12 films worth watching on TV this week

This Boy's Life   Sat   3/11   TG4 @ 21.20

A baby faced Leonardo DiCaprio plays the part of Tobias Wolff, a young man who's turbulent life takes a bad turn when his mother marries a bully and moves them to a small town. Ellen Barkin is fine as his mam but the film belongs to Robert De Niro who plays a hateful bastard to a tee. This is tough going but it's very good. Keep an eye out for a young Tobey Maguire and Eliza Dushku too

Let Me In   Sat   3/11   Syfy @ 23.30

Owen is a lonely and bullied boy. Then he makes a new friend. His new friend is an outcast like him but she's very different in other ways too. This modern take on an old story is a good watch. While not quite as impactful as the Swedish film it's a remake of, there is plenty to recommend about it, not least Chloe Grace Moretz's and Kodi Smith-McPhee's sympathetic portrayals of two kindred spirits. Plus that swimming pool scene....whoa.

Robot & Frank   Sun   4/11   BBC2 @ 01.15

Frank is getting old and his kids are starting to worry about him. It being the future they get him a robot to help him out but Frank sees far more potential in the robot than just housework. This film is a joy. An absolute joy. Frank Langella is a masterful lead and the chemistry between him and his robotic bud (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard) makes for deadly viewing. Record this one. You'll love it. Film of the week for me.

Time Bandits   Sun   4/11   Film4 @ 11.00

A young boy finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime when he teams up with a group of time travellers on the run from their master. A brilliant piece of fantasy from the minds behind Monty Python and a pretty much perfect family film for a rainy day. A surreal and bizarre film in places but so so much fun. And the cast is mighty, a who's who a great English actors. Too many to name here so i won't bother!

Birdman   Sun   4/11   RTE2 @ 21.00

After his once glorious career has gone stale an actor decides to reinvent himself by staging a play on Broadway. Things don't go quite to plan. This is bonkers stuff but in the best possible way. Dark, funny, magical, smart and filmed in such a way so it appears to be done all in one go. Of course it wasn't but its still enjoyable to watch how it comes together. Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton and Andrea Riseborough all rock.

Heaven & Earth   Mon   5/11   TG4 @ 21.30

The third film in Oliver Stone's loose Vietnam trilogy is mostly forgotten these days but it's a film that deserves re-evaluation. It's the story of Le-Ly, a young Vietnamese woman and her experiences during and after the war. It's a tough and disturbing watch but one that's ultimately rewarding. Hiep Thi Le is a genuinely affecting lead and she gets fine back up from Tommy Lee Jones and Joan Chen.

Badlands   Mon   5/11   TCM @ 23.00

In the heartlands of the United States, a young couple go on a crime spree 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 perfect performances. Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen are both amazing and this is the film that paved the way to stardom for him.

Hunger   Tues   6/11   Film4 @ 23.45

Bobby Sands was an IRA prisoner in the Maze prison outside Belfast in the early 80's. To get the British government to see them as prisoners of war they resorted to extreme measures. This is superb stuff. Yes it's brutal and grim as hell and at some points even seems comparable to a body horror film but you will not be able to look away. Michael Fassbender is immense in the lead.

The Hole   Wed   7/11   The Horror Channel @ 02.45

4 students on the mitch from class find themselves trapped in an old bunker. What's fun at first rapidly turns into something else. This 2001 thriller is a dark and troubling watch that's been compared to a modern day Lord Of The Flies. Ok ok it's not as good as that but it's still compelling stuff aided by a very solid lead performance from Thora Birch (Remember her?) and good support from Keira Knightley and Laurence Fox.

Truly, Madly, Deeply   Fri   8/11   BBC2 @ 23.05

Nina and Jamie were in love. Then the worst happened and Nina was left all alone. But then Jamie comes back again to help Nina begin a long slow healing process. A lovely watch, warm, sad, funny, fantastically acted, a little bit mawkish sure but a story that the vast majority of people would give their right arm to be able to live out. Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman are sublime in this film from the late Anthony Minghella.

Man On Fire   Fri   8/11   RTE2 @ 21.45

The late and much missed Tony Scott's revenge thriller sees Denzel Washington as a washed up ex merc who gets a second shot at life when he becomes bodyguard to a young girl in Mexico City. Until it all goes arseways. Denzel is a force of nature in this gritty, brutal tale that still finds time for a few rays of light. Radha Mitchell & Dakota Fanning are excellent as his charges and there's a mighty Christopher Walken cameo too. What's not to love?

French Kiss   Fri   8/11   RTE1 @ 23.55

Kate is on her way to Paris in an effort to get back her philandering fella and on the plane ride over she has a fateful encounter with a shifty Frenchman. This is a very entertaining watch. One that might be predictable in the way rom-coms tend to be but the joy here is in the journey. Meg Ryan is a lovely lead & Kevin Kline is a blast and the chemistry between them just zings.