FILM HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY TOY STORY 2 (1999)
BBC1, 2.50pm Animation, with the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and Kelsey Grammer. A greedy toy collector steals Woody, leaving Buzz and the rest of the gang to come up with a plan to get him back. Meanwhile, the cowboy learns about a past fame that he had no idea about, and begins to question going home.
JINGLE ALL THE WAY (1996)
Channel 4, 3.05pm Festive family comedy, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. A father vows to get his son the most in-demand toy for Christmas, which sends him on a ridiculous journey to track one down, resulting in a rivalry with a delivery man.
NATIVITY! (2009)
BBC2, 5.20pm Christmas comedy, starring Martin Freeman. A primary school teacher is tasked with producing the annual nativity play. However, things get out of hand when he boasts that his ex girlfriend, a Hollywood producer, will be in attendance, despite the fact they haven’t spoken in years.
DIE HARD (1988)
Channel 4, 10pm Classic action, starring Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia. NYPD cop John McClane heads to Los Angeles to attend his wife’s office Christmas party. However, things take a turn when the building is taken over by terrorists. Now John must act as a one-man army and take them down, no matter the cost.
MONDAY 2012 (2009)
Sky One, 9pm Action, starring John Cusack and Thandie Newton. A series of global catastrophes threaten the future of mankind, leaving a struggling writer desperate to make sure that his family survives. Can they make it to one of the ‘arks’ that the world leaders swear are sanctuaries?
ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY (2004)
Film4, 9pm Comedy, starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate and Steve Carell. A 1970s newsman is flying high when his station hires a female co-anchor to work alongside him. This instantly leads to friction that turns into a full-blown battle of the sexes.
THE WATCH (2012)
Film4, 10.55pm Comedy, starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade. A group of men start up a neighbourhood watch in order to get time away from the grind of their daily lives. However, a series of bizarre events lead them to discover that the Earth is in imminent danger from an alien attack, and they are the only ones who can stop it.
THE WOMAN IN BLACK (2012)
Channel 4, 12.10am Horror, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer and Ciaran Hinds. A troubled young solicitor is sent to an isolated estate in the country to take care of the accounts of the recently deceased owner. However, he soon discovers that a ghostly presence is still in residence, and it is targeting the nearby town.
TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM (2006)
Film4, 6.45pm Family comedy, starring Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Ricky Gervais and Robin Williams. Larry is hired as the night security guard at the Museum of Natural History, where he doesn’t expect to see much action. But all that changes when he makes a shocking discovery — the exhibits magically come to life at night, which leads to chaos.
CAROL (2015)
Film4, 9pm Romantic drama, starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Sarah Paulson. Young clerk Therese lives in 1950s New York, but dreams of finding something more fulfilling. This is when she meets and falls in love with Carol, an older woman who changes her life forever.
WEDNESDAY RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)
BBC1, 1.45pm Steven Spielberg’s adventure, starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen and Paul Freeman. Archaeologist Indiana Jones is recruited by the American government to get one step ahead of the Nazis, who are reportedly trying to track down the biblical Ark of the Covenant. This sets him off on a wild adventure, one that involves a former lover, a rival adventurer and powers beyond his own imagination.
CHICKEN RUN (2000)
BBC1, 3.35pm Animation, with the voices of Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha and Phil Daniels. A chicken called Ginger wants to escape from the farm where she and her companions are being held. By chance a cocky rooster called Rocky arrives, who promises to show them how to literally fly the coop. However, his promises turn out to be far from honest.
GROWN UPS (2010)
RTE2, 9pm Comedy, starring Adam Sandler, Salma Hayek, Kevin James and Chris Rock. A group of old friends who have known each other since high school reunite after they hear the news that their old coach has passed away. They use it as an excuse to have a big get-together with their families, but ridiculous antics soon follow.
THE ROCK (1996) Sky One, 9pm
Michael Bay’s action, starring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage. A group of soldiers who are unhappy with how they have been treated steal a dangerous viral weapon and hold San Francisco hostage from Alcatraz Prison. A chemical expert is sent in with a former prisoner to attempt to resolve the situation.
