All the entertainment you'll need for the month of June on the small and big screens, plus books to lose yourself in and new albums to rock out to.

Viewing on the big screen

Elvis This biopic tells the story of The King’s life and career, from childhood to his unprecedented fame, with director Baz Luhrman’s signature glitz and glamour. Two things are for sure: it will be a visual and aural feast, and if the reactions of Elvis Presley’s family members are anything to go by, it will wring the emotions right out of you.

Lightyear Calling Star Command, 90s kids and Pixar fans of all ages – nearly 30 years after Toy Story first took a generation to infinity and beyond, we’re finally getting to see the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the intrepid space ranger that inspired the action figure. This tale of intergalactic adventure will have a whole new generation of kids begging for a set of Buzz Lightyear bedsheets.

Watcher A striking and suspenseful take on the old-fashioned thriller genre with a modern, feminist twist. Julia is a young actress, just moved to a new town with her boyfriend, unable to speak the local language and nervous of the news that there’s a serial killer in town. Alone and isolated while her boyfriend works, Julia starts to realise she’s being constantly watched.

Bingewatching on the small screen

The Future Of… How might technology develop and evolve in the future, and how it might affect our daily lives? The 12-part docuseries covers some surprising predictions about the rest of our lives, from raising house plants to how we eat and go on dates, to whether we’ll really be able to talk to dogs. Watch on Netflix.

Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan, a teenage Pakistani-American and superhero fangirl struggles to fit in at school and at home… until she gets super powers of her own. The newest miniseries to come out of the powerhouse that is Marvel Studios. Watch on Disney+.

God’s Favourite Idiot An apocalyptic workplace comedy starring Melissa McCarthy and her real-life husband Ben Falcone. When a strangely angelic cloud passes over tech support worker Clark, he must gather his wits, his office crush and his newfound powers as a messenger of God to stop Satan from bringing about the end of the world. Watch on Netflix.

Listening to the latest albums

Christine McVie, Songbird Christine McVie is one of Fleetwood Mac’s songwriters and vocalists as well as a stunning solo artist in her own right. This new collection highlights her work, featuring re-recorded and remastered songs from two of her solo albums as well as a new orchestral version of iconic Fleetwood Mac track ‘Songbird’.

Porcupine Tree, Closure/Continuation These 1987 English rockers are officially back together, and fans old and new will be hanging out for the release of their first new album in 13 years. The opening track and first single ‘Harridan’ proves that despite a less-than-mutual parting back in 2010, the trio are still very much in sync. Whether the album is in fact closure or continuation for Porcupine Tree, only time will tell.

Regina Spektor, Home, before and after The dreamy, folksy vocals of songwriting phenomenon Regina Spektor are about to grace our ears for the first time since 2016. Her music has long encompassed many genres, from punk rock to classical, and the new album is sure to deliver an equally eclectic treat for the ears, evident in the sweeping orchestral bridge and lonely piano of the first single, ‘Becoming All Alone’.

Reading only the good stuff

How to Loiter in a Turf War by Coco Solid Autobiographical and genre-bending, this novella by artist, rapper and screenwriter Coco Solid is like nothing you’ve read before. It follows three friends over a sweltering summer day in Tāmaki Makaurau, navigating issues of identity, family and bus services. Interspersed with poetry, essay excerpts and drawings, it’s a swift and fiercely intelligent read from one of Aotearoa’s most diversely talented artists.

Better the Blood by Michael Bennett This Auckland-set crime novel explores the city’s colonial history and the oppression of its indigenous population through a compelling thriller lens. Hana Westerman is a Māori detective and single mother who is led to a crime scene by a mysterious video, and finds herself on the trail of what might be New Zealand’s first serial killer.

Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley Everyone knows the unwritten, or more importantly, unspoken rule of commuting: don’t speak to each other. Iona is a seasoned commuter, travelling the same route with her dog every day alongside the same faces, but when a man in their midst is saved from choking by another passenger, the strangers on the train start to learn how talking to each other can change the way you see the world.