Whistle is yet another supernatural/horror directed by Corin Hardy.
Starring Dafne Keen, Sophie Nélisse, Sky Yang, Jhaleil Swaby, Ali Skovbye, Percy Hynes White, Michelle Fairley & Nick Frost.
Whistle follows a group of students who find an Aztec Death Whistle and discover that the sound it emits will summon their future deaths to hunt them down.
As the body count rises, the friends investigate the origins of the deadly artefact in a desperate effort to stop the horrifying chain of events that they have set in motion.
It's mildly gory, a few jump scares, but not too hectic.
Whistle premiered at Fantastic Fest last September 2025, whilst being released in the cinemas across the USA, UK, Australia & Ireland this month.
I didn't mind this. With a good looking cast, it was no Aussie smash hit Talk to Me, but it did showcase our deaths coming for us early if we were silly enough to blow a nasty ass whistle.
Horror is still one of the top genres at the cinema.
Look this won't win any awards or make my end of year best of lists, but it was a wee bit of fun.
Until next time at the cinema, Whistle gets a solid pass of 2.5 Stars. Maybe 2.75 Stars if we want to be technical.
Set in present-day suburbia, The ‘Burbs follows a young couple returning to the husband’s childhood home. Their world is upended when new neighbours move in next door, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighbourhood.
The 'Burbs is an American comedy television series created by Celeste Hughey for Peacock. Streaming in Australia on Binge. Landing earlier this month.
The 'Burbs is an adaptation of the 1989 film of the same name and stars Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall.
Old secrets resurface when a newly married couple relocate to the suburban neighbourhood of the husband's youth.
Alongside Palmer & Jack Whitehall, Paula Pell, Julia Duffy, Mark Proksch, Kapil Talwalkar, Haley Joel Osment, RJ Cyler, Justin Kirk, Max Carver, Erica Dasher, Georgia Leva, Kathleen Kenny & Wendy Schaal, who had a role in the 1989 film, all appear in the series.
So I thought this could have been a miniseries, however the ending... It leaves The 'Burbs wide open for a second run.
Will I tune in? Probably...
Keke Palmer is great as a new mum to the suburbs. I never saw the OG 80's film, however I was keen for this little comedy/thriller.
There hasn't been a load on Binge of late (with Wentworth looking a little while away) so I got stuck into this over 48 hours.
Also with the Winter Olympics a number of my week to wee shows had vanished from my dance card.
There is no news on a second season at the time of the post, however I think this one could crack a second season. Peacock has a number of series on the way. Ted season two (Binge too), The Miniature Wife (which will stream on Stan) and the horror one I am looking forward to, Crystal Lake.
Binge also released The Copenhagen Test late. Landing on Monday, this series was originally released overseas over the holiday period. Simu Lu I will be watching!
Right, back to The 'Burbs . It's not half bad, it's not the best, but it was a bit of fun. There was some good one liners.
Recovering after a massive Valentine's weekend, now Lunar New Year, let's head to the cinema for "Wuthering Heights". The Almost Aussie period romantic drama film written and directed by Emerald Fennell and adapted from Emily Brontë's 1847 novel.
Starring Aussies Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, respectively, alongside Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, & Ewan Mitchell.
The film received mixed reviews from critics. However what about me?
A bold and original imagining of one of the greatest love stories of all time, Emerald Fennell’s "Wuthering Heights" stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, whose forbidden passion for one another turns from romantic to intoxicating in an epic tale of lust, love and madness.
One other huge win is the film features original songs by Charli XCX. The album was released last Friday. I myself am a huge fan of Charli and Chains of Love. You can stream the album below.
Released perfectly in time for Valentine's, with two of Hollywood (Aussies do it right) also doing fun promo stunts, like turning up to sessions and handing out roses.
I love that!
Period dramas are not usually for me. Meaning I won't be watching Outlander's final season anytime soon. However the costumes and the love story was interesting.
Plus Emerald Fennell's previous films are brilliant. Promising Young Woman and Saltburn anyone?
