July 30, 2022

14 films on TV this week to enjoy

Man Up   Sat   30/7   BBC1 @ 23.20

A woman, sick & tired of love, finds herself mistaken for a blind date and decides to just go along with it to see what happens. A romcom but one that is pleasant and not sickly, one about people you will actually care about and not want to see go up in flames. This is all down to the lovely Lake Bell and Simon Pegg and the chemistry between them. Throw in a few big laughs and a few scenes you'll watch through your fingers and it's a grand way to spend 90 mins.

A Midnight Clear   Sat   30/7   RTE2 @ 23.45

1944. The Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge. Six young American soldiers are sent on a recon mission to gather information. Near their camp are young German soldiers. German soldiers who see the writing on the wall. A powerful anti war tale that will make you despair at the utter pointlessness of violence while making you believe in the power of plain talking. Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise and Peter Berg all do strong, believable work.

Kubo And The Two Strings   Sun   31/7   E4 @ 08.40

Kubo is living a happy life in his village when a horror from the past sends him off on a mission to follow in his father's footsteps. From 2016 comes a fine slice of animated fun that was sadly overlooked on it's initial release but if you give it a chance you'll love it. It's full to the brim with imagination, action and flat out beauty. First rate voice acting from Charlize Theron & Ireland's own Art Parkinson adds to the joy.

The Towering Inferno   Sun   31/7   ITV4 @ 09.35

The world's tallest building has just opened in San Francisco and the city's rich and famous are partying on top. Little do they know that the man in charge of all the electronics below them has been cutting corners. Probably the best disaster film of the 1970's and an exciting way to start off your day. This one actually contains characters you won't want to see perish for once. Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, Jennifer Jones and Fred Astaire stand out in a star packed cast.

Maze   Sun   31/7   RTE1 @ 21.30

The IRA inmates of the Maze prison in Long Kesh have had enough. They want out. Nothing or no one is going to get in their way. The true story of Europe's biggest jailbreak is a desperately tense tale even when you know what's going to happen. Claustrophobic, suspenseful, scary and upsetting stuff for sure but a fantastic Irish cast lead by Tom Vaughn Lawlor and Barry Ward make it a very watchable Sunday night movie.

Shot Caller   Sun   31/7   Film4 @ 23.25

A stupid decision at a restaurant changes the course of Harlan's life and when he ends up in prison he has to make a decision that will change his family's life forever. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau does solid work in a damning indictment of the US penal system, a place where rehabilitation is a mere theory and violence is the only currency. A tough but worthwhile film. Lake Bell, Jon Bernthal and a scary Holt McCallany offer hefty support.

30 Days Of Night   Mon   1/8   The Horror Channel @ 22.45

Vampires descend on a small Alaskan town that is engulfed in darkness for the winter months. Things get bad fast. A full blooded roar of a horror film. As far from  the likes of Twilight as a vampire movie can get.Vicious, terrifying stuff. If you are easily freaked out don't apply but if you like your scares red raw and dripping you'll love it. Melissa George and Josh Hartnett are likeable leads but Danny Huston in a wordless role owns the film.

Apocalypse Now : Final Cut   Mon   1/8   BBC2 @ 23.15

Captain Willard has been tasked with going up the Nùng River to terminate a rogue American Colonel with extreme prejudice. What he sees on his journey will stay with him and you forever. Apocalypse Now is a nightmarish, drug fueled masterpiece. A harrowing, troubling, hilarious & psychotic look into the dark heart of man. If you haven't seen it yet I'm really jealous. Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Larry Fishburne, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest and Dennis Hopper will all amaze you.

Bad Dreams   Tue   2/8   Talking Pictures TV @ 01.40

An entire cult has immolated themselves and only one young girl survives but she's been in a coma for over a decade. She awakes a grown woman but terrifying flashbacks are plaguing her. Then the people around her start to die. An underrated 80's chiller that's built a (heh) cult following in the last few years and it's made worthwhile by a surreal, unsettling storyline and a villainous turn from the always unnerving Richard Lynch as a bad guy who'll pop up in your nightmares.

Monte Walsh   Thu   4/8   Great! Movies Action @ 15.40

Monte is an aging cowboy realising that he doesn't have a place in the world anymore due to the rapid pace at which the west is changing. A beautiful and tragic tale of loss and alienation, themes often touched upon in the western genre but here they suit proceedings to a tee. Lee Marvin aces the title role and gets fine support from Jeanne Moreau and western stalwarts Jack Palance and Mitchell Ryan.

Some Like It Hot   Thu   4/8   BBC4 @ 22.15

Joe and Jerry have just witnessed the St. Valentine's Day massacre and now they're running for their lives. To get out of town they disguise themselves as women and join an all woman music troupe heading for Florida. A classic that truly lives up to the hype. It's a scream, hysterical in parts and touching in others. Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are all on fire. It's just a perfect movie.

A Good Woman Is Hard To Find   Thu   4/8   The Horror Channel @ 22.55

Sarah's been having a tough time of it. Her husband was murdered and the PSNI don't seem to care why it happened or who did it. Then criminality enters the place she and her son call home. That's the last straw. If you've a weak constitution you might want to give Abner Pastoll's Belfast set thriller a miss because it's extremely violent in parts but it's also a tense, stylish and very well acted movie with Sarah Bolger nailing the lead.

Rose Plays Julie   Fri   5/8   RTE1 @ 22.35

While studying to be a vet a young woman called Rose decides to track down the woman who gave birth to her and then gave her up for adoption. She finds her living in London, but the woman, an actress called Ellen, doesn't want to know her.  Ann Skelly and Orla Brady are both fantastic in a haunting, well thought out story that goes to some black places that some people might have issues with.

The Incident   Fri   5/8   Talking Pictures TV @ 23.30

Two Bronx hoodlums are looking for trouble and they find it onboard the southbound Lexington Avenue express heading through the New York night. The passengers just want to get home unharmed but they've a long journey ahead of them. Martin Sheen's movie debut is a dark and troubling watch, that nowadays might seem cliched in parts but a hell of an ensemble cast keep it all very compelling.




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