Vondie Curtis-Hall. Another unsung hero of Film & TV

The Eddie Murphy film Coming To America is one of the most fondly remembered comedies of the 80's. It's also the first time Vondie Curtis-Hall appeared onscreen. He started, off like most actors do, onstage and paid his dues in both TV and film before graduating to directing. All that work and he's still not a household name and it's a pity because he's always good, he pops up literally everywhere and he has a name that is memorable at the very least. Vondie like. That's a one of a kind.

He's been killed by John McClane and worked for Jack Ryan. He broke our hearts in ER and captured D-Fen's attention in Falling Down. He took a bullet in the head in a John Woo movie and floated upside down in a Spike Lee Joint. He's directed Mariah Carey musicals and South Central based action flicks. Been part of the MCU investigating Matt Murdoch and been a defense attorney in L.A. Law. He's been the face of the law in a modern day Romeo & Juliet and directed the late Tupac Shakur to critical respect. Shared a steam bath with Tony Soprano and faced off with a wacked out Bad Lieutenant in New Orleans. The man does it all and he does it well. A character actor brought in to add that something special to a scene. An actor/director with nearly 100 credits to his name should be known better but c'est la vie, such is the fickleness of Hollywood. Someday he's get the credit he deserves.

Greatest Hits

Falling Down. A cameo role but an effective one. A one scene protest outside a bank. A man looking for a loan only to be told he's not economically viable. A microcosm of the African American experience. Brilliant.

ER. Rena. The transgender woman who's distraught because the aging process is making it harder for her to live her life. A superb guest star in a hard to watch episode.

Romeo & Juliet. Captain Prince. The police chief of Verona Beach. Gets a great scene after tragedy strikes. Based on Prince Escalus in Shakespeare's original play.

Daredevil. Ben Urich. The man out to unmask the blind superhero. Doesn't last as long as his comic book counterpart when he runs afoul of The Kingpin but he does fine work during his tenure.

Previous Heroes

Harris Yulin
Pepe Serna
Udo Kier
Fairuza Balk
Ernie Hudson
Lin Shaye
James Remar
Cloris Leachman
James Hong
David Strathairn
Frankie Faison
Conchata Ferrell
Dick Miller
Veronica Cartwright
Edie McClurg
Barry Shabaka Henley           
Raymond Cruz                        
Reg E.Cathey                          
Elizabeth McGovern               
John Amos                              
Bruce Greenwood                  
Mary McDonnell                     
Gerald McSorley                       
John Rothman                        
Margo Martindale                   
Kurtwood Smith                     
Paula Malcolmson                 
Luis Guzman                          
David Morse                           
Linda Hunt                              
Keith David                             
Zeljko Ivanek
Fiona Shaw
Xander Berkeley
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
C.C.H Pounder
William Forsythe
Beth Grant
Sven-Ole Thorsen
Regina King
Ric Young
Mark Rolston
Illeana Douglas
Jeanette Goldstein
Al Leong
Allan Graf
Bill Nunn
Thomas Rosales Jr

Fave films of the century so far - 2008 - Doomsday

Cannibals. Scotland steampunks. Jousting. Apt musical numbers. Expanding foam and exploding heads. Bob Hoskins in full flow. Majestic horses and car chases that would put Mad Max 2 to shame. Gunned down rabbits and Sean Pertwee roasting on an open fire. Just some of the ingredients in my favourite film of 2008. Seriously it is bonkers.

In 2008 a virus tore apart Scotland, turning it's inhabitants into bloodthirsty homicidal maniacs. The only response was to wall off Scotland and let the survivors rip each other apart so that everything below this new Hadrian's Wall could be saved. In 2035 the virus reappears in London and so in an attempt to find a cure Major Eden Sinclair is sent North to infiltrate Scotland and find what's needed. A straight forward mission predictably goes arseways because things have gotten.......strange in the last 3 decades.

I know it sounds cliched. It is, there's no denying it. But it's also a brilliantly entertaining watch and one directed by Neil Marshall, a man who knows both how to put an action scene together and who knows how to lay on the gore and the giggles with aplomb. It starts like any run of the mill zombie flick before turning into a spy film and as the story moves forward it turns into something different altogether. It's big budget madness, an extreme mish mash of genres, horror, road movie, action, medieval(!!?), splatter, musical and everything in between. It takes the kitchen sink approach and amazingly it comes together and it's all led by a committed turn from Rhona Mitra as a female action star who's name should be mentioned in the same sentences as Ellen Ripley and Beatrix Kiddo. Sadly the film never found an audience and it's a pity because it could have been massive. It's so much fun but it's violence and it's jumble of genres put people off. Now that it's on netflix hopefully it will find a new audience because it deserves to.

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The Last Black Man In San Francisco

Jimmy (Jimmie Fails) wants to have a home, to move back home, to a very specific home. A house in the heart of San Francisco, the Fillmore district, a house built in the 1940's by his Grandad. He sees it as his birthright and he sets about fixing it, while the owners are still in it. They do not appreciate his help. A black man on their property, oh no. One day he finds the place abandoned and he and his best friend Mont (Jonathan Majors) decide to take a chance.

Every now and then a film comes along that's hard to describe. The Last Black Man In San Francisco is one of them. It's a film about love, change, loving your home, hating your home, the ties that bind, gentrification both city and self, being yourself, family, friends, what is means to be a man, what it means to be a black man, the horror of toxic masculinity, privilege, who has it and who doesn't. It makes San Francisco into a character in it's own right too. It's a film that could only be made in San Francisco, a place of eternal change. Where poverty stricken America clashes into Silicon Valley.

There's a lot going on here but don't let that scare you away. You'll miss out on a warm loving watch that never ever goes the way you think it will. A segway tour guide (Jello Biafra) stunned into silence, an unexpected song followed by one that's expected, a confrontation that goes to the place you'd least expect, an old friendship rekindled then pissed on, a bus reunion that will kick the heart out of your chest and redefine your ideas on family. A series of vignettes that are connected by everything described above.

I went into this expecting one thing and got something very different. It's a film that will make you rethink preconceived notions of African American cinema and what it can do to you. There's a strain of emotion running through this that will stop you in your tracks. Life's disappointments hit and hit hard. But then it's funny too. A trip down memory lane wringing laughter from terrible memories, a street naturist, two friends hounding each other and loving it. It's a film that will make you feel something.

I've never seen Jimmie Fails before and I can't wait to see him again. There's something in his face that makes him mesmeric to watch. The sadness when he realises he's the wrong colour for his plans. The glow when he sees an opportunity. The horror when something huge dawns on him. He doesn't need to talk at all and you'll be glued to what he's doing. Jonathan Majors as Mont does well too and the two of them together are magic. It's great when an onscreen friendship feels like a real one and as the film develops the friendship deepens and it's just perfectly drawn.

I've a feeling this going to be in a lot of top 10's come Christmas. It's definitely going to be in mine. In cinemas now.

10 films on TV this week that are worth your time.

For Sama   Sat   26/10   CH4 @ 21.00

A stunning documentary about 5 years in the life of Waad al-Kateab as she lives and loves and eventually gives birth to her daughter Sama during the Syrian civil war. This is film making at it's most humane and intimate. It's haunting, it's horrifying but it's strangely beautiful too as the human capacity for survival shines through. Be warned, this is a distressing watch but it should be.

The Railway Man   Sat   26/10   RTE2 @ 22.00

A man ruined by the torture he was put through in the Pacific theatre of World War 2 finds out the person responsible is still alive and he wants to face him one last time. A dark,grim film made watchable by a superb performance from the always reliable Colin Firth. An unusual film too in that it portrays the horrors of war intimately rather than on an epic scale as most war films do. Powerful stuff.

Good Night And Good Luck   Sat   26/10   TG4 @ 22.45

Los Angeles. The early 1950's. McCarthyism is in full flow and the communist witch hunts are in full flow. Two men decide to take a stand knowing full well it might destroy them. George Clooney's 2005 drama is an excellent watch about a era of American histry of which it is rightfully ashamed. The cast led by David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson and Clooney himself does no wrong.

The Sapphires   Sun   27/10   BBC1 @ 00.10

A thoroughly enjoyable film about a band of four Aboriginal women who find themselves playing in Vietnam to entertain American soldiers during the war in the 60's. Warm, uplifting stuff that gives some insight into a culture we rarely see in films with first rate performances from Miranda Tapsell & Deborah Mailman and Chris O'Dowd who is hilarious as their manager.

The Spy Gone North   Sun   27/10   BBC4 @ 22.00

26 years ago Suk-young Park became a secret agent for South Korea and his first assignment was to infiltrate a group of North Korean nuclear program officials based in China. Things go very well. Until they don't. Timely and thrilling stuff, if you like your films with a touch of spycraft then you'll love this. Jung-min Hwang and Sung-min Lee do well in the lead roles.

