19 films on TV this week picked just for you lovely people

Peterloo   Sat   13/3   CH4 @ 22.00

Manchester. 1819.  A crowd peacefully assembles to demand voting rights for all. The British government decide to suppress the meeting and make sure future crowds don't get the same ideas. Director Mike Leigh proves once again he's lost none of his righteous anger at the way the common man will always be downtrodden by the people in charge. A tough and upsetting watch but an important one. Rory Kinnear and Maxine Peake do excellent work as the leads.

Whiplash   Sat   13/3   BBC2 @ 23.20

A driven jazz musician is pushed to his very limits by his obsessive teacher. An Oscar winning film that really lives up to the hype. This is an intense study of how hard people will work on what they love. Powerful performances from Miles Teller and especially JK Simmons really sell the film. This is a tough watch and one that will genuinely leave you shattered but wowed as the credits roll. That last 10 minutes......whoa!

Jump   Sat   13/3   TG4 @ 23.30

The lives of 4 people come crashing together on one dark New Year's Eve in Derry. Greta, is looking for a way out, Pearse is looking for a missing brother, Johnny is trapped and Marie's head is melting. Next year can only be better for them. A twisty, turny watch that will leave you guessing throughout, it's one that might upset but that's laced with dark humour and carried by a nice cast that includes Martin McCann, Nichola Burley and Richard Dormer.

Halal Daddy   Sat   13/3   RTE1 @ 23.45

In his small Sligo town Raghdan is trying to start a halal meat business and social differences, his love life and his Da are among the things making life difficult for him. This one is loads of craic, funny in the way only an Irish film can be and full of charming little touches about cultural confusion. Nikesh Patel leads a fine cast that includes Deirdre O'Kane (hilarious) , Colm Meany, Sarah Bolger and Mark O'Halloran.

Clouds Of Sils Maria   Sun   14/3   BBC2 @ 02.00

An actress revisits the play that made her career 20 years ago. But this time she's taking an older role and it forces her to re-evaluate things. Juliette Binoche is an actress that just makes it all look effortless and is sublime in the lead role here with some fantastic back up from Kirsten Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz. A mature, emotional, beautiful looking psychological drama that was filmed on location in the Alps.

Red River   Sun   14/3   ITV4 @ 14.10

Tom Dunston has 10000 cattle to bring to market and 1000 miles of open terrain to move them across. A task easier said than done when the men hired to work for him start turning on him. Howard Hawke's 1948 western is a true classic. An earthy and authentic look at the hardships of the era. There's an interesting subtext here too, one often present in westerns but rarely commented on. John Wayne, Montgomery Clift and Water Brennan all do splendid work.

I Got Life!   Sun   14/3   BBC4 @ 22.00

Aurore isn't living her best life. The one two-blow of divorce and losing her job has her rattled and impending grandmotherhood (is that a word?) has really shaken her up. Then she runs into the man she loved in the days before marriage stole her youth. This French comedy drama from 2017 is a wry but convivial look at the aspects of womanhood that rarely if ever make it onscreen lead by a superb turn from Agnès Jaoui. 

Breaker Morant   Mon   15/3   Sony Movies @ 02.55

During the Boer war of the very early 20th century 3 Australian officers are court martialled for a shooting in a case used to deflect attention away from the horrifying crimes being committed by the men in charge. This masterful anti war drama feels quite familiar to Kubrick's Paths Of glory but the shades of gray here go deeper. Bryan Brown's turn as Morant is a stunner and his final lines will stay with you for an age.

Fright Night   Mon   15/3   The Horror Channel @ 21.00

Charlie's new neighbour is a dodgy one, he's acting weird and bodies are popping up around town. No one will believe his suspicions but his friend Evil Ed. This is one of the most satisfying horror comedy's of the 80's. It's a little bit dated but it's still hilariously creepy, gory, gooey & thrilling. Chris Sarandon is on fire as the smooth as hell baddie but Stephen Geoffreys nabs the film as Ed in a bizarre and very memorable role.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot   Wed   17/3   CH4 @ 02.15

Kim Baker, a New York news writer decides to take a job as a reporter in Afghanistan in 2003. She knows it's going to be a tough job but she doesn't realise just how messed up warzones are. This was enjoyable stuff, not as flat out comic as you'd expect of a film starring Tina Fey but there are plenty of funny moments here and there. There's a surprising depth here too. Margot Robbie and Martin Freeman are good value as her co-workers.

