Saturday 08/10/22

The 39 Steps (1935) (BBC2, 1.15pm)

Hitchcock's 1935 masterpiece, adapted from the novel by John Buchan. Robert Donat plays hapless hero Richard Hannay who gets into a spot of trouble when a young female spy is murdered in his hotel room and he is framed for the crime. With the police in hot pursuit, Hannay heads for the highways of Scotland. En route, he meets a beautiful blonde stranger (Madeleine Carroll) who tries to have him arrested, but Hannay escapes by the skin of his teeth, with the blonde now (rather inconveniently) handcuffed to him. The twists and turns come thick and fast as the couple outwit the real killers and the authorities, culminating in a tense final showdown in a grand music hall. Perfect direction, perfect performances and some breath-taking chase sequences. They certainly don't make 'em like they used to.

Crocodile Dundee (1986) (Channel 4, 6.50pm)

A New York reporter ventures into the Australian Outback to interview legendary hunter Mick 'Crocodile' Dundee - and hits it off with him so well, she invites him to come back to the Big Apple with her. But while Dundee may be a natural when it comes to surviving in the wilderness, he finds it much harder to navigate the urban jungle of Manhattan. The fish-out-of-water storyline is a bit hackneyed, but there's a reason this film proved to be a surprise box-office smash - and that's leading man and co-writer Paul Hogan. He's hugely likeable as Dundee, a weathered action man who doesn't take himself too seriously, and the film coasts along on his charm alone. Linda Kozlowski also stars with John Meillon, Mark Blum and Michael Lombard.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) (Channel 4, 8.40pm) Premiere

The sci-fi sequel finds aspiring warrior Rey (Daisy Ridley) attempting to convince Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to rejoin the fight - but she also seems to be forging a psychic link with the villainous Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Meanwhile, with the Resistance running out of options, time and resources, Finn (John Boyega) sets out on a desperate mission with grieving mechanic Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) and droid BB-8. After the crowd-pleasing The Force Awakens, Rian Johnson's film proved hugely divisive among Star Wars fans, but there is much to enjoy here, including a terrific performance from Driver, who also gets a great fight scene.

Sunday 09/10/22

Chicken Run (2000) (BBC1, 2.35pm)

Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha) is a fearless fowl who is planning a daring escape from the clutches of evil farm owner, Mrs Tweedy (Miranda Richardson). Help arrives in the feathered form of a cocky American rooster called Rocky (Mel Gibson), who claims to be able to fly. Unfortunately, time is at a premium, and Rocky isn't quite what he appears, so poor Ginger has to concoct an elaborate back-up scheme to save them all from the chop. Chicken Run is a technical masterclass from Aardman Animations, playing out the plot of The Great Escape with a cast of Yorkshire fowl. Vocal performances are superb. Sawalha steals the show as the strident heroine who lays her own life on the line to rescue the flock, while Gibson's boisterous wise-cracking matches the energy of Nick Park and Peter Lord's direction.

Shrek (2001) (Channel 4, 4.00pm)

Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) is a grumpy green ogre whose peace is shattered when ruler of the realm, Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), banishes all the fairy-tale folk from his kingdom - and they end up seeking refuge in Shrek's swamp. Farquaad agrees to remove them if Shrek rescues spirited Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), so the ogre embarks on the quest of his life with motor-mouth donkey (Eddie Murphy, who steals the whole movie) amid colourful visuals and uproarious humour. The animation may have dated a bit since it was released, but the story remains engaging and contains laughs for children and parents as it twists the fairy-tale stereotypes.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) (Channel 4, 12.00am)

Based on the book by Lee Israel, Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a comedy drama set in early 1990s New York City about one enterprising forger who dug herself out of a deep financial hole by inventing signed correspondence from the likes of Noel Coward, Dorothy Parker and Tennessee Williams. Melissa McCarthy milks sympathy for her self-absorbed misanthrope, who boasts "I can't get caught. Fools get caught," thereby ensuring her downfall. Richard E Grant harks back to his glory days in Withnail and I to portray a foul-mouthed lush who lives from day to day on charm, and acts as a fence for the letters. Director Marielle Heller's picture dramatises the criminal enterprise with warmth and wit, and the script provides the Oscar-nominated leads with a feast of glittering one-liners.

Monday 10/10/22

Inside Man (2006) (GREAT! movies, 9.00pm)

NYPD hostage negotiator Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) enjoys living on the edge. He has been accused of stealing $140,000 and is keen to prove his mettle to the colleagues who believe he is guilty. Alongside his partner Detective Bill Mitchell (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Frazier's resourcefulness is tested during the tense stand-off between police and wily bank robber Dalton Russell (Clive Owen), who has taken staff and customers hostage. In a series of tense telephone conversations, Frazier and Russell attempt to size each other up, engaging in a frenetic game of cat and mouse with the lives of the hostages as the ultimate prize. Spike Lee's assured direction and good support from Jodie Foster and Christopher Plummer make this slickly executed heist thriller a must-see.

