The Power of the Doctor trailer

The final trailer for Jodie Whittaker's last outing as the 13th Doctor has been released - and a transmission date in the UK has been confirmed.

The Power of the Doctor will air in the UK on the BBC on October 23, with a time to be confirmed.

The special 90 minute episode which has been billed as "Her final battle" will see the Doctor, Yaz and Dan take on the Master (Sacha Dhawan) as well as the Daleks and the Cybermen.

This will mark the first time all three of the Doctor's main enemies have featured in a single storyline since 2005.

The latest trailer shows someone attacking a bullet train in a distant galaxy and the crew trying to work out why 21st century seismologists are going missing from Earth.

Whittaker has led the show since 2017, and will end her time on the sci-fi series before Ncuti Gatwa takes on the role of the 14th Doctor.

But there are also three 60th anniversary celebrations planned for the show for 2023, with David Tennant and Catherine Tate returning to the show - something which has yet to be explained....

Minions: Rise of Gru: Blu Ray Review

The yellow cigar-shaped perils of slapstick return with what's touted as an origin tale for Despicable Me's Gru.

Set against the 1970s backdrop, Steve Carell's Gru yearns to be part of supervillain criminal gang, The Vicious Six, headed up by Henson's Belle Bottom. When the gang betrays their founder Wild Knuckles (Arkin, in usual sardonic form), an opening appears and Gru is one of the many applicants for the position.

However, seeing him only as a child, Gru is laughed out of the process, and told to come back when he's done something evil. So in among the chaos, Gru steals a talisman the Vicious Six has just purloined for their own nefarious ways - but when he's kidnapped and held to ransom, it's up to Minions Kevin, Bob, Stuart and newbie Otto to try and save the day.

Minions: Rise of Gru does exactly what you'd expect on the tin to be honest.

And that's perfectly adequate for a madcap film that doesn't dazzle the animated world with techniques, but delivers continual laughs and nods to what's to come in the Despicable Me series later on.

With rich backgrounds making the most of the groovy 70s' setting and San Francisco, as well as the music cues of the time, the Illumination animation stable knows about depth, but also wisely knows that it's not really about distracting with background gags, choosing to keep the Minions front and centre of proceedings, as that's what the children of all ages in the audience want.

Five films in, there's no sign yet of di-Minions-ishing returns for these yellow critters, though it is perhaps as far as they could go, given the split level nature of the narrative - is it a Minions film, is it a Despicable Me film - but there is more than enough to amuse all sectors of the audience.

Moments of inventive madness sit alongside great animation to make Minions: Rise of Gru a perfect family feelgood outing for children of all ages - big or small.

Werewolf by Night: Review

Marvel's Werewolf by Night may have a good solid concept, but this so-called take on the horror films of the 1930s and 1940s is more interested in simply copying moments rather than understanding them and making them Marvel's own.

Set in black and white and on a dark night, it's the tale of a secret cabal of monster hunters who are called to Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader, Ulysses Bloodstone.

The tradition goes that if one of them can wrestle the ancient Bloodstone from a creature, they will become its owner and heir.

But treachery is afoot and not everyone is who they say they are.

It may only be just a touch over 50 minutes, but Marvel's Werewolf by Night really doesn't have enough meat on its bones to be anything substantial.

In parts the special is more interested in delivering well-choreographed fight scenes between characters and is less interested than doing something new and creative in the space.

When it's not solely fight scenes, the pace slows to an almost soporific state as it becomes a talkfest as it follows its "the known universe with its heroes and marvels, but what of the darkness, this is where monsters dwell" ethos to a tee.

Werewolf by Night may be high on atmospherics , but mostly it becomes about the OST orchestrated jump scares, some of the laziest tropes of the genre out there.

It's primarily a hollow monster experience, that's beautifully scored but just repeats tenets and scenes from horror films without adding more or giving them a unique twist.

Not everything Marvel does will work, and while it's sometimes supposed to be applauded for trying new things, this latest thuds stunningly to the ground despite all the best intentions of everyone involved.

Werewolf by Night starts streaming on Disney+ on Friday October 7

The Charlatans: Review

It's been 32 years since Indian Rope burst onto the music scene and the sounds of the Charlatans became synonymous with the Manchester scene.

It's 4 years since they played Auckland's Powerstation, using sheer power and melody to devastatingly good effect.

We all know what happened next - Covid shut down the world, gigs stopped and music fans lamented the loss of everything they held there.

But on the coldest night in October for decades in Auckland, The Charlatans' bright light shone, nay even burned, once again as they returned to the stage for their Head Full of Ideas best of tour.

Originally planned to celebrate their 30th year, the world had other plans - however, as anyone au fait with the Charlatans' somewhat checkered past with fate will attest, they didn't let it hold them back.

Opening with one of their best tracks from their massively underrated second album Between 10th and 11th, Don't Want to see the Sights set the tone for the night - leader singer Tim Burgess' seductive vocals perfectly in key with Tony Rogers and Mark Collins' psychedelic harmonic rhythm section.

With over 13 albums of studio material to draw on, the band made wise choices, using some of their more familiar and raucous songs to whip the crowd into a frenzy. 

Early on, Weirdo, Can't Get out of Bed looped together to lead into a more sublime rendition of Then, with Burgess' patented grooving keeping the audience on their feet and the energy levels up.