THURSDAY INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984)
BBC1, 1.45pm Steven Spielberg’s adventure sequel, starring Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw and Jonathan Ke Quan. Indy’s latest adventure takes him and two companions to a remote village in India, whose residents say that their children have been taken prisoner in a nearby palace. The trio go to investigate and they discover a maniacal, magical plot that they must put an end to.
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERERABBIT (2005)
BBC1, 3.35pm Animation, with the voices of Peter Sallis, Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes. The inventor and his loyal pooch are busy with their humane pestcontrol business, when he has the idea to invent a machine to help them out. However, something goes horribly wrong and Wallace is transformed into a furry creature, intent on ruining the local fair. It is up to Gromit to find a way to turn him back.
THE NIGHT BEFORE (2015)
RTE2, 9.30pm Festive comedy, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie. Three companions who always spend Christmas Eve partying together decide that this year will be the last time. As a result one of them looks to make this the craziest year yet. Michael Shannon, Jillian Bell and Lizzy Caplan also feature.
FRIDAY INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989)
BBC1, 1.45pm Steven Spielberg’s third entry in the adventure saga, starring Harrison Ford, Sean Connery and Alison Doody. Indy embarks on a globe-trotting adventure after his archaeologist father vanishes while on the hunt for the Holy Grail. It transpires that the Nazis are also looking for it, resulting in a race to find the divine relic.
PUSS IN BOOTS (2011)
BBC1, 3.40pm Animation, with the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek (left) and Zach Galifianakis. The titular feline hero must team with crook Kitty Softpaws and his old friend-turned-nemesis Humpty Dumpty to track down the legendary golden goose.
SATURDAY MONSTERS VS ALIENS (2009)
TG4, 5.20pm Animation, with the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Rainn Wilson and Stephen Colbert. A bride-to-be is transformed into a giant on her big day, resulting in the government recruiting her for a special program. Teaming with other monsters, they are the last hope when an alien menace threatens the safety of Earth. RTE1, 6.35pm Live-action remake of the animated classic, starring Lily James. Cinderella is sent to live with her cruel stepmother after her father’s death. She is made to do all of the ghastly chores around the house and dreams of escape. One day she meets a dashing prince, and her future promises to be truly magical.
CHRISTMAS EVE HOME ALONE (1990)
RTE1, 2.10pm Classic Christmas comedy, starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Young Kevin McCallister gets left behind when his family accidentally leave for a winter vacation without him. But what starts out as a fun time for him soon turns into a mission to stop the two bumbling burglars that have targeted his home.
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (2013) BBC1, 2.20pm
Animated prequel, starring Billy Crystal, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi. Cyclops Mike gets accepted into the top scare school, where he meets his future best friend, the furry Sulley. However, the pair don’t get off on the right foot and a rivalry is formed. They will have to learn to work together if they want to make it through their studies.
CASINO ROYALE (2006) ITV2, 9pm
Espionage action, starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen and Judi Dench. James Bond’s first mission as a double-0 agent sees him investigate the merciless banker Le Chiffre, who uses his money to back terrorists. This leads Bond to a high-stakes poker game involving the villain.
THE GREAT GATSBY (2013) BBC2, 9.30pm
Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the classic novel, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. A writer moves to Long Island where he becomes fascinated with the lavish lifestyle of his mysterious neighbour. However, he soon finds out that there is more to him than meets the eye.
CHRISTMAS DAY
BBC1, 1.20pm Animation, featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. Woody, Buzz and the gang are accidently sent to a day care centre, which they are shocked to discover is run by a tyrannical bear. They must now find a way to escape his fuzzy clutches.
BIG HERO 6 (2014)
RTE1, 3.50pm Animation, with the voices of Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit and Jamie Chung. Bright young inventor Hiro suffers a personal tragedy that leads him to befriend lovable robot Baymax. Together they put together a superpowered team of companions when their city is threatened by a masked villain.
SPECTRE (2015)
RTE1, 5.30pm Thrilling action, starring Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz and Lea Seydoux. James Bond tracks a mysterious criminal organisation all the way back to their leader, who has a personal score to settle that goes back to 007’s past. RTE2, 10pm Marvel’s sci-fi action, starring Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel and Zoe Saldana.
