In fact, a lot of brilliant movies are airing on television this evening for film lovers.
The weekend is among us. As such, why not kick back on the sofa with one of these fine flicks on TV this evening.
Fighting with My Family – Channel 4 – 9pm
This biographical sports comedy-drama depicts the career of English professional wrestler Paige (the great Florence Pugh) as she makes her way up to WWE, while also following her brother Zak Zodiac (Jack Lowden), as he struggles with his failure to achieve similar success.
Written and directed by Stephen Merchant and featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena playing themselves, this 2019 film was a hit with both audiences and critics.
A White, White Day – BBC Four – 9pm
Mourning the accidental death of his wife, a police chief becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her and begins investigating a man he believes she was having an affair with.
This Icelandic drama thriller earned rave reviews when released in cinemas in Ireland last year.
Triangle – Horror Channel – 9pm
This twisty and surprisingly emotional 2009 horror-thriller centres on a single mother (Melissa George, 30 Days of Night) who goes on a boating trip with several friends that takes a creepy, mysterious turn.
Brothers – TG4 – 9.45pm
From Irish director Jim Sheridan, Brothers tells the story of a presumed dead POW (Tobey Maguire) in Afghanistan who deals with PTSD after his release from captivity.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman co-star.
Alien: Covenant – RTÉ Two – 10.40pm
In the most recent entry in the legendary horror franchise, the crew of a colony ship bound for a remote planet discover an uncharted paradise. However, within it, lies a threat beyond their imagination and they must attempt a harrowing escape.
Helmed by Ridley Scott who made the first Alien movie, Covenant came under fire in some quarters for featuring characters who routinely make silly decisions. But if you can get past that, you may find the movie’s mix of stunning visuals, interesting themes and excellent performances (including a dual turn from our own Michael Fassbender) very rewarding.
Lords of Chaos – Film Four – 11.15pm
One for those with a morbid love of all things true crime, this horror-thriller biopic centres on a teenage musician (Rory Culkin) and his quest to launch Norwegian Black Metal in Oslo in the early 1990s.
Mounting shocking publicity stunts to put his band’s name on the map, the lines between show and reality start to blur with arson, violence and a vicious murder going on to shock the nation.
99 Homes – BBC One – 11.50pm
In our pick for tonight, a recently unemployed single father (Andrew Garfield) reluctantly accepts a job with the ruthless real-estate broker (Michael Shannon) who evicted him and his family from their home.
Co-written and directed by Ramin Bahrani (who made this year’s The White Tiger, another movie about class division), 99 Homes’ exploration of post-recession economic anxiety feels as timely now as when it was released in 2014.
Taut and tense, the film constantly feels like it could turn into a full-on thriller, thanks to the incredible, complex performances by Garfield and Shannon and the righteous fury Bahrani brings to this story about the rich screwing over the poor.
The Drummer and the Keeper – RTÉ One – 11.55pm
In this Irish comedy-drama, an unlikely friendship develops between the bipolar drummer of a rock band and an institutionalised teen suffering from Asperger’s syndrome.
Main image via Broad Green Pictures
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