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| First Contact |
As the Borg would tell you, resistance is futile - although it's pretty easy to give a slice of time to this superior entry in the Star Trek franchise, which also marked Jonathan Frakes' move to the director's chair for his debut feature after a few years of practising on telly. The Borg, with their hive mind and ability to 'assimilate' every life-form they encounter, are magnificent enemies and this film takes us on a journey through time as they try to triumph by turning back the clock. With plenty of bad blood between Jean Luc-Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the thrills of the temptations of the flesh they present to Data (Brent Spiner) plus some excellently worked space battles, it delivers in all departments.
Somers Town, 11.10pm, Film4, Thursday, December 15
Shane Meadows' lovely tale of a boy who goes up to London in search of his fortune is a treat, not least thanks to the pair of charming central performances from Thomas Turgoose and Piotr Jagiello. Turgoose plays 16-year-old Tomo, who is heading to The Smoke and after a battering of an introduction to the city strikes up an unexpected friendship with Jagiello's teen son of Polish immigrant. There's a lovely spark to the kids' relationship that blossoms in a spirit of gentle optimism. Shane Meadows it really helped that they shot the film chronologically, as Jagiello's English was improving by the day and we also spoke to Perry Benson about his comic supporting turn. If this puts you in the mood for more Turgoose, be sure to catch The Scouting Book For Boys - featuring excellent cinematography from Robbie Ryan and an early turn from Holliday Grainger - immediately afterwards.
Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio, Netflix
Jennie Kermode writes: Carlo Collodi's much-loved children's tale has been through many iterations and is reinvented yet again in the hands of the Oscar-winning Mexican director, who weaves it into a fantasy 1940s universe where fans will recognise themes from many of his other works. The cast is fantastic too, from David Bradley's Gepetto, struggling with grief for a lost human son but gradually bonding with the wooden boy, to Ron Perlman's sinister yet troubled fascist Podesta, Christoph Waltz's magnificently mean circus impresario Count Volpe and Cate Blanchett's fawning, scheming yet ultimately sympathetic monkey, Spazzaturra. We journey in and out of an afterlife where skeletal black rabbits play cards while a sphinx calls the shots, and far across the sea where monsters roam. The songs are nothing special but the stop-motion animation is a treat, and the moral shifts with the times as Del Toro invites us to reconsider what it means to be a real boy.
Made In Dagenham, 9.30pm, BBC4, Saturday, December 17
Directed by Nigel Cole, this drama is cut from the same kind of cloth as Brassed Off, Kinky Boots and Military Wives - which is to say, a very sensible woollen sort of fabric that's cosy and familiar. It might be conservative with a small 'c' but this story of women workers at a Ford plant battling for equal pay is as radical as it comes. The cast runs strong and deep and includes Sally Hawkins, before she started picking up Oscar nominations, the ever-reliable Geraldine James and the late, great Bob Hoskins. Miranda Richardson also deserves a special shout-out for her excellent portrayal of Barbara Castle.
Saving Mr Banks, 4.10pm, BBC2, Sunday, December 18
It may not quite have the perky charms of Mary Poppins, but John Lee Hancock's tale of how PL Travers' tale made it to the big screen is worth a look, not least for its powerful central performances from Emma Thompson as the author and Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. There's more than a spoonful of sugar added to this retelling but the friction between Travers and Disney offsets it and Thompson's unfussy approach cuts through a lot of the gloss. Read about the reception that was held for Saving Mr Banks.
A Star Is Born, 10pm, BBC2, Sunday, December 18
This fourth iteration of the story of a fading star who strikes up a relationship with a talented newcomer and helps her find fame - leading to romance and tragedy, showed there's a reason why this tale is a perennial favourite. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga make the perfect pairing as the older star with addiction issues and nervous newcomer, and Cooper (who also co-wrote the screenplay) proves he's no slouch in the directorial department either, moving the story along at a fair pace. He hits the sweet spot of delivering the emotional goods without overdoing it, but, be warned, you're also likely to have the Oscar-winning tune Shallow stuck in your head for a week afterwards.
Monos, 1.40am, Film4, Monday, December 19
If you're up late doing some Christmas wrapping, this film will certainly help keep you on your toes. A riff on Lord Of The Flies boasts some breathtaking, not to mention highly dangerous looking cinematography by Jasper Wolf and a score to die for from Mica Levi. The story of eight child soldiers leading a feral existence with their captive in a remote part of Latin America sees Alejandro Landes generate a nightmarish mood from the start, which feeds off the unpredictability of the youngsters as the group begins to fragment. Landes' film not only has a cow with the wonderfully surreal name of Shakira but also a deliberately chaotic, gripping energy that is well worth staying up late for.
Our short of the week this week, is the Oscar-winning The Queen Of Basketball, which charts the story of Mississippi court star Lusia 'Lucy' Harris.