The Breadwinner   Wed   17/3   RTE2 @ 14.45

Growing up under Taliban control in Afghanistan is an awful way to live as little Parvana finds out when her father is arrested. Now to support her family she must pretend to be a little boy and brave the outside world. Cartoon Saloon's third feature length animated film steps away from Ireland and into a warzone. It's a scary, stressful but beautiful and heartfelt look at the hardships of being a woman in a man's world. Saara Chaudry's adds amazing voicework to glorious animation.

The Wiremen   Wed   17/3   RTE1 @ 17.35

This one's a beauty. A 10 minute cartoon tale about the introduction of electricity to rural Ireland. For little Rosie it's a source of wonder and amazement. For other, more elderly folk, it's unwanted modernity barging it's way into their lives. We get fun, scares, mysticism and one of the most infamous moments ever to appear on Irish tv. The voices of Ruth McCabe and Alisha Weir bring this lovely modern fairytale to life.

Misery   Wed   17/3   Film4 @ 21.00

Paul Sheldon is driving home from a writing trip when he crashes in the Rocky mountains and nearly dies. A woman living nearby saves him. A woman named Annie Wilkes. She claims to be his biggest fan. Rob Reiner's 1990 adaption of the Stephen King novel is heady stuff, hilarious, unsettling, brutal and unrelentingly tense. James Caan does first rate work as the banjaxed wordsmith but this film will always belong to Kathy Bates. 

Blue Is The Warmest Colour   Thur   18/3   CH4 @ 00.55

In Lille in northern France a girl called Adèle meets woman called Emma. They fall in love. We witness the relationship from beginning to end. This film is famous for some pretty explicit love scenes but there is far more to it than that. It's compelling, multilayered stuff filled with pitch perfect acting and spun all around a heartbreaking tale. Léa Seydoux & Adèle Exarchopoulos both give brave, brilliant performances.

Song Of The Sea (Amhrán na Mara)   Thur   18/3   TG4 @ 16.30

A brother and his little sister set off on a quest from the lighthouse island they live on with their father when sis falls ill. An animated Irish masterpiece. Imagine a Studio Ghibli film shot through with a huge dose of celtic mysticism and you'll have some idea of what this film is. An enchanting, magical and in places heartbreaking exploration of grief and love that will make you cry, laugh and drop your jaw with awe. This version is in Irish with English subtitles.

3 Godfathers   Thur   18/3   TCM @ 18.45

Three cattle rustlers on the run across a desert come across a pregnant woman who dies in childbirth. They decide to do their best to bring her child to safety. This 1948 John Ford film is a western take on the tale of the three wise men and a satisfying one at that. John Wayne as Robert Marmaduke Sangster Hightower ( what a name ) gives his usual entertaining performance that suits this film to a tee. A heartwarming watch.

The Mountain Between Us   Fri   19/3   RTE1 @ 21.35

A man and a woman in a rush hire a private plane that crashes smack bang in the middle of the Rocky mountains when the pilot has an ill timed stroke. No one knows where they are and they haven't a clue what to do. This is as melodramatic as movies get but there's a lot of fun to be had watching Kate Winslet and Idris Elba battling against everything mother nature can throw at them. Plus the scenery is absolutely magnificent.

Maps To The Stars   Fri   19/3   BBC2 @ 23.20

A trip into the slimy and sleazy underbelly of the rich and famous of Hollywood courtesy of David Cronenberg. The stories of a young tourist, a limo driver, a psychiatrist and two actors, one on the way up and one on the way down become intertwined. Great performances from Julianne Moore and John Cusack anchor an intriguingly queasy drama. The much missed Carrie Fisher makes a welcome appearance too.

