 |
| Gladiator II Photo: Cuba Scott/© 2024 Paramount Pictures |
I have a strong suspicion that there will be those of you who are rolling your eyes at the inclusion of this Ridley Scott sequel but I personally think it's more fun than the original and I get to decide, so here we are. Paul Mescal's Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe's Maximus, is enslaved by Roman invaders and it's only a matter of time before he gears up as a gladiator. His rage is spotted by power-playing slave trader Macrinus (Denzel Washington, by far the best thing in this film), who spots a chance to turn it to his advantage. Joseph Quinn) and Fred Hechinger have some fun as twin emperors and the set pieces in the arena are solid, even if there are the usual CGI grumbles.
The Woman King, 9pm, Film4, Thursday, August 13
Viola Williams is magnificent at the heart of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s kick-ass historical epic, which, truth be known, leaves Ridley Scott's in the shade. Davis plays Nanisca, the leader of an army of women, known as the Agojie, who are tasked with protecting the Kingdom of Dahomey by the king (John Boyega). Experts in hand-to-hand combat, it’s no easy job given that their enemies have guns. The action scenes are beautifully choreographed and the subplotting is also surprisingly good for this sort of film, involving new recruit Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), who has joined the Agojie after refusing an arranged marriage. The ensemble cast is excellent, with Lashana Lynch particularly notable as Nawi’s mentor.
Holy Cow, 1.50am, Film4, Thursday, August 13
This coming-of-ager from France is a total treat. Youth pumps through the veins of Louise Courvoisier’s debut, which follows Totone (Clément Favea), a hard-partying 18-year-old who finds himself pulled up abruptly short by a tragedy that leaves him in charge of his seven-year-old sister Claire (Luna Garret). As the teenager attempts to square the circle, he hatches on a plan with his mates to craft Comté cheese in a bid to win a prize – but achieving that might prove easier said than done. Courvoisier keeps it real, rooting her story firmly within rural France and imbuing it with teenage energy and even a spot of unlikely romance.
On Falling, 11.05pm, BBC2, Friday, August 14
Laura Carreira's moving character study invites us to step into the day-to-day life of Aurora (Joana Santos). A Portuguese migrant to Scotland, she works as a picker in a huge Scottish fulfilment warehouse. Her days are ruled and punctuated by the machine that bleeps out her instructions. Her nights, meanwhile, are marked by loneliness in the home she shares with other migrants. This is a humanistic consideration of life in the gig economy, where the difference between getting by and not can be upset by the smallest additional cost. Carreira gently navigates Aurora's world showing not only the negatives but all the small acts of kindness and connection which can make a difference.
Berberian Sound Studio, 2am, Film4, Friday, August 14
Peter Strickland's psychodrama sees a British sound technician brought to Italy in the Seventies to work on the sound effects for a gruesome horror film which begins to get under his skin. Strickland makes a virtue of its central character's introspection and the director - who has long had a fascination with autonomous sensory meridian response, which sees some people have a physical response to certain sounds - works with sound editor Joakim Sundstrom to manipulate mood via what we can hear. If you're a gialli fan, then you'll also get a kick of spotting the various nods to the genre.
Monolith, 11.20pm, Film4, Saturday, August 15
Jennie Kermode writes: A smart and distinctly unsettling film which spends the bulk of its time in a single location with a single actor, Matt Vesely's 2022 directorial début has been carefully planned to maximise the potential of both, but what surprises is the size and scope of the universe it manages to conjure up. Lily Sullivan is an audio journalist trying to go it alone, an increasingly common choice in a difficult media environment. She has potential, but her technical skill outweight her experience, whilst her ability to track down a story is untempered by caution as to whether or not she should. An anonymous tip about strange black bricks leads her down a dangerous path, which brings out darkness in her own character en route to a conclusion which flips everything on its head. It's not flawless but it's a great example of how to do a lot with a little. Just be careful not to get lost in the mystery and miss the bigger questions.
Monos, 1am, Film4, Sunday, August 16
Jangle your nerves with this impressive riff on Lord Of The Flies, which comes loaded with 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.
This week's short selection is Pilot For A 22nd Century Sitcom. You can read more about Graeme Cole and his filmmaking substack, here
