Your Ultimate Guide to This Week's Television Film Highlights
British viewers are in for a cinematic treat this week with an exceptional lineup of films arriving on television and streaming platforms. From utterly beguiling Taiwanese drama to dark American thrillers and timeless classics, there's something for every film enthusiast.
Left-Handed Girl: A Taiwanese Family Drama
Making its debut on Friday 28 November via Netflix, Left-Handed Girl marks the vibrant solo feature debut of Shih-Ching Tsou. The filmmaker, a regular collaborator with Oscar-winning director Sean Baker, brings a similar focus on society's less privileged members to this intimate portrait of her Taiwanese homeland.
Janel Tsai delivers a compelling performance as Shu-Fen, a single mother navigating the challenges of raising her five-year-old daughter I-Jing, played by the delightful Nina Ye, and her stroppy young adult daughter I-Ann, portrayed by Shih-Yuan Ma. The family's move to Taipei to establish a noodle stall becomes increasingly fraught as financial pressures and relationship stresses threaten to unravel their bonds. Critics have praised the film as an unforced, perceptive drama that genuinely captivates audiences.
After the Hunt: Campus Accusations and Moral Dilemmas
Currently available on Prime Video, Luca Guadagnino's Yale-set drama After the Hunt presents a notably serious turn for Julia Roberts. Viewers won't see her trademark radiant smile in this murky tale where she portrays Alma, a largely unlikable philosophy professor awaiting tenure alongside colleague and close friend Hank, played by Andrew Garfield.
The academic calm shatters when student Maggie, portrayed by Ayo Edebiri, accuses Hank of sexual assault. The film thoughtfully explores questions of privilege, feminism, restorative justice, and generational ignorance as Alma faces the difficult decision of whom to believe, while her own conduct comes under scrutiny.
Classic Cinema and Contemporary Documentaries
Federico Fellini's 1957 masterpiece Nights of Cabiria arrives on Saturday 22 November at 9.05pm via Talking Pictures TV. Giulietta Masina delivers an unforgettable performance as sex worker Cabiria, whose Chaplin-esque stylings create an achingly tragicomic atmosphere as she maintains her optimism through life's various challenges.
Joseph L Mankiewicz's 1954 drama The Barefoot Contessa screens on Sunday at 2.55pm on Sky Arts, featuring Ava Gardner as movie star Maria Vargas and Humphrey Bogart at his world-weary best as director Harry.
Music enthusiasts can enjoy One Shot With Ed Sheeran on Netflix, an uncut hour following the Suffolk-raised superstar as he performs spontaneously across New York locations, from marriage proposals to pub sessions, all captured in a single continuous take.
Modern Gems and Tarantino Action
Mike Mills's tender black-and-white drama C'mon C'mon features terrific performances from Joaquin Phoenix as radio producer Johnny and Woody Norman as his nephew Jesse. The film airs on Wednesday 26 November at 2am on Channel 4, exploring their unexpected bonding when Jesse's mother must care for his bipolar father.
For those seeking more explosive entertainment, Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds offers silly, violent fun on Thursday 27 November at 9pm on Film4. Brad Pitt leads Jewish American soldiers on a mission of bloody revenge against Nazis, while Mélanie Laurent plays a cinema owner seeking payback for her murdered family.
With this diverse selection of cinematic offerings, British viewers have ample opportunity to discover compelling stories from around the world without leaving their living rooms.
