It’s the shortest day of the year.
All that darkness.
All that cold.
Stay inside and watch a movie, you say?
Here’s the most eye-catching available options on the box on Tuesday, 21 December…
Bumblebee – Film4 – 6.45pm
Currently seen in Marvel’s Hawkeye, Hailee Steinfeld shines in this actually quite sweet Transformers spin-off.
Peppermint – Film4 – 9pm
Clumsy revenge thriller starring Jennifer Garner.
Bad Santa 2 – Virgin Media Two – 9pm
The second one.
Rocky II – ITV4 – 9pm
Also the second one.
Absolute Power – Turner Classic Movies / TCM – 9pm
Clint Eastwood witnesses a murder in a very powerful place.
Love Actually – ITV2 – 9pm
By law, at least one channel must play this once per day over Christmas.
Blades of Glory – Comedy Central – 9pm
Nobody knows what it means but it’s provocative; gets the people going.
Dating Amber – RTÉ 2 – 9.35pm
Charming comedy-drama set in 1990s Ireland.
Watchmen – Film4 – 11.05pm
Zack Snyder’s divisive take on the classic graphic novel.
American Gangster – ITV4 – 11.30pm
Ridley Scott’s 2007 crime epic is our pick of the evening.
Denzel Washington plays real-life career criminal Frank Lucas, inhabiting his violent rise to power in 1960s and 1970s America.
Russell Crowe is among the detectives looking to cause Lucas’ fall, while further support comes from Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Common, Idris Elba, Cuba Gooding Jr. and the always great Ted Levine.
National Lampoon’s Vacation – TCM – 11.30pm
A comedy vacation of the non-Christmas variety.
Mr & Mrs Smith – Channel 4 – Midnight
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie go big on the whole ‘marriage therapy’ thing.
Dial M for Murder – TCM – 1.35am
Vintage film noir if you can’t sleep.
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