Chris Cornell. RIP

I read this morning that Chris Cornell had passed away suddenly and it hit me in the stomach like a punch. His voice and work with Soundgarden was the soundtrack to my teenage years. BadMotorFinger, Superunknown, Down On The Upside, Fopp, Louder Than Love. 20 + years later and i still listen to them. Im listening to Hands All Over as i type this.

It sucks. What a waste. He was only 52. I know he had problems with heroin but no news has come through yet of the details of his passing. I hope this isn't the case here.

I'm actually heartbroken. The voice that got me and my friends into music is gone.

Soundgarden were the first big band i ever saw in Dublin. Sunstroke 95 in the RDS. Me, Moloney, Shacky, Graham and John. It was an eventful day. We got insulted by Jonathan Ross in Temple Bar ( We were wuffians apparently cos our reflections in a shop window ruined a take of his show ) and John disappeared before the show and we didnt see him until school that September. He got bored in the queue and went for a drink and got knocked down by a car and cos we had no phones and were selfish 16 year olds we went to the show anyway assuming we'd find him. Eek. He was grand btw, big burly rugby player and he did more damage to the car than it did to him. 

The concert though, wow. They were something else live. Jesus Christ Pose sounded primal. Ben Shepherd losing the plot on stage. The heat, the sweat, the crowd going wild. Our first time in a mosh pit, terrified but fucking loving it. Seeing Rob Zombie and John Tempesta from White Zombie watching from stage side. The entire place losing it during Spoonman and Rusty Cage. Standing back from the crowd and singing along to Drawing Flies. My first crowd surf. My wrists absolutely fucked from lifting people up to crowdsurf. Seeing my buddy Shacky going over the barrier and him in bits laughing as security dragged him away. Cornell and his ubiqitous skull t-shirt and twisted fork necklace. Stoic Kim Thayal giving it welly on lead guitar. The adrenaline rush of seeing your favourite band live. Music when you are 16 is the most important thing on earth. That voice. That insane voice. 

Shower in the dark day
Clean sparks diving down
Cool in the waterway
Where the baptized drown

Great memories stuck in my head forever.

Thank you Chris Cornell.

Early cinema memories.

Cinema Paradiso.

I was 5 or 6, it's a bit of a fuzz as it was 32-33 years ago. I was glued to my seat, terrified. A young boy on screen was down and injured in a field, surrounded by corn and a combine harvester was bearing down on him. Oh jesus, he's goosed i thought, how is he going to get out of this one. I was shittin it. Then a blue and red blur zipped across the screen and there he was, the Man Of Steel. He saved the day again. Me and Da cheered.

The film was Superman 3. I revisited it a few years ago and it's a godawful film, no redeeming features. Not even Richard Pryor skiing off a skyscraper in a pink blanket could save it. But in my memory it was the best thing I'd ever seen and I'm pretty sure it's the first film i ever saw in the cinema. 

I was lucky, my parents loved going to the pictures and passed it on to me. 

The next film i remember seeing is one that like its subject matter seems to to have disappeared into the mists of time. A film called Baby-Secret Of The Lost Legend I cannot remember a thing about it apart from the fact that the friend i saw it with managed to convince me that the dinosaurs in it were real which i repeated the next day at school and then cried when everyone in my class laughed at me. Cheers Murty.

Another very early visit was a big family outing, me, the bro, and a bucket load of cousins heading over the what i can only describe as a converted barn in Birr to see a double bill of Peter Pan and Snow White. Coke, sweets and crisps were consumed by the bucketload and my abiding memory of that trip is my cousin puking all the way home. 

When we finally got a cinema in Roscrea we went nearly every week. The Sunday matinee was the place to be when you were 10 years old. I have great memories of seeing classics like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Batman, An American Tale, The Land Before Time which i saw 3 times. First time, it was great, second time was an emergency screening after the scheduled screening of Empire Strikes Back went haywire and third time was a secret showing, we all packed in, pure excited, then Land Before Time started and 90% of the kids in the room walked out groaning and throwing ice cream at the walls.

