3,278 words, 17 minutes read time.
Curated by Pat Harrington. Music on the video version is by Tim Bragg.
High Society offers crystalline grace. Bodies Bodies Bodies presents a disorienting descent. It’s a week of layered narratives and compelling portraits. On Saturday, a stirring new Doctor Who episode airs. There is also a haunting music documentary. On Thursday, the UK terrestrial premiere of She Said airs. It’s a landmark in modern journalism cinema. Streaming highlight: Bet, a razor-sharp adaptation of the acclaimed manga Kakegurui,
🗓️ Saturday, 10th May
Believe (2013): BBC Two, 10:00 AM ★★★★☆
Believe is set in 1980s Manchester. Loosely inspired by real events, it presents the story of football legend Sir Matt Busby. He unexpectedly mentors a young tearaway with raw talent. Brian Cox plays Busby with tenderness and quiet gravitas. He brings a warmth to the role. This anchors the film’s sentimental core. The story unfolds with charm and low-stakes humour. The pair navigate personal loss. They face team dynamics. They confront the shadows of Busby’s past.
The film resists over-dramatisation, focusing instead on the healing potential of sport and human connection. It captures the texture of working-class northern life with an affectionate eye, without tipping into caricature. The young cast deliver natural, unforced performances, particularly Jack Smith as Georgie, the boy who reluctantly discovers the value of guidance and community.
Though it treads familiar underdog territory, Believe succeeds on the strength of its sincerity. Director David Scheinmann crafts a film that is modest in scale. It is rich in feeling. It reminds viewers that redemption and legacy often come in small, unexpected moments. It’s a gentle and affirming way to start your Saturday.
High Society (1956): BBC Two, 2:50 PM ★★★★☆
This sparkling musical remake of The Philadelphia Story boasts a glittering cast. It features Cole Porter’s finest tunes. Grace Kelly, in her final film role before becoming Princess of Monaco, plays the haughty heiress. She is caught between past and future lovers. Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby are the competing suitors. They trade witty barbs and smooth vocals. Their story unfolds in a tale of mistaken intentions and reawakening hearts. It’s a sumptuous production, full of pastel glamour and high-society satire.
Despite the predictability of the plot, the charm lies in the performances and music. Crosby exudes laid-back charisma, while Sinatra brings a sharper, more worldly edge to his role as a tabloid reporter. The standout moment, however, belongs to the duet “Well, Did You Evah!”—a sequence that crackles with humour and rhythm. Meanwhile, Kelly navigates her character’s emotional thaw with understated precision. Her transformation feels believable even within the constraints of the genre.
If High Society doesn’t quite match the sophistication of its predecessor, it compensates with grace, melody, and a whimsical spirit. The film is a reminder of the golden era of Hollywood musicals. Artifice became artistry. Even the most jaded character could be redeemed by the right note at the right moment.
Doctor Who: “The Story & The Engine” (Series 15, Episode 5): BBC One, 7:10 PM
In this richly layered episode, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) arrive in Lagos, Nigeria. They meet a world where stories hold tangible power. The narrative focuses on a mysterious figure known as the Barber. This figure reigns supreme in a community trapped by a deadly web of revenge. This web is spun by the enigmatic Spider.
Rebecca (1940): Talking Pictures, 9:05 PM ★★★★★
Hitchcock’s first Hollywood film, and still one of his most haunting, Rebecca adapts Daphne du Maurier’s gothic novel into a psychological thriller thick with atmosphere and ambiguity. Joan Fontaine plays the unnamed heroine, swept into a whirlwind marriage with the brooding Maxim de Winter, only to find herself eclipsed by the memory of his late wife. The estate of Manderley becomes a maze of secrets, where the dead exert more power than the living.
What elevates Rebecca is not just its suspense but its study of identity, insecurity, and social isolation. Fontaine is exquisite as the timid second Mrs de Winter. She struggles to assert herself in a world shaped by wealth, grief, and manipulation. Judith Anderson’s performance as Mrs Danvers is chilling. She is the housekeeper obsessed with Rebecca’s memory. Her portrayal remains one of cinema’s most iconic portraits of unspoken menace.
Hitchcock later claimed it wasn’t “a Hitchcock picture.” Still, the film is suffused with his signature control over tone and tension. Its shadowy visuals create an intense atmosphere. Emotional claustrophobia grips the audience. Undercurrents of repressed longing guarantee that Rebecca endures as both a ghost story and a psychological drama. A timeless, elegant descent into obsession.