Blade Of The Immortal   Fri   19/3   Film4 @ 23.25

Manji is a wandering samurai in medieval Japan who cannot be killed. He's tasked with protecting an orphan and with taking revenge on the men who made her so. Just because he can't die doesn't mean his task is easy. If you haven't seen a Takashi Miike film before you might be appalled at the carnage here but if you have you'll have a wicked time. Plus it (mostly) leaves out the nastier aspects of his earlier works thankfully. Takuya Kimura and Hana Sugisaki do well as ronin and ward.

As always, a retweet is much appreciated if this guide is helpful or if you discover a film you haven't seen before. Thank you.

James Bond 31 Day Challenge. Day 8.

 

8.

The Eiffel Tower. Where Grace Jones killed a bloke with a butterfly and then swandived out of the highest restaurant in Paris. The best part of A View To A Kill, one of the crappiest of all the Bond films. Visited here in 2010. Hell of a spot. Went up it with legs like jelly.

And as a bonus, the Golden Gate bridge, where A View To A Kill ended. Visited there in 2007. The buzz crossing it was mighty.

Worth waiting for

This day last year was my last trip to the cinema in the before times. Remember when you could actually sit beside someone, not have to douse yourself in sanitiser and watch a film mask free. Remember how we all scoffed when we heard that the new Bond film due in April was being moved to October. "Surely all this bollix will be over by April we thought?" 

How fucking wrong were we. How little we had to be worrying about. 

But when will we get to see Black Widow?? What about Tenet (ha!)? But the next Fast And Furious film is going to be set in space!! We need to see it now!! Will the next Avatar films ever get a release at this stage? No we don't want these films released online! We want to see them on a huge screen or what's the point! Waaaahhhh.

225 thousand cases of covid and 4500+ deaths later you'd realise about what really matters.

Everything will come back to normal eventually. As long as it's not rushed. Let the world heal. Let us all get vaccinated. Take the time and do it right. And it will be brilliant again. The uncomfortable cinema chairs will feel like a throne built just for you. The stale cardboardy popcorn will taste like a meal in a 5* restaurant. Even the bastard ads before the film will be a novelty.

Then the lights will go down and we'll grin like loons.

James Bond 31 Day Challenge. Day 7

 

7.

The globetrotting. Getting paid to go worldwide. The dream.

The music. Big brash orchestral themes or the opening songs. It's all good.

The gadgets. Who doesn't love a gadget.

The fact he has a licence to kill dickheads. Very handy.

The clean slate at the start of every film.

The Aston Martin DB5. A glorious bit of kit. Plus the ejector seat for annoying passengers.

The drink. You know the one. "Three measures of Gordon's; one of vodka; half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel." Some day I'll buy myself one, just to see what it's like.

American Tabloid - a book that needs to be onscreen

 

The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is one of the defining moments of the 20th century. And no one really knows how it all happened. It's the only presidential murder that was captured on film but where did the bullet that blew Kennedy's head apart really come from? And why was the trigger pulled in the first place?

Author James Ellroy has a theory in the best book he's written. A fictional one but one that would be absolutely fantastic to see onscreen. Twice screenwriters have tried to adapt this, once as a film in 2002 and as a TV series in 2008 but it hasn't happened yet. I've had my fingers crossed for years for an adaption. TV preferably. A film could not do this sprawling saga justice. Too much happens over too long of a stretch of time to too many characters.

The book is called American Tabloid and it's the first in a trilogy about the dark underbelly of the American dream in the latter half of the 20th century.

It's a story about 3 men. Pete Bondurant, a hulking, terrifying hitman/fixer working for Howard Hughes and a pair of FBI agents, the smooth talking Kemper Boyd and the driven and obsessive but weak Ward Littel. Their story takes place from 1958 to 1963 and sees the 3 men involved in some of the biggest political events of the century, presidential scandals involving Hollywood starlets, the CIA backed Bay Of Pigs invasion, plots to assassinate Fidel Castro, a massive theft of heroin from the mob and finally the plot to kill JFK. The 3 protagonists are fictional but the people they meet on their journeys aren't. 

