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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, says film lovers are spoilt for choice this Bank Holiday Weekend…
WELL, the Cup is overflowing this Bank Holiday Weekend with a whole selection of wonderful films for your delectation.
First up is Shadowlands (Saturday 2.10pm RTE1), the true life story of a meeting of minds that became so much more.
C.S. Lewis is a reserved middle-aged academic bachelor who lectures at Magdalen College, Oxford. He is, however, most famous for being the author of the Chronicles of Narnia series of children’s stories.
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He meets American poet Joy Gresham. She is married, with a young son. What begins as an interesting clash of cultures and views, with Gresham’s uninhibited giving of her views and opinions contrasting with the rigid style of a male-dominated, protocol heavy university life, becomes a relationship of convenience that in turn leads to far deeper feelings.
Starring Anthony Hopkins as CS Lewis and Debra Winger as Joy, directed by Richard Attenborough and a screenplay by William Nicholson (based on his original television film and stage play of the same name) this is a superior drama that, if you are dry eyed after watching it, you need to check that you still have a pulse.
Now, something for the younger audience. Dora and the Lost City of Gold (Saturday 6.35pm RTE1) is a live action film loosely based on the popular animated television series “Dora the Explorer” which my granddaughters love, and whom you might have come across on toy shelves everywhere!
Dora’s explorer parents are trying to find the hidden Inca city of gold Parapata. When they discover a potential lead for its location, they send Dora to school in Los Angeles while they follow the trail.
Making a new group of friends, and in a somewhat convoluted series of events, Dora and her friends find themselves back in Peru on a quest to find Dora’s parents while dealing with all the sort of jungle obstacles this sort of film always provides.
12 Angry Men (1997).
12 Angry Men (Saturday 9.30 TG4) is a remake of the 1950’s classic, directed by William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) and adapted by Reginald Rose from his original teleplay.
There is a murder trial of a troubled teenage boy accused of murdering his father. A guilty verdict will mean a mandatory death sentence. The jury of 12 retire to consider their verdict and eleven vote guilty. Only Juror Number 8 questions the evidence.
Starring such acting titans as George C Scott, James Gandolfini, Hume Cronyn, Edward James Olmos, William Petersen and Jack Lemmon make this is top quality drama.
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Just time to recommend The Aviator (Monday 9.15pm TG4) and Green Book (Monday 9.30pm RTE1), both really excellent films, facinating stories with acting and directing talent to beat the band. No shortage of awards either. Enjoy and stay safe!
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