The Birds   Mon   28/10   TCM @ 23.40

Melanie Daniels has travelled north from San Francisco to Bodega Bay to visit a friend. As she arrives the birds in the sky above start acting very strangely indeed. One of Hitchcock's most famous films is a troubling, oppressive and unnerving watch that hasn't aged a day despite being 50+ years old. Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor do splendid work as the leads.

The VVitch   Tues   29/10   Film4 @ 01.10

The America's of the 1600's were a strange and scary place as one family finds out when they are shunned from their religious community and try to start a new life at the edge of a forest. Now this is a film that will leave you on edge for a long time before it truly frightens the life out of you.  Nothing better than a horror movie that fully commits to it's premise. Eek! Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie are all on fire.

King Kong   Thur   31/10   BBC2 @ 14.55

Time for a classic. A film crew head to a strange place called Skull Island to shoot a film and discover a gigantic monster worshipped and feared by the locals who takes a shine to the leading lady. 86 years later this film still has the power to amaze, enthrall and terrify. It is an honest to god masterpiece. Fay Wray and Carl Denham do super work as the leads but the star of the show here is the titular character.

The Graduate   Fri   1/11   RTE1 @ 23.50

"Here's to you Mrs Robinson". We all know the song but this is the film it's from. Dustin Hoffman is at his geeky best as a man who becomes involved with a older woman and her daughter. Complications ensue. A funny, wry, sarcastic and cynical film that rightly sits highly in many Top 10 of All time lists. It's dated but somehow ageless and it's one worth setting your box to record. Plus Anne Bancroft rules.

Half Of A Yellow Sun   Fri   1/11   BBC2 @ Midnight

2 sisters with opposing ideologies find themselves drawn together during civil unrest in 1960's Nigeria. This film wasn't well reviewed on release but I genuinely liked it. Some of Britains finest actor's probably help the film's case too. Thandie Newton (so good recently in Line Of Duty), Chiwetel Ejiofor and John Boyega are all great as usual and the film will give you an insight into an area of history we rarely hear about in the west.

A shnakey one

There's something beautiful about going for an afternoon pint by yourself. The silence. The calm. The knowledge that you are leaving after one and no one is there to coerce you into more. The lack of sound if you're lucky enough to find a pub without a TV. You're in what the kids of today call a safe space and it's just lovely.

All you have to do is sit there and watch your porter settle. The mad way the black gold moves down the glass while settling up it. You'd nearly get lost in it if you weren't so mad to drink it. Because the afternoon pint is always a glorious one. It's not about getting drunk this time, it's about enjoying a drink. Savouring the taste.

The best bartenders know the etiquette of an afternoon pint too. They leave you alone unless you want to talk. If you're in for a chat then fill your boots but if you want a bit of me time then that's ok too. In the afternoon no one is in to cause trouble, no one is on the piss, it's just time for a wee break from the world, a little moment when you're left alone.

And it's just deadly.

Terminator : Dark Fate

"You don't know her. Why don't you give her to me?"

"Because we're human, you metal motherfucker."

The Terminator - A lean, mean masterpiece. One of the best films of the 1980's.
Terminator 2 : Judgement Day - Brilliant fun, insane special effects, blockbuster joy.
Terminator 3 : Rise of The Machines - A meh contination saved by a ballsy ending
Terminator : Salvation - Piss. Memorable only for Christian Bale's onset arseholery.
Terminator : Genisys - Bland, bland, bland with a fun twist stupidly ruined by its trailers.
Terminator : Dark Fate - ????

Grace (Mackenzie Davis) falls through time from 2042 to 2019 Mexico. She's a super soldier and her mission is to protect Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) from the shape shifting Terminator (Gabriel Luna) sent back to destroy her. It's a relentless beast that has them on the backfoot within minutes. Until Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) saves the day. Why is she there? How did she know where to go? Only one man has that answer....

I really enjoyed Terminator : Dark Fate. It's a definite return to form and easily the best Terminator film since 1991's Judgement Day. It's far from perfect (a large chunk of action in the final third of the film is so darkly lit that's it's actually hard to make out) and leans way too heavily on nostalgia but it's relentless and crunchy fun that offers the franchise a new direction should it continue. If you can overlook the odd plothole and a couple of very cringey clangers of dialogue then you should enjoy yourself. Time travel franchises have a built in get out clause when they get ropey, just go back and change something and start afresh. Dark Fate's genuine shocker of an opening scene does just that and in doing so negates parts 3,4 and 5 of the Terminator series. Which really isn't a bad thing at all.

