Pick of the week
Blur: To the End
“The less we do, the bigger we get.” As Blur prepare for, surprisingly, their first ever gig at Wembley, drummer Dave Rowntree reflects on the Britpop band’s reunion in 2023 after 10 years apart. In this intimate documentary, cameras loiter in singer Damon Albarn’s rural Devon studio as the quartet congregate to finesse their most recent album, then follow the run-up to the big concert. They are in reflective mood, dissecting their relationships and past rock star behaviour – from Alex James’s worries about parenthood (and cheese) to the newly separated Albarn veering between workaholic intensity and sheer exhaustion. But on stage, it all comes gloriously together.
Sunday 29 December, 9pm, Sky Arts
***
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Clearly something of his most famous character rubbed off on Christopher Reeve. As Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s touching documentary reveals, after he was paralysed from the neck down after a horse-riding accident, the previously sporty film star became a stalwart campaigner for spinal injury and stem cell research. The film flips between before and after, giving a rounded picture of the actor and the man.
Saturday 28 December, 9pm, Sky Documentaries
***
Incredibles 2
After its success, it was inevitable that Pixar’s 60s-styled superhero animation would get a sequel. This one focuses more on mum Helen, AKA Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), throwing sexual politics into the mix when she gets a job advocating for “supers” to be made legal, which forces husband Bob (Craig T Nelson) to stop being Mr Incredible and look after the kids. Director Brad Bird keeps it stylish and funny, and allows himself another turn as designer extraordinaire Edna.
Monday 30 December, 2.35pm, BBC One
***
Becoming Madonna
Covering the years 1978 to 1992, and using a recently rediscovered audio interview, this insightful film traces the seemingly inevitable rise of Madonna Louise Ciccone from new girl in New York to global pop star, high-profile Aids activist and controversy magnet. “I didn’t think failing was an option,” she recalls, and her ambition shines through the whole narrative – as does a single-minded focus that has sadly often been viewed through a sexist lens.
Monday 30 December, 9pm, Sky Documentaries
***
Black Panther
Originally a Wesley Snipes project back in the 1990s, Black Panther was eventually subsumed into Marvel’s expanding universe; the result, Ryan Coogler’s 2018 film, is a refreshing addition to the canon. Chadwick Boseman is a serious but screen-grabbing presence as T’Challa, the titular hero and new ruler of Wakanda, a secretive, technologically advanced African kingdom. It’s a Bond-esque caper, roving from London to Korea, with divergent views on Black power and its use driving the plot.
New Year’s Eve, 8pm, BBC One
***
The Fall Guy
Eighteen months after breaking his back on set and quitting his job, US stunt double Colt (a typically laconic Ryan Gosling) is lured to Australia to work on the directorial debut of his ex-lover, Jody (Emily Blunt). This comedic upgrade of the old Lee Majors TV show throws Colt (literally) into a slew of perilous encounters as he searches for the movie’s missing star. As befits a film about a stuntman there are many, many impressive stunts, with Colt’s skill set of falling through glass, driving quickly in built-up areas and jumping off tall buildings employed to good effect.
Friday 3 January, 12.25pm, 8pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
***
The Double
It’s a pity Richard Ayoade hasn’t directed a film since this surreal 2013 comedy noir, as he has an eye for a vivid yarn. Adapted from a Dostoevsky novella, it stars a perfectly cast Jesse Eisenberg in the dual role of doormat office worker Simon James and his doppelganger – assertive, sneaky new colleague James Simon. Matters come to a head when Hannah (Mia Wasikowski), the woman Simon is timidly enamoured of, falls for James. Weird and wonderful.
Friday 3 January, 2.05am, Film4
