Mike Leigh's new movie Another Year came out at cinemas yesterday. And, breaking all the rules of Couch Potatodom, I'm abandoning the sofa later to go and see it.
Well I had to really - I've been plunging myself into the world of Mike Leigh all week. I'm addicted.
So it's actually just as well that this weekend's TV viewing also includes a couple more of this director's masterpieces: Career Girls and Abigail's Party. Hurrah.
Leigh's comedy-drama Career Girls stars Katrin Cartlidge and Lynda Steadman. Low key but brilliant, it's about two successful, self-assured professional women in their thirties who meet for a weekend to reminisce about their earlier, insecure college days.
When Katrin Cartlidge died suddenly in 2002 - five years after this movie - I was very shocked and saddened. For me, this was the movie that truly showed her to be a great actress. She'd already starred in Mike Leigh's Naked but it was her performance in this movie that truly showed off her talents, and it earned her numerous awards.
Here's a clip from the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IXxmXTOH98&fs=1
Rounding off my Mike Leigh week perfectly on Sunday is the splendid Abigail's Party. I just love this play, and Alison Steadman http://youtube.com/v/_-hXUehyRlE Career Girls is showing tonight (6th November) on Film 4 at 12.35am
Abigail's Party is showing on Sunday 7th November at 10.30pm on BBC4
