TV FILMS OF THE WEEK

1

TRON: LEGACY Tonight, BBC2, 10.45pm

IN THE 1980s, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) revolutionised the world with his technology corporation ENCOM. Then he disappeared without trace, leaving behind a young son. Twenty-five years later, grown-up son Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) visits his father’s rundown arcade where a misfiring laser transports him into the mainframe. In this world of programs and viruses, Sam is reunited with his father and beautiful protector Quorra (Olivia Wilde), and together they battle against Kevin’s digital doppelganger, Clu (Bridges again), and his army. This belated sequel to the cult favourite Tron is front-loaded with striking setpieces.

2

THE SPECTACULAR NOW Tomorrow, BBC2, 11.30pm

TEEN drama. Sutter (Miles Teller) is a popular high school student, but his drinking and refusal to accept that graduation is looming takes its toll on his girlfriend (Brie Larson), who dumps him. Sutter gets drunk and passing out on a stranger’s lawn, before being awoken by shy loner Aimee (Shailene Woodley, pictured with Teller). The two strike up a friendship, but will Sutter face his problems?

3

GANGSTER NO 1 Monday, Film4, 10.50pm

VIOLENT but stylish thriller. Malcolm McDowell plays an unnamed gangster who learns that an old associate, Freddie Mays, is about to be released from prison after 30 years. The action flashes back to the 1960s when the gangster (now Paul Bettany, pictured) became Mays’ (David Thewlis) right-hand man. Their relationship sours when his mentor falls for nightclub hostess Karen (Saffron Burrows).

4

THE SOCIAL NETWORK Tuesday, Sony Movies, 9pm

DRAMA charting the early days of Facebook, which – according to this version of events – began when Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg, pictured) got dumped, got drunk and launched an online site allowing fellow Harvard students to rank their female classmates according to attractiveness. The prank gives him an idea for a more successful site, but as the users mount up so do the lawsuits...

5

IN BRUGES Wednesday, Film4, 11.15pm

PROFESSIONAL killers Ray and Ken (Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, pictured) are ordered to lie low in Belgium when an assignment goes wrong in this splendid, dark comedy-drama. Instructed to pose as tourists, the pair are drawn into an increasingly surreal series of misadventures involving a dwarf actor and a drug dealer while they await orders from their boss (a hilarious Ralph Fiennes).

6

VERTIGO Thursday, Film4, 11am

ARGUABLY Alfred Hitchcock’s finest hour. Cop Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart, pictured), retires after his fear of heights leads to the death of a fellow officer. Old pal Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) hires Scottie to follow his wife Madeleine (Kim Novak), who Gavin believes is possessed. As Scottie’s interest in Madeleine grows, he’s drawn into a web of obsession, deceit and madness.

7

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Friday, Channel 5, 10pm

FOURTH film in the franchise. Despot Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) has enslaved five women to provide him with a male heir. Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron, pictured) kidnaps the women and flees with Immortan Joe and his army in pursuit. Among the chasing horde is Nux (Nicholas Hoult) and his prisoner Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy). After Max breaks free, he agrees to help Furiosa.