Latest news with #TheAUReview
Tom's Guide
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix's new comedy series is now streaming — and it could be your next comfort binge-watch
It's been a while since Netflix delivered a classic-style sitcom with the potential to become comfort-viewing gold, but that might just change with the arrival of 'Leanne.' The new comedy series stars real-life stand-up favorite Leanne Morgan, who plays a fictionalized version of herself in her first leading TV role. If you're a fan of laugh-track sitcoms packed with Southern charm and quirky family dynamics, this one might be calling your name. The show is now streaming on Netflix and is already stirring up conversation online. It's a familiar setup (recently divorced woman starts over with her chaotic family in tow) but what makes 'Leanne' compelling enough is its throwback vibe and Morgan's natural comedic presence. It feels like something you'd stumble across during a lazy Sunday afternoon and accidentally binge half the season. I have to admit that early reviews have been a little mixed. Some critics called the show 'a reliably nice time' and praised Morgan's 'charming' presence, even saying it 'will have you laughing out loud.' Others, however, weren't as impressed. One reviewer described the first episode as 'bad' and noting that the show 'gets better, in a brain-melting sort of way.' Despite this, I'm fairly confident that no matter what Rotten Tomatoes score 'Leanne' gets, it will probably end up in Netflix's top 10 within the next few days. So, is this comedy the next feel-good hit to add to your watchlist? If you're curious, here's everything to know about the series and what the critics are saying so far. Leanne Morgan stars as Leanne, a Southern mom whose life is turned upside down when her husband of 33 years unexpectedly leaves her for another woman. Suddenly navigating life in her 60s, she faces divorce, menopause, and an empty house full of jello salad. With nowhere to turn, she leans on her quirky, loving family, including her free‑spirited sister Carol (Kristen Johnston) and her grown children and grandchildren for support. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. As she reimagines her daily routine, Leanne explores new friendships, tentative dating, and a potential catering side hustle built on her home‑cooked comfort dishes. At the time of writing, 'Leanne' doesn't have a Rotten Tomatoes score yet, but reviews are starting to go live. Although this initial wave of opinions feels quite mixed, the majority lean more positive. In fact, even the negative takes often end on a somewhat positive note. The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han said: 'Leanne is the TV equivalent of the friend who's never gonna take you out for the craziest night of your life, but who can be relied upon to bring over a bottle of wine and settle into the couch for some cute anecdotes and an occasionally earnest bit of advice. In other words, it's simply a nice hang.' In The AU Review, Peter Gray writes, 'Whether it's Morgan's wile or that the show reminds me of a simpler time of televisual viewing, there's something inherently appealing about Leanne as a show, however conventional it may be.' Collider's Jasneet Singh noted that 'the first couple of episodes, dedicated to setting up exposition, are a little slow and clunky, with some lines coming off a bit more rigid than expected.' However, it seems this comedy just needs some time to settle in. She continued in the review: 'The characters and story eventually find their little groove, flowing smoothly thereafter. Once you make it through that first awkward section, the pacing picks up and the interactions between characters become much more compelling.' And, as the title of the review says, 'Leanne Morgan and Chuck Lorre's charming, relatable Netflix sitcom will have you laughing out loud.' Lucy Mangan from The Guardian doesn't hold back about the show's rocky start: 'It is best to be upfront about these things and say that the opening episode is bad. Worse than you've just assumed when I said 'bad.'' However, she adds that: 'Once your expectations are suitably lowered, it takes on a charm of its own. The colours are bright. The multi-camera format reminds you of happier, simpler times from your youth. Morgan and Johnston are in almost every scene and have comedy chops that can overcome even the most defiantly second- and third-tier writing and reward your viewing investment with glimmers of merriment.' FandomWire's Callie Hanna offers a measured take on Leanne, but does end on a positive note: 'Much like its title character, Leanne is not perfect, not by a long shot. Its characters are fairly basic, you've seen these storylines a million times before, and its frequent refusal to engage with true modernity leaves it unable to fulfill the potential of its premise. 'But funny is funny, and this show is very much funny. It's not anything special, but I could see the full season working very well as a background binge, and sometimes, that's really all you need.' 'Leanne' lands as a sitcom that doesn't shy away from its familiar roots, and it seems to deliver humor and heart in equal measure. Critics recognize its uneven start but agree that the show eventually settles into a rhythm where the cast's chemistry shines through, especially the comedic talents of Leanne Morgan and Kristen Johnston. While the writing may lean on traditional sitcom tropes and occasionally feel dated, many viewers appreciate its nostalgic vibe and straightforward charm. It's not breaking new ground, nor does it aim to, but that's part of its appeal. 'Leanne' also comes with a generous helping of content — 16 episodes, each running around 20 minutes. That makes it especially easy to binge or dip in and out of, depending on your mood. If you're looking for a lighthearted watch with genuine warmth this weekend, 'Leanne' might just be worth adding to your queue. Sometimes, familiar formulas can still deliver enjoyable entertainment. However, if you're not feeling it, see what movies and shows are coming to Netflix in August 2025. 'Leanne' is now available to stream on Netflix. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Perth Now
