Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: Movie Review

Cast: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Lydia Peckham, Kevin Durand, William H Macy, Peter Macon, Travis Jeffery

Director: Wes Ball

Potentially kickstarting a new trilogy for the Weta Digital-led 2011 Apes series is a major challenge for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

In truth, it doesn't quite hit the highs it needs to to launch a compelling new narrative, but an intriguing second half of the film hints at what could lie ahead for the franchise.

Set "many generations" after the death of Caesar the ape, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes focuses on Teague's Noa, an ape who's forced to embark on a journey after his clan is attacked by a rogue faction of apes.

As Noa heads out of the life he's known driven by revenge, he discovers Freya Allan's Mae, a human who appears lost - but has a dangerous secret of her own.

Much like the prior Apes franchise entrants did, this latest dwells on the duality of human nature - but at times, it distinctively feels more serviceable than sensational, lacking an emotional edge that was inherent in the first films from the get go.

That's not to say Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes isn't visually spectacular, with lush backdrops and villages overgrown with foliage resembling some of the Downtown vistas of The Last Of Us Part II videogame in parts. Once again the apes FX are sensationally done, but there's a distinct nagging sensation that there's nothing as new as there was in 2011 some 13 years on.

The first half of the film feels clunky in parts, a script demanding acquaintance with our new heroes and while Teague and latterly Macon as orangutan and Caesar-teachings follower Raka form a strong bond on the journey, some of the emotional beats feel off when they should soar.

Themes of religious idolatry, perversion of beliefs and elements of Mad Max Fury Road pervade much of the back half of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes as ideologies clash. And it's here, in the second half of the 2hour 25 minute run time that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes finally starts to come alive, with Noa facing ethical dilemmas that feel nuanced and offer stakes. It's also where Allan comes a little more into her own and the potential for future episodes begin to take form.

Granted those in charge faced an insurmountable task given how the 2011 franchise offered real stakes - emotional edges, narrative thrills and of its time FX; but while Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is perfectly serviceable fare that has some genuine moments of tension and suspense, its drive to launch a new franchise feels more muted than perhaps could be expected.

Dream Scenario: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Dylan Gelula, Michael Cera, Julianne Nicholson
Director: Kristoffer Borgli

A seemingly cautious tale about the perils of newfound fame, Kristoffer Borgli's Dream Scenario starts off in an offbeat manner and continues down that winding path to a slightly disturbing conclusion.

Cage is Paul Matthews, a balding, bewildered, Parka-clad college professor, whose career is stalled and whose desire to be a published author is frustrated. Sidelined at home, Matthews yearns to be more - and inadvertently finds that coming true when he is told by strangers that he appears nightly in their dreams.

Initially troubled by the comments that he's too passive in the dreams, Matthews leans into the new-found fame. But the more consumed he is by it, the more aggressively he appears in peoples' dreams, ultimately forcing them away from him.

A mix of comedy and horror, packed into a dreamlike state, Dream Scenario's rhythms take a bit to get used to as the more surreal and satirical edges come to the fore. But they never quite deliver something sharp and incisive about Matthews' predicament, nor do they explicitly say much about the social media world and ethos of fame they look to poke fun at.

Thankfully Cage delivers a strong performance as his character enjoys the trappings of fame while negotiating the crippling insecurities of his own. Borgli, whose last film Sick of Myself also ploughed a similar furrow, gets the best out of his lead, but never once mocks his predicament or his reaction to it. Cage is never beneath debasing his character but manages to keep it all together in scenes that both feel prescient and awkward.

The result is a kind of empathetic take on the narcissism of the culture, but with a more gentle edge throughout. Blessed with menace and sadness in equal measure, the dark comedy comes to the fore, but there's an inescapable lingering feeling at the end that it could have been more.

Doctor Who: The Devil's Chord: Preview

The second episode (technically the third counting the Christmas special) of the Doctor Who reboot is likely to be the most polarising among long-term fans.

It's also the hardest to preview, as most of the shocks and surprises come from some truly brazen moments committed to screen, most of which are too spoiler-heavy to reveal in a preview.

When Ruby's given the choice to go anywhere, she chooses Abbey Road in 1963 to see the Beatles at work. But when the Doctor takes her there, the pair discover the world is in danger and sits on the brink of chaos thanks to the intervention of Jinkx Monsoon's Maestro, an enemy the Doctor does not believe he can defeat...

The Devil's Chord takes some big, big swings - but it opens in a way that both shows off how Who works best by making the most mundane of things as menacing as possible. In the way that plastic was irrevocably made evil way back in The Terror of the Autons, Russell T Davies makes a simple piano lesson one of the darkest and most terrifying moments thanks to the show's opening scenes.

With the production design catching all the elements of the era with ease, it's the details that makes The Devil's Chord shine. 

But this episode is easily Jinkx Monsoon's time to shine - and they seize with incredible gusto, bombast and occasionally moments of OTT scenery-chewing.  It's like the Cheshire Cat crossed with the Joker.

Yet when Maestro needs to flip to malevolence, the speed at which Monsoon changes pace is utterly enthralling. Matched up against Gatwa's charisma, the screen is filled with the kind of characters that make the show what it is.

With mentions of Totters Lane, Susan and the Doctor being scared about his soul being torn in two after bigeneration, there's much to sink your teeth into here. And that's before the question of Ruby Sunday's existence comes under the spotlight again and an apparent issue with the TARDIS. Davies is throwing a lot out in subtle ways throughout; hopefully the episodes stick the landing.

Yet if Monsoon is the star of this episode, it's not to detract from Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa's partnership again, which here feels like mates in space but also gives pauses to consider their characters' vulnerabilities.

There will be much to discuss about The Devil's Chord after its aired (that ending) but for now, suffice it to say that the second episode very much sets the tone after the first - it's big on brassy bold moves and shows every inclination that the series is once again strenuously rebooting and expanding, while staying true to its roots.

Doctor Who: The Devil's Chord premieres on Disney+ on May 10.

Doctor Who: Space Babies: Preview

Finally after what has seemed like months, the brand new season of the brand new iteration of Doctor Who is here, with Ncuti Gatwa at the helm of the TARDIS controls.

And there's no sidestepping it - after the relatively fantastical edges of the Christmas special The Church on Ruby Road that introduced Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday, the show is bigger, bolder and perhaps more bonkers than could be expected.

Working off a traditional format of a base under siege story from the pantheon of Doctor Who's past, writer Russell T Davies'  first script of this run is about as mad as they come while laying out some more of the ground work of what clearly is to be the series' arc and Ruby Sunday's mysterious birth.

In his first trek across space, the Doctor takes Ruby to a baby farm (via a minor detour into the past and dinosaurs for a quick gag that recalls the Mavity schtick from Wild Blue Yonder) that's being menaced by a bogeyman below. Soon the pair are caught in a battle for survival, while trying to save the babies on the space station.

