RNZ: At The Movies

Kate Rodger reviews three new films: The Christophers, Soderbergh's thriller with McKellen and Coel; Mandalorian and Grogu, the big-screen Star Wars feature with Pascal and Weaver; and Masters of the Universe, with Galitzine, Elba and Leto.The Christophers TRAILERThe Mandalorian and Grogu TRAILERMasters of the Universe TRAILERGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Afternoons Film Critic Dominic Corry joins Jesse to share his hot takes on what's new in theatres this week.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week on Short-Cuts Dan Slevin takes a look at Moss & Freud imagining the relationship between Kate Moss and Lucian Freud, Marty, Life Is Short; The Martin Short documentary on Netflix and a Jason Statham revenge thriller The Beekeeper streaming free on TVNZ.This week on Short-Cuts, Dan Slevin takes a look at:IN CINEMASMoss & Freud (dir. James Lucas). In 2002, supermodel Kate Moss sat for a portrait by the great British painter Lucian Freud. With Moss's help, New Zealand director James Lucas (Whina) imagines what might have unfolded between two famously complicated public figures — one the most photographed woman in the world, the other one of Britain's most celebrated and notorious artists. Ellie Bamber plays Moss, while the legendary Sir Derek Jacobi stars as Freud.PAID STREAMING – NetflixMarty, Life Is Short (dir. Lawrence Kasdan). A warm and funny documentary about beloved comedian and actor Martin Short, charting his rise from suburban Ontario to Saturday Night Live and Hollywood fame. Directed by longtime friend Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill), the film features appearances from Short's equally famous mates including Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara. Expect laughs, stories and a few surprisingly emotional moments too.FREE STREAMING – TVNZThe Beekeeper (dir. David Ayer, 2023). Peak Jason Statham. He plays a retired operative turned humble beekeeper, living quietly on the farm of a kind retired teacher played by Phylicia Rashad. But when online scammers steal her life savings, Statham swaps honey for headbutts and launches a brutal mission for revenge.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Michelle Langstone reviews three films from the French Film Festival: A Dash of Love, a moving road trip about two disabled friends; Case 137, a Cannes-selected thriller starring César winner Léa Drucker; and Guru, a taut film about a predatory life coach.A Dash Of Love Trailer HERECase 137 Trailer HEREGuru Trailer HEREGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week on Short-Cuts Dan Slevin takes a look at The first Star Wars film to hit cinemas in seven years. A documentary on the first deaf actor to win an Oscar and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert YouTube channel packed with highlights from its 11-year run.This week on Short-Cuts, Dan Slevin takes a look at:IN CINEMASThe Mandalorian and Grogu (Favreau, 2026). The first Star Wars film to arrive in cinemas in seven years, spun off from the hit Disney+ series about a mysterious bounty hunter who unexpectedly finds himself caring for a powerful alien child with a striking resemblance to a certain Jedi master.PAID STREAMING - DocPlayMarlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (Stern, 2025). A documentary about the first deaf actor to win an Academy Award, directed by deaf filmmaker Shoshanna Stern, exploring both Matlin's groundbreaking career and the deaf experience of the hearing world.FREE STREAMING - YouTubeThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert ended this week, and the show's YouTube channel is packed with highlights from its 11-year run, a fitting chance to celebrate Colbert and speculate about what comes next.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Dan Slevin reviews three new films: Vie Privée, a Paris thriller starring Jodie Foster; Words of War, with Maxine Peake as assassinated Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya; and Finding Emily, a British rom-com featuring Angourie Rice.Vie privée (A Private Life) trailer HEREWords of War trailer HEREFinding Emily trailer HEREGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Dominic Corry joins Jesse Mulligan to give his reckons on Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Obsession, and Guru, which is playing as part of the French Film FestivalGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kate Rodger reviews the latest releases on The Big Screen: David Lowery's psychological thriller Mother Mary starring Anne Hathaway, French Film Festival drama The Great Arch with Claes Bang as the architect behind Paris' Grande Arche, and Karl Urban in video game sequel Mortal Kombat II.Mother Mary Trailer HERELa Grande Arche Trailer HEREMortal Combat II Trailer HEREGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kate Rodger reviews: Devil Wears Prada 2, reuniting Streep, Hathaway, Blunt and Tucci back at Runway; The Weed Eaters, a cannibalistic NZ horror about very bad munchies; and Greenland 2: Migration, Gerard Butler's post-apocalyptic follow-up.Greenland 2: Migration trailer HEREDevil Wears Prada 2 trailer HEREThe Weed Eaters trailer HEREGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' screen critic Dan Slevin reviews Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition, tracing the band's rise from East End pubs to stadiums; The Young Pope, the timely Jude Law papal drama; and Battletruck, a Kiwi post-apocalyptic cult classic.On this week's edition of Short-Cuts, Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin reviews:IN CINEMASIron Maiden: Burning Ambition — A documentary tracing the band's journey from East End pubs to global stadiums, blending their story with fans, including Javier Bardem.PAID STREAMING — NeonThe Young Pope — Not new, but back on Neon. A timely drama about a brash American pope, starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton.FREE STREAMING — YouTubeBattletruck — A classic New Zealand post-apocalyptic film where rival clans battle over diesel in a broken future world.