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| Misery |
Cinematic adaptations have not always been kind to the work of Stephen King, not least, I suspect, because his books are frequently lengthy, packed with character and plot and slip between time periods with ease. William Goldman, who later had less success adapting Hearts In Atlantis and Dreamcatcher, capitalises on the claustrophobia of King's taut psychological horror in Rob Reiner's take on the tale of a writer (James Caan) who has a car crash and his "number one fan" (Kathy Bates), who takes him in at the same time as taking less than kindly to his decision to kill off her favourite character. Applying physical violence with restraint - although it hits home when it counts - this is all about the psychological sparring between the two, with Bates getting all the best lines, and winning an Oscar for her trouble. The subtext, regarding celebrity and fan service, has surely only become more relevant with the passage of time.
Beyond Utopia, 10pm, BBC4, Tuesday, January 30
If there was one surprise ommission in this year’s Oscars shortlist, so far as I’m concerned, it was this gripping documentary from Madeleine Gavin. She charts the difficult route taken by North Koreans as they try to flee the dicatorship, including following a family of five, spanning three generations. Also key to the film is the underground network of Pastor Kim, who has been helping people escape for years. This film highlights the enormity of what is involved along with the risk, keeping us with the refugees every step of the way, while also offering an insight into the reasons they are fleeing. An exceptional piece of documentary filmmaking that offers a multifaceted look at the difficult choices faces many North Koreans.
God’s Own Country, 1.50am, Film4, Wednesday, January 31
Francis Lee's earthy Yorkshire-set debut about frustrated young farmer Johnny Saxby (Josh O'Connor), who finds his horizons and heart broadened by the arrival of seasonal worker Gheorghe Ionescu (Alec Secareanu) is an emotionally raw and turbulent tale leavened by sweetness. Lee's father is a farmer and it shows in the detail he brings to the drama, which is largely set against the backdrop of lambing season and which is evocative of the feel and smell of the farm as well as the look. The filmmaker is also acutely aware of the landscape, which opens up as Johnny's relationship with Gheorghe begins to bloom. Read our interview with Lee - whose latest romantic drama Ammonite is out soon - our interview with O'Connor and Secareanu.
Mean Streets, 11.50pm, Film4, Wednesday, January 31
Leonardo DiCaprio’s morally adrift character at the heart of Flowers Of The Killer Moon is a kindred spirit of Harvey Keitel’s conflicted wiseguy Charlie at the heart of Mean Streets. The film marked the first time Martin Scorsese collaborated with Robert De Niro - the beginning of a partnership that currently stands at 11 features - and the film has notched up its 50th anniversary this year. De Niro is in support as the loose cannon Johnny Boy, with Keitel (who had previously featured in Scorsese's debut feature Who's That Knocking At My Door), in the lead. This is a character-driven slice of life at the gritty end. Powered by a full-blooded soundtrack incorporating hits like the Rolling Stones' Jumpin' Jack Flash and The Ronettes' Be My Baby (a revolutionary approach at the time), kinetic camerawork and dialogue that crackles with energy, these streets still feel as mean and keen as ever.
Relic, 11.05pm, BBC2, Friday, February 2
The horror of dementia is folded into this spooky debut from Natalie Erika James. Elderly Edna (Robyn Nevin) has been living alone but has been suffering mental decline, so when her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) hears she has vanished, she rushes to her mother’s house with her own daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) in tow. Edna reappears but she has no recollection of where she has been, while her behaviour is becoming increasingly eccentric. Soon things in the house start to shift, as though the place itself is taking on a life of its own - something the logical Kay is much less willing to accept than Sam. The vagaries of ageing and memory loss become packaged in the supernatural in a film that offers both scares and a strong emotional heartbeat.
Moon, BBC iPlayer
With the news that Duncan Jones' latest film, animated feature Rogue Trooper, has wrapped principal photography breaking this week, why not catch up with the filmmaker’s debut. It centres on Sam Bell - an astronaut at the end of a three-year solo mission to harvest Helium-3 energy from the Moon. He begins to think he may be losing it just as he is on the verge of being sent home to his family - but soon he becomes convinced that his paymasters may have a more sinister agenda. It is hard to talk too much about Rockwell's performance without spoiling a key element of the plot but it allows him to show the full extent of his range. The focus is on plot rather than special effects but the ones that are used are seamless. As Jones told us: "We found an approach that allowed Sam to be his improvisational best, while still making sure I got the technical discipline I needed."
The Mitchells vs The Machines, ITVX, on demand
If you’re looking for something to entertain the kids while not boring the pants of the rest of the family, this animation, which has recently arrived on ITV’s free streaming platform, should fit the bill. It mixes a good splash of nostalgia with the futuristic to tell a tale of a family who find themselves caught up in a robot apocalypse. Film nerd Katie (Abbie Jackson), who is the family’s eldest daughter, leads us into the tale as her technophobic dad (Danny McBride) plans a road trip of reconnection for the family just as their Alexa-style helper PAL (Olivia Colman) goes rogue. Once the action starts there’s barely a moment to breathe as the family try to stay one step ahead of their technologically driven adversaries. While making a point about the increasing encroachment of technology in every area of our lives this is, at heart, a film about the importance of family - but its fuzzy message is delivered with plenty of laughs.
Pop over to the New Yorker to watch this week’s short selection, which is up for this year’s Oscars. Lasse Lyskjær Noer’s Knight Of Fortune tracks two grieving men who encounter one another at a funeral home.
