Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Home Cinema Choice

Whoever said 'good things come in small packages' had never met REL's No.31, a premium subwoofer (p46) that's both very big and very good, but in this issue we are also looking at AV hardware that – if not physically 'small' – has at least been designed to slot discreetly into a regular living room. Which is something you'd struggle to do with the 52kg REL! So if your home cinema passion always comes with space-saving strings attached, Marantz's slender Cinema 70s AV receiver (p58), System Audio's on-wall Saxo loudspeakers (p50), and soundbars from Sony and JBL (p62 and p68) could be right up your street. And for a new TV, both our LG and Samsung cover stars might be vision-filling 65in models, but they sport super-slim designs that will…

US brand Emotiva is continuing with its 'bang-for-your-buck' ethos by adding a multichannel processor and AV receiver to its entry-level BasX range. Both the MC1 (processor) and MR1 (receiver) are savvy with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, plus HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, although HDMI connectivity – six inputs and twin outputs, one with eARC – is to the 2.0b standard, rather than 2.1. Selling for £2,300, Emotiva's new AVR is an 11-channel model with support for 13-channel setups (using an additional stereo power amp). For the power plant, the company has adopted the hybrid topology of its higher-end XPA models, where a Class A/B output stage is fed by a Class H 'stepped rail' power supply (with 1kVA transformer), for improved efficiency. The claimed grunt is 100W/ 8ohm, measured with all…

The DC cinematic universe is heading to a theatre near you soon. Batman and his super pals are jumping onto the live event bandwagon, with an all-new DC in Concert Series. HCC went along to the first performance of The Batman In Concert, at London's Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, and can report that Michael Giacchino's score is even more dramatic when heard live, orchestra at full tilt. It's creepy, dramatic and often pulse-pounding. Movies with live symphonic accompaniment have proved a huge draw in recent years, with titles from the Star Wars and Harry Potter... franchises, plus Christmas classics, proving particularly popular. Now DC wants in on the action. The Batman is the first in its blockbuster lineup of live music with movie events. We can also look forward to orchestrally…

AMAZON HAS LAUNCHED its own range of Fire TV-powered flatscreens in the UK, led by a QLED flagship 4K model dubbed the Omni. The move is a serious escalation by the online giant, as it looks to establish itself as a genuine force in connected TV. We've seen sets running the Fire TV OS before (from the likes of JVC and Toshiba), but this is the first time Amazon is using its platform to compete with the likes of Sony and Samsung – and it's not content with being a budget-priced pick-up either. The new own-brand Fire TVs don't skimp on features. At their European unveiling, I had a chance to take a close look at the range, and was impressed by both their functionality (not always a strong point…

A. Lounging around Modular Modena seating from specialist manufacturer Cineca, including two chaise longues, accommodates up to four film fans B. Hide and see The projector is housed separately from the main space, offering a reduction in potential noise and giving the room a sleeker overall finish KIT CHECKLIST (CINEMA) JVC: DLA-NZ7 4K/8K eShift laser projector SCREEN RESEARCH: DecorMask projector screen ANTHEM: MRX-1140 11-channel AV receiver PARADIGM: 3 xCI-Pro-P3 (LCR); 4 xCI-Pro-P1 (surrounds) 4 xCI-Pro P80-R (height); 4 xRVC-12SQ in-wall subwoofers; 2 xX-850 subwoofer amplifiers KALEIDESCAPE: Strato S 6TB movie server PANASONIC: DP-UB9000 Ultra HD Blu-ray player APPLE: Apple TV 4K DUNE: Dune HD media player CINECA: Modena seating CONTROL4: Lighting and automation CINEMA BUILD SYSTEMS: Stretch fabric system THIS PRO INSTALL, from Midlands-based Reel Home Cinema, aims to deliver…

True, this is nothing new for Marantz, as the company has offered a 'slimline' AV receiver for quite a few years now. The Cinema 70s succeeds the NR1711 (see HCC #318) and the NR1200 – a stereo product with HDMI switching that has yet to be replaced. And while some won't see the need for a slender AVR, it earns immediate points for being incredibly gorgeous. The most notable change is, of course, the new retro-tinged design language, which started kicking around with Marantz's Model 30 integrated hi-fi amp, and SACD 30n disc spinner, in 2020, but has now been applied to all new Marantz models, including the latest batch of AV receivers. This new aesthetic harks back to Marantz's storied past (founded in New York in the 1950s by…