🗓️ Sunday, 11th May
Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire: BBC Two, 9:00 PM
This harrowing and deeply moving documentary revisits the tragic events of May 11, 1985. On this day, a fire engulfed the main stand at Bradford City’s Valley Parade stadium during a match against Lincoln City. It claimed 56 lives. The film airs on the 40th anniversary of the disaster. It offers a poignant exploration of a catastrophe. This tragedy has often been overshadowed in the annals of British football history.
The documentary features compelling personal testimonies. Survivors, bereaved families, and first responders share their stories. These accounts paint a vivid picture of the day’s events and their enduring impact. The inclusion of archival footage and interviews provides a comprehensive narrative. It honors the memories of those lost and highlights the resilience of the Bradford community.
Executive Producer Jaimie D’Cruz and Director Andy R. Worboys handle the subject matter with sensitivity and respect, ensuring that the voices of those affected are at the forefront. The film commemorates the victims. It also examines the broader implications of the disaster. This includes its influence on stadium safety regulations and the importance of collective memory.
“Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire” stands as a testament to the strength of a community facing unimaginable loss. It serves as a crucial reminder of the need to remember and learn from past tragedies.
Brooklyn (2015): BBC Two, 10:30 PM ★★★★★
Brooklyn is a film about leaving home—and learning what “home” really means. Saoirse Ronan stars as Eilis, a young Irish woman. She emigrates to New York in the 1950s. She is in search of work and opportunity. The story begins with culture shock and personal growth. It deepens into something far more moving. It becomes a meditation on longing, belonging, and the fragile duality of identity. Ronan’s performance is radiant, filled with grace and restraint.
The film is directed by John Crowley. Nick Hornby adapted it from Colm Tóibín’s novel. It is visually lush with warm period detail. The evocative cinematography enhances the experience. The contrast between the muted tones of Enniscorthy and the vibrant hues of Brooklyn reflects Eilis’s shifting internal world. Her romance with the open-hearted Tony is delicately handled, offering emotional security without idealisation. Yet the return to Ireland complicates everything, and Ronan captures Eilis’s emotional conflict with aching subtlety.
Brooklyn avoids melodrama in favour of emotional authenticity. It’s a story built on small, significant choices. A letter, a glance, or a missed ferry carries the weight of a life’s direction. By the end, what lingers is the quiet strength of a woman. She is carving her own path through the push and pull of two homes. It’s a story many will find intimately familiar
🗓️ Monday, 12th May
Greggs vs McDonald’s: The Fast Feud (Channel 4, 8:00 PM)
This quirky documentary unpacks a battle of British fast-food titans. On one side, the humble northern bakery with sausage rolls and steak bakes; on the other, the American giant serving Big Macs and fries. But it’s about more than meat and pastry—this is a story of branding, regional identity, and changing appetites.
The programme delves into how each company adapts to shifting cultural trends and economic pressures. It also looks at the way they communicate class, convenience, and comfort food, sometimes in surprisingly political ways.
Entertaining and unexpectedly insightful, it frames the feud as symbolic of broader societal change. Fans of business strategy and British quirks alike will find something to savour.
Inside Our Minds: ADHD (BBC Two, 9:00 PM)
This documentary series starts by empathetically exploring ADHD in adults. It also dives into the perspectives of children. The first episode focuses on diagnosis, daily challenges, and the invisible barriers those with ADHD navigate. It offers not only medical perspectives but also deeply personal insights.
Participants speak candidly about stigma, misunderstanding, and the emotional toll of being labelled “difficult” or “lazy.” The episode excels in capturing both frustration and resilience. It highlights the need for more inclusive environments at school and work.
With thoughtful pacing and clear-eyed narration, the show goes beyond pathology to tackle lived experience. A valuable watch for educators, employers, and anyone interested in mental health.
True Things (BBC Two, 11:40 PM, 2021) ★★★★☆
Ruth Wilson is riveting in this psychological drama about a woman caught in the gravitational pull of a dangerous affair. Her character, Kate, begins a volatile relationship with a mysterious stranger (Tom Burke), and her life starts to unravel.
The film doesn’t sensationalise the spiral; instead, it hones in on the emotional fog and disorientation that often accompany destructive intimacy. Wilson gives a performance full of nuance, letting us feel every moment of hope, confusion, and desperation.
With naturalistic direction and a script rooted in emotional truth, True Things avoids moralising. It’s a challenging, intimate portrayal of a woman losing and slowly reclaiming herself.
🗓️ Tuesday, 13th May
Kind Hearts and Coronets (Film4, 12:35 PM, 1949) ★★★★★
This is a classic of British black comedy. This Ealing Studios gem shows a disinherited aristocrat eliminating eight relatives. He does so to inherit a dukedom. Alec Guinness famously plays all eight doomed relatives with glee and elegance.
