The Herald - The Herald Magazine
THIS WEEK’S BEST FILMS
(Mike Myers) discovers that his nemesis Dr Evil (Myers again) has cryogenically frozen himself, the agent volunteers to undergo the same process in case the villain comes back in the future. However, when he’s thawed out 30 years later, Austin discovers that battling the supervillain isn’t his only challenge – he also has to adjust to the politically correct 1990s.
WEDNESDAY Shane, Film 4, 3.25pm
If you thought the idea of the quiet, mysterious stranger in American Westerns started with Clint Eastwood then think again. Its real source is this seminal 1953 film directed by George Stevens and based on Jack Schaefer’s 1949 novel. The titular Shane is an un-armed drifter dressed in buckskin who comes into the lives of Marian, Joe and Joey Starrett, a farming family, and stands up for them against intimidation by a local cattle farmer. The period is some time after the Civil War, and the state is Wyoming. Alan Ladd gives the performance of his career as Shane. One of only a handful of Westerns which truly merit the accolade classic, it was nominated for six Oscars and won the gong for Best Cinematography.
American Graffiti (1973) (Sony Movies Classic, 9pm)
It’s a hot summer’s night in 1962 and four teens in a small Californian town realise their childhoods may be drawing near to a close – for the end of their final year at senior high looms close. The quartet decide to make the most of their time together and celebrate their friendship with one final night on the town. With plenty of humour that really hits the mark, this film was to launch many careers, including those of Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard and
experiences of heartache, abandonment and despair in her emotionally raw lyrics. Her death in July 2011 sparked a period of national soul-searching. Asif Kapadia’s deeply moving documentary charts the turbulent life of the songbird, including contributions from many of her friends and family.
Reservoir Dogs (1992) (Film4, 10.45pm)
A group of criminals are brought together for a bank heist, but the
Cardinal: Until the Night (BBC2, 9pm)
When a new victim is found, it becomes increasingly clear that the murderer’s main targets are not the victims themselves, but their loved ones. Police work to establish a link between the two deaths, but crucial information continues to elude them. Meanwhile, John and Liz grow closer as they focus on the case. Crime thriller, based on the John Cardinal Mysteries series by Canadian author Giles Blunt, starring Billy Campbell, Karine Vanasse, Glen Gould and Kristen Thomson.
The Great British Sewing Bee (BBC1, 9pm)
The amateur sewer competition hosted by Joe plan goes badly awry when the cops show up, and one of their number starts murdering hostages. Holed up in a warehouse, the gang must decide whether there is a rat in the ranks, and if so, which of the robbers isn’t all he seems. The movie that made a household name of writer and director Quentin Tarantino is every bit as good today as it was on its release in 1992. It also boasts a great cast, including Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Steve Buscemi, as well as some very quotable dialogue. A true modern classic.
FRIDAY
Hampstead (2017) (Film4, 6.55pm)
It has been a year since Emily Walters (Diane Keaton) lost her no-good husband Charles. Female residents of her apartment block, led by busybody Fiona (Lesley Manville), offer withering advice on remarrying at the earliest opportunity. To that end, Fiona sets Emily up with creepy accountant James, who promises to clear the widow’s mounting debts – “no strings attached”. Hampstead is a twee tale of star-crossed lovers across the social divide.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) (E4, 9pm)
Impossible Missions Force operative Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is sprung from a Russian jail by fellow agents Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and
Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg). They are ordered to break into the Kremlin to steal intelligence files that reveal the identity of a terrorist codenamed Cobalt. The mission turns sour when madman Hendricks
(Michael Nyqvist) detonates a bomb inside the iconic building to cover up the theft of Russian nuclear launch codes. Brad Bird’s film is truly exhilarating.
Lycett continues. This time, the five remaining contestants take part in the quarter final, creating garments and trying their hand at techniques from around the world. Firstly, the sewers must follow a pattern like they have never encountered before, as judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young ask them to make a Filipino Terno Blouse. In the Transformation Challenge, the competitors are asked to turn Provencal tablecloths from France into a brand new outfit in just 90 minutes, before creating a dramatic Flamenco skirt from Southern Spain in the final challenge.
THURSDAY
You Are What You Wear (BBC1, 8.05pm)