"Wuthering Heights" will be a hit regardless of what critics say. I enjoyed this, love the Charli XCX collab, it's all a vibe.
Love was really in the air over the weekend, which was a nice change. In a divided world, state right now, we need love. If you need some romance in your life, get to the movies NOW!
9-1-1 is the OG of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, & Tim Minear's 9-1-1 franchise. Moving from Fox to ABC; that's not the Aussie ABC, but US. Disney+ finally popped season eight up, earlier this month. I did manage to get a start on the season last year in Japan. So I only had eight or so remaining episodes to catch up on. The series has always been a bit soapy, however this season jumped the shark hardcore.
The lead disaster was around bees! Yes that's right bees! Apparently season nine goes to space. How much longer can the series try to out do itself.
That said, with the Texas bound Lone Star edition wrapping, 9-1-1: Nashville has commenced. And boy it is bad. Lone Star had heart and (in my opinion) better, more likeable characters than the OG series.
That said, Angela Bassett really had some strong performances. And no the crossover episode to the now cancelled Doctor Odyssey, doesn't go into too much depth. Literally she sees the boat, end scene. End episode, crossover completed on the short lived random Joshua Jackson series.
Alongside Bassett, Oliver Stark, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Guzman, Aisha Hinds, Kenneth Choi, Corinne Massiah, Elijah M. Cooper, & Gavin McHugh all star. Although there was big cast departure towards the tail end of season eight. More on that later.
Last April 9-1-1, the series was renewed for a ninth season, which premiered last October. Hopefully I don't have to wait till next February to watch it! Bloody Channel Seven with their legacy deal on the OG 9-1-1.
So how does the bee drama unfold at the top of the previous season?
Hen and Karen make progress with regaining their foster license; Hen notices that Chimney and Mara are growing close. Buck and Tommy help Eddie throw a birthday party for Christopher over video call, but Christopher is vacant and eventually leaves to celebrate with new friends, much to Eddie's dismay. Bobby is now a technical advisor for firefighting TV show "Hotshots;" he is undermined by production, but idolised by the lead actor, Brad Torrence.
A truck carrying 22 million killer bees crashes downtown, threatening the lives of a mother and daughter and, later, the attendees of a perfume party. Buck's initiative allows the 118 to handle both situations efficiently, but he is punished by Gerrard for unruliness. Buck later saves Gerrard from a flying circular saw, but knocks him unconscious in the process.
Meanwhile, Athena escorts her first fiancé's killer, Dennis Jenkins ("Athena Begins"), to L.A. so he can testify in a trafficking case in exchange for freedom. En route, she detains a fake officer who tries to take Dennis into his own custody; Dennis reveals that someone wants him dead. They board an L.A.-bound plane which, due to the bees obstructing visibility, violently collides with another plane.
The season got dark with Bobby aka Peter Krause passed away in their contagion style emergency at the back end of the season.
With the removal of Bobby Nash, I'll be interested to see how (the current) season nine unfolds. Nine seasons is a big achievement, however it looks set to go even further. Sources say season ten is almost a sure thing.
So how did the final episode of the eighth season wrap?
Before the collapse, the 118 hosts a goodbye lunch for Eddie, where Hen gifts him his 118 turnouts.
Hen also admits she turned down the offer to become captain and Buck says he put in for a transfer from the 118, feeling it is no longer the same without Bobby.
At the apartment building site, Athena tries to help Graham and another civilian who has been crushed by the debris. The 118 arrives on scene and quickly becomes overwhelmed after the building suffers another collapse. Eddie, seeing the event on the news, puts on his old turnouts and arrives at the scene to help. Chimney, hearing Athena has been trapped in the building, goes in by himself to help her get out; they learn Graham was impaled, but said nothing because the other civilian, who he previously had been feuding with, needed their help more. This causes Athena to accept what Bobby did for Chimney and the two reconcile after the team saves Graham.
