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Thursday, December 25, 2025

MOVIE REVIEWS

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ALL REVIEWS

Review: The Greatest Christmas Show

TV Review: Fallout season 2 is whacky and a delight

Review: A Christmas Crisis is mad-cap fun

Review: A Christmas Carol

Movie Review: Eternity is sweet and funny

Review: Black Grace delivers a sumptuous night of dance

Review: D.R.A.G.

Movie Review: The Running Man is one hell of a movie

Review: Life on a Loop, an unflinching look at ageing

Review: Woman Far Walking is a wake up call for Aotearoa

Review: The Dry House Delivers Raw, Unflinching Drama

Review: Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo is simply beautiful

Review: Trent Dalton’s Love Stories

Review: Songs for Nobodies is a triumph

Review: Prime Minister

Review: The Monster in the Maze

Movie Review: Downton Abbey – the Grand Finale

Theatre Review: Mother Play

Movie Review: Sorry Baby

Movie Review: The Toxic Avenger

Review: Mary The Birth of Frankenstein

Review: Marshall Lorenzo is on point in Decadunce

Movie Review: Workmates is charming and funny

Review: Chicago is boisterous and confident

Review: Illusionist Anthony Street 

Theatre Review: Romeo and Juliet

Movie Review: Superman

Review: The Art of Banksy

Review: La Traviata

Movie Review: Jurassic World Rebirth

Review: Taniwha

Movie Review: F1

Review: Georgia Lines – Under the Stars

Theatre Review: End of Summer Time

Review: The Golden Ass

Theatre Review: Wrest – a surreal and intriguing production

Review: The Cabaret Festival blasts off with energy and spice

Review: La bohème is passionate and satisfying

Review: I Didn’t Invite You Here to Lecture Me

Review: Kirsty Webeck shares a love of the sea

Movie Review: Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Review: Best Comedy Show on Earth

Theatre Review: Three Little Words

Review: The Play That Goes Wrong

Review: Me, Myself and Suzy Cato

Review: Merely Beloved is a great tragicomedy

Review: Raul Kohli’s existentialism needs a good edit

Review: Felicity Ward isn’t as exhausting as she claims

Review: Ben Elton still hasn’t mellowed

Review: Murder on the Orient Express is a crackingly good whodunnit

Movie Review: Drop is a good watch!

Review: Art of the Score: The Music of Hans Zimmer

Movie Review: Queer

Theatre Review: Mr Red Light

Dance Review: 100 Winds Taupō Hau Rau

Dance Review: A Streetcar Named Desire

Movie Review: Mickey 17

Dance Review: Lula Washington Dance Theatre

Movie Review: Black Bag

Review: Smashed – The Nightcap

Review: The F Word with Tami Neilson

Theatre Review: A Mixtape for Maladies

Review: Belle – A Performance of Air

Movie Review: Tinā is a tender look at tragedy

Review: SIX the musical is a smash

Review: Postmodern Jukebox live in Auckland

Theatre Review: Pretty Legal

Movie Review: Bridget Jones is Mad About the Boy

Movie Review: Companion

Movie Review: Babygirl

Movie Review: The Brutalist is epic but far too long

Movie Review: Maria

Movie Review: Better Man is a must see

Movie Review: Heretic is manipulative

Movie Review: Conclave

Review: Wicked Pt 1 is glorious fun

Theatre Review: A Doll’s House Part 2

Theatre Review: Pride and Prejudice

Review: The Lord of the Rings – A Musical tale

Review: The Lady Killers slay it in ‘DIVAS!’

Movie Review: Here

Theatre Review: Call Girls

Dance Review: RUA (Tempo Dance Festival)

Dance Review: Burrbgaja Yalirra 2

Dance Review: TWO (Tempo Dance Festival)

Theatre Review: Peter Pan

Movie Review: The Apprentice

Review: Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons

Movie Review: The Wild Robot

Review: Matilda the Musical

Review: Strings Under the Stars

Theatre Review: Mrs Wishy Washy

Review: NZ Opera’s glorious ‘Rigoletto’

Theatre Review: Girls and Boys

Movie Review: Speak No Evil

Review: The Children of Sacred Valley

Review: Roger Hall’s ‘Taking Off’

Review: The light and sorrow in the play ‘In Other Words’

Movie Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, silly or masterpiece?