Even just writing those words seem like madness for Doctor Who - but at its heart, Space Babies has a very traditional first episode for a new companion travelling with the Doctor appeal. 

It may be dismissed as puerile and slight by some, but Davies peppers his script in the opening moments with the basic facts about the Doctor, continuing on with Chris Chibnall's controversial Timeless Child story arc - but long term fans will be thrilled by the teasing of a certain Time Lord name, no doubt thrown in by Davies to titillate and cock a sly nod at canon. (There's also a cheeky reference to Star Trek too.)

But what is clear about Space Babies is how accessible it is for all.

While Davies borrows from his own past for one scene - specifically The End of The World - it's in his Doctor that it feels fresh and new. Sure there are visual parallels to it all, but it is Ncuti Gatwa's performance that ripples with so much charisma, it threatens to pour out of the screen.

It's not hyperbole to say that Gatwa does it all in this episode. From manic edges to solemnity, there's a level of joy in his performance that's addictive. Paired up with Gibson, who's no wide-eyed naif, the two of them positively sparkle with chemistry and while they feel fresh, there's definitely the kind of vibe that both Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston had in the last reboot of the show - it's infectious stuff.

Space Babies sets the agenda well (including Davies' insistence that everyone is welcome via a speech over being born beautiful and "nobody grows up wrong" delivered by the Doctor), and is a wildly widely accessible story for all to jump on - it may feel slight in parts but it's clear that everyone is having fun on this show. 

From the incredibly slick look the show now has through to the energy that leaps from the screen, what's most noticeable about this new run of Doctor Who is how big it feels - in a way that it has never really done before. However, thanks to its enigmatic leads, there's also a feeling that the drama is ripe and there to be exploited when the time comes.

Doctor Who: Space Babies premieres on Disney+ on May 10.

Win a family pass to see IF in cinemas

To celebrate the release of IF in cinemas May 16, you could win a family pass to see the movie thanks to Paramount Pictures New Zealand!

About IF

From writer and director John Krasinski, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. 

IF stars Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

IF is in cinemas May 16

Unfrosted: Movie Review

Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffney, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant

Director: Jerry Seinfeld

Leaving a lot to be desired, Jerry Seinfeld's take on the evolution of breakfast snack Pop Tarts takes a bit of his Seinfeld-esque show and stand up ("The great thing about cereal is eating and drinking with one hand") and a hint of the aesthetic of Asteroid City and bundles it up into something that's tepid and almost tedious at times.

Seinfeld plays Kellogg's marketing executive Bob Cabana, who tells the story of the rivalry between cereal makers Post and Kellogg's to a child who's run away and is sat at a diner.

It's a "marketing man's" take on the history of what happened, but with no sign of any flair or real skill, Unfrosted mixes reality with fantasy in a mix of elements that feels contrived and barely with any fluidity at all.

With a lack of absurdity and a lack of gags, Unfrosted teeters too dangerously on the uneven.

There are precisely two laugh out loud moments that show frustratingly what could have been. Firstly, an attack on Kellogg's building that channels the January 6 assault and the leading shaman works brilliantly thanks to Hugh Grant's shamanic and frustrated Tony the Tiger mascot; and secondly, a riff on Mad Men with the original cast is just brilliance.

But it's moments like this in the 100 minute run that make Unfrosted so viciously unfunny. Seinfeld's never been a great comic actor - channeling once again the shouting high-pitched antics he used to roll out when trying to act in the TV series, the film shows his limitations while others around him flounder thanks to flat dialogue and generally uninspired direction.

There's so much talent here, it feels criminal to have wasted so much of it.

A generous person would say in parts, Unfrosted is amiable genial fare. But it's partly because of that it feels so frustratingly undercooked throughout. With neither a Pop nor any Tart material this film is perhaps one of the most disappointing of 2024 - a real cereal killer.

South Park: Snow Day: PS5 Review

Developed by Question
Released by THQ Nordic
Platform: PS5

If you're expecting high art with South Park, you're out of luck.

While the series in its heyday had real potential and offered scabrous entertainment in amongst the scabrous machinations of Cartman, Kyle, Kenny and Stan, as well as a side-splittingly good first film, the show's various manifestations have fallen from grace over the years.

And while its video gaming incarnations have had varied success, this latest feels like a slight entry into the canon of the world, being more of a wave-based co-op PVE game that never really rises above its hack and slash RPG-based mechanics.

In terms of plot, South Park is swamped by snow, leading to a county-wide snow day and a chance for Cartman to reinstate his fantasy game of wizards and elves. You play the new kid in town, who's thrown into a war against first graders.

Using cards to instigate power ups and essentially just hacking and slashing your way through waves to go on to the next achievement, South Park: Snow Day feels like an endless wave of tedium at times, no matter how well it develops and seizes on the South Park vibe.

There's also a lack of the traditional South Park humour with a few cutting comments early on in the gameplay ultimately feeling unoriginal thanks to their repetitive use throughout.

Graphically while the game's 3D look is anything but original, it does make good use of the source material, and certainly the opening animation provides plenty of hope for what could have laid ahead.

Ultimately, thanks to small environments and a gameplay that's quite familiar and repetitive after a few goes, the overwhelming impression of South Park: Snow Day is one that suggests future DLC drops or storylines will help it reach its potential; as for now, it feels like it's a base game that's been rushed out rather than polished.

What's on Neon in May

Here's everything on Neon in May.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz (May 6)

Adapted from the novel of the same name, this compelling narrative unveils the true-life saga of Lale Sokolov, a Jewish prisoner entrusted with the harrowing duty of tattooing identification numbers onto fellow prisoners' arms within the confines of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War II.

Stars: Anna Próchniak, Melanie Lynskey, Harvey Keitel and Jonas Nay.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School (May 10)

Twenty years ago, a series of tragic events almost ripped the town of Millwood apart. In the present day, a new group of teenage girls are tormented by an unknown assailant, forced to pay for the secret sin of their parents - as well as their own!

Stars: Sharon Leal, Maia Reficco, Malia Pyles and Bailee Madison

MOVIES

Barbie (May 8)

Barbie and Ken enjoy a vibrant life in Barbie Land. When they venture into the real world,  they encounter both its pleasures and challenges, discovering what it means to live among humans.

Stars: Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling

Meg 2: The Trench (May 1)

Jonas Taylor leads a research team on a dive into the ocean's depths. Chaos ensues when a mining operation threatens them, leading to a battle against prehistoric sharks and environmental plunderers. They must outwit their predators to survive.

Stars: Jason Statham and Shuya Sophia Cai

Gran Turismo (May 8)

A working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world.

Stars: Orlando Bloom and David Harbour

Expend4bles (May 13)

A new generation of elite mercenaries join the Expendables to prevent a mysterious terrorist from igniting World War III.

