Latest news with #EvelynBay
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Wicked, Mountainhead and Nicolas Cage's Surfer: what's new to streaming in Australia in June
TV, Australia, 2025 – out 6 June I wasn't a big fan of Jane Harper's murder mystery The Survivors: the characters never engaged me and it seemed obsessed with bridging a gap between past and present. Plus, its central metaphor – about the ocean dredging up old secrets – felt rather laboured. So I'm hesitant, albeit curious, about Tony Ayres' Netflix adaptation, which will surely deploy flashbacks aplenty, like the two previous Harper adaptations: The Dry and its sequel. The setting is the fictitious Evelyn Bay, which is upended after a young woman is murdered on the beach. Charlie Vickers plays Kieran Elliott, who has recently returned to the town with his partner, Mia (Yerin Ha), and their baby, still feeling profound guilt over a terrible event that occurred 15 years ago. Could the two events be connected? Film, USA, 2024 – out 26 June The most audacious thing about Wicked is the framing of Elphaba Thropp. Turns out the so-called Wicked Witch of the West is actually a good person, her reputation cruelly sullied by Emerald City's propaganda machine. In director Jon M. Chu's glossy blockbuster, she is played by Cynthia Erivo, who of course belts out a show-stopping number about defying gravity. My favourite part is a daffy but good-natured, symbolism-heavy side plot, about animals being targeted by a government that wants to lock them up and remove their ability to speak. Film, Australia/US, 2018 – out 28 June Leigh Whannell's low-budget but very slick and polished sci-fi is a lean, mean, thrillingly executed revenge movie. Based in the not-too-distant future, the plot rockets to life when its mechanic protagonist, Grey (Logan Marshall-Green), is attacked by transhuman criminals, who kill his wife and turn him into a quadriplegic. An experimental procedure gives him back the use of his body, with the condition that he must share it with a computer. Frenetic, frame-flipping action scenes show the computer taking control and making mince meat of any fool who stands in Grey's way. But maybe the AI has its own agenda. Whannell strikes a cracking balance, combining midnight movie thrills and spills with juicy ideas. Honourable mentions: Rumours (film, 5 June), Tires season 2 (TV, 5 June), K.O. (film, 6 June), Titan: The Oceangate Disaster (TV, 11 June), Fubar season 2 (TV, 12 June), The Pope's Exorcist (film, 15 June), Squid Game: season 3 (TV, 27 June). Film, Australia/Ireland, 2025 – out 15 June Want to know what Wake in Fright would look like with Nicolas Cage taking the lead? The Surfer is the closest you'll come to finding out. Cage plays a well-off businessperson who, after many years abroad, returns to the small Australian coastal town he grew up in, determined to buy his old family home. When he arrives at the local beach, however, he's accosted by a gang of hoodlums who steal his surfboard and repeatedly bark their mantra: 'Don't live here, don't surf here.' All-out war erupts, triggering a downward spiral for the protagonist and a familiar treat for the audience: watching Nic Cage go nuts. Before you know it, he's babbling like a madman and drinking beer from puddles. Director Lorcan Finnegan maintains an ironic touch, cutting to shampoo commercial visions of sand and surf. But the tone is ferociously surreal. TV, UK, 2025 – out 4 June Near the beginning of creator Stephen Butchard's BBC crime series, Sean Bean's character, Ronnie Phelan, wonders whether his margins 'could be better' and issues his right hand man Michael (James Nelson-Joyce) the following directive: 'Same gear, better price.' Ronnie is a crime boss with an eye on retirement, wanting to boost his coffers before slipping off into the sunset with his wife (Julie Graham). This creates a succession struggle, the top contenders being Michael and Ronnie's eldest son Jamie (Jack McMullen). There's nothing wildly original about any of this, but, going by the first episode, it's diligently made, with strong performances and downcast vibes. Film, Australia, 2025 – out 15 June 'At our beach, at our magic beach … ' If you're a parent there's a good chance those words have been emblazoned on to your psyche, thanks to the gorgeous writing and illustrations of Alison Lester. Separated into 10 chapters, each inspired by different pages and animated in a different style, Robert Connolly's adaptation – as I wrote in my review – is 'a beautifully imperfect production, shirking the straight lines, smooth curves and spit-polished surfaces so ubiquitous in mainstream kids' movies'. Honourable mentions: The Last Man on Earth seasons 1-4 (TV, 4 June), Coming 2 America (film, 7 June), Magic Mike (film, 8 June), Marie Antoinette (film, 15 June), The Kids Are Alright (film, 25 June). TV, Denmark/France/Sweden/Czech Republic/Belgium/Norway/Germany, 2024 – out 20 June This is the first TV series from director Thomas Vinterberg, whose previous film Another Round was a sharp, entertaining, and very boozy tale of a group of school teachers who attempt to remain neither sober nor drunk. The subject is grimmer this time around: Families Like Ours is set in a climate-devastated future where Denmark is evacuated due to rising sea levels. Property becomes worthless and much of the population become refugees. In the words of the Guardian's Lucy Mangan, 'Vinterberg takes what most of us treat as an existential threat, a problem too huge and frightening to think about, and puts it into a more manageable frame.' TV, Australia, 2025 – out 19 June Packaged in the form of six 10-minute episodes – though I recommend