James Croot
A Fiennes drama
Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes star in A Bigger Splash, a 2015 dramatic-thriller about how the Italian vacation of a famous rock star is interrupted by an unexpected visit from an old friend and his daughter. ‘‘A cocktail of intense emotions, transcendent surroundings and unexpected detours. A real pleasure,’’ wrote The Guardian‘ s film critic Peter Bradshaw.
Saturday, 8.30pm, Rialto
Boys in the ballroom
In the world of UK competitive ballroom dancing, there’s a serious shortage of young male dancers, and hundreds of girls are lining up for every boy. The 2016 documentary The Ballroom Boys follows four of these rare young blokes as they head towards the biggest competition of their dancing lives so far – the UK Championships. The boys train six days a week and compete most Sundays. They’re serious about winning, and so are their mums. But as these young south Welshmen gear up to compete against the best in Britain, they don’t just have the pressure of the competition to contend with. In an area where rugby is a local obsession, it isn’t easy to go against the grain.
Sunday, 8.30pm, Vibe
A room full of stars
Jimmy Kimmel is the first-time host of the 89th edition of the Academy Awards, coming to us live from Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre. La La Land leads the way with 14 nominations, with Arrival, Moonlight, Hacksaw Ridge, Manchester By the Sea and Lion also among the frontrunners. Earlier, live carpet coverage begins at 11.30am over on E!.
Monday, 2.30pm, Sky Movies Premiere
The Boss speaks out
Bizarrely screening just after The Boss has played his two concerts on our shores, the 2016 documentary Bruce Springsteen – In His Own Words sees the muchloved musician exploring the seminal moments that fuelled his relentless drive to become a musician. He talks openly about his early years growing up in New Jersey, his years playing in Asbury Park, the rise of the E Street Band and his eventual ascension to the top of rock’s hierarchy.
Tuesday, 8.35pm, Prime
The power of shoes
The Slippers is a 2016 documentary which pulls back the curtain on the unbelievable story and cultural impact of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Through first-hand accounts and archival interviews, The Slippers details the life of the Ruby Slippers after their sale at the famed 1970 MGM auction. ‘‘Much more interesting than the story of two red shoes should be,’’ wrote The Hollywood Reporter‘ s John DeFore. ‘‘Some of the film’s interviewees are charmingly eccentric, some a little deluded – ’I don’t think any one person is strong enough to deal with the power of these shoes’, one says – and some so proudly materialistic about the stuff they’ve collected it’s hard to like them.’’
Wednesday, 8.30pm, Rialto.
Fresh heartaches
Ryan Adams has always floated just below superstar status. His latest album Prisoner ( ) is a fine collection of fresh songs and new takes on heartache that demonstrates as much mastery as anything Adams has done. It matches surprising melodies with brilliant arrangements and affecting, urgent lyrics, reminding listeners that this is a craftsman who turns just about everything he touches into gold. His familiar blend of muscle and vulnerability sparkles on Do You Still Love Me? And when Adams, on Shiver and Shake, sings, ‘‘I reach out for your hand but I know it isn’t there’’, it feels like he’s practically bleeding.–
Classic Country
Alison Krauss’ Windy City ( ) is classic country, with most of the tunes older than their 45-year-old singer. Krauss embraces them as her own, expanding her palette and making the traditional sound contemporary. Krauss draws on familiar and obscure material previously performed by artists such as Ray Charles, Willie Nelson and Brenda Lee, and the arrangements are as wide-ranging as the songs’ sources. The only quibble is: It’s too short. – Steven Wine, AP
Growing up Aussie
A mix of Napoleon Dynamite, The Castle and Donnie Darko, Rosemary Myers’ adaptation of Matthew Whittet’s stage play Girl Asleep (M, is filled with evocative imagery and cinematic brio. From slow-zooms to clever point-of-view shots and the use of props to display titles, there’s a lot to draw you in to what is essentially a slight character study and coming-of-age story. Star Bethany Whitmore shows great promise, with her performance particularly impressive in its manifestation of adolescent fears. – James Croot
A celebration of ‘our song’
Christchurch-born director Tearepa Kahi’s ( Mt Zion) lovingly crafted, intimate documentary Poi E: The Story of Our Song (G,
) captures the anarchic spirit of the song and its creator Dalvanius Prime. The juxtaposition of archival footage with modern day recollections is expertly bridged by an extended audio interview the late Dalvanius made just a couple of years before his death in 2002. This allows the film to have a single voice, even if it’s surrounded by so many others (incredibly all of whom have a nickname), from the local Patea butcher who assisted in Dalvanius’ well before its time crowd-funding campaign, to modern Maori stars Stan Walker and Taika Waititi, who share the influences the song has had on their lives. – James Croot