One Easter the 6th classes of each school was brought to the cinema to see a film about Jesus. We were in a boys school so thought it was great getting to mix with the girls from the convents. I can't remember the name of it but i do remember the horror, screaming and crying during the crucifixion screen. It's probably tame as hell these days but i remember blood splashing across the screen and big close ups of nails in wrist, all of which probably wasn't shown at all. That was an odd day. A ball of kids corralled by nuns and priests and being made watch people die screaming in the name of religion.

One funny memory i have is being 12 years old and going to see The Commitments. The cinema in Roscrea was fierce lax in its enforcing of the age limits. ( An extreme example  - a friend of mine saw Fatal Attraction the evening of his First Communion ) I remember Da asking the ticket seller was it ok for a 12 and 9 year old, my brother, yer man said "ya its grand". We sat down, happy days, crisps and cokes in hand, couldn't wait to see the film and then in walked my brother's 3rd class teacher. My ma cringed and proceeded to spend the rest of the film sinking lower and lower into her chair every time the word "fuck" was uttered. Which meant she was under the carpet by the time the credits rolled. It made the film even funnier for us. The word was still taboo and seeing a parent crumple in shame makes it even better.

Arachnophobia is another vivid memory. I hate spiders. Hate them. 8 legged demonic murderbastards from hell. I cast my fears aside and went to see this with my brother. Stupid, stupid idea. I spent the entire film in a cold sweat and freaking out at everything. I say entire film but i walked out with about 15 minutes to go and it took me the bones of 4 or 5 years to work up the courage to see the rest of the film.

I typed this as i'm waiting for a friend to turn up so we can go to the new Alien film. 33 years or so later and i still get the same buzz going to the cinema. Better than going to the pub anytime. 

What's the first film you saw in the cinema?

10 films worth watching on Freeview TV this week

Woman In Gold   Sat   13/5   BBC2 @ 20.30

A woman flees nazi's in prewar Austria and leaves everyone she knows and everything she owns behind. 50 years later she decides to get some of her belongings back, including one very famous piece of art. A fantastically acted legal drama with a super cast including Daniel Bruhl, Tatiana Maslany, Ryan Reynolds and the magnificent Helen Mirren. Far more gripping and interesting than it sounds, and a decent history lesson to boot.

Basic Instinct   Sat   13/5   TV3 @ 22.15

A woman is suspected of murdering a rock star and the cop investigating her gets a little bit too close to her. While having issues of his own. Everyone remembers this one for its sex scenes & dubious undertones but its actually a very atmospheric thriller with more than a touch of Hitchcock to it. In fact if Alfred had been making films in a less censorious time he'd probably have made this. Sharon Stone steals this film with a great femme fatale role.

A Bronx Tale   Sun   14/5   RTE1 @ 00.30

A young man growing up in the Bronx in the 60's finds himself torn between his hard working father and the glamorous allure of the local gangsters. Robert De Niro's directorial debut is a charming, nostalgic, authentic and absorbing film with a super soundtrack. De Niro is solid as always as is Chazz Palminteri. Sadly Lillo Brancato who played the lead decided the life of crime was for him in real life and was sent to jail for murder. The muppet.

Half Of A  Yellow Sun   Sun   14/5   BBC2 @ 22.00

2 sisters with opposing ideologies find themselves drawn together during civil unrest in 1960's Nigeria. This film wasn't well reviewed on release but I genuinely liked it. Some of Britains finest actor's probably help the film's case too. Thandie Newton (so good recently in Line Of Duty), Chiwetel Ejiofor and John Boyega are all great as usual and the film will give you an insight into an area of history we rarely hear about in the west.

Rio Grande   Mon   15/5   Film4 @ 14.00

Set after the American civil war, a Lieutenant deals with training his son to fight the Apache and with his estranged wife who wants her son to have no part in war. John Wayne is a natural in these roles and Maureen O'Hara is great with a complex layered performance not usually seen in these films. Dated depiction of Native Americans aside this is a deep, rich, romantic, epic film. Great musical score too.

