NOT another streaming Movie - Tuner

It's been a hot minute since I saw, The Odyssey at the cinema. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day sold out on the days/nights I can currently go, limited other films showing, it's been a little more tricky getting to the old cinema this August.

So it was off to my other local cinema, at Central Park. Tuner is a film, I saw the trailer for a while back and always wanted to see it. The crime/thriller starts out more chill, then escalates, fast.

Tuner stars Leo Woodall, Havana Rose Liu, Lior Raz, Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno and Dustin Hoffman. It follows a piano tuner, Niki White (Woodall), with a hearing condition that gives him heightened sensitivity to sound. When his mentor Harry (Hoffman) racks up a medical debt, White earns cash to pay it off by using his sensitive hearing to crack safes and becomes embroiled with a criminal group.

Niki is a gifted young piano tuner whose heightened sense of hearing draws the attention of criminals, who see his talents as useful for opening safes as for tuning Steinways. 

With his once-promising musical career over, he works across New York with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Academy Award-winner Dustin Hoffman), encountering a range of characters, including composition student Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), with whom he forges an unexpected connection. 

Niki’s safecracking work threatens his budding romance with Ruthie and pulls him into increasingly dangerous territory. Blending romance, drama, and the taut suspense of a heist thriller, this film was a multi-genre fun return to the cinema.

I enjoyed Tuner, I wish my other local cinema gave it more session times. That said, it was nice to venture out to a different cinema for once.

It is nice being back in the cinema. 3 Stars.

Winter be Bingeing 26' - Elle - Season One

Elle (also marketed as Elle: From the World of Legally Blonde) serves as a prequel to the Legally Blonde. Taking place six years before the events of the first film and it explores the high school years of teenage Elle Woods (originally portrayed by Reese Witherspoon), portrayed by newcomer Lexi Minetree.

Production began in April 2025, season one dropping all episodes on July 1. In January 2026, the series was renewed for a second season. BRING IT ON!

A prequel to Legally Blonde, the series explores Elle Woods’ teenage years in the 1990s as a high school student in Seattle, long before she became the ambitious Harvard law student in the films.

So Seattle and 90's music! I am SOLD!

Alongside Minetree, June Diane Raphael & Tom Everett Scott were cast as Elle's parents, Eva and Wyatt. 

Chandler Kinney, Gabrielle Policano, Jacob Moskovitz, Kimberly, Liz, Miles, Zac Looker, Jessica Belkin, Logan Shroyer, Amy Pietz, Lisa Yamada, Chloe Wepper, David Burtka, Brad Harder, Kayla Maisonet, and James Van Der Beek, in what would be his final role before his death. It was very sad seeing Dawson's final role.

For season two, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan joined the cast as Sam.

In the finale, Elle's reputation is ruined so she and her mother move back to LA. Elle returns to her old life while interning at Cosmopolitan, but she feels uncomfortable with the familiar and safe setting. 

Meanwhile, the winter formal is canceled due to budget cuts, so Liz, Dustin, Miles and Kimberly, all missing Elle, host their own formal at CarpetMart as a fundraiser called "Winter Informal". 

Elle takes a risk at Cosmopolitan and wins a spot at the Golden Globes, but feels like everything has become too expected for her and misses the challenges of Seattle. Her boss convinces her to take challenges in stride and she convinces her mother to return to Seattle after an encounter with her father's failed nose job patient. Elle bids a heartfelt goodbye to Madison. 

Back in Seattle, Elle reconciles with Shannon, while Eva blames Wyatt for dictating how her life has turned out. Elle races to Winter Informal where Liz is performing, who just kissed Kimberly. Elle sees the layout and feels like she did make a difference. Everyone is happy to see Elle, except Dustin, who is upset that she left. He kisses her, which Miles sees, and both boys leave jealous, leaving Elle conflicted.

The love triangle fully explodes in this fun season finale. I enjoyed this fun, light, colourful first season.

Let's hope Amazon bring this one back next year. If you need something light, Elle is for you!

Winter be Bingeing 26' - Cape Fear - Miniseries

OK so I started Cape Fear on Apple TV back when I was relaxing, living my best life in Bali.

The ten episodes, conveniently play out over winter. Concluding on Friday, this miniseries could have been a little more mini. The bloated ten episodes, started strong, then the filler episodes kicked in.

The psychological thriller television miniseries created by Nick Antosca, based on the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald and its film adaptations in 1962 and 1991. The story revolves around, Max Cady, a vicious and unreformed ex-convict, is released from prison and sets about taking revenge on Anna Bowden, the lawyer who represented him 17 years earlier in court, by using his knowledge of the law to evade punishment.