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Film Critic Dominic Corry reviews Mortal Kombat II and The Great Arch (part of the Architecture and Design Film Festival) as well as fish and chip shops!Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Michelle Langstone reviews three new films: Peter Hujar's Day, reconstructing a lost conversation with the legendary photographer; Chelsea Preston Crayford's debut feature Caterpillar; and Apex, starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton.Peter Hujar's Day Trailer: https://youtu.be/Rzp8uw-t-eAApex Trailer: https://youtu.be/kgv8jf_8dm0Caterpillar: https://youtu.be/YhzyWBFBSBIGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' Screen Critic Dan Slevin takes a look at The Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival, touring nationwide. Also streaming: Bait on Prime Video, a dark comedy from Riz Ahmed, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre on Kanopy.Nights' Screen Critic Dan Slevin takes a look at theIN CINEMAS - NationwideResene Architecture & Design Film Festival, which opened in Auckland last night and runs across 13 towns and cities nationwide until 21 June. Dan reviews four of the films; Nuvola, The Great Arch, Googie and Stardust: A Story of Love and Architecture.PAID STREAMING – Prime VideoBait is a six-part comedy drama from Riz Ahmed, who also stars. It follows an Asian-British actor whose failed James Bond audition triggers a spiral of personal, professional and psychological fallout. It's dark, funny and strange, featuring a voice performance by Patrick Stewart as a severed pig's head.FREE STREAMING – KanopyThe Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a classic human drama about three men who strike gold in Mexico and quickly discover how greed unravels their pact to share it equally. It's a tense, richly told story of ambition and mistrust, and a multiple Academy Award winner.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Afternoons film critic Kate Rodger joins Jesse to give her hot takes on The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Apex.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

On Short-Cuts Dan Slevin reviews: Exit 8 Japanese film where a man is stuck in a looping subway puzzle, Greyhound & Finch – Tom Hanks in WWII naval thriller + post-apocalyptic road trip with a robot and One Life staring Anthony Hopkins as Nicholas Winton who saved hundreds of Jewish children.On this week's edition of Short-Cuts Nights resident screen critic Dan Slevin reviews:IN CINEMASExit 8 - A Japanese man on his way to work is trapped in a mysterious loop while trying to escape the subway. Solving the puzzles will lead him to Exit 8 but any failure takes him all the way back to Exit 0.PAID STREAMINGGreyhound (2020) & Finch (2021) - Two Tom Hanks-led films: Greyhound is a tense World War II naval drama following a rookie commander navigating U-boat attacks in the Atlantic, while Finch is a post-apocalyptic road story about a dying inventor building a robot to care for his dog as they journey across a ravaged America.FREE STREAMING – Māori+One Life - the superb drama starring Anthony Hopkins as Nicholas Winton, who - as a younger man played by Johnny Flynn - saved hundreds of Jews from Nazi-occupied Prague.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Michael, the Jackson biopic starring his nephew Jaafar; The Time Traveller's Guide to Hamilton Gardens, opening the Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival; and Sgt. Haane, Tearepa Kahi's 28th Māori Battalion ANZAC story.Michael Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-YAcjaLuSIThe Time Traveller's Guide To Hamilton Gardens Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At3PQESNEwYSgt. Haane Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ-qino7ZNgGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Afternoons Critic Dominic Corry on whether 'Michael' really is the worst bio-pic of all time. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Three new films: The President's Cake, an Iraqi Cannes winner set during the Gulf War; The North, a quiet Scottish Highlands reunion story; and Thrash, Netflix's hurricane shark film with Phoebe Dynevor.The President's Cake Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIhlE3lfu6wThrash Trailer: https://youtu.be/hzyOsNyDkbM?si=enPHvbm9g-xaNzmFThe North Trailer: https://youtu.be/-SG46PKUCfQ?si=pB6YT76CZaADXVAUGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights resident screen critic Dan Slevin reviews: Fuze, a WWII bomb evacuation in London that masks a diamond heist; Blind Panic, a New Zealand thriller about a blind woman and an ex-con, both targeted by a crime lord; and the 90s classic crime thriller Heat, starring Robert De Niro.On this week's edition of Short-Cuts Nights resident screen critic Dan Slevin reviews:IN CINEMASFuze, an unexploded World War II bomb in central London sparks an evacuation that turns out to be cover for a diamond heist staring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Theo James, directed by David Mackenzie.PAID STREAMING Blind Panic, a NZ thriller about a blind woman and an ex-con on home detention whose paths are crossed by a local crime lord.FREE STREAMING – TVNZ+Heat, Michael Mann's 1995 masterpiece featuring Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Afternoons critic Dominic Corry joins Jesse Mulligan to discuss Fuze and The Mummy, both are in theatres next week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Film critic Dan Slevin reviews three new films: Undertone, a Canadian horror about a podcast host driven to paranoia by eerie recordings; You, Me & Tuscany, a rom-com with Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page; and Solo Mio, about a groom honeymooning alone in Italy.Undertone Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6uDeBYDHu4You, Me & Tuscany Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09kuFgvohIUSolo Mio Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvTpQDdZY0kGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights resident screen critic Dan Slevin reviews last year's Caméra d'Or winner at Cannes, the Iraqi Oscar entry The President's Cake, the Paul McCartney documentary Man on the Run, and MTV Rewind, a site recreating the experience of endless music videos.Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin joins Emile Donovan with his picks for the weekend.Tonight, Winner of the Caméra d'Or at Cannes last year, as well as the Iraqi entry in the Best international Feature category of the Oscars, The President's Cake; the documentary about Paul McCartney rebuilding his life and music in the immediate aftermath of leaving the Beatles in 1970, Man on the Run and MTV Rewind, a website that recreates what it was like to watch an endless stream of music videos. [picture id="4JQDTQ8_The_Presidents_Cake_jpeg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Critic Kate Rodger shares the best picks for the school holidays, her take on The Drama and reacts to the Emmy nods for Prime Minister.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kate Rodger explores dark comedy, The Drama, school holiday option Super Mario Galaxy and reflects on ten years of Hunt For The WilderpeopleThe Drama movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zmKcUa4XxkSuper Mario Galaxy Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX9kXRRJlPw Hunt For The Wilderpeople: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tICv8QH3oM0Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin marks 10 years of the Kiwi classic Hunt for the Wilderpeople, back in cinemas this weekend. He also reviews Resurrection, a delirious Chinese sci-fi arthouse film on AroVision, and revisits Housebound, starring Rima Te Wiata, now streaming free on Māori+.Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin celebrates the 10th anniversary of the classic kiwi movie, Hunt for the Wilderpeople which is back on the big screen in cinemas this weekendHe also takes a look at Resurrection the delirious Chinese sci-fi arthouse epic by one of the most exciting directors in the world and streaming on AroVision.Plus, Housebound, another local feature that got full value out of national treasure, Rima Te Wiata, streaming free on Māori+Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Michelle Langstone reviews three films: a tender, graphic love story, the final Peaky Blinders chapter, and a big-budget children's adaptation that got everything wrong. Pillion, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, and The Magic Faraway Tree, on Culture 101.Pillion – https://youtu.be/aTAacTUKK00Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man – https://youtu.be/lcvUGs3xaDMThe Magic Faraway Tree – https://youtu.be/3aHYFwvoGekGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Dan Slevin reviews horror highlights, including Alexandra Heller-Nicholas' 1000 Women in Horror documentary. He also notes The Babadook streaming free on Brollie, and the cinema release They Will Kill You, where a maid uncovers a deadly cult.Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, takes a look at horror films including Alexandra Heller-Nicholas' book 1000 Women in Horror which has been made into a documentary on AMC+/Shudder.Also, one of the key examples chosen in that film, Jennifer Kent's The Babadook, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdmZABM_9H0is streaming for free on Brollie.And in cinemas, They Will Kill You is a comedy horror about a woman (Zazie Beetz) who takes a job as a maid in a mysterious hotel to try and find her missing sister, but realises that she's now required to be a human sacrifice for a group of immortal devil worshippers.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Afternoons film critic Kate Rodger gives her take on films 'If I had Legs I'd Kick You' and 'No Tears on the Field'.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin is back with three picks: one in cinemas, one on streaming, and one you can watch entirely for free. Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin reviews Project Hail Mary, a science fiction film in which Ryan Gosling plays an unwilling microbiologist, alone on the edge of the galaxy trying to stop all the stars from dying. When he realises he's not alone, the fun really begins. In cinemas now.On paid streaming, Disney+ has Skeleton Crew, an eight-part adventure set in the Star Wars universe. Four school friends from a supposedly safe planet accidentally hitch a ride on a starship and end up at the mercy of space pirates led by Jude Law.Dan's free streaming pick is on YouTube: United States of Beauty, a 40-minute meditative film stitched together from still photographs taken aboard the International Space Station.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Film critic Dan Slevin reviews Kiwi doco No Tears on the Field, I Swear, a biography of a Tourette's Syndrome activis and Pixar's animated comedy, Hoppers.I Swear Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeWqQN3snCUNo Tears On The Field Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArCkvrgwMREHoppers Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PypDSyIRRSsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Afternoons Critic Dominic Corry is with Jesse Mulligan to share his thoughts on the latest new releases. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kate Rodger reviews Tenor: My Name is Pati and makes her predictions for this year's Oscars winners and losersTenor: My Name Is Pati TrailerGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews Cold Storage, a fun splatter movie about a space fungus; Secret Mall Apartment, about a group of artists who live in a mall undetected for years and the acclaimed 2024 National Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest.Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews Cold Storage, a fun splatter movie about a space fungus that escapes from containment due to global warming. Only veteran bioterror expert Liam Neeson can save the world - with the help of the minimum wage night security at the storage facility, Joe Keery and Georgina Campbell. In cinemas now.On paid streaming, DocPlay has Secret Mall Apartment, about a group of Rhode Island artists who discovered a vacant space in their grand new local mall and decided to live in it, managing to go undetected for four years.Dan's free streaming option is on YouTube: The acclaimed 2024 National Theatre production of Oscar Wilde's timeless comedy The Importance of Being Earnest is available for free on YouTube for five days only. Stars former Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa, and Olivier Award-winner Sharon D. Clarke.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kate Rodger joins Jesse Mulligan to review Ryan Gosling's latest and indulge in a quick Oscars preview.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews the new Spanish road trip drama Sirāt, the second season of the John le Carré adaptation, The Night Manager and the four-time academy award nominated courtroom thriller, A Few Good Men.Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews the new Spanish road trip drama Sirāt, about a father searching for his missing daughter with the help of a group of travelling ravers in North Africa. That's in cinemas now.On paid streaming, Prime Video has the second season of the John le Carré adaptation, The Night Manager, starring Tom Hiddleston as the once reluctant and now professional MI6 agent, Jonathan Pine. His quiet life observing the after hours activities of British intelligence targets is disturbed by the reemergence of surprising old faces.Dan's free streaming option is on TVNZ+: the four-time academy award nominated courtroom thriller, A Few Good Men. Ambitious military lawyer (Tom Cruise) defends two Guantanamo Marines accused of murder. Also starring Jack Nicholson.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Michelle Langstone looks at three films making waves internationally, including The Bride, Maggie Gyllenhaal's punk inspired retelling of the Bride of Frankenstein story, South Korean director Park Chan-wook's dark satire No Other Choice, and the Cannes Grand Prix winning drama Sentimental Value from Norwegian director Joachim Trier.Sentimental Value Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKbcKQN5YrwThe Bride Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhgcUArO3UoNo Other Choice Trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKZpuG_ezvYGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Is there too much plot in The Bride? Should some ideas be left on the page aka Charli xcx The Moment? Heartwarming goodness from Tenor: My Name is Pati. Film critic Dominic Corry has some thoughts on these new releases. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Boris Jancic joins Culture 101 to unpack Baz Luhrmann's latest Elvis documentary, revisiting the life and cultural legacy of Elvis Presley through archival material and newly assembled footage. He also reflects on key moments from this year's BAFTA Awards and what they signal for the rest of awards season. Plus, a look at streaming platform MUBI, its curated approach to cinema, and why it continues to attract audiences seeking international and independent film.EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert Movie trailerGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, previews the 2026 Wellington and Auckland film societies' programmes. He also reviews The Swedish Connection; a drama about the Swedish and; One Title: Football in Greenland a short documentary about the 2025 Greenland Football Championship from the BBC. Every Friday Nights' film and television critic Dan Slevin joins the programme to talk about the best new releases, what's streaming and something you can watch for free. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews Wonder Man, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Merrily We Roll Along, a recording of the 2022 Broadway revival and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.Nights' resident screen critic, Dan Slevin, reviews Wonder Man, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a struggling Los Angeles actor with secret superpowers (Disney+), and Merrily We Roll Along, a recording of the 2022 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's acclaimed musical starring former Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe (AroVision). Dan's free streaming option this week also stars Radcliffe, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (TVNZ+).Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Michelle Langstone reviews three new films, beginning with Emerald Fennell's much discussed adaptation of Wuthering Heights and its bold creative choices. She then explores the Māori gothic horror Mārama, highlighting its themes of colonial violence, spiritual lineage, and striking cinematography. Finally, she delves into If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, a dark portrait of a mother on the edge that blends sensory overload, surreal escapes, and a standout performance from Rose Byrne.Watch the trailers here:Wuthering HeightsMāramaIf I Had Legs I'd Kick YouGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Does 'Wuthering Heights' live up to all the hype? What's the story behind local new release 'Mārama'? Get the latest on both films with critic Kate Rodger. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details