Review: ANTi a play about queerness, family and religion

Movie Review: Blink Twice

Theatre Review: Scenes from the Climate Era

Movie Review: Twisters

Dance Review: Tolu

Theatre Review: Red, White and Brass

Theatre Review: Nicola Cheeseman is Back

Review: The Guru of Chai

Review: Le Comte Ory

Review: My Brilliant Divorce is charming and relatable

Movie Review: The Fall Guy

Review: Chris Isaak enthrals the generations in Auckland

Theatre Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Theatre Review: Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko

Theatre Review: ‘The Effect’ is dazzling

Movie Review: Origin is stunning

Dance Review: WHENUA

Movie Review: Late Night with the Devil

Theatre Review: The Phantom of the Opera (Rotorua)

Movie Review: Godzilla x Kong

Theatre Review: The Sun and the Wind

Dance Review: I Don’t Wanna Dance Alone

Dance Review: Yānum

Theatre Review: The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward

Movie Review: Dune Part Two

Movie Review: The Convert

Movie Review: The Great Escaper

Dance Review: The Bloom

Theatre review: Hyperspace

Theatre Review: Pring It On

Movie Review: Force of Nature (The Dry 2)

Movie Review: Priscilla

Movie Review: Iron Claw

Movie Review: The Holdovers

Movie Review: Wonka

Movie Review: Godzilla Minus One

Theatre Review: The Clay Cart

Theatre Review: Heartbreak Hotel

Movie Review: Next Goal Wins

Movie Review: Hunger Games – Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Movie Review: Saltburn is a flawed masterpiece

Dance Review: Love/Love/Love/Love/Love

Review: Dr Drama Makes a Musical

Movie Review: Loop Track

Theatre Review: The Welkin

Theatre Review: The Music Man delivers a great night out

Film Review: Dumb Money

Review: 360 ALLSTARS

Theater Review: Bunga’s Paradise

Theatre Review: Switzerland just sparkles

Theatre Review: Émilie is an elegant piece of theatre

Movie Review: Blue Beetle is disappointing

Review: NZ Opera and Black Grace’s (m)Orpheus

Theatre Review: Mike and Virginia

Movie Review: Scrapper

Theatre Review: I Want To Be Happy

Theatre Review: Things That Matter

Theatre Review: Losing Face

Movie Review: Asteroid City

Dance Review: Tomo at TAPAC

Movie Review: Meg 2 – The Trench

Book Review: ‘Yellowface’ is a darkly humorous polemic against exploitation

Theatre Review: Basmati Bitch

Movie Review: Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning 1

Review: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Crystal’

Review: Peepshow (Club Remix)

Review: ‘Prima Facie’ is not to be missed

Review: Indian Ink’s new play ‘Dirty Work’

Review: King Lear

Review: Cosi Fan Tutte is an opera for our time

Review: Hamilton really is as good as they say

Review: ‘Kinky Boots’ is more than a fun night out

Theatre Review: Relatively Speaking

Theatre Review: Witi’s Wahine

Dance Review: Stage of Being

Movie Review: The Portable Door

Review: Wicked the Musical

Dance Review: Tunnelling Wormholes is a treat

Review: ‘My Year with Lorraine’ is a delight

Review: Rangitoto is a play of a bygone era in New Zealand

Review: The Heartbreak Choir is the perfect balm for a country battered by a cyclone

Movie review: The Son is a compelling and emotional film

Review: ‘The Whale’ is a hard watch but remarkable

Movie Review: TÁR is a rare masterpiece

Review: My Old School is an ethics lesson

Movie Review: Is M3GAN a horror movie or a parody?

Movie Review: Operation Fortune is entertaining but you’ll guess the ending!

Book review: The Twist of a Knife is an engrossing murder mystery

TV Review: Christmas with the Campbells is an adults only comedy

Review: Night and Mortar is a delightful piece of dance theatre

Review: The Lost King is quirky and fun

Review: ‘Snowflake’ is an emotional look at family strife

Review: ‘Emily’ is a melancholic tale about the Brontë sister

Review: ‘In Amber’s Wake’ is an intriguing story of tortured love

Review: Why I walked out of the movie ‘Bones and All’

Review: Di and Viv and Rose is exceptionally good

Review: The First Prime Time Asian Sitcom is part rage, part satire

Theatre Review: North By Northwest is a tribute to Hitchcock’s genius

Review: ‘Black Adam’ is big on effects, thin on plot

Review: ‘Mrs Harris Goes to Paris’ is a film with a lot of charm

Review: You really should go see the gay rom-com BROS!

Review: Halloween Ends doesn’t really slay

Review: I Get So Emotional Baby

Review: What They Said (dance)

Review: Don’t Worry Darling is a great thriller

Review: The play ‘Po’ Boys and Oysters’ is an absolute gem!

