The Big Short Sat 25/4 RTE2 @ 21.05
Remember the financial crisis of 2007? Well here's the story of the men who contributed to it all starting told in 3 parallel tales. It's a humorous but maddening & frightening watch as we look at the beginning of a global disaster set in motion by a group of risk taking fools. Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt all put in fine work in this blistering indictment of today's money men.
Love & Mercy Sat 25/4 BBC2 @ 22.15
Brian Wilson, the brains and the heart behind 1960's supergroup The Beach Boys was the very definition of a troubled genius. This unique biopic is a look at his life in both the 1960's and the 1980's and the woman who could save him from the bad influences around him. Paul Dano (who I usually hate) & John Cusack both put in stunning performances as Wilson with Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti offering good support.
A Film With Me In It Sat 25/4 RTE1 @ 23.25
Mark is a waste of space. He doesn't care about anything and spends his time avoiding paying rent. Then a bad thing happens and trying to fix it makes it all even worse. Chaos ensues. Mark Doherty writes and stars in this very funny and pretty dark Irish comedy. This is a rare showing on TV and it's definitely worth catching. The always reliable Dylan Moran is fun in support and Amy Huberman and David O'Doherty hit the spot too.
Inferno Sun 26/4 Film4 @ 01.35
A pair of siblings either side of the Atlantic ocean are affected by supernatural violence. The second film in Dario Argento's Three Mother's trilogy is an unsettling watch. It makes very little sense but it's brilliantly surreal, very atmospheric and downright beautiful in places. Irene Miracle and Leigh McCloskey are interesting leads and a nightmarish Central park set-piece will stay with you long after the film is over.
The Life and Death Of Colonel Blimp Sun BBC2 @ 12.00
Clive Candy has had hell of a life and we get to bear witness to how it all plays out from the Boer War to WW2 and meet all the people who shaped him along the way. This Powell and Pressburger film from 1943 is masterful and more than transcends it's original purpose as wartime propaganda. A warm, witty, upsetting and layered watch powered by super turns from Roger Livesey & Deborah Kerr times three. Yup (x) 3.
The Magnificent Seven Sun 26/4 RTE1 @ 13.10
Time for a perfect Sunday afternoon watch. Calvera has been terrorising a small Mexican village for far too long and the people who live there are sick of him. So they decide to do something about it. This film is deadly. The story, the pacing, the action, the theme tune and a brilliant cast all come together to create a western classic. Charles Bronson, Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen and James Coburn do memorable work.
Hail, Caesar! Sun 26/4 RTE2 @ 21.00
Hollywood, the 50's. Eddie Mannix is a studio problem solver and when the star of a big film goes missing he's the man tasked to sort it out. This Coen brothers 2016 comedy isn't their best but it is a diverting slice of hokum that will astound you with some of it's movie setpieces. The cast is second to none too. Josh Brolin, Scarlet Johannsen, George Clooney, Channing Tatum & Frances McDormand all add to the charm.
The Elephant Man Sun 26/4 BBC1 @ 22.30
The story of John Merrick, a lovely & gentle man, despised by the society he grew up in because of the way he looked and Frederick Treves, the doctor who treated him like a human. David Lynch's justifiably lauded 1980 drama is a heartbreaking look at a life ruined by a birth defect. A terribly sad but strangely beautiful film. John Hurt in the lead role does career best work while Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft excel in support.
Catch Me If You Can Mon 27/4 TG4 @ 21.30
The story of Frank Abagnale, a teenager who conned his way around the world with a fake uniform and balls of brass. Leonardo DiCaprio is in great in the lead role and Tom Hanks is solid as always as the FBI agent tasked with catching him. Throw in Christopher Walken in superb form as Frank's Da as the icing on the cake A sorely underrated film from Steven Spielberg that's extremely entertaining but with a dark cautionary edge.
God's Own Country Mon 27/4 Film4 @ 23.05
Johnny Saxby despises his rural Yorkshire life and numbs himself with drink and anonymous sex. One day a Romanian farmhand named Gheorghe arrives and Johnny sees a chance for something new. This 2017 drama is a powerful watch, an earthy but very moving paean to love and taking chances. Josh O'Connor and Alec Secareanu both do phenomenal work while Ian Hart does wonders in support.
The Green Inferno Wed 29/4 The Horror Channel @ 00.40
Justine has joined a group of student activists who travel to Peru to protest against Amazonian deforestation. On the way back their plane crashes and the jungle shows it's real side. This homage to the video nasties of the early 80's is delightfully gory fun. Of course your enjoyment of it all depends on how strong your stomach is because it's pretty disgusting in places. Lorenza Izzo does solid work in the lead.
Nothing Personal Wed 29/4 TG4 @ 23.55
Belfast. 1975. Kenny's a protestant. Liam is a catholic. They were childhood friends but sectarian hate tore them apart. Then Kenny's friend Ginger makes a move that really stirs the pot. This 1995 take on the troubles is a gruelling and violent film but a brace of stellar performances will keep you watching until the bitter end. James Frain, John Lynch and a remarkably scary Ian Hart lead a cast full of familiar faces.
The dead have started to come back to life and their appetites have taken a turn for the cannibalistic. Barbara and Ben and a handful of survivors finds themselves trapped in a farmhouse and must fight to survive. The film that made George A.Romero famous is a rough and ready masterpiece layered with meaning and metaphor. It might be over 50 years old but it still has the ability to shock. Duane Jones & Judith O'Dea do first rate work.
Duck Soup Fri 1/5 TCM @ 08.15
The republic of Freedonia is having money woes and to find a way out it appoints a new president. The neighbouring republic of Sylvania realises now it the time for a hostile takeover. This 1933 farce from the Marx Brothers is a joy. Hilarious, highly quotable and so influential that you'll recognise stuff from here even if you haven't seen it. Harpo, Groucho and Chico as always are priceless and for once even Zeppo gets in on the action.
Run Wild, Run Free Fri 1/5 Film4 @ 12.45
Looking for a bit of nostalgia? Look no further than this story of a young boy who hasn't uttered a word in years and his adventures on the moors of Northern England and how the place and the people he meets helps him come out of himself. An affecting tale of trauma and redemption carried by a brace of fine performances from John Mill, Sylvia Sims, Gordon Jackson and Oliver! himself Mark Lester.
Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates Fri 1/5 RTE2 @ 21.45
Mike & Dave are a pair of eejits who regularly mortify their family. With their sister's wedding coming up they're warned to cop themselves on but the dates they choose to accompany them have other ideas. The titular characters might be blokes but it's Aubrey Plaza's Tatiana who steals the show from Zac Efron and Adam Devine. She's a whirling dervish of a character who turns this into an amusing friday night watch.
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