Monday 15/09/14

Tomorrow Never Dies (ITV2, 9pm)

What's It About? Media tycoon Elliot Carver sparks a war between China and the West so he can cover it in his TV, magazines and newspapers - and there's no prizes for guessing who's called in to stop him.

Bond's showdown with the sadistic Dr Kaufman is 'delicious', there's a car park chase to die for and a motorbike scene that would have given Evel Knievel nightmares.

Is It Any Good? Pierce Brosnan's second outing as the suave superspy proves to be one of the most polished entries yet. Some would argue that it's a patchy affair and certainly not as streamlined as GoldenEye, but TND bristles with fine moments.

It also boasts one of the best pre-credit scenes in the series' history, thanks largely to the David Arnold score, Vic Armstrong's stunt direction, and a near wordless performance from 007 causing havoc at a terrorist arms bazaar.

Anything Else? The German car park where Bond attempts to evade criminals is actually at Brent Cross shopping centre.

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher

Star Rating: **** 

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The River Wild (Channel 5, 10.55pm)

What's It About? Gail, an expert white-water rafter, takes her family into the great outdoors for a vacation.

However, the clan are soon joined by a pair of fleeing robbers, who insist on accompanying them down a particularly dangerous river to - what they presume will be - safety. But have they underestimated Gail and her brood?

Is It Any Good? Meryl Streep has carved out a hugely successful career by tackling a series of tricky roles. But until this vehicle came her way, she'd never really dipped a toe into the action genre.

Thankfully, she proved very adept and is a revelation here. However, it's the sizzling chemistry between Streep and co-star Kevin Bacon, who plays the chief kidnapper, which really makes the whole thing worthwhile.

Anything Else? Streep did most of her own stunts, and almost drowned after being swept off a raft while exhausted from a day's filming.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn, Joseph Mazzello, John C Reilly

Star Rating: ****

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The Woman in the Fifth (Film4, 12.05am)

What's It About? American writer Tom Ricks travels to Paris to win back his estranged wife and daughter and piece together his shattered existence.

Unfortunately, his attempts to woo back his family end in disappointment and Tom is forced to make ends meet by living in a rundown hotel in the suburbs and working as a night security guard.

Unexpectedly, Tom crosses paths with the elegant and seductive Margit and they begin a passionate affair, which consumes his every waking minute.

Then the husband falls victim to a series of bizarre events that endangers his daughter, and Rick senses the enigmatic Margit may not be all she appears.

Is It Any Good? Bafta Award winner Pawel Pawlikowski directs this fair adaptation of the best-selling novel by Douglas Kennedy.

It's helped by a great cast, and at 83 minutes there's no chance of it outstaying its welcome.

Anything Else? Sadly it's one of the lowest grossing films of recent years, bringing in just $113,800 in the States alone.

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas, Joanna Kulig, Samir Guesmi, Delphine Chuillot, Julie Papillon

Star Rating: ***  

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Tuesday 16/09/14

The Matrix Revolutions (ITV2, 9pm)

What's It About? The final part of the blockbusting trilogy finds the few survivors of the human race making a last stand against thousands of murderous squid-like robots.

Meanwhile, in the computer-generated world we know as reality, freedom fighter Neo tackles arch enemy Agent Smith who has infected the CG world with millions of copies of himself.

Is It Any Good? Hampered by more pretentious dialogue than a philosophy student's party, and a plot as complex as a John Le Carre thriller, this boasts some stunning visual effects and great action scenes. Don't think about it too hard and it works wonders.

Anything Else? The film opened worldwide at the same moment in every major city. By the second week of release, it dropped 66 per cent in total earnings.

Gloria Foster (The Oracle) died during production, so Mary Alice (who played her sister in a Broadway play) stepped in to replace her.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving.

Star Rating: ***

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US Marshals (ITV4, 10pm)

What's It About? Harrison Ford bailed on The Fugitive sequel, but here Tommy Lee Jones reprises his role as tough US Marshal Sam Gerard.

This time he sets out on the trail of Mark Sheridan, an escaped murder suspect whose protestations of innocence begin to sound increasingly convincing as the chase progresses.

Is It Any Good? In the early days of production, it looked like it couldn't fail, and with talented British director Stuart Baird on board, most people were wondering what went wrong when the movie didn't smash box office records.

It's a good not great sequel, boosted by Robert Downey Jr and the evergreen Kate Nelligan.

Anything Else? The seven-second scene where Wesley Snipes swings onto a moving train took 10 weeks to plan, and eight hours to set up.

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, Robert Downey Jr, Kate Nelligan, Joe Pantoliano, Tom Wood.

