7 TV FILMS OF THE WEEK
1
A MONSTER CALLS
Tonight, BBC1, 10.30pm
ADAPTED by Patrick Ness from his award-winning novel, this fantasy drama is a tender coming-of-age story that will strike a chord with anyone who has lost a loved one to terminal illness. Reclusive schoolboy Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougall) is in denial about the dark shadow hanging over his mother (Felicity Jones) and seeks refuge in his vivid illustrations. As darkness falls, a nearby yew tree magically comes to life and morphs into a gnarled creature (voiced by Liam Neeson). The behemoth visits Conor and promises to share three parables. The creature demands just one thing in return: “Tell me your nightmare.”
2
PADDINGTON Tomorrow, Film4, 5pm
LITTLE bear Paddington, pictured (voiced by Ben Whishaw), is raised in deepest, darkest Peru by his elderly aunt and uncle. When tragedy strikes, he’s dispatched by boat to London where he is taken in by the Brown family (Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Samuel Joslin and Madeleine Harris). Unfortunately, the bear also attracts the attention of a despicable taxidermist (Nicole Kidman).
3
FUNNY GIRL
Tuesday, Sony Movies Classic, 1pm
ROMANTIC musical. Comedienne Fanny Brice (Best Actress Oscar winner Barbra Streisand) escapes life in the Lower East Side of New York, to become one of the star performers at Ziegfield Follies. Showbiz success contrasts with her personal fortunes: her marriage to suave Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif, pictured with Streisand) falters. Iconic songs here include People and Don’t Rain On My Parade.
4
LAYER CAKE Wednesday, Sony Movies, 11.20pm
THRILLER. Daniel Craig (pictured) stars as a drug dealer with an ambition to earn as much money as he can before quietly leaving the business. However, as we enter his murky world, we learn the peaceful existence he loves is about to be shattered when his boss hands him an assignment to track down the daughter of a crime kingpin. Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon and Colm Meaney also star.
5
WHISKY GALORE! Thursday, BBC2, 3.25pm
DELIGHTFUL Ealing comedy. When a freighter runs aground in fog on a Hebridean island, the locals are pleased to learn the boat is laden with cases of whisky, supplies of which have been depleted following wartime rationing. Sgt Odd (Bruce Seton, pictured) colludes with the islanders to conceal the booty, but Cpt Waggett (Basil Radford) from the Home Guard is determined to recover the alcohol.
6
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK Friday, BBC1, 6.40pm
ALL-ACTION archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford, pictured) made the perfect debut in this hugely enjoyable adventure. He goes in search of the legendary Ark of the Covenant, encountering Nazis and his old flame Marion (the spirited Karen Allen) along the way. Ford is perfect as the hero, although he famously wasn’t the first choice for the role – it was originally offered to Tom Selleck.
7
PAN
Saturday, ITV2, 5.50pm
A NEW take on the classic JM Barrie story. Peter Pan flies back to the time before Wendy. Orphan Peter (Levi Miller, pictured right) is kidnapped by Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman), who uses kids to mine for pixie dust. He meets Hook (Garrett Hedland) and they team up to stop the destruction of Neverland with the help of Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara).