Films of the day
What’s on the small screen this week
WONDER WOMAN ITV2, 5.45PM
Amazonian princess Diana (Gal Gadot) lives on the isle of Themyscira.WWI spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash-lands and when he tells the Amazons about the war with the Germans, Diana heads to the front, via London. (2017) ****
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS BBC2, 9PM
In 1561, a Protestant queen, Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), rules England. Her power is threatened by the return of 18-year-old Catholic cousin Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan) from France. Many English Catholics believe Mary is the legitimate heir to the English throne. While figures close to the Scottish queen plot against her, including cleric John Knox (David Tennant), Elizabeth’s court tries to manoeuvre her on to a path of civil war. (2018) ***
THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON BBC2, 10PM
Zak (Zack Gottsagen) is 22 and has Down’s Syndrome. He lives in residential care in North Carolina, where the elderly residents don’t share his obsession with pro wrestler Salt Water Redbrick (Thomas Haden Church). Zak yearns to escape and to enrol in a wrestling school. He sneaks aboard a boat. Fisherman Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) steals the craft and initially intends to leave his stowaway on the shore. Then a tender bond starts to form. 2019) ****
ROCKETMAN FILM4, 9PM
Taron Egerton takes on the role of Elton John in this biopic of the flamboyant singer. The film details Elton’s breakthrough years, touching on his relationships with his lyricist Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) and manager-lover John Reid (Richard Madden). It doesn’t shy away from the singer’s troubles with addiction. A fantasy version of the singer’s life, jumping from one time period to another. (2019) ****
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE ITV4, 8PM
James Bond (George Lazenby) tackles arch enemy Blofeld (Telly Savalas). Australian model Lazenby got a critical panning when he tried to take over from Sean Connery but many die-hard fans cite this as one of their favourite 007 movies. Diana Rigg makes for a Bond girl with a lot more substance. No wonder it was so heavily referenced in the recent No Time to Die.(1969) ****
IN THE HEART OF THE SEA BBC1, 10.35PM
Premiere. Director Ron Howard’s sprawling maritime adventure dramatises the real-life disaster that inspired Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick. Melville (Ben Whishaw) visits emotionally troubled seaman Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson). In flashback, he recalls how along the equator, whaling ship the Essex encounters a monstrous creature of the deep. With Cillian Murphy and Chris Hemsworth. (2015) ***