TV picks of the week
Angela Lansbury, Emily Watson and Michael Gambon star in this latest, three-part adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s much-loved American Civil War-set novel about the lives and loves of the four March sisters. ‘‘Director Gillian Armstrong’s feminist spin on classic material retains the humanity of Alcott’s novel, while reworking it with welcome freshness,’’ wrote TV Guide’s Ethan Alter. The Absolutely Fabulous star’s latest travel adventure takes her 3200 kilometres across the Land of the Rising Sun, from the icy East Siberian Sea to the subtropical islands of the south in this three-part, 2016 series. Fabrice Luchini and a wonderfully acerbic Juliette Binoche star in this 2016, early 20th-century-set black comedy about the rather clumsy investigation into the disappearance of tourists in France’s northern climes. While the Abbot and Costello-esque detectives bumble their way to the truth, a budding romance between local boy Ma Loute Brufort and the visiting Billie threatens to expose many longheld secrets. A quirky tale compellingly told. Joel McHale and Stephen Fry star in this 2016 US sitcom about an adventure reporter who must adapt to the times when he becomes the boss of a group of millennials at an online magazine. Continues weeknights. Look out for New Zealand’s Kimberley Crossman in episode two. ‘‘McHale, as he proved on Community, has great timing, and he’s aided by his office colleagues, especially the delightfully deadpan Fry, who combines sweet and weird. With its office-as-asylum atmosphere, Great Indoors echoes NewsRadio, not a bad influence,’’ wrote Boston Herald’s Mark A Perigard. The Lord of the Rings trilogy’s Elijah Wood narrates this 2015 documentary on the remarkable story of Tomi Fujiyama, the world’s first Japanese country music superstar. – James Croot THREE years after the fall of the Jurassic World theme park, the reptilian residents of Isla Nubar are facing an even bigger threat.
A long dormant volcano on the island off the coast of Costa Rica is very active, threatening an extinction-level event.
That leaves humanity with a conundrum, described by media as ‘‘the flashpoint animal rights issue of our time’’. Should we save these recently reintroduced creatures, or let nature take its course?
Former operations manager for the park, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) knows what she thinks. Now the organiser of the Dinosaur Protection Group, she has been lobbying hard for Federal funding to get the dinosaurs repatriated. Crushed when it is denied, she finds an unexpected lifeline from the ailing genetic scientist Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell) who, through his aide Eli Mills (Rafe Spall), asks for help in rescuing as many species as possible.
In particular, they are keen to secure the last living velociraptor, Blue. But for that, Claire will have to seek out and persuade its former trainer and her estranged beau Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to make the journey with her.
Like the franchise’s (now on its fifth instalment in 25 years) continued warning about man meddling with nature, Fallen Kingdom is a lovingly crafted film that is, unfortunately, way out of balance. There’s far too many recalls, riffs and familiar beats from both the earlier movies and other Steven Spielberg tales (although at least one Raiders of the Lost Ark rip-off will raise a wry smile). On the other hand, there’s not nearly