FBI director  J.Edgar Hoover. The only man in America that Presidents were afraid of.

The previously mentioned insane recluse Howard Hughes.

Members of the Rat Pack including Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin.

Infamous mobsters such as Sam Giancana, Carlos Marcello and Santo Trafficante jnr.

Jack Ruby, all round dodgy chap who later murders Lee Harvey Oswald. 

Guy Banister, FBI agent, private eye and a major person of interest in JFK's death.

Jimmy Hoffa. Head of the teamsters and America's most famous missing person. Al Pacino portrayed him recently in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman.

And finally 

A triumvirate of Kennedys, John, Robert and Joseph Snr. Each one a far way from good.

Look at that for a cast of supporting characters. Amazing. A rogues gallery of bastards who changed American history.

Imagine a mix of The West Wing / Rubicon /Borgen/ The Sopranos / Narcos / The Wire. It could be brilliant if done right.  A 13 part miniseries detailing the dark heart of the US of A. That would be enough time to do the story justice. The myriad of plotlines and characters would have time to breathe and expand. It's dark, dark stuff too, brutally violent in places. It would be a very adult show with ALL the shades of gray. Pete and Kemper are men with no qualms about killing whoever gets in their way. Ward tries to be good but his actions and weaknesses lead to more and more death. The story moves like a train too. The early 60's were a time of massive political upheaval and the book's timeline packs it all in. Mafia strife, racism in the south, the KKK and the Birmingham church bombings, the horror show that was the Bay Of Pigs, JFK making a name for himself, union troubles, the fear of Communism. All ripe to be shown in detail on screen.

HBO would be my pick to make this. They have great form with large scale TV shows with huge casts and labyrinthine plots. They've also had great (critical) success with shows that blended fact and fiction. Rome for example was the story of 2 fictional characters intertwined with the true life events of the time. Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus managed to be involved with every big event in the Roman Empire from 49BC to 30BC. Deadwood did the same thing, all the characters this time were fact based but the storylines added a lot of fiction. Both shows were amazing btw. And then stuff like The Wire and Game Of Thrones show the ability to deal with large casts and multiple storylines. They have the resources and access to a ridiculous depth of talent to do with it all. Plus they would also allow the writers the freedom to do the story justice too. This isn't a story that should have its edges smoothed off. They need to show the dark side of the American story is all its grimy detail.

As for the casting. My top picks would be -

Jon Bernthal

The Punisher actor could be great. He's big and scary. He does brooding, simmering rage well. He'd look very believable fucking people up. He can act. I think he'd be a perfect Pete Bondurant. Had the book been made back in 2002 Brendan Gleeson would have been a go to choice. C'est la vie.

Timothy Olyphant / Jon Hamm

Either of these would be great as Kemper Boyd. Kemper in the book is portrayed as a smooth southern charmer with a vicious side. Both of these actors have portrayed both these qualities in previous roles. Hamm in Mad Men and Olyphant in Deadwood and especially Justified. 

Garrett Dillahunt

For Ward I'd like to see an actor that can play both mean and pathetic. Garret Dillahunt has form on both counts. As Jack McCall and Mr Wolcott in Deadwood and his role as Ed Miller in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford especially. I've seen his name being suggested a few times and think he could be a perfect fit.

They are just who I can think of. The kind of faces I think of when I read the book. There's probably dozens of actors better suited to the roles that I ain't thinking of. 

Any suggestions?

James Bond 31 Day Challenge. Day 6

 

6. The quote Father Jack Hackett "Drink, arse, girls."

Odd

I didn't watch a film today.

It's the first day I haven't watched a film since all this started.

I feel odd.

There's still 55 minutes left in the day though.

*panics*

James Bond 31 Day Challenge. Day 5

 

5. Watching Bond films with my father. One of my earliest memories of a Bond film is the white Lotus Esprit car from The Spy Who Loved Me being driven by Bond along the Mediterranean coastline. Him and Agent Triple X are being chased by an armed helicopter and at the end of the chase the car zips off the end of a pier into the sea. Where it then turns into a submarine. 8(a rough guess) year old me exploded with excitement and a life long love of Bond movies was born. It's still my favourite of the franchise too.

Boys From County Hell

Every vampire film or TV show brings it's own thing to the mythology of the undead. In Fright Night, crucifixes only worked if the hero wielding them had a religious belief. In Ganja & Hess, even standing in the shadow of a cross could be fatal to a bloodsucker.  Near Dark told us a complete blood transfusion could save a bitten person from turning to the dark side. In Blade II the vamps didn't have fangs but instead a disgusting little sucker under their tongues and in Buffy, every vampire rose from the grave with new found mixed martial arts skills. Boys From County Hell adds a new vampiric power to the mix. One that gives us a visceral and quite stomach churning opening as we watch a familiar face in Irish cinema meet his maker. It's a great opening to a new Irish comedy horror that plays it's horror very straight.

Every year in Ireland farmers die on their own land due to accidents involving animals or machinery. A similar night time fatality is the catalyst for the events of Boys From County Hell when blood is spilled on the green grass of Six Mile Hill, a small town north of the border, famous for being the burial site of the Abhartach, an evil creature who inspired Bram Stoker to write his most famous novel. Something vile has risen from the earth because of it and it's up to a group of townsfolk, lead by Eugene Moffat (Jack Rowan) and his father Francie (Nigel O'Neill), to deal with it.

Boys From County Hell make be less than 90 minutes long but it takes its time. Writer/Director Chris Baugh lets us get to know it's characters before it rips them apart. Eugene, the young man struggling with finding his path, his friends SP (Michael Hough), William (Fra Free) and Claire (Louisa Harland), one content with small town life and the others mad to get away from it. His father Francie, distant from his son since his wife's passing and utterly frustrated at Eugene for wasting his days in the pub. It shows us the problems faced by young people in small towns are universal. Nothing to do. Nothing to see. No money and nowhere to spend it anyway. The twin spectres of emigration and alcoholism haunting them. But the youngsters of Six Mile Hill have something else haunting them too now and this film makes sure you give a damn about them while they're fighting back against it.

This one plays it's horror horribly and gleans it's comedy from the typically Irish reactions to it. There's little in the way of jokes, it's more in the incidental humour that arises from the way the characters onscreen interact. A strangled "fuck" as a reaction to a ripped out organ. The painfully inept way Irish men deal with grief and emotion. An exposition dump laid out by a narrator carrying a bag of cans. A freshly risen revenant getting the good room in the house and numerous other little tidbits that might fly over the head of an international audience but ones that will give the people that know them a proper belly laugh. Much needed laughs too because Boys From County Hell doesn't mess about with the horrifying aspects of the story. There's literal streams of blood splashing around the screen at points, a mother's screams and a father's anguish in a brutal morgue scene, nightmarish moments of a dark presence draining the life from a town, all leading to a gory gag at the climax that will leave you dry heaving. Boys doesn't shy from jokes or scares and makes sure one never takes from the other.

While the main plot line might be about a demonic being terrorising a town, the film's heart lies with two men dealing with a tragic past and Jack Rowan and Nigel O'Neill both nail their parts, with a genuine feeling relationship between father and son. There's love there but neither will show it, giving us a painfully realistic kicker of a laugh during the climax, one that will sadly strike true for many viewers. Of the supporting cast it's Michael Hough standing out playing a character we've all encountered in our earlier years and it's nice to see Louisa Harland giving us a sense of what she's capable of away from Derry Girls.

Boys From County Hell is showing at the Dublin International Film Festival now and will be streaming on Shudder next month. Hopefully when cinemas reopen it will get screenings too. It's a film that will go down a treat with a loud, appreciative audience of horror fans. It deserves to. It's deadly. 

James Bond 31 Day Challenge. Day 4

 

You can never go wrong with a Taschen coffee table book and The James Bond archives from them is the business. Mine is an older version so doesn't cover every film but the pictures and trivia within are fantastic. Real attention to detail stuff and like the man himself, stylish as hell.

