PICK OF TV MOVIES

SATURDAY

Great Expectations (1946) (BBC2, 1pm)

There have been plenty of adaptations of Charles Dickens’ novel (the BBC recently brought us Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight’s take), but this one is by far and away the best. John Mills heads an excellent cast, with director David Lean creating the perfect atmosphere and setting. For the uninitiated, this classic tells the story of orphan Pip, who falls in love with the adopted daughter of an eccentric old woman, before a mysterious benefactor provides him with the opportunity to rise through the ranks of London’s high society. He soon forgets all about his humble roots, and isn’t prepared when he discovers the truth about the girl he loves and the stranger funding his new life.

The Remains of the Day (1993) (BBC2, 2.55pm)

Anthony Hopkins gives one of his best performances as Stevens, a butler in a 1930s mansion who devotes himself to his master and the smooth running of the household. In fact, he’s so dedicated, he puts the demands of the job above his own emotional needs, rebuffing the advances of the spirited housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) - and so obedient, he fails to question his employer’s (James Fox) increasingly pro-Nazi politics. Made at the height of period-drama specialists Merchant Ivory’s powers, this sensitive adaptation transforms Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel into a deeply moving drama. The impressive supporting cast includes Hugh Grant, Christopher Reeve, Peter Vaughan and Tim Pigott-Smith.

Bad Boys for Life (2020) (C4, 9pm)

Miami detective Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) barely survives a drive-by shooting. When he has recovered from his injuries, Mike hungers for revenge. Long-time partner Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence), who has retired from the force to spend more time with his family, warns Mike against playing judge, jury and executioner. His wise counsel falls on deaf ears and Mike goes to war flanked by a team of fresh-faced recruits. Mike persuades Marcus to join him for a final hurrah across the border in Mexico. Hardwired to entertain fans of the series, Bad Boys for Life barks to the same tune as its predecessors, albeit without Michael Bay at the helm. A heady scent of nostalgia permeates as Smith and Lawrence work tirelessly to rekindle the sparky rat-a-tat banter of their badge-wielding buddies.

SUNDAY

The Railway Children (1970) (BBC1, 2.50pm)

The charming children’s adventure film based on the E Nesbit novel stars Jenny Agutter, Sally Thomsett and Gary Warren as three youngsters forced to leave their comfortable, middle-class home in London when their father is mysteriously taken into custody. Although initially horrified by their impoverished state and bleak new home in Yorkshire (the parsonage home of the Brontes in Haworth provided the location), the move opens up an exciting new world for them, centring on the local railway line. Bernard Cribbins also stars and actor Lionel Jeffries stepped behind the camera as director; he also wrote the screenplay.

School of Rock (2003) (C4, 2.50pm)

Dewey Finn’s (Jack Black) dreams of becoming a rock star suffer a setback when he’s kicked out of his own band. Realising it might finally be time to get a job, he poses as his flatmate and starts work as a supply teacher at an exclusive private school.

Dewey is initially uninterested in his pupils, but when he realises how many budding musicians are in his class, he decides to secretly turn them into his own new backing group. The role of Dewey was written with Black in mind, and it shows - he’s perfectly cast as the slobby, overbearing but ultimately likeable teacher. Even more impressively, for a comedy about performing kids teaching an adult a few life lessons, it’s short on sentiment, thanks to director Richard Linklater, who gets winningly understated performances out of his child stars.

Supernova (2020) (BBC2, 10pm)

Taking its title from the blindingly bright explosion of a dying star, writer-director Harry Macqueen’s heart-breaking drama about living with dementia juxtaposes the fear and confusion of a patient with the anguish of caring family members, using a more conventional approach to storytelling than the similarly themed The Father. Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth play longstanding lovers whose on-screen familiarity is delightfully believable from the opening shot of the couple entwined in bed, whether it be playful teasing about the shipping forecast on BBC Radio 4 or a more serious conversation about medicines. The natural flow and ease of early scenes contrasts with a fraught, tear-wringing final act.

MONDAY

Independence Day (1996) (Film4, 9pm)

Essentially a reworked version of War of the Worlds, Independence Day sees a whole host of aliens visiting Earth, intent on destroying it. After the world’s landmarks are laid to waste spectacularly, it seems to fall to the Americans - in the form of cocky, courageous fighter pilot Will Smith, computer genius Jeff Goldblum and plucky president Bill Pullman - to save the planet. Don’t let the flag-waving patriotism put you off - or the Grand Canyon-sized plot holes, such as Smith’s remarkable capacity to fly an alien spaceship and Goldblum hacking into an alien mainframe with not so much a system error in sight, for that matter - this is glorious escapism. Featuring fun performances, a super David Arnold score and impressive special effects, it’s a blockbuster that deserved the hype.