Don’t miss these five films and TV shows next week
Screen Time: The best new watches to keep you company from 5th November onwards.
Culture
Words: Olive Pometsey
November, what is it good for? Sure, watching Catherine wheels almost set fire to dad’s shed on Bonfire Night is alright. The John Lewis Christmas ad drop might warm hearts at first, but you’ll hate that saccharine cover of Together in Electric Dreams by advent. And as for Black Friday, i.e fighting over a flat-screen in Currys? Do us a favour.
If we’re being honest, the only thing November is good for is getting your hygge on. That means curling up on the sofa with a brew and some quality TV (loose translation from the original Danish/Norwegian). This week, expect to see suspenseful thrillers and the return of Big Mouth light up your black mirrors. Get cosy and get into it.
For bingeing…
Got time? Watch it all in one go
The Unlikely Murderer
Get your Nordic Noir fix with Netflix’s latest thriller series, packed full of suspense and cliffhangers that will tempt you into an all-night binge. Based onThomas Pettersson’s book of the same name, which is also based on true events, the action takes place in 1986, the year Sweden’s then-prime minister, Olof Palme, was assassinated. The murder was a messy case to solve and, to this day, no one has officially been found guilty (Christer Pettersson was convicted in 1988 but was later acquitted). But lots of people reckon it could have been graphic designer Stig Engström, who was initially treated as an eyewitness. Two decades after his death in 2000, The Unlikely Murderer attempts to piece together how the unassuming Engström might have pulled off a political assassination and, more baffling yet, how he evaded the police for the rest of his life.
Available on Netflix now
For splurging…
The film worth leaving home to see
Spencer
Buckle up, Di-hard Kristen Stewart fans. She’s blowing up on screens this week with a prestige bang, stepping into the royal shoes of the people’s princess in Spencer. Yep, it’s another retelling of Princess Diana’s tumultuous time in the royal family. But this time, the action focuses on one fateful Christmas at Sandringham Estate, the Queen’s beloved country getaway in Norfolk. But there are no mistletoe and good tidings to be found here. Any Christmas cheer is overshadowed by Diana’s psychological unravelling and family feuds. Read director Pablo Larraín’s interview with THE FACE here, then head to the cinema to get wrapped up in a right royal drama.
Out in UK cinemas now
For thinking…
A documentary to feed the brain
2040
As COP26 enters its second week of figuring out how to save the planet, there’s no better time to get clued up on the innovative ways we could regenerate society to halt climate change. Damon Gameau’s 2040 does exactly that, following the filmmaker as he travels the world to find sustainable solutions to the crisis. By far the most optimistic documentary about climate change out there, 2040 can seem a little bit juvenile at times (did he really need to greenscreen interviews on top of wind turbines?), but the vision for a better future it presents is nothing short of inspiring. If climate anxiety has you feeling like all hope is lost, this is the film to watch.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime for £3.49
For laughs…
Comedy or reality TV to crack a smile
Big Mouth
Everyone’s favourite cartoon about struggling through adolescence is back, and it’s just as bonkers and horny as you remember. Having got to grips with hormone monsters, the Shame Wizard and Tito the Anxiety Mosquito in the previous series, this year the kids at Bridgeton Middle School are introduced to love bugs and hate worms, both of which are destined to wreak havoc on their poor pubescent brains. Said havoc is obviously very funny, though, so we’ll save our sympathies for IRL teens who don’t have bizarre creatures to help them understand their emotions.
Available on Netflix now
For chatting…
Talking points for when your next wave of social fatigue hits
Close To Me
If you’re hungry for even more mystery and suspense after The Unlikely Murderer, then this six-part Channel 4 series should satisfy your cravings. Based on Amanda Reynolds’ novel of the same name, the show sees Christopher Eccleston and Connie Nielsen couple up as Rob and Jo, the latter of whom has lost a year’s worth of memory after waking up in a pool of blood at home. What happened? Well, let’s just say that, when she regains her memory, she’ll wish that she’d never found out.
On Channel 4 on 7th November at 9pm
