Going out: Cinema
Close
Out now
Lay off the mascara, this one’s a weepie. Belgian director Lukas Dhont coaxes supremely sensitive performances out of his young leads in this story of two 13-year-old boys (Eden Dambrine, Gustav De Waele) and a friendship blighted by tragedy. It saw Dhont take home the Grand Prix at the Cannes film festival.
Creed III
Out now
This latest instalment of the Rocky franchise sees Michael B Jordan’s Adonis Creed square up against a new antagonist, in the form of man of the moment Jonathan Majors. He plays Creed’s childhood friend Damian “Dame” Anderson, recently released from a spell in prison and hoping to settle old scores.
I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking)
Out now
A timely tale about how on earth a mother is expected to explain to her child that they are homeless. In the case of recently widowed hairdresser Danny (Kelley Kali, who also co-directs with Angelique Molina), the answer is to pretend that they are going camping for fun, while working desperately to figure out a long-term solution.
Glasgow film festival
To 12 March
One of the UK’s most charming film festivals, Glasgow presents a canny mix of undeniably rewatchable retrospectives and brand new films, this year including the UK premiere of comic tech-bro disaster biopic BlackBerry, about the rise and fall of the ill-fated mobile device, starring Jay Baruchel. Catherine Bray
Going out: Gigs
C2C: Country to Country
10 to 12 March, The 02, London; OVO Hydro, Glasgow; 3Arena, Dublin
The cream of the country music crop descend on London, Glasgow and Dublin once again for this annual arena-sized hoedown. Lady A, Thomas Rhett and Chicken Fried hitmakers the Zac Brown Band headline, while support comes from relative newcomers such as Lindsay Ell and Mitchell Tenpenny. Michael Cragg
Isaiah Rashad
Birmingham, 4 March; touring to 8 March
The cult Tennessee rapper arrives in the UK in support of 2021’s critically acclaimed second album, The House Is Burning, a woozy collection featuring SZA and Lil Uzi Vert. More low-key mood music than in-your-face party starters, this will be a gig to zone out to. MC
Sir Harrison Birtwistle: A Tribute
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 5 March
Harrison Birtwistle died last April. For almost half a century, he had a closer relationship with the London Sinfonietta than with any other orchestra. The London Sinfonietta gave premieres of more than 20 of his works, and their tribute, conducted by Martyn Brabbins, includes four: from the first, Verses for Ensembles, to In Broken Images, first performed in 2011. Andrew Clements
Emma Rawicz Jazz Orchestra; Isobella Burnham Group
Ronnie Scott’s, London, 8 March
An International Women’s Day double bill showcasing fast-rising newcomers. Burnham, bassist with Deptford collective Steam Down, celebrates both her Caribbean heritage and the stylistic mashups of the London scene. Young sax firebrand and composer Rawicz unveils new music with her talent-packed big band. John Fordham
Going out: Art
Unseen
Towner, Eastbourne, to 14 May
Andy Warhol in Eastbourne? Absolutely, says this exhibition of contemporary art in the Towner gallery’s collection; this is where he belongs. The seaside institution may be celebrating its centenary but this show demonstrates its collection is far from frozen in 1923. Elizabeth Price, Clare Woods, Richard Billingham and others star alongside Andy.
Islanders: The Making of the Mediterranean
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, to 4 June
The sun-kissed islands of the Mediterranean are not just holiday dreams but repositories of ancient culture. Crete, with its Minoan cities, frescoed palaces and bullish legends, features here alongside Cyprus and Sardinia, two islands whose histories are less renowned but similarly fascinating. Sardinia’s indigenous Nuragic culture was truly unique.
Poor Things
Fruitmarket, Edinburgh, 4 March to 21 May
How does your social class influence the way you make art? This sculpture exhibition, whose title echoes a compassionate novel by the Glasgow visionary Alasdair Gray, seeks to question relationships between art, class and “cultural capital”, with works by Penny Goring, Eric Bainbridge, Emma Hart and more.