Society   Tues   16/5   Horror Channel @ 22.45

A young Beverly Hills teenager feels quite different to the rest of his family and friends but can't figure out why. Until one night he finds out. And it isn't good. It isn't good at all. A gloriously dark piece of social commentary that's in turn hilarious, highly original, sickening, jawdropping and tbh insane. This is the very definition of a cult film and one that you will not forget anytime soon. 

The Debt   Thur   18/5   Ch4 @ 01.25

3 Mossad agents who took part in covert operations in cold war Germany find themselves haunted by their actions decades later. A cracking little thriller that cuts between action in the 1960's and the 1990's. A old fashioned, suspenseful and in places quite dark film that will keep you hooked for 2 hours. Super cast too all in good form, second film of the week for Helen Mirren, also Ciaran Hinds, Jessica Chastain and Tom Wilkinson.

The Prisoner Of Second Avenue   Thur   18/5   TCM @ 18.55

A happily married well off couple in Manhattan find their lives turned upside down after a run of bad luck during a recession knocks them on their arses. But they aren't going out without a fight. From the pen of Neil Simon and starring Jack Lemmon & Anne Bancroft, both great, this sounds depressing but it's anything but. A darkly hilarious comedy drama that still resonates in this age of uncertainty.

The Three Muskateers   Fri   19/5   Film4 @ 16.25

The 1973, and for me, the definitive version of the famous Alexandre Dumas tale of a young man who comes to Paris to join the Kings guard. Brilliant swashbuckling fun ensues. Plus hilarity, bucket loads of it. Unreal cast in this one, Michael York, Oliver Reed, Spike Milligan, Raquel Welch, Charlton Heston and the much missed Christopher Lee all on fine form. Hopefully Film4 will show the sequel soon.

Grabbers   Fri   19/5   RTE2 @ 21.40

Residents of an island off the west coast of Ireland find themselves under attack by man eating aliens. They devise a very Irish way to defend themselves. Yup, an Irish monster film and every bit as entertaining as it sounds. It reminds me of Tremors, in that it's a great mix of laughs and scares and gooey bits plus it has characters you don't want to see ending up as monster munch. Ruth Bradley as the Garda in charge leads a great cast.

The unsung heroes of cinema. Part 3

You recognise their faces but you aren't quite sure where from. You see them and go "HIM!! I see him in everything" and then you forget them. There's a fleeting recognition that disappears as soon as they die in, usually, violent ways. These are the actors that if, IF, you notice them, don't turn up in the opening credits of a film. In fact you'll have to do some pretty lengthy searching of the closing scrolling credits to find them. 

Allan Graf

A moustache that Willie O'Dea would envy

A big bulky mustachioed ex footballer turned stuntman/actor who turns up in films and tv shows when it's time for the good guy to be beaten around the place or someone needs to die in an awfully bloody fashion. Yet another of the go to guys of the 80's and 90's for goons, thugs, soldiers, toughs ( toughs, i sound like a granny now ) but eventually in 2006 he got a peach of a part as Captain Turner in TV's Deadwood and got to take part in what i consider to be the best fight I've ever seen on screen. If you have any interest in action films you'll recognise this chap straight away. He's been in them all. Have a look at his sprawling career here. 

Like this chap he's been put through the wringer by some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Van Damme made shit of him in Universal Soldier, Russell Crowe made shit of him in LA Confidential, Bruce Willis shot him to bits in Last Man Standing. Even Magnum PI brought him down. Moustache vs Moustache. Deathmatch.

Greatest hits

Boogie Nights. He should have minded his own business.

The truck driver who's gung ho nature changes the course of Buck Swope's life in Boogie Nights.

Deadwood. He shouldn't have fucked with Al Swearengen.

Superb as Captain Turner, the bodyguard of the infamous real life prospector George Hearst. As mentioned he takes part in probably the most realistically brutal bit of fighting ever put on TV.

LA Confidential. He shouldn't have fucked with Bud White.

His character in LA Confidential gets on the wrong side of Russell Crowe in the opening minutes of the film and pays dearly.

Robocop. He shouldn't have fu.....you get the point.

All he does here is get shot to bits but its a brilliant scene and i love it so there!

Part 1

Part 2

The Wilhelm scream. Cinema's best inside joke. Warning - nerdy post.