Inspired by the 1991 remake directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Steven Spielberg, a storm is coming for happily married attorneys Anna (Amy Adams) and Tom Bowden (Patrick Wilson) when Max Cady (Javier Bardem), the notorious killer they are responsible for putting behind bars, is let out of prison — and he wants vengeance. 

Alongside Adams, Wilson and Bardem, CCH Pounder, Anna Baryshnikov, Jamie Hector, Lily Collias, Joe Anders, Malia Pyles, Ron Perlman, Ted Levine, Jason Scott Morgan, Margarita Levieva & Patrick Fischler.

My personal favourite from the series was Juliette Lewis as Crystal Cady, Max's mentally unstable half-sister who is stalking Max. Lewis also starred in the 1991 adaptation.

Whilst this was creepy, with a mad menacing soundtrack across the entire ten episodes, the ten episodes felt bloated.

Towards the end there was only so much Max Cady to inflict on this one family. I wanted to love this, however towards the back end of the run, I was waiting for a resolution, a conclusion. 

Apple TV continue to serve up inspired and original stories, however, this wasn't their best work. The star power was real, the story really could have been wrapped up in 6 episodes.

Why can't the Americans follow the English.

This week Apple TV will welcome back Ted Lasso, whilst farewelling Sugar's second season. No word on a third run of Sugar yet, as I still wait to hear about Loot, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, Bad Sisters, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Hijack.

Last month of winter, let's go! 

Winter be Bingeing 26' - M.I.A. - Season One

M.I.A. is my latest binge over the past cold week in Sydney. Restless in the Florida Keys, Etta Tiger Jonze dreams of a life in Miami’s glittering, sub-tropical kingdom. But when her family’s drug-running business shatters in tragedy, Etta embarks on a dangerous journey through Miami’s neon-lit underbelly that will define who she is and what she’s ultimately capable of.

M.I.A. is another title for Peacock, streaming on Binge in Australia. Binge has a number of Peacock titles including Five Star Weekend, which they are airing week-to-week on Thursdays by now.

Stan also has a number of Peacock titles. The Miniature Wife, Twisted Metal, with Crystal Lake and Rose Byrne's, The Good Daughter coming later in the year.

M.I.A. is obviously set in South Florida, it stars Shannon Gisela as Etta Tiger Jonze, a young woman from the Florida Keys who goes after the cartel that murdered her family.

All nine episodes of the first season were released on Peacock in early May. I am a little late to the party, however there is no news on season two yet. To get extra eyes on the series, the pilot later aired on NBC.

Thus far, reviews were mixed, but the series topped Peacock's U.S. streaming chart on its first day. Still this John Wick, revenge style thriller does end on a cliffhanger, however I'm not sure if it was strong enough for a second outing.

The series stars Giselaas as Etta, with Maurice Compte, Danay Garcia, Cary Elwes, Brittany Adebumola, Dylan Jackson, Alberto Guerra, Gerardo Celasco, Marta Milans, Edward James Olmos, Sonia Brag, and finally Rich Delia.

With no major massive stars, this series also joins a long string of these revenge style Taken action, thrillers.

The twist at the end was a little fun. It could make for a more interesting second season, however time will tell if NBC have enough cash to keep the camera rolling on more M.I.A.

Winter be Bingeing 26' - New Zealand Spy - Season One

New Zealand Spy is my second New Zealand series of the week. That follows recent Kiwi series Blue Murder Motel, which has recently been renewed for a second season.

Ms.X also ended its run on Binge this, with New Zealand Spy streaming all six episodes on ABC iView right now.

Created by Paul Williams, written by and starring Williams, Rose Matafeo, Bret McKenzie, and Joe Thomas. The show premiered on TVNZ 2 on in April, and ABC recently.

The six-part comedy spy series, follows new recruits start at the New Zealand Intelligence Agency in the latter half of the 20th Century.

The cast also includes Claudia O'Doherty, Tim Key, Andy Lee, Tony Armstrong and Sam Campbell with Abby Howells, Guy Williams, Joe Daymond, Jackie van Beek, Jesse Griffin, Jay Ryan, Rhys Matthewson, Shavaughan Ruakere, Pax Assadi, Scotty Cotter and James Mustapic.

So like Blue Murder Motel, they lean into some Aussie talent, with Andy Lee, Tony Armstrong and Sam Campbell all giving Australian audiences some familiar faces. Or familiar voices if you used to listen to Hamish and Andy on the 2Day networks. Does anyone still listen to 2Day FM? Or RnB Fridays whatever it is.

