From Eternity to Jamiroquai: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Contents
- Going out: Cinema
- Going out: Gigs
- Going out: Art
- Going out: Stage
- Staying in: Streaming
- Going Out: Games
- Staying in: Albums
- Staying in: Brain food
Going out: Cinema
Eternity
Out now
Miles Teller and Elizabeth Olsen star, alongside Callum Turner, in a quirky metaphysical romantic drama from A24. After arriving in the afterlife, everyone must decide where and with whom they would like to spend eternity. Should Olsen’s character choose the man she settled down with (Teller) or her first love (Turner)?
It Was Just an Accident
Out now
This Palme d’Or-winning feature from Iranian director Jafar Panahi blends social realism with political commentary. A man (Ebrahim Azizi) and his pregnant wife (Afsaneh Najmabadi), traveling with their young daughter (Delmaz Najafi), become involved in a minor car crash.
Folktales
Out now
Documentary-makers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp) follow a group of teens on a gap year at a traditional folk high school in Arctic Norway, where the emphasis shifts from a conventional curriculum to dog sledding and survival skills.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Out now
Based on the second video game in the popular series, this sequel has Josh Hutcherson returning as night guard Mike Schmidt, with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop back on puppet duty for a horror story about animatronic creatures possessed by unsettled souls. — Catherine Bray
Going out: Gigs
The Charlatans
O2 Academy Leeds, December 6; touring to December 12
Their October-released 14th album, We Are Love, finds the indie veterans expanding their sound with production by Dev Hynes. Tracks like the psych-tinged title cut should sit comfortably among their best-loved material in concert. — Michael Cragg
Georgia Mancio Trio
The Verdict, Brighton, December 6; Peterborough Jazz Club, December 14
A singer who defies standards, Mancio can reimagine Antônio Carlos Jobim, swing through fast bebop, and guide audiences with the storytelling of her originals. Here she’s joined by pianist Pete Whittaker and drummer Dave Ohm. — John Fordham
Barbara Hannigan and Bertrand Chamayou
Wigmore Hall, London, December 6
The fearless Canadian soprano pairs with the adventurous French pianist for a program spanning 20th- and 21st-century works. Hannigan performs Messiaen’s Chants de Terre et de Ciel, while Chamayou navigates Scriabin’s late, intense pieces, and they close with John Zorn’s Jumalatteret, a celebration of Sami goddesses that Hannigan calls the hardest thing she’s ever sung. — Andrew Clements
Jamiroquai
Co-op Live, Manchester, December 6; touring to December 14
Jay Kay and his jazz-funk outfit hit arenas this week. With a new album in the works, dedicated fans will hear classics like Virtual Insanity and Canned Heat, alongside newer material. — MC
Going out: Art
Wes Anderson
Design Museum, London, through July 26
The playful, meticulously crafted world of Wes Anderson is celebrated with a retrospective that highlights the designer-screenwriter-artist’s signature aesthetic and humor, anchored by the memorable moment when a villain punctures a painting in The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Performing Trees
Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, to April 4
Do trees perform in art? This exhibition argues that they have for centuries, from Renaissance orange trees to Romantic evergreens and impressionist poplars, showcasing tree-centered works from Cézanne, Carracci, Sutherland, and George Shaw.
William Nicholson
Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, to May 10
British painter Nicholson lived between Victorian and modern eras. His scenes of early 1900s life are tender, tranquil, and color-rich, offering a glimpse of a world on the brink of upheaval.
Monument to the Unimportant
Pace Gallery, London, to February 14
A survey of modern art’s shift from grand narratives to everyday objects—Coke cans, flowers in a vase, and more—featuring Claes Oldenburg, Rachel Whiteread, and Sylvie Fleury.
Going out: Stage
Rob Brydon
Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, December 7; touring to December 16
Even without Gavin and Stacey this Christmas, Uncle Bryn keeps the festive spirit bright with songs, jokes, and impersonations—though Steve Coogan won’t be there to critique. — Rachel Aroesti
Into the Woods
Bridge Theatre, London, to April 18
Director Jordan Feino revives a modern look at Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical fairy tales, with striking design by Tom Scutt.