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Jason Blum reveals biggest M3GAN 2.0 mistakes as sequel flops at box office
Jason Blum has admitted trying to make M3GAN "like superman" was a mistake. The 56-year-old Blumhouse founder and CEO has reflected on the studio's mistakes with M3GAN 2.0 after the sequel opened to $17 million at the worldwide box office, after originally being projected to open at $45m and then $30m. Blum told The Town podcast: "I was upset." The producer - who insisted he was in a "death spiral of depression" before seeing the final amount - opened up on how the studio mishandled the follow-up to the 2022 horror blockbuster, which opened to $30.4 million. He said: "We all thought M3GAN was like Superman — we could do anything to her. We could change genres, we could put her in the summer, we could make her look different, we could turn her from a bad guy into a good guy. 'And we kind of classically overthought how powerful people's engagement was, really, with her.' He noted that there were more issues than the misguided genre-swap to more of an action comedy, and a summer release. Blum explained that director Gerard Johnstone "s someone who could solve almost anything you throw at him, but needs time". He added: "He's just one of those directors that needs a lot of time. And on the first M3GAN, he had all the time in the world. "I don't think we even had a release date until the movie got finished. 'And on this, again, we've gone over our skis too far, summer movie, change the genre, set the date. We got too excited by M3GAN, and she didn't work.' In the follow-up film, M3GAN has to be rebuilt by her creator Gemma (Allison Williams) to battle a self-aware military robot called AMELIA intent on an AI takeover. Johnstone recently insisted it was always his intention for the M3GAN robot to never do anything heinously evil in the original film, but only what she was programmed to do to protect Gemma's orphaned niece Cady (Violent McGraw), with murderous consequences, which allowed him to let audiences give her a second chance. In an interview with The AU Review, he said: "When I was working on the first movie, I was always very careful not to have her do anything that felt just malicious or evil. "I really felt like I empathised with this character. That she was doing what she was programmed to do, and I never betrayed that." Despite Blum's comments, Johnstone had insisted he was aware that M3GAN is a horror and gay icon thanks to the 2022 film, and had promised that his new movie sees her do everything that made audiences fall in love with her. Revealing his "mission statement", he said: "To give audiences the best movie and to present the character in the best way. To utilise all the things she does as a character that made people fall in love with her in the first place, but in surprising ways."
Perth Now
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
M3GAN 2.0 is a 'redemption story' for the robot
M3GAN 2.0 director Gerard Johnstone wanted the sequel to be a "redemption story" for the killer robot. In the follow-up film, M3GAN has to be rebuilt by her creator Gemma (Allison Williams) to battle a self-aware military robot called AMELIA intent on an AI takeover. Johnstone insists it was always his intention for the M3GAN robot to never do anything heinously evil in the original film, but only what she was programmed to do to protect Gemma's orphaned niece Cady (Violent McGraw), with murderous consequences, which allowed him to let audiences give her a second chance. In an interview with The AU Review, he said: "When I was working on the first movie, I was always very careful not to have her do anything that felt just malicious or evil. I really felt like I empathised with this character. That she was doing what she was programmed to do, and I never betrayed that. "From that point of view, she's sort of an avenging angel. I remember having people come up to me after the premiere, and they were conflicted, because they were rooting for her to win. You don't get that with a Freddy [Krueger] or a Jason [Voorhees]. They're the bad guy and you want them to die. Whereas with M3GAN, you kind of don't want her to die. I felt like everyone wanted to give her a second chance and a redemption story." When a sequel was planned, Johnstone knew the plot thread that the technology for M3GAN - who is voiced by Jenna Davis) could've been stolen and used for military purposes would be a fantastic jumping off point and a way to redeem the robot. He said: "I think both things happen simultaneously. One of the biggest threats we had from the first movie that was unresolved was this idea that M3GAN's technology was trying to be sold or stolen by one of the employees at the toy company. We didn't really do anything with that thread. So it just felt like a really great place to jump off for this sequel. It felt logical. "If a technology that advanced and formidable existed, the military – whether it's the US military or another nation's – would be trying to get their hands on it. As soon as that logic set in, it made me realise that this needs to be more of an action film than a horror film, (but) still an action film that has its origins in horror and nods to the genre which it's spraying at times." Johnstone is aware that M3GAN is a horror icon and gay icon thanks to the 2022 film and he has promised that his new movie sees her do everything that made audiences fall in love with her. He said: "To give audiences the best movie and to present the character in the best way. To utilise all the the things she does as a character that made people fall in love with her in the first place, but in surprising ways. That was whole mission statement going in."