watching them all in one sitting – Moonbird is set on a remote Tasmanian island, exploring the relationship between a father (Kyle Morrison) who's teaching his son (Lennox Monaghan) about the Aboriginal tradition of muttonbirding, which involves the harvesting of mutton bird chicks. There are tensions: the boy says he doesn't 'believe in murdering innocent sea birds' while Dad insists that 'this is your culture'. The story is modest but hits its emotional beats, and the location is immersively captured by director, co-creator and co-writer Nathan Maynard. Honourable mentions: Two Hands (film, 1 June), The Last Samurai (film, 1 June), The Long Kiss Goodnight (film, 1 June), Paperback Hero (film, 6 June), La Storia (TV, 12 June), Lord of the Flies (film, 13 June), Black Daisies (TV, 26 June), Iris (TV, 26 June), Constantine (film, 27 June), Midsommar (film, 28 June), My Name Is Gulpilil (film, 30 June). TV, UK, 2025 – out 3 June How 'bout some good old-fashioned dinosaurs? The original Walking with Dinosaurs series premiered in 1999, generating big ratings. But, uh-oh, the remake didn't impress the Guardian's Jack Seale, who described it as nothing more than 'a decent dino documentary' that 'feels cheap and tired'. Sounds like (apologies) a dinosnore! Honourable mentions: Police Rescue (TV, 1 June), Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont Spelling Bee season two (TV, 4 June), Bay of Fires season 2 (TV, 15 June), Little Disasters season 1 (TV, 15 June), Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius (TV, 16 June), Prime Suspect (TV, 29 June), The Gulf seasons 1-2 (TV, 20 June). Film, US, 2024 – out 3 June Nicole Kidman delivers one of her best and bravest performances in years as Romy Mathis, a robotics company CEO who engages in a very steamy and kinky affair with Samuel (Harris Dickinson), a much younger intern. As their relationship intensifies, one can sense things probably aren't going to end well, with plenty of intense 'no, don't do it!' moments. Kidman is unsettlingly good at layering a character turned on by danger and risk. Honourable mentions: Mr Robot seasons 1-4 (TV, 1 June), Deep Cover (film, 12 June), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (film, 1 June), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (film, 1 June), The Twisters (film, 4 June), Ready Player One (film, 17 June), We Were Liars (TV, 18 June), Promising Young Woman (film, 19 June), Countdown (TV, 25 June), Heretic (film, 26 June), The Hunger Games (film, 30 June). Film, US, 2025 – out 1 June Four ultra-wealthy tech bros gather for a poker weekend in the mountains in the film directorial debut of Succession creator Jesse Armstrong. As they're there – gasbassing about apps, deals, and the need for 'digital milkshakes' and 'robot handjobs' – the wider world descends into chaos, largely due to technology their companies have rolled out. This is strikingly sharp and timely satire, with smugly entertaining performances from Steve Carell, Cory Michael Smith, Ramy Youssef and Jason Schwartzman. Film, US, 2025 – date TBC The sensationally popular Minecraft movie doesn't do a great job introducing its world to people, like me, who are largely ignorant of it, beyond some basic information and an appreciation of that blocky aesthetic. But I got the sense this was deliberate; one, as they say, for the fans – and by god there are lots of them. The story revolves around a bunch of people who are pulled into the 'Overworld' via a magical portal. The film is immensely boosted by Jack Black and Jason Momoa's highly entertaining performances – particularly the latter, who's dressed in an outrageously great pink leather jacket. Honourable mentions: The Mortician (TV, 2 June), The Expendables 1-3 (film, 14 June), Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie (TV, 20 June), John Wick (film, 21 June), The Matrix (film, 21 June), The Matrix Reloaded (film, 21 June), The Matrix Revolutions (film, 21 June), Enigma (film, 25 June), My Mom Jayne (film, 28 June), When No One Sees Us (TV, 30 June). Film, UK, 2025 – out 8 June David Attenborough sure has a great work ethic – especially for someone who's almost 100. The new documentary from the legendary presenter and biologist is a deeply alarming assessment of the health of the world's oceans, which are in serious trouble due to overfishing. The film (co-directed by Colin Butfield, Toby Nowlan and Keith Scholey) carefully establishes that ocean life lives in a delicate balance, before examining the sheer ruination of the seas: a terribly sad state of affairs. The last act, as is common in activist documentaries, is more optimistic, offering some potential solutions. It's nicely shot and, of course, beautifully narrated by Atto. Honourable mentions: Mission: Impossible 1-6 (film, 1 June), Predator: Killer of Killers (film, 6 June), The Incredible Hulk (film, 20 June), Ironheart (TV, 25 June), The Bear season 4 (TV, 26 June). TV, US, 2025 – out 4 June Will Apple's new comedy-drama do for golf what Ted Lasso did for baseball? Probably not. But its appeal extends far beyond those who love whacking balls across well-maintained lawns. In large part because of Owen Wilson, who's just so damn likable as Pryce Cahill, a former professional golfer with a chequered relationship to the sport. He's convinced that a young talent (Peter Dager) can crack the big time, taking the (initially reluctant) kid under his wing. All of this fits comfortably within a familiar sports narrative format, at least going by the first two episodes. There's not the faintest desire to risk or innovate. But it's pleasant, moreish viewing. Honourable mentions: Echo Valley (film, 13 June), Smoke (film, 27 June).
