losing a lot of sponsorship and paying the price for banter. ja. paying the price for banter. jo, thank you _ paying the price for banter. jo, thank you very much. nigel, are you for your time as well. sleep well and have a lovely rest of the weekend. take care. that's it for the papers tonight. next it's the film review. have a good night. hello and a very warm welcome again to the film review on bbc news. taking us through this week's cinema releases, mark kermode is with us. hi, mark. what are you watching? loads to talk about. we have a new marvel cinematic universe film, eternals. we have kristen stewart as princess diana in spencer. and the card counter, the new movie by paul schrader. and eternals is directed by chloe zhao. chloe zhao, who won an oscarfor nomadland. she's a terrific film—maker. so, the story is... this follows a group of godlike eternals who came to earth many, many years ago to fight the deviants, and they've been fighting deviants throughout history. the deviants appear to have been laid to rest. now, they've kind of moved into civilian life. so, they're still here on earth, still awaiting the next phase of their mission. they don't know when they're going to be called upon to regroup and deal with yet another threat, but now the old threat has resurfaced. got that? i'm trying to keep up. good, here's a clip. so, you can see from there, a whole bunch of mcu action—adventure. so, here's the thing — directed by chloe zhao — you love nomadland and i'm a big fan of herfilms. the cast includes angelina jolie, barry keoghan, kumail nanjiani. it is an impressively diverse range of characters, more diverse and i think we've ever seen in a marvel cinematic superhero universe. all these things are plus points. sadly, the film itself doesn't work. it's a mess, and it's a mess for a number of reasons. one of them is that it has a kind of plodding narrative thatjumps across continents and through time periods in order to establish its backstory, and by the time we actually get to a new thing happening, we've kind of vaguely lost interest. secondly, it has too many characters, so you never end up investing in anybody — in particular... for example, if the film concentrated on kumail nanjiani's character or barry keoghan's character or something like that, you think, "ok, fine, i can invest in this." as it is, itjust feels like there's a lot of moving parts. and the third thing is the special effects just look like that — they look like special effects. they don't feel like they've got heft or weight. so, you have this weird thing that, on the one hand, you've got a great film—maker who's known for making these intimate portraits of characters that are... they ring with truthfulness. and then, you have this, and you're watching the special effects and thinking, "well, i'm not sure how involved chloe zhao is in this." as it turns out, very involved, because she was given a great amount of creative freedom — not only in the script, but also in the whole development of the project. it is really disappointing to report that it is nothing like as good as one would want it to be. there is too much going on for too long, and weirdly, that means that the end result is it's like there's almost nothing happening. i mean, it's bizarre. for a film with this much stuff in it, it's oddly empty, and i wanted to like it. wow. sorry. well, you're very rarely that passionate on that regard, so, yeah. you try not to say bad things, so that's really striking and a shame. now, spencer. i am fascinated to know... i was really sad i couldn't get to the screening because i'm just fascinated by this. ok, so you'll remember 2013 and the film diana, which had naomi watts, which was a terrible, tatty soap opera that appeared to have a script that was lifted from the pages of hello magazine. this is directed by pablo larrain, who madejackie, which was fantastic. it's written by steven knight, a very respected writer, and it stars kristen stewart, who is diana. she is absolutely brilliant in the central role. this is described as a fable from a true tragedy. it plays out over three days, three christmas days at sandringham — so christmas eve, christmas day, boxing day. she just has to get through it. and the film is very much seen internally from her point of view. it's about her own troubled state of mind within a situation which robs her of agency, robs her of independence, robs her of identity. there are endless scenes of feasts in which she is being stared at by the royal family. obviously, it addresses things like eating disorders, but does so in a way that absolutely makes you understand the interior psychology of what's happening. it has ghost story inflections. there are moments of it that reminded me of the others. we have a vision of anne boleyn, who walks through the corridors, and yet somehow, it isn't ridiculous. it has the most brilliant score byjonny greenwood, and thejonny greenwood score is so clever because it sounds like a baroque string quartet slowly mutating into free—form mad jazz as a way of describing the interior life of its central character. i think this was really great, and believe me, i went in sceptical, but i was knocked out. i love kristen stewart anyway, i think she's great. i've loved her ever since the days of the twilight movies. i mean, clouds of sils maria — fine, fabulous. personal shopper — fabulous. i liked her way back then, but this is... if there is anyjustice, she should get awards for this because it's really, really well done. wow. yes. fascinating. well, you've really, really made me want to see it. and your third choice this week? the card counter, new movie by paul schrader. so, oscar isaac is tell, who is the titular card player. travels from town to town, low stakes game, staying under the radar. that's how he likes it. tiffany haddish offers him the chance to join her syndicate become one of her stable of gamblers, which he doesn't want to do until he meets a young man played by tye sheridan, who might give him a reason to want to win big. here's a clip. what happened? you get bored? played some slots. you should read some books. i'm going to buy you one. i've read books. what is it with her? name one. one what? book. poker for dummies. you may have read it. she laughs. ilike him. oh, you made it to the second dinner break. i must've fired two dozen tournaments before i lasted that long. so, how many are left? four tables, so should be done tomorrow. . how much cards do you play? 40 hands an hour, 8—12 hours a day, 6—7 days a week. - do you do anything else? like what? like anything. go to a park, a concert, a museum. a museum? yeah, i'll buy you a book on it. it's called museums for dummies! ba—dum—bum! no, but seriously, you should do something else. just for variety. i like playing cards. that is what he does. i love the way that shotjust closes in very, very slowly on its character. now, this is produced by martin scorsese, for