Latest news with #SkyDocumentaries
Irish Independent
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes' review: Epic documentary on the ‘Piano Man' doesn't pull any punches
Even at a time when epic rock'n'roll documentaries have become the norm rather than the exception to it, five hours for HBO's two-part Billy Joel: And So It Goes (Sky Documentaries, August 2/3, and watch on demand) might seem excessive.
Extra.ie
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Here's how you can watch the amazing Mary Robinson documentary at home
If you missed the opportunity to see it in cinemas in 2024, the documentary on Ireland's first female president, Mary Robinson, has found a home on Sky. The documentary film, Mrs Robinson, premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh in late August 2024, and went on to receive a cinematic release. Now, fans will be able to experience the film at home, as Sky has confirmed it will air on Sky Documentaries this August. Mary Robinson documentary Mrs Robinson Pic: © 2024 Breakout Picture The film gives the now 81-year-old a chance to tell her story in her own words, and showcases her battles for justice and equality on the streets, in the courts, at the ballot box and in the backroom corridors of power for more than half a century. A reforming constitutional lawyer and senator in her early career, Mary Robinson detonated an electoral earthquake by winning the Irish Presidential vote in 1990. Mary Robinson in Mrs Robinson Pic: © 2024 Breakout Picture Later, as a crusading UN High Commissioner, she built a lasting legacy, fearlessly challenging perpetrators of human rights abuses all over the world. To this day, she exerts power and leadership as the Chair of The Elders — an independent group of global leaders (founded by Nelson Mandela) who work for peace, justice and human rights. Mary Robinson documentary Mrs Robinson Pic: © 2024 Breakout Picture The film is directed by Aoife Kelleher and aside from its appearance at the Galway Film Fleadh, it also screened at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and was nominated for an IFTA.
RTÉ News
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
August TV shows movies and music
Check out the latest movies, TV shows and music to enjoy this August. Movies Naked Gun, 1 August Television Mrs Brown's Boys, 9.35pm RTÉ One, 1 August A brand new season of Mrs Brown's Boys kicks off on RTÉ One as Agnes and her gang return for more laughs, chaos and heartfelt moments. In the season five opener, Agnes accidentally becomes a podcast sensation, as Cathy is horrified to discover her parent accidentally hijacking her new online venture The Best of The Late Late Show, 10.10pm RTÉ One, 1 August The Late Late Show presents some highlights from the RTÉ One chat show, including when host Patrick Kielty was joined by Hollywood guests Christina Hendricks and Chris O'Dowd, and long-time friends Aidan Quinn and Colin Farrell. Billy Joel: And So It Goes, Sky Documentaries & NOW, 3 August Billy Joel: And So It Goes is a portrait of the life and music of American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting. The documentary features never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews. Wednesday, Netflix, 6 August The first part of the highly-anticipated second season of the Netflix supernatural-comedy Wednesday lands on the streaming platform on 6 August, with the second part following on 3 September. The series, which was filmed in Ireland, sees Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), returning to prowl the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await. A description from the streamer reads: "Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery." Alien: Earth, Disney+, 13 Aug Noah Hawley's sci-fi horror series Alien: Earth, based on the Alien movie franchise, looks promising. Set in the year 2120, cyborgs (humans with both biological and artificial parts) and synthetics (humanoid robots with artificial intelligence) exist alongside humans. But the game is changed with a new technological advancement: hybrids (humanoid robots infused with human consciousness) - marking a new dawn in the race for immortality. Love is Blind UK, season two, Netflix, 13 August The first season of Love is Blind UK was a breath of fresh air when it launched last August, and now fans have a brand new season to look forward to. Hosted yet again by husband-and-wife duo Matt and Emma Willis, the dating show will see a new batch of UK and Ireland-based singletons on the hunt for love, in the most unconventional manner. Episodes 1-4 drop on 13 August, 5-8 land on 20 August and the 9-10 are released on 27 August. Hostage, Netflix, 21 August Well this looks interesting. The always-excellent Suranne Jones (Vigil, Doctor Foster) stars in this new political thriller as UK Prime Minister Abigail Dalton. She is in a tense border standoff in a summit with the French President Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy), when she gest word that her husband has been abducted. She faces the ultimate choice - give up her power and get her husband back, or refuse to negotiate and risk losing him. Music Cian Ducrot - Little Dreaming, 1 August He's already won a Grammy as co-writer of SZA's hit Saturn and now the lad from Passage West releases his second album, Little Dreaming. Apparently, he wrote over 100 songs for the new release before paring it down to 16 tracks influenced by Seventies and Eighties stars such as Elton John, Michael Jackson and Queen. Jonas Brothers - Greetings From Your Hometown, 8 August Swoon! The Yank pop rock bros are back! We've already heard the singles Love Me to Heaven and No Time to Talk, which neatly nodded to those other pop siblings - The Bee Gees. And there's more - Joe, Nick and the one called Kevin will also star in their very own Christmas movie, called A Very Jonas Christmas, and there's a live album, too - Live from the O2 London. The Black Keys - No Rain, No Flowers, 8 August The thirteenth (!!) studio album from the US guitar boogie blues rockers sees them work with songwriter/producer Rick Nowels, Daniel Tashian and Scott Storch. As drummer Patrick Carney says, "We wanted to go straight to the source - into the room with people known for their songwriting." He may be from London but his dad is from Ballycumber. In fact, Tom has 'OY' (that's the car reg for Offaly) tattooed across his knuckles. Grennan has become the acceptable face of the emotional male singer songwriter boom and the Irish have taken him to our hearts over the past few years. We reckon it's that voice. Everywhere I Went, Led Me to Where I Didn't Want to Be is his fourth studio album and he's been mentioning George Michael, Prince, and Freddie Mercury as influences on his new songs. Album tracks include Full Attention, Shadowboxing, Shadows on the Ceiling, and Diamond. Alison Goldfrapp - Flux, 15 August Flux is second studio solo album from the mercurial and mysterious Alison Goldfrapp and it's being hyped as "some of her most undeniable pop hooks since Goldfrapp's iconic album Supernature as well as her most poignantly vulnerable songwriting to date." Tracks include Sound & Light, Reverberotic, and UltraSky. Maroon 5 - Love Is Like, 15 August They haven't gone away, you know! Love Is Like is the new album from the deadly dull US pop rock act led by the in no way annoying Adam Levine. It features guest appearances from Thai rapper and singer Lisa, Lil Wayne, and Sexyy Red. Music for people who don't like music. Kingfishr - Halcyon, 22 August Having just returned to No 1 with their break-out hit Killeagh and selling out every barn in Ireland, Ireland's fastest rising band release their new album Halcyon on 22 August. Expect the Big Music - big choruses, big voices and lots of banjo. We've heard it and it's a leap forward for the Limerick and Tipp lads. Think Dermot Kennedy busking with Mumfords. This will be BIG. Deftones - Private Music, 22 August The "Radiohead of metal" deliver their tenth album, Private Music, on 22 August and it's already been trailblazed by new single, My Mind Is A Mountain. Sacramento's finest recorded the new opus in various locations in California including Malibu and Joshua Tree as well as Nashville. The new album features new tracks such as Ecdysis, Infinite Source and Milk Of The Madonna and sees an already powerful act set to grow in stature and popularity. CMAT - Euro-Country, 26 August She razed Glastonbury and delivered a punchy takedown of Celtic Tiger complacency on her recent single and now Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson is set for world domination with her third album, Euro-Country. The new album was recorded in New York and co-produced by long-time collaborator Oli Deakin and CMAT herself. Euro-Country tackles big themes, including personal reflections on economics, identity and grief. Superstardom seems certain and how can she go wrong with new song titles such as Billy Byrne From Ballybrack, The Leader Of The Pigeon Convoy, The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station, Lord, Let That Tesla Crash, and Janis Joplining. Sabrina Carpenter - Man's Best Friend, 29 August There's already been a lot of pearl clutching over the controversial cover art for Sabrina's seventh album, with some suggesting it appeals to the male gaze and others claiming it challenges misogynistic expectations of women. Either way, the planet's premiere pop princess has released an alternate cover, which she described as "approved by God". Perhaps some people haven't quite rumbled just how subversive Sabrina really is. She's namechecked Donna Summer, ABBA and Dolly Parton as influences on her new songs and lead single, Manchild, has already been an Irish No 1 hit. There's plenty more where that came from on tracks like We Almost Broke Up Last Night, When Did You Get Hot?, and Don't Worry I'll Make You Worry.
