11 films worth watching on TV this week

Straight Outta Compton   Sat   27/4   RTE2 @ 21.10

N.W.A. were the most notorious rap group of the 1980's and this film charts their meteoric rise from the mean streets of Compton to their spectacular and egotistical fall. A big, brash, profane film that skips over a lot of the more troubling aspects of the group but still manages to be very entertaining. Great performances from Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins and O'Shea Jackson Jr ( as his Da Ice Cube) make it all work.

Paths Of Glory   Sat   27/4   BBC2 @ 22.50

The men of B-company refuse to make a suicidal run at a German hill during World War 1. Their general is embarrassed by his perceived failure and sets out to make someone pay. Stanley Kubrick's masterful anti war film is an enraging watch, one that shows the toll military life can have on humanity even when the fighting is over. Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax has never been better while George Macready as General Mireau will make you despair.

Train To Busan   Sun   28/4   CH4 @ 01.00

A zombie apocalypse hits South Korea and a father and daughter find themselves fighting for their lives on a train out of Seoul. Yes it's another Zombie flick......no no come back......but seriously it's a brilliant watch. It's full of heart and for once you'll genuinely care about the characters being menaced. Plus it's really clever and the attack scenes are astounding. Yoo Gong & Su-an Kim as Dad and Daughter are aces.

Little Women   Sun   28/4   RTE2 @ 14.30

The story of 4 sisters and their mother and how they go about finding their path through life during the American civil war. This adaption of Louisa May Alcott's famous novel is a lovely watch, one that funny, upsetting and very humane. It might be set 150 years ago but plenty of it still blazes with topicality today. The cast is immense with Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder, Claire Danes, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Bale & Gabriel Byrne all doing stellar work.

Captain Fantastic   Sun   28/4   BBC2 @ 22.00

Ben and his family have been away from the grid for a long time, living in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. A tragedy forces him and his 6 kids back into civilisation and everyone struggles to adapt. A different kind of family film but a warm and absorbing one driven by a couple of wonderful performances from George Mackay and Viggo Mortenson as a well meaning father who you'll want to kick.

Anomalisa   Mon   29/4   Film4 @ 23.00

A man on a business trip meets an unusual stranger who slowly begins to pull him out of the humdrum existence he's found himself traps in. Charlie Kaufman's stop motion animation is definitely the most unique film you'll see this week. It's pace means it won't be for everyone but stick with it for a rewarding experience. Jennifer Jason Leigh and David Thewlis both pour their souls into their work here. 

Little Miss Sunshine   Mon   29/4   TG4 @ 21.30

A delight of a film about a troubled family driving across America so their daughter can take part in one of those godawfully creepy American child beauty pageants. There's a lovely cast in this with the adorable Abigail Breslin in the lead and Toni Collette on fire as her mother. Both Alan Arkin (superb fun) & Steve Carell (playing very much against type) steal the film though. You'll laugh and cry at this one.

The Fog   Tues   30/4   The Horror Channel @ 00.50

Director John Carpenter is on mighty form in this genuinely spooky and scary tale of ghostly pirates taking their revenge on a seaside town that let them down many years before. This film has a lovely old fashioned feel as violence and gore is kept to a minimum and atmosphere and creepiness rules the roost. Horror legends Jamie Lee Curtis, Adrienne Barbeau, Janet Leigh and Tom Atkins are all good in this.

Jennifer's Body   Tues   30/4   Syfy @ 21.00

Jennifer and Needy have been friends forever but Needy starts to notice her friend is acting differently after they get caught up in a near disaster at a music venue. Diablo Cody's 2009 horror movie is film worth watching. It was ignored initially but it's depth and complex look at female friendships and the misogyny inherent in society rise it above usual genre fair. Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox both do fine work as the leads.

Pursuit   Thur   2/5   Virgin Media Two @ 21.00

Fionn has his sights set on Grainne but she is mad for Diarmuid, Fionn's buddy. This love triangle set in Ireland's gangland isn't going to be easily settled. Paul Mercier's thriller is a strange one, a modern story spun from tales of Celtic mysticism but it works well, if you get the myriad of references that is. Top notch acting from Ruth Bradley, Liam Cunningham and Barry Ward will always help though.

The Killing   Fri   3/5   Film4 @ 12.30

Johnny Clay is fresh out of prison and wants a payday. His plan, to rob a racetrack with the help of a handful of associates. The plan is exemplary. The people hired to carry it out are not. This slice of film noir from Stanley Kubrick is a masterpiece. Blackly funny, tense as hell, packed full of irony and brutality. 50's crime films really don't get better than this. Sterling Hayden, Elisha Cooke Jr, Coleen Gray and Marie Windsor are all in excellent form.