Parasite (2019) (Film4, 11.15pm)

Wily patriarch Kim Ki-tek (Song Kang-ho) presides over a family of con artists, including wife Chung-sook (Chang Hyae-jin), son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) and daughter Ki-jung (Park So-dam). They live in a squalid basement apartment in a poor neighbourhood of Seoul, but good fortune smiles on Ki-woo when a friend recommends him as an English tutor for teenager Park Da-hae (Jeong Ji-so). Once he has earned her wealthy mother Yon-kyo (Cho Yeo-jeong) and father Dong-ik's (Lee Sun-kyun) trust, Ki-woo recommends other members of his clan for positions of responsibility. However, housekeeper Mun-kwang (Lee Jung-eun) is suspicious. Parasite is a wickedly entertaining, genre-bending satire, which deservedly became the first film not in the English language to claim the Best Picture statuette at the Oscars.

Tuesday 11/10/22

Bad Boys for Life (2020) (Film4, 9.00pm)

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. Hard-wired 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.

The Lost City of Z (2016) (BBC2, 12.15am)

British artillery officer Colonel Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) is offered a mission mapping uncharted territory in Bolivia with the help of local tribesmen. Percy accepts and abandons his wife Nina (Sienna Miller) to venture into the unknown with aide-de-camp Corporal Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson). Percy returns home with a strong conviction that he has stumbled upon proof of a lost civilisation that will astound the academic elite. A second expedition in the company of wealthy adventurer James Murray (Angus Macfadyen) teeters on the brink of disaster, but Percy pushes forward, terrified of the consequences of failure. Shot on location in the Colombian rainforest, The Lost City of Z is a handsome tribute to one man's struggle against himself and Mother Nature.

Wednesday 12/10/22

The Girl Can't Help It (1956) (Talking Pictures TV, 11.55am)

Director Frank Tashlin worked on the animated Looney Tunes before he switched to live action, and that background is evident in this colourful, musical comedy. A mobster (Edmond O'Brien) has a dream to turn his beautiful girlfriend Jeri (Jayne Mansfield) into a star, and hires alcoholic press agent Tom (Tom Ewell) to make it a reality. There are only two problems - Jeri has no discernible talent, and Tom starts to fall for her. However, the slender plot isn't the real draw - it's the succession of appearances by early rock 'n' roll stars, including Little Richard, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran.

Rush (2013) (BBC1, 10.40pm)

During the 1970s, rubber burnt and tempers frayed between two very different Formula 1 drivers: charismatic ladies' man James Hunt and incredibly ambitious Austrian speed fiend Niki Lauda. Their daredevil duels reached a horrifying crescendo at the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring when Lauda's Ferrari burst into flames, trapping him in the inferno. Just six weeks later, Lauda emerged from hospital with extensive scarring, determined to prevent Hunt from claiming the chequered flag at Monza. This incredible story of courage and resilience is dramatised in Rush, Ron Howard's superb biopic that charts the rivalry between Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) from their early days through to the glamour of the Formula 1 circuit. Postponed from September 14.

Thursday 13/10/22

Sister Act (1992) (Film4, 6.55pm)

Nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) needs somewhere safe to stay after she agrees to testify against her gangster boyfriend (Harvey Keitel), and the cops have the perfect hiding place- a convent. She struggles to adapt to life as a nun but starts to bond with her fellow sisters after she rejuvenates the choir. Her modernising efforts don't go down well with the starchy Mother Superior (Maggie Smith), but they do get the church a lot of attention - which may not be the best idea for someone who's supposed to be keeping a low profile. This feel-good comedy had enough charm to become a box office hit that spawned a sequel and a West End musical. The script was originally written with Bette Midler in mind, but it fits Goldberg like a glove and Smith brings a touch of class to proceedings.

Belle (2013) (BBC4, 9.00pm)

Captain Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode) brings his illegitimate, mixed-race daughter Dido (Lauren Julien-Box) to England and entrusts the child to his aristocratic uncle, Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson). He permits Dido to stay, allowing his great-niece to become a companion to her cousin, Elizabeth (Cara Jenkins). As Dido (now played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) reaches adulthood, she is afforded certain privileges by her lineage but must remain behind closed doors at important social gatherings. However, her head is turned by idealistic lawyer John Davinier (Sam Reid), who is involved in a high-profile case involving a slave ship. Belle is the enchanting dramatisation of a true story of fortitude across racial and class divides. The ensemble cast delivers excellent performances, particularly Mbatha-Raw.

Friday 14/10/22

Knives Out (2019) (Film4, 9.00pm)

Wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) presides over a motley crew of dysfunctional relatives (played by, among others, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans and Toni Collette) who have their eyes on his vast fortune. He invites his kin to an 85th birthday party at his large mansion and apparently commits suicide by slitting his throat after doting carer Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) gives him his medication. Detective Lieutenant Elliott (Lakeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) attend the scene, accompanied by quixotic private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig, clearly have a blast). Knives Out pays loving tribute to Agatha Christie with a tongue-in-cheek country house whodunit, and writer-director Rian Johnson enjoys pulling the rug from under us.

BlacKkKlansman (2018) (Channel 4, 12.10am)

Spike Lee's impassioned, Oscar-winning movie handcuffs racial divisions in present-day America to the outlandish true story of a black police detective who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. African-American cop Ron (John David Washington) makes contact with a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan by simply ringing up its president Walter Breachway (Ryan Eggold) and pretending to be white. Jewish detective Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) is drawn into Ron's deception and the two men must impress Walter's second-in-command Felix Kendrickson (Jasper Paakkonen) if police are to get close to their prime target: David Duke (Topher Grace), Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Washington and Driver are a groovy double-act, and the script strikes a pleasing balance between suspense and humour.