What to watch this week

The Power of the Dog (December 1, Netflix)

The movie that brought Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons to our shores and farms last year, this mainly Otago-shot, 1920s-set western also stars Thomasin McKenzie. Adapted from Thomas Savage’s cult novel of the same name, it marks Kiwi Jane Campion’s return to the feature film-making for the first time since 2009’s Bright Star. Plemons and Cumberbatch are the disparate Burbank brothers. While the former’s George, just tries to get along with everyone, Phil is a taciturn, but charismatic man who inspires awe and fear in equal measure. Tensions between them come to a head when George marries local widower Rose (Dunst), who brings along her sensitive son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a young man illprepared for Phil’s manipulative behaviour.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (December 3, Disney+)

Jeff Kinney’s beloved best-selling tween tale comes to animated life in this feature-length tale which introduces us to the hapless Greg Heffley and his eclectic group of friends and family. The vocal cast includes Chris Diamantopoulos, Christian Convery, Brady Noon and Ethan William Childress.

Joe Bell (December 1, Neon)

Mark Wahlberg headlines this inspired-bya-true-story US drama about a small town, working class father who embarks on a solo walk across the US in order to crusade against bullying, after his son is tormented in high school for being gay. "He [Wahlberg] is required to do more emoting here than in maybe all of his previous movies combined. He’s up to the challenge," wrote The Boston Globe’s Mark Feeney.