11 films on TV this week worth your time

The Blues Brothers   Sat   10/8   RTE1 @ 23.40

Jake and Elwood Blues are on a mission from god. To raise money to save their old orphanage they need to get their band back together. A task easier said than done. This 1980 comedy from John Landis is pure distilled cinematic joy and a film with something for everyone with it's hilarity, action, music and highly quotable dialogue. Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi rock it.

Clouds Of Sil Maria   Sat   10/8   BBC2 @ 23.55

An actress revisits the play that made her career 20 years ago. But this time she's taking an older role and it forces her to re-evaluate things. Juliette Binoche is an actress that just makes it all look effortless and is sublime in the lead role here with some fantastic back up from Kirsten Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz. A proper grown up, emotional psychological drama.

Field Of Dreams   Sun   11/8   RTE2 @ 12.30

A man hears a voice in his Iowa cornfield and he feels compelled to do what it says. A beautiful film about risks, standing up for yourself, regrets and getting a rare second chance at doing things right. Baseball is lost on me but i love this film. It's funny, sad, poignant and touching and full of excellent acting. Costner is deadly as always and Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta, Burt Lancaster and James Earl Jones all add class.

The Man Who Would Be King   Sun   11/8   RTE1 @ 15.15

Daniel and Peachy are two English soldiers in India. They've had enough of having nothing and decide to set off in search of riches. This adaption of a Rudyard Kipling novel is very entertaining indeed. It's old fashioned stuff but it's pure & utter escapism. A perfect watch for a rainy sunday afternoon. Sean Connery and Michael Caine have great fun as the leads. Christopher Plummer pops up as Kipling himself too.

We Are The Best!   Mon   12/8   Film4 @ 01.25

2 teenage girls in early 80's Stockholm refuse to believe that punk is dead and set out to start their own band. Their extreme lack of musical ability isn't going to hold them back. One of Lukas Moodysson's more accessible movies and one that will bring a big smile to your face but one that isn't without it's share of darkness either. Mira Grosin and Liv LeMoyne do fine work as the leads.

A Dangerous Method   Mon   12/8   TG4 @ 21.30

David Cronenberg steps away from the body horror he built his career on with this story of a woman who finds herself hospitalised and under the care of not just Sigmund Freud but also Carl Jung. An intriguing and well acted (ok in places its quite OTT) film that gives us some insight into the birth of psychoanalysis. Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen all do solid work as the leads.

Double Indemnity   Mon   12/8   TCM @ 13.30

A classic slice of film noir from master director Billy Wilder. An affair between a salesman and a married woman takes a murderous turn all in the pursuit of money. Barbara Stanwyck & Fred MacMurray are at the top of their game in this one but Edward G. Robinson robs the film out from underneath them as a man who won't let things go. A classic that truly lives up to the hype.

The Evil Dead   Wed   14/8   The Horror Channel @ 23.05

5 teenagers go to a cabin in the woods and inadvertently unleash hell when they read from an ancient book. Sam Raimi's 1981 debut is a brutal, primal beast of a film. The special effects may make you laugh now but there's no mistaking Raimi's intent here, he wants to scare you and scare you he will. But you'll laugh too. Uproariously at times. Bruce Campbell as Ash is an brilliant lead.

First Blood   Fri   16/8   ITV @ 22.45

John Rambo is a Vietnam vet who turns up in a small town to visit a friend and he soon finds out that his kind are not welcome. The 1st entry in this franchise is a lowkey masterpiece and a rare action thriller that will make you think about your own prejudices while delivering the action too. Sylvester Stallone gives a lovely subdued performance and Brian Dennehy is a very effective bastard.

Selma   Fri   16/8   RTE1 @ 21.35

A look at 3 months in the life of Dr Martin Luther King as he took part in an effort to secure equal voting rights for African Americans in 1965. A tough and quite upsetting look at a period of American history that people do their best to ignore these days. Directed by Ava DuVernay and carried by a superlative performance from David Oyelowo as King this a history lesson that everyone should watch.

In The Heat Of The Night   Fri   16/8   BBC2 @ 23.35

Mr Corbett has been killed. Mr Tibbs arrives to investigate his murder. Mr Corbett died in the deep south. Mr Tibbs is black. The deep south doesn't like Mr Tibbs. This is a first rate watch. Draped in a sweltering atmosphere this crime drama will hook you from the off with 2 stunning performances from Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. Sadly this is still a very topical watch that will enrage you as much as it entertains you.