Anyway I'm in love with Tony Armstrong. FACT. But I didn't love this. It felt a little B grade. Or maybe a lot B grade. I know it was trying to have fun and be playful. But this was a bit blah. Anyway. You can stream for yourself and make up your own mind.

It was easy winter comfort viewing. Blue Murder Hotel has to be my pick of Kiwi shows though of late.

That was good. Like Return to Paradise on ABC, just sent in NZ.

OK for now, enjoy the weekend. The nights/afternoons are getting longer. That means winter can fuck right off! Seeya!

Winter be Bingeing 26' - Ms. X - Miniseries

Ms. X just wrapped last night on Binge, or did it?

The miniseries for New Zealand's Three, produced by Plus6Four and South Pacific Pictures, the series focuses on a woman named Mia who teams up with an old friend from high school to scare Mia's cheating husband into being faithful, but it leads to something far more dangerous.

Mia teams up with a friend from high school to scare her cheating husband into staying with Mia. She is pulled into something far more dangerous: the criminal underworld, caught between the police, her everyday life and the cartel.

Starring acclaimed Logie award-winning Australian actress Melissa George and written and created by New Zealanders Hannah Marshall and David de Lautour.

Ms. X commenced late last month, concluding last night with episode six. It did end on a bit of a "is there more moment". However, I think Ms. X is done for now...

Alongside Home & Away favourite Melissa George, Simone Kessell stars as Saskia, with Dean O'Gorman as Oscar, Jonno Roberts, Oscar Kightley and Wentworth favourite, Robbie Magasiva as Tevita.

I enjoyed the first few episodes, however, there felt like a few filler episodes in middle there.

It did have some humour as well as being a crime based series.

I really wanted to like this more, but by the end I was a little over it to be fair.

Binge are struggling with content now. They should be streaming House of Dragon from HBO. Ever since Binge lost HBO, they have been struggling to keep up with Netflix, local streamer, Stan and newer players like Apple TV and Prime.

That said I am seeing through the poor man's Big Little Lies, Five Star Weekend. In September we will see what Binge has to offer at Foxtel's upfront. At least Colin from Accounts is back, with High Country to also return on the local front.

American Horror Story also returns in September.

On the topic of shows wrapping soon. Cape Fear concludes on Friday, with Power Book III: Raising Kanan wrapping next Friday, alongside Apple TV alien/mystery series, Sugar.

Until next time. 

Winter be Bingeing 26' - The F Ward - Season One

The F Ward follows a group of medical interns sent to the underfunded Pines Hospital in Sydney for one final chance to complete their medical training. Here, they must overcome their insecurities, their past, and their own expectations in a hot-house environment where the stakes are life and death. 

The F Ward landed on Stan the other week, following, The Killings at Parrish Station and TV movie, Beast. So Stan has been leading the way with Aussie drama of late.

Binge also just gave us, the return of Colin from Accounts for a final season, whilst ABC recently gave us Treasure & Dirt.

Anna Friel leads, flawed but excellent interns are sent to the underfunded, under-resourced Pines Hospital, where the interns must overcome the expectations and challenges of their medical careers. They face final chances where the outcomes are life and death stakes.

Arka Das, Paula Arundell, Susie Porter, Jeremy Sims all have some interesting roles. Whilst Ioane Sa'ula as Jimmy Seufale, Love My Way's, Daniel Wyllie as Dr Curtis Parker, Lola Bond as Ellie O'Neill, Alex Fitzalan as Josh Wilson, Emily Barclay as Lisa Juracek, Rishab Kern as Yosef Perera & Annie Boyle as Ava Foley lead.

Alex Dimitriades also joins an episode as Stefan, a partying random, who ends up married with kids.

Ioane Sa'ula is super sexy, following his introduction through Bump. Which is interesting as the Bump creators, also created this Sydney-centric, The F War.

It was also excellent to see Kiwi, Emily Barclay back on the screen. 

I am excited at the state of Australia TV as we head into the Logies for 2026. Whilst the network TV is rubbish right now, with Ten celebrating rebooting Australian Ninja Warrior and Seven excited to pinch I'm a Celebrity Get Me Outta Here in 2027.

That brings us to the upfronts. With SBS going first on Tuesday September 1st at, Sydney Town Hall. Followed by Foxtel (usually including Binge announcements - that said Wentworth's reboot news is all out and about) on Thursday September 3 The Cutaway, Barangaroo, with Nine (at the same new venue as Foxtel) on September 17.

Nine should include Stan's new titles too. Or returning ones, which The F Ward could 100% be back.

Until next time, there is also a bit of Kiwi TV on at present. Look out for some titles from across the ditch ASAP!