Here are my recommendations for the best films on Freeview this week.
Monday 24th June: The Duellists (1977)
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Film 4, 7.00pm
Before Ridley Scott got his hands on the Alien franchise, he created this beautiful tale set during the Napoleonic wars. Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine star as two officers in the French army. When one insults the other, it sets off a life long battle that sees the two men duelling at every opportunity to defend their honour. It’s a cracking flick, and shows Scott’s keen eye for those things which aren’t covered in goo.
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Tuesday 25th June: The Expendables (2010)
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Five USA, 9.00pm.
The Expendables is a balls-to-the-wall flick that makes no bones about what it is. A bunch of old school action heroes come together as a motley crew of mercenaries, under the watchful eye of the CIA in order to capture a rogue agent. It’s pulling power is in the starry cast; Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham and Jet Li all get the opportunity to look cool, beat the crap out of people and deliver hammy one-liners. A relaxing no-brainer.
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Wednesday 26th June: Riff-Raff (1991)
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Film 4, 11.15pm
Ken Loach’s Riff-Raff won’t offer you a mid-week reprieve with an easy watch, but that’s not why this British filmmaker is worth paying attention to. His kitchen sink dramas have paved the way for a whole slew of British urban dramas. Starring a young Robert Carlyle as construction worker Stevie, the film chronicles his relationship with his unemployed singer girlfriend Susan, and how they navigate through life.
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Thursday 27th June: The Hurt Locker (2008)
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Film 4, 9.00pm.
The Hurt Locker grows steadily more impressive with each viewing. From the point of view of an Army squad, the film delves into the lives of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team during the Iraq war. It’s notoriety stemmed not only from its subject matter but also for the filmmakers who brought it to life. Director Kathryn Bigelow went on to become the first female to ever win an Oscar for Best Director.
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Friday 28th June: The Talented Mr Ripley (1999)
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More 4, 9.00pm.
Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a cunning film, which builds its layers until you realise just how dastardly the plot truly is. With winning turns from Matt Damon, Jude Law and even Gwyneth Paltrow, it tells an age-old tale of jealousy, lies and deceit. With a smidgen of blurry identities. Damon’s Ripley is sent to Italy on a mission to bring back obnoxious fatcat Dickie Greenleaf. As the plan goes south, Ripley has to take matters into his own hands.
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Saturday 29th June: Scanners (1981)
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Film 4. 11.05pm.
David Cronenberg can do no wrong in my eyes. His earlier work drips with the exploitative body horror rhetoric he so boldly examines time and time again. Recently he’s ventured into more mainstream efforts, replacing the horror with burgeoning violence. Whichever era of his work you venture into, you won’t be disappointed. Scanners comes from his younger period of filmmaking, dealing with the psychic abilities of humans.
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Sunday 30th June: Groundhog Day (1993)
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Five *. 2.15pm.
If you haven’t seen Groundhog Day, you haven’t lived. It’s a beautiful mishmash of comedy, drama and a plot that makes you wonder why it wasn’t tackled before. Bill Murray makes a damn fine curmudgeon as Phil Connors, a reporter forced to relive the same day over and over again. Stuck in a snowy small town, he struggles to grasp what exactly he’s supposed to gain from his predicament. It’s a fun flick, with a brain and a heart in the right place at the right time. [/one_half]
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