What’s on this weekend? From Russia with Blood to The Season
Your guide to what’s worth seeing and reading this weekend
The Week’s best film, TV, book and live show on this weekend, with excerpts from the top reviews.
TELEVISION: Reggie in China
Jeff Robson for the i newspaper
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“On the same night that BBC1 unleashed its impressive adaptation of The War of the Worlds, Reggie In China, a three-part look at the country's economic and social transformation began with the presenter and documentary maker visiting a city that bore more than a passing resemblance to one of HG Wells’ visions of the future…As always, he was a natural at putting his interviewees at their ease. Which produced some revealing comments, highlighting Chinese people’s pride at their country’s economic transformation, despite the lack of corresponding democratic reforms.”
Episode 2 airs Sunday 24 November, 8pm on BBC2. Episode 1 on BBC iPlayer.
MOVIE: I Lost my Body
Peter Debruge for Variety
“In its finished form, director Jérémy Clapin’s peculiar undertaking (adapted from the novel “Happy Hand,” by Guillaume Laurant) is even stranger than it sounded to me half a decade earlier, and yet, there’s no question he’s pulled it off. In fact, I’d hazard to say it’s one of the most original and creative animated features I’ve ever seen: macabre, of course — how could it be otherwise, given the premise? — but remarkably captivating and unexpectedly poetic in the process.”
Released 22 November
BOOK: From Russia with Blood by Heidi Blake
Leonid Ragozin for NPR
“The book is worth reading for its recap of more than a dozen murder and suspicious death stories that happened over two decades. It also provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of Russia's most illustrious oligarch-turned-anti-Putin-rebel and his ragtag band of business associates, shady fixers, Chechen fighters, former security agents and spin doctors.”
Published 19 November
STAGE: The Season
“[Song] Under the Mistletoe astringently deconstructs the cliches of wintry hits, and two-tone duets, with the singers taking starkly different parts, emerge as a Barne-Buchan speciality…While a warm but smart show with a performing payroll of two seems set to be a Christmas gift that keeps on giving for theatrical accountants, there will be nothing parsimonious about the pleasure for audiences. Inevitably, fake snow falls at the end, but, by then, it’s clear that, in the often barren genre of British musicals, Barne and Buchan are the real thing.”
At the Royal & Derngate theatre, Northampton, until 30 November
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Harriet Tubman made a general 161 years after raid
Speed Read She was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Chappell Roan is a new kind of boundary-setting celebrity
In the Spotlight She's calling out fans and the media for invasive behavior
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Saudi crown prince slams Israeli 'genocide' in Gaza
Speed Read Mohammed bin Salman has condemned Israel’s actions
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Threads: how apocalyptic pseudo-documentary shocked a nation
In the Spotlight The rarely shown nuclear annihilation film will reappear on TV screens this week
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
TV to watch in October, from 'Disclaimer' and 'The Franchise'
The Week Recommends An HBO comedy from the 'Veep' creator, a mystery from master filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and a reboot of an '80s classic
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Trigger warnings on screen spark dissent
Talking Point Are they a measure of sensitivity or just unnecessary posturing?
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
'Shogun' dominates Emmys, 'Hacks' surprises
Speed Read 'Shogun' won a record 18 Emmys and 'Hacks' beat 'The Bear' in a surprise upset
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Count of Monte Cristo review: 'indecently spectacular' adaptation
The Week Recommends Dumas's classic 19th-century novel is once again given new life in this 'fast-moving' film
By The Week UK Published
-
Death of England: Closing Time review – 'bold, brash reflection on racism'
The Week Recommends The final part of this trilogy deftly explores rising political tensions across the country
By The Week UK Published
-
Sing Sing review: prison drama bursts with 'charm, energy and optimism'
The Week Recommends Colman Domingo plays a real-life prisoner in a performance likely to be an Oscars shoo-in
By The Week UK Published
-
Kaos review: comic retelling of Greek mythology starring Jeff Goldblum
The Week Recommends The new series captures audiences as it 'never takes itself too seriously'
By The Week UK Published