While it's always been the enigmatic frontman with his big wide grin and Dulux-dog style mop of hair that's kept the interest in the Charlatans, it was clear on Thursday night's showing that it's also the work of Collins, bassist Martin Blunt, drummer Peter Salisbury and keyboardist Tony Rogers which keeps their set tight, blistering and unfeasibly seductive.

From high-fiving fans in the front row to whipping out his phone to get shots for his social media, Burgess was clearly in his element, a showman exalting us all to keep our hands up in the air while the melodies flowed. Up on tiptoe, he leaned into both the crowd and the band's patented mix of Hammond organ and slinky guitar riffs and psychedelia.

As ever, the band stuck to their 90 minute slot - a similar timeframe to when they last played the same venue - but in truth, with so much material to draw on they could have done much, much more.

Deploying a closing trifecta of The Only One I Know, North Country Boy and How High, the Charlatans finished up on an absolute musical high, leaving the thunderous crowd rabid for more. They knew exactly how to manipulate the crowd, and how to ensure the fans got what they wanted - but not once did they ever milk it or overplay any moment.

An encore ended with the stage and crowd bathed in green light as Sproston Green's rambunctious mix of riffs and revelry collided for a riotous conclusion.

At one point, someone shouted at frontman Tim "You're a good man, Tim." 

Taken aback for a moment, Burgess paused, smiled and retorted back "No, you're  a good man - I can tell" leaving the audience eating out of his hand. It's symptomatic of why The Charlatans are so beloved - a band that has the right combination of musical deftness, a back catalogue of continually iconic songs and a charisma that simply charms everyone they meet.

Long may they reign for another 32 years.

The Only One I Know #TheCharlatans pic.twitter.com/ahu10krkVv

— Darren White (@igorblanc) October 6, 2022

Catherine Called Birdy: Movie Review

Cast: Bella Ramsey, Andrew Scott, Billie Piper, Joe Alwyn, Paul Kaye

Director: Lena Dunham

It's difficult not to see Catherine Called Birdy as more than a feminist manifesto.

A teenage family-feeling film that follows a year in the life of Catherine (Bella Ramsey of Game of Thrones, The Last Of Us) as she rebels against the patriarchy of 13th century medieval England and her father Lord Rollo (Sherlock's Andrew Scott) as he tries to marry her off to gain some money to save his kingdom.

Based on the children's book by Karen Cushman, there's a youthful exuberance that follows the almost diary-like story as it plays out as the precocious Catherine negotiates coming of age and the relative ineptitude of all the men around her.

With opening scenes highlighting Catherine's independence (she's involved in a mudfight, something not seen as benefitting of a lady), Dunham's film allows Ramsey the spotlight - and as a result, she shines in it, stealing every moment and making it her own.

By having her infatuated with her uncle George (Alwyn), and mooning over him as a romantic prospect rather than the parade of boorish prospects that come through her father's door, Catherine Called Birdy takes the story to some strange places.

And yet, the subtext of a woman who deserves to have her choice and to not settle for what her father would want for her is a laudable one, if an obvious thread for Dunham to take and run with.

It doesn't really help that all the men in the film are various levels of incompetence - whether it's Rollo's wasting of the family fortunes on fripperies (a dead tiger that's shipped from abroad) or the grotesque wedding prospect that is way too old for her but becomes her only option, the men in the film exist only to highlight the inadequacies of the age.

Subtle moments such as the tragedy of stillbirth and the obvious pain of a father losing his daughter are threaded through Catherine Called Birdy with such care that it feels like the film wants to do more, but isn't quite sure how to do it.

Ultimately, Catherine Called Birdy is a solidly watchable film, even with its "men are such horribly duplicitous creatures" message throughout - it presents a heroine to admire and hope for, and gives female audience members the message they don't have to settle for second best.

Whether that's enough to feel the messaging is updated enough from medieval times is questionable, but Dunham's desire to let Ramsey own every moment proves to be a winning choice.

Catherine Called Birdy starts streaming on Amazon Prime Video from October 7.

2022 Terror Fi Festival line up revealed

The full line up for 2022's Terror Fi festival has been unveiled.

Opening the festival will be the highly anticipated Barbarian, starring IT's Bill Skarsgard. 

The film's official synopsis  describes it thus: A young woman discovers the rental home she booked is already occupied by a stranger. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the night but soon discovers there's a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest.

Closing the festival will be A24's Bodies Bodies Bodies. the horror comedy about a group of 20-somethings who gets stuck at a remote mansion during a hurricane. When a party game goes very, very wrong ends with a dead body on the ground and fake friends at every turn, they try to find the killer among them.

The line up is packed with retro treats, as well as New Zealand premieres.

The full list of films is

VESPER (New Zealand Premiere)
SOMETHING IN THE DIRT (New Zealand Premiere) 
FALL (New Zealand Cinematic Premiere)

PROJECT WOLF HUNTING (New Zealand Premiere)
HUNT (New Zealand Premiere)

Indie Gems:

A LIFE ON THE FARM (New Zealand Premiere)

EVERYONE WILL BURN (New Zealand Premiere)

THE CIVIL DEAD (New Zealand Premiere)

BULL (New Zealand Premiere)

THE NOVICE (New Zealand Premiere)

Retro Films:

CABIN IN THE WOODS

RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD

The festival will run in Wellington at The Roxy from 26-30 Oct, Auckland at The Capitol, from 2-6 Nov,  and in Christchurch at Alice Cinemas 9-16 Nov.