TV & Streaming

What to Watch This Christmas: The AU Review’s Festive Film Suggestions for the Holiday Season

There’s a point every December when the sleigh bells start to feel a little too loud and the familiar holiday classics blur together. You’ve seen the same heartwarming arcs, the same snowy kisses, the same miraculous last-minute transformations. Sometimes you want a Christmas movie that doesn’t insist on comfort. You want something stranger, sharper, or…

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Prime Video offers first-look images for Jason Momoa-Dave Bautista actioner The Wrecking Crew

Amazon MGM Studios have unveiled a series of first-look stills for The Wrecking Crew, their action-comedy starring Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa, which is set to premiere on Prime Video on January 28th, 2026. Born from one of Bautista’s own tweets – he posted on X in 2021 “Just going to throw this out into the atmosphere and…

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Hollywood talent added to AACTA Festival 2026 lineup

Yerin Ha, Phoebe Tonkin, Danny & Michael Phillipou, Baz Luhrmann, Dichen Lachman, Shane Jacobson and Adam Liaw added to the 2026 AACTA Festival Program AACTA today announced the next wave of programming for the 2026 AACTA Festival, revealing new headline guests, exclusive first-look screenings, milestone celebrations and the recipients of the prestigious 2026 AACTA Byron…

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What to stream in the new year on MUBI; January highlights for the best service celebrating cinema culture

MUBI is a place to discover ambitious films by visionary filmmakers, from iconic directors to emerging auteurs, all carefully chosen by MUBI’s curators. With MUBI GO, members in select countries can get a free ticket every week to see the best new films in cinemas. And Notebook explores all sides of cinema culture – both in…

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Film Review: New Fears Eve; shameless slasher delights in its own twisted gore

Given the shameless pun that is its title, one needn’t worry about subtlety or nuance with a film like New Fears Eve. Whilst we are in the midst of a true appreciation for the horror genre and how deeply layered it can prove, there’s something refreshing about a gory slasher that follows a classic formula…

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Interview: One More Shot stars Aisha Dee, Sean Keenan and Ashley Zukerman on their time-loop comedy

On New Year’s Eve, 1999, armed with a bottle of time travelling tequila, Minnie (Emily Browning) arrives at the swanky beach house of her long-time friend, Rodney (Ashley Zukerman), only to discover that her former flame Joe (Sean Keenan), has brought his new girlfriend, Jenny (Aisha Dee). When Minnie takes a shot and is suddenly…

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Series Review: Man Vs Baby; Rowan Atkinson’s situational comedy is perfect for Christmas season streaming

2022’s Man Vs Bee was the type of simplistic, farcical premise that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. One of the reasons it did though was the utter commitment from the comedic genius that is Rowan Atkinson, who built upon the largely silent, situational mentality of his classic Mr. Bean for nine micro-episodes…

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Interview: Nicholas Ralph on “Love and kindness being at the forefront” of All Creatures Great & Small

As All Creatures Great & Small returns for its sixth season, the Yorkshire Dales feel more alive – and more in flux – than ever. It’s 1945, the war in Europe has ended, and the world of Darrowby is shifting with new veterinary techniques, expanding families, and the hopeful hum of a community rebuilding itself….

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The 2026 Golden Globe Nominations announced; One Battle After Another reigns supreme in film, White Lotus the favourite in TV

One Battle After Another proved it was winning one of its own hardships as it was announced today that the Paul Thomas Anderson black comedy-thriller was this year’s most lauded title at the Golden Globe Awards. With nods for its director, lead actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), actress (Chase Infiniti) and supporting players (Benicio Del Toro and…

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Opinion: Netflix buying Warner Bros. is a disaster waiting to happen

When Netflix announced it would acquire Warner Bros. for more than $80 billion, the news landed with considerable weight. It wasn’t just another merger in an era already drowning in media consolidation. It was the moment Hollywood officially surrendered one of its last legacy studios to the gravity of a global tech giant. And let’s…