Best of all it brings back the series' greatest creation. Sarah Connor. Survivor. Carer. Mother. Hunter. 35 years of experience worn across her face. The moment she appears you'll want to cheer and Linda Hamilton falls back into the role that made her with ease. She's acerbic, mean, unforgiving and she won't let anyone fuck with her. Ah man it's great to see her back. Pure nostalgia. But it's that same nostalgia that weakens the film in places. Too many times callbacks are thrown in in a slapdash and winking manner (the film's trademark line will make your eyes roll out of your head) to please longtime fans but the film really doesn't need them, it's strong enough to stand on it's own.

It's no spoiler to say that Arnold Schwarzeneggar is back too and his T-800 is a lot different to the ones we knew before. A lot of people will have a lot of issues with the portrayal but the groundwork was laid in Terminator 2 and what we see here is natural evolution and a continuation of the main theme of the Terminator franchise, that humanity will always overcome the machinery. Always. If that means drapes and clashing colours then so be it. Strength has always been important but caring about others is vital too. Grace, Dani, Sarah.....Carl. They do that in spades.

The film's violence and profanity move it away from the family friendly recent installments and back to the darker territory of the older films. The sense of danger returns with it. Gabriel Luna's Terminator is a terrifying creation, seemingly unstoppable, always moving forward. When you see him in his border patrol uniform he's like America's modern day boogeyman. It brings back the tension that was missing since 1991. There's a real fear our faves could die. As recent Star Wars films have shown us, just because our old buddies are back it doesn't mean they'll survive.

Terminator : Dark Fate is a fine return to form. Mackenzie Davis and Natalie Reyes are solid new additions to the story but Linda and Arnie nail it and keep everything grounded when things get a bit OTT.

In cinemas now.

Official Secrets

Alt + F7.  Mr Spellcheck, friend to anyone who has to use Microsoft word. No matter how thoroughly you check an article by eye you'll always miss something you messed up. It's literally a lifesaver at times. But then other times it will absolutely screw you. Especially if you live in Ireland or the UK....... But a keyboard shortcut isn't the most stressful part of this film. No, that belongs to a printer.

Yup.

2003. Katherine Gun is working for the GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) an intelligence agency who provide information to the British government and the armed forces. The US wants to invade Iraq under false pretences and they want Britain on their side. A nefarious and morally dubious memo is sent out to all GCHQ workers  and Katherine is rather troubled by it. Using her anti war contacts she leaks the memo in an attempt to stop a war happening. It bites her on the arse in a big way. Meanwhile the staff of the Observer newspaper are the ones who get their hands on the leak. But do they risk their integrity and print unverified info?

Underground car parks. Shouting bosses. Paranoia. Am i being followed? Last minute saves. Doing the right thing despite all the danger. There isn't a single thing in Official Secrets that hasn't been done before a 1000 times. So why did i like it so much then? Answer me that. Because it's about an act of simple yet massive heroism. The kind of thing we'd all hope we'd do if we were in the same situation. Most of us wouldn't of course. Most of us are happy to keep our heads in the sand. Not Katherine though and Keira Knightley plays her part with a fierce and fiery conviction that soon turns into abject terror when she realises how it will affect her and her immigrant (yup, of course that comes into play) husband Yasar. I haven't seen her this good in an age.

It's a film you're best off going into cold. The story of Katherine Gun is easily googlable (Is that a word?) but doing so will rob you of the tension of the story and there's plenty of that in there. It's high stakes stuff but it's still grounded and recognisable. Oh shit if my boss catches me i'm boned kind of stuff. Most people will remember the events of that year playing out. The lies, the bullshit spewed, the Colin & Condoleezza gang, the anything goes bully boy attitudes of Tony Blair and George Bush Jr who decided that post 9/11 the rules didn't apply to them. It's a watch that will make you angry at what happened and even angrier when you remember just how much worse the world has gotten in the following 16 years. Of course it's all broadened out and simplified for easier consumption but it's something we should be reminded of. Constantly. Never trust politicians. If their mouth is open they are lying.

