10 films worth watching on TV this week.

Lucy   Sat   18/11   CH4 @ 21.00

While muling a new and mysterious drug shipment inside her stomach, a woman undergoes a drastic transformation when it leaks into her blood stream. Luc Besson directs Scarlet Johansson in this fun film that has a final 10 minutes which has to be seen to be believed. You'll either love it or hate it but you definitely haven't seen anything like it before. Johansson is solid as always and Morgan Freeman & Min-Sik Choi add to the fun.

The Life Before Her Eyes   Sat   18/11   TG4 @ 21.30

Skipping between the present day and the early 90's this is a story of how a violent act in a school years ago effects the present reality of a woman's life. An overwrought film in places but one that has an interesting and unique premise and one that contains some fine acting from a solid cast including Evan Rachel Wood & Uma Thurman as a younger and older version of the same person. Oscar Isaac pops up in an early role too.

Raging Bull   Sat   18/11   RTE2 @ 23.45

Martin Scorsese's magnificent biopic of Jake LaMotta, a world middleweight champion boxer who let himself be controlled by his demons. It's far from a fun watch but it's a fierce compulsive one. Sit back and enjoy the amazing performances from Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci & beautiful black and white photography and know you are watching one of the best films of all time

Badlands   Sun   19/11   BBC2 @ 01.20

In the heartlands of the United States, a young couple go on a crime spree and that brings them to national attention. The first film from Terence Malick is a true masterpiece and a film that is still being "homaged" over 40 years later. A dreamy, beautiful but stark and shocking film full of superb acting. Sissy Spacek is great but Martin Sheen is amazing. This is the film that paved the way to stardom for him.

Atonement   Sun   19/11   CH4 @ 23.00

A moment of teenage jealousy causes a young girl to tell a lie and the effects of that lie haunt her for the next 60 years of her life. Director Joe Wright's adaption of Ian MacEwan's book is a devastating and beautiful looking film about the power of words and the damage they can do in the wrong hands. Superb acting abounds as well from Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Vanessa Redgrave & Ireland's own Saoirse Ronan.

The Man Who Knew Too Much   Mon   20/11   Film4 @ 16.20

An American family take an impulsive trip to Morocco and finds themselves in the midst of an assassination attempt and their lives are immediately in dangerous. Sounds heavy but this is one of Alfred Hitchcock's lighter and more fun films. James Stewart and Doris Day lead the film and are delightful as their roles as always. A highly entertaining and suspenseful film worth recording for a rainy Sunday.

Rudderless   Mon   20/11   TG4 @ 21.30

In the aftermath of a sadly very topical tragedy a father uses his son's direction and influence to give his life some meaning again. William H. Macy directs this lovely little story and does it well, deftly balancing light and dark moments. It's an upsetting but ultimately uplifting watch and has a fantastic cast with Billy Crudup in the lead supported well by Felicity Huffman, Laurence Fishburne, Anton Yelchin & Macy himself.

Wake Wood   Wed   22/11   The Horror Channel @ 22.40

A small family living in rural Northern Ireland find themselves looking to the supernatural when tragedy strikes their quiet little life. A modern folk horror film that is genuinely scary and unnerving. Shades of Stephen King and Hammer horror abound. Well written, well made and well acted by Eva Birthistle, Timothy Spall and a clutch of Irish actors including Aiden Gillen, Ruth McCabe and Brian Gleeson.

Needful Things   Thurs   23/11   Syfy @ 23.30

In a small New England town, a distinguished gentleman opens a store that always seems to have whatever a person wants. The catches are a small price and a little favour. This adaption of the Stephen King novel isn't the best one but it's has a lovely streak of black comedy running through it and it's downright vicious in places. Superb cast too including Max Von Sydow, Bonnie Bedelia, Ed Harris, and Amanda Plummer. 

Rush   Fri   24/11   More4 @ 21.00

The story of James Hunt, a flamboyant & hedonistic superstar of Formula One racing in the 1970's and his intense rivalry with Niki Lauda, a man the exact opposite of him. Even if, like me you've no interest in the sport you'll still find this to be a cracking watch, it's funny, very entertaining and the race sequences are a the title says, a rush. Chris Hemsworth in the lead is very good but Daniel Bruhl as Lauda is excellent.