WWW.CAMBRIDGEAUDIO.COM/£449 IF YOUR AV receiver’s onboard streaming capabilities are a little lacklustre, with key streaming services ignored and high-spec file formats off the menu, then Cambridge Audio's MXN10 could be just the ticket. The company has been making network audio players for a comparatively long time, and the £449 MXN10 uses the fourth generation of its StreamMagic platform. This can handle material to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512, and supports Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer and Spotify along with AirPlay2, Chromecast, Roon compatibility and Bluetooth (v5.0), with decoding done via an ESS ES9033Q DAC. It's a simple-looking device, available in just the one finish ('Lunar Grey'). The aluminium front panel has a power button and four preset keys for quick internet radio or playlist selection. Rear connectivity consists of RCA analogue outputs, accompanied…

AV INFO PRODUCT: Sealed, 12in subwoofer POSITION: Entry-level range, above 10in and 8in models PEERS: SVS SB-3000 Pro; Klipsch RP-1200SW; M&K Sound V12+ TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers M&K SOUND'S V12 is, as the name might suggest, a subwoofer with a 12in driver. At the time I bought it, the company's range of bassmakers was fairly simple, with the larger X Series using a push-pull driver configuration, and the V Series taking a simpler and more compact approach. The largest driver used by both series was 12in, so for reasons of budget and space I chose the V12. Since then, M&K Sound has added the X+ and V+ Series to its lineup, which not only increase the output but now go up to 15 inches in woofer…

DVD can still deliver! I disagree with Mark Craven on the quality of the DVD picture (Digital Copy, HCC #340). I have a JVC N5 4K projector aimed at an 8ft-wide CinemaScope screen with a viewing distance of 11ft and a 4K Panasonic player. I was concerned that my old DVDs would look terrible upscaled to 4K but the majority look fine and some look even better than on my last HD-only projector, in particular my Thunderbirds boxset and a lot of BFI's British Transport Films. The 4:3 pictures are about 4ft 6ins wide. One revelation is the 1961 Rock Hudson film Come September, shown at full 8ft-wide CinemaScope ratio – it outperforms some of my Blu-rays for detail and clarity. Admittedly, the DVDs are never going to look as…

Girl power M3GAN➜Warner Bros./Universal ➜ Blu-ray Hollywood's tried-and-trusted 'killer doll' genre gets a sci-fi/ AI overhaul in the Blumhouseproduced box office sensation M3GAN – we boot up the UK Blu-ray release for some darkly comic thrills on p93…

A year-and-a-half after it opened in cinemas – and some 14 months on from its Disney+ debut – Wes Anderson's enjoyable (and typically whimsical) ode to the power of journalism finally makes its UK disc debut with this HMV-exclusive Blu-ray. While the 1080p encode (colour and B&W, various aspect ratios) and DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundmix are as good as you'd hope, there are no extras, which will make Disney+ subscribers at least question whether it's really worth bothering with. Perhaps this disc is best viewed as a placeholder until the inevitable Criterion Collection Blu-ray do-over. MC ★★★★☆…

➜Star Trek: The Next Generation – 4-Movie Collection Bringing together Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and original series hero Captain Kirk (William Shatner) for the very first time, you would expect Star Trek: Generations (1994) to be a real event movie, an epic celebration of all that is great about the franchise. But what you get is a film that's bafflingly small in scale, content to retread ideas already done better in both series. It also fumbles fan-favourite characters (Data) when it’s not ignoring them completely (Beverly Crusher and Worf), before giving Kirk the most underwhelming send-off imaginable. Star Trek: First Contact (1996) features TNG’s best bad guys (the Borg) in a far more satisfying bigscreen outing. It's not without the odd cheesy moment and once…

Lovers of David Cronenberg's mind-bending take on William S. Burroughs' 'unfilmable' 1959 novel will get a kick out of this UHD upgrade. The high point, of course, is the beautifully realised 4K restoration, the improvements in resolution, clarity, black levels and colour fidelity (aided by a Dolby Vision grade) doing wonders for the film's parade of mugwumps, beetle typewriters and other gonzo practical effects work. DTS-HD MA 2.0 and 5.1 mixes provide ample sonic support, particularly the latter. In addition to plenty of vintage extras, Arrow adds a second commentary, new interviews and a video essay. AvB…