The Charge At Feather River

The Wilhelm scream. You've heard it. You probably don't realise it though. A Hollywood inside joke for over 40 years. It's turned up in the most popular films of all time and is still a great secret.

OK, go to this site, turn up your sound and hit the button 

Wilhelm scream  

Recognise that? That's one of the most famous stock sound effects in film history.

It all originates from a 1951 western called Distant Drums. In one scene a man is eaten by an alligator and screams as he dies. The recording of the scream was used 2 years later in another western called The Charge At Feather River when a soldier called Private Wilhelm gets shot with an arrow. Over the years it turned up in numerous more westerns and b-movies but then 25 years after its creation during the making of Star Wars, the man in charge of the sound effects, Ben Burtt, found a recording of that scream and used it in a scene where an imperial stormtrooper is shot. Burtt over the next few years jokingly inserted the sound effect into a number of films he worked on including other Star Wars films & the Indiana Jones trilogy. He was also the one who gave it its name.

Another poor stormtrooper on minimum wage dies during work

It then gradually became a big film joke and turned up in numerous films, cartoons and TV shows.

It's one of those geeky little things that jumps out at me during a film and always makes me smile. Recently i even heard it on Emmerdale. I wanted to applaud! It's just a nice little touch and a wink to fans that I'll never get tired off.

*EXHAUSTIVE LIST KLAXON* This only includes films. It was used in The Mrs Brown Movie. The Mrs Brown Movie like. C'Mon!

If, like a normal person you can't be arsed to look at this list skip to the bottom for a video compilation.

• Star Wars: Episode IV, A New Hope  *We'll use this as a start point*
• The Star Wars Holiday Special 
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture 

1980 - 1989

• Star Wars: Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back 
• The Big Brawl 
• Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark 
• History of the World, Part I 
• Swamp Thing 
• Poltergeist 
• Star Wars: Episode VI, Return of the Jedi 
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 
• Howard the Duck 
• The Nutcracker: Motion Picture 
• Spaceballs 
• Willow 
• Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf 
• The Star Trek Adventure 
• Three Fugitives 
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier 
• Always 

1990 - 1999

• Gremlins 2: The New Batch 
• Legion of Iron 
• Beauty and the Beast 
• Batman Returns 
• Mom and Dad Save the World 
• Reservoir Dogs 
• Aladdin 
• Matinee 
• The Flintstones 
• Street Fighters 
• A Goofy Movie 
• Toy Story 
• Runaway Brain 
• Die Hard: With a Vengeance 
• The Fifth Element
• Hercules 
• Lethal Weapon 4 
• Small Soldiers 
• The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride 
• A Bug's Life 
• Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace 

2000 - 2009

• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vega
• Mission Impossible 2 
• The Kid 
• Backstage
• The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea 
• Thirteen Days 
• Dude Where's My Car! 
• Golden Dreams 
• Tomcats 
• Just Visiting 
• Planet of the Apes 
• Wet Hot American Summer 
• Osmosis Jones 
• The Majestic 
• Life or Something Like It 
• The Salton Sea 
• Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones 
• Spider-Man 
• Scorched 
• Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
• Confessions of a Dangerous Mind 
• Cradle 2 the Grave 
• Tears of the Sun 
• Agent Cody Banks 
• A Man Apart 
• The Animatrix 
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico
• Under the Tuscan Sun 
• Kill Bill, Vol. 1 
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action 
• Peter Pan
• Lord of the Rings: Return of the King 
• Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! 
• Hellboy 
• Troy 
• Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle 
• Ghost Rock 
• Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy 
• Freddy vs. Ghostbusters 
• Paparazzi 
• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 
• Taxi 
• Team America: World Police 
• I Am David 
• The Pacifier 
• The Ring 2
• Sin City 
• Kingdom of Heaven 
• Monster-in-Law 
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 
• Madagascar 
• Fantastic Four 
• Thank You for Smoking 
• Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit 
• Get Rich or Die Tryin' 
• Storm 
• Aeon Flux 
• King Kong 
• 16 Blocks 
• She's the Man 
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 
• Abominable 
• X-Men: The Last Stand 
• DOA: Dead or Alive 
• Cars 
• Monster House 
• Accepted 
• Black Sheep 
• Flushed Away 
• Norbit 
• Blades of Glory 
• Are We Done Yet? 
• The Invisible 
• The Sandlot: Heading Home 
• My Name is Bruce 
• Shrek the Third 
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 
• Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer 
• Transformers 
• License to Wed 
• Juno 
• Dragon War 
• 30 Days of Night 
• Death Proof 
• Resident Evil: Extinction 
• Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale
• Eagle vs. Shark
• Enchanted 
• The Mist 
• The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
• Meet the Spartans 
• Over Her Dead Body 
• Zombie Strippers
• Iron Man 
• Kung Fu Panda 
• Speed Racer 
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 
• Tropic Thunder 
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars 
• Unstable Fables: Three Pigs and a Baby 
• Bolt 
• The Day the Earth Stood Still 
• Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
• Dragonball Evolution
• Knowing 
• Monsters vs. Aliens 
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop 
• Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian 
• Up (2009)
• Inglourious Basterds 
• Solomon Kane
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 
• Astro Boy 
• The Twilight Saga: New Moon

