September 09, 2017
11 films to enjoy on TV this week.
X+Y Sat 9/9 BBC2 @ 21.00
A young autistic man finds his closed in world opening up when he takes part in an international mathematics competition. A lovely film that will upset you and make you smile. Not exactly a comprehensive look at the condition but it gives us an idea of what people with it and their families go through. Great acting from Asa Butterfield and Sally Hawkins as son & mother and Rafe Spall & Eddie Marsan are always good to see onscreen.
All Is Lost Sat 9/9 RTE1 @ 23.25
A man travelling by himself on a yacht across the Indian ocean finds his ship has been damaged and is flooding fast. He has to save himself fast. That's it. Thats the plot. Nice and simple and it makes for a cracker of film. There's a cast of one, Robert Redford and he carries the film superbly. It's scary, nail bitingly tense in places, life affirming stuff that will hook you until the very last frame.
The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes Sun 10/9 TCM @ 18.35
The legendary detective takes on a seemingly simple case of a missing person and it leads him to places you would never expect. Billy Wilder's take on the famous story is just wonderful and for once it's far more about the man than the case. A poignant, slightly bizarre and surreal but fantastically entertaining tale. Robert Stevens & Colin Blakely are perfect as Holmes & Watson and Christopher Lee plays a fun part in it all too.
The Great Gatsby Sun 10/9 RTE1 @ 23.10
A man finds himself intrigued with his new Long Island neighbour and slowly finds himself being sucked into an opulent lifestyle. Baz Luhrmann's take on the famous novel might have not much in the way of depth but its a feast for the eyes and has a fantastic cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire. DiCaprio and especially Edgerton are on fire in this.
Shane Mon 11/9 Film4 @ 14.30
A worn out gunslinger wants to retire and tend to a farm but as finds himself drawn into a conflict between a land owner and a rancher. One of the all time best westerns here and also contains one of the all time best bar fight scenes. You can't go wrong watching this. Alan Ladd is superb in the main role and gets solid support from familiar faces of the genre like Van Heflin, Elisha Cooke Jr and the great Jack Palance.
World Trade Center Mon 11/9 TG4 @ 21.30
2 Port Authority police officers responding to a plane crash at the World Trade Center find themselves trapped when the towers collapse on top of them. Olive Stone directs this sobering and intimate look at the events of 9/11 and thankfully does it without his usual stylistic flourishes and bombast. Nicholas Cage and Michael Peña are on top form in this tense and claustrophobic look at the strength of human will.
Contact Tues 12/9 Syfy @ 21.00
A scientist who has spent her entire life looking for extra terrestrial life discovers an unusual radio signal sent from deep space. Robert Zemeckis's sci-fi drama is a stunner. A film that will intrigue you, thrill you and fully engage your head and your heart. It's 150 mins long but just flies by. The cast is cracking. Jodie Foster in the lead is excellent as always and she gets fine back up from Matthew McConaughey and the late and much missed John Hurt.
Dragon : The Bruce Lee Story Wed 13/9 TCM @ 21.00
The story of the greatest martial art legend to ever grace the silver screen, from his teenage years in Hong Kong to his tragic death at the age of 33 in 1973. A thrilling and fun film and Jason Scott Lee (no relation) is impressive in the lead role, perfectly nailing the man's physicality and sense of fun. It mightn't be exactly accurate and a few scenes are tqbh, blatantly fabricated but it's highly entertaining stuff.
Let The One Right In Thur 14/9 The Horror Channel @ 00.40
A young boy living in a suburb of Stockholm is being bullied but finds the strength to fight back when he befriends a peculiar little girl. A stunning take on a horror tale that's as old as film itself. This is dark, original and twisted stuff but be warned it is not for the squeamish amongst you. Two words - swimming pool. Wow. Kåre Hedebrant & Kåre Hedebrant are just fantastic in their cinematic debut as the 2 children.
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Fri 15/9 Film4 @ 18.35
Charlie is a young man with mental health issues who struggles to make a connection with his schoolmates in 1980's Pittsburgh. Here's a rare teen movie with actual substance that will stick with you for a long time. A cracking film full of super performances (Logan Lerman, Emma Watson & Ezra Miller especially), characters you'll care about and a lethal soundtrack. One of my favourite films of the past 10 years.
Rogue Fri (technically Sat) 15/9 BBC1 @ 5 past midnight
A group of tourists on a boat trip in Northern Australia find themselves trapped on a small island when they are attacked by a massive crocodile. And the tide is rising. Of course. A solidly entertaining and jumpy little thriller made believable by fine creature effects and a good cast including Radha Mitchell and Michael Vartan. Greg McLean's follow up to Wolf Creek isn't as scary as his debut but its a lot more fun.
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