The Family Next Door just landed on ABC. With episode one airing on Sunday, with all episodes landing on iView too. All six excellent episodes can be binged nice and easily of the local series, based on the novel of the same name by Sally Hepworth.
It’s peak holiday season in the popular seaside town of Osprey Point when an enigmatic stranger, Isabelle (Teresa Palmer), rents a family home in a quiet cul-de-sac. As Isabelle charms her way into her neighbours’ homes and lives, she quickly discovers that everyone at Pleasant Court has something to hide.
With an all star local cast featuring Aussie TV's IT girl, Teresa Palmer as Isabelle.
Alongside Palmer, we have, Bella Heathcote as Ange, Catherine McClements as Barbara, the super hot Bob Morley as Lucas, Ming-Zhu Hii as Fran, Jane Harber as Lulu, Daniel Henshall as Nigel & Philippa Northeast as Essie.
The series filmed on location in Anglesea, Victoria, and several suburbs alongside the coastline. The series created over 200 jobs for cast and crew.
This is ABC at its best.
It gives real Liane Moriarty vibes. Family secrets, local drama, the mystery, the build up.
This was exceptionally addictive TV. I am also very happy to report the ABC will next up air the second run of Mystery Road: Origins in late September! Cannot wait!
The local TV just keeps flooding in this week with Playing Gracie Darling landing tomorrow on Paramount+.
Well, well, another horror film on our screen. If the international news isn't enough horror for you, New Line Cinema and Zach Cregger, the wholly original mind behind Barbarian, comes a new horror/thriller: Weapons.
Yes whilst there is horror, there are elements of a thriller in the mix too. Weapons starts, when all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
Lead by Josh Brolin, Ozark's Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, with Benedict Wong, & Amy Madigan.
Rotten Tomatoes, has lead the critical praise for Weapons, which currently sits at 96%. A big improvement on Bride Hard which I saw earlier in the week.
Rotten Tomatoes states, Zach Cregger spins an expertly crafted yarn of terrifying mystery and thrilling intrigue in Weapons, a sophomore triumph that solidifies his status as a master of horror. Now that is a big call!
So what did I think?
Well it does take a minute to get out of the blocks, however I did like the different perspectives take on letting the viewer know how and what horror was to unfold.
The film does go for a little over two hours, however seeing the film from a wide range of characters really worked for me. Leading up to that big ending.
Horror continues to dominate the big screen with Jordan Peele's next film, Him hitting the cinemas next month, along with another The Conjuring film.
So was Weapons the horror movie we needed in 2025? Look it was good, but not life changing for me. 3.5 Stars.
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Lili Reinhart, Cooper Raiff and Betty Gilpin and, from the Award winning filmmaker of Cha Cha Real Smooth comes the new series.
Hal & Harper streams right now on Stan across all nine episodes.
Following two siblings (Reinhart and Raiff) as they try to preserve their childhood even though their single father (Ruffalo) forces them to grow up too fast.
The series landed late June on the Aussie streamer. I struggled getting into the show. Even though the episodes are relatively short, the first four episodes were a real struggle.
I did start it a while ago, leaving it and moving onto other more upbeat series. Maybe I am too lowbrow, but this was just a bit too arty for me.
Hal and Harper had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in January. Oversees the series will air on Mubi. I feel like this is a one and done however there is limited info online about the series.
Director Cooper Raiff, in 2020, described the plot as following two siblings and their single dad who is making them grow up too fast. With that in mind, the 7-year old and 9-year-old characters would be cast with adult actors
If you like a random drama with major family ties or just like Mark Ruffalo, this might be for you. Ruffalo, will also appear next in HBO miniseries Task. Apparently set to air next month.
It's the weekend folks, I'm set to see Weapons tomorrow, so expect another film review real soon y'all!
Big finale week next Friday. BMF, Smoke and the last ever And Just Like That.. episode incoming!
Michael Theo, a neurodivergent participant on reality series Love on the Spectrum, makes his acting debut as the title character Austin. Austin landed on ABC TV last June. With the second season currently airing or all episodes now streaming on iView.
The Australian-British comedy, starts off at a book tour in Canberra, recently cancelled English children’s author, Julian, is approached by a 28 year old man named Austin, who claims to be his biological son conceived in London. Austin, who is autistic and lives with his mother and grandfather, may provide Julian with a path to redemption.
The second season kicks off as, Austin grapples with sudden literary fame when his novel, “An Autistic Guide to Britain” is picked up by an international publisher.
Meanwhile, his previously estranged father, Julian, and stepmother, Ingrid, sell their beloved Big Bear series to Australian TV. Julian is swiftly cut out of the process due to his status as a social media pariah, leaving Ingrid to take the wheel. As Austin tries to stay true to himself, everyone else scrambles for relevance.
Alongside Theo, the series stars Ben Miller as Julian, Sally Phillips as Ingrid, Gia Carides as Austin's mother Mel, Roy Billing as Austin's grandfather Bill, Kate Elliott as Heidi, Zahra Newman as Monica, Charlotte Nicdao as Yolanda and Billie Piper as herself in the first season.
I binged both seasons back-to-back after sleeping on season one last year.
This was a sweet local comedy, shot on location in sleepy Canberra. Which is refreshing in a way to see another city used as a back drop for a local series.
Hopefully this Sunday, The Family Next Door will also be a good new drama series on the ABC. Following the ABC cleaning up at this years Logies (which Austin was also nominated) they need to lay the foundations down for next years nominations.
No word on a third season yet. However the ABC is short of comedies, given Optics has been given the green light for a second run yet, nor another run of award winning smash hit Fisk.
If you need a comfort viewing series this week, maybe give Austin a go.
Not usually one my blog's post, but the Logies was the talk of the town late Sunday night, Monday morning. TV is not dead yet. But close. Also how'd they pick the winners? Is Irene really Australia's best actress?
Why'd Netflix get so many nominations and nearly no Logies.
Also how'd A Current Affair get a Logie for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter? Weird right.
Oh dear, Bride Hard falls flat in every way possible.
The action sequences, lame.
The one-liners, mostly fall flat.
Is the Rebel Wilson honeymoon period over?
Directed by Simon West and written by Shaina Steinberg, this film is honestly one of the most average films I have seen this year.
Alongside Rebel Wilson, fresh from her double run in You, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Gigi Zumbado, Stephen Dorff, & from US network TV's biggest drama, Tracker, Justin Hartley
Unsurprisingly the film was panned by critics.
Let's keep this quick and painless, 1 Star. Oh Anna Camp you are better than this. Also Stephen Dorff, WTF!
Also Anna Chlumsky this is definitely no Veep doll. Bride Hard will 100% appear on the The Golden Raspberry Awards nominations for 2025(also known as the Razzie Awards).
Together is a supernatural/body horror (remember Demi Moore's body horror film, The Substance) filmed right here in Australia.
Directed by Michael Shanks, in his directorial debut, starring real-life married actors Dave Franco and Alison Brie.
Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie (Franco & Brie) find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.
Together is a fresh take on the horror genre. With Victoria looking damn fine on the big screen.
Local, Damon Herriman plays Jamie McCabe, one of the only other main characters in the film focusing on Franco & Brie
Honestly I didn't know what to expect, however I left going, well that was fun. Along with the use of the Spice Girls, 2 become 1 as a closing piece.
I am back to the cinema again with yet another big wet this winter.
If horror is your jam, you want something fresh in the genre, give locally shot, Together a crack.