Stars: Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Blu Ray Review 

Cast: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren
Director: James Wan

It's not that the final DC film before a complete reboot is an utter disaster - more that it feels like a tonal mess of badly done CGI and poorly constructed plot that doesn't quite know what it wants to be.

Part buddy comedy, part revenge thriller, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom finds Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry wrestling two roles - that of father to a new child with king of Atlantis. But when Abdul-Mateen II's Manta returns with vengeance on his mind, and armed with a Black Trident that has a portal to a long-hidden Atlantis kingdom, Curry has his work cut out - and must turn to his brother Orm (Wilson, in great straight guy mode) for help.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has moments when its Jules Verne / Irwin Allen vibes prove to lead much of the energy of the film. While parts of its underwater world feel like poorly executed pre-release versions of the Avatar films, there's an inherent wackiness and silliness that benefits the general tone of the movie.

Momoa leans into the comedic elements well, allowing his charisma and enthusiasm to shine - his Robert Downey Jr Iron Man moment at the end being a highlight. In truth, initial sequences involving Orm's breakout from a desert prison and subsequent reunion sparkle with comedic moments and general odd couple atmospherics.

But Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is not helped by weak-looking CGI that offers no real point of difference and brings no sense of vibrancy to life under the sea. There's also a lack of any real emotional heft throughout as well, with many characters reduced to muted moments, or in Amber Heard's case, muted throughout for reasons that feel like reshoots or weakly scripted scenes.

Parts of the film feel like a PlayStation 3 era video game that was rush-released, something that's little helped by the terrible acting of Lundgren throughout as Curry's father King Nereus. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will appeal to the younger end of the audience when its silliness becomes more evident, but in truth, it appears only Momoa and Wilson are having fun here, with Wan seeming unsure how to thread the various CGI scenes together.

While not a complete disaster, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom should perhaps prove to be a full stop to the superhero bloat that has riddled cinemas this year. It will draw a line under the various failings of the DC Extended Universe, but there are frustrations that this final film could have been more of a spectacular outing that shows off the emotional depth and fun of the characters involved, instead of a damp squib of a cinematic outing.

Win a double pass to see Back to Black in cinemas

To celebrate the release of Amy Winehouse film Back To Black in cinemas May 2, thanks to StudioCanal New Zealand, you can win a double pass!

About Back To Black

A celebration of the most iconic – and much missed – homegrown star of the 21st century, BACK TO BLACK tells the extraordinary tale of Amy Winehouse. 

Painting a vivid, vibrant picture of the Camden streets she called home and capturing the struggles of global fame, BACK TO BLACK honours Amy’s artistry, wit, and honesty, as well as trying to understand her demons.

An unflinching look at the modern celebrity machine and a powerful tribute to a once-in-a-generation talent.

Back To Black stars Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connor and Eddie Marsan

Back To Black is in cinemas May 2

The Idea of You: Movie Review

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Reid Scott
Director: Michael Showalter

Prime Video's latest movie slice manages to slightly eviscerate the perception of the romantic comedy as fluff.

Adapted from Robinne Lee's book, it's the story of Solene (Hathaway, avoiding the kookiness of the genre) who's forced to escort her daughter (Rubin) to Coachella when her former husband (Scott) drops out last minute.

Corralled into a meet-and-greet with boyband August Moon, Solene finds an attraction to singer Hayes Campbell (Galitzine). Intrigued, the pair form a tentative relationship that builds against Solene's wishes.

While the second half of the film falls into the obvious pitfalls of becoming more serious and solemn as the ramifications of their relationship bubble up to the surface, large swathes of The Idea Of You are to be commended for shaking up the genre.

Whether it's choosing not to play Solene as a ditz or channeling real-life insecurities over body image around younger women, there's a lived in quality to The Idea of You that lends the film a degree of credibility where typically there would be none.

The initial meet-cute shows off the attraction of the pair, and while some of the more outrageous edges of the narrative come to the fore as quirks, there's a lot of The Idea of You that feels real, human and relatable.

It helps that Hathaway underplays her role and distracts from some edges of the story that feel underexplored and underutilised.

The Idea of You doesn't majorly reinvent the wheel - it's a little too safe to do that, and its ending feels like fan fiction more than it should, but thanks to two leads that have an easy-going charm, it's eminently more watchable than it has any right to be.

The Idea of You streams on Prime Video from May 2.

What's on Netflix in May

Here's what is streaming on Netflix in May.

BRIDGERTON: SEASON 3 PART 1

Premieres on May 16, 2024 

As a new crop of debutantes yearns to become the brightest of the ball, a wallflower with a double life finds her light amid secrets and surprises.

Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Luke Thompson, Golda Rosheuvel, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Lorraine Ashbourne, Hannah Dodd, Simone Ashley, Jonathan Bailey

Country of Origin: United States

A MAN IN FULL

Premieres on May 2, 2024 

Facing relentless foes and sudden bankruptcy, an Atlanta real estate tycoon must claw his way back to the top when his empire begins to crumble.

Starring: Jeff Daniels, Diane Lane, Lucy Liu, Tom Pelphrey, Sarah Jones, William Jackson Harper, Aml Ameen, Jon Michael Hill, Chanté Adams

Country of Origin: United States

SELLING THE OC: SEASON 3

Premieres on May 3, 2024 

The ambitious agents at The Oppenheim Group attempt to up their real estate game as more personal drama interferes with major professional endeavors.

Starring: Jason Oppenheim, Brett Oppenheim, Alexandra Hall, Alexandra Jarvis, Alexandra Rose, Alexandra Harper, Tyler Stanaland, Polly Brindle, Lauren Shortt, Kayla Cardona, Gio Helou, Brandi Marshall, Sean Palmieri, Austin Victoria

Country of Origin: United States

UNFROSTED

Premieres on May 3, 2024 

In a time when milk and cereal ruled breakfast, a fierce corporate battle begins over a revolutionary new pastry. A Pop-Tart comedy from Jerry Seinfeld.

Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant

Country of Origin: United States

KATT WILLIAMS: WOKE FOKE

Premieres on May 4, 2024 

Comedian Katt Williams lets loose in real time as he hits the stage on May 4 for Netflix’s second livestreamed stand-up event.

Starring: Katt Williams

Country of Origin: United States

BARBIE

Premieres on May 8, 2024 

When an identity crisis clouds her sunny life, Barbie visits the real world and discovers the challenges of just being a woman — or just being a Ken.

Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Emerald Fennell, Dua Lipa, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera

Country of Origin: United States

BODKIN

Premieres on May 9, 2024 

In this darkly comedic thriller, a crew of podcasters sets out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers in an idyllic Irish town.

