Saturday 13/03/21Welcome to Sudden Death (2020) *** (Sky Cinema Premiere, 12.10pm & 8.05pm) PremiereA security guard, who is also a former member of the Special Forces, brings his two kids to work at a basketball arena. Unfortunately, they aren’t the only visitors – the governor, mayor, thousands of other spectators and eight terrorists also happen to be attending. If the plot sounds familiar, that’s because it’s essentially a remake of the Jean-Claude Van Damme film Sudden Death – although that took place in an ice hockey arena. The presence of Michael Jai White, who was terrific in the cult blaxploitation parody Black Dynamite, may lead some viewers to expect an action spoof, but while there is some mindless fun to be had, this is largely a routine action thriller.

Peterloo (2018) **** (Channel 4, 10.00pm) PremiereA young soldier called Joseph (David Moorst) staggers home from Waterloo. The lad is deeply scarred by his experiences as loved ones including his mother Nellie (Maxine Peake) cluck around him. Joseph recuperates as his father Joshua (Pearce Quigley) joins the throng of disgruntled voices, who are enraged that Parliament under the control of Prime Minister Lord Liverpool (Robert Wilfort) and home secretary Lord Sidmouth (Karl Johnson) has refused to extend voting rights to workers. Thousands plan to march on August 16, 1819, to St Peter’s Field to listen to famed orator Henry Hunt (Rory Kinnear) plead their case. Mike Leigh’s film builds with sickening inevitability to the massacre of protesters, which the writer-director recreates with all the sound and fury he can muster.

Lucy (2014) *** (ITV 11.15pm)Carefree American student Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) is enjoying her new life in Taiwan until her boyfriend persuades her to deliver a briefcase on his behalf. The recipient turns out to be sadistic Korean drug lord Mr Jang (Choi Min-sik). He knocks Lucy unconscious and when she awakes, she discovers the mob has surgically implanted a deadly blue drug called CPH4 in her abdomen and she is being press-ganged into working as their mule. But then the bright blue crystals leak into Lucy’s system, endowing her with superhuman abilities such as telepathy and telekinesis. Directed at a breathless pace by Luc Besson, Lucy was one of the biggest box-office hits of 2014, and the profusion of eye-popping action sequences certainly holds our attention, even if the plot loses its grasp on neurological theory.

Whiplash (2014) ***** (BBC2, 11.20pm)Nineteen-year-old drummer Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is determined to excel at his Manhattan music conservatory, so he practises night and day and catches the eye of the school’s most revered teacher, Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons). The hard work pays off and Andrew transfers to Fletcher’s class, but the game of one-upmanship between teacher and pupil spirals out of control as Andrew sweats blood and tears to meet the lofty expectations of his maniacal mentor. Inspired by writer-director Damien Chazelle’s experiences in a fiercely competitive high-school jazz band, Whiplash is an electrifying thriller that delivers one emotional wallop after another. Teller delivers a bravura performance complemented by Simmons’ jaw-dropping, Oscar-winning portrayal of the foul-mouthed, bullying conductor.

Sunday 14/03/21Poms (2019) *** (Sky Cinema Premiere, 12.00pm & 6.00pm) PremiereDiane Keaton stars in this comedy as Martha, a cynical New Yorker who struggles to adjust to life in a retirement community in Georgia. However, a new friendship with a fun-loving neighbour (Jacki Weaver) and a cancer diagnosis gets Martha thinking about some of the opportunities she’s missed in life and encourages her to start her own cheerleading squad made up of her fellow residents. Sadly, the formulaic script is unlikely to get audiences on their feet and cheering, but it’s worth a look for the terrific cast, which also includes the always-welcome Pam Grier and Cheers veteran Rhea Perlman.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952) ***** (BBC2, 2.35pm)One of the greatest musicals ever made, Singin’ in the Rain is bursting with catchy songs and general joie de vivre. The dance numbers are superb, but what really gives the movie its edge is the witty script and top-notch performances from the leading trio of Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor. Silent film actor Don Lockwood (Kelly) is one of the biggest names in Hollywood thanks to his on-screen partnership with the glamorous Lina Lamont (scene-stealer Jean Hagen). However, the arrival of ‘the talkies’ threatens to expose his hammy acting and her nails-down-a-blackboard voice. Luckily, Don’s new girlfriend Kathy (Reynolds) can carry a tune – which gives his best mate Cosmo (O’Connor) a very bright idea…

