Shifty to 28 Years Later: the week in rave reviews
BBC iPlayer; full series available now
Summed up in a sentence In his signature kaleidoscopic style, celebrated documentarian Adam Curtis looks back at Britain over the past 40 years … and how it has come to the brink of collapse.
What our reviewer said 'It is an increasing rarity to stand in the presence of anyone with an idea, a thesis, that they have thoroughly worked out to their own satisfaction and then present stylishly, exuberantly and still intelligently. The hell and the handcart feel that bit more bearable now.' Lucy Mangan
Read the full review
Further reading Thatcher, Farage and toe-sucking: Adam Curtis on how Britain came to the brink of civil war
BBC Two/iPlayer; available now
Summed up in a sentence The celebrated chef opens up with searing honesty about being sectioned by his wife 18 months ago.
What our reviewer said 'A conversation with his son Jack, also a chef, is one of the most dreadfully honest and painful things I have seen on television in years. Pent-up emotions pour forth from Jack as he remembers 'just wanting relaxing conversation with our dad and not being allowed to have one … You didn't want to know anyone's thoughts. I just didn't think you gave a shit.' Lucy Mangan
Read the full review
Further reading 'It's part of who I am': Heston Blumenthal on the bipolar diagnosis that saved his life
ITV1/ITVX; full series available now
Summed up in a sentence The veteran presenter returns to show us his woo woo life in New Zealand in a show that is surely destined to be a cult classic.
What our reviewer said ''All we are is body energy systems,' he … is 'explains' the word? 'They touch everything around us. Which is how you move into the bigger matrix, the universal energy system.' You know what? I loved Noel's House Party. And nothing has ever made me cry happier tears than Noel's Christmas Presents. He's earned this.' Lucy Mangan
Read the full review
Further reading 'I am Jesus!': the TV brilliance of Noel Edmonds
BBC iPlayer; all series available now
Summed up in a sentence The worst Motherland mother gets her own spin-off – and the gag rate is so high it fizzes with the energy of perimenopause.
What our reviewer said 'The gags – about Gloria Hunniford, the Just Seventeen problem page and Sinn Féin – are very British and aimed at a very particular audience, namely strung out middle-aged mums longing to laugh until they wee a bit at jokes about wellness supplements. Too rarely do we get the chance.' Chitra Ramaswamy
Read the full review
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Powerful documentary following six former inmates revisiting their old cells in the former women's prison to reflect on childhood trauma and domestic abuse.
What our reviewer said 'The film producers explain at length in notes provided that their process involved working with the six women, who had a say in the final edit and were given access throughout to a psychotherapist. Their collaborative documentary feels like essential viewing for policymakers.' Cath Clarke
Read the full review
Further reading 'Prison was the first place we felt sisterhood': six women return to the ruins of Holloway
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Danny Boyle's horror threequel brings back the sprinting zombies as an island lad seeks help for his sick mum on the undead-infested mainland.
What our reviewer said 'The film takes a generational, even evolutionary leap into the future from the initial catastrophe, creating something that mixes folk horror, little-England satire and even a grieving process for all that has happened.' Peter Bradshaw
Read the full review
Further reading 'You'd never make Slumdog today': Danny Boyle on risks, regrets and returning to the undead
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Pixar's latest offers Spielbergian twists and an aggressive, deal-oriented alien in a story about a lonely boy who finds friendship in space.
What our reviewer said 'Elio may well indeed do the business. It has charm, likability and that potent ingredient: childhood loneliness and vulnerability.' Peter Bradshaw
Read the full review
Further reading Raspberry scented weirdness: will Elio be Pixar's wildest ride to date?
In cinemas now
Summed up in a sentence Michael Haneke's stalker drama, rereleased as part of a retrospective season, Complicit, is a compelling tale about the denial and guilt mixed into the foundations of western prosperity.
What our reviewer said 'There is no dramatic musical score, none of the traditional shocks or excitements, just an IV-drip-drip-drip of disquiet leading finally to a convulsion of horror.' Peter Bradshaw
Read the full review
Further reading Michael Haneke films – ranked!