2010 -

• Tooth Fairy 
• The Spy Next Door 
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid 
• Toy Story 3 
• Despicable Me 
• Machete 
• Skyline 
• Due Date 
• TRON: Legacy 
• Yogi Bear
• Sucker Punch
• Paul 
• Mr. Popper's Penguins 
• Cars 2 
• Captain America: The First Avenger 
• The Smurfs 
• The Raid Redemption 
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes 
• Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance 
• 21 Jump Street 
• Casa De Mi Padre 
• Lockout 
• Snow White and the Huntsman 
• Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted 
• Rock of Ages 
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days 
• Premium Rush 
• Stolen 
• Alex Cross
• The Man with the Iron Fists
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 
• Django Unchained 
• Man of Steel 
• Monsters University 
• Despicable Me 2 
• Grabbers 
• Getaway 
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 
• Machete Kills 
• The Harry Hill Movie 
• Saving Santa 
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 
• The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared 
• Ride Along
• The Lego Movie 
• 22 Jump Street 
• Mrs. Brown's Boys D' Movie !!!!!!!
• Into the Storm 
• Birdman 
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 
• Mortdecai 
• Ted 2 
• Smosh: The Movie 
• Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! 
• Minions 
• Hitman Agent 47
• Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
• Ride Along 2 
• Open Season: Scared Silly 
• Hardcore Henry 
• Ratchet and Clank 
• The Angry Birds Movie 
• Warcraft 
• The Secret Life Of Pets 
• Sausage Party 
• Masterminds 
• Keeping Up with the Joneses
• Sing 
• Monster Trucks 

There ya go. Bit of table quiz trivia for ya.

The unsung heroes of cinema. Part 2

You recognise their faces but you aren't quite sure where from. You see them and go "HIM!! I see him in everything" and then you forget them. There's a fleeting recognition that disappears as soon as they die in, usually, violent ways. These are the actors that if, IF, you notice them, don't turn up in the opening credits of a film. In fact you'll have to do some pretty lengthy searching of the closing scrolling credits to find them. Today's unsung hero usually gets a bit more screen time than most but at the same time most people will never bother to find out his name.

Bill Nunn

A large imposing presence in films all through the 90's and early 00's. Made a big breakthrough in the late 80's and early 90's as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's 'Do The Right Thing' and Duh Duh Duh Man in 'New Jack City'. He was a big part of the renaissance in African American cinema at the time but for some reason his career never took off like it should have. It's a pity cos he was a great actor when he was allowed to be, was funny but also looked like he could fuck you up at any time. But at the same time he didn't let himself end up to stereotyped roles, if you look at his IMDB profile (HERE) you'll see a varied career taking in war films, dramas, comedies, superhero films (before they were the in thing , gangster films and thrillers.

Greatest hits

The aforementioned 'Do The Right Thing'. Probably his most famous role and a huge catalyst for the events near the end of the film. A superb performance.

