July 02, 2022

15 films on TV this week to keep you in out of the rain

About Schmidt   Sat   2/7   TG4 @ 21.35

Schmidt is feeling adrift after his retirement and a tragic loss so he heads off on a trip to see his daughter and convince her not to make the mistakes he made. Alexander Payne's 2002 comedy drama won't be for everyone but if you can get on the same wavelength as the film's rather unlikable eponymous character you'll enjoy yourself. Jack Nicholson does seriously heavy lifting in the main role and the always brilliant Kathy Bates does wonders too.

The Void   Sat   2/7   The Horror Channel @ 22.50

A sheriff finds a man covered in blood on a lonely lane and brings him to hospital. Things get crazy fast. And gory. Oh so gory. This low budget 2016 horror thriller is a fun watch filled with inventive scares and some lovingly created practical special effects. If you are in anyway squeamish please do not watch! Or challenge yourself and go for it. Things happen to eyeballs and intestines that you'll never forget. The unknown cast do impressive work too.

Thirteen Days   Sat   2/7   RTE1 @ 23.15

October 1962. America learns of Russian plans to install nuclear weapons in Cuba. Then president John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his advisors must come up with a plan to curtail the danger these weapons pose without starting a world war. Even when you know things worked out ok it's still a tense and compulsive look at a terrifying time in world history. Bruce Greenwood, Kevin Costner and Steven Culp do fine work in a strong history lesson.

The Mummy   Sun   3/7   ITV4 @ 20.00

Cursed words are spoken aloud and the evil Imhotep arises from his tomb looking for the woman he loved thousands of years past. Only a brigand, a librarian and her weedy brother can stop him now in a battle that rages across the sands of Egypt. Stephen Sommers' 1999 blend of horror, action and comedy is a joy to watch, a perfect blend of scares and laughter with Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and Arnold Vosloo all adding to the fun.

Dunkirk   Sun   3/7   BBC2 @ 21.00

Hitler has England beaten back to the coast of France. With their backs to the water there's nothing to do but wait to be rescued. Will the cavalry arrive on time? Christopher Nolan's 2017 war film is a good one, a tale both epic and intimate about terrified young men and the people coming to save their skins. Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance and Harry Styles among many others all play their parts well.

X The Unknown   Mon   4/7   Talking Pictures TV @ 15.30

A group of soldiers on patrol in Scotland find something dark, dangerous and bubbling in a crack in the earth. Scientists begin to investigate and bizarre theories are thrown around. From the pen of the prolific Jimmy Sangster comes an imaginative and unsettling slice of sci-fi that shows once again that less is always more when it comes to low budget movie making. Leo McKern and Dean Jagger are an effective central pairing.

Metal Heart   Mon   4/7   RTE1 @ 22.40

Twin sisters Emma and Chantal could not be more different if they tried. Emma is quiet, confused about life and channels her energy into her music. Chantal is adored by all, loves a party and has her future all planned out. Hugh O'Conor's debut feature film is a charmer, a funny and heartfelt look at growing up. Some lovely Dublin locations and effective turns from Jordanne Jones, Aaron Heffernan and Moe Dunford ensure you'll like this.

Cold War   Tue   5/7   Film4 @ 02.10

Wiktor is a musical director. Zula is a singer. They meet at work and fall for each other in post war Poland. Life is hard and they plan to defect to the west. But that's easier said than done. A stark and bittersweet love story that deftly portrays the lengths people will go to when they've fallen hard for someone. You'll probably feel awful when it's over but stunning turns from Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot will keep you watching.

Cold Creek Manor   Tues   5/7   Great! Movies @ 21.00

The Tilson's have moved to the country from the Big Apple and they've bought a big farm house to enjoy life in. But if you've ever seen a thriller or a horror you know that ain't going to happen. Mike Figgis's 2003 tale is a familiar one full of cliche but it's so well done and polished up you won't mind. Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone do nice work as a father and mother who'll stand tall for their brood.

Gangster Squad   Thur   7/7   ITV4 @ 23.30

Totally ignored on it's release Gangster Squad is a brutal, pulpy and entertaining story of cops vs gangsters set in post war Los Angeles and it's well worth a watch. John O'Meara (My Da's name, I got a great kick out of this) played by Josh Brolin in full on tough guy mode, builds a team of cops to take down arch criminal Mickey Cohen. Bullets, blood and hard boiled dialogue fly across the screen. Just ignore it's rather loose take on historical fact and you'll be fine.

Lords Of Chaos   Thur   7/7   Film4 @ 01.15

In the early 90's the young men of Oslo took their metal music very seriously and efforts to one up each other led to a crime spree that made worldwide news. At the centre of it all were musicians Øystein Aarseth and Kristian Vikarnes. A true story so bonkers it will seem like fiction, laced with treacle black humour and some almost unwatchable bloodshed. It's not for the faint of heart but solid acting from Rory Culkin and Jack Kilmer add lightness to it.

The Wife   Thur   7/7   BBC4 @ 22.55

A writer called Joe is about to face the highlight of his literary existence and his wife Joan has sacrificed it all, her dreams, her work, her friends, to get him to this position in life. And now she's had enough. A powerful watch led by a stunner of a performance from Glenn Close as a woman who's had it up to *here* with the nonsense men can get away with. Jonathan Pryce as Joe puts in a mighty shift too.

Garage   Fri   8/7   Film4 @ 02.20

Josie lives a slow and solitary life in a small village in Offaly. One day a chance of friendship rears it's head but it doesn't take long for things to go sideways. Pat Shortt is a revelation in Lenny Abrahamson's quietly devastating tale of rural isolation. It sounds grim but it's a painfully real film that deserves to be seen. Anne-Marie Duff plays one of Josie's few friends and offers some respite from the darkness.

The Old Man And The Gun   Fri   8/7   RTE2 @ 22.30

Forrest Tucker knows life is catching up on him and so he decides to go out with a bang, escaping from jail, robbing banks and falling in love one last time. The last leading role of Robert Redford's before he retired from acting is a special one, wistful, nostalgic, full of reminders of why he's been famous for six decades now. The story itself is simple, elegant and well told and a lovely showing from Sissy Spacek gives it soul.

Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid   Fri   8/7   TG4 @ 22.35

Pat Garrett and William H. Bonney. Old friends and now new enemies. Garrett has taken the side of the law and he's chasing Bonney out of Lincoln county. Sam Peckinpah's 1973 western is a thing of beauty. A revisionist look at one of the Wild West's best known legends that never shies away from the brutality of outlaw life while paradoxically leaning into the romance of it all. Kris Kristofferson and James Coburn lead a cast absolutely packed with recognisable genre faces.


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