The Snows of Kilimanjaro
(Cinefile, cert 15, DVD)
Tonally similar to his Marius et Jeannette from 1997, Robert Guédiguian’s latest drama, about a Marseilles union official questioning his principles after he’s violently burgled by a comrade, is warm-hearted and delightful — like Ken Loach with added sunshine.
When the Lights Went Out
(Revolver, cert 15, Blu-ray/DVD)
A poltergeist monsters a Seventies council-house in this British genre horror done with polish, style and gut-puckering sound design.
Yossi
(Peccadillo, cert 15, DVD)
Ten years after Yossi & Jagger, this tender sequel follows gay Israeli doctor Yossi, now middle aged and tentatively exiting the closet, in the direction of a buff young conscript. Death in Venice is the template, hence the lashings of Mahler on the swoonsome soundtrack.
Box Sets
Prometheus to Alien
(Fox, cert 18, Blu-ray £67.99)
A decent Christmas present for somebody — the four Alien films, plus Ridley Scott’s prequel Prometheus, plus a T-shirt, plus art cards, plus a poster, plus a T-shirt emblazoned with “Weyland Corp — We are the Gods now”. Phew.
British Legends of Stage and Screen
(Odeon, cert E, DVD £19.99)
An excellent “in conversation with” series from Sky Arts — Mr Murdoch’s Trojan Horse to destroy the BBC — with Ian McKellen, Michael Gambon and Diana Rigg heading a roster of starries of a certain age.
Tutto Verdi: The Complete Operas
(C Major, cert E, Blu-ray £550.20)
Next year is Verdi’s bicentenary and this gimungous collection features every one of his 26 operas (plus his majestic Requiem), all hi-def, 5.1 sound and newly performed by the Teatro Regio in and around Parma. Epic stuff.
The Killing Series 3
(Arrow, cert 15, DVD)
Death, politics and knitwear — the three vital elements are all here in the thrilling final series of the Danish cop show. The final episode airs on BBC4 tomorrow but give someone the gift of watching it back-to-back.