Back at the firehouse, Chimney tells Eddie he is not living in Texas anymore and tells Buck he's not transferring, making a speech about keeping the importance of Bobby's legacy alive. After the speech, Hen slips up and refers to Chimney as "Cap." Hen and Karen formally adopt Mara, Eddie and Christopher move back to Los Angeles and begin unpacking boxes, Buck starts looking for a new apartment now that Eddie is back, Athena begins work on selling the house, and Maddie gives birth to her son.
Upon Athena arriving at the hospital, Chimney tells her they named the baby Robert Nash Han, after Bobby.
The season wrapped up nicely. I must admit watching it over two parts (partly in Japan last year, last eight episodes this week) felt disjointed. At least I got to watch the first emergency and later Bobby emergency uninterrupted.
9-1-1 is one of Ryan Murphy's longest running series, will it overtake American Horror Story? Speaking of Ryan Murphy. It's his season, with two 9-1-1's returning soon in the USA (Nashville only here), Love Story starting and The Beauty coming to a horrific conclusion early next month.
So expect more Ryan Murphy through my final half of the Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 series.
Happy Valentine's Day.
Officially two more weeks of summer. Unofficially March is still HOT AF, hence my Q1, 2026 blog series title.
See you next week for the Tell Me Lies finale and hopefully a movie or two!
After the fun Send Help last Friday, it was gonna be hard to see another good picture, back-to-back.
However We Bury the Dead, was a damn fine effort.
Actually from 2024, the zombie/survival/horror/thriller film finally got released in Australia & New Zealand last week.
Written and directed by Zak Hilditch, We Bury the Dead had its world premiere in November at the 2024 Adelaide Film Festival. While getting released in North America in January.
Starring English star Daisy Ridley, Mark Coles Smith, & Brenton Thwaites.
The plot centers on a woman desperate to find her missing husband and follows her journey as she takes on grief and the undead.
After the United States accidentally detonates an experimental weapon off the Eastern coast of Tasmania, the city of Hobart is destroyed, and victims on the island not caught in the immediate blast are rendered brain dead.
Soon it is found that some of the brain dead are regaining motor function, becoming undead, with some of them becoming violent. American physiotherapist Ava Newman (Ridley), whose husband Mitch was on a business trip in Woodbridge, volunteers as part of an Australian military effort to retrieve and dispose of the bodies of the population.
Ava is assigned to the northern part of the island, far from Woodbridge, retrieving bodies and alerting soldiers to kill any undead who wake up.
It's an interesting concept. I was hooked and loved the 90 minute run time. Meaning the film just gets right to the point, real quick!
Filming began in February, 2024 in Albany, Western Australia. Alongside, Ridley, Coles Smith & Thwaites, Kym Jackson, Matt Whelan and Deanna Cooney joined the cast, as Lt. Wilkie, Mitch and Bianca respectively.
Filming wrapped the next month. So I really wonder why this was held for release for so long.
Either way this was a fun Tuesday night at the cinema. I also really try and support as many Aussie films as possible.
Enjoyable, original (even in a world of The Last of Us and The Walking Dead/multiple spin-offs) and beautifully shot.
In the current climate of world instability, imagine if something liked this did happen in Tassie?
I hope 2026 continues to give solid films. Hopefully next up, Wuthering Heights. More new music from Charli XCX, yes please!
Landing around a month ago on Paramount+ Girl Taken is a based on the novel Baby Doll by Hollie Overton.
Seventeen-year-old Lily is kidnapped by her trusted teacher. Five years later she escapes captivity and returns home, revealing years of abuse in a hidden cellar and forcing her family to face the trauma in a fight to reclaim their lives.
The British series was adapted for the six-part series for Paramount+ by David Turpin, Suzanne Cowie, and Nessa Muthy.
Directing episodes are Laura Way and Bindu de Stoppani with Mick Pantaleo as producer. Executive producers include Suzi McIntosh for Clapperboard Studios and Mike Benson for Paramount+.
