EASTER TREATS
Our pick of the best new dramas and films to stream this Easter
New for Easter
SCI-FI Star Trek: Discovery
SPY THRILLER Argylle 111 h
DRAMA
The Beautiful Game 111
MONOCHROME SET
Andrew Scott stars in a new version of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley
Series 5 episodes 1 and 2 available from Thursday Paramount+ What has, up until now, been the most earnest of Star Trek spin-offs returns for a final season that’s lighter in tone than what we’ve seen before. In the past, each mission has seen the crew facing a portentous threat that could collapse the galaxy as we know it, but here they’re instead sent off on a fun quest in search of treasure. The first two episodes are heavy on stunt work and spectacle as Sonequa MartinGreen’s Captain Burnham goes full Indiana Jones on various alien worlds. All she’s really missing is a fedora and bullwhip.
Available now To buy/rent q
DAVID BROWN
Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn returns to the world of espionage with this star-studded take on the genre. Author Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) has just completed her latest book about super-spy Aubrey Argylle (Henry Cavill, above, with Dua Lipa, who plays assassin LaGrange). However, when a rogue agent (Sam Rockwell) informs her that the plots of her novels are eerily similar to actual events, Conway finds herself forced into a real-world mission. The rather convoluted story is packed with twists and turns, and the game cast is likeable.
PATRICK CREMONA
DRAMA
Sugar Episodes 1 and 2 available from Friday Apple TV+
Private investigator John Sugar (Colin Farrell) feels like a man out of time. His beat may be contemporary Los Angeles, but he very much draws on that mythic figure of hardboiled detective stories, Philip Marlowe. Black-and-white fragments from Humphrey Bogart movies flash through Sugar’s mind, while world-weary voiceover narration settles like cigarette smoke from a bygone era over the 21st-century action. Why this stylistic device has been employed isn’t yet clear, but it’s a mystery that’s as diverting as the one that Sugar’s employed to solve — that of the granddaughter of a Hollywood mogul who has gone missing. DB
Available 29 March Netflix
This feel-good British sports drama is inspired by the Homeless World Cup, a little-known but very real annual football competition. Here, manager Mal (Bill Nighy) oversees an English team made up of homeless people as they play the next tournament in Rome. When Mal spots Vinny (Empire of Light’s Micheal Ward) hanging around the training pitch, he realises that this proud father-of-one has some serious ball skills that might just help them win. Director Thea Sharrock (Wicked Little Letters) avoids the clichés that can accompany sports movies, and Nighy imbues this low-key charmer with his usual gravitas. JAMES MOTTRAM
SITCOM Loot
Series 2 episodes 1 and 2 available from Wednesday Apple TV+
Maya Rudolph returns for season two of the droll comedy following the efforts of a tech billionaire’s ex-wife to use her vast wealth for good. Molly Wells and the staff of her charitable foundation turn their attentions to solving LA’s homelessness problem, but whatever happens here is always merely an excuse for a string of dry gags about influencers, wellness and the bien-pensant Californian elite’s endless quest for fulfilment. JS
DOCUMENTARY
Frida 1111 j
Available now Amazon Prime Video q
The life and times of Frida Kahlo are examined in this absorbing and unconventional documentary. First-time director Carla Gutiérrez draws heavily from archive media interviews and the artist’s personal diaries to create an intriguing first-person narrative, aided by newly commissioned animation that helps explore the complexities of her personality. At the heart of it is Kahlo’s extraordinary art, most notably her many self-portraits and pieces inspired by religious iconography.
TERRY STAUNTON
THE PICK OF TV & FILM ON DEMAND THIS EASTER TELEVISION & FILM Streaming Streaming TELEVISION & FILM
MORE NEW DRAMAS AND FILMS FOR EASTER
Box-Set Binges
DRAMA
The Artful Dodger
All 8 episodes available now Disney+
What happens after the end of Oliver Twist? Set 15 years later, this energetic re-imagining sees Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), formerly known as the Artful Dodger, becoming a surgeon in an Australian penal colony — but a gambling debt threatens catastrophe. Enter Fagin (David Thewlis) on a prison ship, to reignite their partnership and set in train a pacy plot full of blackmail, jewel theft, close escapes and, underneath it all, a halting romance between Jack and governor’s daughter Belle (Maia Mitchell).
