Top TV films for the week ahead

Rob Cohen, director of the original The Fast And The Furious, puts the pedal to the metal in a high-octane action-thriller set on the Gulf Coast as a terrifying and unstoppable hurricane bears down on the cosy fictional town of Gulfport, Alabama. Gung-ho meteorologist Will (Toby Kebbell) and his wayward brother Breeze (Ryan Kwanten) have been estranged for years, haunted by the image of their father's death during Hurricane Andrew. A huge storm cell brings Will back home to Gulfport, where he is awkwardly reunited with Breeze just as a computer hacker called Sasha (Melissa Bolona) plots to steal 600 million US dollars from a nearby Treasury facility, using the mandatory emergency evacuation as a perfect cover for the crime.

Brooklyn's Finest (2009) (Sony Movie Channel, 9pm)

Sal (Ethan Hawke) is a narcotics officer who is desperate to move house so that his pregnant wife Angela (Lili Taylor) doesn't have to keep breathing in the mould which is aggravating her asthma. Eddie (Richard Gere) is in his final week before retirement and begrudgingly agrees to mentor a rookie cop, Quinlan (Jesse Williams), for his final seven days. Meanwhile, undercover cop Tango (Don Cheadle) has sacrificed everything to get close to kingpin Cas (Wesley Snipes) and his drugs network. The fates of these men with badges intertwine, culminating in a night of betrayal and bloodshed. Brooklyn's Finest draws strong performances from Hawke, Gere and Cheadle, each of whom faces a crisis of conscience and must pay the penalty for his actions.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) (STV, 10.30pm)

Newspapers are full of shocking headlines about anarchist bombings in Strasbourg and Vienna, the overdose of a Chinese opium dealer and the death of an American steel magnate. Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) deduces these events are linked to Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris) and the sleuth persuades sidekick Dr John Watson (Jude Law) to join him on one final globe-trotting adventure. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a sporadically entertaining jaunt. Downey Jr and Law ease back into familiar roles as the quixotic genius and his strait-laced foil, and Harris chews on every syllable with menacing intent.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) (ITV4, 11.25pm)

In 1881, the final year of Jesse James's extraordinary life, the James Gang continues to rob banks and railroad owners. Evading capture and the enemies who would love to collect the bounty on his head, Jesse (Brad Pitt) is initially flattered by the attention of devoted fan Bob Ford (Casey Affleck) but soon grows concerned by the young man's fixation. Hero worship sours into jealousy as Bob realises that he can never win the public's affections in the same way as his charismatic idol. So when the authorities propose to kill Jesse, Bob steps forward... Affleck blows Pitt and everyone else off screen as James's historically maligned assassin, with a performance of such naked emotion and intensity, it takes your breath away.

Sunday 08/04/18

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010) (ITV2, 1.30pm)

While her husband (Ewan McGregor) is away at war, Mrs Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal) valiantly takes charge of the family farm with her three children, and their two snooty, well-to-do cousins. So, it's a good job Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) arrives in the nick of time to show the little brats that the best way to overcome any problem is to work together. Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang is a glorious, rumbustious romp that once again demonstrates Thompson's magical touch in front of and behind the camera. As screenwriter, she crafts believable, funny and endearing characters, whose plights move us to laughter and tears. In her guise as the eponymous guardian angel, Thompson underlines the central message about inner beauty with another sparkling performance.

Marley & Me (2008) (Channel 5, 5.50pm)

Animal lovers will go bow wow wow for this engaging comedy-drama about one man's journey of self-discovery with a mischievous Labrador, based on the book by John Grogan. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star as a young couple struggling to juggle professional and parental responsibilities as well as Marley, the tiny, adorable bundle of fun that soon grows into 100 pounds of uncontrollable energy, chewing up anything and everything in the couple's home. Only the coldest heart - or a cat lover - would fail to be moved by the outcome of this movie, so make sure you have a box of tissues handy.

Ender's Game (2013) (Film4, 6.45pm)

A hostile alien race called the Formics invades Earth and is repelled at the last minute by International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), who sacrifices his life to bring down the mothership. The International Military prepares for the next attack by scouring the globe for the best young minds and bringing the raw recruits together at Battle School, including Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield). Endless simulations sort the wheat from the chaff, hoping to identify one brilliant child capable of leading the resistance when the Formics return. Based on the books by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game is a stirring tale of heroism aimed at young adults, which follows the lead of The Hunger Games by casting respected stars, including Harrison Ford, in pivotal roles.