Nalini Malani
National Gallery, London, to 11 June
The pioneering Indian video artist Malani is the National Gallery’s first contemporary fellow. She shows animated videos that interact with famous paintings in its collection while also bringing images of global poverty into this hallowed palace of high culture. Among the masterpieces she transforms are paintings by Bronzino and Caravaggio. Jonathan Jones
Going out: Stage
Crybabies
Soho theatre, London, 7 to 11 March
You don’t see a lot on TV, but narrative sketches account for much of the most creative and consistently funny comedy around. And Crybabies are becoming masters of the craft (see also: Max & Ivan; the Delightful Sausage). Catch this revival of their extremely clever and impeccably executed Edinburgh hit Bagbeard. Rachel Aroesti
Sleepova
Bush theatre, London, to 8 April
Lynette Linton’s Bush theatre has a buzz about it right now. Matilda Feyisayo Ibini’s new play is an ode to Black women, as three girlfriends gather over sugary snacks to share secrets, dreams and struggles. Miriam Gillinson
Beginning
Royal Exchange theatre, Manchester, to 11 March
Your last chance to catch David Eldridge’s tender and truthful romantic comedy, about two people falling for each other in the aftermath of a house party. Erin Shanagher and Gerard Kearns star. MG
Turn It Out With Tiler Peck & Friends
Sadler’s Wells, London, 9 to 11 March
US ballerina Tiler Peck brings her own show to London. The mixed bill includes a live version of William Forsythe’s film The Barre Project, one of the best things to come out of lockdown. There’s also a collaboration with tap dancer Michelle Dorrance and a pas de deux by Alonzo King. Lyndsey Winship
Staying in: Streaming
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage
4 March, Netflix
The co-star of the Oscars Slap redirects attention to his original claim to fame – being one of America’s most successful standups – with this piece of Netflix history. Selective Outrage is its first live broadcast comedy special. Hopefully, all bums will remain firmly on seats this time.
We Need to Talk About Cosby
5 March, 9pm, BBC Two, iPlayer
The good art v the bad artist debate rages on, with comedian W Kamau Bell struggling to square the allegations against Bill Cosby with the TV star’s cultural legacy – he was known in the 80s as “America’s dad” – in this impressively uncomfortable four-part doc, finally available to UK audiences.
Moonshine
10 March, Amazon Freevee
With season four of Succession still weeks away, here’s another inheritance-based family drama crammed with awful people to tide you over. The motel-owning Finley-Cullens may be grottier and weirder than the Roys, but this Canadian series is similarly frantic, layered and outrageous.
George Michael: Outed
6 Marchday, Channel 4
Once a panel show punchline, now the very public outing of the Wham! frontman feels like a watershed moment in the fight for gay rights. This documentary re-examines the late musician’s 1998 arrest and subsequent unabashed and articulate discussion of his sexuality with the help of those who were close to him at the time. RA
Staying in: Games
No Longer Home
Out now, PS4/5
A thought-provoking, gently surreal game about the nowhere months at the end of university and the pain of saying goodbye, now available on the PlayStation after its earlier release on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PC.
Do Not Feed the Monkeys 2099
Out 9 March, PC
In this dystopian comedy, your job is to surveil unsuspecting characters and invisibly manipulate their behaviour to sell videos to your mysterious paymasters. Will you do it unquestioningly? Keza MacDonald
Staying in: Albums
Ruel – 4th Wall
Out now
At the tender age of 20, British-Australian Ruel van Dijk has already toured with Shawn Mendes, scored a Top 3 in Australia (with 2019 EP Free Time), and collaborated with the likes of Denzel Curry and Gracey. On this debut album, he showcases his brand of keening, emotional soft-pop.
Slowthai – Ugly
Out now
Launched via an eight-hour livestream in which the Northampton musician sat alone in a glass box, Ugly finds Slowthai unpacking his emotions in typically raw ways. Leaning into his childhood love of rock and punk, the pulverising Feel Good is thick with irony, while the multi-layered Selfish is his attempt at a blown-out epic.
Mimi Webb – Amelia
Out now
With a Brit nomination and six Top 40 hits under her belt, 22-year-old Amelia Webb finally releases her debut album. Meant to reflect her two personalities – Mimi the pop star v Amelia the homebody – it features both the bolshie banger Red Flags and plaintive recent single Roles Reversed.
Kali Uchis – Red Moon in Venus
Out now
The Colombian-American neo-soul singer Kali Uchis returns with her third album, the follow-up to 2021’s TikTok-assisted success, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios). Led by the dreamy single I Wish You Roses, it features guest vocalists Summer Walker and Omar Apollo, plus production from Darkchild and Benny Blanco. MC
Staying in: Brain food
Bot Love
Podcast
As AI text generation gets increasingly sophisticated, the potential to develop relationships with automated bots is becoming more of a reality. This new series compassionately tells the stories of those who have already fallen for an AI companion.
Korean Film Archive
YouTube
A treasure trove of classic Korean cinema is available to watch in full on YouTube, thanks to this comprehensive archive. Among the hundred films to choose from are arthouse classics selected by Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho.
MH370: The Plane That Disappeared
8 March, Netflix
Since its disappearance in 2014, the MH370 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing has remained a tragic mystery, despite one of the most expensive search operations in history. This series interviews the people still searching for an explanation. Ammar Kalia