I Got Life! (2017) **** (BBC4, 10.00pm) PremiereDirector Blandine Noir sensitively explores femininity and growing old (dis)gracefully in a bittersweet coming of middle-age French drama headlined by the formidable Agnes Jaoui. She plays 50-year-old divorcee Aurore, who is soon to be a grandmother and feels that she is being sidelined by a society that values youth and beauty over experience. Gamely coping with the menopause and losing her job at her ex-husband’s company, Aurore fears that her lack of qualifications will condemn her to the employment scrap heap. When her first love Christophe (Thibault de Montalembert), who she should have married, unexpectedly comes back into her life, Aurore realises she has a second chance at happiness that was denied to her by her own indecision and insecurities.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) **** (Channel 4, 11.00pm)Gung-ho time-travelling agent Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and his sassy partner, Sergeant Laureline (Cara Delevingne), are enlisted to deliver a rare creature to Commander Arun Filitt (Clive Owen) aboard the space station Alpha, where hundreds of alien races live in harmony. This vast outpost of almost 30 million residents speaking 5,000 languages is overseen by Captain Neza (Kris Wu) and his crew. Supposedly extinct humanoids infiltrate Alpha and abduct Commander Filitt on Valerian and Laureline’s watch, and the heroes conceive a daring rescue plan. Based on Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres’ comic series Valerian and Laureline, director Luc Besson’s special effects-laden romp brazenly melds elements of Star Wars and Avatar to explore the destruction of otherworldly races in the 28th century.

Monday 15/03/21How Green Was My Valley (1941) **** (Film4, 4.45pm)Director John Ford was best known for his Westerns, but in this classic, he turns his attention to South Wales. Based on the best-selling 1939 novel of the same name by Richard Llewellyn and starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara, Donald Crisp and Roddy McDowall, it follows the Morgans, a mining family whose way of life is under threat. In particular, it focuses on the youngest son Huw, who seems to have the best chance of building a different kind of life for himself. How Green Was My Valley won the Best Picture Oscar, famously beating out Citizen Kane and The Maltese Falcon, a decision which seems slightly baffling in retrospect, but it remains a touching, if occasionally maudlin, drama.

The Matrix Revolutions (2003) *** (ITV4, 9.00pm)The final part of the blockbusting trilogy (or so we thought) 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 (Keanu Reeves) tackles arch enemy Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) who has infected the CG world with millions of copies of himself. Although suffering from some pretentious dialogue and an over complicated plot, this boasts some stunning visual effects and great action scenes. Try not to think about it too hard and it should work wonders. For anyone who thinks The Matrix series deserved to go out on more of a high, Reeves is returning for a belated fourth film.

Tuesday 16/03/21Night School (2018) *** (Film4, 9.00pm) PremiereTeddy Walker (Kevin Hart) dropped out of school a couple of credits shy of graduation. If he wants to secure a well-paid career and take care of his fiancée Lisa (Megalyn Echikunwoke), he must go back to school to pass his General Educational Development test (GED). Following an awkward conversation with Piedmont High School’s principal Stewart Patowski (Taran Killam), Teddy enrols in night classes with a motley crew of misfits. The group’s no-nonsense teacher, Carrie (Tiffany Haddish), warns that she will not tolerate time-wasters and Teddy realises he has finally met someone who is impervious to his slick patter. Night School is a watchable coming-of-middle-age comedy, although it’s a shame comic whirlwind Haddish isn’t given the material to achieve top grades.

High Plains Drifter (1973) ***** (ITV4, 9.00pm)The residents of a mining town hire three outlaws to murder their sheriff, who was about to inform the government about their illegal activities – and then frame the criminals for theft to ensure their secret remains safe. However, when they learn the felons are due to be released from jail and are undoubtedly plotting their revenge, the townsfolk secure the protection services of a mysterious gunslinger (Clint Eastwood), who turns out to his have his own agenda. Eastwood’s second stint in the director’s chair is a stylish, atmospheric and extremely violent Western with a twist at the end. Eastwood displays a lot of promise behind the camera, and there are plenty of scenes here that live long in the memory.

