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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, observes that a number of Irish actors feature in films on TV this Saturday…
In Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (Saturday 7pm RTE1) Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) and Bea (Rose Byrne) are now married, while Peter (voiced by James Cordon) and his rabbit family are living in their garden.
However, Peter is bored and decides to try his luck in the big city. Unfortunately, he meets up with some unsavoury characters which lead to, surprise, surprise, some chaotic adventures for him and the rabbits.
This is loosely based on the Beatrix Potter stories and is a charming combination of live action and CGI, staring David Oyelowo and the vocal talents of Elizabeth Debicki, Lennie James and Margot Robbie.
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Ben Foster (Lance Armstrong) and Chris O’Dowd (David Walsh) head the cast of Stephen Frears’ drama The Program (Saturday 9.15pm RTE2)
At a time when Lance Armstrong was dominating world professional cycling, even after beating cancer, one lone voice asked the question, how this could happen.
Irish journalist Walsh suspected the use of performance enhancing drugs, but proof was hard to obtain against an omarta of silence and effective prevarication
A fascinating story, based on Walsh’s book “Seven Deadly Sins” that obviously has to truncate the time line to fit into one hundred minutes.
Learning to Drive (Saturday 9.30pm TG4) is the very relatable comedy drama story of a successful New York Book critic, Wendy (Patricia Clarkson) whose marriage breaks up. She has to learn to drive and takes lessons from Darwan (Ben Kingsley).
As their lessons go on, they develop a friendly, platonic relationship where they find themselves helping to solve their respective personal difficulties.
Joey (Lewis MacDougall), a teenager with a huge debt, bonds with a troubled alcoholic Ronald (Pat Shortt) who is also down on his luck as he tries to sell Chinese teddy bears to raise much needed cash in The Belly of the Whale (Saturday 11.10pm RTE2)
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They make a plan to rob a local amusement arcade to solve their money woes, but run up against a corrupt politician Gilts, played by Michael Smiley. A film in which the grim mood is suitably portrayed by the performances and cinematography.
One of the best ever Westerns is the multi Oscar-winning Unforgiven (Saturday 12 midnight RTE1).
Clint Eastwood directs and stars as William Munny, a former gunfighter who comes out of retirement to help a bounty hunter track down those responsible for a savage attack on a prostitute.
Also starring Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris and Frances Fisher, this is a story that is almost biblical in its themes and scope.
Speaking about Oscars, I am more confident that Cillian Murphy will get his hands on the Best Actor Oscar following his win last week in the SAG awards.
The eleven nominations, the highest ever for an Irish Film, for ‘Poor Things’ including producers Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney of Element Pictures, Robbie Ryan for Best Cinematography, and a personal good wish for director Yorgos Lanthimous who filmed ‘The Lobster’ here in Kerry ten years ago, ensure a strong Irish interest. Enjoy!
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