I'M HOLDING A joypad, in a dark, dank cellar. The moans of the undead surround me. The lines between virtual and reality are becoming increasingly blurred and my skin is crawling. Then one of the undead offers me a beer. 'We've got pizza too,' he says cheerfully. Your AV Avenger is in The House of Detention, an infamous 18th century prison, in Clerkenwell, London. I've committed no crime. Rather, I've been brought to this godforsaken place to experience Resident Evil 4: The Remake, on Sony's new Inzone H9 gaming headphones, in 360 spatial audio. Once featured on Living TV's Most Haunted, the venue is cold, dark and creepy. A headless corpse grasps one of the cell doors, as if trying to look out (not easy when you're missing your noggin').…

Red Eye A long overdue 4K BD upgrade on the mid-2000s DVD release of Wes Craven's slick thriller, complete with expanded extras. V/H/S/99 This fifth instalment in the series of retro found-footage horror anthologies, out on BD, is one of the strongest (and strangest) yet! Young Sherlock Holmes A welcome Blu-ray debut for this fun 1985 Amblin adventure – the real mystery is the total lack of bonus features. Creeping Horror Eureka unleashes another Blu-ray boxset of four stunningly restored 1930/'40s thrillers and chillers from the Universal vaults. More please! Fast & Furious 9 With Fast X in cinemas soon (p10), a rewatch on 4K BD was in order to remember who's alive, who's dead, and who's back from the dead.…

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 May 3: Having now taken over rivals DC Studios, filmmaker James Gunn bids farewell to Marvel with this third outing for Star-Lord and his gang of misfits, as secrets from Rocket’s past threaten to break up the team for good. Fast X May 19: Jason 'Aquaman' Momoa, playing the villain's son from Fast Five, is out for revenge on Dom (Vin Diesel), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) et al in the first instalment of the two-part finale to the Fast & Furious saga. The Little Mermaid May 26: Chicago’s Rob Marshall helms this live-action remake of Disney’s 1989 animated classic, with Halle Bailey stepping into the flippers of mermaid princess Ariel, and Melissa McCarthy camping it up as treacherous sea witch Ursula.…

May 1 The Amazing Maurice American Flyers Chapelwaite: Season One Deep Impact 4K Fandango God of Gamblers Picnic at Hanging Rock: Ltd Ed 4K Samurai 7 Collection Val Lewton Double Feature May 8 The Beta Test The Four Musketeers 4K [1974] Riding High RoboCop: The Complete Series The Three Musketeers 4K [1973] Wish You Were Here [1987] May 15 The Bride Wore Black Chucky: Season Two The Inspection The Italian Job 4K [2003] Knock at the Cabin 4K Out: The Complete Series She Dies Tomorrow The Sister Boniface Mysteries: S2 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – S1 Twilight [1990] Yakuza Graveyard May 22 Andrzej Zulawski: Three Films Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K Five Corners Go [2001] Hopping Mad: Mr. Vampire Sequels Marcel the Shell With Shoes On 4K…

£3,000 Atmos movie maestro – built by Mark Craven YOU CAN, THANKS to the proliferation of Dolby Atmos soundbars and TVs with built-in systems, assemble an Atmos audio AV rig for far less than £3,000. But if you want to go down the traditional separates-based route, this sort of price tag seems like a good place to start. And the nature of such a system means it has future upgrade and expansion potential. Swapping one component doesn't mean changing everything else. It's still a fairly tight budget, however, and with the desire here for fully discrete Atmos audio the TV choice is an area where I've looked to skimp. Not for me a new, 2023-era flagship OLED, as a set like Samsung's QE65S95C (p42) would blow my budget. Instead, I've…

Can REL's big, bold and beautiful Reference Series No.31 subwoofer sound as high-end as it looks? We put this 52kg monster through its paces with sci-fi, crime drama and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. See p46.…

System Audio, self-proclaimed maker of 'cool Scandinavian loudspeakers', isn't one for gigantic cabinets and ostentatious designs. Even its flagship model, the three-way Silverback Legend 60.2 floorstander, is a slender thing, and its entry-level Saxo series is similarly petite. Particularly the on-wall models. There are various reasons why you might opt for an on-wall loudspeaker installation. Most obviously, it saves you carpet space, which could be vital in a compact room. It might be the only way you can get the loudspeakers in their optimal positions. And you might just prefer the discreet style of on-wall speakers, and the idea of adding a system by stealth. System Audio's Saxo range comprises eight models. Five of these use conventional cabinets (the Saxo 60 and 40 floorstanders, and the 1, 5 and 10…

