THE WEEK’S BEST FILMS

SATURDAY Brave (2012) (BBC1, 4.15pm) Spotlight (2015) (BBC2, 9.15pm)

King Fergus of Clan DunBroch (voiced by Billy Connolly) and his wife Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) plan to marry off their daughter Merida (Kelly Macdonald) to the first-born son of one of the other clans. However, Merida disrupts the Highland Games, which are designed to test the suitors, then flees into the forest where she encounters a witch (Julie Walters). “I want a spell to change my mum. That’ll change my fate,” the princess tells the hag. So the witch gives Merida an enchanted cake and when Queen Elinor takes a bite, she metamorphoses into a bear. The princess is consumed with regret and fears her father will kill Queen Elinor in her fearsome new form. So mother and daughter head into the wilderness to break the spell.

Deputy managing editor Ben Bradlee Jr (John Slattery) presides over the Boston Globe newsroom and has direct responsibility for the Spotlight team led by Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton). The team is mired in a potentially explosive story. Lawyer Mitchell Garabedian (Stanley Tucci) claims to have documents which prove Cardinal Bernard Law (Len Cariou) knew about abuse in the diocese and did nothing. Marty authorises Robby to quietly pursue the story before he is personally summoned to a meeting with the Cardinal. Battle lines are drawn and Robby pleads with his writers to keep their emotions in check as they are confronted with horrific stories of shattered innocence.

SUNDAY The Book of Life (2014) (Channel 4, 1.25pm)

A group of unruly schoolchildren find the fabled Book of Life and focus on one particular story, which unfolds on the Day of the Dead. Rival gods La Muerte and Xibalba agree a wager on the resolution of a love triangle involving two boys, Manolo and Joaquin, who are both in love with their friend Maria. La Muerte believes that sensitive Manolo will get the girl and realise his musical ambitions. Meanwhile, Xibalba selects courageous Joaquin as his champion and secretly boosts the young man’s chances with an enchanted medal of protection. When the time comes for Maria to choose, conniving Xibalba attempts to influence her decision to ensure he wins the bet.

Killing Them Softly (2012) (Film4, 11.10pm)

Low-level crook Johnny Amato learns that mobster Markie Trattman staged a robbery at one of his own card games in order to steal the pot. So Amato hatches a cunning plan to rob another card game and point the finger of suspicion at Markie. He hires Frankie to pull off the heist and he in turn foolishly recruits unreliable junkie Russell as a second gunman. Against the odds, Frankie and Russell manage to hold up the game and make off with the booty. Mob go-between Driver calls in hitman Jackie Cogan to identify the perpetrators and make them pay. Naturally, Markie is the prime suspect for the robbery but Jackie likes to be thorough and he searches for other likely candidates, setting in motion a terrifying turn of events.

MONDAY Unbroken (2014) (Film4, 9pm)

Angelina Jolie directed this enthralling biopic about US Olympian Louis Zamperini, played by Jack O’Connell. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Louis finishes a creditable