Shining the Spotlight on top-class journalism
Spotlight
Available from Wednesday SINCE the moment it arrived in theatres in 1976, Alan J Pakula’s All the President’s Men has been held up, and probably rightly so, as the gold standard of journalism dramas. Network, which came later was incredible too and every hack should see Broadcast News. Now Spotlight, Tom McCarthy’s gripping behindthe-scenes tale of the Boston Globe’s child abuse exposes makes the debate as to the all time great journalism movie an even more interesting one. It arrives at an interesting time — as traditional print media endures its worst period in history — and serves as a reminder of the vital importance of an independent, professional press to any community. The work of journalistic investigation can be dull and laborious, and difficult to inject drama into, but the film makes it fascinating anyway, because you understand how high the stakes are and what the journalists are searching for (the movie itself is an incredible example of clear, precise storytelling). And the deeper the reporters get into their investigation, the more interesting their findings become. Spotlight is peppered with great supporting performances and with the swiftness with which it has come from the big screen to streaming it moves things closer to Netflix’s stated goal of having the same offerings in the cinema as on your laptop (legally, that is). This film plays out at the pace of a thriller and is definitely a summer highlight.
Archer Season 7
10 episodes, available from Thursday THE creator of this series, Adam Reed, once said that Archer is “James Bond meets Arrested Development”. The hotly-awaited seventh season of FX’s spy-comedy marks a change of career for self-absorbed special agent Sterling Archer. After being fired by the CIA at the end of the last series, he relocates to LA with a group of his colleagues to start his own private detective’s agency, from where he aims to become the world’s greatest espionage agent. His chief nemeses are his hatchet-y mother — yes, he’s a certifiable mother’s boy — Malory, who runs a spoof ISIS, and his exgirlfriend, agent Lana. The sex jokes will be a little off colour for some, but Archer nevertheless displays more wit than most satires and also goes some way toward beefing up Netflix’s comedy offering.
The Fundamentals Of Caring
Available from Thursday GOD how we love Paul Rudd in anything. Especially in this heartwarming optimistic road movie, a witty and at times very funny tragicomedy bromance between Craig Roberts’ wheelchair-bound teenager, who has muscular dystrophy, and Rudd as his carer. Writer-director Rob Burnett, adapting Jonathan Evison’s The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, finds gems of comedy which are thin on the ground in your typical, maudlin accounts of degenerative diseases. Unsurprisingly this film was met with a warm reception at Sundance (although a less warm reception amongst critics). Well worth a look.
It Happened One Night
Available now FRANK Capra’s screwball romantic comedy is part of any cinephile’s library. The plot follows a wealthy it-girl (Claudette Colbert) who falls for an out-of-work journalist (Clark Gable). It was the first film ever to win the ‘big five’ Academy Awards (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay). The escapist theme of the film, perfectly struck the mood of the American public during the Depression Era, when it came out. While the film is often cited as being the first screwball comedy to really do well at the box office there was much more to its appeal than slapstick. It is a reversal of the Cinderella story (the heroine rejects her wealthy lifestyle), a modern tale with lighthearted sex appeal in which courtship and love triumph over class conflicts, socio-economic differences, and verbal battles of wit. Perfect for a duvet day.