James Absolon explains how this Pope-themed film, despite its risky premise, works
Alex Pollard reviews Hollywood's biopic of the controversial Margaret Thatcher
Brand spanking new to The Yorker, we bring you the best of this week's film and TV, including news, film releases, and TV highlights. Check back here Mondays to plan your entertainment week!
Releases: After much delay this Friday sees the final release of Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lovely Bones featuring Stanley Tucci in his Oscar-nominated performance, as well as a touching appearance of Saoirse Ronan as the recently departed Susie Salmon. The other major release of this week is The Last Station which sees great performances from Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer and James Macavoy in this biographical film depicting the final year of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy.
For local cinema listings click on the respective cinemas: CityScreen, Reel York, Vue York
News: The main story has to be the signing of New Moon’s Taylor Lautner as the lead in the upcoming film based on action figure Stretch Armstrong. Seeing a release posted for 2012 it will be interesting to see how this ‘vision’ turns out. Also in the film news is the possibility of a Hollywood-style revamp of Dumas’ The Three Muskateers. Having already signed on a screenwriter in the form of playwright Peter Straughan (who recently adapted Jon Ronson’s book The Men Who Stare At Goats) I think I speak for many when I say that if this ends up like The Man In The Iron Mask there will be many upset bibliophiles.
Awards: In terms of awards season this Sunday sees the unveiling of this year’s BAFTAs. Will they do what they usually do and back the home favourites? Or will they succumb to the trends being currently followed by recent awards ceremony? The clue will really lie in the Best Actress category where home favourite Carey Mulligan will be doing battle against this year’s big winners Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock. Watch this space!
News: Last Wednesday saw the first appearance of Neil Dudgeon in Midsomer Murders playing DCI John Barnaby, Tom’s cousin and eventual replacement. Exciting times. It also saw talk show host Ellen Degeneres debuted as a judge on the biggest show in America, American Idol. Though some were initially sceptical of what musical expertise she could offer, critics and viewers alike came away with a good first impression, potentially showing she could be groomed as the ‘new Simon’ once he leaves the show at the end of this season.
Listings Highlights: The biggest event on TV this week is probably the 25th anniversary of Eastenders, which is being marked by an hour long episode on Thursday and a live episode on Friday, which will finally reveal Archie Mitchell’s killer. If you’re a CSI fan, be sure not to miss the CSI Trilogy crossover (Tuesday, 10pm, five) with an investigation taking place in all three cities – it’s like fanfiction reality! I recommend checking out the last episode of the terrible but fun Material Girl (Wednesday, 10pm, BBC1) to admire Lenora Crichlow’s amazing array of jumpsuits one more time, and to see if Dervla Kirwan finally gets indigestion from all the scenery she’s been chewing for the last six weeks. Marvellous stuff.
New Series/Season: David Mitchell fans (i.e. people with brains and good taste) will want to check out The Bubble (Friday, 10pm, BBC2). Contestants will be locked away for three days before being released and asked to sniff out the real news stories from the fake ones. It sounds a bit odd, but Mitchell is always good value and the one of the guests is the magnificent Reginald D. Hunter, so I’m there. Meanwhile, returning shows include the twelfth (!) season of King of the Hill (Monday, 10:30pm, E4), and more for crime-lovers in the form of The Mentalist which returns for its second season (Friday, 9pm, five).
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