Starring: Siobhán Cullen, Will Forte, Robyn Cara 

Country of Origin: United States

ATLAS

Premieres on May 24, 2024 

A brilliant but misanthropic data analyst (Jennifer Lopez) with a deep distrust of AI finds it may be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown

Country of Origin: United States

ERIC

Premieres on May 30, 2024 

A desperate father, alongside a tenacious cop, battles his own demons on the streets of 1980s New York as he searches for his missing nine-year-old son.

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Gaby Hoffmann, McKinley Belcher III, Ivan Howe

Country of Origin: Great Britain

NETFLIX GAMES

DUMB WAYS TO SURVIVE

Coming soon

Collect, harvest and hunt your way through the wilderness as a bumbling bean trying to stay alive. Will you die a dummy or use your smarts to survive?

Country of Origin: United States

The Moon is Upside Down: Movie Review

Cast: Loren Taylor, Victoria Haralabidou, Robyn Malcolm, Jemaine Clement, Robbie Magasiva, Rachel House, Elizabeth Hawthorne

Director: Loren Taylor

Eagle vs Shark's Loren Taylor goes behind the lens for this, her first feature film, which features a triptych of tales involving women at various stages of their lives.

There's Polish bride Natalia (Haralabidou) who's about to marry Jemaine Clement's MAc and whose arrival in New Zealand doesn't match her expectations; there's Briar, an anaesthetist who's ironically sleep-walking through a long distance relationship with Magasiva's Tim; and there's Faith (Hawthorne) who inherits a dead body in a property deal.

To say desperation runs deep in these three stories is somewhat of an understatement.

But Taylor mines the horror of the mundanity and awfulness in their lives to varying degrees of success. While it feels like some of the stories don't quite connect or end in ways that would satiate an audience, others shine in their veracity and the execution of their humdrum existence.

From brutally honest sex scenes that lean into midlife desperation to acid one-liners (mainly from Malcolm's withering Hilary, who tells Natalia: "Aren’t you a stunner… in your own way"), there's plenty of honesty on show here, even if some of it is particularly awkward and awful.

The Moon is Upside Down leans into the more cringe elements of life, but the way Taylor helms everything, it feels too bleak and realistic to ultimately end in catharsis.

But perhaps like life itself, The Moon Is Upside Down is an at times messy look at humanity in all its elements - yet, it's as compelling as it is claustrophobic.

Dave the Diver: PS5 Review

Developed by MintRocket
Published by MintRocket
Platform: PS5, part of the PS Plus collection

One of the most addictive and calming games of 2024 on the console, Dave The Diver is an utterly charming addition to the pantheon of management games.

A pixelated tale that was nominated for Best Indie at the Golden Joystick Awards in 2023 on Steam, the game's simple mechanics and calming atmosphere make it easy to pick up, play and suddenly lose two hours to without realising.

You get to play Dave, a diver (honestly, it's all there in title), who is approached by his friend Cobra into starting up a sushi restaurant venture with the skilled chef Bancho.

Pitching anchor at a place known as the Blue Hole, it's up to you to fish for ingredients during the day, and then help Bancho run a sushi restaurant at night. But an added mystery concerning a mysterious race of sea people leads Dave to think there is more going on that meets the eye.

Dave The Diver is an immensely soothing game that's unfussed with flashy graphics or mechanics and is more interested in providing a vibe. If you want, you can follow the sea people mystery - but if you're less interested in that side of things, the game also allows you to simply dive and run a restaurant, complete with characters, options to hire and train staff and with additional quests that come in the shape of sushi-themed events or searches within the Blue Hole.

It's an enormously addictive game that offers upgrades, unlocks and extras - all while never deviating from its core mantra.

It helps that cut scenes are packed full of pixel humour and while there's a level of fat-shaming in parts that is inexcusable, largely Dave The Diver is a generally amiable experience. 

With roguelike elements, the game ensures no few days are the same, and while the mechanics are the same, it works incredibly hard to be playable fun that's for all the family. 

Bad Behaviour: DVD Review

Writer, director and executive producer Alice Englert may have taken on a little too much in this scrappy, messy film about scrappy, messy lives that doesn't quite coalesce in the ways that maybe she would have wanted.

When mother Lucy (Connelly, always engaging throughout) attends a retreat headed up by Ben Whishaw's wispy Elon (motto - "Never give into hope") she hopes to find something deep within that's lain dormant for too long.

Before beginning the retreat, she tries to connect with her stuntwoman daughter Dylan (Englert) clearing implying there are fractious elements that need addressing. But unable to say what's needed, Lucy heads to the retreat and to new challenges in the form of Dasha Nekrasova's DJ and model.

It may well be billed as a portrait of whimsical women and an investigation of the complexities, but most of Bad Behaviour teeters between tones of uncertainty and moments of bravura film-making. Both Englert and Connelly rise above their own material with performances that engage, but with a script that barely makes it past overly coherent, Bad Behaviour never quite connects in a way it should do.

It feels unchannelled and disconnected to what it wants to do throughout, and while the likes of Ana Scotney and Marlon Williams add layers to the film, they feel underused as the script battles its own demons to head toward a conclusion.

Lacking a clear vision cripples most of Bad Behaviour and while it's no bad idea to have a film about messy people, its execution feels too messy and too uncertain of the destination to make the journey as fulfilling as it could or should be.

What's on Disney+ in May

Here’s everything coming to Disney+ in May 2024.

11 May

Doctor Who

Disney+ Original Series Premiere

The Doctor and his companion Ruby Sunday travel across time and space, with adventures all the way from the Regency era in England, to war-torn future worlds. Throughout their adventures in the TARDIS – a time-travelling ship shaped like a police box – they encounter incredible friends and dangerous foes, including a terrifying bogeyman, and the Doctor’s most powerful enemy yet.

23 May 

The Kardashians: Season 5

Star Original Series 

Premiere

Just when you think life can’t get any faster in the Kardashian-Jenner family, they punch it into overdrive. From the big screen to baby bliss, the family continues to defy expectations in all their endeavours. Cameras roll as Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie navigate contentious sister dynamics, all under the watchful eye of everyone's favourite matriarch, Kris.

8 May

Let It Be

Disney+ Premiere

Available for the first time in over 50 years, “Let It Be” is Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s original 1970 film about The Beatles. First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, “Let It Be” now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s multiple Emmy Award®-winning docuseries, “The Beatles: Get Back.” Released on Disney+ in 2021, the docuseries showcases the iconic foursome’s warmth and camaraderie, capturing a pivotal moment in music history.

3 May

FX’s Welcome to Wrexham: Season 3

Star Original Series

Premiere

In 2020, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds teamed up to purchase the 5th tier Wrexham Football Club in the hopes of creating an underdog story the whole world could root for. The world took notice and change is afoot. After 15 painful seasons in the National League, the Club finally achieved promotion back into the English Football League. Will Wrexham AFC stand up to the challenge and rise again?