Good guy cop Eddie in 'Sister Act' who set Delores up as an fake nun

All 3 of the Sam Raimi directed 'Spiderman' films as J. Jonah Jameson's underling Robbie Robertson

The bad-ass Easy Wind in the underrated 'Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead'. 

Pip in the hilarious and criminally underwatched Denis Leary comedy cop show 'The Job'.

Sadly Bill passed away in 2016.

Part 1

Universal Soldier - another 90's action masterpiece

It's 1969. The Vietnam war is in full flow. An American GI tentatively enters a North Vietnamese village. The ground is littered with death. He searches the place until he finds the man he's looking for. His sergeant. The man responsible for this massacre. A man who has gone totally insane. In front of the GI he kills a young couple. The GI has had enough and attacks his superior. They both stab and shoot each other until they die. The GI is played by Jean Claude Van Damme and his sergeant is played by Dolph Lundgren. The 2 stars of the film are dead and the film isn't even 10 minutes in. Where can we go from here?? Where indeed!

Cut to 22 years later and we see a hostage situation taking place in the Hoover Dam in Nevada. A group of special ops soldiers inflitrate the dam, kill the baddies and save the day. Leading the soldiers, no other than Jean Claude and Dolph!! I KNOW! All is well until a snooping reporter finds out they are part of a government team of reanimated super soldiers while at the same time Jean and Dolph start remembering that they are enemies. All hell breaks loose and Jean and the reporter go on the run with the rest not far behind.

Yup. How's that for an utterly fucking ridiculous concept. You couldn't take it seriously at all. But here's the thing, the film knows it's totally ridiculous and runs with it. And it turns into a highly entertaining film that if you can go with it is just brilliant fun.

Van Damme & Lundgren are never going to win acting awards but both acquit themselves well here. And the fact that they are both basically zombies who don't say much helps, i can't tell a lie. However they do get a couple of scenes each where they do a bit of proper acting, as their memories start to mess with their training that add a nice bit of heft to the film. Even with limited standout scenes, Lundgren steals the film. Who needs acting skills when you have screen presence like his. His Andrew Scott is the character you'll remember from this film.

The film is well directed by Roland Emmerich ( of Independence Day fame ). It's quite a nice looking film as it's mostly set in the Mojave desert so we get loads of sandy scenery and it's presented in a clear easy to follow fashion. Nicely paced, we get an action scene every few minutes to keep our attention peaked. The action though, thats where this film excels. Shot clearly, no stupid shakeycam, we know exactly what's going on and where. Even the ending of the film which is shot at night, is easy to make out. You deffo get your money's worth with the action here. Brutal, crunchy stuff and both actor's physicality help make the final showdown one to remember. My favourite scene though is a fight in a diner when Jean Claude's character Luc is having his first meal in 2 decades and forgets its not good to steal food from other people's plates. Shot like an old fashioned bar fight from a western, it's great fun seeing big fella's get bounced off tables and horsed through windows.

This film is 25 years old this year and i have to say it has aged pretty well. No godawful early 90's fashion or music to date it. Well worth a revisit for people of a certain age. Don't watch this looking for subtlety, a complex story or any kind of answers though, it's purpose is to entertain and it does that in spades.  An intense, vicious, funny, fast moving flick that you can enjoy with a few beers. Which is what i'm going to do later.

The unsung heroes of cinema. Part 1.

You recognise their faces but you aren't quite sure where from. You see them and go "HIM!! I see him in everything" and then you forget them. There's a fleeting recognition that disappears as soon as they die in, usually, violent ways. These are the actors that if, IF, you notice them, don't turn up in the opening credits of a film. In fact you'll have to do some pretty lengthy searching of the closing scrolling credits to find them. 

Thomas Rosales Jr

The go to guy in the 80's and 90's when films need a shifty looking criminal type, a soldier, a cartel goon, a prisoner, basically anyone who was going to be onscreen for about 2 minutes before dying. Plus he was also a stuntman so when you see him you know shits about to go down any second. He's been killed onscreen dozens of times. By Arnie ( more than once), Nic Cage, Van Damme, Robert De Niro, the legend that is Chuck Norris, Robocop and of course by a Tyrannosaurus Rex. He's started his career dancing in the diner in Happy Days and the last thing i saw him in was the last series of Bosch getting the face kicked off him in a pub. 40 plus years of getting bounced around the place. Fair play. Check out his IMDB profile here. What a career.

