January 04, 2020
10 films on TV for the week ahead
Atomic Blonde Sat 4/1 CH4 @ 21.00
Lorraine Broughton is a British spy on a mission in Cold War Berlin. An SIS agent has been murdered and she must use her special set of skills to figure out who and why. The film itself is a little muddled and messy but Charlize Theron is on fire here and a couple of spectacularly violent and brilliantly put together action scenes will pin you to your chair. James McAvoy is entertaining as a fellow man at arms.
Juno Sat 4/1 TG4 @ 21.45
Juno is 16. Juno is pregnant. The baby's father is a terrified 16 year old too. Juno's parents are angry but supportive. She's going to give the baby up for adoption. She thinks. Diablo Cody's 2007 comedy drama is a beautiful thing. Hilarious, upsetting, warm, clever and with a killer soundtrack. Ellen Page plays Juno flawlessly and the cast of Michael Cera, Allison Janney, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner and J.K. Simmons all do splendid work.
For A Few Dollars More Sat 4/1 BBC2 @ 23.10
A bounty hunter by the name of Banco is chasing a gang lead by El Indio. To share the load he teams up with another hunter called Mortimer. Bullets are about to fly and blood is definitely going to spill. The 2nd film in Sergio Leone's Man With No Name trilogy is a masterpiece. A quirky, darkly humorous and surprisingly vicious spaghetti western. Clint Eastwood does his laconic thing and Lee Van Cleef uses his edgy persona to maximum effect.
The Man Who Would Be King Sun 5/1 RTE2 @ 14.35
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 enjoyable 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.
Mustang Sun 5/1 BBC2 @ midnight
5 young Turkish girls play innocently with boys on their way home from school. This simple act sets off a scandal in their religious town and before long all their freedom is taken from them. This 2015 film is a stunner. A vital watch that's full of life but also full of pain and sadness. Superlative acting throughout but Güneş Şensoy as little Lale is amazing. Definitely my film of the week.
Atonement Mon 6/1 TG4 @ 21.30
A moment of teenage jealousy causes a young girl to tell a lie and the effects of that lie haunt her for the next 60 years of her life. Director Joe Wright's adaption of Ian MacEwan's book is a devastating and beautiful looking film about the power of words and the damage they can do in the wrong hands. Superb acting abounds as well from Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Vanessa Redgrave & a baby faced Saoirse Ronan.
Splice Tues 7/1 The Horror Channel @ 22.50
A pair of genetic engineers design a creature made from the DNA of different animals combined with a dash of human. Not surprisingly things go arseways. This 2009 horror thriller is an intriguing look at ethical responsibility and the dangers of playing god in an area of untold power. Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley do solid work here but Delphine Chanéac's part as Dren is the one you'll remember. Not for the faint of heart.
Get Out Thur 9/1 Film4 @ 21.00
Chris goes to visit his girlfriend's family for the weekend. He's black. They're white. It's a weekend he'll never forget. Jordan Peele's horror comedy is a cracker. A genuine genre masterpiece & social commentary par excellence. A very timely watch combining cringe, terror, belly laughs and one laced with subtext. Daniel Kaluuya is a mighty lead and Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener and Lil Rel Howery all rock in supporting roles.
Heaven Knows, Mr Allison Fri 10/1 Film4 @ 14.25
1944. The Pacific Ocean. An American soldier and an Irish nun are stranded together on an island during World War 2. The island is a paradise and food is plentiful. Life is good until the enemy appears. A very pleasant afternoon watch, funny, thrilling and even a little bit romantic in places. Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum are a pair of effective leads and the chemistry is only mighty.
The Babadook Fri 10/1 Syfy @ 23.00
Amelia's existence is a miserable one. Her husband died the day she gave birth and her relationship with her son is a fraught one. And that's even before a supernatural presence enters the fray. Jennifer Kent's film debut is a genuinely unnerving watch, a film that understands that the scariest things in life are the things living in our own heads. Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman both do amazing work.
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