Wednesday’s TV Tips
The hook that caught many peoples’ imagination is that central character Benjamin is born ’old’ and begins to age backwards. As a youth (or rather old man), he befriends Daisy, a flame-haired girl who becomes his soul mate.
Along the way he becomes a sailor, has an affair with a British diplomat’s wife in Russia, and as the years drop away – physically at least – he reunites with the love of his life.
David Fincher has the rare talent of making films which grab viewers by the scruff of the neck and don’t let them go until the closing credits. Seven, Fight Club and Zodiac were all compelling achievements, and this epic is also a stunning piece of work.
The movie looks breathtaking. However, that last half-an-hour is heartbreaking, so you may need a box of tissues on standby.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P Henson, Tilda Swinton, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng
72%
Who would have thought that a show in which women give birth could prove to be such a ratings-winner?
Probably not many people, and yet this series has been hugely popular, so there’s no wonder there is rarely a long gap between runs.
This time around, the ’action’ moves to Bristol’s Southmead Hospital, home to the West Country’s busiest maternity unit, where something very rare is about to happen – fourth generation twins are on their way.
Thirty-five-year-old Mel has an identical sibling, her father is a twin and so is her grandmother, and now she’s pregnant with two babies herself. Now Mel must decide whether her husband Chris or sister Cheryl will be her birthing partner - and quickly too, because her waters have already broken...
Meanwhile, a breech baby unexpectedly makes its move, and Rob preys his next child will be a boy when his partner Katy goes into labour.
If you caught last night’s opening part of this documentary, you’ll be glued to the screen for the conclusion.
The first edition introduced us to a group of young women brought up in care who’ve formed a football team.
Cameras then followed them to Brazil, where they prepared to take part in Street Kid World Cup, an event in which 230 girls and boys from 19 countries play each other – and all of the participants are either in care or actually living on the streets.
It’s a way of highlighting the plight of disadvantaged children everywhere.
Here, there’s also a chance to find out more about those taking part and the conditions some unfortunate Brazilian children have to deal with, as cameras follow the English team into Rio’s slums and favelas.
The hope is that by experiencing how bad things can be will inspire them to change their lives once they’re back on home ground.
(2006) A lonely but seemingly ordinary teacher slowly reveals herself to be an obsessive stalker determined to destroy a young friend’s life after she learns of her affair with a student. Her mind games escalate until her victim is terrified for her life.
Judi Dench received her sixth Oscar nomination when she teamed up with Iris director Richard Eyre to give arguably the performances of her career in this chilling psychological drama which is based on the best-selling novel by Zoe Heller.
Creepy at first and then truly chilling as the movie progresses, it feels like a very English version of Misery and shows that you don’t need special effects and dismemberment to scare the socks off an audience.
Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Anne-Marie Duff
87%
In 2007, anthropologist and adventurer Chris Terrill directed Commando: On the Front Line, which charted the year he spent alongside the Royal Marine Commandos.
Shown over eight enthralling episodes, it followed 50 raw recruits as they went through eight months of hardcore training before embarking on their first tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Now Terrill is returning to the war-torn country, and once again will be accompanied by Bertie Kerr, an officer who was seen leading his men into an attack on an enemy stronghold in the first film. Now, he’s battle-hardened and has lost two men since we last saw him.
He and Terrill want to know if he and his men’s presence in Afghanistan has helped the locals. He also needs to find out what has changed in the years since the conflict began, and whether, when British American troops pull out at the end of the year, they will be leaving the nation in a better state than when they first arrived.
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