And yes, i am aware that the very existence of this post shows that I've watched way too many films over the years but fuck it. #nerdandproud

Clockwise for top left - Con Air, L.A Confidential, Commando, U.S Marshalls

His greatest hits

Gets his armed chopped off by Arnie in Commando
Shot in the head by Jean Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier
Stamped on by a T-Rex in Jurassic Park 2
Gunned down by a hockey mask wearing De Niro in Heat
Beaten up by Kevin Spacey AND Russell Crowe in LA Confidential.

Coming soon

Al Leong!

10 movies to watch on Freeview TV this week

Noah   Sat   6/5   RTE2 @ 21.15

Darren Aronofsky's telling of the famous biblical tale is unlike any other version you've seen. Or will probably ever see. It's the story of Noah and his ark by way of JJR Tolkien and much better than the reviews made it out to be. Well I think so anyway. It's certainly interesting. Russell Crowe is great as Noah with solid support from Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone and Emma Watson.

Nightcrawler   Sat   6/5   BBC2 @ 21.00

Jake Gyllenhall gives a career best performance in this dark and intense tale of a desperate crime journalist willing to go outside the law to further his career prospects. This is gripping and compulsive viewing but Gyllenhall's character is so seedy and creepy that you'll need a shower afterwards. Strong support from Rene Russo and Riz Ahmed too. This film will put you off ever going to Los Angeles.

The Dead   Sun   7/5   RTE1 @ 00.25

Conversations about long lost love during a dinner party in early 20th century Ireland unearth memories and emotions. Sounds like a snoozefest yes? No, its not, it's so far from it. It's a sumptuously acted story that will hit you right in the gut and stir up thoughts and memories of your own. It's brilliant. From a story by James Joyce and with 2 stunning lead turns from Angelica Huston & Donal McCann, this one will stay with you for a long time.

Whip It   Sun   7/5   ITV2 @ 19.05

Drew Barrymore's directorial debut is a lovely, funny and charming tale of a young woman who joins a roller derby team and finds a way out of her miserable existence. Ellen Page is just perfect as the shy little Bliss who blossoms with the help of her new friends and teammates, played brilliantly by Barrymore, Kristen Wiig and Juliette Lewis. What a cast. This is a little cracker of a film that will cheer up a dark day easily.

The Ballad Of Cable Hogue   Mon   8/5   TCM @ 08.45

A man discovers a sweet spot in the middle of the desert and decides to make money from it. But the golden days of the west are coming to an end. Jason Robards is great fun in this comedy drama which was a huge u-turn for director Sam Peckinpah after his previous western, the infamous Wild Bunch. A lovely, funny, touching and sad film with a supporting cast you'll recognise from dozens of westerns.

Akira   Tues   9/5   Syfy @ 23.00

The film that brought anime to the attention of the western world. Set in a dystopian futuristic Tokyo it's the story of 2 friends, one affected by a government project and the other who tries to help him. This animated film is 29 years old and still feels fresh. It really is truly astonishing stuff, original and inventive, thrilling, terrifying and epic. A beautiful looking movie too and one that has influenced the look of dozens of films in the last 3 decades.

The Place Beyond The Pines   Wed   10/5   RTE1 @ 21.35

A small town tale of crime and corruption set over 15 years about the cyclical nature of life and how acts of violence have effects that take a long time to fade away. Cracking cast in this one with Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendez and especially Ray Liotta all on fine form. This is the only film I've ever liked Cooper in actually. A long but very absorbing film that feels like a mini series condensed into movie form. 

Aliens   Thurs   11/5   Film4 @ 23.25

Aliens vs Marines on a desolate planet. We all know the story by now. Controversial opinion time. This is my fave of the saga. I just love it. It's a perfect film. Action packed, full of memorable characters, brilliant dialogue and superb tension packed action set pieces. Sigourney Weaver is just brilliant as the lead. Tough as nails but still maternal as hell. Michael Biehn & the much missed Bill Paxton add top notch support. A masterpiece.

