With Military Wives and Onward already out and Misbehaviour just released, this really is a great time for feelgood movies. It’s almost like we need cheering up for some reason, right? Look out for the gritty-but-joyful British drama Rocks coming out soon too. In the meantime, enjoy Keira Knightley causing a riot, Geena Davis rocking the system and Scarlett Johansson bashing the bad guys. Happy viewing!
BEST FILM ON THE BIG SCREEN THIS WEEK
Focusing on the headline-grabbing events of the 1970 Miss World competition in London – which not only saw the first black winner crowned but also interruption from feminist protesters – MISBEHAVIOUR is a deliciously vivacious British comedy drama with energy to spare. As an ensemble piece it's wonderfully inclusive but it also the most fun gig its biggest name – Keira Knightley - has had in years; a perfect combination of feminism and farce.
WATCH: Official trailer for Misbehaviour film
Picture the scene: as riots rage for both women's rights and racial equality, the Miss World competition - hardly known for being progressive in either area - carries on regardless, still pulling in a massive audience on TV around the world. Old-school comedian Bob Hope (an impressive Greg Kinnear) hosts, brand boss Eric Morley (a scene-stealing Rhys Ifans) organises and everyone buries their heads in the sand. Everyone except Sally and Jo Ann (Keira Knightley and Jessie Buckley), campaigners with an ingenious plan to wake up the world to a new decade.
MISBEHAVIOUR's blend of wit and wisdom is a joy, with a script that expertly gives screen time to so many of the key players, from eventual winner Jennifer Hosten (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) to Hope's long-suffering wife Dolores (Lesley Manville). And whilst its story is fifty years old, this celebration of women who refused to accept the status quo shows us not just how far we’ve come, but also how far we still have to go.
MISBEHAVIOUR [Cert 12] is in UK cinemas now.
BEST FILM ON THE SMALL SCREEN THIS WEEK
Check out THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING on Sky Cinema - an enlightening documentary about women in Hollywood produced by Thelma & Louise star Geena Davis. With a cast of talking heads any film would dream of - Meryl, Reese, Cate and Lena to name but a few - here’s a documentary that dares to expose the blunt truth: women in movies and TV, both onscreen and off, have been consistently mistreated. The difficulty with a project like this is to not preach only to the converted and those big name interviewees certainly help make THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING appeal to as wide an audience as possible.
But it's the irrefutable numbers reported by journalists and campaigners that really shock. Did you know, for example, that the TV channel FX got called out for having 89% white male directors? But here’s the good news. After that report FX changed its hiring policy and now major brands such as DC and Marvel are leading the way for female film-makers and strong roles. Things can improve. So whilst the data in THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING might shock, the message is refreshingly optimistic. Films are for everyone so they should be - and can be - made by everyone too.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING is available exclusively on Sky Cinema.
BEST NEW TRAILER THIS WEEK
Ever wonder what Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff gets up to in between Avengers films? Wonder no more, as all will be answered in the upcoming BLACK WIDOW, where Scarlett returns as the hard-hitting title character, this time teaming up with Florence Pugh and Rachel Weisz to face enemies from her past. And if this new trailer is anything to go by, it’s going to be a wild ride.
BLACK WIDOW [Cert TBC] is released in the UK on 1st May.
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