Top films to watch on TV this week
WEDNESDAY
Sunshine on Leith (2013) Film4, 4.50p.m.
Davy (George MacKay) and best mate Ally (Kevin Guthrie) return home to Leith after a roadside explosive kills one of their band of brothers during a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Ally falls into the arms of his girlfriend Liz (Freya Mavor), who is Davy’s sister, while Davy kindles romance with Liz’s best friend, Yvonne (Antonia Thomas).
Ally buys a ring, intending to go down on bended knee at the forthcoming 25th anniversary party of Davy and Liz’s parents, Rab (Peter Mullan) and Jean (Jane Horrocks), but a dark secret threatens to tear the family apart.
Adapted from Stephen Greenhorn’s critically acclaimed 2007 stage musical, Sunshine on Leith is an unabashedly feel-good tale of friendship and loyalty that draws inspiration from the songbook of Charlie and Craig Reid, aka The Proclaimers.
THURSDAY
Lincoln (2012) Film4, 9 p.m. January 1865. Two months have passed since the re-election of Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis): the American Civil War rages on for a fourth year and the president’s thoughts turn to the highly contentious slavery bill.
Secretary of State William H Seward (David Strathairn) counsels against the motion, but Lincoln is adamant the Bill must be passed before the end of the war. Meanwhile the president contends with the mood swings of his emotionally fragile wife (Sally Field).
Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln artfully tears a page from history to immortalise the efforts of the 16th president of the United States to abolish slavery during a period of deep division.
Oscar winner Day-Lewis leads the terrific ensemble cast in style, internalising his statesman’s maelstrom of emotions.
FRIDAY
The Full Monty (1997) BBC1, 10.45p.m. Two unemployed Sheffield steelworkers (Robert Carlyle and Mark Addy) fear they’ve been cast on the scrap heap, until they come up with an idea to raise some cash - stripping. They cast around for other unlikely exotic dancers to join their troupe, but even once they’re up to full strength, six packs and dancing ability are in short supply.
So how can they compete with polished groups like the Chippendales? By offering something different - full frontal nudity. There’s a reason this modest British film became a surprise international smash. It’s a funny, charming and heart-warming comedy that will have you cheering the unlikely strippers on.
SATURDAY
Monsters vs Aliens (2009) BBC1, 2.15p.m.
A green, glowing meteorite lands on Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) causing her to grow to an impressive 49ft 11in tall. Susan is herded to a secure military facility where she meets fellow captives including brilliant inventor Dr Cockroach PhD (Hugh Laurie), half-ape half-fish The Missing Link ( Will Arnett), indestructible gelatinous mass BOB (Seth Rogen) and a 350-footlong grub called Insectosaurus.
When megalomaniac alien Gallaxhar (Rainn Wilson) plots to destroy mankind, President Hathaway (Stephen Colbert) issues an executive order to free the monsters and set them upon the invader from another planet.
Monsters vs Aliens is a blast from its eye-popping start to uproarious finish, peppered with cute visual gags.
SUNDAY
In the Line of Fire (1993) ITV4, 10p.m. Secret service agent Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) is still haunted by his failure to save JFK. Thirty years later, a CIA-trained assassin (John Malkovich) torments Frank, telling him he’s going to kill the US President, and wants the ageing agent to try and foil his plan. Everyone thinks Frank is losing the plot - until disaster looks set to strike in Dallas.
Eastwood and Malkovich are at their acting best in this edge-of-your-seat cat-and-mouse thriller from director Wolfgang Petersen.
Taking a break from being behind the camera (his previous venture was the massively successful Unforgiven), this is certainly one of Clint’s most exciting projects and the man who usually plays mean and moody characters delivers a rare degree of warmth to his role.