This week we take you on a cinematic journey from the most accessible of Takeshi "Beat" Kitano's gangster films to top notch, prescient documentary in @TopFilmTip's pick of the best damn films on TV.
THE GATEKEEPERS
A rare & candid insight into counter-terrorism, politics & morality as all the former heads of Israeli counter terrorist intelligence frankly discuss their successes & failures at 9:45pm on BBC2 Saturday 11th.
GANGSTER NUMBER 1
Criminal king recalls his bloody, nefarious & usurping ascent to power amid 1960s London in deftly dialogued treat at 00:35am on Channel4 Saturday 11th.
STAND BY ME
Four friends brave brutal bullies & a vomitus vengeance tale in their search for a dead body in Stephen King's fully realised, nostalgic wonder at 2pm on 5* Sunday 12th.
DANCES WITH WOLVES
Accidentally heroic, monologuing journal junky frontiersman befriends Sioux Native Americans in a sweeping ballad of mutual respect and lost cultures at 12:35pm on BBC2 Sunday 12th.
ALONG CAME POLLY
Philip Seymour Hoffman let's it rain basketballs & ruins Jesus Christ Superstar, also risk averse/commitophobe duo find love in atypical romcom at 3pm on Channel 5 Sunday 12th.
BROTHER
Beat Takeshi calmly orchestrates a Yakuza takeover of gangland LA in weaponised chopsticking, gut cutting, brutally bloody off kilter crime-fun at 01:25am on Film4 Sunday 12th.
KICK-ASS
Pain proof hero & tween assassin battle brutal gangsters in baton battering, child punching, ultraviolence revelling fun at 9pm on Film4 Monday 13th.
MOON
Helium harvesting Sam Rockwell discovers a shocking doppleganging secret in exceptional high concept, identity questioning SciFi marvel at 9pm on BBC4 Tuesday 14th.
THE SELFISH GIANT
Scrap metal scavenging scallywags' friendship is tested by uneven interest of socially shunned man in this modern fable at 11:05pm on Film4 Tuesday 14th.
METRO MANILA
Rural family suffer city slums whilst their husband/father finds armoured transport work in stunning tale of integrity & provision at 1am on Film4 Wednesday 15th.
CLERKS
Gen-X slacker learns to quit looking backwards & appreciate his girlfriend in Kevin Smith's deftly dialogued debut & outstanding comedy at 11:25pm on Film4 Friday 17th.
