The best films on the box this week
FRIDAY TOP SECRET! (1984) (Film4, 7.15pm)
AMERICAN rock ‘n’ roll star Nick Rivers (Val Kilmer) is asked to convert his communist fans to the joys of capitalism while touring 1950s East Germany. Unfortunately, he ends up falling for a beautiful woman and becomes embroiled in international espionage. This comedy contains a stream of inspired gags as it spoofs World War II movies in general and Elvis Presley’s cinematic output in particular.
SATURDAY THE NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE (2017) (Sky Cinema Premiere, 10am & 6.25pm) Premiere
IN OAKTON City, squirrels Surly (voiced by Will Arnett), Andie (Katharine Heigl) and their pals decamp to Liberty Park after their home, Nibbler’s Nut Shop, is razed by an explosion. Soon after, greedy mayor Percival Muldoon (Bobby Moynihan) reveals his intention to bulldoze the leafy oasis to build an amusement park. This animated sequel is derivative, but should keep the kids entertained.
SUNDAY WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (2017) (Sky Cinema Premiere, 1.10pm & 9pm)
TWELVE years after the ALZ-113 virus ravaged the globe, Caesar (Andy Serkis), his wife Cornelia (Judy Greer) and their sons are living in exile in the woods with the rest of the apes. Colonel McCullough (Woody Harrelson) and his forces attack the ape stronghold and kill most of Caesar’s family. The grief-stricken leader orders the survivors to flee while he exacts revenge on the Colonel. This fitting conclusion to the rebooted sci-fi franchise orchestrates a cataclysmic showdown between the last remnants of mankind and genetically enhanced primates.
MONDAY BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (2008) (BBC Two, 11.25pm)
AS A shy, middle-class student at Oxford University, Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) befriended aristocrat Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw), who invites his new friend to his family estate, Brideshead. There Charles meets the formidable Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson) and Sebastian’s sister Julia (Hayley Atwell). The two young men grow close, but a trip to Italy kindles a betrayal that will drive them apart.
TUESDAY BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (2013) (Film4, 6.35pm)
TEENAGER Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich) itches to escape the backwater of Gatlin for the big city. His restlessness is soothed by the arrival of Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert), the niece of reclusive landowner Macon Ravenwood (Jeremy Irons). Alas, Lena is reluctant to let Ethan into her life because she is a witch... Beautiful Creatures is a smart, sassy and entertainingly camp supernatural love story.
WEDNESDAY GREAT EXPECTATIONS (1946) (BBC Two, 12.35pm)
DIRECTOR David Lean’s adaptation of Dickens’ novel creates the perfect atmosphere and setting. It tells the story of orphan Pip, who falls in love with the adopted daughter of an eccentric old woman. A mysterious benefactor gives him the opportunity to rise through the ranks of London’s high society. However, he soon forgets his humble roots, and isn’t prepared to discover the truth about the girl he loves and the stranger funding his new life.
THURSDAY THE WAR WAGON (1967) (Film4, 2.55pm)
TAW Jackson (John Wayne) is framed for a crime he didn’t commit by corrupt mining contractor Frank Pierce (Bruce Cabot) who wanted to get his hands on the gold in Taw’s land. Once he gets out of prison, Taw joins forces with hired gun Lomax (Kirk Douglas) to steal a consignment of Pierce’s gold from an armoured stagecoach. This Western may not be a classic, but it’s a lot of fun thanks the rapport between the leading men.