FILM HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY
THE MUMMY (1999) ITV2, 4.55pm Fantasy adventure, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz (below right), John Hannah
and Kevin J O’Connor. Bookish museum worker Evelyn teams up with roguish military deserter Rick to track down a long-lost Egyptian treasure. However, their exhibition accidentally awakens an ancient, evil priest who looks to give his lover life again, and enslave the rest of the world. It’s now up to Evelyn and Rick to find a way to stop the villain.
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (2014) ITV2, 7.15pm The conclusion to Peter Jackson’s epic fantasy trilogy, starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman
and Richard Armitage. After reclaiming their homeland from the clutches of Smaug, the dwarves find themselves surrounded on all sides by the forces of evil. Now they must unite with men and elves if they are to finally conquer the massing threat once and for all. Meanwhile, Gandalf ’s encounter with the sinister Necromancer takes another dramatic turn.
SPEED 2: CRUISE CONTROL (1996) RTE2, 9pm Over-the-top action sequel, starring Sandra Bullock, Jason
Patric and Willem Dafoe. Annie, who narrowly survived the incident on the speeding bus, is about to break up with her cop boyfriend, when he surprises her with two tickets for a luxury cruise. She agrees to go, but the couple end up in harm’s way when a psychotic computer hacker infiltrates the ship’s system, setting it on a collision course with a huge oil tanker.
THE WOLVERINE (2013) E4, 9.30pm James Mangold’s superhero action, starring Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee and Tao Okamoto. Logan is invited to Japan by an old acquaintance, who offers him a remarkable gift — he can remove the mutant abilities that
have plagued him his entire life. Logan agrees, but after the procedure he finds himself caught up in a deadly plot, which he must unravel without the use of his superpowered abilities.
MONDAY
CHANGELING (2008) Virgin Media 3, 8pm Clint Eastwood’s gripping drama, featuring a powerful performance from Angelina
Jolie. Every mother’s worst fear comes true for Christine when her son is abducted. The LAPD gets involved, and claims that it has found her child. However, when they are reunited, she is convinced that the boy is not her son, and that police are trying to cover up some kind of conspiracy. She decides to fight back and get to the bottom of the situation.
ALONG CAME A SPIDER (2001) TG4, 9.30pm Thriller, with Morgan Freeman, Michael Wincott and Monica Potter. Troubled psychologist Alex Cross is taking time off work after the sudden death of his partner when he is pulled back in to investigate the abduction of a senator’s daughter. The kidnapper has asked for him by name, so it’s up to Cross to find out why and solve the case.
BLADE (1998) ITV4, 10pm Comicbook action, with Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff and Kris Kristofferson. A halfman, half-vampire stalks other bloodsuckers in an attempt to wipe them out once and for all. However, he finds himself going up against a new threat, Deacon Frost, who has a sinister plan to take over the world.
TUESDAY
LEGALLY BLONDE (2001) RTE2, 9pm Romantic comedy, starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson and Selma Blair. Elle is so annoyed after her boyfriend breaks up with her before heading to law school that she decides to
follow him there and enrol. Although she may not seem as smart as the others in her class, she is determined to prove her naysayers — and her ex — wrong.
PAIN & GAIN (2013) Film4, 9pm Michael Bay’s over-the-top drama, starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Tony
Shalhoub and Ed Harris. A group of fitness freaks decide to kidnap a lucrative businessman and hold him for ransom. However, their scheme goes wrong at every turn, as they find themselves in deeper and deeper trouble.
GOODFELLAS (1990) ITV4, 10.05pm Martin Scorsese’s classic crime drama, starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci. Henry Hill is trying to climb the mob ladder, with the help of his lifelong friends. However, their actions lead to trouble, meaning that they will have to get creative if they are to survive in the dog-eat-dog world.
WEDNESDAY
PAUL (2011) ITV2, 9pm Comedy, with Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and the voice of Seth Rogen. Two English nerds are on a road trip across America, on the hunt for the country’s most iconic sci-fi locations. However, things take a surprising turn when they encounter Paul, an actual alien who is on the run from the government. They agree to help him in his attempts to find a way back home.
THIS IS 40 (2012) Film4, 10.55pm Judd Apatow’s comedy, with Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason
Segel and Megan Fox. Married couple Pete and Debbie find themselves struggling both professionally and personally as they both approach their 40th birthdays. They must get back on the same page if they are to overcome their problems.
THURSDAY
THE BOOK THIEF (2013) Film4, 6.10pm Wartime drama, starring Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. Young Liesel is adopted by German parents at the height of the Second World War. She finds solace in taking books from a nearby home, which she reads religiously. However, things take a turn for Liesel and her adoptive parents when they encounter a Jewish refugee, who they decide to shelter from the Nazis.
GOLDENEYE (1995) ITV4, 9pm Espionage action, starring Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco and Famke Janssen. British secret agent James Bond is sent to investigate the destruction of a Russian research centre. Along the way, he encounters the lone survivor of the attack, who helps him work out what happened.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) ITV4, 11.40pm Quentin Tarantino’s wartime drama, featuring an A-list ensemble cast that includes Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Melanie Laurent and Christoph Waltz. As the Second World War rages across France, a group of American soldiers go behind enemy lines to eliminate as many Nazis as they can. Meanwhile, the owner of a French cinema, who has a dark secret, finds herself handed an opportunity for revenge too good to miss. Michael Fassbender and Daniel Bruhl also appear among the cast.
FRIDAY
KNOCKED UP (2007) ITV2, 9pm Judd Apatow’s comedy, starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl and Paul Rudd. Ben’s one night stand with Alison comes back to haunt him when she appears on his doorstep to tell him she is pregnant. He agrees to help her out, but they find themselves constantly squabbling.
TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION (2014) RTE2, 9.45pm Michael Bay’s action-packed sci-fi adventure, with Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci and
Kelsey Grammer. The Autobots find themselves hunted by a crack team of humans who are hellbent on bringing them down. Out of options, they team with inventor Cade Yeager, who helps them hide from their foes.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995) RTE1, 11.55pm Crime drama, starring Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, and Kevin Pollak. Five criminals are brought in to appear in a police lineup following a hijacking. None of them are guilty and as a result are free to go. However, they use their chance encounter to plot a heist as revenge against the cops.
SATURDAY
BAD NEIGHBOURS 2 (2016) Channel 4, 9.15pm Comedy, with Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron and Chloe
Grace Moretz. Couple Mac and Kelly’s troubles are far from over after an unruly sorority moves in next door. Now they must team with one-time adversary Teddy to find a way to get rid of them.
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2014) RTE2, 9.45pm Sci-fi sequel, with Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Andy Serkis and Jason Clarke. Ape Caesar finds his leadership threatened, even as his species attempts a truce with a group of surviving humans.