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| Pink String And Sealing Wax |
Doctor Zhivago, BBC iPlayer, until October 24
David Lean's epic love story set against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution has lost little of its appeal in the 55 years since it was made. It was just that Lean thought big with this film and the likes of Lawrence Of Arabia, he was able to sweep audiences easily into thinking big as well, while always remembering to retain a focus on the human stories at the heart of his films. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have the twin engines of Julie Christie and Omar Sharif generating aching longing for one another but the rest of the cast, from Tom Courtenay's zealot to Rod Steiger's manipulative cad Komarovsky, also make a lasting impression. It is only fair to add, however, that your mileage may vary in terms of Maurice Jarre's score - suffice to say that balalaika fans are well served. Read our full review.
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, E4, Sunday, October 4, 2.30pm
There's something endearingly scrappy and anarchic about Spongebob Squarepants. Sure, he may not have the polish of Pixar or the detail of Disney but he and his nice but dim starfish pal Patrick have more fun than you might think possible in Stephen Hillenburg's Nickelodeon spin-off. After King Neptune blames the wrong guy for the theft of his crown, Spongebob and Patrick find themselves on a mission to track down the real thief. The film works largely because it never takes itself too seriously and never slows down for a minute. Adults of a certain age will also enjoy the David Hasselhoff cameo. Read our full review.
McQueen, BBC iPlayer until the end of the month
The remarkable story of the rise of fashion designer Alexander McQueen - who tragically took his own life, aged just 40 - is charted in this detailed documentary from Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui. There is a lingering sadness to this film but it also stands as a celebration of McQueen's tireless work ethic and unbounded imagination as filled with the "hooligan" spirit of McQueen as his fashion creations themselves. Read our full review.
Dick Johnson Is Dead, Netflix, from Friday
This very personal documentary from Kirsten Johnson - who, when her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, embarked on this film collaboration with him to, among other things, repeatedly and inventively stage his death - is the perfect example of how the very personal can take on universal resonance. While the "death scenes" are anarchic and funny, there's also a poignancy to proceedings as the filmmaker, her dad and his friends and family navigate the difficult and unpredictable journey that Alzheimer's is taking them on. It's ultimately, the best sort of film about dying... because it celebrates the best things about being alive. Read our full review.
Corpse Bride, Netflix, from Thursday
Tim Burton may be a bit hit and miss when it comes to live action films - where his visual inventiveness often fails to be matched by substance - but his stop-animation films are a delight. In this slice of gothic goodness, a nervous young man (Johnny Depp, with a note-perfect English accent) finds himself accidentally married to a corpse (Helena Bonham Carter). Despite the death in the title and its release on Netflix ahead of Halloween, this is a dark comedy with romance at its heart and considerably less scary for little ones than A Nightmare Before Christmas. Read our full review.
Pink String And Sealing Wax, Talking Pictures TV (Freeview Channel 81), Wednesday, September 30, 10.30am
Although Robert Hamer would go on to cement his place in popular cinema history with Kind Hearts And Coronets, his debut film is also well worth a look - not least for its central performance by Googie Withers. She plays put-upon but wily landlady Pearl, who is desperate to escape her abusive marriage and intends to use the unwitting son (Gordon Jackson, almost a babe in arms) of a domineering chemist to get her way. The film focuses on class and gender issues in ways that refer not just to the Victorian era in which the film is set but the period in which it was made. Read our full review.
Armageddon, Sony Movie Channel (Freeview Channel 32), Saturday, October 3, 9pm
Michael Bay is never knowingly undersold and the results are often more bombastic than fantastic. This 1998 outing about a drill team who are sent into space to prevent an asteroid from destroying Earth may be as frenetic as usual in the editing department but the strong cast - including Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler and Steve Buscemi - and the sharp script by a small village of writers, including JJ Abrams and Tony Gilroy, just about keep the story and the emotions on track. Read our full review.
We're returning to Tim Burton for this week's short film. Vincent - which previously had a DVD release as part of a collection - is one of his earliest films but already shows his hallmark love of darker humour as a young boy dreams of being Vincent Price. Narrated, with verve, by Price himself.