Review: ‘The Made’ teaches us how to be human by making us laugh out loud

Review: Macbeth the opera is somber and satisfying

Review: The Wasp is a taut and darkly comic tragedy

Review: ‘Ticket to Paradise’ is a sweet film

Review: ‘Skin Hunger’ is an emotional and hilarious look at grief

Review: The Campervan is a funny yet dramatic takedown of the patriarchy

Review: ‘The Writer’ dives deep into power dynamics and the human psyche

Review: ‘Lancaster’ is a frank and emotional story of the wartime bomber

Review: Pacifica the musical is a show we can all be proud of

Review: ‘Dawn Raids’ is not to be missed

Review: ‘Quant’ is a sweet simple exploration of the designer’s life

Review: Tröll is a play that reminds us we are all kids at heart

Review: ‘Nope’ the movie is brilliantly flawed

Review: ‘What We Are Made Of’ is an affirmation of the human spirit

Review: Sadness is at the heart of the doco ‘The Princess’

Review: ‘Ancestry’ is a beautiful fiction about a real family

Review: ‘Jesustown’ is an emotional journey to redemption

Review: ‘Kaha’ is a beautiful piece of dance theatre

Review: Long Day’s Journey into Night is a poetic tragedy

Review: The Wedding Singer is a sassy and fun musical

Review: The Black Phone is spookily good

Review: Scenes from a Yellow Peril is hilarious, edgy, and deliciously dangerous.

Review: Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ is phenomenal

Review: Nobody Has To Know

Review: ‘Featherhood’ is a story of redemption through love

Review: Haute Couture is very French and very sweet

Review: Downton Abbey – A New Era is light but joyful

Review: Daybreak Estate is a thought-provoking piece of dance theatre

Review: The Secrets of Dumbledore is full of action

Review: Vivid Dreaming is definitely vivid and at times unsettling

Review: Everything Everywhere All At Once is great in the middle

Review: A clever take on Little Shop of Horrors

Review: Fierce Fairytales puts a colourful twist on some favourite stories

Review: Is Channing Tatum’s new movie a Dog?

Review: The Batman is very long, very gloomy, but is it watchable?

Review: Cyrano is an odd film

Review: Grand Horizons proves families are deliciously weird and it’s ok

Watch: Red Rocket is gritty and quirky

Watch: Moonfall is terrible but watchable – go figure!

Watch: Belfast is a feel good movie about the Troubles

Listen: The Intoxicating Mr. Lavelle is a wonderful 18th Century romp

Watch: The 355 is an action-packed movie

Watch: Can Lady Gaga save House of Gucci?

Read: Silo’s ‘Break Bread’ is innovative virtual theatre

Read: The Deep is a riveting story of a family at war with itself

Read: Fresh Water for Flowers is a must-read

Watch: Ride the Eagle is funny and mysterious

Read: Dakota of the White Flats is a delightful romp of an adventure

Read: Inflated Rebel is inspired, raw, and searingly beautiful.

Watch: Jennifer Hudson is a knock-out in ‘Respect’

Watch: Stillwater is a believable drama

Read: ‘The Author’s Cut’ is a mix of stories highlighting the light and dark in humanity

Watch: Why did ‘Coming Home in the Dark’ upset me?

Watch: The Justice of Bunny King is all about inequality

Read: ‘All the Young Men’ is a testament to courage and tenacity

Watch: Waiting for Anya shows we are capable of redemption

Read: Madagascar the Musical will make you move it move it!

Read: The Life of Galileo and the value of truth and reason

Read: In Bono Veritas is a bit covert and a lot of laughs

Read: Magnificent Remains is a dream

Watch: Fast and Furious 9 is preposterous fun

Read: Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream is wonderful

Read: Klara and the Sun is intriguing but underwhelming

Read: Moby’s new album Reprise is wonderful

Read: New music La Roux, Jonas Brothers, Lana Del Ray

Read: Giselle is a sensual and colourful exploration of the human soul

Watch: A Quiet Place Pt 2 is one hell of a scary movie

Watch: Those Who Wish Me Dead is on fire

Read: Single Asian Female is achingly funny and honest

Watch: Land is an uplifting and emotional film

Watch: The United States vs. Billie Holliday

Read: Meremere and the power of the human spirit

Watch: Voyagers is a taut psychological thriller

Watch: Six Minutes to Midnight is a classic spy thriller

Read: The sublime beauty of The Monotone Era

Read: The Haka Party Incident is a play every NZer should see

Watch: The Courier is a competent spy thriller

Review: Does The Father deserve its Oscar nods?

