The Favourite Sat 9/4 CH4 @ 21.15
Queen Anne isn't feeling the best lately and her best friend Lady Sarah is secretly making the important decisions to help her save face. But then along comes a servant called Abigail who has plans beyond what society considers her capable of. A quirky, witty and exceedingly cutting look at the slyer sides of human nature and what we'll do to get ahead. Olivia Coleman, Emma Stone and a vicious Rachel Weisz make up a wicked trio.
House Of The Devil Sat 9/4 The Horror Channel @ 22.55
A young woman is struggling with cash problems as student debts begin to bite so she takes a job as a babysitter. The job is in a remote countryside mansion, the employer is a creepy giant, the person she's taking care of is...well she's different. Ti West's 2009 lo-fi horror is a slowburn one for sure but when it gets it's claws into you eventually it won't let go. That last 20 minutes...whoa. Jocelin Donahue and well known genre names Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov all do good work here.
Perfume : The Story Of A Murderer Sat 9/4 RTE2 @ 23.30
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a French man with a superhuman sense of smell. On his first trip to Paris a desire to experience something new leads to tragedy which leads to a world of obsession. A film that's a feast for the senses led by a character that will absolutely repulse you and one that will wow you and disgust you in equal measure. Ben Whitshaw, Rachel Hurd-Wood and Alan Rickman do arresting work.
The Sons Of Katie Elder Sun 10/4 ITV4 @ 18.25
Four brothers come together to get some old fashioned revenge after violence strikes their family in a classic western with John Wayne & Dean Martin. A diverting way to spend a couple of hours and a lovely looking technicolor story shot on location in Colorado and Mexico. It just looks EPIC. Plus it's a film that's still influential and still gets homaged to this day. The ideal Sunday evening movie.
The Last Hard Men Sun 10/4 Talking Pictures TV @ 22.05
Zach Provo's on the run and he's got revenge in mind. The man who put him in prison is retired rangers Captain Sam Burgade and soon both men are on a collision course for each other. A tough, brutal revisionist western from 1976 that replaces the myth of the outlaw with the horrible realities for those who encounter them. Charlton Heston, Barbara Hershey and James Coburn do effective work.
Out Of Sight Sun 10/4 BBC2 @ 23.40
A prison escape goes awry when Jack, a prisoner, bumps into Karen, a US Marshall and both become instantly smitten. What chance has a relationship when both parties are at odds with each other? Steven Soderbergh's romance/comedy/drama/thriller is one of the best films of the 1990's. A perfect amalgamation of star power and story. It's a joy. Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney have never been better while Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn and Ving Rhames offer memorable support.
Amanda Mon 11/4 Film4 @ 01.15
When his sister is killed in a tragedy ripped straight from recent French news, a man finds himself torn apart by sadness but finds some kind of direction when he has to take care of her orphaned daughter Amanda. A French drama that feels a wee bit sloppy and simplistic in places but two beautifully naturalistic performances courtesy of Vincent Lacoste and Isaure Multrier keep things ticking along satisfyingly.
The Adjustment Bureau Mon 11/4 TG4 @ 21.30
Matt Damon & Emily Blunt headline a twisty turny science fiction/love story about a politician and a dancer who meet just before he gives a speech and are then kept apart by ........ well you're going to have to watch the film and find out aren't you. An original, suspenseful, fast moving and, most importantly, fun film. It's a rarity these days to see Damon in a film where he isn't kicking a bad lad's head in and Blunt is always worth watching.
Carol Tue 12/4 Film4 @ 01.20
In 1950's New York, two women of very different social status meet and fall in love. But the social mores of the day are a major barrier to their happiness. A magnificent film that fully deserves the critical acclaim it received. It's a compelling and heartbreaking watch that contains two sublime performances from Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Kyle Chandler as always adds a touch of class too.
Sewers Of Gold Tues 12/4 Talking Pictures TV @ 13.50
Two members of a fascist paramilitary gang need money for weaponry and decide the only way to raise funds is to rob a bank on the French riviera. To complete the task they hire local criminals who know the area and you can probably guess what happens next. Definitely a film that wouldn't be made these days but an interesting oddity nonetheless with a couple of superb performances from Ian McShane and Warren Clarke propelling the story along nicely.
Xtro Wed 13/4 The Horror Channel @ 00.50
A man is abducted by a light in the sky. Three years later he returns. Is he the man he once was? Go on, have a guess. A nuts film, the wackiest thing you'll see on TV this week, this month and maybe even this year. It's terrifying, hilarious, nauseating, ingenious, bizarre, grotesque and it's brilliant. If you've seen it watch it again and marvel at it. If you haven't.......I'll say no more. Philip Sayer is a game lead.
Chained For Life Wed 13/4 Film4 @ 01.25
In an old hospital a film crew prepares to shoot a low budget horror directed by a strange German man who has somehow gathered together an interesting cast headed by an actress far too famous for this little film. An unsettling but smart and ambitious film that messes with perceptions of reality in a way that will have you lapping it up. Jess Weixler and Adam Pearson make for an intriguing central pairing.
Death Wish 3 Thur 14/4 ITV @ 22.05
Thursday night, time for some violence and one of the most enjoyably trashy films of the 80's. New York city is overrun by gangs and Charles Bronson and his ridiculous gun have had enough. But now the elderly citizens of the terrorised streets have had enough too. All out war occurs. It's as subtle as it sounds but it's loads of splattery fun and the main baddie is played by an Irish actor too, Gavin O'Herlihy, who's gurning turn will have you longing for his inevitably gratuitous demise.
Brokedown Palace Fri 15/4 Talking Pictures TV @ 01.20
Alice and Darlene, two American students, have found themselves in a spot of bother in Thailand after being tricked by a smooth talking scumbag into smuggling heroin into China. Now both are facing three decades in jail. A well acted cautionary tale from 1999 that is not afraid of softsoaping the horrors of life in prison abroad. Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsdale do decent work and get fine support from Bill Pullman.
Stronger Fri 15/4 RTE2 @ 21.30
2013. Boston. Two brothers set off bombs at the city marathon and the day becomes a bloody mess. A woman called Erin, who was running at the time, sees it all happen and finds her boyfriend Jeff in the wreckage. A tough watch about the human cost of violence and the resilience needed to come back from it. Powerful acting from Tatiana Maslany & Jake Gyllenhaal will keep you going through the horror.
Cube Fri 15/4 Film4 @ 23.10
A group of strangers find themselves trapped in a giant cube full of deadly traps and must use their individual skills to both escape and figure out why they were picked. There's shades of Saw there but Cube is more about the ingenuity of the people and the traps than the damage they do. A clever and well crafted sci - fi thriller that was made for a pittance and still manages to wee all over the majority of films with budgets 100 times the size.
Retweets are always appreciated. GRMA.
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