Star Rating: ***

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Escape from Alcatraz (Film4, 11.15pm)

What's It About? Based on a true story, it follows Frank Morris, a convict with a history of escape attempts, who is transferred to the notorious high-security island prison of Alcatraz.

His fellow inmates warn him that it's impossible to break out - even if you make it over the walls, the tides will get you before the guards do.

But after clashing with the brutal warden, Frank and three other prisoners think they may just have come up with a way to bust out...

Is It Any Good? Although it's not quite as iconic as director Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood's previous collaboration, Dirty Harry, it's still an absorbing, perfectly cast thriller.

In fact, the scenes set in Alcatraz are so compelling, that some viewers may think the actual escape attempt is a bit of an anti-climax.

Anything Else? Co-star Roberts Blossom previously played a UFO-spotter in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He later appeared in Always and Home Alone.

A lot of the location filming took place as night, as Alcatraz was still open to tourists during the day, with boats arriving every 30 minutes.

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Jack Thibeau, Fred Ward, Roberts Blossom, Paul Benjamin

Star Rating: ****

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Wednesday 17/09/14

The Sugarland Express (Film4, 6.40pm)

What's It About? The brilliant Goldie Hawn plays a distraught mother who persuades her incarcerated husband to break out of prison and help her take their baby out of foster care.

However, their plan doesn't exactly run smoothly and they end up running from the law across Texas - with a state trooper as a hostage.

Is It Any Good? Having graduated from a string of TV movies, a young director called Steven Spielberg made his debut feature with this drama.

This is a fantastic script, and the magic is only added to with such fabulous acting of the leads, Hawn, Ben Johnson and William Atherton.

If you didn't see this the first time round (or even if you did), be sure to catch it tonight.

Anything Else? The film is based on the events of 1969 when fugitives Robert and Ila Fae Dent kidnapped Kenneth Crone and led police on a chase through Houston.

Starring: Goldie Hawn, Ben Johnson, William Atherton.

Star Rating: ****

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Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (BBC One, 11.50pm, regions vary)

What's It About? Supermarket checkout girl Rosalee (Kate Bosworth) gets to meet her favourite film pin-up, the decidedly dodgy Tad (Josh Duhamel), after winning a competition thought up by his manager to get the idol's reputation back on the right track.

He quickly takes a shine to her, but will she go for the actor, or her best friend and long-time admirer Pete (Topher Grace)?

Is It Any Good? It might be on late at night, but this is likeable, easy viewing, perfect for sitting back and putting your brain into neutral.

Bosworth is perfectly cast as the lovely, mild-mannered Rosalee, whole co-stars Grace and Duhamel match her solid performance every step of the way.

This is a decent-enough compromise for women who fancy a chick flick and men who'd prefer a comedy.

Anything Else? Josh Lucas apparently turned down the role of Tad.

Starring: Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace, Josh Duhamel.

Star Rating: ****

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Tropic Thunder (BBC Three, 12.30am)

What's It About? Using a simple film-within-a-film conceit, Tropic Thunder centres on director Damien Cockburn. His epic Vietnam picture is behind schedule and over budget.

Taking the advice of a war veteran, he drops the actors into a jungle with the intention of filming them guerrilla-style - but the cast is oblivious to the fact that the surrounding warfare is for real.

Is It Any Good? This directorial offering from Ben Stiller unites some of Hollywood's finest comics in a slam-bang satire of war epics.

It might not be the funniest film ever made, but the cast are clearly enjoying themselves.

Steve Coogan is great as the troubled director, but it's Tom Cruise who steals the show in a glorified cameo.

Anything Else? Like his character, Kirk Lazarus, Robert Downey Jr is a method actor and stayed in character as Oriris (and, by extension, Lazarus) even while cameras weren't rolling.

Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr, Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan, Tom Cruise

Star Rating: ***

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Thursday 18/09/14

Killer Elite (5*, 9pm)

What's It About? Our very own Jason Statham and Clive Owen head a top-drawer cast in this gripping action thriller.

A former secret agent is forced to come out of retirement when his one-time mentor is captured by an Arab leader.

It's made clear that the hostage will be freed; on the condition that he kills three fellow operatives in punishment for the murders they committed.

Is It Any Good? Of course we're going to be biased about our Brit actors, but Statham and Owen make this film, and vying for screen ownership against the likes of Robert De Niro, they certainly hold their own.

All three are passionate and give the roles their all, while co-star Dominic Purcell gives a fine performance as the assassin.

Adapted from a novel by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the pace is fast and the action scenes, explosive; there's simply nothing not to like here.

Anything Else? All 24 actors featured in the film have either lived in, or were born in, Australia - in fact, Robert De Niro is the only American-born actor in it.

Starring: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro, Dominic Purcell.

