Sir Calumn
20-12-2004, 03:43:AM
Back to the other thread for the next lot, but as there's usually so much extra good stuff on over the Christmas Period, I thought I'd give it it's own thread.
The week running up to Christmas aint too good, but the week after it more than makes up with some real gems. To help out, I've put either no, one or two stars by the title of each film. Two (**) means the film's a must see, cancel all other arrangements or be sure to set the video for it. One (*) means the film is excellent and definately worth seeing if you can and none ( )means that the film is very good, but not worth going out of your way to see.
Sunday 19th December BBC2 9:00pm - LA Confidentia - (**) A magnificant film starring Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito, Russel Crowe and Guy Pearce all in top form in a thrilling crime and mystery film. Totally engrossing with a great twist and plenty of very special moments.
Monday 20th December BBC1 8:30pm - Armageddon Didnt think much of it myself, but Hakeem loves it and his judgement't better than mine.
Monday 20th December BBC2 12:20am - Witchfinder General (*) - I was lucky enough to see a later show of this at the cinema recently, and I really loved it. Vincent Price plays the notorious English witch-hunter Matthew Hopkins in this dark, violent and intriguing film of a not often covered genre.
Wednesday 22nd December FilmFour 10:00pm - Trianspotting (**) - I try to avoid FilmFour films in these threads, but this is such a rare oppertunity to see this incredible, brilliant film that I thought I must. With a cast containing the cream of the British new-skool, this hillarious yet harrowing drama is one of the best films I have ever seen.
Christmas Eve ITV1 12:40am - Gone With The Wind - Not my sort of film to be honest, but year after year this is voted the best film of all time, and it is the film which has sold more cinema seats in the UK than anyother film, ever, so I suppose you'd better see it.
Christmas Day FilmFour 10:00pm - City of God (**) - Yes, FilmFour again, I'm sorry, but I just saw this film and thought it was so incredibly good that I just have to include it. Think Mean Streets and then some, this has to be the best thing to come out of South America since cocaine.
Christmas Day Channel 5 11:05pm - The Manchurian Candidate (1962 original) - The original, and far superior Manchurian Candidate, dont let the crappy remake put you off seeing this decent original. Superbly directed and well put together, this film has many qualities, even for the many of us who cant stand Frank Sinatra.
Boxing Day BBC2 10:30am - Citizen Kane (**) - Widely regarded as one of the best films ever made, everyone who is even remotely keen on films should see this. Brillaint in every respect, there is no excuse for not seeing this pillar of cinema history. Great thing to watch with your grandparents aswell, if they're staying over.
Boxing Day ITV1 6:05pm - The Bridge Over the River Kwai (*) - Very good war film, and great place to see Alec Guinnes acting out of a brown cloak, this is widely regarded as one of the top war films of all time. At 3 hrs (inc breaks) it's a bit long, but worth it if you ask me.
Boxing Day BBC2 11:00pm - Blazing Saddles (**) - Absolutely hillarious and totally eccentric, this is Mel Brookes at his absolute best. I loved this film when I first saw it, and still do, an incredibly controversial yet brilliant spoof which i rate even better than The Producers. If you think todays teen rubbish is funny, wait til you see this. Almost up there with the Pythons.
Monday 27th December BBC2 2.40pm - The Charge of the Light Brigade - Havent seen it myself, but one of my friends assures me it's top class and it certainly looks good.
Tuesday 28th December ITV1 11.15pm - For a Few Dollars More (*) - The 2nd in Leones magnificant Dollars trilogy, this is better than the first and is up there with the best westerns. The superb Lee Van Cleef is added to Eastwood to make this a pretty damn good film, especially with the masterwork coming up tommorow.
Wednesday 29th December ITV1 12.50pm - Star Wars (*) - For the 0.001% of you who havent seen this, you may want to take this oppertunity. So important and influencial that you have to see it, even if you dont like Sci-Fi and big furry aliens.
Wednesday 29th December Channel 5 10.35pm - Get Carter (**) - In my opinion, one of the best British films ever made, and making tonights choice exceptionally difficult, this stunning solo performance by Michael Caine is raw, hard hitting and disturbing yet brilliant and absorbing. One of my most watched DVDs, it's hard not to advise this, even against Leone's classic.
Wednesday 29th December ITV1 11.00pm - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (**) - Quite simply the best western ever made, Leone's master work and final installment in the dollars trilogy is unmissable, combining all brilliant acting with masterful directing, amazing camera work and a storyline to bowl you away. Dont miss.
Wednesday 29th December Channel 4 11.05pm - Desperado (*) - Dont even think about watching this over the previous two, even though it is a fun, well shot film with a couple of awesome cameos from Buscemi and Tarantino.
Thursday 30th December ITV1 12.50pm - Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back (*) - 'Nuff Said
Thursday 30th December Channel 4 7:15pm - Porridge (*) - This spinoff film isnt up to the sitcom series, but is still full of laughs and hillarious moments which make it definately worth watching, even if the story is a little crappy.
New Year's Eve ITV1 12.35pm - Star Wars Return of the Jedi (*) - You guessed it.
New Year's Eve BBC1 5.55pm - The Italian Job (1969 original) (*) - Somehow seems christmassy, and is a good laugh, so I recommend you watch it even if you've already seen it, which you undoubtably have.
