This week’s guide to the movies on Irish television channels, RTE 1/RTE2/TV3/3e/TG4
Friday – September 5th
Land Of The Lost (Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride) – 9:35pm / RTE 2… Very funny movie starring Will Ferrell as a paleontologist who is sucked through a time warp back into the time of the dinosaurs, along with Friel and McBride. They end up on the run from the massive T-Rex as they try to get back home, going through a series of hilarious gags. I like this movie a lot, based on the classic TV series of the same name.
State Of Play (Russell Crowe, Ben Affeck, Helen Mirren) – 10:50pm / TV3… Tense thriller also based on a TV series. Russell Crowe stars as a reporter investigating the death of a young woman, who was having an affair with a young congressman (Ben Affleck). Brilliant movie, one to watch on a late Friday night.
Saturday – September 6th
The Towering Inferno (Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway) – 12:55pm / RTE 1… Incredible disaster epic following leading stars Paul Newman as a building designer behind the futuristic new tower and Steve McQueen as a firefighter who work together to save the lives of the tower’s party guests who are caught up in a blazing fire, savaging the entire structure, caused by cheap equipment used against the designer’s wishes. The Towering Inferno is an absolute classic, the daddy of classic disaster movies, packed with an all-star cast also including Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, William Holden and Robert Wagner. A real gem.
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore (Chris O’Donnell, Jack McBrayer) – 6:35pm / RTE 1… Not good. Former secret agent cat goes crazy and wants to rule the world, her name is Kitty Galore. Enough said really.
The Dark Knight (Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart) – 9pm / RTE 2… Batman AKA The Dark Knight faces his greatest foe. The Joker, in an almighty showdown, battling to save Gotham City from the psychotic killer and his goons. But must also stand against a new enemy when the D.A. of Gotham, Harvey Dent, is horribly disfigured in one of Joker’s deadly games and becomes Two-Face, a vigilante with no mercy and only a coin to make his decisions. The Dark Knight is magnificent, a staggering blend of action, horror and adventure all wrapped up in a stylish Michael Mannish thriller. Alongside Man Of Steel as the two greatest comic book superhero movies, for me. Heath Ledger is incredible as the Joker, there is no one like him in anything else, perfect performance, the Oscar went to the right man, but sadly too late.
Yes Man (Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper) – 10:20pm / TV3… Jim Carrey stars as a miserable banker who refuses to enjoy his life and spend time with friends, until he attends a seminar to build positive mental attitude, which has a real effect on him, turning him from a man who says no, to a man who says yes… yes to everything. At all. Brilliant comedy from my favourite movie star, Jim, with great support from Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper and… ehhh… Fionnula Flanagan?
Taking Care Of Business (James Belushi, Charles Grodin) – 11:20 / RTE 1… A conman who escapes from jail steals the identity of an advertising businessman and live the high life in Malibu. A movie I’ve never seen, but i really like both Charles Grodin and James Belushi, very funny men, it should be fun.
Mary Reilly (Julia Roberts, John Malkovich, Glenn Close) – 11:45 / TG4… *Shudder*
Striking Distance (Bruce Willis, Sarah Jessica Parker) – 12am / 3e… Cracking police thriller with Bruce Willis as a river cop investigating the death of his father, but watches on as a serial killer murders his past girlfriends and tries to put him in the frame. Great fun from early-90s Bruce, a good choice for midnight.
Sunday – September 7th
The Last Airbender (Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Dev Patel) – 2pm / RTE 2… M Night Shyamalan movie about a 12 year-old boy with the power to control earth’s elements to stop a war on his own planet. Saw pieces of this, actually looks pretty decent, but haven’t seen the whole movie. Could be one to watch.
Twister (Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt) – 7:30pm / RTE 2… Aaaahhhhhh, some real awesome viewing for Sunday with this 90’s stunner pulling out all the stops to entertain us. Two divorcing storm chasers are forced back together when a series of massive tornados ravage their homeland, all the while falling in love again. Twister has some small problems, but works past them thanks to the spectaular special effects-laden action sequences and funny dialogue. Perfect viewing, and well-timed with the recent release of the fantastic and very similar Into The Storm at cinemas (You must go see that one!).
The Outlaw Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke… Big surprise!) – 12:55am – RTE 1… Classic Clint Eastwood western about a farmer hunting down a gang of Union Army killers who murdered his wife and child. Very violent, very sad, very entertaining, one of Clint’s best westerns.
Tuesday September 9th
The Specialist (Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone) – 9pm / TV3… TV3/3e continue their Expendables season with this brilliant early 90’s action thriller, with Sylvester Stallone on top form as an explosives expert who is hired by a mysterious woman seeking revenge for the death of her father, bringing them both together as the hired assassin takes on the task, but forces him to confront his biggest enemy, a fellow explosives expert played by James Woods, who absolutely steals the show. Great fun, brilliant action, a rather saucy bit of entertainment, one to watch.
Wednesday September 10th
The Debt (Sam Worthington, Helen Mirren) – 9:35pm / RTE 1… I haven’t seen this one yet, really looking forward to it. An investigation is opened into a 1965 mission when a Nazi criminal was captured, when new information comes to light after 30 years. Should be a great one, real strong cast in there… Sam Worthington, Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, Tom Wilkinson and Ciaran Hinds…
Universal Soldier: The Return (Jean Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White) – 10pm / 3e… The Expendables season continues with a brilliant bit of Van Dammage, as the best kicker in the game comes face to face with the second best, in the form of the fantastic Michael Jai White (Spawn and Exit Wounds), as Univeral Soldier Luc Deveraux is back to save the day, now alive again and overseeing the UniSol program, but has to save his daughter from an artificial intelligence system which takes on a human body and becomes extremely powerful, leading to some incredible fighting, and more incredible fighting. And throw in big-time wrestler Bill Goldberg for even MORE incredible fighting. Universal Soldier: The Return may be cheesy and far different in style, tone and story from the original, but it’s still a ton of fun, with a fantastic soundtrack thrown in for good measure.