Fifteen movies on TV to whet your cinematic appetite

Wind River   Saturday   15/8   Film4 @ 9pm

While tracking a mountain lion in the Wind River reservation a wildlife service agent finds a young woman's body and evidence of a far more dangerous predator. Taylor Sheridan's 2017 drama is a good but very tough watch, a stark and violent look at the way America treats it's own indigenous people. The usually dull Jeremy Renner does nice work here and gets solid back up from Elizabeth Olsen and Graham Greene.

Cool Hand Luke   Saturday   15/8   TG4 @ 10.05pm

Luke is a young man from the south with a serious attitude problem. He winds up in jail and realises quickly his failure to communicate is going to cause him all manner of hassle. An honest to goodness masterpiece and one of the films that made Paul Newman a star. Packed full of classic moments and dialogue that you will recognise even if you haven't seen the movie before. Newman is a spendid lead and George Kennedy as a fellow inmate is a force of nature.

Young Frankenstein   Sunday   16/8   BBC1 @ 00.15am

The grandson of an infamous scientist inherits his castle and goes to Transylvania to find out for himself what type of experiments his relative took part in. Mel Brook's parody of 1930's horror films is a classic of comedy. Both affectionate of it's source material and more than willing to rip the piss out of it too. It's hilarious. Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman and Marty Feldman are all at the top of their game here. SEDAGIVE!

Key Largo   Sunday   16/8   RTE1 @ 3.45pm

Crime drama par excellence time. A war veteran arrives in the Florida Keys to visit the family of a dead comrade and finds that all is not well in the hotel they run. John Huston's 1948 thriller is an absolute cracker of a watch. Tense as hell, action packed stuff that's full of the superstars of the era including Humphrey Bogart as the lead, Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore and the fantastic Edward G.Robinson.

Quartet   Sunday   16/8   BBC1 @ 10.30pm

A lovely comedy drama set in a rest home for retired musicians. The residents are preparing their yearly show when a new arrival shakes up the status quo and brings unrest to their routine. The always brilliant Maggie Smith takes the lead in this amusing and poignant film with great turns from Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay and Pauline Collins. Tbh I expected to hate this at first but fell for it big time

Emelie   Sunday   16/8   The Horror Channel @ 9pm

Emelie's a different kind of babysitter and the Thompson's find out just how different she is when they hire her to look after their kids so they can celebrate their wedding anniversary. This warped little thriller doesn't exactly nail it's ending but there's plenty here to keep you watching, especially a memorable turn from Ireland's own Sarah Bolger as the titular character. You'll never let your kids out of your sight after this one.

Three Godfathers   Monday   17/8   TCM @ 7.30am

Three cattle rustlers on the run across a desert come across a pregnant woman who dies in childbirth. They decide to do their best to bring her child to safety. This 1948 John Ford film is a western take on the tale of the three wise men and a satisfying one at that. John Wayne as Robert Marmaduke Sangster Hightower ( what a name ) gives his usual entertaining performance that suits this film perfectly. A heartwarming watch.

We Own The Night   Monday   17/8 Sony Movies @ 10pm

Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. 1988. Two brothers on either side of the law find their lives changed for the worse by their dealings with the Russian mafia. James Mangold's crime drama is in my opinion one of the most underrated crime dramas of this century. A nail biting thriller and an intense family tale and all based on an (almost unbelievably) true story. Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Duvall and Eva Mendes are firing on all cylinders here.

Belle   Tuesday   18/8   Film4 @ 6.55pm

Dido Elizabeth Belle was a young woman growing up in 18th century England. She was the daughter of a navy captain. She was also mixed race. Her family standing helped but the colour of her skin caused no end of trouble for her. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is excellent in a well made film about the loneliness and alienation caused by being different. Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson and Matthew Goode offer nice support.

Starry Eyes   Wednesday   19/8   The Horror Channel @ 2.40am

A young aspiring actress in Hollywood is willing to go to any lengths to ensure she becomes a star of the silver screen. Any lengths..... A dark and twisted cautionary tale about the dangers of ambition and greed. It's also a pretty damn effective horror film that will probably leave you scarred and nauseous when the credits roll so be warned. It's nasty stuff. Alex Esso in the lead does well and is someone to look out for in the future.

Sexy Beast   Wednesday   19/8   Film4 @ 10.50pm

Gal is living his best life in the south of Spain. He's sunbaked and happy as a clam. Until the day he finds out his gangster ex partner Don is coming to recruit him for a job. Don is not a nice man. This is a hell of a watch, hilarious and terrifying and sometimes both at once. It contains a Ben Kingsley performance that has to be seen to be believed, it's truly out of this world. Ray Winston as Gal ain't too bad either.

August, Osage County   Thursday   20/8   CH4 @ 2.20am

Tensions are running high in the Weston family when sickness and tragedy brings a group of alienated sisters back together again to care for their mother. Things get spicy. Misery is so prevalent in this film that parts of it feel like parody but a tour de force display of acting from an outstanding cast will keep you glued til the end credits. Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper & Margo Martindale amongst many others do exemplary work.

Rogue   Friday   21/8   The Horror Channel @ 2.30am

A group of tourists on a boat trip in Northern Australia find themselves trapped on a small island when they are attacked by a massive crocodile. And the tide is rising. Of course it is. A well made, frightening thriller made believable by some effective creature effects and a nice cast that includes Radha Mitchell, Sam Worthington and Michael Vartan. Greg McLean's follow up to Wolf Creek isn't as flat out scary as his debut but its a lot more enjoyable.

No Escape   Friday   RTE1 @ 10.15pm

Things are looking up for their future when work brings Jack and Annie and their kids to South East Asia. But their new life is soon turned upside down when a brutal political coup breaks out all around them. Ya, ok, it might be problematic in places but it's still a genuinely nerve wracking thriller that you'll watch from behind your pillow. Owen Wilson, Lake Bell and Pierce Brosnan as an ex-mercenary they meet along the way, all put in a good shift.

The Lost Boys   Friday   21/8   BBC1 @ 10.45pm

A family moves to a nice beach town to start a new life and finds the place has a far darker side than they could have imagined. This film is as 80's as they come and it's one that is still a delightful watch three decades years later. A scary, gooey, funny and imaginative take on a tale as old as cinema. The 80's vibe continues with a cast that includes both Corey's Haim & Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Jamie Gertz & Jason Patric but Kiefer Sutherland robs the film from all of them with a star making role.