Peter Quill finds himself on a wild adventure when the villainous Ronan comes after a powerful artefact in his possession. Teaming up with a rag-tag band of misfits, it is down to them to save the Galaxy.
ST STEPHEN’S DAY
BBC1, 2.10pm Animation, starring Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes and Omid Djalili. The lovable sheep’s day off turns into an adventure that sees his flock end up in the big city. It is now up to the ever-resourceful Shaun to get them home safely. RTE2, 6.20pm Action, starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer. Renegade Comanche Tonto rescues Texas Ranger John Reid after a group of bandits leave him for dead. Together they set out to exact revenge on the criminals.
JURASSIC WORLD (2015)
RTE1, 6.25pm Sci-fi action, starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard (below) and Vincent D’Onofrio. The dinosaur theme park has seen a drop in visitors, so the powers-that-be decide to engineer a brand new breed of attraction. However, it demonstrates abilities beyond their expectations and escapes. It is up to keeper Owen and operations manager Claire to find a way to stop the dangerous carnivore before it kills everything in its path.
KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE (2014)
RTE2, 9.30pm Action-packed comedy, starring Colin Firth and Taron Egerton. A young man, Eggsy, from a rough background is offered the chance to join a refined spy organisation. During his initiation, the agency is investigating the recent dealings of an eccentric tech mogul — a case that quickly turns into Eggsy’s first mission.
WEDNESDAY THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (2009)
BBC1, 10.45am Animation, with the voices of Anika Noni Rose, Keith David and Oprah Winfrey. A waitress with big dreams finds herself on an unexpected journey when a kiss from a frog magically transforms her into a croaking amphibian. It is up to her and her new croaking companion — himself a cursed prince — to find a way to get changed back.
BABE (1995)
3e, 1.40pm Family drama, starring James Cromwell and Magda Szubanski. A friendly pig who loves interacting with the other animals on the farm is spared from becoming Christmas dinner by the farmer. This results in the young piglet learning a remarkable ability from the dogs who act as his parental figures.
THE GUARD (2011)
RTE1, 9.30pm Dark comedy, starring Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Mark Strong and Liam Cunningham. An FBI agent comes to rural Ireland to investigate an international drug-smuggling outfit. However, he didn’t expect to be dealing with the unusual antics of an unorthodox garda.
THURSDAY GNOMEO & JULIET (2011)
TV3, 2.05pm Animation, with the voices of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt and Maggie Smith. Two neighbouring gardens are home to rival families of garden gnomes. However, things will never be the same when Gnomeo from one side and Juliet from the other meet and fall in love — leading to further headaches for the families.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (2014)
BBC1, 4.10pm Animation, featuring the voices of Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler. Young Viking Hiccup and his dragon Toothless find themselves on another adventure when they stumble across a remarkable den of firebreathers
BIRDMAN (2014)
RTE2, 9.30pm Alejandro G Inarritu’s Oscarwinning drama, starring Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton and Emma Stone. A struggling actor looks to make his big comeback in a play on Broadway. However, a difficult cast, tough family issues and the inability to separate reality from fiction soon pose serious problems for him.
FRIDAY BRAVE (2012)
BBC1, 4.20pm Pixar’s animation, with the voices of Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson. Young princess Merida acts out against the traditions her family want to uphold in finding her a husband. This leads her on a magical journey to save her mother.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (2014)
3e, 6pm Action adventure, starring Megan Fox and William Fichtner. New York City is being terrorised by the villainous Shredder and his Foot Clan. Fearless reporter April O’Neil is covering the story, when she makes a remarkable discovery — four mutated turtles who fight against the forces of evil are trying to rid their city of the maniacal tyrant and his goons.
SATURDAY SKYFALL (2012)
RTE1, 6.35pm Thrilling espionage action, starring Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem. James Bond jumps into action when M is targeted by a ghost from her past. He chases after the suspect, charismatic former agent Silva, but the villain seems to be one step ahead.
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)
BBC1, 8pm Superhero action, starring Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo. Tony Stark’s latest invention, an advanced artificial intelligence, turns against him. He must now reunite the Avengers in an attempt to stop Ultron, before it can build an unstoppable robot army. However, due to recent actions the group have their own personal issues to content with, leading to dissension in the ranks.