Little Screen

And here’s your fresh top streaming countdown, coming in hot off the streaming track!

That’s your streaming race for this week! Pick your contender and hit play—the race is on!

  • At number five, it’s High Potential making a strong showing! Kaitlin Olson’s single mom-turned-crime-solver with a 160 IQ is sprinting through season two on ABC, cracking cases while hunting for her missing boyfriend. She’s ABC’s fastest new breakout in seven years, proving this underdog has serious staying power!
  • Pushing hard at number four is Chad Powers, the comedy contender! Glen Powell goes undercover as a disgraced quarterback disguising himself to walk onto a struggling team on Hulu. This September 30 premiere is scoring touchdowns with heart, humor, and one outrageous prosthetic disguise that’s got viewers laughing all the way to the end zone!
  • Surging into third place is House of Guinness, the period drama powerhouse! Steven Knight’s Netflix series pours out the drama in 1860s Dublin as four Guinness siblings battle over the family brewing empire. From the Peaky Blinders creator, this one’s got the same intoxicating blend of style, danger, and family secrets![
  • Neck-and-neck at number two is Wayward, the thriller that won’t quit! Mae Martin and Toni Collette race through this Netflix mystery as escaped teens and a cop uncover the sinister truth behind a Vermont town’s troubled youth academy. Since its September 25 drop, it’s been giving viewers chills and keeping them wide awake!
  • And crossing the finish line first, still unbeaten at number one—Black Rabbit! Jude Law and Jason Bateman’s mob-infused family drama continues its dominant run on Netflix. This New York City crime saga hit the track September 18 and hasn’t looked back, delivering eight episodes of gritty thrills that keep it firmly in pole position!

That’s your streaming race for this week! Grab your popcorn, pick your favorite contender, and hit play. The race is on!

On Demand

Scrolling endlessly for something worth watching? Let’s put a stop to the search—this week’s Friday Night Film pick from Callan Bastin is just what your weekend plans need.

The Sound of Metal is my Friday pick, and the reason I’ve picked it is because this movie has done something really cool with its sound design. I’ve seen it done in other movies but Sound of Metal takes it to a whole other level in its execution.

From wild Coyotes to the rhythm of The Sound of Metal (jQXCZB3peAbJbD47Fg2iezpzpX3 2622637396)

Now based on the title you might assume, like I did, that the movie is about a metal band and it will be very loud and aggressive. But as the saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. It follows the story of Ruben, a drummer in a two piece metal band with his girlfriend as they tour the country from gig to gig, and then one day he just… loses his hearing. This is where the sound design comes into effect. The film’s creators, writer director brothers Abraham and Darius Marder, have been very clever. When Ruben first loses his hearing, they make the audience lose their hearing as well, and so whenever the story is being told from Rubens perspective you hear only muffled conversations, white noise or just silence. And what this does is drag you deeper into the story and the character’s lives. You can’t help but sympathise with Ruben, and it makes you understand how frustrating and isolating it must be to be deaf.

Thankfully the entire movie isn’t told from Rubens perspective but it does weave the moments of deafness throughout the movie beautifully as you go on this challenging and emotional journey with Ruben as he struggles to come to terms with his new reality.

All of this combined with some incredible acting from Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke and Paul Raci make for a deeply immersive movie experience, and it tops my list for favourite movie I’ve seen so far this year. 

Where to watch

Big Screen

Let’s talk movies — what’s new in cinemas this week in Canberra?

So, first up: Coyotes. It’s a wild one—literally. Kate Bosworth and Justin Long, who are actually married in real life, play a couple stuck in their Hollywood Hills home when a wildfire hits and, oh yeah, a pack of rabid coyotes shows up. It’s part survival thriller, part dark comedy, and the tagline? Eat the rich—so you know it’s got an edge. It just played at Fantastic Fest, and critics are calling it “bloody good fun.” Fun fact: Justin Long said no at first, but Kate read the script and said, “We’re doing this.” Smart move.​

From wild Coyotes to the rhythm of The Sound of Metal (image 14)
From wild Coyotes to the rhythm of The Sound of Metal (image 16)

Then there’s Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, with Jeremy Allen White—yes, the guy from The Bear—playing a young Bruce Springsteen. This isn’t just about the music. It’s about that moment when fame’s knocking, but you’re still trying to figure out who you are, especially with your past breathing down your neck.​

From wild Coyotes to the rhythm of The Sound of Metal (image 17)

And finally, Regretting You—a heartfelt drama about a mother and daughter, Morgan and Clara, who get hit by a devastating accident that uncovers a family secret. Suddenly, everything they thought they knew is up in the air, and they’ve got to rebuild—both their lives and their relationship.​

So, whether you’re in the mood for bloodthirsty coyotes, The Boss, or some emotional family healing, there’s something for you at the movies this week.

Movie Club

From wild Coyotes to the rhythm of The Sound of Metal (movie club)

Get your weekly fix of movie reviews, film news, and exclusive chats — all with a local vibe! Join Luke McWilliams and Marisa Martin as they review new to cinema releases:

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