AV INFO PRODUCT: Single-box Dolby Atmos soundbar with expansion potential POSITION: Mid-level in Sony's current lineup PEERS: JBL Bar 800; Samsung HW-Q800B CONSCIENTIOUSLY SPECIFIED AND irresistibly upgradable, the Sony HT-A5000 is a next-generation soundbar with a deceptively attractive price. Sporting three forward-facing X-Balanced (which is to say they're more bassy than you might expect) drivers, two side-firing beam tweeters, a pair of height speakers, and dual integrated woofers, it's classified as a 5.1.2 sound system. There's DTS:X support as well as de facto Dolby Atmos, a claimed 450W of amplification and a 4K/120Hz capable HDMI input. Not bad for £699. The thing is, if you buy one, you'll want to spend more. Much more… The HT-A5000 sits below the £1,099 500W Sony HT-A7000 (HCC #326). That model is classified as…

WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK/£139 FOR THE THIRD generation of its Fire TV Cube, Amazon has given its premium media player a Borg-worthy update, improving both HDMI and wireless connectivity. If you’re in the market for a top-notch streamer, resistance may well be futile. This is the first Fire TV device to offer an HDMI 2.1 input, alongside its ARC connection, to accommodate a set-top box or webcam. When I connected a Virgin Media V6 cable box, the Cube immediately recognised it and integrated remote and voice control. Additional connections include an IR extender, Ethernet port and USB. The top of the unit offers familiar Alexa mic and volume keys. Wireless connectivity gets a boost with support for Wi-Fi 6E. The solid Cube case favoured by previous generations has also been replaced by a…

AN ACQUAINTANCE OF mine, whose name I will not divulge to spare them from embarrassment, recently revealed that they watched the threeepisode ITV drama series You & Me in reverse order. They hadn’t been aware of this until I pointed out that what they considered episode three was actually episode one. The show does jump around between time-lines so I can kinda see how they might have not noticed everything was happening backwards, but still… How did this happen? They blamed the presentation of the ITVX streaming service they used to watch the show. And, in their defence, the mistake they made is one I almost made myself when I went to ITVX to investigate, as for some weird reason the first episode displayed at the top of the You…

➜ Babylon The fourth film from writer-director Damien Chazelle, Babylon follows the fortunes of various characters in Los Angeles involved in the movie business as it makes the transition from silents to sound – in particular ageing actor Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), ambitious newcomer Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie), and Mexican immigrant Manuel Torres (Diego Calva). Everything about this homage to the early days of Hollywood screams excess. From the film's three-hour-plus runtime to the multitude of characters, the scale of the production or the chaos and debauchery it depicts, there's nothing about Babylon that could be considered in any way small. This isn't a problem during a first half where the madcap energy keeps driving things forward, but as the movie progresses the lack of more personal, intimate moments means…

WWE 2K23 2K Games ➜ PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC ➜ £65 Taking over an established franchise is always a daunting task. Visual Concepts found out exactly why when it grabbed sole control of the WWE game series a few years ago, and it's first release – WWE 2K20 – was an unmitigated disaster. However, with extra development time and plenty of hindsight, the studio pulled things around significantly, resulting in last year's effort being one of the best WWE titles we've had since the Raw vs Smackdown days. It comes as no surprise, then, that WWE 2K23 is an iterative update, with tweaks and enhancements rather than new ideas. While relatively minor, these create an even better game and one that's essential for any fan…

Tobe Hooper's 1974 horror was shot on a tiny budget, but it looks a million bucks in 4K. Second Sight's restoration fills the screen with detailing that belies the film's 16mm origins, and the HDR10/DV grades return a long-absent lustre to the sun-kissed photography. A new Atmos remix, meanwhile, proves surprisingly immersive over time – although purists might want to stick to the original LPCM mono. A wealth of extras, including five commentaries and multiple documentaries, completes a brilliant release of this legendary film. AvB…