whom, obviously, schrader wrote taxi driver. if you're a schrader fan, this is the riffs from american gigolo and light sleeper. he essentially makes a version of the same film over and over again — the lonely man who is troubled by his past, the man resting with guilt, and there are flashbacks to horrors in the past. he likes to keep everything completely contact—free. we just saw that thing about him dressing everything in a hotel in sheets so there isn't any tact or contact with the world. at times, it feels a little bit like a greatest hits of paul schrader riffs — you know, the tortured, angsty men. but it's very well played — oscar isaac is terrific. it's very well shot. it looks really, really beautiful. and there's a lot to talk about the philosophy of card—playing. it really isn't to do with the philosophy of card—playing, it's the philosophy of masculine ritual and macho angst. and i have to say, if you're not interested in that, there may not be much of a way in, although tiffany haddish�*s character is, i think, really, really welljudged. so, it feels a little bit like, ok, we have seen this before, but if anyone is going to do this, schrader is the man. and also, considering how touch and go his most recent... i mean, some really great films like first reform, and then some things like the canyons, which was terrible. this is good. it's innovative, but it is what paul schrader does well. it's not innovative, but it is what paul schrader does well. ok, all right. and yourjudgment about best out this week? ok, i know you went to see last night in soho. i loved last night in soho. edgar wright, young woman comes to stay in a bedsit where she is transported to the 60s, but she is seeing a world in which terrible things play out. it starts as a kind of 60s glamorous fantasy, that turns into a nightmare. i know you're not a horrorfan. into a nightmare. i know you're not a horrorfan-— a horror fan. visually, it's so fantastic — a horror fan. visually, it's so fantastic. it's _ a horror fan. visually, it's so fantastic. it's got _ a horror fan. visually, it's so fantastic. it's got such - a horror fan. visually, it's so fantastic. it's got such a - a horror fan. visually, it's so i fantastic. it's got such a strong sense. i know some regular viewers don't like me reminding them of the fact that i'm not good with malice. as the film progresses, the menace against women and i struggle against that. we against women and i struggle against that. ~ , ., against women and i struggle against that. ~ ,., , against women and i struggle against that. ,., , ., that. we should say it is not gratuitously _ that. we should say it is not gratuitously against - that. we should say it is not| gratuitously against women. believing it to be something, and then they are than preyed upon. the gender politics are pretty solid. it is a horror film, gender politics are pretty solid. it is a horrorfilm, so gender politics are pretty solid. it is a horror film, so that element is there because edgar wright knows how to direct it, and he does. brilliantly made. if to direct it, and he does. brilliantly made.- to direct it, and he does. brilliantly made. to direct it, and he does. brilliantl made. ., �* ~' brilliantly made. if you don't like menace or _ brilliantly made. if you don't like menace or threat, _ brilliantly made. if you don't like menace or threat, you _ brilliantly made. if you don't like menace or threat, you are - brilliantly made. if you don't like menace or threat, you are going| brilliantly made. if you don't like l menace or threat, you are going to find it difficult. i'm glad you found stuff in it you did life. you were there _ found stuff in it you did life. you were there with _ found stuff in it you did life. you were there with me _ were there with me spiritually. there's no doubt about it. i were there with me spiritually. there's no doubt about it. i saw it twice and i _ there's no doubt about it. i saw it twice and i want _ there's no doubt about it. i saw it twice and i want to _ there's no doubt about it. i saw it twice and i want to see _ there's no doubt about it. i saw it twice and i want to see it again. l twice and i want to see it again. and the performances are terrific. quick thought about a dvd? netflix. the harder they _ quick thought about a dvd? netflix. the harder they fall— quick thought about a dvd? netflix. the harder they fall has _ quick thought about a dvd? netflix. the harder they fall has has - quick thought about a dvd? netflix. the harder they fall has has come i quick thought about a dvd? netflix. l the harder they fall has has come to netflix. it demonstrates the version of the old west we all have is very whitewashed. these are the characters we haven't seen on—screen many times. it is —— lots of action, lots of violence, but done in a way i thought was the cinematic and fun. i thought was the cinematic and fun. i really enjoyed it. it doesn't have a lot of substance, but a lot of service, and the surface is good. mark, great to see you. thank you very much, and that's it. enjoy your cinema going. see you next time, bye—bye. hello. severe gales in northern scotland as sunday begins. the risk of travel disruption, some big waves along the coastline and we could well see some gusts around 60—70mph gradually easing during the day. some rain or showers around for a time too. many other places, though, will be staying dry, just the odd shower in the west. the best of any sunny spells in the east. temperatures a little bit down compared with saturday. the winds easing, and that's the process that continues into sunday night. the clearest skies will be across parts of eastern scotland and down the eastern side of england. prolonged clear spells will allow temperatures to drop away, and there may well be a touch of frost here and there as monday begins. cloud increasing again in the west, another weather system moving in here. so that's going to bring some rain into northern ireland on monday. moving across scotland and eventually reaching parts of northwest england and wales. and with this, the breeze starting to freshen again. some hazy sunny spells continuing across parts of eastern england. its mild, and that's how it will stay in the week ahead. it's mild, and that's how it will stay in the week ahead. this is bbc news. i'm reged ahmad with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. hospitals overwhelmed — after 100 people are killed in a fuel tanker explosion in sierra leone — many more are injured. us police are investigating reports that someone at a houston music festival was injecting people with drugs before the crowd stampeded. thousands of demonstrations take place around the world to demand urgent action to combat climate change — as the cop26 summit continues. and the death of a pregnant woman sparks protests in poland against a near—total ban on abortion. she's said to be the first woman to die as a result of the law.