At The Movies

Kangaroo has all the right elements for a feelgood, family movie – small-town outback Australia, a big city idiot and a teenage girl both looking for redemption, and an awful lot of kangaroos. Featuring Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair (The Sapphires), Ernie Dingo (Crocodile Dundee) and Rachel House (Boy). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Simon Morris finds himself on the wrong side of history – or at least the general, critical opinion of the new Stephen King movie, The Long Walk, and millennial sex-comedy Splitsville. Though he agrees with most people about whether we really need yet another Downton Abbey spinoff movie. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Long Walk, based on Stephen King’s first novel, is set in a dystopian future where 50 young men compete to be the last one standing. If they slow down they’re shot. Directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games Catching Fire), it stars Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) and Mark Hamill (Star Wars). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Splitsville sees the International Film Festival comedy about open marriages get a general release. Essentially a millennial version of a Sixties hit, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, with added (male) nudity. Features Dakota Johnson (Materialists). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is the third and final Downton movie, we’re told. It features all the old favourite characters – and, frankly old favourite plotlines. With added Noël Coward, and scandal in high places. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Simon Morris looks at three films that use comedy in different ways to make a point – the divorce comedy The Roses, a film about a traumatic event, Sorry, Baby, that uses humour as a healing tool and French farce How To Make A Killingwhich uses comedy to make you laugh! Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Roses is a gentler remake of the pitch-black Eighties divorce comedy The War Of The Roses. But stars Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch turn out to be worthy successors. Directed by Jay Roach (Meet the Fockers). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Sorry, Baby was a big hit when it debuted at Sundance – the story of a young woman getting over a traumatic event. Star, writer and director Eva Victor had never made a feature film before. Produced by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How To Make A Killing sees Laure Calamy (Call My Agent) caught up in a tangle of gangsters, refugees, a big bundle of money – and a gigantic black bear. French farce at its most farcical – and French. See you at the Swinger’s Club on Thursday! Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Ballad of Wallis Island is a British charmer about a lonely millionaire who just wants to put his favourite folk duo back together. His solution? A reunion concert for an audience of one. Starring and written by Tim Key (See How They Run), Tom Basden (After Life) with Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Workmates is the latest from husband and wife team writer-star Sophie Henderson and director Curtis Vowell. Can theatre best mates Lucy – Sophie – and Tom – Matt Whelan, get from the friend-zone to love? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Simon Morris looks at three apparent romances, which all seem to ignore the usual rules. New Zealand comedy Workmates insists they’re just good friends, British music dramedy The Ballad of Wallis Island proves that band breakups aren’t good for love, while action thriller Caught Stealing is more interested in money than “boy meets girl”. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Caught Stealing is a change in pace for ultra-serious director Darren Aronofski (Noah, Black Swan) – an action thriller, starring Austen Butler (Elvis), Matt Smith (Dr Who) and Zoë Kravitzn (The Batman). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Night Always Comes sees Vanessa Kirby (The Fantastic Four) as a struggling woman who desperately needs $25 thousand to buy her flat. She just has 12 hours to pull it off. A Netflix thriller, it’s directed by Benjamin Caron (TV’s Andor and The Crown). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Relay is a thriller in which a modern Robin Hood uses primitive technology to dodge detection by high-tech bad guys. Directed by David Mackenzie (Hell Or High Water) it stars Riz Ahmed (The Sound Of Metal,), Lily James (Yesterday)and Sam Worthington (Avatar). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Simon Morris wonders what you gain, or lose, when you cast a film with people who have to do an accent? This week he looks at three films set in America, but starring English, Australian and Irish actors. These include The Naked Gun, with Liam Neeson, Relay with Riz Ahmed and Sam Worthington, and Night Always Comes with Vanessa Kirby. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Naked Gun sees Liam Neeson take the role of Leslie Nielson in the remake of the Eighties cop spoof. Co-starring Pamela Anderson, it’s written and directed by Akiva Schaffer (Saturday Night Live) and produced by Seth McFarlane (American Dad). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Eddington is a satire about the year of Covid 19, with Joaquin Phoenix as an anti-mandate sheriff at odds with the Mayor, angry protest groups and conspiracy-nut influencers. Directed by Ari Aster (Hereditary), with Pedro Pascal (The Last Of Us) and Austin Butler (Elvis). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nobody 2 sees the return of that most unlikely of action heroes, Bob Odenkirk (TV’s Better Call Saul). His family demands that he take time off beating up bad guys to take a holiday. But trouble seems to follow him. With guest villain Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct). Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is, surprisingly, a French film about a fan of the great novelist, who goes to England as part of an Austen residency. And soon her life starts to echo an Austen romance. But which one? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Simon Morris welcomes two films from two festivals, both offering some originality. From the International Festival comes Ari Aster’s Covid thriller Eddington, while from the French one comes the popular romcom Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. Meanwhile, life goes on with another sequel – Nobody 2. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Mr Burton is the story of a directionless schoolboy in wartime Wales called Richie Jenkins. He is taken under the wing of his teacher, borrows his name and becomes Wales’s greatest theatrical star. Starring Toby Jones, Lesley Manville and in a star-making role – literally – Harry Lawtey as Richard Burton. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Friend sees a grieving New York writer find herself the unwilling recipient of her dead friend’s pet – a gigantic Great Dane called Apollo. Starring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray and a gigantic dog called Bing. And the city of New York. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Freakier Friday sees Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in the sequel to 2003’s body-swap comedy Freaky Friday. Now they find themselves in the bodies of two new teenagers, on the eve of another wedding and another rock concert. Look out for plenty of Freaky cameos! Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Simon Morris looks at three films starring strong contenders to follow Dame Maggie, Dame Judi and Dame Helen. Lesley Manville features in Mr Burton, Naomi Watts shines in The Friend and Jamie Lee Curtis (Lady Haden-Guest in real life) is in Freakier Friday. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details