IT IS PERHAPS telling that comparatively little contemporaneous interview material exists for the final part of George Lucas's original Star Wars trilogy compared to the two films that preceded it. After all, while Return of the Jedi was the most hotly anticipated film of 1983 (if not all time, at that point), its production was anything but smooth. And although it cleaned up at the box office, it remains one of the more audience-splitting instalments in the entire Star Wars saga; some claiming it to be an exciting and emotional climax to the Luke/Leia/Vader story, others seeing it as little more than a glorified toy commercial. 'The movies are so popular and successful. George [Lucas] knew what he wanted, and he got what he wanted,' reflected co-writer Lawrence Kasdan on…

WWW.HOMECINEMACHOICE.COM Amazon Fire TV Omni ➜www.amazon.co.uk Amazon has integrated the Fire TV smart platform, already seen on its media players, into a range of TVs. Leading the line is the Omni, a 4K set with QLED panel available from 43in (£550) to 65in (£999). HDR functionality includes Dolby Vision and HDR10+, while picture performance is honed by a full-array local dimming backlight and adaptive brightness processing. Other feature highlights include Freeview Play, 'Ambient Experience' mode and – naturally – integrated Alexa voice assistant. See p18 for more. HCC ONLINE… For breaking AV news, blogs, features and reviews visit www.homecinemachoice.com Follow us on Twitter @hccmag Like us on Facebook facebook.com/homecinemachoice…

Klipsch has launched a quartet of subwoofers to complement its range-topping Reference Premiere II loudspeakers. The models are on sale now in the UK, via distributor Henley Audio. Beginning with the RP-1000SW at £899, which uses a 10in driver, and progressing through 12in (£1,099), 14in (£1,399) and 16in (£1,849) iterations, the new subs all feature single, frontfiring Cerametallic woofers, copper-coloured to match their passive siblings. Power comes from Class D amplifier stages (rated from 600W to 1,600W peak depending on model). The RP series cabinets are ported via a wide, aerofoil slot design, and finished in scratchresistant ebony vinyl. Connections are on RCA/LFE, plus a port for Klipsch's WA-2 wireless transmission kit (sold separately), while controls are offered for gain, low-pass filter and phase – there's no app option or…

Available soon in screen sizes from 55in to 85in, the C64 Series from TCL is the Chinese TV giant's latest QLED range. Prices are TBC, but we expect these entry-level models to be on the right side of affordable. Headline features are multi-HDR compatibility, a claimed 450-nit peak brightness, Android TV smarts (with hands-free Google Assistant voice interaction) and Freeview Play. TCL's AIPQ engine, now in its third-generation, tackles image optimisation including Motion Clarity processing. HDMI connections are described as 2.1, but the C64's 120Hz refresh rate is delivered by 'unique algorithms', and is limited to 1080p resolution. The sets feature a 'bezelless' design and are supplied with dual-position feet. www.tcl.com/uk…

Tech Talk #18 Audio streaming is so ubiquitous at this point that it's highly unlikely anyone reading this article makes no use of it at all. But within this blanket and fairly uncontroversial statement lies a more complicated reality: many of us use an on-demand music streaming service but a considerable number of people also stream from a library of their own content, stored on a network drive or PC. Often, a device that supports both these functions will tie them together into a single app, but those libraries remain distinct; your music is yours and you go to your streaming service to listen to that. Enter Roon. At the most basic level, this music management system blurs those boundaries into something more cohesive. It has its origins in the…

'OH WOW, I better get off my butt because somebody is doing this stuff, you know, and they're beating me to it,' remembers James Cameron of his reaction to seeing George Lucas' 1977 space opera Star Wars. His response, at the age of 24, was to raise $20,000 from a consortium of dentists to fund a science-fiction short he had written with a friend. Although the resulting 10-minute film, Xenogenesis (1978), wasn't enough to persuade the investors to hand over the additional money needed to expand it into a feature, it proved the perfect showreel to land Cameron a job in the art department at Roger Corman's New World Pictures. And it didn't take long for this talented, if brash, newcomer to make a name for himself. When the original…

AV INFO PRODUCT: Premium 4K HDR OLED TV POSITION: Above LG's new C3 sets, which don't get the MLA panel technology PEERS: Samsung QE65S95C; Sony XR65A95K The story, trailed at this year's CES, is that the G3 is the first LG TV to utilise an MLA (Micro Lens Array) panel. This new iteration of OLED, created by panel-beater LG Display, features a sheet of tiny lenses to better focus its light output, and thereby reduce previously wasted illumination. On the G3, this is augmented by some fascinating extra tech, marketed as Brightness Booster Max. A combination of advanced brightness-boosting algorithms, made possible by the set's all-powerful a9 AI Processor Gen6, plus 'Light Control Architecture', which is effectively a hardware heatsink, creates more headroom for brighter peak whites. This G3 is…

