Film Planner

Saturday February 17

★★★★ The Revenant (2015) 9.30pm RTÉ2

Set in the snowy wastes of North America, this is the true story of a mountain man (Oscar-winner Leo Dicaprio) who survives a horrific attack by a grizzly bear and then slowly sets out to exact revenge against the man ( Tom Hardy) who deserted him.

★★★★ The Mission (1986) 12.20am RTÉ2

Roland Joffe’s award-winning drama is set in Brazil in the late eighteenth century, and concerns the attempts by two groups (imperialists and Jesuits) to win over the indigenous natives. The performances by Robertde Niro, Jeremy Irons and Mcanally are all superb.

★★★★ A Bump Along the Way (2019) 12.55am RTÉ One

Bronagh Gallagher is well cast as the fun-loving single mother who becomes pregnant following a one-night-stand, much to the chagrin of her teenage daughter (Lola Petticrew). The chemistry between the two leads is terrific. Zara Devlin (see page 34) and Dan Gordon co-star. Sunday February 18

★★★★ Fiddler on the Roof (1971) 1.40pm BBC Two

In one of the most popular musicals of all time, Topol is in terrific form as the Jewish milkman desperately trying to preserve his family’s traditional way of life in prerevolutionary Russia. The Israeli actor (who was only 35 when he assumed the role) was deservedly Oscar nominated.

★★★★ Zulu (1964) 3.10pm RTÉ One

Pure Boy’s Own fare as debutant Michael Caine commands a beleaguered garrison of British troops stationed at Rorke’s Drift in the middle of Zululand. Stanley Baker provides strong support, surrounded by stiff upper lips and Welsh chorals. Stirring stuff.

★★★★ In The Loop (2009) 12.20am BBC One

Armando Iannucci takes the bones of his award-winning political comedy, The Thick of It, and expands it for the big screen. Peter Capaldi takes centre stage as the Machiavellian communications director in Whitehall who verbally terrorises his Minister, mild-mannered Tom Hollander. Monday February 19

★★★ Footsteps in the Fog (1955) 12.45pm Film4

In this peasouper Victorian melodrama, Stewart Granger plays an aristocrat who poisons his wife only to discover he has been sussed by their housemaid, Jean Simmons. The chemistry between the two leads is terrific, which is hardly surprising given that they were married at the time.

★★★★ Alfie (1966)

9.35pm Sky Cinema Drama

Michael Caine shows us what it’s all about with his seminal performance as the Cockney ladykiller carousing his way through the London of the Swinging ‘60s. A tad dated it may be, but Caine is great value and the gals Millicent Martin, Shelley Winters and Jane Asher all shine.

★★★ The Guard (2011) 2.00am Film4

On paper, the story of a smalltown cop (Brendan Gleeson) who has teamed up with an FBI agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate a smuggling ring sounds suspiciously like your average buddy cop movie, but this is anything but. Kudos to director John Michael Mcdonagh’s razorsharp script and Gleeson’s performance. Tuesday February 20

★★★ 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

7.10pm Film4

This modern reworking updating of Taming of the Shrew is a notch above the usual high school romantic dramas thanks to the quality performances of the two leads (Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles) and a snappy script.

★★★ Red (2010) 9.00pm Sky Showcase

Robert Schwentke ( Flightplan) directed this cracking yarn about a retired agent, Bruce Willis, who finds himself called back into action and assembles an interesting team of former agents, including Helen Mirren and John Malkovich, to help fight his corner.

★★★★ Quartet (2012) 9.50pm Sky Cinema Drama

Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut is an awfully British tale centred on a retired home for musicians, whose carefully ordered life is thrown off-kilter by the arrival of a former diva. It’s an agreeable, highly entertaining yarn boasting fine performances all round.

Wednesday February 21

★★★★ Green Zone (2010) 6.00pm Sky Cinema Crime/ Thriller

Bourne goes to Baghdad in search of weapons of mass destruction in this solid if uninspiring thriller co-starring Matt Damon and Brendan Gleeson. Paul Greengrass delivers his typically kinetic turn behind the camera.

★★★★ The Fabelmans (2023) 8.00pm Sky Cinema Drama

Steven Spielberg’s autographical tale is a moving, coming-of-age drama that follows the fortunes of a Jewish youngster called Sammy (Gabriel Labelle) growing up in New Jersey in the 1950s. Both Michelle Williams and Paul Dano are terri c as his eccentric parents.

★★★★ Paris, Texas (1984) 1.10am Film4

Wim Wenders’ slow-burning road movie is the moving story of an aimless drifter trying to reconnect with his estranged family. Harry Dean Stanton is terri c in the lead role, well supported by Nastassja Kinski and Hunter Carson as their young son. The entire drama is underpinned by Ry Cooder’s haunting score. Thursday February 22

★★★★ A Room With a View (1985) 3.55pm Film4

James Ivory’s delightful screen adaptation of the EM Forster novel sees Helena Bonham Carter heading o to sample the aesthetic joys of La Belle Firenza, but nding herself scandalised by the amorous attentions of Julian Sands. The rst-rate cast includes Maggie Smith and a foppish Daniel Day-lewis.

★★★★ Philadelphia (1993) 8.00pm Sky Cinema Drama

Jonathan Demme’s powerful drama landed Tom Hanks the rst of his backto-back Oscars. Hanks is excellent as the up-and-coming young lawyer who, red from his law practice when his bosses discover he has contracted Aids, decides to take them to court for unfair dismissal.

★★★★ Rio Grande (1950) 11.00pm Film4

This cracking western completed John Ford’s Cavalry trilogy, following Fort Apache (1948) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). It chronicles the relationship between army o cer John Wayne and his estranged wife, Maureen O’hara. A host of Ford favourites are in supporting roles, including Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr and Victor Mclaglen. Friday February 23

★★★★ Far and Away (1992) 8.00pm Sky Cinema Drama

Faith, but would you look at young Tom Cruise: that broth of a boyo is truly a genuine Irishman, be the hokey. And riddle me this, who be that amehaired colleen by his side? Ara, sure t’would melt yer heart, and no mistake, I’ll be thinking.

★★★★ Ocean’s 13 (2007) 9.30pm RTÉ2

Following the débacle of their previous European outing, messrs Clooney, Pitt, Damon and Cheadle return to their Vegas roots for more capers and Rat Pack type shenanigans. And this time, Al Pacino proves a worthy adversary.

★★★★ The Eiger Sanction (1975) 11.05pm BBC Two

In this enjoyable yarn, Clint Eastwood is a college professor by day and an assassin by night (guess which occupation is the most convincing?) who has to nd a Russian killer among a mountain climbing team scaling the Eiger. Clint himself is behind the camera.