24 May

The Beach Boys

Disney+ Original

Premiere

A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionised pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come. The documentary traces the band from humble family beginnings and features never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with band members and other luminaries in the music business.

1 May

Shardlake

Star Original Series

Premiere

Drenched in mystery, suspense and deception, Shardlake is a compelling whodunnit based on the internationally popular Tudor murder mystery novels by C.J. Sansom. The year is 1536. Matthew Shardlake, a brilliant lawyer with an acute sense of justice, finds his life turned upside down when Thomas Cromwell, Henry Vlll’s right-hand man, sends him to the remote monastery of Scarnsea to investigate a murder, and to ultimately claim its wealth for the King. Accompanied by the arrogant and ambitious Jack Barak, it becomes clear that the death they are investigating is not the first. Facing hostility and suspicion at every turn and unsure of Barak’s true intentions, Shardlake is drawn into a web of lies, deceit and corruption that threatens not only his integrity but his life.

4 May

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire

Disney+ Original Series

Premiere

A journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths.

5 May

Monsters at Work: Season 2

Disney+ Premiere

Tylor Tuskmon’s journey as a Jokester and his friendship with Val face the ultimate test. When new doors of opportunity unexpectedly open at rival energy company, FearCo, Tylor’s co-workers at Monsters Inc. begin to question his loyalty. As his Laugh Floor partnership with Val is pushed to the brink, Tylor must discover where he really belongs.

31 May

Jim Henson Idea Man

Disney+ Original

Premiere

"Jim Henson Idea Man" takes us into the mind of this singular creative visionary, from his early years puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of "Sesame Street," "The Muppet Show," and beyond. Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Ron Howard captures Henson's restless creativity, ambition, and artistic evolution in the style and spirit of his complex subject, an artist who revolutionised television, inspired generations, and created some of the world’s most beloved characters. Featuring new interviews with Henson's closest collaborators and children, as well as never-before-seen materials from his personal archives—including home movies, photographs, sketches, and diaries— Howard brings us an entertaining and insightful look at a man whose boundless imagination changed the world.

Also in May…

3 May

Series

Godfather of Harlem: Seasons 1-3

3 May

Star Original

Prom Dates

Movies

Beneath the Planet of the Apes

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

4 May

Series

How Not to Draw: Seasons 1-2

10 May

Star Original

International

Past Lies: Season 1

14 May

Star Original

International

Crash: Season 1

15 May

Star Original

International

Uncle Samsik: Season 1

Movie

Queen Rock Montreal

17 May

Special

Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story

22 May

Disney+ Original

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of X-Men '97

Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life: Season 2: New Episodes

Star Original

Pauline: Season 1

Series

Mickey Mouse Funhouse: Season 3

New Episodes

FX's The Veil New episodes weekly on Tuesdays, finale 28 May

We Were the Lucky Ones New episodes weekly on Wednesdays, finale 22 May

Vanderpump Villa New episodes weekly on Mondays, finale 20 May

Grey's Anatomy: Season 20 New episodes weekly on Thursdays

Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Season 3 Finale 1 May

X-Men '97 New episodes weekly on Wednesdays, finale 15 May

The Simpsons: Season 35 New episodes weekly on Wednesdays

The Fable New episodes weekly on Saturdays

Tracker: Season 1 New episodes weekly on Wednesdays

Not Dead Yet: Season 2 New episodes weekly on Wednesdays, finale 15 May

Chief Detective 1958: Season 1 2 x new episodes weekly on Saturdays and Sundays, finale 19 May

Blood Free: Season 1 2 x new episodes weekly on Wednesdays, finale 8 May

Undead Unluck: Season 1 New episodes weekly on Wednesdays, finale 22 May

Station 19: Season 7 New episodes weekly on Thursdays

Sand Land: The Series Finale 1 May

Will Trent: Season 2 New episodes weekly on Wednesdays

Spidey and His Amazing Friends: Season 3 New episodes 1, 15 and 29 May

House of the Owl New episodes weekly on Wednesdays, finale 8 May

Mission: Yozakura Family New episodes weekly on Sundays

PJ Masks: Power Heroes: Season 1 13 x new episodes 15 May

Alice's Wonderland Bakery: Season 2 5 x new episodes 8 May

Dino Ranch: Season 3 5 x new episodes 15 May

Firebuds: Season 2 3 x new episodes 22 May

Go! Go! Loser Ranger! New episodes weekly on Sundays

What's on DocPlay in May

This May, we’re thrilled to champion high-quality Australian films. Our AFTRS Shorts showcase champions the work of six emerging documentary filmmakers from Australia’s premiere film school. We collaborate with another celebrated Australian institution, the National Film and Sound Archive, to present the streaming premieres of two iconic local docs - Bob Connolly's Rats in the Ranks and Facing the Music.

Other highlights for the month include the Syrian Oscar-nominated film For Sama, and Kash Kash, a cinematic portrait of Beirut, and its surprising community of men who love pigeons.

Decades in Colour  |  2 May  |  Series

Mixing lost images sourced from everyday New Zealanders alongside new interviews, Decades in Colour traces from the post-war suburbia of the 50s, to rugby, racing and beer in the 60s, to emerging challenges to cultural norms in the 70s, as jet travel and TV broadened perspectives and a more independent national identity emerged.

Citizen K  |  13 May

Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) examines Russia's power, president Vladimir Putin's political dominance, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky—a former Siberian prisoner who continues to challenge Putin's reign.

AFTRS Shorts  |  20 May  |  Shorts

Six of Australia’s finest emerging documentary filmmakers present new works that span diverse stories including the pro-life movement; migrant mothers; the Australian poet Robert Adamson; and one man’s mission to teach a million people how to perform CPR.

For Sama  |  23 May 

This Oscar-nominated documentary follows one woman's journey through love, motherhood, war and survival during the Syrian conflict.

Kash Kash  |  23 May

A vital portrait of Beirut, and its surprising community of pigeon lovers.

Rats in the Ranks  |  27 May

This remarkable film takes a behind-locked-doors look at how politicians get the numbers. Every September Sydney's Leichhardt Council elects its mayor. Incumbent Larry Hand was popular with citizenry, but they don't vote for the position of mayor - the 12 councillors do - and after three years of Larry some of them are after his job.

Facing the Music  |  27 May

In their fifth major film together, acclaimed documentary makers Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson step inside the halls of Sydney University’s Music Department, where sublime music is being made in a setting that’s far from serene.

All of Us Strangers: Disney+ Movie Review

Cast: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy, Jamie Bell

Director: Andy Haigh

A haunting and heartbreaking piece about what it means to be gay, All of Us Strangers draws an incredible performance out of Sherlock and Fleabag star Andrew Scott.

Scott is Adam, a writer who spends his days trying to concoct a screenplay while sequestered in his apartment in a high-rise building. With only one other inhabitant in the building, Adam's days are consumed with staring at a blank screen, watching daytime TV and consuming biscuits.

