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A genuine 90s classic is among the selections from our movie guy, James Finnegan, for your viewing pleasure tonight on the box…
One of my favourite films of all time is ‘The Secret Life of Pets’. Not just because it is a very good film, but it was the first film I brought my granddaughter Amy to see in the cinema.
It was about Max, a dependable Jack Russell Terrier dog, whose world was turned upside down when his owners brought home a slobbering rescue dog.
In The Secret Life of Pets 2 (Saturday 6.35pm RTE1), this time Max’s owners bring home their newborn baby and Max (Patton Oswalt) becomes that overanxious (grand)parent who sees danger everywhere.
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On a family holiday to a farm, he meets a tough guy sheepdog called Rooster – nicely voiced by Harrison Ford with growling cowboy gruffness – who tries to cure Max of his anxiety.
This movie is good, silly fun with throwaway gags galore and some very funny scenes that will appeal to pet owners. It is also that rarity, a sequel better than the original.
Another sequel, Creed II (Saturday 9.15pm RTE1) is the continuation of the boxing saga that can trace its origins all the way back to the Rocky series.
Under the guidance of boxing legend Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), newly crowned heavyweight champion Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan) faces off against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteau), son of Ivan, who killed Creed’s father Apollo in the boxing ring (for further reference, watch Rocky IV).
Directed by Steven Caple Jnr, while not quite reaching the heights of its predecessor, this is well worth a watch.
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I’m Not There (Saturday 10.42 TG4) is a somewhat unconventional biographical film inspired by the life and music of Bob Dylan.
Six actors depict different aspects of Dylan’s public personas, examining his political, religion and attitude to fame, each played by a different actor notably Christian Bale, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw and in a multi-award winning performance, Cate Blanchett.
Fargo (Saturday 11.35 RTE1) is a black comedy film blanc (you will understand when you watch) with an outstanding performance from Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson, a seven-months pregnant chief of police investigating the brutal slaying of a state trooper and two locals.
These people have been killed by two incompetent hoodlums, Carl (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear (Peter Stormare), who were hired by car salesman Jerry Lundegaard, (William H Macy).
Jerry had engaged these guys to kidnap his wife, Jean (Kristin Rudrüd), so that Jerry’s wealthy father-in-law, Wade (Harve Presnell), would pay out a million-dollar ransom, which Jerry would secretly collect for himself, as well as a modest fee to Carl and Gaear. Suffice to say, anything that can go wrong, does.
This is a stunningly brilliant comedy directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, winning McDormand her first Academy Award.
In Hart’s War (Saturday 11.55pm RTE2), Colonel William McNamara (Bruce Willis) assigns Lieutenant Tommy Hart (Colin Farrell) to defend Lieutenant Lincoln Scott (Terrence Howard) a black fellow POW accused of murdering a white prisoner.