Hanna   Fri   12/5   E4 @ 21.00

A young woman has been trained by her father for her entire life to do one thing and she's very very good at it. Finally her day has come. Saoirse Ronan is perfect in the lead role of Hanna, a young woman with no experience of the outside world who finds herself having to adapt to it all very fast. Eric Bana as her Da & Cate Blanchett as the woman looking for her add good heft to the film too. An action packed, well acted and slightly surreal film.


Videodrome   Fri   12/5   Horror Channel @ 23.00

Body horror par excellence from the master hands of David Cronenberg. A sensation seeking tv channel scheduler acquires a new programme that affects him both physically and psychologically. James Woods is excellent as the man in question in a film that's hard to watch in places but one that will scare you, nauseate you and totally intrigue you. Topical too what with all the attention seeking, do anything to be famous drivel on TV nowadays.

Comfort Watching

What are the films or shows you always go back to? The ones you know will cheer you up when you feel crappy? The ones you know will entertain you when you can't be arsed to look for anything else? The one you dig out on a rainy day that you can watch from under a duvet on the couch which you've seen so many times you can just mouth the dialogue in big chunks. The ones that just make you feel good?

I've a few. Well 5 to be exact.

The Sure Thing

You really can't go wrong with an 80's John Cusack film. Well no, you can, One Crazy Summer but let's ignore that one. The Sure Thing is the perfect film to cheer you up. An aul romantic comedy with a very recognisable and relatable main character. Gib, a pure loveable fuck up. But a fuck up in the Hollywood sense, one that can still get into an Ivy league school. This is a real opposites attract film, the type where you know how its going to end. And that's why it's a perfect comfort watch. You know the destination so can lie back and enjoy the journey. Literally. It is a road trip movie after all. Throw in a few proper belly laughs and you have a super way to spend a rainy day.

Midnight Run

My all time favourite comedy. I've written about this one ( LINK ) a few years ago so won't go into it again suffice to say it's a film guaranteed to cheer you up. It's got characters you genuinely care about and it hits you in the heart and the funny bone. It's just perfection.

The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad

I've a great memory of the first time i saw this one and it's probably why i go back to it again and again. We are down in the cousins gaff, all young, deffo below 10, this was on tv and we were all glued to it. The giant Cyclops with his horny ceann and cloven feet was rampaging around his Island crushing and munching on Sinbads men. It was amazing, the action, the effects ( stopmotion and still better than any CGI ), everything. I was gobsmacked, as was my brother, and my two cousins Mairead and Jenny were roaring at the telly in terror, which of course made it even more enjoyable. A good comfort watch should bring back good memories. The first time you enjoyed it, of childhood, of easier times etc.

Tremors

Giant man eating worms terrorise a remote Arizona village. Not exactly the kind of film that sounds like it would cheer you up but it does. In spades. 100 minutes of charming, unabashedly entertaining monster fun. Great, well drawn and funny characters being attacked by monsters that look somewhat real, sort of, OK a bit shitty but that's all part of the charm of the film. Its a film that's impossible to get bored off and as such fits on this list perfectly. It covers a load of bases, loads of action, loads of scares and loads of laughs. Plus we get the serious business of Val's (Kevin Bacon) existential crisis...... OK, haha I'm taking the piss with that last bit but its a film that has something for everyone.

Hondo

I had to have a western in the list. To me old westerns are the perfect comfort watch. I once heard a person describe watching Downton Abbey as being wrapped in a warm cosy blanket and thats how i feel about westerns. I remember watching Hondo with my nana a long time ago. A John Wayne western id recommend to anyone. Its more fun than his most famous westerns but still has more heft than his lesser westerns. Plus it has one of the best bits of comedy the Duke took part i. I remember me & Nana in tatters laughing as Hondo teaches a young boy to swim by picking him up and horsing him into a pond. No messing around there. Even typing this makes me smile.

What films do it for you?