The Free World (2016) (Sky Cinema Premiere, 9.50pm)

After serving a lengthy prison sentence for a crime he didn't commit, Mohamed Lundy (Boyd Holbrook) - who converted to Islam while behind bars -finds it hard to adjust to life on the outside, especially as the police continue to hassle him. The kindly Linda (Octavia Spencer) gives him a job at her animal shelter, where he encounters Doris (Elisabeth Moss) when she and her violent cop husband (Stephen L. Grush) bring in a badly injured dog. But when Doris later turns up to the shelter alone and covered in blood, will Lundy step in to help her? The parallels between the characters and the caged, mistreated animals aren't exactly subtle, but the powerful performances make up for any heavy-handed messages.

Monday 09/04/18

Triple 9 (2016) (Film4, 9.00pm)

Venomous Russian moll Irina Vlaslov (Kate Winslet) puts the squeeze on private security contractor Michael Belmont (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his team of dirty cops and Special Ops veterans. Michael fathered a child with Irina's sister Elena (Wonder Woman Gal Gadot) and is beholden to the Vlaslovs if he wants access to his boy. Irina insists that Michael and his accomplices pull off the heist of valuable computer files from a safe house. It's an impossible task within a three-minute window so Michael and his accomplices plan to create a diversion by killing rookie cop Chris Allen (Casey Affleck), the nephew of Sergeant Detective Jeffrey Allen (Woody Harrelson). Triple 9 is a taut action thriller with a stellar cast and a robust script penned by Matt Cook.

Kick-Ass 2 (2013) (Film4, 11.15pm)

Set four years after Kick-Ass, the characters have more or less grown up in this violent sequel. Now 18 and close to finishing high school, Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is keen to bring his green figure-hugging Kick-Ass suit out of the closet, while Mindy McCready (Chloe Grace Moretz), who sneaks out of school to bust drug-dealers, is being urged to forget her superhero sideline as Hit-Girl so she can fit in and be a normal teenager. Dave is left on his own, but after enlisting the help of his buddy Marty (Clark Duke), he finds Justice Forever, a group of wannabe vigilantes run by ex-mobster Colonel Stars And Stripes (Jim Carrey). By day, they are normal, everyday citizens but by night, they exact revenge on criminals.

Tuesday 10/04/18

The Last Song (2010) (Sony Movie Channel, 3.45pm)

Kim Miller (Kelly Preston) makes the long drive from New York to a small Southern beach town to drop off her two kids - Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and younger brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman) - with her estranged husband Steve (Greg Kinnear) for the summer. The one thing that used to bring father and daughter together - music - is now the one thing that keeps them apart as Ronnie has refused to play the piano since he left. The girl's summer looks a great deal brighter when she meets fellow misfit Blaze (Carly Chaikin) and falls for the charms of hunk Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth). However, a jealous rival for Will's affections and a terrible secret cast a dark shadow over the picture postcard community. The tear-jerking plot is somewhat contrived, but it is effective.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) (E4, 10pm)

The third instalment of the popular Underworld series sketches the origins of the ancient feud between vampires and werewolves. As Viktor (Bill Nighy) continues to rule the aristocratic bloodsuckers, the so-called Death Dealers, with an iron fist, a young Lycan called Lucian (Michael Sheen) rises up through the ranks to lead his race in rebellion against their fanged enemies, who have persecuted them for hundreds of years. Lucian's secret vampire lover, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), betrays her noble bloodline to lend support to the werewolves' plight, jeopardising Viktor's sadistic reign, but as we know from the other entries in the series, this won't have a happily-ever-after ending.

