A prescient dystopian thriller is among the movies on TV tonight

Simon Kelly

It was nominated for three Academy Awards.

If you’re not one of the lucky bunch enjoying the fine weather at Electric Picnic this weekend, then you’re going to need something to pass the time. Luckily, there’s some great movies on TV tonight that will more than take up your evening.

There’s plenty of choice, so get searching below for a flick that suits you!

50 First Dates – RTÉ Two – 9pm

A noughties classic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore about a man who discovers the girl of his dreams has amnesia and forgets him every time she goes to sleep, so he attempts to win her over every day.

The Bone Collector – Film Four – 9pm

The first of two Denzel Washington movies on TV tonight sees The Equaliser 3 star play a quadriplegic detective who, along with his partner (Angelina Jolie), tries to take down a murderous serial killer stalking New York City.

The Dirty Dozen – ITV4 – 9pm

Robert Aldrich directs this 1967 WWII flick about twelve convicts being trained as commandos by the Allies for a suicide mission ahead of the Normandy landings.

Judy – BBC Two – 10pm

Renée Zellweger stars in this excellent biographical drama based on the life of American actress Judy Garland.

Mission: Impossible 2 – E4 – 10pm

Is it as good as the first? Maybe not. In fact, it’s arguably the worst of the bunch, but if you’re a fan of Ethan Hunt and the film series as a whole this is in no way a bad movie.

Scanners – HorrorXtra – 10.50pm

1981 David Cronenberg-directed horror about head-exploding psychics with telekinetic powers.

The Great Debaters – Film Four – 11.20pm

2007 historical drama starring Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker and… Denzel Whitaker (surprisingly not related to either). It focuses on a professor at Wiley College Texas, a predominantly black private school, in 1935, and their debate team that went on to challenge Harvard.

Children of Men – BBC One – 11.40pm

Movies on TV - Children of Men

Our pick of the movies on TV tonight is this 2006 dystopian thriller from Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón set in 2027, when, after two decades of human infertility, the planet is on the brink of collapse and asylum seekers are trying to find refuge in the UK.

The movie focuses on Clive Owen’s character Theo, a civil servant who tries to help a refugee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) escape. Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Charlie Hunnam, and Michael Caine make up an excellent supporting cast in a film that’s both prescient and chilling.

Nominated for three Oscars, the flick has received praise for its realistic future setting and how it tackles sophisticated themes like hope in the face of despair. It’s well worth your time.

Dreamland – Channel 4 – 12am

Margot Robbie and Peaky Blinders star Finn Cole star in this period drama set during the Great Depression and focusing on a teenage bounty hunter who must decide whether to turn in or help a bank robber.