17 films on TV this week to keep you cool, calm and collected.

Money Monster   Sat  6/3   RTE2 @ 21.25

America comes to a standstill when both the host and producer of a successful financial news show are taken hostage by a angry investor and the whole saga plays out live on air. Jodie Foster directs this exciting, thought provoking and topical look at the unspoken after effects of financial crashes. Julia Roberts and George Clooney do well but Jack O'Connell steals the show as a man at the edge of his tether.

Mindhorn   Sat   6/3   BBC2 @ 23.30

Richard Thorncroft, a washed up actor best known for a 30 year old show is dragged back into the public eye when a serial killer who believes the show was real decides he'll only talk to him. If you grew up on 70's and 80's TV you'll have a load of fun with this. Packed full of glorious little touches and perfectly handled homages to a cheesier era. It's great craic and the familiar British cast lead by Julian Barrett all enjoy themselves.

Silence   Sat   6/3   TG4 @ 23.40

Eoghan is returning to Ireland. It's been years since he was home. He's back because he's after getting a curious job offer. To record the sounds of a landscape free from man made noise. This is one of the more unusual Irish films you'll ever see. It's tough to get into at first but soon enough you'll be glued to the screen by it's beautiful blend of sound & vision. Director Pat Collins has made something special here.

The Gangster, The Cop And The Devil   Sun   7/3   BBC4 @ 22.00

A serial killer with a strange modus operandi is terrorising a city in South Korea and one of his attempted victims is a crime boss who must work in tandem with the cop investigating the case to bring things to a close. This stylish, vicious and humorous Korean film takes a bunch of age old cliches and breathes new life into them. It's pure pulp fiction but man is it entertaining. Ma Dong-seok as the crime boss is the stand out.

Unforgiven   Sun   7/3   RTE2 @ 21.00

A woman is attacked in a small frontier town and three men are hired to kill the attacker. One of the men is a retired gunslinger who is reluctant to return to his former life. This film is a masterpiece. It's a story that takes apart the myths of the old west and shows them for what they really were and it's a fitting end to Clint Eastwood's western career. Clint, Morgan Freeman, Frances Fisher, Gene Hackman and Richard Harris all play their parts magnificently.

In The Loop   Sun   7/3   BBC2 @ Midnight

It's all kicking off in the middle east and UK and US spin doctors are trying to prevent a war. But humans have a wee tendency to make mistakes..... This kinda spin off of the TV show In The Thick Of It is a joy, a profane and nasty joy. If you've seen the show you'll get more out of this but if not there's still loads here to laugh at including a fantastic turn from James Gandolfini. Peter Capaldi is deadly as always.

Dreams Of A Life   Mon   8/3   Film4 @ 01.25

In 2006 a woman called Joyce Vincent was found dead in her flat due to natural causes. Her body had been lying there for 3 years and no-one ever even noticed she was missing. This docu-drama tries to find out why. This is a film you'll need to be in the right frame of mind to watch. It's about the isolating effects of modern day urban life, selfishness, apathy and what happens when they combine. It's compelling but it's also upsetting so beware.

Maudie   Mon   8/3   TG4 @ 21.30

Maudie, a sickly woman broken by arthritis struggles with her life in rural Canada. To prove her independence she takes a job and discovers a new hobby. Maudie is a film that will kick you in the gut while at the same time filling your heart. Sally Hawkins is phenomenal in the title role, an unshowy but astounding performance that will stay with you for an age. Backing her up is a very effective Ethan Hawke and assured direction from Aisling Walsh.

84 Charing Cross Road   Tues   9/3   Sony Movies @ 13.15

Helene lives in New York. Frank lives in North London. Helene loves old books. Old books are Frank's business. A letter from her about them sparks a life long friendship played out through the post. A perfect afternoon watch. A story about the ties that bind and taking a chance. Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins are both marvellous in their parts and get mighty back up from Judi Dench and Mercedes Ruehl.

