The best things from Australia and Aotearoa to watch this weekend
This Anzac Day, our free-to-air TV channels will screen a variety of commemorative coverage. At 11am, TVNZ1 has live coverage of the Anzac Day National Commemorative Service in Wellington. Over on Whakaata Māori you'll find the Anzac Day Gallipoli Service 2025, live from Anzac Cove at 12.45pm, followed by a full day of Anzac-themed content. A highlight will be Ngā Kiri Kāpia, a documentary revealing the untold tales from soldiers who served in the Māori Battalion as veteran Tā Robert 'Bom' Gillies returns to Monte Casino one last time.
But as the long weekend extends beyond Friday, it's also the perfect time to dive into a piece of classic New Zealand cinema, or binge your way through a beautiful reality series that tests the tenacity of our neighbours, or simply watch some Aussie jokers playing lawn bowls. Whatever your Antipodean yearnings this long weekend, we've got you covered with our list of film and TV recommendations from both sides of the Tasman. Happy watching.
The Summit (TVNZ+)
In another powerful union between Aotearoa and Australia, The Summit takes a bunch of Aussies from all walks of life and drops them in the Southern Alps with the sole purpose of climbing a mountain with one million dollars strapped to their backs. Along with the obvious physical challenges, there are a plethora of thrilling obstacles put in their way, and a mysterious mountainkeeper who throws out gamechanging dufflebags every few days to keep things interesting. If they don't make it to the peak in time, they go home empty-handed, which also leads to some cutthroat Lord of the Flies-esque eliminations. One for people who love watching Alone, Survivor, The Bridge, and Kathmandu commercials. / Alex Casey
Sleeping Dogs (TVNZ+)
After years of hearing Sleeping Dogs pop up in discussions about New Zealand's greatest ever films, I finally watched it recently. Reader, I can see why everyone's obsessed with Sam Neill now. Based on C.K. Stead's debut novel and directed by local legend Roger Donaldson, Sleeping Dogs ask: if New Zealand fell into a totalitarian regime, would you revolt?
Were there some subpar performances from supporting actors? Yes. Did some of the scene transitions jar? Also yes. But the story of a man caught up in a revolution, complete with scenes of violent protest in downtown Auckland, felt like a Big Movie in a Small Country. As a viewing experience in 2025, I was pleasantly surprised. As a viewing experience nearly 50(!) years ago when it was released in 1977? I can only imagine. Worth a watch. / Mad Chapman
Hui Hoppers (TVNZ+)
Joyful, hilarious, educational and unapologetically Māori – season two of Hui Hoppers is a standout that could've easily run twice as long and I still would've binged it in one sitting. I'll admit, I wasn't sold on the first season. Maybe I was just grumpy, but the humour felt a bit dry and the show seemed hesitant to fully lean in. This time around, that's all changed. The comedy is sharper, the wit is pure Māori gold, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once.
Anchored by half-sisters Anahera and Kura, this season introduces the 'Pādashians' – a gloriously extra crew of cousins decked out in designer fits, always ready to stir the pot. From the first episode's showcasing of mokopapa, to the emotional beats around taonga and the development of whenua, Hui Hoppers tackles everyday kaupapa with heart and humour. The kai consistently looks delicious (especially the bliss balls), the writing is clever and grounded, and the whole thing hums with the energy of a show made by Māori, for Māori – and for anyone else smart enough to tune in. / Liam Rātana
Round the Twist (YouTube)
Nary a day goes by where I am not thinking about something from Round the Twist, the buzzy 90s Australian kids' show inspired by the twisted stories of Paul Jennings. Centred around a single father and his family who live in a spooky lighthouse on the rugged Victorian coast, each episode is a surreal saga that asks the question: 'have you ever, ever felt like this?' From the skeleton on the dunny, to the Shrek-green baby in the cabbage patch, to a stomach-churning spaghetti eating contest, I can't think of a better Aussie nostalgia hit for millennials over the long weekend. Even better if you can watch it on one of those old TVs on wheels. / AC
Mataku (NZ On Screen)
Speaking of spooky sagas from the 90s, I can also recommend dipping your toes into Mataku (there's a couple of episodes on NZ On Screen, and more on YouTube if you know your way around a search bar). Hosted by Temuera Morrison, the 'Māori Twilight Zone' anthology weaves Māori mythology and contemporary issues together in a truly singular series, exploring everything from a photograph that steals people's life force to the role of patupaiarehe (fairies) in a missing person's case. As Erin Harrington wrote in our Top 100 countdown: 'Mataku highlights the power of ghost stories to entertain and challenge audiences, while offering deep insight into the way the present and the past are inextricably connected. It's well-worth revisiting.' / AC
Fake (ThreeNow)
Asher Keddie and David Wenham star in this Australian psychological drama about a magazine writer named Birdie (Keddie) who meets a successful businessman on a dating app and quickly falls for him. Birdie wants love more than anything else, and despite her initial reservations, convinces herself she's found the perfect match and the ideal future — until she slowly starts to uncover her new love's sticky web of lies and deceit. It's a quiet, slow burn of a series, but Keddie and Wenham both give impressive performances, and the fact that the series is inspired by a true story makes the deception and tension feel even more creepy. / Tara Ward