The Guardian
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
TV tonight: Raquel Welch's son and showbiz friends tell her real story
9pm, Sky Documentaries Raquel Welch was a single mother with two small kids when she pulled up in Hollywood. She is best known as the biggest sex symbol of the era but this celebratory film whizzes through her life to tell her full story: from feeling pressure to hide her Latina roots to that famous fur-bikini poster, her complicated relationship with feminism, two Golden Globe wins and suing MGM for $10m for replacing her with a younger actor. Her son and showbiz friends share their memories. Hollie Richardson 6.20pm, BBC One Get ready to shout answers at the telly as Marvin and Rochelle Humes guide another three teams through the fun and fizzy pop quiz. Only the fastest duo will make it to the Chart Rundown round, where naming 10 bangers in quick succession could win them £10,000. Graeme Virtue 6.30pm, Channel 4 Will the Yorkshire Shepherdess, Amanda Owen, and her family manage to turn their abandoned farmhouse into a 21st-century home? We're now into the second series of their attempt, with separated husband Clive being laid low by a hip operation and the process being extended by planning permission to make the house bigger just having been granted. Alexi Duggins 8pm, Channel 5 If you've ever been interested in the Princess Royal's equestrian career, well … here's a whole 90 minutes dedicated to telling you all about it. She once competed in the Olympics – the first royal to do so! – and is the president of the Riding for the Disabled Association. HR 9pm, ITV2 Having spent the summer narrating both the US and UK versions of Love Island, Iain Stirling is surely due a break of his own. It's not quite time for a Jet2 holiday yet, though – there's still one more week of contractually obligated fun in the sun, starting with this compilation. Hannah J Davies Midnight, ITV1 The cat-and-mouse thriller about a random group of strangers being framed for a violent kidnapping continues. There are potential answers in New York but can the amateur fugitives keep it together long enough to escape the UK? The fact that their plan requires reliable train wifi does not bode well. Graeme Virtue Rumours, 1.15pm, 10.15pm, Sky Cinema Premiere A few weeks ago, Prime Video gave us Heads of State. A rollicking, deliberately dumb action movie about the US president and the British prime minister, Heads of State looked as if it was going to be the weirdest political film of the year. Turns out it wasn't even the weirdest of the summer, because here is Rumours. With three writer-directors, including Guy Maddin, it's a film about a G7 summit that finds itself being terrorised by marauding bog-zombies and, odder still, a giant brain. The fact that Cate Blanchett plays the German chancellor and Charles Dance the US president makes it stranger still. Highly silly and very funny, it's not something you are likely to forget in a hurry. Stuart Heritage Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, 2pm, BBC One Last year's vaguely nightmarish Harold and the Purple Crayon is an example of the pitfalls of attempting to stretch a children's picture book to feature length. With that in mind, 2022's Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a miracle. Based on a slight 1965 kids' book, Will Speck and Josh Gordon's film is an unexpected delight. There is a crocodile, he can sing, and all hell breaks loose. Not only are the songs (by The Greatest Showman's Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) genuinely good, but Javier Bardem gives one of the performances of his life as Lyle's unreliable owner. SH Fallen Leaves, 9.45pm, BBC Four As is to be expected – nay required – from the master of dour, deadpan humour, in Aki Kaurismäki's latest romantic comedy his two lonely, Helsinki-based central characters struggle to express their feelings. The potential match of Ansa (Alma Pöysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) is further stymied by him losing her number, his struggles with alcoholism and their shared inability to hold on to a job. Not a laugh-a-minute plot description, admittedly, but being immersed in the director's peculiarly Finnish world makes you wish the pair the best of an imperfect life. Simon Wardell International Rugby Union: Australia v British & Irish Lions, 9.30am, Sky Sports Main Event The second Test at the MCG. Test Cricket: England v India, 10.15am, Sky Sports Cricket Day four of the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. Cycling: Tour de France, 10.45am, TNT Sports 1/1pm, ITV4 The penultimate stage of the men's race, a 184.2km route from Nantua to Pontarlier. Cycling: Tour de France Femmes, 4pm, TNT Sports 1 Stage one, 78.8km from Vannes to Plumelec, with Giro winner Elisa Longo Borghini among the favourites. World Matchplay Darts, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event The semi-finals at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘My Mom Jayne': Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay crafts a moving tribute to her mother
