Manchester By The Sea Sat 12/1 BBC2 @ 21.45
Lee Chandler's brother has just died, making him to go home to deal with funeral arrangements. The trip home also forces him to revisit the ghosts of his past. Kenneth Lonergan's 2016 drama is a stunning watch, forcing us headfirst into the ongoing effects of grief and loss and all their repercussions. It's brutal, but it's humane and even humorous in places. Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams are both amazing.
Dressed To Kill Sun 13/1 RTE1 @ 00.15
A young woman witnesses a murder and becomes the murderers next target. That's a very simplistic description of a the plot btw. This is a bizarre, tense and unsettling film and one that may offend some viewers. Brian De Palma's cinematic love letter to Alfred Hitchcock hasn't aged well but it's an interesting curio. Nancy Allen & Michael Caine are both excellent in this.
Haywire Sun 13/1 Syfy @ 21.00
While on mission in Dublin a black ops spy quickly realises she's been double crossed. All her skills and cunning come into play as she looks for revenge. Gina Carano mightn't be the best actress but her physical presence is immense in this very entertaining action thriller. There's a cracking cast in this including Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum and Ewan McGregor. Plus seeing Dublin in an action film is just wicked, a real novelty.
In The Line Of Fire Sun 13/1 Virgin Media One @ 21.00
Frank Horrigan is a secret service agent on the verge of retirement when a man starts threatening the president's life. There seems to be more to this fella than the usual spoofers though. Wolfgang Petersen's 1993 thriller is still a highly entertaining watch. Thrilling, suspenseful, funny in places and all the while moving like a racehorse. Rene Russo is enjoyable as a fellow agent & John Malkovich is always worthwhile as the bad guy.
Inside Llewyn Davis Mon 14/1 CH4 @ 00.50
Llewyn Davis is having a tough week in New York City. He's a musician and he's having a disaster of a time. A disaster of his own making. Llewyn is an asshole. But he's also a great musician. The Coen Brothers comedy drama is a good one. Amusing, sad, quirky (no surprise there) filled with lovely tunes and a lovely evocation of a very important part of history. Oscar Isaac is a solid lead and gets fine support from Carey Mulligan and Adam Driver.
Katie Tues 15/1 RTE1 @ 22.15
A documentary all about Katie Taylor, arguably Ireland's best ever sports star, from her humble beginnings when women were banned from boxing to her professional career and all her familial strife within. This is a great watch, heartwarming, upsetting and somehow nervewracking even when you know the fight results already. Plus it gives us a nice insight into what makes the normally withdrawn Katie tick. Highly recommended.
The Heat Wed 16/1 E4 @ 21.00
Whilst on the trail of a big time drug dealer an uptight FBI agent gets paired with a Boston cop who couldn't possibly be more different to her. Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy make a fine mismatched pair in this entertaining and profane comedy thriller. It's broad, crude but hilarious and it's well worth a watch. Jane Curtin and the always solid Michael Rapaport are good back up.
Beasts of The Southern Wild Thurs 17/1 CH4 @ 01.10
Hushpuppy is a six year old girl living by a bayou on the gulf coast of Louisiana. The twin threats of flooding and her father's temper rule her life but she always finds a way to make life enjoyable. This 2012 film is a glorious watch and a fantastic paean to the powers of childhood strength. Hushpuppy is played by Quvenzhané Wallis who is a little force of nature. An upsetting watch that will wow you.
True Grit Fri 18/1 TG4 @ 21.15
A young woman hires a briary old U.S. marshal to hunt the men who killed her father. The Coen Brother's fiercely entertaining remake of the classic John Wayne western is a rare beast - a remake that surpasses the original. A funny, quirky and in places quite touching story. The cast is top notch too with Hailee Steinfeld superb in her debut acting role but the film belongs to Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn. He's just perfect in the part.
Sexy Beast Fri 18/1 Film4 @ 22.55
Gal is living his best life in the south of Spain. Sunbaked and happy as a clam. Until the day he finds out his gangster ex partner Don is coming to recruit him for a job. Don isn't a nice man. This is a brilliant film. Hilarious and terrifying and sometimes both at once. It contains a Ben Kingsley performance that has to be seen to be believed, it's truly out of this world. Ray Winston as Gal aint too bad either.
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