50 Ways of Saying Fabulous (TVNZ+)
This funny and sweet coming of age film is set in Central Otago's drought-parched summer of 1975. It's an uplifting, yet not uncomplicated, portrayal of growing up gay in small-town New Zealand, complete with kids cycling around at night, pressure to play rugby and plenty of gumboots and plaid. The chubby 12-year-old protagonist, Billy, is trying to be a 'good kiwi bloke' but finds that he prefers to pin a long ponytail on the back of his hat, pretend to be a female astronaut, befriend the new weird kid at school and indulge in looking at the new farmhand. The casting is incredible, to the point where it feels like the characters are simply playing themselves. This is no coincidence – Stewart Main, the director, wanted the leads to be 'authentic country kids' and spent several months on the road auditioning children for the roles. Fabulous! / Gabi Lardies
Runt (Rent on AroVision, Prime Video, Apple TV+)
This is a story for the whole family. A cheeky little stray (a Hairy Mclary-ish mutt) is given a home by Annie Shearer (played by Lily LaTorre), a young girl who lives on a farm with her mum (Australian comedy legend Celeste Barber), dad, and mad older brother who films outrageous stunts and puts them online. Based on the beloved novel by Craig Silvey, there's a old-timey, surreal tone to this film that is essentially about finding out who you really are. It's set in contemporary times (they have the internet) but the clothing is vintage and the rustic, rural town, parched with lack of rain, feels like it's from the 1950s. The effect is a classic, cosy and slightly camp movie about a small child and an even smaller dog who beat the odds against greed and treachery and weather. / Claire Mabey
Goodbye Pork Pie (TVNZ+)
I've been trying to fill out my New Zealand film education of late, and while I've long felt intrinsically familiar with the vibe of Goodbye Pork Pie, I realised I had actually never seen Goodbye Pork Pie. A few minutes into the road trip classic on TVNZ+, I realised this mythological 'vibe' I had absorbed (best described as Herbie: Fully Loaded: Down Under, which I also haven't seen) could not have been further from reality. This movie is an absolute madcap coming-of-age caper down the country with heaps of raunch and mischief and Buster Keaton level slapstick stunts. Sure, some of the jokes haven't aged well and the gender politics are pretty weird, but there are also so many thrilling and iconic locations around the country that you'll be doing your best Leo-pointing-at-the-telly impression in no time. Long live the Blondini gang! / AC
Happiness (ThreeNow)
New Zealand's first ever musical sitcom is a cross between Schitt's Creek and Glee, with a cast of quirky, affectionate characters who'd also be right at home in small-town Brokenwood. Created by actor-writer Kip Chapman (Hudson and Halls) and composer Luke Di Somma (That Bloody Woman, The Unruly Tourists), Happiness tells the story of Charlie (Harry McNaughton), a Broadway director who's forced to return to his home town of Tauranga, where he reluctantly becomes involved in the local amateur theatre society. Also starring Rebecca Gibney and Peter Hambleton, Happiness is an upbeat show full of charm and joy that will keep you warm through these colder autumn nights. / TW
Crackerjack (Rent on Arovision, YouTube)
If your idea of classic Australian cinema is The Castle but you've already rewatched that so many times you can recite the entire script from memory, may I suggest the next best thing: Crackerjack. Released in 2002 (five years after The Castle), it's got a similar lo-fi warmth, underdog story and hard case cast of characters, led by Mick Molloy as a lazy schemer who joins his local bowls club to take advantage of the free parking, only to be forced to show up and start playing when he learns the club (and his parking spot) is at risk of being shut down by a greedy developer (John Clarke). I spent about a week googling local bowls clubs and thinking about joining them after watching this – yet another example of the power of cinema. / Calum Henderson
Boy (TVNZ+)
Say what you want about Taika Waititi now (his social media presence certainly raises an eyebrow) but Boy really is one of the best movies of the 21st Century. It swept the nation upon release 15 years ago, leading to the inevitable swing back to wondering if it was all a bit overhyped. Lucky for us all, it has only sweetened with age. A near perfect pacing, with an ensemble performance the likes of which we may never see again, Boy simply cannot disappoint these days. And with a bit of distance, a rewatch will have you crying more than you thought possible, in between reliving the immortal one-liners. A hilarious, devastating, beautiful film. / MC
Secrets at Red Rocks (Neon, Sky Open)
Based on the award-winning novel by Rachael King, family drama Secrets at Red Rocks tells the story of 12-year-old Jake (Korban Knock), who discovers a mysterious sealskin that unlocks a secret spell. It's a tale of adventure with a touch of the supernatural, as Māori myth and Celtic legends, sprites and silkies are woven through Jake's coming-of-age story. There's shades of The Secret of Roan Inish here too, but the show is set amid Wellington's wild, unpredictable coastline, which provides a rich and evocative background that's full of both beauty and foreboding. One for all the family to enjoy together. / TW
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