The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Kneecap Lead This Week's Rave Reviews
Meryl Streep returns as the acid-tongued fashion magazine doyenne Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada 2, while Northern Irish agit-rap trio Kneecap present a new album of polemical electro-rave bangers. Here is the pick of the week's culture, taken from the Guardian's best-rated reviews.
Television
If you only watch one, make it …
Widow's Bay (Apple TV+) – Matthew Rhys stars in a rich, wonderful, and laugh-out-loud comedy-horror about a mayor trying to turn a cursed New England island into a tourist hotspot. Reviewer Lucy Mangan called it "rich and wonderful."
Pick of the rest:
Should I Marry a Murderer? (Netflix) – The astonishing real-life tale of a woman who helped police investigate her killer fiancé, only for them to let her down badly. Mangan noted: "We should rename the true-crime genre: 'The catalogue of ways misogynists and the patriarchy have set up this world to hurt, humiliate and destroy us.'"
The Cage (BBC iPlayer) – A thrilling tale of two casino employees robbing their workplace, also a deeply moving state-of-the-nation drama starring Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha. Mangan praised Socha as "phenomenal."
Further reading: 'I've had white knuckle moments': Michael Socha on This is England, his patchy beard – and seedy new casino thriller The Cage
You may have missed …
Clash of the Superpowers: America v China (BBC iPlayer) – Revered documentarian Norma Percy serves up a wry, poised two-parter about the relationship between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Jack Seale commented: "Percy's films are usually nuanced dramas of manners … Trump staggers in and vomits all over that."
Film
If you only watch one, make it …
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (In cinemas now) – Glossy sequel to the fashion biz hit, with Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep revisiting their turns as former assistant and demon editor respectively. Peter Bradshaw described it as "good-natured, buoyant entertainment. It's wearing well."
Further reading: The devil wears Primark: is the romcom reporter about to get the sack?
Pick of the rest:
Power to the People: John & Yoko Live in NYC (In cinemas now) – Star-studded concert film containing footage from John Lennon's only full-length performances after the Beatles. Bradshaw highlighted the track New York City as the best.
Ada – My Mother the Architect (In cinemas now) – Filmmaker Yael Melamede presents a fascinating account of the life and work of revered Israeli architect Ada Karmi-Melamede, who is also her mother. Bradshaw noted Karmi-Melamede's ethos of "architecture of the ground and of the sky."
Highlander (In cinemas now) – Fortieth-anniversary rerelease for the preposterous time romp starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. Bradshaw called it "uniquely quirky, funny and eccentrically ambitious."
Hokum (In cinemas now) – Eerie rural horror with Adam Scott as a writer returning to the Irish hotel where his parents spent their honeymoon. Bradshaw described it as an "amusing and gruesome premise."
Books
If you only read one, make it …
Famesick by Lena Dunham – The Girls creator's candid memoir about chronic illness and the downsides of celebrity. Reviewer Hannah J Davies noted the afflictions described include OCD, colitis, and more.
Further reading: 'I got everything I dreamed of – when I had no ability to handle it': Lena Dunham on toxic fame, broken friendships and her 'lost decade'
Pick of the rest:
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout – A Massachusetts teacher reckons with his family trauma in the new novel from the Olive Kitteridge author. Claire Adam remarked that readers often think of Strout's characters as "personal friends."
This Dark Night: Emily Brontë, a Life by Deborah Lutz – A no-nonsense take on the author of Wuthering Heights. Samantha Ellis found it a relief to read a biography where Brontë comes across as "more grounded, steady, sane."
What If Reform Wins: A Scenario by Peter Chappell – A punchy account of how a Nigel Farage premiership would unfold. Gaby Hinsliff described it as a "lively and often witty political thriller."
Devotions by Lucy Caldwell – Sharply observed short stories from the award-winning Northern Irish author. M John Harrison praised the stories for their "transformational delight."
You may have missed …
Helm by Sarah Hall – A millennia-spanning epic of Britain's only named wind, now in paperback. Aida Edemariam noted that "it is the wind itself that holds this vastly ambitious, serious – but also often playful and ironic – book together."
Albums
If you only listen to one, make it …
Kneecap: Fenian (Out now) – With strong words for Keir Starmer, the Irish rave-rap trio remain unbowed by controversy. Alexis Petridis said "Fenian suggests they have more than enough about them to ride it out."
Further reading: 'We just want to stop people being murdered': Kneecap on Palestine, protest and provocation
Pick of the rest:
Serokolo 7: Maramfa Musick Pro (Out now) – South African producer presents a masterclass in mapanta. Ammar Kalia noted that "to succumb to these consistently breakneck rhythms is strangely freeing."
Kacey Musgraves: Middle of Nowhere (Out now) – The country star gets back to basics on this sparsely produced gem. Laura Snapes called it a "smart backdrop to these beautifully weary songs."
Beethoven: The Sonatas for Piano and Cello (Out now) – Cellist Paul Watkins' career-long immersion in the composer pays dividends. Erica Jeal praised their "unflaggingly eloquent" playing.
Now touring …
Ne-Yo and Akon (Touring to 14 May) – This double-headliner provides major millennial nostalgia. Arusa Qureshi described it as a "joyous, varied spectacle."