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Stick to The Survivors: the seven best shows to stream this week
Pryce 'Stick' Cahill lives for golf, which is unfortunate because golf doesn't seem to like him. He's a washed-up former professional who used to have it all but, after an on-course meltdown, has been reduced to working in a golf shop, coaching elderly club players and living in his ex-wife's garage. When he comes across troubled but prodigiously talented youngster Santi (Peter Dager), Pryce senses a last chance for redemption. Can he help Santi channel his gift while keeping himself on the straight and narrow? Owen Wilson rolls out his familiar amiable goofball shtick as Pryce, for a breezy, undemanding comedy drama with a certain gentle melancholy at its core. Phil Harrison Apple TV+, from Wednesday 4 June This intriguing mystery thriller is set in coastal Australia and adapted from a novel by Jane Harper. Kieran Elliott (Charlie Vickers) left Evelyn Bay after three people close to him died: following a storm, two friends drowned and a third went missing. Fifteen years later, Kieran returns with his young family to take care of his parents and, already struggling with survivor's guilt, arrives just in time for the murder of a young woman to churn up awful memories. The narrative is driven by the personal dynamics of small-town lives – in places where everyone knows each other's business, secrets are jealously guarded. PH Netflix, from Friday 6 June What becomes of burnt-out sports stars after their careers end? In this absurdly cartoonish but entertaining Korean drama, they use their skills to fight violent crime. The unorthodox gaggle of law enforcement operatives contains a former fencer, a shooting prodigy, a wrestler and an Olympic boxer. All have faced defeat and ignominy in the opening chapters of their lives and all have reputations to restore and demons to face. Can they find redemption by bringing down an elusive organised crime gang? Park Bo-gum leads the cast. PH Prime Video, out now A self-consciously moody American espionage drama starring Teresa Saponangelo as Sara, a former secret agent who is forced back into action by the suspicious death of her son. While she's still struggling with the trauma of her loss, the narrative also alludes to the invisibility sometimes felt by women in middle age – and how in certain circumstances, like this one, that can be used to an advantage. However, as she gets closer to the truth about her son's killing, Sara starts to wonder if she's still got the tools to play such dangerous games. PH Netflix, from Tuesday 3 June Sign up to What's On Get the best TV reviews, news and features in your inbox every Monday after newsletter promotion It requires a brave woman to take on this mission but Chloe Burrows is well placed to explore how modern dating is changing – after all, she threw herself in the deep end on Love Island in 2021, ending as the runner-up. Burrows is curious about emerging statistics that show 18-35-year-olds are ditching the dating apps, with users concerned about the use of AI and their safety on them. There's only one thing to do: bravely get involved in real-world dates and events to learn how people are meeting IRL. Hollie Richardson Channel 4, from Wednesday 4 June Shane Gillis has taken an unusual route to stardom: the former Saturday Night Live writer was fired due to the emergence of a clip in which he used racial slurs and has subsequently built an independent career. The first season of this sitcom set in an automotive repair shop represented a step back towards the entertainment mainstream; now it returns, in familiar broad, bantering, occasionally gross-out style. Shane (Gillis) and cousin Will (Steve Gerben) are looking to expand their business, but what might this cost their relationship? PH Netflix, from Thursday 5 June More melodrama from scrappy, spirited mother-and-daughter duo Ginny and Georgia. As we left them, Georgia's fairytale wedding had culminated in her arrest for murder. Happily for the narrative – if not the show's factual veracity – she's now out on parole and wearing an ankle tag. Her family and friends are rallying round, convinced of her innocence, but soon doubts emerge: might this likable but volatile woman actually be guilty? In the meantime, Ginny is finding out that school is no fun when you're the daughter of a murder suspect. PH Netflix, from Thursday 5 June