An escapist romp with a clever head on its shoulders. JACK SEALE
ACTION DRAMA Reacher
Both series available now Amazon Prime Video
Alan Ritchson is surely now the definitive screen version of Lee Child’s immensely muscular ex-army detective, having brought his terrifying combat skills and beautifully deadpan humour to two pleasingly different seasons of tough drama. The first sees Jack Reacher on his own in a nowhere town, slowly making alliances as he uncovers a local conspiracy; the second gives Reacher a crack team of old colleagues to bounce off as they untangle a bigger plot.
Both have breathless action and sharp scripts.
ROMANTIC DRAMA One Day
All 14 episodes available now Netflix
More than 15 million people have streamed this beguiling adaptation of David Nicholls’s modern classic, which introduces star-crossed Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew to a new generation.
Tender and charming, the miniseries remains faithful to the novel, as studious Em (Ambika Mod) and roguish Dex (Leo Woodall) meet at their graduation ball on 15 July 1988 and embark on a friendship that spans the next two decades. A wistful indie soundtrack plays out as they’re drawn together, driven apart and back together again.
Just as the book was unputdownable, it’s easy to power through their story in a single stretch. And like all of the box sets featured on this spread, it’s perfect to devour across a long weekend.
FRANCES TAYLOR
DRAMA
The Gentleman
All 8 episodes available now Netflix
You know what you’re getting with Guy Ritchie, and you get it exactly as expected in his first TV series, loosely spinning off from his own movie. A young duke (Theo James) inherits his family’s sprawling estate, and with it a drugs business he didn’t know was there. As he enters the criminal underworld, reluctantly at first but then with increasing aplomb, the show is a familiar morass of silly nicknames, even sillier plots, big characters, regional stereotypes and Vinnie Jones. Groundbreaking and sophisticated it
THRILLER
Criminal Record
All 8 eps available now Apple TV+
This urgent state-of-the-Met thriller about institutional failings within the force pits a detective fresh to CID (played by Cush Jumbo) against a seasoned veteran (Peter Capaldi) who’s determined to protect his legacy. The cat-and-mouse tension between the two leads retains an element of tension right up until the final frame; this moment in particular also serving as a reminder of how skilled a performer Capaldi is. He manages to convey both blazing intensity and chilling coldness, and all with a look rather than a line of dialogue. DAVID BROWN
DRAMA
Beef
All 10 episodes available now Netflix
An innocuous altercation in a car park proves the catalyst for a cycle of revenge between two strangers in this absorbing ten-part drama. Handyman Danny Cho (The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun) and wealthy business owner Amy Lau (Ali Wong) become blinkered in their quest for retaliation against one another — seemingly no matter the cost. Decorated with Emmys and Golden Globes, it’s a wild and addictive ride, as the tension accelerates towards a blistering finale. FT
DRAMA
Vigil Both series available now iPlayer Whodunnits featuring a closed circle of suspects have long been a staple of crime dramas, but environments don’t usually come as confined as a nuclear submarine. This is the setting for the first series of Vigil, which finds DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones, above right, with Rose Leslie) getting winched onto a Navy sub following a suspicious death. Series two casts its eyes skyward for a case involving hi-tech drones on an air-force base in Scotland, but both mysteries see Amy in an outsider taking on shifty eyed, oppositional suspects who spend their days conforming to a strict code. DB
DRAMA
Lessons in Chemistry
All 8 eps available now Apple TV+
This gorgeous period drama might, on paper, sound like a random mash of other shows — Brie Larson plays a brilliant chemist in late-1950s California who, having run up against sexism in academia, becomes a TV star, pioneering female-fronted cookery programming in the 1960s. But this is deftly, intelligently done, weaving the racial and gender politics of the era into a wishfulfilment fantasy with a bruised love story at its heart and a desire to see the best in a deeply imperfect world. Larson is luminous, but nobody here ever puts a foot wrong. JS
ALAMY Streaming TELEVISION & FILM TELEVISION & FILM Streaming
JS
THE PICK OF TV & FILM ON DEMAND THIS EASTER
but it knows how to have fun.