It's Knightley's show but a mighty cast of British names help her along the way. Matt Smith, Matthew Goode, Indira Varma, Myanna Buring, Rhys Ifans, Ralph Fiennes & Conleith Hill (between this and Dublin Murders he's cornering the market for angry, sweary bossmen) all do excellent work as the people responsible for publishing the leak & dealing with the aftermath. Adam Bakri as Katherine's husband Yasar plays a role that would usually be a tearful wife and does it well, adding dignity and an emotional core to her story. Together they bring a human face to a story that should have stopped a war.

Official Secrets does nothing new but it does it good. It's timely and topical. Well worth a watch. In cinema's now.

Fave films of the century - 2007 - Zodiac

Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity
It is then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Comes singing songs of love
Then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Comes singing songs of love

Innocuous enough lyrics but when sang to the music of Donovan over a scene of a necking couple being gunned down by the infamous Zodiac Killer of the late 1960's they take on a very sinister feel.

What a way to start a film. You don't know these characters from Adam yet you are terrified for them. A troubling and disturbing beginning to a troubling and disturbing but brilliant film. Forget Fight Club and Se7en, this is director David Fincher's masterpiece. A film less about a killer and more about the effect he had on an entire city.

Zodiac was the name of a serial killer who murdered his way around the Bay Area of California between 1968 and 1969. He was never caught but his actions became the obsession of many. 3 of them were - Dave Toschi, a cop, Robert Graysmith, a political cartoonist and Paul Avery, a crime reporter. Their days began and ended with Zodiac on their minds. He both ruined them and made them and Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr all do immense work in their respective roles. Ruffalo especially becomes Toschi. Best known these days for his role as the Hulk and it's easy to forget just how good of an actor he is without all the CGI.

It's drama, thriller & horror (the basement scene, fucking hell) rolled into one and painted across an epic canvas spanning 15 years and like the real life tale the case is never solved but we're left with plenty of information to draw our own conclusions from. Mature, intelligent storytelling that demands our attention and fires our imagination. My favourite film of 2007.

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Zombieland : Double Tap

"If you love something.........you shoot it in the face so it doesn't become a flesh eating monster." Emma Stone delivers this stunner of a line. This ain't La La Land though. This is Zombieland and she isn't speaking in metaphors. She also owns a huge gun. Oh things are about to get splattery again. So deeply splattery.

It's 2019, a decade after the zombie apocalypse that destroyed America. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) and Wichita (Emma Stone) are still together and living it up but now they're living in the White House and taking occasional shots at the rotting monsters knocking around the streets of Washington DC. Little Rock is a teen now and she's hungry for friends her own age. One day she meets a musician called Berkeley and does a runner with him. Usually she'd be fine but the gang has noticed that some of the zombies out there are starting to develop.....strange powers so they head off to get her back. It's not an easy trip.

Metallica songs. Slo-mo gore erupting from the heads of the undead. Zombie kills of the week. Columbus being smug and superior. Tallahasee being a mega redneck. If you loved the first Zombieland and want more the same well then come on down, you'll probably enjoy yourself. But if you want something different, a spin on the formula, a good shake up of things? It's not here and you'll probably leave disappointed. The best zombie films, the Nights, the Dawns, the Days, they used their stories to talk about the real world and the state it was in. Zombieland : Double Tap had a great chance for some vicious shots at the US of A and does nothing with it. Tallahassee has MAGA written all over him, he's living in the White House, he adores guns, the jokes are seemingly tee'd up and then....zip, nada, nyet. A huge missed opportunity from director Ruben Fleischer.

A new arrival to the gang does the original crowd no favours either. Madison (Zooey Deutch, great), mall freezer survivor and relentlessly happy and horny despite the carnage around her. She arrives, she seems to pep things up and then the trio of Columbus, Tallahasee and Wichita treat her like absolute shit and make themselves look like horrible bastards in the process. Our heroes aren't supposed to be like this. They were likable, they were warm and funny, and now they're just bullies. It's a bad decision because horror only really works when you give a damn about the people onscreen.

Speaking of people onscreen, there's way more of them this time around. Rosario Dawson's Nevada, cool as hell, Thomas Middleditch and Luke Wilson as a pair of very familiar fellas and Avan Jogia as the worst person in Zombieland, including the zombies. They mix things up a little but aren't onscreen long enough to have any real impact. Of the original gang it's Woody Harrelson who once again makes the biggest impact. He's having fun and it really shows. The man can rock an Elvis costume like few others and all the film's laughs come from his actions.

There's some fun to be had here but this unnecessary sequel doesn't have anything new for us. If you've ever suffered through the tourist queues for the Leaning Tower of Pisa you may find something to cheer about however. In cinemas now.