Dennis Price’s suave narrator brings a chilling detachment to the tale of social climbing and revenge. His droll delivery and the film’s crisp script guarantee the murders stay darkly funny rather than gruesome.
Beneath the humour lies a sharp satire of class and entitlement, making it as culturally relevant now as ever. A true masterclass in tone and restraint.
Convicting My Ex (BBC Three, 9:00 PM)
This true-crime documentary focuses on a woman’s pursuit of justice. She seeks justice against an abusive ex-partner. It chronicles her decision to bring the case to court and the exhausting legal and emotional process that follows.
What sets it apart is its raw honesty and refusal to simplify complex emotional territory. The programme examines trauma and memory. It also investigates credibility and the strain on victims. These victims are forced to relive their ordeals in public.
It’s a sobering but essential watch that handles its topic with sensitivity and care. A crucial reminder of how much support and reform is still needed within the justice system.
🗓️ Wednesday, 14th May
Garbo: Where Did You Go? (Sky Arts, 9:00 PM)
This documentary is a haunting meditation on the disappearance of Greta Garbo from public life. It is less biography than elegy. It tries to understand why one of Hollywood’s most luminous stars chose to vanish at the height of her fame.
It uses archive footage, photography, and letters. These elements build a complex portrait of a woman. She defied convention both onscreen and off. Garbo’s retreat becomes a symbol for privacy in a time of celebrity overexposure.
The film is a thoughtful, poetic reflection on fame, solitude, and the right to vanish. A quietly mesmerising experience.
Carol (Film4, 11:20 PM, 2015) ★★★★★
This film is a masterful adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt. It follows a forbidden romance between two women in 1950s America. Cate Blanchett plays Carol with regal poise and aching sadness, while Rooney Mara’s Therese evolves from uncertainty to quiet strength.
The cinematography showcases muted palettes and delicate framing. It reflects the repression of the era. It also captures the emotional intensity of the characters. Every glance and touch feels monumental.
Todd Haynes crafts a film of rare beauty and emotional precision. It’s not just a love story—it’s an act of defiance in a world built to suppress such truths.
🗓️ Thursday, 15th May
Classic Movies: The Story of The Dam Busters (Sky Arts, 8:00 PM)
This documentary revisits one of Britain’s most iconic war films and its legacy. It provides context around the real-life mission, the cinematic innovation of the film, and its enduring place in national myth.
The programme doesn’t shy away from critiquing the film’s dated elements, even as it honours its craft. Viewers learn how the use of miniature models, editing, and music helped shape a patriotic classic.
It’s both a celebration and a critical look at storytelling in wartime cinema. Fans of film history will find much to enjoy.
She Said (Film4, 9:00 PM, 2022). ★★★★★
This powerful dramatization of the Weinstein investigation stars Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan. They play the New York Times journalists who broke the story. It’s a film about courage, collaboration, and the often invisible work of holding power to account.
Rather than indulging in melodrama, the script focuses on journalistic rigour and solidarity. Scenes between survivors and reporters are handled with care, never sensationalising pain.
A vital entry in the canon of films about truth-telling, She Said shows how small decisions can change the world. An absolute must-watch.
The Drop (Film4, 11:35 PM, 2014) ★★★★☆
At first glance, The Drop might appear to be a straightforward crime thriller. Yet, beneath its gritty narrative lie profound social, ethical, and political themes. These themes elevate it beyond genre conventions. The film explores economic hardship and the forces that push people into morally gray survival tactics. Tom Hardy’s character plays a quiet bartender entangled in gang activity. His character illustrates the struggles of working-class communities. In these communities, financial instability can lead individuals down dangerous paths. The narrative critiques the cyclical nature of crime. It shows how desperation and power imbalances can shape lives beyond one’s control.
Moral dilemmas and redemption weave through the story, symbolized by an abandoned pit bull. More than just a subplot, the dog represents vulnerability, loyalty, and second chances. Hardy’s relationship with the animal mirrors his own internal conflict—a man searching for meaning and connection in an unforgiving environment. The themes of power and corruption become clear through James Gandolfini’s final role. He portrays the fading remnants of mob influence. The film subtly examines how old power structures weaken. New ones emerge in unexpected ways. The film raises questions about who truly holds authority. Is it those who enforce brute strength or those who quietly manipulate from the shadows?