Mariska and her older brothers, Zoltan and Mickey, were in the back of the car. The children were uninjured, but the driver and Mansfield's then boyfriend, the physically abusive Sam Brody, also died. Hargitay was almost left behind by rescuers, until Zoltan asked where she was on the way to the hospital. They returned to the scene and found her lodged under a seat. She was so young when Mansfield died that she has no vivid memories of her mother. 'It was like this little hole in my heart,' she says in the excellent My Mom Jayne (Sky Documentaries, Saturday, July 12; available on catch-up), a highly personal film that marks her debut as a documentary director. The Jayne Mansfield she knew when she was growing up is the one the world at large knew: the buxom, dumb-blonde sex kitten with the squeaky little-girl voice, which was a put-on. As she grew up, Hargitay recoiled from the image. 'I kind of looked the other way when I heard the public voice,' she says, 'because I knew she was really, really smart'. Mansfield spoke French, Italian, Spanish and Hungarian. She was classically trained in violin. Her teachers considered her good enough to play Carnegie Hall one day. What Mansfield wanted most was to be a serious actor. But in the Hollywood of the 1950s and 1960s, the ditzy, sexy blonde was a more saleable commodity to both the public and the sexist creeps who ran the system. As far as Mansfield was concerned, the sex symbol persona was only ever a tool to leverage her into a position where she could fulfil her ambitions. Instead, it boxed her in and suffocated those ambitions. By the end of her life and career, she'd been reduced to performing in nightclubs and appearing in a few tacky, third-rate movies. It's hard watching the clips of the many appalling indignities she had to put up with, even at the peak of her fame. There she is playing the dumb, man-hungry blonde while entertaining the troops with the odious Bob Hope. There's another clip of the repugnant Mickey Rooney ogling her breasts. Worst of all is an appearance on The Jack Paar Show. Parr, who preceded Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show, invites her to play the violin. She begins to play, only for Paar to rudely cut her off. 'Who cares, kiss me!' he says. The audience laughs and she smiles through gritted teeth. My Mom Jayne is Hargitay's attempt to connect with the mother she never properly knew. and to understand why she took on the demeaning persona. She takes a refreshingly unusual approach by sitting down for intimate conversations with her brothers and her mother's daughter from her first marriage, Jayne Marie. It's telling that the two women refer to one another throughout as 'sisters' rather than 'half-sisters'. After Mansfield's death, Hargitay and her brothers were raised by their father, the Hungarian-born actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, who was Mansfield's second husband, and his wife Ellen, who became a loving stepmother to them. Mickey, who died in 2006, was by some measure the best thing to ever happen to Jayne. If Hargitay's memories of her mother are fleeting and opaque, there's no doubt about her feelings for Mickey. He was a lovely man and a wonderful father. She adored him, and he adored her and his other children. But despite having as happy an upbringing as possible given the loss of her mother, Hargitay always felt there was something missing. This nagging feeling was exacerbated when her grandmother cryptically told her in her teens: 'I'm all you have.' When she was 25, Hargitay discovered, quite by accident, that her biological father wasn't Mickey Hargitay, but singer Nelson Sardelli, who's 90 now. Life as I knew it was irrevocably changed She was conceived during one of Mickey and Jayne's several splits before their divorce in 1964. 'The bottom dropped out of everything,' she says. 'Life as I knew it was irrevocably changed.' How she coped with that change makes for an exceptionally moving story of forgiveness, reconciliation, understanding, healing and in the end, the strength of family, both immediate and extended. It's a lovely film.