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AACTA Awards announce star-studded field of nominees for 2026 season

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) today announced the nominees for the 2026 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group, recognising outstanding achievements across film, television, documentary, short form and digital production. The Awards will be presented during AACTA Festival, held 4th – 8th February, 2026 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on…

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Film Review: Jay Kelly; George Clooney is charming and agreeable in soft Netflix dramedy

Though a richly textured performance from George Clooney (even if he is essentially playing himself) and some warm support from Adam Sandler (though his overuse of the word “Papi” starts to grate) help bolster Jay Kelly, it’s difficult to entirely find a way into the universality writer/director Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story, White Noise) hopes to…

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Film Review: Oh. What. Fun.; Michelle Pfeiffer is as luminous as she is biting in warm Christmas comedy

From the opening of Oh. What. Fun., director/writer Michael Showalter and his co-writer Chandler Baker very much express both the importance of mothers during the festive season and how, in the realms of cinematic ventures, they’re an under valued character.  As the film’s loving focal point, Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer, always a treat to see…

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Interview: Michael Showalter on his chaotic Christmas comedy Oh. What. Fun., and the “gifted comedienne” that is Michelle Pfeiffer

Come for the presents. Stay for the baggage. It wouldn’t be a Christmas comedy without some familial dysfunction, and, in 2025, the Clauster clan are delivering such in Oh. What. Fun., a new seasonal laugher from director Michael Showalter (Spoiler Alert, The Idea of You). Flipping the script on classic holiday movies to remind us…

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Five Things we learned from Stranger Things Season 5: Volume 1

With Stranger Things entering its long-awaited final season, the first half of Season 5 wastes no time throwing fans back into the chaos of Hawkins. Over a year has passed since the town was torn open and the Upside Down spilled into reality. Hawkins is now under military lockdown, tensions are high, and Vecna’s threat…

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Series Review: Ghosts: Australia is a clever transposition of a modern comedy classic – even if the jokes sometimes don’t quite land

When Ghosts: Australia was announced, it might be fair to say that the idea was met with some trepidation. There have been numerous examples of comedy hits in one country failing to impress when adapted for another – anyone remember when they tried to do an American version of Kath and Kim? Yet Ghosts, based on the…

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Interview: He Had It Coming creator Gretel Vella and Jungle Entertainment Producer Chloe Rickard on their odd couple crime comedy series

Produced by Jungle Entertainment with major production investment from Screen Australia, He Had It Coming is an odd couple comedy-drama of two women accidentally entangled in a murder mystery when their spontaneous feminist art activism is co-opted by a killer. Now streaming on Stan Australia, where it’s immediately raced into the Top 10 current most-streamed series,…

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Everything coming to Prime Video Australia this December

Prime Video Australia are the gift that keeps on giving this festive season, with the streamer announcing their December slate to ensure their viewers will be entertained all the way into the new year. From anticipated series returns to Christmas comedies, NBA championships to some modern classics, here’s a look at everything you can stream…

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Interview: Charles Venn on returning for another powerful chapter of fan favourite series Casualty

After two years of being off Aussie screens, BritBox is bringing back the long-running UK soap and fan-favourite drama Casualty, much to fans’ delight. Leading the cast is Charles Venn (EastEnders, The Dark Knight), who returns to the drama as Jacob Masters, the direct, confident, unconventional former army medic-turned-nurse who, for over a decade now, has proven one of…

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Film Review: In Your Dreams; Netflix’s new family adventure is magical, wonderous viewing

There’s a Pixar-like wonder to In Your Dreams that helps this particularly sweet family adventure film feel like it’s somewhat of a classic – despite the fact that it’s freshly releasing on Netflix as perfect programming for the impending holiday season. Embracing a mentality that likens it to the types of family films we saw…

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Interview: Playdate director Luke Greenfield on merging spontaneous comedy and emotional resonance

