Life of Pi
film / 8.00pm / C4
a boy adrift on a boat with only a tiger for company. The premise of director Ang Lee’s 2012 film is simple, but its looks – Oscars for cinematography, direction and special effects – are exceptional. Probably best described as an adventure with spiritual overtones, Life of Pi also has the dubious honour of having completely eclipsed Kon-tiki, another fine 2012 ocean-going drama, about Thor Heyerdahl’s 4,300-mile voyage on a balsa wood raft (also on tonight, on BBC4 at 9.00pm).