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| And Then We Danced Photo: Courtesy of La Quinzaine |
And Then We Danced, 1.50am, Channel 4, Wednesday, August 20
Strong energy, both on and off the dancefloor, drives Levan Akin's tale of love against a backdrop of repression in Georgia. Levan Gelbakhiani, who plays Merab, is a dancer by trade and his footwork skills are matched by a nuanced acting performance as Merab finds himself experiencing a fierce attraction to dancefloor rival Irakli (Bachi Valishvili). Akin has an eye for the intensity of emotion experienced in the first flush of love and the way that the merest glance or touch can hold a wealth of unleashed passion - and he makes a point of contrasting the burgeoning feelings Levan has for Irakli with the former's chaste attempts to woo his female dance partner. The entire story is riven with tension caused by the clear and present threat that being gay in Georgia poses to both men.
The Favourite, 12.10am, Film4, Thursday, August 21
Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos has never been one to play a story straight, and he brings his surreal sensibilities to this consideration of the 18th Century court of Queen Anne (played with just the right quantity of black humour and sentiment by Olivia Colman). It’s there that the Duchess of Marlborough Sarah (Rachel Weisz) and her cousin Abigail (Emma Stone) vie to be top dog in the queen's affections. Acidic and expletive-laced this is not your grandma's costume drama and all the better for it as the actresses spark off one another like flint on, if you'll pardon the pun, stone. Praise is also due to cinematographer Robbie Ryan whose often distorted framing only adds to the film's off-kilter feel. Read what the director and cast said about the film.
The Italian Job, 8pm, BBC4, Thursday, August 21
Some heists are played for thrills, others put an emphasis on laughs and Peter Collinson's 1969 gem is likely to steal your heart with its balance of the two. Michael "I only told you to blow the bloody doors off" Caine is on top form as cheeky charmer Charlie Croker, who is planning a gold heist in Turin. You might come for Caine's stylish patter but you'll want to stick around for the masterful Mini Cooper car chase through the narrow Italian streets, not to mention down flights of stairs - and don't forget the wonderful Noel Coward, as a jailed Mr Big, in what would be his final role. The Job's a good one.
Queen And Slim, 10pm, BBC3, Thursday, August 21
A blind date goes south fast after a young couple (Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya) – who are most certainly not your usual outlaw types – are pulled over by a racist cop in Melina Matsoukas' twist on a couple-on-the-run tale. Far from having a mind for crime, the pair find themselves on the run by accident – although Matsoukas shows clearly how the odds of this happening are stoked heavily by ingrained systemic racism. Turner-Smith, making a big impression in her first feature, and Kaluuya are magnetic as the unlikely couple. The tone is sometimes a bit slippery but this is nevertheless an impressive debut that doesn't pull its punches.
The Hurt Locker, 11.40pm, BBC1, Friday, August 22
If you like the sort of film that keeps you on the edge of your seat then Kathryn Bigelow's Best Picture Oscar winner certainly delivers. Her film charts the struggles of an elite bomb disposal squad in Iraq and drips with tension from the start. It also features three heavy-weight performances at its heart – from Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty and, particularly, Jeremy Renner as a risk-taking sergeant who is addicted to the adrenaline rush of his job. Beyond the well-executed action, Bigelow confronts us with the horrors of war, showing the terror and dehumanisation it can cause alongside its impact on everyone it touches.
The Northman, 10.10pm, Channel 4, Saturday, August 23
Whatever criticism people might have of Robert Eggers, when it comes to style he never does things by halves. Here it’s the dominant feature of Viking Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), who is bent on vengeance after his uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang) kills his father (Ethan Hawke). The women get short shrift, which is a bit of a shame given their strong presence in historical Icelandic sagas, which you’d have thought co-writer Sjón might have been tempted to draw upon. This is big, masculine and decidedly unsubtle but there’s something enjoyable about watching a film so fully committed to gung-ho elemental action.
Luzzu, 1.05am, BBC2, Sunday, August 24
Finally to a much more subtle exploration of masculinity and its pressures as a Maltese fisherman finds himself caught between the pull of his traditional fishing life and wanting something better for his newborn son. This measured and moving drama from Alex Camilleri sees non-professional Jesmark Scicluna – who is a fisherman in real life – bring a soulfulness to his performance as the film shows how the cut-throat nature of the corporate end of the fishing market leads many to dance on the edge of the law as a matter of necessity as much as choice. Camilleri doesn't sugar coat the situation, laying it out calmly as the eyes of Osiris painted on the fishermen's boats, watch on. Alex Camilleri told us that while researching the film: " I could tell that there was this enormous kind of heartbreak beneath the surface." he hooks into that and brings it to light.
Our short selection is taking a break this week but will be back soon.
