The Missing Sat 5/12 Sony Movies @ 21.00
When her daughter is kidnapped by Apaches a woman and her estranged father set out to get her back. This hotchpotch of western and drama and a touch of mysticism all comes together in a very satisfying manner. It's tough stuff though, far from the westerns we grew up on. Cate Blanchett gives a fiercely determined performance in the lead role and is ably supported by a grizzled Tommy Lee Jones and a terrifying Eric Schweig.
Dirty God Sat 5/12 BBC2 @ 22.00
An acid attack in her past has left her badly scarred and Jade is finding it a struggle to rebuild her life in the aftermath. She has a plan but it's going to cause her and hers all manner of hassle. Dirty God sounds grim and there's no denying it is in places but it's also crackling with energy courtesy of a stunning debut performance from Vicky Knight. A humane & powerful watch about modern day life and it's obsession with looks.
Keeping Rosy Sun 6/12 BBC2 @ 00.15
Charlotte lives and breathes her work. It's been her life forever and a future built around it comes crashing down when a workplace betrayal hits hard. From then on everything starts going wrong, horribly wrong. The great Maxine Peake puts in a wicked performance in this London set drama/horror/thriller. It's a potent watch, unpredictable, suspenseful, Hitchcockian in it's construction. Don't watch it before bed.
Kill List Sun 6/12 Film4 @ 01.20
Two hit men find themselves in way too deep when they take on a new assignment. Ben Wheatley's 2011 horror thriller is a masterpiece but it's a movie that will be way too much for a lot of people. It's a brutal watch, intense as hell, horrifically violent and disturbing in a way that will get under your skin for an age. Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley & MyAnna Buring are all fantastic. Watch at your own risk and don't say you weren't warned.
The Pursuit Of Happyness Sun 6/12 Virgin Media One @ 22.00
Chris Gardner has taken a big chance on a new investment and it's backfired on him badly. Now he's out of work and living on the street with his young son. He decides to set off on professional path while not letting his lack of a home set him back. This true story might feel kinda corny in places but a sympathetic turn from Will Smith gives it a heart and a humanity that will keep you watching until the end.
The Workshop Sun 6/12 BBC4 @ 22.10
In a once prosperous French seaside town a writing class is set up to help ease teenagers into the world of work. Olivia, a writer, runs the class and is intrigued by a young man who's work seems to tell a troubling story. This fine 2017 drama uses a microcosm of French society to delve into the problems endemic in France as a whole and it does it very well indeed. Marina Foïs & Matthieu Lucci do wonderful work as the leads.
The Hurt Locker Mon 7/12 TG4 @ 21.30
Kathryn Bigelow directs this story of an unorthodox soldier who joins a bomb disposal unit during the second Iraq war. This is hardy stuff and it's definitely not for the faint of heart. Packed full of nail chewing tension and meaty performances from a cast that includes Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, David Morse and Ralph Fiennes. A film that shows both the hell and the mind numbing boredom of war.
Lean On Pete Mon 7/12 Film4 @ 23.15
Charlie's father is working his way around North West America. Charlie craves a place to call home and when he gets a summer job with a horse trainer he finally finds some inner peace, especially after he makes a new 4 legged friend. A lovely, well written tale of a boy on the verge of becoming a man and the decisions you need to make along the way. Charlie Plummer does good in the lead role. Keep an eye on this fella, he'll be a star one day.
The Wild Bunch Mon 7/12 TCM @ 23.30
The boys are back in town. Well Mexico actually. A railway station robbery has gone haywire and the Wild Bunch have gone south of the border to make one big final score. But big final scores never work out do they? Sam Peckinpah's 1969 masterpiece is still a blistering watch 51 years after it's release. It's the film that redefined onscreen violence but there's so much more to it than that. It's excellent cast includes William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates and many other familiar faces.
Shane Tues 8/12 Film4 @ 16.15
A worn out gunslinger wants to retire and work on a farm but finds himself drawn into a conflict between a land owner and a rancher. One of the all time best westerns here and also contains one of the best bar fight scenes ever. You can't go wrong watching this. Alan Ladd nails the main role and gets solid support from familiar faces of the genre like Van Heflin, Elisha Cooke Jr and the brilliant Jack Palance.
The Lavender Hill Mob Thur 10/12 BBC2 @ 3.15
A shy retiring bank clerk has been overseeing the transfer of gold bullion for years. One day after befriending a souvenir maker his dreams get the better of him and he decides to dip into his work. Then others get involved... This classic comedy from Ealing Studios might be almost 70 years old but it's still a joyous watch, funny and clever and with a sprinkling of suspense too. Alec Guinness leads a cast stuffed with familiar British faces.
Gifted Thur 10/12 Film4 @ 21.00
In a small Florida town lives a little girl and that little girl is a genius. She lives with her uncle who provides her with a nice life. Until Granny sticks her oar in and muddies all the waters. This 2017 drama might be a predictable one but it's still a charming and heartfelt story worth your time. McKenna Grace as the lil' prodigy is a heartbreaker and Chris Evans, Jenny Slate and Lindsay Duncan all put in a fine shift.
The Beguiled Thur 10/12 BBC2 @ 23.30
The pupils and staff of an all girls school in the state of Virginia are thrown into turmoil when they come across a wounded Union soldier on the run from the Civil War. Sofia Coppola's hazy drama takes a while to get going but when it does......it's robust, disturbing and torrid stuff. A first rate cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning and Colin Farrell all do mighty work. A heady slice of American gothic.
Sightseers Fri 11/12 Film4 @ 00.45
A meek couple goes on a caravan holiday around the north of England. Sounds deathly boring right? Well it's not. Quite the opposite in fact as they blaze a path of carnage as wide as Hadrian's wall. A deliciously dark and hilarious watch. Like Badlands crossed with This Is England. Alice Lowe & Steve will leave a serious impression. Deadly use of some 80's power ballads too. Oh btw, definitely not for the squeamish.
The International Fri 11/12 RTE2 @ 21.45
An interpol agent and a district attorney team up to bring down a bank involved in dodgy dealings and find their lives are in severe danger. A twisty- turny thriller that feels like a grown up version of a Bond film. This was mostly ignored on release and its a pity. Clive Owen & Naomi Watts add real heft in the lead roles and it contains a quite spectacular action scene in a well known NYC landmark that would please anyone.
Sideways Fri 11/12 TG4 @ 23.45
Two men travel to California's wine country for a stag weekend. Jack, the groom, 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 both about trying to hold on to the past & letting going of the past led by an immense turn from Paul Giamatti with super back up from Sandra Oh, Virginia Madsen and Thomas Haden Church.
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