Dark Lies The Island

Remember when you were growing up and you thought your home town was the most boring place on earth. Nothing ever seemed to happen there. Everyone looked happy and wholesome and full of the joys of spring. Then as you got older the cracks appeared. You started hearing whispers and understanding just what exactly people were getting at. You realised beneath the surface was black.

Dromord. A palindrome. A beautiful lakeside village with a heart as dark as the water lapping against it's shore. The Mannions. A family who once commanded respect and who've now crumbled. Daddy Mannion (Pat Shortt), a monster with a finger in a number of pies around town. Martin Mannion (Moe Dunford), his son, beat down and belittled by his father. Dog Mannion (Peter Coonan), his eldest son, forced into the wilderness by familial betrayal. Sarah (Charlie Murphy), wife to Daddy but connected to all three men. Then Richie (Tommy Tiernan) appears on the scene, new in town, chips on his mind, on the run from his past. One fateful night all five collide.

Dark Lies The Island is a fine new Irish film about the sedentary, slithery blackness that lies beneath the surface of seemingly benign small villages. Places where everyone knows your business. Places where differences are noticed. Places where you cannot put a foot wrong. It paints a perfect picture of banal evil and populates it with well drawn, just quirky enough, characters but then annoyingly favours one storyline far more than the other meaning the climax, when it arrives, doesn't feel as earned or as satisfying as it should. But just because the destination isn't all that was promised, that doesn't mean the journey isn't enjoyable.

There's a small moment early in the film where Richie arrives in Dromord and stands in the street looking nonplussed at his new surroundings. It gave me a huge giggle. Simply because it was Tommy Tiernan looking confused. Dark Lies The Island isn't anything near a comedy but it's still spotted with enough little moments like that to ensure you have a good time despite the grim storyline playing out in front of you. A dash of hair dye here, a compliment for the dead there, a weeping patron and a callous barman, septic karaoke, idiot brothers confused by trapeze artists, the green bloat, a combination of dress size and smelly men. Black comedy to compliment it's surroundings. That wonderfully Irish combination of humour and pathos.

Pat Shortt as Daddy is fantastic. A vile creation. Bitterness personified and content to spread it around. I've never seen him like this before and i liked it. Moe Dunford & Peter Coonan as his sons are as good as ever, Coonan especially, radiates danger while Dunford reeks of sadness. Charlie Murphy as Sarah does fine work too. Struggling to hold herself together, revolted by and tied to a family she'd give anything to get away from. Tommy Tiernan puts in a mighty shift as well. His Richie is as beat down by life as any man and Tiernan plays him so straight that comedy is forced from the situations he finds himself in. But as good as he is, it's his plot line that puts the film lobsided. Had we gotten more time with him, more information about him, just a bit even, it would have turned his character into more than a plot device. I haven't read the book written by Kevin Barry that this was based upon so can't say if the problem is with the adaption or the source material. It's a pity though. So close.

Dark Lies The Island is well worth seeing despite an iffy ending. Dark, oppressive and strangely entertaining. Out in cinemas now.

10 films on TV this week that are worth your time

Pushing Tin   Sat   19/10   TG4 @ 21.20

Nick is the king of his job in the high pressure environment of air traffic control. New arrival Russell rocks up and throws Nick's well ordered life into disarray. A blackly amusing watch from an era when John Cusack was the go to guy. However he's totally overshadowed here by a manic Billy Bob Thornton as Russell. Cate Blanchett and Angelina Jolie play a pair of spouses who deserved a film of their own.

Split   Sat   19/10   RTE2 @ 22.00

Casey, Claire and Marcia have been kidnapped by Kevin. Or is that Patricia? Or Dennis? Or Hedwig. M. Night Shyamalan's 2016 thriller is a ludicrous watch, one bordering on offensiveness at times but James McAvoy gives such a committed performance as a sympathetic monster that you'll be welded to the screen throughout. Anya Taylor-Joy more than holds her own too.

Fences   Sat   19/10   CH4 @ 23.05

Troy Maxson is a bitter blue collar worker in 1950's Pittsburgh. Life didn't go the way he wanted it to so he decides to ruin other people's chances too. There's no doubt this is premium Oscar bait but when it's led by two superb performances from Denzel Washington and Viola Davis there's no point in complaining. A compelling look at the African American experience.