BETTER THAN HALF PRICE This voucher entitles you to one copy of ‘Homecoming’ by Kate Morton (ISBN 9781529094084) for £3.99 at WHSmith. Full RRP £9.99. Voucher valid ONLINE at www.whsmith.co.uk and IN-STORE from Tuesday 19th March. Voucher expires on Tuesday 9th April 2024. TO REDEEM ONLINE: add the product to your basket and apply the voucher code 61092228 in the promo code box. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion codes. Offer excludes delivery costs. Full T&Cs available at www.whsmith.co.uk/terms. UK stores only. Offer excludes stores at airports, railway stations, motorway service stations, hospitals, garden centres and workplaces and Books by WHSmith at Selfridges, Harrods, Fenwicks and Arnotts. This voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional voucher or discount card. Only one voucher can be redeemed per transaction and it must be surrendered on use. No cash alternative. Photocopies will not be accepted and the voucher is not transferable. Vouchers that have been forged, defaced or otherwise tampered with will not be valid for use. Subject to availability.
ain’t,
JS
Easter Films
DRAMA Downton Abbey: A New Era 1111 g
Available now Netflix
qThe Crawleys welcome us back to Downton in a sequel that finds them opening up their home to a film crew. Enter director Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy) with his stars Guy Dexter (Dominic West) and Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock). Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) comes into her own managing the visitors, while the rest of the Crawleys escape to the French Riviera when Maggie Smith’s countess inherits a villa. For fans of the TV and film franchise, this is like a welcome hot cup of tea on a cold day. ALEXIA SKINITIS
Michelle Dockery: page 16
COMEDY
Barbie 1111 h
Available from Good Friday Now Cinema
Surreal, sassy and very, very pink, this infectious take on the world’s most famous doll is a wildly inventive ride. Margot Robbie plays the original Barbie, who parties every day in Barbieland until a visit to the real world delivers a rude awakening. Joining her is buff beau Ken (Ryan
ANIMATION
The Bad Guys 111 y
Available Easter Monday Netflix
A superb voice cast brings swagger to this caper. Sam Rockwell takes on Wolf, the leader of the titular pack of thieves, with Marc Maron’s Snake and Awkwafina’s Tarantula. When they’re caught during a robbery, Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade) tries to reform them. There’s a funky 1970s vibe and while the animation is simplistic, the ensemble is great and there’s thrills aplenty.
DRAMA
Top Gun: Maverick 111 h
Available now Netflix, C4 streaming
Returning to the cockpit after 36 years, Tom Cruise reprises his role as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, who is recruited to train new fighter pilots for a near-impossible mission into enemy territory. What sets this film apart from the original is the aerial stuntwork, which is beautiful and thrilling to watch, with every manoeuvre exerting a physical pull. The performances are convincing, too, with support from Miles Teller, as the son of Maverick’s late wingman Goose, and Jennifer Connelly as the sympathetic love interest — but this is Cruise’s show through and through.
CALUM BAKER
FREE TO VIEW
BBC iPLAYER bbc.co.uk/iplayer
As long as you have a TV licence, you can register for free and enjoy a slew of BBC shows on demand and BBC channels to stream live.
ITVX itv.com
Replacing ITV Hub, this free service is the place to stream ITV shows and new ITVX dramas. An ad-free version costs £5.99 a month or £59.99 a year, which includes access to BritBox.
CHANNEL 4 channel4.com
Gosling), who is soon educated about the patriarchy. Directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie is filled with charming musical numbers, comic cameos and striking design. It also smuggles in conversations about body image, female empowerment and the battle of the sexes.
JAMES MOTTRAM
MY5 channel5.com
Channel 5 content and channels 5 USA, 5 Star and 5 Select can be streamed live with a free online account.
UKTV PLAY uktvplay.uktv.co.uk
Catch up with shows on Dave, Drama, W and Yesterday. There’s also an extensive library of crime drama, comedy and entertainment box sets available to stream.
FREEVEE amazon.co.uk/freevee
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
ACORN TV acorn.tv
Price: £4.99/month
Gentle crime dramas are this service’s speciality.
AMAZON
PRIME VIDEO amazon.co.uk/video
Price: £8.99/month
For original shows such as Reacher, 007: Road to a Million and live sport.
APPLE TV+ apple.com/uk/ apple-tv-plus
Price: £8.99/month
No longer called All 4, Channel 4’s streaming service has more than 1,500 shows from C4, E4, More4, Film4 and Walter Presents. Watching without ads costs £3.99 per month.