But when a fire alarm forces him out of the tower block building and he sights Paul Mescal's Harry, the two start a tentative relationship, which compels Adam to head back to see his parents (Foy and Bell) at his childhood home.

It's best to go into All of Us Strangers cold, as the screenplay, which bases itself on Strangers by Taichi Yamada, has a few twists and is open to much discussion post-viewing.

What's not up for discussion though is Scott's performance, an internalised slow-burn of a turn that delivers as much heartbreak as it does pain for Adam as he deals with his past, perceptions of how gay life was and is now and tries to negotiate his way in a world that changed within a generation.

A tale of grief and trauma, All of Us Strangers is tied together with some ethereal cinematography, a clever soundtrack that both signposts and propels the narrative and Scott's performance, which is largely done behind his eyes and whose subtleties mask an unenviable pain that can spin on a dime to joy as well. Scott is stunning in this - and while Mescal has picked up the chatter for his role, it's a lesser performance from him, but one that builds on the quiet accomplishments he imbued his character with in Aftersun.

Both Foy and Bell excel too, in largely sympathetic and empathetic performances as Adam's parents, echoing both the cares and concerns of families and expectations; there's much done with little here and it's incredibly moving to watch.

Ultimately, All of Us Strangers is a heartwarming and heartbreaking tale of human connection, of seeking to find answers in life and of finding love and peace within. Its ending will lead to plenty of discussion, thanks to breathtaking visuals and ideas that dabble in fantastical edges, but there's no mistaking All of Us Strangers will be part of the awards discussion come 2024.

All of Us Strangers streams on Disney+ from Wednesday April 24.

Boy Kills World: Movie Review

Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Jessica Rothe, Sharlto Copley, H Jon Benjamin, Famke Janssen, Michelle Dockery, Brett Gelman, Isaiah Mustafa, Andrew Koji

Director: Moritz Mohr

Landing somewhere in the middle of Scott Pilgrim vs The World, The Raid and The Hunger Games seems like an odd start for directors Boy Kills World.

Yet it seems tonally appropriate for a film that essentially is an off-kilter revenge tale writ large, with IT's Bill Skarsgard playing the deaf and dumb Boy, a weapon shaped for chaos after the ruling Van Koy family murdered his family.

Set in a post apocalyptic world and on the eve of the annual Culling where 12 random people are selected for death on television to ram him the barbarian rule of the Van Koys, Boy Kills World is a mix of cartoonish humour, ACME level gags and intensely shot fight sequences.

With frenetic editing and a tongue-in-cheek script, there's an anarchic edge to Boy Kills World that does set it outside of the norm. With a Hunger Games edge and a inner voice from Bob's Burgers star Benjamin, the film does play with expectations to a large degree.

And while some of the violence is well-choreographed and provides a point of difference to the norm with its opening training montage of its titular character thrusting you into the middle of a story , in parts it feels somewhat akin to The Raid as waves of bad guys are taken down by Boy.

Happy Death Day's Rothe is a strong addition with her character being given an iconic outfit aimed at cosplayers, but most of the sideplayers really don't figure too highly in the film's final mix.

Whilst it gets points for setting a long action sequence to an utterly demented winter wonderland that's mixed with a cereal commercial, the film unfortunately does feel a little bloated in its middle section and really only ups the ante in a final showdown that's exhausting, exhilarating and enjoyable. There are moments of originality too, including various cheese grater takedowns that may make audiences wince.

It's here that Boy Kills World shows it has promise - and while Skarsgard marks out his action hero much like Hammer Girl did in The Raid 2 in his fight against fascism, the narrative thread isn't quite strong enough to pull the movie all the way through. 

It's enjoyable enough, but with a tighter edit and a keener eye, this film could have been shaped into a cinematic weapon on a mission too - to entertain jaded action movie audiences satiated on the likes of John Wick, The Raid et al.

Back to Black: Movie Review

Cast: Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connor, Eddie Marsan, Lesley Manville

Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson

The legacy of Amy Winehouse once again comes under the spotlight in director Sam Taylor-Johnson's biopic which only soars in parts thanks to an utterly compelling lead in relative unknown Marisa Abela.

Taking a very much once-over-lightly approach to Winehouse's life, the film details the flaky start she faced as she pursued her jazz singer/ pop star dreams, the love affair she had with Blake Fielder-Civil (O'Connor in full Pete Doherty wideboy mode) and her ascent while battling addictions.

You'd be wise to have some idea of times in Winehouse's life because the film is less interested in connecting the dots and timelines together, and is more concerned with providing a vibe to proceedings, rather than making something that's critical. (For that, it's possibly best to spend time with director Asif Kapadia's excellent doco, Amy).

As a result, Back to Black feels more like a jukebox musical with key songs being rolled out not by backing tracks but by a stellar performance from Abela, who in some scenes seems on the verge of dislocating her own jaw due to the emphasis required.

She, in fact, is the sole reason to stick with the two hour film.

Despite being saddled with an extremely formulaic and weak script that's filled with holes (and was okayed by Winehouse's estate), Industry star Abela makes her Winehouse a little more than a mannequin wearing some of the singer's iconic outfits.

There's a fragility to her Winehouse as she battles against herself - and conversely, there's an utter joy when she chases her own personal highs throughout. A pub-set initial meeting with O'Connor's Blake lays all the seeds for a soulmate meeting (albeit one that would turn toxic) and both O'Connor and Abela fizzle with natural chemistry here.

But it's in the quieter moments with her beloved Nan (played with great dignity by the ever-brilliant Manville) that Winehouse's tenderness comes to the fore, thanks to Abela's performance. It is here the humanity shines through and the singer gains more grounding than a million shots of singing and crowd montages could ever make or fake.

As a superficial take on the Amy Winehouse story, director Sam Taylor-Johnson's film is beautifully shot, with a richness emanating from the screen.

But as a celluloid representation of her legacy, it is perhaps left found wanting - even with its superb lead, when it comes to the pantheon of great musical drama biopics, this seems destined to sadly fade Back to Black.

The Lie: Movie Review

Director: Helena Coan

Making great fist of CCTV footage throughout, director Helena Coan builds a strong picture of 21-year-old UK backpacker Grace Millane's final days before her brutal murder in 2018 in Auckland.

With much of the footage having been seen for those who followed the trial, and with the constant swirl of news being reported at the time, there is perhaps a feeling the Grace Millane case is still too recent a memory to provide the backbone of a documentary.

However, Coan smashes all of those perceptions away as she paints a truly chilling portrait of a murder and how a life was snatched away by a calculating killer.

Jesse Kempson was jailed for her death, despite claiming he had accidentally killed her during a "rough sex" session. 

