Weekly Film Guide: From Heartfelt Debuts to Iconic Documentaries
This week's television lineup offers a rich selection of cinematic experiences, blending social realism, personal history, and classic French New Wave. Leading the pack is Charlotte Regan's delightful debut feature, which combines whimsical storytelling with touching optimism.
Scrapper: A Father-Daughter Tale with Wit and Heart
Charlotte Regan's debut film Scrapper takes a slice of social realism and infuses it with whimsical wit and touching optimism. Lola Campbell delivers a standout performance as 12-year-old Georgie, a resourceful girl secretly living alone on her east London estate after her mother's death. She supports herself by stealing bikes with her best friend Ali, played by Alin Uzun.
Georgie's carefully constructed independence is disrupted when her long-absent father Jason, portrayed by Harris Dickinson, unexpectedly arrives to care for her. The development of their parental bond unfolds slowly and painfully, as Jason grapples with the mysteries of fatherhood while Georgie, despite her brave exterior, remains wrapped in grief. With this charming drama, Regan establishes herself as a filmmaker to watch closely.
When to watch: Friday 27 February, 11pm on BBC Two.
The Fabelmans: Spielberg's Personal Cinematic Journey
Steven Spielberg mines his own history for his most personal film yet in The Fabelmans, a 1950s-set drama exploring family dynamics, coming of age, and the transformative power of cinema. The story follows Sammy Fabelman, played by Gabriel LaBelle as a teenager, who becomes obsessed with movie-making at a young age and pursues his celluloid dream as his family relocates from New Jersey to Arizona and eventually California.
While the film evokes nostalgia for the postwar era of opportunity, it doesn't shy away from darker elements including antisemitism and domestic turbulence between Sammy's very different parents, portrayed by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano.
When to watch: Saturday 21 February, 9.15pm on Channel 4.
Breathless: French New Wave at Its Finest
For those seeking cinematic education after watching Richard Linklater's Nouvelle Vague about the making of Breathless, Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 classic provides the perfect companion piece. The film encapsulates the rule-breaking, improvisational spirit of the French New Wave with its distinctive jump-cuts, handheld camerawork, and blithe indifference to conventional plotlines.
Jean-Paul Belmondo stars as impulsive criminal Michel, who woos Jean Seberg's American student Patricia against the vividly depicted backdrop of Paris. The film remains a landmark achievement in cinematic history.
When to watch: Sunday 22 February, 12.35am on Talking Pictures TV.
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run - A Solo Artist's Journey
Morgan Neville's documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run offers a fascinating time capsule covering the period from 1969, when The Beatles disbanded, to 1980, when John Lennon was tragically murdered. Through voiceover interviews with McCartney, his family, and fellow performers, plus home movies and private photographs, the film provides an intimate look at an effortlessly creative musician navigating his solo career.
The documentary reveals McCartney's attempts to find his artistic identity outside The Beatles, including his formation of Wings, while acknowledging the challenges of establishing himself as an equal creative force on his own terms.
Where to watch: Available on Prime Video from Friday 27 February.
Additional Highlights for Film Enthusiasts
In the Blink of an Eye: Andrew Stanton's ambitious live-action sci-fi adventure explores themes of life, death, and humanity across three distinct timelines. The film features Rashida Jones, Daveed Diggs, and Kate McKinnon in a narrative that evokes comparisons to both 2001: A Space Odyssey and Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain.
Dead of Winter: Brian Kirk's thriller starring Emma Thompson offers Fargo-adjacent entertainment with its wintry Minnesota setting, grimly comic violence, and Thompson's compelling performance as a recent widow who discovers a kidnapping during an ice-fishing trip.
Jurassic World: Rebirth: Gareth Edwards' efficient reboot returns to focusing on the wonder of dinosaurs, featuring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey as characters exploring a forbidden island of genetically mutated creatures.
This diverse selection of films provides something for every cinematic taste, from intimate character studies to grand science fiction adventures and classic cinema masterpieces.
