A movie can have rough critic scores and still steamroll the box office, and this week’s numbers prove it. We come in buzzing about big upcoming releases (yes, we talk about the Odyssey trailer hype) and then immediately put our own forecasting skills on trial with a fresh round of box office predictions vs reality.

From there, we dig into what’s actually working for audiences right now. We recap the surprise strength of Michael and the huge opening for Devil Wears Prada (plus how advanced screenings can juice the totals), and we shout out a local win with Sergeant Honey. Then we pivot to new movies worth your time: Sheep Detectives delivers a clever family-friendly mystery with a genuinely funny hook, Mortal Kombat 2 brings R-rated franchise chaos with Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, and The Drama goes dark with a wedding-week confession that flips a relationship inside out.

We also get honest about the movie theater experience and the film industry economics behind the ticket counter: phones in the auditorium, rising fuel and delivery costs, and why some cinemas are drawing a hard line on Afterpay. If you care about movies, New Zealand cinema, and the future of affordable moviegoing, you’ll find plenty to argue with and plenty to agree with. Subscribe, share this with a movie friend, and leave a review with your best box office guess for next week.

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

A romantic comedy opens during school holidays and gets absolutely steamrolled at the box office. That one result kicks off a bigger conversation we all feel as moviegoers but rarely name out loud: release timing can matter as much as the movie itself. I’m joined by cinema insider Ross Churchell as we unpack how school-holiday crowds reshape programming, why adults and retirees “rediscover” the cinema right after the kids go back to school, and what that awkward in-between period means for New Zealand cinemas trying to keep seats filled.

Then we jump to what’s next on the big screen, starting with Exit 8, a Japanese psychological thriller based on a hit video game. A man trapped in a sterile subway loop has to spot tiny anomalies and follow strict rules to escape, and the concept sounds minimal until you realize how tense that can get. If you like high-concept thrillers, video game movies, or stories built around repetition and dread, this one is worth a trailer watch.

We also dig into the Michael Jackson biopic, talk about the music, the mythology, and what fan reactions can signal when critic scores lag behind. And we put real numbers on the line with our opening-week box office predictions for both Michael and the massive nostalgia play The Devil Wears Prada 2, including why the sequel could be a true runaway hit. If you enjoy movie news, box office predictions, and upcoming movies, hit play, subscribe, and share the show with a film friend, then leave us a review and tell us which opening weekend you think wins?

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

You can tell it’s the school holidays the moment the rain hits: queues get longer, faces get more stressed, and the same question keeps coming up at the counter. Will we get in. We kick things off with the moviegoing advice we wish every family heard before jumping in the car, from when to visit during peak holiday crowds to why booking ahead saves your whole day.

From there we zoom out into the New Zealand box office and what it reveals about timing. Why do some kids’ movies start slow and then surge. Why do holiday releases pop immediately. And why can a franchise like Super Mario pull massive numbers even when critics are grumpy. We also share the trailers that feel like genuine events, including the Michael Jackson docudrama and why it could be a true crowd magnet.

We then dig into the “nice surprise” corner of the schedule: You Me And Tuscany as a light Italy-set rom-com that people may need to discover, plus why we’re making space for language films like Adu 3 with English subtitles when locals request them. Finally, we preview what’s coming next, including Fuse, Solomio, and The History of Sound, a music-rich drama that deserves a proper cinema run.

If you like smart, friendly movie chat and practical cinema tips, subscribe, share this with a film-loving friend, and leave us a review. What are you seeing on the big screen next?

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