November 11, 2017

10 films worth seeing on film this week.


Under Suspicion   Sat   11/11   Be3 @ 21.00

In 1950's Brighton a private eye unwittingly becomes part of the case he's investigating and finds himself under suspicion of murder when his alibi doesn't quite make sense. An early leading role for Liam Neeson here and he acquits himself well in a seedy and entertainingly twisty tale of sex, lies, murder and intrigue. Fine back up from Kenneth Cranham and Laura San Giacomo too.

Dog Soldiers   Sat   11/11   The Horror Channel   @ 21.00

A group of soldiers on routine training in the Scottish highlands find themselves under siege from a pack of beasts that should not exist. Neil Marshall's debut film is a joy. Hilarious, horrific, quotable, fun, disgusting and damn scary. A rare horror comedy that gets it's blend just right. All this and we get a wicked cast too. Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, Liam Cunningham and Darren Morfitt who's just great as Spoon.

Marnie   Sun   12/11   RTE1 @ 01.45

One of Alfred Hitchcock's darkest tales here in the story of a woman who can't quit her habit of stealing and lying & her husband who tries to cure her of her ways. A troubling film that hasn't aged well in places but it's still absolutely compulsive viewing that all the requisite twists and turns that you'd expect from Hitchcock. Tippi Hedren in the lead role of Marnie is superb as is Sean Connery who took a break from Bond to make this. 

War Horse   Sun   12/11   BBC1 @ 14.05

Perfect Sunday afternoon fare from Steven Spielberg following a horse from its idyllic life on a farm through to it's deployment to war and the horrors it experiences in the Trenches of The Somme. Dark and grim in places but ultimately uplifting stuff. Cynics will whine about it but its a good watch. There's a fine cast on display too. Jeremy Irvine, Tom Hiddlestone, Emily Watson and Liam Cunningham all stand out.

Akira   Mon   13/11   Syfy @ 00.10

The film that brought anime to the attention of the western world. Set in a dystopian futuristic Tokyo it's the story of two 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  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 Three Muskateers   Mon   13/11   More4 @ 09.30

This 1973 film is, for me, the definitive version of the famous Alexandre Dumas tale about a young man who comes to Paris to join the Kings guard. Brilliant swashbuckling fun ensues. Plus hilarity, bucket loads of it. Super cast too including Michael York, Oliver Reed, Spike Milligan, Raquel Welch, Charlton Heston and the much missed Christopher Lee all on fine form. 

Narc   Mon   13/11   TG4 @ 21.30

18 months after a job goes disastrously wrong, a cop is brought back into the fold to investigate the death of a fellow brother in blue. This is a blisteringly gritty and dark thriller, not one for the faint hearted, but if you stick with it you'll find plenty to keep you entertained and even a very dark laugh or two. Jason Patric is good in the lead but Ray Liotta as a fellow cop is absolutely immense.

Green Street   Tues   14/11   ITV4 @ 23.15

While on holiday in London a yank is drawn into the world of football hooliganism and finds that he is both likes the violence and the friends he makes. Elijah Wood & Charlie Hunnam lead the cast of this Lexi Alexander directed drama. Wood is good as the outsider and if you can get over Hunnam's awful London accent you'll like this film. A gritty bit of fun with a nice supporting cast. Be warned. Liberal amounts of violence & language abound.

Exodus : Gods And Kings   Wed   15/11   Film4 @ 21.00

Moses, a slave leader in the era of Pharoah Ramses, decides to lea his people out of Egypt and back to the promised land. But Ramses is having none of it. A big ,bloody biblical epic that's a lot better than people say but also one that got rightly bashed for its whitewashing during casting. Controversy aside it's epic in scale & surprisingly nasty stuff that's worth a watch. Christian Bale, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley and Joel Edgerton lead the film.

Cliffhanger   Fri   17/11   ITV4 @ 22.40

The early 90's were a great time for action films and this is one of the most entertaining of the lot. Sylvester Stallone is in great form as a mountain rescue climber haunted by a past mistake who faces off against a team of murderous thieves who have crashed in the Rocky Mountains. Loads of nasty behaviour and crunchiness ensues. John Lithgow as the big bad is hilariously hammy and the scenery is lovely. What's not to like.











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