You can sign up free for an Amazon account and then watch — with adverts — shows including Neighbours cop drama Bosch: Legacy and the comedy Sprung, plus other TV shows and films.
For films and series such as Slow Horses.
BFI PLAYER
bfi.org.uk/player
Price: £4.99/month Classic and cult films.
BRITBOX britbox.co.uk
Price: £5.99/month Shows from the BBC,
DRAMA
The Hunger Games Collection
Available Easter Monday
qYou won’t get fooled by ITVX on 1 April, they really are streaming all four original Hunger Games movies. Telling the story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her fight against the oppressive regime of President Snow (Donald Sutherland), the series is thrilling and wonderfully played by a quality cast. It spawned a rush of dystopian adventures (Divergent, The Maze Runner), but none had the same success — or a lead with the charisma Lawrence, who soon became the highestpaid actress in the world.
ITV, C4 and Channel 5, plus BritBox originals.
DISCOVERY+
discoveryplus.co.uk
Price: £3.99/month or £6.99/month to include Sport
For Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet and others, plus original shows and live sport from TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport).
DISNEY+
disneyplus.com
Price: £4.99/month (with ads), £7.99/ month (no ads) or £10.99/month (Ultra HD)
New series from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, plus recent Disney film releases.
MUBI mubi.com
Price: £11.99/month
World cinema and arthouse films.
NETFLIX netflix.com
Price: plans range from £4.99/month (with ads) to £17.99/ month (Ultra HD)
Films and series like The Crown and Squid Game: the Challenge. NOW nowtv.com
Price: £9.99/month for Entertainment and £9.99/month for Cinema membership The place to watch Sky and HBO shows without a Sky box or dish. Streaming service Peacock is included with Entertainment membership.
PARAMOUNT+
paramountplus.com
Price: £6.99/month
Films and series like Frasier and The Curse.
LIONSGATE+
lionsgateplus.com
Price: £5.99/month
For films and shows like Outlander
SKY GO
sky.com/watch/sky-go
Price: included with Sky TV subscription Sky customers can stream live and catch-up TV via an app on a laptop, phone or tablet.
PREMIUM SERVICES
Many recent films are available to digitally rent or buy at a one-off cost. Priced anywhere from around £5 to £16 for new releases, they are available on platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Chili, Google Play, Microsoft, Rakuten, Sky Store, Virgin and YouTube. Similarly, film platforms BFI Player and Curzon Home Cinema offer a more curated selection of indie, arthouse and world cinema titles.
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THE PICK OF TV & FILM ON DEMAND THIS EASTER
EMMA SIMMONDS
ACTION Road House
111 j
Available now Amazon Prime Video
Jake Gyllenhaal lets his knuckles do the talking in this slick reimagining of the 1989 Patrick Swayze action flick. He plays Dalton, a down-at-heel UFC fighter who is hired as a bouncer at a popular nightspot in the Florida Keys. His arrival jeopardises the get-richer schemes of a local bigwig (Billy Magnussen), who enlists an equaliser in the form of swaggering bad-ass Knox (played by MMA legend Conor McGregor). Making his movie debut, McGregor steals the film, while director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) delivers ballistic stunts and punch-ups galore.
JEREMY ASPINALL
DRAMA
Little Wing 11
Available now Paramount+
qThirteen-year-old Kaitlyn (Brooklynn Prince) is miserable. Her newly divorced mother is about to sell their house, so Kaitlyn plans to earn $100,000 by stealing a famous racing pigeon. When the bird’s owner (Brian Cox) tracks her down, the two slowly, inevitably bond. On paper, this might have been both a sweet coming-of-age tale and an interesting look at the world of pigeon-racing. However, Kaitlyn is unlikeable, only Cox seems to be enjoying himself — and even he is outshone by his feathery co-stars.
JAYNE NELSON
MUSICAL Mean Girls
111 h
Available now To buy/rent
qThis musical reboot offers another smart, relatable look at teen turmoil. Based on the Tony-nominated stage show, the film stars Angourie Rice as new kid Cady, who swaps rural Africa for the jungle of US high school. After she’s taken under the wing of two savvy outsiders (Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey), Cady is drawn to a group of popular girls, led by Reneé Rapp’s Regina. While the decision to retain much of the original film’s script feels odd, most of the new gags blend in seamlessly.
EMMA SIMMONDS