Wednesday 11/04/18

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) (Film4, 12.40pm)

The legendary Hayao Miyazaki, the man behind Spirited Away, turns Diana Wynne Jones's book into a magical animated feature. Eighteen-year-old Sophie (voiced by Emily Mortimer) works at a hat shop with her mother and sisters. There is excitement in the air - the moving castle of Wizard Howl (Christian Bale) has been spotted in the wasteland close to the town. Walking home one evening, Sophie is confronted by legions of oily, black shape-shifting creatures. She is saved in the nick of time by Howl, who takes Sophie's hand for a breath-taking stroll high above the town. This dalliance with the wizard incurs the wrath and the jealousy of the vindictive Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall), who casts a spell on Sophie, transforming her into an arthritic 90-year-old woman (now voiced by Jean Simmons).

Stuck in Love (2012) (Film4, 12.45am)

Erica Borgens (Jennifer Connelly) leaves her novelist husband Bill (Greg Kinnear) for a younger man (Rusty Joiner), creating a rift between the mother and her daughter Sam (Lily Collins), although her hopelessly romantic 16-year-old son Rusty (Nat Wolff) is more forgiving. Three years after the acrimonious break-up, Bill still pines for Erica. Meanwhile, Sam ricochets between meaningless one-night stands until handsome classmate Lou (Logan Lerman) threatens to break down her defences and Rusty pursues a tempestuous first romance. Stuck in Love is a smartly scripted, semi-autobiographical dramedy from first-time writer-director Josh Boone about the aftermath of divorce on a wealthy family.

Thursday 12/04/18

Moonstruck (1987) (Sony Movie Channel, 1.15pm)

Thirtysomething Italian-American widow Loretta (Cher) gets engaged to her staid boyfriend Johnny (Danny Aiello) just before he leaves for Sicily to be with his dying mother. While he's away, Loretta tracks down his estranged younger brother, the impetuous, passionate Ronny (Nicolas Cage), so she can invite him to the wedding, but instead finds herself falling for him. Meanwhile, her parents (Vincent Gardenia and Olympia Dukakis) are dealing with romantic problems of their own. Cher and Dukakis deservedly won Oscars for their roles, but everyone is terrific in Norman Jewison's funny, big-hearted romantic comedy, including the late John Mahoney, who has a couple of eye-catching scenes as a college professor with a penchant for wooing his students.

A Bigger Splash (2015) (Film4, 9pm)

Sharing its title with a 1967 David Hockney painting, A Bigger Splash is a spicy cinematic cocktail of sun, sea, sex and skulduggery. David Bowie-esque glam rock doyenne Marianne Lane (Tilda Swinton) is recuperating from surgery on her vocal chords at a villa on the Italian island of Pantelleria with her boyfriend, documentary filmmaker Paul De Smedt (Matthias Schoenaerts). When her old flame, boorish record producer Harry Hawkes (Ralph Fiennes), unexpectedly arrives on the island, it's clear he intends to drive a wedge between the couple - and he has brought along his alluring teenage daughter, Penelope (Dakota Johnson), to distract Paul. Luca Guadagnino's film is energized by Fiennes' unflinching portrayal of an emotional wrecking ball.

Friday 13/04/18

Cinderella Man (2005) (Sony Movie Channel, 3.10pm)

As a devastating economic downturn brings 1930s America to its knees, middle-aged ex-prizefighter Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) is struggling to pay the bills and care for his wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) and three children. Tempted by a sizeable payday for a comeback fight, Braddock ignores the advice of his manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) to risk everything for sporting glory. Director Ron Howard delivers a film which plucks our heartstrings with furious abandon, whether it be Braddock going cap in hand to beg for money from the boxing promoters, or Mae shaking with fear as she kisses her husband goodbye. Crowe looks the part and perfectly captures the wounded pride of his character while Zellweger acts as the voice of reason, trying to keep her fractured family together.

The Patriot (2000) (Sony Movie Channel, 9pm)

Doting father and war hero Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) becomes embroiled in the bloodshed of the American Revolution when his headstrong son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), is falsely accused of treason. Prepared to go to any lengths to protect his family, Martin wages a fierce campaign against sadistic British officer Colonel Tavington (Jason Isaacs), who intends to see Gabriel face the death penalty for his crime. The Patriot is a brutal and bloody war epic, anchored by Gibson's fearless lead performance. Director Roland Emmerich comes into his own during intense and shocking battle sequences, showing the physical devastation of war in graphic close-up. Historically and factually, his bold vision doesn't always pass muster but as a widescreen spectacle, The Patriot stands tall and proud.