Neon continues to bring in a convoy of quality shows and films. See our handpicked highlights below followed by the full release schedule.
Top picks: TV
Not Even: Season 2 (September 4)
Every major city in the world deserves its own 20-somethings-figuring-themselves-out sitcom, even though New York seems to snap up most of them. Set in Wellington, this infectiously zippy comedy follows Pasifika and Māori hot messes as they fall in and out of love, grappling with their identities and how they might express them.
Season one saw the show’s chaotic crew tackle karaoke, camping, and disastrous whanau dinners, with each separate combo of the five lead characters resulting in hilariously out-of-pocket D&Ms. The sophomore season opens with a huge party, wherein some characters are trying to prove how much they’re growing and changing…while others are looking for a new squeeze to occupy their time.
Chimp Crazy (September 10)
“From the humans who brought you Tiger King“, here’s another deep dive into the despicable world of exotic animals and the strange folks who mistakenly think they own them. Formerly a nurse, our “hero” Tonia Mannix considers herself the “Dolly Parton of chimps”—whatever that means—forming such a close bond with one monkey in particular that authorities and animal rights groups are drawn into their bizarre relationship. Expect plenty of gawping at the single-minded “chimp mom” community, and perhaps some richer analysis of the perils of human-animal cohabitation.
The Penguin: Season 1 Premiere (September 20)
We’ve been waiting to see this spin-off to 2022’s The Batman for ages, with the first trailer dropping almost a year ago. Can a near-unrecognisable Colin Farrell get us hooked on Gotham’s sordid underbelly again? Pitched as a gritty gangland drama, the show follows Farrell as rising mobster Oz Cobb, keenly usurping the crown from fallen crime boss Carmine Falcone. Thing is, the dead guy’s daughter (the magnetic Christina Milioti) happens to be a psychopathic serial killer fresh outta Arkham, and she’s not going to give up her crooked inheritance without a fight.
Top picks: Movies
Force of Nature: The Dry 2 (September 8)
It seems like every prestige-y Australian story these days is about some sleuth uncovering the dark truth of a small-town mystery, in a remote locale such as a thirsty desert setting or foreboding woodlands. Eric Bana has ticked off both environs in his role as Agent Aaron Falk, returning in this sequel to get to the bottom of a work retreat gone horribly wrong. Featuring Jacqueline McKenzie and Anna Torv, the frostier, foresty follow-up to 2020’s outback noir The Dry takes place in the Victorian mountain ranges, with Falk trying to find out what happened to his informant after she disappears on a corporate hike.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another adaptation of Jane Harper’s novels on the way: maybe Falk could enjoy some surf next time around?
Wonka (September 13)
Pure imagination, or another bloodless cash-in on beloved intellectual property? I found this prequel, illuminating the early years of one Willy Wonka, to be mostly a delight, energised by Timothée Chalamet’s gamely silly lead performance. None of the movie’s original songs hold a candle to “Pure Imagination” or “The Candy Man”, but supporting turns from British TV talent such as Olivia Colman and Matt Lucas and director Paul King’s whimsical vision makes it a likeable affair overall.
Did you know that Willy Wonka likes chocolate not because it tastes good, but because it connects him to his late mum (Sally Hawkins)? Now’s your chance to find out such nuggets of backstory-building!
Drive-Away Dolls (September 15)
Who are the brothers Coen, without each other? Joel Coen gave us a moody, black-and-white Shakespeare adaptation back in 2021, and now his bro Ethan flexes an entirely different muscle with this lesbian screwball crime-comedy from last year. Starring Margaret Qualley and Australia’s Geraldine Viswanathan as out-of-their-depth leads, the scraggly neo-noir dumps the gals with a suitcase full of money, forcing them to dodge the greedy mitts of folks like Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon and Colman Domingo.
The Coens have always nailed tragicomedy: does this extremely charming effort show that Ethan’s the funny one? The truth is probably not so clear-cut, but I’d definitely rather hang out with this movie and a few beers on a Saturday night than Joel’s artful tragedy.
Everything Coming to Neon this September
September 1
Carmen
London Spy: Season 1
Reality
September 2
Holy Spider
Jules
September 3
Maggie Moore(s)
Merkel
My Sailor, My Love
September 4
Not Even: Season 2
Say Yes to the Dress: Seasons 20-21
September 5
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse
September 6
He Went That Way
Jamestown: Seasons 1-3
September 7
Under The Boardwalk
September 8
Force of Nature: The Dry 2
Teen Torture Inc.: Season 1
September 10
Chimp Crazy
The Losers
September 11
Reasonable Doubt: Seasons 4-5
September 12
Men In Black: International
The Prestige
September 13
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Wonka
September 14
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
September 15
Drive-Away Dolls
Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth: Season 1
September 16
MoviePass, MovieCrash
September 17
Edtv
Jeffrey Dahmer: Mind of a Monster
September 18
Fortunate Son: Season 1
September 19
My Big Fat Fabulous Life: Seasons 1-5
Venom
September 20
Lights Out
Mile 22
The Penguin: Season 1
September 21
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
September 22
The Last Rifleman
September 24
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
September 25
Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom
Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose: Season 1
September 26
Lethal Weapon 2
Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 4
Rescue: Hi-Surf: Season 1
September 27
Darcey & Stacey: Seasons 1-3
The Equalizer
The Equalizer 2
September 29
The Tomorrow War
September 30
Quad Gods
