The Departed Sat 23/11 ITV4 @ 23.00
Two men go undercover. A criminal as a cop in the Boston PD & a cop in the Boston underworld. It doesn't take long for things get very very complicated. Martin Scorsese's 2007 remake of Infernal Affairs isn't one of his best but it's so much fun. Hilarious, brutal, profane, labyrinthine, stylish and exceedingly silly fun. The cast is second to none too with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Vera Farmiga, Martin Sheen & Jack Nicholson all in mighty form.
Ricki And The Flash Sun 24/11 RTE1 @ 00.25
Once again Meryl Streep proves she can do no wrong in this tale of Ricki Rendazzo, an ageing rock singer on a downward career trajectory who returns home to the family she's ignored for far too long to give them a helping hand. Ignore the reviews, yeah it's a touch melodramatic in places but this is lovely, heartwarming stuff buoyed by two superb performances from Streep of course and Kevin Kline.
Before The Winter Chill Sun 24/11 BBC2 @ 00.40
Lucie is troubled. Her husband Paul is acting weird. He's at the right age for a mid life crisis. She thinks he may be having an affair. Things of course aren't exactly as they seem. They never are. This cutting and satirical look at the lives of the rich and restless is an intriguing and compelling watch and Kristin Scott-Thomas as Lucie is, as always, excellent. Daniel Auteuil does great work too. Keep watching this one through the credits.
Spotlight Sun 24/11 RTE1 @ 21.30
In 2001 an investigative team of journalists from the Boston Globe newspaper began to investigate catholic church sex abuse cover ups. What they discovered shocked America. Tom McCarthy's 2015 Oscar winner is stunning and rage inducing watch but it's one worth sticking with. The outstanding cast includes Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber and Michael Keaton who all nail their parts.
Paths Of Glory Mon 25/11 BBC2 @ 00.45
The men of B-company refuse to make a suicidal run at a German hill during World War 1. Their general is embarrassed by his perceived failure and sets out to make someone pay. Stanley Kubrick's masterful anti war film is an enraging watch, one that shows the toll military life can have on humanity even when the fighting is over. Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax has never been better while George Macready as General Mireau will make you despair.
Frost/Nixon Mon 25/11 TG4 @ 21.30
Richard Nixon, an ex-president disgraced by a 5 year old scandal. David Frost, Britain's go to TV interviewer. 2 men, 1 room, a camera crew, a legacy to save & a career to make. A film about an interview might sound boring but this is actually an electrifying watch, a clash of ego's par excellence and all hammered into us by some first rate thesping from Frank Langella and Michael Sheen. Kevin Bacon does wonders in back up too.
Ashby Tues 26/11 Film4 @ 23.25
Ed is a lost and listless teenager. Ashby is an ex-CIA wetwork man with a terminal illness who wants to complete one final task. They make for an unlikely couple of friends. This one's a bit of an overlooked treat, a comedy/drama/thriller that's a lot deeper and funnier than you'd expect it to be. Mickey Rourke as Ashby reminds us why he was such a popular leading man all those years ago and Nat Wolff puts in a grand shift too.
I Am Not A Witch Thur 28/11 Film4 @ 23.15
In a remote Zambian village a small girl called Shula is accused of witchcraft. The laws are strict and her youth age doesn't matter. It's rare an African film appears on TV and this one is a fine introduction to African cinema & a culture mostly alien to western audiences. It's an unsurprisingly harsh watch about female subjugation but also a very humane one and surprisingly in places it may even make you laugh. Little Maggie Mulubwa is wonderful in the lead role.
Dune Thur 28/11 TCM @ 23.20
The year is 10191. The entire universe is under the control of Emperor Shaddam and the only currency that matters is Spice. A young man name Paul Atreides wants to shake things up. This David Lynch film is the weirdest blockbuster you'll ever see. Confusing, nonsensical, needlessly bizarre but somehow brilliant and the imagination on display is amazing. Kyle MacLachlan leads one of the most eclectic casts you'll ever see. Get drunk or stoned and enjoy the madness.
Tower Block Fri 29/11 The Horror Channel @ 21.00
A tower block is due to be demolished. There's a last few residents holding on until the very end. Life is tough and gets tougher when a psychopath with a sniper rifle starts picking them off one at a time. Imagine a John Carpenter style thriller directed by Shane Meadows and you have Tower Block, an brutally efficient and rather gripping slice of energetic fun. Sheridan Smith is a worthy lead but Jack O'Connell's Kurtis is the one you'll remember.
The Water Diviner Fri 29/11 RTE2 @ 21.30
In the wake of the battle of Gallipoli a man travels to Turkey from Australia to locate his missing sons using a very special gift of his. This Russell Crowe led tale is an interesting and quite touching watch about a part of World War 1 that is rarely talked about in European history yet affected an entire continent. It's a decent history lesson too. Crowe as always is reliable and gets solid back up from fellow Antipodean actors like Jacqueline Mackenzie & Jai Courtney.
Cosmopolis Fri 29/11 BBC2 @ 23.45
A young rich man tries to make his way across Manhattan in his limo and finds himself waylaid by numerous people and events during the course of his day. David Cronenberg's film is an unusual tale, even for him, but it's still highly watchable stuff. Odd, depressing in places, funny in others and very very talky. Robert Pattison is top notch in the lead role with good support from Juliette Binoche and Paul Giamatti.
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