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| Beyond Utopia Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute |
In her gripping documentary, Madeleine Gavin charts the difficult route taken by North Koreans as they try to flee the dictatorship, including following a family of five, spanning three generations. The journey they must take stretches from the border mountains of China down through neighbouring countries, via an unforgiving jungle and a river until the sanctuary of Thailand is finally reached. Key to the film is the underground network of Pastor Kim, who has been helping people escape the regime 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 facing many North Koreans.
Bacurau, MUBI, streaming now
Anne Katrin-Titze writes: Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles’ film is breathtaking from the start with Gal Costa singing Não Identificado by Caetano Veloso. From outer space and through the stars we discover Earth and land on a little spot in the Northeast of Brazil, called Bacurau. It isn't found on any map and you might even think that it is a kind of Brigadoon, a village that regularly sinks into the sands of time. We are not in the past, but in the future, one so close that you can almost touch the splendid sunsets, while wondering about the many coffins being delivered. We soon meet Sônia Braga, who plays the town’s doctor. She is devastated and drunk during a funeral which allows us to get a first glimpse at the lay of the land. Something is terribly wrong here. The phone reception is bad. In Polanski Chinatown fashion, the water supply is cut off for the area, also mirroring the very real water shortage in the Northeast of Brazil. Horses from the farm nearby run loose through the village one night. A local politician dumps a pile of books, as if it were a gift of garbage, made to be set on fire (François Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451 may come to mind), rather than read. For centuries, the best tales of magic were told and retold because of their combination of the supernatural with our deepest darkest fears, a utopian setting with very real dilemmas, and a hopeful ending that speaks to our sense of justice. Bacurau harbours that heritage. Read our conversations with the directors: Another Layer, A heightened state and In directions nobody goes, our interview with Sônia Braga.
Judy, 11pm, BBC2, Friday, May 23
An engrossing biopic about the Wizard of Oz star, which zeroes in on the six months before Judy Garland's death. Rupert Goold's film - adapted from Peter Quilter's stage musical The End Of The Rainbow by Tom Edge - shows her struggles with alcohol and drugs, and her eating disorder but uses flashbacks to remind us of her sense of fun and sheer star power. Renee Zellweger - who took home an Oscar for this performance - may not be a ringer for Garland but she captures her look and attitude perfectly, showing the paradox of her power and fragility while nailing the musical numbers. In that regard, Goold also plays a blinder, having faith in his star to deliver the goods in generous long takes.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, BBC iPlayer, streaming now
I put this in here before I realised it was only on BBC Wales (you can see it on the telly there at 3.15pm on Saturday). But, fear not, everyone else can still catch it on iPlayer if you missed it at Christmas time, or just fancy revisiting it. The irresistible inventor and his faithful embark on a typically chaotic adventure, which also sees the return of the best enemy of the bunch, arch criminal penguin Feathers McGraw. Wallace (seamlessly voiced by Ben Whitehead following the death of the much-loved Peter Sallis in 2017) has, as ever, has come up with a “cracking” invention. In a play on the modern trend for AI-driven helpmates, he creates a “smart gnome” named Norbert (Reese Shearsmith on vocals), who unfortunately has his settings switched to “evil”, leading the usual mayhem to ensue. The film is peppered with sight gags as well as great scripting, with a particular emphasis on northern humour that cares not a jot whether American audiences get the joke or not - a refreshing change. Among the best is a news reader named Anton Deck and a dual sign on a railway tunnel reading: “Welcome To Yorkshire”, “No parkin”. Gold-plated family entertainment at its finest.
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, 9pm, BBC2, Saturday, May 24
If you watched Judy on Friday then this documentary with Garland's daughter Liza Minnelli is an absolute must. Bruce David Klein zeroes in on key moments in Minnelli's career, featuring interviews with the star about her life and the impact of her mother's death as well as a near-exhaustive amount of archive footage, some of which has never been seen before, and a chorus of her friends and fellow actors. Sliced into segments with quotes reflecting what's to come, this is a celebration of the star's resilience, influence and her downright dedication to her craft that also reflects on her vulnerability. Packed with gems of information and anecdotes, you'll come out the other side razzled and dazzled.
Frewaka, Shudder, streaming now
An Irish-language folk horror movie that is right on trend in terms of its consideration of mental illness, Aislinn Clarke immerses us in the world of trouble care worker Shoo (Clare Monnelly) as she is hired to look after the elderly and frail Peig (Bríd Ní Neachtain) in the old woman’s enormous rural home where the pair of them rattle about like peas. Peig has a fragile mental state and believes she was abducted by malevolent faeries on her wedding night. Her superstitions and beliefs prove infectious for Shoo, who carries her own trauma from the past. Clarke dissects not just the characters’ intergenerational but the troubled legacy of Ireland’s own social history to impressive effect.
Flipside, Plex.tv, streaming now
I was quite surprised to find this excellent and playful documentary on Plex already, but it’s great news for fans of record stores, not to mention anyone who is coming to feel the tick of time in their lives. Chris Wilcha’s film is, in some ways, a celebration of failure, since he notes his intended career as a documentarian fell by the wayside after his first film as he found advertising was a cosy berth. His life has been littered with failed projects, including a film he intended to make about Flipside Records, a shop in New Jersey. As he charts his attempts to save the store, the film is both a consideration of the pull of nostalgia but also a celebration of the art of letting go. Quirky in all the right ways, don’t miss it.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the gonzo spirited Cannes haunted hoover feature A Useful Ghost, I was very pleased to discover that you can see director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke's short film Red Aninsri; Or, Tiptoeing On The Still Trembling Berlin Wall for free on Filmzie. A multi-layered treat of a film.