Netflix; out now
Summed up in a sentence Bleak, enraging documentary combining first-hand accounts of the disaster with an appalling record of official negligence.What our reviewer said 'With the very considerable help of the housing-issues journalist Peter Apps, the film shows how the horror was created by a perfect storm of incompetence, mendacity, greed, and (that heartsinking phrase) systemic failure.' Peter Bradshaw
Read the full review
Further reading 'Grenfell should make us all uncomfortable': Olaide Sadiq on making Grenfell: Uncovered
Reviewed by Kathryn Hughes
Summed up in a sentence An ambitious meditation on the power of stories in an age of migration.
What our reviewer said 'Over the past 50 years of her distinguished career as a cultural historian, Warner has immersed herself in fairytales, playground chants, lullabies and fables. Now she suggests using these folk forms to forge connections between arrivants (a term she prefers to 'migrants') and their often hostile hosts.' Read the full review
Reviewed by Amy-Jane Beer
Summed up in a sentence From buzzards in Oxfordshire to cranes in Kent – how once common birds left their mark in British placenames.
What our reviewer said 'Warren's wordcraft is sublime … his style textured and generous, weaving fascination, family life, and lightly carried expertise.'
Read the full review
Reviewed by Fiona Sturges
Summed up in a sentence The daughter of the Fear of Flying author on being neglected as a child – and dealing with her mother's dementia.
What our reviewer said 'The writing veers between punchy and meandering, with moments of deep sadness leavened by a sardonic humour.'
Read the full review
Further reading My mother was a famous feminist writer known for her candour and wit. But she was also a fantasist who couldn't be bothered to spend time raising me
Reviewed by Sam Byers
Summed up in a sentence A polyphonic portrait of contemporary Belfast digs into the faultlines of class and money.
What our reviewer said 'In her first novel, this acclaimed short-story writer revels in the possibilities of an expanded cast, yet controls the pace and framing with all the precision of a miniaturist.'
Read the full review
Reviewed by Toby Litt
Summed up in a sentence A standup takes revenge after a hatchet-job review.
What our reviewer said 'Is giving an artist a one-star review an act of abuse? That's the starting point of this entertaining and very timely debut novel.'
Read the full review
Reviewed by Joe Moran
Summed up in a sentence A brilliant history of a weaponised mantra.
What our reviewer said 'He wants us to think of free speech as being not just about the content of words but about which voices are heard most loudly and which are marginalised.'
Read the full review
Further reading The big idea: what do we really mean by free speech?
Out now
Summed up in a sentence Family, fatherhood and friendship fill the British rapper's fourth album – along with, for the first time, his singing voice.
What our reviewer said 'Whenever Carner slips into his low-pitched, totally unaffected croon, it cuts through any over-sweetness like a squeeze of lemon.' Rachel Aroesti
Read the full review
Out now
Summed up in a sentence These New Yorkers made one of our favourite rock albums of recent times with 2023's Cartwheel. This follow-up broadens out their sound.
What our reviewer said 'The way bandleader Will Anderson weaves acoustic and distorted guitars and blasts of needling feedback into something as beguiling as Julia's War is evidence of a unique talent operating in a crowded field.' Stevie Chick
Read the full review
Further reading The bands saving shoegaze, from Deafheaven to Feeble Little Horse
Out now
Summed up in a sentence This Estonian duo utilise runo song, a form of oral poetry specific to the Baltic Finnic languages, and play the kannel (an Estonian zither).
What our reviewer said 'These songs are rhythmically complex and have solid, ancient roots, but fans of ambient, Balearic dreaminess and the softer sides of indie pop and psych-folk will find woozy comforts here.' Jude Rogers
Read the full review
Out now
Summed up in a sentence Conductor Klaus Mäkelä leads the Orchestre de Paris, performing Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and Ravel's La Valse, having blown minds with their rendition of the former at last year's Proms.
What our reviewer said 'It's all played with consummate skill by an orchestra who are clearly responsive to their conductor's every move.' Erica Jeal
Read the full review
Further reading Prom 58: Orchestre de Paris/Mäkelä review – electrifying music-making from an elite team
Out now
Summed up in a sentence Currently on tour across the UK, this Chicago indie trio channel the Raincoats, the Feelies and the Velvet Underground on their second album.
