Benedict at his best
Tropic Thunder 8.30pm, Duke Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr and Nick Nolte star in this 2008 comedy about a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie who are forced to really become the soldiers they are portraying. It’s packed to the gunwales with gross-out gags, deadpan lines and movie in-jokes. David Bowie - Five Years 8.35pm, Prime To commemorate the first anniversary of the much-loved musician’s death, there’s a welcome repeat of this 2013 BBC documentary that looks at a key half-decade in ‘‘the Thin White Duke’s’’ career, from Heroes to Let’s Dance. Includes previously unseen archival footage and interviews with all his closest collaborators. ‘‘The footage made it a long and satisfying dip in the bubble-bath of nostalgia,’’ wrote The Telegraph’s Michael Deacon. Underage and on the Stage 9pm, TVNZ1 Observational documentary series which goes behind the scenes at one of the UK’s largest children’s talent agencies, BizzyKidz. Along with her team, no-nonsense agency owner, Debi, navigates the careers of more than 1300 talented young wannabe stars. Beyond the Brick 7.30pm, Prime Better known as A Lego Brickumentary, this 2014 Saturday, 10.35pm TVNZ1 Those expecting a warts-andall biopic of Alan Turing, the man described by Winston Churchill as contributing more to winning the war than any other individual, but who was later treated shabbily by authorities for his sexual preferences, should look elsewhere.
However, those wanting a slick Tinker Tailor Soldier Spyesque thriller, or a well-acted period piece populated by a terrific cast are well catered for by this 2014 drama.
Based on Andrew Hodges’ biography Alan Turing: The Enigma, first published in 1983, this film, by Norwegian director Morten Tyldum, while not shying away from Turing’s homosexuality, does soft pedal those more controversial aspects of his life, playing up his relationship with fellow codebreaker Joan Clarke (a confidante, friend and interpreter) to the point where both Hodges and Turing’s niece have felt the need to speak out as to its inaccurate portrayal.
At Imitation‘ s heart though is documentary looks at the global culture and appeal of the Danish blocks. The story takes viewers through art galleries full of Lego creations, introduces the ‘‘Master Builders’’ who design and create life-sized Lego models (as well as those who employ Lego bricks to an understated yet compelling performance by Benedict Cumberbatch. His Turing is a complex, complicated hero, create their own films) and explores the world of Lego therapy. ‘‘Directors Kief Davidson and Daniel Junge drive home the company’s grown-up fan base by logging an amusingly eclectic array of celebrity testimonials including Ed Sheeran, Trey which allows him to hint at bursting emotions beneath a frosty yet flighty facade. – James Croot Parker and NBA star Dwight Howard,’’ wrote The AV Club’s Jesse Hassenger.
The New Celebrity Apprentice 7.30pm, TV3 With Donald Trump unavailable due to “a promotion”, the former Governator of California Arnold Schwarzenegger takes on hosting duties for the latest version of this popular US reality series. This season’s roster of celebrities includes Laila Ali, Brooke BurkeCharvet, Eric Dickerson, Boy George, Matt Iseman, Carrie Keagan, Carson Kressley, Lisa Leslie, Jon Lovitz, Vince Neil, Nicole ‘‘Snooki’’ Polizzi, Kyle Richards, Chael Sonnen, Porsha Williams, Ricky Williams and Carnie Wilson. The Incredibles 3.30pm, TVNZ2 Holly Hunter, Samuel L Jackson, Jason Lee, and Craig T Nelson are among the vocal talent for this excellent 2004 animated action-adventure. ‘‘A work of huge, if unobtrusive, ambition – a vision of modern life, appropriate for sophisticated adults as well as for kids,’’ wrote The Wall St Journal’s Joe Morgenstern. Back to the Future Part II 7pm, TV3 Described by no less than renowned scientist Carl Sagan as ‘‘the greatest time travel movie ever made’’, this 1989 sci-fi sequel has Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) flitting between 1955, 1985 and 2015 trying to stop the space-time continuum from collapsing. ‘‘Satirically acute, intricately structured and deftly paced,’’ wrote Time magazine’s Richard Schickel. It’s also worth watching to see just how close to the real 2015 the film-makers got. father’s shipping empire and rebuild a life for himself. But his father’s legacy is a poisoned chalice, and with enemies lurking in every dark corner, James must navigate increasingly complex territories to avoid his own death sentence. Thursday, 8.30pm Rialto This 2016 documentary looks at the life, work and political activism of one of the most successful television producers ( All in the Family, The Jeffersons) of all time, Norman Lear. ‘‘A lively bio-doc that succeeds eulogistically and contextually,’’ wrote The Globe and Mail’s Brad Wheeler.