A surprise surge at the box office can change the mood of a season, and Wicked just did exactly that. We unpack why certain titles break through when the economy is rough, how audience behavior shifts toward event value, and what that means as Avatar 3: Fire and Ash barrels toward release with sky-high expectations and even higher costs. The stakes aren’t just bragging rights for opening weekend; they’re a stress test for whether premium spectacle still earns its keep on the big screen.

We dive into the heartbeat of December programming, starting with Nuremberg, a gripping historical drama anchored by Rami Malek, Michael Shannon, and a commanding turn from Russell Crowe. The film tracks Robert H. Jackson and the Nuremberg trials, exploring how legal architecture shaped the postwar world. Prestige dramas like this can bring in mature audiences while tapping younger viewers who showed up for dense, dialogue-driven cinema with Oppenheimer. Add regional pride with Lydia Peckham’s involvement and you have the makings of a word-of-mouth standout.

On the other side of the aisle, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 returns with teen-friendly scares, a tight rating, and social watchability that powers big group outings. We talk about why accessible horror wins, the fine print of the M rating, and how it fuels holiday momentum. Event cinema gets its turn too, as André Rieu’s Christmas concert fills seats with music lovers who treat the theater as a cultural venue. Families aren’t left out: Pets on a Train offers a short, colorful adventure perfect for younger kids who can’t handle three-hour blockbusters during a busy season.

We close with rapid-fire recommendations—The Housemaid previews, Alla McKay, Twiggy, David—and a local spotlight on Anchor Me: The Don McGlashon Story, with a possible opening-week Q&A. Plus, our final prediction showdown on Nuremberg’s opening adds a little competitive spice. If you’re mapping your December watchlist, this guide will help you pick the right big-screen moments and understand the industry signals behind them.

Enjoy the conversation? Follow, share, and leave a quick review to help more film lovers find the show. Got a bold box office prediction of your own? Drop it in the comments and let’s compare notes next week.

Book your tickets to the movies at Cathay Cinemas Kerikeri here - or at Lido Cinema Hamilton here!

What happens when a locally made sci-fi brawler outperforms the noise and a buzzy remake doesn’t land? We dig into Predator Badlands’ franchise-best opening and the Running Man’s stumble, then chart a hopeful path forward with Wicked For Good building real momentum. Along the way, we tackle a hard truth: New Zealand’s box office has slid about 15% over recent weeks, with empty prime-time shows even in major cities. Tight budgets, uneven releases, and a chorus of AI-fed hot takes telling people to stay home haven’t helped. Our take: trust your own eyes. Go see movies you’re curious about and decide for yourself.

We unpack why a faithful adaptation can clash with nostalgia, why Predator’s softer rating didn’t blunt the fun, and how Wicked’s early numbers suggest audiences still crave a big-screen musical when the storytelling sings. We spotlight a classic that punched above its weight—A Room with a View—proving a well-timed revival can beat new releases. Then we shine a light on Jay Kelly, Noah Baumbach’s low-hype, high-merit awards hopeful starring George Clooney and a quietly devastating Adam Sandler, and explain why limited theatrical windows deserve attention before they vanish to streaming.

To rebuild habit and hype, we debut Trailer Day: a free, one-hour barrage of upcoming trailers designed to turn curiosity into ticket-buying intent. We preview what’s next—Zootopia, a high-profile Avatar premiere, and the page-to-screen thriller The Housemaid with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried—before placing our weekly wager on Wicked’s opening take. If you want cinemas in your town next year, use them now. Hit play, share this with a movie friend, and tell us: which film gets you off the couch first? Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help more film lovers find the show.

Book your tickets to the movies at Cathay Cinemas Kerikeri here - or at Lido Cinema Hamilton here!

Lights flicker, schedules wobble, and we still make it to the movies. We open with a surprising miss: a Hindi vampire romance positioned to ride the Diwali wave that instead sputtered at the New Zealand box office. That sets the tone for a candid look at audience behavior right now—how ratings, region, and timing twist outcomes—and why some films soar in big cities while others struggle to find momentum in smaller markets.

From there, we highlight Train Dreams, a Netflix-bound drama anchored by Joel Edgerton. It’s a slow, textured portrait of a man and a landscape, the Pacific Northwest etched by railway expansion and loss. Think rich cinematography, careful character work, and awards buzz. It’s the kind of film that proves streaming and cinema serve different appetites: at-home immersion for patient storytelling and in-theater spectacle for communal thrills.

Speaking of spectacle, Predator Badlands delivers a sharp franchise pivot by telling the hunt from the Predator’s perspective. A runt exiled, a cyborg ally, and a planet designed to kill—this R13 action-thriller blends creature feature energy with tight world-building. Early reviews are strong, and we dig into the exhibitor realities around R13 IDs, attendance patterns, and how word of mouth can turn a solid opener into a summer mainstay.

We also unpack Edgar Wright’s reimagining of The Running Man, leaning closer to Stephen King’s source novel than the Arnold classic. With Glenn Powell, Josh Brolin, and a satirical edge, it’s poised as an adult-skewing action drama that might surprise skeptics. Add a quick tour of the British and Irish Film Festival—Ralph Fiennes’s wartime choral drama, a charming seasonal standout, an icy Emma Thompson action piece—and a sleeper to watch in Sydney Sweeney’s The Housemaid, and you’ve got a stacked watchlist.

We close with fresh box office predictions for Predator Badlands and The Running Man and a few war stories from managing triple reschedules during rolling blackouts. If you’re into smart film talk, honest forecasts, and a mix of blockbuster and festival finds, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and tell us: which title are you seeing first?

Book your tickets to the movies at Cathay Cinemas Kerikeri here - or at Lido Cinema Hamilton here!