Justice and survival are tightly connected. The slow-burn tension builds and forces the audience to confront the blurred lines between right and wrong. The film avoids easy answers, compelling viewers to reflect on the complexities of morality in an uncertain world. Atmospheric and absorbing, The Drop offers more than just crime. It is a meditation on human nature. The film explores resilience and the ethical challenges people face when caught between forces beyond their control. Whether one watches for Hardy’s unforgettable performance or its deeper themes, this is a film that you remember.
🗓️ Friday, 16th May
Kate Bush at the BBC (BBC Four, 10:00 PM)
A compilation of performances that chart Kate Bush’s singular artistic evolution. From wide-eyed theatricality to minimalist mysticism, the BBC archive offers a rare view of her stages of transformation.
Whether it’s “Wuthering Heights” or “Running Up That Hill,” Bush performs with total commitment and emotional intelligence. Her voice alone is an instrument of daring expression.
For fans and newcomers alike, this programme captures the spirit of an artist who has never played by the rules. Endlessly compelling.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (BBC One, 11:30 PM, 2022) ★★★★☆
Online personas are curated in this world. Here, self-awareness collides with self-obsession. Bodies Bodies Bodies offers a razor-sharp dissection of modern friendships and privilege. It explores the fragile trust that holds them together. Set against the chaotic backdrop of a raging hurricane, a group of affluent young friends gather in isolation. They are seeking thrills and validation through a party game. This game quickly unravels into something far more sinister.
Halina Reijn’s direction imbues the film with a neon-drenched aesthetic. This mirrors the performative nature of its characters. Every interaction is a performance. Every emotion is exaggerated for greatest effect. Paranoia is increasing, and alliances are fracturing. The film exposes how digital spaces shape real-life relationships. These spaces amplify insecurities and erode genuine connection. In their desperate attempts to define truth and assign blame, the characters inadvertently reveal the contradictions within their own self-perception. They are deeply vulnerable. They are also aggressively self-serving.
Darkly comedic yet eerily prescient, Bodies Bodies Bodies goes beyond the typical whodunnit structure. It weaves in biting commentary on the very culture its characters embody. It turns the lens inward. It forces the audience to confront their own complicity in the spectacle. What remains is something far more chilling than a traditional slasher. It’s the realization that trust, sincerity, and identity are increasingly blurred in an age of curated narratives. A perfect late-night watch for anyone willing to confront the reflections lurking in the shadows.
🌐 Streaming Picks
Bet (Netflix, from Thursday, 15th May) ★★★★★
A high-stakes thriller set in an elite boarding school where underground gambling dictates the social hierarchy, Bet follows the arrival of Yumeko, a mysterious transfer student whose fearless approach to risk-taking disrupts the status quo. As she challenges the powerful Student Council, her secret quest for revenge threatens to unravel the school’s carefully controlled system.
With a sharp script and electrifying performances, Bet combines psychological tension with dazzling games of chance. Fortunes rise and fall in an instant. The series captures the intoxicating thrill of high-stakes wagers, weaving in themes of power, manipulation, and obsession. Every gamble is more than just a game—it’s a battle for dominance, survival, and truth.
A gripping adaptation of the acclaimed manga Kakegurui, Bet delivers a stylish, adrenaline-fueled ride that keeps viewers on edge.
The writing is tight, the direction tense, and the performances haunting. There are no easy outs, only the heavy cost of denial and compulsive behaviour.
Bet is a dark mirror to modern anxieties about risk, control, and technology. One of the most gripping dramas of the year so far.
Sunset Grove (Walter Presents, Channel 4 Streaming, from Friday, 16th May) ★★★★☆
In a Finnish retirement community, a trio of elderly women find a suspicious death. They decide to investigate. What follows is part murder mystery, part black comedy, and entirely delightful.
The series has fun with genre tropes while never mocking its protagonists. The charm lies in the chemistry between the leads and the show’s surprisingly sharp social commentary.
If you liked Only Murders in the Building, this is your next fix—but with more knitting and less pretence.
Murderbot (Apple TV+, from Friday, 16th May) ★★★★★
Based on the acclaimed novellas by Martha Wells, this series follows a rogue android who hacks its own governing protocols. Equal parts security unit and soap opera addict, Murderbot is one of sci-fi’s freshest antiheroes.
The show blends action with philosophical questions about autonomy, humanity, and identity. And it’s funny—genuinely, dryly funny.
It’s rare for sci-fi to be this smart and this much fun. Murderbot could be Apple’s next breakout hit.
Culture Vulture is published weekly. Listings and commentary are by Pat Harrington. Music selections are by Tim Bragg. We aim to inspire cultural curiosity. We highlight the best of film and television. We offer thoughtful context for our changing times. Longer reviews of some of the films and programmes featured are often available on the Counter Culture website. Check some out, and till next week, stay curious!