What our reviewer said 'The album feels almost clockwork: every element machine-tooled, a place for everything, and everything in its place. But there's no coldness here, the poignancy only accentuated by the poise with which these songs are delivered.' Stevie Chick
Read the full review
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Millions of Freeview watchers hit by big Channel 4 change and must re-scan TV boxes to keep popular channel
MILLIONS of Freeview watchers have been hit by a big channel change as viewers are urged to re-scan their TV boxes. Channel 4 has boosted Freeview coverage for one of its channels this month, meaning you'll need to retune to continue watching. As part of Freeview's monthly channel update, 4seven transitioned to a new frequency as of Wednesday 18 June. This is because of an important technical change to the way the Channel 4 offshoot channel is broadcast on Freeview. It will give more Freeview users access to the channel at a time when 4seven is increasingly used as an overspill for live events. 4seven has recently become the home of a selected number of men's European Championship U21 games, including Netherlands v Ukraine and Slovenia v Czechia. They have previously broadcast coverage of the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies. But for the time being, 4seven is broadcasting on both new and old frequencies. At the end of this transition period, the old copy of 4seven will carry a retune caption. But you can retune today to ensure continued reception of 4seven on channel 49. Following your retune, you should see 4seven on channel 49 and the old copy of 4seven on channel 790. What's better is the channel now has universal coverage on Freeview. It's now available to all viewers in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man in addition to UK viewers who can only receive a reduce Freeview channel line-up. If you're a viewer who only receives around 20 basic Freeview channels at your address, you can retune to add 4seven to channel 49. It's a big bonus to some viewers as some remote locations with reduced access to Freeview are also affected by poor internet speeds meaning they can't stream TV either. This follows a reconfiguration of the frequency that carries the main Channel 4 service on Freeview, meaning the 4seven signal can now be aired alongside its parent channel. Kay Burley joins This Morning in TV return after departure from Sky News It's not the only Freeview change seen this month either. Just last week it was announced that Rewind TV is now on channel 81. It has swapped places with Blaze +1 and is now the next-door channel to the vintage Talking Pictures channel. There's also a new shopping channel with Must Have Ideas setting up shop on channel 96. The service was previously exclusive to satellite TV such as Sky and on YouTube but a retune will now add the channel to your service. Millions of Freeview watchers can also enjoy three new channels this month. Starting from this week, viewers will be able to tune into a number of channels including ITV Quiz, a fresh channel dedicated to quizzes.
BBC News
21 minutes ago
- BBC News
TV's Britain's Got Talent dinosaurs entertain Grantham children
Families will be able to enjoy a "jaw-dropping experience for children" when semi-finalists from Britain's Got Talent bring their prehistoric puppets to is an interactive entertainment experience taking place in Grantham Market Place, the act appeared on the TV show in free to attend event will take place on 17 August and include three sessions at 11:00 BST, 12:30 and 14: Kesteven District Council's deputy leader, councillor Paul Stokes, said: "This interactive educational experience promises a combination of fun and learning." With over 1.6m subscribers on social media platform YouTube and 1.5m followers on TikTok, the prehistoric act claims to have the largest dinosaur collection in the UK, from animatronic T-Rexes to baby dinosaur ranger Chris Roberts will share his expertise on palaeontology, bird evolution, and prehistoric added: "The revamped Grantham Market Place is really coming alive thanks to a series of activities and events brought to you by our imaginative team". Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
21 minutes ago
- BBC News
New Ice Age exhibit opens in Keighley during City of Culture
A new exhibition which showcases the skill of Ice Age artists and craftspeople has opened in West Ice Age Art Now exhibit features more than 75 exhibits, which date back up to about 20,000 exhibition, which went on show at Cliffe Castle Museum in Keighley on Saturday, includes items borrowed from the British Museum as part of a partnership during Bradford's City of Culture Cook, from the British Museum, helped create the exhibition. She said: "It's been great to share the knowledge and expertise but it's also great to say that, almost 20,000 years after these things were made, they are still relevant today." When asked what it was like having transport some of this fragile items for the first time, Ms Cook said it was "totally nerve-racking""I refused to loan some of these item to France on a number of occasions, these are very special items," she added. James Steward, head of museums at Bradford Council, said they were "thrilled" to host the exhibits."This is one we've been particularly excited about due to the partnership with the British Museum."It's a real privilege to have these items for the first time and to hold it during the City of Culture year makes it extra special.""This exhibit tells a fantastic story and each on of these items has its own story to tell."The exhibition runs until 14 September. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