Perth Now
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Ashley Greene's first horror movie was Interview with the Vampire
Ashley Greene's first experience of the horror genre was 'Interview with the Vampire'. The 38-year-old star features in the new horror flick 'It Feeds' and explained how it was seeing the 1994 movie – which starred Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt – as a child that first sparked her interest in scary films. Speaking to The AU Review, Ashley said: "The first scary-ish movie for me was 'Interview with the Vampire'. I was very young, and I know it's not traditional horror, but my mom wasn't happy about it. I was at my cousin's house and we watched it. I really liked it." The 'Twilight' actress later started watching horror films alone in her house as she grew older but lived to regret tuning into 'The Strangers'. Greene recalled: "I kind of got away from (the genre) for a little bit, but I liked it until I moved into my own house and I was then very specific about the horror movies I would watch. Like, I watched 'The Strangers' and, Jesus Christ, why did I do that? "'Why are you doing this? Because you were home', or whatever that line is, like, oh my God. I'm never leaving my house again!" In 'It Feeds', Ashley plays a clairvoyant therapist who must confront her past trauma to help save a girl who is being haunted by a malevolent spirit and acknowledged the challenge of finding the emotion to reflect the film's plot. She said: "I think it's always challenging to trust myself and just let go in these spaces, and not to continue to live in a space that we've been talking about. Like, we now have the ability to just leave things on set and to separate ourselves from that. "I do find there's always this moment of me going, like, 'Oh, no, what if I don't get there? Because it is such an abnormal space, how do you fake adrenaline?' "I find that I'm really big on preparation work, so that when I get to set I can know I've done all the work and whatever is going to happen is going to happen. It's always a little scary to ask if you're going to make it believable for the audience." Ashley likened acting to working "in therapy" as she builds an entire life and background for the character she plays on screen. She explained: "I always say when I'm working on these things it's like I'm in therapy. I'm in talk-therapy with myself, or whoever I'm working with, because I think you're just going through your life and connections and these characters' worlds. The way I work is that I create this whole backstory for these characters. "The first time you read a script is when you get such an honest response. You wonder how you connect. It's such a release."
Perth Now
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Shawn Ashmore had a ghostly encounter at a Romanian hotel
Shawn Ashmore stayed in a haunted hotel in Romania. The 45-year-old actor stars in the new horror movie 'It Feeds' – which centres on a young girl who insists that a malevolent entity is feeding on her – and he reflected on a ghostly encounter he had while working on a movie in the European country. Shawn told The AU Review: "I do happen to be a believer. I've had two very strange, let's call them ghost stories. "One of them was at a hotel in Romania. I was shooting a movie there and the hotel was 1000 per cent haunted. Everybody that was there on the crew, and there are a bunch of younger actors, we each had unexplainable events happen in different rooms. "In my room, there was somebody walking around my bed every night. I deduced that it was probably like a housekeeper that was just doing their job. My pillows would fluff. The glasses would clank. I'd hear feet shuffling around my bed every single night. There was nowhere to go. I wanted to move rooms." The 'X-Men' actor continued: "I remember one night we were all hanging out in someone's hotel room, having a few drinks and listening to music, and I said in passing, maybe after two weeks of us being there, I was like, 'Has anybody had any weird experiences in the hotel?' And it was like in a movie when the record scratches, like, everybody said yes. Everyone had a story. "There's not enough time to explain all the stories, but they were all different and mine was actually quite light compared to some of the other experiences. So I've had strange experience that I can't explain. Maybe I'm not 100 per cent, but I'm also not a sceptic." Shawn plays the father of the tormented girl in 'It Feeds' and spoke of the difficulty at having to act out extreme emotions in a limited timeframe. He said: "In this film there are moments where I have to literally break down and sob and cry, and probably go through the worst grief a person can possibly go through. "Can I do that in the 10 minutes they need me to? This is an independent film. We have a huge day. We have 10-15 minutes to nail this close up. Can I do that? Can I get there? It's scary."
