other than offering a double possession.

It utterly squanders Ellen Burstyn and his relationship to Regan and it can't be a coincidence that one of the possessed girls bears an uncanny resemblance to Linda Blair's demon-fuelled youngster. Yet that's also half of the problem of The Exorcist: Believer - it leans into the moments of the 1973 epic and leaves anyone who's a fan of the original feeling like it's just a shallow hollow retread in parts.

On the positive side, the possession sequences are well executed and the intrigue early on is well-realised. However, when the film carries on into excessive territories it feels rote and predictable, bordering on unoriginal and banal instead of blood-curdling and demonic, and with characters who should know better, doing incredibly dumb things.

Despite some jump scares, including one visual cue that will be infamous to anyone with a cursory knowledge of William Friedkin's original, The Exorcist: Believer isn't enough to scare up a start for a new franchise, let alone enough to offer some decent horrors for 2023.

Talk To Me: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Miranda Otto, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Djhani, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio
Director: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou

2023's most unsettling horror arrives, with its ears ringing from plaudits from across the festival circuit, and boasting the biggest mood killer since the final words rang out of Twin Peaks' original series end.

An utterly compelling, disturbing and tautly constructed tale, Talk To Me centres around Wilde's recently-bereft Mia, whose mother's death has seriously unanchored her and who is estranged from her father. Practically adopted by friend Jade (Jensen) and her younger brother Riley (Bird), Mia finds herself taken in by a late night game involving an embalmed hand.

Discovering they can conjure spirits, but only for a certain amount of time before something truly nasty happens, Mia becomes hooked on the idea and the hope that she can contact her mother. However, something terrifying comes through.

Playing into the mentality of teenagers who become obsessed with Ouija boards in their basements, and giving it a social update with the involvement of TikTok and Snapchat filters, the Philippou brothers' scary movie genuinely does unnerve throughout while making its way through the horror tropes that are required.

Plying the film with peer pressure, the highs of addiction, the tapping into the human dynamics of friendship, trauma and grief, Talk To Me comprises a tightly wound upsetting movie that ticks all of its genre boxes while simultaneously bringing something new to the fore.

Anchored in Wilde's incredibly physical performance after her first encounter with the hand and more than ably supported by Bird's terrifying possessed turn, Talk To Me feels like the first horror film in a long while to truly sicken and entertain in the way The Exorcist first did.

But the Philippou brothers thrown in inventive camera angles, clever lighting and enough mechanics to take you to the edge of your seat and leave you there for its leanly constructed 90 minutes thrill ride. 

Packed with emotionally heavy subplots and bookended with imagery that pulls it all together, as well as unexpected humour throughout (largely from Alosio), Talk To Me's insidious mix of trauma, horror and teenage commentary prove too potent through it.

Much like the protagonists hooked on the hand and the games it plays, the at-times brutal Talk To Me will take you by your own hand and won't let go - even for long after the lights have gone up.

The Nun 2: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, Bonnie Aarons, Katelyn Rose Downey
Director: Michael Chaves

If 2018's The Nun taught us anything, it was that the Conjuring cinematic universe could eke something out of any old scares to keep on conjuring up bums on seats.

So it is with The Nun 2, which picks up on the cliffhanger ending of the first film wherein Bloquet's amiable Maurice was shown to have been possessed by the spirit of evil demon Valak. This time, the demon's been leaving a trail of offed priests as it travels west from Romania seemingly in search of something.

Cue the return of Sister Irene (Farmiga, once again agog and aghast in equal measure throughout) at the behest of the Catholic bigwigs. Teamed up with novice nun Sister Debra (a woefully underused Storm Reid), the pair set off to try and banish the demon once and for all. But this time, Valak's set up shop in a boarding school for innocent girls in France...

The Nun 2 is surprisingly effective in some parts, and woefully rote in others.

There's a general atmosphere of unease used liberally throughout by Chaves and some on-the-money jump scares employed early on. A sequence involving a news stand in France's cobbled back alleyways shows such visual flair and panache that you have to double take to believe this is in a horror blockbuster.

But moments like it are too few and far in between.

As the Nun Detective Squad of Irene and Debra hunt Valak down, Chaves doubles down on the basic tenets of horror films that so proliferate the blockbuster genre - dark corridors, murky moments out of the corner of the frame, and a blasting OST are all deployed to eye-rolling effect. And deploying children once again to be the victims of the devil's minions holds diminishing returns.

It's perhaps depressing that with films like Talk To Me going back to basics, films like The Nun 2 seem content to go overboard when being sparing would be much more effective. With heavy exposition from The Catholic Archives (itself feeling like it's trying to launch a spinoff series), the film's lack of nuance (and even lack of The Nun itself) begins to destroy what good will it's garnered early on.

Come a third act where sound and bluster is thrown from every direction, The Nun 2's bad habits are more likely to annoy than genuinely terrify, as the overblown lore and inevitable back story scares off an audience rather than holds it in its thrall.

Much better when it's more nuanced and generally unsettling, The Nun 2's failings are on a par with its successes - it's not a disaster by any stretch of the imagination and shows flair for scares when it counts.

Blue Beetle: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Xolo Maridueña, George Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Bruna Marquezine
Director: Ángel Manuel Soto

There's a lot of heart in Blue Beetle, the latest DC superhero film outing.

But there's also a lot of formulaic fare as well in this immigrant-survival tale that's dressed up as an origin story of the Blue Beetle, and its central hero Jaime Reyes.

Returning from college full of hope, Jaime Reyes (an amiable and earnest but borderline bland Maridueña) finds life is not as good as he expected - his father's had had a heart attack, the family business has gone broke and they're about to lose their rental. 

When he stumbles into the life of Jenny Kord (Marquezine), he accidentally fuses with an ancient scarab that's been hunted for decades by the scheming Victoria Kord (Sarandon, wickedly described as Cruella Kardashian at one point) who's usurped the family business for nefarious means.

Suddenly, gifted Iron Man-like Superhero powers (complete with an automated AI system), Reyes finds his family targeted and his very existence in danger.

Blue Beetle makes a good fist of its family ethos - and its examination of the Mexican migrant lifestyle. 

From the rich and poor divide to the impact of gentrification and the onward march of technology at whatever cost, there's much here that makes Blue Beetle relatable enough fare - without just following a Latino hero narrative throughout. 

Some solid early world-building provides the stakes which are infinitely more grounded and personal than the usual world-ending fare which comes so easily to the superhero genre as a whole. But where Blue Beetle falls down is in the taking of some of the familiar tropes and throwing them into the mix.

A rote CGI-led smash and grab final fight is nothing more than two robots fighting each other like Transformers cast-offs and the origin story is nothing spectacular or different to what's gone before.

Yet Blue Beetle occasionally transcends some of that to present a superhero film that has subtitles and a blast of cultural infusion in among the chaos that feels stretched out at times. The stakes are less high in this tale than is usual, and the lens is firmly planted on a community oft ignored (both in front and behind the camera).

The story is inherently one of survival, of immigrants coming out of the woodwork to do the right thing no matter what the cost, and much of the subtext sparkles through the usual CGI trappings and bombast that heads up the film's denouement and mid-film confrontations.

Ultimately, while it ends with a direct bait for a sequel that may never happen now the DC Universe is being rebooted, most of what Blue Beetle does has an anarchic and approachable charm as it tells a Latino family tale that just happens to be a superhero story.