New Year's Day BBC2 8.10pm - A Bridge Too Far - Big long and a bit overrated war film. God I'm bored with typing. Thank god this is the last one. Anyway, worth watching for the great cast.
The week running up to Christmas aint too good, but the week after it more than makes up with some real gems. To help out, I've put either no, one or two stars by the title of each film. Two (**) means the film's a must see, cancel all other arrangements or be sure to set the video for it. One (*) means the film is excellent and definately worth seeing if you can and none ( )means that the film is very good, but not worth going out of your way to see.
Sunday 19th December BBC2 9:00pm - LA Confidentia - (**) A magnificant film starring Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito, Russel Crowe and Guy Pearce all in top form in a thrilling crime and mystery film. Totally engrossing with a great twist and plenty of very special moments.
Monday 20th December BBC1 8:30pm - Armageddon Didnt think much of it myself, but Hakeem loves it and his judgement't better than mine.
Monday 20th December BBC2 12:20am - Witchfinder General (*) - I was lucky enough to see a later show of this at the cinema recently, and I really loved it. Vincent Price plays the notorious English witch-hunter Matthew Hopkins in this dark, violent and intriguing film of a not often covered genre.
Wednesday 22nd December FilmFour 10:00pm - Trianspotting (**) - I try to avoid FilmFour films in these threads, but this is such a rare oppertunity to see this incredible, brilliant film that I thought I must. With a cast containing the cream of the British new-skool, this hillarious yet harrowing drama is one of the best films I have ever seen.
Christmas Eve ITV1 12:40am - Gone With The Wind - Not my sort of film to be honest, but year after year this is voted the best film of all time, and it is the film which has sold more cinema seats in the UK than anyother film, ever, so I suppose you'd better see it.
Christmas Day FilmFour 10:00pm - City of God (**) - Yes, FilmFour again, I'm sorry, but I just saw this film and thought it was so incredibly good that I just have to include it. Think Mean Streets and then some, this has to be the best thing to come out of South America since cocaine.
Christmas Day Channel 5 11:05pm - The Manchurian Candidate (1962 original) - The original, and far superior Manchurian Candidate, dont let the crappy remake put you off seeing this decent original. Superbly directed and well put together, this film has many qualities, even for the many of us who cant stand Frank Sinatra.
Boxing Day BBC2 10:30am - Citizen Kane (**) - Widely regarded as one of the best films ever made, everyone who is even remotely keen on films should see this. Brillaint in every respect, there is no excuse for not seeing this pillar of cinema history. Great thing to watch with your grandparents aswell, if they're staying over.
Boxing Day ITV1 6:05pm - The Bridge Over the River Kwai (*) - Very good war film, and great place to see Alec Guinnes acting out of a brown cloak, this is widely regarded as one of the top war films of all time. At 3 hrs (inc breaks) it's a bit long, but worth it if you ask me.
Boxing Day BBC2 11:00pm - Blazing Saddles (**) - Absolutely hillarious and totally eccentric, this is Mel Brookes at his absolute best. I loved this film when I first saw it, and still do, an incredibly controversial yet brilliant spoof which i rate even better than The Producers. If you think todays teen rubbish is funny, wait til you see this. Almost up there with the Pythons.
Monday 27th December BBC2 2.40pm - The Charge of the Light Brigade - Havent seen it myself, but one of my friends assures me it's top class and it certainly looks good.
Tuesday 28th December ITV1 11.15pm - For a Few Dollars More (*) - The 2nd in Leones magnificant Dollars trilogy, this is better than the first and is up there with the best westerns. The superb Lee Van Cleef is added to Eastwood to make this a pretty damn good film, especially with the masterwork coming up tommorow.
Wednesday 29th December ITV1 12.50pm - Star Wars (*) - For the 0.001% of you who havent seen this, you may want to take this oppertunity. So important and influencial that you have to see it, even if you dont like Sci-Fi and big furry aliens.
Wednesday 29th December Channel 5 10.35pm - Get Carter (**) - In my opinion, one of the best British films ever made, and making tonights choice exceptionally difficult, this stunning solo performance by Michael Caine is raw, hard hitting and disturbing yet brilliant and absorbing. One of my most watched DVDs, it's hard not to advise this, even against Leone's classic.
Wednesday 29th December ITV1 11.00pm - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (**) - Quite simply the best western ever made, Leone's master work and final installment in the dollars trilogy is unmissable, combining all brilliant acting with masterful directing, amazing camera work and a storyline to bowl you away. Dont miss.
Wednesday 29th December Channel 4 11.05pm - Desperado (*) - Dont even think about watching this over the previous two, even though it is a fun, well shot film with a couple of awesome cameos from Buscemi and Tarantino.
Thursday 30th December ITV1 12.50pm - Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back (*) - 'Nuff Said
Thursday 30th December Channel 4 7:15pm - Porridge (*) - This spinoff film isnt up to the sitcom series, but is still full of laughs and hillarious moments which make it definately worth watching, even if the story is a little crappy.
New Year's Eve ITV1 12.35pm - Star Wars Return of the Jedi (*) - You guessed it.
New Year's Eve BBC1 5.55pm - The Italian Job (1969 original) (*) - Somehow seems christmassy, and is a good laugh, so I recommend you watch it even if you've already seen it, which you undoubtably have.
New Year's Day BBC2 8.10pm - A Bridge Too Far - Big long and a bit overrated war film. God I'm bored with typing. Thank god this is the last one. Anyway, worth watching for the great cast.