Weekly Film Guide: Seven Must-See Movies on Television
This week's television schedule offers a diverse selection of films, ranging from heartfelt British dramas to classic cinema and intriguing documentaries. Here are the seven best films to watch across various channels and streaming platforms.
Scrapper: A Delightful Debut Feature
Charlotte Regan's charming debut film Scrapper combines social realism with whimsical wit and touching optimism. The story follows twelve-year-old Georgie, portrayed by the remarkable Lola Campbell, who secretly lives alone on her east London estate after her mother's death. To support herself, she steals bicycles with her best friend Ali, played by Alin Uzun.
Georgie's carefully constructed independence is disrupted when her long-absent father Jason, played by Harris Dickinson, unexpectedly arrives to care for her. The development of their parental bond unfolds slowly and painfully, as Jason grapples with the complexities of fatherhood while Georgie, despite her brave exterior, remains wrapped in grief. This delightful drama marks Regan as a filmmaker to watch closely. Friday 27 February, 11pm, BBC Two
The Fabelmans: Spielberg's Personal Journey
Steven Spielberg mines his own history for The Fabelmans, his most personal film to date. Set in the 1950s, this drama explores family dynamics, coming of age, and the transformative power of cinema. The story follows Sammy Fabelman, portrayed by Gabriel LaBelle as a teenager, who becomes obsessed with filmmaking at a young age.
As his family relocates from New Jersey to Arizona and then California, Sammy persists with his celluloid dreams. While the film captures nostalgia for the postwar era of opportunity, it also addresses antisemitism and domestic turbulence between his very different parents, played by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano. Saturday 21 February, 9.15pm, Channel 4
Breathless: French New Wave Classic
For those seeking cinematic education after watching Richard Linklater's Nouvelle Vague, Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 classic Breathless provides essential viewing. This film encapsulates the rule-breaking, improvisational spirit of the French New Wave with its jump-cuts, handheld camerawork, and blithe indifference to conventional plotlines.
The story follows Jean-Paul Belmondo's impulsive criminal Michel as he woos Jean Seberg's American student Patricia in vividly depicted Parisian settings. Sunday 22 February, 12.35am, Talking Pictures TV
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run
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 the musician's journey.
The documentary reveals McCartney's efforts to find his way as a solo artist following the band's split, showcasing both his effortless creativity and intermittent brilliance. Despite successfully recreating the band format with Wings, it becomes clear he was navigating the challenge of establishing individual equality. Friday 27 February, Prime Video
In the Blink of an Eye: Ambitious Sci-Fi Adventure
Andrew Stanton's new live-action sci-fi adventure In the Blink of an Eye evokes major 2001: A Space Odyssey vibes while also recalling Darren Aronofsky's epic The Fountain. The WALL.E creator's ambitious film explores themes of life, death, and humanity through three interconnected timelines.
The narrative crosscuts between a Neanderthal family, a present-day love story between Rashida Jones's anthropologist and fellow student Daveed Diggs, and a 25th-century scientist, played by Kate McKinnon, traveling on a spaceship to colonize a new planet. Friday 27 February, Disney+
Dead of Winter: Fargo-Adjacent Thriller
Brian Kirk's thriller Dead of Winter shares distinct similarities with Fargo through its wintry Minnesota setting, grimly comic violence, and persistent use of "Oh heck" as a curse word. Emma Thompson stars as Barb, a tackle shop owner and recent widow whose ice-fishing trip at a remote lake takes a dramatic turn.
Barb discovers a young woman, played by Laurel Marsden, held captive by a gun-toting couple portrayed by Judy Greer and Marc Menchaca. The tightly plotted narrative grows increasingly tense as Thompson's capable heroine exploits the chilly climate to orchestrate a rescue attempt. Friday 27 February, Paramount+
Jurassic World: Rebirth: Dinosaur Adventure Returns
Gareth Edwards' efficient sort-of reboot Jurassic World: Rebirth features a script by original Jurassic Park writer David Koepp, marking a return to focusing on the wonder of dinosaurs. While no characters from previous films appear, the story follows mercenaries Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali, palaeontologist Jonathan Bailey, and their big pharma paymaster Rupert Friend as they journey to a forbidden island.
Their mission involves sampling genetically mutated creatures, with additional drama supplied by a family shipwrecked during a sailing trip. Expect plenty of running and screaming as prehistoric dangers unfold. Friday, 7.10am and 8pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