Beginning with a drone shot above a road through the hills of the Waitakeres and finishing with a YouTube video from Millane herself, there's plenty of footage that will leave any rational people with their blood boiling. Wisely, Coan steers away from editorialising or sensationalising the case, preferring instead to comb through hours of CCTV footage to show how a killer operates.

It's frightening stuff in parts - whether it's footage from inside a hotel lift or at a DIY store, Coan manages to turn the seemingly mundane movements of Kempson into something chilling.

While Coan has plenty of material and media coverage to call on from before the trial and after, it's in the silences that Coan really shows her stripes as a director.

Deploying silence when needed, or simply letting the sound from the CCTV footage or from inside a police interview, Coan's innate skill lies in letting the pictures tell the story. It's an important distinction for a documentary like this - even if there is a nagging feeling that it would work better as a small screen piece.

While the consent/ rough sex debate is only raised six minutes from the end of the piece, and could warrant a wider discussion in a public forum, The Lie is not a film about that.

At its heart, The Lie is a clarion call and warning over how brutally a life can be ended, but with moments such as Detective Inspector Scott Beard's emotion in parts, as well as the harrowing effect it had on the Millane family, it is a film that has control and precision in its narrative - and more importantly than all of that, sensitive respect for its victim and memory.

The Fall Guy: Movie Review

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Winston Duke, Teresa Palmer
Director: David Leitch

Mixing both meta touches over the state of the industry, the introduction of AI and the continual ignoring of the stunt community with a romantic comedy and mystery all prove to be relatively fertile ground for The Fall Guy.

With only the slightest hint of narrative DNA from the 80s show, which starred Lee Majors, coursing through its veins, Leitch's film focuses on a ridiculously charismatic Ryan Gosling's stuntman Colt Seavers.

When Seavers is injured in a career-ending moment, he goes AWOL, ghosting both the apparent love of his life Jody (Blunt, who blazes strongly in the beginning before fading toward the end) and his beloved job.

Tempted back in, Seavers soon finds himself framed while shooting Metalstorm (a riff on the Australian-shot Mad Max film from George Miller) and blamed for the death of another stuntman....

The Fall Guy is a film that goes on too long and tries to stretch its wafer-thin plot as far as it will go, but it never fails to offer much more than a good time at the movies, with a ridiculously high level of stunts involved for all to enjoy.

It's squarely a love letter to the stunt community, but also one that plays with the tropes of the genres, and does so lovingly and with free abandon. Central to its success is the charm of Gosling, who channels both the comedy of his Nice Guys movie character and the charisma that's been deployed to maximum effect prior to this. It helps that initially Blunt proves to be an excellent sparring partner - in one early scene alone, the pair battle through their issues on an open set mid-shot, a quickfire rattle of a sequence that's both well written and well directed.

But ultimately, The Fall Guy becomes a victim of its own intentions.

Discussions within the film about how to solve Metalstorm's problematic third act seem to permeate much of The Fall Guy's third act, and the film collapses into a mess of action sequences that exist solely to provide an 80s-style OTT ending that Fall Guy creator Glen A Larson would no doubt be proud of.

Perhaps that's the point of The Fall Guy - to simultaneously send up the romantic comedy genre it's from and to inject commentary on today's cinema-making processes while doing so. That's no bad aim, and there's no denying The Fall Guy is a blockbuster piece of entertainment that has its heart aimed at showcasing the craft of movie-making with a star who continues to be endlessly watchable.

What's on Prime Video in May

Here's everything streaming on Prime Video in May.

COMING TO PRIME VIDEO MAY 2024

THE IDEA OF YOU

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 2 MAY

Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centres on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mum who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with Hayes and there is an instant, undeniable spark. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn’t long before Hayes’ superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.

The Idea Of You stars Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld, Jordan Aaron Hall, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Raymond Cham Jr., Jaiden Anthony, Viktor White, and Dakota Adan.

THE TEST

SEASON 3 AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON FRIDAY 24 MAY

The Test Season Three follows the Australian men’s cricket team as they embark on a gruelling tour of England and face off against cricket’s two great superpowers: India, with a star-studded lineup featuring the legendary Virat Kohli; and England, who have redefined their game under Ben Stokes with their hyper-aggressive “BazBall” style of play. This season will explore the untold, emotional, and personal stories behind the iconic sporting moments, as the players are confronted with merciless opponents, hostile crowds, and the pressure of a legacy-defining tour. Players such as Captain Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, and Alex Carey reflect on key moments with their families, as they also navigate the dual challenges of excelling at the highest level of cricket while juggling their treasured roles as fathers, sons, and husbands.

MAXTON HALL - THE WORLD BETWEEN US 

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 9 MAY

This highly-anticipated romantic drama is based on Mona Kasten’s bestselling novel Save Me, from her award-winning novel trilogy, Maxton Hall. When Ruby unwittingly witnesses an explosive secret at Maxton Hall private school, the arrogant millionaire heir James Beaufort has to deal with the quick-witted scholarship student for better or worse. From that point on, the handsome student tries to buy Ruby’s silence. And although the two come from different worlds, they will soon risk everything to be together…

Maxton Hall - The World Between Us star Harriet Herbig-Matten, Damian Hardung, Sonja Weißer (Tatort) Ben Felipe, Fedja van Huêt, Runa Greiner, Justus Riesner, Clelia Sarto, Andrea Guo (Der Schwarm), Eidin Jalali (Der Schwarm). 

OUTER RANGE

SEASON TWO AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 16 MAY

Outer Range centres on Royal Abbott, a rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable phenomenon at the edge of Wyoming's wilderness, in the form of a dark void. The mystery surrounding the enigmatic void on the west pasture of the Abbott family ranch deepens in Season Two, as Royal and his wife Cecelia struggle to keep their family together in the aftermath of their granddaughter’s sudden disappearance. The stakes have never been higher for the Abbotts, who now face threats on multiple fronts. Outer Range’s second season propels its characters deeper into the void with profound and unforeseen circumstances that could shake the very foundations of time itself.  

Outer Range S2 stars Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots, Lili Taylor, Tamara Podemski, Lewis Pullman, Tom Pelphrey, Noah Reid, Shaun Sipos, Isabel Arraiza, Olive Abercrombie and Will Patton.

CLARKSON’S FARM

SEASON THREE PART 1 AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON FRIDAY 3 MAY

PART 2 AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY 10 MAY

The third series of Clarkson’s Farm finds Diddly Squat facing some seriously daunting challenges. The crops are failing in the severe hot weather, inflation has driven prices of supplies sky high, dreams for the beloved restaurant are dashed and now the farm shop also faces closure. Jeremy urgently needs to come up with creative new ways of making ends meet, so hatches a plan to turn a profit from hundreds of acres of unfarmed land - thick woodland and hedgerows that make up half of Diddly Squat. This triggers an avalanche of Clarkson-crafted schemes, involving everything from goats and pigs to mushrooms, nettles and deer. Someone new arrives to Diddly Squat, which puts Kaleb's nose out of joint – as well as the returning characters all working to help Jeremy’s farming ambitions come to fruition.

