SCREENING GUIDE

SHINING GIRLS Apple TV+

Elisabeth Moss of The Handmaid’s Tale stars in this new series that’s being described as a “metaphysical thriller”. She plays a woman living in a constant state of shifting reality, a traumatic repercussion of a brutal assault. After learning of a recent murder that followed the template of her own attack, she teams up with a seasoned, yet troubled, reporter and together they begin hunting the murderer. So far, so procedural . . . where it gets interesting is how it presents her blurring realities and how that affects the pair’s increasingly dangerous investigation.

THE OFFER TVNZ OnDemand

For fans of the sprawling, iconic, mafia classic The Godfather, this series makes an offer they can’t refuse. Over its 10 episodes, it tells the inside story of how a film no one wanted to be involved with became a true cinematic classic. Miles Teller stars as Albert Ruddy, the producer of the film, who had to battle to get the book adaptation off the ground and on to the big screen.

THE MYSTERY OF MARILYN MONROE: THE UNHEARD TAPES Netflix

This feature-length documentary investigates the murky details surrounding the sudden death of American screen icon and original blond bombshell Marilyn Monroe. It leans heavily on the work of journalist Anthony Summers, whose 1985 book Goddess is considered the definitive account of Monroe. Having spent three years working on his book and interviewing everyone in her orbit, he amassed 650 tapes which the documentary team had access to. Monroe’s is such a tragic tale that it’s still a moving watch, with one reviewer saying, “The film is affecting because it outlines the saddening end of an adored American icon.”