The Herald - The Herald Magazine
PICK OF THE BEST FILMS
SATURDAY Mea Culpa (2014) (BBC Four, 9pm)
Simon (Vincent Lindon) and Franck (Gilles Lellouche) used to be police colleagues until a drink driving tragedy forced Simon to leave the force in disgrace. Once the dust settles, Simon struggles to reconnect with his 10-year-old son Theo (Max Baissette de Malglaive) and ex-wife Alice (Nadine Labaki), who has a new man in her life. During a trip to a bullfight, young Theo witnesses a gangland shooting orchestrated by Serbian thug Milan (Velibor Topic) and his crew. Milan orders his goons to silence Theo, and Simon and Franck reunite to keep the boy alive. Alice is caught in the crossfire and the family goes on the run from the sadistic Serbs, heading for a spectacular showdown on a highspeed train.
Bridesmaids (2011) (Channel 4, 9pm)
Annie (Kristen Wiig) used to own her own bakery but she has fallen on hard times and now works as a jewellery saleswoman. Best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) reveals she is getting married and asks a clearly delighted Annie to be maid of honour. Without two dimes to rub together, organising a bridal shower to remember will be tricky for Annie, especially since one of the bridesmaids is socialite wife Helen (Rose Byrne), who splashes cash as if it is going out of fashion. Fellow bridesmaids Megan (Melissa McCarthy), Becca (Ellie Kemper) and Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey) witness the fallout as Annie and Helen vie for Lillian’s affections. Wiig and co-writer Annie Mumolo received an Oscar nomination for their screenplay; McCarthy also got a nod for Best Supporting Actress.
SUNDAY Gravity (2013) (ITV2, 7.10pm)
Sandra Bullock and George Clooney head the cast of this Oscar-winning sci-fi drama. She plays medical engineer Dr Ryan Stone, who journeys into space for the first time alongside Commander Matt Kowalski (Clooney), a veteran of the space programme on his final mission. Out of the blue, they are ordered to abort and return to their shuttle. Unfortunately, space debris destroys the craft and kills another crew member, leaving Stone and Kowalski drifting through the void. The rest of the film charts their battle for survival. A modern classic co-written by director Alfonso Cuaron and his son Jonas, this is a delight for the senses, although it does lose something when not viewed on the big screen.
Foxcatcher (2014) (BBC Two, 9pm)
Wrestling enthusiast John du Pont (Steve Carell) is desperate to win the love and respect of his elderly mother, Jean (Vanessa Redgrave), a successful horse trainer. So he establishes the training facility and recruits Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) to spearhead his stable of talented athletes. At first, the relationship between du Pont and Schultz is strong, like a surrogate father and son, but fissures eventually appear. “You ungrateful ape!” barks du Pont to his brooding protege. The millionaire hires Schultz’s brother, fellow Olympic champion Dave (Mark Ruffalo), to restore the lustre of the Foxcatcher brand. Dave moves onto the estate with his wife Nancy (Sienna Miller) and family. Jealousy, paranoia and sibling rivalry poison personal ties, culminating in a senseless act of violence.
MONDAY Nymphomaniac: Volume I (2013) (Film4, 11.35pm)
Made alongside a sequel (which screens tomorrow evening at 11.35pm), director Lars von Trier’s contentious film charts the turbulent life of selfdiagnosed nymphomaniac, Joe (played by Stacy Martin and Charlotte Gainsbourg) over the course of 50 years. She relates her story to a caring old bachelor, Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard), who discovers her beaten and bruised in an alleyway. As Seligman tends to Joe’s wounds, she reveals the dark desires that have controlled and consumed her, captured in sexually explicit vignettes that are uncut by UK censors. Jamie Bell, Willem Dafoe, Christian Slater, Shia LaBeouf, Connie Nielsen and Uma Thurman are among the supporting cast.
TUESDAY Powder Room (2013) (Film4, 2am)
Set over the course of one crazy night, MJ Delaney’s comedy drama follows a group of young women searching for life and fulfilment in a world of shattered dreams. Sam (Sheridan Smith) doesn’t feel she has accomplished much and seeks solace in the company of her good mates, Chanel (Jaime Winstone), Saskia (Sarah Hoare) and Paige (Riann Steele). Determined to grow up and broaden her horizons, Sam meets up with her old college friend Michelle (Kate Nash), who has moved to Paris and has a well-paid job that Sam covets. Intimidated by the success of Michelle and her glamorous pal Jess (Oona Chaplin), Sam resorts to little white lies about her life and the untruths quickly spiral out of control.
WEDNESDAY Jaws (1975) (ITV4, 9pm)
Based on a novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws was Steven Spielberg’s first blockbuster and confirmed his reputation as a filmmaker capable of engaging international audiences. The premise – a great white shark terrorises the New England resort of Amity Island – is simplistic but Spielberg directs brilliantly, leading police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), marine expert Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and salty seadog Quint (Robert Shaw) in search of the beast. John Williams’s inexorable theme sets the mood and sets our nerves on edge.
THURSDAY Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) (Film4, 11am)
Randolph Scott was rarely out of chaps and a 10-gallon hat during his career – he looked like a cowboy so much and played one so often that people probably thought that’s what he did for a living. While many of his movies are now long forgotten, he did star in a few memorable offerings, and this is one of the best. It belies its low budget to tell the compelling story of a drifter who arrives in a small frontier town and tangles with the crooked family who run the place. Well made and with enough twists and turns to keep the viewer interested, it’s well worth a look. Craig Stevens, Manuel Rojas and Barry Kelley are among the supporting cast attempting to avoid the bullets.
FRIDAY Blades of Glory (2007) (BBC One, 11.05pm)
Will Ferrell stars as bad-boy figure skater Chazz Michael Michaels, whose bitter rivalry with Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) escalates into an on-the-ice brawl, which sees the pair receiving lifetime bans from the sport. After finding a loophole, which allows them to compete as the first ever male/male pair in the doubles competition, the two try to put their differences aside so that they can have a second shot at being crowned in glory.