Destry Rides Again   Sun   20/10   TCM @ 16.50

The cattle town of Bottleneck is a shifty spot and big man around town, Kent, thinks he runs the show. He didn't prepare for Tom Destry though. A gloriously entertaining slice of western escapism here. James Stewart, as always, does master work but Marlene Dietrich as Frenchie the singer steals the show big time. If you like Blazing Saddles her character will seem very familiar.

Rafiki   Mon   21/10   CH4 @

Two girls, Kena and Ziki, meet and fall in love despite their families differences. Unfortunately for them they live in Kenya, a country where their love could see them killed. A beautifully acted and poignant story that's full of empathy for it's leads played by Samantha Mugatsia & Sheila Munyiva. Not surprisingly it's been banned in the country where it was made.

Tenderness   Mon   21/10   TG4 @ 21.30

Eric killed his parents as a teen and is due out of jail. Detective Cristofuoro is wary of his motives while young Lori Cranston has slowly become obsessed with him. This low key drama from 2009 is a big change of pace from the blockbusters Russell Crowe is usually known for but it's a worthy watch. Moody and disturbing stuff with a couple of good turns from Jon Foster and Laura Dern.

The Innkeepers   Tues   22/10   The Horror Channel @ 21.00

Claire and Luke work at the Yankee Pedlar Inn and in the days before it shuts down they decide to investigate the truth of the rumours surrounding the place. Ti West's horror movie is one that starts out in a fun place and ends up in a dark one. It's a bit slow but it's quirks and it's jumps keep it interesting. Sara Paxton and Pat Healy do solid work as our heroes.

The Age Of Shadows   Wed   23/10   BBC4 @ 22.30

Lee Jung-chool is a policeman in 1920's Korea tasked with rooting out members of resistance groups that seek to thwart Japanese rule. A stylish and action packed look at a period in Asian history that never gets any airtime in Western teachings. This is tense, exciting stuff and a leading turn from Byung-Hun Lee makes it all very worthwhile.

Wild   Thur   24/10   CH4 @ 02.00

In an effort to jolt herself back to life after her mother dies, a woman embarks on a hike along the full length of America's west coast with no previous experience. Reese Witherspoon is exceptional in this. Darkly funny in places and harrowing in others but a film that will suck you in and demand you watch til the end. Laura Dern who appears in flashbacks as her mother is reliable as always.

Albert Nobbs   Fri   25/10  BBC2 @ Midnight

In 19th century Dublin a woman makes some choices considered unorthodox at the time to be allowed live the life she wants to live. Glenn Close is excellent in the lead role of this intriguing and deeply sad story. It's not a film to watch if you've got the autumn blues but if you're able for it it's a rewarding watch. Along with Close, Mia Wasikowska, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Aaron Taylor Johnson give fine support.

I want to see a Moneypenny film

Lois Maxwell, the original

The 25th Bond is on the way and i think it's safe to say the whole thing has lost it's shine. The last film, Spectre, was an absolute dud and Daniel Craig's moaning about the role has put a lot of people off his take as Bond. Stories of behind the scenes strife are rampant too and that's rarely a recipe for success.

Caroline Bliss, an overlooked Moneypenny

It's time for a change I say. Or at least a break. There's been calls for a woman to play Bond for years now but that's a terrible idea. He's a man. He's always been written as a man and he should stay a man. I hope I'm not coming off as sexist but as a change it makes no sense whatsoever.

Samantha Bond, the forgotten Moneypenny

What they should make instead is a Miss Moneypenny film. Hear me out. Moneypenny has been around as long as Bond has. She has the same name recognition as Bond and the last couple of films have pointed out to us that she's more than capable of looking after herself. A mistake at the start of Skyfall saw her taken out of active duty and lobbed in behind a desk but now it's time for her to get her hands dirty again. Let's see her take on Spectre, face off against megalomaniacal bad guys, get her licence to kill, raid a volcano hideout, use ridiculous gadgets, save the world and sleep her way around it as she does it.

Naomie Harris, the future

It's 57 years since Lois Maxwell first pined over Sean Connery and in 2019 it would be painful to see Naomie Harris fawning similarly over Daniel Craig. Give her her own movie. It's time. Look at the difference between the first and last pictures. From M's personal assistant to tough as nails field agent. Seeing her in her own movie could be awesome. Plus, how many action movies feature a black female lead? Sadly not very many. This would be a refreshing watch and it might even give it's parent franchise the kick up the arse it sorely needs.

G'wan.

