The Conjuring Sat 9/7 BBC3 @ 21.00
The Perron's have moved into their new home but all is not well. They hire a pair of paranormal investigators to cure the sickness in their house and it isn't long before all hell breaks loose. A really effective old school haunted house film that's grounded by some super showings from Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston and Vera Farmiga. One to watch in a dark, quiet room with the curtains pulled. The best film in a franchise that went off the rails fast.
Frances Sat 9/7 Talking Pictures TV @ 21.05
Frances Farmer. An actress. A rebel. Her's was a truly tragic tale. She marches to the beat of her own drum. She won't play the games Hollywood expects of a woman in the 1930's. She can't be trusted. She must be destroyed. Jessica Lange is astounding in a brutally upsetting true life story of institutional misogyny and power play. You won't leave this in happy form but you'll be glad you stuck with it. Sadly it's not hard to see parallels between now and then still happening.
Beautiful Boy Sat 9/7 TG4 @ 21.35
Bill and Kate are about to have the worst day of their life. There's been a violent incident at their son's college and he wasn't just a victim.... Yup, the themes here are painfully topical and it's without a doubt a downbeat watch but it's compelling stuff that thankfully avoids showing any carnage, of the physical kind anyway, instead dwelling on the aftermath and the lingering effects no one really talks about. Maria Bello and Michael Sheen are both very effective.
Crawl Sun 10/7 Film4 @ 21.00
Florida's about to get hit with a massive hurricane and Haley's father still hasn't left his house. She goes to find him but find him but instead finds their town flooded and the floodwaters full of alligators. Hungry alligators. Alexandre Aja's 2019 creature feature is massively over the top but it's also hugely entertaining as woman takes on nature in a battle to the death. Kaya Scodelario does well as our heroine.
A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood Sun 10/7 RTE1 @ 21.30
Kindness is power. A solid message to get rid of the Glenroes on a sunday night. Mr Rogers was a famous American tv show host and when a skeptical journalist is tasked with interviewing him he discovers why America loved him. A true-ish life tale that shouldn't have worked but it does so beautifully, especially if you know the story behind it. Matthew Rhys is an admirable lead but Tom Hanks owns the film with one hell of a turn.
Thelma & Louise Sun 10/7 BBC1 @ 22.30
A violent encounter in a nightclub parking lot sets into motion a trip across the south-western states of America that sees two women being chased by all the lawmen in the world. Ridley Scott's 1991 drama/thriller is a powerful statement about friendship between women. It's also wildly exciting, funny and quite moving. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis are wicked leads with Harvey Keitel and Michael Madsen doing good work in the background.
Olga Mon 11/7 CH4 @ 00.55
A wave of civil unrest is creating havoc in her home country and it's making a Ukrainian teenager's preparation for her upcoming gymnastics competition very hard to concentrate on. Olga's only 15. Life shouldn't be this hard. A tough watch, made tougher by real life events that have superceded the story onscreen but a riveting one nonetheless. Anastasiia Budiashkina, in her film debut, is excellent.
High Noon Mon 11/7 Film4 @ 12.45
A quiet western town finds itself cowering in terror when a feared gang makes a reappearance. Only one man is brave enough to stand up to them and on his wedding day too. One of the quintessential films of the western genre & an early example of revisionism. Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly lead the film as the newly married couple and both are excellent. A gripping and exciting story all told in 85 minutes. What's not to love?
Call Northside 777 Tues 12/7 Talking Pictures TV @ 11.45
11 years after a seemingly cut and dried murder case wraps up the prisoner's mother, pleading that her son is innocent, puts up a reward for new info, prompting a reporter into the case again. At first it looks like the right verdict was met, until.... The great James Stewart leads this unusual and rather gripping blend of documentary style drama and film noir and does a fine job of course. Kasia Orzazewski and Lee J. Cobb offer nice support.
The Terminator Tues 12/7 ITV4 @ 21.00
A killer robot from the future stalks a woman to kill her for reasons unknown. The synopsis always sounds silly but it is one of the best action film's, no sorry, best film's ever made. It's just perfect. Lean. Not a second wasted. A masterclass in tension and action and economical storytelling. Linda Hamilton hits the spot as Sarah Connor but Arnold Schwarzenegger is the boss here. I'm so jealous of anyone who hasn't seen it yet.
Lucy In The Sky Wed 13/7 Film4 @ 21.00
Lucy's been to space and back and it's had a profound effect on her physically and psychologically. Normal life isn't enough for her anymore. Her husband isn't doing it for her either. She needs to get back into the black. A drama from 2019 that won't be for everyone but it's interesting approach to it's story and a hefty performance from Natalie Portman will keep you going until the end.
The Ladykillers Thur 14/7 TCM @ 15.05
A motley crew of criminals pretend to be musicians so they can kill a little old lady and rob a bank. Things do not go to plan. Not one bit. Another classic from Ealing studios and one of the funniest English films ever made. A film that will make you laugh, proper big belly laughs. It's so much fun and with a killer cast to boot. Alec Guinness in the lead just nails it, and why wouldn't he be with top notch backing from Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom.
Florence Foster Jenkins Thur 14/7 BBC4 @ 23.35
Florence Foster Jenkins was a rich New York heiress who only wanted one thing from life - to perform her songs onstage at Carnegie Hall. There was one issue though, Florence was a terrible singer. An amusing and surprisingly moving look at what can be achieved when you have enough money. Meryl Streep is tremendous as the eponymous character, I really wish she'd do more comedy. Simon Helberg and Hugh Grant as the men in her life do satisfying work too.
The Bridge To Terabithia Fri 15/7 Great! Movies @ 16.30
Jesse and Leslie become fast friends when she moves in next door to him. Soon their childhood imaginations are running riot and the kingdom of Terabithia is created. Real life is sadly never far away though. A little beaut of a movie, one full of lessons about life, both the lovely and tragic sides of it. Anna Sophia Robb and Josh Hutcherson are both amiable leads. Be warned, this could/might/will upset you.
The Field Fri 15/7 RTE1 @ 22.40
A field in 1960's Connemara becomes the catalyst for murder and heartbreak in this film version of the famous John B. Keane play. A staggering look into the dark heart of Irish country life and our primal ties to the land. Richard Harris gives a career best performance as the Bull McCabe, a one man force of nature and gets strong support from an almost silent Brenda Fricker, John Hurt and a very fresh faced Sean Bean.
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