District 9   Tues   9/3   TCM @ 23.10

In an alternate version of 2010 aliens have been on Earth for almost 30 years and have established a colony in South Africa. Where they are, of course, treated like muck. One day a man tries to evict them. It doesn't go to plan. Neil Blomkamp's allegorical sci-fi/thriller is a darkly comical & inventively gory film that takes aim at South Africa's horrible issues with race. Sharlto Copley as the lead plays a hell of a part.

Neds   Wed   10/3   Film4 @ 01.25

Despite a rotten upbringing courtesy of a mean & violent father, young John McGill still excels in school and hasn't yet become disillusioned by life in a poverty stricken 1970's Glasgow. Yet. Peter Mullans' gritty 2010 drama is an unforgiving look at existing in a city where life was often cut short by the twin spectres of drugs and gangs.  Stunning turns from Conor McCarron and Gary Milligan and some spiky slivers of humour will keep you watching.

The Color Of Money   Wed   10/3   Talking Pictures TV @ 21.05

Pool hustling legend Fast Eddie Felson is getting long in the tooth when he discovers a pool player named Vincent who's skill and confidence reminds him of someone he used to be a long time ago. They team up to make money. But are they too alike?  Martin Scorsese's 1986 follow up to The Hustler is a fine film, carried by a trio of brilliant performances from Paul Newman, Tom Cruise and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. The one-take pool scene scored by a famous Warren Zevon song just rocks.

Fences   Thur   11/3   CH4 @ 01.15

Life in post war America isn't easy when you've dark skin and past experiences and disappointments have left their mark on Troy's soul, turning him bitter and angry. His wife Rose and his son Cory bear the brunt of it all. A superb adaption of a Pulitzer prize winning play that manages to overcome it's staginess and it's Oscar bait stature to become a powerful study of humanity. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis are both amazing. 

Bachelorette   Thur   11/3   Comedy Central @ 23.20

Becky's getting hitched and Regan, Gena and Katie are her bridesmaids. They are also a trio of absolute wagons who are coming close to ruining the day the bride has been looking forward to forever. Not everyone is going to like this but if you can get in tune with it's at times mean spirited blend of comedy and cringe you will have fun. The cast is awesome with Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Rebel Wilson and Lizzy Caplan all having a whale of a time.

The Last Stand   Fri   12/3   Film4 @ 21.00

In this Arizona set story a drug lord on the run is looking to get back to Mexico through a quiet border town. And the sheriff of that town? None other than a creaky old Arnold Schwarzeneggar. You can probably guess what happens. Arnie proves here in spades that he still has it. A highly amusing bit of nonsense, full of fun and inventively bloody action sequences. Good support from Luis Guzman and Peter Stormare is the icing on the cake.

The Butcher Boy   Fri   12/3   RTE2 @ 21.30

Francie Brady is a strange sort of boy. And strange boys aren't tolerated in 1960's Monaghan. Eamonn Owens is unreal in the lead role. It's a tour de force performance and almost unbelievably it was his first film. A film that's by turns hilarious, grim as hell, black as night and just plain wild. Plus there's a wicked cast full of well known Irish faces in it. It's a film not everyone will take to but it's really worth your time.

Bad Dreams   Fri   12/3   Talking Pictures TV @ 22.00

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.

As always a retweet is appreciated if this guide is helpful or if you discovered something new. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

James Bond 31 Day Challenge. Day 3

 

3. Hmmmm. I wanna see another woman as the big bad. Sophie Marceau was a bit of a damp squib in The World Is Not Enough so gimme Patricia Clarkson or Kathy Bates. Or Patricia Clarkson and Kathy Bates as two megalomaniacal baddies gunning for Bond's head. You can never go wrong with those two masters of film.

As for director? Give it to Martin Scorsese. He'd can do crowdpleasers (The Departed, The Wolf Of Wall Street. The Color Of Money) and he wouldn't fuck with the formula. Too much anyway. We might even get Joe Pesci as a hitman in the opening scene...

Song? It's Beyoncé's turn. A big brassy tune. It would be great to bring it back to something similar to Gladys Knight's Licence To Kill or Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger. The last few songs have been unmemorable to say the least.