THURSDAY

Ring Of Deception Three, noon Starring Chandra West, Steve Bacic. A woman who begins to fall for a new neighbour discovers his former girlfriend has murder on her mind. Not reviewed.

The Wrong Mother Three, 1pm Starring Vanessa Marcil, Stephen Snedden. The mother of twins comes up against the egg donor who wants to keep the babies for herself. Not reviewed.

Mortal Engines Three, 7.30pm Starring Hera Hilmar, Hugo Weaving, Robert Sheehan. Peter Jackson’s hand lies heavily over this ambitious movie, which has been praised for its incredible effects, but marked down for its narrative. The same could be said of some other Jackson works, but he rarely lets down viewers searching for a spectacle. And along with director Christian Rivers, he provides one in this post-apocalyptic tale of mobile predator cities which hunt and absorb smaller settlements. The novel on which it is based was full of metaphor and symbolism. That takes a back seat here and the adapted script is middle of the back in terms of its genre. ★★★

The Five-Year Engagement Bravo, 7.30pm Starring Jason Segel, Emily Blunt. Romantic comedies tend to stick to the tried and true – guy meets girl, guy loses girl, guy wins girl back. This one is no exception, but what sets it apart is that it is not afraid to tackle the sometimes thorny issue of work equality in a relationship. Full marks also to the strong supporting cast, who deliver more than their fair share of laughs along the way. ★★★

Date Movie

TVNZ Duke, 8.30pm

Starring Alyson Hannigan, Adam Campbell. Hopeless spoof of films such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding in the style of Scary Movie. Unfortunately, the filmmakers don’t seem to know when to cut a gag short and move things forward – every telegraphed joke is stretched to the point where it ceases to be remotely funny any more. ★

The Score M ori TV, 8.30pm Starring Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando. De Niro plays Nick, a disciplined safe cracker eager to finally retire and concentrate his energies on his Montreal jazz club. However, he finds himself suckered into one last big heist by his eccentric mentor and fence Max (Marlon Brando, playing gay with a lisp) and uneasily teamed with ambitious, risk-taking thief Jackie (Edward Norton). Norton essentially has the most screen time as he is playing two roles – for half the film his character poses as a dim-witted caretaker while casing the joint they’re planning to rob. Though the premise is familiar stuff and some scenes seemingly directed to soporific effect, it is the final third of the film, with its meticulous execution of the theft, that is nerve-inducing stuff. ★★★

Knives Out Sky Premiere, 8.30pm Starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis. It’s the sort of whodunnit popularised by the queen of crime fiction, Agatha Christie, but with a modern twist. Wealthy novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead and the police conclude it was suicide. But someone isn’t convinced and anonymously hires private detective Benoit Blanc to investigate. From here, it’s a brilliant sort-of comedy/thriller with enough plot twists to keep the most demanding audience happy. Daniel Craig is Blanc, while Chris Evans co-stars as Hugh Ransom Drysdale, the novelist’s bratty playboy grandson. Jamie Lee Curtis has a prominent role as the victim’s daughter, while the late Christopher Plummer belied his 90 years as Thrombey. ★★★★★