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| Palme d'Or winner Titane Photo: Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival |
Titane, 12.55am, Film4, Tuesday, October 20
As we draw closer to Halloween, genre cinema is starting to walk abroad across the television channels and this body horror cracker from French filmmaker Julia Ducournau is one of the most unusual and best from recent years. Agathe Rousselle bristles with energy as Alexia, a young woman with titanium plates in her head as a result of an accident as a child, and who is a car enthusiast in ways that will not be making their way onto Top Gear any time soon. Pushed to the edge by a fan, carnage ensues and she finds herself on the run. All of this is served up at blistering pace by Ducournau as Alexia decides to pose as the long-lost son of a fireman (a beefed up Vincent Lindon, nailing it as usual), which brings an unexpected emotional note to the rest of the film. A spiky but mesmerising fable that hits top gear early and does not stop.
The Martian, 6.15pm, Wednesday, October 21
Andy Weir's book is a poster child for the way that, just occasionally, a self-published novel can go the whole way to global fame and Drew Goddard's adaptation brings it faithfully to life. With Ridley Scott at the helm, it could be argued the space stuff would always be in good hands as the story of an astronaut stranded on a mission to Mars unfolds – but he's helped enormously by Matt Damon's sympathetic central performance. What marks his Mark Watney out from a lot of other stranded souls in cinema is his sheer ingenuity and resourcefulness with which he goes about his task – not to mention a large amount of humour, including the lament that "it's been seven days since I ran out of ketchup". Being lost in space has rarely been more exhilarating or fun.
The Seventh Seal, 9.30pm, BBC4, Saturday, October 24
Jennie Kermode writes: It’s said that a man facing death is entitled to challenge what fate has decreed for him. Returning from the Crusades through a land riven by the plague, Max Von Sydow’s troubled knight, Antonius Block, wants to perform one meaningful deed before it’s all over for him. He thinks his chance may have come when Death himself agrees to a game of chess. Ingmar Bergman’s iconic film reflects on the horrors of the world around them, framing it as a microcosm for the broader human condition, but its grim tone is balanced by sly humour, its weighty intellectual dialogue braced with wit. Bengt Ekerot’s grim reaper is an unforgettable figure and this is a magnificent piece of cinema.
Sisu, 11.25pm, Channel 4, Saturday, October 24
Jennie Kermode writes: They say it's the kind of courage that exists when nothing else remains. The old man has long ago lost almost everything that mattered to him – and to nobody's gain, as it turns out, because the Nazis have lost the war, and are travelling across the lonely tundra trying to loot what they can and amuse themselves with captives until the last of their power is gone. The old man is up there with his horse, his dog, and the gold he has found. He looks like an easy target. That's not the kind of mistake anybody makes twice. His relentless struggle, first for survival, then to take back what belongs to him, makes for a gruelling yet gripping action movie, full of inventive and desperate measures. Made by the Rare Exports team and with the same deliciously bleak sense of humour, it's a shaggy dog story with plenty of punches before the punchline.
Petite Maman, 4.45am, Channel 4, Sunday, October 25
As the weather slips into autumn, the colour palette and mood of Celine Sciamma’s short but beautifully crafted fable is a perfect choice to curl up with – although setting a recorder may be necessary given the inexplicable dead-of-night screening time. After Nelly's grandma dies, the eight-year-old goes with her mum Marion (Nina Meurisse) to help clear her gran's house. There, while out in the woods, she comes across a young girl of the same age... whose name also happens to be Marion and who, it seems, lives in the same house, although a different route is taken to it. Stitched carefully together by mutual understanding, this is time travel at its most subtle, as Sciamma explores parent and child bonds, while also celebrating the energy and acceptance of childhood. Like her earlier film Tomboy, it's filled with perfect shared moments – from the children (played by twins (Joséphine and Gabrielle Sanz) messily making crepes or sharing their hopes and fears, to Nelly nibbling on a cheese puff like a rabbit, while occasionally feeding her mum one as she drives the car.
Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure, noon, Sky Arts, Sunday, October 25
Jennie Kermode writes: The first outing for those two most excellent dudes Bill S Preston Esquire (Alex Winter) and Ted ‘Theodore’ Logan (Keanu Reeves), this film sees them travelling through time in a telephone booth in order to collect historical figures so they can pass the history exam essential to the fulfilment of their destiny as saviours of the world. It’s daft as a brush but full of charm, powered by a love of heavy metal and great work from the ensemble cast. If Napoleon on a water slide doesn’t win you over, wait until you see what Billy the Kid, Joan of Arc and Genghis Khan do to the local mall.
Corpse Bride, 12.50pm, ITV2, Sunday, October 25
If you’re looking for a spooky kick for the kids as Halloween approaches, then this stop-animation film should fit the bill nicely. A slice of gothic goodness, it sees a nervous young man (Johnny Depp, with a note-perfect English accent) become accidentally married to a corpse (Helena Bonham Carter). Despite the death in the title, this is a dark comedy with romance at its heart and considerably less scary for little ones than A Nightmare Before Christmas.
We’re sticking with animation for our short selection this week. Ignacio Ferreras How To Cope With Death is an enjoyable masterclass in not going gently into that good night. Ferreras went on to make the excellent animated feature Wrinkles. You can read details of his more recent work here.