Beauty and the Beast
Northern Stage, Newcastle, to January 3
A gender-balanced, all-female creative team leads this year’s pantomime, directed by Bryony Shanahan and devised by Katie Mitchell and Lucy Kirkwood. Expect playful twists, including mischief from fairies, a Thoughtsnatcher machine, and a live Insect Orchestra of fleas and flies. — MG
Wee Nutcracker
Tramway, Glasgow, December 12–Christmas Eve
A shortened, 45-minute version of The Nutcracker, adapted for ages 5+, from Scottish Ballet. It’s a child-friendly holiday option that trims the long wait for interval ice cream. — Lyndsey Winship
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Staying in: Streaming
The Revenge Club
Paramount+, December 12
Adapted from JD Pennington’s The Othello Club, this drama follows a group of divorced strangers who plot against their former partners. It’s a high-concept crime caper that fits the post-peak TV era. Stars include Martin Compston, Meera Syal, Sharon Rooney, and Aimee-Ffion Edwards.
The War Between the Land and the Sea
BBC One & iPlayer, December 7, 8:30pm
A final push for the Disney+ Doctor Who deal’s benefits as this ambitious spin-off chronicles humanity’s battle with ancient sea-dwelling foes. Russell Tovey leads the cast, with Gugu Mbatha-Raw amid the beleaguered creatures.
Man vs Baby
Netflix, December 11
Following his 2022 Man vs Bee success, Rowan Atkinson returns in a house-sitting misadventure full of classic Bean-style slapstick, with Susannah Fielding and Ashley Jensen co-starring.
Nick Cave’s Veiled World
Sky Arts & Now, December 6, 9pm
To coincide with Matt Smith’s The Death of Bunny Munro adaptation, this one-off documentary delves into Cave’s singular creative universe, drawing on friends and collaborators including Warren Ellis, Bella Freud, Florence Welch, and Colin Greenwood. — RA
Going Out: Games
Skate Story
PS5, Switch 2, PC; out December 8
A glass-made skater navigates a perilous underworld. The gameplay is robust, with over 70 tricks to master in a surreal, dreamlike setting.
Terminator 2D: No Fate
PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC; out December 12
Imagine a new 1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day game era—with side-scrolling action, lush pixel art, and fresh missions alongside reimagined film set-pieces.
Staying in: Albums
XO – Fashionably Late
Out now
London’s XO drop their debut EP, a high-energy statement anchored by the Charli XCX–co-written Real Friends. Tracks like Silly Boy and Candy toss out catchy, pop-forward hooks with attitude.
Alison Wonderland – Ghost World
Out now
Former cellist turned electronic powerhouse Alison Wonderland continues her ascent, with tracks like XTC and Get Started pushing heavy, club-ready energy and metallic textures.
TEED – Always With Me
Out now
Orlando Higginbottom—also known as Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs—releases his debut under a new name. Recorded largely in Los Angeles on a single synth, Always With Me fuses emotive brevity with nostalgic vibes in songs such as Desire and My Melody.
Melody’s Echo Chamber – Unclouded
Out now
Thirteen years after her breakthrough, Melody Prochet delivers a sweeping return in psych-pop guise. Inspired by Miyazaki’s animation and a renewed love of life, tracks like In the Stars feel dramatic yet buoyant.
Staying in: Brain food
Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within
Netflix, December 9
This uplifting film follows Ugandan orphans whose dance videos have gone viral, offering a window into how fame reshapes young lives.
The Modern Art Notes Podcast
Netflix and other platforms
Art critic Tyler Green hosts long-form conversations with artists, historians, and curators. Notable episodes include Antony Gormley on sculpture’s evolving role and Hew Locke on British imperialism.
Crash Out
Somerset House Channel
American Artist presents a video commission for Channel, exploring tension between free speech and censorship via a fictional streaming persona. Created by Ammar Kalia.