THERE'S WIRELESS, AND then there's wireless. JBL's Bar 1000, one model below its flagship Bar 1300 system, continues the brand's trend of going the extra mile regards cable-clutter by featuring battery-powered surround speakers, rather than the more widespread wireless-but-needs-a-mains-plug approach. So it's off to a good start if your cable hiding skills aren't up to scratch. The Bar 1000 is designated a 7.14 system, with those aforementioned surround modules including both front-firing and upfiring drivers. These slot onto the ends of the main enclosure to recharge their internal batteries (rated at 10 hours), during which time the soundbar is still usable, although no buyer would deliberately run it in this configuration – not least because JBL sells plenty of standard soundbars for less than the £849 demanded here. The main…

IN MY LAST column (HCC #339) I wrote that Hollywood studio giants Warner Bros. and Walt Disney were both celebrating 100th anniversaries this year, albeit in very different ways: one (WB) revealing it would be pledging more support to physical media, the other (WD) definitely not. As much as it might annoy me, I could at least understand this if – as has been repeatedly stated – the House of Mouse was prioritising its Disney+ streaming platform over physical media. I wouldn't like it, but I'd get it. Trouble is… I just don't see it. Oh, sure, for new cinematic blockbusters and smallscreen Marvel and Star Wars spin-offery, Disney+ is the first (if not only) port of call. However, when it comes to films that aren't fresh from the multiplex…

Welcome to the AV-Holic Hall of Fame – introduce yourself! I'm Steve George, a solicitor, aged 48. How long have you been into home cinema? I've been into movies as far back as I can remember! My parents had a corner shop in the mid '80s and, being life-long movie fans themselves, they converted part of it into a video shop. They had around 3,000 tapes and that meant an endless supply of films for an impressionable teenager (me). I then became interested in home cinema in the mid-'90s. I had a friend that invited me to his place one evening to see his brand-new (rented!) 29in TV with 'surround sound.' I remember he put on Goldeneye and demo'd the helicopter hijack sequence at the harbour. I recall him excitedly…

You can't fault Indicator for choosing Jean Rollin's 1971 erotic vampire masterpiece for its first 4K BD. Whatever the film lacks in traditional narrative, it makes up for with psychedelic visuals, the striking Bava-esque use of colour really benefiting from the Dolby Vision HDR pass. And away from colour reproduction, this 4K image excels in revealing textures and presenting an authentic grain field. Informative extras include commentaries, interviews and several even saucier clips from the 'Export' version of the movie. AvB…

→ M3GAN The brainchild of roboticist Gemma (Alison Williams), M3GAN – aka Model 3 Generative Android – is the ultimate high-tech toy, a life-size AI doll designed to act as a child's best friend. Therefore, when workaholic Gemma becomes guardian to her recently orphaned niece Cady (Violet McGraw), she sees it as the perfect opportunity to give M3GAN a test run – and soon discovers she's created a bot in serious need of a firmware update. From 'The Ventriloquist's Dummy' segment of Ealing's Dead of Night(1945) to Chucky's regular rampages (1988-present), creepy 'living' dolls have been a mainstay of the horror genre throughout its existence. M3GANadds nothing particularly new (the 2019 Child's Playreboot used a similar AI setup), but pulls off its morality tale about parenting in the 21st century…

LOOKING FOR NEW SPEAKERS? Our Top 15 guide is here to help HCC RATINGS KEY… TOP 15 Televisions Sony XR-55A95K ➜ £2,399 ★★★★★ The Japanese giant’s debut Quantum Dot OLED flatscreen adds a little extra refinement and balance to the technology's colour and contrast charms. Immersive sonics come via Sony's Acoustic Surface system. Style and build quality dazzle too. HCC #336 TOP 5 New releases Roald Dahl's Matilda: The Musical Brilliant bigscreen adaptation of the stage musical based on Roald Dahl’s beloved 1988 book. Sony's BD offers an immaculate picture, boisterous sonics and almost no extras. HCC #340 ★★★★☆ The Banshees of Inisherin Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson’s feuding friends spark laughter and tears in Martin 'In Bruges' McDonagh's awardwinning Irish fable. Strikinglooking BD release skimps a bit on the…