Sideways Sat 18/4 TG4 @ 22.00
Two men travel to California's wine country for a stag weekend. Jack, an actor out for one last fling & Miles, his best man, a wannabe writer with a ferocious thirst. Alexander Payne's comedy drama is wildly funny in places and desperately upsetting in others. A film about trying to hold on to the past & letting going of the past led by an immense turn from Paul Giamatti with great support from Sandra Oh, Virginia Madsen and Thomas Haden Church
The Conversation Sat 18/4 BBC2 @ 23.00
Harry's a surveillance expert and he's got a new job. But the work is getting to him and his paranoia is at an all time high due to past events. Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 thriller is a stunner. A post Watergate classic seeped in the pervading atmosphere of a broken country. Gene Hackman's spectacular as a man coming apart at the seams and the late John Cazale as his partner is as always brilliant.
Soulsmith Sat 18/4 RTE1 @ 23.40
A young writer named Ed is full of built up anger and his career has gone downhill rapidly. A family funeral forces him to head home and to confront the myriad ghosts of his past. It's a story that will ring a bell with a lot of young people who've moved far from home. There's plenty going on in this Irish film but it never feels rushed or clumsy due to solid writing and a fine performance from Matthew O'Brien.
Thelma Sun 19/4 Film4 @ 00.55
A socially inexperienced young woman leaves the safety of her home for the first time and when trying to struggle with new found feelings discovers something rather unusual about the thoughts whizzing around her head. This 2017 Norwegian drama is a nice one to go into cold. Just let it's beauty and it's interesting story wash over you. Elli Harboe as Thelma and Kaya Wilkins both work perfectly together.
The Flag Sun 19/4 RTE1 @ 21.30
When Harry finds out the flag his father raised in the 1916 rising now resides in a barracks in London he sets out to get it back and his naive friend Mouse comes along for the ride. A rip roaringly funny Irish film that, like the best Irish comedies, manages to be hilarious one minute and capable of making you cry the next. Pat Shortt, Moe Dunford, Ruth Bradley and Brian Gleeson all have a whale of a time here.
Northern Soul Mon 20/4 Ch4 @ 01.25
It's grim up North but two young lads called Matt and John have found a way out. American soul music. Music that feels like it was written for them personally. Their passion for tunes brings them to the darker side of life. A bleak look at life in 1970's uk but one filled with charm,vim and some fantastic music. Josh Whitehouse and Elliot James Langridge do nice work as the leads of a film worth your time.
The Frighteners Mon 20/4 The Horror Channel @ 21.00
Frank Banister has a unique supernatural skill and isn't above using it to con the innocent. Until true evil appears and Frank has to get serious. Peter Jackson's horror comedy is wild craic and is a hell of a lot more enjoyable than his big budget Hollywood work. Michael J.Fox has a wicked time as the lead in this imaginative and entertaining slice of New Zealand set fun that alternates nicely in true Jackson style between terror and humour.
Public Enemies Mon 20/4 TG4 @ 21.30
The 1930's were not a good time for US banks when you had thieves like John Dillinger robbing them blind. FBI head honcho J. Edgar Hoover decided enough was enough and decided to terminate them all with extreme prejudice. This 2009 thriller from Michael Mann doesn't have many fans due to it's visual style but it's still an exciting watch packed with famous faces like Christian Bale, Stephen Graham and Johnny Depp.
Stranger Than Fiction Tues 21/4 TCM @ 06.30
One day an auditor starts hearing voices in his head, voices that are narrating his every move, voices that seem to know how his story will end. The ending isn't going to be a happy one. This quirky comedy drama is a rare example of a Will Ferrell film that won't leave you filled with self lathing afterwards. A humorous and upsetting watch. Ferrell is far more subdued than normal and gets fine support from Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson.
Tremors Tues 21/4 The Horror Channel @ 21.00
Giant underground worms attack a small desert town and two handymen called Earl and Val lead the townsfolk as they fight back. This is so so much better than it sounds. An affectionate throwback to 1950's creature features that's hilarious, satisfyingly gooey and very inventive. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward are the lead pair and have a whale of a time doing it. The ropey special effects all add to the charm.
Lore Wed 22/4 Film4 @01.10
The war is nearly over. The allies are in Germany and advancing rapidly. A teenage girl and her siblings are on the run & while trying to survive she's coming to terms with her parents part in it all. As you can imagine this is a harsh watch but it's a look at history from a side we rarely see. A complicated and thought provoking film carried by a superb performance from Saskia Rosendahl. It's hard to credit this is her first film.
Ali Thur 23/4 ITV4 @ 00.15
In 1964 Olympic gold medalist Cassius Clay set the boxing world on fire with his big personality and his even bigger talent. The film tells the story of the next decade of his life. Not a biopic in the true sense but this story about the man who became Muhammad Ali is a quality film that focuses more on the man than his sport. Will Smith is immense in the lead role and gets able back up from Jada Pinkett Smith and Jamie Foxx
The Way, Way Back Thurs 23/4 CH4 @ 02.25
A shy young fella on a holiday he doesn't want to be on finds himself a job at a waterpark and slowly comes out of his shell over the course of a summer. A lovely little film, that came out of nowhere and became my favourite film of 2013. It's so enjoyable, a blend of comedy and drama that will make your day. Liam Jones rocks the lead and Sam Rockwell, Toni Collette and Maya Rudolph all offer first rate back up.
Heaven Knows, Mr Allison Thurs 23/4 Film4 @ 11.00
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 lunchtime watch, amusing, thrilling and even a little bit romantic in places. Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum are a pair of effective leads and the chemistry between them is only mighty.
Denial Fri 24/4 RTE2 @ 21.45
An American professor called Deborah Lipstadt faces an uphill battle when she's accused of defamation after she calls an opponent to her work a holocaust denier in her new book. This might sound like a dull and worthy Oscar bait but instead it's a gripping and timely look at the absurdities of legal systems and the people who twist them to their own ends. Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall are all excellent.
Life Of Crime Fri 24/4 BBC2 @ 23.20
Mickey's been kidnapped by two lowlifes intent on holding her to ransom. Unfortunately her scumbag millionaire husband has no intention of paying for her safe return. This is a lesser adaption of an Elmore Leonard story but there's still plenty of reason to watch it. Some solid laughs, a twisty narrative and a very decent showing from a cast that includes Jennifer Aniston, Yasiin Bey and the always watchable John Hawkes.
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