Fave films of the century - 2006 - The Descent

Are you any way claustrophobic? Yes? Don't even read this so.

Sarah's life is in bits. Her husband and her daughter have died in a car accident 12 months ago and it has, quite understandably, ruined her. In an effort to lift her spirits she meets up with her friends Juno, Beth, Sam, Rebecca and Holly for a weekend away in North Carolina. Before things went bad Sarah was an adventurer and to help her return to this way of life her friends are bringing her on on a caving adventure. But Juno has an ulterior motive and her impulsiveness sees them trapped almost as soon as the fun has begun.

Then they realise they aren't the only ones down here in the darkness.

Wouldn't you just die in that situation? Even watching it and knowing how it turns out is petrifying. Did you find yourself struggling to breathe during that? Yup, get used to that feeling. Neil Marshall directs this slice of terror impeccably. The fear comes at you from every angle. The horrific creatures dwelling in the dark. The suffocatingly narrow caves and passages our gang are forced through and the trauma of being betrayed by those who you thought cared about you. It never lets up from the opening frames to the haunting finish. It is a horror film in it's truest sense. No laughter, no relief, just non stop dread and Marshall ladles it on with the skill of the cinema's greats.

Because it's an all woman cast the usual dynamics of a horror film don't apply. The trope of the final girl becomes a guessing game, the usual gung ho actions don't occur and people actually talk to each other and plan things out. It makes for a rather refreshing watch.

I don't usually pick films that are so stressful as my faves but this one just does everything right. It's rare a horror film is as effective on a rewatch but this one will get you every time and as such it's a lock for my fave film of 2006.

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A Bump Along The Way

After a night out to celebrate her 44th birthday, Pamela (Bronagh Gallagher) has an ill advised dalliance with a man half her age and ends up pregnant and shunned. For Pamela it's a genuine surprise because she thought her chances of conceiving were nil after a bout of endometriosis. For Pamela's 15 year old daughter Allegra (Lola Petticrew) it's a genuine shocker because....well let's just say their relationship isn't exactly all sweetness and light.

In 1991 Bronagh Gallagher played the part of Bernie McGloughlin, a back up singer for The Commitments in the film of the same name. She was a profane joy, easily the best thing about the film. 28 years later she finally gets her own starring vehicle and once again she lights up the screen. Her Pamela feels like a genuine person, flawed to the hilt but loving life, dashing headlong into it and not caring a jot about it all. Until the day it comes back to bite her on the arse and she's finally forced to grow up and start acting her age. Prosecco is out, quinoa is in and as her pregnancy comes to term, she has to come to terms with the fact that she messed things up on her first go around but this is a second chance and it's one to grab with both hands.

As a storyline line it's nothing new but Gallagher does it all so well and embues it with so much heart you can't help but get caught up. Lola Petticrew as her stroppy teenage daughter Allegra doesn't fair as well. She's a fine actress but gets saddled with a storyline that adds little and kinda goes nowhere. A Bump Along The Way is the story of two women dealing with massive upheaval in their personal lives but Allegra's plot just feels so slight in comparison to her mother's. An unrequited crush, new friends, a first drink, it's stuff you'd expect to see in an episode of Home and Away and it all comes to nothing when Allegra ends the film in more or less the same place as she started. It feels like an afterthought.

One thing the film does very well is how it shines a light on the way society treats women and men differently when it comes to the issue of children. The fathers of both Pamela's children have turned their back on her (Barry, the 2nd father won't even drive her home after) and she's the one dealing with the aftermath. Both make it clear to her they didn't sign up for kids and it shows up the blinding double standards that come with sexual relationships. Men get to have their fun and get to piss off. Women are left facing a lifetime to thankless care taking and a couple of blistering arguments between Pamela and Allegra make it very clear as to which side director Shelly Love's sympathies lie. It's affecting stuff and the shots of Pamela's left sitting alone once again will choke you up, her forced smile hiding a swirl of sadness.

It's nice too to see a film set in Northern Ireland which makes no reference to the troubles. This is a story that takes place everywhere and it's refreshing to see people just getting on with their lives despite what came before and what's looming on the horizon. One scene of Allegra contemplating life on the famous Peace Bridge is the only real allusion to the town she loves so well. And who can blame her. It's a hell of a photogenic town

You won't get much new here but you will get an enchanting performance from one of Ireland's best actors. It's worth watching this to see Bronagh Gallagher shine. Oh and to hear a fanny joke for the ages..