Wednesday 17/03/21Misery (1990) ***** (Film4, 9.00pm)When author James Caan is involved in a near-fatal car accident he is pulled from the wreckage by nice Kathy Bates who, it turns out, is his number one fan. But when she discovers that Caan is planning to kill off his most famous creation, Misery Chastain, in his latest novel, Bates reveals herself to a scenery-chewing psychopath with a fondness for sledgehammers. Stephen King’s shocking thriller is ably directed by Rob Reiner with first-class performances from both stars – particularly the Oscar-winning Bates, whose mood-swinging character is quite terrifying. It also helped Caan (who was 12th in line for the role), who was in the midst of a comeback, prove he could do more than play gangsters.

All About Eve (1950) ***** (Talking Pictures TV, 9.05pm)Joseph L Mankiewicz’s brilliantly acerbic portrayal of ambition and greed nabbed a clutch of well-deserved Oscars including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Supporting Actor for the scene-stealing George Sanders. There are also career-best performances from Bette Davis and Anne Baxter, although both were left empty-handed at the awards, probably as a result of splitting the Best Actress vote. Davis plays aging Broadway star Margo Channing, who is targeted by bright young thing Eve Harrington (Baxter). The girl worms her way into Margo’s life and takes on the role of secretary-aide before doing everything within her power to usurp Margo from her pedestal. The dialogue fizzes wickedly as Eve schemes, plots and deceives her way to the top – and there’s also a wonderful early appearance by Marilyn Monroe.

Thursday 18/03/21In the Heat of the Night (1967) ***** (Sony Movies Classic, 9.00pm)When a wealthy industrialist in found murdered in a Mississippi town, the racist local sheriff Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) is quick to accuse black newcomer Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) who has been spotted in the town, only to discover that his chief suspect is actually a decorated homicide detective from Philadelphia. Despite this disastrous start, the pair work together to find the real killer, reaching a new respect along the way. Released in 1967 at the height of the US civil rights movement, director Norman Jewison’s drama boasts great performances and at least one truly iconic line from Poitier. No wonder it won the Best Picture Oscar in a landmark year, beating the era-defining likes of The Graduate and Bonnie and Clyde.

Step Brothers (2008) *** (ITV4, 10.00pm)Brennan (Will Ferrell) is 40 going on 14. He still lives at home with his mother Nancy (Mary Steenburgen) and openly nurtures resentment towards his boorish younger brother Derek (Adam Scott), who has a career, a family and a home of his own. During a medical convention, Nancy meets Robert (Richard Jenkins), who has his own adult son at home – Dale (John C Reilly) – and the lonely parents embark on a whirlwind romance. Wedding bells peal and Nancy moves in with her new husband with disgruntled Brennan in tow. Step-sibling resentment quickly boils over, but Dale and Brennan unexpectedly discover common ground: favourite dinosaurs and their shared hatred of Derek. The humour won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but the rapport between Ferrell and Reilly powers the film.

Friday 19/03/21Baby Driver (2017) ***** (Sony Movies, 9.00pm)Director Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver is a high-octane crime caper which gleefully burns rubber to a toe-tapping soundtrack. Ansel Elgort plays Baby, who has suffered from tinnitus since he was involved in the horrific car accident that killed his parents. To drown out the ringing, he listens to music at a deafening volume, which allows him to focus on his duties as a getaway driver for criminal mastermind Doc (Kevin Spacey). For his final drive, Baby must assist Buddy (Jon Hamm), his fiery girlfriend Darling (Eiza Gonzalez) and trigger-happy Bats (Jamie Foxx) in pilfering millions of dollars. As the plan takes shape, Baby kindles a romance with diner waitress Debora (Lily James), who is desperate to leave town. Baby’s cut from the robbery should give them a way out, presuming Doc’s plan doesn’t go awry…

Maps to the Stars (2014) **** (BBC2, 11.20pm)Thirteen-year-old Benjie Weiss (Evan Bird) is the pre-pubescent prince of Hollywood, whose upward trajectory is carefully managed by his mother Christina (Olivia Williams). Back at home, Benjie’s father, self-help guru Dr Stafford Weiss (John Cusack), realigns the chakras of wealthy clientele including fame-hungry actress Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore), who is pinning her resurgence on a remake of the film that made her mother a star. While Havana awaits news on the role, she employs a new personal assistant called Agatha (Mia Wasikowska), whose sardonic take on Hollywood attracts handsome limo driver Jerome Fontana (Robert Pattinson). Maps to the Stars is a relentlessly grim satire of ambition, greed and dark familial secrets anchored by Moore’s fearless and emotionally raw performance.