Star Rating: **** 

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Live and Let Die (ITV4, 10.30pm)

What's It About?

The dashing 007 must travel from the streets of Harlem to the Caribbean to stop a drugs lord, rescue a beautiful clairvoyant, and fend off the attentions of a voodoo master, a superfly-style narcotics baron and a henchman with a hook for a hand.

Is It Any Good? It's undoubtedly Roger Moore's finest outing as Bond and ticks all the right boxes.

The action sequences arguably rival anything that Hollywood has put out in the 40-odd years since, while Moore hadn't yet started the tongue-in-cheek nonsense that made his later offerings so excruciating.

Optional extras include a searing Wings title track and some chilling scenes involving half a dozen crocodiles and a henchman with a steel hand. Very light on plot but an entertaining diversion nevertheless.

Anything Else? The boat chase through the bayous was originally written in the script as just "Scene 156 - The most terrific boat chase you've ever seen".

Starring: Roger Moore, Jane Seymour, Yaphet Kotto

Star Rating: ****

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Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Film4, 10.50pm)

What's It About? It's a couple of days until Thanksgiving and salesman Neal Page is desperate to get home to his family - but has no idea what's in store for him while he tries to get there.

Mother Nature has unleashed her fury, forcing him to find other means of transport when his flight is grounded.

Thrown together, he and fellow traveller Del Griffith decide to combine forces in the hope of saving time and money during their trip - this turns out to be the worst decision of Neal's life as he finds himself in increasingly surreal and precarious situations.

Is It Any Good? Absolutely. This touching, hilarious tale is one of the best films of John Hughes' career and features a surprisingly moving finale.

And let's be honest, Steve Martin and John Candy have never been surpassed in terms of cinematic comedy talent.

Anything Else? The infamous multiple 'F' word scene was only added to the movie so that it received a higher certificate. In the UK the movie is a 15 certificate, if it wasn't for this scene the movie would have been a PG.

Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean

Star Rating: **** 

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Friday 19/09/14

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Film4, 6.45pm)

What's It About? A care-free student skips school for the day and invites his uptight best friend and girlfriend along for a day in the city.

However, he's forced to contend with all sorts of obstacles, including a lack of transport, a suspicious principal and his worried parents.

Is It Any Good? You can't help but love Matthew Broderick as the cocky teenage pupil who will go to great lengths to get out of going to school.

Alan Ruck is equally impressive as his shy and retiring sidekick Cameron, while Jeffrey Jones threatens to steal the show as Ferris's put-upon principal who loses his car, gets punched by a girl and attacked by a dog while trying to catch Ferris playing truant.

Anything Else? The film was a breeding ground for up-and-coming actors.

Jennifer Grey and Charlie Sheen appeared in the film, before going onto bigger and better things.

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeffrey Jones, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey

Star Rating: ****

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Film4, 11.05pm)

What's It About? Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is found guilty of slandering a prominent industrialist and is sentenced to prison.

With six months until his incarceration, Mikael accepts a job from the reclusive Henrik Vanger.

The old man is still haunted by the disappearance of his daughter and hopes that the discredited journalist will be able to deduce, once and for all, who abducted and possibly killed the teenager.

Taking up residence in a cottage on the Vanger estate, Mikael begins his investigation and he is soon joined by computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, who has valuable insights to the case.

Together, the unlikely sleuths follow a trail of secrets and lies, trusting no one as they search for a killer in their midst.

Is It Any Good? An exquisitely paced piece of genre filmmaking, distinguished by the sharpness of Neils Arden Oplev's direction, Nicolaj Arcell and Rasmus Heisterberg's script and fearless performances from the two leads Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace.

Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Sven-Bertil Taube, Lena Endre, Peter Haber

Star Rating: *****

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 Troll Hunter (Channel 4, 12.10am)

What's It About? It's a fantasy horror offering from Andre Ovredal, about three film students making a documentary about bear attacks.

They stumble across a well-armed poacher, who explains that although he's been sworn to secrecy, he is a government-sanctioned monster slayer, who's duty is to kill the trolls roaming the wilderness.

He agrees to let the film crew document his work, a venture which puts all their lives in danger.

Is It Any Good? You'll need to pay attention to the subtitles, but this is a fantastic piece of work, least of all because of the two leads, Otto Jespersen and Glenn Tosterud, who are perfectly cast.

The vampires/werewolves/zombies thing has been done to death so this new focus makes quite a pleasant change. Plenty of special effects and a decent plot are sure to hold viewers' imaginations.

Anything Else? Trivia fans may note that the film contains several references to old Scandinavian folklore, including the goats on the bridge and a troll under it as a reference to the Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Starring: Otto Jespersen, Glenn Erland Tosterud

Star Rating: ****