JOE.ie Irish Movie TV Listings Tuesday 10 November to Monday 16 November

With JOE's new column, you'll never miss a movie airing on TV again. Out of all these films available on Irish TV, my pick of the weekend is... The Eiger Sanction.

We are giving readers a greater heads-up about what films are going to air on TV and when. Scroll below for the best films on TV each night over the week.

Movies on TV, Tuesday, 10 November

Stephen Porzio's Crime Thriller Movie Pick of the Day

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - This 2017 film follows Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand, Fargo), a mother in the fictional Missouri town of Ebbing, whose teen daughter Angela (Kathryn Newton, Abigail) has been murdered.

Angry over the lack of progress in the police investigation into the killing, she rents three disused billboards near her home and puts up posters criticising William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson, Natural Born Killers), the town's revered chief of police.

"When his second-in-command, Officer Dixon - an immature mother's boy with a penchant for violence - gets involved, the battle is only exacerbated," the plot synopsis adds.

This mix almost feels like it shouldn't work. Yet, thanks to McDonagh's searing writing, the authentic characters, and the multifaceted performances, the picture is a tour de force, one which avoids easy answers in favour of capturing life's complexities and nuances.

If you don't believe us, Three Billboards holds a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score and was nominated for seven Oscars, winning two. Frances McDormand was victorious in the Best Actress category, while Sam Rockwell picked up the Best Supporting Actor trophy.

Movies on TV, Wednesday, 11 November

Stephen Porzio's Western Movie Pick of the Day

Along the journey, Jay meets Silas (Michael Fassbender, Hope), an Irish bounty hunter whom the teen subsequently hires for protection. It isn't long, however, before the pair stumble into trouble and find themselves hotly pursued by a gang of outlaws (led by Ben Mendelsohn, Animal Kingdom).

An underseen gem that is only 84 minutes long, Slow West is full of the gorgeous vistas, cool characters and action viewers would expect from a classic Western. Without spoiling, however, the more the movie plays out, the more it cleverly subverts audiences' expectations of the genre, resulting in a film that puts a fresh spin on an old tale.

Movies on TV, Thursday, 12 November

Stephen Porzio's Spy Movie Pick of the Day

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Set in 1970s England, this spy flick sees the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatch an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian general who knows the identity of a Soviet spy in the organisation's ranks. The mission goes wrong, however, and the general dies before he can reveal the information.

As such, veteran agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is called back from forced retirement. This is to ferret out the mole and stop the flow of vital British secrets to the Russians.

Also co-starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Firth, Kathy Burke, Stephen Graham, Toby Jones and Tom Hardy, the movie was directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In).

Boasting a flawless cast, a compellingly dense and intricate plot, and an atmosphere so chilly and sinister it practically seeps into viewers' bones, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is one of the best spy thrillers of the 21st century and perhaps ever.

Movies on TV, Friday, 13 November

Stephen Porzio's War Movie Pick of the Day

The Deer Hunter - This war drama begins in 1968 and follows Michael (Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken) and Steven (John Savage), lifelong friends from a working-class Pennsylvania steel town.

Preparing to ship out for military service in Vietnam, before they go, they attend Steven's elaborate wedding and embark on one final group hunting trip.

"In Vietnam, their dreams of military honour are quickly shattered by the inhumanities of war," the plot synopsis adds.

"Even those who survive are haunted by the experience, as is Nick's hometown sweetheart, Linda (Meryl Streep)."

The Deer Hunter sparked controversy for its depiction of Vietnam, particularly its much-publicised scenes of the Viet Cong forcing American captives to play Russian roulette, a plot point widely criticised as having no historical basis.

Nevertheless, the movie was a massive box office and critical hit. It went on to win five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Cimino, and Best Supporting Actor for Walken.

Decades later, the three-hour-long drama remains a devastating exploration of what critic Roger Ebert called "the deliberately random violence" of war and how it impacts an ordinary group of friends.

The film also boasts some of the best acting viewers are ever likely to see. It's worth noting that the great John Cazale (Fredo in The Godfather) has a supporting role in The Deer Hunter, which was his final movie appearance before his death at 42.

Movies on TV, Saturday, 14 November

Stephen Porzio's Action Movie Pick of the Day

"Hemlock must simultaneously determine which of his fellow climbers is a Soviet spy, kill his target and scale the deadly peak," the plot synopsis adds.

Co-starring George Kennedy (The Naked Gun) and Vonetta McGee (Blacula), The Eiger Sanction was based on the novel of the same name by Trevanian (pen name of writer Rodney William Whitaker).

Though Trevanian wrote the book as a spoof of James Bond-style spy thrillers, Eastwood chose to adapt the story in a less overtly comic manner.

You'd think this wouldn't work. Yet, the movie's blend of exotic locations, compelling spy intrigue, over-the-top villains, and stellar action sequences (Eastwood did nearly all his own stunts) makes it a must-watch for 007 fans.

Movies on TV, Sunday, 15 November

Stephen Porzio's Irish Movie Pick of the Day

Aontas - This Irish crime thriller follows three unlikely thieves, led by a woman on the verge of a breakdown, who rob a rural Irish Credit Union. Opening in the tragic aftermath of the heist-gone-wrong, the story unfolds backwards, chapter by chapter, to unravel the events that led to this point.

"What starts as a poorly executed robbery becomes a portrait of a wilful woman trapped in her own past," the plot synopsis adds.

Directed by Damian McCann (Doineann), Aontas stars Carrie Crowley (An Cailín Ciúin, The Walsh Sisters), Bríd Brennan (Anne Devlin, Dancing at Lughnasa), and Eva-Jane Gaffney (Harry Wild, Kin).

The movie has been highly acclaimed, picking up six nominations at this year's IFTA Awards, including Best Film.

Aontas has also been selected to represent Ireland in the International Feature Film category at next year's Oscars.

Movies on TV, Monday, 16 November

Stephen Porzio's Legal Thriller Movie Pick of the Day

Jagged Edge - The legal thriller centres around lawyer Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close), who reluctantly takes up the case of publisher Jack Forrester (Jeff Bridges). This is after he has been accused of murdering his wife for her money.

"As the trial develops, she is kept guessing right to the very last minute as to whether Jack is an innocent man or a cunning, manipulative murderer," the plot synopsis reads.

Jagged Edge's script was penned by Joe Eszterhas, the same writer as later cult classics Basic Instinct and Showgirls.

Thanks to its dark, twisty story and great performances, his 1985 movie not only scored an Oscar nomination in the supporting actor category for Robert Loggia, but also an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes.