At The Movies

Join Simon Morris in the best seat in the house as he reviews the latest movies and dives into the issues gripping the silver screen.

Hosted by Simon Morris

A podcast cover for "At the Movies" with an abstract cinema screen with a big title.

Follow this podcast

RSS

Get this podcast straight from the source in the free RNZ app: Apple App Store or Google Play

All episodes:

FULL SHOW: Off the Beaten Track

Simon Morris goes off the beaten track this week, including two features found on streaming services – Netflix’s Havoc and Prime Video’s My Old Ass. He also finds a surprising number of self-funded New Zealand movies this month, including romantic comedy The People We Love. He talks to director Mike Smith about the pros and cons of independence.
New episode
No caption

Interview: The People We Love director Mike Smith

Independent film The People We Love is that very rare thing, a Kiwi romance. Writer-director Mike Smith (TV’s My Life Is Murder and Siege) wonders we’re so reluctant to make such a popular genre, and how to negotiate the perils of the indie film-maker. The People We Love stars Neill Rea (Brokenwood Mysteries) and Alison Bruce (Tinā).
The People We Love

Review: My Old Ass/Havoc

Prime Video’s My Old Ass and Netflix’s Havoc have one thing in common – neither was exactly what their trailers promised. The first promises more of TV favourite Aubrey Plaza (White Lotus) than it delivers, while the latter offers rather more Tom Hardy (Venom) than anyone asked for.
My Old Ass

FULL SHOW: The horror, the horror

Dan Slevin reviews three new films in local cinemas: In Sinners, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler tells a Southern Gothic horror story with Michael B. Jordan playing identical twins; in Warfare, Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza collaborate on what’s been described as the most authentic modern war film ever, and in Small Things Like These, Cillian Murphy plays a family man troubled by the secrets being kept by his community.
No caption

Review: Small Things Like These

Dan Slevin reviews an adaptation of Claire Keegan's 2021 novella about an Irish family man prompted to confront his community about the secrets that they have been keeping (starring Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy).
Cillian Murphy as Bill Furlong and Zara Devlin as Sarah Redmond in Small Things Like These. Photo Credit: Enda Bowe

Review: Warfare

Civil War director Alex Garland collaborates with that film’s military advisor – and real-life Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza on the story of a platoon of Navy SEALS having a bad day in Ramadi.
Episode image

Review: Sinners

Ryan Coogler writes and directs a Southern Gothic horror film featuring gangsters, vampires and the Klan, reviewed by Dan Slevin.
Michael B Jordan as Smoke in Sinners (2025).

FULL SHOW: Comfort Zones

Simon Morris occasionally finds himself out of his comfort zone - but not this week. Three films right up his alley – a true story of a journalist arrested for doing his job, The Correspondent… a straight, old-fashioned thriller, The Amateur… and The Penguin Lessons, a blend of Steve Coogan, a military coup in Argentina and a penguin.

Review: The Amateur

The Amateur sees a back-room boffin in the CIA turn himself into an avenging killer when terrorists kill his wife. Starring Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) and Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), it’s directed by James Hawes (TV’s Slow Horses).
The Amateur

Review: The Correspondent

The Correspondent tells the true story of Australian journalist Peter Greste, covering a military coup in Egypt for Al Jazeera. His arrest on trumped-up charges became a worldwide scandal. Directed by Kriv Stenders (In the wake of Captain Cook with Sam Neill), it stars Richard Roxburgh (Rake).
The Correspondent

Review: The Penguin Lessons

The Penguin Lessons is based on an unlikely true story of an English teacher in Argentina who finds himself stuck with a penguin at the height of a military coup. Written by Jeff Pope (Philomena) it stars Steve Coogan.
The Penguin Lessons

Review: Death of a Unicorn

The death of a Unicorn sees a father and daughter (Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega) hit a mysterious entity on the way to a weekend with an unscrupulous pharmaceutical family. An entity with the ability to heal any disease. What can go wrong – particularly when the unicorn summons assistance?
Death of a Unicorn

Review: Queer

Queer sees Daniel Craig (No time to die) shake off Double Oh Seven in an adaptation of a book by William S Burroughs (Naked Lunch) about an American writer hiding out in Fifties Mexico who falls in love. Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Challengers).
Queer

Review: Grand Tour

Grand Tour starts out like a Merchant Ivory passage to Southeast Asia about a man running away from the prospects of a wedding, before turning into a very strange travelogue. Directed by Portuguese auteur Miguel Gomes (Arabian Nights) who won Best Director at last year’s Cannes Film Festival for it.
Grand Tour

FULL SHOW: Film Or Movie?

Simon Morris realizes people go to the cinema for different things. Some go for the humble “movie”, some for the elevated “film”, some for the even more pretentious “cinema”. Which are this week’s choices: the Portuguese Grand Tour… Queer, starring Daniel Craig… and horror-comedy Death of a Unicorn, with Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega?

Other podcasts
like this one

More podcasts with similar themes or ideas that you might enjoy.

  • A cheerful woman (Suzy Cato) smiles at the viewer wearing glasses and an orange top. Text reads "Suzy and friends" and has a smile shape underneath.

    Suzy & Friends

    Join Suzy & Friends for a weekly slice of a kiwi kid’s life!

  • An abstract heart constructed from shapes similar to rural fields seen in aerial photography sits behind the text 'Country Life'.

    Country Life

    Head out to the farms & back roads to hear the stories of rural New Zealand.

  • TAHI PODCAST IMAGE

    The TAHI Podcast

    Music, culture and laughs coming to you every Tuesday & Thursday.

  • Birds-eye-view of an illustrated black vinyl record with a yellow centre and red tonearm, on a blue insert and a red background. The text 'Sampler' reads in white on the right hand side from bottom to top.

    The Sampler

    Deep dives and interviews on new albums and beyond.