THE HOT LIST
GREAT THINGS TO WATCH AND STREAM
USE THE FORCE
SMALL AXE: RED, WHITE AND BLUE BBC One, Sunday, November 29, 9pm
■ THE latest entry in director Steve McQueen’s excellent Small Axe anthology of films about being Black and British, is a searing look at institutional racism. After seeing his father assaulted by police officers, Leroy Logan (John Boyega) joins the Metropolitan Police as a forensic scientist hoping to change racist attidues in the force from within its ranks. He finds himself up against not only his father’s disapproval but the racism that seems endemic among his colleagues. This fact-based drama is the third of the acclaimed Small Axe film anthology, with two more to come on consecutive Sunday nights.
COMIC BOOK CULTURE
MARVEL 616 Disney+
■ THIS Disney+ documentary series explores the reach and popularity of Marvel’s comic book creations in popular culture, and not just through its cinematic universe but throughout its history from the ‘Golden Age’ of comics in the 1940s through to the rise of graphic novels in the 1990s and beyond. The eight documentaries in the series are each made by different directors focusing on varying aspects of Marvel’s characters, storylines, history and how they fit into the times in which we live. From the Japanese Spider-Man – who is very different to the Peter Parker version – to the pioneering women writers, editors and artists who have challenged the status quo, from forgotten characters to the power and creativity of fans, this series makes you realise how influential Marvel has been.
COMING HOME
UNCLE FRANK Amazon Prime
■ FROM Alan Ball, the creator of American Beauty and Six Feet Under, comes this family drama featuring an outstanding performance from Paul Bettany. Set in 1970s USA, Bettany stars as Frank, a gay New York academic who travels back to the family home in South Carolina for the funeral of his bigoted father. He’s joined by his partner Wally (Peter Macdissi) and niece Beth (Sophia Lillis) for the road trip which sees Frank relive the pain and torment he endured growing up in this sensitive, moving and often funny film.
REDNECK LIFE
HILLBILLY ELEGY Netflix
■ RON Howard’s adaptation of JD Vance’s best-selling memoir about his working-class upbringing in Ohio has drawn its critics already but has also been tipped for awards success. When a Yale law students visits his home town he is forced to confront his family history, Appalachian values and the American dream as he reminisces about his childhood. With a cast including Amy Adams, Glenn Close and Haley Bennett, Hillbilly Elegy has been criticised for its depiction of ‘redneck’ life, but it sounds like one of those films you just have to see for yourself.
ON THE EDGE
BELUSHI Sky Documentaries, Friday, November 27, 9pm
■ MOST famous for his performances in The Blues Brothers and Saturday Night Live, comedian and actor John Belushi was a household name in the USA in the 1980s, but became as famous for his hard-living lifestyle as his smart, committed performances. This fascinating feature-length documentary, compiled by RJ Cutler and John Battsek, looks at Belushi’s erratic personality and how it brought him success as a performer but also led to his problems with substance abuse and eventually cost him his life. Featuring rare insights from his widow, Judith, as well as interviews with Hollywood contemporaries Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase and Penny Marshall.