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| The Wrestler |
The Wrestler, MUBI, streaming now
If Dwayne Johnson's turn in The Smashing Machine has put you in the mood for some ringside action, Darren Aronofsky's tale of an ageing wrestler should hit the spot. It marked a magnificent comeback for Mickey Rourke, who plays Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, who is taking on his emotions and his relationship with his daughter (Rachel Evan Wood) as much as he is any sporting opponent. Maryse Alberti's close quarters camerawork ensures we feel every smackdown in the ring but although it offers a visual adrenaline kick more commonly associated with boxing flicks like Rocky, it is the wrestling of the mind, which is key to its success. Rourke lost out in the Oscar race to Sean Penn's performance in Milk, although he did take home a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. You could argue Rourke's early performances in the likes of Rumble Fish have a broody sex appeal, but he's never been better than damaged, but still fighting, soul he plays here.
If Beale Street Could Talk, 11pm, BBC2, Monday, October 6
Jennie Kermode writes: They say the blues began on Beale Street in Memphis, and their associated imagery floods Barry Jenkins’ film, with its grainy textures, drifting smoke, low-lit alleyways and crowded domestic spaces. This is a mood piece, scored with trumpets and strings. Sometimes its story struggles to stand up to the weight of that, never quite capturing the power of the James Baldwin novel it’s based on, but it’s compelling nonetheless. At the centre of it is Fonny (Stephan James), a young man whose efforts to defend his pregnant girlfriend, Tish (KiKi Lane) from a white stranger’s groping puts him on the wrong side of a cop, and who subsequently finds himself facing a false rape allegation. There’s impressive supporting work from Regina King as Tish’s mother, helping to defend him against a corrupt system.
Io Capitano, 11.35pm, Film4, Monday, October 6
Matteo Garrone offers a fairy-tale flavoured examination of the migrant crisis in this Oscar-nominated drama. His focus is a pair of cousins, Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall), who are convinced they will find their own happily ever after in Europe. Their hopefulness is palpable as they leave Senegal with their savings but soon their dreams slam up against a reality of exploitation and violence. Garrone doesn't shy away from the brutality the boys face – all the more hard hitting in the face of the open-hearted performances from Sarr and Fall. Like every fairy tale, this one comes complete with a host of heroes, villains and life lessons, while asking us what sort of ending we think we should offer people like Seydou and Moussa. Read what Matteo Garrone told us about fairy tales and his film.
All The President's Men, 10.25pm, BBC4, Thursday, October 9
Robert Redford may have died last month but he has left behind a hell of a legacy, not just in terms of his festival and activism work but also in the acting arena that made him famous If you ask anyone to name a film about journalists, Alan J Pakula's take on how Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) broke the story of the Watergate scandal is likely to top the list, even today – and with good reason. This gripping film was made in close collaboration with Woodward and Bernstein and really gets down to the nitty-gritty of piecing together the puzzle behind the story. While Redford and Hoffman need no introduction, the strength of the cast runs wide and deep, also including great turns from the likes of Ned Beatty, Jane Alexander and Hal Holbrook. An adult treatment of an adult subject that celebrates the less glamorous side of reporting and showcases Redford at his best. Earlier in the evening at 8pm on the same channel, you can also catch the wonderfully entertaining Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, plus there's a Talking Pictures episode dedicated to Redford.
In Flames, 2.05am, Channel 4, Friday, October 10
Jennie Kermode writes: After the death of Mariam's grandfather, predatory male relatives turn their eyes on the apartment that he left to Mariam (Ramesha Nawal) and her mother, Fariah (Bakhtawar Mazhar). Under Pakistani law, they are entitled to it, but custom says otherwise, and Fariah is vulnerable to the smooth talking of an uncle who says he will take care of everything for them. Educated but disregarded because of her youth, Mariam battles to save their only safe space in a world where even being outside on the balcony can lead to aggressive male attention for which she gets the blame. Director Zarrar Kahn borrows techniques from the horror genre to emphasise the effect of these pressures as she teeters on the edge of a mental breakdown – and at the same time, tries to navigate a relationship with a man she likes but whose pushiness may hint at a dangerous side. The women must find respect for one another and combine their strengths in order to survive in this unforgiving portrait of a cultural climate in which misogyny is rife.
Planet Of The Apes, 10.40am, Great Movies! (Freeview channel 61), Saturday, October 11
The wealth of reboots may have improved the CGI treatment of the apes in Pierre Boulle's science-fiction classic, but the original adaptation, directed with epic verve by Franklin J Schaffner, still packs an intelligent punch almost 60 years on. When Colonel George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and a handful of crewmates wake from suspended animation in deep space, they crash onto what appears initially to be an uninhabited planet. Soon they discover that evolution has put the apes in charge, while relegating humans to slavery. The stage is set for analogy, from racism to the nuclear holocaust. Beyond its themes, it also boasts a hell of a supporting cast, including Kim Hunter and Roddy McDowall as sympathetic simian scientists. The ending is also a stone cold classic.
Shrek, 4.20pm, ITV2, Sunday, October 12
Given the huge variety in the modern animation landscape its worth remembering what a game-changer this DreamWorks film was on its release. Featuring a grumpy ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) as its focal point, it took a sideswipe at fairy tales in ways which, at the time, would have had Disney clutching at its pearls but which subsequently changed the game. Although the tale of the need to rescue a princess (Cameron Diaz) is a familiar one, the fact that our hero Shrek is less than heroic as he sets of on a quest with a donkey (Eddie Murphy, on top form) is all part of the fun as writer Ted Elliott skewers Disney and serves it up with a side salad of fun. John Lithgow is also hugely entertaining as the vertically challenged bad guy Lord Farquaad.
You'll have to pop over to Vimeo and log in to watch this week's short film, Labour. Michael Keillor has since gone on to direct a raft of TV, including Line Of Duty and Roadkill. It also features an early performance from Michael Socha.