When recently unemployed accountant Brian (Kevin James) agrees to a playdate with charismatic stay-at-home dad Jeff (Alan Ritchson) and their sons, he expects an easy afternoon of small talk and football tossing. Instead, he’s thrust into a chaotic scramble to stay alive as they are pursued by a ruthless team of mercenaries. Brian stumbles through…

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Film Review: Playdate; Alan Ritchson’s wild comedic turn will make you want to RSVP to Prime’s latest action escape

With his imposing size and gruff delivery, it makes sense that Alan Ritchson has become so synonymous with the character of Reacher. It’s also why it’s such an inherent joy to see him considerably let loose in Playdate, a simple action-comedy that reminds us that the actor is quite a gifted, goofy comedian. He’s the…

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Interview: Leo Suter on embodying a new iteration of the classic detective Lynley; “It does make one reflect on class in Britain.”

A fresh take on Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley novel series, Lynley follows the weekly adventure of a mismatched crime solving duo – an aristocratic police detective (Leo Suter’s Lynley) and maverick sergeant from a working class background (Sofia Barclay’s Havers). Together, the opposing duo become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice…

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Interview: Sofia Barclay on embracing the flaws of her character in the reimagined Lynley; “I like the fact that she wasn’t particularly likeable.”

A fresh take on Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley novel series, Lynley follows the weekly adventure of a mismatched crime solving duo – an aristocratic police detective (Leo Suter’s Lynley) and maverick sergeant from a working class background (Sofia Barclay’s Havers). Together, the opposing duo become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice…

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Michelle Pfeiffer ditches the holidays in first trailer for Prime Video’s Oh. What. Fun.

Michelle Pfeiffer is done…with Christmas. The first full-length trailer has arrived for the new seasonal comedy Oh. What. Fun. just in time for the holidays, with the three-time Academy Award nominated actress leading an impressively wrapped ensemble cast; I mean, look at this – Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Danielle Brooks, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa,…

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Interview: Holly Marie Combs on her cross-generational impact with Charmed and Pretty Little Liars; “I’ve been lucky that way.”

After cutting her teeth with her critically acclaimed turn in the seminal 90s drama Picket Fences, Holly Marie Combs became a household name as Piper Halliwell in the long-running fantasy series Charmed. Moving from the magic of that show to the murderous mystery of Pretty Little Liars, Combs has become a cross-generational figure, something our…

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Interview: Brian Krause on the legacy of Charmed; “To hear the impact that it made on so many lives is a blessing.”

From the tropical shores of the Blue Lagoon to Stephen King’s vampiric world in Sleepwalkers, Brian Krause has indulged in a plethora of genres across his varied career, but there’ll always be one role synonymous with his name – that of Leo the white lighter in The WB’s long running fantasy series, Charmed. As the…

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Interview: John Boyega on what he’s learned from the Star Wars franchise; “The biggest lesson was understanding my value.”

An award-winning actor and producer who has captivated audiences worldwide, from the cult classic sci-fi comedy Attack the Block, to the cinematic galaxy far, far away that is Star Wars, John Boyega, with his undeniable talent, magnetic presence, and dedication to his craft and community, has established himself as a force to be reckoned with….

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Series review: Only Murders in the Building sets up another complicated puzzle in its fifth season

Oh that every home should have a doorman as wise and as kind as Lester Coluca. Sadly, Lester (Teddy Coluca) was the victim for the fifth season of Only Murders in the Building, and this season’s mystery revolves around our three amateur sleuths finding out who had left him for dead in the fountain at the…

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What to Watch This Halloween: The AU Review’s Creepy Curated List of the Best Horror Movies You (Maybe) Haven’t Seen

The spooky season is once again upon us, and with that comes necessary horror viewing. Sure, you could always revisit the classics (we’re talking your Halloween, Friday the 13th, Scream – and they’re iconic for a reason, so no judgement), but half the fun of the Halloween season is unearthing something scarily unexpected.  Between endless…

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