July 11, 2020

13 films on TV this week you should get into your eyes


Take This Waltz   Sat   11/7   TG4 @ 22.05

Margot meets Daniel on a plane. Their attraction is instant and obvious. However Daniel not only turns out to be Margot's neighbour but Margot is also married to a man called Lou. Sarah Polley's 2011 drama is a frank and mature look at the highs and lows of living and loving. Michelle Williams as always is splendid and a surprisingly restrained turn from Seth Rogen will make you wish he'd lay off the fart and drug jokes he's known for more often.

The Lodgers   Sat   11/7   RTE2 @ 23.20

A pair of twins live in a creepy house in 1920's Ireland. They live their lives strictly and follow three rules every day. Until one day Rachel breaks one of the rules. Things get creepy. Shot on location at Wexford's notorious Loftus Hall, this is a hefty, oppressive and very atmospheric horror that will get under your skin. Charlotte Vega and Bill Milner do well as the twins and get fine support from Deirdre O'Kane and Moe Dunford.

Papillon   Sat   11/7   RTE1 @ 23.55

A seasoned criminal wrongly accused of murder finds himself on a supposedly inescapable island prison and sets out to get his life back. Will he find the resolve to deal with life on the island while planning his escape? Steve McQueen is on fire in this harsh, grim but thoroughly exciting film. It's a long one but the time flies by and Dustin Hoffman is as usual, tremendous in a supporting role as McQueen's fellow convict.

X+Y   Sun   12/7   BBC1 @ 00.05

A young autistic man finds his closed in world opening up when he takes part in an international mathematics competition. A lovely film that will upset you and make you smile. Not exactly a comprehensive look at the condition but it gives us an idea of what people with it and their families go through. Great acting from Asa Butterfield and Sally Hawkins as son & mother and Rafe Spall & Eddie Marsan are always a pleasure to see onscreen.

The Big Sleep   Sun   12/7   RTE1 @ 15.25

Private eye Philip Marlowe has been hired to deal with the youngest daughter of a rich family and he asks the help of the eldest daughter to do so. Things get complex. Do you like hard boiled dialogue, blistering chemistry and intriguing plotlines? If so this is the film for you. A classic that truly lives up to the name. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall are brilliant as the leads. A perfect Sunday watch.

Rams   Mon   13/7   Film4 @ 01.45

Iceland. A strange place that does strange things to people. Two brothers, Gummi and Kiddi, are neighbours, share land, and do the same job. Oh and they haven't spoken in forty years. Until a something threatens their way of life. This is a fierce entertaining watch, funny and upsetting in equal measures and laced with a sense of humour that could only be created from living in darkness half the year. Sigurður Sigurjónsson & Theodór Júlíusson work well together as the brothers.

Macbeth   Mon   13/7   Film4 @ 23.10

It has been foretold Macbeth will be King Of Scotland, and trusting this supernatural news he sets off to make it so, with the hand of his wife guiding him on his bloody path. Now I know Shakespeare isn't for everyone but Justin Kurzel's take on the four hundred year old tale is a vivid, visceral and beautiful looking film that might make you a fan. Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard make for a vicious central pairing.

Bound   Tues   14/7   The Horror Channel @ 22.50

Violet and her girlfriend Corky have a plan. A plan that involves two million dollars worth of mafia money and a patsy to pin it's theft on. Lana and Lilly Wachowski's debut film is still a cracker. One that's clever, dark, violent, amusing, sexy and genuinely thrilling. Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon are both superb as the leads and get good back up from Joe Pantoliano and Christopher Meloni. BTW, the fact that the Horror Channel is showing this is baffling.

Sicilian Ghost Story   Wed   15/7   Film4 @ 01.00

Guiseppe has gone missing and Luna, a young teenage girl with feelings for him decides to look for him herself. The world she enters on her journey is a dark and unsettling place. Despite the troubling subject matter this is a beautiful looking and satisfying watch that will remind you of Guillermo Del Toro's adult fairytales. Julia Jedlikowska who plays Luna is a powerful lead

Molly's Game   Wed   15/7   RTE1 @ 21.35

Everything Molly Bloom puts her mind to works out swimmingly and when she starts an illegal high stakes poker game in Los Angeles she's soon the talk of the town. The law even starts to take notice. Carried by a powerhouse turn from Jessica Chastain this is a comeplling if kind of overlong watch that delves into the underground of tinseltown and that makes it tick. Idris Elba and Kevin Costner all add to the goodness.

Logan Lucky   Thur   16/7   ITV4 @ 21.00

Nascar. Hundreds of cars going around in a circle for hours. Huge money spinner. Jimmy, Mellie and Clyde Logan are about to rob it all. They are missing only one ingredient. A man called Joe Bang. Steven Soderbergh's 2017 comedy is loads of fun. Belly laughs, tension, loads of heart and plenty of suspence equals a film you'll enjoy. Channing Tatum, Riley Keough, Adam Driver and a wild Daniel Craig all have a whale of a time here.

The Evil Dead   Fri   17/7   The Horror Channel @ 22.50

Five teenagers go to a cabin in the woods and inadvertently unleash hell when they read from an ancient book. Sam Raimi's 1981 debut is a brutal, primal beast of a film. The special effects may make you laugh now but there's no mistaking Raimi's intent here, he wants to scare you and scare you he will. But you'll laugh too. Uproariously at times. Bruce Campbell is an excellent lead and creates a character that is enduring to this day.

20th Century Women   Fri   17/7   BBC2 @ 23.20

Three generations of women living in late 70's California attempt to school a young man in the ways of life. He's a stubborn one. But they are too, in a way that puts him to shame. Annette Bening is fantastic as the free spirited Dorothea and leads a stunner of a cast that includes Greta Gerwig, Elle Fanning and Billy Crudup in a well done and quietly affecting story that will resonate with a lot of viewers.








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