Monday (18/4) 22:00 BBC2 Official Secrets (2019)
Effective drama telling the tue story of Katharine Gun, played by Keira Knightly on good form, who battled between her professional duty and ingrained morals and blew the whistle on GCHQ in Cheltenham when she came across an email proving foul play. The memo is leaked to the press, her personal life is called into question and GCHQ must find the culprit. She also seeks legal help to claim her actions may have been illegal but were also ethically correct. The film builds some good tension and asks the question; what would you do?
Friday (22/4) 22:40 BBC1 The Imitation Game (2014)
Wonderful biopic of the hugely underappreciated and incredibly influential Alan Turing, played in a career highlight turn by Benedict Cumberbatch, who helped shape the modern world we all know by creating the blueprint for the first computer, and is considered the father of Artificial Intellegence. During WW2 he headed a small team responsible for breaking the German's Enigma code at Bletchley Park, the UK government's top secret intelligence site. Turing's personal life overshadowed any heroic efforts, which themselves were only revealed decades after the events. He was voted the greatest person of the 21st century in a 2019 BBC series.
Note - Bletchley Park is now open to the public and well worth a visit.
Others
Saturday (16/4) 22:40 ITV Hot Fuzz (2007)
The second of the 'Cornetto' comedy trilogy, inbetween Shaun of the Dead and The World's End, from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. PC Angel, played by Pegg, is a hot shot London cop making his colleagues look bad, so is sent to a sleepy cotswold village, Sandford in Gloucestershire, which has the lowest crime figures in the UK and consistently wins the 'Best Village of the Year' award. But Angel finds a dark underbelly to the idyllic image and the seemingly perfect community. Directed by Edgar Wright in his trademark swift edit style, it pays homage to many films, as Pegg and Frost like to do, and stars an impressive haul of British acting talent including, Broadbent, Colman, Nighy, Considine among many others.
Monday (18/4) 14:30 BBC1 Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Another in Disney's collection of live action remakes of their classic fare. The songs and characters remain, but the visuals are revamped amidst some of the plot being modernised. This is a perfectly serviceable outing for Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as Beast, but predictably, doesn't reach the status of near perfection that the 90s animation (or earlier adaptations including the 1946 French version for that matter) did. With an all star voice cast including Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen and Ewan McGregor.
Sunday (17/4) 10:50 ITV4 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Classic, much loved western starring the most bankable pairing of the era, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, with Katherine Ross in support. Based on the real life exploits of the two infamous outlaws who, after a bank robbery goes awry, flee to South America to make their escape. I think history has been kind to the film, it has appreciated in classic status, perhaps not all of which is fully deserved when revisited today. New audiences may not get the hype. Music by Burt Bacharach.
Sunday (17/4) 17:45 BBC1 The Lion King (1994)
Loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, and released during Disney's 2nd golden age, The Lion King is one of the best loved animated films of all time. Young prince Simba is blamed by his malevolent uncle Scar for his father's death, and escapes into the jungle where he meets the dynamic duo of Timon and Pumbaa, eventually to return to face his guilt and reclaim the crown. Mufasa's final moment almost rivals that of Bambi's mum for 'core childhood memory' status. With a wonderful score and great songs, including 'Hakuna Matata', 'Circle of life' and 'Can you feel the love tonight', by Elton John and Tim Rice, it is also a sing along classic.
Thursday (21/4) 16:15 Film4 Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
In the same year as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, this was a similarly unlikely smash hit of a feel-good, coming of age comedy about an amateur female football team and the troubles and friendship of two of the players, played by Keira Knightley (in her breakthrough role) and Parminder Nagra. Their parents figure largely in their lives, with one mother being unaware entirely and the other stuffy parents wanting their daughter to conform and start a family, but the girls are both determined to follow their dreams.
For more visit;
Comments