THE GOAT

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 9 MAY 

Fourteen reality superstars - from Bachelorette to Housewives to Survivors To Drag Racers and everyone in between - move into GOAT Manor to face off in a brand new, hilarious competition show, hosted by Daniel Tosh. They will compete in over 20 challenges, earning and breaking one another's trust as they battle it out for $200k…and the title of Greatest Of All Time. The “herd” of competitors includes Tayshia Adams (The Bachelor franchise), Joe Amabile (The Bachelor franchise, Dancing with the Stars), Kristen Doute (Vanderpump Rules), Reza Farahan (Shahs of Sunset), CJ Franco (FBoy Island), Wendell Holland (Survivor), Teck Holmes (The Real World, The Challenge), Justin Johnson/Alyssa Edwards (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Paola Mayfield (90 Day Fiancé), Da’Vonne Rogers (Big Brother, The Challenge), Joey Sasso (The Circle, Perfect Match), Jason Smith (Holiday Baking Championship), Lauren Speed-Hamilton (Love Is Blind), and Jill Zarin (The Real Housewives of New York City).

FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES 

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON FRIDAY 17 MAY 

This new docuseries follows country music legends Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, and their friends, as they set out to build the ultimate oasis: a honky-tonk in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. In this six-episode journey, Friends in Low Places unveils the complex and insightful experience of creating Garth and Trisha’s dream venue. In Episode 1 titled, "Blame It On All My Roots," viewers receive an intimate look into Garth Brooks' beginnings, while he blends personal narratives with behind-the-scenes footage of the honky-tonk's construction. Additionally, viewers dive into the trials and triumphs that shaped Garth's journey from Oklahoma's honky-tonks to the heart of Music City.

ARTHUR THE KING

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON FRIDAY 10 MAY 

Over the course of ten days and 435 miles, an unbreakable bond is forged between pro-adventure racer Michael Light and a scrappy street dog companion dubbed Arthur.Based on an incredible true story, Arthur The King follows Light, desperate for one last chance to win, as he convinces a sponsor to back him and a team of athletes for the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. As the team is pushed to their outer limits of endurance in the race, Arthur redefines what victory, loyalty and friendship truly mean.

Arthur The King stars Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu, Juliet Rylance, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ali Suliman, with Bear Grylls as Himself, and Paul Guilfoyle.

EXPEND4BLES 

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON MONDAY 13 MAY 

A new generation of stars join the world's top action stars for an adrenaline-fueled adventure in The Expendables 4. Reuniting as the team of elite mercenaries and Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables are the world's last line of defence and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give "new blood" a whole new meaning.

Expend4bles stars Jason Stathan, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Sylvester Stallone, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Iwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran and Andy Garcia. 

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 16 MAY 

‘Country Music’s Party of the Year’ returns to Prime Video exclusively. The 59th Academy of Country Music will feature the biggest stars, emerging talent and unforgettable live performances that will captivate fans worldwide. Artists nominated this year include Luke Combs, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson.

THE BLUE ANGELS

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON THURSDAY 23 MAY

The Blue Angels have been enthralling people, across the U.S and around the globe, for more than 75 years.  From producers JJ Abrams and Glen Powell, The Blue Angels  will take audiences soaring with the U.S. Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron as never before. Filmed for IMAX, the immersive footage puts you in the cockpit for a firsthand view of the Blue Angels’ precision flying, while the aerial shots deliver a spectacular showcase of the breathtaking manoeuvres that have made them the world’s premier jet team. The Blue Angels also takes audiences behind the scenes for a revealing, in-depth look at what it takes to become a Blue Angel—from the careful selection process to the challenging training regimen, and on through the demanding eight-month show season.

The Blue Angels is produced by J.J. Abrams and Glen Powell

MAY 2024 TOP PICKS:

THE IDEA OF YOU (MOVIE) 2/05/24

YOUNG ROCK S1 (TV) 2/05/24

CLARKSON'S FARM S3 PART 1 (TV) 3/05/24

ABOUT MY FATHER (MOVIE) 3/05/24

BRING HIM TO ME (MOVIE) 6/05/24

MURIEL'S WEDDING (MOVIE) 7/05/24

GRAN TURISMO: BASED ON A TRUE STORY (MOVIE) 8/05/24

MAXTON HALL - THE WORLD BETWEEN US (TV) 9/05/24

THE GOAT S1 (TV) 9/05/24

CLARKSON'S FARM S3 PART 2 (TV) 10/05/24

ARTHUR THE KING (MOVIE) 10/05/24

EXPEND4BLES (MOVIE) 13/05/24

COLUMBO S1-S9 (TV) 15/05/24

OUTER RANGE S2 (TV) 16/05/24

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS (EVENT) 16/05/24

EDGE OF TOMORROW (MOVIE) 19/05/24

THE TIME TRAVELLER'S WIFE (MOVIE) 21/05/24

THE BLUE ANGELS (MOVIE) 23/05/24

THE TEST S3 (TV) 24/05/24

THE DIVE (MOVIE) 28/05/24

THE EQUALIZER 3 (MOVIE) 29/05/24

THE OUTLAWS S3 (TV) 31/05/24

Robot Dreams: Movie Review

An-all ages animation that may be one of the sweetest and simplest stories told, Robot Dreams is awash with colourful creations and a vibrancy that's hard to deny.

Spanish writer-director Pablo Berger (Blancanieves) adapts Sara Varon’s graphic novel about a dog who feels lonely in the city of New York into something quite heartbreaking at points.

Dog lives in 80s New York, longing for connection and surrounded by others in the city whose lives have been brought together. Answering an advert for a robot companion, Dog finds his world opened up suddenly by possibilities as the pair wander around the city. 

But when circumstance separates them, the two find their lives irrevocably changed.

Dialogue-free and left only to come alive with the sounds and music of the city, Robot Dreams is a delight - a colourful paean to loneliness and overcoming it with resilience and finding the joy in others. Moving and unnecessarily uncomplicated, Robot Dreams' simple animation and beautifully unfiltered sentiment will break even the most of cynical of hearts.

Retaining a cartoon strip aesthetic, the film's pace comes from its engaging appeal and the eternal tale of friendship. To say it's not groundbreaking in many ways feels like a disservice, but in truth, the uncomplicated tale is much more effective because of the way the narrative unfolds.

Final scenes are bittersweet, mixed as they are with joy and sadness - there won't be many an adult who won't take a deeper meaning over relationships and the ebb and flow of time from this film, and there won't be many children who will adore the characters and be inspired to provide them with further adventures at home via drawings and imagination.