Saturday’s TV tips
Full marks to the team who chose Rita Ora as a replacement judge for Kylie Minogue. The 24-year-old singer-songwriter may have generated some controversy over her attire on The One Show, but the Oscar-nominee has been doing a great job as the latest addition to the show; her banter between regular judges Tom Jones, Will.I.am and Ricky Wilson makes for TV gold.
Talking of which, Ms Ora’s heartfelt letter to Stephen McLaughlin, the young Scottish singer in episode one was the sort of magic moment that has made The Voice UK a cut above [the past its sell-by date] X Factor.
This week sees the third round of TVUK, but who will be good enough to leave the judges spinning around, and who will make a tearful departure?
That remains to be seen, but we can tell you the superb Emma Willis and Marvin Humes will be backstage offering high fives and shoulders to cry on.
Nicky Bryne presents the Million Euro Challenge TV gameshow. The show involves three players, each joined in-studio by a family member or friend.
Each of the players will play original and exciting Lottery games, culminating in one lucky player getting the chance to play for the coveted prize of €1,000,000.
Hosted by Dermot O’Leary, the National Television Awards will play host to an array of stars who have wowed us on the small screen.
This year, more votes than ever before have been cast and the shortlist reveals which shows and stars the public want to see collecting a prize on the night.
TV3 favourites such as ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘The X Factor’ and ‘I’m A Celebrity’ will all battle it out.
Ireland’s own ‘Mrs. Brown’s Boys’ is also up for an award on the night, nominated in the Comedy category.
Writer/director Matthew Vaughn has proved to be one of the brightest film-makers of his generation, usually with a little help from Jonathan Ross’s wife Jane Goldman and Take That.
Over the years, Vaughn and Goldman have scripted Stardust, X-Men – First Class, and new movie Kingsman: The Secret Service, while Gary Barlow and the lads have provided songs for all of the above.
Kingsman is expected to be another smash, and dropping into the studio this week are stars Oscar-winner Colin Firth and up-and-coming actor Taron Egerton.
Having honed her craft with Harry Enfield in the early 1990s, Caroline Quentin went on to become a showbiz favourite thanks to Men Behaving Badly and Jonathan Creek.
She’ll also be discussing here career, while Canadian funny woman Katherine Ryan, who recently brought the house down on Live at the Apollo, helps raise a few giggles inbetween Ross’s tie-straightening and well-worn banter.
With so much bad news coming out of France in recent weeks, thankfully this addictive Gallic drama offers escapism for those who savour offbeat crime sagas.
In the latest offering the Police Commissioner is eager to have a case resolved in order to whip up positive publicity, so Herville strives to get him onside.
Alas, Gilou’s daring suggestion threatens to backfire.
When Laure’s squad recruits an informant who was already on the Bremont’s Crime Unit’s payroll, Stephane Jaulin comes under increasing pressure as the prime suspect.
And if the recent court-based drama in Broadchurch has left you hungry for more, then the good news is there’s a tense showdown here as Josephine comes head to head with Eric Edelman before the judge.
He is defending the two cops accused of corruption and manslaughter.
A word of warning: dog lovers may want to look away at the halfway mark.
In 1920s Hollywood, George Valentin is a huge star – he’s so famous, chorus girl Peppy Miller gets her big break just by being pictured bumping into him at a premiere.
So, when ’talking pictures’ arrive, George sees no reason to change his style, convinced the audiences will still turn up to see him in silent movies. Instead, he finds himself left behind by the new technology, while Peppy’s star continues to rise.
Is It Any Good? It’s a (mostly) silent French film in black and white – on paper it sounds like an art-house movie. But there’s a reason that The Artist went on to become a huge, Oscar-winning hit, and that’s because it’s a genuine crowd-pleaser.
Jean Dujardin is hugely charming in the lead role – and certainly looks like a 1920s matinee idol – and the whole film has so much joie de vivre, it’s impossible to resist.
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller, Missi Pyle, Malcolm McDowell
Police officer Billy Costigan agrees to infiltrate the inner circle of feared Boston gangster Frank Costello.
What he doesn’t know is that the mob boss has his own mole – high-flying detective Colin Sullivan, who was put through college by Frank just so he could become his man on the inside.
When the cops and the criminals both realise they have a rat in the ranks, Billy and Colin are given the task of rooting them out, but can they do it with giving themselves away in the process?
Fans of Martin Scorsese could no doubt argue for hours over why this film finally won him the Best Director Oscar after he was passed over for undisputed classics like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas.
However, judged on its own merits, rather than against the rest of Scorsese’s dazzling CV, it’s a cracking thriller with great dialogue, loads of tension and an amazing cast.
Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio are first-rate, but the real revelation is Mark Wahlberg, who steals scenes from his more feted co-stars as a combative, foul-mouthed cop.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin.
It dramatises the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, which brought the US and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war.
Events unfold through Kenneth P O’Donnell’s eyes as he sees bitter opposition between diplomats JFK and his brother Bobby, and the warmongering military.
When the American U2 plane spies the Russians planting ballistic missiles in Cuba, the next 13 days sees mind games played out in Washington amid unbearable tension.
The cast are exemplary – Bruce Greenwood plays JFK with subtlety, while Kevin Costner is superb as our observer, O’Donnell.
However it’s the story which truly steals the show – a terrifying period in modern history is told to gripping effect.
Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, Steven Culp, Dylan Baker
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