A French foodie film, forbidden art and a final song from The Beatles.
ADVERTISEMENTAs the days get darker and winter whispers a chill through the air, great film, TV, book and music recommendations are more needed than ever - as are inspiring exhibitions, art shows and events that offer respite from the gloomier weather.
Here's what to look out for this week.
Exhibition and art
1960's Pop art icon David Hockney has a wonderful ability to capture the silently spinning inner-worlds of people in his paintings; a celebration of the colour and character friends bring to our lives. From his chef to his nurse to his gardener to Harry Styles, over six decades' worth of the 86-year-old's portraits are now on display in 'David Hockney: Drawing from Life' at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
For photography enthusiasts, the Paris Photo show is the largest international art fair dedicated to the medium and takes place at the Grand Palais Éphémère from 9-12 November.
If you find yourself in East London, the neon nostalgia-haven that is 'Gods Own Junkyard' turns 70 this year and is well worth a visit. Housed within a Walthamstow warehouse, this permanent exhibition of neon signs takes visitors on an illuminated trip through Hollywood history and the hazy hedonism of swinging Soho.
Lastly, we're perhaps most excited about Barcelona's recently opened Museum of Forbidden Art. Featuring everything from a painting of Donald Trump with a tiny penis to a crucified Ronald McDonald clown, it's the world’s only collection of works that have been banned somewhere in the world, sometimes even by the artists themselves.
Film
Fresh off the festival circuit, David Fincher's highly-anticipated psychological thriller The Killer is out at cinemas now before streaming on Netflix from 10 November. Starring Michael Fassbender (oh how we've missed him!) and based on a French graphic novel series of the same name, it tells the story of a nameless professional assassin who goes on the run after a hit job faux pas. Slick and stylish, moody and mind-warping, this is classic Fincher and definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
At UK cinemas specifically, Palme d'Or winner L'anatomie d'une chute (Anatomy of a Fall) is out from 8 November. This captivating courtroom drama sees German novelist Sandra (Sandra Hüller) under suspicion for her husband's mysterious death, with her partially blind son the sole witness.
If you're hungry for more, there's La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Taste of Things), a French foodie romance that's begun its European theatrical rollout.
Finally, it's also the Month of European Film. An initiative by the European Film Academy (EFA), various screenings and special events will take place across the continent until 9 December, all in celebration of the diversity of European film.
Music
It's finally here, and it's astonishing: 'Now and Then', The Beatles' final ever song. Featuring all four of the band's members, it's also the first and only Beatles recording of the 21st century.
The song comes from a batch of unreleased demos written by the late John Lennon in the 1970s, with artificial intelligence (AI) technology used to isolate Lennon's voice from the original cassette.
TV
For fans of celebrity documentaries, Robbie Williams is the latest subject of an upcoming Netflix show, out 8 November. From his struggle with an eating disorder to his relationship with former Take That member Gary Barlow, it's an unflinching look at the vices and vulnerabilities of a once chart-topping star.
If you like Bond and Brian Cox (the actor, not physicist) then '007: Road to a Million' is a must watch. Streaming on Prime Video from 10 November, contestants take on James Bond-inspired challenges set by "The Controller" (Cox) in the hopes of winning £1 million (€1.1 million).
A staple of prestige TV that is widely considered to have one of the all-time best finales ever, all five seasons of HBO's 'Six Feet Under' are now streaming on Netflix. Following the trials and tribulations of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home, it weaves a nuanced and life-affirming beauty throughout storylines of love and death.
And while most people don't need an excuse to re-watch 'Friends' (which is also streaming on Netflix), with the sad news that Matthew Perry died on 29 October, there was never a better - or more needed - time to hang out with Chandler Bing.