Filming took place in last June, with Jill Halfpenny & Alfie Allen as leads. Alongside older and younger sisters Tallulah and Delphi Evans as twins, Niamh Walsh, Levi Brown, Victoria Ekanoye, Holly Atkins, Vikash Bhai and Kiran Krishnakumar.
This was fairly B grade TV if I'm honest. Paramount+ are lucky they still have Taylor Sheridan and CBS content on their service.
That said with two Yellowstone spin-offs incoming Paramount+ has some serious drama incoming.
I don't want to be too negative about this series. Alfie Allen did play a creep well. It really is Allen season, with Lily selling out tours in Australia, that hit record, Alfie's past Game of Thrones work.
So I am not expecting Girl Taken to rate highly on my Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 RATED list, however if you like a kidnapping drama, maybe this is for you.
Spartacus: House of Ashur is a thrilling, erotic, history-bending, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit.
What if Ashur lived and the Romans rewarded his treachery with the gladiator school where he once bled?
Welcome to the House of Ashur. No longer a slave, Ashur (Nick E. Tarabay) has clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him. But ruling a band of merciless gladiators is child’s play compared to surviving the savage world of Roman politics—a cutthroat game in which betrayal isn’t a sin, it’s currency.
Flipping tradition on its head, Ashur unleashes Achillia (Tenika Davis), a fierce and powerful gladiatrix eager to prove herself worthy in a man’s world. Together, they ignite a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disrupts, and offends the elite with every drop of blood.
Starring Nick E. Tarabay as Ashur, Graham McTavish, Tenika Davis, Jamaica Vaughan, Ivana Baquero, Jordi Webber, Claudia Black, India Shaw-Smith, Leigh Gill, Jackson Gallagher, & Jaime Slater.
Yes this is horny AF! Like the original Spartacus run, you even get some man on man action. Plus a fair amount of penis. And the boobs! So many boobs! The million dollar question is will Starz renew the historical romp?
I bet Aussie streamer Stan wishes it would. I did read somewhere it was meant to be a miniseries, somewhere else season two was mostly writtern.
I for one would watch season two. Wanna find out how season one wrapped on Friday? What am I going to watch on Stan on Fridays now? BOO!
Gabinius is laid to rest at his villa. Caesar informs Cossutia that Pompey has been stripped of his title and protection, while Caesar himself has been promoted to legatus and ordered to find and kill him.
Servius, Gabinius' brother returns to reclaim the household and proposes holding funeral games. Believing Ashur to be beneath him, Servius has him removed from the villa but Viridia kisses him before he leaves.
Settling in, Servius tries to assert his control over Cossutia and Viridia. At the ludus, Tarchon helps train Achillia to take on the Scythian, while Proculus pairs Satyrus with Galatea, another female gladiator for the games.
Ashur gifts Achillia her own private quarters, cementing her position as champion of the ludus, while Ashur promises Korris ownership of the ludus once he is given control of Capua's games. Cornelia leaves the villa to return to Rome, with Messia following her.
At the games, Servius excludes Ashur's gladiators from all but the main event and forces him to sit with the plebians. Satyrus and Galatea defeat their opponent before Achillia battles the Scythian in a brutal fight that sees both fighters lose their weapons and intrude into the stands.
Achillia ultimately defeats the Scythian, killing her by jamming her shield into her mouth and splitting her head open. Before she leaves, Viridia sees Ashur celebrate in the stands with Hilara, saddening her.
Back at the ludus, Tarchon and Achillia sleep together.
While Caesar prepares to leave, Ashur asks him when the new arena will begin construction but Caesar tells him that Crassus has decided to use the funds to build new villas instead, despite their agreement. An enraged Ashur attacks Caesar, and after a long fight Ashur kills him by stabbing him in the chest and hacking his head open with a sword.
Will Starz renew Spartacus: House of Ashur, gosh I hope so, but I also reckon this has been a surprisingly good return to the Spartacus franchise. Bring on season two!
