November 04, 2017

11 films worth watching on TV this week.


Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe   Sat   4/11   Be3 @ 21.00

A woman trapped in a miserable marriage makes friends with an elderly woman & begins to change her life as the older woman's stories have an effect on her. Flashing between the modern day & life in early 20th century Alabama this is a cracking tale that is at times both upsetting and heartwarming. The always excellent Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy play the modern leads with Mary Stuart Masterson & Mary Louise Parker appearing in the past.

Jaws   Sat   4/11   RTE2 @ 21.20

Cinematic perfection. A killer shark is eating people near a struggling seaside town and 3 men set out to stop it. Steven Spielberg's masterpiece never gets old. A winning combination of suspense, laughs and terror all wrapped up with some wonderful storytelling & acting. Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary and Richard Dreyfuss are all great but Robert Shaw robs the film out from beneath them as Quint, a man with a haunting tale to tell.

Red Tails   Sat   4/11   BBC2 @ 23.50

The story of the Tuskegee airmen, a group of African American pilots who fought for their country in WW2 even though their country gave them nothing but discrimination. A simplistic and corny but thoroughly entertaining and old fashioned look at a story that was ignored for years. Superb cast in this too. David Oyelowo, Michael B. Jordan and Cuba Gooding jr amongst others. A lot more family friendly than usual modern war films for a change.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles   Mon   6/11   More4 @ 10.00 

The quintessential version of the famous Sherlock Holmes tale about the famous detective and his sidekick Dr Watson investigating a family curse. Starring Hammer Horror's 2 greatest stalwarts, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee as Holmes & Sir Baskerville respectively. A fabulous looking film, with excellent acting and as per usual with Hammer productions, bucketloads of atmosphere. All in under 90 minutes too. Perfect.

The River Wild   Mon   6/11   3E @ 23.00

While on rafting vacation a woman,her estranged husband and their son rescue a pair of men who are in trouble on the water. But there's more to these men than meets the eye. Meryl Streep as the lead is excellent as always ( seriously, is there actually anything she cant do? ) and David Strathairn & Kevin Bacon back her up well. Good acting, some superb action & beautiful scenery and .......and what else do you need? 

The Angel's Share   Tues   7/11   Film4 @ 01.05

4 Glaswegian teenagers on a road to rock bottom decide to pull off a whiskey heist to get themselves the means to get away from a miserable future. Director Ken Loach has weaved a delightful tale here. One that will upset you in places and give you a full on belly laugh in others. A warm look at the lives of people who are usually ignored. Paul Brannigan as Robbie is a talent to keep an eye out for in the future.

My Scientology Movie   Wed   8/11   BBC2 @ 23.15

A feature length investigative documentary from Louis Theroux about life behind the scenes in the church of Scientology. If you've seen Louis' docs before you know what to expect. A probing and dark look at a cult that's lightened by his interview techniques and looks of incredulity. A rare chance to see this too because, whilst not technically banned in Ireland, it's unavailable to see here due to our ridiculous blasphemy laws.


Cross Of Iron   Wed   8/11   TCM @ 23.10

An Officers greed for recognition and glory sets his Battalion up for certain death during the war on the Eastern Front of WW2. An unusual war film as we see it through the eyes of  German soldiers instead of the Allies. Director Sam Peckinpah's take on war is as violent as you'd expect but he also manages to humanise the German's too. A gripping, bleak, blackly funny anti war movie with a solid cast including James Coburn and Maximilian Schell.

Odd Thomas   Thur   9/11   Film4 @ 23.40

Thomas is a young man with a gift. And not a very nice gift. When a stranger turns up in his small town he is forced to use his unique skill to defend himself and those he cares about. A quirky and entertainingly little adaption of a Dean Koontz novel. It's fluff, a watch once affair but you'll have fun during it. Thomas is well played by Anton Yelchin who sadly died last year. Fine support from Addison Timlin and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as well.

On The Waterfront   Fri   10/11   BBC @ 12midday 

An ex boxer (who could have been a contender) turned dockworker has had enough of the corruption he sees all all around him and decides it's time to take a stand. A stunner of a film about doing what's right and correct. Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb all give career best performances. An all time great American classic and one that lives up to its hype.

A Bronx Tale   Fri   10/11   RTE1 @ Midnight

A young man growing up in the Bronx in the 60's finds himself torn between his hard working father and the glamorous allure of the local gangsters. Robert De Niro's directorial debut is a charming, nostalgic and absorbing film with a super soundtrack. De Niro is solid as always as is Chazz Palminteri. Sadly Lillo Brancato who plays the lead decided the life of crime was for him in real life and was sent to jail for murder. The fool.


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