7 films worth checking out on TV over the next 7 days.

Sat 21st BBC2 @22.30

Looper. In the future unwanted people are sent back in time to be killed by hitmen. Things go arseways when a hitman is faced with an older version of himself who has been sent back in time to be disposed of. (Trust me, its not as confusing as it seems) Bruce Willis & Joseph Gordon Levitt headline this excellent sci-fi action film. An intelligent, imaginative, funny, bloody and thoroughly exciting film, this was my fave film of 2012

Sat 21st Film4 @23.20

Dressed To Kill. Brian De Palma's cinematic love letter to Alfred Hitchcock.  A young woman witnesses a murder and becomes the murderers next target. Thats a simplistic description of a the plot tbh. This is a bizarre, tense and unsettling film and one that will offend some viewers tbh. For that reason alone i think it's worth a watch. Nancy Allen & Michael Caine are both great in this.

Sun 22nd TV3 @21.00

The River Wild. Meryl Streep is brilliant as always in this tense, action packed and sadly largely forgotten little thriller about a family on a rafting holiday who run into a couple of dodgy types. Streep & Kevin Bacon as the big bad are on great form, there's some superb action & beautiful scenery and .......and what else do you need? 

Mon 23rd TG4 @21.30

A Most Wanted Man. A tortured muslim refugee turns up in Hamburg and immediately peaked the interest of german security forces. Is he all that he seems? An intriguing and suspenseful little thriller that will remind you on the tv show 'Homeland' and emboldened by yet another cracking performance from the sadly departed Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Wed 25th Film4 @23.15

Apocalypto. Set in the time of the Mayans a young man is captured by a rival tribe and fights for his and his wife's life. A dizzyingly exciting and fast moving film. For my money one of the best action films of the century. Yes, director Mel Gibson is a twat but there is no denying that this is a seriously well made film. Word of warning though, it is definitely not for the squeamish.

Thurs 26th ITV 4 23.40

The Bank Job. Statham. In a polo neck. In the 60's. Called Terry Leather. Bank Robberies. Cups of tea. Royal porn. Toyah from Coronation Street. More cups of tea. Ham radio. A fun and tense thriller about a bank robbery in swinging 60's London. A different type of Jason Statham film but well worth a watch. Did i mention he's called Terry Leather. Best name ever.

Fri 27th TG4 @21.20

A Fistful Of Dynamite. An IRA member is recruited by a Mexican bandito to rob a bank but he has other ideas. Rod Steiger and James Coburn are excellent in this at times funny and gorgeous looking western from the master, Sergio Leone. Its a lesser film than his famous trilogy and Once Upon A Time In The West but its still really worth a watch. A couple of scenes from this were filmed in Toner's on Baggot Street in Dublin. See if you spot them.