Watch: Judas and the Black Messiah is a must-see movie

Watch: Cousins is a beautiful and emotional film

Watch: Supernova is a dull film

Read: Te Whare Kapua is full of heart

Watch: The Little Things has some curious twists

Read: Two Ladies is a searing indictment on politics and misogyny

Watch: High Ground is a stunning film

Read: Barry Gibb’s album Greenfields is stunning

Watch: Ammonite may make you drop your popcorn

Watch: Blithe Spirit is good fun but at times a little flat

Read: Modern Māori Quartet’s ‘Garage Party’ is the perfect way to end the year.

Read: Six60 bare their souls in a new doco

Watch: Let Him Go is slow but intense and surprising

Watch: Made In Italy is cute but not a must-see movie

Read: Every Brilliant Thing is edgy, scary, and totally wonderful!

Watch: Baby Teeth is a coming of age flick with a dark undertone

Watch: I Am Woman does Helen Reddy proud

Watch: Baby Done is cute and fun but it won’t change your life

Read: I Am Greta exposes the hypocrisy around climate change

Watch: Dead is a spooky comedy

Watch: Savage the movie is gritty and emotional

Watch: This Town is entertaining but lacks an emotional punch

Watch: The King of Staten Island will make you fall in love with a loser

Read: The critics have badly misunderstood Netflix’s Hollywood

Read: The show Babble shines a light on how we overuse technology

Read: Snow White is an exciting and innovative piece of ballet

Read: The Book of Mormon shows how odd and funny we all are

Watch: Is Military Wives worth the wait?

Read: Emilia is powerful, funny and full of energy

Read: Comedian Steve Lyons is ready for the big league

Watch: Guns Akimbo is a live action video game

Watch: Is The Invisible Man a sight for sore eyes?

Read: A dog’s day afternoon in Ponsonby

Read: Yas Queen is funny, charming, and a bit naughty

Read: Is Cats the movie good?

Read: Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a sumptuous delight

Read: Bellbird is a kiwi film with real heart

Read: Terminator Dark Fate is a rehash but it’s still good

Read: Jojo Rabbit is a comedy and a warning

Read: Half of the Sky might make you reevaluate your own family dynamic

Read: State Highway 48 has a great cast but a few plot problems

Read: American Idiot will rock your world

Read: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is happily entertaining

Read: Contemplating Lana Del Ray’s Norman F..king Rockwell

Read: Don’t bother being starry eyed about the flick Ad Astra

Read: Downton Abbey makes a graceful debut on the silver screen

Read: Fun and food at Mrs Krishnan’s Party

Read: Booksmart is a coming of age film worth a look

Read: Orchids is uplifting and beautiful

Read: The film 2040 offers an inspiring vision of the future

Read: Once the musical soothed my grumpiness

Read: Yesterday has great music and a cute story

Read: War Horse is story-telling at its best

Read: Little Woods reveals America’s dystopian future is already here

Read: The Heels are Alive celebrates drag and trans performance

Read: Wild Rose is a wild ride

Read: Delicious Oblivion is a star attraction

Read: X-Men Dark Phoenix is pretty whacky

Read: Rocketman is a stunning fantasy film

Read: An Iliad is visceral and mesmerising

Read: Rhys Nicholson is one of the best comedians around

Read: Top End Wedding is the kind of Aussie film we need to see

Read: Austen Found needed a bit of structure

Read: The Audience is a fascinating look at the woman behind the majesty

Read: Uther Dean deserves a bigger audience

Read: 5 Star Comedy Preview was non-PC gold!

Read: Phill Jupitus is a master of the tall tale

Read: The Aftermath is ok but needs an emotional infusion

Read: Daffodils is a beautiful yet suburban film

Read: Stan and Ollie is a delight

Read: At Eternity’s Edge is both incredible and awful

Read: Fahrenheit 11/9 is the must-see film of our age

Read: Beautiful Boy is a film very close to home

Read: Bohemian Rhapsody shows the music is bigger than the man

Read: The Black Eyed Peas new album is mostly meh

Read: Book Club sells it’s veteran cast short

Read: Interlude in Prague is the right movie for our times

Read: Betrayal is at the heart of the new Whitney documentary

Read: Leave No Trace is a masterful piece of filmmaking

Read: Mary Shelley is a gothic delight

Watch: The Elixir of Love is magical and mischevious

Read: Upgrade is a well made action film

Read: 20th Century Women might leave you confused

Read: Two Hearts is the must see show of the Comedy Festival

Read: James Malcolm’s comedy is laden with sex

Read: Kingsman – The Golden Circle is a worthy sequel

Read: Victoria and Abdul

Read: I Am Not Your Negro

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