August 03, 2019

11 films worth your time this week


Veronica Guerin   Sat   3/8   RTE1 @ 21.25

A fearless journalist investigating the upper echelons of Dublin drug dealing finds herself & her family threatened when she gets too good at her job. Joel Schumacher's biopic is a gritty, frightening and well acted film. Cate Blanchett in the lead role does a mighty job, showing both Veronica's strong and scared sides, plus her Irish accent is a solid one. Gerald McSorley as John Gilligan is excellent too as evil personified.

Chronicle   Sun   4/8   Film4 @ 19.00

A very underrated superhero film from 2012. No wait.....come back, its a very different beast to the Marvel and DC films inundating the cinemas at the moment. 3 young chaps find themselves with otherworldly powers. Its mad fun at first but then.....? A fast moving, scary, funny, sad and quite exhilarating watch. Dane DeHaan & Michael B Jordan hit the spot as two of the leads.

Loving   Sun   4/8   RTE1 @ 21.30

A man and a woman living in Virginia in the 1960's aren't allowed to marry due to the colour of their skin. They go ahead and do it anyway. A heartbreaking look at the strength of love from director Jeff Nichols. It's upsetting stuff but it needs to be watched. Powerhouse work from Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton will keep you watching until the very end.

The Dressmaker   Sun   4/8   CH4 @ 23.00

A very different kind of revenge thriller here. The strange, upsetting, unique, surreal and funny tale of a woman returning to the small Australian town that spurned her and getting her own back. Kate Winslet is superb in the title role and pulls off an Oz accent that's pretty damn believable. Judy Davis as her mam is brilliant too and Liam Hemsworth and Hugo Weaving do well in support.

Once Upon A Time In America   Mon   5/8   TG4 @ 21.30

Sergio Leone's film is an honest to god masterpiece while being a troubling and problematic watch at the same time. A complex tale of a man and his friends spanning 5 decades. This is a film that demands your attention and your time as it's nearly 4 hours long. Ya, its a slog but it's never ever boring. It's an experience. Robert De Niro is astounding in the lead role. He's utterly repellent but you can't look away from him.

The Eyes Of Laura Mars   Mon   5/8   The Horror Channel @ 22.50

A fashion photographer develops psychic abilities that allow her to see through the eyes of a serial killer as he does his dodgy deeds. A bizarre film but one filled with some real suspense and one that gives us a very authentic look at New York in the 70's. Faye Dunaway is great in the lead and Tommy Lee Jones gives good back up. Nice cast too with Brad Dourif and Raul Julia in tow.

The Legend Of The Drunken Master   Tues   6/8   Syfy @ 23.30

Wong Fei-hung is a Chinese chap torn between protecting his heritage through force and the disapproving gaze of his peace loving father. Jackie Chan has a whale of a time in this sequel to his 70's hit about a man who does his best fighting when he's mangled drunk. Just wait for the final fight scene, 20 minutes of film that will make you bust a gut laughing while dropping your jaw at the same time.

Key Largo   Wed   7/8   TCM @ 09.20

Crime drama par excellence time. A war veteran arrives in the Florida Keys to visit the family of a dead comrade and finds that all is not well in the hotel they run. John Huston's 1948 thriller is an absolute cracker of a watch. Tense as hell, action packed stuff that's full of the superstars of the era including Humphrey Bogart as the lead, Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore and the always fantastic Edward G.Robinson.

In The Heart Of The Sea   Wed   7/8   RTE1 @ 21.35

In 1820 a whaling ship was attacked and destroyed by the animal it was hunting. The story inspired Moby Dick but that famous tale was only half of what happened. This was a fine film but christ it's tough going. The gory details and harsh existences of the times are never soft pedaled but some lethal showings from a cast that includes Brendan Gleeson, Chris Hemsworth and Cillian Murphy will keep you watching.

Halal Daddy   Fri   9/8   RTE1 @ 21.35

Raghdan is trying to start a halal business in a Sligo town and social differences, his love life and his Da are among the things making life difficult for him. This one is great craic, funny in the way only an Irish film can be and full of charming little touches about cultural confusion. Nikesh Patel leads a lovely cast that includes Deirdre O'Kane (hilarious) , Colm Meany, Sarah Bolger and Mark O'Halloran.

A Most Violent Year   Fri   9/8   BBC2 @ 23.35

1981. The New York City murder rate is through the roof. Abel Morales is a business owner trying and failing to protect his fuel company from theft. This 2014 drama is a lot more low key than it's name suggests but it's a genuinely compelling watch that wears it's 70's cinema influences on it's sleeve with pride. Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain both do stellar work here.

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