Square Eyes

Television Reviews

Movie of the week, Amelie, SBS, Sun, 8.30pm:

This beautiful, charming, magical film is an absolute joy to watch. Audrey Tautou's face-pulling is totally entrancing in an offbeat love fable set in Paris. Impish Amelie lives in a fantasy world, yearning for love, hoping to solve the odd mystery and bring sunshine to the lives of others. The story flits along with whimsical curiosity and wit.

A Royal Family, SBS, Fri, 7.30pm:

Monarchy buffs will enjoy this doco tracing the lineage of royals descended from the chap they call the father-in-law of Europe - Denmark's King Christian IX. In the 18th Century, he sent his kids off to marry into other royal families. Assorted toffs, including Mary's bloke, Prince Fred, explain their shared history.

Great Battles of the Great War, SBS, Sat, 7.30pm:

This three part series explores Gallipoli, the three-year slogfest of Ypres and first up, the exhaustion of the Somme, a 19-week stalemate that cost 1 million lives and gained just 11km. A moving, powerful story.

Merlin, NBN, Sat, 7.30pm:

The old sorcerer (Sam Neill) recounts his heyday and when he had to choose between loyalty and love. It's an ambitious, all-star drama featuring great acting thanks to a top shelf cast, including Helena Bonham-Carter, Isabella Rossellini, James Earl Jones and John Gielgud.

The Brush Off, Prime, Sun, 8.30pm:

Melbourne crime writer Shane Maloney's shambolic political fixer, Murray Whelan (David Wenham) returns for another funny romp in this clever offbeat drama. It's a whodunit with an artist bumped off and Murray playing (a very) amateur detective. Mick Molloy also stars among plenty of great cameos.

The Last Castle, NBN, Sun, 8.30pm:

A three-star general (Robert Redford) and war hero is locked up for disobeying orders and ends up butting heads with the thuggish prison boss (James Gandolfini). Of course the guards and prisoners love the good guy. It's a sloppy mix of patriotism and misplaced sentiment with a plot containing holes big enough for everyone to escape.

Six Feet Under, NBN, Mon, 10.30pm:

It's been a long time coming for fans eager to learn of the fallout in the Fisher family after Nate's partner, Lisa, mysteriously went missing. It's a beautifully written, oddball drama, worth watching especially for Rachel Griffith's neurotic Brenda.

The Way the Music Died, SBS, Tues, 8.30pm:

The music industry is in serious trouble. Some blame the internet. In just three years, sales have dropped $12 billion to $28 billion. This doco follows the fortunes of legend David Crosby and hopeful newcomers. Of course 20% growth for 25 years might suggest that the industry's not in crisis - they're just used to having it too good for too long.